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The 2013 baseball season kicked off on April 4^th for the Savannah Sand Gnats . The Sand Gnats are the Class A minor league team of the New York Mets organization. The team is led by manager, Luis Rojas, the same manager from the 2012 season. The Sand Gnats were 5^th in the South Atlantic League for the 2012 season with a 69-67 record. So far, in this early season, the Sand Gnats are looking good with a 21-15 record and the close second in the South Atlantic League Southern Division. The team’s record at home is even better at 14-6!

The Savannah Sand Gnats play at Historic Grayson Stadium , which originally opened in 1926. The stadium has hosted baseball games, football games, concerts and more over its long history. Savannah was hit by a very destructive hurricane in 1940, which caused a lot of damage to the stadium. General William Grayson led a fund-raising campaign and the rebuilding of the stadium occurred in 1941. There have been many renovations throughout the years, with the most current taking place in 2010 with the addition of Land Shark Landing, a 3 level deck and picnic area next to the first base general admission bleachers. The area is great for private parties or just a place to enjoy a baseball game.

The Sand Gnats organization is very involved in the Savannah community by offering many different fund-raising events throughout the season. Every Wednesday at home games, is “Pack the Park for Charity”, where a portion of the proceeds of ticket sales go to a specific non-profit organization. There are Girl and Boy Scout nights at the ballpark, food drives, a Pink in the Park event and a Coastal Health District Healthy Heart Home Run 5K Trot  on June 29^th. The team will also give away tickets to non-profit organizations.  There are also special discount promotions sponsored by local businesses and organizations throughout the season as well such as Kroger’s $1.00 Mondays, Natty Light 2 for Tuesdays, Budweiser Thirsty Thursdays, Facebook Fridays, weekend fireworks, and military appreciation events. The team mascot, Gnate the Gnat is a fan favorite at events in the Savannah area throughout the year. You can follow the Sand Gnats on Facebook  and Twitter  for more promotional events and ticket information.

Stop N Stor  wishes the Savannah Sand Gnats a successful 2013 season.

The holiday season is in full swing in the Savannah area. There are holiday light displays to see, orchestra and choir concerts to attend, shopping to finish and gatherings to take place with family and friends. The holidays are a time of giving and receiving. This is also the time of year when people can be in the most need. For charitable organizations, both nationally and locally, this is the biggest fund raising time of year. There are many organizations in the Savannah area that are helping fulfill the need for food, toys and other items this holiday season by holding toy collections, food drives and donation contests. Many local companies, retail shops and businesses are still taking donations and collecting food to help out the local food pantries during the holiday season.

The Savannah & Hinesville areas have many organizations, which you can get involved with in this season of giving. The Savannah Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia  is the Savannah area’s food bank. Savannah’s Second Harvest has a yearly holiday food drive called “Feed It Forward” as well as other events throughout the year that donate to the organization.  The Savannah Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia receives daily truckloads of donated food from local and national grocery chains, business and individual donors. The donations are then sorted, stocked and then distributed to 300 non-profit agencies in a 24 county service area. The agencies that are served include local food pantries, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, domestic abuse facilities, senior centers and lower-income daycare centers. Hinesville is just one of the cities that are helped out by Savannah’s Second Harvest. Savannah Feed the Hungry Inc. is hosting two Christmas dinners this season in Savannah and Hinesville. The Savannah dinner will be held on December 22^nd from 12-6pm at Forsyth Park. Savannah Feed the Hungry will provide a hot meal to over 6000 needy families during that time. The event will also help families in need with extra help for toys for Christmas, free health screenings and clothing. The Liberty County Manna House will be serving Christmas dinner on December 23^rd in conjunction with Savannah Feed the Hungry from 4-6pm. Savannah Feed the Hungry is a non-profit 100% volunteer organization that helps feed need families and restore their dignity.

