The LocaL, Sep-Oct 2020

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STUFF TO READ

Letter from the Publisher

PAWS Humane Society

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Get “Wild and Scenic”

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AROUND TOWN

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Why Should I Take My Cat To The Vet? From Anywhere This Year

Small_Town_Trips

Small Towns A Short Drive Away

Buckhead Steak & Wine Truly Unique Dining in Columbus

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MercyMed

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The Wintering Grounds

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Serving People Through Faith, Healing Through Medicine A Ghost Story

LocaL Farming in the Columbus Community

It’s More Accessible Than You Think

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had the pleasure of spending the past few days walking around the banks of the Chattahoochee. I must say, if you haven’t been down there in a while or, ever, go. It’s simply beautiful, especially around dusk, right before the sun sets.

Either side of the river is wonderful. Take your pick, then try the other. On the Columbus side you have the Riverwalk right up against and among the industrial PowerHouse area, which has a “Paris’’ feel to it. Of course, there are the many dining and shopping destinations just a stone’s throw away. On the Phenix City side you get to walk along the beachy banks and look over at the now “modern industrial” Columbus architecture as it glows from the sun, while the water from the river gushes (or roars) over rocks and fills the riverbed.

For me, and many of us, a walk around the river is not just entertaining, or a great form of healthy activity, or for fishing with or without the family, or a walk with a special someone, or zip line of adventure – it’s pure meditation, and it is wonderful.

Right now is the perfect time to take a moment to check in with ourselves, find a peaceful place, and reset.

It’s time to find a nice, cool spot to relax and enjoy the words you are about to receive.

Welcome to this little LocaL publication. I hope you’ll find it warming and inspirational. In these pages you’ll find fun, food and places for discovery.

Welcome to my hometown, Columbus, Ga. In this month’s issue we throw a nod to our neighbors and explore cities and towns just around the bend, full of safe adventure, eats and treats. Explore the river with kayakers and river enthusiasts who come to Columbus to brave our rapids every winter. Then join in the adventure through the Wild and Scenic “Virtual” Film Festival. Have fun with us as we share a ghost story by local writer Estella McLendon. While you’re at it, indulge for an evening at Buckhead Steak and Wine (we sure did). Most importantly, we can’t wait for you to know about our friends at MercyMed and our local farmers who are really showing up to keep our community healthy and thriving.

It’s more than humbling to have the chance to show you our river city.

Thanks for taking this walk with me.

Monica Jones

706 250 7777

t hel o cal co l u mbu s . co m f acebook .com/t helocalcolumbusga issuu.com/t helocalcolumbus

What We Are All About.

The mission of the LocaL magazine is to bring you the best in art, music, food and fun from Columbus and the surrounding area. Locally owned and operated, we work to improve and expand community relationships through promoting positive events and stories. When good things are happening, we will be here to help you get involved. Our monthly print issues will feature stories and events that comprise and drive the ongoing surge toward a more beautiful community. This magazine exists because we who work on it believe in actively engaging with community improvement, and we invite you to join us, not only by reading these pages, but also by taking part in any of the many wonderful events we feature.

PUBLISHER

Monica Jones publisher@thelocalcolumbus.com ads@thelocalcolumbus.com editor@thelocalcolumbus.com

LAYOUT & DESIGN

Mat Cornett

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Scott Berson

ADVERTISING

Anastasia Tikka

CONTRIBUTORS & CREDITS

Photo By MJ

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Scott Berson Natalie Downey Paige Adams Krystal White Estella McLendon COVER ART PROVIDED BY White Water Express

Photo By MJ

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By Scott Berson

Humane Society

By Dr. Krystal White

Why Should I Take My Cat To The Vet?

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egardless of your cat’s lifestyle, routine veterinary care is an important step in keeping her healthy and extending her life.

Routine visits give the veterinarian a chance to perform a complete physical exam. This exam provides a picture of the general health of your cat.

Your veterinarian will perform a visual examination as well as listen to your cat’s heart and lungs. If issues are noted on this physical exam, they may recommend further diagnostic testing, such as bloodwork or radiographs. If your cat has been to the veterinarian for routine visits, the veterinarian is more likely to note any changes in her condition since the last visit. This will allow for early detection of any health problems. Early detection allows for establishment of an effective treatment regimen that is frequently less expensive and more successful than treating more advanced disease.

Secondly, establishing and maintaining a relationship with a veterinarian for routine care makes it easier to purchase preventative and other prescription medications, such as those for fleas and ticks. Most state laws require a current veterinaryclient-patient relationship in order to dispense any prescription medication. Routine visits allow your veterinarian to become familiar with your cat’s medical history to provide the best recommendations for medications and treatments.

Finally, your veterinarian will look at the overall health of your cat, her age, history, and lifestyle in order to recommend a personalized vaccination regimen. Proper vaccinations serve to prevent many illnesses that our pets can be affected by and help to extend their lives.

Veterinarians should be seen as an active partner in helping to care for your pet. Routine visits, not just taking your cat to the vet when she is ill, can be a proactive step that owners can take to prevent future issues and helping her to live a long, happy life!

Paws Veterinary Clinic is open to the public Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., for low-cost wellness care and spay/neuter for your cat, or any member of your four-legged family. avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/ importance-wellness-exams aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/ vaccinations-your-petu Adoption Hours: Mon-Fri•10am-6pm, Sat•10am-5pm, 4900 Milgen Road Columbus pawshumane.org office@pawshumane.org (706) 565-0035 Vet Clinic (706) 987-8380 LocaL

faces from Columbus State University, including earth and space sciences professor Troy Keller and students.

Some film topics include the stories of farmers working to produce fresh produce on military installations, the process of demolishing obsolete dams near Fort Benning, a team working to turn vacant lots into urban bee farms, and much more.

“The cool thing is, there is a live chat in real time too.

