400 Life May 2020

400 LIFE May 2020

ON THE FRONT LINES Education. Public safety. Business.

Health care. Child care.

Local essential workers step up to take care of our community

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2 | 400 LIFE | May 2020

contents from the editor

I’ve learned a lot of new words and phrases lately, or the true meaning of others. You have too, I’m sure. Coronavirus.

Pandemic. Asymptomatic.

Social distance. Personal protective equipment. But the word that has struck me the most since the COVID-19 outbreak began in the U.S. is “essential.”

The insertion of that word into the pandemic vernacular has reframed many things for me. What is “essential?” Who is “essential?” Why is something “essential” in the first place?

It’s not hard to see that society is contemplating all of these things and reckoning with just how much has been taken for granted. One example: while reporting a story about how principals are leading schools remotely, over and over I heard that the most common feedback from parents was a newfound appreciation for the job of a teacher (Although when you live with one, like I do, you always appreciate the dedication and passion of those in that profession).

I’ve heard this moment described as “the great pause.” It is an opportunity, some say, to halt the frenetic pace of their life and allow space for self-reflection. We should acknowledge that, for many, there is no pause, not for those who must continue to work to survive, to support a family, or, like doctors and nurses working on the front lines with COVID-19 patients, help others survive. But for many of us, being stuck at home isn’t all bad. There’s much more time with family.

There’s time to recalibrate, to assess our habits or our possessions or our values.

While all disruption and uncertainty swirls around the world, there is time, finally, for many of us to examine what is “essential.”

— Brian Paglia

contributors Editor Brian Paglia

Publisher Stephanie Woody

Production manager Tracie Pike

Advertising director Nathan Schutter

Staff writers Kelly Whitmire

Advertising Stacy Clark Stephanie McCabe

Photography Ben Hendren Lily McGregor Photography Special contributors Becky Cahill

Serving the community Steve Hartsock, owner of Socks’ Love Barbecue, has been making sure customers could still be served while also providing meals for first responders and those who are in tough situations.

14 Forsyth County Schools has been learning how to mobilize resources on the fly to keep its students fed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

12 Behind the scenes, Chris Grimes leads the county’s efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic

10 This magazine is a product of the www.ForsythNews.com

4

Primrose School of North Cumming’s remaining teachers became essential workers, providing care in an educational environment for parents who themselves are often essential workers.

16 Keller Williams Community Partners real estate agents taking care of clients.

20 Bri Daniels devoted to volunteering.

22 Must-read books from some of the community’s essential workers.

May 2020 | 400 LIFE | 3

b u s i n e s s

Steve Hartsock, owner of Socks’ Love Barbecue, has been serving customers while also providing meals for first responders and others in tough situations.

SERVICE ORIENTED

How Socks’ Love Barbecue has provided for the community and changed its business during the pandemic Story by Kelly Whitmire | Photos by Ben Hendren

I

n small towns, barbecue has a way of bringing the community together, and during a time of crisis, it’s no surprise that a local restaurant is doing all it can to support the community.

With the COVID-19 outbreak, Socks’ Love Barbecue, like most restaurants, has had to make tough decisions about how to deal with the pandemic, but owner Steve Hartsock said the company wants to focus on the community and those fighting the disease on the front lines, like healthcare workers and first responders.

“We had a lady call this morning, actually from a nursing home, and they have pooled together some money to feed one of the local fire departments, so it’s pretty cool to see what people do when their backs are against the wall,” Hartsock said. “I kind of assumed in the beginning, ‘You’re going to see a lot of bad,’ and we do, it’s not all great, but for the most part, people are incredible what they’re willing to do with their resources, and it’s almost like the less you have, the more you want to give, is what I’ve seen.”

Hartsock said in the last few weeks, the restaurant has been making sure customers could still be served while also providing meals for first responders and those who are in tough situations, some of which is being paid for out of donations from the community.

4 | 400 LIFE | May 2020

“Right now, we’ve got two designated gift cards, one that is stockpiled to go toward anyone that comes here and is hungry that doesn’t have the means to feed themselves, we’ll feed them,” Hartsock said.

“Then, Mountain Lake Church, their congregation pulled together some money and hired us to cater for 100 hospital workers. Then the balance of what they raised, they put on a gift card for us to designate to first responders and hospital workers.”

While adults have been impacted by changing working schedules and some by the loss of their jobs, Hartsock said his biggest concern was for those too young to provide for themselves and often rely on meals from schools.

“It’s been interesting,” he said. “My knee-jerk reaction to the whole thing, from an emotional standpoint, was, at first, it was like, ‘How are these kids that are not in school, that rely on free and reduced lunch, how are they going to get fed?’ The school systems, Forsyth and Gwinnett County, they, in a real hurry, formulated a plan to get that taken care of. We’re really proud that they did that, proud to see that.”

To help provide meals, Socks’ Love Barbecue has teamed with nonprofits like The Place of Forsyth County and Meals by Grace to provide food and fundraise online.

