Arboretum Dedicated in Bell Memorial Park Recently, the City of Milton dedicated the Mark Law Arboretum in Bell Memorial Park in honor of long-time City Arborist Mark Law, who retired in 2018. Law passed away after a long battle with cancer shortly after the dedication. Creating an arboretum was a vision of Laws, and the City of Milton was excited to make this dream a reality. An arboretum is a botanical collection exclusively composed of trees designed to engage and inform its users about different species of trees, their origins, mature sizes, and often showcases trees that are not native to the area.
Drake House Opens 8 New Units of Housing for Residents Drake House was grateful to have the support of HomeAid Atlanta for their fourth project. The final phase of construction and renovation completed their new program, The Drake Village, doubling capacity from 16 to 32 units of housing for single mothers and their children.HomeAid Atlanta partnered with volunteer builder Captain Ryan Swallow of South Haven Builders for a total renovation of Building 40 at The Drake Village, The Drake Houses newest facility. The Drake House is a 501c3 organization that works to respond to the growing number of homeless women and children in north Fulton. They involve members of the community in the effort to keep single mothers and their children united under one roof as they work toward self-sufficiency.
North Fulton Community Charities Executive Director Honored North Fulton Community Charities (NFCC) Executive Director Barbara Duffy was recently honored by the Roswell Community Masjid (RCM) at their celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week, an annual United Nations observance week. RCMs interfaith initiatives provide a platform for diverse communities to get to know each other, better understand each other, and work together.Duffy was honored for her nearly 30 years of work in the community. In addition to her work leading NFCC to provide emergency services including food, clothing, rent and utilities assistance, and education to families and individuals struggling in the community, RCM recognized Duffy for her work to build an inclusive community. Barbara puts faith into action by doing what is right and bringing together a community of all faiths, races, and diverse backgrounds to take care of everyone of all faiths, races and diverse backgrounds, said Roswell Community Masjids Public Relations Director Shaheen Bharde. She exemplifies the characteristics of a leader that all of our communities need. Founded in 1983, NFCC serves as a human service agency dedicated to building self-sufficiency and preventing homelessness and hunger for residents in north Fulton in the cities of Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, and Roswell. NFCC assists families with basic essentials such as food, rent, utilities, and clothing for short-term emergencies. Adult education classes ranging from GED Prep and English to Financial Literacy and OSHA Certification are offered at no cost to help create a path to self-sufficiency for their clients. NFCC serves close to 10,000 individuals and 4,000 families each year at their facilities in Roswell.
Roswell HS Hires New Community Coach for Girls Lacrosse RHS Girls Lacrosse Community Coach Brooke Magnuson is an All-American, team captain, and Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) champion lacrosse player. She is also girls director of the Roswell Youth Lacrosse Association (RYLA). Magnuson was hired to create a consistent, top-tier program for girls lacrosse in Roswell. I am so thankful to RHS Principal Dr. Shaw, Coach Lawrence, RYLA, and our incredible lacrosse community for giving me the opportunity to coach these amazing young women in the city of Roswell, Magnuson said. The long-standing tradition and love for this sport at Roswell High School is something I admire, and I am honored to be a part of the Roswell Girls Lacrosse program.
GLOW Band Concert Successfully Raises Funds for Foster Care Support Foundation Over 150 guests recently gathered to help raise funds for the Foster Care Support Foundations (FCFS) programs. The evening celebrated the Foundations mission with dinner, dancing, a silent auction, and the nostalgic soft rock of the Eagles performed by the GLOW Band. FCSF needs to raise $1 million to support the growing number of children who are pulled out of their homes due to abuse, neglect, and the opioid epidemic. These children are then placed with a foster family or with the quickly growing population of grandparents who find themselves raising grandchildren in their senior years to keep from losing them to the foster care system. Most of these relative families receive no financial support or stipend. FCFS expects over 4,500 children this year, and they need your help. Providing a sponsorship or monthly donation of $20 to $100 would enable FCSF to provide up to $8 million worth of goods and services to displaced children who have lost everything they own. For more information, visit FosterCares.org.
Miltons Brownwood Farm Wins Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show Trophy Congratulations to Brownwood Farm for their Standard Smooth Dachshund Best in Breed 2019 Westminster Champion. Brownwood Farm owners Roger Brown and Jerry Cerasini, along with winning pup CH Brownwood Mymy D Diagram, were recently honored at a Milton City Council Meeting. Their win at the 143rd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show marked the eighth win at Westminster for Brownwood Farm, which is located on Wood Road in Milton.
