January/February 2022: Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre

COBB ENERGY PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

JAN - FEB 2022

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons FEBRUARY 24 SHEN YUN January 11-15

THE TEMPTATIONS & THE FOUR TOPS February 17

BLACK VIOLIN February 18

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L E T T E R F R O M T H E M A N AG I N G D I R E C TO R Welcome. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F E AT U R E Artsbridge Foundation’s Overture Gala. . . . . . . . . . .

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4 A rtsBridge Foundation’s

S H OW I N F O R M AT I O N Music 4 the Soul. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Shen Yun. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Pirates of Penzance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Snow White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Firebird. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The British Invasion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Temptations and the Four Tops..

Black Violin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I Mom So Hard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Frankie Valli. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Overture Gala to feature

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big names and big prizes to support arts education.

DEPART MENTS Information. . . . . . . . . 21 Upcoming Events/ Sponsors. . . . . . . . . 22 Staff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 ArtsBridge Donors. . . 24 ArtsBridge Events. . . 25

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2 | welcome Dear Patrons of Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Happy New Year! 2022 promises to be a busy year at the Centre. The demand for live events has filled our calendar as never before. A diverse schedule has something for everyone.

We welcome Music 4 The Soul, the return of Shen Yun and The Atlanta Opera’s Pirates of Penzance in January. February brings the return of Atlanta Ballet with Snow White and Firebird, followed by The British Invasion, The Temptations & The Four Tops, Black Violin, IMOMSOHARD, and Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.

ArtsBridge Foundation will soon welcome the fourtime Southeast Emmy® Award-winning Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards - Shuler Hensley Awards® back to the Centre on April 21.

50 Georgia high schools are participating this year with the top schools and students taking the stage. ArtsBridge will also host their annual gala on Friday, August 5 to raise funds to continue its mission of arts education. Visit their website at www.ArtsBridgeGA.org, to learn more about all of the exciting opportunities!

Thank you and please… enjoy the show!

Sincerely, Vickie Hubbard Managing Director

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OVERTURE GALA ArtsBridge Foundation’s Overture Gala to feature big names and big prizes to support arts education STORY BY Jennifer D. Dobbs

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ARTSBRIDGE OVERTURE GALA August 5 Tickets are $350 each. In addition, sponsorships range from $1,000 to $25,000.

To purchase tickets, visit ArtsBridgeGA.org/special-events or call the Foundation at 770.916.2817.

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t’s been a long time since Jennifer Dobbs has been able to welcome students to a performance in the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre’s John A. Williams Theatre.

“I really missed seeing my ‘sweet babies,’ as I call them, getting off their buses and excitedly entering the building, looking around the building with a sense of awe and wonder,” she says.

The COVID-19 pandemic halted in-person ArtsBridge programs and events for nearly two years, but ArtsBridge staff worked to find innovative ways of serving Georgia’s K-12 students throughout it. “While the pandemic served up a plethora of challenges, it also provided opportunity for creative programming and outreach,” Dobbs says.

ArtsBridge has a Financial Aid Subsidy program that assists families and schools to attend programming. However, due to the devastating financial impact of the pandemic, it has become even more difficult for them to access auxiliary arts education programs.

That’s why increasing financial aid funding has become even more important.

“The barriers are greater, so the need is greater,” explains Jennifer, “and that is why we are working extra hard to raise funds that will increase our

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Kristen Chenoweth makes a surprise appearance at the 2019 Overture Gala.

financial aid program. One major source of revenue for the Foundation is the Overture Gala, a fundraiser typically held every year.

This year’s event is August 5. For the price of a $350 ticket, gala attendees can attend a cocktail reception, enjoy a gourmet dinner, and compete for a long list of big-ticket prizes in a live auction before heading out to premier seats for ABBA The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA. But the ABBA tribute band won’t be the only awesome talent witnessed that evening. Georgia student musicians will perform during the reception and dinner, including budding elementary school performers and students from Ringgold High School in Ringgold who received a Shuler Hensley Award® for Overall Production at last year’s Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards. “I promise -

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you will be astounded by the talent of all the student performers,” Dobbs enthuses.

