With the conference, our goal, locally, is to try to motivate men to be engaged and get back involved in their families, get back involved with their kids and their community and do whatever they need to do to be leaders.”Sen. Paul Bussman
HANCEVILLE – The Ground Zero Men’s Conference, sponsored by Alabama Sen. Paul Bussman, R-Cullman, was held on Saturday morning at Wallace State Community College’s School of Nursing.
In its second year, but the first year with its new name, the Ground Zero Men’s Conference sought to inspire and motivate the men in our community to become active in their relationships at home, in their communities and with God. Seeking to equip our community’s young men with the strength to make positive choices and decisions in their day-to-day lives, the conference was designed to provide them with an additional layer of reinforcement given by networking with men who act as mentors.
When asked why he felt the need to sponsor the event, Bussman explained, “I was at a convention in North Carolina where one of the North Carolina State professors was talking about men and statistics and where men are and what they’re doing. It was very clear to me that, with the statistics, men are not going into education. Men are not going into the workforce like they used to and men are not staying with their families like they used to. That stirred an interest in me and showed me that we’re going to have to make a change in that statistic. With the conference, our goal, locally, is to try to motivate men to be engaged and get back involved in their families, get back involved with their kids and their community and do whatever they need to do to be leaders.”
This year’s presenters included Auburn University’s football chaplain and campus leader for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Rev. Chette Williams. He also serves in a larger capacity as the State Director for Urban Ministries for the FCA. Williams was an active member of the Tiger’s football team from 1982-84, when Auburn won the Sugar Bowl, the Citrus Bowl and the Liberty Bowl.
Mark Geist, motivational speaker and Annex Security Team member from the Battle of Benghazi, was a well-qualified presenter with 12 years of active duty as a Marine, deputy sheriff and chief of police in Colorado counties, and as a private security contractor. While working in Libya, Geist is credited with being a member of the team that saved more than 25 American lives.
Lastly, Daystar Church’s lead pastor, Jerry Lawson, was on hand to give his words of motivation and inspiration to the crowd. With his early ministerial career spent as a youth pastor before founding Daystar Church, Lawson was well versed at relating to all members of the audience.
The conference was open to men, both young and old, aged 10 and up and was free to participants.
