I [Volunteer] in the Corridor

Those who can, do. Those who can do more, volunteer. 

~Author Unknown

Every time I walk around Tattnall Square Park, I think of all the people who help make it beautiful. Tattnall Park is one of the dozens of city spots that attracts volunteers, such as the Friends of Tattnall Square Park, to help keep it clean. Programs like Habitat for Humanity gather volunteers of all ages and put them to work helping communities around the city. Reoccurring large-scale projects such as Mercer University's Be a Good Neighbear also attract hundreds of people each year to clean various areas within the Corridor.

With the recent filming of the movie 42 taking place in Macon, volunteers pitched in to spruce up Downtown Macon before the arrival of the cast and crew. Main Street Macon hosted the Hello Harrison Cleanup, in which a group of over twenty volunteers put on their gloves and gathered trash, pulled weeds, and painted along Cherry and Poplar Streets, even targeting  alleyways. Check out this video to see the cleanup in action!

Looking for a great place to volunteer in the Corridor? Visit the Ronald McDonald House. Located in the heart of Corridor at 1160 Forsyth Street, the Ronald McDonald House works with various hospitals to allow families with sick children to access specialized medical treatment by providing a place to stay at little or sometimes no cost. 

Want to make your mark on the community with a new idea for College Hill? Submit an application to the Knight Neighborhood Challenge grant and you could receive funding to enhance your volunteerism. You can also contact the College Hill Alliance to help with upcoming projects.

There are dozens of volunteer opportunities you can participate in to help make the Corridor an even better place to live, work and play. Visit handsonmacon.org to see how you can help!

I [Exercise] In The Corridor

Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very fast.

-Thomas Jefferson

Hello everyone! It's summertime, it's hot and I hope people are hitting the pools and staying cool.  Some of us are trying to lose some pounds or gain some muscle before they bare their bodies at the local swimming pool, myself included in the bunch.  However, without a workout partner, I couldn't find any motivation to go to the gym.

Two weeks ago Residence Life at Mercer University created the AAA challenge, a competition between its employees that uses points to account for how much each person workouts.  Kids receive points for cardio, weight lifting, and even healthy eating habits.  Participants can even earn points for eating the food of the week; this week, it is broccoli.  Created by Residence Life intern Jamie Corcoran and Senior Resident Assistant Clem Bell III, the Awake and Alive Challenge sparked over a dozen adults on campus to work out.  Mercer University also offers two fitness classes each weekday free to faculty, students, and staff. Check out what classes might interest you by clicking here!

Kids and adults outside the University can also choose from a variety of public places to exercise in the Corridor.  If you are looking for a great running route in College Hill, just follow the Trail of Bears!  The trail, funded by the Knight Neighborhood Challenge and implemented by the Macon Arts Alliance, features six impeccably painted bear statues and is designed to help connect Mercer University to Downtown Macon by encouraging people to walk and recreate in the Corridor.

YogaMoga is a popular exercise facility downtown that offers a range of yoga classes for people of all ages.  Located on Second Street, I went in this summer for the Yoga Movement Class and had a blast!  Students receive 20% off their visits and classes are offered Monday through Saturday.  Visit their website to see what they else have to offer!

One of the most popular sports played amongst young men in the Corridor is basketball.  Rising junior Langston Hall, point guard of the championship winning Mercer basketball team, shared part of his workout routine with me.  His individual workout consists of basketball drills up and down the court.  These include a couple of dribbling exercises, passing drills, and a variety of different shots, such as pick and roll.  Then, he teams up for a game of two-on-two or three-on-three.  

There are so many great sports programs you can get involved with in Macon.  Whether it be soccer, basketball, or Tae Kwon Do, get out and be active!  Here's one last link that provides information on local programs for youth sports. 

Lastly, don't forget to stay hydrated and drink a lot of water!

-Morgan Robinson

I [Recreate] in the Corridor

A lot of parents pack up their troubles and send them off to summer camp.

