Dahlonega-Lumpkin CountyChamber of Commerce13 South Park StreetDahlonega, GA 30533(706) 864-3711(800) 231-5543

INSIDE:

Dahlonega - Lumpkin County Chamber of CommerceThe Chamber

2009 | JANUARY - FEBRUARY

Page 3From the Desk of Eddie Wayne

Passing of the Tourch

Page 4Dahlonega Celtic Music Festival

Page 5Perspective on Healthcare

Tourism Day at the State Capitol

Page 6 Spotlight on the Board: Casey Horne

Page 7Spotlight on Education

Page 8Spotlight on Tourism: Stephen Smith

Page 9MemberShip Matters

Volunteer Spotlight: Joseph B. Smith

Page 10Spotlight on Business: Appalachian Contractors

Page 11Ambassador Spotlight: Dana Whitfield

Page 13Best of Dahlonega Award

Business After Hours Recap

Page 14Ribbon Cuttings

2009 Dahlonega Celtic Music Festival

It’s coming March 27, 28 and 29th, Dahlonega’s 2nd Annual Celtic Music Festival! Exciting new additions to the festival include a Golf Tournament, Dinner and Concert on Friday, March 27th and the new Celtic Village on Saturday and Sunday, located in Han-cock Park. Highland Way, from San Diego, returns for another ex-citing concert and Alex Beaton, the beloved folksinger, is added to the concert schedule in 2009. North Georgia’s own, Emerald Rose, will perform during this exciting weekend! Don’t miss the workshops and demonstrations, artists and vendors, savory and sweet food delights, Tattoo / Parade, dance and concerts during this fun filled weekend!More information on page 4

SAVE THE DATES:

March 27-29, 2009Dahlonega Celtic Music FestivalFestival goers will be entertained with concerts, Celtic-themed workshops, bagpipers, and storytellers. In ad-dition, Celtic arts and craft vendors will set up throughout downtown Dahlonega and around the historic town square.

For information, visit: www.dahlonegacelticmusicfestival.com

March 28th Highland Way ConcertMarch 29th Alex Beaton Concert

Mission Statement

Board of DirectorsOFFICERS

Eddie Wayne, Appalachian Community BankChair ElectMax Burns, Mike Cottrell School of BusinessTreasurerDon Bacek, Lily Creek LodgeSecretaryCyndi Fraser, Belle Avance SalonPresident & CEOGary L. Powers, Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce

DIRECTORS Miriam Austin, RefrigiWearPaul Carmody, Mountain Top LodgeTommy Folger, Folger’sAlan George, Chestatee Regional HospitalAlan Grizzle, EXIT Four Seasons RealtyKelso C. (Casey) Horne, Horne and Horne, P.C.Ken Kurtz, Kenneth Kurtz, CPAJason LeBlanc, AchastaDonna Minnich, State Farm InsuranceJ. Kevin McCraney, Georgia Power CompanyTony Owens, The Fudge FactorySharon Paul, Three Sisters Vineyard & WineryMike Pyott, North Georgia College & State UniversityJoshua Saint, Hiker HostelEd Willis, The Louver ShopAngelia Wilson, Dahlonega Tasting RoomRoger Yonts, Timken Corporation

EX OFFICIO DIRECTORS

Mayor Gary McCullough, City of DahlonegaCommissioner John Raber, Lumpkin CountyBruce Abraham, Development AuthorityJoel Cordle, Downtown Development AuthorityStan Kelley, Lumpkin CountyBill Lewis, City of DahlonegaSheriff Stacy Jarrard, Lumpkin CountyDewey Moye, Lumpkin County SchoolsJoshua Wright, U.S. Army Camp Frank D. Merrill

STAFF

Amy Booker, Membership & Marketing DirectorMary Ann Knight, Visitors Center ManagerAmy Laseter, Administrative AssistantStefani Logsdon, VP OperationsStephen Smith, Tourism DirectorKim Bruce, Graphic Design/Newsletter

The Chamber | Page 2

As I See It

Making our community a great place to live, work, visit,

and do business.

As I See It, the hottest topic today is the economy. The economy is in trouble. Which loosely trans-lates as people are spending less, and we’re all feeling the pinch. That’s obvious. Even though no official source will admit it, we were in the middle of the recession of 2008. Now it’s full blown but the United States has survived these economic crisis before. I’m encouraged that ALL politicians are now talking about the economy, jobs, foreclo-sures, and people’s lives rather than just Iraq and Afghanistan and Gaza. Not that these are not im-portant in terms of world security and terrorism but the United States has its own problems too.

As I See It, there’s also good news. The average recession in this country lasts 11 months. Which means in about another six months we should start seeing signs of improvement and especially with a new administration coming in and wanting to make a major impact. The obvious question to small business owners is “How do we get through the next six months to a year?”

After walking the Dahlonega Historic Public Square introducing our new Tourism Director, Stephen Smith to merchants I found what we heard encouraging. Many of the shop owners have survived better than most small towns are reporting. They are rethinking their business model and wanting to see if they can stick it out. I encourage our local residents and business own-ers to remember if we Shop Local we can make it through this.

As I See It, we need to implement each of the seven items on this list below. They are:

1. Concentrate on business and customer service.

2. Cherish your existing customers.

3. Accelerate your advertising and PR.

4. Adjust your staffing.

5. Lower your profit margins.

6. Speed up cash flow.

7. Cut overhead.

These recommendations are simple.

Not easy, but simple. They are plans and process-es that can help your business to actually thrive, provided your willing to be proactive when all those around you are hunkering down and hop-ing the unpleasantness will end soon.

The Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Center and staff are here to help you as much as possible. My staff has experience in re-tail and are more than willing to come in and help you evaluate your layout and merchandise.

As I See It, my big contribution is what I have learned in business and non-profits over the last four decades. Customer service, customer service, customer service! Greet your customer and make them feel welcome and a small sale is better than none.

AS I SEE IT, YES WE CAN!

Gary Powers, President and CEO

To the members of the Chamber of Commerce, would like to start by wishing everyone a happy new year, hoping that 2009 is a good year for all of us.

As I assume the position of Chairman, I would like to thank Jennifer Herring for her two years in this office. It was not always an easy term. I would like to thank the officers and board members that have given their time and energy to the chamber and those that continue to do so in the New Year. Last, but certainly not least, I am grateful for what President/ CEO Gary Powers, Stefani, Amy, Mary Ann and countless volunteers have done for the chamber in 2008. Also, I am thankful that Gary is back healthy and “ready to go” for 2009. In addition, I want to welcome Stephen Smith as our new tourism director.

Now, looking forward to the future, I realize that 2008 was a tough year for everyone in different ways, and that 2009 could be tough for a portion of the year. I want all of our members to know that your chamber will continue to work for you and continue to promote new and different ways to help the economy of our city and county. I

want us to be positive going forward in 2009, knowing that we will recover from these times. I am confident that our chamber has the leader-ship and staff to move us forward in the New Year. As always if you have questions, concerns, or new ideas please let us know.

