Through Stars, Stripes and Cartersville on July 4, area residents will have the ability to celebrate America's birthday as well as supporting the community's youth. The daylong offering, consisting of a downtown parade and activities at Dellinger Park, will benefit the Cartersville Morning Optimist Club's outreach projects.

"The proceeds go [toward] scholarships," said Bruce Lindler, a member of the Cartersville Morning Optimist Club. "We provide [the Ric Mason Memorial] scholarship through the Etowah Education Foundation, and also we give money to Flowering Branch Children's Shelter. We have a student appreciation breakfast over at First Baptist Church [of Cartersville] in the spring each year. The teachers select the students and then we recognize them. Everything is for children. We also [assist] Special Olympics. We provide food for that and some support.

"Basically the organizations will submit requests to us and we will consider them and then we'll vote on whether or not we should give money to them. ... Personally I think it's great that the community comes out and supports [these activities] because, again, all the proceeds go to youth activities in the community. And it's wonderful that we're able to do this."

To read the rest of this story, please purchase a copy of The Daily Tribune News at your nearby news rack or subscribe to the E-edition.