SCHOLARSHIPS: Gwinnett Tech has awarded four nursing scholarships after the family of the late Ione Huff Clarke of Duluth created the Clarke Family Nursing Scholarship Endowment, donating over $450,000 to award scholarships each year. Scholarship winners are shown with the Clarke Brothers and Gwinnett Tech President Sharon Bartels. From left are Agatha Covalschi and Jennifer Dent; David Clarke; Bartels; Gary Clarke; Jim Clarke; Briauna Howard and Kimberly Cummings. For more, see Notable below.

Issue 11.75 | Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2011

TODAY'S FOCUS
:: Couple takes dream Holy Land trip

ELLIOTT BRACK'S PERSPECTIVE
:: Locomotives from liquor boxes at party

FEEDBACK
:: Send us your thoughts

UPCOMING
:: Grayson hwy widens; toilet rebate

NOTABLE
:: Nursing scholarships; GGC graduation

ALSO INSIDE

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
:: Graphics Communications Corp.

GEORGIA TIDBIT
:: Marquis de Lafayette

GWINNETT CALENDAR
:: Lots of activities on tap

TODAY'S QUOTE
:: Silence and idiosyncrasy

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TODAY'S FOCUS
Couple tells of trip to Holy Land and makes videos of the area
By FRANK L. SHARP
Special to GwinnettForum

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., Dec. 20, 2011 -- My wife and I had always wanted to visit Israel, the land of milk and honey, for years. After much trepidation, in these troubling times, we finally made the decision to go. As a friend of mine remarked, if we had to wait for a "good" (safe) time to visit, that day may never come.

Here I discovered that the Israelis are still much ahead of us in matters of security. For instance, there is no access to pilots in the cockpit from the passenger compartment in an El Al plane. The door to the cockpit is on the outside of the plane! If American planes had been so designed, 9/11 would never have happened!

The group visited the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, where Jesus was said to have been born.

In Tel Aviv, we caught the Maya tour bus at the airport that took us to our hotel in Tiberius by The Sea of Galilee, which is historically important because it was here in these small villages where Jesus first started to preach. It is also the main source of water for Israel. It is 11 miles long and four miles wide.

We took a very pleasant boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. We next made a stop at Gennosar to view the wooden boat recently found that dates from the time of Jesus. Next, the bus went to the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus gave his Sermon on the Mount to reflect on its serene beauty. Then onward to Tabgha, site of the Miracle of Fishes and Loaves, to visit the chapel over the Rock of Saint Peter.

We visited Capernaum, the city of Jesus and Peter. Some church members were baptized in the cold Jordan River. We visited the Golan Heights and the West Bank where we saw military tanks on the roads.

We then drove to Nazareth to visit the Church of Annunciation and Mary's Well. Later we drove through the Valley of Armageddon to the excavation of Tel Megiddo. We stopped by Caesarea, built by Harold the Great in 22 B.C., to see the Roman Theater, the Aqueduct and Herodian Port. The finely-preserved 5,000 seat amphitheater was uncovered in 1960. It had excellent acoustics. Later we visited the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, where Christ is said to have been born.

The next day we drove to Jerusalem, which is surrounded by high hills on all sides. Here we visited the Pool of Bethesda, the Chapel of Flagellation and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where Jesus was crucified, buried and then rose from the dead. This is said to be the most important church complex in Christendom. It was built by the Roman emperor in 326-335 AD.

We were awed by the beauty of the Dome of the Rock, visited the Wailing or Western Wall, and walked the road called the Viva Dolorosa - the road that Jesus walked with his cross. To top off the trip, we floated in the Dead Sea and visited Masada, where 1,000 Jews withstood a three-year Roman siege before committing mass suicide.

Of course, we photographed and made 17 videos of the trip. To see them, go to You Tube and enter Holy Land Tour 2011-11-30. [Or click here.] The trip was thoroughly enjoyable.

If you go to Israel, be sure to take good walking shoes since many of the walking paths are cobblestone. Had an attack of stomach flu in New Jersey and required hospitalization at Beth Israel Hospital with a IV in arm for dehydration. Perhaps should have worn a face mask on the plane which was packed. I made 4,800 photos and three hours of video of the trip.

EEB PERSPECTIVE
Creativity is always the key in throwing a kid's birthday party
By ELLIOTT BRACK
Editor and publisher

DEC. 20, 2011 -- Finding creative ways to throw a party for small ones calls for innovation.

Brack

Friends Jeanie and Howard Fore were recently throwing a party for 2-year-old Turner Fore. Now think about it: how do you assure that 2-year-olds will have a good time at a party?

