MLILY Mattresses in Savannah, GA

Migrant Equity Southeast (MESE) is a Latino non-profit organization based in Savannah, as well as an immigrant-led organization in Georgia, which advocates for immigrant rights and is dedicated to aid, education, and information outreach. The organization, which now covers up to 17 counties in southeast Georgia, was created right here in Savannah with Daniela Rodriguez spearheading the project and is now the nonprofit's executive director.

"It's the first time we've organized a gala. We call it 'A Night in Savannah.' It's a true celebration, as it's been almost two years since we became a nonprofit here in Savannah," she said.

"We want to celebrate our accomplishments and show the community some of the work we've done, and we also want to talk about what else we can do. Many of these types of fundraisers and events like these are held exclusively in Atlanta, it's time to bring the party to Savannah."

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La Voz Latina:'Una Noche en Savannah Gala' presentado por Migrant Equity Southeast

MESE contributed a lot during 2022, offering direct assistance to at least 116 families and holding 16 health-related events and clinics. The organization also donated more than 600 school supplies while also donating funds for student scholarships.

"Advocating for immigrant rights starts with you. We often think about how migrants can contribute to the economy," she said.

"When we think of migrants, we are grateful to see hardworking people who show up to work and bring a great work ethic. Yes, they are good workers, but while we think about how much they contribute, we never ask ourselves how and what we are contributing back. We all have needs and many of them are basic human needs, and many migrant workers have no voice when they are victimized by their employer. Most of the work done consists of difficult and dangerous situations that, no matter how careful, can bring injuries that require medical assistance.

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"No one thinks about how we are going to help those who are building our roofs, our safe houses and pruning our trees," she added.

"When they get tired, when they get sick, when they're hungry, when they're abused, we want to be there for them, to help and empower them and remind them that they are human beings who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, because we don't care about immigration status, their background, because at the end of the day, we know we all need help, at least once in our life. We want to be a helping hand that immigrants can trust so they don't feel alone and helpless."

The goal of the gala is to raise awareness and support the immigrant community to celebrate the organization's achievements. The event will include live entertainment from DJ Precisa Entertainment and a full dinner service provided by D' Corner Latin Cuisine.

"DJ Precisa, who is a DJ from Chile, will play music to make everyone dance and all the food is being kindly provided by D'Corner Latin Cuisine, which is a fusion of various Caribbean flavors and of course we will have other surprises and entertainment for those who can join us. I really hope that many will come out and celebrate with us for a very good cause. "

IF YOU GO

What: One Night in Savannah

When: Saturday from 6-10 p.m.

Where: 1446 Dean Forrest Rd. Savannah, GA.

For more information https://www.migrantequity.org/gala

Simply stepping out onto the streets of Savannah, Georgia, is like traveling back to the 19th century. Under a blanket of Spanish moss, Savannah comes alive with art galleries, restored colonial buildings, chic boutiques, and eerie tales of the supernatural.

The city's historic charm comes from its colossal mansions, cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages, and antebellum architecture; however, the slower pace of life is what really leaves a lasting impression on most visitors. For those looking to escape the stress of modern city life, staying in one of these Savannah luxury hotels will provide a truly royal experience and a vacation to remember.

Related: Staying In Georgia For Less: 10 Budget-Friendly Savannah Hotels That Offer Great Value

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This luxurious bed and breakfast is located in a historic mansion built in 1873 and is just a short walk from the Savannah College of Art and Design and the Broadway-style productions at the Savannah Theatre. The Hamilton Turner Inn's beautiful rooms and suites include lush decor and antique-style furnishings. In some rooms, guests can enjoy the comforts of a fireplace, balcony, 4-poster bed, and claw-foot or whirlpool tub. There's a complimentary breakfast each morning, plus snacks and drinks at happy hour and later in the evening.

9 Perry Lane Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel

Savannah's Perry Lane Hotel, part of the Luxury Collection, is a haven for both locals and visitors thanks to its location in the historic district and its surroundings of live oak trees dripping with Spanish moss and antebellum architecture. Explore Savannah's historic Forsyth Park, Jepson Center for the Arts, and Chippewa Square by pedaling one of the hotel's bicycles along the city's brick sidewalks. Each boutique room has a cookie jar stocked with fresh treats, luxurious bedding, large windows, and Smart TVs to create a relaxing environment perfect for a genuine getaway.

