6/2: DAR, SAR collaborate; No more build-up; Dacula parade

DECORATING A CEMETERY: Members of The William Day Daughters of the American Revolution chapter in Duluth decorated more than 100 flags on graves of veterans at the Duluth Cemetery on Memorial Day. Continuing a tradition, the members spanned across the cemetery to place the flags, while collecting worn and tattered flags for proper disposal.   Members working on this project included, on the front row, from left, Catherine Amee, Vanessa Watkins-Nutty, Sarah Davis, Jill Kaase, Kris White, Cherie Lawson and Debbie Kyle. On the back row are Amy Koon, Charlene Walsh, Sara Burns, Pat Farren, Jane Moore, Renee Covey, (Husband Douglass Covey), Mary Claire Freese and Laura Freese.  [Photo by J. White].

TODAY’S FOCUS: Lawrenceville’s DAR and SAR Often Collaborate on Projects

EEB PERSPECTIVE: Another Local Soldier Falls Abroad; No More Build-up, President Trump

SPOTLIGHT: Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce

FEEDBACK: Suggests Name of Gwinnett Buttons for Class AAA Baseball Team

UPCOMING: Braselton DDA Seeking Applicants for Two Seats on Authority

NOTABLE: County Approves Expansion of Sugarloaf CID by 12 Parcels

RECOMMENDED: Our Kind of People by Lawrence Otis Graham  

GEORGIA TIDBIT: The Allman Brothers Band, Formed in 1969, Created Southern Rock

TODAY’S QUOTE: Look What Happens When All the World Is Our Stage

MYSTERY PHOTO: Another Water Wheel-Driven Mill for You to Research

LAGNIAPPE: Dacula Pulls Out the Stops for Its Annual Memorial Day Parade

CALENDAR: Southern Wings Bird Club Annual Picnic is June 12

Lawrenceville’s DAR and SAR often collaborate on projects

From left are John Goodwin of the Button Gwinnett Chapter SAR; Ann Story and Kitty Watters, of the Philadelphia Winn Chapter DAR. (Photo by Bennie Koon.)

By Ann Story, Lawrenceville, Ga. | It’s no secret that the Button Gwinnett Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) and the Philadelphia Winn Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) regularly collaborate.  Their mutual goals of preserving American history and promoting education have strengthened their bonds of friendship and cooperation.

What has been kept secret for too long is that the Daughters of the American Revolution do much more than sip tea and trace their lineage to a patriot!  From their founding, the organization has been focused on service to America.

The SAR is a historical, educational, and patriotic non-profit corporation that seeks to “maintain and extend the institutions of American freedom, an appreciation for patriotism, a respect for our national symbols, the value of American citizenship, and the importance of assimilation from the people of many nations, to one nation and one people.’’

They preserve the stories of patriotism, courage, sacrifice, tragedy, and triumph of the men who achieved the independence of the American people in the belief that these stories are universal ones of man’s eternal struggle against tyranny, relevant to all time, and will inspire and strengthen each succeeding generation as it is called upon to defend our freedoms.

Kitty Watters, regent of the Philadelphia Winn Chapter NSDAR, and Ann Story, first vice regent of the Philadelphia Winn Chapter, were guest speakers at the Button Gwinnett Chapter SAR recently, by invitation of John Goodwin, first vice president of the Button Gwinnett Chapter SAR.  Their presentation was entitled “The Best Kept Secrets of the DAR.”

Mrs. Watters spoke about the founders of the DAR.  One of the founders, Miss Eugenia Washington, stated, “We want a society founded on service.” Mrs. Watters quoted Ellen Hardin Walworth, another of the four founders, who wrote in 1893, “It is not a social organization. It is an order, patriotic, historical and genealogical, and holds itself closely to these objects.” The DAR is often looked upon as purely a lineage society, and its service organization mission often goes unappreciated.  We are dedicated to preserving American History, securing America’s future through better education, and promoting Patriotism.  In 2016, the Lawrenceville chapter members logged in nearly 6,000 hours of community service.