Continued on Page 6

We are

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As long as we can help, we will. As long as we can stay in business and provide a safe product to the community, we will. — Steve Hartsock, Socks’ Love Barbecue “That’s how we’re trying to give back to the community,” Hartsock said. “I feel like as long as we’re able to stay in business, as long as I’m able to keep a large portion of our staff employed and as long as our customers are coming here and spending money and we’re able to pay our bills, I feel like we have a duty to give back to the community because that’s what they’re doing for us right now.

“So, as long as we can help, we will. As long as we can stay in business and provide a safe product to the community, we will. As long as it makes good business sense for us to be here, we’ll be here.”

Once the outbreak started to spread, Hartsock said Socks’ Love Barbecue made some quick moves to make sure the restaurant was as safe as possible. Early on, they went to cashless payments.

“We assumed that was sort of the best start to protect ourselves from the virus,” Hartsock said. “Then it just became this really big deal that’s kind of consumed the world, especially the medical field, the restaurant industry and things like that.”

Restaurants have been among the hardest-hit industries during the outbreak, and Hartsock said his business had taken its own lumps recently.

“Sales are down, for sure,” Hartsock said. “Our catering is pretty much non-existent. The first week that this got real serious, the stuff that we had on the books for at least two months ... immediately went away because most of the catering we do is corporate, large events, and obviously we can’t do those right now, so out goes the catering, which hurts because it’s a good thing for a res-

taurant to have catering from a financial standpoint, and when that goes away, we’re relying pretty much 100 percent on the restaurant, which are small margins.”

Though facing some hardships, Socks’ Love Barbecue has also seen some positives, Hartsock said, and has still had the support of customers.

“The biggest change for us that we’ve seen is our phone is ringing a lot now because people are doing takeout, so they’re thinking ahead and calling,” he said. “We’re actually adding a second line, hopefully, this week, if not next week, to accommodate that increase in call volume.”

Staying positive during the crisis has been a big focus.

Hartsock made his own message of hope and service in a video that he posted to social media and quickly spread throughout the community.

“My intention was to just tell my Instagram followers, ‘Hey, if you’re hungry, if you know someone that’s hungry, come by and we’re going to help you out,’ and that’s it,” Hartsock said. “I don’t want a handout, I don’t want people to feel sorry for me.

“That post went to Facebook and has taken a life of its own and has reached thousands and thousands of people, and my hope is that it has impacted people in a positive way.”

Socks’ Love Barbecue is at 1050 Buford Highway, Suite 104.

Visit them on Facebook at Socks’ Love Barbecue or online at www.sockslovebrands.com.

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400health

Kore CBD Store

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Helping customers have a better experience

Employees at Kore CBD Store trained to help customers find their perfect products Story by Kelly Whitmire | Photos courtesy Kore CBD

W

ith the rapid growth of cannabidiol, or CBD, products in recent years, it’s natural that customers might have some questions, and luckily, employees with Kore CBD at The Collection at Forsyth are on hand to help out.

“We want to offer a high-end experience, and that’s one of the reasons that we opened at The Collection at Forsyth because the location is awesome,” said owner Niraj Singala. “The quality of people, the stores, everything is great out there, and the clientele we get, we want to help them out and ensure that they get topnotch service at our location.”

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CBD, or cannabidiol, is a legal chemical component of cannabis sativa that causes none of the intoxication or euphoria commonly found with the use of THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, which is derived from other forms of cannabis, like marijuana.

CBD, made from hemp, is often used for a variety of medical uses, such as dealing with seizures, reducing anxiety, helping with nausea and reducing pain.

As the products have become more popular, customers have turned to the internet or sources like convenience stores to get the products, which can mean customers don’t always know exactly what they are getting.

At Kore, all products are tested and certified by a third-party and employees are trained to answer any questions customers might have.

“We do offer consultations, obviously, at no charge to our customers where people can come, sit down and explain what their problems are, what kind of problems they’re facing, that way they get good professional advice from our employees, who are not just your random salespeople who you would find in any store but all of our employees are certified and have gone through our CBD training academy,” Singala said.

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Samantha Robinson, the store’s manager, said having knowledgeable employees meant they could help customers have a better experience using the products.

“We really wanted to give people the opportunity to have everything that they needed at one place, but we also wanted to provide them with the education, because we could sell things all day and people could take it ... we really want people to understand what they’re taking, how it’s going to affect their bodies, how it’s going to help out with the things they’re dealing with. Then throughout the day, throughout the week, they’re able to judge for themselves and either increase or decrease their dose or maybe explore other options if they feel like it’s not for them,” she said.

The store is the exclusive retailer for Kore Organic, a Tampabased company that was recently certified by the Florida Department of Agriculture as the only business with the state with a premium product.

Initially, the store only offered Kore products, which Singala said was still the house brand, before deciding to branch out to better suit the needs of customers.

“We did keep just strictly the Kore Organic brand as our primary brand, but then what we noticed is customers were coming in once we open doors saying that they wanted other brands as well just because people are used to certain things and they prefer it that way or they just trust certain brands, so they would give our brand a try but they wanted to keep to their brands,” Singala said.

