NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

DACULA · HAMILTON MILL · HARBINS · HOG MOUNTAIN · AUBURN · LAWRENCEVILLE

Vol. 7 No. 6 FREE June 2008

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Page 2 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville June 2008

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Page 6 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog
l-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville
Relay for Life: A family affair
My Rare Garden Nostalgia
River Bear has his way
By Victoria Lyons
For more than 10 years, Victoria’s
Garden has been my home, the plants
my children, the Bear my husband and
best friend. ZEO is our funny wiener
dog that we adore and Mother Nature
is – well, she’s my mom actually. And
while she’s a handful, I’m glad she’s
still here with us.
Now that the rain has returned, I
now have hope the garden will survive
the drought as Victoria has survived
her long personal drought. The Bear
was my third husband and obviously
the charm. For the first time in my life
I feel relaxed and truly at home here.
Most of all I thank God for a family I
love and who love me.
Nothing makes a mother more
Special Photo
pleased than to see her children grow
Seen recently at the annual American Cancer Society’s Relay into maturity. The beauty I am only
for Life event in May were: Taylor Carol Allen (2008 Tiny Miss now beginning to see has kept me
Dacula) bottom right and Ansleigh Grace Allen, bottom left, with going back into the
their aunt Wendy Holland, of Dacula, a survivor of colorectal garden year after
cancer and Annie Penland walked the track at the Gwinnett year.
County Fairgrounds during the cancer survivor walk. During my walk
this evening, the
sun was hidden
behind a gray
cloudy sky. The
air was moist and
thick. A soft light
fell on Rock and
Rose Trail. Our
small stand of
hardwoods that
lies behind was dark and dramatic.
The leaves along the trail were thick
and vivid green. Our knockout roses
have grown so they lean across the
trail. It’s as if they were making room
for the blueberry bushes growing
directly behind to have enough sun.
It makes me proud when my children
are polite.
The Bear’s fig tree is heavy with
large healthy leaves and tiny fruit
showing on the branches. He’ll see a
sweet harvest soon. The devastation
of last year’s spring frost is almost
forgotten.
Down the hill, under a canopy of
oak and beech trees, the part of the
garden we call Fern Bank is thriving
and mature. The Autumn Ferns we
planted beside the path alongside a
rotting moss covered tree a few years
ago and all the native ferns and plants
have found a comfortable home there.
The earth is damp and ripe, perfect
for the abundance of green moss as it
grows together in a velvet path hidden
from the brightness of the sun. My
garden children are ever growing
and changing the environment. Leaf
June 2008
cover expands and microclimates
evolve forcing future plantings and
transplants into new areas.
As you know the Bear has to leave
his mark on the garden, and surely he
has. His latest project has amazed me.
After making two trips to a nursery
sale near Tucker to buy more than
a dozen double red knockout rose
bushes, we decided to plant them
along what we call River Walk Circle.
The River Walk path goes along
the river and turns to climb a slight
incline.
Over the years, the Bear and I have
moved large stones we’ve unearthed
to create many steps. As we began
planting the rose bushes we dug up
more rocks both large and small. The
Bear was inspired to use those rocks
to build small retaining walls around
each bush at each
step up the path.
Thanks to the
Bear, we are free
of the watering
ban. His decision to
finally buy a pump
to pull river water is
paying off. It saves
drinking water,
keeps the bills
down and provides
the plants all the
water they need to
survive.
This month, I’ve gotten a bit
nostalgic, but I can tell a funny story
about the pump. The ground was dry
as a bone when the Bear got it. The
poor guy traded frozen salmon he’s
been saving all winter for an after-
hibernation snack.
It took him all day to get the pump
up and running. What he didn’t know
was Mother Nature was watching
from her bedroom window. With a
frightening cackle and crackle of
thunder, she sent a sudden deluge of
rain like we haven’t seen in years.
The Bear looked so pitiful. He
wanted to use his little pump so
badly. You should have seen the
disappointment on his face.
But not to worry! A little change in
the weather could never stop his super
hero alter ego, the “River Bear” from
being all he can be. The neighbors
were amused and why wouldn’t they
be?
How often do you see some guy
watering the yard in a torrential
downpour wearing a diving mask,
snorkel and flippers?
June 2008 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville Page 7

Commissioners preview newest transit buses

LAWRENCEVILLE – The Gwinnett
County Board of Commissioners and Gwin-
nett Transit Advisory Board members re-
cently got a sneak peak at one of the county’s
new commuter buses at the Gwinnett Justice
and Administration Center in Lawrenceville.
130 Crogan Street • Lawrenceville, GA 30045
(770) 277-8847 The county has purchased nine state-of-
the-art commuter coaches that provide seat-
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“These buses will help address Geor-
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less harmful pollutants into the air,” said
Gwinnett County Transit Director Phil
Boyd. “It also gives solo drivers a chance
to get out of their cars and into a smooth,
quiet ride high above the traffic.”
Gwinnett County purchased the nine new
coaches for $4.2 million, an investment that
will provide a cost-effective travel alternative
for County commuters. Federal transit funds
provided 80 percent of the purchase price,
the Georgia Department of Transportation
provided 10 percent and Gwinnett County
provided 10 percent, according to Boyd.

T his edition is dedicated to fathers

who love and care for their children
and for fathers who have failed to love
arrogance that they are free to do as they
please without consequences.
They follow their “holy” father Darwin.
and care for their children. There are times The single commandment in his house is
these two individuals I’ve described could - kill or be killed. Is this what we want for
be the same man. our children: The promotion of a secular
When it comes to really loving our kids philosophy that tells kids: Be strong or be
in the right way, how many fathers can say swallowed up. There is so much more to
we’ve always done the right thing? human life.
Actually, it’s because I recognize my Forgive us, but this month, the gloves
human failings, that I am reminded of my are coming off. It’s time for fathers to drop
need for the divine connection with the the phony macho act and be the guy God
Spirit of my heavenly Father. made them to be.
Not everyone will agree. There are On the front this month are Cornerstone
fathers who would prefer to teach children Fellowship pastor Dustin Pennington,
they descended from apes, that there is no center, his father Steve Pennington, right,

BEST
God, no heaven to go to and no judgment and Dustin’s spiritual father Sam Venable, All Work Done on Premises
to face. left, three men who have learned their
Growing up separated from the divine spirtual lessons the hard way. Read their
c c ess
connection leaves kids without a sense article and the Hill family update in this
a s y A ffic
of accountability and an elevated level of edition. Glenn Matlock, Editor E ra
At T ht

CLEANERS
Correction
In an Open for Business article that ran in the May edition, by defining the term Lig
"Georgia Peach" as a single female from Georgia, we incorrectly implied that the
owner of TheSouthRocks.com Beth Martin was single. She is married.

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Page 8 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville June 2008

Spirit of the Father

Suwanee father’s ‘divine connection’ may have saved his unborn son
Eastside neonatal
staffers call preemie’s
recovery ‘miraculous’
(Editor’s Note: This is an update on an
article that appeared in the Neighborhood
News June 2005 editions!)
By Glenn Matlock
SUWANEE – After surviving a rare fetal
blood disorder at his birth, 3-year-old
Benjamin Hill is still alive and proving the
skeptics wrong.
Despite predictions that he would need
perpetual nursing care, Benjamin has so far
defied the experts and is today a normal,
healthy little boy – even displaying
advanced thinking equal to and even
beyond that of his older brother and sister
when they were the same age.
On April 10, 2005, Martha and Steve
Hill took their first steps on a journey they
would have preferred to avoid. Martha, 32,
was expecting the couple’s third child; she
was only six weeks away from her due
date.
Everything had gone well during
Martha’s first seven months of pregnancy.
There was little reason for concern.
However, something was silently going
wrong.
The pending crisis might have gone
undetected deep inside Martha’s womb, but Photo by Glenn Matlock

