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Our Olympian Javianne Oliver brings Olympic Glory home to Walton County Monroe celebrates 200 years The Premier Walton County Magazine
Walton Living Magazine 51
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Table of
CONTENTS
8 - Creative Carving Monroe streets are peppered with art by local artist using trees.
42 - Fit for the Holidays Couple offers ways to stay trim, yet have fun this holiday season.
14 - Stellar Silver Monroe Area graduate comes home from Tokyo Olympics and fanfare.
46 - Christmas House For years, this Walton home has decked the halls for the holidays.
22 - 200 Years Walton Living Magazine celebrates two centuries of Monroe.
48 - Gift Guide Give Walton merchants a holiday boost by shopping local.
24 - The Beginnings Looking back on how Monroe was formed and by whom.
52 - Touring the Trail Learn all about what it is like to hike the Appalachian Trail.
30 - Monroe Now Monroe has come a long way since its humble start 200 years ago.
70 - Earthly Living Living off the land while expanding horizons is possible in Walton
36 - Future of Monroe What’s in store for Monroe - a look at the years to come.
74 - Red Devil Legacy Looking back with Loganville baseball’s Jeff Segars.
52 On the Cover: Photo by Darrell Everidge
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Walton Living Magazine
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From the
PUBLISHERS
W
hat an interesting year this has been! We are living through history, making memories that will be remembered and immortalized for decades. And we know that this wonderful issue of Walton Living Magazine brings you the best of the best this 2021/2022 fall and winter season. In this issue, we have featured the Bicentennial year for the city of Monroe as it is reflects on the decades that have past making Monroe the great city it has become. Also, our beautiful Olympian who brought home a silver medal from Tokyo in the 100 meter women’s relay, the first since 1976. And if you are looking for a way to stay healthy over the holidays, you’ll find it here. There is a story on the tree artist who carved the incredible “totem pole” on the corner of Spring and Wayne streets in Monroe as well as Loganville’s Red Devils baseball program that has been amazing producing super stars for Walton County. You can also read about the new trend of homesteaders producing their own vegetables, eggs and other goodies. Our Holiday Gift Guide is loaded with great gift giving suggestions for family and friends and as always we encourage you to shop local. We have so much talent in Walton County. There’s much more to enjoy in this issue and we hope you will love it! We want to thank our advertisers, writers, photographers and designers for making this issue possible and helping to bring the 2021 Fall-Winter of Walton Living magazine to you. Happy Holiday’s to all of you and have a joyous and healthy New Year! We’ll see you again in the Spring!
Melanie Ann and Sharon Melanie Ann and Sharon, Publishers
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PUBLISHERS Melanie Ann Jackson Sharon Swanepoel EDITOR Sharon Swanepoel DESIGNERS Brian Arrington PHOTOGRAPHERS Kirk Ivey Darrell Everidge Melanie Ann Jackson Sharon Swanepoel The family of Javianne Oliver Monroe Museum MP Sports Pics Jack Whitaker CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Christy Breedlove Steve Brown Melanie Ann Jackson Robbie Schwartz Christy Smith Sharon Swanepoel Carole Townsend ADVERTISING SALES Melanie Ann Jackson Walton Living Magazine published by: Your Local News, Inc P O Box 128 Monroe, GA 30655
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Arbor Artist
Local sculptor leaves impression on trees around Monroe and those who see them By Christy Breedlove
M
. di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni was a Renaissance artist who painted, sculpted, designed buildings and wrote poetry. You might know him better as Michelangelo who created frescos of outstanding beauty and marble sculptures. His scultures were so lifelike that Pope Innocent X ordered a fig leaf over revealing parts of the famous statue of David in the Vatican. It was Michelangelo who said, “Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” And in a way, Chris Cruikshank of Walton County is finding his own David, but the medium is a bit different — trees rather than marble. You can view his recent tree carving behind The Roe Restaurant (on the corner of Spring Street and North Wayne Street) in Monroe and a carved stump in Childers Park a few hundred yards from the Monroe Library. How does an artist uncover art in a tree? Or even in stumps? Cruikshank, who is the owner of Land Whisperer, LLC explains, “The wood usually has a say in the design. I prefer to work with the existing structural flow, shape, and grain of the wood. Nature is a better designer than I will ever be, so I choose to utilize the inherent natural beauty
of the material to my advantage. These unique characteristics help define the scope and feel of the projects.” At Childers Park, rustic faces decorate the stump of a downed tree in a piece called “Rooted Together.” The Roe sculpture is a result of working on a live Cherry tree that was slated for removal and is titled ‘Circle of Friends.’ “Carving a standing trunk or stump is an excellent way to recycle the resource, add visual interest to the setting, while minimizing the disruption to the existing environment.” Cruikshank’s kit includes chainsaws, grinders, and lathes among many other specialty tools in his maker studio. “Functional and decorative woodwork are a large part of what I do.” Traditional carpentry, home, and land improvement projects take up the balance of his time. “My primary goal is to add beauty, whether it is through periodic maintenance or by creating something totally new for my customers.” While tree sculpting demands a good portion of his time, Cruikshank explores other creative outlets such as painting and photography. The one theme that threads throughout Land Whisperer’s work is feeling. One of the first three dimensional items he created was for a show at Georgia Tech, called ‘Touchables,’ sculpture for the visually impaired. From a trunk of pecan wood, he carved a life-sized standing figure grasping a Shaman’s staff with a large crystal at the top. “I textured the Pecan sculpture with a variety of hand gouges to create interest for the visually impaired audience. I was fascinated watching the participants’ passion as they interacted with the works by touch rather than by sight. Sculpting for feel is something that I have tried to incorporate into all my three-dimensional works ever since. I rely on the perspective of the audience to decide how much detail to put into a piece. A large
“Carving a standing trunk or stump is an excellent way to recycle the resource, add visual interest to the setting, while minimizing the disruption to the existing environment.”
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large form viewed from a distance does not require the intricacies that a much smaller functional or decorative piece may need. As a self-taught carver and woodturner I depend on my visual and spatial instincts to find balance in my work.” Cruikshank is also a partner in a specialty art business, Artistic Urns, Inc. “We hand turn cremation urns for pets and people crafted from local reclaimed hardwood. These one-of-a-kind urns can be viewed and purchased from artisticpeturns.com, articsticwoodurns.com, or from one of our many retailers. Each work is a unique original, every urn is a beautiful and timeless keepsake for the permanent interment of past loved ones.” Other functional creations for the home and kitchen are turned or carved in Cruikshank’s local studio. “I enjoy making mortar and pestles, cutting and charcuterie boards, bowls, platters, spoons, and specialty items including architectural details, and rustic furniture. Some folks want to use a special piece of wood from their property and have it shaped into something useful and lasting.” “We have a wide variety of beautiful local hardwoods here in Georgia. I find it very rewarding to take storm damaged wood destined for the landfill or the chipper and reclaim it into a lovely permanent product that can be used and enjoyed for generations to come.” Michelangelo also said, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” In the same vein, Cruikshank uses local trees to bring a bit of the maestro of art to Walton County. He is actively seeking projects and collaboration to enhance public and private spaces throughout the area. •WLM 12 Walton Living Magazine
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From Monroe To Tokyo Javianne Oliver, Monroe Area High School Alumna, wins Olympic Silver Medal By Christy Smith
T
he family and friends of Javianne Oliver’s filled Monroe City Hall Aug. 6, each doing their best to celebrate and social distance at the same time. For a moment, the boisterous crowd fell silent. Breathing ceased as the beautiful athlete took her place on block. A few phones turned toward television screens. Gunshot sounded and the quiet room filled with shouts as Oliver raced down the track. Citizens of Monroe waited 45 years for an athlete to bring home an Olympic medal. Javianne Oliver, 26, a 2013 Monroe Area High School alumna, won the Olympic silver medal with Team USA 4x100-meter relay team. It’s the first Olympic medal won by a Monroe resident since Patricia Roberts earned the silver Olympic medal for women’s basketball in 1976. “The feeling of accepting my medal was surreal,” Oliver said. “I was almost in tears at the medal ceremony, and almost every time I looked at it afterwards.” To the world, Oliver is a winning Olympic athlete. In Monroe, her family and coaches remember the student who walked on her hands to line up at a track meet.
“I was laughing so hard, I couldn’t hardly start the race,” said her father, Marvin Oliver, retired MAHS assistant principal, who fired the starting pistol at Oliver’s high school track meets. Oliver ran all her life and trained since middle school. Speed runs in her family. Her father and her maternal aunt, Succonda Jones, ran track in high school. “I ran all the way to the state tournaments and caught the mumps,” Oliver’s father said. “An alternate went in my place. I cried.” Oliver is blessed with a calming and humble demeanor and seems wise beyond her years. Those inborn characteristics contribute to her ability to focus in a sport that demands an extreme level of concentration. “This sport is really mental,” Oliver said. “Make sure you’re clocked in with what you are doing. A hard practice in the sun will drain your body, and when the body gets tired, it goes to your mind, and you have to push past it. You practice when your body doesn’t feel the greatest and clock in to mental. Otherwise, you waste a day.” In college, Oliver ran an SEC race with stomach flu, focusing hard to finish. “I was dehydrated and tired,” she said. “I warmed up, went to the bathroom, ran the meet, went back to the bathroom. It was a hard day, but a race is only a few seconds. I came in 3rd.” Her high level of concentration helped her through her races in Tokyo, where no spectators cheered athletes’ performances.