More information on the company is available at KoreOrganic. com and Facebook.com/korecbdstore.

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c h i l d c a r e

A teacher at Primrose School of Cumming North instructs a student.

TEACHING MOMENT

Child care doesn’t stop amid the coronavirus pandemic

Story by Brian Paglia | Photo by Lily McGregor Photography

M

ark Shepherd doesn’t blame the teachers at Primrose School of Cumming North who decided to self-quarantine. For the 20-30 percent of his staff who are staying home during the coronavirus pandemic, the owner of the childhood education provider told them their job will be waiting for them when they come back.

“I fully support any decision they make,” Shepherd said.

But Primrose School of Cumming North, on Matt Highway, isn’t like most childcare facilities in Georgia. That is to say, it’s not closed.

By mid-April, 66 percent of facilities had shuttered during the outbreak, according to Shepherd, and the number increased by about 1-5 percent each week. Meanwhile, among private childcare facilities, Primrose School of Cumming North was in the top 5 percent for the number of its children still attending.

Thus Primrose’s remaining teachers became essential workers, providing care in an educational environment for parents who themselves are often essential workers and enduring the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 as it continued to spread throughout Georgia.

Shepherd put them at ease with enhanced sanitation methods and 10 | 400 LIFE | May 2020

new safety precautions. To start, Primrose became stricter about children staying home if they showed signs of having a temperature.

After kids were picked up during morning carpool, staff immediately took them to wash their hands. Shepherd divided kids up to ensure there were no more than 10 people per classroom and started disinfecting the facility on a nightly basis.

“If we were just bringing children into the building and not doing these enhanced sanitation and safety measures, I would be very uncomfortable,” Shepherd said.

The efforts allowed Primrose to remain open and provide an essential service, not just for parents but for kids, too.

“They still need to learn to count, learn their address, learn letters and everything to be prepared for school,” Shepherd said. He added, “Being in a home environment is completely different than being in a structured educational environment.”

In a post-pandemic world, Shepherd sees cleanliness becoming another major factor, along with safety and education, for parents when choosing a childcare facility.

“A lot of times you walk into a childcare facility and you can smell the diapers,” Shepherd said, “and I think [parents] will take that and perceive that as it’s not a healthy or safe place for a child in the future. Whereas in the old days they might have thought, ‘Well, yeah, that’s childcare.’”

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p u b l i c

s a f e t y

Chris Grimes is the director of emergency management for Forsyth County.

COVID RESPONSE COORDINATOR Behind the scenes, Chris Grimes leads the county’s efforts during pandemic Story by Brian Paglia | Photo by Matt Braskett

C

hris Grimes laughs when he hears the question.

“A day in my life?” Grimes repeats to himself. “That’s a really good question.”

Since the end of February, it has been consumed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grimes, the director of emergency management for Forsyth County, has almost singularly focused on coordinating the county’s and city of Cumming’s efforts to handle the pandemic.

A day in Grimes’s life is an early morning and a late night. It’s helping distribute vital information from state and federal health officials to local partner agencies. It’s monitoring the county’s resources, like personal protective equipment. It’s consulting on city and county policy decisions. It’s thinking about what needs to be done that day but also what might need to be done three weeks from now.

“The last few weeks have been very busy,” Grimes said.

Grimes usually fills a supporting role during local moments of crisis, but the COVID-19 pandemic has thrust him into a more prominent position. Behind the scenes, Grimes manages the situation, with the help of local partners, keeping Forsyth County 12 | 400 LIFE | May 2020

prepared as confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to spread (As of mid-April, Forsyth County had more than 150 cases and five deaths, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health).

Grimes grew up in Kentucky, first in a little town called Hawesville (population 992 in 2018), then in the river town of Paducah, and Grimes’s career in public safety can be traced to formative experiences in both places.

In Hawesville, Grimes spent a lot of time with a family in his neighborhood. The dad was a U.S. Marshal for Western Kentucky. One son was a Kentucky state trooper. Grimes was 5.

Their uniforms and vehicles made an impression on Grimes, but so did their character.

“At that time, I really looked up to them,” Grimes said.

Then, when Grimes was in middle school, while living in Paducah, one of the first school shootings in the U.S. occurred at a nearby high school. On Dec. 1, 1997, a 14-year-old freshman male student opened fire on a group of students praying. Three died. Five others were injured.

“That’s when we realized that we had to harden schools,” Grimes said.

We all play a position, and we all have strengths. It’s extremely important for us to remember that it’s a team effort. — Chris Grimes, director of emergency management for Forsyth County By the time his family moved from Kentucky to Forsyth County, Grimes suspected he wanted to pursue a career in public safety. He was sure of it after participating in the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Explorer program while a student at South Forsyth High School, which prepares students for careers in law enforcement.

Grimes eagerly took the necessary steps toward a public safety career. He interned in Forsyth County’s emergency management department while at the University of North Georgia and also worked there part-time.

After graduating, he was the Forsyth County Schools school safety manager for over five years. In 2013, he became deputy director of Forsyth County Emergency Management. When Forsyth County split off emergency management from the fire department in 2018 following former Chief Danny Bowman’s retirement, Grimes took over as director of emergency management.

