GwinnettForum | Number 22.65 | Sept. 5, 2023 
SOME MAY RECOGNIZE today’s Mystery Photo immediately. Clues abound, from the mountain, to the river and bridge, to the towers and to the buildings of the town. Try your luck to identify today’s mystery, below.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Four actions that define a strong leader’s character
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Save on electric bill by switching light off when leaving a room
SPOTLIGHT: Georgia Gwinnett College
ANOTHER VIEW: Finding yourself caught between Mama Bear and her cubs
FEEDBACK: Not enough people know of local Community Foundation
UPCOMING: County to distribute up to $18 million for affordable housing
NOTABLE: Another set of youth leaders chosen by Lawrenceville
RECOMMENDED: The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Beginning of railroads in Georgia dates back to 1833
MYSTERY PHOTO: Your military experience might help with today’s Mystery
CALENDAR: The 22nd British Car Fayre is Sept. 9 in downtown Norcross
Four actions that define a strong leader’s character
(Editor’s Note: The author is a former Gwinnett banker who is president of Oconee State Bank of Watkinsville. The bank has a branch in Gwinnett at 2055 Sugarloaf Circle in Duluth.)
By Neil Stevens
WATKINSVILLE, Ga. | The term “leadership” has many meanings. John Maxwell may have coined it best when he said: Leadership is influence — nothing more, nothing less.”
Stevens
The book, Leading Life on Life, is about four consistent actions that define every strong leader’s character: loving others, equipping others, affirming others and developing others.
The goal of the book is not to convince you that I am perfect at embracing the four primary actions. This book was written to unify the efforts of the leaders who read it with a shared commitment in all we do – for our customers, for our community, and for each other.
I am now beginning my fourth decade of observing the actions and behaviors of great leaders. Over time, I have found several common characteristics they all possess. But two stand out the most:
- Their leadership is tailored to each individual.
- A trustworthy operating system always guides them.
The first characteristic I’ve seen again and again is that great leaders inspire others exclusively and uniquely, according to who each person is, not according to who the leader is. Instead of trying to impose their views and strengths onto others, they seek to honor and elevate the distinct personality and strengths of the people around them, by devoting regular time to each of them, one on one, life on life.
The second common characteristic of great leaders is that a learned, trustworthy operating system always guides them when they are with others. While there are many traits and actions that guide great leaders, I’ve found that four primary actions are common to all of them. This operating system can be summed up by an acronym you might have already picked up on:
- Love.
- Equip.
- Affirm.
- Develop.
The book, Leading Life on Life, unpacks the artfulness, depth, and intention behind each of these four actions, with a particular focus on ways each of us can model them as we seek to authentically inspire others around us – our co-workers, our customers, our communities, and, yes, even our bosses – to higher performance and greater results, life on life.
You can purchase Leading Life on Life by emailing creese@oconeestatebank.com All proceeds from the sale of this book benefit Oconee State Bank’s foundation – The Remarkable Foundation. This foundation gives back to nonprofits in our communities we serve.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Save on electric bill by switching light off when leaving a room
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
SEPT. 5, 2023 | Think each month how many routine bills come to your address. You get invoices for your mortgage or rent, electricity, garbage, water, sewer, Internet, telephone, cable or dish for television, maybe for security and possibly lawn care. That’s a lot! You probably pay by check or credit card.
There was a time in this country, years ago, when lots of monthly bills were not an element of everyday life for many people. Take the era of from 1900 to 1940, prior to World War II, when the country had a lot of farmers.
The farmers raised mostly what they ate, hogs, cattle, corn and vegetables from their garden. They had a cow for milk, and made their own butter. They killed for their meat, often going rabbit or squirrel hunting, besides slaughtering their own hogs.
They “put up” (canned in jars or later in tins) food for the winter season, when regular foods, the tomatoes and beans and squash and potatoes and pumpkins and butterbeans and onions, were not readily available. They “got by” with this over the winter.
People who lived in town and “worked for wages” had cash money though most had not a lot. They also had few regular bills. People in those days led a simple life. Not many had little “throw away” money for a candy bar or ice cream. A Coca-Cola was a real treat.
