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 BIG EVENT: It’s the 30th anniversary for this handsome group, members of the Philadelphia Winn Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Lawrenceville. On April 19, 1982, organizing members applied to the national society for a charter. They chose the chapter name, Philadelphia Winn, after the daughter of Gwinnett Founder Elisha Winn and Judith Cochran. Active in early Gwinnett County planning, Elisha donated more than 200 acres for Lawrenceville and named the town, along with its four main streets. Philadelphia Winn, in October 1817, following her 13th birthday, married William Maltbie, 20 years her senior. The local DAR chapter began with 29 organizing members and today has 167 members and four associate members. For more information, email philwinndar@gmail.com. |
Issue 12.02 | Friday, April 6, 2012 TODAY'S FOCUS ELLIOTT
BRACK'S PERSPECTIVE FEEDBACK UPCOMING NOTABLE ALSO INSIDE IN
THE SPOTLIGHT GEORGIA
TIDBIT LAGNIAPPE GWINNETT
CALENDAR TODAY'S
QUOTE
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TODAY'S FOCUS DULUTH, Ga., April 6, 2012 – For the 18th consecutive year, Gwinnett County and the American Cancer Society are gearing up for another exciting Relay for Life season. It’s a point of pride to say that the Gwinnett Relay is still the largest Relay event in the world in 2012 – a title Gwinnett has held for 10 years. Last year’s Gwinnett Relay attracted more than 10,000 participants to the Gwinnett Fairgrounds, including over 2,000 cancer survivors and caregivers, and raised more than $2 million. And as always, the program is aiming even bigger for 2012.
This year, the Gwinnett Relay is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 4 and 5, with an inspirational opening ceremony at 7 p.m. on Friday followed by cancer survivors and caregivers taking the initial lap around the Fairgrounds track. After dark, thousands of candles will set the night aglow for the Luminary Ceremony honoring all survivors and those who survived their battles with cancer, and remembering those who have lost their battles. All through the night, teams will be on the track, celebrating survival and walking to raise money to fight cancer. But many Gwinnettians may not know the important role that the Gwinnett Relay For Life---and at between more than 5,000 Relay events nationwide and in several foreign countries---plays in ensuring that programs are available to cancer patients survivors and their caregivers right here in this community and across the country. Funds raised at Relay support programs like Road To Recovery, which provides free transportation to and from cancer treatment for cancer patients; Reach To Recovery, which links a breast cancer survivor with a newly diagnosed breast cancer patient to provide support and guidance; patient resource navigators at hospitals, including the Gwinnett Medical Center and Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, which puts specially trained ACS staff members on-site to resolve issues that may keep cancer patients from starting treatment early and getting regular treatment; and the list goes on and on. All of these programs, and more, are available, free of charge, to everyone in Gwinnett. The money raised at Relay also goes to support mission-critical services nationally that benefit everyone everywhere, such as the Society’s toll-free number, 1-800-227-2345. Here specially trained ACS staff are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to help cancer patients, and the website www.cancer.org, where comprehensive information on cancer is also available round the clock. The Society is the largest funder of cancer research other than the federal government, having invested $3.5 billion to date. Relay For Life is so much more than a fundraiser. It offers hope and support to everyone in this community who is suffering from cancer or who has ever had cancer or lost a loved one to this disease. When reading some of the survivor comments on the Gwinnett Relay website, it’s obvious how deeply meaningful Relay is: “I will proudly walk the Survivors’ Lap at Relay For Life this year.” “In all the years I have been involved with Relay, I never thought I would be the one wearing the purple (survivor) shirt.” “Each day is a new day. Live it, celebrate it and remember it.” So keep up the fight, Gwinnett. You are making a difference in lives saved. And if you’re not already signed up to participate in the Gwinnett Relay For Life on May 4, do it today. Go to www.gwinnettrelayforlife.org and register. ELLIOTT BRACK APRIL 6, 2012 – Next spring, one of Gwinnett’s key corporations, Primeria Inc., will move their corporate offices about two miles to a sparkling new and efficient 344,476 square foot building just off Georgia Highway 120 at Meadow Creek Road.
