dawson chamber sept2014

By Michele [email protected]

A new, local tradition contin-ued to brew over the weekend during the second annual Dawsonville Music and Beer Festival.

Proceeds from the event bene-fited Camp Southern Ground, area musician Zac Brown’s pro-gram for kids with autism and ADHD, and the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame.

Organizer Donavan Hyder, owner of Castleberry Ale House in Forsyth County, called the festival a success.

“It’s fun, it’s local music,” he said. “They’re all good musi-cians … they start drawing crowds. And the reason we started the festival is so they can get exposure and play in a bigger crowd and the bands can get seen.”

The event was also a hit with fans, according to Dawsonville Mayor James Grogan.

“I thought it went great,” he said. “It was a great crowd, much larger than we had last year. The music was excellent and the weather was fine.

The Member Newsletter of the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce

Edition Highlights:

September 2014Post Office Box 29944 Commerce Drive

Dawsonville, GA 30534(706) 265-6278

Authority to receive loan

Golf tournament benefits art council

Greenhouse opens at high school

Rotary Island splash pad debuts

Festival rocks downtown Dawsonville

See FESTIVAL | 2

Across the Wide was one of three bands that performed during the second annual Dawsonville Music and Beer Festival.

Photos by Michele Hester Dawson Community News

Chad Cruse of Cumming and 10-year-

old Harmony Jones of

Dawsonville dance dur ing

the festival.

Kurt Thomas of Dahlonega performed during annual event.

2 | DAWSON CHAMBER CHRONICLE | dawsonnews.com SEPTEMBER 2014

I am pretty sure that the majority of Americans (or at least Southerners) would say that autumn is their favor-ite season.

One major reason is that fall brings football season.

If you’re like me, nothing beats SEC and high school football. Maybe you love Big 10 and profes-sional football. There’s something about the deep seated rivalries that come along with football that make me look forward to the start of this season.

I will forever love my Dawgs but I know part of that love does not come from the actions of the players on the field but from the traditions associated with the game.

For example, when it was threat-ened that the Georgia-Florida game would no longer be played in Jacksonville, most UGA fans were in an uproar. Although it would proba-bly be less expensive, make more sense and give a home field advan-tage for the game to be played every other year on our field, fans

couldn’t support the breaking of a long standing tradition.

You may ask your-self: “What do foot-ball traditions have to do with busi-ness?” I think we in the business commu-nity can take a major

lesson from football season — become a tradition.

You may laugh at this and I will be the first to admit that it may not apply to all businesses but here are some examples.

When I was younger, going to Belk with my grandmama to buy an Easter dress became an annual tra-dition. Even after she passed, my mama and I keep that tradition going. Your family may all go to the eye doctor right when school starts or maybe you have a family tradi-tion to get to pick the ice cream fla-vor you purchase from Kroger on the week of your birthday. Traditions come in all shapes and sizes.

These may seem silly to you but in a world that has become increasing-ly high-tech and is filled with con-stant change, I believe people find great comfort in traditions, both large and small.

If you’re a business owner, I urge you to consider what traditions can include your business and how you can encourage the beginning or continuation of these traditions. As we head into the season of Thanksgiving (my favorite tradition-filled holiday), now is the perfect time to identify tradition opportunities within your business and promote them to your customers.

We hope you’ll share your busi-ness traditions with us either by email at [email protected] or on our Facebook page listed under the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce.

Christie HaynesPresident

Brooke AndersonEtowah Water and Sewer Authority

James AskewUnited Community Bank-Dawsonville

Charlie AuvermannDevelopment Authority of Dawson County

Jennifer BakerUnited Community Bank-Dawsonville

James BeardenBearden Funeral Home

Mike BergDawson County Board of Commissioners

Carla BoutinState Farm Insurance

Calvin ByrdByrd’s Mini Storage-Dawson 400

Jeb ChathamChatham and Rea, Attorneys at Law PC

Chris GainesTaylor, Turner & Hartsfield

James GroganCity of Dawsonville

Christie HaynesDawson County Chamber of Commerce, tourism development

Peter Hill Hill Design Associates Architects, Inc.

Steve MelchingBig Canoe Homeowners Association

Damon GibbsDawson County Board of Education

Mandy PowerBB&T

Denny PutlakDenny Insurance Group

Libby SmithSleeveCo Inc.

Carol TygerIndividual

Mike UnderwoodFoothills Community Bank

Gloria WyattNorthside Hospital-Forsyth

Seanie ZappendorfDiscovery Parts Inc.

CHAMBer of CoMMerCe 2014 BoArD of DireCTorSSeason of traditions

Haynes

“I talked to a lot of people that came and everybody thought it was a great event.”

Grogan added that he was pleased to see more families and children this year.

“I think people have a miscon-ception about what goes on, but it’s really a good event,” he said. “I think anyone would enjoy com-ing, just to hear the music.”

Darlene Davis of Cumming cer-tainly did.

“Oh, this is so much fun,” she said. “We’re having a great time.”

Davis was wearing her “The Wrong Crowd” song shirt in sup-

port of Across the Wide, one of three bands who performed Friday night.

“I’ve been following Mark [Mundy] and Jody [Abernathy]

around since I was about 21 years old,” she said. “… They’re just awesome and I just love them. Whether they are playing their own music or someone else’s, they’re still awesome.”

Abernathy, lead vocalist for Across the Wide, said he enjoyed seeing a lot of friends at the festival.

“I tell everybody this. I moved [to Dawsonville] a year ago after my divorce and it’s been like what I would equate moving to Mayberry,” he said. “I mean hon-estly, everybody up here has taken me in.

