2019 Spring Issue

community magazine 2019 SPRING ISSUE

2019 SPRING ISSUE

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F E AT U R E S

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8 On the Wings of the Wind 12 ‘For I Was Hungry, and You Fed Me’ 16 From Omaha Beach to Oxford, a Man for All Seasons

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H E A LT H & WELLNESS

20 When the Routine Becomes a Crisis 24 Trailblazers

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ARTS, E D U C AT I O N & I N N O VAT I O N 30 Growing Knowledge 34 Sharing a Love of Learning

EDITOR

Brian Knapp PHOTOGRAPHERS

Brian Dean Michie Turpin CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Kari Apted Michelle Floyd Nat Harwell Darrell Huckaby Patty Rasmussen David Roten Abby Taylor ILLUSTRATOR

Scott Fuss PUBLISHERS

Meredith & Scott Tredeau 770-788-6795 info@thenewtoncommunity.com

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SPORTS & R E C R E AT I O N 40 Diamond King 44 World Traveler

DIRECTOR OF SALES

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LIVING

48 The Cream Rises to the Top 52 Raising Hope 56 Porterdale Hotel:

Once the Center of Georgia’s Culinary Universe

Glenn Dowling 404-416-3198 sales@thenewtoncommunity.com

For subscription information, visit: thenewtoncommunity.com/subscribe/

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.

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On the Cover

A MONARCH WORTH PROTECTING

by DAVID ROTEN

PUBLISHERS’ NOTE

Did you know that the newton (symbol: N) is the scientific international unit of measurement for force? (It’s named after Isaac Newton, the scientist known for his theory of gravity and three laws of motion.

You know, the apple-on-the-head-eurekamoment story.) A fitting name for a community with the ability to be a force for good, don’t you think? The late Coretta Scott King, wife of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., once said that a community’s greatness is measured by the compassionate actions of its members. Compassion literally means to suffer together. It’s the feeling you get when faced with another’s suffering and you feel inspired to act to relieve their pain.

By Mrs. King’s metric, we’d say the Newton community definitely measures up. We’ve seen our beloved community—as many of you surely have, as well—come together time and again in collective acts of compassion, inspired by concern for others in their time of need and a desire to ease their pain and suffering. There’s no force for good greater than a community filled with kindness and compassion.

Fragile, beautiful and fleeting, butterflies speak to us of our own existence. Lighter than air, they appear for a moment and then are gone, we know not where.

Butterflies for eons have delighted children and poets alike. Their story of humble beginnings and glorious transformation inspires hope that we, too, can change and grow into something wonderful and good. It is a story worth telling, and the butterfly is a living, breathing reminder of its message.

Two of Newton County’s finest people are on a mission to ensure the story continues to be told through the North American monarch, a species of butterfly currently threatened with extinction (see full story, page 8). Other pollinator species are also endangered for various reasons— a cause for grave concern, as pollination is essential to the reproduction of most

Spring is in the air. The days are getting longer and warmer, birds are singing and flowers are blooming. We hope you enjoy this issue and its season, marked by new beginnings, growth and renewal; and we hope that you are uplifted and inspired as you read stories of people—your friends, neighbors and coworkers—being a force for good here in our community. Let’s meet each day with eyes and hearts wide open, practice acts of compassion and together be a force for even greater good.

Thank you, and may God bless you.

Scott and Meredith Tredeau

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COVER PHOTO CREDIT: RYAN CARPENTER

edible plants. The issues are complex, but there are steps that can be taken to improve the monarch’s chances for survival.

Even seemingly small factors can have a big impact. This is precisely the assertion of the “Butterfly Effect,” which, simply stated, is the theory that a small change in one place can have lasting effects elsewhere.

Personal experience and empirical data seem to validate that claim, especially when that small change is multiplied into many small changes. Such is the hope of monarch butterfly conservation groups and individuals like David Waller and his wife, Connie. “We’re doing it one monarch at a time and one person at a time,” she said.

If something as light and airy as a butterfly can help feed the human body and soul, is it such a stretch to believe humankind could make a difference and perhaps return the favor?

F E AT U R E S “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”

Coretta Scott King

PHOTO CREDIT: ERIC WARD

PHOTO CREDIT: ERIN WILSON

by DAVID ROTEN

With steps now being taken to add monarch butterflies to the Endangered Species List due to habitat loss and other factors, Connie and David Waller have made conservation efforts involving the beautiful but complex pollinators a life’s mission.

Connie Waller wondered aloud in the moment she first became aware of the unique migration of the North American monarch butterfly: “How could I have not known this?” The former director of Keep Covington/ Newton Beautiful just happened to be watching a PBS program on the subject. “David and I have both been in the science field all of our lives,” she said, referring to her husband of 47 years. “I’m thinking, ‘I grew up on a farm. How could I not know this?’

I was absolutely fascinated.”

When later that same week the topic of monarch butterfly conservation came up at two seemingly unrelated social gatherings, Connie waved the white flag. “The whole week was nothing but monarch butterflies,” she said. She went home and told her husband what “little bit” she had learned. “David was so excited that I was excited about this subject,” she said. Their newly

shared interest soon led them on a journey that eventually took them to a remote mountain range in central Mexico.

It was not until 1975 that a Canadian zoologist tracked down the monarch in the oyamel fir forests of the Sierra Madre Mountains and its extraordinary seasonal migration was discovered. Each year, beginning in the fall, monarchs east of the Rocky Mountains and as far north as Canada utilize air currents to travel up to 3,000 miles southward to Mexico. Monarchs west of the Rockies migrate to the southern California coast. Their arrival en masse is a magical display of color and graceful movement. The “self-propelled flowers” eventually land on branches and bark, blanketing trees in orange and black.

