Snellville Spirit by Accent South Media

Hello FRIENDS Hello OPPORTUNITY Hello FUTURE

SUMMER 2011

Summer 2011 - Volume 3 Snellville Spirit Magazine is produced by : Snellville Tourism & Trade Association P.O Box 669 Snellville, GA 30078 Website: www.snellvillepride.com Snellville Tourism and Trade Association’s mission is to promote business, tourism and events in the city of Snellville.

President Don Britt

Vice-President Kelly McAloon

Secretary

Aysha Cooper

Treasurer Paul Slifko

Board Member Gretchen Schulz

Board Member Brian Pendley

Board Member Deborah Parks

Board Member Susan Chappelear

Board Member Sam Roper

Executive Director Joe Burnett

Mayor of Snellville Jerry Oberholtzer

City Council

Barbara Bender (Mayor Pro-Tem), Tom Witts, Mike Sabbagh, Kelly Kautz, and Tod Warner Snellville City Website: www.snellville.org Magazine Design by Accent South Media, Inc.

Dear Snellville Supporter: In our third edition of Snellville Spirit magazine, the Snellville Tourism and Trade Association (STAT) is pleased once again to showcase the exciting changes taking place in our great community while celebrating our people and our special history. The City Council has adopted the concept of a new Town Center plan for the City of Snellville as well as a new branding statement incorporating the history of Snellville with the spelling of “Towne Center” and the introduction of the “@” sign as an assent to the future technological progress. The result is “Towne Center @ Snellville”. STAT had an exciting Spring with the 38th annual Snellville Days Festival and Parade. The second year of the awardwinning Snellville Farmers Market opened on May 14th with over 50 vendors. The first Craft and Antique Village opened on the first Saturday in June with 16 great vendors. STAT produced its first Popcorn in the Park outdoor movie event in Briscoe Park on June 11th with over 350 people in attendance. The largest weekend of the Summer took place on June 17th and 18th with the Sizzlin Snellville Summer Weekend. The first events brought great crowds. Unfortunately, the stormy weather required the Grill’n on the Green event to end early. But that was all forgotten when between 15,000 and 20,000 people showed up for the biggest 4th of July celebration in history on July 3rd with Star Spangled Snellville. We want to thank the great folks at Snellville First Baptist Church for allowing us to partner with them. Welcome to our new Editor, Kathy Emanuel, who, with design firm Accent South Media, has helped expand departments in this third edition of Snellville Spirit Magazine. All of this progress could not take place without the support of our members, our sponsors and our advertisers. Please take the time to support and thank each one of them as you do business in Snellville. Stay up to date with the latest STAT happenings at www.snellvillepride.com. Best Regards, Don Britt, President don@summitchasecc.com

Snellville Spirit Editor - Kathy Emanuel Cover Illustration by Clark Patterson Lee

Letter from the Mayor The cover illustration of Oak Road and Clower Street as envisioned in The Towne Center @ Snellville master plan inspires me to engage in a little daydreaming. What if it really happened – City leadership, businesses, and residents hard at work engaging each other in a partnership to create a walkable, vibrant, inviting, community and commerce gathering place. Sure, this is a grand idea. It might be the effect of the summer heat, but I believe that we can do it. There is already much happening around the City. This, the third edition of the Snellville Spirit, highlights the opening of the new Public Works facility, the expanded opportunities at the “Sizzling Summer Weekend”, the Star Spangled Snellville July 4th activities, the ongoing Snellville Farmers’ Market, the first Craft Village and the upcoming 2nd Annual Fall Festival. The partnership with Entrepreneur Advisors to offer leading edge business growth education and the opening of several new business is encouraging news for the economic growth of our city. In the Community News section there are stories on the organizations in our city attempting to help others in our community and include many ways you can get involved. I encourage each of you to bring your passion and participate in Snellville where ...

Everybody is PROUD to be Somebody. Sincerely, Jerry Oberholtzer, Mayor

A Resolution for the new Towne Center plan continues to excite the Mayor and City Council. Pictured left to right, Jerry Oberholtzer (Mayor), Tod Warner, Barbara Bender (Mayor Pro-Tem), Kelly Kautz, Tom Witts, and Mike Sabbagh. For more information about City Council meetings and minutes, visit www.snellville.org

Table of

CONTENTS

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FEATURE

Hello Future! The New Towne Center @ Snellville

COMMUNITY NEWS BUSINESS & COMMERCE NEWS EVENTS & HAPPENINGS THE SNELLVILLE PUZZLER SNELLVILLE HISTORY PARKS & RECREATION SENIOR CENTER SNELLVILLE RECIPES

