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Gwinnett "Nutcracker" to
feature 11 celebrities on stage
By
Holley Calmes
Special to GwinnettForum.com
NOV. 28, 2006 -- Gwinnett Ballet Theatre's "The Nutcracker"
is pulling out all the stops for its 25th Anniversary. For the past
quarter century, GBT has presented the well-loved holiday classic
with aplomb. But this year "The Nutcracker" will not only
be performed with a live orchestra for six of eleven shows, it will
also feature some of Gwinnett's most creative and visible women
in the very special role of Mother Ginger!
This role doesn't require pointe shoes, thank goodness, nor does
it ask for extreme physical exertion. Mother Ginger probably doesn't
even break a sweat. She's that funny lady with the enormous skirt
who is rolled out in the second act during the famous "Land
of Sweets" portion of the ballet.
Mother Ginger proudly waves her big feather fan and smiles to the
crowd while six adorable little children run out from under her
skirt and dance about the stage. After a bit, the wee ones leap
back under the huge costume and Mother Ginger and her brood are
whisked into the wings.
Not a lot of technical difficulty involved, you might think. Well,
no. But a lot of personality is a definite plus, and GBT's Celebrity
Mother Gingers (CMGs) have that in spades!
The roster of CMGs is a who's who of Gwinnett Professional Women.
The names and appearance dates of these guest thespians are:
- December 2 at 2:30 - Mayor Shirley Fanning-Lassiter
of Duluth.
- December 2 at 7:30 - Cathy Arostegui, Apple
Printing.
- December 3 at 2:30 - Christi Johnson, Gwinnett
Gladiators.
- December 8 at 7:30 - Caryn McGarity, Gwinnett
Convention and Visitors Bureau.
- December 9 at 2:30 - Pat Hart, United Way in
Gwinnett.
- December 9 at 7:30 - Rakhi Singadia Narwani,
Barron's Fine Jewelry.
- December 10 at 2:30 - Renee Byrd-Lewis, Scientific
Atlanta.
- December 15 at 7:30 - Judy Waters, Community
Foundation of Northeast Georgia.
- December 16 at 2:30 - Melissa Cahill, Mall of
Georgia.
- December 16 at 7:30 - Chris Truhe, Carisma Gallery.
- December 17 at 2:30 - Paige Havens, Spitfire
Media.
Convincing these women to take part in the ballet was not difficult.
There were more takers than opportunities, and next year's roster
could easily become a lottery.
Says Caryn McGarity of the GCVB, "What a creative idea to
invite the community to experience 'The Nutcracker' in such a fun
way! Who hasn't grown up with 'The Nutcracker?' I have seen it several
times throughout my life, and now I truly get to be a part of it.
I am looking forward to the experience!"
It is quite an experience, and the part ensures that CMGs won't
feel any stage fright. What they will feel is the electricity of
being backstage, the energy from the crowd, the music and other
dancers surrounding them. It is indeed a thrill, and a small way
for the ballet to say "Thank you!" for all of the support
these women give our community every day.
Many do not understand "Your best loss
is your first loss"
By
Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com
NOV. 28, 2006 -- "Your best loss is your first loss."
Brack |
That's a basic tenet of anyone trying to stem the flow of information
for any individual or company facing an inquiring press.
In other words, once you find yourself the target of the media
wanting information, tell all as fast as you can, even if it is
bad news.
You or your firm may be caught up in a self-administered catastrophe.
Or you may be simply trying to counter other bad information, and
seeking to deflect any damage to your company.
Yet time after time, we find that people caught up in the moment
cannot see the forest for the trees, and either do nothing (bad),
or try to explain (worse), or delay and delay getting the information
to the public (worst of all.)
Our own president is a good example as he tries to deflect the
barrage of bad news from Iraq. And our past president dawdled on
goings on in his office. But let's not get into politics.
A recent news items is a better example, one we can use to illustrate
this point.
A story recently told of a recall for store-brand acetaminophen
pills manufactured by Perrigo. The firm recalled 11 million bottles
of store-brand acetaminophen after discovering some were contaminated
with metal fragments. There were no immediate reports of injuries
or illness.
If your firm was a major producer of these pills, but not Perrigo,
you might think this would not affect you. And technically, you
would be right.
The name-brand version of acetaminophen is Tylenol, and generic
acetaminophen is often found on store shelves right next to Tylenol
products. However, the recall does not affect Tylenol, and it should
not cause a shortage of acetaminophen, the FDA said.
Yet Tylenol understood the implications of this recall by Perrigo.
Tylenol took action. A full page advertisement in the New York Times
(and we suspect other newspapers) gave a succinct message:
"RECENTLY, SEVERAL STORE BRAND PAIN RELIEVERS
CONTAINING ACETAMINOPHEN WERE RECALLED.
"TYLENOL* BRANDED PRODUCTS ARE NOT AFFECTED
BY THIS RECALL.
"The makers of Tylenol want to reassure
you that no Tylenol branded products are included in the recent
acetaminophen recall.
