Roswell Green Expo

Roswell Green Expo Draws Hundreds

By Helen Borland

Roswell residents can pat themselves on the back for the great efforts they make to be environmentally friendly, or in one word, “green.” The third annual Roswell Green Expo, held at Hembree Park on Saturday, Feb. 22, was an event where residents could learn more about sustainability and being good stewards of the Earth.

According to Janet Liberman, the Environmental Programs Manager for the city of Roswell and the Executive Director of Keep Roswell Beautiful, Roswell has a 75 percent recycling rate curbside. “That is unheard of,” she reported. “Our neighboring city has an 18 percent rate.” In addition to paper and cardboard, glass and plastic, the Roswell Recycling Center takes latex paint, electronics, and motor and vegetable oil. There are also bulky trash and expired drugs days at the Recycling Center.

Liberman is in charge of doing an annual “litter index” for Keep America Beautiful. Volunteers go out and score a city on a scale of 1 to 4 on how much litter they see. A low score is no litter, a high score means they’re swimming in it. Roswell consistently scores 1.2 or 1.3. The national average is 2.8.

The Environmental Education Coordinator and Water Conservation Coordinator for the city of Roswell, Vickie Culbreth, gladly shared information about water, her area of expertise. She gives free talks in public and home schools about water pollution, quality and conservation, and can also discuss trees and other aspects of the environment.

Three Keep Roswell Beautiful projects include Adopt a Road, Adopt a Stream, and Storm Drain Marking. They also have an annual river clean up and Bring One for the Chipper Christmas tree recycling.

“We are very lucky we live in a community that is green-minded, sustainable and recycles. Out of that came the Roswell Green Expo,” Liberman stated.

Liberman also encourages people to buy and shop locally. The Roswell Farmer’s Market runs from May to September. Unlike many other farmer’s markets, these farmers must live within 100 miles of the city of Roswell.

For more information, go to KeepRoswellBeautiful.org.

Roswell Fire and Police Charity Gala

By Helen Borland

The Roswell Fire and Police Foundation held a black tie charity gala in Ivy Hall at the charming Roswell Mill on Saturday, Jan. 18, and it was the social event of the season. Over 175 people came to support the Foundation, and it was a festive night where the Mayor and his wife, Roswell city council members and their spouses, doctors, bankers, lawyers, merchants, restaurant owners and many others came to lend their support to the organization that assists public service employees in Roswell.

The Roswell Fire and Police Foundation was formed in 2004 when a fireman was seriously injured in an accident. His insurance paid his medical expenses, but it couldn’t make up for the lost income from his second job. Many police and firefighters work two jobs and if they can’t go to their second job, the loss of income is enough to put them in a difficult financial position. That’s where the Foundation comes in.

Currently Roswell has 15 full time and 148 part time firefighters and 160 certified police. For the past 10 years, an average of 12 public service employees have been injured each year on the job. The Foundation has provided $100,000 in goods and services for those who have asked for it. The Foundation does not hand out money, but will pay bills, provide transportation and make arrangements for other requested services. The identity of the recipients is confidential.

Tony Papoutsis, CEO, Ray Voght III, CFO and Brian Dobson incorporated the Foundation as a 501(c)3 in 2004. There are currently 13 members on the Board, which includes firefighters, police and spouses. For more information or to make a donation to the Foundation, go to www.RoswellFPF.org.

Roswell Fire and Police Foundation Charity Gala - Promotional Video

By Helen Borland

Deputy Fire Chief Tony Papoutsis, CEO of the Roswell Fire and Police Foundation, announced that the Foundation is holding a Charity Gala on Saturday, January 18 at Roswell Mill to benefit Roswell firefighters, police, EMTs and other public safety personnel.

Employees working for the City of Roswell are covered by workman’s comp if they are injured on the job, but 148 of the 163 Roswell firefighters are part time and most of them have full time jobs in other fields.

Most of the injuries occur at their full time jobs. When they can’t get to their part time job, their incomes are cut enough to put them in a tight financial spot. That’s where the Foundation comes in.

The Roswell Fire and Police Foundation was formed and incorporated as a 501(c) 3 in 2004 by Tony Papoutsis, Brian Dobson and Ray Voght III. The mission and sole purpose of the Foundation is to help Roswell public safety employees and their families in times of need.

“The Foundation doesn’t hand out cash,” said Papoutsis. They pay for services and bills, such as rent and utilities and provide emotional aid. Some citizens and Foundation board members give support by donating their time and expertise, which includes counseling for financial and legal assistance, rides to and from doctor’s appointments or rides for children’s extracurricular activities.

The Charity Gala will be held in Ivy Hall at Roswell Mill on Saturday, January 18 from 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm. The event is Black Tie Optional and features a buffet-style dinner, open bar and the band, Yacht Rock.

Individual tickets are $150 per person. Corporate sponsorship packages are available starting at $500. A limited number of tickets will be sold at the door. To purchase tickets or for more information, go to RoswellFPF.org.

Wit and Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln

Commercial for Dr. Gene Griessman, a renowned author, actor and playwright will bring our 16th President back to life sharing the profound challenges faced by Lincoln and rejoicing in Lincoln's resilience and wit.

This singular event will be held on Sunday, February 9, 2014 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at 1025 Mt.Vernon Highway NW, Sandy Spring.

Order tickets at: nwuuc-abe.brownpapertickets.com or call: 770.995.1408 or email: ABE@nwucc.org.

UU Idol

Unitarian Universalists may be accepting of many faith traditions, but we are not above some healthy competition to determine the best holiday tradition.  The Religious Education classes at Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation as part of their holiday celebration held a battle of the holidays between Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas to determine the best holiday tradition.  You'll have to watch the video to find out which holiday won!  December 14, 2013.

North Georgia Dining for Women Group Dinner

Six Georgia chapters of Dining for Women (DFW), including Roswell, Marietta, Tucker, Atlanta, Athens and Augusta met Sunday night, December 8, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta. Over 70 women gathered to meet and honor Marsha Wallace, founder of the 10 year old international organization.

Dining for Women is a global giving circle dedicated to helping women and girls in the developing world achieve their potential, gain equality in their countries and cultures, and overcome economic limitations and social bias.

Members gather in each other’s homes once a month for a potluck dinner and the money that they would have spent eating in a restaurant is donated to a vetted charity. The collective donations reach impoverished women and girls in third world countries at the grassroots level to foster good health, education and economic self-sufficiency.  Over 8700 active members in more than 400 chapters have raised over $2.7 million and impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of women and girls.

The December program donations from DFW will go to support Smiles on Wings (SOW) in Thailand.  SOW provides dental health care and focuses on enabling long term health services by mentoring and educating young Karen refugee women in a remote Thai village. Young women study nursing, early childhood education and other vocations that will benefit the people in their villages.  After completing their degree, these young women are committed to returning to their families and villages.  They assume leadership roles within their villages, serve as role models to other young women, and provide essential healthcare and education.

DFW’s January recipient will be the Catalyst Foundation in Vietnam. They educate women about human trafficking, provide vocational training to promote self-sufficiency, and protect their daughters from trafficking.

For more information, go to www.diningforwomen.org.

Market Place Christmas Parade

Annual Market Place Christmas Parade held in Cumming, GA.