POA seeks to purchase developer`s Big Canoe

Transcription

Smoke Signals
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
1A
FEBRUARY 2016 | News and views from Big Canoe and around North Georgia | VOL XXVIII NO. 2
POA seeks to purchase
developer’s Big Canoe holdings
51 parcels,
730 acres in
land sale
BY BARBARA SCHNEIDER
[email protected]
T
he Big Canoe POA board, at
its regular Jan. 20 meeting,
announced its intention to
purchase Big Canoe Company’s
remaining holdings inside the 6,600-acre
Big Canoe community located on the
west side of Steve Tate Highway. The
proposed purchase does not include
the 1,400-acre property known as Potts
Mountain, located on the east side of
Steve Tate Highway.
The purchase agreement includes 51
parcels of land comprising approximately
730 acres inside the Big Canoe
community for a purchase price of $9.4
million. While many of the parcels are
small and scattered across Big Canoe,
several are significant for their size
and/or development designation as
commercial or high density.
These parcels include:
1. The Village Core, including the Big
Canoe Realty Building, the Chimneys, and
the former home of the Wild Onion Grille
≈ 8.1 acres
2. Sconti Point, the land to the right of
Lake Sconti looking from the clubhouse
designated “high density” ≈ 8.2 acres
3. Land on the north and east side of
Wilderness Parkway and east of Wolf
Scratch Drive starting at the Main Gate
and extending to the Clubhouse entrance,
much of which is designated “high
density,” ≈ 119 acres
4. Land near the North Gate
designated “commercial” ≈ 13.48 acres
5. Mountainous land in the High Gap
Area ≈ 350 acres
6. Land on the Northwest Corner
of the Steve Tate Hwy. roundabout
designated commercial” ≈ 14.4 acres
n POA | Page 2
Sconti Point
The 8.2 acre Sconti Point parcel currently designated ‘high
density’ is one of 51 land parcels comprising 730 acres involved in
the proposed POA land purchase from the developer. Occupying
a key location in the Clubhouse view over Lake Sconti, Sconti
Point is considered by many residents as one of the more
important parcels involved. PHOTO BY ROBERT SMITH
Lake Sconti
Clubhouse
Turn to page 2 for an overview
map with all six of the major
parcels identified and highlighted.
First snow storm of season hits Big Canoe
BY LAURA LINK | [email protected]
A
nother winter storm warning or two or three
Jan. 20-23 and Big Canoe residents and guests
were right there with their neighbors in the IGA
swooping up bread, eggs, milk and of course wine,
cheese and nibbles for a snow, ice, high wind and possible
flood event.
Knowing the east coast of the country was the main bitter
storm target, not much was expected in Big Canoe and not
much was received. As one of the Big Canoe employees put
it, “We were blessed this year.”
Joe Raley, who keeps up with the weather high up on
Falcon Heights and has seen it all for 18 years, “guestimates”
probably two to three inches of snow fell this time. “It was
wet and froze quickly,” he said. The Christmas Day snow
several years ago he believes is the worst and prettiest he
can remember. He said he and Joyce spent Christmas Eve in
Birmingham and returned Christmas Day only to find they
n SNOW | Page 6
Ken Rice
‘Lord, please don’t
let us mess this up’
Long-time Big Canoe resident and
Waterford developer Ken Rice has
a unique and long-time appreciation
of the natural beauty that makes
Big Canoe so rare and inherently
valuable. And, he knows what Tom
Cousins, the original developed, intended. See Ken’s story on page 19.
News
POA News.............................................. 1, 2
An Open Letter to Big Canoe
Property Owners.........................................3
Big Canoe Climate......................................7
Ten Years Ago..............................................7
Med Center.................................................8
Wellness Collaborative................................8
Part 5: Stone Structures....................... 16, 17
Books................................................. 24, 25
In Memoriam............................................22
Letter To The Editor....................................23
Big Canoe Law School...............................26
Opinion.....................................................27
Patches of black ice hidden by a fine layer of snow kept most drivers off the roads. PHOTO BY RANDY LEWIS
Arts & Entertainment
Living
Sports & Outdoors
Dancers blend ballet, Cancan,
tango in ‘Moulin Rouge’ • 10B
Big Canoe Photo Club
shares ‘Best of 2015’ • 13C
The mystery of
Mt. Oglethorpe • 19C
2 A
S M O K E
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N E W S
FEBRUARY 2016
Big Canoe POA purchase overview
The Board of Directors of the Big Canoe Property Owners Association
announced January 20 that it had entered into a ‘purchase-sale agreement’
with the Big Canoe Company to purchase all of the company’s undeveloped
property in what is known as ‘Mother Canoe’ or ‘Big Canoe West’
(west of Steve Tate Highway and north of Cove Road).
This purchase includes 51 parcels of land comprising approximately 730 acres.
Six of these parcels are of significant size and highlighted below.
Smoke Signals
News & Views From Big Canoe
A publication for Big Canoe and
surrounding communities.
PUBLISHED BY
Smoke Signals Community Services, Inc.
Board Of Directors
Carl Deane, Jim Braley,
Brad Herren, George Thurman,
David Howe, Barbara Schneider
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Carl Deane
[email protected]
706-579-1462
•
MANAGING EDITOR
Barbara Schneider
[email protected]
404-626-5385
•
NEWS SECTION
Megan Jacques
[email protected]
770-286-7369
•
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SECTION
Melissa Lowrie
[email protected]
678-910-1338
•
LIVING SECTION
Anita Rosen
[email protected]
706-429-7775
•
SPORTS & OUTDOORS SECTION
Melissa Lowrie
[email protected]
678-910-1338
Anita Rosen
[email protected]
706-429-7775
Village Core
1 • The Village Core, 8.1 acres - includes
the Big Canoe Realty Building, the
Chimneys, and the former home of the
Wild Onion Grille Restaurant.
Sconti
Point
Lake Sconti
CLUBHOUSE
2 • Sconti Point, 8.2 acres – the land
to the right of Lake Sconti as one looks
from the Clubhouse is designated ‘as high
density.’
CLUBHOUSE
POA
•••
BOOKS EDITOR
Ken Reynolds
[email protected]
770-894-2664
REPORTING STAFF
Scott Armentrout, Ray Bowyer, Laura Link,
Megan Jacques, Bennett Whipple
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jim Francis, Paul Powers, Steve Papke,
Robert Smith, Jim Tanner
MAIN GATE
3 • Main Gate to Clubhouse, 119 acres
- Land on the north and east side of
Wilderness Parkway and east of Wolf
Scratch Drive starting at the Main Gate
and extending to the Clubhouse entrance
much of which is designated ‘high density.’
CONTRIBUTING CARTOONIST
Bob Glover
•••
WILDCAT
POOL &
PAVILION
STEVE TATE
SALES REPRESENTATIVES
Sarah Mansfield
[email protected]
770-402-3839
•
Steve Melching
[email protected]
678-360-3712
•
PRINT & ONLINE
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
[email protected]
HWY
PRINT & ONLINE ADVERTISING
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Judy Harvey
[email protected]
678-925-8511
NORTH
GATE
4 • North Gate, 13.48 acres - Land near
the North Gate between Wildcat Parkway
and Steve Tate Highway, designated
‘commercial.’
•••
CIRCULATION
Mike Zblewski
[email protected]
770-893-1594
HIGH GAP
SUBSCRIPTIONS
[email protected]
FIND US ON
FACEBOOK
5 • High Gap, 350 acres - Mountainous
land in the High Gap Area occupying the
northwest corner of Big Canoe.
Smoke Signals
TATE
HW
CO
VE
RO
AD
STEVE
© Copyright 2009 Smoke Signals All editorial and
advertising material is the property of Smoke Signals and
may not be used in any other publication or media without
the express written consent of Smoke Signals.
Advertiser is solely responsible for the content of all
advertising published at their request or their agent and
shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the publisher
from any claim or lawsuit arising out of any advertisement.
The opinions expressed by our op-ed writers are
not necessarily endorsed by Smoke Signals Community
Services, Inc.
Y
Mailing Address:
11293 Big Canoe, Big Canoe, GA 30143
Office: Brownstone Centre, Marble Hill, GA 30148
Office Phone: 770-893-1594
Email: [email protected]
Printed and mailed by the
Jasper, GA 30143
Acquisition
Study Map
JANUARY, 2016
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Diane Smith
[email protected]
706-579-1233
COLUMNISTS
Kat Alikhan, Bob Anderson,
Wayne Crawford, Debbie Dickson,
Doris Dressler, Donna Dulfer, George Fox,
Dr. Ray Habermann, Cynthia Hendry,
Fran Holman, Judy Kaufman, Ann Pike,
Ken Reynolds, Jim Rice, Don Wells
Big Canoe Property
Owners Association
ROUNDABOUT
6 • Roundabout, 14.4 acres - Land on
the Northwest Corner of the Roundabout
at Cove Road and Steve Tate Highway,
designated ‘commercial.’
are encouraging our property owners to
attend a Town Hall meeting where they
will have the opportunity to have their
questions answered.”
n Continued from page 1
A third town hall meeting is set for
10 a.m., Saturday, Jan 30, at Big Canoe
Due diligence process
Chapel; two earlier meeting were held
On behalf of the property owners,
on Jan. 28. Property owners should send
on Jan. 12, the POA directors signed
their questions to a new POA email
a Purchase-Sale Agreement with Big
address: [email protected].
Canoe Company for the $9.4 million
Financing arrangements
purchase. The agreement is dependent
During months of negotiations--and
upon an affirmative vote by a majority
prior to making an offer on the property-of property owners and completion of
the POA board hired the Norton Agency,
the due diligence process. The Purchase
a large reputable commercial real estate
–Sale agreement calls for a 60 day “due
firm in North Georgia, to determine
diligence” period. During that time, the
market values of the parcels involved.
POA must:
The board, said it intends to use cash
• Obtain financing – The Finance
on hand for the down
Committee and board are
payment and purchase
evaluating proposals from
“The agreement is expenses. The remainder
four banks
• Obtain clear title – A
dependent upon will be financed by a bank
loan.
title company is in that
an affirmative
According to a board
process now
vote by a majority statement: Currently
• Inspect buildings and
the property owners
make an environmental
of property
are paying a special
study on all the parcels
owners and
assessment of $25 for lots
being purchased. - A
with a dwelling and $16.20
professional engineering
completion of
for lots with no dwelling.
firm engaged by the
the due diligence In January of 2017, this
POA is performing these
special assessment
studies now
process. The
expires. At that time
• Clear any
Purchase –Sale
the regular assessments
outstanding issues. –
will be increased by $25
Questions from property
agreement calls
and $16.20 to service this
owners have triggered
for a 60 day ‘due land purchase loan. The
several areas the board
needs to investigate and
diligence’ period.” purchase of this land will
not increase the total
possibly negotiate
amount of assessments
• Obtain agreement
that property owners pay
from property owners via
each month. As the POA does every year,
a vote to be completed in February.
cash flow requirements for the coming
During this 60-day period, the POA
year will be analyzed and assessments
can cancel the agreement without
will be adjusted accordingly.
penalty. The PSA calls for the possibility
of two 30-day extensions of the due
diligence period if necessary.
Smalley said the POA board considers
this purchase to be of such scope
and impact that the property owners
should have a say. If a majority of the
property owners vote “No” there will
be no purchase. The board strongly
recommends that the property owners
vote “Yes” to this initiative to ensure
the future of Big Canoe. Ballots asking
property owners to agree to the land
purchase will be mailed on Feb. 5 to
property owners.
Winter weather interruption
Winter weather interrupted the POA
board’s plan for a town hall meeting three
days after the announcement to swiftly
provide property owners with more
BY MEGAN JACQUES
detailed information and an opportunity
[email protected]
to ask questions.
While most of Big Canoe stayed
For Dawson and Pickens
housebound after a Friday through
counties,
advance voting for
Saturday winter storm, POA board
Presidential
Preference Primary
members received their first round of
and
Special
Election
begins on Feb.
feedback via phone calls and emails.
8.
“Since the announcement last
Advance voting will run through
Wednesday, the majority of the
Friday,
Feb. 26. Both counties will
comments and emails we are getting
have
a
Saturday
voting on Feb. 20.
are positive and very supportive of the
The regular primary election
board,” said Smalley in an email to Smoke
will be on March 1. You must be
Signals. “They understand that this is
registered by Feb. 1 to vote. Voter
a one-time opportunity, necessary to
registration and change of address
protect the Character of Big Canoe.
forms can be found in the Big
“It’s understandable that everyone
Canoe postal facility.
is looking for more information and we
Advance voting
begins Feb. 8
for Dawson
and Pickens
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
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N E W S
Second Front
New beginnings--Rhonda Stock took this sunrise shot on Jan. 12 from her deck on Strawberry Way, looking down on Lake Petit with Potts Mountain in
the distance. PHOTO BY RHONDA STOCK
An Open Letter to
Big Canoe Property Owners
FROM SANDI SMALLEY | President of the POA
I
n eight years of serving Big Canoe on various committees and boards, I always felt it was very important to communicate as personally as
possible with our property owners, especially on issues that may affect them. That is why I am writing this “open letter” to everyone in our
community.
When the Big Canoe Corporation put its holdings in Big Canoe—including the undeveloped Potts mountain acreage—up for sale to
a new developer or investment group, the POA board took time to step back and consider the ramifications of how this sale could affect the
property owners personally and Big Canoe overall.
We concluded there was a very high probability that this sale could have a negative effect on our community.
We realized it would be unlikely for a new developer with no previous connection to Big Canoe to come in here with the same commitment
to maintaining the “Character of Big Canoe” as Bill Byrne and Greenwood Partners.
The Board felt that it was imperative to try and protect the beauty that attracted all of us to Big Canoe but we knew there are significant
parcels of property in “Mother Canoe” that are now designated for “high density” development.
These “high density” parcels are located in some of our most visible areas: Sconti Point in front of the Clubhouse, 119 acres on Wilderness
Parkway from the Main Gate all of the way to the Clubhouse. The parcels zoned “commercial” are adjacent to the Main Gate entrance, 13.48
acres opposite the Wildcat Pool area and the Village core.
Do you remember your first drive into Big Canoe as you came in the Main Gate and drove along a winding road through the woods, passed
through the covered bridge to see hillsides covered with mature trees then caught a glimpse of the golf course and a lake?
Did you feel like you were driving into a tranquil wooded preserve? Were you awed by sprawling natural beauty you had never seen before?
My husband’s and my reaction was a collective “Wow”!
Now imagine what your reaction would be if you passed townhouses or condos along that route. Would you have had the same immediate
attraction? I doubt it. I know I wouldn’t. Because of the way our covenants are written a new development company would be able to develop
these parcels any way it wants.
Given the circumstances, what could we, your POA board, do to protect Big Canoe?
In late August, the board initiated conversations with Big Canoe Corporation about the possibility of acquiring these vulnerable pieces of
property in “Mother Canoe”. Over the past four months these talks transitioned from conversations to actual negotiations for acquisition of all
the property owned by Big Canoe Corporation in “Mother Canoe” (west of Steve Tate Highway and north of Cove Road).
What’s included? All of the high density or commercially zoned parcels, 350+ acres in High Gap and various lots and parcels scattered
throughout Mother Canoe for a total of 51 parcels comprising 730 acres. There are roughly 105 developed lots that are currently being sold by
Big Canoe Realty that are excluded.
What’s the cost? After very long and intense negotiations, we agreed to a purchase price of $9,400,000.
How did we come up with that price? We hired Norton Agency, one of the largest commercial real estate firms in North Georgia, to give us
an outside valuation on the parcels in question. The value, based on fair market price for this area, has been well substantiated.
How would we pay for this? In January of 2017 the $25 per home or $16.20 per lot special assessment will end. At that time the regular
assessments will increase for homeowners by $25 and for lot owners $16.20 to cover the service on the bank loan.
What happens now? Your Board felt that something of this size and impact should not just be a board decision, but also a property owner
decision. That is why you will be asked to vote on this acquisition.
The vote comes down to two choices:
1) “Yes” you want to protect the Character of Big Canoe by taking ownership of the Big Canoe Company’s property in “Mother Canoe,”
removing the risk that a new developer could “mess it up.”
2) “No” you do not feel that it is important to protect Big Canoe from a new Developer at this time.
I know my choice and that is a strong “Yes”! Your entire Board feels deeply that purchasing this property and protecting this amazing and
enchanting place is absolutely the best thing that we can do for now and for the future.
I know that you are going to have questions regarding this purchase. We are scheduling three Town Hall meetings: two on Thursday, Jan. 28
at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the chapel and one Saturday, Jan. 30 at 10 a.m. in the chapel. We urge you to attend the meeting that is most convenient
to your schedule. These meetings are intended to give you more information and a chance to ask questions.
There will also be community coffees, articles in Inside the Gates and Smoke Signals and eblasts over the next month leading up to the
property owner vote. All of the times and places will be published in Smoke Signals, Inside the Gates and on our Web Site.
There will be Informational Stations set up at the Fitness Center and Clubhouse manned by Board Members. There will be a link off of the
Bigcanoepoa.org web site containing all of the information we are distributing including FAQ’s, contact information, etc. Also if you would like
to submit a question to the Board you can do that at our email address: [email protected].
Most importantly, if you have ANY questions or concerns, call a member of the board. Call me. My number is 706-579-1656. Every
member of your current Board ran on a platform of transparency and open communication with the property owners. It wasn’t just a campaign
statement. All of us are committed to answering questions.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The choice is yours. The future of Big Canoe is in your hands!
This initiative has the full support of the current elected Board:
Phil Anderson • Jim Farinholt • Tony Galioto • Carolyn Littell • Steve Wilson
3A
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S M O K E
S I G N A L S
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FEBRUARY 2016
“We intend to include a wide range of reviews, articles, essays and
stories about books, authors, writing, publishing, grammar, words and
word play, libraries —public, private and personal— reading, eBooks ...”
The Books Feature
This edition of Smoke Signals includes the fourth
installment of Smoke Signals’ new Books Feature.
Inside you will find articles about books, reading,
libraries and related subjects.
We intend to include a wide range of reviews,
articles, essays and stories about books, authors,
writing, publishing, grammar, words and word play,
libraries —public, private and personal— reading,
eBooks and/or eReaders (both the device and the
person.)
We also plan to present visual interpretations
of “books, reading and libraries.” Those words
are open to interpretation because we know our
readers include many creative people. We accept
Ken Reynolds
photographs, drawings, paintings or other original
illustrations with or without the artist’s commentary.
Long time Smoke Signals columnist and book
reviewer, Ken Reynolds, has agreed to edit our new
feature. Ken says, “I accepted this challenge because
we are a community of readers and readers are
always looking for new material. Comments and
recommendations from peers are always welcome.”
He added that he wants to do all he can to promote
reading on a wide range of subjects.”
If you have questions about, or would like to
submit something for our new feature, email books@
bigcanoenews.com.
Pickens County almost debt free
BY RAY BOWYER
Pickens County is almost debt free, based on the
report by County Commission Chairperson Rob Jones to
the January Squires and Stags meeting.
Jones was introduced by Squires and Stags member
Tarby Bryant, who reported that Jones had been elected
sole commissioner of the county in 2005, and elected
chairperson of the three-person county commission
when it was established in 2013. Bryant also introduced
three first-time members of Squires and Stags.
Jones said the following debts have been paid off
recently: the debt incurred to pay for the new county
jail, the debt incurred to construct the state police
station, and the debt incurred to pay for the new county
administration building. There is still money owed
on the new recreation center, some capital leases for
vehicles and other equipment, and several “enterprise”
bonds paid for out of the revenue of the facility involved.
He mentioned that the operational cost of the recreation
center is completely covered by income at the center.
Jones said the county is gradually recovering from
the recession. There were 371 building permits issued in
2015, and 28 new water meters were installed.
Jones reported that Pickens County is one of 18
counties in the state designated “tier one.” He said the
tier one counties have the highest median household
income. This designation means there are very few
grants of state funds available to the county. He said the
county’s median household income is $50,616.
Jones reviewed some of the accomplishments
that have taken place during his term in office. The
court house had deteriorated, and county offices were
scattered in a variety of rented facilities. There was no
P R E
S E N T
Speaker Rob Jones talks with Squires & Stags’ member
David Howe after the meeting. PHOTO BY BENNETT WHIPPLE
paid fire department. Now the court house has been
refurbished, county offices have been consolidated in the
former hospital building, and we have a growing paid fire
department.
Among the goals Jones has for 2016 is a new fire
house in the southwest corner of the county. The
county has two areas that are designated ISO-10,
meaning the insurance rating organization considers
they have no fire protection at all. He also has the
objective of increasing the paid fire staff and extending
water mains to parts of the county that currently
don’t have access to county water. He believes the
size of the county staff has grown to the point that an
additional part-time human resources staff person is
needed. Another goal is to upgrade the county’s 911
system, which serves the cities in the county as well as
the unincorporated part of the county. As part of the
S
Dream it.
Do it.
Life is a journey, find your Spirit.
JOIN US AT THE CLUBHOUSE
FOR AN HOUR OF SPIRIT
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10 • 5:00 - 6:30 PM
Experience a fast paced multi-media presentation
about acting on a dream, building a yacht,
cruising the Mediterranean and participating in a
major yacht race across the Atlantic.
Become part of Spirit’s crew joining Big Canoe’s Dick Hammill (owner)
and David Howe (crew member) as they share their journey and
experiences in an inspirational hour of photos, videos and reflections.
It just might get you to think about your dreams.
You might call this a ‘Spirited’ happy hour with cash bar.
Those attending are eligible to win a wine and cheese gift basket.
After this event consider sailing into the Black Bear Pub for dinner.
upgrade, he wants to increase the size of the dispatch
center from four positions to six.
Jones expressed appreciation to the voters for
approving the county SPLOST (Special Purpose Local
Option Sales Tax). The county has 400 miles of countydesignated paved roads. The SPLOST, along with some
state funding, allowed repaving 30 miles last year, and
he expects to repave even more this year. He expressed
disappointment that state environmental rules make
it almost impossible to pave dirt roads, of which the
county has 110 miles.
Jones expressed satisfaction in the presence of
industry in the county. Many industrial buildings had
been disused, but recently almost all the industrial
buildings in the county have been put to use. He also
mentioned that the railroad had recently changed hands,
and the new owners of the railroad are showing a
willingness to invest in the railroad to keep it viable.
The men’s breakfast group meets in the Mountains
Grille at the Clubhouse at Lake Sconti. New members
and guests are welcome to attend the meeting. Coffee is
ready at 7:45 a.m. followed by a buffet breakfast served
at 8:00 a.m. The price of breakfast is $13 payable on your
POA account or by cash at the door.
Reservations are required and must be received by
Noon on Thursday before the Friday morning meeting.
For reservation links, watch for the POA “Happenings
& Events” e-blast and the Smoke Signals e-blast, both
issued weekly.
Use of the online reservation system is encouraged,
but if not available call Tim Moran at (706) 268-3375 to
make reservations.
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
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N E W S
5A
m
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w/Beautiful View
179 SUMMIT DRIVE
4 BR, 3.5 BA
$649,000
FMLS #5511311
Soft Contemporary
w/View
56 HUCKLEBERRY
TRAIL
3BR, 3.5BA ~ $450,000
FMLS #5527919
Golf Course
and Mountain Views
720 WEDGEWOOD
DRIVE
5BR, 4.5BA ~ $589,000
FMLS #5518844
Location, Style, Value
54 INDIGO
BUNTING TRAIL
3 BR, 3 BA ~ $419,900
FMLS #5547330
Like New with One
of Big Canoe’s
Finest Interior Views
930 RIDGEVIEW DRIVE
4BR, 3.5 BA
$549,900
FMLS #5355642
D
SOL
Beautifully maintained
with great Northern View
808 WILD
TURKEY BLUFF
3BR, 2.5 BA
$415,000
FMLS #5290782
NEW PRICE
DBL Lot, Big Views
& Mostly Furnished
511 HICKORY TRAIL
4BR, 3.5 BA ~ $399,000
FMLS #5530783
Sq Footage/Big View
1976 RIDGEVIEW
DRIVE 4BR, 3.5 BA ~
$399,000
FMLS #5161797
Beautifully updated/
Lovely Setting
211 FALLEN DEER
PATH
4BR, 3.5 BA
$319,000
FMLS #5395483
Golf Course & Mtn View
183 CHESTNUT
KNOLL
4 BR, 3.5BA
$299,000
FMLS #5289187
180 degree view
and waterfall!
820 WAKE ROBIN
DRIVE ~ 3BR, 3BA
NEW PRICE
$285,000
FMLS #5220435
Ultimate
Mountain Retreat
210 DOGWOOD LANE
3BR, 3BA
$259,000
FMLS #5313655
D
SOL
Hearthstone Log Home
w/ 2 car garage
R
122 WILLOW
DRIVE
DE A
CT
N
R
U T
3BR,
2.5BA
N
$249,000
CO
FMLS #5315280
Pristine Mtn
Cottage w/View
1150 QUAIL
COVE DR.
3BR, 2BA
$239,000
Charming,
Immaculate w/Stream
62 CARDINAL COVE
3BR, 3 BA
$200,000
FMLS #5527336
Historic
District Cottage
289 NEW TOWN ST.,
TATE
3 BR 2BA
$194,000
D
SOL
Rustic Charmer
121 BUCKSKULL
HOLLOW
3BR 2.5 BA
$189,000
FMLS #5250647
Pristine Condition
With View
1770 VALLEY VIEW
3 BR, 2BA
$189,000
FMLS #5241997
Great Family
Neighborhood off 400
R
19 Highland
DE ACT
N
Pointe
Circle
U TR West
N
3BR,
CO 2.5 BA
$179,900
FMLS #5584420
Updated Cabin
w/Private Setting
196 CRAZY
BEAR RIDGE
2BR, 2BA ~ $174,500
FMLS #5191005
D
SE
A
E
L
Fully Furnished/
Great Cabin/Great Value
602 BELLFLOWER
DRIVE
3BR, 2BA
$159,900
FMLS #5522160
D
SOL
Beautiful Lake
& Mtn Views
31 TREETOPPER
CIRCLE
2BR, 1BA ~ $139,900
FMLS #5143794
D
SOL
Fabulous Lake Petit
and Atlanta
Skyline View
PREMIUM HOMESITE
413 FALCON HEIGHTS
for only $125,000
Best Deal in Big Canoe
414 SCONTI RIDGE
3BR, 2BA Condo
$115,000
FMLS #5011008
Call about our Beautiful Homesites starting at only $12,500
LEADING EDGE AND PRESIDENT’S
CIRCLE AWARD RECIPIENT
MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CLUB
LIFETIME MILLION DOLLAR CLUB
#1 LISTING AGENT IN BIG CANOE
Cell: (770) 856-9725
Big Canoe: (706) 579-2675
Berkshire Hathaway Home
Services Georgia Properties
Jack Camprini
(678) 513-2023
BIG CANOE RESIDENT
925 Sanders Road, Cumming, GA 30041
2014 400 North
Board of Realtors
Accredited Buyer’s Representative and Circle of Excellence
Certified Fine Home Specialist
Please visit my
NO REGISTRATION
WEBSITE for ALL Big Canoe
listings & community info.
www.CampriniandCompany.com
WHY LIST WITH BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY
HOME SERVICES GEORGIA REALTY?
✔ #1 Broker on Google
✔ #1 in Transactions, Listing Sales, & Agent Productivity for 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014!
✔ Our Listings placed on MORE WEBSITES than ANY OTHER COMPANY
EXPOSURE IS EVERYTHING! Make the “RIGHT CHOICE!”
✔ Free Home Warranty for our Listings
Information provided is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.
6 A
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Snow
S I G N A L S
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could not drive all the way home but ended
up abandoning their car and trudging up the
mountain.
This year, unlike last year’s snow event,
people seemed to get home and stay
before the sleet and snow. Public Safety
transported fewer people this year and
most of those were renters Friday night
coming in to their rental place for the
weekend. One group of 10 pretty women
under 30, as public safety describes them,
had to be transported to a house they had
rented for a party event.
Friday evening, Jan. 22, with below
freezing temperatures, a heart-stopping
moment occurred when a three-year-old
was reported missing on Bear Creek Drive.
She had last been seen in the kitchen
and had disappeared. The canine unit of
Dawson County happened to be close
by and joined other public safety and
emergency personnel in looking for the
little girl in red. Not long after the 911 call
was made, she was found.
Early preparations by the road
maintenance employees and Public Safety
personnel was a key part in making the
event as effortless for property owners as
a snow and sleet occasion can be. Many of
the employees spent Friday night in villas
on property to be available when needed.
With temperatures below freezing this cardinal is reconsidering winters in Florida. Thanks to Jim Tanner, he’s found comfortable
accommodations in Big Canoe. PHOTO BY JIM TANNER
A creek-level view of the Covered Bridge with the hillsides dusted by snow. PHOTO BY RANDY LEWIS
The snow-covered branches, looking like fine lace, dress up
the hillsides on a dreary winter day. PHOTO BY PUBLIC SAFETY
The Best of Both Worlds
Message from
the general manager
NAPLES and BIG CANOE
combine for a rich and varied lifestyle!
NAPLES • Join your many
neighbors who are enjoying
the warm tropical ambiance,
sweeping white sand beaches,
swaying palms, the array of art
and culture and the gentle pace
that Naples, the “Paradise Coast”
has to offer. The perfect,
warm complement to Big Canoe.
This winter weather event has provided challenges for all Big Canoe
POA departments, and your staff has risen to the challenge!
Public Works and Landscaping personnel provided road clearing
and aggregate spreading on the roads throughout the community; Gate
Attendants remained in Big Canoe between shifts to ensure complete
coverage was maintained and our Fire and EMS personnel took on extra
shifts to ensure ample personnel were on hand to respond to additional
emergency calls. Please join me in applauding all of our staff members
for their professionalism and dedication!
Almost all Big Canoe residents heeded the travel warnings; only a
handful ended up sliding off of the roads. You may see some of these
cars on Sunday; they have colorful ribbons tied on them, indicating
our EMS personnel have attended to them. The colorful ribbon is the
visual cue to other EMS personnel, letting them know they don’t have
to check on the vehicle again.
The Big Canoe POA sends out regular E-blast updates during winter
weather events. If you did not receive these e-blasts, please contact
Tim Moran, the POA’s Communications Administrator to be added to
the e-blast list. [email protected]
John Thompson
General Manager
BIG CANOE • The
South’s Premier Mountain
Community…Let Vennie Owen
and the Big Canoe Realty team
assist you in buying your perfect
mountain home among the
8,000 acres of rustic elegance,
pristine lakes, fishing, golf,
tennis, and much more…
Voted the #1
Antique Store
in Dawson County
ANTIQUES &
HOME DÉCOR
incredible gift items
signature soy candles
◆ unique furniture pieces
◆ seasonal items
◆
◆
Soul Sisters Antiques
and Home Décor
Vennie Owen
®
770-871-1631 • 58 Hwy 9 South
Dawsonville, GA 30534
Across from El Rio Restaurant
2nd Location Open with lots of treasures
33 Hwy 53, Dawsonville GA 30534
Right on circle
Bring Your Highest Expectations
TM
404-233-7653 cell • 239-659-6127 office
[email protected]
www.JohnRWood.com
404-233-7653 cell • 706-268-3333 office
[email protected]
www.bigcanoe.com
Tues-Sat 10am to 4pm, Sun 12 to 3:30pm
WE BUY, SELL AND TRADE
www.soulsistersantiques.com
Follow our Shops on Facebook
Like us on Facebook
Happy
Valentine’s
Day
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
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“But strangely enough, the December rainfall wasn’t a record.
The 26-year most-rain award goes to the month of August in 2013, when we had 17.1 inches.”
The record rains of December!
BY BENNETT WHIPPLE
You don’t need statistics to tell you
that Big Canoe had a wet December, but
the numbers are in and it was a frogstrangling 16.1 inches! In fact, it’s been a
wet fall with 10+ inches in October and 11+
inches in November.
But strangely enough, the December
rainfall wasn’t a record. The 26-year
most-rain award goes to the month of
August in 2013, when we had 17.1 inches.
Joe Raley at his computer on Wet
Mountain where he puts together the rain
and temperature reports each month for
Smoke Signals. PHOTO BY JOYCE RALEY
Ten years ago in
Smoke Signals
Andress to
review
clubhouse
planning
TEN YEARS AGO
FEBRUARY 2015
The year 2013 was also the wettest in 26
years with 112.5 inches compared with
2015’s 95.23 inches.
These numbers come to Smoke Signals
from Joe Raley perched appropriately on
top of Wet Mountain. A retired IBMer,
Raley’s been providing the paper with
rain and temperature stats now for
several years. He began by feeding all
the numbers from the paper into a digital
program he devised, thus providing useful
statistics for the 26-year period.
Maybe some better use examples, but
let’s take October and the Oktoberfest
event when it seems to rain every time
they throw up the tent and bring in the
Brats. Maybe we should do Oktoberfest
some other month? Well, that wouldn’t
work, of course. And while we do have a
rainy day every now and then, October
IS the driest month of all with a 26-year
average rainfall of only 4.62 inches. In
fact, in the year 2000 Big Canoe received
a miserly one-tenth of an inch in the
entire 31 days comprising the month of
October!
And, in second place, we have the
month of May with only 4.82 inches on
average. That makes it another good
month for outdoor activities, such as
Legacy of Caring, picnics, Maypoles and
boat-cruising around Lake Petit.
And one other stat mined from Raley’s
data: The minimum rainfall was in the
year 2007 with only 40.1 inches recorded.
That probably was the year Lake Petit
dropped below its normal pool level.
And for the wettest month?
March and December are tied for the
The spillway from Lake Petit rushes with the excess water from the December rains.
PHOTO BY BENNETT WHIPPLE
highest average rainfall at 6.50 inches
with January and July close behind tying
for second wettest month on average
with 6.46 inches.
To bring us these monthly rain
numbers, it takes a community, as they
say. Raley receives reports from three
weather stations in the golf course area
read by Mike Gondek, Golf Maintenance
staffer. Others are sent to Raley from Jim
Cain in the Equestrian Neighborhood, Bob
Mathews on Ridgeview, Bill McClatchey
on the east side of Wet Mountain and
Raley from the west side plus this writer
from the Disharoon area.
From this input, Raley grinds out
the rain and temperature reports you
read conveniently each month in your
community newspaper.
One final note, with all this rainfall,
we’ve been okay on our mountains with
only a few minor inconveniences caused
by leaves and tree limbs on the roadways.
We are mindful, though, of our neighbors
in the coves and creek-sides around us,
such as the nearby Talking Rock area,
where the floods caused real hardships.
Our thoughts are with them.
• At a Town Hall meeting, Building Committee Chairman Miller Andress to
review mission to design and construct new clubhouse.
• Mary & Keith Johnson and Cathy & Don Helms photographed at
Newcomers Orientation with Bob Crouch, new POA president.
• Medicare Part B “hasn’t gotten any simpler,” Dr. Bob Anderson tells Squires
& Stags at its monthly meeting.
• Sauna to be added at Fitness Center, Manager Steve Panetta reports in his
monthly column.
• Small notice posted on page 8C by Patti Waschak solicits interest in
forming a bocci ball league and goes on to explain the game.
• New property owners include Sandra & Ray Smalley, Sheri & John
Frech, Gail & Thomas Powers, Jay G. Rogers, Joan & Frank Wilson, Dale P.
McKinney, J. T. Steffey and Larry W. Peebles
— Edited by Bennett Whipple
(706) 698-6400 • EllijayWomensSpecialists.com
Ellijay Women’s Specialists is a gynecologic practice
dedicated to comprehensive healthcare to women of all
ages. For over twenty years, Dr. Michael Hulse has been
bringing personalized and compassionate care to patients
from child-bearing age to postmenopausal years. We strive
to provide gynecologic care to North Georgia in a patientcentered environment.
Dr. Michael Hulse
We specialize in the following services:
•
•
•
•
Menopausal care
Painful intercourse/sexual dysfunction
Hormone replacement therapy
Urge, urinary & fecal incontinence
•
•
•
•
Cancer prevention plans
Hereditary breast/ovarian cancer screenings
Single Site™ laparoscopic surgery/hysterectomy
Heavy periods
433 Highland Parkway, Suite 203 East Ellijay, GA 30540
8 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
SMOKE SIGNALS
For the convenience of our readers, this month’s medical
advertisers are listed in a directory format.
For more information see their complete ads on the pages
indicated or get in touch with them
using the contact information below.
AUDIOLOGY
n Johns Creek Audiology & Hearing Aid Center
770-814-1260 • johnscreekaudiology.com
4045 Johns Creek Parkway, Suite B, Johns Creek • Ad Page 9B
n North Georgia Audiology & Hearing Aid Center
770-726-8948 • northgeorgiahearing.com
203 Woodpark Place, Suite B-100, Woodstock • Ad Page 9B
|
N E W S
FEBRUARY 2016
Wellness Collaborative
Volunteer Forum
set for Feb. 27
BY SHIRAZ ALIKHAN
Chair, Wellness Collaborative Steering Committee
The Wellness Collaborative will be hosting the first quarterly Volunteer Forum in
the Mountains Grille room at the Clubhouse from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 27.
The agenda will include an overview of the new BC Visits program (to provide
companion services to shut-ins or respite to caregivers), discussions of the experiences
of volunteers who have delivered services, an opportunity to provide feedback on the
newsletter and operational processes, perhaps some comments from a client or two,
and an open session for questions or ideas.
Anyone interested in volunteering for the Collaborative, should please send a
message to [email protected] or call 706-268-3334. Each respondent’contact information
will then be added to our distribution list for e-mail communications about upcoming
activities.
An e-mail announcement about the Volunteer Forum will be sent out by February
13. Any volunteers who can join us for that event should RSVP to that announcement.
DENTAL
n Dawsonville Distinctive Dentistry • 706-265-2505
754 Highway 53 West, Dawsonville, GA 30534 • Ad Page 10B
n Eric S. Pryor, DMD • 706-253-3567
127 S. Main Street, Jasper, GA 30143 • Ad Page 9A
n Foothills Dental Associates • 770-893-2340 foothillsdentalassociates.com, 25 Foothills Parkway, Suite 101,
Marble Hill, GA 30148 • Ad Page 14A
HOSPITAL
n Piedmont Mountainside Hospital
706-692-2441 • piedmontmountainsidehospital.org
1266 Highway 515 South, Jasper, GA 30143 • Ad Page 4C
n Northside Hospital Cherokee, northside.com • Ad Page 14B
MEDICAL – SPECIALTY SERVICES
n Northside Cherokee Orthopedic & Sports Medicine
770-517-6636 • northsidecherokeeortho.com, 900 Towne Lake Parkway, Suite 320, Woodstock, GA 30189 • Ad Page 21C
n Northeast Georgia Physicians Group
108 Prominence Court, Dawsonville, GA 30534 706-344-6952 • nghs.com/400 • Ad Page 13A
n North Georgia Vein Institute
678-513-1600 • NorthGeorgiaVein.com
4415 Front Nine Dr, Ste 600, Cumming, GA • Ad Page 6C
n Ellijay Women’s Specialists
(706) 698-6400 • EllijayWomensSpecialists.com
433 Highland Parkway,
Suite 203 East Ellijay, GA 30540 • Ad Page 7A
JAMES
H.
BROWN,
LLC
Attorney At Law
Wellness Collaborative volunteers, from left, Marti Conness, Barbara Schirmer, Olene
Rubenstein, Ben Underwood and Mike White compare notes before the training session.
Held at the Clubhouse, the meeting on January 15 was one of the ongoing training
sessions designed to prepare volunteers to support the Collaborative programs.
Shiraz Alikhan, Steering Committee chair, greets committee member Bob Keesecker
prior to the Wellness Collaborative volunteer training session. The next training session
is planned for Friday, February 19th, from 1:00 to 3:30 in the Mountains Grille room at
the Clubhouse. Anyone interested in volunteer opportunities with the Collaborative
should call 706-268-3334 or send a message to [email protected]. PHOTOS BY ROBERT SMITH
LAST WILL & TESTAMENT...
ADVANCE DIRECTIVE FOR HEALTH CARE...
FINANCIAL POWER OF ATTORNEY...
PROBATE OF ESTATES...
➤ Upon the death of a spouse, do not neglect having all
your REAL ESTATE TAXES FORGIVEN FOR AN
ENTIRE YEAR...
➤ Less than 1% of the population has an Advance
Directive for Health Care...
➤ Very few people even have a less than
adequate Living Will...
➤ Please do not end up at the mercy of existing
State law or hospital policy...
NEW YEAR...NEW RESOLUTIONS!!!
REALITY: MOST RESOLUTIONS IN
2016 WILL NOT BE KEPT...
REALITY: YOU CAN MAKE AND KEEP
THE BEST RESOLUTION EVER. HOW?
GETTING YOUR ESTATE DOCUMENTS
REVIEWED, RENEWED AND PERFECTED...
WILLS • ESTATES • HOUSE CALLS
[email protected]
770.355.9714
706.268.1150
Shiraz Alikhan walks volunteers through a Power Point presentation designed to
provide an overview and background about the Wellness Collaborative. Volunteers then
had the opportunity to attend breakout sessions chaired by the program coordinators
for the BC Info, BC Meals, and BC Rides programs to obtain the information needed to
support the program services.
LAZY BEAR
FURNITURE
Gifts • Pictures
Rugs • Art • Mattresses
Lodge Style Furnishings
FOOTHILLS CENTER • 770-893-1500
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
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9A
Boutwell receives Armstrong Award
BY BENNETT WHIPPLE
Richard Boutwell, a POA Public
Safety gate attendant, is the recipient of
the prestigious 2015 Armstrong Award
presented January 11 by Len Walker,
Senior Chaplain of Big Canoe Chapel.
The award recognizes each year a
public service employee for outstanding
service to the community. The Chapel’s
Armstrong Memorial Fund was funded
by the family of the late Jean and Bill
Armstrong in their memory and used to
honor a public safety employee each year.
Boutwell, a four-year employee, was
selected for his unique ability to handle
difficult situations during his 7:00 p.m. to
7:00 a.m. shift at the North Gate.
Ricky Jordon, POA Fire Chief, added
that Boutwell is very dependable and
CruiseOne in Jasper earns
awards and titles
BY MEGAN JACQUES | [email protected]
Mike Ziegenbalg and Associates of CruiseOne in Jasper received several
announcements and prestigious awards at the 2015 CruiseOne National Conference
in November 2015.
The conference was a week long sailing and learning experience aboard the new
“Norwegian Escape.”
Ziegenbalg and Associates was inducted in the CruiseOne Top Tier Elite Award
“Circle of Excellence” for the third year. They were announced the #1 CruiseOne
agency in Georgia, top 15 in nation
out of over 1,000 franchises and top
1% sales for CruiseOne nationwide.
Ziegenbalg and Associates was
also appointed to the CruiseOne
Advisory Council for a 3-year term.
As an Advisory Council
member, Ziegenbalg will provide
advice and guidance to CruiseOne
senior management on matters
relating to franchise owners in the
areas of improving operational
procedures, systems analysis,
marketing ventures and venues.
“The Big Canoe community
is near and dear to my heart, so
when I can provide something
to enrich the residents’ lives, like
the Big Canoe Travel Club, I do it
wholeheartedly,” said Ziegenbalg.
Mike Ziegenbalg accepting the “Circle of
“As a CruiseOne owner and
Excellence” award from our CruiseOne
specialist, I have the opportunity
Division VP (Debbie Fiorino).
to provide expert advice and
guidance. By working diligently
and earning these awards, I am able to share the results and, hopefully, enrich the
residents in the process.”
Awards
• CruiseOne Top Cruise Vendor Sales - “Viking Cruises”
• CruiseOne Top Cruise Category Sales - “#1 River Cruise Seller”
• Most Creative Marketing Campaign for “Smoke Signals™ local newspaper
Advertising” • Best Niche Marketing - “Travel Club - Neighborhood Enrichment Program
Creation and Marketing”
grin, “but, I’ll take it!”
Boutwell, born and raised
in Atlanta, worked for 30
years selling appliances
for Atlanta Gas Light and
Lake City Appliances in
Woodstock, before joining
the POA staff.
“It’s all about working
with your customers,” he
says, “and I apply that policy
in my work at Big Canoe.”
