NW Metro Atlanta Habitat Families

Electronics Recycling Day

Family Resources — Tue, 17 May 2011 18:44:18 +0000

Keep Cobb Beautiful will host an Electronics Recycling Day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Saturday, May 21, at Jim Miller Park, 2245 Callaway Road, Marietta. Electronics accepted at no charge include: computers, microwaves, toasters, printers, video machines, camcorders, telephones, cameras, cell phones, scanners, and scanners. Televisions will be accepted for a $10 fee. For a complete list of accepted items, visit cobbcounty.org/kcb.

Beware – Potting Soil Can Catch Fire

Family Resources — Thu, 12 May 2011 18:32:42 +0000

Potting soil is capable of burning and in some cases it has spontaneously combusted. Below are some tips provided by a local Fire Marshall if you are using potting soil.

Do not use planters or flowerpots as ashtrays.
In areas where people may be smoking, provide proper ashtrays or non-combustible containers filled with sand.
Keep plants well watered to prevent the potting soil from drying out.
Remove and dispose of dead plants promptly.
Where possible, use non-combustible planters and flowerpots.
Do not locate planters or flowerpots close to other combustible material.

Senior Citizen Fair at Cobb Civic Center

Family Resources — Tue, 10 May 2011 18:04:31 +0000

Cobb Senior Services staff will host “Information Fair 2011″ 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Wednesday, May 11, at the Cobb Civic Center. The fair is free and geared toward seniors 55 years old and older, adult children and caregivers. Exhibitors will include information on elder law, advance directives, living wills, independent living, assisted living, identification fraud, Social Security, Medicare, social clubs, volunteerism, insurance, exercise and nutrition. Blood pressure and skin cancer screenings will be available, as well as basic eye exams provided by the Marietta Lions Club. There will also be several seminars throughout the day:

10:15 a.m. Get Fit and Have Fun
11 a.m. Drive up Hungry; Leave Healthy
11:45 a.m. Everyday Tai Chi
12:30 p.m. It’s All in Your Head
1:15 p.m. Home Grown Fitness

The Cobb Civic Center is located at 548 South Marietta Parkway, Marietta. For more information, visit cobbcounty.org/seniors or call 770-528-1445

Free Recycling Available

Family Resources — Thu, 05 May 2011 14:16:14 +0000

Keep Cobb Beautiful is partnering with Advanced Disposal Services to offer Cobb residents free drop spots to bring recyclables from home. There will be four sites. The 15-month pilot program will include free single stream recycling for residents of Cobb.

The drop site will be at police or fire stations, one in each commission district. Items accepted are: paper, plastics 1-7, steel and aluminum cans and cardboard. No glass, trash or dumping is allowed.

The first site opened May 2 at Station 14, 2905 Library Lane, Marietta. In addition to Station 14, drop sites will open Saturday, May 7, at Station 28, 3858 Kemp Road, Acworth and Saturday, May 14, at Station 21, 4400 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta, and Station 22, 4700 Austell Road, Austell.

Cobb Libraries Have New Hours

Family Resources — Thu, 05 May 2011 14:08:28 +0000

Cobb libraries will have new hours of operation beginning Sunday, May 1. The Central, East Cobb, Mountain View, South Cobb and West Cobb libraries will be open: 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Mondays-Wednesdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Thursday-Saturdays. The East Marietta, Gritters, Kemp Memorial, Kennesaw, Powder Springs, Stratton and Vinings libraries will be open: 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Mondays-Wednesdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Thursdays-Fridays, 1-6 p.m., Saturdays. The Acworth, Hattie G. Wilson, Lewis A. Ray, Sibley and Sweetwater libraries wil be open: 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Mondays-Wednesdays and 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Thursdays. For more information, visit cobbcounty.org/library.

