Dec 21, 2009
Dec 18, 2009
Artist piecing together Theatre memories with quilt || OnlineAthens.com
By Jennifer L. Johnson
Published Thursday, December 17, 2009
DANIELSVILLE - Months after a fire ripped through the Georgia Theatre, Danielsville artist Jennifer Schildknecht had an idea that could bring together the memories people share of the destroyed landmark.
As workers are starting to rebuild the charred concert icon, Schildknecht wants Theatre fans to draw, paint or decoupage their memories of the music venue on a piece of fabric that will become part of a quilt.
Athens artist Jamie Calkin painted a picture of the Theatre with its marquee just as it appeared the day a fire gutted the building.
An Akron, Ohio, woman sent in two squares of blue and green hand-dyed fabric that were left over from a quilt she'd made R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe for his birthday.
Schildknecht printed a picture of Stipe on a swatch of canvas and sewed it to a piece of flashy fabric.
Schildknecht uses the blocks to show people that anything goes for the Phoenix Rising Georgia Theatre art quilt project.
Fire destroyed the interior of the building at North Lumpkin and West Clayton streets June 19, but owner Wilmot Greene has vowed to begin rebuilding early next year, even as supporters work to raise $1.5 million to make the music venue even better than before. (Greene, who also will spend insurance money on the project, has gone through the first steps of government approval and hopes to reopen by the end of next year.)
As local bands held benefit shows throughout the year, Schildknecht didn't see any visual artists raise money for rebuilding efforts, she said.
"Artists should be a part of this, too," Schildknecht said. "I could make this quilt myself, but that's not the idea - I really want this to be a community effort."
The quilt Schildknecht is building isn't a traditional patchwork quilt that grandma would make. Artists don't even have to sew to create a block.
"This is not going to be something you sleep under - it's going to hang on a wall as a tribute to the Theatre," she said. "When artists are involved, I don't like putting limitations on these things."
Each block must by 12x12 inches with a 1/2-inch space along all four edges that will allow it to be sewn into the quilt. Though the blocks should be fairly lightweight, anything goes.
The quilt - its size will depend on how many blocks people design and send in - will be as colorful and creative as the Theatre's long history.
Schildknecht would like to get two identical or similar blocks from each contributor so she can create one quilt to auction off and give proceeds to the restoration fund and another that would hang in the refurbished venue.
When the quilt will be completed depends on how soon the blocks start coming in.
Though Schildknecht only has five completed blocks, she's hoping that people will take a little time during the holidays and send in something for her to piece together.
Schildknecht - who is better known as Moon Mama - started the project in late September and had expected to get all the submissions by Oct. 23.
"If I had all the blocks together, I could put it together in a couple of days," she said. "All kinds of people promised (to send blocks) ... but I really don't have anything go work with."
The deadline for sending blocks to the artist has been extended to the end of the year, but that's really pushing it, Schildknecht says.
"This is the busiest time of the year, and no one really has a lot of time to do something like this, even if it only takes a little while," Schildknecht said. "People are busy."
Anyone can contribute to the quilt, including schoolchildren, and all types of fabric, paper, beads, ink or charms - anything reminiscent of the Theatre - can be used.
Bands might send in autographed T-shirts or posters that she could transform into blocks, Schildknecht said, or fans can glue photographs or ticket stubs onto fabric.
"I want to see big-name bands that have played there get off their butts and participate," Schildknecht said. "If I say I've got a block from R.E.M. or Widespread Panic, even if they just sign something or have someone else make it for them, it would be worth something to somebody in an auction."
For more information about contributing a block for the quilt, e-mail Jennifer Schildknecht at MoonMama61@aol.com or visit her blog at http://mamainthemoon.blogspot.com.
Published Thursday, December 17, 2009
DANIELSVILLE - Months after a fire ripped through the Georgia Theatre, Danielsville artist Jennifer Schildknecht had an idea that could bring together the memories people share of the destroyed landmark.
As workers are starting to rebuild the charred concert icon, Schildknecht wants Theatre fans to draw, paint or decoupage their memories of the music venue on a piece of fabric that will become part of a quilt.
Athens artist Jamie Calkin painted a picture of the Theatre with its marquee just as it appeared the day a fire gutted the building.
An Akron, Ohio, woman sent in two squares of blue and green hand-dyed fabric that were left over from a quilt she'd made R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe for his birthday.
Schildknecht printed a picture of Stipe on a swatch of canvas and sewed it to a piece of flashy fabric.
Schildknecht uses the blocks to show people that anything goes for the Phoenix Rising Georgia Theatre art quilt project.
Fire destroyed the interior of the building at North Lumpkin and West Clayton streets June 19, but owner Wilmot Greene has vowed to begin rebuilding early next year, even as supporters work to raise $1.5 million to make the music venue even better than before. (Greene, who also will spend insurance money on the project, has gone through the first steps of government approval and hopes to reopen by the end of next year.)
As local bands held benefit shows throughout the year, Schildknecht didn't see any visual artists raise money for rebuilding efforts, she said.
"Artists should be a part of this, too," Schildknecht said. "I could make this quilt myself, but that's not the idea - I really want this to be a community effort."
The quilt Schildknecht is building isn't a traditional patchwork quilt that grandma would make. Artists don't even have to sew to create a block.
"This is not going to be something you sleep under - it's going to hang on a wall as a tribute to the Theatre," she said. "When artists are involved, I don't like putting limitations on these things."
Each block must by 12x12 inches with a 1/2-inch space along all four edges that will allow it to be sewn into the quilt. Though the blocks should be fairly lightweight, anything goes.
The quilt - its size will depend on how many blocks people design and send in - will be as colorful and creative as the Theatre's long history.
Schildknecht would like to get two identical or similar blocks from each contributor so she can create one quilt to auction off and give proceeds to the restoration fund and another that would hang in the refurbished venue.
When the quilt will be completed depends on how soon the blocks start coming in.
Though Schildknecht only has five completed blocks, she's hoping that people will take a little time during the holidays and send in something for her to piece together.
Schildknecht - who is better known as Moon Mama - started the project in late September and had expected to get all the submissions by Oct. 23.
"If I had all the blocks together, I could put it together in a couple of days," she said. "All kinds of people promised (to send blocks) ... but I really don't have anything go work with."
The deadline for sending blocks to the artist has been extended to the end of the year, but that's really pushing it, Schildknecht says.
"This is the busiest time of the year, and no one really has a lot of time to do something like this, even if it only takes a little while," Schildknecht said. "People are busy."
Anyone can contribute to the quilt, including schoolchildren, and all types of fabric, paper, beads, ink or charms - anything reminiscent of the Theatre - can be used.
Bands might send in autographed T-shirts or posters that she could transform into blocks, Schildknecht said, or fans can glue photographs or ticket stubs onto fabric.
"I want to see big-name bands that have played there get off their butts and participate," Schildknecht said. "If I say I've got a block from R.E.M. or Widespread Panic, even if they just sign something or have someone else make it for them, it would be worth something to somebody in an auction."
For more information about contributing a block for the quilt, e-mail Jennifer Schildknecht at MoonMama61@aol.com or visit her blog at http://mamainthemoon.blogspot.com.
Dec 13, 2009
Civitan Club marks 65 years in community
By Jennifer L. Johnson - news@onlineathens.com
Published Sunday, December 13, 2009
WINTERVILLE - Fifty-six years ago, the Winterville Civitan Club bought land next to Pittard Park and constructed a small building that soon became home to the local Boy Scout troop.
More than five decades later, the club spruced up the building and replaced its roof, and last year, became the official sponsor of Boy Scout Troop 44.
When the Civitan Club makes a commitment, the group sticks to it, and the city of Winterville is recognizing that continuity as the club celebrates 65 years this month.
"With the change in agriculture and demise of the railroad, Winterville could have easily disappeared," said Mary Quinn, who gave a presentation about the history of the city during the annual Founder's Day banquet Thursday. "People like these, supporting this community, are the reason we're still here."
In Winterville, the civic group has about 30 active members, but there are hundreds of Civitan chapters and more than 40,000 members across the world. Each club - Georgia has 42 - picks which service projects best suit that community, though the organization emphasizes assisting people with developmental disabilities.
The Winterville Civitan Club builds wheelchair ramps and sends two kids to Camp Big Heart, a summer camp for children and adults with mild to moderate mental disabilities at Fort Yargo State park in Winder.
"We go and take refreshments to one of their night parties, too, and that's always fun because they just swarm us," said Shawn Kotch, Winterville chapter president. "We're happy to do things like that because it means a lot to them, and to us."
Longtime member Betty Jo Cape gets a sense of community through the club.
"We do handicap ramps, sponsor the Boy Scout troop, and we give a scholarship to a high school student every year, which are great things," Cape said. "It's also about fellowship."
The club extended that sense of fellowship last year when it helped set up a club in Oconee County. The Winterville chapter was chartered in 1944 by the Watkinsville Civitan Club, which folded in 2000, and Winterville members thought the area needed an organization that could enable citizens to give back to their community.
"We knew we wanted to extend the group beyond Watkinsville, and we knew a lot of individuals in Oconee County," Kotch said. "But a lot of people that we cold-called are really happy to be involved (now), and are some of the most active members."
The club also puts on events like the annual auction and chicken barbecue fundraiser that last year shared the spotlight with the return of the city's popular Marigold Festival.
"We recognize a need in the community and go out and meet that specific need," said Ray Marden, governor of the Georgia District of Civitan International.
Civitan clubs across the state are branching out from the traditional fruitcake sales to host motorcycle rides, wine tastings, chili cook-offs and bowling tournaments to raise money for disability research at the Civitan International Research Center in Birmingham, Marden said.
Although the local club picks up litter along Main Street four times a year and has candy boxes to raise money for disability research at places like Agua Linda, Taco Stand and Bel-Jean, its real impact can be seen in Winterville itself.
"We put up the 60-foot flagpole in the square, and another at Wesley Whitehead Park last year," said George Chandler, a former president and son of one of the charter members. "We're a presence in the community even if you don't know it's us."
Civitan members were particularly proud of the $2,000 they recently spent to put up bulletin boards in the halls of the new Winterville Elementary School so students could see their work displayed.
Those kids are the future of the Civitan club, said Kotch.
"We're made up of a lot of older people right now, and that's one of the things we're trying to change," Marden said. "We need to be advertised a little better to younger people because we're doing good things for people."
He's hoping that the "Civitan rocks!" slogan might attract the attention of younger members, since the membership is mostly 50 and above right now.
Membership organization-wide is open to anyone at least 18 years old and of good character. The local club has an open invitation for citizens to come out to the Winterville Depot at 7 p.m. every second and fourth Thursday to see if Civitan is right for them and get a free meal on the first visit.
To find out more about the Winterville Civitan Club, log on to www.wintervillecivitan.com or visit the Georgia District Civitan International at www.georgiacivitan.org.
Published Sunday, December 13, 2009
WINTERVILLE - Fifty-six years ago, the Winterville Civitan Club bought land next to Pittard Park and constructed a small building that soon became home to the local Boy Scout troop.
More than five decades later, the club spruced up the building and replaced its roof, and last year, became the official sponsor of Boy Scout Troop 44.
When the Civitan Club makes a commitment, the group sticks to it, and the city of Winterville is recognizing that continuity as the club celebrates 65 years this month.
"With the change in agriculture and demise of the railroad, Winterville could have easily disappeared," said Mary Quinn, who gave a presentation about the history of the city during the annual Founder's Day banquet Thursday. "People like these, supporting this community, are the reason we're still here."
In Winterville, the civic group has about 30 active members, but there are hundreds of Civitan chapters and more than 40,000 members across the world. Each club - Georgia has 42 - picks which service projects best suit that community, though the organization emphasizes assisting people with developmental disabilities.
The Winterville Civitan Club builds wheelchair ramps and sends two kids to Camp Big Heart, a summer camp for children and adults with mild to moderate mental disabilities at Fort Yargo State park in Winder.
"We go and take refreshments to one of their night parties, too, and that's always fun because they just swarm us," said Shawn Kotch, Winterville chapter president. "We're happy to do things like that because it means a lot to them, and to us."
Longtime member Betty Jo Cape gets a sense of community through the club.
"We do handicap ramps, sponsor the Boy Scout troop, and we give a scholarship to a high school student every year, which are great things," Cape said. "It's also about fellowship."
The club extended that sense of fellowship last year when it helped set up a club in Oconee County. The Winterville chapter was chartered in 1944 by the Watkinsville Civitan Club, which folded in 2000, and Winterville members thought the area needed an organization that could enable citizens to give back to their community.
"We knew we wanted to extend the group beyond Watkinsville, and we knew a lot of individuals in Oconee County," Kotch said. "But a lot of people that we cold-called are really happy to be involved (now), and are some of the most active members."
The club also puts on events like the annual auction and chicken barbecue fundraiser that last year shared the spotlight with the return of the city's popular Marigold Festival.
"We recognize a need in the community and go out and meet that specific need," said Ray Marden, governor of the Georgia District of Civitan International.
