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PAGE 12 A BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2016 BISTRO OFF BROAD OPENS Bistro off Broad, located at 16 East Candler Street in downtown Winder, recently opened, and restaurant representatives, local officials and represen tatives of the Barrow County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening for the restaurant on Friday. The location is an historic one for Winder and has been home to a hotel, Coca Cola distribution center and most recently Larry’s Easy Pay. According to the restaurant’s website, the 1890s building has been restored and transformed into a “casu ally chic bistro” serving a selection of traditional French and contemporary American cuisines. The bistro is hosted by Jeffrey Hills, previous owner of the Flowery Branch Yacht Club in Flowery Branch, and chef Alex Friedman. Photo by Susan Treadwell Church continued from 10A Cedar Creek Baptist Church holds a Bible study class each Sunday at 7 p.m. and a prayer meeting every Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. The pastor is Duke Forster. For more information, call 770-616-1666. The church is located at 403 Cedar Creek Road in Winder. Union Baptist Church has Sunday School services at 9:15 a.m. and provides an interpreter for the deaf at its 10:30 a.m. worship service each week. The senior pastor is Dr. David M. Cook. Wednesday night suppers begin at 5:45 p.m. Donations are $2 per plate or $10 per family. The church is located at 527 Union Church Road. Winder. Whistleville Christian Church holds a Bible Club every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Dinner and family hour is held each Wednesday at 7 p.m. The church is located at 83 Patrick Mill Road, Winder. Morningside Baptist Church offers the following on Wednesday evenings: Fel lowship Meal at 5:45 p.m. and Children/ Teen Service and Adult Prayer/Devotion at 6:30 p.m. The church is located at 580 Miles Pat rick Road in Winder. •To submit items for Church News, please email them to Sharon Hogan at sharon @ mainstreetnews. com. Please include who, what, when, where, why and how long you would like the announcement to run. Jackson EMC: Scammers don’t take a break this holiday season Scammers aren’t giving utility customers a break for the holidays, even going so far as targeting local small business owners, accord ing to Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (EMC). “Scammers seem to be endlessly creative in ways to rip off utility custom ers. We’re receiving reports from residential and busi ness customers alike that they’re being contacted by phone and email by imposters claiming to be their utility company, warn ing them that their bill is overdue, or that they’re being charged for services they haven’t requested, like a meter upgrade,’’ says Jackson EMC director of customer service Brent Cochran. What all the scams have in common is the threat of imminent power disconnec tion and the demand to pay immediately. Scammers have also faked the phone number from which their call is originating to look like a Jackson EMC office. “Legitimate utilities do not call customers and threaten immediate dis connection, and they never request immediate pay ment, by Green Dot card or any other means,” said Cochran. “Once a utility customer loads a Green Dot card or gives scammers their information, their money is gone and there’s nothing their utility can do. BCREA to meet Dec. 14 The Barrow County Retired Educa tors group will hold its December meet ing at the new Russell Middle School on McNeal Road at noon on Dec. 14. RMS will provide lunch and a choral program. All retired educators, whatev er the area of service, are encouraged to attend. Members are encouraged to bring a donation for the scholarship fund since the school will graciously provide the lunch. Smith continued from 6A grinning approval had to do with a din ner when I sat by him at the head table, for a roast of the late Upshaw Bentley, one-time mayor of Athens. As the meal was getting underway, I told Jon that I needed a glass of wine and offered to bring him a glass, too. He simply winked. Later, when he turned 60. I had an opportunity to use the following story which had been incubating for some time. Enumerating a gaggle of places I had visited, real or imagined, I outlined them succinctly and closed with this wisecrack. “The greatest thrill I have ever had in my life was buying a Baptist preacher a drink.” Somewhere his patented grin is flash ing. Loran Smith is a columnist for the Barrow News-Journal. He is co-host of the University of Georgia football radio pre-game show. family has radically changed since last year. Someone in the family is missing. Perhaps death has come to someone, or perhaps estrangement, or divorce is the reason for the empty chair at the dinner table. For those who are grieving the loss of a loved one, the holidays can be especially difficult. I remember my first Christmas after my husband and I divorced, there were so many changes, and things just didn’t work out like they were supposed to. By Christmastime, I still hadn’t found my new nor mal, and I truly thought I would rather go lick my wounds and be in the pres ence of other single parents like myself, than to be around all the happy family stuff that was going on around me, and pretend that I was fine. I wasn’t fine. It sounds so crazy. But it’s the truth. I’m sure it is difficult to understand for someone who hasn’t walked the path, but sometimes there is truth to the saying “misery loves company.” The first holidays after los ing someone are brutal. A dear friend of mine is currently going through this, and I understand the expe rience. Everyone tells you it gets easier. But at the time you don’t believe it. You don’t even know how to take your next breath. Is there anything worse than being lonely at the hol idays? One of my favorite Bon Jovi songs has a line in it that says “I won’t be alone, but you know that don’t mean I’m not lonely." Sometimes, being in a room full of people can actually make the loneliness seem worse. There are many people walking among us who will say to you, when asked how they are doing, “I’m fine.” Don’t believe them. If you know they have gone through a tough time, don’t assume that they are fine because they tell you they are. Bennett continued from 6A Just take a quick look around you. In your neigh borhood, in your own home, at your work, in your church.... There is someone who is struggling this holi day season. What a wonderful gift of yourself to be a blessing to them. The needs of the hurting are many, and it helps just to know that there are people who care. "All hearts come home for Christmas.” Yes, I believe they do. But when a heart has been bro ken, sometimes it doesn’t feel like home, and it won ders if home will ever be the same again. I encourage each of us to remember that Christmas isn’t a holly jolly time for everyone. Let’s remember those who are hurting, and do our best to be a blessing to them. Cathy Watkins Bennett is a Barrow County native and a graduate of Winder-Barrow High School. Send com ments about this column to bencath@aol.com. J \CKSON EMC Call in the professionals for a Home Energy Evaluation. One of our representatives will come to your home and use high tech equipment to diagnose energy ailments. Then, you'll receive a report of recommended improvements prioritized by those that will give you the biggest energy savings. For more energy-saving tips, access the coach's playbook at www.jacksonemc.com/playbook. I with a Home Energy Evaluation I Up to $1,900 total in rebates are available from I Jackson EMC when using the Home Energy Evaluation results to isolate and improve energy I efficiency, www.jacksonemc.com/rebates YOUR ENERGY COACH ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP/CORPORATION ‘Evaluations have a base fee and will incur additional costs for multiple HVAC units. Rebate program requirements must be followed. Rebates may be discontinued at any time. Rebates are not available if you do not have this audit (Home Energy Evaluation) conducted by Jackson EMC and Home Diagnostic Solutions. ENERGY o