Young Harris College recently re-ceived a 50-inch Panasonic HD plas-ma !at-screen television from Andy Burks, owner of Sears of Blairsville, Ga., as a contribution to the Col-lege’s Local Scholarship Campaign. YHC President Cathy Cox and Board of Associates Chairman Rick Davenport, of Rick’s Rental in Blairs-ville, Ga., presented the television to Mary Colwell, of Blairsville, Ga., for her fundraising e"orts in the Col-lege’s Local Scholarship Campaign. Colwell was the Board of Associates member who raised the most schol-arship funds for local students be-tween November 2009 and January 2010.

About the Local Scholarship Campaign

More than 150 students from the surrounding counties of Towns, Union, Fannin and Gilmer in Geor-gia and Cherokee and Clay in North Carolina are currently enrolled at Young Harris College. Re!ecting a commitment by the College and the local community to these students, the Local Scholarship Campaign was established to raise funds to support the educational goals of local stu-dents at Young Harris College.

#e Young Harris College Board of Associates, a 29-member group of local business and civic leaders who serve as ambassadors for the College as well as a sounding board for the community, leads this e"ort. Each fall the Board of Associates launches the annual Local Scholarship Cam-paign in an e"ort to assist in provid-ing aid to the students coming to Young Harris College from these six communities.

Students like Julie Kelley, a sopho-more allied health major from Union County, bene$t from the scholarship money raised. “By receiving support from the Local Scholarship program, I have been able to stay close to home to a%end college. I was not ready to move somewhere else for college, and I don’t think I would have achieved as much if I had moved away to a big-ger school. #is is home for me,” she said.

Sophomore Kendric McDonald, an education major from Cherokee County, N.C., said, “My scholarship has meant a lot to both me and my parents. When deciding which col-lege to a%end, cost was a determining factor. #anks to the Local Scholar-ship Campaign, I was able to a%end the college of my choice and play baseball at Young Harris College.”

About Young Harris CollegeFounded in 1886, Young Harris

College is a private, baccalaureate de-gree-granting college located in the beautiful mountains of north Geor-gia. Historically a&liated with #e United Methodist Church, Young Harris College educates, inspires

and empowers students through the highest quality liberal arts education. Long known for nurturing students during the $rst two years of college, Young Harris College received ac-creditation in 2008 to grant bachelor’s degrees. #e College currently has approximately 700 students across four divisions'Fine Arts, Humani-ties, Mathematics and Science, and Social and Behavioral Science'and plans to increase enrollment to 1,200 over the next few years. #e historic campus in Young Harris, Ga., is cur-rently undergoing major campus improvements to accommodate the College’s growth. For more informa-tion, visit www.yhc.edu.

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ECONOMY

Consumer-Driven Legisla-tion Headline the Week

Last week’s column gave a summary of the fam-ily of Juan Wellborn and Emma Lance Reece.( #eir son, Byron Herbert Reece (1917-1958) became the famous poet and novelist we are hearing more about recently as we through the Byron Herbert Reece So-ciety seek to perpetuate his memory and his works.

(Let’s take some “time-out” to enjoy a bit of his in-imitable poetry.( #ink of relaxing by your $re or un-der a warm blanket during these cold days and read with meaning and absorption.( I o"er $rst:

(In the Far Dark Woods Go Roving(Whenever the heart’s in troubleCaught in the snare of years,And the sum of tears is double

#e amount of youthful tears,(In the far, dark woods go rovingAnd $nd there to match your moodA kindred spirit movingWhere the wild winds blow in the wood.(#is poem was published in Bow Down in Jericho,

1950.#e mind is a remarkable organ of the body.( When

troubles perplex and answers seem absent, when one is “caught in the snare of years,” there is a quick es-cape.( #is poem describes in brief but exceptionally cra)ed lines how this escape is possible.

Just think of another, more pleasant purview.( Since Poet Reece loved the woods, nature and everything about his mountain environment, he would think of

By ETHELENE DYER-JONESColumnist

Two Byron Herbert Reece

Poems

(Reece Family Series, Part 6)

See MISTS, page 3A

POLITICS

Union County Republican Party:

Sears contributes to Local Scholarship Campaign

49º/38º47º/31º 50º/34º41º/24º 50º/34º48º/34º 47º/34º

#rough Mountain

Mists

Georgia consumers and businesses stand to bene$t from two bills that have already received $nal passage by the full legislature this session. Banking customers in good standing, notably businesses and homeowners, now have a greater chance of ge%ing their loans renewed. Current state law restricts state-chartered banks from lending more than 15 percent of their capital to any one borrower. With the recent pressure on bank capital levels, current law has had the un-intended consequence of preventing banks from renewing loans, even with great customers. #is hurts banks by kicking out some of their paying customers, and it hurts borrowers who are meet-ing their obligations. House Bill 926 gives more !exibility to state-chartered banks whose legal lending limit has been lowered because of declin-ing capital on their balance sheet.

Experts predict this will help Georgia consum-ers, businesses, and large borrowers in addition

#e Union County Republican Party will be holding its February meeting on February 20th at 9:00 AM at JB Roosters (next to Save-A-Lot) at 117 Murphy Highway, Blairsville, GA.( #ere will be an optional bu"et breakfast at the meeting for $6.( A%endees are asked to please bring some canned or dried food goods for our local Union County Food Bank as they are in desperate need of foods.

(Speakers for February include:Kathy Cox, incumbent for State Superintendent

of Schools - Kathy has been State Superintendent of Schools since 2003 and in that time, she has set Georgia’s schools on a path toward excellence. Guided by the Georgia Department of Education’s Strategic Plan, Superintendent Cox has overseen many improvements to public education in Geor-gia.

www.GeorgiaSentinel.com

Sentinel Volume 16,Issue 7

UNION

See LEGISLATION, page 3A

See COLLEGE, page 8A

Young Harris College President Cathy Cox ( far left), Sears of Blairsville owner Andy Burks (second from left) and Board of Associates Chairman Rick Davenport ( far right) present a 50-inch Panasonic HD plasma flat-screen television to Board of Associates member Mary Colwell, of Blairsville, Ga., for raising the most YHC scholarship funds for local students between November 2009 and January 2010.

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By Sen. CHIP PEARSONColumnist

Contributed Photo

A Responsible Citizen to the North Georgia Community

Can you identify the local business with more than 200 employees that pumps almost $12 mil-lion annually into the local economy in sala-ries and bene$ts alone?

Did you know that same business hired more than 60 new employees in 2009, grow-ing to a total workforce of 210 fulltime, part-time and temporary employees in the past year? Would you be surprised to know that business spent almost $2 million in its day-to-day operations with at least 130 area businesses on everything from o&ce sup-plies to automobiles, auto repairs, video productions, carpeting, painting, printing and graphics, plumb-ing supplies, hardware, food and lodging for guests, cleaning services, advertising, !owers, gi)s and more?

Young Harris College 2009 Year in Review

See SPEAKERS, page 3A

Top Priority:Finding Jobs

Over the past few weeks, I’ve spent a lot of time talking about one of my top priorities this session: creat-ing new jobs for Georgians.( While government can’t create jobs, we can create the right environment for business to thrive and grow. #e $rst step we must take is to provide a bal-anced budget that will keep our taxes low and control spending, allowing us to $nd new ways to spur business growth.

#e facts are stark: Georgia’s un-employment rate has climbed from 4.3% in January of ’07 to 10.3% today, tying the record high for Georgia and exceeding the national unemploy-ment rate of 10.0%.( #is means that more than a half-million Georgians are out of work and the number con-tinues to grow.

Although we have our challenges, our state is weathering the storm bet-ter than most other states, we are one of only 7 states with a AAA bond rat-ing and our $scal conservatism is go-ing to lead us through this economic downturn. States like California and New York are falling o" a cli" with budget de$cits in the tens of billions of dollars and are looking to tax ev-erything that moves.( Oregon just voted to raise its income taxes on high-earning individuals and to raise fees on businesses.( #ese are not the kind of actions you will see here in Georgia.((((

Instead, you will see Senate Re-publicans investing heavily in making jobs a top priority amidst a struggling economy.( Recently, we rolled out a jobs package for the 2010 legislative session.( #is newly revised legisla-tion includes tax incentives to create jobs for out-of-work Georgians and for businesses to relocate to Georgia. It would waive startup fees imposed by the state on new businesses, o"er tax credits to companies hiring un-employed Georgians, and reduce the capital gains tax by up to 50% through various trigger mechanisms.

A piece included in the package that I have been pushing for includes an “Angel Investor Tax Credit.”( Re-search proves that 80% of new jobs in Georgia are created from small busi-nesses.( Angel investors are individu-als who write a personal check pro-viding a boost to high-risk, early state entrepreneurial endeavors. ( In this current economy, it is extremely dif-$cult for new businesses to $nd the capital necessary to expand and grow. Angels $ll a critical role in $nancing and many businesses stay open and

By Lt. Gov. CASEY CAGLEContributing Columnist

See JOB CREATION, page 3A

I never think about being old until I think about how old my children and grandchildren are! My thought today: Old age is !f-teen years older than I am."Ol-iver Wendell Holmes. As I men-tioned in last week’s article, my husband and I just returned from Florida, visiting with his mother who was celebrating her 104th birthday. She constantly tells the family members that we will never live as long as she has! “#e world has gone crazy!” #is is her favor-ite expression, and her second one is, “You children just don’t under-stand how it feels to get old!?” She is right; we don’t know how it feels to be 104! (Sometimes I think I may feel close?!)

Ge$ing older is one of those things that nobody wel-comes but no one can avoid. #ere is no alternative to ge$ing older. #erefore, we have to !nd a way to welcome our advancing years with a positive frame of mind. Here are some suggestions on how to keep old age from acting up!

Keep Active – Ge$ing old does not mean we have to vegetate in front of the TV, with the highlight of the week a trip to Walmart or the grocery store. It is important to keep our mind and, where pos-sible, our body active. If we don’t exercise our mental faculties, it will not be a surprise if we lose our con-centration and ability to engage in critical thought. We should try to be a lifelong learner; if we keep our mind permanently busy we will retain our mental faculties for lon-ger. We shall also gain a feeling of continuing self improvement right into old age.

Live in the Here and Now – Don’t live constantly thinking about: “if only…”. #ere will be many things we might have done di%erently, but we have to feel the past is dust. Focus on what you can do now to improve your life. #is does not mean we can-

not cherish fond memories; but, at the same time we need to give most importance to the present moment. None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm. – Henry David #oreau.

Age is in the Heart – We can be in our 20s and have the a$itude of an old person. Similarly, we can be in our 70s and still have a childlike approach to life. Age is very much a mental perspective. To remain young at heart we need to retain an open mind and look for the good things in life. Don’t allow yourself to focus on the limitations of age. Instead, think about what you can do. O%er gratitude for small things that you perhaps didn’t have time to appreciate when young. #ey say that age is all in your mind. #e trick is keeping it from creep-ing down into your body. – Author Unknown.

Newness – No ma$er how old you are, try to look for newness in life. Avoid repeating the same rou-tine, try learning new skills or vis-iting di%erent places and making new friends. If we are constantly expanding our horizons, life will o%er new challenges whatever our physical age. If we compare our-selves to other people and what we could do when we were young, we will always feel a sense of inad-equacy. We start from where we

are and seek to make progress in our own way. #e personal joy is in making an honest e%ort; it gives a sense of satisfaction that doesn’t depend on outer results. Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. – Henry Ford.

