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County adjusts polling sites for upcoming election cycle By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com
PINECREST ACADEMY/PROVIDED
Pinecrest Academy kindergarteners participate in a Stuff the Truck for the school’s annual canned food drive for the St. Joseph’s Food Pantry at St. Brendan Catholic Church. Pinecrest families and students donated a record 23,790 items in the 2023 drive.
School sees record donations in annual canned food drive FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Pinecrest Academy donated a record 23,790 items this fall in its annual canned food drive for the St. Joseph’s Food Pantry at St. Brendan Catholic Church. The drive provided frozen meat, bread, desserts, diapers, cleaning supplies, personal care items, paper goods and fresh fruit and vegetables to 2,900 families across Forsyth County. This year marked the school’s eighth year participating in the drive. St. Joseph’s Food Pantry Coordinator Barbara Gordon said the donations come at a time when the program’s inventory is exceptionally low. “We always have concerns about how we will continue to serve our families,” Gordon said. “Food donations from Pinecrest allow us to be very generous, particularly at our Christmas Food Market.”
See DONATIONS, Page 7
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Some 37,000 voters in north Forsyth County will see new polling places and adjusted precinct lines for the 2024 election cycle. The County Commission unanimously approved the new lines and locations at a formal meeting Dec. 7. The withdrawal of Concord Baptist Church as a polling place was a catalyst for the revisions. North Forsyth County residents have voted at the church for decades, but the facility elected to not host polling in 2024. Most residents who voted at Concord Baptist will now vote at Hope Fellowship Church on Matt Highway in the new Matt precinct, 51. Others who voted in Concord, precinct 27, will be distributed between the Coal Mountain and Crossroads precincts. County Voter Registrations and Elections Director Mandi Smith first presented the plans at a Board of Commissioners work session Oct. 24. The proposed changes were advertised to residents throughout November, and the Board of Voter Registrations and Elections opened an online portal for feedback. At the Dec. 7 meeting, Smith said the Elections Office received 64 online comments, half of them from voters registered in the now-retired Concord precinct. Many respondents issued a plea to continue voting at Concord Baptist, noting the increased distance between their homes and Hope Fellowship Church, as well as traffic on Ga. 369. “It’ll make it really hard to vote if I have to travel over 20 minutes away to take part in my civic duty,” one person wrote. County Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills said
FORSYTH COUNTY/PROVIDED
This map shows the new precinct lines in north Forsyth County for the 2024 election cycle. The changes will affect some 37,000 registered voters. she sympathized with the concerned residents. She said she has voted at the church for most of her life. “They pulled out, and there’s no way you can say, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, you can’t,’” she said. “And they’ve been doing it for a long, long time.” Mills said the withdrawal of Harmony Grove
See POLLING, Page 7
2 | December 14, 2023 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
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Roswell driver cited for DUI on Ga. 400 FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested a 33-year-old Roswell man Nov. 30 for driving while under the influence on southbound Ga. 400. Deputies reported spotting the suspect crossing over into the left and right lanes multiple times approaching Majors Road. The suspect nearly hit another vehicle in the right lane, and deputies initiated a traffic stop, the report states. Deputies reported the vehicle did not immediately stop but eventually pulled over near Shiloh Road. When speaking to the driver, deputies reported smelling an “overwhelming” odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle, and his eyes were bloodshot and red. Deputies conducted field sobriety tests and determined the suspect to be intoxicated, the report states. While searching the vehicle, deputies reported finding multiple open bottles of Bud Light behind the driver’s seat and more inside the center console that still had liquid inside. The suspect was charged with misdemeanor DUI alcohol, possession of an open alcohol container, failure to maintain lane and a windshield violation.
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FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested a 73-year-old Cumming man Nov. 30 who allegedly assaulted two land surveyors on Raskarity Road. One of the workers reported he and his coworker were surveying property when a neighboring homeowner began yelling at
PUBLIC SAFETY them for being on his property, but they said they were not. The suspect reportedly sped off down the road in his vehicle, turned around and tried to hit one of the workers, who said he had to dive out of the way. The suspect allegedly knocked over their equipment, valued at $15,000, and then drove toward the second victim, the report states. The victims reported the suspect then returned to his property to get his tractor. The suspect reportedly “messed up” portions of the gravel road and struck the victims’ front bumper before leaving the scene. Deputies later located the suspect at Home Depot on Mathis Airport Parkway. The suspect allegedly struck a deputy, spit on their face and initially refused to walk during his arrest. The suspect was charged with felony aggravated assault, criminal damage to property in the second degree and obstruction of law enforcement officers by threats or violence. He was also charged with misdemeanor simple assault and criminal trespass damage.
Deputies arrest suspect in Hopewell Road burglary FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested a 23-year-old Gainesville woman Nov. 30 who allegedly burglarized an uninhabited home on Hopewell Road. The victim reported Nov. 20 he and his sister care for the property, which belongs to his deceased parents. He said he saw a red car parked in the car port outside the home, and his sister confirmed no one was supposed to be there. He reported the screen door connecting the car port to the house had been kicked in, but there were no signs of forced entry. The victim’s sister said she may have left the door unlocked. The victim reported when he pulled into the driveway, the suspect vehicle moved to the back of the house. He encountered a male and two female
suspects in the car port, and the male was carrying an old trunk from the house, the report states. The male suspect reportedly apologized, and the three suspects left in their vehicle heading north on Hopewell Road. The victim’s sister reported a set of silverware was missing from the house, and several drawers and wardrobes had been open and rummaged. One of the female suspects was later arrested and charged with felony forced residence burglary in the first degree. There is no arrest information available for the second female suspect, and the male suspect has not been identified.
Retired cop builds case on cooking oil theft JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A retired Miami cop flagged down police Nov. 28, advising them of men who removed cooking oil from his company-owned tank at Zaxby’s on State Bridge Road. He said two men, driving a white Isuzu NPR, had just left the location and drove down State Bridge toward Medlock Bridge Road, according to the incident report. He told police he didn’t want to pursue criminal charges because he is developing a larger case with the Gwinnett County Police Department. Police followed the vehicle, and witnessed it pull into the parking lot of Longhorn’s Steakhouse at around 1 a.m. They saw the vehicle had a large silver tank, hoses and a pump, with “Recycling Used Cooking Oil Collection” printed on it, the report says. Police initiated a stop on the vehicle and identified the driver as a Buford man and the passenger from Norcross. The driver told police he had accidentally pulled into the business and was not there to collect cooking oil. Police observed a map application on the driver’s phone, the report says, but the driver was unable to show a list of locations he was traveling to collect cooking oil and showed blank work orders.
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Regional agency official highlights housing problem By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com DUNWOODY, Ga. — Atlanta Regional Commission COO Michael Alexander calls some of the housing issues facing Metro Atlanta a “gut punch.” Equipped with loads of data, Alexander explained a number of trends facing Metro Atlanta at an event hosted by the Perimeter and Sandy Springs Perimeter chambers Nov. 30. More than 50 people attended, including Dunwoody Mayor L ynn Deutsch and other elected officials. Housing affordability was the key issue dominating the conversation that morning. The so-called “gut punch” is that 63 percent of Metro Atlanta residents can’t afford to move to another house or apartment in a neighborhood where they currently live. They’re stuck, but the racial disparities in accumulating wealth doesn’t help — an alarming figure that caught a few gasps around the room is that Black families have one egg in their baskets for every 10 that White families have. Racial disparity But, people generally don’t think the conditions are that harsh. According to Alexander’s data on wealth equity, if a typical White family has “100 units of overall wealth,” Black people believe Black families have 36 units. And, White people? They believe Black families have nearly double that amount. “I use this to say we don’t really understand how the system performs,” Alexander said. Level of wealth is a cumulative impact, he said, and that from cradle to career, White people have the advantage. He offered a personal anecdote. Alexander said his grandparents were given land by his greatgrandparents — they got to build a house, never owned a mortgage, and his grandfather cut the wood himself after World War II. “They didn’t make any money, but they didn’t spend any money. They saved enough [so] that in critical moments, they gave me money to help me get through college.” Alexander said this was a “critical advantage” for him. “Many people, especially of color, didn’t have my grandfather, and it starts to add up quickly,” Alexander said.
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Michael Alexander, COO of the Atlanta Regional Commission, leads a data-heavy presentation on topics like population growth, racial disparities and the housing market in Metro Atlanta in an event hosted by the Perimeter and Sandy Springs Perimeter chambers at Park Center in Dunwoody Nov. 30. Following Alexander’s presentation, the audience had some questions but mostly insight. One Black woman described the effects of gentrification in the City of Atlanta, in part because of when the Olympics came to town and broke up affordable housing. She said Black people have exceedingly limited options to build wealth. But, a White man was more optimistic, tracking with the data Alexander provided. He said the American Dream isn’t dead, but that it “couldn’t be more alive right now.” The man commented on how owning a house builds wealth, whether “White or Black.” He said one of his four daughters owns one and that her wealth will grow 40 to 45 times more in a five- to seven-year period than that of another daughter who doesn’t own a house. The man said the younger generation say they just don’t want the responsibility. “When we think about homeownership, like what it’s done, how much wealth got generated — some people got left out,” Alexander said in response. “We gotta fix that.” What to do? Dunwoody City Councilman Joe Seconder asked for action items on how to solve the problems at-hand. Alexander said it’s going to take the focus of all levels of government. “I'm very pro-market, but the markets have not in our history functioned in a way that provided
housing for people that really needed it…” Alexander said. Earlier, he had emphasized what local governments can and cannot do.
