Festival of Trees Winner Announced

News Release

      Release:  Immediate

Date:       December 3, 2018

Contact:  Sharon Crosby

Re:          Festival of Trees Winner

Festival of Trees Winner

TOCCOA, GA – December 3, 2018 – The eleventh annual Festival of Trees was held on November 30 and December 2 in the Historic Courthouse in downtown Toccoa. Fourteen trees were on display receiving a total of over 850 total votes. For $1 visitors were able to vote for their favorite tree.  Businesses and  non-profit organizations, decorated the trees, many with themes that reflected their organization.  Each group received the proceeds from their votes.  In addition to the money received from the vote, the tree with the most votes won a $500 grand prize.

The groups participating this year were; Toccoa Stephens County Chamber of Commerce for the Currahee Military Museum, 1^st Franklin Financial for Powerhouse for Kids, the Friends of the Ritz, the Lion’s Club for Girl Scout Troop 11423, Friends of the Toccoa Stephens County Library, Cubscout Pack 77, Stephens County Hospital, Shepherd’s Hill Academy, Family Connections of Stephens County, Barefoot Youth of Toccoa First United Methodist Church, Clary Care Center and Wilkinson Center, Stephens County Senior Center, Carnes Creek Volunteer Fire Department and Sweet Mountain Honey Co.

The tree with the most votes over the two - day display was sponsored by Sweet Mountain Honey Co. for CASA. The beautifully decorated tree was bee themed and showed many uses of honey. Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for Children is a network of 951 community-based programs that recruit, train and support citizen-volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in courtrooms and communities. Volunteer advocates—empowered directly by the courts—offer judges the critical information they need to ensure that each child’s rights and needs are being attended to while in foster care. Volunteers stay with children until they are placed in loving permanent homes. For many abused children, a CASA volunteer is the only constant adult presence in their lives.

“Congratulations to Sweet Mountain Honey for winning the most votes and for raising much needed funds for CASA. We are so thankful for the wonderful work that CASA does for the children in our community. All the trees were beautiful and each group worthy of the money that was raised,” said Sharon Crosby, City of Toccoa Special Events Coordinator. “We would like to thank each organization and business that put up a tree. Each one was beautiful and reflected the group they represented.”

                                          

Historic Plaque to be Placed on Just Right Catering

Press Release

Release: Immediate

Contact:  Christian Hamilton, 706.898.5777

RE: Historic Plaque Ceremony, Main Street Cafe, December 6, 2018

TOCCOA, GA – The fourth historic plaque in the 2018 – 2019 series of plaques dedicated to downtown buildings will be unveiled on Thursday, December 6, 2018 at 5 p.m., at 46 East Doyle Street, the current location of Just Right Catering and the former location of the Main Street Cafe.

The building which housed the Main Street Café was home to many various businesses over the years, including Lola’s Beauty Salon, Grace’s Beauty Salon, the Main Street Café, and The State Restaurant. Unique at the time in Downtown Toccoa, this storefront was capable of housing multiple businesses due to separate egresses in the structure. It still looks very much the same it would have back in 1927 when it was constructed. More information will be available during the ceremony.

 The historic plaque program highlights historic buildings in Toccoa, and the remaining plaques are set to follow each month. Once all plaques have been installed, they will be added to Main Street Toccoa’s Historic Walking Tour Guide.

The Main Street Office is happy to answer any questions regarding the Historic Plaque Program. Please contact Christian Hamilton at 706.898.5777 for inquiries.

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Edgar Loudermilk to Perform at the Ritz

Press Release

Release: Immediate
Contact: Danita Gaudette
Date: October 8, 2018

RE: Historic Ritz Theatre Welcomes the Return of Edgar Loudermilk featuring Jeff Autry

Toccoa, GA – October 8, 2018 – Main Street Toccoa is pleased to continue the second annual Night at the Ritz series with a performance by local favorite Edgar Loudermilk featuring Jeff Autry on Thursday, October 18, 2018 at 7pm.