There’s a sidebar where people can ask questions, make comments, and chat about the films. We will have the

Get WILD & SCENIC F r o m A n y w h e r e T h i s Ye a r

ature is powerful, beautiful, and radical. It inspires N people and it speaks to people and it forces them to confront themselves. On September 20, the Wild and Scenic Film Festival will bring powerful, beautiful, and radical films about nature to Columbus — only now you can watch from anywhere you want, and support Trees Columbus along the way.

The Wild and Scenic Film Festival is a yearly festival

that “inspires environmental activism and a love for nature,” based every year out of Nevada City and Grass Valley, California. The festival goes “on tour” every year as well, traveling to different cities and towns all over America.

Last year, Columbus broke records for attendance as a tour location. No surprise. We know how important the environment is to us here in our river city.

This year the festival is going virtual, that doesn’t mean it’s any smaller. Paige Swift, head of fundraising and events for Trees Columbus, said she believes Columbus can break records again for attendance at the virtual festival as well. “(Wild and Scenic) want to share these stories, they want communities to get inspired and involved, to make a difference. These are documentaries about things to do with the climate, endangered species, water quality,” she said. “Many festivals looked at the pandemic and

filmmakers on during the live chat,” Swift said, adding that there would be some light moderation to prevent any shenanigans.

The festival will be available on demand for five days as well, meaning you don’t have to watch the whole thing in one sitting or exactly at the start time. “You’re not dealing with seats in a theatre. You can watch it virtually everywhere. If your buddies from college are scattered, you can watch the show and talk to each other in the live chat,” said Swift.

Each ticket purchase also acts as a donation to Trees Columbus, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Over the decades, Trees Columbus has led efforts to protect the city’s tree canopy, promoted stewardship and environmental knowledge, and planted more than 18,000 trees.

“It’s not just a fundraiser,” Swift said. “It’s outreach, its collaboration, it’s education, and it’s connecting the community through these films.”

The festival goes live Sunday, September 20 from

6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tickets range from $15 - $34, depending on the number of people in your party and whether you’d like to order a tasty stir fry kit from Nonic to eat while you watch. Find tickets at EventBrite.com by searching “Wild & Scenic Columbus.”u

decided to just pull all their programming. Wild and Scenic came up with a way for us to screen virtually.”

Swift said the livestream will have the feel and vibe of a live, in-person event, with a specially curated list of films that features topics relevant to the environment of Georgia and the South. One film even includes some local 4

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Columbus residents with tree walks & fun events.

Sunday, September 20, 7 – 9 p.m., Hosted by Trees Columbus, Virtual

Wine Dinner

Saturday Morning Breakfast

Join us for the most important meal of the day.

Hosted by VFW Post 665 Moina Michael. Every Saturday, 7 – 10 a.m., VFW Post 665 Moina Michael, 1824 Victory Dr, Columbus

Market Days on Broadway

Uptown Columbus’ Market Days on Broadway takes place year-round. The Market features many local and organic farmers selling produce, along with soap vendors, home goods, jewelry vendors, and baked goods. Our friends from local shelters and animal rescue groups can be found in the median of Broadway. For questions, call the Uptown office at 706.596.0111. Every Saturday morning, 9am - Noon, Broadway, Columbus

Sit on 6th

Every Saturday head on over to ReDesign Time, Chattabrewchee and Vintageville to shop, sip and dine with The Spankin’ Spoon Food truck there as well. Enjoy great furniture finds and tasty Chatabrewchee beer in their outdoor “Biergarten”.

Every Saturday, noon - 8 p.m., Sit on 6th, 1301 6th Ave, Columbus

Farm to Tableaux

This year’s Farm to Table(aux) event will be moving forward in a virtual format. Over the course of the week, you will have the chance to support the Museum by participating in our silent art action and live auction filled with trips and experiences, mystere box – a mystery raffle, and learn more about how we are continuing to serve our community, even through this pandemic. We can’t wait to raise a glass together from the safety of our homes. Thursday, September 17, 6:30 – 7:30, The Columbus Museum

Namaste 5k: A Mindful Triathlon

Big Dog Fleet Feet and River Flow Yoga and Wellness are proud to come together and celebrate movement, breath and this community as One! Join us for a mindful triathlon. Saturday, September 19, 8 – 11 a.m., The Bibb Mill

Kids Can Create Expo

The Kids Can Create Expo is a celebration of Innovative and diverse career and hobby types to encourage inner city youth to stay true to their passions and consider various fields of art, technology, theater and other lesser known career solidified paths. Free event with music, interactive games, food and drinks, giveaways from various organizations and more. Saturday, September 19, 11 – 3 p.m., The Liberty Theatre Cultural Center

Wild and Scenic Film Festival

Skip the Netflix content on a Sunday night, and watch {Family Friendly} films covering wildlife protection, tree and water conservation, climate change, adventure and so much more. Each ticket purchased is a donation to Trees Columbus. An environmental non-profit member organization founded in 2000. Since then, we have led the effort to protect Columbus’ urban tree canopy.

We have since planted over 18,000 trees, enacted forestry educational programs & engaged LocaL

This will include five different Orin Swift wines paired with five of chef ’s select courses. A wine consultant will be hosting this dinner explaining each wine and the history behind them. Ticket sales end on September 19th. Wednesday, September 23, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., Trevioli Italian Kitchen at Rapids, Columbus

The Fabulously Funny Comedy Festival

Friday, September 25,8 – 11 p.m., Columbus Civic Center

Adleyn Scott Presents Splash

Adleyn Scott delivers everything you could want for your art collection. Come shop textured oils, watercolors, pastels, prints and more. If there’s a style you love, she probably will have it! This is a must for any art lover. Saturday, September 26, 2 – 4 p.m., 541 2nd Avenue, Columbus

Synovus Fall Festival

Get ready to experiment from home at our first virtual Fall Festival. Participate in art-making activities, complete a scavenger hunt in our online collections database, participate in the costume contest and more. Saturday, October 10, 10 – 3 p.m., Hosted by The Columbus Museum, Virtual

Threnody X: Ode to the Dead

An art show focused on an ode to the dead as interpreted by six artists. Saturday, October 24, 5 – 9 p.m., Heritage Art Center

