Gwinnett Citizen South October 2018

CITIZEN

Vol. 30 No. 12

Homecoming surprise

page 4

Est. 1988 Covering Snellville, Lawrenceville, Grayson, Loganville

FREE

Art of hospitality

page 21

Life goals

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Spookier than ever!

Netherworld Haunted House open through November 4th at new location

By Julie Thompson GwinnettCitizen.com

SUMC celebrates 135 years page 17

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So u t h

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This Halloween season, the recently relocated Netherworld Haunted House will be spookier than ever with elaborate new sets and sinister background stories.

Guests can also enjoy additional activities including three escape rooms, activity rooms and expanded free parking.

For the past year, the staff has been constructing a set that is meant to be bigger and better than anything they’ve done before.

The attraction has moved to a larger building on 2076 W. Park Place Blvd. near stone Mountain.

“We really love this new building,” co-owner Ben Armstrong said

of the new 70,000 square foot warehouse that he and his partner now own. Following Netherworld’s ongoing model, there are two separate haunted houses, and depending on their ticket purchase, guests can choose to enter a single attraction or both.

Stepping foot in the haunt called “The Awakened”, guests will embark on a journey through the evil city of Whyshburg. They must pass through numerous layers of the disrupted town, including the village, a haunted forest, and a wicked mansion only to enter a portal that will transport them into the Netherworld. And to make it out to the other side, they must cross paths with numerous malignant creatures lurking in the dark.

With additional space on the property, the owners have added more outdoor revelries to the attraction as well. Once guests make

See ESCAPE on Page 30

OCTOBER 2018

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In each of the escape rooms at Netherworld, players must work together to solve the clues on time. Anywhere from four to eight players might play at once.

Opportunities to Give at Bethesda Elementary the 16th Green Financial School celebrates new Charity Golf Classic outdoor classroom!

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INSIDE Picture Perfect 4 Gwinnett Pulse 6 What’s in a Name 13 Road Runner 14 Health & Wellness 18 Spiritual 24 PRESORT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ABC DIRECT ECR-WSS POSTAL CUSTOMER

Roger Green, AVC Co-Founder Beth Mahaffey, and Michael Green

By Julie Thompson GwinnettCitizen.com The secluded lawns of River Club in Suwanee were the setting for the 16th Charity Golf Classic hosted by Green Financial Resources LLC (GFR). Participants got to enjoy the sport while donating directly to two local nonprofits — The Auditory-Verbal Center and Friends of Gwinnett Seniors, as their sponsorship.

While everyone who participated in the tournament may be eligi-

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ble for a tax write-off next April, for Roger Green, the purpose is always to inspire a passion for giving.

“That to me is one of the greatest blessings in life — to be able to help someone who has greater needs than your own”, Roger said.

Roger recently celebrated 30 years of helping people with their money. He got started in the investment business when he was 19; his wife Laura joined him as COO 18 years ago, and now, two of their

See GREEN on Page 22

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Dr. Pam Williams and 2017-18 PTA President Lesli Seta cut the ribbon on the new outdoor classroom.

By Lesli Seta PTA President 2017-18 Etched into the bricks of this new structure is a heartfelt message, “This pavilion is dedicated to the Bethesda Family - past, present and future - with love, from the 2017-18 PTA.” It’s no wonder that this sweet gem of a school inspired its PTA

Board to take on the task of raising money, obtaining the required permits, and building this outdoor classroom.

Bethesda Elementary School, located on Bethesda School Road in Lawrenceville, was established in 1905 with one large classroom and

See BETHESDA on Page 28

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October 2018

My fishing days are over

Accepting New Patients!

2356 Rockbridge Road SW, Suite 103 eastlightdental.com • 678-395-5913

Let us Brighten Special Photo

Trophy Northern Pike – Wolverine River.

Your

Smile

Bill York

Nonagenarian It all started on my grandfather’s farm when I was 10 years old, during the Great Depression. When my chores were done, I dug some worms, got my cane pole and headed for the old mine pond.

Maybe three hours later, I had my stringer full of chunky sunfish and bluegill. My grandmother was always pleased.

In the Navy, I sometimes saw dolphins and porpoises surfing our bow waves. Occasionally, we spotted a whale. Once we saw a pod of Orcas.

After taking one trip to the Great Slave Lake in the Canadian Northwest Territory, where I caught 155 lake trout in a week averaging 21 pounds, my future vacations were set.

Over the next thirty years, I was able to arrange my vacations and fish for freshwater trophies in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Canada.

I also fished the Columbia, Deschutes, Lewis and Fraser rivers in the Pacific Northwest. I caught a 90-pound white sturgeon in the Fraser River.

Rivers in British Columbia provide Chinook, Coho and Steelhead salmon in lengths that will boggle your mind.

Years ago, I caught rainbow trout in Lake Lanier. Soon after Lanier was stocked with stripers, the trout were gone.

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Bill York with trophy Muskie on Leech Lake MN.

I’m not fond of saltwater fishing, but while on vacation in Destin, I entered a local tournament and caught a 50-pound Cobia in a trench within sight of our gulf-side motel.

I had many customers who had farm ponds where I caught big mouth bass. In one pond, I hooked the biggest snapping turtle I had ever seen. It was a magnificent creature, possibly thirty pounds. With my tongs, I carefully removed my hook. The turtle could bite my finger off. For a moment I considered turtle stew, but I decided to release it back into its world.

The photograph of the northern pike is always in a museum in my head. Fishing the Wolverine River in Nunavut, I caught the fish twice in four days. The fish was recognizable by three scars behind its dorsal fin. The Indian guide I was with had caught her before and named her “Big Momma.”

Three strokes have stopped my traveling but good memories remain.

Canada has a catch-and-release law, so they will always have great fishing.

Bill is a 92-year old WW II Navy veteran and retired President of York Furs in Buckhead. You can contact him by email at Sioux2222@gmail.com

Co-Publishers/Editors Auveed Bagheri Cawthon Chris Cawthon PO Box 1779 • Lawrenceville, Ga 30046 • Office (770) 963-3699 www.gwinnettcitizen.com • info@gwinnettcitizen.com The mission of gwinnettcitizen.com newspaper, a publication of Media Maker Group Inc. dba gwinnettcitizen.com, is to provide our readers with stories about their communities and people. Our stories and photos bring to life the passion of living, working, playing, living healthy and worshiping in Gwinnett County. We help connect readers with local businesses to facilitate and promote shopping and buying local.

The newspaper, a free publication, is direct mailed to 3 geographic zones in Gwinnett County containing hyper-local news pertinent to each community for a total monthly distribution of 60,000 printed copies in Gwinnett County.

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October 2018

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A Homecoming Surprise!

Meredith Chastain & Meghan Schroder Picture Perfect

This month we started our annual homecoming games. They are always a delight to photograph because it is fun to see all the alumni,

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school spirit and the crowning of the king and queen. This year we got particularly emotional at Mountain View High School as Freshman Zyon Taylor, on the homecoming court, received an amazing surprise.

Her dad was stationed overseas for three years and surprised her as she was being escorted out on the field.

There was hardly a dry eye in the stands.

We also were amazed by the school spirit at Central Gwinnett.

Their parade was having unfortunate rainstorms. The parade went on with great attendance and we particularly liked the spirit of Queen Emilie Wilkenson and King Isaiah

McCallah. They waved exuberantly from their car and you would never have thought the weather was an issue.

October is also the heart of the GFL season with many Gwinnett County kids playing football or cheering for their city and preparing for the intense Gwinnett County Cheer Off. The Archer Sims family is a perfect example of this. The mom, Kelly Sims, is team mom for the 3rd-grade team with her adorable and proficient gymnastic tumbler, Payton Belle. Payton is fun to watch and has been known to even backflip

See SURPRISE Page 5

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SURPRISE continued from page 4 during halftime shows. The squad will be defending their third consecutive championship this month. The dad, Scott Sims, and brother are also very active on the 5th-grade football side. Let me add that they shift into heavy football and softball as soon as spring starts.

Another squad preparing to defend their third title is the Grayson 4th Grade Cheerleading team. The head coach is Kenya Vickers. Her family is a Grayson cheerleading dynasty. Kenya started coaching her old daughter Grayson High School freshman, Laura, seven years ago.

Laura has now moved on to the high school football cheer team but can be seen assistant coaching younger sister, Sasha. This family is definitely united in their passion for cheer.

One of our favorite coaching staffs we have gotten to know throughout the years is the Dacula High School duo of Tracy Keefer and Kristin Croteau. Coach Keefer started the softball program at Dacula and Croteau was one of her players. Fast forward 22 years and Croteau is now her Assistant Coach at that same program. Throughout the years, Coach Keefer has grown the program and had loads of success.

But some of her biggest successes are in teaching the athletes lessons

October 2018

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that will last throughout their lives off the field. Another victory she can count is mentoring her successor - Coach Croteau - and helping to give her the tools to carry on a great program.

Over at Grayson Elementary, the Teacher of the Year was recently announced. Janice Rials is a second-grade teacher who is infamous for her well-behaved classes and innovative teaching methods. Rials recently wrote a book, “There is no moon at my house - Parenting advice

from a Veteran Teacher”. I guarantee you that many of her former students and their parents would recommend her methods!

As fall is finally in the air, we are heading into Senior Nights, playoffs, and the holiday season. Seems like the makings of some great memories….and some great photographs!

email: magicmoment777@yahoo.com or call 770-979-4203

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Gwinnett Pulse 55th SGHS Class Reunion

By Jim Cofer On September 14, 2018 the South Gwinnett High School class of 1963 met for its 55th reunion brunch and fellowship. It was also Coach Jack Britt’s 92nd birthday, and we were pleased that he and wife Peggy could join us (cake erroneously says 91). He entertained us with old Navy WW II stories where he was at the wheel of a warship in a Pacific naval battle at age 16. A high percentage of the living alumni were present along with Photo by Emmett Clower spouses.

L-R: Mary Murell, Joa Stephens, Joyce Mitchell, Jo Mchan, Joyce Hewatt, Doris Worthington, Greta Coble, Nancy Camp, Brenda Reese, Janice Dotson, Glyndia Norton.

Photo by Emmett Clower

Coach Jack Britt.

Photo by Emmett Clower

Photo by Emmett Clower

Coach Britt’s 92nd birthday cake.

Breakfast with alumni.

Gwinnett transit kicks off test program for door-to-door bus service in Snellville

By Staff Reports

Gwinnett Transit launched a pilot program on Sept. 17 that will provide six months of free door-to-door bus service in Snellville.

The on-demand service will use seven 12-passenger buses operating from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. The service is accessible to everyone and can be used for appointments, shopping and visits, as well as to connect with GRTA buses going downtown.

“As we developed our comprehensive transit plan earlier this year, we received a lot of community feedback that serving areas like

Snellville needed to be a priority,” said Karen Winger, Transit Division director. “Since regular bus routes require more population density than Snellville has, we had to come up with another way to do it. Microtransit seemed to be the next best option. It’s flexible and comprehensive. We hope it will be a good fit.”

After six months, the service will pause while the transit team analyzes what worked and what needs to be improved before renewing the service in Snellville and eventually adding the service to Dacula and Buford. Ultimately, the program will roll out over the next 20 years to include seven areas of the county without transit service.

Riders can request service by using an app that will also show the bus’s location and estimated arrival time.

To schedule a pickup time for an on-demand ride, patrons can download the free Microtransit app (available for iOS and Android devices).

