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Oldest civic club, Kiwanis, carries
on Christmas tradition
By
Tony Appling
Special to GwinnettForum.com
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. Dec. 12, 2006 -- Making a difference in the
lives of others is at the heart of the holiday season for the Lawrenceville
Kiwanis Club. This December, the Kiwanis Club will be doing just
that with its annual Christmas party for more than 350 children.
The Lawrenceville Kiwanis Club has been involved in providing a
Christmas party for kids in the community for more than 25 years.
Corporate donors and sponsors have been key to the success of the
event in the past, and Kiwanis Club members are encouraging area
businesses to continue that tradition of support for this year's
event, which is scheduled for Saturday, December 16.
In the past, many firms, such as Lawrenceville-based Richardson
Housing Group, have participated in the event by donating toys like
Barbies, books, skates and video games, as well as winter clothing
and jackets, school supplies and other common items that top children's
wish - and needs - lists. This year, the real estate development
company will also be "adopting" two of the children that
will be attending the festivities.
Richardson Housing Group is asking other like-minded businesses
and individuals to do the same.
Jason West, vice president of corporate affairs for Richardson,
says: "It doesn't take much to make a huge difference in the
life of a child, who just wants to experience the typical joys of
the season." West is president of the Lawrenceville Kiwanis
Club. He continues: "But the return is immeasurable. We feel
we've been blessed and we want to return that to the community and
encourage others to do the same. It is such a pleasure to be able
to make some of these kids' wishes come true and to provide some
genuine Christmas cheer."
Many of the children at the event - ranging in age from newborns
to teenagers - come from foster homes or various local shelters.
Each child provides a wish list for the holidays and sponsors shop
accordingly.
The party, which will take place at Gwinnett Technical College,
will include lunch, a visit and photo with Santa Claus, arts/crafts
with local high schools Key Club members, and, of course, gifts.
Each child will go home with gifts from his or her wish list to
open on Christmas day.
The Lawrenceville Kiwanis Club, which began more than 80 years ago,
is one of the oldest civic organizations in Gwinnett County. The
club's main emphasis has remained its commitment to working with
community youth.
Those wishing to join the efforts of the Lawrenceville Kiwanis Club
to make the season brighter for children by helping fill a child's
wish list should call 770-963-0359, ext. 323.
Best past support for MARTA along western
border of county
By
Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com
DEC. 12, 2006 -- Since the question of extending MARTA has popped
back into the news, let's throw some more light on the subject.
Brack |
The subject came back from one of the newer organizations in the
county, the Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District. This
new group has advocated that the MARTA question be re-visited and
studied as one means of helping solve the transportation problem
and help alleviate traffic congestion for Gwinnett.
Having a rapid transit rail line in Gwinnett would benefit the
broader population, but most especially minority workers living
in the area who need better public transit.
Here's our two-cents worth that we recall after the November, 1990
referendum on MARTA in Gwinnett.
In the corridor served by the Norfolk Southern Railroad, basically
from Doraville on the south to Buford on the north, MARTA was much
better received than in other parts of the county.
In the militia districts along this rail corridor, the MARTA question
was approved by 43 per cent of the voters.
However, in the U.S. Highway 78 corridor, from Stone Mountain through
Loganville, MARTA was thoroughly defeated, with only about 10 per
cent of the people in this corridor wanting anything to have to
do with this transit authority.
The actual county-wide Marta vote: yes, 28,828. No, 68,136. In
effect, it was a 2:1 stomping of the idea for MARTA over the entire
county. But that Norfolk Southern rail corridor came close to getting
a majority approval.
This says to us, now that the MARTA question has been introduced
in Gwinnett: that the suggestion made back after the last MARTA
vote might still work. Introduce MARTA to Gwinnett not county wide,
but by a special MARTA district. Pay for it with a special additional
penny dedicated to MARTA.
It has worked before in the county. When the Gwinnett County Fire
Department got started, it at first only served the Pinckneyville
(Norcross area) Militia District. These voters approved taxing themselves
for fire protection. After their approval, other districts in the
county began to vote for fire protection, until the fire district
was extended throughout the county.
Therefore, the question could concentrate on the people most likely
to ride MARTA rail, those who could easily link up with the present
Doraville rail line.
One way might be to divide the county into three corridors for
possible taxing districts to see if each of these corridors wanted
MARTA extended into their areas.
The three corridors could be:
a. Along the western part of the county, following the Norfolk
Southern Railroad, from Norcross to Buford.
b. Along the central part of the county, following the CSX rail
corridor, from Tucker to Dacula.
c. Along the eastern part of the county following U.S. Highway
78, from Stone Mountain to Loganville.
Allow each corridor to make its own determination if it wanted
MARTA. The western corridor could connect by rail with Doraville.
