OUR TOWN DEKALB (November 2021)

4 Tucker’s Main Street Theatre

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Our Town DeKalb

10 Food for Thought: Farmers Markets Offer a Fresh Shopping Experience 14 Back Talk: Be Thankful for Good Health

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Our Town DeKalb

OurTown NE DeKalb Community and Family Magazine

A Shiny Inc Publication Editor Lizbeth A. Dison Shinycomm.com ldison@shinycomm.com Our Town DeKalb is published and direct mailed to

select homes in the Tucker / Northeast DeKalb area.

Opinions expressed by the writers and staff are their Creative Director own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Jay Adcock the publisher. Our Town DeKalb reserves the right jay@adcockcreativegroup.com to edit or reject any editorial or advertising content.

Our Town DeKalb is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the cost of the space or for the Writers validity of claims made by advertisers.

Cindy E. Farrar Doug Reynics Lois Ricci Sanah Sayani Karl Schwartz Art Wood

Entire contents copyright 2021 by Our Town DeKalb and Shiny Inc LLC. Reproduction in whole or part is forbidden in any media without written permission from the publisher.

Distribution Coordinator Emma Dison Brantley

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4426 Hugh Howell Road, Suite 307B Tucker, Georgia 30084 770.621.9041 | info@ourtowndekalb.com

IN THIS ISSUE 4 Tucker’s Main Street Theatre: Uniting the Community with Entertainment 6 The Bits in Between: Small Victories 7 Wellness In-Sight: The Isness of Gratitude 8 Age Friendly Tucker: What Makes It a Good Place to Call Home?

9 Common Sen$e: Building Wealth Through Real Estate 10 Food for Thought: Farmers Markets Offer a Fresh Shopping Experience 11 Beauty Byline with Sanah: Getting Under Your (Dry) Skin 14 Back Talk: Be Thankful for Good Health 16 Tucker Community Singers Will Return to Stage in Winter Concert 18 Local Rotary Clubs Schedule Electronics Recycling Event ON THE COVER: Erin Eben, Kate Mogilski and Keegan McDaniel in Main Street Theatre’s 2019 production of “Little Women.”

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Tucker’s Main Street Theatre

Ray Ganga, Jason Garrett and Bill Hines in MST’s first production of “Harvey.”

Tucker’s Main Street Theatre returned to a live audience in October with its first in-person performance in over eighteen months. The company presented Katherine DiSavino’s lighthearted comedy, “Things My Mother Taught Me,” in sold-out shows over three consecutive weekends.

Founded in 2014 by nine Tucker residents, MST promotes itself as “a community theatre run by the community,” according to the company’s president, Sabrina Chambers. “We incorporated in June 2014, before Tucker was even a city.”

(Tucker was settled in the 1820s but did not incorporate as a city until 2015.) As a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, MST relies solely on the support of the community to help

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Uniting the Community with Entertainment L.A. Dison

produce high-quality and entertaining productions, most staged at Tucker Recreation Center.

Chambers graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in industrial and systems engineering, and in 2014 was working at Delta Air Lines as a design engineer. An amateur stage actor in high school and college, she wanted to get back on stage as an adult but felt intimidated by the more well-established theatre companies around Atlanta. When a co-worker asked her about starting a community theater in Tucker, she at first thought it was a ridiculous notion. But with growing interest in cityhood by Tucker residents, Chambers thought maybe this would be a good time to gauge support

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for a community theatre group. She posted just didn’t feel it could stop working, however; on Facebook group page Tucker Town Talk, its management, board, cast and crew, as well to ask, “Would Tucker support a community as Tucker residents, felt the entertainment theater?” they provided was important in relieving “I hoped that someone else would decide the stress and uncertainty brought on by the to start up a community theater,” said ongoing pandemic. MST produced some Chambers. “The response was overwhelming, “socially distant” shows and broadcast them and then one person asked ‘When is the on YouTube, including a “Tucker Talent first meeting?’ I hyperventilated for a few Showcase.” “Even though they were fun, moments because I really didn’t want to start and we may do them again, there just isn’t or run a theater. But at the first meeting in a comparison to being on that stage, live!”