In those days, people drew their water by hand from a well. Some bragged about how sweet and tasty their water was. That was a matter of pride. Many homes had no grass to water, since they swept their yards clean, as a precaution from fires, and did so with their homemade sagebrush brooms. For inside the home, they made their own broomstraws.
Farmers’ cash money consisted of putting some aside when the crops came in, cotton was baled, or a hog or cow was sold. Farmers first took that money and paid off their loan from when buying cotton seed and fertilizer, and hoped to have a little left for themselves. Perhaps they would buy the kids a new pair of shoes, a frock for the mother, and a new pair of overalls for the father.
About the first utility bill homes in rural areas had toward the end of the 1930s was a bill for electricity from the new Rural Electrification Authority (“the REA”), now better known as electric co-ops. The first “lights” for their home was usually a single bulb in the center of each room. And these people knew that if you left that light on, you would have a higher electric bill, and you had to pay hard-earned cash for the light bill.
So what happened? People conserved electricity. When they left a room, they switched off the light.
Even to this day, when I leave a room, I automatically turn the light out, remembering my parents imploring: “Switch off that light when you leave the room.” It’s automatic. In those days, since there wasn’t much money, conserving electricity was essential. Even today, leaving on that light will cost you a higher electric bill. And for sure, today’s family life has it so much easier.
It’s still a good idea to switch off a light, or the television set, if you aren’t in the room, to save money and electricity.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Georgia Gwinnett College
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Finding yourself caught between Mama Bear and her cubs
By David Simmons
NORCROSS, Ga. | I’m a member of an Appalachian Trail (AT) group on Facebook. Somebody started a thread asking for stories about the wildest, craziest thing that happened while on the AT. Here is what I wrote.
In 1990, northbound, somewhere in Massachusetts, on a long, slow left hand turn, I was headed around the side of a mountain. About 15 feet ahead of me on the right just slightly down hill, I hear a rustling in a tree.
I freeze. Down comes a black bear cub that scurries across the trail right in front of me, then scampers uphill. Uh oh! From out of sight, further downhill,I hear crashing noises, twigs and branches rattling, and oh my God! You ever hear a grown mama bear running through the forest?
Worse than that? Yes, she was coming straight at me with a deep-throated “Whugh, whugh, whugh!” grunt with every stride! Jesus Palomino!!! Here I was between a mama bear and her cub.
She was flying up the mountainside and crossed the trail about 10 feet in front of me, but somehow, she missed me. She kept on going uphill. Soon she was out of sight, chasing down her cub.
Long….slow….exhale.
I go totally Lucky Charms, thanked my Lucky Stars and was ready to take flight. Then a rustling noise comes from that same tree area! Another cub comes clambering down out of the tree to the trail, and this time, runs off….get this…downhill! Here I am again between a mama bear and another of her cubs. Again. Gulp!
Once again, I freeze. Then here come all those terrible noises. “Whugh, whugh, whugh.” It is Mama Bear again headed downhill, which is straight towards me, to chase down her other cub. And what do you know? Who is right in between? Me! Wrong place, wrong time.
I didn’t know what to say or think or do! It was too late for a prayer. All I wanted to do was to cower away and shrink into nothingness.
Then Mama bear flies across the trail in front of me so close I could have reached out with my walking stick and touched her.
But apparently I was not on her agenda. Her single- minded attention on running down her cub was so intense that she apparently not only did not see me, nor did she smell or sense my presence. I was very lucky that day. It easily could have been very different.
So as she disappeared downhill, I started running for all I was worth uphill.. But not for long because I had to stop and take a break for the call of nature. Cause you guessed it, that scared the you know what right out of me.
And thus another great memory, albeit a scary one, was made while on my quest to through-hike the Appalachian Trail. And onward I trudged, until I struggled and climbed to the peak of Mount Katahdin, the AT’s Northern Terminus on October 22, 1990.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Not enough people know of local Community Foundation
Editor, the Forum:
It was enjoyable reading Randy Brunson’s comments about gifting large sums of money to individuals. I wish I had those challenges! Not really. I want my descendants to create their own wealth.
