Lake living Winter

NOVEMBER 2014

Lake Living

A guide to the good life in Stephens, Franklin, and Hart Published Published with with pride pride by by the the Lake Lake Hartwell Hartwell Region Region of of Community Community Newspapers, Newspapers, Inc. Inc. •• Franklin Franklin County County Citizen Citizen Leader Leader •• The The Toccoa Toccoa Record Record •• The The Hartwell Hartwell Sun Sun

Lake Living is produced and developed by the Lake Hartwell Region of Community Newspapers Inc., Athens, Georgia Tom Wood, CNI Chairman Dink NeSmith, CNI President Robert Rider, Regional Publisher

NORTHEAST GEORGIA

The Hartwell Sun 8 Benson St., Hartwell, GA 706-376-8025 Fax 706-376-3016 hartwellsun@hartcom.net www.thehartwellsun.com Robert Rider, Publisher Peggy Vickery, General Manager Mark Hynds, Editor Lauren Peeples, Staff Writer Lake Morris, Staff Writer Carole Byrum, Advertising Sales Christine Blomberg, Advertising Sales

Franklin County Citizen Leader

STEPHENS FRANKLIN

The Toccoa Record 67 W. Doyle St., Toccoa, GA 706-886-9476 Fax 706-886-2161 toccoarecord@windstream.net www.thetoccoarecord.com Tom Law, Publisher Todd Truelove, Staff Writer Duane Winn, Staff Writer Sue Fletcher, Advertising Sales Selena Crumpton, Advertising Sales

HART

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12150 Augusta Rd., Lavonia, GA 706-356-8557 Fax 706-356-2008 fccitizen@windstream.net www.franklincountycitizen.com Shane Scoggins, Publisher Denise Matthews, Editor Kandice S. Eberhardt, Staff Writer Jan Dean, Advertising Sales

The Elberton Star 25 N. Public Sq., Elberton, GA 706-283-8500 Fax 706-283-9700 starexaminer@elberton.com www.elberton.com Gary Jones, Publisher Mark Berryman, Editor Cary Best, Sports Editor Valerie Evans, Advertising Sales

CNI - Athens 2365 Prince Ave., Suite A, Athens, GA • 800-226-0692 Fax 706-548-0808 athenssales@cninewspapers.com Ryan Shaffer, Advertising Sales

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lakeliving@cninewspapers.com

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NOVEMBER 2014

LAKE LIVING

Lake Living

Contents

November 2014

VOL. 10, NO. 4

Happy Holidays 30 34 38 42

Minnie’s Snowbuddies Love Him, Love Them Pamela Renfroe Scenes from Currahee Military Weekend

18 The Green Dress 24 Ethan Crump 28 Daytrip to Helen, Georgia

This Holiday, Create a Colorful Feast Bryan Dooley’s Farm “Puppy” Love Compressed Natural Gas Bringing Green to the City of Toccoa

44 Community Events Cover: “Coming Home” Original print of Pam Renfroe. Hart County resident Pam Renfroe, owner of The Renfroe Collection of Fine Arts, is a licensed artist for The Coca-Cola Company, John Deere, Hart County EMC and others.

Front, from left, Kim Pierce, Shelley Jackson, Sara Lesseur; Back, Michelle Myers, Beth Kidd, Linda Bryant, Pam Fleming, Kristal Rowland, Cindy Osley, Laura Milford, Lisa LeCroy and Terry Baker.

We Wish You Peace & Happiness Throughout the Holiday Season!

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Minnie’s Snowbuddies Minnie Haygood has over 200 Snowmen in her collection

Minnie poses with one of her latest additions, bought for her by Teresa, her daughter-in-law in Gatlinburg, Tenn.

By Mark Hynds The Hartwell Sun At Jimmy and Minnie Haygood’s house, every day is a snow day at Christmas time. Well, more like a snowman day.

Each holiday season, nearly 200

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LAKE LIVING

snowmen in all shapes and sizes clamor for space in the kitchen, living room, and dining room at the Haygood house. Every inch of level surface, from the floor to the furniture, provides a spot for Minnie’s snowmen collection. Even a flower pot by the screen door provides a home.

“I just like to look at them,” said Minnie recently about her collection.

“They are always smiling so it always makes me feel good.”

It takes about half a day to set them all up she said. While she stops short of calling it a tradition, the snowmen arrive each year on the day after Thanksgiving.

“Everybody is out shopping so it’s a perfect time for me to get done,” said

Minnie. “They aren’t telling me, “Put this one here and put this one there.’”

Stored in containers in a barn in the backyard, her husband Jimmy handles the transportation inside the

house, but that’s it for his services.

“She does it all herself,” said Jimmy. “I just get them in here.”

Minnie credits her grandson, Jim, with getting the

collection started.

“About seven years ago, we were up at Tim’s (her son and Jim’s dad) house and he pulled out an old snowman,” recalled Minnie.

“You could tell it had been

in his toy box for awhile.

He said, ‘Here maw maw, you can have this.’ I took it home and put it up and decided I’ll get another one.

Then, I got another one, and Continued to page 6

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Continued from page 5 another one, and it just took off from there.”

The smallest ones are Christmas ornaments that adorn the Haygood tree every season. The largest are nearly three-feet tall, which can be intimidating to her 20-month old grandson, Reese.

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“especially for you”

“He was just nine months old last year so I think he liked them, but didn’t know how to get to them,” said Minnie. “This year I think he will really enjoy them.”

Her favorite snowman is one that her father bought for her the year before he died. The most unique, at least in her eyes, is the one

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that plays piano. There is also one that rides a rocking horse.

Some of the snowmen are made of glass, some are stuffed like a teddy bear, and some are made of wood.

There are ceramic ones and porcelain ones. Some wear hats, some wear scarves, and some wear sweater, but nearly all have a corncob for a nose. There are even two who appear to be fans of the Georgia Bulldogs by the big “G” on their chest.

Some have long legs that dangle off the shelf and some have no legs at all, they rest in a Santa sled.

The snowmen come from as far away as Gatlinburg, Tenn., though many are gifts whose origin is not immediately known.

“Rachel (her sister) gives me one nearly every year,”

said Minnie.

There is some debate on the actual total number in the collection. Her granddaughter, Marissa, the unofficial, official, keeper of the count, says it 165. But Minnie is quick to point out that some of them are in connected groups so there is more addition to be done.

With Minnie adding to the collection pretty frequently this time of year, the number will rise.

“I got one in the mountains in August and bought another one just the other day, “ she said.

Once the snowmen have taken up their rightful place in the Haygood house, all who come to visit know the yuletide season has arrived.

“It means Christmas is here,” said Jimmy, with a big grin.

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The Gunter family members are David and Linda Gunter, Jeanna, Aleena and Jasmine Merilien (not pictured Raphael and Stasha Merilien). The Poole family members are Troy, Macarena, Cameron, Cyle, Carrie and Dima.

Love Him, Love Them

By Kandice S. Eberhardt Franklin County Citizen Leader

Speaking out for Operation Christmas Child.

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They say children change everything.

When David and Linda Gunter got married, they never planned on having any children, but those plans quickly changed with a phone call in 2006.

The father of Linda’s late friend called to ask if she would be willing to take all five of the friend’s children, ranging in age from 7-17.

The Gunters were his last hope of not splitting the children up.

