Please read my newsletter for February 2016.

What’s Happening In District 1

ColumbusMakesIt partners with Chattahoochee Valley to create Hub for science, technology, engineering, and math fields

 

What is ColumbusMakesIt? According to Mr. Frank Braski  it is a ”Market place where art, technology,and good old fashioned trade skills intersect and create educational and economic opportunities for individuals and the community.”

ColumbusMakesIt is a 501(c)(3) organization that has reached out to the Chattahoochee Valley to engage, educate,enable and help individuals and organizations in the science, technology, engineering, and math fields, but with the additional incentive of helping them through workshops called “Makes” where they actually put hands on and produce whatever ideas they have.

“We are a community center of diverse artists, makers and technologists that provide the tools, education, and support activities that encourage and inspire people to LEARN IT, MAKE IT AND LIVE IT….We’re big on putting the A(Arts and Music) in STEM,(Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), to  help grow STE(A)M”

— Mr. Frank Braski 

ColumbusMakesIT has gone to schools and conducted workshops sparking the curiosity of many of our children and youth to bring their ideas to reality; these children are our future inventors and scientists. In just ten months ColumbusMakesIt has done over 15,000 hours of service that reached out to 6,800 children ages from four years of age upwards. It was involved in over forty events that produced 340 solar fan cars called umakeits.

ColumbusMakesIt has partnered with the Columbus Space Program in order to be an additional partner to encourage learning and training in the field of robotics and has even set up mini exhibits in Uptown Columbus to pique the curiosity of the public.

Soon, there will be two big events in the months of March and April.  On March 10th-12th, there will be STEAMUL8 “a First of a kind in the Nation”event at the Columbus Civic Center. This event is FREE TO THE PUBLIC. The event is is being  hosted by Frank Braski of ColumbusMakesIt (7064899094) and  Let’s Grow Steam, CEO Robbie Branscomb,(7065773409), in partnership with Georgia First robotics.

Both of these non-profits state that they “engage youth in the creative ‘HANDS ON & MINDS ON’ process of technological innovation. Competitors are inspired to be science and technology leaders engaged in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, foster innovation, self confidence,communication and leadership.

The goal is to get youth excited about science and technology, to expose them to  STEM Careers , to attend one of our prestigious institutes of higher learning and upon graduation, and to stay in the valley area for their careers. By doing this, we are able to ‘put the valley first’”  The goal is to introduce and inspire our youth into careers in Science Technology, Engineering , and Math careers.

This is also an event to attract individuals of ALL AGES to become interested and apply the skills they may not know they possess through STEM. Friday and Saturday at the Civic Center there will be: First Robotics competition, ( 2 days), with open robot demonstrations, RobotRumble, and much more; Let’s Grow STE(A)M +  TechnoExpo + Technology Career Fair, (2 days) with Drone Zone, Autonomous racing and FPV/RC racing; and Maker Expo(Saturday only),with “Maker” Demonstrations 3D Printers, CNC Milling Machines and modern Fabrication techniques.

Another extravaganza called STARTUP WEEKEND will be hosted April 15th-17th, and I will highlight that event for you in my April Newsletter. Please come out and support these marvelous events geared to enhance our youth and benefit the community.

Direct Services offers Columbus’ Seniors and Disabled Individuals a comprehensive system of services that aid them in the activities of daily living.

The mission of the Direct Services Organization is as stated “To promote the mental, spiritual, and physical welfare of seniors and disabled individuals through a comprehensive system of services that aid them in the activities of daily living.
We are committed to senior and disabled citizens living safe, healthy, independent and long lives in the place they call home.”

Their mission encompasses so much, especially that last sentence. There are few things more precious to senior or disabled citizen than to maintain some semblence of autonomy and independence and, if practical, to live in their own homes.

