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TODAY'S
ISSUE
The Community Bank
sets up "Taylor's Teams" to help area
By
Stanley Kelley
President and CEO
The Community Bank
Special to GwinnettForum.com
JULY 23, 2004 -- Carrying the word "community" in our
name, our bank has committed to fulfilling certain ideals and expectations
of the people we serve. Locally-owned and operated, with branches
in the tight-knit communities of Loganville, Grayson and Snellville,
The Community Bank is small enough to know our customers personally
and consider our co-workers as family.
 Upon
learning of the death of Taylor Layman, the eight-year old daughter
of Loganville branch teller Kelly and her husband Ed, bank management
and employees, many of whom are mothers and fathers, were compelled
to act. While playing at a birthday party on February 7, Taylor
collapsed and died from cardiac arrest, a condition that can take
a life with no prior symptoms or obvious triggers.
The American Red Cross notes that in the past year, 250,000 Americans
died of sudden cardiac arrest: nearly one death every two minutes.
Up to 50,000 of these deaths could have been prevented if someone
had initiated the Cardiac Chain of Survival*, and an automated external
defibrillator (AED) had been available for immediate use at the
time of the emergency.
Knowing that medical emergencies like Taylor's can occur anytime,
anywhere, and often require immediate action and care for survival,
we developed Taylor's Team, a trained group of employees working
at each branch that will be ready to respond in an emergency situation.
Last month, Bank Senior Vice President/CFO Dave DeVenney contacted
Jeff Vining, a Loganville resident and service representative for
the American Red Cross, who, within days, set our emergency preparedness
initiative in motion. Jeff facilitated the purchase of Automated
External Defibrillators (AED), and scheduled training for employees
serving on Taylor's Team, named in memory of the Layman's daughter.
In addition to being certified to operate an AED, Taylor's Team
employees are participating in Red Cross's workplace CPR and First
Aid training and certification, providing other vital skills to
respond in an emergency. In fact, the Red Cross is working with
several of our fellow Gwinnett businesses to provide AEDs and training,
a trend they hope to see increase.
As part of our civic outreach, The Community Bank is developing
a donation program to purchase AEDs for area schools, parks and
facilities where large groups gather. I encourage our local citizens
and businesses to contact the Red Cross at 404-575-3730, for more
information on preparing a home or a business for an emergency.
According to the Red Cross, the cardiac chain of survival is a
series of four critical steps. All four steps of the chain must
be present to help ensure survival from sudden cardiac arrest. The
four steps are:
- Early access to care (calling 911 or another emergency number)
- Early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
- Early defibrillation
- Early advanced cardiac life support as needed.
ELLIOTT
BRACK
Several
surprises emerge from Tuesday's general primary
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com
JULY 23, 2004 -- From Tuesday's primary election: several surprises
emerge, locally, and statewide.
 The
big story, though not much of a surprise, came in the chairman's
race, where Wayne Hill came out on top, but still was forced into
a runoff. The big question: is his 39 percent vote in the primary
strong enough to hold off Charles Bannister's 31 per cent finish?
As in any runoff, turnout will be the key in this return to the
polls on August 10.
Mike Beaudreau surprised a lot of people with his strength in the
District 3 commission race. In spite of raising far less money,
his showing makes Dwight Harrison's runoff race a steeper climb.
Also in the commission race, Lorraine Green's relatively easy,
2-1 victory over George Thorndyke was much wider than most people
thought this race would end. Apparently being tagged as a developer
is no way to win in Gwinnett.
Carole Boyce's easy victory in her school board race was somewhat
expected, what with her extensive background in community activities
and her experience as a teacher.
Chung Lee's strength was somewhat surprising, in spite of a handicap
of a charge against him during the election seasons. Of course,
this could have worked for him, but he enters the runoff in a good
position against Randy Rich, having a 36 percent turnout, versus
Rich's 14 percent.
Statewide, Johnny Isakson's victory with no runoff, and Cynthia
McKinney's squeaking by with a majority, were both not entirely
anticipated.
The victory by Isakson gives him more strength for the General
Election, in that he is not in a runoff. Meanwhile on the Democratic
side for the Senate, Denise Majette did considerably well in this
race (41%), with opponent Cliff Oxford only scoring 20 percent.
Oxford may be needing more than just his moneybags to outscore Majette
in the runoff.
One more election comment: you saw no totals for the late Bob Wood,
who had qualified to run for the Democratic nomination for county
commission chairman. Elections Supervisor Lynn Ledford tells us
that Georgia law allows in deaths prior to an election that no vote
total will be made.
By the way, the 2004 turnout was far greater than the 2000 primary,
when only 14.89 percent of the people voted. In Tuesday's vote was
29.09 percent, similar to the 2002 primary figure of 32 per cent.
* * * * *
BIGGEST SURPRISE of the week came from the U.S. Postal Service.
Not known for good public relations, and also known locally for
often sloppy counter service, now we hear that four local offices
will have extended hours.
This includes the Post Offices in Suwanee, Centerville, Lawrenceville
North and Peachtree Corners. They all add two hours to the business
day, now being opened until 7 p.m. And in addition, they will be
opened for two additional hours, until 2 p.m. on Saturday.
We commend the Postal Service for adding these hours at these four
stations. They are no doubt justified. It also makes us wonder does
this mean that the Postal Service will also send out mail deposited
during these extended hours!
