Community News

Aviation, Veterans Groups Host Fundraisers

Imagine what it would be like to fly above Lake Arrowhead in a UH-1 Huey, or in a Cobra attack helicopter! The Army Aviation Heritage Foundation & Flying Museum, in support of the Cherokee County Homeless Veterans Program, is teaming up to help keep a piece of Army Aviation history flying, while helping to raise funds for a Homeless Veterans Shelter in Cherokee County.

Tickets are $150 per person for a Huey ride and $495 per person for a Cobra ride, fully re-fundable if it rains. You also can use them Oct. 24 and 25 at the Wings Over-North Georgia Air Show in Rome, Georgia. Reservations are limited.

Proceeds benefit the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation & Flying Museum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and the Cherokee County Homeless Veterans Program (CCHVP), a 501(c)(19) veterans nonprofit. Tickets can be purchased by calling Jim Lindenmayer at 678-983-7590 or Betty Lewis at 770-318-6451.

The CCHVP is hosting an Oct. 23 golf event at Lake Arrowhead to raise money for programs to benefit homeless veterans. Another aspect of the tournament is the opportunity to purchase signs honoring veterans or COVID-19 essential workers. The signs will be posted on a ridge, which can be seen by the golfers. Anyone who orders a sign can pick it up and display at their homes on Veterans Day.

For more details, contact Jim Lindenmayer at 678-983-7590 or jlindenmayer80@gmail.com.

Savannah Smiles team members, from left: Lisa Browning, Michelle Donley, Adilka White, Monica Keheley, Pam Yoder and Joan Dellinger.

Virtual Fundraiser a Success for Next Step

The numbers are in from this year’s Next Step Ministries Run, Walk or Roll 5K: 241 participants, 15 sponsors and $14,500 raised for the nonprofit, despite the virtual format. Executive Director Lori Baker said she is thankful for the support, and the photos submitted by all the Next Step supporters of the ways they participated in this major fundraiser. Next Step Ministries serves young adults with special needs. For more information, visit www.nextstepministries.net.

From left: Michael First; Katie Caldwell, president-elect of the Elm Street board; J. Kent Burklow, Christopher Brazelton, and Ann Litrel, president.

Elm Street Welcomes Grant

Elm Street Cultural Arts Village was given a $20,000 grant from the Rucker-Donnell Foundation, a Tennessee-based and nationally recognized charitable foundation. The money will go toward construction costs for the nonprofit arts organization’s project of building a visual arts facility from the historic Reeves House.

The visual arts facility will feature a gallery for rotating exhibits, classroom and artist studios, and a coffee shop/wine bar. Elm Street’s current art classes operate from their administrative offices, making the completion of the Reeves House pivotal in providing a dedicated space for local artists and robust visual arts programming.

Elm Street was introduced to the Rucker-Donnell Foundation through board member, Michael First. He fostered the relationship with J. Kent Burklow, president and trustee of the foundation. First and Burklow are longtime residents of Towne Lake.

Sandwich Bill Clears Way for 2021 Summer Lunch Program

Thanks to the passage of Senate Bill 345, nonprofit groups will be able to make and accept sandwiches for at-risk children when schools are closed. Last month, Gov. Brian Kemp signed the legislation, known as the Save Our Sandwiches Bill.

The bill was developed after state health inspectors halted the MUST summer food program that has been serving 5,000-7,000 children in seven counties during the 10-week break from school. A technicality in state law kept MUST from receiving and distributing donated sandwiches and forced MUST to raise more than $250,000 to continue to serve children in need.

“Sadly, the news came to us right before the summer started and we had little time to reorganize our plan and raise the money. To be honest, it was a nightmare for our team, but we couldn’t walk away from our youngest hungry clients,” said Ike Reighard, MUST president and CEO. “Fortunately, our donors, the media, our legislators and, really, the whole community rallied behind us and started working to change the law and help us get through this trying time.”

This year, the Legislature was almost to the point of passing the bill when COVID-19 hit and the session was postponed. MUST again scrambled to purchase meals and secure donations, but the children were fed.

“We thought last year was difficult, but it was only a warmup for 2020. The good news is that the Legislature came back in session and soundly put the bill through. Next year, we can accept sandwiches from churches, businesses and other groups that have kitchens. The only change is that we can no longer accept sandwiches made in homes,” Reighard said.