Of course, you supply them with food and drinks, which is standard. But what do you do between the time the small fry are eating and drinking? After all, at this age, they are not particularly adept at sociability on a higher plane. Most two year olds never discuss Chinese philosophy, nor the wars around the world, or even what's hot for Christmas this year. Christmas? What's that? Some, you realize, wonder what all the fuss is about in a guy in a red suit.

So you must guide their party time with innovation. That's where the two Fores came in this year, aided by packing boxes from the strong drink industry.

Turner Fore

Specifically, she used quite a few sturdy liquor boxes to convert into a child's imaginary railroad locomotive. It was essentially one engine for each child. Together with paper plates for the wheels, a second box glued high onto the first for the driver's compartment, and inner-linings of the liquor boxes rounded as the engine, with a plate tacked to the front, then some ribbon as suspenders to hold the stepped-into liquor box, that is, the "engine" up……and lo and behold, the creation looked slightly like a real locomotive. The trick was to make sure that the ribbon was short enough to hold the make-believe engine off the floor, or else the paper plates acting as wheels….collapsed flat on the bottom side.

This allowed the children to choo-choo around the place.

One young engineer with train. To view several photos of this creative party, click here.

One of the grandfathers, Len Cwiklik of Dayton, Ohio, was busy with his camera all morning, snapping the children in their locomotive outfits. And meanwhile, the liquor industry was getting its just rewards in publicity as the children told their story as they paraded around the room. The guy at the liquor store donating the boxes asked for photos of how the construction came out. No doubt he was quite happy with the innovation his boxes produced.

Meanwhile, there were other train-related activities. Using wooden railroad track parts, and small wooden train pieces, the children engaged in another always-popular activity: painting. With the tables covered with plastic, the youth used paint and brushes to colorize box cars, engines and tracks in various elaborations of a mixture of colors. Many of the train cars ended up in multiple colors, while the tracks themselves got their fair share of the coloring by paint brush. Denim engine caps, wooden whistles and bandanas allowed each child to be a railroader!

From the very entrance, where recycled paper cartons and spools signaled a railroad crossing, it was a morning filled with all sorts of train activity. Even the cup cakes had rail motifs.

It's great to see creativity, especially aimed at children. Who knows: perhaps one of these tiny ones will remember such innovation and throw a locomotive party some day. We suspect the liquor industry will still have boxes available!

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FEEDBACK
Send us your thoughts

• We welcome your letters and thoughts. Our policy: We encourage readers to submit feedback (or letters to the editor). Send your thoughts to the editor at elliott@brack.net. We will edit for length and clarity. Make sure to include your name and the city where you live. Submission of a comment grants permission for us to reprint. Please keep your comments to 300 words or less. However, we will consider longer articles (no more than 500 words) for featuring in Today's Focus as space allows.

UPCOMING
More widening of Grayson Highway to begin Dec. 28

The Georgia Department of Transportation announces that the widening of Georgia Highway 20 is scheduled for Wednesday, December 28 if weather permits. Traffic is scheduled to be split around the median utilizing one lane in each direction. Three new traffic signals will become operational. The new traffic signals are located at Georgia Highway 20 as it intersects with Oak Grove Road, with Hoke O'Kelly Mill Road and with Brand Road. The new signals will go into flash or test mode Thursday, December 22.

Paving will continue along the project. Lane closures and traffic shifts will occur as paving is completed. Asphalt paving is temperature sensitive. It may be spring before the final paving is completed.

The project widens Georgia 20 to a four lane divided highway from Cooper/Ozora Roads to Brand Road. The estimated construction cost is $10.9 million for this 2.7 mile long project. Construction will not be finished by the contract completion date of December 31, 2011. As of November 30, 2011 the project was 73 percent complete. Gary's Grading and Pipeline Inc. is the project's contractor.

County votes to continue toilet rebate program in 2012

Gwinnett County will continue its successful toilet rebate program and open it up to include multi-family units in 2012. Commissioners agreed last week to continue offering the rebates in conjunction with the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District.

Acting Water Resources Director Lynn Smarr said, "The rebates have already helped Gwinnett County homeowners replace close to 9,500 inefficient toilets, which saves more than 600,000 gallons of water a day."

The program provides rebates of up to $100 to homeowners, and they may replace up to two original toilets in homes built prior to a 1993 building code change. Many older toilets used between seven and eight gallons per flush while newer models use as little as 1.28 gallons. Smarr said the County has designated some of its funding for multi-family units next year.

The similarly popular recycling program for old toilets has kept 24 tons of porcelain out of landfills so far, according to Smarr. Gwinnett County accepts old toilets at the Water Resources facility at 684 Winder Highway in Lawrenceville.

