Dunwoody Crier - June 8, 2023

City Council calls for vote on $60 million in bond issue

Funding would be used for parks, trail system

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody residents will have the chance this November to vote on a $60 million bond to finance parks, greenspace and trail projects.

The Dunwoody City Council voted May 22 to approve a call for election on the bond that would complete four park projects and three trail projects over the next two decades.

City leaders said the bond targets nine projects culled from a wish list of more than 100 proposals gathered from years of discussion, community feedback and debate.

“There was nothing hasty about this decision,” Post 3 City Councilman Tom Lambert said. “For more than two years we have solicited community feedback, analyzed, debated or heard directly from our residents and evaluated to prioritize the capital needs of the city.”

See FUNDING, Page 6

Officials unveil Dunwoody MARTA station mural

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody officials have cut the ribbon on a public art project to install a massive mural at the city’s MARTA station on Hammond Drive.

“Flora Chroma” a mural by the internationally known artist DAAS was unveiled during a ribbon-cutting ceremony adjacent to the station on Hammond Drive June 1. The mural

was installed as part of a collaboration between the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts, the City of Dunwoody, the Dunwoody Development Authority, the Dunwoody Art Commission and Living Walls.

In remarks before the ribbon cutting, the artist known as DAAS, said he painted the 2,400-square-foot mural as a celebration of the “exquisite beauty of color and nature,” focusing on Georgia’s state flower, the Cherokee Rose, and the

Azalea flower.

DAAS said he is often asked why public art is important and loves to talk about the impact that murals and other public artworks can have on the community.

“The significance of public art lies in its ability to engage us in thoughtprovoking and emotional ways,” DAAS said. “It not only sparks conversation

See MURAL, Page 8

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Perimeter and Dunwoody groups helped sponsor internationally renowned artist DAAS to erect a 2,500-square-foot mural on the Hammond Drive side of Dunwoody’s MARTA station. The mural was unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony June 1.

NEWS TIPS

POLICE BLOTTER

770-442-3278

AppenMedia.com

319 N. Main Street

Alpharetta, GA 30009

HANS APPEN

Publisher

DICK WILLIAMS Publisher Emeritus

CONTACT

Contact reporters directly or send story ideas to newsroom@appenmedia.com.

LETTERS, EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Send your letters, events and community news to newsroom@appenmedia.com. See appenmedia.com/submit for more guidance.

ADVERTISING

For information about advertising in the Dunwoody Crier or other Appen Media properties, email advertising@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278.

CIRCULATION

To start, pause or stop delivery of this newspaper, email circulation@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278.

Burglary spree reported at residences, business

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Between May 27 and May 29, three substantial residential and commercial burglaries were reported to Dunwoody police.

Incident reports said thieves targeted homes on Magnolia Commons and Dunwoody Gables Drive May 27 and May 29, and the Mavis Tires and Brakes store on Chamblee Dunwoody Road was burglarized on May 28.

Victims of the two residential burglaries reported that jewelry, cash and other luxury items, including a $110,000 Patek Philippe watch, were stolen. In total, items worth $151,000 were stolen from Dunwoody residents during the spree.

Officers learned a garage door at the residence on Magnolia Commons had been tampered with to gain access. On Dunwoody Gables Drive, thieves entered the apartment by forcing open the unit’s front door.

Both residences were burglarized while occupants were away from their homes for several hours, reports said.

Police reports said thieves entered the Mavis Tires and Brakes store on Chamblee Dunwoody Road after shattering its garage door windows and stole $1,200 from the cash register after damaging several items.

No suspects were identified in either of the residential burglaries, but a report said an ex-employee may have been responsible for the commercial burglary.

Police also identified no useful security camera footage of the incidents.

Employee assaulted at Dunwoody hotel

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody police are searching for an unidentified man responsible for assaulting an employee at the Hyatt Place Hotel in Dunwoody.

Officers responded to the hotel at 1234 Hammond Drive at 11 a.m. May 29 after receiving reports that a man was harassing hotel guests and had assaulted an employee.

The suspect began yelling at a group of guests while they were outside the hotel and followed them inside, “rushing” at them and aggressively yelling at them. Several hotel employees pried the suspect away from guests and were spit on by the man.

Reports said the suspect fled the hotel and appeared to be heading to a nearby MARTA station.

At the time of the report, police had not identified the suspect.

Resident reports person filed taxes in his name

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody police are investigating a possible case of identity fraud that a resident reported recently.

Officers responded to an apartment complex off Perimeter Center East May 29 to a report that a victim’s name and tax ID number had been used to file taxes in his name.

The victim told police that he was alerted to the fraud after receiving a letter from the IRS, and he immediately froze his accounts.

At the time of the report, no suspects had been identified.

Suspected thief flees after confrontation

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A manager at the Home Depot on State Bridge Road reported May 23 that a man tried

to leave the store with a cart full of merchandise he did not pay for.

The manager stopped the suspect after he walked out the front doors, the police report said, and the suspect left the merchandise in the shopping cart and started running. The value of the merchandise in the cart totaled $1,083.

The manager said the suspect got into a maroon Kia Forte and fled the scene. He said someone else was driving the vehicle, waiting for the suspect to come out.

Police ran the tag number and found the car was an Enterprise rental and had no way to identify the suspect. The suspect was described as a Black male with short dreads, approximately 6-foot, wearing a neon worker’s vest and a gray hat.

Holy Redeemer student investigated for threat

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The principal at Holy Redeemer on Old Alabama Road reported to police May 25 that a 12-year-old student threatened to bring a gun to class to shoot another student and the school.

The principal gathered information from a witness’ mother and compiled a list of names of students who had heard the threats. Police interviewed the children to assess the severity of the girls’ statement.

Several students shared that the girl threatened to bring a gun on the last day of school, May 22.

Police contacted a man to ask if the girl had access to a firearm, and that if she did, that safety protocols be established to prevent her from carrying out the threat.

The man said the girl did not have access to a firearm. He also said there were two boys involved that had initiated the conversation with the girl, and he would gather and relay more information to detectives.

All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.

Dunwoody Police Department launches transparency portal

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Policies, data and statistics compiled by the Dunwoody Police Department are now just a few clicks away, thanks to a new online portal the agency installed.

