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Norfolk Southern gifting historic Marco Polo railcar to Southeastern Railway Museum

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The newest addition to the Southeastern Railway Museum , the Marco Polo! Photos courtesy of Southeastern Railway Museum

Norfolk Southern Corporation gifted the historic Marco Polo rail car, a car President Franklin D. Roosevelt used while in office, to the Southeastern Railway Museum in Duluth, Georgia.

The Pullman Company built the Marco Polo in 1927 as part of a small fleet of cars named for world explorers, reserving them for VIPs who chartered their own railcar. Roosevelt traveled in the car when he was governor of New York and later as president, using it on trips to and from Warm Springs, Georgia.

John Friedmann, Norfolk Southern VP Network Planning & Optimization, hands the keys of the Marco Polo to Southeastern Railway Museum Chief Mechanical Officer Andrew Durden.
Photos courtesy of Southeastern Railway Museum.



The car arrived at the museum at 11 a.m. on Nov. 14, and a brief unveiling ceremony followed. 

The museum displays the car on its 35-acre campus alongside the Superb, a Pullman car used by President Warren G. Harding.

“The Marco Polo is a critical piece of railroad history, and we are honored Norfolk Southern has entrusted us to help preserve the railcar and its story for future generations,” said Sue Kelly, interim executive director of the Southeastern Railway Museum. “Railroads played an invaluable role in transporting presidents across the country. President Roosevelt had a unique connection to Georgia, and on his trips to Warm Springs, he regularly passed through Duluth and by what is today the museum, and we’re excited to welcome the car back home.”

The car also transported many dignitaries over the years, including Madame Chiang Kai-Shek, the wife of China’s wartime president. She used the Marco Polo during a United States tour in 1943.

“The Marco Polo holds a unique place in Norfolk Southern history, and we couldn’t think of a more appropriate location for the car to be displayed than at the Southeastern Railway Museum,” said John Friedmann, Norfolk Southern VP Network Planning & Optimization. “As we move our headquarters to Atlanta, forging relationships with surrounding communities like Duluth and organizations dedicated to preserving railroads like Southeastern Railway Museum will be critical to making Atlanta feel even more like home.”

The Central of Georgia, a Norfolk Southern predecessor railroad, bought the car in 1944 and converted it into an office. The Southern Railway assumed ownership of the car in 1963 after it merged with the Central of Georgia.

Over the years, the railroad has displayed the car, which was later renamed the Savannah, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and at Union Station in Washington, D.C. For more than 25 years, Washington commuters walked past the Marco Polo, most not knowing the railcar’s history as a predecessor to Air Force 1.

For more information about Norfolk Southern, visit norfolksouthern.com/. For more information about the Southeastern Railway Museum, visit southeasternrailwaymuseum.org/.

Source: Press Release from the Southeastern Railway Museum

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Life in Motion: The Gift of Organ Donation Fuels Active Lives for Recipients

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US Soccer team at the Transplant Football World Cup celebrating on the field

Peachtree Corners resident, Alex Everett traveled to Italy this past September — not as a tourist but as an athlete. The 28-year-old accountant and liver transplant survivor, served as goalkeeper on Team USA as they competed in the first-ever Transplant Football World Cup.

The event — part of the larger World Transplant Games — promoted giving the gift of life through a week of connection and sportsmanship, showcasing how people with organ transplants can live a normal, active life.

Soccer players in the middle of a match. One team is wearing blue, the other red and white.
photo credit: Riccardo Gallini/GRPhoto

“I first heard about the US Transplant World Cup team a few years ago through a social media post,” said Alex. “The first Transplant World Cup was originally going to take place in 2022 but was postponed due to the uncertainty around international travel and COVID. Fast forward to 2024 and Team USA had an interest meeting via Zoom to discuss details about the tournament and fielding the American team.”

Team USA

All together, they had 14 people from around the United States (hailing from Georgia, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, California and Hawaii) join the team, which traveled to Cervia, Italy in September to compete.

“There were 10 other countries that were represented in the World Cup, and we were split into two groups, one of five and one of six,” Alex explained.

Soccer players in the middle of a match
photo credit: Riccardo Gallini/GRPhoto

“It was an incredible experience representing the US at an international level, competing against other transplant recipients from around the world. We not only were able to share our passion for soccer but also our stories of transplantation and what obstacles we had to overcome to be where we were.”

