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Issue 9.03 | Friday, April 10, 2009 | Forward to your friends! |
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McLEMORE'S
WORLD ARCHIVE FEEDBACK UPCOMING NOTABLE ALSO INSIDE ___::
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Meet a sponsor |
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TODAY'S
FOCUS DULUTH,
Ga., April 10, 2009 -- For their formal Spring Concert, the Gwinnett Symphony
Orchestra and Chorus will present an evening of music led by Conductor/Music
Director Robert Trocina and Chorus Director Rick Smith. The concert will
be Tuesday, April 28 at 7 p.m. at the Gwinnett Performing Arts Center.
Guest artists
Chix with Stix, a unique percussion group, will join the Symphony Orchestra
in performing Bizet's well-known Carmen Suite. Chix with Stix's
percussive stylings promise to make this a particularly exciting and riveting
performance. Tickets are $12, $14 or $18, and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the Gwinnett Center Box Office in person (6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Tickets may also be purchased from any orchestra or chorus member. For questions, please call the Lilburn New School of Music office, at 770-925-8900. * * * * * Chix with Stix brings together a group of female percussionists who express their musicianship through the performance of new and traditional percussion ensemble repertoire. The ensemble includes Lisa Angert Morris, Lisa Gillespie, Karen Hunt, Olivia Kieffer, Courtney McDonald and Bonnie Hering. Since their debut performance in January 2004, Chix with Stix has been entertaining and educating many audiences in Georgia. The musicians have a combined 50-plus years of freelance experience throughout the Southeast. As well as being active performers and educators, Chix with Stix includes a licensed psychotherapist, an elementary music teacher and a small business owner. Recent reviews of Chix with Stix included comments such as, "at the conclusion of the concert at the Falany Performing Arts Center, the audience immediately rose to their feet in a loud ovation. The experience was not only musically exhilarating, it seemed to involve everyone in the audience," by Ric Sanchez of Reinhardt College, and, "these women will surprise the audience with the musicality and uniqueness of their sounds," from The Atlanta Journal and Constitution. For more
information about Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra & Chorus and their upcoming
concerts, including their new summer concert series in Duluth, please
visit their website at www.gwinnettsymphony.org. ELLIOTT
BRACK APRIL 10, 2009 -- It is difficult to imagine how Gwinnett would have developed without the vision and leadership that Paul Duke provided as the county began its fast growth.
Paul Duke was an Atlanta native, All-American football player (center) and Georgia Tech graduate who saw possibilities in what is now Peachtree Corners. He began to put together his ideas that would eventually result in Peachtree Corners and Technology Park/Atlanta. By the early 1970s, Duke was bringing to life an until-then unheralded and virtually uninhabited portion of Gwinnett west of Norcross, with good-paying, technological jobs. He wanted to create in Peachtree Corners an area where people would live, work and play. Duke was also a convincing zealot, initially convincing 17 friends, mostly fellow graduates of Georgia Tech, to ante up the original money to buy, at first, 300 acres for Technology Park. The park soon took off, transforming what had been pine trees and pasture land into the first landscaped industrial parks in Atlanta.
His ideas spawned Technology Park, which began in 1972, and brought the jobs. His idea of Sturbridge Square was the first big apartment complex in Gwinnett. Eventually, hundreds of single family, upscale homes sprouted in Peachtree Corners. Duke did this with detailed plans and careful engineering, making a scale model of the entire area to be displayed at his offices on Holcomb Bridge Road. People came, looked, and bought. Major firms came into the park and fueled the job growth: Electromagnetic Sciences, the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry, the engineering firm of Ebasco Services, then General Electric, regional offices Traveler's Insurance, and headquarters of Hayes Microcomputer and Scientific Atlanta. These and others companies provided the solid job base that eventually bloomed into 5,000 jobs. Duke's concept spread to other areas, bringing high-quality development to Gwinnett. Paul Duke, who died recently at age 84, was the visionary, the catalyst, the dreamer that made all this possible. He propelled Gwinnett to the forefront by developing smartly, and seeking higher-paying jobs from smokestack-less employers, a environmentally-sound course the county would follow over the years. Doing it right was a key from the beginning. The investors had studied development activities in California. They retained the consulting firm of Arthur Little who told them that an emerging field of "changing technology" would propel economic development. Later called "high technology," this industry was first centered for Metro Atlanta in Norcross.