Don’t Complain – Forgive me, but I o&en !nd that certain old peo-ple become chronic complainers. It seems in life, especially when we are older, there is no end of things to criticize and complain about. In one way they are right"there are many imperfections in life. But, if we only see the darker side of life, we focus excessively on negative things and this will be re'ected in our unhappy state of mind. It is important to be detached from the problems of the world. Also, when our body slows down we have to work hard to focus on other things. #is helps us avoid focusing too much on the limitations and pains of our body. #ere is always a lot to be thankful for, if you take the time to look. For example, I’m sit-ting here thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don’t hurt. – Author Unknown.

Always keep in mind a healthy diet and moderation in your con-sumption of sweets/desserts/alcohol. As for nourishing your aging body, the best diet is still low fat with plenty of fruits and vegeta-bles. Add proteins of chicken, !sh and pork. Keep in mind to drink plenty of water and fruit juice.

Claudia Parks, RN, is a former doctor’s o!ce and emergency room nurse and retired as an educator "om Fulton County Schools. She writes Your Health Ma#ers as a public ser-vice; the information here is designed to help you make informed choices about your health. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of your physician. Claudia and her husband now make their home in the north Georgia Mountains, near Blairsville. Claudia can be reached at yhm@windstream.net

Are you thinking of building or remodeling? #e best time to start working on lower energy costs is before the plans are made.

#e greatest savings for the least cost starts with how the build-ing sits on the site. By pu$ing the most glass where the warm winter sun shines, the least where the hot summer sun shines, and design-ing the roof to keep summer sun o% the house, heating and cooling costs can o&en be cut in half. Add protection from cold winter winds, allow cool summer breezes, and you have a building that not only costs much less to heat and cool, but it is much more comfortable.

Is there more that can be done? Yes. A li$le more money spent on good quality spray foam insula-tion, windows, and doors, and some homes hardly need heat or air conditioning at all. Air tight, well insulated buildings are much easier and less costly to keep com-fortable.

Following these principles !rst usually brings the greatest increas-es in e(ciency for the least cost. It might also leave enough budget to a%ord some other green features. Everyone asks about solar and wind.

In most areas of our moun-

tains, the best of these options is a solar water heater with an elec-tric tank water heater for backup. A$aching this system to radiant 'oor heating system can also be very e(cient. #e system is sim-ple, very e(cient, and might help you qualify for some tax credits. And everyone loves radiant 'oor heat!

Geothermal heat pumps are also very e(cient ways to heat and cool your home or building. #ey usually add several thousand to the cost of a typical home. By us-ing the ground temperature, they can extract heat all winter long. #ey are a great option where it is not possible to design the glass for solar. By adding spray foam insu-lation, the geothermal system can be smaller, and cost a li$le less.

If you are buying new appli-ances, why not choose energy ef-!cient models? Have you consid-ered an induction stove, a smaller convection/ microwave oven in-stead of the standard oven? You might enjoy a basement root cel-lar too. You can also have a switch to shut o% the outlets to your elec-tronics. Many of these electronics use electricity even when they are not running. In some homes this can consume more than $20 per month. All of these are convenient ways to save energy.

Another !eld being studied is energy e(cient lighting. At this time 'uorescent lighting is the best deal for most buildings. But this might soon be surpassed by LED lighting. Meanwhile the engineers have gone back to the laboratories and are developing some super ef-!cient incandescent bulbs.

Our next column will consider our Greening of Andrews Valley Program. Your question might be the perfect topic for a future col-umn. Email me. Richard C. Mac-Crea is the director of #e Green-ing of Andrews Valley, a program of Andrews Valley Initiative. He works in the !eld of energy e(-cient, green building.

Sarah Palin, bless her heart, is such a perfect spokesperson for the tea party crowd. I watched por-tions of her speech in Nashville before the tea party elite and could only shake my head. She has such a way of saying nothing so well it grabs your a$ention and leads you to believe she is on to something big. However, a&er the euphoria dies down, you sit there re'ect-ing on her speech and think, “uh?” It slowly dawns on you that she speaks in broad strokes, stringing together a series of popular sound bites that convey li$le more than patriotic fervor.

As someone trained in critical thinking, I winch when I hear Sar-ah talk about drill, baby, drill, and realize that she has failed to drill down into her “positions.” Do not think that critical thinking is about criticizing everything. Indeed, it is about taking an argument apart, looking at its components, and making up your mind whether the argument has validity, whether the argument has merit, or whether the argument is robust or weak. It is examining an argument to make sure you are not suckered by the snake oil salesperson. However, Sarah fails to provide any details. #erefore, you cannot assess the impact or the consequences should her broad statements be converted into policy. For a thinking person, this is heresy. She mines the shal-lows and collects the easy pickings, leaving behind complexity and de-tail.

Sarah taps into anger. She taps into emotion. She taps into the

mood of her audience. However, she does not tap into reason. She is the best snake oil salesperson I have ever seen working a crowd. She is like a mirror, re'ecting the mood, and misinformation, of her audience. You really have li$le idea about her true, behind-the-scenes beliefs. She is so good at re'ecting your beliefs you believe they are her beliefs. She re'ects, and feeds, the worst emotional excesses of tea party members.

When she says, “We want our Constitution back,” I wonder what part of the Constitution is lost. I am unaware that I have lost any of my rights granted in that document. At the tea party convention in Nash-ville, it was said that we do not need any document but the “four pages of the Constitution.” I guess they forgot the Bill of Rights, the aboli-tion of slavery, giving women the right to vote, gun ownership, and a host of other issues not addressed in the Constitution. Sarah re'ects the tea party crowd because they speak before they think. #ey for-get that the states had to ratify any changes to the Constitution.

#ere is li$le doubt I would like si$ing down and having a beer with Sarah. I think we could have a great conversation. However, I do not think the conversation would have much substance. Interview a&er interview reveals that she does not know basic facts about the issues important to our country. Any-body who thinks looking at Rus-sia from Alaska constitutes foreign policy experience has just included anyone who has ever travelled to a foreign land.

What Sarah has going for her is

a folksy, down-home friendliness. It is with a smile that she criticizes everything without o%ering solu-tions. Indeed, her criticisms re'ect her lack of understanding of the is-sues. You cannot help but like her as a vivacious person but the shal-lowness and negativity of her argu-ments does li$le to li& the political discourse. Or, include facts.

To listen to Sarah is like listen-ing to a string of marginally related ideas. Her talks go something like this: “We need to be energy inde-pendent and give our hard work-ing people a tax cut and make sure there is a gun in every home and put our country !rst and get our Constitution back and reclaim the freedoms we have lost, and … did I say give our people a tax cut?” I will make a deal with you. I will show you Obama’s birth certi!cate if you show me Sarah’s high school diploma.

Sarah quit the governorship of Alaska a&er two years because she recognized that more money could be made running around the country talking sound bites. Com-pared to running a state – which requires detailed, complex think-ing - addressing angry crowds who demand li$le more than platitudes is easy pickings.

People who refuse to do their homework are destined to follow snake oil salespersons like Sarah. Intellectually, the easiest route to travel is to rail against positions for which one lacks understanding and detail. However, to be a true patriot, one needs to be informed about the issues facing this country and appreciate the complexity of society, and thus solutions.

Page 2A GEORGIA SENTINEL

CO LU M NS & O P I N I O NSLEANING  LEFT

By Jim Fitzgerald

Sentinel Guest Columnist

To the Editor:#e Democrats are jumping with joy that the

tea-party crowd has splintered into its more than 200 entities and disrupted the Republican Party, to boot, they say.

) #e Republicans are oblivious to the tea-party phenomenon and claim victories for themselves in Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachuse$s.

) And the tea-party movement keeps on truckin’ like some disjointed “herd” of cats towards a plat-form of balanced budget, small government, and low taxes.) But wait, wasn’t that the platform of the Good Old Party circa mid 20th century, and before?) And wasn’t that about the time we sent men to the moon and before we sent jobs overseas, in droves?)

A time before the Bush dynasty, Newt, and what-ever it is we have now?

) But what came out of Nashville is that the tea-party folks are pu$ing away their 'ags and form-ing PAC’s to support conservative candidates from both parties. Rasmussen says independents (tea-party folks) make up a third of the population and gaining.) ) So maybe the tea-party phenomenon is not something new.) Maybe it’s just the mid-stream American heartland majority waking up from a long nap like Rip Van Winkle.) If this is the case, perhaps you should join the movement, whatever it is, where ever it is?)))

M. J. BlanchardBlairsville

!e GOP (?) TEA Party

EDITOR'S  INBOX

YOUR  HEALTH  MATTERS

By CLAUDIA PARKS RN

Columnist

By RICHARD C. MACCREA

Andrews Valley Initiative

The Green Column

Several weeks ago Prevent Child Abuse Habersham ran a simple ad in the paper requesting help with the “First Steps” program. North Georgia Technical College student Tasha Horne saw it and immedi-ately took it to her HEROES (Hav-ing Equity Resources and Oppor-tunities Equal Success) student organization.

First Steps is a community-based parenting support and education program that is provided to families of)newborns a&er the birth of their baby at the Habersham County Medical Center. ) First Steps vol-unteers o%er emotional support, a gi& packet of helpful information speci!cally selected for parents of newborns, and referrals to com-munity resources.)

Tasha’s idea was to have the club collect children’s books for the First Steps program gi& packets. Club advisor Trudy Ayers con-tacted First Steps Coordinator Tari Ramos and the students were soon kicking o% their drive.

Placing collection stations throughout the campus, more than 60 new and “gently loved” books were taken by a very appreciative Ms. Ramos on Wednesday, Feb-ruary 10. She will include them in her gi& bags to new mothers in the maternity ward at Habersham County Medical Center.

“I have always wanted to include books in these packets for the new mothers, but I could only stretch the budget so far,” explained Ra-mos. “Reading is so important and we want new mothers to start read-ing from the get-go.”

“It was the best thing that we have done in this club so far,” said an excited Krystal Moss, President of the Clarkesville Campus HE-

ROES. “We have a lot of plans for the future!”

#e group plans to continue col-lecting books, taking advantage of the momentum that is building. “I have several books at home that I need to bring in,” said new club member Dana Sullens.

#e HEROES club is an organi-zation for non-traditional students. Non-traditional students are per-sons who meet one of the following criteria: must be 27 years of age or older, a single parent, a single preg-nant woman, a displaced home-maker, or enrolled in a program in which they are of a minority gen-der. #e purpose of the HEROES club is to develop leadership, team-work, and technology skills of the members.

For more information on Pre-vent Child Abuse Habersham or First Steps, contact www.pre-ventchildabusehabersham.org or e-mail !rststeps@hemc.net.))))) ))))

Tari Ramos is surrounded by NGTC's HEROES students with children's books for First Steps.

HEROES provides books for babies

State Sen. Jim Butterworth (R-Clarkesville) hosted Tocooa-Stephens County Day at the State Capitol. It was an opportunity for state and local leaders to come together, foster rela-tionships and work collaboratively to further economic growth in Northeast Georgia.

“These counties will be strong lead-ers as Georgia grows out of this eco-nomic downturn,” said Sen. Butter-worth. “I was honored to host the over 40 local leaders and citizens who came to visit the State Capitol and I look forward to discussing how to further

promote job growth and economic prosperity in Stephens County.”