Details about the toilet rebate program and applications are available on the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District website at www.northgeorgiawater.com.

NOTABLE
Duluth native's sons create scholarship at Gwinnett Tech

The family of Gwinnett-native Ione Huff Clarke has established the Clarke Family Nursing Scholarship Endowment at Gwinnett Technical College, donating over $450,000 to create a fund that will award multiple scholarships each year. Earlier this month, four Gwinnett Tech nursing students were honored as the fund's first scholarship recipients.

The endowment is funded by the estate of Elmer and Ione Clarke through their sons, Jim, Gary and David. The fund provides scholarships to deserving first- and second-year nursing students at GTC who have also distinguished themselves academically.

"We are so honored to have been selected by the Clarkes to help carry on their family's legacy and commitment to healthcare and healing. Jim, Gary and David Clarke are continuing the work their parents started in such a meaningful way - by creating a legacy that will benefit GTC students and Gwinnett residents for generations to come," said Sharon Bartels, president, Gwinnett Technical College.

Born in Duluth, Ione Clarke was a devoted nurse for 40 years. She was a graduate of West Georgia College and the Macon School of Nursing, eventually working in pediatric, surgery and emergency departments.

"We selected Gwinnett Technical College as the recipient of the donation because of their new nursing program. Our father was a hospital administrator and our mother was a registered nurse. Our family also has a strong association with Gwinnett County, dating back to the 1800s," explained the Clarke sons.

Receiving the first four scholarships from the Clarke Family Nursing Scholarship Endowment are:

• Agatha Covalschi, $1,250, of Lawrenceville, is a second-year nursing student determined to achieve her dream of becoming a registered nurse. Her goal is to become a surgical or labor and delivery nurse.
  
  
• Kimberly Cummings, $1,250, of Bethlehem, is a second-year nursing student who chose the field of nursing to have a meaningful career where she can make a difference. She plans to become an oncology nurse, honoring her mother whom she lost to breast cancer and her sister, who is a breast cancer survivor.
  
  
• Jennifer Dent, $2,500, of Lawrenceville, is a first-year nursing student whose pursuit of a nursing career began as a result of a personal loss. That experience instilled a passion to treat patients and their loved ones with respect, empathy and tenderness.
  
  
• Briauna Howard, $2,500, of Lawrenceville, is a first-year nursing student whose mother was a nurse, and became passionate about nursing from the experience of a close family member's illness. Briauna strives to become a nurse who could provide care, concern and hope.

Gwinnett Tech offers an associate degree of nursing, launched in 2009. The college graduated its first class of 31 registered nursing candidates in June 2011. Gwinnett Tech's new Life Sciences Center has enabled the college to expand the nursing program, which accepted 60 students this fall.

Georgia Gwinnett College has largest graduation class to date

Almost 160 Georgia Gwinnett College seniors turned their tassels at the Gwinnett Center December 16, symbolizing their graduation from college. The commencement represented several firsts for the institution, including the first time it has graduated more than 150 students. This is GGC's largest graduation class to date, warranting a first-ever move to an off-campus facility large enough for the ceremony. It also produced the college's 500th graduate.

As the graduates crossed the stage, one in particular symbolized a significant milestone for the college. Emily Valentino became the 500th GGC graduate. A resident of Dacula, she attended Central Gwinnett High School and enrolled at Georgia Gwinnett in 2007 as part of its first freshman class.

Valentino is part of another major achievement for the college - the inaugural graduating class for the School of Education. Its first seven graduates include Katie Burrows, and Stephanie Heinrich, Loganville; Heather Kulp, and Nicole Olano, Lawrenceville; Ann Marie Miller and Erica Wagoner, Bethlehem; and Emily Valentino, Dacula.

James Gregorie also represents a first for GGC - the first graduate of its ROTC program. He is a member of a military family and a graduate of Collins Hill High School.

The college also awarded its first history degrees to Samantha Mihalak and Bradlee Miller of Lawrenceville and Jonathan Mihetiu of Dacula.

In yet another first, the college graduated its first majors in exercise science, including charter graduate, Rhonda Tingle, one of the original 118 students who enrolled when Georgia Gwinnett first opened its doors in 2006. Now, the campus bustles with nearly 8,000 students.

RECOMMENDED

• 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

GEORGIA ENCYCLOPEDIA
Marquis de Lafayette returns to USA and visits all 24 states

Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834), came to the United States from France at the invitation of Congress and toured all 24 states between August 1824 and September 1825.

