Awesome
202 0
DAW S ON
Dawson County’s NEWCOMER’S GUIDE
Presented by
Our Heart is in Northeast Georgia. Request an appointment with a cardiologist at one of The Heart Center of Northeast Georgia Medical Center’s locations, including Dawsonville and Dahlonega, by calling 770-534-2020 or visiting heartngmc.org/appointment.
Exceptional health care, close to home. Family Medicine | General Surgery | OB/GYN Pediatrics | Internal Medicine | Pain Medicine Sports Medicine | Psychiatry | Urgent Care
Three locations to serve you in Dawson County: Medical Plaza 400 | 108 Prominence Court OB/GYN | 300 Dawson Commons Circle, Suite 310 Pain Medicine | 200 Dawson Commons Circle, Suite 220
ngpg.org
N e
CONTENTS
Contents 04 06
4
EDITOR Alexander Popp PUBLISHER Stephanie Woody ADVERTISING SALES Jennifer Richardson
Contents
CREATIVE SERVICES Chelsea Sunshine, Magazine Design April Seymour, Ad Design
Dawson County Map
07
Dawson County Representatives
08
Dawsonville Representatives
PHOTOGRAPHY Cole Carter, Jacob Smith, Erica Schmidt CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Erica Schmidt and Jacob Smith Dawson County News Dawsonville, GA A Metro Market Media Inc. property www.dawsonnews.com
10
Important Phone Numbers
12
Dawson County School System
16
Small Businesses
20
Dawson County Featured Parks
26
Community Profiles dawsonnews.com
Manuscripts, artwork, photography, inquiries and submitted materials are welcome. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by an information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Metro Market Media Inc. Although every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy of published materials, Metro Market Media cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. Dawson County New reserves the right to refuse advertisements for any reason. Acceptance of advertising does not mean or imply the services or product is endorsed or recommended by Dawson County News.
“Where southern charm meets rustic elegance to create the most memorable events!”
The Willows Farm Marble Hill, GA www.thewillowsfarm.com • 404.456.2212
DAWSON COUNTY MAP
DAWSON COUNTY
Dawson County
ocations
ct: nty Fire Station #6 d Road
Billy Thurmond Board of Commissioners Chair chairman@dawsoncounty.org
Sh District district1@
Dave Headley County Manager dheadley@dawsoncounty.org
C District district1@
inct: nty Board of Elecstration Office Avenue
t: nty EMS Station #2 Drive
Key
Amicalola Falls State Park
Tim District district1@
Lake Sidney Lanier
County District 1
County District 2
County District 3
County District 4
Juli Distric district4
wesome Dawson 2019
Key Amicalola Falls State Park Lake Sidney Lanier County District 1 County District 2 County District 3 County District 4 6
Awesome
Voting Locations West Precinct: Dawson County Fire Station #6 2142 Hubbard Road East Precinct: Dawson County EMS Station #2 145 Liberty Drive
dawsonnews.com
Central Precinct: Dawson County Board of Elections & Registration Office 96 Academy Avenue
COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES
BOARD OF
Commissioners
Dawson County has a five-member board with four district commissioners and a chairman who are all elected at large. Commissioners serve four-year terms. The board appoints a county manager. The Board of Commissioners holds meetings on the first and third Thursdays of each month. Work sessions begin Sharon Fausett at 4 p.m. and voting sessions follow at 6 p.m. Meetings are District 1 Commissioner held in the second floor assembly room of the Dawson district1@dawsoncounty.org County Government Center.
Billy Thurmond Board of Commissioners Chair chairman@dawsoncounty.org
Sharon Fausett District 1 Commissioner district1@dawsoncounty.org
Julie Hughes Nix District 4 Commissioner district4@dawsoncounty.org
Emory Dooley District 4 Commissioner-elect district4@dawsoncounty.org
David Headley County Manager (706) 344-3501 dheadley@dawsoncounty.org
Kristen Cloud County Clerk (706) 344-3501 kcloud@dawsoncounty.org
Danny Thompson: Fire & Emergency Services Director (706) 344-3666 ext. 226 dthompson@dawsoncounty.org
Sheriff Jeff Johnson 706-344-3535 ext. 20051 jjohnson@dawsoncountysheriff.org
