Enjoy Cherokee Magazine - Sept/Oct 2021

VOL. 9 | ISSUE 5 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

CHEROKEE COUNTY’S FOOTBALL CLASS OF 2022

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706

Ellijay!

The Aaron family has been providing friendly, personailzed service for more than 75 years. Bill, John, and Gina welcome you to visit, browse, and enjoy the atmosphere.

Apples • Peaches • Fried Pies Cakes • Cookies • Pastries Jams & Jellies • Honey • Ciders

A Great Place to Play

YOUR CERTIFIED FARM MARKET The Aaron Family provides the freshest, locally grown products available and directly connects you with agriculture and the people that make it possible.

Open Year Round 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

10t h A NN UAL

CRUSH

Grape Stomping & Vineyard Tours

Live Music Food Truck Wine Tasting Sat., Sept. 18 Sun., Sept. 19 11:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. 12:30–6:00 p.m. Arts & Crafts

$20 advanced tickets | $25 at the door Buy Tickets at: Facebook.com/CartecayVineyards

FALL

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OPEN DAILY 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

9696 Highway 52 East ,Ellijay, Georgia 30536 706-273-3838 | applelan@ellijay.com | www.hillcrestorchards.net

weekend in OCTOBER Saturdays Sundays 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. 12:30–6:00 p.m.

FREE for the Whole Family Facebook.com/CartecayVineyards

5704 Clear Creek Road, Ellijay, GA 30536 [www.EnjoyCherokee.com] 3 CartecayVineyards.com | 706-698-WINE (9463)

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[table of contents]

Contents

Cagle’s Family Farm

Fall drums up images of Halloween, pumpkins, hayrides, and bonfires. This fall there’s great news for you and other Cherokee residents. Cagle’s Family Farm is reopening its venue in Canton offering family-friendly activities.

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Canton’s Ghostly Guests

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Walking to End Alzheimer’s

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Beware! Data Hackers

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Historic Canton may have a couple ghostly guests and Stefanie Forte knows where to find them. The Canton Historic Haunts ghost tour will take you on a route with tales of things going ‘‘bump’’ in the night around downtown.

We cherish memories of friends, family, and successes. Unfortunately millions of Americans have memories that are slowly fading.

Cherokee County is hosting its first in-person Walk to End Alzheimer’s in October 2021.

It’s easy for owners of small businesses to think hackers won’t attack their computer systems. After all, who would bother to hack into the computers of a business that might have only five employees? Beyond Computer Solutions can help protect your business.

[Advertisers Index] Atlanta Adoption Family Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Blairsville Union County Chamber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Bonnie Dobbs Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Brandon Beach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Capovilla & Williams Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Cartecay Vineyards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Cherokee Fire & Emergency Services . . . . . . . . . . . . 43/49 Chattahoochee Tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Dalton Wholesale Floors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Darby Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Fundraiser Made Easy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Georgia Apple Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Georgia Medical Treatment Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Goshen Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Hillcrest Orchards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 History Cherokee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 HomeWatch Care Givers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

J. Thompson Ross . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . outside back cover Jeff Heller Attorney at Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Lil’ Pond Restaurant Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Mack Aaron’s Apple House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Magnetize Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Mileshko . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Mountain Education Charter High School . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Mountainside Autism Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Northside Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/inside front cover Northside Hospital Cherokee | Ask the Doctor . . . . 26-27 Olde Silos Art & Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Page Relocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Phoenix Senior Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Pritchard Injury Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Walk to End Alzheimer’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11/50 Woodstock Funeral Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Your Pie Canton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

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TAKE A TRIP TO

Blue Ridge!

FOR SOME OF THE MOST SCRUMPTIOUS DINING

Italian Country Style Dishes in an Old World Atmosphere

Southern Inspired Global Cuisine

76 Forge Mill Road • Morganton, GA 30560 • 706-374-7474

576 East Main Street • Blue Ridge, GA 30513 • 706-946-6164

New York Style Pizza South of the Mason Dixon Line

Appalachian Ingredients with a Mediterranean Twist

76 Forge Mill Road • Morganton, GA 30560 • 706-374-3700

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IN GEORGIA.

67 Roberts Way • Blue Ridge, GA 30513 • 706-946-1511

[www.EnjoyCherokee.com] Lit’l Pond Hospitality — Selling food that makes you happy. Giving service that makes you smile.

[feature articles]

Features

Mr. Bulldog

Whether you’re a Bulldog fan or not, you’ll want to see the treasures within one of the best collections of Georgia Bulldog football memorabilia around. Uniforms, helmets, tickets, furniture, and even more can be found in Mr. Bulldog’s vast collection.

Cherokee County Friday Night Lights

Get to know some of the players of your Cherokee County High School Football teams. Plus, live play-by-play coverage with Will Cooper and Dave Garner every Friday night for the WLJA 101.1 FM Game of the Week. Check out the schedule!

Fall Festivals

When the weather cools off from summer and the leaves start to change into magnificent reds and oranges, many will want to venture out and experience autumn.

North Georgia is exploding with fall festivals that you and your family won’t want to miss.

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[special feature]

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fall fun

Returns to Hickory Flat

By Shannon Sickmon, Woodstock Resident

s are ready to The Cagle’s goat this fall. welcome guests

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MOO’ve over ! The hayrides give a look around the farm and some of the friendly farm animals who live there. d personal t up close an ge n ca ds ki The , a donkey, ats, chickens go p, ee sh h it w arn. the Animal B and more at

F When you think of fall, do Halloween, pumpkins, and harvest time come to mind?

Maybe you think of hayrides and bonfires to ward off the chill of crisp fall nights. If these images constitute your ideal autumn, there is great news for you and other Cherokee residents. Cagle’s Family Farm is reopening its venue in Canton on September 17, offering familyfriendly activities.

or decades a visit to Cagle’s Family Farm had been an annual tradition for Cherokee County residents. The Cagle family had one of the first corn mazes in Georgia, as early as 2000. In an innovative twist on agritourism, the homestead also offered farm tours for school children, showing them where food comes from and the onerous business of producing it. The corn maze was only part of the appeal—the family offered hayrides, a pumpkin patch, pig racing, bonfires, and haunted attractions at Halloween. The site was an immediate hit; indeed, the farm saw more than 40,000 visitors a year to the corn maze, and an additional 12,000 to 15,000 students visited the working dairy farm until late 2009.

All the stress of agritourism combined with operating a working dairy farm took its toll on the Cagle family, and in 2016, the family made the difficult decision to shut down. Cherokee County residents were bereft. The farm’s Yelp page showed hundreds of statements from visitors saying how forlorn they were that the farm venue was closing and how much it had meant to them.

The Cagle Family Farm was a fundamental part of autumn for many Cherokee County natives, and owner Ben Cagle shares why the new/old site on Stringer Road is special. Right now the land is little more than mud, cleared brush, and gently rolling hills. Two enormous, creeper-covered silos stand guard like over the property silent sentinels.

Behind the silos sits a seven-acre lake, and upscale homes surround the site. At one time all of those neighborhoods were part of the Cagle land. The site is quiet now, but come fall, all will change.

In 2020 Ben Cagle, the fourth generation of the venerable farming family, decided to resurrect the corn maze and all the autumnal activities at the original site in Canton. Ben shares, “I initially didn’t want to reopen, but I realized that I missed seeing the kids and families have fun. I wanted my sons to see it.” Ben hopes that his sons will appreciate the dedication it takes to run such an operation as well as the rewards. Ben believes that once families return to the venue they remember fondly, his kids will see how much the attraction mattered and still matters to Cherokee residents.

He has other motivations as well. uuu

nal ey, [www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

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Buy Tickets

to Cag

le’s Farm Ben and Vicki Cagle are the fourth generation to run the farm, pictured here with their sons Mica and Clay.

uuuAgriculture is in Ben’s blood. He is the fourth generation of Cagles to farm in Cherokee County and an active advocate for farmers in North America. Ben serves as a representative for the American Farm Bureau and works with local community leaders to help farmers survive and thrive. Reopening the site is a way for his family to bring a taste of farm life to suburbanites and city slickers alike. It’s also a way to enhance his family income so that the family can maintain its own farm and the life its members love.

What can visitors to the Cagle Family Farm expect this year?

They will get the corn maze, hayrides, petting zoo, and all the activities they love and remember from previous visits. They will have bonfires, a pumpkin patch, and s’mores. Ben hopes to make it easier on everyone by charging one set rate and letting families choose what they want to do. The original setting was open only in the fall, but Ben wants folks to use the new and improved venue year-round. Ben had discussed the possibilities of balloon festivals, car shows, and a weekly farmer’s market. A farmer’s market on that site would be ideal, as it has plenty of parking and visitors would not have to contend with traffic and congested crowds.

ill love The kids w pumpkin ta picking ou just like n, w o ir e th of ica.

M n Ben’s so

Steve Miller, mayor of Holly Springs, has also been involved in the project. The site had initially been planned to be a community park after being sold to the city in 2016. The city decided that redoing the downtown area of Holly Springs was more important at the time, though, so the mayor leased the land back to the Cagle family. Steve has big ideas for the location as well. He mentioned a survey of the lake on the site and thinks that canoe races and fishing tournaments on the property might be an ideal way to involve the community.

“This piece of property has a history here. When the Cagles left, it left a hole in our community. I want to create a space that in the next few decades is beneficial to the community and to the Cagle family.”

Chilly fall nights are simply be tter when cozied up next to a bonfire w ith friend s and s’more s.

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Woodstock resident Lizzy Boehmer states, “I remember going to the dairy farm as a little girl. The corn maze was my first corn maze, and it was so much fun. I loved the trivia it included. I want to take my niece, Molly, this year.”

Another Woodstock resident, Kristin Horvath, says, “Growing up around here, every fall we’d make plans to go to the corn maze. I was really sad when it shut down. I’m excited to hear that it is reopening—I can’t wait to bring my sons up there.”

THESE FLOWERS HAVE A LOT OF FIGHT IN THEM.

Kristin isn’t the only one looking forward to the corn maze this year. Ben says that when the farm website went live in July, it had ticket sales within hours.

The site has been a part of Cherokee County history for twenty years, and now the Cagle family hopes to make it part of Cherokee’s future. Ben says that when he retires he hopes his son will take over and continue the tradition started more than twenty years ago.

If you are looking for a way to escape the hubbub of city life, or if you just want an entertaining place to take the kids this autumn, don’t forget to include a visit to Cagle’s Farm. Make sure you book your tickets now; the fall activities at the farm are open for only a few weeks.

For tickets go to CaglesFarm.com.

The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® is full of flowers, each carried by someone committed to ending this disease. Because like flowers, our participants don’t stop when something’s in their way. They keep raising funds and awareness for a breakthrough in the fight against Alzheimer’s and all other dementia. It’s time to add your flower to the fight.

Join us at alz.org/walk

hing is a Cow watc ttime of pas favorite y’s the famil d n a Clay . dog, Oak

Walk to End Alzheimer’s - Cherokee County Etowah River Park Saturday, October 23 | 8:00 a.m.

remembering

A LIFE WELL LIVED...

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Ghosts

Canton’s

Ghostly G uests

By Rebecca Johnston, Canton Resident

His name is Ted, and he is just one of many resident ghosts who call downtown Canton home.

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Stefanie Forte first “met” Ted when she purchased and began renovating a 107-year-old storefront in historic downtown Canton six years ago.

The owner of the popular ice cream emporium A Cone to Pick is accustomed to encounters with presences others cannot see.

From the time the Canton native was a young child, she knew she had a special gift to sense paranormal activity. These days, her Canton Historic Haunts Tour offers participants a chance to look behind the veil with her at some of those apparitions and the history of the buildings they make their home.

Stefanie remembers moving into the business location in downtown Canton. “From the first day of having the key to the place, we have experienced a plethora of unexplainable things. When I originally opened, my daughter was five years old, and I was beyond excited to be able to bring her to work with me, owning my own shop. We set up the neatest area for her with all the toys and comforts a kid would need to occupy her time while at work with mommy. There was only one small problem—she absolutely hated the space.”

The young child would cling to her mother and want to stay where she was working, rather than in the play area.

“

I finally asked, ‘Why won’t you play?’ She said, ‘That is where Ted lives.’

I just rolled with that.

Naturally I tried to hide my expression, but I am sure my face showed some shock.

Stefanie laughs.

”

Stefanie’s popular ghost and history tours usually sell out, especially in the busy fall week leading up to and around Halloween.

Those who take the two-hour tour can learn more about Ted and other haunts as they stroll the streets of Canton. uuu

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Ghostly

uuu For Stefanie, who for fourteen years conducted

studies of possibly haunted sites with Georgia Paranormal Investigations until the group shut down last year, Ted has become a normal part of her shop. Her shop was home to Yarbrough Grocery Store for many years. A massive fire at Cantex Manufacturing next door in 1955 damaged the building and many others in the area.