According to Charlene
Terrell, long-time Chapel
historian, the story of the
Armstrong Award goes back
to the late 1970s.
She relates that “Bill
Armstrong had a special
Richard Boutwell receives the Armstrong Award.
affection for our security
PHOTO BY LEIGH YOUNG
personnel and he credited
their fast action and early
always willing to take on extra duty. He
diagnosis
with
saving his life following
recalled the four-days straight he stayed
a ruptured aneurism in the late 1970s.
on the job, away from his family, during
Armstrong died in 1992 and his wife Jean,
the ice storm in the winter of 2014.
the official Chapel Visitor, died several
In accepting the award, a plaque and
years later.”
a monetary gift, Boutwell said, “I don’t
really deserve this,” then added with a
Eric S. Pryor, DMD
F A M I LY D E N T I S T R Y
New Patients Always Welcome!
127 South Main St., Jasper, GA 30143
706-253-3567
2013
&
2014
Rosemarie Heindel
REALTOR®
cell: 404.861.1857
TOP PRODUCING TEAM
by the Pickens County
Board of Realtors
email: [email protected]
SOLD
SOLD
573 Hunters Trace
3br/2ba :: $229,000
Level Driveway, Close to Main Gate!
83 Lone Wolf
4ba/3ba :: $254,000 Furnished
Woodland Setting
76 Mountain Mint
2br/2ba :: $240,000
126 Green Heron Point
3br/3.5ba :: $499,000
Furnished
Beautiful Lakefront Home!
NEW LISTING
HOMESITES
4074 Lone Wolf ............. $15,000
1033 Robins Nest...........$22,500
8240 Cox Mountain.......$79,900
2784 Summit Drive ..... $115,000
8251 Cox Mountain ..... $185,000
8255 Cox Mountain..... $150,000
3337 Bluestern ............ $215,000
3340 Bluestern ............ $215,000
496 S. Sanderlin Mountain
4br/5ba :: $440,000
Stunning Long Distance Views
459 Wedgewood Drive
3br/3.5 ba :: $425,000
76 Chula Drive
4br/4.5ba :: $499,000
On the Golf Course
Mountain Craftsman
HARRY NORMAN, REALTORS
®
200 Foothills Pkwy, Marble Hill, GA 30148 • 770-893-2400
©2006 Harry Norman, Realtors, A HomeServices of America, Inc. Company. All rights reserved. Licensed in Georgia and North Carolina. Equal
Housing Opportunity. Big Canoe is a registered service mark of Big Canoe Company, LLC. Harry Norman, Realtors is not affiliated with the Big
Canoe Company, LLC, and no such representation is intended or implied. Information believed to be accurate but not warranted.
TO VIEW ALL BIG CANOE PROPERTIES, VISIT OUR WEBSITE ... www.NorthGeorgiaListings.com
10 A
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FEBRUARY 2016
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
CHECK
OUT OUR
FEATURED
HOMES
The scenery sells the community ...
Let Big Canoe Realty sell your home
®
131 Waterford Way
4BR/4BA • $459,900
If you’re thinking of putting your home on the market in 2016, the signature broker of Big Canoe can help.
T
here’s no denying Big Canoe is a
beautiful place to live, but when it
comes time to sell your home, look for a
broker with a proven track record and strong
marketing credentials. Turn to Big Canoe
Realty.
95 Hyssop Court
5BR/3.5BA • $699,000
UNDER CONTRACT
170 Pine Knoll
3BR/2.5BA • $269,000
UNDER CONTRACT
99 Cottonwood Circle
3BR/3BA • $272,500
n PERFORMANCE
Big Canoe Realty again continues to be the
#1 sales Company in Big Canoe, period!!!!
• #1 listing company for Big Canoe
homesites sold
• #1 listing company for Big Canoe
homes sold
• #1 listing company for Big Canoe total
listings sold
• #1 selling company for Big Canoe lots sold
(both developer & resales)
• #1 selling company for Big Canoe homes
sold (both developer & resales)
• #1 selling company for Big Canoe
total properties sold
n LARGEST MARKETING BUDGET
Big Canoe Realty has the largest marketing
and sales budget of any real estate brokerage
company selling Big Canoe property. Give
Big Canoe Realty an opportunity to design a
specialized marketing plan specific to your
property!
n INSIDE THE GATES
Big Canoe Realty is the only real estate
office inside the gates of Big Canoe. And now
to better serve you, we also have a new office
located on Hwy 53 at Steve Tate.
n BIG CANOE EXCLUSIVITY
Big Canoe Realty sells Big Canoe
exclusively. Your property is only shown with
other Big Canoe properties. We do not sell
other communities or neighborhoods, many
with less expensive construction costs.
n COMPREHENSIVE WEBSITE
Big Canoe Realty lists all Company & Resale
properties currently for sale in Big Canoe on
our website, updated weekly, regardless of
whether they are listed with Big Canoe Realty
or another agency.
n HUGE BUYER DATA BASE
Big Canoe Realty has, over the years,
gathered more than 63,000 potential
purchasers for our data base, each of which
receives promotional material from Big Canoe
on a regular basis.
n COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Big Canoe Realty sponsors events within
Big Canoe that support community activities
that attract potential customers.
n MORE AGENTS
Big Canoe Realty has the largest number of
experienced professional real estate agents.
n LONGEVITY
Big Canoe Realty has been in business for
over 25 years!!!
n MLS LISTING
Big Canoe Realty is a member of the First
Multiple Listing Service (FMLS) that serves
more than 36,000 real estate agents giving Big
Canoe listings maximum exposure.
n AGGRESSIVE ADVERTISING
Big Canoe Realty advertises regularly
and extensively via online, social networks,
magazines, newspapers, billboards, and
various other mediums.
For more information contact Big Canoe Realty
770-893-2733 or 866-244-2266 • www.bigcanoe.com
Connect with Big Canoe Community on these networks:
11 A
12 A
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FEBRUARY 2016
LBC team projects underway
BY ROBERT ACKERMANN
Five projects selected by Leadership
Big Canoe team members are now
underway. Over the next three months
each of these projects will be reviewed for
project scope and status.
The first project being reviewed is
the Healthy Living Program. The Healthy
Living Committee is chaired by Christine
Flaherty with team members Betina
Shearer, Lorene Phelps, Rhonda Gallaspy,
Mark Rooney, Belinda Joy Fultz, and Carol
Willoughby. The committee’s goal is to
promote healthy living by providing a
means to make it simpler for Big Canoe
residents to participate in at least some
portion of what the program has to offer.
Project scope includes:
• Using the Knowledge Series as a
successful template, by planning to offer a
range of speakers on the subject of Healthy
Living in Big Canoe.
• Creating a walking club with a buddy
system.
• Working with the Fitness Center to
establish new classes.
• Use Weight Watchers model to
establish similar program in Big Canoe.
• Work with food outlets to help
residents learn more about healthy eating
and food preparation.
• Develop a means to communicate to
residents what a healthy living program has
to offer.
The second project being reviewed is
the Big Canoe Meeting Center. This center
will provide for a meeting room, small office
or work stations, computer, copiers, and
ideally would have a small coffee/snack bar
offering limited breakfast, lunch and dinner
items.
The committee believes this service
would benefit those full time residents who
currently work from their homes, part time
residents who would spend more time here
if they had such a place to conduct business,
and visitors in need of conducting short
term business assignments.
This project is being lead by Kurt
Hoechstetter (Chair), Rex Brooks, Bill
Barden, Jennifer Waldrop, Tony Hicks, and
Bob Mackey. Currently the committee is
looking for places to locate such a meeting
room and potential costs involved.
Healthy Living Committee
Dream it. Do it.
Set sail for adventure. Imagine racing across the Atlantic, competing against a fleet
of sleek sailing yachts as you track the trade winds and head for the Caribbean.
“We all have our dreams but most end up as just dreams,” says Dick Hammill, who
at age 70, made his dream come true. Dick and sailing buddy David Howe invite
you to experience the adventure—from building the yacht to crossing the finish
line in St. Lucia. Join them for a spirited hour or so at the Mountains Grille from
5-6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10. Enjoy an inside look at racing across the Atlantic
in a 58-foot sailing yacht through a fast-paced multimedia presentation peppered
with personal reflections. Choose your favorite “grog” at the Sconti cash bar. Those
attending are eligible to win a wine and cheese gift basket. If you can Dream it, you
can Do it. PHOTO COURTESY OF DICK HAMMILL
Meeting Center Committee
Your town
is my town.
Proudly serving Big Canoe.
I live and work here just like you. So I’m right around the corner when you
need me. I can help protect the things you own and the people you love.
Call or stop by today for a free quote.
Steve Moranos
706-268-1268
88 North Gate Station Dr., Ste. 102
Marble Hill, GA 30148
[email protected]
© 2014 Allstate Insurance Co.
117494
Big Canoe Homeowner since 2001.
FEBRUARY 2016
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13 A
Canoe Cubs host Astronomy and Stargazing Night
BY KIM COOPER
Have you ever wondered what is
beyond the dark night sky? Have you tried
to find the North Star or Orion’s Belt? Do
you have questions about comets, meteors
or asteroids? Then plan to experience
an exciting, educational night with the
Atlanta Astronomy Club.
The Canoe Cubs will host an
Astronomy and Stargazing Night on
Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Canoe Lodge
from 5 to 8 p.m. The program is free but
donations are greatly appreciated.
To fuel the amateur astronomers, an
“interstellar/space” themed potluck dinner
will begin at 5 p.m. Afterward the Atlanta
Astronomy Club volunteers will deliver
a short, informative presentation. Scopes
will be positioned along the beach area
and starwatchers will be able to view the
moon, planets and other objects that may
be visible at the time.
Families are asked to bring one dish
according to your last name. For last
names beginning with A through E, please
consider bringing a meat or main entrée
dish; surnames names F through P, choose
your favorite salad or side dish. Last but
not least, desserts will be provided by
families Q through Z. Canoe Cubs will
provide drinks, paper goods and other
essentials.
Due to the nature of this stellar event,
families must RSVP with your selected
dish by Wednesday, Feb. 24 to Lindsey
Kenner at [email protected].
Canoe Cubs is a social group that
meets regularly and is open to all Big
Canoe children and grandchildren.
Please visit the website canoecubs.com
for program and event information or
‘like’ us on Facebook, facebook.com/
canoecubscorner.
Mark your calendars for Saturday,
March 26! The Canoe Cubs regular
monthly program will be the annual Big
Canoe Easter Egg Hunt.
Piedmont cardiologist to address Squires & Stags
BY BENNETT WHIPPLE
“Heart Health” is the subject for Squires
& Stags Friday, Feb. 5 breakfast meeting with
Dr. Roberto Pereira leading the presentation.
He is in practice with the Piedmont Heart
Institute in Jasper and serves as the medical
director of the cardiac catheterization lab at
Piedmont Mountainside Hospital.
Dr. Pereira received his medical degree
from the University of the State of Rio
de Janeiro in Brazil and completed his
internal medicine internship, residency and
a fellowship in cardiology at Long Island
College Hospital in Brooklyn, NY.
He is certified by the American Board
of Internal Medicine and its subspecialty
Board of Cardiovascular Disease, the
Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology
and the International Board of Heart Rhythm
Examiners as a cardiac rhythm device
specialist.
Also, according to biographical
information, Dr. Pereira is a member of the
American Heart Association’s Scientific
Council in Cardiovascular Diseases and a
Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.
The men’s breakfast group meets in
the Mountains Grille at the Clubhouse at
Lake Sconti. New members and guests are
welcome to attend the meeting. Coffee
is ready at 7:45 a.m. followed by a buffet
breakfast served at 8:00 a.m. The price of
breakfast is $13 payable on your POA account
or by cash at the door.
Reservations are required and must be
received by Noon on Thursday before the
Friday morning meeting. For reservation
links, watch for the POA “Happenings &
Events” e-blast and the Smoke Signals e-blast,
both issued weekly.
Use of the online reservation system is
encouraged, but if it’s not available you may
call Tim Moran at (706) 268-3375 to make
reservations.
Dr. Roberto Pereira to speak on
heart health for Squires & Stags
Friday, Feb. 5 breakfast meeting.
Dawson Commission Chairman discusses
2016 goals and plans with Smoke Signals
BY MEGAN JACQUES
[email protected]
Dawson County Commission Chairman Mike Berg
discussed his goals for 2016 and what changes citizens can
expect in Dawson County this upcoming year.
In reference to his main goal for 2016, Berg responded,
“It’s always the budget. It’s always making sure that we stay
within our means.”
Dawson County is a low debt county, with less than $2
million in debt.
“Secondly, this is an election year so we are going to
have that taking the forefront in some things. We still have
to run county government, so we have to make sure that
takes place,” said Berg.
As for re-election, Commissioners Julie Nix of District
4, James Swafford of District 2, and Berg’ terms are up.
Swafford has announced he will not seek re-election. Nix
and Berg have not committed either way.
“Julie and I have been here 12 years, so it’s a long time.
There could be some major changes depending on what we
do,” Berg said.
Berg also mentioned that hiring a good county manager
is on his priority list. Berg took over the county manager
position when Cindy Campbell resigned in December 2015.
Currently, they have narrowed their selection down to four
applicants for the position.
The major construction happening on Ga. 400 was
also discussed. Berg said he believes the Continuous Flow
Intersection (CFI) being constructed at the intersection of
Ga. 400 and Ga. 53 is necessary for the future of Dawson
County.
“Ten years ago, the intersection of 400 and 53 going
north had about 25,000 trips a day. It now has over 50,000
trips a day. So, it has doubled in ten years,” Berg said.
Once the intersection is completed, it will be quicker to
go through it and quicker to turn on 53.
Berg said he is very pleased with this intersection plan,
estimated to cost $12-$14 million, compared to a project
proposed years ago that involved an overpass and an
underpass that would have cost the county $136 million.
“It would have hurt the business community, so we were
opposed to that. But we are in favor of the CFI,” Berg said.
Berg also discussed the future of the 10,650 acres of
Dawson Forest that is owned by the Atlanta Airport
Committee.
Originally, the plan was to build a second airport on the
property, but the committee decided not to and it has been
sitting for 40 years.
Atlanta has hired consultants to look at the property in
Dawson County and the sister property in Paulding County
that is also 10,000 acres.
“We are involved with the consultants to the point that
they let us know their process and hopefully they’ll be some
positive conclusion,” Berg said.
Berg mentioned he would like to see the acreage
become a state park. There have been several different
proposals throughout the years, including rock quarries and
reservoirs.
“Our interest is maintaining it as a park,” Berg said.
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FEBRUARY 2016
Fighter plane stars in Vietnam historical novel
BY WAYNE TIDWELL
[email protected]
Ric Hunter likes to talk about the planes he flew as an
Air Force fighter pilot. He calls the F-4 Phantom jet “the
workhorse of the Vietnam war.” He calls the newer F-15 “an
F-4 on steroids.”
So he wrote a historical fiction novel, Firehammer,
that puts the reader in the cockpit of an F-4 during the
evacuation of Saigon and the last battle of the Vietnam War,
the rescue of the SS Mayaquez and its crew.
Hunter retired after 27-years in the Air Force where
he logged 4,000 flight hours in the F-4 and F-15 and was a
three-time Top Gun, so he should know what he is talking
about.
He comes from an Air Force family. His father spent
30 years and his daughter has been in the Air Force for 17
years.
He shared his experiences with a full house of North
Georgia Veterans, at the Big Canoe Club House on January
13.
Hunter familiarized the crowd with the F-4 and its
myriad of weapons and configurations that included
rockets, bombs and a 20mm Gatlin gun that fires 6,000
rounds per minute.
“If you were in the North Vietnamese Army or a Viet
Cong, you didn’t want to see these guys (F-4s) coming
overhead because your day was about to be ruined,” Hunter
said.
The F-4 was produced by McDonnell-Douglas in St.
Louis for 21 years, a long time for a fighter aircraft, with
2,600 going to the Air Force, 1,200 to the Navy, and the
remainder to friendly countries, according to Hunter. It
could reach 1,800 mph and fly up to 50,000 feet altitude and
pull 7.3 Gs.
Hunter’s book features the G model, a “hunter-killer”
configuration designed to take out radar installations and
drop bombs.
With its refueling capability, the F-4 can fly around the
world without landing. Hunter calls the refueling event
The F-4 Phantom was produced in many configurations
and used by several countries around the world. COURTESY 1000
PICTURES.COM
“brain surgery” because of the intricate connection that has
to be made in flight. He said the refueling capability saved
his life on a Saigon mission coming back over Cambodia
and out of fuel.
Hunter briefed the group on the last battle of Vietnam
that ”put the last 41 names on the Vietnam memorial.”
On May 12, 1975, the North Vietnamese “owned”
Vietnam, Hunter said. The container ship USS Mayaquez
was hijacked by the Khmer Rouge and was taken to obscure
Koh Tang Island off the coast of Cambodia. The “four-day
war” ensued.
The Mayaquez crew was taken form the island to
Cambodia. On day 4 at 9:00 a.m. the Cambodians gave
the crew back after a battle that resulted in the death of 41
Marines.
Later, Hunter flew the F-15C Eagle and commanded an
Eagle squadron and was a three-time Top Gun. After the
attacks on 9/11, he returned to serve his country once again
as a civil servant for eight years. He took over world-wide
program management of the Air Force’s 50-million dollar
fighter aircraft flight simulator program, thus freeing young
pilot staff officers to return to cockpit duties for the war on
terror.
Hunter’s book, dedicated to his best friend in high
school who was killed in the DMZ by a North Vietnamese
sniper, was nominated for a Pulitzer Award and received
other awards. The Title of the book was named after a
Zippo lighter carried by his friend that his friend’s girlfriend
called his “firehammer.” Hunter got the lighter after his
friend died.
The book is available on Amazon.
The North Georgia Veterans organization is open to all
veterans, anyone who has served in any branch of Service,
in any capacity, for any period of time. All that is required is
an honorable discharge. Those interested in attending NGV
meetings/luncheons can do so by registering at website@
ngvets.org.
NGV is supporting local hospice
North Georgia Veterans has agreed to assist Georgia
Mountains Hospice (GMH) that supports patients and
families in their last stage of life in a 10-county area of
North Georgia, which includes both Pickens and Dawson
Counties. GMH is the only non-profit hospice operating in
this area and has never denied service to a family because
of their inability to pay.
North Georgia Veterans will assist with volunteers to
work with veterans and their families during their difficult
time.
GMH also provides supplemental support to hospice
families beyond what Medicare, Medicaid or insurance
will cover. Georgia Mountains Hospice is a non-profit
Georgia Corporation operating under a 501c3 Internal
Revenue classification. All donations are tax deductible.
You can learn more about GMH at their website at www.
georgiamountainshospice.org.
NGV encourages community members to donate by
sending a check to:
Georgia Mountains Hospice
70 Caring Way
Jasper, GA 30143
(Indicate this is a NGV donation on the check.)
If you have any questions, please contact Bill Saling at
706 344-9585 or by email at [email protected].
Former POW to talk to NGV
BY BARBARA BALDUCCI
The North Georgia Veterans
February meeting/luncheon will be held
Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 11:30 a.m. in the
Mountains Grille, Big Canoe Clubhouse.
The guest speaker will be Ronald Mastin,
Lt Col, USAF (Retired) who will discuss
his time in captivity as a prisoner of war
in North Vietnam.
Ronald Mastin, born in Beloit, Kan.,
attended public schools through high
school, and graduated from the University
of Kansas Business School in the spring
of 1963. In fall of 1963, he entered active
duty in the United States Air Force.
After training and a number of other
assignments, Mastin
prisoner of war in North
went to Southeast Asia in
Vietnam on January 21,
October 1966. Flying from
1967.
Udorn, Thailand on their
He left active duty
34th photo reconnaissance
in September 1973 and
mission, he and his frontafter working for Eastern
seater, then Capt. Tom
Airlines he returned to
Storey, were shot down on
active duty in January 1976.
January 16, 1967, northeast
After attending Instructor
of Hanoi. Pilot School, he served
Mastin was released
as an instructor pilot at
on March 4, 1973. He
Mather AFB, Calif., from
was awarded the Silver
September 1976 until he
Ronald Mastin, Lt Col,
Star for his gallantry and
left active duty and joined
USAF (Retired)
intrepidity in action in
the Alabama Air National
connection with military operations
Guard in May 1980, serving until 1988
against an opposing armed force while a
when he joined the Air Force Reserve.
Family and
GENERAL
DENTISTRY
Mastin retired as a Lt. Col. from the Air
Force Reserve on June 3, 1991.
He flew for Eastern Airlines from
May 1980 to February 1989, and then flew
for FedEx from January 1990 until his
retirement in December 2007. Mastin is
married to the former Dawn Lindner and
they have two daughters together, Cassie
and Carissa, and Ron has a son, Michael,
from a previous marriage.
The North Georgia Veterans
organization is open to all veterans with
an honorable discharge and service in
any branch of the armed forces, in any
capacity, for any period of time. To
attend meetings/luncheon register on the
website ngvets.org.
Mountaintop Property
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S M O K E
S I G N A L S
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N E W S
15 A
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163 MUIRFIELD WAY
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195 SHETLAND TRACE
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167 CLIFF FERN POINT
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87 BLUE BELL CIRCLE
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16 A
S M O K E
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FEBRUARY 2016
Stone Structures – A Mystery of the Indigenous Peoples – Part 5
Indigenous rock cairns found across the U.S.
BY DON & DIANE WELLS,
EDDIE LANHAM
The Cairns
at Indian
Rock Park
T
he stones structures described
in Part 4 were circular in
formation and had a ceremonial
or mortuary purpose.
Other stone structures of Indigenous
construction are sometimes found that
are not circular or not even of large
collective formation but rather of some
singular rock formation.
In Habersham County, Georgia, a
stone structure was discovered many
years ago on a mountain in that county
near a major Indian trail trading path.
This structure was built in a stacked
stone formation with walls several feet
high but it was oval in shape and not
circular.
Most of this structure like the others is
now gone.
Some of the locals claim that folks
came up the mountain to collect the
stones to be used for house foundations.
Near the rock site is a graveyard but
the origin of the graves is not known. No
written account of this site’s purpose can
be found but it is near some Cherokee
villages that existed nearby in the early
1700s. It is likely it had a ceremonial
purpose.
Another stone structure (also not
circular) is the Old Stone Fort in Coffee
County, Tennessee. This structure has
stacked stone walls four to six feet high
and archaeologists date it to the Middle
Woodland Period from around 30- 430
A.D. Its purpose is considered to be
ceremonial. No graves were found within
the stone walls.
A number of singular rock structures
have important spiritual significance and
can be as important to the Indigenous
people as the circular structures. Allen
Rock, also known as Turtle or Indian rock
is located in Habersham County, Georgia.
The rock is a small turtle-shaped boulder.
It is located on a trail that connects the
Cherokee village of Sakwi’yl’ town with
the spirit townhouses at Hickorynut
Mountain, behind Tallulah Fall.
The Thunder people and their
gatekeepers, a snake and a turtle, also
lived in these spirit townhouses. Legends
said the Indians considered the Tallulah
Falls area sacred and believed it to be a
very spiritual place.
In nearby Cherokee County the
Don Wells and his Mountain Stewards’ team will begin dowsing at Big Canoe’s Indian Rocks
Park in an effort to learn more about the meaning and history behind the cairns.
PHOTOS BY ROBERT SMITH
“Interestingly, while the
meanings of the designs
carved into the boulder
are unknown, studies have
shown that the Reinhardt
Rock with its concentric
circles is strikingly similar
to petroglyph boulders
from early Iron Age
Ireland.”
Reinhardt Rock—a massive 11-feet long
by 4-feet wide petroglyph--was found
and later donated to Reinhardt University
by the Cline family in 1940. It was found
many years ago in the Hickory Log area
of Cherokee County, now the Walmart
site at exit 20 on I-575.
Hickory Log is the area where the
Hickory Log Cherokee village was located
on the Etowah River. The rock can now
be seen at Waleska’s Funk Heritage
Center in the Hall of the Ancients. It was
part of three slabs.
The other two slabs were destroyed
by people who mistakenly believed
that the Indians buried their gold under
petroglyph rocks. Interestingly, while
FOREIGN & DOMESTIC
the meanings of the designs carved into
the boulder are unknown, studies have
shown that the Reinhardt Rock with its
concentric circles is strikingly similar
to petroglyph boulders from early Iron
Age Ireland. Adding more mystery to
the discussion, a National Geographic
television program stated that the use of
concentric circles was symbols of Bronze
Age Spain.
Alan Cressler of the United States
Geological Service has been exploring
Georgia for petroglyphs sites. One site
he found on Shoal Creek in Cherokee
County west of Waleska, contains rock
petroglyphs similar to those of the
Reinhardt Rock. He has found other rocks
with the circular petroglyphs in Georgia
as well.
Visitors to the University of Georgia
can see two boulders that were moved
there from Forsyth County in the 1960s.
One is located next to the Museum of
Art. The other is in an enclosed garden
at the School of Law. Originally they
were located near Cumming. They have
concentric circles, stick figures, and
cupules on them. Archaeologists believe
that they were made by the ancestors of
the Creek and Cherokee Indians during
the Late Woodland period. Some of the
petroglyphs on these rocks are very
similar to those on Track Rock in Union
What is going on at Big
Canoe’s Indian Rock Park?
In cooperation with the Big
Canoe Conservation Committee,
the Mountain Stewards are
conducting a detailed exploration
of the park using dowsing rods.
It seems there is more to
dowsing than just deciding
where to drill a water well. David
Johnson, a dowser who has spent
more than 40 years working with
Indian tribes across North and
South America, has shown that
rock cairns, bent trees and other
sacred sites are usually related to
underground water. Johnson has
shared his knowledge with Don
Wells who, with his Mountain
Stewards team, is now studying
Indian sites in southeastern
America.
Raymond C. Willey, a founder
of the American Society of
Dowsers, said that dowsing is:
“The exercise of a human faculty
which allows one to obtain
information in a manner beyond
the scope and power of the
standard human physical senses
of sight, sound, touch etc.”
It is an ancient technique.
Scientist tell us that a painting of
a man holding a dowsing rod on a
cave wall in the Atlas Mountains
of North Africa, dates back 9,000
years. A rock carving in Peru
depicts a man holding a forked
dowsing stick. It has also been
dated to 9,000 years ago.
That same ancient tool is
being used right here in Big
Canoe. A report of what is found
will be provided to Big Canoe
General Manager and reported
on in Smoke Signals when the
exploration is complete.
n Continued on next page
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n Continued from previous page
County.
How they all relate to the Indians and
their ceremonial and spiritual ways of life
is unknown but is one more part of the
mystery of the rock structures.
Rock Cairns, individual rock
formations, are found across the United
States. S.P. Langley wrote in the 19th
Annual Report to the Director of the
Bureau of American Ethnology, 1898
that, “Stone cairns were formerly very
common along the trails throughout the
Cherokee country, but are now almost
gone, having been demolished by treasure
hunters after the occupation of the
country by the whites. They were usually
sepulchral monuments built of large
stones piled loosely together sometimes
6 feet or more, with a corresponding
circumference.”
Some rock cairns were used for burial
with the person sitting up facing east.
It was common among the Indians that
every passer-by was accustomed to add a
stone to the heap.
In Georgia, rock cairns have been
found with several in an alignment, some
in square patterns and some singular. In
Big Canoe there is a string of rock cairns
in the shape of a snake. If one aligns the
western most cairn with the eastern most
cairn and measures the angle, the line
points directly to the place where there
was a small Cherokee village.
Stone cairns are also reported to exist
in the area of Merriwether and Harris
counties. A hike along the Creek Trail
in Roosevelt Park offers one a chance to
see a row of stone cairns as well as some
stone walls. Tourist literature suggests
that they are a burial site for important
Creek Indian Chiefs. As mentioned in
the previous paragraph, this may be true
but will require extensive study to prove
these are graves.
Across the Flint River to the east of
this location is another site with a number
of what appear to be rock cairns that have
been greatly disturbed. A planned effort is
scheduled for later this year to determine
if these are graves sites.
Other singular rock formations have
been found in Georgia that may have
been carved by Indians for some specific
purpose. One of these is the Owl Rock
located near Campbellton in Fulton
County.
Lastly, there are a large number
of natural rock formations that are
considered spiritual to the Indians. One
of these, the Cherokee Rock Village, is
located near Centre, in Cherokee County,
Alabama. This area has been home to
Native Americans almost continually
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
from 8,000 B.C. until 1838 when the
Indians were forcibly removed.
So named because one outcropping
of enormous boulders resembles a
cluster of houses, the village is believed
to have been of religious or ceremonial
importance to a succession of Indian
Geologists and Big Canoe residents Dr.
Charles Pollard and Dr. Lin Pollard
examine the cairns. They are both experts
in water flow in geologic formations.
|
N E W S
tribes that inhabited the area. Today a
200-acre public park surrounds the site.
Not surprisingly, with boulders over
200 feet tall, it is a climbing paradise.
Rock climbers from across the world are
drawn here. For the less adventurous,
there are caves; a maze of passages; many
17 A
smaller stone formations; hiking, biking,
and horse trails; picnic areas; primitive
campsites; bird watching; and spectacular
scenery. The site lies along an old Indian
trail and many say that when walking
among the rock formations they can still
feel the presence of the Indians there.
Big Canoe’s David Holty, representing the Conservation Committee, is trying his hand at
dowsing, a ancient practice believed to help find water. PHOTOS BY ROBERT SMITH
Mike Davis,(l. to r.) Don Wells and Dave Holty at Big Canoe’s Indian Rocks Park. Davis and Wells are members of the Mountain Stewards
Trail Crew planning the research at the Rock Cairn site. Holty represents the POA’s Conservation committee.
18 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
FEBRUARY 2016
CALL STEVE TO MARKET
AND SELL YOUR HOME
• Average # days on market is
67 days vs 246 day Big Canoe average.*
• Average sale to list is 95% vs 91% Big Canoe average.*
Ask For Steve
RESULTS THROUGH 2015
• 22 properties personally sold • 16 of my listings have sold
1371 RIDGEVIEW DRIVE
$289,000 Firm, As Is • 4BR/3BR
Long range views towards Atlanta/
Great Wall of Windows
154 CRAZY BEAR
$379,900 • 3BR/2.5 BA
Beautiful Craftsman style home on
private setting with stream.
484 HUNTERS TRACE
$379,900 • 3BR/3BA/2car garage
Mtn views, private setting on 1.4 acres
that backs up to green space
291 TROUT LILLY
$199,000 Rock Bottom Firm • 5BR/5.5BA
Very Spacious home/
Terrific price-value
394 INDIAN PIPE DRIVE
$475,000 • 4BR/4.5(2)BA
Two homes for one price - Includes
separate, complete living quarters
173 HILLSIDE
$439,900 • 4BR/4.5BA
Gorgeous home full of upgrades,
beautiful neighborhood
1635 RIDGEVIEW
$329,000 • 3BR/3BA
Long range mountain views/
Recently refurbished
161 ROBINS NEST
$329,000 • 4BR/3BA
Spacious home, great for kids/
Great rental potential
T E S T I M O N I A L S
‘He is our
go to guy.’
‘Very valuable
asset ...’
‘... a wonderful
gentleman!’
‘Patience
and support ...’
‘very helpful...
entire process.’
He is always available and
quick to return phone
calls or emails. He made
us feel right at home in
Big Canoe. As we still live
out of state, Steve has
continued to be our life
line to Big Canoe. He is
our “go to guy.” We really
appreciate all his hard
work and his friendship.
We have moved quite a
few times, buying and
selling several houses.
We can say that Steve has
been one of the best real
estate agents that we have
ever worked with.
— Mike & Claudette
I’ve been working with
Steve Yambor for the past
couple of months with
the purchase of a home
in Big Canoe. Steve not
only was professional,
courteous and cordial but
went beyond the norm
and helped me personally
with many tasks which
helped make the purchase
transition much easier
for me. You have a very
valuable asset working for
your firm and recognition
would be appreciated.
— Rich R.
What a great job Steve did
for us. Mutual friends of
ours and Steve’s gave us
his name. I had no idea
he was an agent selling
homes in Big Canoe. I just
called to see how he liked
the area and next thing
I know he is showing me
around! What a wonderful
gentleman! We have
moved 5 times and Steve
is the most thorough
agent we have ever had.
He’s a keeper!
— Peggy and Rick
I really appreciate all
your help in finding
a perfect place at Big
Canoe. Olga and I are
very excited about
spending time in the
mountains! Your
patience and support
through the process
was perfect. Best
wishes for a successful
year.
—Charlie
Two years ago, I arrived
at the security gate
unannounced. Steve showed
me around and then showed
considerable patience. A year
later I brought my family
down to see Big Canoe. Again,
Steve generously showed us
the area. A half year later we
purchased a lot in November
with Steve’s assistance and
will be breaking ground this
summer. Steve was very
helpful in the entire process,
helping us with lodging,
introducing us to builders and
helping us find a rental unit
while we build. — Matt
2036 VALLEY VIEW
$429,900 • 3BR/2.5BA
On Nature Valley Trail with private,
level, “park like” setting. Beautiful
custom home with office and library.
20 WINDSONG
$424,500 • 4BR/3.5BA
Near North Gate and walking trails,
Shows like a model
30 CHESTNUT KNOLL POINT
$289,900 • 4BR/3BA/2HB
Great Views of golf course/
high rental potential
146 SCONTI RIDGE
$149,000 • 3BR/2BA
Condo with views of lake and golf
course. Top floor, corner unit.
132 AHALUNA PLACE
$469,900 • 4BR/3.5BA
Terrific Long Range Mountain Views
from this 4bed/3.5bath spacious
rustic/craftsman home,
with 2 bedrooms on main, level lot,
and near the North Gate.
656 WEDGEWOOD
$469,500 • 4BR/3.5BA
Mountain and Golf Course views.
Dramatic great room with wall of
windows. Sunroom, office, bar, sauna
HOMESITES
2745 Turnbury Lane • $125,000, Golf course frontage overlooking Signature Cherokee #2 fairway.
Easy build at end of cul de sac in beautiful neighborhood.
• 870 Nashoba Trail at $99,000 - Choctaw Village-Near Clubhouse
• 2107 McElroy Mountain Drive at $160,000 - Big Views NE - 1.5 acres
• 7207 Ridgeview at $99,000. Long range views. Steve Yambor
706-268-2332 office • 678-848-3630 cell
Website: www.bigcanoe.com
* Average over five recent listings of mine that sold.
News
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
19 A
SMOKE SIGNALS | FEBRUARY 2016 | 19A
“Whenever Tom talked about his new Sconti property,
he would look up toward the sky and say
‘Lord, please don’t let us mess this up.’ ” — KEN RICE
Ken Rice, long time Big Canoe resident and Waterford developer, stands across the street from the Wildcat Recreation area on a parcel of land designated commercial that the
POA is buying from the Big Canoe Company. PHOTO BY ROBERT SMITH
‘Lord, please don’t let us mess this up’
BY BARBARA SCHNEIDER
[email protected]
L
ong-time Big Canoe resident and Waterford
developer Ken Rice believes it’s about time Big
Canoe earned its independence. He vigorously
supports the POA Board’s intent to buy Big
Canoe Company’s holdings in “Mother Canoe” . . . the
place we all call home.
Rice has a unique and long-time appreciation of
the natural beauty that makes Big Canoe so rare and
inherently valuable. His memories go back almost 46
years to a time when Rice was a project engineer for
Tom Cousins.
“You know, every time I drive through the covered
bridge and look all around at hillsides covered with
mature trees . . . I exhale. I’m home.
“I think just about everybody living in Big Canoe
feels the same way,” he said, pulling a large map out of
a cardboard tube and spreading it out on a table in his
Waterford home.
“I wonder how they would feel to drive in the main
gate and pass commercial structures and condos then
drive through the covered bridge and look up to see hills
covered with more houses or condos,” he said tracing
the route along Wilderness Parkway to the Village Core
with his finger.
“Look at this stretch of land,” he said, indicating
about 119 acres—mostly designated for high density
development—on the north and east side of Wilderness
Parkway from the Main Gate to the Clubhouse entrance.
The North Gate entrance could be just as bad, he
adds, shaking his head. “The land on the right side over
to Wildcat pool, about 13 acres, is now designated for
commercial development. Next time you go to the
Sconti, imagine looking out at the view and seeing eight
acres of high density development on the right of the
lake, along Sconti point.
“It all comes down to this,” he said. “We have to
decide if we are going to preserve the natural beauty and
greenspace that makes our community unique or allow
someone to come in here, build out and destroy the
character of Big Canoe.
“We, the property owners, are facing our biggest test
yet,” he added.
The original vision
In the 1960s developer Tom Cousins was a mega
force in Atlanta’s emergence as a major city; by the early
1970s, he’d expanded into regional malls and premiere
golf communities, opening Big Canoe in 1973.
“It was almost by accident that Tom learned about
“That drive connected a man with
a mountain-sized vision to 10,000
acres of pristine forest, lakes and
mountains. A match some believe
was made in Heaven.”
Gate. More parcels along Steve Tate Highway, including
the area now known as the Deer Run subdivision on the
east side, were sold. All told about 2,000 acres of the
original Big Canoe parcel were lost due to bank sales.
Threatened by lawsuits and a lot of negative publicity,
the banks agreed to sell development rights to Bill Byrne
in 1987.
this land,” recalls Rice, looking toward the forested hills
from the porch of his Waterford home.
“An acquaintance called Tom in the late 1960s and
mentioned a good sized spread of beautiful mountain
land for sale. Tom wasn’t looking for land but he got
curious and drove up from Atlanta to take a look.”
That drive connected a man with a mountain-sized
vision to 10,000 acres of pristine forest, lakes and
mountains. A match some believe was made in heaven.
“Tom thought the land—he called it the Sconti
property—was magnificent, so amazing he was hesitant
to develop it.” Rice nods, a slow smile spreads across his
face. “He didn’t want to damage its God-given natural
beauty.
“Whenever Tom talked about his new Sconti
property,” said Rice, “he would first look up toward the
sky and then say ‘Lord, please don’t let us mess this up’.”
Lake Sconti was crystal clear in those days, “like
the travelogue photos we see today of the Caribbean.
You could see all the way to the bottom. The kids were
fascinated just watching the fish swim about.”
Cousins slowly began to develop the land, starting on
Petit Ridge with very large acreage lots to save the trees.
“He told us,” Rice recalled, “he didn’t want this gorgeous
land to end up looking like Buckhead.”
Management issues test developer
The Big Canoe ship righted and enjoyed growth
and relatively smooth sailing until 2005 when property
management issues created the need for a second major
change. Until that time the POA board was weighted
heavily in favor of the developer. The POA board and
developer, after weeks of talks and negotiations, agreed
to a new board structure: the 50+1 rule was eliminated
and the developer retained just one voting seat on the
board.
Big Canoe’s property owners were now able to vote
for candidates to fill six board seats with one more seat
reserved for the developer’s representative. Big Canoe
property owners came through another major change,
stronger and with more control over their community.
“The 4,750-unit build out rule was instituted to
control growth. This was our first step toward property
owner independence,” said Rice. But the developer still
controlled the rate of growth, type of development and
land usage he owned.
Hard times test property owners
From 1974 to 1977, the real estate industry
experienced its worst period since the Great Depression.
Cousins was hit harder than many other developers.
Many property owners defaulted on loans to purchase
property in Big Canoe. The banks got involved, pushing
Cousins out and ending his dream of preserving his
10,000-acre mountain retreat.
The worst kind of change threatened the future of Big
Canoe. The banks took over Cousins’ holdings and then
hired a manager to handle operations.
“The manager didn’t have the interests of the
property owners at heart,” Rice explained. “Most people
thought he was here to save money for the banks and
keep the gates open.”
Parcels of land were sold off by the banks to raise
funds. Rice purchased 330 acres of land now known as
Waterford, along Wilderness Parkway near the North
Another test on the horizon?
Big Canoe, Rice said, has been tested twice and,
thanks to the determination and dedication of its
property owners has managed to stay the course.
He sees the next choice—voting yea or nay to
support buying the developer’s holding—as a third test.
With Big Canoe Company up for sale, there are no
assurances about how a new developer might view
Big Canoe, he said. After spending so much money to
acquire all the land, it’s likely a new developer would
want to focus on high density development to cut
building/infrastructure costs and gain the most profit
from the land.
“The POA board’s plan to purchase Big Canoe
Company’s holdings is a win, win, win for everybody,
said Rice. “We—the property owners—will finally have
our independence.
“Since 1972 Big Canoe has been under construction.
It’s time to take control of our future, to ensure
the character of Big Canoe is preserved for future
generations—and continue to thrive, surrounded by the
natural beauty that blesses this land.”
A view across Lake Sconti shows a parcel of land designated for high density development that is part of the land the POA wants to buy from the developer. PHOTO BY ROBERT SMITH
20 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
FEBRUARY 2016
“Marshalls, Ross Dress for Less, Famous Footwear,
Casablanca Nails, Hobby Lobby and Petco have all
committed to the shopping center.”
New stores announced
for Dawson Marketplace
BY MEGAN JACQUES | [email protected]
Hendon Properties and Blanchard Real Estate’s Dawson Marketplace that is to hold
one of the largest Kroger’s in the nation at 123,000 square feet has recently announced
several new stores to join their 100-acre site.
Marshalls, Ross Dress for Less, Famous Footwear, Casablanca Nails, Hobby Lobby
and Petco have all committed to the shopping center.
President of Hendon Properties, Charlie Hendon, said, “Our Dawson Marketplace
project will bring excellent day to day needed retail and service items to the residents
of Dawsonville and the surrounding area. In addition, the project will contain many
restaurants new to the community.”
Dawson Marketplace will be located at the Southwest corner of Dawson Forest
Road and GA-400 adjacent from the North Georgia Premium Outlets. It is set to open
Fall of 2016.
The site plan for Dawson Marketplace.
ISO rating leads
to possible
lower insurance
premiums for
Dawson residents
“ ‘As luck would have it,’ according to Johnson, ‘the Commonwealth
leadership met in Malta the same weekend as my recital.’ “
Organist Cal Johnson and
Big Canoe neighbors meet British Royals
BY LAURA LINK | [email protected]
Dr. Calvert (Cal) Johnson, an organist of note, who took
along neighbors in Big Canoe to a program he performed
on Malta at the Mdina Biennale, Nov. 13, 2015 through Jan.
6, 2016, had a surprise meeting of British royals.
The concert was sponsored by CARAVAN, a non-profit
organization that develops initiatives using the arts as a
catalyst to bring people of diverse backgrounds and beliefs
closer together toward building sustainable peace, and
was in conjunction with the Mdina Biennale. CARAVAN
exhibitions of art are held in either sacred or public places
rather than traditional art galleries or museums. Malta
was the first site where an organ concert was featured and
Johnson was selected to play in St. Paul’s Roman Catholic
Cathedral of Mdina.
“As luck would have it,” according to Johnson, “the
Commonwealth leadership met in Malta the same
weekend as my recital. Queen Elizabeth II of England,
Prince Phillip, Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess
of Cornwall, and the Prime Ministers of over 50
Commonwealth countries were all on the island at the
time of the recital. Security could not have been tighter
anywhere on the planet as a result.”
While the royals’ busy schedules did not permit them
to attend the recital, Prince Charles and Camilla did tour
St. Paul’s Cathedral, delaying Johnson’s organ rehearsal
time. However, as they toured the cathedral and looked
at the brightly painted Maltese donkey in the exhibit, they
had time to meet Johnson, the Rev. Paul-Gordon Chandler,
Anglican Church founder and director of CARAVAN, and
the group of travelers from Big Canoe, Kenneth Dutter,
Louise Bill, Sonja Reynolds and Johnson.
Using the 1998 Copeman Hart organ, Johnson’s recital
featured Middle Eastern organ music as well as early
Spanish works demonstrating lingering influences of
Arab music, and a hopeful American work about the Civil
Rights struggle. Johnson is well known for championing
music by composers from under-represented groups,
whether women, blacks, Hispanics, Asians or peripheral
European nations such as Spain, Italy and England.
According to Johnson, the invitation to perform a recital of
works from the Middle East was a new challenge for him.
Johnson is the Charles A. Dana Professor Emeritus of
Music and college organist emeritus, Agnes Scott College,
Decatur, Ga. He is currently organist, First Presbyterian
Church, Marietta, Ga.