Chris Gaines District 2 Commissioner district1@dawsoncounty.org Chris Gaines District 2 Commissioner district2@dawsoncounty.org
Tim Satterfield District 3 Commissioner district3@dawsoncounty.org
DAWSON COUNTY GOVERNMENT Tim Satterfield DAWSON COUNTY, GEORGIA
District 3 Commissioner district1@dawsoncounty.org Dawson County Government Center
25 Justice Way (706) 344-3501 County ordinances can be found at: www.dawsoncounty.org/government/ordinances/ Animal Control: (706) 265-7387
Julie Hughes Nix Department of Family District 4 Commissioner district4@dawsoncounty.org and Children Services:
(706) 265-6598 Elections and Voter
Awesome Dawson 2019 | 9 Registration:
(706) 344-3640 Extension Office: (706) 265-2442 Health Department: (706) 265-2611 Licenses and Permits: (706) 344-3500 Tax Commissioner: (706) 344-3520
Transit: (706) 344-3603 Clerk of Courts: (706) 344-3510 Superior Court: (706) 344-3500 Magistrate Court: (706) 344-3730 Probate Court: (706) 344-3580 Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Law Enforcement Center 19 Tucker Avenue Dawsonville, GA 30534 (706) 344-3535 www.dawsoncountysheriff.org
Awesome Dawson 2020
7
CITY REPRESENTATIVES
CITY OF
Dawsonville DAWSONVILLE, GEORGIA
City of Dawsonville Voting District Posts
415 Highway 53 East, Suite 100 Dawsonville, GA 30543 (706) 265-3256
Bob Bolz City Manager citymanager@dawsonville-ga.gov
John Walden City Council Post 3 john.walden@dawsonville-ga.gov
Mike French City Council Post 4 mike.french@dawsonville-ga.gov
Ba
Mike Eason Mayor mike.eason@dawsonville-ga.gov
ile yW
a o sR te r ad ain
Ro
ad
a
ll
rR
ad F
r a il
Ro
oa d
L it
M
nt
Do
tl e
ou
ar
m
oa T a t u m T d
Sh
am ro
Tan
an s
Ro ad
Ro ad
or
ay Ro ad
n er H
u er B G ro v
all
Ro
d Ro a
Le
g
Ro ad
ap R o
ad
be
D ee r
Ro
Iv e y
gs
e
S pr i
ith
Ev
rt
av en p
K
ne
d
La
tR
ck
J un o R oa
D
Gree nw
Steve Tolson City Council Post 2 stephen.tolson@dawsonville-ga.gov ad
s
te r Caleb Phillips Wa City Council Post 1 caleb.phillips@dawsonville-ga.gov
rt
Gi
b
by
oa
d
oa d
B
rR
tC ur
re e k
Ro
ad
i g ht Ro
13 6
W
es t
ad
S ti ll w
k Drive
a t e r Lane
a
Ro
h ig
way
9N
ad
A mb
Ro
a
d Ti
ck
n
Se e
B et
he l C
hu
ne
Dr in
Ja ck H
Ac
or nR
oa d
Flash Drive
dy H
ea r
ill
d
y Ran d Wa
g In
J.C. Bu rt Ro ad
iv e
Ro ad
C ic e ro T ra i l
d oa
Ald en
hR
et S tre Main Cou rt
An
ge la L an e Gees Court
N ew
rc
g Tra il
Melo dy La
Drive
oa d
Mill S to ne
ad
l l R oa d
T rail Buc k R o ad ee h a Il l
Allen Street
Stegall Place
Flo w in
Turner Drive
A c aTucker Avenue de m y Av en ue
W
ace Youn g Pl
rR nd e Th u
le
Ro ce
e
rc
Fr
u Br
W
l Ha
e r Roa d P e rim et O ran ge Ci
st 136 Ea
k an
3
W il
st
ad Ro
5
e uc
ay
Br
H i gh w
y High wa
ra Dr e iv
er
sD
ri v
e
Se
d
ad Ro d
lb To
ert
Tr
ail
7
an e rel L La u
R un
ab
b
oa
ow Et
e
R
Tho
Rive r Oa k Drive
il
dM Ol
d
oa N
La ke
iv e
e
ad Ro
or
Dr
n
r iv
iv Dr
ey
Sp
ra
R
oa m p s on R d
t i n g Hill Dr iv e
ug
H
Dawsonville City Limits
Ta
a m
Legend
dawsonnews.com
it
tto Pa
nD
ad
N
or
e
fto
Ro
e Driv y r t l e Driv
M
T al l
Irv in
Cli
nt
sR o ad
oe
ki n
J
d
u eh
Je n
d
oa
sR llin Co
k
d oa
ve r a h Ri
R oad
W
oa
V a lley R
V
d R oa iere
R
ve
r i ve
ad
P
8
Dri
2
kD
d iv
Ro
r ee
un
an
ch
C
d
ur
id g e
R oa
Ch
le R
Mo
Tic
ad
oa
te tga Ea s
R
App
l C r ee k
i ll
R
at er
e1
o
ed
ad
Ro
s ve ee
te
tw
id g
M
Ga
ee
le R
ta in
o Br
o kR
hS
to w
n r ee e rg Ev
Dr
Hig h way 53 E iv e ast
Riv er V
w Lane
m nt Hu
R
App
Sw
e
e
did Katy
N orth
J
o se p h L a n
riv
Red Hawk Drive urt
Elliott Co
ne
yD
oa d
e L an
a er L
ad
dR
ea tio
a Se
on
Re cr
Ro
rm
ill Ro a d
e dg
T
hu
e R i d ge
Ri
k
ak Rattle sn
a
uc
ser M
e West
e Fl
D
H ow
D ri v
o ad
Ro
d
n to
ek R
is
v
ul li on
l Cre
Da
B
Ch
a Sh o
Pi ge o n C r ee
Kathy Lane
G ol d
oad
riv e
Wr
ay
sD
ve
w
Bud
a r k way ily P
Cle
ig h
C la y
am
a
d
H
d
tt F
R Go l d M in e o
y R o ad
th
Grad
or
He n ry
H
O ld
Dr iv e
d
ld C reek
oa
Go
eR
R
ec
ter
Re
es
d El li o t t Ro ad
l io El
d re M il
Ta n n
e
R
a ll e
y R oa d
A Hometown Sanitation Company Residential & Commercial Trash Service Need Trash Pick-Up? Looking for a sanitation service that’s reputable? At Elite Sanitation & Waste LLC we make refuse removal simple, cost-effective and convenient.