Primerica, which employs 1,700 employees off Breckenridge Boulevard in 385,217 square feet, has been part of the Gwinnett corporate world since 1985. It began as A.L. Williams Associates in Tucker in 1977, later was located near Northlake Mall, changed its name along the way, and at one time was part of the mega financial giant, Citi Group. Primerica wrested itself from Citi Group and went public on April 1, 2010. We spent time with co-CEO John Addison (the other co-CEO is Richard Williams), specifically asking how a big mid-cap company ($1.7-8 billion) could be run by “co-CEOs.” The short answer is that the two have worked together in running the firm for 13 years, get along easily, have divided their responsibilities like partners, and “it just happened.”
Addison adds: “I take care of the agency and marketing and product side, and Richard handles the finances and those details.” Addison is from Covington, and Richard is from New Jersey, and came to Primerica to do due diligence for the forerunner of Citi Group. The pair became particularly close all along, but especially in the waning days of Citi Group’s ownership, often together fighting to keep Primerica distinct, and not gobbled up. Addison says: “The Citi Group people picked the leadership team. They recognized that we were both good guys, and knew what we were doing in running the company, and that it was not a forced relationship. We’ve never fought. We have a shared vision.” He adds: “And when we both retire (both are near age 55), we will find something else to do together.” From its very beginning, the cornerstone of Primerica is the idea of “buy term life insurance, and invest the difference.” Originally, customers often pulled funds out of cash-value life insurance. These days, instead of replacement insurance, it’s mostly new insurance sales. The Primerica sales force has only about 10 percent of its 90,000 agents as full time. “These part time agents are earning extra money,” Addison says, “And we stay in close contact with them.” They do this through their own pioneering private television network, linking directly with the agents each week. “Our typical client has a household income of $65,000, and many are upside down on their home mortgage, since the housing market collapsed in early 2009.” More than 4.3 million lives are insured through Primerica.
Becoming an independent public company for Primerica wasn’t easy, especially as it came during the 2009-10 financial crisis. “We wanted to remain whole as a company, and were about to stare into an abyss. But Richard and I had confidence in Primerica and went on the road, into 14 cities, mainly in the USA, but including cities in Italy, England and Germany, and key US cities, to tell our story. And it worked. The initial public offer was originally priced at $15, but Citi Group had a lot of demand for it, and it opened in 2010 at $19. Today it is selling for $26.” Why did the firm decide to have its new facilities near their present location? Addison says: “Gwinnett has been good to us. But we also wanted to relocate near to where we were because of our employees, to make it continue to be convenient to them.” ABOUT OUR SPONSORS
FEEDBACK Editor, the Forum:
The high rise condo towers that were proposed and rejected on the site of the old Macy’s store a few years ago would have been a boost to the area. Bottom line is something needs to be done in a big way soon. Putting up a bunch of fancy signs ain't going to do it. It's a fabulous location. It's just a matter of serious resolve and big investment.
Ham radio operators gearing up for QSO Party April 14-15 Editor, the Forum: Amateur Radio Operators (“ Hams”) are everywhere. There are about 1,900 of us in Gwinnett County. Our next activity is the Georgia “QSO Party.” In ham-speak a “QSO” is a contact with another station. So for the Georgia QSO Party, we try to get all 159 counties in Georgia on the radio during the weekend. This year it’s April 14 and 15. We give
all types of awards for activity such as: Talked to the most stations
as a single operator; talked to the most stations as a group; talked to
the most counties; and the list goes on and on. See more on the Web site
(www.georgiaqsoparty.org).
In my case, I’ll go over to Greene County and spend two days at a friend’s summer home on Lake Oconee. We’ll install some temporary antennas and set up in the house for the weekend. There will probably be about 10 of us and we’ll share operating the radios during the contest periods, with probably three radios in operation at any given time. So if you see some unusual autos looking like porcupines (with their antennas) on that weekend, it’s us having a good time exercising our communications skills. “When all else fails, Amateur Radio.”
Sends congratulations for 12th year from out of state Editor,
the Forum:
Lilburn smoke-free in parks for at least 5 years Editor,
the Forum: Lilburn City Park has been smoke free for at least five years. I don’t remember the date, but while I was mayor, the city council banned smoking in Lilburn City Park.
UPCOMING The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Task Force of Summerour Middle School (SMS) in Norcross discovered one of the barriers to students safely biking to school is that students lack bicycles.
