Local News

New Display Space for Local Artists

A Pause in The Action at Dixie Speedway Artists in North Georgia, metro Atlanta and Races at Dixie Speedway have been paused temporarily, as the family focuses on caring for Martha Swims, who has cancer, according to a February post on Dixie Speedway Facebook page. “We have always done everything as a family, including racing. And now, we are blessed to come together and rally around Martha as she continues the fight,” the post reads. “With the exception of the end of last season, Mickey and Martha have been at every race together during their 50-plus years of racing. Since Martha will not attend races this season, Mickey feels his place is to be home with her.” beyond soon will have a new place to share their visions: Reinhardt University’s Falany Performing Arts Center (FPAC). Anticipated to open next fall, portions of the Ken White Atrium will be available for artists to rent and exhibit their creations. “There are so many wonderful artists in our area, but we don’t have an art gallery in Waleska for them to showcase their work. Opening this space for exhibits provides a great opportunity for artists,” FPAC Director Jessica Akers said. “The Falany welcomes over 15,000 visitors of all ages during a traditional performing arts season, enabling much exposure for artists.” Artists will be able to rent the entire gallery or a specified area. The space also will accommodate opening receptions. Most artwork displayed will be available for purchase, with opportunities to display paintings, pottery, sculptures, textiles and other works. Artists interested in exhibiting their work should email Akers at jca@reinhardt.edu. www.reinhardt.edu/falany-performing-artscenter-expands-to-visual-arts.

Sheriff Frank Reynolds, left, with Amy Turcotte and Marcie Smith of the Children’s Haven, and Chief Deputy Tommy Pinyon.

Frank Reynolds Charities Supports Children Auditions Coming Soon for Musicians, Vocalists

Frank Reynolds Charities recently made donations to two local organizations, with proceeds from the annual charity golf tournament held in October 2021. The first donation of $15,000 was made to the Anna Crawford Children’s Center, which works to prevent child abuse and neglect. www. cherokeechildadvocates.org.

The second $15,000 donation went to the Children’s Haven, which supports the health and happiness of children impacted by abuse. https:// cherokeechildrenshaven.org.

“I want to thank everyone who helped organize and sponsor the golf tournament, as well as all the people who played in the annual event,” Sheriff Frank Reynolds said. “Your involvement helped us make a huge impact on these two wonderful organizations here in Cherokee County.”

2021 Donations Help Community Charities

Credit Union of Georgia demonstrated its commitment to the community by donating more than $85,000 to local charities in 2021, thanks to various fundraisers. Credit union employees nominate and vote annually to select the charities to support, which includes donations of money and flood, clothing, toys and hygiene items, as well as time volunteering.

The 2021 charities chosen were: Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta; MUST Ministries; Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue; the Children’s Haven and the Salvation Army. www.cuofga.org.

Musicians and vocalists are invited to take part in a talent search, showcasing contemporary Christian music, 1950s-60s rock and soul, Christmas music, Motown sounds, background singers, soprano, alto, tenor and bass vocalists (male and female), brass, woodwinds, strings and percussionists in the intermediate, advanced or expert levels.

Anyone interested in auditioning is asked to submit a demo MP3 or MP4 file, in order to be assigned a time slot. The audition is set for 9 a.m.-4 p.m. April 23 at Bascomb United Methodist Church, 2295 Bascomb Carmel Road, Woodstock. Individuals who do not send a demo will be scheduled into the remaining time slots. Individuals age 16 and older with intermediate to expert skills are encouraged to audition.

A full sound system will be available; those who audition don’t need to bring amplifiers. In-ear monitors are recommended. A Roland TD-17KV will be available for drummers. For more details, email timgrady01@gmail.com with a subject line of Auditions.

Cobb Couple Reap Sweet Success

Honey Producers Blossom From Gardeners to National Award Winners

EQ www.atlantashometownhoney.com

PHOTOS BY RED BARYL PORTRAITS From left, Kim Higgins, Tyler Jasper, Brian Higgins, Aimee Prestridge and Amber Swearingen. Employees not pictured: Sandra and Bryon Wilson, Colin Moore, Brooke Cobb, Madison Ballard and Veronica Delanuez.

In 1992, Brian and Kim Higgins decided to build a few hive boxes to attract honeybees to their property. The couple wanted to grow fruits and vegetables, but weren’t having any luck. An agent of the Cobb County Extension Service said the reason was the lack of honeybees for pollination.

Fast forward to 2022. The Higgins now run Home Town Honey, a nationally known, award-winning company, and have created a line of honey products they sell at more than 100 retail outlets in metro Atlanta. Products also are available at local farmers markets, from Brookhaven to Kennesaw, including the Cobb County Farm Bureau market at Lost Mountain Park.

“It feels like overnight we went from building our own hive boxes to having five farms in Kennesaw, Acworth, Woodstock, Marietta and Cartersville, and winning the national award for the best honey in the nation,” Brian said. “We have been proud members of the Georgia State Beekeepers Association since 1995 and support The University of Georgia’s bee research lab.”

Home Town Honey is 100% pure, raw local honey; many customers buy it to help control their allergies. Other products include beeswax candles, bee pollen, honey soaps, liquid-filled honey candy, honey straws and lip balms.

