GwinnettForum | Number 22.39 | May 30, 2023
HAPPY GRADS: Greater Atlanta Christian School held a joyous commencement ceremony on campus on May 20. The event brought together family, friends, faculty, and staff to honor the GAC Class of 2023 and commemorate their accomplishments. The graduating class of 148 students will attend 63 different universities this fall, from coast to coast. The Class of 2023 was offered over $16 million in total scholarships, and collectively received 561 acceptances from 170 different universities.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Energetic performer Tina Turner was “Simply the best”
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Civic clubs observe 100th and 50th anniversary of founding
SPOTLIGHT: Crowne Plaza Hotel
ANOTHER VIEW: Draconian weapons and abortion laws need changing
FEEDBACK: Send us your thoughts
UPCOMING: Outdoor drama next two weekends near Helen
NOTABLE: Lawrenceville singled out by Georgia City Solutions
RECOMMENDED: At Bertram’s Hotel by Agatha Christie
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Cherokee Indian language related to the Iroquoian
MYSTERY PHOTO: Try to pinpoint where this ancient architecture is from
LAGNIAPPE: Gwinnett student among finalists in Doodle contest
CALENDAR: Jazz in the Alley in Norcross coming on June 3
Energetic performer Tina Turner was “Simply the best”
By Dan Bollinger
LOGANVILLE, Ga. | Passing of various rock stars at my age is nothing new. But the passing of Tina Turner is one that is really kind of special, as she was particularly a great performer.
Bollinger
I grew up in a small town in Missouri, educated in a parochial and public high school, and was fortunate to attend college. The only way I was able to go was working every step, carpentering for my contractor uncle, pumping gas at a Gulf station and changing tires and batteries at a Sears store. With the help of the GI Bill, I eventually became the third to graduate out of 26 cousins. And that is where Tina came in.
I first saw her perform as an opening act in Cape Girardeau, Mo. in a venue that could seat about 1,000 if the fire department was not paying attention. The building was previously a National Guard armory, and at the time, it was the main building for the District Fair.
Ike and Tina Turner opened for “Booker T and the MG’s.” I was never exposed to anybody like their performance, going after finishing my shift pumping gas at Sunset Gulf. I did not shower or change out of my uniform, I just went. Ike and Tina’s performance really put Booker T in the background. She was as electric and captivating that night as she was five years later, when I saw her perform again at the college’s Brewer Field House.
By then I was a veteran of the Vietnam era, had experienced the threat of the Cold War firsthand, had become married, and was about to graduate.
I was in my last semester at the University of Missouri when with my wife and I sat on the dirt floor of Brewer Field House, in the hanging smoke and odor of an illegal substance. Tina was two hours late for the performance; the crowd was restless and getting impatient. We had heard rumors about Ike and his abuse, but were too naïve to believe it was true. When Tina finally made her appearance on stage, she captured and invigorated that audience. All was forgiven..
Her performance was even more spellbinding than the first time I saw her perform. I did know a little of her history and was amazed. But I certainly do remember that she was inspiring.
The fact that she had scrapped and scrambled to get that far, and then to go on to become an icon, still amazes me to this day. And as I think back, though I did not realize it then, her career has influenced my life. I have been fortunate to see and even meet many other famous, successful, and inspiring people. Adversity is a great teacher though it is painful at times. She let me and others know just look it in the eye and keep on keeping on.
Tina Turner was special. I believe she had the same effect on many others. She was simply the most talented and super special, and probably inspiring to many of us. Recently I was able to attend Tina, the Musical, which focuses on her life story, and how her music reflected her life.
My story is certainly not as rags to riches as hers was, and God knows I did not suffer any abuse. Thank you, Tina Turner. You truly are “Simply the Best!”
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Civic clubs observe 100th and 50th anniversaries of founding
Lawrenceville Kiwanis Club President Dr. Hubert Tucker Jr. accepts a proclamation marking the club’s 100th anniversary from Mayor David Still, a former member. (Photo by Lou Camerio.)
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
May 30, 2023 | Two of the oldest civic clubs in Gwinnett marked anniversaries recently, and we were pleased to be at both of those meetings.
The Lawrenceville Kiwanis Club had its 100th anniversary celebration at Dominick’s restaurant on the square in the city. The original members first met in the same location when the club was first proposed, which then was the Ewing Hotel.