March 2014, about twenty people showed exclaimed Chambers. up. We decided to try to produce one show When MST came back for its first live in one year. It quickly snowballed from there performance in October, the excitement with no stopping in sight.” from the production volunteers to the The founding MST board members were audience members was so electric, it was Chambers, Bill Hines, Lola Jones, Linda almost palpable. At each of the nine sold-out MST 2019 Holiday on Main skit: (left to right) Holden Chambers, Sabrina Hughes, Maria Dangerfield, Merle Westbrook, performances, when director Carrie Harris Chambers, Drew Crecente, Mia Trocchi, Madeline Westbrook, Carly Sharec Ray Ganga, Wayne Kelley and Gary Goettling, walked out on stage to give the curtain speech, and Ray Ganga. with many other Tucker residents stepping up the room exploded in applause and cheers as to help the company get started. One year after that first meeting, on May she announced, “Welcome back to live theatre in Tucker!”

15, 2015, the company staged its first production: “Harvey,” by Mary Chase, What does MST have planned for the post-pandemic season? “One of which ran for just one weekend. That November, MST produced Neil Simon’s our founding members said at that first meeting that Tucker could be a “The Odd Couple (Female Version),” which included a pre-show of “A Fairy destination for live theater,” said Chambers. “We’ve started to see a little of Tale Dating Game” with an all-youth cast. that as we see patrons traveling from all over The company also staged a “Holiday on Main Atlanta to see our shows.” Chambers says that Street” skit in December. there are many “firsts” for patrons to look In 2016, MST began staging Murder forward to in upcoming seasons. In Winter Mystery Dinners each season at local 2022, MST will present its first full “all-youth” restaurant Shorty’s, and in its 2018show, mainly in response to continuing 2019 season, moved to three full-length requests for children’s programming. The productions. The company also performed company is considering some small stage various smaller skits and shows “whenever or “black box” shows which would allow the the opportunity, ask, or inspiration comes,” actors to stretch their legs and reach a new as well as a small Christmas-themed skit at audience. “Mostly, though, we will focus on “Holiday on Main” in Tucker each year. getting better in everything we do, by looking Tucker Recreation Center has served as at ourselves in the mirror and seeing what we the home for MST since its founding. “They need to change. One of our long-standing have supported us from the beginning,” said goals is to be more representative of our Chambers. “With their support and generous community by meeting folks where they are.” donations from the community, we have been For the remainder of the 2021-2022 able to provide enhancements to the space to season, MST has scheduled two more fullmake it more like a true theater - like adding MST current board of directors: (back left to right) Carrie Harris, Sabrina length productions: “Laughing Stock,” by permanent retractable shades, upgrading Charles Morey, a hilarious backstage farce and Chambers, Ray Ganga, Christa Sfameni, Ellen Clay, Jonn McDaniel; (front the electrical, and creating a backstage genuinely affectionate look into the world left to right) Merle Westbrook, David Lukens, Wayne Kelley, Dawn Hines. entrance.” The company recently dedicated the of the theatre, scheduled for April 2022; and auditorium to founding member Bill Hines, who passed away in 2018. “We “Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming,” by Connie Ray and conceived by wanted to honor him and the important role he played in getting the theatre Alan Bailey, a gospel-filled story of family and community relations in poststarted.”

WWII Appalachia, scheduled for August 2022. (MST was in rehearsals for The company was in the middle of rehearsals for “Smoke on the Mountain “Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming,” when it had to close everything Homecoming,” its second show of the 2019-2020 season, when COVID down in spring 2020.) MST will once again produce a skit for this year’s forced the shutdown of all live performances worldwide. MST cancelled Holiday on Main Street. If live performances can continue safely, MST plans all in-person shows starting in March 2020 – a shutdown that would last for to produce a Murder Mystery Dinner early next year. The company is also eighteen months. “We wanted to keep everyone safe,” explained Chambers. partnering with Tucker High School to form a drama club there; there isn’t “Each time we would discuss opening back up, we just didn’t feel the risk was any funding yet, but Chambers is confident that the community will show up worth it.” Not owning its own theatre was a blessing; the company did not to support the club and the students. have to produce shows to keep the lights on or pay the bills. The company CONTINUED on page 12

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The Bits in Between: Small Victories

OurTown NE DeKalb Community and Family Magazine

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We all have goals in life. Setting goals helps motivate us, and gives us direction. Setting big goals helps us find satisfaction in life, but reaching these long-term goals is a long journey with a lot of small steps. Sometimes, we may lose our way on that journey, distracted by short-term, easier goals. We might lose interest in the long-term goals, and lose our motivation and momentum, or lose our confidence.