-Raymond Duncan 

Summer is here. School is out. What is there to do? Some people are on vacation, others are working, but many are at camp! This summer, Mercer University is host to over a dozen camps that range from athletics to computer creativity. Not only are children and young adults here, but adults of all careers and ages are spending part of their summer in Mercer dormitories to enhance themselves as well.

Bobby Lamb, new head coach of Mercer University's football team, will be coaching over 100 high schoolers and middle schoolers this summer through several football camps to improve their game skills. As I spoke with Bobby Lamb today, he was very excited for his team of coaches and the boys he will begin working with starting this Sunday.  If you are interested in this camp, click here to sign up!

On the other end of the spectrum, Will Jordan, director of the unique Great Books program at Mercer University,  is hosting a two-week summer program for high school teachers.  This camp guides high school teachers through a series of books and uses analytical thinking that can be applied to teaching styles in the classroom and for personal enjoyment.  The camp has become so popular, even attracting teachers outside the state, there had to be two sessions implemented to make room for everyone interested in the program.

Coach Bob Hoffman, head of the men's basketball team, is putting his championship winning team to use by having them assist dozens of young boys from all over the state at his basketball camp.  In the afternoon, these young campers are seen running laps inside the arena where Mercer basketball games are held.  Coach Hoffman teaches key fundamentals and character training to individuals, teams, and camps of young boys ranging from age 7 to age 17.

Upward Bound is another big camp at Mercer University this summer. Rising high school sophomores and seniors take high school or college level classes to prepare them for their upcoming school year.  The kids are taught inside and outside of the classroom.  Each weekend the camp hosts a field trip.  Last weekend, they took a day trip up to Six Flags.  This weekend, Upward Bound can be seen at AmStar movie theater.  Teen Counselor, David Peterson, is working with them for the first time this summer. "It's a blast working with the kids and giving them an opportunity to excel," said David.

These are just a few of the camps that recreate during the hot summer in Macon.  If you are looking for summer camps, there is still time to sign up.  Look around!  There are dozens to choose from to suit all interests and hobbies.

Have a great summer! Stay cool!

-Morgan Robinson

I [Work] in the Corridor

"Choose a job you love, and you'll never work a day in your life." 

-Confucius 

Halfway through my college career I decided it was a great time to change majors from psychology to business marketing. Around the same time, I applied and interviewed for an internship with the College Hill Alliance. Both of these decisions have opened some doors for me this year that I have thoroughly enjoyed exploring. Through my internship, I have discovered that I have a real passion for community and urban development. I like to think of it as polishing "hidden gem" towns, similar to Macon. A job like that, I imagine, would be a lot of work but would also be very rewarding. 

Thanks MGA for letting us borrow from your Facebook photo!

Speaking of rewarding work, Amy Abel-Kiker recently explained to me what her job with Mid Georgia Ambulance entails. Amy has put her communications and journalism double major from Mercer University to good use as she now handles all things under the umbrella of media relations, public relations, social media, marketing, and special events for the company. Amy really credits her position now to the opportunities Mercer gave her because, as she says, "Mercer University facilitates an environment where anyone can make a difference." That kind of attitude is the very thing that keeps Mercer graduates in Macon after school to work. Amy admits she wanted to stay in Macon after graduation to work but did not think, at the time, a job would become available. But then, as she describes it, "the right job found me, and it is more of a blessing than I deserve." This opportunity is what allowed Amy to remain living in the town she considered a second home as an undergraduate student. 

Rich Inner Life on Typepad: Thanks for letting me share this sweet photo!

As Amy shares with me, there are many positives to planting your stakes in Macon to live and work. A town this size allows the opportunity for people to get involved in what they are truly passionate about and to voice their opinions politically and socially in local decision-making. You are able to achieve a sense of belonging, whether it is through membership in a local neighborhood association, through the walkability to almost anything in the Corridor, or through the familiar faces passing you at the local store or on the street. As an alumnae of Mercer, Amy also still feels very connected to the University community and still feels very included. 

With all that being said, Macon is a great place to work, live, and play! You may just find your calling here if you are listening for it :)

- Kelsey Jones