Dunwoody police officials announced May 30 the department has launched a “groundbreaking” Police Transparency and Data Sharing Initiative Web Page, which provides city residents, members of the media and any other interested parties access to a treasure trove of information about crime, use of force, officer complaints, overdose deaths and other items.

Dunwoody Police Chief Billy Grogan said the new initiative represents a major step toward building trust with the community and promoting transparency in law enforcement.

“This platform will empower citizens, promote dialogue, and enable our community to actively engage in the pursuit of justice,” Grogan said. “We hope this initiative will serve as a model for other jurisdictions and inspire positive changes nationwide."

Like many law enforcement agencies, the Dunwoody Police Department has long maintained a Police 2 Citizen daily bulletin page, which gives the public access to all police incidents, crime reports, traffic stops and arrests that are made in the city.

Officials said the department’s new transparency page will bolster the information provided by the P2C portal, providing monthly, yearly, and long-term updates to department trends.

Currently, the transparency page has yearly crime comparisons from 2009 to 2023, and three years of data from overdose deaths, arrests, citations, police pursuits, officer complaints and use of force. Yearly PDF reports for all of these items can be downloaded directly from the portal.

Calling the new transparency page a “window in a glass house,” department spokesman Sgt. Michael Cheek said these datasets represent the most requested open records items the department receives.

“We've always been pretty open and honest with our community … and we just wanted to make it even easier for the community to understand the police department,” Cheek said.

However, Cheek said the transparency portal is by no means a finished product. If residents have ideas for how it could be improved in the future, he said they want to know.

“This website is still a work in progress,” he said. “We're open to ideas.”

To visit the transparency portal, visit www.dunwoodyga.gov and click on Transparency & Data Sharing Initiative in the About Police Department tabs.

Dunwoody sets meetings to discuss property tax rate

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The City of Dunwoody will host three public hearings in June and July over a proposed millage rate that could see an increase in property taxes in the coming year.

The Dunwoody City Council announced May 31 that, despite an unchanged citywide millage rate of 3.040 mills, property tax levies are expected to increase by 1.57 percent for some homeowners this year, due to annual property reassessments.

Dunwoody’s millage rate is capped by city charter at 3.040 mills. Each year, city officials are faced with the option

of either rolling back the millage rate to keep property tax revenues the same or maintaining the rate, which generally brings in more money due to higher property values.

Officials said some city homeowners may be eligible for a property tax assessment freeze and would see no increase in their 2023 taxes.

Public hearings on this proposed tax increase will be held at Dunwoody City Hall, 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road on June 12 at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., and July 10 at 6 p.m.

— Alexander Popp

Brook Run Park hosts Memorial Day service

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody residents and local leaders gathered at Brook Run Park to honor men and women who died in defense of the country at the city’s Memorial Day celebration May 29.

Seated at the foot of Dunwoody’s Veterans Memorial, scores of community members, including Doris Guzman, a 103-year-old Navy nurse, heard speeches from Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch,

Rabbi Brian Glusman of the Marcus Jewish Community Center and Maj. Gen. Bill Dyer of the U.S. Army.

The solemn holiday was marked by a moment of silence led by Deputy Police Chief Michael Carlson, with “Taps” played by Kyle Shiflett, and the National Anthem and “God Bless America” sung by Dunwoody Idol Contestant Grace Jacob.

Dyer, who served as main speaker, said that by participating in the Memorial Day tributre, Dunwoody residents were exercising one of the greatest strengths prized by the United States military — the strength of will and spirit shared by everyday Americans.

That “collective American will,” Dyer said, is what the country’s adversaries will never be able to copy or match.

“They're constantly assessing the United States. It's not hard to get online and figure out how many ships and planes and tanks and troops we have,” he said. “But there's one thing that our adversaries can't figure out … They can't possibly believe that it stirs and drives a nation. What they don't understand is the will of the American people.”

Speaking from a long military career with multiple deployments around the world, Dyer said he believes the best

way for people to honor those who die in service to their country, isn’t by being sad or feeling guilty, but by fully enjoying the freedoms their sacrifice allowed.

“I would not presume to speak for those who can't speak for themselves and certainly, I would not presume to speak for those who have fallen in service of our country,” he said. “But I would also respectfully suggest that the way we best honor their sacrifice, the way we best preserve their memories is to do what Americans have already always done. Which is to demonstrate our collective American will and come together.”

As part of the service, Dunwoody officials announced information about new upgrades to the Veterans Memorial at Brook Run Park, which will be completed over the next few years.

Mayor Deutsch told the crowd that in partnership with the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners, they have formed plans to update and revitalize the

existing enclosed memorial at the park. By removing the memorial’s glass walls and roof, and by erecting six granite columns representing the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, city officials hope to foster a more engaging and approachable space to honor local veterans.

In addition to that ongoing revitalization project, Deutsch said the city is currently in talks with local veterans groups and representatives of the Vietnamese American Community of Georgia, to erect a Vietnam Veterans Memorial at the park. When completed, the monument would be one of only 10 in the country that honors both American and South Vietnamese soldiers in the same space.

“We appreciate the county and commissioners for their support,” she said. “it will be a very nice addition and a peaceful place, and it's important to acknowledge veterans like that.”

PHOTOS BY ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA Maj. Gen. Bill Dyer of the U.S. Army speaks to Dunwoody residents and local leaders at the city’s Memorial Day celebration held at Brook Run Park May 29.

Dozens of Dunwoody residents and local leaders visit Brook Run Park for the city’s Memorial Day tribute May 29.

Continued from Page 1

The $60 million bond would include funding for Roberts Drive Park, Homecoming Park on Vermack Drive, construction of new softball fields, and upgrades to Waterford Park and Brook Run Park, Lambert said.

It will also fund the construction of multi-use trails from Chamblee Dunwoody Road through Dunwoody Village to Roberts Drive Park, continuing the Winters Chapel multiuse trail, and trails on North Peachtree Road and Mount Vernon Road.

Lambert said the city is in a strong financial place to take on the projects and the debt, which would be repaid over the span of about 20 years. The city has already accounted for how to maintain the projects once completed, he said.

For residents concerned about the city taking on the burden of a $60 million bond, he said that 70 percent of local government construction spending nationwide is financed by municipal bonds.

