Attention UGA parents Save the date for Parents Day at UGA - April 4, 2009. More details to come. View the Parents and Families website for more information as it becomes available. Holiday Open House Thank You The UGA Alumni Association extends a special thank you to our discount partners who provided food for the Holiday Open House: Moe's, Krispy Kreme, WOW, Scott & BJ's Bar-B-Que, and McAlisters. We also thank Miss Georgia UGA, Kimberly Gittings, for attending. Alum Shows UGA Pride While Serving in Iraq Capt. David Lasseter '02 displays his affection for UGA even while serving his country in Iraq. Angel Project The UGA Alumni Association sponsored two foster children for Christmas through the Angel Project. Special thanks to everyone who made a donation toward the project. *UGA Educator Appreciation Program If you are a teacher or administrator who graduated from UGA, the Alumni Association wants to recognize you. Educators in the Clarke/Oconee and surrounding areas contact Wanda Darden, those in the metro Atlanta area, contact Rosemary Brown and the Association will organize a UGA Educator Appreciation event at your school. UGA Alumni are Needed to Volunteer! The annual Spring Classic at Turner Field is set for May 12, 2009. The UGA Baseball team will play the Georgia Tech Baseball team to benefit Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. UGA Alumni volunteers are needed to help the children's hospital by promoting ticket sales to the game in our UGA-GT Challenge for Children's. The ticket sales campaign against GT alumni starts Feb. 2. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Dave Winokur events manager for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Dave.Winokur@choa.org. Georgia Tech has won the volunteer portion of this competition for the last 5 years! UGA, this is our time to volunteer for the kids and win the competition! *Alumni Gathering at Gaby's by the Lake Join alumni and friends at Gaby's by the Lake located at the Ritz-Carlton Lodge at Reynolds Plantation. Enjoy a relaxed dining experience while experiencing the stunning views of Lake Oconee. For more information or to register, click here. Update from Study Abroad Student Monika Di Bella sent a letter updating us on her trip abroad in Germany. Click here to read the letter. Inaugurations UGA alumni represented the University of Georgia at these recent college inaugurations: Sept. 12 - Paine College in Augusta, Barbara Sims '61* Sept. 12 - Texas A&M, Clinton Allred '97* Sept. 12 - University of North Dakota, Crystal Hui-Shu Yang '03 Sept. 18 - University of Houston, Beth L. Purcell '00* Oct. 3 - Gustavus Adolphus College, Cynthia A. Miller '84, '86* Oct. 10 - Ohio Wesleyan University, Caroline L. Clabaugh '73* Oct. 17 - Atlanta Metro College, Sheryl Merritt '88* Oct. 30 - University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Sarah C. Brabant '73* Nov. 21 - University of South Carolina, Jordan D. Shaw '06* * Member of the Alumni Association