“I feel like he has ties to the grocery store. Someone came in the first week we were renovating six years ago. A little lady in her late eighties or early nineties was welcoming us to the neighborhood. Dad and I had been working all day, and she was telling us some of the history of the grocery store and told us her little brother was the milk delivery boy. She left a cake, and I haven’t seen her again since, but I have wondered if her brother might have been Ted,” Stefanie explains.

She remembers a time Ted made his presence felt one evening as she was closing after a very busy night at the shop. She was filling the mop bucket and heard the first sound—a box in the dry storage room moving from its home on the shelf to the floor.

This time it was followed by a distinctive male voice saying, “The door, Stef.”

The Canton Historic Haunts Tour features eerie locations like the Riverview cemetery. The cemetery was established in 1844 and originally known as Canton Cemetery.

(Information courtesy of RiverviewCemeteryCanton.org/About)

“

I tried to figure out what in the world he meant by ‘the door,’ and after a long pause I realized I was about to exit the building without locking the back door. I walked over and clicked the locks in place and replied, ‘Thanks, Ted. See you tomorrow,’” she remembers.

“This wasn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last time that things went bump in the night over there.

Others have sensed Ted as well, she points out.

A popular stop on the tour is Canton’s iconic marble courthouse.

The historic Cherokee County Courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Visit RockBarn.org for more information about the site.

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”

“Can I confirm a gentleman by the name of Theodore ever roamed those aisles of Yarbrough Brothers Grocery in the 1900s? I cannot. But I can confirm that both staff and customers alike have seen or heard things they chalk up to being paranormal in nature,” she states emphatically. “Nothing malicious or harmful has ever happened, and now that my daughter is almost eleven, she is completely comfortable with all areas of the shop. It becomes a bit of a game with the new hires in the shop. I refrain from talking about the resident ghost, and within a few weeks of training and starting shifts, the newbies will ask me what in the world is going on.”

G ue

[ Archer House Apparition ]

Reports and a photograph of a paranormal sighting shock and scare tour participants at the other end of Main Street in the turn-of-the-century Archer House, which most recently housed Practically Perfect Day Spa.

Practically Perfect owner Lisa Furilla contacted Stefanie during her first tour season and invited her to come in and undertake an investigation for paranormal activity. Lisa recalled that about midnight on a rainy night while working on renovations shortly before she was set to open, she was knocking on the wall of the shampoo room to find a stud. Suddenly she heard loud knocking that almost shook the house and made the exact pattern she was making. The experience spooked the spa owner, and she headed for home.

Two months later, other strange incidents occurred in the shampoo room. Lights flickered on and off, and once the chandelier suddenly fell from the ceiling, only to stop about three feet from the floor.

Security system footage of the Archer House apparition. Spooky!

Compassionate Home Care with a Personal Touch

678-753-9114 | HomeWatchCareGivers.com/Canton

The odd occurrences escalated. Through the front door one of the stylists spotted a young girl running across the hall from the shampoo room when the shop was closed. The stylist and her mother unlocked the door, went in, and searched the building, but no one was there.

Lisa told Stefanie in an email, “We had contractors working overnight doing renovations, and one of the contractors was walking down the hallway at about two o’clock in the morning.

We had left our baby’s toy piano there earlier that day because we had been doing some work around the salon ourselves. The piano suddenly started playing as the contractor was walking down the hallway that night.”

Another time one of the members of the staff was giving a massage, and while working with her client, felt someone tug her ponytail. The staff member said it was a tug that actually made her head fall back, but when she looked around, no one was there.

G uests

The security system then caught a photo of what appears to be an apparition.

Stefanie explains, “The photo we share on the tour was from their security system. No one was in the building, but it detected motion and took the photo. The photo appears to be a female. There had been several reports from clients that they saw a young woman with long dark hair in the mirror [of the shampoo room] standing with the person looking in the mirror.

A client also saw her run across the hallway into another room, and motion detectors were set off.” uuu [www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

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Ghost

The city of Canton has partnered with Canton’s Historic Haunts in the past to have the tour end at the theater for a screening of the movie Hocus Pocus.

times

Another favorite stop is The Hoagie Shop, where reports of encounters of paranormal activity came from Mike DeLuca when his family owned the shop. “He actually had two different things going on, a young man and a large thing that chased him out of the shop. It was very tall and would encounter him in the basement,” Stefanie remembers. “When they renovated for their anniversary, once they reopened, activity stopped. There was a group of regulars, called Donna’s coffee club, and when one of their favorite members passed away, when Donna came in for the next four weeks, the grill and coffee pot would be on,” in another possible paranormal experience.

ur Times aunts To H ic r to His Historic Canton’s Canton’s to d e d d a kly.

Tours are ts schedule wee n u Ha every e offered mber. b l il w s r Tou Nove through dated, weekend always being up ts is v dule ial e en Th e s ch e an d sp e c on . s r u to with new during the seas ad d e d iew .com to v nHaunts k your tickets. o t n a C Visit nd boo g tours a upcomin

[ Almost Normal ]

Other tour stops include the Downtown Kitchen, Riverview Cemetery, Jones Mercantile, the old Kessler’s building, and more.

Ghostly

uuu For Stefanie, paranormal experiences are almost normal

in the historic Canton district. “I know that there are more places with activity than there are stops. We cover a dozen stops.

Once we meet in the gazebo, we go to the old courthouse and jail, a stop I like quite a lot,” she offers. “The Canton Theatre is another of my favorite stops, both history and haunt-wise.”

Business

Computers

Media

ChattahoocheeTech.edu I 770-528-4545 16

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“Canton Historic Haunts provides a look into the past two hundred years that have shaped our town, and while we learn about the past, we will also dive into some of the strangest, most fascinating, and downright unexplainable accounts of the spirits that have chosen to make their presence known within the town’s square,” Stefanie expounds.

The guided walking tour through the Downtown Canton Historic District is family friendly and operates summer through fall. For information visit CantonHaunts.com.

Health

Technical

A Unit of the Technical College System of Georgia. Equal Opportunity Institution.

SENATOR

BRANDON

BEACH Widening Highway 20 from I-575 to County Line

Northside Hospital Parkway Expansion

Working

for Cherokee

“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.”

—Benjamin Franklin Office: (404) 463-1378 Email: Brandon.Beach@senate.ga.gov

Capitol Address: District Address: 303-B Coverdell Legislative Office Bldg.

3100 Brierfield Road Atlanta, GA 30334 Alpharetta, GA 30004 [www.EnjoyCherokee.com] 17

Memories

By Katie Wheeler, Canton Resident

WALK TO END ALZ HEI M ER’S Memories shape who we are.

We cherish memories of friends, family, and successes. Unfortunately millions of Americans have memories that are slowly fading. Organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association are still dreaming of and working toward a world where memories last a lifetime.

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Participants are encouraged to customize their promise garden flowers by writing the name(s) of those they wish to honor.

Participants often show off their best purple accessories to celebrate their walk event.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association 2021 annual report, more than six million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, with more than 11 million people providing unpaid care to those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Almost everyone is touched by the disease in one way or another. Alzheimer’s is a progressive brain disease that worsens over time. Symptoms occur as brain changes affect cognition and eventually basic bodily functions. The course of the disease usually lasts between four to eight years after diagnosis, though some patients have lived up to twenty years with Alzheimer’s dementia.

The Alzheimer’s Association is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1980. The original goal was to unite caregivers and advance research into the disease. Since 1980 research and knowledge of dementia has grown by leaps and bounds.

The statistics are overwhelming, but people across the country come together in support of this devastating disease through the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The Walk to End Alzheimer’s promotes awareness, support, and fundraising efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association. The annual event is held in more than six hundred communities nationwide. It is the world’s largest fundraiser for Alzheimer’s disease, and in 2021, Cherokee County will host its first Walk to End Alzheimer’s in person.

In 2020 Cherokee County hosted its first Walk to End Alzheimer’s and handled it virtually. A forum in early 2019 assessed interest in hosting the event in Cherokee County.

The event could not succeed without volunteers, so months of meetings and networking created a volunteer committee that began work on the 2020 Cherokee Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

The Cherokee Walk to End Alzheimer’s committee started with a strong pre-pandemic goal of raising $50,000 and came extremely close, raising $45,076 its first year. The event hosted 281 participants across fifty-seven teams.

In 2021 the Cherokee event is on track to meet and surpass last year’s goals, thanks to increased participation. Dan Phillips works for the Alzheimer’s Association and is the organizer of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Cherokee, Rome, and Dalton. Dan shared, “It has been inspiring to see this committee be flexible and stay focused during the last year. Its hard work will show when we start the opening ceremony.” uuu

Alzheimer’s Quick Facts ne in three seniors dies with ✔ OAlzheimer’s or another dementia. ✔ M ore than six million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s.

y 2050, the number of people age sixty-five ✔ Band older with Alzheimer’s dementiais projected to reach 12.7 million.

npaid caregivers provide an estimated 15.3 ✔ Ubillion hours valued at nearly $257 billion dollars. ✔ H eart health and brain health are directly

connected, meaning factors that protect the heart may also protect the brain and reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

lmost two-thirds of Americans with ✔ AAlzheimer’s are women. n June 2021, the Alzheimer’s Association ✔ Icelebrated the FDA approval of a new drug for the

treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Aducanumab addresses Alzheimer’s in a new way by slowing the progression of the disease, rather than addressing only the symptoms.

I f you or a loved one is experiencing memory changes, the Alzheimer’s Association strongly encourages speaking with a healthcare provider for a thorough evaluation and diagnosis and to discuss treatment options. For more information on diagnosis or to find a local healthcare provider, visit the Alzheimer’s Association at Alz.org or the Helpline at (800) 272-3900.

Starting a team with friends and family is a great way to give back to this organization.

All photos courtesy of the Alzheimer’s Association.

All the above information comes from the “2021 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures Report” by the Alzheimer’s Association at Alz.org.

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uuu The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is a meaningful and emotional experience. Before the walk starts, participants choose a flower from the event’s Promise Garden that represents their reason for walking. A purple flower represents having lost a loved one to the disease, an orange flower represents walking in support of the cause and a world without Alzheimer’s, and a yellow flower represents caring for someone with the disease.

The blue flower carries a great deal of meaning, as the blue flower is held by those who have Alzheimer’s or dementia. At the end of the opening ceremony, one final flower will be raised in the crowd. This single white flower represents the future and hope for a cure.

Start a new tradition and walk with us, starting in 2021.

The flowers are raised high throughout the walk as a collective commitment to fight to end Alzheimer’s. The Alzheimer’s Association states that the flowers represent the promise to remember, honor, care, and fight for those living with Alzheimer’s disease as well as their caregivers.

Why We Walk Yellow Flower Chris Phillips, local Hickory Flat resident, participates in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in support of her mother, Marilyn Kenny.

Chris serves as a caregiver for her mother, who lives in a memory care facility in New Jersey.

The flowers are raised high throughout the walk as a collective commitment to fight to end Alzheimer’s.

Chris remembers her mother’s tenacity in her younger years. “My mother was an exceptional woman. In midlife she was very healthy, very food conscious, and started running. Despite having never been a runner before, she completed sixteen marathons after the age of forty. When she was around the age of seventy-six, my brother and I started noticing some situations with Mama where she was beginning to forget.” Things were minor at first, but when Marilyn got lost driving home from church and had to have someone help her get home, her children knew they had to take action. Chris remembers the phone call she received from her mother after a day of tests at the doctor’s office. “That night she called me and said, ‘Chrissy, I want you to know that I have Alzheimer’s, but it’s okay, because I’ve already signed up to be part of a program.’ She became part of a pilot study immediately. As confused as she was, she was alert enough to know that she could make a difference. She went through a year of IV treatments, not knowing if she was getting a helpful drug or placebo, but her thought was, ‘Even though this won’t help me, maybe it will help y’all.’”

Chris’s involvement with the Walk to End Alzheimer’s coincided with the beginning of her mother’s decline.

She explains, “I initially got involved with fundraisers because my husband, Dan, works for the Alzheimer’s Association. Coincidentally, around that time is when

20

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my mother started showing signs.” Chris is thankful for her involvement with the organization because of the awareness and knowledge she acquired. “I don’t know that I would’ve acted as quickly had I not been aware of the Alzheimer’s Association, and I don’t think I would’ve taken it as seriously had I not known the information that I did.” Looking back, Chris admires her mother’s strength and selflessness throughout her diagnosis.

Orange Flower Tim Morris, director of Cherokee County Senior Services, has a supportive role in his relation to Alzheimer’s disease. Tim has worked with the aging population for thirty-two years in nursing homes, rehab facilities, and as operations coordinator of all senior centers in Gwinnett County for twenty-three years. Tim shares, “I wasn’t around a lot of family that battled with Alzheimer’s disease, but I’ve dealt with it a lot as part of my job.”

Tim began his work with seniors in 1990 when starting a new career path. The importance of senior centers to a community cannot be overstated, Tim says. “The senior center is not a daycare or a nursing home. We provide socialization and recreation for seniors. We also provide caregivers with any support they need. We help them find resources and support for their family.”