“Some people may be concerned that the issuance of debt by the city is an irresponsible or even radical idea, but in reality, bonds are the most common method used by cities across the nation

to fund our capital (projects) and infrastructure needs,” he said.

Based on the city’s calculations, a typical Dunwoody homeowner will pay an extra $157.36 a year in taxes to cover bond payments. Approval of the bond referendum would constitute approval to increase the city’s millage cap of 3.04, “only to the extent necessary to repay the bonds.”

“Issuing general obligation bonds provides the most equitable method of financing these types of projects,” Lambert said. “Taxpayers of multiple generations will both benefit from and pay for these projects.”

After a discussion, the bond referendum was approved by a 6-1 vote with Post 6 Councilman John Heneghan opposed.

Heneghan said that his main concern was that both portions of the bond, the parks and trails, had been packaged together into one ballot question, rather than separated into two items that might pass or fail independently.

“At the retreat, I was asking that we have two questions, for both parks or trails or transportation and break them out to make sure the citizens could make decisions,” he said. “It's not allor-nothing.”

With the approval, the bond referendum will be placed on the Nov. 7 general election ballot.

Ambulance contract approved

Funding: Support

The City Council also approved a $600,000 contract with American Medical Response that will put one new advanced life support ambulance in Dunwoody 12 hours a day, every day of the year.

Police Chief Billy Grogan told councilmembers the new AMR agreement comes after years of negotiations with DeKalb County and regional agencies for better service and shorter patient wait times.

The new contract, which would cost the city a little over $566,000 a year, would put the dedicated ambulance unit exclusively in Dunwoody, responding to serious calls and transporting patients to the hospital.

The contract would be paid through American Rescue Plan Act funding, Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch said.

See solution Page 23

Mural:

Continued from Page 1

but also enhances our surroundings, injecting vitality into the mundane aspects of everyday life. The greatest attribute of public art is its inclusive nature, embracing and benefiting everybody in the community while contributing to the overall well-being of our society.”

Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch said the mural is now “the jewel of public art”

displayed in the city and is especially impressive, considering Dunwoody had virtually no public art a few years ago.

Deutsch said installation of ‘Flora Chroma’ at the Dunwoody MARTA Station, one of the fastest growing areas in the city, is also a step toward the city’s mission of making Dunwoody more beautiful and walkable.

“We know that one way we get people out to walk, rather than in their cars, is to make their path interesting, and this mural is fantastic,” she said. “For decades to come, thousands of people on a daily basis will pass it and enjoy it.”

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Dunwoody Officials, Perimeter area leaders and MARTA representatives cut the ribbon on a new mural by artist DAAS at the Dunwoody MARTA Station June 1.

Scouts earn Silver Award for Brook Run Park project

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Four scouts from Girl Scout Troop 15506 in Dunwoody recently earned their Silver Award after making improvements to the dog park at Brook Run Park, troop leaders announced.

The group of 8th graders, including Sophia Powell, Sarah Siegel, Emily Friedenberg and Lydia Bizzell, completed the upgrades April 30. The project involved rehanging and cleaning park signs, creating dog toy bins filled with donated toys and building wooden leash holders.

Prior to the project, the scouts interviewed residents who frequent the dog park to gauge what was needed and hosted a donation drive to gather dog toys for the park.

“The girls encourage all dog lovers to come out and come see the work,” leaders said.

— Alexander Popp

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Sculptor advises viewers to linger

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — Bouncing from place to place across her basement studio, narrative sculptor Kirsten Stingle provided insight into reimagined worlds. The studio is covered in armoires, storing more than just underglaze. Working in ceramics, but also fiber and found objects, Stingle is attracted to the stories she can tell. She hand-builds each piece, without using a cast, and layers them with detail, asking viewers to take their time.

The latest collection concerns mythology, the stories that reflect a more patriarchal culture. Stingle takes figures who have been “ossified” – rigid or fixed – and “weaponized,” like Medusa, and reincorporates them into the natural world.

After describing the mythical figure, who had been raped by Poisedon and punished by Athena, Stingle said, “You’re looking at weaponization of sex, weaponization of power, weaponization of her.”

A new piece, not yet titled, is a bust of a woman hanging on Stingle’s studio wall. The woman’s hair, in thick strands, swirls around like snakes, but the texture and color are reminiscent of a fungal network. It’s also embellished with gemstones, flowers and even some scabs of saguaro cactus nests.

“We have to sort of re-entangle ourselves into the environment,” Stingle said.

Stingle’s work is women-centric, as she tends to tell her own story. She paints dots on her sculptures’ lips, a signature, as a reminder to stay true to herself. They often feature pronounced, teased, Regency-era hair — another story-telling platform, additional space for layering.

A banner in the far end of her studio: an illustration of Marie Antoinette and the words: “Let them eat cake.” Stingle likes to steal from different time periods and has an eye for fashion porn. She cited fashion photographer Tim Walker as an inspiration.

First time in Paris

In September, four of Stingles’ sculptures will be featured in the “HEY! CERAMIQUE.S” exhibition at the La Halle Saint-Pierre museum in Paris. While not her first international exhibition, it will be Stingle’s first in Paris.

“Being in a different country for a different clientele, collector base … is amazing,” Stingle said.

The exhibition is curated by Anne Richard, founder of art magazine HEY!

See STINGLE, Page 11

Milton resident Kirsten Stingle is a narrative sculptor, who primarily works in ceramics but incorporates found objects in ornate mixed media displays.

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Kirsten Stingle points out detail, teeth made of teacups, in a sculpture to be exhibited in “Animalia” at the Blue Spiral 1 gallery in Asheville, North Carolina. An animal covered in detailed stitchwork as an example, Stingle has begun making fiber a more integral part of her work.

Stingle:

Continued from Page 10

Modern art & pop culture, and will feature 34 ceramic artists from 13 countries.

The exhibition will be a “rehabilitation” of the ceramic medium, Richard said, as part of her magazine’s attempts to “defy dominant conventions and codes.” Rather than a history of ceramics or an illustration of traditional techniques, she said it is a “testimony to the spectacular energy that permeates contemporary sculpture today.”

Richard chose the artists based on their devotion to exploring an “original relationship to clay as a means of expression and action.” She had an eye on Stingle for some time, having featured her work several years ago in the pages of HEY!