The first phase of the Earn-A-Bike program is the Re-Cycle Bicycle Drive. Drop off your old bikes Saturday April 7 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the former Public Works Facility at 168 Wingo Street in Norcross. Any bike parts that cannot be made into usable transportation will become part of a creative community art project. Volunteers are needed on Re-Cycle day to unload and store donations. Or sign up to assist a student in creating a bike from the generous donations. Financial contributions to the non-profit Sustainable Norcross, Inc. will help purchase supplies and missing pieces. 39th Snellville Days Festival to be held May 5-6 Snellville’s 39th annual Snellville Days Festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday, May 5-6 at T.W. Briscoe Park. The festival will kick-off with the annual parade on Wisteria Drive at 9:30 a.m.
Snellville Days will feature live entertainment on the park stage both days. There will be a variety of musical and dance acts, including Masters of the Chainsaw, and Wildlife Wendy and Her Tropical Birds. Snellville
Days Saturday lineup will include musical acts Jordan Rager, who appeared
on NBC’s “The Voice” and “Soul Purpose.” Sunday’s
stage event will be “The Neons.” THE FISH 104.7 will be in the
park during the festival with a live remote. For more details, visit www.snellvilledays.com.
St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Snellville, will have its second annual Car Show and Spring Festival rain or shine from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 5, on the Grand Lawn of the Vines Mansion and Botanical Gardens in Loganville. The event is family oriented with activities for all ages including a Kids’ Zone (bouncing inflatables, face painting and games). A vendors’ midway will offer a variety of unique crafts and products from local artisans and businesses. Food and drink concessions will come from local eateries, and a bake sale also is planned. New this year is a model-car contest for boys, girls and adults. Car enthusiasts participating in the judged show will be eligible to win door prizes. Car registration fees are $15 before May 1 and $20 at the door. Admission is free to the public and includes access to the Vines Botanical Gardens. For more information about the event or how to become a vendor or sponsor, contact Wayne Lowery at 770-238-9281, or visit www.stmattscarshow.com. NOTABLE Dr. Jessica Damián, associate professor of English at Georgia Gwinnett College, is one of three University System of Georgia (USG) faculty members honored with the 2012 USG Board of Regents’ Teaching Excellence Award. She was presented the award among her colleagues at a March 31 dinner hosted at the downtown Marriott Marquis. Damián, the first faculty member of the GGC English program, came to the college in 2007 when there were 10 faculty members on campus.
Damián is the second GGC faculty member to receive the award within the past three years. The award recognizes outstanding teaching by individual faculty members, single academic program or department. It honors exemplary teaching that significantly improves student success, as well as research demonstrating innovative teaching techniques that enhance student learning. Each year, recipients are selected from nominations submitted by USG institution presidents. Award winners receive $5,000 and a certificate of achievement. She received a master’s degree in English from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Miami at Coral Gables, studying as a College of Arts and Sciences Merit Scholar in the Humanities. Damián holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Miami at Coral Gables. She won a Center for Latin American Studies Research Grant to the Princeton University Archives. Damián specializes in British romanticism, transatlantic studies and Caribbean literature. She lives in Atlanta with her husband, Mike Schelke, who founded the Antonio Damián Scholarship, the first endowed scholarship for the GGC School of Liberal Arts. He founded the scholarship to honor Damián’s late father, a Lebanese immigrant who believed in the power of education. Two GMC intensive care units win excellence awards Gwinnett Medical Center’s (GMC) Intensive Care Units at Duluth and Lawrenceville were recent recipients of silver level Beacon Awards for Excellence from The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).
Of the nearly 6,000 critical care units nationwide, 121 have been recognized as Beacon Award winners. Half of those have received the Beacon Award more than once. The Beacon Award was created in 2003 to help set the standard for distinction in acute and critical care environments by collecting evidence-based information. The scoring system addresses how far a unit has come on the journey compared to a measurable baseline. RECOMMENDED
GEORGIA ENCYCLOPEDIA
Fort Daniel, located on Hog Mountain in Gwinnett County, near the head of the Apalachee River, was one of several small frontier forts or "stations" built in northwest Georgia during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. These forts were established during the settlement of the state's western territories because of frequent conflicts between white settlers and the region's Indians. The precise locations for many of these forts are no longer known, but many were situated along treaty boundaries negotiated with the Cherokee and Creek Indians.
