GwinnettForum | Number 19.72 | Dec. 17, 2019 
HEALTHCARE WINNERS: The Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce recently named winners of its Healthcare awards. See story below in Notable. From left representing the healthcare winners are Dr. Charlotte Khan, Cornerstone Pediatrics; Dr. Rizwan Bashir, Northside Hospital Duluth; Dr. Jann L. Joseph, president – Georgia Gwinnett College; Dennis McGowan, Eastside Medical Center; Wendy Palmer, manager of Wellness, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta; Gregory E. Lang, executive director – Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett; Charla Summers, Eastside Medical Center Volunteer; Kristin Crea, Northside Hospital Duluth; Heather Wilsey, Northeast Georgia Health System; and Angie Caton, Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton.
TODAY’S FOCUS: New Book Program Seeks to Influence Great Little Minds
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Salvation Army Serves All People Who Come to Its Doors
SPOTLIGHT: Precision Planning, Inc.,
FEEDBACK: Concerned About Chairman’s Position, Preferring Part-Time Role
UPCOMING: Cities Choose Mike Mason of Peachtree Corners for ARC Board
NOTABLE: Improvements of $2.05 Million Coming To Dacula Park
RECOMMENDED: Dragonfly by Leila Meacham
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Nell Choate Jones Had Solid Art Career Beginning in Mid-Life
MYSTERY PHOTO: Can You Figure Out Where This Routine Event Is Taking Place?
LAGNIAPPE: Lawrenceville DAR Chapter Celebrates 30 Year of Tamassee Support
CALENDAR: Temple Beth Israel To Light Menorah in Snellville December 22
New book program seeks to influence great little minds
By Ellen Gerstein
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. | G.R.E.A.T. (Gwinnett Reading Exchange and Art Transforms) Little Minds, an exciting program of the Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services, is a public art and awareness campaign designed to inspire the love of reading, provide access to early learning books where books are scarce, and encourage appreciation for public art in Gwinnett County.
Gerstein
Did you know that 52 percent of Gwinnett children entering school are not ready for kindergarten? Oftentimes these children fall two grade levels behind and can’t ever catch up!
Research shows that early language exposure sets the foundation for school success and it is the strongest predictor of third grade reading proficiency. Children who do not read proficiently by the end of third grade are 4-6 times more likely to drop out of high school. A significant number of Gwinnett County children are growing up in homes without books. The gap in access to books for children living in poverty is astounding.
The achievement gap that exists between low income and high income children can be narrowed by increasing access to books. The GREAT Little Minds Book Exchanges will be located throughout Gwinnett County, in local parks, churches, schools, early learning centers, homeless shelters, low-income housing developments, and other places where books are scarce.
Some amazing community partnerships have emerged that are participating in this project and are worth highlighting. Goodwill of North Georgia has donated pounds of early learning books to stock up these book exchanges for the inaugural release. From then on, the idea is for students to take a book, leave one – hence, book exchange.
During this year’s Gwinnett Great Days of Service, many partners helped build these book exchanges. Maxwell High School students put together kits to be assembled by volunteers. Primerica had a team of over 40 volunteers on a Friday and the Gwinnett Rotary Club had a team on a Saturday to build the structures.
Annandale Village was the location for both builds and also artist pick-up. John Upchurch, a local businessman donated the supplies for the kits. Matthew Holtkamp, Holtkamp Heating and Air, assembled a team of customers to erect the book exchanges. The Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Dept. has agreed to help sort and store the books in partnership with their new Veteran’s Housing Unit.
Local artists are now designing and turning the book exchanges into unique and colorful works of art. Look for a public announcement regarding an art exhibit of all of these book exchanges in February at the Hudgens Center for Arts and Learning in Duluth, another partner. Following the art display, these book exchanges will be placed in the community and ready for public use.
There are so many ways that YOU can help! Sponsor a book exchange for as little as $500 and get your name inscribed on the title plaque. Hold a book drive in your company, church, or neighborhood. There are many other sponsorship opportunities available. Check out the website www.gwinnettcoalition.org for more information. Together, we can be the difference.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Salvation Army serves all people who come to its doors
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
DEC. 17, 2019 | A recent story concerning the Salvation Army, Chick-fil-A and the LGBTQ community raised some concerns. The recent news story involving the Salvation Army and Chick-fil-A was disturbing for all entities. Chick-fil-A’s Foundation had announced that it was no longer funding some Salvation Army programs.
But the story soon turned when the Salvation Army was asked how many members of the LGBTQ community it served. The short answer was: “We serve all who come to us. We don’t keep numbers that way by asking people which communities they identify with.”
The chicken sandwich chain’s foundation recently dropped the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes — two groups that have been criticized by LGBTQ advocates — from its list of charitable recipients.