Civitan clubs across the state are branching out from the traditional fruitcake sales to host motorcycle rides, wine tastings, chili cook-offs and bowling tournaments to raise money for disability research at the Civitan International Research Center in Birmingham, Marden said.
Although the local club picks up litter along Main Street four times a year and has candy boxes to raise money for disability research at places like Agua Linda, Taco Stand and Bel-Jean, its real impact can be seen in Winterville itself.
"We put up the 60-foot flagpole in the square, and another at Wesley Whitehead Park last year," said George Chandler, a former president and son of one of the charter members. "We're a presence in the community even if you don't know it's us."
Civitan members were particularly proud of the $2,000 they recently spent to put up bulletin boards in the halls of the new Winterville Elementary School so students could see their work displayed.
Those kids are the future of the Civitan club, said Kotch.
"We're made up of a lot of older people right now, and that's one of the things we're trying to change," Marden said. "We need to be advertised a little better to younger people because we're doing good things for people."
He's hoping that the "Civitan rocks!" slogan might attract the attention of younger members, since the membership is mostly 50 and above right now.
Membership organization-wide is open to anyone at least 18 years old and of good character. The local club has an open invitation for citizens to come out to the Winterville Depot at 7 p.m. every second and fourth Thursday to see if Civitan is right for them and get a free meal on the first visit.
To find out more about the Winterville Civitan Club, log on to www.wintervillecivitan.com or visit the Georgia District Civitan International at www.georgiacivitan.org.
Dec 5, 2009
Study careers beyond academia, grad students told
Those with plenty of education facing tight job market
Study careers beyond academia, grad students told
By Jennifer L. Johnson
Published Friday, December 04, 2009
University of Georgia graduate students with science degrees were told to put their futures under the microscope Thursday and consider jobs they may not have thought about in their nearly two decades of formal education.
At the second annual Science Career Symposium, sponsored by the new UGA student organization Graduate Students and Postdocs in Science, about 180 science students learned what careers they may find outside academia - in government, the private sector, education and policy, and science writing and licensing.
Leaders of the student organization realized last year that they needed help finding jobs in a tough market. The second symposium speakers, including representatives from the National Institutes on Health, UGA's College of Veterinary Medicine, Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Science magazine, told them to stay flexible and value team work.Speakers were selected based on their experience in fields students were interested in learning more about, said executive chairwoman Keriyan Smith.
Viswanathan Rathinam wanted to learn about prospective jobs in the private sector, and liked the idea that he could shake hands with the speakers and ask them questions.
"I'm here because I'm an unemployed scientist and I want to work in a lab," said Rathinam, who completed his postdoctoral research in chemistry. "I'm very hopeful about the possibilities of finding a job today."
Rathinam wanted to speak to Peter Simpson, a microbiologist in charge of quality control at The Coca-Cola Company.
"I've applied (to Coca-Cola) about 20 times and never received a response," Rathinam said. "Hopefully today, I can get some more information about finding work."
Students who have spent years buried by books and practically chained to lab equipment while pursuing their degrees might take some comfort in the fact that all that hard work has opened plenty of doors for them - maybe even ones they didn't realize were there.
When Anita Kishore was doing her postdoctoral research, she read books about alternative careers in science, but didn't realize that she'd find herself in the business-saturated world of consulting.
"When I was at UGA, I wanted to understand how you go from studying a concept like membrane-associating proteins like I did to creating a drug," Kishore said. "Consultants start with a hypothesis and do rigorous analytical research to get to a conclusion, which - frankly - is a lot like scientific research."
Postdoctoral researchers don't normally spend more than a few years consulting before moving on to other work, but Kishore said the experience was a good stepping stone to better jobs.
"The great news is that there are jobs out there, but these are not jobs that you can get straight after your Ph.D. - they consider the consultation work like a finishing school," Kishore said. "I'm kind of lazy when it comes to finding a job, but now these people come find me."
This is good news for students, since the most traditional science career - teaching - is suffering from a weak economy, according to Donna Perkins-Balding, an assistant professor at Macon State College. Still, teaching jobs are there, too.
"It doesn't look very good right now, but in the past few years that I've been a professor, there have been 12 job openings at Macon State," Perkins-Balding said. "It's still viable."
UGA alumna Peter Simpson, who has been with The Coca-Cola Company for 13 years in various research and development positions, encouraged students to get practical experience.
"If you guys are looking at going into industry and you have an opportunity to get out into the field or go into a production environment, you really should do that," Simpson said. "It's a very different experience and will help you relate science concepts to laymen and the general public, which is very important."
Don't underestimate the value of graduate-level courses, he advised.
"You can take what you've learned here and really apply it quite well," Simpson said.
Study careers beyond academia, grad students told
By Jennifer L. Johnson
Published Friday, December 04, 2009
University of Georgia graduate students with science degrees were told to put their futures under the microscope Thursday and consider jobs they may not have thought about in their nearly two decades of formal education.
At the second annual Science Career Symposium, sponsored by the new UGA student organization Graduate Students and Postdocs in Science, about 180 science students learned what careers they may find outside academia - in government, the private sector, education and policy, and science writing and licensing.
Leaders of the student organization realized last year that they needed help finding jobs in a tough market. The second symposium speakers, including representatives from the National Institutes on Health, UGA's College of Veterinary Medicine, Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Science magazine, told them to stay flexible and value team work.Speakers were selected based on their experience in fields students were interested in learning more about, said executive chairwoman Keriyan Smith.
Viswanathan Rathinam wanted to learn about prospective jobs in the private sector, and liked the idea that he could shake hands with the speakers and ask them questions.
"I'm here because I'm an unemployed scientist and I want to work in a lab," said Rathinam, who completed his postdoctoral research in chemistry. "I'm very hopeful about the possibilities of finding a job today."
Rathinam wanted to speak to Peter Simpson, a microbiologist in charge of quality control at The Coca-Cola Company.
"I've applied (to Coca-Cola) about 20 times and never received a response," Rathinam said. "Hopefully today, I can get some more information about finding work."
Students who have spent years buried by books and practically chained to lab equipment while pursuing their degrees might take some comfort in the fact that all that hard work has opened plenty of doors for them - maybe even ones they didn't realize were there.
When Anita Kishore was doing her postdoctoral research, she read books about alternative careers in science, but didn't realize that she'd find herself in the business-saturated world of consulting.
"When I was at UGA, I wanted to understand how you go from studying a concept like membrane-associating proteins like I did to creating a drug," Kishore said. "Consultants start with a hypothesis and do rigorous analytical research to get to a conclusion, which - frankly - is a lot like scientific research."
Postdoctoral researchers don't normally spend more than a few years consulting before moving on to other work, but Kishore said the experience was a good stepping stone to better jobs.
"The great news is that there are jobs out there, but these are not jobs that you can get straight after your Ph.D. - they consider the consultation work like a finishing school," Kishore said. "I'm kind of lazy when it comes to finding a job, but now these people come find me."
This is good news for students, since the most traditional science career - teaching - is suffering from a weak economy, according to Donna Perkins-Balding, an assistant professor at Macon State College. Still, teaching jobs are there, too.
"It doesn't look very good right now, but in the past few years that I've been a professor, there have been 12 job openings at Macon State," Perkins-Balding said. "It's still viable."
UGA alumna Peter Simpson, who has been with The Coca-Cola Company for 13 years in various research and development positions, encouraged students to get practical experience.
"If you guys are looking at going into industry and you have an opportunity to get out into the field or go into a production environment, you really should do that," Simpson said. "It's a very different experience and will help you relate science concepts to laymen and the general public, which is very important."
Don't underestimate the value of graduate-level courses, he advised.
"You can take what you've learned here and really apply it quite well," Simpson said.
Santa taking train for visit to Winterville
By Jennifer L. Johnson
Published Friday, December 04, 2009
Santa Claus will make a stop in Winterville tonight.
Winterville's annual Christmas in the Park welcomes locals to a decorated Pittard Park from 6 to 8 p.m. today for free hot dogs, popcorn, hot cocoa and a visit from the man himself.
Winterville's holiday train will bring Santa down Church Street to Pittard Park at 6 p.m., where Santa will meet with children under the gazebo.
Public Works' Marla Getford will be driving the Marigold Express, a four-car and handmade caboose that was converted from an old airport luggage carrier and outfitted with school bus seats. The train is decorated with Christmas lights and reminds Getford of an amusement park ride.
"It's kind of hard to explain what it looks like," Getford said. "But in the dark - all lit up - it looks great."
The train will run continuously throughout the evening, and seats about 30 adults and children at a time. Last year, lines were 60 to 100 people long to take a free trip around the downtown square, according to Getford.
The train will run down North Church Street from the park and turn down Marigold Lane in front of the library, where event-goers can get off to participate in the grand opening of Front Porch Books.
The bookstore, which is operated by the Friends of the Winterville Library, will be raffling off tickets for Christmas gift baskets - $1 a ticket or $5 for six - with proceeds to benefit the library. The store also has planned a reading of a holiday story for children of all ages on the front porch at 6:15 p.m.
"We'll have free hot cider and goodies, and, of course, tons and tons of books for sale," said General Manager Ron Wetherbee.
Last year, Christmas in the Park drew about 800 people. Organizers are hoping the kickoff to the season of giving will inspire people to bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots. The city will have a box in the Pittard Park Pavilion to drop off donations during the event.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday, December 04, 2009
Published Friday, December 04, 2009
Santa Claus will make a stop in Winterville tonight.
Winterville's annual Christmas in the Park welcomes locals to a decorated Pittard Park from 6 to 8 p.m. today for free hot dogs, popcorn, hot cocoa and a visit from the man himself.
Winterville's holiday train will bring Santa down Church Street to Pittard Park at 6 p.m., where Santa will meet with children under the gazebo.
Public Works' Marla Getford will be driving the Marigold Express, a four-car and handmade caboose that was converted from an old airport luggage carrier and outfitted with school bus seats. The train is decorated with Christmas lights and reminds Getford of an amusement park ride.
"It's kind of hard to explain what it looks like," Getford said. "But in the dark - all lit up - it looks great."
The train will run continuously throughout the evening, and seats about 30 adults and children at a time. Last year, lines were 60 to 100 people long to take a free trip around the downtown square, according to Getford.
The train will run down North Church Street from the park and turn down Marigold Lane in front of the library, where event-goers can get off to participate in the grand opening of Front Porch Books.
The bookstore, which is operated by the Friends of the Winterville Library, will be raffling off tickets for Christmas gift baskets - $1 a ticket or $5 for six - with proceeds to benefit the library. The store also has planned a reading of a holiday story for children of all ages on the front porch at 6:15 p.m.
"We'll have free hot cider and goodies, and, of course, tons and tons of books for sale," said General Manager Ron Wetherbee.
Last year, Christmas in the Park drew about 800 people. Organizers are hoping the kickoff to the season of giving will inspire people to bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots. The city will have a box in the Pittard Park Pavilion to drop off donations during the event.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday, December 04, 2009
Nov 25, 2009
New chapter for old Winterville building with opening of bookstore
By Jennifer L. Johnson
Published Tuesday, November 24, 2009
WINTERVILLE - The people running the newest shop in Winterville know they won't be able to pay their workers a dime this holiday season, but that's OK.
The proceeds from every sale at the Front Porch Bookstore will be donated to the Winterville Library.
"One hundred percent of the profits goes right back to the library," said bookstore Manager Ron Wetherbee, a volunteer with the nonprofit Friends of the Winterville Library. "Nobody gets any money, and the library gets every penny."
The bookstore opened ahead of schedule in preparation for its grand opening Dec. 4, the evening of the Christmas in Winterville holiday celebration at Pittard Park.
The used books sold at the store are modestly priced, from a quarter for mass-market paperbacks to $3 for hardbacks. Things like audio books, DVDs and special collections cost a little more, depending on the item.
The bookstore is on Marigold Lane, just off the square in a tiny single-room house crowded with wooden bookshelves and a few rocking chairs in front of the children's section.
The Winterville City Council offered the former city hall building to the Friends after Mayor Jim Mercer saw a small bookstore in another state operated by a group supporting its local library.
Most libraries sell some books at once- or twice-a-year book sales, but those fundraisers don't have the consistency of a full-time, full-fledged store.
"When we got this opportunity, all the Friends thought it was a great idea, so we all just came together and got it going," said Friends President Jan Mazzucco. "Hopefully, we will make more money by having a continual store, rather than just selling books at the Marigold Festival."
The council had the empty building refurbished, added a coat of paint and acquired a few shelves that Wetherbee repaired. The city is paying for the electricity and isn't charging the group to use the building.
"The city council is 100 percent behind us," said Wetherbee, who founded the Friends of the Winterville Library in 1998.
"(The bookstore) helps the city, because the building is in use, and we're donating money and support to the library - things they would have to pay for out of their budget."
Some Wintervillians are just glad there's now a bookstore in their community.
"The community really needs a place where we can go to get a book," said Martha Beach. "This is a good thing for Winterville, and I hope it succeeds."