The app allows patrons to enter pickup and drop-off locations, a pickup time, passenger count and whether a wheelchair or other mobility device is being used. Visit https://microtransitapp.com to learn more about the Microtransit app.

You can also reserve your trip by calling Gwinnett County Transit Customer Service at (770) 822-5010 and selecting the Microtransit option.

Parkview retirees meet for lunch

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Back row (L-R): Sandra Smethers, Lynda Royal, Ed Hunt, Martha Lynn Hunt, Scott Smith, Lynn Morlock, Becky Munro, Front Row:(L-R) Neil Carlson, Terry Drenning, Marlene Ratledge Buchanan, Nancy Smith Meek, Cece Landress, Irv Zisselman, Tony Thacker

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October 2018

Maternal Gynerations Moves Practice to New Building

By Julie Thompson GwinnettCitizen.com Maternal Gynerations (pronounced Maternal Generations) has provided obstetrics and gynecological care for generations of women. Over the past 20 years, the practice functioned in a 14,000 square foot office on Old Norcross Road, in Lawrenceville. The twelve providers OB/GYN practice has outgrown its current space and will be moving to a large office building on Professional Drive, which will formally be known as, “The Maternal Gynerations Building.”

The practice will occupy a space of 18,000 square feet on the second floor of 600 Professional Drive, in Lawrenceville. The space has been renovated to include more than 30 exam rooms, 2 procedure rooms, and an imaging suite. It has also been redesigned with all new furniture, artwork and exam tables.

Maternal Gynerations had roughly a dozen employees when it first moved to the office on Old Norcross Road. In the past two decades, the practice has grown to more than 50 employees and has two office locations in Gwinnett County.

Recently, Dr. Laura Morgigno was brought on board to become the newest OB/GYN of the practice. She joined the practice in the fall.

She is a Long Island, NY native. She graduated from SUNY Stony Brook with a BA in Art History.

She then went on to receive her medical degree at Ross University School of Medicine and completed her OB/GYN residency at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. She has a special interest in high-risk obstetrics and adolescent gynecology. Dr. Morgigno is board-certified and thoroughly trained in women’s health. “We think she’s going to be a significant addition to our practice,” said Dr. Andrew Doris.

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The practice will be opening the doors to the new space in mid-October. With the additional 4,000 square feet, Maternal Gynerations will have space to expand its services. The new office will include 3D/4D ultrasonography and a state-of-the-art mammography suite. With the new mammography suite, patients will be able to coordinate annual breast screenings with their annual exams, adding a layer of convenience and enhancing patient care. As the practice continues to grow, it will begin adding new specialized professionals to further broaden its capabilities. The practice has plans of adding a nurse practitioner who is a licensed lactation specialist, in the early months of 2019.

Maternal Gynerations offers an array of services ranging from high-risk pregnancy assistance to treatment for various women’s health concerns. While some services, like mammogram screenings, will only be offered at the main office in Lawrenceville, most conditions can be treated in either location. The practice uses Gwinnett Medical Center exclusively for deliveries and various surgical procedures. The hospital provides access to additional technology and equipment that enhances the practice’s level of care.

Dr. Doris is one of only two physicians to perform robotic gynecological surgeries at Gwinnett Medical Center, where he uses a technology called the Da Vinci Surgical System. This technology adds better visualization, greater flexibility and range of motion for difficult procedures like the removal of uterine fibroids, ovarian masses, and others.

“Robotic surgery, in general, is a revolution in how we go about doing surgery. It takes minimally invasive surgery to a whole new level as far as the complexity of the procedures we are allowed to do.” Dr. Doris commented.

One of the great things about the new space is that it will look more up-to-date and reflect the progressive treatment the practice offers. “We wanted the quality of our space to match the quality of our care,” Dr. Doris said.

From outside the new office, visitors will see a large sign with an updated logo depicting two parents holding each other and their infant. The inside will feature a modern look with cool colors and a relaxing atmosphere.

Maternal Gynerations aims to continue offering expert care from both male and female physicians, alongside the nurse practitioners to meet the needs of all women at all stages of life. For more information, visit www.maternalgynerations.net.

The office is now booking mammogram screening appointments with openings as early as December. It will also continue to host the postpartum depression support group lead by a licensed counselor. The sessions are held every month and are free to all patients. Contact the office to learn more about upcoming sessions or visit their website.

During the move, the practice will have modified office hours. Once the move has been completed, normal office hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, will resume.

To book an appointment call, 770.513.4000 or visit the Patient Portal on the website.

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Gwinnett officials break ground on Bay Creek Police Precinct and Alternate 911 Center

By Staff Reports

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners and Gwinnett County Police Department officials broke ground on the Bay Creek Police Pre-

cinct/Alternate 911 Center project in September.

The 4.2-acre site will be home to a 12,249-square-foot police precinct building that will serve the county’s growing southeastern region and a

6,236-square-foot alternate 911 center, which will be used as backup for the County’s main emergency 911 call center in Lawrenceville.

Police Chief Butch Ayers said, “When fully staffed, the police precinct will serve as the base of operations for 65 officers, dramatically increasing police presence in this area and reducing response times.”

The precinct building, which will serve as a base of operations for the county’s sixth precinct, will include command staff offices, an officers’ squad room, fitness center and evidence storage. It will also hold a community classroom where crime

prevention officers can teach residents about safety, security, self-defense and emergency preparedness.

“The idea of having a precinct in this region has been around for years,” said District 3 Commissioner Tommy Hunter. “It took a backseat during the recession, but now, after years of planning, we’re ready to serve the 140,000 people and counting who live in this new precinct area with the additional police presence they’ve been asking for.”

Cooper & Company General Contractors will build the precinct and 911 center as designed by Precision Planning. The $12 million

construction cost of the project is funded by the 2009, 2014 and 2017 SPLOST programs.

Board of Commissioners Chairman Charlotte Nash said, “I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the voters, who time and time again have voted to approve the SPLOST program. We appreciate the trust our residents have that we will use their pennies wisely to meet the capital needs of our growing population.”

The project will be complete in 2019. The new precinct and 911 center will be located at 185 Ozora Road in Loganville, next to Bay Creek Park.

percentage of the city’s population they represent.

Snellville finished sixth in the state in the rankings.

The study looked at state and local tax rates, considering two types of taxes – income and sales. The study calculated effective rates based on a typical retiree, earning $35,000 annually (from retirement savings, social security or part-time employment), and spending their disposable income on taxable

goods. Next, the study determined the number of doctors’ offices, recreation centers and retirement centers per 1,000 residents in each area. Finally, it found the number of seniors in each area as a percentage of the total population.

Snellville has 7.9 doctor’s offices, one recreation center and .5 retirement centers per 1,000 people. The percentage of the population deemed a “senior” is 17.1 of Snellville’s population.

Snellville ranks high on list of best places to retire in state

By Staff Reports

The city is one of the top places to retire in the state, according to a new study.

The study by SmartAsset, a financial technology company, ranked the cities with the most recreational and social opportunities for retirees. SmartAsset’s index factors in the number of recreation centers and retirement centers available to seniors as well as the

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October 2018

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Plan Now To Reduce Uncertainty

James Miskell

Estate Planning

“Trick or treat” rings out every Halloween as children go door to door hoping for their favorite candy. My kids love sorting the candy at the end of the night and finding surprises in their candy haul. Part of the fun and excitement of trick or treating is the uncertainty —you don’t know what you are going to get. Dying without estate planning is a lot like trick or treat for your surviving family members—no one knows what they are going to get.

If you die without advance planning, any property you own (your estate) will likely end up in Probate Court. An Administrator will be appointed by the Court. Usually, a family member will file a petition asking

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to be appointed the Administrator of the estate. The Court will require that all of your heirs be notified and that a notice is published in the newspaper alerting creditors that they can file a claim against your estate to recover any debts they claim you owed. If any of these heirs believe that they are better suited to be Administrator, they can object to the petition. Eventually, the Court will either grant the petition or appoint another person to be the Administrator.

The property in the estate will be distributed according to Georgia law—not necessarily according to your wishes. You may want your spouse to receive all your property when you die. The disappointing fact is that if you die without planning ahead, Georgia law dictates that your spouse must divide your property with your children. The law dictates who qualifies as an heir and the portion of your estate that each heir is entitled to receive. Once the hierarchy of heirs is determined, the Administrator will distribute the assets of the estate. If the assets of the estate cannot be fairly distributed, the Administrator will make decisions about which assets to sell and how to sell those assets. The sale of assets can be time consuming and

“Whether your estate is large or small, planning ahead lets you control costs” result in family members waiting long periods of time to receive funds.

Administrators of estates are paid for the work they do managing an estate. They are entitled to two and a half percent of all funds they collect into an estate and two and a half percent of all funds that are paid out of the estate. If there is real estate or other property to distribute, an Administrator (with the approval of the Court) can receive as much as three percent of the value of the property. Administrator compensation and legal fees are paid from the estate before heirs receive their inheritance. This means that the heirs get less.

Whether your estate is large or small, planning ahead lets you control costs and take the uncertainty out of the process for your family.

Planning that includes a will or living trust allows you to appoint the right person to handle your estate and to pay that person as much or as little as you think is right. You can designate the right people to be guard-

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ians for your minor children. You can make sure your possessions go to the right people—the people who will truly appreciate them.

Uncertainty is fun and exciting at Halloween but excitement and uncertainty are not so fun for your heirs during a time when they are grieving. Make sure your family doesn’t look back on the administration of your estate and think, like Charlie Brown at Halloween, “I got a rock.”

James M. Miskell received his law degree from the University of Georgia in 1993. His Asset Protection, Estate Planning and Elder Law practice have offices located in Lawrenceville and Johns Creek. He offers educational workshops and free consultations to assist clients as well as fellow professionals in creating individualized solutions. Visit his website: www.LetsTalkEstatePlanning.com. For more information, see his ad in this issue.

Gwinnett County Animal Welfare celebrates Adopt-A-Dog month Gwinnett Animal Welfare and Enforcement is waiving all fees on adoptions through Oct. 20 in celebration of Adopt-a-Dog Month.

The animal shelter has large, small, mixed breeds and purebred dogs that are homeless and waiting for their new family. The free adoption special applies to cats and kittens, too.

All pets adopted at Gwinnett Animal Welfare are vaccinated, neutered and microchipped before they go to their new home.

“During Adopt-a-Dog Month, we encourage residents to visit the Gwinnett animal shelter to meet a potential new sidekick,” said Director Alan Davis.

Animal Welfare staff will offer trick-or-treat refreshments for visitors and Halloween candy for children Oct. 25 through Halloween.

Animal Welfare and Enforcement professionals will be onsite with helpful tips and information about pet care and the importance of spaying or neutering your cat or dog.

The shelter is located at 844 Winder Highway, Lawrenceville.

Visit www.gwinnettanimalwelfare.com for updates on available pets and activities.

October 2018

Eastside Medical Center performs first robotic-arm assisted total knee replacement in Gwinnett County, GA Eastside Medical Center utilizes the latest robotic technology to transform joint replacement and offer each patient personalized surgical experience.

Eastside Medical Center utilizes the latest robotic technology to transform joint replacement and offer each patient personalized surgical experience.

