By Jennifer L. Johnson - news@onlineathens.com
Published Sunday, February 07, 2010
Erin Barger often shares job openings with the visitors of Our Daily Bread soup kitchen at the Oconee Street United Methodist Church.
But for many, jobs that could help them get back on their feet are out of reach.
"The problem was that for many of the advertised jobs, my clients were often under-qualified for them because they didn't have high school diplomas or GEDs," Barger said. "We're working to help them fix that."
Athens Urban Ministries, which runs the soup kitchen, is offering free GED classes twice a week in the same place that 150-200 people a week are fed.
Many of them never finished high school, and the two-hour classes Wednesday mornings and Thursday afternoons are easy for them to get to.
Though there are other GED-prep programs in the area, most are affiliated with a school program, offered to families with children in the public school system or too hard for the homeless or working poor to get to by bus, Barger said.
Barger, who became director of Athens Urban Ministries in June, saw almost immediately how much the people who rely on Our Daily Bread could use a GED program. She approached the Economic Justice Coalition, a group that promotes fair employment practices, which helped her connect with Caryl Sundland at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens.
"The classes are doing something important in the community," Sundland said. "They're changing people's lives, and we want to support that."
Sundland's church pays for an instructor and classroom supplies through a Unitarian church grant. So far, five members of the congregation have tutored.
Cathie Bigman, who taught GED sessions at Alps Road Elementary School until a grant ran out, was hired to teach the classes.
"I'm ecstatic to go into work every day," Bigman said. "My students are very dedicated, and I think it's a joy for them to learn - they're excited when they realize they know something that they didn't think they did before."
The students range from their mid-20s to their mid-50s. Some are only a few months away from taking the GED test; others are tackling subjects they might not have seen in 30 years, according to Bigman, who sets up study plans for each student to work at his own pace.
"We're not rushing people through," Barger said. "We're trying to meet people where they are and encourage that and help them accomplish their goals as soon as is reasonable for their life."
When one of the students gets ready to take the test, Urban Ministries will help him apply for an Athens-Clarke County Literacy Council scholarship that covers 75 percent of the fee and help with transportation to the testing site.
"We do everything we can to take the student from the starting line to the finish line of the GED testing process," Barger said.
Athens Urban Ministries is looking for volunteers and tutors for its GED program - especially in math - and previous experience isn't necessary. Call (706) 353-6647 for more information about volunteering your time, or visit athens.actionministries.net.
Athens Urban Ministries is hosting its 20th anniversary celebration and fundraiser at 6:30 p.m. March 25 at the First United Methodist Church of Athens; former University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley will be the keynote speaker. Tickets cost $40, with proceeds going to support Urban Ministries programs like the GED classes.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, February 07, 2010
Feb 10, 2010
Jan 27, 2010
Jan 17, 2010
Art teachers show off their work
By Jennifer L. Johnson - news@onlineathens.com
Published Saturday, January 16, 2010
WATKINSVILLE - Hannah Chapman can't remember the last time she saw one of her mother's pieces on an art gallery wall.
The 18-year-old college freshman made the trip down from Virginia to see an exhibit of works by area art teachers in the Myers Gallery at Athens Academy.
Twenty-four teachers from public and private schools in Clarke and Oconee counties are participating in the Art Teachers Invitational, conceived after Athens Academy art teacher Lawrence Stueck saw an exhibit at the University of Georgia of Clarke County students and thought it was time for a show of their teachers' work.
The exhibition features teachers from 20 schools, including Clarke Central High School, Oconee County High School, Athens Montessori School and Athens Academy. Steuck subtitled the exhibit "February 24, 1875" - the day before Oconee County became separate from Clarke County - to emphasize the participation of schools from both sides of the county line.
"We're kind of putting these counties back together in a way," Stueck said. "Teachers from both counties are coming together and showing art they've made in the last year, or maybe years ago, back before they got so busy teaching."
Chapman's mother was one of those teachers whose job made it hard to produce work outside of the classroom.
"I really wish my mom had more time to do this," Chapman said at an artists' reception Thursday. "Since she's had kids and gotten real busy with teaching school, it's been hard for her."
Frances Chapman taught kindergarten through eighth grade at St. Joseph Catholic School for 25 years and was excited about the opportunity to have her own work on display.
"It feels good to be creating again, and I think it's good for my students to see that," Chapman said. "It sets a good example for my kids - especially the older ones - to see me making and having my art outside the classroom."
Michael Spronck, 85, began painting 10 years ago after retiring from a career in management consulting, and visited the exhibition to see what Athens art teachers were creating in their own time.
"I've always been a strong supporter of art, especially in the schools," Spronck said. "I like to attend every opening I can, and I think it's also important to support art of all types."
Spronck especially liked "Neanderthal Man" by Athens Academy art teacher Mary Presnell, who used mosaic-like scraps of paper in layers to give the face of a primitive man a kind of 3-D effect.
