Newspaper Page Text
Wf ONESDAY, JUNE 6,2012
FCSO’s self-defense course
emphasizes
Women learn
ways to protect
themselves
By Alyssa LaRenzie
slat eoiie&f ot sythnews c om
Sandy Glascoe envisioned her
attacker standing in front of her
and yelled at the top of her lungs
as she pounded a red punching
bag with a swift open palm hit.
The man behind the pad, Jeff
Gresser, smiled and praised
Glascoe’s technique. He then
welcomed the next in line to take
a shot.
Forsyth County Sheriff's Sgt
A.J Frampton told about 30
women at a Saturday assault pre¬
vention class that committing the
moves to muscle memory will
enable them to react properly in
case of an attack.
“If you think about it and you
think about it often enough, your
body will do it," Frampton said.
The six-hour course at the
Lanier Technical College
Forsyth Conference Center was
the long version of the free com¬
munity class for women.
It helps them learn how to not
to be a victim, how to defend
against attackers and learn their
rights under the law.
Teenagers, adults and seniors
spent the first portion of the
class listening to a presentation
and asking questions, and fin¬
ished by learning how to physi¬
cally react.
The end goal in case of an
attack, Frampton said, is to get
away.
A kick or hit can stun someone
just long enough to get a running
Soldier’s death brings
sadness to Dawsonville
By Chelsea Thomas
FCN regional staff
DAWSONVILLE — A staff ser¬
geant from Dawsonville who was
killed in Afghanistan last week is
being remembered as a loving family
man and dedicated soldier.
•* Alexander G. Povilaitis, 47, died
when enemy forces
attacked his vehicle
with an improvised
explosive device in
Kandahar Province,
Afghanistan, accord¬
ing to a report from
the U S. Department
of Defense.
"He was one of the
greatest men I have
ever known. I don’t even know what to
say right now," said Povilaitis' ex
wife, Kim, who was married to him
for 30 years.
Shc said their two children. Danny,
27, and Blaine, 21, were in shock
when the new s reached them Thursday
afternoon
Povilaitis’ other survivors include
his current wife, also named Kim, and
two stepchildren
Based in Washington at Joint Base
Lewis-McChord. Povilaitis was
assigned to the 570th Sapper
Company. 14th Engineer Battalion,
555th Engineer Brigade
He was a decorated soldier with
medals and decorations including the
Bronze Star, three Army
Commendation Medals and an
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with
Campaign Star
Pam Hamalainen, president of the
Veterans Affairs of Dawson County,
said it's a sad time for the county and
Povilaitis' family. She said his death
called to mind another war casualty.
“It is truly a tragic time It’s opening
a wound that just started to heal
because seven years ago on June 18,
1st Lt. Noah Harris was killed in
action," Hamalainen said "Our heart
goes out to the family."
Hams, 24, was killed in 2005 when
insurgents fired rocket-propelled gre
nadcs at his Humvee. He had been in
Iraq for just five months
Army officials later presented
Harris' family with the Bronze Star
and Purple Heart
Local veteran Bill Sexton said sacri
fices like those of Hams and Povilaitis
are always sobering
"It is a sad day when an American
has to give up his life to help us enjoy
our lives," he said "We should appre
ciate what they sacrifice for us more
with every breath
9 ■■■•
iiviaf
.I-.
Alyn* latUnii* Forsyth County News
Marielos Bond practices fending off an attacker with Jeff Gresser
of the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office.
head start, he said.
Women should also yell "help"
or “stop" to get the attention of
others, said Frampton, adding
that "chivalry’s not dead."
As the women practiced the
physical defense maneuvers, he
also offered tips such as "The
lighter you hit, the louder you
should yell," and that screams
get the blood pumping to hit
harder
Frampton said the course,
which is one of the office’s
"more popular classes," is
offered frequently, sometimes in
subdivisions or for community
groups.
»
.• I
Povilaitis
Kristie Campbell came
Saturday to learn how she could
protect herself and. more impor¬
tantly, her children The knowl¬
edge she gained left her feeling
more prepared.
"He’s actually corrected a Jot
of myths about what you should
and should not do, like things
you hear from your friends,"
Campbell said
The portion of the class on
legal self-defense rights had the
same effect for Ginger Ellis, who
said she'd learned a lot from the
midday session.
“I highly recommend this for
women of all ages," Ellis said
'It is a sad day when an
American has to give up
his life to help us enjoy
our lives.'
Bill Sexton
Local military veteran
Povilaitis began his service in the
Army in February 1984 and served
three years as a single channel radio
operator, according to record units.
After a break, he enlisted in the U S.
Army Reserve in March 2008
In September of that year, Povilaitis
re-entered the active duty Army and
reported to Fort Leonard Wood. Mo.,
for further training and advanced indi
vidual training in Military Occupational
Specialty I2B. meant for combat engi
neers. according to unit records
He was twice deployed to Iraq from
the White Sands Missile Range in New
Mexico. From November 2009-July
2010, he was deployed in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom,
Povilaitis was transferred to the
Joint Base Lew is-McC'hord in
Washington in June 2011 and first
deployed to Afghanistan with his unit
a month later He was still on that
deployment when the fatal attack
occurred
Michael P McMahon, the post com¬
mander of Lumpkin and White
County's Veterans of Foreign Wars
Post 5533, responded with sadness for
Povilaitis and his family.