What local governments cannot do is control things like costs for land, material and labor. They also can’t control wages, interest rates and many other variables. But, what they can do is control land use and building permits. They can create local programs to mitigate the problems, provide property tax relief, among other initiatives. In a problem-solving effort, the Atlanta Regional Commission created a Local Leadership Housing Action Committee, consisting of 13 county commissioners and mayors committed to addressing the worsening state of housing affordability in Metro Atlanta. Mayor Deutsch is a member, along with Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul. One outcome, Alexander said, was that the City of Decatur adopted a “missing middle” ordinance, addressing the lack of diversity in housing. “Mike Alexander, Decatur resident with his official hat off, was very supportive of that,” Alexander said. “And, the clouds didn’t turn dark, the world didn't collapse, and it does give us a lot more flexibility.”
4 | December 14, 2023 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
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First woman CEO at Emory leaves behind transformed hospital By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Marilyn Margolis, who recently retired as CEO of Emory Johns Creek, recalled the steps she took to reshape a hospital where many in the community didn’t want to receive medical care. Margolis arrived in 2011 as the chief nursing officer and began making strides to improve the hospital’s reputation. She spoke with the Johns Creek mayor at the time and joined various boards within the city. Margolis also posted her phone number on Nextdoor, asking people to call her about the problems they were seeing so she could fix them. “I got a very good understanding early on, which was what was wrong, and … because I had a lot of experience, I knew how to turn some of those things around,” Margolis said. “I knew how to make the wait time in the ER shorter, I knew how to make people feel like they were part of the family.” Before turning to Johns Creek, Margolis had been at Emory University Hospital since the early ’80s. She started as a bedside nurse, a role that patients interact with most, for
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry presents Marilyn Margolis with a commendation Nov. 14 recognizing her work as CEO of Emory Johns Creek and throughout the community. 15 years. Along the way, she earned her master’s degree in nursing administration. Margolis spent much of her nursing career in Emory’s Cardiac Care Unit, with patients waiting for heart transplants. It was then that she took
part in the inception of a patientcentered approach to health care. “What we did as a group, and what I learned as a leader, is to sort of put yourself at the door, and know that whoever’s in the bed needs you,” she said. “They need you fully devoted. They need your knowledge. They need your compassion.” Making changes Margolis carried with her practices from Emory University, such as Structured Interdisciplinary Bedside Rounds, that places experts in all facets of a patient’s care plan in front of them. “A really big problem we had was how do we talk to the patient and their family, so that they’re understanding what’s going on,” Margolis said. In 2020, Margolis said Emory Johns Creek was designated as a Magnet hospital through a program developed by the American Nurses Association for nursing excellence which was instrumental in maintaining staff level through the COVID-19 pandemic.
That same year, amid the “COVID craziness,” two floors were added to the hospital and three floors were added to the medical office building. Emory Johns Creek also got a parking garage, four more beds in the Intensive Care Unit and two more operating rooms. “If you didn’t have a solid culture and a solid set of leaders and nurses and pharmacists … it takes everybody,” Margolis said. “We were in just a really good spot to do a lot of hard work for a lot of people.” Without a partnership with the community, Margolis said a hospital like Emory Johns Creek wouldn’t survive. This is why one of the first things she and other hospital leaders did was to get “totally immersed” in their surroundings, joining boards and sponsoring community events. In November, the Johns Creek Chamber awarded Margolis its inaugural Lifetime Civic Leadership Award for her work throughout the community. She had served on the Chamber’s Board of Directors for years, including two years as its chair. “She’s just a powerhouse,” said Robin Buckley, president of the Johns Creek Chamber. “Big things come in small packages, they say.” Because of Margolis’ position and her belief in the community, Buckley said Johns Creek has seen immense financial benefits. Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry characterized Margolis as an “institution” in the community at the Nov. 14 City Council meeting where she was awarded a commendation. “She has done so much, not just as the head of the hospital, but also just through all the many, many different nonprofit and philanthropic efforts that she’s been a part of,” Bradberry said. Paving the way When Margolis became the CEO of Emory Johns Creek in 2015, she was the first woman to fill the role in all of
See MARGOLIS, Page 25
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Wellstar’s Chatman to lead board for Georgia Hospital Association
WELLSTAR HEALTH SYSTEM/PROVIDED
Mary Chatman, executive vice president of acute care operations for Wellstar Health System, will lead the Georgia Hospital Associations Board of Trustees. Chatman was named chair-elect of the Board of Trustees Nov. 10.
ATLANTA — Mary Chatman, the executive vice president of acute care operations for Wellstar Health System, was elected chair of the Board of Trustees of the Georgia Hospital Association Nov. 10. Chatman has served on the Georgia Hospital Associations Board since February 2020. She will lead the Board in developing strategies for association members, advocating for the highest quality of care for patients and supporting adequate reimbursement of hospitals. Chatman succeeds Dan Owens, who most recently served as CEO of Emory University Hospital Midtown in Atlanta and Emory University Hospital Smyrna. Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Chatman to the state’s Healthcare Workforce Commission in 2021. In her position as executive vice
president, Chatman oversees operations for 11 Wellstar hospitals, rehabilitation and palliative services and emergency departments. In 2020, she led the opening of Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center’s new emergency department, the largest in the Southeast. Prior to serving in her current role, Chatman was the chief operating officer and chief nursing officer at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, where she was responsible for managing the 654-bed hospital and its nursing operations “Mary Chatman’s extensive leadership experience and skills make her well-equipped to lead our Board,” GHA President and CEO Caylee Noggle said. “She is a strong patient advocate, and her experience will serve our
members well.” Atlanta Magazine named Chatman among the 2021 Women Making a Mark honorees, and Becker named her as one of the 75 Black Healthcare Leaders to Know 2022. She was also named the 2020 West Cobb Citizen of the Year for serving on the frontlines in Cobb County during the COVID-19 pandemic. Founded in 1929, the Hospital Association serves nearly 150 medical centers in Georgia and promotes its mission to advance the health of individuals and communities by serving as the leading advocate for all state health care systems. The association represents its members before the General Assembly and Congress, as well as state and federal regulatory agencies, and is an allied member of the American Hospital Association.
Alpharetta postmaster: ‘I almost feel like Santa Claus’ Post offices collect letters in 110-year-old program By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — It’s the busiest time of the year for Alpharetta Postmaster Teara Smith and for the carriers she oversees across three locations. While the numbers haven’t been finalized, Smith said postal workers are “really feeling it” this year with a significant increase in parcels to push for zip codes that cover Alpharetta, Johns Creek and Milton. Among Smith’s personal duties are collecting letters to Santa, written by hopeful kids looking forward to filled requests. She recently had a stand-up talk with her employees to ensure all the letters have the names, addresses and stamps. For those letters that don’t have a stamp, Smith pulls from her personal stamp collection. “Technically, we’re supposed to give it back,” she said. “But, it’s a child, and I’m a softy.” So far, Smith has sent more than 30 to Santa’s workshop. The program, Operation Santa, has been around for 110 years, but it wasn’t until 2019 that anyone in the country could adopt a letter online and respond to the writer. “It’s sweet, it’s thoughtful,” Smith said. “Christmas should be like
Alpharetta Postmaster Teara Smith sits at her desk at the Webb Bridge Post Office. Smith, so far, has collected around 30 letters to Santa as part of a program that started more than 100 years ago. As of 2019, people from all over the country have been adopting these letters online and responding.
The Webb Bridge Post Office is one of three Alpharetta locations that Postmaster Teara Smith oversees. She also manages the post office on Old Milton Parkway and the Crosstown Carrier Annex on Crossville Road.
that.” She said many of the carriers will dress up for the holiday, like one of her employees who drives a 2-ton delivery truck. He becomes Santa. Smith, who drives more than an hour from her Jefferson home to her Webb Bridge office, began her career with the U.S. Postal Service as a carrier almost 26 years ago. “My husband probably says, ‘You love that job too much’” Smith said. “But I do. I get joy out of it, and this time of year, I really do — the
Service Nov. 21 press release, up from 60 million the year before. To accomplish the feat, the Postal Service also announced a goal to hire 10,000 seasonal employees in addition to the 150,000 employees who have converted to full-time positions in the past two years. In Alpharetta, Smith said schedules begin earlier to tackle holiday output. “Even though it may be a lot, we’re pushing,” she said. “We’re getting it to them the same day.”
PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
customers, their kids. We connect them to their parcels, to their items. It’s a joy you get out of it … I almost feel like Santa Claus.” Deliveries have increased since Smith joined the Postal Service, a time when Amazon wasn’t around. “Now, it’s a lot, but we enjoy delivering it,” she said. “This is our season. We look forward to it.” Around 70 million packages are expected to be processed each day across the country this holiday season, according to a U.S. Postal
6 | December 14, 2023 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
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Cambridge High School Theatre wins top spot in state tourney MILTON, Ga. — The Cambridge High School Theatre won first place in the 5A conference at the Georgia High School Association’s One Act Play State Championship Nov. 11. GHSA awarded the Cambridge Bridge Ensemble Theatre for its performance of “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane,” a one-act play adapted by Dwayne Hartford from author Kate DiCamillo’s novel. Performers Cade Alexander and Nyla Turner were named all-star cast, and Benjamin Terry was named best actor in the 5A conference.
