2025 Spring Issue

community magazine 2025 SPRING ISSUE

PUBLISHERS

Meredith & Scott Tredeau 678-852-2715 info@thenewtoncommunity.com SALES

Heather Bowman 404-583-2179 bowmanh23@aol.com

FEATURE

Maree Taylor 770-530-7837 sales@thenewtoncommunity.com

12 Food for Thought

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Brian Knapp

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Kari Apted

PHOTOGRAPHER

Michie Turpin

HEALTH & WELLNESS 24 Love Unleashed 30 Deep Roots

SPORTS & RECREATION 40 Brave New World 44 Next-Level Fandom

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Michelle Floyd Phillip B. Hubbard Wendy Rodriguez David Roten Gabriel Stovall Shawnda Stovall ILLUSTRATOR

Scott Fuss

The NEWTON Community Magazine is published quarterly.

All contents are copyrighted by The NEWTON Community Magazine. Reproduction, in whole or part, without permission is prohibited. The NEWTON Community Magazine reserves liability in error to a printed correction.

ARTS, EDUCATION & INNOVATION 54 Going the Extra Mile 58 Different Strokes

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LIVING

68 A Doorway to Hope 72 Sweet Spot

On the Cover

THOUGHTS ON AN EMPTY NEST

by BRIAN KNAPP

God made me a father 18 years and almost eight months ago with the arrival of my firstborn son. Gehrig was six weeks early and spent six days in the neonatal intensive care unit at Piedmont Rockdale, but for my wife and I, he was right on time. Two years, five months and five days later, his brother was born. Gibson was a few days late and may have remained in the womb forever had doctors allowed him to do so, but again, for my wife and I, he was right on time.

When the always-brilliant Scott Fuss submitted the artwork that now graces the cover for this issue of The Newton Community Magazine, I was struck by a sobering thought. Our nest will soon be empty. No matter how hard we may try, we cannot slow down the passage of time. The days, months and years have whizzed by, often without us noticing.

Routine keeps you distracted. The two

boys, now young men, who have so enriched our lives every day for the past 18-plus years will sooner or later have to move on. They will start families of their own and begin the process all over again. I can almost hear the clock ticking sometimes.

We know our jobs as parents will never really end, even after our kids move out from under our roof and venture into the great unknown. Nevertheless, my wife and I have started our transition from caregivers to advisors. While it has not been easy on either of us, it helps that we have always tried to put our marriage first and viewed our children as belonging to God. He loans them to us for a time.

We just wish it could last longer.

As the late Billy Graham once said, “Someday your children will leave. You can’t hold on to them or control them forever, nor should you.”

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PUBLISHERS’ NOTE

I started my latest project (pictured above) in late September. It took five months to complete. The process served as a great reminder of everything in life, whether it’s the relationship with my wife and kids, my recovery or my walk with God. It’s all a process. The key? I need to willingly participate in the process.

Faith plays a big role in it.

When I undertook this painted wood carving of my friend, Michael Maurice, all I had to go on was a cool picture that I had taken of him. I had no idea what the result would be when I finished. I had a choice to make. I could have settled for just the picture, and that would have been fine, I suppose. However, I would have missed out on the process, which included uncertainty, self-doubt, making a mess, hours of tedious work and taking the risk that I could totally ruin the project.

Do you see how this parallels our lives? I want to be a risk-taker, not settle for what the world sees as good enough.

It’s risky to take a chance on others, to love them. It’s uncomfortable to chip away at our tough exteriors, our messy selves. Building a relationship with God isn’t easy—it hurts sometimes—but being in the process with him will lead to a beautiful image of yourself and others that you will miss if you choose to stay comfortable.

Have a great day today.

Scott Tredeau

2025 Spring Issue 7

In a field of spring flowers stood a pig and a cow, both gazing skyward and wondering, how?

If we had wings said the cow, we too could fly, just like purple Martins rising on high With that the pig pondered and gathered his thought, then gave to the cow the reply he had wrought If we had wings said the pig, I think we would be more like the chickens over there ‘neath the tree More content with the food that we find at our feet, than achieving the goal of a lofty retreat You see, wings aren’t the things that cause us to fly, it’s in the knowing where one’s priorities lie Scott Fuss

F E AT U R E

Stories by Kari Apted

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Kristin Beaucher was an active, chubby-cheeked, blonde-haired toddler when her health suddenly declined. After a lengthy battle with brain cancer, she died at the age of 9. Her parents have strived to honor their daughter and her deep faith in multiple ways, including through the unusual business bearing her name.

by KARI APTED

Chris and Heather Beaucher had much to be grateful for in 2002, with careers they enjoyed, a happy marriage and an adorable 2-year-old daughter named Kristin. Then, over the course of one week, everything turned upside down. Kristin woke up in great pain, crying and clutching the back of her neck with her little hand. She vomited and felt better, only for the pain to return after naptime. It was a cycle that continued for days. After multiple anxiety-filled trips to the doctor and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston, a CAT scan revealed a brain tumor covering most of Kristin’s cerebellum.

She soon had surgery to remove the growth. Pathology reports revealed it to be medulloblastoma, a rare form of brain cancer primarily affecting children and young adults. She was given a 13% chance of survival.

In his book, “Loved by an ‘Angel,’” Chris wrote, “I was in a state of shock … my world had stopped just that quickly.

Nothing else mattered in the whole world. All I wanted to do was get Kristin home, wake up the next morning and see that it was all just a bad dream.” The next two years of their new reality were arduous, filled with chemotherapy, pediatric oncology appointments and various treatments to improve Kristin’s chance of survival. Through it all, she maintained a positive outlook that encouraged her parents and caregivers alike.

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2025 Spring Issue 13

F E AT U R E

“At 9, she was more of a spiritual adult than anyone I’d ever met. I wanted to be as close to God as she was.”

Chris Beaucher

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Finally, spinal taps and MRIs showed no sign of cancer.

Kristin had beaten the odds. She was able to go to preschool and learn how to be a kid, but like many children who experience cancer early in life, there were some struggles.

“She was a little lady trapped in a child’s body,” Chris said.

“Kristin had to grow up way too fast, and she didn’t understand why other children acted the way they did. Kristin was more comfortable with adults rather than children.” However, her strength was apparent as she adjusted to her new normal. She was always helpful and kind, thinking of others more than herself. As is often the case when families go through trauma, Chris and Heather divorced. Later, they would learn that Kristin had prayed for God to do whatever it would take to bring her father back home again—including her cancer returning. It was an innocent prayer that still haunts Chris because of the events that followed. Kristin was 8 when the awful, familiar symptoms returned. This time, the tumor was even bigger and the effects were greater. Almost two months after her ninth birthday, on Dec. 6, 2009, Kristin lost her battle with cancer.

“During her last four days, she was in hospice care at home.

She couldn’t even move, but when she took her last breath, she had one tear that came down the side of her face, and she smiled so big,” Chris said, his eyes filling with tears. “I couldn’t imagine the beauty of what she was looking at. We hadn’t seen her smile for so long.” Twenty days after Kristin’s death, Chris began writing a book to tell her full cancer story and completed it by February. Chris credits his daughter’s faith as the reason he became serious about his own relationship with God. “After she prayed for her cancer to return and watching the Holy Spirit work through her, that was literally the difference for me,” he said. “In her, I saw something I’d never seen before. At 9, she was more of a spiritual adult than anyone I’d ever met. I wanted to be as close to God as she was.”

