Okay, adults, it’s time to fess up and acknowledge that we all ready love hearing a good story. One of my earliest memories is hearing my mom or dad tell me a story. Entire family reunions were filled listening to stories. I can remember sitting spellbound listening to the various exploits of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. As an adult, I realized that not all of them were 100% true, but it doesn’t matter because the teller enjoyed sharing the story and the audience enjoyed listening.

Stories have the capacity to do more than simply entertain, as much fun as that is. They can also pass along culture, like Native American stories do, impart wisdom, and are excellent ways to keep concepts in the mind of your audience. Long after the bullet points on your carefully crafted PowerPoint slides have faded from memory, the stories you told will still be fresh in the minds of your audience.

Each year, Roswell keeps the joy of storytelling alive by participating in a world-wide storytelling event called Tellabration! It is a time when guilds and storytelling enthusiasts all around the globe share their storytelling talents in concerts held in cities and towns to celebrate the art of storytelling. Roswell’s Tellabration! brings together highly respected regional storytellers, to delight, captivate, and mesmerize audiences with their tales.

As is Roswell’s tradition, we hold our Tellabration! the Friday night before Thanksgiving and this year is no different. It’s a fun night of family-friendly stories geared to adults – yes, adults! You don’t even have to bring along a child or grandchild to hide behind while you enjoy the stories.

This year’s tellers are Mary Apps, John Beavin, Grace Hawthorne and Phil Kaplan. Martha Tate will be the emcee. I love hearing each of these tellers and would be hard put to tell you which one is my favorite. Each brings their own unique style to telling.

Admission is $5 and tickets are sold at the door. Join us at 7:30 pm on Friday, November 18th at the Roswell Adult Recreation Center, 830 Grimes Bridge Road for a great evening of entertainment.

The evening is sponsored by the Roswell Ramblers Club, Historic Roswell Convention and Visitors Bureau, Roswell Recreation and Parks Department and the Magnolia Tellers of the Roswell Folk and Heritage Bureau.

Thank You Veterans

My earliest Veterans Day remembrances are of a day off from school, which is a special treat to almost every child I know. That was long before I realized just what a Veteran was. As I progressed through my American History courses, I slowly began to realize that everyday men and women had answered the call through many wars to serve their country. Today, we honor those men and women for their sacrifices to ensure our freedom.

Throughout my life, I’ve been privileged to know veterans of all wars since WWII. Many served their time, came home, and for years didn’t speak about their experiences. My dad’s cousin served in WWII in Europe and only began to speak about the war in the past 10 years. My aunts and uncles served in WWII and the Korean War but I mainly only know their branches of the service and maybe where they were stationed. I didn’t know until fairly recently, that my mom was an airplane spotter during WWII. Do you know your family Veterans’ History?

The Library of Congress American Folk Life Center has an exciting project to “collect, preserve, and make accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.” If you have a veteran in your family, consider checking out this project and encouraging your family member to add their memories to the project. More information can be found at www.loc.gov/vets/about.html

One of the hidden treasures of Roswell is the “Faces of War Memorial” on the grounds of City Hall. This fourteen by twenty feet bronze monument captures 50 faces showing the fear, grief, and courage of people in war. One figure in the sculpture is a soldier who reaches out of the memorial to clasp the hand of a little girl who is in front of the sculpture. It’s a great place to remember and be thankful for our veterans as we honor them, this Friday, November 11.

Take a moment today to thank a veteran. The best things we can do for them are very easy:
1. Acknowledge their sacrifices. Even if they didn’t see a single minute of battle, they spent time in a strange place far away from family and friends.
2. Listen to their story. Many of our older veterans, especially, hunger for someone to hear about their experiences.
3. Let them know that you appreciate all they’ve done for you.

4. Check with your closest Veterans Affairs hospital to determine the needs of the veterans they serve. Items like gently used magazines and books, for example, can serve a new purpose helping a Veteran pass the time, waiting to see a doctor.

And now for my fellow history buffs, here’s some information from the Veterans Affairs website about the history of Veterans Day.

World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"

The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 a.m. The United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I when it passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926. In 1954, the holiday was officially renamed Veterans Day by Congress.

Roswell In The News

If you haven’t had time to read all of the wonderful publications that highlight the goings-on in Roswell, here are a few that you may have missed:

Mayor’s Wrap Up Bragging Rights: The Roswell Convention and Visitors Bureau partnered with the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau to promote activities in both cities with “Holidays Along the Divine 9.” The kick-off event featured some friendly completion between the mayors and their wives from both cities. www.northfulton.com/Articles-c-2011-10-17-189565.114126-sub-Wrap-Stars-Mayors-wrap-up-bragging-rights.html

roswell.patch.com/articles/roswell-mayor-wood-wins-charity-challenge

Sip of the South: Ready for a great party? Bulloch Hall’s annual Sip of the South will have a Halloween theme this year. Reservations are required. Check out roswell-neighbor.com/stories/Sip-of-the-South-gets-spooky,177033 for more details.

