Newspaper Page Text
Page 8A
The Braselton News
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Mill Creek HS coach to address Italian softball conference
BY KRISTI REED
Kelly Murdock, coach of Mill
Creek High School’s varsity girls’
softball team, will be traveling to
Italy next month. Murdock will
address a conference of the Italian
National Softball Committee host
ed by the International Softball
Federation. Murdock and 1996
Olympic gold medalist Sheila
Dowdy will be the featured speak
ers at the event.
Murdock said the conference is a
great opportunity to network with
other people active in the sport.
“I hope that I am able to bring
something to the table. It’s a
hugely positive thing for me.
Anytime you can be surrounded
with people that share the same
passion you share, it’s empower
ing,” she said.
Murdock, a former softball player
at Columbus State University, has
been the Lady Hawks’ head coach
for the past four years. During her
tenure, the Lady Hawks have won
region 7 A AAA A three years in a
row and have finished third in the
MURDOCK
state for the past two years.
“I would love to win a state
championship, but not for me,”
Murdock said. “These kids work
so hard.”
Murdock said though winning a
championship would be great, it is
not the most important aspect of
coaching for her.
“I am much more interested in
life lessons than winning,” she
said. “We keep our focus on hard
work and discipline, so we win.
There are so many lessons that can
be learned from this sport.”
Last year, Murdock was named
the Georgia Women’s Intersport
Network high school coach of the
year. She was also the 2005 coach
of the year for region 7AAAAA.
Before beginning her teaching
career, Murdock led softball clin
ics for Higher Ground, an instruc
tional organization for players and
coaches. It was through her work
at Higher Ground that Murdock
became involved with coaching
high school softball.
“The clinics I do work through
connected me with the head coach
at South Gwinnett,” Murdock said.
“I worked under her for two years
and then took the job here. I was
given the great opportunity to work
here and it’s been awesome.”
Murdock holds a bachelor’s of
science degree in health and physi
cal education from Columbus State
University. She also has a master’s
degree in adapted physical educa
tion. In addition to her coaching
duties, Murdock teaches advanced
girls’ weight training, condition
ing, team sports and physical edu
cation at MCHS.
Murdock said teaching classes
which promote weight training and
conditioning for girls is important
to her. According to Murdock,
girls often go unnoticed when it
comes to these types of classes.
“I have been working to get
more kids involved,” she said.
“Being physically active has so
many benefits. There are a lot
of studies that show it improves
achievement because it stimulates
their minds in different ways.”
While the 29 year old Murdock
enjoys teaching, she hopes at some
point to move into administration.
For now though, Murdock admits
she still has the “coaching bug”.
“I love coaching,” Murdock
said. “I enjoy it very much. The
chance to teach the kids and coach
the kids is something you can’t
replace. I really feel fortunate to
do this.”
Education legislation topic for retired Jackson County educators
Twenty-two members of the
Jackson County Retired Educators
Association met on November 8
to hear a program on legislation
pertinent to educations.
Rep. Tommy Benton, District
31, and Carlos Lankford, co
chair of the GREA Legislative
Committee, presented a program
on upcoming legislation relevant
to retired educators.
The next meeting is January
10, when Charlotte Marshall will
present a slide program on facts
that can be learned from a study
of tombstones, including some in
Jackson County.
Also in January, the JCREA
will be accepting donations for the
Cooksey Memorial Scholarship
Fund, which sponsors local stu
dents.
The JCREA members encourage
and invite all retired educators to
join the group. Call 706-693-2670
or 706-757-2471 for more infor
mation.
RETIRED EDUCATORS
Local retired educators Ruby Lynn Minish, Richard Chambers and Kenneth Bridges are pictured at
the November meeting of the Jackson County Retired Educators Association.
Toys being collected for
Peace Place shelter
WayPoint Realty, Braselton,
is hosting the Helping Little
Angels Toy Drive, which will
benefit Peace Place.
Peace Place is a domestic vio
lence shelter for women and
children that serves Jackson,
Barrow and Banks counties.
Peace Place offers victims of
domestic violence referrals for
housing, jobs, education, medi
cal, counseling, clothing and
food.
The shelter also offers support
groups and legal advocacy for
domestic violence victims.
Donations will be accepted
Tuesdays through Thursdays,
from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., until Dec.
22.
Toys or money may be donat
ed. Monetary donations will
be used to purchase gift cards
for older kids. The age range
for donated toys is newborn to
teen.
WayPoint Realty is located at
81 Lagree Duck Road, off Hwy.
53, Braselton. For more infor
mation, call 706-824-0318.
Need Printing?
Call 706-367-5233
55, 0 7J€c@tai*t &
RESTAURANT
STEAKS • SEAFOOD • SANDWICHES
Ask about our Holiday Parties
and Business Get Togethers!