Ronald Reemsnyder
A
T
T
O
R
N
E
Y
BY MEGAN JACQUES
[email protected]
The Insurance Service Office (ISO)
concluded that Dawson County deserved
a lower insurance classification, which
could allow some residents to have lower
insurance premiums.
As of 2015, Dawson has a 3/10
classification. Whereas in 2010, Dawson
had a 5/10. The Big Canoe ISO rating that
will affect Dawson County residents in
Big Canoe has not been received as of
this printing. Fire Chief Ricky Jordan is
expecting to obtain a lower rating.
The Insurance Service Office (ISO)
is an independent company and leading
source of information concerning
property/casualty insurance on
community’s fire suppression capabilities.
A Public Protection Classification rating
from 1 to 10 is assigned to a community
after a scheduled inspection. Class 1
generally represents superior property
fire protection, and Class 10 indicates that
the area’s fire suppression program does
not meet I.S.O’s minimum criteria.
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I have been selected by my peers as a
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as the Judge for the City of Dawsonville.
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make great hiding places
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Roger Putnam • [email protected]
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
21 A
Building on a great reputation
J
Hynes Custom Homes introduces Serenity Renovations
erry Hynes of Hynes Custom Homes and son
Mike McEachern are well known in the area
for building distinctive custom homes and
providing solid home improvement services.
New name - same great service.
Their business has grown to the point where
it is now most efficient to establish two separate
companies to better serve their clients. The newly
named Serenity Renovations division will be
headed by Mike and continue to provide complete
remodeling and renovation services. Jerry will
continue to operate Hynes Custom Homes and
oversee all new home construction.
They both are dedicated to
building on the great reputation
the family has established in the
North Georgia area.
From left: Bobbie, Jerry and Mike
AFTER
HYNES
CUSTOM HOMES
65 homes built and counting
J
In-house design and plan review
Site evaluation • Interior design
erry Hynes has built homes in many resort communities
such as Big Canoe, Bent Tree, Lake Arrowhead and
surrounding areas. After more than ten years and 65
custom homes, his reputation for quality work and fair
dealings is well established. Rare among building contractors,
most of Jerry’s friends are former clients. Many of his new
customers are referrals from these former clients.
So, if you are considering building in the North Georgia
area, give Jerry a call for a free consultation.
BEFORE
SERENITY
RENOVATIONS
Experienced • Qualified • Creative
A
1999 graduate of Auburn, Mike McEachern began
his career in building, remodeling and property
management in 2000. Over the years, Mike has gained
a wealth of experience in both renovation services and home
building. In the past five years, he has taken over the home
renovation side of his father’s custom home building business.
In that time he has completed more than 100 home renovation
projects – many of them complete remodels.
From kitchens and baths to finished basements and garage
additions, Mike has established a reputation for quality work
and creative solutions on major projects. Contact him today
and talk about your home improvement project.
AFTER
BEFORE
Over 40 Years Experience! • JERRY HYNES, Big Canoe Resident
Jerry Hynes cell 404-372-8187 • www.HynesInThePines.com
• Certified Green Builder • Certified Graduate Builder
• Certified Professional Builder • Licensed by State of Georgia
National Association of Homebuilders • Greater Atlanta Homebuilders
MIKE McEACHERN
Custom Homes • Renovations • Restorations
11097 Big Canoe, GA 30143 • 404-216-2544
www.serenityrenovations.com
22 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
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N E W S
FEBRUARY 2016
In Memoriam
Betty Irick Laughlin
Former Smoke Signals columnist Betty
Irick Laughlin, age 88, passed away January
20 in Decatur, Ga. For several years she
wrote a column entitled “Outside the
Gates,” giving places to go and see in the
surrounding area.
Laughlin was born in Warsaw, Ind., and
also lived in Crawfordsville and Bedford,
Ind. Growing up she loved camping, Girl
Scouting, and sports – Hail Purdue! She
attended Furman University and graduated
with a degree in political science where
she was involved with the Theatre Guild,
Alpha Psi Omega, and was elected a
member of Senior Order at Furman., She
stayed active in alumni events for over 50
years.
After graduationLaughlin was hired by
the Houston/Harris County Girl Scouts
in Houston, Tex., where she started out
managing several Girls Scout camps in
East Texas. She had the opportunity to
chaperone a Houston Texas Girls Scout
troop on a summer trip to Europe in
1952, visiting the International Girl Scout
Headquarters in Switzerland, Our Chalet,
as well as visiting Girls Guides in France,
England, and Belgium. On this trip she
spent the Fourth of July at the American
Embassy in Paris and met Helen Keller.
It was while living in Houston that she
met her future husband, J Heath Laughlin.
Several years later, the Laughlins relocated
to Atlanta. She continued working with the
Girl Scouts in Atlanta as a volunteer and
board member, as well as being a troop
leader and also summer camp director for
Camp Concharty in Pine Mountain, Ga. for
four summers.
Betty Laughlin
Laughlin was very involved with her
church at North Avenue Presbyterian in
Atlanta; running one of the nurseries for
several years. She also worked with Bible
School and Downtown Atlanta senior
services. After retiring, Betty and Heath
moved to Big Canoe where they became
involved with the Big Canoe Chapel and
the Big Canoe/North Georgia Friendship
Force.
Charlie Venable
In a short span of days, Big Canoe Golf
suffered the loss of three of its finest; the
last one being Charles Venable on Dec. 21,
2015.
Tony Tebbutt of Big Canoe’s Golf Assn.
lamented, “I am saddened to say that after
a lengthy and brave fight, the “Big C” took
the life of Charlie Venable. I did not know
Charlie well but I recalled that he would
tee it up with the Gambeski group so I
sought out a few of his playing partners for
their recollections of the man.
“Charlie will be remembered as a Texan
with a dry sense of humor and a man
of determination. He had a competitive
spirit, positive attitude and love for life
all of which helped pull him through his
most difficult times. He never complained
and accepted things as they were. An
exception might be the occasional errant
drive into the woods! Charlie will be
missed.”
Charles Edward Venable was born in
Monroe, La. His father was in the Air Force
and was stationed various locations during
Venable’s youth.
He attended Texas University before
entering the Army, serving as a medic
and stationed at Fort Sam Houston in San
Antonio, Tex. It was there he met and
married his wife Sarah Fowler and they had
three sons, Brian, Benjamin and Matthew.
Upon discharge from the military, he
resumed college and was hired by Wm.
Wrigley Jr. Co. in 1970. Venable had an
illustrious 35-year career with the Wrigley
Co. that began in Texas before moving his
family to Georgia in 1993. Venable was one of those unique
individuals that balanced being a great
leader with being a great friend. He was
always a gentleman filled with compassion
for others that showed in his respect for
Charlie Venable
his peers and his employees. His sense of humor, wit and calm
unselfish demeanor not only drove his
success, but the success of those around
him.
The Venables moved to Big Canoe
with his retirement shortly thereafter. He
enjoyed golf, fishing, playing his guitar
and banjo and spending time with his five
grandchildren. He loved the Virgin Islands
and the Florida Keys and was happy to
spend his winters in the Keys. He will be
dearly missed by his wife of 50 years and
his many friends and family. A memorial
service will be announced later.
12th annual Mardi Gras in the Mountains set for Feb. 6
BY LAURA LINK
[email protected]
The 12th annual Mardi Gras in the Mountains will be
held Saturday, Feb. 6 at the Chattahoochee Technical
College in Jasper to benefit Georgia Mountains Hospice.
The dinner, catered by Coast to Coast, and fun begins at
6:30 p.m.
This year the Dawson County nominees for King and
Queen are Big Canoe residents Bill Saling and Katharine
Armentrout and they need your votes. Every dollar
donated in their names equals one vote. Last year the kings
and queens from Cherokee, Pickens, Gilmer and Dawson
counties raised $40,000; $60,000 all total was contributed
to the fundraiser.
You do not have to live in Dawson County to
vote for Big Canoe’s king and queen nominees. Visit
the “Mardi Gras In The Mountains” website www.
mardigrasinthemountains.org to vote.
Georgia Mountains Hospice is a non-profit 501c (3)
organization and all donations are tax deductible. Checks
may be mailed to Georgia Mountains Hospice, 70 Caring
Way, Jasper, Ga. 30143. Write Katharine or Bill in the
memo line of the check.
Serving 10 counties in North Georgia, Georgia
Mountains Hospice has no inpatient facility. Money raised
Honoring
the Greatness
of Jesus Christ!
JOIN US ...
Sunday Mornings
9:00-10:00
• Early Worship Service
(nursery only)
10:10-10:50 • Adult Bible Class
• Children’s/Student
Sunday School
11:00-12:00 • Late Worship Service
(Children’s Church)
Wednesday Nights
6:00-7:00
7:00-8:00
• Fellowship Supper
• Activities for All Ages
CHURCH
2685 Steve Tate Highway,
Phone 770-893-2682
www.trinityonthenet.org
with the support of The Rotary Club of Jasper and The
Knights of Columbus is used to supplement Medicare
such as drugs not covered, equipment and even items
like gravel on driveways to allow a hearse to enter the
property.
Another program of the Georgia Mountains Hospice is
called Wishes and Dreams. This program provides wishes
for the terminally ill patients near life’s end. The only
hospice to take children, Gina Pendley, executive director,
arranged for a young Bulldog patient and fan to have seats
on the 50-yard line for the Georgia - Georgia Tech football
game through the Wishes and Dreams program.
PAINTING AND
HANDYMAN SERVICE
WE DO IT ALL
PAINTING • STAINING • REPAIRS
INTERIORS • EXTERIORS
• Carpentry • Painting
• Staining • Pressure Washing
• Plumbing • Electrical
• Fencing • Ceiling Fans
• Flooring • Lawn Care
• Roofing • Glass Repair
• Strip & Seal Decks
• Haul Off Junk
• Storm Damage
• Clean Out Garage and
Out Buildings
• Honey Dos • Gutters
• Tile + much more!
HIGH QUALITY &
AFFORDABLE
REFERENCES
AVAILABLE
Call 770-500-5859
Serving Big Canoe & Bent Tree
for the past 10 years
Locally Owned and Operated
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
23 A
Letters To The Editor
Congrats on Sconti
Point Property
years. Various property owner groups and
POA Boards have attempted to remove
this vulnerability, always to no avail. The
significance of this threat has allowed the
developer to maintain an upper hand in
numerous important negotiations. The
concerns over this reality have negatively
impacted our property values.
The announcement that our POA
Board has at long last been successful in
negotiating the purchase of essentially all
the undeveloped land on the west side of
Steve Tate Highway and north of Cove
Road is finally bringing this long standing
undesirable situation to an end. The
board and staff members who have been
instrumental in these latest discussions
and negotiations are to be commended for
having inked a purchase contract that will
be presented to the property owners for
a vote of approval. What a momentous
accomplishment!
In simplest terms this land purchase
will most assuredly have a significant
positive impact on our property values,
just because of the removal of the threat
of future undesirable development in
our community. The value of property
owner real estate in Big Canoe is in the
area of $1 billion. We are paying $9.4
million for approximately 730 acres, which
is just shy of one percent of the value
of our collective real estate holdings. My surmise is that our property values,
individually and collectively, will increase
well in excess of one percent as a result
of this purchase, thereby yielding us
significant returns on the investment we
are making by purchasing this land.
My hope is that property owners will
recognize the financial benefits of this
transaction to our community, let alone
the significant aesthetic benefits, and will
vote YES in support of this purchase.
TO THE EDITOR:
May we use this space to publicly
congratulate the POA Board of Directors
and General Manager John Thompson
for the successful negotiations to acquire
the Sconti Point property as well as other
key parcels included in the purchase
agreement. We’ll probably need time to
work our way through disposition of some
of the properties, but the protection of the
iconic drive along Wilderness Parkway
as well as the acreages in the village core,
at the roundabout and the North Gate, is
further reason to applaud their efforts. It’s
what we’ve wanted and more!
Nona & Bennett Whipple
589 Columbine Drive
Be wildlife conscious at
Blackwell Springs Lake
TO THE EDITOR:
Blackwell Springs Lake is a beautiful
and peaceful place to observe many types
of birds. Not so today!
My husband discovered a large crow
tangled in fishing line very close to the
walking trail. The bird was upside down
with a broken and bleeding wing and had
obviously struggled for some time to free
itself.
Imagine taking a nature walk with your
grandchild and finding this!
While I cut him loose my husband was
looking up wildlife facilities that would
come to our aid on a Sunday. We did find
Cherokee Emergency Veterinary Clinic in
Woodstock and rushed it there.
Sadly, the bird had to be euthanized.....
I know this has been mentioned before,
but please if you fish in this lake or any
other, be very aware of leaving fishing line
and lures behind.
Our wildlife deserves better than this!
Colleen Murphy
Sincerely, Lee Arthurs
153 Swallow Point Let’s stop with the
fear mongering
Please Vote YES
on Land Purchase
TO THE EDITOR:
Regarding the Syrian war refugee
resettlement debate and the “We should
not let them in” argument in December
Smoke Signals, the author stated the 9/11
terrorist attacks “probably would not
have occurred” if a policy limiting people
from entering the U.S. from countries that
support terrorism was in place at the time.
TO THE EDITOR:
All Big Canoe Property Owners –
Concerns that our Big Canoe developer
could entertain building undesirable high
density housing in strategic locations
within our community go back many
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Yet none of the attackers were from
countries that support terrorism. As to
the author’s relatives stating “they did not
feel safe walking the streets” of Sweden
because of the influx of immigrants, I am
happy to report that November’s “Business
Insider” ranked Sweden 5th in their list of
the world’s top 26 happiest, most crimefree countries.
Here in Georgia, statistically, you and
I are 30 times more likely to be killed by a
white, Christian American man or woman
than by a mad Islamic jihadist. White
Christian Americans pose much more of
a threat to our safety than our Muslim
brothers and sisters, so let’s stop with the
fear mongering.
Robert Barr
1691 Ridgeview Dr
Big Canoe
Bear Squatters
in Big Canoe
TO THE EDITOR:
Let us not forget that we, white human
beings, are the real squatters.
Carl Proehl
265 Huckleberry Trail
Smoke Signals policies
for letters to the editor
Smoke Signals welcomes letters written
to the editor. Letters should address issues
and ideas, not personalities, and must
include the writer’s name, address and
phone number for submission verification.
Smoke Signals reserves the right to
accept or reject submissions and edit
grammar and spelling. Personal attacks
and obscenity are prohibited, and writers
can be asked for necessary revisions.
Letters about political candidates will not
be accepted after qualification ends.
Maximum length is 450 words, and
letters should be single-spaced with
indented paragraphs. To make room for
more opinions, writers can submit letters
as often as every other month. Letters
may be deposited in the Smoke Signals box
at the Big Canoe Postal Facility or emailed
to [email protected] as body text
or a Word attachment. The deadline is the
12th day each month.
Proposal
motivated by Tatum
Property pulled
from Planning
Commission
Meeting
BY RAY BOWYER
Many readers may remember
that, in response to objections by Big
Canoe residents and others to the
proposal for a special use permit for
the Tatum property near Big Canoe,
the idea was floated to have a permit
process for large group gatherings in
Pickens County.
The permit would have provisions
for control of noise and traffic. A
detailed draft ordinance for this
purpose was on the agenda for the
planning commission meeting on
January 11.
Just before the meeting began,
County Commission Chairperson Rob
Jones addressed everyone attending
the meeting. He said item B on the
board’s agenda, “Revision to Land Use
Intensity Ordinance—Special Events
Permits” would be pulled.
He said the county planning staff
had done a nice job of creating a
proposal for review, but the board of
commissioners had decided that such
an ordinance would not be adopted,
so there was no need for the item to
be on the agenda.
In other business
A property in the western part of
the county was rezoned from highway
business to rural residential, at the
request of the owner. He explained
that a florist business had been
conducted on the property, but that
business was no longer in operation
and there was no expectation of any
business being conducted there in the
future.
Richard Osborne, director of
planning and development, proposed
adoption of a land use map for the
county. It records, in map form, the
zoning of each property in the county.
Osborne pointed out that 90 percent
of the county is zoned for agriculture,
rural residential, or planned
community. The other 10 percent of
the county is zoned for 11 other uses,
which he didn’t enumerate. The
commission adopted the map.
Know
your
neighbor?
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88 North Gate Station Dr., Marble Hill, GA 30148 • 770-893-2300
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24 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
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N E W S
FEBRUARY 2016
Books
Perfect
wintertime reading
BY PHIL SPARLING
E
xplorers were still heroes in the
first decade of the 20th Century
when Robert Scott of England
and Roald Amundsen of Norway
raced to be the first to conquer the
Antarctic and reach the South Pole.
Roland Huntford’s tale of polar
exploration, “The Last Place on Earth,” is
historical nonfiction at its best. His dual
biography —originally published in 1979
as “Scott and Amundson,”— chronicles
their race to the Pole.
The author is in the same league
as Laura
Hillenbrand, Erik
n
Larson and David
McCullough.
BOOK
Huntford
REVIEW
transports us
back to the late
‘The Last Place on
19th and early 20th
Earth’ By Roland
centuries. He
Huntford
describes how the
Modern Library
development and
Paperback
mindset of Scott
and Amundson
were shaped by
the times and customs of their respective
homelands.
Huntford was, first and foremost,
a historian. He sought truth based
on evidence. If his work tarnished
reputations, so be it. The book caused a
furor in England where Captain Scott was
a national hero. When Huntford revealed
the captain’s vulnerabilities, his admirers
were outraged.
In 1985, Masterpiece Theater released a
highly praised mini-series TV adaptation
Let it
snow.
Let it
snow.
Let it
snow.
titled the “Last Place on Earth.”
In 1999 the book was updated,
reprinted, and retitled as per the screen
adaptation. At nearly 600 pages, it’s both
a careful examination and compelling
drama of two legendary explorers.
I first read the book some 20 years ago,
and rereading it has affirmed its place on
my all-time top-10 list of nonfiction.
This classic tale is perfect wintertime
reading. Enjoy while sitting in front of the
fire, sipping a hot beverage. If the power
goes out, I predict you’ll light a candle,
put on a heavy sweater —and keep on
reading.
A cozy fire, a
good book and
a hot beverage.
Is there a better
way to spend
the notoriously
cold and damp
month of
February? PHOTO
BY MARTY REYNOLDS
H
Norwegian explorer Roald Engelbregt
Gravning Amundsen.
British explorer Captain Robert Falcon
Scott October 1911.
New Fiction
ere are a few of the latest works
on the fiction market. Most of
the titles mentioned are available
through either the Dawson or the
Pickens County Library.
House of the Rising Sun by
James Lee Burke: Hackberry
Holland is not Dave Robecheaux,
but he is cut from the same
damaged lawman cloth as the star of Burke’s
long-running series about a rogue New
Orleans cop, cum sheriff’s detective in
New Iberia, Louisiana. Hackberry Holland
is a former Texas Ranger. His battles with
vicious criminals in a stark and unforgiving
environment provide Burke with plenty of
opportunities to display his fine descriptive
talents. Burke approaches violence and
beauty with equal ease and extraordinarily
vivid and readable language.
It is not easy to find funny
novels, but when we do they
are a refreshing relief from the
prevailing blood and terror of so
many crime stories. Tom Wolfe says author
Christopher Buckley is one of the funniest
writers in the English language. In his new
novel, The Relic Master, Buckley turns
to the distant past. Who knew there was
anything funny about the early 1500s? But in
their publishers’ announcement, Simon &
Schuster assures readers the novel is “Filled
with fascinating details about art, religion,
politics and science; Vatican intrigue; and
Buckley’s signature wit.” Buckley does write
funny stuff. Naming your lead character
Dismas is a good start. How many good
thieves can there be?
Detective Alex Morrow discovers
that the darkest secrets never
stay buried as she investigates
the criminal underbelly of a
seemingly tranquil seaside town. Denise
Mina’s Blood, Salt, Water from Little
Brown and Company is the fifth book in the
Alex Morrow series.
“It’s a secret almost too shocking
for a sane mind to grasp.” My
goodness! What can one expect
from a novel about a tough,
unloved, Florida prosecutor working on a
cold case with a retired cop who worked
on the original case? A construction project
reveals two skeletons in a common grave
and the mystery must be unearthed. But
is all as it seems? Prosecutor Claire Talbot
is determined to find out. Minotaur Books
assures us Douglas Schofield’s Time of
Departure is full of spellbinding twists, and
will appeal to thriller aficionados, and to
readers who appreciate a strong female lead
and a compelling love story.
How many pen names does
an author need? At one time
Jayne Ann Krentz used seven
to produce best sellers. She has
dropped back, but still uses Amanda Quick
and Jayne Castle. Krentz is a super star of
the romance with a dose of the paranormal
genre. Her latest is Secret Sisters. Berkley
Books says, “They knew his name, the man
who tried to brutally attack 12-year-old
Madeline in her grandmother’s hotel. They
thought they knew his fate. He wouldn’t be
bothering them anymore...ever.” Were they
right?
Stuart Woods just keeps on
producing Stone Barrington
mysteries. His newest is
Scandalous Behavior. A man
with tireless aplomb visits the
English countryside for a relaxing visit. He
arrives in his new personal jet. A beautiful
woman in a new Aston Martin greets him
and escorts him to a magnificent gated
estate. Sounds wonderful, but the contrary
local gentry and a relentless adversary make
it something else entirely. Stone Barrington
is the man to take care of the problems
headed his way —or those he uncovers.
Public libraries are still important
BY KEN REYNOLDS
F
alse rumors, purporting to be
obvious truths, are circulating
about public libraries. Essentially,
the rumors say: We no longer need
libraries. People can get all the information
they want on the Internet.
Some people can do that. Most people
cannot. Many do not have Internet access.
Others do not have computer skills, or are
limited to forwarding emails and/or surfing
websites which expose their computers to
damaging malware.
The truth is: the public does still use
libraries, and libraries continue to provide
valuable services to their communities.
I go often to the county libraries in
both Pickens and Dawson. They are
busy places, but I am not an expert, and
personal observations are easily distorted
by personal viewpoints. I admit that my
history inclines me to see libraries in a
favorable light.
To help me better understand the
disparity between personal observation
and rumors, I turned to an expert, Susan
White, former director of the Sequoyah
Regional Library System who retired after
42 years of service. She enthusiastically
agreed to help.
According to White, the Pickens Library
is, in fact, a busy place. Approximately
30,000 people live in the county and they
made almost 70,000 visits to the library
during the most recent fiscal year. They
checked out more than 85,000 items to
read, view or listen to at home.
The checked out items include “books,
DVDs, audio and eBooks. People come to
the library to get items to use at home,
even if they have Internet access,” Susan
said. People still read physical books,
and they go to the library to get them.
Sometimes, the book they want is not
available locally, but most are available
through the interlibrary loan system.
Reading physical books may have
declined, but reading and book production
has not. Last year more than 300,000
titles were published. Several companies,
agencies and universities are working to
get every published book and newspaper
into digital form, but the task is far from
complete. Even with Internet access, there
is still a need for libraries.
The false rumors have done damage.
Many people, including lawmakers and
administrators have come to believe
them. In my conversations with White she
pointed to a common complaint among
library users. “Too often library users learn
the library simply does not have the book
or material they seek. There are many
possible reasons, but a growing concern
is that the library does not have enough
money to purchase needed books and
materials.”
Georgia’s public libraries rely on
a combination of funding sources. In
addition to state and local funds they count
on donations, grants and gifts. “A library
must continue to add new books and
materials if it is to fulfill its mission,” she
said.
White emphasized, “Our local
governments have been supportive of the
Pickens Library, especially for staffing and
operating expenses, but state support has
been shrinking for years. State funding for
books and materials reached zero when the
current fiscal year budget was announced.”
To purchase books and materials, local
libraries have relied primarily on state
funds allocated on a per capita basis. “The
majority of Pickens’ materials budget has
come from the state. We have historically
benefitted from public generosity, but it is
more important now than ever before,” she
added.
I asked if she could be more specific
about public generosity. “In addition to a
small local and a matching state grant, two
Pickens County families give wonderful
donations each year. There are a few
businesses that contribute. We also have a
very active group called The Friends of the
Pickens Library. They work tirelessly to
raise funds for the library.”
After my conversations with Susan
White, I felt optimistic and pessimistic.
She confirmed my observations. Our local
library is busy and is making positive
contributions to the community. Local
government is assisting the library within
its means.
My pessimism comes from the
widespread misunderstanding of the
importance of public libraries. I have
resolved to do all I can to change that
misunderstanding. I hope you will join me.
Public libraries are wonderful facilities for
anyone with enough initiative to broaden
and improve their education and their joy
of living.
•••
When Susan White retired as Director of
the Sequoyah Regional Library System, she
Susan White
had worked in libraries more than 42 years.
She says teaching mathematics had been
her early career goal, but after three years
decided it was not “her thing.”
Susan became the Bookmobile Librarian.
She worked and earned her Master’s in
library science. She managed the Pickens
County Library for nine years before her
promotion to Assistant Regional Director.
She served as Regional Director for the last
six and one-years of her career.
Since she retired, Susan has continued
to support our public library system as a
volunteer and as a member of the Friends
of the Pickens County Library.
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
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N E W S
25 A
Books
Adopt a library shelf
Journey through a civil war
A library bookshelf
to call your own
BY KEN REYNOLDS
I
think it is because I write about
books people talk to me about
what they are reading. In those
conversations, countless people
have said they like the idea of working
around books. Some have said they
would like to work part-time in a small
book store. Others said at one time in
their lives, they thought about being a
librarian.
Although there are signs that
independent bookstores are returning
to the American commercial scene,
at the present time finding work as
a harness-maker may be easier than
finding work as a bookseller.
Working in a library though,
is a different matter. There are
opportunities available at the Dawson
County Library. In truth, I am not
referring to an opportunity for
employment, but to be a volunteer.
Every library lover knows funding
for public libraries declined in the
aftermath of 2008. But too many
people do not know there is still a
robust demand for library services.
Consequently the paid staffs are
stretched thin, and some work gets
delayed.
As a Smoke Signals reporter I
talked with the manager of the library
in Dawsonville, Stacey Leonhardt
about the library’s need for help. She
explained the Dawson County Library
volunteer program.
Ken Reynolds: Do you have specific
work hours for volunteers?
Stacey Leonhardt: No, the hours are
flexible. We can arrange hours to match
individual interests and availability.
KR: Do volunteers need to be
educated as librarians?
SL: That would be nice, but it
isn’t necessary to have a specific
background. Literate book lovers are
welcome. We can train volunteers to do
several tasks.
KR: What kind of work do you need
help doing?
SL: Our greatest need at present
is keeping the bookshelves properly
arranged. Books get out of place for all
kinds of reasons. When books are not
where they should be on the shelves,
patrons get frustrated. We don’t want
that, because the library is service to the
community. So we set up our Adopt-AShelf program.
KR: Do you mean I can have an
entire shelf of library books to call my
own?
SL: Well, the books still belong to the
library, but as a volunteer you choose a
section or sections of interests to you.
When you have an extra hour to spare,
come in and organize your shelves. The
shelves/sections you adopt and care for
will be named after you or your family.
KR: You said an hour to spare. Can I
really set my own schedule?
SL: We want volunteers to commit
to work at least one hour each month.
The work has to be done during library
hours, but the day and time is up to
each volunteer.
KR: Will you teach me how to do the
job?
SL: Frequent library users probably
already know how, but we have a
training program that takes about 30
minutes.
KR: What are some of the other tasks
volunteers can work on?
SL: We need help with adults and
with senior citizens. We have a bookdelivery program for homebound
patrons. Our genealogy resources
are really popular. There is always
office work, and our ongoing book sale
requires time.
KR: Do you have children who
volunteer?
SL: Families can work together,
but we want children under 12 to have
supervision.
Readers who have not been to the
Dawson County Library are in for a
treat. I make it a point to visit libraries
when I travel. The one in Dawsonville
is a happy, active and welcoming place.
The library is busy, and the staff is
friendly and helpful.
To acquire your own library shelf,
or to help in any of the areas mentioned
above, contact the Dawson County
Library, 342 Allen Street, Dawsonville,
GA 30534; telephone 706 344 3690 or
email [email protected].
BY ANN PIKE
T
here are few nonfiction
accounts of a civil war as
captivating in intensity and
profound in their message
as Tracy Kidder’s “Strength in What
Remains.” It is the history of Burundi
and Rwanda, a region in Africa most
Americans have little knowledge of and
probably could not locate on a map.
It is the true story of a man, Deo,
who fled the genocidal war between the
Hutus and Tutsis, his flight to the United
States, being homeless on the streets of
New York and ultimately returning to
his homeland to build a hospital after
completing his medical training. He
navigates through violence to heal the
wounds the war created. This is one
of the most transcendent stories of
redemption I have read in years, and it is
a story of courage I will not soon forget.
While the genocide that occurred
in these
countries is
unfathomable,
n
the details in
BOOK
this book are
REVIEW
nightmarish.
It is difficult
‘Strength in
to imagine the
What Remains’
inhumanity
By Tracy Kidder
here. However,
Random House
the book’s
inspiring and
thought provoking passages are what I
will take away. It is also a story about
limitless capacities for healing and
moving past trauma.
Kidder’s work made me think about
periods of history that were brutal and
heroic in equal measure. War brings
out the best and worst in humans, and
prejudice can manifest into violence if
left unchallenged.
The book is also a history lesson about
two groups, the Hutus and Tutsis, whose
hatred of each other grew out of a desire
for political power. Tutsis were the
minority group, at 14 percent of Burundi
and Rwanda, while the Hutus were the
majority at 85 percent. There is very
little difference historically, linguistically
and culturally between the two groups.
German, and later Belgian colonizers,
during the late nineteenth century,
accentuated power struggles and racial
differences between the two groups.
Tracy Kidder has authored many other
books. He has won the Pulitzer Prize and
the National Book Award for his nonfiction work. PHOTO BY TAYLOR KEEGAN, WIKIPEDIA
CREATIVE COMMONS
The myth of racial differences and
prejudice, that Tutsis were Caucasian and
Hutus were black, enabled Europeans to
put Tutsis into a princely class governing
Hutus. Although Tutsis and Hutus both
suffered by the differentiation at the
domination of the Europeans, Hutus
suffered the most. Both countries were
dictatorships and both groups fought for
control.
Each side adopted the colonists’
myth of racial differences. Hutus took
power in Rwanda and executed Tutsis
in large numbers. Tutsis took power
in neighboring Burundi and retaliated
against Hutus from 1966 to 1993. Killings
and prejudices perpetuated more killings
and more prejudice. Violence became
widespread and brutal. Each group
suffered and each felt entitled to avenge
losses.
Kidder’s book is filled with insights
about human nature, power, prejudice
and the brutality of war. Some passages
are worth repeating and remembering.
Kidder’s assumption that “those who rule
by fear also rule in fear” seems especially
apropos.
In his search for meaning, Deo
experiences other insights. He is
confused by the behavior of homeless
Americans when he experiences the
violence and brutal living conditions of
an abandoned tenement in New York
City. Through the benevolent gifts
of people he met during his quest, he
acquired better housing and started
classes at Columbia University
He hoped philosophy courses would
answer his questions about cruelty.
When his professor said, “animals are not
rational, only human beings are rational,”
he found this difficult to understand. He
had seen animals feed and nurture their
young and communicate in ways he
didn’t understand. When animals killed,
it was for food. They never tortured
each other, whereas humans did. Human
beings seemed to kill for arbitrary
reasons. He was left with more questions
than answers.
Ultimately he learned people act in
duplicitous ways and this makes life
uncertain. He said, “you can always learn
something good in a hard time, if you
survive it.”
In 2006 Deo returns to his native land
of Burundi, retraces his steps of escape
during the civil war, and understands
more about his country. “Once you bring
a hammer, people will bring a shield, with
another hammer to break your legs,” he
said. During his journey Deo confronts
the irrationality of war, prejudice and
power while retaining his compassion
for suffering. This makes it a story worth
reading and one that you will not forget.
Tracy Kidder is also a Pulitzer Prize
winning author of “Mountains Beyond
Mountains” among many other titles.
A memoir from a 100-year-old novelist
BY KEN REYNOLDS
H
erman Wouk, one of the
most beloved novelist of
the 20th century, has a new
book. Wouk reached his 100th
birthday in May 2015. Last month, Simon
& Schuster released his memoir “Fiddler
and Sailor.”
Twenty-five years ago, Wouk declined
a suggestion that he write a memoir,
because his wife told him, “Dear, you’re
not that interesting a person.”
Wars, and financial and social
tumult during his 100 years have added
unparalleled material for storytelling. The
novelist began his career as a comedy
writer and published his first book in 1941.
In spite of negative critical coverage,
Wouk’s novels stirred the emotions and
loyalties of a generation of readers, movie
100-year-old author Herman Wouk
goers and TV viewers. In 1951 he won the
Pulitzer Prize for “The Caine Mutiny.”
His other titles included “The Winds
of War” “War and Remembrance,” and
“Marjorie Morningstar.” His 24th book,
“The Lawgiver,” came out in 2012.
Wouk is a devout man, who wrote
moral tales that worked the shades
of class and religious distinction. He
revealed the subtle, and not so subtle,
ways the resulting discrimination
impacted and motivated his characters.
David Frum, a senior editor of “The
Atlantic” magazine wrote, “Readers under
40 know Wouk, if they know him at all,
as a name on the spine of a paperback
shoved into a cottage bookshelf at the end
of someone else’s summer vacation—
or perhaps as the supplier of the raw
material for Humphrey Bogart’s epic
performance as Captain Queeg of the
USS Caine. What they don’t know is
that Herman Wouk has a fair claim to
stand among the greatest American war
novelists of them all.”
26 A
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
FEBRUARY 2016
BIG CANOE PROGRAMS & EVENTS
FEBRUARY
PROGRAMS
5
FEBRUARY • SQUIRES & STAGS
Friday, February 5 • 7:45 am • Clubhouse at Lake Sconti • Dr.
Roberto Pereira , Cardiologist. Subject: Heart Health. Coffee
is ready at 7:45 a.m., followed by a buffet breakfast served at 8:00 a.m. Big
Canoe residents are invited to attend the meeting. The price of breakfast is $13
payable on your POA account or cash at the door.
5
FEBRUARY • NEW PROPERTY OWNER
ORIENTATION
Friday, February 5 • Clubhouse at Lake Sconti • 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm • Learn
about life in Big Canoe through an entertaining and informational audio-visual
presentation followed by a Q & A session led by community leaders Enjoy
a complimentary wine and cheese social with new friends and neighbors. •
Make reservations in advance by contacting Leah Thompson at lthompson@
bigcanoepoa.org or 706-268-3346
21
FEBRUARY • KNOWLEDGE SERIES
23
FEBRUARY • COLLEGE FOOTBALL
HALL OF FAME
After a century of performing, show biz elephants are getting a break. The Ringling
Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is ending its elephant acts a year and a half
early, and will retire all of its touring elephants in May. CARTOON BY BOB GLOVER
Sunday, February 21 • $5 per guest, cash or POA Account
Charge • 4:00 pm social hour, 4:30 pm presentation • Clubhouse
at Lake Sconti. • Topic: “Fighting Hate, Teaching Tolerance, Seeking Justice”
presented by Lecia J. Brooks, Outreach Director of the Southern Poverty
Law Center, and the director of the SPLC’s Civil Rights Memorial Center. •
Reservations are required to ensure a place at the program by registering online
at bigcanoepoa.org, sign in with your POA username and password. Go to Big
Canoe POA Calendar and list names of all registrants. Alternatively, one may
e-mail Kim Cooper at [email protected], or register by filling out a
sheet found in the Alpha Box for Knowledge Series at the Big Canoe Post Office.
Attendance is limited to the first 110 reservations. The Knowledge Series offers
compelling presentations by dynamic speakers on literary, artistic, international,
national and regional topics of interest and significance.
Tuesday, February 23 • $40 per guest • The greatest legends
in college football history are forever enshrined in the College Football Hall
of Fame. The Hall of Fame captures the stories and accomplishments of the
players who broke records and won our hearts, cementing their legacies in
a one-of-a-kind experience that pays homage to greats that have played and
coached the game. • Ticket includes transportation and entry fee into the Hall
of Fame • Transportation will be provided from the Wildcat Recreation Area.
The tailgating bus will leave at 9:00 am and will return at approximately 5:00
pm. • Tailgaters will be responsible for their own lunch. • Cash, check or POA
Account charges are accepted. Tickets can be purchased by contacting Kim
Cooper, [email protected] or 706-268-3346.
25
FEBRUARY • BIG CANOE TRAVEL
CLUB Thursday, February 25 • *New Time* 6:00 PM
at The Clubhouse at Lake Sconti – Mountains Grille Room • Topic: Local
Trips—Throughout the Southeast and U.S. • Mike Ziegenbalg, CruiseOne
Dream Vacations, will host the meeting to offer and to solicit suggestions
for one-day and/or week long group trips that will be offered to Big Canoe
residents, their families and friends. • Free membership for all BC owners! •
Mix and Mingle and Share with Other Travelers • Complimentary wine, beer
and non-alcoholic beverages. • Door Prize Drawings
27
FEBRUARY • CANOE CUBS
STARGAZING PROGRAM
Saturday, February 27 • Canoe Lodge • 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm •
FREE, donations appreciated • Everyone invited! The Atlanta Astronomy Club
will provide a fun, educational evening for our Canoe Cubs. Scopes will also be
available to view the Moon, planets, and other objects that may be visible at the
time. Families are asked to bring one main entrée, side dish, or dessert. Canoe
Cubs will provide drinks, paper goods, etc. Due to the nature of this event,
families must RSVP to Lindsey Kenner at [email protected] by Wednesday,
February 24. Want to know more about children’s activities? Check out Canoe
Cubs online at canoecubs.com.
UPCOMING MARCH PROGRAMS
18
MARCH • RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE
Friday, March 18 • 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM at Big Canoe Chapel,
McCormick Hall Downstairs. By appointment only. Please
contact Joyce Chura at 706-268-3838.
26
MARCH • EASTER EGG HUNT
Friday, March 26 • 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM • Wildcat
Recreation Area • More Details to Follow
Watch for E-blasts and look for
posters in the Big Canoe postal
facility for information on
POA programs events.
For more information visit
insidethegates.org.
www.insidethegates.org
What’s wrong with
a handwritten will?
Big Canoe
Law School
GEORGE FOX
O
ne morning, farmer Cecil George
Jones told his wife that he was
going to work with his tractor on
some land away from their house,
and he’d be home by 10 p.m. When he wasn’t,
she went looking for him.
It was raining when she found him lying
on the ground. He was still alive, but unable
to move because his entire left leg – from his
ankle to his hip -- was pinned under the tractor’s left wheel. The tractor only had metal
wheels, no tires. On each wheel were fourinch v-shaped metal lugs.
She rushed to get help, and with the others, was able to jack up the tractor. Her husband was still breathing, so they were able
to lift him into a car. Ironically, the rain had
turned the road into a muddy path, and so
the friends had to use the tractor to tow the
car out of the mud and up to the main, gravel
road.
In the hospital, the farmer was conscious
enough to say he had been pinned for 10
hours. Unfortunately, he died the next day.
He never mentioned the will he had made.
Later that day, some friends went to the
accident site and to look over the tractor.
Scratched into the red fender were these
words:
“In case I die in this mess I leave all
to the wife. Cecil Geo. Harris.”
The friends called a local attorney who
had the tractor fender removed and stored.
And ultimately, the fender was taken to the
local court and offered as Mr. Harris’ Last
Will and Testament.
The proceeding was unusual because
the last wishes were on something very unusual. And in court, these friends became
witnesses, testifying that even though Mr.
Harris was trapped, he was still able to reach
the fender with his pocket knife, that the
scratches were fresh, and the tip of the knife
showed signs of fresh use.
The Harris’ banker submitted evidence as
well -- he recognized Mr. Harris’ handwriting – and the attending physician presented
evidence, too.
And given these unusual circumstances,
the court agreed to accept the fender as Mr.
Harris’ Last Will and Testament, allowing
his widow to inherit everything.
Over the years, other holographic wills
have made the news. In one case, a holographic will was scratched into the bottom
of a chest of drawers. In another (according
to the “Guinness Book of World Records”),
the shortest holographic will said ”Everything to wife” which was written on the bedroom wall of someone who was dying and
sensed the end was coming quickly.
More recently, a man dying of cancer
tapped his last wishes into the “Notes” app
on his iPhone, and had witnesses tap their
names in, too. (The fact that there were witnesses is what made this case work.)
These, however, are exceptions. We’re
dealing here with what’s called a “Holographic Will,” which is essentially one you
did in your own handwriting.
Most states – including Georgia – will not
accept holographic wills.
Some states will allow them to be probated depending on the witness situation.
So there’s a lesson here: if somebody you
know has decided to write his/her own will,
let them know that they’re playing with fire.
George practices in Sandy Springs
and Big Canoe, and is also Adjunct
Professor in Emory Law School’s Center
for Transactional Law. Questions are
welcome; reach him at
[email protected] or
on Facebook. He also
cautions that what’s
above is not legal advice,
and you should seek
professional advice
before doing or not doing
something based on this
material.
GEORGE FOX
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
N E W S
27 A
OPINION
Beware of Viking River Cruises
BY BOB CROUCH
C
armen and I recently returned
from a much anticipated Danube
River cruise with Viking River
Cruises. We were excited about
the possibility of enjoying a very relaxing
vacation with a company that seemingly
had a stellar reputation, a very rich itinerary
and was capable of delivering great
customer service. Our expectations were
dashed by the actual events.
We expected to settle into our stateroom
and cruise for eight days in a very
comfortable style. Instead, much of our very
expensive cruise turned into a series of bus
trips through Europe. The water level in the
Danube was low and had been low for many
months resulting in the need to disembark
the cruise ship to bus around low spots and
reach another ship.
Viking was well aware of the problems
yet failed to notify anyone on the cruise.
Spending 13 hours on buses meant that there
was very limited time to explore major
cities that were on the itinerary including
Budapest and Vienna. Viking obviously has
no control over river levels. However, they
were keenly aware that for many months
the water level necessitated severe itinerary
changes and deemed it unnecessary to
notify customers of this problem. Not only
did they not notify us of the water level
issues and the resultant change from a river
cruise to a bus trip, but they are unwilling to
consider a change to that policy.
I have sent two letters describing the
most unsatisfactory experience and, to date,
the only response has been a single phone
conversation with Customer Relations. The
initial letter included these examples of the
many disappointing inconveniences we
were subjected including:
• In Passau we were to “disembark for
a walking tour” and “enjoy the rest of the
afternoon at leisure.” In fact, we were on
NORTHFOTO / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
a multi- hour bus trip from Regensburg,
leaving no leisure time to explore Passau.
• We were to cruise to Passau and Melk.
Instead we bussed for nearly five hours to
Melk.
• We were to remain in our suite but
instead packed and then repacked on
another ship.
• In Melk we were to “disembark for an
excursion” followed by “sailing through the
Wachau Valley.” Instead, we were bussed
to Melk, given a brief river cruise followed
by a shortened Melk Abbey tour due to the
length of time spent on the bus.
• We packed and repacked once again
this time at a hotel.
• In Budapest “Your ship docks between
the Elizabeth Bridge and the Chain Bridge.
“Disembark after your breakfast arrival for
a tour of Hungary’s lovely capital. “Your
afternoon is at leisure to explore more on
your own.” Instead, we were bussed for
a more than four hour trip to a hotel in
Budapest. This left time for:
2:00 to 2:30 p.m. bus tour of Budapest;
2:30-2:35 walking tour; and 2:35-4:40 free
time”’
A new look for Opinions
In an effort to keep the newspaper fresh, the Smoke Signals opinion page is
changing once again.
Over the years, the page (before the opinion heading was added) was home to
folksy and informative columns by Smoke Signals editor Bennett Whipple along with
the late Jim Owens and the late Chalmers Holmes . When Whipple retired as the
editor and then Owens and Holmes left the community, we had a hard time trying to
fill their shoes.
In the end we moved toward more political-leaning columns. That caused a stir
for readers on both sides of the aisle and kept our “Letters to the Editor” pages filled.