Youth Day Grand Marshal to Present Award: Even though the Youth Day Parade was October 1st, Sally White, the Grand Marshal of the 61st Annual Youth Day Parade still has one duty to complete. roswell.patch.com/articles/youth-day-grand-marshal-to-present-award

Ever wonder about some of Roswell’s more interesting sculptures? Check out roswell.patch.com/articles/public-sculpture-abounds-in-roswell

Fall and Halloween Fun in Roswell

I love fall. Between the beautiful crisp air, leaves changing colors, hot apple cider and freshly picked apples, every day is a new adventure. At my age I think my friends would wonder if I’ve entered my second-childhood if I were to go trick-or-treating so I’m always on the lookout for fall adventures. Are you ready for some fall fun? Roswell has you covered with events through the end of October to entertain everyone in the family.

Alive After 5
Thursday, 10/20, 5 – 9 pm
Fun, entertainment, and shopping along Canton Street in Roswell’s Historic District. Free parking at Roswell City Hall. Free trolley. This is the last Alive After Five for 2011 so don’t miss out on the fun.

The Manor Haunted House
Friday and Saturday, 10/21, 22, 28, and 29, starting at 7:30 pm
If you’re looking for screams and thrills this Halloween, visit Roswell’s spine-chilling and bloodcurdling adventure at The Manor Haunted House, sponsored by the Roswell Recreation, Parks, Historic & Cultural Affairs Department. The Manor is located at 9100 Fouts Road in Roswell. Tickets are $10 per person and available at the door.For more details, visit www.roswellgov.com/themanorhauntedhouse, or call 770-641-3705.

Beasties at Barrington
with the North Fulton Drama Club Friday and Saturday, 10/21 & 22, 20117 – 9PM, Barrington Hall, 535 Barrington Drive.Admission fee - $5 per person. Stroll the grounds of Barrington Hall and encounter storytellers whose tales of old Roswell and of bygone days will delight the whole family!

3rd Annual Boo Y'all Scarecrow Contest
on Canton Street
Roswell schools, churches, and businesses created some very exciting scarecrows that are displayed along Canton Street. Visitors and residents voted on their favorites during the first two weeks of October. The winners will be announced on 10/20 at Alive After Five at 7 pm in the Heart of Roswell Park on Canton Street.

Roswell Art District Fall ArtWalk!!
Saturday, 10/22, 4-8 pm; Sunday, 10/23, 1-5 pm
Seven art galleries on Canton Street have joined forces to provide a magnificent tour of new exhibits, artists’ receptions, art prizes, music, tastings from area restaurants, refreshing libations and more. Just look for the purple and yellow balloons.

Halloween Hikes at The Chattahoochee Nature Center
Friday and Saturdays, 10/21, 22, 28, and 29: 7 pm
Encounter costumed woodland creatures as young children enjoy Halloween with these enchanting, friendly night hikes. Crafts, face-painting, snacks and beverages for sale. www.chattnaturecenter.org/halloween-hikes.html

Roswell Ghost Tour
Grand Greek revival mansions and humble mill worker's apartments are some of the haunted sites you'll see on this mile of easy walking. Tours depart from the bandstand in Roswell Square (across from the Roswell Visitor's Center). Call for tour times. Reservations are required. Year-round tour led by paranormal investigators. Extra tours have been added through the end of October. Please check their webpage or call 770-649-9922 for schedule and reservation information. http://www.roswellghosttour.com/

It’s A Wrap

Would you believe that there are only 72 more shopping days until Christmas? More importantly there are only 39 more days until the holiday events start along the Divine 9.

What, you’ve never heard of the Divine 9? To us local folk, that’s Georgia Highway 9, here in Roswell and Alpharetta. Each year, starting with Thanksgiving week, Roswell and Alpharetta host some must-attend events and celebrations all up and down the Divine 9.

To unveil the Holidays along the Divine 9 publication a very special, fun event is scheduled on Monday, October 17th at 11 am at Northpoint Mall. Mayor Jere Wood of Roswell, Mayor Arthur Letchas of Alpharetta, and their wives, Judie Raiford and Sally Letchas will participate in “The Mayor’s Holiday Wrap-Up.”

Each husband and wife team will be in a race to see which team can wrap the most toys in 19 minutes. Santa himself will give special acclaim to the team with the most wrapped gifts and a few other select categories. Performers from the Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance production of The Nutcracker will be on hand providing additional holiday merriment. All gifts will be donated to North Fulton Community Charities.