Hours of
Operation:
We'll even open the doors for Tuesday - Saturday
your event on Sundays or Mondays! 11 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
For more information ask for Closed
Karen Day, the original Sunday and Monday
owner of Sweet Escapes 1.8 miles off 1-85 Exit
Bakery & Cafe in Buford! 129 in Hoschton
115 Towne Center Pkwy. TA4 QOA TQAC
Hoschton, GA 30548 #UO 0^4 / ZOD
Local students earn degrees
Several local students earned degrees at Georgia Southern University
during the fall 2007 term.
They are: Angela Scott Patrick, Hoschton, an EDD degree in education
administration; Mary Faith Spinks, Hoschton, a BSED degree in English
education; and Tyronda T. Pittman, Hoschton, a BGS degree in general
studies.
Donald named to dean’s list
Lisa A. Donald, Braselton, was named to the dean’s list for the fall
2007 term at Georgia Southern University.
Donald is a junior majoring in pre-education, early childhood educa
tion.
To be eligible for the dean’s list, a student must have at least a 3.50
grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 credit hours for the
semester.
UGA alumni to meet Jan. 15
A “Dutch treat” information meeting on the establishment of the
Jackson County chapter of the University of Georgia Alumni Association
will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 15, at 6 p.m.
The event will be held at Jeffrey’s Sports Bar and Grill, located off Ga.
Hwy. 211, at 6332 Grand Hickory Drive, Braselton.
For more information, e-mail daniellegriceaustin@yahoo.com or
audraedwards @ hotmail.com.
Girl Scouts to celebrate ‘World
Thinking Day ’ on February 16
The Girl Scouts of Northeast will hold its “World Thinking Day”
on Feb. 16, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Georgia Mountain Center,
Gainesville.
World Thinking Day is an opportunity for girls to learn about and
appreciate different cultures. Scholars on eight countries will attend to
teach participants about Tanzania, Cambodia, Croatia, Senegal, Monaco,
South Korea and England.
Girl Scouts from across the Northeast Georgia region will create more
than 25 booths on different countries that will also be interactive and
informative.
World-renowned African, Caribbean and Brazilian hand drummer, Dr.
Arvin Scott, will teach attendees, hands-on, about drumming.
The event is free and open to the public. The project is supported
by the Georgia Humanities Council and the National Endowment for
the Humanities and through appropriations from the Georgia General
Assembly. To register, call 706-548-7297 or 800-300-4475 or e-mail
atrantham@gsneg.org.
FOR ONLY $5 PER MONTH,
YOU CAN LIST YOUR GROUP'S MEETINGS!
Let your members know when your group is meeting!
Call (706) 367-5233 to advertise your meeting time, place and date in...
• The Jackson Herald • The Commerce News • The Braselton News
• The Banks County News • The Madison County Journal
Jh UNITY LODGE
f&a.m.
No. 36, Jefferson, GA
1st Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m.
A. Ben Wurtz • 706-367-1400
Borders St. behind Tabo’s 260
JEFFERSON ROTARY CLUB
Meets Tuesdays
Jefferson City Clubhouse
12:30 p.m. *(706)654-2237
Clay Eubanks, President
260
& COMMERCE
^AMERICAN LEGION
Commerce Rec. Dept. Post 93
Carson Street - 1st Mon. night
Each Month, 7:30 p.m.
335-6400
BANKS COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.
meets first Monday each month
7:00 p.m. in the Banks Co. Historial
Courthouse at 105 U.S. Hwy. 441
North in Homer pd.-2/2008
JEFFERSON
^AMERICAN LEGION
Albert Gordon Post 56
Each 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
Harvie Lance, Commander
Phone (706) 654-1274 aio
Georgia Real Estate Investors
Association, Inc. - Athens
Meets the third Thursday each month
7:00 pm at the Holiday Inn
197 East Broad St, Athens, GA 30601
Tom Hewlett - Chapter President
mailto:thewlettl@charter.net
website: www.gareia.org jq/07
The Jackson Co. Republican Party
Would like you to meet us for
breakfast the second Sat. of each
month, 8:00 at The Jefferson
House. For more information, call
706-652-2967 or email
fishyglass@yahoo.com Pd.o5/os
itfc BANKS COUNTY
AMERICAN LEGION
Post 215
Meets each 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m.
In Homer, GA at the
American Legion Building on
Historic Highway 441 Pd.o6/os
.-Ms, VETERANS OF
' W FOREIGN WARS
Post 4872, Hurricane Shoals Convention Ctr.
Each 4th Monday, 7:00 p.m.
Mike Buffington, Commander
Phone 706-335-6532 263
JEFFERSON LIONS CLUB
Meets 2nd & 4th Monday
Jefferson City Clubhouse
6:30 p.m. *(706) 367-1400
Mark Bradley, President
260
Take An Alpaca Farm Tour This Holiday Season!
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Sign Up Now For Knitting
Classes Starting In January!
770-601-7376
Gilliland's Heritage Alpacas
1587 Dee Kennedy Road • Hoschton, GA 30548
www.georgia-alpacas.com
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