Before he could get to that point, Chris found himself going through one of his darkest seasons. His grief was so intense that he no longer wanted to continue living without his daughter.

He went to church one particularly difficult day looking for a pastor who could tell him something that would give him hope again. The wait was long, and another man, Justin Hudgins, was also waiting to speak to the pastor.

“I smoked at the time and really wanted a cigarette, so when Justin said, ‘I’m going to have a cigarette,’ I stepped outside with him to smoke,” Chris said. “We ended up talking until three in the morning. That’s when he became like my brother.” The men soon started a ministry called Be Jesus, through which they would help people after work. “Basically, we try to help wherever the Lord leads us,” Chris said. “We’ve built ramps, repaired roofs, done HVAC work, cut grass, whatever needs done.”

Chris and Heather remarried and had another child together, a son named Karson, who shares initials with his late sister.

“When Karson was a baby, any time he would pass a picture of Kristin, he would smile like he had seen her before,” Heather said. While Chris was content working as an electrician, he began to feel that God had something different in store. One of Chris’ friends at work raised reptiles and was in the feeder bug business.

“He kept asking us to get into the roach business with him, but I put him off for a year or two,” Chris said. “Well, one day, I got tired of him asking and said I’d talk to my wife, knowing full well my wife wasn’t going to allow us to bring roaches into the house. She said, ‘Sure, I’ll give it a try.’ Well, she was supposed to be my out. I told him we’d do it.” They started their business in a little garage room, and it started to grow.

“The first time I ever heard God [speaking to my spirit], He woke me up and said to quit my job and start depending on Him for a living,” Chris said. He worried about telling Heather.

“She had no reason to believe I’d actually heard from God.” Once again, his wife’s response surprised him. “If you did hear from Him, it will be OK,” Heather said. “If you didn’t, then it won’t. But it will still be OK.” Justin and his wife, Amanda, were feeling the same nudge and partnered with the Beauchers to build the business together.

Naming it “Kristin’s Bugs” was Justin’s idea. “I said, ‘If it’s alright, let’s share Kristin’s story,’” Justin said. “The Lord said to make the business all about relationships, just like with Him. He said if you take care of my people, I’ll take care of you, so we started building relationships with our customers, and here we are.” The business is headquartered at a large outbuilding on land the Hudgins own near Jackson Lake. They raise several types of insects that comprise a healthy reptile’s diet, including banded crickets, hornworms, silkworms, calcium grubs, super worms and mealworms. Dubia roaches—a tropical cockroach

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F E AT U R E (L-R) CHRIS, KARSON, HEATHER BEAUCHER, AMANDA AND JUSTIN HUDGINS

species native to South and Central America—of various sizes are their biggest seller. These bugs have an excellent balance of the nutrients reptiles need to survive.

A typical day at Kristin’s Bugs begins around 7 a.m., with Justin tending to the insects while Chris does office work in a separate room. Ironically, Chris is highly allergic to roaches and cannot be in the same room as the bugs, much less touch and pack them. Once Justin has fulfilled the day’s orders and the insects are in containers, Chris packs them into boxes and drops off the packages at the post office or FedEx. Every order includes an encouraging Bible verse handwritten on colorful Post-it notes. The business often receives feedback that the verses were a comfort to their customers at a difficult time, even from people who say they are not particularly religious.

“Our whole day, we ask ourselves what we are doing to glorify God,” Justin said. “Wherever we are, at the shop or at the store, we try to be a wonderful example of who Jesus is.” Though honoring a child through a feeder bug business may sound odd to some, the Beauchers feel certain that Kristin would approve.

“Kristin loved animals and was really good with them, too, so she would be OK with this, I’m sure,” Chris said. “It would probably be right up her alley.”

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The Truth About Roaches

by KARI APTED

I wasn’t sure if I would make it through the experience of visiting a feeder bug shop. I pay someone to kill roaches; I don’t go visit them. Fortunately, I don’t have roach allergies like Chris Beaucher, who can quickly progress from an itchy throat to anaphylactic shock upon contact. My bug with these bugs is rooted in resentment and manifests in cringes and shivers.

I blame the massive “palmetto bugs” that invaded our home when my husband Donnie got stationed along the Gulf Coast. Those crunchy critters were big enough to carry your luggage— and they flew, a fact previously unknown to me. A giant roach on the wall greeted us the night we moved into our ancient, drafty rental. I begged Donnie to kill it, saying, “Well, at least they can’t fly.” At that exact moment, the roach became a buzzing brown blur divebombing my head.

I screamed as it tangled in my hair, and I’ve hated them since.

Accepting this assignment was something of a bravery test for me, but I was pleasantly surprised when I entered Kristin’s Bugs. It was balmy warm inside, with a faint earthy odor in the air. Tables held neat bins and bowls containing a few inches of what appeared to be soil. My heart rate elevated when I peered inside and realized the entire mass was moving.

Each container held thousands of Dubia cockroaches waiting to be shipped to hungry reptiles.

“Roaches are much cleaner than crickets,” bug-handler Justin Hudgins said, dispelling a common belief. “If we were raising crickets, you wouldn’t be able to stand the smell in here.”

When I asked why the roaches didn’t escape their open containers, Hudgins explained that they couldn’t climb the steep plastic walls. Even if they fled, the native jungle insects cannot survive long in our cooler climate. Hudgins then opened a small refrigerator and dragged his hand through a plastic shoebox that appeared to be full of sawdust—until countless white maggots wiggled through his fingers. He explained that they are a great source of calcium for growing reptiles and would remain maggots as long as they were kept cold. If he accidentally left the container out over a weekend, he would find the shop swarming with flies on Monday morning.

Hudgins showed me multiple types of worms, all of which provide different nutritional benefits, and explained why there were so many different sizes of Dubia roaches. Young lizards must eat young roaches; mature roaches won’t fit in their mouths. Older, larger lizards enjoy bigger roaches, so many are reserved to grow into these satisfying

meals. It’s like feeding your toddler a slider and your teenager a Big Mac. Dubia roaches are one of the best feeder insects because they are easy to keep, parasite-resistant, easy to digest and nutritionally dense. They can live for months, allowing pet owners to keep live meals on hand.

They are rounder and flatter than roaches to which we’re accustomed, and they cannot fly. Large males have wings and may attempt to take flight but cannot travel far. As you can imagine, I was particularly glad to learn that fact.

I left Kristin’s Bugs in good spirits, thoroughly impressed by the Beauchers and the Hudgins. I was in awe of brave little Kristin Beaucher and the fight she fought with cancer before her death at age 9, and I was glad to learn that not all roaches deserve the negative lens through which we view them. Still, I’m going to need all of them to stay out of my hair.

2025 Spring Issue 17

H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

24 The NEWTON Community Magazine

Stories by Kari Apted

L O V E U N L E A S H E D

Entrepreneur Mark Ross and internist Dr. Nicole Ross worked in their respective careers until their hearts for the elderly led them to open a Right at Home senior services franchise. As their company grew to over 100 employees, they added one exceptional member to their team. For the past decade, 12-year-old therapy dog Myla has brightened thousands of lives as only a furry friend can.

by KARI APTED

When Mark and Dr. Nicole Ross pull up to area senior care communities, they often find people waiting for them at the door. Though the Rosses bring their own warmth and hospitality to these encounters, the seniors are not lined up to see them.

