Furkids to celebrate opening of new dog shelter with community event
Furkids Animal Rescue & Shelters will celebrate the grand opening of its new Sutherlin Dog Shelter with a free community event Aug. 8 at the organization’s headquarters in Cumming.
The event, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., will feature guided tours of the new facility, adoptable dogs and cats, family activities, food and refreshments, and a live broadcast by 97.1 The River with concert ticket giveaways.
The 15,000-square-foot Sutherlin Dog Shelter nearly doubles Furkids’ capacity to care for dogs, allowing the nonprofit to house up to 135 animals. The facility includes individual dog rooms, enrichment areas and dedicated adoption spaces designed to improve the experience for both animals and prospective adopters.
More information about the grand opening, adoptions and volunteer opportunities is available here.
— Derek Prall
Youth Pitmaster Competition returns to DeKalb County
The second annual Youth Pitmaster Competition brought aspiring chefs from across DeKalb County together Aug. 1 to showcase their culinary skills while competing for cash prizes and the title of the county’s top youth pitmaster.
Hosted by DeKalb County Commissioner Ted Terry and the Department of Youth Services, the competition featured eight teams of participants ages 12 to 24 preparing multi-course meals for a panel of judges at Midway Recreation Center.
Teams prepared dishes including wings, burgers, ribs, cobbler, desserts and specialty drinks while working alongside chef mentors. Entries were judged on flavor, execution, presentation and creativity. Organizers said the event was designed to give young people hands-on culinary experience while promoting teamwork, creativity and career exploration in the food industry.
Participants also emphasized the event’s role in building confidence and community. Competitors said the program offers young people a chance to meet peers, develop new skills and gain experience in a supportive environment.
— Derek Prall
Lenox Square launches school supplies drive for Atlanta students
Lenox Square has launched its third annual school supplies drive to benefit students and teachers at North Atlanta Cluster elementary schools as they prepare for the 2026-27 academic year.
The drive runs through Aug. 31 and encourages shoppers to donate classroom essentials, including full-size backpacks, pencils, crayons, highlighters, disinfecting wipes, colored pencils and glue sticks.
Donations will be distributed through Friends Helping Friends, a volunteer-led initiative that supports students and families in North Atlanta Cluster elementary schools. Collection bins are located throughout Lenox Square and at the shopping center’s management office on the Market Level near the Dining Pavilion restrooms.
— Derek Prall
Atlanta Way Day returns with focus on regional economic mobility
Atlanta Way Day will return Oct. 1 with a half-day program highlighting regional efforts to improve economic mobility and strengthen collaboration among civic, business and nonprofit leaders across metro Atlanta.
Hosted by Atlanta Way 2.0, the annual event brings together organizations and community leaders to discuss challenges facing the region and highlight initiatives aimed at creating long-term solutions. This year’s program builds on the organization’s regional economic mobility initiative by showcasing progress made over the past year.
The event will be co-hosted by Kathy Waller, executive director of the Atlanta Committee for Progress, and Tad Hutcheson, managing director of community engagement at Delta Air Lines and senior vice president of The Delta Air Lines Foundation.
Representatives from the Atlanta Regional Commission, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and United Way of Greater Atlanta will provide updates on collaborative efforts to improve economic mobility throughout the region. The program also will include a preview of a new production by Out of Hand Theater Atlanta that is scheduled to debut in 2027.
Doors open at 8:30 a.m., with programming beginning at 9 a.m. More information is available here.
— Derek Prall
