Incorporating a homeless shelter into a community and improving the community seem to be incompatible goals. I'm certain Rev. McKnight is committed, since he moved into the middle of this undertaking. I wish him success.
Three weeks ago, the Rev. H. Kelly McKnight moved from Summerville to Harrisburg.
He's closer to his church, Bible Deliverance Temple, and to Mercy Ministries, a homeless shelter a block away. He sees the homeless shelter as a gift to the community but knows not everyone in Harrisburg feels that way.
"People have not very nice things to say," said the Rev. McKnight, appointed in September to lead the Downtown Development Authority's Harrisburg Initiative. "Instead of fighting about it, we need to find a way to incorporate them into our community."
The group is charged with finding ways to improve the Harrisburg neighborhood. Tonight he'll meet with members of Augusta neighborhood associations to address the community's perceptions of Harrisburg.
The Rev. McKnight hopes people not only bring suggestions but also complaints.
"I want to know what people will commit to doing to make Harrisburg better," he said. "We've committed. We've moved here."
Reach Kelly Jasper at (706) 823-3552 or kelly.jasper@augustachronicle.com.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Harrisburg Initiative meeting
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. today
WHERE: Bible Deliverance Temple, 1857 Fenwick St.
CALL: (706) 736-1600
Comments
Incorporating a homeless shelter into a community and improving the community seem to be incompatible goals. I'm certain Rev. McKnight is committed, since he moved into the middle of this undertaking. I wish him success.
I'm sure SargentMidTown and H.O.N.G.K.O.N.G. will be there! I wonder if Betty Beard will show up?
How about a baseball stadium?
Raze that whole area and build a golf course and a stadium. That would really be an improvement.
You must be in love with Betty Beard? Is she the only member of the Commission?
HYPOCRITES 08: THAT IS IN DISTRICT 1, the district she was voted to represent. She needs to be there!
Two diplomatic members of Hongkong started this dialogue with Kelly McKnight. WE reached out to him. I know, because I am one of the people who set up the meetings with him that has resulted in this meeting tonight. We are ready to incorporate into one group to work out the issues of Harrisburg. Wish us well.
We'll move forward with or without Betty Beard.
Start with cleaning out all of Harrisburg, dope dealers, prositution, section 8, people that do nothing but walk the streets day and night and hang out in their front doors all day selling their dope, and YES we know who you are! It's so obvious who's selling, they think people are crazy and don't know.. I lived in Harrisburg in the 1970 and it has changed so much, filth, ragged out the good homes that were there then. Moved um to the sticks , thats where they belong!
Now now msdaisy. What have the prostitutes done to you? Don't answer that.
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