Sincerely, Eddie Wayne, Chairman 2009

From the Desk of Eddie Wayne

The Chamber | Page 3

BronzeGeorgia Power Company

Habersham EMC

North Georgia College & State University

Regions Bank

PlatinumPlatinum

BB&T Bank

Chestatee Regional Hospital

Jackson EMC

GoldAppalachian Community Bank

SilverAchasta, A Residential Golf Community

All About Storage

SunTrust

Nicklaus Golf Club at Achasta

Northeast Georgia Health System, Inc.

The Smith House

Timken US Corporation

United Community Bank of Lumpkin County

Wal-Mart SuperCenter

Windstream Communications

Chairman’s CircleThe Chairman's Circle has been created to prominently recognize companies whose continual support has been instrumental in the growth of the Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce.

Mint Club Members

Major DonorMajor Donors

City of Dahlonega

Lumpkin County

Cottrell Circle C Ranch Eddie WayneChairman of the Board

A crowd gathered at the Lumpkin County Parks and Recreation Banquet Hall for a Chamber lun-cheon, catered by Picnic Café, where the new Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce Board mem-bers were installed and a grateful farewell was given to Board Chair, Jennifer Herring.

Jennifer Herring has served two consecutive years, 2007 to 2009, as Chair of the Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce. Under her leadership, Jennifer worked with Waverly Partners to recruit a new President and CEO for the Chamber of Commerce, and during the transition, she served as the acting President of the Chamber and CVB. WILL, Women in Lumpkin Leadership, was formed, and Dahlonega held its first Celtic Music Festival. The Board of Directors grew from 12 to 21 to increase the number of board members, who represent tourism.

Under Jennifer’s leadership, Lumpkin County be-came an Entrepreneur Friendly Community. The Chamber held the first free Job Fair for the 366 displaced employees of Mohawk Industry, when they closed, and 47 companies participated. The Chamber also took over the County Directional Signage Program and now has 22 Directional Signs helping locals and tourist find their way.

Jennifer’s dedication to this community has been apparent through her many volunteer roles and her service to the Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce.

The torch was passed to Eddie Wayne, Chair of the Chamber Board of Directors for 2009. Eddie is the City President of Appalachian Community Bank and has been in business in Dahlonega and Lumpkin County since 1982. Eddie came to North Georgia College in 1978, when they were just building the old Lumpkin County Bank and he applied for a position and started in November of 1982.

Eddie feels that Dahlonega is a great place to be in business because it is a small town made up of good people. Eddie feels that the different people he has worked with over the years and most cer-tainly his customers that have banked with him for 26 years have led Eddie to his success today.

Eddie has been active in the community for many years and is currently serving as president of the Rotary Club and on the Dahlonega Housing Authority. Eddie is glad to be able to serve as the new Chair of the Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce because he feels his ser-vice on the Chamber Board is a good way to give back to the city and county.

Eddies desire during his term as Chair is to help all businesses in this county to survive the current economic problems we are facing and experienc-ing today. Eddie states that “the biggest challenge today is the economic problems that we are experiencing. I think it affects every business in some way or another. I do feel things will get better, so we all need to hang on.” He envisions controlled growth and at the same time allow-ance for our city / county to expand for the good of our citizens.

Passing of the Torch

The Chamber | Page 4

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR MARCH 27, 28 AND 29, 2009!

Exciting concerts by Highland Way, Alex Beaton and Emerald Rose to name a few! Don't miss the "Celtic Village", located in Hancock Park, which include workshops and demonstrations, concerts and dance! Explore downtown Dahlonega and enjoy the Artists and Vendors booths, as well as sample savory and sweet culinary delights!

Tickets to Celtic Village:

$7 adult admission

$5 child admission

$20 Family of (4) package / each additional family member, $5 / person

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2009

A new addition to the festival this year will be the Celtic Golf Tournament, held at Achasta Golf Club, A Jack Nicklaus Signature Design. Don’t miss this 2:00pm shotgun start, Irish 4 Ball Format Tournament. To follow, a traditional Celtic meal, including Chef carved Steamship of Corn Beef with traditional sides of Braised Cabbage, New Potatoes, Rolls and Rhubarb Bread and Butter Pudding. Can’t join the golf and dinner fun, don’t miss the casual outdoor concert to kick off our second annual Celtic Music Festival.

$85 Golf and Dinner 2:00pm Shotgun Start / 6:30pm Dinner

$20 Dinner Only 6:30pm

$10 Concert Only “Bring your own lawn chair or blanket!” 7:30pm

For reservations, please call Jason LeBlanc at 706-867-4009 or email jleblanc@achasta.com.

SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2009

Located in Historic Downtown Dahlonega, includ-ing Hancock Park, located just off of the Down-town Square. A new addition to the festival is the Celtic Village, where visitors can enjoy workshops and demonstrations, storytellers, music and dance! Explore downtown Dahlonega and enjoy the Artists and Food Vendors booths, as well as sample savory and sweet culinary delights!

Festival starts at 11:00am with workshops scheduled at 11:00am, 12:00pm, 2:00pm, 3:00pm and 4:00pm, with a concert by Emerald Rose at 1:00pm.

6:00pm – 7:15pm A traditional Tattoo / Parade around the Downtown Square. Don’t miss this exciting event as music fills the air with tradition and patriotism!

8:00pm Highland Way Concert at NGCSU Natural Sciences Auditorium. Highland Way is from San Diego, under the direction of Brian Caldwell of Glasgow, Scotland and has received rave re-views for their blend of traditional Scottish music, both instrumental and vocal. From the San Diego and Seaside Scottish Highland

Games, their superb blend of vocals, instrumenta-tion, and unique arrangements are why Highland Way is one of the most acclaimed on the southern California circuit.

Concert Tickets:

$25 / ticket – General Admission $30/ ticket – Premiere Seating (front 5 rows)

Tickets may be purchased online at www.dahlonegacelticmusicfestival.com or by calling the Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce at 706-864-3711.

SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2009

Festival starts at 12:00pm, with workshops and demonstrations located in the Celtic Village in Hancock Park at 12:00pm, 1:00pm, 3:00pm and 4:00pm along with music and dance! The Celtic Artists, Vendor and Food Delights will be available in downtown Dahlonega, while pipers play their festive tunes!

7:00pm Alex Beaton, beloved Scottish folksinger, will be in concert at NGCSU Natural Sciences Au-ditorium. Alex's impressive musical career spans four decades and includes the creation of Glen-finnan Music, which offers a collection of nineteen albums dedicated to traditional Scottish music and a triple feature DVD, Alex Beaton's Scotland: A Musical Travelogue of Scotland. Everywhere Alex performs, this quintessential entertainer delights audiences with his rich baritone voice, virtuoso guitar playing and engaging stage presence. Al-ex's talent is showcased by a body of music rang-ing from ballads such as "The Loch Tay Boat Song," to rousing anthems like "Flower of Scotland," to his classic children's favorite "Coulter's Candy."