Click here to view your local Chapter or Club activities and regional contacts. For more information about UGA Alumni Association Regional Programs, contact Tami Gardner, director of regional programs and alumni tours via e-mail or by phone at 800-606-8786. Monthly Gatherings All alumni and friends of the University are welcome to any of the monthly or weekly gatherings. Augusta Chapter - Bulldogs After Business Hours Boston Club - UGA Alumni Social Hour Chicago Club - SEC Social Hour Cobb County Chapter - Bulldogs After Business Hours Denver Club - SEC/ACC Social Hours Emerald Coast of Florida Club - UGA Alumni Gathering Jacksonville Chapter - UGA Alumni Social Hour Nashville Chapter - Lunch Club Washington DC Chapter - First Thursday Dinner Club   Upcoming Chapter & Club Events For details about the following events, click on your Chapter or Club from dropdown menu on the Regional Programs page. Charleston Chapter Jan. 11 - "Trot for a Cure," Magnolia Plantation. For more information, contact chapter president Denise Ciccarelli '93. Cobb County Chapter Jan. 20 - Bulldogs After Business Hours, 6 p.m., Kaysons Grille. Coweta & Fayette Counties, GA Chapter Jan. 15 - Third Thursday Social Hour, 6:30 p.m., Hunt Club Lounge. Hall County, Ga. Chapter Feb. 5 - Food and Wine Tasting Event, time, Grapes & Hops in Flowery Branch. For more information, click here. Jackson County Chapter Feb. 5 - First Thursday Dinner Club, 7 p.m., El Centinela in Jefferson Jacksonville, FL Chapter Jan. 17 - Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens Tour, 11 a.m. Louisville Club Feb. 17 - UGA vs. KY, 7 p.m., Memorial Coliseum March 4 - UGA vs. KY in Men's Basketball, 8 p.m., Rupp Arena Metro Atlanta Chapters Feb. 21, 2009 - Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs, 2 p.m., Atlanta Civic Center Nashville Chapter Jan. 14 - UGA Men's Basketball Game Watching at the Hilton Sports Grille Jan. 17 - Bulldog Breakfast Club, Latitude in the Marriott. Please contact contact Chapter President Josh Morris '04 for more information. Feb. 10 - Dinner with a Dozen Dawgs, 6:30 p.m., Tin Angel Cobb County Chapter Romance At the Chapter Kick-Off on March 20, Fran Duggan and Jim Sommerville "hit it off." The months that followed included dancing, movies, dinners on the Marietta Square, a picnic and church. Jim proposed in July, but did not expect to have open heart surgery soon after! They have experienced the "in sickness and in health" prior to their wedding! Fortunately, Jim's health has returned and the couple married Dec. 20 at the First Presbyterian Church in Marietta. Fran is a retired media specialist from Cobb County Public Schools. Jim is branch chief for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. After a Caribbean Christmas cruise, they will reside in Marietta. You just never know who you will meet and maybe marry at a UGA Alumni meeting! Dawg Tags - Show Pride on Your Ride!! If you live in Tennessee, North Carolina or Virginia you now have the opportunity to outfit your car, truck, trailer, or RV with Dawg Tags. The UGA Alumni Association has launched a campaign to bring Georgia license plates to these three states. The challenge is that a specific number of tags must be pre-purchased by April 3 before the first plate can be made. To learn more about Dawg Tags and to complete an application form click here. Help Wanted: Calling the Dogs The impact of the UGA Alumni Chapters and Clubs is enormous. Through our Regional Programs, graduates can assist in the UGA admissions efforts in their areas, participate in local community service projects, gather for networking opportunities, celebrate their love for UGA and so much more. Currently, we are looking for graduates who would like to help establish an alumni organization in the St. Simons Island (Glynn, Camden & McIntosh counties) area, as well as graduates who would like to lead the Winston-Salem Chapter. If you are interested please contact Tami Gardner Director of Regional Programs and Alumni Tours with the UGA Alumni Association.

For more information about upcoming events or activities in Athens, please contact Event Planner Wanda Darden or call 1-800-606-8786. *Men's Basketball The UGA Alumni Association has a block of 50 tickets for two men's basketball games. You must be a UGA Alumni Association member to purchase tickets for the game. Jan. 24, 2009 vs. Mississippi State @ 6 p.m. Register by clicking here. March 7, 2009 vs. South Carolina @ 4 p.m. Register by clicking here. *Women's Basketball The UGA Alumni Association has a block of 50 tickets for two women's basketball games. You must be a UGA Alumni Association member to purchase tickets for the game. Jan. 11, 2009 vs. South Carolina @ 2:30 p.m. Register by clicking here. Feb. 1, 2009 vs. Mississippi State @ 2:30 p.m. Register by clicking here. *UGA Alumni Association 2nd annual 5k Run/Walk Mark March 14, 2009 on your calendar and start training for the UGA Alumni Association Dawg Trot 5K Run/Walk. A fun run will start at 7:30 a.m. for children 6 and under and the 5k will start at 8:00 a.m. For information about being a sponsor, contact Wanda Darden.