Officials from the city of Toccoa, Stephens County, Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce, and Stephens County Development Au-thority travelled to the State Capitol to meet with their legislators and other state leaders. These local leaders and citizens, along with Sen. Butterworth and Rep. Michael Harden (R-Toccoa), attended to the legislative priorities of Toccoa-Stephens County including improved infrastructure, economic de-velopment and tourism.

The Senate adopted Senate Resolu-tion 1031, sponsored by Sen. Butter-

worth, recognizing Feb. 10 as Toccoa-Stephens County Day at the State Capitol. The resolution mentioned several notable aspects of the coun-ties. The City of Toccoa and Stephens County were deemed a Signature Community City by the Department of Community Affairs and an Entre-preneur Friendly county by Governor Sonny Perdue.

Sen. Jim Butterworth represents the 50th Senate District which includes Towns, Rabun, Habersham, Stephens, Banks, Franklin, and Hart counties along with a portion of White County. He can be reached by phone at 404.463.5257 or by email at jim.butterworth@senate.ga.gov.

GEORGIA SENTINEL Page 3A

N E W SMists:Continued from page 1A

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Speakers:Continued from page 1A

Richard Woods, candidate for State Superintendent - Richard has a great passion for education. Even a!er twenty-one years, the pulse for education beats as strong as it did when he "rst walked into the classroom. #is passion has led him to ask the question, “Am I happy with education in Georgia?” Sadly, the answer is no. Richard has had a great burden over the direc-tion education has taken and con-tinues to take in Georgia for many years. #erefore, he has decided to continue to make a positive change for Georgia’s children, parents, and educators on a statewide level.

$Linda Herren, current National

Commi%eewoman - Linda has served the Republican Party on many levels for over 35 years. Her focus in every elected position has been communication. She con-stantly strives to keep every activ-

ist informed and receiving infor-mation and tools to assist them in electing Republicans in their com-munities. She has always made herself available to assist activists throughout the state with their input, questions and requests. She intends to continue the service as your National Commi%eewoman bringing the RNC to Georgia’s grass roots Republicans.

Tom Knox, candidate for State Insurance and Fire Safety Com-missioner – Tom currently serves in the State House of Represen-tatives.$ He has been a life-long Republican, starting out going door-to-door as a child for Dwight Eisenhower and serving in a num-ber of grassroots roles in his local GOP, including Chairman of the Forsyth Republican Party where he won the Ronald Reagan Free-dom Award for dedication to con-servative principles.$ Tom was "rst

elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2000, rising to become the "rst-ever Republican Chairman of the House Insurance Commi%ee in 2005.

On March 13, 2010, the Union County Republican Party will be holding its "rst annual Ron-ald Reagan Day Dinner to honor America’s fortieth President.$ Ra-dio host and television commenta-tor Martha Zoller will be the guest speaker.$ #e dinner will be held from 6 to 8 and tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children.$ Pro-ceeds from the event will go to the Union County Republican Party’s Ronald Reagan Memorial Scholar-ship.$ Everyone is urged to a%end and “win one for the Gipper”.$

Additional information on these events may be obtained at h%p://www.uniongop.org or by calling David at 706-781-1013.

to state banks. Every day, Georgia businesses depend on these loans to stay a&oat. #is will help keep the door of more businesses open, and helps keep banks in business. As Georgia continues to lead the nation in bank failures, this leg-islation could not have come too soon.

As I’ve said before, the legisla-ture’s responsibility is to create an atmosphere across the state that encourages economic growth. Part of our e'ort to achieve such an atmosphere includes reforming telecommunications throughout the state to encourage free-market competition. We passed a vital telecom reform package (House Bill 168) that levels the playing "eld between carriers by reducing regulations and lowering access charges that applied to some tele-communications companies and

not others, typically rural carriers. Rural customers will bene"t in the balancing of rates, as their carriers typically must charge more for ser-vice. Regional carriers who may lose revenue while trying to reach "nancial parity will be temporarily compensated from a special Uni-versal Access Fund. Best of all, this bill does not burden the consumer with new fees or taxes.

In a state that’s severely "nancial-ly strapped, we are doing all we can this session to make state govern-ment as e(cient as possible while continuing to provide core servic-es. Sometimes this requires utiliz-ing creative tools. #e Georgia De-partment of Natural Resources and Boy Scouts of America have come up with just such an idea to keep our state parks in top condition. Georgia’s state parks are a huge as-set to the state’s economy, particu-

larly our tourism industry. #ey have su'ered from painful budget cuts, requiring maintenance and improvement projects to be put on hold. Cuts have been made to sta', losing valuable jobs for the state and vital personnel for the parks. #e Scouting for State Parks initia-tive represents the ingenuity and creativity of Georgia citizens that make our state a great place to live. #rough this partnership, state parks will receive maintenance and care at no additional cost to taxpay-ers by enlisting many of Georgia’s 200,000 scouts, volunteers, and alumni. Each of Georgia’s thirteen Boy Scout chapters has commi%ed to undertake a service project for a local state park during this year. Additionally, councils will encour-age youth pursuing Eagle Scout, scouting’s highest rank, to perform their capstone community project in a Georgia State Park. Annually, 1,200 Georgia Boy Scouts earn the Eagle Scout rank. #e partner-ship comes during the centennial anniversary of scouting, and I was honored to welcome scouts from across Georgia to Boy Scout Day at the Capitol and recognize this no-table milestone.

Sen. Chip Pearson serves as chairman of the Economic Devel-opment Commi%ee. He represents the 51st Senate District which in-cludes Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Pickens, and Union counties and portions of Forsyth and White counties. He may be reached at 404.656.9221 or via e-mail at chip.pearson@senate.ga.gov.Sen. Pearson celebrates 100 years of scouting alongside Georgia Boy Scout troops

Legislation:Continued from page 1A

stay in Georgia because of their participation. To encourage more Angels to invest in Georgia’s en-trepreneurs, we will provide a tax credit of half of the total invest-ment, up to $50,000. Twenty-one other states have implemented programs to incentivize Angels and North Carolina’s tax credit program along resulted in nearly 700 new jobs with average salaries of over $58,000.

#is is bigger than a simple tax credit, however; it is an invest-ment in emerging technologies

and a way for Georgia to step up its game as a major player in the bioscience and technology indus-tries – key growth sectors for the future of Georgia’s economy.$ #is targeted approach will lead the way to job creation as Georgia sits as one of the nation’s leaders in new discoveries and boasts unmatched research institutions. $Georgia has always prided itself in being an innovator and this strategic focus on our intellectual assets will reap rewards.$ In fact, we’ve seen it al-ready. One Georgia company, In-

ternet Security Systems, was saved from closing its doors because of an Angel investor.$ And a few years later, sold their business for mil-lions to IBM.$ I believe we can see more success stories just like this if we make this piece of legislation a priority.

Our economy will recover and businesses will expand again.$ By proactively enacting these incen-tives, Georgia will be positioned as the destination for job creation.

Job Creation:Continued from page 1A

A new tax relief law allows people who contributed in 2010 to charities providing earthquake relief in Haiti to claim these do-nations on their 2009 tax return. You can receive an immediate tax bene"t, rather than having to wait until you "le the next year’s return.

Certain requirements apply: Only cash contributions made to these charities a!er January 11, 2010 and before March 1, 2010 are eligible. #is includes contri-butions made by text message, check, credit card, or debit card.

#e contributions must be spe-ci"cally for the relief of victims in

areas a'ected by the January 12 earthquake in Haiti.

You may deduct these contri-butions on either your 2009 or 1020 returns, but not both.

For additional information go to IRS.gov and search Haiti Earthquake Relief.

New tax break for contributions to the Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund

DDS in Blairsville begins new operating schedule

E'ective the week of February 15th, the Department of Driver Services (DDS) customer service center located at 37 Chase Drive, Blairsville, will change operating hours to #ursdays and Fridays only from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.$ #e center will be closed each week on Tuesday and Wednes-day.$ All centers are closed on Monday.$

“DDS continues to evaluate data statewide to make opera-tional changes to best manage our resources based on customer de-mand,” said DDS Commissioner Gregory C. Dozier.$ “As always, customers may conduct many transactions such as replacing a lost license or initiating a change of address online via www.dds.ga.gov even when centers are

closed,” he added.$For customers who must visit

in person on Tuesday or Wednes-day, the DDS center in Blue Ridge, Fannin County, 211 Industrial Blvd, Blue Ridge, hours of opera-tion are Tuesday through Friday from 8:00 am until 6:00 pm.

$Please visit www.dds.ga.gov for all location and service informa-tion.

Open Thursday and Friday each week

Sen. Bu!erworth Hosts Toccoa-Stephens County Day at the State CapitolBy Sen. JIM BUTTERWORTHColumnist

the “far, dark woods” where he had walked and meditated.$ #ey weren’t really that far away.$ Just a thought away.$ And so it is with us.$ It’s not that we shirk from the troubles we might be facing.$ Instead, a brief refresh-ment, even in the mind’s eye, can bring release and restoration.$ Try re-placing the “Far Dark Wood” (which might seem foreboding to you) with your own favorite resting place.$ You will be surprised how much the rec-ollection will aid your ailing spirit.

$ Another poem, “#e Speechless Kingdom,” also published in his 1950 Bow Down in Jericho collection, seems, to me, to be stating his pur-poses for writing.$ When I lead a writ-ers’ workshop or speak to a group on the poetry of Reece, I always read this poem as his statement of purpose for writing.$ What a calling he had, and how well he ful"lled it in his gi! of poetry to us:

$!e Speechless Kingdom

Unto a speechless kingdom IHave pledged my tongue, I have

given my wordTo make the centuries-silent sky

As vocal as a bird.$#e stone that aeons-long was

heldAs mute through me has cried

aloudAgainst its being bound, has

spelledIts boredom to a crowd$Of trees that leaned down low to

hearOne with complaint so like their

own--I being to the trees and earAnd tongue to the mute stone.$And I being pledged to fashion

speechFor all the speechless joy to "nd#e wonderful words that each to

each#ey u%er in my mind.

I cannot add an iota or even a thought to such a proclamation of purpose for the poet.$ To be the voice, the tongue for “a speechless king-dom,” the “ear to trees,” the “tongue to mute stone.”$ And, furthermore to be able to “fashion speech” so that the

very stones can cry out, the trees can register their voice, the skies stretched in silence above are heard through his poetry!$ What a gi!, and how well he executed his gi!, his calling to allow us to see in new and vibrant ways the “Speechless Kingdom” for whom he spoke.$ I need space to point out met-aphor, simile, personi"cation, rhyme, rhythm, other poetic elements he employed with such expertise.$ But if you are one who likes to pursue poetry on your own, I ask you to go back and reread each of the poems, absorbing all the nuances of excellent poetry you "nd in these two o'erings from Reece.

#e Reece family has a long and rich heritage in America, Wales and England as we’ve seen by previous articles.$ #rough the words of one of them, Byron Herbert Reece, moun-tain farmer, poet and novelist, we are able to look at the things he wrote about in a di'erent and more lucent light.$ #e speechless speak through his words.

We are rich, indeed, because he wrote.

Page 4A GEORGIA SENTINEL

CALENDAR

UG Hospital Auxiliary to host a Gold Buying Event

on Tuesday, February 23rd from Noon to 7:00pm at the Union General Hospital in Blairsville.