(Snellville, GA) (September 13, 2018)- Eastside Medical Center is the first hospital in Gwinnett County, Georgia to perform a robotic-arm assisted total knee replacement with the Mako System. The surgery was performed at Eastside Medical Center’s main campus hospital in late August. This latest advancement in joint replacement surgery transforms the way total knee replacements are performed.

“Robotic-assisted surgery is changing the way joint replacement surgeries are performed by providing each patient with a personalized surgical experience based on their specific diagnosis and anatomy,” said Stephen Higgins, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Eastside Medical Center. “Using a virtual 3D model, the robotic-arm allows surgeons to create each patient’s surgical plan pre-operatively before entering the operating room. During

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surgery, the surgeon can validate that plan and make any necessary adjustments while guiding the robotic-arm to execute that plan. It’s exciting to be able to offer this transformative technology across Eastside’s joint replacement service line to perform total and partial knee replacements.”

The Mako robotic-arm assisted application used at Eastside Medical Center is a knee replacement treatment option designed to relieve the pain caused by joint degeneration due to osteoarthritis. This technology enables surgeons to have a more predictable surgical experience with increased accuracy.

In celebration of the addition of the Mako System to Eastside’s robot family, the hospital is engaging all middle school students in the communities they serve to help make history at Eastside and throughout Gwinnett County by naming the robot. All middle school students in Gwinnett and Walton counties are invited to enter Eastside’s “Name the Robot” art contest.

The robot’s new name will be unveiled at the hospital’s robotics community open house and “Name the Robot” awards ceremony on October 25th. At this time, the winning student will receive a $100 cash prize, a personalized trophy, and a $500 donation for their school. Attendees at this event will also have the opportu-

nity to “drive the robot” with a hands on experience under the supervision of Eastside Medical Center’s team of orthopedic surgeons. All “Name the Robot” entries were due by October 1. For more information, you can visit EastsideMedical.com/NametheRo-

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bot

“We are proud to be the first hospital in Gwinnett County to offer this highly advanced robotic technology, “ said Trent Lind, Chief Executive Officer at Eastside Medical Center. “This addition to our orthopedic service

line demonstrates our commitment to provide our community with the highest level of care and the most advanced medical technology.”

For more information on Eastside Medical Center, you can visit EastsideMedical.com.

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Eating Well as You Age! Superfoods for Super Smart Seniors Chili dogs may be awesome for the soul, but they may not be so great for the body on a regular basis.

Having good nutritional habits is vital to our health---and this is especially true as we age. Nurturing our bodies with the right foods to live long and live strong--- and nurturing our brains with foods that help maintain cognitive function-- are imperative for overall wellness. Truth is-- what we eat matters While there are a plethora of nutritional guides advising us on the right foods to incorporate into our diets for better aging, it’s much more difficult to find creative ways to make them taste good. In recognition of National Nutrition Month, we will explore fresh and easy ways for seniors to add healthy superfoods into their daily diet so they can begin wanting what the body needs.

The Power of SUPERFOODS and Antioxidants: While all fresh vegetables, fruits, and natural meats are dense with nutrients, minerals, and vitamins, certain foods are so rich in nutrients that they are referred to as ‘Superfoods.’

Superfoods are nutrient and antioxidant-packed foods that are notably beneficial to health and wellbe-

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ing. Antioxidant-rich superfoods like berries, chia, beans, kale, artichoke, trout, salmon, and seeds are especially important to fight against a myriad of age-related conditions that can impair your memory and thwart your brain function. These foods also help to fight against life-threatening illnesses like cancer and heart disease.

Pack a Crunch with Seeds and Nuts: Seeds and nuts are often forgotten. But they are excellent for a grab and go snack. Nuts like walnuts are high in alpha-linolenic acid, a type of brain-boosting omega 3 fatty acid.

Mix nuts and seeds into your favorite yogurt or oatmeal. Or grab a handful and eat them by themselves. Chia

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seeds are mini-powerhouses packed with antioxidants and are a great source of nutrients for seniors. Chia pudding is a tasty way to get all the benefits of the chia seed.

Eat Your Veggies: You really should listen to your mother. Eat your vegetables-- especially cruciferous ones like Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, cabbage, arugula, collard greens, kale, and cauliflower. These are all great foods to easily fuse into your diet. Substitute your tortilla wrap for a leafy green like a collard leaf.

Sautéed Brussel sprouts and with a light balsamic glaze. Make a tasty salad. Pack a punch and add kale

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to your berry smoothie for a ’super’ drink. The possibilities are endless and veggies are versatile. Just get creative.

Don’t forget your Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega- 3 Fatty Acids are essential to good brain health particularly DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Seafood is a fantastic source of Omega- 3 Fatty Acids. Fatty fish like sardines, wild salmon bluefin tuna, and herring are especially high in Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Substituting meats like ground beef for fish 2 times a week can have a significant impact on your health. If you don’t eat seafood, don’t worry. Seaweed, fish oil and microalgae are all great supplements to get the benefit without eating seafood.

Creating a healthy, happy lifestyle through food might seem like a challenge in the busyness and convenience of today’s world. But choosing to commit to a healthy, happy lifestyle is worth the effort---especially as we age. Being at your healthiest allows you to enjoy time with your family, evenings with friends, and the knowledge that you are taking advantage of every moment you have to live the best life you can. For more information on healthy living in an environment clinically proven

to produce positive outcomes in the health and lives of seniors, call Dogwood Forest of Grayson at 678-4962319. www.dogwoodforest.com

EASY CHIA PUDDING RECIPESimply add in a jar 1 ½ cups of milk (almond, coconut or cow’s milk) to chia seeds, along with 2 tbsp of sweetener (maple syrup, or runny honey), and ½ tsp of vanilla extract. Shake and let chill for 1 hour. Shake again and let chill for another 4 hours. You can spice up your pudding with other antioxidant-rich foods like strawberries, blueberries, pistachios, and almonds.

If you want something more decadent add in another rich superfood, cacao or cocoa powder and cinnamon for a chocolate treat.

October 2018

What’s in a name?

By Katie Hart Smith GwinnettCitizen.com Which Gwinnett city established the first public library in the county? a) Grayson b) Snellville c) Norcross The correct answer is (c) Norcross. The first public library in Gwinnett was created by the Norcross Woman’s Club in 1907. The original public library was relocated in 1922 to a new building. The project was funded by a generous donor, Edward Buchanan who made the first car south of the Mason-Dixon Line, called “NorX,” in 1908. Today, the Gwinnett County Public Library System consists of fifteen locations.

The City of Norcross, located in the western part of Gwinnett County, was incorporated in 1870, becoming the second oldest city in Gwinnett.

The area, formerly occupied by Cherokee and Creek Indians, was an important transportation route because it was situated along the Eastern Continental Divide, meaning streams traveling west of the city flow into the Chattahoochee River ultimately reach the Gulf of Mexico and waterways east of Norcross drain into the Yellow River eventually reach the Atlantic Ocean. Jonathan Norcross, the fourth Mayor of Atlanta, proposed that the Richmond-Danville Railroad build routes north of the city of Atlanta into the area of Gwinnett County with the hopes of opening up the northern region to commerce and growth.

Although the Civil War halted construction plans, twenty miles of tracks were eventually installed thirteen years later. The Brunswick Hotel, established in 1870, gave downtown-dwelling Atlanta residents a retreat destination in west Gwinnett.

In 1889, John Thrasher bought 250 acres surrounding the railroad depot and named the town after his friend, Norcross. As a result of the railroad, communities, businesses, and churches sprang up.

Did you know Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church of Norcross was founded by African-American newly-freed slaves? The church, also referred to as “The City of Hope,” was originally created in 1865. Since that time, seven additional churches have branched out from this location and have been placed throughout

other areas of the country to serve its growing congregation. Pastor William Sheals has been serving his members for thirty-eight years.

In 1980, the town of Norcross was added to the list of the National Register of Historic Places. The population of Norcross has nearly tripled from 5,515 in 1990 to over 16,787 residents in 2016 according

to the U.S Census. Norcross, located twenty miles northeast of downtown Atlanta, consists of 4.65 square miles.

For more information about the City of Norcross and their calendar of community events, visit: http:// www.norcrossga.net/index.aspx.

Fall Back Nov. 4th October 2018

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The Gwinnett Roadrunner

“ON THE RUN” By Mary Frazier Long

A SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAY IN THE USA

Mary Frazier Long

Gwinnett County Author, Historian QUOTABLES

“Anyone who is concerned about his dignity should stay away from small children.”

“Older men declare war, but it is the youth who must fight and die.”

Herbert Hoover “There isn’t much to be seen in a small town, but what you hear makes up for it.” Kin Hubbard “A true friend is the best possession.” Benjamin Franklin “Gray hair is a sign of age, not wisdom.” Greek Proverb

May I have another dip?

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tober 7, 1937, “Gwinnett County is going to have a brand new up-todate jail. Work started on the new prison last week, which is to cost approximately $12,000. The old structure is being rapidly demolished and the new building will occupy the same site. The concrete wall will be as escape proof as a man can make it.”

MEET ELIZABETH DEBBAN

Elizabeth is the Visual Arts teacher at Brookwood High School and a Volley Ball coach, she also paints in her spare time. Elizabeth is a member of the Beta Rho Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society.

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Good Morning!

was sent to me by Mary Blair Arnold and the book is the story of pioneer inventor and aviator Micajah Clark Dyer, he might be a relative of J.G. Dyer for whom Dyer School was named.

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After being recalled to active duty and spending birthdays outside the USA, Victor Long was proud to spend the 2018 birthday at home in Lawrenceville LAWRENCEVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTERS 1947

CLEVELAND COUSINS

North Georgia is beautiful all year long but especially when the leaves are turning all colors. These cousins enjoyed the beauty of the season as they visited Cleveland and points north.

PAST OCTOBER EVENTS

• October 1897, the first fair of Gwinnett County Fair Association was held in Lawrenceville.

• In October 1924, gas was 20 cents a gallon.

• October 18, 1925 issue of the News-Herald, “A number of young people enjoyed a possum hunt chaperoned by Mr. and Mrs. Fred Byrd.”

• October 29, 1929, the Stock Market crash signaled the beginning of The Great Depression.

• The News-Herald, Thursday, Oc-

Elizabeth Debban

Photo by Mary Long

GOOD READ

FLYING OFF RATTLESNAKE MOUNTAIN by Sylvia Dyer Turnage

ALPHA DELTA KAPPA (BETA SIGMA)

Members of Beta Sigma Executive Board met in September to plan for the new 2018-2020 meetings.

Alpha Delta Kappa is an international honorary organization of women educators dedicated to educational excellence. During the 2016/2018 biennium, the Beta Sigma Chapter won the Seven Pearls Award, the highest chapter award given by the international Alpha Delta Kappa Board for successful implementation of the principles of sound membership development. Beta Sigma has also earned the Cornucopia Award, the Gold Award, and the Distinguished Program Award

Photo by Mary Long

L-R: Janelle and Randall Bragg with first cousin Sandra Austin. Sandra retired from Lawrenceville City Hall and enjoys visiting her many cousins throughout the state. Sandra has 23 first cousins.

Photo by Mary Long

Lawrenceville Volunteer Fire Department January 1947, Clockwise from topleaning on hose Gene Hamilton, D.C. Bennett, Shorty Thompson, Arnold Huff, E. Haney, Jesse Richardson (mayor), Carl Herrington (fire chief), Gaines Lowry, Fred Canon, Major Elrod, Hoyt Huff, E.E. (Slim) Daniels.