Outdoor Burning Ban – Cobb County

Family Resources — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 12:31:39 +0000

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources issues a ban on open burning May 1-Sept. 30 of each year. Fifty-four counties in Georgia, including Cobb County, are affected. During the ban period, residents may not burn leaves, tree limbs or other yard waste, forest land or use air curtain destructors for land clearing. Cobb Fire and Emergency Services staff is responsible for enforcement of this state-issued ban in unincorporated Cobb and the cities of Acworth, Kennesaw and Powder Springs. If you have a complaint or problem regarding burning in your area, please call 911. For more information, visit cobbcounty.org/outdoorburning or contact Georgia Environmental Protection Division at 404-363-7000 or 404-362-2671.

Habitat Office Closed – Friday, April 22, 2011

Family Resources — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 20:16:42 +0000

The NW Metro Atlanta Habitat for Humanity Office will be closed on Friday, April 22, 2011 for the Good Friday Holiday. May your families have a Blessed Easter Weekend.

Nickelodeon Star Appearing in Kennesaw

Family Resources — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 13:52:09 +0000

Nickelodeon Star Hosts Teen Center Benefit

Kennesaw, Ga. (April 8, 2011) – Actor/singer Leon Thomas III, currently star of Nickelodeon’s hit TV show Victorious, will visit Kennesaw on April 16 to support fund raising efforts for the city’s new after-school program for teens.

Thomas will participate in the Big Shanty Festival Parade in downtown Kennesaw at 9:30 am. Following the parade, he will make personal appearances at the Youth Council booth at the Festival, where he will be available to meet with fans, provide photo opportunities and sign autographs.

At 6:30 pm, Kennesaw Mountain High School will host a program titled “A Chat with Leon Thomas III.” Admission will be $5 per person at the door; the proceeds will be used to help fund the after-school program now being conducted at the new Kennesaw Teen Center. In this one-man performance, the teen star will discuss the entertainment industry and his career progress, his belief in the importance of character building, and his support of youth development initiatives. He will also answer audience questions and perform a few acoustic songs.

Leon Thomas III is a talented actor, singer and dancer as well as an R&B and pop musician and songwriter. His filmography includes a Broadway debut at age 10 as Young Simba in the The Lion King; casting in the Broadway play The Color Purple; an appearance alongside Robin Williams and Terrance Howard in the film August Rush; and guest starring roles in The Backyardigans, Jack’s Big Music Show, Just Jordan, and iCarly.

Click on Link for full press release: Leon Thomas III News Release

Free Easter Egg Hunt

Family Resources — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 19:15:38 +0000

Families invited to enjoy free annual egg hunt

Cobb Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs staff will host its annual Egg Hunt at the Cobb Safety Village Saturday, April 16. The event will feature children’s activities, a basket contest, a petting zoo, inflatables, concessions, a visit with the Easter Bunny and the “Mad Hatter” contest. Admission and parking are free. The site opens at 10 a.m. Hunts will be done by age groups, with the first starting at 10:30 a.m. for children three and younger. At 11 a.m., children 4 and 5 years old will conduct their hunt. The next will be 11:30 a.m. for special populations. At noon, those 6 and 7 years old will hunt, followed by children 8-10 years old at 12:30 p.m. The Safety Village is located at 1220 Al Bishop Drive, Marietta. Parking will be adjacent to the nearby sports complex.

For more information, call 770-528-8875.

Cobb Extension Service Offers Free Event

Family Resources — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:18:42 +0000

Staff from UGA-Cobb Cooperative Extension will host an open house 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesday, April 6. The free event will have activities and programs for all ages and will share practical ideas and techniques on a variety of topics. The Urban Agriculture/Horticulture section will feature a plant doctor clinic, where you can bring plants and weeds for diagnosis, a bedbug display, container gardening and raised bed planting demonstrations, soil testing and water testing information. The Family and Consumer Sciences section will have information on preserving your own food, money management publications, Servsafe food handling, healthy snacks and what restaurant inspection scores mean. The 4-H Youth Development section will feature information, face painting, healthy eating, drug awareness and the 4-H Science Club. This event will be held in the Extension parking long, next to the main tag office, at 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta. For more information, call 770-528-4070 or visit cobbextension.com.