8 The Gastonian, Historic Inns Of Savannah Collection

This upscale lodging, about a mile from Interstate 16, is housed in two adjacent homes built in the Regency-Italianate style in 1868 and is only a three-minute stroll from Forsyth Park. The 17 spacious rooms are decorated with antiques and modern conveniences like flat-screen TVs, with some rooms having Claw-foot or whirlpool tubs, 4-poster beds, chandeliers, and verandas. The inn serves a complimentary gourmet breakfast made to order.

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Amethyst Garden Inn is a restored, elegantly adorned, and lavishly furnished 1885 private home. Elegant vintage furniture and original works of art adorn each room and suite, creating an atmosphere befitting a Southern Victorian mansion. Spend a few days in a real Savannah bed and breakfast. Amethyst Garden is a beautiful, tranquil oasis in Savannah's historic quarter, a short walk from nearby Forsyth Park. The best of Savannah's historical landmarks are within easy walking distance.

6 Eliza Thompson House, Historic Inns Of Savannah Collection

This elegant lodging, initially constructed in 1847, is located in Savannah's Historic District, just five blocks from Forsyth Park and eight minutes from the Savannah History Museum. The main and carriage houses provide luxurious rooms with en suite bathrooms, and some face the garden courtyard. A continental breakfast is available, and guests can get free dessert and wine in the evenings. A fountain and koi pond are also in the yard, paved with brick.

5 Bellwether House

Each visitor to Bellwether House is essential, and as a guest, they may take advantage of complimentary services like the gourmet breakfast, high tea in the afternoon, champagne toasts in the evening, 24-hour room service, valet parking (with no limits), on-site yoga classes, and seasonal wellness programs. Depending on one's preferences, the hotel's staff stays in touch to facilitate booking special arrangements, local eating, historic tours, unique experiences, local secrets, etc.

4 The Drayton Hotel

This luxurious hotel is located in the heart of the Historic District - North, just a short four-minute stroll from the Savannah River and a ten-minute stroll from the Telfair Museums. The Drayton Hotel's rooms are refined and unpretentious, including hardwood flooring, free Wi-Fi, smart televisions, Bluetooth speakers, minibars, and safes. In addition to a rooftop terrace with 360-degree views, the hotel features an excellent seafood restaurant, a cafe, and a chic cocktail lounge.

Related: River Street Savannah: A Bustling Hub Of Artisan Shops, Dining, & Southern Charm

3 Olde Harbour Inn

In one of Savannah's liveliest areas, between Factors Walk and River Street, sits the Olde Harbour Inn, a boutique hotel by the river. Here, guests can take advantage of freebies like high-speed Internet access, evening wine and appetizers, and even ice cream at their door every night in one of the hotel's spacious suites. Pet owners voted the hotel as the best in Savannah. Being Savannah's most pet-friendly hotel, Olde Harbour Inn takes pleasure in welcoming guests and their four-legged companions.

2 JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District

With a prime location on the Savannah riverfront, the JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District puts visitors within walking distance of various attractions and activities. Do a walking tour, go window shopping in the historic neighborhood, visit an art museum, dine at one of the hotel's restaurants, and meet up with old friends at one of Savannah's riverside watering holes. Before hitting the town's lively nightlife, be pampered with a hotel spa treatment.

1 Thompson Savannah

This upscale hotel overlooks the Savannah River and is only 2 miles from the SCAD Museum of Art and Interstate 16. The Thompson Savannah's rooms have Italian linens and designer amenities. Some even include river views and soaker baths, and some also include floor-to-ceiling windows in addition to the standard amenities. Sofabeds are available in the suite's living room, and some posh suites even contain billiard tables, dining tables, and wet bars. In addition to event space and valet parking, the hotel also features an outdoor pool, a refined restaurant, two bars, and a fitness facility.

For Do Savannah

Savannah is on fire, there are demons lurking in Colonial Park Cemetery, and faucets are running with blood.

No, it’s not just another Tuesday in the Hostess City. It is what readers of “Ghost Rider” will see in the two newest issues.

This run of the comic book is helmed by writer, Benjamin Percy, who was a featured author at the 2022 Savannah Book Festival. “It was my first time in the city, but it will not be my last. Absolutely fell in love with it,” he said.

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Percy said he knew a little about Savannah before arriving last year but admits his frame of reference was mostly from “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.”

“Before I go anywhere, I always poll my friends [on what to do]. One of my closest friends, James Ponsoldt, who is a director born in Athens, unloaded this really rich itinerary on me. When I was at the festival, I was also sneaking off to do things.”

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Between talking about his novel “The Ninth Medal,” which is part of his Comet Cycle series, and mingling with literary fans, Percy was enjoying food and learning about the city’s haunted past. “I was told by James that I had to do the ghost tour, and so I signed onto a walking ghost tour. I got all sorts of juicy tidbits about what is supposedly America’s most haunted city.”