“The quality of [Stingle’s] work, and [her] dexterity with mixed media, is exactly what I’m looking for in this exhibition,” Richard said. “[Her] work is ‘very American,’ so it’s going to be a great discovery for French and European audiences.”

The exhibition runs until August 2024.

Threading human experience

Stingle’s collections fall under varied overarching themes, concluded once they begin to feel stale. But a commonality among them exists, and it is the desire to thread human experiences in an often-isolating world. To promote a better understanding with one another, Stingle encourages self-understanding, revelation.

She intentionally creates figures that are approachable, palatable. But she still gets comments from viewers who perceive some horror.

“It’s supposed to be a dialogue with you,” Stingle said, of those viewers who are alarmed looking at her work. “That also reflects some of the thoughts that you have, and what you might have dealt with in the past …”

Lately, Stingle has begun to advance her mixed media with fiber. She highlighted some pieces, animals with detailed stitchwork, that will be in “Animalia,” an exhibition at the Blue Spiral 1 gallery in Asheville, North Carolina.

One was a bust of a deer with a neck covered in buttons made of mother of pearl, which took her a year to stitch together as she worked between projects.

Everyday, Stingle walks downstairs with a cup of coffee, flips on her studio lights and gets to work. There’s no weekend off. Work and play become enmeshed, she said.

“My work is so much me,” Stingle said. “I’m always in the studio. It’s very much a grounding thing.”

Kirsten Stingle describes a new sculpture, not yet titled. In September, Stingle’s work will be featured in a Paris exhibition.

Kirsten Stingle, narrative sculptor, is represented by Signature Contemporary in Atlanta. Visit kirstenstingle.com.

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Four of Kirsten Stingle’s ceramic sculptures will be featured in the “HEY! CERAMIQUE.S” exhibition at the Museum of La Halle Saint Pierre in Paris from September 2023 to August 2024. The exhibition will have 34 ceramic artists from 13 countries.

Team up with Wellstar to prevent these men’s health issues

Brought to you by -

Wellstar

If you’re a sports fan, you’re probably glued to every game, rooting for your team and analyzing every play. But are you as vigilant with your own health?

In addition to knowing your health stats—those important numbers like blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar — you should also watch for health conditions that more commonly impact men.

An annual physical gives you the opportunity to ask your provider questions about your health, and you’ll get a few quick, crucial health screenings that can catch issues

early or put you on track for staying well.

“Men need to check in with a doctor at least once a year for their annual physical,” said Wellstar Primary Care Physician Dr. Stephen Cox. “It’s better to be proactive with your health, find issues early and prevent problems before they start.”

Take action against these conditions

Some illnesses are more likely to affect men than women, so men should be especially mindful about taking steps to prevent these health concerns:

• Cardiac issues. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in the United States. About 1 in 13 white men, 1 in 14 Black men and 1 in 17 Hispanic men have coronary heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Knowing your stats like blood pressure and cholesterol can help you assess your risk, and your

Wellstar provider will collaborate with you on a personalized heart health plan.

• Lung cancer. Men are slightly more likely to get lung cancer — the lifetime risk for men is 1 in 16, while it is 1 in 17 for women, according to the American Cancer Society. Black men are about 12% more likely to develop lung cancer compared to white men. Patients can decrease their risk of lung cancer by avoiding smoking.

• Parkinson’s disease. Men are more likely than women to have Parkinson’s disease. Neurologists and neurosurgeons at Wellstar are experts in helping patients manage this condition.

• Kidney stones. The lifetime risk of kidney stones is about 19% in men and 9% in women, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Staying hydrated can help prevent kidney stones.

• Prostate cancer. While all men are at risk for prostate cancer,

Black men are more likely to get prostate cancer and are more commonly affected at younger ages. Men who are 50 or older should ask their doctor about testing, and Black men should discuss testing with their provider at age 45. If you have a family history of prostate cancer, you should also consider screenings at a younger age, and your provider will discuss options with you.

According to Wellstar Urologist Dr. Scott Miller, men need to stay active and stay away from smoking. He also noted a few lifestyle changes that are sometimes overlooked can make a difference in how you feel. “What’s often neglected is a full and consistent night’s sleep,” Dr. Miller said. “And keep stress under control — too much stress can negatively impact our immune systems.”

To find a primary care provider, call (770) 956-7827 or schedule online at wellstar.org.

The path to reconciliation

Center

“I’m sorry. I was wrong. Please forgive me.” These words are often cited as facilitating the process of forgiveness. While helpful, they are woefully inadequate when attempting a reconciliation in the face of serious wounding and betrayal, such as infidelity and/or abuse.

When an individual has been betrayed, their world turns upside down, their trust in their betrayer is shattered, and they are plagued with grief, pain, confusion, self-doubts, longings, and lots of questions about how something so terrible could have happened to them. Forgiveness is a mere starting point on the long journey toward healing.

A huge gulf exists between forgive-

ness and reconciliation, bridged only by rebuilding trust. Trust must be re-established prior to reconciliation, which can only be done when the betrayer acknowledges to their partner how they understand their actions affected their partner’s life (body, mind, emotions, spirit, their understanding of trust, relationships, intimacy, and even their own self-worth), and they must express a genuine sense of devastation at having put their partner through that pain. Only then can reconciliation begin.

If you have experienced the trauma of infidelity or abuse, you don't have to struggle alone. At The Summit, many of our counselors specialize in working with trauma survivors, helping them heal and rebuild their lives. Learn more about our services at summitcounseling. org!

Brought to you by - Dr. Alice Hoag, Licensed Professional Counselor and Staff Supervisor at Summit Counseling

Delivering Readers Award-Winning Newspapers

2022 Georgia Press Association

1st – Health Care Advertising

1st – Serious Column

1st – Investigative Reporting

1st – Food Advertising

1st – Signature Page

2nd – News Photograph

2nd – Feature Writing

2nd – Food Advertising

2nd – Service Advertising

2nd – Special Issues/Sections

2nd – Business Writing

3rd – Business Writing

3rd – Page One

3rd – Locals News Coverage

3rd – Spot News Photograph

3rd – Breaking News Writing

3rd – Lifestyle Feature Column

2022 Association of Community Publishers

1st – Orig. Editorial Photo Sports

1st – Orig. Writing Opinion

1st – Orig. Writing Sports

2nd – Feature Article Layout

2nd – Front Page Special Section

3rd – Orig. Editorial Photo Feature

3rd – Food & Drink Single Ad Color

3rd – Grocery/Liquor Single Ad Color

3rd – Special Promotion/Section Stand-Alone Gloss

PAST TENSE

Sue Kirby Jameson documented her memories of Dunwoody

Sue Kirby Jameson was born Mary Sue Kirby in Pickens County, Georgia, in 1910. She came to Dunwoody with her parents, Tolleson Kirby and Laura Little Kirby, and four siblings in 1914. They purchased land from the Powers family along what is now Pitts Road. The road was called Little Kirby Road. Later, they moved closer to the center of Dunwoody, to a house on Chamblee Dunwoody Road north of the Cheek-Spruill House. The family operated a dairy at this home.