“I don’t think I’ll ever move from here, and I don’t mean from Dawsonville. I mean from right here in this downtown area. I love it. I love living here and get-ting to play for everybody.”

froM 1

Festival

Michele Hester Dawson Community News

Across the Wide vocalist Jody Abernathy signs autographs dur-ing a meet-and-greet with the band.

dawsonnews.com | DAWSON CHAMBER CHRONICLE | 3SEPTEMBER 2014

Chamber Chronicle is the monthly newsletter of the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce.

The editorial content includes Chamber News and goals of interest to the business and residential community.

The Chamber will keep the community informed about ribbon cuttings, business expansions, chamber functions and events, community events and

the benefits of Chamber membership through Chamber Chronicle.

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Subscribers, Plus All Dawson County Chamber Members

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Call Jennifer Lyness at 706.265.3384 for rates

EXTEND YOUR ADVERTISING MARKETin our monthly

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The Chronicle is mailed to all subscribers of the Dawson Community News, plus all Chamber members. Additional copies are available at the Chamber office.

By David [email protected]

Golfers and art patrons turned out for cool tem-peratures and green grass at Crystal Falls Golf Club near the Dawson-Cherokee County lines.

The third annual Monet Ladies Golf Classic Charity Tournament, which ben-efits the Dawson County Arts Council, gathered 112 women golfers to Dawson County to par-ticipate in a good cause.

“Over 100 lady golf-ers and over 50 spon-sors from Dawson, Hall, Lumpkin and Forsyth counties gathered to participate in Bowen Center for the Arts’ larg-est fundraiser event of the year,” said the cen-ter’s executive director, Ginny Greenwood.“

Golfers were treated to fair weather and wel-coming greens, as well as a luncheon, silent auction of donated arts and wrapped up with “a day for participants and patrons of the arts,” according to Greenwood.

“We had multiple major sponsors from the north Georgia region contribute to this won-derful event for their love of arts and culture,” Greenwood said. “It is

through their generosity that continuing presenta-tions of art, music, the-atre and social events will entertain and delight adults and children alike through the Bowen Center for the Arts.”

This year’s event saw an increase from last year’s hard-cap of 96 people allowed in the tournament.

“We had an excellent turnout this year,” said council president Pat Cavenaugh.


Office: 706-216-4806Fax: [email protected]

P.O Box 1096137 Prominence Court

Suite 240Dawsonville, GA 30534

calendar of events

Sept. 10 – The chamber will be holding a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. at the Humane Society Resale Shop and Boutique, located at 54 South Lumpkin Campground Road.

Sept. 11 – Join the chamber for its monthly luncheon at noon at Peach Brandy Cottage. The price is $15. Call (706) 265-6278 to make a reserva-tions by phone.

Sept. 13 – Uncle Shucks Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch will open for the 2014 season from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. The 2014 corn maze will feature a 12-acre tribute to the 150th anniversary of the civil war in Georgia. For hours and rates, visit www.uncleshucks.com.

Sept. 20 – “Luck Be A Chicken” book signing, Georgia Racing Hall of Fame 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Come meet regional author Jameson Gregg as he releases his new book, “Luck Be A Chicken.”

Sept. 20 – Giving Goes Glam, the annual luncheon and fashion show hosted by Dawson County Woman’s Club, will be held at the Fellowship Hall of the First Baptist Church, 900 Highway 9 N. Doors will open at 11 a.m. Spectacular fashions for every occasion will be presented by these fine bou-tiques located in Gainesville: Carol’s Closet, Elizabeth’s Clothing Company, Saul’s and The Bradford Pair.

Sept. 21 – Etowah River Trail Paddle Rodeo will be held from 1 to 8 p.m. This special fundraising event includes an 8-mile paddle on the Etowah River from Hwy. 9 to Kelly Bridge Road and through the heart of the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area. The trip will be followed by a paddle festival at Dawson County’s Rock Creek Park with music, exhibits from paddle sports retailers, dinner and drinks. Complimentary canoe and kayaks will be avail-able for use and complimentary shuttles will be provided. Proceeds from this benefit the Etowah River Water Trail and will be used to improve public access points along the 163-mile-long water trail. Call (706) 232-2724 for more information.

Sept. 29 – The Dawson County Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Golf Tournament at Chestatee Golf Club will begin at 9 a.m. The cost is $100 per player, $400 per team, $500 for a corporate sponsor and $150 for a hole sponsorship. Call the chamber at (706) 265-6278 for further information on sponsorship and volunteer opportunities.

Oct. 9 – Join the chamber for its monthly lunch Peach Brandy Cottage at noon. Members that register online no later than 5 p.m. Oct. 7 will pay an early bird price of $12.50. If you would like a heart-healthy, gluten-free mega salad for lunch, pre-order by Oct. 7 at 4 p.m. with the chamber. The price after the cutoff date will be $15. Visitors are invited to attend and pay a visitor fee of $15. Call (706) 265-6278 to make your reservations by phone.

David Renner Dawson Community News

Jerry Tragesser, left, and George Cavenaugh, right, measure golfer Beth Litterer’s putt for the “Longest Putt” contest.

Art lovers golf for charity


The Rotary Club of Dawson County made a splash with the grand opening of Rotary Island, an interactive water play-ground at Rock Creek Park.

Hundreds of kids were lined up Aug. 28 to be among the first to run through the sprinklers. The excitement continued throughout the Labor Day weekend as families enjoyed a break from the late summer heat and cooled off in the cascades of water.

“This is unbelievable to see this thing happen,” said Vernon Smith, the club’s immediate past president. “This means a lot to the people of

Dawson County.”Just moments before the

ribbon was cut to signify the official opening, Smith read a poem outlining his vision for the waterpark.

“May the Rotary wheel forever spin, be wet or dry. May the children playing under it forever laugh and never cry. Rotary Island is for the kids. May they enjoy it for many years. I hope it brings much laughter and never any tears. For this year and many more to come, for us Rotarians, it’s been a lot of fun.”