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
IMPORTANT
Phone Numbers GETTING SETTLED INTO A NEW HOME
Ferrellgas (706) 864-6151
CAN TAKE TONS OF WORK. THIS LIST OF NUMBERS SHOULD MAKE GETTING THE WATER RUNNING AND THE CABLE
Mark Heard Fuel Co. (706) 265-2994
GOING EASIER, EVEN IF IT CAN’T UNPACK THOSE BOXES.
Water and Sewer City of Dawsonville (706) 265-3256 Etowah Water and Sewer (706) 216-8474 Natural Gas Atlanta Gas Light Company www.aglc.com Electricity Georgia Power (888) 660-5890 Sawnee EMC (770) 887-2363 Amicalola EMC (706) 253-5200 Propane Gas Amicalola Propane (706) 344-1427
10
Mills Fuel Service (706) 265-3394 Folger Gas (706) 632-7606 Phone/TV/internet Windstream (706) 867-3333 North Georgia Network (706) 754-5323 Trash pickup City of Dawsonville (706) 265-3256 Evans Garbage (706) 216-4232 Dawson County Transfer Center (706) 344-3645 Wallace 400 Waste Disposal (706) 216-1485 Auto Tag Office Dawson County Tax
dawsonnews.com
Serving the Dawson Community for Over 39 Years!
Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch Opens September 12th
Haunt Nights Friday & Saturday nights ONLY.
Fall Activities Include · 13-Acre Corn Maze · Haunted Trail · Pumpkin Patch · Corn Cannon · Towering Goat Walk
· Kiddie Maze · Improved! Tire Mountain · New! Jumpy Pad · New! Gem Mining · New! Gift Shop
770-772-6223 • uncleshucks.com NEW LOCATION: 125 Bannister Rd, Dawsonville, GA 30534 We offer special programs for groups & schools. Call for more information.
THANK YOU
FOR VOTING US BEST PROPANE COMPANY
Milita & Seniory DiScoun r tS
AMICALOLA PROPANE
Thank you for voting me Best Insurance Agent
Auto • Home • Life • Health
your hometown propane company
Roger Slaton
383 Highway 53 West, Dawsonville, GA
40 Hightower Parkway • Dawsonville, GA 706-216-8700 • www.rogerslaton.com
amicalolapropane.com | amicalolapropane@windstream.net
706-344-1GAS
DAWSON SCHOOLS
DAWSON COUNTY
Board of Education Vice- Chairperson Doris Cook District 1 dcook@dawson.k12.ga.us
Nathan Ingram Member at Large nathan.ingram@dawson.k12.ga.us
Roger Slaton District 4 rslaton@dawson.k12.ga.us
Chairperson Elaine Wilson District 2 ewilson@dawson.k12.ga.us
Karen Armstrong District 3 karmstrong@dawson.k12.ga.us
DAWSON COUNTY PRINCIPALS
Damon Gibbs Superintendent dgibbs@dawson.k12.ga.us
Cindy Kinney Black’s Mill Elementary ckinney@dawson.k12.ga.us
Teresa Conowal Kilough Elementary Principal tconowal@dawson.k12.ga.us
Adam Maroney Riverview Elementary amaroney@dawson.k12.ga.us
Page Arnette Robinson Elementary parnette@dawson.k12.ga.us
Randi Sagona Dawson County Middle rsagona@dawson.k12.ga.us
Brody Hughes Dawson County Junior High School bhughes@dawson.k12.ga.us
Michael Negley Dawson County High School michael.negley@dawson.k12.ga.us
12
dawsonnews.com
Dawson County Schools’ Central Office To contact a member of the leadership team, call (706) 265-3246 or email as listed below: Dr. Damon Gibbs dgibbs@dawson.k12.ga.us Superintendent Nicole LeCave nlecave@dawson.k12.ga.us Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning Hershel Bennett hbennett@dawson.k12.ga.us Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources & Operations Jamie Ulrich julrich@dawson.k12.ga.us Chief Financial Officer Dr. Janice Darnell jdarnell@dawson.k12.ga.us Executive Director of Instructional Support & Student Services Roman Gaddis rgaddis@dawson.k12.ga.us Executive Director of Technology Vikki Brannon vbrannon@dawson.k12.ga.us Director of Youth Health Services Linda Byrd lbyrd@dawson.k12.ga.us Director of School Nutrition Tracey Compton tcompton@dawson.k12.ga.us Director of School Improvement & Accountability Dr. Nathan Hand nathan.hand@dawson.k12.ga.us Director of Instructional Services, Secondary Dr. Todd Langley todd.langley@dawson.k12.ga.us Director of Exceptional Children Scott Morgan smorgan@dawson.k12.ga.us Director of Facilities Jim Rich jrich@dawson.k12.ga.us Director of Transportation
SPLOST & ESPLOST SPLOST SPLOST stands for Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, a one percent sales tax that was adopted by the Dawson County Board of Commissioners as a resolution and approved by the citizens in a general election. It is a six year collection which began in July 2015. Funds are allocated to both the county and city of Dawsonville. The county receives 85 percent of collections and the city of Dawsonville receives 15 percent. Each entity is responsible for programming and managing its own SPLOST funds. If approved, SPLOST dollars for FY2020 will fund projects including new county buildings, upgrades to courthouse security and several Dawson County Fire and Emergency Medical Service upgrades, such as replacements for aging fire engines and ambulances, a new burn building, and the addition of a ladder truck to the Dawson County Fire Department fleet. ESPLOST The Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) is a 1 percent sales tax that is utilized by Dawson County Schools to fund capital projects. Some of the projects that have been funded through the current ESPLOST include the Dawson County High School’s Performing Arts Center, JROTC facility and the College and Career Academy. Wireless networks, iPads, faculty laptops, smartboards, computer labs and Apple TVs across all campuses in Dawson County have been purchased and updated with ESPLOST funds. In order for ESPLOST to be added to the ballot, the superintendent may ask the board of education to consider calling for an ESPLOST referendum. It must be voted upon and approved by the board. A vote to continue ESPLOST was approved by the school board in July, and citizens will have the chance to cast their vote in November 2020.
