Launched in 2010, this program targets roadside litter in Forsyth County. Two different opportunities exist for citizens to get involved with the MTU litter cleanups – the Family Mobile Trash Unit and the High School Mobile Trash Unit.

 Family Mobile Trash Unit

The Family MTU cleanups are designed for volunteers of all ages and groups of all types. It provides a monthly opportunity for volunteers to get out and make a difference in addressing litter issues around the county. This MTU will meet every third Sunday at 3 p.m. Locations for cleanups will change each month based on need and will be announced to participants the week prior to the cleanup via email. 2012 dates for the Family MTU cleanups are January 15, February 19, March 18, April 15, May 20, June 17, July 15, August 19, September 16, October 21, November 18, and December 16.

High School Mobile Trash Unit

The High School MTU focuses on providing high school students with monthly service opportunities and a chance to have a direct impact on the beauty of Forsyth County. This group will meet every second Thursday at 4 p.m. Locations for cleanups will change each month based on need and will be announced to participants the week prior to the cleanup via email. 2012 dates for the High School MTU cleanups are January 12, February 9, March 8, April 12, May 10, June 14, July 12, August 9, September 13, October 11, November 8, and December 13.

 “The Mobile Trash Unit initiative has had strong participation in its first two years,” KFCB Community Outreach Specialist Kevin Smith said. “We are looking to keeping the program’s momentum going, and hope to have even more participants take part in the MTU cleanups in 2012.”

To register for one of the MTU cleanups, visit www.connectforsyth.org. For more information, please call Kevin Smith at 678.513.5892 or email kdsmith@forsythco.com.

A celebration breakfast is scheduled for January 10, from 7 to 9 am.  “We want to pay tribute to those who have helped us over the years, contributed to the success of our programs and to those who volunteer their time and resources to aid our children,” Cardona adds. The event takes place at Forsyth Lanier Conference Center in Cumming.  Tickets are available for $15 per person.

“We are very excited to mark our 10^th year serving the children of Forsyth and North Georgia counties.  Over the years, our programs have grown to keep pace with the needs of our communities,” explains Sylvia Cardona, Executive Director of Mentor Me North Georgia.  In 2002, 30 children were mentored by dedicated volunteers.  This year, over 370 children have been mentored, with a total of 770 children served since 2002.

For more information about Mentor Me North Georgia’s 10 Year Anniversary Celebration please contact Cardona at 678-341-8028. 

Submitted by Vivian Heard, Pinecrest Academy Communications Coordinator

The need is constant.  The gratification is instant.  Thank you!

On the designated dates and times, Christmas trees can be dropped off at the following locations:

Home Depot – 1000 Market Place Boulevard Accepting trees only January 7, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Please, no trees at this site after 4 p.m. on January 7

Home Depot – 2635 Peachtree Parkway Accepting trees only January 7, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Please, no trees at this site after 4 p.m. on January 7

Vickery Creek Elementary – 6280 Post Road Accepting trees December 26 through January 7, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Please, no trees at this site after 4 p.m. on January 7

Tolbert Street Recycling Convenience Center – 351 Tolbert Street 770.781.2176, open Monday – Saturday, 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Accepting trees December 26 through January 28

Old Atlanta Recycling Convenience Center – 3678 Old Atlanta Road 770.205.3010, open Monday – Saturday, 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Accepting trees December 26 through January 28

Coal Mountain Recycling Convenience Center – 3560 Settingdown Road 770.781.2071, open Monday – Saturday, 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Accepting trees December 26 through January 28

Please note that all three recycling convenience centers will be closed Monday, January 2 in observance of New Year’s Day and Monday, January 16 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Free tree seedlings and vegetable seeds will be available while supplies last on Saturday, January 7, 2012 at all sites beginning at 9 a.m. on a first come, first served basis. If you are interested in receiving mulch created by the tree recycling, visit www.keepgeorgiabeautiful.org and click on the chipper icon in the center of the page for more information. Wood chips are also available for county residents near the Forsyth County Roads and Bridges facility on County Way. Interested residents are responsible for loading and hauling their own wood chips.

For more information visit www.forsythco.com or call KFCB at 770.205.4573. “Bring One for the Chipper” started in Georgia in 1991. Forsyth County residents have been participating since 1994 and have recycled more than 70,000 trees during that time.

Giving to others is a most civilized gesture.  Like the power of imagination, it is one of the things that distinguish man from the rest of the animals, and it is a proof of that we contain the spark of our Creator.

Giving is a way to externalize the sense of love or esteem we have for others—to transform the contents of the heart into a concrete symbol that we pass to another, as a flame passes between two candles.

It is done, or should be, without expectation of reward or return.  It is the giving over of a piece of the most irreplaceable thing we have—a part of our lives.  It is the humble gesture of those whose greatest treasure trove lies within the soul.

The best gifts do not come from the mall or the jeweler.  They come from our minds and hearts and hands.  Any parent can tell you that even the most humble, hand-lettered birthday card from a child is more precious than a dozen bought at the store.

One Christmas thirty-odd years ago, my sister gave me a silk shirt, such as were in vogue with young people at the time and very expensive, which she had made by hand.  I was thunderstruck.   The fit and workmanship were absolutely perfect, and I stood there for a good while trying to calculate the time and effort she spent to make it so.  I was also aware that I was totally unworthy of such a thing, since I was at the age where I spent a good deal of my waking hours being the gnat in her soup.  It was as much a lesson as a gift, and it spoke as much of her character as it did her skill with a needle.  I no longer have the shirt, but I’ll always have the memory of that day.