In early December of 1922, the Lawrenceville News-Herald reported, 25 men said they would be interested in the club. The idea came from hearing of Kiwanis Clubs in Atlanta and Athens.
However, by the time the official charter came from Kiwanis International, on May 25, 1923, 43 men signed up. First president was F. Q. Sammon, a funeral director. The newspaper reported that “Quill Sammon is the real daddy of the club, and no man has worked harder than he. Any city would be fortunate in having him to head their organization.”
And while it was the first men’s civic club in Gwinnett, it’s interesting that the meal for approximately 150 people was served by the Lawrenceville Woman’s Club, apparently already functioning as the possible first civic club in the county.
Since the Kiwanis Club founding, it has consistently seen its members as prominent leaders of the county. And the club has served to endorse and sponsor significant improvements for the city and county.
Among them:
- Started a movement for the initial Chamber of Commerce for the county.
- Pushed for the paving of the road to Atlanta, and also sought improved roads to Athens, Buford and Snellville, and endorsed the paving of the Buford to Atlanta highway.
- Instrumental in starting the Gwinnett Fairground at its old location, the present Central Gwinnett High.
- Endorsed the bond issue for the Hill-Burton hospital.
- Sponsored the idea of a city manager for Lawrenceville.
- Led efforts for new Kiwanis Clubs in six other cities.
- And many more. Altogether, the club has made over $400,000 in donations to local charities.
Dr. Hubert Tucker is the current president, as was his father before him. He remembers attending a meeting when he was 12 to recite the Gettysburg Address. The club also sponsored his Boy Scout troop which went to the Okefenokee Swamp for a week on several occasions in a bus bought by the Kiwanis Club. But one year, when 30 Scouts went, the bus broke down. The Scoutmaster called the club to wire money to Waycross to repair the bus for the Scout’s return.
The other civic club marking an anniversary is the Gwinnett Rotary Club, which was met for the first time on June 29, 1973 with 27 charter members at the Dutch Mill Restaurant in Duluth. Its first president was Troy Chatham of Norcross. The only living charter member is Dr. Wallace Lail of Duluth.
The actual Rotary 50th anniversary was recognized May 9 at its regular Tuesday meetings at the 1818 Club. The club that previous weekend on May 6 had celebrated its annual major fundraiser for charity, its Derby Down South party, by watching the Kentucky Derby on giant outdoor billboards at Formetco in Duluth, which manufactures the boards. Organizations benefiting from the 2023 fundraiser include: Rainbow Village, JM Tull Gwinnett Family YMCA, The Haven at Hebron, and the Rotary End Polio Now Campaign.
President of the club is Wanda Weegar of Georgia Banking Company, with Joe Godfrey the incoming president. Besides seeing a local video of what Rotary means to different members, older members of the club spoke of its early days, and cited its continual “Service Above Self” work for the community.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Crowne Plaza Hotel
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today’s underwriting sponsor is the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Norcross. It is the only four-star hotel in the area, at the intersection of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and Holcomb Bridge Road. Its 238 rooms and 10,000 square feet of meeting spaces await you. Enjoy amenities such as an on-site pool and fitness center. Enjoy the elegant Eighteen70 restaurant and lounge (named for the date the City of Norcross was founded.) You will find the two ballrooms and in-house catering makes for a perfect wedding venue. Parking is always free, and you can easily connect to the internet without cost. Nearby are shopping, sports and parks. The Chattahoochee River is two miles away, offering some of the best trout fishing in its cold waters.
- For more details visitwww.crowneplaza.com/norcrossga
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.
Draconian weapons and abortion laws need changing
By Raleigh Perry
BUFORD, Ga. | The draconian laws that many states have passed on anti-abortion and free access to guns has to be changed. What I foresee is that the various state legislatures’ political balance will change considerably. The same will probably occur in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate.
Perry
The anti-abortion laws will cause poverty on top of the poverty as working women and young girls have to either quit working to pay for child care, or quit their jobs and leave school to take care of their children.
Polls show that the majority of females do not want the anti-abortion laws. Meanwhile, the Congress is doing nothing but investigating things that do not make much sense.