A wonderful collection of her memories is preserved in books she wrote titled “As I Recall Volume 1 and Volume 2.” In the 1990s, her stories would occasionally appear in the Dunwoody Crier.

In “As I Recall,” Jameson tells the story of the year her family planted Kentucky Wonder pole beans between every other row of corn. They had 40 dairy cattle on the farm, so her brothers had fenced off a section for the corn patch.

“Those beans mistook the corn stalks for poles, climbed right up to the top and kept going,” ] Jameson wrote. The family had a bumper crop of beans that year. “We took cone-shaped bushel baskets, walked down the middles (rows), and picked beans. It didn't take long to fill a basket.”

The baskets of beans were loaded onto the family milk trucks. Customers on the milk route were asked if they would like to purchase some beans along with their dairy delivery. The family sold 125 bushels of beans at 50 cents a bushel.

A cannery had recently opened on the Chamblee High School campus, so the Kirbys also canned a lot of beans that year.

Another year, the family had a wheat field, covering 6 acres across from the family home at Little Kirby Road. Jameson recalled watching the laborers cut the wheat, letting it fall into bundles that were tied and left in the field to dry.

The neighboring Warbington family showed up with machinery to thresh the wheat. The children were fascinated watching the machine at work.

At noon, Jameson’s mother set out a big dinner for all the workers. A neighbor helped with the cooking.

The children’s turn to eat came after all the workers finished their meal.

Sometimes after church services on Sunday evenings, the young people of the community would walk to Kirby Dairy for refreshments. The dairy was located along Chamblee Dunwoody Road between today’s Dunwoody Village Parkway and KinderCare Learning Center.

At the dairy, they would find milk, which Jameson refers to as sweet milk, buttermilk, ice cream and chocolate milk. One night, one of the boys decided to try a mixture of buttermilk and heavy whipping cream.

This had an almost instant effect on his stomach. “As we watched him drink it down, his expression changed from pleasant to surprised, to frowning to near panic,” recalled Jameson. He raced out of the milkhouse, convincing the other young people not to try the combination for themselves.

Sue Kirby Jameson left a treasure behind when she wrote her memories. She died in 2004 and is buried at New Hope Cemetery next to her husband Thomas Jameson, in the same area as the home and dairy farm where she once lived.

author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Sandy Springs. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@ gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.

Opinions

Appen Media aims to present a variety of views in its opinion pages. Send your thoughts, questions and letters to pat@ appenmedia.com. facebook.com/dunwoodycrier

WANT

Award-winning

KIRBY FAMILY PHOTO

This 1944 photograph includes many members of the Kirby family, including Sue Kirby Jameson, seated at far left.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

OPINION

Dean Rusk: a native son on the world stage

David Dean Rusk (1909-1994) was a diplomat on the world stage during the turbulent cold and hot war decade of the 1960s. Yet little is known about this reserved and very significant public servant and North Georgia son.

Dean Rusk spent his early years on a modest farm on Arnold Mill Road in the Lickskillet community just north of Roswell in Cherokee County. His father Robert Hugh Rusk (1868-1944) and his mother Elizabeth Frances Clotfelter (1875-1959) lived a hardscrabble life as tenant farmers until Dean was 5 years old. His family moved to Atlanta where his father took a low paying job with the postal service as a mail carrier. Dean was the only one in his high school class to graduate in knickers because his parents could not afford long pants. Determined to receive an education, Dean worked his way through Davidson College in North Carolina where he played center on the basketball team. In 1932, he attended Oxford University in England on a Rhodes Scholarship where he received a master’s degree in international relations in 1934. That same year, Dean accepted a position teaching international relations at Mills College in Oakland, California, where he remained until 1940. At Mills, he met a student, Virginia Foisie (1915-1996), whom he married in 1937. While at Mills he studied law at the University of California at Berkeley, although he did not complete a degree there until 1940.

Anticipating U.S. involvement in World War ll, Dean joined the Army in 1940 first in the Third Infantry Division and then in the Military Intelligence Service. From 1943 to 1945 he served in the China-Burma-India theater. He became deputy chief of staff to Gen. Joseph Stilwell and the protege of Gen. George Marshall who would become Secretary of State and author of the Marshall Plan for post-war European recovery. Rusk planned on a military career until Secretary Marshall asked him to join the State Department in 1947 to head the Office of Special Political Affairs. In 1950, Secretary of State Dean Acheson appointed Rusk Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs. During the early days of WW ll, Rusk had developed strong views that appeasement is not a viable policy, and he urged President Truman to resist communist aggression in Southeast Asia.

In 1952, he left the State Department to become president of the Rockefeller Foundation. In 1960, he authored an article in Foreign Affairs journal titled “The President,” which outlined the role of the

president in developing and implementing foreign policy. Sen. John F. Kennedy was impressed by the article, and when he became president a few months later, he appointed Rusk his Secretary of State. Rusk served in that role from 1960 –1969 under presidents Kennedy and Johnson. He left office January 20, 1969, when Richard Nixon assumed the presidency, having served in that role longer than any other Secretary of State, other than Cordell Hull

who served from 1933 to 1944.

Dean’s cousin David Rusk says Kennedy appointed Rusk without ever having met him because of the Foreign Affairs article and because Dean Acheson recommended him so highly. Secretary Rusk and President Johnson had a particularly close working relationship, both having come from simple rural backgrounds.

International crises dominated Rusk’s tenure as Secretary of State, including the

Viet Nam War for which he was roundly criticized, the Cold War with the Soviet Union, the failed Cuban Bay of Pigs Invasion in April 1961, the Berlin Crisis in 1961, the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 and the Six Day War in June 1967. Many books and scholarly papers have been written about those events. They are beyond the scope of this column.