All this may seem confusing, for in reality, the Metro Atlanta Salvation Army continues to get funding from Chick-fil-A’s home office in Atlanta.
Leading the Metro Atlanta Command is Major Bob and Captain Kathy Parker, who began their leadership in the Metro Atlanta Area Command in June 2017. They also serve as the General Secretary and Assistant of Officer Development for the Georgia Division.
Major Parker says that the Salvation Army serves all people to come to its doors. “We do not ask people questions before we serve them. We have no idea how many people of the LGBTQ community we serve. We simply don’t count people that way. We serve whoever comes to our door.” The metro Atlanta offices are at 100 Center Place in Norcross, adjacent to Fire Station No. 11, east of Interstate 85, at 5885 Live Oak Parkway.
There are eight Salvation Arm community and worship centers in the Metro area, including Atlanta International Corps in Doraville; Atlanta Temple Corps on Druid Hills Road in Decatur; Cobb/Douglas Corps on Waterman Street in Marietta; Atlanta Peachcrest Corps on Sherrydale Lane in Decatur; Clayton/Fayette Corps at 130 Spring Street in Jonesboro; Atlanta Red Shield Corps on Marietta Street in Atlanta; Ray and Joan Kroc Center on Dewey Street in Atlanta; and Gwinnett County Corps on Sugarloaf Center in Lawrenceville.
Three Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club are open in Atlanta; five emergency service centers operate in the area; and service centers operate in Jackson, Newnan, Canton and McDonough.
Evangeline Booth College of the Salvation Army is located on Metropolitan Avenue in South Atlanta. It is the Southern Territory’s officer training college, where 42 cadets are studying to become Salvation Army officers. Altogether, that campus houses about 100 people.
Major Bob and Captain Kathy represent fourth/third generation Salvation Army families respectively. Major Bob was born in Canton, Ohio and raised in Durham, N.C. Captain Kathy was born in New Albany, Ind. and raised in central and south Florida.
Most recently, the Parkers have served in Bradenton, Florida and Birmingham, Alabama. They have four children and five grandchildren living in Florida and Texas.
Major Parker continues: “The Salvation Army and Chick-fil-A have a great relationship and have been partners for a long time. The Salvation Army holds Chick-fil-A in high regard with deep appreciation for all they’ve done and will continue to do to help those less fortunate.”
(Editor’s Note: In the interest of transparency, GwinnettForum’s editor and publisher has been a member of the board of advisers of the Metropolitan Atlanta Salvation Army since 2002. –eeb)
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Precision Planning, Inc.
Today’s underwriter is Precision Planning, Inc., a multi-disciplined design firm based in Lawrenceville, Georgia with a 37-year history of successful projects. In-house capabilities include Architecture; LEED® Project Management; Civil, Transportation and Structural Engineering; Water Resources Engineering; Landscape Architecture; Interior Design; Land and City Planning; Land Surveying; and Grant Administration. PPI has worked diligently to improve the quality of life for Georgia communities through creative, innovative planned developments, through the design of essential infrastructure and public buildings, and through promoting good planning and development principles. Employees and principals are involved in numerous civic, charitable and community based efforts in and around Gwinnett County.
- Visit their web site www.ppi.us.
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.
Concerned about chairman’s post, preferring part-time role
Editor, the Forum:
I’m at odds with myself over your article on the salary for the Gwinnett County commissioners, and in particular the Chairperson. I agree that it is a big responsibility to run the county, and in private life such a responsibility would command a hefty six-figure salary.
However, this is a symptom of one of the problems that I see in our Republic today. Making the salary commensurate with the prestige breeds professional politicians. County commissioner should not be a career. As a matter of fact, elected office should not be a career; it should be a public service to which one would aspire as a temporary responsibility.
Creating a permanent political class has divided the governors from the governed. The further removed from the constituency one is, the less in tune to their daily concerns one becomes.
The actual running of the county should be handled by the full time County Manager, who is paid in accordance with his/her job. That is a genuine career.
There are some who will argue that things today are far too complex for part-timers, but I posit that the symptom creates the disease, as it were. If there were mandated term limits for all elected positions, then I expect things would suddenly become less complex.
— Rick Hammond, Lawrenceville
Editor, the Forum:
We have been very lucky to have the quality of people in that position for such a meager salary. I agree wholeheartedly that the Chairman’s compensation needs to be changed in order to attract qualified people to run our County.
— Jim Savadelis, Duluth
Vote may doom Britain in EU; BBC interviewers are brutal
Editor, the Forum:
Thursday the voters of the United Kingdom voted in heavy numbers to choose who would lead them from the quagmire of Brexit. Some might call it the divorce from hell.
