Laurel of Northeast Georgia April 25

Welcome

Hello, Spring has arrived and the days are gettting longer. I must say I am happy to see the leaves budding out and flowers blooming. This season is my favorite because it represents renewal, hope and new beginnings. This issue will be filled with bunny rabbits and easter eggs but don’t miss R4G for a great Easter message. As crazy as the world is, we have so much to be thankful for and Jesus tops my list!

Don’t miss Sassafras at the end of the month, it is a wonderful celebration of the artisans hosted by North Georgia Arts Guild. Mark you calendars for mid-May when Of These Mountains Spring Marketplace showcases artists and the business communty. Get out and about, take a hike with Peter, work in your garden with Tori, cook up something great with Scarlett and enjoy Easter at your favorite place to worship.

Thank you for your love and support Tracy

April

Writers & Contributors:

John Shivers

Peter McIntosh

Victoria “Tori “Carver

Jonan Keeny

Scarlet Cook

Helen Rogers

Pastor Will Griffin

Tracie Ronemus

Mark Holloway

Liz Alley

Susan Cookson, MD, MPH, FACP

Dick Cinquina

On Our Cover

The Photography of Mark Wooton

Ifirst stumbled upon Mark Wooton’s photos on canvas at Goin’ Postal in Clayton, where he works. It’s such a charming spot, and I found that owner Trey Sharpton also has some lovely locally made items in the store, many made by Marks’ wife Joan. When I chatted with Mark, I discovered his passion for photography dates back to his childhood in northwest Ohio. His older brother had a job at the local newspaper, and that’s where it all began for Mark—playing with a darkroom set up in their closet! He learned the ropes of photography, from composition to lighting, and soon enough, he was doing photoshoots for friends. For Mark, photography has always been a joyful escape rather than a full-time job.

Before diving into photography, Mark was a dedicated teacher, guiding students through 6th grade Science all the way to Pre-Med Anatomy & Physiology. Mark also coached baseball and football for thirty years. Even though education took priority, his heart always belonged to photography, and I couldn’t help but wonder how this Ohio teacher ended up in beautiful Rabun County, Georgia. There was also a curious story about his wife, Joan, and I had to ask. Turns out, it all started one night when he took his brother to the airport in Fort Wayne, Indiana. After dropping him off, Mark decided to explore the nightlife and danced the night away with a lovely nurse named Joan. At the end of the night, she charmingly handed him a book of matches with her number inside, saying, “You’re gonna need this.” Joan went on to become an RN and enjoyed a wonderful nursing career.

From that spirited encounter blossomed a beautiful 35-year marriage filled with adventures, three wonderful kids, and nine adorable grandkids! The

couple began to ponder a move after experiencing a winter with an astonishing 108 inches of snow and 34 straight days of freezing temperatures. Mark shared, “We were sitting in our home, unable to move because of the snow, and just looked at each other, thinking, ‘What are we doing? All we do is shovel snow and stoke the fireplace!’” With that, they decided to explore warmer southern states as soon as the snow melted.

Their journey led them to rent a few VRBOs before finding their home in Hartwell, Georgia. There, they transformed into “snowbirds,” splitting their time between Ohio and Georgia. But that cozy Hartwell home didn’t quite offer the privacy or space for gardening and animals that they craved. So, off they went exploring again, eventually discovering the beauty of Rabun County! They dreamt of a mountain and a lake home, keeping the Hartwell place for a while before deciding to fully immerse themselves in Rabun County life.

Their first home in the mountains was situated at the base of Black Rock Mountain below the beautiful lighted cross which symbolizes their Christian faith. What a wonderful time to sleep below the cross each night. Many of Mark’s photos include the beloved cross. But, this property didn’t allow for expansion and was a big more crowded than they wanted so they went on the search again.

When they discovered a lovely two-acre property near the Tallulah River, it felt like paradise! Joan could finally grow her beloved flowers and herbs, while they added ducks, chickens, and rabbits to their mini-farm—life was flourishing! It brought them both to focus on what they truly loved. For Mark, that meant diving back into photography and soaking up nature, especially in a gorgeous spot like Tallulah River. Joan, a crafty soul, began sewing wonderful items like aprons, bread bags, and soap—many of which can be found at Goin’ Postal in Clayton. Speaking of her crafts, Joan is also a sourdough baking whiz, with wax-lined bread bags that keep her beautiful loaves fresh. She creates soup bowl cozies and enjoys canning and preserving their food. Her poison-ivy soap is even recommended by doctors! Meanwhile, you can find Mark out and about with his camera and phone, capturing everything from breathtaking waterfalls to the cutest puppies. These days, life for the Wootons moves at a relaxed, joyful pace, and whenever the opportunity arises, their kids and grandkids come to visit.

In the Wooton household, there’s a fun little rivalry—Mark is a die-hard Buckeyes fan, while Joan roots for Purdue. But they make it work, and today, their lives are not just good—they’re grand!

LLocal Artist Rabun Martin Creates...

ocal artist Rabun Martin, the creative force behind Lulu & Tully’s Mercantile at the intersection of Main and Savannah Streets in Clayton, is at it again. After discovering her passion for art, she has captivated audiences with her unique style ever since. Driven by her creativity and vision, Rabun came up with the idea for a coloring book that transcends childhood memories of crayons and coloring pages. Titled Creating with Rabun Martin - Birds, Bees, & Butterflies, this beautifully designed, spiral-bound book features high-quality art paper, showcasing sketches of winged creatures. Inside, you’ll find the artist’s suggested colors to inspire your own interpretations. With instructions that encourage your individual creativity, this book invites you to craft your own masterpieces. It’s a fantastic way to treat yourself or a loved one, and it marks the beginning of a series of books from this talented artist. You can pre-order your copy now, as they’re expected to arrive in April and are sure to sell out quickly.

Stepping into Lulu & Tully’s offers a glimpse into Rabun’s heart and soul. She invites you to explore your artistic side from the comfort of your home with her new book. Who knows, you might just uncover your own passion for art or find beauty in the wonders of nature along the way. Lulu & Tully’s is located at 11 North Main Street in the charming town of Clayton. Check them out online at www.luluandtully.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram (@luluandtullys). For more information or to pre-order your copy of Creating with Rabun Martin – Birds, Bees & Butterflies, give them a call at 706-960-9446.

North Georgia Arts Guild

A Mission of the North Georgia Arts Guild: Promote Young Artists

Helen Rogers

The Sassafras Artisan Market taking place in April (April 26-27) is more than just an art festival. The festival is a fundraising opportunity to recognize and financially honor achieving students pursuing art degrees.

The early financial success of the formerly named Celebrate Clayton, now the current Sassafras Artisan Market (SAM), resulted in a windfall for the North Georgia Arts Guild (NGAG). After many discussions, the Guild decided the best way to use those proceeds was to invest in the future of local young artists. With that decision, the scholarship program began under the guidance of the guild’s Scholarship Committee.

Initially, scholarships were open to seniors of Rabun County High School and Rabun Gap Nacoochee School pursuing an arts degree. Today, the pool of eligible students also includes graduating seniors from Habersham County (Tallulah Falls and Habersham Central High Schools). Home schooled students from these counties may also be considered.

Rebekah Ramey - SCAD

Autumn Smith - SCAD

Ella Loveland - Maryland Institute College of Art

Kaylin Neal - Georgia Tech

The number of scholarships awarded each year is dependent upon the number of applicants who were eligible under the scholarship guidelines. As such, scholarships in the amount of $1000 each have been awarded to a total of 33 students since 2016. The students have no restrictions regarding the funds, and many have used them to obtain better and more complete art supplies and tools.

To compete for the scholarships, students must be nominated by an art teacher or guidance counselor, and complete an application form. A completed application packet includes an essay, letters of recommendation and photographs of portfolios.

The best applicants are then interviewed by a panel of judges from the NGAG.

Ella Loveland, a 2023 graduate of Rabun Gap Nacoochee School (RGNS), attends the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). At MICA she has been exploring large scale three dimensional sculpture using various media and traditional craft. She is looking forward to taking a gap year and incorporating her new skills into her family’s timber framing business.

Kailin Neal, a 2023 graduate of Tallulah Falls School, attends the Georgia Institute of Technology in Industrial Design. One of her recent assignments was to derive inspiration from aeronautical objects like jet engines to design a low stool within specific dimensions for use in airport lounges.

Rebekah Ramey, a 2023 graduate of Rabun County High School, is attending the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Rebekah continues to pursue illustration through digital and traditional methods. Most recently, she created the cover art and a contribution to a collection of pieces exploring themes of reflection, healing, and finding peace in order to move forward, entitled ‘Tessellations and Time’.

