June 2013

(SAVANNAH, GA) While most Americans are celebrating 237 years of independence this Fourth of July, Tim Ferrel and Frederick Leslie are a few of the veterans also celebrating the jobs that have put them back on their feet. Both served in the US Army and both became homeless until introduced to Goodwill’s Operation Open Doors.

Tim Ferrel served in the US Army for four years, and when he got out, he ended up with the “wrong crowd” and became homeless. After being caught between struggling to keep a job and homelessness as well as serving jail time for drug abuse, Ferrel was introduced to Operation Open Doors.

Frederick Leslie served in the US Army and after getting out of the military, he pursued his dreams of owning his own business. He opened his own business in 2001, but when his business failed due to the economy, Leslie lost everything, including his home and his family. While eating lunch at a homeless shelter one day, he was introduced to the services of OOD.

Both veterans were given training on things such as how to write a resume and interviewing techniques. Leslie says he had “not written a resume in over 20 years”, and was retaught by OOD. OOD then helped them find interviews and checked on them almost daily until they had accomplished the desired outcome—a job. Ferrel explains that OOD is different from other programs because “they stick with you, they almost mother you…they care.” Ferrel is now a full time cook at Savannah Squares and and Leslie was hired by contractors at Camden Homes full time while still hoping to own his own business again one day.

What is Operation Open Doors?

Operation Open Doors is a Goodwill program that provides employment and training along with support services to assist homeless military veterans in obtaining employment and transforming their lives. Veterans take classes to learn how to write a resume, do job searches, and do a proper job interview. They develop employment plans through the program to help them achieve their goals.

Employment specialists follow the vets for nine months after they get a job to see if there are any problems in the job or if any additional training is needed.

About Goodwill of the Coastal Empire

Goodwill of the Coastal Empire, Inc. is dedicated to the mission of assisting people with disabilities and other barriers to employment to live independently and become employed. The not-for-profit organization employs nearly 600 employees throughout the area. In 2012, Goodwill provided services to 24,427 people and placed 1,406 people into employment through various programs offered throughout the region. Goodwill of the Coastal Empire serves 33 counties in Georgia and South Carolina, operating 14 retail locations and six Job Connection Centers in the region. Goodwill accepts tax deductible donations of clothing, household items, computers, and car donations, as well as operates an online store at www.shopgoodwill.com. For more information on Goodwill of the Coastal Empire, please visit www.goodwillsavannah.org. Find us on Facebook: Statesboro Goodwill or follow us on Twitter: @SavGoodwill.

(SAVANNAH, GA) Goodwill of the Coastal Empire is happy to announce Ms. Ivy D. Council as the new President of the Goodwill Board of Directors. Ms. Council is very familiar with Goodwill and its mission in our community. She’s been a member of the board since 2010.

Ms. Council is currently the Executive Vice President, of the store Citi Trends. She’s been with the company since January 2007 and was Senior Vice President of Human Resources until her promotion in 2012.

Ms. Council replaces Thomas Z. Jones, PhD, President Emeritus of Armstrong Atlantic State University, as President of the Goodwill Savannah Board of Directors.

New Officers on the Board include; Secretary, Louise B. Daniel, a Partner at Daniel and Duncan, LLC; Treasurer, Stuart Clifford, the Corporate Controller at Citi Trends; and Assistant Treasurer, Jenny L. Gentry, Market President at Wells Fargo Bank.

The 2013 – 2014 Goodwill of the Coastal Empire Board of Directors consists of; Ira Berman, Senior Vice President, Administration and General Counsel for Gulfstream; Jim Carswell, President, Spy Hop Productions; Kevin Iocovozzi, President of DS Aviation Services, Inc.; Walter C. Lehneis; Kathryn Martin, PhD, MPA, Assistant Dean, Georgia Health Sciences University; Thomas B. Sayers, Attorney at Law, Bart, Meyer & Company LLP; Elizabeth T. Sorrells, Managing Partner, Atlanta Capital Group; Bert Tenenbaum, Corporate Director of Wellness for Reliance Steel & Aluminum; Loy A. Waters, Jr., Owner, L.A. Waters Partnership, LLLP; and Chad Wiggins, Executive Vice President of Sea Island Bank.

Mohsen T. Badran is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Goodwill of the Coastal Empire, Inc.

For more information, call: Jan Bass, Marketing Director at (912) 663.0685

About Goodwill of the Coastal Empire
Goodwill of the Coastal Empire, Inc. is dedicated to the mission of assisting people with disabilities and other barriers to employment to live independently and become employed. The not-for-profit organization employs nearly 600 employees throughout the area. In 2012, Goodwill provided services to 24,427 people and placed 1,406 people into employment through various programs offered throughout the region. Goodwill of the Coastal Empire serves 33 counties in Georgia and South Carolina, operating 15 retail locations and seven Job Connection Centers in that region. Goodwill accepts tax deductible clothing, household items, computers, and car donations, as well as operates an online store at www.shopgoodwill.com. For more information on Goodwill of the Coastal Empire, please visit www.goodwillsavannah.org. Find us on Facebook: Savannah Goodwill or follow us on Twitter: @SavGoodwill.

