About Dawson County news. (Dawsonville, Georgia) 2015-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 9, 2022)
Wednesday, February 9,2022 dawsonnews.com I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I 5A Dawsonville Girl Scouts visit state capitol Photo submitted to DCN Troop 10625 members met with State House Rep. Will Wade during the Girl Scout Day at the Capitol on Feb. 1. From left, cadette Landyn Bryant, adult scout Amanda Livingstone, Will Wade and troop leader Julie Ann Bryant. By Julia Fechter jfechter@dawsonnews.com It’s one thing to learn about state government, but it’s quite another to do so by traveling to Atlanta and watching legislation take shape within the Georgia Capitol. Two members from Troop 10625 of Dawsonville recently attended the 2022 Girl Scout Day at the Capitol. Girl Scouts from all around the state came to the state government build ing on Feb. 1 to take part in the event, hosted by Troop 10625’s sister council, the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia. The Dawsonville troop is part of the Golden Hills Service Unit. This was adult scout Amanda Livingstone’s eighth year attending the event, while it was seventh grader cadette Landyn Bryant’s first year. Livingstone graduated from Dawson County High School two years ago and has served as a mentor scout to Bryant since that time. “It’s beautiful,” Livingstone said of the capitol, describing its pol ished marble steps and ornate interior dome. “Some of the things in the Capitol...you can only see in the capitol.” Bryant completed the requirements for her “Democracy for Cadettes” badge. Both she and Livingstone got a fun patch and pin from the day. For the badge, Bryant had already learned things about local, state and fed eral government and each of the three main branches in school and before the event. She also had to partici pate in discussions about how state government works, compare it to how other levels of government run and explore an election or voting process. While at the capitol, Bryant and Livingstone explored interior elements, like the Georgia Capitol Museum and State Senate side, and outside elements like the courtyard and Liberty Bell plaza. At the beginning of the day, they took part in a scavenger hunt within the museum. They were given a list of questions with clues and directions. In one case, those tidbits of infor mation led them down steps and around comers to a golden telephone. Of course, the venture was made a little bit easier since Livingstone had been there before. One thing Bryant learned during the endeav or was the Georgia motto of “wisdom, justice, mod eration.” They also sat in the Senate Viewing Gallery for The Reading of the Day at the Capitol Proclamation, morning roll call and votes on S.B. 330, 373, and 332. They received little cards with the chamber’s rules of order when they entered during one of the 10-minute intervals. Bryant found that helpful, especially when they and other attendees took part in the Georgia state pledge, which she didn’t know before then. Bryant said it was “real ly neat” how there were different buttons that the state senators would press on their desks during roll call and the votes. Yellow indicated whether a per son was there or not, while green meant “yes” and red meant “no.” Both she and Livingstone noted the fast paced nature of the votes and said they were still able to understand peo ple’s speech despite the pacing. Bryant called it “excit ing” to see the votes on different bills and thought it was interesting to con sider the time from when a bill was drafted until it ended up on the state sen ate floor. “Then, it was up for a vote.. .and it was over after 10 seconds,” she said. She added that the entire scene looked like a bee hive, with the senators in constant motion, especially as they walked to talk to each other and other col leagues between votes. “No one was sitting still,” she said. Livingstone appreciated the opportunity to watch the state senate, which she had never been able to do. “Just to see how the laws are made is pretty cool,” Livingstone said. “You wouldn't think that 50-60 people would gather in a room. The old way was going “yea” or “nay” in an entire room, and now peo ple push buttons...they [then] take a break, are up and talking, sit down and do it again.” The girls also met with the State House Rep. William Wade, who repre sents Georgia’s District 9. He walked over from the house side, which is closed to the public due to COVID-19 restrictions, to greet them and offer encouragement. They were surprised that he thanked them for meet ing with him and took the time to briefly show them part of the house building. “He encouraged us to stay with Girl Scouts,” said Bryant, “and he said that we’d be great leaders one day.” Annual ‘Leap for Literacy’ event scheduled for March By Erica Jones