I have two family members dealing with serious illnesses. My sister is fighting metastatic breast cancer, starting her fourth round of chemotherapy with the hope that she will continue to slow down the progression of this currently incurable disease. My cousin is in a sub-acute care facility, recovering from a severe stroke, and working to regain her mobility and become self-sufficient enough to move back home. Both face significant challenges as they work towards their long-term goals. Both will also experience self-doubt, fear, anger, frustration and sometimes self-pity as they strive to maintain momentum and motivation on the journey to their ultimate goals.

Seeing their day-to-day struggles reminds me of the importance of celebrating small wins. We celebrate starting and finishing big goals but rarely take the time to savor the steps we took to get there. As author John C. Maxwell said, “Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.” Celebrating these small wins feels good physically. Acknowledging small wins along the way to our bigger goal sparks the reward circuits of our brains and releases chemicals that give us a feeling of pride and a happiness factor, making us want to go further towards our next achievement.

My cousin may be overwhelmed by the thought she will ever be selfsufficient at home when she can hardly get out of a wheelchair but I remind her that today she stood up unaided for a few minutes, and tomorrow she will stand up for a few minutes more, and even take her first unaided step. My sister’s chemotherapy will leave her feeling tired and mentally exhausted, but rather than just relegate herself to the couch for a few days, she filled up her bird feeders today, so she could enjoy her feathered friends as she sat outside on a sunny fall afternoon. Each of their small wins is worth celebrating as a step towards the ultimate goal.

Celebrating small wins might seem silly (as each of my relatives has pointed out), but not recognizing these small achievements means you aren’t recognizing the progress you are making, which can be detrimental to your motivation and stymie your momentum. At the end of every day, think about everything you did that day, and recognize the positive achievements, no matter how small. You will keep yourself motivated, recharge your energy and effect positive behavioral changes.

Be thankful for all your wins, small and big, and celebrate yours as well as those of friends and family this Thanksgiving.

Lizbeth A. Dison Publisher and Editor

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Wellness In-Sight: The Isness of Gratitude Cindy E. Farrar, Wellness E.believe Farrar we are It is Cindy hard to now in November and one of the last two legs of our 2021 Road Trip. We are also well on the other side of the fall equinox and moving toward the winter solstice.

The origin meaning of the word equinox is “the time of equal day and night.” From the day of the fall equinox forward, the balance between daylight and darkness gradually shifts. As we approach the time of culmination of seasons and the current year, an overall relational adaptation begins. It’s no wonder Thanksgiving occurs at this time of year.

It serves as both a reminder and exhortation.

In last month’s article, I shared that this is “the time of the mutual letting go of leaves from the trees and trees of their leaves.” This statement drew a few questions from readers, as the two parts of the statement can seem to be the same thing due to them both yielding the same result of no longer being attached to each other. However, I see them as very different. The impetus and purpose for each in the process of nature’s mutual letting go are not the same.

Trees begin to conserve their resources to meet the demands of the coming darker, colder winter and what will be needed to produce next year’s foliage for a glorious spring. This includes stopping the feeding and support of that which can be a drain, namely the leaves, on the trees’ resources.

Simultaneously, the leaves must let go of that which is no longer nourishing them, vis-à-vis the trees. In so doing, the leaves fulfill their vital role in nature’s progression, even to ultimately become a source of nutrients for the trees.

Nature is not alone in the adjustment to the seasonal changes. Like the trees, it is time for us to go inward, assess and consolidate our reserves. In addition, we too are called upon to engage in our own process of letting go of that which is no longer serving us, to make way for the new. As humans, our emotions, feelings, memories, beliefs, etc. inform our experiences. Thus, we tend to avoid this important process due to the potential discomfort or pain we may experience. I do not subscribe to the “there can be no growth without pain” philosophy. Rather I am a proponent of engaging in our own self-actualization and care. We strive to mitigate any discomfort or pain by staying mindful of the overriding need, purpose and vision. And yes, despite the feelings of uncertainty, above all else we remain thankful. In the words of an Old Native American saying, “Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.”

May your Thanksgiving be filled with all good things!

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Cindy E. Farrar, LMT, BCTMB, CLC is a licensed massage therapist, certified life coach and the owner of Massage Associates of Atlanta, LLC (Lavista Road in Tucker). In addition, she is a certified Qi Gong instructor and a nationally approved continuing education provider for massage therapy and bodywork. Cindy enjoys sharing insights on wellness and personal and community development as a speaker and writer.

