life in forsyth 2014

2014

Top 10 Reasons to Call Forsyth Home

2014

Photo Contest Presented by

2 Life in Forsyth | 2014

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Vince JohnsonPublisher

Kevin AtwillEditor

Ryan GarmonAdvertising Director

Jeff BucchinoGraphic DesignMegan Reed

Writer

L et’s just start here – I’m the new guy.

I’m new to the Forsyth County News, new to Forsyth County and new to north Georgia. Basically, I’m new like Costco, just less exciting.

What is exciting are the things that are happening here. Forsyth County is the fastest-growing, most-affluent and healthiest county in Georgia, and inside this annual magazine you’ll find some of the great things that make up “Life in Forsyth.”

You’ll also find lots of pictures, perhaps from yourself or your neighbor. For the first time, we’ve asked you – our readers – to submit photos online of what represents “Life in Forsyth” to you. We’ve selected three of those photos for the cover, and you’ll see many more of the 84 fantastic submissions on the inside. You can find them all under “Contests” on forsythnews.com.

It’s just part of a fun, inclusive direction we’re taking here at the FCN. We don’t want to just talk at you. We want to talk with you, interact with you and improve your life in any way we can.

If that means providing you with the latest reliable information, that’s what we’ll do. If it means passing along

a great offer from one of our local businesses, we’ll do that too. We want to entertain you, inspire you and to make you think.

We want to reach you in the ways you want to be reached – through our print products, our redesigned website, our new mobile site and social media. We will break news on Facebook and Twitter.

We’ve launched a brand-new video studio, Studio Forsyth, and you’ll see a plethora of Forsyth-centric video shows online in the coming months.

For long before I was here (108 years, to be exact), the FCN has been Forsyth County’s leader in media. As we’ve grown with the area, we’ve continued to expand and adapt. Now, we’re at it again, with an audience larger than it’s ever been throughout our history.

We’ve got a great team of locals at the FCN, and we’re excited to bring Forsyth County the best local media in the country. If you’d like to join our journey as a subscriber or as a business partner, you can contact me by email at [email protected], and we’ll get you going.

It’s a great time to be living “Life in Forsyth.” Let’s enjoy the ride.

Vince Johnson, Publisher

Location ��6School System, Education ��8Lake Lanier ��12Family Fun Events ��16Sense of Community ��18

Growing Retail Options ��24Business Friendly Environment ��28Youth Sports, Activities ��29Parks & Amenities ��32Health Care ��34

Life in Forsyth is published annually by the

Forsyth County News,302 Veterans Memorial Boulevard,

Cumming, GA 30040. Advertising rates and deadlines

available upon request. Contact Ryan Garmon at

(770) 205-8960 or [email protected].

Follow us online atforsythnews.com

Forsyth Summers Rock! Photo by Steve Wilusz, “Forsyth Summers Rock!”

State Champs Selfie. Photo by Jarrett Wright, “After the Longhorn baseball team beat Milton2-1 in the 6A GHSA State Championship, they celebrated with a selfie on the bus ride home.”

Indian Seats. Photo by Tamara Bagwell, “Contemplating Life”

F orsyth County has steadily forged a reputation as a great place to live, work and play.

It has been named the state’s healthiest county, according to the 2014 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, and perennially ranks among Georgia’s fastest growing counties. Forsyth also rates highly in national lists of the best place for young people.

But that desirable combination and its accompanying high quality of life didn’t develop overnight.

What were — and, perhaps more importantly, continue to be — the driving forces behind them?

Is it the high quality, high-achieving school system? Maybe Forsyth’s convenient location, modern amenities and friendly, nurturing business climate?

10 Factors Contribute to SuccessBy Megan Reed

Quality of Lifeis High in

Forsyth County

5Life in Forsyth | 2014

Photo Contest WinnerHappy Fourth

of JulyPhoto by: Christy Camp

Description: Ryder’s first fireworks in downtown

Cumming.

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Contest

Top 10

Then there are the many activities and organizations that foster a strong sense of community among residents of all ages.

