(SAVANNAH, GA) Savannah Friends of Music will present Milano Classica, one of Italy’s most highly regarded chamber orchestras, during their 2009 USA tour in two different programs, Sunday afternoon, 4:00 p.m., November 1st, and Monday evening, 7:00 p.m., November 2nd, in the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church, 223 Bull Street, on Chippewa Square.

In Sunday’s program, “Mostly Milano,” Mr. Philip Greenberg, former conductor of the Savannah Symphony Orchestra, will be one of eight soloists.  Sunday’s performance features Vivaldi’s double violin concerto and the concerto for four violins. Monday’s performance features works by Italian masters of the 17th and 18th centuries with solo performances by Marcello Scandelli, principal cellist and founder of the group.

Tickets are $35.00 for one concert, or $50.00 for both concerts.  Students with ID admitted for $5.00.  Children twelve and under free with adult ticket holders.  Purchase tickets at the door, or reserve  them by calling 912-355-4252 or 912-598-8112.

http://www.smeraldina.us/

http://www.tastingsnewyorkcity.com/

http://www.ihmrs.com/attendee/
(New York, NY) Acqua Smeraldina will participate in two exciting and high-profile trade shows in New York City in November as part of a campaign to introduce its premium pure artesian water to New Yorkers. In addition, the company will reach out to New York restaurants to promote its renowned sparkling and still waters.

Acqua Smeraldina will participate in Cook. Eat. Drink. Live. November 6-8 at the Tunnel/La.Venue, 608 W. 28th St., in New York City. The show, which is open to the public, is a foodie’s paradise. This tasty three-day event will feature a large sampling of gourmet food and beverages, as well as appearances from world-renowned chefs and industry experts including Chef Jean-Louis Dumonet, television personality Ted Allen and Epicurious.com Editor-in-Chief Tanya Wenman Steel.

Visitors to Cook. Eat. Drink. Live. will not only indulge their senses with delectable food and the world’s finest beverages, they will also learn what goes into a great meal, discover the ingredients that help create delicious dishes, and learn tips and trends to make the most of the upcoming holiday season.

Acqua Smeraldina’s pure premium artesian water will be featured at Cook. Eat. Drink. Live. at a pavilion sponsored by Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani (GRI), a nonprofit association that promotes an awareness of fine, authentic Italian cuisine.

Acqua Smeraldina will also participate in the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show November 8-10 at the Javits Center, 655 W. 34th Street, in New York City. The industry trade show will feature the latest products and industry trends and will include seminars and networking events for participants. This exciting and informative event, which is expected to draw 35,000 industry professionals, will feature exhibitors from all sectors of the hospitality industry including food and beverage, equipment, furnishings, linens, technology, amenities and tableware, among others. In addition, the show will feature product launches from more than 1,000 exhibitors.

Among the 35,000 attendees at the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show will be lodging and restaurant owners and operators, as well as catering and specialty food service establishments, owner groups, purchasing companies, design firms, equipment dealerships, resorts, casinos and more. These attendees represent the most influential buyers in the industry.

At both the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show and Cook. Eat. Drink. Live., Acqua Smeraldina will showcase its elegant and sophisticated glass and plastic bottles, which were recently redesigned. Acqua Smeraldina’s president, Mauro Solinas, who is based in Sardinia, will attend both shows.

As part of Acqua Smeraldina’s New York campaign, the company plans to send letters to more than 100 New York restaurants promoting its pure artesian water. Ten restaurants have also been designated to receive bottles of Acqua Smeraldina.

“Acqua Smeraldina is growing, and presenting ourselves to the New York market is a priority,” says Giuseppe Pinna, vice president of the Smeraldina Corporation. “The State of New York Department of Health recently granted Acqua Smeraldina a Certificate of Approval to Operate a Bottled Water Facility. Only about five Italian bottled water companies are Certified with the State of New York, and we are proud to be among them.”

