Fun Ways to Use Cork in the Office

Do you want ways to decorate and organize your work space?  Cork is the new way to make something new in your work space.  Keep reading to learn about how you can incorporate cork into your office.

Cork in an office space is not a new idea; you've probably got a bulletin board up in your workspace right now. But using this flexible, functional material in other neat ways around your workspace means every surface becomes a memo board. Better stock up on push pins.

A Cork Pencil Holder
IKEA cork trivets become a cool desk command station in this DIY project from Design for Mankind.

Cork Vases and Cups
Another clever DIY, these vases and knick-knack cups are crafted from aluminum cans and a roll of thin cork. Check out the full isntructions from papernstitch.

Cork Planter Bookends
This bookend set from Canoe is a triple threat, offering to give your books order, your plants a home, and your notes a pinboard. Grab the set here for $48.

A Cork Tray
A cute tray is a great way to visually anchor desktop neccessities, and this one from Ferm Living can pull double duty as a memo space (€31, $42).

A Corkboard (duh!)
It's the most common use for cork in the office, but it doesn't have to be predictable. Go nuts with different sizes and shapes, or give your bulletin board a new look with some paint, like Belinda of The Happy Home Blog.

For more information see Apartment Therapy.

Shop With a Cop a Huge Success!

Last month Dawson County Sheriff’s Office had their annual Shop with a Cop.  This great fundraiser let almost 40 kids spend $100 on gifts and items that they wanted.  The kids got to shop around Walmart and then be treated to a pizza party with their family.  Keep reading below.

On December 27th, the Dawson County Sheriff's Office held its annual Shop with a Cop. This year, 37 kids were chosen to participate and each child was gifted $100 to spend on items of their choosing. School resource officers and other DCSO employees assisted the kids during their exciting shopping trip at Walmart and later treated the children and their parents to a pizza party.

The children are selected by school resource officers with the assistance of teachers and school counselors.

This event is now in its fifth year of service and is made possible by donations received from both local stores and citizens. Captain Tony Wooten, who organizes the annual event, gave special acknowledgements to Walmart and Chestatee Golf Club Men's Golf Association, whose donations helped the tradition to thrive this year.


For more information see Dawson County.

Congratulations to the Dawson County Band!

The Dawson County High School Band was invited to perform at the Chick-Fil-A Bowl on New Years Eve!  They performed with universities and 7 different high schools from around the country.   Check out the story and the video below!

The Dawson County High School band played in front of more than 68,000 people during the Chick-fil-A Bowl on New Year's Eve at the Georgia Dome.

The band was selected to perform during the Dec. 31 college football bowl game based on past performances in marching band competitions and support from the high school.

"In order to be selected we had to process paperwork with a videotape of our band," said Ryan Zwemke, band instructor.

After being selected, the band received permission from the school system in mid-September for extended practices.

"We also added some rehearsals after all the football games were over so that we could be ready for the performances," Zwemke said.

The band had to double-up on practices to familiarize the players with the pieces chosen by the Chick-fil-A Bowl committee.

"The pieces we performed at halftime and at the pregame were pre-selected for us," he said. "Most of the songs the band was familiar with, but had never played them in a marching band setting."

The young musicians were ecstatic to go, according to Zwemke.

The band had the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities, including the bowl game parade, meeting Chick-fil-A President and COO Dan Cathy and playing the national anthem with professional trumpeter Steve Patrick.

Also, with 12 other schools from across the country present, the band got to make friends with students from seven different states.

"I would like to thank so many people, businesses and the community at large for making this possible," Zwemke said. "This experience that you provided these students will never be forgotten."

For more information see the Dawson News.

Relay for Life Kickoff

Do you participate in Relay for Life?  The 2013 Kickoff for this event will occur on January 8th at Dawson County High School.  This event is put together to get teams excited for the relay in 2013.  The theme for the relay this year is "Tooning out Cancer", and it will be held April 26th.

The kickoff for the 2013 American Cancer Society Relay for Life is set for 6 p.m. Jan. 8 at Dawson County High School.

"The kickoff is our first event of the year," said Tasha Hamil, event chairwoman. "It's mainly to help get the teams and donors excited for the upcoming year."

The kickoff will include recognition awards for last year's relay teams, as well as special guest speakers including two youth caregivers and state Rep.-elect Kevin Tanner.

 
The theme for this year's relay, which will be April 26, is "Tooning out Cancer."

"The themes for the year are decided by survey," Hamil said. "The whole community helps decide."

Relay teams are encouraged to dress as their favorite cartoon characters for the kickoff.

In 2012, 30 Dawson County relay teams raised more than $83,000 for the American Cancer Society. This year, the organizing committee has a goal of 35 teams, according to Hamil.

The money the teams raise will be used to fund research, patient programs, services and education efforts.

Also of note, the committee has decided that this year's relay will not be held overnight. Instead, it will run from 5:30 to 11:30 p.m. April 26, which is a Friday.



For more information see the Dawson Advertiser.