There are also traditional giving campaigns by national organizations during the holiday season. The bell ringer and red kettles for the Salvation Army has been a traditional sight for decades. The Marine Reserves have been collecting new toys for Toys for Tots  for nearly 70 years. The Savannah area drop off point for toys for Toys for Tots will be collecting toys through this Friday, December 14^th. Local companies such as Chatham Toyota/Lexus, have raised over $5,000 in donations and toys to help Toys for Tots.  Once the toys are collected, they are sent to a central distribution point and then distributed to local community organizations that partner with Toys for Tots. You can continue to make donations to this very worthwhile cause after the holidays by making a donation at the Toys for Tots website.

The holidays are time for family and friends to gather to enjoy the traditions of the season. It is also the biggest season for giving. Stop N Stor wishes all of their customers, vendors, family and friends all the best this holiday season.

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As 2012 is coming to an end, so is the hunting season for Wounded Warrior Outdoors. 2012 was a great year for this organization; Wounded Warrior Outdoors hosted 10 outdoor therapeutic excursions with over 50 wounded, but active duty, military personnel across the United States and Canada. The trips included a turkey hunt in Kentucky, bear hunting in British Columbia and California, wild boar hunting in Florida and Canada, fly fishing in Maine, fishing trips in Florida and Alaska and alligator hunting in Florida. There have been articles written about the excursions in some of the local participating communities. The participants in the outdoor excursions led by Wounded Warrior Outdoors are active duty military personnel who have been injured serving the United States in Iraq or Afghanistan. The servicemen or women can have a variety of injuries from post-traumatic stress syndrome to loss of limbs. However, they all have a strong desire to get better and stronger. The participants are chosen to go on the therapeutic trips by their doctors and therapists. Wounded Warrior Outdoors works with doctors, nurses and therapists at the Balboa Naval Medical Center and Walter Reed Medical Center. Medical nurses or a chaperon are also members of the team for the outdoor excursions.

The hunting and fishing trips give a chance for the injured soldier to have “real-life” therapy. For most of the participants, the trip is their first time out of the hospital. Over the duration of the 3-10 day trips, the military participants can gain more therapeutic value in one day outdoors than a week in the hospital. The trips help with balance, mobility, endurance and building a sense of camaraderie with fellow participants.

The trips are free to the participants. There is no cost to the family or to the military. The trip costs are covered by corporate and private donations to Wounded Warrior Outdoors. Volunteers give their time, boats, equipment and sometimes even their homes to help with the trips. The volunteers do not get paid for their work with the organization. There are a few fundraising events throughout the year for Wounded Warrior Outdoors including a silent raffle event in February.  On January 4^th and 5^th, 12 runners and some Wounded Warriors will run in the RAGNAR Relay Series  to help raise funds for Wounded Warrior Outdoors. This is a 200 mile relay race from South Beach Miami to Key West, FL. You can help donate to the race by using the link above. You can also make donations to Wounded Warrior Outdoors on the website.

Wounded Warrior Outdoors was founded in 2006 by Ron Raboud as a way to give therapeutic outdoor activities to our injured, but active duty, military heroes. Stop N Stor  is a very proud sponsor of this great organization. Stop by any of our locations to find out more information and how you can help support Wounded Warrior Outdoors.

This weekend we celebrate the men & women of our military who serve to protect and honor our country. We also have remembrances for those military men & women who have given their lives to protect and serve the United States through the Revolutionary War to Enduring Freedom. There are different events in cities around the United States and specifically around the Savannah area this weekend to celebrate our military heroes. Check your local paper for information on events in your town.

Savannah’s Historic River Street is hosting the Armed Forces Festival along River Street in downtown Savannah this weekend. This festival will feature local & regional artists, live musicians, DJs, great food & more! The proceeds from the event go to benefit the Georgia National Guard Family Support Foundation . Savannah has many historical forts around the city and surrounding areas. There will be ceremonies celebrating our historical military heroes at Fort Morris  and Fort McAllister State Historical Park . Vietnam Veterans of American are holding a Memorial Candle Light Ceremony at 6:30pm on Sunday, May 27^th at Emmet Park. On Memorial Day, May 28^th, there will be a ceremony at the Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery with members of the Glenville Veterans of Foreign Wars/American Legion and Fort Stewart 3^rd Infantry Division. The ceremony starts at 11am.

