GAITHERSBURG, Md.(AP) — The man authoritiessuspect was involved in thedeath of his travel compan-ion while visiting Arubacourted other women withhis blue-green eyes, offersof cruises and vacations,and his $1.3 million stonemansion.

But Gary V. Giordano’sex-romantic interests saythe allure was only surface-deep.

Giordano, 50, a self-employed businessman andtwice-divorced father ofthree sons, has denied anywrongdoing through hisattorney since the disap-pearance of 35-year-oldRobyn Gardner, whoauthorities believe is dead.Her remains have not beenfound, despite four days ofsearching the area whereGiordano told officials anocean current pulled heraway Aug. 2 as theysnorkeled.

FBI agents combedthrough Giordano’s homeFriday night inGaithersburg, an upper-mid-dle class Washington sub-urb. On Saturday, SolicitorGeneral Taco Stein said apink shirt and black sandalsfound during a search of anabandoned phosphate mine— near where Giordanotold authorities Gardner dis-appeared — did not belongto the woman.

The exact nature of theirrelationship isn’t clear.Gardner had a boyfriendback home in Maryland.Giordano was detained atthe airport about a week agoas he tried to fly back to theU.S. after the official searchhad ended.

Authorities say theydoubt certain aspects of his

story, including whether thepair even went into thewater, and they’re seekingwitnesses to build their caseagainst him.

H i sfamily hass t a y e dm u m ,though ac l o s efriend saidhe can’ti m a g i n eGiordanob e i n ginvolved in someone’sdeath.

Giordano has toldauthorities that Gardner, aplatinum blonde who lovedtennis and running, nevermade it back to shore afterthe two became separated.His lawyer, Michael Lopez,said Giordano tapped onGardner’s leg to signal thatthey should swim back afterit became clear that theywere being pulled out to sea.He said Giordano noticedthat she didn’t return toshore with him and ran toget help.

“Our client emphaticallydenies being involved in any

malicious act concerning hisfriend and consequentlydoes not consider himself asuspect,” Lopez said in astatement this week.

The judge can extendGiordano’s detention orderfor a maximum of eightdays at a hearing scheduledfor Monday. After that,prosecutors could ask ajudge to order Giordanoheld for as long as 60 dayswhile they prepare a case,but that would require moresubstantial evidence.

Court records and for-mer romantic interestsreveal Giordano could byturns be charming andthreatening.

“He can’t control hisanger,” his first wife,Sharon Cohen, wrote incourt papers in 2001.

Giordano marriedCohen in 1987, severalyears after earning adegree in computer sci-ence from the Universityof Maryland. The couplehad three sons, but therelationship deteriorated.They finalized theirdivorce in 2003. At onepoint, each accused theother of abuse, withGiordano alleging that hiswife struck him in theback with a steel cookingspoon during a heatedargument.

BY KIM SLOANRome News-Tribune

ROME (AP) — Sheuses a whistle and flag tokeep her young chargessafe at the same schoolshe attended more than 70years ago.

Emma Brown is one ofthe crossing guards sta-tioned at Rome elemen-tary schools by the RomePolice Department. Shestands watch at Elm StreetElementary School, theschool she attended whenshe was in first grade.

At 86 years old, she isthe oldest, but only by 16years. The youngestcrossing guard is 70 yearsold.

The crossing guardsare an important part ofthe police department,said Maj. Denise Downer-McKinney of the RomePolice Department.

“We cannot be in everyplace at all times,”Downer-McKinney said.“They are there in therain, sleet and snow andthey are so happy andgood natured.

Brown decided toapply after her husbandand mother died. Shestarted in 1998 and is inher 14th school year.

“I got tired of walkingthrough an empty house,”

Brown said. “It gives me areason to get up every

day.”It’s much different

from Brown’s previouscareer.

She worked for 40years at Kessler’s — thenow closed departmentstore that was a mainstayin downtown Rome fordecades.

She also embarked onanother career in the foodindustry after she retiredfrom Kessler’s.

“I went to McDonald’sand worked there in2001,” Brown said.

Today, her only “job”is crossing guard, but shestays busy. She paints andrecently painted her backporch and a chair.

The only thing thatslowed her down weresome health problems lastyear, when Brown saidshe had three operationsin six weeks and lost oneof her kidneys.

“It was the first time in50 years I had ever hadanything done,” she said.“I’ve always been realhealthy.”

And Brown said shedoesn’t plan on slowingdown anytime soon.

She still drives andsaid she plans to be driv-ing when she is 100. Shealso cuts her own lawn.

“I am going to workuntil I am 90 then I amgoing to retire and travel,”she said.

