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
The monthly Family Support meeting by LDSS is April 18: Come connect and learn
Who: The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society
When: Thursday, April 18 from 6:30–8:30 p.m.
Where: 1525 Dean Forest Rd.
What: The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) announces its upcoming Family Support meeting. Attendees are kindly asked to utilize the side entrance labeled “100A”.
This monthly gathering is open to all families and individuals in the greater Savannah/Lowcountry area who have been touched by Down syndrome. Established in 2006, LDSS serves families across eight surrounding counties, providing vital support, resources, and a sense of community.
The meetings, held every third Thursday of the month, offer a valuable platform for families to connect, share experiences, and gain insights.
Each session typically features a guest speaker, providing valuable information and perspectives, followed by dedicated social time for families to interact and build relationships. Children are enthusiastically encouraged to attend, fostering a supportive environment for all members of the family.
“We’re excited to welcome both familiar faces and newcomers to our upcoming meeting,” said Joe Marchese, President of LDSS. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect, learn, and grow together as a community.”
The LDSS Family Support meetings are free to attend, and no RSVP is required. Simply join us and be part of this vibrant community.
Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Health Coalition hosts April 21 Faith Walk at Lake Mayer
Who: Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Health Coalition
When: Sunday, April 21 from 4 to 6:30 p.m.
Where: Lake Mayer Community Park | 1850 E. Montgomery Cross Rd.
What: Healthy Savannah’s Faith and Health Coalition will host a free community event to celebrate health, wellness and springtime fun. Those planning to attend are encouraged to RSVP.
Called “Faith Walk” and co-sponsored by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, the event will be held at the Lake Mayer pavilions. The activities will include a variety of healthy resources and giveaways for adults and games for kids such as corn hole, jump ropes and Hula-Hoops.
“We’ll be giving away 100 grocery bags from Forsyth Farmer’s Market, courtesy of Anthem, and CORE will be on hand with free COVID vaccinations for underinsured and uninsured adults,” said Ruby Castro, Nutrition Program manager. “Representatives from GirlTrek, Black Girls Do Bike, and Black Girls Run are also expected to be on hand with exciting information about those programs and to help show off the benefits of walking and bike riding.”
Attendees will also be able to participate in a healthy walk around the Lake Mayer trail which provides a connection point to the Truman Linear Park Trail. Those who wish to receive a free COVID vaccine are encouraged to register in advance.
“We’ll additionally share the latest news about the scheduled completion of the Truman Linear Park Trail as well as updates on the entire Tide to Town urban trail system project,” said Armand Turner, Healthy Savannah’s deputy director, who also serves as the Friends of Tide to Town board president. “We are making great strides now that the City has brought a project manager on board, and we are also working with City staff on an official agreement between Friends of Tide to Town and the City of Savannah that outlines how the two entities can work together to ensure the trail system is constructed and maintained with equity and health in mind.”
Friends of Tide to Town is a nonprofit organization formed in 2017 to advocate for the development and promotion of Savannah’s Urban Trail System through community engagement activities.
Construction of the final three-mile stretch of the Truman Trail from DeRenne Avenue to 52nd Street is expected to get underway later this year. Once completed, it will fully connect the Lake Mayer Park Trail Loop to the Daffin Park Trail Loop, creating nine miles of continuous off- and on-road bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure through the heart of Savannah. The entire Tide to Town project is expected to connect 75 percent of Savannah’s neighborhoods to safe walking and biking infrastructure. It will include a network of 30+ miles of bikeable and walkable trails connecting more than 60 neighborhoods and 30 schools in Savannah and Chatham County, from downtown to the marshes and waterways.
In November, Savannah City Manager Joseph A. Melder appointed Tina Bockhold to take over management of the Tide to Town project, which received an additional $10 million in funding from the City Council last fall due to an increase in the hotel/motel tax and $8 million that was approved in February for construction of Phase IIB of the Truman Linear Park Trail. Bockhold, with 10 years of experience as a traffic engineer for Chatham County and the Georgia Department of Transportation, will manage all phases of the project design and construction.
Healthy Savannah’s online Healthy Walks map shows trail routes all across Savannah and Chatham County. Trail users are encouraged to share walk experiences by tagging photos and videos with #activepeoplehealthysavannah, #activepeople and #HealthyWalk.
Forsyth Farmers’ Market to host free “A Taste of African Heritage” cooking classes on April 25, May 30 & June 27
Who: Forsyth Farmers’ Market, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Savannah, Ga. that organizes south Georgia’s largest farmers’ market, supports local sustainable farming and expands community access to fresh, healthy food through innovative year-round programs.