as if prompted by an unseen hand, the
expectant 40-year-old father asked a
question that would ultimately save his
son.
“We were doing yard work,” Steve said.
“I nonchalantly looked over at Martha and
asked, ‘have you felt the baby move
today?’ She said, ‘No, but he naps and
sleeps and stuff. It’s not uncommon.’”
Steve insisted that the baby be monitored
for the remainder of the day. There were no
strong impressions; his sudden concern
simply came from out of the blue, he said.
It was normal for Steve to express
concern about his unborn son. He is a
“borderline hypochondriac” – always
checking the children’s well being, Martha
said.
When the Hills failed to get the fetus to
respond, they became mildly concerned.
Typically, Steve would have nagged her
about the baby constantly. However, he fell
suddenly silent. Then Martha, the calm
one, began to worry.
“Because I didn’t ask again, Martha
became more concerned. We were both out
of character,” Steve said. “By dinner, I
really hadn’t said anything and later went
to bed.”
The typically placid Martha couldn’t
sleep. The baby still had not moved, when
her son Jonathan crawled into bed.
“I went to put Jonathan back in bed and
when I got back, I tried to get the baby to
respond again and still nothing,” Martha
said. “At that point I nudged Steve and said
‘I’m going to the hospital.’”
Martha’s decision was Benjamin’s next
step toward salvation. If Martha had rolled
over and gone to sleep, chances are slim
that Benjamin would be with us, Steve
said.
Steve and Martha Hill, along with their sons Benjamin, 3, right, and Daniel, 1, look at a scrapbook containing photos
of Benjamin’s life and death struggle with a rare blood disorder when he was born.
When the Emory Eastside Medical
Center neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
staff found the struggling fetus lingering
near death, Benjamin abruptly arrived in
this world - cut from his mother’s womb
by caesarian section.
One member of the medical team that
day was, Jodie Shelby, an Emory Eastside
NICU registered nurse. One look at
Benjamin and she knew this one would be
trouble.
Born 42 days too soon and weighing in
at six pounds, little Benjamin carried with
him a condition known as fetal maternal
transfusion, a condition that channels
blood away from the fetus to the mother,
while the fetus gets none in return.
Fetal maternal transfusion is unpredict-
able and it cannot be prevented. Over time,
the fetus’ movements slow to a standstill
followed by death or disability if left
untreated. It occurs out of the blue,
however, a mother who delivers an infant
with the condition could see it again in
another child, hospital staffers said.
Fetal maternal transfusion, if detected
and treated early, can be treated and infants
have a chance at survival. However, for
Benjamin, death or disability seemed the
only outcome.
“It was not a condition we see very
often; it was a bad situation,” Shelby said.
“He required a blood transfusion right
away. … I remember talking with the
family trying to paint a realistic picture and
then [when I was scheduled back in to
work a week or so later] seeing him
healthy and being held by his parents. It
was truly miraculous.”
Sandy Arcand, an Eastside NICU
respiratory therapist, also saw an infant
with a bleak future. Benjamin was white as
a sheet; he wasn’t moving or breathing and
was not making any effort to do so, she
said.
“We drew some blood gases … you
never see it so low … your tissues are
dying; your brain is dying. It was frighten-
ing. I wasn’t expecting it to be that bad,”
Arcand said. “We were all praying - honest
to goodness praying that everything was
going to be OK.”
The Hill family asked members at their
church to start praying. E-mails began
circulating wildly as Steve provided
everyone with daily updates complete with
photographs. The e-mails soon spread far
beyond to others who also prayed.
Benjamin’s condition began to stabilize,
however, the medical team’s opinion
remained pessimistic. The family was
provided with another option regarding
their child’s uncertain future – terminate
treatment. The family was told they would
be tube-feeding Benjamin for the rest of
their lives.
Pulling the plug was never an option, for
Martha or Steve.
“That was probably the hardest moment
of the whole experience for me – that the
doctor told me I could kill my child,”
Martha said. “The doctor said, ‘I wouldn’t
do it, but it’s an option I have to present to
you.’ I can’t even describe how it feels to
even think about [killing my baby].”
The Hills had already made their choice.
Steve said he believed even if the plug had
been pulled, Benjamin still would have
lived. At one point newborn Benjamin
reached up and pulled the feeding tube
going into his stomach right out of his
mouth, Steve said.
“He was so aggressive, even as a
preemie. That was a sign of things to
come,” Steve said.
Within a few hours after his traumatic
birth, Benjamin’s blood gas counts came
bouncing back. Some nurses reminded the
family there would be setbacks, but by the
sixth day anemia was no longer an issue.
Defiant, determined little Benjamin never
took one step backward.
“There was actual ‘jaw dropping’ in the
NICU,” Steve said.
Benjamin’s recovery was “truly a
miracle,” Arcand said.
“Personally, I know that God gets all the
credit, but I’m just glad we are a helping
hand to Him,” Arcand said. “We really
work together as a good team here. Not
meaning to boast, but we were really on
top of it and Benjamin was one of those
little fighters that gave it all he had and his
parents were great supporters and I think
that made the difference. Steve seemed to
always be there.”
The Hills understand that even for
praying Christians such as themselves
things don’t always seem to work out.
Right after Benjamin came home there was
another baby in need of divine interven-
tion: The child of a co-worker.
“We took the same group of people who
had been praying for Benjamin and within
days migrated them into praying for this
other baby who was every bit as bad off as
Continued on next page
June 2008 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville
In this photo taken three years ago, Steve Hill is seen on one of his first
visits with his struggling newborn son, Benjamin, in the Emory Eastside
neonatal intensive care unit.
Birth had lasting impact on many
Continued from previous page
Benjamin and that child died,” Steve said.
“I tried to figure out the difference. I
wanted to put this into a formula. What
made the difference? Was it the quantity of
praying, the numbers of people praying,
the earnestness of those praying? I can
only conclude … God is sovereign and he
made decisions that we might not under-
stand.”
Benjamin’s miraculous birth and
Dacula · The Mayor Mentions
Good Heavens! Where are gasoline prices headed?
For men, automobile love begins
early. In my case it probably started
with my grandfather Taylor Whitley.
He always had a fairly new car. He
was partial to Packards, but his last
car was a 1952 Chevy Coupe. So, I
learned to love cars, especially riding
with granddaddy. There was something
magical about bumping around on
the dirt roads of my youth seeing
folks in the northern part of Gwinnett
County and in the Dacula area. Back
then granddad knew everyone in the
northern and eastern parts of Gwinnett
County by name, reputation, and
character. We rode a lot in the summer
time checking on his clients and
generally visiting.
Granddaddy wasn’t naturally a great
driver. His cars were straight shift
models and he hardly ever got the car
moving without a great deal of clutch
riding and noise. Great fun when you
are a kid! I don’t remember how much
Special Photo
recovery has had a lasting impact on many
including those who did not believe he
could make it. One skeptical nurse told
Steve that Benjamin was “marching toward
the light. He was just about there, but
someone told him to turn back.”
To see the 2005 complete original article
on Benjamin log onto
www.e-neighborhoodnews.com - For more
about Benjamin, visit the Hill family Web
page: www.nascontractsewing.com/steve/
Dacula Mayor
Jimmy Wilbanks
gasoline cost per gallon back then.
Later on, I remember gas costing a
quarter per gallon.
Back then, we didn’t think about
gasoline prices because they were
so low. Gwinnett County was a
small rural place with few paved
roads. Noise levels and traffic
counts were low and we knew who
was passing by on Dacula Road
Price Industries gets training through Gwinnett Tech
LAWRENCEVILLE — Gwinnett
Technical College and Price Indus-
tries, headquartered in Suwanee,
have entered into an agreement that
will provide training for Price
employees through the college’s
Quick Start division.
Price Industries, a worldwide
supplier of air distribution products
and services, is expanding and will
open a new manufacturing facility
in Winder. This new expansion will
cover 90,000 square feet and
contain state-of-the-art manufactur-
ing technology and equipment. The
new facility will manufacture a
wide variety of air distribution
products utilizing just-in-time
processes to deliver high quality
components to their customers.
To aid in the transition of the new
expansion, Price Industries has
partnered with Georgia Quick Start
to develop a comprehensive pro-
gram to help train Price’s new
employees.
Quick Start is Georgia’s interna-
tionally acclaimed economic devel-
opment program that provides
customized workforce training at no
cost to qualified new, expanding and
existing businesses in Georgia.
Since 1967, Quick Start has trained
more than 600,000 employees
through 5,100 projects with a broad
range of industries.
from the sight of the car. My uncle
Jimmy, my mother’s brother, always
drove Oldsmobiles with hydramatic
automatic transmissions. His car made
a distinctive sound as it pulled up our
driveway, and I always knew when he
was coming to visit from Dalton—just
from the sound of the car. I’d be hard
pressed to hear that sound now with
the traffic we have on Dacula Road.
Is $4 per gallon gasoline going
to change our outlook? Well, $3.50
gallon gasoline doesn’t appear to
have substantially lowered our traffic
counts, the number of trips, or the
number of automobiles on the roads.
If our affair with automobiles is to
continue, we need to look at ways to
increase the efficiency of automobiles
or reduce the cost of driving in other
ways. One way to reduce costs is to
not drive unless you must. That’s
obvious, but it is hard to do. We all
have to go to work. We want to go to
Page 9
“We look forward to embarking
on this new venture with Price
Industries, an industry leader, to
help train and educate its Gwinnett-
area workforce though the college’s
Quick Start program,” said Gwin-
nett Tech President Sharon Bartels.
“Price’s strong focus on customer
service is a hallmark of the com-
pany, and we are pleased to be
supporting them in their growth and
their consistent efforts to deliver
great service through a highly-
trained team.”
The Price organization, founded
in 1946, was first established as a
sales company. Price’s manufactur-
ing endeavors arose from the belief
that it could supply superior prod-
ucts and services at a competitive
price. Customer service has always
been a vital priority. Dependable
quality, reliable delivery and
knowledgeable follow-up service
have made Price a market leader in
supplying air distribution products
and related equipment.
For more information about
Gwinnett Tech’s customized training
programs for business and industry
and/or the Georgia Quick Start
Program, call 770.995.9697. For
information on any of college’s
more than 45 program options,
call 770.962.7580 or visit
www.gwinnetttech.edu.
other places too. Consider combining
trips or joining a car pool. In all my
work years, I couldn’t car pool and
I wore out numerous cars driving
for state government (I never had a
state car always used my own). So, I
understand that car pools are not for
everyone.
Another way to save money is to
drive the speed limit. Exceeding 40
miles per hour dramatically increases
wind resistance, lowers your gasoline
mileage and increases your costs.
A final third way to decrease the
cost of driving is to keep your car in
good mechanical order with properly
inflated tires.
I don’t guess my story is any
different from my peers. We grew up
just after World War II and we love
our automobiles. Will we still love our
automobiles as gasoline exceeds $4 per
gallon? Shiny chrome, big fins, sleek
styling, freedom of the road …Wow!
Page 10 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville
PASTOR WYNN
Commitment is the choice of the successful
Let’s play a word association game.
I throw out a word and you respond
with the first thing that comes to your
mind. Are you ready? The word is com-
mitment! What was your first thought
when you read that word? Did words
like difficult, challenging, loyalty,
lacking or rewarding come to mind?
It’s a good time to talk about the
word “commitment” with so many
students in our area graduating from
high school. Graduation is a huge
accomplishment that could not be
achieved without a measure of commit-
ment. Some of you probably feel like
the little boy who stood on the edge of
the Grand Canyon with his dad. Sud-
denly, he spit just as hard as he could.
That night his dad was reading the
journal his son was keeping as he and
his family traveled across country. For
that day, his entry simply read, “Today
I spit two miles!” Many of you, parents
included, feel you have spit two miles
to get to this point in your life, but you
Christian couple feel shunned by neighbors, prodigal son, 30, causing concern
Dear Candice:
My husband and I have been liv-
ing in a beautiful gated community
for over 10 years. During this time
we have only been asked to at-
tend two block parties given by
our neighbors. What puzzles us
is why we seem to be singled out
as the couple “not to invite”.
We have made many attempts over
the years to befriend our neighbors
only to have them brush us off with a
passing wave or nod as they walk or
drive by. Our only conclusion is that
they are turned off by our Christian
beliefs and lifestyle and that they
may possibly feel they have little in
common with us. How can we con-
vey to them that just because we are
Christians this doesn’t mean that
we are judgmental and anti-fun?
Signed, Neighborhood Cast Out
Dear Cast Out:
Although you may feel slighted by
the lack of invites, it is not something
that you or your husband should take
personally. Oftentimes, people are
quick to judge what they do not know
or understand. Your neighbor’s rea-
soning may be based on what they’ve
either seen or heard from others and
Pastor Larry Wynn
made it! You chose to study, to achieve,
and to reach this goal in your life.
Commitment is always a choice.
Yogi Berra once said, “When you
come to a fork in the road, take it.”
The fork you will come to is de-
fined by a couple street signs. One
is marked convenience and the other
is marked commitment. Daily you
choose whether to take the conve-
Candice Felice
possibly the media. They may truly
feel that by not inviting you it spares
everyone the embarrassment of be-
ing in an uncomfortable situation.
For this reason, re-adjust your focus
from not being invited to the neigh-
borhood block parties to continually
being the light God has called you
to be in your community. In doing
so your lives will be measured by
what you live, not just what you say.
“He who keeps his way preserves
his soul.” (Proverbs 16:17b NKJV)
Dear Candice:
Our son has been living as a prodi-
gal since he was 13 and next month
nient route or the commitment route.
Commitment is costly. It really thins
the ranks. Thomas Paine, in 1776,
said, “What we obtain too cheap,
we esteem too lightly.” Too often
in our world people want something
for nothing. Entitlement has replaced
commitment as the watchword of our
day. Rather than saying, “I am tak-
ing responsibility for my life, and I
am willing to sacrifice to reach my
desired goals,” many are saying, “I am
entitled to what I want without cost.”
Someone has well said, “Convenience
is the curse of an affluent society.”
Commitment may mean a lifestyle
change. Another danger is, desiring
success without a disruption to one’s
lifestyle. Success often means a life-
style adjustment. The student who
desires to rise above the level of the
average chooses to study when he or
she could be doing things that would be
a lot more fun. The family that wishes
to reduce debt may choose to drive that
he will be 30! His endless apologies
and promises to us that he will do
better have become empty words to
my husband and me. We have literally
bailed him out of more trouble than we
can say grace over and the sleepless
nights and endless tears have left us
both drained to the point of no return.
We love him so much and want
only God’s best for his life, but he
never says no when trouble comes
his way. His need for acceptance by
the wrong people has left him with-
out any real friends or stability. How
can we help him realize his God
given potential before it’s too late?
Signed, Torn Asunder
Dear Torn:
Every parent has the desire to
see their child grow up to become
the best they can be. Even though
this process may lead a child down
a difficult path with many choices
once the child becomes an adult the
final decision is theirs to make.
Your responsibility then as godly
June 2008
old car just a little longer. The newly
married couple who wishes to have
a strong marriage chooses to spend
more time with each other over time
spent with their individual friends.
Commitment pays great dividends.
Delayed gratification leads to great re-
wards. When you walk across that stage
and your name is called and you are
handed that diploma you have worked
hard to attain, you are going to be very
grateful for the commitments you made
and kept. Hopefully, you will allow the
satisfaction you feel at that moment
to be an incentive in the future as you
set other goals in your life. When you
get ready to give up on a commitment,
remember the joy and satisfaction you
felt every time you achieved a goal
you had set for yourself! Then go for
it! Hang in there! You will learn that
the greater the degree of commitment
required, the greater the rewards.
Dr. Larry Wynn is senior pastor of
Hebron Baptist Church in Dacula.
parents is to pray without ceasing
and have the unwavering faith that
the outcome - no matter how it may
appear at the moment - will ultimately
bring your child into the fullness of
who God intends for him to be.
Although this may be easier at
times than others, it does become
easier with practice. For the Lord
Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you,
My peace I give to you; not as the
world gives do I give to you. Let not
your heart be troubled, neither let
it be afraid.” (John 14:27NKJV)
The Sovereign Creator of the Uni-
verse who “formed your son’s in-
ward parts and covered him in your
womb” (Psalm 139:13NKJV), is
still alive and active in his life. What
may seem to be your son’s undo-
ing could be the very thing that will
lead him directly back to God.
Just as it was never easy to watch
your son as a toddler fall, while he was
learning to walk, this process too may
at times seem too difficult to watch.
However, God entrusted His One and
Only Son to the world for the remis-
sion of sins, all He is asking you to do
is trust Him to complete that work in
yours. “I, the LORD, have spoken it,
and I will do it.” (Ezekiel 37:36NKJV)
June 2008 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville Page 11