The central and eastern line could connect with the eastern line
into Decatur. Prior to completion of the rail lines, additional
buses could connect with the rail lines.
As proposed in 1990, the western line would also connect to Gwinnett
Place. An extension to Discovery Mills area would be simple. A routing
from the Mall of Georgia might either connect through the central
corridor, or to the western corridor. That would stimulate retail
sales in all three centers.
Gwinnett could then have rapid transit, paid by the peoples in
the districts affected. And yes, it ought to at least give an alternate
to highway movement, if not give some relief to traffic congestion,
if not now, certainly for the future.
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Puts forward idea of Georgia having instant runoffs
Editor, the Forum:
How about Instant Runoffs (choose your second choice on election
day)?
-- Ed Buckner, Smyrna
(Dear Ed: That may be the best idea we have heard
from in a long time. It has been tried in some states to good
response. In races with at least three candidates, when you originally
vote, it also asks: "In case of a runoff, who is your choice?"
If the candidate you vote for is tops, he is your runoff candidate.
If that person does not finish in top two, you can choose another
candidate as your runoff choice. And the county is not saddled
with another election and its high cost if there is no winner
in the initial round. You certainly could save the government
money that way!-eeb)
Name changes ceding
undeserved victory for urban sprawl
Editor, the Forum:
Considering the name change at the church in Hog Mountain, I agree
such names should be retained. Hog Mountain has many years of existence
carrying the name and it is colorful, catchy, easy name to remember.
Why not keep it as it is? Such name changes seem to be ceding an
undeserved victory to urban sprawl (and political correctness).
Of course, those at the church have every right to change, but to
me it would be sad to see everything traditional phased out. I'll
bet most would prefer keeping the present name. There is plenty
of history built into that name and it helps keep the community
name alive.
I still think the Washington Bullets basketball team had a good
and unique nickname but someone with too little else to do decided
the name sounded too violent. For many years they were the Baltimore
Bullets and no one seemed to be offended. Thus the name Wizards,
which sounds a little like the Klan, doesn't it ?
Change isn't always progress. Some busybody was whining about the
name of Rifle, Colorado a few years back when I was vacationing
in that area, looking at ghost towns (ghosttowns.com,
ghosttowngallery.com,
many more sites). Apparently they wisely decided to keep it as it
is.
-- Marshall Miller, Lilburn
Pictorial greetings
at Christmas frim Trier, Germany
Editor, the Forum:
Trier, Germany |
Before the upcoming Christmas season gets hectic and beyond us,
I want to wish all the best this joyous time of the year. And with
this greeting I am sending a picture from one of my favorite of
the many dozens of outdoor Christmas markets here in Germany. This
one is located in the old Medieval and former Roman town of Trier.
Though pictures do not give proper justice to actually being in
the midst of the sights, smells, sounds (all very wonderful!) of
these festive markets, I hope you might find a brief mental enjoyment
of this one with me.
-- Larry Zani, Kaiserslauten, Germany
(Editor's Note; Mr. Zani is a former winner in
the Ugly Necktie Contest we once conducted. -eeb)
Suwanee
police begin CARES effort to cut accidents
The Suwanee Police Department wants drivers to resolve to drive
more safely as we approach the new year. To help ensure that they
do, at least within the Suwanee City limits, the police department
will implement Suwanee CARES, a traffic enforcement program targeted
for Georgia Highway 317 from Horizon Drive west to Moore Road. Suwanee
CARES, (Suwanee Corridor 317 Accident Reduction and Enforcement
Strategy) will be implemented beginning Wednesday, December 13.
Lt. Cass Mooney says: "The 317 corridor accounts for 56 percent
of the crashes and injuries that occur in Suwanee. We want to let
everyone know that we're going to be more strictly enforcing the
speed limit and other traffic laws this holiday season and through
the month of January, particularly along Lawrenceville-Suwanee/Suwanee
Dam Road, in an effort to reduce the number of accidents."
Through November, 894 vehicular crashes have occurred on Suwanee
streets this year; 501 of them along the Georgia Highway 317 corridor.
Of the 270 crash-related injuries in Suwanee this year, 152 happened
along Lawrenceville-Suwanee/Suwanee Dam Road. In October, three
teenagers were killed in an accident on that roadway.
Aggressive driving behaviors account for 78 percent of crashes
along the 317 corridor, according to the police department. Such
dangerous driving behaviors include following too closely, turning
in front of oncoming traffic, and making erratic or improper lane
changes, all of which are compounded by excessive speeds.
Gwinnett has 18 students
nominated for military academies
Congressman John Linder announces his nominees for the following
United States Service Academies: Military Academy at West Point,
New York; Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland; Merchant Marine
Academy at Kings Point, New York; and Air Force Academy at Colorado
Springs, Colorado. The Coast Guard Academy at New London, Connecticut,
does not require a nomination.