“This sport is really mental. Make sure you’re clocked in with what you are doing. A hard practice in the sun will drain your body, and when the body gets tired, it goes to your mind, and you have to push past it. You practice when your body doesn’t feel the greatest and clock in to mental. Otherwise, you waste a day.”
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“It was no different without an audience,” Oliver said. “After the gun goes off, I cannot hear anything until after I finish running.” Her intense focus is her strength, said Kim Arnold, former assistant coach. “If you flinch before the gun goes off, or trip a runner, you can be disqualified,” Arnold said. “Jai’s attention to detail has helped bring her to where she is now.” Oliver’s willing spirit served her well. Arthur James, Oliver’s high school coach, remembered when Oliver ran a race twice. “Jai won a race, then over the intercom, ‘Monroe coach, please come to the timing booth,’” James said. “That’s never a good call. The timing machine didn’t work and they said we’d have to run the race again. That’s not fair. But the girls voted to run again. I told Javianne, ‘You don’t have to run. You proved you can win.’ She said, ‘Coach, I got this.’ She won, again.” The on-going support she received from her family, coaches and friends gave Oliver the constant encouragement to continue pushing herself all the way to an Olympic medal. Her competitive nature helped, too. “We went to a track meet in Marietta the same day Javianne had to take the SAT,” said James. “They were rushing to get there. Her dad was on the phone saying, ‘We’re pulling up, now.’ Jai jumped out of car before the car stopped. She ran her best time ever and blew out a runner on her home track.” Growing up in a rural area offered Oliver chances to practice running. “There wasn’t much to do out in the country, so we just ran around and raced,” she said.
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JAVIANNE OLIVER Age: 26 Place of birth: Monroe, Ga. High School: Monroe Area High School 2013 College Team: University of Kentucky Wildcats 2014 -2017 Sponsor: Nike Awards: Silver medal 2021 Olympics Team USA 4x100-meter relay team Won the 60 meters at the 2018 USA Indoor Track and Field NCAA final close second 2017 GHSA Girls 4A State Championship 2013 Her second-choice career path nursing
Jonnifer Oliver didn’t realize until middle school how much speed her daughter possessed. “She had all boy cousins and she could always outrun them,” Mrs. Oliver said. “I just thought she was a tomboy. She tried out for track in middle school and her coaches discovered she was fast.” Nevertheless, she almost didn’t finish her first track practice. “I was a quitter growing up,” Oliver said. “Piano, gymnastics. My parents said, ‘This is the last quit.’ At my first track practice, I told the coach I was ready to go, before practice was over. I was tired. By the end of practice, Coach said, ‘You look good. Stick it out and let’s see how things go.’” James said he saw Oliver’s potential immediately. “I saw raw talent and how she was performing,” James said. “I told her parents she was one of the best in the state.” Oliver is fast, but her discipline propelled her to Olympic and state wins. “I asked Javianne what she wanted,” James said. “She said ‘To be a professional.’ We got to work. Javianne was a cheerleader, and during season she showed up for practice in her cheerleading uniform.” 20 Walton Living Magazine
Oliver intends to bring home gold from the 2024 Olympics. Patricia Roberts believes she will. “I see a bright future for her,” Roberts said. “She is focused and committed, she is still young. She has time to win the gold medal.” Oliver let nothing get in the way of running. She ran in snow flurries, in grueling summer heat and burned her knee and fingers on hot asphalt while squatting to block. She trains with parachutes on to create wind resistance. “I compete with myself,” Oliver said. “At the end of the day, it’s me versus me, working on becoming a better me.” On Sept. 18, which was named Javianne Oliver Day in Walton County, she was given a parade, the Key to the City of Monroe, and a copy of a Resolution that had been read into the record in the Georgia General Assembly. Both of Monroe’s Olympic silver medalists were on hand for the reveal of the signs that will be placed at the entrances to the City proclaiming it the home of Patricia Roberts, Silver Medalist 1976 and Javianne Oliver, Silver Medalist 2020. WLM
Walton Living Magazine 21
MONROE
@200 T
his year, the City of Monroe celebrates its 200 years of existence. From its early beginnings as a gift of just six acres surrounding an area then known as “Spring Place,” to the county seat and prime industrial, commercial, residential and recreational center of Walton County it is today, Monroe has made good use of its 200 years of progress. One can’t help but what wonder what Elisha Betts would think of his gift today if he were to see the jewel it has become. Recently ranked # 1 in the state, Monroe also has been named a Georgia GEMS Community (GA Exceptional Main Street Community.) Incorporated on Nov. 30, 1821, and named for James Monroe - the fifth president of the United States - the city has managed to cling possessively to its history while thoroughly embracing its future. And now, as the city moves into its next century, Mayor John Howard says he can see only good things for the city he proudly refers to as “the best small town in America.” “From our murals, activity alleys, and parks to our boutiques, gift shops, salons, and restaurants, the love and joy brought about by being in Monroe is palpable,” he said. “I am honored and excited to serve while ending our second century and helping Monroe start our next 100 years headed in the right direction.” •WLM
What follows is a look at the City of Monroe’s storied past, present and future.
MONROE Remembering
200 YEARS By Steve Brown
In the 1700s, the land we know as Walton County was home to the Creek Indians. Then, in Milledgeville, a treaty was signed in 1802, which ceded this land to the United States. It did not take long for settlers seeking a new home to find “Spring Place.” Drawn by good land, a moderate climate, and the plentiful water for which the area was named, settlers began gathering in the area that would soon come to be known as Monroe. 24 Walton Living Magazine
In 1818 Walton County was chartered, and three years later, on 30 November 1821, Monroe became the county seat. The generosity of Elijah Betts helped this process along. The Land Lottery of 1820 had doled out 250 acre lots in Walton County to the fortunate drawers, most of whom were Revolutionary Veterans, widows, and orphans. Elijah Betts had not participated in the lottery but purchased lot #65, today our downtown, from its owner. Betts had been a strong advocate of making Monroe the county seat and is even given credit for suggesting the name of our fifth president, James Monroe. To help ensure that Monroe would be the center of government, in July 1821, Betts signed over 50 acres to the officials of the Inferior Court for one dollar. Part of this land would provide space for a courthouse, jail, and other needed government buildings. The remainder of the land would be resold as town lots to help fill the treasury of the new county. Monroe was off and running, soon becoming home to Walton County’s first courthouse. A simple cedar log structure that Benjamin Hammock built for $50 in 1821. A brick, two-story courthouse replaced it two years later, in 1823. During the 1820s, Monroe was still the “frontier.” While there was growth, there was also lawlessness. Attorneys opened offices in the county seat close to the court where many cases were being tried, and the legal business was brisk. Some of our most notable citizens came to town to answer this need to defend the law and punish the lawless. Walter Colquitt was among these young barristers. Colquitt was also a judge, a sought-after speaker, and a Methodist minister. A history of the Methodist Church is quoted as saying, “Colquitt was able to make a stump speech, try a court case and plead another at the bar, christen a child, preach a sermon, and marry a couple - all before dinner.” Shortly after arriving in Monroe, Colquitt’s son, Alfred, was born where Scoops ice cream parlor stands today. Alfred Colquitt would grow up to become Georgia’s governor and a US Senator. During his childhood, Alfred Colquitt would live in the community of Cowpens, southeast of Monroe, occupying the same house later home to Howell Cobb, who would also serve as Georgia’s chief executive. This same abode would also be occupied by George Hillyer, a future Mayor of Atlanta. Two governors and one Atlanta Mayor in one house. If any place in our community is haunted, this one
would be a good bet. Another future governor who would call Monroe home during this first decade was Wilson Lumpkin. He was a charter member of the First Baptist Church of Monroe, founded near the close of the 1820s. Lumpkin’s daughter, Martha, was born in south Monroe. If you paid attention in your Georgia History class, you would remember that Atlanta bore the name Marthasville in her honor for a time before becoming Atlanta. Monroe’s spiritual needs were met first by the Methodist and Baptist Churches at the close of the 1820s. Philanthropist Elijah Betts and Revolutionary veteran Henry Hardin provided the land for Monroe’s First Baptist Church, and all three of the First Baptist sanctuaries have stood on the same plot. At about the same time, Monroe’s First Methodist Church built its first sanctuary on Midland Avenue, then called Church Street. The Methodist Church later moved close to its present location, but not before establishing a burial ground at their first church. These graves are believed to be what was the beginning of our city cemetery, Resthaven. Monroe, and by extension, Walton County, would, over the years, become home to seven Georgia governors and one governor of Texas. The future Texas governor, Richard Hubbard, and three of the Georgia governors, Colquitt, Henry D. McDaniel, and Clifford Walker, were native sons born in or very near Monroe. The 1820s ended with Monroe boasting 41 houses, a courthouse, jail, academy, and 11 stores and offices. By 1830, the county population was nearing 11,000. The county jail had reached a point where prisoners could nearly come and go at will. Winning the bid, Richard Plunkett constructed a new jail, away from the town square, ready in 1834. Daniel Walker bought the old jail at auction for $9.06. In 1831, the namesake of Walton’s County Seat, President James Monroe, died, and the following year, 1832, our sister city, Social Circle, was chartered. Monroe’s benefactor, Elijah Walton Living Magazine 25