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Age Friendly Tucker: What Makes It a Good Place to Call Home?

Dr. Lois Ricci Most people when asked will tell you that they feel attached to their community. Where people choose to live is largely determined by their wants and needs, but everyone wants to have access to basic services: safety, good schools, outdoor green space, and access to health services.

A lot is known about what makes us satisfied with our personal lives, jobs and careers but much less about what makes us like where we live. What are the key factors that shape how happy we are with where we live?

Pam Sapp and I reviewed the Age Friendly Domain: Community and Health Services. What does Tucker have that keeps people here and what makes people want to move here? The accessibility to highways, the parks and recreation, schools, police and fire services, and churches rank Tucker high on the list of selling points when realtors are showing homes here.

What about health care in Tucker? Within only a few miles of the city center, Tucker has a hospital and many medical specialties. There is an urgent care center and a pharmacy clinic. Doctors, dentists, physical therapists, counselors, and pharmacies are also located here. And there are several options for transportation services available to get you to these medical services, including rideshare services, buses, taxis, volunteer groups, and free or low-cost options through DeKalb County Senior Services Link Line (770.322.2950).

Tucker is home to a diverse list of other professional services: lawyers, finance, plumbers, electricians, builders, childcare and lawncare, just to name a few. There are two major grocers and the restaurant scene here includes world-class cuisine from around the world as well as basic comfort food.

Tucker residents like to patronize local businesses, and no matter what you need, you can find it in Tucker.

The many parks in Tucker offer relaxation and recreation, with playgrounds, pavilions and walking paths that serve young and old alike.

Sports played in the parks and the recreation center include soccer, football, tennis, basketball and pickle ball. A stadium is planned that will host a professional soccer team as well as high-school football games.

Schools in Tucker turn out scholars and athletes, and students are encouraged to participate in school and community activities to make Tucker a more desirable destination for all ages. Learning from Pre-K through high school is provided through public and private institutions, and there are fortythree colleges and universities within fifty miles of Tucker.

While the many clubs and organizations in Tucker cover a diverse range of interests, more of its residents need to be aware of the opportunities for engagement and the need for volunteers. Busy lives can make it difficult to find the time to volunteer, but volunteering is community service that can benefit those giving their time and those enjoying the results of their efforts.

Volunteering offers help to people in need, supports worthwhile causes, and serves the community. The right match with an organization or program can help you find friends, connect with the community, and even learn new skills.

While it’s true that the more you volunteer, the more benefits you’ll experience, volunteering doesn’t have to involve a long-term commitment or take a huge amount of time out of your busy day. Giving in even simple ways can help those in need and bring something new to you.

In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid, safety and security is at the bottom,

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Image courtesy of Tucker-Northlake CID

moving through a good quality of life, with satisfaction and well-being at the top. These are the factors that shape how residents of Tucker rate their city, but it is the residents who make and maintain Tucker as an Age Friendly City.

Dr. Lois Ricci is a longtime resident of Tucker, where she chairs the Tucker Civic Association Lifelong Community Committee. She serves as an adjunct faculty member at Kennesaw State University, where she teaches gerontology courses and the Professional Development in Gerontology Certificate Class. Ricci also serves as an official representative for American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), co-facilitator for the Rosalyn Carter CareNet, and on the board of the Atlanta Regional Commission Advisory Committee on Aging.

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Common Sen$e: Building Wealth Through Real Estate Art Wood I know you have probably heard it from your parents, from your friend who is a real estate agent, or from a spokesperson on TV, but now you are hearing it from ME! Real Estate is a fantastic way to build wealth. I will make some assumptions that one of your goals is indeed to build wealth. If not, you can flip to the next page, but if it is, I want to share a few reasons why I think it is the easiest way to increase your net worth.

To begin, you really don’t have to have THAT much money to buy your first home. Minimum down payments for a mortgage are only 3%-3.5%. On a $300,000 home, that is around $10,000, and then you have to add closing costs to that, but in the grand scheme of things, it is a small drop in the bucket to what you can earn in the long term.