Congress is also not doing anything about the excess of guns now in the hands of people, many of whom should be ineligible to own a gun under any circumstances.
In each of the last three years, there have been more than 600 mass shootings, almost two a day on average. The U.S. is setting a record pace for mass killings in 2023, replaying the horror on a loop roughly once a week so far this year.
If the House flips next year, and I think it will, it will be because this Congress has done virtually nothing. So then, things will change considerably.
We need to change laws on the ownership of guns, and stopping manufacturing of weapons in a couple of categories. No pistol should be manufactured to which you can place a larger magazine than it was originally made for it. We should also totally stop the manufacture and sale of AR15’s and similar guns. There should be a law against modifying semi-automatic pistols in order for them to fire like a machine gun. We should also outlaw “bump stocks” which allow the AR15 weapons to be fully automatic.
There are some people who think the gun problem is a mental problem. For sure, guns are a social problem. Regardless, when people leave the house to take their children to school, go shopping, or even buy fuel for their car, they can be putting their lives in peril because of the random shootings. That’s horrible!
I have no problem with the ownership of guns, if they are in the right hands. But now it appears that if you have a body temperature that is normal, there is no other requirement to own a weapon.
I have come to the conclusion that this country is virtually run by Wayne LaPierre and the National Rifle Association. It is past time for action. And nothing is going with this House, but I think that the balance of power is going to switch.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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, and include your hometown. The views of letters are the opinion of the contributor. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send feedback and letters to: elliott@brack.net.
Outdoor drama next two weekends near Helen
Friends of Hardman Farm State Historic site, in partnership with Piedmont University’s North Georgia Theatre, will present Valley Voices, an outdoor drama at Hardman Farm, June 1-3 and 8-10, 2023.
Written by local author and playwright, Emory Jones, Valley Voices tells the stories of the families who lived, worked, and loved in Nacoochee Valley throughout the centuries. This realistic and historically accurate play features authentic costumes, live horses, and even an antique car.
Jones says: “Several of us locals, along with Department of Natural Resources officials, have wanted to see an outdoor drama come to North Georgia for years. That finally happened when Valley Voices made its premiere in June of 2022 to sellout audiences. Hopefully, this outdoor drama will continue to grow and become an annual event at Hardman Farm.”
Sarah Summers, Hardman Farm Assistant Manager, says having Piedmont University’s Kathy Blandin direct the play and Bill Gabelhausen be the acting coach and play the role of Calvin Hunnicutt, will make this performance special. “The two have assembled an amazing amount of talented actors and musicians to play the various roles,” says Summers, who teasingly adds, “Folks attending may be surprised to find out which former Georgia Governor, Nathan Deal, is playing the role of former governor, Dr. Lamartine Hardman.”
Tom Johnson, the play’s producer, says he’s pleased with the amount of community backing he’s seen for Valley Voices. “We have had tremendous support, financial and otherwise, from the White County Board of Commissioners, the Chamber and Historical Society, the Helen Convention and Visitors Bureau and many other local businesses and individuals.”
This year’s event will host a trifecta of performances beginning with live music from Joe and Debbielee Whelchel at 5:30 p.m. and continuing with a musical performance by singer Katie Deal. The Valley Voices presentation kicks off at 7:30 p.m.
Gates open at 5 p.m. Guests are encouraged to come early, bring their own lawn chair or blanket. Food and drink will be available, and viewers can have a picnic on the grounds. The site’s 19 outbuildings, including the impressive 100-plus-year-old dairy barn, will be open, and guests can interact with the actors prior to their performance.
Tickets are $25 plus taxes and fees. To learn more, visit: valleyvoicesplay.com. Proceeds go towards future events and restoration projects at the historic Hardman Farm.
Lawrenceville singled out by Georgia City Solutions
From left are Marlene Taylor-Crawford, council member; Chuck Warbington, city manager; John Mullin, chief of police; Glenn Martin, council member; Mayor David Still; Austin Thompson, council member; Jen Young, Impact46 executive director; Victoria Jones, council member; Jasmine Billings, community development manager; Marcus Thorne, ReCAST program manager; and Melissa Hardegree, communications officer.
The City of Lawrenceville has been named one of three cities honored by Georgia City Solutions at the inaugural Community Impact Awards hosted at the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta recently.
