History of The Sandy Springs Society
THE SANDY SPRINGS SOCIETY was founded in March, 1988 when sixteen women gathered to form a group that would focus specifically on the needs in their Sandy Springs community. From that beginning, 108 Charter Members answered the call to create a charitable organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Sandy Springs by supporting nonprofit groups with service and financial aid.
Now, over 35 years later, The Sandy Springs Society takes great pride in an active membership of over 300 community-minded women. These members come from all over Sandy Springs, from a wide variety of neighborhoods, ages, professions, talents, and interests bound together by a love for our vibrant city, the joy of friendship, and a desire to give back!
Giving
To date, The Society has raised and donated over $5.4 million to nonprofit groups in our community. The Society is the largest all-volunteer 501 (c)(3) philanthropic organization in Sandy Springs, both in size and contributions. Each year, over 40 carefully vetted nonprofit groups receive vital financial assistance from The Sandy Springs Society, through our philanthropic grants program.
Fundraising Events
Fundraising projects throughout the years have grown increasingly ambitious. Starting with the first year’s sale of Holland Bulbs, the Society has also produced Art Shows, Garden Tours, Galas, Auctions, and Raffles.
- Our largest single-event fundraiser was The Town Turtles of Sandy Springs, an outdoor fiberglass art sculpture show, that serendipitously coincided with the creation of the city of Sandy Springs in 2005. These 75 beloved 6 foot tall, hand-painted turtles were displayed in the downtown area for over 6 months before being sold at auction. The slogan for these turtles was PERSEVERANCE, as in “The Tortoise and the Hare.” Little did we know at the time that perseverance would also describe Sandy Springs’ 40-year quest to become a city!
The Town Turtle project grossed over $750, 000. These funds were donated to the city and were used to purchase 172 acres of land from Fulton County, home to all the existing Sandy Springs parks, and to construct The Sandy Springs Society Entertainment Lawn at Heritage Green!
Our two annual fundraising events are The Elegant Elf Marketplace and Tossed Out Treasures
Established in 2011, The Elegant Elf has become a destination event for holiday shoppers from far beyond Sandy Springs. Held at the beautiful Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center each Fall, the event features carefully selected vendors offering a variety of artistic creations, accessories, home décor, specialty gift items, and a wide selection of gourmet delights-- just in time for holiday giving.
Tossed Out Treasures is an upscale resale event held each spring. Shoppers can find furniture, clothes, accessories, art, linens, kitchenware, décor and more – all at unbeatable prices.
Released in 2024, Savor Sandy Springs: A Cookbook showcases recipes and memories from Society members.
A new event in 2025, Mystery Masterpieces featured mini canvases created by renowned local artists and notable community leaders. Guests viewed the artwork anonymously, and only after purchasing a piece did the new owners discover the identity of the artist.
The Arts
The Sandy Springs Society is committed to supporting all forms of the arts in Sandy Springs, including visual art and performing arts:
Visual Arts
- Tumble, a 6-foot, cast-bronze sculpture was created by Sandy Springs native, David Landis and was funded by The Sandy Spring Society. It currently is on display at the Sandy Springs Library.
- The Globe, an 8-foot diameter metal globe of Earth was donated by The Society to Riverwood International Charter School. It was designed by a group of Riverwood Advanced Placement Art students and created by Robert Owens.
- Solstice, approximately 10 feet high is a polished stainless-steel piece inspired by a hydrangea floret and was created by David Landis. It was gifted to the City by Society Cornerstone Donors in honor of The Sandy Springs Society’s 35th anniversary.
- Town Turtles, 75 original life-size fiberglass turtle sculptures, hand painted by local artists are scattered around Sandy Springs. The Society initiated the Town Turtles project in 2005. Some of turtles are part of the 2025 Town Turtle Walk, on display at City Springs commemorating the 20th anniversary of the city and the Town Turtles.
- Sandy and the Children is a life-size bronze sculpture donated by Bob Brown (Red Barron Antiques) to The Sandy Springs Society who donated it to the city. It now is on permanent display at City Green.
Tumble
Globe
Solstice
Turtles
Sandy and the Children
Performing Arts
- The Society continually supports Sandy Springs schools’ music programs
- Itzhak Perlman, world-renowned violin virtuoso was brought to Sandy Springs by The Society to perform in honor of The Sandy Springs Society’s 30th anniversary.
- The Sandy Springs Performing Art Center houses the Byers Theatre, seating around 1,100 guests and hosts a wide range of live performances which include musical theatre & dance, concerts and solo acts, comedy, family & children programming and specialty & touring productions. The Society strongly supports City Springs Theatre Company as sponsors and by going to performances.
- The Georgia Ensemble Theatre is also supported by The Society.
