Longtime Sandy Springs resident recalls 'town turtles' fundraiser that placed 75 painted sculptures around town

Jan Collins, a Sandy Springs resident for more than 50 years and member of the Sandy Springs Society, described a volunteer-led fundraising project that placed artist-painted turtle sculptures across the city.

Collins said the project was organized by the Sandy Springs Society, "a group of women, 300 of us," who "decided on these turtles" to raise money to help people in the community. "We got artists to paint those turtles," she said, and the sculptures appeared "on every street corner." "Can you imagine 75 turtles out on the streets of Sandy Springs?" Collins asked.

The project, as Collins described it, combined public art with local fundraising and volunteer engagement. Collins said she "cannot wait to tell you about the town turtles" and called them her "very favorite subject in the whole wide world," framing the sculptures as a source of community pride and a way to bring neighbors together. She emphasized that such activities "bring people together and that's what we always want in a community and a good city." Collins added that neighborliness and volunteerism—people "that want to help others, want to volunteer"—are what make for a strong community.

Collins offered the account as personal recollection rather than an official city report: she identified herself as a resident and a member of the Sandy Springs Society. The transcript did not provide dates for when the turtles were placed, the exact funds raised, or the specific programs supported; those details were not specified in the interview.

Collins' remarks highlight a local example of community-led fundraising and public art in Sandy Springs, driven by a volunteer organization that sought to support residents through creative civic engagement.