PAST TENSE PHOTOS

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Left: Grayson High Alumni meeting in 2008 Drucilla Gregg, Jeanette Burton, Margaret Bullock, and Betty Britt

Photo by Mary Long

The members at the planning meeting holding the awards they received during the 2016-2018 biennium: First row L-R: President Melissa Kinard, Pat Carpenter, Lori Ziecker and Nona Patterson. Standing from Left to right Anita Cole, Susan Inserra, Angelo Terrell, Barbara Walling, Mary Anne Meeks, Marcy Boutselis, Annett Hildreth, Sigrid Serpico, Ramona Ricks, President-elect, and Jennifer Kearson.

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Mary Long Photo

Mary Long Photo

This photo of Billy Kerlin brings back memories of all the good tomatoes he shared with his friends for many years.

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Mary Long Photo

1998 photo of World War II Veteran T.W. Green

2007 Methodist Camp Meeting Mike and Bobby Plunkett with Bob Biggers. Bobby Plunkett was Gwinnett County Sheriff from 1985-1992, he passed away in 2015.

October 2018

FIRST FAMILIES OF GWINNETT

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Long Family members as Jaletta and Bill inducted into First Families. Lynn & Thomas Smith, Mary Long, Jaletta Smith, Bill Long

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Jason West, portrayed Button Gwinnett, with John Hyatt

The fifteenth annual First Families of Gwinnett induction ceremony was held at the Winn House property on Saturday, September 15, 2018, beginning at 1:00 p.m.

The First Families program objective is to identify and honor the memory of early pioneers of Gwinnett County and to recognize their descendants.

Vicki G. Watkins, Chair of First Families of Gwinnett, planned and presided over the impressive ceremony recognizing 27 new members that have proven descent from 58 ancestors. Beverly Paff and Betty Warbington, Society Co-Presidents opened the program and the invocation was given by Chuck Warbington. Guest speakers were Mary Long, Jason West as Button Gwinnett gave a presentation about Gwinnett and John Hyatt, Button Gwinnett Chapter, NSSAR read The Declaration of Independence.

Vicki Watkins presented certificates to new inductees Gwen Taylor Brogdon, Charles “Chuck” Warbington, Cheryl Wages Hall, Jaletta Long Smith, William Dean Long, Jr., Tyler Boyd Robinson, Ella Yvonne Robinson, Bethany Sheila Taylor Robinson, Jenny Yvonne Braswell Taylor, James Timothy Robinson III, Kathryn Montgomery Baskin, Jessica Leigh Hall Schmidt, Hudson Allen Schmidt, Molly Mae Schmidt, Gerald “Jerry” Garner, Paige Dashner, Melissa Mitchell, Constance McKinnon Hope, Linda Gail Hightower Browne, Loraine Medlock Anderson.

After the program and certificates were awarded, attendees enjoyed dinner on the grounds.

Those who helped to make this program a success were Vicki Watkins, Richard Lux, Beverly Paff, Betty Warbington, Charles Warbington, and John Hopkins.

Bill and Hazel Leach

Connie Hope

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Mary Long Photo

Jaletta Smith with Vicki Watkins, First Families Chairman and Past Society President

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First Families 2018.

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Mary Long Photo

Photo by Mary Long

John Hyatt read The Declaration of Independence

Bill Long

Photo by Mary Long

Jaletta Smith

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Cheryl Hall and Elaine Roberts, Past President of The Gwinnett Historical Society and instrumental In launching The First Families Program

VIRGINIA MCINTOSH CELEBRATION

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINDA OAKES

A large number of Virginia’s family and friends gathered for lunch on September 8 to celebrate the life of this very special lady. Virginia’s children Leigh, Cindy and Tommy, her grandchildren, other family members and lots of her friends joined to surprise Virginia and to celebrate a very special birthday with her. Everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch but the best of all was seeing Virginia really surprised when she walked into the room where the party was held. Virginia is a retired Gwinnett County educator.

When Linda Oakes walked into Summit Chase Country Club about 4 p.m. on September 8, she thought she was having an early dinner.

Instead, she found a room full of friends and her daughter Melanie Moser waiting to surprise her and to celebrate a milestone birthday with her. The room was full of well-wishers, and Linda’s surprise was evident as she collected her wits and greeted everyone with that famous Linda Smile. Linda retired from the law firm Webb, Tanner Powell.

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Linda as she entered the room full of friends

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Historical Society Co President Betty Warbington and Vicki Watkins

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Mary Anna Bryan and Linda Oakes

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Left: Betty Powell and Lawrenceville Mayor Judy Jordan Johnson enjoyed Linda’s party Mary Long Photo

Happy Birthday Virginia McIntosh

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Grace Cain and Marlene Sexton

October 2018

Mary Long Photo

The Sexton Family

Rachel Carpenter, Leigh Couch, and Mary Anna Bryan

Mary Long Photo

Jo Corn, Dr. Lamar Holley, Virginia McIntosh

Is it my day to drive?

Mary Long Photo

The Sexton duo

gwinnettcitizen.com

Mary Long Photo

Mary Long Photo

The dogs own Connor and Carter Sexton

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Capital projects delivery: Improving infrastructure and quality of life

Charlotte J. Nash

County Business

The number of capital projects now under construction by your County government tells me Gwinnett County’s future is bright!

In September, we finally broke ground for a long-awaited new police precinct on Ozora Road adjacent to Bay Creek Park near Loganville. The new facility will also include a backup 911 Call Center in case the main center in Lawrenceville becomes unusable for any reason.

Meanwhile, firefighters opened a new, relocated and expanded Fire Station 15 at 199 Scenic Highway in Lawrenceville. They responded to their first call from the new station on September 20 at 7:55 a.m. The old station across from the Lawrenceville Lawn has been demolished. That site will soon become a Bicentennial Plaza as a legacy of our 200th birthday celebration taking place this year. An improved Bicentennial Trail connects it to the Justice and Administration Center nearby.

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Those two new buildings join a long list of public safety facilities built with pennies raised by various voter-approved SPLOST one-cent sales tax programs. SPLOST has also funded recent expansions that are underway at Graves Park and Alexander Park and a renovation at the Norcross Senior Center. And, more SPLOST projects are in the planning stages so stay tuned for more exciting announcements over the next year.

Since 1985, County voters have wisely chosen to invest in judicial and public safety facilities, roads, parks, and other public assets through a series of SPLOST programs which have raised approximately $3.3 billion for capital improvements. Using pay-as-you-go financing as much as possible has minimized long-term debt and saved us all more than $1.5 billion in financing costs compared to issuing bonds.

Gwinnett residents will vote on a major transportation referendum next spring that will determine the future of transit options throughout Gwinnett. If approved, Gwinnett County, through a contractual arrangement with the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, will then embark on implementing the transit projects laid out in our Connect Gwinnett Transit Plan. The first phase of the plan involves a major expansion of our existing bus service, with other modes of transit, including bus rapid transit and a heavy rail connection to the Doraville station,

to follow. To help pay for it, there would be a penny sales tax dedicated to transit.

Gwinnett transportation planners are also continuing to maintain and expand our network of roads throughout the county. One recent example is road improvements on Club Drive in the Meadowcreek school cluster. Another is widening Pleasant Hill Road from the Chattahoochee River to McClure Bridge Road. Commissioners approved both of these construction contracts last month and both are funded at least partially by SPLOST. Another exciting project about to be built, though not with SPLOST funds, is a new Water Innovation Center for research and education on state-of-the-art water-related technology. Gwinnett has become a world leader through the many innovations in place at our F. Wayne Hill Water Resources Center. The new center will leverage our current position to keep us on the cutting edge of new technologies as they are developed and tested.

As we look back on Gwinnett County’s progress over the past 200 years during our year-long Bicentennial Celebration this year, we are also looking forward to planning and building the necessary infrastructure that will make Gwinnett an even better place to live, work, play, and raise a family in the decades ahead.

October 2018

Snellville UMC celebrates 135 years

Happy 55th Anniversary Dwight & Linda!

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First House of Worship. Making Way for New Chapel.

Present day Snellville United Methodist Church.

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Linda and Dwight Harrison

Photos by Emmett Clower

Dwight and Linda Harrison, Grayson residents, celebrated 55 years of marriage with family, friends, dancing, and the Varsity on September 27, 2018.

Chapel two.

Photo by Emmett Clower

L-R: Rev. Dr. Phil DeMore, Catherine Creasy, Rev. Dr. Jim Cantrell, Marlene O’Brein.

By Andrea Carroll That autumn day in September 1883 must have been a happy and memorable day for a small group of Christian believers who met to organize a Methodist Church in Snellville. The newly formed congregation of 16 members worshiped in the community schoolhouse until the construction of the first church building, a little white wooden church, where the Chapel now stands. The community came to-

October 2018

gether to enjoy pie and box suppers, singings, and other social functions.

One can imagine the horses, wagons, and buggies around the early church on Sunday mornings.

On September 23rd, Snellville United Methodist Church celebrated its 135th anniversary. This special day included a worship service led by the guest preacher, Dr. Phillip D. DeMore, former Senior Pastor, who highlighted the history and bright future of Snellville UMC, reflecting the congregation’s deepest faith and

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sincerest fellowship, linking the past and the future. The celebration continued with a church-wide luncheon where current and former members enjoyed good food and fellowship, surrounded by photos and memorabilia of Snellville UMC’s rich heritage.

Throughout the history of Snellville United Methodist, many generations have experienced baptisms, communions, weddings, and funerals inside this historic church. As Snellville UMC looks forward, new generations will leave their legacy of dedication to God, the community, and welcoming all people into a growing relationship with Jesus.

Photos by Emmett Clower

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Health, Beauty & Wellness Health Department one of only five in nation to meet FDA standards

By Staff Reports Out of 831 jurisdictions enrolled throughout the United States, Gwin-

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nett, Newton and Rockdale County (GNR) Health Departments is now one of only five jurisdictions in the nation to meet all nine standards of the Food

and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program (“Program Standards”).

Conforming to the Program Standards is a rigorous process according to Chris Smith, Retail Food Service director with the FDA: “On average most jurisdictions meet two to three standards out of the nine total.” Smith met with the county boards of health to present the nine standards certificates to Jason Reagan, director of environmental health at GNR Health Departments.

“Who hasn’t eaten at a restaurant in the last year?” Reagan asked. “We have created a uniform standard across our Food Service program. Everyone in our three counties will benefit from safer restaurants, all held to the highest standards.”

By achieving the Program Standards, GNR Health Departments is becoming part of a more uniform national inspection program. The “Trained Regulatory Staff” standard is a good example of how the Program Standards increase the level of consistency and accuracy of food inspections. GNR Health Departments has developed a comprehensive training program where new inspectors are exposed to a variety of foods, cultures, human interactions, and facility conditions during their joint

gwinnettcitizen.com

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Nine standards certificates presented to the Gwinnett Board of Health. (Pictured L-R) Mayor Mike Mason, Alvin Wilbanks, Joseph Sternberg, Louise Radloff, Jason Reagan, Dr. Alan Bier, Dr. Lloyd Hofer, Dr. Earl Grubbs, Chris Smith

field training. Employees also train under a program that covers various food inspection topics, procedures, and protocols in a classroom setting to better prepare them for real-world inspections.

One trainer is assigned to a maximum of two new inspectors for more one-onone interaction.