Since joining Forsyth County, Grimes has worked under two presidential disaster declarations: the winter storms of 2015 and Hurricane Irma in 2017. They were relatively quick events, sprints of work to respond and help the county recover from damages.

Around the start of the new year, Grimes heard on the news about a novel virus taking hold in China. He knew little about it. “We weren’t sure if it was going to be isolated to China or where it was going to be,” Grimes said.

A few days later, Grimes received his first notification about COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Around mid-February, Grimes started to meet with a group of local agencies, including law enforcement, the local school system, and a communication team along with health professionals.

By late February, as the first COVID19-related death was reported in the U.S., the coronavirus started to become all-encompassing for Grimes.

Right now, Grimes says the county is still in response mode, and it’s his job to coordinate that. Grimes helped the

city of Cumming and Forsyth County as they rolled out measures to close government buildings, parks and dinein restaurant service to promote social distancing and curb the spread of the coronavirus. He has helped monitor the county’s supply of personal protective equipment and worked to acquire more as needed from private companies as well as the state.

Perhaps the most demanding part has been managing the flood of information from the state and federal level to keep local partners informed. “Things are changing so quickly,” Grimes said, “sometimes even hour by hour.”

Eventually, Grimes and his department will transition into recovery mode. Grimes will focus on more administrative tasks, like getting the county reimbursed for expenses related to fighting COVID-19 from FEMA. Grimes expects his department to be working on COVID-19 related matters “for the long haul,” he said. Grimes added, “This is a marathon. This is not a sprint.”

There’s been little time to think about the lasting impact the pandemic will have, but Grimes said his department and local partners will debrief one day and take inventory of the lessons learned. In fact, Grimes is challenging local partners to take notes along the way.

“We always need to strive to get better,” Grimes said, “and we’re going to learn things as we go through this.”

The pandemic has also reinforced for Grimes the need for families to have an emergency plan and supply kit.

Pandemics are generational events, but residents should be prepared for more frequent disasters like floods, hurricanes and tornadoes.

Grimes and his department will be ready for those moments, too, to work behind the scenes “to do what’s right for the county,” he said, making sure Forsyth County responds during the next crisis like a well-coached team.

“We all play a position,” Grimes said, “and we all have strengths. It’s extremely important for us to remember that it’s a team effort.”

Disaster Supply Kit • Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation (two week supply for pandemic planning) • Food, at least a three day supply of non-perishable food (two weeks for pandemic) • Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both • Flashlight and extra batteries • First aid kit • Emergency Preparedness Guide • Whistle to signal for help • Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place • Moist towelettes, toilet paper, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation • Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities • Manual can opener for food (if kit contains canned food) • Local maps • Prescription medications and glasses • Non-prescription medications (fever, pain relievers, anti-diarrhea, etc) • Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper. When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.

• Thermometer • Fluids with Electrolytes • Cleansing agent • Soap, vitamins • Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels

Additional Items to Consider: • Pet food and extra water for your pet • Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account record • Fire Extinguisher • Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children Source: Forsyth County Government

May 2020

| 400 LIFE | 13

e d u c a t i o n

Employees with Forsyth County Schools work to gather food to take to students.

KEEPING KIDS FED

Volunteers brave the unknown to get meals to students Story by Brian Paglia | Photos by Ben Hendren

F

irst came the meal pick-up service. Then came the mobile food pantry. Around the same time came the meal deliveries.

Forsyth County Schools has been learning how to mobilize resources to keep its students fed during the COVID-19 pandemic on the fly.

“We’ve never been set up to do what’s going on now in our county,” said Valerie Bowers, director of food and nutrition with the school district.

As orders came down from state officials about school closures, Bowers and her department had to devise a plan to provide food assistance for students and their families.

The method of doing that wasn’t the hardest part. They used fairly traditional strategies. They started with the free meal pick-up service on weekdays where students received lunch and 14 | 400 LIFE | May 2020

No more than 10 volunteers were allowed in kitchens at one time, and volunteers maintained six feet of distance as much as possible while preparing meals.

‘They’re all really, really positive folks.

They’re happy to be out there. They’re happy to be doing what they possibly can.’

-Valerie Bowers, director of food and nutrition with the school district

breakfast for the next day. They collaborated with The Place of Forsyth County, a local nonprofit organization, to establish mobile food pantries to provide shelf-stable groceries. Lastly, they organized meal deliveries, sending buses out into targeted areas where 50% or more of residents are eligible for meal benefits, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

The biggest question mark for Bowers was the manpower: would the district’s school nutrition staff volunteer despite health and state officials recommending they stay home?

In addition, there were strict requirements to volunteer: they had to be healthy, couldn’t have an underlying health condition and couldn’t live with someone that was immunocompromised.

Bowers found no shortage of help.

“We’re working with incredible rock stars,” Bowers said.

Bowers made sure volunteers worked within social distancing guidelines. No more than 10 volunteers were allowed in kitchens at one time, and volunteers maintained six feet of distance as much as possible while preparing meals. The school district also provided volunteers with disinfectants and personal protective equipment.

