HSF WELCOMES NEW YORK EXPERTS FROM ‘HINGE NEIGHBORS’ AT NOV. 1 ANNUAL MEETING

SAVANNAH, GA. – OCT. 27, 2022 – Historic Savannah Foundation is hosting its annual meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1, at the Savannah Repertory Theatre located at 402 East Broughton St. The evening’s speakers, Suzanne Mayer and Shawn Dunwoody from Hinge Neighbors, will speak about their efforts to reconnect the neighborhoods long separated by the Inner Loop North in Rochester, New York.

This event, which is free and open to the public, includes important updates about Historic Savannah Foundation as CEO and President Sue Adler and HSF Board Chair Austin Hill deliver the annual report, announce the election of new Board of Trustees members and officers, and recognize outgoing Board members. The annual meeting is designed to highlight HSF’s work and initiatives throughout the previous year, and acknowledge and thank HSF members and the community for their continued support of the foundation.  A light reception with refreshments in the Murray C. Perlman & Wayne C. Spear Preservation Center will follow.

As founder of Sirius Change LLC, Suzanne has led organizational change initiatives in the banking, professional, and manufacturing industries for more than 30 years. She has experience with the life cycle of organizations from startups to fully mature organizations. Presently dedicated to Hinge Neighbors, she continues to practice all those skills learned in the corporate world.  The placemaking environment of today requires constant study about zoning, design, urban planning, and it extends into corporate behavior in understanding how cities work or don’t work.  Living in an activist’s world requires a sense of humor which she shares with her Hinge co-founder, activist and artist, Shawn Dunwoody. 

Dunwoody has over 20 years of experience as a director, producer, educator, designer, and developer, and first and foremost—an artist. This experience has given him the opportunity to establish public art practices that focus on creative implementation and innovative planning. He believes bringing people from different backgrounds together can create the most progressive movements for change. Dunwoody has been a resident lecturer on public engagement in art and muralist in the United States, Europe, and South America.  As Vice-President of Hinge Neighbors, he approaches each project with an arts-focused community-building process that has been documented in many publications and videos internationally including The B1M, Forbes, NBC, The Washington Post, USA Today, PBS, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. He believes that artistic place-making is about strengthening the relationship between public space, the people who live in the community, and their capacity to change where they are—physically, emotionally, and economically.

“We are honored to welcome Suzanne and Shawn as this year’s annual meeting speakers and look forward to an enlightening evening of shared knowledge, inspirational experiences and insights on historic preservation,” said HSF CEO and President Sue Adler. “Engaging with our future and current membership is something we always strive to achieve with these meetings, so we’re excited to share information from other parts of the country.”

Historic Savannah Foundation, a leading nonprofit preservation and cultural institution, saves buildings, places, and stories that define Savannah’s past, present and future. Following its formation in 1955, the nonprofit organization started a Revolving Fund to save endangered historic properties – now totaling over 400 buildings – throughout several Savannah local historic districts. HSF is committed to continuing to build capacity within HSF’s operations, secure new financial resources, improve HSF’s image and visibility, and increase public policy efforts to protect Savannah’s historic districts.

For more information about the annual meeting or HSF, please visit www.myHSF.org.

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For media inquiries, please contact Kristyn Beasley at kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651, Allie Robinson at allie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-547-3100, or Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950 or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).

SAVANNAH CLASSICAL ACADEMY RECEIVES HIGHEST ACCREDITATION SCORES FROM GEORGIA COMMISSION

SAVANNAH, GA – Oct. 27, 2022 – Savannah Classical Academy (SCA) has been awarded the highest possible rating by the Georgia Accrediting Commission (GAC). This independent inspection and review of schools takes place every five years and SCA was ‘accredited with quality’ in the elementary, middle and high schools. The GAC commented, “SCA is a great investment and continues to be good stewards of Chatham County’s taxpayer dollars by delivering excellence both in the classroom and our community.”

SCA is a K-12 charter school which recently reported excellent results in the Georgia Department of Education’s 2022 Georgia Milestones Assessment System (GMAS) scores. These assessments measure student proficiency in grades 3rd through 8th grades in a range of disciplines including math, reading, English language arts, science, and social studies. For 2022, SCA students outscored Savannah Chatham County Public School System students on all twenty-three common state assessments (GMAS) and achieved parity or superior achievement when compared to all students in Georgia in all but six assessments.