You may have had to save for years to be able to afford the down payment on your first house, but now you are a homeowner. You are making your mortgage payments much like you would make your rent payments, except now, your mortgage balance is going down and the value of your house is going up each month. If you consider $500 per month going towards principal and normal 3% appreciation, then you “make” $1250 the first month. Now, let’s take that out over five years. You owe about $270,000, but your house is now worth about $350,000. Again, all you did was make your mortgage payment that was very similar (if not less) than your rent payment, but you now have $80,000 in equity.

So now, after five years, you want or need to move. You have two choices: you can either sell the previous home and use the down payment to purchase the next house, or, you can use your savings for the down payment and rent out the previous home and make passive income in the form of rent. If you choose to rent it out, then you are making money with minimal effort, and your renters are paying your mortgage for you.

Now you are watching two homes gain in value, and continue to pay down the mortgage balance, all while just paying “rent” in the form of a mortgage payment.

You can do this over and over again until you end up like me. I bought my house in 2001, and somehow (it wasn’t planned), I have a real estate portfolio with several homes in it. It has become my retirement plan.

Granted, housing prices have ebbed and flowed over the past years. We have seen crazy appreciation over the last two years, and we saw home value tank in the great recession. But as my grandfather always said, “Real estate ALWAYS goes up…they aren’t making any more dirt.”

Art Wood (NMLS #118234) is the branch manager of The Art Wood Mortgage Team of Goldwater Bank, located at 2341 Main Street in downtown Tucker. “Tucker’s Mortgage Guy” for fifteen years, he is a former Tucker Tiger (Class of ’92), and co-founder and organizer of Taste of Tucker. Family guy, community guy, and definitely not your typical mortgage guy - it’s all that he does that makes Art Wood who he is. Contact him at 678.534.5834 or art.wood@goldwaterbank.com

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Food for Thought: Farmers Markets Offer a Fresh Shopping Experience Doug Reynics I’ll tell you something about me.

I love to shop for groceries and food items. I love spices and try to shop at places that offer me a wide array of flavor choices. We are so fortunate to have so many options for the larger farmers markets and smaller specialty food markets. I’m going to share a small list of places I either frequent or have heard about. I invite you to try one (or more) you haven’t shopped before.

First is Your Dekalb Farmers Market. The market launched in 1977 as a small produce stand before moving into its current digs, a massive 140,000-square-foot warehouse in Decatur. They serve over 100,000 customers every week! My favorite item is the massive selection of incredibly cheap and high-quality spices. I can buy enough smoked paprika to fill my spice jar five times for less than the price of one jar from the supermarket. I also continue to be impressed with the wide array of produce from all over the world. If you look closely at each produce item, they list the state or country of origin.

I am fascinated eating zucchini grown in Guatemala when the local Georgia produce is hot in season. They also have an extensive selection of wines, breads and desserts, florals, cheeses and meats. It’s a fun visit but one you should time to avoid peak weekend mid-day crowds.

I also am a big fan of the Buford Highway Farmers Market. It’s a very different shopping experience versus the DeKalb farmers market. The produce layout is a little bit more pedestrian-friendly. They also carry pots and pans and home goods items. They are the only local farmers market where I can find my kaffir lime leaves which I use in Thai dishes. The selection of pirogi is unparalleled in the area. It’s worth trying a few different types that seem more authentic than the traditional store-bought supermarket chain type varieties. They also carry a decent selection of herbs and spices. It’s a place you can easily spend several hours wandering around.

I also would recommend that you try any number of smaller, local farmers markets. The Tucker Market is located on the grounds of Saint Andrews Church on Lavista Road. They operate late Thursdays from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. online and in-person. It’s nice to be able to talk directly to your farmer as you buy their produce. The Avondale Estates Farmers Market, located at 22 N. Avondale Road, operates on Sundays year-round from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The Freedom Farmers Market, located on the grounds of the Carter Center Library, at 453 Freedom Parkway Northeast in Atlanta, operates Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. until noon. The location itself is worth the drive; the grounds of the Carter Center are just lovely. The Brookhaven Farmers Market, located at 1375 Fernwood Circle NE in Brookhaven, operates from March to

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November. The Peachtree Road Farmers Market, located at 2744 Peachtree Road, is open Saturdays 8:30 am to 12 noon.

For those that would prefer an online-only shopping experience, Norcross Community Market currently is online only, with pick-ups Wednesday afternoons. For more info on their unique shopping experience, visit norcrosscommunitymarket.com.

There are literally hundreds more markets throughout the Atlanta area.

Google to find others and let me know your experiences!