"The makers of Tylenol do not manufacture
store brand products.
"Remember, when used as directed, Tylenol
products are safe and are manufactured with the highest quality
standards.
"If you have any questions, please call
us at 1-877-TYLENOL or visit Tylenol.com.
"STOP. THINK. TYLENOL.COM."
* * * *
It's obvious that Tylenol recognized the danger that it might face
if it said nothing. After all, Tylenol learned the hard way in the
mid 80's when it had a similar scare. Here in 2006, it took immediate
action, at substantial cost, to ensure to its customers that all
was well with its product. If it had to take a loss by mentioning
the subject, it did. Tylenol took action.
But mainly, Tylenol served to reassure its customers. It was a
straight-forward response to an industry problem that Tylenol did
not want to find tainting its own label.
More individuals, especially politicians, and more firms, need
to use Tylenol as a case study in how to react to bad situations
and be forthright with the public. Unfortunately, many individuals
and firms do not understand the benefits of "your best loss
is your first loss."
 The
public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com
to you at no cost to readers. Today's sponsor is First National
Insurance, located at 1689 Duluth Highway, Lawrenceville. The
firm, with roots going back to its founding in 1995, offers multi-lines
in insurance and financial services, including auto, home, recreational,
commercial and group benefits programs. It is the representative
of several old-line insurance companies, including Travelers, Hartford,
Auto-owners, Allied, Blue Cross-Blue Shield and Zurich firms. Call
First National Insurance at 770 513-2264.
Illegal immigrants?
Since we didn't publish Friday due to the Thanksgiving holiday,
we thought you'd want to see last week's holiday cartoon from Bill
McLemore:
Finds himself also bugged by oddball
Monday holidays
Editor, the Forum:
Those oddball Monday holidays get to me, also (see Nov.
21 GwinnettForum.) Unless it is a holiday that my employer
observes (and in my career there have been none that observed them
all, and very few that observed more than one or two), I find myself
checking the mail and going to the bank, just as you did.
There oughta be some law, regulation or something, that says, "Everybody
gets the holiday or nobody gets the holiday." Most of the Monday
holidays are observed only by bankers and government employees and
hardly anyone else. I don't mind working these so-called holidays,
but I do like to get my mail and do my banking if I have to work.
-- Robert H. Hanson, Loganville
Hopewell
sponsors AIDS Awareness on Dec. 1
Distressed and overwhelmed by what he heard during the ABC special
"Out of Control: AIDS in Black America," Dr. William L.
Sheals of the Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church decided he will
no longer remain silent regarding the epidemic that is destroying
the African-American community.
Dr. Sheals says: "HIV/AIDS is killing our community and the
church can no longer sit back as though it does not affect us. Our
women are dying, our men are dying, our children are dying and we
have got to do something about it."
The church's HIV/AIDS Ministry has been mobilized to officially
launch Hopewell's campaign again HIV/AIDS - "Silence Equals
Death - Knowledge Equals Life". Headed by Stephanie Tolliver
and Debra Herring, the goal of the ministry is to educate the African
American Community - young and old - about the seriousness of this
epidemic in our community.
"Prevention and education are key in the eradication of this
deadly plague," Dr. Sheals says. Hopewell has been working
closely with AIDGwinnett, to develop a strategy for educating the
African American community on how to prevent the spread and just
how important it is that we take this epidemic seriously. "We
are aware that HIV/AIDS is not just an African American disease,
however, the numbers in our community are rising at an astounding
rate."
On World AIDS Day, December 1, the HIV/AIDS Ministry will host
"How Crowded is My Bed?" The evening will include a skit
with the same title, a special showing of the ABC Special and several
guest speakers including Ron Delay, a specialist in HIV Early Intervention.
The evening, co-sponsored by the Gwinnett Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta
Sorority, Inc. will end with an open forum and question and answer
period with the audience. A portion of the AIDS quilt will also
be on display.
The summit begins at 7 p.m. on the church campus in Faith Hall,
182 Hunter Street in Norcross. The community is invited to attend.
County to fund $25
million to Gwinnett Hospital System
Gwinnett Medical Center will get a capital infusion by Gwinnett
County that will help support a massive expansion project at its
main campus in Lawrenceville. The Gwinnett County Commission recently
approved $25 million in funding to be provided at $5 million per
year over the next five years.
The funding will assist GMC to vastly expand the 22-year-old hospital.
Pending state approval, a new five-story tower will be built atop
the northern wing of the existing hospital, affording the addition
of 129 acute care beds, raising total bed capacity to 304. The expansion
will allow for a complete reconfiguration of the hospital's patient
care areas. A total of 15 dedicated specialty care areas will be
created between the new tower and the existing patient tower.
Phil Wolfe, president and CEO of Gwinnett Hospital System says:
"Gwinnett Medical Center is at a point where we must expand
significantly to continue to effectively serve Gwinnett County.