They want Myla.

The Ross family drove from Atlanta to Fairhope, Alabama, to adopt Myla when she was just 6 weeks old because her breed was hard to find in Georgia. She is a Portuguese Water Dog, a friendly, medium-large working breed originally bred to retrieve nets cast from fishing boats. The Rosses desired this breed because of its fluffy but hypoallergenic fur, which often causes it to be mistaken for a Labradoodle. They also knew that a therapy dog must have a relaxed personality and interact well with strangers.

“In general, this breed is known for being kind,” Mark said.

“We wanted one that was calm and pretty chill. When we first went to Alabama to visit the litter, the breeder was holding Myla and dropped a metal trash can lid on the floor. Myla didn’t miss a beat.”

Seeing how the loud noise left the puppy completely unfazed confirmed that she had the calm disposition necessary to fulfill her mission. After bringing her home, the Rosses allowed her to grow through the puppy stage before training and registering

her as a therapy dog. She began visiting senior citizens after her second birthday and is always freshly groomed for her visits, even donning the cute hair bows her senior friends call earrings.

“When I take Myla out to the communities, some of the residents might be asleep or not as aware as usual,” Mark said, “but when the word spreads that a dog is in the building, they perk up.”

Residents gather in the dayroom to watch Myla perform tricks such as rolling over, giving high fives and speaking on command. She then makes her way around the room, pausing beside each resident and nudging their hand to encourage petting and one-on-one interaction. The Rosses also take her on rounds to visit those who are bedridden, and Myla puts her paws up on the bed to say hello. Of course, there are always a few residents who are not fond of animals, and the Rosses are sensitive to those who prefer to be left alone. Overall, the friendly, fluffy beauty is well-received. According to Mark, “She’s even converted a lot of people who didn’t originally love dogs.” For others, she provides a connection point to years gone by. “Many seniors were pet owners in the past, and they tear up while petting Myla,” Nicole said. “You can tell they are reminiscing about when they were at home with their own animals.” Myla 2025 Spring Issue 25

H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

often opens up lines of communication. “We get to hear the stories of their pets and how much they meant to them,” Mark said. “They always say how thankful they are that we stopped by and want to know when we’re coming back.”

The Rosses attribute their love for the elderly to their close relationships with their grandparents. “We both had very influential grandparents,” Nicole said. “One of Mark’s lived to 88, and my grandparents helped raise me. The love of a grandparent is special.” The Rosses and Right at Home have partnered with students from Newton College and Career Academy to meet the needs of local senior citizens. Students on a medical careers track have volunteered as summer interns, while others volunteered for the “Alive Inside” program. These students surveyed seniors’ family members to learn their favorite songs, then uploaded them to iPods as a form of music therapy.

Nicole is a firm believer in the healing power of the simple things in life.

“Music, animals and little kids really help seniors smile and feel young again,” she said. Nicole admits that Myla has also been a lifesaver on a personal level, as she and Mark have entered the empty-nest stage of life. Their three children, Mikayla, Mark Jr. and Marlie, have all moved on to college. Their departure left Myla as their only “child” at home. It has been said that the biggest problem with dogs is letting them go, that no beloved pet ever lives long enough. While Myla has definitely entered her own senior phase, the Rosses cannot imagine life without her.

“Mark is definitely going to need therapy,” Nicole said. Mark shuddered at the thought. “She’s not going anywhere soon,” he said, as he looked at Myla and smiled. “She’s healthy, she has a great diet and she gets better healthcare than I do. She’s going to be here a good long while.”

“When I take Myla out to the communities, some of the residents might be asleep or not as aware as usual, but when the word spreads that a dog is in the building, they perk up.”

Mark Ross

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2025 Spring Issue 27

H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

Grace & Truth

GRACE & TRUTH

A Perfect Metaphor Mustard seed-sized faith can make the impossible possible.

Nurturing it involves leaning into Jesus Christ, even when life’s challenges seem insurmountable.

by SHAWNDA STOVALL

The Bible says we can move mountains if we have faith the size of a mustard seed. If you placed a mustard seed next to a mountain, you wouldn’t even see it. The imagery still makes me chuckle.

A mustard seed is an amazing little thing. These tiny little powerhouses are so minuscule that you’d barely notice one in a bowl. Yet when planted, a mustard seed grows into one of the largest garden plants. That’s a perfect metaphor for our faith.

Despite its size, the little seed embodies resilience, potential and unstoppable growth. With Jesus at the center, even the smallest spark of our faith can ignite life-changing miracles.

I keep a mustard seed in a tiny jar that I carry in my pocket.

On days I face challenges, I stick my hand in my pocket and touch it as a reminder that no matter what difficulties I may face, when my faith is planted in God, it grows into something mighty. What happens, though, when life throws you a challenge so big that it literally knocks you off your feet?

In 2014, I went blind and was paralyzed from the waist down. It was unexpected. I wasn’t sick. I had no warning. Just boom. After a whole bunch of testing, poking, prodding and exams, the doctors came in my hospital room in front of my family and friends and told me I would never walk again. That was impossible, I thought. God had already given me a different vision—a vision of me walking, dancing and living fully. In that moment, I looked at the doctor and said, “I don’t receive that.

“When the world tried to convince me of my limitations, I held onto the unseen promise of God’s power.”

Shawnda Stovall

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God showed me I would.” The doctor patted me on my legs, then responded: “OK, that’s between you and your God.” A friend called the crisis “just a test of my faith.” I told her, “No, it’s proof of my faith and who I say I am in Christ.” Not every bad event is a test. Sometimes, it provides proof of the faith we say we hold in Jesus. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” It’s one thing to praise God when the sailing is smooth, but true faith is forged in the storm.

When the world tried to convince me of my limitations, I held onto the unseen promise of God’s power. I trusted that even the smallest seed of faith, planted in the soil of hope, could blossom into a testimony of His grace and strength.

Building our faith isn’t about having it all figured out or never stumbling along the way; it’s about leaning into Jesus, even when life’s challenges seem insurmountable, even through fear, doubt and the unknown. Every setback becomes a steppingstone when we choose to stand firm on His promises, and when others witness our resilience and unwavering trust in God, it encourages them to believe in the power of their own mustard seed-sized faith.

I didn’t know what was going to happen to me, but I knew that I had to trust and believe God and the promises He made to me. And here I stand, literally, with proof of my faith, laughing through the tears, dancing through the storms and living as a testament to the transforming power of Jesus. I invite you to reflect on your own journey. Remember, it only takes a mustard seed of faith to change everything.

Shawnda Stovall is a minister at James Paschal Missionary Baptist Church in Covington. For information, visit jpmbaptistchurch.weebly.com.

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H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

Stories by Kari Apted

Around half of Georgia’s current residents were born somewhere else, which makes it interesting to meet someone like Bob Reynolds.

His birth marked a new era in Newton County healthcare, and his life is a story of the delight that can be found in staying home.

by KARI APTED

Bob Reynolds holds a unique honor. He was the first baby born at Newton General Hospital, now known as Piedmont Newton.

He laughs when he says his arrival was his parents’ “15 minutes of fame,” evidenced by the picture on the front page of the local newspaper of Reynolds’ mother, Nena, holding her newborn son.

Indeed, the first baby was big news when the hospital opened in October 1954 with 36 beds, 22 staff members and nine physicians.

