Notable
By ANDREW NELSON, Staff Writer | Published April 26, 2012
Two St. Catherine of Siena School seventh-graders are budding scientists, wining recognition at the county and state levels.
Mary Wiley and Daniel Grantham both won first place at the Cobb-Paulding Regional Science and Engineering Fair, which advanced them to the state competition, held March 31 at the University of Georgia.
Mary Wiley’s chemistry experiment, for the project titled “What Kind of Wood Makes the Best Campfire,” compared three common types of woods and measured the heat generated, length of burn and efficiency of the wood burned. The project earned Mary first place.
The award advanced the project to the state level where Mary won a nomination to compete in the national level of the Broadcom Masters Competition for the top 10 percent of sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders nationwide.
Mary Wiley won first place in chemistry at the Cobb-Paulding Regional Engineering and Science Fair for her project titled “What Kind of Wood Makes the Best Campfire.” She attends St. Catherine of Siena School, Kennesaw.
Daniel Grantham took home the top prize in mathematical sciences at the Cobb-Paulding competition for his project “Tales of the Rails.” Daniel also was presented a special award from the Armed Services.
At the state level, Daniel won third place in the mathematical sciences category.
Father Giles Conwill, a former history professor at Morehouse College and now chaplain at Xavier University in New Orleans, was recently inducted into the Martin Luther King Jr. International Board of Preachers in Atlanta.
The 36 inductees, including one Jewish rabbi, are among the outstanding preachers in the country. Father Conwill was the only Catholic clergyman.
According to the program booklet, the preachers follow King’s path by demonstrating “great achievement in their chosen vocation, a profound commitment to their community and society, and are living their lives according to a high standard of ethical values.”
The speaker for the occasion was Suzan Johnson Cook, U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. Prior to joining the State Department, she served as senior pastor and chief executive officer of the Bronx Christian Fellowship Baptist Church in New York City.
Among Father Conwill’s accomplishments are serving as professor of history and chairman of the history department at Morehouse College for 23 years; publishing books and essays on catechesis, enculturation in religious education, preaching, black spirituality and black church history; and leading religious revivals across the country. He was a winner of a nationwide sermon-writing contest sponsored by the Los Angeles Times and the Upper Room Publishing Co.
He said in a statement that the “Theology of the Homiletic” must respond to the request in the Gospel of St. John, chapter 12, verse 20: “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
“Every sermon, every homily, should fulfill this request of letting us see Jesus, whether it’s doing so directly in the New Testament, or indirectly through the Old Testament,” said Father Conwill, who spends up to 10 hours a week preparing a homily. “We preachers of God’s Word are given such a tremendous privilege.”
Suzanne Hargreaves, known to all as “Gammy,” has a special birthday coming up: 100.
The long-time volunteer at St. Andrew Church, Roswell, can still be found at work in the church office.
She was born May 9, 1912, in New York City. Her parents, Jacques and Catherine Monteran, were both from France. The family moved back to France in 1919.
Gammy married Edward Hargreaves, a California native, in 1947. After serving in the Army in World War II, he worked for the diplomatic service. The couple served their country overseas during his career in the U.S. Foreign Service, living in many countries, including France, Germany, Morocco, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Colombia. Gammy taught French at many schools where the family was stationed. They had two daughters, Catherine and Jacqueline. After Ed retired, the couple moved to Atlanta in 1984 to be close to daughter Catherine and their grandchild, Susan.
Suzanne Hargreaves, known to all as “Gammy,” celebrates her 100th birthday on May 9. She is a volunteer at St. Andrew Church, Roswell.
Ed died soon after the move, and Gammy has made Sandy Springs and Roswell her home ever since. She has lived with Cathy and her husband, Larry Heller, for many years, and also spends time each year in Seattle with daughter Jacqueline and her family, including three grandchildren.
She is a very devout Catholic and attends Mass as often as possible. Over the years, she has always enjoyed having the priests come to dinner in her home.
Gammy has many friends in her neighborhood and enjoys participating in neighborhood parties. She has a Scrabble group of dear friends who live close by and get together weekly for several rousing games and refreshments. She knits hats and caps for the homeless and cancer patients.
A charity in Stone Mountain is ready to serve people in need of medical equipment.
Friends of Disabled Adults and Children takes in pre-owned wheelchairs and ofter medical devices to refurbish them.
The nonprofit has provided more than $9 million a year in medical equipment and supplies at little or no cost to people in need.
The organization has worked with several Catholic organizations, including Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home, Catholic Charities in Haiti, the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and others.
It is hosting a Run, Walk ‘N’ Roll fundraiser, with a 5K run and a 2K walk/roll on May 5 at 9 a.m. Please see the website for more details at www.fodac.org.