Betts, moved to Gwinnett County, and out of concern for his mother’s gravesite, he deeded the county the land surrounding the grave. Today, we know the area as the Old Baptist Cemetery on Alcovy Street. An 1832 advertisement informed readers that The Monroe Academy would be operated by “Rev. Hillyer and lady” for a third year. Students would be instructed in the proper branches of education and prepared to enter college. Many academies such as this came and went in Monroe and Walton County in the years before public education was readily available. A notable exception to these short-lived academies was Johnson Institute which was part of the Monroe and Walton County School System for over 100 years. In 1836, Rhode Island-born Nehemiah Johnson bought the combination home and store, once owned by Elijah Betts at the northwest corner of Washington and Broad Streets. Johnson had come to town with very little, but he had accumulated a sizable estate through hard work. He became deathly ill in 1863 at the height of the Civil war. Confederate law would not allow his money to be sent north to his relatives. In his will, Johnson stipulated that part of his estate would be used to educate the disadvantaged children of Walton County. With this bequeath, 26 Walton Living Magazine
Johnson Academy, later Johnson Institute, was created. Over the years, the school occupied several different locations. Finally, being located on South Broad Street. The graduates of Johnson Institute would eventually include Georgia governor Clifford Walker, along with many others who would make their mark. On the last school day in 1900, the Johnson (sometimes called Johnston) Institute burned to the ground. At that time, the school was located close to where the Tabernacle Baptist Church is on South Jackson Street. The fire did not occur, however, before Mary Creswell received her diploma. Mary would become the first female to receive a Batchelor’s Degree from the University of Georgia. She would later become Dean of the School of Home Economics, UGA’s first female dean. Creswell residence hall is named in her honor. The weather was a frequent topic in the news of the 1830s. In 1833, rains washed away every bridge on the Apalachee River,
Walton Living Magazine 27
and in 1835, January brought snows that drifted to several feet. During this period leading to the civil war, Monroe made slow, steady progress. By 1845, growth made it necessary to replace the existing courthouse with a larger one. Just a few years before the Civil War, in 1857, Monroe suffered a devastating disaster. Starting at the center of town, across Broad Street from the courthouse, fire swept north and south, destroying every structure in the block between today’s Spring Street and Washington Street. At the time, all the offices and businesses were wooden and burned like kindling. There was no fire department, and citizens worked feverishly to save inventories and belongings with no hope of salvaging any buildings. In 1861, with the memory and evidence of the devastating fire still fresh, the Civil War spread destruction and loss across the south. While Monroe was not in the line of fire, many native sons lost their lives on far-away battlefields. Many others suffered shocking and debilitating wounds. They returned to homes bare to the walls with little ability to make their way in a world governed by the laws of reconstruction. In the late 1860s, it was hard to believe that prosperity for Monroe lay just around the corner. In 1880 the Walton Railroad brought the first train to Monroe, and a new era began. The Walton Railroad coming from Social Circle was followed in 1883 by the Gainesville, Jefferson, & Southern (later Gainesville-Midland) railroad coming in from the north. By 1886 passengers arriving were greeted with rooms and meals at the new brick Walton Hotel at Broad and Court Streets. Today the Hotel
28 Walton Living Magazine
houses The Walton Tribune and other businesses and apartments. The Walton Hotel was not the only new brick structure in town. In 1884 the historic Walton County Courthouse was dedicated and remains today as a jewel in our downtown. By 1889, Monroe saw its first corporation, the Monroe Guano Company, open for business. Then in 1891, the Bank of Monroe opened, becoming Walton Counties’ first public bank, and still doing business today as Synovus. A turning point in Monroe’s growth came in 1896 when the “town charter” was revoked and replaced by a “city charter,” allowing for a more organized city government. In 1896 the Monroe Cotton Mill opened, providing jobs for hundreds of citizens. The Walton Mill opened in 1901, giving Monroe something seldom seen, two cotton mills in one town. Cotton was indeed King. Walton County annually was a leader in Georgia in cotton production. There were dozens of cotton gins throughout the county to gin and bale the cotton, and now not one, but two mills turning that cotton into cloth while providing much-needed employment. Monroe was entering the twentieth century on the up-swing. Even with world wars and other hardships ahead, Monroe’s people would answer each challenge with hard work, vision, and determination. These are the assets that have led Monroe through 200 years to our Bicentennial. •WLM Writer’s Note: Any time we research our local history, it is impossible not to turn to our county history Wayfarers In Walton, and give continuing thanks to the wonderful lady, Anita Sams, who gave us the best county history in the USA.
2021
Bicentennial WEEK celebrations NOVEMBER 28TH
DECEMBER 2ND
NOVEMBER 29TH
DECEMBER 3RD
NOVEMBER 30TH DECEMBER 1ST
DECEMBER 4TH
DECEMBER 5TH
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT M O N R O E D O W N TWalton O WLiving N . CMagazine OM
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Rich history defined Monroe’s lengthy legacy and, eventually, its path toward today By Carole Townsend
T
he seat of Walton County, formed in 1818, became a town in 1821 and a city 1896. Monroe, Georgia was named for the fifth president of the United States, James Monroe (though the town was originally known as Spring Place). Log and frame buildings, stores, and a tavern were eventually built along Rogue Road, known today as Broad Street. In fact, the tavern was known as Major Humphries Assembly Room, and locals used it for meetings, dances and other gatherings. These early humble beginnings were the seeds that sprouted today’s bustling, dynamic area of downtown Monroe. Sadly, in 1857, a fire swept down Broad Street between Spring and Washington Streets, and the courthouse was the only building left standing. This fate was a common one in small towns like Monroe, since wooden structures stood as little more than dry
30 Walton Living Magazine
tinder against a single wayward spark. The first brick buildings in Monroe were erected following the fire, and many of them still stand in one form or another today. The previous City Hall building, erected in 1906, still stands at the corner of Spring Street and Wayne Street. There was at least one city hall before this one, according to Monroe historian Steve Brown. It stood where the used appliance store is on Wayne Street is. Many other homes and storefronts from that time period still grace the streets in Monroe today. It wasn’t until the Civil War ended that Monroe really started to grow and progress. By then a mill town, the busy little city, located temptingly near the Alcovy River, began to attract industry and business. So how has this city, neatly tucked away in Walton County and off the beaten path, grown as it has in recent years,
Walton Living Magazine 31
yet still managed to embrace its historic charm? “A lot of cities these days are trying to build a downtown, but it has to happen from a grassroots level. This one has been here for one hundred years,” said Monroe Mayor John Howard. The people here – those now and in the past who have been tasked with guiding the city’s growth – are exceptional, according to Howard. The well-being of the city has always been at the forefront of decisions and actions. Too, the economy has played a part in the city’s unique success. With schools and a hospital that were less than excellent at one time, Monroe has catapulted to being a city with an enviable school system and a hospital that is ranked among the Top 10 in the state. The city’s parks were considered sub-par until recent years, but recently city leaders began investing in them. Within a year or two, said the Mayor, the parks will be a source of pride in Monroe. Yet even with these sweeping improvements in key areas in the city, how does the downtown area still evoke a sense of history and place? Sadie Krawczyk, Monroe’s Economic Development Director, said, “We’ve been able to hold on to our history by having a designated historic district that is protected. Historic preservation is a key consideration for future growth and development.” Krawczyk went on to add that both city leaders and invested residents have nurtured the downtown area – preserving the original structures to attract the types of businesses that add to a thriving district – to ensure its success. That is what makes Monroe a one-of-a-kind place with more than 200 businesses and more than 800 jobs. Rick and Crista Huszagh are two such people who have 32 Walton Living Magazine
Walton Living Magazine 33
invested in preserving downtown Monroe’s history while unlocking the door to its future. In 2006, the couple invested in three downtown buildings along Broad Street. Using federal and state financing vehicles, as well as incentives offered by the city, they carefully renovated these original downtown structures. The Wayfarer Hotel, a small boutique hotel catering to wedding guests, business travelers, and such, is named for the book Wayfarers of Walton County. When the Huszaghes learned that the livery stable in the rear of the hotel was slated for demolition, they acquired it from a family trust. Today, the former stable houses a music hall and in a separate section, a taproom from Athens-based Southern Brewing. “Monroe embraces its history,” Rick observed, remembering several close calls in the past that could have jeopardized the antique gem that is downtown Monroe. For instance, in the 1950s or 1960s, some were considering razing the courthouse to build a parking lot. Fortunately, city leaders had the foresight to block that move, and today both locals and tourists enjoy the beauty of the historic structure as the heart of the downtown area. “Also, the DDA (Downtown Development Authority) in Monroe is strong, and very passionate about historic preservation. At the same time, they are open-minded and work to facilitate the right kind of growth here,” Rick added. Main Street Coordinator Leigh Ann Aldridge, agrees. “We stand on the shoulders of leaders that came before us. This movement began many years ago with the designation of Downtown as a Main Street community in 2009. This approach to revitalization laid the groundwork on which we’ve rebuilt our downtown.” Monroe has a very active DDA board, made up of volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure the downtown remains vibrant. A group of citizen volunteers is dedicated solely to Monroe’s history and preservation. This same group established the Monroe Museum in 2016, and they have volunteered many hours to showcase the city’s history and rich heritage. In a metropolitan area like the one that sprawls and spreads around Atlanta, the city of Monroe is unique. The city’s downtown district wasn’t simply a buzzword idea that occurred a few years ago and has since been built from scratch. Rather, it is the result of careful preservation of an old and historic area that’s been revitalized, attracting today’s exciting shops and restaurants that now call the area home. Its feel is authentic, its character palpable, and that’s one of the many reasons patrons flock to this bustling gem that is the heart of downtown Monroe. •WLM 34 Walton Living Magazine
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A look into the future ... What’s on the horizon for Monroe? By Carole Townsend