The three-dimensional, interactive waterpark fea-tures a 40-foot diameter with five above-ground water features and six ground-level sprinklers. It’s adjacent to the park’s chil-dren’s playground and

adjoins the pavilion. The club earlier this year

committed to building Rotary Island at an esti-mated cost of $54,000 for the first phase.

Funded by proceeds from its annual golf tourna-ments over three years, the attraction is the club’s biggest project since form-ing in 1992.

“A lot of people really worked very, very hard ... thank you so much. Thank you again for all your hard work in raising the money and the effort that’s going to be spent building it,” Smith said.

Etowah Water and Sewer Authority has pledged to provide water free of charge, up to $5,000 annually.

Mike Berg, chairman of the Dawson County commission, commended all involved.

“It’s great that so many

folks are here,” he said. “On behalf of the board of commissioners, the county manager and all our county employees … thank you for what Rotary has given to the citizens of Dawson County. And that’s what this is all about.”

The project further demonstrates the club’s commitment to communi-ty, according to State Rep. Kevin Tanner.

“When I was president of Rotary in 2004, we built the reflection park here at Rock Creek. This has outdone that. I

appreciate it and I’m glad to be a part of it,” he said. “This is some-thing that Dawson County can be proud of for many years to come.”

Rotary Island will remain open through September. Admission is free.


Rotary Island is open


Hundreds of kids were on hand Aug. 28 for the grand opening of Rotary Island at Rock Creek Park.

Warm welcome for waterpark

Representative named ‘Champion of Cities’By Michele [email protected]

The Georgia Municipal Association recently recog-nized local lawmaker Kevin Tanner with the group’s 2014 Champion of Georgia’s Cities award.

The award is given at the end of every two-year legisla-tive term to lawmakers whose work to pass legislation direct-ly and positively impacts cities.

“I was so appreciative of the recognition from the Georgia Municipal Association having

worked in local government from 24 years,” Tanner said. “I have a deep understanding of the value that cities and coun-ties provide to the citizens.

“I look forward to working closely with organizations such as GMA to improve the quality of life for our citizens.”

Justin Kirnon, the association’s government relation’s associate, presented the award during the Dahlonega City Council’s Aug. 4 meeting.

“We greatly appreciate Rep. Tanner’s strong support for city

government and his willingness to always listen to our issues and concerns,” said GMA Executive Director Lamar Norton. “Due to his strong leadership, the citizens of all Georgia’s cities will benefit.”

Tanner, R-Dawsonville, repre-sents Lumpkin, most of Dawson and part of Forsyth in the Georgia House of Representatives.

The association recognized Tanner for supporting House Bill 741, which gives local govern-ments and residents a say in

where sludge (partially treated wastewater) can be placed in their communities. It also requires any public hearings on matters of sludge application to be held in the county where the land is located, contrary to prior law that did not regulate such a criteria.

The debate over sludge application started nearly three years ago when developer Ken Curren filed an application with the state Environmental Protection Division to amend the Hampton Creek Water

Reclamation Facility sludge management plan.

According to the application, he planned to spread partially treated liquid waste from the Forsyth County plant on about 65 acres at Lumpkin Campground and Harry Sosebee roads in Dawson County.

The site is about one mile away from the busy Ga. 400 corridor, which includes the North Georgia Premium Outlets, the county’s largest source of sales tax revenue.


business ribbon cuttings

Agency changes locationWhile not a new business by any means in Dawson

County, one insurance agency recently celebrated a ribbon cutting with the chamber of commerce.

Blocker Insurance Agency recently moved locations to the Ingles shopping center at the intersections of Ga. 400 and Hwy. 53. The agency, which describes itself as “an independent agency North East Georgia,” offers auto, home, renters, business, health and life insurance.

“What am independent agency means for you is choice,” said owner Donna Blocker. “We have access to a variety of companies. This allows us to find the product you need at the price you will love.”

Blocker wants everyone to give their new location a visit and to not be hesitant to try them.

“Come in and see us, or give us a call. A quote usu-ally takes less than 30 minutes, and it’s always free,” she said. “We offer you choice, and choice will save you money.”

The chamber is also excited about Blocker’s move to a highly-visible area.

“We were thrilled to host a ribbon cutting for Blocker Insurance at their new location,” said chamber presi-dent Christie Haynes. “Donna Blocker is an excellent example of a local small business leader who greatly contributes to her customers and community.”

The new location is at 66 South 400 Center Lane, Suite 110.

For more information, call (706) 265-7517 or visit www.blockerins.com.

— David Renner

For the Dawson Community News

The chamber joined insurance agent and owner Donna Blocker on cutting the ribbon on her new location in the Ingles shopping center.

Civic organization joins chamber

The Dawsonville Civitan Club has officially joined the chamber of commerce.

The civic organization held its official ribbon cutting at the cham-ber offices on July 31.

“We were so thrilled to have a great turnout for the ribbon cut-ting. It just shows the great sup-port for the Dawsonville Civitian Club,” said chamber membership director Kara Hewatt. “I know they are going to do great things for our community and build great, lasting relationships.”

The Civitan mission, according to its website, is “to build good citizenship by providing a volun-teer organization to serve the community.”

“It’s wonderful, having another club here that specializes in, and looks to the citizens specifically, to youth that needs help,” said Dawson County Commission Chair Mike Berg. “That’s always

a very positive thing. An organi-zation like this is a blessing to this county.”

Members of the club invite resi-dents in Dawsonville, Big Canoe and Dahlonega to join them for lunch at noon Wednesdays at Ryan’s Steakhouse in Dawsonville to learn more about the organiza-tion, which focuses its attention on “making the world a better place,” such as helping special needs children.

“We are proud to be members

of the chamber,” said Terry Crouch, chairman of the growth and development committee for Civitan. “We’re even more proud to be a part of this community. We think it’s a great fit for our organization.”