Autumn Smith, a 2023 graduate of Habersham Central High School, is beginning her junior year at SCAD. Apart from her schoolwork, she is designing medical alert bracelets, seat belt covers, decals and emergency kits for sensory challenged individuals for her developing business called ‘Emergency Embrace’

The North Georgia Art Guild is very proud of all of our scholarship recipients and will continue to support future young artists. To help us continue our mission, please come join us April 26-27, 2025 at the Sassafras Artisan Market, and purchase raffle tickets for the scholarship program: large L.L. Bean canvas totes hand painted by a Guild artist and filled with original art, each tote valued at over $500. These totes are raffled off at the show with proceeds going to the scholarship program—raffle tickets are $20 each, and 3 for $50.

For more information, please check out the website at www.sassafrasartisanmarket.com.

The Sassafras Artisan Market is free to attend and located outdoors in the Pavilions in Downtown Clayton at 201 West Savannah Street. The market will be held rain or shine.

Helen Rogers retired from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after 27 years of service as a research scientist. She now lives in Rabun Gap with her husband, 2 cats and a very excited dog. She has been a member of the North Georgia Arts Guild since 2023, and spends her time sculpting, writing and enjoying the beauty of these mountains.

HeARTstrings

Jonan Keeny - Dad, Husband, Dreamer, Musician, Lifelong Learner, Photographer, and Walt Disney World's Biggest Fan

“I’ve never done this before, but I feel like an artist.” - Miles Keeny (b. 2018)

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” - Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)

It’s funny how often I refer to myself, my students, my colleagues, and many others, as “artists.” I often greet my middle school creative students with “Good morning, artists!” or something similar. I frequently refer to my colleagues as “Artist Faculty.” I tell people I meet that “I’m an artist,” which then frequently turns into a much lengthier discussion of my various artistic escapades and endeavors over the past six trillion years (I think some of my students are catching on to the fact that I’m not *quite* that old). But a few weeks ago, Mary Lauren and I heard for the first time, directly from our six year old Miles, that he feels like he is some sort of creative person. At least in his mind, he’s an “artist.” Will he be an artist a month from now? A year from now? A career from now? Given the difficulties that can be found on any sort of creative journey, it’s impossible to say.

Looking back on my meandering career, it’s easy to note the times in my life in which creating things that never existed before took a back seat to so many other activities. But somehow, someway, I ended up an artist here. In this place. In this amazing place. And, yes, I know many folks probably aren't too happy with a Yankee living here and embracing it and loving all that it is. But that will not deter my continued attempt (feeble though it may be) to make a positive impact while I’m here. “Here” in multiple senses. In this locale. In my current job. In this world. And I’ll do it primarily through my art. My various art(s).

It’s safe to say that this Buffoon-Off-The-Street’s art continues to evolve. I’ve been getting back into photography after having some time off. Settling into a new job made me force that upon myself. But I now get to work with young creative people on a variety of artistic projects! I’ve gotten back into soundscaping and creating soundtracks, I’ve gotten back into writing poetry, and I have another larger work that is still in its embryonic stage. It’s another memoir-esque piece that is steeped in difficult memories and somber realities that is manifested in a multisensory and multidisciplinary experience. Will anything come of it? Perhaps not. But it’s nothing if not cathARTic. I’m also drumming and percussioning (yes, I’m aware that’s not actually a word) more! It’s a journey, you see. Cyclical at times.

But back to Miles:

,Is the wooden truck Miles was painting when he made the above quote anything worthy of a lavish gallery opening with caviar on toast points and champagne partaken from crystal flutes on silver platters? Probably not at this moment in time, but…”Art” is subjective. His art is his own and, hopefully, his desire and ability to create will evolve over time. The ebb and flow of an artistic life need not turn into a barren wasteland of frustration and perceived failure. Rather, it can be a series of rebirths, a series of phoenixes rising from the proverbial ashes, a series of high and low tides from which we uncover treasures we might have never known were there waiting to be revealed had we not stayed committed to the path.

I think the biggest lesson to be taken from Miles, perhaps the biggest recent tug at my heARTstrings, is that he isn’t afraid to try something new, something he’s never done before. And he embarks on these sometimes fleeting instances of dipping-his-toes-into-the-

I think of Mr. Picasso’s quote often, and I think he was spot on. So, I’ll keep moving forward with Jimmy Buffett’s notion that “I’m growing older, but not up.”

I hope Miles embraces that same sentiment. Time will tell.

For photography www.myworldpics.com, and his Insta, @dude4disney. For adventures @peachykeenys

A Taste

Let’s

Bake a Cake!

Scarlett Cook

Everyone has their favorite cake recipe. But sometimes you just want something delicious but not too out of the ordinary. Any of these cakes would be wonderful with a hot cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk. And they are bound to disappear quickly in your home or wrapped in a pretty dishcloth as a surprise gift to a friend.

Lemon Pound Cake

Yields 1 10” cake

1 Cup vegetable oil

2½ Cups sugar

1 Cup buttermilk

4 Egg whites

1 Large egg, beaten

1½ Teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Teaspoon lemon extract

3 Cups plain flour

¼ Teaspoon baking soda

¼ Teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour 10” tube pan.

Beat oil and sugar at medium speed with mixer for two minutes.

Combine buttermilk, egg whites, egg and extracts; stir until blended. Combine flour, soda and salt; add to oil mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning with and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 1 hour or until pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes; remove cake from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.

Applesauce Cake

Yields 1 10” cake

¾ Cup shortening

2 Cups sugar

3 Large eggs

3 Cups plain flour

1½ Teaspoons baking soda

½ Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ Teaspoon ground cloves

¼ Teaspoon ground nutmeg

1½ Cups applesauce

1 Cup raisins

1 Cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 12 cup Bundt pan.

Beat shortening at medium speed with mixer for 2 minutes or until fluffy.

Gradually add sugar, beating 5 – 7 minutes more.

Add eggs one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.

Combine flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

Add to shortening mixture alternating with applesauce; beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.

Stir in raisins and nuts.

Pour into prepared pan and bake (after 45 minutes shield top with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning) for 1 hour or until pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool cake in pan on wire rack 10 – 15 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Brown Sugar & Rum Pound Cake

Yields 1 10” cake

1½ Cups butter, softened

1 16-Ounce box light brown sugar

1 Cup sugar

5 Large eggs

¾ Cup milk

¼ Cup dark rum

2 Teaspoons vanilla extract

3 Cups plain flour

1 Teaspoon baking powder

¼Teaspoon salt

1 Cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour 10” tube pan.

Beat butter at medium speed with mixer 2 minutes or until creamy.

Gradually all both sugars beating 5 – 7 minutes.

Add eggs one at a time beating just until the yellow disappears.

Combine milk, rum and vanilla.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.

Stir in nuts.

Pour into prepared pan and bake 1 hour and 20 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool cake in pan on wire rack 10 – 15 minutes.

Remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.

Chocolate Cake

Yields 1 10” cake

1 18.25 Ounce box devil’s food cake mix

1 5.9 Ounce box chocolate instant pudding mix

1¼ Cups water

½ Cup vegetable oil

4 Large eggs

2 Cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 12 cup Bundt pan.

Combine cake mix, pudding mix, water, oil and eggs in mixing bowl and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.

Stir in chips.

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 55 minutes.

Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes.

Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Mama G’s Italian Restaurant

Celebrating 25 Years in Rabun County

Tracy McCoy

While the Gaglio family didn’t originate in Rabun County, they are just as local as those who’ve been here forever. You see, this community loves this family, and the feeling is mutual. Paul (Papa G) Gaglio Sr. and his wife Krystina (Mama G) came to the mountains in 2000 to continue their tradition of great Italian cuisine. Best known for their hand-crafted pizza and savory garlic knots, Mama G’s offers a menu filled with sandwiches, salads, pasta dishes, and more, all influenced by the strong Sicilian recipes passed down from Papa G’s grandfather.

The restaurant has always been family-owned, with Papa G, Mama G, Paul Jr., and Michele working together until the passing of Papa G and Michele. Paul and his family played a crucial role in establishing the restaurant in its current location after a devastating fire in 2015. This tragedy could have spelled the end for this beloved eatery, but the family came together, rebuilt, and reopened in 2016.

Mama G’s provides patrons with a contemporary rustic dining room, a wraparound covered deck for outdoor dining, and a 35-person community room for meetings and events. The full bar and large-screen televisions are perfect for enjoying the game or a race with family and friends, along with ample parking for guests.

In April, Mama G’s will celebrate 25 years of serving their loyal customers and friends in the mountains. Like fine wine, it just gets better with age. Paul’s son, Salvatore Gaglio, is the head chef these days with Mama G still at the helm. Their incredible staff operates like a well-oiled machine. Whether dining indoors, eating at the bar, or on the covered porch with a view of the mountains, you’ll be treated like family, served some of the finest Italian food in the region, and you will never leave hungry!

Their website (www.loveisgoodfood.com) and social media pages (Mama Gs Italian Restaurant) showcase menus and weekly specials. This community is truly blessed to have Mama G’s Italian Restaurant. The Gaglio family gives so much back through local charities and supports this community in more ways than most people realize. The restaurant is located at 777 Highway 441 South, Clayton, Georgia 30525.