Hello Friends, Hello Opportunity, Hello Future, These three phrases herald the new Towne Center vision about which we are hearing so much. I like the sound of them. Don’t you? You’ll find more information on this new Towne Center plan in the feature article. Welcome to the third issue of the Snellville Spirit. All the people who contribute to Snellville Spirit (and there are many) are working hard to improve it with each issue. I just signed on as Editor, so I am “the new kid on the block”, but I join with them in the desire to make Snellville Spirit a magazine that Snellville can find entertaining and informative – a magazine of which all of Snellville can be proud. We hope you enjoy the city employee profiles which features city employees from different departments and what their job’s entail. The opening of the New Public Works Building is interesting and I find it encouraging that any government can do anything and stay under budget! And please don’t miss the gorgeous pictures from Snellville Days taken by the talented students from the Gwinnett Tech Photography Program! We need your help. Please send us your ideas and comments. If there is information that you think would be helpful or interesting – tell us. If you have some great recipes – send them. If we include something you particularly like – tell us. Conversely, if we include a section that makes you snooze – tell us. If your organization has an interesting event, or is one of the many local organizations that needs help to serve the people of Snellville who are less fortunate – yea, I know you’ve got it by now, but I have to say it – tell us. Our Fall issue will be to you around the middle of October and then this year we are doing a special Bonus Holiday issue. Please send me any Holiday events that your organizations have planned. But I am especially interested in your individual Holiday Traditions for a special section in the Holiday issue. Thanks so much for your help in making Snellville Spirit “your” magazine. Kathy editor@snellvillespirit.org

Hello

FUTURE:

The New Towne Center @ Snellville

The Towne Center Spark Building on the existing strengths of our city, the objective of The Towne Center Vision and Master Plan is to create a spark that reignites commerce and community in Snellville.

The Snellville Farmer’s Market, perceived to be the symbol of the future – the way things could and should be, provides the fuel for the spark and illuminates the ground swell in the community for civic participation. The Towne Center @ Snellville is the catalyst to reverse the perception that Snellville is a crossroads that people travel through, but don’t stop to visit and shop. Bringing commerce and community together is a key goal for The Towne Center @ Snellville plan and celebrates and offers a place for the rich diversity that is evident in

the community to come together. As The Towne Center master plan comes together, community is the goal. Seeking to bridge (or tunnel) the “rivers” that flow through Snellville to connect The Towne Center districts, and the unique Snellvilles. An alliance of entrepreneurs, both new and existing enterprises, organizations and citizens are coming together to enhance the mission of the Snellville Tourism and Trade Association and the Commerce Club and build on the success of the Farmers’ Market. This alliance is supported by the Snellville Entrepreneurs Council. The alliance includes collaborations with South Gwinnett High School, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Eastside Medical Center, and others. The spark created by The Towne Center @ Snellville vision will continue to seek engagement by business and community members. This big plan will continue through the cooperative energies of the businesses in The Towne Center @ Snellville.

Where Commerce Meets Emily Brown Snellville Economic Development Department Here in the Economic Development office, we are wired. Not like drinking-coffee-all-day wired, but rather, wired to the internet for the newest and best thinking about developing local economies. A blog post by the nationally renowned retail consultant Rick Segel recently stood out to us. With the tagline, “If you dislike change, you are going to have a hard time coping with irrelevance,” the post explained the importance of utilizing internet tools to build a business. Businesses that post useful information connect with their audience and build trust. Soon, businesses in Snellville will have the chance to try these tactics for themselves, when the first ever Snellville Social Media Series launches. We’ll be visiting local businesses, taping short segments where they give a “biz/per” or an insider tip, then posting it on Youtube. And if you are intrigued by these ideas, come to the next Entrepreneur Symposium, to be held on August 26th from 8:00 am to 12 pm at South Gwinnett High School.

Change is afoot in Snellville. Plans for The Towne Center @ Snellville are in the works, and with it comes a new branding strategy for the development that proclaims “Hello Opportunity,” “Hello Friends,” and “Hello Future.” These cheerful messages greet a new day for the city, while remaining rooted in the friendly, small-town culture that makes this a great community. The development of The Towne Center @ Snellville will bring new retail, office and housing options to the heart of Snellville, transforming it into a pedestrian friendly, downtown environment. While it is a change, new development can be seen as an opportunity. Already, the announcement of The Towne Center @ Snellville has brought attention from regional news sources such as the Atlanta Business Chronicle, which calls Snellville “fertile ground” for entrepreneurs. The Economic Development office is here to help you grow your business or start a new enterprise. We are excited and engaged, and ready to work with you to make Snellville the best place for your business to thrive. If you’d like to talk about how to use the internet to your best advantage, if you want to participate in the Social Messaging Series, or attend an Entrepreneur Symposium, or if you have questions about The Towne Center @ Snellville email evanotteren@snellville.org or economicdevelopment@snellville.org.

