An Athens non-profit dedicated to providing needed services and opportunities to local children recently announced a star-studded honoree lineup for its upcoming Awards Dinner. The Changing the Picture Awards dinner, organized by Family Connection –Communities in Schools of Athens and presented by Athens Regional Health System, will take place on Saturday, August 29th at 7pm at Broad 9A.
 
Tim Johnson, Executive Director of Family Connection – Communities in Schools of Athens, is proud the organization will spend the evening honoring Bertis and Katherine Downs, Ed Benson and Jack Lumpkin for their long-standing commitment to Athens-area youth.
 
“Our mission is to do whatever it takes as a community working together for the success of all of children,” said Johnson. “These four individuals have spent a lifetime living that mission and it shows in everything they do. We could not be more excited to honor these outstanding people.”
 
Bertis and Katherine Downs are being recognized for their extraordinary support of public education. Bertis has been an informed and tireless advocate on policy at the national, state, and local levels. Katherine has been a leader in supporting local public schools directly through volunteer and other work. They have also been key supporters of Family Connection – Communities In Schools from the beginning; Katherine was on the Board of Directors of Community Connection when Family Connection was started as part of that organization. This couple remains in strong support for this and other child and youth-support organizations in this community.
 
The Athens-Clarke County Police Department became one of our most engaged partners when Jack Lumpkin returned to Athens as Chief. Chief Lumpkin will be honored for his extraordinary collaboration. He served on the organization’s Board of Directors for several years, and assigned others in the Department to serve since then. He also assigned members of the Police Department to work on Strategic Action Teams, to support the Neighborhood Leaders program, and more. Chief Lumpkin wrote into all ACCPD employee job descriptions an expectation that they would do something to support children and youth in Athens – mentoring, coaching, tutoring, serving on a Board of an organization supporting them. He has been quoted many times as saying, “Youth development is the most important crime prevention work a community can do and this program is the most effective crime prevention program in Athens.”
 
Ed Benson is a highly successful business owner and long-time philanthropic presence in the Classic City. Family Connection – Communities in Schools will honor Ed for his extensive personal volunteerism, as well as his financial and other support. He was one of the original mentors for the Clarke County Mentor Program. He worked with Michael Thurmond to bring white leadership and black leadership to the table together to build understanding about each other, and “to support education, youth development, public safety, racial interaction and employment.” In 1961, he spoke against proposals to close public schools to prevent integration. In addition to the Mentor Program, for which he was the first Chairman, he has been a leader in the Athens Rotary Club, Boys & Girls Club, Athens First United Methodist Church, and Meals on Wheels.