The dream that Paul Duke had was tested mightily by the recession of the mid-1970s. Development slowed and threatened his efforts. But a solid foundation had already been set, and the area began again to thrive along the terms Duke foresaw. In 1981 Denver Tech, an eventual subsidiary of European Ferries, became the principal owner of Technology Park. The firm recognized the by-then 500 acres of Technology Park was about out of land. Expansion began in 1982 on the Forsyth-Fulton County line at "Technology Park/Johns Creek." Charlie Brown, who began working at the park in 1974, later guided the park for years. He says that Duke was successful because of his outgoing style. "He was hale and hearty, and people liked him. He was intelligent, had a good education, and good family support from his wife, Jeanne. He was already successful when he started the park, and saw his dream grow tremendously." Rick O'Brien, who followed Brown as president of Technology Park, was early on the corporate secretary, working closely with Duke. "Even though I was a kid of 23 and he was 60 when I started there, and Paul was twice my age, he always treated me as an equal. He would take time out for the little guys." The key
person behind Peachtree Corners and Technology Park was Paul Duke, a kind,
friendly individual who had the foresight, the vision, of what could be
for Gwinnett. Just think how differently Gwinnett County would have developed, no doubt at a lower-caliber economic level, had it not been for Paul Duke's vision, drive and determination. Paul Duke,
(1924-2009): May you rest in peace.
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McLEMORE'S
WORLD ARCHIVE
FEEDBACK
UPCOMING With the approach of prom and the summer months---when teen traffic-related deaths are at their highest---the next offering of Suwanee's PRIDE (parent/teen driver education) is timely. The Suwanee Police Department, in cooperation with the Georgia Traffic Injury Prevention Institute, will present a two-hour driver education class for new teen drivers and their parents at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23, at the Suwanee Crossroads Center, 323 Buford Highway. Georgia Teens Ride with PRIDE (Parents Reducing Injuries and Driver Error) is designed to help parents model safe driving behaviors and attitudes in order for their new teen drivers ages 14-16 to be safer and more confident behind the wheel. Class space is limited and advanced registration is required. To download an application, visit the Hot Links section of the www.suwanee.com homepage or contact Sgt. Elias Casanas at elias@suwanee.com or 770/945-8995. The registration deadline is April 16. The PRIDE programs makes parents/guardians more aware of their own driving behaviors, assists parents in helping their teens to become safe drivers, and offers strategies for required supervised practice driving time. Buford Business Alliance plans two gatherings next week The Buford Business Alliance has two functions scheduled during the coming week. On Tuesday, April 14, there will be a "Business After Hours" gathering at the United Community Bank at 5:30 p.m. Food will be provided by Dillard's Barbecue and Grill. Then on Thursday, April 16, the Alliance's Power Lunch will be at Sean's American Bistro in the Buford Village Center at noon. Guest Speaker will be Taun Henderson on the topic "No Matter How Good You Are, You Can Always Get Better." The menu will feature rock shrimp and havarti cheese quesadilla with lettuce and honey lime vinaigrette. Briscoe Park to hold annual Beautification Day on April 18 Snellville will hold its sixth annual Park Beautification Day at T.W. Briscoe Park on Saturday, April 18, beginning at 8:30 a.m. The day will begin with complimentary breakfast treats for all volunteers. Project assignments will be given out to participants and projects will begin at 9 a.m. The Arbor Day celebration will be at noon. Educational materials and donated items will be available as well as a short presentation by arborist, Chris Barneycastle. The Snellville Recycling Center will also be offering tours of the facility during the day. Please stop by the Briscoe Park office or visit the website at www.snellville.org for a registration form. For more information, call the Briscoe Park office at (770) 985-3535 or email Lisa Platt at lplatt@snellville.org. Georgia Gwinnett College's next open house is April 25 Georgia
Gwinnett College will open its campus doors on Saturday, April 25
so that prospective students may visit the 212 acre campus as they begin
to make decisions about where they want to attend college. Parents and
other interested parties also are invited to attend the Open House to
see what Georgia's newest four-year public college has to offer. Currently,
GGC offers majors in biology, business administration, information technology
and psychology, but over the next two to four years, major fields of study
will include education, nursing, radiology, English, history, mathematics,
criminology, political science and exercise science. While here, guests
also can see what extra-curricular activities, clubs and organizations
are available to future students. NOTABLE Gwinnett
County author and newshound Elliott Brack will kick off Georgia Gwinnett
College's Button Gwinnett Speaker's Series on Monday, April 13, when he
lectures to the college students about the history of Gwinnett County.