Reynolds was delivered on Oct. 23, 1954 by Dr. Goodwin Tuck, one of the hospital’s founding physicians—a jovial man known for whistling through the hallways as he made rounds to see his patients. “Doc Tuck told my mama and daddy, ‘You know the hospital is giving y’all this because he’s the first one, but y’all are paying me,’” said Reynolds, now 70.

Before Newton General opened, many local residents, including Reynolds’ mother and his older brother, were born at Porterdale Maternity Hospital. The building that housed it still stands at 2 Poplar Street, a four-room mill house built by Bibb Manufacturing Company to give workers’ families an option other than home births. Newton’s new hospital must have seemed enormous in comparison, and the original institution now seems tiny next to the current Piedmont Newton complex, where Reynolds and his wife, Eve, welcomed their first great-grandchildren in 2024: Hallie Reynolds Reagin and, six months later, Leyton Scarlett Betts.

“We are grateful for the trust this family has placed in us for 70 years to provide high-quality maternity care,” said Beth Murdock, chief nursing officer of Piedmont Newton. “Access to this level of care close to home makes stories like theirs possible.

When our doctors and nurses make a positive difference for one mom, their impact can truly last for generations.”

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Reynolds speaks fondly of what it was like growing up in Newton County during the 1960s and 1970s. “As far as I can say, those were the best years to be here. We lived in the Covington Mill village, and we kids could run through the neighborhood,” he said. “We didn’t have any problems back then. We played outside until the street lights came on and our mamas called us to come in.” Eve then chimed in: “Everybody knew Bob. He was a right popular kid.”

Reynolds’ father, George Wylie “Sockeye” Reynolds, worked at the Covington Mill before moving on to positions with RC Cola and A&P. Sadly, Sockeye drowned when Bob was just 5 years old. “My grandmother lived with us,” Reynolds said, “which kind of eased the pain—having her and my mother there for us.” Reynolds was the middle child of three siblings: older brother Wylie Jr. and younger sister Robbie Jo. He attended Ficquett Elementary School from first through eighth grade, then went to Newton High. He met Eve there.

“She had another boyfriend at the time,” Reynolds said. “I was standing in the hall talking with my friends, and she came walking up. I said, ‘Your hair sure does look good. You got it cut.’ And after that, we just stuck together.” They have been married for 53 years and have three children: a daughter, Shelly, and two sons, Bobby Jr. and Charles. They also have eight grandchildren.

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H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

“There was never a reason to move anywhere else.”

Eve Reynolds

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(L-R) BACK: DALTON REAGIN, SHELLY BETTS, SHANNON BETTS. FRONT: ALYSSA REAGIN HOLDING HALLIE REYNOLDS, EVE REYNOLDS, BOB REYNOLDS AND ABBY BETTS HOLDING LEYTON SCARLETT BETTS

As a young man, Reynolds started a paint contracting business: Bob Reynolds Painting and Pressure Washing. Although he has cut back on his hours, Reynolds loves what he does and continues working as much as possible. Eve admitted her husband has had an interesting career. “He is one person you can truly say has enjoyed his work,” she said. “He has always loved doing what he does, so he’s still doing it.” Reynolds painted many houses along Floyd and Conyers streets and worked for the Georgia Building Authority for 17 years, during which time he painted the state capitol. In his free time, Reynolds also devoted over 20 years to coaching little league baseball for Newton County Parks and Recreation.

Eve has a simple explanation for why she and her husband never moved away from the Covington area. “Our whole family, all of them, are right here,” Eve said. “Bob’s business was established. He had regular customers and plenty of work to do.

There was never a reason to move anywhere else.” Despite their lifelong connection to Georgia, Bob and Eve have been avid travelers, visiting destinations throughout the United States, including Hawaii, Las Vegas, Miami, New York, Washington, New Orleans and Branson, Missouri. While they enjoy being on the go, they are always eager to see Newton County—and the beautiful landscape that holds everything their hearts hold dear—on the horizon again.

2025 Spring Issue 33

S P O R T S & R E C R E AT I O N

Stories by Gabriel Stovall

BRAVE NEW WORLD Cole Goering defied the odds to become an alpine skier at the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Italy.

His courageous journey from the neonatal intensive care unit to the slopes of the Western Alps serves as an inspiration to all who have come to know him.

by GABRIEL STOVALL

Parents almost always take the first glance at their newborn child and begin to imagine the endless possibilities that could come out of that little life. For the first nine months of Cole Goering’s life, his mother and father just looked forward to the day they would get to take him away from the neonatal intensive care unit at a Marietta hospital.

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Goering was born a twin at 25 weeks. He stayed in the NICU longer than he did his mother’s womb, and for the first two years of his life, he had a tracheotomy and wore a G-tube— a device used to provide nutrition and fluids to patients who cannot eat or drink adequately on their own. Not exactly the kind of storied beginning one might think to write for a world-class, Olympic skier. Yet that was exactly how it began for Goering.

Flash forward some two decades. Goering spent the second week of March competing at the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Italy. A former member of the Eastside High School swim team, Goering became a key part of the vast group of Special Olympics athletes LaTrelle Cawthon has coached through her work with the Newton County School System.

Cawthon, the Special Olympics coordinator for Newton County, often considers the miraculous journey that led to his becoming “our first international athlete” to come from the area. The scale of the accomplishment has not been lost on Goering, either.

“It’s pretty exciting,” he said through a bright smile that spoke more than words ever could.

From March 8–16, he suited up as an alpine skier at the Winter Games in the Western Alps. Goering started the sport when he was just 6 years old. “I used to live in Denver,” he said, “and my dad put me in ski school there. Then I came here and Ms. Latrelle got me into skiing, and we’d go up to Boone, North Carolina.” Cawthon arranged for Goering to compete with the Georgia Delegation for the USA Games. It has been a quick progression for him, from the yellow beginner level to his current blue intermediate designation.

When asked for her thoughts on Goering, she could not hold back the tears.

“Watching a Special Olympian is not like watching another athlete,” she said. “The challenges these athletes have and have to overcome is unbelievable. If [only] we could all be as brave and as kind as Special Olympians. I’ve never met one who doesn’t have the most courage and joy in life.”

Goering draws his courage from the joy he finds in competition and pushing himself to be the best at anything he does—even at his job at the Town Center Dunkin’ Donuts in Covington.

“He’s a hard worker there,” Cawthon said, “and they really do 2025 Spring Issue 41

S P O R T S & R E C R E AT I O N

“Watching a Special Olympian is not like watching another athlete.”

LaTrelle Cawthon

42 The NEWTON Community Magazine

(L-R) BROOKE DIAL, DAWN GOERING, COLE GOERING AND LATRELLE CAWTHON

depend on him.” However, Goering’s discipline and commitment kick in when he finds himself surrounded by dozens of mouthwatering pastries. “I don’t eat much there,” he said matter-of-factly. “I have to train.” A twice-a-day regular at Alcovy Fitness, Goering understands the demands associated with being on the top of his game as a skier. “I really love the challenge,” he said.

Few things seem to scare him. Even when faced with a 14-hour plane ride to Italy to compete on the biggest stage of his life, he had a plan to combat any fears that might arise. “I’ll get up and do some high knees or something,” he said. It was his first trip outside the United States, and he admitted to some nervousness.