Doug Reynics is a longtime Tucker resident and self-described “foodie.” Many know him as “Doug the Driver,” who provides rides to and from both the domestic and international airport terminals. (To date, his service has provided 1,650 airport rides!)

If you have a food story or question you would like to see him write about, email him at dougthedriver1@gmail.com.

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Beauty Byline with Sanah: Getting Under Your (Dry) Skin Sanah Sayani In my line of work, you meet a lot of people with a lot of the same concerns.

Now that the temperature is starting to drop, I’m being asked a lot of questions on dry and dehydrated skin. It’s important to note the two things are completely different: one is a skin type and one is a skin condition.

Most people fall into four skin types: oily, dry, normal and combination.

Your skin type can change from season to season and over time with age.

Dry skin is a type caused by the body’s inability to produce enough oil to keep your skin balanced. Dehydrated skin is a condition where you don’t have enough water in your skin. You can get dry skin from dehydration but chances are that can be fixed from hydration.

Ideally, you should visit a dermatologist or esthetician if you have any skin concerns, but you can self-diagnose based on symptoms. Pinch a small portion of your cheek and squeeze gently. If you noticing wrinkling and the skin doesn’t bounce back once you let go, your skin may be dehydrated. This condition typically makes the skin look dull and dry. Dehydration can cause itchiness, darker under-eye circles, sunken eyes with shadows, and increased appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Dry skin normally is itchy and scaly with redness and flakes. Dehydrated skin can be treated with proper nutrition and hydration and by eliminating smoking, caffeine and alcohol.

Dry skin is much harder to treat because it is not effected by your lifestyle.

You actually have to make the extra effort to moisturize and use products that lock in moisture.

I always have had dry skin. I’ve never had any acne issues, which can be caused by producing too much sebum (oil), leading to clogging of the pores. I also have dehydrated skin; up until recently, I was only drinking one or two glasses of water a day. I’m up to five now and I can see changes.

Since I have dry skin, I’ve been applying oils and creams to balance out my skin. I use Eminence’s Stone Crop Body Oil mixed with a custom blend of oils I had a local bottler make for me. So far, the combination is working.

Another skin condition clients have been asking about is strawberry skin.

This is typically caused by hair, dirt, or bacteria trapped under the skin, and can be fixed by a simple exfoliation. I have patches around my elbows and knees so I started using Eminence’s Stone Crop Body Scrub once a week. I put a little bit on an exfoliating glove and gently run it over the areas of concern. After three weeks, I’m noticing the black dots on my skin are disappearing. This just means the scrub loosened up the skin that was covering the hair or dirt, exposing the hair and removing the dirt. My skin is already looking healthier and the next time I wax, it should smooth. There is such a thing as over exfoliation, I did go on a bender a while back and would scrub my body every wash. Needless to say, within a few washes, my skin was raw and itchy. I stopped and it went back to normal. Make sure you listen to your body whenever you try something new; what works for me may not work for you. I would be happy to evaluate your skin and suggest the best course of action. Write to me!

Sanah Sayani is a master cosmetologist and owner of Thread Beauty Spa (4426 Hugh Howell Road in the Tucker Publix shopping center). Her monthly column seeks to answer readers’ beauty concerns; write to her at threadbeautyspa@gmail.com or drop by the shop to ask her in person!

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Theatre CONTINUED From page 4 Chambers is grateful for the community support that helped start the company and continues to fuel its growth and success. Management, board members, volunteers, cast, crew, and other supporters are all Tucker community members, and considered the “MST Family.” “It has been an astounding journey. Tucker is one place that refuses to see good things fail; they get behind it in every way. We started out with just a few folks. Pretty much the entire board was the cast of that first show because only a few people showed up to audition. But two hundred people showed up to see that show on opening night! That is unheard of in community theater. Now, we not only have a full board of directors, but we have a list of supporters who come back again and again to help with the heavy lifting. The acting talent is always outstanding, but those behind the scenes are the talent that makes the shows magical.”

What does Chambers think MST brings to the Tucker community? “We give Tucker what all live theater gives - an escape. We bring them into a makebelieve world where they can dream and hope and laugh, and sometimes cry. We give them something to talk about later. We allow Tucker to showcase hidden (or no-so-hidden) talents with their friends and neighbors. But mostly we give them the opportunity to come together as a community with one common purpose, to be entertained. In a world where divisions run deep, the escape of live theater is that much more important.”

