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Daffodils take root to spread hope By SYDNEY DANGREMOND sydney@appenmedia.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek Beautification teamed up with North Fulton Master Gardeners and local Rotary Clubs to plant thousands of daffodils throughout the community. The two latest plantings, located at Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Emory Johns Creek Hospital Winship Cancer Institute, are part of Johns Creek Beautification’s Daffodils4Hope initiative which aims to shine a “yellow spotlight” on causes the organization supports in the community, project coordinator Marilyn Davis said. Since 2018, the Daffodils4Hope program has planted more than 16,000 daffodils to raise awareness for CanCare Atlanta — an organization that provides counseling support to cancer patients and caregivers in the community. The daffodil bulbs are purchased using funds raised through the JCB’s annual Secret Garden Tour, volunteer Michèle Morel said. “The daffodil is the bulb of hope,” Morel said. “[We’re] planting hope one bulb at a time, because it comes back every single spring no matter what.” Morel said Johns Creek Beautification has performed eight plantings this year all over town totaling 8,300 daffodil bulbs. This year marked the organization’s third planting of daffodils at Johns Creek United Methodist Church. “So, in the spring, there will be 3,000 bulbs that will be blooming there,” Morel
said. This was the first year Autrey Mill Nature Preserve had a planting. Morel, a retired landscape designer, designed the plot of land right outside the Old Warsaw Church with the daffodils in mind. Thanks to Morel and North Fulton Master Gardner volunteers, come spring, the plot will come alive with 1,000 daffodil blooms. Overseeing the work at Autrey Mill Nov. 17 was Morel’s 16-year-old dog, Jigi. “She’s been on every single dig, she’s the official mascot,” Morel said. The Rotary Club of Johns Creek and the Rotary Club of Johns Creek North Fulton also teamed up with Johns Creek Beautification Nov. 20 at Emory Johns Creek Hospital. More than two dozen volunteers braced the cold November morning and planted roughly 1,200 daffodil bulbs outside the Winship Cancer Institute.
Rotary lends a hand to public safety group
City Council ponders uses for bridge scrap
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PHOTOS BY SYDNEY DANGREMOND/APPEN MEDIA
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From left, Linda Beanblossom, Pam Rentz, Joan Fiore, Michèle Morel, Austin Aiello, Dianne Short and Ashley Beanblossom. The seven volunteers from Johns Creek Beautification and North Fulton Master Gardeners planted 1,000 daffodils outside the Old Warsaw Church at Autrey Mill Nature Preserve Nov. 17.
Propped up on a portable bed, Jigi, Michèle Morel’s 16-year-old dog, oversees the planting of 1,000 daffodil bulbs at Autrey Mill Nature Preserve Nov. 17. For more information on the Daffodils4Hope program or Johns Creek Beautification, visit johnscreekbeautification.org.
Johns Creek state rep. will not seek 3rd term ► PAGE 20
State senator gives of himself to rescue his son By CHAMIAN CRUZ chamian@appenmedia.com ROSWELL, Ga. — In 2020, Will Albers was 24 years old and could not drive more than 10 to 15 minutes without pulling over and taking a nap. His dad, State Sen. John Albers (RRoswell), said his son had lost a lot of weight and had cramps and pains and could not keep food down. His feet also hurt, but a podiatrist told him he had probably just “tied his shoes too tight.” Then, one night, Will drove a short distance to his parent’s house, where his mom, Kari Albers, insisted that he go to the emergency room after noticing that he had started vomiting blood. Will was admitted to the intensive care unit. He recalls waking up very cold in the Northside Hospital Cherokee waiting area. However, he had passed out earlier that night at the many attempts made to draw blood and get an IV going. Will was also alone, as COVID-19 policies did not allow for his parents to be at his side. He was scared and tired. “It was a very traumatic and very scary time to say the least,” John said. “Thank God, he lived through the night. The doctors didn’t know if he’d do that, but they found out in the morning he
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