"Neanderthal Man" also was a favorite of University of Georgia art student Camille Hayes, a 2007 Athens Academy graduate who came back to see her former teachers' work.
"I feel like you can really tell who was an elementary, middle and high school teacher through their art, and that just means they're well-suited to what they're teaching," Hayes said. "I'm really glad that I came because people here had different types of work to see."
Stueck was pleased with how the show turned out.
"It's a nice range of work from a lot of talented people," he said. "As a teacher, we're so used to dragging our kids' work around, it's a nice change of pace to have ours exhibited."
In fact, one teacher was so used to showing her students' work that she initially brought their work instead of her own, he said.
The exhibit gives teachers an opportunity to show students that there are other career paths out there for art teachers, though many of the artists really enjoy their jobs.
"One of the kids just asked me today why I wanted to be a teacher," said Dan Smith of Gaines Elementary School. "You get to do art every day."
Seeing their work exhibited is a rare occurrence for some teachers.
"I think the last time I worked a show was maybe eight years ago," said Jeff Barnett, an art teacher at Clarke Central High School.
Barnett is a single father and has been working as a teacher for 14 years, and hasn't had much of an opportunity to do charcoal sketches like the one he contributed to the exhibit.
"I like to say that there's an artist that lies inside of all of us, and you just need someone to dig it out of you," he said. "That's why I love teaching, so I get to inspire my students and let them have experiences like this one."
The Myers Gallery at Athens Academy is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and the exhibition will remain open through Feb. 12. Call (706) 549-9225 for more information.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Saturday, January 16, 2010
Published Saturday, January 16, 2010
WATKINSVILLE - Hannah Chapman can't remember the last time she saw one of her mother's pieces on an art gallery wall.
The 18-year-old college freshman made the trip down from Virginia to see an exhibit of works by area art teachers in the Myers Gallery at Athens Academy.
Twenty-four teachers from public and private schools in Clarke and Oconee counties are participating in the Art Teachers Invitational, conceived after Athens Academy art teacher Lawrence Stueck saw an exhibit at the University of Georgia of Clarke County students and thought it was time for a show of their teachers' work.
The exhibition features teachers from 20 schools, including Clarke Central High School, Oconee County High School, Athens Montessori School and Athens Academy. Steuck subtitled the exhibit "February 24, 1875" - the day before Oconee County became separate from Clarke County - to emphasize the participation of schools from both sides of the county line.
"We're kind of putting these counties back together in a way," Stueck said. "Teachers from both counties are coming together and showing art they've made in the last year, or maybe years ago, back before they got so busy teaching."
Chapman's mother was one of those teachers whose job made it hard to produce work outside of the classroom.
"I really wish my mom had more time to do this," Chapman said at an artists' reception Thursday. "Since she's had kids and gotten real busy with teaching school, it's been hard for her."
Frances Chapman taught kindergarten through eighth grade at St. Joseph Catholic School for 25 years and was excited about the opportunity to have her own work on display.
"It feels good to be creating again, and I think it's good for my students to see that," Chapman said. "It sets a good example for my kids - especially the older ones - to see me making and having my art outside the classroom."
Michael Spronck, 85, began painting 10 years ago after retiring from a career in management consulting, and visited the exhibition to see what Athens art teachers were creating in their own time.
"I've always been a strong supporter of art, especially in the schools," Spronck said. "I like to attend every opening I can, and I think it's also important to support art of all types."
Spronck especially liked "Neanderthal Man" by Athens Academy art teacher Mary Presnell, who used mosaic-like scraps of paper in layers to give the face of a primitive man a kind of 3-D effect.
"Neanderthal Man" also was a favorite of University of Georgia art student Camille Hayes, a 2007 Athens Academy graduate who came back to see her former teachers' work.
"I feel like you can really tell who was an elementary, middle and high school teacher through their art, and that just means they're well-suited to what they're teaching," Hayes said. "I'm really glad that I came because people here had different types of work to see."
Stueck was pleased with how the show turned out.
"It's a nice range of work from a lot of talented people," he said. "As a teacher, we're so used to dragging our kids' work around, it's a nice change of pace to have ours exhibited."
In fact, one teacher was so used to showing her students' work that she initially brought their work instead of her own, he said.
The exhibit gives teachers an opportunity to show students that there are other career paths out there for art teachers, though many of the artists really enjoy their jobs.
"One of the kids just asked me today why I wanted to be a teacher," said Dan Smith of Gaines Elementary School. "You get to do art every day."
Seeing their work exhibited is a rare occurrence for some teachers.
"I think the last time I worked a show was maybe eight years ago," said Jeff Barnett, an art teacher at Clarke Central High School.
Barnett is a single father and has been working as a teacher for 14 years, and hasn't had much of an opportunity to do charcoal sketches like the one he contributed to the exhibit.
"I like to say that there's an artist that lies inside of all of us, and you just need someone to dig it out of you," he said. "That's why I love teaching, so I get to inspire my students and let them have experiences like this one."
