Historic Plaque Dedication: Master's Touch Artworks

Press Release

Release: Immediate

Contact:  Christian Hamilton, 706.898.5777

RE: Historic Plaque Ceremony, Master’s Touch Artworks, 03/02/17

TOCCOA, GA, February 27, 2017 – The fifth historic plaque in the 2016-2017 series of plaques dedicated to downtown buildings will be unveiled on Thursday, March 2, 2017 at 5 p.m., at Master’s Touch Artworks, located at 36 West Doyle Street. This plaque will celebrate the history of Green’s Bargain Annex

Serving as an accessory to Green’s already successful department store, the Bargain Annex was added on to the store around 1950 and was designed to sell cheap and discounted goods. Green’s Department Store was located on downtown Doyle Street right next to the Globe Department store, and they sold much of the same products: Men and womenswear, home goods, furniture, and various odds and ends, though with a particular eye for salesmanship.

 The historic plaque program highlights ten 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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Lightwire Theater Performs at the Ritz

Press Release

Release: Immediate

Contact:  Christian Hamilton, 706.898.5777

Date: 02/27/17

RE: Lightwire Theater Presents The Ugly Duckling

TOCCOA, GA, February 27, 2017 – Main Street Toccoa is pleased to announce Lightwire Theater’s performance of The Ugly Duckling on March 3^rd and 4^th. Both performances will take place at 7 P.M.

Lightwire Theater, based in New Orleans, Louisiana, is well-known as a semi-finalist on America’s Got Talent and the winner of TruTV’s Fake Off. Their theatrical performances capture the senses with a stunning mix of music, dance, and electroluminescence. Performers wear light rigs in a pitch-black auditorium, evoking imagery and becoming anthropomorphic characters through their high-tech gear.

Lightwire Theater’s rendition of the classic tale, The Ugly Duckling, is family-friendly and the perfect show for all ages. Parents will have the opportunity to educate their kids on the values associated with courage and diversity, while adults will be dazzled by the incredible display of lights.

Tickets are available now through the Main Street Toccoa office and the Toccoa Welcome Center. Prices are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the door the night of each show. Doors open at 6:30pm for both performances.

This performance is partially funded by the Georgia Council for the Arts, a non-profit organization in Georgia dedicated to the showcasing of the arts across the state.

For more information about Lightwire Theater’s The Ugly Duckling, please contact Christian Hamilton at the Main Street office at 706.898.5777

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Historic Plaque Dedication: Sherwin-Williams

Press Release

Release: Immediate

Contact:  Christian Hamilton, 706.898.5777

RE: Historic Plaque Ceremony, Sherwin-Williams, February 2, 2017

TOCCOA, GA – The fourth historic plaque in the 2016-2017 series of plaques dedicated to downtown buildings will be unveiled on Thursday, February 2, 2017 at 5 p.m., at Sherwin Williams, located at 33 North Sage Street.

In May of 1963, the Toccoa Sherwin-Williams opened, serving as a downtown staple for the last 53 years. However, this building was not always a Sherwin-Williams. Constructed in 1953, the Sherwin-Williams building has housed several businesses, including two furniture stores, the Gibson-Wilson Furniture store and, for a very short time in the beginning of the 1960s, Stinespring Furniture. Next door, Sewell Furniture opened in October of 1962 and stayed in that location for 31 years, effectively creating a nexus of furniture stores around the block over several years. This building is currently owned by Mr. Janney Sanders, a local attorney.

 The historic plaque program highlights ten 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.

Everyone is invited to attend this event! The Main Street Office is happy to answer any questions. Please contact Christian Hamilton at 706.898.5777 for inquiries.

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McCurry's Men's Shop Historic Plaque Installed

Press Release

Release: Immediate

Contact:  Christian Hamilton, 706.898.5777

RE: Completed Installation of Historic Plaque at The Chattel Shop/Phyllis’ Hairworks

TOCCOA, GA – On Thursday, January 5, 2017, The Chattel Shop/Phyllis’ Hairworks received the third historic plaque in the 2016-2017 series of plaques dedicated to downtown buildings. The ceremony took place at 5:00 p.m. in front of The Chattel Shop to celebrate the history of McCurry’s Men’s Shop.

A classic sight in Historic Downtown Toccoa, McCurry’s Men’s Shop was founded by Mr. Carl McCurry as a retail location designed to provide casual, formal, and professional wear to men of all ages. The building which housed McCurry’s Men’s Shop was originally constructed around the year 1900, making it one of the older buildings in Downtown Toccoa.

Currently, the building that housed McCurry’s Men’s Shop is now owned by Phyllis Skelton and is home to her business, Phyllis’ Hairworks, a successful downtown women’s hair salon, as well as Gail’s Infinity Hair Salon, and The Chattel Shop.

The ceremony was brief and memorable, with a large crowd drawing from family members and friends, the Toccoa Historic Preservation Commission, ER Committee, Promotions Committee, downtown business practitioners, community members, and Main Street staff. Many anecdotes were told regarding the history of the building and the legacy of Mr. Carl McCurry himself.

The next historic plaque will be presented at Sherwin-Williams, honoring the legacy of Sherwin-Williams, on February 2, 2017 at 5 p.m.

For further questions, please contact Christian Hamilton at the Main Street Office in City Hall at 706.898.5777.

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Festival of Trees Winner

News Release

Release: Immediate
Date: December 6, 2016
Contact: Sharon Crosby

Re: Festival of Trees Winner

TOCCOA, GA – December 6, 2016 – The ninth annual Festival of Trees was held on December 2 – 3 in the Historic Courthouse in downtown Toccoa. Nine trees were on display receiving a total of over 500 total votes. For $1 visitors were able to vote for their favorite tree. Businesses, non-profit organizations, and local citizens 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; Deborah’s Magic Mirror for Meals on Wheels, City of Toccoa for Stephens County 4 H Club, Stephens County Government for Open Arms Clinic, Toccoa Stephens County Chamber of Commerce for Neighbors 4 Neighbors, Toccoa Stephens County Literacy Council for the Literacy Council, First Alliance Church for the Salvation Army, 1st Franklin Financial for Reins for Life, Northeast Georgia Physicians Group for Power House for Kids, Toccoa Rotary Club for Coins for Alzheimer, and Valley Farm at Toccoa Falls College for Food 2 Kids.

The tree with the most votes over the two - day display was Valley Farm at Toccoa Falls College. The money will go to help the Food 2 Kids program in Stephens County. The program aims to bridge the weekly weekend hunger gap by providing free sacks of child friendly and child specific foods that are easy to open, nutritious, and do not require any cooking. The Food 2 Kids program provides approximately six meals and two snacks each weekend that school is in session (40 weeks) to previously identified school children

Although much of the food the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia receives is donated, the majority of food for the Food 2 Kids program is not. Purchase of the food for this program is required to ensure a balanced, nutritional, child friendly, reliable source of food for the growing and developing children this program serves. For less than a dollar a meal, the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia can provide 240 meals to a child each school year.

The Food Bank of Northeast Georgia relies on community partners to prevent malnutrition during the critical stages of development. Each week volunteers pack and deliver these bags to various schools throughout the community. School officials then distribute the sacks to the students. To learn more about this program or how to become a participating Partner Agency contact the Programs Coordinator, Beegee Elder at kidsmeals@foodbanknega.org.

“Congratulations to Valley Farm for winning the most votes. 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.”

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