Contributors and supporters of Gilmer County Kids Kottage attended a benefit Bar-B-Que sponsored by the Gilmer County Republican Party on Saturday June 25. Together all supporters donated over $1,200 toward project completion.Kids Kottage Commission Chair, Tom Porter, has been able to build the new facility, which will serve as a place where children separated from parents can meet for supervised visits in a safe place, with donations and private contributions. Speaker of the Georgia Assembly, the Honorable David Ralston announced that, “not one dime of government money has gone toward this project”. Speaker Ralston went on to say that he was honored to be invited as the guest speaker for the day to share with the community the importance of Kids Kottage.

Event organizer, Jerry Tuso, 1st Vice Chair, Gilmer GOP, coordinated logistics, including the Poole’s Bar-B-Que, location, ticket sales and transportation from the Yukon Fire Station to the Kids Kottage site. Jerry said, “a big thank you to Gilmer County Fire Chief Tony Pritchett for arranging use of the fire station, and also to Pooles’ Bar-B-Que, Cartecay Methodist Church for the use of their church bus, the Garden Club of Ellijay for lovely plantings and flowers at Kids Kottage, Coosawattee River Resort for loaning tables and chairs, and Judge Brenda Weaver for her steadfast support of Kids Kottage”.

Judge Weaver was instrumental in requesting and directing legislation to make the facility and commission a reality. “If you haven’t seen the new Kids Kottage facility, you are in for a wonderful surprise”.

For more information on Kids Kottage, contact Commission Chairman Tom Porter at 770-757-8740.