Mrs. Watters and Ms. Story placed emphasis on DAR’s service goals, which include service to veterans and active duty military personnel, awarding the DAR Good Citizen Award to high school seniors who exemplify the characteristics of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism, Junior ROTC Cadet awards, and awarding the American History Award to deserving students who excel in American History.

Ms. Story told the group more DAR secrets, stating, “This is the new world of historic preservation.  We are working to protect and digitize documents to insure preservation of our history.  We sponsor National DAR Special Projects Grants and we offer 23 national scholarships to well deserving students.”

• For more information about DAR secrets, visit the Philadelphia Winn website:  http://philadelphiawinn.blogspot.com/
• Have a comment?  Send to:  elliott@brack.net

Another local soldier falls abroad; No more build-up, President Trump

By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher |  It was near the start of the war in Viet Nam. This war was a long distance away, though Americans could see its action on the six o’clock news each night. But then that illusion of the war being distant was shattered when a local young soldier, was killed in Viet Nam. With modern transportation, his body soon arrived home.

Hundreds of people engulfed the town’s First Baptist Church for the funeral. It was the funeral of one many had known. Attendees overflowed to standing outside for the funeral. Suddenly, that war was not so far away.

These thoughts came to mind this week, when another Gwinnett soldier was killed in a foreign war, this time in Syria. While not in combat, 22 year old Infantry Spec. Etienne J. Murphy was killed in a vehicle rollover incident, while on his first deployment. He had attended South Gwinnett High, and was a member of the Junior ROTC.

With American troops now stationed in this nasty war zone in Syria, though we are not officially in the war, it is still another deployment of American military to a foreign land where we can’t get much done. It will cost us dearly, not only in money, but in American lives in danger, and possibly killed.

Remember that we still have some 8,500 troops (advisers, they say) in Afghanistan, in harm’s way as this war drones on.  President Obama did a good job of pulling out of Afghanistan a large number of our combatants. If only he had pulled them all out.

Russia saw ages ago that fighting a war in Afghanistan was a disaster. They could not win a victory even though their borders once touched. (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, all former Russian states, currently touch Afghanistan.) Now the United States, with supply lines half a world away, continues to try to prop up the Afghani government against the Taliban. When will we learn?

There’s a bad possibility on the horizon.  The American military now wants to send another 5,000 American troops into Afghanistan, for a “mini surge.”  What will happen? Should this group be deployed, we would suspect that six months from now, the military would ask for a “few additional troops,” nothing less than typical “war creep.”

Luckily, the way our government works, the military leaders are advisers to the civilians running the Defense Department. They may have strong opinion about how to fight a war and defend this country. But our military commanders do not have sole authority on how our troops are deployed.

After all, the American concept is to have civilian leaders in charge of the Department of Defense.  (However, we may have too many former generals and admirals seeking to man these civilian positions after they are retired.)

President Trump will be wise if he merely takes the advice of our military commanders on the question of more troops in Afghanistan “under advisement.”  After dragging on forever, most of the Washington leaders recognize that a military solution to Afghanistan is not even a reasonable possibility. It will take a political solution for Afghanistan ever to return to normal. And that may never happen.

Sending more American troops to foreign soils is an old way of thinking. With modern warfare, on-the-ground troops is not always the solution.

We can only hope that Mr. Trump and his staff won’t bow to the generals and admirals on this decision.  We have all too many funerals of our men today killed in foreign wars.

• Have a comment?  Send to:  elliott@brack.net

Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce

The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today’s sponsor is the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce. The Gwinnett Chamber is the forum for business, government, education, healthcare, arts/culture/entertainment, and philanthropic and public service communities to come together to advance our region’s economy and enrich Gwinnett’s quality of life. The Gwinnett Chamber strengthens existing businesses, facilitates the growth of quality job opportunities and ensures success continues to live here.

