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TODAY'S ISSUE
Thanks to many people for the great progress
being made at Norcross Cooperative Ministry
By Jim Ellis
Jim Ellis Automobiles, Atlanta
Special to GwinnettForum.com
OCT. 15, 2002 -- Groundbreaking ceremonies for the Norcross Cooperative
Ministry on September 19 was an exciting day for my wife, Billie,
my family and me. The new facility will be named the "Greg
Ellis Center" in memory of our son, William Gregory Ellis.
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Ellis |
The Cooperative Ministry in Norcross has outgrown its current 4,000
square foot leased facility. It acquired a 1.5 acre tract on Mitchell
Road in Norcross in a land swap with the city and with the support
of Mayor Lillian Webb and the Council.
The Ministry will construct a new building on this property consisting
of 12,000 square feet. The additional space will improve the efficiency
and distribution of food, clothing, personal care items and school
supplies. It will also provide space for training, interviewing,
computer and office space, plus additional storage.
Architectural plans were designed by Steve Luckett and feature
a concrete and brick façade. Contractor is DPR Construction
Inc. of Atlanta, and the project manager is Charles Rossignol.
Total cost of the facility is approximately $900,000, which we
feel is considerably under the market value for that size a structure.
A significant portion of the building costs is being donated. That
includes such items as brick, studs, carpet and paint. These donations
come from local firms, individuals and local churches.
So far more than $420,000 has been received on the capital building
campaign. Patti Henderson and Shirley Cabe are directors of the
fund. Meanwhile, board members are seeking donations from local
firms, churches and foundations to meet the additional fund balance
of approximately $500,000.
My wife and I became involved in the Norcross Cooperative Ministry
several years ago through the First Baptist Church of Norcross.
Our Sunday School class and church provided some of the support
for the ministry, and at one time provided a facility, which the
ministry quickly outgrew.
The Cooperative Ministry was founded in 1989 with the purpose of
providing food, clothing and emergency assistance to needy families
of the area. Since that time, the need has grown tremendously for
the men, women and children in these unfortunate circumstances.
These people need our help and support-and opportunity---to recover
from their crises with dignity. For some, it is a physical or mental
illness, for others, it is unemployment, or other situations.
More than 6,500 families were served by the Ministry in 2001. Currently
more than 900 families are being helped each month. For some, it
is food, clothing or financial aid, while for others it could be
temporary lodging, or gasoline vouchers.
Marianne McCrory is president of the Ministry, while Shirley Cabe
is director of operations. Through the hard work and dedication
of the board and many volunteers, the ministry has been expanded.
The ministry is about transformation and restoration, hunger to
hope, submission to recovery.
All of us involved are looking forward to the completion of the
Greg Ellis Center into full operation in early 2003, with anticipation
that by that time, it will also be debt free.
To all who have helped with this ministry, and others like it throughout
Gwinnett, let me say simply, "Thank you.".back
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ELLIOTT
BRACK
What
makes Gwinnett so great?
So many aspects coming together in one location
By
Elliott Brack
editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com
OCT. 15, 2002 -- The lady asked, "What makes Gwinnett great?"
So much.
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Gwinnett is blessed with a great location, just a little above
Atlanta. It's attracted people from not only the United States,
but from throughout the world, which gives the Gwinnett population
quite a distinctive flavor. Because of this influx of people from
everywhere, and its location, and its people, Gwinnett may be
the most interesting---and economically vibrant---of all the Metro
Atlanta neighborhoods in which to live.
Your neighbor could be from the North or South -- even South
America.
These many newcomers to Gwinnett bring not only their families,
but intelligent ideas to the county, ideas which move us forward.
They work hard, are proud of their heritage and education, and
want the best for their kids.
They also get to enroll their kids in the best public school
system in Georgia. What makes it so incredible is that it is not
only the largest public school system in the state, now topping
125,000 students, but that it has maintained its high standards
of quality. It's incredible that a system so large has achieve
such high marks.
