LocaL Happenings

Nursing From The Heart Breastfeeding Support Group

This group meets the third Tuesday of each month from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Villa Rica Library located at 869 Dallas Highway, Villa Rica, Ga.

These events are free to pregnant women and moms looking for breastfeeding support. Weight checks for your baby will be available at no cost. Come and share your breastfeeding journey with us.

Please check our website for meeting and event updates at www.nursingfromtheheart.com.

Domestic Violence Support Group

There is Hope is a support group for women survivors who have dealt with, or are currently dealing with, domestic violence.

This is a private group where women survivors come together and share their personal stories of experience, strength and hope.

This group meets on the first Thursday of every month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at a private location. A ZOOM option is available.

There will be guidance for help and resources available as needed. At times there will also be guest speakers.

Contact hopefulone807@gmail.com for more information and to obtain the privacy contract with the physical address or ZOOM meeting ID and passcode.

Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Groups

Has your life been impacted by the loss of a friend or loved one to suicide? You are not alone.

These groups offer peer support for anyone who has been affected by suicide loss.

There is no cost to attend.

Group meetings in Carrollton are the third Tuesday of each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at 306A Bradley Street.

For more information, contact Ivey Rollins at iveyrollins@gmail.com or call 470.729.0909.

Group meetings in Douglasville are the second Tuesday of each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church at 6167 Priestley Mill Rd., Room 226.

For more information, contact Terri Johnson at chose2live@aol.com or 770.765.2181.

Group meetings in Newnan are the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Crossroads Church, 2564 Hwy 154.

For more information, contact Lynn Bradley at 770.301.4890 or email nbll.bradley170@gmail.com, or contact Nancy Bradley at 770.251.6216.

Carroll EMC Blood Drive

Carroll EMC will host a blood drive Tuesday, April 4, in the Robert D. Tisinger Community Center at the Carrollton office from 10 am until 3 pm. If you'd like to sign up for an appointment, please call 770-832-3552 or visit redcross.org. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Carroll EMC Names Washington Youth Tour Delegates

Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative (EMC) named Audrey Browning and Eli Jarrett of Carrollton High School as this year’s delegates for the Washington Youth Tour (WYT). The two will travel to Washington, D.C., for a weeklong, leadership trip in June.

Applications for the WYT were accepted November of last year through mid-February for students ages 16 or older attending high school in the cooperative’s service territory or whose primary residence receives power from Carroll EMC. Browning and Jarrett, both rising juniors at Carrollton High, were selected as the top two candidates after applying and participating in a panel interview.

“I was very impressed by both students not only because of their personalities but because of their ambition,” said Human Resources Administrative Assistant for Carroll EMC and interview panelist, Cole Cook. “I believe they will make the most of the trip and represent the co-op well.”

WYT is the state’s oldest youth leadership program and annually brings more than 1,000 student delegates from electric cooperatives around the country to the nation’s capital. Coordinated by the co-op’s statewide organization, Georgia EMC, for more than 50 years, it is a well-organized and fast-paced trip packed with activities. The program is designed to give students a taste of democracy in action, expose them to the nation’s rich history through visits to national monuments and museums, and encourage students to become politically aware citizens.

This year’s trip takes place June 15-22. Browning and Jarrett will be accompanied by chaperones from Carroll EMC including Community Relations Specialist Ryan Sammon and Communications Specialist Brittany Shadix along with other chaperones and delegates from EMCs across the state.

“I’m excited to serve as a chaperone for this year’s trip,” said Shadix. “I was introduced to electric cooperatives through the WYT as a senior in high school and have wanted to go ever since. It’s an honor to finally get the chance to experience this trip!”

Carroll EMC is a Member-owned cooperative providing electricity to approximately 54,000 homes and businesses. The co-op serves Members in Carroll, Haralson, Heard, Paulding, Polk, Floyd and Troup counties. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. For more information visit the cooperative’s website at carrollemc.com or follow Carroll EMC on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn. Carroll EMC: Community Built. Community Builder.

12 for Life® Partners with Independent Electrical Contractors to Offer Electrician Certification to Students

Southwire’s 12 for Life® is pleased to partner with the Independent Electrical Contractor’s (IEC) Atlanta and Georgia Chapters to provide a Skills-Based Electrical Installer Program to its students.

12 for Life, a collaborative partnership that began between Southwire and Carroll County Schools in 2007, provides classroom instruction, on-the-job training, key work and life skills, mentoring and employment opportunities. Through the program, students are motivated to stay in school, graduate and move ahead to become successful, productive members of the communities in which they live. Due to its growth and success in the west Georgia area, a second site for 12 for Life was added at Southwire’s campus in Florence in 2010.

Students who participate in the IEC Installer program will receive 36 hours of in-person, handson training that will prepare them to qualify for employment in an electrical wiring occupation after graduating from high school.

“This partnership is a practical way for us to connect electrical contractors with a trained workforce. According to IEC, there’s a need for at least 10,000 electricians across the United States, and many of those electricians are needed here in west Georgia,” said Joel Grubbs, 12 for Life site supervisor for Carroll County Schools. “Jobs in manufacturing may not be readily available when they graduate, so this training will give them an additional opportunity for employment.”

The certification program consists of nine days of training that are focused on interactive learning and includes hands-on activities. At completion of the training, each student will receive a course completion certificate, an OSHA 10 certification and a first aid card. Students will also qualify for the IEC’s Electrical Apprenticeship Program.

