GwinnettForum | Number 20.76 | Oct. 20, 2020
WOW! WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPH! You probably realize that it’s not in Gwinnett, nor even Georgia. It comes to us from Christopher Levy, through his grandfather, George Graf. Christopher lives in Copenhagen, Denmark, and works for a travel company. This is another photo from Antelope Canyon in Zion National Park. A view of this area was the last edition’s Mystery Photo. The area is a favorite of photographers. For even another spectacular view of Antelope Canyon, go to the Mystery Photo below.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Snellville’s Jack Britt had notable career as coach and teacher
EEB PERSPECTIVE: School board write-in candidate has most difficult race in Gwinnett
ANOTHER VIEW: There’s something that satisfies the soul when you have voted
SPOTLIGHT: Imagine Advertising and Global Signs
FEEDBACK: Another respondent says to vote for Constitutional Amendment One
UPCOMING: Satisfeed providing food boxes in conjunction with Rotary Clubs
NOTABLE: Two from Gwinnett are winners for Metro Atlanta Summit Awards
RECOMMENDED: Red Truck Bakery Cookbook, by Brian Noyes
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Work of the Salvation Army in Georgia dates back to 1890
MYSTERY PHOTO: Give us the name of this island as today’s Mystery Photo
CALENDAR: Drug take-back program in Snellville on October 24
Snellville’s Britt had notable career as coach and teacher
By James Cofer
SNELLVILLE, Ga. | How about Jack Dempsey Britt? With a name like this, one would expect a man to be a fighter. A fighter Jack has been for all of his 94 years. Jack has been a crusader for just causes since his World War II naval service against the Japanese in the south Pacific. Another important battle came later, the annual South Gwinnett basketball battle against his brother Butch Britt (Central Gwinnett) for the Gwinnett County Girl’s Championships.
Cofer
Jack was born on September 14, 1926 in Five Forks, the third of eight children of Walt and Nelle Britt. Jack’s family moved to Grayson, where he entered school in 1932. He tired of the rural small town life and dropped out of school in 1941 at age 15. He fibbed about his age to get into the Navy, and may have been the only 16-year old to be at the helm of an American destroyer as it engaged the Japanese fleet in battle.
After military service, Jack returned to Gwinnett, finishing high school at Grayson and earning his college degree from the University of Georgia. At Tucker High, he installed 11-man football and later started the county’s first football program at Lawrenceville.
While coaching at Lawrenceville, he met and married Peggy Wages. The couple built a house on land given to them by her grandfather, and they lived there for 52 years before moving to Snellville 15 years ago. They had four children, 10 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren.
Peggy and Jack Britt
In 1959, Jack joined Coach Jimmie Powell as assistant athletic director at the newly-opened South Gwinnett High School, with responsibilities for football, girls’ basketball, boys’ and girls’ track, boys’ and girls’ tennis, and cheerleaders, while teaching classes in Civics and Government. Coaches were expected to teach, coach, build and maintain press boxes, plant and mow grass, etc. all for an additional $200 a year. Jack is credited by some of the Black students for easing racial tensions during the 1965 integration of the school.
Britt was most successful coaching girls’ basketball with his teams, winning 59 percent of their games, a region championship, and advancing to the state tournament in 1963. Jack continued coaching girls’ basketball and track until 1971, at which time he took a teaching position at Bethesda. He culminated his teaching career by developing a strong county-wide Vocational Program for Parkview High School, finally retiring from the Gwinnett School System in 1981. The new Grayson High School football field was named in his honor in 2007. In 2017, Coach Britt was inducted into the Gwinnett Sports Hall of Fame.
In addition to teaching and coaching, Jack has been a homebuilder, commercial developer (Snellville’s All Star Drive-In), and an officer in the local National Guard. He once got into hot water with County School Superintendent B.B. Harris for re-assigning the Guard’s heavy equipment from Duluth High to South Gwinnett High.
Jack remained an avid golfer up until age 92, playing in charitable benefits and still lives in Snellville with his wife, Peggy, a former teacher and volunteer at the Gwinnett Medical Center. They seldom miss a class reunion of their students when invited.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
School board write-in candidate has toughest Gwinnett race
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
OCT. 20, 2020 | He is the candidate with the most difficult political race in Gwinnett for 2020. You see, his name is not even on the ballot, as he seeks to become a member of the Gwinnett School Board, representing District 5.
