Health & Wellness Sponsored section ►►PAGE 25
Housing for all
Affordable housing to come to Forsyth ►►PAGE 4
Back-toschool
Photos from the first day of school ►►PAGE 32
High School Football Preview Special pull-out section ►►PAGES 17 – 24
August 12, 2015 | forsythherald.com | 75,000 circulation Revue & News, Johns Creek Herald, Milton Herald & Forsyth Herald combined | 50¢ | Volume 18, No. 33
Community ‘stuffs the bus’ for needy students By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com
PHOTO COURTSEY NORTHSIDE HOSPITAL
WSB-TV Anchor Fred Blankenship cheers with the crowd while collecting school supplies.
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A big yellow school bus seemed out of place on Northside Hospital-Forsyth’s campus Aug. 1. But the bus was not performing its usual task of picking up students. Instead, it was being stuffed with school supplies for needy children in North Georgia. Northside partnered with local TV news station WSBTV to collect school supplies for Children’s Restoration Network. CRN is a nonprofit agency serving homeless children and their mothers in Atlanta since 1993. “One challenge they face each year is that many of
these children starting back to school don’t have backpacks or supplies,” said Katherine Watson, senior public relations specialist for the hospital. “Many don’t have parents who can go out and buy these for them.” Like Northside, WSB-TV wanted to help CRN and thus created the “Stuff the Bus” event four years ago. Northside is a sponsor of WSB-TV’s “Family 2 Family” program, so they decided to help with this particular event. Watson said this is the first year the hospital has been a drop-off location. Before “Stuff the Bus,” Northside decided to initially
See COMMUNITY, Page 36
Healing Sounds holds first major fundraiser Event raises $1,500 for program By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com CUMMING, Ga. — Soothing melodies were switched for rock music Aug. 3 as Healing Sounds, the Northside Hospital-Forsyth therapeutic music program, held its first-ever major fundraiser at Tam’s Backstage, 215 Ingram Ave., raising over $1,500 for the program. Healing Sounds is part of the auxiliary department of the hospital and is helping patients, families, volunteers and employees live better lives through music played either bedside or in the lobby. The goal of the program is to soothe everyone within earshot with therapeutic music.
Since the program started 10 years ago, it has been funded by a grant from the Forsyth County Arts Alliance. But Lisa Fletcher, manager of the Forsyth Auxiliary for Northside, said while they’re thankful for the grant, they need more money if they want to expand to the hospital’s other campuses. “This is an opportunity for us to grow beyond the walls and boundaries of what we’ve done in the past,” Fletcher said. “We’re pushing through and hopefully will be able to grow our program and incorporate more music practitioners into what we do and provide more services to our patients and staff.” Brian Tam reached out to the hospital to create a fundraiser at about the time funding Healing Sounds’ expansion was being considered.
See SOUNDS, Page 36
KATHLEEN STURGEON/ STAFF
Chuck Beckman, right, introduces Mike Gleason, former band member of Kansas.
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