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Family Haven offers a new start to abused women
By Mary Pitman
For the Forsyth County News
Family Haven, a domestic
abuse shelter for women,
faced many challenges dur
ing the past year. The non
profit organization put more
than $30,000 into repairs on
the existing 18-bed shelter.
But the increased demand for
services means that’s not
enough. A new shelter is
needed.
“There are no government
grants available, so we have
to appeal to the community.”
said Lee Ann Baumann,
executive director.
The volunteers and
administrative staff are work
ing to make the new shelter a
reality.
To raise funds. Family
Haven is holding a raffle for
a fully loaded 2004 Nissan
Sentra I.BS. The car is val
ued at $16,250.
The drawing as part of the
second annual Taste of
Forsyth on April 18 at the
fairground's arena. “Taste” is
the agency's other major
fund-raiser.
“We moved to the fair
grounds so we could increase
the size,” Baumann said.
"Last year we has 22 restau
rants and close to 1,000 peo
ple. We want to double the
number of restaurants this
year.”
The restaurant menu was
expanded to include bakeries,
candy stores and ice cream
shops.
Confirmed participants
include Austin’s. Beef
O’Brady's, Buckhead Bre
wery. Cuban Press. El Rio.
Jersey Mike’s Subs, Jit ter
mugs, LaCazuela, Marzan
no’s Pizza. O’Charley's.
Party Art. Roasted Garlic.
Serendipity, Shake’s Frozen
Custard, Summit's Wayside
Tavern. The Foster House,
The Sandwich Market and
Uncle Vito’s Pizza.
Additional eateries are wel
come.
Northern park supporters win
argument for community building
By Nancy Smallwood
Associate Editor
Forsyth County commis
sioners agreed to move up the
schedule for the completion of a
community building at Coal
Mountain Park to 2004. The
northern park, located on
Settingdown Road, is the only
one in the county that does not
have a community building. The
building will be built with funds
from the most recent Special
Purpose Local Option Sales Tax
(SPLOST).
Cindy Mills, park supporter
and member of the county parks
and recreation board, said the
community building was one of
the top three projects recom
mended in the March 2003
SPLOST vote. It was originally
scheduled to be completed in
2004 but the county commis
sion subsequently changed it to
a 2006 completion date.
The March 2003 SPLOST
vote allocated $12.25 million
for county parks and Mills
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At stake will be bragging
rights, for entries will be
judged and recognition given.
Categories include:
• Cold and Hot appetiz
ers/Soups/Sandwiches
• Cold and Hot beverages
• Dessert/Baked Goods/
Ice Cream
Entrees consisting of the
following cuisines: continen
tal, Italian, Mexican, country
cooking, French, Chin
ese/Asian/sushi, pizza and
barbecue.
The barn will house a
diverse and high quality craft
show. Entertainment will be
provided by various commu
nity groups. The kids will
have sno-cones, cotton
candy, a moonwalk and
more.
A live auction run by
David Fanning will offer
upscale items such as a week
at a condo in Cabo San
Lucas. Mexico, a chartered
fishing trip and sports memo
rabilia.
A chance to bid on items
from the vendors at the
"Taste" and from the commu
nity will be available during
a silent auction.
Tickets for the raffle are
$5 each or five for S2O. They
can be purchased at the
Family Haven administrative
office. Inside Additions, the
gift shop at Northside
Hospital Forsyth and both
thrift stores.
“Makeover With A
Mission." was a new fund
raiser this year. A group of
top plastic surgeons, cosmet
ic dentists, hair and makeup
artists, stylist and a personal
trainer offered their services.
Three lucky winners were
chosen and have already had
their makeovers. The reveal
ing party will be in April 21.
Half the proceeds from
the event went to Family
Haven; the other half went to
another charitable organiza
tion
Members of the
Creekstone Estates subdivi-
served on the park project prior
itizing committee which includ
ed the Coal Mountain commu
nity building as one of its top
projects. When park supporters
were made aware of the sched
ule change they lobbied com
missioners to push the construc
tion date up. said Mills.
“We were able to speak with
Commissioner [Charles)
Laughinghouse and describe the
need for the building in the
community,” said Mills.
“Currently, there is not even a
place for the coaches to meet"
Road projects for the
SPLOST are taking priority and
some of the park and recreation
projects did get pushed back to
2006. said Laughinghouse.
“This park is the only one
without a community building."
said Laughinghouse. “The citi
zens need it so we agreed to
move up the construction."
The county hopes to utilize
the design for the Sharon
Springs Park community build-
sion will be hosting Concert
on the Creek on May 22 to
benefit victims of domestic
violence. With a Chastain
Park Amphitheatre-type
atmosphere, guests can
munch on treats they bring
while listening to music. A
table decorating contest is
also planned.
The fund-raisers offer the
community an extra opportu
nity to help women and their
children who live with terror.
But one of the most depend
able sources of revenue for
Family Haven remains its
thrift stores.
In addition to the cash
generated, the stores provide
free clothing for those who
flee in the middle of the
night with nothing but the
clothes on their back.
When they are ready to
start their lives over, the
stores help provide house
hold goods.
The store at Kelly Mill
and Bethelview recently
underwent its own
"makeover."
Donations were coming in
faster than the volunteers
could handle them.
Sometimes people would
leave clothes and furniture
outside after hours. When it
rained, the donations got
ruined and had to be thrown
away.
The store was restructured
from the inside out. Three
carports were added to pro
tect donated furniture from
the rain. Loads of gravel,
another donation, were
spread around the parking
lot.
The improvements have
brought back old business.
"People who had given to
us years ago are coming
back," said Baumann. “One
lady who used to donate to us
was headed elsewhere with
her donations. She saw how
the place had been cleaned
up and turned around and
came back. And then she
came back again the next
ing. thus eliminating the need to
go out for bid on a new design,
according to Dane Perry, assis
tant county administrator.
Budget for the project is
$450,000. Park officials and
purchasing director Ed Miller
met with the architect
Wednesday.
FORSYTH SMALL
ENGINES, INC.
Mower
Repairs and
Parts for:
Murray,
Sears, Scotts,
MTD and
many more,
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Photo/Audra Perry
Lee Ann Baumann and Linda Bowman pose in front of the Family Haven offices
Friday with an array of items that will be auctioned at the annual "Taste of Forsyth" on
April 18. All proceeds will go to the Family Haven.
week ”
A similar makeover is
planned for the Browns
Bridge thrift store location.
The last change that
Family Haven went through
this year is getting rid of the
office lounge where the staff
would eat their lunch.
“We had a lot of victims
of violence coming through
applying for temporary aid to
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FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS Sunday. April 4,2004
needy families,” Baumann
explained. “The food stamps
wouldn’t kick in for a couple
days.”
The staff gave up their
lunchroom and turned it into
a pantry where their clients
can take what they need.
With a promise of 5 acres
of land and the nonstop fund
raising efforts, Baumann
hopes to break ground for the
PAGE 11A
new shelter by the end of the
year.
For additional information
about Family Haven or any
of the fund-raisers, call
Baumann at (770) 889-6384.
If you are a victim of
domestic violence, there is
help. Call the 24-hour hotline
at(770)887-1211.
Family Haven is a United
Way agency.