Even so, he set out to conquer it with the same resolve he used to combat his doubts when learning to ski.

“You just get it in your mind that you’re going to fall a couple of times,” he said. “You learn to never look down at your skis, because if you look down, you’ll automatically fall. Once you get used to it, you say, ‘Ok, I’m going to fall,’ but you get back up on the skis and go back down the hill again.”

Aside from skiing and swimming, Cole competes on Cawthon’s 3-on-3 basketball team. An avid sports fan, he points to the Denver Broncos and Denver Nuggets as his favorite teams.

Resilience seems to come naturally to him.

“Cole’s great at that,” Cawthon said. “He’s very brave.”

Goering received a groundswell of support from the Newton County community, which only inspired him to train harder and prepare more diligently for success at a global event being broadcast on ESPN. While he always wants to win, he pointed to the Special Olympics Athlete’s Oath and his desire to live up to it as an even more significant source of motivation. He can recite it by heart.

“Let me win,” he began, “but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

Scan the QR code to see how Cole Goering performed at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy.

PHOTO CREDIT: PAUL STACKHOUSE

2025 Spring Issue 43

S P O R T S & R E C R E AT I O N

44 The NEWTON Community Magazine

Stories by Phillip B. Hubbard

Next-Level Fandom

Bennett Walker leaped at the chance to join the Spike Squad at the University of Georgia, and his initial experiences with the ubiquitous student group have only served to deepen his connection to the school and fuel his passion for the red and black.

by PHILLIP B. HUBBARD

Bennett Walker has been surrounded by the red and black of the Georgia Bulldogs for as long as he can remember. In many ways, it has filled his life with memories of family gatherings, superstar players and national championships. Nowadays, though, Walker’s fandom has reached a new echelon as the latest Newton Countian to become a member of the University of Georgia’s Spike Squad. He feels like more of a diehard fan as a result of his involvement.

UGA’s Spike Squad can best be described as a group of students cheering for the Bulldogs in various sports—primarily recognized by their presence at home football games—while wearing red and black spiked shoulder pads, along with face and body paint. The ferocity of their cheers separates them even further. Walker now has a front-row seat to support the Dawgs as part of the Spike Squad. The opportunity came out of the blue.

Walker was making his way to Sanford Stadium on Aug. 10 to partake in the school’s traditional “Power G” photo with all freshmen enrollees. As he departed his dorm room, he was handed a flyer advertising a Spike Squad interest meeting.

Walker attended and took part in three events to begin the selection process. First, there was a cookout to further discuss

his intent to join the group. Then Walker was part of an Atlanta Braves watch party to showcase his energy and passion about sports. Finally, a field day took place and featured obstacle courses to bring out his competitiveness. Fifteen days after he received the flyer, Walker was accepted into the Spike Squad.

He jumped right in, too. Though only required to participate in 10 sporting events, Walker went to 40 in his first semester.

Among the 40 events Walker attended was the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. It served as a quarterfinal for the 12-team College Football Playoff on Jan. 2.

Watching players in various sports reciprocate their fandom of the Spike Squad has been a boost to Walker’s drive, too.

“Being able to be recognized by basketball players this year and having football players run up to the student section and point at us, it’s shown that the players actually care about us and recognize us,” Walker said. “It makes me enjoy being a fan more and more.”

The Spike Squad also participates in philanthropic events such as Extra Special People in Watkinsville’s Miracle League— a local baseball organization for those with disabilities. The group attends games and cheers on the different baseball teams.

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S P O R T S & R E C R E AT I O N

It has been a triumphant start for Walker with the Spike Squad. However, his passion for the Bulldogs can be traced back long before he ever stepped foot on campus. It all started when he was around 10 years old. Georgia was his favorite team from the start. No other team has come close to earning his support. Today, Walker attends Georgia with his older brother and sister, both juniors. All three continue the Walker family tradition, as their father, Chad, graduated from the Classic City’s school in 1998.

Walker is majoring in public relations while pursuing a minor in sport management. Additional extracurricular activities for Walker include UGA’s Baptist Collegiate Ministries and The Wesley Foundation. There was one particular football game the Bulldogs played a few years back when Walker took ownership of his own passion for the team.

“Whenever we played in the Rose Bowl in 2018 against Oklahoma,” Walker said. “That’s really when I truly fell in love with watching UGA. It was fun to watch them, and it was crazy and impressive to watch them play so well for such a long period of time.”

Since then, Georgia has produced many more unforgettable moments for Walker, including back-to-back national championships. He highlighted the 2024 edition of “Clean Old-Fashioned Hate” with Georgia Tech—a game that went into eight overtime periods before Georgia survived to win 44–42. Walker vividly remembers the 2022 game versus Tennessee, too. A few players drew special attention from the longtime fan, as well. Growing up, Walker’s Georgia idols were record-setting running backs Nick Chubb and Todd Gurley. More recently, Stetson Bennett IV and Ladd McConkey move to the top of his favorite players list.

Looking ahead to his second football season with the Spike Squad, Walker has one game circled on the calendar.

The Alabama Crimson Tide rolls into Athens on Sept. 27. The UGA Spike Squad has been around since 2010, and 15 years later, Walker has etched his name the storied group’s history.

Though he has been a fan for close to a decade at this point, being part of the UGA Spike Squad has only enhanced Walker’s love for the Bulldogs.

“I think [my fandom] has grown more and more because of how I know the teams more,” Walker said. “I have a sense of closeness with them, because I actually go here. They are my team officially now.”

PHOTO CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, DIVISION OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

46 The NEWTON Community Magazine

“I have a sense of closeness with them, because I actually go here. They are my team officially now.”

Bennett Walker

2025 Spring Issue 47

YELLOW Yellow is the color of yellow.

The color of dye, peach pie, and the sorrow of lies.

Yellow tastes like pollution levels high in the sky, candle lights, and the icing of my birthday cake.

Yellow looks like the moon on a dark dark night.

It looks like my banana shaped kite.

Yellow feels like squash casserole, and the sun nice and bright.

It feels like the metal on my taxi at night.

Yellow is the sound of U.V. lights and the bitterness of sour patch citrus.

It sounds like a caution light which makes me feel tight.

Yellow smells like a ripe apple, and the nice new fresh pine.

Yellow is the color of my banana banana pie.

The color of dry peach pie, and the sorrow of lies.

The color of dry peach pie, and the sorrow of lies.

(Anonymous)

A R T S , E D U C AT I O N & I N N O VAT I O N

Stories by Wendy Rodreguez

GOING THE EXTRA MILE

Social Circle native Taylor Moody went from aspiring lawyer to inspiring educator. For those who know the 2025 Newton County School System ‘Teacher of the Year’ best, her impact resonates far beyond the classroom.

by WENDY RODRIGUEZ

Taylor Moody never expected to become a teacher, let alone be honored as the 2025 “Teacher of the Year” for the Newton County School System.

Moody, a literature teacher at Newton College and Career Academy, began her teaching journey in 2020, but her path to the classroom was anything but traditional. As a child, she dreamed of becoming a lawyer, and she initially pursued that goal by majoring in math during her first two years of college, aiming for a career in real estate law. However, fate had other plans, and her ambitions took an unexpected turn.

“I got really sick and had to stay home while traveling to school,” Moody said. “I was on a treatment plan and struggled a lot with reading and writing. I had to work with several tutors, but over time, I developed a real passion for literacy and for helping others strengthen their literacy skills.”

