Danny West, Chief of EMS Operations was recently honored and presented the Stanley Payne Memorial Region 1 EMS Leadership Award. This award is named after Stanley Payne who was a recognized leader in the Emergency Medical Service and was one of the three original employees of Floyd Medical Center EMS where he served as the director for decades until his untimely death. Chief West has served Cherokee County for over 25 years beginning his career in January 1990. He advanced through the firefighter ranks to Battalion Chief and accepted his current position as EMS Operations Chief in March of 2007. Chief West received the award from April Powers and Rick Payne, children of Stanley Payne.

AT&T recently donated $900 to Reinhardt Universitys 2015-16 A DAY for Reinhardt campaign. Don Barbour, regional director of external affairs for AT&T Georgia, presented the check to Dr. J. Thomas Isherwood, Reinhardt president, and Dale Morrissey, director of fund raising campaigns & church relations. AT&T is pleased to support the Reinhardt University A Day campaign, which provides scholarships for Cherokee County high school students attending Reinhardt, said Barbour. Education has been a priority at AT&T for more than a century and when we invest in education, we are making our communities stronger and more economically viable. Investing in a well-educated workforce may be the most important thing we can do to support a strong local and global economy.

Macedonia Elementary School recently was recognized by the Anna Crawford Childrens Center as the winner of its competition for the school with the highest percentage of attendance at its Holiday Lights of Hope. The Center presented the school with a donation of $1,494.16 in appreciation for its support; a total of $3,789.80 was donated to Cherokee County School District schools through the attendance contest. Cherokee High School welding students contribute their talents to create displays for the event, and entertainment was provided by choral groups from schools including: Avery ES, Ball Ground ES STEM Academy, Clark Creek ES STEM Academy, Free Home ES, Macedonia ES, Oak Grove ES Fine Arts Academy and Woodstock HS. Many students serve as volunteer workers at the event, as did CCSD employees 25 staff members from Creekland Middle School volunteered their time to run the display one night. The Center is a non-profit, community-based organization dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect; and protecting and serving children and families. Without our communitys support, we couldnt provide the needed help to children impacted by abuse in Cherokee County, said Tabatha Martin, Resource Development Director for the Anna Crawford Childrens Center. Thank you for allowing us to partner with Cherokee County School District. We look forward to working with all of you in the future.

Rod Drake, area manager for Georgia Power, recently presented a $3,000 check to Dr. J. Thomas Isherwood, Reinhardt president, and Dale Scarlett Morrissey, director of fund raising campaigns and church relations. The goal for this years A DAY campaign is $100,000, and currently $61,315 has been raised toward the goal. Reinhardt appreciates the support from businesses like Georgia Power, said Morrissey. This allows students to benefit with scholarships from the monies raised. Without these types of donations and support it would not be possible for many of our students to continue their educational endeavors. The satisfaction is realizing that you have helped a student with their educational goal.

Anne Davis has been recognized as the Cherokee Recreation & Parks Agencys 2014 Volunteer of the Year. She was honored in recognition of the countless hours given to CSSA (Cherokee Summer Swim Association) and dedication in providing countless opportunities for the citizens of Cherokee County. Anne has been team coordinator and served in numerous other volunteer roles for many years for the Bradshaw Farm Barracudas summer swim team. She also serves as co-president of the Boosters Club for the Sequoyah High School Swim Team.

A Reinhardt alumna of more than 30 years returns to her alma mater in a different role. Dale Scarlett Morrissey 76 99 is now the Director of Fund Raising Campaigns and Church Relations. She assumes the role from long-standing staff member Barbara Manous who served Reinhardt for more than 18 years.

Reinhardt has always been close to my heart, said Morrissey. After high school graduation, I enrolled at Reinhardt and have been involved ever since. Working with Reinhardts A Day Committee and Alumni Board of Governors allowed Morrissey to keep close ties to Reinhardt through the years. From 2005-07, she served as Board President, and from 2014-15, she was the A DAY chair.

Born in Pickens County, Morrissey currently resides in Cherokee County. Married to Coach Todd Morrissey, who teaches and coaches at Sequoyah High School, together they have three adult children, Noah, Nicholas and Nicole, and two grandchildren. They are members of Hickory Flat Methodist Church.

Morrissey takes on the role from 18-year staff member Barbara Manous. I have enjoyed my years at Reinhardt, and dearly loved my job, said Manous. I especially enjoyed my association with faculty and staff, and members of the community.