“We are so blessed that we have never had an incident with our food. In 25 years of feeding more than 2 million meals, our children have found help and hope in Summer Lunch.”

MUST Tournament Breaks a Record

The Cherokee Golf Tournament benefiting MUST Ministries, held July 20 at Woodmont Golf and Country Club, raised a record $65,000 for the nonprofit. Among the participants were, from left: Don Hausfield of the Landon Group; Billy Hayes, CEO of Northside Hospital Cherokee; Wes Latimer, owner of Latimer Construction, and County Manager Jerry Cooper.

Local News

Be a Part of Search for Pollinators

On Sept. 5, members of the community can take part in the Woodstock Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz, a gathering at Dupree Park that will help park staff members create a snapshot of the variety of wildlife that can be found in the county’s parks.

Participants will use an app to take pictures of plants, insects and animals, to see what wildlife is present in the park on that day. The survey will offer information about local pollinators, which are essential to the ecosystem. The Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz is hosted on the iNaturalist app, which can be found at www.inaturalist.org, or in your phone’s app store.

Register at https://bit.ly/3gzrKYy (the form can be found at www.woodstockga.gov, under the parks and recreation tab.) Participants are asked to meet at 9 a.m. at the concession stand pavilion at Dupree Park, 513 Neese Road, in Woodstock. Be sure you bring your mobile phone or tablet with the app downloaded. For more information, email ParksForPollinators@woodstockga.gov.

Nonprofit Gains Accreditation

HopeQuest, aWoodstock organization dedicated to helping people dealing with addictions, recently received the highest three-year accreditation for its residential program (RTC), intensive outpatient program (IOP), and outpatient counseling program (OP) from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).

HopeQuest, situated on 18 acres in south Cherokee County, has a mission to help individuals and families impacted by addiction to discover God’s plans for freedom and hope. Visit https://hopequestgroup.org, or call 678-391-5950.

The open-air mobile workforce workshop is equipped with appropriate safety measures, to maintain social distance guidelines. Watch for tour dates on the website, beprobeproudga.org.

Connecting Young People to Skilled Trades

The Cherokee Office of Economic Development (COED) recently announced the launch of Be Pro Be Proud Georgia, an initiative designed to spark interest in the essential skilled professions. Students take part in a fun, interactive experience inside a mobile workforce workshop, an impressive 40-foot rig equipped with simulations of Georgia’s most in-demand skilled professions, powered by the latest industry-driven technology.

This initiative plans to fill the gaps created by the more than 47% of Georgia’s skilled professionals older than 45 who are nearing retirement. The state’s first mobile workforce workshop of its kind offers an interactive, hands-on tour of careers in commercial truck driving, health care, plumbing, welding and robotics, as well as an off-board skills challenge.

Along with the mobile workshop, the newly launched beprobeproudga. org website promotes 13 skilled professions with 10% or more growth potential, and links to needed training and area industries who are hiring within these professions. To ensure safety, the open-air mobile workforce workshop has been equipped with appropriate sanitization measures.

As part of the Cherokee By Choice public-private partnership aimed at promoting economic growth, COED continues to spearhead talent development through workforce initiatives, such as the promotion of local jobs on cherokeega.org, the Cherokee Career Expo, high school internships, and Be Pro Be Proud Georgia, the most ambitious initiative to date.

From left: Fire Chief Tim Prather; Senior Fire and Life Educator Lisa Grisham; Assistant Chief Eddie Robinson; Woodstock Parks and Recreation Director Michael D. Huffstetler; Woodstock Fire and Rescue’s Sgt. George Williams, and Tow Boat US and Boat US Foundation’s Chris Day.

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Life Jacket Loaner Station Installed

Safe Kids Cherokee County is helping kids and adults stay safer with a new life jacket loaner station at Rope Mill Park. The station has life jackets for those who need one to borrow, and return, while they are boating, kayaking, paddle boarding or canoeing. It also offers education on how to properly fit a life jacket.

Along with community partners, Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services, Woodstock Fire and Boat US Foundation dedicated the station for Woodstock Parks and Recreation. Safe Kids Cherokee and Boat US Foundation will supply life jackets as needed, and Woodstock Parks and Recreation will maintain it. Visit safekidscherokeecounty.org, or call 678-493-4343.