The Myers Gallery at Athens Academy is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and the exhibition will remain open through Feb. 12. Call (706) 549-9225 for more information.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Saturday, January 16, 2010
Vegan food healthy for you and flavorful, too
By Jennifer L. Johnson - news@onlineathens.com
Published Wednesday, January 13, 2010
If you've ever had an Oreo cookie, drank a Red Bull or made pancakes with Bisquick, you've had vegan food.
"I love to point that out to people," said Angell Darvalics, a volunteer with Athens Vegetarians, a group that is working to debunk the myth that all vegan food tastes like cardboard.
"We're not here to force people into our lifestyle, but just to let them know that this food is good and it can be delicious."
The veggie-eaters wanted to introduce vegan food to new people and decided to start by showing their thanks to volunteers giving back to the Athens community.
In November, they dished out soups, breads and desserts to Athens Area Habitat for Humanity workers building a house on Redfern Circle in Athens.
"We targeted Athens Area Habitat for Humanity because they have a great mission and we wanted to let them know how much we appreciate it," Darvalics said. "They also work very hard, and if anyone's going to appreciate a hot meal, it will be some construction workers."
Habitat always is looking for people to volunteer to feed the workers at construction sites on Saturdays, Darvalics said.
"Thank you so much for thinking of us," said Beau Harvey, the construction manager at the site.
Harvey waited until most of the crew had eaten before he filled his own bowl.
"I like to make sure that all my workers get food first," Harvey said. "Even if I don't eat, these people are my food - they fill me up and keep me going."
The food included a no-meat chili made by Darvalics' husband, Keith; a split pea soup made her mother, Mary; a lentil soup made by Mary Fox; and a tarragon "beef" and barley stew made by Pat Priest.
Priest's husband is a physician at St. Mary's Hospital. They've enjoyed a vegetarian diet since 1991, when they saw a truck on the highway crammed with chickens.
"Since we went vegan (last) January, my husband's been evangelical about this lifestyle," Priest said. "It's so much healthier and I eat so much of a broader palette than most people do."
Shelia McAlister - whose roller derby team, the Classic City Roller Girls, helped build the Redfern Circle house - understands why some people might be turned off by vegetarians.
"I think there's nothing worse in the world than a self-righteous vegetarian, so I don't like to explain to people when they ask why I'm a vegan," McAlister said. "But it's so nice to come to something and be able to choose whatever I want."
Winterville's Artie Alford, also with the Classic City Roller Girls, wasn't surprised that the split pea soup she sampled was tasty, since she used to work at Earth Fare.
"The soup is really good," Alford said. "We volunteered a few years ago building a house out in Madison County, but they didn't feed us like this."
After lunch, Harvey - who is a meat-eater - pocketed the recipes that the vegan group offered.
"The experience was greater than the anticipation," Harvey said.
The Athens Vegetarians have about 150 people members and welcome anyone interested in vegetarian or vegan cooking to join.
"I didn't see a single full bowl thrown away," Darvalics said. "That's what these type of events are all about - getting people to see how good vegan food actually is."
The group's Web site is www.meetup.com/AthensVegetarians.
Awesome Vegan Chili
(Keith Darvalics)
3 cans red kidney beans (or a mix of kidney and red beans), drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 large can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 large yellow onion, chopped in large pieces
4 bell peppers, a mix of green, red and yellow, cut into large pieces
2 portabella mushrooms, cut into large pieces
1 package of regular mushrooms or portabella mushrooms, cut into large pieces
Chili powder (equivalent of 2 packages) or 2 packages of chili seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 cup vegetable oil
In a large pot, warm the vegetable oil. Add the chopped yellow onion to the oil and begin to sauté. With the onion sautéing add the salt, pepper and paprika. Mix routinely and cook long enough to allow the onion and seasoning to reduce into and flavor the oil (approximately 15 minutes).
Mix in the can of diced tomatoes and let simmer for 10 minutes. Mix in the kidney and pinto beans, add and mix in half the chili powder/seasoning. Cover the pot and let mixture cook on medium for 10 minutes.
Mix in the bell peppers, add and mix in the remainder of the chili powder/seasoning. Cover pot, and let mixture cook for 20 minutes.
Mix in all mushrooms. Cover pot and cook for 15 minutes.
► Note, at this point, you will want to determine if the amount of seasoning is satisfactory to your taste. If it seems to be a little light, add more at this time.
Throughout the cooking process, the goal is to get the ingredients to blend and cook down leaving all ingredients, except the mushrooms, cooked well. You want the mushrooms to be cooked, but not over cooked, leaving them firm enough not to break into too many pieces.
Variations: To spice it up, add 2 or 3 chopped jalape os. Season with chili powder to your preference.
