Preservation Woodstocks Barbara G. Ingram Citizen of the Year Award Woodstock native, Smith L. Johnston III, has been chosen by Preservation Woodstock, Inc. as the recipient of this years Barbara G. Ingram Citizen of the Year Award for his notable efforts in preserving the history and heritage of Woodstock.Smith and his wife, Nina Sherman Johnston, are currently part-time residents of Woodstock. Over the past few months, they have become actively involved with the restoration and re-location of the 1940 Main Street house built by E.T. Booth and his wife, Lucy Gibson Booth. The house has been moved a few yards and now faces Market Street. Johnston has also purchased other properties in town and hopes to continue to be active in preservation projects.
Public Preview Scheduled for Woodstocks New Amphitheatre Woodstocks Amphitheater at City Center will be open for a public preview event on Tuesday, October 25th, from 6:30-8:30 pm. This sneak peek will allow visitors to tour the grounds and facility, and ask questions of staff, officials, architects and builders. The first event in the new space will be the Woodstocks Halloween KidsFest on October 31st, from 3:00-7:00 pm. The Grand Opening Celebration and first concert (Mark Wills with opening act, the Thomas Fountain Band) will be on November 12th, at 7:30 pm. This 2.7-acre expansion to the Park at City Center includes grassy-tiered seating. The Woodstock Summer Concert Series resumes in May of 2017. With an estimated seating capacity of 6,000-7,000, music lovers should have plenty of room to enjoy all events. A new amphitheater website will be unveiled soon!
Owl-O-Ween Hot Air Balloon Festival Atlantas largest costume party! Held on October 21st (6:00-11:00 pm) and 22nd (4:00-11:00 pm) at Kennesaw State Universitys Sports and Entertainment Park, Owl-O-Ween will have trick-or-treating, a beer garden and five stages of live entertainment: The Glow Stage Ice Cuban Carving, Fire and LED Experience Performers The Garden Stage Check website for times The Busker Bus Stage Fortune Teller and Captain & Maybelle The Levitation Stage a fashion show, a DJ, aerialists and live music The Kids Stage Big Thinkers demos and performances by youth musicians and other performing artists There will also be tethered hot air balloon rides, a kids play field with free face painting, arts and crafts and inflatables! For more information or to purchase tickets, visit Owl-O-Ween.com.
Teen Leadership Applicants Sought The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that they will be accepting applications for the Teen Leadership Cherokee Class of 2017 until Wednesday, October 19, 2016. Students must be in 10th grade to apply. Teen Leadership Cherokee will offer a series of class sessions, exploring topics such as community involvement, personal development, team building and educational and economic responsibility. The young men and women selected to participate in Teen Leadership Cherokee must attend school in Cherokee County and/or live in Cherokee County, demonstrate outstanding qualities as potential leaders and possess the desire to affect change in their community. Each class will be representative of the diversity within Cherokee County, including students from the Cherokee County School District along with private or home-schooled students. Participants academic achievements, active participation in school functions, membership in other organizations and responsibilities, such as working after school, will be reviewed during the selection process. The class is limited to twenty participants. To obtain additional information or request an application, please contact the Cherokee County Chamber at 770-345-0400. Applications are also available online at CherokeeChamber.com.
Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Department Donates Fire Truck Members of the Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Department gathered at Station 3 to say goodbye to old Engine 30. The engine was purchased new in 1988, and it has served the department well. In recent years, it became a reserve engine, responding to fewer and fewer calls. It was used primarily, as of late, to help train recruits at the Cherokee County Fire Training Center. Engine 30 was recently replaced by a new engine, purchased in large part through donations from within the Hickory Flat community. Remembering the lean years as the department grew with the community, the members decided to donate the engine to a new, struggling, volunteer fire department in a small community in Kentucky. She served us well, and now she can continue to serve in another volunteer department, said board member Jim Hubbard. Retired after 40 years of service, Chief Larry Berry, who was one of the founders of HFVFD, along with Jim Hubbard, also one of the founding members, were both present. Other members present span years of service. Adam Eilers and Tony DiPasquale with 25+ years, Mark Cornelius and Al Fox with 10+ years, Jack Tuszynski and Paul Manners with 5+ years, Katie Payne with 2+ years, Alex Stice with 2 years and 4 new members representing the future of the department.