Percy has written for multiple titles under DC and Marvel Comics. He started working on “Ghost Rider” last year around the same time as the Savannah Book Festival. Anyone can see how history and legends have influenced his run.

“One of the storylines has to do with a shadow country that’s rising up. There’s a surge of supernatural activity and Johnny Blaze, the Ghost Rider, is uncovering a larger pattern. There are different sorts of nexus points in North America where things are especially volatile. One of those junctures is Savannah.”

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He said Savannah’s reputation as a necropolis as well as the history of wars, illnesses, and natural disasters lent itself to Ghost Rider. Part of issue 11 that came out in February, and almost all of issue 12 released March 1, is set in the city.

“It was fun to direct the artist to different things. We got to make sure we get the Pink House [Restaurant] in the background and make sure this particular town square and fountain shows up in the background.”

It is fascinating to see a city like Savannah featured in a Marvel comic. Through the flames, blood, and bones, readers will easily recognize landmarks like the Talmadge Bridge, the monument to General James Oglethorpe in Chippewa Square, and the Savannah Theatre. Percy explained that he wanted to make sure the artist captured an accurate feel of Savannah. “Every corner is remarkable. Every front porch is like a frame-able piece of art.”

Even if comic books aren’t your usual reading material, these two newest issues of “Ghost Rider” are a treat. Readers will find them on the shelves of their local comic book stores.

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Percy also has full-length novels readers can explore as well. “Most of my work is neither fish nor fowl, both literary and genre.” As his editor calls them, his novels are up-market science fiction. His Comet Cycle series already has two novels, “The Ninth Medal” and “The Unfamiliar Garden,” in bookstores. The third novel, “The Sky Vault,” will be released in September.

Percy said he really enjoyed his time at the book festival and in Savannah. “It was very clear that Savannah is a literary city; a city devoted to the arts.”

He said he’d love to come back to explore the city more during a proper vacation with his wife. Maybe it will inspire him to feature our city again in another project.

For Do Savannah

“Savannah being the most haunted city; why don’t we have anything like this?”

Patrick Welsh is no stranger to the spooky side of Savannah. He’s the founder of the Paranormal Society of Savannah, the Scare Master for the Alee Terror Plantation, and the owner of Haunted Grounds Coffeein Midway.

As he said, for a city with such a haunted reputation, it’s strange that Savannah doesn’t havemore paranormal conventions. Welsh hopes to change that with Savannah Horror Fest Presents A Paranormal Convention on Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Alee Shrine, 100 Eisenhower Drive.

“We wanted to do it last August,” said Welsh. Unfortunately, his work with the annual Terror Plantationat the Alee Shrine in October got in the way of planning the convention. Now he’s training someone tohelp take some of that responsibility in order to better grow projects like Savannah Horror Fest.

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Taking on a convention is not the easiest thing to do, but Welsh is confident that he has planned a solidfoundation. “We’ve got a lot of personal friends and people we’ve just known that were like, yeah, man,let’s do something.”

Even though this is a first-year convention, Welsh has been able to put together an impressive guestroster, including “Paranormal State” investigator Heather Taddy. “We talked to her about this time lastyear, and she said she’d love to come to Savannah. She’s never been.”

William Mark McCullough will also be there. While he was known first as an actor, he’s now known forhis haunted home on that he based the film “A Savannah Haunting." “He grew up with one of [theParanormal Society of Savannah] team members. We were lucky to investigate his house numeroustimes before the movie came out. He’s good friends with us now.”

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McCullough will be joined by another cast member, Jaelyn Buffkin, who plays Alice in the film. Welsh saidhe knew Buffkin and her mother through Haunted Grounds Coffee. “Little Jaelyn’s come out to thecoffee shop a few times.” They’ve set up a table for her there to sign autographs and take pictures.When Welsh reached out about the convention, he said her mother was excited to accept the offer.McCullough and Buffkin will have a panel discussion about “A Savannah Haunting” and the home it isbased on.

Another actor on the guest roster is Courtney Gains, who is probably most recognized for his role asMalachai in the original “Children of the Corn” film. Gains is another acquaintance of a ParanormalSociety of Savannah team member.

Of course, there will be plenty of paranormal investigators and authors. “The other paranormal teamsthat are coming are ones that we’ve known or have worked with in the past. They’re really good friendsand a lot of them have interesting stories.” That includes Olde World Paranormal Society from FortWayne, Indiana, and Southern Heat Paranormal from Warner Robbins, Georgia.