I wish he would have spent some time discussing the benefits of Donor Advised Funds. It’s a great strategy to reduce taxes on appreciated assets. And of greater importance, giving back to society.
You have written about the Community Foundation of Northeast Georgia (CFNEG) but not enough people know what CFNEG does for Gwinnett. We became familiar with CFNEG through Randy Redner (now retired) and we established our fund with his guidance. It was easy and we’ve learned about the wonderful work of Gwinnett non-profits.
Keep up the good work!
– Cathy Loew, Peachtree Corners
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.
County to distribute up to $18 million for affordable housing
Gwinnett County will distribute up to $18 million to support and expand affordable housing development across the county.
Gwinnett’s Affordable Housing Development Fund offers funding to facilitate the development of affordable housing units for households earning 65 percent or less of Area Median Income, addressing the impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible projects include land/building acquisition, new construction, rehabilitation of one or more existing buildings, preservation of existing affordable housing units and adaptive reuse of one or more nonresidential buildings.
The $18 million funding comes from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, HOME Investment Partnerships Program and the Emergency Rental Assistance Program.
Gwinnett Stripers don pink jerseys for game on Sept. 5
On Friday, September 8, the Gwinnett Stripers will wear pink in a show of support to those affected by breast cancer in our community. On that date, the Stripers will play the Worcester Red Sox (Boston Red Sox). Gates open at 6 p.m. and the first pitch is at 7:05 p.m.
Pink in the Park is presented by Northside Hospital. The Stripers will raise awareness and show support to those affected by breast cancer as players and coaches will wear special pink jerseys. Such jerseys will be available for purchase via online auction at GoStripers.com All proceeds will go to the Northside Gwinnett Foundation.
Stick around as another Fireworks Friday lights up the night sky over Coolray Field moments after the game! Enjoy hot dogs, burgers, popcorn, and soft drinks among other ballpark favorites on any Friday-Sunday home game for $32.
Another set of youth leaders chosen by Lawrenceville
The City of Lawrenceville and Impact46 have announces the next cohort of community leaders as part of the Lawrenceville Legacy Leaders (L3) and Lawrenceville Legacy Leaders Mentors (L3M) programs. These initiatives aim to foster leadership, community engagement, and civic awareness among students from Central Gwinnett, Discovery, Maxwell, Phoenix, and Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science & Technology high schools.
Mayor David Still says: “Cultivating the future leaders of Lawrenceville through Lawrenceville Legacy Leaders is a remarkable journey. Our youth are actively engaged across the six vital sectors of Lawrenceville, including government, non-profits, local churches, businesses, the school system, and our neighborhoods. Witnessing their investment in our community fills us with pride, and we wholeheartedly embrace these students as the trailblazers of Lawrenceville’s future.”
In continuation of our commitment to youth empowerment and community building, the Lawrenceville Legacy Leaders program welcomes 29 bright and motivated 9th, 10th, and 11th-grade students from the five high schools in Lawrenceville:
Ermane Abdalla, Michael Abraham, Anna Ale, Cynthia Alvarado, Belen Alvarado, Aminata Camara, Lily Chen, Briana Codrescu, Adna Cufurovic, Shyanne Davis, Jeminye Galarza, Madison Harris, Steven Huang, Ariel Hutchinson, Britani Jarquin, Shiare Kelly, Emerson Miranda Moran, Darrius Moses, Nickyale Neblett, Nha Han Nguyen, Christina Nguyen, Korede Oguns, Maya Omar, Jabari Pasha, Krish Patel, Taylor Reid, Jordan Riddick, Rianne Delos Santos, and Nethili Tissera.
Lawrenceville Legacy Leaders (L3) is an intensive eight-month youth leadership program with a vision to cultivate a legacy of leaders in Lawrenceville. Through volunteer opportunities, mental health discussions, interactions with local government leaders, leadership development, public speaking workshops, and the coordination of community events, such as the annual WellFest: Positive Vibes, Positive Minds event in March, L3 aims to promote student success and resiliency while increasing civic awareness and understanding among the youth.