Feature: The New Towne Center @ Snellville

SNELLVILLE...

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Community News

The NEW

Public Works Building is Open for Business

The Snellville City Council and Public Works Officials help Mayor Oberholtzer officially open the new building. On May 17th, with members of the City Council, Public Works Director Gaye Johnson and a number of city employees assembled in front of Snellville’s new Public Works building, Mayor Jerry Oberholtzer cut the ribbon to officially open the 13,000 square foot facility. For Public Works Department employees, who are responsible for sanitation, recycling and maintenance within the city, the ribbon-cutting ceremony couldn’t have come soon enough. They have been working in an old, cramped facility in Briscoe Park for years, and the new building will allow them function with much greater efficiency. The new Public Works building is adjacent to the city’s recycling center on Marigold Drive, and contains considerably more office and shop space than the old facility. The additional space will not only allow the department to operate more efficiently, it will enable better utilization of equipment and resources. As has become typical of Snellville city projects, the Public Works facility was completed on schedule and under budget. The project

was paid for by 2009 SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) funds and is debt-free. According to Craig Barton, the department’s Maintenance Manager, “The new facility gives us the storage and work space we need to handle maintenance and keep our equipment indoors. (Public Works maintains and services all city-owned vehicles including police vehicles, in addition to its own cars, trucks and equipment.) The new building will not only increase the longevity of our equipment, it will also allow us to be better prepared to respond to events like snow and ice storms. If we have everything inside, we can be loaded up and ready to go because we won’t have to deal with equipment and materials that must be cleaned off and warmed up before they can be used.” The building’s increased office space also contributes to greater efficiency. Public Works is responsible for the city’s storm water program, which includes inspections and reports required by the state Environmental Protection Division (EPD). Those reports, and the attendant record keeping, require space that was previously unavailable and electronic equipment that had to be shared. That’s no longer the case, so employees can now use their time much more effectively. Snellville’s Public Works Department is an important part of the city’s success, and that fact may be more widely known than you realize. During the tour that followed the ribboncutting, representatives of at least two other Gwinnett County cities looked over the facility very carefully—trying to learn how to do things right for their own cities.

The new building has room for servicing and maintaining all of the city’s vehicles. It also has room for housing properly equipped vehicles indoors, when severe weather is anticipated, so they are ready to respond immediately when needed

August 2nd, 6-8pm

Police dogs demonstrate their crime fighting talents for spectators at the 2010 National Night Out Against Crime. The Snellville Police Department will be hosting it’s annual National Night Out Against Crime on Tuesday, August 2, from 6pm to 8pm at The Towne Center Green. The event is free and all Snellville citizens and members of the business community are invited to attend. The informative evening will begin with the raising of the flag and the National Anthem. Members of the Police Department including Chief of Police, Roy Whitehead will be available for questions and will be showing police vehicles with the latest crime-fighting accessories, tactical equipment and weapons, and the always popular K-9 demonstrations.

The Snellville MOMS Club supports at-home Moms

Smiles at a strawberry picking field trip The Snellville Moms Club® (Moms Offering Moms Support) would like to extend an invitation to all Snellville at-home mothers to join and participate in the their many activities.

Representatives from the Snellville Police Explorers Post 805 will be available to discuss this unique unit that focuses on law enforcement education for teenagers. The Snellville Citizen’s Police Academy Alumni Association will be there with information regarding the Citizen’s Police Academy. Also attending will be the Snellville WorkIntelligence-Network (WIN), a group of local merchants and bankers who meet regularly to share information with law enforcement to help detect, deter and report criminal activity. Local colleges will be offering information on Criminal Justice programs and Home security vendors will also be presenting information. A variety of brochures focusing on safety, drug prevention and related topics will be available. Child fingerprinting IDs will also be available. This event offers an opportunity for the residents of Snellville to connect with their local police department and learn how they can take an active part in promoting not only their own security and safety, but how they can contribute to the efforts of their local police to make all of Snellville a safer place to live and work. National Night Out Against Crime is a nationwide effort to heighten awareness of crime and strengthen the public’s participation in local anticrime efforts. The event this year is especially meaningful since the Snellville Police Department recently moved into its new state-ofthe-art facility near City Hall. This event is sponsored by the Snellville Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association and Target Corporation.