A Magical Garden Virtual Adventure

Join us for an exciting evening including champagne toasts, a fascinating talk from awardwinning author and botanical historiang, Andrea Wulf, plus catered dinner, music in the Garden from the Schwob School, and a not-to-miss silent auction as we celebrate virtually the Garden’s history and exciting future. Saturday, October 24 6 – 9:30 p.m., Columbus Botanical Garden

Conzilla 2020

Come meet your favorite celebrity guest, browse vendors from all over the country, and also meet some of the artist responsible for bringing some of your favorite comics to life. Saturday, November 7, noon – 8 p.m., Columbus, Georgia Convention & Trade Center

Pop Up Video Film Festival

Bringing people together with stories told through short films. Drive-in style @ The Lofts at Swift Mills w/ food trucks, a bar, VIP box seating, lawn seating & parking spots for two screening blocks, live Q&A afterwards, an award ceremony & afterparty. Get tickets @ Getlocaltix. com. Saturday, November 21, 4 – 11:55 p.m.

Want to see your event listed here?

Email:events@thelocalcolumbus.com

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Explore These

FIVE WONDERFUL Small Towns A Short Drive Away

By Scott Berson love road trips. It’s the feeling of discovery Itripsabsolutely that draws me in, especially because I plan my road in a very specific way; I demand Google route me

through as many small towns as possible.

I love small towns. I love cities too, don’t get me wrong, but I really love small towns. The designer in me likes to look at the little parks and statues and architecture, the southerner in me likes to talk to the shopkeepers, the hipster in me likes to visit every damn coffee shop I can.

It’s about exploring and looking at how people do things and experiencing the patchwork geography of America, one pub or diner or antique store at a time.

You don’t have to go far to start exploring on your own. For months, I made it a goal to drive to a new town or city every weekend. I’ve now been pretty much everywhere within an hour or so of Columbus in every direction, and have come away with some great experiences. If you’re jumpy and itching to get out and do things again, I understand -so here are five destinations, all within about an hour of Columbus, to get you started exploring (safely).

Downtown Opelika

1. Opelika, Alabama

Opelika sometimes gets lost in the noise because of its proximity to another, more tigerish town. This is a bit of a shame, because Opelika is a fantastic place to visit, and probably one of the biggest towns on the list.

Go ahead and find your way to the downtown, where you’ll find all kinds of neat places to eat and drink around the beautiful courthouse square.

Walk down to Railroad Avenue and you’ll find even more: two breweries, a distillery, a vinyl store with exceptional curation, and two coffee shops which, genuinely, are both worth checking out. One is entirely outside, which is a cool experience, and the other is a super sleek shop where they actually let you choose what to pay for your drink.

Lastly, consider checking out Monkey (or Municipal) Park, especially if you’re bringing some kids along. It’s a beautiful park with a great playground and a historic covered bridge -- but its main claim to fame is a fully functional miniature train system, which picks up kids (or adults!) and shuttles them around the park and playground.

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Windor Hotel Americus Warm Springs

3. Warm Springs/Pine Mountain, Georgia

2. Americus, Georgia

Americus is a beautiful city in the Georgia heartland, anchored by its lovely downtown and nearby Georgia Southwestern State University. The Windsor Hotel is the largest attraction in the city, a stunning brick hotel with a balcony bar and decades of fascinating history.

Surrounding the hotel are some excellent restaurants and one of Georgia’s original fair-trade coffee shops and roasters, Cafe Campesino. Boutique, antique and curio stores also line the streets, making for some fun shopping.

The beautiful Rylander Theatre lights up the streets every few weeks, with touring shows and original productions. They may not be running during the pandemic, but keep this Georgia gem in mind as productions start up again: the Rylander is really special.

Shows and performances from the students at Georgia Southwestern are also top-notch.

Finally, I’ve got to plug my favorite place in Americus: Pat’s Place. This restaurant is the definition of a dive, and it’s got some of my favorite memories. Pool tables in the back, pizza and drinks, friends with you -- what more can you ask?

Downtown Pinemountain 6

These are two separate towns a few minutes apart, but I’m including them both because they are so tightly related. Warm Springs is famous for being the favorite resting place for Franklin Roosevelt, who took medicinal soaks in its famous mineral springs. You can visit the Little White House where he stayed in Warm Springs and learn some history about Roosevelt as well as about how the town came to be a center for treatment of polio.

The downtown of Warm Springs is charming and includes some fun crafts and antique shops, as well as the famous Bullock House restaurant. Pine Mountain is right around the corner, and features a cozy downtown square surrounded by shops, cafes and restaurants, as well as some lovely murals painted on the brick sides of the buildings. When you’re done there, take a walk into Pine Mountain State Park and enjoy the lake, streams and mountain trees.

Eufaula Downtown

4. Eufaula, Alabama

The first thing I do when I get to Eufaula is go visit the giant fish statue they put at the end of the downtown.

I know, when I am doing this, that I am doing exactly what the tourism managers want me to do. What can I say? I love the giant colorful fish statue, in the city known as the “Big Bass Capital.”

Eufaula’s downtown is one of the prettiest small downtowns I’ve seen. The buildings are colorful, shaded by lovely old-growth trees that make walking through the city a treat. There are great cafes and restaurants, interesting shops, and there are always people ready to chat. One of my favorite things about Eufaula, however, is the wonderful Creek Indian Trail, which meanders from the downtown into the woods. Walk down the trail and you’ll find little paths and cutaways through the trees. It’s a nice way to spend an afternoon strolling SEPT EMBER -OCT OBER 2020

through the greenery.

You may also come across a Eufaula curiosity: the “tree that owns itself.” An oak tree in the town was gifted the deed to its own land in 1935 by the mayor of Eufaula, E. H. Graves, who declared that it shall “have and to hold itself, its branches, limbs, trunk and roots so long as it shall live.” The tree is surrounded by a small gate, protecting its property for all time. It doesn’t mind pictures, though.

