Political Forum Meet and Greet The Cherokee County Farm Bureau, along with the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee, will sponsor a Political Forum/ Meet and Greet on Tuesday, May 3, 2016, at 6:30 pm. The forum will be held under the wooden pavilion at Cagles Family Farm, 362 Stringer Road, Canton. All local, state and national candidates running for office in 2016 will be invited to attend. If they have opposition, they will have two minutes to speak followed by written questions from the audience. Attending elected officials will be introduced. Everyone will have time to meet and greet the candidates and elected officials before and after the forum. There will be homemade ice cream served by Boy Scout Troop #465. Sodas, water and peanuts will be provided by the Farm Bureau. The forum is open to the public. To RSVP to attend, please call Cherokee County Farm Bureau at 770-479-1481, ext. 0.
Lyndon Academy Ground Breaking Lyndon Academy recently broke ground on the third phase of their Toonigh Road campus. The new addition will enable the school to fully educate current and future students, from kindergarten through high school graduation. The Murdock family owns and operates the school and made a promise to add a grade level per year to build a complete k-12 academy. The beginning of phase III brings that promise to fruition. Lyndon Academy is excited to enter this next phase of development and growth for the students and families it serves. The Academy is now enrolling kindergarten through 10th grade for the 2016-2017 school year.
Hickory Flat Fire Chief Larry Berry Retires Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Chief, Larry Berry, recently retired after 40 years as a volunteer firefighter and 37 years as fire chief. Nearly 100 friends, relatives and firefighters attended a retirement celebration at station 23 in Hickory Flat. Fellow officers discussed Berrys impact on the community and the county as a whole. Chief Berry was instrumental in building the Volunteer Firefighters Organization, said Tim Crossland, the new Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Chief. He then added that, beginning in the 1970s, Chief Berry set high training standards, which enabled many volunteers to pursue firefighting careers. Crossland estimated that as many as 35% of Hickory Flat volunteers have become career firefighters. Even after retirement, Berrys legacy will continue, as the firefighters he recruited and trained help citizens in fire stations throughout the county. Berrys final radio call came through at 8:30 pm on March 14, 2016. After a series of tones representing fire stations throughout the county, the dispatcher thanked Chief Larry Berry for 40 years of service. Following the dispatch, firefighters sent messages of appreciation to a chief who has made a difference in Hickory Flat and beyond. Berry will continue to serve on the HFFD, Inc. Board of Trustees.
Leadership Cherokee Class of 2016 Named This 28th Anniversary Class was chosen following participation in a nomination, application and interview process. The 23 class members traveled to Brasstown Valley Resort for their retreat. The group participated in both indoor and outdoor team building exercises that enabled them to learn not only about each other, but also about themselves through a look at personality types and communication styles, said Katie Wise with LGE Community Credit Union and the 2016 Chair of Leadership Cherokee. Over the next nine months, the Leadership Cherokee Class will participate in a broad range of sessions that will focus on a variety of topics such as economic development, infrastructure, government, justice, education, recreation, tourism, public safety, healthcare and social/human services. Following the nine months of leadership training, the Leadership Cherokee Class of 2016 will graduate during a ceremony in September. For information on the Leadership Cherokee Class of 2017, contact the Chamber office at 770-345-0400, or visit CherokeeChamber.com.
Wellstar Kennestone Hospital Opens New Cancer Center The new WellStar Cancer Center at Kennestone Hospital opened following an $11 million renovation. The new Center offers patients world-class cancer care including a unique approach to help patients get answers faster. In addition to cutting-edge radiation and surgical treatments, patients can learn about and receive integrative healing treatments for the body, mind and spirit. In a first-in-the-nation collaboration with the American Cancer Society (ACS), a new resource center offers a serene setting for patients and family members to learn about their diagnosis, treatment options and lowering their cancer risk. WellStars specially trained nurse navigators staff the center, assisting patients seeking information from the abundant in-house and online libraries. Kiosks allow patients to chat live with an ACS navigator through an online portal. In addition to the resource center, the Cancer Center offers a variety of new services including: The Manning Wellness Kitchen a new, state of-the-art demonstration kitchen for nutritional education The Rick Gray Family Chapel a tranquil chapel where patients and their families can turn to their higher power for spiritual strength Integrative medicine such as yoga and tai chi, complementing the current acupuncture service A salon offering wig and accessory options for those experiencing hair loss and a new bra and mastectomy prosthesis service in the coming months
3 Cherokee County Cities Rank in Top 25 Safest Cities in GA SafeWise has released its list of the safest cities in Georgia, and three Cherokee County cities rank in the top 25. Holly Springs comes in at number 15 on the list, followed by Canton (21), and Woodstock (25), respectively. The safest cities are ranked by reviewing the most recent FBI Crime Report statistics from 2014, which is the most recent data available for a full calendar year. Cities with less than 4,000 residents or that dont submit crime data to the FBI are not considered for inclusion on the list. The list is further narrowed by reviewing the number of reported violent and property crimes in each of the cities.