N
estled in the heart of Walton County is the charming downtown district of Monroe, Georgia. At first glance, this town center is like so many others found in Georgia and in fact, in cities all over the United States. In response to clumsy urban sprawl, municipal leaders and planners have looked inward, building (or rebuilding) the centers of their own hometowns. The result? Pleasant, walkable downtown areas, reminiscent of the small towns of yesterday, with local shops, boutique hotels, and independently-owned restaurants offering chef-inspired cuisine. But look closer at Monroe’s postcard-perfect downtown. The buildings are not simply reproductions of what used to stand along Broad Street; they are, in fact, the very same buildings, restored with a respect and an authenticity that preserves a living,
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breathing history. This snapshot of Monroe’s past thrives and pulses today, and that’s no accident. For decades, city leaders and citizens who call Monroe “home” have worked and planned to carefully preserve the city’s antiquity, while steering the district toward a bright and booming future. Monroe’ past has actually laid the groundwork for the city’s future. “We have had consistent small business growth for the last five years, even during COVID-19, and we are doing our best to make Monroe an ideal environment for new businesses to continue that trend,” said Economic Development Director Sadie Krawczyk. Monroe Pavilion, the 350,000-square-foot retail development (built on one hundred acres just north of U.S. Highway 78), proves Krawczyk right. Leasing in the development is actually ahead of schedule, at a time in which much of
the country is limping along in the uncertain wake of a postCOVID-19 economy. Publix is the anchor store of Phase I of this development, with Ulta Beauty Supply, Ross Dress for Less, Marshalls, Petsense and other retailers and restaurants already on board. Several large industrial projects are slated to begin construction in 2022, filling out more of the land set aside for just such use in the nearly-full, 619-acre Piedmont Industrial Park. Industrial development in Walton County has boomed over the past few years, thanks in great part to Shane Short, Executive Director of the Walton County Development Authority. The industries that call Walton County home expand the tax base, and that increased tax revenue is critical to the economic health of the area. According to Mayor John Howard, ”Shane is the absolute best in the state at what he does.” What Short does is multi-faceted; of course, bringing industry to Monroe and Walton County tops his list of priorities, but he also must be able to assure those businesses access to a deep and skilled workforce. That means that his sights are set on wellplanned business development, on education, and on attractive residential development. Short and his team landed a real coup by enticing development of a Facebook Data Center in Stanton Springs. While the
Data Center is not located in Monroe, some of the one hundred engineers, managers and technicians can call the city home. The $750 million development brings a ripple effect of related businesses and income to Walton County and to Monroe. Just outside the downtown area is the Cy Nunnally Memorial Airport, named in honor of the late Jason Cyrus ‘Cy’ Nunnally who passed away on Tuesday, July 9, 2019, after a single-engine plane crash at the airport. He was the former owner and operator of Fair Weather Flights, LLC, which serves as the FBO at the Airport. The airport offers fuel, servicing and repair options, a soaring club for gliders and Skydive Monroe, Georgia’s only skydiving location east of Atlanta. There also are cars available at the airport for the use of travelers to drive into town. There are other future options being looked at, such as a partnership with a car rental company to have an on site location. In recent years, the airport has enjoyed many upgrades with many more planned over the next few years. These include the construction of a jet fuel tank, a terminal building and a maintenance hanger, all expected to attract more aircraft to Monroe’s airport and hence support the local economy. Monroe City Administrator Logan Propes said the maintenance building is expected to be completed in the summer of 2022, depending on site planning, material availability, construction timeline as well Walton Living Magazine 37
as weather and other construction factors. The terminal building may well include a pilot’s lounge. “The terminal building will definitely be a business friendly type facility with meeting/conference rooms, restrooms, lounging area, office style rooms, and a welcoming feature to incoming pilots and visitors that’ll be a fun addition to the airport,” Propes said. “There is the possibility of another set of t-hangars on the opposite side of the airport in the near future, with construction of that planned by a third party. Other upgrades will be tied to Capital Improvement Project items such as lighting and signage upgrades, as well as additional parking and enhanced entrance areas for the future.” In total, some $3.5 million in upgrades are expected by 2024, the large majority of it from federal funds. Less than $180,000 is expected to come out of the local budget. In 2019, Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc., announced a five-year expansion plan of its Monroe manufacturing facility, that will cost as much as $330 million when complete. The expansion is expected to bring an additional one hundred jobs to the area. Hitachi pointed to the strength of the local workforce as one of the reasons for the Monroe expansion. The Walton Works initiative brings a skilled and talented pool of workers together with both new and longtime Walton County businesses. This critical project launched when Dessa Morris 38 Walton Living Magazine
came on board with Short to court new industry, as well as cater to businesses that already call Walton County home. Howard hinted at “two or three more major announcements” by the end of 2021. City and county leaders have also targeted planned residential growth for Monroe, and they recognize the hand-in-hand importance of strong schools and inviting parks that families consider when moving to a new area. Howard believes that the spirit of the people of Monroe and today’s unique economy have positioned the city for the kind of growth that attracts both high-tech industry and families to the area. “The people who have moved here in recent years have a strong interest in education. While Monroe’s schools struggled in the past, today they are ranked among the best in the nation,” said the mayor, adding that the same is true of local healthcare. When Piedmont Healthcare took over the former Clearview Regional hospital, the facility rocketed to among the Top 10 hospitals in the state. Certainly, strong schools and top-notch healthcare are big draws for both young families and retirees who want to escape the snarl of metro traffic and haphazard development. “We also have a strong working government. As a result of the efforts of city leaders, our wastewater treatment facility, sewer system and roads are being upgraded to support future growth.
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And about a year ago, we began investing in our parks,” Howard said. “In two to three years, we’ll have a parks system that is quite enviable.” Pilot Park, geared more for younger children and located at 515 East Church Street in Monroe’s historic district, was the first park to be fully rehabilitated. It was reopened to the public in October 2020, and the makeover included new ADA compliant playground equipment, benches, picnic tables, swings, fencing, signs, walkways and inviting landscaping. An exciting new park is on the drawing board, thanks to a generous 124-acre gift from Loganville-based Reliant Homes in 2020. Reliant River Park will fit almost seamlessly into the natural beauty of the Alcovy River environment, offering kayaking entry and exit points, mountain biking trails, equestrian trails, walking paths, playgrounds and a disc golf course. It is destined to be the crown jewel of parks in the region, a destination beckoning outdoor enthusiasts from across the state and beyond. Hammond Park, located at 150 Russell Circle, is also on target to be renovated and updated. Also on the horizon is the Walton YMCA with much of the money already raised and plans to break ground early in 2022 - and an exciting addition to the inviting downtown area is the Downtown Monroe Green, which will break ground in the fall of 2021. This vibrant greenspace will feature an outdoor amphitheater, splashpad, public restrooms and ample space for meeting and congregating with friends and neighbors. Downtown Development Director Leigh Ann Aldridge summed up the prime positioning of Monroe as a city of smart, planned growth. “We often hear that people first experience 40 Walton Living Magazine
Monroe at one of our amazing events, and then they come back to see more. We often say to each other that once you visit, you fall in love with this place, and eventually you’ll want to make it your home. “Our people make our community great. From citizens to business owners, everyone is welcoming. We’ve managed to keep our small town feel as we grow in numbers, and that is a direct reflection of our people. It’s a place where everyone feels at home and where everyone wants to be.” •WLM
“We often hear that people first experience Monroe at one of our amazing events, and then they come back to see more. We often say to each other that once you visit, you fall in love with this place, and eventually you’ll want to make it your home.”
monroedowntown.com Walton Living Magazine
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Cheers to a
Healthy Holiday Dawn and Eddie Young of SMB Health and Wellness in Monroe say you can enjoy the holidays, while doing so in good health.
By Sharon Swanepoel
D
awn and Eddie Young of SMB Health and Wellness are a Monroe couple with mission to change the way people look at food and exercise. Dawn is a Master Certified health coach and fitness instructor and Eddie is an ACE Certified personal trainer. But that was not always the case. “Actually, I spent most of my adult life morbidly obese, meaning I was more than 100lbs overweight. My choices had set me on a path for serious health issues. My choices - that’s still hard to say. My poor health was not going to change on its own, I had to make some major life changes and change is just what I did. In less than a year I had a 100lb weight deficit. I say deficit instead of weight loss, because in life what we lose we tend to find…and I don’t plan on finding that 100lbs ever again. I lost a tremendous amount of weight, but it’s what I gained that is most important and that was freedom….freedom to live my best life with good health,” Dawn says. “Most people don’t think about their good health...until they no longer have it! Good health is not just the absence of disease, but a blending of complete wellness in three key areas: Spiritual, Mental, and Physical Health - spiritual health is always at the top of the list! Using this approach to wellness, I coach you on how to make sustainable changes and transform your goals into a reality that will last you a lifetime.”
