Local News
SmileUp! Happy Garden Unveiled
Mural design challenge winner Savanna Castle, 11, of Creekland Middle School and Girl Scout Troop #18281, with her parents next to her design. Photo courtesy of SmileUp! volunteers.
On June 24, the SmileUp! Happy Garden ribbon cutting was held at the G. Cecil Pruett Community Center Family YMCA in Canton. With assistance from community organizations, SmileUp! Charitable Foundation’s young volunteers redesigned the garden. The redesign focused on creating a low maintenance container, herb and rock garden, while highlighting the passion and creativity of local youth. Savanna Castle of Creekland Middle School and Talley Young of R.M. Moore Elementary School won the mural design challenge for the “Kindness is All Around” and “Shine Like the Sun, Grow Like a Flower” murals.
Canton Rotary Club Celebrates the 2021-22 Year, New President
The Rotary Club of Canton recently celebrated its past year of accomplishments and the passing of the gavel to its new president at its Changing of the Guard dinner, during which the club thanked outgoing officers for their service, and installed new officers. The club, which is Cherokee County’s oldest civic club, offers members the opportunity to attend weekly meetings to learn more about their community, participate in service projects and enjoy networking and fellowship. Greg Elder, MUST Ministries’ president of client services, served as the 2021-22 club president. He set a club membership growth goal of 15 new members, which was exceeded with the addition of 22 new members.
Nicole Lawson, northwest regional director for United Way of Greater Atlanta, takes the oath of office to serve as president of the Rotary Club of Canton. 22
AROUND CANTON | August 2022
The club’s new president, Nicole Lawson, northwest regional director for United Way of Greater Atlanta, will be joined in leadership by President-elect Francisco Javier Lozano of Arylessence Inc.; Treasurer Marcie Smith and Secretary Lori Flink, CEO of Allegro Business Products. A highlight among the club’s service projects was the Executive Director of The Children’s Haven, Marcie Smith, is journal buddy project with the Rotary Club of Canton’s 2022Hasty Elementary. The club 23 treasurer and the winner of donated funds for more than the Rotarian of the Year Award. 900 student journals, and club members volunteered to serve as “buddies” to listen to and encourage the students. The club earned top honors for its service, including the Gold Club Award for overall success and district-level Guardian of Ethics and Public Image awards. The Rotarian of the Year Award, also known as the Coxe Award, was presented to Marcie Smith, executive director of The Children’s Haven. The club meets at noon on Tuesdays at the Northside Cherokee Conference Center, 1130 Bluffs Parkway, Canton. For more information, visit www.therotaryclubofcantonga. org or www.facebook.com/rotarycantonga.
