The City of Suwanee is offering an extraordinary opportunity for the community to commemorate their loved ones who have served or continue to serve in the military.
Set to open in the summer of 2024, Suwanee’s newest park, Town Center on Main, will be home to a number of unique features, including a veterans memorial. The memorial, Greater Good, will be integrated within a tranquil water feature and include an entranceway lined with commemorative plaques honoring service members.
Toni Hardy, Greater Good project manager, says: “The heart of this project lies in offering individuals a unique chance to honor and remember their cherished heroes. The plaques will be integrated into the walkway leading to the memorial, offering a touching tribute to those who have made a profound impact.”
Each 8” x 4” etched stainless steel plaque can be customized with up to four lines of text, allowing for 30 characters per line. This flexibility allows for the celebration of multiple service members on a single plaque.
A limit of 300 plaques are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Service members do not need to be residents of Suwanee to be commemorated with a plaque. The cost per plaque is $300; orders will be accepted until November 30, 2023.
- For more information regarding the Greater Good veterans memorial or to purchase a plaque, please visit Suwanee.com or contact Toni Hardy at thardy@suwanee.com.
Georgia Gwinnett College plans Preview Day on Nov. 18
Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) will host its final on-campus Preview Day for 2023, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., on November 18.
Prospective students will hear from members of the Grizzly family about programs of study, admissions, financial aid, student housing and more. Participants will be able to tour GGC’s campus and talk to student ambassadors about their experiences at GGC. The party-like atmosphere will include food, music and fun giveaways. GGC team members will host selected breakout sessions in Spanish.
GGC application fees will be waived in November in accordance with Georgia Apply to College Month. About 82 percent of GGC students qualify for financial aid. Visit GGC’s webpage to learn more and register for the Preview Day.
Lawrenceville DAR chapter plans wreath ceremony
Parkview High School JROTC Cadets participated in the Wreaths Across America during the 2022 ceremony at East Shadowlawn Memorial Gardens. The cadets are from left, Cadets Gunnery Sergeant Leslie Dominguez, PFC Cameron Carlotta, Second Lieutenant Benjamin Rodriguez, First Lieutenant Jayden Bateman, Lieutenant Colonel Blake White, Staff Sergeant Gabriel Mocanu, Sergeant Major Alexander Rodriguez, and Staff Sergeant Genevieve Brown.
Join the Philadelphia Winn Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), to honor American veterans at their fifth Annual Wreaths Across America ceremony. This ceremony will be held on Saturday, December 16th at Noon at East Shadowlawn Memorial Gardens, 87 Scenic Highway, Lawrenceville. Also participating will be the Button Gwinnett Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), the Elisha Winn Society, Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.), Georgia State Society SAR Color Guard and Militia, and additional local community service organizations.
If you choose to sponsor a wreath ($17 each), you will be invited to place the wreath on the marker of a veteran’s grave following the ceremony. Consider joining a grateful nation in saying “Thank you for your service and sacrifice.”
You may sponsor a wreath online at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/ga0265p, or send a check, made payable to the Philadelphia Winn Chapter to: Kathy Schmidt, Chapter Treasurer, 886 Marbrook Dr., Lawrenceville, Ga. 30044.
- For any questions, contact Regent Lynn Jacques at (678) 332-9852, email LynnJacques55@gmail.com, or First Vice Regent Randi Minor at (770) 882-8108, email RandiMD@gmail.com.
Tips for preventing injury in new craze of Pickleball
Taking a whack at pickleball are D’Bora Cross of Duluth and David Nguyen of Lawrenceville.
Pickleball – a low-impact racquet game that is a combination of tennis, ping-pong and badminton – is the fastest growing sport in the nation, according to USA Pickleball, the national governing body for the sport in the United States. Pickleball is so popular that a recent episode of The Golden Bachelor, a dating reality TV series featuring senior adults, presented a tournament where one player was injured.
The sport, with popularity stretching from children to older adults, is known for being slower-paced with less ground to cover. Recently physical therapy students and faculty members at PCOM Georgia, an osteopathic medical school in Suwanee, offered free pickleball injury prevention screenings to Metro Atlanta community members. The screenings aimed to help pickleball players stop injuries before they occurred.
Elizabeth Chaffin, an assistant professor and the Director of Clinical Education in the Department of Physical Therapy at PCOM Georgia, offers her top five tips on preventing injuries and staying on the court longer.
They include:
- Make sure you warm up before playing pickleball. Don’t go from the car directly to the court. A total body warm-up of the muscles and joints can prevent injury.
- Start slow. Gradually build up the amount of time you spend on the court. Overdoing it is one of the quickest ways to injury.
- Use the correct equipment. A pickleball shoe that provides lateral stability and a properly fitted racquet can decrease potential injuries.
- Take a lesson, especially if just starting to play. The proper technique can significantly decrease the chance of injury.
- Get a screening. Before getting on the court, new players who haven’t been physically active recently or pickleball players who have developed chronic injuries or conditions should consider a physical therapy and/or a pickleball injury prevention screening to assess strength, range of motion, flexibility, balance and functional mobility to identify areas to improve.
Dr. Chaffin has worked in the field of rehabilitation for over 25 years as a physical therapist and athletic trainer. Her focus has been in the fields of sports medicine and orthopedic rehabilitation working with a range of athletes from weekend warriors to college and professional players.
She has served as the manager of medical services for the United States Tennis Association, where she oversaw medical care for more than 600 international athletes and the medical services at over 100 elite junior and professional tennis events per year.
Pickleball, an all-season sport that can be played inside or outside, was created in the summer of 1965 by three fathers on an old badminton court to provide a game for their teenagers to enjoy. It was named as a reference to the “thrown-together, leftover, non-starters in the ‘pickle boat’ of crew races,” according to its governing body.
Follow Us