Lawrenceville, GA – Applications are being accepted until March 26, 2010 for Gwinnett Federal’s student scholarships. Nine $2,500 Student Scholarships will be given to honor past and present board members and employees who have served Gwinnett Federal for 20 years or more. Scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors who will be attending college to pursue a degree in education and plan to return to Georgia to teach. Application and requirements can be found at any Gwinnett Federal location or at gwinnettfcu.org.

More about Gwinnett Federal Credit Union

Gwinnett Federal Credit Union is $151 million in assets and serves 29,000 members in a five county area. Operating as a not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members and operated with the purpose of promoting thrift through convenient, competitive savings opportunities and providing low cost loans to our members. For more information about Gwinnett Federal Credit Union, visit gwinnettfcu.org.

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Lawrenceville, Ga., (March 9, 2010) – Aurora Theatre Funny Fridays continues a huge season of club comedy performances on the square in downtown Lawrenceville with Headliner Tom Simmons for 2 shows on March 26. He is the winner of the prestigious San Francisco Comedy Competition, a 35-year-old contest that has helped launch the careers of finalists that have gone on to legendary status. That list includes: Dane Cook, Rob Schneider, Ellen DeGeneres, Sinbad, Kevin Pollak, Dana Carvey and Robin Williams, just to name a few.

Tom Simmons, who grew up in the Atlanta area and now calls Greensboro, NC home, provides the perfect blend of suburban family life with cutting edge comic genius. A true comedian in every sense of the word, Tom has toured practically non-stop for ten years developing his act and himself. His scintillating comedy will entertain with subjects from being a new father and relationships, to socially relevant issues like war, racism, and frustrations we all have with the world and one another. The show is easily relatable and seriously funny…like a Blue Collar Tour for people that read.

Tom Simmons has appeared on Comedy Central, Showtime, BET, NBC, and has written for numerous comedians. Tracks from all four of his comedy CD’s can be heard daily on both XM and Sirius radio. He has appeared on Bob and Tom, at the Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival, The Boston Comedy Festival, as well as performing with Comics on Duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Locally he appears regularly at Uptown Comedy Corner and has performed at The Punchline, Funny Farm and Laughing Skull Lounge. His Aurora performances will be in the intimate Gwinnett Federal Credit Union Studio with cocktail tables and full bar service from comedy series sponsor McCray’s Tavern.

Funny Fridays at Aurora Theatre
Sponsored by McCray’s Tavern

Friday March 26 at 7:15 & 9:15 PM

Tickets $15

678.226.6222
www.auroratheatre.com

Aurora Theatre
128 Pike Street
Lawrenceville, GA 30046

Not too late to come to some of these events this weekend!

There is a ribbon cutting ceremony hosted by the LTTA scheduled for Fri 3/5/10 at 2pm at Niko’s Wine Corner.

As featured in the Gwinnett Daily Post/Gwinnett Gab on 3/4/10
LAWRENCEVILLE — The Lawrenceville Tourism & Trade Association will host its first ribbon-cutting ceremony of 2010 at 2 p.m. Friday at Niko’s Wine Corner in Lawrenceville.

Niko’s Wine Corner features a wide variety of fine wines, crystal and gourmet items, in addition to wines offered by the glass or bottle in-house. Niko’s is located in historic downtown Lawrenceville in Honest Alley Exchange at 178 E. Crogan St., Suite 210.

Niko’s Wine Corner in Lawrenceville is a second location for owner, Niko Patel. With more than 10 years of experience in the wine industry, Patel launched his first location in November 2008 in the city of Snellville.

For more information on Niko’s Wine Corner, call 770-962-0348 or e-mail nikoswinecorner@att.net.
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Honest Alley Exchange Open House – Sat 3/6/10 from 1pm – 4pm
Location: 178 E. Crogan Street

Grand Opening celebrations for Niko’s Wine Corner, Sparkle’s new location, Ty-Jay’s Handbags and Boutique, Aristeacrats Tea Shop. There will be a wine tasting, Sparkle Fun, tea & sweets tasting, drawings and more.
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NEW LTTA Service for Lawrenceville businesses -
Per LTTA Executive Director, Jay Markwalter, the LTTA has started ribbon cutting ceremonies as a part of their association benefits. This service will be offered to any LTTA member opening a business in the City of Lawrenceville.
For more information about the LTTA, visit www.visitlawrenceville.com.

Lawrenceville, Ga., (March 1, 2010) – Aurora Theatre has assembled the best children’s performers in the region, bringing them to Gwinnett County in order to give parents and their children a chance to experience their artistry in our amazing facility in downtown Lawrenceville.