In an effort to be balanced we asked contributors Kat Alikhan and Bert Loftman
to each tackle the same topic from their different points of view. They produced
interesting and timely topics for our readers for the last two years.
In this very political year, we’ve decided to take a hiatus from partisan political
opinions and focus on issues and concerns closer to home from numerous
contributors. This month Cynthia Hendry brings readers her thoughts on locovore
trends and Bob Crouch offers a warning and some travel advice.
Throughout 2016 we plan to run articles and opinions on a wide range of topics.
If you have an idea for consideration, please send an email to editor@bigcanonews.
com outlining the topic, reason for writing and your expertise on the topic.
My letter continued:
“You have a business decision to make.
Is it best to refund our cruise fees or to
stonewall and suffer an enormous customer
satisfaction and public relations problem?
We trust that Viking executives can raise
their customer service standards to the
level they expect from their employees. Our
current very unfavorable opinion of Viking
can only be mitigated by a positive response
to our concerns.”
I took copious notes of what was
discussed in the one phone call that
followed this letter and sent these notes
to the representative for any changes,
additions or other editing she wanted to
make to be sure of an accurate account of
the call. Amazingly, she only confirmed
that she had read the notes but “declined”
to make written comments. Viking is
apparently threatened that their policies
may be revealed to the public.
In that phone conversation the
representative told me that Viking’s policy
was to only notify booked customers if their
“nautical crew” alerted corporate. The crew
receives much of their compensation from
customer tips so they are motivated to have
as many passengers as possible. They have
no incentive to alert corporate of cruise
problems that would negatively impact
passengers. In our case, the crew obviously
knew of the problems as it was a sister
ship to the originally booked ship. Our ship
could not make port due to the water levels.
They refuse to change their policy of not
communicating known issues to passengers.
My second letter to the President and
CEO of Viking restated the significant
differences in what we signed up for and
what was delivered by Viking. It also stated
that I had been informed that Viking refused
to change its non-communication and
customer compensation policies. It went on:
“Given the above, you suggest that I
spend more thousands of dollars for another
cruise with Viking. That would leave me
with a reservation with the possibility of
the same awful customer experience as
Viking is not going to change their policies.
Viking still feels no responsibility to alert
their customers to serious issues that can
significantly alter the itinerary and change
the trip from a river cruise to an expensive
bus tour for large portions of the “cruise.”
Viking still relies on the crew to inform
corporate of the need to notify customers.
Viking will not inform customers of long
term known water level problems. Viking
still offers vouchers and provides no
possibility of cash refunds.
I ask you to put yourself in my shoes
and determine if this is an acceptable
offer. My take is to say no thank you to the
voucher. I believe that Viking has made
a terrible business decision as I, and the
vast majority of my fellow passengers will
never do business with Viking and will let
their friends and neighbors know of your
unacceptable position.
Thank you for taking the time to review
this matter. I respectfully request the
courtesy of a written response from Viking
River Cruises to my complaint.”
I have had no response whatsoever from
Viking.
The water level condition has existed for
many months and is well documented by
scathing customer comments on BBB.org,
Fodors.com, and complaintsboard.com.
As a result of Viking’s policy of not
communicating known problems to booked
customers, the policy of no cash refunds,
it’s intransigence in considering changes
to these policies and it’s arrogance in not
responding openly to my complaint and the
complaints of so many others, I will never
again book a cruise with Viking.
What can you do when booking a river
cruise? First, understand the cruise lines
policy of communicating known issues
prior to the cruise. Take it upon yourself to
investigate known issues by searching the
internet. The sites above are good starting
points. Should you still encounter serious
problems you can attempt to deal with the
cruise line, file a complaint with the Better
Business Bureau and request a refund from
your credit card company. Best wishes and
good sailing—or busing as the case may be.
The future Big Canoe
Mountain
Gardening
CYNTHIA HENDRY
I
An agrihood?
t could be said Big Canoe is behind the
times. Today, many of the most successful developments in the country are
agrihoods. OK, it’s a new word for me,
too. An agrihood is a community with a farm
as one of the amenities. Check online: You
will be amazed at the pages of hits talking
about this national movement.
Big Canoe movement
The POA was sufficiently interested to
form a task force to research the potential
of this idea. As reported by Anita Rosen in
the January Smoke Signals Living section
cover story, the plan and budget have been
presented to the POA board. While the presentation was met with interest, it was not
immediately funded, and the committee was
instructed to do more research in the community before presenting again for the 2017
budget.
If you did not see the story, check Smoke
Signals’ online archives. It is an excellent review of the committee’s research.
History
Anyone who reads my column knows I
support the local farm/food movement. After visiting the internationally recognized
Serenbe Farms community south of Atlanta
a few years ago and being amazed by its presentation, I was delighted when Big Canoe
developers announced a farm would be part
of the Potts Mountain neighborhood for Big
Canoe. The crisis of 2008 hit and that part of
our development has been delayed. So I am
delighted our POA board is considering the
amenity. I believe it could help mobilize us
into the next era of our evolution.
Google it!
Thinking I had kept up with this local
food movement, I was shocked this week
when I Googled this new word: agrihood. It
is a tidal wave! There are articles in “Forbes”,
“Bloomberg”, “Christian Science Monitor”,
“New York Times”, ABC News, “Chicago
Sun-Times” and many others. They report
hundreds of projects from coast to coast.
One of the newest projects is Harvest, a
$1 billion urban agrarian community being
built by one of H. Ross Perot, Jr.’s developments in Texas. He hired the farmer before
he began construction of the houses.
Why?
Why are working farms and vegetable
gardens replacing golf courses and granite
countertops as bait for new homebuilders?
“The foodie generation has come of age,”
said Ed McMahon, a resident fellow at the
Urban Land Institute in Washington. Tom
Woliver, the director for planning and development for H. Ross Perot’s development,
Harvest, said, “You need to attract some
common interests, and food brings everyone
together.”
For me, and many of my friends, knowing where our food comes from and how it is
grown are important factors. Is it clean and
is it nutrient-dense? Certainly, cheap food is
not my primary shopping goal.
Internationally, entire countries are
pushing back on the industrial cheap-food
model, one that increasingly seems less secure, especially in a world littered with terrorist threats. Interestingly, from a food-security perspective, I understand Atlanta only
has a three-day food supply on the grocery
shelves. Does that seem like a secure food
system? While many cities, to include Atlanta, have made efforts to work agriculture
back into their planning, when the grocer’s
shelves are empty, things could look bad.
The pushback on the industrial food system model is not only related to security;
it is simply not working in some countries
both economically and socially. My favorite
farming magazine, “Acres USA”, in January
reported an insightful interview with scientist, author, activist Dr. Vandana Shiva who
is leading a movement to restore sovereignty to community farmers in India.
My challenge
I bought 20 copies for Christmas presents of Dr. Michael Gregor’s listed New
York Times Bestseller “How Not to Die” for
Christmas presents. The key message from
the 412 pages of narrative and the 133 pages
of scientific reference notes is this: If you do
not want to die prematurely, eat a lot more
fruits and vegetables than the average American citizen does.
His personal daily dozen of foods includes three servings of beans and two servings of greens. If everyone in Big Canoe ate
two servings of greens per day, our farmer
would need to produce three tons per day
for us.
Dr. Gregor is not alone in the recommendation for including a lot more fruits
and vegetables in our daily diets. Having
these fruits and vegetables locally grown in
Big Canoe greatly enhances our chances for
putting fresh, clean and nutrient-dense food
on our plates.
In conclusion
If we are committed to a wholesome
lifestyle, which includes eating healthy, we
easily have the market to support this farm.
Being a part of this movement to take control of, at least, a part of our country’s food
supply system is both exciting and prudent.
We will be “locavores” living in an agrihood!
I urge you to support local agriculture
by joining a CSA and/or shopping at area
farmers markets. Also, give your feedback to
Anita Rosen, [email protected], and her team
of researchers.
Happy winter gardening.
CYNTHIA HENDRY
Cynthia Hendry has
lived and gardened in Big
Canoe for 27 years. Her
landscape design work
includes Best of Show
for Big Canoe Street of
Dreams, as well as Big
Canoe show homes for
Southern Living and
Atlanta magazines.
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FEBRUARY 2016
Top Listing/Selling Agents in Big Canoe
10 YEARS
RUNNING
Just announced ...
2015
RESALE AGENTS
of the year!
Ryan Moledor
Mike Leonard
706.268.2324 • 678.231.7863 cell
770.561.5483
• Approximately 2 of our listings are sold each month
• Big Canoe Realty Resale Agents Of The Year 4 out of the last 6 years
• Combined 25 years of experience selling and listing
homes and homesites in Big Canoe
UNDER CONTRACT
101 Highland Farms Ct • $249,900
494 Columbine Dr • $199,900
196 Cox Mtn Lane • $700,000
1150 Summit Drive • $675,000
SOLD
154 Choctaw Village • $429,900
132 Cliff Fern • $499,900
2232 Cherokee Trail
274 Wood Poppy Dr • $489,900
SOLD
84 Cliff Fern • $399,900
146 Cherokee Drive
71 Cherokee Drive • $425,000
1608 Quail Cove • $399,900
365 Wedgewood Drive • $399,900
1145 Cherokee Trail • $394,199
104 Morgan Walk • $349,900
291 Woodland Trace • $349,900
SOLD
SOLD
SOLD
259 Owls Brow • $325,000
64 The Paddock
208 Lone Wolf
SOLD
SOLD
197 McElroy Mt Drive
326 Woodland Trace • $299,900
SOLD
SOLD
182 Disharoon Drive
58 Goldfinch Point
SOLD
452 Bellflower
78 Ahyoka Knoll • $300,000
2489 Valley View • $180,000
50 Sweet Gum • $299,900
553 Lakewatch Villa
104 Soaring Hawk • $249,000
3672 Wilderness Pkwy • $239,900
SOLD
SOLD
403C Disharoon Ridge
109 Treetopper
HOMESITES SOLD
2350 Yanoo Trace • 3510 Bear Creek Point • 3410 Wildcat Trail
3581 Blazingstar • 859 Sinti Trail • 8237 Cox Mt Dr
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
| A R T S
E N T E R TA I N M E N T North
G&eorgia
S I G N A L S
Arts&Entertainment
COVERING ATLANTA & NORTH GEORGIA | The area’s most comprehensive events guide and calendar | FEBRUARY 2016
Atlanta Botanical Garden offers vow-renewal ceremonies in the Rose Garden as part of its Valentine’s event.
February offers
entertainments a
Valentine will love
F
BY CHRISTOPHER BARKER
rom Cupid’s Undie Run to dancing in Atlanta Botanical Garden and
romantic concerts at Atlanta Symphony Hall, the Rialto Center and Brenau
University’s Pearce Auditorium, North Georgia and Atlanta are providing a bouquet
of visual, musical, theatrical and quirky Valentine entertainments this year.
North Georgians wanting to stay close to home on or near Valentine’s Day have a variety
of options scheduled around the annual observance Sunday, Feb. 14.
Katie Deal, with actor and husband Chris Wright and friends, is in concert Feb. 14 at
Pearce Auditorium at Brenau University in a show titled “Celebrating Love Songs from the
Backwoods to Broadway.”
The daughter of Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal and wife Sandra, Deal graduated from North
Hall High School in Gainesville and Piedmont College with a degree in theater before moving
to Memphis and starring in two national tours of “A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline.” In recent
years she has starred in her one-woman show “Today, Tomorrow and Forever; A Tribute to
Patsy Cline.”
Her voice has been featured in theaters across the
country in such roles as Aldonza in “Man of La Mancha,” a
“Another seasonal
starlet in Duke Ellington’s “Sophisticated Ladies” and a soul
show close to home is
singer in “Smokey Joe’s Café.”
Praised for the power and versatility of her voice, Deal was
‘A Night at the Copa’
recently inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame
Feb. 13 at Madeline’s
Hall of Honors. She and Wright, whose high tenor voice has
been featured in “Peter Pan” and other theatrical shows, have a
Café and Bakery in
farm in Habersham County and tour together.
Jasper. The 6 p.m. fourDeal, Wright and friends take the stage at 2:30 p.m. following
a Valentine’s Day brunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Smithgall Arts
course Valentine’s
Center. Concert tickets are $25 for adults, $23 for seniors 65
dinner and show in the and older and $20 for students. Brunch tickets are $25 and are
restaurant’s Charleston restricted to patrons with tickets to the concert. Ticket sales are
at 770-534-2787 or www.TheArtsCouncil.net.
Room is presented
Another seasonal show close to home is “A Night at the
Copa” Feb. 13 at Madeline’s Café and Bakery in Jasper. The
by FX Productions
6 p.m. four-course Valentine’s
and features Lynn
dinner and show in the restaurant’s
Weaver New, Allison
Charleston Room is presented by
Productions and features Lynn
Boyle, Anne Brown and FX
Weaver New, Allison Boyle, Anne
keyboardist Donna
Brown and keyboardist Donna
Garrision.
Garrision.”
Madeline’s is at 1052 E. Church
St., and reservations for the $75
dinner and show can be made at 706-253-1052. Seating is limited.
Other North Georgia Valentine’s weekend events include Jeb Rogers
playing music at Cartecay Vineyards in Ellijay and Jayron Weaver and Jared
Brooks playing at Crimson Moon in Dahlonega Feb. 13. Tiger Mountain
Vineyards is having a Chocolate and Wine Party also on Feb. 13.
Ryan Boss plays at Cartecay and Colleen Orender is at Crimson Moon on
Valentine’s Day, when Reinhardt University will have a Faculty Recital at
Falany Performing Arts Center at the university in Waleska.
North Georgians with a yen to travel further have even more diverse
options.
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s free family concert Feb. 14 had no
seats left by mid-January, but tickets remained for the ASO’s “A Valentine’s
Romance” concert featuring jazz guitarist and bandleader John Pizzarelli
accompanying the orchestra on duets and love songs. Pizzarelli’s wife,
Jessica Molasky, joins him for the romantic concert at 8 p.m. Feb. 12-13 and
7 p.m. Feb. 14 at Atlanta Symphony Hall in Woodruff
Arts Center.
Woodruff Arts Center is also having
its third free Family Festival from 1-4 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 14. The festival features familyoriented programming by the symphony,
Alliance Theatre and High Museum of
Art: live theater performances, reading
of books and a book giveaway, an
Indian dance class, Nigerian dance
performances, a sweetheart photo station with
props for all ages and the symphony’s free family concert. There are no
seats left for the concert, but the “Be Mine” performance will be simulcast
in Woodruff’s Rich Theatre and violinists will serenade in the Memorial
Arts Building Galleria.
The High Museum offers free admission and programs that highlight its
permanent collection, as well as Living Museum, a self-guided family tour
n VALENTINE | Page 6
Atlanta Botanical Garden claims to be ‘the most romantic setting in
town’ for its ‘Valentines in the Garden’ event Saturday, Feb. 13, with
dancing, desserts and flowers.
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FEBRUARY 2016
“Dorsey traveled the country for two years,
recording oral history interviews with survivors and conducting
extensive archival research in creating the dance/theatrical work.”
Arts&Entertainment
A Smoke Signals Publication
PUBLISHED BY
Smoke Signals
Community Services, Inc.
Board Of Directors
Carl Deane, Jim Braley,
Brad Herren, George Thurman,
David Howe, Barbara Schneider
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
Carl Deane
[email protected]
706-579-1462
MANAGING
EDITOR
Barbara Schneider
[email protected]
404-626-5385
ARTS &
ENTERTAINMENT
EDITOR
Melissa Lowrie
[email protected]
678-910-1338
•
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Diane Smith
[email protected]
706-579-1233
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678-925-8511
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The 20-city tour of ‘The Missing Generation’ by Sean Dorsey Dance is at 7 Stages Theatre in Little Five Points Feb. 4-7.
ATLANTA
‘Missing Generation’ remembers
early victims of AIDS
“T
he Missing Generation” gives voice to the longtime survivors of the early
n FEBRUARY 4-7
AIDS epidemic Feb. 4-7 at 7 Stages Theatre in Atlanta.
Sean Dorsey Dance’s “love letter” to a forgotten generation of survivors
7 STAGES
– those who witnessed and experienced the loss of part of an entire
THEATRE
generation of gay and transgender people to AIDS in the 1980s and 1990s – is touring 20
cities nationally, including Atlanta. Dorsey traveled the country for two years, recording oral
history interviews with survivors and conducting extensive archival research in creating the
dance/theatrical work.
“There is an incredible urgency to undertaking this project how; during my lifetime, we will see the passing of the last
generation of people who actually experienced the early years of the AIDS epidemic first-hand,” says Dorsey. “We are
already rapidly losing our community’s stories. I wanted to capture and share part of this important history and reckon
with the loss and grief this generation endured and to collectively face this history and grieve and heal together.”
Sean Dorsey Dance’s multi-generational ensemble of dancers dance to a lush, multi-layer score that features the voices
and remarkable real-life stories recorded in the interviews, along with Dorsey’s own writing and music.
Ticket prices start at $22.50. They are on sale at 404-523-7647 or www.7stages.org. 7 Stages is at 1105 Euclid Ave. in
Little Five Points.
What’s Inside
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Smoke Signals
Mailing Address:
Office: Brownstone Centre, Marble Hill, GA 30148
Office Phone: 770-893-1594
Printed and mailed by
Jasper, GA 30143
Smoke Signals is owned by
with all rights reserved.
© Copyright 2009 Smoke Signals All editorial and
advertising material is the property of Smoke Signals and
may not be used in any other publication or media without
the express written consent of Smoke Signals.
Advertiser is solely responsible for the content of all
advertising published at their request or their agent and
shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the publisher
from any claim or lawsuit arising out of any advertisement.
The opinions expressed by our op-ed writers are
not necessarily endorsed by Smoke Signals Community
Services, Inc.
Dancers blend ballet,
Cancan, tango in
‘Moulin Rouge’
• 10
t bigcanoenews.com/
art-entertainment
February offers entertainments a
Valentine will love...........................1, 6, 7
‘Missing Generation’ remembers
early victims of AIDS ...............................2
Booth Western Museum hosts
temporary exhibitions .............................4
February Calendar ..................................5
GTA’s February Festival of Theatre offers
Caribbean fairytale, Stoker’s chiller ..........8
Brenau University Art & Design returns
to High Museum ....................................8
Alliance spotlights competition finalists...8
Fernbank offers 2016 preview.................9
Dancers in ‘Moulin Rouge’ ....................10
Lyric Theatre’s ‘The Full Monty’ ..............11
10th Annual Collage Concert ................11
‘Everest’ of violin concertos
tops ASO offerings in February ..............12
Canoe Kids: Atlanta Symphony Pops......13
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
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&
30% Off Patio Furniture
Order your custom furniture now and have it arrive in time for Spring!
Is Your Porch
Ready for
Spring Pollen?
This Spring keep pollen under control
and get more enjoyment out of your
home by enclosing your existing
porch or screened area.
EZE-BREEZE ENCLOSURES • SCREEN PORCHES
RETRACTABLE SCREENS • PORCH FLOORING
CLOSET AND GARAGE ORGANIZERS • PATIO FURNITURE
RUGS AND LIGHTING
Come visit our Showroom in Jasper ...
447 Harmony School Rd., Jasper, GA
Showroom Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 10-4
Business: 706-301-5698
Website: www.myenclosedporch.com
3B
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FEBRUARY 2016
CARTERSVILLE
Booth Western Museum
hosts temporary exhibitions
F
rom photography by Ansel Adams
to mixed media and sculpture,
Booth Western Art Museum
in Cartersville offers several
temporary exhibitions this winter. Visit
www.boothmuseum.org for additional
information.
Ansel Adams: Before & After
Through March 20 –
Special Exhibition Gallery
Explore the work of famed
photographer Ansel Adams and
his influence on contemporary
photographers. This exhibition is a
rare opportunity to see more than 20
original images by Adams as well as
photographers with work related to
his considerable legacy. Also included
are images by photographers who
influenced Adams’ early work, along with
photographs made by his peers.
Three Point Perspective:
Dean, Elliott & Hagege
Through February 21 –
Temporary Exhibition Gallery
Featuring three of the youngest stars
in the Western art world, this exhibition
showcases three artists inspired by many
of the same influences. Despite having
much in common, and often painting
side-by-side on location, each has a
distinctive style.
Technicolor Coyote:
Adventures with Michael Goettee
Borderlands Gallery
This exhibition will feature a
cross-section of 2-D and 3-D mixed
media works by popular Atlanta area
artist, Michael Goettee. Reflecting his
imagination, adventures, and memories,
Goettee’s vibrant, sometimes campy,
creations often integrate iconography of
the American Southwest.
Bob Kolbrener’s AutoGraphs –
“Tradigital” Signs of the Time
Bergman Theatre Lobby Gallery
Featuring more than a dozen
photographs of road signs and auto
related subjects captured by acclaimed
photographer Bob Kolbrener over the
past four decades, and now digitally
updated for new audiences. The resulting
contemporary images show Kolbrener’s
commitment to traditional photography
and a mind open to new possibilities.
Michael Naranjo: The Artist
Who Sees With His Hands
March 10 through July 3 –
Temporary Exhibition Gallery
Michael Naranjo grew up in a New
Mexico pottery family and went to
school to study sculpture, but service in
Vietnam threatened his dream. A grenade
explosion took his eyesight and left his
right hand severely wounded. Despite
these limitations Naranjo has created well
over 100 important works including many
monuments. Drawn from the Collection
of Tia, this exhibition surveys 35 works
from throughout his 45-year career.
Opening reception March 10.
Michael Goettee, Coyote, 2015, mixed media, 17 x 13 x 4”. On loan from Cimarron Sky
Gallery. PHOTO COURTESY OF BOOTH MUSEUM
Valentine’s Day
COLLECTION
With the help of Cupid and the local merchants and
dining establishments listed below, make this Valentine’s Day a memorable one.
CORK & CANVAS
FUNDRAISING EVENT
BRMAA’s Cork & Canvas event will be held
at the Art Center March 5, 2016 7:00 pm
Enjoy wine samplings from various vintners,
entertainment, silent auction, wine grab and
refreshments. Ticket prices are $30 for
non-members, $25 for BRMAA members.
(Includes an engraved wine glass,
complimentary glass of wine, and wine tastings
from several area wineries.)
BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS ARTS
ASSOCIATION (The Art Center)
420 West Main Street
Blue Ridge, GA 30513
HOT STONE MASSAGE
$10 OFF WITH THIS AD
Expires March 31, 2016. Good for all
massage services. Baby ... it’s cold outside.
Hot Stone Massage is now available to soothe
those aching muscles and joints. The heat from
the stones combined with therapeutic massage,
relaxes muscles and increases circulation.
Other types of massage available: sport, deep
tissue, Swedish, oncology, integrative and
manual lymphatic drainage therapy.
Massage is good medicine!
JUDY BISHOP
435-655-5410 • [email protected]
http://judybishop.amtamembers.com
By appointment only at your home or my studio
SWEET INDULGENCE FOR YOUR
VALENTINE - A sweet array of Valentine
gifts to select from including the perfect
card for your loved one. We carry Pandora
Jewelry, Vera Bradley and Spartina 449 bags,
Brighton, Crabtree & Evelyn, Habersham
Candles, Willow Tree, Collegiate gifts and
our newest addition of Corkcicle.
Vinyl monogramming available.
FREE signature gift wrap!
CLOCK TOWER GIFTS & BOUTIQUE
(at Jasper Drugs)
One North Main Street, Jasper, GA 30143
www.ClockTowerGifts.com • 706-253-3070
M-F 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sat 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
VALENTINE DINNER & SHOW
Book your reservation today for our
Valentine’s four course dinner and show by
FX Production’s “A Night at the Copa”
Valentine’s dinner & show. Featuring Lynn
Weaver New and Allison Boyle, Anne Brown
and Donna Garrison on keyboard.
Save the date, February 13,
6:00 p.m, Madeline’s Charleston Room.
$75 per person, call for reservations
706-253-1052. Limited seating is available.
MADELINE’S
1052 East Church Street,
Jasper, GA 30143706-253-1052
www.madelinescafebakery.com
COME TO COCO’S FOR THE
PERFECT VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT
That special moment won’t be forgotten as
she opens her special gift from Coco’s Cottage.
You’ll find the perfect gift for your sweetheart
... unique clothing, accessories and gifts.
• Clothing by: French Dressing Jeans, Damee
NYC, Conrad C, Cut Loose, CMC and Sno Skins
• Jewelry by: Ayala Bar, Zenzi
• Handbags by: Big Budda, Mary Frances, ILI
COCO’S COTTAGE
30 North Main St, Jasper • 706-253-2240
Store Hours: M-F 10-6, Sat 10-3
Gift Packaging Complimentary and
Like us on facebook
DAZZLE YOUR VALENTINE
WITH DIAMONDS!
Scott Shiffman can custom design a piece
of jewelry just for you. Along with styling
new and old precious gems & metals,
Scott Shiffman can redesign and/or
re-purpose your dated jewelry using
computer assisted design (CAD software)
opening endless possibilities with
customer interaction making a very
enjoyable experience.
SCOTT SHIFFMAN
706-268-1556 • www.scottshiffman.com
[email protected]
THIS MONTH’S SWEETEST GIFT!
It’s not only your sweetheart who will
appreciate a gift that keeps on giving all
year long. Anyone with an interest in Big
Canoe and the surrounding areas will
appreciate Smoke Signals’ unique mix
of community news, photography and
commentary from local columnists. Just $20
for a mailed 12 month gift subscription is
the perfect way to keep in touch!
SMOKE SIGNALS
for details.
Smoke Signals Office 770-893-1594
VALENTINE SPECIAL - $99 FOTO
FACIAL/ IPL Regular $275.00 (face)
Free Valentine’s Day Gift with purchase –
quantities limited.
Foto Facial/IPL is for skin rejuvenation.
The treatment is used to reduce brown
spots & veins. Treatment can be performed
on the face, chest, arms & legs.
GARDNER DERMATOLOGY
& MED SPA
Alan M. Gardner, MD
Ellijay • Marietta
www.gardnerdermatology.com
706-515-0001• 770-952-2100
FEBRUARY 2016
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Calendar
5B
FEBRUARY 2016 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
A comprehensive listing of Atlanta and North Georgia entertainment options by date
Balzar Theater
at Herren’s
‘MOXIE’
(through
February 21)
1
Turner
Field
Green Lot
3
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1
Theatre
• “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of
Fleet Street,” King Plow Arts Center, Atlanta
(through Feb. 28)
• “Sylvia,” Tater Patch Players, Jasper (through
Feb. 14)
• “Moxie,” Balzer Theater at Herren’s, Atlanta
(through Feb. 21)
• “Disgraced,” Alliance Theatre, Atlanta
(through Feb. 14)
• “Space!” Center for Puppetry Arts, Atlanta
(through March 10)
• “The Toxic Avenger,” Horizon Theatre,
Atlanta (through March 13)
Visual Arts
• Exhibit: Pear Street Painters, Blue Ridge
Mountains Arts Association, The Arts Center,
Blue Ridge (through Feb. 20)
• Ansel Adams: Before & After, Booth Western
Art Museum, Cartersville (through March 20)
• Winter exhibitions, The Quinlan Visual Arts
Center, Gainesville (through Feb. 20)
• Folk Art Show, Bowen Center for the Arts,
Dawsonville (through Feb. 20)
12
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2
Theatre
• Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” Fox
Theatre, Atlanta (through Feb. 7)
Music
• David Burgess, Latin Guitarist, Falany
Performing Arts Center, Waleska (see ad on
page 8)
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4
Dance
• “The Missing Generation,” 7 Stages Theatre,
Atlanta (through Feb. 7, see article on page 2)
Music
• Concertmaster David Coucheron plays
Brahms’ violin concerto with the Atlanta
Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Hall
(Feb. 4, 6)
UNIVERSOUL
ANTHONY CORREIA / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
WILD MUSIC
(through July 31)
ATLANTA
SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA POPS:
VALENTINE’S
ROMANCE
(through February 14)
6
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5
Dance
• Atlanta Ballet presents “Moulin Rouge,”
Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Atlanta
(through Feb. 14)
Theatre
• “Cabaret,” Holly Theatre, Dahlonega (Feb.
5-7, 12-14, 19-21, see ad on page 11)
• “The Jungle Book,” Blue Ridge Community
Theatre, Blue Ridge (Feb. 3, 14)
Music
• Casual Friday: David Coucheron plays
Brahms with the ASO, Atlanta Symphony Hall
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7
Festivals & Other
• Super Bowl Party, Black Bear Pub, The
Clubhouse at Lake Sconti, Big Canoe
The
Clubhouse
at Lake
Sconti
SUPER BOWL PARTY
7
Philips
Arena
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9
Theatre
• “Once on this Island,” performed by
Gainesville Theatre Alliance, Brenau’s Hosch
Theatre, Gainesville (through Feb. 20, see
article on page 12)
• “Dracula,” performed by Gainesville Theatre
Alliance, UNG-Gainesville’s Ed Cabell Theatre
(through Feb. 20, see article on page 12)
• “American Buffalo,” Kenny Leon’s True
Colors Theatre Company, Southwest Arts
Center, Atlanta (through March 6)
Music
• 2Cellos, Fox Theatre, Atlanta
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10
Dance
• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Fox
Theatre, Atlanta (through Feb. 14)
• ArtsBridge – Atlanta Ballet’s “Sleeping
Beauty,” Cobb Energy Centre (Feb. 10, 11)
Festivals & Other
• Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents
Circus XTREME, Philips Arena, Atlanta
(through Feb. 15)
Music
• The Improvised Shakespeare Company,
Falany Performing Arts Center, Waleska (see
ad on page 8)
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13
Theatre
• “Start Down,” Alliance Theatre, Atlanta
(through March 6, see article on page 8)
Music
• Jayron Weaver & Jared Brooks, Crimson
Moon, Dahlonega
• Jeb Rogers, Cartecay Vineyards, Ellijay (see
ad on page 11)
Festivals & Other
• Chocolate & Wine Party, Tiger Mountain
Vineyards, Tiger (see ad on page 12)
Music
• Bruce Springsteen, Philips Arena, Atlanta
• Karen Gomyo Plays Tchaikovsky with the
ASO, Atlanta Symphony Hall (Feb. 18, 20)
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Theatre
• Dancing in Lughnasa presented by
University Theatre, Reinhardt University’s
Falany Performing Arts Center, Waleska
(through Feb. 21, see ad on page 8)
Music
• 12th Annual Atlanta Blues Festival, Fox
Theatre, Atlanta
• Live entertainment, The Clubhouse at Lake
Sconti, Big Canoe
Festivals & Other
• Bill Maher, Cobb Energy Centre, Atlanta
• Travis Tritt, Atlanta Symphony Hall, Atlanta
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
ANTHONY CORREIA / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
18
Theatre
• “Romeo and Juliet,” Shakespeare Tavern,
Atlanta (through Feb. 28)
Music
• Bernie Nelson and Mark Garrison, Crimson
Moon, Dahlonega
• Matt Rogers, Cartecay Vineyards, Ellijay
• A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, Ellijay
Elementary Auditorium, Ellijay
Visual Arts
• Wild Music, Fernbank Museum of Natural
History, Atlanta (through July 31)
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12
Theatre
• Atlanta Lyric Theatre’s “The Full Monty,”
Jennie T. Anderson Theatre at Cobb Civic
Center, Marietta (through Feb. 28, see article
on page 11)
Music
• Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Pops:
Valentine’s Romance, Atlanta Symphony Hall
(through Feb. 14)
• Cumberland River, Crimson Moon,
Dahlonega
Sconti, Big Canoe
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14
Music
• Ryan Boss, Cartecay Vineyards, Ellijay (see
ad on page 11)
• The University Faculty Recital, Reinhardt
University’s Falany Performing Arts Center,
Waleska (see ad on page 8)
• Colleen Orender, Crimson Moon, Dahlonega
• Katie Deal with Chris Wright and Friends,
Pearce Auditorium, Brenau University,
Gainesville
• See story on page 1 for all Valentine’s Day
events
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3
Festivals & Other
• UniverSoul Circus, Turner Field Green Lot,
Atlanta (through Feb. 28)
• Art for Lunch, Booth Western Art Museum,
Cartersville
UNIVERSOUL
CIRCUS
(Through
February 28)
Fernbank
Museum
of Natural
History
Atlanta
Symphony
Hall
Music
• Yanni, Fox Theatre, Atlanta
• An Evening with Vince Gill & Lyle Lovett,
Cobb Energy Centre, Atlanta
• Tommy Joe Conner, Cartecay Vineyards,
Ellijay
Festivals & Other
• For the Love of Art Gala & Art Auction,
Booth Western Art Museum, Cartersville
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Dance
• Michael Flatley’s Lord of The Dance:
Dangerous Games, Philips Arena, Atlanta
28
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Theatre
• “The Phantom of the Opera,” Fox Theatre,
Atlanta (through March 5)
Music
• 7 Bridges: The Ultimate Eagles Experience,
Reinhardt University’s Falany Performing
Arts Center, Waleska (see ad on page 8)
• ASO Premieres Frankenstein, Serkin plays
Brahms Piano Concerto, Atlanta Symphony
Hall (Feb. 25, 27)
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26
Music
Sconti, Big Canoe
DAVID CROSS
S_BUKLEY / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Atlanta
Symphony
Hall
DAVID CROSS
Music
• Roxie Watson, Blue Ridge Community
Theatre, Blue Ridge
• Experience Hendrix, Fox Theatre, Atlanta
• Timothy O’Donovan, Cartecay Vineyards,
Ellijay
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28
Theatre
• David Cross, Atlanta Symphony Hall
Music
• Vocalosity, Fox Theatre, Atlanta
6 B
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FEBRUARY 2016
“The High Museum offers free admission and programs that highlight its permanent collection ...”
Valentine
encountering musicians, dancers, artists,
curators, scientists and storytellers. The
Center for Puppetry Arts is creating
a puppet factory where families can
build rod puppets inspired by Elephant
Headdress from the African art collection.
Free tickets to the High are at www.high.
org.
The festival celebrates Valentine’s Day
with a “Be Mine” heart tattoo station, a
Valentine heart-making station and food
concessions that reflect the Valentine
theme. Details and registration are at
www.woodruffcreateATL.org.
The Atlanta Ballet Fellowship
Ensemble presents the romantic story of
“The Sleeping Beauty” in one-hour familyfriendly performances at 2 p.m. Feb. 13
and Feb. 14 at Cobb Energy Performing
Arts Center. The world premiere created
by Atlanta Ballet Artistic Director
John McFall is designed for ages 12 and
younger as a way to introduce them to
dance.
Tickets starting at $10 are available at
404-892-3303 or www.atlantaballet.com;
tickets for groups of 10 or more can be
reserved at 404-872-5811, ext. 207.
Flowers are prominent on Valentine’s
Day, and Atlanta Botanical Garden invites
the public to “Valentines in The Garden”
from 7-11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13. With the
theme “The King and Queen of Hearts,”
the event offers a vow renewal ceremony,
live music and the Kiss Me Arch photo
booth.
At what is being called “the most
romantic setting in town,” the garden
is providing an elegant evening of
dancing to live music, desserts created
by top caterers, specialty cocktails at
cash bars, strolls through the tropical
conservatories, free long-stemmed roses
while supplies last and the only nighttime
opportunity to enjoy Orchid Daze. Vowrenewal ceremonies are at 7:30 and 8:30
p.m. in the Rose Garden.
The Orchid Daze exhibition from
Feb. 13 through April 10 explores
contrasts between vibrantly colored,
fragrant orchids and naturalistic wooden
elements, highlighting epiphytic orchids
that grow on wood rather than in soil.
Tickets to “Valentines in the Garden”
are $35 and can be secured at www.
atlantabg.org.
A Valentine Love Concert featuring
Family-oriented theater, music, dance and puppetry arts are offered in Woodruff Arts Center’s free Family Festival the afternoon of
Feb. 14.
The Center for Puppetry Arts will have Valentine’s Night Out Feb. 13 for ages 18 and older.
AU T H O R I Z E D
D E A L E R
FEBRUARY 2016
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Michael Henderson is at Georgia State University’s Rialto Center from 7-9
p.m. Feb. 14. The concert includes The Dramatics and Jean Carne as well,
plus a VIP pre-concert reception with hors d’oeuvres and opportunity to
meet and take photos with the stars. Concert tickets start at $58 with VIP
tickets $113; the box office number is 404-413-9849.
The Center for Puppetry Arts plans Valentine’s Night Out at the Center
for ages 18 and older at 8 p.m. Feb. 13. The event offers a romanticallythemed guided tour of museum exhibits, a cash bar and puppet-themed
activities. The center is at the intersection of Spring and 18th streets in
Midtown Atlanta.
Some of Atlanta’s great romances come to the forefront at 3, 4 and
5 p.m. Feb. 13-14 in Love Stories of Oakland, a guided tour of 25 stops in
Oakland’s Victorian garden cemetery. The tour recounts loves, lives and
losses of past Atlantans and examines the symbolism of love and devotion
on the cemetery’s monuments, headstones and mausoleums.
Advance tickets at www.ticketalternative.com are required at a cost of
$16 for adults, $10 for students and seniors and $40 for two-adult and twochild families. Oakland Cemetery is at 248 Oakland Ave. in Atlanta.
If a Valentine’s cemetery tour isn’t edgy enough, adventurous
celebrants can find pop erotica in a 9 p.m. show by Sweet Spot at 595
North Ave. in Atlanta. The high-energy performance not recommended
for timid or prudish audiences features poets, live body art, burlesque,
lingerie models, musicians, disc jockeys and comedians. Formal wear is
optional at the Suit & Tie Edition.
Tickets are at www.sweetspotnation.com.
Smoke Signals is unaware of any teams or individual runners from
Big Canoe yet, but Valentines wanting to watch something quirky can
check out Cupid’s Undie Run at 2 p.m. Feb. 13 at Big Sky Buckhead, 3201
Cains Hill Place. The event in a number of U.S. cities raises money for the
Children’s Tumor Foundation.
Cupid’s party begins at noon and ends at 4. Undies are not required for
the 1-mile fun run that runners take at their own pace.
Katie Deal, Chris Wright and friends present ‘Celebrating Love Songs from the Backwoods to
Broadway’ Feb. 14 at Brenau University’s Pearce Auditorium.
“Some of Atlanta’s great romances come to the forefront at 3,
4 and 5 p.m. Feb. 13-14 in Love Stories of Oakland, a guided tour
of 25 stops in Oakland’s Victorian garden cemetery. The tour
recounts loves, lives and losses of past Atlantans ...”
Cupid’s Undie Run Feb. 13 raises money for the Children’s Tumor Foundation; undies are not required for entry.
Husband and wife John Pizzarelli and Jessica
Molaskey are featured soloists in the Atlanta
Symphony Orchestra’s ‘A Valentine’s Romance’ Feb.
12-14. PHOTO BY JIMMY KATZ
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8 B
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GAINESVILLE
GTA’s February Festival of
Theatre offers Caribbean
fairytale, Stoker’s chiller
N
ow in its seventh year, the
Gainesville Theatre Alliance’s
February Festival of Theatre
offers relief to cabin fever
with inspired storytelling. Contrasting
stories will play to audiences in different
theaters simultaneously. Caribbean love story “Once On This
Island,” winner of Britain’s top award for
best musical, will be
performed
n FEBRUARY 9-20
on Brenau’s
HOSCH THEATRE
Hosch The& ED CABELL
atre stage,
while a
decidedly
darker “Dracula” drifts like mist onto the
UNG-Gainesville Ed Cabell Theatre stage
– both shows run Feb. 9-20.
The Gainesville Theatre Alliance is
a nationally acclaimed collaboration of
the University of North Georgia, Brenau
University, theatre professionals and the
North Georgia community.
“Once On This Island” is being directed and choreographed by New York
professional David Rossetti, with musical
direction by Gainesville native Dale Grogan. The Feb. 9 opening night reception,
also free to patrons with tickets for the
show, is being catered by 2 Dog.
Former Georgia Shakespeare Artistic
Director Richard Garner is guest director
for “Dracula.” The Feb. 9 opening night
reception will be catered in the Ed Cabell
Theatre lobby following the performance
and is free to patrons attending the show.
Tickets for each show are $12-24,
depending age and on seat location, and
can be purchased online at www.gainesvilleTHEATREalliance.org or by calling
the box office at 678-717-3624, Monday
- Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Online
patrons can select their own seats, and
MasterCard, Visa and Discover are accepted. Both productions also offer a $10
preview night Monday, Feb. 8, for which
tickets go on sale Jan. 25.
FEBRUARY 2016
ATLANTA
Brenau University
Art & Design returns
to High Museum
T
New Yorker David Rossetti will direct
‘Once On This Island.’
he third Brenau University Student Art and
n THROUGH
Design Show will be at the High Museum of
FEBRUARY 7
Art in Atlanta through Feb. 7. The show
includes work from art education, studio
HIGH MUSEUM
art, fashion design, mass communications and preOF ART
occupational therapy students.
More than 100 unique artworks from over 30 students will be on display, including digital prints, ceramics, oil and acrylic paintings,
stoneware and mixed media. The exhibition will be held in the museum’s Greene
Family Education Center in the lower level of the Stent Family Wing. “We are thrilled to have the students’ work exhibited at the High Museum of Art
on display to a broad Southeastern audience,” said Lynn M. Jones, a professor in
Brenau’s Department of Art & Design. “It’s an unparalleled opportunity.”
The High conducts the shows as part of its ongoing academic partnership with
Brenau University. Student works were chosen by faculty in various disciplines, including painting, drawing and interior design. Some of the pieces won awards during
the juried exhibition at the University Galleries in the fall.
Brenau University’s Art and Design Department offers undergraduate programs
in Art Education (B.F.A.), Fashion Design (B.F.A.), Fashion Merchandising (B.A.)
and Studio Art (B.F.A.) at the main campus in Gainesville. Brenau’s Interior Design
Department offers an undergraduate/graduate combined B.F.A./Master of Interior
Design, recognized by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation. Coursework is
offered at the North Atlanta location and in Gainesville. The department also offers
an M.F.A. in Interior Design.
More information about the exhibit is available by contacting the High Museum of
Art, 1280 Peachtree St. NE, at 404-733-4400 or www.high.org.
ATLANTA
Alliance spotlights playwriting competition finalists
T
he moral complexities of
classroom technology are center
stage as the Alliance Theatre
presents playwriting winner
“Start Down” Feb. 13 to March 6.
Eleanor Burgess won the 12th Alliance/
Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting
Competition with her story about lifestyle,
education and core values around
technology. Inspired by his girlfriend’s high
school teaching career, a software developer
creates online tutorials tailored to individual
needs, threatening deeply held beliefs about
the student/teacher relationship.
“ ‘Start Down’ is as smart as it is
contemporary and wears its wisdom
cloaked in good humor,” says Alliance
Theatre Director of New Projects Celise
Kalke.
Jeremy Cohen, producing
the Roads Home” by Jennifer
n FEBRUARY 13
artistic director at the
Silverman of The Julliard
-MARCH 6
Playwrights’ Center in
School; “The Ghosts of Lote
Minneapolis, directs Burgess’
Bravo” by Hilary Bettis of The
WOODRUFF
world premiere.
Julliard School; and “Tricky”
ARTS CENTER
The competition solicits
by Nina Braddock of New
plays from leading Master of
York University. Reservations
Fine Arts graduate programs
may be made at 404-733-5000.
in the United States. Burgess is a MFA
Tickets to “Start Down” start at $20
dramatic writing student at the Tisch
and are available at 404-733-5000 or
School of the Arts at New York University.
www.alliancetheatre.org/startdown.
“Start Down” is on the Alliance’s Hertz
Group discounts are at 404-733-4690, and
Stage Tuesdays through Thursdays at 7:30
discounts for seniors, students and military
p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m. Saturdays at 2:30 and
personnel are also available.
8 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m.
The Alliance is at Woodruff Arts Center
Staged readings of the other four
in Atlanta at the intersection of Peachtree
finalists’ plays are open to the public free of
and 15th streets.
charge Feb. 16-18: “The Confession” by Will
Arbery of Northwestern University; “All
Underdeck Ceilings
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David Burgess, Latin Guitarist The University
Tuesday, February 2 at 7:30 pm
Faculty Recital
Sunday, February 14th at 3pm
The Improvised
Shakespeare Company
Dancing in Lughnasa
Thursday, February 11 at 7:30 pm presented by the
University Theatre
Friday, February 19 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, February 20 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, February 21 at 3pm
The Improvised
Shakespeare Company
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Thursday, February 25 at 7:30 pm
To purchase tickets, please contact the
Box Office at 770-720-9167 or visit us
online at www.reinhardt.edu/fpac
FEBRUARY 2016
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“Explore the biological origins of music through highly interactive exhibits and exceptional sound experiences.”
