MAR 2017: Our Town Gwinnett/Walton Monthly Magazine

MARCH 2017 Gwinnett/Walton Community & Family Magazine

Our Town GWINNETT

Grayson Loganville Lawrenceville

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Our Town

On the Cover: A Dynamic Duo Takes the Reigns at the Ladies Workout of Snellville

By Heidi Campbell When Farredeh Baughcum and Kelly Webb met in January of 2008, they had no idea they would become kindred spirits and new owners of Ladies Workout of Snellville. Both women are graduates of UGA, yet their paths didn’t cross until they met at a local fitness center. Farredeh taught Business Ed at Grayson High School before becoming a stay-at-home mom of her two children, and Kelly was juggling her job as a group fitness manager with raising her three children.

Farredeh came to the gym where Kelly worked because she was overweight. She had never worked out before, so she decided to take a BODYPUMP™ class, and was hooked. She loved the class and the energy. “Our kids connected in the childcare area. They became friends, we became friends, and Kelly asked me to become an instructor on her team.”

Once they started working together, they realized their energy was contagious. “People enjoyed seeing our friendship and how we relate to each other; we think it helped make them comfortable in an intimidating environment,” says Farredeh.

Kelly and Farredeh noticed a need for a centralized location where they could answer questions and provide encouragement and support for their class participants. They started a Facebook page and branded themselves as K & F, RUKillerFit. The K & F represent their initials and “Killer Fit.” The brand, which is a constant reminder of their purpose, took off on social media. “The women who come in to our classes are often really down on themselves,” explains Kelly. “We want to build people up. We want them to have fun. When people join a group class, they become involved,

and that’s when they see results.”

Kelly and Farredeh started blogging, but quickly realized their audience wanted more interaction. They began speaking the blogs, and creating “Make It Move Monday” routines, which were short, fun workouts people could do at home.

Their Facebook page grew in popularity, and K & F soon acquired followers from all over the world.

A mutual friend came to Kelly and Farredeh with a new opportunity, and in December 2016, Kelly and Farredeh became the new owners of Ladies Workout of Snellville. They hosted an Open House just days after acquiring the business, and were nervous about attendance. They announced the event live on Facebook, and, according to Kelly, “We were packed, and we were so thankful!”

The staff, which includes sixteen instructors, five childcare providers, and three front desk attendants, has welcomed the new owners, and are enjoying the positive changes that they’ve brought to the business. “These two girls are amazing!” raves Carrie Edgar, one of the veteran staff members.

“There’s a reason they have such a following!”

Ladies Workout offers programs to accommodate busy women and tight budgets. Childcare is available for $10.00 a month; monthly classes, scheduled morning and evening, are only $25.00 a month; and their joining fee is only $49.00.

They offer great educational seminars and programs so people can work hard and see results.

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Our Town Gwinnett/Walton Community & Family Magazine

— An EndResultZ Media & Communications firm EndResultZ.com

Publisher/Owner Ryan T. Sauers Ryan@EndResultZ.com Creative Director Elsie Olson Elsie@EndResultZ.com Editor Catherine L. Osornio Cover Photographer Amadorphoto Distribution Coordinator DeeDee Chapman Feature Writers Daidra Annis Heidi Campbell Kim Hill Karla Socci Somers Michelle Watson Contributing Writers Dustin Mattox Wesley Spake

Our Town Gwinnett is published and direct mailed to select homes in the Gwinnett/Walton area. Opinions expressed by the writers and staff are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Our Town Gwinnett reserves the right to edit and/or reject any editorial or advertising content. Our Town Gwinnett is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the cost of the space or for the validity of claims made by advertisers.

Entire contents copyright 2017 by Our Town Gwinnett. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden in any media without written permission from the publisher.

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IN THIS ISSUE 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 12 13 14 14 16 17 19

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On the Cover: A Dynamic Duo Takes the Reigns at the Ladies Workout of Snellville From the Publisher: One Man’s Heart Girl Scout Troop 13670 Celebrates Little Free Library with Ribbon-Cutting Making a Difference: LifeSouth Community Blood Centers St. John Neumann Regional Catholic School Celebrates 30th Anniversary Getting to Know: Books by the Pound in Lawrenceville Catching Up with Community Connections Community Spotlight: Be Someone, Inc. Welcome to 12Stone Church Snellville with Pastor Trey Hildebrant Character Counts: Up Close with NG3 and Grayson High School Physical Therapy Matters: Connecting the Swing to the Body Community Educational Spotlight: Gisella Brust and Gwinnett Tech Special Kneads & Treats Bakery Offers Employment to Adults with Special Needs BusiNeighbor Seeks a “Third Place” for Veterans

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From the Publisher: One Man’s Heart:

By Ryan T. Sauers

@RyanSauers

It was February 3, 2017. I remember it well as it was Super Bowl weekend for my beloved Falcons. I was so excited as all my traveling was done, and both editions of Our Town Magazine were printed and posted online. I was happy. My wife of twenty years, our three daughters, and I decided to have a fun and relaxed family weekend. And, I could not wait to watch the game with them on my relatively new sofa and television.

Everyone was hungry that Friday evening, and my family urged me to grill out the hamburgers. I was not hungry yet, but when four ladies tell you to grill, you grill. So, I did what I have done thousands of times and turned on the propane tank and lit up the grill. And all was good.

I waited for the grill to warm up and then put the hamburgers on it. I realized I needed a few things, so I went back inside the house, which was about twelve feet from the grill.