In a letter dated October 21, 1813, said: "The fort at the hog mountain is not only formed of old, dry and insufficient timbers, but is also badly constructed, consequently easily destroy'd by fire and inadequate for defence." Soon "a new fort at or near the place whereon the present fort stands which shall be sufficient for the reception of 200 men" was built. It is likely that the name Fort Daniel was given to the new fort. In the same month orders came to build a fort at the Indian town of Standing Peachtree, located at the confluence of the Chattahoochee River and Peachtree Creek. The fort was laid out on March 14, 1814, and completed in two months. At the same time, construction began on a road connecting Fort Daniel with the new fort at Standing Peachtree, which was sometimes referred to as Fort Gilmer. The road is still known as "Old Peachtree Road." Researchers have been working to discover whether an entirely new fort was built at Hog Mountain or simply the existing fort was rebuilt. By 2011 excavations had yielded hundreds of artifacts, including ceramics, nails, musket balls, buttons, coins, Indian pottery, trade items, and stone tools. The site also yielded intact buried features, not the least of which is the entire stockade wall trench, with evidence of corner blockhouses in the southwest and northeast.
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TODAY'S QUOTE "For I remember
it is Easter morn, And life and love and peace are all new born."
MORE COPIES AVAILABLE
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:
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 Loading
IN THE COMING WEEK Recycling Day in Norcross: April 7. Begins as early as 8 a.m. to re-cycle electronics, re-cycle old bicycles, shred documents, and clean-out non-hazardous materials. Details are also available at www.norcrossga.net. Show extended: The well-received musical, Clyde ‘n Bonnie: A Folktale, has been extended at the Aurora Theatre through April 15. Many performances are sold out. For tickets, order by phone 678-226-6222 or at boxoffice@auroratheatre.com. Safe driving course: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., April 12, provided by Suwanee Police Department, at 373 Buford Highway. Registration is required. Visit www.suwanee.com to enroll. SOON AND ONGOING Plein air painting event in Buford, April 13-14. A reception highlighting the two days of artists' work will be April 14 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Tannery Row Artist's Gallery. Paintings will be for sale, including a Live Auction on April 15 at 7:30 p.m. The Old Snellville School will be the topic of the Snellville Historical Society meeting: 2:30 p.m., April 15, Snellville City Hall. Clark Britt will host the program, which will have several class members talking about the past. Class photographs will also be on display. (NEW) SMTA Expo: 9:30 a.m. To 4 p.m., April 19, Gwinnett Civic Center in Duluth, open from 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. This is the electronics industry’s Surface Mount Technology Association free annual trade show and presentation. For more information, go online to this page. (NEW) Ribbon-cutting and blessing of new building of Rainbow Village: Noon, April 20, at 3427 Highway 120 in Duluth. An open house of the new facilities will continue until 7 p.m. A complimentary lunch will be provided by Sandra and Clyde Strickland.
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I
loved both proposals for the Gwinnett Place Mall area. I prefer the town
center concept. For me, multi-use zoning is the way to go. Being able
to work, live, shop and play in a single attractive area would be
energy efficient too. The third alternative is to continue to do nothing.
Their
newly adopted Travel Plan includes a solution: give the community a convenient
way to donate used (or new) bikes, bike parts and accessories, for re-purposing.
Donations will be used to refurbish bikes into usable transportation for
students willing to put in a bit of elbow grease with the guidance of
volunteers.
Festival
hours are 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday and noon until 5 p.m. on Sunday.
T.W. Briscoe Park will host over 150 food and crafts booths. There will
be a kid’s field with fun activities and rides, including pony rides.
This
is the first year Gwinnett Medical Center-Duluth has received the Beacon
Award. Gwinnett Medical Center-Lawrenceville was previously recognized
by the AACN for its commitment to critical care quality improvement in
2007, 2008, and 2009. This association created the award to spotlight
units that distinguish themselves by improving every facet of patient
care. 
Beauty
and the Beast Ballet, presented by Northeast Atlanta Ballet at Gwinnett
Center in Duluth: 7:30 p.m., May 18, and 3 p.m., May 20.