The following students received a nomination from Congressman Linder:
Patrick Smith, Loganville, Grayson High School
Kiernan Kane, Duluth, Duluth High School
Adam Geil, Sugar Hill, North Gwinnett High School
Thomas Izzo, Lilburn, Parkview High School
Craig Lynberg, Lilburn, Parkview High School
Kristin Donaldson, Lawrenceville, Collins Hill High School
Christine Johnson, Suwanee, Collins Hill High School
Cory McCart, Lawrenceville, Central Gwinnett High School
Ross Carter, Lawrenceville, Northwestern Preparatory Academy
William Chauncey, Buford, Marion Military Academy
Samuel Kazmer, Lawrenceville, Brookwood High School
Russ Mainor, Snellville, Shiloh High School
Rex Atwood, Duluth, Wesleyan High School
Shane Sandridge, Sugar Hill, Horizon Christian Academy
Vincent Catrini, Norcross, Wesleyan High School
Johnathan Leo, Duluth, Duluth High School
Steven Gower, Snellville, Brookwood High School
Robert Malinowski, Berkeley Lake, Holy Spirit Preparatory School.
Nominations are based on a variety of criteria: a candidate's high
school academic ranking, SAT or ACT scores, athletic ability, and
leadership potential as demonstrated by extra-curricular activities,
community service, or part-time employment. Those interested in
learning more about the nomination process for next year, please
contact Annie Valenty, the Seventh Congressional District's Academy
Advisory Panel Coordinator, at (770) 232-3005, or visit Representative
Linder's Online Office at http://linder.house.gov.
A nomination from Congressman Linder does not guarantee an appointment
to a service academy. It is the decision of the individual academies
to issue appointments.
Gwinnett
congressman on GOP steering committee
Congressman John Linder (R-Ga.) was elected to the Republican Steering
Committee as the representative for the Region IX states (Alabama,
Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi). The steering committee is
made up of a select group of 29 members whose role is to determine
all the committee assignments for Republican members.
The committee consists of the elected House Republican leadership,
several regional representatives, and ranking members of the Rules,
Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Appropriations Committees.
They will meet again in January to finish the process of assigning
members to committees.
Antoinette Reddinger
marks her 100th birthday
Mrs. Reddinger |
Antoinette Reddinger's 100th birthday was marked November 27, 2006,
with family, residents and associates at Gwinnett Extended Care
Center. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, when 18, she married Basil
Reddinger, a soldier who served in World War I. They had four daughters
together, and currently have 22 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren
and three great-great-grandchildren. Antoinette was married for
57 years. Antoinette not only opened her home to family, but she
was also a foster parent to over 30 children, one of whom she adopted.
- 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
Sea Island
Singers perpetuate traditions of ancestors
The Georgia
Sea Island Singers are a group of African Americans who travel
the world to share the songs, stories, dances, games, and language
of their Gullah heritage. It was started sometime in the early 1900s
and composed of many individuals over time. Together they have presented
educational programs that testify about the history of enslaved
Africans from coastal Georgia and celebrate the rich language, culture,
and traditions that developed on and near the Sea Islands of the
Georgia coast-in relative isolation from the rest of the South-for
more than 200 years.
Sea Island Singers |
The famed Smithsonian folklorist Alan Lomax discovered the Georgia
Sea Island Singers on his 1959-60 collecting trip through the American
South. His field recordings from that trip can be found on two volumes
of Rounder Records' Alan Lomax Collection, Southern Journey Series.
Since that time, the singers have performed for three presidents,
including Jimmy Carter at his inauguration, and have made numerous
appearances at a variety of events, including the Smithsonian Institution's
Folklife Festival and the National Book Festival, both held in Washington,
D.C.; the 1994 Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway; the National
Black Storytelling Festival; and the G8 Summit on Sea Island in
2004. In 1990 the group received the Governor's Award in the Humanities.
Formed to perpetuate the traditions of their ancestors, the Sea
Island Singers teach and perform the slave songs, dances, shouts,
and games with audiences in a participatory, interactive manner,
echoing the engaging quality of the traditions themselves. Throughout
their performances, the singers also offer insight into the reasons
behind the development and sustenance of their traditions.
A capella call-and-response singing, hand clapping, children's
games, and speaking in the Gullah dialect are often included in
the group's performances, as is a demonstration of the ring shout
dance, described in Hawes and Jones's book as a "religious
exercise, a form of worship, born out of African tradition and neatly
distinguished from secular activities." The dancers move in
a circular flow, with their feet never leaving the floor and their
legs never crossing each other, as they follow the calls of a shouter.
Considerations of what
to do when you get to the end of rope
"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang
on."
-- Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945), 32nd president of
the United States, via Patrick Malone, Snellville.
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is an online community commentary for exploring pragmatic and sensible
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