Mama G - Krystyna Gaglio

Paul Gaglio

Lily & Maggie Gaglio

Salvatore Gaglio

A taste

“People who love to eat are always the best people.” - Julia Child

NOinkers = Peace + Love + BBQ

Celebrating 30 Years!

Tracy McCoy

estled in the heart of Clayton, Georgia, Oinkers BBQ is a shining example of authentic Southern barbecue traditions and a family-owned restaurant. Founded in 1995, this family-owned restaurant has been delighting locals and visitors with its mouth-watering offerings and warm, inviting atmosphere. This year marks their 30th anniversary, and a celebration is planned for Saturday, April 26th. With all-day specials, fun activities for the kids, and plenty of Oinkers merchandise for purchase, the event will celebrate not only the years of service but also the loyal customers. Owner Nina Crump stated, “We want to give back to the people who have supported us for three decades. Our customers are like family.” Nina and her husband Neal purchased the restaurant from its founder and Neal’s mother, Sue Conner, in 1996.

A Rich History Rooted in Community

The story of Oinkers BBQ reflects dedication and community spirit. In 1996, Sue Conner envisioned transforming an old honky-tonk on Highway 441 into a family-friendly restaurant. Despite facing health challenges during renovations, her determination brought her dream to life. Today, under the stewardship of the next generation—owners Neal and Nina— Oinkers has become a beloved staple in Rabun County. It serves as the go-to spot for workday lunches, meals before football games, and takeout feasts on the way to the lake. Oinkers is also an excellent option for catering.

The Oinkers BBQ Experience

At Oinkers, the art of barbecue is taken seriously. Specializing in hickorysmoked pork, the meat undergoes a meticulous 24-hour smoking process, resulting in juicy, fall-off-the-bone tenderness. Served fresh and hot, patrons can add their preferred sauces to customize their meals. Neal, who has been smoking the meat since the restaurant’s inception, stated, “I’ve done it all—from waiting tables to cooking to mopping the floors.” This sentiment resonates with small business owners across America. “When we started, we smoked six hams a weekend; these days, it’s 60 to 100 hams a weekend.”

The menu boasts a variety of plate and sandwich combinations, complemented by classic Southern sides such as baked beans, Brunswick stew, coleslaw, fries, mac-n-cheese, onion rings, and

potato salad. Notably, the coleslaw and Brunswick stew recipes have remained unchanged since Oinkers began. For those seeking alternatives to barbecue, Oinkers also offers hamburgers, steaks, smoked chicken, ribs, seafood, and salads, ensuring there’s something for everyone. You will also love their fresh pork rinds!

A Few Considerations for Visitors

To maintain the highest quality, Oinkers prepares fresh batches daily. This commitment means that occasionally, they may run out of certain items and close early. To avoid disappointment, it is advisable to place advance orders a day prior to ensure that all desired dishes are available upon arrival.

Rave Reviews from Patrons

The accolades for Oinkers BBQ are evident in the glowing reviews from satisfied customers. Diners frequently praise the flavorful barbecue and friendly service. One reviewer fondly remarked, “The food is almost as good as my grandma’s, and the restaurant smells like her house. So nostalgic. Service is top-notch. Friendly, salt-of-the-earth people.” Lisa Holcomb has been with the restaurant for 25 years! Other long-time staff members include Karen Lovell Taylor and her son Rhett, as well as Cecilia Watts. These smiling faces are just another reason Oinkers is a favorite. New to the restaurant is Nina’s brother Tory Menchetti who works with Neal to smoke the hams. Additionally, many Rabun County kids have worked at the restaurant, including the Crumps’ daughter Isabella, who is now a student at the University of Tennessee with plans to become a lawyer. The strong work ethic she developed there will surely take her far.

Plan Your Visit

For those eager to experience Oinkers BBQ firsthand, the restaurant is located at 2355 Highway 441 South, Clayton, GA. For inquiries or to place advance orders, you can reach them at (706) 782-7010. Additional information, including the current menu and pricing as of October 2024, can be found on their official website.

Whether you’re a barbecue aficionado or simply seeking a hearty, delicious meal in a welcoming setting, Oinkers BBQ in Clayton, Georgia, promises an experience that captures the essence of Southern hospitality and culinary tradition.

EAT LOCAL

Downtown CLAYTON

Downtown CLAYTON

Around

GExperience Ramshackle Clayton’s Ultimate Celebration for Everyone!

et ready for an unforgettable day in Clayton, Georgia, as the highly anticipated Ramshackle takes over on June 7th! This extraordinary street festival event blends electrifying live music, artisans, local businesses, and family-friendly activities, making it the perfect destination for music lovers and families alike.

Set in the charming mountain landscape of downtown Clayton, the festival will resonate with a captivating lineup of artists, featuring renowned acts like Town Mountain, hailing from Asheville, North Carolina and Atlanta’s dynamic Kobanova, alongside local favorite Breeze Cable as this year’s Ramshackle Rising Star. No matter your musical taste, there’s something here that will make your heart sing!

But that’s not all— Ramshackle is a vibrant celebration of community. Stroll along Main Street, where local businesses and vendors will showcase an array of unique and tempting wares, delicious local cuisine and libations that captures the heart of Clayton. Your taste buds will thank you!

Families will find endless entertainment with activities for kids of all ages, including face painting, balloon animals, and arts and crafts. The games are not just for the little ones, there will be activities for adults as well.

Be sure to check out the Ramshackle Merch that will be available for purchase, a Ramshackle tee will be the perfect souvenir to remember the day spent in one of northeast Georgia’s most exciting mountain towns.

As dusk falls, the excitement continues. Don’t miss Breeze Cable at 4 pm, followed by Kobanova, culminating with the show-stopping Town Mountain at 6:30 pm. These performances promise to leave you dancing and celebrating under the stars.

Ramshackle is more than just a music event; it’s a gathering place where friendships blossom and community spirit thrives. Engage with fellow attendees, revel in impromptu jam sessions, and enjoy heartfelt conversations over delicious local drinks.

As the final notes echo you’ll leave the festival with cherished memories and a profound appreciation for the joy of live music and community. Whether you’re a festival veteran or discovering Clayton for the first time, mark your calendars for June 7th and prepare for a day brimming with music, laughter, and unforgettable adventures at Ramshackle! Don’t miss out!

For more information please visit us at www.visitclaytonga.net.

Introducing the Fuller Center for Housing, Inc

Habitat for Humanity of Rabun County, which has been providing affordable housing to worthy, needy residents of Rabun County since 1987, has formally changed its name and reestablished itself as “The Rabun County Fuller Center for Housing, Inc.” Now, simply known as “The Fuller Center”. Its mission remains the same, to provide affordable housing to those needy persons in our county who cannot otherwise afford reasonable housing. Over the 37 years of its existence, this charitable organization, as a result of generous support from the residences and businesses of Rabun County and through their financial donations, as well as giving of their time, labor, and materials, constructed and built many homes for worthy, needy residents of Rabun County. The most recent home built was dedicated in December of 2024.

In the past, Habitat of Rabun County has not only provided and built new homes for the community, but it has also helped to repair, keep maintained, and provided other charitable services to needy homeowners. And in addition, when the need has arisen, it has extended its charitable work beyond its own county borders, as when it recently voted and donated $25,000 for the aid, support, and relief of those in North Carolina suffering from the recent devastating effects of Hurricane Helene. It can easily be seen that over the years, this organization has faithfully fulfilled its mission of service and charity at home and beyond! This mission will continue and is expected to be even stronger as the current Board of Directors, in a great leap of faith, voted to change its affiliation and name to “Rabun County Fuller Center for Housing, Inc.” effective February 1, 2025.

This unanimous decision was made in order to keep the mission of building and repairing homes in the community on a grass-roots local level where its dollars raised will stay focused on community needs, therefore, eliminating bureaucratic oversight.

The National Fuller Center for Housing was founded by Millard Fuller in 2005, after leaving Habitat for Humanity, where Fuller had worked to provide housing for those in need tirelessly for approximately 30 years.

If you read of President Jimmy Carter’s involvement with building affordable homes for the needy, you will know that it was as a direct result of Millard Fuller, that President Carter was engaged to begin doing that type of work in the years following his presidency. The national Fuller Center for Housing is a Christian based organization whose mission is “Ending poverty” and “Building a better world, one house at a time,” as well as other charitable support to needy individuals and families! It provides support to local affiliates, but requires limited paperwork or accounting, as well as no required contributions to the parent organization.

As a vital part of the services that the new organization will continue to provide, will be the reopening of The ReStore Store to a newly renovated and renamed “ReUse Store.” The store will be temporarily closed for renovations the last 3 weeks in March and will reopen the first week in April under the new name, with a fresh look and lower merchandise pricing points. There will be a Grand Reopening Ribbon Cutting Celebration April 14 @ 12:00pm and all in the community are invited to participate in the celebration.

