On the LAKE Front

Rockin' for a Cause: Literacy Volunteer Program —Tom Hochschild

Seen 10 August 2012. -jsq

Friends,

On Friday, October 5th I will be hosting a fundraiser called “Rockin' for a Cause” to help fight illiteracy in South Georgia. Working with Dr. Marty Williams and Charlie Oliver, we hope to raise $6,000 for the Literacy Volunteer Program (LVP) of South Georgia. The LVP provides one-to-one tutoring to improve the reading, writing, and arithmetic skills of functionally illiterate individuals 16 years of age and older in South Central Georgia.

The ticket price for the event is $20 and includes an evening of good-time music from The Backstreet Blazers band, one raffle ticket for a chance to win a variety of great prizes, and an assortment of delicious appetizers. Dr. James LaPlant has graciously agreed to emcee the event.

“Rockin' for a Cause” will take place on Friday, October 5th at The American Legion Post 13 located at 1301 Williams Street (behind Bazemore-Hyder Stadium) from 7:00-10:30 pm. In addition to an air-conditioned dance hall, the American Legion has a cash bar for beer and wine.

If you are interested in purchasing tickets before the night of the event, you may contact one of the following:

VHS Jazz Band @ Brown Bag Lunch Concert Series 2012-05-07

Gretchen went to Tuesday's Brown Bag Lunch and saw a lot of happy lunchers listening to the VHS Jazz Ensemble.

Here's a video playlist:

VHS Jazz Band @ Brown Bag Lunch Concert Series, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 7 May 2012.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).

-jsq

Earth Day and Valdosta Farm Days Saturday 21 April 2012

It's a food festival Saturday in Valdosta! Before, after, or during stocking up on local food at Valdosta Farm Days at the historic Lowndes County Courthouse, you can mosey up Patterson Street to Drexel Park for lunch, music, fun, and education at Earth Day! Drive, bike, or even walk; it's only a little more than a mile.

What: Come celebrate the Earth with us, and learn about growing your own food!! When: 10AM-3PM Saturday 21 April 2012 Where: Drexel Park, across Patterson St from VSU, E. Brookwood Drive, Valdosta, GA

Appended is the text of the announcement.

-jsq

What it takes to run for Mayor of Valdosta

People ask me: what does it take to run for mayor of Valdosta? A few qualifications, a few skills, and a vision would sure help.

Well, you have to qualify. That costs $750 down at the Board of Elections.

According to the City of Valdosta's website, there are a few other requirements:

Qualification Mayor. To be eligible for election or appointment and service as Mayor, a person must be a minimum of 21 years of age, be a resident of the City of Valdosta for one year prior ro the date of qualifying, and a registered and qualified voter of the City of Valdosta at the time of qualifying.

Then you have to campaign and win. Some people will doubtless spend a lot of money running for mayor. However, some recent elections to Lowndes County Commission and Valdosta Board of Education indicate

100 Black Men BBQ, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 6 August 2011

Roy Copeland and Willie Head have announced the winners, but the food, music, and community continue untii 6PM today.

100 Black Men BBQ
Pictures by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange
Lowndes County Courthouse, Valdosta, Georgia, 6 August 2011.

Plenty more pictures in the flickr set.

Videos to come.

-jsq

LHS Jazz Band at Valdosta Brown Bag Lunch, 9 May 2011

Local music, local lunch, local community.

Here's a playlist.

Lowndes High School Jazz Band,
Valdosta Brown Bag Lunch Series at the Historic Lowndes County Courthouse.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 9 May 2011.

-jsq

"It's an anti-American law" —Carlos Santana in Georgia

Carroll Rogers wrote in the AJC 15 May 2011, Santana blasts Georgia immigration bill before Braves game:

Legendary rock guitarist Carlos Santana, in town to be honored for a "Beacon of Change" award at Sunday’s MLB Civil Rights Game at Turner Field, called the state's new immigration law "anti-American."

Santana took his turn at the podium on the field in a pre-game ceremony before the Braves-Phillies game to criticize the immigration bill just signed into law by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal Friday.

"I represent the human race," the Mexican-born Carlos Santana said. "The people of Arizona, the people of Atlanta, Georgia, you should be ashamed of yourselves."

The Georgia immigration law, HB 87, cracks down on illegal immigration by increasing enforcement powers and requiring many employers to check the immigration status of new hires.

And this is just the start of what's going to happen to Georgia as long as that law is in effect.

But what do you really think, Carlos?

Peace Love & Understanding --Nick Lowe

Elvis Costello reminds us this song was written by Nick Lowe in 1974, What's so funny about Peace Love & Understanding?

As I walk through
This wicked world
Searchin' for light in the darkness of insanity.

I ask myself
Is all hope lost?
Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?

And each time I feel like this inside,
There's one thing I wanna know:
What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?

Here Costello sings it with Bob Dylan, Zooey Deschanel, and Jenny Lewis:

-jsq

Open your eyes, you can fly! --Lizz Wright

To all those who say "there's nothing you can do", I prefer what Lizz Wright sings:

Have the courage to be free
Open your eyes, you can fly!

Lizz Wright is a jazz singer and composer from Hahira, Georgia. You may have seen her on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Here's that clip of Jay Leno welcoming "critically acclaimed singer" Lizz Wright on 24 Jan 2011; she sings:

I've really got to use my imagination
Got to make the best of a bad situation

Topical words for our situation.

-jsq

Deidra White Birthday Party and Benefit for Diane

Deidra White threw a party at Bas Bleu in downtown Valdosta. The band lineup kept changing, but it included both amateurs such as Deidra, Stan White, Charles F. Simons (who is Valdosta Chief of Police when he's not playing lead guitar), and professional musicians such as Joe Smothers of Skannyardle and Brady Carrington and Rory Hoke of The Moore Trio. The occasion was Deidra's birthday and a benefit for Diane:

Right now, one of our own Diane, age 48, who is the “Mom” of the kitchen staff at The Bleu Cafe is fighting her own battle against this disease.

So on Deidra’s birthday, this Saturday, we’re going to celebrate health and being alive while we raise money to help Diane with expenses while she is unable to work.

Here are a few clips of the band:

That's the whole playlist. You can pick out individual videos through this link to the playlist.

-jsq