There’s always something happening in the Hostess City. Stay in the know about upcoming events and the latest information with our periodic News & Notes.
Upcoming Events
Davenport House to continue annual tradition of hosting Valentine’s Day weddings in the garden on Wednesday, Feb. 14
Who: Davenport House Museum
When: Wednesday, Feb. 14 from 5–7 p.m.
Where: Davenport House Museum Garden, 323 E. Broughton St.
What: Valentine’s Day Weddings in the Davenport House Museum Garden. The Davenport House Museum, a treasured Historic Savannah Foundation property that was the birthplace of Savannah’s modern-day preservation movement, is delighted to continue its annual tradition of hosting weddings, vow renewals and commitment ceremonies in the garden on Valentine’s Day.
This marks the 17th consecutive year the Davenport House Museum will offer couples a convenient, romantic and economical way to get married in Savannah’s National Historic Landmark District on the most romantic day of the year, while fundraising for the museum. For a $100 donation, couples can reserve the garden space for a brief ceremony.
Every 15 minutes, Sheena Fulkerson, an ordained minister and the Davenport House Museum’s Tour and Wedding Coordinator, will conduct weddings, vow renewals or commitment ceremonies. Couples are welcome to bring up to eight guests and are required to secure a valid marriage license in advance.
In the event of rain, ceremonies will be performed at a suitable location on the property. Couples interested in participating should contact the Davenport House Museum at info@davenporthousemuseum.org or 912.236.8097 to schedule a time in advance.
Join Friends of Tide to Town for Love Your Trail Day Feb. 17 at Bowles C. Ford Park
Who: The Friends of Tide to Town (TTT)
When: Saturday, Feb. 17 at 9 a.m.
Where: Bowles C. Ford Park, at the corner of Stiles Ave. and Cloverdale Dr.
What: The Friends of Tide to Town (TTT), a coalition leading the development of Savannah’s Urban Trail System, is inviting the public to join them for a “Love Your Trail” clean-up day on.
The two-hour cleanup will take place around the lake at Bowles C. Ford Park and the footpath between the park and Laurel Grove South Cemetery. Litter grabbers and trash bags will be provided.
“Building the trail is an ambitious project but so is the effort to keep portions of the trail that are already in use clean and beautiful, along with the parks and communities where people want to walk,” said Armand Turner, deputy director of Healthy Savannah, Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health and the chair of Friends of Tide to Town. “We hope everyone will come out and help keep our trails clear of trash and full of love.”
Several previous trail cleanups have been held along completed areas of the TTT, including sections of the Truman Linear Park Trail. When finished, it will connect Daffin Park to Lake Mayer Park, creating approximately 9 miles of continuous off and on-road bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure along with 800 acres of park and recreation space, 18 neighborhoods, and two major economic centers.
Last month, about 30 members of Boy Scout Troop 1 and Pack 1 joined up with volunteers from the Friends of Tide to Town for a trail cleanup and picked up about 50 pounds of trash along Wheaton Street, near A.B. Williams Elementary School.
The City of Savannah also recently brought on a full-time project manager, Tina Bockhold, who will oversee construction for the last phase of the Truman Linear Trail between DeRenne Ave. and the Police Memorial Trail, expected to get underway later this year. She will additionally manage future phases of TTT, including a section on the west side of Savannah through the developing Canal District, and on the south side of Savannah along Middleground Road. When the 30+ mile continuous loop is completed, it will include a protected network of walking and bicycling trails connecting 30 schools, three major hospitals and 62 neighborhoods.
Over the past three years, Turner and Healthy Savannah’s executive director, Paula Kreissler, have been leading “Healthy Walks” along the TTT and other trails around Savannah and Chatham County. The grassroots initiative started out as a pandemic solution for people to get out and explore Savannah area trails and walkways and has remained popular with walkers seeking a low-impact exercise routine. The duo is planning a fourth-anniversary celebration in March with special guests joining several of the walks.
Old Savannah City Mission cleans up Starland District Streets
200 Plus Volunteers, 20 Bicycles Distributed by Savannah Police
Who: Old Savannah City Mission volunteers, students, and staff.
When: Saturday, Feb. 17 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Where: Old Savannah City Mission 2414 Bull Street. Volunteer teams assemble at the Mission and then fan out over the area from there.