• For more details, go to www.gwinnettchamber.org.
• For a list of other sponsors of this forum, go to:  https://www.gwinnettforum.com/underwriters/.

Suggests name of Gwinnett Buttons for Class AAA baseball team

Editor, the Forum:

Gwinnett Braves to change the nickname?  How about the Gwinnett Buttons? It’s unique, gives the team a regional identity contains a history lesson and gives Button Gwinnett more national exposure, since I’m sure few school kids know who he is today.

America has a history of sports teams with colorful nicknames. Remember the Oklahoma City Slickers soccer teams, actually two soccer teams, in the 1980s and 1990? I remembered the funny name, without recalling they were soccer teams and didn’t even remember there were two teams with the name.

— Marshall Miller, Lilburn

Dear Marshall: I’ll have to call you on the Gwinnett Buttons name. Way back years ago I proposed that name for the original Gwinnett hockey team. I was pleased with the idea for the same reasons you cite. Then others pointed out what headline writers would do to the name in the short space they have: The Butts. That stopped that name! Same thoughts probably apply today. Yet we have heard a lot of people suggesting the name “Buttons” for the baseball team.–eeb       

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

Braselton DDA seeking applicants for 2 seats on authority

Braselton Downtown Development Authority Chairman Clay Eubanks says that applications are available to fill two seats on the seven-member Authority.

Established in 2009 by the General Assembly, the Authority is an independent panel formed for the purposes of planning, organizing and financing projects to revitalize and redevelop Braselton’s commercial district.   Bylaws require members to either be a resident property owner or an owner or manager of a downtown business.

Chairman Eubanks says: “The ideal applicant for the DDA board must attend one board meeting per month plus devote up to about ten hours per month to organizing and implementing projects and activities in downtown.  Additionally, state law requires specific training for newly appointed DDA members in Georgia.”

The Braselton Town Council will make the official appointments with four-year terms beginning in July.

• Those interested who meet the base requirements are encouraged to visit www.downtownbraselton.com/about-us.html.

Kaufman to be commencement speaker for Saint Leo University

One of the 100 “Most Influential Georgians,” Dr. Daniel Kaufman of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, will give the commencement address for Saint Leo University Atlanta region students.

Kaufman

Kaufman has been president and CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce since July 2013. He champions regional strategic initiatives for a more competitive economy and an enhanced quality of life in Gwinnett County and the metropolitan Atlanta region.

This year’s commencements for Saint Leo students from the Gwinnett, Marietta, and Morrow education centers will take place at noon, Saturday, June 10, at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta. Degrees will be conferred to more than 215 students.

Brown joins Father in Lawrenceville executive search firm

Brown

Garrett Brown has been named vice president and company principal of DF Brown and Associates of Lawrenceville, an executive search firm. It marks the arrival of a second generation to the ranks of the Gwinnett-based practice that was founded by David Brown in July 1998.  It also marks the addition of an entirely new capability the firm’s service offers: technology-specific contingent search. An economics graduate of the University of Georgia, Garrett Brown, 35, has spent 10 years supporting contractor staffing and direct hire recruiting across a multitude of industries. David Brown, 64, remains as president of the firm, which is located at 197 Crogan Street. To learn more about DF Brown and Associates LLC and the services they offer, visit www.dfbrownatlanta.com.

County approves expansion of Sugarloaf CID by 12 parcels

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners approved a request by the Sugarloaf Community Improvement District to expand the district boundaries by 12 parcels. Commission Chairman Charlotte Nash says: “This expansion reflects well on the CID’s commitment to continued quality growth in the community surrounding the Infinite Energy Center.”

Click on image to see a larger version.