The GAC gave SCA these impressive scores because of the holistic nature of education provided to students in addition to academic success. Impressive culinary programs, community collaboration, field trips, the range and quality of extra-curricular activities to all grades, professional development, a supportive environment, and promotion of good behaviors were all noted.

“This is an important accreditation for schools and is affirmation that SCA consistently provides an excellent education through academic results, extra-curricular activities and supporting students through encouraging positive behaviors and a respectful and nurturing environment,” said SCA Chief Executive Officer Barry Lollis. “We are very pleased that our students and teachers’ hard work has been recognized and validated by the Georgia Accrediting Commission. Our faculty’s commitment is paramount to our students succeeding academically and development into productive citizens.”

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​It is the philosophy of Savannah Classical Academy that all students benefit from a rigorous, content-rich, educational program that develops academic potential and personal character. The school provides an environment that fosters academic excellence through the habits of thoroughness, the willingness to work, and the perseverance to complete difficult tasks. Through a defined traditional, Classical-Liberal curriculum, students are prepared to become active, responsible members of their community.

For more information about Savannah Classical Academy, please visit www.savannahclassicalacademy.org.

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For media inquiries, please contact Kristyn Beasley at kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com or 229-393-6457, Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950, or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).

PORT WENTWORTH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO HOST 11th ANNUAL OYSTER ROAST, BBQ & MUSIC FESTIVAL – NOV. 12

PORT WENTWORTH, GA – OCTOBER 27, 2022 –The Port Wentworth Chamber of Commerce will host its 11th annual Oyster Roast, BBQ, and Music Festival from 1–9 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 7224 GA-21, Port Wentworth, GA 31407.

The City of Port Wentworth will once again serve as Presenting Sponsor for this annual free event. This highly anticipated community festival will feature a variety of food vendors, beer/wine, kid’s activities, live entertainment, a salute to our veterans, and of course, fresh oysters by the bucket! This year’s festival will also include the new addition of a fireworks show at dark.

“This is by far one of the largest events we host every year, and it continues to grow,” said Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Vice Chair Vicki Waters. “We’re expecting over 4,000 people to attend this year, so we’ve added more vendors and an exciting firework show once the sun goes down. We welcome everyone to join us and enjoy a good time with the members of your community!”

Tickets are not required to attend this event. Food, beverages, and souvenirs will be available for purchase through individual vendors. It is recommended that children wear socks and close toed shoes to participate in the Kids Zone activities and bring ear plugs for the nighttime firework show. Well behaved, leashed pets are welcome to attend this event.

For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/PWOysterRoast.

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For media inquiries, please contact Kristyn Beasley at kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com or 229-393-6457, or Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950, or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).

POLITICAL LEADERS – NOW AND THEN

With the mid-term elections fast approaching, everyone here in the USA is focused on our political leadership. Meanwhile, back in the land of my birth, the UK’s Prime Minister, Liz Truss, resigned after only 45 days in office. During her short time as the country’s political leader, she served under two monarchs, appointed two different Chancellors and two Home Secretaries, and attended the UN general assembly in New York. Her big mistake was to quickly introduce a very aggressive budget, cutting taxes and increasing borrowing against a background of inflation at a 40-year high and rising recession risks.  The markets reacted dramatically, and the British pound fell to its lowest ever level against the American dollar. It was a big gamble at the wrong moment and led to her swift downfall with a new Prime Minister soon appointed. Rishi Sunak, former Treasury chief, was asked by King Charles III to form a government, as is the British tradition. He will be the third Prime Minister this year, the first British leader of color and needs to stabilize the UK after a time of economic and political turbulence.

While this was going on, I happened to be thinking about British leadership during the dark days of World War II. I have long been a fan of the author Erik Larson and a friend recently lent me a copy of his 2020 book, ‘The Splendid and the Vile’. Larson was inspired to write this when he moved to Manhattan a few years ago and realized how different the experience of 9/11 had been for New Yorkers than for those of us who watched the news reports from afar. This made him consider anew how different WWII must have been for the British than for most Americans.

My grandparents fought in the Second World War, and I was raised on reports of when Britain stood alone against Hitler and the rise of Nazism before the USA joined the war in December 1941 after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. This was two years and three months after England declared war on Germany and eighteen months after France surrendered to the Nazis. It was a long and hard war for the British and Larson’s book focuses on Churchill’s first year as Prime Minister from May 1940 to May 1941. Churchill is revered in the UK as a brilliant and brave wartime leader. Most Brits, like me, believe it is unlikely the British would have held out against the Nazis without Churchill and his leadership. The decisions he made were crucial and, combined with his talent for inspiring and patriotic speeches broadcast by radio across the country, made all the difference to world history.