About 45 seconds later, I saw a large flame come up from the grill. This was a bigger flame than I usually see, but not too crazy. The next flame shook my world. It was about 12 feet high and 7 feet wide! Propane was leaking and an inferno had begun. I yelled to my kids and wife to get out as I quickly saw the fire going up the side of my sunroof to the roof. The fire then came through the window, breaking the glass and spreading to the sofa and sunroom. And the smoke was terrible.

All this time I was working to put out the fire with water and then a fire extinguisher as my wife called 911. Smoke detectors went off. Our home security system went off. My middle daughter was in the shower and couldn’t hear what was going on. My oldest daughter had to kick her door down to tell her to get out. All this occurred in minutes. My kids ran to tell our neighbors in our cul-de-sac. I was still inside and had no clue why or how my neighbors came to be beside me with their own fire extinguishers. You see, they risked their own lives, and they ran into harm’s way into a very smoky and fiery house to help me try to slow/stop the fire. I need to insert here how proud I am of both my wife and kids for how they handled this emergency in minutes. Like many people, we have never “prepared” for such a situation as we should have.

This was an out-of-body type experience. I learned later that my neighbors and friends saw the roof on fire and came running from everywhere toward our home. There was a Parkview basketball game that night, and word spread quickly about our house fire. The first responders from two different fire departments, ambulance, and police all arrived in six minutes. They were amazing.

We got out of the house. We had all stayed too long trying to slow the fire that we breathed in too much smoke. The fire fighters arrived one minute after we could no longer breathe. My wife, kids, family, and friends were piled into our cul-de sac. Although I don’t remember too much, I do remember that I was in shorts, a t-shirt, and barefoot, and it was in the 30-degree range. Yet, I never felt cold. I stood in our driveway for the next couple hours in shock. For anyone who knows me, when I am not talking, something is usually wrong. People brought me socks, a jacket, blankets, and more. The kindness, hugs, and continued love that night was amazing. I couldn’t understand all that was happening, but I felt the support and togetherness of our community. This support has continued in subsequent weeks as we have received meals and more in our basically unusable downstairs. A special thanks to Camp Creek Elementary School for all the meals the first couple weeks. You see anyone – it does not have to be a church – can show God’s love and caring, and we feel it. Again, we are quite humbled by all the love and caring.

Our house has significant damage and we have had a traumatic life experience. But, we are all okay. God had his hand on us that night. There is no doubt about it. There are so many things, in addition to this, that I am glad to share (but not enough space to put in this column). This will all go on for another few months as our home is rebuilt. The smoke damage on all floors was horrible. But, if not for God’s timing and protection, I would not be writing this to you.

Every month I write/share how great our community is. I have just lived it. I talk about how we must unite – and that night and in subsequent weeks after I have had every person you could imagine – every creed, religion, gender, skin color, etc. – caring for us and helping us. And we all really do have so much in common. Our Town is even better than I realized.

I am simply overwhelmed and just thankful for the love the community has shown my family.

Most people do not know the damage inside our home, and how tough and stressful it is each day. But human beings deal with far worse than this. We are so blessed and so fortunate to have a home still, and to still be alive. The first responders, ServPro, our family, friends and neighbors were and continue to be amazing.

I tell you each month we live somewhere special. This was confirmed to me 100%. I have never felt so helpless in all my life; yet the caring, kindness, meals, gift cards, notes of encouragement, and more have come from everywhere. And oftentimes, they have come from people or Continued on page 11

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Girl Scout Troop 13670 Celebrates Little Free Library with Ribbon-Cutting

By Kim Hill

New Year • New Ladies workout • New You!

Last September, Junior Girl Scout Troop 13670 was in the early stages of planning a project to earn the highlevel Bronze Award. The girls, under the leadership of Andrea Raphael, had decided to focus on promoting reading and literacy in their community by creating a Little Free Library. Fast-forward to February 4th: The Little Free Library is opened in the lobby of Meridian Park, Loganville, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The honors were performed by Mayor Dan Curry, who told Mrs. Raphael he would like to have one in the new town hall as well. It was an exciting day for all involved.

Co-leader Valerie Smith suggested the location as a good option as it was a high-traffic area with people of all ages. Additionally, it would be protected from the weather and potential vandalism.

The Little Free Library (“LFL for short,” says Mrs. Raphael’s daughter Victoria) was created by repurposing a newspaper stand donated by the Walton Tribune. One of the first jobs was cleaning the stand, so everyone was given a pair of gloves and an assortment of sponges and brushes.

Each girl took responsibility for designing and painting a section of the library. The paint was donated by Jason Howard of Howard’s Painting, and was carefully matched to be Girl Scout green. Books came from many donors, including Walton County Schools, families, friends, and small businesses. The scouts received monetary donations as well. The girls made tri-fold posters for the ceremony that included photos of the process and a list of members of the community who helped along the journey.

“We tried to have a selection of adult and children’s fiction and non-fiction, even board books for little kids,” says Mrs. Raphael. The girls placed stickers on most of the books with the troop number, Little Free Library number, and the message, “Please return when finished reading.”

Another option is to take a book and leave one in its place. Victoria Raphael says it is rewarding to know that kids can just come and take a book and read it for education, and also keep it as Continued on page 15

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Making a Difference: LifeSouth Community Blood Centers

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By Michelle Watson LifeSouth Community Blood Centers serve various districts throughout Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. The organization was founded in 1974 to provide a way for people in the community to donate blood and to get that blood to hospitals.