Eddie too had to make some adjustments to join his wife in her health journey. “Since high school, I have always enjoyed going to the gym. Even today, lifting weights is a favorite pastime. For many years my choices in life didn’t include going to the gym or a workout of any kind. I found myself out of shape and overweight by about 50lbs. When Dawn began her health journey, I decided to join her. Now I work out regularly, and, as a personal trainer, I get to help others do the same,” Eddie says. “The unique thing about my service is I bring the workout to you. There’s no need for expensive equipment because I bring everything you need for a great workout. Together, we will develop a personalized plan that will match your goals and skill level. By tracking your progress, I can make changes and restructure your plan along the way and create new challenges as you get stronger and your abilities improve. One area that I enjoy working in is post-rehabilitation. Sometimes patients are not always fully recovered after the completion of physical therapy. I can provide post-rehab patients the opportunity to advance recovery and restore them to functional status so they may live an active and productive life.” The couple, who now have many who have joined them in their health journey, say that together their goal is to change the way people think about their health. “We focus on two things - eating to live, and moving your body! A health and wellness journey should involve your Spirit, Mind, Body, and should teach you how to change your habits so that you can live a healthy lifestyle forever,” Eddie says. “No gimmicks, absolutely no fad diets, no pills or products, or foods you can’t pronounce - just real food and real exercise.” Dawn’s services have now been contracted by the City of Monroe to help keep its employees healthy and staff health insurance premiums to a minimum.
Holiday Cocktail Ingredients 1 can diet sparkling cranberry juice 2 shots lime vodka 1 lime Fresh cranberries and limes for garnish In two cocktail glasses filled with ice, pour a shot of vodka in each. Squeeze the juice from a half of lime in each glass. Top the vodka and lime off with the cranberry juice. Garnish with fresh cranberries and lime slices.
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Holiday Health Tips “Previously we were under contract with Care ATC (our previous on site clinic provider) for wellness coaching, but it was all virtual so there was no face-to-face interaction and no real relationship building with the coach. They were charging $48k per year whether it was used or not. In 2018 we had only four people that had scheduled up to two sessions. We knew we could offer something better for the money,” said City of Monroe Administrator Logan Propes. “Dawn is hands on, local, face to face. She also invites people to any of her sessions and she invites the family members. Dawn goes to the different facilities. She is not heavy handed, she offers options and coaches you to recognize success no matter how slight. Being local, people know her and her family and they see her modeling the correct behaviors,” City of Monroe Human Resources Director Les Russell said. “She is truly your partner in health.” “The bottom line is by using Dawn we have a spotlight on wellness that is present in the buildings and producing results for individuals, but also for the workforce and the city,” Propes said. “This wellness also translates to cost savings as people come off of medications and hopefully have less severe medical issues over time.” The couple offers Heath Coaching Services that include Inflammation education, individual wellness plans, online group challenges, corporate wellness, group seminars and family health coaching. They also offer personal training services that include individual training for all fitness levels, strength training and toning, weight and resistance training, core and functional training, cardio fitness and sports conditioning. •WLM
“Most people don’t think about their good health...until they no longer have it! Good health is not just the absence of disease, but a blending of complete wellness in three key areas: Spiritual, Mental, and Physical Health - spiritual health is always at the top of the list!”
45 Walton Living Magazine
The holiday season is a time to celebrate with family and friends. Unfortunately, for many it also becomes a time for over-eating and weight gain. According to the National Institutes of Health, holiday eating can result in an extra pound or two every year. Over a lifetime, holiday weight gain can really add up. By implementing a few simple tips from Dawn, you can stay healthy through the holiday season. Be realistic. Don’t try to lose pounds during the holidays, instead try to maintain your current weight. Adhere to my 80/20 Rule – make the best choices you can 80% of the time and the other 20% enjoy but don’t overdo!! Use my 3 Bite Rule – Pick out your 3 favorite dishes, take enough for 3 bites of each and then walk away from the food table. Plan time for exercise. Exercise helps relieve holiday stress and prevent weight gain. A moderate and daily increase in exercise can help partially offset increased holiday eating. Try 10- or 15-minute brisk walks twice a day. Don’t skip meals. Before leaving for a party, eat a light snack like raw vegetables or a piece of fruit to curb your appetite. You will be less tempted to over-indulge. Survey the food table before filling your plate. Choose your favorite foods and skip your least favorite. Include vegetables and fruits to keep your plate balanced. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. Savor your favorite holiday treats while eating small portions. Sit down, get comfortable, and enjoy. Chew twice as long, eat half as much, and take twice as long to dine. It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it is full…slow down on how fast you eat and it will have time to catch up and alert you that you feel full. Be careful with beverages. Alcohol can lessen inhibitions and induce overeating; non-alcoholic beverages can be full of calories and sugar. - Dawn Young SMB Health and Wellness
Shirley Smith was gracious enough to allow us to take the photographs for the article on how to stay healthy over the holidays at her home at 261 Double Springs Road, aka the Christmas House, in Monroe. She goes all out, beginning in August each year, decorating her home, inside and out, in true Christmas splendor. Here’s a tiny glimpse of this year’s rendition. Photos by Darrell Everidge
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Hiking the
Appalachian Trail By Robbie Schwartz
J
ohn Muir is often referred to as the Father of National Parks in the U.S. It was his writings that are credited with helping create Yosemite National Park and he was also involved in creation of parks at the Grand Canyon and Mt. Ranier. Among his writings was the quote, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” Monroe resident Jack Whitaker has lived that quote each day as he hiked the Appalachian Trail. Whitaker is originally from Madison, Georgia, and spent a lot of time in Kentucky during the 50-plus years of his life. He spent 24 years working for Delta Air Lines and retired when COVID struck. It was at that time Whitaker began to give serious thought to hiking the Appalachian Trail. “I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors,” he said. “In Kentucky, I started hiking with the Boy Scouts. I just enjoy the fresh air, adventure and being able to challenge myself. “Growing up in Georgia, I have always wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail. I was visiting with a great friend and she was telling me about her plans to hike it. I read a few books from people who hiked the Appalachian Trail and that cemented my plans.” And on March 21st, 2021, Whitaker set out on his journey at the southernmost point of the trail: Springer Mountain in Georgia. The Appalachian Trail is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, stretching more than 2,193 miles – of which there are about 78.1 miles in Georgia. The trail stretches along 14 states, from Georgia to Maine, and passes through six National Parks as well as eight National Forests. More than 3 million people attempt to hike some portion of the trail each year, though only on average about 3,000 people attempt to hike the entire Appalachian Trail – and only about a quarter of those complete the journey.
The physical challenges are difficult, but the mental struggle to keep going after all this time is very difficult.” Hiking the entire trail is demanding, requiring both mental and physical stamina – and likely the reason the phrase “No rain, no pain, No Maine” was originally coined. The ups and downs of the trail are equivalent to hiking Mt. Everest from sea level and back 16 times. At the beginning, Whitaker set a goal of hiking about 15 miles a day, choosing to sleep in his hammock on most nights but staying in shelters along the way during inclement weather. But there are times when a hiker just needs to return to civilization, and that is when Whitaker stopped off to rest at a hotel or a hostel in one of the 50 towns or cities that are part of the Appalachian Trail Community. These towns along the trail provide a place to rest or the opportunity to change into clean clothes and gather up supplies. It was because of these towns that Whitaker was only required to carry enough food for three to seven days – depending on the distance between towns. Mother Nature provided water as Whitaker filtered about 3 liters of water each day from creeks or rivers along the way. One of the earliest challenges for Whitaker were his feet being covered in blisters after being wet for four days straight. “The physical challenges are difficult, but the mental struggle to keep going after all this time is very difficult,” he said more than three months into his 54 Walton Living Magazine
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journey. “My first night on the trail, I was so overwhelmed I cried in my tent.” But there has been plenty to enjoy of the journey as well. “The first day that I hiked over 20 miles, I met some friends around the fire and we shared a bottle of bourbon,” Whitaker said. “Most of the best experiences are meeting up with friends at the end of the day and laughing at your struggles. I’ve also tried some new food along the way.” Perhaps one of his favorite spots along the way has been Tinker Cliffs, which provides breathtaking views of the Roanoke Valley in Virginia. “The views were outstanding – though the climb up was a struggle,” Whitaker said. “We got there early and hung out all day. It was my sister’s birthday and all the people around me at the time sang happy birthday to her over the phone. After an incredible sunset, some of the people I was there with raced a mile-and-a-half in the dark to camp.” While COVID afforded Whitaker the opportunity to retire, it 56 Walton Living Magazine
has also added more people to the trail. The trail was completed in 1937 and is cared for by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the National Park System. The Conservancy has 42,000 members and more than 600,000 supporters located throughout all 50 states and 15 countries. They have about 60 full-time personnel who help manage and care for the trail, with more than a dozen additional part-time and seasonal employees. Whitaker was hoping to complete his journey in mid-August but as the journey wore on, it began to take its toll on his body. “My knees were really hurting and I took two weeks off to rest,” Whitaker said from a hostel in Maine, waiting for the remnants of Hurricane Henri to pass. He ended up skipping about 175 miles of the trail but hopes to tackle that section next year. Hoping to return home in early September, Whitaker already has a list of things to help remind him of what he calls Monroe - home. “I’m looking forward to football season – go Dawgs! I miss my sister. And I can’t wait to eat at Silver Queen. I also miss Southern Brewing.” •WLM
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Through the window: A family’s journey with COVID guided by Piedmont Walton Hospital By Sarah Teach, Piedmont Even weeks after being discharged from Piedmont Walton Hospital, Chris and Kelly Jernigan still get emotional talking about Chris’ recent battle with COVID. Chris, 44, considers himself to be a healthy person and certainly never expected to spend more than three weeks in the hospital fighting for his life. In mid-July, Chris, who suffers from chronic heartburn, had a routine endoscopy procedure to check for acid reflux damage. He was under anesthesia for 20 to 25 minutes and then spent the rest of the day relaxing at home. When he woke up the next morning, he was achy and had a sore throat which he thought was a result of the procedure he’d had the day before. So, he drank water and took over-the-counter medicines to address the symptoms. He was presenting at an upcoming board of directors meeting and “didn’t have time to be sick.” However, Chris continued to feel ill throughout the weekend and on Wednesday, when he spiked a fever, he went to urgent care. He was given a rapid COVID test and tested positive. The doctor prescribed a Z-pack and sent him home to rest and recover. At the time, Chris wasn’t particularly worried. He and Kelly had known a few people to get COVID and those people 58 Walton Living Magazine
had experienced mild to moderate symptoms. He had no reason to believe that his experience would be any different. Over the next couple of days, his fever went up and down, climbing sometimes as high as 104. By Friday, Chris was dehydrated and experiencing GI issues. Kelly had started monitoring his oxygen levels, too, which were slowly, but steadily, dropping. Feeling terrible, Chris asked Kelly to take him to the hospital. They arrived at Piedmont Walton and were seen within 15 minutes. The emergency department gave Chris fluids and diagnosed him with moderate pneumonia. At discharge, they instructed him to finish the Z-pack and to continue monitoring his oxygen levels. Come in if it drops below 90, they told him.
