Suwanee Magazine July-August 2016

FALCONS PREVIEW Interviews with Dan Quinn, Matt Ryan & Matt Schaub Community. Culture. Lifestyle.

JULY / AUGUST 16

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OUR JUDGES CHOOSE THE BEST PIZZA IN TOWN! PAGE 43

THE BIG DAY:

Inspiring Stories and Local Vendors to Help Create Your Dream Wedding A ‘frankenpizza’ made with slices from Marco’s, Suwanee Pizza Tavern, Mellow Mushroom, Brooklyn Pizza & Burgers, Johnny’s New York Style Pizza, and Sid’s Pizza & Grill

Q&A with Kryz Reid from

THIRD EYE BLIND

contents JULY & AUGUST 2016

43 ̦ Suwanee s Best Pizza Nine Suwanee Pizza Shops compete to be voted best in Suwanee

Skye Estroff, Marketing Manager of Atlanta Eats TV and radio show

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Exclusive Interview with Kryz Reid of Third Eye Blind

S U W A N E E M AG A Z I N E

PHOTO BY: Karl Lamb

Guitarist of the San Francisco-based band gets ready to rock the Bowl at Sugar Hill on September 3rd FALCONS PREVIEW Interviews with Dan Quinn, Matt Ryan & Matt Schaub Community. Culture. Lifestyle.

JULY / AUGUST 16 SUWANEE’S BEST PIZZA • ATLANTA FALCONS 2016 PREVIEW • THE BIG DAY • Q&A WITH KRYZ REID OF THIRD EYE BLIND

ON THE COVER

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Slices from contestants in our ‘Suwanee’s Best Pizza’ Contest photographed on Friday, June 10th at Suwanee Magazine HQ by KARL LAMB

OUR JUDGES CHOOSE THE BEST PIZZA IN TOWN! PAGE 43

THE BIG DAY: JULY / AUGUST 2016

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Inspiring Stories and Local Vendors to Help Create Your Dream Wedding A ‘frankenpizza’ made with slices from Marco’s, Suwanee Pizza Tavern, Mellow Mushroom, Brooklyn Pizza & Burgers, Johnny’s New York Style Pizza, and Sid’s Pizza & Grill

Suwanee Magazine

Q&A with Kryz Reid from

THIRD EYE BLIND

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Do-It-Yourself Pest Control

No need to call an exterminator when you can 'do-it-yourself'

PHOTO BY: Walt Wooden

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ĚŚ Atlanta Falcon s 2016 Preview

Post-practice interviews with Quarterbacks, Matt Ryan and Matt Schaub and Head Coach, Dan Quinn

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The Latest In Digital Marketing

Email marketing, video and social media trends to help you grow your business.

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contents JULY & AUGUST 2016

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Back to School

Tips for transitioning from summertime to a new school year

The Big Day

Inspiring stories and local vendors to help create your dream wedding

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PHOTO BY: Loyall Hart of Ross Oscar Knight Photography

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Broadway In The Park

A preview of Suwanee Performing Arts' performance of Disney's High School Musical

thrive

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Exclusive pics from the 2nd annual Gwinnett Beer Fest at Coolray Field

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Local events and things to do this July and August

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Alex's Lemonade

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2016 Gwinnett Beer Fest

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Investment Strategies

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10 Beers To Get You Through Summer

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Summer Wines

in every issue:

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Letter Ask Henry Restaurant Guide City Buzz People & Places

letter

Rachel Pillow

Managing Editor rachel@suwaneemagazine.com

rom taste-testing delicious pizza to chatting with Third Eye Blind’s Kryz Reid, to meeting with Atlanta Falcons’ Matt Ryan, Matt Schaub and Coach Dan Quinn after practice, this issue has definitely been one of the most fun to put together this year.

You may have picked up this issue because you were enticed by that delicious looking pizza on the cover. Well, trust us, not only does it look delicious – but it tasted great too!

Yes, we got to try the best pies from nine Suwanee pizza shops. We have a tough job, right? Selecting a winner was actually a lot harder than you’d think though – we discovered that Suwanee has some really great pizza! From mom & pop pizza shops to well-known chains, our

a note from our managing editor

judges and staff diligently critiqued each slice based on crust, cheese, toppings, sauce, taste, creativity and overall impression. The competition was stiff, but only one could be crowned champion. Flip to page 43 to find out whose tasty creation came out on top!

In our wedding section you will find information from local vendors and a heart-warming story about soon-to-be-married couple, Dede and Stephen. Dede is currently fighting Stage 2, Grade 3 Breast Cancer – while she is also planning a September 2016 wedding. Dede reached out to local radio station, The Bert Show, to see if they could give her some insight on venues to check out. But, they went far beyond just that!

They shared Dede and Stephen’s story on-air and the community quickly rallied behind them to help pull off their dream wedding by donating everything from a venue to music, food, cake, photos, video, a dress, linens, favors, and more!

When I heard that they are getting married at Four Oaks Manor in Buford, where I got married last year, I decided I had to meet Dede.

I met her and her wedding planner, Summer McClane, at one of Dede’s Chemotherapy sessions at Piedmont Cancer Center in Atlanta. Throughout Dede’s treatment, Summer often met her at the hospital, as a way to help Dede get her mind off cancer and to have something to look forward to as they planned out her special day! Dede is one of the sweetest, most grateful people I’ve ever met I met with Dede Daniel at one of her and I can’t imagine somebody more Chemotheraphy treatments to talk about deserving of their dream wedding. upcoming wedding We can’t wait to see photos of the beautiful wedding in September!

Two local sisters are also doing their part to help fight cancer…. one cup of lemonade at a time! Turn to Page 30 to learn about sisters, Marisa and Savannah’s lemonade stand with a cause! We hope to see you stop by their annual lemonade stand too on July 16th in the River Plantation neighborhood.

We hope you have as much fun reading this issue as we had putting it together! Summer is in full swing, so soak it in before the craziness of back-to-school ensues in August. My own craziness is about to begin in August when we welcome our own little bundle of joy into the world.

Wish me luck as I venture into the crazy world of parenthood!

WANT MORE? STAY CONNECTED WITH SUWANEE MAGAZINE. FOLLOW, TWEET, SHARE >

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ANGELA VEUGELER President / Editor-in-Chief angela@suwaneemagazine.com RANDALL VEUGELER Vice President and Publisher RACHEL PILLOW Managing Editor rachel@suwaneemagazine.com

Account Executives MICHELLE FASIG • NATALIE STUBBS ads@suwaneemagazine.com Creative Director RANDALL VEUGELER Art Director ERICA ABRAMS Production Manager LAURA PAYNE Web Editors WALT WOODEN • ROBERT WRIGHT CLARKE GLIDEWELL Digital Marketing Manager PRISCILLA SALMASI Graphic Design APRIL MILLER • SHAY HARBAUGH BRIAN HASSINGER • LAURA GRANT Photographers KARL LAMB • JULIE PERDUE BUNCH WALT WOODEN • PAUL PERDUE

Sales JULIE PERDUE BUNCH julie@suwaneemagazine.com

PUBLISHED BY VEUGELER DESIGN GROUP 554 W. Main Street, Suite 200, Buford, GA 30518 SuwaneeMagazine.com

For SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES or BACK ISSUE ORDERS, call 678-482-2270.

For ADVERTISING INQUIRES, call 678-482-2270, or email info@suwaneemagazine.com.

Suwanee Magazine is published bi-monthly by Veugeler Design Group.

Opinions expressed by the contributing writers and editors are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor or Suwanee Magazine. The publisher will not accept responsibility for submitted materials that are lost or stolen. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication. However, the publisher cannot assume responsibility for errors or ommissions. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. ©2016 Veugeler Design Group. The editors welcome unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. Please email submissions to Rachel Pillow at rachel@suwaneemagazine.com.

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suwanee business community news and info.

PEST CONTROL

› INVESTMENT STRATEGIES 21

The Latest in

digital marketing

Veugeler Design Group’s marketing team attended the 2-day DIGITAL SUMMIT ATLANTA, the region’s largest digital marketing conference.

There they gained practical solutions and firsthand insight on the future of our digital landscape, including: marketing trends, social media, UX and design, mobile experience, search optimization, brand development and content creation...

BY: Priscilla Salmasi, Digital Marketing Manager, Veugeler Design Group

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THE LATEST IN DIGITAL MARKETING

We’re halfway through the year

and as a business owner; you may be evaluating your marketing strategy thus far to see what has worked, what hasn’t worked so well and how to improve your efforts. Small businesses often want and need the latest tactics in marketing but may not have the time to attend large conferences where these methods are discussed. The marketing team at Veugeler Design Group was in attendance at the 2016 Digital Summit Atlanta – the regions largest gathering of digital marketing industry leaders and are pleased to bring you some key takeaways regarding the latest in digital marketing.

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Email Marketing is (Still) Huge

Email marketing is alive and well – it’s simply moved from desktop to mobile.

There is a lot of power in a wellcrafted email and one thing is for sure, businesses can directly connect to their clients, past and current, through an email campaign. First thing’s first, always legitimately acquire your email lists, never purchase a list and do not mass email those you don’t have permission to. Sending email to an address that has not opted in to your list can hurt you more than help. Mail clients such as MailChimp and Constant Contact can suspend your account making it difficult to bounce back when that happens.

By crafting a purposeful email and sending it to the right email addresses within your list, it can be well worth the return.

Don’t be afraid of people unsubscribing, it’s worse to end up in spam. Offer a customer the option to reduce the amount of emails they receive or receive emails by topic instead of unsubscribing completely.

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Video Goes Beyond YouTube

Customers want to put a face to a name and video is a perfect way to make that happen. Recording a video can feel intimidating for those who are not comfortable on camera, but there are ways to ease that tension. Bright lights, green screens and a lot of people watching can cause anxiety, so make it a simple process. Have one person with a simple camera, and use natural lighting to make for a more comfortable setting. Video can be very powerful and reassuring if you’re struggling to sell a “ boring” product or if customers feel uncomfortable in the buying process. When a video is accompanied with a product online, purchases are up to 30% more likely to happen.

So, put yourself and your product out there and reap the benefits.

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Social Media Shouldn’t Simply Be A Footnote

Customer Service is Going Social Many companies are offering social media as an alternative to calling and speaking with a representative. Although some customers still want to speak with a person directly to resolve an issue or issue a complaint, millennials especially will take their concerns to the internet first, particularly through social media. One speaker at the conference made the claim that customer service will be completely social within the next two years. Yes, you read that right, two years! Many companies are already taking that step; take Humana Insurance for example - their 'contact us' page makes it easy for you to get in touch with them by any of their five social networks. They even encourage you to tweet at them for service. A good rule to remember is to handle negative comments privately by inviting the customer to direct message you and keep positive comments public.

Social media is here to stay - even if you don’t think your business needs it or you believe it’s a fad - it’s time to reevaluate your online marketing strategy. The user-generated content on social media is invaluable - it’s where your customers are and where they talk about their favorite brands, products and companies, share information and perform research prior to a purchase.

Your business doesn’t have to be on each and every social media platform that’s out there. If you’re new to social media, start with one platform at a time. For a company offering a professional service, that could be LinkedIn, or for a retail business, Instagram may be the best option. Social media is a great place to start a conversation with your current and potential customers; we also encourage you to experiment with social media advertising for an added bang for your buck.

Facebook ads can be relatively inexpensive and very targeted to your unique or niche audience.

Think Bigger, Braver, Bolder Engaging content is more about brains than budget. Your story is what sets you apart. So how do you tell that story?

Smart companies do it through content. Smart companies don’t follow trends, they lead them. Bigger context means putting your business into the lives of your audience. Bolder marketing allows you to tell a different story than your competitors.

Braver perspective asks who is your company and why do you do what you do? To get the creative juices flowing, ask yourself, if you cover up your logo, would you recognize your company? Focusing on your story and how it relates to your customers helps you build an audience and become a leader in your industry.

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Updating / Redesigning Your Company’s Website If a website update is needed for your company, it will more than likely include one or all of the following: 1) A content management system (CMS) change 2) Changing the URLs for your site 3) A redesign of the site, a domain change or moving to a secure site (SSL.) If you need to make more than two of these changes to your company website, give yourself 30 to 60 days in between these changes. Doing more than two of these at a time can have an adverse affect on search engine optimization as well as become overwhelming for your web team and confusing to your customers.

Use these takeaways as a guideline for the remainder of your 2016 marketing program and keep them in mind when planning for next year. Contact Veugeler Design Group for help on implementing one or all of these tactics for your company or business.

