Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

V' | UH %MB J|| Iw Bk oKbj^gßHgߧi- f ..ifpSßsK J^Hgaw - v ’ . _ - ’. ” ’ 11 / ' ' |g Shrine Club gives to community Recently the Cumming Shrine Club donated SI,OOO to the Dept, of Family and Children’s Services to be used for pur chasing Christmas gifts for foster children. Presenting the check was Shrine Club Pres. Bil Loden, Nobles Dick Douthat, Henry Pair and Henry Willard. Tips on choosing good day care According to David Kurtz, Ph.D., director of the Childhelp IOF Foresters Child Abuse Hotline (1- 800-4-A-CHILD), parents, particu larly single parents, need to be very proactive when choosing a day care provider. “Parents need to be informed consumers and not just settle for day care that is conveniently locat ed and economical,” states Kurtz. “Keep in mind that your child’s safety and welfare is in the hands of these strangers.” Studies show that mothers of pre school-aged children are the fastest growing segment of the workforce. Sixty-three percent of women with children under five work either full or part-time. U. S . Department of Labor statis tics show, that, by the year 2000, approximately two-thirds of all entrants into the labor force will be women. Couple these figures with the fact that pre-school-aged children are at highest risk for abuse, it becomes clear that the need and type of baby-sitting is different from the way it used to be. With the increase of single parents and two career families the need for appro priate child care is becoming more critical. “People should expect more from baby-sitters than they did in the past,” states Kurtz. “Single parents who may be par ticularly overwhelmed with the sole burden of raising a child should be especially mindful and not let the need for relief of their situation override their common sen Se.” Kiirtz offers the following points to consider when choosing a day care facility: • Check for an “open door” poli cyi A day care center with nothing to hide should encourage parents to drop in any time, unannounced. • Ask friends and family for referrals for day care agencies they have used and felt good about. • Request references from a day care agency, and speak to parents whp have used their services. • Determine whether the day care is state licensed. • Check with the licensing board to determine if any formal com plaints have ever been made against the day care. • Walk through the center and make sure it is “childproofed.” Is it physically safe for children? • Be observant of the staff-child interactions and the environment the agency has created for the chil dren. Is there a balance between Structured and free time? Do the Children seem happy? Are there /4 '7U<u SeatoMt Sninyb a nee* ■■**— \jP - -«► to Call Fairfield Mortgage Mortgages Now Available For 00^ • Lots • Raw Land • Single & Double wide Mobile Homes • Commercial Property • Rental Property • Condominiums • Apartments • Duplexes • Residential Homes to Permanent on Residential and Commercial Property Required for Approval Not Required 00^ • Completed Application • Verificaiton of Employment, Deposit and Liabilities • Credit Score • Bank Statements • Appraisal • Tax Returns & Profit and Loss Statements tjr ± < if NH& gH& M enough toys and supplies? Do the children seem involved and inter ested in what they are doing? • Check that children’s basic needs are attended to in a timely fashion. For example, are their runny noses wiped and diapers changed? • Inquire about the ratio between caregivers and children. Is it low enough for children to receive some individualized attention? Avoid an overcrowded day care. • Ask for circumstances that will prompt the day care to call a parent in regards to their child. For more information or help with child abuse, call the Childhelp IOF Foresters Child Abuse Hotline, 1-800-4-A-CHILD. IOF Foresters, with over 1 million members in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, is a not-for-profit fraternal benefit organization involved in a number of projects that help families. 