CMYK Thursday, February 20, 2014
features
3B
BULLI in Braselton: Classroom and beyond
Foliage Festival seeking vendors
Registration is Feb. 25
Spring registration is here for Brenau University Learning & Leisure Institute (BULLI) for the Braselton schedule as well as classes offered in Gainesville. And the opportunities aren’t only in the classroom. BULLI began 20 years ago when a group of Hall County residents gathered in the Wilson Room of the John W. Jacobs building to talk about the idea of a lifelong learning program at Brenau. The group included local visionaries and business leaders, lifelong Gainesville residents and individuals who were new to the area. Some of the attendees had visited lifelong learning programs in other places. Others had attended Elderhostel programs throughout the country and had experienced firsthand the benefi ts of lifelong learning. All of them, however, were dedicated to the idea of creating a unique opportunity for learning on the Brenau University campus. From their dedication, BULLI was born. As BULLI begins its 20th year, you are invited to become a part of the BULLI family. So what is BULLI? BULLI is knowledge and education, fun and excitement, companionship and a sense of belonging, friendship, travel opportunities and health benefits. BULLI also has special interest groups, which make the lifelong learning experience richer. BULLI members can choose from: BULLI Hiking Club – Members hike throughout northeast Georgia. Each hike is graded for its difficulty and most outings end up with the hikers enjoying lunch together. To join the group, call Polly Elliott at 770-8675997. In the 1990s, BULLI offered a class on the Appalachian Trail. Two of the instructors for that course were hikers. They extolled the beauty of hiking along forest trails, viewing waterfalls and observing the flora and fauna of the area. A number of the students in that class were intrigued, and wanted to go on a hike. From that long-ago class, the BULLI Hiking group was born. Polly Elliott took on the enormous task of organizing the hikers, helping to select trails, planning places to eat lunch and getting grown and approximately 60 members now are involved in getting out and getting healthy. The hikers meet on the second and fourth Fridays of the month. They often meet in the BULLI parking lot at 8:30, heading out for points around the northeast Georgia. Hikes range in difficulty from easy hikes in the botanical gardens in Athens to more rigorous hikes on mountain or lake trails. Not everyone goes on every hike. Some prefer the easier hikes, while others can’t wait for a more challenging opportunity. Regardless of the difficulty, what you find in the hiking group is easy camaraderie, laughter and friendship. They encourage and support each other on the trail and off. Polly Elliott can tell you how the BULLI hiking club quite literally saved her life. BULLI Bards – The Bards is a poetry group that meets regularly to read poetry submitted by group members and to hone their poetry skills. If you are interested, call Bill Early at 678450-2867. Dinner Together – Would you like to enjoy dinner, dutch treat, in the company of other members? This dining out group meets on the third Thursday of each month at various restaurants in the area. Members sign up to serve as host/hostess for the month of their choice.
Offerings for springtime Registration for Braselton BULLI is at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 25, in the Police and Municipal Court Building, and you can learn about the special lineup of offerings that will get you into the spring mood. Consider “How Does Your Garden Grow” being offered from 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. on Wednesdays with BULLI member Peg Sheffield facilitating this class. Does spring weather make you want to get your hands dirty in the garden? Do you admire container gardens and wish you knew how to make one look that good? Would you grow herbs if you knew how to use them? This course will be taught by several area Master Gardeners who will share their knowledge on a variety of gardening topics. Learn the basics of gardening from the ground up with Hall County Master
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For The Paper
Jefferson City Arborist Susan Russell checks the ties securing some of the native. flowering, shade and ornamental trees and delivered to last year’s Foliage Festival. Tree planting is encouraged. The Jefferson Heritage Tree Council is currently taking orders for one- to three-gallon trees, which can be delivered for pickup at Foliage Fest 2014. This year’s Tree Sale Order Form includes a wide variety of ornamental and flowering trees, shade trees, native trees and fruit trees. Prices range from $6 to $20, depending on size and variety. Orders will be accepted through Friday, March 7, and must be pre-paid by that date. To receive a tree sale order form by e-mail or for additional information, contact Jefferson City Arborist Susan Russell at 706-201-7893, or contact
ROBOTICS
The Jackson County 4-H Robotics team applied for funding with the Jackson EMC Foundation last November. They were approved for the funding and received a check for $6,000. These funds will be used to buy tangible items to meet the team’s goals. This is the team’s third year in existence. The Robotics team offers many things to the youth such as learning additional social skills, team building, how to run a business, graphic design techniques and how to build a robot. They will also use their robot to compete against other high school teams in a worldwide competition. The Jackson County 4-H Robotics Team is very excited and appreciative of the generous funding from the Jackson EMC Foundation. Barrow County’s 4-H Robotics Team also received a $6,000 Round Up grant to further its program.
