Christian City Resident and Volunteer
Jack and Sara Baker attended the 2016 Veterans Day program at Christian City where Mr. Baker gave the closing words and prayer. He serves as the Chaplain of the American Legion Post 50 in Peachtree City. The Bakers are residents and active volunteers at Christian City.
Christian City Resident and Volunteer, also known for brownie baking...
Sara Baker is one of the many tried and true volunteers at Christian City. In spite of her declining health in recent years, she enthusiastically answers the call to help out where needed. Not surprisingly, Sara was one of the first to volunteer to bake a dessert for the 10th annual Chair-ity event, a fundraiser that benefits The Children’s Village at Christian City. And she had some help in deciding which dessert to bake.
A staff member who often calls on Sara to assist with clerical projects, Christian City’s Director of Fund Development, Ashley Bonner, requested Sara’s famous red velvet brownies. “I like to call them Crimson Tide Brownies,” says Sara, an avid University of Alabama fan. “Ashley is a Georgia Bulldog fan, so she is not fond of the Crimson Tide name for this dessert, but she loves the brownies anyway!” Sara says.
Growing up just 20 miles from Tuscaloosa, Sara was destined to support the home team. Of course, Alabama’s powerhouse football program certainly sweetens the deal. What’s not to love about cheering for a national championship team?
Sara met her husband, Jack Baker, during his military service at Craig Air Force Base in Selma, Alabama. The couple have been married 57 years, and have two children and two grandchildren. The Bakers’ daughter, Carol Cross, is an ICU nurse at Piedmont Fayette Hospital and their son, Jeff, lives in Florida. “Our daughter painted a “Crimson Tide” chair for last year’s Chair-ity silent auction,” says Sara. “We sat the chair outside Ashley’s office so she could admire it before the event day arrived,” says Sara jokingly. Of course, there were quite a few Roll Tide fans at last year’s Chair-ity event, which led to competitive bidding for Carol’s Crimson Tide chair.
This year’s event will include not only a silent auction featuring artistically painted chairs, but a live auction has also been added for the 10th annual Chair-ity event on December 1st. George Franco, well-known Fox 5 Atlanta television news reporter, will serve as emcee and also call the live auction. Congressman Lynn and Joan Westmoreland are the honorees. The Bakers are looking forward to attending again this year. “We are excited,” says Sara. “It’s always a lot of fun and we love to do anything that helps The Children’s Village at Christian City,” she says.
“This is our home now. We lived in Riverdale for 38 years before coming to Christian City,” Sara says. After four couples in their Sunday School class moved to Christian City, the Bakers were motivated to “go see what Christian City was all about,” says Sara. They took a tour and added their names to a waiting list. Three years later, a patio home became available, and the Bakers became residents of Christian City. “Jack said this would be his last move, and I had to talk him into it.” Sara says. “Now, we’re both very happy living at Christian City. I wish we had moved here when we were younger and more able to participate in all the activities offered for residents.”
The Bakers have been active volunteers ever since they moved to their patio home in the Autumn Place neighborhood at Christian City 13 years ago. From clerical projects with the development staff to helping at the food pantry and Arts Alliance program, Jack and Sara are busy assisting staff where needed. Jack also serves as treasurer of the Autumn Place neighborhood. Sara enjoys attending a Bible study for women on Wednesday afternoons.
Their spiritual life is important to the Bakers. When they lived in Riverdale, the couple attended Riverdale United Methodist Church. Now they are members of Fairburn Methodist. Jack serves as Chaplain for the American Legion Post 50 in Peachtree City. “Our Autumn Place neighborhood has a prayer line that is coordinated by one of the residents,” Sara says. “We have wonderful neighbors at Christian City who look out for one another and care about one another. Moving here is the best decision we ever made,” Sara concludes.
About Chair-ity
The 10th annual Chair-ity event will take place on Thursday, December 1, 5:30-8:30pm, at The Crowne Plaza, 201 Aberdeen Pkwy., in Peachtree City. The event is a fundraiser benefitting the abused and abandoned children who now live safely at The Children’s Village at Christian City. To purchase event tickets, place advance bids in the silent auction, or buy raffle tickets for a chance to win a new Infiniti Q50, go towww.christiancity.org/chair-ity. For more information about sponsoring the event, contact Ashley Bonner at 678-466-1093 or ashleyb@christian-city.org
About The Children’s Village at Christian City
Since 1965, The Children’s Village at Christian City, located on the southwest side of Atlanta, has provided a safe haven for children who have been abandoned, abused or are otherwise homeless. Children ages 5-18 live in cottages with full-time house parents, where concentrated efforts are put forth to heal their wounded spirits and break the cycle of abuse they have endured. A warm home, healthy meals, clean clothing, quality education, necessary counseling, and a lot of loving care are provided to the children who come to the campus. Some children stay for a short time, while others spend their entire childhoods at The Children’s Village at Christian City.
About Christian City
Christian City is a non-denominational, non-profit organization established 51 years ago when the first cottage for abused and abandoned children opened on Valentine’s Day in 1965. Today, there are more than 1,000 residents living on the Christian City campus, which has grown to more than 500 acres. The campus includes The Children’s Village, four subdivisions of affordable patio homes for senior adults, four affordable apartment complexes for seniors on limited incomes, a thrift store, a 200-bed rehabilitation and nursing center, a 200-bed assisted living/personal care home, and two specialty units for victims of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Christian City is located in Union City, just south of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. For more information, to donate or volunteer, visit www.christiancity.org or call 770-964-3301.
