Tie’ing one on

ALBANY, Ga. -It’s the return of a Father’s Day tradition in the City of Albany as community leaders came together to provide guidance to young men in the annual Ties That Bind Event.

For young Marquis Jones, he received a tie and a bow tie from Dougherty County Police officers, and he couldn’t be more excited to show them off to his family.

“I like tying ties, and I love my mom. She helps me with everything, and I love my grandma, and I just love my family like that,” said Marquis Jones, 4th grader.

And for many of the community leaders, like Dougherty County Chairman Lorenzo Heard, Ties That Bind was a great opportunity to build the character.

“…It comes from living, it comes from learning, it comes from experience. It comes from pain, it comes from tears, it comes from living through disappointment…” said Lorenzo Heard, Chairman, Dougherty County Commission.

Dougherty County Commissioner Anthony Jones has been a mainstay at this event for more than a decade, and today is going to be special for him…as he’s passing on one of the first ties he ever had.

“This is ne of my first ties, a paisley tie. When I was in high school, this was one of the ties my uncle showed me how to tie a tie because I didn’t know how to…This is one of the first ones I bought, and I’m gonna give it to some lucky young individual who will enjoy it and appreciate it before I leave here today,” said Anthony Jones, District 6 Commissioner, Dougherty County.

And, many of the other young men in attendance were excited to be a part of the Ties That Bind.

“At this time of day, we need to learn how to tie a tie, cause it’s going to be important as we go on in life,” said Montavious Jackson, 6th grader.

“I think it’s cool. I think it’s pretty cool, that people came to see young people and help shape their future and stuff,” said Zalyn Peterson, 7th grader.

As many of these young men get that symbolic guidance through something as simple as tying a tie, local community leaders are setting them in the path to success.

The Phoebe Health Network who organized the event says that over 50 boys were in attendance for Wednesday’s event.

Brain Roche reporting.

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