Concert Tickets:

$25 / ticket – General Admission

$30/ ticket – Premiere Seating (front 5 rows)

Tickets may be purchased online at www.dahlonegacelticmusicfestival.com or by calling the Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce at 706-864-3711.

A complete schedule of events will be posted soon at www.dahlonegacelticmusicfestival.com

If you are an Artist / Vendor and would like to receive a Marketplace Application, please email Amy Booker at amy@dahlonega.org or call the Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Com-merce at 706-864-3711.

“Can You Hear The Pipers Playing?”… It’s Coming… Dahlonega’s 2nd Annual Celtic Music Festival!

Alex Beaton

Highland Way

The Chamber | Page 5

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGa) has been busy creating new products! Much needed choices have been developed and are now avail-able through the MemberCare Alliance program sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.

A new product called Employee Elect allows each of your employees to select the best plan for their situation from as many as 30 different plan op-tions. This benefit program can help employers to stabilize their costs while giving each employee more control over what they want.

Another product, Blue Essentials, was designed specifically for businesses that want to offer cov-erage for their employees but struggle with the cost. Blue Essentials plans provide less benefits

than BCBSGa’s standard plans but at are very reasonably priced.

And remember, all of BCBSGa’s plans are available at reduced premium rates to eligible business members of our Chamber of Commerce!

Using the group “buying power” of the Member-Care Alliance of Lumpkin CountySM, we are part of a statewide network of over 120 Chambers of Commerce offering discounted insurance products to Chamber member businesses. The MemberCare Alliance of Lumpkin County pro-gram includes a variety of discounted insurance products, such as: group term, voluntary and dependent life insurance, group health insurance, long term and short term disability, accidental

death and dismemberment, long term care and dental insurance. All these products are available through participating Chamber-member insur-ance agents.

For more information on any of these insur-ance offerings, please call the Chamber, one of your participating Chamber-member insurance agents, or Purchasing Alliance Solutions, Inc., (the company that developed MemberCare Alliance of Lumpkin County program) at 770-579-1214 or 1-800-782-8254 ext. 3012.

*An independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

Perspective on Healthcare: New Products Available To Employers!

Tourism Day at the Capitol 2009ATLANTA, January 27, 2009 - Today, Georgia's tourism industry presented Governor Perdue with a check for $844.9 million, the amount of state tax revenue generated by tourism-related expenditures. It was Tourism Day at the Capitol, an opportunity for the state's second-largest industry to spotlight the role it plays in the Geor-gia's economy. Ranked 8th in the nation among all the states, some key numbers for Georgia's tourism industry include a total economic impact (direct, indirect and induced) of $34.1 billion, $1.5 billion in state and local tax revenues, 241,800 jobs and $6.3 billion in resident wages. Without tourism-related tax revenues, every household in the state would pay about $505 in additional taxes, on average.

Governor Perdue also presented the official 2009 Georgia Travel Guide featuring the Belle Meade

Riding Club in Thomson on its cover, and ended by proclaiming January 27, 2009 Tourism Day in Georgia.

Also in attendance were Senator Chip Pearson, Representative Ron Stephens, Georgia Depart-ment of Economic Development (GDEcD) Com-missioner Ken Stewart, Chairman of Georgia Con-vention and Visitors Bureau (GACVB) Lisa Smith, Chairman of Tourism Development Alliance of Georgia (TDAG) Sean McGinnis, GDEcD Deputy Commissioner for Tourism and Marketing Charlie Gatlin, GDEcD Assistant Commissioner of Tourism Kevin Langston, Representative Butch Parrish, Senator Jeff Mullis, Representative Tom Weldon, Representative Jay Neal, Representative Barbara Reece and Representative Michael Hardin.

The Georgia Department of Economic Develop-ment (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing

arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of exist-ing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, video and music projects, as well as plan-ning and mobilizing state resources for economic development.

Prize Winner of the 2008 Old Fashioned Christ-mas Decoration Contest is Jones & Co - Gayle Jones, owner. The winner receives a trip to New York to see a Broadway play, with airline tickets and accommodations. Judges stated the winner “Captures the fantasy spirit ofChristmas”.

First Place Decorated Building Winner is Paul Thomas Chocolates. This building “Brought back my childhood; a Christmas Wonderland”, stated judges. First Place Decorated Door Winner is Ap-palachian Traders “Combines the freshness ofna-ture with the sparkle ofChristmas”, stated judges.

Honorable Mentions were: Picket Fence “Enchant-ing and Inviting”; Norman Adams Agency -”So crisp, fresh, subtle”; Connie’s Ice Cream -”Looks like a storefront from the movie, It’s A Wonderful Wiley’s -”So natural and Old-Fashioned”, stated judges.

Tickets for the Broadway play have been donated by Michael and Wendy Jenkins, for one of the plays Michael is producing on Broadway at the current time. Many will remember Wendy Jenkins as Wendy Kelly, a former Dahlonega Chamber of

Commerce President. Michael and Wendy now live in Dallas, and have produced many plays, including Thoroughly Modern Millie, Wicked, LegaIIy Blonde and Boeing, Boeing, which have won prestigious Tony awards. Other prizes for winners include hotel stays in Atlanta, tickets to the Biltmore House in Asheville, and tickets to Atlanta attractions.

Judges for the 2008 contest were Ronda Rich, best-selling author and columnist. Her Dixie Divas column is included in Community Newspapers weekly publications, of which the Dahlonega Nugget is a part. Rich will have a new book re-lease in March -Southern Women and Their Faith. Rhonda White, a local interior designer formerly from Atlanta, Judy Claxton, Corporate Events Vice President for the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bu-reau, and Hope Wright, the Biltmore House floral designer and decorating supervisor round out the judges for the contest. Wright creates the elegant visual displays that greet visitors to the Biltmore House in Asheville, and can be seen on television in Biltmore House “Specialties of the House” seg-ments on HGTV.

The Old-Fashioned Christmas Decorating Com-mittee consists of Bill Hardman, Chairman, Lynn Cottrell, Jane Osley and Helen Hardman, all residents of Dahlonega and Lampkin County. Each year the Committee collects prizes and picks judges for the event. For additional information, contact Helen Hardman at 706-864-5619.

Winners of Old Fashioned Christmas Decorating Contest Announced

Jones & Company, owned by Gayle Jones, was awarded the winner of Christmas Decoration contest for “Capturing the fantasy spirit of Christmas”.

The Chamber | Page 6

Kelso C. Horne, Jr. is an attorney with the firm Horne & Horne, P.C. and has been in Dahlonega since 1983. He has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2005.

Kelso C. Horne, Jr., more routinely known as Casey Horne locally, is an attorney in private practice with the law firm Horne & Horne, P.C. Casey is married to Susan W. Horne, and they reside in Lumpkin County.