Community News

National Night Out Against Crime

The MOMS Club is an International non-profit organization specifically for at-home mothers everywhere (over 2400 chapters all over the world). The group gives full-time and part-time at-home mothers support by providing opportunities to interact with other mothers and their children. Activities are scheduled during the day, Monday through Friday, and because being an at-home mother often means making a financial sacrifice, dues are only $20 per year. The local club holds monthly meetings with informative speakers and discussions; playgroups, park days, pool days, kids crafts, lunch outings, field trips, and seasonal children’s parties; activity groups for mothers, such as a book club, recipe swaps, and a monthly MOMS night out; and service projects helping children and mothers in our community. The MOMS Club of Snellville has been supporting at-home moms in the area since May 1998. They meet monthly on the first Wednesday of each month. To visit, or for more information about the Snellville chapter, please see our website: www.snellvillemomsclub.com or contact the Snellville_MOMSClub@yahoo.com. The local chapter includes zip codes 30078 and 30039.

Summer Lunch Program needs help Many of our local children depend on the free and reduced lunch program provided by our schools. But what happens during summer vacation, when these lunches are no longer available? According to the Southeastern Gwinnett Co-op, over 50% of the children in schools covered by their service area use the Free and Reduced School Lunch Program. This equates to 1 out of every 2 children losing this important meal during the summer months. The Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry and the Must Ministries are joining together to provide a Free Summer Lunch Program to address this need and volunteers are greatly needed. Volunteers are needed at our host site helping to check, pack, and distribute lunches. Volunteer as a driver and deliver these precious lunches straight into the communities and hand them to the children. Also needed are pledges for complete lunches. To meet the current commitment, approximately 400 lunches per day will be needed in the Snellville area. According to Laura Drake at the SE Gwinnett Co-op website, “This is a frightening prospect for these families that are already struggling. But unfortunately this is reality for many of our children. I say “our” children because there is no excuse for any child to go hungry when we have the ability to do something about it.” Please contact Carol Love at gwinnettsummerlunch@ mustministries.org or Laura Drake at ldrake@ segwinnettcoop.org for more information.

Food Donations for the SE Food Co-op The Southeast Gwinnett Co-op continues to need donations of food and money in order to continue with their mission to help those in our community who need assistance. Below is a list of most needed items. Donations may be dropped off at the co-op during operating hours of Monday - 10am to 2pm, Thursday - 3pm to 7pm, and Friday - 10am to 2pm at 1200 Athens Highway, Grayson, GA 30017, Phone: (770) 985-5229; or at any collection barrel around the community. For additional information: www.segwinnettcoop.org. 10

Congratulations Gail! Gail Deal, who currently serves as Chair of Snellville Parks & Recreation Board, was honored for her years of service to the city. In addition to serving on the Parks & Recreation Board, Gail also volunteers in a number of other capacities.

Keeping Snellville Clean & Beautiful Our City, Our Community. We can help keep it clean and beautiful. Spring has brought out the flowers, but also over grown yards and weeds. In an effort to enhance the overall beauty and cleanliness of the City, we would like to remind our citizens to properly maintain their properties and to encourage their neighbors to do so as well. We are aware that there may be reasons for keeping that non-operational vehicle but keep it in the garage or other place where it is not inviting a code enforcement officer to come out and issue a citation. Regarding trash, debris and yard clippings piling up in the front yard – call the Department of Public Works and they will be more than glad to assist you with the disposal of the trash and debris. Also, signs in the rights-of-way are not permitted in the City of Snellville. There are ordinances in place protecting the citizens and their property values and they will be enforced. But it would certainly be much better to take care of these issues before being cited and fined. If you have any questions concerning the City’s ordinances or wish to report an unsightly property, you may email us at www.quality of life@snellville.org or call our hotline at (770) 985-3519.

Some of the Items Needed: Soup Rice Ramen Noodles Dried Beans Canned Milk Chili Fruit Grits Baking Mix Powdered Milk Any canned vegetables Vegetable Oil Ketchup Mayonnaise Salad Dressing

Peanut Butter Jelly Spaghetti Sauce Cereal Flour\Sugar Crackers Laundry Detergent Green Beans Corn

Rotary International is the world’s first service club organization filled with community leaders who volunteer their time and talents to serve their communities and the world. This summer, Rotary Club of Gwinnett Sunrise is focusing on the needs in their community. This summer the Rotary Club of Gwinnett Sunrise has partnered with the SE Cooperative Ministries and MUST Ministries to deliver free sack lunches to children in our area who participate in the free and reduced lunch during the school year.

