🌱 Join The Street Dog Dash 5K + Take A Walk Into History + Dig Safely

Good morning, neighbors! I'm back with your new copy of the Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch newsletter. Keep reading for everything you need to know about what's going on in town these days, including updates on...

• Run a 5K to help save dogs.
• WDSTK Walking Tour dates have been released.
• It's Safe Digging Month. Learn about the 8-1-1 service.

Today's newsletter is sponsored by Michale Pena, Realtor at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, Georgia Properties

The Realtor will see you now

Imagine you had a realtor who was as attentive and caring to clients as, say, a great physician’s assistant was to patients in the operating room. The analogy might seem like a stretch, until you meet Michale Pena.

For much of her career, Michale has worked as a Surgical First Assistant to one of our area’s top orthopedic surgeons. It’s a demanding, high-stress job that requires the highest level of attentiveness, precision and service. Along the way, Michale, who has spent her whole life in the Woodstock area, started helping her medical colleagues solve another problem: figuring out where to live in our area’s tight housing market.

These days, Michale is a rising star at Berkshire Hathaway, offering the same level of attention to detail, responsiveness and service she learned in the operating room to buyers and sellers in our area. Don’t take our word for it. Here’s what a recent client says:

“Michale was fantastic from start to finish. She took all the stress off of us. She is a true professional, and we highly recommend her to anyone who is interested in buying or selling a home.”

In this challenging market, whether buying or selling, work with a realtor with deep local ties, a demanding and satisfied client base and a surgeon’s attention to detail. Contact Michale Pena today.

Now, today's weather:

A shower and thunderstorm. High: 71 Low: 53.

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Here are the top three stories in Woodstock-Towne Lake today:

1. The Street Dog Dash 5K is coming up on April 29, and there's still time to register, sponsor, donate or volunteer. Funds from the race will go to the Soi Dog organization to further the education about and fight against the dog meat trade in Asia. Soi Dog works with local governments throughout Asia to help create and enforce laws against the dog meat trade and creates educational and outreach programs to prevent the practice. It also rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes dogs from the meat trade. The race will be held at Etowah River Park at 600 Brown Industrial Parkway in Canton. It is an Official AJC Peachtree Roadrace qualifying event. There will be an awards ceremony and adoption event, a live DJ and a raffle held after the race. (Cherokee County Animal Shelter and Street Dog Dash 5K)
2. This year's Downtown WDSTK Walking Tour Series schedule has been announced! The guided walking tours will be held on the last Thursday of each month through October, each with its own theme. You'll learn about the history of the area, see some of Woodstock's public art and hear about the initiatives and planning that built our city into what it is today. The first tour, "Weird Woodstock," is on April 27, exploring the the area's unique spots and facts. Tickets for each tour will go up for sale two weeks prior to the event, and you can get them in person at the Visitors Center on Main Street or online on the WDSTK Brand Store. (Downtown Woodstock via Facebook)
3. It's official, April 2023 is Safe Digging Month here in Woodstock. Mayor Caldwell made the proclamation to help bring light to and prevent the issue of underground lines damaged through unsafe digging practices. The service guides citizens through any planned mechanized or deep digging, checking for lines located at your dig site. You'll need to submit any requests at least three days prior to the digging. You can do so 24/7 by calling 8-1-1 or 800-282-7411 or by visiting the website. To add incentive, the city is holding a giveaway this month to help spread the message. You can fill in your name and email address on the Georgia 811 giveaway page to be entered to win a $500 gift card from Lowe's or Home Depot. The entry window closes on April 30 at 5 p.m. (City of Woodstock via Facebook and Georgia 811)

Today in Woodstock-Towne Lake:

• Open Gym: open to county residents at The Buzz, 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. There is a nominal fee to play. (8 a.m. - 6 p.m.)
• Open Pickleball Play: open to county residents at The Buzz, 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. There is a nominal fee to play. (9 a.m. - 1 p.m.)
• April Stroll and Roll: for kids ages 5 and under, admission includes a dance party, time on the playground and a craft. Ride-along toys are allowed, but pedal bikes and motorized vehicles are not. Hot Wheels Skate Center is located at 228 Farm Ridge Drive NE. (10 a.m. - noon)
• American Red Cross Community Blood Drives - donors will receive an exclusive Red Cross + Joe Cool t-shirt while supplies last, you can schedule an appointment here.
  • WellStar Cherokee Health Park, 1120 WellStar Way in Canton. (10 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
  • Hickory Flat Fellowship Church, 5301 Hickory Flat Highway in Canton. (11 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
  • R.T. Jones Memorial Library, 116 Brown Industrial Parkway in Canton. (11 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
• Homeschool Skate: admission includes either the playground or skating at Hot Wheels Skate Center, 228 Farm Ridge Drive NE. (noon - 4 p.m.)
• Friday Flow Yoga: join instructor Melanie Pineda for an outdoor class at Trefoil Gardens, walk-ins are welcome. Proceeds go to food access initiatives in the community. The class will meet on the deck at the Kingsridge CoOp Meeting Space, 120 Bascomb Drive, please bring your outdoor mat, strap and sturdy blocks, if you have them. (12:30 p.m.)
• Family Storytime: for children of all ages, but children must be accompanied by an adult. The little ones will have fun with stories, songs and lots of fun at the Woodstock Library, 7735 Main Street. (4 - 5 p.m.)
• Rock Wall Climbing Zone: open to county residents ages 4 and up and 40-pounds and over at The Buzz, 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. There is a nominal fee to climb. (4:30 - 6:30 p.m.)
• Wine Tasting Bingo Night: play some bingo and taste some delicious wines between games at The Gifted Ferret, 1910 Eagle Drive, Suite 400. (7 - 9 p.m.)
• Woodstock Arts Improv Troupe - WIT!: at the Woodstock Arts Theatre, 8534 Main Street. (7:30 p.m.)
• Canon Tyler: the artist will be playing live tonight on the Rooftop at Rootstock, 8558 Main Street. (7:30 - 10 p.m.)
• Karaoke Night: tonight at Reformation Brewery, 105 Elm Street. (8 - 10 p.m.)
• Daniel Lieving: the artist will be at Donovan's Irish Cobbler tonight, 1025 Rose Creek Drive. (9 p.m. - 1 a.m.)
• DJ Karaoke: every Friday at Guston's Grille, 12195 Highway 92, Suite 156. (9:30 p.m.)
• Senior Center Programs - most classes and events are held at the William G. Long Senior Center (WGLSC), 223 Arnold Mill Road
  • Fit Over 50 - stretch and exercise with chair yoga, balance, bands, weights and core strength work every Wednesday and Friday at the WGLSC Activity Center Expansion. (9:30 - 10:30 a.m.)
  • Garden Club - work with the city community garden to develop and implement plans for planting and maintenance around the Senior Center, the club meets at the WGLSC Activity Center Expansion. (10 - 11 a.m.)
• MadLife Grill Patio Stage - free shows, no ticket needed
  • WILKES (5 - 8 p.m.)
  • Them Mixon Boys (8 - 11 p.m.)
• MadLife Stage & Studios
  • Departure - The Journey Tribute Band (7 p.m. and 9:55 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• If you like crafting and creating, there's a neat class coming up at the end of the month through Cherokee Recreation & Parks. The "Make and Take Tea Cup Candle" class will be held at The WREC on April 29 at 10:30 a.m., and you'll hear candle-making tips and create your own tea cup candle. If you'd like to sign up, you can do so here, registration closes on April 22 at 9 a.m. The WREC can be found at 7545 Main Street, Building 200. (Cherokee Recreation & Parks via Facebook)
• Over at Woodstock Arts, there are still tickets available for this weekend's "Creative Corner: Neurographic Art." You'll get to take in the current "Through the Looking Glass: Art + Science" exhibit at the Gallery and then create your own art in the Neurographic style - art that can be used for meditation or to help with anxiety. The workshop will be held on Saturday at the Reeves House Visual Center, 734 Reeves Street. (Woodstock Arts)
• The weather is beautiful, the sun is out and it's the perfect time to bring a new pet home to help complete your family. For those with farms, there are three Great Pyrenees looking for a new home. There are so many puppies, kittens and older animals looking for a family, I'm sure you'll find one that's a perfect fit. (Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch)
• Downtown Woodstock: "Almost time for the opening of the 2023 season of the Woodstock Farm Fresh Market! Saturday April 22nd is the opening day of the market! This year The Woodstock Farm Fresh Market will be celebrating the 15 yr anniversary of the market..." (Downtown Woodstock via Instagram)
• Downtown Woodstock: "Wine Lunch and Learn this Saturday, April 15th, at Leaning Ladder Premium Olive Oils and Vinegars $35.00 per person - Call 678-401-2609 for more info and to reserve your seats. @leaningladder" (Downtown Woodstock via Instagram)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Making Waves Salon & Brazilian Wax — (Visit website)
• Phoenix Flooring and More — (Visit Website)
• Add your business here

Featured events:

• Vendor Registration | Spring Merry Market! Canton First UMC (April 14)
• ✨Aura Reading & Chakra Balancing✨ (April 15)
• Wine Dinner at C'est la Vie - A French Restaurant (April 24)
• Add your event

Featured announcements:

• Senior Independent living, assisted living, and memory care listings!!! NEW LISTINGS (Details)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Friday. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!

— Nina Lightcap

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch newsletter? Contact me at Woodstock@Patch.com