A capital infusion by the county will allow Gwinnett Medical Center
to move more quickly with expansion plans to better serve the community."
Charles Bannister, chairman of the Gwinnett Board of Commissioners,
says: "We view this as a solid investment in our county and
its future. Our healthcare infrastructure is vital to the overall
future success of our county, and Gwinnett Medical Center has done
an excellent job of meeting this community's healthcare needs. At
the same time, as our county continues to grow, so too must Gwinnett
Medical Center. We want to make that growth a priority."
If state approval is granted, Gwinnett Medical Center anticipates
starting major construction in the first quarter of 2007, with the
new tower expected to be completed in 2009. A number of renovations
of the existing facility would take place concurrently and continue
following the opening of the new tower.
The project will affect nearly every aspect of the hospital. New
construction and renovations would include integration of state-of-the-art
technologies and equipment, a new main entrance and admissions area,
expanded surgical areas, a new terrace garden level, a sky bridge
connector between the two towers and modernization of the look and
feel of existing patient areas.
Gwinnett Tech plans
second health fair on Thursday
Gwinnett Technical College is hosting a health and wellness fair
on Thursday, November 30, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering an
array of free health screenings and services to students and the
community, on the college's campus in Building 100. In addition
to the free health services, the fair will also feature complimentary
massages, facials, healthful snacks, entertainment and raffle prizes.
In its second year, Gwinnett Tech's health and wellness fair provides
students hands-on experience using applicable skills they learn
in class, and in return provides a necessary service to the community.
Local businesses will also be participating in the fair, offering
free services and samples to health fair participants. Some of the
business/organization participants include:
For more information. call Gwinnett Tech at 770.962.7580.
Hospital
system names Tommy Hughes as new director
Tommy Hughes is the newest member of the Gwinnett Health System
Board of Directors. A resident of Buford, Hughes has dedicated his
time and treasure to improving the community in which he lives and
works.
Hughes |
Hughes served as Gwinnett County Commissioner for District 1 from
1993 until 2001. As a committee member for the Board of Regents,
he was instrumental in securing a four-year college for Gwinnett
County. Hughes was also an ardent supporter of the Gwinnett Civic
& Cultural Center, encouraging its development and expansion.
Hughes' past civic duties include being a director of Buford Basketball
Association, member of Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful, graduate
of Leadership Gwinnett and the Regional Leadership Institute and
chairman of the Gwinnett Convention and Visitors Bureau. Hughes
also serves on the Board of First Bank of the South, Gwinnett Chamber
of Commerce and Georgia Gwinnett College.
He and his wife Gina have two sons, Joe and Adam.
- An invitation: What
Web sites, books or restaurants have you enjoyed? Send us your
best recent visit to a restaurant or most recent book you have
read along with a short paragraph as to why you liked it, plus
what book you plan to read next. --eeb
Early Georgia
immigrants brought different cultures
Immigrants
to colonial Georgia came from a vast array of regions around
the Atlantic basin--including the British Isles, northern Europe,
the Mediterranean, Africa, the Caribbean, and a host of American
colonies. They arrived in very different social and economic circumstances,
bringing preconceptions and cultural practices from their homelands.
Each wave of migrants changed the character of the colony-its size,
composition, and economy-and brought new opportunities and new challenges
to the people already there.
During the Trusteeship (1732-52), the overwhelming majority of
Georgia immigrants-more than 3,000 in number-arrived from Europe.
Around two-thirds of these pioneers were funded by the Trustees,
who offered them a passage across the Atlantic, provisions for one
year, tools, and a tract of land in return for their labor.
The pattern of settlement changed dramatically with the arrival
of royal control in Georgia (1752-76). Although plenty of settlers
continued to stream into Georgia from the Old World, the bulk of
white immigrants now came in a series of waves from other British
American colonies, attracted by the prospect of cheap and fertile
lands.
American settlers who flooded into Georgia tended to be young and
brought enough women and children to offset imbalances within the
population. They also forcibly brought with them thousands of slaves
of African origin and, together with earlier settlers who shared
their appetite for plantation labor, imported thousands more via
the Atlantic slave trade. As a result, Georgia's colonial population
spiraled from an estimated 3,500 in 1752 to around 29,000 in 1773.
By the end of the colonial era, white Georgians were still intricately
connected to the wider Atlantic world, through commerce and kinship,
but most had come to view themselves as more than just relocated
British subjects or insular communities. When the impulse to subscribe
to a new republican identity seized the eastern seaboard in 1776,
just enough of the colony's diverse free settlers considered themselves
"Americans" to take part in the American Revolution (1775-83).
Creative thoughts about
re-living life from songwriter
"If I had my life to live over...I wouldn't have time."
-- Singer-songwriter-entertainer Roger Miller (1936-1992),
via Marshall Miller, Lilburn
Send your thoughts, 55-word short stories, pet peeves
or comments on any issue to Gwinnett
Forum for future publication.
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© 2006, Gwinnett Forum.com. Gwinnett Forum
is an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible
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