Community
A Summer Daze Camp Preview
Published
4 years agoon
By
Kelsey AsherSports, s’mores and plenty more await camping kids this summer. Though it may seem a tad early, camp rosters will fill up fast as occupancy may be limited for safety. Don’t miss out on the perfect camp for your child.
Please note that, as well that with current health considerations, changes in camp schedules may occur. So please contact camps directly for the most up-to-date information.
MJCCA Summer Camps 2021
The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) Camp Catalog is made up of many interesting offerings for single or multi-week camps, kicking off the first week of June and coming to a close in mid-August. All camps will be held at Zaban Park, except the sleepaway Camp Barney Medintz in the north Georgia mountains.
Fees start at $385 a week, with preferred pricing for members of MJCCA and discounts for attending multiple weeks of camp. Before and after care may or may not be offered, so stay tuned.
The traditional day camp experience offered is Camp Isidore Alterman (CIA) and CIA Jr. CIA Jr. is for Rising Pre-K and CIA welcomes Rising K-6th Grade. Camp fun activities on deck include canoeing, archery, arts and crafts, bumper boats, fishing, swimming and so much more. Children will be organized into small groups of no more than 15 in a cohort model, to avoid too much unnecessary mixing.
Hoping to keep up their game in the off season? Sports at MJCCA is a solution. From improving their backhand in Tennis to getting into the swing of things with Intro to Golf, a sports-minded kid has many options to choose from.
If your kid has a flare for the dramatic instead of a flare for the athletic, have them join the cast of The Little Mermaid Jr. or Shrek the Musical Jr. in a multi-week camp experience, or perhaps twinkle their toes in one of MJCCA many dance camps. There are also an astounding number of theme camps available that explore specialized hobbies, art and professional interests.
Interested but on the fence? Small in-person group tours with MJCCA’s camp directors will be held on select days to give parents and kids alike a chance to see where the summer fun happens, learn about camp and ask questions. Tours are scheduled for March 14, March 21 and April 18. There is a 10:30 a.m. group and a 1:30 p.m. group.
A Virtual New Parent Orientation is to be held May 4, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. This will allow parents yet one more avenue to ask questions and know what to expect this summer.
Get a more complete overview of MJCCA Camp information by visiting mjccadaycamps.org for the full 2021 camp catalog and schedule.
Camp All American
Camp All American is the recreational camp ministry of Perimeter Church, created to serve Johns Creek area kids in an enriching, safe environment. They also have satellite camps at other churches around Atlanta — and even one in Florida.
This week-long summer camp is open June 1 to August 6. Summer registration opens February 7 at 10 p.m. When you sign up for camp, your child is divided into smaller “camp groups” depending on gender, specialty and grade.
Ages served range from 5 years all the way to 11th graders in the CIT program. Day camp and sleepaway camp options are available.
Learn more by attending one of their Discovery Days for an opportunity to meet the staff, tour the campus and ask questions about Camp All-American. Registration for Discovery Day opens February 10. The first tour option is March 21 at 1:30 p.m.; May 1 at 3:30 p.m. is the second. For more information or to register, visit campallamerican.com.
Camp Evergreen
Camp Evergreen is a Christian camp located in the serene mountains of north Georgia near Lake Burton. It has its own manmade self-contained lake (dubbed Lake Dean), that boasts a blob water feature, as well as a zipline and a swimming hole supervised by licensed lifeguards. Other activities on deck include canoeing, campfires, hiking, horseback riding (for an additional fee) and the list goes on.
The camp is wilderness centered and believes nature can speak on its own without extras. Programming intentionally leaves out bells and whistles and focuses on creative, fun approaches to all activities. The staff does their best to make sure every child is comfortable, which is reflected in the wide array of camp options they offer.
Campers can come for a four-day day camp from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. that is integrated into ongoing Overnight Camp sessions, or stay overnight in a 4-day, 7-day, 10-day or 14-day stint depending on age. Cost varies depending on the option selected, so hike to campevergreen.org to get a full view.
Camp Flashback
As a sponsored program of the Dunwoody Preservation Trust (DPT), Camp Flashback transports kids to a simpler time, allowing kids to be kids in the shining sun while learning about the great history of Dunwoody. They’ll enjoy summer fun and learning at Dunwoody’s only authentic history camp — the Donaldson-Bannister Farm — staffed by loving, licensed educators with a low kid-to-staff ratio of 5 to 1. Campers must be age 7 to 12 years.