Having survived the epic southern migration and the long winter, these butterflies then begin the return flight northward. Females immediately begin looking for milkweed on which to lay their eggs, one generation making way for the next. From egg to 2019 SPRING ISSUE

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caterpillar to adult butterfly, Generation One, as it is called, takes up the march. Feeding on nectar plants and mating as they go, these monarchs make it about one-fourth of the way before laying eggs and dying. This life cycle and flight pattern is repeated with each generation until Generation Four completes the journey.

This so-called “super generation” then starts the whole process over as summer gives way to fall and monarchs once again flutter south on the wings of the wind.

Yet trouble looms large on the horizon as fewer and fewer of the flying insects are appearing. In fact, the North American monarch population has declined to the point that efforts are now underway to add them to the Endangered Species List; and it is not only the monarch that is threatened but other pollinators, as well. According to the National Wildlife Federation, “the monarch’s decline is an indicator of the habitat decline and stress that all pollinators are facing.” Since most plants depend on pollinators to reproduce, there is increasing concern that the earth’s food supply could, at some point, be compromised. It is a big—and complicated—problem.

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation lists loss of habitat, herbicide-resistant crops, pesticide use and climate change as reasons for the dramatic drop in the number of monarchs. While government agencies and the private sector slowly sort out solutions and who is responsible for what, conservation groups and individuals are doing what they can. Much of the conservation effort is directed toward expanding habitat by encouraging the planting of pollinator gardens.

That is good news for the monarch, and it is how the Wallers first got their hands dirty. They planted their own pollinator garden, including milkweed, the only host plant that the monarch PHOTO CREDIT: JULIE NORTH larvae will eat. “If you plant it, they will come,” David said. So they planted ... and planted some more, installing gardens at their church, as well as on a golf course. As president of the Satsuki Garden Club, Connie has led that group to put in pollinator gardens at a local school and at Academy Springs Park, with plans to do more. The Wallers also conduct educational programs and seminars for schools, civic groups and just about anyone wishing to learn about monarch butterflies and conservation.

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Their zealous commitment to the cause has earned them the distinctive title “Butterfly Blooming Idiots”—an honor conferred on them by a close friend. “David and I decided if we were going to be involved in this, we were going to go whole hog,” Connie said. That decision has resulted in a joint personal pursuit to learn all they can about the monarchs and to do all they can to help them survive.

To that end, they have traveled to the National Butterfly Garden in Mission, Texas, and attended symposiums at the Rosalyn Carter Butterfly Trail in Plains; they have witnessed the spectacular winter gathering of tens of millions of monarchs in Mexico; and they have learned from national conservation groups like Monarch Watch and the North American Butterfly Association. However, perhaps their greatest resource has been their mentor, Virginia Linch—a woman David calls “a wealth of information.”

She is the project director of Butterflies and Blooms in the Briarpatch, a non-profit conservation organization and garden located in Eatonton. “She’ll tell you exactly what to plant, what to do [and] what not to do,” David said.

Knowing what to do when it comes to butterfly conservation is critical. The Wallers found that out the hard way when they planted the host plant for another species of butterfly, the Black Swallowtail, in their front yard. The plants attracted egg-laying butterflies as hoped, but the caterpillars that hatched quickly died. The reason: The host plants had grown from seeds treated with pesticides.

“You have to use organic seed, or you have to buy from an organic grower,” David said. “You have to be very selective with where you get your plants, or you can do more harm than good.”

Though the monarch population has declined to dangerously low levels over the past 20 years, there are reasons to hope the tide could be turning. In 2018, for the first time since such measurements began, there was a 144-percent increase over the previous year. It is perhaps too early to tell what impact conservation efforts have had, as scientists are attributing the increase to ideal weather conditions.

The Mexican government has also been working to stop the loss of habitat there by taking actions to protect the remaining oyamel fir forests. International and United States conservation groups continue to be engaged in the battle through education, political activism and through providing resources to people who want to help.

David, a retired wildlife biologist, remains hopeful because of wildlife recovery efforts that have been successful in the past, citing the rejuvenation of wild turkey and bluebird populations in Georgia. He has ambitious plans to work with power and natural gas companies in the near future to see if milkweed could be planted along their extensive right of ways.

The Wallers have been involved in almost every phase of monarch conservation, from growing milkweed and nectar plants and raising butterflies in a protective cage to catching and tagging adult butterflies and showing and telling others how and why monarch butterfly conservation is so important. Their ultimate goal is to help recover the monarch population and keep it off the Endangered Species List.

“We’re doing it one monarch at a time and one person at a time,” Connie said.

Their devotion to monarch preservation is indicative of the broader love they both have

for nature. Depending on who you ask, Connie either “follows after” or is “dragged behind” David on their many outdoor adventures.

“We’ve been down to the Amazon, stomped in the jungle, bird watching and seeing monkeys [and] put [our] hands in the mouth of a gray whale,” David said with a laugh.

They hope to see the annual Synchronous Fireflies Phenomenon this summer in the Great Smoky Mountains, where the females cover the ground and males fly overhead, all blinking in time.

They plan to take their six grandchildren, ages 3 to 15, along with them. Just the two of them? “Just the two of us,” David said with a grin. “We do crazy stuff like that.”

Funds raised from the Satsuki Garden Club’s “Christmas Tour of Homes” on Dec. 5 will go toward continuing efforts to expand the habitat for butterflies, including the monarch.

“We’re doing it one monarch at a time and one person at a time.”

