Thinking of starting a business and not sure where to start? You may want to come to the Featherbone Center in Gainesville, Georgia on April 13, 2011 from 5 PM to 7 PM to get answers to some of your questions. The Small Business Development Center, part of University of Georgia, is offering this free class as the first part of their series on starting a business. This class will provide you with basic information on how to get started. Topics will include: market research, legal structure options for your business, start up cost estimates, cash flow estimates , financing options, business planning, and failure factors.

Pre-registration is required. Other classes in this series are available. For more information and to register, call 770-531-5681.

The Featherbone Center is located at:
999 Chestnut St.
Gainesville, GA

As part of the 2011 Great American Clean Up, Keep Dawson County Beautiful in partnership with the Etowah Water and Sewer and the Dawson County Women’s Club is sponsoring the Cleaning Spring event on April 13, 2011 from 9 AM to 1 PM.

This event will be a friendly competition where teams of 2-4 volunteers work to free Dawson County from litter while helping to preserve the environment through recycling. Points will be awarded for various materials collected. Prizes will be given for the most points, the most unique item found, and the most difficult to recover. Lunch will be provided.

Teams are to meet at the Dawson County Transfer Station and Recycling Center where they will check in, gather supplies and start their venture. There is a $20 entry fee. For more information, call 706-344-3501 ext. 255.

The Dawson County Transfer Station and Recycling Center is located at:
946 Burt Creek Rd.
Dawsonville, GA

Come out to Rock Creek Park in Dawsonville, Georgia to be a part of the “Knock Off” Cancer Walk  on April 9, 2011 from 10 AM to 3 PM. This annual walk is being sponsored by Walmart and will benefit Dawson County’s Relay for Life. It will be a great day with a hot dog cookout, face painting, coke floats and more. Have fun and help benefit a worthy cause.

Rock Creek Park is located at:
445 Martin Rd.
Dawsonville, GA

Sign up for a 5K trail run and burn off some of the extra calories you may have consumed during the holidays! The “Keep your Resolution Run” is a 5K run on a very flat paved trail in Rock Creek Park in Dawsonville, Georgia. The race will take place on January 29, 2011. Awards will be given for Overall Male and Female in 12 different age groups.

You can save some money by pre-registering for the race but do it before 3 PM on January 28 as that is when it closes. Advance registration fee is $20. It will be $25 on the day of the race. For more details and to register go to active.com and search for the race.

Timeline for race day is as follows:
7 AM – Registration begins and pre-registered packets can be picked up.
8:30 AM – Registration closes
9 AM – Race begins
9:50 AM – Award ceremonies begin

Rock Creek Park is located at:
445 Martin Road
Dawsonville, GA

Get your team together and join in the Great Dawson County Scavenger Hunt on January 29, 2011. While you are having a great time driving around Dawson County completing the tasks you are given, you’ll also be helping the Dawson County Library. This event starts at 9 AM and ends at 3 PM. Once you enter, you will receive a list of items to find throughout the county and the team with the most items found at the end of the allotted time wins a prize of up to $1000 (The prize money is 10% of the gross profits up to $1000).

Entry fee is $100 per team. A team consists of no more than 4 members. Your team must stay together and only one car is allowed per team. Once an item on your list is located, a picture must be taken of the item to use as proof of your find.

For more information and details for this event, contact the Chestatee Regional Library – Dawson County Library at 706-344-3690.

Dawson County Library is located at:
342 Allen St.
Dawsonville, GA