Go through your jewelry box and pull out all the old pieces you no longer wear—broken chains, a single earring, out of style earring jackets, class ring, a forgotten boyfriend ring or pendant, an old gold watch (doesn’t matter if it works) and bring it to the hospital. South-east Gold Buyers will determine if its 10K, 14K

or 18K and you can trade it for current market prices and get PAID on the spot!!!!

Southeast Gold Buyers will be making a -

ing Home Special Needs and to provide schol-arship for local medical students.

For more information on this event, please contact Pat Cook at 706 781-1908 or email xp-cook@windstream.net

Grassroots groupWill be meeting on February 11th at 6:30

P.M. at the Civic Center. Advocacy discussions will be conducted. Jeff Langley candidate for

Jones candidates for 9th District will discuss the grassroots efforts and his campaign. Please bring non-perishable food for the 9th district food bank. Contact 706/745-7201.

Free native plant sym-posiumFebruary 20, 9am-3pm at NC Arboretum, Asheville, presented by NC Native Plant Soci-ety. Ed Schwartzman, NCDENR, Natural Her-

River; Scott Dean, WNC Naturally, on Great

hike and many other presentations. Brought to you by Gardens of The Blue Ridge & Carolina

index.php/site/event_details/1445/

MOPS"Blairsville Mothers of Preschoolers will meet February 18th at the First Baptist Church of Blairsville from 6-8pm. Join us as marriage counselors Phil and Mary Mason answer all your relationship questions and offer tips on keeping the SIZZLE in your marriage! MOPS is open to mothers of children birth-Kindergarten. To make a reservation

706-745-2469. Visit us at www.mops.org for more informa-tion!"

Union General Hospital Auxiliary

is hosting a gold buying fundraiser on Tuesday, February 23rd from Noon to 7:00pm at the Union General Hospital in Blairsville.Go through your jewelry box and pull out all the old pieces you no longer wear—broken chains, a single earring, out of style earring jackets, class ring, a forgotten boyfriend ring or pendant, an old gold watch (doesn’t matter if it works) and bring it to the hospital. Southeast Gold Buyers will determine if its 10K, 14K or 18K and you can trade it for current market prices and get PAID on the spot!!!!Southeast Gold Buyers will be making a 20%

Home Special Needs and to provide scholar-ship for local medical students. For more information on this event, please contact Pat Cook at 706 781-1908 or email xpcook@windstream.net.

Saved by Grace Full Gospel Church will be having a All

Weekend Service on Saturday, February 20th- Sunday February 21st.

Saturday, February 20th Services will be at 10 a.m. until ?, Saturday evening 7 p.m. to ?

Sunday Morning Service begins at 10 a.m. all day food and refreshments will be served on Sunday.

The church is located on Burnt Schoolhouse Ridge Road. Everyone is invited to attend.

Reverend Shannon Burrell.For more information contact Mary Jane

Kitchens 828-389-4180

Road to RecoveryAre you a cancer patient? Do you need

a ride to and from your treatment ses-sions? A lack of transportation should not be the reason why cancer patients do not receive the life-saving cancer treatment they need. The American Cancer Society offers their Road to Recovery program to help transport cancer patients to and from their treatment. The Society has a toll-free number that you may call, and an operator will put you in touch with lo-cal volunteers that give cancer patients without personal transportation rides to and from their cancer treatment sessions. Give them a call at 1-800-ACS-2345.

Man to ManProstate Cancer Support Group—3rd

Monday of every month from 5:00-6:30 p.m. at The Cancer Treatment Center Au-ditorium, 750 Deep South Road, Blairs-ville.

Parkinson’s supportOur group meets at 3 p.m. on the 2nd

Wednesday of each month in the confer-ence room of the Union County Public Library. For further information contact Paula Wilde at (706) 745- 6594 or Peter and Helen Schultze at (706) 745-9171.

Alcoholics Anony-mous

Blairsville group meets every Monday and Wednesday night at 8 p.m. and Sat-urday mornings at 8 a.m. at the Mountain Presbyterian Church on Hwy. 515. For more information call 706-994-4462.

T.O.P.S.TOPS (Take Pounds Off Sensibly)

support group is moving to a new loca-tion at Zion United Methodist Church, 4812 Young Harris Hwy. Time weigh in 5:00; meeting starts at 5:30. Come join us to learn how to lose weight the sensi-ble way. Membership fee of $24 includes monthly magazine subscription. Monthly awards and contests, weekly programs on nutrition and health. For more infor-mation call Sandy at 706-835-1607.

Morning Coffee Group

Regency Hospice announces Men’s Morning Coffee Group at Mary Ann’s Restaurant. For men who have a lost spouse, partner, or experienced other losses and would like to share with other men, please join us on Tuesday at 10 a.m. We meet the first and third Tuesday morning of each month.

For more information call Suzanne Repp, Bereavement Counselor at Re-gency Hospice in Hiawassee, Ga., at 800-577-8791.

Cancer Support Group

At the United Community Bank in Hayesville, N.C. Patients, families and friends are all welcome to attend. United Community Bank is located at the corner of Hwy. 64 and Hwy. 69. Meeting time is 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The group will meet twice a month (on the 2nd and 4th Mondays). For more information, please call Janet Curns evenings at 828-389-0295.

Narcotics Anony-mous Weekly Meet-ings List

Mondays - 7 p.m. 12-Step meeting at Union County Annex Building located at 71 Hospital Street. This is an open meet-ing. Union County Anti-Drug Coalition

Tuesdays - 4 p.m. Open discussion meeting at Towns County Avita Commu-nity Partners. Meet at 1100 Jack Dayton Circle, Young Harris, Ga.

Tuesdays - 7 p.m. Discussion meeting at Union County Annex Building & New Hope Counseling at 71 Hospital St.

Wednesdays - 6 p.m. Open discussion meeting at Union County Avita Commu-nity Partners. 41 Hospital St., Suite 100, Blairsville.

Fridays - 8 p.m. Open discussion meeting at Union County Annex & New Hope Counseling, 71 Hospital St.

All the meetings are open & anyone can attend. For more information regard-ing any of these meetings, please call 706-897-9775, 706-896-6263 or 706-745-4066.

Bereavement Sup-port Group - Meet-ing Changes

Welcome to a community bereave-ment support group. A place to share your thoughts and feelings and grow to-gether with others who have experienced the loss of a loved one.

First Thursday of every month at Unit-ed Community Bank, Small Community Room, Blairsville from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

We will only meet once per month. Facilitator: Suzanne Repp, LCSW. The group is presented by Regency Hospice and is free of charge. Please call 1-800-577-8791 or 706-896-1251 for more in-formation.

Young Harris Al AnonThe Young Harris Al Anon Family

Group will meet at 12 Noon every Tues-day in Young Harris, Ga., at Sharp Me-morial United Methodist Church, Room 105. For more information, please call 706-781-3158.

Your Journey from

Mourning to JoyGriefShare is a Biblically-based week-

ly support group for people grieving the death of someone close. It’s a place where you can be around people who understand how you feel and the pain of your loss. At GriefShare, you’ll learn valuable information that will help you through this difficult time in your life.

A GriefShare group meets every Tues-day, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. starting Sep-tember 1, at All Saints Lutheran Church in Blairsville. Call 706 745-7777 for more information.

GWRRA meetsChapter J of the Gold Wing Road Rid-

ers Association (GWRRA) meets the fourth Saturday of each month at Daniel’s Steakhouse, Hiawassee, GA. We eat at 11 AM followed by the meeting at 12:00 during which rides and other activities are announced and discussed.

We encourage current members of the GWRRA and anyone interested in becom-ing a member to join us. All motorcyclists are welcome and we look forward to see-ing participants from other chapters. There are great rides coming up and we hope many of you will join us.

For further information, contact Chap-ter Director, June Gottlieb, 706-896-7403

Tri-State Business Women

Formerly known as Business Women of Blairsville, the Tri-State Business Women is an organization of entrepre-neurial women in Georgia, North Caro-lina and Tennessee who own and operate their own businesses and are a positive force in the community. Their vision and mission is to support one another in con-tinuing success through networking and marketing.

If you are a woman in business in the area, there is a place for you to receive support, gain leads, and spread the word about your practice or business in the area.

Meetings are held every Tuesday of the month at 8 a.m. at Grinds N Glazes in Blairsville. For more information, please contact Susanne Johnson, President, at 706-781-1678 or Cathy Wheeler at 706-781-1050.

Ga. Mtn. Writers ClubWe meet 10 a.m. to noon the sec-

ond Wednesday of the month at the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic church on the Young Harris Highway.

We have no membership dues or elect-

and provide helpful criticism, inspiration, motivation and encouragement to each other. Everyone is welcome. You do not have to be a writer - just visit and enjoy listening to readings and discussion. You will be entertained – and maybe acquire a new interest.

Call for information: Larry Casey at 781-6636 or Ellie Dobson at 745-0678.

Knights of Columbus, North Georgia Council

Knights of Columbus, North Georgia Council, monthly meeting is on the sec-ond Thursday of the month and meets 7:30 p.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Blairsville. All active mem-bers are invited to attend the meeting and social hour.

Bagpipe InstructionThe Appalachian Saint Andrew’s Pipes

and Drums bagpipe band is offering free instruction to all who want to learn how to play the Great Highland Bagpipe or learn Regimental Drumming. The band meets each Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon in the Parish Hall of Saint Clare’s Episcopal Church for instruction and practice. For further information, please call 706-835-9071 or 706-745-3526.

Mountain High Hik-ers Schedule

Mountain High Hikers schedule two hikes each Tuesday, occasionally spe-cialty hike, and regular trail maintaining trips- all in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina and Georgia.

Check the web site: MountainHigh-Hikers.org for schedule and meeting lo-cations or call 828-389-8240 for informa-tion.

Kiwanis ClubThe Kiwanis Club of Blairsville is dedi-cated to serving and supporting young people in the immediate area around Blairsville through numerous projects. The Kiwanis Club meets at the Cobb’s Mill restaurant in Blairsville at 12:00 Noon each Monday. Come join in the fun with us. For more information, con-tact President Charlie Krick at (706)781-6793.

DAVThe Disabled American Veterans meet

monthly on the second Monday of each month at noon in the Old Nursing Home, Room 116, in Blairsville. Please join them.

Club 180 for TeensJoin us on Fridays at 6:30 p.m. for fel-lowship, fun and snacks at Choestoe Bap-tist Church, 4455 Choestoe Church Rd., located south of Blairsville off Hwy. 129 and Hwy. 180. For more information and directions, please call the church at 706-745-6370.

Mountain Sounds Dulcimer Club

We meet every 2nd & 4th Tuesday

from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30p.m. at the Senior Center in Blairsville. No matter if you just started playing the dulcimer or if you are experienced, come join us for a good time playing your favorite songs and learning new songs. For more information, please contact LaDale at 706-835-1688 or ray-dale@windstream.net. Hope to see you at our next meeting!

Just 4 HoursJust 4 hours a week can make a big

difference in caring for abandoned and abused animals. Just 4 hours to walk dogs. Just 4 hours to groom dogs or cats. Just 4 house to clean the cattery. Just 4 hours to transport dogs and/or cats to the vet. If you have just 4 hours a week to volunteer your time and energy, please contact Castaway Critters at 706-781-3992 or call Martha at 706-379-2729.

