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SECTION C
ForsythLife
Sunday, June 3.2012
ADLEN ROBINSON
Columnist
Visit stirs
memories
of father
Last Monday was
Memorial Day, and my
mother asked if we
wanted to accompany
her to visit my father's
grave at the Georgia
National Cemetery in
Canton.
It's hard for me to
believe it has been two
years since Dad passed
away. We decided to
make a day of it and
planned on visiting my
dad's burial site and then
going out to eat.
Although Canton is
not too far, w ith traffic it
is a little bit of a hike to
get there. Once you pull
off of Hwy. 20 onto the
long and w inding drive¬
way, you find yourself
relaxing. The views of
the Blue Ridge
Mountains are breathtak
ing.
When you reach the
office part of the ceme¬
tery. you park and make
your way to the wel¬
come center. There's a
user-friendly kiosk
where you enter your
loved one's name When
you find who you are
looking for. the machine
prints out a map of the
cemetery, w hich tells
you where to go. The
cemetery is on a 775
acre site, so believe me.
you need a map
One of the most
endearing qualities about
the history of this spe¬
cial place is that the
valuable land was donat¬
ed by a private citizen.
Scott Hudgens. A World
War 11 veteran. Hudgens
was a land developer and
philanthropist. He also
began a foundation so
that long after his death,
his philanthropic work
might continue.
Hudgens obviously
has a good seat in heav
en indeed the first
time 1 visited my dad’s I
site, I felt 1 was a little
closer to heaven in this
pristine setting.
With the help of the
map. we located my
dad's white cross.
Usually when 1 visit,
there are only a few
other people around Not
on Memorial Day. The
place was bustling with
activity as families
brought fresh flowers for
their loved ones and
kneeled at the crosses.
Each cross was deco¬
rated with a small flag
and it was a powerful
sight as the sea of white
crosses contrasted with
the brilliant green grass.
I cried a little seeing the
wind blow those little
flags, as if Old Glory
herself was honoring
those precious heroes
underneath her.
I stood with my moth¬
er. husband, brother and
two of our children for
awhile not saying any¬
thing at all. We all were
lost in our thoughts and
memories about the
great man my father
was.
Then mom suggested
we go over to a little cov¬
ered area where they
conduct funerals. Mom
wanted to have a little
devotional, which she
said is part of her ritual
when she visits Dad.
The white hydrangeas
were beautiful and the
weather was perfect. Wc
See FATHER 13C
Editor Kevin Atwill can be reached at editori^Kirsythnews.com or (770) 887-3126.
EDUCATION
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Summer learning
courts H
young readers
with challenge
By McKenzie Stanford
mstantorcRJtofsythnews com
The Forsyth County Public Library is i
holding a summer challenge in hopes of
getting children involved in enjoyable
reading.
The “Dream Big: Read" program gives
students a chance to get involved with
the library and read books that engage
them.
Vanessa Cowie, the library 's youth ser¬
vices coordinator, said officials want to w y wM M
children and read *
encourage teenagers to .
for their ow n enjoyment
"That's our goal," she said. "And *
research shows that learning happens at
the same time What a wonderful bonus."
According to Cowie, about 3,000 chil¬ *
dren participated in the incentive pro¬
gram in 2011 Library staff hopes aboul
10.000 sign up this year
Retaining language information over 1
the summer is another goal of the
library's reading challenge. *
Cowie cited a 2010 study by
Dominican University that
found students who partici¬
pate in programs such as
this kept up reading skills
and often increased them
The theme for the mid¬
dle- and high-schoolers is
"Own the Night ” Adults are
welcome to join in as well.
Children who are too
young to read are also wel¬
come. Their parents, grand¬
parents and caregivers can
read the hooks to them
Recordings of some books
will also be played aloud
through library programs.
Each child will set individ¬
ual goals to encourage their
summer reading.
Those who meet their
goals will get a prize: the
choice of a book from a vari¬
of titles funded the
Forsyth County Public Library
Fncnds & Advocates.
Registration, which is required, will
continue through July 31 at www.for
sythpl.org. Those people who achieve
their reading goals will have until Aug
24 to claim their prizes.
Get ready for
a celestial show
From FCN regional staff reports
Even if you aren’t an astrono¬
my buff, this planetary event is
worth seeing — hut only with a
telescope
About 6:03 p.m Tuesday, a rare
astronomical event will be visible
from the Forsyth County area
And it won't happen again until
2117.
As the planet Venus crosses the
face of the sun. it will he visible
from many locations on Earth
The event, known as a plane¬
tary transit, was last visible from
Earth in June 2004 Prior to that,
the previous transit of Venus
«•
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■
ST*"**
Mr-
The library branches arc also holding a
free Summer Showcase.
The program, which focuses on chil¬
dren in kindergarten through fifth grade,
will showcase professional storytellers,
musicians, puppeleers and magicians.
occurred in 1882.
According to space.com. the
historic sky-watching event “is
among the rarest of predictable
phenomena."
There is also a historical impor¬
tance to the transits.
Edmund Halley of the comet
fame was the first to realize
that transits could be used to mea¬
sure the Earth's distance from the
sun, a distance called the astro¬
nomical unit
There will be two places set up
in nearby Hall County to view the
transit.
See SHOW | 3C
Photos by Autaim V»n*r Forsyth County Nows
Gabe Alen reads as Bethany Green, left,
checks out books Thursday at the
Cumming library.The Forsyth County
Public Library is holding a summer
challenge to get children involved in
reading.
Contact
For more information on the Forsyth
County Public Library's summer read¬
ing incentives or the free Summer
Showcase go to, www.forsythpl.org
or contact Vanessa Cowie at cowiev@
forsythpl.org.
The Summer Showcase lineup began
Saturday with "The Puppet Guy" Lee
Bryan, who presented "The Giant, the
Beanstalk, and Jack" at the Cumming
Library'.
Other people will be performing at var¬
ious libraries throughout the summer.
2012 Transit of Venus
• Chestatee Science Club
When: 5:45 p.m.Tuesday
Where: Chestatee High School, Sardis Road
in northwestern Hail County
Cost: Free
Contact: (S41) 475 1578, fasterlock@att.net
• Elachee Nature Science Center and North
Georgia Astronomers
When: 5 p.m.Tuesday
Where: Empty lot across from the Sam’s Club in
Oakwood
Cost: Free
Contact: (770) 535-7181
•Also
For information about the transit visit transitofve
nus.org or www.space.com.