Rylander Americus

Hogansville City Hall

Eufaula Trail

5. Hogansville, Georgia

Hogansville is a small railroad town north of Columbus that packs a lot of charm into its size, and is well worth the visit either on its own or as a stop on the way north. It was one of dozens of small towns that sprouted along the railroad lines crossing Georgia. The railroad station is now a cafe serving delicious drinks with a view of the tracks, and the downtown is covered in vibrant sculptures of hummingbirds -- a tribute to the town’s yearly Hummingbird Festival.

The downtown has some fascinating old buildings, including an old theatre which was retrofitted into the new town hall. It also includes one of my favorite bookstores I’ve stumbled across, tucked next to an antique store on the main drag.

Make sure you don’t pass this one town by.u

Monkeypark Opelika

A Small Trial In Downtown Hogansville

Americus Cafe Campsesion

A View Of Downtown Americus

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Truly Unique Dining in Columbus

By Natalie Downey

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ucked away just off the beaten path, yet T still in the heart of Columbus, Buckhead Steak and Wine sits lavishly in a wooded

lot, offering a respite from the busyness and noise of the city.

The atmosphere at Buckhead is inviting, and the food is intoxicating. A former ranch-style bungalow turned French style steakhouse, Buckhead boasts an array of wild game and mouth watering steaks. The restaurant prides itself on its classic flavors, perfected. Everything is made to order to the guest’s delight, and their sauces and dressings are all made in-house. We were happy to learn you can even buy their amazing balsamic dressing to keep.

salads, and desserts are all made with master craftsmanship and a deep appreciation for attention to detail.

While it has been said that Chef Chris “puts his foot in it” which (if you’ve never heard before) is a southern saying about how good the food is, this chef actually trained in the Bahamas and, fortunately for us, brought his talents to Columbus years ago.

Speaking of the chef, one of the first things you’ll experience at Buckhead is the playful, artistic, and attention grabbing “Amouse Bouche,” which means “mouth amuser.” This savory, one-bite appetizer is a delectable foreshadowing of the sensory delights to come and is a first glimpse of the

A meal at Buckhead Steak and Wine begins and ends with quality. The restaurant features a gorgeous full bar that offers an extensive liqueur and cordial selection along with local craft beers and exquisite, elegant cocktails. Appetizers, main courses,

chef ’s style. The Amouse Bouche is not a part of the menu, and isn’t ordered by guests, but is rather sent out by the chef as a welcome.

The restaurant is currently offering its “date night” special on Tuesday nights, which includes your appetizer, two entrees, two

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salads, a full bottle of red or white wine, and dessert. On Wednesdays, guests can take advantage of “wine night” which comes with a free appetizer with the purchase of a bottle of wine for half off.

renovations, and decor details have been crafted and installed by local tradesmen. “We try to keep the business local,” explains Vi. “We still pay homage to the original home feel,” Vi

Buckhead Steak and Wine is owned and operated by a close-knit staff. “The crew is like family, we help each other out,” managers Vi and Ben agree. When Covid hit the area, staff had to be drastically scaled back, and just to keep the restaurant up and running, they volunteered their time. During the first few months when there was a massive shortage of beef, distributors “either weren’t carrying or had prices jacked up so high we couldn’t afford it,” recalls Patel.

Determined to find the quality necessary to keep the restaurant’s signature plates on the menu, the owner personally drove to Atlanta to purchase the steaks they needed.

Keeping a local restaurant afloat during a national pandemic is a challenge for any restaurant, and the staff at Buckhead have remained committed to providing our community a luxurious escape from daily life with an unforgettable night out.

Precautions have been put into place for the safety of both guests and employees. Masks are required in all

continues. While the restaurant is elegant and lush, with, for example, its marble bartop, it is also comfortable and romantic. Private booths are large enough to comfortably seat an entire family yet still feel intimate and secluded, and a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace lends a French lodge vibe. Various elements of decor give a nod to wildlife, “Every section has its own feel to it,” Vi says. Separate dining areas throughout the restaurant offer different experiences, and two outdoor seating areas, a veranda and patio, give guests wonderful options for outdoor dining.

With a private VIP room, lots of meeting space, plenty of parking, and its many dining areas, Buckhead has become a popular venue for weddings, important events, and business meetings.

One thing we know for sure is you’ll find Buckhead Steak and Wine to be an environment where you can truly relax, connect, and definitely ~ indulge.

Buckhead Steak and Wine is located on Armour Road

common areas, and can be removed once guests have been seated. A host greets guests at the door to take a quick temperature reading before leading them to their seats. Buckhead staff hope to make guests feel they can relax and enjoy an evening out without having to worry about their safety.

Buckhead is committed to involvement in Columbus as well as perfecting their food. The restaurant’s updates,

just off I185 between exits 7 & 8 and is open Monday through Saturday from 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m., and on Sunday from 5:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. More information can be found at buckheadsteakandwine.comu

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By Scott Berson

Serving People Through Faith, Healing Through Medicine here are some places in Columbus that shine so brightly T they make the whole city look more like it’s best self.

MercyMed, a healthcare center that provides vital primary care to thousands of uninsured or underinsured residents, is one of those places. Without it, Columbus simply would not be the same.

When MercyMed started out nearly nine years ago, it was a hardscrabble outpost with one doctor and a handful of volunteers who were dedicated to caring for people who may not have been able to get help elsewhere. Now, in the height of the global pandemic, it has a staff of 40, with no plans to slow down in sight. Along with its location at 3702 2nd Ave, it opened a small clinic at Fox Elementary to take care of children.

It’s been a place of healing for the sick, comfort for the

health facility. That means they care for families, from kids on up, and patients generally see the same doctor or provider every time. MercyMed is also able to offer some services like counseling, physical therapy, cardiology and some vision care, as well as some imaging services (through the help of generous donors).

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Picking Up Groceries

MercyMed’s mission is to provide affordable healthcare for the underserved, but that doesn’t mean the visits are free. Instead, patients “invest in their care” by paying on a sliding scale.

“We do a good faith estimate of what your income is, and we’ll put you on a sliding fee scale based on your ability to pay. It starts at $30 and goes up in $10 increments.

