The turtles are returning to Sandy Springs.

Fourteen years after the Sandy Springs Society came up with the idea of creating and selling 75 custom-painted, fiberglass turtles, raising $750,000 for philanthropy, the nonprofit’s board has agreed to offer them again.

The 2016 graduating fifth-grade class of Heards Ferry Elementary School got the first new turtle, according to society spokeswoman Elizabeth Kelly. After working with the school PTA to raise more than $3,700, the students – now at Ridgeview Middle School – returned in May to dedicate the sculpture.

Turtles will be sold upon request to schools, organizations, businesses and individuals at a cost to be determined, split between the manufacturer and the society’s endowment fund.

Purchasers will be responsible for selecting an artist, whose design must be approved by the society; and painting, sealing, mounting and maintaining the sculptures. Each turtle stands 5 feet tall and weighs about 60 pounds (add 300 pounds for the base). Information: http://sandyspringssociety.org/

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Julian Conley listens during opening statements in his trial at Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. The 25-year-old is accused of fatally shooting 8-year-old Secoriea Turner in July 2020. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)

Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com