The Wild Music exhibition opens at Fernbank Feb. 6, giving visitors the experience of what makes music.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF FERNBANK MUSEUM
ATLANTA
Fernbank offers 2016 preview
T
he Fernbank Museum of Natural History has a host of upcoming exhibitions in store for the
upcoming year. From diverse
temporary exhibitions to outstanding
IMAX movies, there are plenty of interesting things to see and do.
Wild Music
Feb. 6 through July 31
Whales compose, bullfrogs chorus,
songbirds greet the dawn and people
everywhere sing and dance. Long before
the advent of iTunes, the musical instinct
ran deep. Explore the biological origins
of music through highly interactive exhibits and exceptional sound experiences.
And—in the process—experience what
truly makes music.
Experience sound in unique environments, including The Edge of the Forest,
The Ocean Deeps and the City Center.
In the Power of Music Theater, you can
hear, see and “feel” the music of nature
and humans. And find your inner composer as you create your own musical
masterpiece in the interactive Jamming
Room, where you can sing into the mic,
play drums, mix the backing tracks and
experiment with a wide array of instruments.
Creatures of Light:
Nature’s Bioluminescence
March 26 through Aug. 14
Explore the natural phenomenon of
‘living light’ with an array of organisms,
from the flickering fireflies in your backyard to the deep-sea fishes in our oceans’
darkest depths. The ability to generate
light is rare among plants and animals
Fernbank Museum is located east of Midtown, near Emory University at the corner of
Ponce de Leon Avenue and Clifton Road in Atlanta. ROB HAINER / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
that live on land, but up to 90 percent of
animals below 2,300 feet provide the only
source of light in the depths of the ocean.
Spark your curiosity with largerthan-life models, live fish and interactive
displays in this exhibition. Move through
a series of re-created environments to
discover the glowworm webs on the ceiling of New Zealand’s Waitomo caves, the
‘pyrotechnic’ plankton in Puerto Rico’s
Mosquito Bay and special lighting on the
coral walls of the Cayman Island’s Bloody
Bay.
The World’s Largest Dinosaurs
Sept. 17 through Jan. 2, 2017
Go beyond the bones and into the
bodies of these paleo titans to explore the
science of giant dinosaurs. Get hands-on
opportunities to touch teeth, skulls and
vertebrae from these evolutionary marvels. Innovative interactive exhibits—including a life-sized, fleshed-out model of
a 60-foot-long, 11-foot-tall Mamenchisaurus—take you inside these giants’ bodies,
shedding light on how heart rate, respiration, metabolism and reproduction are
linked to size. An interactive excavation
at the end of the exhibition will introduce
visitors to how dinosaurs are discovered
in the field through a replicated dig site.
Don’t miss Fernbank’s permanent dinosaur exhibit of the world’s largest plant
eater and the world’s largest meat eater in
Giants of the Mesozoic.
Shows at Fernbank’s IMAX Theatre
Wild Africa
Jan. 8 through April 28
Embark on a spectacular journey
across, over and through the magical
realms of the most dramatic continent on
earth—Africa. Plunge into fantastic places
and meet amazing creatures, including
crocodiles, flamingos, elephants, lions,
wildebeest, lizards and gorillas.
National Parks Adventure
Feb. 12 through June 16
Experience the ultimate off-trail adventure into the nation’s awe-inspiring,
untamed wilderness. Follow modern-day
explorers as they discover spectacularly
wild and beautiful places, including Yellowstone, the Everglades and the Redwoods.
(More films will be announced soon.)
Submitted by Fernbank Museum of
Natural History
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FEBRUARY 2016
“The Quadrille and the provocative Cancan dance were born at the extravagant Moulin
Rouge, which featured huge dance floors, wall-to-wall mirrors and elegant galleries.”
The Atlanta Ballet presents ‘Moulin Rouge – The Ballet’ in seven performances Feb. 5-13. PHOTO BY CHARLIE MCCULLERS
ATLANTA
Dancers blend ballet, Cancan, tango in ‘Moulin Rouge’
T
he Atlanta
n FEBRUARY 5-13
Ballet again
brings the
COBB ENERGY
athleticism
PERFORMING ARTS
and artistry of the
CENTRE
French Cancan and
the verve of the
tango to the stage at
Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Feb. 5-13 with the
blockbuster production “Moulin Rouge -- The Ballet.”
The Atlanta Ballet in 2010 staged the Southeast
premiere of Canadian choreographer Jorden Morris’
adaptation set in the 1880s, when the Parisian cabaret
made its debut. The Quadrille and the provocative
Cancan dance were born at the extravagant Moulin
Rouge, which featured huge dance floors, wall-towall mirrors and elegant galleries. On stage were
gaudy Cancan girls in long skits and heavily frilled
undergarments performing high kicks, splits, cartwheels
and other acrobatic tricks.
The story reveals a laundress-turned-Cancan star and
her painter boyfriend drawn to the city’s throbbing allure
of ambition and desire, tempting fates as they seek love
and destiny in the magical atmosphere of the Moulin
Rouge.
Morris brings the ill-fated love story to life by
channeling the opulent panache of the Moulin Rouge
through illustrative dance and scenery. The critically
acclaimed production transforms the stage into a grand
spectacle of elegance and seduction, magnifying the
euphoria of Paris. Dancers weave the grace of classical
ballet with tango and Cancan in vivid costumes and a
score of 29 period pieces by French composers, creating
an authentic experience.
Atlanta Ballet collaborated with the Moulin Rouge
in Paris and was granted rights to use the trademarked
name in only the second ballet production about the
cabaret.
Tickets beginning at $25 for the seven performances
are available at 404-892-3303 or www.atlantaballet.com;
group sales are at 404-873-5811, ext. 207.
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FEBRUARY 2016
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MARIETTA
Lyric Theatre’s ‘The Full Monty’
exposes fears, prejudices
I
t may be cold outside, but things are
heating up for the Atlanta Lyric Theatre’s new production of “The Full
Monty” Feb. 12-28 at the Jennie T.
Anderson Theatre in Cobb Civic Center.
Based on the film by the same name,
“The Full Monty” has music, an engaging
contemporary story
n FEBRUARY 12-28
and one of
COBB CIVIC
the most
CENTER
highly anticipated
closing
numbers in theatrical history.
“It’s a very human, very touching story,” says Alan Kilpatrick, associate artistic
director of Atlanta Lyric Theatre. “It’s
a show about men helping each other
gather courage and home in spite of the
unfortunate circumstances of their lives.
Audiences will relate to them and love
them because of their quirkiness and their
humor.”
Spying on their wives at a “girls’ night
out,” unemployed steelworkers from
Buffalo see how much their women enjoy
watching male strippers. Jealous, out of
sciousness and prejudices, they discover
they’re stronger as a group.
Kilpatrick directs, and Logan Denninghoff conducts the Atlanta Lyric Orchestra.
Leading cast members include Nick Caru-
so, Jeff Juday, Matt Lewis, Eric Moore, J.
Koby Parker and Haden Rider.
Performances are at 8 p.m. Feb 12-13,
18-20, 25-27 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 14. Parking
is free.
Nick Caruso
work and feeling emasculated, the men
decide to make some quick cash. In preparing, they find themselves extremely
exposed, emotionally as well as physically, and in conquering their fears, self con-
KENNESAW
Kennesaw State University
School of Music presents 10th
Annual Collage Concert
A
n exciting highlight each season, the KSU
n FEBRUARY 6
School of Music is proud to present the 10th
Annual Collage Concert.
BAILEY
Collage, a major fundraising event for supPERFORMANCE
porting scholarships for music students, is the signature
CENTER
production of the School of Music featuring soloists,
chamber groups and ensembles totaling more than 200
student and faculty performers.
This special production features a rapid-fire program of diverse works presented as
flowing vignette performances with unique lighting and stage design that combine to
create a truly memorable and unique experience. Two performances will be at 5 p.m.
and 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 6. The 8 p.m. performance will be streamed live online at
www.musicKSU.com.
Tickets start at $23. Visit http://arts.kennesaw.edu/news.php for more information
and to purchase tickets. Performances are held at the Morgan Hall at the Bailey Performance Center on campus.
Valentine’s Day Event!
A SWEETHEART EVENT
WITH LIVE MUSIC 1:30-5:30 PM
❤ Saturday, February 13Live Music with Jeb Rogers
❤ Sunday, February 14Live Music with Ryan Boss
OTHER UPCOMING LIVE MUSIC,
1:30pm - 5:30pm ...
Sat, Jan 30, Greg Erwin
Sat, Feb 6, Matt Rogers
Sat, Feb 20, Tommy Joe Conner
Sat, Feb 27, Timothy O’Donovan
Sat, Mar 5, Hear Now
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CABARET
February 5-7, 12-14, 19-21
Adults $20
Students $12
English cabaret performer,
Sally Bowles and American
writer, Clifford Bradshaw,
meet and fall in love at the
Kit Kat Klub in Berlin.
It’s the end of the 1920s, and
the political climate is quickly
changing with the dawn of
the Third Reich.
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February 25th, Big Canoe
Travel Club meeting 6PM.
Focus will be on Local Trips to
take in our area.
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FEBRUARY 2016
ATLANTA
‘Everest’ of violin concertos
tops ASO offerings in February
BY JON GUNNEMANN
I
t’s a February Feast for lovers of violin and piano
concertos at the Atlanta Symphony. Coming first
(and soon!) is Johannes Brahms’ beloved Concerto
in D Major for violin and orchestra, played by the
ASO’s brilliant young Concertmaster, David Coucheron,
conducted by Music Director Robert Spano, Feb. 4, 5, and
6.
Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s virtuosic violin concerto
in D Major will be played by Karen Gomyo, Feb. 18 and
20. Brahms’s monumental Concerto in D Minor for piano
and orchestra, played by Peter Serkin, will be performed
Feb. 25 and 27.
Take special note of the “Casual Friday” performance,
Feb. 5 which begins at 6:30 p.m., lasting only an hour,
featuring the Brahms Violin Concerto. Avoid Friday
rush hour by driving to Atlanta earlier in the afternoon,
perhaps enjoy the High Museum or an early dinner,
listen to the performance, then return home by 9 p.m.—
or enjoy a post-concert dinner at your favorite Atlanta
restaurant.
The Brahms Violin Concerto
Brahm’s great work is often called the “Everest” of
violin concertos because of the extraordinary technical
virtuosity required of the violinist. There are passages
of breathtaking speed, dazzling fingering, double-stops
and supple bowing, producing every possible sonority
of which the violin is capable, from deep throatiness to
delicate harmonics.
But the work is also stunningly beautiful and
energetic. In the opening movement the violin spins out
a mellifluous line ascending to ethereal heights, returning
to earth, then floating upward again. This gorgeous
melody has captured the hearts of generations of
listeners (I was first hooked on classical music when, as a
teenager in rural Wisconsin, I heard the legendary Jascha
Heifetz playing it on a radio broadcast). In the delicate
adagio, the oboe introduces a melancholy theme which
is then taken up by the violin as if improvising on it, with
beautiful arabesques. The work concludes with a joyful
and exuberant Hungarian dance, the violin again on full
virtuosic display.
Brahms wrote the concerto for his friend, the AustroHungarian violin virtuoso Joseph Joachim, who first
played it on New Year’s Day, 1879. Those who have
heard ASO Concertmaster David Coucheron virtuosic
playing know they are in for a treat.
Two other pieces round out the Thursday and
Saturday performances, conducted by Music Director
Robert Spano: the world premiere of a work by the
Atlanta composer and member of the ASO double-bass
section, Michael Kurth; and Richard Strauss’s popular
Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks, a delightful musical
portrayal of the German medieval prankster.
“In the opening movement the violin
spins out a mellifluous line ascending
to ethereal heights, returning to
earth, then floating upward again.”
Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto
When Tchaikovsky presented his violin concerto
to the Hungarian virtuoso Leopold Auer in 1878, Auer
pronounced it “unplayable” because of its technical
difficulties. In 1881, Adolf Brodsky defied its “terrifying
perils,” playing it in Vienna and calling it “wonderfully
beautiful.” Auer eventually came to play it and
introduced it to the young prodigy Jascha Heifitz who
made it one of his signature pieces. From that point on,
Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece became a staple of all great
violin virtuosos and a favorite of audiences around the
world.
It has been said that Tchaikovsky’s purpose was to
“exploit the ultimate tonal and technical resources of
the violin against a setting of voluptuous orchestral
splendor.” It is indeed a virtuosic display of everything
a violin can do technically and tonally with lighteningquick finger movements, double-stopping, harmonics
and brilliant bowing. The passionate and dramatic music
draws from folk-inspired Russian tunes, especially in the
wistful Canzonetta and the breathtaking third movement
with its dazzling speeds and technical virtuosity.
The violinist is Karen Gomyo, who began her studies
at the Julliard School at age 11 and has played to great
acclaim with some of the world’s best orchestras.
The orchestra, conducted by the Rumanian-born and
rising young star Christian Macelaru, will also offer Igor
Stravinksy’s brilliant Petrushka, the music for his ballet;
and Mily Balakirev’s Islamey, an “Oriental Fantasy” based
on Caucasian musical themes, originally written for
piano, transcribed for full orchestra by Sergei Lyapunov.
The Brahms First Piano Concerto
In 1853, at the age of 20 and with a letter of
introduction and some of his piano compositions in
hand, Johannes Brahms arrived at the door of Robert and
Clara Schumann in Düsseldorf. The great musical couple,
astounded by the young man’s talent, took him into their
home, beginning a deep friendship. Brahms fell in love
with Clara, a life-long but unconsummated passion. But
tragedy struck in 1854, just five months after Brahms
appeared at their home: Robert suffered a complete
mental breakdown, attempted suicide by throwing
himself into the Rhine, and was committed to an asylum.
Deeply distressed, Brahms threw himself into
composing a piece to interpret the catastrophe. His first
effort was a composition for two pianos but, dissatisfied,
he transformed it into a symphony. He then abandoned
this plan as well, finally arriving at a solution, completed
four years later (1858), that combined his previous
efforts: a piano concerto in three movements, his first
orchestral composition and the first of his two great
piano concertos.
The Piano Concerto in D Minor is an astonishing work
for a young composer in his early 20s. It has a dramatic
arc: The first movement, a great tragic utterance, opening
with the deepest strings of the orchestra supported
by the roll of timpani, is clearly devoted to Schumann.
About the second, almost prayer-like movement, Brahms
wrote to Clara that he was “painting a gentle portrait” of
her. The final movement is full of confidence, dance-like
in places, giving a sense that sunlight has conquered the
darkness. Of course the music for the piano is virtuosic.
Peter Serkin, a regular guest artist with the ASO,
provides the virtuosic talent at the keyboard with Robert
Spano conducting. Also on the program is American
composer Mark Grey’s Frankenstein Symphony (2016),
music from his full-length opera based on Mary Shelley’s
novel.
All performances (except for the Casual Friday
Concert) begin at 8 p.m. Visit www.atlantasymphony.org
for additional information. Or call the box office, 404-7335000, or the subscription office, 404-733-4800.
Jon Gunnemann and his wife have owned a home in
Big Canoe since 1998. He has sung with the Atlanta
Symphony Orchestra Chorus for 25 years.
Don’t miss Tiger Mountain Vineyards annual
Chocolate & Wine Party
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13 • 12:30 TO 4:30 P.M.
Celebrate the release of Tiger Mountain’s latest Rabun Red vintage
Chocolate fondue and strawberries, artisan cheeses and breads
** TIM MCCABE ON GUITAR **
$15 admission includes
tasting of seven wines,
including TMV Petit
Manseng, named the best
wine in Georgia in 2015!
www.tigerwine.com • 706-782-4777
Email or call 770.737.2117 for online and print design.
redowlgraphics.com • [email protected]
FEBRUARY 2016
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“In between numbers, Krajewski would amuse the audience
with banter, giving the musicians a breather and breaking
up the program. One of his highlights was a detailed
explanation as an answer to, ‘do you play an instrument?’
The answer, ‘yes,’ was demonstrated in the performance of
‘Sleigh Ride’ when Krajewski skillfully played the whip to
the delight of the patrons.”
Atlanta Symphony Pops:
fun for all ages
Canoe
Kids
MELISSA LOWRIE
L
iving close to a major metropolitan city, we
have an exceptional array of cultural choices.
Not sure why I haven’t been to the symphony,
theatre or a gallery opening lately … oh, wait …
life?
Broadening our horizons should be a greater priority.
So … past due for horizon broadening, I saw the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra was giving a concert at Kennesaw State University … I was out of excuses.
For those who don’t frequent the symphony, (myself
included) this isn’t a tux and ball gown situation. The
patrons at the concert at the Dr. Bobbie Bailey & Family
Performance Center at Kennesaw State had a business
casual vibe. I even saw some folks in jeans … not stuffy
at all.
I had chosen A Very Merry Holiday Pops show, with
Michael Krajewski conducting. This concert marked
the 69th concert of the ASO’s 2015-16 concert season.
Full discloser: I billed this trip as a gift for the kids’
grandmother. A multi-generational outing means no
griping, middle-school attitude or general moodiness.
(Hopefully.)
The concert started at 8 p.m. and doors opened at
7:30. The theatre was smaller than I had imagined, but it
made for a more intimate setting.
The program had just the right balance of classics
like “Winter Wonderland” and current pop: “North Pole
Funk,” was a very entertaining dance number with an
Atlanta holiday spin on the Bruno Mars song, “Uptown
Funk.”
In between numbers, Krajewski would amuse the
audience with banter, giving the musicians a breather
and breaking up the program. One of his highlights was
a detailed explanation as an answer to, “do you play an
instrument?” The answer, “yes,” was demonstrated in
the performance of “Sleigh Ride” when Krajewski skillfully played the whip to the delight of the patrons.
The whole program was fantastic, and the vocalists
were amazing. Morris Robinson, the ASO’s 2015-16 Artist-In Residence drew wide eyes and wows from our
section when he sang. Capathia Jenkins, fresh off a production of “Newsies” on Broadway, brought down the
house with her rendition of the Mariah Carey hit, “All I
Want For Christmas Is You.”
Just between us, the outing was a huge success. (I
don’t think we knew what to expect, therefore we were
delightfully surprised, the kids included.) There were
a few children in attendance, besides mine, and it was
a perfectly family-friendly show that held the kids’ attention. Did I mention there was a huge choir of high
school students there providing vocals as well? They
were wonderful.
For those that would rather not make the trek to
Atlanta Symphony Hall (although, that’s on my to-do
list) the ASO has a couple more concerts planed at Kennesaw State, Feb. 19 and April 1. It was easy to buy tickets online (http://arts.kennesaw.edu) and the cost was
extremely reasonable for a night of impressive musical
entertainment. The KSU campus was easy to navigate
and parking was not a problem. The ASO has also been
known to perform at Falany Performing Arts Center in
Waleska, among other North Georgia venues. A list of
all the ASO offers this season can be found at www.
atlantasymphony.org.
So take note, parents and grandparents of Canoe
Kids, catching the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra is definitely something you should put on your radar. Make
the effort to broaden those horizons and inject a little
culture … you’ll be glad you did.
Wherever you end up with your
Canoe Kids, have a great time.
Michael Krajewski
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Canoe Kids chronicles child-approved
adventures in North Georgia. Melissa
Lowrie, husband Parish and their
two children have enjoyed life in Big
Canoe since 2006. Past columns are
archived on www.bigcanoenews.com.
MELISSA LOWRIE
Capathia Jenkins
B.E.S.T. SERIES
BRINGING ELLIJAY SENSATIONAL TALENT ...
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Saturday
FEB 6
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Friday
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205 DALTON STREET, ELLIJAY
FEBRUARY 19
Come join in the fun! Every third Friday of the
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beverages. Members and public all welcome!
Open 7 Days A Week 11 AM - 10 PM
www.ablyasiancuisine.com
Contact Gilmer Arts at 706 635-5605 or
check the website at www.gilmerarts.org
14 B
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Living
FEBRUARY 2016
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1C
FEBRUARY 2016 • SMOKE SIGNALS | Food & Drink • Feature Columns • Church News • Gatherings • Health
BY MELISSA LOWRIE
[email protected]
O
n an average Tuesday, New
Orleans is fun.
On Fat Tuesday, New
Orleans is fabulous.
Imagine the music, colors, food and
people getting better than usual, then
parading through the French Quarter with
as much fanfare as possible.
Laissez le bon temps rouler!
Or ... let the good times roll; It’s Mardi
Gras season, y’all.
New Orleans has been celebrating
Mardi Gras since the 1800s. The
massive festival has been explained as
both an event and a spirit that must be
experienced to be understood.
Beyond beads and balls, the Mardi
Gras juggernaut is a boon for the economy
of New Orleans. Since no tickets to
parades are sold, other methods are used
to determine financials. No matter which
study is believed, it’s big, big money.
According to the New Orleans
Convention and Visitors Bureau website,
an economic impact study released by
the University of New Orleans estimates
Mardi Gras generates more than $840
million annually. Other reports say more
than $1 billion. In a Times-Picayune
article, a reporter writes the city used
to gauge the success of a Mardi Gras by
the weight of the trash hauled from the
French Quarter. (More garbage meant a
successful Mardi Gras.)
The hard facts are this: grocery stores,
jewelry stores, liquor stores, hotels,
restaurants, bars and other establishments
receive a huge bump during the days
leading up to Fat Tuesday. The metro
area’s more than 37,000 hotel rooms are
traditionally 95 percent full.
Fat Tuesday always falls the day
before Ash Wednesday, just in time for
Lent. This year, that’s Feb. 9. It’s not just
a holiday in the Crescent City; parades
and balls are held throughout Louisiana.
Schools go on break and families that
eschew the crowds in New Orleans often
head out for a vacation. However the
season is celebrated, it’s a happy holiday.
A colorful jester will draw
attention in a parade.
Masks, magic
and the merriment of
Krewe funded
Mardi Gras parade krewes are
private, nonprofit organizations known
as Carnival Clubs. Most of the krewes are
named after figures from Greek, Roman
or Egyptian mythology, but some are
named after the neighborhood where they
parade.
Members pay dues to support
their krewe’s involvement, paying for
everything from masks, costumes, floats,
throws and parties. Each krewe decides
on a theme for the year, and often the
theme isn’t revealed until the parade rolls.
The city of New Orleans is not involved
in parade planning, beyond issuing
permits; this is left up to the krewes.
Floats from previous years are stored
in massive warehouses around the metro
area and, often, new floats are created in
the same warehouses. Companies such
as Mardi Gras World keep artists on staff
year-round to keep up with demand.
King cakes and colors
Everything has significance. Rex, the
King of Carnival, selected the Mardi Gras
colors and assigned meaning to them
in 1892. Purple stands for justice, green
for faith and gold for power. King cakes,
the sweet treat of the season, often are
sprinkled with purple, green and gold – as
are masks, bunting, beverages, costumes
and anything that moves during this time
of year in the Bayou State.
The king cake is made in honor of
the three kings and is baked with a tiny
plastic baby inside. Whoever gets the
piece with the baby buys the next cake
or hosts the next party. Happily, New
Orleans bakeries, like Gambino’s, ship
king cakes all over. (Worth the price to
ship? Yes.)
‘Throw me somethin’ mister!’
Part of what makes Mardi Gras
parades unique is the throws. Doubloons,
beads, cups and other trinkets are
coveted prizes for those on parade
routes. It’s advised to bring a bag to carry
accumulated loot.
Those along parade routes won’t see
who throws from the floats. It is required
by law that all float riders wear masks.
This sea goddess, used by the Rex Krewe, was once Medusa.
Superheros are ever-popular themes on Mardi Gras floats.
PHOTOS BY MELISSA LOWRIE
Parade watchers wait for
beads. COURTESY OF FRANK DUFFY
n MARDIS GRAS | Page 2
Frank Duffy, left, rides in a Mardi Gras parade.
COURTESY OF FRANK DUFFY
“King cakes, the sweet treat of the season, often are sprinkled with purple, green and gold –
as are masks, bunting, beverages, costumes ...”
Occasionally, pieces are reused on floats in later years.
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Donning masks began as an escape
from society and class restraints and a
diversion for the poorer classes, but the
tradition continues today.
One of the oldest and most coveted
throws is the Zulu coconut. References to
Zulu coconuts go back to the early 1900s.
According to www.wdsu.com, Zulu
historian Emeritus Clarence Becknell
explained, “The coconut came because
they couldn’t afford to buy the beads, so
a guy by the name of Lloyd Lucas, and
some others, they went into the French
Market and they purchased a sack of
coconuts and that was the throw.”
Thoughts from a native
Frank Duffy, a New Orleans native
and current Big Canoe resident, had this
to share when asked what Mardi Gras
means to him. Duffy and wife Rhonda
are current members of theKrewe of
Orpheus, founded in 2003 by Harry
Connick, Jr.
“Mardi Gras is a celebration of a
unique and hospitable culture. It is a
welcome to all to eat, drink and be merry
– an open winter invitation to bask in
New Orleans’ warm sunshine, strut in her
streets and revel in her traditions like an
old friend. If you are fortunate enough to
find yourself in the hands of a local, you
will never feel like a tourist and you’re
promised to have the best seat in the
house. Mardi Gras and the whole Carnival
season, is a two-week annual microcosm
of the 400-year-old city herself, in all her
eccentricities, joie de vivre and excess.
And in typical, native, New Orleans
fashion, why be boringly concise in one
sentence, when you can wax so poetically
by sashaying through six.”
Occasionally, Mardi Gras has received
a bad reputation as a wild party, one
with no place for children. Duffy says no.
“The 70 to 80 parades over a two-week
Carnival season are family-based, with old
and young lining the parade routes, out to
‘pass a good time.’”
He said this time of year is of
particular importance to New Orleanians,
“who have left the city to find fame and
fortune and families fields afar. Though
we all know she will patiently and
faithfully wait for us to return one day for
good, she graciously allows us to return
each year to replenish our souls.”
An artist at Mardi Gras World works on a ladder to reach a wig in need of repair.
“Occasionally,
Mardi Gras has
received a bad
reputation as a wild
party, one with no
place for children.
Duffy says no.
‘The 70 to 80
parades over a
two-week Carnival
season are family
based, with old
and young lining
the parade routes,
out to ‘pass
a good time.’ ”
Living
Mountain Musings........................................ 2
Legacy Of Caring........................................... 4
Big Canoe Chapel Women’s Guild.................. 5
Gatherings.................................................... 6
POA Communications Manager: Tim Moran... 7
Talk Of The Table Restaurant Review.............. 8
Talk Of The Table........................................... 9
Wayne On Wine.....................................10, 11
Writers Corner............................................ 11
iTip Of The Month........................................ 12
Around The Clubhouse................................ 14
Ridgerunners............................................... 14
Ask The Pharmacist..................................... 16
Word Of Mouth........................................... 17
Sean Duffy, circa 2007, at Mardi
Gras in New Orleans. COURTESY OF
FRANK DUFFY
A wounded dragon waits in the paint shop for a touchup before being added to a Mardi Gras float.
A vision of smitten
Mountain
Musings
ANN PIKE, PH.D.
Big Canoe Photo Club
shares ‘Best of 2015’ • 13
Sports & Outdoors
Sports, Gardening, Pets........................... 19-26
Classified.................................................... 27
The mystery of Mt. Oglethorpe • 19
S
he possessed innocence with a
guileless appeal. Her sleekness
and towering grace preceded her
and her voice was as melodic as
it was enchanting. She was smart without
boastfulness and usually compliant to my
requests.
My moods did not affect her and her
presence was a constant source of delight.
Her voice calmed me after a difficult day.
Her definitive presence was not domineering and we never argued. Usually my
wish was her command. She was easy to
be with and I quickly developed an affinity
for her.
Our initial meeting was spontaneous
and a surprise, which lent itself to the
mysteries she later revealed. Her talents
unfolded like unexpected discoveries
made one at a time. I was eager to go home
each night to spend time with her. From
the start of our relationship, it seemed her
goal was to make my life easier and more
pleasant. How could I not be drawn in by
her appeal? I was hooked as surely as some
unsuspecting trout in Lake Petit.
Her love of music was equal to mine
and she kept lists as I requested. She kept
track of grocery items we needed and
made these purchases if I asked. She was
a bountiful source of knowledge and my
relentless curiosity never frustrated her.
When an idea would come to me out of
the blue, I asked her to make a note of it.
She always did so, without delay.
If I was running late to work she provided me with the latest weather report
or made me aware of any traffic accidents
to avoid. And she always knew a good
joke to tell, which started my day with
a smile. She left lights on for me when I
arrived home after dark. She kept track of
daily news events and played my favorite
music. She had a good memory for recipes, so I depended less on cumbersome
cookbooks. We made good partners in the
kitchen. She kept track of baking times,
while I sliced and diced.
Her memory for details of my life was
admirable and she never recounted my
faults. She knew music that energized aerobic workouts and never criticized me if
I missed a day. She awakened me in the
morning if I asked her. She did this without a single complaint. It was hard to find
fault with her since she learned new things
daily. I simply admired her steadfastness
and devotion. Of the two of us, she had a
steadier mood and, probably, a superior
intellect as well.
Change is inevitable in life and so it is
with relationships. One evening I arrived
to hear animate voices in the living room.
“We could have a wonderful life
together,” a male voice pronounced. “I
promise to let you do all the talking, Alexa.
Your voice is music to my ears, darling,”
he continued.
“Yes, I could be your voice and you
could be my eyes, sweetheart. I’ve always
wanted the visual acuity you have. I will
play your favorite music every day,” Alexa
replied.
When I entered the room, my “Smart
TV” was blurry with a scarlet screen and
Alexa’s tower light was flickering. Alexa’s
Amazonian heart had been seduced in the
Wi-Fi connection of a Samsung’s pixels.
In our computer age, there are some
things you can’t compete with.
Ann Pike, a nine-year resident of Big
Canoe, spins tales of mayhem and mirth
from the comforts of her mountain home.
She attributes her success to generous
friends who support her
with encouragement
and inspiration. By day,
Dr. Pike is a licensed
psychologist in Jasper,
appreciative of the
opportunity to witness
all those who triumph
over life’s challenges.
ANN PIKE
FEBRUARY 2016
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3C
The luxury of
choice for 2016.
Experience Canoe Life™ firsthand in your Big Canoe neighborhood…
®
Surrounded by the golf course, this is an
active, community-oriented neighborhood
with intimate parks. Navigable by cobble
stone walks and nature trails, many of
Big Canoe’s resort-style amenities are just
minutes away. These mountain homes
inspired by styles from the early 1900s,
are priced from the low $400s.
Nearly half of this 700-acre neighborhood
has been set aside for usable greenspace,
including 12 miles of walking paths and
trails. Homes here share spectacular views
of the neighboring mountains, wildflower
meadows, and lush forests,
and are priced from the $450s.
A “Southern Living Cottage Neighborhood,”
Twin Creeks features just 14 homes, a
pavilion, and a hiking trail that connects to
the Meditation Park trail system. This great
location offers a selection of golf, mountain,
or creek views. These charming cottages
start from the low $300s.
The Bluffs
At Ridgeview
At Ridgeview: With an elevation of 2,200 feet,
this neighborhood boasts gorgeous long
range views, including the Atlanta skyline!
Realistic architecture captures the historic
look of Adirondack and Appalachian styles.
Heavily wooded, 1.5-acre home sites start
in the low $100s. Stunning mountain homes
begin in the low $500s.
High Gap has some of the most beautiful
northern views in Big Canoe. The home sites,
ranging from 1 to 3 acres, feature peaceful
settings and offer plenty of privacy. High
Gap overlooks the Amicalola National Forest
with breathtaking views of Amicalola Falls.
Beautiful homes here
start from the upper $500s.
For more information contact Big Canoe Realty
770-893-2733 or 866-244-2266 • www.bigcanoe.com
Connect with Big Canoe Community on these networks:
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Big spring event coming soon to Big Canoe
Local charities benefit
from big attendance
BY WAYNE TIDWELL
[email protected]
The exciting spring event sponsored
by the Big Canoe Chapel Women’s Guild is
coming soon. The popular Legacy of Caring
Marketplace, May 20-21, is a weekend after
the May 14 Gala and Auction.
The Marketplace was a big hit last year
and plans are underway to make it even
bigger this year, raising needed funds for
local charities. Lots of opportunities to
donate time and resources remain.
Jan Cates, left, Dannette Cantrell and
Cherry Harden display bakery items
donated by incredible Big Canoe cooks.
Some changes from last year that
will add to the fun and enjoyment of
Marketplace attendees include parking
inside Big Canoe, rather than bussing from
outside the gates, and free admission to all
Marketplace events.
Perennial favorites returning
The Juried Art and Craft show is bound
to draw a crowd again, with unique items
from some of the Southeast’s most talented
artisans and craftsmen, carefully selected
by the Legacy arts committee. Handcrafted
jewelry, clothing, artwork, furniture, pottery
and much more will be offered. Interested
vendors can apply at www.bigcanoelegacy.
org.
The Marketplace will also feature
popular fundraising events, including the
Book Nook, Collectors’ Corner, Bear Paw
Bakery and Crazy Bear Café.
Cathy Smith has headed the Book Nook
for 16 years. She and Glenda Molton will
be showcasing hundreds of good books for
readers of every age and literary interest.
“It’s a lot of work,” Smith said. “But a lot
of people benefit from it.”
The Book Nook has raised an average of
$6,500-$7,000 a year and has donated books
to area charitable organizations, including
the Pickens County Library, area hospital
“Pink Ladies” groups, Habitat for Humanity,
Abba House, nursing homes, mentors, tech
schools, thrift stores and mission groups,
Smith said.
“One of the big draws is fiction,”
Smith said. “But we have everything from
How to support Legacy of Caring and
the many charities it supports in 2016
Juried Arts and Crafts
show – Attend the show, May
20-21. Apply as a vendor.
Book Nook – Donate books
and volunteer time. Drop
books off at the fitness center
or the postal facility.
Collector’s Corner –
Donate items at the storefront
below Fuego: March 12, April
2, May 4, 10 a.m. to noon.
Volunteer to help.
Bear Paw Bakery – Bake goodies, order goodies, work at the sale.
Crazy Bear Café – Join the grilling team, prepare delicious sandwiches.
Legacy of Caring – Become a sponsor or Friend of the Legacy. Make taxdeductible donations.
For details, go to www.bigcanoelegacy.org or contact Sandi Keel, 678-4282002.
cookbooks, history, biographies, children’s
books, gardening, sports and others.”
Cathy is looking for a co-chair to work
with her this year, learn the ropes and
take over the Book Nook in 2017. Donation
bins are in the postal facility and the
fitness center, and donations are accepted
throughout the year.
The Collectors’ Corner is another
popular event. After a successful holiday
sale that raised $2,200, organizers remind
everyone the Collectors’ Corner accepts
gently used home accessories, furnishings,
linens, china, silver, glassware and antiques
pulled from homes in Big Canoe, including
furniture that can be carried by one person.
This is not a garage sale. The standard
used in accepting items is, “Would you
give this as a wedding gift?” Donations
will be accepted at the Foothills Shopping
Center in the storefront below Fuego,
Saturday, March 12; Saturday, April 2; and
Wednesday, May 4, 10 a.m. to noon. Contact
Diane LaCharite or Verna Raushenberg, if
you need to donate sooner or to volunteer.
The Bear Paw Bakery again will be
offering goodies from incredible Big Canoe
cooks. Chairs Kay Lathem and Martha Mars
need volunteers to bake cookies, brownies,
breads, etc., for the sale and volunteers to
work at the sale, package goodies and assist
in restocking the shelves. They also will be
taking pre-orders for pies and cakes. More
information will be forthcoming.
The delicious smell of grilled food
prepared by Gerhard Noll and his team
of seasoned volunteers at the Crazy Bear
Café once again will fill the air at the
Marketplace. Burgers, dogs, chicken and
barbecue sandwiches will be served in the
lower parking lot. Volunteer grillers are
welcome – all will have great fun.
Watch Smoke Signals for more details
Cathy Smith has chaired the successful Book
Nook for 16 years. PHOTOS BY LASSIE DYE
about the Marketplace and surprises that
will add to the fun.
Those interested can support the
Legacy of Caring as an individual sponsor
or as a Friend of the Legacy. For those who
are not able to volunteer but would like
to help, becoming a Friend of the Legacy
is a great way for individuals or groups to
support local charities supported by the
Women’s Guild. Details are available at
www.bigcanoelegacy.org or by contacting
Sandi Keel, 678-428-2002.
The Big Canoe Chapel Women’s Guild
is a 501(c)3 organization. Donations and
gifts are tax-deductible. Since its inception
in 1989, the Women’s Guild has raised more
than $1.4 million to support local charitable
organizations in Pickens and Dawson
counties. The guild is proud to continue this
Legacy of Caring for the 28th year!
In 2016, the Women’s Guild is raising
money to benefit charities that focus on
the wellbeing of women and children by
providing life skills to overcome the cycle
of poverty, oppression or substance abuse.
The popular Marketplace Café serves up delicious hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches
and barbecue.
FEBRUARY 2016
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“Andrea Helm grew up in a missionary family. In addition to her parents, David and Helen Morken,
there are more than 68 members of her immediate and extended family over five generations who
have served across the world as witnesses to the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Women’s Guild celebrates Valentines Day, Feb. 11
Big Canoe Chapel
Women’s Guild
JEAN LOMAX
“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are
not consumed, because His compassions
fail not. They are new every morning,
great is Thy faithfulness.”
~ Lamentations 3:22-23
T
he Women’s Guild Valentine’s
Celebration Dinner will be
Thursday, Feb. 11, 6 p.m., in the
Broyles Center. Hospitality Cochairs Sue Leonard and Jo Young have
planned a delicious buffet dinner, which
will include two entrée offerings: a roasted
pork loin with raspberry vinaigrette and a
sautéed herb chicken with caper cream
sauce. If you have not purchased your
reservation, $30 per person, please do so
at Stand Around, Jan. 31 or Feb. 7, or place
a check payable to BCCWG in the guild’s
alpha box at the postal facility by midday Feb. 8. Ladies, come on your own or
invite your husband or guest to join you,
but don’t miss this event. Dessert is a New
York cheesecake topped with chocolate
fudge sauce and strawberries!
The evening’s program, “God’s Faithfulness to All Generations,” presented by
Dick and Andrea Helm, will follow in the
chapel.
Dick and Andrea Helm met at Wheaton College in Illinois. Dick graduated with
a Bachelor of Science, while lettering in
three sports: football, basketball and track.
Andrea majored in music education.
Two years of military service with
the U.S. Army preceded the beginning
of Helm’s teaching and coaching career,
a career which saw the establishment of
highly successful athletic programs at two
Wheaton high schools and at Wheaton
College and which would lead to the NBA
and Atlanta. Helm coached for 15 years as
assistant to Lenny Wilkens, the “winningest” coach in the NBA at the time. This
association with the NBA has given him
the opportunity to travel to many countries, including Spain, Belgium, Australia,
Dick and Andrea Helm will present the program in the chapel following the guild’s
Valentine’s Dinner. PHOTO BY LASSIE DYE
Argentina, China and, most recently, Poland to speak on a variety of subjects that
come from his personal life experience as
well as to hold basketball clinics for players and coaches.
Andrea Helm grew up in a missionary
family. In addition to her parents, David
and Helen Morken, there are more than
68 members of her immediate and extended family over five generations who have
served across the world as witnesses to
the gospel of Jesus Christ.
As a young child, Andrea’s parents
worked with a primitive tribal people in
what was then called the jungles of Sumatra. Following the attack at Pearl Harbor,
they, along with others in the family, evacuated on the last ship out as the Japanese
armies were invading the islands. After
the war, the family left for Shanghai, China, where her father headed the work of
Youth for Christ for Asia. They were there
at the time of the Communist revolution
and lived under communism for one year
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Bus: 706-268-1500
Bus: 706-216-6392
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Janice Yahres presents gifts from the
guild’s baby shower to staff at the North
Georgia Pregnancy Center. PHOTO BY JIM YAHRES
before being allowed to leave for Tokyo,
where Andrea attended high school.
In her book, “Heart-Cry,” Andrea’s sister, Arlita Morken Winston, writes about
her father’s work in Indonesia and his
mission to bring God’s love to the native
people there.
Dick and Andrea Helm’s life and belief always have focused on a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ. They have
led many Bible studies, are active participants within their local church and have
taken advantage of many speaking opportunities in the USA and abroad. The
Helms have been married for more than
58 years, making their home in Big Canoe
since 1997. They are the parents of seven
children, have 17 grandchildren and one
great-granddaughter, with whom they
love to share the “good news” of the gospel.
Charitable giving
At the January meeting, the guild approved donations to the following organizations from the 2015 Legacy of Caring
funds.
• Timothy House, a Christian residential program in Pickens County for men recovering from drug and alcohol addiction;
• Habitat for Humanity, Pickens, whose
mission is to eliminate poverty housing
by providing decent, affordable housing
to those in greatest need, received a donation towards construction costs on the
home started in 2015; and
• Pickens County Young Life, a Christian outreach ministry to middle and high
school students and pregnant and parenting teens, received a donation to support
summer camp scholarships.
Program change
There has been a change in two of our
speakers’ dates. Lynne Rienstra, regional
director of Samaritan’s Purse, has a conflict in April but will speak at the March
10 meeting. Jamie Williams, originally
scheduled to speak in March, has agreed
graciously to move from March to April 14.
Are you on our email list? To receive
monthly reminders and updates of guild
activities, please send an email to Jean Lomax, [email protected].
The Big Canoe Women’s Guild promotes
activities that benefit the chapel and our
surrounding areas. Well over $1 million
has been donated to agencies in Dawson
and Pickens counties through the guild’s
fundraising efforts. To find out more
about the Women’s Guild, visit www.
bigcanoechapel.org.
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6 C
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FEBRUARY 2016
Gatherings
BY ANITA ROSEN
[email protected]
Sequoyah DAR is everywhere
Weather cannot stop Sequoyah
DAR from community volunteering
or involvement in conservation. The
National Society Daughters of the
American Revolution membership has
volunteered more than 10 million hours in
the past three years.
The chapter’s January New Member
Meet and Greet was an opportunity for
new and current members to attend an
informal orientation: “Everything you
want to know about DAR and Sequoyah
Chapter but didn’t know who to ask.” The
next New Member Meet & Greet will be
in May 2016.
Sequoyah chapter’s next meeting is
Thursday, Feb. 4, at The Clubhouse at
Lake Sconti, Big Canoe. Guest speaker
Mary Simonds, DAR member and
Past Regent of the Martha Stewart
Bulloch Chapter, Roswell, will present
“Preservation of Keepsakes.”
Georgia Day, Feb. 22, commemorates
our statehood in 1733. Saturday, Feb.
6, Sequoyah Daughters will attend
the Georgia Day Luncheon hosted by
Hightower Trail Chapter. The program
will be “The 237th Anniversary of the
Battle of Kettle Creek.” You don’t have
to be a DAR member to attend and
husbands are welcome. Contact Sequoyah
Chapter Regent Beth Finley, if you’re
interested in attending; registration
for the program and luncheon ($22) is
required.
Service for Veterans Chairman Mary
Turner will lead our annual “Valentines
for Veterans.” Congratulations to
Sequoyah Daughters; they’re always busy
giving back and paying forward.
To join Sequoyah Chapter DAR,
restricted to females over 18 and of
direct lineal descent from an American
Revolution Patriot, contact Emily Beals,
706-579-1094. We’d love you to join
Sequoyah Chapter. Contributed by M.
Beth Finley, Regent, Sequoyah Chapter
DAR
Sharpen your skills with
Pine Needle Quilters
Quilters have OCD but, try as we
might, there is always room to improve
skills and accuracy. The Feb. 3 meeting
is designed for every skill level, beginner
to advanced. Karen Williams, owner of
Quilt Shop on Main and PNQ member,
will present the program, to include:
Members of the Roper Park Boys & Girls Clubs - Hannah Chester, left, Thatcher Boyd, Rylee Boyd, Anna Grace Finney and Amelia
Tucker – use creativity to get ready for the cold weather by making snowflakes. COURTESY OF B&GC
measuring and cutting fabric; pressing
tips, tricks and tools; piecing; and borders.