Two days later, Chris, who had become weak and was having shortness of breath, collapsed at home. Kelly called EMS and Chris returned to the hospital with a high fever and oxygen levels that had plummeted into the 80s. The decision was made to admit Chris and the couple said their goodbyes. “There was nothing good about the situation,” said Kelly. “As a spouse at home, not being able to be there, you feel so lost and confused.” However, the family soon realized that Chris’ hospital room had a window that faced a courtyard. Kelly and their children came to the window two or three times a day to visit with Chris. “That window became our lifeline,” said Kelly. “I was afraid that the nurses and doctors were going to scold me for coming to the window, but they told me to keep coming. They told me it was helping him and encouraging him.” Over the next few days, Chris’ oxygen levels continued to drop and he was placed at 100 percent oxygen on a high-flow machine. The family prayed that he would not need a ventilator and their prayers were answered. While in the hospital, the staff would bring Chris books, coffee, food, and just come by to pray with him. And the window continued to serve as a connection. “I would hold my head up from the misery I was in, and I would see someone that I recognized from church outside of my window praying for me,” Chris remembered. “I swear I could physically feel the power of that prayer move through my body and I would think, ‘I’m going to beat this,’ it would inspire me to do whatever I Walton Living Magazine 59
needed to do to get better.” Slowly, Chris’ reliance on oxygen lessened and he was able to return to a “normal” oxygen machine. On day 16, he was discharged home with steroids, vitamins, and medicine for high blood pressure caused by COVID. But, the nightmare was not over. At a follow-up appointment with his primary care physician, Chris explained to the doctor that he was dizzy, still short of breath, and barely able to walk across the bedroom to the bathroom. While he was no longer positive for COVID-19, the pneumonia was no longer responding to the prescribed treatment. His doctor was troubled that his lungs were no longer healing the way they should and was concerned about blood clots. Out of an abundance of caution, he told Chris to go back to the hospital. So, again, Chris arrived at Piedmont Walton to be admitted. “It was different that time around. The surge was really underway and there were so many more people,” said Chris. “The nurses looked tired and the hospital was full, but they took such great care of me.” Chris was discharged, again, in late August, this time with antibiotics, steroids and oxygen. A month later, he still requires oxygen at night, does rehab a couple of times a week, and jokes that he’s gone from taking 22 pills a day to 12, which is progress. “At first this journey was purely physical, just getting better physically, but it has turned into an incredibly emotional journey,” said Chris. “It was hard to be leaving the hospital and know that others will not, and that the staff there are still battling so hard.” 60 Walton Living Magazine
Today, Chris, Kelly, and their children are looking forward to getting back to normal family activities like going out for ice cream. “We’ll never know why Chris got so sick or why he got to recover,” said Kelly. “We’re just go grateful to each person who prayed, each person who came to the window to offer encouragement, and for each member of the Piedmont Walton staff. The connections we made are what kept us going.” Chris’ next goal is to get back to attending the family’s church. “When I can walk into our church on a Sunday morning, that will be a great day,” said Chris.
“That window became our lifeline. I was afraid that the nurses and doctors were going to scold me for coming to the window, but they told me to keep coming. They told me it was helping him and encouraging him.”
Quality healthcare is more important than ever, so we chose Piedmont.
When your family needs us, we’re always ready for you. Turn to Piedmont Walton Hospital for all your health care needs. Piedmont Walton Hospital 2151 West Spring Street Monroe, Georgia 30655 piedmont.org/walton 770.267.8461 Walton Living Magazine 60
Farm Livin’ Waltonians turning to nature to provide nurture, joy and education
By Christy Breedlove
O
ne hundred and fifty years ago, there lived a frontier girl named Laura Ingalls. Many can recall fond memories of curling up with one of the nine books of the Little House series. Some remember with warm recollections of delving into the lives of Laura, Ma, Pa and Mary and the haughtiness of Nellie Oleson during the Little House on the Prairie series on NBC in the 1970s. Both mediums tell of a time long lost to modern times. Pioneers living in the 19th century respected the land enough to realize that they were only “borrowing” the land from Mother Nature. Homesteading is a modern day movement to carry on old customs and recipes from the medicinal to the edible to the wearable. Simply put, homesteading is using the land and what God gave to us to live. Wasting nothing, every plant or animal has a place in the world. Anne-Marie Bilella a.k.a the Forager Chick of Bold Springs and her husband own Bella Vista Farm—land that has been classified as “conservation status” through Walton County. Conservation status protects land from any development. She also explores surrounding areas but is careful to ask permission of land owners before she searches for herbs and plants. She is a certified herbalist, mushroom expert, teacher and wild foods cookbook author. Outside her home she also shares with her two dogs and chickens is a slice of carefully supplanted acreage teeming with plants, mushrooms and happy animals. What many people think of as weeds, Bilella sees an outside pharmacy provided by Mother Nature.
“Homesteaders basically try to do as much with what they have rather than purchase everything from stores. We are a Jack or Jill of all trades. Homesteaders love to care for their families’ needs without relying on many outside sources.” Bilella states as she strolls through her garden and mushroom farm. “Did you know that goldenrod is a natural antidote to ragweed allergies? They grow side by side. All we have to do is look.” She continues to educate by pointing out plants that most people would not look at twice. Poison ivy and jewelweed are found together. Jewelweed can be made into a paste, a tincture or other to combat the effects of poison ivy. Jewelweed has been used to treat athlete’s foot and stings from stinging nettles for countless generations of Native Americans. It is also attractive to bees and hummingbirds. Bilella is a busy lady. She also occupies a stall at the weekly Monroe Farmers’ Market where she sells her homemade bread as well as being an outdoor classroom instructor on how to identify wild mushrooms for consumption. On her website (www.foragerchick.com), any interested person can register for classes in wild herbal immersion in addition to finding recipes and buying her herbal remedies for eczema, bug bites and more. She does caution the beginning homesteader to seek out classes or a mentor before starting. It’s easy to confuse toxic plants with healing ones. But fortunately, help is out there. And Bilella is not alone in her quest to be as self-sufficient as possible. The National Ladies Homestead Gathering is a group 66 Walton Living Magazine
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like-minded naturalists who come together to, as their mission states, “share knowledge, build community and grow friendships.” For 10 years, the organization has taught, supported and encouraged future homesteaders. The National Chapter aims to empower women through homesteading. Any woman who is 16 years or older is welcome. Their very definition of a homesteader is “those who do at HOME, inSTEAD of going to the store.” Walton County’s chapter is headed up by Elizabeth Dearborn of Between. There are dozens of ladies in Walton County that are into all aspects of homesteading. Some are craftier with fiber arts from knitting to crocheting to spinning their own wool. One active member is Jeri Ford of Social Circle who moved to Georgia with her husband. “I grew up living in the country in West Texas. We were basically homesteaders, but it wasn’t called that back then. My mom could do anything and raise anything that she set her mind to. We moved to Georgia four years ago and joined our kids in buying 20 acres. There were already some fruit trees on the property along with a fenced in area for a garden and plenty of room for animals. So, here I am on our little ‘Wanna Be’ farm!” Ford is not stopping there. “I promptly enrolled in the Walton County Master Gardener course and joined Ladies Homestead Gathering.” She calls herself a beginner but her number one advice for newcomers is to find like- minded people that you can go to for help and inspiration. It’s not all work for Ford. One of the most memorable tasks was with donkeys. “Definitely the most memorable thing is training our two small standard donkeys! I knew absolutely ‘zero!’ I am learning as I go with high hopes that one of these days we will be able to ride down our lane in a donkey cart!” While the learning is important for both Ford and Bilella, it is the love of homesteading and fellowship shines through. Bilella summed it up. “It’s a wonderful community of women!” Ma Ingalls and Laura would approve. •WLM 66 Walton Living Magazine
Blueberry Lemonade, courtesy of the Forager Chick: 1 cup fresh blueberries ¾ cup sugar ½ cup water 3 medium lemons, squeezed Water Ice Place the blueberries, sugar and ½ cup water in a small pot. Bring to boil over medium heat, reduce to simmer, stirring occasionally for 5-7 mins until color is deep purple and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat to cool slightly. Squeeze lemons into half gallon container. Add the blueberry syrup. Stir well. Add ice plus water to fill, mix and serve. For more information: eastwaltonga@nlhg.org www.LadiesHomesteadGathering.org www.Ladieshomesteadgathering.org/eastwalton www.foragerchick.com or Facebook Bella Vista Farms and Forager Chick
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History’s End
Rest Haven Cemetery in Monroe is the final resting place of notable figures By Melanie Ann Jackson
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he City of Monroe is celebrating its Bicentennial this year - its first 200 years. It is an exciting time and has brought attention to some of the interesting people over those years who helped make Monroe, Monroe. It wasn’t just that most were born here and spent their lives here or some visited here, but in truth they all in some way helped create and build Monroe into the beautiful and unique city we have today. One of the most interesting things about Monroe are the very old cemeteries that hold many of Monroe’s past “residents” who made outstanding contributions to the city over the years, as well as to Walton and even surrounding counties. The people residing here have made incredible contributions and should not be forgotten with their passing. Most all of the churches in the county have their own cemetery plots for the members of their congregations who have died. There are also family burial plots across Walton. One of the oldest of the cemeteries is Rest Haven Cemetery on E. Highland Avenue in Monroe. It has 748 headstones dating back to the18th century and some even earlier. Some of the headstones have eroded over time and have become unreadable while many are holding their own and standing well. Here are four of the cemetery’s most memorable “residents.”