When: Thursday, April 25 | Thursday, May 30 | Thursday, June 27, 5-7 p.m.
Where: Pennsylvania Avenue Resource Center, 425 Pennsylvania Ave.
What: “A Taste of African Heritage” Cooking Classes. The Forsyth Farmers’ Market, through a special partnership with Oldways, will continue to offer free “A Taste of African Heritage” cooking classes this spring.
These immersive, hands-on cooking classes are designed to celebrate the rich heritage of African cuisine and to promote health-conscious dishes that are deeply rooted in tradition. Attendees will engage in discussions about the cultural significance of the ingredients, learn culinary techniques and take the time to eat, share and reflect.
“A Taste of African Heritage” cooking classes are free and open to the public. Space is limited, and advance registration is required. At the time of registration, please list any food allergies. To register, please contact Forsyth Farmers’ Market Director of Community Building Aja Embry at [email protected] or call 912.509.0894.
REGISTRATION:
Thursday, April 25 - Eventbrite Registration Link
Thursday, May 30 - Eventbrite Registration Link
Thursday, June 27 - Eventbrite Registration Link
Seersucker Live presents: The Spring Fever Episode
Who: Seersucker Live
When: Thursday, April 25 | Cocktail hour at 6 p.m., show at 7 p.m.
Where: Front Porch Improv, 210 W Victory Drive
What: Things are heating up outside, and Seersucker Live is proud to present “The Spring Fever Episode,” featuring readings from Kristen Arnett, Sam Rush, and Keith Miller. Tickets can be purchased in advance at frontporchimprov.com.
Kristen Arnett is the queer author of With Teeth: A Novel (Riverhead Books, 2021) which was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in fiction and the New York Times bestselling debut novel Mostly Dead Things (Tin House, 2019) which was also a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in fiction and was shortlisted for the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. Her work has appeared at The New York Times, TIME, The Cut, Oprah Magazine, Guernica, Buzzfeed, McSweeneys, PBS Newshour, The Guardian, Salon, The Washington Post, and elsewhere. Her next novel, CLOWN, will be published by Riverhead Books (Spring 2025). She has a Masters in Library and Information Science from Florida State University and lives in Orlando, Florida.
Sam Rush began writing after developing progressive hearing loss and realizing how many words each word could be. They were a finalist at the National Poetry Slam in 2016, and Sam's work has been featured in Muzzle, The Offing, Voicemail Poems & The Journal, as well as on Button Poetry, and SlamFind. Their first collection of poems, SWALLOW (Sibling Rivalry Press,2021) was nominated for the Georgia Author of the Year Award. Sam has spent the last decade working in environmental education and youth empowerment.
Keith F. Miller, Jr. is an award-winning educator, artist, and researcher who studies healing literacies and their role in supporting BIPOC communities in healing, growing, and thriving through trauma. The founder of Healing By Any Means, LLC, Keith’s work powers people, projects, and healing-centered research in service of systems and narrative change through the arts. He is an executive producer of Pritty: The Animation and current M.F.A candidate in creative writing at St. Francis College in Brooklyn, NY.
SFD to host free pancake breakfast and open house
Who: Savannah Fire Department
When: Saturday, April 27 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Station 14, 480 Highlands Blvd.
What: The Savannah Fire Department is excited to announce its upcoming open house event offering free breakfast. Breakfast will be served from 9–10 a.m.; it will then be followed by our open house from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
This event gives an opportunity for residents in the Highlands area to meet their local firefighters, explore the vast equipment firefighters use daily, and play firefighting related games. The event is open to all and is designed to be family friendly.
Local Updates
Mary's Place Sexual Assault Awareness Month events:
Jeans for Justice (month-long initiative in April) - Also known as Denim Day”, began in 1999 as part of an international protest of an Italian Supreme Court decision to overturn a rape conviction because the victim was wearing jeans. Utilize the symbolism of jeans to bring attention to sexual assault and to let others know that injustice will not be tolerated in your community.
Solidarity Walk (6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Apr. 9, 2024 at Forsyth Park) – Join Mary’s Place for their Solidarity Walk, where we invite all members of the community to participate and provide support for others as we walk in solidarity for the survivors of sexual assault. This uplifting, light-hearted event offers community members a unique opportunity to join in the effort to end sexual violence, show their support for survivors, and raise awareness of the programs and services offered at Mary’s Place.
