New year, new me?
Jan. 7 — It’s Cathy from Rough Draft with my weekly newsletter on Dunwoody. First, a short vent.
🤔 I just got an email saying many Americans say January “feels more like a monthly performance review they didn’t ask for.”
“A new survey commissioned by A Mission for Michael explores the mental health impact of New Year self-improvement culture – the relentless push toward better bodies, sharper productivity, cleaner finances, and fully optimized lives,” the email said. “The nationally representative survey of 3,014 adults suggests that rather than motivating people, January’s reset mentality often replaces hope with pressure.”
Let’s unpack this. First, there are about 347 million people currently living in the United States, give or take. Just because “Michael” found 3,000 or so people who despise January because of “pressure” to improve hardly scratches the surface regarding a universal hatred for this month.
I feel better. Here are a few tidbits before we get to the news.
📚 Veteran journalist Ralph Ellis will be at the Perimeter Barnes & Noble on Jan. 10 promoting his new book “The Accident Report” from 1-4 p.m. It’s about a rookie reporter out of his depth while investigating a car crash and a potential cover-up. Relatable to the “depth” reference.
⛸️ While most of the post-holiday festivities have ended, we’ve got a few things still hanging around – Space-themed Holiday Lights at Brook Run Park will be orbiting until Jan. 11, and the skating rink at High Street will continue until Jan. 19.
😆 Dunwoody’s Second Annual Comedy Festival will begin Jan. 22 at the Funwoody complex. “Enjoy an evening of local talent, community, and nonstop entertainment in the heart of Dunwoody,” the announcement said. I say first dibs should go to those 3,014 survey respondents.
🎙️ And now, onto the news. Thanks for reading,
Cathy
Dunwoody teen now at Shepherd Center
⛷️ Dunwoody High School graduate and UGA freshman Ayden Slipsager, who was severely injured in a skiing accident in Colorado, has now been transported to Shepherd Center, thanks to more than $100,000 in donations garnered through a GoFundMe campaign.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the support Ayden has received,” according to a post on the page by Tara Hastie on Jan. 6. “Thanks to the generosity of so many, he has safely arrived at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta and is already making encouraging progress in his recovery.”
However, as costs mount for his treatment, the campaign continues with a $120,000 goal. Donations have now topped $105,000.
Fashion meets art at the High Museum!
SPONSORED BY THE HIGH MUSEUM
👗 Experience Viktor&Rolf: Fashion Statements – a bold, breathtaking exhibition celebrating avant-garde fashion visionaries who blurred the line between haute couture and art. Only at the High, the exhibition’s sole U.S. stop.
➞ On view through Feb. 8, 2026.
MLK day of service Jan. 19
👩🏻🔧 The City of Dunwoody invites residents to come together for the 10th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 19. Dunwoody Parks and Recreation, in partnership with the Dunwoody-Atlanta Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., will mark the national holiday with volunteer projects and a blood drive.
“Our chapter’s strength is rooted in service and shared purpose,” said Dr. Terris Ross, President of the Dunwoody-Atlanta Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., in a press release from the city. “Initiatives like this bring us together to uplift others and model for our children what it means to lead with compassion, equity, and a commitment to opportunity for all.”
🩸 Residents are encouraged to register online and join one of several projects. Here are more details.
🌟 Your future in nursing starts here. Herzing University–Atlantahas no wait lists and offers flexible learning, hands-on clinicals, and accelerated pathways. Train where you live and join Georgia’s next generation of nurses making an impact today. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Trying not to take offense at the ‘small’ reference
🚴 The City of Dunwoody will hold an open house for the Georgetown Small Area Plan on Wednesday, Jan. 21, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the North Shallowford Annex.
“Developed in partnership with Atlanta-based planning and engineering firms TSW and Kimley-Horn, the Georgetown Small Area Plan builds on the city’s recently adopted Comprehensive Plan,” according to a release from the city.
The Georgetown area is bordered by Chamblee Dunwoody Road to the west, Cotillion Drive to the south, Peachford Road to the east, and Brook Run Park to the north. It includes N. Shallowford Road and Dunwoody Park.
The picture above will be familiar to all the renegades who have hit this median at the Georgetown Starbucks while attempting to go rogue. It should be the first thing to go.
Flu 911 calls increase 60 percent in DeKalb
💉DeKalb County flu-related 911 calls increased by 60 percent in December, according to statistics collected by American Medical Response. The calls align with a nationwide uptick in influenza cases that health officials say is on track to get worse.
Transports of DeKalb residents with flu-like symptoms peaked at 331 in December, which is a marked increase from flu-related calls in December 2024, said Israel Contreras, manager of EMS transformation and innovation at AMR. The company, which provides emergency medical services in DeKalb and North Fulton, saw the bulk of its calls come from unincorporated DeKalb County.
🤒 Read Stephanie Toone’s story here.