There are also new twists in the evening’s pre-ABBA entertainment. Monica Pearson, the Emmy® Awardwinning broadcast journalist and TV anchor, will step into the spotlight once again to serve as Mistress of Ceremonies, and Auction Horizon, the husband-and-wife team of Jason and Tarryn Troutman, will oversee a live auction to raise support for ArtsBridge Foundation’s Adopt-A-School program.

Among the prizes scheduled for the evening: • A luxurious Waldorf Astoria resort vacation package • Two first-class round-trip tickets to anywhere in the 50 states • A luxury box for an Atlanta Braves game at Truist Park This year’s honorary chair is Atlanta’s former First Lady, Valerie Jackson, Chairman of the Board and Principal, Jackmont Hospitality. For the first time ever, the gala chair position is a family affair as Samit Roy, CEO of Scicom Infrastructure Services, Inc. and an ArtsBridge Foundation board member, is joined by his wife, Mita, their son Sid, Scicom’s executive vice president of operations and client support, and his wife, Elisa.

The Overture Gala is one of the highlights of Atlanta’s charitable events calendar, but all the fun and games have a serious purpose: to support the Foundation’s arts education and outreach programs.

“Our mission is to expand arts education for all Georgia students and our vision is that everyone, especially underserved and Title I schools and students, has access to arts experiences,” Dobbs

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8 | encore says. “We work hard to remove financial and transportation barriers that limit access to our programming, so these students can receive the supplemental arts education that other schools can access more easily.” The arts play a vital role in a student’s education, Dobbs says.

“The arts provide the “A” in a holistic STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) educational approach. We know through research conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the National Centre for Education Statistics, and other authorities that exposure to the arts improves critical thinking, civic engagement, problem solving, academic scores, and much more.”

Putting a child in an auditorium seat for an interactive performance, like Bill Blagg’s The Science of Magic, which teaches students how magicians use science to create illusions, is more than just a day away from school, though.

“You don’t have to go into the theater or music profession to benefit from the arts,” Dobbs says. “In the workforce, we can see how impactful the arts are to creativity, ingenuity, and leadership. An NEA study shows that, as of 2019, arts and culture contribute nearly $920 billion to the U.S. economy, or over 4% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product, surpassing the construction and transportation/ warehousing sectors combined.

“We are improving their vision and knowledge of the world and helping to mold them as human beings, all of which has a positive impact on the U.S. workforce.”

The arts are big business in Georgia. A recent report from the Georgia Council for the Arts estimated that creative industries – film and TV production, music,

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theatre, dance, digital entertainment, and cultural institutions – have a combined economic impact of $62.5 billion.

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Students arriving for a field trip to Cobb Energy Centre.

But the most important thing the Foundation can do is to help students understand that the arts are for them, whether as creators and performers or as people who appreciate them, Dobbs says. “We’re trying to create arts supporters, but we’re also trying to help create well-rounded people and give them tools to be leaders, innovators, and creative people who use their gifts, whatever they may be, to positively impact the community and world around them,” she says.

What the gala will provide, in turn, is awareness among attendees that their money will be well spent.

“We love having students perform at our galas because we want to show our attendees that no matter what background you come from, the talent and capability exists. We have highly talented

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Lambert High School, 2019 Overall Production Shuler Award winner.

students, whether they attend Title I schools, home schools, public schools, or private schools.

Everyone has something to give!”

EVENT INFORMATION What: Overture Gala to benefit the ArtsBridge Foundation When: Friday, August 5 Where: Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Events begin at 5 p.m. with a cocktail reception in the ballroom prefunction, followed by dinner at 5:45 p.m., a live auction, and student performances, all in the Kessel D. Stelling Ballroom, and attendance at “ABBA The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA” in the John A. Williams Theatre.

Purchase tickets: ArtsBridgeGA.org/special-events

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MUSIC 4 THE SOUL January 8 8 p.m.

Music 4 The Soul featuring the legendary 70’s sounds of The New STYLISTICS featuring Russell Thompkins Jr. You Make Me Feel Brand New, Break Up To Make Up, Bloodlines, Peaches & Herb, Enchantment along with the smooth sounds of The Delfonics grooving to La La Means I Love You and Didn’t I. This show promises to take you back down memory lane with some of the greatest hits of all time. A portion of the proceeds will go towards helping students attend private high schools through our GEMs program.

