Traylors see Lamar Gives 365 as an investment in their community

Jessica and Ryran Traylor have been members of Lamar Gives 365 since its inception. Ryran’s mom, Tammie Merritt, was one of the original founders of the organization and came up with its logo statement ‘˜Love where I live. I give’ during one of the original strategy sessions.Jessica now heads up the membership team for the organization which in just four short years has awarded 47 grants totaling $110,000 and built an invested endowment of over $250,000.Members agree to give one dollar per day – $365 per year- to support charitable programs in the community. Half of the money goes to those who apply for grants while the other half is invested in the endowment. A feature unique to Lamar Gives is the fact members get to vote on who gets a grant and how much money they receive.The Traylors see their involvement as an investment in the community in which they were raised and returned to live and raise their children.’We all invest daily. It may not be directly in a stock portfolio but you invest in our schools, in our state and in our county. With every purchase, you pay sales taxes which are investments going somewhere to help fund something. Lamar Gives offers the opportunity to see exactly where in the community your money goes. And, as a member, you even get to vote on who gets funding,’ Ryran said.The Lamar Gives program is as simple as it is rewarding. It asks for a small amount of money yet the investment payoff makes a huge difference.’One dollar a day may seem like a small amount but all those dollars together make a big difference. I can guarantee that you or someone in your family has already benefitted from this program. These donations go directly toward making our community a better place in which to live,’ Jessica added.This year’s membership drive ends of Oct. 17. The goal is to enlist 200 members which would generate $73,000. Of that, $36,500 would be awarded in grants early next year with the remainder being invested in the endowment for future use.To join, visit the website at lamargives.org and click on the ‘˜join now’ button. For more information, call Fran Boggs at 770-584-3681 or e-mail jtraylor1113@gmail.com.