National parks and museums across the country are showing their support of our military and their families this summer. Military families can have free access to any national part annual pass. This is worth over $80 and can give entry into over 2,000 national parks. Also this summer, 1600 museums across the United States will give free access to active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day thru Labor Day. This includes art museums, such as New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, nature centers, children museums, science centers and history museums. This is another great way to show support for our military and their families.

This weekend as we celebrate our military heroes, take a moment to think about the family and spouses of our current serving military. Stop N Stor is very proud to support Enlisted Angels. This group, based in Fort Stewart, Georgia, is for any Army wife. The main goal of this organization is to empower and support military wives with helpful advice, information and an understanding ear. Stop N Stor facility manager, Asja Turner, is a proud Army wife and a member of this group. Asja says that “only another military wife can truly understand the particular struggles and triumphs that comes with being married to a soldier serving his county.” The group meets once a week in the main chapel at Fort Stewart for programs that encourage and strengthen core military values and in all aspects of life.  During softball season, the group doubles as a softball team, too! Enlisted Angels was created in April, 2011 and is continuing to gain support, members and recognition. Bonnie Day, the president of the organization hopes to expand the group to other Army bases. Giving support to the families of the military is so important. Stop N Stor is very happy to be actively supporting Enlisted Angels and Wounded Warrior Outdoors.

Happy Memorial Day to all of our friends and family who are current members of the military! Thanks also go out to our family and friends who have served to protect the United States in past times.

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Can you guess how many movies have been filmed in Savannah in the past 2 decades? There has been quite a few dating all the way back to 1915! With its historical squares, beautiful architecture and southern hospitality, Savannah has become a “Mini Hollywood” for filmmakers. The City of Savannah Film Office is the source for information for current and future movie productions.  Currently filming in Savannah and Fort Pulaski is the independent film, “Abe Lincoln vs. the Zombies”. This film, once it is finished being produced, will be available on DVD. There are many sites around town where movies have been filmed. Some you might recognize in the film, while others look totally different in “real life”.

The most famous movie filmed in and around Savannah is “Forest Gump”. Who can forget Forrest Gump offering a box of chocolates (and his life story) to people sharing his bench at Chippewa Square? Did you know that the bench is now at the Savannah History Museum?. The movie most associated directly with Savannah is “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” directed by Clint Eastwood in 1997. Many downtown locations including The Mercer-Williams House, Monetary Square, Forsyth Park and Bonaventure Cemetery are backdrops for the movie. The party scenes were actually filmed inside the Mercer-Williams House! The scenery of the film was just as important to the movie as the acting and directing! Many locals were also cast in the film, including Lady Chablis.

Savannah’s stately homes and historical buildings are perfect locations to shoot historical themed movies. Robert Redford has shot two movies in Savannah: “Legend of Beggar Vance” in 2000 and most recently in 2010 for “The Conspirator”. Robert Redford chose Savannah to be Washington D.C. circa 1865 in this Civil War era movie. The prison scenes in the movie were filmed at Fort Pulaski . A great Civil War film, “Glory”, was filmed in and around Savannah in 1989 with extensive filming being done at the Roundhouse Complex. In fact, Savannah “stood in” for 1860’s Boston for the movie!

In early 2011, a movie aptly titled “Savannah” was filmed in the city of its namesake. It was directed and produced by Savannah natives and tells the story of the friendship between a wealthy business man in 1900 and a freed slave. At the time of writing this blog post, the movie does not have a release date. Miley Cyrus filmed “The Last Song” on Tybee Island in the summer of 2009. In the 1990’s Savannah hosted Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck for the filming of “Forces of Nature” and Julie Roberts and Dennis Quaid for the filming of “Something to Talk About”. You can actually take movie tours (Hotlink to: http://savannahmovietour.net) of Savannah and see all the different movie sites in the city.

If seeing movie stars filming in the city and surrounding areas isn’t enough for you, then go to the Savannah Film Festival  hosted by the Savannah College of Art & Design every fall. This film festival honors independent film makers from around the world. Every year the event hosts movie stars and new film makers and shows the creativity of filmmaking. This year’s festival dates will be from Oct 27^th to Nov 3^rd.