The Direct Services Organization, located at 1500 2nd Avenue Columbus Georgia under the direction of the Executive Director Mr. Scott Bryan provides a number of programs designed to allow seniors to remain in their homes and maintain their dignity and independence. These various programs are: Community Care Services, Long Term Care Ombudsman, Homemaker Aide Services, Home Delivered Meals and Senior Center Services.

Community Care Service Program (CCSP)
CCSP assists seniors and/or the disabled with their limitations in performing the activities of daily living.  In each case, an evaluation is done by a Registered Nurse or a Social Worker who does an assessment of the client’s medical, functional, (very important), and social needs. An approved care plan may include Adult Day Care, Alternative Living Services, Emergency Response Systems, Home Delivered Meals, skilled nursing, therapy (physical, speech and occupational,) and personal support services.

Long Term Ombudsman
Long Term Ombudsman is a program that serves to advocate or look out for the interests of those residents who are living in a long term care facility. This is an extremely important service, because without it these residents may not have a voice to address any grievance or concern they may have.

Home-maker Aide Services
These are services that are specific to those seniors who are impaired in their ability to perform activities of daily living and activities related to maintaining their home. The activities included in this category are as follows: basic house cleaning, laundry, and    essential errands that the citizen cannot accomplish such as food shopping or going to the pharmacy.

Home Delivered Meals (Meals on Wheels)
I mentioned home delivered meals. These meals are very nutritious and are planned by a Georgia State Registered Dietician. They meet 33% of the daily RDA/AI nutritional requirements for adults. Direct Services has its own Commercial   Prep Kitchen “The Culinary Center” located at 2401 Hamilton Road in Columbus. The Culinary Center’s staff produces 1500 meals, 250 days each year. In the summer of 2016, Direct Services will allow The Columbus Technical College to utilize the kitchen for its Culinary Arts program.

Because seniors are such a vulnerable population, other services such as nutritional screening, education, and referral services are included. An additional benefit of the Meals on Wheels program is that oftentimes the seniors and disabled are homebound, and having someone who visits on a daily basis provides the necessary social contact. Such a contact is needed and serves as an emergency contact to care for seniors.

Senior Center Services
Direct Services provides management, activities, and nutritional counseling 5 days a week. Activities include exercise classes, reading, art and crafts, educational   programs, wellness activities, social time and field trips.

Although Direct Services saves the state a considerable amount of money for the care of the senior and disabled population, unfortunately, as with all community based services, Direct Services is operating with limited funding; however there are opportunities to help through volunteering to deliver meals or volunteering to help in the kitchen.

You can also help by sponsoring a senior or disabled individual by donating to Homemaker Aide Services at $70.00 a month or $840.00 a year or Home Delivered Meals at $83.00 a month or $1000.00 a year.
If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with long life, you may need the benefit of these services one day.

ALERT: SPEAK OUT AND BE HEARD ABOUT SEQUESTRATION

Each Newsletter, I mention the importance of contacting our Elected Officials in Congress to halt any more cuts in funding to Fort Benning due to Sequestration.

I quote each month the words of Mr. Gary Jones , Executive President of Military affairs at the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce who said “ Sequestration is not going away. It’s just looming and the minute that you relax and forget about Sequestration and the impacts of it, all a sudden it’s going to be there and you’ll ask how did it happen and we didn’t know what was going on”

Please sign your name to the petition www.growbenning.com. Ask others to sign as well to send a loud message to our Congressional Legislators. NO MORE CUTS TO MILITARY PERSONNEL AT FORT BENNING

Please tell your friends who are not getting the District 1 monthly Newsletter that they can freceive it by going to my website at www.popsbarnes.com and subscribe to it.

Also, please “LIKE” my Council Facebook page Jerry Pops Barnes City Council District 1 for updated information and events in the city of Columbus and District 1.

If you need to contact me, please call me at (706)442-0249 or my email addresses at pops9784@aol.com or Pops9784@gmail.com

Until next Newsletter, please take care of yourself and May God continue to richly Bless you.

— Pops