On Saturday, December 12^th, 2009, Wreaths Across America will hold its annual wreath laying ceremony at over 350+ participating locations to include state and national cemeteries, veteran’s memorials, even those on foreign soil. In Gwinnett, our Civil Air Patrol branch is campaigning to place as many wreaths as possible at the Marietta National Cemetery, as it is the closest location to us.  Detailed information is available at the end of this post.  I hope you’ll read on, share this with friends and participate with whichever location you choose.

One day in 1992, Morrill Worcester, owner of the Worcester Wreath Company, was wondering what to do with all those extra wreaths, as the season neared its end.  As a 12-year-old paperboy, Mr. Worcester had won a trip to our nation’s capital.  During that trip, he visited Arlington National Cemetery, and the feeling and emotion of that visit never left him. 

When contemplating his abundance of extra wreaths, it made sense to him to give back and honor those to whom he owed so much.  That first year, the Worcester Wreath Company was responsible for donating and laying 5,000 wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery.  This activity would continue with little fanfare until 2005 when the story began making its way around the internet via e-mail.  As the e-mail gained viewers, requests began pouring in from people wishing to expand the tradition to their localities. 

Even after donating so many wreaths each year, Mr. Worcester wanted to do more.  Donating enough wreaths to cover each location was a bit much even for a man with such a generous heart, so Mr. Worcester determined that he could send 7 wreaths for each branch of the military including POW/MIA.  Assisted by CAP and other community groups, in 2006 wreath laying ceremonies were extended to 150 locations.

From that first wreath laying and increasing public interest which followed, Wreaths Across America (WAA) was born in 2007.  WAA is a non-profit organization working diligently in conjunction with the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), the Patriot Riders and many other civic organizations to ensure that wreaths are placed in honor of those who’ve given us so much.  These events take place the second Saturday in December each year and are open to public participation.

Another way the WAA honors the memory and service of our military is by educating our youth and communities to the importance of its message:

Remember – the fallen
Honor – those who serve
Teach – our children the value of freedom

There are many ways you can help WAA:

• Participate in a wreath laying ceremony
• Hold a fundraiser
• Volunteer truckers are needed to deliver to state & national cemeteries
• Sponsor a wreath for $15.00
• Contribute any amount you can

You can find information about any of the above suggestions by visiting the WAA website.  Now, if you’re one of my Gwinnett readers and wish to sponsor a wreath, use GROUPID # GACAP112 and Cemetery ID # GAGVMM to direct your wreath to the Marietta National Cemetery.  This is the closest location to us, and our Gwinnett Civil Air Patrol is working hard to honor those who’ve served us so bravely.  During this holiday season, please take time to remember those who have served and continue to serve and protect our country.

On Friday, November 6^th, 2009 President Obama signed the bill providing an extension of jobless benefits and the extension and expansion of the homebuyer tax credit.  The extension applies to the current first time homebuyer tax credit and the expansion now includes existing homeowners.  Want to hear more?  Then, follow me.

FIRST let me say loud and clear CONSULT A TAX PROFESSIONAL to determine your ability to qualify for this credit!  I am giving you the basic “rules of engagement”.  Your tax position will ultimately determine your eligibility.  With that said, let’s continue.

First Time Homebuyers – Could This Be You?

A first time homebuyer is defined as one who has not had an interest in a principal residence for 3 years prior to purchase.  Basically, this means that you have not been on title (ownership) for a primary residence.  If this is you, then you may qualify for a tax credit for up to $8,000 or $4,000 if married and filing separate.  You must be under contract by April 30^th, 2010 and close no later than July 1^st, 2010.  The new income limits are $75,000 per year for a single purchaser and $150,000 per year for married purchasers.  The purchase price cannot exceed $800,000.  Dependants are not eligible for this program and proof of settlement (ie… HUD statement) must be attached to tax return.