The challenges Great Britain faced under Churchill were intense and the courage and stoicism he inspired were remarkable. Soon after becoming Prime Minister, the Dunkirk evacuation of the British and Allied troops from this French seaport saved vital numbers of soldiers to fight another day. Many patriotic individuals took their small fishing boats across the English Channel to Dunkirk to join the Royal Navy vessels to rescue as many troops as they could fit onto their boats. Only a few weeks later, the Nazis occupied the British Channel Islands, located between England and France.  

Later that summer, Hitler announced ‘Operation Sea Lion’ to invade Great Britain. First, he ordered the German air force, the Luftwaffe, to establish dominance of the sky but he underestimated the Royal Air Force. Churchill had foreseen the importance of building up military airplanes and training pilots as well as developing an excellent early warning radar system. Having said that, the bravery of the young men who fought the might of the German pilots saved the day. Larson makes the point that they knew that the future of democracy depended on them, and they literally fought for and with their lives.  Churchill summed it up with his memorable speech, “Never was so much owed by so many to so few”. Then came the Blitz – the wholesale bombing of London and other major cities throughout the country by the Nazis. By that time, Hitler had decided to invade Russia in the east and put his invasion of Britain on hold. 

During this terrible year, Churchill was repeatedly in touch with President Roosevelt who was not unsympathetic to Britain’s situation. However, at that time and after the losses of so many American soldiers in World War I, most US citizens wanted to remain neutral. That changed, of course, after the attack on December 7, 1941, and the rest as they say, is history.

Larson is a brilliant author who makes history read like fiction and his research is extensive. He has a real talent for combining personal details and the political landscape to paint a full picture of what it must have been like for Churchill and that generation before me who lived through those dark days. I highly recommend Larson’s book, and there is more information at www.history.com and www.bbc.com

I say goodbye this week with a wise quote from Winston Churchill, in 1940 at the funeral for Neville Chamberlain, his predecessor as Prime Minister: “It is not given to human beings – happily for them, for otherwise life would be intolerable – to foresee or to predict to any large extent the unfolding course of events.”

God Bless America and Great Britain!

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Lesley grew up in London, England and made Georgia her home in 2009.  She can be contacted at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com  or via her PR and marketing agency at www.lesleyfrancispr.com

GEORGIA TECH SAVANNAH ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE FOR 2022-23 SATURDAY STEAMLABS TO INSPIRE STUDENTS WITH HANDS-ON LEARNING

SAVANNAH, GA – October 26, 2022 – The Center for Education Integrating Science Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC) at the Georgia Tech-Savannah campus has announced its 2022-23 Saturday STEAMlab program. Sessions are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 5, Feb. 11, and April 15 and take place from 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Georgia Tech Savannah campus, 210 Technology Circle.

The Saturday STEAMlab program is for 1st – 8th graders who are interested in discovering and learning more about science, technology, engineering, and math. Every Saturday STEAMlab session is designed to inspire and enrich participant’s STEAM interest. Fun and learning go hand-in-hand with this program as students will participate in experiments, hands-on learning, projects and more.

“We are excited to offer high-quality Saturday programs throughout the year! Every workshop is uniquely themed to provide fun and learning for everyone,” said CEISMC Program Director Tim Cone. “Additionally, all programs are project-focused so that every participant will make, code, and/or design something from beginning to end.”

Registration for each participant is $60. For more information about these STEAMlabs or to register, please visit https://ceismc.gatech.edu/savannah/sp/stemlabs.

For more information about the Georgia Tech Savannah campus, please visit https://pe.gatech.edu/savannah.

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH SAVANNAH:

Georgia Tech-Savannah provides educational experiences for learners of all ages. Our multitude of learning platforms are tailored to meet the needs of a diverse population, from working professionals pursuing career development and those seeking specific certifications to children eager to explore and discover. Georgia Tech-Savannah’s professional education, training and military programs encourages participants to challenge themselves and meet goals by sharpening existing skills and picking up valuable new ones. We’re proud to bring cutting-edge technology, applied research capabilities and innovation to the Coastal Empire, where our campus also serves as a home for various Georgia Tech affiliates, institutes, and centers. To learn more, visit us at pe.gatech.edu/savannah.