Lawrenceville was recognized for its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative, Lawrenceville Legacy Leaders youth council, Summer of Impact youth internship program, and Love Lawrenceville Day. In addition, Lawrenceville was honored for its community engagement efforts with high-risk youth, improving access to mental health services for families, strengthening community relations, and increasing diverse voices in government.
The cities of Dublin and Valdosta were also honored with awards.
DiFranco to head Gwinnett Chamber Foundation
DiFranco
Jason DiFranco is the new vice president of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce Foundation. DiFranco will spearhead funding and grant programs that advance equitable and inclusive business opportunities for underserved businesses. Objectives that he will address in this new role include reducing and/or removing financial barriers, providing technical assistance, offering educational opportunities, addressing skills gaps, and expanding business networks for qualified participants to grow and scale their operations.
Previously on the staff of the Gwinnett County Public Library, DiFranco led efforts to create bylaws and procedures for the library Foundation, established partnerships for major gifts and fundraising platforms, and created and implemented the Hooper-Renwick Comprehensive Campaign to support the new Black history-themed library currently under construction in downtown Lawrenceville. Prior to his role with the library, DiFranco held key business-centric roles with Boy Scouts of America, The Cleveland Clinic-Hillcrest Hospital in Ohio, and Athens Regional Medical Center.
DiFranco started his role with the Gwinnett Chamber Foundation on May 15. He and his wife, Amelia, reside in Buford. He is a native of Seven Hills, Ohio, and is a graduate of Baldwin Wallace College.
At Bertram’s Hotel by Agatha Christie
From Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill: When old Miss Marple comes to London for a two-week visit, she chooses to stay in Bertram’s Hotel, the quintessentially British hotel of her childhood. But when she arrives, she is surprised to find the place exactly as it was during the Edwardian era. It is still a feast for the senses and a delightful place to stay. There are decadent afternoon teas by the fireplace, a handsome commissionaire out front and hot breakfasts in bed. There’s old Lady Selina here to see about her rheumatism and scatterbrained old Canon Pennyfather, always forgetting something. The atmosphere is genteel, old fashioned and comforting. But shouldn’t things have been modernized after six decades? It doesn’t take long for the observant Miss Marple to realize that what seems too good to be true is just that, and her observant brain manages to sleuth out what’s really going on – right under everyone’s nose.
- 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
Cherokee Indian language related to the Iroquoian
(From previous edition)
In the 16th century, the Koasati language was spoken by Native Americans in northwestern Georgia. This third Eastern Muskogean was distinct from either Creek or Hitchiti and was closely related to the Alabama language spoken by people in central Alabama. Today there are a few speakers of Koasati in southwestern Louisiana and eastern Texas.
The three Muskogean languages are at least as different from one another as English and German are today. Although it is difficult to estimate, they have been separated for 1,000-2,000 years, perhaps longer. One common sound they share that is not used by English speakers is the so-called barred-L, a sound somewhere between L, THL, and S of English. The common use of this sound in Muskogean languages led to many misunderstandings and mispronunciations of many Indian place names in Georgia by English and Spanish speakers. The Georgia place names Willacoochee and Withlacoochee, for example, are modern translations of the same word.
The Iroquoian family is represented in Georgia by a single language, Cherokee. Cherokee is closely related to the Iroquoian languages of the Finger Lakes region of western New York. How and when the Cherokee Indians separated from the Iroquois is still not well understood after a century of research by linguists and archaeologists. When Europeans first arrived in the South, Cherokee was spoken in western North Carolina. In the Early Historic Period, as Hitchiti speakers in northeastern Georgia moved south, Cherokee speakers moved into north Georgia for the first time. Some Cherokee Indians lived in northwestern Georgia at the time of their forced removal in the 1830s. Cherokee is completely unrelated to any of the Muskogean languages.
The Timucua language was spoken in extreme south central Georgia (roughly from Valdosta into the Okefenokee Swamp area a bit to the north), but it is primarily associated with people in north central and northeastern Florida. It was reasonably well studied by the early Spanish people from St. Augustine, Florida, a town settled in the midst of Timucuan speakers. It has been clear for a long time that the language is not related to any of the other Southeastern Indian languages and is thus an isolate. In recent years the linguist Julian Granberry has suggested that Timucua may be related to a language in northern South America called Warao. Whether this intriguing possibility is true is still under debate by scholars.
