Lumpkinites. Don't Complain. Solve a Problem.

Use Your Brain. Don't Complain.

People in Lumpkin County are quick to complain. “Taxes are too high.” “Taxes are too low.” “We need to recycle more.” “Why aren’t we bringing more industry to the area.” “Our commissioners just aren’t doing enough.” And the list of complaints goes on and on.

For the county’s critics, the time has come to be proactive, to actually help solve a problem. All they have to do is take part in the Problem Solving Competition sponsored by the Lumpkin Literacy and BBandT.

Participants will be divided into teams. Each team will then work on a major issue that Lumpkin faces and asked to come up with a solution. We won’t learn what the issue is until the start of the competition, but word is the problem is a tough one that people in Lumpkin have been trying to solve for decades.

John Gerheim, the event organizer, told me that so far he’s disappointed in the number of people who have signed up for the solving competition. Guess for too many people, it’s just easier to complain about a problem than to do something about it. 

It’s not too late to take the initiative. John is waiting by his phone –706-429-4132  for some problem solvers to contact him. The competition starts at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, May 11 at the Lumpkin Parks and Recreation Center in Dahlonega.

Let Them Eat Barbecue - Smokin' Gold's Barbecue

What do you serve special guests for dinner? That was my dilemma yesterday. After a quick look in my refrigerator and time spent surfing recipe books, I realized that an urgent trip to the grocery was required. So off I went to Dahlonega to the wonderful world of Walmart.


But a funny thing happened on the way to the store. I passed Smokin' Gold BBQ and whiffed that incredible smell of just off the grill barbecue. Suddenly, if by magic, I found myself in the Smokin' Gold parking lot.

As I entered the restaurant, I knew that serving barbecue was a risk with our guests because the husband is known in certain circles for his incredible Carolina pork barbecue. Yet, the staff at Smokin' Gold assured me that my guests would love Smokin' Gold BBQ. After all, the restaurant's barbecue master is an expert at Carolina barbecue and that he had the trophies to prove it!

Nervously at dinner, I waited for our guests to take that first bite of barbecue. No one said a word as we waited for the taste test. "Oh this is good" was the first comment. Then the praise flowed: "This is the best brisket I've ever eaten....even better than what I had in Texas." "What did they put in this sauce?" And this was my favorite statement all night: "I'm going back for seconds because who knows when I'm going to have barbecue this good again."

Thanks Smokin' Gold for making my dinner party such a success. From now on, when I wonder what to serve for out-of-town company, I'm thinking "Let them eat barbecue - Smoking Gold BBQ."

FYI - Smokin' Gold BBQ is just off the downtown square in Dahlonega at 59 E Main St.