The Roswell Youth Football and Cheer Association will be hosting an evening with Vince Dooley, legendary University of Georgia Head Football Coach and Athletic Director, on Thursday, August 12th at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center (950 Forest Street, Roswell, GA).  Coach Dooley will begin speaking at 6:30 p.m. He will conclude the evening with a question and answer session and book signing.  Advanced ticket prices are $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 years old and younger.  Tickets may be purchased the night of the event for $25.  The event will include a silent auction of ACC, SEC, and a New Orleans Saints head coach autographed footballs.  For event questions please visit www.roswellrechornets.com or email Heather McCormick at mhmccormick@charter.net.

Camp Kingfisher has all the elements of an old-fashioned sleep-away camp. Camp Kingfisher provides kids with the opportunity to get outdoors, get dirty and enjoy great freedom from busy schedules. The frosting on this spectacular camp is that it actually teaches kids about nature and the environment.

Activities at Camp Kingfisher are numerous and there is a pool located on the property that is always staffed with certified lifeguards. With a camper to staff ratio of 6:1, campers get plenty of individual attention. Daily programming is designed to meet the specific needs, interests and development level of the camper.

Session themes include Rolling on the River, Fascinating Forests and Planet Protectors. There is never a dull moment at Camp Kingfisher!

What sets Camp Kingfisher apart from other summer camps is Camp Director, Amy Bram. With over 16 years of camp experience, Miss Amy leads her staff of forty-two counselors with an energy level similar to that of the Energizer Bunny. She runs a tight ship and has the respect of staff and campers alike.

Sign up soon for award-winning Camp Kingfisher, as many sessions fill quickly. At Camp Kingfisher your kid can get back to the business of being a kid!

Go to:  www.chattnaturecenter.org/camp-kingfisher or click on the link below for summer savings!

The weather finally warmed up a bit and the Night Out with the Girls attendees came out by the dozens to enjoy a night of noshing and shopping at the new All Y’alls Food and Gourmet Market!

The “Fab Pack” Girls enjoyed great food provided by Relish and a top notch chef’s presentation by local celebrity chef, Hans Rueffert (hanscooks.com)…not to mention lots of fun visiting with girlfriends and enjoying all of the unique local products that All Y’alls has to offer!

The Night Out with the Girls event was the largest ever with over 125 attendees and all of them went home with a FABULOUS “SWAG” goodie bag and 4 went home with additional door prizes that were just “To Die For”!

Be on the lookout for your invitation via email to the NEXT Night Out with the Girls at the Chandlery March 16^th and 18^th…Grab a few of your FABULOUS friends and tell them to join the rest of the “Fab Pack” at the Chandlery!   See you there!

Roswell United Methodist Church (RUMC) is recognized throughout the metro area for its Sounds of the Spirit Concert Series. As part of that Concert Series, the 2009 Christmas Festival Concerts will be presented in the Sanctuary of RUMC on Friday, Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 13 at 4 and 6:30 p.m. The 130- voice Sanctuary Choir under the direction of Dr. Michael O’Neal, renowned organist Tom Alderman on the 93-rank Möller pipe organ and the Celebration Ringers Hand Bell Choir, directed by Lisa Stover, join together to present an awe-inspiring concert of holiday music.

Enjoy the sights and sounds of the season with your family and friends amid the beauty of the candlelit RUMC Sanctuary as the Christmas story is shared through majestic pageantry, scripture and song. “Through carols and songs, both old and new, which remind us what it might have been like at the birth of the Christ Child, we will offer beautiful music, and perhaps a perspective on the Christmas season rarely explored in the midst of our rushed lives,” explains O’Neal, director of worship arts at RUMC. From the opening strains of the processional carol “Joy to the World” through the choral benediction of the Silesian folk tune “Beautiful Savior,” your heart will be warmed by this annual holiday celebration.

The re-creation of the nativity will transport you to the manger scene resplendent with visits from the shepherds, visions of angels and the adoration of the Magi bringing  to life the true miracle of Christ’s holy birth.

by Ann Moore

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Tickets are not needed for the concerts. A preschool nursery is available during each performance. Roswell United Methodist Church is located at 814 Mimosa Blvd. in historic Roswell. For more information, please contact the RUMC Worship Arts Office at 770.594.0512, amoore@rumc.com or www.rumc.com/music

You are cordially invited to EnAble of Georgia Foundation’s 8th Annual Trends & Traditions Fashion Show and Luncheon.The purpose of this exciting event is to help EnAble raise money for its Medical Assistance Fund. EnAble is honored to have Roswell Mayor Jere Wood as a first-time model at this annual event. Also gracing the catwalk will be Nicole Jones, wife of former Atlanta Brave Andruw Jones, Ellen Kozlowski, wife of former Atlanta Falcon Brian Kozlowski, and Donna Lowry of 11 Alive News. A few individuals served by the organization will be featured models as well.