He’s George Puicar, 42, a write-in independent, who lives on Beaver Ruin Road near Norcross. Adding to his challenge is that this is his first time as a political candidate, he has little money to put into the race, and he is an immigrant from Romania. Not only that, but the listing of his race is at the end of the Gwinnett ballot.
To be elected, a majority of the District Five votes will have to write in his name. And the name “Puicar” is not an everyday name. His opponent, Democrat Tarece Johnson, has no Republican opponent running against her on the General Election ballot.
He arrived in this country through Chicago in 2004, after applying for a visa. Friends in Gwinnett invited him, and he says: “I was pleased to come to the warmer weather in Gwinnett.”
Initially employed in maintenance jobs, he enrolled in Gwinnett Tech in 2010. “I like fixing things and working with my hands.” A year later, he was a certified heating and air conditioning graduate. He works with the commercial real estate firm CBRE as a heating and air conditioning engineer. He met his wife, Emily, a stay-at-home mother, who is from Mexico, while at work in 2006. They have three children, ages 11, 8 and 5. The couple are members of Killian Hill Baptist Church.
Puicar
He is originally from northern Romania, in Transylvania, and holds a bachelor’s degree in theology from the University of Bucharest. He has had course work in Greek, Hebrew, systematic theology, biblical theology and ethics.
“My father, an electrician, encouraged me to get a degree, telling me don’t be just a helper, but get a good education and you are set for life.” His campaign site maintains: “You could say our family is the embodiment of the American dream and you would be right!”
Puicar was not interested in local politics until talking with one of his children’s teacher in August. “She explained the situation to me, and after reviewing the policies and positions of the opposing candidate, we realized as a family that my opponent does not represent what we and many of our community members want for our children in Gwinnett County schools.
“So I decided to run as a write-in for the school board position.” He realizes his campaign is a long shot, and says: “I want to be a voice for the parents, children and teachers in the district. I am concerned about the safety of our children, and in particular, want to ensure that the SRO (School Resource Officers) staff remain employed in each school.” (His opponent wants to eliminate these positions at each school.)
Recognizing that District Five, which he seeks to represent, has a low rate of educational attainment, Puicar wants to increase the graduation rate of the area. “I want these children to achieve, so that they don’t drop out of school, and graduate so that they can go on to advanced training. Those who are not inclined toward a four-year degree can then prepare themselves for a good career as a plumber, or electrician or nurse, and not start out life with a big debt.”
- His web site: https://writeingeorge.com.
- Have a- comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Something satisfies the soul when you have voted
By Debra Houston, contributing columnist
LILBURN, Ga. | There is something about voting that satisfies the soul. We went to the Gwinnett County Fairground in Lawrenceville to cast our ballots on the first allowable day, October 12. “We officially arrived at 9:24,” Eddie announced. My husband likes to mark the time.
Little did we know that it was Columbus Day and thus a Federal holiday. Those off from work apparently chose to spend their time voting. Perhaps that’s why we stood in a line that wrapped around two buildings. We could have mailed in our ballots, but worried about them “getting lost.”
Nearly everyone wore masks, utilized social distancing, and seemed to be in good spirits, even when it began to rain. Eddie sprinted to the car for umbrellas. Then the sun peeked out and burned my skin. But none of that compared to my aching back. A distraction was called for, so I took a photo of the line. Well, part of it. We were nowhere near where we had to make four sharp turns to the voting entrance.
A cross-section of America waited without complaint. Black and white joked and laughed together, negating leftist claims of ill feelings among us. In fact, everyone seemed down-home, a Southern expression for “regular folk.”
When we finally approached the voting entrance, we filled out the prerequisite paperwork. This would be my 13th time to vote for a president. At 18, I voted against MARTA. I did so again for the fourth time, unconvinced that when the Gwinnett Transit Authority hooks up to MARTA, the latter wouldn’t somehow get hold of Gwinnett taxpayers’ money.
Finally! We stepped into the high-ceiling building that during the fair probably houses cows and hay bales. On this day it looked empty except for poll workers at desks and voters hidden among the voting machines.
My paperwork processed, a man guided me to a machine. I touched the screen, flipped the pages, and selected my candidates. When I came to “Doug Collins,” I wondered how Eddie could vote for the other one!
I printed out my ballot and slid it into a lockbox. As we were leaving, a lady gave us our Georgia Peach “I Voted” stickers and offered to take a photo. I handed over my iPhone and held up my sticker. Click, click, it was fun.