Polling: Continued from Page 1
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Baptist Church and relocation of polling to the Atlanta Cricket Fields is a similar example in recent years. Mills said she called several other churches in the area seeking a polling place closer to voters, but the churches declined, citing concerns about logistics and political tensions. Also under the precinct changes, residents who voted at Cumming City Hall will now vote at the Cumming Recreation and Parks Event Center at 437 Pilgrim Mill Road. Smith said voters affected by the changes will receive notification in the mail. The changes will be reflected in early January after the Elections Office inputs the new information into the statewide database. In other matters at the meeting, the Board of Commissioners approved a previously contentious development on Mullinax, Union Hill and Fowler Hill roads. Originally proposed by Northpoint Capital Investment Holdings as a master planned district, the project had been postponed five times since May. The 140-acre site is home to the former Kennemore Wholesale Nursery, which residents say has fallen into
Donations: Continued from Page 1 School staff commended Pinecrest families for their hard work in the drive. One parent organized a food drive at her workplace that collected more than 1,200 items for the pantry, and two siblings collected donations in a wagon in their neighborhood. Pinecrest Academy also celebrated
The Bridge Ensemble Theatre also won first at the GHSA Regional Competition at North Springs High School in October. At the regional competition, the group won best technical execution. Performers Tanner Moshell and Manuela Nagliati Farias Santos won all-star cast recognitions; Nyla Turner was named best actress; and Benjamin Terry was named best actor. Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison presented the Cambridge High School Theatre with a proclamation Nov. 17. — Shelby Israel
Forsyth County polling information Voters can review the new precinct lines, polling places, maps and further information online by visiting: forsythco.com, then clicking on Voter Registration & Elections and navigate to Precinct and Polling Place Changes. The direct link is: forsythco. com/Departments-Offices/VoterRegistrations-Elections/ProposedPrecinct-and-Polling-Place-Changes.
disrepair. The project was previously billed as an improved version of Vickery Village, a popular destination in west Forsyth County. But, the rezoning failed to gain enough traction for approval, and area residents attended previous meetings to share their opposition. To move the long-deferred development forward, project staff changed the request from a master planned district to an 8.65-acre commercial business district with 131.8 acres of single-family residential. Commissioners also approved a new microbrewery off Ga. 400 and Pilgrim Mill Road. the opening of its second entrance with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 17. The new road, Pinecrest Academy Way, adds access to the school from the traffic light at Peachtree Parkway and Stoney Point Road. Nov. 17 also marked Grandparents Day at the school. Staff said hundreds of grandparents visited the campus for an all-school Mass, breakfast, classroom visits and book fair shopping. — Shelby Israel
Health care for our pets is moving much more, more and more [to the] human health care arena. HEATHER MOORE, PetCentric Health CEO 8 | Forsyth Herald | December 14, 2023
Vet offers preventative plans to Metro Atlanta pet owners By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com ROSWELL, Ga. — As more people look for cost-effective alternatives to traditional veterinary visits, Peach Vet Pet Wellness and PetCentric Health aim to make care accessible to Metro Atlanta pet owners. Dr. Juliette Van Galder opened Peach Vet Pet Wellness, a boutique clinic in Suite 900 at 601 Houze Way in Roswell, in March 2022. Peach Vet offers the standard array of veterinary care, including microchipping; spaying and neutering; wellness exams; surgeries; and diagnostics, as well as dental care. But, Van Galder said the clinic is dedicated to making visits as fearless as possible for patients. After opening, she said she offered her own primary care plans to help customers until partnering with PetCentric in June. “I saw the value in what they could offer as a support system,” she said. “I feel like since we’re a small team, I just didn’t want to have too many caveats with managing the ‘what ifs’ with the care plan.” Peach Vet’s partnership with PetCentric enables owners to come in sooner, so needed visits are not postponed because of cost barriers. The primary care plans allow owners to budget and save up to 45 percent on annual wellness exams, preventative tests and vaccines. “That’s always important to me to give someone an option, if they don’t have the budget to pay,” Van Galder said.
SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA
Dr. Juliette Van Galder owns Peach Vet Pet Wellness in Roswell. The boutique clinic opened at 601 Houze Way in March 2022 and offers primary care plans to help pet owners avoid large bills through preventative care. Peach Vet is the first Georgia and flagship Atlanta partner of PetCentric Health, a primary care and digital database manager for pet owners and veterinary clinics. CEO Heather Moore founded PetCentric in mid-2022 to provide pet owners with plans that offer financial predictability, ensuring they can follow their vet’s recommendations without the concern of cost. “PetCentric Health was founded to be an innovative solution as to traditional wellness,” Moore said. “So, we consider ourselves a subscriptionbased primary care company. So, we work with clinics to custom design an in-house health plan, primary health
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plan, for their patients that they can offer through a subscription-based method.” Typically, owners visit the vet when their pet is sick, and vets charge owners on a traditional feebased model. If owners cannot afford treatment their vet recommends, it is often deferred, which can escalate into more expensive and life-threatening conditions. “That model no longer meets pet parents or vets where they need to be,” Moore said. “Anything around health, human through pet, you see that the movement of our society, you know, we’re not a strong cash-based society. We’re a subscription-based society.”
Owners can pay monthly or annually for primary care plans, which are geared toward preventative care to stop costs from becoming overwhelming if illnesses progress. At Peach Vet, customers can choose between puppy, adult and senior dog plans based on their pet’s age and needs. The clinic also offers one feline primary care plan. PetCentric’s plans differ from pet insurance, which often covers large, unexpected bills or compensates clients retroactively through reimbursement. Although primary care plans do not cover emergency visits like insurance, PetCentric’s plans provide a pet flexible spend allowance that reserves money to be used on exams and expenses outside of routine wellness. “It’s kind of a catch-all for minor issues for which pet insurance is still not really appropriate,” Moore said. “In fact, it might be below their deductible, or they don’t really need pet insurance, but it’s kind of that bucket that pet parents can use for whatever the individual needs are for their pet.” Van Galder said she still recommends enrolling in pet insurance as early as possible. As primary care plans focus on preventative and routine check-ups, insurance can help owners navigate large emergency bills. “I’ve had some situations where even young dogs are diagnosed with this rare disease, and they’re already on insurance, and it has covered and helped them get the treatment they need,” she said. Moore also said inflation and rising
See VET, Page 9
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AppenMedia.com/Forsyth | Forsyth Herald | December 14, 2023 | 9
NEW BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Continued from Page 8 medical costs put downward pressure on local vets, as raising the cost of services would make them inaccessible to many customers. The primary care plans offered by PetCentric help owners afford the services their pets need, while helping local vets retain their customers and remain competitive against big industry players like Chewy, which can undercut local operations with lower costs. As primary care alternatives bring customers back to their local clinics, Moore said pets win by receiving important care, and veterinarians win by seeing the support of their local community. PetCentric also offers local vet clinics digital services that would otherwise be managed in-house and place a heavy burden on clinic staff. “We manage the pet parent subscriptions,” Moore said. “We manage all of the administrative items for the vet, and then we also create the digital experience for the pet parent.” The digital experience is like the patient portal or virtual chart that a human would have. Owners can track their pet’s last vaccination dates, view real-time health data and see what is
SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA
Peach Vet Pet Wellness offers primary care plans for Metro Atlanta pets in Suite 900 at 601 Houze Way in Roswell. The clinic partnered with PetCentric Health in June to make preventative care more accessible to the community. included in their health plan. Van Galder said her main drive for offering the plans is to enable her customers to not wait until their pets are sick. Above all, PetCentric’s plans ensure owners can get their pets the care they need. “Health care for our pets is moving much more, more and more [to the] human health care arena,” Moore said. “We need to have better solutions for how people pay for their care than what’s out there or what has traditionally been available.” To learn more about Peach Vet and its services, visit peachvet.com.
Name: Alloy Personal Training West Roswell Owner: Jenn Benson Description: Alloy Personal Training offers small group personal training with a specific focus on functional strength in an age group of 40+. We are perfect for clients with injuries and people who prefer customized sessions with 2-6 people. Opened: August 2023 Address: 24 E. Crossville Rd. Suite #130 Roswell, GA 30075 Phone: 770-629-8853 Web Address: www.alloypersonaltraining.com/location/westroswell-ga/
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10 | December 14, 2023 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
DOMESTIQUE DAY IN MILTON
NEWS
Elves prepare ‘Santa-ready’ bikes at volunteer workshop By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com MILTON, Ga. — More than 100 volunteers, working with Bike Alpharetta and North Fulton Community Charities, assembled and repaired hundreds of bikes collected since September to be distributed to kids in need for Christmas. For 14 years, North Fulton Community Charities has benefited from Domestique Day – the culmination of Bike Alpharetta’s “Bikes for Kids” program. Held at the Milton City Park and Preserve Dec. 9, volunteers served as domestiques — meaning “helpers” in French — to provide Santa-ready bikes to kids through North Fulton Community Charities’ Toyland Shop. “Domestique” is a word often used in pro cycling, referring to the team members who work to support the team leader. Elves, both children and adults, arrived at 8 a.m. sharp and stayed busy at their stations preparing nearly 530 bikes. Accompanying the bikes were 325 new helmets and another 75 that were donated. One room in the Community Center
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Jackie Tyson, founder of Bike Alpharetta, explains the recycling process for any donated bikes that are not salvageable. was dedicated to assembling new, snap-together bikes. After donated bikes were power washed outside, they were wheeled to the basement for detailing, then another room where they were repaired by mechanics and later inspected. Jackie Tyson, founder of Bike
Alpharetta, said bikes that were too rusty to be salvaged would later be recycled. “We’ve made a huge effort in the past four or five years [to] not put any metal or rubber in a landfill,” Tyson said. Bikes For Kids was started in 2007
by the Mullenbach family, who had collected 65 bikes in their Johns Creek neighborhood. Since then, Bikes For Kids has provided more than 4,700 bicycles and tricycles as well as nearly 1,900 new youth helmets all free of charge to North Fulton Community Charities. Due to rising costs in food, rent and other essentials this year, NFCC Community Events Manager Janet Dahlstrom said the nonprofit has seen a 20-to-30 percent increase in all its programs, including Toyland. Dahlstrom said there is a record number of families signed up this year, about 630 families which includes around 1,500 children. Tyson said the No. 1 requested items are bikes. Before Bike Alpharetta took over the program a decade ago, Tyson had volunteered. She said her drive to provide bikes to children stems from the feeling of riding on her first bike that her father had bought at 8 years old. “It felt like wonderful freedom to go out and have the wind in my face and do something on my own,” Tyson said. “I don't want [children] to miss that opportunity to have their own bicycle.”