The Atlanta region’s newest mobile operations center is located in Loganville. This allows LifeSouth to better serve Gwinnett County and the surrounding area, and to allow them to reduce their commute time to blood drives and to reach additional donors in order to service the metro Atlanta hospitals.

LifeSouth takes their responsibility to the community very seriously. They collaborate with organizations and provide information tables at health fairs. They educate approximately 4,000 students in Georgia alone every year, and all of their education programs meet the state of Georgia’s science standards. They hold three kid marathons in Georgia, whose sponsorships help fund the education programs. Students in these programs learn the five different ways you can save life through the donation of whole blood, apheresis (separated blood), cord blood, bone marrow, and organ and tissue.

Cord blood is the blood remaining in the umbilical cord and placenta after a baby is born.

It is rich in stem cells which generate red blood cells to resist disease and can be used to cure illnesses in children and adults. Gwinnett Medical Center, Northeast Georgia Medical Center, and Piedmont Henry are local hospitals where cord blood is collected. It is a free, non-invasive way to donate life to someone who needs it.

The mobile operations center, such as the one currently in Loganville, houses a bloodmobile and allows LifeSouth to conduct blood drives anywhere in the area. These drives are hosted by different types of businesses and organizations – schools, colleges, car dealerships, major office Continued on page 15

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St. John Neumann Regional Catholic School Celebrates 30th Anniversary

By Karla Socci Somers St. John Neumann Regional Catholic School (SJNRCS) has come a long way.

Now during the school’s 30th Anniversary Year, SJNRCS has much to celebrate. Not only have they consistently achieved the goals of being a school founded on Catholic values and excellence in education, but they are also known for their passionate dedication to serving the community around them. Additionally, SJNRCS is rapidly becoming a state-of-the-art, technologically-connected campus.

“We are a one-to-one school,” Principal Alex Porto says. “Every middle school student [grades six through eight] has his or her own Chromebook. The elementary grades have a number of tablets to share in the classroom, and we have plans to achieve a one-to-one ratio with all grade levels over the next several years.”

Porto explains that the school has significantly upgraded its technology infrastructure so that the entire campus has wireless, fiber internet connections. This upgrade includes education safety standards and extra teacher training as well.

“It has been a major goal for the Archdiocese of Atlanta,” Porto says. “We upgraded the technology and provided training for our teachers to integrate it into the classroom every day.”

Porto also notes that one goal of using the new technology every day is to better prepare students for their high school careers. Teachers have access to more information; they can do more through an interactive learning process. Where in the past, students may have experienced learning through more of a lecture-centered environment, today they are more actively involved in research and a higher level of engagement in the learning process.

“Kids are so used to having technology at all times,” Porto notes, “that it is a natural integration for them. They have a natural curiosity and information is now instantly at their fingertips.”

The use of the tablets helps students hone in on their research and writing skills – both of which will give them an advantage as they continue their educational pursuits throughout high school and college.

Regardless of how technologically advanced SJNRCS continues to become, the school family – including students, staff, parents, and grandparents – has no plans to change their dedication to serving those in need. Values instituted thirty years ago by the Grey Nuns are still alive and thriving at this Catholic school. Along with St. John Neumann, who dedicated his life to serving the poor and creating the Catholic school system, the Grey Nuns also established schools, hospitals, and orphanages to take care of the impoverished. It is rather fitting that this tradition of helping others continues today as the school celebrates its 30th anniversary.

“We are known for our community service projects,” Porto says, enthusiastically. “We actively participate in projects that benefit the local Humane Society, Clyde’s Kitchen, Thanksgiving and Christmas food drives – it all goes to local families in need.” Porto goes on to say the students at SJNRCS also write letters and send care packages to our nation’s veterans and soldiers and visit the residents of local nursing homes.

“It’s all about LIVING your faith, not just learning about it,” Porto says. “And we do that here, every day.”

More information at http://www.sjnrcs.org.

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Getting to Know: Books by the Pound in Lawrenceville

By Michelle Watson Books by the Pound is a new, used bookstore, located at 860 Duluth Highway in Lawrenceville. Partners Cris Williams, Justin Krewatch, Kevin Shaw, and Todd Harrison had plans to one day open a physical location, and on February 18, 2017, they opened their first brick-and-mortar store. The location, on the corner of Highways 120 and 316, is highly visible with easy access.

Books by the Pound is a revolutionary way to buy used books. Buyers are charged by weight.

The first three pounds are charged at a rate of $3.99 per pound; for books weighing three to eight pounds, the charge is $2.99 per pound, and for anything over eight pounds, the rate is $1.99 per pound. This means the more you buy, the less you pay per book. Books titles are mostly new, but they are planning to grow their antique book selection as time goes on.

Many reports from various sources claim that the public is moving away from purchasing paper books to using electronic sources.

The men at Books by the Pound know this is not true. Krewatch says we actually live in a period of what he calls digital fatigue. The public wants to continue buying paper books to give their eyes a break from all of the electronic screens that so many people read from all day.

In fact, Books by the Pound adds new titles daily. When they first founded the company, they were buying books and reselling them. However, the long-term business model is based on their generous trade-in program. As Williams says, you can use what you don’t want to get what you do want. Bring your unwanted books to the store and they will give you store credit, which you can use to purchase anything in the store. You are allowed to apply store credit equal to 50% of your total purchase.

