Peachtree City Elementary School media specialist Amanda White and fourth-grade student Jack VanNimwegen show off their team spirit during the school’s Relay for Life team fund raiser.

The Fayette Branch of the NAACP teamed up with the Fayetteville Best Buy to assist local Whitewater High School student Edmund Smith and his family after their home was devastated by a lightning strike in a recent storm.

Armed with talent, determination and a desire to help a worthy cause, a group of songwriters took action when their songs failed to make the finals in American Idol's recent songwriting competition. Each felt confident they had written the type of emotion-filled hit the TV show was looking for and wanted to find a way for their compositions to make an impact and be heard.

Boy Scout Troop 75 from Peachtree City conquered the summer heat and humidity as they spent a week in late June in Northern Georgia fighting off annoying insects, learning hydration management and blister prevention at Boy Scout camp.

The Peachtree City Chapter of New Neighbors League Club (NNLC) has awarded three of their members with the title of New Neighbor of the Month. Sue Nelson was awarded the title for June, while Marilyn Carlson took the title for July and Beth Tatum earned it in August.

Judy Suiter, president of Competitive Edge, Inc., of Peachtree City, Ga. recently had a book published in Sweden under the title “Behavior and Drivers.” This book is a composite of her “Energizing People” and “Exploring Values” books that were published in the United States in 2003. Suiter’s “Behavior and Drivers” book was translated by Edouard G. Levit of the IPU Institute for Personlig Ulveckling and Maya Danielsson of Stockholm, Sweden. Suiter traveled to Sweden in August to conduct training and a book signing with Levit’s organization.

On any given Friday or Saturday night, while most of America sleeps, there are hundreds, and likely several thousand amateur astronomers staying up to the wee hours, sometimes even to dawn, peering through their telescopes and binoculars at the moon, stars and planets.

Members of the James Waldrop Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution recently spoke to the fifth grade students of Spring Hill Elementary about the drafting and signing of the U.S.

A group of Fayette County artists came together recently to experience “Painting the Portrait from Life,” a three day intensive workshop with Atlanta-based fine artist and portrait painter Charles Young Walls. The Fayette Art Center hosted the gathering at their new studio location on the square in historic downtown Fayetteville.

This fall, outstanding high school students from across the United States are taking part in a unique leadership development conference in Washington D.C. and local resident Roy Dike is among them.

During the six-day program, the National Young Leaders Conference (NYLC) will provide scholars with the opportunity to interact with a variety of personnel who operate within the three branches of government, the news media and the international community.

Stars on the Southern Crescent Coffee House’s Celtic Christmas Festival is seeking volunteers for their shows scheduled for Nov. 16-18.

Rotary Club president David O’Rear, L, welcomes Jerry Cobb, chairman of the Airport Authority, as the speaker at a recent Rotary Club of Peachtree City at luncheon. Cobb took time from his busy schedule to speak to the club. Cobb grew up in south Alabama and attended college at the University of Alabama before entering the USAF, serving as a pilot during the Vietnam conflict. After flying 135 combat sorties over North Vietnam, he returned home to teach missile deployment and tactics to fighter pilots on their way to Vietnam. He spent 33 years in the airline industry and is now retired.

The Fayetteville chapter of the Rotary Club was honored with an appearance by Bubba the Bear, from 92.5 FM, at a recent meeting.

Midshipman Daniel P. Harlow, the son of Russell and Mary S. Harlow of Fayetteville, Ga., participated on Sept. 15 in acceptance day ceremonies at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y.

Carve your pumpkin, sew your costume, gather your goody bag and head toward downtown Fayetteville for the Great Pumpkin Festival on Saturday, Oct. 27 at the Old Courthouse Square and the Stonewall Village complex.

Brownie Troop 548 of Peachtree City display the cookie cake they had as part of the 9/11 memorial service they held last month at Luther Glass Memorial Park in Peachtree City.

Award-winning children’s author Carole Marsh is taking on some of the biggest mysteries known to man; natural disasters. In August 2007, Marsh released, “The Earthshaking Earthquake Mystery,” the first title from her new children’s mystery series, “Masters of Disasters,” which examines natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes and tornados. With the recent natural disasters in the news, the author believes the series will be a great teaching tool for children. “Kids are so much more aware of disasters these days,” says Marsh, “sometimes they are even part of disaster news. Instead of scaring them, this series shows children they can take an active role in keeping themselves and their families safe.”

Peachtree City Chapter Order of DeMolay, sponsored by East Point Lodge #288, F.&A.M., held its installation of officers on Sunday, Sept. 23 at the Peachtree City Masonic Center, 201 Whitlock Place, Peachtree City.

Georgia is a little closer to Hollywood thanks to local podcaster Daniel J. Sellers, president and founder of Imaginate Productions Studios in Senoia, Ga.