DAWSON SCHOOLS
DAWSON COUNTY SCHOOLS
2020-2021 STUDENT CALENDAR July
August
3-6 7
JULY 2020
Pre-planning First Day of School
S 5 12 19 26
September
October
7 Labor Day (No School) 24-28 Fall Break
22 23
Early Release/ Parent Conference Prof. Dev. (Student Holiday)
December
Early Release/ 11 Veteran’s Day 23-27 Thanksgiving Holiday
Early Release & 22 st Last day of 1 Sem. 23-31 Holiday Break
January
February
1 4 5 18
S 6 13 20 27
11 12 15
S 1 8 15 22 29
Prof. Dev. (Student Holiday) Student/Staff Holiday Presidents’ Day (No School)
March 11 12
April Early Release/Parent Conference Prof. Dev. (Student Holiday)
5-9
26 27-28
nd
School Hours
Elementary Middle Junior High High
T 1 8 15 22 29
M 2 9 16 23 30
T 3 10 17 24
S 3 10 17
M 4 11 18 24/31 25
S 7 14 21 28
TOTAL DAYS 180 - Students 190 - Staff
Begin End 8:10 a.m. 3:05 p.m. 7:45 a.m. 2:45 p.m. 7:40 a.m. 2:30 p.m. 7:40 a.m. 2:30 p.m.
M 7 14 21 28
T 5 12 19 26
M 1 8 15 22 29
T 2 9 16 23 30
TH 3 10 17 24
W 4 11 18 25
TH 5 12 19 26
W 6 13 20 27
TH 7 14 21 28
W 3 10 17 24 31
TH 4 11 18 25
MAY 2021 S 2 9 16 23 30
Early Release 12:30 p.m. 12:15 p.m. 12:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m.
M 3 10 17 24 31
T 4 11 18 25
W 5 12 19 26
TH 6 13 20 27
F 3 10 17 24 31
S 4 11 18 25
18 Days
F 4 11 18 25
S 5 12 19 26
16 Days
F 6 13 20 27
W 5 12 19 26
TH 6 13 20 27
F 7 14 21 28
S 4 11 18 25
M 5 12 19 26
T 6 13 20 27
W 7 14 21 28
M 7 14 21 28
T 1 8 15 22 29
W 2 9 16 23 30
S 7 14 21 28
M 1 8 15 22
T 2 9 16 23
W 3 10 17 24
S 4 11 18 25
M 5 12 19 26
T 6 13 20 27
W 7 14 21 28
F 5 12 19 26
S 6 13 20 27
M 7 14 21 28
T W TH 1 2 3 8 9 10 15 16 17 22 23 24 29 30
Pre/Post Planning/Prof. Dev.
First/Last Day of Semester
Student/Staff Holiday
S 6 13 20 27
17 Days
TH 1 8 15 22 29
S 5 12 19 26
17 Days
TH 4 11 18 25
dawsonnews.com
F 4 11 18 25
F 2 9 16 23 30
S 3 10 17 24
F 4 11 18 25
S 5 12 19 26
JUNE 2021
S 3 10 17 24 31
16 Days
TH 3 10 17 24 31
APRIL 2021
S 6 13 20 27
S 1 8 15 22 29
S 6 13 20 27
Early Release
F 2 9 16 23 30
S 1 8 15 22 29
21 Days
TH 1 8 15 22 29
FEBRUARY 2021
S 2 9 16 23 30
18 Days
F 7 14 21 28
T 4 11 18 25
OCTOBER 2020
S 7 14 21 28
22 Days
F 5 12 19 26
M 3 10 17 24 31
DECEMBER 2020
18 Days
F 1 8 15 22 29
S 2 9 16 23 30
2020-2021 CALENDAR
14
W 2 9 16 23 30
MARCH 2021
Spring Break
June Last Day of 2 Sem. & Early Release Post Planning
TH 2 9 16 23 30
JANUARY 2021
May
W 1 8 15 22 29
NOVEMBER 2020
Holiday Break Prof. Dev. (Student Holiday) Students Return MLK Day (No School)
T 7 14 21 28
SEPTEMBER 2020
November
M 6 13 20 27
17 Days
AUGUST 2020
Everything you need to have an exciting experience of shooting sporting clays and upland hunting. Etowah Valley is committed to the Perpetuation of the Family Shooting Sports with the Bonding and Values they instill.
