TODAY’S PHOTO: Rainbow Village had the Rt. Rev. Keith Whitmire, assistant bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, to bless its opening of two new buildings recently. Rainbow Village Director Nancy Yancey is to the right of the bishop. All were smiles for the many cameras present.
ISSUE 15.22 | JUNE 16, 2015IN THIS EDITION
TODAY’S FOCUS: Rainbow Village Reaches Another Milestone, Dedicating Building
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Use Care When Checking Out Jobs for Summer Work
UPCOMING: Program on Fatherlessness Coming to Snellville Library
NOTABLE: Exhibition on Georgia Textiles Coming to Environmental and Heritage Center
RECOMMENDED READ: Celts and Germans by Professor Timothy B. Shutt
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Georgia Native Nell Choate Jones Becomes World Famous Painter
TODAY’S QUOTE: Sometimes You Just Don’t Deserve What You Get
MYSTERY PHOTO: We Thought It Was Hard, But Several Recognized This Pattern
LAGNIAPPE: Time for Summer Farmers Markets
TODAY’S FOCUS
Rainbow Village dedicates new buildings, marking another milestone
By Nancy Yancey, director, Rainbow Village
DULUTH, Ga., June 16, 2015 — Rainbow Village, a transitional housing community in Duluth that serves homeless families with children, marked another milestone recently. Over 250 supporters gathered to celebrate the opening of their new Community Center and six new apartments. Bishop Keith Whitmore of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta led the blessing of the buildings.
Rainbow Village began 24 years ago at Christ Episcopal Church in Norcross. As an outreach ministry of the church, Rainbow House was formed in 1991 in a house that was leased from Georgia Power which was converted into a duplex.
After incorporating in 1995 and becoming Rainbow Village, the community grew in Norcross to serving 12 families. In 1998 a generous donation from Scott Hudgens allowed Rainbow Village to expand to Duluth opening eight apartments.
In 2010, a capital campaign was launched to create a new village in Duluth. The first phase, a Family Service Center and two – six unit apartment buildings opened in 2012. All families were relocated to the Duluth village at that time.
The second phase of the campaign is the Community Center which opened in June, 2015. Phase three will be the addition of three more apartment buildings. With the support of HomeAid Atlanta, the first of the final three apartment building was also opened this June.
The Community Center will be open to residents and graduates of the program. An early Childhood Development program, new to services provided, will assist 60 children. Kids R Kids in Duluth assisted Rainbow Village in the development of the early childhood center design and program.
An afterschool program, evening classes for all residents and meals are provided at the center, in addition to a chapel, counseling center and boutique to serve families. Primerica, UPS Foundation and Rotary Clubs have their names on classrooms. The chapel is dedicated to Jim and Billie Ellis. The playground is dedicated to Van and Lisa Fletcher and their son, Van, Jr. In partnership with HomeAid Atlanta, a six unit apartment building was constructed and just recently dedicated.
Harcrest Homes served as the team leader for HomeAid Atlanta, with many of their trade partners donating labor and materials. See the list of contributors by clicking here. Also in attendance at the June celebration were Alec Rickenbaker, HomeAid Atlanta Board Chairman, and Peter Simons, of Denver, Colo., HomeAid America CEO.
Many faithful investors of Rainbow Village joined to celebrate the ribbon cutting. The village will be completed with the construction of two more apartment buildings. At that time, 30 homeless families with children will call Rainbow Village home. The Scott Hudgens Family Foundation has provided a challenge grant of $250,000 to raise construction funds for the fourth apartment building. One of Rainbow Village’s guiding principles is to remain debt free.
Construction will not begin until the funding has been secured. With God’s help, the final funds will be raised in 2015 and another ribbon cutting celebration will be held upon completion of the last two apartments in December 2016. Rainbow Village will celebrate 25 years of breaking the cycles of homelessness, poverty and domestic violence in 2016.
EEB PERSPECTIVEStudents must use caution when checking out jobs for summer
(Editor’s note: the comment we planned for today got lost, so we present this from the Atlanta Better Business Bureau instead. — eeb)
Finding a summer job is always a top priority for college and high school students. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Atlanta and Northeast Georgia is warning consumers of seasonal job scams, which can lead to identity theft. Signs of these scams include fake postings that require little effort for the job or claim to be high paying. By falling for these scams, students can waste time, lose money, as well as be victims of identity theft.