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OFFICIAL OPENING OF GEORGIA’S FIRST MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC FOR MILITARY AND VETERAN FAMILIES

Hinesville, GA, Oct. 25, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Cohen Veterans Network (CVN) and Aspire Health Partners (Aspire) celebrated the opening of coastal Georgia’s newest mental health facility serving veterans, active duty service members, and their families. The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Aspire Health Partners is located at 345 West Memorial Drive in Hinesville.

Governor Brian Kemp, Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan, Mayor Allen Brown, and other dignitaries joined the local community, and nonprofit organizations, Cohen Veterans Network and Aspire Health Partners, to open the facility with a ribbon cutting ceremony and tours. This new clinic offering accessible, high-quality mental healthcare to active military, veterans, and their families, serves the entire state of Georgia to meet the growing needs of this community.

“Georgia is proud to be home to so many veterans who have served our nation admirably, and these heroes deserve the support they need when it comes to mental health struggles,” said Governor Kemp. “This facility will have a meaningful, positive impact as it provides essential mental health services. I want to thank the Cohen Veterans Network and Aspire Health Partners for seeing this project through to completion, as well as Steve Cohen for his generosity in making this new beginning possible.”

The proximity to Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield was a key factor in establishing this new clinic in coastal Georgia. Today’s opening is another step toward meeting the $275M commitment set forth by financier/philanthropist Steven A. Cohen to help reduce veteran suicide and increase care for veterans, active duty service members and military families throughout the country. The Hinesville location is the first Georgia clinic in the network, and the 22nd location for CVN.

“We are pleased to be serving this area of critical need in coastal Georgia. I’ve spent time at Fort Stewart, home to one of the most deployed units in the country and know first-hand that our model of care is a perfect fit for this community,” said Dr. Anthony Hassan, President & CEO of CVN. “It is also vital to fill gaps in mental health services in this market and our commitment to serving the whole family, as defined by the veteran, accomplishes this goal.”

The 5,000 square-foot Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic in Hinesville was established to serve the region’s more than 16,000 post-9/11 veterans and 19,000 active-duty service members, as well as 26,000 of their family members.

“Today is a promising day where we bring new opportunities for those in need of services.  We are committed to meeting the needs of our veterans and their families that have given so much to our country. This new clinic will build on the success of our clinic in Tampa, Fla., where we have already helped more than 950 individuals in the three years since it opened,” said Babette Hankey, Chief Executive Officer at Aspire. “This collaboration between CVN and Aspire will benefit the entire Fort Stewart community, Hinesville and the surrounding area.”

In addition to providing care to those within reach of the Hinesville location, the Cohen Clinic offers telehealth services statewide to more than 300,000 post-9/11 veterans, active duty, and family members across the state. CVN Telehealth – face-to-face video therapy – allows clients to receive treatment from the privacy and comfort of their own home.

Preston Adams, Board Chair at Aspire Health Partners said, “We are honored to partner with CVN and the local community, and to be able to provide these services to our heroes and their families.” 

Since its inception in April 2016, CVN has offered evidence-based client-centered therapy for a variety of mental health issues including depression, anxiety, adjustment issues, anger, grief and loss, family issues, PTSD, transition challenges, relationship problems, and children’s behavioral problems.

“Research has shown that access to mental health care remains a problem in this country,” Dr. Hassan said. “We are breaking down all barriers to care.”  The Cohen Clinic aims to provide service and care quickly and those who are in crisis will receive same-day assistance. The clinic’s ultimate goal is to get the service member and the family back to better.

For more information visit www.cohenveteransnetwork.org and Cohen Clinic – Hinesville, GA » Aspire Health Partners

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For media inquiries, interviews, photographs and B-roll from the CVN clinic, please contact Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950, Allie Robinson at allie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-547-3100 or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).

EDITOR’S NOTES

About Cohen Veterans Network: 

Cohen Veterans Network (CVN) is a 501(c)(3) national not-for-profit philanthropic organization for post-9/11 veterans, active-duty service members and their families. CVN focuses on improving mental health outcomes, operating a network of outpatient mental health clinics in high-need communities, in which trained clinicians deliver holistic evidence-based care to treat mental health conditions. It was established in 2016 by philanthropist Steven A. Cohen with a commitment of $275 million to build the network. There are currently 22 Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinics nationwide. The network has served more than 45,000 clients since launching in 2016. Learn more about CVN.