EnAble recognizes the personal gifts, interests, preferences, and needs of each person served, and individualizes the services they provide so that each person is enabled to live and work as a full participant in community life. Several of those served by EnAble require medical and dental care that is not covered by their Medicaid funding. These individuals do not have the family financial support to assist with their care. As a result, EnAble must absorb those costs, which add up to several thousand dollars  each year.

EnAble of Georgia, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that provides residential, vocational, and personal support services to more than 100 adults who have developmental disabilities. These disabilities are attributable, but not limited to: autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and mental retardation. EnAble was founded in 1979 by a group of concerned parents seeking a place in their own community  for their adult children. EnAble is proud to celebrate 30 years of providing excellent service in the community.

by Tish Ford

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Please contact DeAnn Rauth, director of development, at 678.468.9980 or drauth@enablega.org. EnAble’s main office is located at 1200 Old Ellis Road, Roswell, Ga. 30076. For more information, call 770.664.434, or visit EnAble’s Web site at www.enablega.org

Although the country continues to struggle through a bleak recession, the Child Development Association (CDA) in Roswell provides a bright ray of hope for children 12 months to 5 years old from low-income, working families that are striving for self-sufficiency. The CDA serves 140 children and employs a team of 28 full-time teachers plus child development specialists and administrative staff. The end result is an exemplary local program that is fully accredited and makes a real impact on the lives of the children it serves.

The mission of the CDA, which was founded by a group of concerned citizens in 1967, is to enable the preschool children of low-income, working families in our community to make a great start toward a bright future. Not only does the CDA provide outstanding, NAEYC-accredited childcare, it also offers a comprehensive nutrition program, numerous health-related screenings, and a wide range of family resources. In 2004 the CDA was honored in Washington with the national Audrey Nelson Community Development Achievement Award for outstanding programs addressing the needs of disadvantaged families and neighborhoods. In 2008, they received a Green Champion designation and special grant funds from the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta for their commitment to energy conservation and green building practices.

The most amazing aspect of the CDA is that it is a nonprofit organization supported by private contributions from individuals, foundations, civic and faith organizations. Executive Director Donna Smythe, who has devoted her career to the nonprofit world, says, “I am very pleased to be at the helm of an organization with such a rich history of community support and involvement. For more than 40 years we have nurtured children and strengthened families,  but we have not taken one step alone—the community has been with us every step of the way.”

You can help make a difference in the life of a local child. The Child Development Association is currently accepting tax-deductible donations. Smythe stresses, “This is a critical time for the CDA; the economy has hit hard and stretched our resources frankly beyond the limit. We need support now more than ever to sustain our mission.”

by Jackie Kass

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For more information, visit cdakid.org or call 770.992.4006.

Jackie Kass is a frequent contributor to the Atlanta Northside Family and Parenting Examiner. You can check out her library of 500+ parenting articles at www.Examiner.com.

Join us this time at All Y’alls Wine and Gourmet Market right next door to Relish in Downtown Roswell for our first North Fulton Living Night Out with the Girls event in 2010!

We’re teaming up with this fun, new Wine and Food Market for a night of food, fun and lots of festivities on Thursday night, January 14 at 7 p.m. Back by popular demand, we’ll enjoy a cooking demonstration from chef and third runner-up from season one’s Food Network’s Next Food TV Star, Hans Rueffert.  Hans made his first appearance at a Night Out with the Girls held at the Chandlery and ladies are still raving about the scrumptious way he served up fresh okra!

As always, don’t forget to bring in some canned goods to donate to North Fulton Community  Charities…their pantry is always in need of replenishing.

As with all of our Night Out with the Girls events you’ll enjoy the following:

**Fabulous food provided by Fickle Pickle and Relish (back by popular demand after providing the food from our last Night Out with the Girls event)

**Free wine and beverages

**Fun and Festive “SWAG” goodie bags for all!

Click here to register!

Perhaps your holiday season will be a little different this year because of current economic weirdness. But you don’t have to compromise on style and fun to uphold holiday traditions, and enjoy the season. Erica Prewett, chief event planner with A Big To Do Event, shares four ways to make this holiday season better than ever.

1. Use what you have. Do you have Grandma’s old milk-glass collection in your attic and have you been wondering what in the world to do with them? Use them on your buffet. Also, instead of renting high-priced specialty linen, consider using a curtain in your “pop” color. I have even used a long dress to brighten my table. Just turn under the edges and fluff the fabric. No one will know.

2. Don’t be too matchy-matchy. It’s perfectly fine to use different patterned plates, different-sized glassware, and even different-colored cloth napkins at your parties especially when the party is in your home. You are inviting your guests into your personal space. What better way to make them feel at home and like family?

3. Identify a “Greeter.” We’ve all got a friend who has never met a stranger. Use him/her as your door greeter. His/Her job is to greet guests as they arrive, bring them to the bar, and introduce them to another couple along the way. Everyone feels included and comfortable.

