Category: Lookout Mountain

Take a Walk in Rock City Founder’s Footsteps

10/18/2018

by Ferris Robinson

At some point, chances are you’ve been to Rock City. Either as a child, a parent or a tourist, you’ve probably walked through this wonderland, pausing on the Swinging Bridge to catch your breath and gasp at the incredible view.

However, I doubt you’ve had the pleasure of actually walking in Frieda’s footsteps, Frieda Utermoehlen Carter being Rock City’s co-founder and visionary of the Enchanted Trail.

Rock City is offering Walking in Frieda’s Footsteps, historical guided walking tours of Rock City Gardens. Available most days during normal operating hours, the tours are a mere $5 per ticket upgrade from general admission, and there is minimum group size of 15 people. Imagine touring behind the scenes with your own personal guide and horticulture expert as you learn about the infinite number of native plants, most actually planted in the early 1930s by Frieda herself. Fascinated with European folklore as well as wildflowers and rock gardens, she planted columbine, coralbells and hemlock trees that are still there today.

Schedule a tour during the beautiful month of October, and see Rock City again!

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Your Voice Matters: Take a Survey

10/5/2018

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Provide your input for Lookout Mountain, Ga.'s, comprehensive plan.

by Kenny Lee
The City of Lookout Mountain, Ga., is creating a Comprehensive Plan to help protect the qualities that make our community special, as well as identify and plan for the challenges facing our community today and in the future.

Members of the Comprehensive Planning Committee working on this project are Jimmy Campbell (chairperson), Cindy Whitaker (vice chairperson), Ramsey Brock, Davo Devaney, Kevin Leckenby, Kenny Lee, Jason Lehn, Fred Robinson, Keith Sanford (ex officio), Jan Weaver and Arch Willingham.

In order to build a plan for our future, we need your input! Sherlock Holmes said it best, “Data! Data! Data! We can’t make bricks without clay.”

It is vital that we hear from our community. During the month of October, we are asking that every resident and friend of Lookout Mountain, Ga., participate in this process by completing a short confidential Comprehensive Plan Survey.

Your valuable feedback can be provided by completing the survey on the Lookout Mountain, Ga., website, www.lookoutmtnga.com/community/page/survey. For those residents who cannot complete the survey online, please contact Cindy Roberts at Lookout Mountain, Ga., City Hall, (706) 820-1586, for additional assistance. Remember, the last day to complete the survey is October 31.

The city is doing all that it can to spread the word and gather as many responses as possible. To date, residents have received a letter from Mayor David Bennett, both by e-mail and U.S. mail, and signs have been posted on the mountain. Please help by completing this survey and encouraging your neighbors to participate!

After the survey period is closed, residents will receive a report of the results. Community forums will be scheduled to allow additional opportunities for sharing input, and a final Comprehensive Plan community meeting will be led by Phil Walker, community planning consultant.

Look for follow-up in a subsequent Mountain Mirror issue. Richard Dawson’s catchphrase declares it best, “Survey says…”

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Rock City's Oktoberfest Begins October 6

10/4/2018

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Explore Rock City during Oktoberfest and experience all things German this fall.

The region’s longest-running Oktoberfest celebration begins Saturday, October 6, and runs through Sunday, October 28, at Rock City Gardens. The 13th annual German-themed harvest festival, Rocktoberfest, offers a variety of entertainment and delicious food from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday.

Rock City's German heritage comes alive with music from The Wurstbrats, The Musik Meisters and The Best Wurst Band, as well as dance performances and polka lessons for guests. Take a guided tour of the gardens during peak fall foliage at 9 a.m., noon or 3 p.m. and learn about the attraction's founder, Frieda Utermoehlen Carter, and her love of German folklore and fairytales.

Stop by the pavilion for specialty German food like grilled bratwursts, sauerkraut, beer cheese soup, or dine at Café 7 and have some Weiner Schnitzel or apple crisp with Clumpies vanilla ice cream.

Rocktoberfest hosts one-of-a-kind characters to meet along the way including the fall fairy, Ik the Troll King, a mime and Rocky the Elf. Kids also receive an adventure passport from a scarecrow upon entering the park; the passport features activities, coupons and pages for children to collect stamps during their visits throughout the year.

A must-see at the festival are Birds of Prey Shows at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Other special offerings include pumpkin painting, interactive caricatures and geode digs. This event has been selected as a Top 20 Event for 2018 by Southeast Tourism Society. Find out more at www.seerockcity.com/rocktoberfest.