Fire Department pancake breakfast draws hundreds By ADAM DARBY newroom@appenmedia.com MILTON, Ga. — The Milton FireRescue Department hosted its annual Pancake Breakfast with Santa Claus Dec. 9 from 8 to 10 a.m. at Fire Station 44 on Ga. 9. Hundreds of families gathered to celebrate the holiday season and enjoy fellowship with their community. The family-friendly event included a free breakfast cooked and served by the city’s own fire rescue team along with balloon animals from one of Santa’s elves and a raffle drawing. The Grinch also made a special appearance to cause mischief at the station stealing presents and decorations. “I think the positive feedback is what we see here this morning,” said Deputy Fire Chief Alex Fortner. “We have hundreds upon hundreds of people attending the event. Families, children, and everybody’s dressed up. We have people in their Christmas pajamas. It’s great to see this kind of turnout and this kind of love for our
ADAM DARBY/APPEN MEDIA
Families gather at the Milton Fire Department to celebrate the holiday season with a homestyle breakfast and photos with Santa. community.” Families also had the opportunity to register in advance for a 15-minute time slot to take a special photo on Santa’s lap by the Christmas tree.
Children excitedly waited in line to meet the holiday icon and tell him about their Christmas gift wishes. Pre-registered timeslots and the waiting list filled up quickly.
The Fire Deparment has held the event since 2014, bringing families and friends together. For nearly a decade, children have enjoyed the chance to see firetrucks up close before eating a delicious breakfast and spending quality time with Santa Claus. Families are also encouraged to bring a new toy to donate to a child in need. Deputy Fire Chief Fortner said he feels fortunate to have seen the event attract so many excited families and children over the years. “I think the positive feedback is what we see here this morning,” Fortner said. “We have hundreds upon hundreds of people attending the event. Families, children, and everybody’s dressed up.” Free parking was available around Stonecreek Church and the adjacent office complex. For more information on the event, please contact Milton Community Outreach Manager Emily Salerno at emily.salerno@miltonga. gov. To learn more about the Fire Department’s community outreach and involvement opportunities, visit www.miltonga.gov/government/fire.
AppenMedia.com/Forsyth | Forsyth Herald | December 14, 2023 | 11
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12 | December 14, 2023 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
NEWS
Students push mental health with Mind 5K By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com ROSWELL, Ga. — More than 100 North Fulton students gathered at Riverside Park Nov. 29 to raise mental health awareness with a fun run 5K hosted by the Cambridge High School girls lacrosse program. The program’s second annual Run for the Mind 5K was hosted in partnership with Morgan’s Message, a national advocacy nonprofit that seeks to end the stigma of mental health in student athletes through support and community. The group was founded in 2020 by the parents and teammates of Morgan Rodgers, a Duke University lacrosse player who took her own life after a years-long mental health struggle. To tackle mental health challenges among young people, the Cambridge girls lacrosse program hosted a virtual 5K from Nov. 26 through Dec. 2, with a portion of the proceeds donated to Morgan’s Message. In 2022, the 5K raised more than $13,000 and drew more than 200 participants to the race. The 2023 fundraiser will continue through the upcoming spring lacrosse season. The virtual 5K culminated with the 4:30 p.m. fun run at Riverside Park Nov. 29. Cambridge senior Annie Ritter, a member on the girls varsity lacrosse team for four years, also participated in 2022. She said the team walked the course last year, but this time, participants ran. “It was just so fun walking last year because we were just walking the whole time, just talking and having fun conversations,” Ritter said. “We would pass by other teams and all wave to each other. It was just a really, really bonding experience, I think, overall, and I’m glad we’re doing it again this year.” Cambridge Girls Varsity Lacrosse head coach Pam Masinko welcomed runners from the school’s boys lacrosse; swim and dive; track and field; cross country; and girls basketball teams in the minutes before kickoff. On Nov. 30, she said students from Roswell High School and players from Power Finesse Lacrosse also participated. “It doesn’t matter what sport we play — male, female, where we are,” Masinko said. “Mental health impacts us all. And I want to get the message out as best I can, through just saying, ‘It’s okay to not always
PHOTOS BY SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA
Participants gather for a group photo at a fun run 5K hosted by the Cambridge High School girls lacrosse program at Riverside Park Nov. 29. The race was the culmination of the team’s second annual Run for the Mind 5K fundraiser.
Cambridge High School Girls Varsity Lacrosse Head Coach Pam Masinko welcomes participants to a fun run 5K hosted by the girls lacrosse program at Riverside Park Nov. 29. Masinko addressed how mental health impacts everyone. be okay.’” A 30-second video will be featured on the new scoreboard at all home Cambridge High School sports games to promote mental health awareness and Morgan’s Message. Sponsors of the 2023 race included The Summit Counseling Center, JUNA Salon, Jamison Private Wealth Management, Angie Browning Photography, Briggs Vision Group Optique, Bluegrass salon, Southern Zone Lacrosse, Power Finesse Lacrosse and Atlanta Fine Homes.
More information on mental health and suicide prevention resources can be found at morgansmessage. org/resources.
Morgan’s Message ambassadors Kayla Soltys, Katie Vanderlinde, Emma Johnson and Erin Degnan stand ready to distribute bracelets, stickers and flyers at Riverside Park Nov. 29. Morgan’s Message seeks to end the stigma of mental health in student athletes through support and community.
Runners gather before a 5K hosted by the Cambridge High School girls lacrosse program at Riverside Park Nov. 29. More than 100 students from multiple sports participated in the second annual race just before sunset.
AppenMedia.com/Forsyth | Forsyth Herald | December 14, 2023 | 13
THIS HOLIDAY SEASON TIP YOUR NEWSPAPER DELIVERY PERSON This holiday season, consider giving your newspaper delivery person a tip for their weekly delivery of the free community newspaper to your driveway. These folks work hard to make sure you are informed of all the local happenings, rain or shine, week in and week out. Importantly, at Appen Media, we have always been intentional about our desire to keep delivery of our newspapers free. That said, it would mean the world to us if you would consider tipping your newspaper delivery person so that they will have a little extra money for the holiday season. If you can help us help these amazing people, we promise to keep delivering high quality news to your driveway, for free, every week. Free home delivery of 105,000 homes is hard work – and we couldn’t do it without our amazing delivery folks.
How you can give your delivery person a tip: 1 We have created an online portal at www.appenmedia.com/deliverytip.
100% of every dollar you contribute will be spread out evenly between the 24 newspaper delivery people that Appen Media employs. Whether you give $5 or $50, they will greatly appreciate it. 2 If you prefer, you can also mail a check made out to “Appen Media Group C/O Newspaper Delivery Tip” to 319 North Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.
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The holidays are fast approaching and it’s easy to get lost in the wonders, gift giving and traditions of the season. For the older loved ones in our lives, this can be a difficult time. Over 25% of seniors experience depression at this time of year. Whether it’s suddenly feeling physical limitations, loneliness or social isolation, the best gift you can give to older family and friends is making a concerted effort to bring joy home for their holidays. Spreading holiday cheer starts with a thoughtful assessment of what realistic expectations now are and how to help navigate the holiday with grace. Something as simple as decorating a tree may pose a physical challenge. Have a decorating event - help with unpacking, setting up the tree and unwrapping treasured ornaments. Make sure decorating is done safely, with clear walkways and access. Share a cookie baking session and listen to favorite carols. Take a drive to visit lighting displays. Preparations for holiday dinner can be exhausting, so help with the cooking and table setting. Whether it’s reviving traditions or creating new ones, make sure to take holiday events at their pace. Perhaps they’ll actively engage and participate or just enjoy observing. Shopping can be very difficult and stressful. You can help put together their shopping list, assist with online shopping that may be confusing, have
a “wrap party” and make sure you help keep the gift giving budget reasonable for seniors on a fixed income. A wonderful gift for your older loved one may be one that helps them continue to enjoy their home. Consider a bath chair or grab bars for their bath that provide safety and continued comfort. As you think of the perfect gift, it may be time for the gift of care. The companionship and skills of a Home Helpers Caregiver can make a beautiful difference in their life. Caregivers can assist with all personal care, help around the house and provide specialized care for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, etc. Our carefully matched and talented caregivers not only bring skills, but a heart centered approach and positive spirit that boosts confidence and provides the best possible quality of life for our clients and their families. Whether it’s a few days a week, helping with recovery after surgery or coming home from a rehabilitation center, we’re here to help. Don’t forget to bring some joy to the family caregiver on your list. A skilled caregiver can help provide some private time, lend balance and relieve some of the stress and burnout that comes with caring for a loved one. For a free consultation and exceptional care management by a team with depth and skill from six hours a day, several days a week to 24/7 and live-in care, please call Home Helpers of Alpharetta and North Atlanta Suburbs at (770) 6810323.