As to housing, the Fuller Center of Rabun County is looking forward to the future, and already has plans to build two more homes in 2025 on Hope Drive in Clayton for two worthy Rabun County families in need. Additionally, they are excited about starting a new program called the Greater Blessing Program which is designed to help low-income homeowners make basic safety repairs to their homes thereby allowing them to stay in the home they love. Rabun Fuller Center also plans to continue its “Touch a Truck” fundraising event with the City of Clayton this year which is scheduled for August 16 at the Pavilion in Clayton.

If you would like more information, get involved or make a donation to the new Rabun County Fuller Center for Housing, you can contact Joy at admin@rabunfullercenter.org or call 706-212-0667 “Good luck” to the Rabun County new Fuller Center for Housing!

The Son of Man Came to Seek and Save the Lost: A Call to Relational Evangelism

Will Griffin

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” —Luke 19:10 (LSB)

When Jesus summarized His mission on earth, He used simple yet stunningly profound words: “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” This wasn’t a vague theological statement. It was deeply personal, incarnational, and intentional. He didn’t wait for the lost to come find Him—He went after them. He sat at their tables, walked in their neighborhoods, and entered their stories.

If we are His disciples—called to follow Him, become like Him, and do what He did—then this must be our mission too. Yet, for many Christians today, personal evangelism has become the great omission in the Great Commission.

Reclaiming the Mission of Jesus in Our Relationships

George Barna’s research paints a troubling picture: Christians are among the least likely to have meaningful friendships with people outside their faith. In other words, most of our coffee meetups, lunch breaks, and neighborhood conversations are spent with fellow believers. While Christian fellowship is a beautiful and biblical necessity (Hebrews 10:24–25), it is not the end of our relational purpose—it’s the beginning.

Imagine a group of insurance salespeople who spend all their time together talking about policies and strategies—but never actually meet with potential clients. They would be failing at their mission, that is, to make sales. They must be with people who need insurance to accomplish that mission.

The same is true for us. We are missing valuable, God-ordained opportunities to invest in relationships with those who are far from God. These are the neighbors on your street, the coworkers in your office, the parents on the sidelines of your kids’ games, the barista at your coffee shop. They aren’t there by accident. Acts 17:26–27 reminds us that God “determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation”—which means the people around you are placed by divine design.

God has you where you live, work, and play so that you can be an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20), a messenger of hope, a vessel through which the compassion of Jesus reaches the lost.

Follow Jesus’ Example

Think about who Jesus chose to spend His time with. It wasn’t the religious elite. He didn’t primarily invest in the Pharisees or Sadducees. Instead, He was often found with tax collectors, sinners, and social outcasts (Matthew 9:10–13). He dined with them, listened to them, and spoke the truth in love. He built relational equity that opened the door for spiritual transformation.

If we claim to follow Jesus, we must ask: Who are we spending time with? Are our social rhythms aligning with His mission? Or are we isolating ourselves in Christian bubbles?

Build Relational Equity with Purpose

So how do we start? Here’s a simple, intentional approach:

Map Your Mission Field

Take some time to write down the names of people you regularly encounter in three spheres: Where you live (neighbors, HOA members, apartment staff) Where you work (coworkers, clients, delivery drivers) Where you play (gyms, clubs, sports teams, coffee shops)

Pray by Name

Ask God to open doors, soften hearts, and give you boldness and love. Prayer moves us from passivity to intentionality. As Paul told the Colossians, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving... so that God will open up to us a door for the word” (Colossians 4:2–3).

Pursue Opportunities

Don’t wait for perfect moments. Just show up, ask questions, listen well, and love sincerely. Invite someone for lunch, follow up on a life event, or serve them in a tangible way. Over time, relational equity grows—and trust leads to gospel conversations.

Cultivate Like a Faithful Farmer

Think like a farmer who plows in fertile soil. You can’t force fruit, but you can till the soil of relationship and sow the seed of the gospel when the time is right (Mark 4:26–29). Not every interaction will lead to conversion—but every moment invested in love is never wasted (1 Corinthians 3:6–7).

Remember it’s for the Kingdom

Let’s not forget that sharing Jesus is a delight, not a burden. We are partnering with Jesus in His mission. We are bearing witness to the hope we’ve received. And we are stepping into the divine appointments God has set before us. So take a step. Begin praying. Pursue one relationship this week with gospel intentionality.

Will Griffin is Director of Discipleship & Digital Ministries at Clayton Baptist Church - to learn more about being a Follower of Jesus contact Will at: will@claytonbaptistchurch.com

You don’t need to be a theologian. You just need to be present. You don’t need to have all the answers. You just need to love like Jesus, speak the truth in grace, and walk with people toward Him.

After all, “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” And now, He has commissioned us to accomplish this same mission.

A Crown of Thorns for the Son of God

Tracy McCoy

The Easter story is a cherished part of Christianity, sharing the incredible journey of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. One of the most powerful symbols of His suffering is the crown of thorns. Crafted by Roman soldiers in a moment of mockery, it was twisted together and placed on His head, bringing both pain and humiliation. They laughed at Him, calling Him the “King of the Jews.” This crown represents not only His physical pain but also the heavy weight of sin and suffering He carried for all of us. In the face of this hardship, Jesus chose to sacrifice Himself on the cross, and three days later, He rose from the dead—offering hope and eternal life to everyone who believes in Him. The crown of thorns symbolizes His immense love, humility, and ultimate victory over sin and death.

Lamar Marcus from the Warwoman community has taken the time to reflect on Jesus’ suffering. He got the idea to create a crown of thorns from the branches of a Lemon Tree. Years ago, he made his very first crown and gifted it to Battle Branch Baptist Church. With Easter just around the corner, Lamar decided to make another one and kindly invited me to come to see it. We spent some time on his porch, enjoying the lovely spring day while we chatted about salvation and how God often shares wisdom with us through the simple, everyday moments in life, missed by many.

“I’m always looking!” Lamar said. “I pray, ‘God, let me learn all the secrets you have hidden under every rock and leaf,’ and He does!” He told me about a tree known as Balm of Gilead also known the Healing

Tree. After years of dedicated prayer God spoke to his heart and told him where he’d find one. “My Grandpa, who was born in the late 1800s, taught me how to make salves to heal the body,” he recalled. I asked a woman from the place God told me and she pointed me right to one. I have made ointments out of the buds.

We talked about corn and how it is the perfect plant, at least the heirloom varieties. We had church on the porch that day and Lamar reached up and hanging on the porch post was a cross he made from two corn cobs. A man with wisdom gleaned from nature and studying creation. Lamar is distant kin and a valued family friend. He and my father-in-law spend many hours sitting together, whittling under the Maple tree. True friends.

“I want people to take a moment to think about what Jesus did for us,” he added. “This crown of thorns should remind everyone a little bit of what He went through. I’m so grateful that He loved us so much.” Our conversation flowed to themes of God’s goodness and how the world has changed around us. “I’d rather stay at home or explore the woods; the evil of the world isn’t for me,” he confessed. I couldn’t help but agree with him. With each passing day, I find myself feeling more and more like Lamar, appreciating the peace of home and nature.

Outdoors

Adventure Out - Rufus Morgan Falls

Peter McIntosh

On this adventure we’re heading up to North Carolina and hiking to a beautiful slender cascade, high up on the side of Siler Bald, called Rufus Morgan Falls. This charming waterfall is named in honor of the Reverend Rufus Morgan, (1885-1983) a man often referred to as the Moses of the Mountains. Reverend Rufus was born in Franklin, NC and ministered all around the mountains of western North Carolina in places like the Penland School, Cherokee, Highlands

and Murphy. Morgan also preached the good word at St. Peter’s in New York City. But beyond his church duties, Morgan was an ardent and long time volunteer on the Appalachian Trail. And the loop trail leading up to and away from the falls, has a very definite AT feel to it.

This is a one mile loop trail (blue blazed) beginning and ending on Forest Service Road 388. There is a trailhead sign and a well

marked pull out here. From the pull out, the trail ascends, a bit steeply a first, via switchbacks. You’ll be going back and fourth right above your parked car. Soon the pathway leads off westward into a cove, still ascending but less steeply now. You’ll cross an intermittent stream and begin heading southward. A little further along the trail comes to a rock outcropping. This is the site of a landslide that occurred back in 2004 when hurricanes Francis and Ivan came through. It’s dramatic to look at now and I’m guessing it was amazing when it happened. Just past this spot there will be a small wooden footbridge. I love little footbridges and an thankful for the folks that put them there. The footing around this little bridge can be wet and tricky so do be careful. And right past the bridge is a nice little cascade more akin to a sliding rock. From this spot, especially in the winter, you can look up and see Rufus Morgan Falls. The trail leads up and away from the falls before reaching a small side trail leading back to the cascades base. It’s a beautiful narrow waterfall, a natural silver necktie on the mountainside. I’m thinking that the cove forest around this waterfall will be bountiful with spring wildflowers, so I plan on returning then. After enjoying the falls, continue on, now on the south side of the stream, descending through deep green Rhododendrons. Then the path joins up with

an old logging road, still descending and before you know it, you’re back at your car. Happy hiking!

