Dave Niebes, commander of the American Legion Fayette County Post 105, presents a certificate of recognition to Allan Vigil Ford Fayetteville’ general manager, Mike Vigil, and customer relations manager Cecil Pittman for their year-round patriotic display of the POW/MIA flag. In an effort to honor the businesses and organizations of their community that display the POW/MIA flag in addition to the national flag throughout the year, Fayette County Post 105 of the American Legion has chosen to recognize them for keeping POWs and MIAs in the public eye through continuous display of this unique flag. Photo/Special.

Line Creek Civitan Club publicity coordinator Pete Fritts happily presented Rick and Pam Atkinson, of Peachtree City, with the keys to their new EZGo Golf Cart. The Atkinsons won the cart as the grand prize for the 2007 Great Chili Challenge raffle.

The 2007 Line Creek Civitan Club Chili Challenge, held Nov. 3, raised nearly $7,000 to support local community projects. A complete list of winners can be seen below:

Boy Scout Troop 181 awarded three young men the rank of Eagle Scout at a Court of Honor held on Oct. 30 at Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church.

Nicole Mathis, a 2006 graduate of Sandy Creek High School and now a business major at Brewton-Parker College, has been awarded a Johnson & Wales University scholarship and grant to pursue a bachelor of science degree in hotel administration at the Charlotte, N.C., campus. Mathis, a member of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH) and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), is an employee at the Hampton Inn in Fayetteville. She is the daughter of Nate and Danielle Mathis of Fayetteville.

Twenty years ago, Magdalena Maury moved to Georgia, started a private ballet studio in Fayetteville and founded Georgia Youth Ballet (GYB), a non-profit, pre-professional ballet company serving the south metro area. The Studio and GYB have enjoyed tremendous success, delighting audiences throughout the region, earning the coveted “performing company” status from the Southeastern Regional Ballet Association (SERBA), and training more than 1,000 dancers, several of whom have danced professionally with American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, Royal Canadian Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Maximum Dance, Dutch National Ballet, Alvin Ailey Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Ballet Magnificat!, Nashville Ballet and Alabama Ballet. In 2005, Georgia Youth Ballet had the honor of being chosen to perform George Balanchine’s “Serenade” at the annual SERBA ballet festival in Knoxville, Tenn.

The Peachtree City Hillbillies raised over $1,600 for Fayette County Special Olympics on Saturday, Nov. 3.

Each year Georgia State University’s School of Music invites high schools across the state to participate in its Honor Chorus Program. During the two-day event, students have the opportunity to meet with professors and work on music comprehension, voice and artistic performance.

High Noon Toastmasters Club vice president of education JD Dirkschneider presents the Best Speaker award to Fayette County School System Assistant School Superintendent Sam Sweat on Oct.

Promise Place, the Council on Domestic Violence that serves Fayette, Pike, Upson and Spalding counties, has opened a business office in downtown Fayetteville.

The saying “one person’s junk is another person’s treasure” has rung true many times for Amy Adams since she started the professional hauling service 1-800-GOT-JUNK? last May. However, last week when Adams’ junk-removal crew came across a home that was filled with brand new stuffed toys, porcelain dolls, Barbies and beanie babies, she knew she had to find a home where children could cherish them.

Macie Rae Moulda, 2, helps wash her grandmother’s car using the child-size equipment at a Fayetteville car wash. Moulda is the granddaughter of Diane Kelly. Photo/Special.

Fayette County American Legion Post 105 has long helped sponsor Red Ribbon Week at Tyrone Elementary School, and this year is no exception.

Standing next to one of her paintings at the Fayette Art Center and Gallery, Mary McKeel, 86, continues to paint almost every day. McKeel resides at Christian City but makes frequent visits to her granddaughter in Peachtree City. Photo/Special.

The Frankie Lyle Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in Jonesboro, Ga., observed Veterans Day on Nov. 4 in a Ceremony of Bestowal of Crosses of Military Service to eight in appreciation for their service to our country by presenting each with Crosses of Military Service.

• Pippin graduates from basic military training

Air Force Airman Traci D. Pippin 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. She is the daughter of Fred and Charlene Pippin of Peachtree City, Ga. Pippin is a 2006 graduate of McIntosh High School, Peachtree City.