To learn more about Main Street Theatre or to join its mailing list, visit mainstreettheatre.org. Follow it on Facebook, Instagram (@mainstreettheatre) and Twitter (@MSTTucker).

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Back Talk: Be Thankful for Good Health

Dr. Karl Schwartz

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and a good time to consider, “What is the most important thing in your life that you are thankful for?” If I asked a number of patients, I know that there would be a variety of answers, but I am sure these would be a few of the answers: • Money, because without it, you cannot do many thingsv in life.

• My job, because it allows me to make the money to enjoy life.

• My family, because without them, nothing else really matters.

But when you look at all these things that we can be thankful for, there is one factor that is common in all of these answers. With all of these reasons to be thankful, we ultimately have to be thankful for our health, because without it, all other things are irrelevant. If we don’t have our health, we can’t really enjoy anything, be it family, friends, sports, money, vacations, retirement or anything else you can think of.

Where does health come from? As long as there is no interference to the natural processes of conception, pregnancy and birth, we are given health from the start of our lives. In only nine months, a perfectly formed human baby is born with all systems functioning! We have in us an innate intelligence that runs our bodies and keeps everything in sync.

What is health? It is not simply just feeling good but the optimal functioning of our bodies. That innate intelligence is stored in the brain and communicated to the body through the nervous system, the electrical system which sends messages from the brain to our bodies and back to the brain again. The nervous system controls and coordinates every process in our bodies. It is the master control system.

How do we make sure our health is maintained? We must make sure that our spines are healthy, and protect and support the nerves that exit our spinal cords and connect our brains to our bodies (our organ systems).

Interference can cause the nerves to send scrambled messages to the organs, and back to the brain. We call this dysfunction. We must eliminate pressure on the nerves so that our bodies can function properly.

This is one major component of health but a very important one. Take care of your spine, which takes care of your nervous system, which is directly related to how well your body functions and therefore how well you feel. It is

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a small thing but has a direct impact on how healthy you are. This is also one factor that we have control over. And once your spine is aligned, it is much easier to keep it aligned. When was the last time you and your family had your spines checked?

Dr. Karl Schwartz is a graduate of Life University in Marietta, Georgia; he has been practicing chiropractic in Tucker for twenty-one years and a resident here for fifteen years. His office specializes in preventing sports injuries and maximizing performance by analyzing posture, weight bearing, and gait. If you have a question you would like addressed in a future column, please email karlschwartzdc@gmail.com. Note “Back Talk” in the subject line.

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Director Ann Edmondson leading the Tucker Community Singers in rehearsal for the Winter Concert.

Tucker Community Singers Will Return to Stage in Winter Concert

Our Town DeKalb Staff The Tucker Community Singers will return to the stage in December for its first live public performance in over eighteen months. The group will present its Winter Concert in two shows (5:00 and 7:30 p.m.) on Saturday, December 4, at First Christian Church of Atlanta, 4532 Lavista Road in Tucker. The singers will perform a program of holiday tunes as well as selections from popular musicals, including “Dear Theodosia” (“Hamilton”); “I Dreamed a Dream” (“Les Miserables”); “Dancing Queen” (“Mamma Mia!”); and more.

Three guest musicians from the DeKalb Symphony Orchestra will accompany the singers.

The concerts are free and open to the public. No reservations are required but following COVID recommendations, attendance will be limited to 100 audience members per show. Masks are required for non-vaccinated attendees.

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Local Rotary Clubs Schedule Electronics Recycling Event Our Town DeKalb Staff The Rotary Club of Tucker and the Rotary Club of Stone Mountain will host an Electronics and HME (home medical equipment) Recycling Day on Saturday, November 20, 2021, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at Handy Hardware, 3969 Lawrenceville Highway (Town Square Center) in Tucker. The event will be held outside in the front of the shopping square parking lot facing Lawrenceville Highway; donors are not required to get out of their cars or make contact with volunteers, who will help remove donated items from the trunk or rear of vehicles. Volunteers will be masked and practice social distancing.

Working and non-working electronics (with the exception of CRT monitors and televisions) and gently used HME, such as wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, commode chairs and shower benches, will be accepted for recycling at no charge, but participants are encouraged to make a donation to FODAC. Funds and equipment collected from the event will support Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC), whose main program supplies HME to the mobility impaired and their caregivers, at little or no cost to the recipients.

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