Tim walked in the 2020 Cherokee County Walk to End Alzheimer’s, where he carried the orange flower. Tim says, “I love that we have an orange flower, because I can relate to it one hundred percent. I deal with Alzheimer’s every day, just not in the way many think, but I see the struggles for families living with it.” Tim also shares that he admires the walk and the awareness it brings to a community about Alzheimer’s. “I don’t think people think much about it until you’re directly affected by it.”

Tim is an active participant in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s team for the Cherokee County Senior Center and serves as a representative on the Cherokee County Walk to End Alzheimer’s Planning Committee.

Looking out at the crowd, you’ll see a sea of colored promise garden flowers. Each representing a different, yet equally powerful, reason for being part of such a special event.

Purple Flower Lisa Ciotoli, vice chair for retention of the Cherokee County Walk to End Alzheimer’s and owner of ACASA Senior Care, is both personally and professionally familiar with the sadness that accompanies Alzheimer’s disease. Lisa unfortunately lost her mother to the disease in November 2020 after a twenty-two-year battle.

Lisa reminisces about her mother’s respectable career as a nurse. Her mother attended Reinhardt in the 1930s, worked in the emergency room at Grady Memorial Hospital, and was a surgical nurse in Baxley, Georgia, where she grew up. In 1998, years later, Lisa’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at the age of seventy; however, it would be just the beginning of her fight.

Lisa’s mother spent time in various assisted living homes, where Lisa saw a gap between training and care for many seniors in memory care. This personal experience sparked Lisa to start her own business, ACASA Senior Care, in hopes of closing this gap and providing more sufficient training for caregivers. “Each individual is unique in the way Alzheimer’s comes out in them, and caregivers need to be trained in how to handle these situations in the best way,” Lisa explains.

Many people say one of the most hurtful parts of loved ones’ decline with Alzheimer’s disease is when they no longer recognize you. Lisa offers, “Don’t be discouraged

The walk is fun for the whole family.

by thinking they don’t know you. They can’t always put a name or relation with your face, but they do recognize you as someone they love.”

Lisa was introduced to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in the 1990s. At that time there were pop-up fundraisers and walks, and she participated whenever she could. After experiencing her mother’s gradual decline, Lisa knew she wanted to become more involved when an opportunity arose in Cherokee. “I like to volunteer and am involved with seniors as part of my job, so I was already part of this network. I enjoy the local walks and their intimate setting,” Lisa shares.

Meeting other people who have lost loved ones is one of Lisa’s favorite aspects of participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. She says, “Sharing is really important to the grieving process, so I enjoy talking with others who have gone through the same things. It’s important for all of us to have that outlet.” uuu

All photos courtesy of the Alzheimer’s Association.

[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

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How to Register for the Alz Walk: Register for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Visit GeorgiaWalk.org Select Canton, Georgia, or a location near you.

Start your own team, join a team, or donate.

Join the Cherokee County Walk to End Alzheimer’s on October 23, 2021.

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Blue Flower uuuSandi Bonner, former real estate agent

and current resident of Holbrook Assisted Living in Woodstock, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease more than ten years ago. Sandi is a young eighty-one-year-old and a social butterfly among the residents at Holbrook.

Sandi reports that at the beginning of her journey with Alzheimer’s, her mood changed and she felt depressed, despite being the outgoing jovial person that she is.

“I didn’t think I had dementia. I thought I had depression. My doctor knew this [mood] was unusual for me, and I’ve since learned that my depression was the first stages of my Alzheimer’s.” About six months ago, Sandi’s friends started inquiring about her memory, helping her realize that others were noticing too. She has difficulty recalling words and sometimes loses her train of thought, but she tries to stay active physically and mentally.

When asked if some days are worse than others, Sandi shares that her dementia has more to do with her mood.

“I get a weak feeling, kind of like I just want to go back to bed. My memory is also affected worse when I’m in an uncomfortable situation or am nervous. If I’m calm, I tend to have an easier time.”

Sandi shares the story of her diagnosis with many, as she believes awareness is greatly important. “You hardly heard about Alzheimer’s many years ago, when I was diagnosed,

The #EndAlz movement carries great impact for generations to come.

Start your own team today–and don’t forget your best purple outfit!

so when I was invited to be part of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s here, I was excited to do that.”

Sandi refuses to let Alzheimer’s slow her down and takes every opportunity to go dancing. Sandi says, “I moved here to be close to my friend, who will pick me up and we go honky-tonking.” Meeting others and chatting with them has always been Sandi’s go-to, and it hasn’t changed one bit. She also plays cards every day, an activity she loves. If she doesn’t have a partner nearby to play with, Sandi has no issue with playing against herself—and winning. Next time you’re in Woodstock, stop by Holbrook Assisted Living and see Sandi for a card game or some dancing.

Statistics about Alzheimer’s disease can be found at Alz.org.

[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

23

Security

By Michael Mullet, Ball Ground Resident

It’s easy for owners of small businesses to think hackers won’t attack their computer systems. After all, who would bother to hack into the computers of a business that might have only five employees? Businesses of all sizes have been targets of cyberattacks, though.

Chris Noles, a twenty-five-year IT industry veteran and founder of Canton-based Beyond Computer Solutions (BCS), says businesses can do a great deal to protect themselves.

The first step is training their staff not to let hackers in.

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“When we get called to a company experiencing a cyberattack—ransomware, wiringfraud, or data theft—it’s not usually because a cybercriminal has taken the time to hack into their network,” says Chris.

“Most of the time someone at the company let the hacker in.”

And the most common way someone lets a hacker in?

Email.

“Someone will send a phishing email—a fake email with a computer virus—and an employee will open it or click on the link in it or try to open the attachment, and that’s all it takes,” Chris says. “Anti-virus software is important, but not nearly enough anymore.”

Long gone are emails from the Nigerian prince asking for your bank account so he can send you millions of dollars once his fortune is unlocked.

Today’s phishing emails are much more sophisticated.

“An email may say it’s from a coworker and even have your company logo,” Chris says. “It may look indistinguishable from emails you get from colleagues every day.” So similar, in fact, you might not think twice about trying to open the attachment, and that’s exactly what cybercriminals want.

“The attachment won’t open, so you call your coworker and tell her you’re having trouble with the file she sent, and she says she didn’t send you anything. You delete the email, but by then it’s too late,” says Chris.

Still, it’s unlikely anything bad will happen right away.

“The code you let in may sit on your server for thirty days, sixty days, or longer, while the hacker learns who’s who in the organization and gets your clients’ names, your vendors, and your data,” Chris explains.

“A month or two down the road your server crashes,

and you get a ransomware demand, and whoever opened the phishing email in the first place probably doesn’t even remember doing it.”

In the know Chris knows a great deal about information technology—computers, networks, hackers, security, and more—because he has spent the last two decades helping businesses build their IT infrastructure. He’s watched the basic PC evolve from what was essentially a stand-alone word processor in the early 1990s to the network-linked processing powerhouses of today.

“

I started BCS twenty-one years ago, in January 2000,” he says.

“Our initial focus was real estate attorneys, but today we work with all kinds of companies, large and small, across metro Atlanta.

”

Leading a team of seasoned IT experts, BCS helps companies build and maintain their IT systems by installing servers, moving data to the cloud, being the help desk, providing backups, and keeping technology current. The company partners with cybersecurity firms to provide total solutions that let clients worry less about IT and cybersecurity and focus more on running their business.

“I’m proud to say we partner with some amazing cybersecurity teams; security is all they do,” Chris explains. “Any managed IT company can say, ‘We’re secure,’ but you need to find out if they have a cyber security partner. Cyberattackers get better every day, so you need someone whose sole focus is security, what we call managed detection and response.

Together we provide both functionality and security for customers.” uuu (continued on page 28)

Chris Noles, founder of Canton-based Beyond Computer Solutions (BCS)

[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

25

ROTATOR CUFF HEALTH MEET THE DOCTORS Dr. Matthew Simmons Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network - Canton Dr. Matthew Simmons is a board-certified physician in family medicine and sports medicine. He received his fellowship in sports medicine at Baton Rouge General and currently is the Medical Director for the Northside Cherokee Sports Medicine Program. He is a physician for the Cherokee County School District Athletics and Reinhardt University. He specializes in non-operative orthopedics, concussion management, non-operative treatments, and sports injury prevention.

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons surrounding the shoulder joint that allow you to move your arm and shoulder.

Rotator cuff injuries can range from being very mild and only requiring over-the-counter pain medicine to treat, to severe, which leads to outpatient surgery. Most rotator cuff injuries are caused by a sudden injury leading to a tear, or degeneration, which means wear and tear over time. If you’re over the age of 45, you’re more likely to be prone to rotator cuff injuries.

Dr. Stephen Rodes

Listen to

Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network - Canton

ASK THE DOCTOR on WLJA 101.1 FM First & Third Wednesday of each month at 5:15 pm

Dr. Stephen Rodes is a board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic sports medicine surgeon. He has expertise in arthroscopic treatment for shoulders, knees, and elbow conditions and specializes in using minimally invasive techniques.

Currently, he is the lead orthopedic surgeon for the Cherokee County School District Athletics and Reinhart University.

Dr. Simmons and Dr. Rodes are accepting new patients at our Canton and Woodstock locations.

FPO

Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network Canton - 470 Northside Cherokee Blvd, Suite 180, Canton, GA 30115 Woodstock - 900 Towne Lake Pkwy, Suite 320, Woodstock, GA 30189

ASK THE DOCTOR DR. MATTHEW SIMMONS

DR. STEPHEN RODES

What is the rotator cuff?

The rotator cuff is four muscles and tendons that originate on the shoulder blade and attach to the humeral head. It keeps the ball of your upper arm bone in your shoulder socket. They stabilize the shoulder and perform overhead and rotational range of motion.

What types of injuries are associated with the rotator cuff?

Rotator cuff injuries may be as simple as sprains or strains of the cuff tissue, where more extensive injuries may be partial or full-thickness tears of the cuff. Sprains and strains are commonly diagnosed as bursitis or tendinitis of the rotator cuff. Some patients may also have other injuries to the shoulder, joint, or labrum.

How do you get rotator cuff tears?

Rotator cuff tears can be the result of either an acute traumatic injury or gradual wear and tear over time, and most patients that get rotator cuff tears are over 45.

Traumatic tears tend to occur with falls onto the shoulder or an outstretched arm and can be associated with dislocations of the shoulder. Degenerative, or wear and tear, tears tend to occur in patients that do a lot of repetitive activities or manual labor and are more common in patients with systemic diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis.

What are the surgical treatment options for a rotator cuff tear?

Surgical treatment is recommended for patients that have an acute traumatic tear or chronic degenerative tears that fail to improve despite nonoperative treatment.

Most surgeries are performed arthroscopically using small incisions and a camera to visualize the injury. The goal of the surgery for a complete tear is to reattach the torn tendon back down to the bone using a combination of plastic screws and sutures.

For partial tears, it’s usually debrided, or cleaned up, and can be treated with a patch-type implant that is made from a cow’s Achilles tendon. Then, it’s attached to the torn rotator cuff with plastic staples. The patch itself dissolves over time but stimulates the body to heal the underlying tear.

How long does it take to recover from surgery?

The surgery is outpatient, meaning patients can go home the same day, but it usually takes about six months to fully recover. Patients are put under general anesthesia for the surgery and receive an injection along the bottom of the neck to numb the nerves to limit pain postoperatively.

What are the risks of surgery?

What are the symptoms of a rotator cuff tear?

The most common symptom is shoulder pain, and it’s often located going down the side of the upper arm along the deltoid muscle. Many patients have pain at night that interferes with sleep and experience weakness and loss of motion, especially with larger tears.

What are the nonoperative treatment options for a rotator cuff tear?

Nonoperative treatment is typically the initial treatment for most atraumatic rotator cuff tears. The options include NSAIDs, like ibuprofen, avoiding overhead activity and heavy lifting, physical therapy, and steroid injections. In some cases, the use of newer technology with orthobiologics, like Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), may be indicated. Nonoperative treatment is effective in many cases, especially in partial tears.

Common risks after rotator cuff surgery include infection, stiffness, continued pain, and failure to heal, repair, or retear. The risk of infection is generally low after arthroscopic surgery but can increase with other comorbidities, such as diabetes. The most common complication is retearing or failing to heal. This is influenced by the size of the tear, patient age, quality of the tissue, chronicity of tear, retraction, and muscle atrophy.

How do I know that my repair healed?

Healing of the tear is monitored by symptoms, like pain, improving, regaining motion, and a strong rotator cuff. If the patient isn’t progressing as expected, then an MRI to check for healing will be performed.

NEXT ON: ASK THE DOCTOR Diverticulitis with Dr. Madhavi Jordan, MD, FACS Send your questions to: nswellness@northside.com

Scary Cyber

Security Stats

(continued from page 25) uuu Like many businesses moving out of the metro area to

more serene north Georgia communities, Chris relocated Beyond Computer Systems from Cobb to Cherokee County in 2020.

He and his wife moved north at the same time.