1435 Dahlonega Hwy. Authorized Agent S Vi *Some restriction may apply • Debit Ratios • Mortgage Insurance Call Randy Styles 308 Tribble Gap Road, Suite A lender Cumming, Ga 30130 Qa. Residential Mortgage Licensee qqq 17/1/1 Fairfield Mortgage Associate of Gainesville OOy-J / lr» t 451 EE Butler Pkwy. Gainesville, GA 30501 Optimists begin 20th year of tree sales By Jim Riley Staff Writer With the turkey, dressing and cranberry sauce already digested, Forsyth County residents are turning their attention to the trap pings of the Christmas season. The first sign that Christmas is coming is the family tradition of trimming the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. The Forsyth County Optimist Club is celebrating its twentieth year of existence by holding a Christmas tree sale at Tri-Countv Plaza in Cumming. The location was donated by Sun Trust Bank. h&: Tf| *T Wv ~ x% : %. Bryan Bryant and his daughter Jordan shopped at the Optimist Club’s tree lot on Ga. Hwy. 9 next door to Sun Trust Bank on Friday. They were assisted by the Optimist Club’s president, Jo Allison Carr. The sale has been held in that location since 1980. The lot will be open for sales on weekdays from noon to 9 p.m. On weekends, Christmas trees will be sold from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. President Jo Carr said that “this is the one big fund raiser for our projects. We will raise SIO,OOO to $12,000 and every penny will go back into the community for our youth,” she said. The trees are freshly cut 5 foot to 16 foot frazier furs from Goodman’s Christmas Trees in West Jefferson, North Carolina and are priced from $25 to SBS. “We have very few 12 foot to 16 PUSHES « Get your winter auto work done at jolly holiday prices. Stop in today for a complete winterization check. We’ll check and double-check. • Free Computer Check with Tune-Up • Have Your Car Checked for Old Man Winter foot trees so they go very fast,” Carr said. “Our prices are the best in town.” In order to ensure that the trees remain fresh, the club is ordering a new shipment of trees that will arrive on December 2. The Optimist Club will order a total of 737 trees to be sold. “Frazier furs are the best because the needles don’t hurt your hands or fall off easily, and they are very easy to decorate,” she said. “Plus, they hold their shape well.” Club members work at the Christmas tree lot on a strictly voluntary basis with members 781-5342 781-4993 FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS Sunday. November 26. 1995 Photo/Tom Brooks setting up the lot and working to sell each tree before Christmas In years past all of the trees have been gone by mid-December. Tips for keeping trees fresh include keeping water in the tree stand all of the time, keeping the tree out of the sun while inside the house and before being set up. Carr thanked the Junior Optimist Club at Otwell Middle School for helping with the lot, and Directors Darrell Wilkins and Bob Nygaard for the work that they have done. The programs that have been selected for this year include: 1. Youth of the Month and Year. 2. Essay Contest. 3. Youth Appreciation Event. 4. Track Meet. 5. Oratorical Contest. 6. Scholarships: Oratorical and Technical. 7. Youth in Government Day. 8. Civic Youth Day. 9. Respect for Law. 10. Environmental Day. Let’s Talk Real d-Alale, i by Donald J. Kieffer, Sr. EARNEST INTENTIONS A buyer who is serious about pur chasing a property will put an amount of cash to signal his or her intentions. This “earnest" money shows that the buyer is operating in good faith. On the offer to purchase, the earnest money serves as a deposit and is normally 5 to 10 percent of the sales price. Once the seller receives the earnest money, he or she will usually stop showing the property and wait to sec if the buyer can attain a mortgage. In the meantime, the money will most likely go into an escrow account held by the selling broker. If the sale goes through, the earnest money (plus interest) is often used as part of the cash down payment paid to the seller. If the sale does not go through due to some contingency in the contract, the earnest money will be refunded to the buyer. This is also the case when the sale does not go through because of a problem on the seller’s side. If the buyer is at fault, however, the return of earnest money may be subject to negotiation. The agent listing or showing the prop-, erty can fully explain the legal and finan cial implications of the offer and the pur chase and sales contracts. CENTURY 2} NORTH TOWNE REALTY, INC. is affiliated with the most highly regarded real estate organization in the world. Our local and national referral system helps both buyers and sellers get the best value in real estate. We list and sell commercial, residential, lake front, and investment properties. Call 889-7980 or 800-767- 5302, 24 hours a day, or visit our office located on Highway 20, 1 5 miles east of GA 400 exit 14. * HINT: Sometimes, a buyer will attach a check to the offer to purchase as a show of good faith. The rest of the earnest money is then due when the contract is, signed by both parties. Donald Kieffer, Sr. Broker < C-21, North Towne Realty Ed Adams: If you are for a caring agent to help you buy or sdl your hare, land or commercial prop- oty.ajl Ed Adams., You will receivi l prompt and pro-*’ fessional servictf from an awartf winning realtor.y I Downtown —s. Cumming -> g. Elm St. IXI I PAGE 7A