Savannah is such a great city for so many reasons which we have touched about in our blog posts! Being a well-known movie location site is just one of the great things about the city. Stop N Stor  is so proud to be a part of this wonderful community!

In past posts, we’ve talked about Stop n Stor locations in Hinesville and Savannah, now it’s time to shed a bit of light on the city of Port Wentworth. Port Wentworth, in Chatham County, is a community of 5300 residents strategically placed near Savannah/Hilton Head
International Airport, Savannah National Wildlife Refuge , the Savannah River and the Georgia Port Authority. Port Wentworth is just minutes away from historic downtown Savannah. Port Wentworth has the distinct pleasure of being the fastest growing city in Chatham County. According to the Port Wentworth Chamber of Commerce , Port Wentworth is the gateway to Georgia history, heritage and attractions including shopping, dining, arts & culture, golf, fishing, watersports and hunting. There are many historical places to see in and near Port Wentworth such as Mulberry Grove Plantation  where Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin in 1793.

Port Wentworth Chamber of Commerce was created to help businesses grow through
networking events and referrals. The Chamber of Commerce helps to ensure business success and increased exposure in the community. The Chamber sponsors events such as ribbon cutting, ground breaking and grand opening events.  Stop n Stor is a proud member of the Port Wentworth Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber also sponsors special events for its members.

The Port Wentworth Chamber of Commerce recently hosted the 2^nd annual Port Wentworth Chamber Oyster Roast and BBQ at the Lions Club Ballpark. Over 50
representatives of local businesses attended the event which was sponsored by Boyett Insurance and Port Wentworth Lions Club. There was great food, networking and a raffle for a flat screen TV with the proceeds going to the Houston Museum project. Stop n Stor’s very own Alan Dasher attended the event.  You can check out pictures from the event below. Stop n Stor looks forward to future events with the Port Wentworth Chamber of Commerce. Check out our ad in the Port Wentworth City Guide. Stop by our Port Wentworth location at 315 GA Hwy 30 today!

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[slideshow]Savannah is known for many things: food,history and arts. People come from all over the world travel to see the city squares and architecture. But, in this month for ghosts, witches and goblins, Savannah is most known for being one of the most haunted cities in the United States! The city has made the Top 10 most haunted places lists from travel companies to newspapers such as Huffington Post, CBS Moneywatch and USA Today. Savannah is a “must” visit city for ghost adventurers.

Why would Savannah be such a “hotbed” for paranormal activity? The main reason is that there are many tragic and historical events which have made Savannah the city that it is today. Savannah played a central role in the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. The city endured a Yellow Fever Epidemic and a fire in the early 1800’s. Many of its buildings were turned into hospitals during the Civil War and the Epidemic. Plus, there have been many other tragedies that just make Savannah a city rich in ghost tales.  If you’ve read or seen Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, then you know of the notorious past of some of the buildings and homes in Savannah.  The Mercer Williams House  has become a tourist site for the city just because of its famous inhabitants!  You cannot leave Savannah without visiting Bonaventure Cemetery, a gorgeous cemetery and park.

For paranormal researchers and tourists alike, Savannah offers quite a few hotels, restaurants and other “haunted” locations. Kehoe House  is a 4 diamond bed & breakfast with many strange occurrences. Kehoe House just made Frommer’s 2011 Top 10 Haunted Hotels list. There are two rooms, 201 and 203, which are known to be the most haunted. Moon River Brewing Company only opened in 1999, but the building is nearly 200 years old.  It has been featured on Ghost Adventurers on the Travel Channel as well as listed on many most haunted places to visit lists. Other famous Savannah “haunts” include The Marshall House and The Olde Pink House.

If you are coming to visit Savannah, don’t miss the ghost tours! There are quite a few companies that will take you on a trip through Savannah’s haunted past! Some of the tour companies are: American’s Most Haunted City Tours, Cobblestone Candlelight Tours  and Ghost and Gravestones Tours to just name a few.

The history, architecture, food and spooky happenings all
add up to making Savannah a must visit city! Happy Halloween from Stop n Stor!

