April 29, 2011
Susan Larson
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LARSON: Senior Ms. Georgia in step with senior issues
As Ms. Senior Georgia, Mary King Lee is also encouraging all seniors to take care of themselves, to take supplements, diet, exercise and keep a positive attitude. Lifelong education is also part of her platform.
LARSON: Book the time to meet some authors
The local library system continues to provide great opportunities to meet best-selling writers.
LARSON: Huffman House cheefully helps the hungry
In May, Barbara Huffman's non-profit organization Huffman House will celebrate its second anniversary of providing grass-roots social services to people of all faiths or no faith at all in Gwinnett County.
LARSON: Let's dance to the music
So you think you can dance? Well, even if you don't, Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation is outdoing itself by providing seven big opportunities to dance or just tap your feet to the music during the month of February.
LARSON: Friend has pointers for paring down possessions
If you're like me, trying to have less stuff is not an easy thing.
LARSON: Marking my time with the Mayans
The Mayans have us preparing for the end of the world again.
LARSON: Of angel presence, be aware
With remindrers -- like Beth Gayle's book -- I realize that no matter how bad the circumstances, God does send angels. And for that I give thanks.
LARSON: Hot news inspires hot ideas for Halloween
Looking for a clever costume this Halloween? Use the news as inspiration.
LARSON: Clicks and Sticks a close-knit group
Interested in knitting? Join Clicks and Sticks them on second Thursdays from 6 9 p.m. at the Centerville Community Center or first and fourth Thursdays at Alcove Coffee in Lilburn.
LARSON: Berkmar Middle Walks and Talks physical fitness
School uses incentives to promote exercise and being healthy.
LARSON: Hoping to clear the air on propaganda column
When it comes to column writing, readers can be very helpful with their opinions and views.
LARSON: Telling the truth about the truth
When I think back on what a bunch of 9-year-olds could do with a Brownie camera, a manual typewriter, and an eight-pack of Crayolas, and then look at the political campaigns we see employing all the technology we have available today, I honestly hope all the voters in this upcoming election are at least as smart as my fourth-graders.
LARSON: Gwinnett schools help student STRIVE toward satisfying job
Thanks to the GCPS STRIVE program, people like P.J. Ponder are able to excel, and smile.
LARSON: Library offers ideas whole community can cherish
I was amazed and delighted at how many columns about the arts in Gwinnett I had fall into my lap over the last few months. Not only did I get to write about the art scene in our county, but through responses to my columns, I also connected with several
LARSON: Local artists compose pictures at exhibitions
A look at some neat things to check out for art lovers in Gwinnett.
LARSON: Let's all get in on National Night Out
National Night Out, the first Tuesday in August, began in 1984 to generate citizen participation in local anti-crime efforts and to build police-community relationships. It's also meant as an opportunity for neighbors to get together for food, fun and friendship. Last year, 15,000 communities and 37 million individuals participated.
LARSON: No cutting corners on our newest city's celebration
It's been an amazing -- but not as quick as you think -- transformation into cityhood for Peachtree Corners.
LARSON: Nonprofits profit at Lilburn Farmer's Market
In addition to great food, local market offers chance for non-profits to raise money and awareness.
LARSON: Real fishermen reel in more than just fish
Upcoming local fishing events provide a lot more than just a catch.
LARSON: Projecting art projects into the world around us
This summer the art your children make can do more than you think, including introducing problem-solving skills that can last a lifetime.
LARSON: Gwinnett Parks offers more than a walk in the park
Need help with your resume? Believe it or not, that's one of the many services your local park system offers.
LARSON: Teacher offers prayer's chance that God might exist
Reflecting on a productive day in the classroom and looking ahead to National Day of Prayer on Thursday.
LARSON: A hole lot of fun happening in Gwinnett parks
Always fun to have customized bean bags when playing a new game.
LARSON: Trickum teacher puts heart and sole into Holocaust awareness
Drawing from his father's experience, Alan "Woody" Morawiec conducts a yearly shoe drive to help educate his students about the atrocities.
LARSON: Musicians cooperatively minister to community
Local musicians to play benefit concert for Lawrenceville Co-op.
LARSON: Celebrating a centennial of Girl Scouting
As the Girl Scouts prepare to celebrat their 100th anniversary, I remember some great times being, and writing about, Scouts.
LARSON: Smart moves lead to safety and security
SafetySmart in Lilburn has a mission to promote safety, community inolvement and neighborhood unity. A smart pursuit, indeed.
LARSON: Nothing tops a good excuse
It's OK to say no, if you have a good one. Like climbing Mt. Kilamanjaro, perhaps.
LARSON: Anyone out there have an inventive idea?
You might want to attend the Inventors Association of Georgia on the fourth Saturday of every month in Norcross.
LARSON: Girl Scouts get community together for centennial celebration
Duluth Historical Society Museum to host open house.
LARSON: Former Daily Post employees on the money with new endeavors
Names from my past: Rick Rae, Mary Pitman have written books.
LARSON: Journalist Rita Cosby shares best story of her life
TV journalist will discuss her book, life at fundraiser.