We are proud and honored to serve the Dawson County community.
Check out our new & improved clays courses!
Hunting starts October 1st, get ready now!
It is the mission of the Dawson County Sheriff’s Office to protect the lives and property of our people through professional, progressive, and proactive service. We shall serve with compassion and respect while seeking solutions to improve quality of life, liberty, and safety for all.
We appreciate your support and look forward to continuing to serve you! www.etowahvalleysportingclays.com
www.etowahvalleygamepreserve.com
619 Sporting Hill Drive • Dawsonville, GA 30534
706-265-1611 • 678-410-0983
Sheriff Jeff Johnson
Visit us on Facebook @ Dawson County Sheriff’s Office Dawsonville, Ga www.dawsoncountysheriff.org Non-Emergency 706-344-3636 Tip Line- 706-265-4744
Our Mission:
FEED THE HUNGRY OF DAWSON COUNTY We accept donations at the store and will pick up appliances & furniture items at your home.
FOOD BANK
and Thrift Store
RIC-Rack
Food Bank and Thrift Store Food Bank Hours: M-W-F Noon-3pm Thrift Store Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10am-5pm
829 Hwy. 9N, Dawsonville, GA 30534 Thrift Store: 706-265-1371 • Food Bank: 706-265-1045 ric-rack.org
Awesome Dawson 2020
15
SMALL BUSINESSES
DAWSON Small Businesses Photos and Story By: Jacob Smith jsmith@dawsonnews.com
D
awson County is built around the hardworking people and businesses that call this county home. From gun stores to coffee shops and vintage boutiques, there are countless local businesses that need our support. Here are some of the small businesses that make Dawson County great:
K
APPALACHIAN Armory
eith Hudson had always dreamed of owning a gun store. Now, after moving to Dawsonville, he, his wife Lynda and their son Zach all work together at their very own mom-and-pop
shop, Appalachian Armory. Located right off of the historic Dawsonville square, the Hudson’s have operated Appalachian Armory for almost 12 years.
The secret, according to Lynda Hudson said, is making work not feel like work at all. “We love what we do,” Hudson said. “If you don’t like your job, find something that you do like. It consistently reaffirms why we do what we do. To sum up the North Georgia feel, Hudson said they call the store Appalachian Armory because Dawson County is one of the few places that still has a strong Appalachia feel to it. In addition to it’s large selection of rifles and handguns, Appalachian Armory has different gun accessories and knives to purchase as well. Customizing services are also available upon request. The store prides itself on honor, integrity and being very pro second amendment, but also community oriented. A few years ago, they designed an assault rifle for the Dawson County Tigers soccer team to raffle off. After raising $15,000 on the raffle, the store donated every penny to the soccer program. “It’s because we live here and we want to support the community,” Hudson said. “This is Dawsonville to me. This is the hometown atmosphere.”
16
dawsonnews.com
Fancy FLEA
I
n the heart of downtown Dawsonville, anyone can become a vintage salesman at the antique store Fancy Flea, where co-owners Mary Wright and Betsy Anderson rent out spaces for vendors to sell different unique and antique items. Fancy Flea has been around for two years and in that time, they have amassed a group antique collectors that will travel state lines to come and survey the different booths within the store. One could find anything from old records, to homemade candles or even hand-sewn baby clothes. “What is so unique about our store is that if you like the things we sell, you can become a part of it by selling your own items,” Wright said. Though there is an existing garden currently, the shop is planning to start an entirely revamped garden to help support the Dawsonville Women’s Club efforts to help local bees in their Save Our Bees movement. Wright said they love being in the small downtown Dawsonville area and think that the area could become a popular tourist attraction at any moment. “There is just so much character in this part of Dawsonville,” Wright said. “Can’t you just imagine people walking down these sidewalks and stopping by all sorts of different shops?”
Awesome Dawson 2020
17
SMALL BUSINESSES
WHITMIRE
Animal Hospital
N
ext to RaceTrac on Ga. 400, the Whitmire Animal Hospital has been serving the pets of Dawsonville since 2018. Offering comprehensive veterinary medical care and surgery has been a lifelong adventure for Dr. William Gholston, clinic owner and head veterinarian. Gholston’s father owned his own veterinary practice out of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, and Gholston fell in love with taking care of animals and making sure they received the best care possible. After graduating from the University of Georgia, Gholston worked with an animal hospital in Alpharetta, but wanted to start his own practice. “We were familiar with the area and have been very fortunate that the area is growing and supports small and large businesses,” Kristina Gholston, Gholston’s wife
18
dawsonnews.com
and practice manager said. After opening it’s doors in late August 2018, Gholston said that the tight-knit community of Dawsonville has already made them feel welcomed and at home. The staff at Whitmire works with clients and their pets on things such as dental care, microchipping, annual vaccinations and radiology appointments. Gholston said it’s the staff at Whitmire that keeps everything afloat and running smoothly. “They’re phenomenal,” Gholston said. “When we opened our business, our number one mission was the well being of our clients and our family and staff. We love them and we want to know what their needs are. We relay that back to our culture in office. We are a very family oriented culture.”
