Augusta, GA
Back-to-school drives make the difference for Augusta families
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – It’s a little over a week from kids going back to school in Richmond and Columbia County.
With the new school year approaching, backpacks and school supplies are in high demand for many families.
RISE Augusta and Smile for Shay Foundation partnered up for the annual Back to School at The Hub & Books for Shay Event at The Hub for Community Innovation on Saturday.
It’s one of several community efforts to help gear up kids for school while also providing resources like literacy booths, after-school resources and free health screenings.
Parents like Melissa King said these efforts all make a difference for her kids and many others.
”When we were younger, we didn’t have back to school bashes all the time, there wasn’t enough in the community for those kinds of things for children to come to things like this and get the supplies they needed, or to even help them in general,” said King.

King said she relies on community back to school events to make sure she has enough supplies to support her kids through the school year.
”Sometimes supplies can be over 150 bucks, just depending on the location that you go to, and the supplies requested by the teachers in the schools throughout the year,” said King.
Event organizers and volunteers said well over 1,000 people came out on Saturday to enjoy the resources brought. They said the event really showcases the real want and need for community support in Augusta.
“The rising cost of what parents and families have to purchase for school just continues to go up. Anything we can do to help them get them started. We are also committed to making sure we provide supplies throughout the year because we know they run out,” said Betsy VanDeusen, AU Literacy Center.

New to Back to School at The Hub is the addition of the Books for Shay Event.
It’s one of several efforts from the Smile for Shay organization. The non-profit organization was created by the family of Shaylin Foster. She was a student at Grovetown High School when she was killed in a car accident in 2018.
One of her main passions was reading books. In honor of Shaylin, the Foster family gives back through donated books every year. Donated books from Smile for Shay were given out throughout the event for families to pick up.
The event started at 10:00 a.m. and finished at 1:00 p.m.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
Mother’s Day concert brings gospel music to Augusta
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Several artists came together for a Mother’s Day concert Bethel Community Church Family Life Center.
Lucresha Thomas with Psalm 100 Entertainment said the event honors mothers.
“I think that is very important to honor the mothers because there’s some people that don’t have mothers due, the mothers passing away and mothers not being local,” Thomas said. “So this helps bring them together and they’re able to fellowship with other mothers and just be positive, bringing some gospel to the community where they can fellowship together, be blessed and maybe receive a blessing.”
Host Tommy Ingram said groups from across the area participated in the concert.
“We got a live, a lot of groups coming from all over the area to make sure that all the mothers in the area have a good time today,” Ingram said.
Host Adrian Monet said the free concert gives back to the community.
“Well, okay, yeah, a lot of mothers enjoy some good gospel singing. They love gospel concerts,” Monet said. “And this one is a give back, you know, to the community because it’s completely free. And so it’s a chance for people to bring their mothers to enjoy the music that they love so much.”
Erica and Jessica Harris, co-owners of Sophisticated Soul Food, said they wanted to celebrate mothers.
“Okay, we’re out here today for this pre-Mother’s Day event, and we’re just, we just want to give back to the community and celebrate all mothers,” the co-owners said. “And so we’re so excited to be out here. And we have great soul food for everybody that wants to come out.”
Kenneth Medlock, Tyrell Gibson and Gary Durham of The Country Boys, a gospel group from Thomson, said they were honored to participate.
“So we’re just so grateful to be here and honored to be able to stand up and let the world know how good God is through our songs and our praise,” the group said.
Anthony Gallant and Lamont McDowell, members of a gospel group from the Carolinas, said celebrating mothers is important.
“Oh yeah, I think it’s extremely important because mothers work hard throughout the year. They’re very diligent,” Gallant and McDowell said. “And I think at least if you could celebrate them one time, just make them feel special and that the queens that they are, I think it’s important and they’ll feel that love.”
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
Historic Masters landmark purchased and renovated by local resident
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Augusta, GA
Georgia governor candidate Olu Brown campaigns in Augusta
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Democratic candidate for Georgia governor Olu Brown visited Augusta on Friday evening, stopping near the Sand Hills Community Center as early voting continues.
Brown is one of six candidates in the Democratic primary.
Campaign priorities
Brown said his vision as governor would focus on three main areas.
“One, it’s affordability around health care and making sure we expand Medicaid and expand Peach Care and make sure we continue to make our rural health care systems healthy and vital,” Brown said. “Number two, we’ve got to address education in all of Georgia, making sure every kid in Georgia gets an excellent education, and we’re paying our teachers more. And number 3, we’re protecting the rights of all women. Folks in the Gold Dome shouldn’t be making decisions about their bodies or the choices that they make.”
Brown is running against Amanda Duffy, Derrick Jackson, Geoff Duncan, Jason Esteves, Keisha Lance Bottoms and Mike Thurmond.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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