Kids will spend their days like 1870s farm children, with old-fashioned activities like hand-churning butter and ice-cream, milking and feeding goats, grooming a pony, weaving, sewing and an ever-growing list of things to do.
Registration is open now for five one-week sessions: June 14-18, June 21-25, June 28-July 2, July 12-16 and July 19-23. Pricing starts at $235 per camper per week, with discounts for DPT members. Flash over to dunwoodypreservationtrust.org/camp-flashback/ for additional information.
Club SciKidz Camps
Dust off your beakers and safety googles, because ClubSciKidz has STEAM education fun planned this summer! The Club SciKidz crew will be setting up shop at St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Dunwoody for four weeks, from June 21 through July 19.
Camp themes offered include Coding Kaleidoscope, Robot Engineer, Young Surgeon, Emergency Veterinary Medicine, Mystical & Magical (Harry Potter), and much, much more.
For more information on camp themes and camp locations, visit clubscikidz.com/camp-locations/#atlanta-science-day-camps.
Dunwoody Nature Center
Learn all about the creatures that make their home in the forest wonderland around Dunwoody Nature Center, with a delightful mix of full and half day camps. The camp schedule kicks off June 1 and continues through August 13.
Explore some exciting camp focuses like Up in the Air, a deep dive into the world of animals that fly, soar and zoom in the sky. Or maybe Creek Week is more your speed, splashing around the locally famous Wildcat Creek and learning about the vitality of its ecosystem. Or what about Ooey Gooey Science, chock full of hands-on experiments to foster a genuine scientific interest? And that’s just the start!
The standard cost for a full five-day camp is $275 for members and $310 for non-members. Campers aged 3.5 to 4 are invited to attend from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Rising K-5 attend for a full day until 3:30 p.m.
Early Bird drop-off begins at 8 a.m., with a $45 charge for five days, and late pickup is offered for K-5 until 6 p.m. with a $70 charge for five days. Register at dunwoodynature.org or call 770-394-3322.
GAC Summer Camps
With more than 30 summer enrichment programs in athletics, arts, academics and fun, Greater Atlanta Christian School (GAC) campers have a daily opportunity to make new friends, explore new talents and experiences in a safe, Christian environment. The incredible group of trained counselors make sure your child will be encouraged and celebrated in all they do.
GAC Summer Camps are slated to commence June 7 and continue through the end of July. Virtual camps will be added, and other camp programs as well, as safety guidelines allow.
Pricing varies depending on the program. Before and after care is available for some camps. Learn more at greateratlantachristian.org/summer-camp/summer-camp.
The High Museum of Art Camps
Dive into art this summer at the High! Young artists will explore the museum’s galleries, create original artworks and showcase their masterpieces in a special exhibition each week. Campers also will learn about the Museum’s collection and special exhibitions while honing their skills in drawing, painting, and design.
Professional teaching artists will inspire your child to look closely, experiment with materials, and try new techniques. Their weeklong camps are designed to serve rising 1st through 8th graders.
The High Museum member price is $350 per week, $450 for non-members. Official camp programming spans from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, with aftercare available until 6 p.m. for an added $50 fee. Registration opens February 9. Camps sessions begin June 7 and will continue through July 30.
Pace Academy Summer Programs
A special message from Pace Academy: “At Pace, we believe some of life’s greatest lessons are learned outside the classroom. When school is not in session, we offer programming to keep children — Pace students and students from other schools — active and engaged. We offer full day and half-day summer camps; specialty programs like Athletic Camps, Danger Camp and Theatre Workshops; STEM Camps and Clinics; and Academic Enrichment Opportunities.”
We offer the opportunity for your camper to be registered in two separate half day programs to create a full day camp experience for your camper. Your camper will need to pack their lunch, but we will supervise your camper at lunch so they can stay on campus for all day fun!”
Registration is open for all camps. For information and pricing, visit paceacademy.org/programs/summer-programs.
Primrose School of Peachtree Corners Summer Adventure Club
At Primrose School’s Summer Adventure Club, children become engineers, artists, explorers and more as they discover the joys of design thinking, a fun and innovative way to learn.
Camps are available for children in grades K-5. Stay tuned for dates and times at primroseschools.com, and be sure to choose the Peachtree Corners location.
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Kelsey Asher is a proud graduate of the University of West Georgia with a Bachelor’s in Communications. She has held a variety of marketing leadership roles for several small, startup companies in a variety of industries including publishing, construction and technology.
Many of us are consumed by the day-to-day of life’s hustle and bustle, doing our best to navigate our relationships, provide for our families and live comfortably. A select few meet with great success on all fronts.