Satsuki Garden Club President Connie Waller

PHOTO CREDIT: CHRIS KEATS

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‘FOR I WAS HUNGRY, AND YOU FED ME’

by KARI APTED

Pastor Clara Lett lives out Matthew 25:35-36 through Rainbow Covenant Ministries and the work she performs with The Garden of Gethsemane Homeless Shelter in Covington.

Glance around the neatly manicured Covington Square, and you probably will not see them. They are there, however, and their faces might be familiar. It could be the cute guy you sat next to during math class, or your co-worker’s sister. They may be strangers, people you never met who came here chasing the dream of an easier life in Georgia. They are day laborers patching together enough money for a week at a cheap motel, families sofa-surfing between friends and sleeping in their car when the welcome wears out.

There are no tent cities in Newton County, no cardboard dwellings beneath the I-20 bridges. It is easy to assume that homelessness is not something that affects the rural and suburban counties this far

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east from Atlanta. However, this area’s invisible homeless population is real—and growing. According to data published by the United States Census Bureau, approximately 14 percent of the population in Newton and neighboring counties lived at or below the federal poverty line in 2017. If even just one percent of these individuals are homeless today, that translates to nearly 500 local people without a place to sleep tonight.

Since 2001, Pastor Clara Lett, of Rainbow Covenant Ministries Inc., has been tackling the local homelessness problem head-on. Born and raised in Newton County, Lett has led Rainbow Covenant Ministries for over 25 years. The Garden of Gethsemane Homeless Shelter began as an extension of the church’s Rainbow Community Center. As the center provided meals and tutoring to underprivileged youth, the extent of the homelessness problem

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“My mama used to say, ‘You’d take your head off and give it to someone,’ because I just always liked to help people. I like hands-on work. Honestly, I don’t know what else I would do with my life.”

Rainbow Covenant Ministries Founder Pastor Clara Lett

became evident to Lett. Eventually, classrooms in the basement of Rainbow Covenant Church were converted into dormitories for homeless women and children, and homes were leased to provide men’s housing. Now located in a complex of buildings at 7133 Turner Lake Circle, the shelter has room for up to 82 men, women and children. With 74 current residents, the shelter is operating at near capacity.

Lett is most comfortable when she serves others.

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“My mama used to say, ‘You’d take your head off and give it to someone,’ because I just always liked to help people,” she said with a laugh. “I like hands-on work. Honestly, I don’t know what else I would do with my life.”

Her legacy becomes evident for anyone who chooses to look, as several of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren regularly volunteer at the shelter.

Lett also serves as a chaplain at Piedmont Newton Hospital. Although certain stereotypes persist about homelessness, there is no one “type” of person that comes through the shelter. It is currently a temporary home to small children, young parents, the middle-aged and retired adults of many races and backgrounds. The oldest resident is an 87-year-old widow.

“There is a real elderly housing problem in our community,” Lett said. “People shouldn’t have to live their last years in a shelter, but it happens. If I could just get the image out of people’s minds that everybody in a shelter is there because of alcohol or drug abuse. We get the most wonderful people here, educated people, church people, good people who are just having a hard time.”

The shelter serves applicants referred from agencies in Newton, Rockdale, Jasper, Butts, Walton and Morgan counties and provides three types of sheltering services: (1) Emergency sheltering for families and individuals for 30 days, (2) transitional sheltering for six months to one year, depending on the situation and (3) 90-day sheltering for non-violent offenders released from a criminal corrections institution, facilitating their re-entry to society.

The Garden of Gethsemane complex includes laundry facilities, an exercise room, a library and a computer room. The shelter hosts weekly life skills classes, job readiness training and Celebrate Recovery classes to help residents heal from the past and prepare for their next step in life.

“I don’t want this to be just a place to lay your head,” Lett said. “I want it to be a place of equipping.”

done this for years, but we always need more help in the kitchen.”

Volunteers can help fulfill many of the other daily operation needs at the shelter, including administrative work, security duty, custodial tasks and running the clothes closet. People who need to complete community service hours can work at the shelter to fulfill their probation requirements.

When it is time to transfer out of the shelter, the goodbyes can be difficult for everyone.

“When people find love, they don’t want to separate from it,” Lett said. “They feel safe here; they know they’re OK here.”

Lett draws her biggest blessings when people return to visit her and share how their lives have improved.

“Everybody calls them ‘Pastor Lett’s Babies,’” she said. “I love it when my babies call and let me know they’re OK.”

Although residents must be referred by specific agencies, such as the Division of Family and Children Services, the Salvation Army and police departments, The Garden of Gethsemane serves hot meals to anyone who is homeless. The Community Kitchen prepares three meals a day and welcomes local churches and groups to volunteer.

“We have a calendar and groups that sign up for a specific date each month to come prepare and serve a meal,” Lett said. “We have some groups that have

The shelter welcomes donations of clothing, toiletries, laundry detergent and twin-sized bedding. Currently, the most urgent need is for new or gently used bath towels and washcloths. Financial donations of any amount can be mailed to: The Garden of Gethsemane Homeless Shelter 7133 Turner Lake Circle, Covington, GA, 30014.

To volunteer at the shelter, call 770-787-8519 or email rcmi@bellsouth.net.

Approximately 14 percent of the Newton County population is living in poverty. source: U.S. Census Bureau During the 2016–17 school year, 188 students in Newton County public schools were homeless. source: Georgia Department of Education

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FROM OMAHA BEACH TO OXFORD, A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS

by NAT HARWELL

As a 19-year-old in World War II, John Burson saw the worst of humanity on the beaches of Normandy, France.