Acqua Smeraldina natural artesian water is available in the United States through the recently opened distribution centers in Chicago and New Jersey. Additional centers will open soon in Miami and Los Angeles. Smeraldina bottled water comes from Sardinia, a small Italian island located in the center of the Mediterranean Sea. Sardinia is considered a “blue zone” because of the number of residents who live active lives past the age of 100. Smeraldina water is filtered for 200 years through the granite rocks of Gallura in an underground aquifer 1,000 feet under the Mountain of God. Numerous doctors and experts recommend Smeraldina Natural Artesian water for its perfect balance of sodium, chlorides and bicarbonates, which help to correctly maintain arterial blood pressure, and for its diuretic properties. For more information, please contact Giuseppe Pinna, vice president of the Smeraldina Corporation, at 414-732-6501 or visit Acqua Smeraldina.

Smeraldina Corporation, The Empire State Building, 350 Fifth Avenue, 59th Floor, New York, NY 10118.

Acqua Smeraldina
Cook. Eat. Drink. Live.
International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show

www.celiadunnsir.com

(SAVANNAH) – A year ago, Helen Williams Johnson started a new career – in real estate. Some might question her timing, but not her results. Despite the odds, she’s succeeding in perhaps the most challenging time ever in real estate.

“I started when the market had already bottomed out and I don’t know any different,” Johnson said. “I think this is to my advantage because I don’t know anything other than to work for the business. I was not around for the boom when agents were turning calls away.”

Since December 2008, Johnson has had five closings and has one more in the works. She’s had a busy Fall, with eight listings ranging from $190,000 to $950,000.

She credits her success to hard work, professional education, support from her agency, tenacity, and becoming close to her clients. She’s also found an unexpected networking benefit from her longstanding commitment to volunteerism – she’s chairing the Telfair Art Fair in November and serves on boards of several nonprofits.

For years many friends and family members, including her aunt, Celia Dunn, kept telling her she would be great at real estate and love it. Johnson is now a real estate sales associate at Celia Dunn Sotheby’s International Realty. In addition to being successful, Johnson’s found she loves the career as much as everyone thought she would.

“I really enjoy meeting new people that are moving to town and trying to help them get acclimated,” Johnson explained. “I also enjoy helping old friends find the perfect home and neighborhood that best suits their needs and wants. You learn a lot about person’s tastes and personality when you are helping them search for a home.”

Kesha Gibson Carter and her husband recently closed on a home thanks to Johnson, who explained that the family had received “horrible” mortgage advice that tripped them up in the purchasing process. Carter appreciates that Johnson went above and beyond to make sure they got everything ironed out and could buy their new home.

“Persistent, tenacious and relentless are all words that come to mind when I think of Helen Williams Johnson and the experience we had with Celia Dunn Sotheby’s International Realty,” Carter said. “She showed herself friendly, expressed genuine concern, and supported us as we worked to attain our goal. What we imagined would be a typical traditional real estate transaction, through no fault of our own, turned out to be ‘mortgage misery.’ However, because of the belief Helen had in our family and our ability, she did not shy away from working with us and continued her commitment to help get us through the crisis we found ourselves in.”

Johnson definitely goes way out of her way to make things work for her clients.

“It’s not about the sale – it’s about getting to know the client, their family, their goals in life. Some may think it is getting too close to the client, but I just want to make sure they are taken care of and that in the end we are all on the same page and trying to achieve the same goal.”

“The only other advice I would have for new agents is education,” Johnson said. The more courses you can take the better, she said, whether on marketing, networking, how to use MLS, contracts, or anything else. “You’ll be better off the more educated you are, and the more proactive you are about the market and its daily changes.”

“Celia’s office is also very special – the more I talk to agents at other offices, the more I realize how lucky we are,” Johnson said. “We have a wonderful support in the staff and the agents, and everyone just gets along, which is not always the case.”

Once Johnson’s youngest was old enough to start pre-school, she took the real estate class for new agents. With small children it was tough to be gone two nights out of the week from 6 to 10 p.m. for four months, she admits, but says it was well worth it.

Many people think real estate is a great career for mothers because you can make your own hours, but Johnson explains that’s not really the case. Many times you are working around the schedules of clients and customers.