With that simple phone call, the Gunter family grew from two to seven and the Gunters became tasked with caring for five children while still maintaining their

community involvement.

In 2000, David became a Biblical counselor, helping with marriage and family counseling. He has also been involved in discipleship through small groups since 2004 and has written several Bible studies.

Linda, on the other hand, started a homeless shelter in honor of her father in Vine City.

When the Gunters moved from the metro Atlanta area to Lavonia, the ideology that created the homeless shelter, George’s Place, began morphing into what is now Love Him Love Them Ministries.

“Love Him Love Them

was created from a passion to apply ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind and Love your neighbor as yourself ’ (Matthew 22:36-40) to our lives and help teach others to do the same,” Linda said. “If all God’s people would follow these two commands, we could eliminate poverty and the need for governments’ attempts to meet certain needs.”

The ministry, now a nonprofit organization, was already a part of a local jail ministry and was helping people with their needs, like bills and clothes, in the Northeast Georgia area

Ushering at UGA vs FLA ice hockey game on September 21st at Athens Classic Center, they donated to LHLT.

when the Gunter family added its five new members.

With the addition of the children, the Gunters’ community involvement began to evolve.

Love Him Love Them now sponsors a middle and high school girl group called Respect that meets weekly. The adults that work with the girls mentor them by teaching useful life skills and how to be respectful, successful, drug and alcohol free independent citizens.

For the last four years, the ministry has also served Thanksgiving meals to people in Franklin, Hart and Stephens counties.

“We served over 130 people last year,” Linda said.

“This year we hope to be able to serve between 300500 people. If anyone needs or knows someone who would like to have a meal delivered on. Thanksgiving, please go to lovehimlovethem.com to add their name.”

Flip flops are decorated to sell throughout the year for funds to send food to Haiti. Some of the flip flops are taken to Haiti for gifts.

Not only has being responsible for the children shown the Gunters new areas in the community where they can help, it has also

broadened their horizons on the different places where they can help.

Since their children are Continued to page 10

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Continued from page 9 Haitian, the two oldest were born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the Gunters decided to take a family trip to Haiti for the Christmas 2010 holidays.

“We as a family to go serve orphans in Haiti after the earthquake at a family meeting instead of spending money on Christmas,” Linda said.

As they set out on the trip, the Gunter family had no idea it would quickly become a new cause for Love Him Love Them.

Since that first trip to Haiti, the Gunter family has returned on behalf of the ministry to provide Christmas and months of food supplies to over 500

orphans and adults.

The ministry also supports the Valley of Hope School throughout the year by paying the teachers’ salaries, sponsors a goat and chicken entrepreneurialship program, finances water wells, finances the construction of schools and churches and hopes to open a vocational school soon.

“We all enjoyed our time there helping people in need that decided we would keep doing it,” Linda said.

“It’s so funny because I didn’t want any kids, now one of my favorite things to do is hang out with the children at the orphanages in Haiti.”

As the Gunter family was traveling and helping

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people in the United States and Haiti, another Franklin County family began their own international journey that not only changed the life of a child, but theirs as well.

Troy and Macarena Poole hadn’t thought of adopting a child after having three children, but things changed when they learned of the plight facing orphans in Ukraine.

“Children from Ukraine are put on the street as soon as they graduate,” Macarena said. “Many are used in human trafficking and some even commit suicide. They don’t receive a good education.”

So the Pooles began their journey to adopt Dima.

Now that Dima is finally home, the Pooles have not stopped trying to help oth-

Jeanna holding a little girl

Girls from HUG orphanage sporting their sunglasses given as gifts.

ers. They have joined Love Him Love Them to help the ministry grow and help more families around the world.

The plan is to partner with families who need assistance financially in adopting children in need by offering two scholarships

per year. In the future, the ministry hopes to partner with an orphanage in Ukraine the same way it did in Haiti.

“Our main goal is to share Jesus with everyone we meet at home and the rest of the world,” David said.

“Without Jesus, meeting a

need is just that “meeting a need.” We can give people food and money to meet a current need, but if they die without Jesus, what did we accomplish?”

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Hart County artist Pam Renfroe creates her latest trademark piece for The Coca-Cola Company at her home Studio. Photos by Lauren Peeples

Pamela Renfroe

By Lauren Peeples The Hartwell Sun Strategically positioned at her easel in her private studio in Hart County, Pamela Renfroe gracefully strokes her paintbrush across a canvas outlined with the scene from her latest theme to commemorate The CocaCola Company.

As a licensed artist with The Coca-Cola Company since 1988, Renfroe has secured her trademark artistic talents through approximately 30 different CocaCola pieces she has created for the soft drink company.

In November, her ex12

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LAKE LIVING

hibit will be displayed at the Art Center in downtown Hartwell. A reception will be held Nov. 6.

“I will be there signing prints, trays and anything the attendees might like of my work. I’m really looking forward to meeting all who may be able to attend,” said Renfroe.

“I also like to talk with those who might be interested in painting themselves for a career. It can be such a joyful experience beyond belief for those are gifted in that area. I especially encourage parents and grandparents to bring children who love to draw and paint.

I would love to talk with them.”

In July, Renfroe attended the 40th Coca-Cola Collectors’ Convention held at the Crown Plaza Ravinia in Springfield, Ill. The convention was open to the public in addition to collectors of Coca-Cola memorabilia from throughout the United States there to purchase and sell. Collectors were allowed a certain amount of time to purchase the items they want before all items were available to the public.

“My husband, Bob, and I had a wonderful time at the National Coca-Cola

Collector’s Convention. Not only were we able to see old friends with the club, but we made new ones as well,” said Renfroe.

“Our sales were very lucrative resulting with collectors from coast to coast.

We’ve been blessed to have been licensed by the CocaCola Company for close to 35 years and recently signed a new contract with the company.

We are also lucky to have collectors in the States and abroad resulting in many cherished friendships.”

At the convention, Renfroe displayed original oil painting partially finished,

framed and unframed prints, framed and unframed giclees on canvas, trays and throws. All of the original Coca-Cola paintings she has created in the 25 years she has been licensed by The Coca-Cola Company have been sold and are displayed in collections throughout the nation.

“It’s a shame that I can’t paint faster but I am detailed in my work and it takes quite a bit longer to finish as a result,” said Renfroe.

According to Renfroe, each Coca-Cola painting requires an average of three to four months to complete. Sizes range from 16”x 20” up to 24”x 36”. With the new contract, she said she may consider painting smaller canvases as well.

In 2010, Renfroe painted

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high school and graduated from Hart County High School. After moving away for awhile, Renfroe and her husband, Bob, moved to Hartwell nearly 25 years ago. The couple has two children and two grandchildren.

Renfroe is a licensed artist for numerous companies

including John Deere, Dairy Queen, Wurlitzer and Elvis Presley International.

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I have been doing paintContinued to page 14

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“Timeless Joy”, an original oil painting intended to recreate the historical Hartwell Coca-Cola Bottling Company when it opened in the 1950s.

Owner of The Renfroe Collection of Fine Arts, Renfroe has been a professional artist for nearly 40 years.

“I have loved every minute of it, including the long hours. I work through the night and sleep until lunch time.

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Continued from page 13 ings featuring electricity going to homes, businesses, linemen on poles fixing the lines with sunsets behind them, and others,” explains Renfroe.