Susan Reese and her 13-year-old daughter, Lizzy, recently brought in three boxes of books they hope their neighbors might want. "It benefits everyone. There is no downside to this."
Winterville Librarian Lizz Bernstein put out the word that the new store is looking for donations to fill the shelves, according to Reese.
"This really represents Winterville - not just the brick and the mortar and the wood, but reusing the historical buildings," Reese said. "They're giving back to the community, and not just financially."
Before the store opened, the 1,500-square-foot library had only enough room to display a handful of titles for sale. Now with the new designated space, Front Porch Books can accommodate a few thousand books.
Wetherbee has been to about 20 homes in and around Winterville in the past few weeks to pick up book donations - fiction, self-help, travel, biography, children's books and romance novels.
Martha Beach was the first paying customer when the store opened Nov. 9. Wetherbee framed the dollar she spent and put it on the wall behind the register - only to be perplexed later that night when recounting the drawer. When Wetherbee realized why he was $1 off, he replaced the money with a bill from his wallet.
Wetherbee has given a lot more than that to help the bookstore open its doors.
Aside from the time he's donated to fixing bookshelves, fetching books from people's homes and manning the store, Wetherbee has recruited his family to help. His brother, sister-in-law and wife have shelved books, hung Christmas decorations and painted signs, and all are picking up hourlong shifts when the need arises.
The new bookstore is staffed by volunteers and always needs more, according to Wetherbee.
Potential volunteers may call (706) 372-1236 or e-mail fowl1012@yahoo.com.
The bookstore is open during the same hours as the library, in part because there are no restroom facilities in the one-room building. Front Porch will be closed Wednesday and Thursday for the holiday. While the store normally will be closed on Fridays, it will open Dec. 4 from 5 to 8 p.m. to celebrate its official grand opening.
Published Tuesday, November 24, 2009
WINTERVILLE - The people running the newest shop in Winterville know they won't be able to pay their workers a dime this holiday season, but that's OK.
The proceeds from every sale at the Front Porch Bookstore will be donated to the Winterville Library.
"One hundred percent of the profits goes right back to the library," said bookstore Manager Ron Wetherbee, a volunteer with the nonprofit Friends of the Winterville Library. "Nobody gets any money, and the library gets every penny."
The bookstore opened ahead of schedule in preparation for its grand opening Dec. 4, the evening of the Christmas in Winterville holiday celebration at Pittard Park.
The used books sold at the store are modestly priced, from a quarter for mass-market paperbacks to $3 for hardbacks. Things like audio books, DVDs and special collections cost a little more, depending on the item.
The bookstore is on Marigold Lane, just off the square in a tiny single-room house crowded with wooden bookshelves and a few rocking chairs in front of the children's section.
The Winterville City Council offered the former city hall building to the Friends after Mayor Jim Mercer saw a small bookstore in another state operated by a group supporting its local library.
Most libraries sell some books at once- or twice-a-year book sales, but those fundraisers don't have the consistency of a full-time, full-fledged store.
"When we got this opportunity, all the Friends thought it was a great idea, so we all just came together and got it going," said Friends President Jan Mazzucco. "Hopefully, we will make more money by having a continual store, rather than just selling books at the Marigold Festival."
The council had the empty building refurbished, added a coat of paint and acquired a few shelves that Wetherbee repaired. The city is paying for the electricity and isn't charging the group to use the building.
"The city council is 100 percent behind us," said Wetherbee, who founded the Friends of the Winterville Library in 1998.
"(The bookstore) helps the city, because the building is in use, and we're donating money and support to the library - things they would have to pay for out of their budget."
Some Wintervillians are just glad there's now a bookstore in their community.
"The community really needs a place where we can go to get a book," said Martha Beach. "This is a good thing for Winterville, and I hope it succeeds."
Susan Reese and her 13-year-old daughter, Lizzy, recently brought in three boxes of books they hope their neighbors might want. "It benefits everyone. There is no downside to this."
Winterville Librarian Lizz Bernstein put out the word that the new store is looking for donations to fill the shelves, according to Reese.
"This really represents Winterville - not just the brick and the mortar and the wood, but reusing the historical buildings," Reese said. "They're giving back to the community, and not just financially."
Before the store opened, the 1,500-square-foot library had only enough room to display a handful of titles for sale. Now with the new designated space, Front Porch Books can accommodate a few thousand books.
Wetherbee has been to about 20 homes in and around Winterville in the past few weeks to pick up book donations - fiction, self-help, travel, biography, children's books and romance novels.
Martha Beach was the first paying customer when the store opened Nov. 9. Wetherbee framed the dollar she spent and put it on the wall behind the register - only to be perplexed later that night when recounting the drawer. When Wetherbee realized why he was $1 off, he replaced the money with a bill from his wallet.
Wetherbee has given a lot more than that to help the bookstore open its doors.
Aside from the time he's donated to fixing bookshelves, fetching books from people's homes and manning the store, Wetherbee has recruited his family to help. His brother, sister-in-law and wife have shelved books, hung Christmas decorations and painted signs, and all are picking up hourlong shifts when the need arises.
The new bookstore is staffed by volunteers and always needs more, according to Wetherbee.
Potential volunteers may call (706) 372-1236 or e-mail fowl1012@yahoo.com.
The bookstore is open during the same hours as the library, in part because there are no restroom facilities in the one-room building. Front Porch will be closed Wednesday and Thursday for the holiday. While the store normally will be closed on Fridays, it will open Dec. 4 from 5 to 8 p.m. to celebrate its official grand opening.
Nov 9, 2009
Winterville School plan talk of town
By Jennifer L. Johnson
Published Saturday, November 07, 2009
WINTERVILLE - The historic Winterville School might become government offices, a senior citizens community center or home to the city's library.
"Everybody's been talking about this project for years, and we wanted to hear what the citizens of Winterville really want from this space," Jo Mercer said as citizens gathered Thursday to tell her and other members of a restoration committee what they see as the future of the school. "I wanted them to think past what everyone has said before, to be practical but also think outside of the box."
Some people want city hall moved into the renovated school, they told members of the restoration committee.
The current city hall is an old market building with about 200 square feet, estimated Mayor Jim Mercer, who is Jo Mercer's husband.
"Instead of saying city hall, why don't we call (the school building) a municipal government property?" said Wintervillian Wayne Gabriel. "We could have city hall, the police department and the library all in one building."
The 9,000-square-foot building, acquired this summer along with an opera-style auditorium, is large enough to accommodate offices, a courtroom and city council chambers.
One of the more practical uses for the school building on North Church Street might be housing the Winterville Library, which is part of the Athens Regional Library System.
The library is squeezed into a 1,500-square-foot building, so cramped that the city is allowing the Friends of the Winterville Library to begin selling books in the tiny house city hall once occupied.
Along with general meeting spaces, a health center, an all-purpose artists' venue and a community center, the old school could be become a historical museum with the building restored to its former purpose, perhaps spotlighting its use in the 1920s.
Councilwoman Mary Quinn included the school on a walking tour of Winterville's historic district this fall, and in preparing for the tour, created a history of the town that needs a home.
"Mary has accumulated stacks and stacks of historical data on the history of Winterville that needs a place," Jo Mercer said. "The school would be an excellent place to house the history of our city."
Some of the proposed uses might even bring the city a little money.
Grants may be available to turn the school building into a senior center, according to Committee Chairman Bob White, a place that could host meetings, computer classes and workshops on canning, knitting or other crafts.
The committee is considering residents' suggestions to turn the school into a place for learning and continuing education.
University of Georgia adjunct professor Harriet Allison struggles to find places where her education students at UGA can get experience.
"I'm drifting toward the different possibilities to do education-type things," Allison said. "That includes everything from a senior center and computer classes right on down to the kids and after-school tutoring."
Committee members are entertaining ideas of housing a consignment or thrift shop in the school building, in part because they can apply for certain grants if the building is used to serve low-income people.
But they rejected one group's suggestion - a coffee shop - because the city won't lease any of the school as retail space. The city might allow people to rent part of the building for weddings, meetings and other events. The school building's cafeteria could become banquet hall and could better accommodate public hearings and forums than the Winterville Depot or tiny city hall.
If planners relocate existing services and offices - like the library or city hall - to the school building, it would free up other buildings in the city square.
But those types of changes are a long way off.
"This isn't going to happen tomorrow," White said. "First, we want to try to stop the deterioration of the buildings."
The dilapidated school needs major repairs from the roof down. Committee members caution that the historic school can't be used in some ways - like for a functioning school or day care - because both buildings contain lead paint, and removing all of it isn't practical. Asbestos abatement is planned for both buildings, but the committee hasn't yet decided how to take care of the lead paint.
One thing is clear - the 450-seat opera-style auditorium will be restored for its original use, with a few upgrades like audio/visual equipment and a screen for showing family-friendly movies.
"I think that auditorium is going to be the next torch that's going to light up the area," Jim Mercer said. "It will be one of the best things that can happen to Winterville."
The auditorium is the logical first rehabilitation project, said Jo Mercer, as it's in the best shape and will require the least amount of work to restore. Committee members hope that the completed auditorium will drum up funds to complete the restoration of the school.
"Whatever we do, I think that it's an important thing that when we get to the end of this, it's something every member of the community can be proud of," said committee member George Chandler.
A second forum will be held in January before the committee determines the future of the historic school. Citizens who couldn't attend the public forum can submit their ideas for the school building to winterville@charter.net.
Published Saturday, November 07, 2009
WINTERVILLE - The historic Winterville School might become government offices, a senior citizens community center or home to the city's library.
"Everybody's been talking about this project for years, and we wanted to hear what the citizens of Winterville really want from this space," Jo Mercer said as citizens gathered Thursday to tell her and other members of a restoration committee what they see as the future of the school. "I wanted them to think past what everyone has said before, to be practical but also think outside of the box."
Some people want city hall moved into the renovated school, they told members of the restoration committee.
The current city hall is an old market building with about 200 square feet, estimated Mayor Jim Mercer, who is Jo Mercer's husband.
"Instead of saying city hall, why don't we call (the school building) a municipal government property?" said Wintervillian Wayne Gabriel. "We could have city hall, the police department and the library all in one building."
The 9,000-square-foot building, acquired this summer along with an opera-style auditorium, is large enough to accommodate offices, a courtroom and city council chambers.
One of the more practical uses for the school building on North Church Street might be housing the Winterville Library, which is part of the Athens Regional Library System.
The library is squeezed into a 1,500-square-foot building, so cramped that the city is allowing the Friends of the Winterville Library to begin selling books in the tiny house city hall once occupied.
Along with general meeting spaces, a health center, an all-purpose artists' venue and a community center, the old school could be become a historical museum with the building restored to its former purpose, perhaps spotlighting its use in the 1920s.
Councilwoman Mary Quinn included the school on a walking tour of Winterville's historic district this fall, and in preparing for the tour, created a history of the town that needs a home.
"Mary has accumulated stacks and stacks of historical data on the history of Winterville that needs a place," Jo Mercer said. "The school would be an excellent place to house the history of our city."
Some of the proposed uses might even bring the city a little money.
Grants may be available to turn the school building into a senior center, according to Committee Chairman Bob White, a place that could host meetings, computer classes and workshops on canning, knitting or other crafts.
The committee is considering residents' suggestions to turn the school into a place for learning and continuing education.
University of Georgia adjunct professor Harriet Allison struggles to find places where her education students at UGA can get experience.
"I'm drifting toward the different possibilities to do education-type things," Allison said. "That includes everything from a senior center and computer classes right on down to the kids and after-school tutoring."
Committee members are entertaining ideas of housing a consignment or thrift shop in the school building, in part because they can apply for certain grants if the building is used to serve low-income people.
But they rejected one group's suggestion - a coffee shop - because the city won't lease any of the school as retail space. The city might allow people to rent part of the building for weddings, meetings and other events. The school building's cafeteria could become banquet hall and could better accommodate public hearings and forums than the Winterville Depot or tiny city hall.
If planners relocate existing services and offices - like the library or city hall - to the school building, it would free up other buildings in the city square.
But those types of changes are a long way off.
"This isn't going to happen tomorrow," White said. "First, we want to try to stop the deterioration of the buildings."
The dilapidated school needs major repairs from the roof down. Committee members caution that the historic school can't be used in some ways - like for a functioning school or day care - because both buildings contain lead paint, and removing all of it isn't practical. Asbestos abatement is planned for both buildings, but the committee hasn't yet decided how to take care of the lead paint.
One thing is clear - the 450-seat opera-style auditorium will be restored for its original use, with a few upgrades like audio/visual equipment and a screen for showing family-friendly movies.
"I think that auditorium is going to be the next torch that's going to light up the area," Jim Mercer said. "It will be one of the best things that can happen to Winterville."
The auditorium is the logical first rehabilitation project, said Jo Mercer, as it's in the best shape and will require the least amount of work to restore. Committee members hope that the completed auditorium will drum up funds to complete the restoration of the school.