Existing Homeowners – Let’s See How You Stack Up

Purchaser must have used existing property as primary residence consecutively for 5 out of the previous 8 years.  The credit amount is up to $6,500 or $3,250 if married and filing separate.  You must be under contract by April 30^th, 2010 and close no later than July 1^st, 2010.  The new income limits are $125,000 per year for a single purchaser and $225,000 per year for married purchasers.  Purchase price cannot exceed $800,000.  Dependants are not eligible for this program and proof of settlement (ie… HUD statement) must be attached to tax return.

The additional time to close beyond April 30^th is important, as so many transactions are taking longer to close these days.  Short sales, foreclosures, appraisals and changing lending practices can cause delayed closings.

So, we have the tax credit still in place and expanded, prices are right and interest rates are historically low.  If you’re in a position to purchase, you’re in luck!  Keep in mind that the anticipation of the tax credit ending November 30^th has had lenders and closing attorneys stretched to get all of the transactions closed.  If you plan to make use of this program, don’t wait until it’s too late.  Start your planning and shopping early.  More tax credit information is available by viewing FAQ’s from the National Association of REALTLORS (NAR).  Or, view the NAR Brief to highlight tax credit changes.

Yesterday, as I was crafting, I began thinking about the current economic situation and how it is affecting those people and companies who are out there to help those in need.  What about the non-profits?  Where do they turn when donors’ pockets are empty?

As a member of the Special Needs Schools of Gwinnett (SNS) Board of Directors, I understand the hardships non-profits are facing.  Donations, both corporate and individuals are at an all time low for SNS, as rings true with other non-profits.  While these people and businesses give their lives to help others, how are we, and more importantly, how can we help them?

I was continuing my crafting when the light bulb went off.  What if donations to non-profits were on our lists for the upcoming holiday season?  The simple act of kindness will help non-profits sustain throughout the hardships they are facing and the gifts we forfeit this year will be felt tenfold when the non-profits are able to continue serving our community. 

My suggestion, have everyone donate one to five dollars for each person in the family.  For example, if your family has 20 members, and each member donates $20, you will raise $400 for your non-profit.  This Christmas, I’m going to ask my family to donate to Special Needs Schools of Gwinnett (www.specialneedsschools.org), my choice non-profit, instead of purchasing gifts for one another.

Let the true Christmas spirit fill your families this holiday season by helping out the non-profits in your area.

What non-profit is special to you and your family?  Post comments with suggestions for others!

Photo courtesy of Mike Neal

On Saturday, October 24th the Collins Hill High School Eagles earned the right to be called the 2009 AAAAA State Softball Champions. This is Collins Hill’s second title in three state tournament appearances dating back to 2005. Gwinnett was well represented in the state tournament as Collins Hill, Buford, Grayson and Providence Christian each sent teams to compete for the title. 

Recently, I had the opportunity to ask Coach Dooley, Sammy Lenahan, Christina Parham and Kayla Floor some questions to give you a glimpse into what makes a champion and what drives their love of the game. If you ask any of the other players, you’ll likely get answers with similar passion and commitment, but that would be a very long article.
Discussion with Coach Dooley 

Photos courtesy of Mike Neal

Q- Describe what it was like to watch your team achieve its first State title since stepping up as Varsity Head Coach.
A - Winning the title as an assistant coach was great. I got involved with the celebration when the last out was made. The great coach Roger Parham (former South Gwinnett state softball champ) once told me how gratifying it was to just sit back and watch the celebration. When we won it this year, I just stayed back and watched all of the girls celebrate. That is something I will never forget.

Q- What do you believe are your team’s strongest assets?
A - Just that, being a team. Our girls believe in each other and want each other to succeed. In the end, it never mattered who scored the winning run, who was the winning pitcher, or who got the winning hit, as long as it got done. Our girls stuck together all season and rooted for each other and that was a great thing to watch.

Q – What advice would you give youth softball coaches in developing young players?
A - Stick to fundamentals. Throwing and hitting. Keep things simple and make sure the most basic of tasks can be accomplished. Even our best players still need to refresh their skills every once in a while. Even when it may seem boring and monotonous, stick to it. You don’t have to work on it for an hour every day, but you do need to touch on things at least briefly, so they are not forgotten.

