Published: December 25, 2009 10:32 pm      

Citizen of the Week: Lee Barnett

On Oct. 24, members of Girl Scout Troop 8047 along with leader Cyndi Washington were conducting a food drive at Girl Scout headquarters in Dalton to benefit local food banks. Donations had been slow but steady when suddenly Lee Barnett showed up with a question.

Barnett said he was driving by and saw the sign about the food drive and decided to stop. Problem was, he didn’t have any food with him. Could they take a monetary donation? Of course the answer was yes!

What Barnett proceeded to give them blew everyone away.

“It was a very substantial amount,” said Anita Stewart, membership specialist of Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta. “We were all very touched. It doubled the amount of food we were able to give to local food banks.”

So what was Barnett’s reason for his spontaneous generosity?

“He said the Lord had blessed him this year and he wanted to pass his good fortune along,” Stewart said. “He knew that our community had been hard hit with the unemployment rate. He also felt the Girl Scouts organization was a good organization to give money to. He felt confident his money would be put to good use and go where it was intended.”

She is still taken aback by the amount, which she prefers to keep under wraps. But Stewart certainly isn’t shy about singing Barnett’s praises.

“We feel he sets a good example - that even when times are hard that our community can pull together,” she said.

For his generosity towards the Girl Scouts and area food banks, The Daily Citizen names Lee Barnett Citizen of the Week.