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There will be also panels and workshops discussing paranormal investigations, equipment, and analyzingevidence. “That’s the fun part, too. Meeting somebody or asking questions so that you can further yourresearch and your knowledge of paranormal investigating.”

Welsh hopes to grow the Savannah Horror Fest and be able to attract bigger and more eclectic names infuture years. “We just want to share our experiences and share the love of paranormal investigating andghost hunting.”

If you’re interested in attending, tickets for Savannah Horror Fest start at $15 for the Saturdayconvention. Military members and children ages 12 and under are free. There are other packages thatinclude special events like a paranormal investigation at Graveface Museum with Heather Taddy.

For more information, go to SavannahScare.com.

IF YOU GO

What: Savannah Horror Fest

When: Saturday

Where: Alee Shrine, 100 Eisenhower Drive

Cost: Tickets start at $15

Info: SavannahScare.com

For Do Savannah

Local cornhole fans can get excited for the upcoming Cornhole League at Eastern Wharf brought to you by Cornhole ATL.

For those uneducated on the game of cornhole, it is a 21-point game where players of opposing sides take turns throwing bean bags at propped-up boards. The closer you get to the hole at the center of the board (or just hit the hole itself), the more points you get.

Cornhole ATL is designed to give adult cornhole players a place to play. For Jeff Brawand, the organization owner, cornhole has been a big part of his life since he was young. This is what would wind up leading to him starting Cornhole ATL in the first place. "I'm originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, where supposedly cornhole was founded," said Brawand.

"So growing up, I always played cornhole with my family back in like the '80s. So when I moved down to Georgia and started playing with some friends, I thought, 'Hey, if there can be a kickball league, why not a cornhole league?'"

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As far as organized cornhole leagues, Cornhole ATL has been a massive contributor to its popularity across the state. And this can widely be attributed to the fact that Cornhole ATL focuses on the social aspects of the game over the competitive ones. "I'm sure you've seen some cornhole stuff on ESPN," said Brawand.

"It's the competitive type, and those are the types of players that are in the smaller leagues in Georgia. But our goal is to not be that competitive, ultra-competitive, I should say. We want to be that social league where it's a lot more approachable."

Cornhole ATL started back in 2011 and consisted of 4,500 players statewide that participate each season. Leagues last seven weeks total, the first six weeks being the regular season and the seventh week being the playoffs.

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"We got 51 leagues throughout the state of Georgia," said Brawand. "What's unique about us is, like a soccer league, we have different divisions you can sign up for. So, for instance, in Savannah, you can sign up for our beginner, intermediate, or advance division, and you only play people in that division."

Cornhole ATL holds many tournaments throughout Georgia in places like Athens, Greensboro, Alpharetta, Canton Woodstock and other cities. But this will be the first time the organization will be holding a league in Savannah. "We just picked Savannah because we know that it's a fun, social city," said Brawand.

"We're super, super excited about this. I think it's going to be an awesome time. We've already got a lot of teams signed up for it. The team over there at Eastern Wharf has been super awesome to work with. All our equipment is already in place, it's been nothing but good things so far, and I'm sure there'll be more good things to come."

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Because the space is so large for the Savannah tournament this time, the sky is the limit for how many players can join. "It's pretty wide open," said Brawand. "For the green space we're going to be playing on at the park, it's very wide open. So we can have up to, I would say, 88 teams, no problem. There's not really a cap on it right now."

While competition will be fierce, at the end of the day, Cornhole ATL wishes to make their league a fun time for everyone involved. "It's an approachable league," said Brawand. "Go into it with a goal of being social and learning the game, especially if you're a beginner, and be open to making new friends. So while it might be competitive, keep in mind that this is a social league, and the goal is to be happy out there and have fun."

Registration ends March 13. If you're interested in signing up for a fun time with friends or even want to tackle the cornhole world on your own, you can register on the Cornhole ATL website. The entry fee is $55 for an individual and $55 per player. A full schedule will be sent out to participants once registration closes.

"One week, you might play at 6:30 p.m.," said Brawand. "The next week, you might play at 7:50, but you get all your matches within that 40-minute time block, and it's great because it gives you an opportunity to, you know, go grab food and drinks before or after your games and kind of make a night of it."

Cornhole ATL also openly invites all sponsors wishing to get advertisements during the tournament to send their information to info@cornholeatl.com.

The Savannah Cornhole League will begin on March 21 at Eastern Wharf, 101 Port St, Savannah, GA 31401.