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
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