Guest Commentary
Regional Collaboration and Leadership A Must
O
ne of the most lasting observations
during our recent trip to Denver with
the Atlanta Regional Commission’s LINK
trip was that the future success of our
economy depends on our ability to be
competitive as a region in areas like
economic development, education and
workforce development, quality of life, and
marketing our message to the world.
According to Harvard University’s Michael
Porter and other leading economic
development experts and economists, it is
also becoming increasingly important to
consider a regional approach as central to any
economic development strategy.
Promoting regions are important,
according to Porter, because economic
regions do not follow political boundaries.
The Partnership Gwinnett Community and
Jim Maran Economic Development Strategy is our
blueprint (with the resources) for promoting
not only our county, but our region as well. And with more than 30 percent
of our membership residing outside of Gwinnett County, our Chamber and
its influence is more regional than at any time in our history.
Gwinnett County is especially unique because it is a driving force and
the lead job-creating county in, not one, but two regions –the metro Atlanta
MSA and the Innovation Crescent, an emerging economic region that
stretches from Hartsfield-Jackson to Athens with Gwinnett at its heart.
Consider the following trends and observations and how it impacts both © June 2008 Neighborhood Publications Inc.
regions.
By 2015 according to the Georgia Department of Planning and Budget’s
population projections, Gwinnett will be the only county in Georgia with
more than 1 million residents. That means one in every five metro Atlantan
Can Father Darwin’s doctrine of evolution evolve?
will be a Gwinnettian and one in every 10 Georgian will be Gwinnettian. the very concept of God, and
Gwinnett is already larger than four states and Washington, D.C. If
Gwinnett were a city, it would be the 16th largest city in the nation, just
behind San Francisco, CA.
W ith Father’s Day on the
horizon this month, we
diligently seek an answer to the
without any proof whatsoever,
teaches your kids they are the
According to ARC, Gwinnett is leading metro Atlanta in job growth eternal question: Who is your direct descendents of monkeys?
(30,728 between 2000 and 2006) and also leads in the number of businesses
added. Gwinnett is also positioned the best for growth in the strongest father? Think about it. There’ll Our nine grandkids already
clusters with the highest paying jobs in metro Atlanta. And also beats our be a test later. act like apes. For God’s sake,
peer regions, from Austin to Boston to Charlotte. If you intend to celebrate they don’t need to be taught
But Gwinnett is also the metro Atlanta region leader in almost every they came from monkeys even
major category. Father’s Day it’s important you
Not surprisingly, we’re number one in population growth, but we’re also find out who your father is, or if it’s true.
number one in attracting residents from other states (with New York, New at least have an address. You Who cares about the truth?
Jersey, and California leading the way). I just want these nutty kids to
We’re number one in acres of greenspace per 1,000 population with more may want to send a card.
than 279,000 acres. We’re also number one in dollars dedicated to You’d think a plan to honor calm down! Can I get a witness
greenspace acquisition. fathers would be fairly non- here. Amen!
And an interesting note for your business specifically, Gwinnett is a controversial, but it took 62 At the very least, teaching
leader in the metro Atlanta region for household income at $63,189. That
means more money to be spent on your products and services. years after the idea was pitched a kid his great grandpa
We are sharing all of this data to make one simple, but critical point. The to President Woodrow Wilson was a monkey, is rude and
success for both the metro Atlanta region and Innovation Crescent depends for it to become official. Glenn Matlock disrespectful. At worst, they
on the success of Gwinnett, because we are (and will continue to be) their Editor-Publisher begin to believe it.
leading job and population growth centers. Maybe, Woodrow never forgave
Just as Orange County, CA, Fairfax County, VA and Raleigh-Wake his dad for that name. lifetime of Father’s Day capital Why do we even have to say
County, NC now lead the growth and future success for their regions, so For some of us, finding in my book. kids came from monkeys? Can
too does Gwinnett County. Financially, my Dad went the we pick an evolving life form
But, as it has been said, “to whom much is given, much is required.” And something to honor about dear
so it is time for the Gwinnett Chamber to assume more leadership roles on old dad can be challenging. extra mile, but his work kept before it became a monkey?
regional issues. However, if you believe doing him away from home, which Something not so insane and
Over the next few years, you’ll see the Gwinnett Chamber partnering and made him emotionally and less dangerous?
leading more and more regional initiatives. We are already working more
the right thing is important
than ever with our economic and community development allies at the try finding something in spiritually unavailable. Why not tell kids they
State, utilities, brokers, the Atlanta Chamber and from every county from your father worthy of honor - Kids need a loving dad at crawled out from under a
Fulton, Cobb, and DeKalb all the way to Athens-Clarke. This year alone, anything. home, but they also need an cabbage leaf? That’s what mom
we’ve proudly sponsored or actively participated in initiatives like ARC’s
LINK trip, Get Georgia Moving, the Governor’s Work Ready program, the Maybe he’s the only one who authority figure they respect to told me and I turned out OK!
Innovation Crescent Regional Partnership, and more. can operate the remote. keep them in line. What’s the worst that could
It is our fi rm belief that what is good for Gwinnett is good for the region. Father’s Day is difficult for My kids needed Rambo. happen? Kids might leave a
And what is good for the region is good for Gwinnett. For fathers to get respect, slime trail on the carpet? What
Jim Maran is president and CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber of me. My father and I never talk,
Commerce. of course he died years ago, they must give respect. For else is new?
but really nothing much has fathers to have authority, they Best case, kids with snail
Neighborhood News changed. We didn’t talk much must submit to authority. DNA wouldn’t be so aggressive
before, but I can say this, he When I ask who is your and the origin of man,
Glenn Matlock Renee Matlock
was darned good at his job. I father, I’m talking to you dad. according to Father Darwin’s
Publisher & Editor Associate Publisher
don’t know if he could throw Who is the authority over you book, would still be true.
770-277-1899
P. O. Box 746, Dacula, Ga. 30019 a football, but the man was a and your family? There is another choice. Dad
E-mail: Advertising@E-NeighborhoodNews.com hard worker. Is your authority the eternal tell your kids everyday they’re
E-mail the editor: Editor@E-NeighborhoodNews.com heavenly Father? Or is your made in the image of God and
Make no mistake about it!
Editorials and columns express the opinions of the writers and are not necessarily the opinion of I loved dad. The man bought ultimate authority Charles that would be the truth, at least
the Neighborhood News. Unsigned editorials are the expressed opinion of the Neighborhood News
editorial staff. me my first car! That buys a Darwin, a man who despised in my Father’s book.
Page 12 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville June 2008

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June 2008 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville
Beware: Low-rider pants!
Teens suffering ‘hip, hop’ problems?
By Penelope Lenore
Dear Penelope:
I love your column. You always seem
to have a grip on what is going on with
kids at home and at school. I am writing
as a concerned parent. I have three, ages
14 through 18 and I teach high school at
a town nearby.
I still can’t believe that kids, mostly
males, are wearing baggy pants. I
thought that fad had come and gone.
As a parent I am concerned that my
two boys will start dressing that way.
As a teacher, I am tired of looking at
underwear and telling kids to pull their
pants up. We are supposed to have a
dress code at our school. I have yet to
see it enforced. When I ask the kids to
pull up pants, they say that I am the only
one who noticed and that none of the
other teachers had a problem with the
way their pants look.
Where are their parents when they get
dressed in the morning? I have heard
about studies that show young men are
having hip problems due to the way they
have to walk just to keep their pants up.
Fed up with the low pants in
Lawrenceville
Dear Fed up:
Looks like even though times have
changed, fashion issues have not. Three
years ago I got a letter from a concerned
parent of a child who wanted to wear all
black. I got letters from self-proclaimed
“Goth” parents saying I was out of
touch. So I’ll beat them to it – I’m out
of touch. I still believe adults should
rule the world and children should
wait their turns. I think you have it
infinitely tougher in high school than we
do in elementary school as far as rule
enforcement goes. You also have thong
underwear that hasn’t filtered down to
the younger grades yet. But we do have
to deal with shorts that have writing on
the backside! Whose bright idea was
that? I don’t see why anyone would want
a stranger paying attention to their little
girl’s rear end – at any age, but under
the age of 10? And that is the precursor
Page 13
to what you experience in high school.
Sadly, these girls are used to attracting
attention based on what they’re wearing
not on what they are contributing.
There is the issue of the baggy pants
and we are not afraid to send them home
from elementary or middle school or
request a belt be brought in to cinch up
those pants. It doesn’t sound like that
kind of rule enforcement is consistent
in high school. By the time they get to
high school maybe educators are tired
of saying the same thing and getting
the reaction you experience. What’s the
big deal? Who are we hurting? And the
problem is, the older I get the more I
wonder the same thing: Is this fashion
argument really important in the big
scheme of things? I can argue that it is
and I did three years ago. But what old
age or wisdom has shown me is that
young adults only get the four short high
school years and perhaps four to six
more if they seek refuge in college to be
totally undefined by convention.
At this time of year I’m asked to speak
to graduating seniors or write senior
letters to former students about what
the future holds. What I’m coming to
realize is how truly fleeting the time
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Page 14 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville June 2008
June 2008
Buford’s Tannery Row Artists
Colony hosts WORD on June 21
BUFORD - A multi-media collabora-
tion of visual artists and poets - WORD
- will open at the Tannery Row Artist
Colony on June 21.
The event is free and open to the
public. It will be held at the artists
colony located at 554 W. Main Street,
Building C in Buford and will run
through Aug. 16. A reception on June 21
at 6 p.m. will feature three poetry
Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville Page 15
Studies Forum and various publications
and anthologies.
Poet Mildred Greear was born in
Mississippi in time to experience the
Great Depression where she found
solace in the beauty of the natural
environment and words with which she
sought to clothe it. Now 87 and living in
Helen, Ga. she has published in a variety
of regional and national reviews
readings.
Buford-based artist Judy Surowiec,
Dennis Primm and other Tannery Row
members and invited artists will exhibit
artworks that include words. During the
opening reception Mildred Greear, Ron
Self and other renowned Georgia poets
BUYSELL
SAVE
Metal sculptor Dennis Primm was
born in Nashville, but strong Hawaiian
influences are ever present in his
creations. He transforms rigid iron into
peaceful, flowing pieces, reminiscent of 3!6%MONEYAT+I$TO+I$šWHEN
island breezes and ocean waves. Artist YOU"59ANYOFOURSOF
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read their award winning poetry. The art
and poetry reflect color, line, humor,
wisdom and joy of life. This is a unique
opportunity for literary and art patrons.
Visitors can enjoy refreshments and
peruse the exhibit and the artists’ studios.
At intervals, bells ring inviting all to a
reading room for presentations by the
poets.
In addition to being a poet, Ron Self is
a Columbus attorney, musician and
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president of the Georgia Poetry Society.
His poems have appeared in The Atlanta
Review, The English Journal, The Legal
graduated with a degree in Art Educa-
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Page 16 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville June 2008