Volunteers had varying degrees of comfort with the operation.

“That’s honestly been a very hard part of the whole thing,” Bowers said. “You’re basically asking people to go out into the community and possibly put themselves at risk.”

She added, “We do have some folks who say, ‘I’ll come in and make as many meals as you need me to make, but I’m not going to hand them out.’ Then we have a couple of folks that are like, ‘I’m OK, I’m healthy, I don’t have anybody else at home.’ They feel like they’ve taken all the precautions that they need to.”

Bowers herself worked behind the scenes to coordinate the operation. She coordinated bus routes with the school district’s transportation department, kept up with the latest information from the Georgia Department of Education regarding safety precautions and applied for waivers with the USDA to expand and streamline processes.

It’s been a whirlwind experience, one Bowers expects will inform how the district’s food and nutrition department can best serve the community even after the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

But her staff keeps the operation going and students around Forsyth County fed.

“They’re all really, really positive folks,” Bowers said. “They’re happy to be out there. They’re happy to be doing what they possibly can.”

May 2020

| 400 LIFE | 15

400homes

Keller Williams Community Partners

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Local real estate agents respond to pandemic

Matthew Thaxton Life has certainly changed since the outbreak of COVID-19. No more days in the office, no more days of in-person meetings with clients and colleagues. My days are now filled with lots of time spent at home, networking and connecting via Zoom.

I am finally able to get lots of home projects done that I haven’t had time to do before.

This pandemic has certainly made me think about my motto: “Always stay humble and kind.” It has humbled me in so many ways and made me open my eyes to so much.

During this time of change, I have found myself appreciating the little things just a bit more. I am finally able to get lots of home projects done that I haven’t had time to do before. My family limits our time and exposure out in the community now as we follow the shelter-in-place orders. This has resulted in lots of family time, catching up on television shows, movies, playing board games and building puzzles.

I have also been able to do my continuing education online and just got my Keller Williams iBuyer Certification allowing me to make instant cash offers on homes, which has become a popular option during this time for clients who want to sell their home but avoid the traditional way of a real estate transaction during this pandemic.

I also own a commercial cleaning company that services many medical offices and essential offices that have remained open. It’s been an honor for us to help and do our part for the medical field and our essential workers during this time to be able to provide them with safe, clean working environments.

As a Georgia native, and more specifically a native of Forsyth County for 30 years, I want my community to know I am here for them and praying for each of us daily. If there is anything I can do for you or your family during this time, please contact me. We have brighter days ahead!

Contact Matthew Thaxton: 678-341-7650 mthaxton@kw.com

Mindy Cintron My family and I are adjusting to life during the COVID-19 pandemic nicely. We have gone from Contact Mindy Cintron: always on the go to staying at home much of the time. At first it 954-709-4444 was a big adjustment for all of us. mcintron@kw.com Wanting to make sure we do www.cintronpropertyeverything we can to “save lives” group.com we have really adapted to the times. The kids are homeschooling well and we are exercising daily. My kids have made calendars with time-blocking strategies to get things done. They are going outside and riding bikes, playing electronics and socializing with their friends that way, having Zoom gatherings with friends and eating family dinners at the kitchen table.

My business has really adapted nicely, too. We are getting better through this time. We are still offering great service to our clients and 3D virtual tours on all of our listings to limit the amount of in-person showings. We are helping clients with the Keller Offers iBuyer program as we are certified and approved to get our clients instant offers without needing to stage the home or have buyers come inside for a showing where they can pick the closing date.

We host virtual open houses which have been amazing. At a normal open house, we will spend three to four hours at the house and if we have 15 buyers we are happy. Recently at our virtual open house we had 155 people attend and got one of our listings sold!

We are now doing our open houses where other Realtors attend to give feedback and also preview the home for their potential clients virtually. This has majorly increased the number of attendees.

We still offer all of the great services to our clients and are just growing and getting better and stronger from this pandemic.

We pray you and your family stay safe through this time and we will continue to get our clients where they need to be each and every day.

16 | 400 LIFE | May 2020

John Heath John Heath & Your Results Team remains focused on giving our clients the best possible home buying or selling experience during this difficult time. We believe that to best serve our clients it is important to treat their real estate needs as if they were our own. We listen carefully to understand your real estate goals and work hard to create solutions that make sense for you.

Contact John Heath: NorthGaHomeFinder.com | 678-908-7002

Meme Gerena I am a full-time licensed real estate professional specializing in residential properties. I bring dedication, passion, enthusiasm and loyalty to my clients and local community. My business is based on more than 80% referrals from satisfied clients. I earn the respect of my clients by working tirelessly on their behalf.

As a Georgia native and real estate professional, I recognize and value the trust my clients place in me and consistently strive to exceed their expectations. It brings me great joy to help with all of your real estate needs.

My family has made some major adjustments due to COVID-19. We have incorporated family and friends video chats into our routine. This helps us to see smiling faces and stay connected. My husband and I leave the home when necessary. By limiting our exposure, this helps us all!

