Tribute to a King...

This week marks the annual anniversary of honoring and remembering one of our nation's greatest leaders and role models, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. One of the most impressive things about Dr. King's leadership is that he was not an individual appointed to a leadership position, or elected, or managing a company like a CEO. He was an ordinary man who firmly believed that good could triumph over evil. He believed those words in our Declaration of Independence when our nation's creators wrote that, "All men are created equal." He believed that no matter what walk of life you came from, you were worthy of greatness, liberties, freedoms, and happiness. It was Dr. King's ideals, passion for advocating for others, and his positivity that built his legion of followers. That's what made him a leader. It was his vision and undying desire to make the world around him a better place. Fast forward all these years and our nation is still clouded in the veil of racism and inequality. Despite all of the growth that our society has experienced, largely as a result of Dr. King's vision, we are still working to provide equity for all men... and women. The civil rights movement may not be as strong and visible as it once was, but it still exists. Every day people from all walks of life are struggling and fighting for equal rights. Beyond just the ability to have equal rights, the ability to be treated the same in our communities is still ongoing. So, on this day of remembrance for Dr. King, let us work to improve our actions and views of others. Being positive toward each other is not a difficult thing to do. Sure, it's tougher to be positive than it is to vent or complain. And generally, others like to listen to people vent and complain than be positive. But, what good is ill will? What society has ever advanced due to ill will and suppression of others? There have been some golden eras that held these ideals, but ultimately those civilizations have fallen due to the citizens understanding that there was a better way. While our lives are certainly better than those times, we all have room for improvement with how we treat each other and the attitude we carry each and every day. On this day of honoring a King, I ask you to find more positivity, optimism, and hope in your daily life and in the society that we live in. Our children walk around with uncorrupted smiles and pure joy on their faces. If you don't believe me, simply find a child in a moment of fun and you will see the pure happiness in their eyes. We owe it to our children to strive to be a more positive, accepting, and helpful community. There is no better tribute that we all can give to the reverend Dr. King, than to attempt to embody the ideals that he promoted all those decades ago.

RFA Exam Week

Rome Free Academy will be having Regents Exams this week, Tuesday, January 22 - Friday, January 25. If students are not scheduled to take exams, they do not have to attend school those days as regular classes will not be in session at RFA. RFA BOCES students will have morning and afternoon transportation to attend their respective programs throughout the week, as their classes are still in session. Morning exams begin at 8:00 a.m. and afternoon exams begin at 12:00 p.m. For more information, including the exam schedule and transportation information, please check HERE or contact the high school.

National Compliment Day

The power of a compliment is pretty remarkable: Either giving or receiving one can boost your happiness and confidence — making it a win-win. So on January 24, celebrate National Compliment Day by going all out with your complimenting. Created in 1998 by two women from New Hampshire — Kathy Chamberlin and Debby Hoffman — National Compliment Day is a fun day (filled with great vibes) that can include everyone.

Winter Gear Giveaway 

The Rome Rescue mission will be holding a winter weather gear giveaway on Monday, January 21 at four different locations. They anticipate to be providing coats, gloves, and mittens during their Mobile Mission Winter Gear Giveaway. There will be sizes that vary and they can't guarantee having the exact size that may be needed. This event will be held at Liberty Gardens (200 N. Levitt St.) between 12:00 p.m. and 12:45 p.m.; Park Drive Manor (430 Park Dr. Manor) between 1:00 p.m. and 1:45 p.m.; South Rome Senior Center (112 Ridge St.) between 3:00 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.; and Valentine Apartments (152 Turin St.) between 4:00 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact the Rome Rescue Mission. Thank you to the mission for everything that they do for our community and our schools!!