Trout UnlimitedTrout Unlimited meets the 2nd Thurs-

day of each month at Cadence Bank con-ference room in Blairsville at 7:00 p.m. For more information, please call Marcus Tuschel at 706-835-9010.

Experimental Aircraft Association

The Experimental Aircraft Association - local tri-state EAA Chapter #1211 meets the third Thursday, 7 p.m. of each month at Blairsville airport. For more informa-tion, contact Jim Olson at 828-557-2446.

Shooting Creek Bas-ket Weavers Guild

The Shooting Creek Basket Weavers Guild meets on the 2nd Wed. of each month from 9:45 until 2:00 at the Shoot-

-tion) in NC. Refreshments are served and a business meeting is held before a weaving project is presented. For more information, contact Joan (Guild presi-dent) at 706-896-1534.

UC Republican PartyThe Union County Republican Party

holds its monthly meetings on the third Saturday of each month at Victoria’s Sweet Shop. Meetings begin at 9am and have an optional breakfast for $6. More information can be found at www.union-gop.org.

Tri-State Business Women

Women business owners in the tri-state area are welcome to attend and join our weekly meeting every Tuesday at 8am. Meetings are held at the Blairsville Res-taurant with breakfast available to those interested. Come and see how women are making an impact as leaders in our com-munity. For more information visit www.tri-statebusinesswomen.com.

Republican Women of Union County

The RWUC meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7pm. Meetings are held in the Brackett Room at the United Com-munity Bank. For more information visit www.RepublicanWomenOfUnion.org.

Mothers of Preschool-ersmothering organization, creates commu-nities and resources to help make "bet-ter moms who make a better world." A MOPS group is a place where moms can come-just as they are-to build friendships, receive mothering support, practical help and spiritual hope. Join us - because bet-ter moms, make a better world! Visit us at www.MOPS.org

Mothers of Preschoolers meets on the Third Thursday of each month in the new fellowship hall at First Baptist Church of Blairsville from 6-8pm. Call the church

-tion or email us at mopsofblairsville@gmail.com.

Smokie Mountain Melodies

Smokie Mountain Melodies is a ladies barbershop-style chorus whose members

and Western North Carolina. As a chap-ter of Sweet Adelines International, the chorus is committed to a goal of advanc-ing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and perfor-mances.Smokie Mountain Melodies meets every Tuesday night at 6:30 at the First United Methodist of Union County in Blairsville, Georgia located at 859 Highway 515. Any women who have a love of singing are welcome to join. For more informa-tion call the Director, Phyllis Baker at 706-379-3836.

Forming Gourmet Dinner Clubdining connoisseurs, must have some gourmet cooking skills and room to host candle light, sit down dinners in your home. Full time and part time residents welcome. Hiawassee and Young Harris. Limited membership. Call Diane 706-835-5007

Amateur RadioAttention HAMs and anyone interested

in Amateur RadioThe North Georgia Tri-State A.R.C.

(Amateur Radio Club) meetings are

7 p.m. at Branan Lodge in Blairsville. All of our meetings are open to the public. Our next meeting is to be held December 1st and will begin with a special techni-cal session on Amatuer Radio Emergency

Tarheel Network in North Carolina. For

more information about joining the Club or becoming a HAM, call Don Deyton at 706-781-6665.

Amateur license testing will be held on December 7th in Blairsville at

310 Welborn Street, Blairsville, GA. Contact Bob Ochs at 706-838-4728 for more information.

DAR MeetingThe December meeting of the Old Uni-

coi Trail Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolu-tion will be held at the Big Springs meet-ing room at The Oaks in Hiawassee, GA, Saturday, December 12th, 2009, at 10:15 AM. OUTDAR members will tell about their memories of celebrating Christmas in other countries. Members will also

club chapter projects. If you are inter-ested in learning more about DAR, an organization for women who have Revo-lutionary War patriots in their family his-tory, contact Eloise Wolfersteig, Regent, 706-379-2533. Old Unicoi Trail Chapter serves Towns, Union, and Fannin Coun-ties. The Old Unicoi Trail homepage is found online at http://oldunicoitrail.geor-giastatedar.org.

Computer ClubThe Mountain Computer User Group Will meets in November on TUESDAY at 7 PM in the Goolsby Center, Young Harris College. Please note this is a change from our normal meeting date. At this time we will be presenting a program on all the new technologies that you can expect to get for Christmas. Come join us as we travel into the land of new technology. You might just get a glimpse of what Santa has in store for you at Christmas this year. Don’t forget we are meeting on Tuesday, November 10th. at 7 PM and not on Monday as we normally do.We will start the evening with our usual Q&A session. Come and join us for a lively session that is bound to increase your computer knowledge. Our Q&A session begins at 6 PM. Bring a friend and join us for the evening, you’ll be glad you did.

Union County Repub-lican Party will be holding its monthly meeting on Saturday, January 16th at 9:00 am at Vic-toria’s Sweet Shop at 2386 Young Harris Highway, Blairsville. A buffet breakfast for $6 will be available and is optional. Everyone is invited to attend and meet

-ers this month are:

Max Wood, running for Attorney General - By way of Presidential appoint-

ment, Max Wood served as the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia beginning in 2001. He served as the Chief Prosecutor and law enforce-

70 county Middle District of Georgia. This district includes the cities of Athens, Macon, Columbus, Albany and Valdosta.

Insurance Commissioner - She is a con-servative running to serve Georgia as Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner. Pro Fair Tax, Pro Gun, and Pro Life.

Doug MacGinnitie, candidate for Secretary of State Candidate - Doug be-lieves the key to creating jobs during the current recession is a focus on small business.“More than 75 percent of jobs that are created in this kind of recession are created at the small business level,” he said. “If you care about jobs in the state, then you should care about small business.”.

Melvin Everson, running for Labor Commissioner - Republican Melvin Everson has developed a reputation for strong, conservative leadership as a State Representative from Gwinnett County. Prior to being elected to the State Legis-lature, he was elected City Councilman in Snellville twice. Everson has made a dif-ference for those he has served at both the local and state level. He served 23 years in the military before retiring in 1999.

Additional information may be ob-tained at www.uniongop.org or by calling 706-781-1013.

Patriots of Union County

The Patriots of Union County meet on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30 P.M. at the Civic Center (next to Steve's Steak House). 185 Wellborn St. This is a non-partisan group and every-one is invited.

The meetings will feature discussions on Constitutional rights, state's rights, right to bear arms, Fair Tax, border secu-rity, energy dependence and more.

A canned and non-perishable food drive will be held in conjunction with the meeting for the 9th District Food Bank

For more information call: 706-745-7201

Auto ClubThe next meeting of the Good Neigh-

bors Auto Club will be on Thursday, Jan-uary 21st, starting at 7:30 PM. Meeting to be held at Brothers Restaurant in Murphy, NC . All meetings are open to the pub-lic and are held on the third Thursday of each month.

Mountain Communi-ty Seniors meets second Thursday each month at Senior Center in Hiawassee at 2:00 P.M.. We invite and welcome all Mountain Seniors from Towns, Union and Clay Counties to join us. We have Music,

trips. On Thursday Feb. 11th We have Roy Perrin, Principal of Towns County High School who will give us his very entertaining rendition of Elvis. Light refreshments served. Do come join us.

Un ion :   Recur r i ng    Events

Church

SUPPORT

Un ion :  Upcoming  Events

ACTIVITIES

Fann in :    Upcoming  EventsMOAA

The Blue Ridge Mountains Chapter of -

ca (MOAA) meets the third Monday of each month at various area restaurants. All active duty, National Guard, reserve, retired, for-mer military, Public Health Service, NOAA

spouses are invited to attend.For information please contact one of the

following individuals, in North Carolina: Jim Ferrell at 828-335-9203, and in Geor-gia: John Quinlan at 706-896-2430, or visit www.moaa.org/chapter/blueridgemoun-tains.

Community Prayer Meeting

This Thursday, February 11,2010 a community prayer meeting will be held at

downtown, Blue Ridge at noon. Everyone is invited to attend as we continue to pray for our nation'sand community's leaders and true repentance for our country. Please come and support our efforts as we join with

questions please contact : Lydia Long 706-374-4750

Some  look  to  things  to  satisfy,To  bring  euphoria  and  contentment.

But  pursuit  of  more  can  lead  to  miseryAnd  the  never-satiated  desire  for  greater  possessions.

Some  hope  to  have  a  life  without  trialsAnd  so  seek  to  avoid  pitfalls  that  would  bring  sorrow.Along  the  journey  the  traveler  must  take  heed  to  self.

Peace  and  joy  are  inward  traits;  the  way  we  think  is  who  we  are.               -Ethelene  Dyer  Jones  

“I’ve  learned  from  experience  that  the  greater  part  of  happiness  or  misery

depends  on  our  dispositionsand  not  on  our  circumstances.”

          -Martha  Washington

Worth ConsideringA thought for today

As I sit by my woodstove on this cold February day, I find my thoughts drift-ing towards that bright spring day when I will pick the first sugar snap peas grow-ing in my garden. Soon I’ll be sowing flats of seeds, watching in amazement as the tiny seedlings beg to be transplanted into larger pots which will fill my green-house with promises of summer flow-ers and fresh garden vegetables.

I have gardened for more than twen-ty-five years and yet, each spring, I am awestruck by the magic and productive power of a tiny seed. This same magic takes place every year on our forest floors. Where there is now a dusting of snow across leaf litter, there will soon appear hepatica, bloodroot, trillium, solomon’s seal, trout lilies and ladies slippers. Whether scattered by the wind and wild life or carefully planted by the human hand, seeds fill our world with beauty and life sustaining nourishment.

As impressive as the seed may be, it could not survive without Mother Na-ture’s black gold ---- rich fertile soil. Dur-ing the quiet months of winter as well as spring, summer and fall, the living soil is replete with activity. One acre of fertile topsoil contains approximately eleven

tons of biological life. Earthworms aer-ate the soil and fertilize it with their cast-ings. Millions and millions of micro-organisms – bacteria, fungi, algae and protozoa – work in the top! six to twelve inches of the soil decomposing, digest-ing plant and animal matter and feed-ing nutrients to plants. Nature’s perfect recycling system is in constant motion turning plant and animal matter into rich humus and top soil. But nature works slowly, taking up to 500 years to build one inch of topsoil.

I have always believed that close ob-servation of the natural world can be one of our greatest teachers. Nature is patient, slow and precise. In nature nothing is wasted. If we want healthy and productive soil that will sustain us for many years, we must nourish that soil.

Composting is a perfect lesson from nature. By creating a home composting area, we can recycle our food and yard wastes and produce our own “black gold” which feeds our soil, our plants and ourselves. Compost enclosures can be as simple as a hardware cloth cylin-der large enough to circle the compost heap, to a commercially produced re-volving drum unit. Turning the pile will hasten decomposition, lending a hand

to the busy microorganisms and worms working in the pile.

Learning from nature is both edu-cational and rewarding. Following her lead will point us towards a sustainable future!

The Preservation Committee spon-sors projects to promote environmen-tal stewardship and the preservation of native plants. For more informa-tion about projects and volunteer op-portunities, contact Jennifer Cordier (706-745-9317) or Clare Johnston (706-745-2655; www.gmrec.uga.edu; Georgia Mountain Research and Edu-cation Center).