“The IEC’s Atlanta and Georgia Chapters are proud to work with Southwire and the Georgia Industry Foundation for Training (GIFT) to implement our Basic Skills Installer Training in the 12 for Life program through the Carroll County School System,” said Niel Dawson, executive director of IEC Atlanta and Georgia Chapters. “The program will provide ongoing basic skills training in the electrical field and expose them to a high-paying skilled trade that has the potential for a meaningful career. We look forward to this program continuing for years to come and the expansion of it in other school systems.”

Southwire has a long-standing relationship with IEC, a trade association representing more than 3,300 members with 50 chapters nationwide. Both organizations remain dedicated to providing training for aspiring electricians, teaching a variety of skills like general tool safety and demonstration, electrical theory, pipe bending and more.

“The success of getting this program off the ground for our 12 for Life students is a testament to the partnership Southwire has with IEC. What started with just an idea almost a year ago has turned into a great success to add value to our students after graduation,” said Bill Fowler, senior training instructor at Southwire and board member for IEC GIFT. “We have also accomplished a way to help the industry and the IEC with qualified talent to enter the electrical industry.”

A leader in technology and innovation, Southwire

Company, LLC is one of North America’s largest wire and cable producers and an emerging influence in the electrical industry. Southwire and its subsidiaries manufacture building wire and cable, utility products, metal-clad cable, portable and electronic cord products, OEM wire products and engineered products. In addition, Southwire supplies assembled products, components, contractor equipment and hand tools. For more on Southwire’s products, its community involvement and its vision of sustainability, visit www.southwire.com.

Milestone Investment Management, LLC and the Carrollton Center for the Arts

Bring Da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper’ Exhibit to West Georgia

Area residents and visitors can immerse themselves in an Italian art treasure without traveling overseas when the Carrollton Center for the Arts brings The Last Supper Experience to the Depot on Bradley March 30 – April 27.

A life-size reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterwork is the centerpiece of this interactive exhibition, which takes the visitor through the creative choices that resulted in the artist’s poignant depiction of Christ’s final meal with his apostles.

"I am very excited to bring this exhibit to our town, since so few of us will ever have the chance to go to Milan to see the original," said Arts Superintendent Tim Chapman. “Although the original has survived natural disasters and war, it is nearly invisible due to erosion and attempts at preservation. In many ways, this sort of exhibit may be the best way to see such treasures in the future."

The Last Supper Experience features 32 individual installations and an audio accompaniment in both English and Spanish. Curated in Europe, the exhibition breaks down each section of the painting, examines every detail and looks at its impact and legacy. Guests end their journey through the show standing in front of a life-size reproduction of da Vinci’s painting.

“The Last Supper provides a more in-depth view of the well-known artwork following the artist's sketch studies, research into recreating spatial depth and the piece's influence on future pop culture and art,” said Carrollton Visual Arts Coordinator Marcella Kuykendall.

The exhibit will run Thursdays through Sundays, March 30 – April 27, at The Depot on Bradley at 455 Bradley Street in downtown Carrollton. Tickets are $20 for adults with reduced prices for children ages 12 and younger and large groups. For more information and tickets, call 770.838.1083, or go to www.carrolltonarts.com/thelastsupper.

Da Vinci: The Last Supper Experience is sponsored by Milestone Investment Management, LLC., located at 551 Newnan St. in Carrollton, Ga. See page 23 for more information or visit their website at www.milestoneinvestmentsllc.com.

What: Da Vinci: The Last Supper Experience

When: Thursdays through Sundays, March 30 –April 27

Where: The Depot on Bradley in Carrollton

Local Voices: An Evening of Poetry

Just Poetry, a special interest group of the Carrollton Writers Guild, celebrates National Poetry Month with the eighth annual An Evening of Poetry April 7, 2023. Eight local poets will read their poetry. This event is for members of the guild, their guests and the community at large.

The evening will include a wine and cheese reception from 6 to 6:30 p.m. at the Carrollton Center for the Arts located at 251 Alabama St. in Carrollton, Ga. Admission is free.

“Poets in the group have published 18 volumes of poetry and earned 13 nominations for the Georgia Author of the Year Award in Poetry,” said guild member Eleanor Hoomes.

To learn more about CWG Inc., visit www.carrolltonwritersguild.org.

City of Carrollton Launches Comprehensive Plan Update Process

Surveys, meetings and listening sessions will help Carrollton set goals and chart the city’s future direction as it updates its comprehensive plan.

Every municipality in Georgia is required by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to maintain and update their comprehensive plan every five years to ensure that cities achieve minimum planning standards.

While strategic plans are developed for specific areas of the local government, like parks and recreation, the arts or downtown, the comprehensive plan marries these plans into a single document that will help guide the growth in Carrollton over the next 20 years. The plan guides city leaders when making decisions, helping ensure their actions follow the direction of the community’s vision.

Community participation is the backbone to a successful comprehensive plan. The planning process creates opportunities to gather input from the community to develop a vision for the future of Carrollton and a guide for achieving this vision. The city is encouraging its citizens to participate in one or more of these upcoming workshops:

Workshop #1: Development Quality, Neighborhoods & Housing, Land Use

Thursday, April 13 @ 6 p.m.

WPA Center

Workshop #2: Parks & Recreation, Beautification, Tourism & Health

Tuesday, April 18 at 6 p.m.

Lakeshore Park Gym

Workshop #3: Transportation, Infrastructure, Services & Safety

Thursday, April 27 at 6 p.m.

Fire Station #23

Steering Committee Meeting

Tuesday, May 23 at 6 p.m.

City Hall

Town Hall Meeting: Presentation of Findings

Thursday, June 15 at 6 p.m.

Train Depot

The public can also complete a survey at www.carrolltonga.com/comprehensiveplanning that will be included with the other responses and input gathered during this process. WGW

By Jordan Dailey