"Whatever we do, I think that it's an important thing that when we get to the end of this, it's something every member of the community can be proud of," said committee member George Chandler.
A second forum will be held in January before the committee determines the future of the historic school. Citizens who couldn't attend the public forum can submit their ideas for the school building to winterville@charter.net.
Nov 5, 2009
Winterville planners won't back new class of zoning
By Jennifer L. Johnson
Published 11/4/2009
Athens Banner-Herald
WINTERVILLE - The Winterville Planning and Zoning Commission voted Monday night to recommend that the city council not adopt a new zoning class that would allow assisted-living communities.
The proposal for an "assisted residential district" would accommodate Sycamore Ridge, a proposed community for developmentally disabled people. A nonprofit proposed building the community on an 87-acre tract of land stretching from Parkview Drive across to South Main Street that supporters hope to buy.
"I've heard no one give me - not one - one concrete example of how the city of Winterville benefits from such a district," said commission member Jack Eisenman, who voted to recommend denial. "This, I think, would compromise tremendously the (city's) comprehensive plan."
Georgia communities are required to prepare comprehensive plans every 10 years; Winterville's plan was last adopted in April 2008.
After trying to rezone the tract of land - and failing because the existing zoning classes don't include a use like Sycamore Ridge - supporters worked to create a text amendment to Winterville's zoning codes to allow a development like theirs.
Lee Carmon, a Northeast Georgia Regional Development Commission planner hired to advise city leaders, said the proposed district doesn't fit into the city's land-use plan and its terms are vague.
"This proposed zoning district doesn't fit with any of the character areas in its comprehensive plan," Carmon said. "It's not a tightly written ordinance."
Jon Williams of Williams and Associates, the firm that drafted the text amendment and spoke for Sycamore Ridge, heard Carmon's assessment for the first time Monday night.
"I'm sure that I can work with her and add things to the zoning amendment," said Williams. "A community like this could definitely be beneficial to the city of Winterville. We just ask that you keep an open mind."
The proposed zoning district would allow commercial, agricultural and retail facilities on the property, Carmon said, a fear that other speakers echoed.
"We don't have any guarantees about what's going to go there," said Wintervillian Nikki Crew.
Sycamore Ridge's plans include family-style cottages with private rooms for residents and businesses like a garden center, an artist market and a cafe that would be open to the public, but provide meaningful jobs for the developmentally disabled adults living there.
Citizens worried that if Sycamore Ridge fails, a commercial or industrial buyer might turn the property into something bad for Winterville.
But the people who drafted the proposed district worked to make sure that wouldn't happen, Williams said.
"If the community goes away, there can't be a McDonald's on the site, or a vegetable stand on the site," said Williams. "Everything that is specifically enunciated in this zoning district is there for the benefit of the developmentally disabled people that will reside in this community."
Commission member George Chandler recommended that Sycamore Ridge supporters look for a tract of land in Clarke County, though he recognized the need for services for developmentally disabled people.
"We want to stay a single-family residential community," said Chandler.
The decision to deny the proposal was not unanimous. Commission member Shawn Kotch voted against recommending denial, and commission Chairman David Dreesen abstained.
"I try to keep a very open mind," said Dreesen. "If I was required to vote, I think I'd almost have to flip a coin."
The commission voted on the merits of the proposed zoning district, and not on the merits of Sycamore Ridge's program, according to Dreesen.
Sycamore Ridge supporters were disappointed with the commission's recommendation, but haven't given up.
"We really feel that this concept, as written, is in keeping in your comprehensive land-use plan, at least in spirit," said David McKenna, one of the people who proposed Sycamore Ridge. "We need to work on the words."
Williams plans to approach the mayor and city council at its workshop meeting Dec. 1, the first time the council will take up the zoning proposal.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Published 11/4/2009
Athens Banner-Herald
WINTERVILLE - The Winterville Planning and Zoning Commission voted Monday night to recommend that the city council not adopt a new zoning class that would allow assisted-living communities.
The proposal for an "assisted residential district" would accommodate Sycamore Ridge, a proposed community for developmentally disabled people. A nonprofit proposed building the community on an 87-acre tract of land stretching from Parkview Drive across to South Main Street that supporters hope to buy.
"I've heard no one give me - not one - one concrete example of how the city of Winterville benefits from such a district," said commission member Jack Eisenman, who voted to recommend denial. "This, I think, would compromise tremendously the (city's) comprehensive plan."
Georgia communities are required to prepare comprehensive plans every 10 years; Winterville's plan was last adopted in April 2008.
After trying to rezone the tract of land - and failing because the existing zoning classes don't include a use like Sycamore Ridge - supporters worked to create a text amendment to Winterville's zoning codes to allow a development like theirs.
Lee Carmon, a Northeast Georgia Regional Development Commission planner hired to advise city leaders, said the proposed district doesn't fit into the city's land-use plan and its terms are vague.
"This proposed zoning district doesn't fit with any of the character areas in its comprehensive plan," Carmon said. "It's not a tightly written ordinance."
Jon Williams of Williams and Associates, the firm that drafted the text amendment and spoke for Sycamore Ridge, heard Carmon's assessment for the first time Monday night.
"I'm sure that I can work with her and add things to the zoning amendment," said Williams. "A community like this could definitely be beneficial to the city of Winterville. We just ask that you keep an open mind."
The proposed zoning district would allow commercial, agricultural and retail facilities on the property, Carmon said, a fear that other speakers echoed.
"We don't have any guarantees about what's going to go there," said Wintervillian Nikki Crew.
Sycamore Ridge's plans include family-style cottages with private rooms for residents and businesses like a garden center, an artist market and a cafe that would be open to the public, but provide meaningful jobs for the developmentally disabled adults living there.
Citizens worried that if Sycamore Ridge fails, a commercial or industrial buyer might turn the property into something bad for Winterville.
But the people who drafted the proposed district worked to make sure that wouldn't happen, Williams said.
"If the community goes away, there can't be a McDonald's on the site, or a vegetable stand on the site," said Williams. "Everything that is specifically enunciated in this zoning district is there for the benefit of the developmentally disabled people that will reside in this community."
Commission member George Chandler recommended that Sycamore Ridge supporters look for a tract of land in Clarke County, though he recognized the need for services for developmentally disabled people.
"We want to stay a single-family residential community," said Chandler.
The decision to deny the proposal was not unanimous. Commission member Shawn Kotch voted against recommending denial, and commission Chairman David Dreesen abstained.
"I try to keep a very open mind," said Dreesen. "If I was required to vote, I think I'd almost have to flip a coin."
The commission voted on the merits of the proposed zoning district, and not on the merits of Sycamore Ridge's program, according to Dreesen.
Sycamore Ridge supporters were disappointed with the commission's recommendation, but haven't given up.
"We really feel that this concept, as written, is in keeping in your comprehensive land-use plan, at least in spirit," said David McKenna, one of the people who proposed Sycamore Ridge. "We need to work on the words."
Williams plans to approach the mayor and city council at its workshop meeting Dec. 1, the first time the council will take up the zoning proposal.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Oct 30, 2009
A 'second life' for Habitat ReStore worker
Photo by Kelly Lambert
Jennifer L. Johnson | news@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 12:20 am on 10/29/2009
A chair with a broken seat, another missing a leg and a cradle with splintered wood held together by metal clamps take up most of the space on Lee Green's work bench.
He pushes aside sandpaper, a can of varnish, nails and bits of broken molding to reach the wood glue he needs to fix the latest project he's working on.
It's Green's own little slice of heaven.
"I wake up just to come here in the morning," said Green, 56. "This is an awesome job, because it's right down my alley."
Green began working at ReStore, the Athens Area Habitat for Humanity's thrift store, three months ago thanks to an Athens Community Council on Aging program that places older people at nonprofits and government agencies to be trained for new jobs.
The program is open to citizens 55 and older, though its funding stipulates that the program give first consideration to veterans and the disabled.
Green had a stroke in 2006.
"It all fit together perfectly," said Michelle Brinson, the director of the Senior Community Service Employment Program. Because the program aims to place older workers in "green" jobs that match a client's work history, skills and interests, Brinson thought Habitat's ReStore was the perfect place for Green.
Green uses building materials like scrap wood to fix broken pieces of furniture that will sell at up to 90 percent of their retail value.
"I normally try not to spend too much time on one piece," Green said. "I only work four hours a day. If it's real bad, I just say, 'Hey, I'll use this piece to fix something else.' "
The thrift store kept 150 tons of reusable material out of landfills last year, according to Spencer Frye, Athens Area Habitat for Humanity executive director.
ReStore accepts a variety of donations, from books and clothes to furniture and building materials.
"It's a place where the community can donate lots of things and also buy items that might otherwise be in a landfill," Frye said. "A lot of our customers are low-income clientele, so it kind of provides a dual service to the community that we're trying to help."
ReStore is good for two reasons - it helps keep useable items out of the landfill, while making money for Habitat - and Green's work helps both of those goals.
Green's work allows ReStore to accept more items - things that are used to the point that they need a little work to be valuable again - and make already useful items more attractive for sale at the 12,000-square-foot warehouse on Barber Street, according to Frye.
Green moved to Athens at 20, when the Job Corps sent him here to help build the University of Georgia's library. He later worked installing custom cabinets at Athens Lumber Co. He now uses those skills every day.
"Mr. Green - even though he's elderly - has got a lot to give to the community," Frye said. "He has transformed the way that store operates."
Each of the pieces of furniture that Green has worked on sport a bright green tag that lets people know the furniture has been repaired. They even bear his name.
"With the tags, we can show the board of directors how much Mr. Green saved from the landfills and how much money he generated for Habitat projects," Frye said.
Green is hoping those numbers will help him secure a permanent place at ReStore.
"I love it here," he said. "I'm tickled to death every day that I get to give things a second life like I have."
ReStore is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. To learn more about the Senior Community Service Employment Program, visit the Web site www.accaging.org.
This story was published with a wonderful photo slide-show narrated by Mr. Green. Watch it at: http://multimedia.onlineathens.com/flash/2009/102909_MrLeeGreen/
Oct 19, 2009
Pumpkins all around at church sale
Garrett Smith, 1, looks over a pumpkin at the Winterville United Methodist Church pumpkin patch on Sunday. Photograph by Richard Hamm
by Jennifer L. Johnson
It normally takes about five months for a pumpkin to grow to maturity, but the front lawn of Winterville United Methodist Church turned orange overnight.
Nearly 800 pumpkins have arrived on the lawn facing Main Street in the Winterville city square for the church's second annual Pumpkin Patch, a sale benefiting the church's ministries.
"This year the pumpkins are bigger and better looking," said JoAnn Snow, Winterville UMC outreach and mission chairwoman and Pumpkin Patch coordinator. "They're much better than last year's delivery."
The pumpkins come from an Indian reservation in New Mexico, and last year before the church received the delivery, a three-day freeze damaged or destroyed many of the 500 pumpkins that made their way to Winterville.
"We threw out more than we sold," Snow said.
After all of their expenses last year, the Pumpkin Patch only made $141.
"Despite that, we felt that the camaraderie of the volunteers and our impact on the community was worth the cost of continuing this year," Snow said. "Last year was a very enjoyable experience for everyone."
The Pumpkin Patch quickly became popular with local day care groups and pre-school classes. At $1 a child, groups brought children to see the pumpkins, have story time, take a hay ride, play in the church's playground and shoot a group picture in the patch's fall-themed photo center.
The photo center was such a big hit last year that program leaders decided to leave it up until Thanksgiving, according to Snow.
"I remember driving down the street in the evening well into November and seeing families taking pictures of their kids on the bench," Snow said.
About 50 church volunteers - nearly a third of the church's membership - will be taking shifts at the Pumpkin Patch before the end of the month.
The Pumpkin Patch has mini-pumpkins for table decorations, huge carvers for the front stoop, and all the sizes in between, as well as gourds like swan and star gourds. Prices range from tiny pumpkins for $1 to huge pumpkins at $40.
"Fruits of the Vine," a cookbook of pumpkin recipes from the church, is free with any purchase of $20 or more.
While this year's crop is a treat, Snow told volunteers on opening day about the trick that she'd just discovered: A misprint in the cookbooks means some pages are upside down.
"So if anyone should make mention of it," Snow said, "Just tell them that it's the trick of trick or treat."
Winterville's family-friendly Halloween celebration will be the church's Fall Festival on Oct. 24 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The event is open to the public and will have free hot dogs and drinks while supplies last. In addition to the pumpkins and gourds still for sale, there will be games for the kids, face-painting and hay rides.
Volunteer Bob Liedberg can't wait.
"What was great about the Fall Festival was it was everybody coming together-not just the congregation but the community, too," Liedberg said. "Things like this really bring a place together."
The Pumpkin Patch is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Monday, October 19, 2009
Oct 17, 2009
NASA visit aims to inspire young minds
Photograph by Kelly Lambert
by Jennifer L. Johnson
Drew Brantley called the Kennedy Space Center in August trying to find a space suit from an old shuttle mission to show his science class. Instead, NASA lent him a couple of rocks - from the moon.
