Jeffery Sapp is one step closer to being the father he wants to be thanks to Jackson EMC’s Operation Roundup and Citizens for a Better Auburn.

The birth of a GED class to be held at Auburn Elementary was just the beginning and Sapp is the first recipient. He credits his success to the convenient location and the organizations involved with making it possible.

"It’s helped me out a lot," Sapp said. "I have a 2-year-old daughter and [getting my GED] is one of the things I wanted to do. How can I tell her to [succeed] in school if I didn’t finish … she was my main drive," he said.

Operation Roundup is a program that provides financial support to organizations and individuals within 10 Georgia counties served by Jackson EMC. Customers choose to participate in the program and on average, individuals contribute $6 a year by having their monthly power bill rounded up.

The money is dispersed in grants to address charitable needs that are evaluated and awarded by a board of directors made up of volunteers from Jackson EMC counties.

Citizens for a Better Auburn applied for a grant and graciously accepted one in July for more than $13,000, which funded the GED class.

"I want to thank Jackson EMC and Operation Roundup for funding our program," said Sally Brown on behalf of Citizens for a Better Auburn.

"The Citizens for a Better Auburn applied for the grant in the spring ... we started classes at the end of August and by mid-October we had our first GED recipient. Operation Roundup made this program happen," she said.

"I also want to thank the Barrow County School System and Auburn Elementary School. Principal Shawn Williams and the staff have been very supportive and helpful. Another contributor is Sherri Perry with the Winder-Barrow Adult and Continuing Education Center. They have given supplies such as paper, pencils, filing cabinets [and more]," Brown said.

The GED classes are free. To begin attending classes, participants attend a GED orientation class through Lanier Tech.

Rushia Cooper is the instructor and is a Lanier Tech instructor also. The class currently has 20 students enrolled.

"It’s giving students who have not graduated for a variety of situations, to [get their GED]," Cooper said. "It offers them a way to obtain a goal. Now that we have brought the class to another location, they realize they can do it," she said.

And Sapp agrees.

"Classes were great ... I had attended classes before, but being a working parent, it’s hard," he said. "It was so much more convenient time wise. I could still be home with my family for dinner ... if it wasn’t for it being in Auburn, I still wouldn’t have my GED," Sapp said.

Classes are held on Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Auburn Elementary School.

For more information, call (770)868-4080.