Casey grew up in Laurens County, Georgia, and graduated from Dublin High School. His under-graduate degree (ABJ) in Journalism from the Henry Grady School at the University of Georgia led to employment at the Dublin Courier Herald as a reporter and photographer.

Casey entered the military as a regular Army of-ficer detailed to artillery, and was graduated from the low altitude missile school at Fort Bliss, Texas. Following a tour in the Panama Canal Zone he attended the Chemical Officer Advanced Course in Alabama, and served in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Mobile) and with the 525th MI Group.

He also has a Master of Arts degree from Webster

University in St. Louis, Missouri.

In addition to Army duties, he has been a flight in-structor (single and multi engine and instrument) and had brief experience as an “on demand” charter pilot while in Texas.

In 1980 he resigned his regular Army commission and left active duty, transferring to the Army Re-serve, to attend law school. He and his wife, June Horne, attended the University of Georgia’s Lump-kin School of Law; both graduated in 1983 and came to Dahlonega where they joined local at-torney Roger Palmour, creating the firm, Palmour, Horne & Horne. While Jane practiced law, Casey was selected to return to active duty with 3rd US Army. He returned to the firm full time in 1989. The firm of Horne & Horne was amicably created in 1992. The firm has served as county attorney from 1987 – 1996 and from 2001 to present.

Casey and his law partner, Joy L. Edelberg, focus primarily on local government law and on real estate, family law, wills and probate and small business law. Casey has served as President of the County Attorney Section of ACCG. He is also a certified neutral (mediator) in civil matters.

Web site analytics indicated that the web site for the Convention & Visitor Bureau was receiving an impressive number of unique ‘hits’ every month. With this amount in traffic, we wanted to make the web site more representative of Dahlonega’s charm and homey rustic feel, as well as to make information easier to find and the user interface more user-friendly to navigate. After month’s of planning and brainstorming, we are pleased to introduce the new and improved sites.

The new web sites were developed with the intent of making it easier to find information about places to shop, dine, and lodge as well as highlight things to do, the wineries, wedding venues, and more!

The Chamber’s web site also received an overhaul. To access the new Chamber website, visit www.

dahlonega.org and click on the “Chamber” link at the top of the page.

We hope both new sites will be well received and anticipate that they will help to drive more traffic to our business community! So take a look, and tell us what you think!

Spotlight on the Board: Kelso C. Horne, Jr.

Have You Seen The New Web Sites For Convention & Visitor Bureau and the Chamber?

Casey Horne

Check it out! www.dahlonega.org

The Chamber | Page 7

The 13th annual Bear on the Square Mountain Festival will be an incredible weekend of music and art held around the Historic Public Square in Dahlonega.

From April 17-19, old time and bluegrass music will fill the downtown square and nearby Hancock Park.The festival opens on Friday as the musicians for the street jams start gathering around the Historic Public Square around noon.There will be on-stage performances on Saturday and Sunday at the MainStage Tent in Hancock Park by local, regional, and national musicians with headline acts including the Claire Lynch Band, The Freight

Hoppers, and the duo of Beverly Smith and Carl Jones.

The Mountain Marketplace around the square is being sponsored this year by John C. Camp-bell Folk School and will include a juried artists’ market of traditional crafts, artists demonstrating their craft throughout the marketplace as well as a heritage folk life area featuring John C. Camp-bell Folk School artists demonstrating such crafts as blacksmithing, basketry and more.

2009 Bear on the Square Festival - Third Weekend in April

Lumpkin County School System’s (LCSS) mission is to educate, leading all children to success. For each child of Lumpkin County to receive a superior education and secure a successful future, literacy must be a priority in our schools and in our community. To better address literacy, LCSS has implemented the Literacy Leadership Academy. The purposes of the Academy are to provide structure for balanced literacy in LCSS, to provide leadership in its implementation by de-termining the best methods of teaching literacy k-12 and then implementing that model, and to recommend materials and resources to support balanced literacy in LCSS.

The first task of the new initiative was to define lit-eracy. Literacy is actively participating in evaluat-ing, using, and combining multiple forms of me-dia, information, and knowledge in meaningful ways to communicate effectively. To fully prepare our students and community to be successful and productive today and in the future, literacy must be viewed as more than basic reading skills. The prolific forms of information and media demand that students are fully competent and confident in navigating and utilizing all resources.

To ensure that the Academy is prepared to meet the needs of all students and the community, there are three representatives from each school and the central office and two from NGCSU. The short-term goals for the Academy will be to examine data from literacy performance in LCSS, build a framework for literacy in LCSS classrooms by deciding the components of effective literacy instruction at different grade levels, and build literacy connections with the community.

Community members will be able to access the Literacy Leadership Academy initiatives on LCSS’s new website: www.lumpkin.k12.ga.us. The new website will provide information and a key link between the schools, parents, and community. The website will inform the community and build a strong connection between the school system and community. It will also provide teachers and administrators with information and resources critical to operating productive schools and classrooms. The new website is scheduled to go live on January 20, 2009.

Through the newly updated informational web-site and the Literacy Leadership Academy, LCSS is striving to see our mission come to fruition.

By creating an organized focus to address literacy throughout our schools and community, we will create generations of highly capable and literate citizens and establish awareness of the priority literacy must have to ensure that all members of our community thrive. We encourage all parents and community members to contact us to join in our efforts of establishing a literate Lumpkin County.

Spotlight on Education: A Literate Lumpkin

The Chamber | Page 8

Take a positive step for your business.

Come join us!

Welcome New Members

NovemberAlfred K. BarrAppalachian ContractingBend of the River Cabins & ChaletsBlue Cross Blue Shield of GA / Carol A. TuftsCedar Creek Cabin RentalsChestatee Regional Library SystemChestatee Wildlife PreserveCrisson Gold MineDahlonega Cabins LLCDahlonega Presbyterian ChurchDr. John RaberDudley OwensDuplicating Products, Inc.Edward Jones-Archie BowlingEtowah River CampgroundGeorgia Power CompanyGold City Corral & Carriage CompanyHaines HillIsabella LynnJones & CompanyLily Creek LodgeLumpkin County Family Connection, Inc.McGarity’s Business ProductsMillie’s Mini StorageMoore’s Hardware and Building CenterNorth Georgia Aluminum, Inc.R & R Accounting ServicesRobyn’s Nest GrillStringer Insurance AgencyStudio Twenty-One Makeovers - Jana ColletThe Crimson Moon Cafe’Townley SweepingTranquility Nails & SpaUnited Community Bank of Lumpkin CountyUPS StoreUpstairs DownstairsWanda Dills / Prudential Georgia RealtyWilson & Fortner ElectricWylie’s RestaurantYahoola Lodge