For more information about the club, contact Diane Hansard at (770) 540-0447 or Terry Crouch at (678) 481-8474.

— David Renner


Civitan International of Dawson County joined the chamber at its office to cut the ribbon on the new organization.

Chamber welcomes auto parts store

A national auto parts store has joined the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce.

O’Reilly Auto Parts, located across the road from the chamber, held a ribbon cutting on Aug. 22.

“We’re very excited about our new neighbors,” said chamber president Christie Haynes. “It’s great, having any new business on [Ga.] 400 and we’re excited to see business growth in the coun-ty.”

The store offers a wide variety of auto parts and even offers local delivery. But the real contributing factor, according to management, is the hiring practices.

“I’m glad we can finally get here. I know it took a couple of years, but I’m glad we’re finally in

town,” said Jimmy Braswell, district manager for O’Reilly. “We always try to hire locally and get those that know people in the communi-ty. It’s how you get the best results and it’s going to be a better atmo-sphere as a result. Everybody in this store is from the Dawsonville area.”

O’Reilly Auto Parts is open from

7:30 a.m.- 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday and is at 263 Dawson Village Hwy. North, right off of Ga. 400.

For more information, call (706) 216-0008 or visit www.oreillyau-to.com.


The Dawson County Chamber of Commerce welcomed its new neighbors, O’Reilly Auto Parts, during its Aug. 22 ribbon cutting.


Call (706) 265-1335 to schedule an appointment today. Walk-ins welcome.

AndersonFamily MedicineA

81 Northside Dawson Drive, Suite 205 Dawsonville, GA 30534

COME SEE US AT OUR NEW LOCATION:

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as your neighborhood doctor.

Our friendly, experienced staff provides excellent care for the whole family.

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SAFFT HouSe cuTS ribbonCounty and chamber of commerce representatives joined The Supporting Adoption and Fostering Families Together, or SAFFT, House workers in cutting the organization’s ribbon June 30. The organization provides a safe and secure means for parents under disputed custody means to exchange children. The organization moved into the 40 Hightower Pkwy. building on March 27.

Chamber to hold golf tournamentFrom staff reports

The Dawson County Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual golf tournament Sept. 29 at Chestatee Golf Club.

This annual tournament is a long-held tradition of the chamber. It pro-vides the opportunity for local business leaders to interact or entertain clients in a relaxed atmosphere on a champi-onship course.

Sponsored by Northside Hospital- Forsyth, the tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. Players will enjoy the pristine course and its vigor-ous mountain terrain.

Entrance fee includes breakfast, practice range, awards lunch, green fees, cart and a spectacular gift bag.

“We look forward to this event every year,” said chamber president Christie Haynes. “It is always a great day for our local businesses to escape the office and enjoy fellowship with other leaders and potential clients.”

Additional sponsors include: Medical Plaza 400, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta-Forsyth, Dawsonville Gun and Pawn, Bojangles and the University of North Georgia. Awards will be given for gross and net first and second place, longest drive and closest to the pin. There will also be hole-in-one and putting contests.

Spaces for teams, individual players, and hole sponsors are still available. Contact the chamber at (706) 265-6278 or www.dawson.org for more information.


Shop Local


After nearly two decades of work and the efforts of three teachers, Dawson County High School has a new greenhouse facility.

“I’ve worked on getting something like this here for more than 15 years,” said Reggie Stowers, retired agriculture teacher. “This is a great facility.”

Stowers had been pitch-ing the idea of a new facili-ty to the board of education for some time, but it wasn’t until after his retirement and the hiring of his successor, Eric Hickox, that the break-through came.

“Reggie had been trying for several years,” said Hickox, who left the school last year. “When I came in, I decided to make the pitch and it worked out.”

In February, the school

board voted to approve spending $246,000 in sales tax money on the proj-ect.

It called for the construc-tion of two 72-foot-by-30-foot polycarbonate-sided greenhouses, a 30-foot-by-24-foot metal-sided head house and a 20-foot-by-60-foot shade house.

The facilities will be used by the school’s agriculture class, which grows various plants for public sale later in the school year.

While Hickox was only with the school for a year, that was long enough to see the project put into motion.

But it was his replace-ment, Josh Daniel, a recent University of Georgia grad-uate, who will oversee the facility’s use.

“These greenhouses and storage areas are fully equipped for everything,” Daniel said. “The head

house, which is where the students will work out of, even has heating and air.”

Due to the span and scope of the project, Daniel said he was initially uneasy about overseeing it.

“I was a little nervous about having these new facilities to manage, at first, because these are so nice,” he said. “But I’m excited about these facilities, because I really think the kids will benefit from them.”

Stowers, who visited the school Monday, was impressed with what had replaced the old, frequently-patched plastic facility.

“These facilities are top notch,” he said. “They are fully irrigated and environ-mentally sealed. These greenhouses are exactly what the school needs.”

Daniel said that a public ceremony and official open-ing for the greenhouse facil-ity is planned for the end of the month, but the details are still being finalized.

Greenhouses open


Dawson County High agricultural teacher Josh Daniel explains the irrigation, drainage and ventilation systems in the school’s new greenhouses.

Construction wraps on facility at high school



NASCAR legend Bill Elliott has donated a 1937 Ford from his private collection that will be raffled off to raise money to support the Dawsonville History Museum.

“It’s for a good cause and that’s all that matters. Maybe it’ll bring a lot of money. That’s what we need it to do,” Elliott said.

The Gibbon Fiberglass car was built in the late ‘80s and has a 356 cubic inch 351 Ernie Elliott-built engine.

“I’ve probably driven it 100 miles in 20 years,” Bill Elliott said.

The car will be auctioned off during the 47th annual Mountain Moonshine Festival in October.

