Feb 24, 2011 ... the household and their descendents worked for the white Burns family until after
the end of the Civil War. But the ancestors of Rev. Roy Burns.
www.news-reporter.com
THE NEWS-REPORTER – Washington, Georgia – February 24, 2011 PAGE 7A
UNSUNG HERO OF WILKES COUNTY – REV. ROY L. BURNS
He served God, family, community, and country
By Rev. Ed Anderson
The first federal census to record the presence of any member of the Burns family living in Wilkes County is the 1820 census. It reflects that there were five white Burns family members in the household of Samuel S. Burns and there were five blacks. The black Burns members of the household and their descendents worked for the white Burns family until after the end of the Civil War. But the ancestors of Rev. Roy Burns evaluated the situation and concluded, in the words of once -enslaved Joseph, of the Old Testament, “what man meant for evil, God meant for good.” At the earliest possible opportunity, they decided to purchase property and in essence followed the advice of Booker T. Washington and others to “cast down your buckets where you are.” His apparent deep roots in Wilkes County and in our country account for Rev. Burns’ deep love and commitment to the county and country. He and his wife transferred the timehonored value of love of country to
their children and children’s children. By the time their third child, Nedra, was born, the Civil Rights Movement was under way and new opportunities were becoming available to all. David was born next, followed by Daniel. Rev. and Mrs. Burns were present when David graduated from the University of Georgia and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Now a retired Major, he is in the midst of a meaningful second career in corporate America. Armed with an undergraduate degree from UGA and now an MBA degree, Daniel, after being commissioned a Second Lieutenant through ROTC, completed four years of active service and is now a district manager for a large transportation company in Texas. His wife, Joyce, is a retired Army nurse with 26 years of service. Daniel vividly recalls his dad’s com-
mitment to fairness, honesty, and doing the right thing. He remembers that his father was a man of much humility and of few words. Rather, he was a man of action. He asserts that his dad did not believe in luck. He believed that education and hard work are the keys to success in life. Daughter, Anita chose a career in the Army as well. Now retired and in her second career as a corporate Human Resource Officer, she and her family are living in North Carolina. She states that, “Dad believed in reading widely, and writing (he loved to write poetry), and he loved a good debate with family members and others about religion, politics, or anything that kept the mind active.” Retired Army First Sergeant Lynn Burns, now of Arizona, recalls his dad encouraging him and his sib-
lings by saying “you may not be able to achieve perfection, but you can achieve excellence.” He recalls being taught to “pay attention to details” and to always have a “plan B, and a plan C” to achieve your objectives. Daughter, Nedra also a corporate Human Resources Officer, and her family live in Fulton County. She states that “he did not have a booming voice, but he had a quiet presence that commanded respect.” She goes on to say that “he discouraged gossip and encouraged everyone he touched to see the good in others. He reached out to those in need and he gave to those who were without.” In and beyond the walls of the church, he loved working with the youth and guiding their development. There is a consensus in the Burns family that their dad believed that failure was not an option.
White to deliver keynote address at Jackson Chapel program Sun. The local senior citizens center was named in memory of Rev. Roy L. Burns in 2009.
Pre-K registration scheduled for March 7-9 at senior center The Washington Wilkes Elementary School Pre-K Program is offered free to all four-year-old children regardless of parental income. To participate, children must be four years of age on or before September 1 of the school year. Five-year-old children who have not previously attended the Pre-K program and who have late birthdays or developmental delays that impact their readiness for school may also enroll at the request of their parents. The program consists of a full 6.5-hour instructional day for children, five days a week, 180 days a year. The Pre-K program at W-WES currently serves 80 four-year-old children and employees eight certified faculty and staff members. PreK statewide is in some 163 public schools systems, with some 1,768 classrooms serving some 34,857 children in public school systems across the state of Georgia employing over 1,684 certified teachers. The Pre-K program at W-WES is open to all Wilkes County fouryear-olds who reach that age on or before September 1 of the current school year. The program is voluntary and accepts children on a first-come-first-served basis. Registration will be held, March 7-9, (Monday-Wednesday) from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Roy Burns Senior Citizens Center on Marshall Street in Washington, located right behind the Wilkes County Health Department. The Pre-K program works in collaboration with the Health Department and will provide shots and screening without an appointment on the above dates and times. W-WES Principal Wanda Jenkins serves as the Pre-K Project director and Patricia Wilder, serves as the transition coach. The position of “transition coach” began in the 2010-2011 school year and is funded through a competitive grant written
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by Wilder. The state defines “transition” as a process that prepares all partners – students, families, schools and communities – to develop the knowledge, skills and relationships that help students move from one educational setting to another. Appropriate language and literacy development is an important component for effective transition. In addition to language and literacy needs being addressed, transition services also include activities associated with age appropriate social, emotional, and physical development; preparation for new educational settings; support for families; and effective community collaboration. All lottery funded Pre-K programs in Georgia have a number of research-based curriculum options from which to choose. The Pre-K program at W-WES uses the “High Scope” curriculum model. All of the lead teachers and teacher assistants have extensive training in the implementation of this curriculum, a developmentally appropriate model designed to meet the cognitive, physical and social/emotional need of four-year-olds. High Scope provides intensive instruction in the area of language development, mathematical development, scientific development, social studies, creative development, physical development, and social/emotional development. Parents registering their children will be required to provide a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate; a social security card; 3300 hearing, vision, and dental screening; 3231 current immunization (shots) record; proof of residency (utility bill or copy of lease. Driver’s licenses not accepted.); green card, pink card, or Federal I-94 card (if not a US and Georgia resident). For further information or concerns, contact Wilder at 706-6787678 or 706-401-9975.