The expansion includes commercial properties on Premiere Parkway, Sugarloaf Parkway, Meadow Church Road and Satellite Boulevard. The expansion adds $43.9 million in appraised value to the Sugarloaf CID. This is the first expansion since the CID formed last year, and it will grow the CID to a total of 55 taxable parcels.

Brand Morgan, chairman of the Sugarloaf CID, says: “We welcome the investment from these new properties that will help make the Sugarloaf CID area a premiere destination in Gwinnett County. When property owners join the district, they agree to pay an additional tax of 3.5 mills to fund infrastructure, landscaping and quality of life improvements.”

The Sugarloaf CID works with Gwinnett County and other partners to make these improvements in the public right-of-way surrounding the commercial properties in the district. Gwinnett County District 1 Commissioner Jace Brooks says: “The County is pleased to work with the Sugarloaf CID staff to improve public infrastructure and make the area more attractive for residents and visitors alike.”

The Sugarloaf CID’s transportation plans include improving six intersections, widening Sugarloaf Parkway, and closing gaps in the sidewalk network to improve walkability. The CID is also working to leverage funding to advance the section of the Infinite Loop Trail project that will connect the district into the county’s larger trail network. For more information, please see www.sugarloafcid.org.

Our Kind of People by Lawrence Otis Graham

Reviewed by Karen Harris, Stone Mountain  | The author has opened the door on a unique group within the black community. I enjoyed and greatly benefited from reading this title because it provided insight into my own upbringing. Family lineage, complexion tone, passing, the “brown paper bag” test and other factors led to the creation of a separate society that allowed Black Americans to move forward unimpeded and obtain some semblance of the American Dream. This is the world of the black upper class and the focus of the first book written about the black elite by a member of this hard-to-penetrate group. The final chapter about passing for white details the decisions some blacks made, the goal being to escape the pain of exclusion and often times physical danger.  A must read for those unaware of this class of Black Americans and for those who desire to understand another dimension of the American experience.”

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. –eeb

The Allman Brothers Band, formed in 1969, created Southern rock

The Allman Brothers Band, formed in 1969 and featuring twin guitars and twin drums, created the “southern rock” genre by brilliantly mixing blues, jazz, country, and rock and roll. From their base in Macon, the Allman Brothers opened the door for other southern bands, including the Atlanta Rhythm Section, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Marshall Tucker Band, and Wet Willie.

Duane Allman, guitarist and vocalist, and his brother Gregg Allman, keyboardist and vocalist, were born in Nashville, Tenn. They moved to Florida as children, playing in various bands before forming the Allman Joys in 1965.

Duane and Gregg then formed a new band, Hour Glass, in 1967 and recorded two albums in California: Hour Glass (1967) and Power of Love (1968). Back in Florida, they joined the group 31st of February in 1968. Soon, Gregg returned to California, and Duane became an in-demand session musician at Fame Studio in Muscle Shoals, Ala.

While attempting to coax Gregg home, Duane played with the band Second Coming, from which he recruited drummer Butch Trucks, vocalist and guitarist Dickey Betts, and bassist Berry Oakley to join him in a new band. Duane also added session drummer Jaimoe Johanson. After Gregg returned, the Allman Brothers Band debuted in Jacksonville, Fla., on March 29, 1969.

In April 1969 the band’s manager, Phil Walden, convinced the musicians to move to his home base in Macon, where he was trying to launch a new record label, Capricorn Records. The group’s first album, The Allman Brothers Band, was recorded in August 1969 in New York. Then came Idlewild South (1970) and the double album At Fillmore East (1971), a live rock album that received wide critical acclaim. Both Walden and the Allman Brothers believed that the band was at its best in concert rather than in the recording studio.

During the recording of the band’s next album, Eat a Peach (1972), Duane died in a motorcycle accident in Macon. The band played at his funeral and soon thereafter resumed touring. The Allman Brothers added pianist Chuck Leavell for their next album, Brothers and Sisters (1973), which contained the hit “Ramblin’ Man.” During the recording of this album, Oakley was killed in a motorcycle crash in Macon. Lamar Williams replaced Oakley in the band.