Along with the lunar rocks came Lester Morales, an educational outreach specialist with NASA's Aerospace Education Services Project. Morales came to Athens Academy this week to tell students and teachers about upcoming NASA missions, discovering planets with Earth-like atmospheres and lethal lunar soil - all to inspire kids to learn and consider working for NASA.
"Getting this program to come to the school was great because they have all of these great resources for pre-K to college students," Brantley said. "And this entire week's worth of stuff is not costing the school a dime."
Morales sent 150 imaginations soaring into our atmosphere when he visited third-grade, sixth-grade and high-school science classes to share information NASA scientists learned in the last 50 years. Students and their families got a chance to gaze at lunar rock samples from the 1969 to 1971 Apollo missions at a Family Night presentation about NASA careers Wednesday.
Sixth-grader Grace Trimpe, 12, was over the moon at Morales' visit.
"I'm really learning a lot, and it's been really fun," Grace said. "I am really inspired by it."
Morales used videos and a math equation to challenge Grace's class to compare the diameters of the Earth and the moon. The prize for the correct answer was a laminated bookmark containing a piece of cloth that had been in space.
"It's a fun class," she said. "I love astronomy and I hope to become an astronomer and a meteorologist."
NASA is looking for students like her.
Within 10 years, 40 percent of NASA's current workers will leave - either for other jobs or retirement - leaving opportunities for bright young minds, according to Morales.
"Every single student sitting in the audience - you are the next generation of explorers," said Morales. "NASA definitely wants all of you out there to partake in this adventure."
And kids don't have to wait until they're grown, Morales said. Through programs like Inspire, which gives high school students all sorts of opportunities including an eight-week paid internship, students can work side-by-side with scientists on projects or make inventions that may be used in space.
When Morales was an instructor with the program two years ago, one of his high school-age students designed a new type of lock that NASA will begin using on future shuttles.
"He had a new idea that was better than what the scientists had been using, and NASA recognized that," Morales told students.
Younger kids can contribute, too.
Middle-school students have that opportunity in a contest that challenges them to design a recycling mechanism that will be used in space.
"I've always been interested in recycling, but doing it in space is really cool," said 11-year-old Sean Murphy. "We don't want to leave our waste on someone else's planet."
NASA even is involving elementary school students with two ongoing competitions that piqued the interest of Athens Academy students.
NASA recently teamed up with Disney Parks to send the Pixar "Toy Story" space ranger, Buzz Lightyear, into orbit for 150 days. Kids can design Buzz's patch, a unique emblem that astronauts wear to designate the trip's purpose, in the Mission Patch Design Challenge.
Elementary school science classes also can design and perform an experiment with everyday classroom objects in the Kids in Micro-g competition. If NASA scientists pick a class' idea for an experiment, astronauts at the International Space Station will perform the experiment and broadcast it around the world.
NASA will host an event at the winning school, complete with a visit from an astronaut and the lunar rocks. Morales encouraged Athens Academy students to compete.
"I want to come back to this school for that big event," Morales said. "That is my challenge to you."
After nearly a week of learning from Morales, Athens Academy students were gazing skyward and thinking about making their own marks in the Milky Way.
"I hope to do some of the competitions he talked about," Grace said.
Brantley, the teacher who helped bring NASA to Athens Academy, will try to keep the spirit of exploration alive and may try some of the experiments in his class.
Sean wasn't really into astronomy before he began learning about space in Brantley's class.
"I'd always thought that marine biology was cool," he said. "But now, I'm learning that there's a lot of really interesting stuff going on below our feet and above our heads."
Morales spoke to science teachers about engaging students like Sean during the school's faculty development day Monday. He also conducted Lunar Rock Certification sessions with teachers that will enable them to handle and request some of the samples of lunar and meteor rocks that NASA loans to schools across the country.
"There are a finite number of samples that have been brought back from the moon that can go visit schools," said Pat Cuneo, curriculum and instruction director at Athens Academy. "This is an exciting program for our students and teachers."
Students, parents and teachers can find information about NASA's contests and programs at www.nasa.gov.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday, October 16, 2009
Oct 8, 2009
Hearing planned on project for disabled
by Jennifer L. Johnson
WINTERVILLE - The Winterville Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing next month about a new zoning class proposed by a nonprofit working to build a community for developmentally disabled people.
Sycamore Ridge supporters are working to build a community in Winterville where disabled people could live and work meaningful jobs.
After trying to rezone an 87-acre tract of land on Parkview Drive - and failing because the existing zoning classes don't include a use like Sycamore Ridge - the nonprofit proposed its own "assisted residential district."
"Unfortunately, your existing zoning regulations didn't have a place for us to fit," land planner Jon Williams of Williams and Associates told planning commission members Monday night, when he presented the three-page document.
The new zoning class would allow assisted-living communities for people with physical or developmental disabilities.
The commission is required to conduct a public hearing, which will be held at the November planning meeting.
Meanwhile, Winterville planning officials are reviewing the proposal.
"We have (the text amendment wording) out to legal authorities and the Georgia Municipal Association," said planning commission Chairman David Dreesen. "This would be a major change to the city to incorporate a new zoning district."
The public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 2, likely in the Winterville Depot or the Winterville Elementary School because of the large turnout at a public meeting about Sycamore Ridge in August.
While planning commissioners are open to public comments.
"At that time, it would be our intention to vote to recommend or not recommend the new district to the mayor and the city council,” Dreesen said.
While planners are considering only whether to add a zoning class, Sycamore Ridge supporters expect to hold another round of public hearings before city leaders decide whether to rezone any specific tract of land.
"We think everything is on track," said Nicholas Harris, executive director of Sycamore Ridge. "This works in our favor because now we have more time to fund-raise more dollars."
Citizens should put their comments into writing for the commission to consider before the hearing, which doesn't yet have a set location, Dreesen said.
Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story contained an incomplete quote from Winterville planning commission Chairman David Dreesen.
WINTERVILLE - The Winterville Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing next month about a new zoning class proposed by a nonprofit working to build a community for developmentally disabled people.
Sycamore Ridge supporters are working to build a community in Winterville where disabled people could live and work meaningful jobs.
After trying to rezone an 87-acre tract of land on Parkview Drive - and failing because the existing zoning classes don't include a use like Sycamore Ridge - the nonprofit proposed its own "assisted residential district."
"Unfortunately, your existing zoning regulations didn't have a place for us to fit," land planner Jon Williams of Williams and Associates told planning commission members Monday night, when he presented the three-page document.
The new zoning class would allow assisted-living communities for people with physical or developmental disabilities.
The commission is required to conduct a public hearing, which will be held at the November planning meeting.
Meanwhile, Winterville planning officials are reviewing the proposal.
"We have (the text amendment wording) out to legal authorities and the Georgia Municipal Association," said planning commission Chairman David Dreesen. "This would be a major change to the city to incorporate a new zoning district."
The public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 2, likely in the Winterville Depot or the Winterville Elementary School because of the large turnout at a public meeting about Sycamore Ridge in August.
While planning commissioners are open to public comments.
"At that time, it would be our intention to vote to recommend or not recommend the new district to the mayor and the city council,” Dreesen said.
While planners are considering only whether to add a zoning class, Sycamore Ridge supporters expect to hold another round of public hearings before city leaders decide whether to rezone any specific tract of land.
"We think everything is on track," said Nicholas Harris, executive director of Sycamore Ridge. "This works in our favor because now we have more time to fund-raise more dollars."
Citizens should put their comments into writing for the commission to consider before the hearing, which doesn't yet have a set location, Dreesen said.
Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story contained an incomplete quote from Winterville planning commission Chairman David Dreesen.
Oct 7, 2009
Blueprint: Growth Fund gives boost to small businesses
Photographs by Kelly Lambert
by Jennifer L. Johnson
When Brian Molloy was a kid, he used to hang around the bike section of a Connecticut sporting goods store so often that its employees eventually thrust a broom at him.
"They had me sweep in the back room and break down cardboard boxes for a while before they let me tinker with the bikes," Molloy said.
Today, Molloy has his own shop, where he tinkers with bikes, sells them and maintains them.
The Hub Bicycles, 1245 S. Milledge Ave., was born in 2001, when Molloy and a former business partner got a loan from the Athens-Clarke Human and Economic Development Department to open shop.
The Athens-Clarke County Growth Fund is a five-year loan available to small businesses to create jobs for low-wage workers residing in the county. Loans generally are awarded to companies that can't get full funding from a bank.
"That's where the Growth Fund comes in," said Catherine Hogue, the community economic development coordinator at the HED. "Really, businesses might not get started without this injection of funds."
The loan requires businesses to create at least one full-time job for every $35,000 borrowed, with more than half of those filled by individuals at or below moderate income levels.
The Hub was given a $25,000 loan, which the partners paid back about 18 months early. The company had no problem meeting the loan's requirements, said Molloy, now the sole proprietor. The Hub now employs four people, including 24-year-old Mark Schroeder.
"Athens is a great place for bikes and has a good cycling community," Schroeder said. "But without the loan, they couldn't have opened."
More than a dozen Growth Fund loans have been made to the Athens-Clarke business community, mostly to local and family-owned restaurants.
"Providing jobs is what we're expecting companies to do," Hogue said.
Creating those jobs wasn't hard, Molloy said.
The Hub outfits seasoned cyclists to inexperienced riders, and most customers come into the store with questions.
"You literally have to help every single customer who comes in," said Schroeder, who has worked there for four years. Most customers come into the store three or four times before they purchase a bike, according to Schroeder.
"We really, really take a lot of pride in taking care of our customers," Molloy said. "My guys are great. They make everyone feel really comfortable."
Providing jobs to Athens residents has become increasingly important to Human and Economic Development.
"We're not seeing any job creation right now," Hogue said. "Right now, we're all about job retention."
Molloy has seen some friends move out of Athens to find good work.
"No one wants to leave Athens. They leave because they have to," Molloy said. "Unless you're your own businessman, it's hard to stay here."
The Hub is here to stay, Molloy says. Despite a tanking economy, last year was a good year for the bike shop because rising gas prices got people out of their cars and onto two wheels. Sales increased by about 20 percent, according to Molloy. By January, when gas prices returned to normal, so did their business.
"We're doing well," Molloy said. "We're selling fun."
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Monday, October 05, 2009
Sep 28, 2009
Electonic's 'vampire loads' sucking us dry?
by Jennifer L. Johnson
To Adam Platto, conserving energy is as easy as opening a window. He has slept with his window open at night - instead of running the air conditioning - since the hottest stretch of summer passed.
"I try to be conscious of consumption," Platto said.
To conserve energy, he runs appliances like the dishwasher and dryer during off-peak hours and turns up the thermostat during the day when no one is home.
He also unplugs his cell phone and shaver chargers when they're not in use.
Platto doesn't know it, but he's killing vampires.
Electronic devices suck power from the outlet even when the machine is turned off, and energy experts are starting to point to that so-called "vampire load" as the next place to save energy.
"Anything that lights up or has a clock on it - like a VCR - is drawing power," said Bonnie Jones, public relations director for Jackson Electric Membership Corp. "Even though your computer is in sleep mode, it's costing you money."
Libraries across the state now allow patrons to check out the Kill A Watt Energy Detector Toolkit and calculate the annual costs of running home appliances.
The hand-sized gadget is plugged in between the outlet and any appliance or power cord and measures how much energy the machine uses. Officials with the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority and the library system hope curious people like Platto visit their local libraries to take advantage of the detector, which may encourage Georgians to decrease their energy use.
"That's genius," said Platto, who moved to Athens over the summer. "Now that I know that they have this thing, I'm going to go get a library card just out of curiosity."
To Platto, saving money is a side-benefit to conserving, but for other people it's the main goal.
Sean Watson doesn't pay any attention to his carbon footprint, but he'll conserve if he sees the cost benefit. (He also recycles, just because.)
"I'm pretty loaded up on energy-saving tips because of friends who are into it," said Watson, 24. "But we try to turn lights and other things off because we're also very poor."
Since taking steps to reduce the cost of powering their apartment, Watson and his roommates have seen their electric bill drop from about $150 a month to $100. He attributes the savings to learning about vampire load.
Watson and his roommates now use a power-strip for their TV and gaming systems that can be switched off easily, and unplug any appliance they don't use every day.
The library's Kill A Watt detectors come with energy-saving tips, operating instructions and directions to download the "appliance efficiency tracker" from www.gefa.org. The tracker is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet formatted to calculate the results with the aid of your monthly electric bill.
"Heating, cooling and water-heating are the majority of your power bill," Jones said. "People need to be measuring how much power their HVAC system is using, their water-heaters and washers, dryers, refrigerators and freezers, if they have them."
Most people who have borrowed the Kill A Watt detectors read about the idea in newsletters from the library or Jackson EMC.
A woman whose husband had wondered for years about how much energy it took to operate their stove recently came in to borrow a detector, said Mazie Bowen, a librarian at the Athens-Clarke County Library.