The sense of community that revolves around books is very important to the owners and the way they want to operate their store. Williams says people from every country come into the store, and books are a common denominator that binds them. A family-friendly atmosphere further creates warmth in the large, warehouse-size facility. There is comfortable seating for customers to sit and talk, and a train table for the kids in the back. The books they sell are also family-friendly. The four partners and their welcoming staff purge anything that is risqué or uncensored.

In the interest of helping the community-at-large, Books by the Pound gives in tremendous ways. They donated books to the middle schools of Gwinnett County by allowing teachers to visit the nearby warehouse and select a book for each of their students. The students thanked the store by writing letters, with many indicating that their new book was their most prized possession. Additionally, anyone who works in service to the public is given a discount. This includes military, police, students, teachers, homeschoolers, and more. Williams says they want to let public service workers know they are appreciated, and giving them a discount is one way to do that.

Books by the Pounds’ store hours are Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Stop in and see the enormous selection they have that changes on a daily basis.

More information at www.booksbythepound.com.

One Man’s Heart Continued from page 7 places I would never have expected.

Human beings are inherently caring, and the love we have felt will be love we give to others in need. I thank you all for letting me be transparent and allowing me to share this story. The Fire Chief said, “Sir, it is amazing you are standing here – with your family. You are so fortunate.”

My take on this is that there must be more I am supposed to do – and more people to help – in this short time we have on earth.

I am so honored to be in your community and to be your neighbor and friend. Thank you for proving to me (once again) that this is Our Town. And, a community built on love and truly united in nature. God Bless and thank you ALL, as we continue the story of my town, your town, OUR TOWN!

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PAGE 11

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Community Connections is celebrating its fifteenth year of helping foster families throughout Gwinnett County and the metro Atlanta area. Karen Jackson and Linda Coil met as social workers at the Department of Family and Children Services (DFACS). They saw there was a need for non-profit support to foster families, so they co-founded Community Connections.

Community Connections seeks to help all foster families with vital resources and training. Their specialty, though, is children with developmental delays and the medically fragile. Children in their program range from age 0 to 21.

Dispelling the myth that children “age out” of the foster care system once they turn 16 or 18, Jackson says that upon turning 18, young adults do have the option of voluntarily staying in the foster home they are currently placed until they are 21. This allows them to have some stability while they finish high school or attend college.

The children who come to Community Connections do so in the custody of DFACS. This means the children often have very little or nothing with them. Jackson and Coil’s vision is to help the foster families these children are placed with get started in the right direction. If a child comes to them without any extra clothes, school supplies, medical equipment, diapers, or baby wipes, etc., as is often the case, then Community Connections ensures that the foster family receives the necessary items for the child. Community Connections serves an average of 100 children per year, with as many as sixty-five children in foster homes at any given time.

Training for foster families is held at the center. Each family is required by the state to complete a 23-hour pre-service training program, and then, once approved, each foster parent attends 15 hours of training per year. The training covers topics of interest to foster families.

Once approved, staff and volunteers provide free childcare for all the children in the home (born, Continued on page 16

Community Spotlight: Be Someone, Inc.

By Michelle Watson

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Be Someone, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) organization that uses chess to get kids to think about the effects of their decisions.

Orrin “Checkmate” Hudson grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. As a teen, he joined a gang and started getting into a trouble. A teacher, the only white teacher at an all-black school, determined that Hudson’s life would turn out differently. He took Hudson aside and taught him to play chess, and Hudson’s life was truly forever changed. He went on to be the first African-American to win the Birmingham City Chess Championship.

Actress Jane Fonda, who wanted someone to come to Atlanta and teach chess to elementary students, found Hudson by contacting the US Chess Federation. Once in Atlanta, Hudson stayed and founded Be Someone, Inc., a mobile program that allows him to take his life-size chess board and pieces to any school or event in Gwinnett County and the state.

Be Someone’s Win by Choice program uses chess to teach youth the same life lessons Hudson learned through the game. He says there are many ways in which chess parallels life, and after just a few minutes with him, one begins to devise personal lessons by applying the rules and strategies of the game. Hudson says the most important thing you can do is, “Take time to think things through. You can make one move in life and never recover.” Every action has the potential to affect the rest of your life.

Teaching young children chess is easy. They relate to patterns naturally, and are taught to recognize them by their teachers. When Hudson beats fifty-nine students at one time, he is able to further relate to them and what they are already learning by showing how he uses pattern recognition to win.

Hudson’s pattern for winning at chess – and at life – is easy: Plan, Prioritize, Position, and Predict. When you plan and prioritize, you can adjust your own position and predict the moveContinued on page 15

For information on becoming an advertising partner visit OurTownGwinnett.com or call 678-825-2049

Our Town

Welcome to 12Stone Church Snellville with Pastor Trey Hildebrant

By Karla Socci Somers In a church that serves the spiritual needs of 17,000 people every weekend, the maxims of “One Matters” and “You Matter to God. You Matter to Us” are tall orders for the eight campus pastors of 12Stone Church. But, as Trey Hildebrant, Campus Pastor of 12Stone Church, Snellville notes, “Despite how large we’ve gotten, we seek to be a place where individual stories are important.”

Pastor Hildebrant continues to say that every new family that visits any 12Stone Church campus receives a personal phone call, emails, and letter of welcome. “We want to reach out to people to affect their lives and help them get connected.”

Connecting with the community and serving their spiritual needs are a big part of what Pastor Hildebrant believes creates a church that people desire to be part of. And he and his Snellville team have been doing just that for the past two years.