How about all of the above. Join us in Life in Forsyth 2014 as we explore further the

features that have Forsyth leading the way.

LocationForsyth County is situated just 40 miles from Atlanta,

along the banks of Lake Lanier and at the gateway to the north Georgia mountains, positioning residents to take advantage of the area’s plentiful attractions.

That location is one of the main reasons new residents choose Forsyth, said Laury Gardner, president of 400 North Board of Realtors.

“We’re close to jobs for people in downtown Alpharetta and Atlanta, and we’re also close to all that north Georgia has to offer,” she said.

“We’re near the lake, we’re near the mountains, and we’re along the Ga. 400 north corridor. It just seems to be a really good place for families to settle in.”

Nancy Aledia said her family chose Forsyth in 2004 because of its growth and proximity to Atlanta, where she was working.

Then there are the many activities and organizations that


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“If I wanted to get to Atlanta, I could get to Atlanta within 20 minutes on a non-traffic day,” she said. “[Forsyth] was a growing county at that time … right across the street from us was Fulton County, and the tax rates there for homes were a lot higher.”

Tax rates are just one of the many factors businesses look at when deciding where to locate, said Jason Mock, director of small business services for the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce.

He said the county’s proximity to Atlanta also makes it “a vital place to call home” to businesses.

“Having access to roads, access to the airport and access to the port is a major player in Forsyth County,” Mock said. “We can get goods from Forsyth County to Atlanta or the airport and those goods can get from Atlanta to other parts of the country and the world.”

School system, education

Forsyth County is home to the seventh largest school district in the state, as well as campuses of Lanier Technical College and the University of North Georgia.

The county’s 35 public schools served 40,836 students in the 2013-14 school

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F rom a small family business started in 1949 by Leland Bagwell, American Proteins has grown to become the

world’s largest processor of allied poultry products. As a visionary, Mr. Bagwell saw a need and was determined to fill it. He recognized the need to recycle by-products generated by the integrated poultry industry which was in its infancy. Mr. Bagwell passed away in 1972 leaving his wife Clarice, and son, Tommy, to oversee the family business. Mrs. Bagwell remained very active in the business until her death in September 2001. Tommy Bagwell currently serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Once a single poultry-protein conversion plant, American Proteins is now an international operation with global interests in protein and lipid productions. The company currently has four factories: one in north Georgia, one in south Georgia and two in north Alabama that manufacture various protein and high energy ingredients for livestock poultry

and pet food diets. Through the years, American Proteins has shaped their history of success - a combination of foresight innovation and a business philosophy that strongly emphasizes service and value to customers. Today, the company stands at the brink of an exciting new era of industry and environmental leadership. American Proteins’ first allegiance will always be to provide their customers with the level of service that means the right product at the right time. They are committed to producing quality products that set the standard for the industry through innovation and advanced technology. They are also committed to responsibility and respect for the environment. They will continue to search out the knowledge and technology that will allow them to build on their record of environmental excellence. American Proteins intends to be an essential link not only in the food processing chain but as a business partner, employer and neighbor in Forsyth.

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year, with enrollment projected to top 42,150 students in the 2014-15 school year.

And these students excel. About 98 to 99 percent of them met or exceeded

the standards on the reading portion of the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test in 2012.

The same year, 94 percent of third-graders met or exceeded in math, with that number climbing to 98 percent for fifth-graders and 95 percent for eighth-graders, according to school system figures.

The district’s graduation rate hovers around 90 percent,


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and it’s among the state leaders for SAT scores.

The system is also planning to accommodate additional growth. Various school construction projects and improvements will be funded largely through a bond program that county voters approved earlier this year, said school system spokeswoman Jennifer Caracciolo.

Existing facilities will be renovated, while new elementary, middle and high schools are all planned for south Forsyth, said Caracciolo, adding that construction of the elementary school will be state-funded.

The bond program also includes $17.3 million to be invested in new technology and $9 million for new buses.