"He was really excited to find out," Bowen said.
The detector measures the energy efficiency of individual appliances by the kilowatt-hour and, with the help of the spreadsheet, estimates the cost of operating the appliance by the hour, day, week, month and year.
"It's so much different when you can see it, when it's right there in your face," Platto said.
The three big-ticket energy-consumers - refrigerators, freezers and dishwashers - can cost several hundred dollars a year to operate. Smaller items like toasters, blenders and cell phone chargers combined can use as much power to run as your refrigerator.
"Everyone talks about creating renewable sources of energy," Platto said. "But why don't we just conserve what we have?"
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Monday, September 28, 2009
Sep 27, 2009
Healing Place in danger of closing its doors again
Photo by David Manning
by Jennifer L. Johnson
The letter on Casey Minish's desk came from an incarcerated man in Hall County who needs drug and alcohol treatment.
The fact that the inmate doesn't have the money to pay wouldn't normally bother Minish.
But now, the thing standing between the man and addiction treatment is cash, and that fact does bother Minish.
"If we have the money and the bed available, we do not turn anyone away because they don't have the money," said Minish, executive director of The Healing Place. "The problem is that I do not have the funds to take him in."
The Healing Place is a multipurpose facility in Athens that serves men not only with substance abuse problems, but also men who need emergency overnight shelter and, usually later, transitional housing.
Shelter Manager Evan Conner turns away four or five men a night because the 12 available beds fill up quickly.
The faith-based drug and alcohol recovery program includes the 90-day residential program, help finding a job and housing, and ongoing support after the person returns to the community to live a life of sobriety.
Some, like 28-year-old Conner, complete the program and are allowed to stay and work with the men who arrive later.
"I've been through four other treatment programs before this," Conner said. "I learned more in two weeks at this place then in five years at those others."
The program costs $1,050, but as many as 85 percent of the clients don't have the money to pay, according to Minish. Most go through the program at little or no charge, even though it costs the nonprofit about $4,000 per client.
That might no longer be possible, according to organizers. The Healing Place only has enough money to remain open for another month and a half.
This isn't the first time The Healing Place teetered on the brink of closing. The organization lost its home in February 2008, but donors and community helped the organization get back on its feet.
As with many nonprofits, charitable donations are down due to the economy, and that money pays 95 percent of the cost to operate The Healing Place, Minish said.
Even its thin slice of government funding is shrinking.
A state Department of Community Affairs grant usually supplies the group with $20,000 to $30,000 a year. This year, The Healing Place received $5,000.
"We need general operating expenses," Minish said. Rent and utilities for the organization's building on West Broad Street run about $4,000 a month and so far this year, the organization is $26,000 in the red.
Minish is the only paid employee at The Healing Place; programs, including the shelter and transitional housing, are staffed by former clients who have chosen to continue living and working at the shelter.
"If the doors of The Healing Place close, there are 25 men that are going to be back on the streets," said Minish.
One of those men is Dwayne Waldrop, who has been at The Healing Place for more than a year.
"This place is changing people's lives on a daily basis," said Waldrop, 28. His parents found the program after he was arrested on drug charges last year and given the choice of prison or rehab.
"If this place closed its doors, I'd be up under a bridge somewhere," he said.
More than a place to live, residents say The Healing Place is a positive environment for addicts to work on their sobriety.
"The program gave me more insight on my life," said Darren Williams, 40, who completed the treatment program on Friday. "Not just from my past addiction, but what I would need for my future to stay clean and have a successful life."
Fifty-two-year-old Mike Conner of Rutledge joined the treatment program in late August after going through several secular rehabilitation programs.
"I was hitting rock bottom, I was homeless, I had burned all the bridges," said Conner, whose son is the shelter manager. "I came here and they took me right in. They treated me with nothing but love and respect."
Eighty percent of homeless people in Athens are men, and more than half of homeless people admitted to having a substance abuse problem in a January survey, to Evan Mills, community development specialist at the Athens-Clarke Human and Economic Development Department.
"I don't know what will happen to Clarke County if we don't continue to operate," said Healing Place board President Jerry Kiser.
Right now, the board of directors is appealing to the organization's mailing list and speaking to UGA classes and local churches about what the nonprofit does.
"This place has the ability to help people," Evan Conner said. "It's helped me."
Contact the Healing Place at (706) 369-0603.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, September 27, 2009
Sep 22, 2009
Council making plans for historic renovation
Photo by Richard Hammby Jennifer Johnson
WINTERVILLE - City leaders have taken the first step toward renovating the historic Winterville High School - finding out just what's inside.
The Winterville City Council recently agreed to spend $1,440 for an asbestos inspection of the old Winterville High School and auditorium, which the city bought for $1 this summer, as leaders make plans to renovate the historic buildings.
"Until we do an inspection, we don't have any idea what we're dealing with," said City Councilwoman Mary Quinn.
A group of citizens and government officials is overseeing the renovation of the two buildings after the city purchased them from the Clarke County Board of Education in June. The committee arranged for an environmental hazard testing company to take samples of various materials around the buildings located on North Church Street.
The samples will be analyzed in a lab to identify any problems with the materials in the building.
"This is step one of where we have to go," said Bob White, chairman of the rehabilitation committee.
Next up, the committee will solicit quotes from architects, who will have to incorporate in their plans how to deal with any asbestos or other hazardous material that turns up in the inspection, according to White, who works at the physical plant at the University of Georgia. Those proposals likely will be due in November or December.
The cost of architectural work could range from $125,000 to $167,000, according to White, but actually completing the work may run $1 million to $1.5 million.
"Let's face it - it's going to be expensive," he said. "When you get into historic preservation, it gets real expensive."
In the meantime, city leaders will do what they can to improve the property. A fence and cracked asphalt behind the school will be removed and recycled in the next few days.
"We're trying to make it look better for the community and the environment," White said. "Hopefully, just for the cost of 20 or 30 pounds of grass seed."
Next month, locals will get a chance to tell city officials how they'd like to see the space used.
"We're in the research stages," White said. "We need to find out what the community wants to do with these buildings."
Committee members warn that the buildings can't be used for just anything - no school or a day care - because both buildings have lead paint, and removing all the paint isn't practical, he said.
Suggestions may be sent at any time via the city clerk at winterville@charter.net.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Sep 20, 2009
Nonprofit seeks new zone class
by Jennifer L. Johnson
WINTERVILLE - A nonprofit organization working to build a planned community for developmentally disabled people may ask the city of Winterville to create a new zoning class.
The would-be developers of Sycamore Ridge are working on a proposal for a new zoning district for Winterville, a class they are calling an "assisted residential district," said Planning and Zoning Commission member David Dreesen.
Sycamore Ridge representatives met with Dreesen and the city engineer to ask about how best to present their proposal, which is on the agenda for the commission's Oct. 5 meeting, said Dreesen.
"We're currently working with the Winterville Planning and Zoning Commission about zoning requirements," said Nicholas Harris, executive director of Sycamore Ridge. "Once the land has been zoned in the appropriate category, we'll be ready to move forward with developing."
Organizers met with the Planning and Zoning Commission early this month and proposed the city rezone the land under the "professional limited commercial" class, the type of zoning for places like doctor's offices and private schools.
Planning commissioners voted unanimously to reject the proposal because they didn't see the development - which plans to provide jobs for its residents in a garden center, artist market and café - as a private school, as organizers had suggested.
The developers decided not to appeal to the city council, and instead will propose the city create the new district.
The group plans to close on an 87-acre tract of land stretching from Parkview Drive across to South Main Street in Winterville on Dec. 31.
The development hinges on the zoning and closing the contract, said Harris. If everything goes according to plan, some housing and vocational programs for the first set of residents would be up and running within 16 months of closing on the land.
At a hearing in August, Winterville residents worried that rezoning the entire 87 acres would leave the city with no control over the type of commercial business that might go there if Sycamore Ridge fails.
Though some people expressed concern about traffic, Sycamore Ridge has not received any calls or e-mails from opponents.
"It's a collaborative effort," said Harris. "We're trying to meet the needs of the community, and the community is trying to meet the needs of Sycamore Ridge."
The organization has been receiving calls from families with questions about admission requirements, people interested in serving on the board and professionals looking for jobs.
"The residents of Winterville have been very, very open to us," said Harris. "We've tried very hard to address their concerns without jeopardizing the true mission of what Sycamore Ridge is all about."
The next Planning and Zoning Commission meeting is at 7 p.m. Oct. 5 in Winterville City Hall.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Saturday, September 19, 2009
WINTERVILLE - A nonprofit organization working to build a planned community for developmentally disabled people may ask the city of Winterville to create a new zoning class.
The would-be developers of Sycamore Ridge are working on a proposal for a new zoning district for Winterville, a class they are calling an "assisted residential district," said Planning and Zoning Commission member David Dreesen.
Sycamore Ridge representatives met with Dreesen and the city engineer to ask about how best to present their proposal, which is on the agenda for the commission's Oct. 5 meeting, said Dreesen.
"We're currently working with the Winterville Planning and Zoning Commission about zoning requirements," said Nicholas Harris, executive director of Sycamore Ridge. "Once the land has been zoned in the appropriate category, we'll be ready to move forward with developing."
Organizers met with the Planning and Zoning Commission early this month and proposed the city rezone the land under the "professional limited commercial" class, the type of zoning for places like doctor's offices and private schools.
Planning commissioners voted unanimously to reject the proposal because they didn't see the development - which plans to provide jobs for its residents in a garden center, artist market and café - as a private school, as organizers had suggested.
The developers decided not to appeal to the city council, and instead will propose the city create the new district.
The group plans to close on an 87-acre tract of land stretching from Parkview Drive across to South Main Street in Winterville on Dec. 31.
The development hinges on the zoning and closing the contract, said Harris. If everything goes according to plan, some housing and vocational programs for the first set of residents would be up and running within 16 months of closing on the land.
At a hearing in August, Winterville residents worried that rezoning the entire 87 acres would leave the city with no control over the type of commercial business that might go there if Sycamore Ridge fails.
Though some people expressed concern about traffic, Sycamore Ridge has not received any calls or e-mails from opponents.
"It's a collaborative effort," said Harris. "We're trying to meet the needs of the community, and the community is trying to meet the needs of Sycamore Ridge."
The organization has been receiving calls from families with questions about admission requirements, people interested in serving on the board and professionals looking for jobs.
"The residents of Winterville have been very, very open to us," said Harris. "We've tried very hard to address their concerns without jeopardizing the true mission of what Sycamore Ridge is all about."
The next Planning and Zoning Commission meeting is at 7 p.m. Oct. 5 in Winterville City Hall.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Saturday, September 19, 2009
Sep 17, 2009
"Nota Bene, Latin for "note well," is Phi Theta Kappa's honors anthology. It recognizes outstanding writing of Phi Theta Kappa members and demonstrates to the literary public the academic excellence and commitment to scholarship found at two-year colleges. The first issue of Nota Bene was published in 1994; it has been published annually ever since.
The Citation Scholarship, a stipend of $1,000, is given to the author of the Nota Bene manuscript considered to be the most outstanding of all entries.
Four authors receive the Reynolds Scholarship Awards, stipends of $500 each. These awards are endowed by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. They honor the memory of the late Donald W. Reynolds, founder of the Donrey Media Group."
--- From the Phi Theta Kappa Nota Bene Web site.
September 30, 2009:
"Members whose literary works were selected for the 2009 edition of Nota Bene, Phi Theta Kappa's literary honors anthology, are announced this week.
Nota Bene is distributed internationally to community college leaders and community college libraries.
"We congratulate our 2009 Nota Bene honorees and their colleges," said Phi Theta Kappa Executive Director Rod A. Risley, who serves as Founding Editor of the honors anthology.
"At a time when writing skills are neglected, Phi Theta Kappa is proud to provide a platform to nurture creative writing and effective communication. Nota Bene, which will be distributed internationally, will showcase outstanding writing by community college students and emphasize the opportunities for excellence found at community colleges," said Risley.
Jennifer Johnson of Georgia Perimeter College received the Citation Scholarship of $1,000 for the entry judged best overall, her short story, The Act of Salvaging.
Reynolds Scholarships of $500 each were awarded to:
Mariangela Jordan, Greenville Technical College, South Carolina, for her poem, English 101. Jordan's poem History was also selected for the 2009 edition.
Jandra Oliver, Nashua Community College, New Hampshire, for her poem, Future Memory. Oliver's poem Sorting Socks will also be included.
Jared C. Silvia, Valencia Community College, Winter Park Campus, Florida, for his short story, Uncle Benny. Silvia's short story, The Boxer, was also selected.
Linda Sirois, Bay de Noc Community College, Escanaba Campus, Michigan, for her essay, Terva Paikka. Sirois' essay, A Few Words about Algebra, was also selected.
