On Nov. 8, the developers of Greenbriar Cove, Greg Vital and Franklin Farrow, dedicated the clubhouse to the memory of Jim Monroe.

In the middle of Collegedale’s premier retirement community, Green Briar Cove, and within the Garden Plaza Complex is the Bistro at Garden Plaza.

I was glad to hear from former Mayor Fred Fuller that the first, "First Lady" is doing much better and getting out of the hospital.

Oct. 25, there will be excitement in the air! Yes, it is time again for the Seventh Day Adventist flea market, put on by the Collegedale VFW Post.

Oct. 7, I decided to have lunch with our local Kiwanis at City Hall. While I was there, our county commissioner Bill Hullander made a statement to the assembly with which I completely concur.

I accidentally caused a few heart attacks with last weeks column.

Coming up on Oct. 11 is the Apison Seventh Day Adventest Church and School's Fall Festival from noon to 4 p.m. There will be a maze, dunking booth, vendors, food and, new for this year, a book sale with Christian books for kids and young adults, and lots of other fun activities. Children will be admitted for $1 or a box of macaroni, and adults will be admitted $2 or two boxes. The macaroni will go to the Samaritan Center's food pantry. So come on out to the original fall festival! Remember, don't get fooled by the imitators.

The Collegedale American Legion is having a spaghetti dinner fund raiser Sept. 27 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Collegedale City Hall. Tickets are $5. Funds go to support local projects in the community.

Bill McGhinnis’s sister-in-law, Laura Bird, Phoenix, Ariz., used our Green Way system twice a day for several days while visiting the McGhinnises. She is training for a three day, 60 mile "Walk for the Cure" in November in Phoenix. Our Green Way really is one of the best things we have done here in the "Dale".

Sept. 8, the Collegedale City Commission passed the Beer by the Drink Ordinance. I believe any aesthetic issues this will raise can be handled with the new Commercial Design and Construction Guidelines the new Collegedale Tomorrow Panel and the Planning Commission will be hammering out. When you raise your design standards, you also raise the quality of business coming in, which then lessons the likelyhood of underage drinking.

Remembering an old family friend is always the hardest thing to do in this short little column, but I will try. Jake Atkins, husband of Beverly Atkins and father of two, died Aug. 10. Mr. Atkins and his wife have lived for years here in the "dale," and the valley is little less bright with out him. After he retired, Jake volunteered daily at the Summit Home on the outskirts of Collegedale running errands, shopping, doing the book keeping and, in general, being the kind of citizen we should all strive to be. He also volunteered for the Soup Kitchen, the Samaritan Center and his church. A big thanks the Atkins family for sharing this grand gentleman with their community.

Southern Adventist University is back in session as of Aug. 27, so watch out for the kids.

The Collegedale City Commission voted a couple of weeks ago to implement the Collegedale Tomorrow Advisory Board and the new Planning Commission rules or bylaws. Voting on both of these was important for the city’s future. I was down on 2A in Fort Oglethorpe and saw the nightmare that is uncontrolled growth, or you could go down Ringgold Road in East Ridge. Our city needs a plan to deal with what is coming, and with the right membership and with a lot of work, we can avoid other cities’ mistakes. Every one of us should thank our commissioners for being pro-active on this issue.

Driving around Collegedale one evening with my daughter and waiting for a “choo choo train” to come through, I was reminded of what a pleasant little town we live in. I am especially proud of the addition of Green Briar Cove Retirement Village. It is architecturally pleasing, landscaped beautifully and is the type of quality development you get when you have great developers in charge of something. Oh yes, to finish my thought from above, my 2-year-old daughter is obsessed with trains.

It was a sad weekend here in the "Dale," a weekend filled with funerals. We lost several, but the one that bothered me the most was the loss of Kermise Rowe, former principal of Collegedale Academy. Mr. Rowe was a good and decent man who gave a lot back to his community, and he will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him. He is survived by his two daughters, his wife Mary Lou and a passel of grandkids. Mr. Rowe was the type of person more people should try to be like: unflappable, moderate, temperate, easy going and supportive. We have all lost a valuable community member with his passing.