When we returned to the car, a little battle-wearied but satisfied, I glanced at my watch. “It’s exactly 12:24. It took us three hours to the minute to vote!”
Nonetheless, I’m glad that a long line, a little rain and sun, and an achy back didn’t stop us from showing up. I’ve never before waited three hours to vote, not even when Jimmy Carter ran. My feeling is that Americans in 2020 are resolute in reminding politicians who hold the real power. Now we have had our say.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Imagine Advertising and Global Signs
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today we welcome new underwriters. They are Imagine Advertising and Global Signs, two separate companies that are jointly owned and co-located right here in Peachtree Corners. Imagine Advertising is a full-service advertising agency that specializes in creative design, print, and digital services – including their subsidiary, Imagine Retailer, which hosts and manages some 500 web sites for retailers across the country. Global Signs is a full-service sign company that has been in business since 1952. Acquired three years ago, Global designs and fabricates all types of indoor and outdoor signage, and currently works with seven of the top ten home-builders in the country. Relevant websites, to learn more, are: www.imagineadv.com; www.globalsignsusa.com; and www.imagineretailer.com.
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Another says to vote for Constitutional Amendment One
Editor, the Forum:
Please reconsider your recommendation on Amendment One.I am the executive director of the Coosa River Basin Initiative and serve on the Georgia Water Coalition Leadership Team. I am also the chair of the Trust Fund Honesty Committee within the GWC.
This amendment represents the culmination of over a decade of lobbying efforts to fix the legislative looting (that is completely inappropriate and infuriating).This amendment is an opportunity for voters to tell appropriators, “Enough is enough.” The longstanding tradition of fee diversion seems proof that we will never succeed in having these fees returned to our communities by appealing to lawmakers’ sense of duty.
This amendment demands course correction.
— Jesse Demonbreun-Chapman, Executive Director and Riverkeeper, Coosa River Basin Initiative, Rome, Ga.
Gives reasons for wanting the USA’s CEO fired
Editor, the Forum:
Even though Mussolini was a cruel fascist, it was said that at least he made the trains run on time. Unfortunately, President Trump hasn’t been able to provide even basic services on time.
My absentee ballot was mailed on September 24, but I did not receive it until two weeks later. My poor mail person is now delivering mail three hours later than previously. For the past week our mail has been delivered after 9 p.m.
I also note voting lines are way too long. Congressional subpoenas have not been enforced. Safe pandemic policies have been largely absent. Environmental laws have not been enforced. Immigrant children have languished in cages.
In general, the workings of our government have not been working right. Therefore, I suggest that the chief executive responsible for this poor performance should be fired.
— Alan Schneiberg, Sugar Hill
Take-off on hymn concerning the President was troubling
Editor, the Forum:
Regarding Raleigh Perry’s “A question: did the president ever really have COVID-19?”: along with Mr. Perry, others of us question President Trump’s “miraculous recovery. ” However, Mr. Perry’s comparing the President’s recovery to verses recounting the resurrection of Jesus Christ is very troubling.
— Elizabeth Truluck Neace, Dacula
Just how many people do you want on a jury? 6,000 once!
Editor, the Forum:
As we consider the possibility of expanding the number of Associate Judges in the Supreme Court, we might take a look at ancient Greece for reference. The system was different. They had no judges, just a jury to hear arguments from the two sides. The jury size was determined by the crime. As explained to me, anyone could accuse anyone of an offence. The jury would be at least three people. Sophists were specialists in argumentation and used their weapons before the juries. Finding truth was not their goal, winning was. Socrates was in conflict with these Sophists and his trial had 6,000 in the jury.
So, will 9 become 12, until one day when it goes to 24? Then what? Will our country need to build a larger building to hold the Supreme Court Justices?
There can never be another Trump. Democrats will do whatever it takes to make that a done deal.
— Byron Gilbert, Duluth
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
Satisfeed providing food boxes with Rotary Clubs
Thanks to funding from the Rotary Clubs of Gwinnett County, 13 to 15 area nonprofits, food pantries and religious organizations have registered to pick up and distribute 33-pound food boxes during the next three Fridays.
The Rotary service clubs are partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families program to provide families with fresh fruits, vegetables, protein and dairy products. Nearly 1,200 boxes will be distributed each Friday this month; the initiative started October 9.