Brack recently completed his 850-page book, Gwinnett:
A little above Atlanta, which details the modern history of Gwinnett
County. The public is invited to attend. Gwinnett:
A little above Atlanta speaks to the county's early history, but
essentially is an explanation of what happened during the times of Gwinnett's
tremendous growth and change. The book also chronicles the individuals
and institutions that were part of the growth, bringing new strengths,
ideas, challenges and approaches to the county. The history of Georgia
Gwinnett College is prominently featured in the tome as are interesting
stories and anecdotes told in first person from some of the county's most
prominent leaders of their time. Former Collins Hill student at UGA wins Udall Scholarship For the first time, two University of Georgia students have been selected as recipients of the 2009 Morris K. Udall Undergraduate Scholarship, a national award recognizing second and third year students pursuing careers related to the environment or Native American policy.
UGA's Udall Scholars are Ashley Dronenburg, a graduate of Collins Hill High School , who is a junior with a double major in journalism and environmental economics and management from Lawrenceville, and Mark Milby, a junior ecology major from Marietta. Through reporting and campus activities, Dronenburg has demonstrated her commitment to raise awareness about current environmental issues. She has published service articles on biodiesel use in Athens and ways to "be green" on a student budget in UGAzine, a student magazine Dronenburg has been involved with Students for Environmental Awareness since her freshman year and has served as president for the last two years. She also works with the Go Green Alliance, a coalition of UGA environmental groups. Dronenburg most recently created a student volunteer partnership with the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. After earning her UGA degrees next spring, Dronenburg would like to pursue master's degrees in journalism/mass communication and environmental economics to prepare for a career in environmental journalism.
GEORGIA
ENCYCLOPEDIA (Continued
from Previous
Edition) In 1933 the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College was organized in Tifton, with a strong emphasis on agriculture. At the age of 33, Guy Woodroof became its president, Georgia's youngest college president. A year later, he became a horticulturist with the U.S. Resettlement Administration.
Woodroof returned to the Georgia Experiment Station in 1938 to organize the Department of Food Technology and to direct research programs in food preservation. The expansion and significance of these programs led to the formation of the Division of Food Science at the University of Georgia, and Woodroof was selected as its first chair. Under his leadership the division offered a balanced curriculum leading to undergraduate and graduate degrees. Much of Woodroof's work is summarized in bulletins and more than 300 technical reports, the vast majority of them on food science. He also wrote or edited several books on the production and processing of such commodities as peanuts, coconuts, and tree nuts. In 1987 his autobiography, Dreams of a Food Scientist, was published. He received many awards and honors, among them the Nicholas Appert Medal and the Donald K. Tressler Award from the Institute of Food Technologists, and the Distinguished Service Award from the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). He became Alumni Distinguished Professor of Food Science at the University of Georgia in 1944. After retiring from the University of Georgia in 1967 Woodroof continued lecturing, consulting, and studying. He traveled extensively in foreign countries to advise on crop selection and food preservation under the sponsorship of the World Bank, the International Executive Service Corps, and private companies. Woodroof was named Griffin's "Man of the Year" in 1975. An endowment fund was established in 1981 to implement the annual Dr. J. G. Woodroof Lecture in the Food Science Division of the University of Georgia. Woodroof and his wife, Naomi Chapman Woodroof, a noted botanist whom he married in 1926, had three children and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He died on November 6, 1998, in Griffin. CREDITS GwinnettForum is provided to you at no charge every Tuesday and Friday. If you would like to serve as an underwriter, click here to learn more. Send your thoughts, 55-word short stories, pet peeves or comments on any issue to Gwinnett Forum for future publication.
© 2009, 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. |
TODAY'S
QUOTE "It is harrowing for me to try to teach 20-year-old students, who earnestly want to improve their writing. The best I can think to tell them is: Quit smoking, and observe posted speed limits. This will improve your odds of getting old enough to be wise."
MORE RECENT COMMENTARY
MODERN HISTORY OF GWINNETT
NOW IN STORES! You can purchase the book now at several locations:
Or order directly from elliottbrack.com and get a signed copy. The book consists
of 850 pages, including more than 143 demographic and historic tables,
with more than 4,000 names in the index, and 10,000 names in the appendix. Here are some other good reads that you might want to consider reading:
FOR CHARITY. You can give "A Gift of Laughter," a great book of cartoons by Bill McLemore, to help raise money for Rainbow Village. At just $20, it's a fun way to help. To order, call 770 840 1003, or 770 446 3800, or email to info@gwinnettforum.com. SISTER PUBLICATIONS We encourage you to check out our sister publications:
© 2001-2009, Gwinnett Forum.com is Gwinnett County's online community forum for commentary that explores pragmatic and sensible social, political and economic approaches to improve life in Gwinnett County, Ga. USA. PHONE:
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