CITIZEN
Vol. 31 No. 7
Building students for success page 5
.COM
So u t h
gwinnett Est. 1988 Covering Snellville, Lawrenceville, Grayson, Loganville
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www.gwinnettcitizen.com
MAY 2019
Pickleball Scores popularity points in Gwinnett By Julie Thompson GwinnettCitizen.com
Bikes, Barks, & Bbq page 11
While football may be king of the South, one little known sport is quickly gaining an audience in Gwinnett and across the country. “Pickleball” is emerging as a popular pastime for middle-aged adults seeking a low-intensity sport and for anyone who enjoys trying their ‘underhand’ at something new. Pickleball is a paddle-based sport which can be played with either single players competing on either side of a court or in doubles matches. The sport’s origins can be traced to the late 1960s, and while not everyone agrees on how Pickleball got its knee-jerk name, there’s no denying the exponential growth of its fanbase. Snellville resident Kristy Kind started playing about a year ago and hasn’t put down her paddle since. “A friend posted on Facebook she was looking for someone else to join her league in Loganville Kind said. “And so, I met her at her house, and she let me borrow her wooden paddle to start practicing. The rest is history. I was addicted.”
See PICKLE on Page 30 Sweet Brown Suga page 13
Community rallies to Light Lawrenceville Blue Reverend Dr. Richard B. Haynes celebrates 31 years
Bittersweet farewell page 27
INSIDE Citizen Connection 4 Picture Perfect 6 Gwinnett Pulse 8 Road Runner 16 Health & Wellness 18 Weddings 23 Spiritual 26 PRESORT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ABC DIRECT ECR-WSS POSTAL CUSTOMER
Special photo
Kristy Kind is member to a handful of Pickleball clubs both in Gwinnett and across Metro-Atlanta. She plays at a private facility in Smokerise, Sugar Hill, the outdoor court at Suwanee Station, as well as at Bay Creek, Hammond Park in Sandy Springs and Chateau Elan.
Photo by Bruce Johnson
Cornerstone residents light Lawrenceville Blue! L-R: Jeff West, Karen Seeley West, Joanie Perry, Keven Davenport, Amy Anderson Davenport, Lisa Casey Johnson, Debbie Cate, James Kennedy, Stephanie Woodson Smith, Brett Irvine, Ken Goodman, Lori Stevenson Snow and Virgil Snow.
By Julie Thompson GwinnettCitizen.com Once the residents at Cornerstone caught word of the initiative, it spread — like blue wildfire. Everyone at the 279 West Crogan Street “Cornerstone building” wanted to participate. “It took a life of its own,” said Cornerstone resident Bruce Johnson who helped promote the City of Lawrenceville’s latest endeavor, “Light Lawrenceville Blue”. The
campaign was designed to heighten awareness and to create a sense of solidarity for National Police Week which runs May 12th through the 18th, 2019. To get things started, the city reached out to Joanie Perry who sits on the Cornerstone building’s HOA. She and another HOA member, Debbie Cate, coordinated with the city to purchase enough lightbulbs to color the entire neighbor-
See BLUE on Page 28
Photo by Emmett Clower
Dr. Haynes and his wife Beverly at the celebration of his 31 years at Salem Missionary Baptist Church.
By Mary Frazier Long GwinnettCitizen.com Reverend Dr. Richard Haynes has been Senior Pastor at Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Lilburn for 31 years. He preached his first message as candidate for pastor on the first Sunday in October 1987. Since 1987, he has led that church to grow in amazing ways. When Dr. Haynes first became the pastor of Salem Missionary,
there were fewer than 100 members, and now in 2019, the church has approximately four thousand members on roll. Salem Baptist is a big church with a small church atmosphere; visitors are welcomed and made to feel part of an enthusiastic congregation. The choir sings some old familiar songs as well as some newer ones, and the performance keeps the worship alive. The worship experience at
See HAYNES on Page 22