Lions Club needs your:

used eyeglasses, cell phones & hearing aids The Snellville Lions Club is proud to be a contributor to the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, which has served as a beacon of hope to many uninsured or underinsured Georgians for over 60 years. The Lighthouse provides eyeglasses, exams, surgeries, and hearing aids that give Georgia residents the opportunity to see and hear again. Medical providers greatly discount their services for the Lighthouse. For every $1 donated to the Lighthouse, $5 worth of medical services are provided to Georgia’s hearing or sight impaired. In addition, the Lighthouse Foundation sends 100,000 pairs of recycled eyeglasses to developing countries each year. In 2010, the Lighthouse provided services in 158 out of 159 Georgia counties, facilitated over 300 eye surgeries, provided over 5,400 eyeglasses or exams to 3,556 Georgians and 986 people received 1,810 hearing aids through our new digital aid program. The Snellville Lions Club accepts donations of used eyeglasses of all types - single vision, bifocals, reading glasses, prescription sunglasses, and non-

Community News

The Rotary and Summer Lunches

Many children in Gwinnett County receive free and reduced lunches through the public school system and very often the parents of these children cannot afford to provide that meal for their children during the summer. That is where Rotary stepped was able to help. In conjunction with the Southeastern Gwinnett Coop (http://segwinnettcoop.org/wordpress/) partnered with MUST Ministries our Rotary is providing lunches to children in two neighborhood areas with the Snellville United Methodist serving as the host site. The two areas chosen for this program were based on need. MUST has been doing this program for several years in Cobb and Paulding Counties where they are delivering over 4000 lunches every day. The goal is to deliver 400 lunches daily every weekday this summer (except for Memorial Day and July 4th) from the churches that support the SE Gwinnett Co-Op, community organizations (Rotary), and local businesses. We encourage all to come alongside and participate in helping children in need this summer! If you are interested in finding out how you too can be a Rotarian, please join the club at its weekly meeting on Tuesday morning at Summit Chase Country Club for breakfast at 7:30am. What a great way to start off your business day, with fellow Rotarians and community partners. The club is open to anyone interested in finding out more about Rotary. Come and learn how you can get involved in activities locally and globally.

prescription sunglasses. We also accept donations of cell phones and hearing aids as part of our Cells for Sight program. If you would like to donate any of these items or place a collection box in your place of business, please contact Harold Walker at 404-376-2126 or e-mail him at hewalker7@ bellsouth.net. Come to one of our many fundraisers and experience our community spirit as well as partaking in our delicious funnel cakes, hot dogs, hamburgers, and other delicious goodies. Visitors are always welcome at the Club Meetings, which are held the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month at 7:00 pm at the Walton EMC Building, 3645 Lenora Church Road, Snellville GA 30039 Lions clubs have no religious, political, or business affiliation. The clubs exist solely to pool their skills, talents and resources for the betterment of the community. If you would like information on any future fundraising events, to participate in any Lions Club activities or to join the organization, contact Marlene Gillman at maragil39@yahoo.com. Future Fundraisers: September 26th – Golf Tournament Summit Chase Country Club October 1st & 2nd – Elisha Winn Festival

Snellville City Employees In this special series we will profile Snellville City Employees, giving readers an inside perspective on the leadership behind the scenes. We will take a look at three individuals who you may not recognize at the grocery store, but who work tirelessly for you every day. Although they have very different roles, they have the same priorities: to serve and protect you and your families.

Tina Chisholm

Records Administrator Snellville Police Department “Never a dull moment” is how Tina describes being a records administrator at the police department. In addition to greeting and assisting citizens when they first arrive in the lobby, Tina and her coworker are responsible for maintaining, organizing and distributing all the paperwork and reports that are processed through the department. This includes arrest records, incident reports, accident reports, family violence reports, citations and witness statements. One of her responsibilities is the UCR, the Uniform Crime Report, which is compiled monthly and submitted to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The GBI compiles

Harmit Bedi

Director of Planning & Development Snellville City Hall Director Bedi joined the Snellville planning and development team in 2008 and has also worked in the planning and development departments of Savannah, Duluth, Woodstock, Sugar Hill, and Sandy Springs, as well as Chatham and Bryan Counties. Harmit’s job responsibilities include coordinating and administrating the City’s development review process to ensure compliance with the City’s comprehensive plan; zoning ordinances; property development regulations and other related codes, ordinances, and policies. He is responsible for reviewing site plans, building plans, planning applications, and overseeing the quality of life division. After Harmit has studied and reviewed the vast amount of material that comes across his desk to make sure it adheres to all Snellville and the County’s codes and ordinances, he then makes recommendations to the Mayor and City Council.