What: Old Savannah City Mission has been a fixture in the 2400 block of Bull Street for years. For the third year, the Mission joins other organizations in cleaning the streets in the area.
The clean-up event, called “Love Thy ‘Neighbor’hood” is scheduled for Saturday, February 17th. An estimated 200 people will pick up trash and debris from the streets and sidewalks in a 4-block radius around the Mission.
The Savannah Police Department, the City of Savannah Sanitation Department, the Thomas Square Streetcar Historic District and Magic Marc Entertainment are working together with the Mission on this effort. In addition, Savannah Police will distribute 20 bicycles.
“This event is a clear demonstration of how the Mission serves its neighbors and elevates the area. Old Savannah City Mission is a force for good in this neighborhood,” said Larry McDaniel, Executive Director of Old Savannah City Mission. “Cleaning these streets is just a small part of the Mission’s ongoing efforts to provide a place where homeless can get services to restore their lives.”
Old Savannah City Mission sees everyone as a person of worth and dignity: worthy of assistance on their journey. The vision: to see individuals set free from addictions and homelessness. Each one transformed by God to become physically and spiritually healthy. The Mission educates and equips them to fully participate in society. Those who have been abused and neglected begin the road towards a better life. The addicted understand the cause of their addictions and move forward to physical healing. Old Savannah City Mission teaches healthy living for the mind, body, and soul.
Rotary South announces Feb. 17th Crab Race Fundraiser
Who: The Rotary Club of Savannah South
When: Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024 from 4–8 p.m.
Where: Coaches Corner on Victory Drive in Thunderbolt
What: The Rotary Club of Savannah South announces its 2024 Crab Race Fundraiser and live auction to benefit P.A.C.K, and other local charities and community projects.
“We hope people will come out to the 2024 Crab Race and support local programs for children,” said Lisa Birch, the Event Chair and a member of the Rotary Club of Savannah South. “For a $100.00 donation, participants will be able to race a crab, get a commemorative T-shirt and enjoy some of the fabulous food that Coaches Corner is known for. Children under 10, with registered parents, race for free. To join the event as a spectator, there is a $25 entry fee, for those 11 and older.”
The live auction will include the auctioning of a trip to Italy, a trip to Antigua, and a trip to South Africa. Proceeds from the Race and Auction will benefit several charities, including P.A.C.K. of Savannah, an all volunteer, non-profit in Savannah. The organization packs and delivers 16,000 bags of food each month to children in 37 local schools, community centers and emergency shelters for children.
Additional proceeds will also benefit the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), an intensive leadership experience that Savannah South will sponsor high school students to attend, and other local charities, including the Boy Scouts, and club community projects.
Local Updates
Savannah Philanthropic Partners awards a $50,000 grant to SAFE Shelter Center for domestic violence services in Savannah
Savannah Philanthropic Partners, (SPP) a giving circle founded in 2021 by four Savannah women, presented SAFE Shelter Center for Domestic Violence Services, the region’s only domestic violence shelter for women, with a check for $50,000, in support of its many programs for survivors of domestic violence and their children. The check was presented by SPP to Shannon Bates, Chief Executive Officer of Safe Shelter on Feb. 6.
“We are so grateful to receive this generous grant from Savannah Philanthropic Partners,” said Shannon Bates, Executive Director of SAFE Shelter. “This grant is so special to us, as it is given by an organization founded by four local women who wanted to help their community. In 1979, SAFE Shelter was also founded by four local women who wanted to make a difference by providing a place for survivors of domestic violence and their children.”
In 2001, the current SAFE Shelter facility opened. SAFE Shelter is available to answer questions, provide support, safety planning, and referral services to women in need with its emergency hotline which is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. SAFE Shelter also offers confidential, secure, temporary housing for survivors of domestic violence and their children. All shelter services are provided at no cost.
“SAFE Shelter is an organization which has an immediate and positive impact on the lives of local women and their children, at a time when they are most in need,” said Lorraine Boice, a founder of SPP. “This grant demonstrates the power of a giving circle focused on the health and well-being of underserved people in Savannah.”
Recently, Savannah Philanthropic Partners (SPP) received a $25,000 grant from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation for their work improving the mental health and well-being of women and children in the Savannah area. The Foundation, based in Atlanta, was created by Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot, who has granted more than one billion dollars through the Foundation and family giving.