For the most part, our patients are paying $30 to be seen.

About 40-50 percent [of our income] comes from patient reimbursement. Our donors pick the rest, from large corporations to someone sending a check for $20 a month.

That’s what keeps us going, that’s how we can pay our doctors,” Holbrook said.

The ability to keep costs low has broadened healthcare access to many people who had no options before, or who would have been forced to attend an expensive hospital emergency room every time they needed care.

“There are a gazillion barriers [to healthcare].

Transportation, insurance, no time off work – the poor

Holbrook said MercyMed is grateful to have received years of support from the community, through donations and volunteering. Without that base, Holbrook said MercyMed’s pandemic response could have been less robust.

“Our community is extraordinarily generous,” Holbrooks said. “It has helped us, even before the pandemic, to be ready for it. When it hit, we were ready to respond because of the kindness to our donors. They help us be able to innovate and adapt to situations in front of us. We acted, because we had the resources to do it.”

Donating to MercyMed is easy from their website, mercymedcolumbus.com. At the top of the site, the “support” tab has options for donating one time or monthly, and you can choose to make a donation in honor of someone. You can also find information on volunteering.

“What’s been impressive to me over time is the way the funds that come in are able to support very impressive professional healthcare providers who want nothing less than the very best for people,” Holbrook said. “To look in the eyes of our staff, you can’t tell if they’re smiling anymore because they’re wearing masks, but the dedication, the buy-

health outcome of our greater community, compounded with the covid pandemic, it becomes even more important to be able to respond. We need to be a place that can say “yes,” how can we say “yes” to someone who needs to get in to see a doctor, how can we take care of them? It’s crucial to our mission,” Holbrook said.

The pandemic brought a new level of urgency to

in to this mission, that is exciting.”

For the patients who come to see MercyMed’s doctors and nurses every month, those smiles, hidden behind masks or not, are a blessing – a place of understanding and care, a family that wants to say “yes.” That family mentality is key to providing a true service, Holbrook said.

“We’re not able to meet every need. We’re not able to help everyone. We’re not able to even serve perfectly. But if we can unite as a family, that can frame us to take care of our family members in the community.”u

3702 2nd Ave

suffering, and compassion for the overlooked. During the pandemic, MercyMed tested more than 1,000 people a month, turning on a dime to secure testing machines and set up free screening days. Last year they had 20,000 visits.

“It was started by Dr. Grant Scarborough, and it was very much a mission of his and a ministry. He went to med school so he could serve the poor. He was compelled to do that with his faith. He wanted to share that with people in difficult situations,” said Billy Holbrook, Chief Development Officer at Mercymed.

Holbrook recited MercyMed’s mission statement: MercyMed of Columbus exists to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and to demonstrate His love by providing affordable, quality healthcare for the physical, spiritual, and emotional needs of the underserved.

“It’s a marriage of this staff compelled by our faith to provide amazing healthcare to the poor, and it’s a practical service to provide,” Holbrook said.

MercyMed works as a Dr. Grant Scarborough full service primary care

MercyMed’s operations in a short time, forcing them to rapidly switch to telemedicine for virtual patient visits.

“We were able to stay in touch as best we could with our patients. We really asked a lot of our staff, and they have responded with resilience in a way that has been extraordinary to see,” Holbrook said. “One of our core values in innovation. Another is advocacy. We came up with an idea for doing popup drive-through testing throughout the summer. The coronavirus response fund gave us a grant for that. We try to make that access there for our patients.”

One way MercyMed has tried to innovate is through providing healthy food as a form of preventive care. The MercyMed farm provides fresh fruit and veggies and sells them at a discount every Friday outside the clinic. During the pandemic, staff went door-to-door dropping off food each day.

“The access we have with folks is one thing and super important, but those other pieces – do they have healthy food? Can they exercise? We try to address those too,” Holbrook said.

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A Ghost Story B a s e d O n A “ Tru e ” S t o r y

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here were no cold spots or odd smells. I didn’t turn around and “it was gone.” I didn’t catch a glimpse of a figure standing behind me in the mirror.

She didn’t tell me her name. But I know I’ve seen a ghost.

When I was six, we lived across the street from a large cemetery. That was the year my father had to take an ambulance to the hospital and my mother, in her panic, went with him and forgot I was home.

I was in the bathroom making pictures with strands of hair on a bar of soap when I heard my mother clamoring to call 911. I remember her frantic voice talking on the telephone as my father called to her from the front lawn. I remember the sirens whining in the distance, but I was scared. I stayed hidden in the bathroom until they faded away.

When it all went quiet I went outside.

I saw my father’s bloody sandal on the sidewalk. The lawnmower he had been pushing was laying sideways on the half-finished lawn. Even though I was six, I was not afraid that my father could be dying or that I was all alone in an empty house. All I could think of was finding his toe. I got down on my hands and knees and crawled through the grass.

I got to the edge of the lawn next to the street that separated our house from the cemetery. I looked across. There was an elderly woman on the hill watching me, with her hands propped under her chin. She waved when I saw her and I waved back, and then she motioned for me to come over. I crossed the street and went through the iron gate that smelled like blood and found her sitting under the shade of a big cedar tree. I dusted off my green knees and stood in front of her.

“Wew, you smell like grass!

What were you doing?” she asked. She wore a pastel pink church hat and pearls. Her face was old, but not elderly. Her smile was youthful. I think it was her teeth.

“I was looking for something,” I told her.

“How old are you?” she asked.

“Six. How old are you?”

She sat up and

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adjusted her pink floral blouse.

“How old do you think I am?” she replied.

“100,” I said. I didn’t know. It just seemed like a nice round “old” number.

“Nope, guess again.”

“1000!” I said more enthusiastically.

“Nope, I turned 120 today,” she said. I watched as her eyebrows narrowed and her eyes locked in on some blood I must have rubbed against on the lawn.

“Are you bleeding?” she asked.

“No. I was looking for my daddy’s toe.

He ran it over with the lawn mower and I want to find it before he gets home so the doctor can put it back on,” I said.