UCRs from other cities and counties and submits its state report to the FBI. Next time you hear a newscast with national crime statistics, remember that Tina supplied some of the data. Tina is G.C.I.C. (Georgia Criminal Information Center) certified which allows her to perform background checks (including criminal records). And amazingly often, when someone comes in to request a background report, she uncovers an outstanding warrant. When that happens, the person has to be held while the investigators take over and determine whether the person has to be taken into custody. But according to Tina, one of the most interesting parts of her job is when she gets to do “detective work” requested by the G.B.I. or F.B.I. Considering all the varied aspects of her job, it may seem a bit amazing that Tina states her primary responsibility, as it is with every member of the Snellville Police Department, is to serve and insure the safety of the citizens and visitors of Snellville. Tina has lived in Snellville for 39 years, raised 2 grown daughters and has a 5 year old grandson with a new granddaughter “on the way.”

Harmit is also responsible for providing staff support to the Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals. Joe Williams, Chairman of the Planning Commission notes “His eagerness and willingness to work with the citizens and applicants to help them through the complicated process is a huge attribute and one you don’t always find in those who hold his position.” In addition, Harmit monitors the city’s development and growth to meet the challenges of future. Harmit is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, and has masters degrees in City and Regional Planning, Public and International Affairs, and Geography. He also has a Certificate in Management Development from the Carl Institute of Governments at UGA, Athens, Georgia. He is an Affiliate Assistant Professor at Georgia Gwinnett College, Kennesaw State University, and Georgia Southern University where he educates students of Public Administration in Urban Management and Urban Planning. In addition he is passionate about the sport of cricket. He states, “I am committed to making Snellville the most desirable community to live, work, play and raise a family”. Harmit invites you to share your ideas with him via email at hbedi@snellville.org or by calling 770-985-3514.

Detective/Investigator Snellville Police Department Time management and organization aren’t what you consider necessary skills for a police investigator. But Detective Patrick Sullivan maintains that they are both absolutely essential. According to Sullivan, “Most investigators in our department may have between 50 to 200 cases open at any time. We may be waiting for incoming information, for them to come to trial, or any number of other things, but we need to keep track of every case and work each one any time we can. The O.S.S.I computer program is a great resource to help keep all open cases active and up to date, by flagging dates and actions required. It’s a resource that many police departments do not have available.” Detective Sullivan notes, “Law enforcement in real life is nothing like you see on television. We do not get useable fingerprints at every crime scene, we don’t identify victims in 10 minutes with DNA, and we rarely solve a crime in 60 minutes.” Those considerations aside, Patrick loves his work because every day is different. Whether it involves reviewing video surveillance, interviewing victims or witnesses, testifying in court, following up leads, filing reports for the District Attorney, working with probation officers or doing

the ever- present paperwork, it is always interesting, and always involves a great deal of basic legwork. When asked what he considers the most misunderstood part of being a law enforcement officer, he pointed out that many people have the attitude that the police are “out to get them”. If you’re a criminal, that is definitely true, but if you’re a law-abiding citizen, it’s certainly not. According to Patrick one of the most important jobs of a law enforcement officer is being a teacher and often a counselor. He states, “We must educate and interact with the public to be truly effective at our jobs. Our primary responsibility is the safety of our citizens and to serve the community. The best way to do that is to be proactive and accessible.” When asked what the citizens could do to help the police, he affirmed that the people in the community can be one of the department’s most valuable resources by being the “eyes and ears” of the police. Patrick states, “No one can know your neighborhood as well as you do, so if you see something you think is not the way it should be, don’t hesitate to call us. It is our job to check it out. Sometimes it turns out to be nothing, but often there is something that needs to be investigated or leads us to something else. The citizen can be like the sixth person on the basketball team.” Patrick is married with kids, and worked for the Dekalb County Police Department before joining the Snellville Department. He is a runner and participated in this year’s Peachtree Road Race.

Community News

Patrick Sullivan

“Get ‘Em Up”

Takes on a Whole New Meaning

A Snellville Police Officer participates by playing a burglar in one of the exercises during a class of the Snellville Citizen Police Academy course On Thursday, September 15th the Snellville Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association will be holding a bake sale between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm at the Texas Roadhouse, 1969 Dogwood Road in Snellville.