I’m not sure what will be the most fun – cheering on my favorite mayor and wife team or getting some great ideas for how to wrap those funny shaped packages that I have to deal with each year. I wonder if Santa will let me sit on his lap, at my age? Guess I’d better focus on the beauty and majesty of the Tolbert Yilmaz Nutcracker dancers and be content with being awed at their skills.

The best part about this event is being the first to find out about the 84 (yes, I said 84) events in the Holidays along the Divine 9 publication. I know for a fact that some of them are of the “fills up fast, gotta reserve my spot, now” type of events.

Join us at Northpoint Mall on Monday, October 17th for the thrill of competition, the beauty of the dancers, and I bet you’ll even hear a jingle bell or two – you just have to be there in person to find out what I mean.

If you ever snuck under the tree as a kid, carefully opened a wrapped package to see what you were getting, and then taped it back up, I bet you can’t wait for Monday to see what all the Holidays along the Divine 9 has to offer. Guess what? You don’t have to wait. Just go to www.visitroswellga.com/divine9.html and click on the link to view all of the events.

A Taste-Y Time in Roswell

Ladies and Gentlemen – Start Your Tastebuds! It’s time for the yummiest fall event in Roswell - The Annual Taste of Roswell.

Come on down to the Historic Square, this Saturday, October 15th, noon – 5:30 pm for a great chance to enjoy a beautiful fall day while sampling food from Roswell’s favorite restaurants. Throw in a radio station playing great music and fun family-friendly contests and you have a great recipe for a fun afternoon.

If you’re not from “around here,” the Historic Roswell Square is located at the intersection of Marietta Highway (GA 120) and Atlanta Street (GA 9).

On this fine fall Saturday, over 25 Roswell eateries will be selling samples of some of the items on their menus on the square in downtown Roswell. Make the ticket tent your first stop to visit the smiling volunteers and purchase your food tickets for 50 cents each. Samples are one to six tickets (50 cents to $3 in value). I usually start with $5 worth of tickets, scope out the tents to see what each restaurant is selling, buy my samples and chow down. If I still have room left in my stomach, I figure out how many more tickets I need and purchase a few more and start the fun all over again.

After you’ve eaten your fill, make sure you stop back by the ticket tent and vote on your favorite restaurants. The friendly competition between restaurants includes: Friendliest, Best Decorated, Favorite Item, and the coveted Most Popular, which is determined by YOUR taste purchases.

While you’re digesting your food and deciding if you really need just one or two more desserts, grab a chair in front of the bandstand and enjoy the music and dance contests. In addition to the music from 106.7 Atlanta’s Greatest Hits, you and your family can participate in:
Hula Hoop Contest
Bean Bag Toss
The Twist Dance Contest
Hokie Pokie
Electric Slide
Line Dancing

So stop reading, get out your calendar, and mark it down to be at the Historic Square in Roswell, this Saturday, October 15th from noon – 5:30 pm. See you there!

For more information on our sponsors and participating restaurants, check out www.visitroswellga.com/taste-roswell.html

Celebrating 20 Years of Heads in Beds and Faces in Places

On October 8, 1991, the Roswell community showed strong support for a tourism program in Roswell by donating more than $20,000 at a kick-off meeting. Thus began the strong focus on tourism and the creation of a vital organization to carry that work forward.

The Roswell CVB operates as the Destination Marketing Organization for the City of Roswell, working with partners throughout the city to attract visitors to our area. Visitors’ spending adds to the economic vitality of Roswell which increases our quality of life.

On May 1, 1992, we opened the doors to the Historic Roswell Convention & Visitors Bureau at 617 Atlanta Street and have been staffing it 7-days-a-week ever since. Here, visitors to Roswell and residents alike, receive information about our city, our tourist attractions, lodging, restaurants, shopping, events facilities, community services, city services, directions and more. Through the Visitors Center we are the welcoming face of the community, providing information, answering phone calls, responding to e-mail inquiries, and fulfilling requests generated by our advertising programs.

We work to put Heads in Beds and Faces in Places, utilizing dynamic advertising, marketing, and promotional programs to reach people near and far.

Planning a wedding, reunion or special occasion in Roswell? The CVB provides free services and assistance to make your job easy.

Arranging a business meeting? We are here to help you.

Want to have fun with your family and friends? Let us tell you the possibilities.

Looking for things you can do free of charge? Try the walking tour or the free downloadable Civil War/Mill Village tour on our webpage.

Stop by the Visitors Center to learn more about the Roswell community, or visit our website at www.visitroswellga.com Our hours are 9-5 Monday – Friday; 10–4 Saturday; Noon – 3 Sunday; with extended hours for festivals and special activities as needed.

As we celebrate 20 years of serving the community, we invite you to experience and celebrate Roswell!