Local News

Cars line up at Mosaic Church in Marietta to pick up food boxes being delivered by the Cobb Community Food Fleet.

Community Food Fleet Comes to an End

After 15 months, the Cobb Community Food Fleet operations ended last month. Starting in May 2020, a group of nonprofits, churches, businesses and government entities was responsible for the receipt and distribution of 168,000 boxes of food received and distributed throughout Cobb County and beyond. That equates to 4.4 million pounds of fresh produce and proteins, the equivalent of nearly 3.7 million meals.

The group included 14 organizations that picked up the food from Truist Park, the Galleria, the Cobb Energy Centre and Sweetwater Mission, and delivered it to more than 50 other fleet members, primarily churches and other nonprofits, throughout the county. Thanks to S.A. White and Mobilized Fuels, who provided the diesel needed to run the trailers, refrigeration never was lacking.

The effort was a joint initiative of Cobb Community Foundation and Noonday Association of Churches. Costs largely were underwritten by the Atlanta Braves organization, which also contributed the use of the stadium’s refrigerator and loading docks as the first distribution center. Cobb County’s Board of Commissioners provided CARES Act and ARP Act funding of $540,000 to purchase food boxes, but the majority of the food was provided through the USDA’s Farmers to Families program. What made Cobb such an attractive partner for the program’s food distributors was having central distribution centers at easily accessible facilities, with subsequent deliveries throughout the entire county being handled by others. The need for a centralized distribution center went away when the USDA’s Farmers to Families program ended, but the need for food remains. Cobb Community Foundation took this issue to the county commission earlier this year, which allocated $1.5 million of American Rescue Plan funding for the purchase of food by Cobb nonprofits.

Art House Happenings

The winners of the Acworth Arts Alliance’s juried exhibit were announced last month. Liza Rawls, senior director of the Vinings Gallery on Canton, judged the exhibit. The winners are as follows: • Best of show: “True Blue” by Andi Counts • First place: “Sweet Vidalia

Onions” by Nancy Guerine • Second place: “Fall at Ivy

Corners” by Elizabeth Carr • Third place: “Hope Ignited” by Al Williams • Fourth place: “She Waits” by Elizabeth Carr • People’s choice: “Fall on El Cap” by Rachel Lewis

The Art House’s founding artists exhibit runs through Oct. 30. The annual Holiday Gift Shop will be open 10 a.m.-4p.m. Nov. 13 in the Tanyard Creek Overlook at the Acworth Community Center. This will be a one-day event, featuring small artworks and gifts created by the Art House’s member artists.

Nancy Guerine’s “Sweet Vidalia Onions.”

Commissioners Honor Lucinda Garrett

On Aug. 24, Lucinda Garrett was honored by the Cobb County Board of Commissioners for her 30 years of service to Cobb County Community Services Board (CCCSB) and the greater Cobb community. Garrett started with CCCSB on Aug. 1, 1991, and is the residential services coordinator for the Mothers Making a Change program.

Cassie Mazloom Kimberly White Tara Riddle

Cobb Employees Recognized for Achievements

Each year, LiveSafe Resources selects 15 Women of Achievement for exemplifying qualities of leadership, achievement, dedication and generosity. More than 500 female community leaders in our area have been honored with this award. The year’s honorees then are recognized at LiveSafe Resources’ annual Tribute to Women of Achievement and are inducted into the Academy of Women Leaders.

LiveSafe Resources recently selected three well-deserving Cobb County employees to be honored as a 2021 Woman of Achievement: Cassie Mazloom, director of the Cobb Emergency Management Agency; Kimberly White, executive director of Keep Cobb Beautiful; and Tara Riddle, Probate Court judge.

Mazloom has dedicated time to helping All Hands-on, an organization that focuses on disaster training for the deaf community. She also works with the American Red Cross and Cobb County Emergency Management volunteers and the volunteer search and rescue team.

White implemented the first countywide Hefty Energy Bag program in North America and is a site supervisor for AmeriCorps’ Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program. She also was awarded the Keep Georgia Beautiful Executive Director of the Year Award.

Riddle has volunteered with, and was managing attorney for, Cobb County Legal Aid while serving as gala chair and fundraiser for MUST. She was awarded the Jack Vaughn Human Services Award for going above and beyond to serve those in need.

For more information on LiveSafe Resources, visit livesaferesources.org.

River Network Offers Safety Classes

After initial offerings sold out quickly, Georgia River Network (GRN) added introductory kayaking and water safety classes at the end of September, to help train new paddlers who are finding their way to rivers and lakes as an outdoor escape from the pandemic.

Recent increases in paddle sports participation have resulted in more accidents and fatalities. GRN wants to help paddlers enjoy the state’s waterways safely. One of the class offerings, Rescue for Rec Boaters, is the first comprehensive safety and rescue class offered for lake and Class I river paddlers in this region.

“The pandemic spawned an explosion in interest in paddle sports,” said GRN Paddle Georgia Coordinator Joe Cook. “Kayaking, in particular, has really taken off. We want to help folks paddle safely, whether joining our trips or leading their own.”

Founded in 1998, Georgia River Network is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that serves as the voice of Georgia’s rivers, and which works to empower everyone to enjoy, connect with and advocate for economically vital and clean flowing rivers. Visit https://garivers.org/ grn-events for upcoming events.

Chairwoman Honored as 2021 Woman of Distinction

Congratulations to Cobb County Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid, who was named the 2021 Woman of Distinction last month during the Cobb Chamber’s Marquee Monday event.

The Cobb Chamber’s Cobb Executive Women Program has presented this award since 1991 to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership through her professional endeavors, community involvement and social responsibility.

Cupid was elected as Cobb County chairwoman in 2020, after serving on the commission for eight years, representing District 4. She is an attorney and former mediator, policy analyst and manufacturing process engineer.