For events held at the UGA Alumni Association Atlanta Alumni Center, the address is Atlanta Financial Center, 3333 Peachtree Road, N.E., South Tower, Suite 210, Atlanta, GA. To RSVP to any of the events below or for more information, please call 404-266-2622 or e-mail Atlanta Programs Coordinator Chardina Choate '05. New Atlanta Art Exhibit The new art exhibit at the UGA Atlanta Alumni Center features Alumni Association staff member Julie Cheney's photography. Julie Decker Cheney is a 1999 graduate of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and a Life member of the UGA Alumni Association. Julie began taking her hobby of photography more seriously after graduating from college. She has displayed her work locally on a few occasions. This is her first display outside of the Athens community. Julie is often inspired by nature and being in places where she feels away from the fast pace of every day life. Her work is on display through March at the UGA Atlanta Alumni Center. The UGA Alumni Association invites you to start your day with fellow Association members at a Bulldog Breakfast Club.   Tuesday, Jan. 13 from 7:45 - 8:30 with guest host Stephen Joiner '86, regional managing partner of M&A Transaction Services at Deloitte. For more information and to RSVP online click here.   Tuesday, Feb. 3 from 7:45 - 8:30 with guest host Bruce Meyer '80, '81, managing partner at M-provement LLC. For more information and to RSVP online click here. *UGA Alumni Association Read Aloud with the East Lake Foundation at Drew Charter School Atlanta's first charter school needs volunteers to read to students! There are three dates to choose from. Click here to register for one of the dates below: Wednesday, Jan. 14 Wednesday, Feb. 18 Wednesday, March 11 *The Reality of Identity Theft The UGA Alumni Association and the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences invite you to attend a seminar on The Reality of Identity Theft. Our guest speaker is Michael Hill '86, certified identity theft risk management specialist. Learn how to minimize your risk from identity theft, new laws on identity theft and how they affect your business, what the law requires your business to do, how to protect your employees and customers, and how to mitigate damages should a data breach happen at your company. Click here for more information. Bulldog Singles Due to popular demand, The UGA Alumni Association and Eight at Eight Dinner Club are partnering to host our first ever singles event. Sarah Kathryn Smith '98, is the founder of a nationwide group dinner dating concept. Her team of matchmakers will facilitate a progressive dinner at Loca Luna in the Virginia-Highlands. This event is a great way to meet single UGA graduates and new friends. For more information click here.

For information about UGA Alumni Association Student Programs please contact Assistant Director of Membership - Student and Young Alumni Programs Julie Cheney '99 at 706-542-2251 or visit the Association's Student Programs website. What is SAA? SAA is the UGA Student Alumni Association. Formed in 1999, SAA currently has about 3,000 members. Students join SAA to get connected to their Alumni Association while receiving all of the benefits of an alumni membership. Not to mention $100 off Kaplan courses, $25 off their UGA Class Ring and opportunities to network with alumni. Further, SAA members receive leadership opportunities by serving on our Student Alumni Council (SAC). Membership is $20 for one year or $70 for four years (freshman option only). Your lifelong connection to UGA begins while you are a student - join today! *100 Days 'Til Graduation The 9th Annual 100 Days Event, co-sponsored by the UGA Alumni Association and Senior Signature, will be held on Jan. 29 at Tate Plaza from 10 a.m. to 3p.m. This event is open to everyone and is specifically geared towards seniors graduating in May! Seniors can get information from the Alumni Association, Senior Signature, The UGA Graduate School, Career Center and much more. A class ring representative will be available with rings on display. Please plan to join us for food, music, and more! You Are Invited SAA members are invited to join Chapter and Club leaders from around the country for lunch at the annual Alumni Leadership Assembly on Jan. 24 on campus. Our special guest will be UGA President Dr. Michael Adams. Seating is limited - register today! Contact Julie Cheney for more information. SAA members! Save the date! Feb. 12, 6:00 p.m., MLC - Relocation Seminar. Are you moving for a job or internship? Want to know all about getting set up in a new community? How do you make the transition? How do you meet new people? Find out here with Associate Director of Alumni Career Services Nicole Lechene to guide you through it all. SAC Member Works with Non-profit Student Alumni Council member Lauren Pinson '10 is working with Promote Africa. This new non-profit organization was developed and started by recent UGA alum Benjamin Cobb. It is designed to fight poverty through artwork, music, and microfinance with creative business solutions intended to spur sustainable economic development. *Spring Ring Week! Tradition Never Graduates. Feb. 16-20, 2009 is Spring Ring Week. Order your official UGA Class Ring at the UGA Bookstore or the Miller Learning Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Students must have at least 60 credit hours to purchase a ring. Student Alumni Association members receive $25 off their class ring purchase. *Graduation Celebration Join us Feb. 24 - 26, 2009 at the UGA Bookstore to order your invitations, caps and gown. This is the absolute last date that you can order a class ring. *SAC Open Enrollment Open Enrollment to join the Student Alumni Council begins March 1, 2009. The SAC represents the student voice to the UGA Alumni Association while also facilitating programs and membership for the Association. These leaders are exceptional UGA students with outstanding commitment and passion for their alma mater and their Alumni Association.