Tharros Place announces new board members and officers
Tharros Place, a nonprofit providing residential services for girls ages 12 to 17 who are survivors of human trafficking, recently announced it has added new members to its board and selected officers.
The new board members are:
- Justine Keller, Test Engineer, Georgia Power
Pria Padgett, Assistant News Director, WTOC-TV
Elizabeth Summerell, Senior Assurance Manager, Marcum LLP
Mark Wilcox, Partner, Sterling Seacrest Pritchard
The officers include:President: Marsha Buford, Founder and Pastor, The House of Favor Full Gospel Ministries
Vice President: Denise Cooper, Assistant City Attorney, City of Savannah
Treasurer: Kate Blair, Executive Director, Brightside Child & Family Advocacy
Secretary: Phylicia Anderson, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
In addition, Tharros Place formed an Advisory Board to provide thought leadership and supplement specific areas where the board requires expertise. Members include:Ashlee Aspden, Human Resources Professional, Gulfstream Aerospace
Sheila Grossman, Retired Communications Professional
Paul Meyer, Founding Partner, Meyer and Sayers, LLP
Aurelia Moss, Retired Educator and Licensed Realtor, Keller Williams Realty
Alicia Wilson, CASA Advocacy Coordinator, Brightside Child and Family Advocacy
“We are so grateful to all of these community leaders who are stepping up to help make transformative change happen in the lives of young girls,” said Julie Wade, Executive Director of Tharros Place. “With their help, we will give our youth a chance at a better life through bold and innovative approaches and create a world where young people are heard, supported, and empowered.”
Last year, Tharros Place opened its doors to survivors of human trafficking. This residential facility is open 24/7 and staffed by trained and licensed professionals providing trauma-informed, client-centered care to girls ages 12 to 17.
In 2022, 494 minors with an average age of 14 were identified as victims of human trafficking. Chatham County ranks fourth in the state for the number of sex trafficking cases of minors. Tharros Place’s ultimate goal is to transform those girls from victims to young women brimming with confidence, self-respect, and courage.
The issue is of particular concern for Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp, who created the Georgians for Refuge, Action, Compassion, and Education (GRACE) Commission to eliminate human trafficking as a threat to people in every corner of Georgia.
American Public Health Association recognizes Healthy Savannah for Community Health Advocate program
COVID-19 vaccination rates for Black and Hispanic residents living in Savannah and Chatham County have risen measurably over the past 18 months. Now, Healthy Savannah is receiving national attention for its Community Health Advocate program developed to elevate vaccine awareness, access and acceptance among those priority populations.
The American Public Health Association (APHA), recently invited Healthy Savannah’s REACH team to speak at its national conference. The 150-year-old organization known for championing public health was particularly interested in learning about how Healthy Savannah developed and manages its CHA program, and how it may be influencing positive adult vaccination rates, particularly in Savannah’s low-wealth communities.
“We are so honored to have had such an outpouring of interest at the recent APHA conference about how we developed community training in tandem with outreach efforts in the faith community to increase vaccine awareness, acceptance and access,” said Dr. Elsie Smalls, Adult Immunization operations manager.
According to the Georgia Department of Health, Chatham County residents receiving at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine rose from 52.4% in October 2022 to 55.6% in December 2023. Vaccination rates for Black residents receiving at least one dose rose from 51.8% in June 2022 to 52.4% last October to current levels of 55.6%. For the Hispanic community, those receiving one dose have increased from 42.2% in June 2022 to 47% in October 2022 and now that rate is at 48%.
Members of Healthy Savannah’s REACH team were invited to speak in November at the APHA’S 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo in Atlanta where they explained why they developed the CHA program and how it has affected the community over the past couple of years. They also presented on how nurturing relationships among faith communities helped get research-backed information about the COVID vaccine as well as the vaccine itself out into the community.
“The roundtable session, entitled ‘Collaborate and Power Up,’ highlighted the amazing work of the 77 Community Health Advocates we have trained to provide information to increase awareness, access and acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine in Chatham County,” said Nichele Hoskins, the Adult Immunization team’s communications manager. “Over 40 people attended the session and commented on how we partnered with community members to spread the word and address health inequities during the pandemic. Many said that a similar program would be useful in other communities across the country.”