Tickets start at $55 and are available through Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-982-2787. The Synovus Box Office at Cobb Energy Centre is now open on performance days only, starting at 2 p.m.

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SHEN YUN January 11-14 7:30 p.m.

January 15 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Shen Yun Performing Arts is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company, established in New York in 2006. It performs classical Chinese dance, ethnic and folk dance, and storybased dance, with orchestral accompaniment and solo performers. For 5,000 years, divine culture flourished in the land of China. Through breathtaking music and dance, Shen Yun is reviving this glorious culture. Shen Yun, can be translated as: “The beauty of divine beings dancing.”

Tickets start at $85.00 and are available through Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-982-2787. The Synovus Box Office at Cobb Energy Centre is now open on performance days only, starting at 2 p.m.

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PIRATES OF PENZANCE THE ATLANTA OPERA January 22 8:00 p.m.

Composer: Arthur Sullivan Librettist: William S. Gilbert

January 25 7:30 p.m.

As Frederic enters the rank of full pirate at the end of his apprenticeship, he and his fellow pirates court the daughters of Major-General Stanley. This sets off a hilarious course of riotous events that pit Frederic against his pirate clan. The Pirates of Penzance is a rollicking show featuring famous tunes, including the “Major-General’s Song,” Oh, Better Far to Live and Die, and With Cat-Like Tread.

January 28 8:00 p.m.

January 30 3:00 p.m.

Performed in English with English supertitles Tickets start at $41.00 and are available through Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-982-2787. The Synovus Box Office at Cobb Energy Centre is now open on performance days only, starting at 2 p.m.

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SNOW WHITE ATLANTA BALLET 2 February 4 7:00 p.m.

February 5 2:00 p.m & 7:00 p.m.

February 6 2:00 p.m.

In this one-hour ballet version of Snow White choreographed by Bruce Wells, audiences will enjoy following the young heroine and her prince as they outwit the schemes of the evil queen. Performed by Atlanta Ballet 2, this shortened family version may be designed for our youngest audience members (ages 12 and under), but this magnificent production can be enjoyed by children and adults alike.

Tickets start at $10.00 and are available through Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-982-2787. The Synovus Box Office at Cobb Energy Centre is now open on performance days only, starting at 2 p.m.

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FIREBIRD ATLANTA BALLET February 11 8:00 p.m.

February 12 2:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m.

February 13 2:00 p.m.

In February, audiences will finally have the opportunity to enjoy Yuri Possokhov’s sensational Firebird, performed live with the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra.

Visually and musically arresting, Firebird is an explosive production that can be enjoyed by all ages.

Darian Kane will be expanding on the initial concept of her Dr. Rainbow’s Infinity Mirror to create a complete ballet, and following the debut of his piece, Touchline, Anderson Souza will choreograph his second world premiere on the Company, performed with live accompaniment by composer/musician Khari Joyner.

Tickets start at $25.00 and are available through Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-982-2787. The Synovus Box Office at Cobb Energy Centre is now open on performance days only, starting at 2 p.m.

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THE BRITISH INVASION February 16 7:00 p.m.

On Sunday, February 9, 1964, close to 50 percent of U.S. television viewers tuned in to the number one variety show of the era, The Ed Sullivan Show, to see the American debut of a British group called The Beatles. This was the beginning of a cultural phenomenon known as the British invasion. On February 16 at Cobb Energy Centre, audiences will experience The British Invasion – Live on Stage (www.

TheBritishInvationLive.com), an all-new live concert event that showcases the most popular music from that era.

Tickets start at $30.00 and are available through Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-982-2787. The Synovus Box Office at Cobb Energy Centre is now open on performance days only, starting at 2 p.m.

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THE TEMPTATIONS AND THE FOUR TOPS February 17 8 p.m.

It’s a Motown, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Grammy Lifetime Achievement double header featuring The Temptations My Girl, Ain’t Too Proud To Beg, I Wish It Would Rain, I Can’t Get Next to You, Just My Imagination, and The Four Tops I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch), It’s the Same Old Song, Reach Out I’ll be There, Bernadette, Ain’t No Woman Like the One I’ve Got. The Temptations include original member Otis Williams. The Four Tops include original member Abdul “Duke” Fakir.

Tickets start at $55.00 and are available through Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-982-2787. The Synovus Box Office at Cobb Energy Centre is now open on performance days only, starting at 2 p.m.