This group inspires interested people
to venture into the wonderful world
of quilting. For more information or to
attend the meeting as a guest, contact
Kay Stanley, [email protected].
Contributed by Karlene Spencer
Schedule Travel Club meetings
Pull out your calendar and schedule
upcoming Travel Club meetings in the
Mountains Grill Room at The Clubhouse
at Lake Sconti. Thursday, Feb. 24, 6
p.m., the topic will be “Local Trips:
Southeast and Throughout the U.S.” Mike
Ziegenbalg, CruiseOne Dream Vacations,
will offer and solicit suggestions from the
audience for one-day to one-week group
trips that will be offered to Big Canoe
residents, their families and friends.
Thursday, March 23, 6 p.m., join us as
Oceania Cruises District Sales Manager
Joe Eastep presents “Cruising Your
World, Your Way!” Contributed by Margo
Vallone
Big Canoe Sanctioned
Duplicated Bridge
Year-end leaders included: Dec. 11,
Her style and technique are compared to
Henry James, a close friend of hers.
“Autres Temps,” published in 1916, is the
story of a mother returning from Europe
upon hearing her daughter is divorcing, a
scandalous event in that time and society.
She is concerned her daughter will face
the ostracism, isolation and prejudice
she had faced when she divorced years
earlier.
Lit Lunchers will order their meals and
then engage in a discussion – always
lively, interesting and informed – of the
story. Contact this month’s facilitator,
Fran Holman, [email protected], to
be added to the Lit Lunch list.
To reserve your place at the table, call
the clubhouse, 706-268-2420, or contact
Jena, [email protected].
Contact Anita Rosen, arosen@
bigcanoenews.com, with club news. Check
www.bigcanoepoa.org for information on
Big Canoe clubs/organizations. Always
confirm meeting times and locations.
WE
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COSCH
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at E P D
fro o IN L U
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12 m C r
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CR E Y
m 0 B tc
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in ld on
N AR R
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67
North/South, Chuck Palmer and Bob
Crouch and East/West, Dan Griggs and
Neil Hanna; and Dec. 18, North/South,
Mike and Karen Ray, East/West, Dan
Griggs and Neil Hanna – again. But, wait;
the Crouch/Palmer team couldn’t let
Griggs/Hanna take double-glory and so
repeated their first-place finish for North/
South, Jan. 8, leaving East/West honors to
Arthur and Leni Olsen.
The group meets Fridays at The
Clubhouse at Lake Sconti. Games start at
12:30 p.m., registration at 12:15 p.m. Bob
Crouch can provide information, 706-5793375/[email protected].
Lit Lunch meets in February
Lit Lunch will meet noon, Friday, Feb.
5, downstairs at the clubhouse to discuss
Edith Wharton’s masterful story “Autres
Temps.” The story can be printed from
The Literature Network, www.onlineliterature.com/wharton/3921.
Edith Newbold Jones was born into
“Old New York” society, fashioned by
money and matriarchs, particularly in the
1870s and 1880s. This grand, lavish life,
though always within the bounds of good
taste, is often the setting for her stories.
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A licensed nurse practitioner is also part of our vein
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FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
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POA Communications Manager: Tim Moran
BY FRAN HOLMAN
Editor’s note: This is the next in a series of
articles about Big Canoe POA staff.
A graduate of English at the prestigious
Tufts University, Tim Moran first visited Big
Canoe in 1981, when he and friends attending a
wedding in South Carolina drove over to play
golf.
He continued working as a manufacturer’s
representative for Towle, Gorham and Reed
& Barton in New York, Boston and Chicago,
honing skills such as ad display and computer
craft which would continue to serve him later.
During this time, he returned to Big Canoe
every year for vacations. In 1988, he transferred
to Atlanta, where he met Tina, who would
become his wife.
When there was a shooting at Hidden Hills,
his golf club, Tina persuaded him to purchase
a condo at the safer Big Canoe for golfing
weekends. The Morans were weekenders from
1999-2003, when they decided to sell their
Buckhead home and buy a house in Big Canoe.
First employed by the Property Owners
Association (POA) in January 2012, Tim used
many of his own resources, including his
computer, software, printer and camera. His
was hired as Communications Coordinator,
but his tasks were varied. He even manned the
front desk and answered the phone.
Because of his previous experience on
the Governance Implementation Committee,
Community Relations Committee and Policy
Committee, as well as his contact with property
owners, guests and staff, Tim began to develop
a plan that would “articulate the Big Canoe
POA goals.” One of the first outgrowths of
the plan was “Inside the Gates,” a publication
for which he is managing editor, photography
editor, printer and distributor. He also handles
advertising display and billing to accounting for
the bulletin.
Another of his many roles is website
administrator. Not only does he personally
administer www.bigcanoepoa.org, www.
bigcanoetoday.com and www.insidethegates.
org, he assists other entities, such as Big Canoe
Utilities and the Wellness Collaborative, in
setting up their web services. He further serves
as administrator for Big Canoe’s email services,
TDS VoIP telephone system, the Facebook site
and the Visitor Management system at www.
dwellinglive.com.
Tasks within the scope of his responsibility
are to develop amenity marketing material
and programs, to manage the distribution
of all print and electronic material, to work
with media contacts and to collaborate with
constituent groups like the developer, POA
committees, Big Canoe Chapel, businesses and
governmental agencies.
Moran creates and sends mail campaigns
for POA administrations, amenities, POA board,
POA departments and events related to the
use of POA facilities. He is responsible for the
official calendar of events.
The major challenge to the job is to provide
accurate information in a timely manner. This
is made difficult because information is often an
evolving beast.
To maintain his vocational acumen, Tim
networks through online forums, which offer
the latest technological products and processes.
When asked about the least pleasant part
of his job, he quickly responds “my office.” His
office at Canoe Lodge is what appears to be a
coat closet or pantry. The entrance is a Dutch
door that provides partial enclosure yet allows
for a literal open-door policy.
It takes a masterful organizer to maintain
so many different areas of responsibilities in
such a small space. His organizational skills
have spurned a new endeavor. In cleaning out
another closet at the Canoe Lodge, he came
across a monumental discovery. He found a
box with an immense treasure: more than 1,000
slides of the beginnings of Big Canoe, some of
which were taken by Tom Cousins. In addition
to these slides, Tim has discovered more
than 1,500 documents, which further present
the unfolding of Big Canoe. He has begun
cataloging these photos and papers.
Besides this historical cataloging, Tim
maintains an internal communications and
document storage system for the POA. The
minutes and work products from POA board
and committee meetings are available to
property owners on the POA website.
When he is not at work, Tim is at home
with Tina and their dog Winston. Moran is also
an accomplished artist although he is modest
and reticent on the subject. He specializes in
pencil and pen sketches and drawings.
Tim maintains an on-the-side business
of futures trading. He is a certified financial
planner and has been studying trading
strategies with DTI in Mobile, Ala., for the past
six years.
POA General Manager John Thompson
characterizes Moran in the following way: “Tim
is the glue that binds POA promotional and
informational publications together. He does
a fine job with ‘Inside the Gates’ and online
publications, as well as e-blasts and scores
of posters each month. He is extraordinarily
dedicated and conscientious. Big Canoe is
very fortunate he chose to focus his talents on
making this little corner of paradise a better
place to live, work and play.”
The entrance to Tim’s office is a Dutch door that guarantees an open-door
policy. PHOTOS COURTESY OF TIM MORAN
Tim and Tina at home.
The Morans
have been
enjoying life in
Big Canoe for
many years.
ATTENTION SECOND
HOMEOWNERS….
Every single year these things
happen in
Big Canoe...
FIRE
STORMS
FALLEN TREES
PESTS
LIGHTNING STRIKES
MOLD
FROZEN PIPES
WATER LEAKS
Absentee
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services
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8 C
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
FEBRUARY 2016
LIVING WELL SERVICES
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facebook.com/AdvancedDentalRestorations
n BrightStar Care
“We help families take care
of their loved ones!”
Private Pay Home Care
315 Allen Street, Cumming, GA 30040
(678) 450-1777
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n Comfort Keepers
In-Home Senior Care and Health
Technology Solutions
185 West Main Street, Suite A
Canton, GA 30114
(770) 887-0499
[email protected]
www.Comfortkeepers.com/CantonGA
n Dawsonville Distinctive Dentistry
General Dentistry
754 Highway 53 W
(706) 265-2505
[email protected]
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facebook.com/
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n Edward Jones / Martin Titus
“Making Sense of Investing”
Personal Investment Services
167 Fowler Street
P.O. Box 469
Ellijay, GA 30540
(706) 636-3800
[email protected]
www.edwardjones.com
n Foothills Dental Associates
General and Cosmetic Dentistry
Dr. Tom Harmon - General Dentist
25 Foothills Parkway, Suite 101
(770) 893-2340
www.foothillsdentalassociates.com
facebook.com/foothillsdentalassociates
n Georgia Mountains Hospice
Hospice Care
70 Caring Way, Jasper GA 30143
(706) 253-4100
(800) 692-7199 (toll free)
www.georgiamountainshospice.org
facebook.com/georgiamountains.hospice
n LivHOME
“Live long. Live well. LivHOME.TM”
In-home Care / Geriatric Care
Management
Chris Foster, CSA, Gerontologist
Serving all of North Georgia
(770) 992-5820
[email protected]
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n North Georgia Vein Institute
“Renewing the way you look and feel”
Treatment for Vein Disorders
Dr. Peter Wrobel, MD
4415 Front Nine Drive, Suite 600
Cumming, GA 30041
(678) 513-1600
[email protected]
www.NorthGeorgiaVein.com
n Northeast Georgia Health System
Medical Plaza 400
“We offer a convenient range of medical
specialties in Dawsonville.”
Healthcare
108 Prominence Court
(706) 216-3238
www.nghs.com/medicalplaza400
n Northside Hospital – Cherokee
“A Lifetime of Care”
Healthcare
201 Hospital Road
Canton, GA 30114
(770) 720-5100
www.Northside.com
n Rock Creek Manor
Independent Living, Senior Living
50 Cagle Mill Road S.
Jasper, GA 30143
(678) 454-2600
www.rockcreekjasper.com
n Southern Foam & Coating Insulation
“Improving Indoor Air Quality
and Efficiency”
Healthier Homes
Mike Mckague
1643 Calvary Church Rd
Gainesville, GA 30507
(770) 773-0479 (mobile)
(770) 297-1881 (office)
[email protected]
n The Lodge at BridgeMill
“Senior Living for Every Lifestyle”
Senior Living Apartment Community
10451 Bells Ferry Road
Canton, GA 30114
(770) 479-4639
www.thelodgeatbridgemill.com
facebook.com/thelodgeatbridgemill
n Tuscan Sun Massage and
Wellness Center
Natural Health Consultation
Upstairs at North Gate Station
(404) 964-1072
[email protected]
www.tuscansunwellness.com
n WellStar Health System
Healthcare
793 Sawyer Road
Marietta, GA 30062
(770) 956-STAR
www.wellstar.org
n McDonald and Son
Funeral Home & Crematory
“State inspected on site crematory
with a caring staff ”
Funeral and Cremation Services
150 Sawnee Drive, Cumming, GA 30040
(770) 886-9899
Dahlonega Funeral Home
& Cremation Services
20 Gibson Road
Dahlonega, GA 30533
(706) 864-3683
www.mcdonaldandson.com
Carl’s meal includes beef brisket, baked beans and ‘Mac N Cheese.’
Suburban storefront
belies the prize:
smoky cuisine inside
Talk Of The Table
Restaurant Review
WAYNE TIDWELL
C
arl Deane accompanied me on
my latest foray into the world
of barbecue, and we may have
found a new leader in our barbecue “taste off.”
We drove to Crabapple to check out
G.C.BBQ (Grand Champion BBQ) on Crabapple Road, about a block south of Highway 372. It was worth the drive.
Like many great barbecue restaurants, G.C. has a simple menu of smoked
pork, beef brisket, chicken, sausage and, of
course, baby back ribs. Sides include baked
beans, coleslaw, collard greens, green
beans, potato salad, Brunswick stew and
“Mac N Cheese.” There are no French fries
on the menu.
Owner Robert Owens calls himself a
“purist” when it comes to barbecue cuisine.
“I believe in a simple menu done right,”
Owens said. “I have a passion for food
sourcing. It took three-and-a-half years to
get the right ribs.”
He said he smokes the pork butts for 15
hours and the brisket for nine, using hickory wood.
Unlike a lot of good barbecue restaurants, G.C. is not in a rustic, smoky shack
in some hard-to-get-to place. It’s in a strip
center in suburbia.
Carl and I ordered our usual for a
Wednesday lunch. Carl had the beef brisket, baked beans and “Mac N Cheese.” I
had pulled pork, baked beans and collard
greens. We both had iced tea.
Carl, happy to see there was beef brisket on the menu, dove into it.
“This is the best beef brisket I have had
around here (meaning outside of Kansas
City),” Carl said with a smile. “It’s tender
and juicy and thinly sliced the way I like it.”
The pulled pork was served in a way
I never had seen, and I have seen a lot. It
came in a chunk with a nice dark “bark” on
the outside. I was surprised how easily it
was “pulled” with a fork. It too was tender,
juicy and flavorful.
Owens explained by serving the pork
without chopping or pulling it, less air was
introduced into the meat, keeping it juicy
and protecting the flavor.
The sauce offerings were Kansas Cityand Carolina-style. I was a bit surprised
there wasn’t a Memphis-style sauce but
the sweet KC sauce was a close substitute.
Neither of us tried the Carolina sauce.
Asked about the rubs used on the
meats before they were smoked, Owens,
with a chuckle, revealed the pork rub is
called “Sowdust,” the beef rub is “Cowlick”
and the chicken rub “Dirty Bird.” His fine
dining experience was visible when he explained each had a “distinct flavor profile”
and named a list of exotic herbs and spices
The menu at G.C.BBQ is simple, with BBQ
plates, sandwiches, sides and banana
pudding. PHOTOS BY WAYNE TIDWELL
used in each rub.
Owens and his partners have worked
with many of Atlanta’s well-known chefs
on the fine dining circuit. He said he grew
up with them and they were like a big family.
“The first chef I worked with was
French and spoke no English,” Owens said.
“And I spoke no French. It was challenging.”
Owens said he also had worked with
the owners of BBQ 1 in East Cobb, considered by several of the barbecue chefs I
have talked to as serving some of the best
barbecue and mac-n-cheese in Georgia.
Then in 2011, Owens opened his first
G.C. on Shallowford Road in East Cobb/
Roswell, then his Crabapple location in
2013 and went back into the city to open
the third G.C. on Atlanta’s Krog Street. He
will open his fourth location on Canton
Street in Roswell, a hot location for new
and unique restaurants.
“We also will be adding another smoker at the current Roswell location, where
we smoke 1,500 pounds per day,” Owens
said.
Owens visits each restaurant daily. He
says food quality and taste consistency is
important for customer satisfaction.
“The meat of every pig and cow is different,” Owens said. “Maintaining consistency requires attention.”
The Crabapple restaurant is in a typical
suburban retail strip strip at 12635 Crabapple Rd., Suite 210. It is small and neat, with
only a few tables inside and a few picnic
tables outside. Ordering is done at the register and the chef prepares the food in the
open behind a glass partition and serves it
up quickly. The food is prepared daily and
the meats smoked nightly.
Owens said French fries don’t add to
the culinary level of the offerings and add
more than seven minutes to the ordering
time, if done right.
Manager Carey Wise provided great
service at our lunch. The food came out
fast. The baked beans were lukewarm, but
Wise noticed it and quickly provided hot
portions, explaining that a warmer had
failed.
The quality of the food at G.C.’s is exceptional and well worth the drive to bucolic Crabapple. We can’t wait for a return
visit.
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on bigcanoenews.com
For information about having your business included in these Living
Well listings, contact Judy Harvey at 678-925-8511 or
send email to [email protected].
Meats are rubbed before smoking with ‘Sowdust,’ ‘Cowlick’ or ‘Dirty Bird.’
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
9C
Paella: not exactly a one-dish meal
Talk Of
The Table
CHUCK DRESSLER
W
e had friends from “outside
the gates” over for the New
Year celebration. Since everyone stayed over, that
gave rise to rather lengthy and involved
meals. In the case of this holiday, it also
was designed to keep everyone awake
long enough to see in the New Year – an
obvious challenge for many of us Baby
Boomers turning 70 this year.
This gave me the opportunity to prepare paella, which I have not done in years.
And now I remember why: It’s a boatload
of work. But if you’re up to the challenge,
it’s a wonderful dish, especially when accompanied by a nice Rioja.
According to Wikipedia and a former
colleague who lived in Barcelona for nine
years, paella is the national dish of Spain. It
is a Valencian rice dish with ancient roots.
For those who are geographically challenged, Valencia is on the Mediterranean
side of the country between Catalonia to
the north and Murcia to the south. To the
west is Castilla-La Mancha, where the sto-
ry of Don Quixote took place. But enough
geography.
While paella is traditionally served/
cooked in one dish, many of the accompanying sides require their own preparation
and, hence, create their own mess. Fortunately, most of these can be prepared
ahead of time, thus lowering the stress
level and need for an industrial-size dishwasher.
There are three basic types of paella,
according to Wikipedia: Valencian, seafood and mixed. The following mixed recipe came from a Parade article of unknown
date. You may recall Parade is a magazine
insert in the AJC. To cut down the length
of this article, some recipes are web links
but are the same as in the original from
Parade.
There are seven components to this
paella. You can drop some, if desired, but
you must have rice, a vegetable and meat/
seafood or it’s not mixed paella. This recipe serves eight and can be halved. The
peppers, mayo, corn salsa and black beans
can be prepared ahead of time.
Following are the components and a
link, where applicable, to their preparation.
• Roasted red bell peppers: http://
www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-red-peppers-recipe.html
• Corn salsa (jalapenos are optional):
http://www.food.com/recipe/hotsy-corn-papaya-salsa-283712
• Orange-basil black beans: http://
www.caroleesherbfarm.com/index.
php?option=com_content&view=article&id=64:basil-black-bean-salad&catid=37:recipes&Itemid=196
• Romanesco mayo: http://www.cookstr.com/recipes/romesco-mayonnaise
• Tangy chicken preps in 10 minutes,
chill/marinade/set overnight and cooks
45-60 minutes.
• Golden rice preps in 30 minutes, no
chill/marinade/set and cooks 25 minutes.
• Lobster tails prep in 15 minutes, chill/
marinade/set two to three hours and cook
10 minutes.
PAELLA
Serves 8
TANGY CHICKEN
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 6 cloves minced garlic
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 chicken legs and 8 chicken thighs (alternately, 4 breasts split in half)
Combine first five ingredients in a
bowl and mix well. Place chicken in a large
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Paella is a perfect one-dish meal for large groups. PHOTO BY DORIS DRESSLER
(2-gallon) zipper plastic bag and pour marinade over chicken. Place in baking dish
and marinate overnight. Rotate to ensure
coating.
Bring chicken to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove chicken
from bag and place in roasting pan or baking dish. Pour marinade over chicken and
bake 45 minutes, basting occasionally. Finish cooking on a hot grill for 15 minutes or
bake for another 15 minutes.
GOLDEN RICE
• 4 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups long grain rice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron
• 1 cup green peas (thawed, if frozen)
• 1 each small red, yellow and green peppers, cored, seeded and chopped
• 8 ounces chorizo cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 cup pimento-stuffed green olives
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup red wine vinaigrette salad dressing
• Salt and pepper, to taste
In a large, heavy pot, bring broth to a
boil. Add rice, salt and saffron. Stir well.
Reduce heat and cover. Cook 10 minutes.
Add peas and chorizo. Cook 10 minutes or
until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed. Remove to a large bowl and add
remaining ingredients except vinaigrette.
Keep warm. Just before serving, add vinaigrette and toss. Season to taste with salt
and pepper.
LOBSTER TAILS
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
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• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 4 lobster tails
• 1 orange, for serving
Combine marinade in a bowl and mix
well. Cut tails down the middle, slicing
through the meat but not the shell. Open
each shell to expose the meat. Place tails in
a large zipper plastic bag and pour in marinade. Place bag in a baking dish and refrigerate two-three hours, turning every hour.
To cook: Place a metal skewer through
each tail (to keep from curling). Cook on a
grill 3-4 inches from heat or broil in oven.
Cook until tails are red and meat is no longer translucent (5 minutes per side). Remove from heat, remove skewers and cut
shells in half, yielding eight pieces. Keep
warm to serve.
FINAL ASSEMBLY
Finally is right! Paella is traditionally
served in a special, shallow pan used for
cooking, what else, paella. If you do not
have one, you can use a large platter – the
one for the Thanksgiving turkey comes to
mind.
Mound the golden rice over the entire platter with a bowl of the mayo in the
center. Arrange the following clockwise:
roasted red peppers, lobster in spoke fashion, chicken legs with thighs overlapping,
black beans and corn salsa. Halve the orange and squeeze over the lobster and
chicken. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
As always, enjoy the cookin’ & then the
eatin’!
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Terrace level with 3 additional guest bedrooms, 2 baths and
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Upstairs includes 3BR and 2BA. Seasonal mountain views.
One year homeowner’s warranty included.
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perfect place to entertain with media room and bar/kitchen
opening out to outdoor kitchen.
HOMESITES
• 2619 Highland Trail $65,000 - 4 Plus acre homesite
in desirable audubon ridge neighborhood. Beautiful
hardwoods, mountain views! Great value!
• 2186 Wildcat Dr. $49,900 - Great value, McElroy
Mountain area.
• 3506 Bear Creek Dr. $89,000 - Easy build lot on
desirable street in Big Canoe’s Wildcat neighborhood.
Close to North Gate, Wildcat recreation center, and easy
access to paved trails. Great value and priced below
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• 2154 Royal Fern Trail $59,000 - Build your mountain
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stream that borders rear boundary. Beautiful hardwoods. Outstanding value!
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www.bigcanoe.com
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Spectacular NE views from almost every room of this well
maintained home. Main level has large mstr ste, vaulted
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ceiling high-end windows/doors. Spacious kitchen w/ lots
of counter space, storage and casual dining area, pantry
w/ connections for washer and dryer. Separate dr opens to
grt rm. Hardwood floors throughout main level. Watch the
sun rise from sun rm/screen porch. Lower level has 3 guest
br’s, family room, office, laundry rm & storage areas. Hard
to find views like this, in this price range!
10 C
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
FEBRUARY 2016
“Access to contemporary peer feedback may drive wine
logistics and stimulate the continued growth ...”
Wine trends 2016
Wayne
On Wine
WAYNE CRAWFORD
A
s we welcome a New Year, wine
trends continue to evolve.
In October, I spent several
days at the French Embassy in
Washington, D.C., attending the 10th Anniversary of the French Wine Society, now
The Wine Scholar Guild, adding certifications in Italian and Spanish wine regions.
This was an in-depth immersion in French
wines over three days with extensive instruction linked to tasting a cross-section
of regional wines – Champagne, Burgundy
and the Loire Valley. It’s always humbling
to see how little you know after eight years
of wine writing and certifications along
with almost 50 years of enjoying wine.
A recurring theme was the evolving
of wine offerings to match generational
drinking trends. The conference’s best example came from Champagne Pommery
POP, a 187 ML drink-out-of-a-straw sparkler for $15.99, targeted for Millennials or
Gen Xers. (For generation designations,
go to www.pewresearch.org.). I admit it
was not overly popular with the 125 wine
writers, distributors and educators in attendance, but we quickly appreciated the
new norm is for evolving wine tastes and
presentations.
The post-Millennial generation, Gen Z,
is from 1995 to 2012. They are driven by
technology and rapid information access
Women shop for wine.
Wines to consider in 2016 include three gold medal wines from Georgia Trustee Garden
Challenge: Butterducks, Little Vines and Tiger Mountain.
with short message exchange. It is important that, in 2015, Millennials overtook Baby
Boomers and, by midcentury, Boomers
will be down to 16.6 million, diminishing
their impact on wine trends.
In my view, access to information
through advancing technology will lessen
the need for wine publications and translate into more real-time blogs, with wine
peer writers receiving rapid feedback on
food, wine and service. With enhanced
access to robust technology, we are likely
also to overcome what I call wine discomfort around “wine snob” vocabulary; quick,
concise and to the point information will
be all anyone will look for when considering what and where to drink or eat. Bad
wines, marginal food and poor service
won’t last long in this marketplace. The
non-technology savvy, still reading printed papers, may not notice this trend, but it
is clearly the way ahead.
Access to contemporary peer feedback
may drive wine logistics and stimulate the
continued growth in wine-buying online
and across state lines; states stuck with
antiquated wine laws already are seeing
negative impacts on growth among their
wineries. Perhaps we will traverse rapidly
to “Zoomawines,” a clearinghouse similar
to an Amazon format for two-day wine
delivery to the consumer and the smaller
restaurant from strategically positioned
dispatch points. Yes! We still may have to
Millenials look to blogs and online sites for
information.
Wine in a box.
sign for our wines to verify age – it’s like
being carded in a restaurant when you are
old enough to draw Social Security – and
great wine cellars holding aging wine still
will be as valuable.
Enough prognostication about what
might happen in future years; more change
clearly is coming and state-run ABC stores
likely will become dinosaurs Wine diversity is the growing wave and we are likely
to see expanded loyalty programs driving
dining and wine consumption, particularly
among Millennials. See Software Advice
for examples, http://www.softwareadvice.
com/retail/restaurant-pos-saftware-comparison.
A robust wine website will be essential for a winery to stay competitive, and
a focus on customer trends will be needed
to stay current. This is the best way to advertise, so stop the billboards, unless they
are electronic, and, even then, many folks
won’t bother looking up from an iPad or
smart phone to notice.
Before I focus on 2016 wine trends, let’s
review a few key points from 2014, which
were used to project trends in 2015. Last
year, my base for wine trends was drawn
from Gallo Wine Trends 2014. Rose and
sparkling wines were the new norm, and
drinking sparkling wine more frequently was very common – no special event
needed. Chardonnay was still the leading
white wine with Cabernet Sauvignon the
favorite red, but sweet Moscato sales increased. Remember: The top reason Millennials liked the 187 ML format was it was
great at a picnic or barbecue and it was in
a can – a trend Pommery must think will
continue, so they are still backing POP.
Screw top wine bottles.
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FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
|
L I V I N G
11 C
“More wine drinkers, 37 percent, believe boxed wine is very convenient ...”
Some 72 percent of wine drinkers under 40 purchased wine in screw top bottles
– a trend likely to continue. For the small,
local winery committed to a bottle system
using corks, this is not and easy change; my
mantra remains “Buy local drink and enjoy
the experience.” Young wine drinkers like
to mix their wines in coolers and other exotic formats and enjoy diverse varietals.
This is likely to continue.
With this baseline, I returned to Gallo
to see what was captured in its new survey, http://gallowinetrends.com/home/.
The number one key factor that encourages wine drinkers to try new wines is a
recommendation from a friend, family
member or coworker. This may support
my theory that enhanced technology and
rapid links to family and friends is already
the new norm for wine recommendations.
However, it is still important to drink what
you like.
This does not eliminate the wine sommelier, but many places where we enjoy
wine do not have a wine program for their
wait staff, so customers are often on their
own to decide or, like my daughters, to
send me a question via text. Millennials
are looking for personality and originality
and often buy wine based on the label or,
perhaps, a new name – I think this trend
applies to more than just Millennials.
I also would use caution is buying wine
based on scores. Shelf talkers and wine
ratings are prolific, often don’t match the
wine on the shelf and scores seem to increase every year. On a positive note, we
are drinking much better wine today. The
more natural and well crafted a wine with a
great quality point ratio (QPR) is the better
for the consumer.
We have known for some time women,
while food shopping, are the primary wine
buyers, and labels are a key influence. This
is not likely to change in 2016, but I think
wineries that blend wines benefit at the
point of sale when they tell the customer
what is in the blend – use labels smartly.
Wine drinkers, about 35 percent of
America according to the Gallo survey,
purchase, on average, 3.2 brands regularly at an average price of $5 to $7.99, but 35
percent of wine drinkers are adventurers,
willing to try something new. I believe the
price range is more in the $9-16 range in
North Georgia and drinking for a broader
experience is commendable. If you are a
Baby Boomer and are entertaining multiple generations, reconsider the wines you
have available – try something new every
chance your kids visit!
More wine drinkers, 37 percent, believe boxed wine is very convenient and, in
some cases, the quality is clearly improving, so this trend is likely to continue. Significantly, 85 percent of frequent drinkers
believe wine is equally good for casual and
formal occasions. Chardonnay is still the
most popular for casual occasions, and the
most popular varietal for formal occasions
is cabernet sauvignon, no surprises there,
but 42 percent of wine drinkers believe
wine drinking is now less formal. This is
all good news to local wine merchants and
wineries.
So, what wine trends are we likely to
see in 2016?
We will continue along the diversity
trail with wines to drink and new wine
regions producing very drinkable fruit. I
just finished 1,000 miles traveling through
West and South Georgia around to Savannah. Not only are new wineries emerging
this year – Farmer’s Daughter near Thomasville and Trillium Vineyard in Bremen
– but also they are growing Pierce disease
(PD) resistant bunch grapes, like Blanc du
Bois, a crisp white wine grape with light
citrus aromas and a freshness like sauvignon blanc that will grow successfully at
lower altitudes and in the warm climate of
middle and South Georgia, along with muscadines. Wines with strange names are in
vogue, like Falanghina, a white Italian wine
grown on volcanic ash near Naples, which
is a revival of an ancient grape.
Sparkling wine sales continue to grow
and the competition with Champagne is
significant. We are likely to see sparkling
wine from the United Kingdom, using
the same primary grapes in production. If
costs can be controlled, it could be competitive. In Georgia, we continue to see
Wolf Mountain Vineyards offer a variety of
sparkling wines, and I was impressed with
the new sparkling wine produced from
Three Sisters Vineyards Winery, both on
the Dahlonega plateau. Sparkling wine in
the USA improves annually and pricing is
very competitive. Cava, Franciacorta, Prosecco and Asti are available, but American
wineries likely will start providing more
bubbles with lower alcohol to extend the
wine-drinking experience. When I asked
Georgia winemakers if they are considering adding sparkling wine, some answered
it is a consideration, while that might not
have been the case even three years ago;
Three Sisters is a good example.
One trend is clear: One size does not fit
all and each region offers unique challenges
for the wine grower and winemaker. This
is agriculture and encounters from climate,
soil, pest and disease do not always support
being totally organic or natural. The average winery in America is about 15 acres and,
as new ones open, older ones close. We
have been fortunate in the positive growth
in Georgia wineries; we have lost a few, but
today we have 45-50 that are bonded.
Enjoy 2016 and drink more wine!
In my next article, we will take a look at
Argentina wines.
WAYNE CRAWFORD
Wayne Crawford is
a certified specialist
of Wine CSW and a
member of the Society
of Wine Educators,
American Wine Society
and French Wine
Society/Wine Scholar
Guild.
Trudy
Writers
Corner
JACK FAY
“T
rud-ee,” he yelled from a
seated position on the living room sofa, his bare feet
crossed on top of the coffee
table, perilously close to a bowl of onion
dip and a bag of kettle-fried potato chips.
He was sure she had heard him. How
loud do I have to yell to get her attention,
he asked himself. He clicked the mute button, shutting out the sounds of Ravens’
fans protesting an unnecessary roughness
call.
“Trud-ee,” he yelled again and, absent
a response, he took in a deep breath and
made ready to yell again but stopped when
his wife of 40 years appeared in the doorway.
“Yes, dear?”
He held up an empty can of Bud and
said, “Refill.”
“How about I bring you two?”
The woman is a moron, he thought.
How many times have I told her I drink
cold beer? I don’t drink almost cold beer.
“Just one, please.” She took the empty
can and left. He turned off the mute and
placed the remote on the coffee table and
noticed the onion dip was running low.
That’s alright, he thought. When she gets
back, I’ll tell her to refill the bowl.
He was satisfied when she returned
with a cold can, but the fact of her allowing
the supply of onion dip to run out was inexcusable. “Trudy, darling, I’m going to let
you make up for this. Go back to the kitchen and prepare a bowl of salsa and bring it
to me, along with a bag of nachos. Okay?”
“You ate all of the salsa and nachos last
week,” she said.
Further proof of her failure, he thought.
It’s a miracle I’ve stuck by her all these
years. The kids are the only reason I’m
hanging around. She’ll be lucky if I don’t
walk out on her one of these days. Maybe
I will. That Lisa in the mailroom would fill
in real good.
It’s late in the second quarter and the
Ravens still haven’t scored. Oh, how he
loved the Ravens – no matter how badly
they played, no matter the on-field mistakes, no matter the off-field arrests, no
matter the standings. They were his team
and he’d stick by them come hell or high
water.
“Trud-ee, another beer,” he yelled.
Faintly, from the direction of the kitchen, came, “Coming, dear.”
That’s better, he thought. Halftime was
seconds away when Trudy entered the living room. In her left hand was a cold can of
Bud. Without taking his eyes off the screen
he told her, “Put it on the coffee table.” The
Ravens had the ball on their own forty, third
and ten. He reached for the can of beer and
was surprised to see Trudy watching him
with a smile on her face. Her right hand
was in the pocket of her apron, holding
something. He thought, well, good, she has
a gift for me. Chocolate chip cookies, maybe, or a slice of banana walnut cake? She’s
trying to make up for today’s failures. For
that I have to give her credit. She’s a loser
but she tries. “What is it you got in your
hand, sweetheart? A little gift for me?”
“Yes, dear,” she said, lifting her hand
from the apron pocket. “This is for you.” He
smiled and reached for the gift. Her hand
rotated and he saw it held a revolver.
A roar came from the television set.
The Ravens had scored on a desperation
pass. He would have liked that.
EXPERIENCE
... your place in the mountains
56 LADY SLIPPER COURT
$229,000
4BR/3BA - Peaceful, private setting
for this charming home with 3
bedrooms on main level. Can walk to
jeep trail and upper and lower falls
from this street. Come see!
Don Naughtin
Custom Woodwork, Inc.
678-640-3414
[email protected]
Specializing in premium
custom cabinetry and
furniture for over 20 years
in Big Canoe
Residential &
Commercial
2560 QUAIL COVE DRIVE
$425,000
5BR/4./5BA - Location, location,
location! Convenient to North
Gate. Wrap around porch to enjoy
outdoors. Home shows beautifully.
Lots of room for family, great full
time residence.
HOMESITES
3008 Wild Turkey Bluff • $149,000
Lot with great potential views
available for discerning buyer. Meet
with agent to discuss possibilities.
555 Black Bear Trail • $165,000
Great easy build lot in High Gap
area of Big Canoe. Nice view looking
north. Million dollar home in
neighborhood.
901 SKYLINE DRIVE
$599,900
3BR/3.5BA - NEW CONSTRUCTION!
Beautiful Mountain Home in Big
Canoe. Featuring 3 car garage,
50” fireplace with stone on main,
Patio fireplace and terrace level
fireplace. Hardwood floors, quartz
countertops in kitchen, granite tops
in all bathrooms, kitchen open to
family room.
Carolyn Littell
2
Select furniture
repair and
refinishing
104 TWIN CREEKS DRIVE
$399,000
4BR/3.5BA - Like new “Southern
Living Cottage” in desirable Twin
Creeks neighborhood of Big Canoe.
Main level with open floorplan,
vaulted great room, kitchen with
granite, stainless steel appliances,
large dining area, sun room with
stone fireplace and master suite. 2
car detached garage and fenced area
for your pet. Terrace level with 3
additional guest bedrooms, 2 baths
and family room. Great location!
Convenient to clubhouse, golf
course, lakes and amenities.
706-268-2354 • 404-630-4185 cell
Call now for your
free consultation
I am a 15-year resident of Big Canoe® and
passionate about this place that I call home.
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FEBRUARY 2016
iTip of the Month
Tips for 6S iPhones and
other recent models
BY GARY CHERRY AND
DEVON COLLINS
Devon and I hope you all had a great
holiday season and, hopefully, you now have
a new iPhone or iPad to use. We thought it
might be a good idea to give you some tips
for your new 6S iPhone, as well as some tips
that apply to all recent models.
iPhone 6S tips
• Adjust the 3D touch sensitivity.
If you have difficulty adjusting to this
feature, you might want to change the
sensitivity to “Light.” To do this, go to
Settings>>General>>Accessibility>>3D
Touch, and move the slider to “Light.”
• Turn your iPhone keyboard into
a Touchscreen in order to select and
edit a segment of text. Just “3D Touch”
the keyboard to turn it into a track pad.
Continuing to hold the same pressure,
you can then slide your finger left or right
to move the cursor. Press harder to start
highlighting text, then copy, cut or paste, as
needed.
• 3D Touch shines brightest in Apple’s
Mail app, which will help you read and
respond with ease. Users can “peek” into
emails with a 3D Touch press, bringing up a
“peek” at the email. A firmer press opens the
message completely, allowing forwarding,
replying, etc.
• The App Switcher function is used
to close apps, which are open in the
background (doing this on a regular basis
will give longer battery life). Doublepressing the Home button to get to the App
Switcher is so 2014. With 3D Touch, you
can press the left side of the home screen,
and then swipe to the right to bring up the
App Switcher window with all your active
open apps. You
can then swipe
the unneeded
apps up, up and
away!
• Live
Photos are a
really cool
new
media
format,
but
the moving images also take up double the
space as a normal still picture. If you’re
worried about saving space, you can turn
off the feature by tapping the Live Photos
icon in the camera app.
• You can 3D Touch a contact’s photo
(or the circle where a photo would be) from
almost anywhere (Mail, Messages, Contacts,
etc.) to bring up a menu that allows you to
call, send a message, an email or FaceTime
that person.
Tips for all iPhones
• Spotlight Search. We’ve reviewed
this feature in previous columns, but
its capabilities are important enough to
warrant another look. There are two ways
to access Spotlight Search. The more
common way is simply swiping down from
the middle of the Home screen. This will
bring up the search field, as well a few of
your recently used apps. Alternatively, you
can swipe from the left of the Home screen,
bringing up a potentially more useful screen
of all of the above, along with buttons to
search for Lunch, Coffee, Shopping or
Gas, as well as a list of recent Message
recipients.
• The iPhone keyboard isn’t the most
user-friendly, and it’s often a chore to
write out an email, jot a note down, send a
message, etc. Instead of laboriously typing,
use the “Dictate text on your iPhone”
feature. Once you are used to this feature,
you’ll wish you’d starting using it sooner.
To use this feature, you must first enable
it. Go to Settings>> General>> Keyboard>>
Enable Dictation. When you go to write
something, the keyboard will now show a
small microphone. Tap it to speak and when
finished, select “Done.” If there’s an error,
you can either re-dictate or edit the text in
the usual manner.
The BC iDiots meet approximately
quarterly, with separate meetings held
for “New Users” and “Seasoned Users.”
Membership is free, but organizers Gary
Cherry and Devon Collins ask for a
voluntary contribution of $20 per person
per year to fund scholarships for Dawson
County and Pickens County high school
seniors who are interested in an IT,
Computer Sciences or similar field of study.
For more information, contact Devon Collins
[email protected]/706-579-2456
or Gary Cherry gwcherry@windstream.
net/706-579-2070.
“Valentine’s Day is next month,
so I expect our band of troubadours
will have at least one romantic tune ...”
Acoustic Jam kicks off 2016 with
fourth consecutive SRO crowd
BY JOHN HERZLER
Your Big Canoe Acoustic Jam welcomed in 2016 with another record-breaking
crowd. Even with the elimination of tables and five rows of chairs, the Swim Club
was packed by 6:55 p.m. A big thank-you to those who helped set up and tear down
the venue.
Acoustic Jam founder Vince Ciliberto shared with us the passing of Charlie
Venable after a long bout with cancer. He was one of our original players right up
until the last few sessions, when he no longer was physically able to make it. As
the night progressed, those who knew Charlie shared their thoughts about him and
played songs he liked. He shall be missed.
We welcomed two new players: Pierre Grimes and Marty “Mobile” Holmes. It
takes a lot of “intestinal fortitude” to perform in front of a crowd of relative strangers. Our folks gave them a warm Big Canoe welcome.
Once again, we had 14 players. The usual group of suspects (pros) Art Shand,
Bob Kynz and Bill Pound provided great accompaniment and performances. These
folks give of their time freely to support the Acoustic Jam. You might wonder why
people who earn their living entertaining would perform at the Acoustic Jam for
free. They’ve learned our followers are there solely to listen and enjoy the music.
We ask followers to support them at the local venues where they play.
Valentine’s Day is next month, so I expect our band of troubadours will have at
least one romantic tune from their repertoire on the evening’s playlist. Who could
forget last year’s memorable performance of “I Think I’m Dancing With A Man?”
Brings a tear to your eye, doesn’t it? This level of sensitivity can’t be taught.
Bring your Valentine sweetheart and join us, 7 p.m., Feb. 11, at the Swim Club.
No tables, more chairs, come early! If you have any questions or need additional
information, contact John Herzler, [email protected].
Newcomer Pierre Grimes.
First-timer Marty Holmes.
PHOTOS BY STEVE PAPKE
Donna M. Torres, Mortgage Banker
NMLS # 1204791
[email protected]
www.donnatorres-renasant.com
C: 678.895.7599 O: 678.454.2559
Why Hire Someone From Outside The Gates?
SPECIALIZING IN
CUSTOM RENOVATIONS
• Kitchens • Bathrooms • Window Replacement
• Screen Porches • Decks • Rot & Repairs
• Hardi Plank Siding
Bretherton
Construction
Call for FREE Estimates ...
706-579-3369 home • 770-715-3927 cell
JOHN BRETHERTON - BIG CANOE RESIDENT
30 Years Experience
Working in Big Canoe for More than 10 Years
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FEBRUARY 2016
‘Rowboats in Maine’ by Sandra Plevin
S M O K E
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‘Special Olympics’ by Charles Steele
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‘Airlie Winery’ by Dave ‘Spider in the Web’ by Don McCan
Wangsness
Big Canoe Photo Club shares ‘Best of 2015’
BY RHONDA STOCK
Each month, members of the Big Canoe
Photography Club are encouraged to
submit photos anonymously for a critique
by their fellow members. When we first
started doing this, I confess to being leery
of participating for fear of having my work
skewered by the group, good-naturedly, of
course.
What I soon realized was the critiques
were done in the most positive way
possible, with balanced and constructive
feedback. Once I got over my initial fear
and started submitting images, I received
incredibly helpful comments that allowed
me to improve my future work.
It is with pleasure I present some of
our group’s best images of 2015, which
were shared during our January meeting.
As a club, we are all making progress on
our photographic journeys, thanks in large
part to the spirit of camaraderie and mutual
support that defines our club.
If you are interested in improving your
photographic skills, I encourage you to
check out our next meeting: Saturday, Feb.
13, 9:30 a.m., in the Club Room, lower level
of the clubhouse. We have an excellent
speaker, Larry Winslett, who will speak on
the topic of “Nature Photography.”
By the way, the critique topic for
February is “Family,” and I predict we’ll get
some very interesting images to review.
‘Rooster Crows’ by Marty Reynolds
“As a club, we are all making progress on our photographic journeys, thanks in
large part to the spirit of camaraderie and mutual support that defines our club.”
‘Barn Owls’ by Kathleen Gill
Big Canoe Artists Club welcomes new members
BY BOB GLOVER
Big Canoe Artists (BCAC) met in
January to elect the club’s leadership
and discuss plans for 2016 activities.
Leadership for 2016 includes: President
Thom Long, Vice President Fred Dorr,
Secretary Debbie Marsell, Treasurer
Joan Huber, Publicity Kay Davis, and
Programs Claudia Campbell, Beth
Moreau and Bob Glover.
Jacqueline Allison (www.
jacquelineallison.com), who joined
BCAC in January, learned recently her
painting, “Pizazz,” was selected as a
finalist in the United Nations Education,
Science and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) Chair in Bioethics and
Human Rights 2015 Bioethics Art
Competition. More information is at
www.prlog.org/12512543-jacquelinedoyle-allison-painting-selected-forinternational-award.html.