We are also excited to introduce the inaugural cohort of Lawrenceville Legacy Leaders Mentors (L3M), comprised of 11 dedicated individuals who have already demonstrated their commitment to leadership and community:
Ashley Burton, Kevin Jacob, Nadia Mathews, Saumya Palipudi, Khenya Robinson, Mehek Saha, Abhi Saji, Shivani Shreedhar, Chameli Tissera, Sohum Trivedi, and Valery Valdez-Ramos.
The Lawrenceville Legacy Leaders Mentors (L3M) program is designed for second-year L3 members who want to apply their newfound knowledge and skills by guiding and mentoring the next class of students, helping them to leave their own legacy of leadership in Lawrenceville.
Technology Park hotel now owned by Boca Raton firm
Waramaug Hospitality, a privately held investment firm focused on select-service and full-service hotels, announced on Aug. 23, it acquired the Atlanta Marriott Peachtree Corners. The 222-room Atlanta Marriott Peachtree Corners features a fitness center, indoor pool and outdoor fire pit seating area. All meeting and event spaces are equipped for various events, from industry conferences to happy hours and lifecycle events.
Waramaug Hospitality is a firm that specializes in hotel ownership nationally and has acquired over $800 million in hotel assets, with over 5,000 rooms at more than 40 properties. Its headquarters is in Boca Raton, Fla.
Ferit Ferhangil, principal of Waramaug Hospitality says: “As the second full-service Marriott Hotel and 16th Marriott-branded property in our portfolio, we see tremendous revenue growth opportunities for this asset in a thriving market.”
The property will now be managed by Aimbridge Hospitality, based in Plano, Texas.
The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoevsky
From Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill: People say this is a different book every time you read it. On the one hand, it’s about the Jerry Springer-style antics of the Karamazov family with their drunken brawls, jealousies and melodrama. It includes depraved buffoonery and even a murder mystery and a suicide. However, on the other hand, it’s filled with philosophical and religious discussions which is why it’s considered a classic. Granted, the rollicking plot is entertaining, but it’s often repetitious and interrupted by very long discussions and lectures about the big questions: Is free will really a good thing? Can you have civilization and morals without a god? It’s also a reflection of the turbulent Russian society of the 1860s. Packed with multiple themes, this book is a little bit highbrow and a whole lot lowbrow. In fact, this book can be just about anything you want it to be – except a light read.
- 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
Beginning of railroads in Georgia dates back to 1833
Georgia’s first railroad tracks were laid in the mid-1830s on routes leading from Athens, Augusta, Macon, and Savannah. Some 25 years later, the state not only could claim more rail miles than any other in the Deep South but also had linked its major towns and created a new rail center, Atlanta. The railroads continued to expand until the 1920s, when a long decline began that lasted into the 1990s. Today, the state’s rail system is a strong, 5,000-mile network anchored by two major lines, Norfolk Southern and CSX, and a couple of dozen shortlines.
Charleston, S.C. provided the impetus for rail development in Georgia. In 1830 it began building a 136-mile railroad to Hamburg, on the Savannah River opposite Augusta. Savannah businessmen, worried that Charleston would benefit at their expense, responded by organizing in1933 the Central Rail Road and Canal Company.. The canal division of the company was soon dropped in favor of the construction of railroads. Construction began in December 1835. The Central Rail Road of Georgia eventually became the Central of Georgia Railway, a 190-mile line across the Coastal Plain to Macon.
Meanwhile, construction on the Georgia Railroad between Augusta and Athens and on the Monroe Railroad (later the Macon and Western) between Macon and Forsyth, was in progress. The Georgia Railroad Company was chartered to a group of Athens businessmen in 1833 for the purpose of building a railroad from Augusta west into the interior of the state. In 1835 the charter was amended to allow banking operations, and the name was changed to Georgia Railroad and Banking Company. Company headquarters moved from Athens to Augusta in 1840. The Georgia Railroad was completed to Marthasville (later Atlanta) in 1845.