V
KG CLEANERS
oted best cleaning service in in Dawson County five years in a row, KG Cleaning Service, owned and operated by Ken Goines, loves being a part of the Dawson County community. When Goines first moved here from Indiana, he said he had $30 in his pocket and nowhere to go. “This town took me in … almost like they adopted me,” Goines said. KG Cleaning will clean any flooring surface from tile to carpet to hardwood and will clean furniture and staircases as well. They also go as far to repair or restrech any loose carpet. Goines said that he feels extra grateful getting to do what he does with the current stress of the global
pandemic looming over people’s families. “I love what I do,” Goines said. “I get to come in and help the mom who is working hard all the time, has three kids, overwhelmed. I can clean her carpets and just give her the good feeling that something is accomplished.” Though based out of Dawsonville, KG Cleaning Service covers the vast majority of North Georgia, going as far south as some parts of Atlanta and going as up in the mountains as Ballground and Helen. “The business has been a blessing from God,” Goines said. “I know almost everybody in Dawsonville and it is truly an honor getting to represent my neighbors and friends as the Best of Dawson.”
Awesome Dawson 2020
19
DAWSON PARKS
Dawson County
PUBLIC PARKS Photos By: Cole Carter By: Jacob Smith jsmith@dawsonnews.com
WAR HILL PARK If a day outside in the sun and water is what you need, War Hill Park is the perfect Dawson County destination. Sitting on Lake Lanier’s western edge, the beach at War Hill Park gives north Georgia residents a beach experience for a few hours, without a long drive to the coast. In addition to it’s beach area, War Hill Park also has
20
11 camping sites all across the lake. Families can rent out the camp grounds and then spend a few days with nature. Each campe site has ample parking and space to spread out away from other campers. Fishing is allowed at War Hill Park too. On the other side of the park is another part of the lake where anyone can cast their lines out and fish for the day. Pack some sunscreen and take advantage of the endless choices War Hill Park has.
dawsonnews.com
DAWSON PARKS
MAIN STREET PARK Opened recently in April 2020, Main Street Park has plenty of room for people to do whatever they please. Located behind Food Lion and the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame, the park has a a large greenspace area where people could play sports, have picnics or hang out and enjoy the company of their friends. One unique feature of the park is it’s wheelchair swing, which allows wheelchair bound people to swing safely. According to Dawsonville City Manager Bob Bolz, the park isn’t completely done, and will be renovated with new features as future SPLOST funding becomes available.
22
dawsonnews.com
ROCK CREEK SPORTS COMPLEX From it’s sprawling grounds off Hwy. 9 in Dawson County, the Rock Creek Sports Complex has almost everything you could want in an outdoor sports facility. Rock Creek holds the county’s only public soccer field. Several fields with multiple goals take up almost a quarter of the park, making the space a popular space for leagues to come and play their games. Meanwhile, 12 neatly kept baseball fields host different travel ball tournaments nearly every weekend. Rock Creek features an indoor basketball facility featuring two separate courts with six goals a piece inside them. Right outside the doors of the indoor facility are two tennis courts and a hitting wall, where people can either practice by themselves or challenge a friend. Factoring in the playground, sprinklers and the paved walking trails throughout the park, Rock Creek Sports Complex can keep a family entertained all day.
Awesome Dawson 2020
23
DAWSON PARKS
VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK Veterans Memorial Park has has been a focal point of the Dawson County community for years. In the spring of 2007, Dawson County Park was renamed Veterans Memorial Park. After pulling into the park, flags lead you to a monument of all soldiers from Dawsonville that have fallen in combat since the Civil War. Inside the park you’ll find the Margie Weaver Senior Center, which provides a number of activities for local senior citizens to partake in, like bible studies, special music, yoga and bingo nights. Veterans Memorial Park is also home to the only public pool in Dawson County. To get in, just pay the $3 daily fee or buy a season pass at Rock Creek Park. The pool is open until Labor Day. Veterans Memorial Park also houses a playground and four different baseball fields too.
24
dawsonnews.com
dawson.gafcp.org 706-265-1981
Text DCFAMCONN to 22828 to receive our newsletter
-Join the-Join Suicide Prevention Coalition the Suicide Prevention Coalition or the Substance Abuse Task Force or the Substance Abuse Task Force -Become a Steward of Children -Become a Steward of Children Dawson Family Connection -Support a foster County family -Support or become a foster familyor become -Make Family Connection to a donation to 96 -Make a donation Academy Avenue, PO Box 872 Family Connection
Dawsonville, Ga 30534
Dawson County Family Connection 96 Academy Avenue, PO Box 872 • Dawsonville, GA 30534
COMMUNITY PROFILES
Community PROFILES By Erica Schmidt eschmidt@dawsonnews.com
O
ne of the things that makes Dawson County so unique is the wide range of people and families living here. From lifelong residents to transplants that only recently began calling Dawson County home, the citizens of our county each contribute to making it the vibrant place it is. Here are a few of the county’s citizens and why they love living in Dawson.