With April showers come my poetic powers:

With the coming if spring, let’s take a ride,

To see falling water high on a mountainside.

‘Tis a very pleasant hike so don’t be a doofus, This lovely waterfall honoring a preacher name Rufus. Getting there: From US 441 in Franklin, go west on US 64 for 3.7 miles and turn right on Old Murphy Road. (Look for Wayah Bald sign.) After turning right, almost immediately turn left, just past a convenience store, on SR 1310. go 6.5 miles, passing the LBJ Job Corps complex, to FS 388 on the left. Follow FS 388 for 2 miles to the well marked pull out on the right.

To see more of Peter’s photos or if you have a question or comment: www.mcintoshmountains.com

And to learn about Reverend Morgan: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35182964/albert-rufusmorgan

Peter McIntosh is an accomplished professional photographer. His photography is displayed in collections across the country. His passion for nature and the outdoors is what fuels his column. His work is available as fine art prints. Peter offers one on one and small group instruction on camera operation and photography. To see more of Peter’s photos, or if you have a question or comment, visit Peter’s website: www.mcintoshmountains.com

Outdoors

Firmly Rooted

Victoria “Tori” Carver

Spring is finally here, and many of us are eagerly starting our vegetable and flower seeds. I want to introduce you to a revolutionary new way of starting seeds: the seed snail. Have you ever heard of a seed snail? If not, a quick description is that it is a spiral of seeds coiled in a flexible strip of plastic or foam wrap.

I first heard about the seed snail method of starting seeds from Farida Sober in the UK. I believe she created the method but regardless of whether she created it or just made it popular, she is my seed starting inspiration! This technique has so many benefits:

It uses less compost for seed starting

It’s space-saving

It’s a great way to upcycle plastic (yay for sustainability!)

It prevents root-binding by giving roots more space to grow, and It encourages fast transplant establishment

You can start almost any seed this way—vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, squash, and peppers, or flowers like zinnias, cosmos, and my personal favorite… sweet peas!

If you are interested in giving this method of seed starting a try, here is a quick rundown on how to make a seed snail:

Cut a strip of polyethylene packaging material or bubble wrap (I cut mine about 6 inches wide x 3 feet long).

Layer pre-moistened potting soil or compost about ¼ to ½ inch thick along the strip. You can go all the way to the edge, or you can leave a little space at the edge if you prefer.

Gently roll it up and secure the end with tape or rubber bands.

Turn the snail on its end and plant your seeds in the top of the snail according to their needs (some need light to germinate, some need darkness, etc).

Place the snail in a gallon-sized baggie and seal.

Set the snails in a shallow tray on a heating mat (I place mine in a shallow tray for transporting purposes, but you do not have to do this).

Once the seeds have sprouted, open the baggie, fold the top down, remove from heat, and grow under lights or in a greenhouse until transplanting time!

When it’s time to transplant, simply unroll the seed snail, gently separate the seedlings, and plant them in the garden.

If you’re delayed by weather (or life), you can “bump up” seedlings without starting over. Unroll the snail, add more potting soil over the roots, and roll it back up. If they’re overcrowded, start a fresh seed snail — unroll the original, separate seedlings, space them farther apart on a new strip, add another layer of moistened soil, and roll it back up.

It’s an easy, fun alternative to traditional seed trays and I hope you’ll give it a try! If you’re a visual learner, check out my Instagram and Facebook page. I have a post with step-by-step videos on making the snails and another post on transplanting seedlings from a seed snail. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!

Victoria (Tori) Carver is a flower farmer. From the thousand bulbs and plants that she puts in the ground each year she creates lovely bouquets. Tori and her husband and children make their home in Clayton, where they are a treasured part of the community. If you are interested in Firmly Rooted Flower Farm please reach out by email to firmlyrootedflowerfarm@gmail.com or phone 706-490-0041. You will also enjoy their website at www.firmlyrootedflowerfarm.com

Reeves Outdoor Center is Better Than Ever and Leah is there!

Spring has arrived, and for sports enthusiasts, that means it’s time for fishing and turkey season. Reeves Outdoor Center has everything you need for a successful day outdoors. Recently, Reeves relocated all outdoor sports equipment, firearms, ammunition, and camouflage from the main store to the Outdoor Center, making shopping more convenient. They opened up the back of the store and significantly increased their space.

Another improvement is the transfer of Leah Brooks from the main store to the Outdoor Center. She is a native of Rabun County and knows the area well. She has been employed by Reeves Hardware for many years. Leah is knowledgeable about the products they offer and is well-loved in the community. Be sure to stop in to say hello and meet her.

Reeves has been a fixture on Main Street in Clayton since 1928. This family-owned business currently employs some of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the company’s founder, Lewis Reeves, Sr. The company continues to evolve to better serve the community they call home. Be sure to stop by one of their seven locations and support this local small business. Always consider shopping local when you can; Reeves makes it easy!

The Reeves Outdoor Center is located at 46 South Main Street, Clayton, Georgia. For more information, call 706-782-4253 or visit their website at www. reevesacehardware.com.

Lovin’ the Journey Asthma, Spies and the Boston Marathon

Mark Holloway

Mēgan stumbled across the finish line and collapsed...in a heap. A volunteer doctor rushed to the 40 year old athlete to assess her condition. The UGA Professor and OB/GYN Dr. Lara Hart immediately recognized the runner. She’d delivered her twins nine years earlier. Small world.

There was a mighty unseen force pushing Mēgan Popp to the Athens, Georgia Classic City Marathon staring line back on January 25 of this year.

There are many reasons runners take on the challenge of 26.2 miles. This Rabun County 2001 Homecoming Queen and state track champion had plenty of motivators to run fast.

The late Bo James recognized her skill on the soccer field and knew she’d excel in distance running. She did at Mercer University. Then the wheels fell off the cart and she lost her way, eventually moving to Montana and developing bad habits from bad choices. Alcohol would once affect this now 6-year-sober nurse practitioner thriving in Cumming, Georgia.

Inspiration happened.

Her father George Larsen ran the invitation-only Boston Marathon in 1973 in 3:10 minutes. He was a medical doctor by day and worked as a spy by night, attached to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City in 1991. (It was a powerful moment with Mēgan when I told her my father was also a spy attached to the same embassy in 1968.)

Writing for this magazine has blown my mind more than once.

Mēgan’s dad would eventually pass away from Alzheimer’s. But his life was one of a halfdozen fires burning in her belly. She would eventually run a 100-mile ultra marathon in Milledgeville, Georgia. Her efforts got her noticed by Fitness Magazine in 2014.

“I really did not hit my peak in college. I had coaches and people...I had all this pressure on me and i just fell to that pressure. But not to prove it to them but to prove it to myself that I can be a really good athlete,” Mēgan tells me. “I am a vegetarian now. I lost 55 pounds. Basically, I went completely antiinflammatory because my lungs were inflamed, and I was diagnosed as with severe asthma. Then I was able to run again and I had like this fire in me to prove myself to run.”

Mēgan Popp has run six marathons and a half Ironman. Her fastest marathon time had been 3 hours and 48 minutes. At 40, she’s now beaten all of

her fastest mile times when she was in college.

Her recent victory collapse in Athens bested her fastest marathon time. She took first place in her age group, running 3 hours and 23 minutes back in January, a Boston Qualifying Time.

The running world is an odd one. You can run 100 marathons in 100 countries. But lots of runners and non-runners will eventually ask you, ‘But have you run Boston?’

Boston requires you to qualify somewhere else before you race the hallowed roads and streets of the world’s most famous running event.

Mēgan’s January marathon time a few months ago has her focus now on the Boston Marathon.

“I think when you’re bubbly and you’re blond, people think you’re dumb and you don’t have any talent. And when you’re the youngest of five, you’re never taken seriously. I’ve always felt that need to prove myself.”

Mēgan hosts a Podcast. It’s called the Reckless Optimist and her mom, Robbie Zell has had photographs in the Laurel.

I asked this amazing woman and mother of three, how she would encourage others to get to their finish line.

“The best advice I can give to people is to focus on two things: strengthening your mind and getting your nutrition right. Running is learning to sit in the pain, to not shy away from the uncomfortable. Once you figure that out, you become unstoppable. And changing your mindset about eating clean foods to fuel your body, avoiding foods that just give you a quick dopamine hit, then your body becomes an efficient machine.”

I remain amazed at the opportunity to write for Tracy McCoy and her wonderful magazine. This assignment takes me on journeys I could never script for myself. Getting to host Mēgan in our home and she and I discovering both our dads were spies at the same foreign embassy...mind blowing. I’m going to keep in touch with this dynamo named Mēgan. She not only has her sights set on Boston, but she is also competing in her first full Ironman in September.