LARSON: Gwinnett co-ops bond community together
Gwinnett is the only county in the state that completely serves its residents with a comprehensive cooperative ministry.
LARSON: Readers share memories of Gwinnett before growth
As usual, I can depend on my readers to come through with stories more interesting than my own. Two weeks ago, when I asked readers to share their Gwinnett memories, natives and newcomers alike had stories to share.
LARSON: Helping your library is not just for Dummies
I felt honored to be included in the celebration of the arrival of the more than 1,600 "Dummies" books the Gwinnett County Public Library won in a nationwide contest.
LARSON: Looking for some old memories of Gwinnett places
I really enjoyed Frank Reddy's story in Saturday's Daily Post about the campground at Lawrenceville First United Methodist Church. How nice to know that this structure, built in 1832 has lasted so long and has served to create memories for so many generations.
LARSON: Canoe enthusiast brings water safety to mainstream
For David Bolton, when it came to canoeing, one thing just seemed to flow into another.
LARSON: Friend knows how to live every day to the fullest
I love field trips. When my kids were in school I was always the first to volunteer to chaperone. Friends still tease me about the way I used to pile all the kids in the cul-de-sac into my mini-van and haul them off on some local adventure.
LARSON: Readers' responses are always a good read
It's always fun writing a mailbag column where I get to share what my readers have to say. The last few weeks have brought in some of the best.
LARSON: Learn about what's happening in classical style
My husband loves reading the free classics on his Kindle. But what he seems to enjoy the most is reading passages to me from books like "Crime and Punishment," written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky in 1866 that sound like they could have been posted on the Internet yesterday.
LARSON: There is plenty of free fun to be had in Gwinnett
I really love writing about all the free things there are to do in Gwinnett County.
LARSON: To keep money in the community, just do the math
I love the math. I love math, period, but the philosophy behind the 3/50 Project really gets me excited. The 3/50 Project, whose mission is to "save the brick and mortar our nation is built on," is simply one way to keep money in the local community.
LARSON: Cub Scout leader helps community to be prepared
Be prepared. Those two words have always been ingrained in Shoji Ketchem's thinking. Maybe because he grew up in a military family and always had to be prepared to move. Or maybe they were reinforced by the Gulf War.
LARSON: The foundation of this story is in the makeup
My mother always warned me -- and yours probably did, too -- to never leave the house without clean underwear because you never know when you might get in a wreck and wind up in a hospital.
LARSON: Woman walking in faith wants community to ‘Bloom’
Some people might think Jeff Foxworthy is a tough act to follow, but for Bobbi Pack, he just set the stage for the whole community to get in on the act.
LARSON: For all-around bargains, don't miss the bus
Shop 'til you drop. For me, that means about 15 minutes. Unless, of course, I'm going along for the ride on one of Melissa Baxter's Back by Popular Demand bus tours.
LARSON: Vacation gets me gassed up for getting back home
As you read this, I could be catching up on news with my friend Kathy in Gulfport, Miss., having coffee with friends in Baton Rouge, La., or visiting my brother Bob and his wife in Galveston, Texas. With the price of gas, it sure is nice to have friends to free load off of along the way.
LARSON: Time to reform our thinking about stereotypes
For most people, today is Halloween. But for Lutherans, it's Reformation Day, the biggest day of the year.
LARSON: Community well-invested in new Suwanee high school
When Lambert High School opened in Suwanee, just over the Gwinnett border in Forsyth County, last year, its focus on music struck a chord with the community. In order to provide a high quality band program for the school, Lambert took out a sizable loan from the school system to ensure that every student had an instrument and uniform. The plan paid off in many ways.
LARSON: Hiking enthusiast creating path for female participation
Anna Huthmaker never set out to be a trail blazer. All she wanted to do was take a hike.
LARSON: Local actors peel kernels of humor Off the Cobb
When I was in Toastmasters, table topics used to terrify me. These were impromptu speeches for which your name was called and you had to talk for one minute on a given subject.
LARSON: List of things to do in Gwinnett goes on and on
I really enjoyed reading Todd Cline's July 7 column about the Newcomer's Guide, which lists 101 things every Gwinnettian should see or do. I went over the list, approved of everything on it, then decided to follow up on suggestion number 101, which invites readers to visit the Daily Post's website and submit ideas of their own. Only I'm going to list them in my own column space.
LARSON: Community garden grows more than vegetables
I think we all have memories of a neighbor who had a little vegetable garden and gave away his or her crops, maybe over the backyard fence or maybe at church. One of my favorite homegrown memories was when I took bulk mail to the Lilburn Post Office and Gayla Huff always had her freshly picked veggies in a box for her customers to enjoy. I was sad to see her retire, but I'm sure others are still enjoying the fruits of her labor.
LARSON: Enjoy some good books: No membership required
My column about local authors prompted a few requests from book clubs seeking a good summer read. I could always list books my book club has read, but instead, I asked for ideas from other women I knew who belonged to books clubs.
LARSON: Ham radio still rules airwaves after 100 years
It's 2010. We can all text and tweet. So, why would anyone still use a method of communication that employs late 19th century technology?
