Local Nonprofits Receive $200,000 in Donations The LGE Community Outreach Foundation recently presented $200,000 to local nonprofit organizations representing the four counties LGE services (Cobb, Cherokee, Fulton, and Paulding).Nonprofits receiving donations included Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, SafePath Childrens Advocacy Center, Next Step Ministries, CASA of Paulding County, Mostly Mutts, The Zone/Davis Direction Foundation, the Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia, and Warehouse of Hope. Each year, LGE employees select organizations to be supported. The LGE Foundation conducts fundraisers throughout the year to raise money for the nonprofit organizations. Every dollar raised by the LGE Foundation is matched by LGE Community Credit Union. Since 2010, LGE has invested over $950,000 to help children, the homeless, abuse victims, and those who fall on hard times.
OutBack Deck, Inc. life happens out back Making Outdoor Living Extraordinary By Cyndi Braun Imagine entertaining friends on a beautiful custom-built deck with wrought iron railings, drinking coffee in the shade of your screened-in porch, or warming your hands in front of a built-in stone fireplace on your backyard patio. Beautiful outdoor living spaces like these transform the average into the extraordinary and make backyard living more fun. When its time to create that outdoor space youre dreaming of, its time to call Outback Deck, Inc. We are on the cutting edge of the industry. If you can dream it, we can build it, said Bryan Miller, co-owner of Outback Deck. When we build a deck, we can put in an underdeck and a paver patio with a retaining wall and firepit. When we build a porch, we might transform it into interior spaces with Eze-Breeze systems that make it like a three-and-a-half season room with an outdoor fireplace and kitchen. The Deck of Your DreamsA well-designed deck is an affordable way to expand living space for relaxation and entertaining. Outback Deck installs ground-level, raised, or multilevel decks that coordinate with your home and its landscaping. Experienced project managers work with clients to design and build a custom deck based on specific needs, such as areas for cooking, dining, spa, and lounging. For clients seeking more privacy, they can build trellises and pergolas. Outback Deck builds decks using a wide range of materials. Many customers choose composite or PVC decking because these materials are more durable and carry longer warranties than traditional wood decks. With the rain, humidity, heat, sunshine, and pollen in Georgia, a synthetic or composite deck offers low maintenance in an array of colors and styles, some of which resemble hardwood products. For customers interested in using traditional materials, Outback Deck has several exotic, long-lasting hardwoods they can use to provide a high-quality finish for your new deck.Porch OptionsNothing says summer living more than the comfort of a shady porch. Whether you dream of a private screened-in space or a grand wraparound porch, Outback Deck can make your dream a reality. From classic wood to maintenance-free materials, Outback Deck creates porches that seamlessly match the exterior of your home. Specialists design porches to meet customer budgets and individual needs, including screens durable enough to protect against tearing from weather, pets, and children. Maintenance-free porches, a durable alternative to traditional wood, provide beautiful outdoor living without the hassle and expense of annual refinishing. HardscapesIf you want to get closer to nature and transform your backyard into a great space for entertaining, its time to investigate hardscaping. Hardscapes include walkways, patios, retaining walls, chimneys, and firepits. When its time to design your patio, consider including hardscaping features like a stone wall, firepit, or outdoor kitchen. Pavers come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, which Outback Deck can blend into existing landscaping elements. If youre interested in outdoor entertaining, an outdoor kitchen is an excellent addition. Expert masons construct kitchens with built-in grills, counters, and storage. Other fun ideas are outdoor pizza ovens, fireplaces, and chimineas. The Beauty of DesignOutback Deck prides itself on guiding customers through the process of design, ensuring that the customer is an integral part of the overall creation. Solution Specialists take time to ask questions, provide feedback, and communicate.We believe that thoughtful design ensures a spectacular result. Your deck, patio, porch, or hardscape should fit your lifestyle, taste, and specific needs. We will guide you through the process and make sure the end result exceeds your expectations, said John Gwaltney, co-owner. Well build your outdoor living project right, or we wont do it at all. Were by the book.10 Reasons to Call Outback Deck1.Award-winning remodeling company2.Residential and commercially licensed contractor 3.Thoughtful, individualized designs based on customer input4.All outdoor living space projects, including decks, porches, and hardscapes5.Wide range of materials to choose from including wood, PVC, and low-maintenance composite decking6.Outback Deck practices safety first by building decks above minimumcode to make sure they are safe7.Training all salespeople and project managers are certified Master Deck Builders8.A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau9.Member of Certified Contractors Network, the North AmericanDeck and Railing Association, GuildQuality, and Maui Mastermind10.Participant of Decks for Soldiers and other community service projectsOutBack Deck, Inc.501 Hickory Ridge Trail, Suite 150, Woodstock, GA 30188 678-262-4113OutbackDeck.net
Northside Hospital Honored as One of the Best Places to Work in 2019 Northside Hospital has been honored with a Glassdoor Employees Choice Award, recognizing the 2019 Best Places to Work. Northside Hospital ranks No. 52 out of 100 large employers in the United States and is the only Georgia hospital to make the list. Now in its 11th year, the Employees Choice Awards program is based solely on the input of employees, who anonymously share insights and opinions about their work environments. Employees rate their overall satisfaction with the company, career opportunities, compensation and benefits, culture and values, senior management, and work/life balance. The greatest asset of any organization is its employees, and I am proud to work with the thousands of dedicated professionals at Northside Hospital, said Bob Quattrocchi, president and CEO of Northside Hospital. Their high rating of Northside is a true reflection of their commitment to our patients, their families, and to one another. I see this excellence every day and recognize how valuable it is to Northside. To be considered for the large category in Glassdoors Best Places to Work, a company must have at least 1,000 or more employees and have received at least 75 ratings across each of the eight workplace attributes from U.S.-based employees during the period of eligibility. The final list is compiled using Glassdoors proprietary algorithm, led by its Economic Research Team, and takes into account quantity, quality, and consistency of reviews.