The Yuchi language is another isolate that may have originated somewhere in the southern Appalachians. In the Early Historic Period, speakers of Yuchi settled in the Savannah River valley of eastern Georgia, then slowly moved west across the state. By the middle of the 18th century they had joined with the Creek Confederacy. The Yuchi retained their unique language even after they had joined the Creeks, and even after they were forced to move with the Creeks to Oklahoma.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Try to pinpoint where this ancient architecture is from
We’ll give you this clue for this edition’s Mystery Photo: it’s Roman. Now you tell us where. Send your thoughts to elliott@brack.net and include your hometown.
Ruthie Lachman Paul of Norcross recognized the last photo from a trip in 1983: “It’s the Equestrian statue of King José I in Lisbon.It is in the center of the new “Praça do Comércio” Commerce Square. It was finally on his 61st anniversary of rule. It is one of the most significant achievements of Portuguese 18th Century’s art. Locals and tourists alike frequent the square, as they have done for years.” The photo came from John Fennell of Atlanta, through Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill.
Jay Altman of Columbia, S.C. noted that Don Jose was the Portuguese king at the time of the 1755 earthquake that devastated the city of Lisbon.
Others recognizing the statue were George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Lou Camerio, Lilburn; Steve Ogilvie, Lawrenceville; Fran Worrall, Lawrenceville; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex., who added that the statue was created by Joaquim Machado de Castro (1731–1822), one of Portugal’s most famous sculptors. He also found that “the statue is also considered by many to be one of Portugal’s most important monuments. Historical records suggest that the primary motivation for the monument’s location was to honor the king’s response to the devastation caused by the Great 1755 Lisbon Earthquake, which totally destroyed the Terreiro do Paço that was on this site. It was the first such statue to be cast in Portugal, and was unveiled on the king’s 61st birthday on June 6,1775.”
SHARE A MYSTERY PHOTO: If you have a photo that you believe will stump readers, send it along (but make sure to tell us what it is because it may stump us too!) Send to: elliott@brack.net and mark it as a photo submission. Thanks.
Gwinnett student among finalists in Doodle contest
Reina Daeun Lee from North Gwinnett Middle School is one of 55 students selected as a state finalist for the 15th annual Doodle for Google contest. This year, Google invited K-12 students to answer the prompt, “I am grateful for…” through their art.
Here is her winning response: “I drew gymnastics on beam – the colors and shapes in the background show how I feel during gymnastics: excited, confident, and strong. I’m grateful for gymnastics, because it makes me feel powerful.”
Georgians can visit this blogpost or doodle4google.com to vote for Reina’s submission. Winners of the public vote will become one of five national finalists.
Jazz in the Alley in Norcross coming on June 3
Meet Author Daniel Black, award-winning author, and African American Studies professor, on Thursday, June 1, at 7 p.m. at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. He will discuss his new book, Black on Black. In his debut essay collection, Dr. Black tackles topics ranging from police brutality to the AIDS crisis. Books will be available for sale and signing.
Jazz in the Alley in Norcross will be Saturday, June 3, starting at 7:30 p.m. in Betty Mauldin Park. Join in performance of Adrienne Woods, The Headline Band, and Terence Harper. Bring your picnic basket, lawn chair and immerse yourself in the rhythmic vibes while savoring delectable treats from local food trucks. For more information and to see what’s next in the concert lineup, visit aplacetoimagine.com.
Ribbon Cutting: The Gwinnett Housing Corporation (GHC) announces the opening of the Gwinnett County Homeowners Resource Center, located at 128 Lawrenceville Street in Norcross. While the center will officially open to the public in July 2023, GHC and its partners will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the site on Monday, June 5, at 2 p.m The Center is designed to ensure that more low-to-moderate-income residents in Gwinnett have the opportunity to become homeowners, providing resources that support the preservation of home ownership to current low-to-moderate-income homeowners in the county.
Meet the Author Diane Marie Brown on Thursday, June 8 at 7 p.m. at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Come enjoy a lively, fun-filled author talk with the author of Black Candle Women! Piper Huguley, author of By Her Own Design, will moderate this event that is not to be missed! Books will be available for sale and signing.
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