COMPILED BY JENNIFER J. HEWETT

Hawkins' art, GEORGIA Magazine on display at Booth Museum

This barrel-racing cowgirl painted by Norcross artist Trevor Hawkins graced the cover of GEORGIA Magazine in July 1999 and grabbed the attention of readers. Now his original acrylic painting, along with that issue of the magazine, hang at the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville. The Booth Museum is the second-largest museum in Georgia and houses the most extensive grouping of Southwestern art in the Southeastern United States.

Hawkins' work, which the museum acquired in early 2007 as part of its permanent collection, will remain on display for several months in the Mythic West Gallery, which showcases original art alongside its printed counterpart, such
as Western serials, books, movie posters and other publications.

For more information on Hawkins' art, visit www.popimages4u.com or call (770) 300-9334. Info on the Booth Museum can be found at www.boothmuseum.org.

Georgia's 10 'Places in Peril'

The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation recently released its list of 10 Places in Peril for 2008 to raise awareness about Georgia's historic and archaeological sites and cultural areas threatened by demolition,
neglect, lack of maintenance, surrounding development or insensitive public policy.

On this year's list are: the Meriwether County Jail in Greenville, the A.L. Miller Senior High School for Girls in Macon, the Old Clinton Historic District in Gray, the Spencer House in Columbus, UGA's Marine Institute and Administration Complex on Sapelo Island, Trinity C.M.E. Church in Augusta, the Adam-Strain Building in Darien, the Sunbury Historic Colonial Town Site, Cockspur Island Lighthouse in Tybee Island and The Castle in Atlanta.

For more information on these historic sites, visit www.georgiatrust.org.

'Totes 2 Tots' benefits Georgia foster children

Georgia Cancer Specialists (GCS) -- the largest private oncology/hematology practice in the Southeast--will team up with WSB-TV for the sixth annual "Totes 2 Tots" suitcase drive for foster children on Jan. 18. Donations will be accepted at 25 GCS offices around the state from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

"Totes 2 Tots" delivers new or nearly new suitcases to Georgia's foster children, many of whom must shuffle their belongings from home to home in garbage bags during frequent relocations. GCS launched the annual volunteer event in 2003 and has collected and distributed more than 8,200 bags. Visit www.gacancer.com for a list of collection points throughout the state.

Gardening -- in winter?

It's never too early to start thinking about this year's garden, and that's just what folks will be doing at the 22nd Southern Gardening Symposium, held at Callaway Gardens Jan. 18-20. Featuring workshops for gardeners of all skill levels, experts like rare plant aficionado Scott McMahan of Clermont and Debbie Turner, owner of the Blooming Idiot Greenhouse near Pine Mountain, teach participants how to design and troubleshoot their garden space, plant bulbs and more. For information, call (706) 663-5153 or e-mail education@callawaygardens.org.

Georgia glimpses

• Zoo Atlanta's African elephant Dottie is expected to give birth in the spring of 2009, following a 22-month gestation. Dottie was chosen as a good candidate for assisted reproduction, and she and her calf will be monitored closely throughout the pregnancy by veterinary staff. Because of the decline of this animal's population over the past 25 years, Zoo Atlanta officials are very excited about their first African elephant pregnancy at the zoo. For more info, visit zooatlanta.com.

• In an effort to provide the public with key information that will help prevent child sexual abuse, Prevent Child Abuse (PCA) Georgia and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) have teamed up online. The GBI's Sex Offender Registry, found online at gbi.georgia.gov and then clicking on the "sex offenders" link, shows where registered sex offenders live within the community. The GBI's site now also features a link to PCA Georgia featuring tips for parents to help them protect their children from becoming victims of child molestation. For more on PCA Georgia, call (800) 244-5373 or visit pcageorgia.org.

• The Mansion on Forsyth Park in Savannah was named to Condé Nast Traveler magazine's Readers' Choice list, ranking it No. 70 out of the "Top 100 U.S. Mainland Hotels." Savannah also ranked eighth in the readers' favorite "Top 10 U.S. Cities" category. For more on the Mansion on Forsyth Park, visit www.mansiononforsyth.com or call (912) 238-5158.

Did you know?

Since the inception of the Georgia Lottery in 1993, more than 1 million students have been able to attend colleges through Georgia's HOPE scholarship program. In addition, more than 850,000 4-year-olds have attended Georgia's prekindergarten program, and all of Georgia's public schools have benefited from more than $1.8 billion in capital outlay, computer and technology upgrades.