Moina Belle Michael One of the more notable burials sites at Rest Haven is Moina Belle Michael (August 15,1869 - May 10,1944). Michael was writer, an American professor at UGA and a humanitarian. She was born in Good Hope and buried in Monroe at Rest Haven and was most well known for conceiving the idea of using poppies as a symbol of remembrance for those who served and died in World War 1. When the war began, Michael took a leave of absence to assist in the New York based headquarters training for overseas YMCA workers. To this day she is known as the “Poppy Lady” and also for authoring her poem “We Shall Keep the Faith.” This poem was written as a response to Canadian John McCrae who wrote the battlefield-theme poem “In Flanders Field.” “In Flanders Field the poppies blow / Between the crosses row on row.” To this day, veterans around the world use poppies in remembrance of World War I and the lives that were lost in the “Great War.” Wikipedia reported also that in 1944, a Liberty Ship constructed in Georgia was named SS Moina Michael in her honor. And in 1948, four years after her death, the U.S. Postal Service issued a 3-cent stamp honoring her life’s achievement.
Anita Butts Sams Another most famous lady is Anita Butts Sams (May 22,1913 - July 6,1993) author of “Wayfarers in Walton” which is the in-depth history of Walton County and has become the go-to book for every historians for information on the creation, growth and genealogical history of the county. rootsweb.com says that her deep and thorough historical writing was published in 1967. Sams chronicles the birth of the county, the pioneers who first interacted with the American Indians, the building of roads and bridges, the development of government to the creation of schools and churches. Without her contribution of these historical facts, Walton County’s beginnings would not be so
well known. Some of the other contributions Sams is remembered for are that she was a founder and former president of the Monroe Junior Service League, a member of the Monroe-Walton County Public Library’s Board of Directors, as well as other organizations.
Deward W Duncan The return and burial of a WWII veteran recentely brought national attention to the cemetery. During WWII, Deward W. Duncan enlisted in the U.S.Navy to fight for his country. On January 12,1944, at the age of 19, Seaman 2nd Class Deward W. Duncan,Jr. was killed during a Japanese air raid when a bomb was dropped near his tent over Betio. According to yourlocalnewsinc.com, he was reportedly buried the same day in a cemetery on Betio, but his remains could not be identified from among the other remains recovered. In May 2017, his body was identified and his remains were sent home to Monroe Ga. to be buried in the Duncan family plot at Rest Haven Cemetery. Henry Dickerson McDaniel Georgia’s 37th Governor, Henry Dickerson McDaniel, was born in Monroe Georgia in 1836. He graduated from college with honors, received his law degree and set up practice in Monroe. According to NGA.org, he served in the Confederate Army, was wounded in battle and taken prisoner for the rest of the war. His political career began as a State Constitutional Convention Delegate and led to his eventual election as Governor of the State of Georgia. Governor Henry D. McDaniel died on July 25, 1926, and is buried at the Rest Haven Cemetery in Monroe. Walking through this cemetery, looking at some very old headstones (with some totally unrecognizable), you’ll see many other plots belonging to families and people who contributed to Monroe and Walton County’s growth. Just the four people mentioned here made great contributions to our community and to society. Tours are available at this and other cemeteries so be sure to check with the Monroe Visitors Center for dates and times. •WLM
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The Tale of PigPig By Melanie Ann Jackson
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e all know the story of the “Three Little Pigs” we read and loved as a child. You know, the one where the big bad wolf tried to blow the third little pigs house down! Well, that story could have been written in Walton County. It may have changed some but we do have the third little pig that has built his home of stone and brick and has grown up to be a really big pig right here in Walton County! This little pig, as a piglet of about 8 months old, was dropped off in a commercial neighborhood where she grew up to be a very big pig. All the people in her new neighborhood fell in love with her and gave her a nice name. They simply call her PigPig. PigPig made herself at home and starting building a “house” of sorts next to a big block of concrete where she made a very big hole to snuggle up in to keep warm or cool. “Often customers will pull into our lot, see PigPig coming to greet them and call us saying, ‘there is a pig at your front door!’ I sometimes have to go, as the customer is nervous, and show them that the pig will not bother them,” said Kirk Ivey. PigPig is of a breed which is called KuneKune Pot Bellied Mix originally from New Zealand. According to the American KuneKune Pig Society, the breed was once near extinction and was only found near the Maori Islands. They since have been exported to other countries to establish and continue the breed, but they also have been crossed with other breeds resulting in the “mix.” KuneKunes are known for their extremely docile and friendly personality which is unlike any other breed of swine. They are extremely outgoing and love human interactions. But be aware, according to the American Mini Pig Association, a mini pig can grow to be as tall as a collie and be as heavy as a St. Bernard. Mature females can be over 700 pounds and males possible over 1,000 pounds. There’s no such thing as a small pig! “PigPig lives here and wanders around as she pleases. She still is a little skittish and sometimes allows petting. When we first noticed her, we all started to look after her and fed her. She does have her favorite foods and also some very obvious dislikes such as raw cabbage. If it’s cooked vegetables, it’s ok. She will not eat a banana but loves banana pudding,” Ivey continued with a chuckle. “PigPig definitely has a sweet tooth, will lick a donut clean. She loves fruit and knows when it’s lunch time.” 72 Walton Living Magazine
PigPig, like other swine, does not have sweat glands so the offering from her human friends of a big pink pool filled with cool water is always inviting, especially on a hot summers day. “We think she is now about 1-1/2 years old. She’s been here a while now, this is her home,” Ivey said. “All of us up and down this road have adopted her and watch out for her. We are her protectors and care givers and in return, she gives us a lot of love and joy.” •WLM
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From left, Loganville High School Head Coach Jeff Segars with former player and Major League Baseball player Brandon Moss. Photo: Special to Walton Living Magazine
LEAVING A Lasting
LEGACY Jeff Segars stepped down as Loganville High School Baseball Coach but has forever shaped the program By Robbie Schwartz Five state championships. Ten region titles. A record of 547-212. More than 90 student athletes who went on to play in college. That is the legacy Jeff Segars left behind after stepping down as head baseball coach to become athletic director for Loganville High School. But the coach’s legacy goes far beyond that. It goes beyond state titles and losing seasons. Segars’ legacy will remain a part of the program for years to come, as it has for the players he has coached. “When I think of what Coach Segars has meant for Maven, top of the list is sportsmanship and persistence. Maven learned these traits are passed on by coaches that truly care for their players,” said Shallan Farmer, whose son recently graduated from LHS and is playing at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. “Watching the growth of the Red Devils program over the last six years has been an amazing ride. It has been an honor to work with a coach that cares for each kid.” Segars’ love of baseball and destiny to be in the dugout coaching both started at a young age. Segars signed up for his first team at the age of 6, and a love for the sport quickly followed. When Segars was 12, his team beat East Marietta for the Little League state championship. He went on to play shortstop and pitched at Oconee County High School, but since most colleges did not let players take on two positions at the next level, he had to settle for shortstop. Segars started his collegiate career at
Loganville High Sch Loganville’s Joseph Brandon pitches during the 2018 Class AAAAA State Championship game against Buford. Photo by Melinda Pease | MP Sports Pics.