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BLACK VIOLIN February 18 7:30 p.m.

Black Violin is led by classically trained string players Wil B. (viola) and Kev Marcus (violin). Joining them onstage are DJ SPS and drummer Nat Stokes. The band uses their unique blend of classical and hip-hop music to overcome stereotypes while encouraging people of all ages, races, and economic backgrounds to join together to break down cultural barriers. The band has performed for over 100,000 students in the US and Europe, and has partnered with Yamaha and NAMM (National Association of Music Manufactures) to continue supporting music education.

Tickets start at $19.00 and are available through Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-982-2787. The Synovus Box Office at Cobb Energy Centre is now open on performance days only, starting at 2 p.m.

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IMOMSOHARD February 19 7:00 p.m.

No one can make moms feel as uncomfortably normal as Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley. With more than 1.5 million followers on social media and 120 million views of their web series in less than 2 years, the Nebraska natives blend of honesty and humor resonates with moms and dads alike, proving these two have become the hottest tickets in town.

Tickets start at $45.00 and are available from Ticketmaster.com or the Synovus Box Office at Cobb Energy Centre; now open on performance days only, starting at 2 p.m.

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FRANKIE VALLI AND THE FOUR SEASONS February 24 7:30 p.m.

The original Jersey boy himself, Frankie Valli is a true American legend. His incredible career with the Four Seasons, as well as his solo success, has spawned countless hit singles. With unforgettable tunes like Sherry, Walk Like A Man, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Rag Doll, December ‘63 - Oh What A Night, Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You, and of course, Grease. His songs have been omnipresent in other iconic movies such as The Deer Hunter, Dirty Dancing, Mrs. Doubtfire, Conspiracy Theory and The Wanderers.

Tickets start at $72.50 and are available through Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-982-2787. The Synovus Box Office at Cobb Energy Centre is now open on performance days only, starting at 2 p.m.

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THEATRE INFORMATION Concessions: Concession stands are located in the center of the lobbies. All sales are cashless – credit or debit card only.

Emergency information: In the event of an emergency, please locate the nearest usher who will direct you to the appropriate exit.

Elevators: Elevators are located on each side of the lobbies on all levels.

Lost and found: Items are turned into the Synovus Box Office on the day of a performance. To inquire about a lost item, please call Public Safety at 770.916.2911.

Parking: PREPAID PARKING AVAILABLE. Cobb Energy Centre offers prepaid parking for performances. On each performance page on the Cobb Energy Centre website there is now a button to purchase parking in advance for $17.75 Day of parking is still available for $15 (credit or debit card only). There are 1,000 on-site parking spaces; 700 in a four-level deck and 300 more in a surface lot. $15 day of park fee; $17.75 prepay option.

Patron Health: Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre is keeping up to date with local and state health guidelines. We are taking steps and implementing new policies and procedures in order to make your return to live events as safe and enjoyable as possible.

Central to our commitment to patron health and safety is a staff member who is certified in infection mitigation to oversee our program and ensure adherence to these protocols. Visit our website for show specific guidelines.

Restrooms: Located on house right and house left of all three lobbies. Family restrooms are located on house right of all three lobbies. Mobility-impaired patrons may use any of our restrooms.

Smoking: Smoking, vaping and e-cigarettes are prohibited inside the building.

Special assistance: Persons requiring access assistance are asked to contact the Ticketmaster at 800-982-2787 for advance arrangements. Audio clarification devices are available to our hearingimpaired guests at no charge. This is on a first-come, first-served basis. These are available at the Synovus Box Office.

Wheelchairs are available upon request.

All items require a form of identification to be held until the item is returned.

COBB ENERGY CENTRE REQUESTS: •A ll patrons, regardless of age, must have a ticket to be admitted to the performance. Please be aware that not all events are suitable for children.

Infants will not be admitted to adult programs. Parents will be asked to remove children who create a disturbance.

• Please turn off all cellphones before each performance. Please limit conversation during the performance.

• Audio & video recording devices are permitted or restricted at the discretion of the artist(s).

• Please unwrap all candies and cough drops before the performance.