GEORGIA SENTINEL Page 5A

CO M M U N I T YTributes

Subscribe to the Sentinel 1 Year - $25

Call (828) 389-8338

Loretta Elizabeth Butts Thomas Mrs.Loretta Elizabeth Butts Thomas age 75 of

Home Run Rd. Blairsville passed away on Feb.10,2010 in the Willow Wood Nursing Home following an ex-tended illness.Mrs.Thomas was born on May 16,1934 in Union County,the daughter of the late Homer Butts and the late Minnie Ledford Butts.She was a native and lifelong resident of Union County.Loretta was a loving mother,sister,grandmother and great grandmother.She was preceded in death by a grand daughter,Bridget Totherow. Mrs.Thomas was a mem-ber of Philadelphia Baptist Church

Surviving Mrs.Thomas are one daughter and son in law,Raelene and David Geer of Tuscaloosa, AL.,three sons and two daughter in laws,Tony and Rob-bin Totherow of Gainesville,GA .,Flint Totherow of Buford,GA .,Nathan and Mary Totherow of NY.,one sister,Lorene Grace Shepherd of Dalton,two brothers and one sister in law, Arnold and Lou-

ise Butts of Blairsville,Ivan Butts of Blairsville,four grandchildren,Franklin Geer,Mindy Totherow,Tyler Totherow and Mindy Mosser,three great grandchildren,Kennedy,Jackson and Carter,many other relatives and friends also survive.

Funeral services were held on Saturday Feb.13,2010 at 11:00am from the Mountain View Chapel with the Rev.Tommy Jones officiating. Special music was presented by the Philadelphia Church Choir.The following gentleman served as pallbearers,Vernon Patterson,Vester, Jonathon, Buck,Jacob and Joshua Dills. Intermen followed in the Philadelphia Baptist Church Cemetery.The family met with friends at the funeral home on Friday evening from 6-9pm.

Mountain View Funeral Home of Blairsville in charge of the arrangements.You may sign the family guest book and send condolences on line at www.mountainviewfuneralhome.com

Joseph Murray Brown Jr. Mr.Joseph Murray Brown Jr. age 71 of Deerberry

Drive Blue Ridge passed away on Thursday Feb.11, 2010 in the Union General Hospital following an extended illness. Mr.Brown was born on Dec.30,1938 in Richmond,VA .,the son of the late Joseph Murray Brown and the late Coy Eloise Ward Brown.He was a veteran of the US Navy.Joseph was a loving father and grandfather.He was preceded in death by a son,John Brown in 2006 and by a sister,Judy Pointer.Mr.Brown was of the Catholic faith.

Surviving Mr.Brown are one son and daughter in law,Patrick and Stephanie Brown of San Antonio,TX.,one daughter and son in law, Anna and

Steven Balser of Stauton,VA .,five grandchildren,Evan Williams,Logan Hogan,Jaron Brown,Katherine Brown and Emily Brown,many other relatives and

friends also survive. A memorial service will be held at a later

date and will be announced.In lieu of flowers if you wish,the family requests that memori-als may be made to the American Cancer Society in memory of Mr.Brown.

Mountain View Funeral Home of Blairsville in charge of the arrangements.You

may sign the family guest book and send con-dolences on line at www.mountainviewfuneral-

home.com

Harry Leroy DennisMr.Harry Leroy Dennis age 88 of 120 Fine Drive

Murphy passed away on Thursday Feb.11,2010 at Stonehenge Drive Blairsville following an extend-ed illness.Mr.Dennis was born on Dec.8,1921 in Niagara Falls,NY.,the son of the late Wil-liam Rimert and the late Alice Dennis Rimert.He was a veteran of the US Navy of WWII.He was preceded in death by his wife,Dorothy Louise Conoway Dennis in 2006.He retired in 1986 from NY.State Power where he worked there and Niagara Mohawk for over forty years.Mr.Dennis was of the Protestant faith.

Surviving Mr.Dennis are two daughters and one son in law,Barbara and Roland Verrico of Murphy,Linda Dennis of Pittsburg , PA .,three grandchildren,Kelli

and Mario Oliverio,Brook Wilson and Michael Verrico,three great grandchildren, Domenic,Victoria and Rocco Oliverio,many other relatives and friends

also survive.Services w ere held on Saturday Feb.13,2010 at 5:00 pm from the Mountain View Chapel

with Minister Terry Stuart officiated. Inter-ment followed in the Bushnell National Cemetery in Bushnell,FL.,where he will rest next to his wife Dorothy.The family

met with friends at the funeral home on Saturday from 4-5pm.

Mountain View Funeral Home of Blairs-ville in charge of the arrangements.You may sign

the family guest book and send condolences on line at www.mountainviewfuneralhome.com

Jeramiah”Jeremy”David HaistMr.Jeramiah”Jeremy”David Haist age 32 of Hem-

bree Crossing Roswell,GA .passed away on Tuesday Feb.9,2010 following a brief illness.Mr.Haist was born on May 4,1976 in Indiana,the son of Rob-ert L. Haist and Catherine Wells Haist.He was a loving son,brother,grandson and was a friend to many.He was preceded in death by his grandparents,Elizabeth Bohl Haist and Lloyd and Edwina Haist.Mr.Haist was of the Christian faith.

Surviving Jeremy are his parents,Robert and Catherine Haist of Blairsville,one brother,Joshua Haist of Roswell,grandparents,Paul and Dorothy Hussey of Lawrenceville,IL.,aunts and uncles,Sally and Mel Lockwood of Columbia,SC.,Carol and Da-vid Gaddey of Tuscola,IL.,Cindy and David An-

this of Mt.Carmel,IL.,John Anderson and Terry Powell,special friends,Katrina Smith-Mays and Austin Mays,many other relatives and friends also survive.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday Feb.13,2010 at 2:00pm from the Mountain View

Chapel with the Rev.James T.Paul officiating.Special music will be presented by Kristi Conley.In lieu of flowers if you wish,the family requests that memorials may be made to ActionAid International,1420 K

St.N.W.Suite 900 Washington,DC. 20005 or to Castaway Critters in memory of Jer-

emy.The family will meet with friends at the funeral home on Saturday from 12-2:00pm.

Mountain View Funeral Home of Blairsville in charge of the arrangements.You may sign the family guest book and send condolences at www.mountain-viewfuneralhome.com

Eileen Theresa Walsh Eileen Theresa Walsh, 60, a ten year resident of

Blairsville, Georgia and previously of Vero Beach, Florida, died on February 9, 2010 at home after a long battle with cancer and lupus.!

She was born on September 13, 1949 in Worcester, MA to the late Claire Lil-lian (W helan) Walsh and Vincent Martin Walsh, Sr.! Survivors include her long-time friend, Sandra Campbell of Blairsville; her brother, Vincent M. Walsh, Jr. of Boylston, MA; two sisters, Joanne C. Carlson of Man-chester, Conn. and Sheila M. Shrewsberry of Edgewater, MD. and nine nieces and nephews.! Eileen was predeceased by her brother, Martin J. Walsh of New York City, NY.

After moving to Montvale, NJ during her senior year of high school, Eileen returned to Worcester, Mass. to graduate from Marian High School.! She earned her

Bachelor 's Degree from St. Joseph's College in W. Hartford, Conn.and then, following her dream,

became a successful folk artist, jeweler and equine portrait painter.

Services and interment are private.! In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Francis of Assisi Catho-

lic Church, 3717 Highway 515, Blairsville, GA, 30512-3288.

Mountain View Funeral Home of Blairs-ville in charge of the arrangements.You may sign

the family guest book and send condolences on line at www.mountainviewfuneralhome.com

www.ngpg.org

Now Accepting Patients in Blairsville!Neurologist Shaena Blevins, MD, of Northeast Georgia PhysiciansGroup Neurology, is now accepting patients in two locations:

BLAIRSVILLE77 Weaver Road, Suite BBlairsville, GA 30512Friday: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

GAINESVILLE 1315 Jesse Jewell Parkway, Suite 300Gainesville, GA 30501Monday through Thursday: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Call 770-219-6520 to schedule appointments.

Shaena Blevins, MDNortheast Georgia Physicians Group Neurology

www.ngpg.org

Habitat for Humanity Bowling Tournament"e Fi#h Annual Habitat for Hu-

manity Bowling Tournament will take place Saturday February 27th at the Galaxy Bowling Center in Blairsville.

"e tournament is open to the public and is designed to bring the community together for fun and fellowship. Proceeds from the tour-nament will be used to further the Habitat Mission to provide a$ord-able housing in the Towns Union County community.

Reducing poverty in this eco-nomically depressed time is chal-lenging. We all have had to cut and get back to the basics however, for some of our friends and neighbors this has been a way of life for many years. Doing without or having to pay most of their income for hous-

ing perpetuates the problem. Sharing your blessings with

those in need makes us all winners! Local businesses are rallying to sup-port the bowling tournament. All we need is your team to compete in this fund raiser.

If your business or organization has not been contacted and would like to be a sponsor, contact the Habitat o%ce for a “sponsor pack-et” and Habitat will promote your business during the tournament.

"is is a non-sanctioned tour-nament and no previous handicap is required. Teams should be com-

posed of four bowlers with at least two women per team. Handicap will be based on 90% of 210 at the time of the tournament. Cash and door prizes will be provided as well as fun and fellowship.

Deadline for team registration is Feb. 20th. Cost is $25 per per-son, $100 per team. Registration forms are available at Galaxy Bowl-ing Center and through the Habitat o%ce at PO Box 270, Young Harris, GA 30582 or by calling the Habitat o%ce at 706-379-2484 or by email-ing habitato%ce@brmemc.net.

Habitat for Humanity of Towns Union Counties is a nondenomina-tional Christian housing ministry building a$ordable housing for the needy in our community.

Compost: Mother Nature's black goldBy JENNIFER CORDIER

Plant Rescue Team

Page 6A GEORGIA SENTINEL

CO M M U N I T Y

Worship at the Church of your choice

HEMPHILL VINYLSIDING WHOLESALE

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PLYMOUTHDODGEJEEP

INDIGO HILLS RESTAURANT

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Royal Crest & Mastic Vinyl Siding

Jimmy’s Metal6242 Patton Place, Blairsville

706-745-0096

Information line 706-745-8888

Cochran  Funeral  Homes

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MountainBuilding Supply

ELSIE'SSteak & Seafood

Hot Bar & Salad Bar

321-4915

356 West Main St., Andrews, NC

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UNIONS!"#$"!%PUBLISHER: Frank BradleyEDITOR: Randal MacCreaBryan HughesEDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Debbie WalkerCIRCULATION: Debbie WalkerBOOKKEEPING: Pat McCollum

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the address

listed below: Union Sentinel, PO Box 1996, Blairsville, GA 30514.

706-745-6397CORRECTIONS: If you !nd a mistake of fact in the

Union Sentinel that is serious enough to warrant a correction or clari!cation, call or stop in so we can make it right in the

next week's edition. Email us at usentinel@gmail.com

"e Union Sentinel (USPS 015363) is published weekly each "urs-day. Subscriptions are $25 a year in Union County; $45 out of area.

Periodical postage paid at Blairsville, Georgia.

Subject to our liberal credit policy and limitations, if any.