Lafayette had fought in the Revolutionary War (1775-83) at the crucial Battles of Brandywine, Pa. and Yorktown, Va. in 1781, and in his old age, he hoped to attend ceremonies for the 50 anniversary of Boston's Bunker Hill in 1825. His friend U.S. president James Monroe prompted Congress to extend the invitation for Lafayette to visit the United States one final time. To honor the last surviving Revolutionary War major general, Georgia governor George M. Troup arranged an elaborate journey across the state from the coast and the inland cities to the Creek lands in the west.

Arriving in Savannah on March 19, 1825, the 67-year-old Lafayette disembarked from his steamboat to a salute from the Chatham Artillery and the cheers of the crowd. The most poignant moments of his stay in Savannah came when he laid the cornerstones for monuments honoring two other Revolutionary War heroes, Count Casimir Pulaski and General Nathanael Greene.

Accompanied by his son, his secretary, and Governor Troup, Lafayette traveled up the Savannah River by steamboat and arrived in Augusta on March 23. He extended his overnight stay there by an additional day to allow time for a public banquet and a ball. The general, suffering "a fatigue," presided over the ball seated beneath a canopy of silvered lace.

Lafayette's party traveled inland from Augusta on the Milledgeville Stage Road. The road was so treacherous with potholes and ruts that the four-horse carriage nearly broke down, and the general became ill from the jolts. After resting overnight in Warrenton, Lafayette continued on to Sparta and then to the capital, Milledgeville, where he arrived on March 27.

He met first with Revolutionary War veterans; Lafayette was delighted to find the man who helped carry him off the battlefield at Brandywine, where he had been wounded.

The schedule then called for Lafayette to travel the 120 miles from Milledgeville to Fort Mitchell, on the Alabama side of the Chattahoochee River, in two arduous days. Accordingly, he left the capital early on March 29, and reached Macon by midday. Lafayette paused for lunch with the townspeople but journeyed on that afternoon to the Old Creek Indian Agency in western Crawford County.

Travel west of Macon was through Creek lands, where both roads and accommodations were primitive. The party's progress was slowed by a thunderstorm in present-day Marion County, where Lafayette joined a group of Creeks at a tavern to dry his clothes in front of the fire. Miles away from their destination of Fort Mitchell, the entourage spent the night in bark-covered log cabins at a stage stand in present-day Chattahoochee County. The next day, March 31, Lafayette finished his 13-day, 400-mile trek across Georgia and crossed the Chattahoochee into Alabama. Lafayette completed his circuit of the nation that spring by visiting all the southern and western states before returning to Massachusetts for the Bunker Hill celebration in June 1825.

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© 2011, 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
Silence has the idiosyncrasy to propagate itself

"Silence propagates itself, and the longer talk has been suspended, the more difficult it is to find anything to say."

-- English author, critic, and lexicographer Samuel Johnson (1709 - 1784).

MORE COPIES AVAILABLE NOW
Second edition of history
makes great Christmas gift

Previously out of print, Elliott Brack's 850-page history, "Gwinnett: A Little Above Atlanta," is now available again. Since its original publication, the book was declared the winner of the 2010 Award of Excellence for documenting Georgia history by the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Board.

The book includes 143 demographic and historic tables, with more than 4,000 names in the index, and 10,000 names in the appendix.

Two versions of the book are available. The hardback edition is priced at $75, while a softback edition is $40. Books are available at:

• Atlanta History Center, Atlanta
• Books for Less, Buford
  
• Gwinnett Historical Society, Lawrenceville
  
• Parsons Gifts and Cards, Duluth
  
• Vargas and Harbin Gallery, Norcross

You can also order books through the Internet. To do that, go to www.elliottbrack.com to place your order. For mail orders, there is a $5 shipping and handling fee. Purchases are also subject to the 6 percent Georgia sales tax.

SEARCH GWINNETT FORUM

GWINNETT CALENDAR

(NEW) Book Signing: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, Dec. 23, at Books for Less, in Buford at 2815 Buford Drive. Elliott Brack will be signing copies of the Gwinnett history, "Gwinnett: A Little Above Atlanta". This book, previously sold out of the first edition, is now available in softback and hardback form.

Model Train Exhibit: At George Pierce Park Community Center through January 2. This is a "G" Scale train, and is presented by the Vines Garden Railroad Club. Exhibit is open Monday through Saturday.

New Exhibit, "Lateral Thinking," is up now through Jan.14 at Kudzu Art Zone, 116 Carlyle Street in Norcross. Admission is free. Artists were challenged to construct images from a list of unrelated objects to explore their reaction to disparate items.

MORE EEB PERSPECTIVE

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