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Skin Cancer & Mohs Surgery • Medical Dermatology Vein Care • Cosmetic Services
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Fourteen-year-old wins science award for soap that treats skin cancer Brought to you by – Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta Young innovator Heman Bekele recently won 3M’s Young Scientist Challenge by creating a bar of soap that might be able to treat skin cancer. Starting out, he wanted to invent a treatment for skin cancer that could be used in developing countries. Such a treatment would need to be inexpensive and stable outside of air-conditioned environments. He wondered if medicated soap could fit the bill. Heman’s soap combines four ingredients: salicylic acid, glycolic acid, tretinoin and a medication called imidazoquinoline. Tretinoin is commonly known as Retin-A® and is the main ingredient in many anti-acne and anti-wrinkle creams. Salicyclic acid and glycolic acid are common anti-wart treatments. Together, tretinoin, salicyclic acid and glycolic acid can disrupt a person’s skin barrier so that other medicines can better penetrate the skin. This strategy could allow imidazoquinoline to better enter the skin and perform its job. Imidazoquinoline is an activator or “agonist” of toll like receptor (TLR) number 7. TLR’s are a family of proteins on the surface of many cells of our immune system. When these proteins are activated, the immune system becomes more active. TLR7, the protein targeted by Heman Bekele’s soap, is normally activated by certain viruses. TLR7 stimulates a part of the immune system that is important for fighting infections and cancer. Given that some skin diseases such as HPVrelated squamous cell carcinoma are both an infection and a cancer, targeting TLR7 has been a winning strategy for fighting certain cancers. In fact, Aldara®
(generic name “imiquimod”) is a toll like receptor 7 agonist (activator) that has been FDA approved since 1997 and is used for the treatment of superficial basal cell skin cancers, certain types of warts, and pre-cancers called actinic keratoses. Aldara®’s clearance rates for superficial basal cell carcinoma are reasonable at approximately 75%. Unfortunately, Aldara® is known to be a relatively fragile cream. It is supplied in boxes of 12 or 24 single-use packets. Common wisdom is that a partially used packet may be refrigerated overnight and used the next day. However, the package insert says that they are single use and must be stored at 39 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit and should not be frozen. These restrictions are reasonable in the United States but are not conducive to use in developing countries without access to refrigeration and temperature-controlled transportation. Heman Bekele’s soap could be ground-breaking if clinical trials take place and if they prove that imidazoquinoline can stand up to acids, heat, cold, water and repetitive use. Furthermore, potency with short application time might be an issue – how long would someone need to leave the soap on their skin for it to work? If successful, a hardy soap could be a useful vehicle as a topical cancer treatment. His research is likely at an early stage, but regardless, it is encouraging to read about young innovators problem-solving, thinking globally and trying to make the world a better place. Congratulations Heman! We hope that you enjoyed this article. If you or a loved one has skin cancer or any dermatologic or aesthetic need, please consider Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta.
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16 | December 14, 2023 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
Navigate your breast care with concierge services Brought to you by - Wellstar Comprehensive Breast Health Program When a screening mammogram result is flagged for follow-up care, it can be stressful and scary for patients and their loved ones. The Wellstar Comprehensive Breast Health Program supports patients with a full team of experts dedicated to navigating what can otherwise be an overwhelming process. This concierge service helps patients who have received abnormal screening mammogram results, along with their support systems, make informed breast health decisions. Our dedicated team of schedulers, nurse navigators and breast care specialists will stay by your side through the entire diagnostic process, offering personalized counsel at every step—and it’s complimentary for anyone who has their screening mammogram performed at a Wellstar imaging center. This integrative program, available at no additional cost to patients who have received abnormal screening mammogram results, offers consultation services via secure MyChart messaging, email and telephone calls, so you can get care anywhere. Take the first step with screenings Regular mammograms are essential to helping in the early detection of breast cancer. “If you’re at average risk of developing breast cancer, you should start annual mammograms at age 40,” said Dr. Paula Greaves, Wellstar Chief of Women’s Health. “However, if you have a family history of breast cancer or other risk factors, your provider may recommend starting earlier and will help you create a screening plan.” A 3D mammogram provides a series of detailed images of the breast, allowing healthcare providers to better evaluate breast tissue layer by layer, making fine details more visible and no longer hidden by overlapping tissue. A 3D mammogram is clinically proven to provide more accurate breast cancer screening and can help reduce false-positive callbacks for additional imaging. Call (678) 581-5900 to schedule your mammogram at one of our two locations in the North Fulton area—Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center in Roswell and Wellstar Avalon Health Park in Alpharetta. You can also ask your Wellstar provider to put your mammogram order in MyChart and you'll have the ability to schedule online. Compassionate follow-up care If your screening mammogram is abnormal and you need follow-up care, a member of the Comprehensive Breast Health Program team will contact you to schedule additional imaging, automatically including you in this complimentary concierge program. They can also answer any questions you have about the program, next steps, what to expect at your follow-up appointment and more. If your additional imaging also shows an abnormal result, your care team will remain by your side,
If you’re at average risk of developing breast cancer, you should start annual mammograms at age 40. However, if you have a family history of breast cancer or other risk factors, your provider may recommend starting earlier and will help you create a screening plan.” DR. PAULA GREAVES Wellstar Chief of Women’s Health guiding you through every additional step, which may include additional imaging, breast biopsy or specialist referral. If you’re diagnosed with breast cancer, your treatment and care will transition from the Comprehensive Breast Health Program to the Wellstar Cancer Care team. The Comprehensive Breast Health Program team will coordinate this transition, and your breast health navigator
will connect you with one of our oncology nurse navigators—registered nurses who bring a highly personalized level of guidance and support to each patient. Learn more about how Wellstar can support you at wellstar.org/breasthealth. Contact our Comprehensive Breast Health Program team by calling (470) 610-1910 or emailing breasthealth@ wellstar.org.
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18 | December 14, 2023 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
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Winter wellness Navigating seasonal depression with strength and support Brought to you by- Summit Counseling Center As the winter chill settles in, December not only brings holiday festivities, but it also sheds light on Seasonal Depression Awareness Month. Amidst the joy, it's crucial to acknowledge and address the challenges many face during this season. Here are some helpful ways to combat seasonal depression if you find yourself struggling this winter: •Establish a routine: Keep a consistent schedule of restful sleep, healthy eating, and regular exercise to ease depression symptoms. • Embrace natural light: Try to get sunlight, even in small doses, to boost serotonin levels. Light therapy can also help if you're unable to get outside
during the daytime. • Connect with loved ones: Social support can be a powerful antidote to the winter blues. Plan regular gatherings, whether virtually or inperson, with family and friends - not only for emotional support, but also to ease isolation during the colder months. • Consider therapy: Explore the benefits of therapy for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) as professional counseling can provide valuable tools and coping strategies to navigate the challenges of the season. At The Summit, we understand the unique struggles this season can pose. Our dedicated team is here to offer support and guidance. If you or someone you love is navigating seasonal depression, reach out to us. Visit www. summitcounseling.org
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Local News Is Growing This year, even more than ever before, the news is in crisis. More than 17,000 news media jobs were cut just by June, at national and local outlets including at some of the biggest names like NPR, The Texas Tribune and Gannett. In fact, newsroom layoffs are up 20% from last year. Some of these outlets laid off more than 10% of their staff in the last few months — even as we head into a critical election year. These are devastating numbers. But all is not lost. Many local and independent newsrooms continue to launch across the country. Small newsrooms like ours continue to grow, adding new journalists and expanding reporting and investigations. How is that possible? It’s all thanks to readers like you. Local news is different from other outlets: we’re strengthened by supporters who believe in the power of journalism that cares about its community. Today, during our end-of-year campaign, consider supporting us. Our newsroom — and our community — will be stronger because of you.
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22 | December 14, 2023 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
Calendar
DEC. 14 — DEC. 24
RAVINIA HOLIDAY IN LIGHTS
What: The fourth annual Ravinia Holiday in Lights, benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Holiday Wishlist program, will have attractions including a holiday light display, holiday llamas as well as Santa and Mrs. Claus for those who bring a donation. While the event is free, tickets must be reserved. When: Thursday, Dec. 14, 6-8:30 p.m. Where: Five Ravinia Drive, Ravinia Office & Retail Complex, Duwnoody More info: facebook.com/ RaviniaPerimeter
ROSWELL WINTER PUPPETS: THE NORTH POLE FA LA LA LA FOLLIES
What: Get ready for holiday high jinks as some residents of the North Pole perform in their annual talent show, a production that combines music, live vocal performances and a variety of hand and rod puppets. When: Thursday-Saturday, Dec. 1416, times vary Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell Cost: $10, free for ages 2 and under More info: roswell365.com
ATLANTA VOCAL PROJECT: RINGIN’ IN THE HOLIDAYS
What: The Atlanta Vocal Project brings Atlanta’s acclaimed a cappella community together for their annual holiday concert. When: Saturday, Dec. 16, 3 p.m. Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell Cost: $20 to $30 More info: roswell365.com
A KIDS’ CHRISTMAS
What: Join the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra for a sensory-friendly holiday concert where dancing, singalongs, Santa Claus and reindeer magic bring people of all abilities together to celebrate the holiday season. When: Saturday, Dec. 16, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Where: Johns Creek United Methodist Church, 11180 Medlock Bridge Road, Johns Creek Cost: $17 to $30
IRVING BERLIN’S ‘WHITE CHRISTMAS’
What: Based on the 1954 film, the musical “White Christmas” features veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis who have a successful song-and-dance act after World War II. With romance in mind, the two follow two beautiful singing sisters en route to their Christmas show at a Vermont lodge, which just happens to be owned by Bob and Phil’s former army commander. When: Until Dec. 24, times vary Where: Byers Theatre, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs Cost: $42 to $110 More info: cityspringstheatre.com
More info: johnscreeksymphony.org
‘SHE LOVES ME’
What: “She Loves Me” is a romanticcomedy musical based on Mike Lazlos’ play “Parfuemerie,” a production that has inspired many movie adaptations including “You’ve Got Mail’’ starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. When: Until Dec. 17, times vary Where: Act1 Theatre, 180 Academy Street, Alpharetta Cost: $20 to $25 More info: act1theater.org
‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’
What: This beloved American holiday classic comes to life as a live 1940s radio broadcast. With the help of an ensemble that brings a few dozen characters to the stage, the story of idealistic George Bailey unfolds as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve. When: Until Dec. 17, times vary Where: Stage Door Theatre, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody Cost: $28 for adults; $20 for students; $15 for children More info: stagedoortheatrega.org
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‘NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION’ MOVIE PARTY What: In this immersive experience, the Sandy Springs Cinema & Taphouse will show a screening of ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’ alongside special props like pine tree air fresheners, yellow glow sticks and ugly neckties to help you feel like you’re an honorary Griswold. When: Wednesday, Dec. 20, 7 p.m. Where: The Springs Cinema & Taphouse, 5920 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs Cost: $18 More info: springscinema.com
CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS ON THE GREEN
What: Join the Local Church Milton at the Christmas Eve “Eve” Candlelight Service. Sing carols, hear an inspirational message and light a candle with your friends and neighbors at this free, public event. When: Saturday, Dec. 23, 5:30 p.m. Where: The Green at Crabapple Market, 12650 Crabapple Rd, Milton More info: crabapplemarketga.com
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TONY THOMAS: ‘SCENES FROM MY TRAVELS’
What: See original drawings and paintings by local artist Tony Thomas, including of the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, Multnomah Falls and Devils Tower National Monument. When: Until Jan. 12, business hours Where: Community Gallery at City Hall, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta More info: alpharetta.ga.us
Happy Holidays
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24 | December 14, 2023 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
NEWS
Fencers gain confidence at top-ranked Innovation Academy By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Innovation Academy fencing club is dominating state rankings at a school dominated by academics. Opened in 2021, Innovation Academy on Milton Avenue in Alpharetta is a STEM magnet school where students can hone their skills in engineering, health sciences and information technology. The school only has one Georgia High School Association sport: eSports. Despite the lack of a strong athletic presence, the school joined the Georgia High School Fencing League on behalf of its growing fencing club. Now, Innovation Academy is ranked number one in both the men and the women categories of the league’s 19 member schools, and its team boasts more than 80 members, compared to the average high school team of 25 to 35. The club is led by head coach Bill Donges, a retired Navy captain who started his own fencing career at Newfield High School in Selden, New York. There, he fenced under famed Coach Tom Cakouros and went on to become captain. In addition to his career at Newfield, Donges served as fencing captain at the U.S. Naval Academy. “I was on gifted teams and did really well,” he said. “We did really well.” But, Donges said he went many years without thinking about fencing until seeing a local tournament in the Dunwoody Crier. There, he said people asked him to take up coaching, and soon Donges found himself heading the team at North Springs High School. Donges began at the newly opened Innovation Academy in 2021. His granddaughter Anna Donges, who had fenced under his guidance at North Springs, now studies and fences at Innovation Academy. Another former fencer at North Springs, Tyler McCubbins, also joined Donges at Innovation Academy to serve as assistant coach. Every Thursday, Donges clears the tables and chairs from the cafeteria just before the final bell rings. Innovation Academy lacks a gym, so the 15 strips for practice are laid out in the cafeteria. Practice begins at 4:30 p.m. when Tones and I’s “Dance Monkey” begins playing from a large speaker. After warm-ups, Donges and the team’s eight captains deliver remarks
Weekend win The Innovation Academy fencing team placed first in the fourth tournament of the season against Milton, Dunwoody, Decatur, Lambert and North Springs high schools Dec. 9. Senior team captain Anna Donges received the gold medal for women. Junior team captain Eric Zhang placed first for men, and Krishiv Patel won the silver medal. Innovation Academy retains its number one ranking in the Georgia High School Fencing League. PHOTOS BY SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA
Innovation Academy fencing club head coach Bill Donges addresses his women athletes at the start of practice Dec. 7. Donges’ granddaughter Anna Donges, at right, is the highest ranked female fencer on the team and second overall in the Georgia High School Fencing League.