(SAVANNAH, GA) The Savannah Mall will honor and salute members of the United States military along with local heroes including police officers, firefighters and emergency responders on Sunday, June 30 from 4-6 p.m. During the event, military personnel and local heroes who present their IDs will receive free carousel rides and train rides and can register for prize drawings.

In conjunction with Military Appreciation Night, the Savannah Mall invites children to visit a station in the Food Court to make handprints on an 8- x 12-foot flag on Saturday, June 29 from 1-9 p.m. and Sunday, June 30, from noon-6 p.m. The flag, which will honor local military members and heroes, will be put on display in the Savannah Mall Food Court.

“The Savannah Mall is deeply appreciative of the service and heroism of our local military personnel and police officers, firefighters and first responders,” said Savannah Mall General Manager Phil McConnell. “We hope that they will visit the Savannah Mall with their families on June 30 and enjoy some fun and free activities. It’s our small way of saying thanks for all they do for our community.”

About the Savannah Mall

The Savannah Mall, located at 14045 Abercorn Street, features anchor stores Bass Pro Shops, Dillard’s, Target, Burlington Coat Factory and A.C. Moore. The 960,000-square-foot, two-level mall, which opened in 1990, is also home to national retailers including Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works, Gymboree, Game Stop, Champs, Claire’s, Hibbet Sporting Goods, Finish Line, Kay Jewelers, Marks & Morgan Jewelers, Shoe Dept., Zales Jewelers, Rue 21 and Cato. The Savannah Mall also boasts a growing number of locally owned businesses, among them Savannah Piano, LiveOak Orchids, Signature Furniture, Rene’s Boutique and Fitness Emporium. Virginia College, located on the lower level of the Savannah Mall, offers a variety of classes in areas such as cosmetology, medical billing, culinary arts, business, healthcare and more.

The Savannah Mall’s Food Court features a diverse selection of eateries, including Chick-fil-a, Savannah Gyro, Sbarro Italian Eatery, China Max, Sakkio Japan, Cajun Café and Subway. Other dining options at the mall include Ruby Tuesdays and Texas Roadhouse, along with Savannah Candy Co. and Cold Stone Creamery. The Savannah Mall has a number of attractions for children, among them a double-decker carousel in the Food Court and soft play area on the lower level.

For more information about the Savannah Mall, please visit www.savannahmall.com or call 912-927-7467. For leasing information, please contact Becky Orsi-Faircloth, marketing/specialty leasing manager at 912-927-9663
 or orsib@urbanretail.com.

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(SAVANNAH, GA) Park Place Outreach – Youth Emergency Shelter, a temporary shelter and outreach service that serves youth from Savannah and the surrounding area, has once again earned certification from the Georgia Alliance to End Homelessness (GAEH). The Savannah-based shelter met 100-percent of the organization’s accreditation standards.

Since 1995, the GAEH has been dedicated to finding solutions to the issues surrounding homelessness in the State of Georgia. The organization’s Quality Enhancement Standards & Support Training (QESST) consists of a series of self assessments, peer site visits and client surveys. Organizations receive accreditation when they meet at least 90 percent of the QESST program’s standards. This is the seventh year Park Place Outreach – Youth Emergency Shelter has maintained accreditation in such an exemplary manner. In addition, the shelter is listed as one of GAEH’s Best Practices Partners.

“We take accreditation with the Georgia Alliance to End Homelessness very seriously, and we’re proud that once again, we met 100 percent of the organization’s standards,” said Linda Hilts, Park Place Outreach’s executive director. “Our designation as a Best Practices Partner is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff, volunteers and board members.”

About Park Place Outreach, Inc.
Park Place Outreach – Youth Emergency Shelter, located at 514 E. Henry St., provides support for troubled children and teens from Savannah and the surrounding area. The shelter is open 24 hours a day to youth in crisis, adolescents who are homeless, young people who have been abused, runaway youth, or those who may be contemplating how to run away. Opened in 1984 as Marshlands Foundation, Inc. (dba the Savannah Runaway Home), Park Place Outreach – Youth Emergency Shelter provides counseling and other services to boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 17. The organization’s goal is to keep kids off the street and reunify families whenever possible.

Park Place Outreach – Youth Emergency Shelter is an equal opportunity provider and employer. This program is supported in part by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, USDA Breakfast/Lunch Program, Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Georgia Department of Human Services, City of Savannah, United Way, FEMA and other community resources. For more information, please call 912-234-4048, visit http://parkplaceyes.org or search for “Park Place Outreach” on Facebook. An informational video about Park Place Outreach – Youth Emergency Shelter is available at YouTube by searching for “Park Place Outreach – Youth Emergency Shelter.”