“It is nice to have my parents in town, because my mother is great about keeping the kids for an hour here and there,” Johnson said. “Childcare of course is always tough in the summer time, but it’s been easier now that school is back in session.”

Johnson is chairing the Telfair Art Fair this year. She sits on the Savannah Technical College Community Council Board, helps with the tour of Homes every year and was a day chair for the Saturday tour last year. She is on the flower Altar Guild for Christ Church and teaches Sunday School.  She is a member of the William Jay Society at the Telfair and the 13th colony society at HSF. She’s about to join the board of another local nonprofit as well.

“It can be tough juggling work, volunteer work, and children, but it somehow always seems to work itself out,” Johnson said. “My mother is great, and my husband is very supportive, as well as a very hands-on dad. Between the three of us, the kids always get to after-school programs and sports on time. And the great thing about all of the volunteer activities is that you can be as active as you want in all of them, so when you’re super busy in one you can slack off a little in another. It just works that way, which is nice.”

“Volunteering is just something I believe in,” Johnson said. “My mother has always been so involved my entire life in so many different things that I don’t really know any different. I can’t imagine not giving back to the community.”

“I am from Savannah and have a lot of contacts anyway, but there are so many neat people out there that do so much for the community that you would never know unless you volunteer,” she said. “I just believe so strongly in giving back to one’s community.”

Known for its tradition of integrity, Celia Dunn Sotheby’s International Realty specializes in residential and commercial properties in Savannah and the Low Country of Georgia and South Carolina. Founded in 1981, Celia Dunn Sotheby’s International Realty is noted for outstanding service to its clients, thorough knowledge of Savannah and the South Carolina Low Country, and excellent staff, in addition to having one of the region’s top property management departments. The owners are natives of Savannah who have more than 60 years’ combined experience in real estate. The offices are located at 9, 13, and 17 West Charlton Street on Madison Square in Savannah and 6 Bruin Street in Bluffton, S.C.

For more information, call Celia Dunn Sotheby’s International Realty at (912) 234-3323 or visit www.celiadunnsir.com. To contact the Bluffton office, call (843) 836-3900.

http://www.melaver.com/

(SAVANNAH, GA) Melaver/Mouchet announces 4 new commercial real estate deals, which will bring national retail tenants to the Low Country. A Pizza Hut, two Shane’s Rib Shacks and a Mattress Firm Super Center will open in the Savannah area.

“The deals are a testament to Savannah’s ability to weather an economic downturn,” said Anthony Wagner, a Broker at Melaver/Mouchet. “Although Savannah is a much smaller market than many other cities, national retailers still have an interest in being here. And although commercial real estate is sluggish in general, we here at Melaver/Mouchet still make key deals that result in a positive impact on the region.”

Pizza Hut will open a take-out and delivery eatery in the Kroger shopping center at Berwick Marketplace on Highway 17. The store is expected to open in mid November.

Shane’s Rib Shack will open two locations in Savannah and Hinesville. The Savannah location will be at the corner of Waters Avenue and Eisenhower Drive, which was originally a Burger King but was most recently known as the Savannah Diner. It will open in mid November. The Hinesville location, which Shane’s purchased, will open along General Screven Way near one of the main entrances to Fort Stewart. It will open in mid December. To learn more about Shane’s Rib Shack, go to shanesribshack.com.

Mattress Firm, a national mattress and bedding retail store, will open its first store in the Savannah Market, located at 8108 Abercorn Street in the Abercorn Common Shopping Center. The leased 8,000-square-foot Mattress Firm Super Center will open in Spring 2010 and be one of the chain’s largest stores. To learn more about Mattress Firm, go to mattressfirm.com.

Melaver/Mouchet is a leading commercial real estate brokerage firm serving Savannah, coastal Georgia and the South Carolina Low country. Melaver Inc. is a third-generation, family-owned business based in Savannah. The sustainable real estate developer has several LEED-certified projects in its portfolio and developed one of the first LEED-certified buildings in the U.S., which is also on the National Register of Historic Places.