There are many things we can give to others.  There is the gift of love and friendship; of faith, patience or trust.  We can pause to put our shoulder to someone else’s wheel, or to carry his burden for a while.

It was Immanuel Kant’s idea that the only deeds with moral worth were those done from a sense of duty to fellow man.  I humbly suggest that this could stand improvement.  The duty is to one’s self, since being wholly human involves passing on something of value to others we deem worthy.

One path to personal growth is to make giving a year-round habit, and not just a once-a-year obligation.  And remember that what gives the gift life is that little something of yourself.

By Mike Brennan

For more information visit www.facebook.com/miaspizzaandeats

Fire Chief Danny Bowman and the Forsyth County Fire Department encourages everyone to take precautionary measures to help ensure safety throughout the holiday season.  “Responsible use of items such as heating devices, decorations and candles can play a role in preventing fires and injuries,” Chief Bowman remarked.

Heating Devices

Keep portable electric heaters at least three feet away from combustiblematerials such as drapes and upholstered furniture

Never place heaters on tables or furniture

Avoid using extension cords for heaters if possible

Do not use unvented gas heaters in enclosed spaces due to the potential for carbon monoxide poisoning

Follow manufacturer’s recommendations regarding where and how to use any heating devices

Preventing Holiday Tree Fires

Caring for your tree

Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks. Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree.

Disposing of your tree

Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood burning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. Consider disposing of your tree by taking it to a recycling center.

Holiday Lights

Maintain your holiday lights

Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before using them. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory.

Do not overload electrical outlets

Never link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe to link additional ones. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into an outlet. Periodically check the wires – they should not be warm to the touch.

Do not leave holiday lights on unattended

Holiday Decorations

Use only nonflammable decorations

All decorations should be nonflammable or flame-retardant and placed away from heat vents.

Never place wrapping paper in a fireplace

Wrapping paper can throw off dangerous sparks and produce a chemical buildup in the home capable of causing an explosion.

Artificial holiday trees

If you are using a metallic or artificial tree, be sure it is flame-retardant.

Candle Care

Avoid using lit candles

If you do use lit candles, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be knocked over easily. Never leave burning candles unattended.

Never put lit candles on a tree

Do not go near a holiday tree with an open flame (candles, lighters or matches).

Toy Safety

Select toys to suit the age, abilities, skills and interest level of the intended child. Toys too advanced may pose safety hazards for younger children.

Before purchasing a toy or allowing your child to play with a toy received as a gift, read the instructions carefully.

To prevent both burns and electrical shocks, do not give young children (under age ten) a toy that must be plugged into an electrical outlet. Instead, consider toys that are battery-operated.

Children under age 8 can choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons.

Remove strings and ribbons from toys before giving them to young children.

Watch for pull toys with strings that are more than 12 inches in length. They could pose a strangulation hazard for babies.

Always have working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors installed on every level of your home, test them monthly and keep them clean and equipped with fresh batteries. Practice your home escape plan and dial 911 in an emergency.

These tips courtesy of the Forsyth County Fire Department and the United States Fire Administration and the American Academy of Pediatrics

Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after a small band of Jews defeated their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt, as the legend goes. When the Jews reclaimed the temple and sought to light the menorah, they found only a days worth of oil with which to light it, but the legend says the menorah burned for eight days, marking the significance of the eight-day celebration.

It is one of the most widely observed Jewish holidays — perhaps due to its proximity to Christmas on the Gregorian calendar — and is celebrated by lighting a nine-branch candelabrum commonly called a menorah. (Technically, the candelabrum is called a hanukkiahto distinguish itself from the seven-branch menorah used in the Temple.)

The story of Hanukkah is one of revolution and miracles: Greek influence over the Jews in the Land of Israel was getting out of hand. Hellenism was spreading, an affront to Jewish culture and religious practice. When the Greek ruler of the time, Antiochus, forbade Jewish religious practice, a small group of Jews, the Maccabees, revolted. The Maccabees were successful and, as a first order of business, restored the desecrated Holy Temple. The menorah in the Temple needed to be lit. Traditionally, the candelabrum burned continuously. The Temple liberators searched high and low but could find only one vial of olive oil, which seemed to be enough for just one day. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days, which was just enough time to receive a new shipment. To celebrate the miracle, Hanukkah was instituted.

Today, Jews everywhere light menorahs on each night of Hanukkah. Traditionally, one candle or flame is lit for each night until the eighth night, when all eight lights shine together. The menorah has a ninth “helper” flame — known as the shamash — used to light the other candles. This is necessary because in Jewish law the Hanukkah lights serve no other purpose than declaring the miracle of the holiday. Jews place the lit menorah in a prominent window in order to fulfill this commandment.

Gift giving is now a common practice on Hanukkah, and it is therefore a beloved time for Jewish children. Fried potato pancakes (latkes) and doughnuts (sufganiyot) are traditional fare, and a spinning top (dreidel) with four Hebrew letters has become synonymous with the holiday. The letters — nun, gimel, hei, shin — form an acronym for the message of Hanukkah: A great miracle happened there.