•T his policy applies to The Atlanta Opera and Atlanta Ballet only: We know that patrons make every effort to be on time for events out of respect for the performers and other theatregoers. However, there are times when traffic or weather problems cause late arrivals. Latecomers may watch the beginning of a show on flat-screen TVs in our lobby until the theatre has reopened to allow guests into the auditorium. In addition, touring companies set the policy for allowing those who arrive past curtain time into the theatre. We ask late patrons to wait until the approved time and we reopen the theatre doors. Please plan ahead to arrive early and relax before the performance begins.

22 | upcomingevents For the most up-to-date list of performances, please visit cobbenergycentre.com.

Tickets sold at the Synovus Box Office at Cobb Energy Centre, Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-982-2787.

The Atlanta Opera - Atlanta Ballet - Giselle Barber of Seville March 18-20, 2022 March 5, 8, 11 & 13, 2022

Buddy Guy March 25, 2022

Kathleen Madigan March 26, 2022

Leanne Morgan March 27, 2022

David Spade April 1, 2022

Daniel Habif April 3, 2022

Trixie & Katya Live April 8, 2022

Lewis Black April 9,2022

ATL Blues Festival April 16, 2022

The Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards April 21, 2022

Jay Leno April 23, 2022

The Atlanta Opera The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs April 30, May 3, 6 & 8, 2022

Atlanta Ballet Strike Your Fancy May 13-15, 2022

John Crist May 21, 2022

Tim Allen June 3, 2022

Brit Floyd June 4, 2022

Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band June 22, 2022

ABBA The Concert August 5, 2022

Heilung August 26, 2022

VENUE SPONSORS

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staff

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VENUE STAFF MANAGING DIRECTOR Vickie Hubbard DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, SPONSORSHIPS, & PROGRAMMING Tom Rowland

DIRECTOR OF SAFETY & SECURITY Larry Green

DIRECTOR OF FACILITY SERVICES Arthur McDowell

PUBLIC SAFETY MANAGER Jamie Wheeler

DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES Carly Kay

BOX OFFICE MANAGER Richard Scholla

CULINARY DIRECTOR/ EXECUTIVE CHEF Nicholas Walker

ASSISTANT BOX OFFICE MANAGER Russel Kennedy

DIRECTOR OF FOOD & BEVERAGE Susan Burchell

CONTRACT MANAGER Dianna Cassin-Khoury

BANQUET MANAGER Abol Ghoreishi

DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING Brian Duncan

PATRON SERVICES SUPERVISOR Cheryl Lambert

HOUSEKEEPING MANAGER Jeri Wallis

CHIEF ENGINEER Marty Taylor

RECEPTIONIST Beryl Bernier

ENGINEERING SUPERVISOR Joseph DeSoto

DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION Brian Fiegelman

HUMAN RESOURCES SPECIALIST Lorena Dominguez DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Rob Turner

PRODUCTION MANAGER Dave Ragsdale COBB-MARIETTA COLISEUM & EXHIBIT HALL AUTHORITY CHAIRMAN Jerry Nix | Post 6

SECRETARY Connie Engel | Post 7

VICE CHAIRMAN Robert P. Voyles | Post 3

Steve “Thunder” Tumlin | Post 1

GENERAL MANAGER & CEO Michele L. Swann

Joseph B. Atkins | Post 4 Derek Norton | Post 2 Lisa Cupid | Post 5

ARTSBRIDGE FOUNDATION PRESIDENT Clare Richardson

DIRECTOR W. Imara Canady

DIRECTOR Barbarella Diaz

DIRECTOR Sam Olens

VICE PRESIDENT Joanne Truffelman

DIRECTOR Helen S. Carlos

DIRECTOR Fran Friedrich

DIRECTOR Samit Roy

SECRETARY/ TREASURER Larry M. Dingle

Director Charles A. Chesnutt

DIRECTOR Jerry Nix

DIRECTOR Matt Westmoreland

DIRECTORS EMERITI Kessel D. Stelling Percy Vaughn Jack Ward

Barbara E. Williams

ARTSBRIDGE FOUNDATION STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jennifer D. Dobbs

PROGRAM COORDINATOR Elliott Folds

DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING COORDINATOR Lillie Chupp

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Listing reflects gifts made between October 1, 2020 and December 22, 2021. If you do not see your name or are listed incorrectly, we apologize. Please contact us at 770.916.2817 to correct.

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