Augusta, GA April 2024

Letter from the Editor

Welcome to our latest edition, where our theme revolves around the concept of "Investing In". In this issue, we delve into the diverse ways in which individuals and businesses are investing in their passions, their communities, and their futures.

First up, we're thrilled to shine a spotlight on Wedges and Woods—a local gem that goes beyond being just a golf shop. Discover how they invest in their customers' experiences through expert club repairs, a state-of-the-art golf range, and a commitment to providing top-notch service to every golfer who walks through their doors.

Next, we're honored to feature Stefanie Holmes, the dedicated owner of Summerville Tax & Accounting LLC. Dive into Stefanie's journey and learn why personal client connections are at the heart of her business philosophy. Discover how she invests in building meaningful relationships with each of her clients, providing them with the personalized attention and expertise they deserve.

As summer approaches, many of us are eager to plan our next getaway. That's why we've partnered with a local Travel Agent to highlight the most enticing vacation destination.

In a world filled with uncertainty, investing in what matters most has never been more crucial. From nurturing our passions and supporting local businesses, to forging meaningful connections and exploring new horizons, each of us has the power to shape our own future.

We hope this issue inspires you to invest in the things that bring you joy, fulfillment, and a sense of purpose. After all, the greatest returns often come from the investments we make in ourselves and our communities.

Happy reading, and here's to investing in a future filled with possibility!

April 2024

Jana Morris | jana.morris@citylifestyle.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

Bailey Hall | bailey.hall@citylifestyle.com INTERN

Daria Terry

Daniel Morris

Steve Candler | steve.candler@citylifestyle.com

Angela Broockerd, Bailey Hall, Michelle W. Parnell CONTRIBUTING

Bailey Hall, Colleen Bogner Photography, Janie Jones

Corporate Team

Schowengerdt

Thompson

Robinson

city scene

WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN

Want to be seen in the magazine?

1-7: Kickball for a Cause benefiting Prepare for Babies.

Tickets Available for the Sacred Heart Garden Tour

The Sacred Heart Garden Tour is Augusta’s most beautiful spring event to benefit the most beautiful historic landmark! Those who look forward to this event each year will notice some new changes. There are five special and unique private gardens featured this year for selfguided tours with vendors. The Garden Tours will be held on April 26th through the 27th from 11am to 5pm. Tickets are available online at SacredHeartAugusta.org .

Augusta Gear Available at The Fan Zone

The Fan Zone is ready for tourna ment week in Augusta! They have unique and locally made Augusta themed items waiting for you! They are located at 4460 Washington Road in Evans.

the CITY LIST

We have such amazing, innovative business leaders in our community who are proud to serve you, our residents, with class and quality. We’ve compiled some of our top company picks for the services that might be on your mind this month in an effort to make your lives a little easier.

Accountant

Summerville Tax & Accounting Summervilletax.business.site | 706.737.3371

Jones Jones Davis & Associates CPA, PC jjdacpa.com | 706.650.8877

The Cleveland Group, CPAs clevelandgroup.net | 706.288.2800

SME CPAs smecpa.com | 706.722.5337

Walton's Tax & Accounting Service, LLC waltonstax.com | 706.524.7898

Financial Advisor

Stifel Stifel.com | 706.737.0860

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management local.ml.com/augusta_ga | 706.823.4151

Firethorn Wealth Partners firethornwp.com | 706.426.4243

Richard Young Associates investrya.com | 706.739.0725

Truist Investment Services, Jason Ross Financial Advisor truist.com/finder/wealth/jason-g-ross-financial-advisor-evans-ga-30809 706.691.0288

Senior Living Facilities

Brandon Wilde brandonwilde.com | 706.576.7688

The Claiborne at West Lake theclaiborne.com/west-lake | 762.222.3647

Camellia Walk of Evans seniorlifestyle.com/property/georgia/camellia-walk-of-evans | 706.922.9762

Marshall Pines Assisted Living & Memory Care sunshineretirementliving.com | 762.336.3010

Thrive at Augusta thrivesl.com | 796.955.2275

I am delighted to bring you the latest market update, ensuring that you remain well-informed about the dynamic West Augusta / Martinez real estate market.

As always, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.

Wedges and Woods Golf Center

ARTICLE BY MICHELLE W. PARNELL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY BAILEY HALL

“There is a level of camaraderie in golf that brings families and friends together.

On the surface, golf seems like just a sport, a physical outlet for exercise and enjoyment. Upon closer inspection, however, it also serves as a common thread in many business and personal relationships, especially in the Augusta area where golf plays a vital role in the local economy. “It’s not just golf,” says Wedges and Woods Golf Center owner Nick Prokosa. “There is a level of camaraderie in golf that brings families and friends together and serves as a catalyst for business meetings, travel, and more.”

Many people invest a lot of money in equipment with the hopes of making golf outings more enjoyable and successful. However, according to Nick, the best return on investment is not how much money you spend on equipment, it is having equipment that best fits you and learning to use it well.

