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DawsonCountyNews
WEDNESDAY I DECEMBER 14, 2022 DaWSOflNeWS ^COITI DAWSONVILLE, GEORGIA $1.00
Dawsonvile woman killed in Ga. 53 car crash
By Julia Hansen
jhansen@dawsonnews.com
A Dawsonville woman has
died and two others were
injured from a two-car accident
near the Dawson-Forsyth
County line on Dec. 6, accord
ing to a Georgia State Patrol
report.
Rebecca Gillum, 34, died of
her injuries from the wreck, the
report stated.
The crash occurred around
4:13 p.m. that day on Ga. 53
East, about a quarter mile south
of its intersection with War Hill
Park Road. The road’s surface
was wet at the time of the acci
dent, the GSP report stated.
It had been steadily raining in
the Dawson County area that
afternoon.
Gillum’s car, the first vehicle,
was traveling west on Ga. 53
negotiating an uphill curve to
the right, while the second car
was driving east along a down
hill curve to the left.
The first car failed to maintain
lane and traveled off of the high-
way’s north shoulder before
driving back onto the road and
crossing the center line into the
eastbound lane. Then, the first
car hit the left front side of the
second vehicle with its left front
side, the report stated.
Witnesses traveling behind the
first vehicle reported that it
failed to stay in the westbound
lane multiple times before the
crash.
See Crash 14A
Caroling with Claus
Photos by Erica Jones Dawson County News
Members of the Rotary Club of Dawson County sing Christmas carols for men and women at the Dawson
County Senior Center on Dec. 8.
Rotary Club spreads Christmas cheer to local senior center
Members of the Rotary Club of Dawson County pose for a photo with
Santa during the club's annual Christmas caroling event at the Dawson
County Senior Center on Dec. 8.
By Erica Jones
ejones@dawsonnews.com
Despite the rain and fog on Thursday
Dec. 8, the inside of the Dawson County
Senior Center at Veterans Memorial
Park was alive with music, laughing,
bright Christmas colors and the joy of
the holiday season overflowing from
local Rotarians and seniors alike.
Several members of the Rotary Club
of Dawson County gathered at the
senior center at 10 a.m., dressed in their
holiday best and ready to sing some of
the most beloved Christmas carols with
the seniors at the center. The men and
women in attendance sang along with
them as they performed carols like
“Jingle Bells”, “Deck the Halls”, “Joy to
the World” and “Hark the Herald Angels
Sing”.
The group ended the caroling with
“Silent Night,” encouraging all of the
seniors in the room to stand up and join
the club members in holding hands in
one big, united circle.
Also in attendance at the event was
Rotary’s very own Santa Claus, who cir
culated the room during the caroling,
singing along and bringing smiles to the
faces of every person he came in contact
with. At the end of the singing, he and
his elves handed out presents to each
person in attendance.
Near the end of the event, Senior
Services Director Dawn Johnson got
up and made a special announcement
of the senior center’s volunteers of the
year.
“Don and Nancy Dunning have only
been doing this a year, and they’re
already our 2022 Volunteers of the
Year,” Johnson said. “No matter what
Cheri needs, they do it — we can come
any day, whatever; they volunteer
Meals on Wheels, they come in extra
days, and they’re just so deserving and
we are so appreciative of them.”
The Dunnings were given a plaque
honoring their accomplishment, and
their names were added to the Margie
Weaver Senior Center plaque that con
tains the names of every volunteer of
the year since the award began in 2013.
Health Dept,
closes for week
for renovations
By Erica Jones
ejones@dawsonnews.com
From Dec. 12 through Dec. 16, the
Dawson County Health Department will
close all health department services to
update and repair the building.
According to a press release by District
2 Public Health, all health department ser
vices will be halted during the repairs, but
environmental health services will remain
open and available and will not be affected
by the temporary closure.
“All Dawson County residents requiring
health department services during the clo
sure should contact Forsyth, Fumpkin or
White county health departments to
receive care,” the release said. “If a resi
dent would like to obtain vital records,
such as a birth or death certificate, contact
Hall County Health Department.”
The contact number and location of each
neighboring county’s health department
are:
See Health 14A
Five qualify for
special election to
replace Ralston
By Julia Hansen
jhansen@dawsonnews.com
Five Republican candidates have quali
fied for the special election set for Jan. 3 to
fill the seat of late Georgia House District
7 Rep. David Ralston, who died in
November.
This state house district covers north
western Dawson and all of Fannin and
Gilmer counties.
The qualified candidates are:
• Johnny Chastain
• Justin Heitman
• Brian K. Pritchard
• Sheree Ralston
• Richie Stone
Sheree Ralston, the widow of the state
representative, has qualified for the seat.
She lives in the Blue Ridge area and is the
Fannin County Development Authority’s
Executive Director.
Brian K. Pritchard of Cherry Fog in
See Election 14A
0
90994 04002
Inside
Volume 8, Number 45
© 2022, Dawson County News
Dawsonville, Georgia
Church Events
2A
Classifieds
6B
Dear Abby
5B
Deaths
2A
Legals
6B
Opinion
7A
Sports
1B
4A Ribbon-cutting
held for store
that sells Legos,
board games
Dawsonville
mayor named
Elected Official
of the Year
"We all try and go above
and beyond and give that
five start treatment, so it's
rewarding to know that
what we do matters."
Q)amonville
B. MANZUR, D.M.D.
754 HWY. 53 WEST, DAWSONVILLE, GA
706-265-2505
