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Good news
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Joe and Bonnie Duke are members at Concord Baptist Church in Clermont and they volunteered recently for Project Hope.

Susie Daniel Lee recently was presented a certificate of recognition for 34 years of membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution. Regent Marcie Fletcher of the Colonel William Candler Chapter and Chapter Registrar Nancy Baumgardner presented the certificate.

The Gainesville Care Center has been awarded a $5,000 grant by the Jackson EMC Foundation to help provide testing for sexually transmitted diseases for low-income residents. The goal of the testing is to refer those who test positive to the health department or family physician to help stop the spread of the diseases, prevent STD-caused infertility and encourage lifestyle changes. The money will allow about 50 to be tested.

Stephen Ridgway and Eric Watson won first place in their divisions on Oct. 27 at the XI Tumbling Creek Mountain Bike Rumble at Gainesville State College in Oakwood. Ridgway won the single speed solo class and Watson won the geared solo class. This was Ridgway’s second single speed solo six-hour endurance race, and he said it was much like training for his first marathon, which he ran in June in three hours and 35 minutes. For more information on results and photos, visit The Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association.

On Sept. 22 member churches of the Chattahoochee Baptist Association participated in an event call Project Hope. The event brought more than 30 churches together to offer various service projects to their respective communities.

Sara R. McCleary has graduated from the Army ROTC Leader Development and Assessment Course, also known as "Operation Warrior Forge," at Fort Lewis, Tacoma, Wash. The ROTC cadet has been commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army. She is the daughter of John D. and Sheila J. McCleary of Gainesville. McCleary is a 2004 graduate of North Hall High School in Gainesville.

Marine Corps Reserve Pvt. James Amos, son of Sharon K. Amos of Flowery Branch and James Amos of Franklin, Tenn., recently completed 12 weeks of basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S. C.

Army Pvt. Rita A. Dula has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. Dula is the daughter of Robert Dula of Gainesville and Cindy Richards of Lawrenceville. The private is a 2006 high school graduate of Lanier Technical College.

Air Force Airman Michael G. Aiken has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. He is the son of Celia and stepson of Greg Ramey of Dawsonville. Aiken is a 2007 graduate of Dawson County High School, Dawsonville.

Jesse Serrano has attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He is a member of Troop 534 of Flowery Branch, led by scoutmaster Theodore Golab . Serrano’s Eagle Scout project was to build a rest area complete with benches and a kiosk for information and maps of a nature area around the Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Flowery Branch.