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DAVENPORT HOUSE MUSEUM PRESENTS FREE ANNUAL HARVEST LECTURE ON ENSLAVED CHEFS’ INFLUENCE ON AMERICAN CUISINE

SAVANNAH, GA – October 24, 2022 – The Davenport House Museum will host its annual Harvest Lecture, Bound to the Fire: How Enslaved Chefs Helped Invent American Cuisine at 6:30 p.m. November 10 at the Second African Baptist Church, located at 123 Houston St. in Savannah. This year, Dr. Kelley Fanto Deetz will draw upon archaeological evidence, cookbooks, plantation records, and folklore to present a nuanced discussion of the lives of enslaved plantation cooks from colonial era through emancipation and beyond and how it has shaped American cuisine today.

The Harvest Lecture is presented by the Davenport House Museum and sponsored by Gulfstream as a community service and an opportunity for enrichment on topics related to its mission.

“The completion of the Davenport House’s Urban Enslaved Exhibit is one of the most highly anticipated openings in our museum community and it will open in early 2021.  This year ‘s Harvest Lecture offers a lens into the kitchen where the enslaved toiled,” said Director Jamie Credle, “We thank this year’s speaker Dr. Keely Fanto Deetz and Gulfstream for their generous sponsorship of this event.”  

Kelley Fanto Deetz is the Vice President of Collections and Public Engagement at Stratford Hall, and a Visiting Scholar in the Department of African American Studies at U.C. Berkeley. She holds a BA in Africana Studies and History from The College of William & Mary and an MA and Ph.D. in African Diaspora Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. Dr. Deetz partnered with National Geographic to produce the documentary film Rise Up: The Legacy of Nat Tumer (National Geographic Channel) and wrote two cover stories for National Geographic’s History magazine. She is the author of the critically acclaimed book Bound to the Fire: How Virginia’s Enslaved Cooks Helped Invent American Cuisine, which was named as one of the top ten books on food in 2017 by the Smithsonian Magazine. Her most recent work is on Audible‘s The Great Courses on the history of sugar, and her contribution to the forthcoming cookbook California Soul, with celebrity and OWN TV star Chef Tanya Holland and author Alice Walker.

To reserve a spot at this free lecture, please call 912-236-8097 or email info@davenporthousemuseum.org.

Davenport House Museum is a property of Historic Savannah Foundation. HSF is a leading nonprofit preservation and cultural institution, which saves buildings, places, and stories that define Savannah’s past, present, and future. The Davenport House was the first property HSF saved.  For more information, please visit http://www.davenporthousemuseum.org/programs/, email info@davenporthousemuseum.org or call 912-236-8097.

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For media inquiries, please contact Kristyn Beasley at kristyn@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-272-8651, Allie Robinson at allie@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-547-3100, or Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950 or the team at 912-417-LFPR (5377).

SAVANNAH AFRICAN ART MUSEUM ANNOUNCES LINE-UP FOR ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES ON GENDER IDENTITY

SAVANNAH, GA – OCT. 20, 2022 – The Savannah African Art Museum announces a new series of free adult education classes, “Becoming Gendered: Gender Identity in Africa”. This three-part series will feature classes “Creating Gender, Making Art”, “Gender through the Igbo Lens”, and “Mukanda Models of Gender”.

Each class will be led by Edwin Hamilton Johnson, Ph.D. and will focus on gender within the context of traditional, sub-Saharan, African societies. Although gender is often defined in terms of biology, this series will focus on the culturally sanctioned and derived nature and significance of gender identity. This lecture series will look at initiation societies, masquerades, and other practices that perpetuate cultural norms relating to gender.

“It’s interesting to see the similarities and differences between our cultural norms and the African norms,” Johnson said. “These classes will put into perspective the importance of gender in traditional African societies and how it has shaped their communities.”

“Creating Gender, Making Art” will take place Friday, October 21 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. This class combines a general introduction to the current state of gender studies coupled with how it applies to the analysis of gender within the context of traditional African societies. This is combined with how gender is granted, and norms are perpetuated through initiation societies and professions among a select sampling of traditional African societies.

“Gender through the Igbo Lens” will take place Friday, November 18 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. This class will continue its focus on the subject of gender with a special focus on the Igbo peoples of southeastern Nigeria. It begins with a look at how the novel, Things Fall Apart by the Igbo artist Chinua Achebe, touches upon gender issues within the context of a traditional Igbo community from an Igbo perspective. This lecture also includes how ritual and art is used within traditional Igbo communities to perpetuate gender roles, norms, archetypes and stereotypes within these patriarchal communities.

