This year's Sandy Springs Festival will be held September 25-26, 2010. The event is a yearly fundraiser benefiting Heritage Sandy Springs, a non-profit organization serving the community. This year, the Festival turns 25, and the two-day event features live entertainment, children's games and rides, crafters, an artist market, collector car show, the pet parade and more! The event kicks off with a 10K road race, which is a Peachtree Road Race qualifier. Stop by the City's both for information on programs, the new Overlook park, to meet elected officials, firefighters and police officers and to get a commemorative pin. Also, you can sign up to be a Sandy Springer! The City contracts with Heritage Sandy Springs for operation of the park. For more information, visit www.sandyspringsfestival.com.

Join our Sandy Springs firemen and police officers at the "Guns and Hoses" chili cook off on Saturday, September 11, 2010, at the Sandy Springs Farmers Market. The event will occur during the market's regular hours, which are 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Taste-testing tickets will be available for a $5 donation per person which will benefit the SSPD Benevolent Fund and Sandy Springs Fire and Rescue.

The Sandy Springs Farmers Market plans to hold a moment of silence between 10:00 - 10:30 a.m. along with a singing of "God Bless America" to recognize the 9th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The Sandy Springs Farmers Market is located at 235 Johnson Ferry Road, Sandy Springs, GA 30328.

Sandy Springs is participating in The National Citizen Survey. Beginning August 23rd, questionnaires were sent to 1,200 randomly selected households, asking for feedback on the quality and usefulness of city services. The results will be included in a final report that elected officials can use to guide future decisions.

"Responses from this survey will provide the Mayor and Councilmembers with detailed feedback about services the City provides as well as services the City doesn't provide," said City Manager John McDonough. "That's why it is vitally important that each resident who receives a survey fill it out and send it back."

"The survey is accompanied by a letter from me explaining why we need you to fill this out," said Sandy Springs Mayor Eva Galambos. "I hope every resident will take a few moments to tell us how they feel about the services they are getting. We need this information to improve upon what we are doing. Also, we need to let those providers who offer other services to our residents know how they can improve or tailor their services to meet residents' needs."

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School has started in Sandy Springs as have fall activities for children. Please respect the speed limit and traffic signs in our community to ensure the safety of children and adults alike.

September is National Preparedness Month and the Department of Homeland Security, along with the support of coalition partners, is working to increase public awareness about emergency preparedness. During the month of September, consider taking steps to prepare your family or company for an emergency. For more information visit  the official website, www.ready.gov.

The Sandy Springs Fire Rescue Department has limited openings in its next training class for the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), which will be held on September 5, 11, 12 and 18 from 8:00 a.m. - noon. The training will be held at Sandy Springs Fire Station 4, 4697 Wieuca Road, Atlanta. Please visit www.sandyspringsga.org to register.

The CERT program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may have an impact on their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders have yet to arrive on the scene. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.

"CERT members can act as the first responders, and they can sustain emergency efforts until the Fire Department arrives on the scene," said Sandy Springs Fire Rescue's James Laudermilk, who heads the program.

Each person trained will receive an emergency response kit, CERT materials and outreach materials.

If you would like more information on the CERT program, call the City of Sandy Springs' Citizen Response Center at 770-730-5600 or visit www.sandyspringsga.org/cert

The Recreation & Parks Department recently completed the installation of artificial professional field turf at Hammond Park field. Residents and sports leagues may now enjoy athletic play on this long lasting and safe field turf.  Fees to reserve the field are $75/4hrs resident; $100/non-resident; $150/league play. To reserve the field, call (770) 206-2035 or go online to activenet.active.com/sandyspringsga.

Overlook Park at Morgan Falls located at 200 Morgan Falls Road boasts a 1,250 sq. ft. pavilion with four family sized grills, 12 picnic tables and a capacity to house up to 300 people.  Enjoy family outings, corporate picnics or other gatherings in this well-built, pleasant pavilion. Overlook Park at Morgan Falls is a 33.7-acre riverside park that also features a boat dock, playground, porch swings and historic chimney. The park offers spectacular views of the Chattahoochee River from the bluff.  

To make a reservation or for more information on the pavilion, please call (770) 206-2035 or visit www.sandyspringsga.org.

Special Needs Gymnastics - If your child has special needs, he will find a home at Hammond Park. Students are evaluated individually and then placed in a program that will meet his needs. Your child will be challenged to reach his potential in a safe and welcoming atmosphere. The fee is $112 for 12 weeks on Fridays beginning September 3rd.

Music Together - Music Together is an internationally recognized early childhood music program for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners and the adults who love them.  Classes are based on the recognition that all children are musical and can learn to sing in tune, keep a beat and participate with confidence. All children must be registered and must be accompanied by an adult to attend. The fee is $110/ 1st child; $75/2nd child; $60/3rd child (siblings under 6mo free). An additional $40 cash lab fee is due the first day of class to the instructor (includes one Music Together award-winning CD and songbook). Class is held Mondays beginning September 13th.

Registration for both Special Needs Gymnastics and Music together is available online at activenet.active.com/sandyspringsga.

Construction is underway to build a sidewalk on Lake Forrest Drive from the I-285 underpass to Hammond Drive to provide improved pedestrian access within the neighborhood. The project includes improvements to the intersection of Lake Forrest Drive and Hammond Drive. Motorists are urged to use caution through the construction site.

Construction is underway to construct a sidewalk system along Peachtree-Dunwoody Road in the vicinity of the school. Utility relocation is underway. Motorists are urged to use caution through the construction site.

The project is under construction to install sidewalk on Brandon Mill and Dalrymple near the school. Utility relocation is underway.

A design contract is underway to develop a complete sidewalk system along Roswell Road from Dalrymple north to Roberts Drive. Utility coordination and permitting is underway for future construction.  Most of the areas eligible for this Community Development Block Grant funded project are on the eastern (northbound) side of Roswell Road with some segments on the west side of Roswell Road.

A project to design sidewalks at the above locations is underway.  Construction will begin this month for the Ison Road increment with bidding underway or about to begin for the remaining project sites.  Right of way and easement acquisition and utility coordination is underway.

A project to design sidewalks at the above locations is underway.  Construction is planned for later this year with construction bidding underway for the Glenridge-Hammond to Johnson Ferry Sidewalk Project. Right of way/easement acquisition and utility coordination are underway.

A project to design sidewalks at the above locations is underway.  Right of way and utility coordination are underway.

The construction contract has been awarded for the project to construct sidewalks on the north side of Windsor Parkway from Roswell Road to High Point. Utility relocations are underway and construction work has begun.

Johnson Ferry Streetscape
A construction contract has been awarded to construct a sidewalk network to streetscape standards along both sides of Johnsons Ferry from Sandy Springs Circle to Long Acres Drive.  Motorists are urged to use caution through the construction site.

Sandy Springs Circle Streetscape
A construction contract has been awarded to construct a sidewalk network to streetscape standards in areas of Sandy Springs Circle, Cliftwood and Hammond Drive. Motorists are urged to use caution through the construction site.