Her eyes became shiny. “Well of course!” she exclaimed, clearly amused.

“What else? He can’t go back to work without that can he? Come sit next to me!”

She patted the seat.

I plopped down on the mossy cement bench and stirred up her scent. Was it gardenia? Jasmine? No, honeysuckle!

There on that hot summer day, we sat side by side smelling like grass and honeysuckle. Across the street, we could see the lawnmower laying on its side like a fallen soldier.

“When you find his toe,” she asked warmly, “what are you going to do with it?”

I hadn’t thought that far ahead. Now I imagined seeing the severed toe. What would I do with it?

“I guess I’ll pick it up and take it inside. I might have to wash it off first. It’ll probably be dirty.”

“You are a brave little boy, you know? Not many children could handle seeing something like that,” she encouraged.

I swelled with pride. It’s amazing what a few kind words from a stranger can do for your sense of worth.

Maybe even more than someone you know.

For the first time, I noticed her staring at a rough marble headstone, resting just before us in the grass.

“Who is that?” I pointed to the grave.

“Why, that’s Barnaby H. Mullins. His birthday is today,” she said.

“How can he have a birthday if he’s dead?”

“Just because he died doesn’t mean he wasn’t born.

A birthday is a celebration of someone’s birth. Death has nothing to do with a birthday,” she said.

“Who was he?” I urged again as politely as I could.

“We were in love,” she said delicately. “We were going to be married, but it wasn’t meant to be. He married someone else.

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By Estella McLendon A friend of mine in fact.”

She touched the spot of my father’s blood on my jeans and smiled without looking at me.

“You won’t understand until you’re older, but I’m going to tell you something precious. People will come into your life and only time will reveal their significance. Take Barnaby and me for example. If I had known just how much he would come to mean to me I would have never parted with him. He was the boy next door when we met. I had always imagined I’d fall in love with a soldier or a sailor, not him.”

“You wouldn’t get to spend much time with a soldier or a sailor,” I said.

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For a moment she looked at me thoughtfully.

“In this life, I knew before knowing that I would yearn for my true love, and so I imagined it would be for the kind of man who dies in war.”

“What’s ‘yearn’ mean?”

“It means, ‘to ache’,” she said, with certain pain.

“Oh.” I thought for a moment only a little uncomfortable with the change that had come upon her. “Is my dad ‘yearning’ for his toe?”

She laughed so hard she began to cry. When the laughter finally settled she looked at me and said, “Your mother will be home soon. I have a feeling if you look inside the lawn mower you might find that toe, but be careful. Go home now. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

I crossed the street into my yard and looked inside the lawnmower. Clumps of grass hung from the blades. I brushed them down and they fell to the ground. I didn’t see it at first, but as I got up to go inside, there it was in one of the lumps! I felt like I’d found the prize in an Easter egg hunt.

It was more mangled than I expected. I picked it up and held it out for the lady across the street to see, but she had gotten up and was walking away. I turned to go inside and just as I was about to close the door, my mom pulled up in a stranger’s car. She got out and hugged me and made a fuss over leaving me at home by myself. I showed her my fleshy prize, but she said it was too late; we didn’t need it.

I still have my father’s toe. It’s in an old cigar box where I keep mementos (no pun intended). There I also saved a yellowed local newspaper article I found in a thrift store when I was nineteen. It was a Sunday obituary dated October 16th 1921. The article read: “Her Tragic End” and there was a glamorous photograph of a woman with a youthful smile named Eleanore Moore who looked exactly like the old woman I’d met in the cemetery all those years before. According to the article, she was a failed actress who came back to this town when she was 24. She’d fallen in love with a man named Barnaby Hamby Mullins who was being investigated for her murder.

Curious to know, I went back to that cemetery one weekend when I had some free time. Under the giant cedar tree I could now read his name: Barnaby H. Mullins Beloved Husband and Father June 1st 1893- Jan. 4th 1930 I asked the old caretaker where Eleanore Moore was buried. He pointed me in the direction near the back of the yard. As we walked he said, “I guess you know the story, huh?”

“No, I don’t think so.” I expected him to tell me about Eleanore.

“Sometimes people see an old man wandering around. Some people have even talked to him. They say he asks for ‘Ellie’, but then he disappears. I know what you’re thinking.

I thought the same thing until the day I met him. I thought he was just visiting late. He was standing right over yonder.” He pointed to a lone standing headstone in the back just ahead of us. It stood proudly in a tight plot near the wrought iron fence that bordered the cemetery, which was overgrown with honeysuckle.

“That’s her,”said the caretaker as we approached the spot. “They say she threw herself in front of a train the day he got married. He paid for her headstone on account she was a suicide. Her family was ashamed and all. That’s why she’s way over here.”

I looked around. There were a number of plain flat graves scattered around like patchwork in a cement quilt. Her epitaph was one of the few still legible. I stooped down to read its engraving: Eleanore Lynn Moore June 1st 1894-Oct. 6th 1921 “And now I see with eye serene The very pulse of the machine; A Being breathing thoughtful breath, A Traveler between life and death.”u

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practice in the Chattahoochee. The parking lot is located just one block from the river, making the whitewater course conveniently accessible from the kayakers’ winter home-base.

This set up lends itself to a scenario that is “unique in all the world,” says Paige Swift, who is affiliated with the production of the documentary and upcoming Wild and Scenic film festival.

By Natalie Downey

Jeff Springer Interviews Abby Holcombe

inter in the south might seem like a W quiet time for most, but for kayakers, the season means more time spent in the water, and Columbus offers the perfect place to do just that.

In December of 2019, filmmaker Jeff Springer made his way to Columbus, Georgia. He had

then they’re in this unconventional environment, squatting in this parking lot basically, but also welcomed by the city - I thought that was a really interesting story in itself,” Springer explains.