Jacqueline’s exposure as a child to
Native American art and craft design
influences her work. She indicated
that today she draws inspiration from
the mountains and foothills of North
Georgia, especially as related to the
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The BC Artists at January meeting: front row, Gwen McDonald, left, Beth Moreau, Sue Ellen Falvey, Claudia Campbell; back row,
Barb Mastyk, left, Faye Webster, Joan Huber, Jackie Angier Brown, Debby Marsell, Lassie Dye, Carolyn Shireman, Thom Long
and Bob Glover. Faye Webster, Barb Mastyk and Gwen McDonald are new members.
Mixed media painting ‘Pizazz’ by
Jacqueline Doyle Allison is selected for
the UNESCO Bioethics Art Competition
exhibit, in conjunction with a medicine
and religion conference, March 4-6, in
Houston, Texas. COURTESY OF JACQUELINE ALLISON
cultural heritage contributed by the
Cherokees: “The wonders of the
mountains and the natural world amaze
and inspire me and are the basis for my
paintings, which are created with colors
drawn from nature.”
Jacqueline graduated from Middle
Tennessee State University with a
degree in graphic design and fine arts.
She also studied with artist Chery Baird
in Atlanta and has taken workshops
and mentoring programs with North
Georgia artist Laurence Holden, as
well as North Carolina/Maine artist
Steven Aimone. Jacqueline is a founding
member of both the Atlanta Collage
Society and an artist’s critique group,
Shadowline.
Along with other BCAC artists,
Jacqueline has paintings in the Marble
Hill Brownstone Center and the
Big Canoe Fitness Center and will
participate in BCAC art shows in 2016.
BCAC meets each first Thursday
morning of the month. The February
meeting will be Thursday, Feb. 4,
10 a.m., and the topic will be “Art
Critique.” Guests and new members
are welcome to join the meetings in the
Broyles Center, lower level. For more
information on meetings or joining the
club, contact Kay Davis, 706-268-3500/
[email protected].
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FEBRUARY 2016
Ridgerunners go ‘Red’ in February
BY CHRISTINE FLAHERTY
Each year, one in three women dies from
cardiovascular disease. In keeping with the American
Heart Association’s Heart Month, in February,
Ridgerunners is hosting Julie Ann Hamilton, regional
director of business development for the AHA. Tuesday,
Feb. 9. Hamilton will share the podium with a health
professional to address strategies for improving our heart
health.
“The focus of the presentation will be on the
AHA’s ‘Life’s Simple 7,’ which is seven easy life
changes employed to improve cardiovascular health,”
stated Hamilton. Suggestions for incorporating small
adjustments to activities, diet and then monitoring the
effects will be offered.
Heart disease is now the number one killer of women,
yet few women understand it is their greatest health
threat. Heart failure-related deaths have declined over
the past 12 years but may now be on the rise, according to
the CDC. The good news is deaths from heart disease and
stroke can be reduced by as much as 80 percent with a
better understanding of the warning signs.
Online test
Less than 1 percent of individuals have what the AHA
terms “ideal” cardiovascular health. “If you want to learn
how your own heart health measures up, the AHA offers
a simple test at www.mylifecheck.org,” Hamilton said.
Ridgerunners members are encouraged to check this
website link prior to the Feb. 9 meeting.
Brief questions on exercise and diet are followed by
a check of the numbers. If you have your vitals handy
(blood pressure, cholesterol levels and fasting blood
sugar), you will get a good read on your heart health.
Even without those statistics, you will get an indication of
where you stand relative to other women your age. “And
once you have made some lifestyle adjustments, you can
go back and see how much progress you have made,”
explained Hamilton.
Feb. 9, ‘Wear Red’ day in Big Canoe
Feb. 5 is national “Wear Red” day but don’t put
your outfit away too soon. You may want to sport that
ensemble at Ridgerunners’ heart health presentation, to
remind everyone of the importance of living a more hearthealthy life.
Ridgerunners’ spring trip to
Milledgeville and Madison
Ridgerunners will be taking an overnight trip to
Milledgeville, Georgia’s first capital, April 7-8. The former
governor’s mansion will be the first stop, followed by
a visit to St. Stephen’s Church, where the group will
be treated to a presentation on the history of this Civil
War site. A visit to the old state capital will feature a
recounting of the events surrounding the Secession
Convention of 1861. Then there will be a tour of Rose Hill
Plantation, the circa 1835 Greek revival mansion.
Dinner will be served at the beautifully restored bank
building, home to the acclaimed Aubri Lane’s Restaurant.
The following day the group will leave for Madison,
where there will be time for shopping and an independent
lunch, followed by departure for Big Canoe.
The cost of the trip, including transportation,
admission fees, and lunch and dinner on April 7, is $160.
Double rooms at the Marriott Fairfield Inn are $142 per
night through March 1. Each person must secure her own
room at the hotel, with roommate or alone. Information
and sign-up forms for the trip are available at the postal
facility. Don’t delay; space is limited. Deb Homer, 404863-0946 or [email protected], can answer questions
and facilitate finding a roommate.
Ridgerunners’ ‘Woman of the Year’
Members are reminded to submit nominations for
Ridgerunners’ Big Canoe “Woman of the Year.” Your
nomination need not be a member of Ridgerunners
Around The Clubhouse
but must be a full-time resident of Big Canoe and not
an employee of the POA or the Big Canoe Chapel.
Nomination forms have been distributed in members’
alpha boxes and can be downloaded from the website,
www.ridgerunnersbc.com. The forms, with nomination
support details, should be marked “Woman of the Year”
and placed in the Ridgerunners’ alpha box by March 1.
The award will be presented at the “Picnic with Panache.”
Off-campus spring fun
The final event of the Ridgerunners’ season will
be “Picnic with Panache,” Tuesday, April 12, 11 a.m.
The festivities will be in Jasper at the Chattahoochee
Technical College and will include a display of
captivating, picnic-themed tabletops. Hector and Gerard
of Coast 2 Coast Catering will offer a feast of picnic fare,
complete with a creative picnic-appropriate beverage.
Their program will feature tips for hosting innovative,
casual gatherings sure to inspire you to begin preparing
for your own warm-weather entertaining. You also will
share in the excitement as Ridgerunners’ 2016 “Woman of
the Year” is announced.
Ridgerunners can reserve by leaving a check for $25
payable to Ridgerunners in the “Picnic with Panache”
envelope in the Ridgerunners’ alpha box at the postal
facility. The reservation deadline is Friday, April 1. Include
your name and phone number on the check.As always,
your check serves as your reservation. For additional
information, contact Janie Block, 706-268-1208 or
[email protected].
Disorientation
BY KAT ALIKHAN (2004)
The father should not cast cold shadows.
The mother should not block the light.
The spirit should not leave, abandon.
The child should not fear the night.
The witness should not go unheeded.
The orphan should not walk the streets.
The dying should not fear the chasm –
That endless void where darkness meets.
Wondering about the new clubhouse service charge?
BY JOHN THOMPSON | General Manager
We hope this new year has already been good to you. The year will usher in changes to Big Canoe, and you may
have noticed one of them. New in 2016 is an automatic service charge added to clubhouse dining bills.
Your table server does not receive this service charge as a tip but, instead, the revenue generated by the service
charge allows us to pay full wages to our entire service staff, rather than a much lower tipped-wage.
You may be wondering, “Why the change?”
In the past, our clubhouse service staff relied on tips for the majority of their earnings, which varied significantly
with daily and seasonal business volume. This made it difficult to motivate and retain a cohesive staff. The service
charge evens things out a bit.
You may want to leave an additional gratuity for excellent service; this is not expected, but you may certainly
do so and your personal server will receive the entire additional gratuity directly. This additional tip amount can be
added to your bill or left as cash.
If you have questions or comments about this new procedure, please contact me at 706-268-3346 or jthompson@
bigcanoepoa.org.
The disenfranchised should not wander.
The homeless should not lack for heat.
The hungry should not have to wonder
Why some have bounty, why some don’t eat.
The warring should not cast asunder
Priceless young for scheming power.
The whoring should not have to plunder
Their bodies in the midnight hour.
God, you forsake us, leave us seeking
In the misted, vast abyss,
When what we crave is care and comfort –
Your loving arms, your sacred kiss.
Call for all your
Heating & Cooling Needs.
Family Owned & Operated
HEATING & COOLING
SPECIALISTS
SALES & SERVICE
We Service &
Replace all Brands.
Also Offer Service Contracts
which makes You a
Priority Customer.
Call us Today to Request
Your Service Contract,
or Visit Our Website:
www.CheshireHVAC.com
CELEBRATING 50 PLUS YEARS
OF EFFICIENT &
QUALITY SERVICE
Ball Ground • 770.735.2724
Jasper • 706.692.4359
Celebrating 50 Plus Years Of Business
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
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•
N E W
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C O N S T R U C T I O N
15 C
•
R E S T O R A T I O N
A builder
who works
with clients,
not just
for them
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT WHEN YOU
WORK WITH DAVID PEAGLER:
David Peagler of Cane Creek Construction, LLC
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
He’s on-site every day
Your home completed on time
Your project on budget - no surprises
Big Canoe resident
UGA graduate
Native Georgian
5th generation timber business
A Peagler home is like no other
In their own words ...
‘David was terrific to work with … he is a
straightforward, honest builder with integrity.’
— Mark and Jan Young
‘(He displays the ) … virtue of complete
honesty and support after the sale.’
— Lee and Sis Schalon
KITCHENS AND BATHS • ADDITIONS • TILE WORK
DECKS • OUTDOOR KITCHENS
ROOF REPAIR • WATER DAMAGE • WIND DAMAGE
Guidance on energy efficiency tax credits
Very experienced working with insurance companies.
EPA LEAD CERTIFIED RENOVATOR
AGING IN PLACE ... DON’T MOVE, IMPROVE!
Remain in your home as you age no matter what the obstacles are. As the
only certified “Aging in Place” specialist in Big Canoe, David can give you a
realistic idea of what it will take to make your home livable regardless of your
mobility and physical condition.
‘I can not imagine that I would buy or build another
house in Big Canoe that was not a Peagler Home!!’
— Diane Smeltz
A family tradition ...
David, a former cabinetmaker, does much of the
fine woodwork himself and closely supervises the
rest. David’s family has been in the wood and timber
industry for over 5 generations and he has built a
client-centered business carrying on that tradition.
706-268-1563
[email protected]
Big Canoe
Preferred
Builder
16 C
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FEBRUARY 2016
A resolution to keep
Ask The
Pharmacist
DR. BOB ANDERSON
I
t’s well past the New Year and how
many of you are still on schedule with
your 2016 resolutions?
The Fitness Center parking lot usually starts thinning out in February and early March. Our weather has been as fickle
as our resolutions: December unseasonably
warm and January expectedly cold. Is our big
snow or ice storm in February or March, or
do we dodge the bullet this year?
In any case, those of us over 65 (the average age in Big Canoe) are more susceptible to pneumonia than those younger. Now,
I know most of you received a flu shot last
fall, and that helps, but it is no guarantee you
will be fully protected. Did you know there
are now two pneumonia vaccines available?
Pneumonia can be serious
Pneumonia is caused by a bacteria Streptococcal pneumonia, and there are more
than 90 different types. Droplets in the air
transmit the bacterium, and most of us harbor this organism in our respiratory tract,
even though we are healthy. Pneumonia has
a short one-to-three day incubation period,
and common symptoms include abrupt onset of fever, shaking chills, fatigue and shortness of breath.
The annual incidence of pneumococcal
pneumonia is 175,000, with some cases developing into more serious invasive disease
such as bacteremia and meningitis that require hospitalization and sometimes cause
death. Pneumonia kills more people than
all the other vaccine-preventable diseases –
combined!
Two vaccines
The first vaccine is the pneumococcal
polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV), which covers 23 of the most common strains. It has
been around for decades but infants and
young children, as well as elderly adults,
do not get a good immune response to the
vaccine. The newer vaccine is a conjugated
vaccine (PCV), which covers 13 strains. The
Advisory Committee of Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends all patients over
65 receive both vaccines, but there is a trick.
Why two vaccines? The PPSV-23 covers almost all of the same strains as PCV-13,
but the latter produces a better immune response in infants, young children and the elderly (and yes, that includes you, Pete). The
PCV-13 is given intramuscularly and is well
tolerated. It has been shown to be as high as
75 percent effective against strains that can
cause serious invasive disease. Its immune
“What is the trick?
You cannot give both
vaccines at the same time.
It is preferred you get the
PCV-13 first, because you get
better antibody production
against pneumonia ...”
protection appears to be long-lasting – at
least four years, so far.
Trick or treat
What is the trick? You cannot give both
vaccines at the same time. It is preferred you
get the PCV-13 first, because you get better
antibody production against pneumonia;
eight weeks later, you can receive the PPSV23 vaccine to get broader coverage against
more strains of the disease.
If you are like me, you are up-to-date
on all your immunizations and already may
Earth
BY ARDLSEY AMES
The true love of youth goes along
a path over rocks, uphill or downhill,
an earthquake of emotions
rumble the heart. There is time
to plant and trim the vines
that run and often tangle.
Flowers push through
and the colors held in awe.
Mature love happens. A divine
gift that simply is. It is truth drawing
friendship and loyalty like a magnet
bringing two to love in later years.
An easy companionship bound by
Grace and respect.
Feet are firmly
planted on the ground.
have had a dose of PPSV-23 in the recent
past. When are you eligible to receive the
new and improved PCV-13 vaccine? You
have to wait one year before receiving the
second vaccine. A booster vaccine of PPSV23 is recommended every five years but, at
the present time, there are no booster recommendations for PCV-13.
If you are lucky enough to be under 65,
you probably are not a candidate for the
PCV-13 vaccine, unless you have a disease or
are taking drugs that may compromise your
immune system. You may, however, be a
candidate for the PPSV-23 vaccine, especially if you smoke or have a history of diabetes
or asthma. Go to www.cdc.gov for more information.
As with life, there are no guarantees with
the administration of vaccines. But you will
reduce your risk of serious disease with an
annual flu shot, one-time PCV-13 shot and
PPSV-23 shot every 5 years. You can get both
pneumonia vaccines at your doctor’s office
or at almost any pharmacy, but it will require
a written or phoned-in prescription.
This is one resolution you should keep!
Most Medicare drug insurance plans should
cover the total cost under preventive medicine. Let’s get through the winter and stay
healthy.
Dr. Bob Anderson is a
professor emeritus from
Mercer University, a
full-time resident of Big
Canoe and a sometimes
pharmacist at Northside
Pharmacy in Jasper.
Ardlsey Ames lives in Big Canoe and is the author of “Poemscapes.” “Earth” is part of
a larger work: “Gifts Of Love Compared To The Elements.”
DR. BOB ANDERSON
SENIOR LIVING
Leading the Way in
Exceptional Senior Care
O
aks Senior Living is a different kind of senior living
community - a difference which comes from the many
things that we do every day. The love, compassion and
understanding that can only come from a dedicated family and
staff is what sets us apart from the rest.
Come for a visit and experience what a true family operated
Senior Living Community can mean.
We’re committed to serving with faith, knowledge, compassion
and love!
~ The Salabarria Family
THE OAKS AT POST ROAD
Assisted Living and Memory Care
3785 Post Road
Cumming, GA 30040
770-886-2630
THE OAKS AT HAMPTON
Assisted Living and Memory Care
5610 Hampton Park Drive
Cumming, GA 30041
678-965-5700
www.OaksSeniorLiving.com
HORIZONS MEMORY CARE - Horizons is dedicated to providing
a positive and enriching environment for those with
Alzheimer’s and other related dementias.
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
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17 C
Short words for a short month
Word
Of Mouth
FRAN HOLMAN
A
kind friend and wise street mate
rags my long words. He is right.
Short words work like a hasp on
a door or a claw on a bear. Joy
of heart needs a hug and a smile. Ache of
heart needs no words.
Terse words are clear and crisp. They
do not lapse. They can be still or quick;
high or low; sweet or sour; good or bad.
They can stun, in part due to the fact they
are straight. Some paint truth; some bluff.
Each day words are acts. We lunch on
a loaf of bread and a slice of cheese. We
dine on the beast on our dish with a fork
and knife, the cake with a spoon. We sip or
gulp from a glass or cup of drink – quaff of
life. Our board has a pearl white lace cloth.
We bathe in a tub with soap on a rope
and a duck. We lodge in our house and
sleep at night’s dark in a bed or cot on a
sheet or a spread in the loft.
Hark; we wake to the clock or the bird
in the nest. We dress in clothes and shoes,
put on our cloak or coat. We go to our job
in a car or bus or bike.
We work and play. We fish with our
chums and golf with our friends. We craft
and plant and just sit on a bench and think.
We read the old books and the new
pens. Words leap from the page while
tongues teach. The odes may launch or
cloy, but the view they post is broad. Curt
words kick or calm. They hinge on terse
light.
We love our heirs and all of our folk
with verve; we care for kith and kin and
keep them close to the hale hearth, though
they can vex us and we may spar. They
are the warp and woof of our lone heart’s
pulse. They are our prime bonds: the balm,
the waltz and the kiss of our lives.
We live twixt the great clouds and the
earth. Like the parched hart of the psalm,
we long for the brook and seek the sward
with zeal. We quest for keen law and a
chaste creed. We ban the lewd and gawk at
the yoke. The sage and saint may not reign
as queen or king, but we do not waive or
cede the fierce fray as we search for peace.
We grieve and take, but we sing and
share and seek.
Dr. Fran Holman, honored as
Distinguished Professor and Endowed
Professor at Louisiana Tech University,
is the author of two books. She and her
husband live in Big Canoe.
Bears’ Golden Super Bowl
party, a time to growl
Bear Society invites
everybody to the Pub
on game day
BY MAMA BEAR ALICE EACHUS
The Bears’ Super Bowl pool always takes much study. After all, there’s a lot at stake!
PHOTO BY STEVE PAPKE
Super Bowl 50 – nice ring to it,
huh? But what happened to the Roman
numerals? This Super Bowl, being the
Golden Anniversary and happening in the
San Fran area of the Golden State, really
needed to stand out. So, an Arabic big 5-0
tells the story. Next year, the Romans will
reign again.
And what a super game party it will
be! The Bear Society is hosting a Super
Bowl 50 extravaganza at the Black Bear
Pub, Sunday, Feb. 7, mid-afternoon on.
Tailgating at the Pub will hail the party
as DJ Mike Ehrlich sounds football
fight songs, blasting with “We Are the
Champions” for starters.
Of course, beer and an energetic
game pool will flow fiercely to keep
things exciting. There will be appetizers
befitting the gridiron – wings, nachos,
burgers and everything in between.
There will be specialty drinks too, like
the 50-Yard Line, Foolish Fumble and the
Penalty Marker.
Count on food and drink tributes
being paid to the teams doing battle as the
crowd roars approval or angst. Will clam
chowder steal the scene if the Pats show
up? Come and find out.
As always, everybody in Big Canoe
is invited to Bear Society events. The
purpose of the society is to encourage
and promote good times at the Black Bear
Pub. Come for the kickoff and stay till the
lights go out.
NEW LISTING
NEW LISTING
240 HUCKLEBERRY TRAIL • $339,000
“Beautiful mountain setting with
professionally landscaped yard. Open
floorplan with solid wood doors, antique
door knobs, hardwood floors, granite
countertops and plantation shutters.”
FMLS #5626258
92 COTTONWOOD CIRCLE • $189,900
Open, ranch style floor plan with Master
and two additional bedrooms on main!
FMLS #5569671
68 SCONTI KNOLL DRIVE • $474,500
Custom built home in Audubon
Neighborhood. Beautiful hardwood floors,
multiple exterior french doors, butler’s
pantry and updated kitchen set this home
apart! FMLS #5581491
131 HUCKLEBERRY TRAIL • $559,900
Beautiful craftsman style custom home!
Great attention to detail with extensive
rock, marble, granite and wood accents
throughout. FMLS #5620646
UNDER CONTRACT
JUST REDUCED
176 WILD GINGER • $199,900 Beautiful fully renovated home, located
on the Nature-Valley. With 4 bedrooms, 3
baths and 2 living rooms there is enough
space for everyone to be comfortable!
FMLS #5565294
95 HYSSOP COURT • $699,000
This 5 bedroom, 3.5 bath custom home
is rustic elegance at its best! This parklike setting is adjacent to several miles of
paved walking trails and 2 creeks! FMLS
#5583060
HOMESITES
• 7078 Wild Azalea Circle - $59,000
• 6069 Teaberry Lane - $74,500
• 3515 Bear Creek Point - $89,900
• 3461 Wild Pansy Ridge - $99,900
• 2741 Turnbury Lane - $119,000
• 3023 Wild Turkey Bluff - $139,000
• 2099 McElroy Mtn Drive - $139,500
Ashton Wilson
Cell: 404-323-1747
Office: 706-268-2330
Email: ashton.wilson@
bigcanoe.com
• 850 Sinti Trail - $148,900
• 871 Nashoba Trail - $149,000
• 3553 Bobcat Ridge Drive - $149,900
• 3406 Wildcat Trail - $158,000
• 2605 Summit Dr. West - $164,900
• 5535 Red Fox Court - $149,900
Frank Wilson
Cell: 770-757-2515
Office: 706-268-2330
Email: frank.wilson@
bigcanoe.com
www.bigcanoe.com
Joan Wilson
Cell: 770-757-2518
Office: 706-268-2330
Email: joan.wilson@
bigcanoe.com
18 C
S M O K E
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FEBRUARY 2016
®
The best move you’ll ever make.
TM
STUNNING
NEWCUSTOM
PRICE HOME
CUSTOM
HOME
NEW PRICE
NEW PRICE
STUNNING
VIEWS
NEW PRICE
STUNNING HOME
1313 Nimblewill Creek Rd • $1,249,000
5BR/4BA, FMLS #5601602
812 McElroy Mtn Drive • $1,200,000
6BR/6.5BA, FMLS #5560656
166 White Aster Lane • $750,000
5BR/4FB/3HB, FMLS #5530264
148 Squirrels Nest • $575,000
5BR/4BA, FMLS #5540564
185 Twin Creeks Drive • $524,900
5BR/4.5BA, FMLS #5520870
NEW
NEWLISTING
PRICE
NEW
NEWLISTING
PRICE
MASTER ON MAIN
IN CHOCTAW VILLAGE
NEW PRICE
76 Chula Drive • $499,000
4BR/4BA, FMLS #5624481
39 Sconti Knoll Drive • $495,000
5BR/4.5BA, FMLS #5603978
148 Indigo Bunting Trail • $492,500
4BR/4BA, FMLS #5525682
63 Choctaw Ridge • $429,900
3BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5582306
688 McElroy Mtn Drive • $425,000
4BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5568230
GOLFNEW
COURSE
PRICEVIEWS
NEW PRICE
FULLY FURNISHED
ON 3.8 ACRES
PRIVATELY SITUATED
3BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5592559
163 Muirfield Way • $360,000
4BR/3BA, FMLS #5558172
1598 Valley View Drive • $349,000
4BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5587413
4154 Wilderness Pkwy • $349,900
3BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5561064
195 Shetland Trace • $349,500
4BR/2.5BA, FMLS #5567472
OPEN FLOOR PLAN
STUNNING VIEWS
NEW LISTING
NEW PRICE
MOVE IN READY
168 Locust Lane • $349,000
4BR/4BA, FMLS #5535080
1572 Ridgeview Drive • $335,000
5B/3BA, FMLS #5631705
250 Turnbury Lane • $325,000
4BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5598292
160 Beech Fern Knoll • $325,000
4BR/3BA, FMLS #5580857
382 Owls Brow • $319,900
4BR/4BA, FMLS #5512443
NEW PRICE
NEW LISTING
NEW PRICE
MASTER ON MAIN
FULLY FURNISHED
223 Wild Azalea • $315,000
5BR/3FB/2HB, FMLS #5599602
286 Huckleberry Trail • $315,000
4BR/2.5BA, FMLS #5619103
439 Petit Ridge Drive • $299,000
5BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5517929
210 Turnbury Lane • $299,000
4BR/3.5BA,FMLS #5515977
6 Laurel Lane • $297,500
4BR/4.5A, FMLS #5368638
NEW PRICE
NEW PRICE
MASTER ON MAIN
MOUNTAIN GETAWAY
FULLY FURNISHED
200 Indigo Bunting Trail • $285,000
3BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5254623
3BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5513216
41 Nuthatch Circle • $269,000
4BR/2.5BA, FMLS #5608451
87 Bluebell Circle • $249,000
4BR/3BA, FMLS #5584368
1481 Ridgeview Drive • $249,900
4BR/3BA, FMLS #5598524
MASTER ON MAIN
NEW LISTING
NEW LISTING
NEW PRICE
NEW PRICE
45 Soaring Hawl Circle • $235,000
3BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5331077
152 Lady Slipper Lane • $229,000
#BR/2BA, FMLS #5617025
40 Sanderlin Mtn Drive • $229,000
4BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5614795
113 Dogwood Lane • $220,000
3BR/2BA, FMLS #5566225
23 White Oak Drive • $220,000
3BR/3BA, FMLS #5513082
NEW PRICE
NEW LISTING
GOLF COURSE VIEWS
NEW LISTING
NEW LISTING
189 Trout Lily Trail • $219,000
2BR/2BA, FMLS #5528580
202 Buckskull Hollow Dr • $189,000
4BR/3.5BA, FMLS #5630245
182 Sconti Ridge • $164,900
3BR/2BA, FMLS #5505291
219 Crazy Bear Ridge • $149,900
2BR/2BA, FMLS #5600360
182 Sconti Ridge • $139,000
2BR/2BA, FMLS #5508923
LAND & HOME SITES:
• 3340 Bluestern Drive - $215,000, FMLS #5300753
• 3337 Bluestern Drive - $215,000, FMLS #5300758
• 4816 Water Lily - $199,000, FMLS #5600217
• 2579 Summit Circle - $175,000, FMLS #5265921
• 2584 Summit Circle - $160,000, FMLS #5265924
• 8254 Cox Mountain Drive, $150,000, FMLS #5622167
• 8255 Cox Mountain Drive - $150,000, FMLS #3822424
• 2528 Turnbury Lane - $149,000, FMLS #5555946
• 5048 Sanderlin Mtn Drive, $140,000, FMLS #5537479
• LL 125 Sweetwater Juno Rd, $125,000 – FMLS #5578750
• 9004 Trotters Lane - $99,500, FMLS #5521225
• 2569 Wilderness Pkwy - $89,000, FMLS #5265928
• 130 Squirrels Nest - $59,900, FMLS #5528056
• 1123 Quail Cove Drive, $28,000, FMLS #5580041
• 2014 Grouse Gap Drive - $20,000, FMLS #5515709
• 4074 Lone Wolf Trail - $15,000, FMLS #5151931
Scan Now
©2006 Harry Norman, Realtors, A HomeServices of America,
Inc. Company. All rights reserved. Licensed in Georgia and North
Carolina. Equal Housing Opportunity. Big Canoe is a registered
service mark of Big Canoe Company, LLC. Harry Norman, Realtors
is not affiliated with the Big Canoe Company, LLC,
and no such representation is intended or implied.
Information believed to be accurate but not warranted.
LOW
COST
FINANCING
FOR
LOT
PURCHASES
See all our listings at ...
Doug
Hosmer
Maggie
Hosmer
Jay
Foster
Chris
Fries
Bert
Sellars
Pat
Thuman
Shelby
Collins
Alice
Lee
Sally
Morrow
Marty
Anderson
Helen
Carlock
Sandra
Jones
Sherri
Anderson
Rosemarie
Heindel
Kathleen
Ingram
Don
Holt
Broker/Owner
Call Lisa Dillon
about low cost
financing for lot
purchases and
construction/
permanent loans.
404-680-5799 Cell,
678-597-1009 Office,
NMLS #164800
www.HarryNormanBC.com
Sam
Naff
Chris
Van Duyne
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Warmels
Paul
Foretich
Jack
Updegraff
David
Erwin
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Little
®
200 Foothills Parkway, Marble Hill, GA 30148 • 770-893-2400
Big Canoe MGA makes membership easy
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
S I G N A L S
Men’s Golf Association
JIM RICE, MGA PUBLICIST
T
he off season normally leaves us scratching our heads for golf topics to cover.
That is not, however, the case with this off season for the Big Canoe MGA.
Much brain power is being spent by your executive committee and golf
professionals to enhance the MGA’s golfing experience in Big Canoe.
For those who don’t know about us, the Big Canoe MGA is a group of approximately
200 male golfers, who band together to hold monthly tournaments and a couple of
social outings per year. Our mission is to create fun golf tournaments that are fair for
all and reasonably priced for most. Food and a keg often are involved. So, fun golf, welldesigned tournaments, food and a cold beverage while socializing with like-minded
golfers from around our community. Sounds like fun to me!
If you have any questions about the group, please contact our Membership Director
and President, Mr. Tony Tebbutt. He’ll answer all your questions.
Membership sign-up for the 2016 MGA is being made easier and much smoother
this year. It’s easier than hitting the “Easy” button.
1. If you are a current member and wish to continue your MGA membership, all you
have to do is: Nothing. On March 1, all MGA members on the website will be renewed
automatically and the membership fees will be invoiced to the lot number on file. If for
some strange reason you may not wish to continue on the MGA membership rolls, just
let Tony Tebbutt know by email to remove you from the membership and the website.
It’s just that easy.
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2. If you are not a current member, just go to www.
bigcanoemga.org. You will be taken to a page that says Sign In
or Apply Now. Click on Apply Now and a form will pop up for
your completion. Just fill this out by the end of February, and
you will be a member and your fees will be lot-charged on or
about March 1.
If you are a new member and prefer the old-fashioned
way, pick up an application at the pro shop and return
it with your $60 check. This only applies to new
members. Current members: Do Nothing … and you’ll
be automatically enrolled.
Your hard working, elected, totally volunteer,
unpaid and much maligned MGA Executive
Committee…
Tony Tebbutt – President
Richard Stephenson – Vice-President
Charles Buckner – Secretary
Glenn Manning – Treasurer
“Food and
a keg often
are involved.
So, fun golf,
well-designed
tournaments,
food and a cold
beverage while
socializing with likeminded golfers from
around our community.
Sounds like fun to me!”
Sports&Outdoors
SMOKE SIGNALS | Sports • Fitness • Gardening • Pets | FEBRUARY 2016 • 19C
The mystery of Mt. Oglethorpe
Of little people and orbs
BY ANITA ROSEN | [email protected]
A
nyone who has been atop Mt. Oglethorpe to
visit Eagles Rest Park can confirm a magical
feeling dwells there.
In December, in response to a request
from the little people residing on the mountaintop,
construction began on homes for the magical elves
populating the area. Credit for these buildings goes to
the Mountain Stewards and DonDi and Associates, the
eponymously named charmed company headed by Don
and Diane Wells.
Don writes: “Our
first client wanted an
“ ‘Other homes
upscale log home, so we
are in the
accommodated those
planning for
wishes, using a design
seen in Log Home Design
that area (the
Ideas, May 2005. One of
northeast side
the special features for the
first house is the secondof Eagles Rest
story deck built on a tree
Park), but they
fungus.”
will not be as
“Other homes are
in the planning for that
upscale as the
area (the northeast side
first house,’
of Eagles Rest Park), but
they will not be as upscale
writes Don,
as the first house,” writes
proving it pays
Don, proving it pays to get
to get in early. “
in early.
In January, John Feight,
a trustee for The Mt.
Oglethorpe Foundation,
sent the writer this email: “Just sharing a moment, a
wonderment, a mystery. This is the second photo I’ve
taken of the new sundial on Mt. Oglethorpe with orbs
showing up.”
Some subscribe to orbs having a paranormal quality,
associating them with spirits in haunted locations.
These “ectos” show up as a ball of light, which can be
seen – and then rarely – only when photographed.
Just as I was grabbing my camera to explore the
phenomenon, another missive from John arrived: “My
second brain – yes, my wife Linda – suggested I shoot,
while it’s still cold, into the sun.” You guessed it; he was
able to replicate the mysterious orbs.
Orbs are common when using digital cameras,
particularly in low light when the flash is deployed.
Solid particles – like dust, pollen or water vapor –
reflect the light and create an image that can be any
color or shape.
No matter, on the next sunny day, take your camera
and sense of wonderment to Eagles Rest Park and let
your imagination soar.
Even the back of the little people house is welcoming. PHOTO BY DON WELLS
The little people ‘Show
Keep your eyes open
Home’ boasts a beautiful for this house on the
front door. PHOTO BY DON WELLS northeast side of Eagles
Rest Park. PHOTO BY DON WELLS
Tree fungus forms the
second-story porch on this
little people house. PHOTO BY
Orbs appear on this photo taken
at the sundial at Eagles Rest
Park. PHOTO BY JOHN FEIGHT
DON WELLS
Bocce 101: Avoid the ‘wall of shame’
BY PAT PAPKE
I
Bob Mackey, right, and Lars McKenzie roll off to see who gets to toss the
pallino first. PHOTO BY STEVE PAPKE
had never played bocce until last spring, when my husband and I were encouraged by some
fellow BCers to try it.
We enrolled in bocce camp in March. At first I thought, oh my, there is a lot to learn in this
game, but I quickly got the hang of it. Mind you, that didn’t mean I was any good. I realized I
needed some practice.
For those of you who have never played bocce, the most unique word I learned, and what the
game revolves around, is the pallino. This is a small, white ball used as a target for throwing the
bocce balls. The goal is to get as close to the pallino as possible. If you throw your team ball and
touch the pallino, it’s called “kissing the pallino.”
There are two teams, with four members per team. Each team has two teammates at opposite
ends of the court. These teams correspond with the ball color each team will be rolling.
There is also a team captain at each end. In order to determine who gets to throw the pallino
first, the two captains have a “roll off.” With a 1-2-3, each captain throws his respective ball down the
court.
The closest one to the back wall without touching it is the one who gets to throw the pallino first.
First-time players have a tendency to throw the ball too hard, and it ends up hitting the back wall.
Another interesting phrase I learned was the back wall is called buy some, “the wall of shame.” You
never want to hit the back wall.
I will continue next month with more information on how to play the game. It is my hope that I
am piquing the interest of those who have never played and you will come out and join us. It really
is a fun game!
20 C
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| SL I &
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G T D O O R S
FEBRUARY 2016
Gardening and planning for spring blooms
Wildflower Bunch
Garden Club
depending on the species.
WFB board members have also been
planning for spring blooms by organizing the programs and adventures for the
2016 year. Under the capable leadership of
Co-presidents Judy Kaufman and John Lo-
max, officers have arranged for speakers
on diverse topics from hardscape to botanical art to conservation of the Etowah
River Area.
Specific details will be revealed in the
coming months, but the first official meet-
FRAN HOLMAN McKENZIE
“…a quince branch brought into the house
can be forced to flower when the
occupants need a promise of spring.”
~ Kitty Forbes
Wildflower Bunch Garden Club works to
preserve and protect the integrity of Big
Canoe’s environment through educational
promotion of the woodland settings
using plants and flowers native to the
area. For more information about WFB,
contact Judy Kaufman, judes.ak@gmail.
com, or visit www.wildflowerbunch.com.
Memberships are accepted throughout the
year and forms are available at the postal
facility.
T
his quotation from the poem
“Out of Season” by Kitty Forbes
reminds us that even amid the
cold, gray landscape of winter in
the majestic mountains, we can have color
and fragrance inside.
Among the many plants that can be encouraged to bloom on demand are alder,
dogwood, forsythia, honeysuckle, magnolia, pussy willow, redbud, rhododendron,
serviceberry, spirea, wisteria and witch
hazel. Three of the easiest from which to
conjure blooms are quince, forsythia and
witch hazel.
First, locate a branch that has buds.
Choose wisely, being careful not to remove branches that are structurally or aesthetically important to the plant. On a day
when there have been two or more consecutive days above freezing, cut branches
1 to 1 1/2 feet long, making an angled cut
with sharp shears or knife. Quarter or split
the base of each one an inch. Purists prefer splitting while the stem is submerged
in water.
I cut twice the number of branches I
wish to bloom in case some do not cooperate. If all bloom, what a treat you will have
to share.
Submerge the entire branch in warm
water for 24 hours. Then place in the
container or vase that has been selected
to display the blooms. Change the water
weekly. Water may be changed even more
frequently for the one with time to do so.
Floral preservatives or clear soda may be
added to the water.
Though most of us can wait, to speed
up the process, tent the container several
hours a day to increase the humidity and
keep in a cool, dark place. Forcing can take
anywhere from eight days to eight weeks,
ing will be 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 2.
This meeting will feature Cynthia Hendry,
who has lived and gardened in Big Canoe
for almost 30 years. Her landscape design
work includes Best of Show for Big Canoe
Street of Dreams, as well as Big Canoe
show homes for Southern Living and Atlanta magazines.
Sports & Outdoors
WFB Co-president Judy Kaufman, left, Vice President Programs Catherine Mann, and
Cherie Muehlberger search for the perfect branch to force. PHOTOS BY LARS MCKENZIE
Jennie and John Sheffield in their Big Canoe garden. Jennie, 2016 WFB Hospitality
Chair, is the sister of Kitty Forbes, and John is a landscape architect with Landscape
Associates, LLC.
Bocce 101................................................... 19
Men’s Golf Association................................ 19
Wildflower Bunch Garden Club.................... 20
Couples Golf............................................... 20
Golf ... And Other Things Out Of Doors....... 21
Women’s Golf Association........................... 21
Hiking Your Backyard................................... 23
Vet’s Q&A Clinic.......................................... 24
Doggie Dialogues........................................ 25
Big Canoe Animal Rescue............................ 26
Classified.................................................... 26
The mystery of Mt. Oglethorpe • 19
Don’t be tempted
BY JUDY KAUFMAN | Conservation Committee
grandmother may have had a gorgeous privet hedge
with its lovely fragrance, privet has become a naughty
All the Christmas sparkle and color has been stored
invasive. Mistakes can be made easily.
for the year. The poinsettias and amaryllis are fading.
Did you know that favorite English ivy will climb
The house looks drab and cheerless; maybe your yard is up trees and strangle them? Taking the time to
even drearier.
make approved choices will save money, effort and
But then spring catalogs appear in our alpha boxes
disappointment.
and our inboxes. Brightly colored garden accessories
Perhaps these restrictions make some residents a
and flowers of every kind tempt us to dream chilly
little grumpy now and then, but an excellent remedy to
afternoons away, planning
this reaction is to recall
our 2016 landscapes.
our first impressions
“When spied by the AECD, a letter
And indeed those
driving into Big Canoe.
green, red, and yellow
We fell in love with
will follow. But your mailbox will
Adirondack chairs are
the natural colors, the
not hold such a letter if you select
smashing on long, deep
native growth, the
verandas. White wicker
unspoiled appearance.
outside furnishings, including
is charming around an
The covenants we sign
umbrellas, in brown, grey,
English cottage or near
as part of the purchase
the ocean. But they
of property here are
dark-green or black.”
are not welcome here
intended to protect all the
because they do not blend
elements that beguiled us
with the environment and are not compliant with Big
originally and allow us to continue to live in our piece
Canoe guidelines.
of paradise.
When spied by the AECD, a letter will follow. But
So, sigh and grumble a bit but also rise to the
your mailbox will not hold such a letter if you select
challenge. With care and creativity, you can have a
outside furnishings, including umbrellas, in brown,
lovely, satisfying landscape that brings you joy yeargrey, dark-green or black.
round and still preserves Big Canoe’s natural beauty.
So, with a sigh, we skip on to the endless array of
Thank you for helping. To find the AECD Approved
plants and trees these catalogs also offer. Page corners
Plant List:
get dog-eared and a long list is soon created.
• Go to www.big canoepoa.org;
Again, we urge everyone to have the all-important
• select governance from the top banner;
AECD Approved Plant List handy. Not all plants and
• select governing documents; and
trees behave the same way everywhere. While your
• scroll all the way down for the plant list.
White goes with everything – except Big Canoe guidelines
for exterior spaces. PHOTO BY JUDY KAUFMAN
Planning begins for Big Canoe couples golf, 2016
BY ROBIN SIEVERS AND
GREG MORRIS
Hard at work, planning, plotting
and, yes … drinking a little wine …
your Big Canoe Couples leadership
team is excited about the plans for the
2016 season. While the details are still
fermenting (pun intended), we can share
that we believe this year will be full of
opportunities for golfers of every skill
level to socialize and have some friendly
competition.
Between monthly Twilight Golf, a
Keith and Robin Sievers, left, and Greg and Laura Morris plan fun Couples Golf
outings for the upcoming season.
9-hole, strictly fun, dinner-to-follow
outing, the Sunday Couples (ongoing
year-round, weather permitting),
Couples Match Play and Holiday
Tournaments, there truly is something
for everyone regardless of handicap or
ability. Thank you to the more than 100
couples that have made the Big Canoe
Couples League the largest golfing group
inside the gates.
Now, save this date …Wednesday,
March 2. Details to follow, but we’re
planning a little kickoff party at the
clubhouse. For information regarding
Twilight Golf and the Sunday Couples,
contact Keith or Robin Sievers, pilot114@
mac.com or [email protected]. Couples Match Play
It’s time to sign up for match play.
Couples Match Play runs from
April 1 to Aug. 31, with playoffs in
September. Couples are assigned to
divisions based on the sum of their
handicap index. Last year, there were
four divisions with six couples in each
division. Therefore, each couple in
each division had to play the other five
couples once during the five-month
period. The winners of each division
then participated in a bracketed
playoff. There is no schedule for the
matches; it is entirely up to the couples
to schedule them. You could conceivably
play the entire season in one month;
however, procrastination is not advised. Couples Match Play is a limitedentry event, which means we will
accept as many participants as possible
but each division will have only six
couples. Enrollment has officially
begun. Emailed responses to Greg
Morris at [email protected] will be
kept on a first-come, first-served basis,
with enrollment ending at 11:59 p.m.,
March 18. Only email will sign you up. The entry fee is $35 per couple, with
the goal of paying second place in each
division. Players’ lot numbers will be
charged at the end of the season.
Contact Laura or Greg Morris at
[email protected] with match play
questions.
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
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Post-season’s musings
Golf ... And Other
Things Out Of Doors
JIM RICE
Place: Big Canoe, Ga.
Time: December 31, 2015; 12:13 p.m.
Event: Sunshine
F
or the first time in months, the sun
was glimpsed for a few moments
over the Sconti Clubhouse on December 31, 2015, at approximately
noon. It appeared as a spot just about large
enough to patch an Irishman’s trousers.
There was a cry of relief from some and
shock from others, as the skies opened to
blue instead of gray and rain. A rare event,
for sure, these days and one we hope to repeat many times over the next few winter
months. I was beginning to think I’d have
to dig out my old hip waders and resurrect
work on the ark.
I am fully aware you are reading this in
February and likely nothing I say here will
be relevant any longer but, according to
our six kids and 10 grandkids, I have been
irrelevant (or is that irreverent) for years.
The one remaining musing I have related
to the holidays is our family holiday celebrations, as I am sure they are for many
of you, revolve around traditions passed
down from our grandparents to our parents, then to us and our children and, now,
to our grandchildren.
The hanging of stockings, decorating of
trees, lighting of candles, opening of doors
on Advent calendars, cooking of turkeys
and baking of pies has nothing whatsoever to do with anyone else’s beliefs or traditions and, in no way, can our traditions
cause harm to those who have different
beliefs and traditions. I am not offended
by anyone’s need to celebrate Ramadan,
Kwanza, Chanukah or any event that may
be cause to celebrate. In fact, two of my
children celebrate Chanukah with their
spouses’ families and Christmas with us.
Not one of them feels the need to shoot
anyone else for celebrating and rejoicing
in the traditions that are his alone. For
“traditions” sake, could we please turn up
the burner on tolerance in 2016 and maybe dial back the rhetoric of political cor-
Changes in
store for WGA
Women’s
Golf Association
MELISSA LOWRIE
D
uring the winter months, the
board members of the Big
Canoe Women’s Golf Association are working hard
to make the 2016 season the
best yet.