400 North Board of RealtorsA Victorian CowgirlAmicalola EMCAppalachian Heritage PropertiesAppalachian Outfitters River OutpostARAMARKCenter for New BeginningsCentury 21 Walden & Co.Charles R. PendletonChestatee Regional HospitalChina Express BuffetConsolidated Gold Mines, Inc.Dahlonega Arts Council, Inc.Dahlonega Chiropractic Life CenterDahlonega Pharmacy, Inc.Dimensions Hair SalonDover RealtyDr. William O’LeksyEcono LodgeEconomic Development Corp.Elizabeth H. CorneliusFragmentsGainesville CollegeGloria’s Added TouchGraytrout GroupHayes Chrysler Dodge Jeep of GainesvilleJackson EMCJim SmulianJohn D. (Jack) AnthonyLee’s Home InteriorsLumpkin County Board of EducationLumpkin County Literacy CoalitionMills Fuel Service, Inc.Mountain Eye Clinic, P.C.Mountain Top Lodge at DahlonegaNeighborhood Healthcare CenterNorman Adams Insurance AgencyNorth Georgia College & State UniversityNortheast Georgia Health System, Inc.Parks Clothing StorePrime Pump & Well, Inc.Prudential Georgia RealtyStudio Jewelers, Inc.The Front PorchThe Holly Theater Community CenterThe Law Offices of R. Ridgely Rairigh, JrThe Rehabilitation Institute of DahlonegaThe Rotary Club of DahlonegaToccoa Riverfront CabinVillage ToysWinslow Crannell

OCTOBER 2008

Deborah D. Padowitz - Prudential Georgia RealtyDeja Vu Consignment BoutiqueTrish Cavalier, REALTOR - Prudential Georgia Realty

NOVEMBER 2008

CitslincNorth Georgia School of DivingPremium Package Outlet

DECEMBER 2008

Abe Piemmedahlonega411.comHiggins CabinetryNeverland FarmsRenal Care Partners of Dahlonega

2008 Renewals

Hello All,

My name is Stephen Smith and I have been given the opportunity to serve the community of Dahlonega as the Tourism Director. Let me begin by saying that I am excited about the challenge of generating new experiences for our community and those that visit Dahlonega. I anticipate great things for Dahlonega and the mountains of North Georgia.

Now, let me take you on a brief trip through my background. I was born in Chattanooga, TN but quickly moved to the small country of Haiti as my parents worked in a third world medical hospital for a number of years. After returning to the states I graduated from Ooltewah high school in Chattanooga and attended the University of Ten-nessee, Knoxville.

As an avid outdoorsman and kayaker, I chose to spend my summers working at high adventure residential camps. During my senior year in college, I decided that it was time for me to hike the Appalachian Trail and left in February of 2000 headed for Maine. I completed my through-hike in July and returned to finish my degree.

It was during one of my summers that I met Lindsey Boegner. We were married shortly after I graduated and moved back to Chattanooga where I became a District Executive for the Chero-kee Area Council, Boy Scouts of America.

While in that role I was both a Program Director as well as a Camp Director for four different residen-tial camping seasons. As a District Executive I was responsible for managing budgets and meeting corporate fundraising goals.

After a series of personal crossroads, Lindsey and I decided to move to Dahlonega and I became involved with the PGA Tour Superstore in Roswell, Georgia. My experience as a sales manager for a major retail outfit gave me to knowledge and skill set to work in a fast paced and exciting environ-ment. However, my passion has always been to improve my community.

I have a few personal goals that I have accom-plished and they are: I have a wonderful wife and family, I am an Eagle Scout, and I successfully completed the Appalachian Trail in 5 months.

Lindsey and I are hoping to start a family and we want to raise our children in an exciting, healthy, and safe community. Dahlonega is all three of those things and I am thankful that I can call it home.

I look forward to working with all of you as we continue to improve Dahlonega and make it the best town in Georgia.

Spotlight on Tourism: Stephen Smith

December

Volunteer Spotlight: Joseph B. Smith

This month we recognize Joseph B. Smith for his volunteering at the Visitors Center. As just one of many active area residents who greatly enjoy de-voting time to introduce tourists and other happy wanderers to the many pleasures of nature, shopping, accommodations, dining and wining (certainly not whining), and getting to know the benefits of the mountain lifestyle of our area for a few days or as a permanent home.

Joe is retired from over 40 years with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) which he joined after several years of duty as an Army Officer. After living in seven states with CDC, Joe and his wife Pat (a retired rehabilitation nurse) looked toward a retirement area which offered the pleasures of a quieter community with great people, pleasant four season weather, unrivaled local scenery, excellent shops and restaurants, and all aspects of the great outdoors.

Joe enjoys helping at the Dahlonega Visitors Center, working with Pat at the Lumpkin Senior Center in delivering meals on wheels, and usher-ing at the Holly. His conspicuous absence of

artistic talent however exempts him from many of the leading man opportunities that otherwise would be available. But he can still serve as actor and advocate for our community at the Visitors Center where formal auditions and screen tests are not required!

The Chamber | Page 9

February 3

Business After Hours at Mountain

Education Center, 5:30-7:30 pm

February 17

Economic Development, 8:00 am

February 18

Women in Lumpkin Leadership

Breakfast at Stewart Center for Con-

tinuing Education, 8:00 am

February 19

Board Meeting, 12:00 pm

February 24

Ambassador Meeting, 12:00 pm

February 25

Nuts & Bolts Workshop - “Security

Measures for You and Your Business”,

12:00 pm in Chamber Board Room

March 3

Business After Hours at Chestatee

Real Estate, 5:30-7:30 pm

March 17

Economic Development, 8:00 am

March 18

Women in Lumpkin Leadership

Breakfast at Stewart Center for Con-

tinuing Education, 8:00 am

March 19

Board Meeting, 12:00 pm

March 24

Ambassador Meeting, 12:00 pm

Save the DatesYour Membership Matters

Dear Chamber Members,

WISHING ALL OF OUR CHAMBER MEMBERS THE VERY BEST IN 2009!

In each issue of the Chamber Newsletter, I will be including information on Chamber membership benefits to help our members take advantage of and maximize their investment.

Last issue, I covered how to maximize your pres-ence on the Chamber website, www.dahlonega.org. If you still don’t have your log in information to access data on your business and fill out the “web description” section of your listing, please email me and I will be happy to send you that information.

I want to make sure that you are aware of the “Nuts & Bolts Workshops” that the Chamber is offering to members in 2009. The first work-shop was held January 28th at 12:00pm in the Chamber Board Room and the topic was Online Marketing and Sales, presented by Applied Solu-tions, LLC. Each workshop, the Chamber will take a short time to go over a Chamber benefit and make sure the attendees are able to utilize it. We are keeping the participants to twenty people so that those attending will receive maximum benefit. We had a great turn out for the first work-shop! The fee is $5, which covers drinks and cook-ies and you bring your own “brown bag lunch”. Please watch for your announcement of the next workshop in your weekly email blast, “Member-ship Matters”. If you don’t check emails, feel free to email or call me for more information.

If there are particular topics that you feel would be helpful to you in your business, please email or call me so that we can try to provide the most

helpful and useful information possible to you at these workshops (Amy Booker at amy@dahlone-ga.org or 706-864-3711).