Aurora Children’s Playhouse will kick off an amazing installment of children’s performances in March with Celtic Music for Kids presented by The BorderCollies on March 13. This talented band of minstrels is one of the most beloved Celtic bands in the southeast and they will perform a high energy children’s concert with an Irish flare on the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day. Their show will be packed full of music, heritage and audience participation. There will even be an instrument “petting zoo” to give children a hands-on experience. Be sure to wear green!

On March 20 Aurora Children’s Playhouse welcomes back an audience favorite, “That Puppet Guy” – Lee Bryan, with The Big Bad Little Red Pig Show. That Big Bad Wolf is working double-time in this twisted, tangle of tales. Two childhood favorites have been cleverly squished together with just one Big Bad Wolf to share in all the hilarious fun. Lee has huffed and puffed new life into these stories through the use of rod puppets, hand puppets, clever music and an original script.

On March 27, Wendy Bennett puts her own spin on the timeless tale of Cinderella with puppets, costumes, props and plenty of audience participation. It’s a story of transformations: pumpkins into coaches, mice into horses, shabby rags into a glistening ball gown and talented singer-actress Wendy Bennett into Cinderella. Incorporating games like Show Me on Your Face and High/Low Voices encourage children to exercise their imaginations in this delightful presentation of this classic fairy-tale.

The Aurora Children’s Playhouse series features: puppeteers, magicians, storytellers, jugglers and musicians intended for youngsters to have their first theatrical experiences. At about 45 minutes in length, perfect for the young attention span, these lively performances are fun for the whole family. Aurora Children’s Playhouse performances are held on select Saturday mornings at 10AM unless otherwise noted.

Bullet Points

3/13/10 10 AM
Celtic Music for Kids The BorderCollies

3/20/10 10 AM
The Big Bad Little Red Pig Show “That Puppet Guy” – Lee Bryan

3/27/10 10 AM
Cinderella Wendy Bennett

Tickets $7

Playhouse Tix: 10 Admissions to be used anytime for only $50

Reservations: 678.226.6222

Aurora Theatre
128 Pike Street
Lawrenceville, GA 30045
678-226-6222
www.auroratheatre.com

Lawrenceville, Ga., (February 18, 2010) – Aurora Theatre Funny Fridays continues the series of club comedy performances on the square in downtown Lawrenceville with an audience favorite, Mixed Nuts. They are a team of the most hilarious women in Atlanta returning for an evening of stand-up comedy with 2 shows on February 26, 2010

Mixed Nuts looks at the lighter side of life through the eyes of a group of women from different ages, nationalities, physical types and points of view. The one thing they have in common: no man bashing. Don’t let the notion of the “fairer sex” fool you. These ladies tell it like it is in an adults-only show. Don’t miss this unbelievable night of comedy.

Featured in Mixed Nuts are brash baby boomer Sue Ryerson, devastatingly droll Debra Cole and magnificent Mia Jackson. McCray’s Tavern will be on hand with a full bar and appetizers, just like at the comedy clubs.

Comedienne Sue Ryerson

Funny Fridays at Aurora Theatre

Friday February 26 at 7:15 & 9:15 PM

Tickets $15

678.226.6222
www.auroratheatre.com

Aurora Theatre
128 Pike Street
Lawrenceville, GA 30046

Author: Purple Star Consulting

We are excited to announce a great competition for the rest of this month! One lucky business will have a WordPress blog added to their website. This gives you the opportunity to keep your own clients informed about any specials or events you have coming up. You can write educational articles giving facts and helping teach others about your craft or field. You can share ideas and opinions easily. WordPress is accessed through an online portal you can log into directly.

So what do you have to do to win?

Creating a blog to fit in with your current website is a pretty big deal. For a small business owner, the cost of web design or site work can be a luxury. So, its not going to be as simple as just submitting your name, or signing up for a newsletter. What we are looking for is a little more creative. Tell us why you want a blog, what you will blog about and how you hope this will improve your own business. Must be at least 100 words, but can be as detailed and entertaining as you wish!

Simply click here to enter our WordPress Blog Contest

Be sure to read the Terms and Conditions of the contest

Lawrenceville, Ga., (February 9, 2010) – In 2008, A Catered Affair was performed on Broadway by an all-star cast for 116 performances. This funny, poignant and oh-so-human tale of love and marriage begins its magnificent journey into regional theatre with its post-Broadway debut on March 4th at Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville.