The company, whose employees mostly work remotely but go to clients’ offices when needed, has a suite at THRIVE Coworking in Downtown Canton, which Chris says is a perfect fit. “THRIVE has everything we need and a really hip vibe,” he says. “Plus with easy access to I-575 and Highway 20, it’s easy for us to get anywhere we need to see a client, even if it’s a little longer drive. I’d rather make that drive knowing I get to come back to north Georgia at the end of each day.”

Is your business vulnerable?

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By cybercrime will cost companies worldwide an estimated

$10.5

trillion.

Although

43 percent

Breach discovery takes an average of

of cyberattacks are aimed at small businesses, only 14 percent are prepared to defend themselves.

(Accenture’s Cost of Cybercrime Study)

197 days.

3

Top suggestions to lower your risk: The most commonly hit industries include and

banks

healthcare institutions, and higher education.

Information comes from the article “2021 Must-Know Cyber Attack Statistics and Trends” on Embroker.com

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Reduce Data Transfers Download Carefully Improve Your Passwords

This summer the research arm of cyber security industry giant Cybereason released a report detailing the many costs a business might face as the result of a ransomware attack. Surveying more than 1,200 businesses of all sizes that had been victims of an attack, the researchers found fully two-thirds suffered significant revenue losses as a direct result. Company size had little impact on financial losses.

“

The other thing a cyber hack can damage is your reputation,” adds Chris.

“Your suppliers, your customers, they expect you to keep their information secure.

If you can’t, they may think twice about doing business with you.

”

Although the biggest cyberattacks get the headlines, such as the attacks on TJ Maxx, Equifax, the City of Atlanta, and more recently, Colonial Pipeline, any unprepared company could be vulnerable.

The Cybereason report estimated a ransomware attack on a business somewhere in the world about every eleven seconds.

Chris Noles has a simple test a business can use to determine if it might be at risk: “Are you connected to a wire [the internet]?

If so, your business can be compromised,” he says.

An ounce of prevention As much as threats may be lurking around every corner, companies can do some common-sense things to protect themselves. Chris recommends focusing first on three priority areas.

First, train your employees. “Well-trained employees are like human firewalls,” he says. “Can your employees spot a phishing email? Do they know what clues to look for? Almost every hacking crisis I‘ve worked on happened because an employee let the hacker in through an email. Training is inexpensive and quick, and the benefits are huge.”

The second priority is to lock down your email. You should not let employees use personal email accounts such as Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail, or others to conduct company business.

“Buy a corporate email domain, make sure all your employees use it, and enable multifactor authentication,” Chris says.

“That way you can track what’s being sent from your company, but more important, you can see what’s coming in, who let it in, and when. A corporate account helps you protect your staff and your data.”

Finally, Chris says, keep your technology up to date.

“For example, Microsoft doesn’t support Windows 7 anymore, and its vulnerabilities are well known,” Chris says. “Software companies are constantly sending updates and fixes for problems they’ve uncovered, and it’s important to keep your software and hardware up to date.”

While cyber security has a cost, Chris advises asking yourself whether investing 2 percent to 3 percent of your annual revenue in IT and cyber security is a more reasonable figure than paying a huge ransom. “The average ransomware demand these days is about half a million dollars,” he says. “I don’t know a lot of small businesses that have that kind of cash lying around, not to mention the sales you lose while your IT system is locked up.”

Chris’s experience growing up the son of a small business owner and now a small business owner himself is what drives his work.

“I’m passionate about not wanting businesses to be victims of a cyberattack,” Chris relates. “I take care of other businesses, and we are all targets, but small business is the backbone of America, and I don’t want to see it damaged or taken down.”

[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

29

The Dawgs

Some of Mr. Bulldog’s most prized pieces make up his Herschel Walker display. The helmet is signed by legendary Bulldogs coach Vince Dooley.

30

In a suburb somewhere in Cherokee County sits a house with an exterior that tells no tales of what treasures lie within. A man we shall refer to as Mr. Bulldog, for security reasons, owns the house, and it holds one of the best collections of Georgia Bulldog memorabilia around. Only friends are allowed inside, but Enjoy Cherokee Magazine was able to procure an invitation through connections. Since our readers cannot tour the house, we will give you a peek inside.

[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

legendary football memorabilia collector

By Dennis and Leana Conway, Woodstock Residents

Two standout pieces from this photo include a 1940s game helmet with an almost one-hundred-year-old stadium pennant.

Like the families of many little boys who grew up in Georgia, Mr. Bulldog’s entire family comprised Dawg fans, and he had a pennant of the team on his bedroom wall. He dreamed of owning more souvenirs when he was older but could not have imagined the collection he would come to acquire.

In 2012 Mr. Bulldog was thirty-four when he started collecting his team’s memorabilia. He bid on a print of the team at an auction. He won, but he had trouble getting the owner to complete the transaction. Mr. Bulldog went to the seller’s house out of frustration and announced he was there with the cash to get his purchase. Although in a good neighborhood, the house was in a state of disrepair. After a brief interaction, Mr. Bulldog took his purchase and left, but homeowner Keith Contarino followed him out. Keith wanted to chat about his favorite Georgia Bulldog memories.

Keith’s favorite memory was the “Run! Lindsay, run!” play from 1980 against the Florida Gators.

Mr. Bulldog regaled Keith with the story of when he attended the 1998 Peach Bowl on New Year’s Eve against the Virginia Cavaliers in Atlanta.

At that time Mr. Bulldog was a rambunctious twenty-one-year-old hyperenergetic UGA fan with enough charm to talk his way into an invitation to watch the game from the visiting team’s president’s box. The offer was extended with a stern warning to behave. The first half was rough for Georgia and even rougher for Mr. Bulldog, as he was asked to take his enthusiasm elsewhere.

National hero Walter Rourke jersey circa 1939 to 1942

The halftime score was 0-28. Georgia had a lot of yards to recover, and Mr. Bulldog needed a different seat. He chose to cheer for the Dawgs from the Virginia student section. As one might imagine, Mr. Bulldog endured some “college spirit abuse” while submerged in the visiting team’s student section and was escorted out of the stands to take a breather more than once. At the end of the game Mr. Bulldog exited the stadium unscathed and the Dawgs took home an exciting 35-33 victory.

When Mr. Bulldog finished telling his story, Keith looked at him, astonished, and said, “I remember that game. I was in the section beside the Virginia Cavalier students. I couldn’t believe you kept going back to their student’s section. Ha! In 1980 I went to a Georgia versus Notre Dame game wearing a lewd T-shirt and had a similar experience. You are a younger version of me. Come back in the house; you’re going to want to see this.” uuu

An old sideline chair surrounded by varsity sweaters and letterman jackets [www.EnjoyCherokee.com] 31 from legends of the game

Helmets, multiple signed game balls, bobbleheads, and many other pieces line the shelves of Mr. Bulldog’s showcase.

Mr. Bulldog has a whole room dedicated to his unique and valuable Bulldogs jerseys. To the left is Mr. Bulldog’s first team pennant from the 1982 Sugar Bowl.

uuu Reluctantly Mr. Bulldog went back inside the house

Herschel Walker’s student

and Keith showed him to the basement. The basement was registration certificate from Ticket to the Georgia versus organized, although a broken picture on the wall had left shards the spring of 1983 Yale game on October 12, 1929.

The ticket cost $3.00. of glass on the floor. To Mr. Bulldog’s astonishment, Keith had a wealth of Georgia memorabilia tucked away in boxes. in the Army Air Corps. At ninety-nine Trippi is the oldest living Keith told him to take something home, because he could see member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Charley bought the Mr. Bulldog was a true fan. A friendship was born, and the stools with his first NFL paycheck with the Chicago Cardinals. two men began meeting at Mellow Mushroom and talking If bar stools could talk, these would have remarkable stories.

Georgia football. During their talks Keith told Mr. Bulldog that Some famous buttocks that have rested on the seats belonged to someday the collection was all going to be his, because he was celebrities such as Joe Namath, President Harry Truman, and the biggest Georgia fan Keith had ever met. Mr. Bulldog would of course, many UGA legends who enjoyed sitting together, also learn that Keith had struggled with depression and mental reliving victories, and reexamining defeats. illness for years.

The oldest of Mr. Bulldog’s University of Georgia memorabilia After about a year of friendship, Keith called Mr. Bulldog and dates back to 1929, a lime athletic field marker and a giant asked to meet up again. To Mr. Bulldog’s surprise, Keith had pennant from Georgia’s first game in the newly constructed his entire memorabilia collection in his truck. Keith asked Mr. Sanford Stadium in which the team played Yale University.

Bulldog to store it for him. Keith said things were stressful at For years the pennant resided at the University of Georgia home, and he wanted his collection to be safe. until some Georgia Tech students stole it and put it up at their frat house. The story is that a young man from UGA who was Mr. Bulldog left for a week-long vacation. The day after he dating a Georgia Tech coed stole it back. It seems all is fair in returned, Keith’s son told him that Keith had taken his own life. love, war, and football.

He had indeed left all his Georgia memorabilia to Mr. Bulldog.

Keith’s collection became the beginning of Mr. Bulldog’s collection, and from there he has filled it in with missing pieces and many new ones. Some items have required years of negotiating and dealing to obtain, while other treasures have practically fallen into his lap.

When you enter Mr. Bulldog’s home, the first thing you see is a striking black bar with black and red bar stools. The seats belonged to UGA’s first national star and one of the most celebrated athletes in Georgia history, Charley Trippi. Trippi was a quarterback, running back, and defensive back for the Bulldogs from 1942 to 1946, with a year off in 1944 to serve

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Charley Trippi’s barstools bought with his first NFL paycheck in 1947

You cannot talk about Georgia football without mentioning Larry Munson, the legendary play-by-play radio announcer for the University of Georgia from 1966 to 2008. He had unique ways of describing plays that forever immortalized them in college football history. Mr. Bulldog has several of the pieces connected to Munson’s most famous calls.

The infamous “Hobnail Boot” game refers to a last-second touchdown pass from quarterback David Greene to Vernon Haynes that shocked the University of Tennessee, giving Georgia the victory in 2001. No fan can forget Larry Munson yelling, “We just stepped on their face with a hobnailed boot and broke their nose. We crushed their face!” Mr. Bulldog has David Greene’s and Vernon Haynes’s complete uniforms from that day.

Another infamous Larry Munson call was “Run! Lindsay, run!” The iconic ninety-three-yard touchdown catch and run by Lindsay Scott paved the way to Georgia’s 1980 National Championship title.

Mr. Bulldog is in possession of Lindsay Scott’s helmet from 1979.

Mr. Bulldog lights up like a proud father when displaying a one-of-a-kind watch. After winning the 1980 National Championship, every member of the team was given championship rings, but the university gave Larry Munson a watch. Eventually people became aware of the discrepancy and demanded he too be given a championship ring.

In an unbelievable twist, many years later Mr. Bulldog found a box of stuff from Munson’s estate at a flea market. It had all sorts of his papers, including his divorce papers, and at the very bottom was the watch that was engraved “To Larry Munson, Georgia Bulldogs, 1980 National Champions.”

Mr. Bulldog owns a home maintenance company.

One day he had several appointment cancellations that led him to meet an older gentleman not on the day’s schedule. The man noticed Mr. Bulldogs’ license plate, UGALUVR, and they started talking. The man said, “You know, I was Herschel Walker’s pharmacist for years, and I have a pair of his cleats, the last ones he wore as a college athlete. My wife has been asking me to get rid of them for ages. Would you like them?”

Mr. Bulldog gave them a generous discount on their bill and was on his way, astounded by his good luck.

There is much to talk about in Mr. Bulldog’s ultimate man cave. Fifteen full-sized mannequins in full original uniforms are arranged to watch the game day with you, players such as Bill Goldberg, David Pollack, DJ Shockley, Champ Bailey, Hines Ward and even Vernon Hayes in his 2001 game-worn uniform. Mr. Bulldog has the football from the flea-flicker play of the 1965 game against the University of Alabama, one of the greatest plays in Georgia football history, plus many more footballs, jerseys, newspaper articles, bobbleheads, posters, and such. The house is truly Bulldog heaven. uuu

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1980 Georgia Bulldog season tickets

Letter from the legend Dan MaGill to Larry Munson. This is one letter of many written between the two.

Mr. Bulldog holding the game ball from the 1943 Rose Bowl where Georgia won their first National Championship

uuu Legendary coach Vince Dooley’s presence permeates the

air throughout Mr. Bulldog’s house. During Dooley’s years as head coach, UGA won six SEC titles and a national championship.

More than Coach Dooley’s relics saturate the space; his attitude does too. Mr. Bulldog met Vince at a banquet dinner. Vince heard that Mr. Bulldog had brought the famous cleats from the “Hobnail boot” call, so Vince called Mr. Bulldog up to the stage with the cleats during his interview with an 11Alive sportscaster.

Another friendship blossomed. Mr. Bulldog now works as Coach Dooley’s home maintenance professional. More than their professional relationship, though, the two men have built a friendship, and Mr. Bulldog sees Dooley as a role model and

mentor. He says, “I work so hard and go the extra mile every day, even when I am tired, because I think of what Coach Dooley would do.”

