Ryan’s Remarks

By Dr. Ryan T. Sauers

Hello, everyone. Happy September. The fall season is almost here, and I always look forward to the fall weather with its cooler temperatures. I love all sports. Football is back, and baseball will be fun to watch down the stretch.

I have worked with many individuals and organizations on the best way to build their brands. So, this month I decided to focus on how you (an individual or organization) can best communicate your brand and story.

Everyone has a brand. Yes—everyone. Thus, the question is NOT if you have a brand, but what do you do with your brand? Your brand is not defined by what you say it is, but is indeed characterized by what others say it is. To that end, successful individuals/organizations work hard to develop their brands through effective communication. Perception is a reality when it comes to your brand.

It is critical to remember that building a strong, recognizable, and consistent brand takes time, effort, and commitment. And it requires a deliberate, purposeful, and intentional strategy. We live in a constantly connected world, making it vital to keep your name and story in front of people through all mediums. Our company helps people in organizations do this every day, so please connect if you want to know more.

To help simplify this subject, I have developed a BRAND acronym. A BRAND can be considered the Baseline (measurement) of one’s Reputation, Attributes, Name, and Distinctiveness. Reputation is all you

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Trickum Middle School Holds Spring Car Show to Benefit Relay for Life “Cars for a Cause”

By Tana Poncsak

Anyone who has been in Gwinnett County and has been a part of the Gwinnett County School District knows that the school system has supported Relay for Life for some time now, and that support continues in various ways. As for Trickum Middle School, their support took the form of a car show in April 2023.

Cars for a Cause took place on April 29th to benefit Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society. The school’s core team members who coordinated the event included Sherri Brown, Regan Gritz, Shannon Terhune, and Yvonne Johnson.

According to Brown, a special education math teacher at the school, there were about 70 to 80 cars that registered to show in the event with an estimated 300 to 400 people who attended. For this event alone, the middle school raised about $4,300, with the school being listed as one of the top teams on the Gwinnett Relay for Life website.

Trickum Middle School enlisted the help of a seasoned car show planner and classic car specialist, Kelly Willoughby, of American Street Machines to help with the planning and execution of the show. Willoughby says the funds were raised through local businesses that sponsored the event, the small registration/entry fee for the cars in the show, raffles held, and food sold. Promotion was through ads and through social media, but Willoughby also pointed out that the location on Killian Hill Road with its great visibility didn’t hurt.

“Spectators were free, so we encouraged families and everyone to come out,” Willoughby says. “We had a good turnout.”

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