Tarragon 'Beef' and Barley Stew
(Pat Priest)
2 tablespoons canola or olive oil
About two cups diced onion
4 or 5 cloves of garlic, diced or pressed
1 bay leaf
1 stalk of diced celery
4 carrots, cut into rounds
6 potatoes, cubed
1 1/2 cups of chopped mushrooms (stems removed)
28-ounce can of chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Veggie broth or bouillon to make about 4 cups
1 cup pearled barley
1 cup cubed, dried textured vegetable protein (dark-colored works great)
2 cups frozen corn
1 can garbanzos
2 teaspoons or more fresh-frozen tarragon
1 teaspoons or more oregano
1 sprig of rosemary
Add green vegetables you have on hand for color (such as spinach or lima beans or green peas)
Season with salt and pepper and chopped chives.
Sauté onions and garlic in oil until translucent. Add bay leaf, carrots, celery and potatoes and cook about 10 minutes. Add a little water if the mixture sticks to the pan. Add mushrooms and cook until tender. Stir in tomatoes and their juice, vegetable broth and tomato paste. Add barley and TVP cubes and bring mixture to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer, adding tarragon and other spices. Cook until everything is just about tender. Add frozen corn, garbanzo beans and peas or spinach about 5 minutes before serving. Add salt and pepper. Season with chives or other fresh herbs you have on hand.
Lentil Vegetable Soup
(Mary Fox)
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 potato, diced
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon basil
2 tablespoons parsley
1 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cup dry lentils (cleaned and rinsed)
7 cups liquid (vegetable broth and water)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar added before serving
Mix all ingredients together in a slow cooker. Cook eight to 12 hours. Variations: Any vegetable may be added.
Split Pea Soup
(Mary Darvalics)
1 small onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 large carrots, diced
3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
8 cups vegetable broth
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups split peas
Salt and pepper to your taste
Sauté onions in oil until tender, approximately five minutes. Add garlic and sauté one to two minutes. Add vegetable broth; bring to boil. Add spices, split peas and vegetables. Cover, reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally for at least four hours.
Published Wednesday, January 13, 2010
If you've ever had an Oreo cookie, drank a Red Bull or made pancakes with Bisquick, you've had vegan food.
"I love to point that out to people," said Angell Darvalics, a volunteer with Athens Vegetarians, a group that is working to debunk the myth that all vegan food tastes like cardboard.
"We're not here to force people into our lifestyle, but just to let them know that this food is good and it can be delicious."
The veggie-eaters wanted to introduce vegan food to new people and decided to start by showing their thanks to volunteers giving back to the Athens community.
In November, they dished out soups, breads and desserts to Athens Area Habitat for Humanity workers building a house on Redfern Circle in Athens.
"We targeted Athens Area Habitat for Humanity because they have a great mission and we wanted to let them know how much we appreciate it," Darvalics said. "They also work very hard, and if anyone's going to appreciate a hot meal, it will be some construction workers."
Habitat always is looking for people to volunteer to feed the workers at construction sites on Saturdays, Darvalics said.
"Thank you so much for thinking of us," said Beau Harvey, the construction manager at the site.
Harvey waited until most of the crew had eaten before he filled his own bowl.
"I like to make sure that all my workers get food first," Harvey said. "Even if I don't eat, these people are my food - they fill me up and keep me going."
The food included a no-meat chili made by Darvalics' husband, Keith; a split pea soup made her mother, Mary; a lentil soup made by Mary Fox; and a tarragon "beef" and barley stew made by Pat Priest.
Priest's husband is a physician at St. Mary's Hospital. They've enjoyed a vegetarian diet since 1991, when they saw a truck on the highway crammed with chickens.
"Since we went vegan (last) January, my husband's been evangelical about this lifestyle," Priest said. "It's so much healthier and I eat so much of a broader palette than most people do."
Shelia McAlister - whose roller derby team, the Classic City Roller Girls, helped build the Redfern Circle house - understands why some people might be turned off by vegetarians.
"I think there's nothing worse in the world than a self-righteous vegetarian, so I don't like to explain to people when they ask why I'm a vegan," McAlister said. "But it's so nice to come to something and be able to choose whatever I want."
Winterville's Artie Alford, also with the Classic City Roller Girls, wasn't surprised that the split pea soup she sampled was tasty, since she used to work at Earth Fare.
"The soup is really good," Alford said. "We volunteered a few years ago building a house out in Madison County, but they didn't feed us like this."
After lunch, Harvey - who is a meat-eater - pocketed the recipes that the vegan group offered.
"The experience was greater than the anticipation," Harvey said.
The Athens Vegetarians have about 150 people members and welcome anyone interested in vegetarian or vegan cooking to join.
"I didn't see a single full bowl thrown away," Darvalics said. "That's what these type of events are all about - getting people to see how good vegan food actually is."
The group's Web site is www.meetup.com/AthensVegetarians.
