Gaddis wins deciding
tennis match to send
Lady Tigers to
Sweet 16. spokis,ib
Judge rejects bond request
for man accused of dozens
of child sex crimes, inside, 4a
DawsonCountyNews
WEDNESDAY I APRIL 26, 2023 DaWSOflNeWS >COnri DAWSONVULE, GEORGIA $2.00
Groups gather, distribute mobility aids
FODAC refurbishes equipment for those in need to improve quality of life, with Rotary help
By Erica Jones
ejones@dawsonnews.com
This week, two local Rotary
clubs unveiled a long-awaited
project that they have been
working on together: a partner
ship with statewide organiza
tion FODAC to help collect and
redistribute medical equipment
to those in need.
FODAC, which stands for
Friends of Disabled Adults and
Children, is an organization
headquartered in Tucker, GA
that collects and refurbishes
medical equipment for adults
and children with disabilities to
help improve their mobility and
overall quality of life.
“We collect, refurbish and
then redistribute it to people
who can’t afford to buy the
equipment; we do that all
across the state of Georgia,”
FODAC Director of Program
Development Christine
Fleming said. “We give out
millions of dollars worth of
equipment throughout the year,
and the requests for equipment
far exceed what we collect, so
we’re constantly trying to find
new opportunities.”
Groups like Rotary clubs
throughout the state hold drives
and help collect donations for
FODAC, and the organization
then goes to those sites to pick
up the donations. The differ
ence with the new donation site
in Dawson County, Fleming
said, is that it can be complete
ly self-contained.
“The cool thing with this
project is that they’re able to
collect, sanitize it and redistrib
ute it quickly, and we’re just
going to come collect the stuff
that either they can’t clean or it
needs seriously repaired,”
Fleming said.
The new collection site is a
partnership between the Rotary
Club of Dawson County and
See Medical 13A
Erica Jones Dawson County News
Local Rotarians and FODAC leadership stand in front of their
new Dawson County collection container that they will use
to collect and distribute medical equipment to those in need.
‘The heart and soul of our schools’
Photos by Erica Jones Dawson County News
Dawson County Schools Superintendent Nicole LeCave speaks during the chamber's annual teachers of the
year luncheon on April 20.
Dawson Chamber honors 2022-23 teachers of the year
By Erica Jones
ejones@dawsonnews.com
On Thursday April 20,
the teachers of the year
from each of the seven
schools were recognized
and honored during the
Dawson County Chamber
of Commerce’s annual
teachers of the year lun
cheon.
Every year, a teacher of
the year is selected for
each of the seven schools
in the Dawson County
school system. Each of
these teachers is selected
for the honor by their peers
at their school and honored
during the chamber’s annu
al luncheon.
The luncheon was spon-
sored by Northside
Hospital Forsyth and fea
tured a catered lunch and
presentations by the cham
ber, sponsor and superin
tendent as well as an
opportunity for each prin
cipal to introduce their
school’s teacher of the year
for the 2022-23 school
year.
In her welcome to the
attendees, Dawson County
Chamber of Commerce
President and CEO Mandy
Power thanked each of the
teachers for their hard
work and congratulated
them on being named as
the teachers of the year.
See Teachers 13A
Dawson County Chamber of Commerce President and
CEO Mandy Power speaks during the chamber's annual
teachers of the year luncheon on April 20.
Teens in cases
of petty crime
offered new
opportunity
By Erica Jones
ejones@dawsonnews.com
The City of Dawsonville is starting a
new Community Service Work Program,
which will be specifically geared toward
juveniles who have participated in petty
crime and vandalism around the city.
In a presentation to the Dawsonville City
Council during its April 17 meeting, City
Manager Bob Bolz said that the communi
ty service program is something that’s been
in the works for several months now.
“We’ve been talking for several months
about developing a community service pro
gram and it actually will be going into
effect on the 29th of this month,” Bolz said.
See Community 12A
Elections head
marks 20 years
with department
By Julia Hansen
jhansen@dawsonnews.com
Over the past two decades, Glenda
Ferguson has seen an array of staffing,
office and precinct changes within Dawson
County’s Elections and Voter Registration
department.
Many of those changes became possible
because of people like Jeannine McGee,
the county’s former chief registrar and
elections superintendent.
And for over 15 years, Ferguson has
served as the election office’s leader.
During their April 20 meeting, col
leagues commended Ferguson with a reso
lution detailing her “dedicating her time to
free, fair and efficient elections” for
Dawson County citizens.
See Elections 13A
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9 0 9 9 4
Inside
Volume 9, Number 17
© 2023, Dawson County News
Dawsonville, Georgia
Events
2B
Classifieds
6B
Dear Abby
5B
Deaths
2A
Legals
7B
Opinion
7A
Sports
1B
Rotary Club
hosts annual
golf tourney.
6A Kids, adults
grow love of
nature at
Earth Day
events.
BEST OF DAWSON
FOR COSMETICDENTISTRY
IW
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS
ercf/u/
B. Manzur, D.M.D
754 Hwy 53 West
Dawsonville, GA
706-265-2505