WOODSTOCK (AP)— About half of the esti-mated 4,000 people whoshowed up at a church in asuburb north of Atlantahoping for free dental carewere treated before thetwo-day mission ended.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports(http://bit.ly/qHqTet ) thathundreds of volunteerdentists, hygienists anddental assistants treatedmore than 2,100 people atthe First Baptist Church ofWoodstock, donatingmore than $1 million inservices. Those who hadto be turned away weregiven information aboutdental clinics around thearea.

Some had waited sinceThursday morning. Thechurch doors openedFriday morning at 5 a.m.The clinic, known as theGeorgia Mission ofMercy, was sponsored bythe Georgia Dental

Association and itsFoundation for OralHealth. Dental clinics are

seeing an uptick since theeconomic downturnbegan.

I am often asked, “Howcan I learn about whatUnited Way is doing in ourcommunity and the impactmy gift is having?”

If a picture is worth athousand words, then ournew United Way video isworth a million. I encour-age you to visit our web-site at ourunitedway.organd click on the YouTubelink to view the 2011 videoand hear Jeffery RamosandJenniferCoker’sUnitedWay sto-ries. ThevideohighlightsUnitedWay’simpact:creatinghappychild-hoodsand pro-viding services for the eld-erly.

Jeffery works with twoUnited Way agencies,being a role model foryoung children and helpingthem stay on track forschool, work and life. Helearned through his ownchildhood just how impor-tant United Way programsare in helping children besuccessful.

Jeffery had to grow upreally fast. He moved toDalton as a child and hisparents started working inthe flooring industry, 12hour shifts at night. Duringhis childhood Jeffery’s sis-ter, who is only two yearsolder, provided primarycare for him in their apart-ment while the parentsworked.

Fast-forward 16 years.Jeffery now works at theBoys and Girls Club, aUnited Way partneragency, and gets to seefirsthand the value of hav-ing a safe place for kids.

“Kids walk through thedoors of the Boys andGirls Club and they feelsafe — it’s their sanctuary.At the Boys and GirlsClub, we are impacting thecommunity by raisingresponsible citizens,” saysJeffery.

Jeffery also volunteersat Big Brothers Big Sisters,a United Way agency. Hewas matched with a fourthgrader at City Park Schoolthrough the BuddyProgram. Jeffery learnedthat sometimes kids justneed somebody to listen.

“My buddy needed apositive male role model inhis life. When I startedworking with my buddy, hecaused a lot of trouble atschool.” Jeffery said.

Slowly, through thementoring relationship,Jeffery saw improvementin his mentee. The studentmade better grades and

improved his attitudetowards school.

The need for home andcommunity based servicesfor older adults is increas-ing. Between 2010 and2030 the number of peopleaged 65 and older is pro-jected to grow by 31.7 mil-lion or 79.2 percent.Through United Way pro-grams, elderly individualsand adults with disabilitiesare able to remain inde-pendent.

Meet Jennifer Coker.Jennifer’s father was diag-nosed with Parkinson’sDisease, dementia, andsevere neuropathy in hislegs. He is not able to stayat home by himself.RossWoods, a United Waypartner agency, providescare that he wouldn’t getanywhere else. RossWoodsprovides nursing services,meals, snacks, exercisesand enrichment activitieslike painting and choir.

Jennifer has reallynoticed the difference thatRossWoods has made inher father’s life.

“My dad is a retiredminister,” Jennifer said.“When he became sick hewanted to stay home. Hedidn’t really have thedesire to go anywherewhich is very unlike him.Now, the socialization isback. He is talking more,and we are able to under-stand him. Without UnitedWay I would have to quitmy job at Shaw Industriesand stay home and care formy father.”

In 2010 United Wayprovided more than106,000 services to indi-viduals and families inNorthwest Georgia. UnitedWay recruits people whobring passion, expertiseand the resources neededto get things done. Theway we live our lives canimpact the way others livetheirs.

Your co-workers, neigh-bors and friends are work-ing right here in our com-munities to make real last-ing change by focusing onthe building blocks of agood life. It takes everyonein the community workingtogether to create abrighter future. WithUnited Way you don’thave to choose where youwant to help. Your gifthelps the whole communi-ty.

To learn more aboutJennifer and Jeffery, pleasevisit us atyoutube.com/user/UnitedWayNWGA. To stay up todate with what is happen-ing at United Way, join uson Facebook or Twitterand sign up for our emailnewsletter at ourunited-way.org.

Amanda Burt is thepresident of the UnitedWay of Northwest Georgia.

THE DAILY CITIZEN Sunday, August 14, 2011 9A

UNITED WAY OFNORTHWEST GEORGIA

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Thousands get free dentistry at church clinic

AP PHOTO

Emma Brown, 86, makes sure the children gethome safely from Elm Street Elementary School.Brown is one of the crossing guards stationedat Rome elementary schools by the Rome PoliceDepartment. She stands watch at Elm Street, theschool she attended when she was in firstgrade.

Crossing guard still strong at 86

Suspect in Aruba had troubled past with women

Giordano