Q – What do you do when you’re not coaching softball?
A – Haha! I have a cot at the field. Just kidding. I am a teacher first and enjoy my job. I also coach baseball in the spring. I would love to have the money to play golf every weekend, and I play as often as I can. I try and spend time with my family as much as I can. They are great during the season – my parents, brother, sister, and nephew all come to games all the time. They are very supportive of what I do and were just as excited when we won State as I was.

Q - What else do you think people should know about your team and/or sport?
A - I think fastpitch softball players are some of the hardest working athletes around. As I stated before, most of our girls are already scheduled to play in tournament up through the middle of November. They will start again in February and March and play right up until high school tryouts start in August. Between school, all of their tournaments, and the workouts they attend to continue to grow as players, they don’t seem to have much time for anything else……but ALL of my girls do have a life, with good friends, and still manage to go out and be teenagers and have fun. Working hard doesn’t always mean giving up the other things you love – they have shown that to me since I started coaching, and I thank all of them for that.

Players Q&A

Sammy Lenahan - Photo courtesy of Mike Neal

Christina Parham - Photo courtesy of Mike Neal

Kayla Floor - Photo courtesy of Mike Neal

Sammy Lenahan (SL) - Gwinnett County Defensive Player of the Year, one of Gwinnett’s “Super Six”, had the game winning bases loaded triple in the championship game and are committed to Mississippi State

Christina Parham (CP) 1st team All County 2009, starting short stop, leadoff hitter

Kayla Floor (KF) – Gwinnett County Pitcher of the Year and the winning pitcher in the 2009 State Championship game

Q - How old were you when you began playing softball?
SL – I was 6 years old.
CP – I was 4 years old.
KF - I was 8yrs old when I first started playing peewee softball

Q – Who were some of your role models or inspirational figures?
SL - My older cousin that played softball
CP - Lisa Fernandez!
KF - My Grandpa Bob. He had a bat & ball in my hands at the age of 2. My Grandfather was part of the NY Yankee Organization for many years. Softball/Baseball has always been a big part of my life. My Grandfather was also a fastpitch pitcher as an adult. I’m the only grandchild to follow in his footsteps with pitching. I only wish he was still with us so he could see me play.

Q – What advice would you give an 8 year old girl who wants to someday be in your shoes?
SL - Never give up, and always know that you can do it, work on something every day that will make you better
CP - Believe in yourself more than anything, NEVER give up, and try your best to stay positive.
KF - If you want to be in my shoes, you need to be sure pitching is right for you. It takes someone who is very dedicated, focused, and ready to put in a lot of hard work.

Q – What do you do in your “off” season to stay competitive and build skills?
SL - I don’t really have an off season, I pretty much play year round. After high school ball I go to hitting lessons every week.
CP - I do a lot of speed and agility, tons of running, and fundamentals.
KF - Swimming !! It’s great for both upper & lower body strength. Swimming helps my leg’s to push of the mound, and my arm speed to deliver the ball at 65mph.

Q – What do you do when you’re not playing softball?
SL - NOTHING. I enjoy my time off by watching tv and hanging out with friends.
CP - Hang out with my friends and family.
KF - I love to shop, watch movies, and hang out with my friends.

Q – What else do you think people should know about your team and/or sport?
SL - The game of softball isn’t as easy as it looks. Hitting a fastpitch softball is more difficult than hitting a baseball. Because there is less time to react.
CP - Softball is a very fun sport, it is also very competitive which satisfies a lot of girls. Our team was probably one of the most fun teams I have ever played on. The more chemistry your team has and the more you get along the more fun you will have just playing the game. You will also have a higher chance of succeeding.
KF - Our team has the loudest most obnoxious dugout around!!!! It’s not all up to one person to carry a team. It takes everyone’s effort to keep going strong. There is a lot of intensity in softball that some people haven’t experienced nor seen yet. The team is pretty much like your family. You go through everything together. You’re always bonding and getting closer. It’s all about having fun, but also being serious so you can get the job done.