Call today for a free digital marketing consultation

VDGatl.com

554 WEST MAIN STREET BUFORD, GEORGIA 30518

678.482.2270 info@vdgatl.com

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Do-It-Yourself Pest Control Suwanee family-owned business offers professional grade pest solutions that rival any licensed, contracted exterminator and are leaps and bounds above the quality found in a big box retail store.

BY: RACHEL PILLOW Managing Partner, Cindi Lord. ith summer in full swing many of us take Both Walt and Cindi still run the advantage of the weather by hosting company today and recently hired backyard BBQs and pool parties. But, with even more family members: Walt’s the onset of summer, comes the onset of son, Fletcher, and daughter, Scotti. Walt’s wife, Sherri, annoying pests: mosquitoes, roaches, fleas, who is a retired Gwinnett educator, also comes into spiders, ants and more. These unwanted the office on a regular guests especially love basis. “She’s the office the humid, Georgia air mom. She takes care of and our lush, green everyone and keeps me in yards. Worse still, some line,” he joked. of them like to find Do-It-Yourself Pest refuge inside our homes.

Control has 22 employees With the help of and 4 locations, including Do- It-Yourself Pest a retail store in Chamblee, Control, headquartered Georgia and a warehouse in Suwanee, Georgia, in Arizona. The Suwanee it is possible to enjoy retail shop opened being outside without in December of 2015. being eaten alive, and it Primarily an e-commerce is possible to overcome site before then, the brick the trail of ants that Do-It-Yourself Pest Control's website serves as one of the top and mortar addition has are marching through resources on the web for industry information. proved beneficial in the your back door, or the Suwanee community. bedbugs that have Customers now have the opportunity to speak with found their way to your mattress. pest control experts face-to-face and gain hands-on Do-It-Yourself Pest Control has been family-owned knowledge about the products. Online sales are still and operated for nearly 35 years. Owner, Walt Cline, the hub of the company though. In 1996, they were and his father founded the company one of the first to get online with retail pest control. in 1982 and soon thereafter Today, they ship thousands of products all across brought on his sister and

Ant Problems? For information on how to get rid of Carpenter ants, Mega Colony ants and/or Fire ants, go to doyourownpestcontrol.com.

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Customers now have the opportunity to speak with pest control experts face-to-face and gain hands-on knowledge about the products with the opening of their retail shop in Suwanee.

the US. Their website also serves as one of the top resources on the web for industry information and answers to questions such as, “How to get rid of fleas?” The resources pages and blog articles are not merely used as a platform to push products, but are a way for Do-It-Yourself Pest Control to offer advice that purely benefits the general public… such as, “Remove all standing water in your yard to help get rid of mosquitos.”

Clients range from exterminators to landscapers to homeowners looking for affordable, easy-to-use pest control solutions.

“We’ve found that a lot of homeowners want to do this themselves because they trust themselves and are invested in the care of their own home,” said Fletcher.

For people - Owner, Walt Cline that don’t know where to begin, they offer a variety of “starter kits” that include step-by-step instructions and very user-friendly products. The professional grade pest solutions you will find at Do-It-Yourself Pest Control rival that of any licensed, contracted exterminator and are leaps and bounds above the quality found in a big box retail store.

“We don’t push products that we don’t truly think people need,” said Walt. “People are generally pretty unhappy when they have a pest problem, so we do our best to make them feel better about the situation and reassure them that it can be fixed.”

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“We don’t push products that we don’t truly think people need,” said Walt. “People are generally pretty unhappy when they have a pest problem, so we do our best to make them feel better about the situation and reassure them that it can be fixed,” he continued. With seven technicians available at anytime, including one Spanish-speaking technician, they offer full-time support to help walk through any pest problem their customers are trying to tackle. “At the end of the day our customers are very gracious and it’s a pleasure to help them: that is probably my favorite thing about being in this business,” said Walt. And at 60-years-old he has no plans to slow down anytime soon. If anything, the business is growing faster now than it ever has, and he wants to keep that momentum going…and keep it in the family of course. ✱

For more information on DoIt-Yourself Pest Control, visit doyourownpestcontrol.com

The Do-It-Yourself Pest Control Suwanee team.

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INVESTMENT

Strategies

grow

BY: Bill and Cindi Porter, AILERON INVESTMENT ADVISORS

What does it mean when I hear that a stock is ‘expensive’ or ‘cheap?’

- Rob Dillard, Suwanee

There are several formulas that can help an investor assess if an individual stock is pricey or priced below its intrinsic value. Perhaps the best known metric is the P/E ratio (price/earnings). It is very simple. The “price” per share is what an investor will pay to receive $1.00 of annual “earnings.” For example, if a stock is priced at $15 a share and it pays $1 of annual earnings to the investor, the P/E ratio is 15. If another stock is priced at $18 a share and it also pays $1 of annual earnings, it’s P/E ratio is 18.

The higher the P/E ratio, the more expensive a stock is considered to be.

This is because someone is willing to pay a higher amount to still receive the same $1 of annual earnings. Of course there are many other considerations that must also be assessed as well.

These might include the amount of a company’s debt, the dynamics of its market (i.e. the price of oil), and its growth potential, etc.

Assessing how much risk one must assume versus the reward potential is equally as important. For example, a lottery ticket has vast upside potential but the odds of winning are remarkably small. A visit to Las Vegas has less upside than a lottery ticket, but it still carries more risk than reward potential. And so it is with various stocks. Assessing upside versus downside potential can help one determine if a stock (or anything else) is truly expensive or cheap.

Perhaps you and your trusted advisor should discuss your risk tolerance before shopping for bargains in the markets. ✱ This is for education only. Before using this information in any way discuss it with a financial professional. There are many risks associated with stock trading. You may lose some or all of your financial investment. Securities offered through Dempsey Lord Smith, LLC Member FINRA/SIPC Securities offered through Integrated Financial Planning Member FINRA/SIPC Advisory services offered through Dempsey Lord Smith, LLC

Send your investment questions to: submissions@SuwaneeMagazine.com All the information in this letter is published in good faith and for general information purposes only. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability and accuracy of this information. Any action you take upon the information is strictly at your own risk.

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THE BIG DAY

Inspiring stories and local vendors to help create your dream wedding Planning for your Big Day can be one of the most exciting (and one of the most stressful) times in your life. Thankfully, there are many local vendors and services who will make the process easy and even fun! Here we highlight a few that can help make your dream wedding come to life.

Dream weddings come in many shapes and sizes and for Guy Beck & Kelly Smith, theirs took place at the 2nd annual Gwinnett Beer Fest at Coolray Field. Yes, a beer fest, a baseball field and a wedding – all in one! We also had the opportunity to meet with Dede Daniel, a woman undergoing breast cancer treatment who has been given the chance for the wedding of a lifetime. Her entire wedding has been donated by a community who was touched by her story and is helping her prepare for her September nuptials at Four Oaks Manor in Buford. We hope that this section can both assist and inspire local brides and grooms-to-be as they prepare to say “I Do.”

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Mother and daughter Owners of Formally Yours, Cathy Butler and Scarlett Sugar

Formally Yours 475 Rockbridge Rd, Lilburn 770-923-5800 FormallyYoursGA.com

In business since 1982, Formally Yours is a renowned family owned Bridal Salon.

Their genuine customer service is the sustenance of their longevity. Their staff is experienced and knowledgeable. Each bridal consultant is a wonderful listener which enables them to truly understand the bride’s unique and individual style. In addition, they enjoy the entire process of creating the brides’ wedding vision.

Formally Yours has a vast wedding dress inventory. With hundreds of dresses on display, each bride has the ability to view all styles and silhouettes as she walks in the door. Their compilation of top wedding dress designers in the industry makes for a successful process for each bride to be and they represent the most popular and on trend styles of the moment.

Through the years, Formally Yours has established a loyal customer base.

Mothers of brides who purchased their dress 30 or so years ago enjoy bringing their daughters in to share in a memorable and joyous occasion. Their beautiful boutique is refreshing, bright and open

for a comfortable setting in a sometimes hectic moment in time.

At Formally Yours, they feel that their location is an excellent one for the bride and her family and friends.

Located just north of Atlanta and just south of the suburbs, they can be found close to I-85 in a less congested part of the metropolitan area. When you reach your destination at Formally Yours, you will be received with a sincerely warm welcome.

Formally Yours is proud to serve Atlanta area brides and brides from all over the Southeast. Visit them online at FormallyYoursGA. com to see more of their staff and inventory and to make appointments. Also please follow Formally Yours’ Facebook page and FormallyYours on Instagram.

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THE

BIG DAY

Community donates dream wedding to cancer patient LISTENERS TO ATLANTA’S “THE BERT SHOW” GENEROUSLY DONATE SERVICES, PRODUCTS AND EVERY DETAIL NEEDED FOR COUPLE’S SEPTEMBER WEDDING By: RACHEL PILLOW

“I love you for you and we’re going to get through this; God has a plan.”

- Stephen Long

ede Daniel and Stephen Long knew after just a few months of dating that they were meant to be together and that they would get married. Around the 1-year mark of dating, they began seriously talking wedding plans and about the next steps for their blended family, with 7 children combined. It was around the same time, in December of 2015, that Dede was diagnosed with Stage 2, Grade 3 breast cancer. “I was scared of the burden it would be on Stephen,” Dede confessed.

“He and his daughters had already been through so much stress when he divorced his ex-wife and I didn’t want to bring more stress back into their lives,” she continued.

But, Stephen reassured her that he is in this for the long haul and was not about to let cancer stand in his way. “He told me, ‘I love you for you and we’re going to get through this; God has a plan.’”

Stephen and Dede had already been discussing a September 2016 wedding, but knew that it would now be much harder to

Dede and Summer McClane, Wedding Planner and Owner of My Simply Perfect Weddings and Events made sure that the wedding plans were stress-free and fun.

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Dede and Stephen's seven children are going to make up the couple's wedding party at their September wedding.

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PHOTO BY: Loyall Hart of Ross Oscar Knight Photography

pull off with Chemotherapy treatments scheduled to begin in early 2016.

Knowing where to start in the wedding planning process is stressful enough, let alone when you have 7 children to care for and cancer on your mind. Dede and Stephen knew they wanted to get married in an old, Southern-style home, but beyond that had no idea where to begin. That’s when Dede got a not-so-crazy idea to reach out to one of Atlanta’s top morning radio shows, The Bert Show. With a heartfelt email to Kristin Klingshirn (one of the show’s hosts,) Dede explained her story and asked for advice on venues to reach out to. “I never in a million years expected the response I got,” Dede said. “If anything, I was just hoping that Kristin could refer me to some wedding vendors she knew in the area or have some ideas about venues to check out.” But, Kristin and The Bert Show went FAR beyond that. Kristin shared Dede’s email on-air

and within seconds the calls started flooding in from wedding planners, venue owners, caterers, DJ’s, dress shops, photographers, florists and more! In less than 90 minutes Dede’s dream wedding had become a reality.

Every single service, product and detail needed for this wedding has been generously donated by members of The Bert Show community and the outpour of support is still coming in today.

One of the very first callers that day was Summer McClane, Wedding Planner and Owner of My Simply Perfect Weddings and Events. Summer has been a lifesaver for Dede: meeting her at Chemotherapy treatments for wedding planning sessions (with Dede’s favorite Starbucks drink in-hand), fielding the calls and inquiries that are still coming in from The Bert Show, managing all the vendors, scheduling appointments and photo shoots, and just making sure that the entire process is stress-free and fun. “What are we here for if

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“Thank You” didn’t even seem like a big enough word when people are blessing you with this magnitude during such a difficult time in your life.”

- Dede Daniel

we aren’t here to serve,” replied Summer, when asked what drove her to donate so much time, energy and resources into this wedding. “I really feel like service to humanity is service to God… Stephen and Dede are giving us the opportunity to serve and everyone who is part of this feels lucky to be doing it,” she continued.

Dede and Stephen have felt equally blessed throughout this entire process. “We actually feel undeserving of all of this,” confessed Dede. I was completely shocked when I found out everything had been donated. I could barely even talk when they brought me on-air! “This is truly a God thing!” Dede said. “God has given us what we need to move forward in this fight and we thank him everyday for the blessings we’ve been given,” she continued.

Dede’s final Chemotherapy treatment took place on June 9th. Immediately after her last treatment, she and Stephen took the kids on a much-needed Florida beach vacation before it’s time to go back to the hospital for her double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery on July 11th. Throughout the process Dede has been continuing to work at her parents’ Podiatry Clinic in Gainesville.

Prior to her diagnosis she was in nursing school, but had to put that on hold temporarily. “Now I want to go back and finish and am thinking about being a nurse that works with cancer patients,” she said.