Hope to see you at a “Nuts & Bolts Workshop” in 2009

Amy Booker Membership & Marketing Director

The Chamber | Page 10

“IF YOU’RE NOT SATISFIED, WE’RE NOT THROUGH”.

Appalachian Contracting Services has been a respected builder in North Georgia since 1988, when it was founded by company President, Jim Combs. “I have always operated my business on that quote from my Grandfather along with a couple of others. ‘If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing right’ and ‘if a job is honest, it’s honorable”. We build not only quality projects, but quality re-lationships as well. So, you can count on it, we will always treat you with honesty and respect and we will see that your project is built “right”.

Jim and his wife Nancy moved to the Dahlonega area in 1981 from Florida where he had been involved with the building industry from a differ-ent aspect while working for Combs Lumber and Supply, his family’s lumber yard in Gainesville, Florida. He also has a degree in forestry so Jim knows wood from seedling to siding.

Jim has been very involved in the community as Founding President of the Lumpkin County Chap-ter of Habitat for Humanity, through his service to Dahlonega United Methodist Church and on the Board of Directors of Camp Glisson. Jim was also instrumental in the adoption of local land use regulations as Chairman of the Citizens Advisory Group for Long Range Planning and Land Use

Management.

II. Not just big, not just new, not just residential

“We have been blessed through the past 20 years to build some magnificent homes for some even more magnificent folks who we are privileged to still call friends. Perhaps the highlight of my career was the recent rebuilding of the Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church which had been tragically destroyed by fire. However, we have extensive experience doing smaller remodeling, renovation, basement build out and addition projects, both commercial and residential. One of the more challenging was adding the commercial kitchen to the back of the Parker-Nix Storehouse for The Crimson Moon.”

III. Green Building

Appalachian Contracting Services is committed to Green Building. Jim is a National Association of Home Builder’s Certified Green Professional and is also certified as an EarthCraft Builder by the Greater Atlanta Home Builder’s Association. Green homes incorporate environmental considerations and resource efficiency into every step of the building and development process to minimize environmental impact. The design, construction,

and operation of a home must focus on energy and water efficiency, resource efficient building design and materials, indoor environmental qual-ity, and must take the home’s overall impact on the environment into account.

It is not necessary to build new in order to have a “green” building. “Green Remodeling” is the answer. Buildings are responsible for 40% of worldwide energy flow and material use; so how you remodel can make a difference. Upgrading furnaces means less fossil fuel pollution and healthier indoor air quality. Upgrading toilets and faucets helps conserve our precious water supply. Green remodeling is more energy-efficient, more resource-conserving, and healthier for occupants. Green remodeling creates buildings that are more affordable to operate and maintain.

There are many simple green solutions for hom-eowners, focusing on key aspects of the building, including foundations, framing, plumbing, windows, heating and air conditioning, as well as finishes. Piece by piece and room by room, we can make the intricate connections that make the house work as a system.

IV. PLUMBING

In April of this year, Appalachian Contracting Services assumed the operations of what was formerly Cook Plumbing Company. We are now proud to offer complete plumbing service as a part of our broad range of construction services. In line with our Green approach, we are certified dealers and installers of Rinnai tankless water heaters.

V. DESIGN BUILD

Appalachian Contracting Services has formed valuable architectural and design relationships that allow us to offer Design-Build service. So, whether your project is light commercial or resi-dential, new construction or addition/ remodel-ing, we have the experience and ability to guide your project from design to dream come true. Please contact us at 706-864-8777 or www.appalachiancontracting.com.

Spotlight on Business: Appalachian Contracting Services

The Chamber | Page 11

Ambassador Spotlight: Dana Whitfield

David E. Scarboro Jr. Achieves Million Dollar Sales Level. Dahlonega GA, David Scarboro is worth a million to the local Sears store at 406 East Main St. David Scarboro sold more than one million dollars in appliances, electronics and tools during 2008 and is being recognized as a member of the million dollar sales club.

The Sears Dealer Store in Dahlonega offers well-known national appliance brands such as Kenmore, Whirlpool, General Electric, KitchenAid, Bosch and Maytag. Major consumer electronics brands includeSony, Panasonic, Sylvania, JVC and others.

Sears exclusive brand of Craftsman hand tools and lawnand garden equipment are also available along with the best-selling Tractor battery in the nation - DieHard. Store Owner, John Perry, is

proud of the personal service provided by David Scarboro. “Sears provides us with training and information on every product and every brand we sell, allowing us to help customers make the best informed selections possible,” said Scarboro “For some customers the right washing machine is going to be a basic unit at a great price.

Others will benefit from a high-efficiency washer that will save energy and water over time. No matter what their situation and needs, we can help point out the appropriate features and benefits to provide them with the unit that is best for them.”

Sears also offers financing, maintenance agree-ments and service on all brands, in addition to a price-match guarantee and the company’s long-standing promise of “Satisfaction Guaranteed.”

“The combination of product, services and the ability to stand behind the product makes this the best place to purchase appliances, electronics and tools,” said Perry.

“If you can’t find a brand and model to meet your needs at our store or on-line at www.searsdealer.com, it probably doesn’t exist,” said Perry. “That’s one of the reasons our salespeople can be so successful. They have all the major brands, the support of one of the largest retailers in the nation and the benefit of working for a locally-owned business. I’m proud of David Scarboro and am pleased to congratulate him on this terrific achievement.”

The Sears Authorized Dealer Store is located at 406 E Main St. Suite E, 706 867-9000

Sears Recognizes Local Salesperson Who Is ‘Worth A Million

Three and one-half years ago Dana and her hus-band moved full time to Lumpkin County after living in Atlanta/Sandy Springs for over 40 years and being part time Dahlonegans for 14 years. Dana has been blessed to be happily married to Bob for 44 years with 2 grown daughters and 4 young grandchildren.

Volunteering has always been a fulfilling part of her life as a Girl Scouts leader

and serving on various church committees or ushering at the High Museum/Hertz Theatre. One of Dana’s most meaningful experiences has been helping families as a Hospice volunteer.

Dana suffered injuries after a 1985 car accident and was having difficulty doing her dental hy-gienist duties of cleaning teeth and taking x-rays. After receiving several massage sessions for relief of chronic neck and shoulder pain Dana began studies at the Atlanta School of Massage. This career change brought about other volunteer opportunities as Dana became very involved with the American Massage Therapy Association in the Georgia Chapter and on the National level. For her dedicated service Dana has received numerous awards for over the 23 years as a massage thera-pist. In 2004 the Georgia Chapter presented her with the Life Time Achievement award.

Since moving to Dahlonega, exploring the best office location to give therapeutic massage has been a challenge. For a small town there is a wealth of persons giving their own unique style of massage. Please do make this the year that you have a massage! It is the best health benefit you can invest in.