Members and their submissions chosen for publication include:
Brittani Alexander, Glendale Community College, Arizona, Mae - short story
Gabriel Dietz, Butte College, California, God, Man and the Mysterious Force - research paper
Alison Green, Illinois Valley Community College, Illinois, The Platte City Rabble-Rousers - short story
Anthony Heyward, Borough of Manhattan Community College, New York, Granddaddy - essay
Mitzi Kay Jackson, Wayne County Community College, Downtown Campus, Michigan,
Long Way to Go - poem
Linda Lyons, Pima Community College, Arizona, Beginnings - essay
Jennifer L. Miller, Butte College, California, Note to the English Teacher - poem
Alison Ann Springle, Bucks County Community College, Newtown Campus, Pennsylvania, Holiday Wish - poem
Kaitlin Williams, College of the Desert, California, Back Alleys - poem
James A. Yarrow, Santa Ana College, California, For a Rainy Day - poem "
--Press release from Phi Theta Kappa
The Act of Salvaging, a story I wrote about a year ago, was selected as the 2009 Nota Bene Citation Award.
I'm over the moon!
If ever I needed any encouragement to continue writing, this is it. Just when I needed it.
The Citation Scholarship, a stipend of $1,000, is given to the author of the Nota Bene manuscript considered to be the most outstanding of all entries.
Four authors receive the Reynolds Scholarship Awards, stipends of $500 each. These awards are endowed by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. They honor the memory of the late Donald W. Reynolds, founder of the Donrey Media Group."
--- From the Phi Theta Kappa Nota Bene Web site.
September 30, 2009:
"Members whose literary works were selected for the 2009 edition of Nota Bene, Phi Theta Kappa's literary honors anthology, are announced this week.
Nota Bene is distributed internationally to community college leaders and community college libraries.
"We congratulate our 2009 Nota Bene honorees and their colleges," said Phi Theta Kappa Executive Director Rod A. Risley, who serves as Founding Editor of the honors anthology.
"At a time when writing skills are neglected, Phi Theta Kappa is proud to provide a platform to nurture creative writing and effective communication. Nota Bene, which will be distributed internationally, will showcase outstanding writing by community college students and emphasize the opportunities for excellence found at community colleges," said Risley.
Jennifer Johnson of Georgia Perimeter College received the Citation Scholarship of $1,000 for the entry judged best overall, her short story, The Act of Salvaging.
Reynolds Scholarships of $500 each were awarded to:
Mariangela Jordan, Greenville Technical College, South Carolina, for her poem, English 101. Jordan's poem History was also selected for the 2009 edition.
Jandra Oliver, Nashua Community College, New Hampshire, for her poem, Future Memory. Oliver's poem Sorting Socks will also be included.
Jared C. Silvia, Valencia Community College, Winter Park Campus, Florida, for his short story, Uncle Benny. Silvia's short story, The Boxer, was also selected.
Linda Sirois, Bay de Noc Community College, Escanaba Campus, Michigan, for her essay, Terva Paikka. Sirois' essay, A Few Words about Algebra, was also selected.
Members and their submissions chosen for publication include:
Brittani Alexander, Glendale Community College, Arizona, Mae - short story
Gabriel Dietz, Butte College, California, God, Man and the Mysterious Force - research paper
Alison Green, Illinois Valley Community College, Illinois, The Platte City Rabble-Rousers - short story
Anthony Heyward, Borough of Manhattan Community College, New York, Granddaddy - essay
Mitzi Kay Jackson, Wayne County Community College, Downtown Campus, Michigan,
Long Way to Go - poem
Linda Lyons, Pima Community College, Arizona, Beginnings - essay
Jennifer L. Miller, Butte College, California, Note to the English Teacher - poem
Alison Ann Springle, Bucks County Community College, Newtown Campus, Pennsylvania, Holiday Wish - poem
Kaitlin Williams, College of the Desert, California, Back Alleys - poem
James A. Yarrow, Santa Ana College, California, For a Rainy Day - poem "
--Press release from Phi Theta Kappa
The Act of Salvaging, a story I wrote about a year ago, was selected as the 2009 Nota Bene Citation Award.
I'm over the moon!
If ever I needed any encouragement to continue writing, this is it. Just when I needed it.
Sep 5, 2009
A story at every stop on Winterville tour
Photograph by Tricia Spaulding
By Jennifer L. Johnson | news@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 12:31 am on 9/5/2009
WINTERVILLE - When trains carrying soldiers to a Civil War hospital in Union Point stopped at a station like the one in Winterville, they sometimes left the dead behind to make more room for the living.
John Schroeder was left behind.
Though the Confederate Army made an effort to return dead solders to their families, Schroeder is buried between four unmarked graves and an air-conditioning unit behind Winterville United Methodist Church on the town square. The graves aren't visible from the church parking lot or the road, and there are no signs letting visitors know they even exist.
Mary Quinn can't wait to show people where they are.
"There's a story everywhere you turn here," said the longtime Wintervillian.
Quinn would know - she's learned the depth of the city's history through research and interviews with the families who call Winterville home.
"The facts that you can find are real limited," she said. "It's the stories you got to get from people."
Quinn will share the stories she's learned when she leads a tour of Winterville's historic district Sunday.
The tour is part of a series organized by the Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation to celebrate Athens' designation by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of its 2009 Dozen Distinctive Destinations.
"We really needed to come up with something great to celebrate this," said Amy Kissane, the executive director of the foundation. The tour series continues through this summer and autumn as part of the foundations' Athens Heritage Walk campaign.
"Walking tours to me are the best way to get to know an area because you're with a small group of people, with someone who obviously loves the area," said foundation trustee Amy Andrews.
Andrews helped organize the schedule and works with the amateur historians who are conducting the tours of places like the Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery, the Milledge Circle historic district and the University of Georgia's Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library.
"With this focus, we wanted to look at some unique aspects of Athens-Clarke County," she said. "Places like Winterville that are a little bit off the beaten path."
Quinn welcomes the opportunity to share stories of her childhood home, she said, and is glad the heritage foundation included Winterville in the historical tours.
"We see it as a perfect opportunity to introduce others to our quaint community," she said.
Andrews wasn't very familiar with Winterville, even though she had attended the city's celebrated Marigold Festival, which was held from 1971 to 2002 and revived this year.
"I didn't even know how it got its name until I started to talk to Mary Quinn," said Andrews.
Georgia Railroad station manager John Winter volunteered his family name when it came time to title the one-mile radius around the wood-and-water stop six miles east of Athens.
When the tour participants gather in the recently renovated train depot to start their tour at 2 p.m. Sunday, they'll hear how Winter and his brothers immigrated from Germany and settled in the railroad town.
Though no descendants of the German immigrant live in the city today, four former Winter family homes will be stops on the tour.
The tour begins in the train depot, and will include a blacksmith shop, the Carter-Coile Doctors Museum, Pittard Park, the Hunnicutt Hotel and several architecturally significant houses in the area that are included in the National Register of Historic Places.
The walking tour also will stop at the city's newest acquisition, the old Winterville High School and its 450-seat opera-style auditorium.
The school has sat dilapidated for about five years, said Quinn. Though they won't get to go inside, tour participants will peek in windows and step over the dedication stone from the graduating classes of 1926 and 1927.
The tour will pass parts of the abandoned railroad that runs parallel to Main Street. The right-of-way is part of a proposed rails-to-trails project to convert 38 miles of abandoned railway into a walking and cycling trail from Athens to Union Point.
"This is a railroad town, where everyday people worked and where they lived," said Quinn.
Tour spaces still are available for Sunday and for a reprise of the same tour, scheduled for 10 a.m. Oct. 10. Registration is $12 for Athens Clarke Heritage Foundation members and $15 for non-members. Registration forms, tour details and schedules can be found online at www.achfonline.org.
Though space is limited, there may be room for last-minute participants who arrive at the train depot on Main Street in downtown Winterville before 2 p.m. For more information, call the ACHF at (706) 353-1801.
Sep 2, 2009
Credibility is all in the digging
Being a conscientious reporter is an especially tedious endeavor at the moment.
I'm waiting for a call back from a Civil War historian or a researcher at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw (whomever contacts me first) to double-check the verity of an anecdotal lead involving a dead guy, a railroad line and a defunct (or then-temporary) Confederate Hospital in Union Point, which may also have been called Scruggsville at the time.
Sure, I could shrug my shoulders, say, 'what the hell', and proceed with my story the way it is. 'So what,' I could say. 'A Civil War historian gets bent out of shape because I confused the railroad track that went into a little city in North--
Oh. There. The phone.
Apparently, I had it wrong... good thing I checked.
It took some digging and a few phone calls, but I think it was worth it to retain a reader that might have gotten bent out of shape over fallacies in an anecdotal lead.
Maybe being a conscientious reporter isn't quite as tedious an endeavor as I thought...
Aug 31, 2009
'Be The Bitch'
"Ms. Johnson, what would you say if I told you that we can continue to deliver you the same great service at a fraction of the cost you now pay?"
"A fraction of the cost sounds nice, but I don't need it," I said, trying to wiggle out of the retail conundrum. "I really just want to close out my accounts with you."
"What can I do to convince you to reinvest your business in insert company name here?"
"Nothing, really. I'm sorry. I really am, but I just don't need a insert product/service name here anymore."
"Ms. Johnson, we here at insert company name here understand your frustration--"
Really?
"--And that's why we want to offer you the best possible solutions to make your money work for you, and to work toward your goals with a partner you can trust..."
A few weeks ago, when Mom moved out to the country and our joke of a cell phone provider tried to retain our business by trying to get her to purchase extra products and services to boost a non-existent signal, she handed me the phone. It felt as if she were giving me a free pass; a signal that clearly said 'Be The Bitch'.
Sure, I listened to the guy on the other end of the line, explained our predicament and told him we would not be investing any more money in the cell phone carrier. I ended the conversation sternly, making it clear there would be no further business transacted with the Johnson family. The relief that played across my mother's face made me feel good about being 'the bitch'.
It always surprises me, however, how hard it is to do.
I was on the phone today for nearly fifteen minutes trying to close out an account I no longer needed. I'm sure every customer-retention strategy was levied at me, and I understand that.
After all, I had to stand behind a counter and try to pitch credit cards to students who didn't know the first thing about overdraft fees, and try to persuade customers doing cash-advances on their credit cards to sit down with a personal banker to talk about applying for a line of credit they obviously couldn't swing. But at least I prided myself on stopping when I got the push-back.
I might have been pushing back against a brick wall today. And yet, my inner-bitch did not come to the surface. I did not struggle to bite my tongue. Strange that I can cop an attitude in completely unnecessary situations and still have a reputation among friends for being sweet all the time.
My family and my 'him' recognize that a little too much pushing and the bitch is there, dammit.
I'm not sure if I ever really paid attention to it before, but that 'inner bitch' is really the manifestation of my self-defense mechanism. It leaps to action when someone tries to take advantage of my family, but is strangely quiet when I'm being personally tormented by false authority figures (at least 'til a point). It overreacts, often savagely, at the slightest hint of pugilism from my 'him'. It is ugliest when it rushes to confront its arch-enemy, the acerbically-witted, forked-tongued inner bitch of the one with whom I share blood.
But in appropriate situations, when you need that little 'screw you, bub' injection to defend yourself, I tend to be a lamb about it. I understand now that fascination with those brazen women of the silver-screen, those take-charge broads who don't put up with anything. Each of us really could use a little more of that attitude in our lives, that 'don't you dare mess with me... or else' aura.
What really strikes me most, though, is that the only ones that will probably ever see my inner bitch are the people that deserve it the least.
Aug 29, 2009
The Secret to Productivity
Unplug your TV. Do it.
Layer your bed with clothes that
need to be folded. Put every
conceivable thing on your
desk or at your feet that you
absolutely have to deal
with. Promise yourself you'll
take a short break in-between
tasks. Relax. You can get a
lot done in an hour. Just
don't look at the clock. Other-
wise, you might realize that one
hour has just become five.
Layer your bed with clothes that
need to be folded. Put every
conceivable thing on your
desk or at your feet that you
absolutely have to deal
with. Promise yourself you'll
take a short break in-between
tasks. Relax. You can get a
lot done in an hour. Just
don't look at the clock. Other-
wise, you might realize that one
hour has just become five.
Aug 28, 2009
Right reaction key to avoiding dog attack
When animals threaten
By Jennifer L. Johnson | news@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 11:14 pm on 8/22/2009
John Cooper used to walk a mile and a half to the local gas station to buy a pack of cigarettes - until he crossed paths with a 70-pound black lab.
"I had no idea what to do," said Cooper, 27. "I tried to pass him, but he snapped and took a step toward me."
Cooper did the only thing he could think of - he yelled at the dog.
"That's the worst thing you can do," said Christy Champagne, a supervisor at the Athens-Clarke Animal Control shelter. Making yourself appear more of a threat doesn't help diffuse the situation. She also advises people not to tempt an animal's instincts by fleeing in fear.
"If you're running, obviously they're going to chase you," said Champagne. "They're dogs."
Cooper did run and the dog did chase him - for a block or two.