Q – Sammy – You’ve accomplished so much through softball, thus far.  What are you looking forward to the most as you begin to look ahead to college?
SL - I’m looking forward to playing for the US National Team’s coach, Jay Miller. Also, to have the opportunity of going to the Women’s College World Series during my four years.

Q -Christina – I’ve seen you play, you don’t walk onto the field; you charge the field. You’re also a tremendous source of energy for your team. What motivates you to bring such a consistently high level of intensity and dedication to every game?
CP - I just love to play the game. I always tell myself no matter what I do, there will always be someone better. That motivates me to work hard at all times and reminds me that someone will always be there to take my spot if I don’t work hard.

Q –Kayla – You appear so very confident at the mound.  How do you stay focused and maintain control in tough situations?
KF - Well, I know there are only two things I can control while I’m out on the mound. 1) Is my attitude and 2) is my effort. I have to stay calm, & focused. I know where my teammates are positioned, and I know I have the best defense behind me. Together, we can get through any situation on the field.

Thank you to Coach Dooley, Sammy, Christina and Kayla for giving their time to this short interview.

You can get excellent tournament and Eagles game coverage by reading either of the following articles: AJC coverage, Gwinnett Daily Post. THIS article is meant to give you insight to some of the driving forces behind the Eagle’s success. Statements like those above demonstrate the outstanding character and dedication possessed by state champions. Will they bring home another title in 2010? Only time will tell. However, this team is developing more than champion softball players – it’s building the girls of our future.

Congratulations to all of the Collins Hill Varsity Eagles for a job well done!

The visitors table in the cafeteria is positioned right in front of the window where the children get into line to take their trash. Although I desperately tried to focus on conversation with my daughter, I couldn’t help but to notice all the uneaten food, unopened milk containers, all the everything, going right into the trash.

Are Gwinnett’s schools missing a great opportunity to help protect the environment or is the recycling movement just a bunch of hooey? Tell us what you think in the comments section.

Sustainable Peachtree Corners: One Step at a Time

First, Gwinnett County just made their crime statistics available on the website Crime Mapping (www.crimemapping.com).  With this website you enter an address and a date range and you can see a map with icons showing crimes in the area.  Drug possession, assault, burglary are all mapped out with little symbols.  Click on a symbol to find the date and case number.  Unfortunately none of the City police departments are participating yet, but it is a start.  You can also use this website to set up a “Crime Alert” that will send you an e-mail when criminal activity occurs near you home or business.

Second, if you haven’t discovered Scan Gwinnett (www.scangwinnett.com) you should.  As important as it is to know what crimes have occurred in your neighborhood it is even more important to discover where the criminals live.  Scan Gwinnett tracks all arrests made in Gwinnett County – you can even enter a zip code or two and set up a daily e-mail alert with all of the people booked who live in those zip codes.  While it is important to know about the burglary down the street it may be even more important to know about the (alleged) child molester living next door.

Scan Gwinnett has some other excellent features. You can listen to radio communications with the Gwinnett Fire department, which can be very informative when you want to know what is going on with an emergency.  The fire department responds to most accident calls and listening to their radio conversations will keep you up to date.  You can also play the “Guess Their Crime” game – follow this link (http://www.gwinnettmugs.com/) and you will be taken to a page of mug shots.  At the top you can change the city or date range for the booking.  Select a picture and you will be presented with the persons name, address, arrest date and charges.

Gwinnett County makes this information available to help us become more aware and, in so doing, hopefully reduce our chances of becoming a victim.  As the County said when it announced their participation in the Crime Mapping service:

The accessibility of this information will contribute to the awareness of our population and serve to enhance community policing practices. The Gwinnett County Police Department believes this will empower citizens to take extra safety precautions when necessary and to be on the look out for criminal activity occurring around them…The Crime Mapping concept has been proven effective in reducing crime by raising the level of awareness within the community and facilitating the partnership between the police department and the citizens. Community awareness is an effective means to reduce crime.