The Alumni Association continues to raise money to assist in purchasing needed equipment for the Snellville Police Department. Past items purchased by the Association were laptops for the Criminal Investigation Division, a fully training dog for the K-9 unit, spotlights for police cars, push bumpers for patrol cars, special uniforms for the bicycle officers, tinted windows on the Detective’s automobiles, and repainting of several patrol cars. In addition to providing much needed equipment, the association has also been active in raising funds to support an injured Snellville officer. Other future fundraisers include the 6th annual Golf Tournament on Monday October 3rd, to be held at Summit Chase Country Club, with lunch to be provided by the Texas Roadhouse. On October 20th they will again be hosting the very popular “Tip A Cop” event at O’Charleys restaurant at 2049 Scenic Highway in Snellville. Come on out and let a Snellville cop be your waiter! The Association is also planning a 5k run for the Spring. For more information on any of the upcoming events, contact Mary Fergus, President of the Alumni Association at mfergus@bellsouth.net.

Snellville Business and Commerce News Entrepreneur Symposium Program

The Snellville Commerce Club and the Snellville Tourism and Trade Association

Where Business Thrives

August 26, October 7 & November 18

The Snellville Commerce Club was established in 1984 and meets the first Tuesday of the month for lunch at 12:00pm – 1:00pm. In 2011, the Commerce Club became the official business marketing organization of Snellville Tourism & Trade (STAT), a city-chartered organization charged with promoting business, tourism and events in Snellville. The purpose of the organization is to establish and promote programs that strengthen the ties among members, their respective businesses, and the community. Providing informed guest speakers and an opportunity to “network” and interact with other business people and community leaders has proved to be an excellent tool to developing economic growth in Snellville. And by actively participating in philanthropy with non-profit organizations, members are able to contribute to their community. Guests may attend one regular monthly meeting at no charge. Thereafter, guests must either pay $15 per meeting or join the organization. One of the most rewarding activities is the sponsorship of the College Scholarship Program. Recipients must be active in either DECA or the FBLA-PBL organizations. 2011 recipients were Aida Syrkett of Brookwood High School and Erika Galdamez of South Gwinnett High School.

Did you know we will have access to world class entrepreneurship education right here in Snellville? The Economic Development office partnering with Atlanta-based Entrepreneur Advisors will offer monthly Entrepreneur Symposiums, simulcast from Atlanta’s Cobb Energy Center to Charlotte, Shanghai and Snellville. Speakers have been selected from the nation’s top entrepreneurs and leaders, on Friday, July 15, Kathy Betty, the owner of Atlanta’s WNBA team “the Atlanta Dream” spoke to those assembled along with Lieutenant General Russel L. Honore, the leader of Task Force Katrina. Atlanta business leaders will also be contributing their expertise on subjects such as building your brand and retaining customers. A Networking Breakfast starting at 7:00 am will be followed by the Symposium Programming from 8:0011:00 and lunch will be served afterwards in the South Gwinnett High School Auditorium. The lineup is new every month, and inspiration and education is guaranteed. Future dates for the Entrepreneur Symposium are scheduled for Friday, August 26th, Friday, October 7th, and Friday, November 18th . The cost is $45 with a $20 discount for Commerce Club/STAT members.

More information on STAT and the Commerce Club may be found at www. snellvillecommerceclub.org.

Registration is available through http://www.snellvillepride.com/entrepreneur-registration.html Call Eric Van Otteren at (770)-985-3502 Email to: economicdevelopment@snellville.org

Commerce Club/STAT Corporate Members

We’ve included a list of the corporate members below. It is their contributions, through their dues, their corporate sponsorships and the volunteers they provide that help provide some of the activities being hosted by STAT. Hopefully you will have an opportunity to thank them for their support. A Better Sign A Daisy A Day A Step Ahead Performing Arts Studio AAC Solutions Group, LLC Accent South Media Adsmart Promotions Anazao Salon Barry Greene - Chiropractor Big Frog Custom T-Shirts and More Blitz Communications Brookwood High School Chick-Fil-A City of Snellville Cobble Creek Studios & the James H. Ankrom Gallery Computer Troubleshooters Covenant Counseling & Family Resource Center DeKalb Chamber of Commerce Design Instincts, LLC Dreams n Themes Events

Eastside Medical Center Eastside Orthocare Eternal Hills Funeral Home Fantasia Travel Flagstar Bank Georgia Property Restoration Gryphon Antiques Gwinnett Daily Post Gwinnett Foot, Ankle & Leg Center Hamilton Financial, PC Harbren Data System Hilltop Pawn Home Instead Senior Care IronStone Bank J&M Tire and Auto Service John R Ulmer, CPA, PC John W Simmons DMD PC Kaiser Permanante LaQuinta Inn & Suites Lee Insurance Agency Legacy Academy Snellville

