Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 8

COMPILED BY JENNIFER J. HEWETT * Cheer them on! High school athletics are under way throughout the state this month, including fast-pitch softball and volleyball tournaments. Visit the Georgia High School Association's site, ghsa.net, for details. * Leaf Watch 2016. Autumn is here, and Georgia's state parks are keeping an eye on the changing leaves. Visit gastateparks.org/ leafwatch for updates on fall color. * Medicine disposal. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration encourages Georgians to responsibly dispose of expired and unneeded prescription drugs as part of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Oct. 22. To find a local drop-off location, contact your local law-enforcement agency to see if it participates, or visit bit.ly/cspdl. * Eat like a local. In response to the growing trend of tourists wanting to taste the local flavors of the places they visit, the Georgia Department of Economic Development released its second annual Georgia Eats culinary guide. This resource includes a list of favorite dishes from local restaurants, chef-tested recipes and highlights from the state's many food festivals and agritourism trails. Pick up a copy at any of the state's Visitor Information Centers or online at exploregeorgia.org/dining. Register to vote The last day to register to vote in the Nov. 8, Dec. 6 and Jan. 10 general/special elections and runoffs is Oct. 11. Contact your county's voter registration office, or visit the Georgia secretary of state's My Voter page, www.mvp. sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do, for registration requirements. 8 Sunbelt showcases farm technology T he 39th Annual Sunbelt Ag Expo, the largest agriculturebased trade show in the country that offers field demonstrations, is set for Oct. 18-20 at Spence Field in Moultrie. In addition to a 600-acre working farm, more than 1,200 vendors and exhibitors will showcase the latest in farm technology for 80,000-plus visi- tors. Educational seminars, antique tractor parades, American Grand Finals Stock Dog Trials and the announcement of the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year Award will also take place. For information about Sunbelt Ag Expo, visit sunbelt expo.com. Donate your beverage tabs to Georgia 4-H, help others G eorgia 4-H members have been collecting aluminum can tabs to raise money for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Georgia for 15 years. The students need to collect 16,500 pounds of the tiny tabs by Nov. 5 to reach their goal: a total 15-year donation of $100,000. One pound of aluminum is equal to about 1,500 pop tabs. Each year, Georgia 4-H rotates the donations among the locations of Ronald McDonald Houses in Georgia. This year's pop tabs will support the Augusta house. Georgia 4-H members in sixth through eighth grades will bring their pop tabs to the 4-H Junior Conference at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton Nov. 5-6. The pop tab project is one of many communityservice projects that culminate each year at the conference. This year, 4-H members are also collecting personal care items to create "blessing bags" for families staying in Ronald McDonald Houses. "Families may forget things like soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes if they come to a Ronald McDonald House in a hurry," says Lori Bledsoe, Georgia 4-H Northwest District program More online at www.georgiamagazine.org KATIE WALKER Georgia glimpses coordinator. Evans County 4-H member Hannah Summers organized a project to collect diapers of all sizes at the conference. Donated diapers will be given to a nonprofit agency that provides them for families in need. To donate pop tabs, personal care items or diapers for these projects, contact your local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension office. For more information about Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Georgia, visit rmhccga.org. To learn about Georgia 4-H, visit geor gia4h.org. -Sharon Dowdy, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences GEORGIA MAGAZINE http://www.ghsa.net http://www.gastateparks.org/leafwatch http://www.sunbeltexpo.com http://www.gastateparks.org/leafwatch http://www.sunbeltexpo.com http://www.bit.ly/cspdl http://www.exploregeorgia.org/dining http://www.rmhccga.org http://www.georgia4h.org http://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do http://www.georgia4h.org http://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - October 2016