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June 2008 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville Page 17
Page 18 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville
Spirit of the Father
Three Dacula fathers share ‘the divine connection’
By Glenn Matlock
DACULA – Even as children, for better or
worse, the decisions we make and the
actions we take, have life-altering conse-
quences only God can see.
Without a clear vision of the future, we all
walk by faith. Those who deny God, deny
the Spirit of the Father and know not where
or even why they walk. However, those who
share the divine connection have faith in the
Spirit of the Father – the Holy Spirit is His
name. With patience and an abiding love He
directs the footsteps. The path may not
always be easy.
Twenty-four years ago, a fifth-grade
Dacula Elementary School student named,
Dustin Pennington, had his first close
encounter with the Spirit of the Father. It
was a tsunami in time that would forever
spill over into lives of his mother Brenda,
his father Steve, his future wife Michelle,
his future sons, Matthew, Michael and Mark
and thousands of people he may never know
in this life.
It was a Sunday morning. Brenda and
Steve Pennington and Dustin had been
invited to attend Hinton Memorial Church.
They arrived and went into their Sunday
School class, but through an unexpected turn
of events, 12-year-old Dustin ended up
attending a morning prayer meeting where
he met 52-year-old Sam Venable, Hinton
Methodist’s choir director.
Dustin, who had only visited church a few
times before, felt an immediate connection
with the church and with Sam. He felt at
home and after a few days Sam introduced
the curious young man to Jesus Christ and
showed him the plan of salvation.
The plan of salvation requires repentance
– asking God to forgive sin in your life and a
total acceptance that Jesus was and is God
incarnate on earth and that His death on a
Roman weapon of mass destruction called
the cross and His ultimate resurrection from
the dead provided salvation for all mankind,
whoever can believe and receive it.
After he received Christ, Dustin noticed
an immediate change within. Brenda and
Steve weren’t Christians at the time, but
they accepted Dustin’s newfound faith. They
bought Dustin his first Bible. He developed
an immediate hunger for the things of God.
He couldn’t get enough.
Actually, it was a miracle little Dustin
ever had the opportunity to meet Sam
Venable since Sam nearly died at birth.
Born two months premature into a
farming family in 1931, tiny Sam Venable
was not expected to live. There wasn’t a
hospital or incubator to be found in Dacula.
The child weighed only two pounds 14 days
after he was born. The stress of the prema-
ture birth brought on a case of diphtheria, a
child killer disease at the time.
June 2008
Photo by Glenn Matlock
Pictured with his wife, Michelle and three sons from the left, Matthew, 14, Mark, 10 and Michael, 12, Cornerstone
Fellowship Church pastor Dustin Pennington has been a spirit-filled Christian since he was 12. He began working on
the mission field and pastoring in churches from the time he was 13 years old.
“They say you can’t have diphtheria once, something I knew nothing about,” Steve financial ruin. Suicidal thoughts led him to a
but I had it twice and survived,” Sam said. said. motel room in Winder.
Death was not an option. God had a plan Dustin wasn’t aware of the controversy “My mother hung herself and my father
and a mission for his chosen vessel, Sam surrounding the baptism in the Holy Spirit. had died of cancer. I had 500 of his mor-
Venable. Over the years, Sam gradually All he knew was the experience was like phine pills – enough to kill an army,” Steve
came to accept the reality of God and the God throwing gas on an already blazing fire. said.
possibility the infant who was called back to “I thought, if there is another experience, I Steve remained hidden away for several
life had a divine purpose to fulfill on earth. want all there is,” Dustin said. “God did days battling demons, trying to work up the
When Sam was 30, he experienced a something unique to me in that moment, courage to take his own life. As fate would
supernatural visitation, while hospitalized in something apart from salvation. It was the have it, he found Pastor Burnham’s phone
Memphis, Tenn. same thing that happened to the disciples number in his pocket. He made the call and
“Jesus came into my hospital room,” Sam after Jesus ascended into heaven.” Pastor Burnham drove to Winder at 2 a.m.
said. “I saw his face. I saw the agony he For two years, Dustin prayed for his On his long road back from despair,
endured and I knew it was for me. So, I parents to be saved. Steve and Brenda Steve attended a revival in Auburn where he
cried out … and asked him to come into my continued to attend Hinton Methodist but at had his brush with the Spirit of the Father.
life and He did. I’ve been sinful and done the time, they were Christian in name only, Near the end of the service, the evangelist
things I should not have done, but He has but God had a plan to complete His divine was speaking with people who had come
not turned me loose.” connection. forward to the altar for prayer. Steve was on
God was preparing Sam for a divine Steve’s move closer to Christ came on the back row ready to slip out the door when
connection with a 12-year-old boy he would Father’s Day 1989. Hinton Methodist’s the evangelist walked straight down the aisle
meet one day – a boy who was yet to be pastor at the time, Bill Burnham, called the toward him. The man of God led Steve into
born – a boy who God would call into the fathers down to the front of the church a back room where the divine connection
ministry to be a missionary and a pastor. where as the spiritual leader of their family was about to be completed.
Some 15 years later, Sam was ready to they would serve communion to their wives “For the first time in my life, I totally
introduce Dustin to the power of God - the and children. surrendered to God,” Steve said. “It was an
baptism of the Holy Spirit, an experience “I knew that I was a fake sitting in church unbelievable experience. I started speaking
that manifests in a verbal outburst of praise all that time and just going through the in tongues.”
to God known as speaking in tongues. For motions,” Steve said. “When I went down At that moment, Steve understood the
years, Christians and churches have been front and had to stand nose to nose with my powerful infilling of the Spirit of the Father
divided over the baptism. son, God broke me right then. He would not his son had received as a 12-year-old
When Dustin’s father Steve learned his allow me to fake it anymore. I had reached Christian young man … and he had a new
fifth-grade son was speaking in tongues, he for everything, but God. Finally, God was love in his heart for the man who helped his
was terribly upset and went looking for an the only thing there.” son find God – Sam Venable.
explanation from Sam. To complete the divine connection, God Steve, the father joined with God the
“We were raised more traditionally. I was had more for Steve who had fallen into a Father and began giving of himself and his
upset, but later, I realized I was upset about downward spiral of personal, business and Continued on next page
June 2008 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville Page 19

Often times, God places Christian believers in the arena

Continued from previous page “We could never hold him,” Dustin said. “We could never hold him or cradle him, The Pennington’s three sons, Matthew, 14,
finances. Soon, the blessings began to fall. “He didn’t want any affection. At 3 years but from then on he would sit on his Michael, 12, and Mark, who is now 10, also
Steve’s business, Pennington Fence Com- old, you could not discipline him. He would momma’s lap and let her hold him and love share the divine connection, but we still see
pany, went from a $100,000 a year business hit back. One night Mark was completely him. Now, he is by far our most affectionate ripples of anger coming from many young
to a $1.5 million per year business. His out of control. I felt the Holy Spirit say, child,” Dustin said. lives. It seems there are angry, unwanted
emotional stability returned and his family ‘Why have you waited so long? Go in there Dustin gives all the glory to God and children at every turn. Wounded, lost
became stronger than ever before. and claim your son. Take authority over that credits the Spirit of the Holy Father working youngsters are waiting and longing for a
At 13, with Steve and Brenda’s blessing, spirit.’ I held him down and took authority within him and within Michelle - revealing divine connection to the Spirit of the Father.
Dustin began going on church sanctioned over him as his father and over Satan’s plan what was happening in the spiritual realm. There is an answer! Fathers arise! Prepare
mission trips to other countries, travels that to take over his life. Michelle and I repented Without the Spirit of the Father working for the spiritual battle. Your children are in
years later would bring a divine connection before God for our role in causing this to within his parents, who can say, where the the enemy’s hand and must be freed. Only
with his future wife Michelle and eventually, begin with.” ripples of Mark’s anger might have carried you, with Jesus Christ in your life and the
Cornerstone Fellowship Church in Dacula From that moment on there was an him and those around him. Only God loving Holy Spirit of the Father working
where he serves today as pastor. Cornerstone immediate change in Mark. knows. within your heart can stem the rising tide.
was built on a site Steve donated to the
church.
“I had a contract on my desk to sell that
land for $400,000, but God would not let
me” Steve said. “I was walking to the
mailbox to send it off. If I ever heard
anything, I heard God tell me to give that
corner lot to the church.”
Most every Sunday morning, Sam
Venable and his wife Roz can be found
sitting on the front row in the Cornerstone
sanctuary. Dustin’s spiritual father beams
with pride as he listens to the words of this
36-year-old man he mentored as a boy
nearly 24-years ago – the same boy who is
now a charismatic pastor, loving husband
and father.
“Dustin is a son of mine,” Sam said. “God
gave me an opportunity to lead this young
man to Christ. As a result of that I will share
in all the ministry he fulfills. It is an honor
to be able to sit under his teaching, teaching
that came through the power of the Holy
Spirit.”
These three men’s lives have long been on
intersecting paths - guided to find the divine
connection they share with many other
fathers and sons, mothers and daughters - all
members of the family of God.
All those who have shared the divine
connection know serving God often places
Christian believers in the arena. There will
be and have been many times of testing. But
without the divine connection, the Spirit of
the Father working inside, Christians stand
unarmed against an evil unseen kingdom
bent on their destruction.
Along with the good times, Dustin and
Michelle Pennington have lived through the
battles. At times, those battles raged within
the walls of their own home.
About 10 years ago, the family was going
through difficult financial circumstances.
Already struggling to support the two
children they had, they discovered a third
was on the way. It was too much for them to
bear.
“We had no money; we sat on the
bathroom floor and cried,” Dustin said. “We
could not believe this was happening. I
believe my unborn son picked up a spirit of
rejection in the womb. He was born feeling
that he was not wanted.”
From the day he was born, Mark was
filled with rage.
Page 20 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville June 2008

Your Neighborhood Family Dentist

Sid Galloway DMD
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Mall of Georgia
««œˆ˜Ì“i˜ÌÃÊ
85
Hamilton Mill

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Peac bu
ht ree r n Rd.
Hebron
Dacula Dental

770-277-0800
20 Baptist
Associates
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Next to Dacula Post Office
June 2008 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville Page 21

Proudly New location in

serving Braselton/Chateau Elan now open!
all natural,

LOCATION
certified,
Black Angus
Reunion
Beef Ninja
Thom
pso Steak House
n Mill
Road

2115 Hamilton Creek Pkwy. HW

Chateau
Dacula, GA 30019
Y
Elan
211

770.831.7131 85

www.ninjasteak.com
Braselton/Chateau Elan
Open Hours 770.965.2292
Lunch
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 2 pm
Sunday- 12 pm - 2:30 pm
NEW
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Mon-Thurs 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 10:30 pm
Sun 5 pm - 9:30 pm

We would like to
thank our customers
for voting us
“Best in Gwinnett”
3 years in a row.
Page 22 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville June 2008

Dacula, Georgia
June 2008 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville Page 23

Summer Crafts Series for Kids

Ages 8 - 13
New projects each week featuring beading,
jewelry making and craft projects.
Wednesday Mornings : 10:30am - 11:30am

JUNE Session JULY Session

-Beaded Animal charms - Beach Days Projects
-Earring Holder - Earrings
-4th of July projects - Barrettes
-Daisy Chain bracelets - Macrame

CALL TO REGISTER:
770 904
904-6310
6310

Check our class schedule: www.ontherocks.biz

2760 Braselton Hwy. #102, Dacula, GA 30019 • 770-904-6310
Open Monday - Friday 10-6; Saturday 10-5
Page 24 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville June 2008

A place where every girl is special!