“Mukanda Models of Gender” will take place Friday, December 30 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. This third and final class in the series focuses on the Mukanda initiation society. Not only is this a look into the initiation society as an institution, it also looks at how it negotiates with the subject of gender. This includes how the Mukanda society disseminates ideal examples of gender types. This lecture also looks at how rituals are used to reinforce cultural norms of behavior and relationships between genders.

Each class is free to the public, with prior registration, and will be held on the second floor of the Upbeat Village Terracotta Gallery, located at 201 East 37th St Savannah, GA 31401. This location is stair access only. An online version of this lecture will be provided through Facebook Live.

For more information or to register for an in-person class, please visit https://www.savannahafricanartmuseum.org/classes/becominggendered2022

The Savannah African Art Museum is a non-profit institution devoted to spreading awareness and appreciation of African culture. They hold a collection of over 1,000 objects that hail from West and Central Africa. The museum’s collection spans over 28 countries and represents over 180 cultures. For more information about the museum, access virtual tours, workshops, and initiatives, please visits www.savannahafricanartmuseum.org or follow them on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest using the handle @SavannahAfricanArtMuseum.

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For media inquiries, please contact Allie Robinson at allie@lesleyfrancispr.coom or 912-547-3100, or Lesley Francis at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com or 912-429-3950.

DO YOU THINK HE’S STILL SEXY? AN EVENING WITH ROD STEWART

A few years ago, my husband and I decided that we should try to see some of the ageing rock stars of our youth while, putting it tactfully, we still could. In other words, before it was too late for either them or us! We made a good start by seeing The Rolling Stones in both Paris and Jacksonville, and my husband bought me a 2019 Christmas gift of tickets for a concert by Rod Stewart and opening act Cheap Trick for the summer of 2020. 

Then of course the pandemic hit, creating a two-year delay! In recent months we have enjoyed concerts by The Eagles and Foreigner in Savannah and, almost three years after buying the tickets, we travelled to Atlanta to see the ageing baby boomer Rod Stewart strutting his stuff!

Rod Stewart was born in January 1945 and although his father was Scottish and his elder four siblings were born in Scotland, by the time Rod arrived they had moved to England where his mother was born and raised. Many people think he is Scottish due to his extensive wearing of plaid (which the British call tartan) and his love of the Scottish football (soccer) team Glasgow Celtic. He also supports Manchester United, the English team. He compares his love of this British national sport to his feelings for girlfriend of two years, the Swedish actress Britt Ekland, immortalized in  his 1977 mega-hit You’re In My Heart: “You’re in my heart, you’re in my soul, you’ll be my breath should I grow old; You are my lover, you’re my best friend.  You’re in my soul.”  Now that is a real soccer fan!

It is fair to say that Rod Stewart was more faithful to football in his earlier years than to the women in his life.  Extensive press coverage of his infidelities over the decades report that Rod’s “type” appears to be tall, attractive, blonde, younger women. After breaking up with Ekland, he married actress and model Alana Hamilton, the former wife of actor George Hamilton, from 1979 to 1984. He had two children with her, Kimberley and Sean, and then after extensively and very publicly playing the field, he went on to marry New Zealand model Rachel Hunter in 1990, and had two more children, Renee and Liam.  Hunter was 21 and Rod was 45 at the time of their wedding and shockingly she left him in 1999, finally divorcing in 2006. He soon met English model Penny Lancaster and they have two sons together, Aiden and Alastair. The two married in 2007 and in spite of a 26-year-old age gap appear to still be happy together. Rod Stewart has a total of eight kids including a daughter with girlfriend Susannah Boffey in 1963 before he became famous, and another daughter, Ruby in 1987, while Rod was dating American model Kelly Emberg.

In addition to his womanizing, Rod Stewart somehow found the time to build his music career during the 1960s and, after singing with the Jeff Beck Group, he released his first solo album in 1969. He was one of the most popular British rock stars of the 1970s and has enjoyed decades of fame, fortune and is a Grammy Award winner. His distinctive raspy voice has been heard in rock and roll, folk music, ballads and frothy pop and disco music. He has maintained his mischievous “working class lad” persona into his seventies, and demonstrated a lot of energy at the Alpharetta Amphitheatre, although he did rely fairly heavily on his outstanding backing singers and band members. In spite of his own advancing years he cheerfully performed his 1971 mega-hit “Maggie May”, the story of a young man trying to tear himself away from a consuming romance with a more mature woman. Rod Stewart combined a solo career with singing in the band The Faces, but this broke up in 1975 when band member Ronnie Wood famously went on to join the Rolling Stones. By 1979, Rod’s sound was pure disco with “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?”, a hit on both sides of the Atlantic.