Awesome Vegan Chili
(Keith Darvalics)
3 cans red kidney beans (or a mix of kidney and red beans), drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 large can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 large yellow onion, chopped in large pieces
4 bell peppers, a mix of green, red and yellow, cut into large pieces
2 portabella mushrooms, cut into large pieces
1 package of regular mushrooms or portabella mushrooms, cut into large pieces
Chili powder (equivalent of 2 packages) or 2 packages of chili seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 cup vegetable oil
In a large pot, warm the vegetable oil. Add the chopped yellow onion to the oil and begin to sauté. With the onion sautéing add the salt, pepper and paprika. Mix routinely and cook long enough to allow the onion and seasoning to reduce into and flavor the oil (approximately 15 minutes).
Mix in the can of diced tomatoes and let simmer for 10 minutes. Mix in the kidney and pinto beans, add and mix in half the chili powder/seasoning. Cover the pot and let mixture cook on medium for 10 minutes.
Mix in the bell peppers, add and mix in the remainder of the chili powder/seasoning. Cover pot, and let mixture cook for 20 minutes.
Mix in all mushrooms. Cover pot and cook for 15 minutes.
► Note, at this point, you will want to determine if the amount of seasoning is satisfactory to your taste. If it seems to be a little light, add more at this time.
Throughout the cooking process, the goal is to get the ingredients to blend and cook down leaving all ingredients, except the mushrooms, cooked well. You want the mushrooms to be cooked, but not over cooked, leaving them firm enough not to break into too many pieces.
Variations: To spice it up, add 2 or 3 chopped jalape os. Season with chili powder to your preference.
Tarragon 'Beef' and Barley Stew
(Pat Priest)
2 tablespoons canola or olive oil
About two cups diced onion
4 or 5 cloves of garlic, diced or pressed
1 bay leaf
1 stalk of diced celery
4 carrots, cut into rounds
6 potatoes, cubed
1 1/2 cups of chopped mushrooms (stems removed)
28-ounce can of chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Veggie broth or bouillon to make about 4 cups
1 cup pearled barley
1 cup cubed, dried textured vegetable protein (dark-colored works great)
2 cups frozen corn
1 can garbanzos
2 teaspoons or more fresh-frozen tarragon
1 teaspoons or more oregano
1 sprig of rosemary
Add green vegetables you have on hand for color (such as spinach or lima beans or green peas)
Season with salt and pepper and chopped chives.
Sauté onions and garlic in oil until translucent. Add bay leaf, carrots, celery and potatoes and cook about 10 minutes. Add a little water if the mixture sticks to the pan. Add mushrooms and cook until tender. Stir in tomatoes and their juice, vegetable broth and tomato paste. Add barley and TVP cubes and bring mixture to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer, adding tarragon and other spices. Cook until everything is just about tender. Add frozen corn, garbanzo beans and peas or spinach about 5 minutes before serving. Add salt and pepper. Season with chives or other fresh herbs you have on hand.
Lentil Vegetable Soup
(Mary Fox)
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 potato, diced
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon basil
2 tablespoons parsley
1 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cup dry lentils (cleaned and rinsed)
7 cups liquid (vegetable broth and water)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar added before serving
Mix all ingredients together in a slow cooker. Cook eight to 12 hours. Variations: Any vegetable may be added.
Split Pea Soup
(Mary Darvalics)
1 small onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 large carrots, diced
3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
8 cups vegetable broth
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups split peas
Salt and pepper to your taste
Sauté onions in oil until tender, approximately five minutes. Add garlic and sauté one to two minutes. Add vegetable broth; bring to boil. Add spices, split peas and vegetables. Cover, reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally for at least four hours.
Jan 12, 2010
Recyclers ready to chip away at trees
By Jennifer L. Johnson
Published Saturday, January 09, 2010 Athens Banner-Herald
Now that New Year's Day has come and gone, most people are packing up their holiday decorations and taking down the Christmas trees.
Keep Georgia Beautiful organizations across the state will hold "Bring One for the Chipper" events today to give locals a place to recycle their trees into useful mulch - and give them an incentive to do it.
While Chipper donors often get a free seedling, anyone who drops off a tree at one of the seven sites set up in Athens this year will get a packet of yellow poplar and dogwood seeds donated by Ferry Morse Seed Co. to plant in their own yards.
In Athens-Clarke, volunteers expected to collect about 500 Christmas trees, about the same number that came in during last year's event.
The drop-off locations include Barrow Elementary School, Chase Street Elementary School, the Clarke County Tag Office on Lexington Road, Cofer's Home and Garden Showplace on Mitchell Bridge Road, the Georgia Square Mall theater parking lot, Sandy Creek Nature Center and the Winterville Public Works Building, and are open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Volunteers gave away more than 830 seedlings in Athens last year, when the campaign collected 18 tons of Christmas trees.
"We hope that people will plant these trees to replace the ones that they had in their homes over the holiday," said Stacee Farrell, executive director of Keep Athens Clarke-County Beautiful. "Lots of volunteers come out every year and help make this possible."
Donated trees will make the trip out to the Athens-Clarke Landfill on Lexington Road, where they'll be ground up into mulch.
In the past, homeowners could buy the mulch to use in their yards, but the county has plans for it this year.