“It’s being donated to the live auction portion of the Moonshine Festival for the Dawsonville History Museum which has just last week received its official

501c3 status,” said Cindy Elliott, the NASCAR champion’s wife and a Georgia Racing Hall of Fame board member.

There will also be a silent auction leading up to the festival.

“The silent auction portion will open on Wednesday the week of festival and will run all the way through Saturday at 1 p.m.,” Cindy Elliott said. Everything will be on display right inside the doors of the alleyway of the hall of fame. Then, 10 minutes after the close of the live auction, the silent auc-tion will begin.

“We hope a lot of people will come out and support us. We hope a lot of the local businesses will give donations to support the silent and live auctions.”

The Mountain Moonshine Festival will be held Oct. 25 and 26 in down-town Dawsonville.


NASCAR legend Bill Elliott recently donated a 1937 Ford from his private collection that will be raffled off to raise money to support the Dawsonville History Museum.

Racing legend donates car from personal collection

From staff reports

The Georgia Racing Hall of Fame has announced the candidates for this year’s induction into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame.

The “Fast 15” includes Harold Fountain of Martinez, Dick Anderson of Chamblee, Leon Archer of Griffin, Charlie Burkhalter of Athens, Julius Hughes of Atlanta, Bobby Johns of Miami, Fla., Tammy Jo Kirk of Dalton, Ethel Flock Mobley of Atlanta, Jack Pennington of Winston, Rance Phillips of Waycross, Wendell Roach of Lavonia, Louise Smith of Barnesville, Roscoe Smith of Griffin, Sam

Sommers of Sylvania and Jimmy Thomas of Columbus.

The five new inductees will be cho-sen by an 18-member panel of voters Sept. 13 at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson.

As a part of the event, many Georgia Racing Hall of Famers will be present and will be taking part in the pre-race autograph session, while several vintage and historic Georgia race cars will be on the premises.

For more information, call the Hall of Fame at (706) 216-RACE (7223) or go online to www.georgiaracing-hof.com.

‘Fast 15’ announcedNASCAR

From staff reports

With a new school year begun, Amicalola EMC is taking applications for a grant designed to help teachers.

Amicalola EMC’s Bright Ideas grant program is a competition designed to reward teachers who take the time to plan, research and put into action a creative learning experience for students. In 2013, more than $51,000 was awarded to teachers in the Amicalola EMC service area.

This program is of fered to Georgia cer tified teachers at elementary, middle, high schools and private schools in the Amicalola EMC service area.

Funding for the program comes from unclaimed capital credit refunds, released once a mandatory five-year waiting

period has been exhausted.Bright Ideas grants finance

creative classroom projects that would otherwise not receive funding.

Applications for the 2014-15 school year are now being accepted online.

Grants will be funded up to a maximum of $1,000 each. The deadline to apply is Sept. 12.

The Bright Ideas education grant program is par t of Amicalola EMC’s ongoing com-mitment to our communities. Amicalola EMC is a not-for-prof-i t electric cooperative that serves more than 46,000 loca-tions in 10 nor th Georgia coun-ties.

Program details and applica-tions are available at www.ami-calolaemc.com.

Amicalola EMC taking applications for grant


Dawsonville: arounD the s quare

HAMPTON — There was lit-tle doubt who the star of the Great Clips 300 to benefit Feed the Hungry was at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Aug. 30.

“We’re here to see Chase Elliott,” said Nick Clancey from Jesup.

Tara Daniel drove to Hampton from Savannah to watch her favorite driver.

“Chase is one of the most awesome drivers. He’s so young and he’s so very talent-ed,” she said as she waited with nearly 200 other fans hoping for an autograph of the latest racing phenomenon from Dawsonville.

Starting on the pole, Elliott raced to a fifth place finish in his first start at his home state track.

“It’s always exciting to race

around home, and anytime you can do that it’s definitely one of the places you want to shine,” he said before the race. “There’s no question this is one of the dates I’ve been most excited for all season long.

“Who doesn’t want to do well in front of their friends and family?”

The stands at Atlanta Motor Speed were awash with fans wearing what they are calling “Chase Elliott blue.”

“We’ve been so excited about what he’s been doing,” said Dana Johnson of Augusta.

Elliott led the first 36 laps of the 195-lap race that started just as the sun began to set over the track.

While Elliott may have been the crowd favorite, it was his teammate Kevin Harvick that

dominated the race. The win marked Harvick’s

third Nationwide victory of the season and back-to-back victo-ries at Atlanta in the Nationwide Series.

Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch and Elliott rounded out the top five.

“We started out good tonight, and waited on the No. 5 [Harvick] to get there, so I could learn a little bit from him in the race, mostly the line he was running,” Elliott said.

“Once he got there, I was able to learn quite a bit, but we were really just free to begin the race and fought that issue most of the night.”

Despite battling a loose car and a costly mistake in the pits late in the race, Elliott man-aged the stay in near the front of the pack all night.

“I thought we got better and better as we went, but I made an unacceptable mistake there

at the end when I overshot my pit box on the last pit stop, costing us a few positions on the race track,” he said.

“My guys deserved a better night than what they got, so my bad. I will fix this before we get to Richmond next

week.”The fifth-place finish, his third

consecutive and 11th of the season, keeps Elliott in Nationwide Series champion-ship contention, 15 points ahead of teammate Regan Smith.

Elliott finishes fifth


Plans to expand the Atlanta Motorsports Park were heard during a meeting last month.

The Dawsonville Planning Commission heard a presen-tation from park representa-tives regarding the expansion during its Aug. 18 regular meeting.

“I want to update the site plan on file to include the club house on the current zoning plan and also the cart track building move of the

location,” said Atlanta Motorsports Park CEO Jeremy Porter. “This is just an updat-ed site plan, per the build-ings we have now, per the zoning conditions we have been approved for and for the future buildings that we’re going to be doing on the site.”