The Snellville 12Stone location opened in January 2015 at Brookwood High School. In a rented space, dedicated volunteers would arrive in the early morning hours every Sunday to set up for worship services in their community. In September 2016, the church was able to move into their permanent worship space at the old Best Buy location at 1709 Scenic Highway, Snellville, where they now enthusiastically serve 2,000 people at three services every Sunday.

Their new worship space seats 800 people and offers childcare for infants and worship experiences through fifth grade.

“We have found a way of creating worship services for people of all ages, from kids to adults in their 90s,” Pastor Hildebrant says. “People enjoy our worship services!” he says. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we take God very seriously.” Pastor Hildebrant and his fellow pastors at each of the 12Stone locations often deliver God’s word through music, humor, and more non-traditional praise methods.

“We don’t want the HOW people worship to be sacred, we want the WHY people worship to be sacred,” Pastor Hildebrant notes. Making sure people enjoy the services in combination with the church’s “pursuit with intent” of every individual is what makes such a large church able to connect with worshipers in a very personal way.

In addition to Sunday services, 12Stone Church is also known for its thriving Wednesday night Student Ministry for grades six through twelve. At the Snellville location alone, nearly 200 students attend the program each week. “In six months, we went from having 40 kids in a clubhouse to using our main worship space,” says Pastor Hildebrant. 12Stone Snellville has its own student pastor, as well as a preschool/elementary director for their Kids’ Ministry.

Under the leadership of Senior Pastor Kevin Myers, 12Stone Church is “one church in many locations.” The Central Campus, located at 1322 Buford Drive in Lawrenceville, became a multi-site church in 2007 and has been growing ever since. Its latest growth spurt occurred when Snellville was launched, along with four other new campuses all on the same day in January 2015.

With families coming for services each week from Monroe, Conyers, Covington, Tucker, Lithonia, and Stone Mountain, Pastor Hildebrant is excited about where 12Stone Snellville is going next. “We want to dig deep roots in the community, not just be a new church that people try out. We want Snellville to be better off because we are here.”

More information at https://12stone.com

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PAGE 13

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Character Counts: Up Close with NG3 and Grayson High School

By Dustin Mattox Matthew Greenway, a senior and student ambassador at Grayson High School, is a state champion football player, one of the top 10 students in his senior class, and a member of the National Honor Society, Beta club, and NG3. Matthew seems to do it all, but the most notable is his character and servant leadership in the Grayson community. Here is a recent Q and A with Dustin Mattox: Dustin Mattox (DM): When did you get involved with NG3 and why?

Matthew Greenway (MG): I became a part of NG3 through my involvement in a small group called “Huddle” with guys from the football team. When Dustin Mattox reached out and gave me the chance to join during my junior year, the decision was easy for me. It would be an opportunity to grow spirituality in my walk with Christ, while also being able to help bring real change at the community level. That was just something I wanted to be a part of, and having the ability to be a positive influence through serving others.

DM: What have you learned from being a part of NG3 at Grayson?

MG: Since joining the NG3 organization, I have learned their ultimate mission statement: Do what you say, Serve others, and Bring change. It is these three core values that serve as the basis for all of their service projects and charitable work. Not only is it a fantastic motto, but NG3 has taught us, as its volunteers, that these are words to live by. Whether at school, in the workplace, or on a sports team, living by these core values allows for the most positive influence and potential for change.

DM: What is the most memorable moment you had with NG3?

MG: My most memorable moment with NG3 would definitely be gift shopping for a family in need this past Christmas. We gathered all the money we could from the guys in our huddle group and collected a few donations from other contributors. With this money and a family Christmas list, we went to Walmart and bought as many of the wanted items as possible. It was awesome to see everyone get excited about finding the different presents, and it felt great to help give that family a special Christmas.

More information at http://ng3.org/

Physical Therapy Matters: Connecting the Swing to the Body

By Wesley Spake PT, DPT, OCS, TPI Certified

PAGE 14

What components make up the ultimate golfer? It can be broken down into six categories: Basic Instruction, Shot Making Skills, Course Management, Mental/Emotional, Equipment, and Physical Conditioning. Which of these categories can directly influence your ability to play a round of golf? Assuming you have a set of clubs, it would be your physical conditioning, or lack thereof – whether it’s knee pain, shoulder pain, or the ever popular low back pain. These ailments are what keep most people off the course, or create a barrier to improving their game. What if there was a way to help resolve those issues and improve your golf swing? Well – good news. The Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) has created an innovative physical screening process that can identify limitations throughout the entire body, which relate specifically to your golf swing.

TPI’s Philosophy is, “We don’t believe there is one way to swing a club. We believe there are an infinite number of ways to swing a club. But we do believe that there is one efficient way for everyone to swing a club, and it is based on what they can physically do.”

TPI’s method is to utilize a multi-disciplinary approach to achieve the greatest results, including Golf Instructors, Fitness Instructors, and Medical Professionals. As a TPI certified Medical Professional (Physical Therapist), I am able to utilize the TPI screen, interpret the results, and combine my Physical Therapy skillset to create an individualized treatment plan. The information gathered during the screen is also related to characteristics of the golf swing, in reference to the twelve most common swing characteristics. By identifying and correcting limitations, the goal is to develop a more efficient golf swing, which can reduce the risk of injury and increase athletic performance. The TPI screen can also be used to re-test your performance after implementing a treatment to track progress. If you are experiencing any physical limitations, or you want to take your game to the next level, then I would recommend contacting a local TPI certified professional to begin your journey to becoming the ultimate golfer.

