To both longtime residents and newcomers, Forsyth County is a special place. To celebrate Donut Connection’s 11th anniversary of serving freshly-made goods to Forsyth County residents, here are 11 ways to know you call Forsyth County (or ‘FoCo’) home.

1. You’ve hiked to the Indian Seats on Sawnee Mountain.

2. You’ve corrected a visitor or newcomer:
It’s not pronounced ‘FOR-syth,’ but ‘For-SYTH.’

3. You’ve run, biked or walked on the Big Creek Greenway.

After nearly a year’s delay, the new stretch of trail is ready for public use, adding about 2.8 miles to the existing Greenway. The path now runs close to 10 miles, beginning near McFarland Parkway and ending at Johnson Road, according to a Forsyth County news release. For the full story, click here.

4. You’ve looked out over Lake Lanier and said ‘the lake looks a little low (or high) today’.

Forsyth is among 53 counties in Georgia that have been declared a Level 1 Drought Response recently by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. Varying degrees of drought are currently impacting about two-thirds of the state, according to the federal government’s U.S. Drought Monitor. For more information, click here, and watch for continued coverage of the dry conditions and how it's impacting lake levels.

5. You’ve ridden the skybuckets at the Cumming Fairgrounds.

According to Cumming Fairgrounds Administrator Dave Horton, this year’s fair, which ran Oct. 6-16, welcomed 222,007 visitors, up more than 50,000 from the previous record of 167,827 that was set in 2015. For the complete story, click here.

6. You identify three of the county’s high schools not by a name, but by a direction – North, South and West. 

7. You’ve covered your ears at the annual Fourth of July steam engine parade.

8. You’ve spent a Saturday on Lake Lanier.

9. Before it closed, you attended an event at Lanierland Country Music Park.  

A former popular country music venue in northeastern Forsyth soon will become the county’s newest park. Covering 109 acres, Lanierland Park is set to include four rectangular synthetic turf fields, concessions, picnic pavilions and a playground. For more details, click here.

10. You’ve sat in stagnant traffic on Ga. 400 for more than an hour (but, it’s getting better!)

The first section of a new lane on Ga. 400 northbound opened recently and locals were updated on local and state traffic projects at the annual Transportation Summit. The expansion was approved by Forsyth County voters in November 2014 as part of a $200 million traffic bond. For more information, click here.

11. You’ve zealously attended one of the county’s great high school football rivalries – Lambert vs. South Forsyth, Forsyth Central vs. North Forsyth, etc.  

While you experience everything Forsyth has to offer, consider grabbing a donut and coffee from Donut Connection at Hammonds Crossing in north Forsyth on your way. Donut Connection is a proud supporter of local schools and the Forsyth County Child Advocacy Center.