Set in the Bronx in 1953, A Catered Affair chronicles a blue-collar family, the Hurleys, who must decide whether to spend their life savings on a taxicab business or on the wedding of their only daughter, Janey. Based on Paddy Chayefsky’s original teleplay and the Turner Entertainment film that was written by Gore Vidal, A Catered Affair was adapted for the stage by Broadway legend Harvey Fierstien with music and lyrics by John Bucchino. This hit musical was nominated for 3 Tony awards and 12 Drama Desk awards. Mr. Bucchino joins the cast on opening night for a post-show discussion and reception hosted by Dominick’s restaurant. It will be a rare treat for local audiences to have the chance to rub elbows with a Broadway composer. A Catered Affair is sponsored by Allgood Pest Solutions.

Aurora Theatre has assembled its own all-star cast for the show with Anthony Rodriguez (Aurora Theatre Producing Artistic Director), as father of the bride Tom Hurley. Ingrid Cole, best known to Atlanta audiences from the long running hit Menopause the Musical, will make her Aurora debut as Aggie, the mother of the bride. Uncle Winston will be portrayed by Glenn Rainey (7 years on Broadway in Beauty and the Beast) who most recently delighted Aurora Theatre audiences as the lovable gangster in Kiss Me, Kate. Also joining the cast are Laura Floyd (Smoke on the Mountain – Theatre in the Square; Beyond the Rainbow – Georgia Ensemble Theatre) and Jeremy Wood (National Tour of Ring of Fire, Grease). They will be under the direction of Freddie Ashley (Artistic Director Actor’s Express) who directed Camelot, Aurora’s inaugural show in their new venue. Mr. Ashley will be reunited with his Camelot collaborators; musical director Ann-Carol Pence (Aurora Theatre Associate Producer) and choreographer Ricardo Aponte (Kiss Me, Kate, Christmas Canteen).

Producer Quote

“There are many beautiful shows that are destined to have a very successful life at the regional level. A Catered Affair is the powerful story about really good people and that is not always the type of show that speaks to the cynicism of New York audiences,” said Associate Producer Ann-Carol Pence. “A Catered Affair charts the course for the next decade of Aurora programming. We have a commitment to bringing new musicals to life.”

Cast & Crew
Ingrid Cole* Aggie
Anthony Rodriguez Tom
Glenn Rainey* Winston
Laura Floyd Janey
Jeremy Wood Ralph
Randall Taylor Mr. Halloran / Cab Driver
Nita Hardy Pasha / Mrs. Halloran
Kenya Hamilton Myra / Dress Salesman
Christy Baggett Dolores / The Caterer
Rachel White Alice / Army Sargeant

Freddie Ashley Director
Ann-Carol Pence Music Director
Ricardo Aponte Choreographer
Katie Pelkey Stage Manager
Christopher Bartelski Sound Design
Jessica Coale Lighting Design
Joanna Schmink Costume Design
Corrie Haislip Props Design
Phillip Male Set Design
Britt Hultgren Ramroop Production Manager
James Helms Technical Director

Bullet Points

A Catered Affair
Book by Harvey Fierstien
Music and Lyrics by John Bucchino
Regional Premiere
March 4 -28
Performances are Thursday – Saturday at 8:00PM and Saturday & Sunday at 2:30PM
Tickets $16 – $30

Preview Performance, Tuesday March 2 at 8:00PM
Free ticket for Wedding Industry Businesspeople (with business card)
$5 with Gwinnett County Schools, Student, Faculty & Staff
$10 All Others

Wednesdays Discount Matinee, March 24 at 10:00 AM
Tickets $14

678.226.6222
www.auroratheatre.com

Aurora Theatre
128 Pike Street
Lawrenceville, GA 30046

Realizing the importance of education as a lifelong experience, Gwinnett Federal Credit Union (Gwinnett Federal) is currently accepting Career Advancement and Student Scholarship Applications.

Career Advancement Scholarships

The Board of Directors is proud to announce that Gwinnett Federal will award 13 $2,000 Career Advancement Scholarships in 2010. The scholarships honor the founders of Gwinnett Federal and will be awarded in May to eligible credit union members enrolled in an accredited program of study at a college, university or technical institute with the goal of career advancement.

Student Scholarships

Nine $2,500 Student Scholarships will be given to honor past and present board members and employees who have served Gwinnett Federal for 20 years or more. Scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors who will be attending college to pursue a degree in education and plan to return to Georgia to teach.

Applications are available at any Gwinnett Federal location or at www.gwinnettfcu.org. All applications and supporting documents must be received by the credit union by March 26, 2010.

More about Gwinnett Federal Credit Union

Gwinnett Federal Credit Union is $146 million in assets and serves 29,000 members in a five county area. Operating as a not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members and operated with the purpose of promoting thrift through convenient, competitive savings opportunities and providing low cost loans to our members. For more information about Gwinnett Federal Credit Union, visit gwinnettfcu.org.