“Essentially, meeting all nine standards shows that our Food Service program is very similar to the FDA,” said Reagan. “This process is more than just checking boxes. It’s about standardizing our program. Within the Program Standards, we focus on the factors that cause and contribute to foodborne illness and work towards reducing the occurrence of those factors.”

The nine standards include, (1) Regulatory Foundation, (2) Trained Regulatory Staff, (3) Inspection Pro-

gram Based on HACCP Principles, (4) Uniform Inspection Program, (5) Foodborne Illness and Food Defense Preparedness, and Response, (6) Compliance and Enforcement, (7) Industry and Community Relations, (8) Program Support and Resources, and (9) Program Assessment.

There are currently only four other jurisdictions in the country meeting all nine standards. Those include the Kansas City Missouri Health Department (Missouri), City of Vineland Health Department (New Jersey), Portsmouth Health Department (Virginia), and Virginia Beach Department of Public Health (Virginia).

To learn more about the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards, visit the FDA’s website.

October 2018

October 2018

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Peripheral Artery Disease By: Dr. David B. Casey Cardiologist Eastside Heart and Vascular Main Office: 1700 Tree Ln Suite 190 Snellville, GA 30078 Additional Locations in Lawrenceville, Loganville, Monroe, & Athens (770)736-6300 EastsideHeart.com

Why does PAD cause leg pain?

Are you experiencing leg pain?

Leg pain comes in many shapes and sizes. It can be dull and aching or sharp and stabbing. Even tightness and tingling leg pain can be quite uncomfortable. Leg tightness or pain especially when you walk can be caused by poor circulation. That poor circulation has a name: Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD).

PAD infrequently occurs with classic intermittent claudication, 50% have atypical leg pain, 10% have clau-

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icans and is a common but serious medical condition that is caused by the buildup of plaque that makes it difficult for blood to circulate through the arteries of the limbs. It is commonly associated with tobacco abuse, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

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Dr. Chinwe Aligwekwe

dication, and 40% have no leg pain. In fact, in a Women’s Health and Aging study from the journal, Circulation, it was stated that women over the age of 65 years old had no exertional leg symptoms in a majority of the patients enrolled.

PAD occurs in 8.5 million Amer-

When you develop PAD, your extremities (most commonly your legs), do not receive enough blood flow and oxygen to keep up with demand. This causes symptoms, most notably pain or crampy tightness in the calves, thighs, buttocks or legs when walking. The pain of PAD will often go away when you stop walking or exercising.

The crampy pain or tightness (called Intermittent claudication), when caused by PAD, is your muscles way of telling your body that it isn’t receiving enough blood during walking/exercise to meet the in-

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creased demand. As the reduction of blood flow becomes more and more severe, the pain can happen at shorter distances. In its worst form, PAD will be painful when at rest and can form ischemic ulcers and sores.

This will develop on the feet as the tissue actually starts to die causing gangrene. This is called critical limb ischemia (CLI) and occurs when symptoms occur greater than two weeks. If left untreated, 50% of individuals can progress to amputations at 6 to 12 months without intervention with revascularization.

How is PAD treated?

At Eastside Heart and Vascular, there are a number of physicians who can evaluate and treat you for PAD. PAD can be often diagnosed by obtaining an ankle-brachial index (ABI). This is simply where the blood pressure in your legs and arm is measured using a blood pressure cuff. The highest blood pressure in your leg and arm are used to calculate your ABI. We can also do three-minute exercise ABI. In addition, a non-invasive ultrasound can be performed to help identify blockages, as well as CT angiography or MRA of the lower extremities for more complicated cases.

The first line of treatment for PAD involves lifestyle changes including lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar (if diabetic), weight loss, and stopping smoking. Supervised walking programs have been shown to be as effective

as some medical treatments in relieving the symptoms of PAD. Antiplatelet therapy and cilostazol can alleviate symptoms in conjunction with supervised walking programs.

However, if this doesn’t improve symptoms, there are a number of procedures that can be performed to open up the vessels without surgery.

These are called endovascular techniques. It entails using small catheters and balloons to open blocked vessels. You may have heard of the term “angioplasty” when referring to opening up blocked arteries that supply the heart. We can perform similar techniques to open blocked vessels in the legs and relieve severe claudication and critical limb ischemia.

Once again, we use these techniques when exercise and medications fail to help patients with claudication. We also use these techniques to treat patients with pain at rest or if patients start to have nonhealing wounds on the legs and tissue breakdown (CLI). In many cases, amputations can be delayed or prevented with endovascular techniques, medications, and lifestyle changes. For more information, or to set up an appointment for an evaluation, you can call the team at Eastside Heart and Vascular at (770) 736-6300.

October 2018

The Art of Hospitality

Katie Hart Smith From the Heart

Has the pleasurable experience of eating and dining out become extinct? In this fast-paced society of ready-to-eat meals and instant gratification, are we losing touch with the art of hospitality in our culture? Are we taking time to relish each other’s company and conversation when we break bread together?

Last month, Jeff and I visited New Orleans to celebrate our wedding anniversary. While we were there, we had Friday evening cocktails at the Bourbon House followed by dinner at Red Fish Grill, brunch at Brennan’s on Saturday, and our anniversary supper on Sunday at Commander’s Palace. What do all of these places have in common? All of these restaurants have been owned and operated by the Brennan family for decades.

Imperative to their success is their attention to detail and hospitality.

How do they make their clientele feel special? Table symbols and signals are used to alert the wait staff. While we were greeted at Brennan’s by maître d’, Mr. Shakespeare, he quickly handed a roll of green ribbon to a gentleman who unrolled it diagonally on the white tablecloth before Jeff and I took our seats. To the staff, it indicated we were celebrating an anniversary. Whenever a Brennan’s employee walked by our table, we were showered with well-wishes. During our anniversary dining experience at Commander’s Palace, this restaurant had their own unique ways of making guests feel special and valued. Stickers with the customer’s names were on the back of the tickets and staff called their diners by name. A subtle shift of the salt and pepper shakers, moving them closer together, indicated that our server, Lorenzo, had taken our cocktail order. While the meals were sheer perfection, their hospitality was genuine, warm, and welcoming, akin to being at a friend’s home.

The art of hospitality via social graces begins at home. I have my

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great grand-parents copy of Hill’s Manual of Social and Business Forms – A Correct Guide to Writing by Thomas E. Hill. Initially released in 1884 and filled will all kinds of “howto” instructions to include the art of penmanship and letter writing, the hard-bound manual also contains a descriptive outline of the “Laws of Etiquette” that discusses regulations that should govern over gentility and politeness at the table such as asking for a certain item with, “if you please” or “will you please bring me.”

When the particular article has been furnished, it’s imperative that guests respond with, “thank you.” An even longer list, is the overview of errors to avoid while at the table - never cut bread; always break it, never call loudly for the waiter, lest you draw attention to yourself, never discuss why certain foods disagree with you, a gentleman’s hat must remove, don’t eat quickly, or put your feet so far under the table they touch those opposite of you. Discussions, deep, obtrusive, or argumentative in nature, that tend to give one heartburn and impair digestion are to be avoided at all costs thereby eliminating the need for an antacid following dessert.

Why does hospitality matter?

The art of hospitality creates lasting memories and an overall positive experience for the customer. A joyous occasion celebrated with good food, family, and friends always has one special ingredient at the epicenter of it all – love. In my opinion, love is at the heart of hospitality.

“Graciousness and courtesy are never old-fashioned.... In the present day of rush and hurry, a few of us allow too little time for home example. To the over-busy or the gaily fashionable, ‘home’ might just as well be a railroad station and ‘family’ passengers who see each other only for a few minutes before taking trains in opposite directions.... At a time when the whole world looks to America for leadership, our country is still youth personified. If we can keep these attributes and add to the perfect taste in living and thinking, we need have no fears about handing down to our children the tradition of gracious living that is the heritage of us all.” – Emily Post, Ettiquette,1960.

About Katie Hart Smith Katie Hart Smith’s column, “From the Heart,” touches the heart, inspires, and entertains. Smith, a published author for over twenty years, believes that words, written or spoken, have power. To learn more, visit www.katiehartsmith.com.

Ask the Senior Care Expert

Warning Signs of Stroke

Tim Golden BrightStar Care

Special Photo

Do you know what the leading cause of adult disability in the United States is? The title of this article gives you the answer. Stroke is also the fourth leading cause of death. Although most common in the elderly, it affects many younger people as well.

A stroke occurs when blood flow through an artery to the brain is cut off either by a blockage or because of the artery ruptures and bleeds into the brain tissue. More than 85% of strokes are because of a blockage by a blood clot or plaque.

I have a good friend who had a history of cardiac issues who was about 50. At lunch, one day as he was speaking his lunch companion began to look at him quizzically. In my friend’s mind, he was speaking clearly but it was just as clear that his friend could not understand him. He tried to write but only scribbled. He pulled out his doctor’s card and his friend called and was told

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to bring him to the hospital immediately. My friend, because of his history, was educated about the warning signs of stroke. He was able to get to the hospital and get the treatment he needed in the critical time window that allowed him to get his life back. Many are not so lucky. It is really important to know what the warning signs of stroke are.

If it happens the quicker you get treatment the better. Some treatments are only available for a very short time after the stroke has occurred. You miss that window and those treatments are not an option.

The American Stroke Association has developed an easy to remember stroke recognition guideline. They use the acronym FAST. F - Face Drooping – is one side of the person’s face number or is their smile uneven?

A – Arm Weakness – Is the person experiencing weakness in one arm?

Ask that person to raise both arms.

Does one arm drift downward?

S – Speech Difficulty – Is the person’s speech suddenly hard to understand or slurred? Speak a sentence to

the person and ask them to repeat it back. Can they do it?

T – Time to call 911 – If one or more of these symptoms are present – do not wait to call 911. Write down the time so you can tell the doctor when the symptoms began.

Getting treatment within the first three hours after stroke onset is critical for minimizing permanent damage.

Act F.A.S.T. Don’t wait. Dial 911.

• Much of the content of this article comes from information from the American Stroke Association ww.strokeassociation.org and the www.SecondsCount.org website.

Tim Golden is the owner of BrightStar Care, Lawrenceville. You can reach Tim at (404)281-1537 or by emailing asktheseniorcareexpert@gmail.com. For more information please visit http:// www.brightstarcare.com/lawrenceville/ -Tim Golden BrightStar Care (404)281-1537 PO Box 634 Lawrenceville, GA 30046 email: asktheseniorcareexpert@gmail.com

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Let’s Talk About Floods

Tracey Wells

Farmers Insurance Agent What is a flood and do you need insurance coverage for it? It is an inundation of tidal waters or overflows over normally dry land areas. The controversy with Hurricane Katrina in 2005 caused the definitions to more complex and argued in courts.

Just remember, homeowners Insurance policies do not cover floods, period! A separate flood insurance policy is required to cover floods.

If you are curious to find out if you are in a moderate to high-risk flood zone, you can check on FEMA.gov and other flood insurance related websites.

The coverage is provided through FEMA’s National Flood

Insurance Program in most cases.

Basic coverage for flood insurance includes up to $250,000 for the building structure and $100,000 for personal belongings with varying deductibles. Excess flood policies are available to increase the maximum limits of the building coverage from $250,000 and the contents coverage of $100,000. If you have a higher value home and need more than the maximum coverage offered for the building and contents, then this is a must for you.

