Newspaper Page Text
Page 2A
February 28, 2018
■
Exporter
Monroe County Middle School teacher Jennifer Mitchell,
above, was chosen as a teacher-participant for the 2017
Georgia River Network's Paddle Georgia and found it a
worthwhile and enjoyable adventure. Left is a view from
her kayak during the trip.
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcmet
This year Georgia River
Network’s Paddle Georgia
will bring its 400-plus
participants through
Monroe County, and they
will see some of the coun
ty’s beauty that few of its
residents have enjoyed.
Registration for the 2018
seven-day canoe/kayak
adventure opened on Feb.
21.
The 14t.h annual river
and camping adventure
is set for June 16-22 on
the Yellow and Ocmulgee
Rivers, embarking in
the shadows of Stone
Mountain in suburban
Atlanta and ending at
Macon’s Amerson Park,
the city’s premier river
side park, where the tra
ditional river’s end feast
will be held. In between
participants will be
paddling through quiet
waters and rapids and
disembarking the river
at points of interest, like
the Whistle Stop Cafe in
Juliette.
The trip will cover
about 12 miles per day
through Gwinnett,
Rockdale and Newton
counties on the Yellow
River to Lake Jackson
and than through Jasper,
Butts, Monroe and
Jones counties on the
Ocmulgee. There will be
nightly programs about
the river’s ecology and
cultural history and
special tours of historic
sites and industrial facili
ties, plus some fun like a
street party in Porterdale
featuring music, food and
canoe tug-of-war competi
tion. Day 5 will go from
Lloyd Shoals Dam to
Georgia Hwy. 83, Day 6
from Hwy. 83 to Pope’s
Ferry, and Day 7 from
Pope’s Ferry to Amerson
Park, with a wild ride
over the Dames Ferry
rapids included in the
route.
Paddle Georgia
Coordinator Joe Cook
said the Paddle Georgia
is the largest canoe/
kayak event in the coun
try. It is a fundraiser for
Georgia River Network’s
and will also benefit the
Yellow River Water Trail,
Ocmulgee River Water
Trail and Altamaha
Riverkeeper. It is also a
glimpse into a popular
new segment of recre
ation, bringing tourists
to local communities as
water trails are developed
as amenities like bike
trails, ball fields, outdoor
art. and parks.
“We chose to venture on
the Yellow and Ocmulgee
this year largely because
of the work taking place
on the rivers to improve
access and promote
their use for recreational
activities,” said Cook.
“This is a chance for
people to see two rivers
that don’t get as much
attention as some of the
headline-stealing rivers
like the Chattahoochee
and Flint.”
Registration fees are
$425 for adults, $230 for
children 8-17 and $30 for
children 7 and under. A
limited number of spaces
are available for the first,
two or last, two days of
the trip. For more infor
mation, visit, www.gariv-
ers .org/paddle_georgia.
Or you can ask Jennifer
Mitchell, 8st.h grade
teacher at. Monroe
County Middle School,
who participated in
Paddle Georgia 2017 on
the Etowah River as the
recipient, of a teacher’s
scholarship.
“It. was fantastic,” she
said. “Of several outdoor
excursions I’ve done, it.
was the most, physically
demanding and the most.
fun.”
Mitchell said she had
no idea how rough pad
dling from 7:30 or 8 a.m.
until 3 p.m. could be on
one’s neck and shoulders
until she did it. for seven
consecutive days, but. it.
was definitely worth it..
She said families with
children were a wonder
ful part, of the two-day
Paddle-Lite, but. for most,
of the seven days, it. was
a fun camp for grown
ups. There were always
things to do—naturally
beautiful and historic
historic sights along the
river punctuated by wild
life and environmental
lessons and countless
opportunities for camara
derie with fellow paddlers
and tastes of the local
culture along the route.
Mitchell was part, of a
group of seven teachers
who learned from state
environmentalists along
the trip about, testing the
water and gaging the
health of the river.
There were lessons in
chemistry, biology and
history along the route,
but. most, of all was the
fun. The teachers chal
lenged a group of teens
in Family Feud on stage
one evening, and, of
course, the teachers won.
There was a talent, show,
a magician and shuttles
for excursions into
town during the week.
Communities along the
route welcomed the pad
dlers as they landed each
evening.
One day the group had
a river clean up and com
peted to find the most,
unusual piece of trash.
She worked to dig out. a
Home Depot, shopping
cart.. The winner was
declared a tie between
the door of a Porsche
911 and a full washing
machine.
“It. helps you have a
better appreciation of
the environment.,” said
Mitchell.
She has enjoyed shar
ing her experiences and
knowledge she gained
from Paddle Georgia
2017 with students and
with her own children.
A view from Mitchell's kayak during the trip.
JANE
near park
a municipal golf course
and encouraged the city
to market, it. as an attrac
tion to the area. When
the city agreed to buy the
back nine holes, Mayor
Eric Wilson said that, he
did not. see any changes
in the Golf Club han
dling all the operations
and maintenance of the
grounds and that, he did
not. foresee city employees
working on the course.
Real estate broker
George Emami was part,
of the closed door sessions
for “land acquisition, etc.”
with the city council both
on Feb. 19 and at. the Feb.
5 council meeting.
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City passes on buying 118 acres
By Diane Glidewell
After a 40-minut.e
closed door session that,
included five representa
tives of the Forsyth Golf
Club, Forsyth city council
voted unanimously, 6-0,
to waive its right, of first,
refusal to buy the 118
acres adjacent, to the golf
course on Feb. 19. It. did
so with the stipulation
that, if the property is sold
within 10 years and the
buyer develops, sells or
divides the property, it.
will be annexed into the
city.
Forsyth announced on
Dec. 4 that it would buy
the back nine holes of the
golf course for $325,000,
including the clubhouse
and all of the golf course’s
equipment.. The city
already owned the front,
nine holes of the course,
which is adjacent, to the
city’s Country Club Park.
The agreement, between
the city and the Golf Club
at. the time of the sale
was that, the Golf Club
would continue to run the
course for the next, six
months with an option
to add an additional six
months.
Also part, of the pur
chase agreement, was first,
right, of refusal on the
additional acreage that,
the Golf Club planned to
sell on the other side of
the creek from the golf
course.
The state tourism prod
uct. development, team
that, visited Forsyth
in 2016 was excited to
learn that, the city had
UP TO
IIIIIJ
Call 994-2358 or email publisher@mymcr.net for an application
the Monroe County
Deputy Michael Norris
Memorial Scholarship
Application
Due March 31^
For high school
seniors planning
a career in law
enforcement or
public safety.
Remembering Deputy Michael Norris
EOW 9/14/2014
Forsyth honors Black History
Month with annual exhibit
w
compassionatehearts
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May God Bless You
For the ninth consecutive
year, former Forsyth council-
woman Rosemary Walker
has displayed the history
of black leaders in Forsyth
and Monroe County as part
of February's Black History
Month festivities. Walker's
exhibit, located at the
Conley Building on Adams
Street next to the old Train
Depot, celebrates the con
tributions of black pioneers,
politicians, sports figures,
entertainment artists and
business owners, including
Paul James, who is pictured
above with items from his
well-remembered shops in
downtown Forsyth. Walker's
exhibit is on display through
March 11 (Sunday of the
Forsythia Festival) each
afternoon from 1-5 p.m. as
well as by appointment at
(478) 394-2972. (Photo/Rich
ard Dumas)