As these plans are an update to existing site plans and not new plans, the appli-cant does not need to appear before the city coun-cil for approval.

“Right now, we have a site

plan work up of the building planned for Atlanta Motorsports Park on display in city hall,” said Dawsonville Mayor James Grogan.

While applicants are required to submit multiple copies of site plans to the city, there is no requirement on how long plans must remain on display before moving on the building per-mit phase.

“Since this is an update to existing plans, per the stipula-tions on the original site plans, the applicant only

needs to go back to the plan-ning commission for approv-al,” said city permit technician Nalita Copeland. “In the case of AMP, they do not need to appear before the city again since it is an update.”

The commission met the plans with open arms.

“I think what the park is doing is good for the commu-nity and the Dawsonville area,” said planning commis-sion member Ken Breeden. “We are pleased that you are here and in business. It’s com-mendable that you are work-

ing on expanding and … improving the property.”

However, while approval was forthcoming, the plan-ning commission did have a few concerns and stipula-tions.

“I’ve seen all of the plans, and, as a ley person and not an engineer, I want to see more. I want to see what is going on,” said Planning Commission Chair B.J. Farley. “There are a few pieces that [were in the pre-sentation] that I don’t see on the plan.”

Motorsports Park submits expansion plans


Chase Elliott signs an autograph for fan Nick Clancey from Jesup on Aug. 30 during a meet and greet before the race.

Maintains points lead at AMS


Walk-in visitors: 94 Referrals: 176 Newcomer packages: 21

monthly totals

new members

Firehouse Subs

837 Highway 400 S

Dawsonville, GA 30534

(706) 216-3988

Fax: (706) 265-4081

Hazelrigs Contracting Services, LLC

5695 GA. HWY 400, Suite 100

Cumming, GA 30028

(678) 884-8085

Country Financial

200 West Academy Street

Gainesville, GA 30501

(678) 230-4534

Fax: (770) 532-4473

www.countryfinancial.com/christy.tapp

Willow Lake Senior Living

4855 Willow Lake Lane

Cumming, GA 30041

(770) 887-7000

www.willowlakeseniorliving.com

Northside Hospital-Forsyth

Richard Bergen

John Megel Chevrolet

McDonald’s

member renewals - aUGUst


Authority secures loan for reservoirBy Dave [email protected]

After nearly five months of waiting, Georgia has answered — partially — Etowah Water and Sewer Authority’s request for a loan.

“We had requested $25.5 million from the Governor’s Water Supply Program and we received $10 million of that, which we are still extremely proud about,” said Brooke Anderson, the authori-ty’s general manager.

The loan will help finance costs associated with the Russell Creek Reservoir proj-ect, which involves expanding the storage of an existing flood

control dam on the creek. The 137-acre pumped-stor-

age reservoir would be filled with water from the Etowah River. The reservoir has a pro-jected yield of 11.5 million gallons per day and provide 1.37 billion gallons of water storage in the Coosa River Basin.

The authority has been work-ing since 2006 to develop the reservoir, which could serve a projected population of 125,000 past 2050, off of Etowah River Road.

The total cost of the reservoir project is estimated to be near-ly $34.8 million.

The terms of the loan include

a 40-year payback schedule with zero percent interest drawn during the loan draw-down, 2.03 percent interest during the repayment period, interest-only payments during the first seven years and no closing fees.

“We are tremendously excit-ed about getting this loan at the terms and rates that we got it at,” Anderson said. “It’s sim-ply unbeatable.”

With part of the money secured, Anderson said that the next phases of the project are all tied into finalizing the permitting.

“Now we are resolving the final steps with the [U.S. Army]

Corps of Engineers. We hope to have the [cumulative impact modeling] to them by the mid-dle of September,” he said. “We suspect it will take them 45-60 days to review and approve that work.”

“Concurrent with that review and after, we will be working with the corps to write the final case document for the project, which determines the decision for the 404 permit. We are hopeful that around the end of the year, we will be in a posi-tion where we will be nearing or obtaining the permit.”

According to the corps, a 404 permit is needed “for cer-tain activities conducted in

wetlands or other U.S. waters.” This permit is usually required to move water among water basins.

Anderson said that after the permit is obtained, the authori-ty would begin to look at “other options and opportuni-ties to bridge the gap” in fund-ing, whether through subse-quent loan requests, bonding or private sources.

“Right now, our preferred mechanism is to keep all of the money between Etowah and the state, or potentially bond-ing,” he said. “Private funding is certainly an option, but right now it’s not something we are actively considering.”

KNOW YOUR BOARD MEMBER

Mike BergMike Berg serves on the chamber’s board of

directors, as the ex-officio member representing the Dawson County Board of Commissioners, in which he is the chairman.

Berg has been involved with the chamber since moving to the area in the late ‘90s and has served on the chamber’s board since taking office in 2005.

He and wife Jane are also chamber members through her business, Marketing Incentives.

Now in his third term as chairman of county’s governing body, Berg works closely with chamber officials for the betterment of the county.

“The chamber serves a vital function for the county in that it’s a contact point for business and government,” he said. “It’s one of the first places business goes for information and by having a good relationship with government, it fosters par-ticipation and results in a better county.”


The Dawson County Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours saw members hike (or for most, drive) their way into the Appalachian Mountain foothills for food and networking.

The Aug. 26 event, held at Amicalola Falls Lodge, drew crowds to the newly-renovated mountain stay.

Unlike many chain hotel chains that require upgrades and renova-tions typically on an every 10 year schedule, the lodge, a state-owned entity, has not undergone a major revamping since opening in 1989.

“We so enjoyed getting to tour and view the renovations at Amicalola Falls Lodge,” said chamber president Christie Haynes. “The new rooms are gor-geous and are equipped with everything you need to have a perfect stay, including incompara-

ble views.”The lodge is undergoing a $5

million renovation.The chamber also began a new

portion of the networking event, called “shout-outs.”