The number of grandparents raising grandchildren is increasing every day, regardless of income, background, or race. Grandparents who take on this responsibility often need help meeting the financial, medical, educational, and emotional needs of their grandchildren and FACTOR and Fayette Senior Services have been collaborating to identify and serve this population in Fayette County.

Five members from the Fayette-Starr's Mill Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, of Fayette County recently attended the NW Georgia state society workshop in Gainesville. State officers and chairmen spoke on ways chapters can serve in their community and offered hand-outs and suggestions.

Eight members of the Thomas Johnson Chapter, Colonial Dames of the 17th Century, attended the state summer workshop in Macon recently to vote on society business and hear new state officer reports.

Brad and Stephani Moseley are the new owners of the Fantastic Sams salon in Fayetteville, Ga. Since taking over in April, the salon has earned several awards and ranks third in sales in the Atlanta region which consists of approximately 35 salons.

• Burton graduates from basic military training

Air Force Reserve Airman 1st Class Angela J. Burton has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. During the six weeks of training, the airman studied the Air Force mission, organization, and military customs and courtesies; performed drill and ceremony marches, and received physical training, rifle marksmanship, field training exercises, and special training in human relations. In addition, airmen who complete basic training earn credits toward an associate degree through the Community College of the Air Force. Burton is a 1990 graduate of McIntosh High School, Peachtree City, Ga.

Among the thrilling and harrowing moments of Lloyd Burns' life was his heroic service in the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) in one of the most pivotal actions of the Second World War. On June 6, 1944, Burns piloted the B-17 Flying Fortress Heavenly Body 12,000 feet above the Normandy coast. He described a "scene that shocked us all when we broke through the clouds on the way down...thousands of ships so dense that it seemed that one could walk across the English Channel." Burns' crew, having completed its two missions on that historic day, began its return to England. The co-pilot Freddie, wanting to gain experience for future missions, took command of the Heavenly Body, but on its descent above the Thames it collided with one of its fighter escorts. Burns had removed his Mae West life preserver earlier and scrambled to put on a parachute as the plane, hopelessly crippled, careened toward the turbulent estuary. The hatch door, the crew's only route of escape, was stuck. Burns said of the dire situation, "I forgot about my leg strap being loose and threw all my body weight against the door," which thrust open violently into the sky, dragging Burns with it. His head gashed and bloodied, he fell into the Thames half-conscious. Burns summed up his desperation by saying, "I have no idea how long I swam but was so cold and tired I was ready to give up, sink, and get it over with." English boaters dispatched to recover the aircraft heard Burns' cries of "Help!" and navigated toward him amidst the angry sea. Their blessed rescue was merely a chapter in the life of this man who encapsulates the Greatest Generation.

Best Buy, located in the Fayetteville Pavilion, recently donated six TVs to the Home For Children at Christian City. The sets will be used in the new children's cottages at the Children's Village under construction on Christian City's campus. Phase one of the project will include four new homes and administrative offices while phase two will include an additional four homes and recreational facilities including a playground suitable for those with disabilities. Each cottage will house up to eight children and their full time house parents. Christian City, located in Union City, is a nonprofit, nondenominational organization that has been caring for abandoned, abused, and neglected children in a residential setting since they opened the first cottage in 1965. Licensed for up to 64 children, they also provide foster care placement for children 5 years old and under. For more information on Christian City, their child sponsorship program, to make a donation or to volunteer please call 770-703-2636 or visit www.christiancity.org.

All schools, churches, families and organizations located in Fayette County are invited to participate in Fayetteville’s traditional Great Pumpkin Walk around the Old Courthouse Square on Fri., Oct. 26. Pumpkins should be placed on the courthouse grounds by Thurs. evening or Fri. morning before noon. Please display a sign with your organization’s name and designate someone to visit the square on Fri., Sat. and Sun. evening to light the candles in your pumpkins.

The FCHS Select Chorus will return to Europe in April 2008. This will be a 10 day educational concert tour full of performances and sightseeing in Germany, Austria and Prague.

On September 15, the Youth Council serving Fayette County had a "Clear the Path" volunteer clean up day. Teen Volunteers grabbed bags and gloves and started picking up garbage along Lake Peachtree and under the cart paths along the Lake and along Drake Field. Twenty-two trash bags were filled up by the end of the project. This first project is part of their new RAK (Random Acts of Kindness) initiative.

The Rotary Club of Peachtree City honored (l-r) Costa Solakas, Debbie Webb, Virginia Gibbs, Ed Anehman, Frances Meaders, David O'Rear (president), Tom Rolka, Don Cobb and Rita McMacken for years of perfect attendance at a luncheon held last month. Years of perfect attendance ranged from 2-35. Photo/Special.