Rusk was appointed professor of International Law at the University of Georgia in 1970 where he led a quiet scholarly life until 1984. In 1990 he published his memoir, “As I Saw It,” with his son Richard, now deceased.

Andy Rusk, Dean’s grandson, spent a lot of time with Dean when both families lived in Athens. Andy describes Dean as “reserved but warm and caring about family. He was always curious about what we were doing. We spent Christmases together.” Andy recalls that Rusk attended his high school and university graduations “because it was important to him that his grandkids get a good education.”

There are many individuals named Rusk or married to people named Rusk in this area. Thus, family reunions have been important over the years, and Dean attended them as often as his schedule permitted. Starting in the early 1970s, reunions took place at the Mount Gilead United Methodist Church on Arnold Mill Road in Woodstock. They moved to the Roswell Recreation Center a few years later, attracting up to 120 people. David Rusk recalls family reunions. “When Dean walked into the room, or came in by wheelchair in his later years, the room became silent. We treated him with respect.”

Dean gave many speeches, often off the cuff, according to David, including a speech at Reinhardt homecoming before 4,000 people in 1961 just a few days after the Bay of Pigs invasion.

Dean Rusk is remembered as a gentleman, quiet and unassuming, but brilliant. He was a person of strong conviction who understood that humble beginnings can lead to great results.

As his grandson Andy says, “Dean Rusk was part of the generation of statesmen that, regardless of circumstances, carried themselves with decorum.”

Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of

at

Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him

bobmey@ bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.

FAMILY PROVIDED PHOTOS

This is a rare photo of Gen. Joseph Stilwell and his senior staff, date and location unknown, probably somewhere in the China-Burma-India theater, circa 1943. Stillwell is sixth from the left. Dean Rusk is circled in the second row. To his right in shorts is Gen. Frank Merrill who was put in command of a special guerrilla warfare group that became known as the celebrated Merrill’s Marauders. Rusk was deputy chief of staff to Stilwell.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HISTORY CHEROKEE

Shortly after becoming Secretary of State and just days after the Cuban Bay of Pigs invasion, Dean Rusk spoke at Reinhardt College homecoming before a record crowd of 4,000. He frequently gave speeches and often spoke off the cuff.

RUSK

Cutting gardens – Bringing the outside in

Who doesn’t enjoy gathering a beautiful bouquet of flowers and foliage from your yard to bring inside? Ahh, the beauty of bringing the outside in!

Anyone can successfully grow a garden for cutting, whether it’s a big garden bed overflowing with many colors and shapes of flowers and foliage or incorporating a small planting of zinnias in an existing bed. The cutting garden’s size depends on your available space and the time you have to maintain it. It is not a garden grown for show or display, although it will be a riot of colors and textures, but to cultivate flowers for your home or to share.

The cutting garden can include shrubs, perennials and annuals. Shrubs and perennials can provide diverse flowers and foliage during their seasons of bloom. One of my favorite perennials to grow for a long cutting season is Sedum Autumn Joy. In summer, the large flower bud is a chartreuse green that turns to deep pink/ bronze in the fall. The bloom is a unique shape and color addition to a bouquet, as well as long lasting. Annuals can include transplants as well as flowers grown from seed. Two of my favorite annual transplants for foliage are African basil and cinnamon basil. In addition to adding foliage to a bouquet, they add a spike-shaped bloom and a delightful surprise – fragrance.

Tender annuals from seed are the most economical way to grow flowers. When heat-loving annuals are properly maintained, they will produce blooms into fall. In our 7b climate zone, they can be direct seeded around April 15 or after our last frost date. Directions for planting depth and spacing along with any other requirements are printed on the seed packet. Most garden centers stock a collection of annual seeds, and there are a multitude of mail order seed companies. So many unique and heirloom annuals are not sold as plants in garden centers and can only be grown from seed.

Cosmos and zinnias are a few of the easy-to-grow tender annuals considered to be “Cut and Come Again.” As the title suggests, the more you cut them the more they will bloom. Zinnias are the most popular flower grown from seed and my favorite because of their hardiness and their diversity in color and shape. Benary’s Giant zinnias were cultivated for cut flower growing and boast the largest flower head of all zinnias, have a long strong stem, and will last for a week or longer in a vase. The Oklahoma Series zinnias have a smaller flower but bloom continuously and are equally as strong-stemmed and hardy. All

zinnias should be picked frequently and spent blooms deadheaded. Deadheading prevents the flower from going to seed, which signals the plant to stop producing flowers.

The requirements for a cutting garden are the same as they are for any successful garden. First, the site should be located in six hours of sun. This is a condition most flowers require for maximum bloom. Second, the soil should be amended with a good compost plus any nutrients the soil is lacking. A soil test conducted by the County Extension Service can determine this. In addition to the initial soil amendments, organic fertilizer should be added at least twice during the growing season. Annual flowers bloom summer and fall, so they need the extra fertilizer for maximum production. By utilizing all organic products, you will be protecting the abundance of bees and butterflies that will grace your garden daily. Third, the site needs to be watered regularly, especially as seeds are germinating. Drip irrigation is best as it delivers water to the plant roots which avoids wetting the foliage. If you don’t have drip, the site can be watered by hand and located close to your house.

If you have never grown a cutting garden, start with a small, amended bed. Add a few perennials and annual transplants and choose some seed packets to try your hand at direct seeding annuals. You will delight in the diversity and abundance of blooms you can grow and will add more varieties to your garden every year. You’ll be hooked!

Happy gardening!

North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net.

About the author

This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Roswell resident Pat Camp. Pat has always loved to garden, remembering as a child helping her grandmother tend her hydrangeas and loving the earthy smell of the soil. Pat has been a Master Gardener for 23 years, has worked as a Landscape Designer, and is a Georgia Certified Plant Professional. Her cutting garden, which she started three years ago, is her new passion, adding new and more interesting flowers every year. She enjoys making flower bouquets for special occasions and friends, even designing flowers for a wedding. Pat enrolled in the Floret Online Workshop sponsored by Floret Flower Farm which was an intense learning program focused on growing flowers on a small scale. When Pat is not gardening in Georgia or South Carolina, she and her husband are traveling to exotic places as well as our national parks. She enjoys sharing her love of nature and flowers with others, especially her grandchildren.