In addition, Rock City has an ongoing partnership with the MaryEllen Locher Scholarship Foundation honoring breast cancer awareness month during October. Several "survivor" products including new mini pink birdhouse ornaments are for sale, with a portion of proceeds benefiting this organization's scholarship program and MEL's Club. Learn more about that at www.seerockcity.com/survivor.

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LMS Carnival is October 2

9/28/2018

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The 71st LMS Carnival is October 2.

After 71 years, the LMS Carnival is getting a face lift. On October 2 children from all over the Lookout Mountain community will convene for Jamboree Jars, silly string fights, pony rides and other fall favorites. But this year carnival goers will notice some exciting new changes.
For starters, every booth is getting its own pop-up striped tent, a generous gift from the Redberg family.

“The wooden booths we’ve had for years were great but were starting to show their age,” explains Melinda Redberg, who is chairing this year along with Paula Plating. “We think the new tents will give the whole event a festive, circus vibe.”

But the tents aren’t the only upgrade. This year the Carnival will move to wristbands instead of tickets. Sold in denominations of 5, 10 and 20, the wristbands will feature empty stars that workers will check off at each booth. One star equals one ticket. The new system will help younger children who can’t count out tickets, and prevent lost or stolen tickets.

One exception will be Children’s Corner, which will continue to operate on tickets because of the volume they sell. A ticket exchange booth will be located adjacent to the ever popular booth. When kids want to buy silly string, bomb bags or other Carnival classics, they will visit the exchange booth where workers will mark off their stars and hand them the equivalent in tickets.

New games this year include the Pirate Boat Race, Spider Toss, an inflatable Gladiator Joust and a NERF gun “Galactic Blast” shooting gallery. Children 48” and taller can see if they have what it takes to complete the new Ninja Warrior course set up on the Commons playground.

Perhaps the most exciting addition will be a drawing, featuring prizes such as a new iPad, bike and other fun prizes. Children can enter to win before and during the Carnival.

Parents can find their own prizes at Carnival Kitchen, where you can get everything you need for a dinner you don’t have to cook. Co-chairs Heather Naggar and Anne Carr are already hard at work stocking the popular booth. In addition to homemade casseroles they are encouraging donations such enchiladas, lasagna, soups and other original goodies.

The Carnival’s 30-plus booths are staffed by parents and friends of LMS. In fact, virtually every parent is needed to contribute in some way in order for Carnival to be a success.

“It truly couldn’t happen without parent and community volunteers,” says Plating. “We are always so grateful and a little awestruck at how it comes together every year. It’s like Lookout Mountain magic.”

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Celebrate 24 Years of Lula Lake Land Trust

9/25/2018

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Founder's Weekend is September 28 & 29.

Lula Lake Land Trust is celebrating its 24th anniversary with its annual Founder's Weekend on Saturday, September 29, and Sunday, September 30. There will be special activities and fun events throughout the weekend.

on Saturday, gates open at 9 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. Last guests will be admitted at 3:30 p.m. The day's activities include a family scavenger hunt, flora and fauna lessons with Jann George and Civil War history talks from Jim Ogen. Additionaly, Margaret Summersell will lead a yoga workshop at 10 a.m., land manager Patrick Kelly will take folks on a guided history hike at 10 a.m, and Dr. Hill Craddock will present a program about his American chestnut tree research prior to a tree planting ceremony at 11 a.m. Space for the guided hike is limited, so register today. The tree planting is also limited to 25 participants, and the $10 donation to visit Lula Lake is waived to those planting trees; click here for more info or to sign up.

On Sunday, the fun continues from noon to 3:30 p.m., with the last guests being admitted at 1 p.m. Scavenger hunts, history talks and more will take place. Then, at 4:30 p.m., Lula Lake's Founder's Weekend Wine Walk begins. Taste wines perfectly paired with hors d'oeuvres as you walk around the land trust. Tickets are $50 per person, and guest must be 21 or older. This is event is limited to 150 guests and is expected to sell out. Purchase your tickets now!

For more information about Lula Lake Land Trust, click here.

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Brian Salter to Lead LMPC

9/25/2018

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Brian Salter

by B.B. Branton
There will be a "changing of the guard" at Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church on October 1. An installation service is scheduled for Sunday, September 30, at 6 p.m. as current Assistant Pastor Brian Salter will become the senior teaching pastor. Current Senior Teaching Pastor Joe Novenson will take on the role of assistant pastor and focus on his ministry with senior citizens.

The service will take place in the sanctuary, with overflow seating in the chapel and fellowship hall. A reception of cake, ice cream, coffee and tea will follow in the fellowship hall. Nursery will be provided.