Fewer still somehow manage to lead extraordinarily accomplished existences with gumption, energy and talent left to spare, positively impacting circles far larger than their own family unit.
One such exceptional person, and longtime Peachtree Corners resident, is Jim Gaffey. Allow me to introduce you to the most extraordinary neighbor you never knew you had. I had the honor of speaking to him while he was spending time at his second home in the North Carolina mountains.
With a charming wife, thriving children and grandkids entering the fold, the former BellSouth executive is winning in the game of life. But it’s his heart for seeing others win that is something to behold.
He worked up from an entry-level installer pulling cables to a successful career in telecommunications, and from a first-generation Irish American teaching youngsters to read in Spanish Harlem to having a hand in peacemaking efforts in Northern Ireland.
With modesty, Gaffey would tell you that his work in Northern Ireland wasn’t remarkable because there were a plethora of well-funded protests taking place when he was a young man in the 1960s and 70s. I beg to differ.
Why The Troubles were troubling
After gaining its independence in 1922, Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom to become the independent Irish Free State except for the six northeastern counties that comprise Northern Ireland, creating the partition of Ireland.
The Nationalists, largely Catholics, wanted Northern Ireland to become part of the republic of Ireland. The overwhelmingly Protestant Unionists wished to remain part of the United Kingdom. The violent sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland known as The Troubles erupted in 1968 after having been stoked by hundreds of years of tumultuous history.
Gaffey described the rather draconian, anti-Catholic situation, which he prefers to view through the lens of “the haves versus the have-nots” instead of joining the media in playing-up the battle of the religions. In truth, voting laws seemed fair; but in practice, they were very unfavorable to Catholics.
Local voting was subject to property qualifications which made matters even worse. Business owners — disproportionately Protestant — who owned multiple properties got multiple votes.
“You had some people with no vote at all and some people with overloaded gerrymandering of the districts and sitting in parliament,” Gaffey said. This would ensure a Protestant majority in as many constituencies as possible.
Hence, in Northern Ireland, the religious makeup of your community determined the quality of your housing, public services and the jobs available to you. Peaceful protests were not kindly received.
Understandably, those who had enjoyed centuries of unfair advantages wanted to keep things just as they were.
Brooklyn boy
The son of Irish immigrants, Gaffey was moved by the civil unrest going on across the pond. He authored an essay about the crisis while studying at City University of New York with a focus on the Special Powers Act passed by the Parliament of Northern Ireland in 1922. The act was meant to restore order but was ruthlessly used to suppress the Nationalists’ opposition to politics that significantly favored the Unionists.
“The Special Powers Act allowed the authorities in Northern Ireland to arrest without charge and hold indefinitely up to six years without a trial or any kind of a court hearing. People were placed in concentration camp facilities,” Gaffey explained.
The British Army began a policy of internment without trial in Northern Ireland in 1971 during Operation Demetrius which would last until 1975.
Skin in the game
In 1969, when Gaffey’s university paper was distributed to the head of the Transport Workers Union in New York City and to the National Council of Churches, it was decided he should be sent to Northern Ireland to learn what was going on and report back to the United States. The street smarts he’d acquired growing up in Brooklyn were about to be put to the test.
Gaffey first landed in Ireland on August 15, 1969 — the day after the British army had arrived. Armed only with legal writing pads, he was instructed to walk the streets, meet and live with the locals, observe, write weekly reports detailing his findings and send them through the postal system, as was customary then.
“When something big was happening, like the British army going into a certain area, we used telegrams,” he said.
“The Unionists began to attack and burn whole villages, trying to force out the Nationalists and stop the civil rights movement. The British government decided that too many people were being killed and driven out of their homes. Whole rows of homes were burnt down. All those families had to flee,” Gaffey said.
The U.S. didn’t want to interfere but craved a better understanding of what was going on with their close allies in the United Kingdom.
“People here, even people in Irish organizations, couldn’t understand why two Christian communities were attacking one another,” Gaffey explained.
Between 1968 and 1972, Gaffey traveled to Northern Ireland 12 times, living in both Unionist and Nationalist communities, learning from them. He shared what was unfolding with the U.S. by reporting to congressional officials and testifying to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
An uncomfortable situation
Asked if he was fearful, Gaffey replied, “I was very cautious. I was stopped and frisked in the streets by British soldiers and held for a period of time until my paperwork could be approved by some officer at least 12 times,” he revealed.