When your job search turns to desperation, a great posting can seem promising, but it can also lead to trouble. It’s important to always take appropriate measures to not get scammed and to check companies you apply for with BBB.
BBB offers summer job hunters these issues to look out for:
- No interview or application. If you are offered a job without a formal interview or job application, it’s most likely a scam. Do not provide any personal or financial information, as it can lead to identity theft.
- No job details. If the employer does not provide you with the details of the job in writing, be wary. When you have details in writing, be sure to read them carefully and ask questions.
- No website or contact. If the employer does not have a website or contact information is missing, consider that a red flag.
- Fees required. If the employer requires fees for training, background checks or drug tests, it is likely to be a scam. These costs are normally the responsibility of the employer.
- Too good to be true. If an employer offers you a lot of money for simple work or to work at home, it is most likely too good to be true.
Job hunters should always do an internet search of the business for both positive and negative comments and then follow-up with the employer. Check the potential employer’s BBB Business Review to see if the employer has a good rating.
- For companies you can trust, visit bbb.org/Atlanta.
Heaven & Associates, P.C.
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Heaven & Associates, P.C., is a certified public accounting firm. They provide solutions for success. They are located at 4720 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, Suite 201, Norcross, Georgia. They work with clients to minimize their tax obliga
tions, address the financial and accounting needs of their businesses and address the broader accounting needs of estate planning, business succession planning, and benefit and retirement planning. They can be reached at 770-849-0078.
- Their web site is www.heavencpa.com.
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, go to: https://www.gwinnettforum.com/about/sponsors.htm.
Program on fatherlessness coming to Snellville Public Library
Fatherlessness is an epidemic in America. Whether it is the father who has no relationship with his son or the father who shares a home with his son but is not involved in his life, both take their toll on America’s children. From his own personal experience and ten years of extensive research, Jonathan C. Stafford offers up practical solutions to this pandemic in his book Absent Father/Lost Generation. He challenges both types of fathers to rise up and make their presence felt in the lives of their sons.
The founder of God’s Posse Ministries, a male mentoring program for young men, Stafford will appear at the Snellville Branch of the Gwinnett Public Library, 2740 Lenora Church Road, Snellville on June 23 at 6:30 p.m. This event is free. Books will be available for purchase and signing. For more information, call 770-978-5154 or visit www.gwinnettpl.org.
Gwinnett Library Board adopts new strategic plan
The Gwinnett County Public Library Board of Trustees voted to accept a new Strategic Plan recently. The plan, which includes new mission and vision statements, focuses on three main goals: building awareness of the library and its services, outreach and engagement, and community needs.
These overall goals will provide guidance for the development of library programs and services over the next three years.
Library Executive Director Charles Pace says that “this plan would not have been possible without the support of the Library Board and our community stakeholders.” Board Chairman Dick Goodman agrees: “This strategic plan represents the community’s vision for the library. It gives the library a road map for fulfilling that vision while it navigates the technological, societal and demographic challenges that lie ahead.”
Duluth mayor announces plans to seek third term
“Keeping the momentum going” is one of the reasons Nancy Harris is seeking a third term as Mayor of Duluth in the November election. Ms. Harris says she is passionate about keeping the statement, “Local is Good” and is inspired by the momentum that is bringing the quiet historic downtown Duluth to life. Growth and diversity have been the hallmark of the economic stability of businesses in Duluth.
Nancy Harris has been Mayor of Duluth since election in 2007. Several current projects are underway throughout the city limits. A strong city council, redevelopment and incorporating the arts into the schematic vision are a few of the plans in her platform.
NOTABLENew exhibit underscores 200 years of textile-making in Georgia
The weaving and knitting of yarn to make fabric is a distinctly human characteristic. The practice is nearly 30,000 years old and links cultures from around the world. From Asia to Africa to Europe to the Americas, the making of fabric and creation of textiles help show how cultures identified and adorned themselves as well as how they lived their daily lives.