Local professional theater celebrates first anniversary

Recently, members of the cast of The Legacy Theatre’s production of “It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” were discussing the major themes that they would want to relay to the audience each night from the stage. Not surprisingly, the themes they kept coming back to were the importance of friendship, family and self-sacrifice.

Ryan Seacrest has teamed up with Crest and Scope for a nationwide search to discover one lucky winner with the confidence to smile in the spotlight, and Karla Dempsey, a senior at UGA from Fayetteville, Ga., is one of three finalists chosen from 18,000 applicants.

The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta: Fayette Fund’s board of directors recently appointed Mike Hofrichter as chairman. Hofrichter has served on the Fayette Fund’s board since 2003 and also serves on the Grants Committee.

The J.C. Booth Middle School Symphonic Band, under the direction of Robert Burton, has been selected to perform at the 2007 Southeastern United States Middle School Concert Band Clinic at Troy State University in Troy, Ala.

Fayette County churches are preparing to provide assistance to needy families for Christmas this year with the support of the Fayette Alliance Coordinating Teamwork Outreach and Resources (FACTOR). FACTOR is the local collaborative made up of individuals who help meet children and families’ needs. Community Partners Christmas Program, a community-wide Christmas event, is in need of sponsors and is turning to the community for help.

Chris Mothorpe, of Peachtree City, was recognized as the Fayette Family YMCA 2007 Volunteer of the Year at the annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner on Nov. 5 at the Cobb Galleria Centre.

On Monday, Sept. 24, Boy Scout Dens 3 and 4, from Pack 75, went to the Fayette County Courthouse as part of their Citizenship badge requirement. Cub Master Edward Brabant and Den Leader Dallas Wurst attended with the boys. The Scouts were greeted by Superior Court Judge Chris Edwards and special guest recently passed Georgia State Representative Dan Lakly. Lakly spoke to the boys about being good citizens and gave each boy a signed picture of Governor Sonny Perdue. Edwards explained to the boys how a courtroom runs and then held a mock trial with them. Edwards also spoke about the importance of staying in school and reading. It was a fun and educational trip that these boys will always remember. Photo/Special.

Thomas Metzger, 10, has become a member of American Mensa. In order to be accepted into the high IQ society, Metzger had to score in the top 2 percent on a standardized, accepted intelligence test. Metzger scored in the top 1 percent, also known as the 99th percentile.

This month, Scott Lauderdale of Peachtree City, Ga., joined other outstanding eighth and ninth grade students from across the nation in a unique leadership development program held in 32 cities across the country. Themed Courageous Leadership, the National Young Leaders State Conference (NYLSC) helps young scholars take an introspective and highly-personalized assessment of their leadership skills and abilities.

Students at Peachtree City Elementary School participated in a book character dress-up day on Oct. 31. Students were invited to dress as their favorite book character and to walk the school hallways in a parade. Pictured are Kaili Boyes as Junie B. Jones, Kenna Barkoot as Madeleine, Jessie Doyal as Hermione Granger, Lathan Weeks as Harry Potter, and Reese Elrod and Jordan Sharpe as Dorothy. Photo/Special.

Second grade students Clara Kiker, Leeya Patel and Katherine Boldt keep "Sammy Skeleton" company in St. Paul Lutheran School’s courtyard. The school’s second graders are have begun their unit studying the human body. For more information about the school, please call the office at 770-486-3545. Photo/Special.

Toastmasters International, the world’s leading organization devoted to the improvement of individual communication and leadership skills, has a new local club in Peachtree City. The Westpark Toastmasters meets at 12 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month on the third floor of the Brookside Building at 200 Westpark Drive in the offices of CIBER, Inc. Fellow Toastmasters and other visitors are encouraged to attend.

At Westpark Toastmasters you will have the opportunity to hone your communication skills in a comfortable, friendly atmosphere. For more information about membership, please contact Birgit Saunders, vice president of membership, at 770-486-2676 or visit www.toastmasters.org.

Tatiana McCoy teaches Erin McNeiner, Mia Scarbough and Qiru and Rock Lin on a recent Saturday afternoon at the Fayette Art Center and Gallery.

The Fayette Senior Services Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, previously scheduled for Dec. 6, has been postponed. The postponement allows the agency a little more time to make the move complete to its new facility at 4 Center Drive in Fayetteville.