“We were excited to start a new activity at Business After Hours called ‘shout-outs.’ It gave those in attendance the opportuni-ty to give a shout out, or words of praise, to one of the other busi-nesses in the room,” Haynes said. “We all know that word of mouth and positive reviews are some of the best ways to gain business and were proud to hear all of the

praise given to our businesses by other business leaders.”

The chamber would like to thank the cash drawing sponsors: Mills Fuel Service, Anderson Family Medicine, The Norton Agency-Kristie Myers and John Drew and Northside Hospital-Forsyth.

As the winner was not present this month to claim the winnings, next month’s cash prize will be $250.

The chamber’s next Business After Hours will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 23 at Chestatee Office Center, 75 Elliott Road, off of Hwy 53.

Amicalola Lodge welcomes chamberDawson County Chamber of Commerce members and guests came out to the Amicalola Falls Lodge for good food and net-working.



chamber spotlight

each week, the Dawson county chamber of commerce randomly selects a chamber member as “business of the Week.”

the business is spotlighted for one week and receives an announcement every monday on the chamber’s Facebook and twitter pages and is placed on the front page of the chamber website, as well as highlighted in the

chamber chatter e-newsletter that is sent to the entire membership each tuesday.

the “business of the Week” program is an opportunity to show the chamber’s appreciation to its members for supporting the Dawson county chamber of commerce and investing in the community.

businesses of the Week for august are:

businesses oF the Week

Dawson PediatricsDawson Pediatrics specializes in the comprehensive care of infants, chil-

dren and adolescents. According to the

clinic, “our competent and caring pediatric specialists and staff provide the highest level of care in a safe and nurturing environ-ment, which is dedicat-ed to the well-being of each and every child.”

The goal of Dawson Pediatrics is “to create a lasting relationship built on mutual respect and trust with parents and guardians.”

As board certified pediatricians, Dawson Pediatrics advocate for its patients and their families, understanding and sharing in the joys, as well as the stresses, of parent-ing.

Dawson Pediatrics welcomes new families and family members into the practice, where each child is “considered one of our own.”

Dawson Pediatrics is at 300 Dawson Commons Circle, Suite 320.For more information, visit www.dawsonpediatrics.com or call (706) 216-2771.

AFLAC Independent AFLAC agent Sharon Reagan

wants her clients, both established and new, to have the best coverage possible in Dawson County.

“I have been an AFLAC insurance agent for 17 years in Dawson County,” she said. “My agency works with over 120 companies from three employees to over 800 employees all over Georgia.”

Reagan offers her clients employee-funded long- and short-term disabili-ty insurance that can be used as a “safety net of protection for … when they need it most.”

For more information, contact Reagan at (706) 265-1262 or at [email protected].

Carry On Youth Inc.Carry On Youth Inc., a

501c3 nonprofit that pro-vides recreational and mentoring services to youth who have lost a parent was founded in 2012.

The organization pro-vides free services to program participants and serves as an ongo-ing grief support system where affected youth can realize that they are not alone in their grief. It also performs a dona-tion pickup service of clothing and small household items that is used in the program and for funding.

For more information about Carry on Youth, visit www.carryonyouth.org or call (770) 540-3170.

membership Works“The chamber is an organization whose purpose is

to support and advocate for business, capitalism and the free enterprise system. I have had a terrific experi-ence with them chamber and have made many rewarding contacts and relationships.”

— peter hill, hDa architects (706) 531-9998

below are some of the chamber membership bene-fits peter hill has taken advantage of that are offered to all members:

• Business After Hours• Membership luncheons• Leadership Dawson• Gala• Golf tournament• Clay shooting tournament• Reverse Raffle• Business and Health Expo• Office Depot discount• Georgia Chamber Small Business Alliance• Membership and mailing list• Brochure and business card display in the chamber lobby• Chamber’s website• Promotional articles in the newspaper• Tourism promotion


chamber spotlight

ambassador of the month: nicole steWarthow long have you been involved as

an ambassador?“I have been the ambassador program

for two years.”Why did you join the program?“I joined the ambassador program to

get more involved in the local business community.”

What have learned or gained through your involvement?

“I have gained so many new network-

ing relationships and friendships through the ambassador program.”

What other civic/social/business orga-nizations are you involved with, and why?

“I’m a Rotarian for Rotary Club of Dawson County. With Rotary I enjoy being active in the community and that the club stands for service before self.”

“Relay for Life in Dawson County is a cause that is also close to my heart, I’m

chairperson for 2015. Relay for Life raises money for cancer research and it is a sub-ject that is near and dear to my heart. I do not know of any family in the community whose life hasn’t been touched by the dis-ease.”

What would you tell others who are considering becoming an ambassador?

“Do it. It is a great program that really introduces you to the community.”

destination daWson

Stewart

Uncle Shuck’s Corn Maze and Pumpkin PatchOpening day at Uncle Shuck’s Corn Maze and

Pumpkin Patch is Saturday.Located on Hwy. 53 between Georgia 400 and

Dawsonville, Uncle Shuck’s Corn Maze has grown into a a fall family tradition that brings thousands

of visitors to the county each autumn.With 4 miles of trails on the 12 acre corn field,

Uncle Shuck’s each season offers a new challenge. This year’s theme pays tribute to the 150th

anniversary of the civil war in Georgia.

An average journey can take as few as 30 min-utes or as long as two hours to complete both mazes.