Liberty Mutual Group LPL Financial Michael T. Byrne, PC Mountainview Eye Associates New London School of Driving NJP Procraft Northeast Georgia Council, Boy Scouts of America Northside Brokers Odd Job Bob, Inc. Parkview Assisted Living & Alzheimer’s Unit Positively Pools, Inc Scott Chiropractic PC Sharlene M Randolph, CPA PC Shred Green Site ROI, Inc. Snell’s Pharmacy Snellville Lions Club Snellville Middle School Snellville United Methodist Church

State Farm Insurance Stevi B’s Pizza Snellville / YPP, Inc. Summit Chase Country Club Suntrust Bank Temple Beth David Texas Roadhouse The Beck Law Firm, LLC The Blind Ladies The Family Tree Garden Center The Gwinnett Citizen Tom Wages Funeral Service United Community Bank Vines Mansion Walton EMC Webb, Tanner, Powell, Mertz & Wilson LLP Westminster Presbyterian Church World Numismatics Inc. www.kalsarjewelry.com YSS Athletics Inc

Events & Happenings

STAT produced its first Popcorn in the Park outdoor movie at Briscoe Park on the evening of June 11th to an appreciative crowd of over 350 people. Face painters, novelties, a bounce house as well as movie food satisfied the anxious kids as they waited for the sun to set and the movie-“Diary of a Wimpy Kid-2”-to begin. The next Popcorn in the Park event is scheduled for July 16th and will feature the movie “Rio” produced by the creators of Ice Age.

STAT’s first event of the Sizzling Summer weekend was kicked off Friday, June 17th. Live! On the Lawn was presented by About Face Skin Care and featured a great Banks and Shane concert on the Towne Green benefitting Dream House, a charity supporting medically fragile children. A great crowd enjoyed the good weather and the Banks and Shane band was so great, attendees were quite literally dancing in the aisles.

Grill’n on the

GREEN The next day, Saturday June 18th, dawned with the first Run of the Ville, a half marathon and 5K run at Briscoe Park from 7-11:00 am presented by Eastside Medical Center. Over 300 runners braved high temperatures as they completed the 13.1 mile course through some of Snellville’s beautiful neighborhoods.

Following the Farmers Market, the last event of the weekend, Grill’n on the Green opened on Saturday at 3pm and was to feature a grilling competition between 25 cook teams, restaurants and backyard grillers. The Green was filled with great crafts and specialty products as well as the Main Stage featuring four of the areas great bands. Everyone was sad to see this wonderful event come to an early close as a storm moved in.

Events & Happenings

The Largest 4th of July event in Snellville! The Snellville Tourism & Trade Association and The First Baptist Church of Snellville joined forces to create an unforgettable Independence Day experience for Snellville residents on July 3rd. Beginning at 3pm, the Towne Green opposite City Hall came alive with the sounds of Don Law, culminating with the 50 piece Celebration Orchestra from First Baptist performing patriotic songs prior to the fireworks show. The fantastic fireworks were accompanied by a stirring rendition of recorded march music. Food was available for purchase from Texas Roadhouse, The Varsity, Rey’s Cuban Cafe, T&C Concessions and a host of others. Guests were able to participate in activities including watermelon and pie eating contests. Across Main Street, The First Baptist of Snellville again hosted their American Celebration, featuring a car show, inflatable rides and games, food from restaurants including Uncle Betty’s and Papa John’s. At dusk, the skies lit up with an incredible fireworks display at 9:30 which lasted 30 minutes. Star Spangled Snellville was sponsored by Summit Chase Country Club, Anazao Salon, About Face Skin Care and The Gwinnett Citizen.

Thank you, First Baptist Church of Snellville! Your generous continued contributions helped make Star Spangled Snellville and An American Celebration events to remember!

Snellville Days Festival and Parade Spring 2011 got started with a bang with the 38th annual Snellville Days Festival and Parade. The parade kicked off the weekend of May 7th and 8th in the Towne Center featuring over 70 units, 3 bands, over 400 people, 10 animals and Santa on his way to Florida to remind everyone that it was 230 days until the Lighting of the Christmas Tree. The day then focused on Briscoe Park where the entire park was brimming with activity from a center food court to over 150 arts and crafts booths. Two stages at both ends of the park featured local talent amazing everyone with their enthusiasm. The kids were the center of everything as they ran from activity

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to activity, stood spellbound before the huge inflatable structures where they were able to slide, jump and/or float to their hearts content. Talented students from Gwinnett Techâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photography program came out to film Snellville Days and were gracious enough to let us show their photos. Their work shows the fun of Snellville Days far better than any story we could write. They shot many photos and obviously we couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t print them all, so with much deliberation we narrowed the number down. Then we had a distinguished panel of judges (who shall remain forever nameless) judge their favorite two photos.

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