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PHOTOS BY: Loyall Hart of Ross Oscar Knight Photography

Dede and Stephen's engagement shoot at the Swan House at the Atlanta History Center

Dede and Stephen’s wedding is set to take place on September 10th at Four Oaks Manor in Buford, Georgia.

The charming, historic farm home with a wrap-aroundporch, outdoor fire pit and beautiful backyard garden is going to be the perfect backdrop for Dede and Stephen to start their long, happy life together. With their kids as their wedding party, they have made sure to involve them every step of the way. “Doing this as a family has been the most fun part about planning the wedding. It puts a lot of joy in a difficult time in our lives and gives us something to look forward to,” said Dede. ✱

THE

BIG Coolray Field

DAY

2500 Buford Dr NE Lawrenceville, GA 678-277-0347

Coolray Field is the perfect place to host your rehearsal dinner or wedding party. Their unique venue offers spaces for parties both large and small, and can be adapted to fit the style you have in mind. Go elegant or traditional in their intimate Home Plate Club, or treat your guests to fantastic views of the baseball diamond in the Luxury Suite Lounge.

Coolray Field's catering partner, Professional Sports Catering, will work with you to design a menu that fits your tastes. For more information, or to schedule a tour, please call the Gwinnett Braves at 678-277-0347.

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BIG DAY

Celebrations

PROFESSIONAL DJ SERVICE

770-633-3798 CelebrationsProfessionalDJ.com With over 15 years of experience, Celebrations Professional DJ Service provides the music and entertainment guaranteed to complete any event!

Whether it’s a wedding reception, birthday celebration, school dance, fundraiser, class reunion, fashion show or corporate party, Celebrations Professional DJ Service is perfect for your next social event. With a wide variety of music choices, the most fitting environment will be created for your unique event. Traveling across the Southeast and Midwest, Celebrations Professional DJ Service will bring the continuous and professional sounds to you.

Proud member of the Georgia Bridal Association, the musical schedule of your special day will be planned from beginning to end to ensure that your reception flows smoothly and worry-free!

Leading hundreds of wedding receptions, Celebrations Professional DJ Service has the knowledge and experience to keep all of your guests the utmost entertained, while centering focus on the Bride and Groom.

For more information about courteous and reliable disc jockey needs, visit CelebrationsProfessionalDJ.com.

Contact them at 770.633.3798 or email JJ@CelebrationsProfessionalDJ.com to book your next event.

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Carl House

1176 Atlanta Highway Auburn, GA 30011 770-586-00950 CarlHouse.com Built in 1903, Carl House is an elegant, historic, Southern antebellum-style home, which was remodeled and in 2003 opened as an all occasion event venue. Carl House features lavishly appointed interiors including a dramatic 4000 sq. ft. grand ballroom with classic curved staircase, nine working fireplaces, exquisite gazebo, lush private gardens, dramatic covered porches, 30 plus acres of tranquil pasture land, a charming rustic barn, exquisite culinary menus prepared by their in-house chef, and in-house florals, as well as custom vendor services. Carl House boasts a host of awards, including “Best of Weddings” from The Knot Magazine, “Best of Atlanta Bridal” from atlantabridal.com, “Brides Choice Award” from weddingwire.com and “Best of ” and “True Love” from mywedding.com to name a few. Carl House also uniquely features separate bride and groom suites, as well as inside and outside ceremony options.

Their team of experts will help you with as much or as little of the planning for your wedding, guiding you step by step.

They begin with a private planning session with their in-house event specialist to best understand your vision, spending and menu preferences and a review of what other services you will be needing! For more information email them at info@ carlhouse.com.

A wedding toasted by thousands COUPLE COMBINES LOVE FOR EACH OTHER WITH THEIR SHARED LOVE OF CRAFT BEER BY TYING THE KNOT AT GWINNETT BEER FEST By: MICHELLE FASIG / Photos By: ANGEL WOODEN , MATT LEVINE

Kelly is escorted down the aisle by her twin brother, Dan Smith

n June 4th, 2016 Guy Beck and Kelly Smith got married. Kelly walked down the aisle to her and Guy’s favorite rendition of “Over the Rainbow” and joined her husband on stage, along with only three other people: the Best Man, the Maid of Honor and their officiant. They exchanged beautiful vows and said their “I-do’s,” but as Guy Beck went in to kiss his new bride, people tasting beer erupted in cheers! This definitely was not a typical wedding.

Guy Beck and Kelly Smith got married on stage during the 2nd Annual Gwinnett Beer Festival at the Gwinnett Braves stadium. In a day filled with brews, tunes and overall festival fun, Beck and Smith had decided that as beer lovers themselves, they would love nothing more than to share their special day with the people who love craft beer as much as they do.

And, if getting married at a beer festival wasn’t special enough, they decided to make their wedding Hawaiian-themed.

The stage was carefully decorated with a grass skirt, tiki torches, Hawaiian flowers, leis, boogie boards, and other décor fit for a luau. Guy and Kelly arrived in their Hawaiian finest, and the wedding took place right The happy couple in the middle of the festival, at 2:30pm. seal the deal “This is the coolest wedding I have ever seen…what a great idea!” said a festival attendee. It was truly a one-of-a-kind affair and will be a long-lasting memory for the happy couple…and for the several hundred people who witnessed their holy matrimony. Head Brewer, Josh Rachel, from Alpharetta-based brewery, Jekyll Brewing, even brewed a special “I-do” brew for the couple that he opened during the ceremony and offered to the entire festival to toast the happy couple. After the first kiss, the groom flung garters decorated with beer hops into the crowds, and invited everyone to take a drink with them. For a couple that loves the craft beer community, it was clear the craft beer community loves them back. ✱

Best Man, Bob Carlton, with Kelly and Guy Beck

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thrive your health,

wellness and happiness.

Savannah, Marisa and neighborhood friends ready to sell lemonade in order to raise money to help cure childhood cancer.

Sisters are helping cure childhood cancer, one cup of lemonade at a time...

By: RACHEL PILLOW any of us have childhood memories of gathering our neighborhood friends, mixing up a batch of Country Time Lemonade, grabbing a folding table, making signs with cardboard and markers, and selling a cup of lemonade for a quarter.

Our goal was to make enough money to get some treats from the icecream truck at the pool or enough to maybe even go to a movie that night (if one of our parents was willing to take us).

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Today, ALSF has raised over $ 120 million for childhood cancer and has funded over 550 research projects at over 100 institutions.

Savannah and Marisa’s first customer in 2012.

Lemonade stands are iconic of summertime youth. Kids have been creating pop-up lemonade stands for decades, all in order to make some quick spending cash for themselves. Sisters, Savannah and Marisa Perry, ages 14 and 12, started doing an annual lemonade stand in their neighborhood four years ago, but with a much different purpose. Each July, Savannah and Marisa, set up their version of “Alex’s Lemonade Stand” at the entrance of their Duluth neighborhood.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) is a 501c3 dedicated to helping cure childhood cancer

one cup of lemonade at a time. Founder, Alexandra “Alex” Scott was diagnosed with childhood cancer at age 1. At age 4 she told her parents she wanted to set up a lemonade stand to raise money to give to doctors to help them find a cure. With the help of her older brother, Patrick, she raised $2,000 in one day! In 2004, at the age of eight, Alex tragically lost her battle to childhood cancer, but her legacy lives on. Today, ALSF has raised over $120 million for childhood cancer and has funded over 550 research projects at over 100 institutions. The best part about it: anybody can be involved and help keep Alex’s memory and her vision for the organization alive.

Kids and businesses all across America are still hosting lemonade stands, but many with a bigger goal in mind: curing childhood cancer. Savannah and Marisa first heard about Alex’s Lemonade four years ago at Rita’s in Suwanee when the Italian Ice shop was donating proceeds from their frozen lemonade to ALSF. “We learned more about the program and knew we wanted to do something to help,” said Savannah.

With the help of their father, Grant Perry, the girls have upped the ante on what a traditional lemonade stand looks like. They knew if they were going to do this, then they wanted to do it right: they wanted to make the best lemonade possible and raise the most money possible for ALSF. So far, they have exceeded even their own expectations, raising thousands of dollars over the years. The lemonade is “free” for their customers, they only accept donations - “whatever you feel like giving and 100% of the proceeds benefit Alex’s Lemonade,” Marisa explained.

The delicious lemonade is entirely homemade and they make special varieties such as sparkling and strawberry.

“It takes us about 40 hours of prep time to get ready for our lemonade stand… between making the lemonade, making signs, sending out e-mails to our neighbors, putting up

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flyers and decorating with streamers and balloons,” said Savannah. Their dad is the master lemonade maker and mixes up 30-40 gallons for the occasion. A couple years ago, the girls added baked goods to the mix and many of their neighbors make treats for them to sell. The other kids in the neighborhood have jumped in to help the cause too. Now there are about 6-7 kids who help run the stand, and Savannah and Marisa are “training” the younger ones to be able to take over one day.

In 2012, the girls’ very first customer happened to be a cancer patient who had just finished Chemotherapy treatment for Lymphoma a few months prior. “He wasn’t even a neighbor, he had just been driving through looking for garage sales; and as he pulled away Savannah said, ‘This was meant to be,’” explained Grant. Each year the girls have raised more money than the year before and they are always surprised by the community’s generosity.

“The most amazing thing is when a family in an old mini van pulls up and donates $25 or $50 because they know they are lucky to have a van full of healthy children.

That means a lot to us!” said Savannah. “The best part about this is the feeling you get knowing you’re helping someone,” added Marisa.

Be sure to stop by Savannah and Marisa’s 5th annual lemonade stand – set to take place on Saturday, July 16th from 11am – 5pm at the entrance to the River Plantation neighborhood (off Peachtree Industrial Blvd. between McGinnis Ferry and Sugarloaf Pkwy.)

To learn more about how ALSF or how to be involved, visit alexslemonade.org. ✱

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thrive

AskHenry AskHenry at SugarHillAnimalHospital.com

Q: My cat has been peeing outside of the litter box recently. Is she mad at me or could something be wrong?

A:

There are many reasons for cats to urinate outside the litter box. Behavioral problems can be one reason, but we always want to make sure it’s not something that is medically related first. The best thing to do would be to bring your kitty to her veterinarian for a urine and blood check. These tests will help your vet check for conditions like a urinary tract infection, urinary crystals, diabetes, and kidney disease to name a few.

All of these conditions can cause cats to urinate inappropriately. If all of the tests come out normal then it could be something called idiopathic cystitis or a behavioral issue. Idiopathic cystitis is sterile, noninfectious, inflammation of the bladder usually brought on by stress. Usually decreasing stress and a special diet is recommended to try and help manage the condition. If it is behavioral usually some kind of stress has caused your cat to want to avoid the litter box. Some things to consider would be, is there a new animal in the house or a new person in the house?

Sometimes cats will get “bullied” by another cat when going into or coming out of the box that will make them avoid it. Even sometimes it’s a location issue like being in the laundry room with a loud dryer or in the basement where it is inconvenient to get to. Maybe the litter boxes are not getting cleaned out frequently enough. As a rule of thumb, always make sure you have at least 1 more litter box than you have cats, i.e. in a 2 cat house make sure there are at least 3 litter boxes.You also want to make sure they are in different areas of the house and not all in one spot. Most of the time working with the litter boxes is enough to resolve a behavioral issue, but sometimes they may need medication to help calm them. Every situation is different so make sure to consult with your veterinarian if your kitty is having litter box issues.

Q: Do indoor only cats really need to stay on flea and heartworm prevention?

A:

Yes! Even though your cat is indoor only they can still get fleas and heartworm disease. Fleas can get into your house through many avenues such as on other pets, through open windows or screen doors. Once fleas get in they can be difficult to detect and get rid of once you discover it is a problem. They can cause itching and skin infections as well as give your cat parasites such as tapeworms. It is always better to prevent a problem than have to try treating it once you have one. Heartworm disease is transmitted through mosquitos and it only takes the bite of one infected mosquito to cause an infection. Heartworms cause inflammation and narrowing of the main vessels going into the heart and over time these worms can cause heart failure, embolisms and sudden death. Mosquitos love the warm, humid climate here in Georgia and even if your cat is not going outside they can still slip in through an open door or window. In cats it is particularly important to protect them from heartworms as it is harder to detect and there is no treatment for it. Again the best way to protect your cat from this terrible disease is to prevent them from getting it. Talk to your veterinarian about what heartworm and flea prevention is right for you and your cat. ✱

HELPING HENRY THIS MONTH IS DR. SCHULER FROM SUGAR HILL ANIMAL HOSPITAL Dr. Schuler is a native of Georgia and grew up in the Gwinnett county area. She attended the University of Georgia for her BSA and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees. Her professional interests include internal medicine,

ophthalmology and wound care. In her spare time Dr. Schuler enjoys spending time with her husband Jordan and her young sons Jonathan & JP. Her family also includes a dog named Mocha and two cats named Merlin and Noel.