To learn more about the TPI experience, please email Wspake@benchmarkpt.com Wesley Spake, Area Director with Benchmark Physical Therapy. More information at www. benchmarkpt.com

For information on becoming an advertising partner visit OurTownGwinnett.com or call 678-825-2049

Our Town

Girl Scout Troop Continued from page 8 long as they like with no late fees.

To earn the Bronze Award, each girl had to log 20 hours of work and keep a notebook of her contributions. The project was started August 19th with brainstorming, and then the girls spread the word through emails, Facebook posts, and by word of mouth. Each scout participated in the opening day ceremony from 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m., and will get an additional badge for being in the newspaper.

Going forward, the girls have a weekly schedule to maintain the library over the next six months. It will be the responsibility of each scout to visit the center to check the LFL for trash, damaged books, etc., and to add books if needed to keep a good variety available, or to replace books that are not being “checked out.”

The members of Troop 13670 are Gaby Amnicki, Melanie Krone, Hannah Moore, Victoria Raphael, Haley Smith, and Abigail Steed. Several of the girls have been scouts for six years.

While the Little Free Library project may be winding down, there is no end to the activities this group can handle. Mrs. Raphael laughs and says, “Now we’re in cookie mode!”

To see Troop 13670 on the Little Free Library website, visit https://littlefreelibrary.org/, click Map, select zip code, and enter 30052.

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Be Someone, Inc. Continued from page 12 Grand Opening

ment of others so that you become a prophet and can prosper. He says his biggest focus is to teach youth that they win in life by giving to others. There are too many people in jail and in trouble because they are takers, but no one ever gets arrested for being a giver.

More information at http://www.besomeone.org.

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LifeSouth Community Blood Center Continued from page 9 buildings, places of worship – 363 days a year. Though they do not run the blood mobiles on Thanksgiving or Christmas, blood is available 24/7, including holidays, to hospitals that need it. If you are interested in hosting a blood drive, or would like more information about the Five Points of Life education program, please contact Toni Holmes at 404-329-1994 or abholmes@ lifesouth.org. The needs of the local area take priority, although in an emergency blood donations may be taken to any medical facility served by LifeSouth.

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Community Educational Spotlight: Gisella Brust and Gwinnett Tech Gisella Brust, a 21-year-old radiologic technology student from Lawrenceville, is the winner of Gwinnett Technical College’s 2016 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL).

The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) sponsors the GOAL program, which recognizes outstanding technical college students and honors excellence in academics and leadership. Local GOAL winners are selected at each of the state’s 23 technical colleges.

Brust was nominated by Dr. Penny Waddell, Gwinnett Tech’s Speech Program Director. Waddell first met Brust when she registered to take a Public Speaking course that she taught. She said, “Gisella was already an effective communicator and really stood out in the classroom. She excelled in making professional presentations in the form of impromptu and extemporaneous speeches.” Through classroom interactions Waddell observed Brust’s leadership skills and suggested that she become more active on campus. That conversation prompted Brust to become a student ambassador and join the Students’ Toastmasters Club. Brust stepped into leadership roles quickly and began making a real impact.

Waddell nominated Gisella for the GOAL award in 2015, but she did not place as a finalist.

Waddell shared, “Following the competition, Gisella told me that she learned so much from the competition and hoped she would have the opportunity to try again for the next year.

Throughout the year, I watched as she worked fervently to improve her communication and leadership skills, in addition to working hard on her studies.”

Brust went on to compete in the 2016 SkillsUSA Prepared Speech State Competition and won. She advanced to the National SkillsUSA competition in June and placed 2nd in the country, winning a silver medal. It was her successful SkillsUSA competitions that fueled her ambition to be the 2016 GOAL winner for Gwinnett Tech.

What many may not know about Brust is that in 2015 she lost her mother to cancer. Walking that journey with her mom inspired Gisella to pursue a degree in Radiologic Technology.

Waddell has seen first-hand how Brust has pushed through many challenges, determined to fulfill her dream.

Hence, Waddell was beyond excited when Brust was announced as the 2016 winner, saying, “I was so proud of her and know her mom would have loved to have been here to see Gisella pursuing her dreams.” Waddell continued, “I have no doubt that Gisella Gonzalez Brust will be one of the best representatives our college has ever had. Working with her is a pleasure and I look forward to see what the future has to offer for this amazing young woman!”

This year’s competition was judged by a distinguished panel of industry leaders including Cindy Badgett, Director of External Affairs from Sawnee EMC; Rob Kealler, Manager of MidMarket Sales for Gas South; Kevin Robbins, Director of Implementation Operations for ADP; Sean Murphy, Vice President & Co-Founder of Procurri; and Jeff Wolfe, Marketing Manager at Deutz Corporate.

The judges shared in their comments, “Gisella presents a very impressive and unique balance of self-confidence, clarity of purpose, appreciation for the opportunities and resources presented to her and the ability to communicate and share this with others. Her personal story is the living embodiment of workforce development and the mission of Gwinnett Technical College and the Technical College System of Georgia. She is a tremendous ambassador of GTC and its ability to teach every individual and serve every business exemplified by Gisella’s passion and pursuit of her career in healthcare and her realization that Gwinnett Technical College was the best choice to get her there.”

As Gwinnett Tech’s GOAL winner, Brust will continue on to the statewide GOAL competition later this academic year. The state’s GOAL winner will serve as the student ambassador for technical education in Georgia. More information at: GwinnettTech.edu

Community Connections Continued from page 12 adopted, or fostered) during the trainings, so parents can attend without worry. All volunteers are required to pass a background check.