The Corn Maze is $10, or combo packages that also include a hayride are available for $13.

opening day-sept. 13• 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

september-corn maze and pumpkin patch• Fridays 4 to 10 p.m.• Saturdays 10 a.m.-10 p.m.• Sundays 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

october - corn maze and pumpkin patch• Sunday - Thursday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.• Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

haunt nights begins oct. 3Friday and Saturday at dusk with the last ticket sold at 10 p.m.Open on Oct 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 and Nov. 1.Ages 12 and under must be accompanied by a parent.

november 1-23• Fridays 4 to 10 p.m.• Saturdays 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.• Sundays 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.For the Dawson Community News


business

Choosing the right accountant for small businessBy Randy DonaldsonFor the Dawson Community News

As with any key employee, choosing the right accountant for your small business is one of the most important hiring decisions you can make. The fact is that access to accurate and timely financial information can mean the difference between success and failure.

Unfortunately, many small busi-ness owners do not consider selecting their accountant to be a high priority, and consequently fail to put enough time and effort into planning and making this deci-sion.

As a result, unhappy business owners are often faced with either having to “settle” for mediocre accountants who are not a good fit, or to go through the painful and time-consuming process of fir-ing their existing accountant, find-ing and hiring a new one, and bringing them up to speed on their business practices and accounting system.

Why not do it right the first time? Below is a step-by-step pro-cess to help you make the right decision for your business.

Step 1: The first and most

important question to ask yourself is “What do I want out of my accountant?”

A wide range of potential ser-vices exist, from bookkeeper, tax preparer, QuickBooks consultant, financial analyst or source of per-sonal financial advice.

When you have answered that question, remember that each level of service carries a different rate of fees. Once you have fig-ured out the level of services needed for your business, and the amount of monthly accounting fees that your business can afford, then you are ready to begin your search.

Step 2: Build a referral list. Ask your friends and fellow busi-ness owners who they use and whether or not they would recom-mend them to you. Ask your local chamber of commerce for the names of accountants and CPA’s who are members.

You can also get referrals from your banker, industry association, insurance agent, or other associ-ate. Obviously, a glowing referral from a successful entrepreneur or a trusted business associate would be the best source to choose from.

Conversely, even if your sourc-es can’t recommend their accoun-tants to you, ask the reason why and the name of the firm. At least you’ll narrow the search by know-ing which firms to avoid. You should gather at least four or five names on your list by completing Step 2.

Step 3: Conduct a phone interview with the 5 accountants on you referral list. Discuss servic-es needed billing rates and how they charge for services (monthly retainer, hourly billings, billable phone calls, etc.). Also, I recom-mend asking the following:

• Will I be assigned the same accountant each time or multiple accountants?

• Who can I call if I have a question?

• What are your normal busi-ness hours?

• How well do you know my industry?

• May I have a list of referrals?You should be able to narrow

your list down to three accoun-tants after the phone interview, by following your instinct and elimi-nating those who are not a good “fit” or do not agree to a phone interview, etc.

Step 4: Personally meet with the three best candidates. Note which of the three offers to meet at your business versus their office. Try to get a feel for their personalities and which one you would be most compatible with your personality and your employees’ personalities.

Are they easy to talk to? Personality is an important factor, because good accountants talk with their clients about more than just numbers. They talk about the client’s revenue trends and spend-ing habits, and keep you focused on your business goals.

If you are at their office, do the employees seem organized, pro-ductive and professional? Is the office reasonably near and acces-sible to your business?

After you interview all three, you will probably have a pretty good feel for which one is your top choice.

Step 5: Once you have selected your accountant, he will most likely send you an Engagement Letter for your review.

This is a letter, written on the accountant’s letterhead, which lists all services to be provided and how often, the period of the

engagement, and the fees to be charged. The letter will spell out all the details of your relationship and will often prevent future misun-derstandings.

I know of several small business owners who have engaged large CPA firms to handle only their monthly bookkeeping duties and then complain that they are not receiving financial or tax advice, consulting, analysis, interpretation and correction of their accounting records.

Why? Because that’s not what they paid for. Additional services will cost additional fees. It is criti-cal to know what you’re paying for.

Take a little extra time up front and follow the steps above in hir-ing the right accountant for your small business. You’ll find that you won’t have to repeat the process for many years, and you’ll add a valuable member to your success-ful business team.

Randy Donaldson is a Business Consultant in The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center’s Gainesville office. He can be reached at (770) 531-5681, [email protected].


At least six retail shops, includ-ing three restaurants, have con-tracts or commitments in place to be among the first to open in a new commercial development on Ga. 400.

“Don’t ask me the names of those … I can’t tell you that. You can’t go over there and apply for jobs yet, so hold off on that,” Dawson County Commission

Chair Mike Berg said Thursday when he gave his annual State of the County address at a chamber of commerce lun-cheon.

“It’s nice to know that some-time next year we’ll be starting that process.”

Atlanta-based Blanchard Real Estate Capital purchased the 102-acre lot just south of North Georgia Premium Outlets between Carlisle and Dawson

Forest roads last year with plans to development a commercial “power center” that will bring national retail and restaurants to Dawson County.

“We are going to be a mag-net for commercial building for the next few years,” Berg said.

Berg also announced last week that a major grocery store chain is eyeing a piece of prop-erty at the southeast intersection of Ga. 400 and Dawson Forest

Road.The county commission on

Thursday was asked to approve a letter that will be sent to the Georgia Mountain Regional Commission requesting assis-tance in finding grant money for road, water, sewer and broad-band expansion for what is being called the Shiery Project.

“That property is being under consideration for a retail center,” Berg said.

Charlie Auvermann, executive director of the Development Authority of Dawson County, said the Shiery property is locat-ed directly south of Arby’s on Dawson Forest Road and con-nects with the strip mall on Ga. 400 that houses Johnny’s Pizza and Outside World.

Berg said he could not reveal the store’s name but did say the developer wanted to build a grocery store on the property.

Restaurants, retail, grocery stores eyeing Dawson


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dawson chamber sept2014

Documents

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