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Jackson Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church will celebrate with its annual Black History Program this Sunday, February 27, at 3 p.m. Michelle White of Clifford Grove Baptist Church will be the keynote speaker. Minister White is a young Christian woman who “has committed herself to God, and has dedicated herself to a life of servitude.” She was recently appointed to serve as the Youth Minister at Clifford Grove Baptist Church. White is the daughter of Mary White and is a native of Wilkes County. She is a 1997 graduate of Washington-Wilkes Comprehensive High School and holds Bachelor’s Degrees in Criminal Justice and Sociology from the University of Georgia. She is presently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Troy University. White is presently employed as the Program Director for the Wilkes County 21st Century Achievers After School Program. She has previously been employed as a probation officer for the Juvenile Justice System, a social worker for the Department of Family and Children Services, and a graduation coach at Washington-Wilkes Middle
MICHELLE WHITE School. The program will also include singing and recitations from other members of the community. There will be a display of African-American artifacts. The public is invited to attend this historical program. Jackson Chapel A.M.E. Church is located at 318 Whitehall Street in Washington.
Darryl (now deceased), Margo, and Yvonne were raised in the Burns home and were beneficiaries of the same love, discipline, and encouragement received by all the children. Rev. Burns regularly reached out to young people and encouraged and challenged them to set high goals in life and to pursue them. Mrs. Addie Burns is so thankful that Rev. Roy L. Burns relaxing at home. God gave her a loving, caring, and God-fearing the need to expand arose, Rev. Burns husband and father of their children. began exploring the availability of She is thankful for the example he grant money and other resources to set in their home, in the community build and staff a new facility. The and in his career as a military man new Wilkes County Senior Citizens and as a minister of the gospel of Center was constructed several Jesus Christ. Indeed, he lived out his years ago at a cost of about $400,000 ministry calling with the same high and was financed principally by a level of commitment and energy as Community Development Block he served in the military. Over the Grant from the Georgia Department years, he served as pastor of Mount of Human Resources. To honor the Cavalry Baptist Church in Elberton, life, hard work and dedication of St. Marlenes, Macedonia, and New Rev. Burns in making the center a reality, it was in 2009 renamed, the Sutton Temple. As his ministry evolved, Rev. “Roy L. Burns Sr. Senior Citizens Burns discovered that God had Center.” Like church and family, it given him a special love for el- has great significance in the lives of derly people. Accordingly, he began a huge number of our seniors each working with a fellow community- day. minded Washingtonian, Mary Fer- “The Senior Citizens Center is a guson in the early 1980s to begin tremendous plus to the quality of life a senior citizen program. It began for the seniors in Washington and operating modestly in the commu- Wilkes County” says Mayor Willie nity service building of the Harper Burns. “I am so elated that God put Street housing development in it in my dad’s spirit to work to make December 1981. In 1982 and for it a reality. His life was about serthe ensuing ten years, the Senior vice – to God, family, country, and Citizens Center operated out of the especially Wilkes County.” Indeed, old Reese J. Booker Recreational Rev. Roy L. Burns is an Unsung Center on Whitehall Street. When Hero of Wilkes County.
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Thank You Thank you for the love and kindness you have shared with us during Tim’s illness and recent death. Your expressions of sympathy have brought us all great comfort in our time of sorrow. The Family of Tim Echols
LWREA gives to Project HOPE for patients at Georgia Regional The members of the Lincoln-Wilkes Retired Educators Association (LWREA) donated socks and t-shirts to Project HOPE during the January meeting. The items will be given to patients at the Georgia Regional Hospital in Milledgeville. Project HOPE is a five hospital project that involves donating socks and t-shirts to patients. The project includes four hospitals located in Savannah, Milledgeville, Rome, and Thomasville. The fifth hospital is the Veterans Hospital in Dublin. Dorothy Wilson, president of the Georgia Retired Educators Association (GREA) for 2010-2011, chose Project HOPE (Helping Other People Endure) as the GREA service project during her term in office. “GREA is pleased and blessed because Project HOPE is helping to extend visibility all over the state,” Wilson said.
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