Someone cares and loves them
One of the measures a person may be gauged by is what they give their time to. Goosby has spent his life living his dream, driving buses and supervising others. That is only part of what he has given his time to.
Sometime in the early 1990s while transporting school kids of all ages, he noticed that many of them were less fortunate than others. They often lacked the books and school supplies needed to do well in school. He determined to do something about it.
Goosby founded Members Only Civic Club. When asked what the purpose of Members Only was, he replies without hesitating, “To urge kids to stay in school, to be drug free, to go to church and Sunday school, and to let all kids know someone cares and someone loves them.”
The main thrust of Members Only was an event held annually the last Saturday before Rome City Schools began in the fall. The event was called “Kids’ Day.” Fittingly, Kids’ Day was held in Banty Jones Park because, as Goosby says, “That is where my homeplace was.”
Kids’ Day was no small event. There was plenty of food prepared by individuals as well as served by local vendors. There were numerous games and activities for the kids to absorb themselves in. Members of the local law enforcement were present, not for security but to mingle and show the kids that they were their friends. Each child was given a large bag with a full array of school supplies and other necessities with which to start the school year. All kids were welcomed and there was no admission charged.
Usually between five and six hundred kids attended. Many, with the help of Rome Transit Department, were bused in from all parts of Rome.
He had help from interested friends of Members Only and some help from local churches, but Goosby was the driving force. For every Kids’ Day a program was printed. Each year he would work on Kids’ Day for six months leading up to it, visiting area businesses (after a full day’s work) to sell ads for the program and garner donations. He spent additional time overseeing the logistics of food, activities, transportation, procuring the school supplies for the kids’ bags and other details. Goosby is candid to admit that it took a great deal of work, most of it done by him in his spare time.
For twenty-five years Goosby gave of his time, his efforts, his thoughts and his prayers in putting on Kids’ Day through the arm of Members Only Civic Club.