LARSON: Gwinnett authors revealing what they know
Write what you know. That's standard advice for writers. As a columnist, that works for me. Since I don't have to write much, it doesn't matter that I don't know much.
LARSON: Column writing sometimes takes little bit of patience, intelligence
People ask how I find column ideas. Rhonda Rich, the columnist whose column appears in the Daily Post on Saturdays, addressed that question recently. "I wait for them to come to me," she said. And that's exactly what happened with this column.
LARSON: Tumor inspires action to increase awareness
I'd be remiss if I let National Brain Tumor Awareness Month slip by without mentioning the remarkable efforts of a young woman named Kristen Sheffield.
LARSON: Everyone can help to make a clean sweep of cancer
Kudos to all of Gwinnett's Relay For Life participants who flocked to the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds last weekend. And by participants, I mean not only the runners, but also the behind-the-scenes people who volunteered their organizational and accounting skills and the hands-on people who set up, worked the concession stands, and when the rally was over, stayed to clean up.
LARSON: Norwegians celebrate in the true Viking spirit
I was impressed when I learned that my sister-in-law, Laura, was part of the Strawberry Queen Court when she was in high school. She is certainly pretty enough, but truth be told, I figured it was just some small town thing in Wisconsin. Little did I know that the Strawberry Festival is one of the oldest traditions in Norwegian history. Erik Kind filled me in when I attended the Strawberry Festival at Washington Farms in Loganville last weekend.
LARSON: Sentinels hit a home run helping wounded vets
Now is the time for 60 "good men" to come to the aid of their county as the Sentinels of Freedom-Gwinnett recruits players for its third annual fundraising softball tournament.
LARSON: Barber school offers cuts to help economy
Job cuts. Budget cuts. Tax cuts. Good cuts? Bad cuts? It's all pretty confusing to me, but I do know that Phil Rivers offers cuts that can benefit everyone.
LARSON: Recycling column recycles readers' memories
I never know what kind of response my columns will bring. When I wrote last week about creating a clearinghouse for castoffs, I wondered if I'd get more requests than I could handle. Instead, most readers thanked me for recycling memories of the good old days.
LARSON: Duluth diner owner wrapped up in good works
Every morning, Mohan Bagga wraps his head with a five-meter-long strip of cloth. It may be maroon, navy, white or whatever color strikes his mood. The color doesn't matter as long as every strand of his hair is covered in keeping with his Sikh faith.
LARSON: A penny-pincher's paradise in the heart of Lilburn
Melissa Baxter has always known the value of a dollar. When she was 11 years old and her brother Jason was 9, they started their own lawn service. They borrowed the $99 they needed for a push mower from their mother, who made them pay it back with interest.
LARSON: Chopin Society strikes chord with community
It all began in 1999, the 150th anniversary of Frederic Chopin's death. Dorota Lato, a pianist and music educator from Johns Creek, wanted to do something special to celebrate the life of this man and his music.
LARSON: Gwinnett Masters Special Olympics sports fitness, fun
Not all that long ago there was nothing. Absolutely nothing. Sure, for decades Gwinnett County has had excellent services for children with special needs. People move here from all over the nation to avail themselves of our wonderful programs. But after graduation there is no county program to continue that good work.
LARSON: Boy Scouts of America to celebrate century of service
In the 100 years that Boy Scouts of America has served our country, more than 104 million boys have taken that oath. Today, Gwinnett County benefits from the works of more than 10,000 scouts along with thousands of scout leaders.
LARSON: Snellville wine expert knows his chemistry
Even after 30 years of marriage, it's still nice to go out on a date. And it doesn't have to be expensive. If fact, some of our most romantic dates have been free.
LARSON: Duluth dance company keeps students' dreams afoot
Joanna Paraschos has fond memories of her Uncle George. The youngest of nine children raised in an impoverished neighborhood in Flint, Mich., Paraschos fell in love with dance when her uncle took her to a ballet.
LARSON: A look back at the savored written words in 2009
In 2009, I did something I'd never done before in my life. In the back of my bedside devotional book where I knew I wouldn't lose it, I made a list of every book I read for the year.
LARSON: Readers spell out mistakes in name calling
Judging by the responses to my "spellbound" column, it appears that all names are bound to be misspelled by somebody.
LARSON: Winder gets the drop on New Year's Eve
This New Year's Eve, Winder will be celebrating the newest old tradition in Barrow County with its first annual Jug Drop. At the stroke of midnight, a jug will drop from the Hanging Tower of the first Barrow County Jail, which now is the Barrow County Museum. But before the jug can be dropped, it has to be put in place. And by that I mean not only physically, but historically.
LARSON: Some names just prone to being spellbound
This is definitely the hardest column I've ever had to write. To all my trusting readers I must confess something that I hate to admit. I make mistakes. And those mistakes include spelling errors.
LARSON: Artists grow in their contributions to community
I love how the people I write about grow on me. And I don't just mean the fondness I develop for them. I also mean the way they grow beyond who they were when I first mentioned them in my column.
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