In addition to the medicinal qualities of honey, some customers have come up with creative ways to share the product.

“We bottle and sell 2-ounce honey bears for baby showers. Clients will tie a blue or pink ribbon around the bear’s neck and tag them, Baby to Bee, to give as shower gifts,” Brian said. “We also bottle 2-ounce hex jars of honey for wedding favors. The couple will print their own label saying, Thank You for sharing this day with me and my Honey, and include their names and date on the label.” starting the company in 1995. Because honey is considered food, the Higgins have to obtain all the proper licenses, and meet Georgia Department of Agriculture and U.S. Food and Drug Administration requirements.

Home Town Honey is a member of the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers club, Georgia Beekeepers association, and the American Beekeepers Federation. In 2016, the company won first place at the American Beekeepers Federation national convention for their wildflower honey.

Brian has served six years on the board of directors for the Cobb County Farm Bureau and has served as a director on the Georgia State Honey Commodity Board for the last five years.

The couple are lifelong Cobb County residents. He is a Sprayberry High graduate, and Kim went to Lassiter High. The business has been a family affair through the years, as their children, Sandra and Branden, have helped with in-school field trips, bottling and labeling jars, making deliveries to stores and manning the booth at farmers markets.

Bans Lifted at Senior Centers

Cherokee County Senior Services has lifted capacity limitations and resumed normal business hours at its senior centers. The senior center in Canton is open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, and is closed Saturdays and Sundays.

The Ball Ground Senior Center is open 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays, 10 a.m.-noon Fridays, and is closed Saturdays-Mondays. Masks continue to be required in Canton and Ball Ground, but social distancing requirements have been lifted.

For both centers, clients will have their temperatures checked each day, and staff and clients who feel sick will not be allowed to enter. Clients who take CATS transportation will have their temperature checked before boarding the bus.

For more details, call 770-345-2675.

App Helps Plan River Trips

Georgia River Network, the only statewide advocacy organization dedicated solely to protecting Georgia’s water, has released the Georgia River Guide mobile application – a free trip-planning tool designed to empower river recreationists to experience Georgia’s network of more than 30 water trails. With a few simple taps, users can discover nearby water trails and learn about safe public access points, river mileage between accesses, points of interest, nearby shuttle services and more. More information about the app, and links to download it, can be found on the Georgia River Network website at garivers.org/georgiariverguide.

A Meeting of Mayoral Minds

The Cherokee Association of Realtors (CAOR) hosted a Meet the Mayors panel at the February general membership meeting, which included Mayors Rick Roberts of Ball Ground, Bill Grant of Canton and Michael Caldwell of Woodstock.

The mayors discussed topics that included countywide growth, traffic solutions, school overcrowding and what new things are on the horizon in each of their cities.

“It was an honor to have our local mayors attend this meeting and speak to our membership. Giving Realtors the knowledge and information on important topics pertaining to our communities is so valuable for our business and our clients,” said Iva Rebecca Butler, 2022 association president.

The association offers six annual, general membership meetings. For more information, visit www.cherokeerealtors.org.

Participants at the event include, front row, from left: Al Moreno, Barbara Young, Bill Grant, Iva Rebecca Butler, Michael Caldwell and Rick Roberts. Back row, from left: Camille Gard, Robin Wright, Dolores Wahl, Andrea Meador, Dianna Hornes, Jeff Leshin and Mike Stott. Margaret Stallings

Kevin Lanier

Michael Caldwell

Awards and Appointments

• Longtime Planning Manager Margaret Stallings has been named Cherokee County’s director of planning and zoning. Stallings was promoted to the director position in February, following the retirement of Jeff Watkins last summer. She has more than 21 years of experience in community planning and architectural design. • Former Cherokee County Fire Division Chief Kevin Lanier is the new deputy chief of operations, replacing Shane West, who has been appointed as the new deputy chief of support services. • Newly elected Woodstock Mayor Michael Caldwell has been named one of the 2022 Georgia TITAN 100. The program recognizes Georgia’s Top 100 CEOs and C-level executives. Caldwell is managing partner of Black Airplane.

Budget Blinds of Woodstock & Roswell

Opening in July at 250 Churchill Court, Ste. 600, Woodstock GA 30188 678-540-1615

www.budgetblinds.com/Woodstock www.budgetblinds.com/Roswell

Also serving Roswell and Sandy Springs.  The business.

Budget Blinds can be found throughout

North America, making it the largest window coverings franchise, according to Woodstock and Roswell store owner

Karin Cardinal. “With that buying power, we can o er competitive pricing and a ve-year, No Questions Asked Warranty,”

Karin said. “Why buy o the shelf when you can have gorgeous window coverings made especially for you?” Budget Blinds makes it easy; schedule a free consultation and Karin will help choose the perfect solution for your home. She takes custom measurements and places the order; then she and her team provide updates and professionally install the window treatments.

 What’s unique.