Steady forward, young lady.

See you on the trail.

...special thank you to Katrina Blalock for telling me about Mēgan.

Mark and Carol Holloway are outdoor adventurers and love the thrills of rock climbing and hikes to waterfalls and exploring all of God’s creation. They own PropertyStewards.com and are passionate about delivering excellent care to the homes and property of their clients. For info call 706-949-5937

Lizzie Writes

The Me I Was, The Me I Am.

Liz Alley

At my last writing group, the assigned prompt was “Write about what your younger self would be proud of about your older self.” I thought about this for a long time and realized there is not much. I did not marry Donny Osmond or Leif Garrett. I did not become a flight attendant or have a variety show like Sonny and Cher. I did not eat Miracle Whip on my sandwiches like the Fetzers did. I did not find a way to build an “I Dream of Jeannie” bottle and live inside. I did not wear every Bonnie Bell lip balm on a lanyard around my neck. I did not get my hair or my nose professionally straightened. I did not become a lifeguard like Nancy Craft. Despite all of this, though, I think that little mountain girl would be proud of who I’ve become – maybe even nod in quiet approval, knowing I’ve carried pieces of her with me all along.

I won’t list the big things like the daughters, sonsin-law, and Grandchildren; I’ll go for the small stuff. I think my younger self would be pleased that I learned the word “no.” It took so long to use that word in a way that aligned with the people living inside my head and heart—the type of no that is not moved by persuasion, the kind of no that makes it possible for me to feel safe, finally.

I think she’d be happy with how I love. I covered my daughter’s, folded their socks, and put them in drawers. I wrote notes for their lunch boxes and cut their sandwiches on the diagonal, sometimes putting miniature Snickers in for good measure. In the winter, I wrestled with coats that would not fit in car seats. I made endless laps around the pool in warm weather, teaching them how to swim. When they fell, I murmured to the top of their heads while inside me, love howled like the wind. I watched them drive away in their cars when they were teenagers, my heart breaking like a quiet fracture, one side drifting like a fallen leaf. Then I paced the floor until they came home, always needing to pay attention, just in case. I basked in the calm and the chaos of raising children.

the order of things like the junk drawer and the garage. She’d be amazed by the art studio, a whole room to create in. She’d read the books and touch their pages with reverence. She’d have the big head over the fridge with ice and water on the front since her job was to crack open the metal ice trays for tea at supper time. She would especially be impressed with the Oreos in the pantry. She’d wander into the bathroom and look for the Youth Dew perfume she thought was the height of sophistication, not that stupid Sweet Honesty from the Avon catalog. She would appreciate the magnolia trees outside with leaves that bow down like shiny green serving platters. She would recognize the homesick feeling in the song of the cicadas that fracture the summer afternoons and usher in the velvety hush of night. She would marvel at the lightning bolts that flash silhouettes on trees like veiny, arthritic hands.

If my younger self had known there would be a divorce, she’d have been crushed because she wanted that life, the married one, the kids one, the happy family one, more than anything else. My younger self did not understand the desire for our lives to follow a certain order or that it hardly ever does. She did not know that we expect our lives to behave and return to being balanced once a catastrophe, like a divorce, has occurred, but that it takes a long time. She’d ask, “Is grown-up me okay?” and I would smile and say, “Yes – more than okay.” I would explain to her that sometimes, you leave the core of who you are and wait for yourself to return. I’d tell her that the grown-up me is settled and content now and that she’d like her. “I don’t think you would have liked the middle grown-up me, though, “ I’d say. “She was fragile as glass, and woven with sorrow. Still, even with all the broken pieces, she is happy - just like you always wanted.”

My younger self would be proud of my home. She’d walk around and touch the paintings and the furniture in awe. She’d appreciate

I hear the daughters coming in the back door and the squeal of the grandchildren running to the fairy tree. I let it all in: the nostalgia for lost places, the neighbors’ music, the barking dogs, the wealth of this everyday life. The sky has turned a dusky blue and lingers at the edge of night. Somewhere behind me light spills into the house.

Liz Alley was born and raised in Rabun County in the city of Tiger. She loves to write. She is an interior designer specializing in repurposing the broken, chipped, worn, and weathered into pieces that are precious again. She is the mother of two daughters and has four grandchildren. She divides her time between her home in Newnan and Rabun County. Liz would love to hear from you; drop her a line at Lizziewrites0715@gmail.com.

Goodbye Frost and Winter’s Gray

April Brings a Brighter Day

Defining Public Health & Its Importance

Susan Cookson MD, MPH, FACP, CAPT, US Public Health Service (retired)

National Public Health Week is April 7-13th. It’s the 30th anniversary of the American Public Health Association (APHA) celebrating a week in April just for public health. My start with public health goes back to the late1980s when I worked part-time for the Multnomah County Health Department during my internal medicine residency. From there, I did an infectious diseases fellowship and joined the US Public Health Service (US PHS), retiring as a CAPT (O-6) after 28 ¼ years of service. This year’s APHA theme is, it starts here – clean air, clean water, safe food, safe streets, health equity for all.

But what is public health? The Oxford Dictionary says public health is the health of the entire population, especially the subject of government regulation and support but also, the medical branch dealing with hygiene, epidemiology, and disease prevention. While with the US PHS, I got a master’s in public health studying epidemiology, to better equip me to serve.

During those years, I witnessed achievements that public health has brought to Americans. Achievements obtained in the last century increased in the first part of this century (MMWR, May 20, 2011):

• Cancer prevention occurred through collaborative efforts of federal, state, and county health departments. The Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP), which the Rabun County Health Department and other area County Health Departments offer, increases breast and cervical cancer screening for under and uninsured women.Cardiovascular disease (heart disease and strokes) declined because of greater identification and treatment of uncontrolled high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and tobacco use.

• Improvements in federal, state, and county health departments led to control of infectious diseases and coordination of public health response. The number of patients with tuberculosis decreased and contaminated food outbreaks are identified sooner preventing further spread.

• Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention laws, which Brianna Young coordinates through our Public Health District 2 Healthy Homes and Lead Prevention Program, educates and reduces lead hazards, and identifies lead sources in our homes.

Infant health improved through mandatory folic acid fortification of cereal, causing substantial reduction in

infants born with neural tube defects (defects of the brain or spine). Additionally, improved technology led to newbornscreening panels and earlier detection for life-saving treatments.

• Motor vehicle death and injury rates declined despite more people driving because of safer vehicles and roads.

• Occupational safety improved, with more than a 50% decrease in youth farm injury rate, because of national safety guidelines for parents (NIOSH data, 2011).

Although tobacco use remained the same (1 in 5 adults), laws prohibit smoking in worksites, restaurants, and bars are reducing secondhand smoke and its damaging health effects on children and adults.

• New lifesaving vaccines, like rotavirus, human papillomavirus (HPV), and shingles; and improvements in existing ones occurred. Rotavirus vaccine prevents 40,00060,000 hospitalizations in children annually (Vogt, J Infect Dis, 2008).

However, in more recent years we are seeing an increasing mistrust of public health. Why is that? It’s not a simple answer but a combination of factors. Public health misinformation is the sharing of false or misleading information unintentionally. Public health disinformation is deliberate sharing of deceptive, false information (Lancet, Jan 18, 2025). This is nothing new. A lasting example is Andrew Jeremy Wakefield, the dishonest and flouting unethical physician, who deliberately published false information in the British Medical Journal in 1998. He has continued his anti-vaccine activism despite being a discredited academician and physician (British General Medical Council, May 24, 2010).

But the COVID-19 pandemic was a real turning point to the worse. The rising use of social media and the level of politicization of COVID-19 in the US press contributed (Hart, Sci Communication, Aug 25, 2020). Sadly, examples came from the White House, not supported by public health, with misleading claims about the virus and medical treatments. The President suggested that disinfectants were a treatment for COVID-19, which led to State poison centers seeing people harmed by drinking cleaning products. He also talked about ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine as treatments, which the Mayo Clinic did an impressive job in debunking (Mayo Clinic, May 16, 2024). “Health misinformation was weaponized as propaganda, exploiting fear, undermining public

Susan Cookson, MD, MPH, FACP, CAPT, US Public Health Service (retired) is an accomplished physician who trained and practiced in Internal, Infectious Diseases, and Preventive Medicine. She also has a Master’s degree in public health and is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. Susan’s resume is quite impressive, including a 25 year career with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 year with the DeKalb Board of Health and 3 years with the Georgia Department of Public Health. Today, Susan resides in Rabun County and is working for the Rabun County Board of Health as their Preventive Medicine Physician.

trust, and hindering collective action in critical moments” (Lancet, Jan 18, 2025). By the end of 2020, 16,000-19,000 Americans were dying WEEKLY from COVID-19.