“I have originals, throws, coasters, thermometers and

numerous other products as well as limited edition prints, giclees both framed and unframed. It’s been such a pleasure working with this group as well, very nice people.”

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said she plans to put most of her ideas into paintings before her hands grow too deformed to paint.

“Hopefully, that will be many years from now,” said Renfroe, who credits her enjoyment of her artwork to her husband.

“Not only has he been my greatest fan, but he does all the framing, projects, correspondence, phone calls, emails, planning, and well, everything but the painting.

We’ve been a team in this business for over 35 years and we’re thankful to our loving God for each and every one of them,” said Renfroe.

“Bob and I are very excited about the showing of my work to be held in Hartwell in November.

I’m planning on having an original and prints of the old Haley building when it was a drug store, bus stop and lots of memories. What fun this one will be.”

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Scenes from

Currahee military weekend

Philippa Anderson and Deb Gerace of the Vintage Vocals singing group belt out a tune to help open the festivities at Currahee Military Weekend in Toccoa. The annual event held the first weekend in October honors World War II veterans who trained as airborne troops at Camp Toccoa.

Eight airborne veterans returned to Toccoa for the event.

More than 17,000 airborne troops trained at Camp Toccoa from 1942-1945.

Pictured above: The Currahee Military Weekend included numerous re-enactors dressed as World War II airborne troops. This re-enactor marching in the Veterans Parade featured Native Americanstyle war paint on his face. Many airborne troops adopted this look when they jumped into Normandy on D-Day in 1944.

oct. 3-5, 2014 toccoa, ga Pictured on left: There were plenty of flags and patriotic slogans on display during the Veterans Parade through downtown Toccoa in Currahee Military Weekend held the first weekend in October. Included was this large American flag on a Shriner’s mini-vehicle.

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The Green Dress

By Maureen DeLoach Riding home from the university for Christmas break that winter of ‘68 was a blur. In the daze I’d been in for three months, I could have been transported home by elephant without questioning how or why. It would have been a minor detail in the journey that was forming around me, just a few more bumps in the road. I was entering new territory-- coming home to a dying mother, a new sister-in-law who was five months pregnant and my younger siblings who were about to be left parentless. As I rode home that December to spend what would be our last Christmas together with our mother, all the changes we’d been through in the past three years were constantly circling around inside my head.

Mama had developed cancer my senior year in high school and had seemed cancer free for two years, but silently the disease had been spreading, and this time there would be no getting better. Mama never directly told us younger siblings that she was dying.

My brother Pete took on that responsibility as he had so many others, arriving in Athens one day in the fall of my junior year and breaking the news along with our hearts. Make no mistake, we loved our mother and we knew she 18

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loved us.

We all had to pull together to get through this.

The next quarter, I was transferring to a college closer to home. Pete had already moved home with his young bride Angie only two or three months after the wedding, and she was now pregnant with their first child and at the same time, completing her student teaching at the local high school while taking care of my younger siblings during the week. It was a taxing time for all of us.

We ranged in age from my brother Pete, 26, to my youngest brother Mark who was 12 We didn’t know how to deal with the impending death of our only parent.

We had few financial and emotional resources. We seemed to be perched on a treacherous slope, and like school children in a game of tag, something incomprehensible had pushed us hard from behind and sent us tumbling away, where we, banged and bruised. We hoped to reach bottom and still have the courage and strength to get back up and go again.

When I arrived home, I expected to hear the noise that usually accompanies a family as big as ours. But I entered a too quiet house.

My sister-in-law Angie heard the door and came out with a smile and a gentle laugh to welcome me home, but even that echoed

in the stillness of the house.

Mama was sleeping now much of the day. We took each other in, and I noticed that she was “showing” and felt the baby when we hugged. She laughed and said, “Look at this. I can’t even zip my skirt or button my pants” and the laughter echoed in the room. Angie was trying to make the best of the situation until she could figure out what could be done, and I felt completely helpless and anxious for her at the same time.

It seemed that we were always in need those days with never a way to solve the problem. I’m sure Pete had not had time to help Angie shop for maternity clothes since he was on the road five days a week. Maybe she was reticent to ask for money for new clothes, knowing how strapped they were for money. Her own mother was two hours away and our mother was in bed dying. What were any of us to do?

My new sister-in-law Angie, by anyone’s standards, was a beautiful woman. Naturally beautiful, with huge, thick-lashed eyes, beautifully-shaped eyebrows and a generous mouth in the perfect oval face. And she had thick chestnut hair that curled naturally. It was easy to see how my brother had fallen in love. This sister-in-law that I barely knew had been one of the beauty pageant winners who rode in the 1967 Rose Parade. She had

won several other pageants, too, and had been sung to on stage by The Lettermen.

We were all in awe of her.

I’m sure she wondered how in the world she had gone from that world to being a teacher, a wife, a caretaker, and a mother-to-be in the space of a year. She seemed to stay positive but she kept her thoughts to herself. She didn’t know us any better than we knew her. Was she as overwhelmed and confused as we were, like Alice in Wonderland who had dropped thought a deep dark hole groping around for anything of substance to cling to? These were the thoughts that rolled around my head as we visited and waited.

When Mama woke and I went up to her room, I was unprepared for what I saw.

In four months, her body had gotten smaller and the changes were pronounced in the wrinkles around her mouth and between her eyes; her skin seem to be almost transparent. Mama ignored the shock that I’m sure registered in my eyes.

She hugged my neck as I sat down on the bed next to her and held her hand. The next fifteen minutes were long, trying to find anything

to say while avoiding the obvious, serious business in front of us. I couldn’t and didn’t want to talk about it, so we tacitly chose to talk about anything but what we were facing. Angie left us alone to visit and after a while, we started talking about Christmas gifts, a safe enough topic. I asked her what she thought about gifts for my younger brothers and sisters, but most importantly, my new sister-inlaw, who I was just getting to know. I had little money so I was going to have to be creative. I thought all of Mama’s ideas were good ones until we got to Angie.

“Make her a maternity dress, Maureen. That’s what she could really use,” Mama said.

Now my mother was a practical woman. I’m sure she had her dreams, but they were grounded in everyday realities. Working sometimes 16 hours a day as a registered nurse, she managed to put food on our table and pay some of the bills. When Mama said to do something—get in the car, come to the table, clear the dishes, make your bed, we automatically knew she meant “now.” She let us Continued to page 20

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Continued from page 19 dream since it was about all we had besides each other and a pair of shoes to wear to school, but her modus operandi was “get it done and spare me the details.”

But I couldn’t believe what she had suggested.

“A homemade dress, Mama? Really? She’d probably be embarrassed to wear it. And I’m not that good a seamstress. Why can’t I get her some earrings or cologne? Something more becoming .”

“Maureen, get your head out of the clouds! You need to consider this. None of her clothes fit, she doesn’t have anything to wear,” she said with some impatience.

“Money’s tight, Pete’s working. If you want to be helpful, make her a dress. If you want to please yourself,

get her cologne.”

And so I agreed, reluctantly, to go to town later that day to look for a pattern and material and sew a “homemade” dress for my sister-in-law’s first Christmas with us. I hoped it wouldn’t insult her.

As I wandered through the fabric store that afternoon, my mind was unsettled. I knew the dress would have to be simple because there were only a few days left until Christmas. It would be a blind effort, without a single fitting since it was going to be her “surprise” on Christmas morning. I tried to imagine what she would think, would it look cheap and not worth wearing? Would she say, “It’s lovely” in her gracious way although she knew she’d never wear it.