Most of the country has been going through a brutal heat wave this summer. The Savannah, Georgia area is no exception. The area has suffered from an heat index  reaching nearly 115 degrees. In fact, Savannah set a record for most consecutive days at or above 90 degrees with 56 days, which just ended on July 15^th. The old record was 44 consecutive days at or above 90 degrees set in 1993. The Savannah area’s weather can be extreme with both heat and humidity during the summer months. If you live in a climate with this type of extreme weather during at least one season, then you need to investigate putting your belongings in a climate controlled storage unit.

 How is the extreme heat affecting the items that you have stored in a regular outdoor storage unit? An outdoor storage unit is similar to a garage with its concrete floor and metal walls. If it’s hot outside, then, it is doubly hot inside the unit. Heat and humidity can damage everything from furniture, musical instruments, photos, electronics, to paper documents. If you are a collector of vinyl records, the heat and humidity could warp your albums. The humidity can damage photos and even split wood furniture. The moisture created by the humidity can cause excessive damage to electronic items such as computers, televisions and stereo systems. The humidity also can spur the growth of mold and mildew in a storage unit, especially on cloth and plastic items.  This can form a musty smell on your belongings; that is hard to get rid of. What is the best storage option to protect your items from the extreme weather?

Climate controlled storage units are the best choice for storing items that could be damaged from extreme temperatures. The units are kept cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter to protect the items that are stored. These units are usually inside a building, which is added protected from bugs and other vermin. Climate controlled units will cost more than renting a standard outdoor unit, but the cost can be justified with the protection of your belongings from the damage that the weather can bring. Stop n Stor offers climate controlled units at 4 locations.  Stop n Stor recently celebrated the grand opening of the nearly 300 climate controlled units at our Highway 196, EG Miles Parkway, Hinesville location. See how to rent from Stop n Stor on our latest commercial .

Stop N Stor is honored to be a member of the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce .  This Chamber of Commerce plays a vital role in promoting the communities and big and small businesses of Hinesville, Flemington, Midway, Riceboro, Walthourville, Gum Branch and Allenhurst. The headquarters of the 3^rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart is also located partially in Liberty County. Hinesville is the Liberty County government seat and home of 3 Stop N Stor locations. According to Leah Poole, Executive Director, “The Liberty County Chamber of Commerce is proud to represent 450+ member businesses in Liberty County. Our members realize that through the Chamber, they can accomplish collectively what no one of them can do individually.”

What is a purpose of a chamber of commerce? According to the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce website, a chamber of commerce promotes legislation that retains & supports existing business, promotes tourism, industrial recruitment and encourages long-range community planning and development. Through membership in the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce, business owners can receive networking outlets, exposure for their business via publications, events and business member referrals, community involvement and advocacy for their businesses with local, state and federal government. The Liberty County Chamber of Commerce provides discounts to members as well as offers an outlet to purchasing health care insurance through small business health insurance products.

The Liberty County Chamber of Commerce has members that help foster Georgia’s Work Ready and Entrepreneur Ready programs. The Georgia Work Ready program, founded in 2006 by the governor and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, is the first of its kind. The program encourages improving job training and marketability of Georgia’s workforce while driving economic growth for Georgia. The Entrepreneur Ready program promotes Georgia as a great place to build a new business or move one’s current business.

The Liberty County Chamber of Commerce sponsors ribbon cutting and ground breaking events, community involvement and business training and networking events . They play a crucial role in making Liberty County grow and prosper. Liberty County Chamber of Commerce sponsors and annual golf outing that Stop N Stor was proud to be a participant in as well as the recent ribbon cutting ceremony at the  new 746 Hwy 196 EG Miles Parkway Stop N Stor location. The Liberty County Chamber of Commerce has helped Stop N Stor immerse their business into the Hinesville community. Since joining the Chamber of Commerce in 2008, Stop N Stor has had the opportunity to be involved in community networking events and advertising in chamber publications. They have created a unique tight-knit community in Hinesville and Stop N Stor is extremely proud to be a member of the chamber.