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thrive

Tips for Transitioning

BY: LAURA LEBOVITZ LAMFT AT GROW COUNSELING

ransitioning from summertime to a new school year can be a stressful time for both kids and parents. Children and teens must adjust to a new schedule, new teachers, friendship changes, new work expectations, and maybe even a new school! Parents must help them navigate all of those changes while still managing the day-to-day operations of the household. That is a lot for everyone to manage!

Here are a few ideas to help transition everyone back to school smoothly: Start early. Having a routine will help

children and teens to feel more adjusted to the school schedule and be ready for the new school year. It is so important to get into a good sleep routine because children who are well rested are better able to cope with the stress of school. A few weeks before school begins, start shifting to going to bed and waking up earlier. Show kids their bus stop, pack a few practice lunches, and create a plan of attack for homework!

Talk about their concerns.

Children and teens can become very stressed about what the new school year could bring. It is normal for them to be nervous, and talking through a concern with them will help them feel better. It can also open up the door for you to problem solve with your children. Talk to them in their room or a place they feel comfortable with your undivided attention. Ask them how they would like to be helped and be as empathetic to their concerns as possible. You may even be able to connect with your child in a new way!

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Prepare them to study again.

Studies have shown that children and teens have an easier time completing homework when it is done in a dedicated spot. Set up a special place at home to do homework. Remove all distractions and add in all the tools your child would need to complete their work. Start off the year focused and organized so it will be easier to maintain this routine throughout all of school.

Look for signs that your child needs extra help.

It can take kids and teens some time to adjust to the new school year routine and demands. However sometimes the new demands of school can be too much for kids to handle. When children or teens are feeling stressed, they typically show it by acting out. This may look like they are having a hard time listening, breaking rules, and fighting with friends or siblings. Major changes in your child’s behavior may be signs that they need a little extra help to transition back to school. This may be a good time to connect your child with a therapist, tutor, or doctor to find out what your child needs to have a great school year. âœą LAURA LEBOVITZ Laura Lebovitz is a licensed associate marriage and family therapist that works in the Suwanee area at GROW Counseling. She received her Masters of Family Therapy from Mercer University School of Medicine. She works with children, adolescents, young adults, and families dealing with a variety of concerns. She specializes in working with anxiety, autism, self-harm, life transitions like divorce, and building healthy relationships within families.

2016 PREVIEW

AT LANTA FALCONS

Q&A WITH MATT RYAN, MATT SCHAUB AND COACH DAN QUINN OF THE ATLANTA FALCONS

The Atlanta Falcons will begin their preseason games on August 11th against the Washington Redskins. Suwanee Magazine had an opportunity to meet with Quarterback Matt Ryan, Quarterback Matt Shaub and Head Coach Dan Quinn following a practice to get an inside look at the team, draft picks, off-season changes, the upcoming 2016 season, goals and you… THE FANS!

〔 EDITED BY: APRIL MILLER / PHOTOGRAPHY BY: WALT WOODEN 〕

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PHOTO BY: Jimmy Cribb / Atlanta Falcons

ON NEW CENTER, ALEX MACK: Alex has been great, he has been fantastic. He’s a veteran guy who has been around a number of systems, including this one and including a year with Kyle (Shanahan) in Cleveland and he’s a pro. He has picked up things really quickly, he’s a great communicator, which is really important on the offensive line, you know getting those guys on the same page and he’s been really good for us. He has been a high level player for a long time. This is probably the most veteran Center that I’ve had since Todd McClure and when you have a guy like that it helps a lot.

Todd was such an integral part of our offense my first five years, and Alex has a lot of those qualities that Todd had.

QB

MAT T RYAN

ON LAST YEAR’S SEASON:

2015 SEASON

RAT

89.0

YDS

4,591

TD 21

CAREER

RAT

90.9

YDS

32,757

➽ ON OTAS:

TD

202

We’re a lot further along than where we were last year, being comfortable and guys being on the same page.

We’ve gotten some really good work in - the effort has been there. Overall I’ve been pleased with how we’ve practiced the last couple weeks.

Every year I put pressure on myself. When the season ends and you start the new season you’re excited about the opportunity. What we did last year really has no effect on what we’re going to do this year. What we’re doing now in the off season program, those are the things that are going to help us.

ON COACH QUINN: There is great open dialogue between me and Coach. We both have an open understanding of our team. That’s one of the best parts of being in year two in a system and we’re going to be better for that. We’re very different than we were last year. We understand who we are better than we did at this point last year. We’re way ahead of that this year.

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ATLANTA FALCONS

SCHEDULE SUNDAY SEPT. 11 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Georgia Dome

SUNDAY SEPT. 18 @ Oakland Raiders O.co Coliseum

MONDAY SEPT. 26 @ New Orleans Saints

Mercedes-Benz Superdome

SUNDAY OCT. 2 Carolina Panthers Georgia Dome

SUNDAY OCT. 9 @ Denver Broncos

Sports Auth. Field at Mile High

SUNDAY OCT. 16 @ Seattle Seahawks CenturyLink Field

SUNDAY OCT. 23 San Diego Chargers Georgia Dome

SUNDAY OCT. 30 Green Bay Packers Georgia Dome

THURSDAY NOV. 3 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers Raymond James Stadium

SUNDAY NOV. 13 @ Philadelphia Eagles Lincoln Financial Field

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 20 - BYE SUNDAY NOV. 27 Arizona Cardinals Georgia Dome

SUNDAY DEC. 4 Kansas City Chiefs Georgia Dome

SUNDAY DEC. 11 @ Los Angeles Rams LA Memorial Coliseum

SUNDAY DEC. 18 San Francisco 49ers Georgia Dome

SATURDAY DEC. 24 @ Carolina Panthers

Bank of America Stadium

SUNDAY JAN. 1 New Orleans Saints Georgia Dome

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ATLANTA FALCONS 2016 PREVIEW forward into this season.

There are only so many ways to draw lines on paper, I think the big thing that will help out is being able to run the ball effectively. If you can run the ball and force their hand a little bit then it will result in us being in the end zone more. The combination of Coleman and Freeman was really effective last year, so if we can carry that inside the 10 yard line then we’ll get more points on the board, chew up the clock and keep our defense fresh.

PHOTO BY: Jimmy Cribb / Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcon's NEW QB, Matt Schaub talks with Suwanee Magazine's April Miller and Rachel Pillow

On March 9, 2016, Schaub signed a 1-year contract with the Atlanta Falcons. He is excited to return to the team after ten years and has recently found a home in Suwanee.

➽ ON RETURNING TO THE FALCONS AFTER 10 YEARS: T QB MAT SCHAUB FALCONS 2004 - 2006

G

YDS

38

1,033

TEXANS 2007 - 2013

G

YDS

90

23,221

RAIDERS 2014

G

11 G 2

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YDS

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YDS 57

RAVENS 2015

TD

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I definitely see more camaraderie within the team. The locker room was still set up the same way it was 10 years ago when I left initially; so when I came back and they were starting to change it I was like, “Wow this is a breath of fresh air, this is going to be great to mix the guys up, open it up and really have a team atmosphere.”

I think that’s really going to help with the camaraderie; you really see it starting to come together because, you know, we are a young team as a whole and the more you can bring guys together and gel….that’s how you win games in November and December when it really counts.

ON SHANAHAN’S PLAYBOOK:

I think I can help the team just by being another set of eyes for Matt (Ryan). I will assist in that process in any way possible. It’s about taking care of the ball, positive plays and not putting yourself in negative situations - because down there yards are so hard to come by. It's reaction-based and it’s understanding what we’re trying to get done with plays and checks. We’ve really taken a hard look at it and have a good plan going

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ON COACH QUINN AND HOW HE KEEPS THE TEAM MOTIVATED:

The way DQ starts out our meetings puts us in the right mindset for the day. The theme is always "compete." Everything we’re doing, I mean from basketball to ping-pong in the meeting room… we’re just always competing and it’s always at the forefront of our minds. Then you come out to practice and the music gets going right away and the coaches are pumped – you know, they’d get into the drills themselves if they could.

That competitive mindset carrries throughout our whole day.

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FALCON'S FAN BASE:

It’s great when they notice you at Publix, in the neighborhood or at a red light because it shows they really support their local team. They’re true fans that are with you through thick and thin and those are hard to come by. It’s a cool feeling and it helps motivate you in these days when games are so far away, but on a Tuesday or Wednesday in June it keeps you going!

ATLANTA FALCONS 2016 PREVIEW HEAD COACH

DAN QUINN In 2015, Dan Quinn became the 16th Head Coach in Atlanta Falcons history. His NFL coaching career began in 2001 as Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Line Coach of the San Francisco 49ers. His coaching history includes the 49ers, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks. As Defensive Coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks, he led the League’s top defensive unit in 2013 and helped lead the team to victory over the Denver Broncos at Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014. His “Fast and Physical” motto has permeated the Falcons in everything they do, and he hopes to lead the team to victory in their upcoming 2016 season.

ON GROWING PAINS: ➽ Some of our growing pains last year were about the football and

our turnover margin being about the ball, we’ve got to live that way. That part of our game we’re intending on getting right. I don’t let anyone else's comments motivate me. It’s going to be about us and our team. We don’t let anyone outside of our room dictate how we’re going to play or how we’re supposed to feel. We’re gonna attack it with everything we’ve got.

ON THE ROSTER’S 25 ROOKIES:

We’re throwing so much at the rooks and this is their time to cram it in and we’re certainly doing that. We want to take every single guy here as far as we can! It’s really important for the coaches to get to know all of those 25 guys and learn what unique stuff we have, and we’re gonna try like crazy to draw it out of them. If a guy can do certain things then now is the time to start switching positions, or seeing if he can do more than one thing…that’s been the real emphasis.

There have been a number of guys that are totally going for it that are coming through and we’re seeing the different things they can add to the team.

ON IMPROVING AS HEAD COACH:

FAST IS NOT JUST HOW FAST YOU CAN RUN IN A TIMED SPRINT, IT’S HAVING THE MENTAL QUICKNESS TO KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO SO YOU CAN TOTALLY LET IT RIP.

For me, it starts number one with communication and articulating exactly to the staff what we want from the players; then it’s about my communication with the players – can that be better, can we bridge that so we all have a really clear vision of how we want to play. So yeah, I’ve been working really hard on a lot of things too and on getting to know these new guys as well as I can…being present in those conversations – making sure we can find and dig into every single guy to take them as far as we can.

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ON PRESSURE TO GET US TO THE “BIG GAME” SOONER AFTER THE CITY OF ATLANTA WON THE BID FOR THE SUPER BOWL IN 2019:

Honestly you play for the moment right now and this season we’re in 2016 and we’re hoping to play our very best ball right now….we aren’t waiting for 17 or 18. We don’t look that far ahead, it’s just, “How good can we get right now?” One of the things that I love about it, with the Super Bowl being awarded here, is that it shows how much we love football in our city; and that part gives me a lot of pride to coach a team where football is so important.

Atlanta Falcon's Head Coach, Dan Quinn with Suwanee Magazine's April Miller and Rachel Pillow

ON HIS “FAST & PHYSICAL” MOTTO:

During the off-season the players are working so hard for one another and they are demonstrating the respect that they have for one another by how fast and how hard they play. So, that part is coming together. They’re making the calls come to light.

Fast is not just how fast you can run in a timed sprint, it’s having the mental quickness to know what you have to do so you can totally let it rip. It's when you really have your details down, and you really know your assignments, and you do 1,000 reps then say, “Hey I’m gonna go do it again right now like I’ve always done it.” But you’ve gotta put the work in, whether it’s in the weight room, on the field or in the meeting room.

You put the work in and it allows you to take that to a game and say, “This is what I do all the time.” That way, we don’t need to change our practice habits we just really gotta pick it up today - every time we step out onto the grass we wanna go for it!

ON BEING INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY: It’s a real humbling experience to be a coach and a player in the NFL, so whenever any of us get a chance to make an impact in the community; whether its for a day or an interaction with someone or a fan, it’s a real rewarding experience because we know not everybody gets to have this opportunity in the NFL. To be able to provide that, whether its a quick interaction or a meaningful moment for somebody, it fills you with a lot of humility knowing that this is a really cool opportunity that we get to share.

It was such a pleasure talking with Coach Dan Quinn and a few members of the Atlanta Falcons.