In the decades that have followed, the longtime Newton County resident has maintained an unwavering commitment to community service.

World War II was the most tumultuous event of the 20th Century, an epic battle between good and evil during which incredible citizens that contemporary Americans have come to know as The Greatest Generation stepped forward and—through horrific tribulation and sacrifice—saved not only this nation but the entire world from peril.

Millions served in the armed forces, from the day the United States became involved on Dec. 7, 1941 to the final surrender of Germany and Japan in 1945. The estimated total cost in human life around the globe in WWII exceeded 54 million. To put that figure in perspective, it would have equaled the combined population of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi in 2015.

Not long after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, a teenager from what was then extremely rural Walton County determined to do what he considered right and noble. However, his parents were not enthusiastic about his plans to enlist in the military and asked that he instead wait until he was drafted. John Burson was not quite 19 years old at the time, but by coincidence, a trusted friend was home on furlough.

“My parents told me to wait, that when Uncle Sam needed me, he would surely call,” Burson, now 95, said. “I ran it by my buddy, and he agreed that I should wait, and he gave me some advice

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which I followed to the letter, and it stood me well throughout the war. That advice was one, never ever volunteer for anything, two, never complain about anything, [and] three, do your best at whatever you’ve been assigned to do.”

The draft notice called Burson to report to Atlanta’s Fort McPherson one year later in January 1943.

“I had only hoped for two things,” he said with a chuckle. “One was that I not be drafted in the winter when it was cold, and the other was that I would train in a warm climate. So naturally, I was drafted in the dead of winter, and my training base was ... Battle Creek, Michigan.” Assigned to the 428th Military Police Escort Guard, Burson was trained specifically to guard prisoners of war, and his unit’s first assignment was guarding Italian POWs in Indiana. It was quite different from what awaited him in Europe, as the Italians were content in comfortable quarters with good food in the safety of America’s Midwest.

Easter week 1944 saw the 428th ship out to Bridgewater, England. The erstwhile Battle of the North Atlantic had by this time seen the nearcomplete elimination of Germany’s U-boat threat to shipping, so the trip was pleasant.

“We were among the last units to board a converted passenger liner,” Burson said, “so we were berthed near topside in the comparatively roomy areas. It was a smooth voyage.”

As England was bursting at the seams with American troops in the buildup for the Operation Overlord invasion of France, Burson was lodged with an elderly English couple with a spare bedroom. Admonished not to drink their tea or eat their cookies—rationing for the Brits was strict—he tried to invent reasons to decline their repeated invitations for “a spot of tea and a scone.”

“Finally,” he said, “the gentleman told me quite sternly that he would not be offering if he did not mean it, so from that day on, I learned how to properly have ‘a spot of tay,’ as they pronounced it, with them.”

On June 6, 1944, Americans drew the worst assignments of the five beaches in Normandy, France.

It was D-Day. Omaha and Utah were bloodbaths.

Not counting the wounded, allied dead totaled 4,404. It was into this scene that Burson disembarked from his landing craft the next morning. Nothing had prepared him for what he witnessed.

“The first thing I saw was a leg sticking up from a boot,” Burson said, “and then, on the beach, the bodies of the boys were stacked like cordwood.”

The 428th was immediately attached to the U.S. 29th, which had borne the brunt of a vicious defense. Burson’s formidable task was to escort German prisoners from the battles raging inland to the beaches and load them for transport to England. It was not an easy mission, as these were not Italians enjoying their time in Indiana. As the Allied forces made rapid progress, the 428th became attached to the 1st Army, 5th Corps, 5th Armored Division.

When the Germans left Paris, Burson rode in the parade down the famed Champs Elysees before taking more German POWs into custody. The 5th Armored later liberated the country of Luxembourg, and Burson’s unit was there. Before orders slowed them down, they crossed the Mosel River into Germany. Politics were at play and halted the Allied advance.

As his unit arrived in Belgium to rest and refit, Burson received a rare 48-hour pass to Paris. He had not requested it but gladly accepted. “A friend of mine who had been in our unit with me the whole way had been turned into a clerk typist,” Burson said, “and when six passes to Paris were allocated to our unit, he put my name on one of them.” It took two days to reach Paris.

Then the 48-hour pass began, followed by a two-day trek back to Belgium. “We got off the truck,” Burson said, “and were handed a helmet and a rifle and told that there was no such thing as a non-combatant unit now, for the Germans had broken through our lines.”

The Battle of the Bulge had begun. When the bloodiest battle in Europe was over, Burson’s unit was sent to the GermanyCzechoslovakia border to marshal German POWs. However, the toughest assignment was still to come.

“When the war was over, we were sent into Russia to safeguard the German POWs and regular soldiers back to Berlin,” Burson said. “The Nazis had committed such atrocities against the Russian population during their drive to Stalingrad in ’42 that unescorted Germans were being set upon by the Russian civilians and slaughtered wholesale on the spot, so it was our task to get them safely back through Russia and Poland to Berlin.”

At long last, as the demilitarization process took time, Burson in December 1945 embarked at LeHavre, France, aboard a ship destined for Newport News, Virginia. It was no passenger liner, and the dead of winter in the North Atlantic was not a pleasure cruise under any circumstances. However, they reached the 2019 SPRING ISSUE

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United States, and although there was no hoopla like the celebrations photographed in other harbors—see New York—Burson was just glad to be home.