WE DO DRESS UP PARTIES!
LOTS of WEBKINZ & Accessories,
Shining Stars, and TY Girlz 3TORE(OURS
Clothing Sale 20%-60% Off
A Gift for Every Girl
M.-Thurs. 9-5
on Your List
Parties 10% OFF Fri. & Sat. 10-7
Call for more information
         -Webkinz Party
         -Divine Diva Show Entire Purchase 770 t 962 t7615
EXCLUDES Sale Items, 1250 Auburn Rd. Suite #103
         -Tasty Tea Party Clearance Items, & Parties Dacula, GA 30019
         -Singing Stars
Locally Owned and Operated, Jenny Wilson (in front of Gold’s Gym)
         -Creative Craft Party
June 2008 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville Page 25

Is your father grumpy about high gas prices?

FLYNTCO SERVICES, LLC Then, give old dad something to smile about!
THE JED CLAMPETT BACKYARD OIL RIG AND REFINERY
Professional Home Theatre Installation Services plus The backyard oll rig and refinery is
Computer Services, Repairs, Upgrades, and Installs the most innovative concept since
a fully insured, family owned business, offering a wide range of computer the self-service gas station.
services and media installations for your home or business including: Now, you can drill for crude and refine
x Computer Hardware or Software Installations
x Computer Rebuild, Repairs, and
your own gasoline right at home!
Upgrades
x Network Installations (both wired and FOR SUV DRIVERS,
wireless)
x Home Theatre System Installations PAYS FOR ITSELF IN
including: THE 1ST YEAR
x Site Survey OF OPERATION
x LCD or Plasma Televisions
x Projectors WHAT’S INCLUDED IF
x Audio Components
x Speakers YOU BUY BEFORE
x Surveillance Cameras Installations JULY 4TH!
(including installing the computer software with cameras)
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YOU COULD DRILL FOR YOUR OWN FUEL
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*Disclaimer: Drilling a dry hole could increase costs slightly
Page 26 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville June 2008

Photos by Glenn Matlock

With his head down, American miniature horse Toby is

focused as he pulls a two-wheel cart and his owner Laura
Leopard, a teacher at Alcova Elementary School.

The 2008 Miss Dacula Pageant queens built a float that honored vets. Riding along is U.S.
Army Reserves Combat Medic William Tyler Hinton. The float also honored the memory of
the late United States Marine Corp Cpl. Brett Browder and all former Dacula High students
serving in the military. To add veterans’ names to the list go to: missdacula.com
Grand Marshall retired U.S. Army Sgt. Paul Efstration,
left, and his son Charles Efstration

Thousands attend annual parade

Gregg Grossman, of Dacula, keeps his
nephew Tyler Fugazzi, 1, cool as he cheered
the participating military units.
DACULA – It was Dacu-
la’s largest Memorial Day
Parade in its 15-year history
with a crowd estimated to be
at more than 10,000.
Parade Grand Marshall
retired U.S. Army Sgt. Paul
Efstration (above) served
from 1944 to 1945 as a
member of the 1st Infantry
Division, 26th Infantry
Regiment. Efstration
participated in the Norman-
dy Invasion and landed on
Omaha Beach on June 6,
1944 just as American forces
had cleared the beach and
started pushing the enemy
into the French countryside.
Sgt. Efstration engaged in
battle for months in France
and in October of 1944 was
Ciara Deans, 5, top left, mom Jackie, and
wounded by sniper fire in
patriotic pups, Princess Holly and Coco
the battle to liberate the
and little Victoria Twyman, 1, and her mom
medieval city of Aachen,
Jackie, not pictured, enjoy the day.
Germany. After being
treated for his wounds,
Efstration returned to his
unit and continued fighting,
helping to liberate a concen-
tration camp in Germany.
For his service, Efstration
was awarded two Purple
Hearts, the Bronze Star, and
multiple foreign awards.
Following the war, Sgt.
Efstration was assigned to
the Nuremberg War Crimes
with the distinguished honor
to serve as a guard for the
trials. Efstration then
returned to his hometown of
Greenville, SC. where he
started a family and contin-
ued to serve in the U.S.
Army Reserve. Sgt. Efstra-
tion’s son, Charles Efstra-
tion, and his family have
been living in Gwinnett
County for over 35 years.
June 2008 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville
The $100 winner of the May Fake Ad
Contest is Troy Henry of Dacula.
See the May Fake Ad, “Dispos-A-
Ball," at www.e-neighborhoodnews.
com. See all the ads and read all three
editions online.
Congratulations to Troy - again! Our
man Troy made Fake Ad Contest history
by becoming the second person to win the
$100 prize twice. Wendy Woods of Dacula
was the first two-time winner last year.
Troy won his first $100 prize exactly one
year ago in May. It can happen.
His family, including his two children,
Justin, 5, Allison, 11, and his wife JoAnn
were amazed, he said.
Aside from his work in the telecommu-
nication industry, Troy is also into physical
fitness. He runs often at the Dacula High
School track and is a member of Hebron
Baptist Church’s Men’s stay-fit class, which
meets on Wednesdays.
For those who have been entering the
contest month after month without success,
Troy’s good fortune should give you hope.
He is a consistent Fake Ad Contest entrant
and has played more times than he can
count.
Troy is also now eligible - again - for our
annual $500 Grand Prize drawing at the
end of July. The Grand Prize winner will
be announced Aug. 16.
The winning entry will be drawn at ran-
dom from the entires submitted by the past
Gwinnett Tech student Kateri Pletcher
named 2008 Distinguished Student
LAWRENCEVILLE – Gwinnett
Technical College recently honored more
than 200 students for academic
excellence and achievement at the
college’s annual Awards Ceremony held
at The Busbee Center on Gwinnett Tech’s
campus last week.
The Gwinnett Tech Foundation
awarded 51 scholarships totaling $47,450
at the ceremony, recognizing students for
various achievements in academic,
vocational and occupational skills, as
well as overall leadership and teamwork.
“The Awards Ceremony is an annual
highlight for us – a deserving celebration
of the achievements of so many students
who go above and beyond each year,”
says Sharon Bartels, president, Gwinnett
Technical College.
The culmination of the Awards
Ceremony program was the naming of
Gwinnett Tech’s 2008 Distinguished
Student.
Honored for her educational goals,
community involvement and leadership,
Kateri Pletcher was recognized as the
2008 Distinguished Student Award
recipient.
Enrolled in the Surgical Technology
program at Gwinnett Tech, Pletcher was
selected after a screening and
interviewing process. In addition to
achieving academic success, Pletcher is
year’s $100 monthly prize winners.
Those of you out there still have another
two months - June and July - to win the
monthly contest and be eligible to win this
year’s $500 Grand Prize.
Congratulations also go out to Virginia
Newsome of Sugar Hill and Karen Walsh
of Lawrenceville who each won $50.
My favorite comment about our fake
company that sells disposable bowl-
ing balls came from Sallye who lives in
Dacula.
“Stupid and ridiculious,” she wrote.
Sallye, you have very neatly sumed up
the Fake Ad Contest in those three little
words.
Stupid and ridiculious! That is precisely
what we’re shootin’ for!
Unlike you Sallye, many contestants
totally fail to get their arms around this
concept!
For example, David from Buford who
wrote: ”Dispos-a- Ball would be a waste of
money, it makes absolutely no cents (sp.)
to waste money on balls or hockey pucks,
when a one-time purchase of one or two
would do”.
Common “cents” is not the goal, David.
Honestly, how many people can remem-
ber the last time they bought a bowling
ball? Nobody’s getting rich selling bowling
balls, David. Motivating bowlers to spend
more “cents” buying multiple bowling balls
is good marketing - no matter how stupid
Kateri Pletcher
also an involved school and community
volunteer as well as a mother of three.
Pletcher was selected from the top five
outstanding students by a panel of
judges.
T.C. Parker, Surgical Technology
program director, nominated Pletcher for
the honor, noting her enthusiasm, work
ethic and perseverance. Pletcher’s
willingness to help others and her skill
on the job was also recognized by the
hospital staff where she is completing her
clinical studies. “Kateri is a person of
unquestionable integrity and is a
wonderful example of the type of student
we attract at GTC,” says Parker.
Page 27
and ridiculious it sounds.
Of course, common sense should tell us
Dispos-A-Ball’s business model is flawed,
but on the other hand, we’ve been wrong
before.
At first glance, Cindy from Law-
renceville was buying it. She read through
the entire ad all the while wondering why
someone would buy a disposable bowling
ball!
“Finally, my common sense kicked in,”
she wrote.
Thanks for restoring our faith in human-
ity, Cindy.
And while so many of you complained
that disposable bowling balls was not envi-
ronmentally friendly, others looked harder
and found the silver plastic landfill liner.
Like Ruth from Buford who thought
landfills would be more attractive with
colorful bowling balls scattered about.
You see! Sometimes we miss the bigger Pictured with his son, Justin,
picture, don’t we Ruth? 5, is Troy Henry of Dacula, our
For others, we’re not sure what picture $100 cash winner for May.
they’re looking at. Like Carolyn from
Lawrenceville who apparently sees some the big ball tossed into the trash can “looks
weight-loss marketing potential here. like a yummy chocolate sundae.”
Carolyn wrote, “My doctor told me to That big chocolate ball you think looks
lose weight. He said I’m carrying two so yummy is the Earth, Sue. We’re throw-
bowling balls. I hope they’re dispos-a- ing away the Earth, Sue!
ball.” How sad! Why did you have to say that?
You can always tell when folks are on a Now I want a sundae!
diet. Their mind is always on food. Like Now, while I’m gone, go find that fake ad.
Sue in Buford, who noticed in the ad that Glenn Matlock, Editor
Find the FAKE Ad
You might win $50 or $100
To win the $100 first prize, or one of two $50 prizes three entries are drawn at random.
The first entry drawn wins the $100 prize - $50 for the remaining two. To win complete
the form below with your name, address and telephone number and mail it to the
address listed below. Employees, contractors and family members connected to the
Neighborhood News are not eligible to win. A drawing from the validated entries will
be held on June 15. The winner will be notified and paid in cash or check. Please feel
free to share any comments you may have about the contest or the paper in general. The
Neighborhood News promises not to sell your name and address to any third party.
Note: Be sure you name the fake ad and page Mail Entry to:
on which it is found in the entry form below. NNEWS Drawing
You do not have to clip out the fake ad. PO Box 40
ENTRY DEADLINE! June 15 Dacula, GA 30019
The winner will be posted on our Web site • www.e-neighborhoodnews.com • June 16
Name
Street City
Telephone Number
Name the Fake Ad:
Comments:
Limit one entry per person
Page 28 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville
2008 Ford Escape Hybrid SUV
New Look, Performance Improvements
By Linda Sharp
Ford claims the Escape Hybrid is the
cleanest and most fuel-efficient SUV in
the world, combining the fuel economy
and emissions benefits of a full hybrid
with the go-anywhere capability,
toughness and spaciousness of a Ford
Escape. Hybrids were once for many
owners more of an environmental
statement but today their demand is
growing as everyone is searching for
that elusive fuel economy. With claims
of up to 34 mpg in city driving – a
14-percent improvement compared to
the 2007 model, we were very pleased
when we actually averaged just under
32 mpg in combined driving.
The Escape was exceptionally
spacious for a compact SUV, with
plenty of side-to-side shoulder and hip
room. This SUV’s practical basic box
shape delivers plenty of interior room
despite its petite exterior dimensions.
There is also a much bolder, stronger
visual statement to the 2008 Escape
Hybrid. Bejeweled headlamp and
taillight assemblies enhance the
boldness while adding an upscale
appeal to this affordable fuel saver.
Ride characteristics were solid and
well connected to the road. Driver
feedback and road feel were confidence
inspiring. For an economically priced
vehicle, we found the seats to be
supportive and non- tiring on a long
drive.
The Escape Hybrid is a “full” hybrid,
meaning it automatically switches
between pure electric power, pure
gasoline engine power or combined
operation to maximize efficiency
and performance. Its gasoline engine
and electric motor work in concert,
providing performance similar to that
of a V-6 engine. In less demanding
situations, the Escape Hybrid can run
on its electric motor alone (at speeds up
to 25 mph), its gasoline engine alone
or the most efficient combination of the
two.
It’s important for potential buyers
to remember that full hybrids achieve
their greatest improvement in fuel
economy during stop-and-go driving,
when the electric motor is most
efficient. In fact, the Escape Hybrid
provides approximately 80 percent
better fuel economy in city driving
than the conventional V-6 Escape and
Ford claims it can travel more than 500
miles in city driving on a single tank of
gasoline.
An amazing 99.4 percent cleaner, on
average than an unregulated vehicle,
Escape Hybrid meets strict Super Ultra
Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV II)
and Advanced Technology Partial
Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV)
standards. That translates to, “It’s good
for the air we breathe.”
And if you are concerned about
buying into a new technology,
Ford backs the Escape Hybrid with
a standard 8-year/100,000-mile
limited warranty for unique hybrid
components, including the battery
pack.
LOCAL BUZZ: Eric Conley, new
car sales manager for Mall of Georgia
Ford explains, “We are seeing an
increased demand for hybrid products.
Our biggest problem with the Escape
Hybrid is having the supply to keep up
with the demand.”
STATS:
Horsepower: 133 with 124 foot-
pounds torque
Mileage: 34 city/ 30 highway
Pricing begins: $26,640.
Seating capacity: Five
Fuel required: regular grade
Mall of Georgia Ford
4525 Nelson Brogdon Blvd
Buford, Georgia 30518
Phone: (866) 431-8048
2008 HUMMER H3 Alpha
Don’t Judge This Book By Its Cover!
By Linda Sharp
When I got the word that a week with a
HUMMER H3 Alpha was on my calen-
dar, I’ll be honest: The idea raised my
eyebrows. With today’s fuel prices, not
many think of a HUMMER as a vehicle
of choice. And I was not getting just
any HUMMER, no not the five-cylinder
version, but rather the King of the Hill
Alpha, which is powered by a 5.3 liter
V8. My expectations for this vehicle were
at the very least skeptical.
Before the Alpha pulled into my drive,
I had made the conscious decision to
see just how much fuel economy could I
squeeze out of it. With an EPA rating of
13 city and 16 highway, I knew it would
be a challenge.
Much to my pleasant surprise, the Al-
pha did much better than the rated num-
bers. Probably in part due to the vehicle’s
four speed automatic transmission, which
allowed me to maintain a maximum of
2000 rpm’s, but also in great part due to
the 300 horsepower, 320 foot pounds of
torque V-8.
I drove the Alpha as if I had an egg
placed under the accelerator pedal. No
jackrabbit starts, no hard acceleration -
except when the situation necessitated it
and cruising on the Interstate, I judicious-
ly stuck to 2000 rpm, which translated to
70 mph. So how did I do? I’m proud to
announce that on the highway, I garnered
18.6 mpg and in combined driving, a
surprisingly respectable 17.3 mpg. While
not economy car numbers, for what the
HUMMER H3 Alpha is, I was impressed.
Beside the V8 engine and the four-
speed automatic, the Alpha package
adds chrome to the door handles and
mirror caps, as well as Alpha badging, a
4.10 rear axle, 16-inch chrome wheels,
eight way power front seats with heated
June 2008
cushion and back, plus a seven-speaker
Monsoon stereo with amp and rear
woofer speakers.
My head tells me that a HUMMER
in today’s market really is not a very
politically correct choice. So why do I
love driving one? There is something
about the ambiance you feel. Tucked
beneath the flat roof, behind the flat front
windshield, postured in the really high
seating position of this mid-sized SUV,
you really just feel like you can take on
the world. My head may be telling me
one thing, but my heart tells me another.
So if you are willing to make a few
concessions in your driving style, feel
free to step outside the conventional box
by checking out this boxy shaped head
turner. It will surprise you.
LOCAL BUZZ: Mike Crisci, new car
sales manager at Lou Sobh HUMMER
points out that HUMMER customers have
seen incentives as high as a $2500 cash
rebate and 2.9 percent on a 60 month
loan. His expectations are that buyers will
continue to see these type of incentives,
perhaps even better, saying, “Give us a
call, you might be pleasantly surprised at
the deals you’ll find.”
STATS:
Horsepower: 300 with 320 foot-
pounds of torque
Mileage: 13 city/16 highway
Pricing begins: $38,645. As tested:
$44,840
Seating capacity: Five
Fuel required: regular grade
Lou Sobh HUMMER
2473 Pleasant Hill Rd NW
Duluth, GA 30096 Map
(770) 232-0099
June 2008 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville
N Page 29