We hope as readers you enjoyed getting to know them a little better and as fans you are ready, now more than ever, to “rise up” this 2016 season! With the changes and additions this off-season, the hard work and dedication, a focus on better communication and Coach Quinn’s mantra of “fast and physical” we definitely see success in the future for our Falcons. ✱

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local food. craft beer. wine trends.

SUMMER WINES › SUWANEE AREA RESTAURANT GUIDE 49 › WHAT'S BREWING: 1 0 LOCAL BEERS TO GET YOU THROUGH SUMMER 52

’S E E N A SUW

WHICH LOCAL PIZZA SHOP HAS THE BEST PIZZA IN SUWANEE? EDITED BY: RACHEL PILLOW PHOTOGRAPHY BY: KARL LAMB

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rom thin crust to thick, stonebaked to oven-baked, pesto sauce to traditional marinara, from meat-lovers to grilled peach, the pizzas in our first-ever “Best Pizza in Suwanee” contest covered a variety of unique styles, toppings and flavors. It’s clear that Suwanee has some of the best pizza around. But, only one could be crowned the official champion!

THE CONTEST

Marco’s Pizza Deluxe Uno:

We invited nine local pizza shops to participate in the “Best Pizza in Suwanee” contest. The criteria were that the pizza shop’s address must be in Suwanee and that it must exclusively serve pizza or have the word “pizza” in its name.

We asked each restaurant to deliver a large pizza of their choice to our office on Friday, June 10th where we also invited several local chefs and renowned food experts to judge the competition.

Each pizza was judged based on three categories: pizza appearance, taste and overall impression. Our judges rated each pizza from 1-10 on the crust, cheese, toppings, sauce, overall taste, creativity and chances of ordering again.

Green peppers onions, mushrooms, pepperoni, sausage and cheese.

JUDGES COMMENTS: ✓ Great flavor on the crust. ✓ Love the overall taste and the crust. ✓ Love that I got cheese flavor on the crust. ✓ There was a creaminess that I really enjoyed with this piece.

: ES G D JU E TH Nine Suwanee Magazine staff members participated in the process and their score sheets counted for the “People’s Choice Award.”

JOE CONNOR Chef and Managing Partner of Tannery Row Ale House

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RICO CUNNINGTON

Owner and Executive Chef of Rico’s World Kitchen

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SILVIO HERNANDEZMEDINA Executive Chef

of Bare Bones Steakhouse

Skye Estroff Marketing Manager of Atlanta Eats TV and radio show

savor

Grandma’s NY Pizza

Grandma’s Signature: Just like grandma used to make: light cheese, marinara sauce, basil and extra virgin olive oil. The Olluri family has been making this pizza for 50 years starting in New York.

JUDGES COMMENTS: ✓ I enjoyed the crisp crust and the sweetness of the sauce. ✓ Great flavor. ✓ Nice use of basil as topping.

Cooley’s Pizza

Chicken Spinach Pesto: Basil pesto base,

fresh spinach, grilled seasoned chicken, bacon, red onions, feta cheese, chopped garlic and mozzarella cheese.

Brooklyn Pizza & Burgers Brooklyn Flagship Pizza: Cheese, pepperoni, sausage, beef, mushrooms, onions, peppers, olives, ham and mozzarella cheese.

JUDGES COMMENTS: ✓ The cheese was delicious. ✓ Crust had a nice texture. ✓ This is a good, classic pizza.

Your Pie

Peach Prosciutto:

Olive oil base, mozzarella, ricotta and parmesan cheeses, prosciutto ham, peach slices, honey, balsamic glaze and fresh basil.

JUDGES COMMENTS: ✓ Love the pesto base. ✓ Love chicken pesto! ✓ Unique flavor combo.

JUDGES COMMENTS: ✓ Not something that I would generally order, but enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Very good crust and ingredient combo. ✓ This was a very pretty slice.

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THE 2016 WINNERS: 2 016

1

Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers

House: Signature red sauce,

mozzarella, pepperoni, ground beef, sausage, Applewood smoked bacon, ham, mushroom, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, black olives, EXTRA mozzarella; and butter & parmesan on the crust that everyone loves.

Our first place champion is a tried and true, popular pizza joint in Suwanee Town Center Park. Congratulations Mellow Mushroom for winning Suwanee’s Best Pizza!

Mellow Mushroom won 1st place with their House Special. Mellow Mushroom’s unique and flavorful crust is a true original and part of their trademark.

Johnny’s New York Style Pizza

Johnny’s Signature Pizza: Johnny's hand

tossed dough, made fresh daily, spun to a thin crust and lathered with a zesty combination of tomatoes and spiced pizza sauce, sprinkled with a blend of grated cheeses and spices that they call “LOVE.” Topped with whole milk mozzarella, a mildly spiced Italian sausage, fresh mushrooms, crisp onions and green peppers and layered with the highest quality pepperoni, then baked to perfection in a hearth stone oven.

JUDGES COMMENTS: ✓ Yum!

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JUDGES COMMENTS: ✓ Great flavor! ✓ Best looking pizza of the bunch. ✓ I like a lot of toppings, so this

was very good, overall.

✓ Would definitely

order again!

THE

BEST PIZZA IN SUWANEE!

2

savor

Suwanee Pizza Tavern STP Special: This wood-fired, handcrafted

pizza is made with Suwanee Pizza Tavern's signature dough and has just the right blend of meat and veggies, then topped with fresh mozzarella and feta cheese. All of these toppings were carefully selected by their pizza Chef to pair perfectly with their homemade Bianco White sauce, and all together it is bursting with flavor with every bite.

JUDGES COMMENTS: ✓ Looks as delicious as it tastes. ✓ Love the combination of toppings. ✓ Good ratio of ingredients to crust.

2ND PLACE ----- AND -----

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

3RD

PLACE

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Sid's Pizza & Grill Supreme Pizza: Stone baked

pizza cooked on Vermont Soapstone.

The crust is made from scratch using an age-old Italian recipe that takes 48 hours to reach its prime. Sauce is made up of olive oil, rosemary, basil, sugar, salt, onions, garlic and tomatoes. Toppings include pepperoni, mozzarella, onion, mushroom, sautéed green pepper and Italian sausage. Sid's is known for their Sicilian-style pizza with a California-inspired twist.

JUDGES COMMENTS: ✓ Perfect crust and sauce. ✓ Love the fluffier crust of this one!

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restaurant GUIDE BEST AREA DINING OPTIONS FROM FINE DINING TO FUN FAMILY FARE Dollar signs indicate the typical cost per person for meal, includes one non-alcoholic drink, tax and tip. $ UNDER $10 $$ $11 - $30 $$$ $31 - $50 $$$$ MORE THAN $50

Wild Wing Café

3265 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd. • Suwanee 770-945-9090 I WildWingCafe.com I $$

Wild Wing Café is a laid-back chain offering the best wings in the South in 33 different made-from-scratch flavors amid a sports bar atmosphere! While you might come for the wings, you will be tempted to try all the other delicious items they have to offer. From their hand battered, fried to order onion rings to creative combinations like the Bleu Cheese Basil burger, there is something on the menu for everyone. Throw in the Wild Child Menu for the little ones and you’ve got all your bases covered.

Valentino's Bakery

3294 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. Ste. 1004 Duluth 678-878-4772 ValentinosBakeryInc.com I $ Chef Valentino is treating the US with his pastry talents brought all the way from Venezuela. With over 50 years of experience in the baking industry, Chef Valentino carefully crafts goodies not only full of flavor, but attractive in appearance. Stop by his bakery in Duluth to try his famous milhojas, flan, and fruit tart or any other decadently created pastry or dessert!

Bare Bones Steakhouse

115 E. Main St., Suite C-12 Buford I 470-266-1890 I BareBonesSteakhouse.com $$

Now open! Located in the Bona Allen building of downtown, historic Buford, Bare Bones Steakhouse provides an atmosphere of character and originality. This classic, traditional steakhouse restaurant and bar also offers a comfortable lounge and additional space to host your next party or event. Stop by Monday through Thursday to add a free cheesecake dessert to your dinner or Monday through Wednesday for $1 off beer and wine drafts!

(Valid through 8/31/16).

WANT MORE? STAY CONNECTED WITH SUWANEE MAGAZINE. FOLLOW, TWEET, SHARE >

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NEW

AMERICAN

SPECIALTY SANDWICHES For a limited time only!

THE SICILIAN

Schlotzsky’s

2941 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Try one of our NEW Oven-BakedRd.Pastas.

Suwanee 678-765-6336

Your Pie

I Schlotzskys.com I $ FREE Small Schlotzsky’s offers aSandwich wide variety of freshly

3370 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd. Suwanee I 470.266.1112 I YourPie.com

with purchase ofbread, 32oz. delicious fountain drink & bag of chips baked hot sandwiches,

Your Pie is a fast-casual pizza franchise, inspired by the Italian Island of Ischia.

Specializing in personalized pizzas, chopped salads, and Panini’s, Your Pie encourages the customer to be as creative as they want to be against the backdrop of authentic ingredients. Customers choose the combinations and Your Pie delivers to your table hot from the brick oven. Add a drink from our Coke Free Style or a draft Local Craft Beer. Finish up with a Gelato.

MEXICAN

Artisan flatbreads, specialty pizzas, toasted wraps, freshly tossed salads, gourmet soups, and more! Our taste remains true to our roots, we still use the highest quality ingredients to make the world’s best sandwich.

Valid only at Schlotzsky’s Restaurant located at 2941 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Rd., Suwanee, GA. Not valid with any other offer. One coupon per purchase. Offers valid on item of equal or lesser value only. Exclusive of tax and gratuity. Sale, resale and/or internet distribution strictly prohibited.

Void where prohibited. Cash value 1/100¢. No cash back. Additional exclusions may apply. Valid through 03/31/15. ©2015 Schlotzsky’s Franchise LLC. CODE: 4290

$

ITALIAN

Suwanee Pizza Tavern

1500 Peachtree Industrial Blvd • Suwanee 678-546-0823 I SPTavern.com I $$

Tannery Row Ale House

554 West Main Street • Buford 678-765-8979 I TanneryRowAleHouse.com $$

Cinco

1500 Peachtree • Industrial Blvd • Suite 100 Suwanee I 678-541-0645 CincoRestaurants.com I $$

Cinco is authentic, Latin-infused Mexican Cuisine served in a familyfriendly setting. With a unique menu, Cinco offers an upscale variety of Mexican dishes that are carefully prepared from scratch. Weekly specials include: Kids eat free Monday & Tuesday, daily drink specials, Sunday brunch and an adjoining After Five lounge that offers live music, fresh tapas and over 60 specialty martinis!

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Suwanee Pizza Tavern is known for their made-from-scratch, wood-fired pizza, garlic knots, wings, sandwiches, pastas, and friendly atmosphere. The open pizza pit showcases their woodfired oven where you can watch their pizza chef create your pizza. The dining area is perfect for a family outing, or you can head over to their signature bar with your friends to watch your favorite sports on the flat screen TV's.

Visit Suwanee Pizza Tavern, your local upscale pizza tavern!

JULY / AUGUST 16

Tannery Row Ale House is home of the best barbeque, pizza, sandwiches and libations on this side of the tracks! Located in the Historic Tannery Row building, their menu features modern comfort food inspired by the history and culture of our surroundings. They also host a variety of events like trivia night, live performances and nighttime entertainment- so grab your friends and head over for a good time!

WHAT'S BREWING:

BY: DERRICK ATKINSON TAPROOM MANAGER, JEKYLL BREWING

LOCAL

Summer is officially here, and with it comes that famous Georgia heat! The days are long, hot and often humid. Thankfully Georgia breweries are pumping out some great beers to get us through it...

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From Kölsch to Sour, Saison, Radler, and Gose, local Georgia breweries are coming out with unique twists on classic styles this summer. For the days when heat tops 90 degrees, and you need a beer that is drinkable all afternoon, grab a Kolsch: light, refreshing, delicate, and slightly snappy. If you crave something a little different, grab a tart and salty Sour beer- perfect for an afternoon pick me up. While a Saison may not be the first choice of beer that comes to mind when you think of summer drinking, new fruit styles make it is easy to find a beer that boasts a crisp, dry, fruity finish. When you’re craving a cocktail, but don’t want to tire yourself out with hard liquor grab a Radler. This citrusy blend of beer and carbonated soda boasts a low ABV and is great for porch drinking. Finally when the day is winding down, and you need something to carry you over into the evening, grab a Gose. This style of tart, wheat beer is typically blended with coriander, salt or lime and perfect to wake up your taste buds.

