FOX Carolina's Toccoa "Take Over" November 4

FOX Carolina Morning Show
Ready for Toccoa "Take Over" on November 4

FOX Carolina Morning Anchors Cody Alcorn and Margaret Burnquist will be broadcasting LIVE from downtown Toccoa on November 4 as part of FOX Carolina’s "Town Take Over" series and they’re inviting everyone in Toccoa to enjoy a free morning of music, food, giveaways and the excitement of being part of a live TV broadcast as FOX Carolina puts Toccoa in the spotlight!

WHEN: Thursday, November 4, 2010
TIME: Anytime between 6:45 – 9 a.m. – or stay for the entire show!
WHERE: Downtown Toccoa on Doyle Street
WHY: To show everyone why Toccoa is THE place to live, work and play

FOX Carolina encourages people to bring signs supporting Toccoa because they WILL be on TV. Bring your family and friends to enjoy this free event downtown on November 4 and support the city. This is Toccoa’s time to shine!

If you have any questions please contact Main Street Toccoa at 706.282.3232. We look forward to seeing everyone downtown to support Toccoa on November 4!

Tour de Tugaloo 2010 Promo Video

Check out the Tour de Tugaloo as bicyclists ride along the Tugaloo River through Stephens County November 6, 2010!

Triple Crown of Watercross Event Makes a Splash on Lake Hartwell

Press Release August 16, 2010: Triple Crown of Watercross Event Makes A Splash on Lake Hartwell

Media Contacts:
•Wendi Bailey, Toccoa-Stephens County (T-SC) Chamber President, 706-886-2132
•Kathy Benson, Anderson, South Carolina Convention & Visitors Bureau Ex. Director, 864-716-3660
•Connie Tabor, Toccoa Mainstreet Director, 706-282-3269
•Larry Torrence, Lake Hartwell Marketing Alliance (LHMA) Chair, 706-436-0166, visit www.mylakehartwell.org.
•Upstate Watercraft Promotions has Race Results on www.uwpinc.com
•International Jet Sports Boating Association, www.ijsba.com
•Pictures courtesy of Glenn Brill, Director Anderson County Parks, Recreation & Tourism Division, 864-260-1092

The inaugural Triple Crown Watercross Competition on Lake Hartwell was held August 13-15th at the Big Oaks Recreation Area in Hart County. Over 150 watercraft racers participated and spectators came by car and boat - about 2,500 on Saturday and 3,000 on Sunday, to see speed and stunts. Rob Flores from Las Vegas and Ermino Iantosca from Naples were two points leaders racing to qualify for the upcoming nationals.

Mainstreet Director Connie Tabor and Chamber of Commerce President Wendi Bailey both serve on the Lake Hartwell Marketing Alliance (LHMA) board along with other lake-surrounding county’s representatives from Franklin, Hart, Anderson, Pickens and Oconee. The LHMA successfully attracted the Watercross event to the Lake and the board as well as many volunteers organized the weekend activities.

The riders each received Lake Hartwell gift bags at registration with gift items and brochures from each of the counties. All reports indicate they loved the warm weather, deep water and Southern hospitality. It was the perfect environment for the first event of its kind in the southeast!

The PR and media coverage leading up to and during the event, including ESPN brought great visibility to our Lake Hartwell region. WNEG TV News Channel 32, WNEG Radio AM 630 and Advantage Cable Marketing sponsored the event by running commercials created by Good Machine. Riders and spectators came from all over including Canada and Germany. They ate food from Shirley’s Sole Food, heard music from Flash the DJ and learned about the region by visiting the county’s information booths.

T-SC volunteers included Peter and Wendi Bailey, David and Lynn Cox, Harry and Patti Joiner, Don and Connie Tabor and Jackie Whitmire. They helped share information about our T-SC attractions and upcoming events. “Many of the riders are staying in the region before leaving for Charleston, West Virginia for the next race,” said Connie Tabor Mainstreet Director, “we invited them to visit Toccoa-Stephens County attractions, restaurants and retail shops this week.”

On Friday, the counties and sponsors each entered a team of amateurs in the Corporate Challenge. The Toccoa-Stephens County team placed 4th out of 11 teams. Mike Haynie from 1st Franklin Financial Corporation had the fastest team time of 1:07, Peter Bailey, Wendi Bailey and Roger Guimond each had times of 1:08. The Mayor of Hartwell, Jennifer Scott had the overall fastest time of 1:04.

On Saturday, nine types of Riders (beginner to pro) on four types of watercrafts (seated or standing) competed in four types of classes (stock to modified) and five different events (endurance, drag racing to freestyle tricks). Each race begins with 20 racers, male and female, side-by-side all wanting to be first going into turn one.