Chamber Volunteer of the Quarter The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that Russ Phillips with TransAmerica Financial Advisors has been named the Chairmans Council Volunteer of the Quarter for second quarter of 2016. In determining the Volunteer of the Quarter, attendance at Chamber events is evaluated for all members of the Chairmans Council. Russ is a dedicated Chamber volunteer, and we appreciate the time he has devoted this year, said Steve Garrison, Chamber chairman and owner of Canton Tire & Wheel.
Waste Management Awards Grant to Cherokee Chamber of Commerce The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce has been awarded a $2,500 grant from Waste Management. The Waste Management Think Green Community Improvement Grants are part of an ongoing national effort to encourage the development of local environmental solutions that build sustainable communities, shared Pam Carnes, Chamber President & CEO. The Chamber was thrilled to be chosen as a grant recipient, and we look forward to continuing to promote green living through this partnership with Waste Management. Now in the ninth year of the grant program, which is coordinated in partnership between Waste Management and Keep America Beautiful, $1.3 million in grant monies have been awarded to affiliates and partners in support of more than 205 community service projects and programs. The Cherokee County Chamber received one of 39 grants awarded across the nation and plans to utilize the funds for an elementary school recycling initiative to be held later this fall. The mission of the Cherokee County Chambers Going Green initiative is to encourage the community to implement green practices that conserve community resources while helping businesses thrive.
C.R.A.S.E. Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events The Cherokee Sheriffs Office is making available C.R.A.S.E. seminars at your office or location. The seminar will be presented by Major Joe Perkins and you will gain insight on how to prepare and react during an active shooter incident. Please contact Major Joe Perkins, to schedule a seminar at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 678-493-4143.
4-Hers Participate in Farm to Fork Day Cherokee County 4-Hers participated in Farm to Fork day at Buckeye Creek Farm in Woodstock. Cherokee County Farm Bureau and Liz Porter, owner of Buckeye Creek, made this fun-filled day possible for 4-Hers. The day started with 4-Hers making their own smoothies with fruit from the farm. Later, 4-Hers took a garden tour to learn about some of Georgias top agricultural commodities, diseases and pests that can impact crops. They also learned that agriculture is the largest industry in the U.S. Water quality was also factored into the days lessons. 4-Hers explored the stream and pond and were able to collect macro-invertebrates with dip nets, such as dragonfly and damselfly nymphs. Students also conducted water quality experiments to determine that the stream and pond were healthy sources of water. They closed out the day by making strawberry preserves to take home and share with their families.
Sheriffs Major Completes Counterterrorism Training in Israel Major Buster Cushing of the Cherokee Sheriffs Office recently spent two weeks in Israel for training in the latest counterterrorism techniques and technologies by that countrys top police professionals. Cushing was a member of a delegation of police chiefs, sheriffs, a Georgia commissioner and an inspector from various public safety and law enforcement agencies who participated in the 24th Annual Peer-To-Peer Public Safety Training Program, organized by the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE). Fifteen Georgia delegates were joined by law enforcement leaders from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department in New York and police departments in Alabama and Washington. Georgias Attorney General, Sam Olens, emphasized the trainings importance to Georgia communities when he stated, The training received in Israel and their ability to deal with high-pressure situations will be valuable for day-to-day situations. There is so much we can learn to be that beacon on the hill again. GILEE, a research unit of Georgia State Universitys Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, improves public safety by enhancing inter-agency cooperation and educational training among law enforcement communities by offering best practices and sources of excellence in a peer-to-peer environment. It was founded as a joint program between the University and Georgias law enforcement community by Director Robert Friedmann, Professor Emeritus of Criminal Justice.