Learn more

• Flowering Annuals for Georgia Gardens, UGA Extension Bulletin 954, https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B954

• Erin Benzakein, Cut Flower Garden, (Chronicle books, USA, 2017)

• Niki Irving, Growing Flowers, (Yellow Pear Press, USA, 2021)

• Clare Nolan, In Bloom, (Companion House Books, UK, 2019)

PAT CAMP

Guest Columnist

PHOTOS PROVIDED

GET OUTSIDE GEORGIA

You can ham it up outdoors with shortwave operators

good tower or a bridge or something, on purpose, and fall through the air toward the ground far below. On the way down you have time to think about things, possibly wondering if the quality control guy over at the giant rubber band factory was having a good day on the day when that particular one was made.

STEVE HUDSON

One of the nicest things about the outside world is that there are all kinds of ways to enjoy it. Traditional favorites include hiking and biking and camping and fishing and birdwatching and – well, you get the idea. But there are some less traditional ways to have outdoor fun, too.

Some folks, for example, like bungee jumping. That’s the one where you tie yourself to what is essentially a giant rubber band and then jump off a perfectly

I’m told that the whole thing is fun, but you can rest assured that I will never be able to affirm that personally. I know too much about the frailties of rubber bands (specifically, their annoying tendency to break at exactly the wrong time). So, no bungee jumps for me. I’m over 40, and I don’t have to do that kind of thing anymore.

But there are alternatives. For in-

In Memoriam

John Raymond Puckett

John R. Puckett, who was born December 7,1932 in Duplin County, NC and grew up in Mount Olive, NC., died on May 26, 2023. He was a long-time resident of Dunwoody, Georgia. He was preceded in death: by his parents Raymond and Luna Pearsall Puckett; brothers: Robert F. Puckett, Royal H. Puckett, Billy F. Puckett, and Ralph K. Puckett; and sisters: K. Hilda Lambert, and Gaynelle P. Summerlin. He is survived by his wife Mary Louise (Marilu) Gleick Puckett, children Mark S. Puckett, Karen L. Zeberlein (John), Christopher (Chris) B. Puckett (Maria), and grandchildren Abigail (Abby) G. Zeberlein, Camille (Cami) E. Zeberlein, Jackson (Jack) R. Puckett, and Gianna (Gigi) R. Puckett. He received B.S. and Masters degrees in engineering from North Carolina State University and a M.B.A. degree from Wake Forest University. He worked for Western Electric and its successor companies AT&T-Network Systems and Lucent Technologies where he retired as a Program/Project Engineering Manager with over 36 years in the business. He was also a retired Captain, United States Navy with 30 years of service on active and reserve duty, which included tours as the Commanding Officer of two reserve units. He was a Registered Professional Engineer (P.E.) in North Carolina, New Jersey and Georgia and was active in several professional organizations, including: Toastmaster International, the Jaycees, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the American Institute of Industrial Engineers

(AIIE), the American Society for Quality Control (ASQC), the Military Engineers (ME), the Naval Reserve Association (NRA), the U.S. Naval Institute (USNI), and the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). While he was successful in his professional life, his greatest joy was his family. He met his wife Marilu while both were serving on active duty in Norfolk Virginia. She was a Navy Nurse and their initial blind date turned into a 62-year marriage where they stood by each other through thick and thin. They had three children that he loved unconditionally. He was their biggest cheerleader and set an example of integrity, service and hard work that serves as a guidepost for a life well lived. He was a rock for his entire family and would not hesitate to provide assistance and guidance wherever he could. His grandchildren meant the world to him. He enjoyed pushing them on the tree swing he built in his backyard and taking them on trips to the mall for treats, especially ice cream, as it was his lifelong favorite. But his favorite thing to do was to just sit and listen to them talk about what was going on in their lives, and providing words of sage advice that they will carry with them forever. They were his pride and joy. He was so proud of their every achievement and they are going to sorely miss their Pop-Pop. A private graveside service will be held on June __ at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Wounded Warrior Project (https://www. woundedwarriorproject.org).

stance, some other folks like hang gliding, another sport that sends you through the air. While hang gliding, you are supported underneath a glider of sorts as you soar and swoop in and out among the birds. Birds have been doing the flying thing forever, of course, and so they’re pretty good at it. But we humans come to it less naturally.

I’m told that folks do a lot of this hang gliding thing up in northwest Georgia, congregating in places where otherwise rational humans will strap themselves (and you, if you let them) to a fabric wing and then voluntarily make a running jump off a cliff and into the air. They too say it’s fun.

Oddly enough, the prospect of hang gliding does in fact hold a little bit of appeal to me. Maybe someday I’ll give it try if the opportunity comes along. If I do, I’ll let you know how it goes. Probably.

But there is one other sort of outdoor recreation activity involving “air” that I wholeheartedly embrace – and that is to take a small ham radio rig (ham radio is

my other hobby) into the great outdoors in order to “get on the air” from a park or a mountaintop or other outdoor locale. To that end, I’ve even put together a little portable radio set-up that fits neatly into my daypack, and in the process I’ve discovered just how much fun it can be to sit up on a mountaintop somewhere and talk to people all over the world – no Interweb required.

As it turns out, many ham radio operators enjoy taking their stations “to the field,” as it were – and on Saturday, June 24, and Sunday, June 25, you just might see some hams in action in area parks during an annual ham radio event called “Field Day.”

Sponsored by the American Radio Relay League, a national association of ham operators, Field Day gives hams far and wide a chance to test their operating skills out in the field.

What’s the purpose of Field Day? Well, part of it is just to have fun. Stations com-

See HUDSON, Page 23

W K “Ken” Anderson In

Ken Anderson was a patient soul, enjoyed a good laugh at himself, but most of all, spoke a love language called “acts of service” and walked that out faithfully every day of his life, until he went home to be with Jesus, at the age of 85 on April 18, 2023.