NAME: Bill Elliott WHO HE IS: Elliott is a retired professional NASCAR driver, whose successful racing career earned him the nickname “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville”. HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN DAWSON AND WHAT DREW YOU TO THE COUNTY? Elliott was born and raised in Dawson County and has lived here his entire life. “Both my mother and dad grew up in the county and that’s where I call home,” Elliott said. “It’s been a home all my life and it was just a great place to grow up.” In his time growing up in Dawsonville, Elliott remembers some of the pieces of history that shaped the county’s legacy. “For me, growing up here it was kind of a sleepy little community with its own personality and there were a lot of people who did different things to make a living, including some illegal things like making moonshine which has become a whole separate industry today,” Elliott said. “Between what NASCAR’s ties are here and the moonshiners and what that brought to the county, that’s all part of it.” Throughout his time living in the county, Bill has seen Dawson change a lot from what it was when he was growing up here. “Since the 400 corridor came through, that’s what to me has changed the county dramatically — when I was growing up here, we didn’t even have a traffic light,” Elliott said. “Now we have Amicalola Falls and all the parks on the north end and all the growth on the south end, and that’s all a part of how our county continues to change and what makes it what it is.”
“The county pretty much speaks for itself and it has a little bit of everything,” Elliott said. “It’s relatively close to Forsyth and all the growth there, it has a lake and everything else and I think that’s what attracts people to come here.”
WHAT DO YOU LOVE THE MOST ABOUT DAWSON COUNTY? One of the things Elliott said makes Dawson a great place to live is how multifaceted it is.
“I’ve enjoyed living here,” Bill said. “It’s a great place and a great community, and it’s got a lot of good people in it.”
26
As a lifelong resident of the county, the other thing Bill likes about the county is its sense of community.
dawsonnews.com
Laura and Charlie both graduated from UNG and had driven through Dawson for years, so they were familiar with the county and drawn to it by its smallcounty feel and spacious living. “That’s what really drew us here,” Fulcher said. “the neighborhood we live in has really large lots, so we have neighbors, but we’re not all on top of each other so it’s just peaceful.” WHAT DO YOU LOVE THE MOST ABOUT DAWSON COUNTY? One of Fulcher’s favorite things about Dawson is the community and how the citizens of the county pull together no matter what. “I think the people definitely make Dawson unique; it’s not quite Mayberry but the community really does come together,” Fulcher said. “Case in point whenever Chase Elliott wins a NASCAR race, the community pages blow up and the communities rally around him; or during COVID-19, people would go out of their way to help each other out.” NAME: Laura Fulcher WHO SHE IS: Fulcher is the Public Affairs Officer for the Dawson County Government. She fills many different roles in this job, and if you’ve ever dealt with the local government it’s a safe bet you’ve come in contact with Laura. HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN DAWSON AND WHAT DREW YOU TO THE COUNTY? Fulcher and her husband Charlie, along with their dog Mabel, moved to Dawson County from Jasper in October 2015. Both Laura and Charlie grew up in Gwinnett County, and they soon realized that driving from Jasper back to Gwinnett to see their families was a long trip to make each weekend.
The feeling of community is similar to what Laura and Charlie both got to experience while they were growing up, and the fact that Dawson County upholds these community values is important to both of them. “Dawson manages to keep that small town living and small town community going,” Fulcher said. “I would want to raise my family right here where the kids in our neighborhood play outside and ride their bikes to the pool, that kind of thing.” Another thing Fulcher says makes Dawson unique is how much there is to do in a relatively small county, from hiking to shopping and everything in between.
“We’re both big family people, so it was like we were going out of town every weekend,” Fulcher said. “Charlie has a law practice in Jasper and I was working at the University of North Georgia at the time, so when we decided to move Dawson was a happy in between.
“We have Burt’s Pumpkin Patch, Amicalola, Fausett Farms, the farmer’s market — when you stop and think about it, there’s really any outdoor activity that you would want to do and that’s not as easy to access in some of the other counties as it is here,” Fulcher said. “I think that Dawson County is like the hidden gem of North Georgia.”
NAME: Judy Harris
grandparents, lived and grew up in Dawson County.
WHO SHE IS: Harris is the president of the Dawson County Historical Society and knows everything there is to know about the local history of the county.
“I was born right down town in the beautiful little house right below El Rio, and since then that house has been a doctor’s office, a chiropractor’s office, a funeral home and now it’s a home again,” Harris said. “And I can look up the hill from where I live now and see the house I lived in for pretty much my whole life.”
HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN DAWSON AND WHAT DREW YOU TO THE COUNTY? Harris was born and raised in Dawson County and has lived here for her whole life, 74 years this upcoming December. Her entire family, all the way back to her
In her time living in Dawson, Harris has seen many
Awesome Dawson 2020
27
COMMUNITY PROFILES
“I wish the growth would slow down a little bit because I love my little town, but I also really enjoy having a Kroger and an Ingles and a Food Lion,” Harris said. WHAT DO YOU LOVE THE MOST ABOUT DAWSON COUNTY? One of the things Harris said makes Dawson County unique is its history. “We have the museum downtown that’s very interesting, and our historical society office is in the old courthouse in the middle of the square that’s so beautiful inside too,” Harris said. One piece of this local history especially close to Judy’s heart is that The Pool Room, one of the most well-known local restaurants, offers a burger named after her father.
aspects about the county evolve and change. “I remember when everything used to close on Wednesday afternoons and when we didn’t actually have a grocery store,” Harris said. “All the grade levels first through twelfth went to school together in one building where the junior high school is now, and of course that was way before 400 was down there and when Perimeter Road was just dirt.” While the change over the years has happened very quickly, overall the evolution of the county has brought good changes along with it according to Harris .