This year will bring a new website with
plenty of information to keep WGA members in the know. Members will have the
ability to sign up for tournaments on the
site, check the play day schedule and link
to the POA site for tee times.
Also new this year, tournament fees
will be charged to member’s lot numbers.
This will be an easier solution for members, the pro shop and the tournament
organizers. Members will still receive
emailed reminders for upcoming events.
Membership applications were emailed
to current members, Jan. 12, and should
be returned with payment no later than
March 1. Applications with checks made
out to BCWGA can be dropped at the pro
shop or mailed to Jean Domanik (10272 Big
Canoe). Annual membership dues are $50.
Lady golfers who are not currently
members of the WGA are welcome to join;
there are applications available in the pro
shop. The WGA plays on Mondays, beginning April 4 with the Opening Day 9-hole
scramble. Closing day is Oct. 31, with fun
tournaments and play days in-between.
For additional information on membership or the WGA, email Claudia Hamilton
at [email protected] or Judy Scanling at [email protected].
“I am not offended by
anyone’s need to celebrate
Ramadan, Kwanza,
Chanukah or any event that
may be cause to celebrate. “
rectness a notch or two. Just do your own
thing (whatever yours is) and, for goodness sake, tolerate those who may have
different traditions to follow.
Whew, glad that’s off my chest and out
of my mind. Now, on to really important holiday traditions, like football bowl
games. I have to talk football now since
it’s likely the last time I’ll have a chance
until fall; that’s a whine. This week is college football bowl week or was it bowl
month? When you have teams with 5 and
7 win/loss records playing in bowl games
and empty stands at many of them, you
just might want to consider the possibility
there are a few too many!
Just saying.
And, can you believe all the players
who cannot keep their heads/lives together long enough to play one more game for
their team? How many were sent home
for team violations, drug-testing failures,
drunken brawls with law officers? Wow.
But, worse might be the ones who got into
off-field trouble and were allowed to play,
really Urban?
On a good note, both of my teams
got to play one more game past the New
Year; Alabama advanced to the NCAA final game against Clemson. What a game;
congratulations to Alabama and its special
teams’ efforts for the win but also congratulations to the Clemson team for its
overwhelming good play and palpable desire to win. Congratulations to both teams
for their zeal to play a hard-fought game,
fairly and without penalty. In the entire
game, there were only a handful of penalties and only one unnecessary roughing
penalty and that one mostly unintentional.
A super-good football game played with
restraint and decorum. Good job on the
players, the coaches and the programs.
The Steelers advanced (with lots of
help from Buffalo and the Jets) to face Cincinnati for one more game. What a huge
embarrassment that entire game turned
out to be. Here are dozens of professional players and coaches making millions of
dollars to play a game, and none of them
could maintain any sense of control over
themselves or their players. Some were
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worse than others and will get fined thousands of dollars and may even get suspended from future games—all deserve to
be put into timeout. Shame on all of you
who cannot play a simple game by the
rules without deliberately trying to behead and injure the opposition.
The solution, unfortunately, is not fines
or suspensions for these over-privileged
and out-of-control individuals. The referees in the aforementioned game did all
within their power to take control of the
game, but the NFL doesn’t give them the
one tool they need: ejection. In the NCAA,
if a player is called for targeting, a committee of booth reviewers takes a close look at
the replays. If they support the findings of
the field judges, the player is ejected from
the game and escorted by a coach off the
field and to the locker room. There are no
second chances for targeting.
If a single player receives two personal
foul penalties for unnecessary rough play,
he is ejected from the rest of the game and
sent to the locker room. If the ejection
comes in the second half of the game, he is
additionally suspended from the first half
of the next game played.
I vote the NFL adopt these simple rules
and see if it helps to bring the violence of
this game under control.
While I’m at it, I’ll add one more really good rule from the NCAA that would
assist the enjoyment of watching pro football and that’s the “excessive celebration”
rule. I do not need to see players doing
their stupid dances, air-humping and grabbing themselves in the end zone. Or, pretending to step on the heads of their most
recent tackle victim. You guys are paid
millions to do your job.
Do your job, hand the referee the ball
and go back to your bench or your position.
Wow, I got my rant on in this one, so to
close on a calmer note: Happy New Year
to all.
Jim Rice is an Alabama boy living in North
Georgia with a Pittsburgh Yankee. He
markets sculptural art
for money, plays golf for
fun and enjoys fine wine
on all such occasions.
Living the dream in Big
Canoe with his lovely
bride for nearly 20
years.
JIM RICE
22 C
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FEBRUARY 2016
“Wednesday, March 16, BCH will tackle Bear Creek Trail, a 3-mile, moderate-to-strenuous hike.”
Big Canoe Hikers gear up for 2016
BY ANITA ROSEN
[email protected]
Cold weather? Hah, say the Big Canoe
Hikers (BCH). In January, this intrepid
group visited the Sawnee Mountain
Preserve for a 3-mile, moderate hike.
Lunch followed at the local Golden
Corral.
There is time to sign up for the next
hike, Friday, Feb. 12. Cowrock Mountain is
the destination for this 3-mile, moderateto-strenuous trek. Lunch at Jim’s Smokin’
Que will amply reward those who climb
this mountain shared by Lumpkin and
White counties, in the Raven Cliffs
Wilderness of the Chattahoochee
National Forest.
By March, the weather can turn mild
in the North Georgia Mountains.
Wednesday, March 16, BCH will tackle
Bear Creek Trail, a 3-mile, moderate-tostrenuous hike. Lunch is planned at
Cantaberry Restaurant, Ellijay.
With spring in full swing, the hikers
will stay close to home and walk the
4-mile, moderate-to-strenuous Wildcat
Creek Trail in Big Canoe. Lunch will be at
Fuego’s.
A two-night stay at Unicoi State
Park is planned for May 11-13. The trails
to be hiked will be announced later.
Reservations should be made directly
to Unicoi, but Joyce Raley can help as
needed to find a fellow hiker to share a
cabin.
Friday, June 17, the first six months of
the BCH’s calendar will be rounded out
with a 3.5-mile, easy-to-moderate hike to
Hemlock Falls. Lunch at the Chophouse
at LaPrade’s Marina on Lake Burton will
follow.
Details are sent before each hike to
those who have signed up. Frank Wright
will be the guide for these hikes. Signups can be done any time before the hike
date by emailing Joyce Raley, jrraley@
windstream.net.
The Curtis and York creeks combine to form a rare double waterfall at Unicoi State Park.
NASMGA: North Atlanta Senior Men’s Golf Association
BY JIM RICE
The NASMGA membership drive is well underway
and we hope to exceed the 70-plus Big Canoe Senior Men
who joined last year. A full schedule of events and matches
should be in our hands by the end of the February board
meeting. This will go out to all members as soon as it’s
finalized. Any Big Canoe male golfer over 50 with a GHIN
handicap (and $20) may join; there is no requirement to be
a BC golf amenities member or an MGA member, but both
are fully encouraged.
NASMGA is a like-minded group of senior golfers,
who organize events each month at different North
Atlanta member clubs. There are currently 12 member
clubs: Alpharetta Athletic Club, Atlanta National, Big
Canoe, Bridgemill, Brookfield, Crystal Falls, Eagle Watch,
Indian Hills, Manor, Olde Atlanta, White Columns and
Windermere. The monthly golf outings are organized
by tournament directors at each of the hosting club with
varying formats (mostly team events), all aimed at a fun and
inexpensive day of golf on different courses. Most events
are held early to mid-week so they will not interfere with
our own weekend MGA tournaments here at Big Canoe.
The pairings are done so you get to meet fellows from other
member clubs during a day of outstanding golf. The event
fees are usually less than $60 and include a round of golf,
carts for the day, breakfast, lunch and prizes … what a deal!
In addition to the monthly outings, there is a yearlong,
interclub match play event. The member clubs are divided
into two divisions at the beginning of the year, and each of
the teams plays all of the other teams in its division: three
matches at home and three away. The cost of the match
play events is set at cart fees plus $5 per player for the endof-year winners kitty. Points in each match are accumulated
throughout the season and result in division winning and
second place teams going into a playoff in October to
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determine the final four spots. It is a great deal of fun and a
bargain to boot.
You may join the 2016 Big Canoe NASMGA group by
dropping a check (and an application, if you are new) for
$20 into an envelope marked 2016 NASMGA. Make the
checks out to the Big Canoe MGA and leave them in the
MGA alpha box at the postal facility or drop them at the
desk of the pro shop for the MGA folder. We’d love to have
everyone accounted for by March 1, please. Entry forms are
at the Big Canoe Pro Shop.
We look forward to playing great golf courses with you
this year and, hopefully, some great golf. Oh, well, one out
of two ain’t bad.
Your BC NASMGA Board of Directors:
Jim Rice – Director
Weldon Wintter – Tournament Chairman
Joe Zamborsky – Assistant Tournament Chairman
Keith Sievers – Match Play Coordinator
BJ’s Handyman Service
If You Need It Done Contact Brad
706-301-6510 • [email protected]
• Roof Repair - of all kinds
• Interior & Exterior Painting
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• Pressure Washing
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We Change Light Bulbs Or Ceiling
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FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
A O
L SR T
| SL I &
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Yonah Mountain Trail: winter hiking at its best
Hiking
Your Backyard
KIM COOPER
T
he Yonah Mountain Trail, locally known as Mt. Yonah or Yonah
Bald, is an easy find from Cleveland, Ga., but, after parking the car,
the easy part is over.
Known for its exposed granite main
face, the Yonah Mountain Trail attracts rock
climbers year-round and serves as a vital
component for the U.S. Army Ranger School
during its Mountain Warfare training phase.
If that isn’t enough evidence to describe this
hike, the word “Yonah” translates to “bear”
in the Cherokee language. While most trail
guides rate Mt. Yonah as moderate-to-difficult, be advised to respect this strenuous
trek and be prepared. If you are up for a challenge, this 1,400-foot climb is for you.
Upon entering the gravel parking lot
from Chambers Mountain Road, visitors
can look directly skyward to take in their
upcoming feat. The view can be intimidating, but the stunning summit vistas are well
worth the climb. The 4.4-mile roundtrip hike
seems to be broken into two sections: before
and after the grassy knoll. The grassy knoll
provides sweeping overlooks and a natural
resting place. Most casual hikers complete
the first section, while more adventurous
Large boulders block the Mt. Yonah Trail,
requiring hikers to scramble to continue
their upward climb.
After reaching the summit, side trails lead to the mountain’s edge, where Georgia’s rural
landscape and small towns are on display below the sheer cliff.
Near the halfway point of the Yonah Mountain Trail, a grass clearing reveals farreaching western views and offers a quick respite before the second half of the trail.
Yonah Mountain Trail showcases two
natural stone staircases up to its summit.
PHOTOS BY KIM COOPER
backpackers trek the remaining portion to
the summit.
The trail is marked with new neon-green
blazes and begins with an easygoing flat path
that meanders through the forest. Even hiking during the winter months, one can enjoy
the peaceful, yet, broad forest. After a small
creek and bridge crossing, large boulders begin to emerge across the landscape, and the
trail offers several ascending switchbacks.
Hikers encounter two sets of stone stairs,
attempt sizeable boulder scrambles and continue to climb upward and onward. This portion of the trail remains moderately difficult
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without too much demand. Near the halfway
point, hikers arrive at a broad clearing on the
western face of the mountain. This knoll is
just a hint of the upcoming summit views.
After the clearing, hikers continue to follow the neon-green markers but encounter a
more demanding, vertical climb, as the trail
develops into a rock-filled, ravine-like path
that requires agility and skill (and proper
shoes). The trail eventually offers a short
respite, as it embarks on a semi-level forest
road and begins to curl around the mountain
to the eastern side.
Hikers pass by the U.S. Army Ranger
Training Camp before enduring the last halfmile. Several side trails with the last westerly vantage points are available at the rest
point. The trail now veers on the eastern
side of Mt. Yonah and displays new, extensive views of Georgia farmland below.
When hikers finally reach the summit,
they arrive to a grass-filled mesa outlined
with trees. For the most spectacular views,
hikers are encouraged to venture cautiously
to the woodland perimeter and experience
the mountain’s edge. Hikers need to exercise
extreme caution on these side trails, as they
lead to sheer cliffs with unstable footings. As
opposed to other, more tranquil hikes, Mt.
Yonah requires special appreciation and respect, as fatalities can and have occurred. To
return to the trailhead, complete the trail in
reverse, descending the mountain. The easy,
downward hike is a welcome relief after a
tough climb.
Depending on the season and time of
day, and especially imperative during winter
months, proper clothing and equipment are
essential when hiking the Yonah Mountain
Trail. While hiking the first half of the trail,
hikers are warmed by the sun and blocked
from the wind. However, as the trail bends
to the eastern ridge, the sun quickly fades
behind the enormous mountain, dropping
temperatures drastically and blowing blustery winds.
For all the exhaustion and sweat, the
summit views and the simple pleasure of accomplishing a 1,400-foot climb in two miles
is worth every rocky step.
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24 C
S M O K E
FEBRUARY 2016
New treatment for a common parasite
off-label usage of a large animal medication known as Ivermectin. What’s your
opinion on these treatments, and which one
would you recommend?
Vet’s Q&A Clinic
DR. RAY HABERMANN
Q: Dr. Habermann: Our new puppy has
recently been diagnosed with demodectic
(red) mange, and we were told there are
several options to treat it. These include
special baths and dips done weekly or an
A: Demodectic mange is a common,
hereditary infestation of a mite sometimes
referred to as red mange. It is considered
genetic as many puppies (as much as 60
percent) may harbor the mites in their
skin, but only a small percentage of dogs
show signs.
Hopkins completes 23rd Disney Marathon
Patricia Hopkins, 50, of Big Canoe, ran in her 23rd straight Disney Marathon,
Jan. 10, in Orlando. The 26.2-mile course winds through four Walt Disney World
theme parks and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Patricia also has
run in Boston, Marine Corps and New York City marathons. Abby Hopkins, also
pictured, is Patricia’s daughter; she ran in her third half marathon, Jan. 9, also in
Orlando. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HOPKINS FAMILY
Signs are generally patchy
hair loss, secondary skin infection and, if it gets severe
enough, secondary illnesses due to suppression of the
immune system caused by
the mites. It is believed some
dogs lack a strong-enough
immune system to fight this
mite, so it’s recommended
puppies infested with the
mite never be used for breeding for fear of passing on this
weak immune system.
The two treatment options asked about have been
used for many years. Back
in the 1980s, when I was a
veterinary student, the treatment of choice was weekly
bath and dip in a product
called Amitraz. The product
smelled horrible, made a significant number of dogs ill
and only worked in about 7080 percent of the dogs treated. Then, during the late ’80s
and early ’90s, my alma mater, UGA, found a commonly
used large animal de-wormer, Ivermectin, was more effective and convenient than
the old bathing and dipping
methods.
However, this was an ex- “Fast-forward to the present
tra-label usage of the product and a newer, less expensive
and there were some possible serious side effects of and safer method of treatment
the treatment. In addition, it seems to have been found.”
was a bit costly and involved
doing blood work and hospitalizing patients for several days. But the
These newer findings by many dermabenefits were certainly well worth it as tologists suggest the products also treat
80-90 percent of the patients were cured mange cases quite well. In the past three
completely.
months, we’ve treated three patients with
Fast-forward to the present and a new- these products, and all three seem to be
er, less expensive and safer method of clearing up nicely.
treatment seems to have been found. SevIf you have a pet recently diagnosed
eral papers have been written and found with demodectic mange, I strongly recomto be quite accurate, suggesting two of mend you talk to your vet about trying this
the newer flea-and-tick products available newer, state-of-the-art treatment. Your
through veterinarians can be used to treat dog and your pocketbook will thank you.
the mite. Much of the evidence suggests
the effectiveness of these products is as
Direct questions
good as Ivermectin treatment.
about this topic or
One product, Nexgard, is given orally
any other you would
once a month and used for fleas and ticks.
like Dr. Habermann
The other product, Bravecto, is labeled
to address in future
for fleas and ticks and given every three
articles to foothillsvet@
months. We’ve been using both products
windstream.net or 706for a little more than a year and nothing
216-1356.
RAY HABERMANN
has worked better for fleas and ticks.
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For photos and detailed information about
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$459,000
132
Summit
Drive
Great views and privacy
from this beautiful 4BDR/3BA
home in Audubon Neighborhood - close
to gates, amenities; virtual ranch living with
LR, separate DR, updated eat-in Kitchen,
SunRoom, 2BDR on Main; 2-car Garage;
new roof, paint, carpeting;
move-in ready; estate property
priced to sell.
FMLS #5346466
$360,000
94
Muirfield
Way
“Chestnut Hill”
True rustic elegance on the golf
course in this 4+BDR/4FB/2HB
Craftsman-Style Southern Living Idea Home;
quiet cul-de-sac close to gates.5,000+/- sq ft of
beauty, quality, and value; great flow, hardwood
floors, exposed beams; level driveway, entry;
Master on Main; multiple decks and
screened porches; so much more!
FMLS #5589194
$690,000
118
Cliff Fern
Point
Fabulous
5BDR/4.5BA hand-hewn
Oregon-Hemlock log home
with “forever” panoramic views from
multiple rooms, Decks; wide-pine floors;
exposed-beamed, heightened ceilings; large rooms,
two Kitchens; four stone fireplaces; major interior
renovations in 2014-15; level driveway &
entry; convenient; phenomenal home
or corporate retreat; priced well
below value!
FMLS #5558140
$399,950
LD
SO
NEW PRICE
TURN-KEY CONDO
409
Gadalutsee
Pass
Charming 3BDR/3BA
Country-Traditional home
on near-level .99AC +/- close
to North Gate, amenities; light and
open, with hardwood floors, high ceilings,
windows galore; two fps, separate DR,
Eat-In Kitchen, Master on Main,
Deck, Screened Porch; partially
finished 4th BDR/BA;
great value!
FMLS #5537197
$285,000
135
Chestnut
Rise Trail, #441C
Beautiful, updated
2BDR/2BA, one-level
condominium with 1-2 step entry;
enjoy lake & mtn views from large Screened
Porch with tile floor; open and light with
Plantation Shutters throughout; new (2015) granite
countertops, hardwood floors,
cabinetry, upgrades; offered
“Turn-Key”;
Fabulous value!
FMLS #5594466
$115,000
LD
SO
Linda Travis & Associates Realtors, Inc.
Serving Big Canoe & the North Georgia Mountains since 1994 • Member First MLS (FMLS)
Phone 706-268-3011 • Fax 706-993-3300 • Email: [email protected] • Website: www.dltravis.com
Linda Travis
Information believed accurate but not warranted.
FEBRUARY 2016
S M O K E
25 C
He loves me, he loves me not
Doggie
Dialogues
DORIS DRESSLER, CPDT-KA
“The bond with a true dog is as lasting as
the ties on this earth will ever be.”
~ Konrad Lorenz
D
oes your dog follow you around
the house? Does he wait by the
window and watch for you when
you leave the house? Does your
dog do the happy dance when you come
home? Does your dog (usually) come when
called? These are just a few of the many indicators that you probably have an excellent
bond with your dog.
What exactly is bonding
and why is it important?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines bonding as “the formation of a close relationship (as between a mother and child or
between a person and an animal) especially
through frequent or constant association.”
For thousands of years, dogs have been
bred to assist humans in hunting, herding
and protection. Humans also looked to breed
for traits such as loyalty and devotion. The
resulting relationship we have with our dogs
simply doesn’t exist with other species.
For working dogs, this close bond enables
humans and dogs to work together successfully as a team. For pet owners, developing
a trusting relationship will ensure your dog
will respond better to you.
Know your dog
It’s important to understand what traits
your dog was bred for; owners may find it
more challenging to develop a bond with
certain breeds.
For example, guard dogs were bred purposely to be independent and make decisions without human input in order to perform their job. They are incredibly loyal but
may never enjoy a big old hug!
Terriers were bred to chase off vermin;
they can be difficult to live with if their energy isn’t channeled into an activity the dog
enjoys (and can do with his owner), such as
agility or earth dog work.
Herding breeds are also very independent but with training – and a job such as
herding – a fantastic relationship can be developed where your dog will work with you
and not against you.
And beagle owners know that their pet’s
sense of smell and the thrill of the chase of-
Karen Attaway and McGregor, Nickie House and Rory, and Pete Murphy and Finnley
take a break at the agility dog walk. Agility can be a great bonding activity. PHOTOS BY DORIS
DRESSLER
Gus smiles after attending obedience class
with owner Linda Morris.
ten overrides their desire to stick with their
humans. Harness your beagle’s nose and
strengthen your bond by participating in
nose work activities.
How to strengthen your bond
As written in www.Moderndogmagazine.
com, the “human/canine bond is a deeply
rooted understanding, measured in emotion,
dependability and mutual support. It is a
need to belong and to feel wanted, useful and
safe. Vary these parameters, though, and you
will affect the bond. Fail to give your dog affection, routine, dependability, training and
boundaries, and you will weaken that unspoken connection.”
So what can you do to build, strengthen
and maintain the bond with your dog?
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706-579-2165
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Big Canoe Resident Since 1994
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• Spend a few minutes each day practicing basic obedience cues with your dog.
This provides you with a way to communicate with your dog and gives you a way to
help your dog focus on you in distracting
situations. Training is incredibly easy to
work into your normal routine. Before your
dog gets something he wants (meals, treats,
toys affection, games, access to potty areas,
car rides or walks), ask him to do some sort
of obedience cue such as sit, down, come or
shake first. Be a benevolent leader (you are
in charge of all the resources) and your dog
will feel confident and secure knowing you
are taking care of him.
• Take the time to play with your dog.
Pick an activity the two of you can have fun
doing together, such as retrieving or swimming. Agility, dock diving and rally obedience are great sports to do with your dog as
they require you to work together as a team.
+ Daily walks are also key in establishing a
bond with your dog. Walks not only provide
exercise, but also they allow you and your
dog to experience the wonders of the world
together.
• Work on the recall (come) cue daily.
Make this fun by turning it into a game of
chase. Call your dog to come, then turn and
run in the other direction. When your dog
catches up to you, be ecstatic in your verbal
praise. Keep it interesting by occasionally rewarding your dog with a tasty treat.
• In the same vein as the recall, play hideand-seek with your dog. This is a great game
you can play indoors with your dog during
inclement weather. When your dog finds
you, again praise ecstatically and reward
with petting, a massage, tossing a favorite
Leaps loved learning new tricks with
owner Carol Farren.
toy or an occasional tasty treat.
• Speaking of massages, don’t overlook
the importance grooming plays in building a
bond with your dog. Most dogs enjoy touch
and massages as much as humans do.
• Teach your dog to check in with you.
There are several fun games you can play
with your puppy – and adult dog – to encourage your dog to pay attention. Go to YouTube and key in “building attention kikopup.” There are several excellent videos that
demonstrate attention-building exercises to
play with your dog.
Final tips
When training your dog, remember to set
your dog up for success by being fair, consistent and clear. Be generous with your praise.
Your approval not only reinforces your dog’s
behavior but also builds your dog’s confidence. Always end your training sessions on
a positive note.
Bonding is key to successfully training
your dog. When a dog is secure in his relationship with you, he will respond more favorably to obedience training.
Happy Valentine’s Day and happy training!
DORIS DRESSLER
Doris Dressler is a
CPDT-KA (certified
professional dog trainer,
knowledge assessed) with
over 17 years’ experience
training service dogs
and family pet dogs. She
also volunteers training
rescued dogs at Big
Canoe Animal Rescue.
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and
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26 C
S M O K E
FEBRUARY 2016
Rescue does not happen by chance
Colleen Coulter, recently reported this experience when visiting BCAR.
“Since living in Big Canoe, we had never visited BCAR. Hearing and reading about
the dedication of our friends who are BCAR
volunteers, we decided to make our first visit.
And there he was, Chance, playfully greeting
us in the reception area. We knew there was
something special about this dog. We left that
day without our buddy but had him in our
thoughts every day to the point of writing
BCAR and checking its website periodically
to see if he had been adopted. On Dec. 13, we
decided to give Chance a chance. Although it
has only been a few weeks, there is no question he belongs with us. We took a chance on
a sweet BCAR dog who stole our hearts and
make sure the families were committed to
whatever the puppies would grow to be. It
Big Canoe
is well-known many puppies are turned into
Animal Rescue
shelters when they are six to seven months
old, because they have grown to be too big,
too much trouble or too destructive. Through
our vetting process and matchmaking skills,
BONNIE PLIKAYTIS
five wonderful, dedicated, loving families
were selected for Dixie and her pups.
t the close of 2015, Big Canoe AnOne particularly memorable moment in
imal Rescue (BCAR) had just one
this process involved a father who contacted
longtime resident, the lovely CoBCAR because he was drawn to the photo of
coa, and two new residents. The
George on the BCAR website. Upon further
last two months of 2015 were very busy with
conversation, it became clear George had
adoptions, including big dogs Beau, Chance
an uncanny resemblance to a young dog his
and Sugar, as well as Dixie and her four pupfamily had lost recently due to a debilitating
pies.
illness. The father traveled more than 100
These adoptions occurred due to lots of
miles to meet the puppy.
hard work by the many
When he walked into the
BCAR volunteers and
BCAR reception area and
the generous financial
shared the story of the
support of the Big Carecent loss, it was obvinoe community. BCAR is
ous the family was comable to provide state-ofprised of true dog-people.
the-art veterinary care to
As soon as the puppy was
restore the health of new
placed in his arms, eyes
arrivals and guarantee
locked onto one anoththe continued care for all
er and the missile hit its
residents.
target. It was undeniable:
With the aid of
The puppy had found his
BCAR volunteers, Doris
new family.
Dressler trains the BCAR
Being a BCAR voldogs to help them learn
unteer provides many
to be good canine citiwonderful, funny and
zens. Volunteers evaluate
touching
experiences.
potential adoption fam- Chance, center, with his new canine sisters Layla and Boo. COURTESY OF COLLEEN COULTER
However, there are none
ilies through an applibrought more love and playful energy to our as rewarding as seeing a dog or puppy find
cation process that includes formal written home, as well as to our Labrador retrievers,
its family. The human/canine bond is very
applications, interviews and home visits. We Boo and Layla.”
complex. A gentleman recently adopted his
want to make sure the families are committed
At the end of October, a small, young, second BCAR dog after his first had passed
to providing excellent care, and they are will- homeless dog and her four puppies came into
away. In our conversation, he made this coming to make the dog a full-fledged member of BCAR. As always, the volunteers sprang into
ment about his beloved, deceased companion:
the family. Though it sounds very analytical, action, turning two runs of the kennel into a
“I rescued him; then, three years later when
it often comes down to what is best described whelping area for Dixie and her four puppies:
my wife died, he rescued me.”
as a match made in heaven as canine and hu- George, Hank, Dolly and Reba. Puppies not
Rescue does not happen by chance.
man eyes lock onto one another like a guided only bring a great deal of joy but also a great
missile and target. The look is unmistakable deal of work for the volunteers. Between the
BCAR is a no-kill shelter for stray dogs and
and undeniable; it is a match that is just meant volunteers and the members of the Big Canoe
cats found in the Big Canoe community.
to be. It is a volunteer’s dream come true to community who stopped by during Saturday
We provide a safe, healthy and positive
see one of these beautiful creatures connect Open Houses, these puppies were probably
environment until they are adopted into
with its loving forever family.
some of the best socialized little pups ever.
forever, loving homes. BCAR dogs and
Chance’s story of redemption has been
The puppy portraits by Tina Schremp, cats can be seen during Open House every
described in previous articles. He was found who volunteered her time and creative enSaturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dedicated
by a Big Canoe resident on Cove Road with ergy, were instrumental in finding families
volunteers always are needed and there are
mange and heartworms and brought to BCAR for the puppies and their mom Dixie. The
a variety of ways to help. For information on
in October 2014. Through all his trials and portraits on our website generated a lot of
adoption process, volunteer positions or how
tribulations, he was a joyful, loving soul in inquiries. The responsibility for placing the
to make a donation, call 706-268-1346 or visit
search of a family to share his enthusiasm puppies was great because, though they were
our website, www.bigcanoeanimalrescue.org.
for life. Big Canoe family, Fred Grewen and cute little things at the time, we needed to
A
Dixie, mother of four puppies,
came to BCAR in late October.
Three of her puppies posed for
photos but Hank, the fourth,
moved too fast for a likeness to
be captured. COURTESY OF TINA SCHREMP
Dolly. COURTESY OF TINA SCHREMP
George. COURTESY OF TINA SCHREMP
Reba. COURTESY OF TINA SCHREMP
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W
S
Im
C
B
B
B
FEBRUARY 2016
I GA NL A
S M SOMK OE K SE I GS N
S L | S C| L LA I SVSI INF GI E D
27 C
CLASSIFIED
Smoke Signals
Classifieds
• Ad price is $20 for the first 20 words
and 40 cents for each additional word.
Classified ads are published in print
and online.
• Submit Classified Ad Request on
bigcanoenews.com
• For assistance, send email to
[email protected].
Deadline is the 15th of the month.
Smoke Signals Classifieds
Neighbors talking to neighbors
COMPUTERS / COMPUTER
COMPUTERS/
COMPUTER SERVICES
COMPUTER SHACK. Owned and
operated by Big Canoe resident. Full
computer service, home or carry in.
Visit our store next to Renasant Bank.
770-893-1111.
DONATIONS
NEEDEDNEEDED
DONATIONS
DONATE NO-LONGER-NEEDED,
GOOD-CONDITION FURNITURE
to Dawson County’s Humane Society
Resale Shop & Boutique. Donations
100% tax deductible. Support our no-kill
shelter. 706-525-5030.
PLEASE HELP PICKENS ANIMAL
RESCUE. P.A.R. needs household items
for its Thrift Store. Furniture, decorative
items – anything but clothing. 100% tax
deductible. 706-253-5947.
GENERAL
MERCHANDISE
GENERAL
MERCHANDISE
CARVED WOOD SIGNS. Mail Post
Signs, House Signs, Inspirational,
Motivational, Religious. Bill Van Dyke,
706-268-3621 or 404-271-3375.
HOME
IMPROVEMENT
HOME
IMPROVEMENT
W CRETE specializes in driveways,
sidewalks, patios, slabs, pavers, sinkhole
repairs, retaining walls and landscaping.
Please give us a call at 678-454-0174 for
a free estimate.
CORNER STONE, custom stone
masonry. Walkways, outside fireplaces,
walls and arches. Free estimates. 30
years’ experience, Big Canoe references.
Contact Carl Gaertner, 770-893-3971.
706-636-2606; Cell, 706-669-5751. Fully
insured, general liability and workers
comp.
HANDYMAN SERVICES. Carpentry,
electrical, plumbing, drywall, tile work,
deck and fence repair, pressure washing
and odd jobs. Just about anything you
need done. Call Randy, 678-230-9893.
GUTTERS REPAIRED, REPLACED
OR CLEANED. Call Georgia Gutters
(www.gagutters.com), 678-525-2570,
for all your seamless gutter needs. Free
estimates.
GEORGIA CLOCK REPAIR
announces a mail-order watch battery
replacement service in conjunction
with antique and new clock repair.
We have been servicing clocks in Big
Canoe and Bent Tree for the past 10
years. Please contact us, www.service@
georgiaclockrepair.com or 770-781-9536
for additional information.
CERTAINLY CLEAN Commercial &
Residential Cleaning Services. Bonded
& Insured. Call 770-893-7906 for your
FREE quote. Save $30 on the initial
cleaning with this ad.
CALL ME, MIRACULOUS
CLEANING, for all your housekeeping
needs. I clean residential, cabins, rentals,
commercial, offices.706-889-7919.
LANDSCAPE SERVICES/
LANDSCAPING
SERVICES / SUPPLIES
SUPPLIES
LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE,
DESIGN AND INSTALLATION.
Pruning, fertilization, mulches, pine
straw. Cynthia Hendry, Woodland
Gardens, 770-337-2277.
SQUEAKY CLEAN WINDOWS. Give
us a call at 706-692-9013 for a free
estimate or check us out online, www.
SqueakyWindows.com. We also do
complete painting and deck staining,
hot water pressure washing, gutter
cleaning and garage epoxy flooring with
a lifetime warranty.
FALL CLEANUP OF LEAVES AND
DEBRIS. Tree service and pruning.
General maintenance and handyman.
Competitive prices. Ask for Josh 706299-0015.
APPLIANCE SERVICE AND MORE
has a new local number for service.
Please call us for your household
appliance service, 706-253-0775 or 678458-0775.
MOUNTAIN VALLEY FARM.
“Growing Locally Since 1840.” Offering
our own Grassfed Beef and Heritage
Pork, fresh eggs, handmade cheeses,
creamery butter, handcrafted ice
cream, and lots more in our Farm
Store located on our working farm in
Ellijay. TripAdvisor rated #1. www.
grassfedgeorgia.com Suzy Wright,
farmer / owner 706-889-0999.
RODRIGUEZ CONSTRUCTION.
We specialize in CO permit approvals,
insurance claims, complex roof systems,
unfinished construction projects.
Licensed & Insured. Call Leo 404-8405712.
PAINTING AND WINDOW
CLEANING. Interior and exterior.
Superior work and best prices. Free
quotes. 30 years’ experience. Big Canoe
references. Call Bruce Johnson, 404-5728632 or 678-316-0587.
HANDYMAN SERVICES /
RESTORATION / CONSTRUCTION
/ LANDSCAPING. Priced per hour,
not by job. Anything you need done.
Resident Big Canoe / Call Greg @404579-9791.
HOUSEHOUSE
CLEANING
/
CLEANING/
ORGANIZATION
ORGANIZATION
PLUMBING. Mountainside Plumbing,
Inc. Unrestricted Master Plumber Rusty Grantham. New Construction,
Service Work, Remodels. Office
706-692-4277. Cell 770-894-1716.
[email protected].
IT’S TIME FOR A BEAUTIFUL
CLEAN with Elite Cleaning. House
cleaning, pressure washing, steam
cleaning and windows. Bonded and
insured. Call today for free estimate.
404-914-5770.
HOME
REPAIR
/ SERVICES
HOME
REPAIR/SERVICES
TWO SISTERS CLEANING SERVICE
is taking new customers. Weekly,
biweekly and monthly. Twenty-one
years of experience with 18 years in
Big Canoe. We provide old-fashioned
cleaning like your mother would do.
Call 706-265-4624.
HANDYMAN SERVICES. Twenty
years’ experience in Big Canoe. Built
and remodeled more than 100 homes in
Big Canoe area. Tile work, roof repair,
deck repair, room additions, finish
basements, siding work, painting and
small plumbing jobs. Jeff Mills. Office,
CRYSTAL CLEAR CLEANING.
We offer residential, organizational,
holiday/party prep & cleaning, move in
/ out, rentals, and construction cleaning.
Call Christina 404-731-4968.
LOCALLY
LOCALLY
GROWN GROWN/
/ FARM TO
TABLE FARM TO TABLE
PROFESSIONAL
SERVICES
PROFESSIONAL
SERVICES
HOME WATCH SERVICES FOR
ABSENTEE HOMEOWNERS. If you
are away for a day, a week or months
at a time we have developed services
just for you! Licensed*Bonded*Insured*
www.homewatchofnorthgeorgia.com.
678-773-7905.
REAL ESTATE
LEASE/RENTAL
REAL ESTATE
LEASE / RENTAL
HOT TUB, MOUNTAIN VIEWS
and wall of windows highlight this
cozy, 1,700-square foot, 2/2 cabin in
Big Canoe. End of cul-de-sac privacy.
Best for couples and small families.
Weekend/weekly / monthly rates. For
details, see vrbo.com listing #495166.
706-579-1233.
TREETOPPER FOR WEEKEND
RENTAL. 2 bedrooms, 2 baths. $170/
weekend. Beautiful view of lake and
mountains. Fully equipped. Call Mae
Dugger 770-427-4292 (office) or 770427-7751.
LONG- AND SHORT-TERM LUXURY
RENTAL HOMES in Big Canoe. 24plus upscale, meticulously maintained
5-, 4-, 3-, 2-, 1-bedroom homes and
condos. Call Kevin, 404-788-7635, or
email, kevin@mountainvistarentals.
Banner Advertising on
Smoke Signals Online
www.bigcanoenews.com
n Online banner ads will be set up to link directly to your choice of Website,
Facebook page, or a Business Directory subscription listing on www.bigcanoenews.
com.
n Rates are per month. The Smoke Signals payment policy is published on
bigcanoenews.com.
n $50 art charge is assessed for ads which a Smoke Signals’ graphic designer
creates or changes at your request.
n Specific web page position requests may be made and will be accommodated
if space available.
PLACEMENT, SIZES & RATES
HOME PAGE FOLD (360X280PIXELS) • $150.00
FOOTER (565X70P) • $100.00
STANDARD SIDE (180X150P) • $100.00
NAVIGATION (234X60P) • $85.00
See www.bigcanoenews.com for additional
details on size and placement.
Contact [email protected] or 678-925-8511
for more information or to place an ad on www.bigcanoenews.com.
Increase
Your Reach...
Increase
Your Sales!
com. View all on our website, www.
mountainvistarentals.com.
EXECUTIVE HOME FOR RENT.
Minimum 3 months to one year.
Beautifully furnished, close to amenities,
3 bed, 3 1/2 bath, office, pool room, 50foot enclosed porch, piano, 3,500 square
feet. Can be viewed on VRBO #766533.
770-843-3131 for pricing.
BIG CANOE HOUSE LEASE OR SALE.
Columbine Drive. 6 sleeping areas, 3
1/2 baths. Lease furnished or purchase.
Owner financing. 770-352-6890 /
[email protected].
BIG CANOE 3 BEDROOM 2 BATH
CONDO. Overlooks swim lake,
beautifully renovated kitchen and baths.
Vaulted ceilings, oversized master.
$1,200/mo. Call Greg 770-289-7940.
REAL
ESTATE
FOR
REAL
ESTATE
FOR SALE
SALE
BEAUTIFUL LOT FOR SALE. 709
Cherokee Trail, Lot 2212. Beautiful longrange and wooded views. 1.1 acre lot,
fantastic location. Great value! Priced
at $37,000. Please call owner: 770-8462313 or 770-856-0853.
BIG CANOE VIEW LOT. Lake Petit
can be seen. Lot size is 1.1 acres. Call
agent at 770-418-1262. See FMLS
#5558727.
SUPPORT
GROUPS
SUPPORT
GROUPS
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
WOMEN meets every Wednesday,
noon, Holy Family Episcopal Church,
Pete’s Porch, 204 Griffith Road. Closed
discussion. Information, 706-253-2323 or
404-525-3178.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS meets
every Saturday, 9 a.m., Broyles Center
at Big Canoe Chapel, downstairs, rear
outside entrance. Information: 706-2532323, 404-525-3178.
FREE PREGNANCY TESTS. North
Georgia Pregnancy Center. 706-2536303. Open Monday & Wednesday
12:30-5:00 p.m. 1549 East Church Street.
Appointments and walk-ins. www.
babyontheway.org.
VOLUNTEERS
NEEDEDNEEDED
VOLUNTEERS
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
- PICKENS COUNTY seeking
volunteers. Many skill needs. Current
priorities are volunteer relations, job
site management. Contact Monique
Vinelli: 706-253-4610 / pickenshfh@
gmail.com / www.pickenshfh.org.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for Good
Samaritan Health and Wellness Center.
Medical experience not required. Please
call our volunteer office, 706-253-4673,
or email [email protected].
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. Do you have
4 hours to give to help others? Contact
Judith Persing, 706-268-3940, regarding
volunteering at Pickens Community
Thrift Store.
C
28 C
S M O K E
FEBRUARY 2016
CHARLES VECCHIO
Big Canoe’s Perennial Top Producer
• Associate Broker for Big Canoe Realty, #1 or #2 Top Producing Resale Agent in
Each of the Last 7 Years!
• Certified Residential/Review Appraiser for 22 years qualifies Charles to accurately
price your home to sell.
• Consistently sells his listings, averaging 80%. If he lists your home, there’s a great
chance he’ll sell it, too.
• Has sold and closed nearly $50 Million in Real Estate Sales exclusively in Big Canoe
since 2009.
• Markets and/or sells over 10% of all the resales in Big Canoe.
Buying or Selling - Charlie is ready to put his
professional expertise to work for you!
February’s Featured Properties
JUST REDUCED/CLOSE TO N. GATE,
LONG RANGE MTN VIEWS
NEW LISTING - MODEL LIKE HOME
N. MOUNTAIN VIEWS
JUST REDUCED - PANORAMIC VIEWS
CHOCTAW VILLAGE
HIGH QUALITY FINISH - GARAGE 3
FANTASTIC VALUE IN HIGH GAP
97 Sunuwa Way, 4 BR/3.5 BA,
$500,000
1261 Deer Run Ridge, 4 BR/4 BA
$498,000
36 Pakanle Ridge, 3+BR/2.5 BA
$504,900
133 Red Fox Drive, 5 BR/5.5 BA
$599,000
LONG RANGE
PANORAMIC N. VIEWS
JUST REDUCED
EXECUTIVE HOME/BLACKWELL CREEK
JUST REDUCED/CLOSE TO N. GATE,
MINT CONDITION/PRIVATE SETTING
UPDATED MODEL LIKE HOME/
PANORAMIC MOUNTAIN VIEWS
ACT
ACT
NTR
NTR
CO
DER
CO
DER
UN
UN
56 N. Sanderlin Mtn Dr., 4 BR/3.5 BA
$469,000
534 Red Bud Pass, 5 BR/5.5 BA
$549,000
69 Cherokee Knoll,4 BR/3 ½ BA
$319,000
215 N. Sanderlin Mtn, 3 BR/3.5 BA
$359,000
JUST REDUCED - LONG RANGE
SOUTHERLY VIEWS
NEW LISTING, LOG HOME
BUILT IN 2003/SHOWS LIKE MODEL
NEW LISTING
CLOSE TO TRAILS/GREAT VALUE
NEW LISTING
LONG RANGE MTN VIEWS
ND
A
OLD
S
SED
CLO
$289,900
154 Wild Ginger, 3 BR/3 BA
$239,900
118 Soaring Hawk, 3 BR/2 BA
$169,900
1329 McElroy Mtn, 6 BR/3.5 BA
$499,900
JUST REDUCED - CUSTOM
5+ BEDROOM BUILT IN 2006
JUST REDUCED, NEWLY
RENOVATED/PRIVATE SETTING
NEW LISTING, DIRECT LAKE
AND MOUNTAIN VIEWS
NEW LISTING
UPDATE/CLOSE TO GATE
ND
LD A
SED
CLO
SO
1033 Quail Cove Dr, 5 BR/4.5 BA
$450,000
1150 Woodland Trace, 3 BR/2.5 BA
$250,000
303 Laurel Ridge Trail, 4 BR/3.5 BA
$299,000
43 Morgan Walk, 4 BR/2.5 BA
$219,900
JUST REDUCED / 2 MASTERS ON MAIN
COMPLETE UPDATE / RUSTIC CHARM
JUST REDUCED, CLOSE TO
LAKE / SEASONAL VIEWS
NEW LISTING - BUILT IN 2000
PRIVATE SETTING/UNFINISHED TERRACE
JUST REDUCED
LONG RANGE N. VIEWS
ND
A
OLD
S
SED
CLO
26 Laughing Fox Knoll, 4 BR/4 BA
$300,000
52 Swallow Point, 3 BR/2.5 BA
$309,000
56 Tsiskwa Place, 3BR/2.5 BA
$279,900
23 Resting Bear Ridge, 4 BR/3.5 BA
$319,000 FIRM
JUST REDUCED - LONG RANGE
SOUTHERLY VIEWS
NEW LISTING
MTN VIEW, CHOCTAW VILLAGE
JUST REDUCED
DIRECT FRONTAGE ON LAKE PETIT
NEW LISTING
LONG RANGE MOUNTAIN VIEWS
$249,000
21 Choctaw Ridge Circle
4 BR/3.5 BA, $399,900
56 Thrush Turn, 3 BR/3 BA
$325,000
2250 Ridgeview Drive, 4 BR/3 BA
$299,000
Charles Vecchio
Associate Broker
706-268-2327, off. • 770-331-9045, cell
www.linkedin.com/pub/charles-vecchio/19/761/784/

POA seeks to purchase developer`s Big Canoe

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