I.                   Introductions

A.                  Chris Walker, Sugar Hill Historic Preservation Society (SHHPS), started the meeting and welcomed a new guest, Susan Gilbert.

B.                  Attendees were asked to introduce themselves and a sign-in sheet was passed around.

C.                   The following individuals were in attendance:

II.                Event Committee

A.                  Gwinnett Great Days of Service – Varessa Butts, city liaison, explained that this event was focused on the City of Sugar Hill staff exchanging 3 hours of work for volunteering for 3 hours on October 19, 2018, to provide a community service.  Holli Stouffer volunteered as a SHHPS board member to assist in this effort.

B.                  Sugar Rush

1.                  Sluice Box – SHHPS volunteers for the sluice box operation on October 20, 2018, include Brandon Hembree, Ryckie Fernandez, Holli Stouffer, Margaret Neal and Kathryn Baskin.  Shift times will be determined later.  Members suggested that directional signs would be helpful for people to find the location of the sluice box.  Chris Walker said he would check to see how many gem bags were left from last year’s Sugar Rush event.

2.                  Face in the Hole – SHHPS also will have a photo booth for people to dress in period clothing and to pose in front of a blown-up, sepia tone photo of a cave opening.  A professional photo booth company may be provided depending on cost and available budgets.  Chris Walker stated that posting photos created through this event on the SHHPS Facebook page would provide an opportunity to build awareness of SHHPS in the community.

III.             Sugar Historic Spotlight/Committee

Every few months, SHHPS members would interview a Sugar Hill citizen to highlight their life in the community and other facts.  A committee will be organized to identify these individuals and to develop a list of questions.  The interview would be videoed and posted on the SHHPS Facebook page.  Chris Walker, chairman, suggested that Joann Burel, SHHPS treasurer and lifelong resident of Sugar Hill, be selected for the first interview.

IV.              Ground Penetrating Sonar

Chris Walker told the group that he had been researching the possibilities of using ground penetrating sonar to identify and to locate unmarked graves in the Sugar Hill cemetery. A couple of individuals were suggested as possibilities to provide this service.  Councilman Brandon Hembree said he would check with the city to determine if this type of service needs to go through the bidding process and if there is a budget to cover this activity.

V.                 History Award Scholarship(s)

Chris Walker discussed the possibility of providing scholarships to high school and/or middle school students for a project such as an essay contest or community-related project competition to represent Sugar Hill in a history event.  Holli Stouffer will develop possible projects and the guidelines.  Brandon Hembree will check with the city legal counsel regarding the financial requirements of using city funds for this type of activity.

VI.              Cemetery App & Boy Scout Project Update

Chris Walker and Brandon Hembree told the group this project will take place in late September.  The app will provide similar information to Find A Grave but specific only to the Sugar Hill cemetery.  SHHPS will mark sections and rows in the cemetery with flags to correspond with the system that SHHPS used to identify graves so that the app is consistent with the SHHPS system.

VII.           Laptop Update

At this time, Chris Walker called for a motion to adopt the minutes from the June 20, 2018, SHHPS meeting.  Brandon Hembree made the motion and Kathryn Baskin seconded the motion.  Chris Walker called for a vote and the minutes were adopted unanimously.

He told the group that Aly Lopez, SHHPS secretary, was unable to attend the meeting tonight and that she will be leaving in August for college.  At this time, Chris Walker called for a nomination for secretary to replace Aly Lopez.  Darrell Pruitt, SHHPS vice-chairman, nominated Kathryn Baskin who was elected unanimously.

Chris Walker explained that the SHHPS laptop is used for a digital record of donations to the Sugar Hill History Museum as well as for meeting minutes and other necessary records.  The SHHPS secretary manages the information recorded on the laptop.

VIII.        Golden Wagon Award

SHHPS uses this award to recognize those who provide outstanding volunteer service to the Society.  The award, a small wagon with a collapsed wheel, is passed along from recipient to recipient.  The current recipient holding the award is Stephanie Isaacs.

IX.              New Donations

Varessa Butts distributed a paper copy of a donation submission form she developed for recording new donations to the Sugar Hill History Museum.  She also will develop a digital form to provide an on-line option.  SHHPS received several new donations in the past month, including a Sugar Hill Volunteer Fire Department captain’s helmet and uniform; a leather scrapbook with stories about Sugar Hill and photos; and various other photos.  Brandon Hembree suggested that all donations in the museum should be inventoried and a form completed for each one.  This information will be reconciled with the digital inventory on the SHHPS laptop.  SHHPS members who volunteered to assist with the inventory were Holli Stouffer, Margaret Neal, Varessa Butts, Chris Walker, and Brandon Hembree.

X.                 Further Questions

Chris Walker asked if anyone had any questions.  Susan Gilbert inquired about how to become a SHHPS member.  Chris Walker and Brandon Hembree explained how SHHPS is organized and funded.

There being no further questions or business, the meeting was adjourned.