It’s encouraging to see so many breweries be adventurous in their new offerings. Some folks would say that the Georgia beer movement is behind most states... and as far as distribution and beer-friendly laws are concerned, it is.

However, despite those handicaps, breweries are still taking risks and coming out with regionally unique brews and making them on a worldclass level. Brewers often test out those new styles or flavors in their taprooms, so if you haven't dropped by your local brewery in a while, it’s worth a stop.

SWEETWATER BREWING’S GOIN’ COASTAL IPA WITH PINEAPPLE

Slide into summer and step off the grid by Goin’ Coastal with this pineapple laced IPA. The bright aromas of the five citrus hop additions are accentuated by the tropical fruit of the pineapple – and just like those three day weekends, its finish is quick.

ABV: 6.1% IBU’s: 50

MONDAY NIGHT BREWING’S FU MANBREW GOSE

The gose is a traditional German style known for its wheat base, tartness, and saltiness. Monday Night Brewing kettle sours their version, resulting in a pleasant lemon note that balances the sea salt nicely.

ABV: 5.2% IBU’s: 15

SECOND SELF’S MAVERICK & GOSE

This beer arrives just in time to get your thirst out of the danger zone of the Georgia heat this summer. A fresh take on a traditional gose includes the addition of coriander and is dry-hopped with fruity wakatu hops to balance out the slightly tart and salty nature of this fun beer. A beer that is good anytime but best enjoyed outdoors on your favorite patio.

ABV: 4.4% IBU’s: 8

savor

SOUTHERN BREWING'S CHEROKEE ROSE

RED HARE BREWING COMPANY’S SPF 50/50 IPA RADLER WITH GRAPEFRUIT

SPF 50/50 is a light, refreshing blend of Gangway IPA and Red Hare's house brewed sparkling grapefruit soda. Sweet grapefruit zest mingles perfectly with citrusy hop notes, making this the perfect can to take with you everywhere this summer.

ABV: 4.2% IBU’s: 38

Newcomer to the Georgia brewing scene, Southern Brewing in Athens has propagated yeast from the state flower, Cherokee Rose, to brew their American Wild Ale that bears the same name. Mildly spicy with a banana pudding and melon character.

ABV: 5.5% IBU’s: 17

JAILHOUSE BREWING’S RASPBERRY SAISON

This new saison is light and refreshing, with hints of local raspberries.

ABV: 4.2% IBU’s: 38

CHERRY STREET’S GROOVY CHILD GUAVA ALE

The First Place winner at Classic City Brew Fest in 2013. Cherry Street takes their Ta Ta Cream Ale and dry hops it with Nelson Sauvin Hops and infuses it with Guava Nectar. The Nelson hops have a wonderful grape/white wine bouquet, while the guava adds a nice bitter fruit finish. Super refreshing for warm days.

ABV: 4.5% IBU’s: 23

THREE TAVERNS’ CUCUMBER BASIL SOUR ASYLUM

Cucumber Basil Sour Asylum is a light, tart, sour session beer finished with fresh cucumber and basil. Poured exclusively in The Parlour at Three Taverns this Summer.

ABV: 3.8%

JEKYLL BREWING’S BIG CREEK KOLSCH WITH PEAR

Jekyll Brewing's Big Creek Pear was named “Best Beer in Georgia” at the 2016 Suwanee Beer Fest.

Head-brewer Josh Rachel took Jekyll's classic Kolsch "Big Creek", and infused it with pear for a truly refreshing experience.

ABV: 5%

TERRAPIN BREWING’S WATERMELON GOSE

Terrapin's traditional German-style gose is brewed with sea salt and corriander. The beer is tart and refreshing as most Gose are. This one is brewed with watermelon concentrate for a slightly fruity hint of melon. You could easily pop one of these after mowing the lawn and quench your thirst.

ABV: 4.5% IBU’s: 7

All of the beers mentioned here are available most of the time in the brewery's taprooms.

You may even see a test batch or a preview of the next release on tap when you go! So go see where your favorite local beer is made, and support your brewer at the source! ✱

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BY: Claire Addison BEVERAGE SUPERSTORE, GRAYSON

Nothing says summer like a family gathering, backyard barbecues, easy days on the lake, or sitting by the pool with friends.

Sweet smells of burgers, hotdogs, ribs, chicken, and maybe even wings lingering on the weekends beckon even the sternest of homebodies outside. The bright sunlight and longer days give us every excuse to roam. Now that summer is finally upon us, we’ve got you covered on what to drink with whatever you’re enjoying...

n the South, we covet our grill specialties, and barbecue is almost more of a religion than just a meal. With grilled foods, the pairings are quite close to what you would expect from everyday fares: whites, reds and rosés. But there are some amazing wines that aren’t to be missed this summer! In the tradition of steaks and burgers, Malbecs are the way to go. These wines are usually stainless steel fermented, (unless noted as a Reserve) and have wonderful fruit qualities that will compliment red meats in any capacity. These wines are also very budget friendly, ranging from $8.99 and up, meaning having a few extras on hand wouldn’t hurt just in case friends drop by. One of the biggest sellers in this category is Gascon Malbec, a very modestly priced wine that over delivers and has been ranked as a “Best Buy” for several vintages. Kaiken Malbec is another one not to be missed. This young Malbec has a dark, inky color with notes of strawberries and dark cherries followed by very silky tannins. Pair this one with ribs, or brisket topped with your favorite sauce.

LAKE WINES Banshee Rosé of Pinot Noir Grapes: Pinot Noir Wine Region: California Style: Rosé of Pinot Noir Country: United States Food Pairing: Seafood (poached salmon, seared ahi, spicy crab cakes and scallops), Poultry and Lighter Meats

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For those days when you need to be one with nature, lake excursions can be a little tough, especially for wine lovers.

Traditionally, wine comes in glass bottles, a no-no for time in a boat or on a pier.

The technology of containers has evolved dramatically in recent years, taking these situations in mind. Wine-maker, Andrew Jones of Field Recordings set off on a one-man journey to solve this problem for wine and lake-lovers around the globe.

Currently in production are the Pinot Noir, and the Grenache Rose’, both offered in 500ml cans - gasp!

savor

> Kaiken Malbec

> Gascon Malbec

Grapes: Malbec Wine Region: Mendoza Style: Argentinian Malbec Country: Argentina Food Pairing: Beef, Spicy Foods, Mature and Hard Cheese, Poultry

Grapes: Malbec Wine Region: Mendoza Style: Argentinian Malbec Country: Argentina Food Pairing: Beef, Spicy Foods, Mature and Hard Cheese, Poultry

GREAT VALUE! $7.99

> Alloy Pinot Noir Grapes: Pinot Noir Wine Region: Central Coast Style: Californian Pinot Noir Country: United States Food Pairing: Veal, Pork, Game (deer, venison), Rich Fish (salmon, tuna etc), Poultry

> Alloy Central Coast Grenache Rosé Grapes: Grenache Noir Wine Region: Central Coast Style: Californian Pinot Noir Country: United States Food Pairing: Beef, Mature and Hard Cheese

While the beer world has taken massive steps to gear consumers towards cans, the wine world won’t be far behind. These two wines are outstanding offerings that beg to be taken with you to the lake, festivals, on the trail, picnics, and anywhere else the summer takes you.

Not only are the cans lighter weight, they’re easier to recycle than glass.

POOL WINES For those sun-bunnies that will be residing by the pool for the remainder of the summer, Rosé wines and anything with bubbles are the way to go. Villa Jolanda, a producer from Italy, makes a line of sparkling Moscatos with all-natural fruit infusions like Mango, Pineapple, Strawberry, and Peach. These are amazing alone, but throw in a shot of peach schnapps, or triple

> Villa Jolanda Moscato & Peach Grapes: Moscato Wine Region: Asti Style: Northern Italy White Country: Italy Food Pairing: Sweet Desserts

sec to not only kick up the flavor, but up the ante on alcohol content as well. Freezing fruit and dropping it in your glass not only looks fancy, but keeps your beverage colder longer. If bubbles aren’t your thing, try a dry Rosé from Provence or California. Provence has been producing Rosés that are known globally for being light bodied, flavor intense wines; but California is rapidly closing the gap, producing more of their own each year.

Banshee Rosé of Pinot Noir, has the palest color of pink, but as much complexity as you would expect from Sonoma. Chilled, this wine disappears fast, so make sure you procure multiples. Try this wine with a nice fresh salad or fresh fruit parfait.

Whatever your Summertime adventure is, make sure to stop

by Beverage Superstore. They can help you choose the perfect wine companion for wherever the wind takes you. ✱

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59 INTERVIEW WITH

KRYZ REID OF THIRD EYE BLIND

create celebrating a community dedicated to the arts.

› ALEX ROSS' REPLICA OF THE TITANIC 60

Jessica Ronco and Justin Sterner star as Gabriella and Troy in SPA’s Broadway in the Park performance July 29th and 30th

LOCAL STUDENTS LIGHT UP THE STAGE

Suwanee Performing Arts Celebrates Broadway in the Park’s 10th Anniversary with Disney’s HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL ON STAGE PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JULIE PERDUE

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Gabriella's alliance might just open the door for others uwanee Town Center Park will host to shine as well.

Disney’s HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL ON SPA is also producing BORED GAMES, a fun-filled, STAGE on July 29th and 30th, produced original, one-act musical written by Founders Berneta

by Suwanee Performing Arts (SPA).

Bock Davis, Patricia Etherton, Elisa Etherton and The Disney Channel’s hit movie HIGH Teresa Khan. The story takes us back to the SCHOOL MUSICAL will lazy summer days of 1976, when during come to life on stage, starring summer break, a group of kids gather on talented local high school, middle school the playground. Bored with board games, and home schooled students. The story they take a crack at breaking a world is one of dealing with first love, friends record, but become discouraged after and family while balancing classes and several failed attempts. Ultimately Chris, extracurricular activities. The Jocks, July 29th & 30th @ 7:00 pm the kind of kid that nobody notices, is Brainiacs, Thespians and Skater Dudes find their cliques and recount their Suwanee Town Center Park revealed to possess a very special talent, and the group learns that you cannot vacations after returning to school after judge a book by its cover. winter break. Basketball team captain Admission to the shows is free, but plan to arrive and resident jock, Troy (Justin Sterner), discovers that early to claim seats on the lawn and dine at local the brainy Gabriella (Jessica Ronco), a girl he met restaurants. Reserved premium seating and tables for singing karaoke on his ski trip, has just enrolled at East Corporate and Patron Sponsors or general admission High. They cause an upheaval when they decide to “sitting-room-only” space near the front of the stage audition for the high school musical that is being led is available for a tax-deductible donation to SPA. For

by Ms. Darbus (2007 HSM alum Abbi Capri). Although more information, visit SuwaneePerformingArts.org or many students resent the threat posed to the "status call 678-482-6333. ✱ quo" - especially drama queen Sharpay (Madison Warlick) and her brother Ryan (Alex Brown) - Troy and

BROADWAY IN THE PARK:

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL ON STAGE

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:

Kryz Reid

Guitarist, Third Eye Blind EDITED BY: Priscilla Salmasi

>> ON TOUR WITH THEIR FIFTH STUDIO ALBUM “DOPAMINE,” SAN FRANCISCO

PHOTO BY: STEPHEN ALBANESE

BAND THIRD EYE BLIND WILL ROLL INTO TOWN LABOR DAY WEEKEND, PLAYING SUGAR HILL'S SWEET LIFE CONCERT SERIES. WE WERE ABLE TO CATCH UP WITH THEIR LEAD GUITARIST, KRYZ REID FOR AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW ON THEIR TOUR SO FAR AND THEIR MOST CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED ALBUM TO DATE...

We've noticed you’ve been attending a lot of festivals. Are you trying to specifically reach a younger audience by playing festivals?

but musically, the band has always been very diverse and eclectic and has a signature sound; but at the same time, the band musically is always moving forward.

Our audience is very young as it is. There’s never been a bigger demographic of people than at a Third Eye Blind show. We have people in the front row with X’s on their hands because they’re under 21; people even bring their kids, we have a full range of people there, definitely. It’s so much fun to go out and play festivals.

Before we come to Sugar Hill, we’re playing Summer Sonic music festival in Tokyo, Japan, which is my second home. Then we play Leeds festival in London. I used to go to that when I was a kid.

I would see big American bands that would come to the UK, but they would not come to Ireland. My mates and I used to take the boat across from Ireland to England and go to the Leeds festival.

Did you know Brad and Stephen before you joined the band?

What do you think it is about the music that resonates with a new, younger generation of fans?