At Wedges and Woods, the custom club fitters ensure that the equipment is built or adjusted to specifications best suited for the player. “Each individual is different,” explains Nick. “We start with finding out your budget and then figuring out a way to maximize what you need within that budget. We can also make the right repairs for you to maximize your game.” Golf clubs are complex with many different parts that work together, and having elements customized to properly fit an individual makes all the difference.

In addition to investing in proper equipment, putting in practice time is key. “The biggest thing that I see over and over again is so many people try to buy a game,” says Nick. “They spend three, five, or ten thousand dollars on clubs just expecting

the club to make them a golfer. It simply doesn't work that way. You have to put in the practice to get the results out of it and the type of practice that you're doing matters.”

Wedges and Woods offers practice areas, which range from long distance driving bays to chipping areas to putting greens, which foster learning to use equipment correctly and to maximum benefit. “We have plenty of things to aim at and to build your game for consistency including ten covered bays equipped with Toptracer - a tracking system that measures ball speed, launch angle, and carry distance and has different games to improve your game,” shares Nick. “It even has a teaching program so you can do homework in between lessons and the data gets back to the instructors so we can see where you need the most work.”

Another important factor is maximizing equipment life span through proper care. “One thing I see a lot is that people don’t clean their golf clubs,” he says. “The grooves on the club face get full of dirt, sand, and debris, which wears your club face down faster and the grips hold onto oil and dirt that make the club slippery… all affecting the swing and game. Sometimes the little things can really make a difference.”

Wedges and Woods Golf Center, which is located at 3731 Wrightsboro Road, also has a retail store, offers golf lessons, and hosts adaptive clinics on Wednesdays to work with those who have disabilities or injuries. For more information, visit wedgesandwoods.com, call 706-854-0360, and follow Wedges and Woods on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

“We start with finding out your budget and then figuring out a way to maximize what you need within that budget. “ ”

ARTICLE BY ANGELA BROOCKERD PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES

INDOOR PLANT GUIDE

Investing in indoor plants can not only spruce up your living space, but also bring numerous health and well-being benefits

Bringing the outdoors in with the use of house plants is a great way to add color and dimension to your space. We sat down with Jesse Nelson at Family Tree Nursery, based in Kansas, and discussed the benefits of incorporating plant life into your home.“There are plenty of studies on the health benefits of plants, and the evidence suggests that being around plants and caring for plant life increases overall wellness,” explains Nelson. “Anytime you bring a plant into a home or work environment, it’s going to make you feel better. It is going to beautify the space in a way that art cannot, and they also have the added benefit of  purifying the air.” There are a wide variety of indoor plants that work for any space and light situation that you may have. Regardless if you have a green thumb or a black thumb, there are plant varieties that fit your lifestyle. Here are a few of our favorite indoor plants to incorporate into your home.

SNAKE PLANT:

This plant goes by many names such as Snake Plant and Mother-in-Law’s Tongue and is one of the most popular indoor plants. The Snake Plant is for anyone from a green thumb to a black thumb because anyone can grow it. These hardy plants can adapt to any environment and can live in both high light and low light. Snake Plants are great for countertops and tabletops because they grow tall, not

wide. They are great bedside plants because they help purify the air as they go through photosynthesis at night. They only need to be watered about once a month. These plants can also be outdoor plants and can acclimate during the summer months. Be sure to spray the plants three to five times before bringing them back indoors to get rid of any bugs that could have made the plant their home.

Anthurium has gorgeous, colorful flowers and is the easiest indoor flowering plant to care for. It comes in a variety of colors including red, white, orange and purple. Anthurium likes to be dry, so let it go bone dry before watering. Fertilize every so often, especially when blooming. These plants do not like direct sunlight and can be repotted every three to five years.

HOPE PEPEROMIA:

This cascading plant is gaining popularity due to its succulent-like leaves and also because it is fairly easy to care for. The Hope Peperomia likes medium to bright direct sunlight. It does well as a tabletop plant or a hanging plant. Watering is only needed one time a month regardless of plant size.

“Anytime you bring a plant into a home or work environment, it’s going to make you feel better. It is going to beautify the space in a way that art cannot, and they also have the added benefit of  purifying the air.”

This is a slow-growing variety that is architectural and compact. This plant is a great statement piece and looks great in an entryway or by a chair. There are a lot of varieties and colors of the Dracaena. They are very resilient in low light and are great for an office space with little or no light. They like to stay on the dry side, so they like to be watered when they are about ½ to ¾ of the way dry. When watering, give it a good soak. Protip: A moisture meter can be purchased and used to determine how dry your plant is to help determine when it is time to water again.