To learn more about Melaver and how it can help your business, go to Melaver, Inc. or call 912-236-0781.

http://www.simplysullivans.com/

(SAVANNAH, GA) The Sullivan Group will hold a food drive starting today through November 20 with all donations going to America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia.

“The staff at The Sullivan Group is always looking for ways to help charities. We know it’s the little things that make a big difference to others,” said Eileen Nuzzo, Executive Adminstrator at The Sullivan Group.

For every three items a person donates, their name will be entered into a drawing and could win one of two prizes.

Four winners will receive their choice of: 4-pack of tickets to Regal Cinemas or 1 year VIP card from Savannahmenu. There is no limit to the amount of donations a person can make and no limit to the number of times an individual can be entered in the drawing.

Donated items will be accepted at The Sullivan Group’s main office, 37 West Fairmont Avenue, Building 100 in Savannah. South Georgia clients of The Sullivan Group can also donate directly to America’s Second Harvest locations in Alma and Brunswick.

For any additional questions call Eileen Nuzzo at 912-961-8882.

The Sullivan Group is a Human Resources Outsourcing (HRO) company focused on supporting small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Serving hundreds of small businesses in Georgia and South Carolina, The Sullivan Group provides each customer with the critical support and expert resources needed for a wide range of HR challenges including employee benefits, payroll, compliance tactics, staffing and workers compensation insurance.

www.rebuildingtogethersavannah.org
www.sustainablefellwood.com

(SAVANNAH, GA) -  As more people are finding it harder to make ends meet, four Savannah families will get help repairing their homes this October.

Thanks to the hard work and generosity of volunteers and area companies, the nonprofit group Rebuilding Together Savannah will repair four houses in West Savannah near Sustainable Fellwood.
“We wanted to give back to the communities close to where we are building Sustainable Fellwood,” said Denis Blackburne, Chief Financial Officer of sustainable developer Melaver Inc. “The Rebuilding Together Savannah organization gave us the unique opportunity of doing exactly what we wanted to achieve. When I approached the development team I was overwhelmed by the collective positive response and generosity. The most exciting part is that it will be the individuals and employees of the sponsoring companies that will be carrying out the work.
“There is already excitement in the air,” Blackburne said. “Everybody wins in such community involvement.”

The work is done by volunteers and there is no charge to homeowners. The nonprofit focuses on health and safety concerns first, providing modifications for handicap accessibility or repairs the homeowner needs. The sponsors cover the cost of the materials and repairs.

“It changes people’s lives to have their home made safer and sounder,’ said Ellen Hatcher, executive director of Rebuilding Together Savannah. “It makes all the difference in people’s lives to have someone come in and fix things.” Some of the repairs are desperately needed and allow the homeowners to stay in their homes. Many are retired or handicapped.

“I think that what we do changes the homeowners’ lives and changes the volunteers’ lives as well,” Hatcher said. “You can see the difference you made. You know you helped.” Many volunteers keep coming back because they find the work so rewarding, said Hatcher, who volunteered for the group since 1997 and then took on the staff position two years ago.

The Rebuilding Together organization selected the four homes, and eight companies are co-sponsoring the rebuilding.

The companies sponsoring the rebuilding are: Melaver, Inc.; Parallel Housing, Inc.; Progressive Redevelopment, Inc.; S&ME, Inc.; Hunter, Maclean, Exley & Dunn, P.C.; Long Engineering Inc; Lane Management, LLC; and Catamount Constructors Inc.