“My daddy cooked at the Pool Room, and everybody would laugh because they’d go in and he’d only fix the burgers one way with mustard, ketchup, slaw and onions,” Harris said. “His name was Buster but everybody called him Bully, so they named that burger after him and if you go into the Pool Room today there’s still an option on the menu to order a ‘Bully Burger’.” Another thing that Harris loves about the county is its people, both those who have spent their entire lives in Dawson like Harris has and those who have moved to the county later on. “The people are just home folks, and even most of the people that have moved in later on sort of just blend in with us,” Harris said. “It’s always just been home; we could go from house to house and feel at home anywhere that we went.”
NAME: Briana Ray WHO SHE IS: Ray is a recent graduate of Dawson County High School. In her time at DCHS, Ray participated in several different sports, clubs, and groups there, as well as being active in her church and mission trips. HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN DAWSON AND WHAT DREW YOU TO THE COUNTY? Ray was born in India and came to the United States in 2009. She and her family lived in between Cumming and Dawsonville until 2017, when Ray’s mother wanted to move a little further north. “My mom wanted to move more north toward the lake, so we moved up to Dawson,” Ray said. “I was a little nervous to move to a different county because all my older siblings went to North Forsyth 28
dawsonnews.com
New for 2020! Keep an eye out for the newest additions.
Shop Local During these times, it is more important than ever for us to support local businesses and shop local.
Dawson Outdoors Your Ultimate Guide to all things outdoors in and around Dawson
If you would like to be part of these contact Jenn Richardson at jrichardson@dawsonnews.com
COMMUNITY PROFILES
High School and I was planning on it too, but going into my freshman year we moved counties and schools.” While moving to a new county was stressful, Ray is a self-proclaimed “people person” who was determined to make a new life for herself in her time at Dawson County High School. “I love meeting new people, and I was very thankful for the Christian-based groups the school had because you don’t find that everywhere,” Ray said. “I like how this is a small town and there’s one high school, so everybody knows everybody else.”
WHAT DO YOU LOVE THE MOST ABOUT DAWSON COUNTY? One of the things Briana said makes Dawson County unique in her eyes is how friendly the people are. “I go running around the school and around the town and people driving by always honk and wave at me; I might not know them but they know me,” Ray said. “So if I’m having a bad day and I’m out on my run and someone honks or says hi that always just brightens up my day — you wouldn’t get that in a different county where not everyone knows everybody else.”
NAME: John and Mimi Seibel WHO THEY ARE: John and Mimi own and operate John Seibel Photography, a local business that is well-known within the Dawson community. The couple shoots headshots for all the members of the local government, both in the city and the county, as well as business photography and commercial work. HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN DAWSON AND WHAT DREW YOU TO THE COUNTY? John and Mimi moved to Dawson County from Austin, Texas in 2005. The decision to move to Dawson came out of an extensive search of where the couple wanted to move. “We looked all over the U.S. and got it down to four states and then one,” John Seibel said. “And when that state ended up being Georgia, we came over and looked around in a few different places where we thought it would be favorable to live, and lo and behold we ended up finding a house and settling down in Dawson County.”
starting to do a lot more commercial work.” The Seibels try to give back to Dawson as much as possible, and one of the ways they do so is through providing their services for events such as the city’s “photos with Santa” at Christmas time.
The couple already had a successful photography business in Texas, and with their move to Georgia their photography came along.
“We’ve done those photos every year for about 10 years now, and that’s a way we love to give back to the community,” John Seibel said.
Upon moving to the county, the Seibels immediately joined several groups in Dawson, including the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce. According to Seibel, this choice made a difference in them being able to build their photography business again in a new area.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE THE MOST ABOUT DAWSON COUNTY? As photographers, one of the Seibels’ favorite things about the county is its natural beauty, as well as the ability to live in a more rural area that still has access to nearby bigger cities and their resources.
“We got here in 2005, and by the time we got our business up and running the economy dipped in 2008 so not a lot of people wanted those photos, so we had to kind of take a step back and decide what we wanted to do,” John Seibel said. “But getting aligned with the Chamber of Commerce made them an invaluable business ally and we ended up
“This part of the country was attractive to us; we liked the idea of being close to the coast and the city, nature, the mountains, and so on,” John Seibel said. “I always get to brag about being 15 miles away from one of the tallest waterfalls east of the Mississippi, and photographically this is just a beautiful part of the country.”
30
dawsonnews.com
Lead where it counts. UNG is a national leader when it comes to academic excellence and affordability, making it one of the country’s best values in public universities.
UNG offers a range of academic opportunities through its Cumming Campus, from dual enrollment for high school students to graduate programs tailored to working professionals. UNG is designated as a State Leadership Institution and as The Military College of Georgia®. Blue Ridge • Cumming • Dahlonega • Gainesville • Oconee • ung.edu