Milton Selects New Community Development Director Following a national search for a new community development director, the City of Milton selected north Fulton resident Parag Agrawal following Kathy Fields departure earlier this year.Agrawal is a seasoned planning official with more than 15 years experience in planning and development. Prior to relocating to the north Fulton area to be closer to family, Agrawal held a variety of positions at the state and local level in the Northeast and Midwest regions of the U.S. He formerly served as DeKalb Countys deputy director of the Department of Planning, Development, and Sustainability.Milton is one of the most livable communities in the country, said Agrawal. Living nearby in Johns Creek has given me an appreciation for the citys uniquely built environment and rural heritage, and I look forward to serving our Milton residents.Agrawals professional experience includes historic preservation, long-range, master planning, small area plans and overlays, economic development, zoning, transportation, and tree canopy conservation. His work at the state level included authoring a series of 16 comprehensive planning guidance handbooks to assist local municipalities in Rhode Island with crafting comprehensive plans that effectively guide local decision-making.Parags extensive planning experience at the highest levels, combined with his degrees in architecture and planning, make him an ideal fit for Milton, said City Manager Steve Krokoff. This was a lengthy, multi-step hiring process. We needed to find someone with the right skills and experience, who had the ability to understand the importance of effectively engaging citizens and fulfilling a communitys vision.As Miltons community development director, Agrawal will oversee an annual budget of approximately $1.3 million dollars and a staff of eight city employees as well as provide administrative oversight of the Citys contract-providing outsourced building permit services.Agrawal said, My initial focus will be on listening and learning, getting to know my staff, and better understanding our citizens vision for their community.
Windward Association of Retired Men Presents 2018 Founders Award The Windward Association of Retired Men (WARM) recently presented its annual Founders Award to Jim Rausch for his record of exceptional service to our organization and to the local community. At the presentation, 2017 winner Bob Meyers highlighted Rauschs important role in several WARM and community activities since joining the organization in 1999. Jim is always ready to pitch in and volunteer for nearly every event and activity WARM takes on. He is committed to serving others, Meyers stated.In accepting the award, Rausch said, WARM is a gift to me, as it offers occasions to meet and get to know others, share ideas and experiences, and work together on activities and projects, which develop into wonderful friendships while benefiting others.Rausch serves on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Ocee Public Library. He has volunteered weekly with Habitat for Humanity for almost 20 years and is an active participant in the WARM program of collecting bread from local grocery stores for delivery to North Fulton Community Charities. WARM is a voluntary association of current or past residents of Windward who are retired or nearing retirement. The group organizes a wide range of activities for interested members throughout the year. There are no dues and no officers, but the organization accomplishes a great deal for its members and the community.For further information on WARM, please contact Wayne Smith at 770-335-3602 or John Madrid at 770-343-8439.
