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Humane Society working through volunteers
The Humane Society of Forsyth
County is a nonprofit organization
that is not funded by local or state
government. It operates totally by
unpaid volunteers and relies on
financial and volunteer support of
businesses, individuals and other
organized groups. The Humane
Society does not have an actual
shelter at this time, but drawings
and plans are in the works to
begin construction of such in the
near future.
The Humane Society very
proudly promotes an early spay
and neuter program to prevent
future generations of unwanted
animals. Nearly 100 percent of all
animals within the HSFC’s pro
gram are altered before they are
placed for adoption. Many of
Forsyth’s abandoned and/or
abused animals have been saved
Senior citizens are keeping active and involved at the senior center
Vo v
By Terry Pavla
Correspondent
Our senior citizens are busier
than ever.
Ever wonder where the best trav
eled seniors in the state are?
The trip the seniors of Forsyth
County took this year is some
thing to write about: a night in
Pigeon Forge, a cruise on the
Ohio River, a tour of Churchill
'Downs-Tennessee, Kentucky,
'Virginia and Indiana.
1 “Our longest trip ever was a
huge success,” says Libby
Jackson, director of the Forsyth
County Multi-Purpose Center for
the past 23 years.
Jackson also escorted her seniors
’to Nashville, Tenn., touring
Opryland and singing on their bus
with a Patsy Cline look alike.
Besides their long trips, the
• seniors also went to Ellijay for
: apples last fall, peaches in Lula
*:tast summer, the pumpkin patch
;;and a bright display of Christmas
flights, the Cherry Blossom
7'Festival in Macon - they don’t
;miss a beat!
I' In Jackson’s early years with the
it was merely a two-days
•\-week hot lunch program. Now
: Some things are
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through the foster home program.
Volunteers lovingly accept these
animals into their homes until a
suitable permanent home becomes
available. More foster homes are
desperately needed and will con
tinue to be so even after the con
struction of our shelter. There are
many more animals than the cur
rent foster homes can handle. If
you are interested in becoming a
“foster parent,” please call Joyce
Richert, foster home chairperson
(770) 889-1365.
In addition to placing animals in
quality homes, the HSFC pro
motes animal education through
out the Forsyth County School
System.
Elementary students in various
grades receive the “Kind News”
publication that the HSFC distrib
utes. Kind News gives informa-
it’s a five-day program that’s
much, much more than just a hot
lunch.
The center has evolved into the
Multi-Purpose Senior Center and
it is the focal point for county res
idents over the age of 60 in need
of service.
Ironically, it’s the seniors who
are giving back to the community.
When the county seniors aren’t
on field trips, exercising, attend
ing health lectures, quilting, play
ing dominoes, attending movie
night, making crafts or playing
bingo, they are working diligently
in many ways. An ongoing ser
vice at the center is a program
called “telephone reassurance.”
By calling seniors via telephone,
they keep track of those who are
alone and seek those which need
assistance.
One retired preacher at the cen
ter carries on a ministry with a
local nursing home. Some seniors
kept very busy this year stuffing
envelopes for the local cancer
drive. Hundreds of cards were
sent out all over Georgia for the
breast cancer drive. “They worked
like beavers,” says Jackson.
Another popular volunteer activity
is reading to children throughout
the community.
ARTS & COMMUNITY
tion about animals, animal care,
how animals relate to human
beings, activities that can be
incorporated into the daily class
schedule and much more. The
Education, and Pets for Therapy
groups, with their dogs, actually
visit schools to bring awareness of
the wonderful ways animals can
enrich the lives of human beings.
They also explore the correlation
of child and animal abuse with
some classes. Several nursing
home facilities also receive regu
lar visits from the Pets for
Therapy Group and their dogs.
Several major fundraising events
are held during the year. First up
on the calendar is the third
Annual Humane Hearts Charity
Golf Tournament on June 16. This
year’s tournament will be held at
the beautiful new Chestatee Golf
If you’ve ever visited the center,
you are sure to see some quilting
going on. Quilting goes on every
single day and it is a great source
of revenue for the center.
“If it wasn’t for quilting, some
seniors would never come here,”
says Jackson.
In March, 1998, Jackson started
an Alzheimer’s Respite Program,
which entailed entertaining
Alzheimer’s patients with music
and dance, practicing hand-eye
coordination in an effort to relieve
their caregivers and give them a
couple hours of personal time.
For homebound elders in the
community, the volunteers at the
center deliver more than 125
meals a week.
Transportation to the grocery
store, the doctor and other errands
is provided at the center and part
of their daily services.
Keeping abreast of health and
proper nutrition is a long-term
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Course in Dawsonville. This
course will not officially become
open until sometime around June
1. The Humane Society will be
one of the first organizations to
actually play on this spectacular
course. Special surprise celebrity
guests are scheduled to help get
the tourney rolling. There will be
great food, super contest prizes
and goodies for all. Sponsors rep
resentative are invited to attend.
Teams, individual players, and
sponsors (hole and others) are
encouraged to sign up soon, as
this event is expected to draw a
great crowd. For more info on
participating or volunteering, call
Kim Gibson at (706) 216-3104 or
Donna Vickery at (770) 887-4589.
Please look for other events to be
advertised in the Forsyth County
News at a later date.
goal of the center. There are blood
pressure checks at least once or
twice a month and Jackson
arranges for various health profes
sionals in the community to lec
ture the seniors about proper pre
ventative care.
Heart specialists speak to the
seniors about “keeping a healthy
heart” and preventing heart dis
ease through exercise and proper
nutrition.
A familiar face at the center,
Debbie Wilburn of the Forsyth
County Cooperative Extension
Service regularly speaks to the
seniors about good health and eat
ing smart with fun and interesting
recipes.
Every Monday, Wednesday and
Friday morning, seniors of all
shapes, ages and sizes get fit dur
ing their “Body Recall” class. It’s
not really about losing weight,
says Jackson, but to bring muscles
back into place and to help peo-
FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS Sunday, March 28,1989 I
Photo/submitted
The Humane Society is constantly in need of temporary homes
for friendly faces such as this one. If you are interested in offer
ing a needy animal a temporary home, call (770) 889-1365.
pie relax and sleep better.
The exercise class started 10
years ago by Jackson and her
assistant, Mina Porpschy, who
now instructs the class.
Jackson’s wheels are turning,
and if she was granted a wish, at
this point she would vote for a
daycare center for the elderly in
the county.
“The closest center for elderly
who need assistance is in
Gainesville, and we need one
here,” she says.
For seniors in the county either
new to the area, or recently
retired, Jackson encourages them
to visit the center and pick up a
calendar and see the many activi
ties available.
The center is located at 595
Dahlonega St., next to the library.
Hours of operation are Monday
through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4
p.m. with a hot noon meal daily.
For any questions about the
Senior Center, Jackson welcomes
calls at (770) 781-2178.
Upcoming events include a car
show on Saturday, May 15, frorti
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Forsyth Central
High School. Refreshments Will
be served and all proceeds will go
toward the Senior Center.
If you are interested in volun
teering, call Libby Jackson or
Patsy Elmore at the Senior Center,
(770)781-2178.
The Senior Center’s annual
Senior Day will be held Tuesday,
May 25. • '
Lunch will be served with a
speaker and Miss Senior Georgia
will speak. This is a great oppor
tunity for singing and dancing and
volunteers include the Forsyth
County AARP and the Greatest
Little Coffee Club in the World.
Look for more information
about this annual event in future
editions of the Forsyth County
News.
PAGE 31D