The UGA Alumni Association has formed a Young Alumni Program to engage the Association's growing young alumni population in the greater Atlanta area. For more information, please contact Atlanta Programs Coordinator Chardina Choate '05. New Young Alumni Event The Young Alumni Council is planning "Back-to-Work to Get Others Back-to-Work." After the holidays are over and we're all getting back to work, Young Alumni are invited to get together for some social networking while also being philanthropic. Young Alumni will be asked to bring "gently" used professional clothing for donation to those seeking to get back in the workforce. Please check the website for information and event registration coming soon! Young Alumni webpage is live! Some of you who attended the Sweetwater event may even recognize yourself at the top of the page! Click here and save the link for updates on Young Alumni programs in the Atlanta area. All programs are facilitated through our Metro-Atlanta office and 2009 will be a great year of Bulldog camaraderie, fellowship and giving back! Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute Hires Alumna Young alumna Elizabeth Pittman Thompson was hired as director of communications for the Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute (ACTSI) on Monday, Aug. 4, 2008. Elizabeth comes to the ACTSI from Oglethorpe University where she has served as the media relations manager since 2005. Prior to working for Oglethorpe, Elizabeth was the advancement coordinator for the Atlanta College of Art from 2003 to 2005. She is a 2002 graduate of the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, majoring in Public Relations, and is a member of the Young Alumni Council.

For information about Multicultural events please contact 800-606-8766 or visit the Association's Multicultural Programs website. Download the latest diversity newsletter.

Neal Legacy Pictured L-R: Ray Neal, Rabun Neal, Lauren Neal, Kay Neal, Elizabeth Neal, Peggy Neal UGA sophomore Elizabeth Neal and her first cousin, Megan Coleman, a junior, are third generation Bulldogs. Both students' parents and paternal grandparents are UGA alumni. Elizabeth's father, W. Rabun Neal '71, is president of Reynolds Plantation at Lake Oconee. Her mother, Kathryn (Kay) Gober Neal graduated in 1981. Megan's father, Coleman Hood, received his BA in 1979 and his MA in 1984. Her mother, Carol Jeanne is a graduate of the Medical College of Georgia and earned a degree from UGA in 1993. Elizabeth's paternal and maternal grandparents are alums. Her father's parents are W. Ray Neal, Jr. '58, '66 and Peggy Brown Neal MA'68. Her mother's parents, Eugene T. Gober '52 and Mary Kathryn '59, both deceased, also attended UGA. Both Elizabeth and Megan are members of AOΠ sorority.

UGA's Greatest Generation In an effort to recognize the "Greatest Generation" World War II veterans, the UGA Alumni Association is sponsoring a special project which will include collecting "war stories" from alumni, staff, and faculty who have personal memories from the war years. If you have a memory you would like included in this project, please send it via email to Claude McBride '55 or mail to Claude at the UGA Alumni Association, Wray-Nicholson House, 298 Hull St., Athens, GA 30602. Lamar "Racehorse" Davis '43 Lamar "Racehorse" Davis '43 is frequently remembered as a football star who played in the Rose Bowl. It is often forgotten that he also served in World War II during the Battle of the Bulge. As a student Davis was pleased to play for Coach Butts and was proud of the University of Georgia and what it had done for him. From a single parent home, Davis was grateful of the opportunities he received from UGA Athletics. Before his death February 28, 2008, he shared a story about a student football trainer in Athens who helped him stay out of trouble.

Back issues: December | September | August | June/July | May | April | March | February | January | November THANKS FOR READING! Assistant Director of Communications Stan Jackson '06 ugastan@uga.edu Student Communications Assistant Kristy Sumner kristyh@uga.edu   Pass this e-newsletter along to other UGA alums who may not be receiving it. Encourage them to join the UGA Online Community and keep up-to-date with all the UGA Alumni Association is doing for alumni and the University of Georgia.