Forsyth’s educational opportunities don’t end with high school — two colleges also have campuses here.

The Cumming campus of the University of North Georgia on Aquatic Circle boasts about 800 students and offers core curriculum classes. Students can then transfer to one of the university’s other campuses in Dahlonega, Gainesville or Watkinsville to finish their degrees.

With the rising cost of college, North Georgia has become a viable option for local students who want to prepare for their future careers without spending too much money.

“It’s a high-quality, low-cost, convenient education that we can offer students in this region,” said Jason Pruitt, executive director of the Cumming campus.

Lanier Tech also has a campus in Cumming, which has about 800 students from Forsyth and neighboring counties.

Programs offered at the campus include accounting, business management, criminal justice, early childhood care and education and practical nursing.

Joanne Tolleson, vice president of institutional effectiveness and operations for the college, said having a local technical college enhances educational opportunities.


D R. BRINKLEY F. GOODSON IS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF CUMMING, GEORGIA. IN 2008, after more than 20 years of serving the community through his Private Practice, Dr. Goodson joined the Medical Sta� of Georgia

Highlands Medical Services, Inc. (GHMS) as a Family Practice Physician at GHMS’ Cumming Family Health Center. As a Family Practitioner, Dr. Goodson provides

Medical Care to persons of all ages, and treats a variety of illnesses and injuries.

Dr. Goodson is a Graduate of the University of Georgia and the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. He is an active member of the Georgia Osteopathic Medical Association (GOMA), the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP), and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), among others. Dr. Goodson is Board-Certi� ed by the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians, and is an Active Member of the Medical Sta� of Northside Hospital-Forsyth. He also serves as a Clinical Associate Professor at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Georgia Campus.

In addition to being involved in his profession, Dr. Goodson is also very active in his home community. He has served as a Sunday School Teacher at his local church, a Cub Scout Master, a Trustee of his church, and sat on its Church and Pastoral Council. Related to his church-work, Dr. Goodson has participated in Medical Mission Trips to the countries of Guatemala, Honduras and Ghana.

With his roots in Forsyth County, Dr. Goodson knows the community and its needs well – especially its healthcare needs. He understands that a patient needs Quality Medical Care, supported by the latest in modern technology, while being delivered with Old-Fashioned Concern.

At GHMS, we want to be the Provider of Choice for your Family’s Medical Care. If you would like to request an appointment with Dr. Goodson or any of our other wonderful providers in the Cumming o� ce (Dr. Patni, Dr. Madhavan, Dr. Kalli, or our Nurse Practitioners Ashley, Danielle, or Deena) or would like more information on our Programs and Services, please call 770.887.1668 or send us an email at [email protected]. Serving Forsyth and surrounding Counties since 1979, GHMS is open to anyone, regardless of income, insurance status, or language spoken. New patients are always welcome to our practice.

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GHMS-Cumming Family Health Center260 Elm Street, Cumming, GA 30040

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Awards and Achievements• National Committee for Quality Assurance

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• Champion for Coverage,U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

• Founding Member, Georgia Association forPrimary Healthcare (GAPHC)

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• 2014 “Top Small Business Campaign,”United Way of Forsyth County

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“The college provides area residents the opportunity to earn degrees in high-wage, high-demand fields at a fraction of the cost and in much less time than at four-year institution,” she said.

She also said the college aims to be “the foremost work force development resource for the counties it serves.”

The college’s Forsyth campus is also home to the Forsyth Conference Center, which is the site of countless local events for organizations and businesses. Tolleson said the conference center is a vital resource for the local economy.

“In addition to building a skilled work force, the college serves the county and its economy by providing a modern and attractive site for business and social events through the [center],” she said.

Lake LanierMore than 200 miles of the shoreline

of Lake Lanier, a 38,000-acre reservoir and one of the jewels of north Georgia recreation, is in Forsyth County.