Vince has given Mr. Bulldog Japanese maples out of his yard, many memorabilia items, and more importantly, life philosophy and friendship. Like his hero, Mr. Bulldog has various interests.

In addition to cheering on the Dawgs, he is an accomplished photographer, collector of music, and amateur landscaper.

Mr. Bulldog says, “I am a Georgia Bulldog fan because of the pageantry, the traditions, and the history of the game. If you go to Athens, Georgia, for a game and see the tailgating outside, the sea

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of red, go into the stadium and hear the Red Coat marching band and 94,000 fans screaming for their team, it’s hard not to be a fan.”

When asked what single piece of memorabilia he would run back into a fire to retrieve, Mr. Bulldog’s answer reveals the spirit behind wearing a Bulldog jersey. “If I could save only one item, it would probably be the jersey of number forty Walter ‘Chief’ Ruark.

He was a true American hero, the most underrated, unknown Bulldog ever to play the game. He played on the same team as Frank Sinkwich and Charley Trippi in 1942 that led Georgia to an eleven and one record and a victory over UCLA in the Rose Bowl.

After the Rose Bowl, he joined the U.S. Army. In 1944 Ruark volunteered to lead a patrol in Belgium to engage German Snipers.

Ruark took the lead so he would not expose his men. Ruark was killed by a sniper, sparing the men behind him. Walter Ruark was awarded the Silver Star for his selflessness and bravery. Besides leaving a wife behind, he also left a daughter who would never meet him.”

Mr. Bulldog’s love for his team has shaped his life. Being a Georgia fan and avid memorabilia collector has made him friends he would never have met otherwise and taken him places he would never have seen. He has also met many of his heroes of the game, who continue to inspire him.

In the future if you see a guy at an estate sale or flea market with a Bulldogs shirt on and his head in a box of what looks like trash, it might be Mr. Bulldog searching for his next treasure.

Call 706-299-5800 to schedule your FREE In-Home Estimate!

www.DaltonWholesale.com

In loving memory of Dr. Keith Contarino

Et R A C E DI rollmen

Mnual En An

ec D – 5 1 Oct.

.7

ASK THE

EXPERT Never a Fee for Services. EVER!

Moving?

Medicaid Status Change Retired?

TURNING 65?

?

Bonnie Dobbs

Nursing home admittance?

...and the list goes on!

Is your current Medicare plan still the best choice for you NOW? Confused about those TV commercials about Medicare plans? CALL THE EXPERT!

770-373-7541

There is never a fee for services. The Bonnie Dobbs Agency is an independent agency not affiliated with the United States government, any state government, or the federal Medicare program.

[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

35

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Play-by-Play coverage Live with Will Cooper & Dave Garner

AUG 20 AUG 27 SEP 3 SEP 10 SEP 17 SEP 24

OCT 1 OCT 8 OCT 15 OCT 22 OCT 29 NOV 5 NOV 12 NOV 17

36

[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

7:00 pm

Sequoyah @ Woodstock Cherokee @ Sequoyah River Ridge @ Etowah Creekview @ Cherokee Cambridge @ Creekview

BYE WEEK

Sequoyah @ Creekview Creekview @ River Ridge Etowah @ Cherokee Woodstock @ Etowah Johns Creek @ River Ridge Roswell @ Woodstock 1st Round of Playoffs (TBA) 2nd Round of Playoffs (TBA)

Live Streaming www.WLJAradio.com

PREGAME SHOW:

HALFTIME SHOW:

POST-GAME SHOW: PLAYER OF THE GAME:

Woodstock High School

Creekview High School

ng

:

E:

Tyler Douthit, junior

Isaac Hubert, junior

Offensive Lineman Tyler Douthit will enter his junior year

aiming for success for the Woodstock Wolverines. The upcoming season will be Tyler’s eleventh year playing for a Woodstock team with teammates who are more like family. During the 2020 season, the offensive line led the way for Woodstock to beat inter-county rivals Sequoyah and Etowah. Tyler says, “I really like the culture [of the game] and being around the team, because my teammates are like my second family.”

Through the ups and downs of seasons, Tyler says he’s learned that “although the thought of change is hard, sometimes it is for the better. Learning how to adapt to change has made me stronger and a better player.” He is eager to see Woodstock’s team succeed more than ever during the 2021 season because of the hard work his team has put in.

When he’s not on the field, Tyler is a shotput and discus thrower for the track and field team. Tyler hopes to play college football and earn a degree in construction or engineering. He has received offers from major teams for his excellent play as a sophomore.

Date

Time

Opponent Sequoyah River Ridge Creekview Campbell Calhoun

Home/Away Home Home Away Away Home

Cherokee Alpharetta

Home Away

Etowah Milton Roswell

Away Away Home

a Maxpreps All-American his freshman year in 2019, Isaac has continued to be an outstanding member of the Grizzlies team. He began playing with Cherokee Youth Football in the third grade and played on travel teams while growing up.

Isaac shares, “I like being around my friends, mostly. Even though practices are hard, it’s fun because we’re all in it together.” Isaac says the most valuable lesson he’s learned from his coaches is to trust his teammates. He explains, “You are one-eleventh of your team. If everyone does their part, we will succeed, but if you don’t trust your teammates and try to do their job for them, the whole thing will fall apart.”

Isaac is busy with sports year-round. He plays lacrosse for Creekview in the spring and for the Atlanta Lacrosse Club during the summer. During the winter he plays basketball for the Grizzlies. Isaac is also a member of Beta Club and serves as the secretary for his graduating class.

For the 2021 season, Isaac says, “I’m excited to see the younger kids grow and mentor younger players in the same way I was mentored as a freshman and sophomore.”

Date

August 20 August 27 September 3 September 10 September 17 September 24 October 1 October 8 October 15 October 22 October 29 November 5

Time 7:30 BYE 7:30 7:30 7:30 BYE 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30

Opponent

Home/Away

Woodstock Cherokee Cambridge

Home Away Home

Sequoyah River Ridge Riverwood Chattahoochee Centennial Johns Creek

Home Away Away Away Home Away

Etowah

Home

2021

7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 BYE 7:30 7:30 BYE 7:30 7:30 7:30

2021

August 20 August 27 September 3 September 10 September 17 September 24 October 1 October 8 October 15 October 22 October 29 November 5

Isaac Hubert is a junior defensive end for the Creekview Grizzlies. Voted

[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

37

Etowah High School

Cherokee High School

Braden Bohannon, senior

Adarrius Harshaw, senior

Braden Bohannon is a senior wide receiver for the Etowah Eagles. The 2021 season is special to Braden, because it is his twelfth year playing the game. He looks forward to playing with his teammates and friends one last time. Asked his favorite part of playing the game, Braden answers, “There’s no better feeling than a Friday night under the lights with the kids I grew up with. I can count on them to put it all out on the line, and they know they will get the same from me.”

Braden’s hopes for this season include leading the Eagles to the playoffs. Braden hopes to play college football next year wherever he can, because he loves the game and wants to continue playing. “Being part of the Etowah team has taught me a lot, not just about football, but also life,” Braden shares. “It’s taught me how to be a man and play as a team. Credit goes to Coach Kemper. He is one of the best and has taught the team and me a lot about the game.”

Braden grew up in a football family. His father is head football coach at Kennesaw State University, and an older brother plays for KSU as well. When he’s not on the field, Braden runs track and is an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Date

Time

Opponent

Home/Away

Roswell Milton Cherokee Woodstock

Away Home Away Home

Alpharetta

Away

Creekview Forsyth Central River Ridge North Forsyth North Cobb

Away Home Home Away Home

with the Cherokee Warriors. Adarrius finished the 2020 season with 872 yards, the best in Cherokee County, and seven receiving touchdowns, tied for first in the county. What’s shocking in his ability is that Adarrius has been playing football for only six years; however, he is known for his ability to run track. He earned first place in the county for the one-hundred meter and second place for the two-hundred meter.

Adarrius says he’s learned a great deal about leadership from being part of the Warriors team. “I learned to be a better person and use things I know from experience to help others,” Adarrius shares. Being around his teammates, having fun, and competing are some of his favorite aspects of the game.

In the 2021 season, Adarrius has his sights set on reaching ten touchdowns and one thousand total yards. With his teammates he hopes to help fellow players become better athletes and win games. After his senior year, Adarrius has committed to play college football with the University of Utah Utes.

Date

August 18 August 27 September 3 September 10 September 17 September 24 October 1 October 8 October 15 October 22 October 29 November 5

Time 5:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 BYE 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 BYE 7:30

Opponent

Home/Away

Woodstock Roswell Etowah Alpharetta

Away Home Home Home

Milton

Away

Mays Sequoyah Rome Creekview Cartersville

Neutral Away Away Home Away

2021

7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 BYE 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 BYE 7:30

2021

August 20 August 27 September 3 September 10 September 17 September 24 October 1 October 8 October 15 October 22 October 29 November 5

Wide Receiver Adarrius Harshaw looks forward to his senior season

The R Mille fall. T the l post team Mid-

38

[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

Coac for th “I fee team We h I’m e

Sequoyah High School

River Ridge High School

Matthew Traynor, junior

Amehre Morrison, senior

Matthew Traynor is a junior and the starting quarterback for the Sequoyah Chiefs. In 2020 Matthew led the Chiefs to four late-season victories in the region, bringing them to the edge of the playoffs. Having played football since the fourth grade, Matthew has come to love the game and learned a lot along the way.

Matthew’s favorite aspect of the game is the way it brings people together.

He says, “You might not have anything in common with a person, but if y’all both love football, you can become best friends.” Matthew also shares one of the lessons he’s learned by being part of Sequoyah football. “Football is about family and the connections you make while playing the game you love. You make many lifelong friendships that are priceless.”

Matthew plays basketball for the Chiefs as well. This season Matthew says he is excited to see how the team will play and hopes it will excel without quarantine restrictions on players. After high school, Matthew hopes to play football somewhere in the South.

Date

Time

Opponent

Home/Away

Johns Creek

Home

Creekview Cambridge Chattahoochee River Ridge Riverwood Centennial

Away Away Home Home Home Away

Woodstock Cherokee Cass

Away Home Away

Amehre shares, “My favorite thing about the sport is definitely the adrenaline I feel when scoring touchdowns and hearing the roar of the crowd.” Since joining the Knights, Amehre has learned to trust his coaches and teammates when things get hard and never give up on his team. For his senior year, Amehre says, “I’m most excited about seeing what we can do and showing everyone that last year wasn’t a fluke.”

In addition to playing football, he will be involved in student government his senior year. He plans to play division one football in college but hasn’t yet committed to any school.

Date

August 20 August 27 September 3 September 10 September 17 September 24 October 1 October 8 October 15 October 22 October 29 November 5

Time 7:30 7:30 7:30 BYE 7:30 BYE 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30

Opponent

Home/Away

Chattahoochee

Home

Riverwood Creekview Centennial Sequoyah Johns Creek Cambridge

Home Home Away Away Home Away

Opponent

Home/Away

Lassiter Woodstock Etowah

Home Away Away

2021

7:30 7:30 7:30 BYE 7:30 BYE 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30

2021

August 20 August 27 September 3 September 10 September 17 September 24 October 1 October 8 October 15 October 22 October 29 November 5

Amehre Morrison, the River Ridge Knights star running back, enters his senior season with great enthusiasm. River Ridge had major success in 2020 with its first undefeated season in school history, first region championship, and reaching the quarterfinals of the playoffs. Amehre broke records of his own last year by leading the state of Georgia with 1,958 rushing yards and coming second in points scored with 174 points.

Reinhardt University

Coach Miller commends Reinhardt’s players for their resilience and passion for the game.

“I feel like this is one of the best football teams we’ve had since I’ve been head coach.

We have great leadership on this team, and I’m excited for this season,” he explains.

Fans will notice new turf this season at Reinhardt’s stadium. Coach Miller gives thanks to Bill Pop, Reinhardt President Dr. Roberts, and others for the new renovation, which he says was much needed for the multi-use field.

The Eagles football program has grown leaps and bounds since its opening season in 2013.

Eight years later, fans can look forward to an exciting and successful fall season for the Reinhardt University Eagles.

Date

September 2 September 11 September 18 September 25 October 2 October 9 October 16 October 23 October 30 November 6 November 13

Time 8:00 TBA 12:00 2:30 TBA TBA 1:30 TBA TBA TBA TBA

Kennesaw State Away Warner Home Campbellsville Home Bethel (TN) Away Ave Maria Away Bluefield Home Point Away Faulkner Home St. Andrews Away Union Home [www.EnjoyCherokee.com] Kentucky Christian Away

2021

The Reinhardt Eagles Head Coach James Miller anticipates a successful season this fall. The Eagles have overcome obstacles in the last year, playing a short spring season postponed from fall 2020 and earning the team the conference championship of the Mid-South Conference Appalachian Division.

39

festivals

SEPTEMBER ◗

When the weather cools off from summer and the leaves start to change into magnificent reds and oranges, many will want to venture out and experience autumn.