Reinhardt has been blessed to have Barbara Manous lead the Fund Raising Team for many years, said JoEllen Wilson, vice president of advancement. She has legions of friends here at Reinhardt and in this community. We plan to call on her often in the future.

I do not believe we could have found a more capable person to step into the fund raising role than Dale, Wilson continued. As an alumna, she knows the University, and her contacts in the community are immeasurable. I enjoy working with both these professional, charming women.

Jason Blakey and Amanda Arnold of the Credit Union of Georgia recently presented a $1,000 cash prize sponsored by CLB Contracting and the Credit Union of Georgia to Avery Elementary School principal, Dr. Pam Smith. Dr. Smith immediately donated the schools prize money directly back to the Service League of Cherokee County. With 173 race participants, Avery Elementary School was the Cherokee County school with the most race participants in the 12th annual Run for the Children Reindeer Run 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run held this past December. The holiday-themed event hosted by the Service League of Cherokee County took place in historic downtown Canton, hosted 850 race participants and raised more than $9,000 for needy children in Cherokee County.

The Jan Rooney Agency of State Farm Insurance, in partnership with the Kindness Revolution, hosted its monthly Kindness Corner Wednesday, January 14 at the intersection of Cumming Hwy. and East Cherokee Drive. Braving cold and rain, the team of three individuals, including Jan, Kacey Jackson and Carly Osborne gave away 100 gift bags in about an hour. Januarys theme was fitness. Each bag contained an apple, a free 7-day VIP gym pass courtesy of Anytime Fitness, and a Kindness Revolution pay it forward bracelet. The bracelet is used to raise awareness and to bring back kindness and compassion through simple gestures. It is given to someone in an initial act of kindness and the receiver is encouraged to pay the act forward by giving the bracelet to others they witness acting in kindness. The Kindness Revolution is a national non-profit initiative with the mission to raise the awareness of kindness in our communities and schools. If you wish to pick-up free bracelets or for more information, Jans page can be found on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kindness-Revolution-CantonCumming-Led-by-Jan-Rooney-Ins-Agency/479248458843897#!. The Jan Rooney Agency is located in central Cherokee County at 7768 Cumming Highway, Suite 400, Canton, Georgia, 30115.

Remember Georgia's Children Foundation, a 501(3)(c) organization, is seeking donations to help fund the purchase of land for a new Children's Park of Georgia, to be located in Canton. The unique park will be a special place to celebrate the lives of all children, offering areas for natural play and quiet meditation along with opportunities to engrave children's names along the sidewalks and monuments. The Children's Park of Georgia will provide a place for children to play, explore and discover, as well as provide a place for parents to celebrate the lives of children present and lost.

The park is being modeled after The Children's Park in Tyler, Texas. Christy Zeigler, executive director of Remember Georgia's Children Foundation, estimates the total cost of the project at $1 million, including approximately $90,800 for the land. The organization is working on purchasing land for the park that is located at Highway 20 near Butterworth Road. Donations through the grassroots fundraising initiative will be accepted through January 31, with the hopes of breaking ground in February. For more information, visit ChildrensParkOfGeorgia.org.

Cherokee County students in grades 6-8 are invited to enter the Georgia Farm Bureau Middle School Essay Contest. The essay topic is "Make My Career Agriculture," which is designed to encourage students to study Georgia agriculture and learn how their food is produced and the contributions farming makes to our lives every day as they learn about career possibilities. "Many people have an antiquated idea of agriculture," said William Grizzle, president of Cherokee County Farm Bureau. "Farmers, just like any business owner, must manage our employees, manage our finances and manage our farms, which means taking the best possible care of our livestock and protecting the soil and water on our farms so our crops will grow. We depend on people in many different careers to make our farms successful and to meet consumer needs."

The 1st Place County Winner of the Cherokee County Farm Bureau Essay Contest will receive a $50 Walmart gift card and the 2nd Place County Winner will receive a $50 Walmart gift card. Each school will also have a 1st and 2nd Place winner, each receiving a $25 Walmart gift card. The Cherokee County Farm Bureau Essay Contest winner will be entered in the Georgia Farm Bureau First District competition. The district winner will receive a cash prize of $100. The 10 district winners will compete for the state prize of $150 cash. Previous state winners are not eligible.

Official contest rules and entry forms are available at GFB.org/Programs/AIC, or through the Cherokee County Farm Bureau at 770-479-1481. All entries must be received at the Cherokee County Farm Bureau office by February 20.