Monday, January 9, 2012

DeKalb Chamber Small Business Series Begins a New Year

The DeKalb Chamber of Commerce will kick off its premier educational program, the DeKalb Chamber Small Business Capacity Building Series, with a reception and preview of the series on Wednesday, Jan. 11 from 8:30 - 10 a.m. at the Georgia Piedmont Conference Center. CEO Burrell Ellis, Commissioner Stan Watson and SBA Regional Business Director Cassius Butts will be in attendance. The event is free and open to the public.

The Chamber's Capacity Building Series focuses primarily on helping small business owners start, maintain and successfully grow their businesses. The year-long program offers quarterly modules with six classes per quarter. Topics include: strategic planning, marketing, capital management and human capital.

The First Quarter Module, "Business Modeling", begins this month with the following three sessions:

Session 1: "Strategic Planning"
Presenter: Robert Thiele -- Business Consultant with the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center
Fridays, Jan. 20 and 27

Session 2: "Financial Planning: Reduce Risks & Increase Profits"
Presenters: Andy Fried, CPA, & John Ernst -- Business Consultants with the University of Georgia Small Business Development Centers (Kennesaw) Decatur locations
Fridays, Feb. 10 and 24

Session 3: "Marketing Plan"
Presenters: Sharon Macaluso -- Area Director and Business Consultant with the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (Decatur)
Fridays, March 9 and 23

For more information, please contact the DeKalb Chamber at 404-378-8000 or send an email to jjohnson@dekalbchamber.org.

Monday, June 6, 2011

C.H.O.I.C.E.S Holds Let’s Move! DeKalb, June 18th at Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center!

Local Non-profit Takes the First Lady’s’ Initiative across Metro Atlanta
After a successful expo in Fulton County, The Center Helping Obesity In Children End Successfully (C.H.O.I.C.E.S.) announces Let’s Move! DeKalb! This free event will be held Saturday, June 18, 2011 at Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center located at 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur, Georgia 30034 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.

Let’s Move! DeKalb, made possible by Walmart and the Aetna Foundation, is a free family event providing nutrition and physical education supported by a community and faith-based coalition seeking to encourage families to lead healthier lives. More than 1,000 parents and children are expected to participate in this free, community-wide annual event. Opening remarks will be made at 11:00am by Larry Johnson, District 3 Commissioner and Dr. S. Elizabeth Ford, District Health Director, DeKalb County Board of Health.

“DeKalb County is fortunate to have Walmart and the Aetna Foundation as corporate partners for this event,” said Burrell Ellis, DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer. “This is only a fraction of their overall commitment to end childhood obesity and promote healthy living in our youth, which remains a top priority for all of us.”

Let’s Move! DeKalb will include live stage performances, health screenings, fitness activities, nutrition exhibitions, arts and crafts, program information from local community organization, and special surprise guests. “We are pleased to bring our Nutrition Education and Physical Activity Expo to DeKalb County which continues our mission to educate children and families about making healthy choices,” said Vanetta Keyes, Founder and Executive Director, The Center Helping Obesity In Children End Successfully. “Our goal is to showcase the partnering programs in DeKalb so that families will sign up and get moving!”

“It is imperative that DeKalb County continues to embrace the national Let’s Move! initiative by supporting events such as this one,” said Larry Johnson, District 3 Commissioner and Presiding Officer of the Board of Commissioners. “We are excited about the positive impact that this event and programs planned thereafter, will have upon the health of our children and families.”

For the first time in U.S. history the current generation of children may live sicker, shorter lives than their parents primarily due to obesity-related diseases. According to the Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health, a high proportion of the state’s young people are obese: 15 percent of children aged 2-4 years in the Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program, 24 percent of third-grade children, 15 percent of middle school students and 14 percent of high school students.

“As the only community in Georgia to receive federal CPPW (Communities Putting Prevention to Work) funds to fight obesity, we are determined to effect real policy, system and environmental changes that will increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and reduce obesity and the related illnesses plaguing our children,” said Dr. S. Elizabeth Ford, District Health Director, DeKalb County Board of Health.

The special event partners for Let’s Move! DeKalb include the Atlanta Braves, the Atlanta Hawks, Commissioner Larry Johnson, the DeKalb County Board of Health, the DeKalb County School System, the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority, the National Institutes of Health (We Can!), Inspiring Kids Academy, Swagger Crew Fit Kidz and many more.

The event is FREE and open to the public.. Volunteers are needed. For more information, visit www.ChoicesForKids.org or call (678) 819-3663.