Discharged from the Army on Dec. 15, 1945, he could not wait to return to Walton County and a $15-a-week job at a furniture store. However, the Army veteran’s circumstances changed. Burson was offered a job with the telephone company that paid a whopping $31 weekly, and he met a young woman named Ruth, who became the love of his life. They relocated to Newton County in 1951 and settled in Oxford, where in 2019 they will celebrate an incredible 72 years of marriage. Along the way came three children, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

“As important as John’s wartime service was and is,” Ruth said, “I really believe what he’s done after the war bears mentioning, too.”

Burson’s desire to serve did not end on the day of his discharge. In the decades that followed, he helped organize the Volunteer Fire Department of Oxford and became a charter member of the Oxford Lions Club, which sponsored the creation of the Covington’s Lions Club and Scout Troop 221 in Oxford. Burson served as Scoutmaster for Troop 221 and continued to work with the Boy Scouts for decades. In addition, he performed prodigious work cataloging the Oxford Historical Cemetery and served on the Newton County Board of Education in the locally tumultuous time of the late 1970s and early 1980s, helping guide the school system toward the excellence status enjoyed today.

Burson can truly be considered a man for all seasons, even as he ponders other paths.

“I tell you,” he said with a laugh and an air of seriousness, “on that voyage home from LeHavre, the Atlantic was so rough they had to keep all of us below decks with the hatches battened down, as the sea was breaking over the deck. I was sick as could be, but on the third day, the sea calmed and we were allowed topside for some air. Just as I got to the rail, I saw a passenger ship appear heading due east to France, and I tell you, the sea had been so rough, if I thought I could’ve jumped overboard and made it to that ship, I’d be a Frenchman today.”

Fortunately for the people of Newton County, he came home instead.

“We got off the truck and were handed a helmet and a rifle and told that there was no such thing as a non-combatant unit now, for the Germans had broken through our lines.”

World War II veteran John Burson

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H E A LT H & WELLNESS Top 5 Benefits of Cycling They say you never forget how to ride a bike. Why not climb aboard this spring and have some fun while enjoying the health benefits of cycling? Be sure to get the OK from your doctor first, and don’t forget your helmet.

1 It’s easy on the joints.

2 Pushing pedals provides an aerobic workout.

3 Cycling builds muscle.

4 It can improve how you walk, balance and climb stairs.

5 Pedaling builds bone. source: Harvard Health Publishing

PHOTO CREDIT: ALESSANDRA CARETTO

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

WHEN THE ROUTINE

BECOMES A CRISIS

by KARI APTED

Shortly after undergoing a mammogram, Covington veterinarian Dr. Rhonda Ross was met with a diagnosis no woman wants to hear.

Her breast cancer survival story stands as a testament to the importance of early detection.

When Dr. Rhonda Ross received a message to call her doctor, she immediately felt nervous. The Covington veterinarian knew good test results usually arrive by mail.

The news no one wants to get? That kind arrives by phone.

Ross had undergone a routine mammogram just a few days before, and she had no reason to be concerned about the results. It had been four years since her last mammogram, but she was not part of any high-risk group, and there was no family history of breast cancer. She had no symptoms, no indication that anything was wrong. It was a complete surprise to learn the test had revealed abnormalities. She had to return to her doctor as soon as possible for further testing. After undergoing an MRI and two biopsies, Ross received a diagnosis: Ductal Carcinoma in Situ, high grade.

DCIS occurs when cells that line the milk ducts become malignant but do not

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penetrate through the duct walls. Usually, the malignant cells remain inside the ducts and do not spread to the surrounding breast tissue, blood stream or lymph nodes. However, if left untreated, DCIS can go on to become an invasive form of breast cancer.

“As a doctor, it was shocking and upsetting to hear that I had high-grade carcinoma,” Ross said. “Mammary carcinoma is unfortunately something I deal with in veterinary medicine, as well.

I knew right away the seriousness of this diagnosis, and I was devastated.”

Ross had never been seriously ill or hospitalized before. She is a certified fitness trainer whose hobbies include running, working out, horseback riding and taking her pets to the park. She admits that she and her family were shocked that this could happen to her, and the fact that it did was eye-opening.

“Cancer does not single out any one type of person. It is not biased,” Ross said.

“You never know how strong you are until this happens.”

Ross’ surgeon performed a lumpectomy to remove the cancerous areas, but the results showed that the margins were not clear of malignant cells. Through another biopsy, the surgeon managed to obtain clear margins. A few weeks later, Ross began radiation therapy and a drug called Letrozole, which helps control cancers that are driven by estrogen. Ross had to go for radiation every day for four weeks and will remain on Letrozole for the next five years.

Her prognosis is excellent.

Undergoing cancer treatment brought new opportunities for the pet-parent of four dogs and two cats to understand what

THE ALLERGY TRIFECTA Georgia is known for its severe pollen season in the spring, when—as any Georgian can attest—golden yellow pine pollen covers everything outside. Actually, various kinds of pollen fill the air here starting in spring and lasting until the end of fall, at the time of the first frost.

Lucky us.

The South not only has a longer allergy season, but we have warmer winters, too, which means some plants don’t die or become dormant. Plus, when pollen interacts with air pollution (i.e. smog), the pollen grains explode, making the particles smaller and making it easier for them to get into our eyes and noses.

ALLERGY TRIFECTA

While it’s nearly impossible to avoid pollen completely, you can minimize exposure and symptoms by following a few suggestions.

• Plan outdoor activities appropriately; pollen counts are highest in the morning and drop significantly right after it rains (although mold counts usually spike).

• Avoid cutting grass and being outside while your neighbor cuts his. Otherwise, make sure to wear a mask and goggles to keep pollen out of the nose and eyes.

• Shower immediately following outdoor activities.