Innovation Academy fencers practice lunges during warm-ups before practice Dec. 7. Practice begins every Thursday at 4:30 p.m. with head coach Bill Donges’ favorite song, “Dance Monkey” by Tones and I. to prepare the fencers before tournaments. Senior captain Rebecca Hahn said she was new to fencing when she joined the team as a sophomore, but she immediately found friends and a community through the sport. Hahn said fencing with the team taught her self confidence and how to value herself. “I value myself more because fencing helps you kind of figure out who you are as a person, because it makes you confront how you would
react under pressure,” she said. Now in her third year on the team, Hahn is ranked sixth in the Fencing League’s womens individual standings and second in the Innovation club. “I wanted to teach new people how to fence so they could become confident and find friends and a community like I did because I love this team,” Hahn said. “I love the effort they put in. I love their team spirit.” Donges emphasized fencing
is more than a physical sport. It combines strategy with quick thinking. The Innovation club’s discipline, epee, opens the entirety of an opponent’s body to strikes, which forces fencers to consider their opponent’s moves to land the first one. Donges’ granddaughter Anna is the highest ranked female fencer on the team and second overall in the High School Fencing League. She is also a senior captain. She said she always longed for a fencing team experience, but she was not certain she could start a team at Innovation Academy because of its lack of sports. After the school approved fencing as a club, she found the experience she was looking for, and she said she has loved watching her fellow fencers grow. “One of the aspects that I really wanted was a team part of it,” Anna Donges said. “So, as an individual fencer, even outside the league, you have teams, but it’s very individual. You don’t always have people behind your back and stuff. So, I wanted the team experience, and this team has really delivered with that.” Anna Donges said one of the most rewarding aspects of her experience is seeing fencers who had never touched a sword be awarded medals beside her. Bill Donges expressed a similar sentiment. Although he loves watching his team win, he said the real joy is seeing his students grow. He hopes for his fencers to be confident in themselves and become leaders on and off the strip. “I want them to be leaders in everything they do,” he said.
NEWS
AppenMedia.com/Forsyth | Forsyth Herald | December 14, 2023 | 25
Alpharetta honors students for Greenway mural art By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Cultural Arts Commission recognized nine Alpharetta and Milton high school students for their work on the North Fulton Rotary Club’s Greenway Mural Trail Dec. 5. Proposed by Rotarian Richard Matherly, the Alpharetta Greenway Mural Trail advocates “Clean Water for All” and celebrates wildlife and plant life along the Big Creek Greenway. Painting was originally scheduled for Nov. 11 but was postponed because of rainy weather. The students gathered at the Haynes Bridge Road trailhead the following morning to beautify eight raised manhole covers along the pathway to Kimball Bridge Road. The Rotary Club hopes for all 60 raised manhole covers on 12 miles of the Greenway to be painted over the next five years. Rotarian Thomas Nolfa facilitated the approval process between Alpharetta, Fulton County Public Works and the Alpharetta Cultural Arts Commission. The Arts Commission formally approved the murals Oct. 24. Nolfa presented the project at the Dec. 5 special called meeting. “I have been blessed to be in this community since 1988, and this is the first real project that, since I joined the Rotary, I got involved in,” he said. Students Abby Allen, Olivia Taylor, Jordan Bride, Pia Saraswat, Isabel
SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA
The Alpharetta Cultural Arts Commission recognizes the North Fulton Rotary Club and nine local students at a special called meeting Dec. 5. The students were honored for their work on the Rotary Club’s Alpharetta Greenway Mural Trail. Neely, Komal Chugh and Eden Kiewiet were recognized at the meeting. Arts commissioners also recognized Fiona MacKay and Tessa Warren, who were unable to attend. The Arts Commission presented Rotary Club professional mural adviser AnnaLysa Kimball with a certificate of appreciation from Mayor Jim Gilvin. Kimball hosted a mural painting workshop for the students and guided
their work on the Greenway. She also painted her own piece, “Water Pups,” which portrays five dogs licking water on an invisible barrier. Nolfa said the mural trail reflects the Rotary Club’s mission of fellowship through service. “We are so blessed to have been a part of this and look forward to years to come to bring the beautification project along the Alpharetta Greenway,” Nolfa
Margolis: Continued from Page 4 Emory’s history. That came with its obstacles. It was her third day on the job when she said a group of mostly male physicians challenged her. That day, she found herself crying on a bench at Newtown Park — she said the role of CEO felt so large to her in that moment, a position that handles strategy and mapping the future. “I know women think, ‘I have to be more like a man,’ and I do not think that,” Margolis said. “I think you have to be tough … but you don’t have to be a man.” She attributes her ability to hold down an executive position, with a high level of tenacity, to her strong mother. “I learned that you have to understand — I just take what SpiderMan says, ‘With great power comes responsibility,’ and that’s exactly what I think,” Margolis said. Heather Redrick, who doubles as
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Marilyn Margolis, who retired as CEO of Emory Johns Creek Oct. 31, enjoys a cup of tea at Cafe Landmark in Johns Creek. the COO and CNO at Emory Johns Creek, said Margolis’ mentoring had helped her along her own career path to leadership. Redrick and Margolis have worked with one another for
the past two decades, migrating from Emory University at around the same time. “I think her charting and leading that path has made it easier for me,”
said. In other matters at the meeting, the Arts Commission approved a metal sculpture by Crabapple artist Michael Dillon at the Manning on the Square subdivision on Cumming Street. The 8-foot stainless steel sculpture will feature three monarch butterflies, recognizing subdivision developer Taylor Morrison’s monarch butterfly pledge to the National Wildlife Federation. said Redrick, who also started as a bedside nurse. “No one batted an eye, right? Because she had already done it and had done such a fabulous job leading as a woman…” Redrick also spoke of the transformation that took place under Margolis’ leadership, from an hierarchical environment to a place of shared decision-making, with staff having a voice at the table. “Marilyn is a woman of action,” Redrick said. “She’s not going to ask you to do something that she’s not willing to do herself. She’s going to be elbow-to-elbow with you, digging the ditch, going through it with you.” While Margolis soon plans to travel with her husband in a new RV, she began working with Emory Healthcare’s Administrative Fellowship program after stepping out of her CEO role. She remains on two boards, at the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra and the Rotary Club of Johns Creek. She’ll also soon join the board at Emory Johns Creek. “I think that’s enough, for now,” Margolis said.