The lake provides residents and tourists alike with many recreational opportunities, and it also serves as the primary water source for Cumming


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So bringing families into the healing process is critically important. As a full-service hospital in your community, we not only focus on deliveringeffective and timely care, we also strive to support the family and include them in the treatment.The fact is, if one member of a family has a serious illness or injury, it affects the whole family.

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and the surrounding area.Jon Stovall, general manager of

Bald Ridge Marina, said his business has seen a boost with the county’s growth.

Years ago, he recalled, most marina visitors hailed from outside Forsyth. Today, about 20 to 30 percent of the people he meets call the county home.

“Our success, we owe it to the fact that Forsyth County has developed,” he said.

Laury Gardner, president of 400 North Board of Realtors, said Lanier is one of the reasons many people choose to live in the county.

“Forsyth is located so that you can really get on to the lake fairly quickly from almost anywhere … without having to pay the premium for lakefront property,” she said.

The lake has also proved a vital resource for the city of Cumming and is the sole source of water for most local residents.

“By utilizing Lake Lanier as our water source, we’re able to meet the demand that we’re faced with today for potable water,” said Jon Heard, director of Cumming Utilities.


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Family fun eventsCumming plays host to

several family-friendly events each year, which usually draw large, festive crowds.

One of the best-known attractions is the Cumming Country Fair and Festival, held each October at the Cumming Fairgrounds. The fair, whose annual attendance usually tops 170,000, will be celebrating its 20th year this October.

Another popular event is the Boulder Dash, a spring 5K and 10K run and walk which is a qualifier for the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta.

“It’s a great route,” said Dave Horton, fairgrounds director. “It’s a downhill gradient almost the whole way, and you don’t


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Family fun events

several family-friendly events each year, which usually draw large, festive crowds.

attractions is the Cumming Country Fair and Festival, held each October at the Cumming Fairgrounds. The fair, whose

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“WE EXCEL & SUCCEED TOGETHER”Established in 2007

West Forsyth HIGH SCHOOL

2014 Advanced Placement Recognition • AP STEM Access School • AP STEM Achievement School • Advanced Placement Merit School • Advanced Placement International Diploma School • 256 Advanced Placement Scholar Recipients • 1,576 Advanced Placement Exams Taken • 898 students participated in Advanced Placement Testing • 71% earned a 3, 4, or 5 Advanced Placement Exams • 40% earned a 4 or 5 on Advanced Placement Exams • Average AP score (3.14)

Sports Highlights • Region 6-AAAAAA • 2013-14 GHSA Region 6-6A Sportsmanship Award for the 2nd year in a row • 11 teams had state play-off appearances • State and Nationally recognized for Band, Chorus, and Th eater

Class of 2014 • 84% graduates accepted into post-secondary education • 232 Honor Graduates • Accepted to 117 diff erent colleges, universities, technical schools • 6.5 million in non-Hope scholarship off ers • 3 WFHS Valedictorians • 2014 Forsyth County Schools STAR student

Air Force AcademyArt Institute of Atlanta

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2014 National and State Rankings:Newsweek Best High Schools ranked #893 nationally and #16 in Georgia

Washington Post’s “America’s Most Challenging High Schools” ranked #504 nationally and #27 in Georgia

find many of those.”Another popular springtime event is

Taste of Forsyth, where local restaurants will come to showcase their foods for the public.

“We always have it on Easter weekend on a Saturday, and we do an Easter egg hunt for the kids, and we put out around 20,000 plus eggs,” Horton said.

He added that these and other events, including the annual Cumming Christmas Parade, are great opportunities to spend time together in the community.

“All the events around here are very family-friendly,” Horton said. “We try to provide quality events at a great value. Families can come out and spend time together … without spending an arm and a leg to do that.”

Sense of communityDespite the county’s growth in recent

years, it has retained a strong identity and sense of community. Residents are active in local churches, civic clubs and volunteering with local nonprofits.

Ruth Goode, executive director of the United Way of Forsyth County, said the area is fortunate to have such a generous population.

“We have a very giving community,” Goode said. “We have a lot of businesses who encourage volunteerism as part of their corporate culture. We are extremely


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lucky to have that here in Forsyth County.”