The distributions are being facilitated by Gwinnett County’s Satisfeed each Friday through the end of October on the grounds of Life Church International in Duluth.
Greg Robinson, director of operations for Satisfeed, says last week’s boxes included items such as chicken, milk, yogurt, cheese, potatoes, onions and watermelon.
Satisfeed does food distributions for families each Saturday at Life Church. Families must register in advance to pick up a food box. They may do so weekly between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. each Friday at Satisfeed/Life Church, 4830 River Green Parkway,
Coolray presents Chris Young in socially-distanced concert
Chris Young will be headlining the first-ever socially-distanced concert at Coolray Field on Saturday, November 14. Additional performers will be Cassadee Pope, Kameron Marlowe, and Payton Smith.
Tickets will be available to Gwinnett Stripers season ticket members for a pre-sale from October 16-18 and will be available to the general public on October 19 at 10 a.m. Tickets will be available online only at Ticketmaster.com.
The Georgia Grown Concert series kicked off in June and has continued thanks to the cooperation of both fans, venue partners, and staff. In coordination with both local, state and CDC regulations, Double A Productions has been able to successfully and safely reintroduce live music events across the state of Georgia while following social distancing guidelines.
Multi-platinum RCA Records Nashville entertainer Chris Young has accumulated an impressive list of accomplishments, including membership in the iconic Grand Ole Opry. As a prolific creator, he has given fans seven studio albums in 14 years. Named “one of his era’s finest traditionalists” by the Associated Press, Chris has quickly become an international ambassador for country music, performing to capacity crowds around the world.
Patrons will be required to wear masks or face coverings at all times when not in their designated seating area. The event will also feature full LED screens on either side of the stage live concert experience. For more information, contact info@doubleaproductions.net.
Two from Gwinnett win Metro Atlanta Summit Awards
Partnership Gwinnett, in collaboration with The Council for Quality Growth, has announced winners of the 2020 Metro Atlanta Redevelopment Summit (MARS) Awards.
Partnership Gwinnett and the Council for Quality Growth presented the following winners and runners-up recognizing redevelopment projects in the region:
- 2020 Small Redevelopment Award Winner – Braselton Brewing Company;
- 2020 Medium Redevelopment Award Winner – 725 Ponce;
- 2020 Large Redevelopment Award Winner – Lawrenceville South Lawn.
“Michael Paris, president and CEO at Council for Quality Growth, says: “We are proud to partner with Partnership Gwinnett on the Metro Atlanta Redevelopment Summit where we highlight community preservation and strategic economic planning.”
Andrew Carnes, vice president of economic development at Partnership Gwinnett, adds: “Anytime you bring influential leaders in an industry together, it provides a platform for conversation around continued innovation.”
Georgia Gwinnett College has $520 million impact on county
According to an economic impact study released by the University System of Georgia (USG), Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) contributed more than $520 million to the economy of Gwinnett County and the Atlanta metropolitan area during fiscal year 2019. This figure includes GGC’s output impact, which is 6.1 percent higher than the previous year. Including its capital outlay for construction projects, GGC has generated $4.3 billion in cumulative economic impact since the college has been included in the study. This year’s report reveals that GGC also is responsible for the creation of 3,950 jobs, of which 725 are on campus and 3,225 in the community.
Red Truck Bakery Cookbook, by Brian Noyes
From Holly Moore, Suwanee: “John Wayne made me a tuna sandwich.” This, the first line to The Red Truck Bakery Cookbook by Brian Noyes, and it had me hooked. The rest of the story did not disappoint. I have no shortage of cookbooks, but this is the only cookbook that I have ever read from cover to cover. Previously the art director of the Washington Post and Smithsonian magazine, Noyes, a master storyteller, weaves a tale in this beautiful book. This book is worth the read—the stories and photographs took me on a delightful ramble through the picturesque Virginia Piedmont. The delectable recipes sent me, mouth-watering, to the larder to check for ingredients. The Shenandoah Apple Cake with Maple Glaze (it’s apple season) has become a family favorite. I recommend getting lost and hungry in these pages. And admit it, don’t you want to know more about that tuna sandwich?