Septic Tanks Pumped Since 1987

CHRIS  MOTE’SPumping  Service

Call  Today

Cleveland - Toll Free 1-877-250-PUMP (7867)

O!ce 706-865-5526

Mobile770-530-2034

2257 Hwy. 515 Blairsville GA

706-835-2881

Bruce Masonry & ConcreteRock,  Brick,  Block,  Stucco,  Decks  Stampcrete,  Flat  Work,  &  Patio

706-781-0950Cell: 706-483-8366

Blairsville Diamond Center

40 Blue Ridge Street706-­745-­6727

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Send news tips, photographs, letters, opinions and suggestions to

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Shed Weight & Feel Great Workshop at Unity

TVA and Blue Ridge Mountain EMC can help you lower your energy use. It starts with an In-Home Energy Evaluation. You�’ll get a number of recommendations to make your home more energy ef cient, including cash incentives for half the cost of quali ed home modi ca-tions (up to $500). To learn more, call Blue Ridge Mountain EMC at (706) 379-3121 ext. 781 or (828) 837-1017 ext. 781

Blue Ridge MountainElectric Membership Corporation

IS YOUR ENERGY USAGETHROUGH THE ROOF?

Acts 1:11# Grace Presbyterian Church of

Blairsville, GA is privileged to have with us this year four missionaries whose service have nearly covered the globe.# Dr. David Cashin who is currently a professor of Intercultural Studies at Columbia International University, Columbia, SC, serving in the Biblical Seminary and School of Missions.# He is $uent in several languages, served as missionary in Bangladesh, been a church planter, educator and development worker with SIM International.# He has authored several books and numer-ous articles on Islam and other sub-jects.

# Melanie Currie is a young lady preparing to soon return to "ailand for long-term missionary service.# She realized God’s call to missions as a teenager and followed that call on many short-term missions trips serving in many parts of the world.# In 2007, she answered God’s call for a two year term to "ailand where she used her skills serving the peo-ple there while sharing the message

of God’s love through Jesus Christ.# While there she sensed God’s call-ing for long-term service and will soon be returning to disciple the children and young women of the church in their faith in the Mahathai community of "ailand.

#Sam and Elizabeth Goodwin are with Mission to the World (MTW) through the PCA and will be serv-ing the Lord in England.# "ere they will join with the British Reformed denominations and groups to plant churches in urban se%ings.#

#Also, Major Chip Huey a military Chaplain, will be joining us.# What a privilege to share the# Gospel, while serving Christ in our armed services.

#Mark your calendars and plan to a%end one or all the special meet-ings and hear what God is doing around the world.# "e church is located at 1700 Young Harris High-way (just past Arne’s going east from Blairsville on the right).# Visit us on the web at www.gracepcablairsville.com or call the church at 706 745-3653

Missions Conference“Why Stand Ye !ere Gazing?”

12:30 Sunday a&ernoon February 21st Kara Merjia will present a free mini-workshop at Unity Church of the Mountains. Kara is the developer of the "Natural Body Make Over" system. She will present her "Shed Weight & Feel Great" program, de-scribing a simpli!ed 30-day health and life style program. As a natural health advocate, motivational speak-er and lecturer, Kara will teach you a new way of cooking and eating that will increase your health and vitality.

Come and hear this dynamic speak-er and a%end her free introductory workshop. You can also check out her website www:cookingwithkara.com.

Unity Church of the Mountains is located at the 19/129 Plaza, 226 Gainesville Highway, Suite F, Blairs-ville, GA. Sunday service starts at 10:30 AM. "e Course of Miracles Class starts at 10:00 AM every Tues-day. You can visit our web-site at www.unitychurchofthemountains.com

The Blairsville-Union Coun-ty Chamber of Commerce will hold its first Membership Meeting of the year on Thurs-day, February 25, 2010 start-ing at 11:45 at North Georgia Technical College Conference Center.# Tickets for the meeting

and lunch are $10.00 each for Chamber members and $20.00 each for non-members.

The event will include a recognition ceremony for the STAR Students and Teachers of Union County High School and Woody Gap, a 2009 Re-

view/2010 Outlook of Cham-ber activities, and the presen-tation of the 2010 Community Magazine. Those who attend will be among the first to re-ceive a complimentary copy of the publication.

If you plan to attend please

R.S.V.P. by Friday, February 19 to reserve your seats either on-line through the Chamber web-site Events Calendar at www.VisitBlairsvilleGA.com or by calling the Chamber office at 706-745-5789.# Advance pay-ment is requested.

Union County Chamber of Commerce announces Membership Meeting & STAR Student/Teacher Presentation

Place your ad in our classi!eds and reach thousands of North Georgia readers. Cost is only $5 for the !rst 10 words for one

week in Union, Towns and Fannin Counties. Call (828) 389-8338CLASSIFIEDS

Bobcat T300 Track Loader, Cab-Heat-Air, 81 Hp, 1870 Hours, Good Condition! Rock bottom price $4500, contact: dmant5@msn.com / 678-609-1528

Real Estate Attorney full-time office position: Experi-ence with real estate transac-tions and /or mortgage lending background required. Send re-sume to : P.O. Box 2807, Blairs-ville, Ga 30514

Caremaster Medical Service is now hiring CNA’s for in-home care positions in the Hiawassee and Clarkesville area. We offer flexible staffing, competitive pay, and benefits. To begin your application process, go to our website at www.caremastermed-ical.com. You may also call our Job Hotline at 1-866-703-1566. EOE/ Drug -free workplace.

CNA’s needed for Cherokee and Clay County. Please call Hel-en @ (828) 835-8147

Seasoned firewood for sale: $55 a load, delivered. 706-781-7590

Meow Meals on Wheels. Joy/Glen. $15 per visit- your home; 706-896-9521.

Tile installer your tile or mine, 26 years experience have refer-ences and liability insurance. Ask for Don at 828-389-9394

D&L Painting & drywall INC. -

all types of finishes & textures 100% Quality Driven. Free Es-timates cell: 828-508-5270 of-fice(1): 828-321-2111 office(2): 828-479-4052

Housing Crisis hitting home? Payments straining your wallet? Call 877-835-8904 to lower your Mortgage payments.

Walker Storage Corner of Old Highway 64 West and West Cher-ry Road. Convenient to Warne, NC. and Western Clay County. Variety of sizes. Concrete block Construction 828-389-4926 Hours 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Will baby sit your child or children: Any age. Reasonable rates.References available. Call 706-299-1614

Massage Therapy - in the comfort of your home. Licensed and insured. 18 years experi-ence, call Gerri; 1 hour $40; Half hour $25; 706-896-6108.

Paying cash for gold! Rings, necklaces, bracelets, watches, etc.In most cases, paying at least DOUBLE what any pawn shop will pay. Gold tested, weighed and you are paid on the spot! 706-896-1380-

We buy junk, wrecked, rusted old cars and trucks. Call George 706-455-1129

Wanted : Old Pinball Ma-chines , Electro-mechanical, Call 828-389-6459

Black and white Australian Shepherd lost on Gum Log near county line. Bob tail dog, no col-lar, male. Please call 706-897-8150 or 706-781-3974.

Investment Property near YH College? 3 BR Brick House , remod-eled on 1.24 acres in city limits. City water & sewer. Located below Ele-mentary School. $195,000.00 Steve 201-315-9818

3 Bedroom, 2 Bath partially fur-nished home, Lakeview, Hwy 175 $850.00 per month. 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath $450.00 per month. 1 Bed-room, 1 Bath furnished $35.00 per month. References and Security de-posit required. 828-507-1617

BEAUTIFUL CREEK FRONT CABIN – 2 Bedroom, 1 bath cabin on rush-ing creek just minutes from marina and downtown Hiawassee. Very private, end of lane location. Updat-ed kitchen, hardwoods throughout and large wood burning fireplace in great room. Being offered fully furnished, or will consider offering unfurnished or partially furnished if desired. Must have references and good credit. Small pet ok with pet deposit. Prefer year lease, but will consider 6 month lease with good references. Call Scott at 404-542-2152. $675.00/mo. plus 1 month security.

FOR RENT – 2 BR/2.5 BA, Moun-tain Home w/ long range views. LR, eat-in Kit., Appliances & W/D, Wood burning fireplace., carport, deck, & shed. $700.00 month. 706-897-1734

NEW NAME, NEW DEALS! NOW Renting 1 Bedroom, 1 Bath, 2 Bed-

room, 1 1/2 Bath from $475 to $595, includes all appliances, free water and trash disposal. NO steps and Pet friendly. Ridgeline Apartments, 3346 Highway 64 East, Hayesville, NC. 828-389-1545

Small lake house on Lake Chatuge with dock. 2BR/1BA, par-tialy furnished, $600 plus deposit. Annual lease, no smoking, no pets. Valerie 404-849-9010. Available Jan-uary 9th.

1 BR, 1 1/2 BA Large Duplex Apt. + Bonus Room in Blairsville. Flp., ja-cuzzi, custom kitchen. $550/ mo. + deposit. 706-745-2297 or 770-712-2107

Complete Piano Tuning $100

Moving away in a few weeks, Call before it’s

too late!(832) 239 2644

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Were you aware that, over and above its day-to-day operations, this busi-ness also spent an additional $7 mil-lion in the local economy on building materials, equipment and subcontrac-tors as it builds new facilities to sup-port its current and future growth?

Who is this North Georgia eco-nomic powerhouse?

It is Young Harris College, the 124-year-old institution of higher education that is experiencing un-precedented growth as it began of-fering baccalaureate degrees in Fall 2009 and saw total fall enrollment hit a record high for the third consecutive year.

“!e community knows we are providing a great education to college students,” said Young Harris College President Cathy Cox, “but not every-one sees the impact our operations have on the local economy and on area businesses. We make a conscious e"ort to buy locally and spend locally whenever and wherever we can – and the dollars prove that we’re having a huge impact.”

From employment, to consump-tion of utility services and purchas-ing, to giving back through service to others#Young Harris College is making a signi$cant e"ort to sup-port local businesses, local gov-ernments and local communities.

Conducting Business As UsualWith approximately 700 students

enrolled for the 2009-2010 academic year, Young Harris College paid in excess of $603,000 to Blue Ridge Mountain EMC for electrical and In-ternet service in 2009. YHC is a huge customer of the City of Young Harris, paying more than $105,000 for water and sewer service over the last year, and assuming costs to improve city in-frastructure in areas where it connects to the campus with no cost to the city. Additionally, the College contributed a parcel of property for the City of Young Harris’ new water tank.

!e College spent more than $250,000 with local businesses for propane and oil for heating its fa-cilities, and almost $90,000 for cable television and Internet services.

While the College is exempt from many taxes as a non-pro$t entity, it still paid property taxes to Towns and Union counties and the City of Young Harris totaling more than $35,000 for properties that are not used in its educational operations.

Leading the Way in New Construction

!e building boom on Young Har-ris College’s campus has led to signi$-cant expenditures in the local area.

In constructing a new 200-bed residence hall that opened in August 2009, the College spent nearly $4.5 million, or approximately 30% of the total project cost, on building materi-als, equipment and subcontractors in the region.

A new student recreation and $t-

ness center currently under construc-tion and slated to open in August 2010 has likewise bene$%ed local businesses with $2.6 million already spent locally on building materials, equipment and subcontractors.

Both the new residence hall and the student recreation and $tness center are being constructed to LEED stan-dards (Leadership in Energy and En-vironmental Design), making them environmentally friendly and energy e&cient. !ey will serve as models for future construction on the cam-pus, and, hopefully, as examples for future construction throughout the region.