The Christmas tree mulch will be used for school gardens, community gardens and improvement projects like those planned Jan. 18 for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service hosted by HandsOn Northeast Georgia.
After today's Bring One for the Chipper, a handful of places still will accept trees for recycling. The tag office, Winterville Public Works building and the Georgia Square Mall parking lot will have bins marked "Christmas trees only" until Tuesday night.
After that, the landfill, located at 3700 Lexington Road, will accept trees free of charge.
Log on to www.keepathensbeautiful.org or visit www.keepgeorgiabeautiful.org to find a recycling location in your community.
Published Saturday, January 09, 2010 Athens Banner-Herald
Now that New Year's Day has come and gone, most people are packing up their holiday decorations and taking down the Christmas trees.
Keep Georgia Beautiful organizations across the state will hold "Bring One for the Chipper" events today to give locals a place to recycle their trees into useful mulch - and give them an incentive to do it.
While Chipper donors often get a free seedling, anyone who drops off a tree at one of the seven sites set up in Athens this year will get a packet of yellow poplar and dogwood seeds donated by Ferry Morse Seed Co. to plant in their own yards.
In Athens-Clarke, volunteers expected to collect about 500 Christmas trees, about the same number that came in during last year's event.
The drop-off locations include Barrow Elementary School, Chase Street Elementary School, the Clarke County Tag Office on Lexington Road, Cofer's Home and Garden Showplace on Mitchell Bridge Road, the Georgia Square Mall theater parking lot, Sandy Creek Nature Center and the Winterville Public Works Building, and are open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Volunteers gave away more than 830 seedlings in Athens last year, when the campaign collected 18 tons of Christmas trees.
"We hope that people will plant these trees to replace the ones that they had in their homes over the holiday," said Stacee Farrell, executive director of Keep Athens Clarke-County Beautiful. "Lots of volunteers come out every year and help make this possible."
Donated trees will make the trip out to the Athens-Clarke Landfill on Lexington Road, where they'll be ground up into mulch.
In the past, homeowners could buy the mulch to use in their yards, but the county has plans for it this year.
The Christmas tree mulch will be used for school gardens, community gardens and improvement projects like those planned Jan. 18 for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service hosted by HandsOn Northeast Georgia.
After today's Bring One for the Chipper, a handful of places still will accept trees for recycling. The tag office, Winterville Public Works building and the Georgia Square Mall parking lot will have bins marked "Christmas trees only" until Tuesday night.
After that, the landfill, located at 3700 Lexington Road, will accept trees free of charge.
Log on to www.keepathensbeautiful.org or visit www.keepgeorgiabeautiful.org to find a recycling location in your community.
Jan 2, 2010
300 military dogs have care packages coming
After-Christmas treats for Iraq deployed
300 military dogs have care packages coming
By Jennifer L. Johnson
Published Saturday, January 02, 2010
Especially during the holidays, people remember soldiers far from home and try to get them some creature comforts that will make the time away from their families a little more bearable.
So when Tom Wargo learned that hundreds of four-legged soldiers might need some supplies, too, he decided to help.
As a thank-you to the canine soldiers this holiday season, Daffy's Pet Soup Kitchen is sending more than 1,000 pounds of dog food, treats and brushes to U.S. military dogs deployed to Iraq.
Daffy's is a volunteer and donation-run pet food bank in Lawrenceville that has redistributed pet food donated by community members, pet food manufacturers and retails stores to pet owners in need.
"Years ago, I was handing stuff out of the back of my truck," said Wargo, who founded Daffy's and handles 30,000-40,000 pounds of dog food through his warehouse each month. "I knew there was a big need, but not that big a need."
Wargo turned his attention to the pups overseas after he received an e-mail from the Humane Association of Georgia - a coalition of humane societies, animal control and rescue groups - about Girl Scout Troop 60667 in Macon, which was sending care packages to dog-handlers in Iraq.
Wargo had just received a donation of dog brushes designed to attract dirt while combing through dog coats, and thought they'd be perfect for animals in the dusty Middle East.
The Girl Scout troop was sending about 50 pounds of dog paraphernalia, said Wargo, and weren't able to handle the 1,000 brushes and 500 pounds of dog food Daffy's was offering. They referred him to the U.S. War Dogs Association, a group of retired dog-handlers in New Jersey who could get the packages directly to the dog kennels at bases in Iraq.
"We know they're not going to get them there for Christmas anyway, since it can take three weeks to get stuff over there," Wargo said. "But we're still including all the Christmas cards and letters and pictures that people were sending for the handlers and soldiers in Iraq."
More than 700 dogs are working with the military in Iraq, according to Wargo, whose group is shipping items to about 300 of those dogs in 45 kennels on military bases. As the dogs rotate into the war zone, handlers will be able to select items for their furry friends.
Daffy's will continue to send treats and brushes to canine soldiers, but Wargo is looking forward to sending other gear that handlers say their dogs really need.