I’ve known Brad for about 150 years - just kidding. We played together in Brad’s side projects in Los Angeles, but I didn’t know who Third Eye Blind was. When they had issues with their old guitar player, he called me up and said, you’ve got first dibs here. I had never listened to this band, but then I just fell in love with it.

Do you have a favorite song on your new album, Dopamine?

It moves around a bit; more when we were writing the record I was calling out my favorites, but once the record was done and all the songs were there together, I couldn’t choose a favorite, they’re like your kids, you know?

How do you narrow down the songs to decide which go on the album?

What’s the process of getting the set-list together for the show?

It’s a very painful process of listening to all the songs… no, I’m kidding. We shoot through the tracks and we have column A, column B, column C, with column A being our favorites. Then we take count of how many are in each column. Brad, our drummer, is the worst because he always says he likes them all.

We all sit down at a table to discuss the music for an awesome 60 minute set for our festivals and shows. I’m the only one in the band, that can actually write, you would not believe what their handwriting looks like; it’s chicken scratch. I always end up with the sharpie and most of the time we play the same set list with a few tweaks.

Do you demo the songs while you’re on tour before the album comes out, to see how the fans are reacting?

Are there any songs you enjoy playing live the most, either new or old?

Yes, it’s a little tricky for us to do - because the band is so big when we demo a new song, it ends up on YouTube and then if Stephen changes one of the lyrics people get upset. That happens a lot, so it’s kind of like maybe, maybe not. We do usually during sound checks, because the fans there are not allowed to take pictures or film and that’s been working out quite well.

Again, all our songs are like our children. After I was in the band for five or six years, I asked Brad if he still gets a kick out of playing 'Semi-Charmed Life' after 15 years, and he had the best answer ever, “We don’t want to play that song during sound check or rehearsal, but when we play it on stage the reaction to it is so huge, it makes it really enjoyable to play.” ✱

It’s Stephen, 100%, Stephen’s voice and his lyrics. I’d love to take more credit for the new record,

THIRD EYE BLIND

SEPT. 3RD @ 7:00 PM THE BOWL @ SUGAR HILL TICKETS AVAILABLE @ THEBOWLATSUGARHILL.COM

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create

SUWANEE STUDENT BUILDS 26' REPLICA OF THE TITANIC BY: RACHEL PILLOW Alex Ross, age 18, just graduated from North Gwinnett High School and is heading to Kennesaw State University in the Architecture Program beginning fall of 2016. Like many other graduating seniors, he is excited to spend this summer hanging out with friends and getting ready for college. But, unlike his classmates, he will be completing a project that has been four years in the making: a 26 foot long model of the Titanic ship.

The impressive structure currently resides in Ross’ basement but will soon be moving to the new North Gwinnett Arts Association (NGAA) Center for the Arts in midJuly. NGAA’s facility in Suwanee Town Center, is the hub of our art community, offering art school, workshops, classes, space for artists to work and display their creations, summer camps, parents nights out and more. It is dedicated to celebrating and promoting our local art culture and to giving both children and adults the resources to pursue the arts.

Vickie Johnson, NGAA President, first heard about Alex Ross from Corey Holdrich, Stylist at Hairllucinations Salon. While Ross was getting his hair cut from Corey he showed him pictures of his Titanic project. Holdrich was so impressed and knew it was something that had to be shared with the community, particularly his friend/client Vickie Johnson.

“When Corey first told me about it I had no idea how huge this was until I actually saw the pictures…it’s very impressive and I’m so excited to have it in our Center!” Vickie said.

Ross first became interested in the history, magnitude, beauty and tragedy of the Titanic after learning about it in his 7th grade class. At

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in the ship deck that point in the exact his parents location where bought him a the Titanic split small-scale before sinking.

Titanic model Inside the kit; which was model ship admittedly he has added fun to build, tile flooring, but he had staircases, much grander lighting, plans in mind. seats tables, During his Alex Ross built the model based on actual, doorways, freshman year historic blueprints of the Titanic railings and of high school other details – all based on actual those plans started becoming a photos of the Titanic. reality. Ross built the model from “It’s hard to say exactly how historic blueprints of the actual many hours I’ve spent on this ship. “One time I threw out the project,” Ross said. “But I started entire front section of the ship my freshman year of high (and hours of work) because it school and during the school wasn’t perfect. I want it to be as year would probably spend 2-3 historically accurate as possible… hours/day on average and much it’d be really cool if it even ended up in a museum one day,” he said. more time during the summers.

Ross uses everyday resources There were times in the summer to construct the display, including when I’d spend all day working tools such as: cardboard, wire, on it,” he admitted. popsicle sticks, wood, LED lights, The hours have already started electrical wiring, modeling clay to pay off. When applying for the and paint. He is resourceful and Architecture Program at Kennesaw economical with his tools. “I first State, Ross submitted photos of the started building it from a pile ship and the University staff had of Amazon boxes I found in the never seen anything like it. He is basement,” he said. “Now whenever now excited to pursue his passion my parents get something shipped at the next level. “Hopefully this will to the house they throw the evolve into a really cool career…I box down the stairs for me,” he would love to build buildings or continued. He painstakingly details even the inside of ships,” he said. every aspect of the ship: inside and The NGAA will be hosting an open out. The original ship was covered house reception when the model in rivets, and when his model is ship is moved to their Center for complete there will be close to the Arts. For more information 50,000 hand-created rivets on it… about the North Gwinnett Arts each individual dot made with glue.

Association, visit ngaa4arts.com. ✱ He has added cracks and splinters

JULY / AUGUST 16

72 STAR 94’S

news and

events from in and around suwanee.

WOOFSTOCK EXCLUSIVE PICS

› THE BUZZ 62

› PEOPLE & PLACES 70 › CALENDAR: UPCOMING AREA EVENTS 78

PHOTO BY: Matt Levine

2016 GWINNETT BEER FEST FROM UNLIMITED SAMPLES OF 200+ CRAFT BEERS, TO A TACO MAC WING-EATING CONTEST, TO A WEDDING, THE SECOND ANNUAL EVENT AT COOLRAY FIELD WAS A HIT! CHECK OUT EXCLUSIVE PICS BY MATT LEVINE IN PEOPLE & PLACES / PAGE 76

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Latest from in and THE The Around Suwanee

Suwanee Family Dentistry Thanks Military With Free Dental Services On September 8th, 2016 businesses across the United States will join in Freedom Day USA, a national Thank You Movement for the members of our military and their immediate families, along with Veterans. Each business participant is providing a thank you gift, in the form of free services, goods, discounts, and various other offers. Locally, Drs. Tina Herington, Ashley Starnes, Jade Lyles and the entire Suwanee Family Dentistry team will provide free dental services to those who serve.

“The men and women of our Armed Forces make great personal sacrifices in order to secure and protect our freedoms,” said Dr. Robert Martino, Founder of the To learn more Freedom Day USA event. “Their about this National families have endured hardships and Thank You Movement or some have given all they have so that to sign your business up we may live in peace – free to pursue as a participant for future our dreams. Let’s join together to say events, you can visit ‘Thank You’ for their FreedomDayUSA.org. sacrifices and for our freedom, by giving them a Day of Free!”

Axiom Athletics Presents Personal Group Training For years, getting into shape has been a “catch 22” for most people outside of the health and fitness industry.

With America being the "fattest" country on the planet, it is safe to say that most people lack the know-how to make substantial improvements to their fitness. Pair that with the sky high prices of personal trainers and you have a recipe for a sedentary lifestyle.

Axiom Athletics is on a mission to put an end to that with their "personal group training.” All of their membership options include unlimited classes, which means you can come six days a week and be guided through a workout by one of their highly qualified coaches. The coaches work the floor throughout the class, correcting form and mechanics, keeping everyone safe and ensuring the members receive the best workout possible.

Visit the website for more information and to setup your free trial at AxiomAthletics.com.

Love Rolls Greater Atlanta Christian (GAC) junior, Kendall Robinson, has created a sensation by collecting toilet paper through a campaign called LOVE ROLLS. The idea was formed after she volunteered at the Atlanta Community Food Bank and a homeless man shared the information that he rationed one roll of toilet paper for an entire month. For a teenage girl, it was inconceivable that a single roll of toilet paper could hold such value. After thinking through how she could impact this need, she devised a very simple “LOVE ROLLS” campaign.

Robinson reached out to her peers at GAC and requested each student bring in one roll of toilet paper to donate to the Atlanta Food Bank. Word spread quickly and support for the LOVE ROLLS campaign grew as dozens of TP rolls began arriving on the campus of Greater Atlanta Christian. Hotels, businesses and family members began adding to the pile with the number of rolls climbing by the thousands. To date there have been over 85,000 rolls collected!

To find out more information and ways to donate to a great cause, visit loverolls.org.

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Sweet Repeat Dresses Opens New Location at Gwinnett Place Mall Three years ago Sweet Repeat Dresses was created with just 50 dresses and a vision-to help provide dresses to girls who could not afford the cost of purchasing one. For $25 girls were invited to come try on dresses and pick out their favorite to attend their upcoming event. Now, years later Sweet Repeat Dresses has grown to over 800 dresses and is opening a beautiful new location in Gwinnett Place Mall.

On July 17th from 2:005:00 pm Sweet Repeat Dresses is opening their doors for an Open House and Fashion Show.

Attendees can expect delicious cupcakes catered by Diva Cupcakes, fun raffles and much more! Stop by and see what Sweet Repeat Dresses has become from all the love and support from the surrounding communities!

Two Peachtree Ridge Alums Are Creating Their Own Paths in Art and Fashion Peachtree Ridge High School alumni and siblings, Curtis Austin Smith and Kaiya Brianne Smith, have embarked on two new adventures that showcase their love for combining art and fashion.

Curtis, a 2013 graduate, began his practical training in photography, drawing and other art mediums as a student at SCAD, before finding his niche in photography. His company, Void Space Productions, is an expression of art and life. He exhibits his beautiful photography on canvas and as prints at area art festivals. During the recent Peace, Love & Art in the Park Festival sponsored by the city of Suwanee, Curtis was presented with the prize of “Best Photography Booth” by the Mayor of Suwanee, Jimmy Burnett.

Kaiya, a 2014 graduate, created Universe + Soul Couture, a “rolling” boutique that offers trendy fashions, accessories and shoes with the motto, “Bringing the Universe together... one Soul at a time.” Currently, Kaiya is rolling her boutique to area festivals and later intends to visit local colleges and high schools to give students a fun, new way to shop for clothing.

For more info, visit universesoulcouture.com or inthevoidspace.com

Suwanee Rated Among Top Genius Cities in the US According to Time Magazine Time Magazine recently conducted a survey in an attempt to discover where America’s best thinkers lived. By analyzing 2.2 millions patents issued by the U.S. government between 1976 and 2016, the Time Magazine team was able to create a list of the top 100 “Most Genius Places in America.” With 553 patents issued, Suwanee landed on this exclusive Top 100 list. Alongside names like Palo Alto, California (home of Facebook Headquarters) and Stamford, Connecticut (the largest finical district outside of New York City itself), Suwanee can proudly proclaim that they are one of the “most genius places in America!”

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North Gwinnett High School Students Receive the Cooper O'Brien Scholarship Award Kevin O'Brien, father of Cooper O'Brien, along with his wife Donna, and son Parker, presented scholarships to this year's recipients of the Cooper O'Brien Scholarship Award.

This memorial scholarship award is funded

by Cooper's Crew Fund (501(c)), which was established in honor of Cooper who succumbed to Clear Cell Sarcoma on July 5, 2014, at the age of 14. The five members of the scholarship committee meet with each applicant to get to know them on a personal level to aid in the decision process and Kevin took this opportunity to Scholarship recipient, highlight their special Daniel Shmakov will attend Georgia State University qualities during his presentation of the scholarships.

This year the fund was honored to present three $2,500 scholarships due in part to successful fundraising efforts including celebrating Cooper's birthday at Fabrik in Suwanee, a golf tournament held at the River Club in the Fall, Scholarship recipient, Carson West will attend the Suwanee Pizza Tavern's University of South Carolina Pizza and Brews with Cooper's Crew, and Cooper's Crew Fund being the recipient of a portion of the proceeds from Suwanee Beer Fest held in March.

425 KIDS GET ‘SUBMERGED’ 425 kids and 168 volunteers were “Submerged” to make Shadowbrook’s Vacation Bible School (VBS) a huge success from June 6 -10. The theme “Submerged: Finding Truth Below the Surface” allowed kids to get into God’s Word and discover that Jesus sees people differently. He doesn’t just see what’s on the outside but he sees people for who they are on the inside – deep down. Kids brought offerings each day to support two separate mission groups. The total raised for the week was $4,000! Mid-week, Wednesday night, was VBS Family Fun Night and a big highlight for families to enjoy together. Family Fun Night featured dunk tanks, inflatables, face painting, pizza, frozen yogurt and much more! VBS is offered each summer at no charge for kids in grades rising K-7th grade. For more information on Shadowbrook Church, visit shadowbrookchurch.org.