"It is a sad event anytime that a ser¬
vice member pays the ultimate price
for freedom and our nation, but when
it hits so close to home, it touches
every VFW member in our area, as we
all understand the risks." he said
He said post members await
Povilaitis’ return to show their condo¬
lences and respect.
As of Tuesday afternoon, family
members said the viewing of the cas¬
ket will be June 16 at Patterson's
Funeral Home in Atlanta. He will be
buried shortly after at the Georgia
National Cemetery. Arrangements are
still being made Don Brown, vice
president of Veterans Alfairs of
Dawson County, said local veterans
will do everything they can to make
sure Povilaitis' sacrifice is recognized
and appreciated.
“It is a shame when wc lose a sol
dicr of our country," he said "Wc will
ensure he is remembered in our com
mumty and do our duty to make sure
his name is honored."
foniythacwi.com | FORSYTf i COUNTY NEWS
Foundation
offers grants
to nonprofits
Deadline to
apply June 15
By Crystal Ledford
cledford®forsythnews com
Nonprofit organizations
in Forsyth County are
invited to apply for grant
funding.
The North Georgia
Community Foundation
announced that is it accept¬
ing applications for 2012
Community Impact Grants.
"|Our foundation]
believes in the importance
of strengthening local non¬
profits and their programs
that address the communi¬
ty’s most pressing needs,”
said Jim Mathis, president
of the foundation.
Through our
Community Impact Grant
Program, the foundation
provides assistance for
projects designed to
improve the quality of life
in our area.
The deadline to apply
for the grants, which are
aw arded to help nonprofits
fund programs that meet
critical needs, is noon June
15.
Recipients will be
announced in late July.
The foundation will
award grants between
$1,500 and $3,000.
Mathis said the founda¬
tion accepts applications
from organizations that are
classified as 501c3 tax-
Cumming balloonist ties for
second during annual race
Weather challenged
‘Helen to the Atlantic’
By Crystal tattonl
cledfonjaforsythnews com
A hot air balloon pilot from
Cumming was one of the top finishers
in the annual Helen to the Atlantic Hot
Air Balloon Race
The race began Thursday in the
northeast Georgia mountain town of
Helen It is the only long distance hot
air balloon race of its kind, stretching
from Helen to Interstate 95 near the
Georgia coast
Daryl Tatum, owner of Balloons
Over Georgia in Cumming, ended up
tying for second place in the event.
"It was another strange year." Tatum
said “No wind at all on the first day, so
wc didn't even get out of the county,
and under those conditions 1 get bored
easily. Then the second day the weather
was bad all day "
Tatum won the event in 2009 and
2010 and tied for first place in 2008
“Balloonmcisfcr" Tarp Head said
(here were 25 teams vying for first
place, coming from several different
states including Florida, Ohio,
Alabama, Tennessee and New Mexico.
V
Thrift * Stores OUSft !f
0 V * 50% OFF
All Furniture &
Electronics
on Wednesday June 6th, Thursday June 7th,
and Friday June 8th!
PLUS TAKE AN EXTRA 20% OFF
on Saturday, June 9th!
Cum mine Locations
6800 Dahlonega Hwy., Silver City
3427 Keith Bridge Rd., Hammonds Crossing
678-208-2000 • www.abbahouse.com
3A
At a glance
• For more informa¬
tion on the
Community Impact
Grants application
process, visit www.
ngcf.org/grants.
Applications must be
received by noon
June 15.Those inter¬
ested can also con¬
tact (770) 535-7880,
Ext. 226.
exempt throughout a
15-county area in North
Georgia.
Besides Forsyth, the
region includes Dawson,
Hall and Lumpkin coun¬
ties, among others.
In 2011, grants were
awarded to a range of non¬
profits, including those
providing transitional
housing, personal hygiene
products, mentoring pro¬
grams and assistance for
disabled children and
senior citizens.
Since 1985, the North
Georgia Community
Foundation has been dedi¬
cated to enhancing the
spirit and quality of life in
the northeast Georgia area
by building, managing and
awarding charitable grants
from a pool of community
funds valued in excess of
$38 million.
To date, more than $40
million in grants have been
presented.
The shortest distance in the race is
225 miles and it usually lakes two days
to complete
It has been done in one day. though
some races have taken as many as four
days due to poor weather conditions.
Tatum said this year’s race wrapped
up Friday evening, after bad weather
during the day kept him and the other
pilots from flying much
"About 6 p m someone told us the
third team had landed not very' far at
all So we decided to chase him down,”
Tatum said. "Wc got in the air about
6:30 p.m. and about 30 minutes later, 1
actually flew across the third balloon.
"Wc only had a little time to fly
because we had to be on the ground at
sunset, which was about 8:40.”
In the end. Tatum said he tied for
second place w ith DJ Stukas, just a few
miles short of w inner Steve Stoke.
The race also included a hot air bal¬
loon festival in Helen, with activities
for the public, including tethered rides
up to 75 feet off the ground.
This year marked the race and festi¬
val's 39th anniversary.
The Hclendorf River Inn &
Conference Center was again head
quarters for the event, as it has been
since 1974
FCN regional staff contributed to this report.