4. Super Woman doesn’t exist. We all want to do it all. Until right before the guests arrive, we still think we can. Prevent panic by allowing friends or a professional to handle the last-minute details. You’ll be glad you were able to mingle with your friends versus kitchen duty.

by  Erica Prewett

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Erica Prewett is an event expert and owns A Big To Do Event. Contact Erica at 404.547.5712 or Erica@ABigToDoEvent.com . You may also follow her blog at www.ABigToDoEvent.com or http://checklistqueen.blogspot.com.

Other past honorees include Helen Owens, community volunteer and former Georgia Ensemble Theatre Trustee: Coe Hamling, Georgia Ensemble Theatre President Emeritus and Trustee; Jacque Cox, Curator of Fulton County’s Teaching Museum North; Congressman Tom and Dr. Betty Price, dedicated GET supporters and arts advocates; and Peter Abreu, founding trustee as well as Bank of North Georgia, Macy’s and Northside Hospital.

The event will be held on October 24 at the Atlanta Country Club in Marietta, and will include a silent auction, cocktails, dinner and dancing as well as entertainment from Georgia Ensemble Theatre performers. Individual tickets can be purchased for $125, and sponsorship levels are available.

If you would like to take a smaller step toward getting involved with the Georgia Ensemble Theatre, I recommend you check out one of their upcoming plays: the comedy Arsenic and Old Lace will be running November 5-22, and the Southeastern premier of the comedy The Men of Mah Jongg will run January 7-24. Look for What I Did Last Summer, a coming of age story, and the cult classic Grease later in the season as well. The Georgia Ensemble Theatre and director Robert Farley are both award-winning, and sure to put on a fantastic show.

by Emily Owens

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For tickets to One Enchanted Evening or a show, call 770.641.1260 or visit www.get.org

Season tickets are available.

Emily Owens is a local freelance writer and granddaughter of past GET honoree and trustee Helen Owens.

Six-year-old Megan has what’s known as mitochondrial disease (mito for short),
a deadly cell disorder occurring most often in children. It is difficult to treat and, because it manifests itself in so many different ways, challenging to diagnose. There is no known cure.

Mito robs the body’s cells of energy, preventing them from recharging and inhibiting basic life-sustaining functions and growth. Gastrointestinal deficiencies are a common symptom, and are what first alerted Megan’s parents, Trey and Laura, that something was wrong. Sadly, despite all the ways it exhibits itself, and the high rate of occurrence of the disease—a child is born with it every 30 minutes—most people are unfamiliar with this deadly illness.

FAITH
It can be overwhelming, even staggering, to deal with a child suffering from mito. Aside from countless trips to specialists, medical procedures and prescriptions that must be endured in waging this insurmountable war, there is the human side of it all, where the core of the very thing in which a person believes can be greatly shaken. Mito has taken its toll, but the Sheridans’ faith has stood strong.

“I sometimes find myself asking God why he would allow this to happen to Megan,” Trey admits. “But I take comfort in knowing that there is a reason behind it and he has a plan, so we just have to trust him wherever this takes us.”

Part of where that faith has led is to increase mito awareness as much as possible, sparking the creation of Music for Megan. In its third year, the family-friendly festival focuses on raising awareness and offering fun for all ages with a concert, climbing walls, pony rides, face-painting, balloon artists, moonwalks, games, free popcorn, raffles, food, drinks and more. Local favorite Banks & Shane will be the headlining performer.

HOPE
The event has grown each year, as has its success in increasing public awareness of mito, giving a glimmer of hope that a successful treatment protocol is closer at hand. There is even hope for a miracle with Megan’s ailments, though her health struggles continue to mount.

This time last year, she was full of as much life as her little body could produce, and enjoyed all that the festival bearing her name had to offer. But now the disease has become debilitating. “She went from being very stable to her mito really progressing in a short time span,” Laura explains. “Her brain has stopped regulating her breathing which requires her to be on oxygen 24 hours a day. She also suffers up to 40 seizures daily, as well as very bad asthma and reflux.”

Regardless of what the future holds, the Sheridans hope Music for Megan will ultimately contribute to the creation of something that will give hope to all who must endure this awful disease.

“Our dream is to one day have a mito clinic where people can come and have this disease properly diagnosed, treated, and studied, and ultimately find a cure,” Trey adds.

LOVE
Beyond all the complications, struggles and uncertainties, though, is something that cannot be overcome by incurable diseases: the love shared by Megan, her parents, brother Tyler, and the rest of her family and friends.

So come to Music for Megan for a fun, family outing and so much more. You’ll help build the faith of the Sheridans and other families struggling against mito, instill hope for ultimately finding a cure, and experience the love of a little girl who’s an inspiration to us all.

“The thing about Megan is when she loves something, she loves it with all she has,” her mother adds.

That alone is the greatest of all these things.

Learn more about mito at www.umdf.org.

Matt Wilson is local freelance writer available at matt@inkforhire.com.