Didn’t she deserve more than a homemade dress?

“Maybe,” I thought, “I won’t find the right material and I can have an excuse to just get her some nice cologne.”

My meandering continued, and I saw fabrics with bold designs and fabrics with strong colors-nothing that I felt was right for Angie.

And then, on a bolt almost hidden on the shelf, I noticed a bolt of moss green wool. It was different from most of the other fabric, subtle and soft, and I thought how well it would match her chestnut hair. I felt a bit of enthusiasm. I turned to the pattern books and browsed through the maternity sections. And there it was. A yoked dress with short sleeves and a simple jewel neckline. Below the yoke was an

inverted pleat, which gave room for the baby to grow.

I envisioned the green wool with the pattern I’d chosen.

They were elegant in their simplicity and sophisticated enough, I thought, for my new sister-in-law. “If I do a very good job sewing this,” I thought, “and if it fits right, this might just turn out all right.”

The next two days kept me busy, laying and cutting the pattern, sewing each piece and taking it to mama to inspect as the dress took shape. She was the one who had taught me to sew and I knew she’d tell me if my seams weren’t straight enough or didn’t lay flat enough. I counted on her assessments and advice and it kept our conversations from moving to the darker ones I was trying to avoid.

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While Angie was out of the house, buying groceries, running errands or taking my younger brother or sister somewhere, I’d use the sewing machine in our girls’ bedroom, then sneak into Mama’s bedroom with the next part of the dress.

Angie knew something was happening--you could hear my footsteps between the girls’ room and mama’s room, back and forth, back and forth. And I was upstairs a lot. I tried to use the sewing machine only when she was out of the house, but I wasn’t being very helpful with other household chores, and that made me anxious as well. Still the green dress went unrevealed. The closer the dress came to being finished, the more excited I became. The dress seemed to be sewing itself. Even the hardest part, the zipper seam, went in perfectly the first time.

When I finally laid the dress in the gift box around the soft tissue paper, I was pleased and I saw by her smile that Mama was too.

It looked beautiful, store bought! Now I could only hope that it fit! What a disaster that would be. And of course, I couldn’t hem it until she tried it on so it

wasn’t completely “finished.”

My plan was to surprise her Christmas morning with a beautifully wrapped package, a gift that showed our appreciation for her.

In the early evening of December 24t I was sitting on Mama’s bed and we talked about our regular Christmas routine, going to Mass, coming home to a feast, and opening presents in the early hours of Christmas morning before falling back in bed around 2 a.m. Mama had saved her strength, determined to go to mass with us all although she had become weaker and weaker. Downstairs, we heard Pete and Angie having a serious talk, and I thought I heard Angie crying. We were concerned, but privacy was hard to come by in that house of so many people; so we waited upstairs. A while later Pete came to Mama’s room, His eyes were tired and resigned.

“Angie’s not going to go to Mass with us tonight. She doesn’t have anything to wear that fits.” My mind was jump started. I could give her the dress now, but then I wouldn’t have a Christmas gift for her in the morning. What’s Christmas Continued to page 22

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Continued from page 27 morning without a Christmas gift? As “homemade” as it was, it was still a gift. I turned to Mama, who was staring at me. “For heaven’s sake Maureen, give her the dress now.” It wasn’t the first time I thought Mama was a mind reader. “ Go on, get up, go get it, and give it to her. And so I did. Reluctantly.

I opened the unwrapped box one last time and examined the dress nestled in the white tissue paper.

Then I walked down to the landing on the stairs where I saw Pete and Angie sitting in the kitchen and asked them to come up to Mama’s room. When they got there, I handed her the package and said, “Here, Angie, this is for you. It’s your Christmas present you were

supposed to open tomorrow, but…” I felt the pressure of Mama’s foot telling me I’d said enough.

Angie looked a little unsure as she said, “What’s this” and took the top off the box. She folded back the tissue paper, and there, lying neatly, was the green dress.

She took a breath. “Oh my,” she said as she unfolded it and held it up, tears in her eyes. “Well?” I asked looking for re-assurance. I felt Mama’s foot again. “It’s beautiful!” she said and I saw her hazel eyes fill to the brim.

My lip was quivering,too, but I wasn’t ready to call it success yet. “Why don’t you try it on because we need to see if it fits, and I still have to hem it before we all go to Mass tonight.”

I held my breath as she went into her room, un-

zipped the green dress and slipped it over her head. It was a perfect fit and Angie glowed in it. We all admired it and told her how beautiful she looked, and then I got out the pins and sat on the floor of their room marking the hem through the tears in my eyes. Angie kept repeating, “It’s so beautiful.” And it was; on her, it was elegant!

We did all go to Midnight Mass together, one last time. Shortly after that, Mama went back to the hospital and never came home. She died on Easter Sunday, one month to the day before her first grandson Frank was born.

These days, most people I know get almost anything they want for Christmas.

And if they don’t, they use one click shopping at Ama-

zon any day of the year. But that Christmas in Moultrie in 1968 is a vivid memory of a “real” Christmas.

We were living in so much desperation and unspoken need. For just a little while, things shifted from coping with the process of dying to focusing on the new life that was soon to come. It focused on an humble gift but meeting someone’s real need. And for just a while that night, I think we all felt a joy we hadn’t known in months.

The memory of that green dress has become a reminder for me to look towards the future, to keep my faith and hope, when the sad days we all go through come calling… I think Mama knew all along what a blessing the green dress would be.

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Ethan Crump

By Lake Morris The Hartwell Sun Five years ago, 12-yearold Ethan Crump was handed his first guitar. Now at 17, his hands make the instrument belt out riffs and

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hooks ranging from blues and rock, all the way to funk.

But Crump wasn’t a guitar player starting out.

“I was first taking piano lessons, but I wasn’t into that. My parents wanted me to still learn an instrument so I got a guitar,” he said.

“When I was about 12 I needed to take lessons and I did that for two months, but I stopped when it started getting into (music) theory, and I wasn’t into that.”

That’s when Crump heard the sounds of some classic rock guitarists.

“I first got started listen-

ing to what a lot of people do when they first start getting into guitar. Artists like Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton,” Crump said.

It wasn’t until Crump started performing he started listening to blues.

“I first started playing with a local cover band called Mill Hill. My sister dated the bassist and they were all over here hanging out and they heard me playing Stevie on the guitar.

So that was how I really got started playing,” he said.

Since that time, Crump’s sound and interest has evolved.

“My favorite blues nowadays is the post-war stuff when they started playing electric. Like Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and Earl Hooker,” he said.

Crump said something he learned early about playing blues went beyond simply knowing the theory behind the music.

“I found blues was a form meant to be played live. It is a whole different world of musicians when you get into blues. That is what got me interested in authentic blues,” he said.

Recently, Crump has ventured away from the blues and gone more into funk.

when I played with bands,” he said. “I also want to build on music theory.”

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“I got to where I was going to blues jams, driving to Atlanta a lot and getting Continued to page 26

113181

“I like the pre-disco funk.

Disco came along and kind of messed funk up,” he said.

“In funk you focus more on playing a lick and staying in the pocket. A lot of guitarists when they first get in, and I did this too, focus on playing lead and above everything. You don’t really think about rhythm.”

Crump, who is home schooled, said he is planning to go to college to study music.