ANTHURIUM:

DRACAENA JANET-CRAIG COMPACTA:

ARTICLE BY BAILEY HALL PHOTOGRAPHY BY COLLEEN BOGNER PHOTOGRAPHY

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN EXPERTISE AND COMPASSION IN FINANCIAL SERVICES

BEYOND NUMBERS

Stefanie Holmes, JD, CPA, owner of Summerville Tax & Accounting LLC, has deep roots in the CSRA, having

it helped her narrow down what she wanted to do. “I found the marriage between law and accounting, and at

“I FOUND THE MARRIAGE BETWEEN LAW AND ACCOUNTING, AND AT THAT POINT, I FOUND MY NICHE.”

relocated here with her family in 1997. A graduate of Greenbrier High School, Stefanie pursued her undergraduate degree at Augusta State University.

Stefanie credits her father’s journey from a career at John Deere to becoming a successful entrepreneur as a significant influence. “My dad went back to school while I was in elementary school and got his MBA. When I was in middle school, he became a real estate agent on the side. As I got older, he left John Deere and started running his own business. I saw his business mentality and by the time I went to college, I knew I wanted to be a business major.”

It wasn’t until Stefanie enrolled in her first accounting course at college that she discovered her passion. “It really clicked and I loved it,” she shares. Along with her law degree, she got her certificate in tax law and

that point, I found my niche. I started working at KPMG and found out that I liked tax but didn’t like not being able to see my clients and interact with who I was doing the work for,” says Stefanie.

After eight years in the corporate world, Stefanie seized the opportunity to acquire a business, laying the foundation for Summerville Tax & Accounting. “I’m an extrovert and I’m able to communicate with my clients about what’s going on. It’s all about making the numbers make sense. When someone trusts me with their tax documents, yes I know the nuts and bolts behind it, but having that relationship with the client is what counts and makes a difference.”

Summerville Tax & Accounting is located at 3706-b Executive Center Drive in Augusta. You can reach out to Stefanie by calling 706.737.3371 or emailing  Info@TheAugustaCPA.com

Best Place to Travel

It’s time to plan your summer vacation! We asked a local travel agent what their favorite destination is and this is what he said!

Wayland Lamar, Expedia Cruises

If you’re dreaming of the ultimate cruise experience, look no further than Royal Caribbean’s newest marvel: the Icon of the Seas. Wayland Lamar, your trusted travel advisor from Expedia Cruises, is thrilled to introduce you to this extraordinary vessel that promises to redefine luxury cruising.

Setting sail with Royal Caribbean International, the Icon of the Seas offers a voyage like no other. From the moment you step on board, you’ll be transported to a world of adventure, relaxation, and unmatched hospitality.

One of the highlights of this incredible cruise is the destination it takes you to: CocoCay. Nestled in the heart of the Bahamas, CocoCay is a paradise waiting to be explored. Whether you’re seeking thrilling water activities, serene beach relaxation, or delicious island cuisine, CocoCay has something for everyone.

But the excitement doesn’t stop there. As a special bonus, when you book your voyage on the Icon of the Seas through Expedia Cruises, you’ll receive a $50 onboard credit to enhance your experience even further. Whether you choose to indulge in spa treatments, savor gourmet dining, or enjoy exciting shore excursions, this onboard credit is your ticket to unforgettable moments at sea.

From the sleek design of the ship to the endless amenities and activities on board, every aspect of the Icon of the Seas is designed to exceed your expectations. Whether you’re a seasoned cruiser or embarking on your first voyage, this ship promises an experience you’ll never forget.

To contact Wayland, call 706.659.0900 or email wlamar@ expediacruises.com.

APRIL 2024

events

A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS

APRIL 2ND & 3RD

Puddle Ducks: Kids and Caregivers Club

Phinizy Swamp Nature Park

Bring your little ones (through age 5) to Phinizy Swamp on the first Tuesday or Wednesday of each month at 10am for a great time together with stories, crafts, and hands-on fun in nature! For more information and to sign up, go to PhinizyCenter.org/Puddle-Ducks.

APRIL 9TH

20th Annual Rock Fore! Dough

Lady A Pavilion

The "Drive for Show, Rock FORE! Dough" concert is not just a celebration of golf and music; it's a powerful initiative to support the First Tee - Augusta golf and life skills youth development program. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit rockforedough.com

APRIL 18TH

Candlelight: A Tribute to Taylor Swift

Sacred Heart Cultural Center

Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before. Get your tickets for the music of Taylor Swift at Sacred Heart Cultural Center on April 18th by visiting feverup.com

APRIL 20TH

Augusta Symphony - Beethoven V

Miller Theater

The Augusta Symphony will be at the Miller Theater on April 20th at 7:30pm to perform Beethoven V. To purchase tickets, visit millertheateraugusta.com.

APRIL 21ST

Movies at the Miller: UP

Miller Theater | 4:00 PM

Bring your family for a free showing of UP at the Miller Theater! Admission is free but you will need a ticket to enter. Tickets are available at the Miller Theater box office. Movie starts at 4pm.

APRIL 26TH & 27TH

Sacred Heart Garden Tour

The Sacred Heart Garden Tour will be held on April 26th through the 27th and will feature five unique private gardens. The tours are self-guided with vendors set up at each garden. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit SacredHeartAugusta.org