There are many reasons kayakers from all over the world, including world class athletes, choose to spend their winter in Columbus each

Perhaps just as noteworthy as the fact that this community exists in a parking lot down the road is the fact that the community has been largely supportive of it being there. “A lot of cities, if you want to park your van and go kayaking every day, they’re like, ‘You can’t park here’,” says Rachel Scheffe, a kayaker who has spent her past two winters at The Wintering Grounds. “They’ve made it so easy for kayakers to come here and stay, and use the whitewater features.”

Jeff Springer experienced the Wintering Grounds lifestyle firsthand during the filming of the documentary, staying in a camper at the

Jeff Springer Setting Up Interview With Stephen Wright Jeff Springer, Director the Wintering Grounds

caught wind of a story of a vagabond community of squatting kayakers and was intrigued. Springer formed the idea for a documentary about these kayakers and the parking lot they camp out in, and began filming this past winter. An Emmynominated filmmaker from California, Springer took an interest in the whitewater course in uptown Columbus, fascinated that whitewater rapids of such intensity could be found in the Jeff Springer Filming Makinley Kate Hargrove

year. The lifestyle of a professional kayaker is a transient one of chasing white water all year long.

The whitewater course offers many advantages to kayakers: it’s the longest urban whitewater course in the world, it has safe, man-altered whitewater elements, rapids of varying challenge levels, and something not many whitewater courses in the US can boast of – warm water all year long.

Because kayakers’ lives are spent largely on the road when not in the water, they often travel by van or camper, looking for places to set up camp at each stop. The influx of kayakers to our city during the winter months, plus their need for a place to set up camp while in Columbus, resulted

Jeff Springer Interviews Luke Pomeroy Inside White Water Express Shop In Phenix City

middle of a city. The more he learned about the kayaking community, the more he wanted to tell their story. “You’ve got interesting characters, and they’re world-championship level kayakers, and LocaL

in the unique establishment of the gravel parking lot winter home-base known as “The Wintering Grounds.” RV campers, vans, and kayaks fill the lot each winter, as kayakers who cross paths in other rivers settle in for a few months of play and 14

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parking lot campground, interacting with the kayakers, and listening to their stories of life chasing whitewater.

“I was there with the kayakers, using the same bathrooms and showers, and so I really got an experience of what it’s like to live there,” Springer recalls. This allowed for a spur of the moment filmmaking style, as kayakers often decide spontaneously to get out in the water. “You never know what the kayakers are going to do. They’re

competing to defend or earn a world title, and the opportunity to watch these athletes practice and play is one our community is truly lucky to have.

The Wild and Scenic film festival, airing virtually on September 20th, will show the trailer for Springer’s documentary. The trailer has already generated much interest, and will bring attention to the documentary, the river, and the city.u

Jeff Springer Talks To Stephen Wright & Hargrove Family At Good Wave

always watching the conditions and the water level, and suddenly they’re just like, ‘We’re going out,’ and then we’d just run after them,” Springer explains. “It’s reflective of what the lifestyle is like,” he says.

Spending time at The Wintering Grounds, Springer witnessed the camaraderie within the kayaking community. Time spent on the water together, helping each other learn new tricks and repair equipment leads to a bond amongst many of the kayakers. A certain level of risk goes along with whitewater kayaking, and kayakers look out for each other on the water.

Additionally, kayakers frequently run into each other at whitewater stops all over the world, and they come to recognize and know each other.

Many of the kayakers are worldwide champions, and the documentary examines their titles and accomplishments, as well as the preparation they’re putting into gearing up for the next international championship. Many of these faces will soon be

Michael Filosa (Sound) Waits For Kayakers To Arrive

“The most amazing urban paddling destination in North America -- if not the world.”

- Peter Holcombe

photo by Peter Holcombe

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Dew Point Farms offers produce to the local community through their seasonal, weekly Wednesday markets on-property at the farm, at the MercyMed Market which sets up outside of the MercyMed clinic weekly and in season on Fridays, and through supplying local restaurants interested in offering locally grown produce in their daily specials. In the past, Barnes and Collins have worked with Bare Roots of Downtown Columbus, and hope to expand their partnerships with more locally owned businesses.

“It’s a small enough scale that we can give a lot of personal attention

Article & Photographs By Paige Adams

In T h e Co lu m bus Com mu ni t y - I t ’s More Accessible T han You T hink

iving amid the coronavirus pandemic has L created many difficulties, including the ways we shop for food; items can be out of stock, lines

can be cramped and long, and the risk of infection still remains a constant threat. Fortunately, there are farmers here in our community that offer safer and more environmentally friendly options. Not only does shopping locally help support businesses during the difficulties presented by the pandemic, it also avoids the stress of grocery stores. The LocaL caught up with a few of these places such as Dew Point Farm and MercyMed Farm, which are supplying their communities with fresh, Columbus-grown produce, and TurnTime Farms, which offers local, farm-raised meats delivered to your door.

injustice in the Columbus area.

The couple became involved with the Columbus chapter of Georgia Food Oasis, which led to some grants and funding for their urban farming dreams. They started out with a public orchard on 2nd Avenue in Bibb City, which

Brad Barnes & Jenn Collins Harvesting Okra At Their Farm

to every plant,” Barnes said as Collins continued, “There are days that we harvest early in the morning and take it straight to the restaurant or straight to the market. The quality is just incomparable to something you would buy in the grocery store that was harvested six weeks ago.”

A customer at a restaurant could receive a dish so fresh that it was not

Dew Point Farm

Brad Barnes and Jenn Collins alone manage their sustainable and recently Certified Naturally Grown pocket farm in Midtown Columbus. Barnes, a writer, and Collins, an environmental scientist, had originally started out as home gardeners growing food for themselves and generally living simplistically for a more sustainable lifestyle, something they began blogging about in 2007

Brad Barnes & Jenn Collins Harvesting Okra At Their Farm

features a small lot bordered with a muraled fence painted by the Columbus State University Art Department. Members of the community can freely enjoy the space as well as the fruit. “I think we kind of got the bug to create more resources for food,” Barnes said.

Barnes and Collins’s orchard project led them to connections with the program “Lots of Good Use,” part of the Columbus Land Bank Authority.