(To be continued)

• To view the Georgia Encyclopedia online, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org

Another water wheel-driven mill for you to research

 Today’s Mystery Photo is of another conventional water-driven mill, one we had never seen before. Try to figure out where this mill is located, and tell us something about it. Send in your thoughts to elliott@brack.net and be sure to include your hometown.

One guess about the last edition Mystery Photo was that it was at the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in Decatur. Though it did resemble that structure, that was not the answer we sought.

Only two people recognized the photo, which was sent in by Ross Lenhart of Pawley’s Island, S.C. Ruthy Lachman Paul of Norcross told us that it is of the “….Cecilienhof Palace  in Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany built from 1914 to 1917. In 1990 it became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site called Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin.(It is near Berlin.) This was the site of the 1945 Potsdam Conference. Cecilienhof Palace in Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany

George Graf of Palmyra, Va. identified the photo, saying that: “….between 1914 and 1917, Kaiser Wilhelm II had Schloss Cecilienhof built for his son, Wilhelm, and his wife Cecilie. The use of traditional building materials such as brick and wood helps the house to blend in with its surroundings. The actual size of Schloss Cecilienhof only becomes evident upon closer inspection: the house has a total of 176 rooms. Some of them were used by the Allies in 1945 for their Potsdam Conference.”

Dacula pulls out the stops for its annual Memorial Day Parade

Here are scenes from the 25th Annual Memorial Day Parade in Dacula, as Roving Photographer Frank Sharp captured these images. Note that an uninvited participant was a train of the CSX Railroad visiting Dacula at the time of the parade.

(NEW) Snellville Farmers’ Market begins June 3 on the Towne Green in front of City Hall. Hours are 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. For list of entertainers and other details, visit www.snellvillefarmersmarket.com.

ART AT TWILIGHT in Duluth will be Friday, June 3, starting at 7 p.m. at the Duluth Festival Center. Original art and hand-crafted treasures will be featured in the silent auction with most of it created by the league’s members. There will be food, music and a jewelry raffle. Tickets are $50 in advance and $55 at the door. Tickets are available on the Duluth Fine Arts League website: www.duluthfineartsleague.org/.

Seventh Annual Peachtree Corners Festival will be Saturday and Sunday, June 10-11. Come celebrate summer the Peachtree Corners Festival way! Located on tree-lined The Corners Parkway and Woodhill Drive, the festival offers free admission and on-site free parking, accessed from Crooked Creek Road between Holcomb Bridge Road and Jay Bird Alley. No shuttle buses needed! Enjoy a pre-festival concert at 7 p.m. Several food trucks will be on site. For more information visit www.peachtreecornersfestival.org.

(NEW) Duluth Art Festival will be June 10-11 on the Duluth Town Green. Saturday the hours are 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday the hours are 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. This festival is an art festival for artists by artists and features painters, photographers, sculptors, metalwork, glass artists and jewelers, plus live music, gourmet food trucks and children’s play area. For more information about the event go to www.duluthartsfestival.com.

(NEW) Annual Picnic of Southern Wings Bird Club, Monday, June 12 at 6 p.m. at Rhodes Jordan Park in Lawrenceville. The club will provide the main dish and tableware. Bring a side dish, salad or desserts to share. Bring drinks for yourself. The event will be in one of the pavilions. Open to club members and friends.

(NEW) Free Photography Workshop at Lilburn Library Branch, 4817 Church Street, will take place on June 24, at 2 p.m. Join the Georgia Nature Photographers Association for this informal talk and Q&A photography workshop.  They will provide information about cameras, editing software, and tips for getting better photographs with the equipment you already have. Preceding this in the Lilburn Library, GNPA member Steve Wilkerson will give a talk on macro photography at 10:30 a.m. on June 20.

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: 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.

© 2017, 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.