North Georgia is exploding with fall festivals that you and your family won’t want to miss.

40

[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

Sheriff’s JeepFest

Thursday, September 2–Sunday, September 5 J a s p e r, G e o r g i a JeepFest is an annual three-day event that features Jeep obstacles, trails, mud, concerts, rides, food and drink vendors, and much more. The proceeds of this community event raises money for a variety of children’s charities by way of the Sheriff’s Foundation.

SheriffsJeepFest.com

◗

Hot Air Balloon Festival

Friday, September 3–Sunday, September 5 Callaway Resort & Gardens Pine Mountain, Georgia Each night of this magical Labor Day festival hot air balloons illuminate the sky above Robin Lake Beach followed by fantastical fireworks. Bring swimsuits for fun in the sun during the day at Robin Lake Beach, tour the beautiful gardens at Callaway, and watch the butterflies at the Butterfly Center.

CallawayGardens.com/Resort-Experiences/ Signature-Events/Sky-High-Hot-Air-Balloon-FestivalLabor-Day-Weekend/

◗

Tacos and Tequila Festival

Sunday, September 5 The Mill on Etowah Canton, Georgia CaliFino Tequila presents the first Tacos and Tequila festival this fall. The event will be a multicultural day of community that celebrates live music and the best tacos and tequilas in North Georgia. This event is free for the entire family.

EtowahMill.com/Events

◗

Yellow Daisy Festival

Thursday, September 9–Sunday, September 12 Stone Mountain Park Stone Mountain, Georgia The Yellow Daisy Festival is a four-day arts and crafts festival featuring more than 250 artists and makers. There will be delectable festival food and outstanding crafter demonstrations as well.

StoneMountainPark.com/Activities/Events/ Yellow-Daisy-Festival

◗

Blue Ridge Blues and BBQ Festival

Saturday, September 18 Downtown Blue Ridge, Georgia Roam the downtown area and taste local barbeque during this early fall festival. Live blues bands will play all day as barbeque masters serve their best dishes. The local shops will be open for your perusal and the streets will be full.

Admission is $10.

BlueRidgeMountains.com/Events/Blue-RidgeBlues-and-BBQ-Festival

◗

Cartecay Crush Festival

Sunday, September 19 Cartecay Vineyards Ell i jay, G e o rg ia The gorgeous Cartecay Vineyards will host its tenth annual crush fest, an event for wine lovers. Stomp the grapes, taste the wines, tour the vineyards, and enjoy local live music.

Admission is $25 on the day of the event, but pre-sale prices are available.

CartecayVineyards.com

◗

RiverFest

Saturday, September 25 & Sunday, September 26 Etowah River Park Canton, Georgia RiverFest is a Cherokee County arts and crafts festival hosted by the Service League of Cherokee County. Along with classic festival fare, the event will have live entertainment, a kid’s zone, and a football tailgating area.

ServiceLeague.net/Fundraisers/RiverFest

◗

Dancing Goats FolkFest

Saturday, September 25 & Sunday, September 26 Ell i jay, G e o rg ia The Dancing Goats FolkFest celebrates Southern Appalachian culture with folk arts and crafts like pottery and other handmade goods. Gather around for some old-fashioned Appalachian storytelling, music, and goat beauty pageants.

DancingGoatsFolkFest.com

◗

Ride the Rails Festival

Saturday, September 25 & Sunday, September 26 Mineral Bluf f, Georgia Ride the rails through the gorgeous North Georgia mountains on a five-mile round trip ride by railroad through the Iron Bridge over the stunning Toccoa River to Murphy Junction.

This trip is awesome fun for all ages.

TSMRI.org/Ride-The-Rails-Fundraiser/ uuu [www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

41

◗

Lula Fall Festival

Friday, October 1 Depot Community Center Lula, Georgia A fun festival for the whole family with local arts and crafts, great food, children’s activities, live music, and entertainment. This year’s event will also feature a street dance on Friday night and a dunking booth with some of Lula’s very own city officials and guests.

Facebook @LulaFallFestival

◗

Thursday, October 7–Sunday, October 17 C it y of Cu m m in g Fairg ro u n ds Cumming, Georgia Nothing says fall quite like a good old-fashioned fair. Carnival rides, delicious fair food, concerts, a petting zoo, and more.

Breathtaking shows include an alligator wrangler, chainsaw carving, magicians, and even a circus. Admission specials most nights leave no excuse not to visit this awesome event.

CummingFair.SquareSpace.com/Cumming-CountryFair-Festival-2

OC TOBER ◗

Oktoberfest

September 9–12, September 16–19, September 23–26 September 30–October 31 Downtown Helen, Georgia Helen brings this German classic festival to North Georgia for the fiftieth year. Enjoy German music, food, and drinks around the beautiful streets of Helen. Admission is $8 per person Monday–Friday, $10 per person on Saturday, and free admission on Sunday.

HelenChamber.com

Cumming Country Fair & Festival

◗

Georgia Mountain Fall Festival

Friday, October 8–Saturday, October 16 Hiawassee, Georgia Mild temperatures and beautiful scenery invite you to the Georgia Mountain Fall Festival featuring arts and crafts vendors, educational demonstrations, a flower show, a pioneer village, and a great musical lineup.

GeorgiaMountainFairgrounds.com/LocalEvents/FallFest

◗

Blairsville Sorghum Festival

Saturday, October 9 & Sunday, October 10 Saturday, October 16 & Sunday, October 17 Meeks Park Blairsville, Georgia The Blairsville Sorghum Festival has been part of the city’s heritage for more than fifty years. The main event is of course the sorghum syrup. Local small businesses and artists will have booths and demonstrations to enjoy. Join in on a square dance and parade through town, log sawing, hatchet throwing, and more. Admission is $5 for adults and free for children.

BlairsvilleSorghumFestival.com

◗

42

Georgia Apple Festival

Saturday, October 9 & Sunday, October 10 Saturday, October 16 & Sunday, October 17 Ellijay L io ns Club Fairgro un ds Ell i jay, G e o rg ia The Georgia Apple Festival brings two exciting weekends of fun to Ellijay. Three-hundred vendors will offer food, art, crafts, and of course, apples.

Crafting demonstrations, a parade, and antique car show will keep the family entertained for hours.

The 2021 festival will be the fiftieth year of this amazing festival. Admission is $5.

GeorgiaAppleFestival.org

[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

SAFETY ACTIVITIES www.FirePreventionWeek.org | Sparky.org

FIRE SAFETY HOUSE WILL VISIT

THE

◗

Gold Rush Days

Saturday, October 16 & Sunday, October 17 Downtown Dahlonega, Georgia Thousands flock to downtown Dahlonega for the annual Gold Rush Days Festival. Visit more than two hundred arts and crafts vendors, eat delicious food, and watch the changing of fall leaves.

Voted one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society.

GoldRushDaysFestival.com

kindergarten classes throughout the month of Oct.

SEPT. 25-26

RIVERFEST

SAFE KIDS and Fire Prevention Activities in the Kids Area.

◗A ppalachian Brew, Que,

Vintage Fire Truck from the old Canton Fire Dept.

and Stew Festival

Saturday, October 23 G e o rg ia M o u nt ain Fairg ro u n ds Hiawassee, Georgia The 2021 Appalachian Brew, Que, and Stew festival will feature forty-plus craft breweries from Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama. You can pair your favorite new brews with food from local and regional restaurants. As with any good fall festival, there will be regional arts and crafts and Appalachian and Americana music.

GeorgiaMountainFairgrounds.com/LocalEvents/id/36

NOVEMBER ◗

Taste & Brews Country Fest

Saturday, November 6 & Sunday, November 7 Etowah River Park Canton, Georgia This one-of-a-kind fall festival celebrates the best of the South and Georgia’s tastes, flavors, and cultures. Guests will enjoy both Nashville and Georgia music acts, carnival rides, a petting farm, and local tastes and brews.

TastesandBrews.com

FIRE

FORENSICS PROGRAM

for Eighth Grade STEM Students.

OCT. 9 • 1OAM–2PM

LOWES in Canton

Explore Trucks w/ Firefighters Build & Grow Firetruck Kits

www.CherokeeCountyFire.com [www.EnjoyCherokee.com] 43

LOCAL AUTHORS

Your Favorite

bookmark

Canton Cotton Mills:

A Pictorial History by Michael A. Wagner Michael Wagner’s Canton Cotton Mills: A Pictorial History presents a pictorial history of the Canton Cotton Mills of Canton, Georgia using photos, documents, and letters.

The book follows the inception of the first Mill in 1899 under the leadership of R.T. Jones and the building of the second Mill in 1923. The Mill’s operations during World War II are chronicled, as well as the Denim Days celebration in downtown Canton and fiftieth anniversary celebration in 1949.

Also captured is life in the mill villages, the Etowah River floods, and finally, the closing of the mills in 1981.

Michael Wagner and his wife have lived in Woodstock since 1985. He is also the author of Picture Perfect in Cherokee County: Selections from the Buddy Alexander Photo Collection. The pictorial history can be purchased on the Cherokee County Historical Society website, RockBarn.org.

Memoirs of a Future Ghost

by Sue Hansard

In book one of the Future Ghost series, Heather Scarbro Dobson probes her fears while seeking out the paranormal.

She shares the true, often freaky and/or funny, sometimes sad tales of more than a decade of investigating ghosts and the people haunted by them. Through extraordinary occurrences in the everyday, she weaves a logical tale that death is nothing to be feared, that an afterlife exists, and though just like in life there’s a bad egg that gets all the press, most ghosts just miss their homes, their people, and their lives and want to stay as close as they can.

Raised on Red Dirt is a collection of stories about Sue Hansard’s life growing up on a self-sustaining family farm in Macedonia in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Progress had already reached her friends and neighbors in the Macedonia community of Cherokee County, Georgia.

Memoirs of a Future Ghost is a love letter to the legitimacy of science, the joys of life, and the truth within the mystery of the after-lifetime ahead for us all.

Heather Dobson is a Towne Lake resident and former paranormal investigator.

Memoirs of Future Ghost is book one of the Future Ghost series. Book two is Recollections of a Future Ghost. Both books are available for purchase at AFutureGhost.com.

Interested in submitting recommendations for Your Favorite Bookmark? Local authors are encouraged to submit a book summary, personal photo, and book cover image.

Contact Katie@EnjoyCherokee.com for more information.

44

[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

Raised on Red Dirt

by Heather Scarbro Dobson

The memories present a picture of bygone times that few have ever experienced or can even imagine in this time period. Sue tells of flour sack dresses, sorghum syrup, and her first taste of NeHi orange soda. The humorous tales within this memoir bring readers nostalgia of simpler times.

Sue's real life journey is filled with treasured memories and life lessons learned through love, sorrow, laughter, and the dependence on our Lord Jesus Christ.

Raised on Red Dirt serves as a reminiscence on family history and earlier days in Cherokee County.

Sue Hansard is a Cherokee native and has lived in various areas of the county over the years.

Raised on Red Dirt is available at Mid-City Pharmacy in Canton, the Funk Heritage Center in Waleska, and by messaging Sue on her Facebook page, Facebook.com/Sue.C.Hansard.

Cherokee FOCUS is made

up of hundreds of community partners, including service agencies, youth-serving organizations, health organizations, law enforcement, education, business, the justice system, civic clubs, youth, and parents. These local, regional, and state-level partners work toward measurably better outcomes and meeting the needs of children, families, and the community of Cherokee County.

The work of this powerful community collaborative is grounded in three principles: people, partnerships, and possibilities.

Cherokee FOCUS was originally established to be the Georgia Family Connection local collaborative governing body. The Georgia Family Connection is the only statewide network of its kind in the country focusing on children and families, with collaboratives in all 159 Georgia counties.

According to founder and CEO Sonia Carruthers, “By bringing our partners to the table we are able to identify the community resources we have and the gaps in support services we might need and together strategically plan, develop, and implement initiatives and programs that one agency, organization, or individual could not do alone.” Bringing everyone together and using local level data, Cherokee FOCUS coordinates and manages efforts to address the most pressing concerns of the community by identifying needs and crafting local solutions.

Over the years the Cherokee FOCUS collaborative has put in place several partnership initiatives and continues to see positive outcomes from these efforts. Some of the current programs and initiatives of Cherokee FOCUS include the following: Cherokee Youth Works, a Work Source Georgia program funded in part by the Atlanta Regional Commission designed to work with out-of-school youth ages sixteen to twenty-four. This program assists youth in obtaining gainful employment by providing GED classes, assistance with college enrollment, work readiness skills, life skill

classes, and paid and unpaid work experiences in partnership with local employers.

Drug Free Cherokee is the county’s youth drug prevention program. It targets youth and their parents with the facts about the hazards of marijuana, tobacco, and vaping devices as well as the underage use and misuse of alcohol and misuse of prescription drugs. Much more than education, these partners take a hard look at local retail compliance in alcohol and tobacco sales, social hosting ordinances in relation to underage drinking, and other policies that protect our youth.