Coming together to compete

Team USA played well in their matches but placed 9th out of the 11 teams. Because players came from all over the country to join the team, they hadn’t had the opportunity to practice together — or even meet in person — before the tournament started.

“The first time we met face to face and kick a ball as a team was our first game against France,” said Alex. “While that outcome was not what we wanted, we progressively got better as the tournament went on. Eventually ending with a win in a penalty shoot-out against Wales and a normal time win in our final game against Northern Ireland.”

Soccer goalkeeper in blue, blocking a shot
Alex Everett, photo courtesy of Team USA World Transplant Games

“It was an incredible experience, and I would highly recommend anyone who’s involved with transplantation to reach out and get involved with not only Team USA but also with the Transplant Games of America (TGA), which is an Olympic-style competition for people who have received transplants or living donors,” he added.

Most states in the US have their own TGA team, including one here in Georgia.

World Transplant Games 2025

The next World Transplant Games will be held in Dresden, Germany on August 17-24, 2025.

Over six days, athletes and teams from 60 countries will meet to compete in 17 different sports. The US Team is excited to be part of it again and are currently looking for more players interested in taking part.

A group of players from a coed soccer team wearing white uniforms (except for the goalie in orange), posing for a team photo
photo courtesy of Team USA World Transplant Games

Leave a lasting legacy

Alex is also involved with the Peachtree Corners-based organization LifeLink® of Georgia, a division of the LifeLink® Foundation.

Established over 40 years ago, the foundation’s mission is to inspire new organ donor registrations and celebrate those who have decided to save lives as a registered organ, eye or tissue donor. The mission is carried out locally through education programs and community awareness campaigns.

Earlier this year, LifeLink of Georgia launched The Infinity Campaign, a state-wide educational effort aimed at motivating and registering new organ donors. The campaign is represented by the infinity symbol, to demonstrate the lasting impact of organ and tissue donation.

LifeLink of Georgia partners with hospitals to support and guide families as they establish their loved one’s legacy through organ and tissue donation.

They carry out the decisions of registered donors or their families and honor the life of each donor by providing organs and tissue for transplant to as many patients as possible. 

Mid-sized white and class building with wide walkway leading up to it. The walkway is lined with flags and there are trees and colorful plants.
photo credit: LifeLink of Georgia

In 2023, 457 men, women and children gifted a legacy of life through organ donation with LifeLink of Georgia, yet there are still nearly 3,000 patients in the state awaiting an organ transplant and thousands more that could benefit from tissue transplantation.

“When you become an organ donor, your life story continues through the lives you save, ensuring that your legacy lives on indefinitely,” says Katie Payne, executive director, LifeLink of Georgia. “Life is an invaluable treasure, a lesson we learn anew each day from our donor families. Thanks to their generosity, LifeLink of Georgia saves thousands of lives every year, and we are deeply honored to continue this extraordinary mission.”

The Infinity Campaign 

The Infinity Campaign features a series of real stories from registered donors, each telling what inspired them to register and emphasizing the effect this decision has on saving lives. By sharing these stories, LifeLink aims to motivate more people to register as organ, eye and tissue donors and spread the message of hope and life.

“The decision to become a donor was deeply personal. It is an opportunity to give the ultimate gift — the gift of life,” said Adán Bean. “I get to continue to tell the story for others, be a little bit of ink in their pen and help them write what they want to write.”

As part of the launch, LifeLink has created the website mystorycontinues.com, which spotlights stories from donors and recipients and offers innovative tools, including the opportunity to upload a photo to share your support and spread the word on social media about the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation. 

Become a donor

Being a donor is an incredible way for individuals to make a difference and have an impact on the lives of others. One organ, eye and tissue donor can potentially save or improve the lives of more than 75 people.

The need for organ and tissue donors is greater now than ever, given the growing numbers of people on transplant wait lists and increasing numbers of people with diabetes and kidney disease.

Currently, there are about 3,000 people in Georgia on the organ transplant list and thousands more on the tissue transplant list.

There are several simple ways to register your decision to be an organ, eye and tissue donor: 

  • Visit mystorycontinues.com and sign up today.
  • Register when renewing or receiving a driver’s license or identification card at the Georgia Department of Driver Services.
  • Register when obtaining a hunting or fishing license through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

For more about LifeLink of Georgia, visit lifelinkfoundation.org/our-story/#llgeorgia.