Community Connections holds several events throughout the year. They have a coat drive in the fall and a toy drive in the winter. In the spring they give a new summer outfit to each child in the program, and in the summer they provide school supplies in preparation for the coming fall semester. They also have a donation center called The Closet Connection that accepts new and gently used books, toys, and clothing for ages 0-12.

More information at www.c-connections.com.

For information on becoming an advertising partner visit OurTownGwinnett.com or call 678-825-2049

Our Town

Special Kneads & Treats Bakery Offers Employment to Adults with Special Needs

By Heidi Campbell “Everyone kneads to be kneaded.” Those words are stenciled across the wall inside Lawrenceville’s most important and inspiring bakery, Special Kneads and Treats bakery. Numerous magazines, newspapers, and even The Today Show told of the January 2014 opening of this unique, delicious eatery. The non-profit bakery, opened by Michael and Tempa Kohler, was their vision for not only helping the less fortunate, but also securing job opportunities for special needs adults. “Our twenty-seven year old son has special needs,” explains Tempa. “He has Fragile X Syndrome, so we moved to Gwinnett County for their great schools. After he graduated from Grayson High School, he completed his four years in the Strive program, and then there was nothing. There are so few job opportunities for these special adults, and so we decided we’d open this bakery and he could work there!”

While hiring adult special needs employees is their business model, the heart of the Special Knead’s mission is to provide a birthday cake for any child in the area who wouldn’t otherwise have one. They provide gift certificates to numerous local food banks, as well as organizations including Rainbow Village, DEFACS, Uniting Hope for Children, Bethany Christian Services, C.C. Services, Wishes for Me Foundation, and, most recently, the Partnership Against Domestic Violence. The organizations then give the gift certificates to clients who call the bakery, with twenty-four hour notice, to order their birthday cakes. They receive a 9”x13” sheet cake with their choice of four different designs.

The bakery’s donations don’t stop with birthday cakes, however.

They reach out to as many charitable organizations as their donation intake allows. They recently gave four hundred cupcakes to the Village of Hope, a non-profit organization that helps the homeless in Lawrenceville. They also contribute to several events

honoring veterans, to Night to Shine – the Special Needs Prom program that Tim Tebow developed – and to Gwinnett County’s sheriff, police, and fire departments.

The shop features a delectable selection of cakes, cheesecakes, cupcakes, cookies, and “choc-corn.” Their cupcake selection includes twenty-six heavenly flavors – including salted caramel, Mississippi Mud, and German chocolate – with options for vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free dietary needs. They have eight flavors which they change out monthly. This month they featured a “New Year’s Resolution” cupcake for those watching their calories. Justin, a regular customer with special needs, helps them create new cupcake ideas. His sixth and most recent idea, the Peppermint Bark Cupcake, is currently in the mix, and it features a vanilla cupcake with a mint chocolate ganache center, topped with white chocolate cream cheese icing and red and white chocolate shavings on top.

The “choc-corn,” available in small, large, and a $100 bag, may be their most unique and popular item. People rarely leave without a bag of the white chocolate-coated corn puffs. “We had

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a customer who was here from out of town,” recalls Tempa. “He tried our choc-corn and loved it so much that he went and bought a suitcase so he could bring home twenty bags!”

The bakery employs twelve special needs adults, ages twentytwo and up, who begin as volunteers. They also welcome seven volunteers who come in to help out with the large special orders.

According to Tempa, they have a waiting list of 130 special needs adults who would like to secure a job at the bakery. “We are actually in the process of opening a new, larger location,” shares Tempa. “This will be off of Scenic Highway, and we plan to move in by the end of April. Once we have more space, we hope to really work down that list of 130 special needs adults looking for work.”

The bakery’s employees do all sorts of jobs in the shop, with the exception of using the ovens. They fold boxes, greet and help customers, attach date stickers to liners, decorate cakes, sweep, bag choc-corn, and chop pecans. “To see the expression on their faces when they do something they’ve never done before is amazing,” beams Tempa. “They are so proud of what they can do. One of our employees, Scott, who uses a walker, was 52 years old when he started working here. He’s now 54 and lives with his parents.

When he got his first paycheck, he was so excited that he cashed it and took his dad out to lunch.”

This bakery truly has it all: heart, a higher purpose, and delicious sweets. The bakery is equipped to handle all orders large and small. Along with normal cake orders, they also do multi-tiered wedding cakes and have successfully filled numerous large orders such as the Pigs and Peaches BBQ event in Kennesaw which ordered 1,000 cupcakes. “The adults who work here are amazing employees. They take pride in what they do, they are always on time, and they love their paychecks!” explains Tempa. “We need to educate the public that these adults can do so many jobs. All they need is a chance.”

More information at http://specialkneadsandtreats.com/index.html

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BusiNeighbor Seeks a “Third Place” for Veterans

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Around the holidays, American veteran Charmelle Scott finds herself surrounded by piles of donated toys ready to be distributed to those in need. She hosts parties for foster and special needs children and spends many hours volunteering; but the cause that is always heavy on her heart is the desire to help our country’s veterans who struggle daily with the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She founded a non-profit organization called BusiNeighbor, Inc. as a vehicle to raise awareness and support for those who have served.

Ms. Scott offers the concept of a “Third Place” to describe what she hopes to achieve for veterans.

A third place is somewhere that is not home and not work, but a different physical location where someone spends time. In the ideal scenario, veterans could come to this place to interact with each other in a non-threatening environment.

