Thursday, September 18, 2008

Decatur Active Living's Greg White!


Congratulations to Decatur Active Living Assistant Director Greg White, featured as The Champion Newspaper's "Champion of the Week"!

http://www.championnewspaper.com/images/Free_Press_060206.pdf

Gregory White
Champion of the Week

Sure, Gregory White, 47, of Stone Mountain, has done all the things you expect from an upstanding community leader – mentor kids, be active in his neighborhood church and volunteer on a regular basis.
But more than anything, White, the assistant director of Decatur Active Living, is proud of his role as the main promoter and keeper of the history of James “Red” Moore’s Negro Major League Baseball legacy.
“Red is the only living member of the Atlanta Black Crackers Negro League championship in 1938,” said White, who through tributes, exhibits and word-of-mouth promotions keeps Red’s accomplishments alive.
“He’s been honored by the Braves, Major League Baseball and featured in the USA Today recently.”
The father of three, but mentor to many, White said there is a crisis in the community, especially among young Black men losing their way. “Every adult has to become accountable – a lot of parents don’t want to be parents,” White said. “You have to put work into raising your kids.”
Part of the remedy, said White, is to give young Black men a place where they can get sound advice and counsel. So, White volunteered to be the youth minister at Hillcrest Church of Christ on Snapfinger Road. He organized a youth night to recognize children for their academic and religious studies.
He also warns kids about the dangers of HIV/AIDS, has kids volunteer on MLK Day and uses his pet albino rat snake Scarlet to teach kids about the environment.
“I have to be a model they [kids] can see,” said White, who is known in his Decatur office as the keeper of the “information highway,” a bulletin board filled with newspaper clippings of famous athletes.
“Every pro athlete should have 10 scholarships where they are sending kids to college,” said White. “All big businesses should be doing the same thing. Everybody has a gift. We all should help each other unlock those gifts.”

No comments: