COLORBEARER OF ATHENS, GEORGIA LOCALLY OWNED SINCE 1987
July 11, 2016

Athens for Everyone Celebrates Second Anniversary

 

Living wage web.jpeg

Photo Credit: Blake Aued

Athens for Everyone rallies for a living wage for ACC employees in May.

Tim Denson admits that at times he wasn’t sure Athens for Everyone would last two months when he and supporters formed the organization following his 2014 run for mayor.

But two years later, A4E is still going strong. The group celebrated its second anniversary Friday with an open house at its new office in the Chase Park warehouses.

“It’s two years later,” he said. “We’re growing and growing and growing. We’re getting bigger and better.”

Denson ticked off a list of victories the group has achieved: The Athens-Clarke Mayor and Commission will do a salary study aimed at raising the lowest-paid county employees' wages to more than $10 an hour, for example, and both ACC and UGA are buying electric and hybrid buses.

“While they might be small steps, they’re small steps that give faith that the next thing can happen,” he said.

A4E is also conducting a membership drive. Those who commit to volunteer for three hours a year or donate $60 get voting privileges, according to member Carter Adams.

“The No. 1 thing we need from the community is more volunteers, more members so we can do more things” like tackle criminal justice reform, Adams said.

The group will host an orientation session at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 23 at 159 Oneta St., Unit 4.

comments