Anderson Junior College and after a season transferred to Georgia College. Segars spent a summer playing in the Northeastern Collegiate Baseball League for the Cortland Apples the summer before his junior season. It was there a young, upstart coach by the name of David Perno let Segars take the mound. Perno, who went on to lead the University of Georgia program to a College World Series title in 2004, let Segars end up being the team’s closer for most of the summer season – and word got back to Georgia College, where his coaches ended up allowing him to play two positions for the remainder of his career. Segars jokes it seems going all the way back to Little League he knew he would be a coach. “My All-Star coaches used to call me Coach Jeff because I always would to tell people what to do and point out things on the field,” Segars said. “I just always studied the game. I loved finding a better way to do things. And I just honestly enjoyed the game, competing, playing with friends. I was fortunate to always be on a good team and play with and learn from great coaches and teammates.” Segars first found his way to a classroom at Loganville Middle School in the fall of 1995 when he served as a student-teacher of pre-algebra with Diane Turner. After the Christmas break, instead of taking a job offer at Evans High School in Augusta, Segars stuck around and served as a substitute teacher at LMS. “I had such a great experience at Loganville I just felt confident they would offer me a job,” Segars said. He was offered a job in the math department at LMS and at the same time, there was a shake-up in the coaching staff of 76 Walton Living Magazine
different sports. When the dust settled, Segars’ coaching career began in 1997 with the LHS baseball program as an assistant to Kevin Reach, who at the time was head coach of the baseball and wrestling teams as well as offensive coordinator of the football program. “Coach Reach gave me the ability to run things when he wasn’t able to be there,” Segars said. “It was really a unique experience. I was able to build great relationships with the players because I was young and hungry to coach. We didn’t really click at the beginning of that first year as a team, but by the end we were pretty good and ended up being runners-up in the region to Gainesville, who went on to win the state championship. We still made the state playoffs and set the school record for most wins in a season that year. That season set the tone for baseball being something successful here in Loganville.” Reach stepped down as coach after two years, and Athletics Director Tommy Stringer offered Segars the job. Even though Segars was part of the program for two years, there was a steep learning curve when it came time to become head coach. “My first week on the job in 1997, I was teaching math at the old campus, and someone came to my door. It was a local sporting goods store that came to collect $3,000 owed from the previous season,” Segars said. “So I learned a whole lot about raising money from the beginning. I also learned quickly about organizing, scheduling and field maintenance – all the things that come with running a high school program. “A high school coach ends up wearing a lot of hats and has to learn pretty quickly to communicate with parents and raise
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Loganville’s Clint Frazier gets mobbed by teammates after hitting a 500-foot home run against Grayson in 2013. Photo by Melinda Pease | MP Sports Pics
money to maintain the field and build a program. I knew how important the role of coach was to the players – I chose Georgia College because of the coach there at the time was really good. So I had to learn the other pieces real quick. But there were a group of parents that wanted something different for the LHS baseball program and they were willing to do the work. Loganville Baseball has been blessed with many great parents over the years that would go the extra mile to improve the program year in and year out.” And one of the earliest steps Segars took after becoming head coach was to assemble a staff. Mike Ryan joined the staff in 2001, Brandon Anglin in 2003 and Bran Mills in 2004 – each who remain part of the program today. Andy Sargent and Chad McGaughey came in around 2000 and they have been a huge part of building the JV and 9th Grade program. This has played a big part in the consistency of the program. The solid coaching staff, a supportive school administration, and an amazing parent base provided a solid foundation during those early years and remain a constant key to the success of the baseball program today. But it still came down to the athletes to do their job on the field. And while each team is unique, there are key components when Segars looks back on the teams that won state titles. “When I look back, each of those state championship teams except for 2019 had depth on the mound. We have always tried to have four to six pitchers getting quality innings during the course of the year so that our rotation is fresh late in the season,” Segars said. “In the end, these teams just knew how to compete. 78 Walton Living Magazine
When things got tough, they didn’t give in. They battled. Each of those teams really helped us develop a team motto that, when we got to the playoffs, if we got teams to game three, we were confident we could win. The players didn’t mind the pressure. And they worked to find different ways to win, to overcome challenges on the mound or at the plate.” Another important task Segars developed as a head coach was helping players continue their careers after high school. “Having been in coaching for a long time you tend to develop a lot of contacts,” Segars said. “And we have had a lot of players go on and be successful at the next level, which makes it easier to reach out to a coach and get them to look at a player here at Loganville High School. Recruiting is very competitive, so I just try to do my best to help our kids get some exposure to certain schools that are good fits since they work hard, make the grades and lay it on the line trying to get better. As coaches we want to do our part to help them reach that next level.” Segars has also helped foster the development of two MLB players from the Red Devil program: Clint Frazier and Brandon Moss. “Brandon was good as a ninth grader, but he didn’t really stand out against the older players. He played on our 9th Grade team that first year. He was definitely one of our hardest workers we’ve ever had in the weightroom and he most certainly put a strain on my marriage as he always wanted to stay late after practice. He was special and helped us get over the hump and play for our first state championship,” Segars said. “Clint was different. First time I saw him I knew he was just different. The
Barrett-Davis-Watson American Legion Post 233 “The American Legion Family
The Barrett-Davis-Watson American Legion Post 233 is a Non-profit 501 (c) 19, Veterans Service Organization. Our goal is to provide support to our veterans, their families, and our community. We, along with our American Legion Auxilliary members, host Bingo Sunday afternoons at 2:00, and on Monday, Wednesday and Thursdays nights at 7:30. The public is wecome and encouraged to come and play. We are supported in our efforts by our American Legion Riders and the Sons of The American Legions. Without them we would not be able to provide the depth of assistance and programs we offer daily. We also have spaces available for rent by the public.
On December 18th we will have our annual Children’s Party where every child attending gets a Christmas gift Please direct questions to info@gapost233.com
4635 Highway 78, Loganville, GA 30052 • 770-466-4728 • www.gapost233.com
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ball just jumped off his bat. I knew he was going to be a great player. He could really run, he had great arm strength and was very physical. He loved the weight room as well. They were both just fun to coach and fun to watch. I think I speak for many in Loganville in that we are proud of both of them and have enjoyed watching them play at the Major League Level.” Looking back, Segars noted that with age came a change in his coaching philosophy. He went from being fiery and demanding things being done his way to mellowing out and realizing there are a lot of ways things can be done. “Early on, we had specific routines leading up to games and on game days.. When someone didn’t do it a certain way, I just didn’t feel good, like I didn’t think we were going to do well unless we did these certain things a certain way,” Segars said. “But I learned to adjust, listen better. I realized coaches can overdo things at this level, get too tight, and it negatively affects the team. I think in my last few years I really just took the approach to train them hard at practice, push them during the season and when we got into the playoffs, just let them play.” Segars was quick to note that while he will not be the head coach of the Red Devil baseball program, he is not walking away from the program altogether. “I realized that I can’t be an athletics director and a head baseball coach at the same time for a school this size. I didn’t 78 Walton Living Magazine
want to cheat our kids, our baseball coaches or the coaches in our Athletic Department here at Loganville,” Segars said. “I will still help with the program as an assistant as I love the game and working with our players and our baseball coaches. Our baseball staff has been together a long time. My coaching staff deserves a lot of credit for the success we have had. Everybody on the coaching staff played a huge role in our success. Thankfully they all wanted to stay on board with the transition. I know from the beginning our goal was always to give the kids a good experience so they would want to work hard and succeed, and I believe that will continue to bring success to our program. Coach Mills will continue to do great things for Loganville Baseball. He’s worked hard and I am excited for him and how he will lead our program. No pressure on him but we do have three Division 1 arms coming back next year and a pretty good baseball team. Loganville Baseball is in great shape from a player and a coaching standpoint. Big things in store for the Red Devils!” •WLM
From left, Loganville Hight School Coach Bran Mills, LHS baseball alumni Maven Farmer, LHS Athletic Director Jeff Segars, LHS Coach Mike Ryan. Photo credit: Shallan Farmer
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INDEX
of Advertisers
Fall-Winter Issue Preview
What’s
Abbey Hospice 83 Adams Chiropractic Clinic 55 Alfa Insurance 55 American Legion Post 64 41 American Legion Post 233 79 Barrelle Roofing 77 Bellamie Boutique 50 City of Loganville 5 City of Monroe 29 Cocina Fuentes 48 Darrell Productions 65 Edward Jones 67 Faith in Serving Humanity (F.I.S.H.) 19 Freshway Market 17 Frog’s Pawn and Gun 7/50 Hometown Clips and Cuts 49 John’s Supermarket 84 If you’re looking for a taste of summer, we will have Jones Design Company (JDC) 57 just what you need. With so many new restaurants Lee’s Collision Center 67 opening or getting ready to open in the next few Legacy Beverage 48 months, we will be sharing some of the new eateries Level Best Billiards 48 in the area as well as some of the old favorites. Lori Duff 51 MJ Jewelers 49 Mal’s Krazy Krab 50 Monroe Country Day School 7 Monroe Downtown Development 41 Monroe Walton Center for the Arts 49 Peters & Foster 48 Piedmont-Walton 61 Photography by M & M 81 Quality Foods 17 Rinse Bath and Body 2/3 Snellville Heating • Air • Plumbing 13 Social Circle City Schools 19 Stone Mountain Pecan Company 51 Stripling’s General Store 73 Golf is always a popular sport in Walton County, but Tapp Plumbing 7 have you ever played disc golf, or frisbee golf as it is The Armory Bibles and Books 48 often called? And what about pickle ball? Did you know The Grill’n Station 38 there are places in Walton County that offer these Villa Pizza 49 recreational opportunities? Look for our spring issue Walton County Chamber of Commerce 13 and we’ll tell you a little more about them. Walton County Health Department 19 Walton County School District 35 Walton County Sheriff Office 79 For more information on Walton County YMCA 71 advertising opportunities in Walton EMC 11 Spring Summer 2022 Walton Living Magazine please Walton Proud 17 Magazine Advertising Deadline contact: Wood Vision Center 37 February 28, 2022 Melanie Ann Jackson at Yesteryears Treasures Reborn 49/50 Publication Date 404-375-7881 or Your Local News 31 April 2022 melanieann@waltonliving.com
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