The Gwinnett Roadrunner

The Gwinnett Calendar
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The February Gwinnett Roadrunner
By Mary Long

Hooper Renwick School Reunion

Jerry Metzler President of the 55 Plus group at St. Monica’s Catholic Church in Suwanee with Tony Maloof, Program Chairman at the January meeting of the 55 plus club held at the church.

Corporal John L. Irvine, Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Department a member of the task force informing students about gang methods and activities spoke to classes at Lilburn Elementary School in January.

•George Washington, first President of the United States was born on February 22, 1732, the same year that General James Edward Oglethorpe set sail from England to bring a boatload of settlers to Georgia. Oglethorpe and the pioneers landed on Georgia soil February 12, 1733.
•William Henry Harrison, ninth President of the United States was born on February 9, 1773.
•February is the short month. Three presidents were born in February. Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States was born on February 12, 1809.
•February is Black History Month. A parade honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. was directed by the Ebony Society in Lawrenceville on January 20, 2008.

ANNIVERSARIES
Maurice Wendell Johnson and Ada Marilyn Oakes Johnson celebrated their 54th wedding Anniversary on December 24, 2007. Maurice is the son of Andy and Inez Johnson and Ada is the daughter of John Henry Hanford-Oakes and Ina Deaton Grant-Oakes. Ada was born in Lawrenceville and Maurice was born in the Oakland Community of Gwinnett. They have lived in Lawrenceville all their married lives. Their two children are Danny Lee Johnson and Janice Marilyn Everett. Maurice and Ada are members of the Lawrenceville First Baptist Church.
Robert and Jean Biggers celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary on December 22, 2007. Their wedding ceremony was at the Grayson Methodist Church. Jean retired from the Gwinnett County School System and Bob retired from Bell South. Their children are Sharon and Chris Ellis; Sheila and Jim Sosebee; grandchildren are Amanda Ellis, Robert and Mallory Sosebee. Robert and Jean are members of the Lawrenceville United Methodist Church.

Dr. Lamar Holley with Why Family Matters Essay winners. Back Row left to right: Dr. Lamar Holley, Mary Anna Bryan essay judge and far right Jeff Wages CEO of Wages and Sons Funeral Home. Essay winners pictured are, standing left to right: Samantha Radloff, Craig Bland, Lauren Grainger. Seated Samantha Schwalenberg and Beatrice Rosu.

Lilburn Elementary School Fifth Grade Teachers Jaimar James and Guerlene Serran-Merisme, New Jersey natives came to Georgia to teach.

“WHY FAMILY MATTERS” ESSAY
COMPETITION AWARDS
Wages and Sons Funeral Homes in cooperation with The International Order of the Golden Rule sponsors an annual essay writing competition for public high school seniors. The essay subject for 2008 was “Why Family Matters” and Gwinnett County high school seniors were given the opportunity to enter essays. The overall high school winner from Gwinnett County Public Schools was Lauren Grainger, senior at Mill Creek High School. School winners and the schools that they represent: Craig Bland, Collins Hill High School; Samantha Radloff, Dacula High School; Beatrice Rosu, Central Gwinnett High School; Samantha Schwalenberg, Mill Creek High School.
The essay of the overall Gwinnett County winner, along with essays from local winners from all over the United States, has been sent to The International Order of the Golden Rule judging committee. The writer of the top essay from the nation will be awarded a $5,000 scholarship.
Reverend Lamar Holley, Chaplain at Wages and Sons Funeral Home in Lawrenceville introduced the essay winners at a ceremony held at the funeral home on January 15. Jeff Wages, CEO of Wages and Sons, presented a check for $250 to each of the school winners and he gave the overall winner a check for $500. Present at the ceremony were parents and essay judges. Those who judged the essays were Mary Anna Bryan retired English Teacher from Central Gwinnett; Mary Holmes, Retired Educator from DeKalb County; Mary Long, Retired Educator from Gwinnett and DeKalb counties.

CURRENT EVENTS
•Lawrenceville First Baptist Church will welcome a new pastor when he preaches his first sermon as Senior Pastor on March 2, 2008. Inman J. Houston and his wife, April of New Orleans, Louisiana will soon move to Lawrenceville. They have one son, Jacob, age 3. Rev. Houston and his wife are natives of Georgia and have been serving a church in New Orleans.
•Anyone needing a phone with a loud ring and clear tone should contact the Bethesda Senior Center; they have such phones available free of charge; the phones were made available through a group called Clarity.
•Libraries all over Gwinnett County will have story telling activities in celebration Of Dr. Seuss’ birthday on February 26 and 27. Check with your local branch library for times. There are 14 library branches in Gwinnett County and on February 26 at 7 p.m. Dacula, Grayson, Mountain Park, and Suwanee will celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday. The Five Forks Library will have “Land of the Dragon” with Cathy Kaemmerlen at 7 p.m. on February 19.

OLD NEWS
•The Lawrenceville News, August 17, 1894, ‘’There are entirely too many bad boys in Lawrenceville.”
•The Lawrenceville News, January 6, 1899, ‘’The public school term consists of 100 days.” February 17, 1899, “The City School was suspended this week on account of the blizzard.”
•The News-Herald, February 8, 1900, “We need a night watchman in Lawrenceville, stores have been burgularized.”


Craigdale Estates Neighborhood Watch Captains: Seated left to right: Carlene Harris, Vickie Kells, Nancy & Jon Ingemanson, Karen Still, Standing left to right: Thelma Childers, Shirley, Charles, and Charlene Whitehead, Dean long, Shawn Carter, Officer Phillips, Ernest Melton. The group met for a training session provided by Officer, Derek Phillips.	Welcoming the new pastor and his wife to the Lawrenceville First Baptist Church are left to right: Peggy Smith, Pastor Inman Houston and his wife, April, Beverly Underwood, Judy Hood, Hollye Hodges McDonel.