The Cherokee County Suicide Prevention Coalition is the collaborative’s newest initiative. Because of the increase in suicides in Cherokee County over the past few years, this prevention initiative focuses on youth as well as adults. Like many of the other initiatives under the Cherokee FOCUS umbrella, this coalition sees the importance of mental health services and programs in our county and connects community members to them.

The Cherokee County Youth Council is open to middle and high school-aged youth who live in Cherokee County who want to be involved, make a difference, meet other youth, and have a great deal of fun.

This leadership program came out of the saying “Don’t do anything for us without us.” While each initiative, program, or project is designed to support and protect the youth of our community, it is only by listening to the youth and strongly considering their viewpoint of the issues that the collaborative can truly be successful in meeting their needs.

Cherokee FOCUS plans to celebrate its 20th anniversary with a celebratory party this fall. “The collaborative-based organization is a wonderful thing, while it is also a bit difficult to describe,” said Sonia. “What we do know is that collaboration and collective effort have always yielded a collective impact in our community.

Any issue that we have addressed and success that we have helped achieve is a shared effort of the community that is Cherokee FOCUS.”

Voted by the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce as the 2021 Nonprofit of the Year, Cherokee FOCUS (Families of Cherokee United in Service) will celebrate a major milestone this year: its 20th anniversary.

CherokeeFocus.org 770-345-5483 Visit the website for more information on these initiatives and programs, as well as annual Georgia ZombieFest activities, the Cherokee County Resource Guide, and ways to take action. [www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

45

Fall Recipes One-Sheet Mediterranean Cod and Vegetables Submitted by Tiffany Arterburn of Woodstock

Ingredients 1 ½ 3 1 1

can non-marinated artichoke hearts, drained red onion, thinly sliced tablespoons capers large lemon, quartered plump Roma tomato, sliced by mandolin and then cut in half 2 garlic cloves, finely minced 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped ¼ cup Kalamata olives 1-2 tablespoons Za’atar seasoning 1 tablespoon fresh chopped Italian parsley 1 pound fresh cod fish 1 bag of Banza chickpea rice 2¼ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Cracked pepper to taste

Begin the Fun

Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie Ingredients

Ingredients

1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1/2 3 8

2 1/4 6 2 10 1

large onion, diced large russet potato, peeled and diced skinless boneless chicken breasts, diced 10 oz. can cream of celery soup 10 oz. can cream of chicken soup cup low-sodium chicken broth tablespoon fresh parsley teaspoon poultry seasoning cups frozen mixed vegetables defrosted baked biscuits (homemade or refrigerated) Black pepper to taste

Begin the Fun 1. Add onion, potato, and chicken to a four-quart slow cooker.

2. In a small bowl, combine cream of celery soup, cream of chicken soup, broth, and seasonings. Stir into chicken mixture and cook on high four hours or low seven hours.

3. Add mixed vegetables and cook one hour more.

4. Meanwhile, bake biscuits as directed in recipe or on refrigerated biscuit container.

5. Stir pot pie mixture, spoon into bowls, and top with biscuits.

1. On a medium to large baking sheet, put 1 tablespoon of olive oil and brush evenly on a sheet pan. Place the capers, sliced red onion, thinly sliced tomatoes, minced garlic, chives, Kalamata olives, and the entire can of drained artichokes on the sheet pan.

2. Drizzle additional tablespoon of olive oil and Za’atar seasoning and then stir the veggies. Spread evenly on the sheet pan.

3. Lightly brush the cod on both sides with no more than ¼ tablespoon of olive oil. Place in the middle of the sheet pan directly on top of the vegetables.

4. Quarter the lemon and lightly squeeze some of the juice onto the fish and vegetables. Place the quartered lemon in the corners of the sheet pan. Top the fish and vegetables with cracked pepper to taste.

5. Place the sheet pan (no foil) directly on the grill grate. Make sure the grill is properly heated and the coals are spread evenly. Cover and grill for 8 to 10 minutes without disturbing.

6. Cook chickpea rice according to package, roughly 4 minutes. Drain and spread onto serving platter.

7. When the main course is done, take the veggies off first and arrange atop the chickpea rice and then place the fish on top.

8. Squeeze the grilled lemon evenly over the entire dish and then sprinkle the chopped parsley on top. Serve immediately.

Begin the Fun 1. Boil a large pot of water. When water is boiling rapidly, add a large pinch of salt and the ravioli.

Cook just to al dente, according to package directions, drain, and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add walnuts to the dry skillet and toast for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned.

Stir them frequently. Remove walnuts to a plate, set aside, and lightly wipe out the skillet with a paper towel or clean dishcloth.

3. Return skillet to medium heat and add the butter.

Let it melt, bubble, and then begin to turn brown, swirling the pan occasionally. When the butter is medium brown with darker flecks speckled throughout and has a nutty aroma, swirl in the olive oil. Add sage leaves and let them sizzle in the skillet for 2–3 minutes, just until they crisp and turn dark green. With a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the crisped sage to a cutting board and lightly chop the leaves into smaller pieces.

4. Add cooked ravioli to the skillet and toss to coat with the brown butter sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle the walnuts and chopped sage leaves on top. Serve immediately with a squeeze of lemon juice and a small lemon wedge on each plate.

Have a winter holiday or family recipe you'd like to share?

Email Katie@EnjoyCherokee.com with a recipe and photo of your dish.

46

[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

packages ravioli cup chopped walnuts tablespoons unsalted butter tablespoons olive oil fresh sage leaves lemon Salt and black pepper to taste

,

d

Fall Spiced Apple Cider Sangria Ingredients 1 750 ml bottle of red wine, Cabernet Sauvignon preferred 2 cups apple cider 1/2 cup orange juice 3 cinnamon sticks 2 apples 1 orange 1/2 cup of Brandy

Begin the Fun Ingredients

Apple Fritter Loaf

Begin the Fun

1/3 cup light brown sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided 2 medium Granny Smith apples*, peeled and diced 2/3 cup, plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided 1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup milk

Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon milk

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9×5inch loaf pan with baking spray.

2. Prepare cinnamon sugar mixture by combining brown sugar with one teaspoon of cinnamon and mixing well. Set aside.

3. Prepare apple mixture by combining apples with two tablespoons granulated sugar and remaining one teaspoon of cinnamon.

4. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the butter and 2/3 cup granulated sugar on medium speed for two minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time and vanilla and mix until blended, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

1. Chop the apples and slice the orange and add to a large pitcher.

2. Add in the cinnamon sticks, brandy, wine, orange juice and apple cider. Stir together with a spoon.

5. Turn 3. Let sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours, but longer is better to mixer to really let the flavors mingle. Pour into glasses rimmed low and add in with sugar and cinnamon. the flour and baking powder until incorporated.

Add in the milk and mix until just combined. Don’t over-mix.

6. Pour half the batter into the prepared 7. Bake for 50–60 minutes. Allow to cool pan. Distribute half the apple mixture in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then on top of the batter. Sprinkle half the gently run a knife around the edges of cinnamon-sugar mixture over the the pan to loosen the loaf. Remove the apples. Using the end of a dull knife, bread from the pan onto a wire rack to gently swirl the brown sugar mixture cool completely. and the apples into the batter. Pour 8. To make the glaze, whisk together remaining batter into the pan, followed powdered sugar and milk until well by the remaining apple mixture and combined. Drizzle over bread. Enjoy! remaining cinnamon sugar mixture.

Again, gently swirl the sugar and apple *You can also use Honeycrisp, Pink mixture into the batter.

Lady, Gala, or Fuji apples.

Visit us in Canton & Woodstock 2247 Cumming Highway Suite 120 Canton, GA 30115

(678) 880-6650 285 Ridgewalk Pkwy Suite 100 Woodstock, GA

(770) 627-2072

[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

47

[calendar of events]

1

Unwind Wednesday

2

Themed Adult Book Club Trivia Night WDSTK Public Library 7735 Main St., WDSTK 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. | FREE SequoyahRegionalLibrary.org

Reformation Brewery 225 Reformation Pkwy, Canton 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE EtowahMill.com/Events

Beef Masterclass 2.0

3

Parent’s Night Out

Canton First Friday

Live Music at the Mill

4

Multicultural Festival

Yoga on Tap

College Football Kickoff

5

Tacos & Tequila Festival

9

Brown Bag Concert Series Taste of Woodstock

Wednesday Thursday Friday

Saturday

Labor Day is Sep 6

September 2021

Sunday

Thursday

10

Cherokee Recreation & Parks 7345 Cumming Hwy, Canton 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. | FREE PlayCherokee.org

Cherokee County Aquatic Center 1200 Wellstar Way, Canton 5:30 – 10:00 p.m. | $15/child PlayCherokee.org City of Canton 600 Brown Industrial Pkwy, Canton 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. | FREE CantonGA.gov The Mill on Etowah 225 Reformation Pkwy, Canton 12:00 – 8:00 p.m. | FREE EtowahMill.com/Events WDSTK Parks & Recreation 101 Arnold Mill Rd., WDSTK 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. | FREE WoodstockParksAndRec.com

Rotary Park 100 North St., Canton 8:30 a.m. | FREE

9/11

9/11 Day of Remembrance

Park at City Center 101 Arnold Mill Rd., WDSTK 7:00 p.m. | FREE WoodstockParksAndRec.com

Saturday

12

Paws in the Pool

17

Parent's Night Out

Friday

Woodstock Arts 734 Reeves St., WDSTK 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. | FREE WoodstockArts.org/Evemts

Downtown Canton 130 E Main St., Canton 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE CantonGA.gov

Reformation WDSTK 105 Elm St., WDSTK 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. | Tickets Available ReformationBrewery.com

Leaning Ladder Olive Oil 105 E. Main St., Suite 126, WDSTK 7:00 – 9:30 p.m. | $89 per person LeaningLadderOliveOil.com

Cherokee County Aquatic Center 1200 Wellstar Way, Canton 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. | $10/dog PlayCherokee.org Cherokee County Aquatic Center 1200 Wellstar Way, Canton 5:30 – 10:00 p.m. | $15/child PlayCherokee.org

48 [www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

MadLife Stage and Studios 8722 Main St., WDSTK 8:00 – 9:30 p.m. | $19.50–$22.50 MadLifeStageAndStudios.com

The Mill on Etowah 225 Reformation Pkwy, Canton 12:00 p.m. | FREE EtowahMill.com/Events

Live Music at the Mill The Mill on Etowah 225 Reformation Pkwy, Canton 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE EtowahMill.com/Events

A multi–cultural experience filled with authentic live music, local vendors, and of course the best found in North Georgia.

Celebrate our beautiful community! Free fun for the entire family!

Downtown Woodstock 111 Elm Street, WDSTK 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE WoodstockGA.gov

Trivia Night

Reformation Brewery Canton 225 Reformation Pkwy, Canton 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE EtowahMill.com/Events

Duo Exhibit

Erik Scherb & Madeleine Soloway Woodstock Arts 734 Reeves St., WDSTK WoodstockArts.org/Events

Spring Clean on the Green Lewis Park Night Hike Cotton Mill Exchange 225 Reformation Pkwy, Canton 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. | FREE @CottonMillExchange on Facebook

Cherokee County Parks & Rec 4466 E Bells Ferry Rd., WDSTK 7:30 p.m. | $10/person PlayCherokee.org

Georgia Apple Day

Music at Menagerie

Woodstock Farm. Fresh. Market.

Main St., WDSTK 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | FREE WoodstockGA.gov

John Denver Tribute

Falany Performing Arts Center 7300 Reinhardt College Pkwy, Waleska 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. | $35–$40 Reinhardt.edu/Falany

Menagerie on Main 351 W. Main Street, Canton 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | FREE MenagerieOnMain.com

Breakfast at Tiffany's Canton Theatre 171 East Main St., Canton 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | Tickets $2 CantonGA.gov/CantonTheatre

SAFETY ACTIVITIES www.FirePreventionWeek.org | Sparky.org

FIRE SAFETY HOUSE WILL VISIT

THE

kindergarten classes throughout the month of Oct.

SEPT. 25-26

RIVERFEST

Braves Watch Party

SAFE KIDS and Fire Prevention Activities in the Kids Area.

The Mill on Etowah 225 Reformation Pkwy, Canton Check local listings for time. | FREE EtowahMill.com/Events

Relay for Life

Relay for Life Cherokee County 600 Brown Industrial Pkwy, Canton 6:30 p.m. | FREE RelayForLife.org/CherokeeGA

Canton River Rock Concert Sweet Delilah Swim Club City of Canton 600 Brown Industrial Pkwy, Canton 6:00 – 10:00 p.m. | FREE CantonGA.gov

Laugh Lines & Stretch Marks

The Mill on Etowah 225 Reformation Pkwy, Canton 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE EtowahMill.com/Events

DUO EXHIBIT: September 9 – October 31 at the Reeves House

Patriot Day Ceremony

Friday

Sunday

Exploring the Exhibit (September Tour)

Rock the '90s

Falany Performing Arts Center 7300 Reinhardt College Pkwy, Waleska 7:30 p.m. | FREE Reinhardt.edu/Falany

Cherokee Theatre Company, 171 E. Main St., Canton 7:00 p.m. | Tickets Available Show dates: Sep. 17, 18, 19 | 24, 25, 26 A Jones Hope Wooten comedy performance | CherokeeTheatre.org

Vintage Fire Truck from the old Canton Fire Dept.