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Take A Walk Back in Time For The Holidays

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Three men dressed as the three wise men at a holiday Walk Through Bethlehem event

New experiences await at this season’s Walk Through Bethlehem

An annual must-see holiday event, Walk Through Bethlehem, presented by Simpsonwood United Methodist Church, will take place over three evenings, December 13–15. 

A camel as part of a Walk Through Bethlehem holiday event
photo courtesy of Simpsonwood United Methodist Church
  • 1,200 luminaries welcoming guests to Bethlehem
  • Live camels and Roman guards at Bethlehem’s entrance
  • Shopkeepers in costume interacting with guests
  • Interactive village with more than 12 individual shops
  • Animal petting area with donkeys, sheep and more
  • Shepherds sharing stories around a fire
  • Live nativity with wisemen bringing gifts
  • Attendees donating canned goods to Neighborhood Cooperative Ministries
  • Attendees enjoying hot chocolate and cookies
A woman dressed as a shopkeeper from old Bethlehem, surrounded by lit candles and items for sale
photo courtesy of Simpsonwood United Methodist Church
  • Friday, December 13, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Saturday, December 14, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Sunday, December 15, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

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PCBA Continues Charitable Giving at November Event

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Members of the PCBA and United Way of Greater Atlanta standing together holding an oversized donation check for $500

The Peachtree Corners Business Association (PCBA) awarded a check for $500 to the United Way of Greater Atlanta (Gwinnett County) at their Business After Hours networking event in November.

The local organization was chosen by PCBA’s Outreach Committee because of their commitment to providing assistance and bettering the lives of children within the community.

United Way of Greater Atlanta

The mission of United Way of Greater Atlanta is to engage and bring together people and resources to drive sustainable and equitable improvements in the well-being of children, families and individuals in local communities.

“Greater Atlanta is one of the most vibrant regions in the country, but the region has significant barriers to realizing its potential in the future because of its continued ranking at the bottom of the list of metro areas in income mobility,” stated Vanessa Roussell, United Way senior director of corporate relations.

A short-haired woman in black pants and print top standing in front of a PCBA event backdrop
Vanessa Roussell, United Way of Greater Atlanta

“Children born in low-income households have only a 4% chance of getting out of poverty in their lifetime,” she continued. “We at United Way of Greater Atlanta don’t like those odds. Our work is about changing them so that children — regardless of where they’re born — have the chance to realize their potential and build lives that sustain themselves, their families and their communities.

Assessing needs within the county

The organization’s goal is to help every child unlock their full potential, by improving education, healthcare, resources and economic mobility in the communities where they live. Their “every child program” includes every child in Gwinnett. 

Based on the 2023 census track for Gwinnett County, 94,308 people living in Gwinnett County are at risk, particularly in and around Sugar Hill/Buford, Duluth, Norcross, Lawrenceville, Lilburn and Snellville. The highest-need residents are located in the I-85 corridor, mainly around Duluth, Norcross and Lilburn.

Giving back to support the community

“The PCBA is proud to donate a check for $500 to United Way of Greater Atlanta (Gwinnett County),” said PCBA President, Lisa Proctor. “Our outreach committee and board are committed to supporting our community, and investing in the well-being of the children in our community aligns with our core principles. We know that our dollars will be targeted to help those at highest risk … We are glad to have the local Gwinnett chapter located right in our community.”

Funds for the PCBA Community Outreach Program are raised throughout the year from PCBA membership, sponsorship and an annual charity event. Donations and scholarships are awarded at their monthly events so that members have the opportunity to learn more about the community organizations and their programs.

Over the past 12 years, the PCBA has awarded 19 scholarships to outstanding graduating high school seniors and donated in excess of $165,500 back into the community.

About Peachtree Corners Business Association

“Where businesses come to grow,” the Peachtree Corners Business Association (PCBA) is a business membership organization that focuses on innovative approaches, programs, shared resources, community outreach and opportunities for member businesses and professionals to connect, develop, grow and prosper.

The PCBA is made up of businesses of all sizes and types who want to expand their reach and grow their business within Peachtree Corners and the greater metro Atlanta area. 
 
For more information visit peachtreecornersba.com.

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