Combat high gas prices by changing your vehicle

What is in your picture of success? I think
that if you asked many people in our area
that question over the past few years their
picture would have included a Chevy Tahoe
or other full-size SUV. The successful all-
American family drives a new full size SUV.
The recent problem with that picture is that
gasoline is approaching $4 a gallon. Full
size SUV’s typically get 14 miles per gallon
(mpg) around town and 18-20 mpg on the
highway.
I think it is important for us to change our
own internal picture of success. Economists
and policy leaders do not forecast a
reduction in gasoline prices any time soon.
You can have a very nice vehicle, with most
of the features and comforts of a big SUV,
but in a smaller package.
Surprisingly, the biggest hurdle to
increasing fuel economy in vehicles is not
the size of the engine, but rather the size of
the vehicle. First and foremost is the weight
of the vehicle, and secondly the shape of the
vehicle. A vehicle that has the shape of a
truck is going to get less mileage than one
Brian Klaubert
that looks like a sleek sedan. Just imagine
trying to push a garage door down the
highway at 80 mph versus just the bottom
two panels of the door. The wind resistance
would be very different.
All of the carmakers have now come out
with full size cross-over utility vehicles,
commonly called CUV’s or CXV’s. At first
glance you would think that this should be a
big improvement over a full size SUV – but
the fuel economy gain is very small. GM’s
full size Acadia/Enclave/Outlook gets only
3 mpg more in its combined city/highway
mileage than the Tahoe, even though it is
smaller and has a six-cylinder engine rather
than a V8. That 3 mpg improvement will
save you only $66 a month. Surprisingly, the
Acadia weighs only 450 pounds less than a
full size Tahoe. Another break-out success is
Mazda’s CX-9 cross over. This vehicle’s
combined mileage rating is only 18 mpg.
Most of the full size cross-over’s average
either 18 or 19 mpg.
This brings me back to my point about
changing your internal picture. If you could
drive a vehicle that gets 30 mpg you would
save $200 per month in gasoline cost per
vehicle (assuming that each vehicle drives
20,000 miles per year).
Earlier this year, I changed my internal
picture. In January, I almost bought a Yukon
Denali. Then I began to research fuel
economy. I gave serious consideration to the
Toyota Camry Hybrid, which is rated at 34
mpg. I was very impressed with that car
until I tried to fit all of our suitcases into the
trunk. I could only get three of four
suitcases in, so that car came off of the list.
Then, I looked at the Ford Escape Hybrid.
It had more room, and was rated at 32 mpg.
I eventually bought the Escape in March.
My overall average mileage over 4,000
miles is 30 mpg. Most of my driving is short
in-town trips, and moderate hills. We took it
to Gulf Shores for spring break and are
taking it to Florida for summer vacation.
Wisdom says if you do what you’ve
always done you will get what you always
got. If your family is feeling constrained by
your gasoline expenses, you will have to
change.
Brian Klaubert has written for the
Neighborhood News for five years and owns
Christian Brothers Automotive – Hamilton
Mill on Braselton Hwy in Dacula - voted
Best of Gwinnett in both the Gwinnett Daily
Post & Gwinnett Magazine.

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Page 30 Neighborhood News
News-Dacula-Hamilton
Dacula Hamilton Mill
Mill-Harbins-Hog
Harbins Hog Mountain
Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville
Auburn Lawrenceville June 2008

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

Sauer family opens Play N Trade in Dacula Brothers
B th open second
d Ninja
Ni j restaurant
t t in
i Braselton
B lt
DACULA – Rob Sauer left behind a successful career working for a large
Commercial REIT to play a whole new kind of game.
Sauer, his wife Christi and two sons Britt and Jackson, recently opened a new
Play N Trade video game supply store located in the Stars and Strikes Plaza.
“My decision to make
the change came from the
desire to spend more time
with my family doing
something we all enjoy
and can all participate
in,” he said. “It also
allows me to spend time
getting more involved in
my community.”
Play N Trade
customers have the
option to buy, sell or Special Photo

trade any game or Ninja Steakhouse co-owners Edward Sun, (left), and his brother Steven
console at the store and Sun, (center), oversee their new Braselton location, while Jackie Chan, (far
right), is general manager at the Hamilton Mill location.
choose from a range of
gaming accessories. The Photo by Kimberly Munier
BRASELTON - Building on their past success, Edward and Steven
franchise is known for New business owners Christi and Rob Sauer, Sun recently opened their second Ninja Japanese – style Steak & Sushi
who recently opened a new Play N Trade video restaurant in the Braselton area.
carrying everything from
game supply store in Dacula and one of their Their new Braselton restaurant offers the same entertaining format as
cool retro gaming
two sons, Jackson. Jackson’s brother Britt is their Hamilton Mill location with Ninja chefs preparing food directly in
products, such as the not pictured. front of guests on a hibachi table.
original Nintendo, to the
Ninja also offers a sushi bar with the standard sushi bar fare
latest state-of-the-art systems such as the 360, Wii and PS3. The store also including: Alaska Rolls, Spider Rolls and California Rolls. However,
repairs gaming systems and resurfaces damaged game discs. when it comes to sushi, Ninja also provides it’s unique touch with the
We differentiate ourselves from the competition in several ways, Sauer said. Hamilton Mill Roll, the Wild, Wild East Roll, the Kanypyo Squash Roll
“Our store doesn’t only look different, it is different!” he said. “After all, the and the Mamahoohoo – only a few of their more than 50 varieties of
Play N Trade concept was conceived by gamers for gamers. Eight large screens cooked or raw sushi. Cooked and raw sushi can be ordered by the piece.
and terminals line the walls so customers can try out games before they buy. In addition to the traditional Oriental cuisine, Ninja also offers a
Once each month these serve a larger purpose: Our store hosts tournaments so variety of seafood and meats including: sirloin, filet mignon, teriyaki
gamers may participate in local and national tournaments. Whether you label steak, chateau brione, shrimp, scallops, salmon, lobster and of course,
yourself as a hard core gamer salivating for the latest titles, or a parent looking chicken.
for sound advice in making the right gaming choices for their kids, we have a For more information and for hours of service in Braselton call,
solution for you! 770-965-2292, or in Hamilton Mill call, 770-831-7131, or visit the Web
Location: 1700 Winder Highway, Dacula, Ga. 30019 in the Stars & Strikes site: www.ninjasteak.com
Plaza at the corner of Hwy. 316 and Winder Hwy. Phone: 678-376-4271 or log Location: 5753 Old Winder Highway in Braselton and 2115 Hamilton
onto www.playntrade.com/dacula • Call for store hours. Creek Parkway in Dacula.