Her own personal struggles sparked a genuine passion for education, paving the way for her journey into teaching.

During her first student-teaching experience, Moody faced an unimaginable tragedy—losing two of her students to suicide within just two weeks. The profound loss left her questioning

54 The NEWTON Community Magazine

whether she was truly ready for the realities of teaching. No college course had prepared her for the weight of such loss, and she found herself wondering if she had the grit to continue.

Her education taught her how to be an English teacher, but “there are so many realities once you enter the classroom.” She quickly realized that education extended far beyond academics; it was about nurturing, guiding and supporting students through their struggles. Moody began to understand that being a teacher meant wearing many different hats—mentor, counselor and advocate—each just as important as the lessons she taught in the classroom. Just as she was navigating these doubts, the coronavirus pandemic abruptly ended her in-person student teaching experience. “‘Is this really what I’m meant to do?’” Moody recalled asking herself. “Then it hit me. Yes, I want to show up for my students.

I want to be their support system, their motivation, not just an English teacher but a mentor. Whatever they need, whatever void they feel, I want to help fill it.”

Moody began her first year of teaching in a virtual classroom, guiding high school sophomores and seniors over Zoom. With her

2025 Spring Issue 55

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“You never truly know the difference you’re making in someone’s life.”

Taylor Moody

56 The NEWTON Community Magazine

student teaching experience cut short, transitioning straight into online learning proved challenging. She struggled with the isolation of remote teaching, feeling limited in her ability to collaborate with colleagues as much as she had hoped. Despite the challenges of keeping students engaged in a virtual classroom, Moody began receiving small but powerful messages on Zoom— notes of gratitude from students thanking her for checking in on them. Those messages became a source of encouragement, reminding her of her greater purpose as an educator.

“I started to realize just how important the social and emotional side of teaching is—something that often gets overlooked,” Moody said. “I saw that I could uplift my students in ways beyond academics, and that became a vital part of my classroom.”

A Social Circle native, Moody’s passion for teaching goes beyond traditional literature teaching methods. She strives to create meaningful, real-world connections in her lessons.

By integrating real-world applications into her curriculum,

she exposes students to various disciplines in collaboration with other teachers. This dynamic approach not only enhances their learning experience but also keeps them engaged and prepared for whatever path they choose to pursue. Her efforts have garnered widespread adulation. In February, Moody was also named a Star Teacher for Newton County.

“A Star Student gets to pick you, and then he, the star student who picked me, had the highest SAT score, and he had to get up in front of everyone and tell them why he picked me.” In his speech, the student shared that Moody was the one who believed in him when he struggled to believe in himself. He credited her with giving him the courage to push beyond his comfort zone and strive for more. “And now he’s going off.

I mean, he was a Star Student, and now he’s going off to do aerospace, and I’m just a little ELA teacher over here, just because I thought, ‘Hey, you’re good at this. You should do this,’” Moody said. “He finally built enough courage and

confidence in himself. It’s just so much more than teaching him how to pass a test or reading a play out loud in class.”

Moody continues to call Social Circle home, where she lives with her husband and their 2-year-old daughter. Interestingly enough, her journey to the Newton County School System was sparked by a neighbor who was not only a fellow educator but also a former “Teacher of the Year.” The encouragement led Moody to apply for a position at Newton College and Career Academy. Five years after she taught her first class, one particular message still hangs on her wall—a letter from a student that continues to reaffirm her purpose.

“She wrote, ‘Thank you for believing in me when nobody else did. I wouldn’t be here without you,’” Moody said. “That note serves as a constant reminder that I am exactly where I’m meant to be. On the hardest days, when I feel overwhelmed, I look at it and remember the impact a teacher can have. You never truly know the difference you’re making in someone’s life.”

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Stories by Michelle Floyd

Different Strokes

Emily Burnham and Chase Tedder put their talents to use through Our Art Adventures, transforming storefronts with vibrant window art in Covington and neighboring communities.

by MICHELLE FLOYD

Many businesses throughout Newton County have expanded and enhanced their décor over the last several years, looking beyond their interiors to their storefronts. Unique paintings on glass windows are now commonplace.

Several local artists have broadened their canvas and mural work to offer these types of services, as they add a touch of personal character around entryways. Lifelong resident Emily Burnham started Our Art Adventures alongside boyfriend Chase Tedder in 2023. The couple had hoped to take over another business—In the Light Artistry—from her father and stepmother, who were not painting as many windows as they had in the past.

“I thought, ‘I’ll pick it up,’ since I like art and I like painting,” said Burnham, a graduate of Eastside High School and the University of Georgia, where she majored in film studies and minored in studio art and art history. She worked part time at Covington’s Butcher Block Deli over the years, so she started painting the windows there and went on to service Stalvey’s, its sister restaurant just down the road on U.S. 278. “She made me aware of her artistic ability, and we agreed on what visions

we had,” said business owner Sharon Stalvey, who has enlisted the skills of various artists over the years. “She’s got the insight when I tell her what I’m thinking. She’s a fantastic artist, and I couldn’t be happier.”

Burnham sought Tedder’s assistance to aid with designs since he also enjoyed art and grew up with a creative spirit like hers.

“I didn’t really paint. I usually just sketched and drew, so it was out of my comfort zone a little bit in the beginning,” said Tedder, who also graduated from Eastside but did not meet Burnham until they started dating earlier in 2023. “She guided me through it.”

Burnham learned some window painting tips and techniques from her parents, as well as fellow window artist Alex Norwood, who was not taking on as many projects and offered a workshop for aspiring artists. She then taught Tedder—whose father often drew and whose mother worked as a graphic designer at one point—what she had learned so he could provide her with the help she needed.

“We can freestyle,” said Burnham, who also works at local ophthalmologist Dr. Bradley Jacoby’s office. “We try to keep it fun and interesting.”

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“We get to be creative in it. We just want to share our creativity with people and make people happy with the completed work.”

Emily Burnham

60 The NEWTON Community Magazine

The couple has painted window fronts for Kellye Personal Fitness in Covington and LadyLike Boutique in Monticello, as well. They most enjoy painting characters from the beloved Peanuts series. “Besides Snoopy, I’d have to say Lucy is my favorite character,” Burnham said. “I love the more girly outfits, the dresses, and I love her hair. Chase loves painting Woodstock, and he really enjoyed getting to paint Peppermint Patty this past Christmas.” They like putting their own touch on things to tie it to the business. At Kellye’s, they put muscle arms on a snowman and dressed up Butcher Block’s July 4 theme with various pet dog characters and hot dogs. In addition, they have created window art with simple flower borders, multi-colored inspirational words and Christmas designs and other holiday-themed patterns.

“I like being able to create our own thing,” Tedder said.

Burnham explained that they usually meet with clients first to get their vision and discuss some ideas, then sketch out a plan and figure out if they need to incorporate different window panels and other building elements into their designs.

“It takes us anywhere between two and four days depending on the amount of windows and the artwork we’re painting,” Burnham said. “We’re a lot faster at it than we were when we started, but the weather also plays a hand in our painting, so that affects the time, as well.” Sometimes, they look online for inspiration but like to make the artwork their own with unique colors, additions and styles.

“We get to be creative in it,” said Burnham, who has a background in set design and also enjoys photography. “We just want to share our creativity and make people happy with the completed work.”