An invitation: what books, restaurants, movies or web sites have you enjoyed recently? Send us your recent selection, along with a short paragraph (150 words) as to why you liked this, plus what you plan to visit or read next. Send to: elliott@brack.net
Work of the Salvation Army in Georgia dates to 1890
Known for its uniforms, brass bands, and programs for the poor, the Salvation Army began its work in Georgia on October 19, 1890. Its “grand opening” in the state was a small but significant affair, beginning with an open-air evangelistic service on an Atlanta street corner and proceeding to a meeting in a newly rented assembly room. The Salvation Army in Atlanta grew slowly, but by the end of January 1891, 30 “soldiers” had enlisted. On April 12, 1891, the second official Georgia corps opened in Augusta. By 1895 the mission was again gaining ground. New corps opened in Columbus (1895), in Rome(1897), in Macon (1899), and in Brunswick and Savannah (1900).
By the end of the 20talh century, the Salvation Army operated 136 facilities in Georgia. More than 70 officers are based in the state, and almost 400 employees, aided by approximately 24,000 volunteers, carry on the work of the army.
In 1865 Methodist pastor William Booth, aided by his wife, Catherine, founded the Christian Mission as a rescue operation in the East End of London. Renamed the Salvation Army in 1878, the organization adopted a military form of church government, which included uniforms and other distinctive features, and set out to “wage war” against sin and poverty. Military terms have been used by the Salvation Army throughout the years to designate ranks of officers and to describe the activities of the organization. Those who became soldiers confessed their sins, accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior from sin, and exhibited a sense of responsibility to win others to the Christian faith.
Today an international movement, the Salvation Army operates in 106 countries, where it maintains religious and social service centers, including schools and hospitals. Officers and soldiers preach the Christian gospel in more than 136 languages. The army describes itself as “an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”
The organization’s ministries in Georgia provide and support basic social services, holiday assistance, summer and day camps, disaster assistance, correctional services, community centers and clubs, activities for senior citizens, and substance-abuse rehabilitation. The Salvation Army in Georgia operates corps community centers, service centers, boys’ and girls’ clubs, service units, and thrift stores around the state. The army has also established in Atlanta a Harbor Light Center (a residential substance-abuse recovery center), a housing complex for senior citizens, and an adult rehabilitation center, as well as a camp in Jasper.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to http://georgiaencyclopedia.org
Give us the name of this island as today’s Mystery Photo
Who hasn’t thought of being on an isolated island, away from all the hullabaloo, sounds and activity of the everyday world? This island might not provide exactly that, but it is its own distinct world in many ways. Can you identify this week’s Mystery Photo island? Send your guesses to elliott@brack.net, to include your hometown.
The last edition’s Mystery Photo was of Antelope Canyon, near Page, Arizona. The photograph came from Beverly Lougher of Lawrenceville.
Lots of people recognized the photo. They included Bob Foreman, Grayson; Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill; George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Victoria Smith, Decatur; Virginia Klaer, Duluth; and Lou Camiero, Lilburn, who added “This is one of the many ‘must see sites in Zion National Park, Arizona.”
Victoria Smith sent along an additional magnificent photograph of the Canyon (see below right.)
Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex., provided us with more detail. Today’s mystery photo is one of the most sought-after photos of the ages, a sunbeam lighting the way at the Upper Antelope Canyon, a slot canyon on Navajo land approximately six-miles southeast of Page, Arizona.
“Slot canyons are tiny canyons formed when water finds its way into a crack or fissure in the sandstone bedrock. Length-wise, the slot canyon of Upper Antelope Canyon is only about 100 yards long, and is a relatively easy hike to visit. That said, the only way to see the site is by way of a guided-tour. However, since tour availability is quite limited and demand for tickets is high, you’ll need to book Antelope Canyon tickets months in advance. And while you will still be permitted to snap photos of the canyons, tripods are no longer permitted on the tour, and specialized ‘photographic tours’ are no longer being offered. The best months to visit Upper Antelope Canyon are between the end of March and early October. Try to time your tour for mid-day (between 11am – 2pm) as this is the best, and only times, when you can see light beams entering the Upper Antelope Canyon as shown in the mystery photo.’
Cancelled: the Harvest Festival at Peachtree Corners, scheduled for October 24, has been cancelled.
Drug take back: Snellville police will take back unused and expired medication on October 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at both the Snellville Police Department, 2315 Wisteria Drive, and at Eastside Medical Center’s Main Campus, 1700 Medical Way. Each location will be a contactless drop off. Participants can drive or walk up and drop discarded medication into the drop boxes. Medication may be left in its original containers with or without the labels as all items discarded are burned. Participants are asked not to bring needles or sharp objects for disposal.
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