"You start out thinking, 'Oh wow - this is really going to help out,' " Wargo said. "And then you find out that there are 700 dogs in Iraq, and they need things like eye goggles and bulletproof jackets that are going to help them survive over there."
Once the War Dogs Association sends Wargo its wish list, he'll post it on the group's Web site, www.daffyspetsoupkitchen.com.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Saturday, January 02, 2010
300 military dogs have care packages coming
By Jennifer L. Johnson
Published Saturday, January 02, 2010
Especially during the holidays, people remember soldiers far from home and try to get them some creature comforts that will make the time away from their families a little more bearable.
So when Tom Wargo learned that hundreds of four-legged soldiers might need some supplies, too, he decided to help.
As a thank-you to the canine soldiers this holiday season, Daffy's Pet Soup Kitchen is sending more than 1,000 pounds of dog food, treats and brushes to U.S. military dogs deployed to Iraq.
Daffy's is a volunteer and donation-run pet food bank in Lawrenceville that has redistributed pet food donated by community members, pet food manufacturers and retails stores to pet owners in need.
"Years ago, I was handing stuff out of the back of my truck," said Wargo, who founded Daffy's and handles 30,000-40,000 pounds of dog food through his warehouse each month. "I knew there was a big need, but not that big a need."
Wargo turned his attention to the pups overseas after he received an e-mail from the Humane Association of Georgia - a coalition of humane societies, animal control and rescue groups - about Girl Scout Troop 60667 in Macon, which was sending care packages to dog-handlers in Iraq.
Wargo had just received a donation of dog brushes designed to attract dirt while combing through dog coats, and thought they'd be perfect for animals in the dusty Middle East.
The Girl Scout troop was sending about 50 pounds of dog paraphernalia, said Wargo, and weren't able to handle the 1,000 brushes and 500 pounds of dog food Daffy's was offering. They referred him to the U.S. War Dogs Association, a group of retired dog-handlers in New Jersey who could get the packages directly to the dog kennels at bases in Iraq.
"We know they're not going to get them there for Christmas anyway, since it can take three weeks to get stuff over there," Wargo said. "But we're still including all the Christmas cards and letters and pictures that people were sending for the handlers and soldiers in Iraq."
More than 700 dogs are working with the military in Iraq, according to Wargo, whose group is shipping items to about 300 of those dogs in 45 kennels on military bases. As the dogs rotate into the war zone, handlers will be able to select items for their furry friends.
Daffy's will continue to send treats and brushes to canine soldiers, but Wargo is looking forward to sending other gear that handlers say their dogs really need.
"You start out thinking, 'Oh wow - this is really going to help out,' " Wargo said. "And then you find out that there are 700 dogs in Iraq, and they need things like eye goggles and bulletproof jackets that are going to help them survive over there."
Once the War Dogs Association sends Wargo its wish list, he'll post it on the group's Web site, www.daffyspetsoupkitchen.com.
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Saturday, January 02, 2010
Jan 1, 2010
Releasing the helm of The Ark
By Jennifer L. Johnson
Published Friday, January 01, 2010
After more than two decades directing The Ark, a faith-based help agency, Laura MacArthur begins the New Year as a retiree.
The mother of five children, MacArthur looks forward to getting a chance to do all the things she never had the time to do. Even so, she will miss coming into work, she said.
"I'm leaving not because there's anything wrong or because I'm unhappy, but just because it's time," said MacArthur, 64. "I don't think there are a lot of people who can say that they truly love their job and wake up each morning happy to come in to work."
MacArthur helped found The Ark, a cooperative effort of 35 local church congregations offering support to people who need assistance with basic needs like rent and utilities.
"We're not all things to all people, but what we do is fantastic in the sense of these short-term needs," MacArthur said.
Anyone who comes to the organization can get some kind of help, even if it's not financial. Most of the financial help goes to working people.
More than just money, The Ark gives people knowledge, a referral to another agency like the Athens Area Emergency Food Bank or information about how to cut a telephone or cable bill.
Most of The Ark's clients - or "neighbors" - are single women with children.
"It's how we do things here that matters," MacArthur said. "We do it with care and with respect - even when we say no."
MacArthur helped form The Ark while working as outreach director at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, where she saw requests for help triple in the first six months she worked there. MacArthur saw how local churches struggled to coordinate services and how families applied to church after church for assistance.
"As part of my job at Emmanuel, I looked into the possibility of creating a place for these people to go and get help from all of these congregations," MacArthur said.
Founders worked for nine months to set up The Ark and establish its first headquarters on property owned by Emmanuel, which also paid MacArthur's salary at first. After a year, the nonprofit began renting space from the Athens Area Emergency Food Bank on Barber Street, where The Ark is still located.
MacArthur, a native of Bethesda, Md., with a background in social work, moved to Athens in 1983 so her husband could work at the Navy Supply Corps School.
MacArthur will stay in Athens and focus on her two dogs, spend time outdoors and continue going to the book club started by friends at The Ark.