Edgar Loudermilk’s signature voice, bass skills, and songwriting are a family tradition for this Louvin Brothers’ descendant. Having experienced a long tenure of performing, including several industry awards, with IIIrd Tyme Out, Rhonda Vincent, and Marty Raybon, in 2015 he stepped out forming his own band with the highly acclaimed guitarist, Jeff Autry. Edgar’s band has released two projects, with the 2016 release of “Georgia Maple” debuting at #4 on the Billboard charts (July, 2016). A highly anticipated new release on Pinecastle Records is scheduled for the summer of 2018.

The musical styling of the band encompasses bluegrass, swing, gospel, and Americana genres.
Night at the Ritz, a regular event series at the Historic Ritz Theatre, is funded, in part, by a generous
grant received from the Georgia Council for the Arts. Tickets for all shows may be purchased online, at the Toccoa Welcome Center, or at the theatre box office before showtime. Adult tickets are $10,
children under 12 are $5, and students with an ID are also $5.

For more information on Edgar Loudermilk’s performance or Night at the Ritz, please contact Ritz Theatre General Manager Danita Gaudette at dgaudette@cityoftoccoa.com or 706.244.0039.

Historic Plaque to Be Placed on the Star Theater

Press Release

Release: Immediate

Contact:  Christian Hamilton, 706.898.5777

RE: Historic Plaque Ceremony, Star Theater, October 4, 2018

TOCCOA, GA – The second historic plaque in the 2018 – 2019 series of plaques dedicated to downtown buildings will be unveiled on Thursday, October 4, 2018 at 5 p.m., at the Star Theater on West Doyle Street.

The Star Theater was constructed between 1913 and 1917 as a single-screen movie theater. The first theater in Downtown Toccoa, it opened in the early days of silent pictures. The theater closed down around 1950, and later opened as both a dry cleaner and a barber shop. In 2016, new owner Chris Irvin meticulously restored the theater to its original look, including through preservation-minded work on the floors, ceiling, and façade. More information will be available at the Historic Plaque ceremony this Thursday.

 The historic plaque program highlights historic buildings in Toccoa, and the remaining plaques are set to follow each month. Once all plaques have been installed, they will be added to Main Street Toccoa’s Historic Walking Tour Guide.

The Main Street Office is happy to answer any questions regarding the Historic Plaque Program. Please contact Christian Hamilton at 706.898.5777 for inquiries.

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Festival of Trees Applications Online

News Release

Release: Immediate
Re: 2018 Festival of Trees
Date: October 1, 2018
Contact: Sharon Crosby

2018 Festival of Trees

Tocccoa, GA – October 1, 2018 – For the 11th year, Main Street Toccoa is working
together with local businesses and organizations to help non-profits through the Festival
of Trees on November 29 – December 1. This event offers opportunities to help raise
money for the non-profits and charities in the community. Last year, over 900 visitors
came to view the beautiful trees and to give to the charities.

Businesses, civic groups, schools, individuals, families, or non-profit organizations are
invited to decorate and display a tree. The trees will be on display Thursday, November
29 from 8 am – 5 pm in the courtroom of the historic courthouse. They will also be open
for display on November 30 from 8 am – 9 pm. Voting will take place November 30, 5 –
9 pm and Saturday, December 1 from 12 pm – 4 pm. The public will vote on their
favorite Christmas tree for one dollar a vote. All proceeds will go to a non-profit
organization which is designated by the designer. The tree with the highest amount
earned will receive the Grand Prize of $500 for the non-profit organization they
represent.

Applications can be found at www.mainstreettoccoa.com . “This is a great way for our
local businesses to show their support for those doing a wonderful service in our
community. It is also a great way for our non-profits to give information about their
organizations. Many don’t know about the many services our community has and how
they can help,” stated Sharon Crosby, Special Events Coordinator for Toccoa.

For more information or for an application, please call the Main Street office at 706-282-
3309 or go to www.mainstreettoccoa.com to download an application.