“I’ve been looking at Georgia State and North Georgia, but I haven’t decided exactly what program I want to do,” he said.

Before that happens though, he is trying to learn as much as he can and always striving to get better.

“For my education, I want to improve my sight reading. I’ve never had to use it

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Continued from page 25 home late. I was also getting invited to go play places,” Crump said.

Crump has been to festivals in New York, but he said he also wants to travel to New Orleans and over in

Europe.

“There is just a lot of great music that comes out of New Orleans,” he said.

One reason Crump said he wanted to improve his knowledge of the science behind music is to learn

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jazz.

“The thing I found out about jazz is that you can’t jump in and start playing it,” he said. “Those guys knew their theory. But they were also raised around it. A lot of the stuff the great jazz players do can’t be broken down and theorized though.

They went a lot off feel.”

Crump had one piece of advice to anyone who is picking up an instrument for the first time, or thinking about it.

“Play what you want to play,” he said. “Don’t be afraid or condition yourself to what societies ideology to what you should do and play. If you find something you really enjoy you should play it. If you have a passion for something and work at it, someone is going to like it and listen to it.”

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Enjoy a day trip with the family this holiday to

Helen, Georgia

By Billy Chism Many people think of Helen as a summer destination, where they can go tubing down the Chattahoochee River during the hot, humid summer months. Or, they think about it in October when the annual Oktoberfest celebration is in full swing.

But for some others, the most special night of the year is the annual “Lighting of the Village,” which will take place this year beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28.

More than 20,000 people will pour into downtown Helen that evening – the day after Thanksgiving – so they can enjoy the excitement and festive atmosphere.

It’s definitely an event for children, since Santa Claus not only makes an appearance; he and Mrs. Claus set up shop. They talk to

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NOVEMBER 2014

LAKE LIVING

every boy and girl as they sit under the Helen band shell, right in the center of downtown near the fountain on North Main Street. It’s the perfect place for Mom, Dad or a grandparent to snap that keepsake photo.

The Helen elves make sure the line stays orderly,

while they assist Santa and Mrs. Claus during the busy evening.

Prior to Santa’s arrival, caroling and sing-alongs will get you in the Christmas spirit.

This all happens right on Main Street, where Santa later appears.

After the caroling and a few welcoming remarks from the Helen city com-

missioners, it’s time for the “lighting of the village.”

This year, Mayor Judy Holloway will join with a few young children for the official “lighting.” There’s a big countdown, and then one of the children flips a switch.

Magically, the entire town is lighted. Christmas trees come into view, and thousands of lights line the Alpine Village.

“This is such a beautiful time to be in Helen,” Holloway said. “Visitors come from all over North Georgia, and we’re so happy to welcome them. It’s such a festive, fun evening.”

It takes six weeks to put up all the lights, more than 15,000 of them.

“And the city has switched to all LED bulbs that last a lot longer,” said Helen public works director Ross Hewitt. This will be his 20th year “of bringing in Santa in Helen.”

The trip to Helen is only 45 minutes from Toccoa. So it’s an easy drive from most

any Northeast Georgia community.

There’s also plenty of motels and cabins to stay in if you want to make it a long weekend.

If you do, you may want to take a tour of the Hardman Farm, located in the Nacoochee Valley only two miles south of Helen of Ga. 17, at its intersection with Ga. 75. This Georgia State Parks historic site features the two-story Hardman House and 17 outbuildings.

Tours will be given between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday through mid-December.

The Hardman House was built in 1869 by Captain James Nichols, who in 1870 built the gazebo atop the Nacoochee Valley Indian Mound, located across the street from the house.

Lamartine Hardman, who served as Georgia governor from 1927 to 1931, bought the house in 1903, where it remained in the family until

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the state acquired the entire farm and Indian mound property in 2000, as a gift from the family. The house is furnished in the period of the 1920s.

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This Holiday, Create a Colorful Feast As you prepare for this season of celebrations, consider recipes that offer a fresh approach to the traditional holiday menu.

With its sweet simplicity and vibrant color, a garnish featuring California grapes can make your meal presentation even more enticing.

Keep those mealtime traditions intact by serving favorites like Brussels sprouts, but pair them with sweet California grapes in a salad for the perfect balance of flavor and crunchy texture.

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Toss all salad ingredients together in large bowl.

Whisk together all dressing ingredients in medium bowl and drizzle over salad. Toss until ingredients are well coated with dressing.

Peanut Butter and Grape Trifle Servings: 14 1 (16-ounce) container nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt 8 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 2 tablespoons honey 1 (8-ounce) container lite whipped topping, divided 1 (16-ounce) store-bought pound cake, sliced into 1-inch cubes 3 cups red seedless California grapes, plus more for garnish 3 cups green seedless Cali-

fornia grapes, plus more for garnish 1/4 cup honey-roasted peanuts, chopped (optional garnish) In medium bowl, stir together yogurt, peanut butter and honey until well combined. Gently fold in half of whipped topping. Set aside.

In clear glass trifle dish or bowl, layer half each of Continued to page 32

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Continued from page 31 pound cake cubes, peanut butter mixture, red grapes and green grapes. Repeat layers a second time and top with remaining whipped topping. Garnish with additional grapes (sliced in half ) if desired, and chopped peanuts, if desired.

Cornbread Dressing with Roasted Grapes, Walnuts and Pancetta Servings: 12 2 cups red seedless California grapes 2 cups green seedless California grapes 2 cups cubed butternut squash 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste 6 ounces diced pancetta 3/4 cup sliced celery 1 large onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced

5 cups coarsely crumbled cornbread (either store-bought or prepared from a mix), toasted 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth 3 tablespoons butter, melted 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar 1 egg, beaten Preheat oven to 400ºF. Toss

grapes and squash cubes together in large bowl with oil, salt and pepper, to taste. Spread in single layer on baking sheet and roast for about 20-30 minutes, until grapes have begun to slightly shrivel and squash is tender. Set aside.

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook pancetta until it begins to brown slightly. Add celery and onions and cook until tender and onions

are translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute more.

Remove from heat.

In large bowl, combine cornbread, pancetta mixture, grapes, squash, walnuts, sage and salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Set aside.

In medium bowl, whisk together broth, butter, vinegar and egg. Pour over cornbread mixture and toss well to combine.

Spray 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Spoon dressing evenly into dish. (At this point, you can either bake immediately or cover and refrigerate overnight to bake the next day.)

Bake, covered with foil, at 350ºF for 20 minutes.

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At the time of this picture in early October, Dooley had a total of 51 goats, 48 of which were female.

Bryan Dooley’s Farm

By J. Todd Truelove The Toccoa Record The raising of goats is a relatively new venture for Toccoa resident Bryan Dooley.

He’s got 25 acres of family property not far

from Liberty Elementary School that he uses for his farm and the three types of livestock on it — goats, chickens and cows.

But goats are what Dooley said he’s considering for a long-term farming operation with a goal to provide

Dooley has six paddocks (pastures) for his goats and cows to graze in and plans to install a pond for drinking water on the largest one.

34

NOVEMBER 2014

LAKE LIVING

an alternative for the selling of goats in northeast Georgia rather than taking them to the sale market.

In early October, Dooley had three male goats and 48 pregnant female goats on his 25-acre tract.

He said that each of the nannies would likely reproduce two kids.