Dana has a vision to bring compassionate healing touch to those unable to afford the regular fee for a massage. Her massage room area at the Senior Center has provided many seniors a chance to receive relief from the aging process of stiff joints and muscle pains at little or no cost to them. A big part of giving massage is listening and helping

to find answers for shared health concerns. To encourage and promote better healthy living through good nutrition and some form of exer-cise is Dana’s passion.

A year ago a friend invited Dana to attend an Ambassador meeting for the Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce. Dana jumped right in ready for action to welcome and interact with people where-ever needed. You will be greeted with smiles and welcomed by various volunteer Ambassadors during “Business After Hours” and/or at new business ribbon cuttings and special Chamber events. The Ambassadors are the feet, arms and at times wings of the Chamber delivering membership plaques and spreading good will to businesses all over. Dana emphatically states, “Please feel invited to come join the fun and be part of our Ambassador team. There is room to grow and you are welcome to join us!”

Dahlonega has endless needs and ways to give and serve in the community. Dana has helped worked on Habitat for Humanity projects, ushered at the Holly Theatre and enjoyed the monthly learning and education programs as a Gold Dig-ger Garden club member. Dana currently meets with other women of WILL, Women in Lumpkin Leadership, the third Wednesday morning of each month. Since being a Leadership Lumpkin County graduate Dana realized the value of giving that extra hand to use whatever skills you have been blessed with to help others in the community.

Dana remembers several of her most memorable volunteer experiences are while teaching English in Italy with others from Global Volunteers and another time giving TMJ massage to a doctor in China on a People to People exchange program.

When asked “What are some things you would like to see happen in Dahlonega?” Dana states “It would be wonderful to have more people in Dahlonega supporting healthy living with more

stores providing wholesome food and locally grown products. Do you realize how many people drive to Atlanta to go to Harry’s Market or Whole Foods Store? A lot of business is driving down 400 seeking a place to get good food! Yes, we have the best wine, now it would be great to also have more stores providing better food selection.” Dana also adds “if everyone would be responsible and take care not to let trash fly out of the back of their truck, this could keep the roads free of litter and unsightly trash. Please encourage recycling by adding more recycling bins and please add glass! These would be several challenges to work on in 2009 to keep Lumpkin County the best place to enjoy life and a business”!

Thank you Dana for giving of yourself for the betterment of our community! You work hard and your support is very much appreciated!

The Chamber | Page 12

The Chamber | Page 13

U.S. Local Business Association's Award Plaque Honors the Achievement

WASHINGTON D.C., December 15, 2008 -- Little-field Cottage Healing Arts has been selected for the 2008 Best of Dahlonega Award in the Massage Therapists category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA).

The USLBA "Best of Local Business" Award Pro-gram recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their custom-ers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2008 USLBA Award Program focused on qual-ity, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA)

U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USLBA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USLBA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business

owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business adver-tising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size business-es and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S. Local Business Association

CONTACT:

U.S. Local Business Association

Email: PublicRelations@USLBA.net

URL: http://www.USLBA.net

Littlefield Cottage Healing Arts Receives 2008 Best of Dahlonega Award

Business After Hours

Chamber Installation & Awards Luncheon

The Oar House Restaurant hosted the 2008 Holi-day Business After Hours in December. A wonder-ful and festive time was had by all as they dined on the delicious cuisine prepared by their chef! Gary Powers was missed and many conveyed their "get well" wishes for Gary. Eddie Wayne, 2009 Chamber Board Chair, led the meeting and thanked everyone for attending.

The Dahlonega Nugget generously sponsored February's Business After Hours Mixer, which was located at the beautiful Pura Vida USA, providing delicious appetizers and home made desserts! Members were able to sample some of our fine local wines and enjoy the fruits from our fabulous wineries. A great evening of networking was had by all!

It was wonderful to see so many of you at our Chamber Board Installation & Awards Luncheon & Annual Meeting on Friday, Janurary 23rd. Thank you to everyone that attended and for show-ing Jennifer Herring your appreciation for her dedication to the Chamber of Commerce and this community so graciously, as her two year term as Board Chair concludes.

Your new Chamber Board Members for 2009 were installed at the luncheon and sworn in by Mayor Gary McCullough. We look forward to positive things for our members and community in 2009, led by Board Chair, Eddie Wayne.

Congratulations to our dedicated and hard

working volunteers who received awards at the luncheon! They are most deserving!

Paul and Brian Hanson were awarded the Tourism Volunteer of the Year Award.

Angelia Wilson was awarded the Chamber Mem-ber Volunteer of the Year Award.

Tom Crowell was awarded the Golden Pick Award for Outstanding Service to Dahlonega and Lump-kin County.

Again, Congratulations and Thank You!

The Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce

(Above) Eddie Wayne and Board Members present Plaque to Time & Leigh O'Brian of The Oar House for hosting the December Business After Hours.

(Above) Eddie Wayne presents the Golden Pick Award for Outstanding Service to Dahlonega and Lumpkin County to Tom Crowell.

(Above) Margaret Nemec, Marketing Director for Dahlonega Mountain Spa Resort formally Pura Vida, USA with Board Chairman Eddie Wayne

(Above) Wayne Knuckles, Publisher of Dahlonega Nugget & Sponsor of BAH (Above) Chairman Eddie Wayne awards the 50/50

money to Dahlonega Mountain Spa Resort.

The Chamber | Page 14

Ribbon Cuttings

Subway2009 is finally here and so is the new SUBWAY in Dahlonega. The great staff and volunteers of the Chamber made it official on November 24th with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception. I know many of you thought we would never open, but were extremely grateful for you patience and more importantly the business you have given us over the last 14 years. That’s right, it has been 14 years this April since Subway came to Dahlonega. We have seen all kinds of change, from the massive growth of NGCSU to corporate Subway sticking a store right on top of us inside the Wal-Mart. It has been amazing to watch and we are just thankful that we have survived and thrived and are looking forward to another 14 great years.

Things have started off with a bang at the new lo-cation. The large dining room and ample parking have made the experience more pleasant for our customers. We have had hundreds of comments from our customers on how much they enjoy the

TV and casual sitting area. We have also become a Wi-Fi hotspot, making it convenient for our customers to “surf and dine” at the same time.

On December 19th and 20th we hosted a grand re-opening that featured a “buy one sub get one sub free” promotion. The reception was incred-ible and at one point we were making almost 200 sandwiches an hour. That is a lot of sandwiches. We are proud of our Subway and the brand we represent. Many of you have made “resolutions” to get fit in 2009 and Subway is the place to eat featuring 7 sandwiches under 6 grams of fat. If you are in a hurry you can order “online” at sub-way.com and we will have it ready for you. Also, please remember that when the weather starts to warm up we have a large, 32-seat outdoor dining area with a beautiful view of Mt. Yonah.

We would like to thank the Dahlonega Cham-ber for their contribution to making this move successful. After all, it is the good hard work-

ing people of Lumpkin County and the City of Dahlonega whom make us all a success. Thanks for the business and come see us soon.

