CMYK Thursday, May 2, 2013
features
3B
Relay rained out but not before $53,000 is raised By LEANNE AKIN
lakin@clickthepaper.com
Katie Justice The Paper
Festival-goers check out the booths of the more than 120 vendors. Below: Keely Merck and Lexie Migliore look at necklace charms from South Hill Design Personal Lockets.
Relay For Life of Braselton-Hoschton didn’t make its 12-hour goal to stay all night at Hoschton Park in honor of the night of a cancer patient. Rain and threatening weather forced the fundraising event to fold up the tents by 4 a.m., three hours early. Because of that, Relay teams have some additional time to turn in money collected for the American Cancer Society. Relay for Life has the potential to be a record breaker in its third year in West Jackson. “We walked in with $30,000 already turned turned in and made it to $53,000 last night and some still hasn’t turned in their money yet,” said an excited and exhausted Jennifer Kidd, who co-chaired this year’s Relay with Jessica Worley. “I was very pleased with that! So that’s over $20,000 made from just last night! Amazing!!!!!” The evening started off with clear skies and a crowd gathered to celebrate survivors and caregivers. Survivors enjoyed a BBQ meal donated by Jack’s Old South Barbecue with desserts from Catering by The Master’s Table in Winder. The caregivers ceremony was sponsored
by Jennifer Dees in memory of her grandmother and the luminary ceremony was presented by the Rotary Club of Braselton with Greg Wilson and Jeff Cairns presenting the special ceremony. For Worley and Kidd, standing on the stage to see a crowd of supporters as they introduced the honorary chairs, Martha Martin and Jacob Smith, was memorable. “It was a proud moment to look out at the crowd and know how much support was being given,” said Worley. “I definitely feel like it was more people this year,” said Kidd. Worley agreed but said the crowd was spaced out more during the evening. The winner of Ms. Relay was “Miss Rose” from Gum Springs Elementary School with $297 raised. Georgia Kids Academy’s entry collected $104 and the City of Hoschton’s Thelma brought in $75.07. Daisy Duke from The Church at Hoschton had to drop out of the competition due to illness. The winners of the campsite judging and team recognitions will come later – along with the announcement of the total fundraising efforts. “We will be having a wrap up celebration to announce our winners in the next couple of weeks,” said Worley. Campsite winners will be announced, too. See more at ClickThePaper.com
Festival attracts record participation in town By KATIE JUSTICE
kjustice@clickthepaper.com
Not even April showers could dampen spirits at the 10th semi-annual Braselton Antique and Gardening Festival this weekend. Vendors and visitors ventured forth despite the dreary weather, selling and buying a variety of goods ranging from refurbished furniture and folk art to a variety of flowers and plants. More than 120 vendors offered their wares, with most admitting their surprise at the success of the festival despite the chilly rain that persisted off and on throughout the weekend. Amy Thompson, along with her daughter Josie, drove down from Cornelia after first learning of the festival on Facebook. “We came last year and we were really excited to come this year,” said Amy as she and her daughter sorted through jewelry at a booth. While the weather didn’t slow the number of visitor, it did hamper some of the vendors, with several food spots running out of supplies. Fat Pants Sweets sold out of items
quickly on Saturday, according to owners Claudie Miller and Annie Dominey. The two admitted to bringing fewer items fearing the weather would slow crowds. “It’s a lot of traffic here today,” said Denise St. John from Duluth, who sold a variety of pet accessories at her booth. “I think there’s a big variety, even though I haven’t walked through the whole thing.” In addition to the festival, which took over Braselton Park and nearby streets, the Town of Braselton opened the old mill for tours. The tours, which were led by Ralph Richardson, Tim Sweat and Jim Huff, took visitors through the inner workings of the mill. The tours were so popular that visitors had to wait their turn. “A lot of people walk away because they don’t want to wait,” said Amy Pinnell. Overall, comments from visitors and vendors alike were overwhelmingly positive. In fact, the only complaint came from festival-goers visiting the Town of Braselton booth. According to Jim and Susie Briski, the most common question they heard was whether there was a restaurant within walking distance of downtown Braselton.