“Recharge. Reset. Respond.” A Responders Summit on Sexual Assault (8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Wednesday, Apr. 10, 2024 at Savannah Technical College Eckburg Auditorium) - This training initiative is designed for a diverse array of professionals, including SART Team Members, representatives from non-profit agencies, law enforcement officials, court administrators, school social workers, counselors, therapists, students pursuing related fields, and all individuals dedicated to providing support to survivors of sexual assault.
“Find Your Voice” Lip Sync Competition (Friday, Apr. 26 at Victory North) - The competition returns to Victory North! This innovative fundraising event will once again offer guests delicious food and cocktails, a silent auction, and a chance to enjoy and vote for the teams competing for the 2024 ‘Find Your Voice’ awards. All proceeds benefit our mission to support survivors of sexual assault and prevention education.
VyStar Credit Union Wins Economic Vehicle Accessibility Award from Open Lending
VyStar Credit Union was recently honored with a 2023 Economic Vehicle
Accessibility Award (EVAA) from Open
Lending at
its inaugural EVAAs, held in Washington, D.C. VyStar was recognized for its commitment to driving
access to vehicle ownership through equitable financing opportunities for
consumers often overlooked by traditional underwriting methods.
Through Open Lending, VyStar assisted more than 5,000 members receive
approval for auto loans with competitive financing terms. “We are honored to be
recognized by Opening Lending,” said VyStar VP, Indirect Lending & Business
Development Ivan McBride. “They have been a tremendous partner to our
credit union by offering support in our mission to Do Good in the communities
we serve by providing more opportunities for the financially underserved in
Northeast Florida as we expand our footprint in new and emerging markets in
Georgia and Central Florida.”
For over 20 years, Open Lending has supported credit unions by
providing more accurate pricing, loan structuring, automated decisioning and
identifying credit worthy auto loan applicants in the near-prime and non-prime
credit tiers. “Open Lending is proud to recognize the incredible work
that credit unions and banks do to bring loan opportunities to underserved
consumers,” said Open Lending Senior Vice President, Marketing Kevin Filan.
VyStar members can take advantage of auto loans that have among the lowest
rates available and enjoy quick and easy loan approvals. With a VyStar auto
loan members can save more money now and enjoy more cash in hand. For more
information go to www.vystarcu.org/personal/borrow or visit a VyStar
branch.
Project Smile marks 32 years of global dental outreach and service in Belize
Project Smile, a non-profit dental mission, commemorates over three decades of providing free essential dental care and community support to children in Belize. Established in 1992 through a cooperative effort between the apostle dioceses of Georgia and Belize, this initiative exemplifies humanitarian service at its best and showcases international collaboration for the betterment of society.
Dr. Steve Acuff, the founder of Project Smile, together with his wife Montie Acuff, the organization’s treasurer, have been pivotal figures in this mission. Their outstanding work managing the operations, documentation, and patient records has ensured the initiative’s long-term impact.
Dr. Acuff, reflecting on the experience, commented, “I truly feel alive in Belize and it feels like the ‘real world’. Serving in Belize is a reminder of how most of the world lives.”
This year Project Smile operated with sixteen self-paid volunteers serving 200 patients in a mere three and a half days, demonstrating the effectiveness and dedication of the volunteers. The most recent trip to Belize took place in February 2024 which included two teams that keep the clinic running for two weeks, one from Georgia and the other from Ohio, echoing the true spirit of teamwork and continuity.
Dr. Roy Maynard of Georgetown Family Dental and his wife Dr. Crystal Williams of Georgetown Orthodontics and two other Georgetown Family Dental staff members Sojourner Mays and Shea Bryant, joined forces with a dental team from Ohio to undertake the Project Smile.
The couple emphasized that their work went beyond the dental world because, as Black professionals, and as the first Black dentist to join Project Smile they serve as role models to their young patients.
“I wanted the kids to see a role model and a dentist that looked like them,” Dr. Maynard said. “Dental hygiene is important, of course, but it is equally important to enable children to envision themselves in roles that work towards bettering communities and the lives of others.”
Together the Project Smile teams, from both Georgia and Ohio, offer a holistic approach to children’s dental health including cleanings, fillings, extractions, and cavity-preventing sealants. Operating out of St. Mary’s School in Belize, Project Smile has six professional dental stations for children ages four to fourteen to receive free dental care.
Since 1992, Project Smile has freely given more than 22,000 dental treatments, started free lunch programs, and started the first computer lab in Belize.