the tree council at jeffersonfoliagefest@gmail. com. You can download an order form online at www.jeffersontreecouncil.org. Order Forms and payment may be dropped off at the City of Jefferson Water Department, or mailed to the attention of JHTC, c/o City of Jefferson, 147 Athens St., Jefferson, GA 30549. Checks should be made payable to the Jefferson Heritage Tree Council. Trees may be picked up at Foliage Fest 2014, on March 15 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The pickup location is at City Park, Old Swimming Pool Road, Jefferson.
Jefferson Heritage Free Council taking orders for pickup at the March 15 event The Jefferson Heritage Tree Council (JHTC) is still accepting applications for vendors to exhibit at the fourth annual Foliage Fest Tree Fair and Music Festival on Saturday, March 15. Foliage Fest will be held at City Park in Jefferson on Old Swimming Pool Road. JHTC is calling all growers and vendors who produce live goods, trees, shrubbery, produce, nature, garden or “green-related” arts, crafts, and hand-made products. Additionally, businesses that provide tree or landscape services are encouraged to participate. All arts and crafts must be environment-related and must be handmade by the vendor. Download an application at www.jeffersontreecouncil.org or send questions to jeffersonfoliagefest@gmail.com. For additional information, send an email to jeffersonfoliagefest@gmail.com, or call Mary Dugan at 706-367-4362 for a vendor application or for any additional information. “Trees purchased and planted in Jefferson benefit all of us because the tree canopy resulting from locally planted trees improves our air quality, moderates temperature extremes, prevents soil erosion and storm water damage, reduces our energy use, provides wildlife habitat, and contributes to our overall quality of living,” said City Arborist Susan Russell.
Jackson EMC Foundation supports 4-H in Barrow & Jackson with Round Up grants
The Jackson County 4-H Robotics Team with Scott Martin of Jackson EMC.
Barrow’s RoboClovers are rookie competitors in the FIRST contest By JONATHAN PAGE
For The Paper
Barrow Robotics Team 5132 is a rookie team that is participating in the FIRST Robotics Competition of 2014. Team 5132, better known as the RoboClovers, was in week
four of a six-week build season in early February on a robot that will participate in a competition against teams from all across the state. The competition this year is called Aerial Assist, utilizing teamwork to pass a 2 foot in diameter exercise ball from one robot to
Luke Black and Gustavo Arce work on the electric board for the Barrow team’s robot.
another and toss it into a goal. The setup is three robots working together against three other robots, who are also working together. But before the teams can contest their skills, they must first construct a successful robot. Building a robot is not as simple as one might imagine. It takes a business team, a construction team and a programming team to make the robot a reality. The RoboClovers may be a rookie team, but that will not hinder them from trying their best and rising to the challenge. The team as a whole consists of 16 high school students, working together for at least five hours a day, five days a week. The business team consists of writing letters to potential corporate sponsors, creating an informative website, and managing the finances of the team. The most important aspect of the team is construction, which comprises mechanics that cut, sand and bolt their way to victory. It also involves electricians to install and wire electric motors, transmitters, and other similar things on the robot. The programmers have the second most important job, and that is to write basic coding for the robot and operate it during the
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