Friday, April 8, 2011

Deal fills two DeKalb State Court judgeships

Gov. Nathan Deal announced today that he has appointed Eleanor L. Ross and Stacey K. Hydrick to fill the vacancies in the State Court of DeKalb County. Ross will fill the Division 5 vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Barbara J. Mobley. Hydrick will fill the Division 2 vacancy created by the resignation of Judge J. Antonio DelCampo. The appointments take effect upon swearing-in, which should occur within the next few weeks.

Eleanor L. Ross, Lithonia

Ross is an Executive Assistant District Attorney with the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication from American University in Washington, D.C., and a law degree from the University of Houston. She and her husband, Brian, have two children.

Stacey K. Hydrick, Dunwoody

Hydrick is a partner with the firm Hedrick Law LLC in Atlanta. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Emory University and a law degree from Georgia State University. She and her husband, Karl, have two children.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Senior Olympics Makes a Splash with MembersPark Springs wins Silver and Bronze at DeKalb County Senior Olympics

Park Springs’ Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) is now home to some of DeKalb County’s finest Olympians. On Tuesday, May 12, 17 members of Park Springs competed in the DeKalb County Senior Olympic water volleyball competition at the Lou Walker Senior Center in Lithonia, Ga., taking home silver and bronze medals.

The 17 members were divided into three teams appropriately named the “Springers”, “Spike-n-Splash” and “The Stingers”. “Spike-n-Splash” captured the silver medal, while “The Stingers” took home bronze. The teams competed against other senior citizens 50 and older from across DeKalb County. A team from the Lou Walker Senior Center won gold.

“This was my first Senior Olympics, but not my last,” said Charlie Hooper, a member of silver medal winning “Spike-n-Splash squad. “Next time, I will work on setting the ball up as well as growing another foot taller,” he joked.

“We appreciated the backing that Park Springs gave us,” said Bobbe Nelson, also a silver medallist. “I enjoyed competing with the other seniors, and hope that other senior groups will come over to play with us at Park Springs.”

In addition to a rousing send off that included a short pep rally, the 17 Olympians returned home to find many of their fellow residents and Park Springs staff waiting to congratulate them.

“We really put Park Springs and all of our vivacious members on the map today,” said Park Springs Fitness Manager Lenoria Mackey. Today we really saw how our community brings families together. I am so proud of this strong and determined group of people, who played with their heart and soul.”

The DeKalb County Senior Olympics, founded in 1986 is designed to create awareness of the abilities and capabilities of older adults, help maintain and improve health and wellness, promote an interest in lifetime sports, recreation and physical activity as well as provide a strong sense of accomplishment.

“I am incredibly proud of our members for having fun, supporting one another and for working as a team,” said Lisa Kiely, Leisure Service Director of Park Springs. I want to thank Lenoria Mackey, our fitness manager for starting this program and for working behind the scenes to make this possible.”

The Southeast's premier CCRC, Park Springs enhances life for active seniors by providing independent residences alongside extensive amenities and on-site wellness and private health care facilities. The 398-home campus-style community is situated on 54 acres surrounded by Stone Mountain Park. A 64-suite health center provides assisted living, skilled nursing and dementia/Alzheimer's care. The campus style community boasts a 50,000 square foot clubhouse serving meals in four themed dining rooms daily and a 12,000 square foot fitness center with an indoor swimming pool. The Seniors Housing Council of the National Association of Home Builders named Park Springs a Platinum winner. Park Springs is developed by Isakson Living and managed by Life Care Services LLC (LCS), a leader in senior living communities. LCS today serves more than 23,000 residents daily in over 80 communities nationwide. For more information on Park Springs, call 770-879-5006, 800-267-7126 or visit www.parkspringscommunities.com.

Isakson Living is Georgia’s developer of award-winning residential communities for those ages 62 and better. Partner E. Andrew (Andy) Isakson first founded the company in 1982. The company has established itself as one of the most respected in Atlanta’s competitive commercial real estate market. The company’s vision to provide amenity-rich, independent living for discerning adults was born out of the personal experiences of the family of Ed and Julia Isakson after their difficult search for a community that would provide their parents with an active lifestyle combined with on-site health care. This mission manifested itself in Park Springs™, the company’s flagship property in Stone Mountain, Ga. Park Springs™ is nationally recognized by the 50+ Housing Council of the National Association of Home Builders as the recipient of the 2005 Platinum Award in the CCRC Overall Community category for large CCRCs (200 or more units), as well as the Gold Award for Interior Design.
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