Within my business, I am offering virtual appointments, virtual home tours for my sellers and virtual open houses. Making sure that we are keeping the sellers and buyers safe is my highest priority.

We are definitely living in uncertain times. The message of hope is so desperately needed in our nation right now. One of the things that I love about our county is that we can all come together and help each other in the time of need. My local church family did not skip a beat and has offered so many opportunities to stay connected and participate in community outreach. I have partnered with one of the best brokerages around to continue to be a beacon of hope in the community.

I am finding hope in the word of God and leaning on Psalm 91 and Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Contact Meme Gerena: 678-773-9886 memegerena@kw.com

Joe and Joe Racanelli

Ruby Brancato

Planning to buy or sell a house? COVID-19 has added many layers of complexity to everyone’s life. Today’s customers need innovative solutions that produce excellent results, on time and on budget. Renovation Realty’s unique combination of real estate and general contracting expertise helps buyers and sellers reduce stress while maximizing their investments.

The father/son team of Joe and Joe Racanelli leverages the extraordinary business acumen of Joe Sr. with the professional homebuilding experience of Joe Jr. Consequently, Renovation Realty goes beyond what typical real estate agents can do. Renovation Realty seamlessly coordinates and completes home improvements for sellers that are getting ready to sell. And buyers benefit when house hunting because Renovation Realty’s homebuilding background can recognize underlying concerns in a prospective property. Renovation Realty can suggest and complete cost effective recommendations for home repairs, updates and renovations.

In today’s new real estate environment, Renovation Realty is uniquely positioned to offer incentives to buyers and sellers that want to reduce stress while maximizing their investments. Contact Joe Racanelli at Renovation Realty for a Free Market Evaluation of your home or a Free Estimate of your home improvement project.

As a family, we are making the best of Georgia’s shelter-in-place order by being creative with homeschooling my girls — they are enjoying sharing my office! They are accomplishing so much, grades have improved and there’s been a lot more time to enjoy nature.

Being a Realtor for 30-plus years has helped me adjust and embrace the challenges that we are facing at this time. Keeping in touch with my clients, sharing with them changes in our market, taking precautionary measures when showing homes to my clients or accommodating agents and their clients. My God is my rock! He’s my shield and my strength, my place of safety and my shelter, My Savior!

Contact Joe Racanelli: 404-386-9064 | jracanelli@kw.com

Contact Ruby Brancato: 404-372-0087 rubyb.com rubybsells@kw.com

Brenda Usher This pandemic has been a time for me to reach out to others, to ensure that they are OK. I have truly had the opportunity to live out my priorities of God, family, work and help in the community.

Steve Jobs once said the six best doctors in the world are sunlight, rest, exercise, diet, selfconfidence and friends. We have to believe that together we can get through this.

Stay safe all, and know this too shall pass!

Contact Brenda Usher: 678-887-0104 brendausher@kw.com May 2020

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400homes

Keller Williams Community Partners

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Local real estate agents respond to pandemic

Christy Scally Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. If you are in the Red or Orange Zones, we want to help. Or if you know anyone who is in the Red or Orange Zones let us know how we can help them and at the very minimum we can pray.

I have adjusted my business by time-blocking four hours for lead generation a day instead of my usual one hour. I have been calling just to check up on people and seeing how they are doing instead of talking just about the real estate market.

Contact Christy Scally: 404-660-2919 Christy@AgentScally.com | www.AgentScally.com

Heather Rose

Joseph Benedetto

My mission is simple: I want to help your real estate bloom and be “YOUR” Realtor for all your real estate needs. Heather Rose with Keller Williams specializes in residential, commercial, investment and luxury real estate in the north Atlanta area. Whether you are looking to buy or sell a home, condo, land, commercial property or are in need of property management, I am your Realtor to assist you.

My coverage of areas include Atlanta, Dunwoody, Marietta, Norcross, Duluth, Roswell, Alpharetta, Cumming, Milton, Johns Creek, Dawsonville and Suwanee. I utilize the latest technology to empower customers to buy and sell Real estate. Ninety percent of customers use the web and mobile technologies to research real estate during the buying and selling process.

With customers demanding leading edge technologies to keep up to date with current market trends, it is imperative that you are given the best technology solutions available.

I evaluate each client’s property and individual situation and develop a sophisticated strategy to market, sell or lease your home, condo, land or commercial building. As a technology leader in real estate, I leverage the latest in SEO optimization, social networking and advanced listings through syndication feeds to multiple web platforms including Realtor.com, Google base, Trulia, Zillow, Real Estate Book, Backpage, Kijiji, Postlets, Homescape, Hotpads, Frontdoor, Homes.com, MSN, Yahoo real estate, Craigslist, Google, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, KW expansive listing service and many others.

I ensure my clients properties are marketed to as many potential customers on a daily basis which oftentimes leads to multiple offers.

Buyers and Sellers are very savvy, and I know your time is extremely valuable so this is taken into consideration when working with you.

The best tools and service are delivered to you which differentiates your experience apart from the competition.

Call Heather Rose today to see how I can be of service for all your real estate needs!