In most cases, there is a 30-day waiting period between the date the application is signed and when the policy goes into effect. The policy also must be paid in full. So, if the thought of getting flood insurance has crossed your mind, don’t wait until another hurricane or storm is near to try to secure flood coverage.

Make sure to get the flood insurance coverage in place well in advance.

Tracey L. Wells Farmers Insurance - Wells Agency 678-691-3438 2402 Loganville Hwy, Ste 300 Grayson, GA 30017 twells@farmersagent.com TraceyWells.net

We are Stronger; Together!

By Theresa L. Bailey Chairwoman, HRPC

The Gwinnett County Public School System sold the Hooper-Renwick School structure to the city of Lawrenceville in 2014. This building and the white framed structure that preceded it (which is no longer present), were the only public high schools for African Americans in Gwinnett County from 1944 until 1968. School Choice, which became the law of the land, forced African Americans all over this county to migrate from Hooper-Renwick. African Americans were forced to leave their beloved institution where they had been physically and spiritually nurtured, immersed in cultural pride, academically bathed while benefiting from sacrificial volunteerism. The migration forced African Americans to attend predominately white institutions where most were not welcomed. Today, we announce that the building that was once targeted for complete demolition, the 12 original classrooms will be preserved! While it is true that demolition has already begun, at the time of this writing, we must remember that those ingrained characteristics witnessed and learned to remain with us. In fact, they are buoyed by an unwavering faith in God and will now be manifested in an International Governmental Agreement (IGA) between the City of Lawrenceville and Gwinnett County to present the first ever, African American Museum / Library. The group of concerned citizens (alumni

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and others) that gathered with the goal of preserving this important structure and legacy of education for African Americans in Gwinnett County, Georgia, and the United States continue in this effort. It is due to the actions taken by these citizens, the City of Lawrenceville is now poised to recognize the significant historical value of Hooper-Renwick. The City is committed to commemorating this unique and important history as we move toward a progressive and unified vision. It is imperative that we join forces to preserve this structure and its legacy within our community.

Hooper-Renwick will be a historic cultural site and museum. Your help and support are solicited and needed. You are already a member of the Hooper-Renwick Community. We are only asking that you come and join us as we begin to lay the groundwork for establishing and erecting this great institution!

This is a 20th-century clarion call! Now is the time to come and let your voice be heard. Please email your contact information to us at historichrs@gmail.com, follow us on Facebook at Hooper-Renwick School Preservation Committee. Watch for updates, announcements, and meetings. If you, or anyone you know, are in the possession of artifacts or memorabilia pertaining to the Hooper-Renwick, please Sir or Madam, email us and make us aware. No relic is too small. One tree cannot make a forest, but many trees growing together, that’s another story! We are indeed, “stronger, together!”

GREEN continued from page 1 sons have also joined the business.

One of those sons is Michael, who received his Master’s degree in finance from Georgia State and earned a double accounting and finance Bachelor’s at Mercer University. Today, he is a registered investment advisor representative and is being mentored by his father.

But it wasn’t easy for Michael to get where he is now. When he was thirteen months old, his parents learned he was deaf. They decided to move to Atlanta so Michael could attend the Auditory-Verbal Center (AVC). AVC teaches children with mild to profound deafness to listen and to speak clearly without using sign language or lip reading.

At the Auditory-Verbal Center (AVC), Michael learned to speak and respond to communication using a cochlear implant and a variety of listening techniques. He is now able to converse as well as anyone, and he even answers phones at GFR. The Green family is still highly connected with the Center. Roger is the Chairman of the Board at AVC, and Michael is the Chairman of the Young Professionals Board. The golf tournament is an exciting day for Michael because he knows it will help change kids’ lives.

“Every new dollar that we get towards AVC is one step closer changing a future child’s life”, Mi-

chael said. “I’m always excited for an opportunity to help AVC be able to give another kid the same chance and opportunities that I was given.”

AVC was the Greens’ primary charity for the tournament. They raised a total of $51,000 via donations from sponsors and golfers, and a sum of $40,500 went directly to AVC. The remaining donations were directed by the givers to Friends of Gwinnett Seniors (Friends), who has been a primary beneficiary of the tournament in the past. Friends aim to assist needy seniors with transportation to medical care, meals, and home modification and safety services.

Roger, President-Elect for 2019 of Friends of Gwinnett Seniors, invited all to come out to the Fish4Friends fishing tournament October 5th from 8-12, being held at Port Royale on Lake Lanier. Green Financial is the title sponsor of the event.

Visit www.FriendsofGwinnettSeniors. org for more information.

GFR will also be sponsoring AVC’s Denim and Diamonds Gala on Nov. 3 from 6-11:30 at the Doubletree by Hilton Atlanta Perimeter Dunwoody.

The event will feature dancing, dinner, cocktails, and both live and silent auctions. You will find more information at www.avchears.org.

This year’s activities for the tournament started at 8:30 a.m. with a

breakfast provided by Chick-fil-A, and closed at 3:00 p.m. with a lunch, raffle, sponsor recognition, and the award presentation. The winning foursome consisted of Matt Moeck, Matt Parkerson, Stewart Fogleman, and Jonathan London who finished with an impressive score of 45 (-27).

Roger enjoyed that the tournament was an opportunity to have fun while “doing something good.”

“To me, one of the greatest blessings in life is to be able to help someone who has greater needs than your own”, Roger said. “Too many complain that they have depression or anxiety and challenges, and I think if they change their focus from themselves on to other people, then they will have a grateful heart and that makes for good medicine.”

Roger Green is an Investment Advisor Representative offering Securities and Investment Advisory Services through Cetera Advisors LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Green Financial, located at 3700 Crestwood Pkwy Duluth GA 30096, and Cetera Advisors LLC are otherwise unaffiliated.

Pictured right on page 23 are photos from the 16th Green Financial Charity Golf Classic.

Girl Scout creates garden to raise awareness on veterans issues

By Staff Reports Archer High School senior Kristin Horne was raised in a military family. So when it came time to complete her Gold Award – the highest achievement a Girl Scout can receive – she knew it had to draw attention to issues facing military veterans.

Horne created a “Garden of Hope” with benches and a rock circle with a plaque highlighting the serious issues veterans face today – post traumatic stress disorder, suicide and homelessness.

Recently, her Gold Award project was dedicated at T.W. Briscoe Park with city officials.

“I chose the veterans issues because my entire family has basically been in the military and the military in general means a lot to me,” she said. “No one really thinks about [the issues facing veterans] until they read about it. I think more people should know about [the issues] because the more people can know about, the more they can help those

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Kristin Horne has created a peaceful place for reflection and education in the ‘Garden of Hope’ at T.W. Briscoe Park in Snellville

that are struggling.”

There is a QR code on the plaque, which when activated, will take visitors to a website with more information about the effort.

“Her project is to honor those who serve in our military with emphasis on acknowledging that ‘Not all wounds are visible,’ meaning that those who return, even without physical scars, very much have injuries from what they have experienced,” said Parks and Recreation Director Lisa A. Platt, CPRP. “She

Special Photo

A QR code is on the plaque that will take visitors to a website with more information about issues facing military veterans.

wanted to create a space in which patrons - ex-military or not – could spend quiet time to relax. Projects like this one, not only help to bring awareness to the sacrifices of those who give of themselves to protect and help us, but it helps beautify Briscoe Park and will allow all our patrons a place to rest, reflect and just enjoy being in nature.”

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October 2018

First Place Foursome

October 2018

Second Place Foursome

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Third Place Foursome

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What are your life goals?

Jonathan Howes

Lead Pastor Graystone Church I’m speaking this weekend to around 300 college students at a Campus Outreach Fall Retreat in Ocoee, Tennessee. I love college students because they are so full of energy and extremely idealistic.

College is an exciting time of life because young adults have their entire lives in front of them. They get to decide who they will marry, where

they will live, what they will do and what they will believe. So, they have some very big and important decisions to make.

I will be talking with them about setting life goals. And I have divided them into four categories: Be, Do, Have, and Help. Who do you want to be? What do you want to do? What do you want to have? And who so you want to help? These are great questions for college students to help them think about the path they want to take in life. I also believe these are great questions for all of us, no matter how young or old we are.

So, let me ask you, “What your life goals? Who do you want to be?

What do you want to do? What do you want to have? Who do you want to help?” I believe the last question is of utmost importance because life is not all about you. God wants to use you to help others. For some of you, it may be as simple as helping your kids and grandkids. For others, you

may want to help a certain group of people, a church, a school, a community or a charity. For me, the greatest joy in life comes from impacting others and living for something that is much bigger than myself.

If you want to understand your life and why you are on this planet, you have to start with God. God designed you. You were not an accident. You may have been a surprise to your parents, but you were not an accident. My wife and I had a beautiful little surprise in our lives, a third child, Jesslyn Kay Howes. We did not think we were able to have any more kids, but we were wrong. We now have two kids in college and one in elementary school. Jessie was a big surprise to our family, but she was not an accident.

No child is an accident. Every child is a miracle. Every child is a gift from Heaven.

God is the creator of every one of us. Psalm 139:13-14 says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

God designed you. He created you.

He made you. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Everything about you, God designed. Your height, your body type, your hair color, your eyes, your ears, your nose, your athletic ability, your artistic ability, your relational and social skills, your personality, your brains, and your emotions were uniquely designed

by God. God created you for a reason and a purpose. God placed you on this planet for a specific reason. In fact, God created you to do something that only you can do. God created you to do something that nobody else on this earth can do. Wow! Isn’t that amazing to think about?

I want you to think about how God has uniquely designed you.

What gifts and abilities has He given you? What desires and passions has He given you? What sovereign foundations and life experiences have you gone through that have shaped who you are? I believe that all things happen for a reason and a purpose.

God allows things to happen in lives, good and bad, so He can use them to fulfill His purpose and plans. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the

Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

So, what has God called you to?

What is His purpose and plan for your life? What are your life goals?

Who do you want to BE? What do you want to DO? What do you want to HAVE? Who do you want to HELP? Let me encourage you to write down your life goals. Pray about them. Order your life around them.

Jonathan Howes has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance from Jacksonville State University and a Master in Divinity Degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the lead pastor for Graystone Church.

Locations include the Ozora Campus: 1551 Ozora Road Loganville, GA 30052, the Walton Campus: 723 N Broad St Monroe, GA 30655 and the Oconee Campus: 1275 Lenru Road Bogart, GA 30622.

Phone: (770) 466-3159 Email: info@graystonechurch.com Website: GraystoneChurch.com Blog: http://toliveischrist.cc Twitter: @JohnnyHowes

despair. It is that even though these losses of loved ones once alive and vibrant, their death is a necessary part of life. Only our Heavenly Father makes our losses glorious in Christ Jesus. He explains the sense of our going to sleep after a life of living for Him, showing off His workmanship as the beautiful foliage shows us in the Spring. As Fall turns to Winter and then comes Spring we should marvel, not despair. He has prepared for our life, death, and resurrection as the season’s show!

The Apostle Paul puts it this way for us in 1 Corinthians 15:50-58: “Now I say this, brethren, that flesh, and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this imperishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, ‘O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?’ The sting of death is a sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

All of us know there is the Fall of our lives; it is coming. Spurgeon puts it this way in his devotional work, Morning and Evening: “He who does not prepare for death is more than an ordinary fool, he is a madman. When the voice of God is heard among the trees of the garden, let fig tree and sycamore, and elm and cedar, alike hear the sound thereof.