"The nature of this job is that you create friends. I'll continue to be friends with all the employees and volunteers here," she said. "There have been such great people who have come through The Ark that have made it what it is."
The volunteers are the reason MacArthur never felt burned out at work, she said. Laughing together helped boost their spirits even in the face of the tough situations they handle every day.
Over the years, MacArthur was most satisfied when The Ark came together with other organizations for a project, like helping the Clarke County School District provide clothes for a child in need.
"Yes, we might just be the money part, but what if they didn't have that?" MacArthur said. "We don't get funding from the government so we can do what we think our religious congregations would want us to do in those situations."
MacArthur will be replaced as executive director by Lucy Hudgens, a Rome native returning to the state after spending eight years at Outward Bound, where she was program director of operations in South Carolina.
"Laura has been a wonderful teacher, who has really been able to give me a strong foundation and a background about why we do what we do for this community," said Hudgens. "We will continue to do what The Ark has been able to do for the last 20 years."
The Ark will celebrate its 21st anniversary on Jan. 15 while MacArthur enjoys a late Christmas with her five children and seven grandchildren in a rented eight-bedroom house on Fripp Island, S.C., far from The Ark's Barber Street home.
After devoting two decades to The Ark, MacArthur doesn't plan on checking in on the organization to see how it's faring.
"I have never considered the Ark to be about me because we have so many different committed people," MacArthur said. "The Ark is going to stand on its own - it doesn't need me checking in. I would have failed if it did."
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday, January 01, 2010
Published Friday, January 01, 2010
After more than two decades directing The Ark, a faith-based help agency, Laura MacArthur begins the New Year as a retiree.
The mother of five children, MacArthur looks forward to getting a chance to do all the things she never had the time to do. Even so, she will miss coming into work, she said.
"I'm leaving not because there's anything wrong or because I'm unhappy, but just because it's time," said MacArthur, 64. "I don't think there are a lot of people who can say that they truly love their job and wake up each morning happy to come in to work."
MacArthur helped found The Ark, a cooperative effort of 35 local church congregations offering support to people who need assistance with basic needs like rent and utilities.
"We're not all things to all people, but what we do is fantastic in the sense of these short-term needs," MacArthur said.
Anyone who comes to the organization can get some kind of help, even if it's not financial. Most of the financial help goes to working people.
More than just money, The Ark gives people knowledge, a referral to another agency like the Athens Area Emergency Food Bank or information about how to cut a telephone or cable bill.
Most of The Ark's clients - or "neighbors" - are single women with children.
"It's how we do things here that matters," MacArthur said. "We do it with care and with respect - even when we say no."
MacArthur helped form The Ark while working as outreach director at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, where she saw requests for help triple in the first six months she worked there. MacArthur saw how local churches struggled to coordinate services and how families applied to church after church for assistance.
"As part of my job at Emmanuel, I looked into the possibility of creating a place for these people to go and get help from all of these congregations," MacArthur said.
Founders worked for nine months to set up The Ark and establish its first headquarters on property owned by Emmanuel, which also paid MacArthur's salary at first. After a year, the nonprofit began renting space from the Athens Area Emergency Food Bank on Barber Street, where The Ark is still located.
MacArthur, a native of Bethesda, Md., with a background in social work, moved to Athens in 1983 so her husband could work at the Navy Supply Corps School.
MacArthur will stay in Athens and focus on her two dogs, spend time outdoors and continue going to the book club started by friends at The Ark.
"The nature of this job is that you create friends. I'll continue to be friends with all the employees and volunteers here," she said. "There have been such great people who have come through The Ark that have made it what it is."
The volunteers are the reason MacArthur never felt burned out at work, she said. Laughing together helped boost their spirits even in the face of the tough situations they handle every day.
Over the years, MacArthur was most satisfied when The Ark came together with other organizations for a project, like helping the Clarke County School District provide clothes for a child in need.
"Yes, we might just be the money part, but what if they didn't have that?" MacArthur said. "We don't get funding from the government so we can do what we think our religious congregations would want us to do in those situations."
MacArthur will be replaced as executive director by Lucy Hudgens, a Rome native returning to the state after spending eight years at Outward Bound, where she was program director of operations in South Carolina.
"Laura has been a wonderful teacher, who has really been able to give me a strong foundation and a background about why we do what we do for this community," said Hudgens. "We will continue to do what The Ark has been able to do for the last 20 years."
The Ark will celebrate its 21st anniversary on Jan. 15 while MacArthur enjoys a late Christmas with her five children and seven grandchildren in a rented eight-bedroom house on Fripp Island, S.C., far from The Ark's Barber Street home.
After devoting two decades to The Ark, MacArthur doesn't plan on checking in on the organization to see how it's faring.
"I have never considered the Ark to be about me because we have so many different committed people," MacArthur said. "The Ark is going to stand on its own - it doesn't need me checking in. I would have failed if it did."
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Friday, January 01, 2010
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
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