Threw their help, Barnes and Collins have been developing the latest project, Dew Point Farms, for a year, with September marking the anniversary of their property purchase.

Located on 16th Ave, the urban pocket farm has rehabilitated an abandoned lot into a fullgrown farm.

Brad Barnes & Jenn Collins Pose Between The Okra & The Thai Red Hibiscus Plants At Their Farm

on their website, TheDewAbides.com. Collins later began working at Jenny Jack Farm of Pine Mountain, Georgia, where she was able to gain experience and inspiration. “Not just growing for yourself, but growing for other people, that takes skill and there is a lot to it,” Collins said.

Barnes and Collins became interested in starting their own urban farm within the city of Columbus as a way to offer sustainably-grown produce to the community and to fight food injustice in the city. Their simplistic lifestyle helped open their minds to the needs of their community, which led them to consider food LocaL

Brad Barnes & Jenn Collins At Their Stand At The Mercy Med Marke

One way to honor their commitment to fighting food injustice is to work with farmers markets that offer double SNAP, like the MercyMed Market, which allows those on food stamps to use their EBT card to get double their money on fresh groceries.

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only prepared to order, but harvested to order.

Dew Point Farms is a work from the heart for Barnes and Collins, one they have made sacrifices for.

They are well on their way to achieving their dreams of urban farming and their continual fight against food injustice. “Our point is not to have this as an outlet to make more money but for us to have an outlet for people who can’t drive to the market to walk up and get food,” Barnes explained. Collins agreed, and said, “We just want to get food to the people who need it.”

MercyMed Farm

Keith Sims, the MercyMed Farmer and Community Health Advocate, started out at MercyMed clinic as a medical assistant to Dr. Grant Scarborough. It was during his time there that he became interested in diet as a form of preventive medicine. After some time as an apprentice on Jenny Jack Farm growing vegetables, Sims returned to Dr. Scarborough to partner with MercyMed and establish an urban farm.

Sims feels strongly that diet “is the foundation of our health” and that health and diet are “inextricably

Mercy Med Farm

linked.” Sims hopes that patients of Mercy Med will see the farm and ask questions and discover the importance of the type of foods we put in our bodies.

Sims believes there is a disconnect, which he blames on the commercialized popularity of processed foods.

He is hopeful to bridge the gap between the people of Columbus and the land through his direct location outside the clinic.

“My idea is that this fixes the actual bleeding in someone’s life; the eating right, exercising, being connected with your food,” Sims said.

MercyMed Farm has been active in the community

Keith Sims Poses At The Mercy Med Farm

accessible to the community, but affordable as well.

The seasonal weekly Farmstand Friday MercyMed Market offers the double EBT benefit opportunity to members of the community through a partnership with the non-profit organization Wholesome Wave, which incentivizes food stamp holders to use their funds on healthy foods. Additionally, Sims offers patients of MercyMed and members of the direct community a 25% discount. MercyMed is located on 2nd Ave in Columbus.

Mercy Med Farm

The Farmstand Friday markets will reopen for the fall season on October 2 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. weekly.

TurnTime Farms

While Dew Point Farm and MercyMed Farm have committed their work to sustainably growing produce for the Columbus community, TurnTime Farms has committed itself to sustainably raising livestock to serve the Columbus citizens who enjoy a little meat with their veggies.

TurnTime Farms is a “beyond-organic,” non-GMO, pasture-based farm, just outside of the city in Ellerslie.

TurnTime offers home delivery of their products, which include grass-fed beef, pastured heritage pork, pastured chicken, pastured eggs, and pastured turkey.

Their on-site market also offers locally-sourced products such as cheeses, soaps, and hand-crafted ceramics.

Mercy Med Farm

for a year and a half with the hard work and commitment of Sims and thanks to fundraising, local grants, and support from companies like Aflac and Synovus. Sims vision includes the belief that food should not only be LocaL

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For five years, TurnTime Farms has been committed to the natural cyclic ecosystem that is involved in raising pasture-based livestock. The farm, managed by Daniel Hord and Matt Ward, is committed to producing healthy land and, in turn, healthy animals.

The animals on the farm, coupled with the varying types of grasses and weeds, all work together to form the pasture-based farm ecosystem that allows for a healthier, chemical-free environment. TurnTime uses a method which employs a rotating cycle of the animals in which Egg-Laying Chickens In Their Rotating Location At Turntime Farm

Pigs Coexisting With Roosters In Their Rotating Location At Turntime Farm

Herding Dogs Coexisting With Goats At Turntime Farms

Turntime Farms Store Market

Pigs In Their Rotating Location At Turntime Farm Soaps & Ceramics at Turntime Farms Market

their grazing and roaming space moves on either a daily or weekly basis depending on the animal. With every rotation of the animals, the land improves.

Most importantly, this process is humane and allows the animals to live a full and healthy lifestyle, rather than being caged into small areas hovering over their fellow species. But it also allows for a better quality of meat when the animal is in good health. The corporate or factory farming style creates stress for the animal, as well as disease, while the pasture-based farming methods employed at TurnTime farm give the animals space to breathe and prevents diseases more common in corporate farming.

Hord believes their practices at TurnTime Farms to be natural in the sense of how farming was originally practiced, saying that, “God gave all of these animals different characteristics for a purpose. We didn’t invent

Egg-Laying Chickens In Their Rotating Location At Turntime Farm

Barn at Turntime Farms

Local Goods & Ceramics At Turtime Farms Market

Cows In Their Rotating Location At Turntime Farm

this, it was already designed into the way farmers a hundred years ago were already farming.” Hord went on to say that “[farmers] didn’t have the industrialized opportunities to farm so they had to find ways to use the animals, and we’re just mimicking some of those practices on our farm.”

While the farm is currently focused on animal-based farming, TurnTime hopes for a future partnership for plantbased farming as well. “We would love to have vegetables grown out here, but we would love it to be someone who has that passion [to take that on],” Hord said. The market on-site at the farm is open every Wednesday and the first Saturday of the month from 12 p.m.-5 p.m. Delivery purchases can be made as well with no subscription requirement.u LocaL

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