• Keep your home and car windows closed, and use the recycled air button on your car’s air conditioner.

• Consider putting a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter in your room. source: Atlanta Asthma and Allergy

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her pets and patients experience when ill.

Although she was already familiar with the drugs used in her procedures, it was enlightening to learn exactly how it felt to be on the receiving end of each treatment.

“I know what the drugs are supposed to do, like local lidocaine, but it was good to actually experience this and confirm it—since my patients can’t tell me,” Ross said, seeing the experience as a silver lining.

“I’ve always been compassionate with the pets in my care, but this has allowed me an even higher awareness of their fear and anxiety. I was scared, like I see my patients so many times, so I could basically better understand and feel what my patients feel.

I especially felt this during the biopsies.”

As a result of her own experiences as a patient, Ross is initiating a fear-free experience in her practice: Ross Animal Hospital and Rehabilitation Center. She hopes to complete the certification process soon.

She has also doubled-down on spreading awareness about the importance of routine medical screening—for humans and animals.

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“I cannot stress enough the importance of regular medical screening. I will never miss again,” she said. “With pets, they age so much faster than us; it is critical to have them checked every six to 12 months.”

Spaying is another important preventive measure for mammary cancer in animals.

“Spaying helps decrease the percentage of mammary tumor development,” Ross said, “as many are hormone-driven.”

Ross credits her supportive boyfriend and her faith for helping get her through this health crisis.

“I am a practicing Catholic, God-fearing.

I asked Him why,” she said. “I went through a moment of self-pity, then realized that God is with me, with us all, and if we believe that, He will take care of us no matter what struggle we face.”

Keeping a positive mental attitude remains a key factor in Ross’ return to good health.

“I am learning to control the stress in my life,” she said, “and to thank God for each day—and remembering to stay in the moment and enjoy life.”

“As a doctor, it was shocking and upsetting to hear that I had high-grade carcinoma. Mammary carcinoma is unfortunately something I deal with in veterinary medicine, as well. I knew right away the seriousness of this diagnosis, and I was devastated.”

Dr. Rhonda Ross

HOW TO SAVE MONEY

BY SAVING WATER CONSERVE WATER THIS SPRING WITH THESE OUTDOOR WATER-SAVING TIPS.

TIP #1

Use a broom. Instead of a hose, use a broom to clean patios, sidewalks and driveways.

TIP #2

Harvest rainwater. Use a rain barrel to collect water from gutters for watering gardens and landscapes.

TIP #3

Don’t overwater. Catch water in an empty tuna can to measure sprinkler output. About an inch of water is enough each time you irrigate.

TIP #4

Adjust your mower blades. Taller grass shades roots and holds soil moisture better than short grass. Adjust your blades to a height of around two inches.

Visit ncwsa.us/conservation-tips to learn more about saving water at home, at work and in the garden.

If walking across your lawn leaves footprints (blades don’t spring back up), then it’s time to water.

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

Trailblazers

by ABBY TAYLOR

The Newton Trails organization has spearheaded efforts to pave the way to a more connected community in Newton County.

If you drive by Mayfield Ace Hardware on a Wednesday morning, you may see Newton Trails Board Chair Greg Richardson and a group of community members gathering, a sense of excitement in the air as they embark on their next hiking adventure. Perhaps you have encountered Richardson and a group of cyclists exploring local trails on a Sunday morning.

Next time you walk the trails near Eastside High School, you might see Jill McGiboney cleaning up, making sure the path is beautiful and safe. Richardson, McGiboney

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and other Newton Trails board members are dedicated to promoting, developing and sustaining a connected system of trails throughout Newton County.

Many of the members donate their time and money to the organization, not only because they see the importance of giving their community a safe space to exercise, but because they believe in the impact these trails have on the wider community beyond their immediate vicinity. Richardson has served on the Newton Trails board for 12 years.

“Well, I’ve always been interested in the outdoors, you know, hiking and cycling, and I have always enjoyed rail trails. Seeing how many have developed around the country is amazing,” Richardson said.

“When I was offered the opportunity to join the board, I jumped at it. I wanted to do my part.”

He has made his love for the organization quite clear. From leading community hikes and bike rides to writing grants, individuals like Richardson are the reason Newton County has a developed trail system and so many outdoor adventure advocates. Newton Trails began in the early 1990s but officially became a non-profit organization in 1997. Since the organization’s beginning, it has taken on a number of projects, which include paving a short walking loop at Porterdale Yellow River Park and securing a grant to build a 4.7-mile trail at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield. However, Newton Trails has bigger plans ahead of it.

The organization in 2015 entered into a lease with Norfolk Southern, giving it 14.9 miles of an abandoned rail line in Newton County. The name of this trail is the Cricket Frog Trail, and it starts on Washington Street, passes just north of The Square, winds through miles of woods and farmland, travels through the center of Mansfield and ends at

“These trails are important to Newton County because it’s a real opportunity to connect the different towns in the community.”

Newton Trails Board Chair Greg Richardson

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Zeigler Road, just west of Newborn. The idea of having a trail that offers such distance lends itself to excitement, but the impact Cricket Frog Trail will have on the community could be profound. Once complete, the trail will connect four of the five cities that comprise Newton County. Richardson has witnessed similar impacts on other communities, like the Atlanta BeltLine.

“These trails are important to Newton County because it’s a real opportunity to connect the different towns in the community,” he said.

The Newton Trails team works to secure funding for paving these paths through grants and Special Purpose Local Option

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Sales Taxes and also is in charge of the upkeep of the trails and planning community events. These include weekly hikes, trail cleanup days and community bike rides.