Today, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is no longer doing fact-checking. We are now finding false information on cancer treatment leading patients to abandon science-based treatment for influencer-backed alternatives and to take unregulated supplements that claim everything from weight loss to anti-aging; and resulting in decreased childhood vaccination for ALL reported vaccines and increased numbers of children getting measles (already at 60% the rate of 2024 in the first two months of 2025), including Georgian children. The number of predatory journals –journals that are misrepresenting themselves as scientific, scholarly journals but in the business for financial gain – is increasing. In 2021, it was estimated there were over 15,000 such journals (Lane, Ann Int Med, Feb 2025). Both the scientific community and the public need to be aware – I personally have been approached by several of these deceptive journals to write articles. Additionally, disinformation has deliberately attacked and attempted to discredit scientists and public health professionals; thereby further destroying and damaging public health.

As we are cutting our public health workforce, we are weakening our influence in local, national, and global public health and our ability to know of future potential pandemics. Currently, the avian (bird) influenza (H5N1) is circulating globally and in Georgia’s commercial poultry flock and backyard flocks. We see that in our higher prices of eggs and milk. Will this be the next pandemic? Public health contains and manages most disease outbreaks. But there WILL be another pandemic, it’s a matter of when, not if.

Meanwhile fighting misinformation and disinformation is not as simple as correcting facts and it is not an activity just for scientific journals. Each person needs to know how to fact-check and find sources that are credible. Today that is NOT social media or predatory journals. But it will take more than the individual, it will take educational resources, like Mayo and Cleveland Clinics to debunk false information and AARP to separate myth and fact. The danger of misinformation and disinformation is undermining America’s public health. This month let’s celebrate public health, not politicize it. “Public health is almost invisible when it is most effective” (Sridhar, Lancet, Feb 1, 2025) – let’s support that work, not undermine it with mis- and dis-information, it starts here.

Cutting Edge Home Seeks Discerning Owner

John Shivers

The word edgy is defined as being at the forefront of a trend – avant-garde. The mountain contemporary, two-level home at 565 Wildflower Circle, just outside Clarkesville and overlooking Billy Goat Island on Lake Burton, is both edgy and avant-garde. Factor in the many top-drawer components that dovetail in creating this unbelievable property sitting on 1.13± acres of prime lake-front living, and you get the beginning of a lifestyle trend that dreams are made of.

From the first glance, the sharp lines and staggered roofline of this striking waterfront home, built in 2022, capture both the eye and the imagination. The masterful juxtaposition of brilliant color and a medley of earthtones further proclaim that edgy vibe. Talk about curb appeal! You simply have to see more… to know more. And the interior is as striking and comfortable as the exterior of Prodema wood siding and Nichiha concrete panels from Spain and Japan are striking and low maintenance.

Step inside this phenomenal space where European white oak flooring leads into the vaulted heights of the great room, dining and kitchen, where light, comfort, and contemporary finishes predominate. A wall of glass frames the picturesque Burton waterscape, and the sleek, linear gas fireplace is the focal point. Access is off this level to both open and covered porches, including a screened outdoor living area complete with fireplace and television. A grilling deck, and a full-length deck provide additional living possibilities.

Custom Leicht kitchen cabinetry, including a waterfall island and a breakfast bar that seats four, houses professional quality Subzero and Wolf appliances. Abundant food prep space and storage distinguish this chef’s kitchen in this custom home.

With five ensuite bedrooms (one upstairs, four downstairs), plus an additional full bath and two half baths, this home is designed for effortless hospitality. The spacious main floor owner’s suite boasts a wall of glass showcasing breathtaking Lake Burton views. The spa-like bath features Terrazzo tile floors, Porcelanosa vanities, Bain ultra-air tub, a separate shower, and walk-in California custom closets.

The terrace level of this home is accessed by means of an impressive floating staircase with white oak treads. Expansive lake views and an abundance of light predominate, and there’s an office / flex room with a full bath, laundry room, and a family room with a full bath and wet bar. A Genesis elevator, Somfy automatic shades, Control 4 home automation, and a two-car garage further the home’s livability.

From the terrace level enjoy easy access via a stone pathway to the two-stall boathouse witn Timbertech decking, screened porch and open sunbathing deck.

Agent Julie Barnett with Harry Norman REALTORS® Luxury Lake and Mountain has all the cutting-edge details on MLS #10451872. Reach her at 404-697-3860, or at the Harry Norman office, 706-212-0228.

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Rabun County as the American Frontier Cherokees, Subsistence Farming, Log Cabins and Isolation from the Outside World

Dick Cinquina

Wyatt Earp, the shootout at the OK Corral and other tales of the Wild West are the embodiment of the American frontier for many. However, the concept of the frontier dates back to this country’s earliest colonial times. Hugging the Atlantic coast, the thirteen British colonies founded in the 1600s (Georgia was the latecomer to the party in 1732) were America’s first frontier, beyond which lay unsettled wilderness and hostile Indians.

The frontier was not a static line. Over time, settlers in every colony were extending the frontier farther and farther west in their quest for cheap land. Pennsylvania settlers reached the Alleghany Mountains in the western part of the state by around 1750. Virginians started settling the Shenandoah Valley about the same time. In the case of Georgia, Scots-Irish settlers had extended the state’s frontier to the mountainous northeastern corner of the state by the second decade of the 1800s.

Homeland of Cherokee Nation

As with the American West years later, northeast Georgia’s earliest settlers were moving into Native American land. Cherokees were living in four settlements on the land that became Rabun County, which was part of the centuries-old Southeastern homeland of the Cherokee nation. English explorers passing through northeast Georgia in the mid-1700s called this region the Cherokee Mountains, reflecting the sheer number of Native Americans they encountered.

The steady influx of white settlers, coupled with racial animosity, exerted growing pressure on the Cherokees, who were forced to cede large portions of their homeland to the State of Georgia. Rabun County was formed in 1819 on one such cession, and the new county’s land was sold for pennies on the dollar through a land lottery in 1820. Pressure on the Cherokees in north Georgia intensified further in 1829 with the discovery of gold on Indian land that resulted in the nation’s first gold rush. A decade later, most of the Native Americans in the Southeast, including the Cherokees in Rabun County, were marched at U.S. Army gunpoint to reservations in the Oklahoma Territory on the infamous Trail of Tears.

Primitive Agricultural Society

Frederick Jackson Turner, the first historian to study the concept of the American frontier, wrote in 1893 that the frontier was a “self-sufficing (self-sufficient), primitive agricultural society…in which poverty and toil went along with a scarcity of social accumulations (population and civility). Jackson could have been describing Rabun County in the 1800s. According to the 1820 U.S. Census, Rabun’s population totaled a mere 524 people or less than two people per square mile. The settlers of this sparsely populated frontier county led a hand-to-mouth existence, scratching out meager livings on mountainous subsistence farms. Life was a fight for survival. People ate what they grew, the wild game they killed and the fish they caught. Corn was the primary crop for the family’s food and that of its livestock. Apples were grown as a cash crop, enabling farmers to buy such necessities as sugar, coffee, salt and anything else they could not produce for themselves.

Isolated from Outside World

Rabun County was cut off from the world beyond its mountain confines. Roads, where they existed, were little more than rutted Indian trails that became impassible in inclement weather. North and South Carolina might just as well have been on another planet. News of the outside world came slowly, typically months after an event occurred.

Courthouse prior to 1908

Dr. Ritchie interviewing mountain farmer

Fannie Picklesimer at homeplace (date unknown)

With the westward spread of settlements in north Georgia, Rabun County no longer met the textbook definition of a frontier by the 1830s. However, frontier conditions in Rabun County persisted. In 1845, George White, an Episcopal preacher and amateur archeologist, compiled an atlas of Georgia and its counties. In the section about Rabun County, he described Clayton as barely a speck on the map with a courthouse and a few other buildings. “At the time this notice was prepared,” he reported, “there was no trade of any description carried on in Clayton.”

Bad Roads and No Bridges or Ferries

White wrote, “The roads are bad, bad as roads can be. The turnpike road extending from Habersham (County) to North Carolina (roughly tracking present-day 441/23) is now in a very bad condition.” Making matters worse, “There are no bridges or ferries. When the waters are too deep for fording, the people are compelled to wait until they subside.” Given the amount of rainfall Rabun County receives, travelers must have spent a lot of time waiting.

Frontier conditions were still deeply entrenched by 1900. One historical account paints a dismal picture of Clayton, which, by that time, had a population of 199. Andrew Jackson Ritchie, founder of Rabun Gap Industrial School (later the Rabun Gap Nacoochee School), wrote in his 1948 history of Rabun County that “Clayton was a “ramshackle town…There were no paved streets. The few houses it had were scattered around with wide vacant lots between them…The town had no paved sidewalks, no public waterworks, no electric lights, and no telephone or telegraph.”

Falling Behind in March of Progress

In a 1905 fundraising letter for his school, Ritchie wrote that Rabun’s people lived in “one of the most inaccessible counties in all the southern mountain region… Shut off in the mountains, without railroads and other means of outside communications, they have fallen behind in the march of progress and have been overtaken by evils peculiar to their environment which have intensified their unhappy condition.”