“Continuous Threads: 200 Years of Georgia Textiles” is an exhibit that will be at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center until August 30. It explores the comparison between old and new, practical and ornate, and historic traditions and contemporary concepts of thread. The exhibit is made possible by a number of artists, historic organizations and educational institutions, including Berry College, Brenau University, Bulloch Hall, Crafts in America, the Root House Museum, the Roswell Historic Society, and StoryCorps.
With more than 70 works of contemporary fiber arts and historic artifacts, the exhibit is a partnership with the Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance (SEFAA) and highlights the significance of textiles and fiber to Georgia’s past and present. The exhibit also features interactive, hands-on stations where visitors learn to weave, cross stitch, design a quilt and much more.
Gwinnett EHC among Atlanta’s Best and Brightest places to work
Every year companies throughout metro Atlanta compete to be named one of “Atlanta’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For.” Only companies that distinguish themselves as having the most innovative and thoughtful human resources approach are bestowed this honor.
The Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center (EHC) has been named one of “Atlanta’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For” and will be honored by the National Association for Businesses Resources (NABR) on Tuesday, June 30 at the Atlanta Marriott Northwest Galleria.
The EHC, along with other winning companies, will also compete for 12 elite awards and a “Best of the Best Overall” award, which will be announced during the June 30 program.
EHC Executive Director Steve Cannon says: “The EHC is very proud to be recognized by the NABR as a premier place to work. The EHC staff is composed of professionals who are passionate about the organization’s mission of providing educational enrichment opportunities, preserving our past through historic preservation initiatives, providing interactive museum experiences, fostering environmental stewardship, as well as providing a beautiful and environmentally friendly venue for recreation, special and corporate events, weddings and an opportunity to experience nature.”
The “Best and Brightest” competition is a program of the National Association for Business Resources that provides the business community to showcase their best practices and demonstrate why they are an ideal place for employees to work. For more information on the EHC, visit www.gwinnettEHC.org.
Three Gwinnett restaurants among most reviewed in metro Atlanta
Three Gwinnett restaurants have been recognized by the web review site Yelp as often-reviewed restaurants.
Here’s the top ten. Do you recognize the restaurants on the list? They are not necessarily the most popular – they are the best-reviewed.
#1 – Peachtree Center underground food court in downtown Atlanta.
#2 – Myzenes Indian Coastal Cuisine in Suwanee.
#3 – Gusto! Woodfire Grill in Atlanta.
#4 – Purnima Bangladeshi Cuisine in Atlanta.
#5 – Flying Roll in Duluth.
#6 – Desta Ethiopian Kitchen in Atlanta.
#7 – Neighborhood Eats in Atlanta.
#8 – Canoe in Atlanta.
#9 – Foundation Social Eatery in Roswell. and
#10 – Rico’s World Kitchen in Buford
To create the list of the Top 50 Places to Eat in Metro Atlanta, Yelp ranked local, non-chain businesses in Metro Atlanta (defined as Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, Clayton, Coweta, Douglas, Fayette, and Henry counties) based on the number of reviews and their star rating, giving more weight to recent reviews.
RECOMMENDEDCelts and Germans
Storytelling by Professor Timothy B. Shutt
I listened to a CD from the library entitled Celts and Germans: The Enduring Heritage of the European Northlands. It is a long storytelling session punctuated with battles for supremacy and a view of a time period. Tales told include the great hero tales of the North: Sigurd Fafnisbani and the Saga of the Volsungs; the Old English Epic Power Beowulf; and from the Primary Sources; the Loom of the Eddas. Listening was akin to visiting a time past both as a bystander and a participant. This course and others in the Modern Scholar series are not easy. They have depth and require attention and perseverance to complete. Listeners are able to not only learn but remember snippets of things studied in secondary school and beyond with a greater appreciation. Worth your time and especially great for long commutes!
— Karen Harris, Stone Mountain
- An invitation: what books, restaurants, movies or web sites have you enjoyed recently? Send us your recent selection, along with a short paragraph (100 words) as to why you liked this, plus what you plan to visit or read next. –eeb
Georgia native Nell Choate Jones becomes world-famous painter
Nell Choate Jones, a Georgia native, embarked on an artistic career when she was in her 40s, and she spent the rest of her long life painting, exhibiting, and sustaining an active involvement in the arts and in women’s organizations.
