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Wednesday, January 4,2023
dawsonnews.com I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I 5A
Julia Hansen Dawson County News
Ruby's Recipes moved from its Memory Lane
location to the Ga. 53 space downtown in August
and opened in September.
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Julia Hansen
When thinking about
what makes Dawsonville
unique,
my mind
goes
straight
to Main
Street
business
es like
Ruby’s
Recipes.
The
Italian restaurant and deli
moved from its Memory
Lane location to the Ga.
53 space downtown in
August and opened in
September.
Many locals shared in
the Cerinetti family’s joy
at landing their restau
rant’s dream location.
The owners have been
consistently involved in
the community, with
people fundraising for
chef Allen when he was
sick last fall and Ruby’s
doing the same for multi
ple causes earlier this
year.
With what this restau
rant move meant for the
owners and for revital
ization in downtown
Dawsonville, this story
lead wrote itself.
Ruby’s story is just one
example showing that
people will support a
small business that also
supports the community.
Anybody who’s looked
at local listings over the
past year or heard the
phrase “that’s more than
my mortgage” knows that
the nationwide housing
crunch can also be felt in
Dawson County.
While listening to
locals’ comments about
residential development, I
noticed that housing
affordability seemed like
an important piece being
missed in conversations
about area growth.
Specifically, I gathered
numbers and residents’
stories about local housing
affordability into one arti
cle, so readers could
square that information
with their own experienc
es.
Over the month it took
to write this article, I col
lected statistics on hous
ing costs and worker
wages, as well as people’s
stories about struggling to
find an affordable place to
live.
The results were hum
bling. Throughout the
whole process, I learned
that it’s crucial to remem
ber the human side of
development and remem
ber that decisions around
housing have the potential
to shape our local econo
my’s future.
Erica Jones
I grew up in this area,
and every
fall when
I was lit
tle my
family
and I
would go
and visit
Burt’s
Pumpkin
Farm. I
have very distinct memo
ries of walking around
among what seemed like
an endless sea of pump
kins, being asked to hold
my little siblings’ hands
so they would stay still
long enough for a photo
and the extra-special trips
when my grandparents
would be in town from
Findlay, Ohio so they
could come to the farm
with us.
All of these memories
made writing about Burt’s
Pumpkin Farm and its
50th anniversary this year
even more personal for
me. I got the chance to
interview several mem
bers of the Burt family
Hansen
Jones
Photo courtesy of Jenkins family
Freddie Jenkins poses with his pig Tank after win
ning first in class at the Georgia National Junior
Livestock Show.
Julia Hansen Dawson County News
Anybody who's looked at local listings over the
past year or heard the phrase "that's more than
my mortgage" knows that the nationwide hous
ing crunch can also be felt in Dawson County.
Et : \ 4
/• - Ml 1
Erica Jones Dawson County News
All of these memories made writing about Burt's Pumpkin Farm and its 50th anniversary this year even
more personal for me. I got the chance to interview several members of the Burt family who recounted
their own memories of starting out as a front yard hobby farm and then growing into what they are
today: a farm that produces 60 acres, or about 150,000 pumpkins, each year.
Erica Jones Dawson County News
I especially enjoyed getting to join the Rotary Club of Dawson County in the beginning of December as
they caroled at the Dawson County Senior Center.
who recounted their own
memories of starting out
as a front yard hobby
farm and then growing
into what they are today:
a farm that produces 60
acres, or about 150,000
pumpkins, each year. And
the icing on the cake was
getting to re-visit the
farm later in the fall and
celebrate together with
state and local officials,
business owners, commu
nity members and all of
the Burt family as State
Representative Will Wade
read a resolution official
ly declaring Oct. 18, 2022
as Burt’s Pumpkin Farm
Day across the state of
Georgia.
Christmas is one hun
dred percent my favorite
time of the year. Giving
gifts to others, singing
along to Christmas music,
serving at my church on
Christmas Eve, decorating
cookies — you name it, I
love it. That’s why I espe
cially enjoyed getting to
join the Rotary Club of
Dawson County in the
beginning of December as
they caroled at the Dawson
County Senior Center.
That day was rainy and
foggy outside, but inside
the center was lit up by the
smiles of both the
Rotarians and the seniors
as they sang classic
Christmas carols together.
The Rotarians handed out
presents to each senior, and
they beamed and laughed
as they opened them and
showed them to one anoth
er. I sang along with every
carol as I walked around
and took photos, and by
the time I left the center I
was even more in the
Christmas mood than I had
been before.
And I got to see Santa
too while I was there —
talk about an added perk of
the job!
Rio White
Every local sportswriter
in America knows that
when the
summer
months
come and
there are
no school
sports to
cover, it
is espe-
c i a 1 1 y
important to seek out
unique stories.
Sometimes, we get lucky
enough to have such a
story come to us.
In early June, a local
mother called the DCN to
suggest we interview her
son, a recent graduate of
DCHS. Little did I know
that I would soon be talk
ing to an FFA chapter
president, award-winning
pig-shower and all-around
bright young man.
Admittedly, I knew
nothing about the process
of raising pigs beforehand,
but the industrious Freddie
Jenkins was more than
eager to fill me in. The
passion he had for his pigs
— and the countless hours
he spent caring for them
— was truly admirable.
As important as it is to
talk to people who have a
deep understanding of this
community’s history, it is
just as important — in my
view — to tell the stories
of impactful people who
are no longer with us.
That was the case with
longtime DCHS assistant
football coach George
Moser, who died last May
from stomach cancer.
In speaking to head
coach Sid Maxwell and
assistant coach Gary
Wilson, I learned that
Moser served the Tigers
in a volunteer capacity for
17 years, using his energy
and wisdom to motivate
young men no matter
where they fell on the
depth chart.
Even while undergoing
cancer treatment, Moser
continued to attend foot
ball games and maintain a
presence on the sideline.
The DCN reported on his
final season with the team
in the fall of 2021.
Paige Sweany/Sole Photography)
George Moser speaks to the football team during
the 2021 season while undergoing treatment for
stomach cancer. Moser passed away on Monday,
May 16, after 17 years as a DCHS coach.
White
Dawson County Humane Society
a no kill shelter
706-265-9160
Doggie Spotlight
Meet Peck! He is timid, sweet, playful boy who is looking
for a place to call his own. Peck loves playing outside with
his kennel mates. He came in from a hoarding situation
that brought in many unsocialized dogs. As a result of his
upbringing he is timid upon first meeting him but with the
right family and patience he will become a loyal companion.
Come schedule a meet and greet to see if Peck is the perfect
fit for your family!
Peck
For more information contact the 706-265-9160 | 633 Martin Rd, Dawsonville
Dawson County Humane Society Adjacent to the Rock Creek Sports Complex
Visit our RESALE SHOP & BOUTIQUE All proceeds benefits
Wed. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. | 54 S. Lumpkin Campground Rd. the Humane bociety
ANH Collision
Specialists
706-216-0992
103 Industrial Park Road,
Dawsonville
Bradley M. Maple
CPA, PC
706-216-2362
2390 Thompson Rd • Ste 100
Dawsonville
Dawsonville
Veterinary
Hospital
706-265-8381