Walter Kenneth Anderson was born in Dunwoody, Georgia on May 4, 1937 as the youngest child to Walter and Lucy Anderson. He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Jane Autry, his eldest daughter Amanda, and shortly after Ken passed, his sister, Carolyn joined him. Ken is survived by his wife, Alvi, daughters Dianne, Jennifer, and Cindy, His sons-in-law Bill, John and Todd and 8 incredible grandchildren: April, Will, Robin, Anderson, Gunner, Seth, Gavin and Truman. Ken grew up serving others from the time he was a young man. He was helping out at churches where his father preached, at Chamblee High School, where he earned the nickname “chief”. He was many teachers’ right-hand helper. That tradition continued during his 28 years at the General Motors plant in Doraville, GA and the passion of Ken’s life, the people of Dunwoody Baptist Church, where he and

Alvi were charter members. Ken served as a volunteer, doing anything needed to be done, and later as the Director of Operations, part time in 1976, then full time from 1991 until he retired (reluctantly) in 2016. Ken was a delightful person who was indeed patient and long suffering. He would walk the extra mile and then go more miles to make sure someone who needed help, received it. He never wanted praise, and blushed mightily if someone tried to offer it. His service was all for the Kingdom, as he would say. We all knew he cared for others needs above his own, and that the people he served would see the hands and feet of Jesus, in action. He loved deeply, and his dedication was solid as a rock. Ken was deeply treasured by his family and friends and many will indeed miss his warm chuckle and his eyebrows raised up in curiosity, or the gentle, jovial, point at you, with a question, “now what do you want?” Ken’s celebration will be on Thursday, June 15, 2023 at 11 am at Dunwoody Baptist Church, 1445 Mt. Vernon Road, Dunwoody, GA with a reception to follow in the dining room.

Columnist

Human Resources Manager

Handles all employee-related processes and procedures. This role will be responsible for Recruitment and Onboarding, Job Design, Employee Relations, Performance Management, Training and Development, Employment Compliance, Total Rewards and Talent Management. This position reports to the Director of Finance and Administration and will interact with the entire management team by providing guidance on all Human Resources related topics at NFCC. Bachelor’s degree in human resources or related field and 3-5 years of Human Resources experience, preferably in multiple HR disciplines required. Please visit https://nfcchelp.org/ work-at-nfcc/ to see the full job description. To apply, submit a resume to sholiday@nfcchelp.org and to mburton@nfcchelp.org.

Part-time

Donor Operations Associate

The Donor Operations Associate greets and removes donations from vehicles and sorts merchandise in a designated area.  They are responsible for keeping the merchandise secure, all areas free of debris and the donor door area neat and clean.  This position is the face of NFCC so they are expected to provide excellent customer service and treat each donor with a professional and friendly demeanor.  High school diploma or equivalent preferred. Ability to perform low to moderate facility maintenance tasks.  To view entire listing visit: https://nfcchelp.org/work-atnfcc/  To apply, please complete an application for employment and email to Marten Jallad,  mjallad@nfcchelp.org.

Volunteer Services

Community Events Manager

The Community Events Manager is responsible for all aspects of NFCC’s community events, from inception through execution, including helping secure sponsorships. Events may include annual golf tournament, annual fundraising gala, community engagement events, donor recognition events, and other community events. Position requires a highly organized, creative, and motivated person to lead event planning, sponsorship, and community engagement. Bachelor’s Degree preferred with 2-3 years special events and fundraising experience. To view entire listing visit: https://nfcchelp.org/workat-nfcc/  To apply, send a resume to Sandy Holiday, sholiday@nfcchelp.org.

Volunteers Needed! Looking for a fun, impactful volunteer opportunity? One Good Deed Friendly Visitor Program of JF&CS matches older adults with volunteers for friendship and fun! Help a senior in your community. Learn more at //jfcsatl.org/ogd or call 770.677.9489.

Garage Doors

Dunwoody Door Lift Co.

The ONLY garage door company in Dunwoody!

We sell, install and repair garage doors and openers. Authorized Genie Dealer serving Dunwoody since 1973.

770-393-1652

If you can’t lift your door, let Dunwoody Door Lift it!

Handyman

MATTHEW THE HANDYMAN

Carpentry, Painting, Drywall, Plumbing, Electrical and Small Jobs. 404-547-2079

Cemetary

SANDY SPRINGS-Arlington Memorial Park

2 Niches, side by side

Sunrise Chapel Mausoleum

Valued at 5K each, asking $2500 each 404-403-9134

Roofing

KETNER CONTRACTING

• Re-roofs • Repairs & Painting

• Licensed/Insured • Excellent Referrals

• Free Estimate • 25+ Years of Experience

Neil Ketner 770-318-7762

ROOF LEAKING?

Call us for roof repair or roof replacement. FREE quotes. $200 OFF Leak Repairs or 10% off New Roof. Affordable, quality roofing. Based in Roswell. Serving North Atlanta since 1983. Call to schedule FREE Quote: 770-284-3123.

Christian Brothers Roofing

Hudson:

Continued from Page 20

pete with each other to see who can make the most contacts with other ham radio operators. But it’s also a great chance for hams to test their ability to operate in the field under less than ideal conditions, much as they might have to do in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency.

As one ham once put it, “Communication is easy as long as the power stays on and the internet says on. But what would happen if a community lost its regular communication systems? How would emergency responders and other key groups communicate? I’ll tell you how,” he added. “They could call on ham radio operators to help.”

Many metro Atlanta ham radio clubs will be participating in this year’s Field Day, and one of them is the Sawnee Amateur Radio Association. SARA, as it’s known, will be operating from the Cumming Fairground RV sites from 2 p.m.

Saturday the 24th until 2 p.m. Sunday the 25th, and they encourage visitors to stop by.

And you don’t have to be a ham radio operator to enjoy visiting the SARA Field Day operation. One of the stations that the SARA group will set up is what’s known as the “Get On The Air,” or GOTA, station. It’s intended to allow non-hams to experience what ham radio is like by providing an opportunity to operate a ham station with the help of an experienced, licensed operator. It’s fun! And you don’t have to sign up in advance – just walk up and give it a try!

For more info on the Sawnee Amateur Radio Association, visit sawneemountainradio.org.

To get an idea of where other amateur radio clubs might be holding public Field Day events, visit www.arrl.org/field-daylocator. This site, provided by the American Radio Relay League, is designed to help interested folks find Field Day operations nationwide.

And who knows? Maybe you’ll run across me at one of the Field Day operations. I’ll be enjoying being “on the air” –with no giant rubber bands required!