Braselton’s new Houndstooth Grill specializes in steak, seafood

BRASELTON - After 15 years managing suc-
cessful corporate restaurants, Ken Weatherford
finally realized his dream in December 1993
when he opened Norcross Station Café in the
Train Depot in downtown Norcross.
Recently, Weatherford brought his success
winning formula to Braselton, where he opened
his new Houndstooth Grill and Tavern now
open in Mulberry Walk Shopping Center in
Braselton.
“The restaurant is casual dining, American
Continental cuisine,” he said. “We specialize in
steaks and seafood.”
Houndstooth Grill Chef Johnny Ulloa has 30
years of food service experience and has quickly
gained a reputation locally for consistently
serving outstanding dishes including: shrimp
and grits, stuffed grouper, chicken picatta,
Mediterranean tilapia and many more, said Todd
Decker, Houndstooth Grill general manager.
“The menu has a great selection of salads,
pastas, sandwiches and ‘made from scratch’
desserts as well,” Decker said. “Chef Johnny
makes all of his sauces and dressings in-house.
All of the chicken fingers, fried shrimp, grouper
fingers, oysters and appetizers are hand breaded
to order. The steaks are hand-cut, USDA Certi-
fied Choice Angus Midwestern beef. We serve
our slow-roasted, herb-crusted prime rib au jus
every Friday and Saturday for dinner. Come in
and give us try! We hope to see you soon!”
Houndstooth Grill is open every day for lunch
and dinner. Stop by and check out their new
balcony patio or courtyard patio for outside din-
ing. We offer full bar with daily drink specials.
We also offer an ala carte Sunday brunch menu
11 a.m. until 3 p.m. featuring eggs Benedict,
omelets and fresh Belgian waffles. There is
a private dining room available for rehearsal
dinners or private parties with seating for up to
50 people. Houndstooth Grill can also cater off-
premise events as well.
Photo by Glenn Matlock
Location: 6323 Grand Hickory Dr. Suite
200A, Braselton, Georgia Highway 211, one Houndstooth Grill General Manager Todd Decker with the Houndstooth
mile north of Chateau Elan Resort off Interstate Grill staff in the background participating in a wine-serving seminar.
85 at exit 126. Phone: 770-967-2225 The restaurant is owned by Ken Weatherford - not pictured.
June 2008 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville
Play My Way opens in Dacula Kid’s Village
DACULA – After 10 years working as
an educator and stay-at-home mom Monica
Jackson decided to take her love for children
to a whole new level.
Jackson’s new business venture in the new
Dacula Kids Village shopping center called
Play My Way helps kids learn and have fun
doing it.
“It’s been my lifelong dream to provide a
place that will impact children’s lives,” she
said. “My family and my husband Stanley,
who is a project engineer with Pond and
Company has been very supportive.”
Mrs. Jackson is a former Gwinnett County
schoolteacher with a master’s degree in Cur-
riculum Assessment.
Being a wife and mother of two young
girls, Madison, 2, and stepdaughter Nadia,
11, Mrs. Jackson understands what mother’s
face when searching for day care, she said.
Before she found Play My Way, Mrs.
Jackson had enrolled Madison in programs
throughout the Metro Atlanta Area, but
could never find one that suited her.
“I am a fanatic about child care,” she said.
Gwinnett County Parks & Recreation
Calendar of Events – June 2008
June 4-Grandparent/Grandchild Ice
Cream Social
Noon-2:00 p.m. Tickets are limited, No
take-outs. Call 770-831-4173 for
reservation. Ages 50-up. Cost is $2/
person. George Pierce Park Community
Recreation Center, 55 Buford Hwy.,
Suwanee. 770-831-4173.
June 6-Brown Bag Concert Series
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. FREE family-
friendly performances on the lawn of
the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse. All
Ages. Gwinnett Historic Courthouse,
185 Crogan St., Lawrenceville.
770-822-5450.
June 7-Father’s Day Gift Making
11 a.m.-Noon. Give the old necktie a
break and make something Dad he will
treasure. Ages 4-up. Cost is $5/person.
George Pierce Park Community
Recreation Center, 55 Buford Hwy.,
Suwanee. 770-831-4173.
June 7-Trail Mix Celebration
8 a.m.–2 p.m. Celebrate National Trails
Day with GCPR at our second annual
Trail Mix event! The day will include
nature hikes, equestrian trail rides, a
Fun Run/Walk sponsored by the
Gwinnett Parks Foundation, wildlife,
hayrides, craft, petting zoo, giveaways,
and more! All ages. Fun Run/Walk $10/
person or $25/Family of 5. All other
activities are FREE. Little Mulberry
Park, 3900 Hog Mountain Road.,
Dacula, 770-822-8840.
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
“I almost lost Madison during my last month
of pregnancy two years ago. So, it was hard
for me to let go. I couldn’t find a place that
was fun and educational at the same time.
It bothered me that they did not do much
educational play for children Madison’s age.
That is why I went with Play My Way.”
Play My Way activities include its interac-
tive play and learn center, music and art
classes, ballet and hip hop dance classes,
school readiness program powered through
Leap Frog, birthday parties and “shopping
on Madison Avenue.”
Formerly of Atlanta, Mrs. Jackson now
resides in Dacula and is a member of He-
bron Baptist Church. Despite the long and
difficult process of opening a business, Mrs.
Jackson sees Play My Way as a gift from
God just for her.
“God placed it in my spirit to work with
children and I never lost sight of what I felt
God had promised. I am trying to be truly
faithful in doing God’s will and being a
blessing to parents,” she said.
Play My Way will offer a Mommy and
June 10-Family Swim Night
Themes (Magic Night) NEW!
7:10 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Join us for extra
family fun! Special activities to add to
the aquatic experience. No registration
necessary. *Regular pool admission
fees applies. All ages. Dacula Park
Pool, 205 Dacula Road., Dacula.
770-614-2063.
June 12-Family Swim Night Themes
(Magic Night) NEW!
7:10 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Join us for extra
family fun! Special activities to add to
the aquatic experience. No registration
necessary. *Regular pool admission
fees applies. All ages. Bogan Park
Aquatic Center, 2723 N. Bogan Rd.,
Buford, 770-641-2060.
June 13-Coffeehouse Nights
8 p.m. Live music by Jeff Talmadge.
Admission: $5/$4 for museum
members. Lawrenceville Female
Seminary/Gwinnett History Museum,
455 S. Perry Street, Lawrenceville.
770-822-5178.
June 14-Duncan Creek Park Grand
Opening Celebration
10:00a.m.-9:00p.m. FREE, fun day full
of activities featuring skateboarding,
BMX bike, sand volleyball and
basketball demonstrations, live band,
rock climbing wall, giant slide, face
painting and more! Concessions
available for sale. Duncan Creek Park,
3700 Braselton Hwy, Dacula
770-822-8840
Play my Way owner Monica Jackson and family are all smiles about their
new business venture, Play My Way, which opened recently in the Dacula
Kids Village. Pictured from the left are: daughter, Madison Jackson; mom,
Monica Jackson; dad, Stanley Jackson and daughter, Nadia Jackson.
Me Program in the Fall. The program will be
three to five days a week for children three
to five years of age.
June 18-Brown Bag Bingo
10:30 a.m. Play Bingo and socialize
with your friends. Bring lunch and a
white elephant gift. Ages 50-up. Cost is
$2/person. George Pierce Park
Community Recreation Center, 55
Buford Hwy., Suwanee. 770-831-4173.
June 21-Dad’s Summer Cookout
Noon Dads, come spend a relaxing
afternoon with your special little guy.
The day includes games, fun activities,
and lunch. Ages 5-up. Cost: $10/person.
Lawrenceville Female Seminary, 455 S.
Perry St. in Lawrenceville.
770-822-5178.
June 27-Watermelon Cutting
1 p.m.-3 p.m. Seniors, enjoy good
friends and some good ole watermelon
on a hot afternoon. Register by June 21.
Age 50-up. Cost is $2/person. Gwinnett
Senior Center at Bethesda Park, 225
Bethesda Church Road., Lawrenceville.
770-564-4680.
June 27-Moonlight & Music Concert
Series
8p.m.-10 p.m. Live music by Honi
Deaton & Dream on the lawn of the
Gwinnett Historic Courthouse. Bring
your blankets and lawn chairs for free
seating on the lawn (reserve a table for
6 for $60). Gwinnett Historic
Courthouse, 185 Crogan St.,
Lawrenceville. 770-822-5450.
June 28-Latin Dance Parties
7 p.m.-11:30 p.m. Grab your best
friends or venture out on your own and
Page 31
Photo by Kimberly Munier
Location: 1152 Auburn Ave., Suite 101
in the Dacula Kid’s Village. For hours of
operation call: 770-995-PLAY (7529)
come out to as the Latin Dance Party
returns by popular demand! Includes
dance lessons and refreshments. Ages
14-up. Cost is $12/person. Lucky
Shoals Park Community Recreation
Center, 4651 Britt Rd., Norcross.
770-723-9516.
June 28-Annual Aqua Aid
Charity Event NEW!
9 a.m.- Noon. An aquatic triathlon-run,
bicycle, swim (all events are in the
water) for ten minutes each. Donation
of $10 minimum. Door prizes and food
provided. All ages. Cost is $10
donation/person. Mountain Park
Aquatic Center 1063 Rockbridge
Road., Stone Mountain. 770-564-4650
June 29-Bridal & Fashion Show
2 p.m.-6 p.m. Get hundreds of wedding
ideas! Everything you need to plan your
wedding will be available including
information on cakes, catering,
photographers, gowns, flowers, and
more. Local wedding professionals,
valuable prized, and two fashion shows.
All ages. Cost is $3/person. Gwinnett
Historic Courthouse, 185 Crogan St.,
Lawrenceville. 770-822-5450.
Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation
Mission Statement: In partnership with
our citizens, Gwinnett County Parks
and Recreation provides high quality,
broad-based parks, facilities, programs
and services creating a sense of
community, enabling a safe and secure
environment, and enhancing Gwinnett’s
quality of life.
Page 32 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville June 2008

Business & Service Directory

Growing a business one relationship at a time
ANTHONY COMPUTER
SOLUTIONS, LLC
Training and Tutorials
Computer Set Up
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SENIOR CITIZENS 678-637-3868
with their computer needs! jim@acs4seniors.com

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We offer reasonable rates and professional service.
We are licensed, bonded & fully insured For complete
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Business & Service Directory