26 | December 14, 2023 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
OPINION
Publix is doing fine just the way it is I heard about a new CEO at Publix this week – on the news somewhere. Normally, something like that would not catch my attention; there are lots of corporate CEO changes all the RAY APPEN time. This was not, Publisher Emeritus however, just any company; it was Publix, and that is one company that I care about – a lot. Often a new CEO means something is not working at a company, and the board of directors brings in a fix-it person who usually slashes expenses, lays off staff, and in general, changes a ton of stuff. The same thing often happens when a company acquires another company. Kroger buying Albertsons comes to mind. That “merger” will make the combined company a stronger no. 2 grocer (behind WalMart), but it will also probably mean that many stores will be closed if they overlap markets, and a ton of administrative personal will get the axe. Elon Musk buying Twitter and then basically destroying it also came to mind, but that particular one is an
extreme case. This is what I was worried about when I heard about a new CEO at Publix. I googled it and found out that essentially what appears to have happened is that there were a number of internal promotions including the current CEO moving to “executive chairman” and the existing president was moving to the CEO slot. Several other changes/promotions also occurred – all internal promotions for long-time employees. No one from the outside was involved. Most importantly – to me –it appears that what happened may not have been in response to something within Publix being broken. I hope I am right. I love Publix. I don’t see anything broken about it. In fact, what I see when I contemplate Publix is a company that is still grounded in the core values of the founder – George Jenkins – and that those values are serving Publix well. When I go into a Publix, it feels like I am going home. I see employees who genuinely care about my shopping experience and about me. I see happy employees who have pride in their store and in their contribution to their store. When I go into a Publix – and they are all the same in these aspects – I feel
Note: Publix is an advertiser with Appen Media.
comfortable; I feel welcomed; and I actually feel like part of the experience, instead of like a customer being sold a commodity that is driven only by pricepoints and nothing else. When I shop in the other grocery stores – which I seldom do – I never feel like I have any sort of relationship with anything or anyone at the store. They feel sterile and without any trace of humanity – all business, nameless, faceless, commodity-driven business. That is the way of today in most businesses, especially service businesses. They are dehumanized, and the customer is no longer considered a priority, at least the way they used to be considered. Calls are answered by recordings instead of a person. Cashiers have given way to self-checkout with scanner machines. Customer service is routed to India instead of to someone who actually cares and will actually listen and try to fix what was broken for a customer. Cutting expenses at any cost is what tends to drive business today, even when it means alienating
customers and employees. This results in companies painting themselves into a corner where their only competitive advantage is reduced to only one variable – price. This approach also destroys brand, something that often has taken decades to create and sustain. The Publix motto is: “Where shopping is a pleasure,” and guess what! This is actually what Publix still believes and what drives everything. It is what sets Publix apart from every other competitor and what, in this commodity-driven culture, this “only price” mantra business environment that we know today, drives its success. A few other businesses continue to operate like Publix, but not many. Chick-fil-A comes to mind, as does Costco. Both are uber-successful. Both companies treat employees and customers differently, and you can see it and feel it the instant you enter their store. I sometimes shop at the competitor’s stores, but that is because I am in a hurry and must, not because I want to. Shopping with them is never a pleasure. They are destinations that offer the least they possibly can and expect you to like that and be a loyal customer – not. Thank you, Publix. Stay the course.
THE INK PENN
Don’t underestimate a senior sleuth this fall My latest mystery reads are set in England and have amateur sleuths as their main characters. If you’re a Miss Marple fan, you’re sure to enjoy these modernsenior sleuths. KATHY MANOS PENN day And in the case of Columnist the second book, if you were a fan of Queen Elizabeth, you’ll be intrigued by the glimpses into the family life of the royals. “The Last Devil to Die” by Richard Osman The fourth installment in The Thursday Murder Club series is spectacular. As always, the murder mystery is cleverly plotted. What makes this series for me, though, is the cast of characters—the retirees living at Coopers Chase Retirement Village. Ron, Ibrahim, Joyce, and Elizabeth enjoy the amenities at the posh village near the coast of England,
but more than that, they love solving murders. This group of 70- and 80-year-olds meets every Thursday afternoon in the game room at the village, just like other retirees. But this quartet doesn’t play games. They work on murder cases. Way back in book one, it was unsolved cold cases. More recently, they’ve been drawn into an up-to-theminute case or two. This time, the victim is an old friend of Elizabeth’s husband, Stephen. As the series has progressed, so has Stephen’s dementia. Elizabeth has always been the leader of the crime solving retirees, but as Stephen’s health deteriorates, her priorities shift. She’s on the case, but to a lesser extent, and this forces the others to step up. The result is a poignant portrayal of love, loyalty, and sacrifice wrapped around a murder mystery. “Murder Most Royal” by SJ Bennett Queen Elizabeth II is the sleuth in this mystery, the third in the “Her
Majesty the Queen Investigates” series. “The Windsor Knot,” the first in the series, is set in the spring of 2016 at Windsor Castle, and this one transports the reader to Sandringham Hall for Christmas the same year. I credit this series and Kate Quinn’s “The Rose Code” for piquing my curiosity about Prince Phillip. While he’s not the main character in either, I enjoyed the glimpses of his personality in both. Yes, Queen Elizabeth is the star, but her staff and the prince are also key players in the mystery. It’s the affection and humor in the relationship between Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip that will surely warm your heart as it does mine. Does it tell you anything to learn that I ordered a biography of Prince Phillip after reading “The Windsor Knot”? Have I read it yet? No. But perhaps one day. In “Murder Most Royal,” I felt like a fly on the wall as I read about the holiday traditions of the royal family. What a treat to learn that Kate
Middleton is known for her humorous gifts, and that she once gave Harry a “grow your own girlfriend” kit. This was pre-Megan Markle—of course. All three books kept me guessing, but more than that, they made me realize how very human the royal family is. As one review says, “Pitchperfect … If “The Crown” were crossed with Miss Marple … the result would probably be something like this charming whodunnit.” I’m eagerly awaiting Queen Elizabeth’s next sleuthing adventure. I highly recommend you spend a winter evening or several visiting with the senior sleuths in these series. Their intelligence and wit are a treat. Award-winning author Kathy Manos Penn is a Sandy Springs resident. Find her cozy mysteries on Amazon or locally at The Enchanted Forest, Bookmiser, Tall Tales, and Johns Creek Books. Contact her at inkpenn119@gmail.com, and follow her on Facebook, www.facebook.com/ KathyManosPennAuthor/.
PRESERVING THE PAST
OPINION
AppenMedia.com/Forsyth | Forsyth Herald | December 14, 2023 | 27
Artist Clayton Pond shows the power of vibrant color Clayton Pond was a well-known artist in New York City’s Soho artist neighborhood when he and his family moved to what would become the City of Milton in 1955. His wife Marjorie, BOB MEYERS a vice president Columnist for Neenah Paper a former division of Kimberly Clark, was relocated to this area. Clayton was a pioneering resident of the Soho art district for some 30 years. Once in Milton, he installed his studio on the lower level of his home and continued to produce his distinctively personal paintings in oil and acrylic on canvas and other surfaces. He is known for his very large colorful canvases and his limitededition silkscreen prints. He was an early adopter of silkscreen printing, or serigraphy. His limited-edition prints often highlight his larger works. Pond has developed a unique and easily recognizable style focusing on everyday items. Clayton Pond is best known for his use of color to create emotional responses. His paintings feature unique color harmonies that generate excitement. He focuses on manmade subjects, not landscapes. “I think of color as a fourth dimension,” he says. “No single color by itself means very much. Putting the right colors together can create visual stimulation and energy. I like to see how colors vibrate when next to each other.” Clayton was born in Bayside, New York, and raised in Port Washington on Long Island. He attended Hiram College near Cleveland, Ohio, where he took some art courses and then transferred to Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in Pittsburgh, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1964. He entered graduate school at Pratt Institute in New York City where he began to develop his unique interest in the use of bright, intense (he calls them happy) color relationships. While earning his graduate degree he also taught himself the serigraph (silkscreen) process and began to exhibit in national exhibitions. In 1966, his silkscreen prints were shown in the Brooklyn Museum’s National Print Exhibition and in the Boston Printmakers Annual Show. The following year, he participated in a group exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. After his graduation from Pratt, he joined the
Martha Jackson Gallery, one of the most prominent New York galleries at the time where he remained throughout his New York career. Immediately after grad school, Clayton traveled to Africa under State Department auspices to lecture about American art and to host silkscreen workshops for local artists in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. He was an early pioneer in the Soho area of lower Manhattan. He occupied his first studio on Broome Street for three years before moving to a studio on Greene Street, where he stayed for 26 years. The interior and exterior of the artist lofts were often his subject material during that period of his life. His Columns series, for example, focused on buildings in Soho that had cast iron facades and columns, inspired by ancient Greece. He says his works are a kind of historic documentation of NYC at that time. Other series include his Shuttle Craft series and a commission for NASA which hangs in the visitor center at Kennedy Space Center. Over the years, Pond’s work has been exhibited in many important venues. He has had more than 50 solo exhibitions, and his art is in the collections of more than 60 museums and public collections. At least two dozen leading corporations include his work in their collections. He has participated in countless group exhibitions and has lectured widely. Pond continues his work in his Milton studio making paintings, collages and more recently small painted relief sculptures made of Styrofoam packing blocks. He devotes many hours, days and sometimes months to a single large painting because of its multiple layers of color and intricate designs. Some of his paintings are 7 x 9 feet. A commissioned painting for the NASA Air and Space Museum illustrating Halley’s Comet was 9 x 11 feet. His most recent project was a show earlier this year of 50 paintings in his Quarry Series on display in the Marathon Performing Arts Center in Findlay, Ohio, sponsored by the National Lime and Stone Company in honor of its 120th anniversary. For further information on Clayton Pond, visit his website at claytonpond. com. Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.
FAMILY/PROVIDED
Clayton Pond hangs his painting, “Cables with Catwalk and Cables,” at the Marathon Performing Arts Center in Findlay, Ohio, in May 2023. This 2020 acrylic on canvas painting from his Quarry Series measures 48 x 60”.
FAMILY/PROVIDED
Clayton Pond, “The Crusher,” 2021, 48 x 72, acrylic on canvas, Quarry Series.
BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA
Clayton Pond, “Halley’s Comet” 1985, 109 x 132 x 5”, Acrylic on birch wood and Formica. Painted in 1985 for a National Air and Space Museum special exhibition on the return of Halley’s Comet. Halley will next visit our solar system in 2061.
