The Bluebird Patch

   In case you have been living under a rock nearly 1 million kids in Georgia are overweight or obese. The state of Georgia has the second worst rate of childhood obesity in the United States, falling just behind Mississippi. What's even worst 75% of parents in Georgia who have overweight or obese children do not recognize the problem. Excuses such as my child is not fat or obese, he or she is just big-boned, or it's baby weight it will pass, are common and extremely damaging. Obese children are at risk for developing heart disease, hypertension, liver and kidney disease and type 2 diabetes.   I always wondered, why do parents even though they are perfectly aware of the devastating consequences of childhood obesity, still choose to passively accept it, and don't do anything about it? If we are able to solve this mystery, maybe we could win the fight against childhood obesity. One thing I learned from my meeting with the Strong 4 Life team at Chil...

On Monday, April 23rd, the Paul Mitchell School, at  the The King Plow Arts Center was filled with giggles, hugs, love and happiness. It was the 9th annual "Day of Beauty" benefiting special needs kids.     On  this day, volunteers from various salons offered haircuts, color services, up do's, facial waxing, make-up, manicures and chair massages to children with Down’s syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and Autism at no cost.    The children were all from schools from the DeKalb County as well as the Special Olympics swim team. For most of these kids, this was their first visit to a professional hair salon.    My Day of Beauty, was founded by Gloria Owczarski, an altruist with a mission. As a Special Olympics swim coach, and as a sibling of a special needs sister, Gloria is a passionate advocate for the rights of those with disabilities. She believes special needs  kids are somewhat forgotten. "They have a voice that is n...

The Callaway Homecoming Initiative (CHI) is a Joint Partnership with Emory University, Fort Benning and Callaway Gardens The Callaway Homecoming Initiative (CHI), a program a year-long in planning between Emory University, Callaway Gardens and Fort Benning’s Maneuver Operations Center for Excellence, becomes a reality. The CHI is designed to help members of the U.S. Military reconnect with their families and assimilate into a peacetime home environment upon return from combat deployment.  Set in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in west-central Georgia at Callaway Gardens, this program brings soldiers and families together – at no personal expense – in a spectacular and serene setting, far from the stress and anxiety of war. A series of classes, developed in partnership with Emory University’s School of Medicine Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, features experts from around Georgia, who have volunteered their service, providing information ...

      About Fernbank Museum Fernbank Museum of Natural History, in Atlanta, is a museum in that presents exhibitions and programming about natural history that are meant to entertain as well as educate the public. Its mission is to encourage a greater appreciation of the planet and its people. Fernbank Museum has a number of permanent exhibitions and regularly hosts temporary exhibitions in its expansive facility, designed by Graham Gund Architects. Giants of the Mesozoic , on display in the atrium of Fernbank Museum, features a 123-foot (37 m) long Argentinosaurus (the largest dinosaur ever classified) as well as a Giganotosaurus. The permanent exhibition, A Walk Through Time in Georgia , tells the twofold story of Georgia's natural history and the development of the planet. The nearby Fernbank Science Center, operated by the DeKalb County Board of Education, hosts additional exhibits and educational activities, as well as a pla...

  "To the Arctic is the type of film everyone should see. The film aims to bring awareness to the plight of climate change and global warming around the world. The threat of global warming among the Arctic animals is an increasing concern, and new studies speculate that Polar Bears may face possible extinction. Unless we teach our children how to live environmentally friendly, we will never be able to help our planet counteract the effects of climate change and  global warming. A healthy planet starts at home, and it's critical that we, as parents, lead our children by example. After all, this little earth is all we got. ”  Liza Cardona Today is Earth Day  and to celebrate, the Fernbank Museum debuted this week the IMAX film “ To The Artic .” Through the power of IMAX ® , audiences will be transported to one of the most remote and spectacularly beautiful places in the world in the new IMAX® film To the Arctic , sponsored locally, in part, by GE Energy, ...

The Decorators' Show House & Gardens is one of several fund-raising events of the Atlanta Symphony Associates . One hundred and fifty designers competed to be among the final 25 firms selected for this year’s show house.The annual event has garnered $1 million for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in the past five years, with proceeds supporting a wide range of programs, including the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Concerts for Young People series and the Talent Development Program that nurtures promising young Latino and African-American musicians pursuing careers in classical music.  The Atlanta Symphony Associates has announced a series of special events as part of the Show House this year. Special presentations — including lectures, book signings, wine tastings, and cooking demonstrations will be held at Knollwood, see below and mark your calendar.  Of course we would love you to include any in post coverage as well! ·    ...