Dooley said that raising goats is easy, but it isn’t something anyone should start until they know enough about it.

“You don’t raise problems; you buy into problems,” he said.

For instance, Dooley said that one problem in raising goats includes parasites that are produced after deer eat a

certain type of worm found under fallen leaves. The parasite can be dangerous for a goat herd.

To resolve that problem, he has two guinea that eat the parasitic critters which protects the goats.

Another challenge for goat herders are of the fourlegged variety.

Foxes and coyotes also may attack at night and steal away the younger members of the herd.

“Make sure you spend your money on your perimeter fence,” Dooley said.

However, even if an animal like a fox makes if through the fence to attack on Dooley’s farm, they’ll come face-to-face with

An incubator is provided in the farm barn for chicken eggs.

another line of defense.

That would be Jack and Maggie — two Great Pyrenees dogs that keep watch. The Pyrenees breed has been used for hundreds of years as livestock protectors, especially sheep in the Basque region of Spain and the Pyrenees Mountains.

Even with the dogs,

Dooley said he started noticing that some of his herd started to go missing.

He eventually learned there was a new predator that Jack and Maggie have a harder time fending against — hawks.

Dooley said he started farming several years ago as he looks toward retiring

B l o w a w ay t h e l e a ve s t h i s f a l l !

Dooley has two Great Pyrenees dogs to watch over his herds — Maggie (the smaller of the two) and Jack.

from the building contracting business.

“I’ve been around farming all my life,” he said, adding that goats came into the picture after he received a call from a man who gave a seminar in Macon where Dooley’s name was men-

K

tioned.

After looking into it, Dooley said that he decided that there was a profit to be made in goat farming.

“The demand (for goats) is only going to go up,” Dooley said, adding that Continued to page 36

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Continued from page 35 goats were the top producers of meat and milk in the world.

And there’s health benefits also as Dooley said that goat meat has more iron than beef, pork and chicken, the same amount of protein as beef, less saturated fat and was almost as low in calories as chicken.

He said that goats also

can be raised on the same paddock (or pasture) as cows because cows feed on grass while goats prefer weeds.

Some facts about goats Dooley noted include: • Various goat breeds are used for milk, meat and wool.

• The most expensive goat ever sold cost $194,547.

• Goats only have bottom

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In addition to goats, Dooley also raises chickens and cows.

teeth. The top is only gums.

• Goats hate getting wet. (Dooley recently built a larger barn due to the increasing size of his herd).

• Farmers discovered coffee beans after they saw goats eating them and their hyperactive reactions afterward.

• Georgia produces the third most amount of goat meat in the U.S. — Texas is number one, and Tennessee number two.

Bryan Dooley has two guinea to help take care of parasites that could kill his goats.

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‘Puppy’ Love

Haden Gailey breeds Weimaraners and loves the arrival of her furry new babies

By Denise Matthews Franklin County Citizen Leader Haden Gailey’s family has just expanded in a big way.

She has eight new babies and is more than delighted with the birth of her furry new crew.

Yes, though it takes a while for some to figure it out, Haden’s new babies are 38

NOVEMBER 2014

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puppies – Weimaraner puppies – to be exact.

“I come to work talking about feeding my babies and leaving them at home and my coworkers tell me I should let people know that my babies are dogs,” the green-eyed brunette chuckled at her terms of endearment for her four-legged family members.

The doting mother of 10-

“I got Veda, 4, from Athens,” Haden said. “She is so calm and smart. She is my shadow. If I take a step, she takes a step.”

Professing a love for German breeds, Haden said she likes them because they are “different.”

“They were bred to hunt deer and bear and eventually, quail,” Haden said.

“They are related to pointers and linked to bloodhounds.

They are an elegant breed.”

Referred to as “gray ghosts,” the Weimaraners, short-haired, sleek, silver and blue, are like streaks of lightning as they bound across the yard.

“They are born with blue eyes which eventually turn amber,” Haden said. “My dog, Ace, though, has kept his blue eyes.”

Not only are they beauti-

ful, they are also smart, calm and laid back, Haden said.

“I won’t have a wild and crazy dog,” she said.

The perfect mix for longtime animal lover Haden.

“I have loved animals since I was born,” Haden chuckled. “And I like uncommon dogs.”

The Weimaraners, she said, are also low maintenance, another plus for the busy mom who, with her full-time job as Franklin County Deputy Clerk and supporting Jayden with her travel ball, doesn’t have time for a lot of extra activities.

“Sido’s daddy was a champion show dog. I got him from Southern Kennels in Alabama and I wouldn’t take anything for him,” Haden said of her 105 pound lively, silver stud.

“But I don’t show my dogs.

They are just big babies and I don’t have the time.”

Haden takes good care of her “babies,” keeping up with their shots, preventative medications and taking care of AKC mandated standards for the pups.

“It can get expensive,” Continued to page 40

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year-old daughter Jayden has four AKC registered Weimaraners, Veda, Sido, Lyza and Ace, and one German Shepherd, Sage – and she adores every one.

“Veda is the alpha dog and my favorite,” Haden confessed of the sleek silver dog.

The gorgeous dogs aren’t just extended family members of Haden’s, though.

She breeds the dogs and eventually sells the much anticipated pups.

“I started breeding them when I was in high school,” Haden reminisced. “Then my dogs passed away and I quit.”

Her love for the breed remained, however, and a few years ago, when she got Veda, she could not resist becoming a breeder once again.

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Continued from page 39 Haden said.

But for the most part, the dogs are pretty self sufficient - especially having their pups.

“Only thing I have done is help Lyza out a little with her first litter,” Haden said.

“She has learned since and did not have any problems with this new litter.”

“She had three blue

males, three silver males and two blue females this time,” Haden said of the new puppies.

And though the silver Weimaraners are the AKC standard recognized that can be shown (the blues meet the standard and can be registered, they just can’t be shown), it is the blue pups that are in demand, according to Haden.

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“The blues are the first to go. I already have people wanting the blue pups,” Haden said.

The savvy breeder has no trouble getting homes for her babies which she sells on Puppy Finder and Puppy File.

“My puppies have gone to Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, N.Y., Alabama and Vancouver, Canada,” Haden said.

“And 95 percent of them go to people who want them as pets and keep them in their homes. They thrive with being part of a family.”

Yes, Haden keeps up with all her babies, becoming Facebook friends with those that purchase her dogs.

“I love getting pictures. I get feedback so I know that what I envision is what I am getting. If the dogs are not

what I intended for them to be, it is not worth doing.”

Loving, working with and breeding her dogs is definitely a worthwhile project for Haden and she hopes that Jayden may enjoy the same one day as well.

“I have started talking to Jayden, telling her that when she is in high school, the dogs could be a source of income for her,” Haden said. “I told her I would give her a female.”

The 10-year-old is more interested in travel ball than puppies right now, though.

“She is not as crazy about them as I am,” Haden sighed. “But I think they will grow on her.”

As for Haden, it’s all love all the time, and with this new litter, she has a bunch of new “babies” to steal her heart.

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The trucks were taken to Altech-Eco in North Carolina where they were outfitted to use compressed natural gas. Cannon said he sees no difference in performance between vehicles powered by conventional gasoline and compressed natural gas.

Compressed Natural Gas bringing GREEN to the City of Toccoa

By Duane Winn The Toccoa Record The City of Toccoa has already left its footprint on clean energy and alternative fuel consumption with the conversion of five vehicles in its fleet to compressed natural gas (CNG) approximately two years ago.

