Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

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! Visit Our Gift Shop For Christmas! • Hand Felted Hats • Hand Knitted Scarfs • Socks • Stocking Caps Alpaca is 99% hypo-allergenic and makes great unique gifts! 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 What Gift Will Bring The J Most Joy & Happiness This Holiday Season? The Gift of LASIK! Cal no/.' afjtJ frdtf a LASIK Gilt Certificate yttursell nr h toed one lh s holiday snas-io arte c ve Ihe g : l cf ce£,\ rialuml vie on. When Ihis Gill cert 'iceIe is presented b: the LAS < Exem, we'l lake SGOO art Ihe price of LASIK iF Ihe proMdune is performed befcre 31 si * FREE Gift Certificate * $500 Holiday Price Reduction ■ Blade-FREE All La$*r LASIK* Fl-ex Plans Accepted * 0% Financing Options Available Call Now To Schedule Your FREE LASIK Evaluation (S88)2DR-BLUE We'B atao send you a FREE Report Today's Fncis Abcur LA$IK\ which contains everylhing you’d ever want 1o know about LASIK and will answer many of your questions. wwWtbluelasergroup.com Alhens, GA* Gajieswie, Ga* Greensboro, Ga ■ ^ranKin, NC Blue LASER GROI IP