Niki Colella is the executive director of Forsyth County Community Connection, which matches volunteers with local nonprofits looking for help. She said the connections people form in the community fuel the local volunteerism.

“It ends up being a friend or a family member who kind of gets you involved in a particular organization,” Colella said. “That’s how a lot of organizations will find volunteers.”

Karen Carroll, program manager for Mentor Me North Georgia, which pairs local children with an adult mentor, agreed.

“We have just individuals in the community who really have a heart and want to give back and help kids,” she said.

Mentor Me has 85 volunteers who are matched with children between the ages of 6 to 17. The mentors and mentees then spend time together, with the

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mentor serving as a positive role model for the child.

Carroll said the community has kept a small-town feel despite the growth.

“There is still kind of that small-town sense of community although we’ve grown so much,” Carroll said. “[People] want to be involved and want to make a difference in the town that they’re living in.”

Growing retail optionsWith the flurry of new rooftops and

subdivision, has come a growing number of dining and shopping options in Forsyth County.

“Every day and every year we are getting stronger in our retail,” said Jason Mock, director of small business services for the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce. “Retail has really started kicking in over the last few years.”

Mock said the August opening of wholesale store Costco on


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Market Place Boulevard has been long-awaited by locals. The closest location of the store, which sells items in bulk, was previously in nearby Milton.

“Having a store like Costco here is a major player,” he said.

The Lou Sobh Honda dealership opened last year on Buford Highway (Hwy. 20), joining several other longstanding local car dealerships that sell vehicles of all makes and models.

The outdoor mall The Collection at Forsyth, which has several stores and restaurants, as well as a movie theater and children’s urgent care facility, is another major feature.

Mock said Forsyth County is “blessed” to have so many retail options.

“We’ve got pretty much everything here that we need to survive, and we don’t really need to go down to Atlanta to pick up something,” he said.

However, James McCoy, president and CEO of the chamber of commerce, said the chamber has researched how


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the county could improve its retail options.

“We did not that along ago what’s called a retail gap analysis,” he said. “What that gap analysis told us was that there’s still incredible opportunity for all kinds of retail … particularly hospitality — restaurants, hotels and consumer good options.”

Business-friendly environment

Forsyth County is a popular destination for businesses both big and small.

Two of the qualities that make the county so attractive are its high quality of life and strong local school system, said Jason Mock, director of small business services for the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce.

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said.“They’re looking at

who they can hire,” he said. “Having good schools in the area really does help our local businesses, from local high schools and middle schools all the way up to a great technical school, with Lanier Tech, and also having the University of North Georgia campus here in Cumming.”

Mock said Forsyth has also been fortunate to experience some economic growth despite the recession.

“We have seen a steady growth of businesses opening on a yearly basis,” he said. “Forsyth County is truly blessed.

“In a time when the economy started dipping, we saw some of that. But we really weren’t affected [as much as] other communities in parts of Georgia and in the nation.”

Niki Jernigan-Watkins, the owner and artistic director of Cumming Dance Academy, said she believes the county is just a great place to own a business.

“It’s one of the fastest growing areas in the state,” said Watkins, who hails originally from Americus in south Georgia. “We have more small businesses here than anywhere else.

“We’re pulling from north Georgia, Alpharetta [and] north Atlanta. It’s a good community of people, which in turn makes your business flourish.”

Youth sports, activities

Local parks, businesses and organizations provide plenty of recreational opportunities for residents, especially children, in their spare time.

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County for children and adults, boasts an enrollment of about 4,000.

“We have summer camps, back-to-school programs [and] beginner programs,” said Tony Annan, executive director.

According to Annan, getting kids involved in sports can give them a sense of purpose and help them be more successful in life.

“Getting kids into sports early, by getting them into a structured environment … helps keep them with their schoolwork and their grades and gives them something to aim for,” he said.

For children who are more interested in dance, Cumming Dance Academy has three locations in the county and offers classes for kids of all ages.