Pastor Novenson said, “I will continue full time in the preaching rotation, but will spend most of my ministry time with individuals, especially the older members of LMPC. I will be able to be with individual members in their homes and places of service and work. What a joy!”

Pastor Salter said, “In many ways, my call to serve LMPC as a pastor has not changed. I deeply value the unique model of collegiality, team preaching and deferential brotherhood of the pastoral team. I am grateful to be one of many voices calling us to faithfulness and service.

“I am compelled to pastor at LMPC because of our church identity as a large parish church called to resource Kingdom work within and beyond the parish. The uniqueness of a ‘large parish’ is a challenge to navigate and a gift to steward. I am eager to serve at a resource church like LMPC because we have an abundance of gifts and resources to steward for the glory of God and the good of our city and world. I look forward to watching us grow together in greater generosity and service.”

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Covenant Theatre Presents "Protest and Other Writings"

9/17/2018

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See "Protest and Other Writings" on September 28 and 29 and October 5 and 6 at Covenant College.

This September, the Covenant College Theatre Department presents political dissident and playwright, Vaclav Havel's "Protest," revealing what it means to act with integrity versus hypocrisy. In "Protest," the price of avoiding hypocrisy becomes apparent to two old friends who seek each other's aid in political matters. Vanek is a dissident whom people admire from afar, and Stanek, a fairly successful writer who has lost his former idealism as he works to avoid running afoul of the totalitarian government. Stanek invites his old colleague to the house, seeking help to release his daughter's fiancee, a musician, from prison. Vanek offers Stanek an opportunity to sign the protest on behalf of the musician, yet his old friend is fearful to do so.

Mark Makkar Gabriel, an alumnus of Covenant College, plays Vanek; Gabriel grew up in Syria, but left when his parents feared their son being drafted into the war that raged there. He said the character interactions in "Protest" reminds him "of a Muslim who wants to convert to Christianity, but is too scared."

Camille Hallstrom, director of "Protest" states, "We really should put Havel in the same category as Martin Luther King or Gandhi ... This man was able to start a revolution without any bloodshed." Although the government denied Havel much education, he quickly rose to the top as a residential playwright in Prague during the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia. Believing in liberal reforms, Havel joined a human rights movement called Charter 77, essentially sacrificing his playwriting career, as the government, displeased with Havel’s participation, made his plays illegal. This playwright then spent four years in prison after he stood up for human rights. In 1989, as the nation began more open anti-government protest, Havel, founded the Civic Forum, a political movement which waged the Velvet Revolution, overthrowing the Communist government, bloodlessly, in a mere 10 days. One month later, Havel was elected president of Czechoslovakia, but stepped down from office as the country's union disbanded. When the Czech Republic was formed however, he was elected president again even though he did not wish for power.

Alumni Jonathan Austin (Stanek) and Mark Gabriel (Vanek) are the leads in "Protest," with Mary Brook Diamond, Emily Cothran and Cara Smole appearing as the Chorus.

Protest, along with other of Havel’s political writings, will be performed in Sanderson Hall Auditorium at Covenant College, 14049 Scenic Highway, Lookout Mountain, Ga., September 28 and 29 at 8 p.m., October 5 at 6:30 p.m.. and on October 6 at 2:30 p.m. Following the matinee performance on the October 6, a discussion panel will be held including several faculty members, Bill Davis and John Wingard of philosophy, Bill Tate of English, Richard Follett of history, and the director Camille Hallstrom.

Tickets can be purchased at the door, while seating is available. Tickets are $10 for adults, and $7 for seniors, students and employees. To reserve tickets, visit covenant.edu/theatre or contact the box office by email at boxoffice@covenant.edu or by calling (706) 419-1051.

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Lookout Mountain
Happenings

Take a Walk in Rock City Founder’s Footsteps

Your Voice Matters: Take a Survey

Rock City's Oktoberfest Begins October 6

LMS Carnival is October 2

Celebrate 24 Years of Lula Lake Land Trust

Brian Salter to Lead LMPC

Covenant Theatre Presents "Protest and Other Writings"

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Lookout Mountain​Happenings

Take a Walk in Rock City Founder’s Footsteps

Your Voice Matters: Take a Survey

Rock City's Oktoberfest Begins October 6

LMS Carnival is October 2

Celebrate 24 Years of Lula Lake Land Trust

Brian Salter to Lead LMPC

Covenant Theatre Presents "Protest and Other Writings"

Article Categories

Archives

Stay up-to-date

Contact US

Stay Connected

Lookout Mountain
Happenings