Robert Thompson has been the senior pastor of Chapel Woods Presbyterian Church in Snellville since May 2003.

He graduated from Covenant Theological Seminary in 1986. Robert is also Chairman of the Board of Presbyterian Evangelistic Fellowship. He and his wife Wanda have been married for 43 years. They have three adult daughters, Amanda and twins Rebecca and Sarah.

Amanda is married to Jerry Jones and they have three daughters of their own.

Rebecca is married to Wesley Payton; they have two sons. Sarah is married to Mark Magdziarz and they have two daughters and two sons.

Chapel Woods Presbyterian Church 3800 Lenora Church Rd., Snellville, GA 30078 web: www.chapelwoods.org e-mail: pastor@chapelwoods.org phone: (770) 978 1445

October Fest

Rev. Robert Thompson

Chapel Woods Presbyterian Church October is one of my most favorite times of the year, the changing from Summer to Fall. All the changes that take place are just beautiful to me. The temperature moderates. There is a bite in the air in the morning. The leaves change to vibrant colors. The Lord God of Heaven and Earth displays His glorious design in the creation of life, death, and renewal. The only thing that blunts my enthusiasm for this season is dealing with all the leaves that die and cover the yard! On the other hand, the dying of the leaves, the trees, and plants going dormant inevitably reminds me of death and the losses of loved ones or impending losses. It puts me in a very melancholy and somber mood.

Were it not for the wonderful truth in the Word of God about our life, death, and resurrection in Christ Jesus, my melancholy would quickly spiral into

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October 2018

Pulchritudinous pantaloons plumage problem We are in deep trouble. The entire family. Samson, formerly Delilah until his dried up raisins were discovered during her hysterectomy, has a problem.

Samson is not a cute cuddly little cat. He is a huge black fluff wad who comes with many emotional disturbances. We’re sure he was abused by a male. We think he has vision problems in his right eye. He is scared of his own shadow and terrified of everyone else’s.

Samson is a beautiful cat. He is solid black with a white bikini on his nether regions. I swear. It looks like he is wearing a white speedo. He is just squishy soft, but you will never get a squish from him.

He is devoutly loyal to me, as long as I don’t make the first move.

Where ever I go in the house, he follows. You can hear his purrs. I can put my hand down and he will rub against. He comes every morning to lay on the cool bathroom floor for a good combing and brushing. Pick him up? Nope.

But we have a problem. Samson has a knot in his pantaloons. He plans to keep it. His pantaloons are very fluffy. His tail is a huge plumelike a black ostrich feather. But he is a hair snarl that is growling every

October 2018

Marlene Ratledge Buchanan Hey Y’all

minute. Each time I try to get close with the brush he leaves the room.

He did this one time before with a tangle under one of his front arms.

(Oh, I know. Legs, paws, etc. Our fur babies have hands, feet and speak.)

It made such a tight ball that he was limping and it had made a sore. Now he is in jeopardy of having the same happen on his fanny.

The whole family is on alert. As soon as one of us can catch him, we will attack the fur wad. Bur first, we have to catch him. He is the best cat in the house at hiding. Open the door to go outside and he vanishes.

He is not going outside. NO way, no how. Someone comes in and he is gone. We could have had that person in this house a hundred times, Sam-

son disappears. He is kind of magical that way.

I have scissors laid out on the counter. I have a big towel ready to drape over his little fat body. I also have band-aids, antiseptic, and 911 primed into the telephone. The time is nigh.

Slowly Snell enters the bathroom and picks up the towel. He stands still for a minute or two so Samson won’t, we hope, realize this is for him. I am talking cat speak, that’s baby talk for those unacquainted with animals running the house.

I am holding the scissors behind my back and have the brush in my right hand. He sees the brush and falls over, closing his eyes and waiting for the adoration. Snell finally takes a deep breath. Samson opens his eyes, looks at his Daddy and poof! No pussycat.

The next day Snell assumes the position with the towel but in the sunroom. He closes the door between us. I am in the bathroom talking cat speak and ready to close the bedroom door as soon as Samson enters. He does. I do, wham! He hits the door to the sunroom and is past Snell so fast that only fur flying in the air can be seen.

Please, let three be lucky. The

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knot in the pulchritudinous plumage of Samson’s pantaloons has gotten larger. Samson has gotten warier.

All the other cats think we are trying to catch them for manicures. That starts next week. They are on high alert. There has been an obvious absence of cat presence.

Snell gets into the shower with the towel and holds his breath. I have a towel and am sitting on the floor with the brush. Slowly Samson walks in and not seeing Snell comes to be petted and humored and adored as is his due. I lift my towel with one hand, combing with the other and I have him. I have him!!!

Snell begins to breathe and takes Samson from my arms. He is giving us the ‘eat cat hair and die’ look. Trust me, under stress cats release more hair. It is like a dust bowl of black fur in our faces.

Snell gently turns Samson on to his back. Samson is now adding filthy language to the death stare.

I unwrap the towel exposing his nether regions and palpate for the fur wad. There it is. Carefully I cut the knot from his pantaloons. I try to take the unhappy 12 pounds of indignity from Snell. As he is turned over, Samson gets a toehold and leaps to the floor. Out the door, he goes.

Unfortunately, the toehold was in Snell’s right arm. Antiseptic, bandaids and plenty of “oh, poor baby’s and you did great’s” to Snell and we smile. We did it.

Next week — toenails.

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Your Green: A Harvesting Plan for Retirement Assets

Roger Green, MSFS,CFP ® Green Financial Resources

Retirement planning does not end at retirement. The need to continue to grow assets to produce more cash flow remains important for most.

For 30 years I have helped thousands of people with their money, and I understand what it takes to plan successfully for retirement. The following is an overview of my plan for harvesting of retirement assets; a plan I have seen work effectively for my clients regardless of their income or assets. This plan divides your savings and investment money into three parts.

To start, determine how much money you will need annually from your savings and

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investments to augment your Social Security and other income sources. Once you determine that annual figure, determine how much money is needed: • 1-2 years out • 3-5 years out • 5+ years out.

Whatever you need to supplement your Social Security and other income sources during approximately your next two years of retirement, at any given time, should be kept in cash reserves or readily accessible investments; such as savings accounts, Treasuries, Money Market accounts, and other types of liquid low-volatility investments.

The next three to five years of money you may need from your assets I recommend be kept in fixed income or moderate volatility investments. These include things like CDs, Treasury Inflation Protected Securities, government or corporate bonds, credit risk investments, and other lower or moderate volatility liquid investments. With fixed income assets, remember to stagger maturity dates to allow for your investment duration to equal the year of your potential need to withdraw and to diversify your holdings within this category. For exam-

ple, don’t buy a 10-year bond that you anticipate needing to spend in the next 3-5 years.

For growth in your assets, history says investments in equities/ stock investments are one of your best bets*. For your money not needed for five years or more, I generally recommend a well-diversified portfolio of primarily equity/stock market investments to try to achieve growth. The goal is to help try to stretch your assets for today’s longer life spans, and to overcome the effects of inflation and taxation that decrease the value of your money over time. Most people I see need continued growth throughout retirement to help stretch their assets throughout their lifetime, and to allow them to potentially leave a legacy to others.

This is where you really need the help of a professional, as this is your longer-term investment money with which you will take on significant risk and potential volatility to try to grow your money for your longer term harvest. Your goal is to harvest (withdraw) from a well-diversified portfolio of assets only when they are up in value; using the shorter term liquid assets as a buffer during times of market volatility,

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when the time isn’t right to sell your equities because they are down in value.

I generally recommend each year of “need from assets” money be taken from the part of your portfolio that did the best compared to its history. This allows you to “harvest” for any given year from any investment, depending on which portion of your portfolio is doing best at the time of need – so you can harvest where there is bounty.

Because of the potentially significantly large fluctuations of the stock markets, I believe it is prudent to only have your longer term dollars invested in equities, and that you need to have a “bear market emergency reserve” to buy yourself out of periods of market downturn.

Finally, to keep this plan rolling forward, once each year, “fillup” spent cash reserves from your investments and other assets to maintain accessible cash for living expenses. In the event of multiple down market years, you would draw that year’s harvest from your cash reserves or fixed income assets, which reduces the chance of you from having to sell when the market is “low”. Remember, with investments you always want to try to “buy low, sell high”.

Obviously this is a very simplified overview of my plan for asset harvesting. The best place to learn more is in one of my retirement planning classes at Gwinnett Technical College. Please call us at 770.931.1414 or visit www. rogersgreen.com for class dates and additional information.

If you are unable to attend a class, but wish to learn more about creating your own retirement harvesting plan, please call my office or visit our website to schedule a complimentary consultation. *Note: Past performance does not guarantee of future success, and no system or financial planning strategy can guarantee future results. Investments in securities do not offer a fixed rate of return. Yield, principal, and/or share price will fluctuate with changes in market conditions; and when sold or redeemed, you may receive more or less than originally invested.

Roger S. Green of Green Financial Resources is a Registered Principal with Cetera Advisors LLC, member FINRA/SIPC, with his office located at 3700 Crestwood Parkway, Duluth, GA 30096. Green Financial, Gwinnett Technical College, and Cetera Advisors LLC are not affiliated.

October 2018

How Rotary enhances economic and community development

Leigh McIntosh

Lawrenceville Rotary

Those of you living in Gwinnett for decades have had an opportunity to see sweeping changes. As a child, I remember Gwinnett County as primarily rural.

On a visit to Scotland long ago, I was asked what my property in America had been before my house was there and I realized that I lived on forested land that had never been developed. People in Europe did not have a concept of virgin land, and I did not have a concept of land that had been developed and cultivated over hundreds of years. I grew up on a dirt road with so little traffic that a car coming down the road caused us to look out of the window because it broke the silence. In those days, Gwinnett had forests, pastures, and many people were growing their own vegetables and raising their own meat. I remember seeing many ranch-style, brick homes and while most people were not living in poverty, they did not live a life of wealth either.

October 2018

In the 1970’s so much construction took place that the forests and rolling pastures began to disappear. Subdivisions sprang up, and with that came businesses. Gwinnett was probably most affluent from the 1970’s-1990’s with many people building large homes and living comfortable lifestyles. With all of the development in Gwinnett and recession in other parts of the country, people began moving to Georgia to find employment. We had a great climate and the cost of living was reasonable. Unfortunately, many of these people needed services and resources and the affluence Gwinnett had once enjoyed began to erode as more people in need took resources without giving back. According to recent reports, Gwinnett County Schools have up to 80% of students on the free or reduced lunch program. It does not take a rocket scientist to realize that if more people are taking from the system than there are people contributing to the system, quality of life begins to decline. We may have 80% of our students in poverty, but it

doesn’t mean that we can’t ALL contribute. Those without money can volunteer their time and talents and be part of the solution. We can all take pride in making our surroundings better for all.

A trend in Scotland is for communities to compete against other communities to be the cleanest or most beautiful.

The sense of pride everyone takes in their community builds support and they develop strong friendships working toward a shared goal. Cleaning and beautifying are things everyone can do from our youngest to our oldest and from our poorest to our wealthiest. Let’s change our mindset and encourage everyone to be included in making our community the best it can be. While I certainly support helping others in need, I also believe we learn important lessons when we contribute. If we have not sacrificed of our time and resources, how can we appreciate it when someone does it for us?

