Protective partners

COMPILED BY JENNIFER J. HEWETT

Atlanta-based Raving Brands recently launched its partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to improve child safety and recovery. In its efforts, throughout the month of May, a portion of selected menu sales was donated in celebration of "Cinco de Moe's" to the NCMEC.

Raving Brands is the parent company of Moe's Southwest Grill, Doc Green's, Monkey Joe's, Boneheads and Mama Fu's. In mid-May, Raving Brands announced their two-year, $2 million commitment to the NCMEC. They are the first restaurant group to incorporate NCMEC's child safety programs -- AMBER Alert, Code Adam and Child Identification events -- into all of their concepts. Retailers like Moe's that integrate such safety programs help mobilize the eyes and ears of every community, enhancing police search efforts and significantly improving child recovery time and protection.

For more information about the NCMEC, visit: www.missingkids.com, or call its toll-free, 24-hour hotline, (800) THE-LOST.

-- Clay Narron

Bands battle for top title

Athens-based band Sounds of Silence garnered first place and $400 for their recent performance at the Battle of the Bands, an annual community project of the Kennesaw Youth Council. The council, an eight-member team of high school students, was formed by the city of Kennesaw in 2002 to encourage teen involvement in government and the community.

"It was a fabulous event this year and a way for the youth of Kennesaw to reach out to their peers and offer an event that attracts teens to Kennesaw," says Kennesaw Councilman and Youth Council Liaison Bill Thrash.

Also placing in the competition were High Flight Society from Cedartown, taking second-place honors, and Soup, a teen band from Harrison High School in Kennesaw, earning third place. The next Battle of the Bands is set for spring 2007.

Georgia trails honored

Two Georgia hiking trails, the Cohutta Wilderness Area Trail in Ellijay (voted #2) and the Appalachian Trail: Springer Mountain to Hightower Gap in Suches (#7), earned Top 10 honors in the Trails.com "Top Trails of 2005" of North America contest. Trails were chosen based on 10 million subscriber and visitor votes and also included non-hiking trails in the rankings. To visit one of these trails or to view the entire list, go to www.trails.com/toptrails-2005.asp.

Celebrating the 'good egg'

The Georgia Egg Commission has released a new cookbook, "Favorite Egg Recipes," featuring more than 150 dishes developed over the past 14 years by Jewell Hutto, the egg commission's program director. The cookbook offers classic egg recipes, appetizers, soups and salads, vegetables and side dishes, sauces, breads and desserts, alongside nutritional information, cooking tips and serving suggestions.

Copies are available for $15, plus $5 shipping and handling per copy. To order, send a check or money order to the Georgia Egg Commission, 16 Forest Parkway, Forest Park, GA 30297, or call (404) 363-7661 for more information.