* * * * *
BUTTON'S BIRTHDAY TIME: It's back, the annual celebration
of the birth of Button Gwinnett, marked each year at the University
of North Carolina Press. This year the date will be noon on Monday,
July 26. If you are in the Chapel Hill area, stop by at lunch, the
timing of this year's celebration. These warm, hospitable people
will make sure a resident of Gwinnett is most welcomed..
ABOUT
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will find tailored accounts, financial services and loans backed
by impeccable service and a prompt response...giving you a relationship
upon which to rely for a lifetime. From its Pinnacle Money Market
Account and Free Checking to full-service mortgage options, First
National Bank of Gwinnett helps make a difference. First National
Bank of Gwinnett is a Member of the FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender.
For a list of other sponsors of this forum, go to: http://www.gwinnettforum.com/about/sponsors.htm.
McLEMORE'S
WORLD
7/23: Vote counting
The latest from cartoonist Bill McLemore:
FEEDBACK
7/23: Code enforcers
about signs must have been busy otherwise
Editor, the Forum:
As evidenced by the numerous political signs along the roadways,
another election season has overwhelming adorned our city and county
streets corners with the familiar red, white and blue of politicians
turned publicity figures and their consuming use of the public right-of-ways.
Although there are clear regulations prohibiting the placing of
signage materials within the right-of-way of any street and/or thoroughfare,
it appears the code enforcement arms of both the county and cities
were busy with other priorities.
Although I fully support and encourage private landowners to post
such signage on their own property, in support of the candidate(s)
of their choice, I also appeal to the general public (disregarding
any political favoritism), to contact their city and/or county ordinance
enforcement officers and request that in all future elections they
remove and dispose of any signs that might be errantly placed.
This election year has seen significant signage on almost every
right-of-way street corner in Gwinnett County including many areas
in the surrounding cities. Surprisingly, there were a number of
signs positioned in the right-of-ways very near the Gwinnett County
Justice and Administration Center (GJAC).
Recognizing that ordinance enforcement officers appear to be zealous
about removing cause-based signs placed in right-of-ways by groups
other than politicians, perhaps that same due diligence can be applied
during any and all future political campaign/election seasons. I
have faith that in Gwinnett County and the surrounding municipalities
enforcing signage codes fairly and equally for all parties will
once again become a priority.
-- Tony Arakawa, Berkeley Lake
7/23: Appreciates remarks
concerning losing candidates
Editor, the Forum:
Your comments regarding appreciation for those who attempt to serve
in the civic arena (but lose office) was an excellent reminder to
those of us who choose not to place our families under an often
blurred microscope.
We should appreciate everyone's effort and find the time and the
manner in which to let them know. It's a bit like the magician's
slight of hand...now you see them and now you don't!
Thanks for reminding us to be mindful of the entire political process.
-- Janet Gibson, Lawrenceville
BOOK
RECOMMENDATION
7/23: From Johnny Lawler
of Norcross
"I agree with Jones Webb's remarks about The Noise Never
Dies by John A. Adams. I just finished the book and I found
it very interesting for a number of reasons:
- It is a first hand account of the war that dominates my generation's
psyche;
- It is factual account (I like that better than fiction);
- Colonel Adams is from Norcross and is a friend;
- It is filled with aviation references which interests me because
I was an air traffic controller in the Navy Reserve;
- And, as Mr. Webb points out, the book profits go to a worthy
cause.
"After talking with Colonel Adams, I might just re-read William
Manchester's American Caesar - or at least parts of it, since
it is pretty thick. This book explains how Douglas MacArthur was
more powerful than any American that ever lived and how he figures
prominently into the history of four counties: U.S.A, Phillipines,
Japan, Korea."
- An invitation: What books have you enjoyed? Send us
your best recent book along with a short paragraph as to why you
liked it, plus what you plan to read next. --eeb
ENCYCLOPEDIA
TIDBIT
7/23: McIntosh County
Shouters throwback to roots in Africa
The southeastern ring shout is probably the oldest surviving African
American performance tradition on the North American continent.
It continues to be performed in a black community in McIntosh County
on Georgia's coast. This compelling fusion of counterclockwise dancelike
movement, call-and-response singing, and percussion of hand clapping
and a stick beating a drumlike rhythm on a wooden floor is clearly
African in its origins and most salient features. The ring shout
affirms oneness with the Spirit and ancestors as well as community
cohesiveness.
 As
the tradition developed in slavery times, strong elements of Christian
belief were grafted onto it. The ring shout was first described
in detail during the Civil War by outside observers in coastal regions
of South Carolina and Georgia. Its practice continued in those areas
well into the twentieth century, even as its influence was resounding
in later forms like spiritual, jubilee, and gospel music, and elements
of jazz. By the last quarter of the twentieth century, however,
the ring shout itself was presumed to have died out until its rediscovery
in 1980 in McIntosh County.
To this day, the shouters of Bolden or "Briar Patch,"
a community near Eulonia, perform the ring shout at the Mt. Calvary
Baptist Church on Watch Night, or New Year's Eve, to welcome in
the New Year. In earlier times the shout, often criticized by white
missionaries and some black clergy, occurred in the church after
the formal worship, or in "praise houses" in the woods,
or even in homes or barns. Today it continues to be separate from
formal worship, though it takes place in the church's annex, a building
with a wooden floor that permits movement in the ring and the resonance
of the stick.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Ever before think of
embalming and a good book?
"A good book is the precious life blood of a master spirit,
embalmed and treasured upon purpose to a life beyond life."
-- Poet John Milton (1608-1684), via Dr. Wally Eberhard, Athens.
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