The brilliant people realized they needed to focus power on one of their many parties. They chose the Tory or Conservative Party, taking major support from the Labour Party in crushing historic losses. The Labour Party must regroup to revamp its rhetoric. Marx may have labelled them obsolete himself yet their small group will still sing “The Red Flag”. The Scottish National Party made significant gains and will sing “Flower of Scotland.”
Yet there will be no need for these songs as the Tories or Conservative Party of Boris Johnson was given singular majority needing no help and can ignore other positions. Solve Brexit is the demand in this mandate. Boris is afforded a rare opportunity to mould his country’s future. Don’t bugger it up.
By the way, have you watched the BBC channel for news or commentary? Brutal is the first word that comes to mind. They have some older boys who are so far beyond anything I have ever watched here in interrogating someone in the news. I would never submit to an interview on that station.
— Byron Gilbert, Duluth
Wonders if even the ROTC at UGA helped spoil invasion
Editor, the Forum:
Headline writers have a lot of problems. I can remember when the AJC ran a headline during the Falkland Islands War that said “British invade South Georgia.” I thought that one was funny, living in North Georgia.
So I wondered on my keyboard about where they came into South Georgia, why they came, and if the Army base outside of Savannah could hold them off. Or if they would need air support from Moody in Valdosta? And, if those two could not do it, could the ROTC detachment at UGA could stop them? Here’s another that struck me funny. (See example.)
— Raleigh Perry, Buford
- Send us your thoughts: We encourage you to send us your letters and thoughts on issues raised in GwinnettForum. Please limit comments to 300 words. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send feedback and letters to: elliott@brack.net
Cities choose Mason of Peachtree Corners for ARC board
The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) has announced that Peachtree Corners Mayor Mike Mason has been selected to serve on its 39-member board.
Mason
The ARC is the official planning agency for the 10-county Atlanta Region, including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties as well as the city of Atlanta and 73 other cities. The commission serves as a catalyst for regional progress by focusing leadership, attention and planning resources on key regional issues.
One mayor from each of the 10-member counties (with the exception of Fulton, which has two mayor representatives, one from north Fulton and one from south Fulton) is represented on the board and is selected by majority vote of the other mayors. Gwinnett County has 16 cities; Mason was elected by majority vote of the mayors and the Buford commission chair and will represent Gwinnett County.
Mason will begin his term in January which runs concurrent with his term as mayor of Peachtree Corners. He replaces Duluth Mayor Nancy Harris, who has been on the ARC board for the last eight years.
Improvements of $2.05 million coming to Dacula park
The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners approved $2.05 million in upgrades to the multi-purpose/football field at Dacula Park using funds from the 2017 SPLOST program. Sports Turf Company, Inc. was the low bidder for the project.
Dacula
The existing grass field will be converted to synthetic turf along with new bleachers, concrete, drainage, electrical and water systems plus new fencing, gates, walls and landscaping. The project also includes construction of a new plaza with amenities such as picnic tables and benches.
The 76-acre Dacula Park in northeast Gwinnett has entrances at 205 Dacula Road and at 2735 Auburn Avenue. The first leads to the field, outdoor pool, seven baseball/softball fields, sand volleyball court, outdoor classroom, a pond, trail, pavilion, playgrounds, and restrooms. The Auburn Avenue entrance serves the activity building and tennis courts.
Gwinnett Chamber names 12 recipients of Healthcare Awards
The Gwinnett Chamber honored nearly 72 finalists and 12 recipients recently at its annual Healthcare Awards. Presented by Northeast Georgia Health System, the ceremony recognized leading individuals and organizations making a significant impact in Gwinnett County and metro Atlanta’s healthcare industry.
Nick Masino, president & CEO of Gwinnett Chamber and Partnership Gwinnett, says: “Our community is at the forefront of the healthcare sector and we are proud to recognize those that make it so strong. Having these innovative and advanced options are not only beneficial for residents, but they also enhance our economic development efforts, making the area more attractive for investment.”
Category winners include:
- Allied Health – Heather Wilsey, Northeast Georgia Health System;
- Altruistic Contributor – Dennis McGowan, Eastside Medical Center;
- Community Wellness – Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta;
- Corporate Innovation – Georgia Gwinnett College;
- Distinguished Leader – Trent Lind, Eastside Medical Center;
- Emerging Executive – Kristin Crea, Northside Hospital Duluth;
- Healthcare Agency – Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett, Inc.;
- Healthcare Professional – Angie Caton, Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton;
- Physician of the Year – PCP – Dr. Charlotte Khan, Cornerstone Pediatrics;
- Physician of the Year – Specialist – Dr. Rizwan Bashir, Northside Hospital Duluth;
- Dentist of the Year – Dr. Shalini Nair, Lawrenceville Healthy Smiles; and Volunteer Service – Charla Summers – Retired, Eastside Medical Center Volunteer
Dragonfly by Leila Meacham
From Tim Anderson, Fitzgerald: Every now and then, I read fiction and wonder if it might be true. In 1942, an old spymaster in the OSS, the predecessor of the CIA, recruits five
twenty-something young Americans. His spy ring is called Dragonfly, and he inserts them into Paris at the height of the Nazi occupation. The five are from a wide variety of backgrounds, with each uniquely suited for positions where they will befriend members of the high command, spy on the Nazis and send intel to the Allies. Meacham has multiple complex storylines – after all, each of the five is living and operating separately. For more than 20 years after they are removed from France just after D-Day, it is believed one of their number is dead. At their 20-year reunion, all five are reunited. Meacham is a master storyteller, making complex storylines very believable. It’s a very exciting book.