Call 770-277-1899 • e-mail advertising@E-neighborhoodnews.com • Ad Deadline June 18th
June 2008 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville
County to widen Braselton Highway in Hamilton Mill area
HAMILTON MILL – Anybody
who has driven on Georgia Highway
124 from Hamilton Mill Road to
Pine Road knows that traffic is a
problem, but it’s going to get worse
before it gets better over the next six
months.
A joint Gwinnett County and state
Department of Transportation funded
road project expected to create some
hardship for drivers will ultimately
make driving through that area more
bearable.
On May 20, at a site adjacent to the
new Duncan Creek Park at the
intersection of Jim Moore Road,
county officials turned out to break
ground on a road-widening project
that will add an extra lane to each
side of Ga. 124 from Hamilton Mill
to Pine Road. Officials anticipate the
project to be completed by the end of
this year.
Business & Service Directory
Call 770-277-1899 • e-mail advertising@E-neighborhoodnews.com • Ad Deadline June 18th
Page 33
County Commission Chairman
Charles Bannister, who attended the
event, said it seemed the county was
never able to get the roads wide
enough.
“I had trouble getting here today
because the roads needed widening.”
he told a small group attending the
groundbreaking.
District 3 Gwinnett County Comis-
sioner Mike Beaudreau also partici-
pated in the ground breaking.
“We are excited to finally be at this
stage,” Beaudreau said. “It has been
a great cooperative effort between
the county and state Department of
Transportation.
The nearly $3 million project will
be funded out of Gwinnett’s Special
Photo by Glenn Matlock
Purpose Local Option Sales Tax
Gwinnett County Commission Chairman Charles Bannister, center left, and
(SPLOST) and state DOT funds. Half District 3 Gwinnett County Commissioner Mike Beaudreau, to his right, join
is coming from the SPLOST and half with state Department of Transportation officials to break ground on the
from state DOT, officials said. widening of Georgia Highway 124 in the Hamilton Mill area.
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Page 34 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville
How to put your tax rebate to work for you
You may not be familiar with its formal
name — the Economic Stimulus Act of
2008 — but you’re almost certainly
aware of its key outcome: a tax rebate.
Now comes the big question: What
should you do with it?
If you spend it, you will do your part to
help stimulate the economy. But by
investing the rebate, you could help
speed your progress toward your
long-term financial goals, such as a
comfortable retirement.
Before we look at investment possibili-
ties, let’s quickly go over the “nuts and
bolts” of the plan:
• How much? You can receive up to
$600, if you’re filing as an individual, or
$1,200, if you’re filing a joint return.
Plus, you can get an additional $300 for
each qualifying child. However, the size
of your rebate will be reduced by $50 for
every $1,000 you earn above adjusted
gross income (AGI) limits ($75,000 for
singles and $150,000 for married
couples).
• When? The IRS will begin mailing
Stimulus Act rebate checks in May. If
you’ve selected the “direct deposit”
option for receiving your 2007 income
tax refund, your Stimulus Act rebate will
be placed in the same account that
you’ve chosen for your refund.
Investment Choices
Here are a few possibilities for invest-
ing your rebate:
• Traditional or Roth IRA — Suppose
that you are a joint filer and did receive
the full $1,200 rebate. If you put that
$1,200 in an investment that earned a
hypothetical 7 percent return, and that
investment were placed in a traditional or
Roth IRA, the money would grow to
more than $9,000 in 30 years. (This
figure does not include fees, commis-
sions or expenses, all of which would
reduce your investment returns.) Keep in
mind that traditional IRA withdrawals
are taxable, whereas a Roth IRA’s
earnings have the potential to grow tax
free, provided you don’t begin taking
withdrawals until you’re at least 59-1/2
and you’ve had your account for at least
five years.) All investments within these
accounts do fluctuate in price, so it is
possible to have more, less or the same
June 2008
HAVING MORE
amount when you sell your investments. RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS
• Section 529 savings plan — In a IS NOT THE SAME
Section 529 college savings plan, you AS HAVING
put money in a specific mix of invest-
ments. Section 529 plans are tax deduct-
MORE MONEY.
ible in some states for residents who Many investors won’t put all their
retirement savings at a single broker because
participate in their own state’s plan. All they believe it’s far too risky.
withdrawals will be free from federal Actually, there may be more risk in having
income taxes if the money is used for a multiple accounts.
Without a single focus, it can be difficult
qualified college or graduate school to keep track of your investments and to see
expense of your child or grandchild. if you’re properly diversified.* At the very
(Withdrawals for other reasons may be least, multiple accounts usually mean
multiple fees.
subject to federal, state and penalty Bringing your accounts to Edward Jones
taxes. Also, Section 529 distributions could help solve all that. Plus, one statement
makes it easier to see if you’re moving
will appear as income on the child’s tax
toward your goals.
return, which could affect financial aid
calculations.) *Diversification does not guarantee a profit, nor
does it protect against loss.
Call or visit your local financial advisor today.
• Emergency fund — It’s a good idea to
put six to 12 months’ worth of living Don Bradford
expenses in a liquid account for use as an Financial Advisor
“emergency fund.” Without such a fund,
you might be forced to liquidate some of 205 West Pike Street
your long-tem investments to pay for Suite 100
things such as a costly car repair or an Lawrenceville, GA 30045
unexpected medical bill. 770-682-3075
www.edwardjones.com Member SIPC
A rebate like this one doesn’t come
along every year — so put it to work for
you. Someday, you may be glad you did.
June 2008 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville Page 35
Page 36 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville June 2008

Gwinnett library system to host ‘Twas the Night Before Summer’ kickoff June 20
The Gwinnett County Public Library
will host its ‘Twas the Night Before
Summer’ event Friday, June 20th. This
event is part of a national event to kick
off summer and to promote reading all
across the country. Over 2,000 libraries
and bookstores nationally are celebrating
the beginning of summer with this event.
“We are excited to have such a large
and positive response from the library
community,” said Todd Gyulveszi
director of sales for the Mackinac Island
Press. “What started as an event for some
Michigan libraries has taken grass roots,
word of mouth movement and before our
very eyes is now a national event.”
This exclusive event will feature a
reading of the new children’s book ‘Twas
the Night Before Summer’, children
making Luna moth wings, coloring
pages, free stickers and other fun
activities for children.
‘Twas the Night Before Summer’,
which features a “Glow-in-the-Dark”
cover is a wonderful tale of Luna Bee
May, a Luna moth with a warm, southern
charm who helps two young children
re-discover the magic of summer. It is
written by award winning children’s
author Anne Margaret Lewis and illus-
trated by Wendy Popko, whose artwork
is labeled as ‘Creative Freestyling
Monet.’
“This is going to be a fabulous event,”
says Stephanie Stokes, creator of Li-
braryPalooza.net.
“It will be a great opportunity for book
sellers as well as public and school
libraries to launch a summer of reading
for all ages.”
For more information regarding this
event please contact Toni Ujczo at the
Gwinnett County Public Library at
770-277-7680 or Aaron Vince at the Visit www.mackinacisland.com to view
Mackinac Island Press at 231-946-7737. the book in its entirety.

Insurance
Filed &
Accepted

Free Exam
770-963-3963
0% Interest
Payment Plan

Early & Late

Appointments
Dr. Parsons & Dr. Gilbert
Treatment
without Specialists in
Braces
Orthodontics
We make braces
EASY!
Dacula & Lawrenceville
www.SmilesForever.com
June 2008 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville Page 37

DACULA
POOL SUPPLY & SERVICE
In-Ground & Above Ground Pools & Spas
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Over 20 years experience & Family Owned
o u r n
Visit e locatiour “Bring in this ad for special savings”
stor ll of yo
for a l needs! 23844 Wi
Winder
d Hwy.
H (Hwy
(H 29
29/Hwy
9/H 88)) DDacula
l
poo
770.339.9535
www.daculapool.com
Page 38 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville June 2008

Dear Dad,
Thank you for all your hard work and always sacrificing for our family. Here is a
one hour massage to help you reduce any stress you may have.
Love, David
Ps. Yes, it's good for your dad too. Stop by and get a few for father's day.

New Office Hours:

Monday - Thursday 9am - 1pm AND 3:30pm - 7pm.
Friday 9am - 1pm AND Saturday 9am - 12pm.

And as always, 24 hour emergency service

“Dr. Dave, He’s always there when you need him.”

Dacula Chiropractic Center
770-822-1922
www.mydrdave.com

$
38.00
r Neck & Back Pain r Sports Injuries
r Headaches r Auto & Work Injuries
rArm & Shoulder Pain r Plantar Fasciitis
r TMJ r Disc Problems
r Carpal Tunnel r Fibromyalgia Father’s
r Leg Pain/Sciatica r Massage Therapy Day
r Scoliosis r Gentle Care
Special
One-Hour Massage
Call Today! 770-822-1922 Dacula
Most Insurance Accepted & Billed For You Chiropractic Center
www.mydrdave.com “Your Home Town Chiropractor”

Conveniently Located Across from Dacula Post Office 770-822-1922

June 2008 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville Page 39

Allsouth Sod
678-714-3727
Sod Sales & Installation
Free Estimates • Lowest Prices
Professional Installation Includes:
• Grading
• Rock Hounding
• Hand Raking
• Fertilization WATER BAN
BEFORE • Laying Sod HAS BEEN
LIFTED!
• Power Rolling
(900 lb. roller)
• Additional Services
• Irrigation
AFTER • Concrete Patios & Walkways
BACKYARD SPECIAL BERMUDA SOD
Save Up To SPECIAL
$500 OFF $ 95 Plus Tax
Per Pallet
Complete Installation 4 Pallet Minimum • $50 Delivery Charge
Based on 15% Discount.
Cannot be combined with any other offers. Cannot be combined with any other offers.

(770) 945-0001 (770) 945-1000

3225 Sardis Church Rd. 3237 L’ville-Suwanee Rd.
Buford, GA 30519 R
Suwanee, GA 30024
(Hamilton Mill Walmart Center) (Walmart Shopping Center
at the New Suwanee Gateway)

SPECIALIZING IN “Come See How We Are Reinventing Customer Service”

20’ - 30’ WHEELS
We service & repair anything your
car or light truck needs including,
-!.!'%2'/.%#2!:930%#)!,
s4IRE"ALANCE
s4IRE2OTATION
!#45.%50 $79.99
88
air conditioning
alignment
belts
ignition
radiator flush
shocks and struts
$18. s5P4O1TSOF7
s.EW&ILTER
s4OP/FF&LUIDS
4ESTFORSYSTEMPRESSUREANDLEAKS
)NSPECTFANBELTSCOMPRESSORANDHOSES
!DDUPTOLBOF&REON/VERLBOF&REONEXTRA
Expires 7/15/08 * MOST CARS Expires 7/15/08
* MOST CARS
brakes starter
clutch suspension
electrical
engine replacement
tires-name brands
transmission service $5!,,)%30%#)!, -),% 44 -- 13’ $99
14’ $184
exhaust heating hoses "UYANYTIRESWITHINSTALLATIONAND
premium oil change and
#!0)4/,4)2%3 4 - 15’ 
4 - 16’ 
computer diagnostics:
service/check lights and running problems '%44)2%3&2%% Expires 7/15/08
).34!,,%$ 4 - 17’ $399
Expires 7/15/08

&REE3HUTTLE3ERVICEs#OMMERCIAL.ATIONAL!CCOUNTS7ELCOME
NOW ACCEPTING: WRIGHT EXPRESS, FUELMAN & GE FLEET / WE SERVICE ALL MAKES AND MODELS
Page 40 Neighborhood News-Dacula-Hamilton Mill-Harbins-Hog Mountain-Auburn-Lawrenceville June 2008

LIGHTING NOW OPEN!

CEILING FANS 2355 Mall of Georgia Blvd

Duluth, GA 30519

FURNITURE & 770.945.7787

ACCESSORIES * located across from
the Mall of Georgia
near I-85 and GA 20
PRINTS &
MIRRORS

ARCHITECTURAL Mon – Fri 8 AM – 5 PM

HARDWARE Sat 9 AM – 5 PM
Sun Closed
PLUMBING FAUCETS
& FIXTURES www.masterpiecelighting.com