Deanna and Will Carter and the Staff of Subway

Sojourn Tours and LimousineThe Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce held a Ribbon Cutting for Sojourn Tours and Limousine on Thursday, December 18th in front of the Visitors Center to announce the addition of a beautiful 8 passenger Lincoln stretch limousine.

Sojourn Tours & Limousine, is a bus charter and luxury limousine company owned and operated by myself, James R. Hunt, II. I write this letter of intent in hopes of attracting you as a future customer.

I have been operating motor coaches since 1989. In December of 2005, I decided to follow my dream and venture out with my own operation. On October 09, 2008, Sojourn Tours purchased its first limousine, thus, Sojourn Tours & limousine was born.

My philosophy for attracting and retaining cus-

tomers is to be sure you (The customer) are totally aware and completely satisfied with our commit-ment to passenger safety and passenger comfort.

Sojourn Tours currently has a 17 passenger mini bus and a new addition, a black 8 passenger Lincoln stretch limousine. If we do not have what you are looking for to meet your transportation needs, we will find one for you. Our vehicles currently meet all DOT and Georgia Public Service Commission standards, and will be kept in this status. As our business and clientele grow, so will our fleet of vehicles.

Our short-term goal is to operate in such a way that our business grows to become popular and successful. It is my wish to meet the transporta-tion needs of all my customers. Safety is my fore-most promise. As our mission statement reads, we are second to none. My long-term goals are

to add to the fleet and my staff on a regular basis while still maintaining that one on one attention we strive to deliver and that you deserve. Lastly, our ultimate goal is to become a full service motor coach tour and luxury limousine service operation.

Yahoola Creek GrillDahlonega has an exciting new dining option called Yahoola Creek Grill. The restaurant is located a mile south of the square on South Ches-tatee Road, GA HWY 19/60, and is open 7 days for lunch and dinner. We have a menu for all sizes of appetites and all sizes of pocket books.

Yahoola Creek Grill prides itself in offering South-ern inspired cooking and everything is made fresh to order. With menu items ranging from a spicy shrimp and grits or a low country boil, to a hearty plate of Beef tips, or a wide variety of sandwiches and burgers; you can be sure to find something that delights your taste.

The Yahoola Creek Grill dining room has a warm

inviting atmosphere that features a hand-crafted copper-top bar with an impressive selection of wines as well as imported and domestic beers. There is also upstairs dining where you can relax and watch your favorite team on a 60 inch big screen TV. The upstairs dining room is available for parties and meetings, so make sure you take a peek upstairs if you need a great room to get people together for business or pleasure. How-ever the real attraction is a large spacious outdoor deck where you will be able to truly have a meal that will make your trip to Historic Dahlonega a memorable one. We look forward to serving you.

Reservations are accepted but not necessary, 706-482-2200, www.yahoolacreekgrill.com

.

Ribbon Cuttings

Accents By MoggyA great turn out for the Grand Opening and Ribbon cutting for Accents By Moggy, held on Wednesday, December 17, 2008. Accents By Moggy is a welcome addition to our Dahlonega and Lumpkin County businesses, offering custom fashions for you and your home with her many sewing talents. Moggy provides a wide range of expert sewing, tailoring and alteration services, whether it be mending a skirt, tailoring a uniform, custom making a formal dress for that special

event, or making curtains and pillows to match. In addition to these services, monogramming and reweaving is also available and many other services…..”just ask”, says Moggy, who has 35 years of professional sewing and tailoring experi-ence! Accents By Moggy is located at 28 North Grove Street, Suite 200 in downtown Dahlonega (caddy corner to Pueblo’s and next door to Ruby’s Precision Haircutters). Appointments are avail-able by calling 706-864-1320.

Déjà vu Consignment BoutiqueOwner/Operator, Wendy Anderson has always dreamed of opening a cute little boutique style store somewhere in Dahlonega. With 13 years of retail management experience, she put her dreams into action. Wendy and husband, Todd Anderson, of Anderson Feed and Supply, began their endeavor in locating the perfect spot for her boutique. Déjà vu Consignment Boutique opened the doors in late October of this year. Déjà vu of-fers a wide variety of new or like new brand name

items such as women’s, men’s, and junior clothing. You can also find quality wedding gowns, formal wear and accessories such as jewelry, shoes and handbags. Adding to the list of many, you can find home décor items and small furniture pieces. All items in the boutique are on consignment, which means they will not be there long. Anyone interested in placing items on consignment should contact Wendy for an appointment.

Homestar FinancialHomestar Financial Corporation has expanded its office in the Lumpkin County market. We offer our customers a full line of mortgage products including FHA, VA, USDA, Conventional and Reverse Mortgage loans. The convenience of in house processing in our Dahlonega Branch and in¬house underwriting through our parent office in Gainesville enables our customer’s expedient loan approvals and extensive local knowledge while utilizing national lenders. George Abarr and Faith Pruitt share over 35 years of mortgage

lending knowledge with Meagen Pruitt add-ing marketing expertise and Casey Alexander additional banking knowledge. Ed Pruitt rounds out the organization with 27 years of real estate experience and 17 years of appraisal experience. George and Faith have been assisting their Geor-gia clientele through their respective Dahlonega offices for over 15 years. Please give us a call with any mortgage questions you may have. It is our goal to extend fair and equitable mortgage services to the citizens of this area.

The Chamber | Page 15

Appalachian Community Bank celebrated their Grand Opening ribbon cutting on December 8th at their new location 53 Mechanicsville Rd. They wish to thank the community, merchants, customers and staff for the warm welcome and gracious offerings that helped make this possible. Appalachian Community Bank looks forward to

serving this community for many years to come. They invite everyone to come and visit their full service banking facility.

Wishing you a Happy & Prosperous New Year and thank you once again!

Appalachian Community Bank

Renal Care Partners held their Grand Opening and Chamber Ribbon Cutting on January 13th. Renal Care Partners hosted a wonderful recep-tion where members from the community met patients of Renal Care, who had glowing things to say regarding their treatment and the addition of this important facility to our community. Renal Care Partners was formed for the purpose of establishing a national network of dialysis clinics for the treatment of end-stage renal disease. RCP is committed to developing this network through working partnerships with nephrologists who are dedicated to the provision of a level of care that

distinguishes their facilities and services from others. RCP will provide a full range of dialytic mo-dalities and series of adjunctive services designed to meet the needs of the patients and their ESRD-related complications. Patients, their families, our physicians and staff are RCP’s partners. Together, they are dedicated to the continuous improve-ment of patient care, clinical outcomes and quality of life. Renal Care Partners is located at 73 Maxwell Lane, Suite 3, Dahlonega (Center next to Home Depot) and can be contacted at 706-482-0590.

Appalachian Community Bank

Renal Care Partners Dialysis Center

13 South Park Street, Dahlonega, GA 30533Tel: 706-864-3711 Toll Free: (800) 231-5543

www.dahlonega.org

Site of the First US Gold Rush.

Dahlonega - Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce

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