The Crime Mapping solution represents a hybrid in mapping technology which utilizes both Google Maps and an advanced geographic engine. Crime data is extracted on a regular basis from the department’s records system so that the information being viewed through a Web browser is up to date. These key components combine to serve the public accurate and timely data in the form of maps and reports.  By encouraging more self reliance within the community and further improving overall communications Crime Mapping will serve to benefit Gwinnett County and its citizens.

Let’s all work to make it a safer Gwinnett!

The fight all began in July, while I was enjoying a family vacation in Tybee Island.  Imagine, relaxing at the beach with the beautiful Georgia sun beaming down on you.  You hear the ocean waves lapping at the sandy shore.  Suddenly a tranquil beach vacation turns into a fury of angry phone calls after you are notified that you have been turned over to collections for outstanding payments on damages to your former residence – the vacated apartment from almost a month ago.

The bogus charges were for water damage from a faulty pipe in the laundry room.  Apparently, after we moved out the pipe decided it was his time to quit.  The damages were minimal, but the fees and “emergency services” racked up a nice bill that was promptly sent to collections (which is outrageous in itself).

Having said all of that, I’m going to say this: renter’s, protect yourselves!  I’m serious folks.  After learning a life lesson in which I had to take blame for damage that was no fault of mine, I felt that others should too learn from my ignorance and mistakes.  After all, today, there are a lot of renters out there.

My first piece of advice, always keep a paper trail.  My downfall in my previous living situation was that our apartment complex rarely “burdened” you with paperwork.  Strategic for them, and harmful to me, this lack of paperwork caused me to foot a bill that was not my own.  Having absolutely no proof to dispute the matter, I was up the creek.  Your paper trail should include:
     – Canceled check and receipts from your security deposit
     – A copy of your lease (make sure you read and understand this before you sign)
     – Copy of your renters insurance policy information (this is a no brainer here… get the insurance)
     – A walk through checklist that you review with the landlord before you move in.  List any items damaged, broken, missing, etc.  If these items are not fixed before move-in day, photograph and document these items.  Give a copy to your landlord and keep one for yourself.
     – An outline of the exact condition you find the apartment in.  Include the slightest details (carpet stains and paint chips).  Keep a copy for yourself and give a copy with your landlord.
     – A walk through checklist that you review with the landlord before you move out.  Discuss with your landlord proper move out procedures and document anything that may be useful.

My second piece of advice, never assume your property manager or landlord is on your side.  My case is simple.  I assumed that my property manager at the time had my best interest in mind.  When it came time to move out of my apartment I did so, following the brief list of instructions that I had picked up at the office.  After scheduling my final walk through and never hearing back, I assumed that all was well and I could go on my merry way.  Wrong – o! 

My third piece of advice, take care of your apartment as if you owned it.  If the apartment has been well taken care of, you have paid you rent in full and on time each month, and you are a courteous neighbor and renter, you are more likely to receive your security deposit back.

My fourth and final piece of advice, do your research.  There are countless websites out there to help you find the perfect apartment for you.  Do you research by utilizing these sources, read reviews, ask current residents their thoughts of the property, the management, the maintenance crew, the safety of the community and the parking situations.  All of these aspects combine to help you make the most educated and best decision in your living situation.

Once you make your final decision and move in, enjoy your community.  After all, it will be your home until your lease is up!

A draft of the treaty can be read here.

Page 18: Section 38 of the “Share vision for long-term cooperation action plan” contains the text for forming the new government.

Page 40: Section 46 Subsection H of the “Objectives, scope, and guiding principles” contains the text for enforcement and establishment of the rule of law.

Lord Monckton served as a policy adviser to Margaret Thatcher. He has repeatedly challenged Al Gore to a debate to which Gore has refused. Monckton sued to stop Gore’s film “An Inconvenient Truth” from being shown in British schools due to its inaccuracies. The judge found in-favor of Monckton, ordering 9 serious errors in the film to be corrected. Lord Monckton travels internationally in an attempt to educating the public about the myth of global warming.