(SAVANNAH, Ga.) – Beloved real estate expert and community leader Celia Dunn has been named 2013 Savannah Country Day School Alumna of the Year. This award honors one alumnus or alumna who has provided extraordinary service to the community or who has achieved outstanding personal, business, or professional success.

“Celia Dunn has served the Savannah community in extraordinary fashion,” states Lisa McKinney, Director of Alumni at SCDS. “Her work ethic, generosity of spirit and dedication to service are wonderful reflections of our school’s mission. We are honored to have her as our 2013 Distinguished Alumna.”

Her ground-breaking efforts to revive the Historic District and its threatened architectural gems started in the 1960s. Celia and her husband, Larry, have grown their real estate business from a one-woman company to one that today has offices in Savannah and Bluffton, with more than 40 agents, brokers and staff members. Three decades of integrity and dedicated attention to clients have made Celia Dunn Sotheby’s International Realty the Low Country’s premier firm, chosen by Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates Inc. as its exclusive Savannah affiliate.

Despite the boys’ club that was prevalent in the 1970s and 80s business community, she became an acknowledged business and community leader, widely respected in Savannah and in the larger real estate field as a valuable resource and as a person who developed a thriving business while maintaining integrity in all her dealings.

Celia has been inducted into the Junior Achievement Savannah Business Hall of Fame and was honored by Savannah Technical College as a Community Star. She has received recognition for being in the Distinguished Sales Society of the Savannah Area Board of Realtors for the past 33 years and has been featured on the BBC and HGTV.

Celia attended The Pape School, which later became Savannah Country Day School.

“The education I received was a privilege,” Celia said. “We were so lucky to have such dedicated teachers and a firm principal, Florence Crane Norvell, Miss Pape’s cousin.”

Known for its tradition of integrity, Celia Dunn Sotheby’s International Realty specializes in residential and commercial properties in Savannah and the Low Country of Georgia and South Carolina. Founded in 1981, Celia Dunn Sotheby’s International Realty is noted for outstanding service to its clients, thorough knowledge of Savannah and the South Carolina Low Country, and excellent staff, in addition to having one of the region’s top property management departments. The owners are natives of Savannah who have more than 60 years’ combined experience in real estate. The offices are located at 9, 13, and 17 West Charlton Street on Madison Square in Savannah and 52 Calhoun St. in Bluffton, S.C.

For more information, call Celia Dunn Sotheby’s International Realty at (912) 234-3323 or visit www.celiadunnsir.com. To contact the Bluffton office, call (843) 836-3900.

(SAVANNAH, GA) Enmark Stations, Inc., is pleased to announce that their customers helped raise $65,468 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Light The Night Walk.  During the entire month of May, the company’s 62 stores in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina sold Light The Night paper balloon icons for $1 each in support of LLS’s mission to cure blood cancer and help patients and their families.

“I’m overwhelmed and humbled by the extraordinary generosity of our customers,” said Enmark Stations, Inc. Vice President Houstoun Demere, who lost his mother to leukemia when he was just 6 years old.  “Their support will go a long way to helping the LLS find a cure for leukemia and lymphoma.”

The three Enmark stations that raised the most money were the stores on Waters Avenue, Abercorn Expressway and Bluffton Parkway.

Savannah’s Light The Night Walk will take place on Friday, October 18 in Forsyth Park.  During the event, walkers carry an illuminated balloon along the walk route.  Cancer patients and survivors will carry white balloons as “lights of hope,” supporters carry red balloons and those walking in remembrance of someone carry gold balloons.  Georgia’s Light The Night’s fundraising efforts have grown to more than $2 million dollars at five walks across the state, including the walk in Savannah.  For more information, visit www.lightthenight.org/ga or call 912-897-1300.

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ® (LLS) is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer.  The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.  LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services.  The Georgia Chapter serves patients with a variety of programs including the Patti Robinson Kaufmann First Connection Program, the Trish Greene Back to School program for children with cancer as well as financial assistance programs which last year provided over $1.59 million to patients statewide.  Currently, the Georgia Chapter funds $2.75 million towards research grants in multi-year agreements with Emory Winship Cancer Institute and Georgia Regents University.  There were approximately 3,650 new diagnoses for blood cancer in Georgia in 2011.  For more information on the Georgia chapter of LLS, please call 800-399-7312 or 404-720-7900 or visit www.lls.org/ga.

About Enmark
Founded as Interstate Stations in 1963 by Robert Demere, Enmark Stations, Inc. is a family-run business committed to offering its customers top-notch service and superior products.  Today the Savannah-based company, which will celebrate its 50-year anniversary in 2013, operates 62 stores in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina that offer high quality and competitively priced gasoline, food and beverages, cigarettes, lottery services and more.  Enmark’s gasoline is filtered through a trademarked Double Filtered System, resulting in gasoline and diesel that is clean and 100-percent water-free.  Enmark customers can save up to $.10 per gallon by using an Enmark Cash Card, a reloadable stored-value card that can be used directly at the pump.  For more information on Enmark Stations, Inc., please call 912-236-1331 or visit  www.enmarkenjoy.com.