“We have three different locations in Forsyth County so that you can be involved in dance no matter what side of town you’re on,” said owner and artistic director Niki Jernigan-Watkins.

For those looking for a day in the sun, the Cumming Aquatic Center has an indoor pool as well as an outdoor pool with a waterslide and lazy river. The center, which opened in 2011, also offers swimming and water exercise courses.

“Opening [the center] up three years ago has been a big boost for us,” said Greg Little, director of the Cumming Recreation and Parks Department. “The outdoor pool, access to water exercise classes, a year-round swim team, swimming lessons [are] all the things that [the center] brought to the community when we opened it up.”

The department also offers gymnastics and dance programs, art classes, a youth basketball league and summer camps.

At the Forsyth County Parks and Recreation Department, about 8,500 children play sports each season, according to Tommy Bruce, interim director.

Sports offered through the county include baseball, softball, lacrosse, soccer, tennis and football. Bruce praised the athletic staff, booster clubs and parent involvement in the program.

“It’s a team effort between booster clubs, our athletic staff and parents letting their kids play … and the Board


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of Commissioners providing us the facilities to be able to offer these programs,” he said.

Parks, amenitiesBeyond youth team and individual sports,

Forsyth County operates 23 parks and facilities in the community.

The parks feature playgrounds, sports fields, walking paths and pavilion areas for families to spend time outdoors. Some parks also have access to Lake Lanier.

Recent additions to county parks include three recreation centers at Fowler, Old Atlanta and Central parks. The centers have gymnasiums, dance and fitness studios and meeting rooms and often play host to community events and recreational programs, as well as dance and fitness classes.

Resident Nancy Aledia said she discovered the community when her family, which was living in Lawrenceville at the time, visited a Forsyth park.

“When my daughter was a little baby, my husband would drive her around to all the different parks in the area. He came to Forsyth


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and went to a park here and by happenstance saw the area,” she said. “That’s how we originally found Forsyth.”

Aledia said her children’s involvement in sports through the parks department is one of the main reasons.

“[My daughter] has been in sports ever since we moved to the area when she was 5,” she said. “My son plays to this day.”

The family has always been impressed with the activities at local parks.

“There’s a lot of parent involvement in this community, and there’s so many activities,” she said. “It’s a great place to raise kids.”

Tommy Bruce, interim Forsyth County parks and recreation director, said the department’s staff and the county commission are devoted to the amenities.

“We’ve got great staff. They keep [the parks] up. They take pride in their parks,” he said. “The commissioners give us the money to be able to take care of the parks and to be able to open new ones.”

Health careNorthside Hospital- Forsyth, the largest employer in the

county, provides residents with quality medical care without having to travel.

The Forsyth facility offers plastic, robotic and vascular surgery, breast care, cancer care and treatment and critical care, among other services.

It also opened a Women’s Center in 2008, which offers services for labor and delivery, neonatal care, parenting and childbirth classes and lactation consultation.

“The Women’s Center has allowed a lot of the patients or community members that used to have to travel further away to deliver babies … it gives them a great local opportunity to have high-quality delivery services right there in their community with the reputation of Northside behind it,” said Russ Davis, a hospital spokesman.

A recently completed medical office building is attached to the southern side of the Women’s Center, and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was also just expanded.

Davis said the hospital’s adaptations and growth make it unique.

“We have pretty much built up all of the clinical services that the community could possibly need, and we’re continuing to improve technology, improve and expand facilities and provide the highest level of patient care possible,” he said.

Northside also operates several outpatient facilities which feature other medical services, including dermatology, ear, nose and throat treatment, pain treatment and ophthalmology.

Since opening a facility off Peachtree Parkway in south Forsyth three years ago, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at

Forsyth has seen tremendous growth.

Probably most notable was securing $250,000 in donations to fund a prototype machine that will be used to detect autism in infants. In addition , the facility has added other programs to assist families, including dance medicine, vestibular rehabilitation and a functional knee brace program.


and went to a park here and by happenstance saw the area,”

Forsyth

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