Roswell Historic Gateway Update The Historic Gateway project has been the Citys No. 1 priority for transportation investment since the project was restarted in 2009. As one of the most dangerous corridors in Roswell, the Historic Gateway averages 137 crashes per year and has been the site of multiple fatalities over a 20-year period. While this is a state road and not a city road, the City of Roswell is working in conjunction with Georgia DOT on the project and is handling the engineering phase. Georgia DOT is responsible for acquiring all right-of-way and easements for the project as well as construction. Georgia DOT has begun right-of-way acquisition, which is expected to take 24 months. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2021 provided there is adequate state funding. Enhancements to the corridor such as underground utilities, improved lighting, connections to the National Park Service, and design costs for the enhancements will be funded by Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) monies, as approved by Roswell voters in November 2016.To best serve local and commuter traffic, bicycles, pedestrians, and transit users in a safe manner, the project features multi-lane roundabouts. These roundabouts will provide safe access to all commercial properties and allow the overall footprint of the road to be as narrow as possible. The multi-lane roundabouts include crosswalks to allow pedestrians to move safely from one side of State Route 9 to the other, which is not permitted in the present configuration. The narrow footprint of the road minimizes impacts within the historic district along the entire corridor.More information about this project can be found at RoswellGov.com/tsplost.
Sports Medicine Network Expanded in Fulton Northside Hospitals newly launched Sports Medicine Network is already growing with the addition of two experts, a new location in midtown Atlanta, and the launch of a new, comprehensive program specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of concussions.From injury prevention, athletic training, physical therapy, and sports performance services, to orthopedic surgery, orthobiologic treatments, and diagnostic imaging, the Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network offers circumferential care and personalized services based entirely around the needs of athletes and active people of all ages and skill levels.Dr. Mark Sakr has been named director of non-operative sports medicine for the Sports Medicine Network. Dr. Sakr is board certified in family medicine and sports medicine and provides diagnosis and care for sports-related injuries including fractures, sprains, tendon injuries, concussions, and other medical conditions in athletes. Dr. Daniel Charek, another new provider at the Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network, is a fellowship-trained, licensed neuropsychologist, who specializes in the assessment and management of concussions in athletes and non-athletes. Dr. Charek sees both adult and pediatric patients, having worked with recreational, high school, college, and professional athletes.
Roswell Convention & Visitors Bureau Wins Award ConventionSouth, the national multimedia resource for planning events in the South, recently presented Roswell Convention & Visitors Bureau with a 2018 Readers Choice Award.ConventionSouth readers and fans have voted to decide the best meeting sites in the South, and it is no surprise to us that Roswell Convention & Visitors Bureau has been selected to receive our annual Readers Choice Award, said ConventionSouth Publisher J. Talty OConnor. The value in receiving this prestigious recognition is that it comes from the United States top meeting professionals who hold events in the South. These planners demand the highest level of customer service and quality facilities, and they have contributed in determining that Roswell Convention & Visitors Bureau indeed displays the commitment to professionalism, creativity, and service that they require.Roswell Convention & Visitors Bureau is featured in the December 2018 awards issue of ConventionSouth magazine.
Trevors Toes and Tushies - Little Helpers Collect for Less Fortunate Not all superheroes can leap over tall buildings or see through walls, but some pint-size cape crusaders showed how anyone can be a superhero by performing kind deeds.A child may appear well dressed on the outside but lack clean socks and underwear. Family volunteer group Little Helpers recently tried to fill a gap left by regular clothing drives. Members collected 350 new pairs of socks and 350 new pairs of underwear for Simple Needs GA, Inc., as part of the groups annual Trevors Toes and Tushies Socks and Underwear Drive. Simple Needs GA, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to meeting the basic needs of children, people experiencing homelessness, and others while inspiring the community to do the same.The drive was held in honor of special Little Helpers member Trevor George, who passed away from sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) in August 2014 at the age of six. Trevor came to every community service project with a smile on his face, a sparkle in his eye, and a desire to make others happy. Members wore superhero outfits and mismatched socks, which were Trevors trademarks, to make the delivery to Simple Needs GA, Inc. They also rolled up their sleeves and worked in the donation center sorting items, making blankets, and decorating cards.
Sen. John Albers Receives GMA Champion of Georgias Cities Award Sen. John Albers was recently honored by the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) with their Champion of Georgias Cities legislative service award. It is an honor to be recognized by GMA, a distinguished organization whose work on behalf of municipalities is truly commendable, said Sen. Albers. I am a proud proponent of local control and truly believe that GMA provides strong leadership for cities under the gold dome whenever this issue arises. I look forward to working with them on measures that bring additional economic development, jobs, and improve existing infrastructure in our local city governments.We greatly appreciate Sen. Albers strong support for city government and his willingness to listen to our issues and concerns, said GMA Executive Director Larry Hanson. Due to his strong leadership, the citizens of all of Georgias cities will benefit.During the 2018 session, Sen. Albers took the lead on five pieces of legislation that will allow voters in five north Fulton County cities to decide whether or not to cap new property tax assessment increases at a maximum rate of three percent or the inflation rate annually whichever is lower.