Woodstock Board Chairman Celebrates Retirement It was a bittersweet evening last month as the retirement of Jimmy T. Long from the City of Woodstocks Downtown Development Authority was celebrated. Jimmy served as Board Chairman for 11 years. Sharing in the occasion were family, friends, the City of Woodstock Mayor, Council members and employees. Jimmy accomplished much during his time on the board. He was very involved in the hiring of the first Director of Economic Development, and he was a big proponent of establishing the Main Street Woodstock organization. He was also very instrumental in the promotion of the Faade Grant Program, the Herb Priest Pedestrian Crossing, and the recent purchase of the trolley, just to name a few. The revitalization of Woodstock and the downtown area has come a long way under his leadership. Jimmy has been a tremendous asset. We wish the best to him and his wife, Julie, in the future.
Imlay Foundation Contributes to Revive the Reeves Elm Street Cultural Arts Village has received news that the Imlay Foundation has awarded them a grant of $30,000.00 to support the Revive the Reeves project. The Reeves House is an old farmhouse, built in 1897, the same year Woodstock officially became a city. Vacant for decades, this historically significant home will be transformed into the heart of Elm Street Cultural Arts Village. The Reeves House itself will house an arts gallery and library, where the community can gain exposure to the rich variety of local artistic talent. In addition, the plans call for expanding on the historical house footprint to include 4 Studios for established and emerging artists working in a variety of disciplines, a community space to engage with the community, a computer lab to teach all sorts of scientific and artistic classes, instructional space, complete with pottery wheels, a kiln, easels and more, and a catering kitchen, which will serve as the branch into the next segment of phase II, the culinary and community gardens.
Project SEARCH Graduates Train at Northside Hospital-Cherokee Six interns recently graduated from Project SEARCH, a nine-month program for young adults with disabilities that provides hands-on and classroom work-related skills. Project SEARCH is a partnership with host business Northside Hospital-Cherokee, Cross Plains Community Partner, Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, Cherokee Navigator Team and the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities to develop daily job tasks for the interns. The uniformed interns reported to Northside Hospital-Cherokee five days a week and participated in a variety of jobs called rotations. Job rotations for each intern are 3-10 weeks throughout the course of the program. Interns begin their day at 8:00 am in the classroom, where they learn business soft-skills; they then report to their job and complete their day around 2:00 pm in the classroom. Project SEARCH employs two employment specialists to assist interns and hospital staff for the entire day. The ultimate goal is to use the skills they learn to gain competitive employment within the community, said Elizabeth Hunter, supported employment manager for Cross Plains Community Partner.
Community Donations Used to Purchase New Fire Engine Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services received a check for $110,000 from the volunteers with the Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Department. The funding, with additional monies from the county, was used in the purchase of a new fire engine that will be used at Station 23 in the Hickory Flat Community. According to Chief Larry Berry, The funds came from donations obtained from the people within our community. Cherokee County Commissioner and former Fire Chief, Raymond Gunnin, accepted the check from Chief Larry Berry, with HFVFD Rookie of the Year, Alex Stice, HFVFD Firefighter of the Year, Jack Tuszynski and HFVFD Board member, Jim Hubbard. Cherokee County Fire Chief, Tim Prather, Assistant Fire Chief, Eddie Robinson, Field Operations Chief, Greg Erdely and firefighters from Station 23 were also in attendance. Chief Tim Prather said, The Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Department has been an important part of our county for 40 years now. Still, to this day, they are committed to helping their community by providing quality fire service protection. Hickory Flat volunteers also serve parts of Canton and Woodstock. The Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Department is recruiting for new membership. If you or someone you know is looking for an exciting and rewarding way to serve your local community, consider volunteering and being part of your local volunteer fire department.