Rebuilding Together Savannah is a volunteer organization that in partnership with the community, rehabilitates the houses of low-income homeowners, particularly the elderly, disabled, and families with children so that they may continue to live in warmth, safety and independence. Among the recipients are the elderly, the disabled, military veterans and families in need. Rebuilding Together Savannah is part of the national organization Rebuilding Together Inc., which has more than 200 affiliates nationwide.
www.rebuildingtogethersavannah.org

About Sustainable Fellwood:
Sustainable Fellwood is a mixed use, mixed income Housing Authority of Savannah redevelopment.  Master Developer: Melaver, Inc., in partnership with Parallel Housing Inc., Progressive Redevelopment Inc., and Vanguard Developers.  In collaboration with: Lott Barber, Architecture and Planning, Catamount Constructors, Inc., City of Savannah, and CHSA Development of Savannah.  www.sustainablefellwood.com

http://www.geekthelibrary.org/
http://savannahmovietours.net/

Savannah Movie Tours, Inc. CEO Ron Higgins Featured in National Geek the Library Campaign

(SAVANNAH, GA)  Ron Higgins, president and CEO of Savannah Movie Tours, Inc., is the newest face of the Geek the Library’s popular “I Geek” campaign. Higgins is featured on video and television clips talking about his lifelong interest in ghosts.

“I grew up just four blocks from the Bull Street Library and went there often as a child, so helping support our libraries is an important priority for me,” says Higgins, whose Scary Ghost Tour drew the attention of Geek the Library campaign officials.

In August, a national film crew arrived in Savannah and filmed footage of Higgins at Colonial Park Cemetery. During the 30-second clip, Higgins talks about how he first became interested in the supernatural and describes how someone can identify if a ghost is present. The clip ends with Higgins saying his variation of the campaign’s popular catch phrase, “My name is Ron, and I geek ghosts.”

The I Geek Ghosts clip featuring Higgins was recently released online and has been featured on television. The clip may be viewed online at Geek the Library.

“Hollywood” Ron Higgins is a filmmaker and Savannah native who has been involved in numerous movies including “Forrest Gump,” “Training Day,” “Remember The Titans” and “Pearl Harbor.” He founded Savannah Movie Tours, Inc. in 2003 to give tourists a glimpse into Savannah’s rich movie history. Since then, he has expanded the company’s offerings to include the Scary Ghost Tour and Foody Tour Savannah. In addition to walking tours, many of the tours are conducted on a luxury, air-conditioned bus, which is equipped with state-of-the-art LCD screens. For more information or to schedule a tour, call 912-234-3440 or visit Savannah Movie Tours, Inc.

http://www.newellrecycling.com/
http://www.thecreativecoast.org/

Newell Recycling is pleased to announce that pieces of scrap metal from its Savannah shredder plant have been used to create The Creative Coast Alliance’s 2009 Innovation Awards trophies. The trophies will be presented at the Innovation Awards ceremony, Thursday, October 22, at 6 p.m. at the Trustees Theater, 216 E. Broughton St.

The trophies were crafted by Jerry Lancaster, president of Port City Metals, Inc. Lancaster used a mix of shredded auto scraps from Newell Recycling, as well as scraps of granite from Bella Terra Marble & Granite.

“Newell Recycling is a great example of a sustainable Savannah business operating and succeeding in Savannah’s creative coast,” says Fitz Haile, director of marketing, public relations and web for The Creative Coast Alliance. “Using their recycled materials for this year’s Innovation Awards trophies is a perfect fit for our event. What better way to say ‘you’re innovative’ than by crafting this year’s awards from-you guessed it-recycled cars?”

The Innovation Awards, which are presented this year by Lott + Barber, is an event that honors established local leaders, as well as up-and-coming key players who have demonstrated bold innovation in business, nonprofit, education, government and sustainability.

Newell Recycling, one of the largest recyclers and processors of recycled metals in the Southeast, recently celebrated the grand opening of its Savannah location in Garden City. The Savannah site features a Newell Shredder, which is capable of grinding the equivalent of 170 cars per hour into fist-sized pieces. In addition to automobiles, the shredder also processes appliances and demolition scrap. The technology allows Newell Recycling to separate the steel and nonferrous metals into a valuable, furnace-ready raw material for steel mills, foundries and smelters. The metal produced by the shredder can be converted into new metals more easily and cost-effectively than mining the earth, thus saving precious natural resources.

