Thanks to a foster parent’s social media efforts, Buford-based Jambos Donates is more than doubling its pajama output in the final month of 2022.
Now in its fifth year of operation, Jambos provides new pajamas for foster children in Georgia and throughout the country. In 2022, the nonprofit founded by Rebekah Black will have served children in all 50 states and in 13 countries, sending out some 22,000 pairs of children’s sleepwear.
This summer, Jambos sent some pajamas to a foster parent — Black thinks she lives in Illinois — who happens to have more than 1 million followers on TikTok. To say the nonprofit was subsequently inundated by requests would be a bit of an understatement.
While Black relates she’s got a lot of volunteers to help out, Jambos is also in need of some operating capital and — surprise! — pajamas. Jambos is seeking to collect 11,000 pajamas for kids of all ages and sizes. The organization is also in need of donations to fund the shipment of all those jammies at an estimated cost of $30,000 to $32,000. Black said Jambos’ original December plan was to ship about 6,000 pairs of pajamas, but now she’s looking at amassing and sending out close to double that amount. When the rush of the holiday season passes, January will bring yet another rash of requests. When asked what she envisioned 2023 to look like for Jambos, Black said, “We are going to continue to serve the kids all over the country and we’ll take on new territories internationally because we do that every year. For more information, go to www.jambosdonates.com
t wouldn’t be the holiday season in Gwinnett without the Aurora Theatre’s “A Christmas Carol” which is being staged through December 23 at the Lawrenceville Arts Center.
Aurora Theatre Co-Founder Anthony Rodriguez returns to star in the one-man show for a 16th year.
Rodriguez’s performance has become a holiday staple, as his storytelling is enhanced with the latest technology. The show, which is directed by Katie Erin Chambers, is 70 minutes of nonstop fun without an intermission and is suitable for all audiences.
The show has an 8 p.m. start time on December 17 and 21-23, with 2:30 p.m. starts on December 17, 18 and 23.
“A Christmas Carol” marks a return to the stage for Rodriguez, who stepped away from leading the Aurora Theatre’s daily operations earlier this year after he was named the first executive director for the HUB404 Conservancy. Rodriguez, the Aurora theatre’s co-founder and former president opened the Lawrenceville venue in 1996 and grew it from one employee and a $50,000 annual budget to a thriving, successful company with nearly 30 employees and a $4.2 million annual budget.
He also serves on the boards for the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and assists the Atlanta Regional Commission and National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures.
HUB404 aims to transform a multi-purpose nine-acre public greenspace that’s currently above Georgia 400 state highway and MARTA’s Buckhead rail station at the northern gateway to the City of Atlanta and will extend from Peachtree Road to Lenox Road.
The Lawrenceville Arts Center also is hosting its “Festival of Trees” through December 22.
Jackson Electric Membership Corporation is accepting applications for the annual Washington Youth Tour, sponsored by the nation’s electric cooperatives.
Jackson EMC will send four student delegates on an all-expense paid leadership development experience to Washington, D.C., June 15-22, 2023.
Current high school sophomores and juniors in the Jackson EMC service region who have demonstrated leadership potential, academic success and community service may apply directly online at www.jacksonemc.com/wyt or through their high school guidance counselor or teacher, who may nominate candidates for consideration.
Applications must be received at Jackson EMC by 5 p.m. on January 31, 2023. Finalists will interview on February 20, 2023, with a panel of business, community and university leaders to be one of Jackson EMC’s four delegates to receive the Washington Youth Tour leadership experience. For more information and to download an application, visit www.jacksonemc.com/wyt.
Six Gwinnett High Schools will be competing in the 15th Annual Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards this school year.
Collins Hill, Grayson, Greater Atlanta Christian, Lanier, Mountain View and Providence Christian Academy will all be vying for awards and scholarships in the state’s biggest theatrical and musical competition.
The Shuler Awards or The Shulers — named for the Marietta-born stage and screen star Shuler Hensley — will be held and broadcast live from the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on April 20, where the winners of the competition’s 18 categories will be announced. Fulton County had a state-high 10 schools register to participate in the competition, followed by Gwinnett with six and Cobb and Forsyth counties each with four, as 22 counties have at least one school competing in the event. ArtsBridge Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Dobbs cited several changes made last year that positively impacted the 2022-23 Shuler Awards competition and ArtsBridge Foundation’s commitment to its mission, vision, and Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access initiative. The competition will send 70 volunteer adjudicators to attend live performances throughout the state to determine who was best on stage. The categories include direction, music direction, orchestra, lighting, scenic design, choreography, ensemble, costumes, overall production, Shuler Showstopper and best performances by a leading actress and actor, supporting performers and a featured performer. The recipients of the Shuler Awards’ leading actress and actor will be sent to New York City as Georgia’s entrants for the National High School Musical Theatre Awards program named The Jimmy Awards. They will participate in the awards show at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway on June 26, where scholarships and professional opportunities will be awarded to the top performers.
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