Their services extend beyond storefronts, too.

“We’d love to get a few more businesses to paint, but we’d totally be up for painting things besides windows,” Burnham said. “We could paint murals or create art of other forms for businesses and individuals. We actually have taken on a few little projects recently. We tried our hand at craft paper banners because they’ve become very popular. They can be made for birthdays, showers, weddings and other events.”

To book Our Art Adventures contact them through their business Facebook page or via email at chase.emily.art@gmail.com.

2025 Spring Issue 61

LIVING

Stories by David Roten

Leigh Canada fostered and later adopted a 4-year-old girl in 2004, providing her with a loving home where she excelled in gymnastics until her unexpected death at the age of 18. Inspired by her daughter’s vibrant spirit, Canada founded Emonie’s Closet, transforming her grief into a non-profit that grew from her garage into a mobile clothing unit for foster kids and others in need.

by DAVID ROTEN

It was an all too familiar story. Five-plus foster homes in three years had led to a life of uncertainty and upheaval for a little girl just needing a family to call her own. Maybe it would be different the next time. Leigh Canada had already made the decision to foster a child, and in 2004, she opened her heart and her home to 4-year-old Emonie. “When she first came, she barely had anything—just minimal clothes, a red dress, shoes that were too small,” she said. “She was still a very bright, fun-loving child, but you could see how much her soul had been broken, even as a 4-year-old.” Canada and Emonie “adopted each other” two years later.

“I always called her my ‘Skittle baby,’” Canada said. “She was so full of life and colorful and flavorful and just put smiles on people’s faces.” Emonie took up gymnastics at age 5, and by the time the family of two had moved to Georgia, she excelled at the sport, eventually competing as a tumbler at the United States Junior Olympics as a 14-year-old.

Emonie was training to be a gymnastics teacher when, at age 18, she died unexpectedly. There were questions as Canada worked through her grief. “It took me about a year to figure life out a little bit,” she said. “You’re just not sure what to do, as a parent losing a child and keeping their clothes and stuff

68 The NEWTON Community Magazine

like that.” She was certain she wanted to honor her daughter by “finding a way to do good.” Knowing Emonie’s love for kids and their shared experiences with foster care, Canada decided to start a non-profit that would provide clothes to foster children. She would call it Emonie’s Closet.

Growing up in small-town West Medford, Massachusetts, Canada had learned from her mother the importance of giving back to the community. From her father, she acquired a knack for entrepreneurship. Together, these values and skills, along with a near four decades-long career with AT&T as a project manager, would serve her well as she prepared to launch this special non-profit.

In 2019, the year after Emonie’s death, Canada surveyed her small home. “There’s no way I can stock a clothing closet here,” she concluded. Canada then sold her house and bought a bigger one. “I converted my garage into—literally—a closet,” she said.

Donated clothes were organized by size and gender, and foster kids and parents were invited in for a free “shopping experience,” as Canada calls it. Emonie’s Closet was officially open for business.

When asking for donations initially, Canada struggled to tell the still painfully fresh story of why she started Emonie’s Closet. However, she came to realize that if the non-profit was

to be successful, she would need to “pivot” from treating it like a personal mission to running it more like a business. “It was telling the story and humbling myself to say, ‘Hey, I need help,’” she said, “so I was able to bring that wall down and welcome people into Emonie’s Closet.” Her self-talk mandate was clear: “You need volunteers. Let’s do this. Let’s expand.”

As donations increased, so did the need for space. “I was growing out of the garage,” Canada said. When recipients were unable to come to her, as was often the case, she would determine size and preference, pack her car with clothes and deliver them.

Still, Canada wanted to do more. “I wanted to expand and be more mobile,” she said. Finally, in 2024, she was able to accomplish both objectives. “Through donations and working hard, I was able to get the mobile clothing closet,” she said. The exterior of the converted step van is a vibrant kaleidoscope of color.

A silhouette of Emonie performing a one-handed handstand, 2025 Spring Issue 69

LIVING

an image captured by her mom at the beach, serves as a fitting logo.

Inside, a brightly lit sign hangs prominently on the wall: “Closet of Champions,” a sentimental nod to her gymnast daughter and an encouraging visual for those ascending the steps to receive free clothes. For those lacking the means to dress well, a new set of clothes can be a much-needed boost in self-esteem and confidence.

“Our mission is to help lift a person’s life through clothes,” Canada said. Though her initial focus was on foster kids, the door to Emonie’s Closet has opened much wider. “I don’t say no, if someone needs clothes,” she said, “whether they’re in foster care or not.”

Though Canada still accommodates one-on-one requests, she has seen the impact of Emonie’s Closet multiplied through participation in various events held throughout several metro counties, including Newton, Rockdale and Walton. While other sources supply backpacks and school supplies at “Back-to-School” events, Canada meets a different need. “We take racks of clothes, and kids are able to pick them out the first day of school,” she said.

“Our mission is to help lift a person’s life through clothes.”

Leigh Canada

70 The NEWTON Community Magazine

“It’s usually like three pairs of pants, five shirts, new socks, something like that.” Schools and parks serve as venues for “Dress for Success” events where Canada often collaborates with other non-profits who offer resume and job interview workshops.

In 2024, Canada partnered with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office to supply work clothes for graduates of its work-release program. After Canada’s brother, Bryan, a truck driver, died in 2020, Emonie’s Closet used dedicated donations to fund a CDL scholarship program at Georgia Piedmont Technical College in his honor.

Canada has major plans for the future.

“We have the ‘Shopping Experience’ program,” she said.

“Now I want to take that to the next level through partnering with other non-profits to incorporate vocational training programs.” When asked what she needs to get there, she quipped, “Volunteers are good. Donations are better.” Canada will be “thinking outside the box” in 2025, as she looks for additional streams of income to fund her vision. Plans are

underway to utilize the mobile closet for “Emonie’s Dress-Up Dream Parties,” where, for a fee, “kids [will] dive into a magical experience where they dress up, create memories and celebrate in style.” A portion of the proceeds from Canada’s Leighism Aromatherapy company already goes to support Emonie’s Closet.

“My purpose has always been about community and serving,” she said.

That has not changed since Canada moved from Loganville to Porterdale in 2023. She loves the small-town feel and the “bones of stories” its historic buildings embody. When not in use, the mobile “Closet of Champions” sits parked alongside three 20-foot clothing storage containers on a donated parcel

of land in downtown Porterdale—Canada’s base of operations.

She knows her daughter would be proud of her for finding her way through grief to serve others. It was perhaps her second year in business when Canada at last decided to take Emonie’s personal clothes and add them to the Closet.

“When I first noticed a child pick up her sneakers, it warmed my heart,” she said. “I didn’t get sad or depressed. I was just like, ‘Ok, they picked something of Emonie’s.’ It made me feel like the choice I made was the right one.”

For information on Emonie’s Closet, visit emoniescloset.org.

2025 Spring Issue 71

LIVING

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Stories by Kari Apted

‘Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.’ The famous quote from the film ‘Forrest Gump’ defines Daisy Latimore’s journey from New York to Georgia, from office worker to chocolatier. She welcomes the surprise inside each new bite of life.

by KARI APTED

For those who take the time to leave an Instagram review for The Chocolate Box, Daisy Latimore has just one request: Please remember to mention the chocolate. “People are always leaving comments about my customer service, which is fine, but could somebody please talk about this wonderful chocolate?” she asked with a laugh.