NORTH GWINNETT HIGH SCHOOL ESTABLISHES “LITTLE FREE LIBRARY”

Scholarship recipient, Elizabeth (Nikki) Cherry will attend Kennesaw State University

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The Interact Club at North Gwinnett High School recently established a “Little Free Library” as a service project to help promote literacy and the love of reading amongst children.

Little Free Library is a “take a book, return a book” gathering place where the community is encouraged to share their favorite literature and stories. The Interact Club placed a Little Free Library box at 120 Memorial Street in Lawrenceville so all 200 children in the surrounding 40 apartments can take advantage of the free reading material. For more information, visit LittleFreeLibrary.org.

Pooch N' Paws Opens Second Location at The Forum in Peachtree Corners Suwanee specialty pet store Pooch N' Paws Pet Boutique has now opened a second store and grooming location at The Forum in Peachtree Corners next to Trader Joes. Owners Bob and Starla Pellegrino are so thankful for all the support the Suwanee community has given them over the past six years and are excited to be expanding.

Pooch N' Paws specializes in holistic dog and cat food as well as treats, collars, beds and apparel. Stop by their new location with your animal and spoil them with their fantastic selection of treats and goodies to make their day!

Beauty & Soul Event at M4 Gives Free Haircuts to Deserving Young Women “A good haircut can transform a girl’s self esteem,” said Melanie Morton-Maynard, Owner of M4 Hair Studio in Buford. That is why on Sunday, July 24th, M4 Hair Studio will be opening their doors to deserving young women, grades 6-12, for complimentary backto-school haircuts during their inaugural “Beauty and Soul” event. Melanie partnered with Buford City Schools to invite 75 girls-in-need to participate in the event. The school system’s Social Worker hand-selected the girls that she felt could use the self-esteem boost and a day of pampering that they might not otherwise have.

Melanie and her staff are going above and beyond to

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ensure that this is a day these young women will always remember. Nail Society Salon & Spa in Buford will also be setting up complimentary manicure stations inside M4 Hair Studio for the girls during the event. Other businesses in the community and clients of M4 have

GCPSTV wins EMMY Awards for Cooper O’Brien Courage Award and Q’s Story

SUWANEE WELCOMES NEW SALON Konprasong Salon & Spa opened it’s doors on March 26th. They are a full service salon offering color and cuts, certified Brazilian blow-outs, makeup, facials and bridal hair.

Owner Amanda Keomysay shared that nail services will be coming soon. The salon is located at 4325 Suwanee Dam Rd. in Suwanee.

stepped up to donate goodies for “beauty bags” and treats like cupcakes for the day. “This community has literally opened its arms for me ever since we opened in December of 2014,” said Melanie. “I just really wanted to do something to give back to the community that has been so good to us,” she continued.

With four hairdressers on staff, M4’s hands will be full that day, so they are looking for licensed hairdressers who might be interested in volunteering their time to help give haircuts that day.

If anyone is interested in donating goodies for the beauty bag or volunteering to help during the Beauty and Soul event, please contact M4 Hair Studio at 404-784-5521.

On Saturday, June 11th, Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) Broadcast and Distance Learning team proudly accepted three EMMY awards, given by the Southeast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

The awards recognize the creativity and talent in creating original productions that support teaching and learning. One EMMY was given for the Cooper O’Brien Courage Award.

Cooper O’Brien was diagnosed with a rare cancer while attending North Gwinnett Middle School. Cooper fought a courageous battle against the disease, keeping a positive attitude with the goal to live his last year of life as close to normal as possible. His family, friends and the community rallied behind him throughout his battle. The Cooper O’Brien Memorial Courage Award was established to keep Cooper’s legacy and spirit alive for generations to come. The video produced by GCPSTV helps to shine a light on his life and his lasting message to “just keep believing.” His parents, Kevin and Donna O’Brien, shared in the proud moment. “We are so grateful for

Kevin and Donna O'Brien proudly display the EMMY award given for the video sharing the story of their son, Cooper. the North Gwinnett Community. The support they have given, the amazing video Gwinnett County Schools created to share Cooper’s story… words can’t describe the impact they have had and we were very excited to be there when the EMMY was awarded,” shared Kevin.

Cooper O’Brien Courage Award won in the “Children/Youth (all ages)” category.

Two EMMY’s were awarded for Q’s Story. Arquevious “Q” Crane is a young man from South Gwinnett High who despite being paralyzed during a varsity football game, rose above his injury to graduate high school on time and went on to earn a college degree. The love of his high school coaches, friends, family and the entire community gave him the strength he needed to overcome adversity and achieve success. The video is a testament to his character and drive to “just keep moving.” Q’s Story earned an EMMY in “SportsProgram Feature/Segment” and “Editor- Program (Non-News).”

Congratulations to the team at GCPSTV!

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Suwanee City Hall Hosts Temporary Indoor Sculpture Garden The lobby of Suwanee City Hall has been temporarily transformed into an indoor sculpture garden for the summer by North Gwinnett High School (NGHS) art students.

Thirteen sculptures created by advanced 3D art students will be on display in City Hall throughout the summer. NGHS art teacher Debi West assigned her students to work in groups to create life-sized sculptures in the style of previously chosen master artists.

“Students worked collaboratively over two-and-a-half weeks to create these incredible sculptures,” said West.

“It is one of the most successful lessons I have taught through the years and I am beyond proud of their hard work, creative minds, and ability to work together to create something so beautiful!”

The sculptures will remain on display in City Hall through the week of August 8, 2016.

For more information regarding the temporary indoor sculpture garden, please contact Special Projects Coordinator Toni Shrewsbury at 770-904-3389.

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citybuzz

Food Truck Friday & Night of Jazz Friday, May 6th

TOWN CENTER PARK

PHOTOS BY: KARL LAMB

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ON THE SCENE

March for Babies Saturday, April 30th TOWN CENTER PARK

PHOTOS BY: KARL LAMB

Peace, Love & Arts in the Park Saturday, May 14th TOWN CENTER PARK

PHOTOS BY: KARL LAMB

VIEW MORE PEOPLE & PLACES PICS @

suwaneemagazine.com

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Star 94's Woofstock 2016 Saturday, May 7th TOWN CENTER PARK

PHOTOS BY: KARL LAMB

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Annandale's Jazzy Thing

Saturday, April 30th LILLIAN WEBB PARK

PHOTOS BY: ANGELA VEUGLER

Abby and Jeff Wilkerson

Dan and Amy Doherty

Laura and Tom Vooris

Donna and Kevin O'Brien

Starla and Bob Pellegrino 73

people & places

SBA June Meeting Wednesday, June 8th SUWANEE MAGAZINE HQ

PHOTOS BY: ANGELA VEUGELER

Kathi and John Ferroni

John Coloe, Veugeler Design Group's Priscilla Salmasi and Dynacraft's John Bisges

Angela Veugeler and Donna O'Brien

Danny Radford from Friendship Auto with Ray Stanjevich and Suzanne Cartwright from Friends American Grill

SBA President, Pete Patel presents City of Suwanee Downtown and Business Development Manager, Adam Edge a check for Suwanee Youth Leaders

Scotti Cline with Rachel Pillow 75

2016 Gwinnett Beer Fest Saturday, June 4th COOLRAY FIELD

PHOTOS BY: MATT LEVINE

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Rising country star, Wally Brown came in from Nashville to perform in the VIP room

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people & places

Wing-eating contest sponsored by Taco Mac

Michigan State fan, Dr. David Payne

Peggy and Rod Lind

Angela Veugeler with mother, Jane Payne and sister, Laura

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A R E A

E V E N T

THINGS TO DO THIS JULY & AUGUST

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SUWANEE FARMER’S MARKET _____________________ Saturday’s 8 a.m.- noon _____________________

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SUWANEE TOWN CENTER PARK

The Suwanee Farmers Market offers in-season produce, herbs and plants, free-range eggs and meat, baked goods, fresh flowers, and jams and jellies.

KSG PARKOUR EVENT BENEFITING ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL ________________________

JULY ‘16

July 16th @ 1:00 pm ________________________

KSG Parkour, Suwanee ________________________ Strongman & Strongwoman Competition, Strong Kids Class, Parkour Jam

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SPARKS IN THE PARK ________________________

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E.E. Robinson Park, City of Sugar Hill ________________________

July 17th @ 2:00 pm ________________________

Inflatables, Jimmy Buffett cover band, concessions and fireworks

Gwinnett Place Mall

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GWINNETT BRAVES VS. NORFOLK TIDES ________________________

REPTICON ATLANTA ________________________ July 23rd & 24th @ 10:00 am ________________________

July 4th @ 7:05 pm ________________________

Coolray Field ________________________

Gwinnett Fairgrounds ________________________

Post-game firework display

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July 23rd @ 7:00 pm & 8:45 pm ________________________

Town Center Park ________________________ Kung Fu Panda 3 @ 7:00 p.m. / Star Wars: The Force Awakens @ 8:45 p.m.

2930 &

SWEET REPEAT OPEN HOUSE AND FASHION SHOW ________________________

July 3rd @ 6:30-10 pm ________________________

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MOVIES UNDER THE STARS DOUBLE FEATURE ________________________

Reptile and Exotic Animal Show

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5

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY ___________ August 5th @ 5:30 pm __________

Suwanee Town Center Park

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SHEMOVES ATLANTA SUWANEE 5K ________________________

August 6th @ 8:30 am ________________________

BROADWAY IN THE PARK ________________________ July 29th & 30th @ 7:00 pm ________________________

Suwanee Town Center Park ________________________ Suwanee Performing Arts presents High School Musical and Bored Games on Friday, July 29 and Saturday, July 30, both nights @ 7:00 pm. FREE TO THE PUBLIC.

Suwanee Town Center Park ________________________

Fourth Annual Women's Specific 5K. Race will start in scenic Suwanee Town Center and continues along the Suwanee Greenway. Day-of registration and packet pick-up opens @ 7:00 am.

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MOVIES UNDER THE STARS DOUBLE FEATURE ________________________ August 6th @ 7:00 pm ________________________

Suwanee Town Center Park ________________________ Zootopia @ 7:00 pm / Star Wars: Return of the Jedi @ 8:45 pm

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1ST DAY OF SCHOOL IN GWINNETT COUNTY ____________

August 8th ____________

Gwinnett County

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BLIMPIE SKYLAR’S RUN FOR BREAST CANCER 5K ________________________

August 13th @ 5:00 pm ________________________

Suwanee Town Center Park ________________________ Race day registration will begin @ 6:30AM. The 5K races start @ 8:00 am, the Fun Run starts @ 8:45 am.

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(cont.)

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4TH ANNUAL THIN MINT SPRINT _____________________ August 20th @ 7:00 am _____________________

Suwanee Town Center Park _____________________

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AUGUST CONCERT AND WING FESTIVAL FEATURING TOAD THE WET SPROCKET ________________________ August 13th @ 5:00 pm ________________________

Suwanee Town Center Park ________________________

Toad the Wet Sprocket will bring their unique 90's sound to Suwanee as they headline the annual August Concert & Wing Festival.

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HOME BY DARK WITH SPECIAL GUESTS GEORGIA MIDDLEMAN &____________________ JESSE TERRY August 13th @ 8:00 pm ____________________

Infinite Energy Center ____________________

Georgia Middleman is one of Nashville’s most accomplished singer/songwriters who has had songs recorded by Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney, Martina McBride and Reba McEntire among many others. Jesse Terry is fresh off an appearance at Bonnaroo where he shared the stage with the likes of Gregory Alan Isakov, Bear’s Den and Guster. More info @ HomeByDark.com

Check-in starts @ 7:00 am, 5K starts @ 8:00 am, 1 Mile Fun Run starts @ 9:00.

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UNITE @ NIGHT WALK BENEFITTING CSF (CHIARI & SYRINGOMYELIA FOUNDATION) _____________________ August 20th @ 6:00 pm _____________________

Tribble Mill Park, Lawrenceville _____________________ Unite@night is a collection of one-mile, casual evening walks around the country that bring together people who are living with the devastating effects of Chiari malformation, syringomyelia, EDS, and related disorders.

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HOOFIN FOR HABITAT 5K ____________________ August 27th @ 7:30 am ____________________

Suwanee Town Center Park ____________________ Run/Walk to benefit Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity. On-site day of registration starts @ 6:30 am, 5K will begin at 7:30 am.

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