The Drake House Receives Generous Donation Taylor Morrison Atlanta homebuilders recently donated $4,198 to The Drake House, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting the growing number of homeless women and children in north Fulton County.The Drake House offers private, fully furnished apartments, weekly life-skills classes, career counseling, and after-school programming to single mothers, annually serving approximately 40 families and 80 children. The organizations goal is to assist families in becoming more financially stable through education and empowerment while keeping the family unit intact. Working in the home building industry, Taylor Morrison realizes how important having a home is to any family, said Shawn Cate, president of Taylor Morrisons Atlanta division. We sympathize greatly with families affected by homelessness. For more information on The Drake House or to donate, visit TheDrakeHouse.org, or call 770-587-4712.
Tennis Program Recognized Nationally In recognition of the success of its tennis program, the City of Roswells Recreation, Parks, Historic, and Cultural Affairs Department has been named Park & Rec Agency of the Year by Tennis Industry Magazine, the worlds largest trade magazine for tennis.Roswells award-winning tennis program is highlighted in the magazines January issue, which features its annual Champions of Tennis awards for individuals and organizations that go above and beyond in helping to make a difference in the tennis industry.The City of Roswells tennis program operates on 28 city courts at five locations, the largest of which is the 12-court Roswell Area Park. Each year, more than 4,300 people are served through the Citys tennis classes, camps, and open play areas. Almost 1,000 youth and adult tennis players are on teams that call Roswells tennis facilities home. To learn more about Roswells Recreation and Parks Department, tennis facilities, and programs, visit RoswellGov.com/Parks.
Floating Homestead Exemption to Cap Assessed Home Values in 2019 Last November, voters in Roswell and other Fulton County cities approved the adoption of a Floating Homestead Exemption that will cap the annually adjusted assessed value of their home at 3 percent, starting this year. This exemption will automatically apply to residences in Roswell that have been granted the Basic Homestead Exemption from Fulton County. In order to receive the Floating Homestead Exemption in your 2019 property assessments and tax bills, homeowners must... Already be signed up to receive Fulton Countys Basic Homestead Exemption. If a homeowner is already signed up for the Basic Exemption, it will be indicated on their Annual Notice of Assessment document. To access this document, visit FultonAssessor.org, perform a property search, and click on Assessment Notice. OR File to receive the Basic Homestead Exemption by April 1, 2019. More information about this process and instructions for filing can be found at FultonAssessor.org/exemptions. The Fulton County Basic Homestead Exemption applies to the Fulton County portion of your property taxes anywhere in Fulton County, with no income or age limits. Basic Homestead Exemption renew each year automatically as long as you own the home.While all homeowners may qualify for a Basic Homestead Exemption (and thereby, the new Floating Homestead Exemption), there are also many different exemptions available for seniors and people with full medical or veterans disabilities (and their surviving spouses) through Fulton County and the City of Roswell. For information about these additional homestead exemptions, visit FultonAssessor.org.If you have questions about homestead exemptions, contact the Fulton County Board of Assessors at 404-612-6440, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., the City of Roswell at 770-641-3759, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Georgia Has Talent 2019 Fundraiser Now in its eighth year, the Georgia Has Talent show promises to be the best ticket in town on March 2, with guest performances by Erin Kirby, Victoria Hill, and Belle Rousse. Ticketholders will enjoy 26 competitive acts including singers, dancers, martial artists, rock bands, a twirler, a beat boxer, a STOMP percussion performance, and a bagpiper. The event takes place at Cherokee High School. The silent auction begins at 5:00pm, and performances begin at 6:00pm. With more than a hundred donations from local and national businesses, the silent auction includes musical instruments, massages, gift cards, and family outings. During the show, there will be a raffle for a weekend at a cabin in the mountains. Proceeds are donated to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Over the past seven years, this all-volunteer fundraiser has raised about $50,000 for cancer research.See GeorgiaHasTalent.com to access the full lineup of performers, purchase tickets, and pledge a donation. The website also includes sponsorship information. Businesses interested in being a featured sponsor will receive advertising on the Georgia Has Talent social media streams as well as publication in the event program.