East Cobb Thanksgiving

Giving thanks to East Cobb citizens, businesses and organizations

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East Cobb Thanksgiving, giving thanks to East Cobb
Rick’s Farmers Market on Roswell Road. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)

The fine art of giving thanks can often feel like a duty instead of coming from a place of deep gratitude.

I was mindful of this as I thought about how I wanted to say thanks to all of you who have been following, supporting and getting in touch with East Cobb News in the few short months since launching.

I’ve been wanting to say thanks every so often, as we pick up new social media followers and newsletter subscribers and make person-to-person contact with people covering the community.

My message has been that there’s not been anything like this in East Cobb, an all-online, all-local, independent and daily news and information resource. I’m deeply grateful to all of you who have given us a look, a read, and your feedback in this early stage.

There’s no way to say thank you to everyone, but as East Cobb News keeps growing, I’d at least like to thank those of you who have begun following and subscribing in the last few weeks:

Tony Bystrika, Roberta Nicol Grimme, Tara Fudge, Alison Anthony Schlenger, Mitchell Hurlie Weber, Ursula Akin, Francine Strohman, Amanda Phair, Azim Kanji, Ali Goldiez Sasadu, Luna Sola, JahDira Carter, Jane Early Santoro, Kerry Brennan, Lauren Sharpton Hawkins, Kathy Benedetti Wood, Dawn Renee Epling, Don Fleenor, Lauren Buruga, Tracy Gay Allard, Chelsea Karl, Julia Steinhaus, Jennifer Chase Finch, Kassidy Kesterson, Alecia Hauhe Weston, Kimberly Baker Fullerton, Brian Tefft, Laurie DeBoer May, Tom Wray.

Suzanne Lynch, Michael Jacobs, Lori Webb, Beverly Gill, Carolyn Shapiro, Judy Hardin, Brian Williams, Ann Russo, Dottie Corbin, Jen Swint, Bradley Davis, Matthew Heneghan, Michelle Hays, Emma Byrd, Fran Ciclik, Thea Powell, Don Bailey, Maria Farrar, Miles Seymour, Thomas Carter, Gail Bates, Debbie Cohan, Thomas Woodward, Maura Murphy, Tania Castagnaro, Clark Shannon, Barry Davis, Erin Bell, Don Smith, Kim Hatfield, Lindsey Brown, Doug Hessinger, Barbara Pakbaz, Pat Beckett, Butch Carter, Betty Birdwell, Cindy Simpson, Ted Prindle.

Jill Levine, Jani McAllister, Mary Lisa Gundersen, MariAnne Clarke, Ken Leebow, John New, Michael Shneibaum, Jennifer Mire, Vinay Chalikandy, Hania S. Whitfield, Lori Mitchum, Marcy Friedman, Brett Sloan, Richard Luckie, James Estes, Paula Whittle, Don Bailey, Paula Bartel, Tricia Pridemore, Tammy Feilmeier, Randy Strickland, Rachel Cain Wright, Jeff Floyd, Becky Carlin, Tyler Roberts, Robert A. Whitfield, Lance LoRusso, Sam Teasley, Christine Daniel, Freya Sneed, Bruce Ailon, Angela Brunner, Jim Weiss, Lisa Wellstead, Judson Hill, Julia Curran Villareal, Nicole Czeczil, Angie Hall, Lisa Sager, Doug Turbush, Steve Worrall.

Businesses and Organizations: Crooked Tree Cafe, Honest-1 East Cobb, Maid Right Marietta, The Villas of East Cobb, Burn Boot Camp East Cobb, Dr. Melissa Wikoff, Heywood’s Meats, Catfish Hox, Loyal Q and Brew, KELLY+CO, East Cobb Real Estate, Family Promise Cobb County, Bar Method Atlanta-East Cobb, Curran PR, The Wine Shop Parkaire, liveSAFE Resources, LGE Community Credit Union, Stockyard Burgers & Bones, Taqueria Tsunami, Farmers East Cobb, LOUD Security Systems, Mezza Luna Pasta and Seafood, High Meadows School, Camps Kitchen and Bar, Lucky Dog Spa, Zeal Kitchen and Bar, Edward-Johns Jewelers, Sephora at Avenue East Cobb, Studio 348 for Women, Orangetheory Fitness East Cobb, Club Pilates East Cobb, The Art Place-Mountain View,  Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, fab’rik East Cobb, Cactus Carwash Marietta, Red Sky Tapas Bar, Keegan’s Roswell/East Cobb.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Giving Thanks for another holiday season

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Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service

It’s always the music that moves me the most whenever I attend a religious service.

While the words spoken at Thursday’s Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service at Temple Kol Emeth were comforting and inspiring, the human voice in chanting, poetry or song is one of the more uplifting sounds there is. To hear the Muslim call to prayer in a synagogue is an incredible experience.

When many voices collaborate, the effect is sensational. The interfaith choir’s finale, “Take Down These Walls,” was absolutely stirring, following Rabbi Steven Lebow’s remarks about the diversity of faith communities represented at the service, that “this is what America looks like!”

But it was a musical number right before that, by some young people who might not have much reason to be joyful, that really delivered the message of thanks that’s fitting for this time of year.

They were teenagers living at the Center for Children and Young Adults facility in Marietta, which was the beneficiary of offering proceeds from the service. If you’re not familiar with the CCYA, it’s a place where homeless, neglected and abused young people live, and as one of their leaders pointed out, it’s not just a shelter, it’s a home.

We were asked not to photograph these young people for privacy reasons, but if you could have seen the looks on their faces as they were greeted with applause following their song, it would have brought tears to your eyes. Tears of joy, that is.

Another holiday season will soon be upon us with Thanksgiving this week, and it’s easy to mumble about seeing decorations in stores and commercials on television urging us to buy, buy, buy. Sometimes the sledgehammer comes down before Halloween.

We often become weary of the wrong kind of holiday messages, and are reminded in the media about how to cope with stress and demands on our time that don’t reflect the spirit of the season.

But imagine being 16 or even younger as the holidays approach, and there isn’t a traditional family with which to enjoy turkey and trimmings and the other familiar Thanksgiving traditions. You’re living at a place that’s certainly better than a typical shelter, but it’s not the sense of home that most of us take for granted.

The money collected by attendees at the Ecumenical service was going directly for these foodstuffs, to help these young people enjoy not only an excellent meal, but also to feel the comforts of home in as meaningful a way as possible.

In years past there were times when I would look upon the holiday season with some trepidation. The commercialism of it all still is too much, but focusing on the real meaning of Thanksgiving, thinking about and helping those in need, makes me look forward to what’s to come over the next few weeks.

The good cheer, comforting messages and fellowship on display at the synagogue this week is not only the perfect way to start the holiday season, but has year-round lasting value. Especially the music.

Happy Thanksgiving!