Upstate Watercraft Promotions, the national promoter partnering with the International Jet Sports Boating Association is looking at venues in Anderson, SC for the 2011 event. Organizers believe it will continue to grow and be an economic boost for the Lake Hartwell region for years to come. “We are excited about the future of the LHMA and the other events being contemplated now, said Wendi Bailey Chamber President. “Tourists don’t see borders, just warm smiles and friendly faces. I came home with brochures from each of the counties and plan to create a new section in our Welcome Center called the Lake Hartwell Region.”

Watercross Event programs, T-shirts, caps, poster art, gift bags and other LHMA souvenir items are still available for purchase. Please call the Chamber at 706-886-2132.

Making a Splash

National Race Tour Comes to Lake Hartwell

The Lake Hartwell Marketing Alliance announced a personal watercraft racing tour will roar onto Lake Hartwell August 13-15, 2010. The big Oaks Recreation Area in Georgia will host the Toyota Upstate Watercraft Promotions-International Jet Sport Boating Association (UWP-IJSBA) Tour, one of the nation’s leading personal watercraft racing circuits.
"The event will feature top U.S. and international racers doing battle against one another while negotiating buoys, obstacles and pounding waves at speeds up to 80MPH on the ½ - ¾ mile course," said A.J. Handler, Director of Upstate Watercraft Promotions. He added "this is like motocross on water, closed course racing is handle bar-to handle bar. The course is designed to keep competition tight and fans close to the action."

The event will also feature a freestyle segment "which highlights the acrobatical abilities of the highly specialized athletes and their watercraft. Freestyle features two minute routines in an Olympic-style format in front of a panel of judges. Competitors choreographed tricks are performed to music," said Handler.

"In addition to racing for professional riders, local competitors who have little or no racing experience will also have the chance to compete on the same course," said Handler. The Toyota UVVP-IJSBA Tour consists of six racing weekends. Races are scheduled in Florida, New York (two weekends), Wisconsin, and West Virginia. Racers accumulate points to qualify for the International Jet Sports Boating Association’s World Finals in Lake Havasu, Arizona.
Besides the action on the water, "a beach volleyball tournament is planned during the race weekend, along with vendors, food & drink and an education area on personal watercraft. Admission to the races and other events will be free," said Kathy Benson of the Anderson Convention & Visitors Bureau, Co-Chair of the planning committee.

The Lake Hartwell Marketing Alliance is comprised of 150 tourism professionals and businesses with an interest in the lake. All live or work in the six countries surrounding Lake Hartwell: Anderson, Oconee & Pickens in South Carolina and Hart, Franklin and Stephens in Georgia. "The alliance’s goal is to market the lake and its surrounding region as one destination, disregarding county and state boundaries," said Bill Griggs of docks South, Co-Chair of the planning committee for the event. For more information or for sponsorship call Main Street Toccoa at 706-282-3269.

Celebrating National Train Day in Toccoa

By Sharon Crosby

For those who love trains, 6:15 a.m. is not too early to come to a celebration of trains! On May 8 close to 100 train enthusiasts attended Toccoa’s 2nd annual National Train Day at the historic train depot. The crowd cheered as the Amtrak train pulled into the station surprising the conductor and the riders at such a hearty welcome so early in the morning.

Mayor Bob Troup and his wife Betty as well as Sharon Crosby, Special Events Coordinator boarded the train to Gainesville and handed out information packets about Toccoa to those on the train.

Drawings were held for free round-trip tickets to Atlanta (donated by Amtrak and won by Knox Holcomb) and a $500 Amtrak voucher (donated by AM 630 WNEG and won by Kevin Avrett).
A framed commemorative Crescent poster (won by Chris Freshour) and a special Amtrak tote bag (won by Annette Boswell) were also given away as part of the event.

Mayor Bob Troup said, “The turn out was fantastic! This is a great event for Toccoa.”

One of this year’s guests was a WWII veteran, Jessie Sisk, who drove from Royston to participate in the event. During the war he would take the train from Toccoa to New Orleans, then transfer, continuing thru Texas on to California, transfer again and finally end up in San Francisco. He had many fond memories of his train trips.

"We want to thank Amtrak, Ionosphere Travel Agency, and AM 630 WNEG Radio for their event sponsorship," said Special Events Coordinator Sharon Crosby. "And we also want to thank every one who came out to help welcome the train. We are already looking forward to next year’s event."

To view a video of the event, go to www.mainstreettoccoa.com/events.

Amtrak tickets can be purchased online or locally by visiting Ionosphere Travel Agency in Historic Downtown Toccoa (706.886.9471).