For both of these new facilities, the building contractor hired by the Col-lege, Hardin Construction Company, estimates that it has hired around 40-60 local laborers on the projects with a payroll of $200,000-$260,000 thus far. Non-local laborers and managers on the projects have stayed at local hotels, rented local homes, and pur-chased meals at local restaurants.

!e College has a 12-court tennis complex under construction as well, and almost all of the $400,000 spent on it to date has been spent with local sub-contractors for services and materials.

Improving Existing StructuresWhile new buildings catch most of

the a%ention on campus, Young Har-ris College has engaged local contrac-tors to renovate, repair and build out o&ce spaces in numerous existing buildings throughout campus. Dur-ing 2009, the College paid more than $306,000 to local contractors and businesses for these shorter construc-tion, renovation and repair projects.

Bringing New Residents to the Area

!e dozens of new faculty and sta" at Young Harris College have likewise put new money into the local econ-omy through the direct purchase of goods and services, with more than $30,000 spent with local moving companies, plus numerous homes purchased and rented. More than 53 percent of all YHC employees live in Towns County; 22 percent live in Union County; almost 10 percent live in Clay County, N.C., and the re-maining number live in other north-east Georgia, western North Carolina or suburban Atlanta communities.

!e College hosts numerous guests for meetings, performances, lectures, its annual Homecoming, and other events on campus. To that end, YHC spent more than $68,000 with area hotels and resorts on lodging and meals for guests and special events.

YHC ramped up its campus activi-ties in 2009 with the employment of a full-time campus activities director, but it still introduced students to a variety of local entertainment ven-ues, spending more than $7,500 with nearby businesses for student meals and o"-campus activities.

Almost one-fourth of Young Har-ris College students are from Towns, Union, White, Fannin, Clay and

Cherokee counties, and the College awarded $1.4 million of its own schol-arship funds to these local students to make their education at YHC pos-sible. Many of these local students also hold work-study jobs on campus to further support their education.

Fostering Philanthropic E!ortsMembers of the Young Harris Col-

lege community opened their hearts in 2009 and gave of their time, energy and resources to aid local and locally sponsored outreach programs.

“!e faculty, sta", administrators and students of the College are very sensitive to the needs of our area, and they stepped up this year to help in many ways,” President Cox said.

!e YHC men’s and women’s cross country teams host the annual “Jingle Jog” to raise money for the Drug-Free Towns County Coalition and the Union County Anti-Drug Coalition.

An annual “yard sale” was held by College employees to raise more than $1,100 for S.A.F.E, and the College’s chapter of Circle K International, a branch of Kiwanis, raised more than $600 for the Union County SAFE House. Circle K students also ran the guest concession stand at several local football games and volunteered at nu-merous local festivals.

During the Christmas season, YHC employees raised nearly $700 to help pay electrical bills for needy families through Blue Ridge Mountain EMC. !ey collected more than $300 in cash and enough canned goods to $ll up an SUV to help the Towns County Food Pantry feed more than 600 fam-ilies at Christmas.

!e construction crew working on the College’s new recreation facility donated hundreds of dollars in toys to Towns County Sheri" Chris Clin-ton’s toy drive for needy children. Stu-dents from YHC’s Circle K chapter also sang Christmas carols at Union County Hospital.

Each member of Coach Rick Rob-inson’s baseball team made shoebox-es for Operation Christmas Child, a global e"ort to provide Christmas gi's for needy children sponsored by Franklin Graham. !e Dorcas Society and students active in the Religious Life program also collected and assembled almost 100 shoeboxes from students for the project as well. Dorcas student-members also volun-teered with children’s activities at a lo-cal church.

YHC students volunteered for a variety of other projects through the College’s Religious Life program, including co-sponsoring commu-nity service days in Hayesville, N.C., through the Hinton Rural Life Cen-ter, where they organized to paint, sand, hammer, wonder-bar and clean homes.

!e newly established Bonner Leaders program at YHC, a program focused on service- and experien-tial-learning and civic engagement, logged more than 1,000 hours for student volunteer service during fall semester 2009 alone#their $rst on

campus#working at Towns County Family Connection, the Hinton Rural Life Center and other organizations like the Humane Society’s Mountain Shelter and the City of Young Harris’ Cupid Falls park project.

Student-athletes were involved in mentoring elementary school chil-dren, moving furniture for elderly res-idents, landscaping at Towns County schools and local churches, and of-fering free baseball clinics for local students.

YHC media studies honors stu-dents are working with the Towns County Food Pantry to develop and coordinate a public relations and marketing campaign to increase do-nations to the organization.

A favorite annual event for students and the community alike, the YHC Fall Fest hosted more than 500 com-munity children and parents for safe trick-or-treating and other fun fall and Halloween games.

Students also participated in the “Shop with a Cop” program with the Hiawassee Police Department, and the “I am Wonderfully Created Pageant” at Towns County Middle School.

!e College also hosted two blood drives for the American Red Cross.

Encouraging Civic EngagementYoung Harris College students

served area businesses and govern-ments in a variety of internships, in-cluding working with Towns County Herald and local radio station WACF 95.1FM/WYHC 770 AM, or those working with the City of Young Har-ris as project managers, on theme development for the Cupid Falls park project, or for grant writing and zoning research, and with the city of Andrews, N.C. A number of other students participated in two clean-up days for the City of Young Harris’ Cu-pid Falls park project.

Talented YHC students who sing in a cappella groups !e Compul-sive Lyres and Southern Harmony performed for Blue Ridge Mountain EMC’s annual shareholders’ meeting, for the Towns/Union retired educa-tors’ Christmas banquet and for local civic clubs, churches and schools. Stu-dent-musician instrumental ensem-bles also performed at area churches, nursing homes, high schools and at other special community events.

!e 200-plus faculty and sta" members of Young Harris College set a high standard in their commit-ment to the community. College employees served as o&cers, mem-bers and speakers for local Kiwanis, Rotary and Lions clubs, the Stephens Lodge, Towns County Fire Board, Towns County E-911 Board, Union/Towns Employer Commi%ee, S.A.F.E., D.A.R., Towns and Union chambers of commerce, the Byron Herbert Reece Society, Mountain Regional Library, Northeast Geor-gia Youth for Christ, Towns County Sheri" ’s Community Advisory Board, Bu%ernut Creek and Friends, Summer’s Last Kiss Arts & Cra's Festival, Towns County Fire Depart-ment’s Fire-in-the-Mountains Chili Cook-O", Southern Appalachian Sustainable Building Commi%ee, Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition, Tri-County Junior Golf Association, Towns County Extension Leader-ship Commi%ee, Wilderness Scouts, and book clubs. !ey volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, served as poll workers, worked with various

leadership groups and gave their time to numerous other civic and commu-nity organizations. Faculty also led international trips to Vietnam, Cam-bodia, !ailand and Greece, in which members of the local community were able to participate.

Numerous YHC faculty and sta" worked with area schools, including those consulting with Union County Schools on upcoming music-accred-itation events, mentoring students at Mountain Education Center or mak-ing presentations at all area schools on various programs at the College.

Fine arts faculty members judged senior projects at Towns County High School, led workshops at area high schools, hosted area high school students at YHC $ne arts events, served as guest designers for community performances and per-formed for local school, church and community events. Numerous YHC faculty and sta" serve local churches as choir members, choir directors, Sunday School teachers, pianists and organists. Additional faculty and sta" participate in community choirs and other local musical groups.

Enhancing the Cultural Land-scape

!e Division of Fine Arts of Young Harris College provides a continual array of cultural o"erings and pro-gramming throughout the year, with most events presented to the lo-cal community for free or nominal charges. During 2009, the College hosted approximately 30 di"erent art, music and theatre programs on campus to literally thousands of area residents, including about 4,500 ele-mentary school students, and almost all art exhibits and music programs and concerts are o"ered at no charge to the public.

Another public favorite, the Col-lege’s Rollins Planetarium o"ered nearly 100 separate shows to school groups, senior citizen groups, scouting groups and others during the year, plus 34 Friday-evening shows open to the public. More than 9,000 people from the local area viewed the planetarium and observatory shows during 2009.

Supporting Local Education and Life-long Learning

As Young Harris College prepares to launch degree programs in educa-tion, it is becoming increasingly in-volved with area educators and local school systems. Numerous Towns and Union educators and administra-tors are contributing input and ideas to the development of the YHC edu-cation programs.

!e College hosted the $rst Area Educator Appreciation Luncheon in the fall, and YHC education profes-sors serve on the board of advisors for the Early Childhood Education program in Union County schools. YHC faculty also participated in fac-ulty exchanges with Union County High School.

In addition, approximately 35 YHC students each completed 10 observa-tion hours in Towns and Union coun-ty schools.

A large number of YHC faculty and sta" use their expertise in teaching classes for the Institute for Continu-ing Learning (ICL), a volunteer-run continuing-education program a&li-ated with the College that utilizes col-lege facilities. During 2009, YHC fac-ulty and sta" taught classes in poetry, the Russian Revolution and Stalin-

ism, China, Brazil, music, politics and political science and other topics.

One YHC professor taught in Blairsville’s Master Gardener Pro-gram, a business professor provided leadership instruction to the Towns County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service, an instructor lectured on and demonstrated yoga to the Hayesville Middle School’s Health Fair, and an-other led the North Carolina Writers’ Network poetry critique group that meets monthly at Tri-County Com-munity College. Other YHC sta" also o"ered presentations on police-community relations.

!e College’s Duckworth Library is open to students and to the public more than 70 hours per week, seven days a week, when school is in ses-sion, and community members are welcome to use College library ma-terials. !e Library jointly sponsored lectures with the Mountain Regional Library and hosted programs with the Byron Herbert Reece Society.

In celebration of the 200th anniver-sary of President Abraham Lincoln’s birth, Duckworth Library and YHC’s history department co-sponsored a Lincoln lecture for the College and community and made the Library’s extensive Lincoln collection available for public viewing.

Making A Lasting ImpactYoung Harris College positively

impacts the communities that sur-round it through a number of di"er-ent avenues that include spending for business operations, educational and cultural o"erings, and the time, talent and generosity given by each member of the YHC campus com-munity. In return, local citizens have a long history of embracing the College as well as the individual faculty and sta" members and students who call North Georgia home.

“Communities with colleges are almost always enriched by the talent and resources that come with a cam-pus,” said President Cox. “!e cities and counties surrounding Young Harris College surely bene$t not just from our signi$cant expenditures, but also from the generosity of our tal-ented and compassionate faculty, sta" and students. We’ve been here so long that sometimes folks forget the wide variety of things we’re involved in, but we have a great story to tell, and we will always strive to be a strong and responsible citizen of this area.” About Young Harris College Founded in 1886, Young Harris College is a private, baccalaureate degree-granting college located in the beautiful mountains of north Geor-gia. Historically a&liated with !e United Methodist Church, Young Harris College educates, inspires and empowers students through the highest quality liberal arts education. Long known for nurturing students during the $rst two years of college, Young Harris College received ac-creditation in 2008 to grant bachelor’s degrees. !e College currently has ap-proximately 700 students across four divisions#Fine Arts, Humanities, Mathematics and Science, and Social and Behavioral Science#and plans to increase enrollment to 1,200 over the next few years. !e historic cam-pus in Young Harris, Ga., is currently undergoing major campus improve-ments to accommodate the College’s growth. For more information, visit www.yhc.edu. -YHC-

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