“You’re not in a hospital doing a group, where you might feel depressed or anxious, and you’re not at home isolated where you may think you’re the only one who’s going through this. You’re in a place where you can relax, where you can meet other veterans, and share the same experience,” she says.

“There’s nobody that you can meet who doesn’t know a veteran,” says Ms. Scott, but often the conversation will lead to the problems that veteran is having. “You just fill in the blank with what that suffering is. I just don’t want them to have such a hard time; that they think suicide is the way to find that peace.”

Citing the example of a workplace with a gym, Ms. Scott says employees who utilize the space feel better, look better, and thereby become more productive. She uses exercise as her own outlet.

“Whatever emotion I had is released through the sweat,” she explains. “We know the benefit of recreation for everyone.”

Ms. Scott works tirelessly to make the veteran recreation center a reality. Her prayer is to get more people thinking about a third place for those who need it. The ideal location would be on a bus line, and have space for a clothing closet, food pantry, computer lab, and a reading library.

“I think each of those plays an important part in the person being happy,” she says. Outdoor space for activities is vital, and Ms. Scott is constantly looking for partners, having contacted an organization to provide use of therapy dogs. “At the end of the day,” she says, “I just remember, if God gives me one more day, then it’s up to me to try to make this happen for all the veterans who don’t have an outlet.”

More information at www.BusiNeighborVeteransCenter.org

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delivery service. Chef Max Miller, a Shiloh graduate, owns a company called Everbest Foods.

On Mondays, he emails his weekly menu to the members. Orders are placed on Wednesdays, and meals for the following week are delivered to the refrigerator at Ladies Workout on Mondays for members to pick up.

Farredeh and Kelly believe in the power of community, and they offer a wide range of classes, including many that are part of the Les Mills system. Their freestyle classes include Zumba, spin, barre, and kickboxing, just to name a few. “We offer HIIT training to our members, which is High Intensity Interval Training. This accelerates their fat loss. They don’t want to lose muscle mass; they want fat loss!” explains Kelly.

They also offer SilverSneakers for those over the age of 65. They have a great selection of workout equipment for those who want to work out alone, but they really encourage the classes for optimum results. “It is the relationships that you make and maintain that keep you going,” explains Farredeh. “I got into this with Kelly because we developed a friendship that is a sisterhood. It’s so cool to be in a community of people who all want the same thing.”

The sense of community created at the Ladies Workout of Snellville keeps customers coming back for more. The owners recall working with one client at their previous location who came in completely crippled with anxiety. She stayed in the back of the class. Each week, she moved closer and closer to the front. Before the year ended, she was an instructor. “We all have a story,” explains Kelly. “Hers was not to lose weight; it was dealing with her anxiety – and the support and energy she found helped her overcome this.”

Ladies Workout is, as the name suggests, just for ladies. Many women who come to the center are all dealing with the same issues, which make it a true safe haven for them. “Our goal,” says Kelly, with her trademark excitement, “is to reach as many women as possible to get them healthy, happy, and confident! We are results driven, and the sky is the limit!”

More information at www.ladiesworkoutexpresssnellville.com or visit their Facebook page “Ladies Workout Snellville.”

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2265 Loganville Highway Grayson, GA 30017 770-995-9509 www.beveragesuperstoreofgrayson.com

VOTED BEST OF GWINNETT! Don’t get sidelined by an injury.

Whether you’re an elite athlete or a weekend warrior, every day you spend dealing with pain or injury means less time spent doing what you love.

A movement screening with a licensed physical therapist at BenchMark can identify possible risk factors for injury and help you address them before they become a problem.

Call your local BenchMark today to set up an evaluation.

BUFORD I-85 • 2815 Buford Dr, Ste 102 • Buford, GA 30519 • (770) 271-4413 GRAYSON • 2065 Grayson Hwy, Ste B • Grayson, GA 30017 • (678) 376-0213 LAWRENCEVILLE • 455 Philip Blvd, Ste 160 • Lawrenceville, GA 30046 • (678) 985-0238 LILBURN • 1227 Rockbridge Rd, Ste 402 • Stone Mountain, GA 30087 • (770) 925-9210 SNELLVILLE • 2050 Scenic Hwy N, Ste A • Snellville, GA 30078 • (678) 344-7197

Our Town

For information on becoming an advertising partner visit OurTownGwinnett.com or call 678-825-2049

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TENNIS • GOLF • SWIMMING • DINING • SOCIAL OUR FAMILY MEMBERSHIP JUST GOT•BIGGER AND TENNIS • GOLF • SWIMMING DINING • BETTER! SOCIAL one big happy family at Summit Chase! OFFER A NEWBe YEAR…A NEW MEMBERSHIP Add your grandchildren for free!

New Golf Memberships include cart fees for 2017!

Year round golf, tennis, and swimming programs New Tennisfor Members enjoy 30% discount! the entire family.

Corporate and Individual Memberships Family,Family, Corporate and Individual Memberships Available NO INITIATION FEE

NO INITIATION FEE

Give the gift of membership and start building your legacy today!

Certain restrictions apply. Call today Carol Sapp Zamzow for details YOUR FAMILY BELONGS HERE! 770-979-9000 (ext. 101).

For monthly membership special, additional information or to schedule a facility tour, contact Carol Sapp or Charlene Adams.

YOUR FAMILY BELONGS HERE! 3197 Classic 3197 ClassicDrive Drive Snellville, GA Snellville, GA30078 30078

770-979-9000 770-979-9000

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