“As the business owner, I take great pride in nding the perfect solution for my clients. From problematic heat and glare issues to privacy and child safety needs, I am con dent we have a custom product that will work for you. I o er

solutions while bringing beauty and innovation you’ll be proud to showcase in your home,” Karin said. “We would be honored to work with you, to provide the custom style you’re looking for in products ranging from smart home automated shades and timeless shutters to on-trend woven wood shades, drapery side panels, and classic faux wood blinds.”  Customers are saying.

“Budget Blinds is a professionally run company from the sales department through to the installers. Karin was a huge help in assisting with selections for our new home. We started from ground zero, and now it feels like a home.” — Pat L.

“Budget Blinds has quality products and a great selection of window treatments. Karin made great suggestions for our home and was extremely knowledgeable. Before and during installation, they communicated with us the whole time.” — Kim J.

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Honoring Those Who’ve Made a Difference

National Volunteer Week (April 17-23 this year) began in 1974, when President Richard Nixon signed an executive order establishing the week as an annual celebration of volunteering. In 1991, April became National Volunteer Month as part of President George H. W. Bush’s 1,000 Points of Light campaign.

Although COVID-19 created challenges that encouraged many volunteers to get creative in the way they serve, an increase in volunteerism is expected to continue this year. According to AmeriCorps (https://americorps.gov) 2,123,245 Georgia volunteers contribute 187.9 million hours of service annually.

To highlight those making a difference in our community, local nonprofits submitted spotlights, in which they brag on their volunteers. Thank you for all you do to make our community a better place!

Goshen Valley Boys Ranch

Waymark is a ministry that has been connected to Goshen Valley Boys Ranch (https://goshenvalley.org) for years. It serves children in foster care and, in particular, the individuals who serve at the ranch are a group of mostly men who come weekly to connect with a house of seven boys through mentoring, bringing dinner and studying the Bible. The most impactful part of this ministry is the volunteers are there week in and week out, consistently. Our boys are missing consistency from the adults in their lives, and this routine makes all the difference. During periods when COVID-19 prevented the volunteers from coming, they got creative. They brought food and dropped it on the front porch, met with the boys via Zoom and offered to come to the ranch and talk to the boys through their windows so that “they would know that they were not forgotten.” The ministry’s volunteers support the boys, houseparents and our ministry, and they live out an authentic Christianity that has hands and feet by doing and not just saying.

Next Step Ministries

“Generous persons will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” — Proverbs 11:25

Next Step Ministries, Inc. is on a mission to enrich the lives of individuals who have intellectual and developmental disabilities through engaging, enriching and therapeutic day programs. In order to best serve our families, we call upon our community to volunteer to further enrich the programs.

Nearly 10 years ago, Next Step Ministries happened upon a real-life hero when Al Cato walked through its doors. A few years later, his daughter, Kelly Pearson, joined in on the action.

This amazing father-daughter duo are instrumental in sharing the Next Step story and recruiting volunteers from Hillside United Methodist Church, where they are members. It all started with gardening, when Al brought some folks from Hillside to build raised flower boxes, so our individuals would have the opportunity to grow and cultivate their own garden. He recruited others to build custom doors for our sensory room, and a shelving/gate unit in our day program.

These days, the dynamic duo enjoy accompanying our individuals on bowling trips to the local Stars and Strikes. They can be seen assisting our individuals in perfecting their bowling form, beating their high score and, best of all, being powerful ambassadors for Next Step Ministries.

According to Al and Kelly, “We cherish every moment we are with our friends from Next Step. Working with each individual and support professionals has impacted us in ways we couldn’t have predicted and is a big part of our lives. We love sharing in little moments when our friends let their talent, ability and personality shine. We consider it a great privilege that we get the chance to interact with such amazing people. Because of our friends at Next Step, we get to experience genuine happiness, pure friendship and countless laughs.”

We encourage any individual, group, faithbased organization, corporation, educational institution or small business that is looking to plug into a very special ministry to reach out to Next Step Ministries, Inc. Your eyes will be opened, and your hearts will be full when you experience the amazing and beautiful world we get to experience each day, while the lives of those we serve are enriched. For more information, visit www.nextstepministries.net, email volunteer@ nextstepministreis.net, or call 770-592-1227.

“Every kid is one caring adult away from being a success story.” — Josh Shipp

CASA (court-appointed special advocates) of Cherokee County trains, empowers and supports court-appointed community volunteers to advocate for the best interests of children who have experienced abuse and neglect. Our CASAs strive to ensure every child has a safe, permanent home and the opportunity to succeed.

It is difficult to single out a volunteer to spotlight, because each court-appointed special advocate is incredible and dedicated to each child they serve. Our CASAs stand by their CASA children throughout their journey in the foster care system. Each child deserves someone in their corner, a cheerleader and someone who is completely focused on their best interest. That is the job of a CASA volunteer. Whether it is being the child’s voice in court, celebrating special moments with them, such as attending their school play or sporting event, CASAs connect with their assigned children in many unique ways. Often, the child does not have another devoted adult in his or her life to be a part of those special times. These are ways that our advocates care for and support the children they serve.

Foster care is a difficult journey, and our CASA volunteers often are that one caring adult that will help a child become a success story. We are so grateful for each and every CASA volunteer!

For more information, visit cherokeechildrenshaven.org.