A firm believer that chocolate makes everything better, she has worked hard to create her own specialties, as they bear cool names like Coco Nilla and Salty Dog. Her handmade peanut butter cups practically have a cult following. Though the chocolate can be described as decadently delicious, it is easy to see why reviewers zero in on the customer service skills of its creator. Her vibrant personality and wide smile immediately make people feel at home, as does her request to call her by her first name only.

“The way I run my business is interesting. I talk to every single customer,” Daisy said. “I was amazed by how many people said they don’t eat chocolate themselves but still come

in to support my business. I actually had the opportunity to interfere with two people who were going to commit suicide.

That was amazing. I don’t even know how it happened. It was more of a ministry than a store.”

Daisy’s store on Pace Street closed in June after the owners decided to sell the building. “I already wanted to go mobile,” she said. “That just confirmed it.” It marked the end of 14 years of operating a storefront—12 years in Conyers and two in Covington—but the beginning of a whole new endeavor. Some might call Daisy’s enthusiasm over her new Chocolate Box to Go business contagious. She plans to have more than one truck, with the first one being more colorful, intended for festivals, schools and children’s events. “This one will be nothing but fun,” she said. The other will boast a more sophisticated design and elegant presentation, including chocolate fountains. She has already taken her business mobile many times, most recently to a gym on Valentine’s Day. “We didn’t know how well I would do,” she said, “but I made several different dark chocolate items 2025 Spring Issue 73

LIVING

“The way I run my business is interesting. I talk to every single customer.”

Daisy Latimore

74 The NEWTON Community Magazine

with nuts, including a nutty bar with six different nuts on it.”

Her booth stayed busy all day, verifying her belief that people view chocolate as a good reward for anything. Daisy’s unexpected success selling chocolate at the gym aligns with her story.

“That’s the way my life is set up: surprise, surprise, surprise,” she exclaimed, raising her hands in the air. Though she was born and raised in New York, Daisy’s father was from the small Georgia town of Tennille, and she had fond memories of spending summers down south. She decided to start over again in Georgia 33 years ago. “I was separating from my husband and my job, and I thought, ‘This is the prime time to do it,’” she said.

“At the time, I only knew one person in Georgia, and she was 82 years old.”

On the drive to Atlanta, Daisy serendipitously stopped at a Blimpie, where a worker connected her to an available apartment in Lithonia. She was hired at Harland in Conyers and fell in love with the area. When she was ready to buy a home,

her realtor warned her that she was unlikely to find one in her budget with all the amenities she sought. Daisy found a house listed in the newspaper, and when she walked in, she knew she was home.

“It had everything I asked for: a fireplace, a two-car garage, a garden tub, a basement,” she said. “I bought that house in September [and] lost my job in December but somehow never lost the house.”

As a next step, Daisy took a business development class at Goodwill. Her first idea was a balloon business, but that proved unfeasible. “My sister taught me how to make lollipops,” she said, “and that’s how I started with candy.” Daisy began making gift baskets in 2000 and continued learning how to create different items, and by the time she opened her first store in Conyers, she carried 34 different homemade candies. Daisy’s involvement with Goodwill continued through the years, as she won the organization’s Triumph Award and, later, its Battle of

the Biz competition. She has also served as a Goodwill youth internship site and enjoys sharing what she has learned with future entrepreneurs. Daisy has won several community choice awards and plans to continue her school and library programs, where she rewards students with complimentary candy after they earn all As and Bs or read a certain number of books. She will also continue teaching candy-making classes by traveling to groups instead of having them come to a store. Daisy attributes her ever-positive attitude to one simple act of faith.

“If you think your steps are ordered by the Lord, then they are,” she said. “That makes it easy to say ‘OK’ to whatever life presents you.”

Contact Daisy by texting or calling 770-679-5288, emailing thechocolateboxtogo@gmail.com, visiting “The Chocolate Box To Go” on Instagram or “The Chocolate Box Covington” on Facebook.

2025 Spring Issue 75

FOOD

What’s Cooking

W H AT ’ S CO O K I N G

Jorge Rodriguez’s Colombian Breakfast

by WENDY RODRIGUEZ

While some of my peers woke up to the smell of bacon, eggs and toast on Saturdays, my parents greeted us with the comforting aroma of a traditional Colombian breakfast: flavorful huevos pericos, cheesy arepas and rich hot chocolate. For my dad, cooking is more than just a daily task. It’s an expression of love—a way he shows his care and even a means of reconnecting with my mom as they work together to prepare and plate each meal. “What inspires me to cook is the love for my family and the memory of my Colombian roots, along with its delicious traditional dishes,” he said. “I also love being able to share our delicious cuisine with other cultures.” These Saturday mornings were more than just meals. They were cherished family gatherings where we shared the latest news and talked about our plans for the week ahead. While we didn’t have the opportunity to visit Colombia and experience its delicious cuisine firsthand, my parents ensured that our home was filled with the flavors of their heritage, instilling in us a deep appreciation for our culture and the importance of family unity.

INGREDIENTS (CHEESY AREPAS) • 2 cups of water • 1 teaspoon of salt • 2 cups of corn flour • ½ small teaspoon of sugar • 1 teaspoon of cornstarch • Butter to taste • 1 teaspoon of baking powder • Mozzarella cheese to taste

76 The NEWTON Community Magazine

DIRECTIONS Mix all cheesy arepas ingredients together in a large bowl.

Knead until well combined and a soft dough forms. Form dough into balls the size of a mandarin. Place each ball between two sheets of plastic wrap and flatten with a rolling pin to the desired thickness. Spray a griddle with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook arepas on the hot griddle until golden brown, about five minutes per side.

Serve immediately.

INGREDIENTS (HUEVOS PERICOS) • 2 Eggs • Olive oil • Chopped green onion • Salt to taste • Chopped tomato to taste DIRECTIONS Crack the eggs into a bowl. Beat eggs with a fork for a minute.

Heat up a skillet over medium heat with olive oil. Then add the tomatoes and scallions/green onions. Cook the tomatoes and scallions for a few minutes, then add the eggs. Mix. Let the eggs sit for a few seconds then use a spatula to gently lift the cooked eggs from the bottom of the skillet, letting the runny part coat the bottom. Continue until all the eggs are cooked. This should take around five minutes.

“My parents ensured that our home was filled with the flavors of their heritage.”

Wendy Rodriguez

2025 Spring Issue 77

FOOD

LOVE IS LOVE COOPERATIVE FARM We are a certified organic, worker-owned cooperative farm providing produce, flowers and vegetable, herb and edible flower seedlings for our community through our plant sales and subscriptions to our community supported agriculture group.

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Sun - Mon: Closed Tues - Thurs: 11am - 8pm Fri: 11am - 9pm Sat:11am - 3pm

POPPIN’ STOP (COVINGTON)

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Indulge in the extraordinary, where every kernel is a masterpiece.

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THE MEAT HOUSE

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We take pride in procuring the very finest meats, so you can taste the quality in every meal you make.

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For more information visit www.that50sdiner.com/private-events

78 The NEWTON Community Magazine

THE BUTCHER BLOCK DELI

(770) 787-2003

Join us for your next meal. We offer sandwiches, salads, soups, quesadillas and much more. We use only the best ingredients that will keep you coming back again and again.

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