[Via Minnesota Majority ; related at BuzzBrockway.com: 'The Copenhagen Shakedown']

Allie Ready for the Alabama Game

Two months ago Thursday, I became a “puppy” mom.  After months of endless web and newspaper searches I came across a precious little black lab mix on Petfinder.com.  She was a lonely pup in need of a loving home.  After quick consideration and a phone call home to discuss our “puppy ready” situation, I made the call to the White County Animal Hospital to declare her rescued. 

Unlike Allie’s story, thousands of pets are abandoned or given up each day.  Today alone, according to Petfinder.com, 320,342 pets are available and in need of forever homes.  

Ready to Adopt?
If you and your family think you are ready to add a new plate to the table, here are some helpful tips from the ASPCA’s Jacque Lynn Schulitz:

While considering if a new addition to the family is the right choice, think about:  1. Who will be the primary caretaker of the pet?  Is that person willing and able to dedicate the time and energy needed?  Are they willing to be the primary caretaker for years to come?  2. How much money are you willing to spend on your pet?  Will vet bills be affordable?  3. How old are the members of the household?  Will they be able to safely live with and around the family’s new member?

After deciding that you and your family are ready to adopt, when picking the perfect pet consider:  1. Matching your personalities with the pet.  Find a pet that will be able to comfortably fit into your family.  2. Matching your energy levels.  Fast paced, energetic families need pets with the same level of “go”.  At the same time, families who are low-key need to find a pet to match.

Helpful Links
There are thousands of sites, books, journals, and people to give advice on adopting a pet and where to do so.  Here are a few sites that I found helpful in my search for my “perfect match”:
     www.gwinnetthumane.com
     www.georgiahumane.org
     www.petfinder.com
     www.adoptapet.com

To finish off the story I began, we drove to Cleveland, Georgia on Saturday, August 22 and brought Allie home.  The rest of the tale is history in the making…

“Your new best friend awaits… at the local shelter.”  -ASPCA

The middle schools were abuzz with the rumors… did her boyfriend make her drop it because she was receiving too many direct messages from hormonally-enraged teenaged boys? Had she developed a heretofore unknown disease of the thumbs?

Actually, she (very maturely, I think) realized that `Twittering`– which for the uninformed is utilizing a web service to send 140-character messages to other Twits, usually from a cell phone and about blowing your nose or watching TV– was controlling her very life.

I can personally attest to Miley’s obsession. No, I didn’t `follow` the girl but my 14-year-old did. Katie had Miley’s tweets forwarded to her cell phone, and Katie has one of those ring tones for text alerts that lasts about 30 seconds. Hearing that obnoxious little tune every four or five minutes was driving me insane.

Yo, Miley, I’m with you, girlfriend. Twitter can be addictive. There’s a 16-year-old cousin in the family who started having difficulty putting together sentences more than 140 characters long. Now she’s quit speaking altogether… she just wiggles her thumbs…

In case you have difficulty deciphering a little `white girl rap,` here are the lyrics:

Yeah, the rumors are true, I deleted my Twitter. Can you believe it? I got to two million. Then I said adios. I had to say goodbye and this little rap is to tell my fans why.

No it wasn’t because my friend told me to. Ya’ll know very well what you say I don’t do. And the reasons are simple, I started tweeting about pimples. I stopped living for moments and started living for people. Yeah you write what you’re doing, but who really cares, if I’m playing with Noah or just doing my hair.

Everything that I type and everything that I do, all those lame gossip sites take it and they make it news. I want my private life private. I’m done trying to please. I ain’t livin’ for tabloids. I’m living for me. No more emo quotes and no more fake feuds with Demi. I’m done with all that and the truth is I’m too busy.

Yeah, I gotta admit, I miss Dane Cooks tweets and I really like looking at Katy Perry and Britney. I might have some withdrawals, I was a little obsessed, but I’m peacing out and I’m leaving with this. Goodbye.