Rod’s career, like his love life, has had its ups and downs, and his ability to reach the high notes was permanently impaired when he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2000. He had to learn to sing again and became active in raising funds for charities to find cures for all types of cancer, especially those affecting children. Just before the pandemic, Rod Stewart revealed that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017 but had received the “all-clear”.

Rod Stewart was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2007 new year list for services to music. Also, the late Queen Elizabeth II knighted him in her 2016 Birthday Honors List for his services to charity and music. With mansions in California and Essex, England, Rod collects luxury cars and model railways and is estimated to be the 12th wealthiest person in the British music industry.  There is a lot more information at www.biography.com

I say goodbye this week with a quote from Hot Rod Stewart himself, one that is very appropriate in these challenging times: “Optimism is my best defense!”.

God Bless America and British rock stars!

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Lesley grew up in London, England and made Georgia her home in 2009.  She can be contacted at lesley@lesleyfrancispr.com  or via her PR and marketing agency at www.lesleyfrancispr.com

SAVANNAH AFRICAN ART MUSEUM’S FALL WORKSHOP SERIES SHINES A LIGHT ON AFRICAN SYMBOLISM PAST AND PRESENT

SAVANNAH, GA. – OCT. 6, 2022 – Savannah African Art Museum will continue its fall workshops lineup, slated to run through Saturday, Dec. 10. The series’ theme focuses on past and present-day use of African symbols in African art and culture, as well as pop culture. All workshops will be held on Saturdays from 11am – 1pm at the Savannah African Art Museum, 2nd floor of the Terracotta Gallery Workshop Room, at 201 E. 37th Street/corner of Abercorn Street.

The Oct. 8 workshop will consist of a tour of the Cowrie Shell Exhibit and creating bracelets with cowrie shells, beads, and other materials. Those who have seen the film “Woman King,” may have noticed the Dahomey Warriors were adorned in cowrie shells. Come and learn more about the origin of the shells, their prestige, economic, cultural, sacred significance, and importance. See the beautiful artwork of West & Central Africa created with them.

Patrons of the Nov. 12 workshop will receive a tour of the King Ibrahim Njoya Exhibit & create a short basic comic strip. Many were fans of the “Black Panther” Marvel comic before it became a 2018 blockbuster film and highly anticipated sequel with a Nov. 11 release date. Note the creative symbols (jewelry, colors, etc.) used to represent characters, themes, etc. Come join us to learn about this historic king and his creation of a writing system using symbols to maintain the Bamum people’s culture, which is still used today; and learn about his nephew, Africa’s first comic book author.

Rounding out the last of the fall workshops is the Kwanzaa banner workshop on Dec. 10. Attendees will design and decorate a Kwanzaa banner for their home or as a Kwanzaa gift. Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African celebration based on the agricultural harvest celebrations of Africa called “First Fruits,” which are times of harvest, ingathering, reverence, commemoration, recommitment, and celebration. Harvest festivals are celebrated all over Africa and are filled with lots of music, singing, and dancing, with dancers adorned in traditional masks and costumes, some of what is seen in the museum’s collection. Come learn the roots of this African American cultural celebration and how it is celebrated while making a keepsake or a gift.

“This fall, we are enjoying a lineup of hands-on and informative workshops for people of ages  of 6-up to participate in, Education Coordinator Lisa Jackson said. “Seeing people engaged during our workshops as they embrace more about African art and culture, is one of the many reasons we love doing what we do.”

To register for the workshops, please visit the Eventbrite link located under the desired workshop’s page on SAAMs website at www.savannahafricanartmuseum.org/ 

The Savannah African Art Museum is a non-profit institution devoted to spreading awareness and appreciation of African culture. They hold a collection of over 1,000 objects that hail from West and Central Africa. The museum’s collection spans over 28 countries and represents over 180 cultures.

For more information about the museum, access virtual tours, workshops, and initiatives, please visits www.savannahafricanartmuseum.org or follow the museum on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest using the handle @SavannahAfricanArtMuseum.

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