“I enjoy cleanup days. A lot of times we have to go clean up the trails, cut back the weeds and pick up trash,” McGiboney said.

“They really bring a sense of community to the group.”

Community hikes represent a significant initiative of the organization. Every week, Richardson and other board members lead a group in a nature walk or hike within a two-hour drive of Covington. This helps educate individuals on all the opportunities of hiking and exercising around them.

Richardson indicated that Newton Trails hopes to launch a trail finder on its website to aid visitors in locating the perfect trail for them. What comes next for Newton Trails? The budget continues to focus on the development of the Cricket Frog Trail, but Richardson hopes to see a network of trails connecting Newton County to surrounding areas in the future.

“We are more than one trail,” he said.

To discover more about Newton Trails, how you can get involved or learn about upcoming events, visit the organization’s website at newtontrails.org.

ARTS, E D U C AT I O N & I N N O VAT I O N DID YOU KNOW? Art competitions were once part of the Olympic Games. From 1912 to 1952, the Olympics awarded medals for painting, sculpture, architecture, literature and music—alongside those for the athletic competitions— to original works of art inspired by athletic endeavors.

PHOTO CREDIT: GAYATRI MALHOTRA

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

Growing Knowledge

by MICHELLE FLOYD

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OUR FAVORITE READ-ALOUDS

The Oxford Organic Farm supplies fresh food to the Oxford College dining hall and surrounding areas while providing students with practical lessons on growing and harvesting vegetables.

Those who have driven through Oxford may have missed the Oxford Organic Farm nestled on Hwy. 81, but it nevertheless continues to have a lasting impact on the community. The 11-acre tract sits at 406 Emory Street, just 700 feet from the Oxford College campus. It opened in the fall of 2014, three years after pasture land was given to the school by alumnus Trulock Dickson.

Since then, farmer-educator Daniel Parson has run the operation while living on site. He has more than 20 years of organic growing experience. Before coming to Oxford, Parson worked in wildflower organics for four years in Dawsonville, spent two years managing an organic farm at Clemson University, where he earned his degrees in biological sciences and plant and environmental sciences, five years operating Gaia Gardens in Decatur and five years supplying local restaurants and farmers markets through Parson Produce in Clinton, South Carolina.

Parson, who was named to Mother Nature Network’s “40 Farmers Under 40” list, has taken to life in Oxford, where he now enjoys raising his family.

“It’s a small town where you can get to know so many people. Having the nature trail and quiet streets for running and biking is great,” said Parson, who was also selected as Georgia Organics Land Steward of the Year. “The best thing about the town and college is the people. At the

farm, we get to interact with everyone: administration, faculty, staff and the students. Everyone has a reason to care about the farm because everyone eats.”

Parson treasures interactions with the students.

“They come from all different backgrounds, from growing up on farms to being from the city and never having stepped foot on one,” he said. “It is great to see the satisfaction they have when learning how to grow vegetables and seeing that seed turn into a plant and be harvested.”

When the faculty brings students to the farm from a number of disciplines, they are interested in it for various reasons aside from simply farming. They include social justice, food access, farmworkers’ rights, economics and markets and the environmental issues that concern farming.

“We provide a practical context to what they are learning in their academic discipline, and in doing so, we create experiential learning opportunities,” Parson said, adding that work-study students are on the farm between two and 10 hours per week and oversee everything from planting to harvesting during their two years on campus.

The farm mainly supports the college but has also found a variety of ways to be a part of the Oxford and Newton County communities and beyond. In addition to having a work-study program at the farm and having classes learn about the

Daily reading to kids is a great way to spend time together, and, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it helps build key language, literacy and social skills.

Whether it’s part of the bedtime routine, family reading time, or anytime at all, grab a comfy spot and something from this list of some of our favorite read-aloud books for kids.

CHARLOTTE’S WEB

by E.B. White Ages 8+

BRAVE IRENE

by William Steig Ages 5–8

KNUFFLE BUNNY: A CAUTIONARY TALE

by Mo Willems Ages 3–5

PRESS HERE

by Hervé Tullet Ages 0–3

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operation in a lecture hall or by visiting in person, students and staff mostly get exposure to the farm in the dining hall.

Parson notes that about half of the produce from the farm is sold to the dining hall, mostly during fall semester, including sweet potatoes, greens and other ingredients for the salad bar. Students who work at the farm get to take some with them, and the rest of the crop is sold to the community in Oxford and Atlanta at farmers’ markets and through the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) membership program.

“Sometimes students will pick the food in the morning and see it in the dining hall that afternoon or the next day,” Parson said, adding that the sale of the food to the dining hall and the community goes back to supporting the farm.

“It’s not every day you see a dining hall that gets food from right down the street,” said farm worker Raquel Luna, a first-year student from Orlando, Florida. “As someone interested in health and wellness, I thought working on the farm would be a great opportunity to build healthy habits for myself, as well as contribute to my school and community by providing wholesome, nutritious food.”

According to Parson, there is no such thing as a typical day on the farm.

“Any day, we may have student workers, classes visiting, community members volunteering or visiting, groups from Emory touring or all of the above,” he said.

“Once we hit harvest season, we spend more of our time picking and packing than anything else.”

During harvest season, the week is filled with a variety of tasks, with Mondays and Wednesdays as the big harvest days. The farm delivers to Emory University’s Atlanta campus and participates in the Emory Farmers’ Market on Tuesdays, while those at the farm work on projects.

The farm sells produce at the Oxford Farmers’ Market on the City Green on Emory Street from 3-6 p.m. on Thursdays, from April 25 until the end of daylight saving time in the fall.