Rotary clubs all over the world work with communities to enhance economic and community development. Every community has different needs and different opportunities to serve. Tremendous progress has been made to reduce global poverty. According to the World Bank, 1.92 million people lived on less than $1.25 a day in 1990 compared to 1 million in 2011. Since Rotary International has made October the month to highlight economic and community development, it is time we all look for ways to serve. There are so many needs in our

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community that most of us won’t have to go further than the nearest street corner to help someone else.

Leigh is a proud Rotarian and CEO of Creative Enterprises, Inc., a not for profit, training and employment, community rehabilitation program for adults with disabilities. A lifelong resident of Gwinnett

County, Leigh divides her time between advocating for people with disabilities, enjoying her children, grandchildren and friends, helping her doTerra essential oil customers, traveling, and focusing on her spiritual journey to appreciate how we are all connected.

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BETHESDA continued from page 1 one teacher. The school was heated by a pot-bellied stove, and water for the students came from a spring.

The students came from farming families, so the school calendar was organized around the planting and gathering of crops. From its modest beginning, Bethesda Elementary School has grown and changed along with the community it serves. Today, Bethesda is one of the larger elementary schools in the county, with 60 classrooms, over 1,000 students, and 166 staff members. Students come from over 30 countries and speak more than 28 different languages. The students are hard-working, polite, and appreciative, and the teachers and administrators are dedicated, caring, and generous with their time and talents. This environment inspired the PTA Board to build this pavilion to serve as an outdoor classroom and provide much-needed shade on the playground.

To raise money for this project, the PTA sold bricks, which were then engraved by Sharon and Chris Constant of Constant Rock Art, who drove all the way from their home in South Dakota to help with this project. Sponsors’ brick messages include inspirational quotes, dedications to favorite teachers, salutes to Bethesda students and graduates, and tributes in memory of loved ones. The PTA Board sponsored a brick in honor of Dr. Pam Williams, the principal, who received her doctorate at UGA in May of this year. Dr. Williams sponsored a brick with a message that reads, “Dedicated to an Amazing Staff.” These bricks reflect the attitude of mutual respect and appreciation that is common throughout the Bethesda community.

The PTA thanks corporate spon-

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September 22nd ribbon cutting ceremony. L-R: Jennifer Martin, Tiffany Thomas, Shavaun Mincey, Roger Johns, Dr. Barbara Tucker, Dr. Pam J. Williams, Jessie Valdez, Lesli Seta, Akilah Grant, Kelly James, Junita Harris, Courtney Mitchell, Tanesha Richards, Susan Mancilla

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Pavilion under construction during the summer.

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Chris Constant engraves bricks in preparation for ribbon cutting ceremony.

sors who generously supported this project, GCPS Facilities Personnel, especially Jay Crossman, who provided technical guidance, Chris and Sharon Constant who engraved bricks into the wee hours of the morning to prepare for the ribbon cutting, Toney Clower and

Special Photo

Stefano and Gianluca Seta show off new pavilion.

his team of Clower Construction, who worked throughout the hot summer to make sure the pavilion was ready when school started in August, and the Bethesda community, who sponsored bricks and came out to celebrate the ribbon cutting on September 22nd. As a result of their generosity and collaboration, this outdoor classroom will stand for generations to come as a tribute to the historically rich past, the culturally diverse present, and the promisingly bright future of Bethesda Elementary School.

2017-2018 PTA Board members: Lesli Seta, Ann Malkoć, Junita Harris, Yahaira Rosa Serrano, Akilah Grant, Katie Becker, and Tanesha Richards

South Gwinnett High School celebrates 60th reunion

Photo by Emmett Clower

The Class of 1958 celebrated their 60th Class Reunion at Summit Chase Country Club in September!

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October 2018

Strategies for Taking Subjective or Essay Tests Essay tests can be a great way for a student to earn grade points because essays present an opportunity for him/her to tell everything they know about a subject and to earn points while doing so. If a student knows a lot about the subject, the essay is a place to shine!

• Essay questions involve major themes and how the facts relate to them. Therefore, it is essential to understand main ideas and supporting details.

• One excellent tool in preparing for an essay test is to use a previously written outline, mind map, or combo notes and recall questions of the main ideas and supporting details from texts and class discussions. Recall questions may even be the test questions.

• Essay tests require an answer of at least one paragraph in length.

A student will usually be required to focus upon the main points and general concepts more than on details.

However, details must be included in the essay to back up, illustrate, or prove the main points.

• When taking an essay test: o Read all directions and questions carefully. o Decide how much time you will spend on each essay. o Begin with the essay easiest for you. It will allow you to relax, gain confidence and recall facts. o Jot pertinent ideas in the margins that you want to use in your es-

Carol Wood

Total Learning Concepts

say. Number ideas in the order you plan to use them. o Begin each answer by restating the question as your lead sentence. o Use the information you wrote in the margins to write main ideas first. Then, fill in supporting details; such as facts, names, etc. o Leave space between answers to go back and add information. o Reread. Did you answer the question? o Answer all questions. Write all you are sure of for partial credit. o Be specific; use relevant facts. o Proofread for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and NEATNESS (it does count). o Remember, concise, well organized answers are favored by teachers, which translate into better grades for you!

The following terms are usually included in the directions for essays.

Questions that include these words require you to write all the relevant information you know: * Describe * Discuss * Explain * List * Outline * Prove * Review * State Questions that include these words require you to write specific facts in a specific way: • Compare - Write about the likenesses of the subjects.

• Contrast - Write about the differences only between the subjects.

• Compare and Contrast - Write about the likenesses and differences of the subjects.

• Define - Write the meaning of the word or subject given.

• Illustrate - Give examples that would explain and almost draw a picture about the topic.

• Diagram - You do not need to write, rather draw and label charts, tables, time lines, etc.

Questions that include these words require you to write your opinion backed up by facts: * Criticize * Evaluate * Interpret * Justify Carol Wood is the Founder & CEO of Total Learning Concepts, Inc. Visit www.totallearningconcepts. com for information about their tutorial and test preparation services.

For more information about Total Learning Concepts, Inc., please call 770-381-5958 or visit their website at http://totallearningconcepts.com

October is National Window Covering Safety Month It is October already! In addition to pumpkins, Halloween, and apple cider, it is time once again to remind you of the importance of checking the safety of your window coverings.

On December 15th this year, new laws go into effect regarding cords on stock or ready-made and custom window coverings. Changes are being made to eliminate the risk of strangulation, which has plagued the industry for so many years. Stock or ready-made blinds or shades will now have shorter cords.

Custom-made products will have alternative ways of operating the blinds or shades and will be restricted to specific lengths in corded products. The move to cordless including motorization is fast becoming the most popular choice for new window coverings.

It is my job to educate you about the potential hazard in the window covering cords. Here are basic tips recommended by the Window Covering Safety Council: • Move all furniture, cribs, beds and climbable surfaces away from windows.

• Keep all window cords well out of the reach of children.

• Install only cordless window

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Joan Miller

The Blind Ladies

coverings in homes with young children.

• Make sure tasseled pull cords are as short as possible. Continuous-loop pull cords on draperies and vertical blinds should be pulled tight and anchored to the floor or wall.

• Be sure cord stops are properly installed and adjusted to limit inner-cord movement.

• Retrofit any older blinds or shades that may pose a risk.

For more information on retrofitting your window coverings, go to https://windowcoverings.org/retrofit-your-windows/ For a free consultation, call The Blind Ladies – 404 918-5288 or visit our website: www.theblindladies.com

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ESCAPE continued from page 1

Special Photo

There are three escape rooms at Netherworld collectively called “Escape the Netherworld”. Groups can reserve the rooms for parties and events on weekends throughout the year.

Photo by Julie Thompson

The owners of Netherworld are film and television professionals and go to extended lengths to treat their guests to studio-quality haunts.

it out of the first haunted house, they can take a breather and enjoy fun games, a gift shop, food vendors and music before heading to the next house.

The setting for the second haunted house is a covert facility where aliens have contaminated the entire base so that military characters and scientists are becoming mutants.

Entitled “Subject: Unknown”, this attraction’s theme is sci-fi focused, and with its industrial set, the haunt is sure to have a unique appeal.

Many of the props in both attractions were made by local artists and by the Netherworld staff. Others are collectibles and artifacts from well-known movies like The Hunger Games.

Every night around 125 to 150 costumed actors hide amongst the props to jump scare the unsuspecting patrons. And with animatronics, revolving floors and other special effects, patrons are kept on their toes the whole time.

“There’s a lot of things in here to make you unstable,” Armstrong said.

Three escape room games are also housed at the new location.

Collectively called “Escape the Netherworld”, these attractions are open on weekends year-round and by appointment to groups and parties. At least four participants must join in order to play, although the rooms can hold up to eight people. In October, they will be open nightly by appointment which may be arranged at www.escapethenetherworld.com.

Like the haunts, each room has its own unique story. “Nosferatu” is an escape game set in 1890’s London and a group must solve the clues of the room before a vampire awakes from his coffin. What makes the game more difficult is that each character has a back-story, and they must unravel clues about each character in the group in order to break free on time. The other games are “Sasquatch” and “The Haunted.”

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The owners are considering opening the haunted houses for special occasions like Christmas and Valentine’s Day. They have also considered booking the space for weddings.

“Every year we handle multiple marriage proposals . . ., but we never had the ability to handle things like weddings. Now we have the facilities to do that, “Armstrong said. “So, if that opportunity came up, we’d certainly be into it. It might be challenging while we’re open but in off hours and in off times throughout the year, it’s an absolute possibility.”

In the “House of Creeps” museum, guests can see some of the history of Netherworld’s iconic characters. It includes oddities and collectibles enclosed in glass cases, and upon pressing a button, visitors will hear an eerie history about the artifacts. It also includes movie special effects pieces and other monster pieces that Netherworld has collected over the years.

Armstrong explained that ever since Netherworld opened in 1997, they have created a new story for each season. And while all it all connects in an ongoing history, the seasons are usually planned in trilogy formats. With the new location, they have even more room for creativity and to elaborate on their back-stories. The narrative they have created for the current year will take many seasons to unfold.

As always, the owners hope to create a unique experience for their guests each night the attraction is open this season. And on Halloween night, guests are welcome to wear costumes without masks and to snap selfies with any of the monsters

Photo by Julie Thompson

Each of the characters at Netherworld was invented by the owners. While they create a new story for every season, many of the characters will return in following seasons and make appearances in the sets.

roaming about.

“Netherworld itself really has become a Halloween tradition in the whole Southeast, “Armstrong said.

“And we really want people to see this new location - we think they are really going to love it. It has the old aspects of Netherworld that they are familiar with, but it has new things that we think everyone is really going to enjoy. “ Free parking is available to all patrons in three lots - the Green Lot which you enter by turning in at the traffic light and following the staff members, the handicap parking lot, which is located to the rear of the building next to the box office, and the lot across the street in front of SpaceMax. Tickets for Netherworld Haunted House can be purchased online at www.fearwold.com. Additionally, parties can purchase tickets on site at the box office which is located at the rear of the building or book the escape rooms at www.escapethenetherworld.com.

The owners are film and television professionals, and they go to extended lengths to treat their guests to studio-quality haunts.

“We just want people who love Halloween and haunted houses to come out, and we think they are going to be pleasantly surprised,” Armstrong said.

Special Photo

In each of the escape rooms at Netherworld, players must work together to solve the clues on time. Anywhere from four to eight players might play at once.

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October 2018