Nancy Badertscher

Atlanta

I spent my career as a journalist, working at papers all around the state. Retired in 2016 from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. I now freelance.

Articles

GEM, the Girls Empowering Movement, empowers girls in Georgia to be more active

2 days ago | ajc.com | Nancy Badertscher

While the world was slogging through the pandemic, Cumming’s Pratima Yellayi was looking ahead — imagining a future where young Georgia girls are physically active and empowered. Collaborating with 13 girls from across the state, then fifth-grader Pratima helped to launch GEM, the Girls Empowering Movement, with the goal of turning out healthier, more active middle school girls. The mission? Empower girls to take charge of developing and running physical activity programs.
Douglas County student has his choice of 60-plus colleges, offers of $1.5 million in scholarships

2 weeks ago | ajc.com | Nancy Badertscher

More than 60 colleges want him. More than $1.5 million in scholarship money is on the table. However, for high school senior Mantavius Lebron Presley, the most challenging decision is still ahead: choosing the college or university that will set him on the path to becoming a doctor. The Douglas County High School standout has spent months juggling school, a part-time job, and a packed schedule of extracurricular activities — all while firing off so many college applications he’s lost count.
Decatur rehab giving second chance to birds, purpose and fun to volunteers

1 month ago | ajc.com | Nancy Badertscher

Kelsey Davis longed for a quiet sanctuary. Johnny Walsh wanted to make a small but meaningful impact on conservation. And Nancy Eilen? She was just doing what she’d done since childhood — helping every lost or injured creature that crossed her path. Together, they’re among 200 volunteers at Wild Nest Bird Rehab Inc., a Decatur nonprofit dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing injured and orphaned birds back into the wild.
D.A. King, outspoken Georgia immigration activist, dies

1 month ago | ajc.com | Nancy Badertscher

D.A. King, a confrontational activist in Georgia’s decades-long battle over immigration policies, was both loved and loathed. He was revered by politically conservative allies for advocating for stricter enforcement of immigration laws, and he was criticized by opponents for his harsh rhetoric aimed at immigrants.
True friendship grows from senior helping seniors

1 month ago | ajc.com | Nancy Badertscher

When Tina Boggs and Beth Wilson said goodbye to their mothers, they thought they were closing the chapter on caregiving. Instead, they discovered their calling. After caring for their moms through their final days, they realized their next act would be helping seniors live independently at home. For caregiver Wilson, it’s more than a job — it’s family.
Charlie Bliss, champion of poor, disabled, dies suddenly

1 month ago | ajc.com | Nancy Badertscher

For years, Charlie Bliss mastered the legal and Ultimate Frisbee fields — preparing cases during the week, hurling discs on weekends, and always making time for family, friends and the less fortunate. A 1984 Harvard Law School graduate, Bliss spent his career as a social justice lawyer. He worked for 30 years on behalf of the disabled, the poor and others who were being treated unfairly.
Fayette County teen creates inventions to help others, solve problems

1 month ago | ajc.com | Nancy Badertscher

When his grandfather’s hands shook so badly that he couldn’t hold a glass of water, a Fayette County whiz kid set out to make life easier for people with Parkinson’s disease. Credit: Phil SkinnerAadi Vaidya, a junior at McIntosh High School in Peachtree City, designed TremorTech, a glove to reduce tremors — one of the disease’s most debilitating and frustrating effects. “[My grandfather] couldn’t eat with a spoon or fork,” Aadi said.
Atlanta nonprofit strikes a note for inclusivity in the arts

2 months ago | ajc.com | Nancy Badertscher

Myra Clayton was beginning her second career as a singer when she heard an unforgettable voice. “I didn’t have the presence of mind to ask who he was. I was just enthralled with his singing,” Clayton said. Five years later, the memory of that young boy with a beautiful voice lingered. Curious, she asked musicians and choir directors if they’d seen singers with disabilities. No one had. What a shame, she thought.
Atlantans given a lesson in love

2 months ago | ajc.com | Nancy Badertscher

By Nancy Badertscher – For the AJC6 hours agoAbout 100 Atlanta adults and children are being offered a chance to gather free sweets for their sweets for Valentine’s Day. They’ve been invited on Thursday, the day before Valentine’s Day, to Atlanta’s Park Coan Recreation Center, where they’ll rotate through interactive sweet stations and select some tasty treats for that special someone.
Atlantans live the legacy: find needs, fill them

2 months ago | ajc.com | Nancy Badertscher

In metro Atlanta, volunteers with the Christ Child Society are proving that Mary Virginia Merrick’s vision transcends time. Over a century after Merrick founded the National Christ Child Society, 110 dedicated volunteers in Atlanta carry out her mission to “find a need and fill it.”Credit: Phil SkinnerFrom rocking newborns in the NICU at Grady Hospital to mentoring children from low-income families, these women have made a tangible impact.