BY JESSICA JORDAN
jjordan@gainesvilletimes.com
Northeast Georgia women will gather this weekend to combat the problem of methamphetamine use in their communities. And they’ll do it with a fashion show.
Columnist Ronda Rich will be host of the fundraiser luncheon and fashion show Saturday at the Cottrell Circle C Ranch in Lumpkin County.
Half of each $40 ticket will serve as a tax-deductible contribution to the White County Meth Task Force.
"Anyone affected by meth, drug or alcohol abuse really shatters a family," Rich said.
She added that she is serving as host because she believes methamphetamine addiction is a serious problem that local women can help combat.
Meth arrests in Georgia have risen steadily since 1990, according to Helen Hardman, one of the founders of the White County Meth Task Force.
The task force has recently been designated by the Georgia Alliance for Drug-Endangered Children as one of 25 pilot community programs in Georgia that work specifically with children who are affected by drug use in their families.
Hardman said the task force helps to repair the damage caused to the children and families of drug users in White and Lumpkin counties, and provides resources to families to help improve their living conditions.
"We find that a lot of children need help, whether it’s with paying for school books or mental health," Hardman said. "A lot of times, children of parents with addictions have seen a lot of abuse."
Hardman said that in addition to providing support for families affected by drug addictions, the anti-drug coalition helps drug addicts receive professional treatment.
Rich said she believes it’s important to recognize meth use as a serious problem in the area, one that affects not only users, but their families, as well.
She said the cause may be serious, but the event will have a merry tone.
"It’s heartwarming to see people come together, especially women, to come together for a cause like this," Rich said. "Lunch, fashion shows and Southern women go together like cornbread and milk."
Amber French, Jennifer Herring and Kristen Alderman, among other Northeast Georgia women, will sport spring styles at the fashion show from The French Shoppe, a boutique from Brentwood, Tenn.
Fashions modeled in the show will be available for purchase in various sizes, and a portion of the proceeds generated from sales will also benefit the task force.