It turns out those were merely baby steps.

The initial conversion was a trial run to ascertain whether the use of CNG in vehicles would result in significant savings to the city in regard to fuel expenditures. It did — and the savings are still there.

In conjunction with the conversion, the city installed a CNG fueling station in 42

NOVEMBER 2014

LAKE LIVING

Toccoa for its vehicles with the help of CNG Technology Systems of Atlanta at a cost of nearly $55,000.

It was financed through a leasing agreement with the Georgia Municipal Authority.

Five additional fleet trucks, purchased from the Mike Jones Ford dealership in Toccoa, recently underwent conversion by AltechEco, a North Carolina company which provided training to city employees so they are able to perform future conversions themselves.

According to City of Toccoa utilities department director Harry Scott, there are 25-30 vehicles in the water department and ap-

proximately 25 vehicles in use in the gas department.

The vehicles using conventional gasoline will be replaced with the CNG vehicles as they age and are no longer fit for city service.

City officials are mulling the feasibility of building two additional fueling stations, two of 2,000 that industry analysts say are expected to be built nationwide by 2019.

They will be available to the public to take advantage of the spike in demand of CNG, which is a cleanerburning fuel than conventional gasoline, as well as being cheaper.

In the process, city officials are learning that, like Kermit the Frog, it isn’t easy

being green.

“There are so many options available, but generally we have decided on two stations right now,” said city manager Billy Morse, “one in the Toccoa area and one on I-85, at 17 in the Lavonia area. But there is so much to learn since this is our first one. we have not completely decided on where, what and so forth.”

Morse said he is hopeful all the details get ironed out before the beginning of the new year and a recommendation can be presented to the city commission for action.

The driving force, of course, behind all of this is the considerable cost savings to the city. Scott said

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atmosphere.

“I’m an asthmatic so that’s important to me,” said Scott.

It’s an important consideration to many people, whether they live in metropolitan areas or more secluded regions like northeast Georgia.

“I think people like the notion of ‘green,’ “ said Stephens County Development Authority executive director Tim Martin, “they like to see communities pay attention to that.”

Morse said officials are committed to improving the quality of life for its residents. He said that can be seen in the construction of a new municipal swimming pool that opened in August, as well as various renovations to the Schaefer Center for Performing Arts and a concerted beautification effort by civic and municipal organizations to spruce up city environs.

The move to CNG is just another facet in that conviction.

“Natural gas is the clean, green fuel of choice,” he said.

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the city has locked in a purchase price of no more than $1.25 per gallon for CNG, far less than the price tag for conventional gasoline.

There also is a tourism component that makes a lot of sense.

A CNG fueling station appears to be a natural fit for Toccoa since it it located at a strategic spot between Atlanta and tourist attractions in North Carolina and South Carolina.

“People who can drive vehicles that can use CNG (form) a network that they can plug into and they plan their routes based on where they can fill up,” said Morse. “ “We want one in Toccoa because that’s where we are and that’s where our vehicles are based for the most part,” said Morse. “But we want to be near I-85 to capture travelers so that’s the thinking there.”

But there are other motives behind the effort, ones that go beyond the bottom line.

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COMMUNITY EVENTS FRANKLIN Nov. 8 • HOBO SUPPER 4:30-6:30 p.m. Sponsored by The Line Woman’s Club. Proceeds will be used to replace the roof on the Line Community Center, one of the remaining school buildings in Franklin County. Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for 10 yrs. old & under. The meal consists of a variety of beans, cooked cabbage, slaw, macaroni & cheese, fat back, and includes dessert and drink.

Plates available for “take out” or “eat in”. For information and tickets contact Sue Humphrey at 706-356-4084.

School located on Hwy 17 between Lavonia & Martin.

Nov. 15 • Tri County Christian Home Educators 4th Annual Holiday Bazaar - 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Cornerstone

Baptist Church in Hartwell.

Proceeds to benefit Hart Life.

There will be lots of vendors for your shopping pleasure.

Tables are $15. If you would like to have a table at the event contact April Beasley 706-376-9050.

Carnesville: Dec. 4 • Christmas Tree Lighting - 7 p.m.

Dec. 6 • Breakfast with Santa - 9 a.m.

Dec. 6 • Christmas Parade - 2 p.m. with the Party in the Park following.

Canon: Nov. 30 • Christmas Tree Lighting - 6 p.m. with a pepper show and musical.

Dec. 6 • Christmas Parade 11 a.m.

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Nov. 8 • Sacred Heart Church of Hartwell Arts and Craft Show - 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Huge Indoor Arts & Craft Show at Sacred Heart Church Social Hall, 1009 Benson Street (across from Quality Foods). Come and see the unique artistry of many local craftsmen and get that Special gift for yourself or others! Baked goods and casseroles to be sold Breakfast and lunches available Raffle tickets available for hourly drawings of great prizes

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Lighting - 6 p.m. Train ride and bouncy slide begins at 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 14 • Christmas Parade 3:30 p.m.

For more information, call Judy Earle at 706-376-3476.

Nov. 15 • Casa Superhero Run for Northeast Georgia. Fun Run at 8:20 a.m./5K at 9 a.m. at 1763 Tugaloo State Park Rd., Lavonia. The Fun and 5K will be on roads through beautiful Tugaloo State Park. Each participant must complete a registration form. $20 pre-registered 5K—postmarked by 11/05/14. $25 thereafter and 5K race day. $15 Fun Run/Walk (any age). $50 Family Rate (up to 4 runners) pre-registered only.

Race day registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Registration also available on Active.com. For information, contact CASA at 706-886-1098 or www. negacasa,org.

Nov. 16 • 14th Annual Run for Happy Homes 5K Run/ Walk, 1 Mile Fun Run. Supporting the Northeast Georgia Council on Domestic

Violence. 2:30 p.m. --1 mile fun run; 3 p.m.--5K run/walk.

Registration for one or both events is $25 before the day of the race. Race day registration is $30. Packet pick-up and sign-in begins at 1:30 p.m. on race day at McGee Heating & Air Conditioning.

Make checks payable to NE GA Council on Domestic Violence and mail to: NEGACDV, PO Box 814, Hartwell, GA 30643. Or register online at www.active.com.

Nov. 21 & 22 - 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 23 at 3 p.m. • Savannah River Productions presents It’s a Wonderful Life at Lonnie Burns Fine Arts Center, Hart County High School Auditorium – Based on the beloved 1946 film, this musical faithfully follows George Bailey’s life. The adaptation retains the warmth and humor of the original. A new holiday classic is for devotees and newcomers alike.

Nov. 22 • Toy ride. Southern Still – The fourth annual toy ride for Marine Toys for Tots Foundation for all children begins at 12 p.m. All vehicles welcome. $20 donation or new unwrapped toy per car/ bike. Meet at Swamp Bar in Hartwell. Registration at noon and kickstands up at 1 p.m. Come and enjoy a scenic route through Hart County ending at Hartwell VFW. Food and drinks at VFW. DiMarco performing at 3 p.m.

Contact Cathy Carter at 706436-1967.