"I never walked to the store again and I quit smoking after that," said Cooper. "It scared the hell out of me."
The animal shelter where Champagne works has been getting a lot of calls from people afraid of aggressive dogs since an Oglethorpe County couple were killed last weekend by a pack of feral dogs. People are worried they might find themselves in a situation like Cooper did and not know what to do.
But there are signs you can look out for to help avoid a confrontation with a dog, said Kate Jackson, a certified dog trainer and one of the owners of Jabula Dog Academy in Decatur.
"The most blatant sign is a lack of general sociability," said Jackson. "If a dog doesn't seek out positive human interaction, they're more than likely not going to tolerate any negative reactions from humans at all."
If a dog doesn't immediately soften its body language and try to approach you in a relaxed way, that dog has the potential to bite you, according to Jackson.
If a dog becomes rigid and or tries to maintain eye contact, be wary.
"A lot of people think if a dog is not growling and barking at them, it's not threatening," said Jackson. "It's even more dangerous for a dog to stand dead still and stare at you."
People often believe - wrongly - that a wagging tail is a green light to approach a dog.
"Don't trust the tail," said Jackson. All the swish means is that the dog's level of arousal - aggression, excitability or adrenaline - has increased.
"You should always be cautious around any dog that is unfamiliar," said Champagne, who warns that any dog has the capacity to bite, regardless of breed.
After you've identified the signs that an animal may be dangerous, the most important thing to do is defuse the situation.
First, remain calm and slow down your movement.
Animal control officers teach children to act like trees when meeting unfamiliar canines. Standing still with arms flat to your sides is a non-threatening stance that even adults should use with new animals.
That doesn't mean you should be stiff, said Jackson. Stay as relaxed as possible, because rigid body language tells a dog that you're unapproachable and a potential threat, according to Jackson. If the dog's behavior does not change, keep your eyes on the ground and slowly walk away. Never run and do not scream.
Sometimes a confrontation is unavoidable.
Some experts, including Champagne, suggest carrying a walking stick. Jackson disagrees and recommends carrying pepper spray instead. A shot to the dog's eyes or nose should immediately disable him, as it would a person.
Since Lothar and Sherry Schweder were attacked by a pack of dogs not far from their home, some callers have said that they worry about groups of wild dogs in their neighborhoods, Champagne said.
Serious dog attacks are rare, and many feral dogs will not get close to people, she said.
Still, people who encounter an aggressive dog or group of dogs should call authorities after danger passes, the experts said. It's the best way to protect yourself from a potentially dangerous dog and may also help protect your neighbors.
Follow the same advice when you encounter a group of dogs or an individual dog, the experts say.
"Your body language should say to a dog, 'I'm not challenging you, I'm not a threat to you, I'm going to defuse (the situation) and try to leave you alone,' " said Jackson.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, August 23, 2009
By Jennifer L. Johnson | news@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 11:14 pm on 8/22/2009
John Cooper used to walk a mile and a half to the local gas station to buy a pack of cigarettes - until he crossed paths with a 70-pound black lab.
"I had no idea what to do," said Cooper, 27. "I tried to pass him, but he snapped and took a step toward me."
Cooper did the only thing he could think of - he yelled at the dog.
"That's the worst thing you can do," said Christy Champagne, a supervisor at the Athens-Clarke Animal Control shelter. Making yourself appear more of a threat doesn't help diffuse the situation. She also advises people not to tempt an animal's instincts by fleeing in fear.
"If you're running, obviously they're going to chase you," said Champagne. "They're dogs."
Cooper did run and the dog did chase him - for a block or two.
"I never walked to the store again and I quit smoking after that," said Cooper. "It scared the hell out of me."
The animal shelter where Champagne works has been getting a lot of calls from people afraid of aggressive dogs since an Oglethorpe County couple were killed last weekend by a pack of feral dogs. People are worried they might find themselves in a situation like Cooper did and not know what to do.
But there are signs you can look out for to help avoid a confrontation with a dog, said Kate Jackson, a certified dog trainer and one of the owners of Jabula Dog Academy in Decatur.
"The most blatant sign is a lack of general sociability," said Jackson. "If a dog doesn't seek out positive human interaction, they're more than likely not going to tolerate any negative reactions from humans at all."
If a dog doesn't immediately soften its body language and try to approach you in a relaxed way, that dog has the potential to bite you, according to Jackson.
If a dog becomes rigid and or tries to maintain eye contact, be wary.
"A lot of people think if a dog is not growling and barking at them, it's not threatening," said Jackson. "It's even more dangerous for a dog to stand dead still and stare at you."
People often believe - wrongly - that a wagging tail is a green light to approach a dog.
"Don't trust the tail," said Jackson. All the swish means is that the dog's level of arousal - aggression, excitability or adrenaline - has increased.
"You should always be cautious around any dog that is unfamiliar," said Champagne, who warns that any dog has the capacity to bite, regardless of breed.
After you've identified the signs that an animal may be dangerous, the most important thing to do is defuse the situation.
First, remain calm and slow down your movement.
Animal control officers teach children to act like trees when meeting unfamiliar canines. Standing still with arms flat to your sides is a non-threatening stance that even adults should use with new animals.
That doesn't mean you should be stiff, said Jackson. Stay as relaxed as possible, because rigid body language tells a dog that you're unapproachable and a potential threat, according to Jackson. If the dog's behavior does not change, keep your eyes on the ground and slowly walk away. Never run and do not scream.
Sometimes a confrontation is unavoidable.
Some experts, including Champagne, suggest carrying a walking stick. Jackson disagrees and recommends carrying pepper spray instead. A shot to the dog's eyes or nose should immediately disable him, as it would a person.
Since Lothar and Sherry Schweder were attacked by a pack of dogs not far from their home, some callers have said that they worry about groups of wild dogs in their neighborhoods, Champagne said.
Serious dog attacks are rare, and many feral dogs will not get close to people, she said.
Still, people who encounter an aggressive dog or group of dogs should call authorities after danger passes, the experts said. It's the best way to protect yourself from a potentially dangerous dog and may also help protect your neighbors.
Follow the same advice when you encounter a group of dogs or an individual dog, the experts say.
"Your body language should say to a dog, 'I'm not challenging you, I'm not a threat to you, I'm going to defuse (the situation) and try to leave you alone,' " said Jackson.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, August 23, 2009
Group needs funding to build
Donations to Women's Build, Habitat for Humanity down
By Jennifer Johnson | news@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 10:25 pm on 8/22/2009
To Heather McElroy, there's a certain feeling of empowerment that women get from building a house together.
Women Build, an all-female group that works with Habitat for Humanity, always has an overflow of volunteers ready to swing hammers or wield paintbrushes. Like many Habitat projects, everything from the roofing to landscaping, painting to siding is handled by volunteers.
"Everyone wants to get out and build," said McElroy, special events co-chair for Women Build. "But we need money before we can do that."
Charitable giving is down, a symptom of the weak economy, and it's slowing the work of all Athens area nonprofits.
"People are just really worried about what they spend their money on right now," McElroy said.
Athens Area Habitat for Humanity first started to see donations drop about a year ago, according to it Executive Director Spencer Frye.
"I would say that pretty much all nonprofits for the past year and a half have been experiencing a fall in their donor dollars," said Frye.
Women Build and Habitat for Humanity need $65,000 per house before they can break ground.
The nonprofit relies on money donations as well as volunteers to help build their homes.
"It really saves us a lot of money and allows us to maintain the affordability of the houses," Frye said. For $207 a month - plus taxes and insurance - a low-income family can afford a house of their own.
"There are a great number of hard-working poor people for whom the only reason they can't get into homeownership is because they have a lack of income," Frye said.
Despite economic hurdles, Athens Area Habitat is in the process of completing their 70th home.
Although Women Build's goal was to break ground by the end of the year, they might not be able to start working before 2010 rolls around. It takes Habitat about 12 to 20 weeks to build a house, but a lot longer to come up with the money to take that first step.
"We've been doing this eight months now, and we're not even halfway to our goal," McElroy said.
Last year, Women Build had a $10,000 grant from Lowe's, was given $4,000 by the Gainesville College Habitat, and had help from a Best Buy initiative to brainstorm and create signage.
"It's hard, with this economic environment, for individuals, churches or companies to put up the kinds of funds that they have in the past," Frye said.
In years past, Women Build had a waiting list of companies willing to sponsor houses. Now, corporate sponsorships are slow in coming, forcing the charity to rely more on donations from individuals. Women Build has sponsorship packets from $100 to $2,500, and have hosted men's bake sales and women's bridge games to help raise money for the next house.
For now, Women Build is working to get the word out about their cause with Google groups and a Facebook page while their representatives and volunteers try to rally donors from their schools, churches, businesses and neighborhoods.
McElroy is hoping that a planned bridge game at the Watkinsville Community Center in September will bring in a few extra dollars toward their next project, the fourth home that Women Build has helped construct.
"Everyone just wants to get out and build," McElroy said. "Hopefully we'll be able to do that soon."
For more information about Athens Area Habitat for Humanity or Women Build, go to www.athenshabitat.com.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, August 23, 2009
Ambitious jobs-for-disabled plan raises questions
By Jennifer Johnson | news@onlineathens.com | Story updated at 12:19 am on 8/5/2009
Nick Harris wants what any father wants for his teenage son - to be happy, healthy and find a rewarding career. But cleaning McDonald's restrooms or chasing down carts in a grocery store parking lot are the only options for Ethan, a teenager born with Down syndrome.
Harris is hoping a proposed community for people with disabilities would give Ethan and people like him the chance to live independently and find a meaningful way to contribute to society.
"The need for job opportunities for adults with disabilities is astronomical," said Harris, executive director of Sycamore Ridge, a nonprofit organization with plans to open a residential community for the developmentally disabled in Winterville.
Not everyone agrees that Harris and his team have picked the right way to help developmentally-disabled people land good jobs.
As they came out to hear the group's plans at a public hearing Monday, some said they worry about traffic and what will happen if Sycamore Ridge's ambitious plan fails.
An 87-acre tract stretching from Parkview Drive across to South Main Street will include an equine barn, riding rink, garden center, artist market and café open to the public, creating jobs for the people who live there. The campus-like community will include four six-bedroom cottages with private rooms for residents and could house 80 adults when the project is complete.
But neighbors worry that once the property is rezoned, the plans might change.
"We like the community the way it is," said resident Dawn Perry.
Winterville residents are especially wary of development after a legal tussle over city ordinances left a planned 158-lot subdivision called Winterville Station only partially constructed.
"I have no problems with the adults that you're planning on putting here," said Perry, whose home is close to the property. "But what if this doesn't work and you have to abandon the property? I want some guarantees - something substantial - that says you're going to succeed."
Sycamore Ridge isn't intended as a profit-making venture, developers said. The café, market and other businesses wouldn't have to pay the original cost to build infrastructure, investments that a charity would fund.
"I don't know what's going to happen in five, 10, 15 years," said Winterville Mayor Jim Mercer. "But I can guarantee you that eventually, something's going to happen to that land."
The property comprises 5 percent of the land inside the city limits, and that is one reason why citizens are concerned, said Mercer. Though the project is just beginning the process of government approval, Winterville residents were clear that they don't want the entire 87 acres rezoned.
Some of the regulations over the project may be addressed as variances, rather than rezoning the entire area commercial, said planning and zoning committee member David Dreesen.
"We're not here to bait and switch," said Sycamore Ridge Vice Chairman David McKenna. "We'll commit to whatever we have to commit to, to get your approval."
Not all residents disapprove of the group's plans.
"A planned community with greenspace and a park-like atmosphere is far more appealing than having 80 houses built which would cause increased traffic and demands on our infrastructure," said resident Rebecca Silver.
Developers have not done a traffic study, said McKenna, but from his 20 years experience in real estate, he doesn't anticipate traffic problems. Employees arriving in the morning and leaving in the afternoon will come in the opposite direction of rush-hour traffic, and Sycamore Ridge residents won't have their own cars.
"We really think that there is an economic benefit for Winterville," said McKenna. At full capacity a few years from now, developers anticipate between 90 and 120 jobs could be created for non-disabled local residents.
"Frankly, we just fell in love with your community," said McKenna. "Everything just clicked with Athens, Winterville and this site."
But some experts don't think the Sycamore Ridge model is best for developmentally disabled people.
"Having this here is going to take resources and attention away from people in the community," said Jenny Manders of the Institute on Human Development and Disability, a federally-funded agency at UGA that advocates to keep developmentally disabled people living in their own homes and a part of the community. Organizations like the Statewide Independent Living Council and the Georgia Advocacy Office agree and are opposed to the facility.
Developers recognize that there are groups that oppose their planned community.
"It may not be the place for everybody," said Harris.
A special education director and parent to a developmentally-disabled child, Joan Baird recognizes that some groups don't agree with the group's mission.
"Having spent my life trying to make the world better for people with disabilities, (I think) this is a great thing for some people," said Baird. "Not for everyone, but for some people."
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Wednesday, August 05, 2009
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