Ritchie went on to write, “Though rich in undeveloped resources, Rabun is one of the poorest counties in all the mountain region. The people are uniformly of small means. There is no wealthy family or individual among them. They have no money crop and handle little money from year to year.” He noted that most people lived in small cabins of one or two rooms with little furniture “and without many of the common articles of civilized life.” Large families were the rule, and “it is quite as common as otherwise to find a family of six to ten persons living in a cabin of one room and often under conditions that are primitive to the last degree.”

Tallulah Falls Railroad Brings Progress

It was a railroad that finally caused frontier conditions to start receding. Rails reached Tallulah Falls from Cornelia in 1882, which transformed the town from a sleepy village into a booming destination for tourists eager to view the “Niagara of the South” in Tallulah Gorge. Becoming the Tallulah Falls Railroad in 1898, the railway was extended north through Rabun County to its terminus at Franklin, North Carolina in 1907. The railroad brought material progress along its 58-mile route from Cornelia to Franklin.

The TF, as it was known, generated badly needed jobs, first on the railroad, itself, and then in the tourism business as summer vacationers were carried beyond Tallulah Falls to the mountains in northern Rabun County. Towns grew and businesses sprang up along the TF’s route. The railroad facilitated the development of the logging industry and construction of hydroelectric dams on the Tallulah River, both of which created additional employment. The TF also delivered daily mail to Rabun’s towns as well as newspapers and magazines from Atlanta. Telegraph service was available to the public at TF depots. In these ways, the railroad began the process of opening Rabun County and much of northeast Georgia to the outside world.

By the second decade of the twentieth century, a measure of prosperity had come to Clayton. By 1914, the town had electricity and telephone service. Starting around 1920, the town’s streets were being paved, Ford and Chevrolet dealerships were built, and an array of other new businesses, from grocery stores to purveyors of ice, lined the town’s streets. The frontier conditions of the 1800s had faded into the past. Although economic misery befell Rabun County during the Depression 1930s, life did not return to the frontier conditions that prevailed during the 1800s.

Learn more about our history by becoming a member of the Rabun County Historical Society. Membership and complete information about the Society’s museum are available at www.rabunhistory.org. The museum at 81 N. Church St. in downtown Clayton is open Wednesday-Saturday from 11 to 3. The Society is a not-for-profit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, making membership dues and donations tax deductible.

Visit us on Facebook and Instagram. 1920-Joseph and Bryant Dickerson and Pendergrass clearing land with a stump puller

Dick Cinquina is the retired president of Equity Market Partners, a national financial consulting firm he founded in 1981. Holding graduate degrees in history and journalism, Dick recently published Mountains, Moonshine and a Railroad, which tells the always colorful, occasionally contentious and frequently humorous history of Rabun County and northeast Georgia. Dick also writes history articles that appear in the Laurel.

A Tradition of Trust

to Joanna Radford - Top Seller & Top Lister

Lancelot Loop • Clayton

• Lot 9 in the Kingwood Community

• Easily accessible

• Potential views

• Paved roads & private water/sewer

• Resort amenities available

MLS10332552 • $29,900

Frank Parsons 678-787-5404

43 Brasstown Ln. • Sky Valley

• Newly remodeled bungalow-style home

• 2BR/2BA

• Open great room

• Wraparound deck •

• Most furnishings included MLS 10435889 • $259,000

Penny Ramey 706-490-1610

173 Buttermilk Sky Valley

• 4BR/2BA • 2-Story Home

• Breathtaking long-range views

• Two-car garage

• End of road privacy

MLS coming • $394,000

Ann Inman 256-622-0334

42 Broker Ln • Clayton

• 3BR/2BA home w single-level living

• Fresh interior and exterior paint

• Updated appliances • Covered parking

• Storage building w/ workshop MLS 10446220 • $289,000

Ken Fortney 706-461-1133

224 Buckshot Lane • Tiger

• 4BR/3BA Rustic Mtn home on 1.1+ AC

• Inviting open layout with gas logs

• Covered porch • Two-car garage

• Lovely yard with seasonal views

MLS 10484668 • $425,000

Debra Thornton 706-490-2712

198 Florida Avenue • Clayton

• Charming bungalow/cottage w/ 2BR/1BA

• Seasonal mountain views from deck

• Currently operates as a VRBO

• Appointment necessary for viewing MLS 10437467

Doug McElrath 706-499-2530

150 Walking Stick Rd • Clayton

• 1 BR/1.5BA • .70+/- AC w/ stream

• Large porch for relaxation & screened porch

• Hardwood floors, wood ceilings on main floor

• Mostly furnished • Nice community MLS 10417264 • $315,000

Cheryl Justus 706-982-9329

62 Crooked Branch Dr • Clayton

• Sold AS-IS w/ great investment potential

• Unfinished 1,000 SQ FT basement

• 3BR/2BA w/open-concept living

• Great parking • Double garage

MLS 10473646 • $435,000

Scott Poss 706-490-2305

555 Bob Mark Trl • Rabun Gap

• Convenient one-level living

• Spacious open layout

• Cozy fireplace • Jacuzzi tub

• Two-car garage • Private yard

MLS 10453289 • $578,000

Lorie Thompson 706-490-1820

151 Deerfield, Clayton

• Charming Brick Home

• Spacious living with bonus room

• Large Garage & wraparound porch

MLS coming • $769,000

Joanna Radford 706-490-2724

Jim Blalock 706-490-1404

656 Brown Bear Ridge Trl • Clayton

• Custom 4BR log home

• Primary on main

• 3 BR & office upstairs w/ loft

• Panoramic mtn & valley views

• 3 private acres close to nature

MLS 10421861 • $1,115,000

Roger Glenn 770-312-7940

381 W Sugarbush Dr • Dillard

• Charming home in the heart of Sky Valley

• 4BR/3BA • All season covered deck

• Gently sloping lot w/ easy access driveway

MLS 10405624 • $593,000 Nate Conkling 407-876-0242

Robyn Conkling 407-717-6971

208 Colony Rd • Dillard

• 2BR/2BA • 2,231 SQ FT • 10.45+ AC

• Stunning 1922 cottage by appt only

• Mature landscaping • Sun porch • Views

• Two basement areas

• Garage

MLS 10339692 • $859,000 Nic Poss 706-982-0872

610 Claude Lane • Tiger

• 33.44± ac farm near Lake Burton

• Mtn views, pasture, and stream

• 1,650 SQ FT main house

• Guest house • Multiple outbuildings

MLS 10459611 • $1,200,000

Jim Blalock 706-490-1404

31 Creekside Ln. • Clayton

• 2 + AC w/ THREE homes!

• Primary residence: 3BR/1.5BA

• Residence, long or short-term rental

• 3 outbuildings, water feature, workshop

MLS 10457076 • $595,000

Tiffany English 706-490-1012

• Two homes • Open floor plan

• A tile walk-in shower in the master

• Unfinished basement • Garage

• Second home is a lovely older cabin

MLS 10465659 • $895,000 Sam Rumsey 706-982-9673

817 Long Laurel Ridge Dr • Lakemont

• Stunning mountain views

• Near outdoor rec, dining and shopping

• Master on the main level

• Deck with picturesque views

MLS 10390131 • $699,000

Kasie Campbell 706-982-4770

• 4BR/3.5BA

• Large open floor plan w/

fireplace

• Cathedral ceilings & covered decks

• Massive 2-car garage & workshop

MLS 10450906 • $899,000 Laura Glenn 404-312-8658

Northridge is located on the northern ridges of Tiger Mtn. Estate Tracts of 3 to over 10 Acres in pristine forest featuring clear springs, creek and outstanding mountain and valley views. Perfect for your dream home in the mountains. Scott Poss 706-490-2305

888 Moccasin Creek Road - Lakeside Retreat on Lake Burton

Experience mountain serenity and lakeside luxury with this exceptional property on Lake Burton in Northeast Georgia. Offering stunning western views, this home is perfect as a full-time residence or vacation getaway. Originally built in 1978 and thoughtfully updated, the home features an open-concept great room with hardwood floors, a chef’s kitchen, and a cozy wood-burning fireplace. The main floor includes a spacious primary bedroom with an en-suite bath, a second bedroom, a full bath, and an office/guest space. The finished basement is ideal for guests, featuring two bedrooms, a full bath, a kitchenette, and a living area with lake views. Enjoy outdoor living with a screened porch, landscaped yard, and a fire pit overlooking the water. A two-stall boathouse provides easy access to swimming and water sports. This rare lakeside gem balances comfort, luxury, and adventure.

Don’t miss the chance to own this incredible retreat on Lake Burton!

MLS 10467598 • $4,299,000 Page Rhoad 770-861-3149

5345 Wolffork Rd • Rabun Gap

bath

582 Wynngate Dr • Dillard

on 3+/- AC w/ views

stone