FIRE

FORENSICS PROGRAM

for Eighth Grade STEM Students.

OCT. 9 • 1OAM–2PM

LOWES in Canton

Explore Trucks w/ Firefighters Build & Grow Firetruck Kits

www.CherokeeCountyFire.com

18

Touch–A–Truck

Market at Menagerie

Candle Making Workshop Christopher Cross

24

Golfing Fore Children

Live Music at the Mill

Reinhardt University Theatre

25

Lantern Series:

Fleetwood Mac Tribute

Saturday Friday

Saturday

Cherokee Parks & Recreation 7345 Cumming Hwy, Canton 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | FREE PlayCherokee.org

Menagerie on Main 351 W. Main Street, Canton 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | FREE MenagerieOnMain.com

Lake Arrowhead Church 486 Arrow Ridge, Waleska 8:00 a.m. | Registration Required DixonGives.com/LakeArrowhead

The Black Market Trust

The Mill on Etowah 225 Reformation Pkwy, Canton 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE EtowahMill.com/Events

Woodstock Arts 111 Elm Street, WDSTK 7:30 – 10:00 p.m. | Tickets Available WoodstockArts.org/Events

28 30

Brown Bag Concert Series Nicholas Sparks Visit

Tuesday

Thursday

WDSTK Parks & Recreation 101 Arnold Mill Rd., WDSTK 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. | FREE WoodstockParksAndRec.com

Woodstock Summer Concert Series 101 Arnold Mill Rd., WDSTK 7:30 – 10:30 p.m. | FREE WoodstockGA.gov

Falany Performing Arts Center 7300 Reinhardt College Pkwy, Waleska 7:30 p.m. | Runs Sep. 24 – 26 Tickets $12.50 | Reinhardt.edu/Falany

Woodstock Summer Concert Series 101 Arnold Mill Rd., WDSTK 7:30 – 10:30 p.m. | FREE WoodstockGA.gov

The Market at the Mill The Mill on Etowah 225 Reformation Pkwy, Canton 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. | FREE EtowahMill.com/TheMarket

Menagerie on Main 351 W. Main Street, Canton 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. | FREE MenagerieOnMain.com

September 25 & 26

Cherokee County Service League 600 Brown Industrial Pkwy, Canton 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. | $5/person ServiceLeague.net

University Wind Ensemble Falany Performing Arts Center 7300 Reinhardt College Pkwy, Waleska 7:30 p.m. | Tickets $12.50 Reinhardt.edu/Falany Woodstock High School 2010 Towne Lake Hills S Dr., WDSTK 5:00 p.m. | Tickets Available FoxTaleBookShoppe.com/Events

Live Music: Kurt Wheeler Reformation Brewery Woodstock 105 Elm Street, WDSTK 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE ReformationBrewery.com

Trivia Night

Reformation Brewery Canton 225 Reformation Pkwy, Canton 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE EtowahMill.com/Events

The Sounds of Fire Safety.

Hear a Beep, Get on Your Feet.

Hear a Chirp, Make a Change.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

CHIRP!

Three loud BEEPS means smoke or fire.

Get out, call 9-1-1, and stay out.

Hear a CHIRP every 30 to 60 seconds?

Change your smoke alarm’s battery.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

Four loud BEEPS means Carbon Monoxide is present.

For fire safety tips, visit: FirePreventionWeek.org and Sparky.org

www.CherokeeCountyFire.com

[www.EnjoyCherokee.com] 49

[calendar of events]

Oct 1–3

Cagle's Family Farm 362 Springer Rd., Holly Springs CaglesFarm.com

1

Canton First Friday

Reinhardt University Theatre

2

A Tribute to ABBA

6x6 Project: Arists for a Cause Little River Kayak Run

3

Canton's Got Talent

Braves Watch Party

6

Walking Wednesdays

Unwind Wednesday

7

Live Music: Kurt Wheeler Trivia Night Reformation Brewery Woodstock 105 Elm Street, WDSTK 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | FREE ReformationBrewery.com

Reformation Brewery Canton 225 Reformation Pkwy, Canton 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE EtowahMill.com/Events

8

Descendants

Sunset Symphony

9

Pumpkin Day

Volunteer Trail Clean Up Fire Prevention for Kids

Friday

Saturday

Sunday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Saturday

Downtown Canton 130 E Main St., Canton 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE CantonGA.gov

Falany Performing Arts Center 7300 Reinhardt College Pkwy, Waleska 5:00 & 7:30 p.m. | Tickets $35–$40 Reinhardt.edu/Falany Local Church Canton 225 Reformation Pkwy, Canton 3:00 p.m. | FREE EtowahMill.com/Events Cherokee County Parks & Rec Various Parks 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. | $10 a month PlayCherokee.org

Woodstock Arts 8534 Main St., WDSTK Various Times Oct. 8–17 | Tickets $13.50 WoodstockArts.org/Events Woodstock Farm. Fresh. Market.

Main St., WDSTK 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | FREE WoodstockGA.gov

Falany Performing Arts Center 7300 Reinhardt College Pkwy, Waleska 7:30 p.m. | Oct 1–3 | Tickets $12.50 Reinhardt.edu/Falany Menagerie on Main 351 W. Main Street, Canton 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE MenagerieOnMain.com

Cherokee County Parks & Rec 6986 Bells Ferry Rd., Canton 9:00 a.m. | $40 kayak rental PlayCherokee.org

October 7–10: ETOWAH FILM FESTIVAL Tickets Available at EtowahFilmFestival.com

Karla Harris

Woodstock Parks & Rec 101 Arnold Mill Rd., WDSTK 7:00 p.m.

WoodstockParksAndRec.com

Falany Performing Arts Center 7300 Reinhardt College Pkwy, Waleska 7:30 p.m. | Tickets $30–$35 Reinhardt.edu/Falany Lowes in Canton (see ad on page 43) 2044 Cumming Hwy, Canton 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | FREE firepreventionweek.org

Cherokee County Parks & Rec 499 Fields Landing Dr., Canton 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

PlayCherokee.org

13

15

Parent’s Night Out

The Addams Family

Live Music at the Mill

16

Golf Tournament

Artist Opening

Lantern Series: We Banjo 3

21

Wine Dinner with Chef Kyle Trivia Night Leaning Ladder Olive Oil 105 E. Main St., Suite 126, WDSTK Time TBA LeaningLadderOliveOil.com

Reformation Brewery Canton 225 Reformation Pkwy, Canton 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE EtowahMill.com/Events

Harry Potter Trivia Night

22

Cornhole Tourney

Punkin' Chunkin'

Live Music at the Mill

Friday Saturday

Thursday Friday

Cherokee County Aquatic Center 1200 Wellstar Way, Canton 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE PlayCherokee.org Cherokee County Aquatic Center 1200 Wellstar Way, Canton 5:30 – 10:00 p.m. | $15/child PlayCherokee.org

Gathering of Friends 1003 Towne Lake Hills E, WDSTK 7:30 a.m. check in, 9:00 a.m. start @GatheringOfFriendsGA on Facebook

Cherokee County Parks & Rec 7345 Cumming Hwy, Canton Time TBA | $50 per player PlayCherokee.org

50 [www.EnjoyCherokee.com]

Lake Allatoona Association 30 Cleanup Sites around the lake 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | FREE LakeAllatoonaAssoc.com

Cherokee Recreation & Parks 7345 Cumming Hwy, Canton 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. | FREE PlayCherokee.org

Kayaking for Veterans

Wednesday

Great Lake Allatoona Cleanup

The Mill on Etowah 225 Reformation Pkwy, Canton Check local listings for time. | FREE EtowahMill.com/Events

October 9–10 October 16–17

Pumpkin Jamboree Weekend

October 2021

Georgia Apple Festival

Ellijay Lions Club 1729 South Main St., Ellijay 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. | $5 admission GeorgiaAppleFestival.com

Canton Theatre 171 East Main St., Canton 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | Tickets Available CantonGA.gov/CantonTheatre Menagerie on Main 351 W. Main Street, Canton 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | FREE MenagerieOnMain.com

WDSTK Public Library 7735 Main St., WDSTK 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. | FREE SequoyahRegionalLibrary.org

The Mill on Etowah 225 Reformation Pkwy, Canton 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE EtowahMill.com/Events

Woodstock Arts 111 Elm Street, WDSTK 7:30 – 10:00 p.m. | Tickets Available WoodstockArts.org/Events Hickory Flat Public Library 2740 East Cherokee Dr., Canton 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. | FREE SequoyahRegionalLibrary.org The Mill on Etowah 225 Reformation Pkwy, Canton 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE EtowahMill.com/Events

Gallery Sessions

Menagerie on Main 351 W. Main Street, Canton 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Tickets available MenagerieOnMain.com

anup

23

Walk to End Alzheimer's

27

Hiking Scavenger Hunt: Halloween

Saturday

Wednesday

Alzheimer's Association 600 Brown Industrial Pkwy, Canton 9:00 a.m. | Register a team for FREE GeorgiaWalk.org

Etowah River Cleanup Upper Etowah River Alliance 180 McClure St., Canton 9:00 a.m. | FREE EtowahRiver.org

The Great Pumpkin Fest

Cadence Fair

Cherokee County Parks & Rec 7345 Cumming Hwy, Canton 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | FREE PlayCherokee.org

Reformation Brewery WDSTK 105 Elm St., WDSTK All Day | FREE ReformationBrewery.com/CadenceFair

Dia De Los Muertos Celebration

Cherokee County Parks & Rec 4466 E Bells Ferry Rd., Canton 6:30 p.m. | $10/participant PlayCherokee.org

Oct 29–31

Cagle's Family Farm 362 Springer Rd., Holly Springs CaglesFarm.com

29

Kid's Paint Party

Canton Fifth Friday

The Shining

30

Garland Mountain Hike

Canton Fest

Halloween Trail of Tricks

Friday

Saturday

31

Cherokee County Parks & Rec 7545 Main St Ste. 200, WDSTK 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. | $20/painter PlayCherokee.org Cherokee County Parks & Rec 1411 Garland Mountain Way, Waleska 10:00 a.m. | $10/participant PlayCherokee.org

Downtown Canton 130 E Main St., Canton 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE CantonGA.gov

Canton Theatre 171 East Main St., Canton 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | Tickets Available CantonGA.gov/CantonTheatre

City of Canton and The Mill on Etowah & Treats Main St. and Reformation Pkwy, Canton WDSTK Parks & Rec 232 Arnold Mill Rd., WDSTK 12:00 – 8:00 p.m. | FREE 4:00 – 9:00 p.m. | FREE CantonFest.com WoodstockParksAndRec.com

Lantern Series:

Argonaut & Wasp Woodstock Arts 111 Elm Street, WDSTK 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. | Tickets Available WoodstockArts.org/Events

Sunday

[www.EnjoyCherokee.com] 51

What is a Trust?

A trust is a legal entity created to transfer property to a trustee to benefit a third person (beneficiary). The trustee manages the property for the beneficiary according to the terms specified in the trust document.

• Before final property distribution, a trust can dispense income to intermediate beneficiaries (e.g., children, elderly parents).

• Trusts can ensure that assets go to your intended beneficiaries. For example, if you have children from a prior marriage and a current spouse, you can create trusts to provided for all according to your wishes.

• Trusts can minimize income taxes by allowing the shifting of income among beneficiaries.

• Properly structured irrevocable life insurance trusts can provide liquidity for estate settlement needs while removing the policy proceeds from estate taxation at the insured’s death.

Advantages of Trusts Below are some reasons to consider discussing trusts with your attorney.

• Trusts can minimize estate taxes for married individuals with substantial assets.

• Trusts provide management assistance for your heirs.* • Contingent trusts for minors (which take effect if both parents die) avoid the costs of having a court-appointed guardian to manage your children’s assets.

• Properly funded trusts avoid many of the administrative costs of probate (e.g., attorney fees, document filing fees).

• Generally, revocable living trusts will keep the distribution of your estate private. * T his is particularly important for minors and incapacitated adults who may need support, maintenance, and/or education over a long period of time, or for adults who have difficulty managing money.

Prepared by Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. Copyright 2021 This information, developed by an independent third party, has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. does not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. This information is not a complete summary or statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision and does not constitute a recommendation. The information contained in this report does not purport to be a complete description of the securities, markets, or developments referred to in this material. This information is not intended as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any security referred to herein. Investments mentioned may not be suitable for all investors. The material is general in nature. Past performance may not be indicative of future results. Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. does not provide advice on tax, legal or mortgage issues. These matters should be discussed with the appropriate professional.

Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. JThompsonRoss Investments is not a registered broker/ dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services.