Keep Sandy Springs Beautiful's Christmas tree recycling event, "Bring One for the Chipper," has been a holiday tradition in Georgia for more than 20 years and is expanding to include clothing that will be donated to American Kidney Services, as well as cooking oil that will be recycled into biodiesel.

Drop-off day is Saturday, January 3, 2015 at The Home Depot, 6400 Peachtree Dunwoody Road, and also at the Sandy Springs Recycling Center at 470 Morgan Falls Road.  Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please remove decorations and lights before dropping off trees.The mulch will be used for playgrounds, public beautification projects, wildlife habitat and homeowner landscaping projects. Mulch is available free to the public upon request by contacting Davey Tree at 770-451-7911. For more information, contact Keep Sandy Springs Beautiful at 770-551-7766 or [email protected].

The Governor's Office of Highway Safety has announced that the Sandy Springs Police Department is one of 17 law enforcement agencies in Georgia to receive a Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic grant for the 2015 grant season. Referred to as a H.E.A.T. grant, Sandy Springs Police Department's award totals $70,400.

The goal of the H.E.A.T. program is to combat crashes, injuries and fatalities caused by impaired driving and speeding, while also increasing seatbelt use and educating the public about traffic safety and the dangers of DUI. To read the full release, visit the Latest City News page on our website. For more information about the H.E.A.T., campaign, visit www.gahighwaysafety.org.

The Sandy Springs City Council recently approved financial support to nine non-profit organizations as part of the City's Serving Sandy Springs program. The non-profit funding program was established to provide a consistent response from the City to requests for financial and non-financial resources on behalf of non-profit organizations. Organizations receiving funding: 

• Act 3 Productions, Inc. ($6,250) - to support production of three, stage-plays for the 2014-15 season. The requested funds will support the productions with program supplies, contracted professional services related to those programs, and fees such as theatrical rights, scripts etc.
• Am Yisrael Chai ($3,250) - to support a Holocaust remembrance event on January 25, 2015, which will include a community presentation, candle lighting ceremony, and an exhibit to be displayed at the Anne Frank in the World Exhibit.
• Art Sandy Springs ($3,750) - supports the production of the 2015 ShowStoppers event, a talent competition for area youth.
• Friends of North Springs ($5,000) - supports the school's theatre tech department by upgrading outdated equipment.
• Friends of Benson ($10,000) - funding will upgrade one outdoor bocce court at the Dorothy Benson Senior Multipurpose Complex, which hosts regular bocce lessons and quarterly tournaments through the facility's fitness program.
• Heritage Sandy Springs ($2,645) - supports the 2015 Storytelling Festival, in collaboration with the Mount Vernon Presbyterian School, the Southern Order of Storytellers and PeachSeed Youth Storytelling festivals, with a four-hour event comprised of performances, hands-on workshops and participatory youth workshops.
• Keep North Fulton Beautiful ($5,775) - to fund the purchase of a "bulb eater" machine to recycle fluorescent bulbs. 
• Mary Hall Freedom House ($2,500) - to support workshop costs, supplies and classroom materials for its WorkNOW initiative providing job readiness training, computer literacy, GED preparation and employment assistance.
• Sandy Springs Education Force ($10,736) - to fund the After School All Star Program for economically disadvantaged students. 

The Exceptional Adventures Activity Club, a monthly social-recreational program designed for children with special needs (ages 4-12), brings kids together for a fun and engaging time. Siblings can, and are encouraged to, participate and parents can drop off their children or stay and join the fun!