Founded in San Antonio, Texas in 1935 by Mr. Alton Scott Newell, a pioneer in the scrap metal industry who also invented the Automobile Shredder, Newell Recycling is recognized as a worldwide leader in ferrous and non-ferrous metal recycling, research and technology.

http://www.sustainablefellwood.com/

(SAVANNAH, GA) The green affordable housing development Sustainable Fellwood has been honored in Southeast Construction magazine’s “Best of 2009″ awards. Sustainable Fellwood was named “Best In Category” for Multi-Family Residential.
The magazine editors noted that this year was especially competitive, with a record-breaking number of entries. The annual competition recognizes construction and design excellence in the four-state region that includes Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

The pioneering mixed use, mixed income Housing Authority of Savannah redevelopment Sustainable Fellwood has garnered national attention for its commitment to efficiency and the environment, as well as thoughtful design for a livable community.

Amenities for the environmentally friendly mixed-use, mixed income development include the preservation of trees, on-site recycling, cellulose insulation, high efficiency air conditioning and heating units, and low flow water fixtures. The homes have 30 percent less energy usage and 40 percent less water usage than typical construction.

Sustainable Fellwood, which serves as a principal component of the City of Savannah’s Westside Development Revitalization Plan, is widely considered a national showcase for environmentally-responsible community planning.
Catamount Constructors, Inc. is the construction company for Sustainable Fellwood. Residents began moving into Phase I, the first 110 housing units, in April 2009. Phase II, which will include another 110 affordable housing units, and single family homes, is planned to begin construction this fall Future phases will include a senior housing apartment building, followed by potential retail, medical and technical space. Construction on Phase I began in Fall 2008.

Sustainable Fellwood is being built with sustainable materials with high standards for energy and water efficiency. For example, pervious paving will be used where possible to allow water to naturally infiltrate the ground, reducing the impact on the neighborhood stormwater system.

Sustainable Fellwood is registered in the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Neighborhood Development pilot program and will be guided by the Smart Growth Network’s principles for diverse, walk-able, distinctive, attractive communities. Sustainable Fellwood is also registered in the EarthCraft Coastal Communities through Southface Energy Institute.

Sustainable Fellwood is a mixed use, mixed income Housing Authority of Savannah redevelopment. Master Developer: Melaver, Inc., in partnership with Parallel Housing, Progressive Redevelopment, and Vanguard Developers. In collaboration with: Lott Barber, Architecture and Planning, Catamount Constructors, Inc., City of Savannah, and CHSA Development of Savannah.

http://www.ldssga.org

http://www.ndss.org

(SAVANNAH, GA) The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society Buddy Walk Festival in Forsyth Park was a huge success, with over 3,000 walkers turning out to support families touched by Down syndrome. Savannah’s fourth annual Buddy Walk raised $62,000 this year for the cause. A second Buddy Walk, inspired by the LDSS Buddy Walk in Savannah, held in the combat zone of Afghanistan by Sergeant Samantha Allen-boasted the participation of over 300 soldiers who were unable to be present for the Savannah walk-raising an additional $3,000. Together, these walks garnered an impressive $65,000 in support of those with Down syndrome.

The Buddy Walk is held each year during October which is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, to provide support and advocacy for individuals with Down syndrome and their families. Over 300 Buddy Walks are expected to occur throughout the United States this month.

About the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society:
Established in 2006, the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) is a non-profit family support group designed to benefit people with Down syndrome and their families. The LDSS is an affiliate of the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), a national advocate for the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome.

These societies envision and promote a world in which all people with Down syndrome have the opportunity to enhance their quality of life, realize their life aspirations, and become valued members of welcoming communities. Quality educational programs, a stimulating home environment, good health care, and positive support from family, friends and the community allow people with Down syndrome to develop their full potential and lead fulfilling lives. http://www.ndss.org

The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society now provides outreach to families in eight local counties. Families are encouraged to bring their children with them to meetings, which are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month. These gatherings usually include a guest speaker as well as social time for families to meet and share with one another. For more information call John or Candy Bogardus at (912) 728-8505 or visit the website at http://www.ldssga.org.