Anyone moving from one tiny community to the other in that area — no larger than Connecticut — or traveling with recognizable people as he was, was likely to be stopped, especially if they were obviously not dock workers or coal miners, the type of individuals one would expect to see there.
Observers knew to always carry their passports and visas, and say they were just visiting friends and relatives if questioned. “We were sent in with the cards of American diplomatic officials to call in case it got serious,” Gaffey said.
Gaffey recounts harrowing tales like that of the late John Hume being taken to meet the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in the trunk of a car to start the peace process because he wasn’t allowed to know where he was going.
Hidden under a blanket is how Gaffey was once driven speedily across the border into the Republic of Ireland when violence broke out in Derry. Besides developing an instinct for knowing when it was time to leave, when he wasn’t evading hostilities, he found himself in discussions with very aggressive, angry people resisting the push for change.
“Communities were devastated, people were beaten. It was a horrible situation,” Gaffey stated.
Forward, march!
“I was in three civil rights marches in Dungannon, Belfast and Londonderry: two in 1970 and one in 1971. I was pelted with rocks and stones by folks who did not like these marches in Northern Ireland,” Gaffey shared.
Just the thought of marching in such circumstances with 12 to 14,000 people organized by the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA) would strike terror in the hearts of most people. But men like Gaffey are a different breed.
“I was too busy ducking horse and cow manure to be terrified. When you were marching through these farmlands into cities where an election might be coming up, they got pretty feisty,” he said.
According to Gaffey, Nationalist chants were met with cries of “No surrender!” by Unionists who had a monopoly on everything.
— “We shall overcome!”
— “No surrender!”
— “We want jobs!”
— “No surrender!”
When the guns came out and things got extremely violent, the observers were pulled out of Northern Ireland.
After Ireland
What Gaffey had witnessed in Northern Ireland motivated him to help even more. He became the National Student Organizer of the National Association for Irish Justice (NAIJ) and traveled across the United States speaking at numerous universities including Yale, Harvard and Berkeley.
His goal? To educate students about what was going on in Northern Ireland and encourage them to become involved by protesting the blatant discrimination against the Catholics.
“We were the financial supporter in the United States for the NICRA who modeled themselves after the Civil Rights Movement in America,” Gaffey said. Able to garner support from the universities he visited, NAIJ chapters sprang up. Gaffey later served as the National Coordinator of the NAIJ.
As the Coordinator, Gaffey formally represented the NICRA in the United States at speaking engagements, public presentations and protests.
Over the years, Gaffey has met with four sitting U.S. Presidents about Northern Ireland: Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. and Laura Bush and Barack and Michelle Obama. He served on a committee of 20 charged with organizing the Obamas’ first trip to Ireland.
Luck of the Irish
John Lennon, who had participated in a march in London, backed the civil rights movement and supported the NICRA. Lennon attended NICRA meetings and spoke at rallies in the United States. Gaffey had dinners with both he and Yoko Ono.
“He carried around our first son,” Gaffey beamed. “He was one of the most empathetic people I’ve ever met. Anything that was happening around him affected him emotionally, almost physically. When he was associated with us, he was taking in every bit of information,” he added.
Lennon and Ono wrote “The Luck of the Irish” in 1971, donating all proceeds from the song to Irish civil rights organizations in Ireland and New York. Other supporters of the cause were Arlo Guthrie and the group Peter, Paul and Mary, who entertained at rallies and fundraisers free of charge, as did Lennon.
The lyrics of U2’s signature song, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” evoke the horrors of one of the darkest days of the Troubles in Northern Ireland when British troops shot and killed 13 unarmed Roman Catholic civil rights supporters, injuring 14 others (one later died), during a protest march in Derry on Sunday, January 30, 1972.
The Good Friday Agreement
On April 10, 1998, Irish Nationalist politicians John Hume and David Trimble, the Northern Irish leader, steered the Protestant majority and their Catholic rivals into a peace deal known as The Good Friday Agreement.
“Unfortunately, Trimble doesn’t get a lot of play because his community hated him for doing it,” Gaffey said.
The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded jointly to Hume and Trimble that year “for their efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland.”
When it was all said and done, 3,720 people in a population of about 1.5 million were killed in Northern Ireland over a 30-year period during the Troubles.
With 21 miles of “peace walls,” separating Irish republican from British loyalist neighborhoods, increasing in number and size since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, it’s clear there is ongoing turmoil.
Martin Luther King III
In 2015, Gaffey was asked by those in Northern Ireland trying to settle things down to bring his friend Martin Luther King III with him to meet face-to-face with people on both sides. Gaffey followed through with King by his side.
