With a little help from Dougherty County Sheriff Kevin Sproul, 10-year-old Landon Johnson finished knotting his tie, while dozens of other men engaged in imparting the same lesson to Landon’s peers.
“He pretty much did it by himself,” Sheriff Sproul said.
For the 10-year-old, the experience was a “good one.”
“I liked learning to tie the tie and I loved the food,” said the rising fifth-grader, who will attend Lincoln Elementary Magnet School in the fall.
Credit: Alan Mauldin
Credit: Alan Mauldin
The lesson was part of the annual Ties That Bind event hosted by the Phoebe Network of Trust at Albany State University’s West Campus and brought together more than 50 elementary and middle school boys with adult role models.
Others who participated included former Albany Mayor Willie Adams, Dougherty County Commission Chairman Lorenzo Heard, three county commissioners, city and county staff, business leaders and law enforcement officers.
“I think it went fabulous,” Darrell Sabbs, Phoebe Putney Health System’s former community benefits director and an organizer of the event, said. “I think we had a great turnout. The Marines came out good, and law enforcement, government (employees), academia and leaders.”
Credit: Alan Mauldin
Credit: Alan Mauldin
Taking his remarks from Proverbs 14:12, Heard encouraged the young men to look to parents, grandparents and others who are older to help them along the way.
“You may get way down the path and find this path, this road, leads to death, to destruction, to disaster,” he said. “You can escape the way of death and disaster if you get one of them (mentors), because they have already been where you want to go.”
The chairman also told the group that he saw enough talent in the room to rebuild a southwest Georgia that is second to none and that the group gave him hope for the future.
Credit: Alan Mauldin
Credit: Alan Mauldin
Addressing the more than 50 boys, Albany Recreation and Parks Director Steven Belk encouraged them to get acquainted with the men they met.
“When you talk to the individuals at the table and ask them how they got where they are today, ask them what have been the barriers in their life,” he said. “You may have had some of those same barriers.”
Credit: Albany Herald
Credit: Albany Herald
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