- 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. Send to: elliott@brack.net
Jones had solid art career beginning in mid-life
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 the daughter of Sarah Cornelia Roquemore and James Dearborn Choate, who served in the Confederate army during the Civil War (1861-65). Nell 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.
Jones began painting the flowers and landscape of Prospect Park, near her home in Brooklyn. She also studied in Europe and in the summer artists’ colonies that the couple frequented.
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.
(To be continued)
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia online, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Can you figure out where this routine event is taking place?
Today’s Mystery Photo is nothing spectacular, but an everyday event. See if you can figure out where this routine is taking place. Send your answers to elliott@brack.net and include your hometown.
There was a reason why last edition’s Mystery Photo was so difficult. The photo was taken just last week by Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill and hasn’t moved around much on the Internet.
However, the super sleuth George Graf of Palmyra, Va. somehow managed to do what no one else did in solving the mystery. It is the Sugar Hill city hall’s back entrance. He adds: “Looking at Google Maps, Sugar Hill has one of the craziest-shaped city limits I’ve ever seen. Perhaps gerrymandering was probably not involved. Pieces of the city are like a jigsaw puzzle that doesn’t fit together. On the other hand, the City of Sugar Hill appears to be a great place to live.”
Lawrenceville DAR chapter celebrates 30 years of support
The Philadelphia Winn Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution celebrated the Christmas holidays with the Tamassee DAR School. Hosted at Lawrenceville First Baptist Church, the children were fed lunch and desserts and had the opportunity to get a photo of their own with Santa. Excitement mounted as children opened packages and enjoyed the festivities.
Additionally, members of the Elisha Winn Society Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.) collaborated to provide new fun kids’ pajamas.
This year marked 30 years of holiday fellowship and support of the Tamassee DAR School by the local chapter. The year 2019 is the 100th anniversary of the Tamassee DAR School, a children’s home and family service organization.
Menorah Lighting: Join with Temple Beth David at Snellville’s Towne Green on Sunday, December 22, from 6-8 pm., for the lighting of a Menorah to celebrate the first night of Chanukah. There will be music and song, traditional jelly donuts and lots of holiday fun. Rabbi Jesse Charyn will lead the celebration and tell the story of Chanukah (the Festival of Lights). All are welcome.
New Year’s Eve: Psi Omega Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and its philanthropic arm, Georgia Pearls of Service Foundation, Inc., will ring out the old and ring in the new with their third annual “A Kaptivating Affair”, on December 31 at the Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center, from 8 p.m. – 1 a.m. Proceeds will be used to fund community service projects, outreach programs, and college scholarships. Guests can expect an evening of the whimsical sounds of The Magic Dream Band, a traditional New Year’s Day meal, a count down and champagne toast at the stroke of midnight.Tickets are $85 per person and attire is formal. For tickets, click here.
Cornhole League Forming: A seven week winter outdoor cornhole league is being planned at the Peachtree Corners Town Center. The Season begins on Thursday, January 9, but individuals must be registered by December 30. Play times are 6:45, 7:30, and 8:15 p.m. All teams play a best of three series against an opponent at their same skill level. For more details, click here.
GwinnettForum is provided to you at no charge every Tuesday and Friday.
Meet our team
- Editor and publisher: Elliott Brack, 770-840-1003
- Managing editor: Betsy Brack
- Roving photographer: Frank Sharp
- Contributing columnist: Jack Bernard
- Contributing columnist: Debra Houston
- Contributing columnist: George Wilson
More
- Location: We are located in Suite 225, 40 Technology Park, Peachtree Corners, Ga. 30092.
- Work with us: If you would like to serve as an underwriter, click here to learn more.
Subscriptions to GwinnettForum are free.
- Click to subscribe.
- Unsubscribe. We hope you’ll keep receiving the great news and information from GwinnettForum, but if you need to unsubscribe, go to this page and unsubscribe in the appropriate box.
© 2019, 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.
Follow Us