Nov. 28 • Hartwell’s Annual Home for the Holidays - 6-9 p.m. Hartwell’s Main Street’s traditional Christmas tree lighting with horse drawn carriage rides, seasonal music, 6 p.m. the Lighting of the Tree, 6:30 p.m. Santa and elves/ time with children. Bring your cameras. The event closes with a community Christmas carol sing along. Contact Downtown Development Authority at 706-376-7168 or hartwellmainstreet@hartcom. net, or www.hartwellmainstreet.com

Nov. 23 • Habitat for Humanity 5K Run/Walk - 2 p.m. at the Tri-County Wellness Park in Royston. $25 per person pre-registration; $30 day of race. Free t-shirt with registration. Register online at www.active.com or www. harthabitat.org or pick up a registration form at any Pinnacle Bank location. Call 706356-5479 or 706-436-0741.

Nov. 28 • Cateechee Ladies Golf Association’s Girl’s Golf Scholarship Fundraiser Putting Contest at the Cateechee Golf Club Practice Putting Green from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The cost is $5 and tickets can be purchased at the time of the event. This is a Closest to the Hole putting contest.

Proceeds go for scholarships for senior girls on the golf

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teams at Hart, Franklin and Elbert County high schools.

Contact Gena Cauthen at 706-376-8742 or gcauthen@ hartcom.net.

Dec. 2-20 • Mistletoe Market, every Tues. - Sat., 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. At the Art Center on the Square in Hartwell.

Wanted: artisans, crafters, and artists. Market will feature the region’s most creative individuals and their handiwork.

Items commercially made are disqualified from this market. $15.00 per table. Registration deadline is Friday, Nov. 28.

Debra Taylor at 404-558-2276 or taylordubeau@comcast. net.

Dec. 4 - 7 • Santa’s Shoppe.

3rd Annual Craft Show to benefit NE Georgia CASA is seeking qualified vendors, esp. pottery and wood, for a four-day event to take place at 233 George Burns Lane, Hartwell. Will be included in

the Hartwell Tour of Homes.

This show will have a large variety of items, all handmade, and a tree decorated with a variety of ornaments made by each vendor. There will be Mrs. Santa’s kitchen with homemade jams, jellies, cookies, candies, cakes, pies, salad dressings, soups, and more.

Vendors do not have to be present each day of the event. Vendors who would like to participate call Diane at 706-717-8855 or email ourplaceonthelake@comcast. net for information. Donation fee is $40.

Dec. 5 • Hart County Chamber’s Annual Christmas Parade - 6:30 p.m. Celebrate the Hartwell experience with the Friday evening parade of lights as it winds through town along Franklin Street, ending at the Hart County High School. The cost to enter is $15. The Parade will start at the parking lot at Athens

Street and Hwy. #51 at 6 p.m.

Contact the Hart County Chamber at 706-376-8590 or via email hartchamber@ hartcom.net for a registration form.

Dec. 6 & 7 • Hartwell Service League presents A Christmas Tour. Sat. 5 - 8 p.m. and Sun. 2 - 5 p.m. Tickets are $15 and include 1 Christmas shoppe, 4 homes, 1 church and 1 holiday reception. Purchase tickets at Bailes-Cobb, Hartwell Chamber of Commerce or from any Hartwell Service League Member.

For information, contact Pat Harper at 706-376-5643.

Dec. 12-14 and 19-21 • HCCT presents Christmas Belles. Fri.-Sat. performances at 7:30 p.m. Sun. performances at 2:30 p.m. Call 706-3765599 for reservations. wwww. hartcoountycommunitytheatre.com or check out our Facebook page.

TOCCOA Nov. 13 • Northeast GA Community Concert Series: The Malpass Brothers - 7-9 p.m. www.negaconcerts.com.

At the Schaefer Center. $20 Adults - $10 Child Dec. 4 • 4th Annual Lighting of the Christmas Tree Paul Anderson Park. Come by the park and enjoy a delicious Variety meal for lunch or dinner. Have your children’s picture made with Santa from 5-7 p.m. Enjoy some hot drinks and brownies from the Java Station Café. Hear the True Story of Christmas by Roy English. The SCHS chorus will help put us in the Christmas spirit. Many more activities and events are planned for the park.

The Christmas Tree Lighting will take place at 7 pm. Varsity Tickets $10 for Lunch or Dinner

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on your list. Enjoy refreshemts while you shop. Adult tickets: $7 advance/$10 at the door.

Children and Students: $3 advance/$5 at the door. Advance tickets are available at the Toccoa Stephens County Chamber of Commerce and online at www.toccoasymphony.org Dec. 5 • Christmasfest & Lighting of the Tree. Downtown Toccoa, Sharon Crosby 706-282-3309

tions reflecting the Victorian Era. Historical interpreters dressed in period style clothing will be on hand to help you experience the inn as an 1830s visitor. Free hot cider and teacakes will be served. $3-$5. Nancy Hyndman, 706244-8951, 706-356-4362.

Dec. 5 • Christmasfest & Lighting of the Tree. Downtown Toccoa. Sharon Crosby 706-282-3309

Dec. 5-6 • Festival of Trees.

SC Historic Courthouse Sharon Crosby 706-282-3309 Dec. 6 • Christmas Parade.

- 4 p.m. Historic Downtown Toccoa Toccoa Women’s Club 706-716-0490 To have an event listed please email vbaskins@thehartwellsun.com or fax to 706-376-3016 attention Lake Living Magazine.

Dec. 6 • Christmas Parade - 4 p.m. Historic Downtown Toccoa. Toccoa Women’s Club, 706-716-0490 Dec. 13 • Victorian Christmas at Traveler’s Rest Historic Site - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Visits Georgia’s last standing stagecoach inn while halls are decked with decora-

Ground Burial, Mausoleum and Cremation Memorilization.

Mon, Tues, Thurs 8am-7pm Sat 10am-Noon 124 Athens St., Hartwell, GA Plaza Shopping Center Look us up on facebook!

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Dec. 5-6 • Festival of Trees.

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Dec. 7 • Toccoa Symphony Orchestra Christmas Concert and Currahee Artists’ Guild Art Show & Sale - 2 - 4 p.m. Georgia Baptist Conference Center. Art Show: 2 - 4 p.m. Concert: 4 p.m. Kick-off the Christmas season with song and merriment! The Orchestra will perform classic Christmas pieces plus a medley from the hit popular movie “Frozen” featuring “Let It Go”, which will be sung by students from Liberty and Big A Elementary Schools. A hundred voices will sing on high when The Toccoa Community Choir joins the Orchestra on stage singing an array of your favorite Christmas tunes.

There’s even a sing-along to get you in to the holiday spirit. Come early! The Currahee Artist’s Guild will have items for sale in the lobby before the concert. Paintings, pottery, jewelry and other fare will be available for purchase.

Find something for everyone

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Stephanie had done the research on breast cancer. She knew Athens Regional was the right choice.

Dr. Cody Gunn Stephanie’s Surgeon, ARMC

In his decades as a surgeon, Dr. Cody Gunn had never met a patient quite like Stephanie Sharp. While most patients are understandably nervous about the process of healing and look to their physicians and caregivers for guidance, Stephanie approached her challenge by taking the reigns and leading her team into battle. And thanks to Dr. Gunn and her entire

cancer free and is dedicated to helping other women during their recovery journeys.

To schedule your mammogram today, call 706.475.4960 or go online to AthensHealth.org/GetMammo.

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Watch Stephanie’s story at AthensHealth.org/Cancer NOVEMBER 2014

LAKE LIVING