LeAnne Akin The Paper
Jennifer Kidd and Jessica Worley carry the Relay banner; Northeast Georgia Medical Center and Safelite, represented by their spokeswoman who is Relaying for her late father, were major sponsors for Relay For Life. See the photo gallery at ClickThePaper.com
Grandmother’s yard sale boosts autism awareness By KATIE JUSTICE
kjustice@clickthepaper.com
Katie Justice The Paper
Marcia Causey with her grandson Brandon who helped with the sale and is participating in the upcoming Walk Now For Autism Speaks.
On Saturday, the garage at 540 Buck Trail in Hoschton was bursting with baby and kids clothes and toys. The driveway featured bigger toys and goods such as a stroller or play tents and a bake sale. A garage sale isn’t uncommon during weekends in spring. However, this yard and bake sale served a greater purpose. Hoschton grandmother Marcia Causey’s two grandsons are each living with autism spectrum disorders. In effort to raise money, awareness and support, Causey hosted a yard and bake sale to raise money for Walk Now For Autism Speaks, a walk to raise money and awareness about autism spectrum disorders. The rainy weather last week dampened turnout, so Causey hosting another sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Friday, May 3. “There’s too much stuff here for me to pack up and give to Goodwill,” she said of all the items leftover after Saturday’s sale. All of the items for sale were donated, and all money raised is going to Autism Speaks. So far, Causey has raised more than $350.
“I drove all over Atlanta collecting items,” she said. “I sewed stuff. I hot glued stuff. I did whatever it takes.” Items for sale include clothing, stuffed animals, baby items, games and baked goods. The sale will be held at 540 Buck Trail in Hoschton. “I believe that it is a really good fundraiser for a really good cause,” said Causey’s grandson Brandon, who helped with the sale and will also be participating in the Walk Now For Autism Speaks later this month.
Jefferson Race for Williams Syndrome is Sunday at Crow’s Lake Please come out to als with Williams Syndrome Crow’s Lake in Jefstruggle tremendously. ferson this Sunday, They need ongoing and May 5, to support the costly medical care and Williams Syndrome attention throughout their community. This has lives as well as early interbeen a successful ventions that may not be event in the past due covered by insurance or to the awareness and state funding. As they grow money raised for this and mature, people with Farah Bohannon this condition have probgenetic condition. Columnist Williams Synlems with spatial relations, drome can happen to numbers, abstract reasonanyone, no matter the ing and understanding basic race or gender. It is characterized social cues, so daily tasks that an by medical and developmental average person carries out with problems such as cardiovascular no issues can be challenging for disease, developmental delays and someone with Williams Syndrome. even learning disabilities. These This is why it is important to help people can also have striking verand support people living with this bal abilities, extremely friendly genetic condition — so they can and social personalities and a love live wonderful and fulfilling lives. for music. It is possible with your help. Unfortunately, many individuThere are approximately
20,000 to 30,000 people living with Williams Syndrome in the United States, and the Race for Williams Syndrome takes place to further enrich their lives. All money raised from the walk will go directly toward this community of amazing and remarkable people who deserve all the help they can get. The Jefferson Race for Williams Syndrome will begin registration at 1 p.m. The one mile funrun/walk will begin at 2:30 p.m., while the 5K trail run/walk starts at 3 p.m. To register, it is $20 for an individual and $50 for a family of four. There will also be fun activities for the kids — inflatables, music, face painting, fair hair, a balloon clown and more. Concessions will be available as well. It will be a lot of fun for all. To register or make a donation,
Children with Williams Syndrome from the Jefferson area will attend. visit www.walk4williams.org Please contact Marisa Elrod with questions at 706-296-0676. Her husband, James, can also be reached at 706-372-6575. Contact by email at raceforwilliams@ gmail.com Crow’s Lake is located at 155
Crow’s Lake Drive in Jefferson. Farah Bohannon is a freelance writer living in Winder. She loves to utilize her skills to write inspiring stories. Reach her at farah. bohannon@gmail.com