“I think eventually, possibly within our lifetimes, we’ll witness the unification of Northern Ireland and Ireland into one country,” Gaffey stated. Despite the continued unrest, Gaffey maintains a vision of hope. Call it pollyannaish if you must, but I think I’ll join him in his prediction of a better tomorrow.
Avocation life
Gaffey discusses avocations like they’re as essential as breathing. I suspect he assumes we all partake in multiple activities in addition to our regular occupations.
In 2002, he founded The Gaffey Group, an international trading company. He’s brought 47 companies out of Northern Ireland to the United States on trade missions. Today, he assists the successful ones by procuring investors.
“I’ve gone on trade missions to Northern Ireland with Governor Sonny Perdue and Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle. I also took Governor Bob Riley of Alabama and a team on a trade mission there,” Gaffey said.
Gaffey serves on the Peace Harmony Joy Alliance which mirrors his own belief in leading a purposeful life.
As an advisor to The Carter Center on conflict resolution, Gaffey has investigated third world and local issues.
In case you were unaware that it might need saving, Gaffey serves on the ad hoc committee to save the Good Friday Agreement. Deeming it necessary for future success, he calls it a pressure group.
He explained, “It’s always in peril. Although everybody signed a peace agreement, they’ve found less than half of the weapons that were being used. There are still incidents. They’re still looking for people who were never found.”
Leaving a legacy
Gaffey plans to donate an archive of over 300 documents to The Linen Hall, the oldest library in Belfast. His records of fundraising and support include financials, what they did, who they were raising money from, who they supported as well as communications addressed by leaders of the NICRA.
“I can’t believe the news today,” Bono first crooned in the 1980s about the heightened conflict in early 1970s Northern Ireland. Regrettably, we can look at wars going on across the globe today and say the same.
It seems as long as humankind exists, so too will conflict. The only comfort is knowing there will also always be those upholding justice and equality. If you’re lucky enough to meet one such person committed to peace, seize the occasion to hear stories of hope that can emerge from even the deepest trenches of despair.
There you have it, Peachtree Corners! I hope you’ve enjoyed meeting our very notable neighbor Jim Gaffey as much as I have.
This article originally ran in the October/November issue of Peachtree Corners Magazine. You can read the digital edition here.
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Business
From the Mayor’s Desk: Looking Back at Business in 2024
Published
5 days agoon
December 28, 2024As we look back at 2024, there were a number of acquisitions, new businesses opening, major renovations and milestones celebrated. I’ll attempt to highlight some of them, knowing that I can’t possibly cover them all. There were some new events this year too.
This past year was a big one for Guardian Sports, a Peachtree Corners company that designs and manufactures helmet covers. The NFL now requires Guardian Caps be worn during NFL during practice, and players may choose to wear them during games. The caps disperse energy during hits with the goal of reducing head injuries.
Insight Sourcing of Peachtree Corners was acquired by Accenture, a leading global professional services company. Insight Sourcing helps clients optimize costs when sourcing and negotiating contracts for materials, services related to capital expenditures and energy procurement management. Accenture is a talent- and innovation-led company with approximately 743,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries.
Axon, the global leader in connected public safety technologies, acquired Fusus, a leader in real-time crime center technology located in Peachtree Corners. Fusus excels in aggregating live video, data and sensor feeds from virtually any source, enhancing situational awareness and investigative capabilities for public safety, education and commercial customers.
Milestone celebrations
Authentic Hardwood Flooring on Amwiler Road celebrated 25 years in business in 2024. Michael Keroack has been steadily growing the operation for roughly eight years in Peachtree Corners with the help of Buddy Wofford, general sales manager, and Michael Blocker, director of operations.
Also celebrating a milestone in 2024 was Diversified Resource Group (DRG). For nearly 25 years, Darrell Creedon has been running DRG in Peachtree Corners, outfitting workspaces for companies and governments, and more recently, hotels and convention centers. Mr. Creedon, who resides in Peachtree Corners, started the furniture business with a college friend in 1999 in a home basement.
City events
The City of Peachtree Corners organized the 2nd Annual Curiosity Lab Criterium in April. This year’s event featured a running race, kids races, food trucks, vendors and other activities for the family. There was also a fun run in Technology Park. Werfen, a global diagnostics company, and the City of Peachtree Corners, partnered on a 5K Walk/Run in Technology Park in November. The event benefitted the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In May, the city organized a food truck event at Curiosity Lab, which drew about 210 people working in and around Technology Park.
