Clayton News Daily

Photo by Jeylin White Stockbridge-Jonesboro Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity members, including John Stewart, Jr., Clayton County Sheriff Kem Kimbrough, and Norval Broom, donated 23 portable heaters to the J. Charley Griswell Senior Center, in Jonesboro.

Clayton County Sheriff Kem Kimbrough, along with his brothers in the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, wanted to do something to warm the hearts of seniors this winter.

Thursday morning, Kimbrough and a few of his fraternity brothers donated 23 portable heaters to the J. Charley Griswell Senior Center, in Jonesboro.

As part of the fraternity’s community service initiative, Kimbrough said, his fraternity brother, John Stewart, Jr., a senior affairs chairman for the fraternity’s Stockbridge Chapter, contacted the senior center about the need for the donation of portable heaters.

“Seniors are usually an under-served group,” said Stewart, “so we wanted to take this opportunity to give back.”

Steward said the fraternity normally chooses a Henry County senior center, but decided to help Clayton County Senior Services this time.

“We are definitely happy about our partnership with the fraternity,” said Mary Byrd, director of the Clayton County Senior Services Department. “Our centers are looking for ways to partner with several organizations and businesses in the community. We hope this partnership will be ongoing.”

The portable heaters were delivered to the center, Thursday, and Byrd said they will be distributed, Friday, to seniors who are homebound.

Sheriff Kimbrough helped with the deliveries.

Stewart said that, during the summer months, the fraternity will collect fans to give to seniors.

“We’ll all be seniors one day,” he said, “so it’s important for our fraternity that we help out where we can.”