During the presentation, Smalls and Hoskins explained how Healthy Savannah kept a close watch on Department of Health reports in the early days of the pandemic which showed vaccination rates for Black and Hispanic persons were lagging behind the general population. Combining survey results and feedback from 200 community partners, the organization’s leadership recognized the low numbers were likely influenced by historical skepticism of government programs among those in the Black community and language barriers among many in the Hispanic community.
Utilizing a supplemental grant funded by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC), Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program, and with the support of the grant co-administrator the YMCA of Coastal Georgia, Healthy Savannah then developed the program that would employ metrics of listening to the community followed by a system of training, support and outreach efforts.
In the summer of 2021, Healthy Savannah invited community members to attend listening sessions to share their experiences, perspectives, and concerns about the pandemic, as well as vaccine efficacy and safety. This was followed in the fall by offering an initial training session to equip select members of the community with materials and guidance to engage in outreach activities within the Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino communities.
To date, Healthy Savannah has offered six training sessions and engaged 77 CHAs and vaccine providers to distribute evidence-based education, dispel disinformation, and offer pop-up vaccine clinics in diverse community locations, public events, and faith-based sites.
“The Community Engagement Spectrum approach has been proven to be effective in a variety of settings, recognizing the value of human assets that already exist within the community to move toward a healthier nation,” said Smalls.
Healthy Savannah has also equipped the CHAs to develop culturally and linguistically appropriate materials with compelling messages about prevention, symptoms, disease spread, treatment, and health resources available in the community.
“Through the REACH grant, we have supported 23 faith-based organizations through nearly $20,000 in mini grants to support COVID-vaccine awareness events since 2021,” Hoskins said.
The national stage at the 2023 APHA conference additionally offered a platform for Healthy Savannah to show other communities that a grass-roots effort can help lead to acceptance through increasing awareness and availability.
“We are especially pleased to congratulate Dr. Nandi Marshall on her appointment as incoming executive chair of APHA,” said Hoskins. “She has been an integral part of our local REACH team as a champion of breastfeeding education and awareness. Now, in this post-pandemic era, we are eager to work alongside her in the broadening field of adult immunization education to strengthen awareness, acceptance, and availability for the underinsured both here in Savannah and across our nation.”
Nandi A. Marshall, DrPH, MPH, CHES®, CLC, CDE®, is an associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and Community Health and the associate dean for Academic Affairs in the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University. She is currently serving a four-year term on the APHA Executive Board, most recently appointed as the vice-chair. Additionally, she has served as the Science Board chair and co-chair of the Joint Policy Committee.
The APHA is known for championing the health of all people and all communities and for strengthening the public health profession. It is the only organization that combines a 150-year perspective, a broad-based member community and the ability to influence federal policy to improve the public’s health. The APHA also publishes the American Journal of Public Health and The Nation’s Health newspaper.
Enmarket launches innovative Marketwash subscription program
Enmarket becomes first-in-market to offer customers monthly subscription car washing options with their new, state-of-the-art Marketwash mobile app. The goal is clear: to provide customers with a frictionless and contactless car care solution, setting Enmarket apart as a leader among the top convenience retailers.
Enmarket operates 25 Marketwash in-bay washes and looks forward to building recurring revenue for its expanding car wash business. Enmarket entered into the car wash business in the mid-1990s and rebranded all car washes to Marketwash in 2015. A new location was built in Richmond Hill, Georgia, in March 2023, while three additional locations will be added in 2024.
Headquartered in Savannah, Georgia, Enmarket operates 130 convenience stores throughout Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.
Customers subscribe to the program via the state-of-the-art Marketwash stand-alone mobile app developed by Liquid Barcodes. Customers will be able to select from several car wash subscription packages, add-ons, or one-time washes for a contactless car wash experience.
“Enmarket has long embraced technology to serve and engage customers and is looking forward to introducing the easy-to-use Marketwash app to provide a convenient, fast car wash experience,” says Matt Clements, Enmarket’s President. He continues, “Our marketing and car wash teams had a great vision for this product that Liquid Barcodes helped bring to life. We are now excited to share it with our customers.
The Marketwash app launched in January 2024 and is available for download for Apple and Android devices.
This article appears in Connect Savannah I February 2024.