28 | December 14, 2023 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
GARDEN BUZZ
OPINION
Fabulous fairy gardens offer a world of possibilities The mythical world of fairies is found throughout folklore, and related stories have been passed down through generations. A fairy garden is itself a story-telling scene that can include small plants, tiny MARTY THOMAS structures, miniature Guest Columnist furniture, tiny animals, rocks, fairies and gnomes. It can be in a container or a small, cultivated space in your yard, such as a flower bed, near a tree or retaining wall or in a raised bed. Fairy gardens can have different themes, such as tea parties, a farmyard, the beach, a camping site, the forest, all holidays and seasonal gardens. Use your imagination and be creative! Containers can be large or small. Some examples of large containers would be birdbaths, wheelbarrows, old wagons, old tires, half barrels and large pots. Smaller containers could be baskets, clay pots, clay saucers, pots and pans, and even teacups. A suggested miniature scale of 1:12 is recommended; a foot-tall plant in the real world would be an inch in the world of fairies. Supplies you might use could be buttons, beads, pebbles and stones, seeds and seed pods, silk flowers, miniature jewelry pieces, wooden craft birdhouses, wooden clothespins and pegs, twigs and leaves, pieces of pinecones and acorns, gourds, and plants, both live and artificial. Miniature fairies, gnomes and furniture can be found at the local dollar store and craft stores. Amazon even has fairy garden
MARTY THOMAS/PROVIDED
One of many fairy gardens along a trail at Autrey Mill Nature Preserve’s Butterfly Garden. sets you can purchase online. Use your imagination by adding things to your fairy garden. A mini clothesline can be made from twine and twigs. You can embellish a fairy house by gluing on twigs, moss, pebbles and dried or silk flowers. You can turn a clay flowerpot into a gnome house by painting it or gluing on a purchased fairy door surrounded by pebbles. Then plant some pretty flowers in the pot. I always use E600 glue, found at craft stores, for these projects. Creating a fairy garden is a great project to do with children. Let them create some of their own fairies using wooden clothespins or pegs they’ve painted, then attach silk flower petals for the wings. A mason jar can be painted a solid color, then paint on a door and windows. Or a clear jar can be filled with moss, artificial plants, fairies and twinkly lights. You can also coat a jar with Mod Podge, sprinkle on Epsom Salt to create a snowy look, and then put fairies and lights inside the jar for a wintery fairy nightlight. Another creative design could be using
a hollowed-out pumpkin filled with potting soil, then adding a plant and some fairy items for a fall fairy garden. You could even paint the outside of your pumpkin to look like a fairy house and glue moss and flowers on the top. A cute, beach-themed fairy garden can be made by filling a large clay saucer with sand, adding blue gemstones (found at the Dollar Store) for water, then adding beach-themed fairy items. A tea party fairy garden can be made by lining a basket with dried moss, then adding a teacup and saucer with a plant in it and purchased fairy houses and fairies. Even a miniature teapot would be cute to add. Mini fairy gardens can be put inside teacups. Gourds can be painted to look like a fairy house and then added to a container. The possibilities are endless, especially if you let your children use their imagination to create their own design! A fun activity for children would be to visit the Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and walk through their butterfly garden filled with fairy houses. Some of their fairy houses were created from old tree stumps, adding a homemade roof to the top and adding a door and windows. The fairies and gnomes have been busy building fairy houses and whimsical gnome houses along the Chattahoochee Nature Center forested trails. CNC’s Enchanted Woodland Trail opens Dec. 10 through Feb. 29. For more ideas about fairy gardening, you can check out the links I shared in Resources or you can watch my presentation "Fabulous Fall Fairy Gardens" on the North Fulton Master Gardener YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/xD1NEIdktuM?si=y_ fJ1Xl-yVmbBZVn.
About the author This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Marty Thomas, a Master Gardener since 2018 and a resident of Johns Creek. A former teacher, she continues working with children through substitute teaching and children’s art camps. Marty is on the board of directors for the Johns Creek Beautification Committee and a member of the American Hydrangea Society. She leads a Bible study discussion group at her church and loves spending time with her grandchildren.
Learn more • https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/homelifestyle/gardening/g32599106/fairy-gardenideas/ • https://www.prudentpennypincher.com/100best-fairy-garden-ideas/ • https://www.pinterest.com/ melissapeterson/fabulous-fairy-gardens/
Happy Fairy Gardening! North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net. Previous Garden Buzz columns are featured at https://appenmedia.com/ opinion/columnists/garden_buzz/.
DEATH NOTICES Joseph Bowen, 89, of Roswell, passed away on November 28, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Dianne Hauser, 74, of Roswell, passed away on November 26, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Janet Nichols, 88, of Roswell, passed away on November 26, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Donnie Renfro, 89, of Roswell, passed away on December 1, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Dorothy Croom, 101, of Roswell, passed away on December 3, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Johannes Kiemes, 32, of Alpharetta, passed away on November 30, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Michael Peters, 72, of Roswell, passed away on December 3, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Roger Rodden, 73, of Roswell, passed away on November 29, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Susan Daw, 54, of Alpharetta, passed away on November 26, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Stephen Mitchell, 74, of Alpharetta, passed away on November 30, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Jane Divosevic, 71, of Alpharetta, passed away on December 2, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Spencer Morrison, 82, Roswell, passed away on November 27, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Ouraiwan Phejlada, 91, of Alpharetta, passed away on November 28, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Raymond Young, 101, of Roswell, passed away on November 23, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
PAST TENSE
OPINION
AppenMedia.com/Forsyth | Forsyth Herald | December 14, 2023 | 29
Sgt. York and the “Other Sixteen,” Part 2 The 82nd Division of the U.S. Army was first organized at Camp Gordon in Chamblee, August 1917. The first men assigned to the 82nd were from VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. Columnist Most of these men were transferred to other divisions in October 1917. Their replacements came primarily from northeastern states. Alvin York was from Tennessee. The other men were from New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and other states. In James P. Gregory’s “Unraveling the Myth of Sgt. Alvin York – The Other Sixteen,” the “Other Sixteen” are the men who were there on Oct. 8, 1918, with York. Sgt. York was credited with single-handedly killing 20 Germans, capturing 132 prisoners and eliminating 35 machine guns, then leading the men of the 328th Infantry Company G back to Allied lines. Evidence gathered from family members of the other men and researchers, such as James P Gregory, indicates that York did not act alone. Gregory describes the events. Sgt. Harry Parsons ordered acting Sgt. Bernard Early to take two squads, get behind the enemy line, and take out the machine guns that were firing on Company G. Early and the other men came up on a group of German soldiers and began firing until they realized they were unarmed. As Company G took 80 Germans prisoner, York was ordered to check them for arms. He later ended up the farthest ahead of the prisoners and in a good position to shoot. Then, an unseen group of Bavarian soldiers opened fire on the Americans. Six Americans were killed and four injured, including Bernard Early. York was shooting at the enemy, but Pvt. Percy Beardsley was also firing at the Germans until he ran out of ammunition. Then, he continued to fire with his service pistol. Finally, the Bavarians surrendered. York was ordered to take the prisoners to regimental headquarters. Five additional men were told to accompany him, but he was the only non-commissioned officer and received credit for the capture. Robert D’Angelo became interested in the story of his Great Uncle Bernard Early in 1964, after reading an article in the local New Haven,
PHOTOS BY JAMES KNETTEL/ATLANTA’S CAMP GORDON/PROVIDED
Officers of the 328th Infantry photographed at Camp Gordon.
to go home. They didn’t want to spend time trying to prove that they played a crucial role in the events of Oct. 8,1918. It wasn’t until several years later that some men spoke up and the story was questioned. Also, not many officers were needed after the war ended. That made it crucial for generals to show their rank was deserved, making the glorified story of Sgt. York as a hero beneficial to some. “For this act of bravery, York not only received the Medal of Honor and was promoted to sergeant, but he also rose to fame and glory,” summarizes Gregory. “The 1941 movie ‘Sergeant York,’ starring Gary Cooper, solidified York as a legend and one of the most well-known military figures in American history.” (Presentation by James P. Gregory Jr. to the Kentucky Historical Society, August 7, 2023). Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.
Office Space for Lease To prepare for going overseas during WW I, Camp Gordon soldiers were taught French. Conn., newspaper suggesting Bernard Early should share Sgt. Alvin York’s honors. D’Angelo began researching the records, and even went to France to walk the battlefield where his uncle fought. Early received the Distinguished Service Cross in 1929. David Kornacki researched his grandfather Joseph Kornacki, another of the “Other Sixteen.” David Kornacki and James P. Gregory were invited to an archaeological dig at the battlefield in 2009 (ctinsider.com, May 17, 2023, “Two CT soldiers fought with WWI legend Sgt. York, now descendants are fighting for recognition for the forgotten heroes”) Gregory met with and reviewed the research collected by Ralph D’Angelo and Dave Kornacki. D’Angelo wrote the epilogue to Gregory’s book. Pvt. Percy Beardsley was with Sgt. York when they came up on the German machine-gun battalion. In 1964, he recalled that when Sgt. Bernard Early was wounded, York was the next ranking man. Beardsley
became a Connecticut farmer following the war and did not contest York’s hero status. Beardsley said by October 1918, the Germans were anxious to surrender. (Vidette-Messenger of Porter County, Dec. 18, 1964, “A Veteran Recalls World War I and Epic Day with Sgt. York”). After York received the Medal of Honor, a Saturday Evening Post article was published. It did not give credit to any of the other men. The article said the other men were injured, hiding in bushes and not engaging. Pvt. George W. Wills lived in South Philadelphia in 1929 and said of that day in 1918, “It was like this, all us fellows made the capture and should be credited alike, but Sergeant York seems to have got all the glory.” (Columbus Ledger, Nov. 17, 1929, “The men who went through hell with Sergeant York”). James P. Gregory points out factors that influenced the way the story of York was built up and excluded the other men. At the time the war ended, most of the men just wanted
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