Be community, live community and act community — that’s how my family and I have approached these difficult times.

My wife is an LPN for an assisted living facility and has been in close contact with the virus. The hardest part for her Contact Joe Benedetto: is working with the residents to understand the situation.

678-341-7400 They are scared and confused. joseph@joesellsga.com They aren’t allowed to see joesellsga.com their families and that alone can take a toll on their health.

She goes above and beyond to make them feel like they are family to her.

I have taken to social media to reach out to the community through Facebook. I have invited people to embrace these times at home, start their spring cleaning projects, declutter and donate things that others might need. I expressed to them that I will come pick these items up and bring them to The Place of Forsyth County for them so they don’t have to leave the house.

In addition to taking their items for donation I have picked up toilet paper for people unable to get to the store early enough to get in line. I have delivered lunches to parents homeschooling their kids and have made several supply runs for my friend Amy Wilson of Muze Salon Suites in Cumming. She has taken this time away from her business to give back to the community by making custom fit masks. It’s quite funny watching me shop at craft stores for fabric, thread and needles. I can sell a house all day but can’t pick out a chevron pattern or find a bobbin if my life depended on it. I’m in the people business and people just happen to need houses. I am here to be a resource and help families.

Contact Heather Rose: heatherrose@kw.com | 404-429-9079 | georgiapeachrealtor.com 18 | 400 LIFE | May 2020

400faces

Bri Daniels

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Hiser Orthodontics

Daniels devoted to volunteering in community

B

$350. It’s a park, but it’s just across the water from Magic Kingdom, so you just catch the boat to Magic Kingdom. They still have stuff at night, and the characters walk around. There are fun attractions in the park, too, like Mickey’s Backyard BBQ.”

ri Daniels wishes she could spend all her time volunteering in the community.

“I always joke around, if I What’s it been like helping didn’t have to have a job, I could commit my whole life to volunMeals by Grace during the teering and serving,” she said.

COVID-19 pandemic?

Alas, she does have a job, as “After the pandemic hit the practice administrator for Forsyth County, their numbers Hiser Orthodontics, one that she’s skyrocketed. We try to interact had since 2003 after moving from with the families and ask them her native Oregon. how they’re doing, are there But the volunteering isn’t any other needs they’re having, something Daniels just does on but there’s not a ton of interacthe side — it’s an integral part of tion, especially recently. We’re her job at Hiser. trying to practice social disDaniels long ago got the greentancing as much as possible. light from Dr. Doug Hiser to But I want to make sure that ‘Not everyone has a heart to serve or a heart for devote as much time volunteering we’re here for them.” in the community as she wanted. people, but as for Hiser Orthodontics, it comes Daniels took the opportunity and ran with it. She’s served in the from the top, and that’s Dr. Hiser’s heart as well.’ Did you always want to children’s ministry at Mountain work in the medical field?

Lake Church; coached her two -Bri Daniels, Administrator for Hiser Orthodontics “Originally I was going to kids in sports; mentored sixthcollege in Oregon to be a and seventh-graders in Forsyth teacher. I ended up doing general studies because I found out I County middle schools; delivered food for Meals by Grace, a local nonprofit organization that provides food assistance to those have a learning disability. in need; joined the Rotary Club of South Forsyth County; and “My brother is a dentist out in the northwest, so when I moved participated in mission trips to Nicaragua. out here, I went to Lanier Technical College and got my dental assistant degree. We had to get 60 observation hours, and I was an “That’s my happy place,” Daniels said. “That’s what brings me intern with Dr. Hiser for that program. He hired me right out of joy in life — other than my family, of course.”

Daniels talked with 400 LIFE about moving across the country, school.

“Dr. Hiser is an amazing person to work for. Over the years camping at Disney World and how giving back infuses the culture we’ve become like family. We both have a unique servant’s heart. at Hiser Orthodontics.

He loves that I have a heart for the community, and he values that.

We mesh there.”

Why did you move from Oregon to Georgia?

“My best friend’s family moved out here in 2000. While I was in college, I came out here for the summers to nanny. It was like the best college job ever. I sat by the pool every day and watched kids. I did that for two or three summers, and I just fell in love with it here. My whole family is out West, and that part’s hard, but I never knew there could be sunshine nine months out of the year. Sunshine in the northwest where I’m from is about three months: June, July and August. The rest of the time is just kind of rainy and cloudy. I love it out here.”

What’s your family’s favorite vacation spot?

“Fort Wilderness at Disney. We take our camper there. It’s amazing, and it is a lot cheaper. We pay $60 a night, instead of 20 | 400 LIFE | May 2020

What makes Hiser Orthodontics unique?

“Not everyone has a heart to serve or a heart for people, but as for Hiser Orthodontics, it comes from the top, and that’s Dr. Hiser’s heart as well. I think that’s why the two of us work so well together.

“He always preaches to our staff: you don’t know what these kids have been through that day, we just have to make sure that we love on them when they come through our doors.

“And it trickles down to our staff. We have the most amazing staff, and they treat our patients the exact same way. At Hiser Orthodontics, we hire people for their heart. We don’t hire them for their skills. We can teach them anything. We just want people that are going to love on our patients.”