ejones@dawsonnews.com After two years of being unable to happen, the annual “Leap for Literacy” event is official ly back on for this March, according to an announce ment by the local Dawson County Wee Books pro gram. Leap for Literacy gives local individuals and groups to show their sup port for childhood literacy and to leap into Lake Lanier to compete for the best costume and best per formance. This year’s event will take place on Saturday March 26 at 10:30 a.m at War Hill Park on Lake Lanier. The fundraiser benefits Dawson County Wee Books, a non-profit pro gram that seeks to instill the love of reading in chil dren by sending free books each month to par ticipating local children aged 0-5 years. The funds raised by the event will help support the goal to send age-appropriate books to hundreds of chil dren in the community. Leap for Literacy partic ipants will get the chance to jump into the chilly Lake Lanier water, either as part of a team or indi vidually. Those not quite up to fully jumping into the lake can participate as a “ramp runner” to just get their legs wet or as a “toe tapper” to just stick their toes in the water. Celebrity judges will choose winners based on costumes and performances. Those interested can also sponsor a leaper to get wet. Sponsorship lev els are $250 for each leap ing team of up to four members, $100 for each individual leaper, $50 for each individual ramp run ner and $10 for each indi vidual toe tapper. For more information or to pre-register teams, call 770-561-3593. DCN file photo Participants in previous years' "Leap for Literacy" events jump into Lake Lanier in support of childhood literacy. DPH releases weekly COVID-19 numbers, information on N-95 mask distribution By staff reports The District 2 Department of Public Health has released the weekly COVID-19 num bers update for the region, as well as infor mation regarding N-95 mask distribution. According to the week ly release by the DPH, as of Jan. 31 Dawson County has seen a total of 5,816 positive cases, with a 14 day case rate per 100,000 people of 1,913. This is an increase of about 244 cases from the DPH’s last case update on Jan. 20. The release said that the percent positive over the last two weeks is 37.5 percent, and the county has seen 370 total hospi talizations and 85 total deaths, an increase of three hospitalizations and two deaths from the last release. The release also detailed the most current COVID-19 vaccine num bers. As of Jan. 31, 25,201 vaccines have been administered. 11,214 people, or 46 per cent of residents, have received one dose, and 10,369 people, or 42 per cent of residents, are fully vaccinated. The DPH also released information about N-95 mask distribution. According to the release, several retailers are or will begin distributing N-95 masks to those who need them, including Publix, Food Lion, Rite Aid, Walgreens and Walmart, with Kroger and CVS planning to release more information in the coming weeks. According to the DPH release, many retailers are imposing a 3 per person limit, and many of the retail phar macies participating in the program may vary on a state-by-state basis. The DPH release added that the Health Resources and Services Administration (NRSA) has put together a list of health centers that have N-95 masks available, which are organized by state. To view the NRSA list, go to https://bphc. hrsa.gov/emergency- response/covid-19-n95- masks/participants. For more information regarding COVID-19 numbers, testing or vacci nation, go to http://www. phdistrict2.org/. Medical clinic collects cold-weather items for winter donations drive By Julia Fechter jfechter@dawsonnews.com A Dawsonville medical clinic has started gathering winter wear and other related items as part of a winter donation drive to benefit people in need during this time of year. The Good Shepherd Clinic is now collecting donations for hoods and hats, scarves, gloves and socks as well as camping tents, sleeping bags and blankets. These items will be distrib uted to people in need across Dawson County. Donations will be accepted from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Tuesday, Feb. 15. The clinic is located at 45 Medical Center Drive, behind Burger King near the intersection of Ga. 53 and Ga. 400. For questions about the donations drive, please email reentryservicesin- fo@dcs.ga.gov or call Tonya White at 470-728-6940. DawsonCountvNews at Bowen Center For The Arts Brought to you by: Northeast Georgia Health System TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 from 10AM-1 PM BOWEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS 334 Highway 9N Dawsonville, GA 30534 The event will feature: • DEMONSTRATIONS • ENTERTAINMENT & HEALTH SCREENINGS To become a vendor or for more information email Megan Lewis at mlewis@gainesvilletimes.com (LtlttCS Vy rn vs ea gainesvilletimes.com LJ ■ IIBJ