Born in Hawkinsville, in Pulaski County, on May 27, 1879, Nell Hinton Choate was four when her father died, and the family then moved to Brooklyn, N.Y. Educated at Adelphi Academy in Brooklyn, Jones was a kindergarten and elementary school teacher in the New York public school system. Upon her retirement from teaching, and with the encouragement of her husband, the artist Eugene A. Jones, she established a second career as an artist.
Jone
Jones began painting the flowers and landscape of Prospect Park, near her home in Brooklyn. Although she had left her native Georgia as a young child, Jones considered herself a Southerner, and she ultimately returned to the region of her birth for much of her artistic inspiration. Her approach to painting evolved from early impressionistic landscapes into an expressionistic, vividly colored, and simplified style that may be best described as American Scene painting of southern subjects.
In 1925 three of her paintings were exhibited in Atlanta at the annual exhibition of the Southern States Art League. This regional organization, formed to promote the art and artists of the South, held annual exhibitions between 1921 and 1947. Less than two years later, she and her husband exhibited work at the Holt Gallery in New York City. In 1929 she was awarded the first of two scholarships to attend the Fontainebleau School of Art in France, and she later traveled to England for additional study. During this early period her teachers included Frederick J. Boston, John F. Carlson, Benjamin Eggleston, and Ralph Johonnot. In addition the couple spent summers at the artists’ colonies of Woodstock, N.Y., and Old Lyme, Conn., and also visited Bermuda and Santa Fe, N.M.
“Georgia Red Clay” by Nell Choate Jones
Jones exhibited actively from 1925 until 1979 in museums and galleries in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Among the highlights of her career were the inclusion of her work at the 1939 New York World’s Fair; her 1945 solo exhibition of Georgia scenes at Argent Galleries in New York, the headquarters of the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors; and her exhibitions at the Brussels World’s Fair in 1958, the National Academy of Design, and the New York Watercolor Society.
Jones, through philanthropic gestures, helped to bring American art to her home state. In 1941 she corresponded with Martha Berry, the founder of Berry College in Rome, concerning the donation of paintings by prominent American artists to start an art museum at the college. Jones made a personal donation of more than a dozen paintings the following year. In 1979 she donated 19th-century portraits of her parents to the Pulaski Historical Commission, the county historical society located in Hawkinsville.
Jones died in Brooklyn on April 15, 1981. During the final years of her life she was in failing health, and her neighbors, the Price family, cared for the artist in their home. After her death, they placed her ashes in the Georgia clay of the Hawkinsville city cemetery.
- To access the Georgia Encyclopedia online, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Clue: Vacation time
Put on your thinking cap and see if you can identity this magnificent photograph. All we’ll give as a clue is that it is vacation time. Tell us what you think this is. and where. Send your entries to elliott@brack.net and be sure to include where you live.
For the most recent Mystery Photo, we thought we might stump our readers. But several saw through our scheme, and proved that they indeed had looked up at the Eiffel Tower. First in was Al Swint of Tucker who said: “This is looking straight up when standing in the middle of the tower. I remember the awesome feeling I had when first looking up several years ago.” The photo and perspective came from Andy Brack of Charleston, S.C.
Charles Blair of Lawrenceville reported that the tower “is…made of riveted cast iron. I’ll bet all of that paint over the years on the tower must weight as must as the iron these days.”
Others recognizing the photo included Joseph Hopkins of Norcross, Lou Camerio of Lilburn, Eddie Copeland of Peachtree Corners, Karen Garner of Dacula and Ruthy Lachman of Norcross who reported that Gustave Eiffel finished the tower “126 years ago on May 6.”
In the last edition, we failed to include among those spotting Akaka Falls the name of Libby Cromer of Lawrenceville. She saw the falls on a vacation to Hawaii.
LAGNIAPPEMarket time
Many Gwinnett communities now present Farmers Markets for its residents. People like the idea of buying food fresh from a farm, along with other homemade products. Here’s a view of people enjoying the Suwanee Farmers Market, which is open from 8 a.m. until noon Saturdays through October 3.
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.
- MORE: Contact Editor and Publisher Elliott Brack at: elliott@gwinnettforum.com
Follow Us