FREE Consultations Private Practice | Family Owned | Virtual Consults Whether you are an adult looking to get your smile back or a parent trying to find the right orthodontist for your child, we are here to help. Contact us today for a no-pressure consultation to see if we're the right fit for you.

TWO LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU

Cumming 520 Pirkle Ferry Road Suite A Cumming, GA 30040

Alpharetta 3180 North Point Parkway Building 500, Suite 521 Alpharetta, GA 30005

470-330-9083 | www.hiserortho.com

400 reads

The year 2020 has presented our county, country, and world with circumstances we were not expecting. Local residents have demonstrated a resiliency and perseverance that exemplify the true merits of our community. Many of us have been relegated to our homes, but there are those that work on the front lines, providing essential services and support. I reached out to five of my friends who continue to meet with Becky Cahill the needs of our community. Each of these accomplished women selected one book to share and we hope that these recommendations will bring you some escape and enjoyment as we continue to live our lives through this historical period.

Nicole Jones, communication and branding director, Browns Bridge Church My book recommendation is Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes. It is a charming novel about a recently widowed Evvie, who lives in Maine and keeps to herself after her husband passes away unexpectedly. One of her best friends, Andy, worries about her grieving and invites his childhood friend, Dean, a former major-league pitcher struggling with a case of the “yips” to come and live in the apartment behind Evvie’s house.

The development of this storyline made this book an enjoyable read for me.

The characters are easy to love and there is a hint of romance but it’s the realistic kind, with imperfect people navigating their own heartaches and perceptions of themselves. It’s a warm story about friendship and finding love in unexpected ways. You only read a good book for the first time once and Evvie Drake Starts Over is a great book I never wanted to put down. v Brittani Ramirez, executive director at Camden Academy, a private preschool in Cumming My favorite book just so happens to be a children’s book, which should come to no surprise considering my profession. It’s called Love You Forever

by Robert Munsch.

The book is about the love a mom has for her child no matter how old they get. It begins with the mom caring for her newborn son. Every night she enters his room while he is sleeping and sings, “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.” She continues to

sneak into his room all the way into adulthood singing the same song.

One day, she is old and can no longer go into his room to sing this song. The story ends with him sneaking into his mother’s room, wrapping her old frail body up into his arms, and singing, “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living, my mommy you’ll be.” I love this book because it pulls at the heart strings, and it depicts the love between a mother and child perfectly. v

Deputy First Class Terri Wright works for the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris is one of my all-time favorite books. In what seems to be the perfect marriage, a woman is actually held prisoner by her dashing husband. The main character, Grace, thought her life would revolve around the care of her younger sister, Millie, who has Down syndrome.

She didn’t expect to be swept off her feet by Jack Angel, a charming man who spoils Millie as much as he seems to love Grace. After a whirlwind courtship, Grace and Jack get married, though the wedding doesn’t go smoothly, with Millie tumbling down the stairs hours before the ceremony and breaking her leg. It isn’t until the couple is away on their honeymoon that the first signs of something wrong in the relationship start to show. When Millie is planning to come live with the couple, Grace schemes a way to escape Jack’s clutches and save Millie from the same fate. You won’t be able to put this book down to see how it ends! v

Lindsey Abreu, Clinical RN Ortho/Neuro Surgery, Northeast Georgia Medical Center Prey by Michael Crichton is a cautionary novel about advancements in nanotechnology, genetic engineering, and artificial intelligence. In Prey, an experiment has gone wrong. A cloud of nanoparticles escapes from a lab and is self-sustaining and self-reproducing.

Initially programmed as imagining technology for military use, the scientists give the nanoparticles a bacterial agent to provide them the ability to work together towards a set goal. It becomes more intelligent and begins to learn from experience. The nanoparticles swiftly become a predator and become more deadly with every hour. The scientists must fight for survival and come up with a plan to eliminate the swarm. I have always been fascinated with science and technological advancements. This book catches your attention and keeps you eager to turn each page. This book is thrilling but also educational. Learning through fiction is an engaging way to pick up knowledge. The action and mystery of Prey, as well as the entertainment of the story, makes this one of my favorite books. v Anna Cathryn Mauro, Delta Airlines Operations and Command Center Published posthumously, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer details true crime author Michelle McNarma’s journey to discover the identity of the Golden State Killer. The book is meticulous in the best way; Michelle provides detailed maps, victim statements, and interviews with former and current investigators. As a corporate security professional, it was fascinating to compare law enforcement investigation tactics from the beginning of the killer’s crime spree to present day. I was also drawn in by Michelle’s vulnerability, as she doesn’t shy away from how the case impacted her own psyche (she notes “there is a scream permanently lodged in my throat”). A thoughtful, compelling work, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark represents the future of true crime writing. v

Becky Cahill is a career educator and an avid reader. She reads extensively in her free time and tracks her favorites (and those that aren’t even close) on her blog at tobereadlist.home.blog. Becky is the host of ‘Read It or Leave It!’ a weekly reading podcast available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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