The PCBA organized the first Taste of Peachtree Corners in June. It was a great time of networking and community fellowship among business owners and other involved citizens. Approximately 100 people experienced an evening of delicious bites and drinks, sampling foods from local businesses.
New to the city
Blue River Development moved its corporate office from Forsyth County to Peachtree Corners to expand its operations. The company is a leader in real estate development and investment.
A new pediatric dentistry, Agape Pediatric Dentistry, opened at 5185 Peachtree Parkway #325 at The Forum. Two law firms opened on Wetherburn Way: Brooks Injury Law Offices and Tadeo & Silva immigration law firm.
A former steel pipe fabrication site at 6420 Corley Road that was converted to a logistics center is now fully leased. The 27-acre property, which sold for $10.5 million in 2018 was sold for $77.4 million three years later, after it was cleaned up and redeveloped into the Peachtree Corners Logistics Center.
The Central Business District
Also in May, the city adopted a 6-month moratorium on projects in the Central Business District. Due to the increasing number of applications and evolving market trends, the moratorium came into effect on May 3 and ended on November 3. The moratorium gave the city six months to pause rezoning applications, special use permits and variances applications for residential or mixed-use development.
In August, members of the Peachtree Corners City Council took part in a ribbon cutting at The Forum. We celebrated the opening of the new plaza and activity areas. Jamestown is modernizing the 20-year-old Forum shopping center and transforming it into a true mixed-use destination through the addition of a 125-room boutique hotel, approximately 381 multifamily units, new experiential retail and dining offerings, structured parking and an expanded public area.
Construction began in May 2023, and the first of two new greenspace additions were constructed. Phases II and III will see the multifamily and boutique hotel constructed, both slated to start in 2025. Also this year, it was announced that Jamestown, a global real estate investment and management firm, acquired the Cincinnati-based North American Properties, which owned The Forum.
Members of the Peachtree Corners Redevelopment Authority and Downtown Development Authority engaged in a focus group discussion in August at City Hall. The discussion was led by representatives from Kimley-Horn, engineering, planning and design consultants. There was discussion about under-utilized spaces, needed amenities and potential uses for vacant properties. City officials also met with members of the commercial real estate community in September to specifically discuss Technology Park.
International visitors, co-working and new townhome project
An 18-member delegation of Finnish business people visited Curiosity Lab in Peachtree Corners in September. The visit marks the second time a Finnish delegation has visited Peachtree Corners. Seven innovative Finnish companies traveled to the Atlanta area in search of U.S. partners to promote transatlantic trade between Finland and the United States. Japanese delegates involved in sectors such as automotive, technology, energy and corporate development also visited Peachtree Corners in December as part of a regional tour.
Construction of a co-working space, Roam, is well underway at the Town Center and will open in summer 2025. The 35,000-square-foot building is located at 3847 Medlock Bridge Road and will feature a rooftop event space, coffeeshop and cafe, in addition to workspaces.
An office building at 3585 Engineering Drive was demolished earlier this month to make way for a townhome community. The new 75-unit townhome project is under construction by D.R. Horton, which received rezoning approval from the city last February. The 102,000 SF office building sat vacant for many years.
Collaboration, renovation and more
Curiosity Lab announced a collaboration with Gama Sonic, a global leader in upscale, bright and durable solar lighting for homes, businesses and outdoor spaces. The company’s deployment of solar lighting in the City of Peachtree Corners marks its first deployment implementing customized, intelligent lighting programming timers that enhance safety for residents and visitors.
Brady Anderson Bennett recently opened a State Farm office at 3000 Northwoods Parkway. The 27-year-old has been working with State Farm since he was 18 years old.
Renovation is underway at 7050 Jimmy Carter Blvd. for the creation of a Planet Fitness. The gym is under development by Alder Partners/the Flynn Group. This location marks the 32nd location in metro Atlanta. It is expected to open in January.
There is also a relatively new Southern-inspired eatery you may want to try. Dahlia’s Restaurant & Porch, located inside the Hilton Atlanta Northeast hotel, opened this year. Dahlia’s offers Southern-style plates that leverage regionally sourced, farm-fresh ingredients.
Happy Holidays!
Mayor Mike Mason
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Community
Life in Motion: The Gift of Organ Donation Fuels Active Lives for Recipients
Published
4 weeks agoon
December 6, 2024Peachtree 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.
“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.
“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.”
“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.
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.
About LifeLink of Georgia
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.
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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