In the northwestern part of the state, an effort was underway to build a “state railroad” to the Tennessee River, a rail link that would open Georgia to the trade of the Tennessee and Ohio valleys. The state-owned Western and Atlantic Railroad established by the state legislature in 1836 and completed in 1851, connected with Chattanooga, Tenn., and accomplished that goal.The W&A’s southern end was at Terminus.
In 1854 a fourth rail line, the Atlanta and LaGrange Railroad (later the Atlanta and West Point Railroad), entered Atlanta from the southwest, and soon the city became a rail hub for the entire South. When the Civil War (1861-65) broke out, Atlanta became a key military target due to its importance in shipping supplies to the Confederate troops. Union general William T. Sherman’s troops finally seized the city in 1864 after a series of hard-fought battles in the Atlanta campaign along the route of the W&A.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Your military experience might help with today’s Mystery
If you have been in the Army overseas, you may remember this scene. It’s a popular attraction. Figure out where this photograph was taken, and then send your answer to elliott@brack.net, including your home town.
Tamara Betteridge, Peachtree Corners was one of those recognizing the most recent Mystery Photo, the rest room at Jones Bridge Park.
“Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation celebrated the completion of renovations to Jones Bridge Park with a ribbon cutting March 7, 2018 at 4901 East Jones Bridge Road in Peachtree Corners. The renovations include a new 840-square-foot restroom building and 860-square-foot pavilion near the playground. New sidewalk and stairs were also added to connect to the parking lot, playground and other park amenities.” The photo came from George Graf of Palmyra, Va., when he visited the county a year or so back.
Also recognizing it were Mark Willis, Peachtree Corners; Stew Ogilvie, Lawrenceville; Mickey Merkel, Berkeley Lake; Cathy Loew, Peachtree Corners; and Allen Peel of San Antonio, Tex.
- 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.
The 22nd British Car Fayre is Sept. 9 in downtown Norcross
Commerce Club of Snellville will meet at noon on September 5 in the Community Room of Snellville City Hall. Speaker will be Dr. Audrey Arona, who became the Gwinnett-Newton-Rockdale CEO and district medical director in 2018. She is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She had a private OB/Gyn practice in Lawrenceville for 20 years. Reservations are required for this meeting. To register, click here.
A production of The Nerd by American actor/playwright Larry Shue will be featured at Lionheart Theater, 10 College Street in Norcross September 8-24. Friday and Saturday evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees begin at 2 p.m..
The 22nd British Car Fayre will be Saturday, Sept. 9 in downtown Historic Norcross, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Join as many as 15,000 who visit this annual event, showing British automobiles and motorcycles from the past. The featured vehicle this year is a Marque MG. There will awards, raffle and “boot” sale, with all earnings going to the Neighborhood Cooperative Ministries. For details, visit this site.
Watch local art come alive in Downtown Braselton! ArtRageous in a juried art festival and live paint project on September 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Braselton Town Green. This indoor-outdoor festival will feature artists showcasing their best works, available for purchase. During the festival, 12 commissioned artists will paint eight-foot cubes on the Town Green, which will be displayed for at least one year at various locations downtown.
Reading is FUNdamental series is scheduled for the Norcross branch of Gwinnett County Public Library on Saturday, September 9 at 11 a.m. Do you believe that reading is fundamental? Would you like to learn how to improve your child’s speech, language, and emergent literacy skills, while reading together? If so, this series is for you!
Foster parent Information Session will be Tuesday, September 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Dacula branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Information will come from the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services-Gwinnett County on learning how to become a foster parent.
The 69th Gwinnett County Fair begins September 14 and continues through September 24 at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds, 2405 Sugarloaf Parkway in Lawrenceville. The fair is operated by the nonprofit Gwinnett County Livestock and Fair Association.
Put on your calendar: The 44th Annual Elisha Winn Fair will be Saturday and Sunday, October 7-8, at the Elisha Winn House, Gwinnett’s birthplace, at 908 Dacula Road in Dacula. Enjoy a living history exhibit, good food, craft vendors, music, blacksmithing, weaving, spinning and military enactors. The fair is sponsored by the Gwinnett Historical Society.
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