Another chief element in this thriving county is its good and
varied housing opportunities. Gwinnett housing is far superior
to that in most of the nation. One reason is that it is relatively
new. With more than 600,000 people now, we are nearing 200,000
housing units. And some 125,000 units are less than 20 years old-a
high per cent!
This Gwinnett quality of life expands with the recreational opportunities.
Gwinnett voted years ago for a dedicated tax for parks near them,
from senior citizen centers to toddler-type facilities. The county's
extended and commendable move to purchase great gobs of green
space----an effort which leads all of Georgia----also contributes
to this good feeling.
Another element of Gwinnett's quality of life is cultural activities,
from events at the Performing Arts and Cultural Arts Center, to
clothesline art shows at Berkeley Lake or Lawrenceville, to the
pioneering and thriving Buford arts community, now a pride of
that area. Whether it is painting and potting, local performance
in theatre, musical programs including a Philharmonic orchestra,
or just jamming in Suwanee with bluegrass music, Gwinnett has
an amazing cultural life to extol.
Gwinnett was the frontier when the county was created back in
1818, abounding with Creeks and nearby Cherokees. You don't have
to go "out west" to find frontier!
Up until 1950, Gwinnett was primarily just another Georgia county
based primarily on agriculture. The towns of Norcross and Duluth
and others would find wagons loaded down with just-picked cotton
crowding their streets, waiting to be ginned. Corn was a staple,
chickens and pigs were kept at many homes, and there were few
paved roads.
Change came quickly after World War II, as Atlanta began to grow,
and needed land for its expansion. Gwinnett grew because of Hartsfield
International Airport, though 45-60 minutes away from most of
Gwinnett, but a significant factor in why many people live in
Gwinnett now.
People flock to Gwinnett for schools and housing, find they enjoy
the atmosphere here, and work to stay. They're happy in the good
life in Gwinnett, and are not easily going to give it up.
What makes Gwinnett great? A good mix, and a can-do attitude.
Such a combination works every time.
Add your own comments (email them to us), then send all this
to your out-of-county friends who wonder why you live in Gwinnett.
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FEEDBACK:
10/15: Doesn't care
for political signs on right-of-ways
Editor, the Forum:
The eyesore "vote for" signs in public places, like
Thrasher Park in Norcross and other right of ways, are in violation
of various Norcross ordinances, according to the city.
Let's understand that we have officials or want-to-be officials
asking to be elected who will manage laws concerning zoning, permitting,
and ordinance enforcement that they are already breaking.
After election I'm sure taxpayers dollars will be used to pay
city employees to remove these signs from public property that
the person who put them there to start with isn't going to remove.
-- Ray Farrell, Duluth Back
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UPCOMING
EVENT:
Unity Place kick-off
set at 5 p.m. Tuesday
On Tuesday, October 15, at 5 p.m., a Coalition of Gwinnett Rotarians
and the Grayson Athletic Association Special Population Program
will celebrate the Kick-Off for Unity Place at Bay Creek Park.
This special rally will increase awareness about the new facilities
and educate participants about the GAA Special Population Program
and Rotary International.
Unity Place is a special ball field and playground that will
be built at the new Gwinnett County Park, Bay Creek Park, in Grayson.
Unity Place will allow special needs kids to participate in sporting
events and play with other handicapped and non-handicapped children.
This is the first Park of its kind in the U.S. -- where a ballfield
and playground are built in the same park.
Scott Slade will emcee the event, to begin at, at the corner
of Rosebud Road and Georgia Highway 20.
THOUGHT
FOR THE DAY:
Looking at matters
Einstein's way
"Yes, we have to divide up our time like that, between our
politics and our equations. But to me our equations are far more
important, for politics are only a matter of present concern.
A mathematical equation stands forever."
-- Albert Einstein (1879-1955.) Back
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Send your thoughts, 55-word short stories, pet peeves
or comments on any issue to Gwinnett
Forum for future publication. Back
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MORE: Contact Gwinnett Forum at: elliott@gwinnettforum.com
© 2002, Gwinnett Forum.com. Gwinnett Forum
is an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible
social, political and economic approaches to improve life in Gwinnett
County, Ga. USA.
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