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“The best thing about the town and college is the people. At the farm, we get to interact with everyone: administration, faculty, staff and the students. Everyone has a reason to care about the farm because everyone eats.”

Oxford Organic Farm’s Daniel Parson

Fridays are project days. When classes are in session, Fridays are the biggest day for student workers, with sometimes a dozen or more of them working at a time.

“I had no idea how much planning and thought goes into every aspect of maintaining an organic farm,” Luna said. “One time, I got the opportunity to sit in on a meeting about how the staff plans their crop rotation for the year, and it was really fascinating to see all the different aspects that go into consideration when they make these decisions. I think people would be surprised to learn how detail-oriented the farm’s processes are. They really do have it down to a science.”

There are no current plans to expand the farm, which used about three acres to grow 15 tons of vegetables in 2018, but staff members are looking at more ways to provide educational resources for students and also use more individual and group volunteers. Additionally, the farm recently teamed up with the Newton County Theme School’s third grade classes for educational opportunities.

“We continue to grow more each year,” Parson said. “We would like to do more [partnerships] and figure out how to make it work.”

The CSA membership program runs a total of 28 weeks. The season is split into three sections, with a 10 percent discount on sign-ups for the full season.

• Spring: April 25-June 27 for $325 (10 weeks) • Summer: July 11-Aug. 29 for $275 (8 weeks) • Fall: Sept. 12-Nov. 14 for $325 (10 weeks) Local pickups are on Thursdays at the Oxford Farmers’ Market from 3-6 p.m. or by request at the Covington YMCA from 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Visit oxford.emory.edu/csasignup to sign up or get more information.

Email daniel.parson@emory.edu with any questions.

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

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SHARING A LOVE OF LEARNING

by DAVID ROTEN

The STEM Bus Extension Project at the Newton College and Career Academy takes STEM education and projects to students who may not have access to them in their normal school settings.

Bright and articulate, they exude a youthful enthusiasm for that which has bound them together in a common cause: a love of learning. Students at the Newton College and Career Academy STEM Institute in Covington have found a unique way to share that love through the STEM Bus Extension Project. STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math and, generally speaking, refers to an interdisciplinary and applied approach to education.

The purpose of the bus project is to take STEM education and projects to students who may not have access to them in their normal school settings. A repurposed

school bus is literally the vehicle that is taking it to the streets. Once a bright yellow, its new teal exterior is indicative of a dramatic transformation inside.

After more than two and a half years of design, research and development, the eight students who make up the current STEM Bus Extension Project team are rolling out their finished product: a mobile STEM lab.

From conception to completion, the bus project has been driven by STEM students, or “associates,” as they are called. Teachers are “trainers.” Scott Rains, the project lead at the institute, hinted at the rationale behind using the more professional-sounding titles.

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“Part of what we’re doing within our program is we’re giving these kids the opportunity to be managers of a project,” Rains said. “It’s truly like what you would see in a regular work setting where a project is being managed, and the kids are responsible for doing all that. I don’t do it; they do.”

It is called “project-based learning,” and it is intended to prepare students to be successful after graduation, whether in college, a career or the military. The Newton College and Career Academy, the only STEM-certified CCA in Georgia, serves students from all three area high schools— Alcovy, Eastside and Newton. Students from those schools can apply to attend NCCA based on a particular career pathway that is of interest to them. The STEM Institute, which falls under the umbrella of NCCA, provides a unique opportunity for kids that have a special interest in either biotechnology or engineering, according to Rains.

“It’s designed to give kids a hands-on approach to learning,” he said.

In his fifth year as the institute’s coordinator, Rains provides support for students in their various STEM projects

and serves as a liaison for teachers to ensure they have the necessary resources to implement the curriculum. At the STEM Institute, they refute the notion that learning must take place within the confines of the traditional classroom.

“What we said is, ‘Maybe if you give them time to learn, they can do some of that on their own,’” Rains said, “and the goal is: If you give them the opportunity to do that learning, you’re creating lifelong learners. You start building that critical thinker, a problem solver.”

With the support of NCCA Principal Chad Walker, Rains and his team instituted a Flex Days program to provide students with sufficient time and resources to reach their project goals. Students do not go to their regular classes on Flex Days but sign up to be in a particular location based on their needs.

“They get to choose where they’re going to work, who they’re going to work with and what they’re going to work on,” Rains said. “They have this one day a week where they can have access to labs, resources or, for them, the bus.”

“Part of what we’re doing within our program is we’re giving these kids the opportunity to be managers of a project. It’s truly like what you would see in a regular work setting where a project is being managed, and the kids are responsible for doing all that.”

STEM Project Leader Scott Rains

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STEM Bus associates raved over the merits of having a designated day to work on their projects. Associates get one-on-one help, as well as encouragement, from trainers.

“The trainers push us to do better,” senior Elaina Smith said. “I’ll come to Mr. Rains and I’ll say, ‘Ok, I have this,’ and he’ll be like, ‘Ok, what are you going to do next? How do you go even further?’

They just push you higher.”

Flex Days also allow the opportunity for students of different ages to work together, fostering a strong community of mentorship.

“It really is like a family,” junior Corinne Hanson said. “I can depend on my friends here, whether they’re in my grade level or not. It kind of makes you want to go to school. When you have friends and they’re interested in the same things you’re interested in and they all have a general love for what you’re doing, it’s so much easier.”

The STEM Bus Extension Project will launch into the community on April 13 at the Newton County Visitors Bureau. From the time student Alex Lowe had the idea of converting a school bus into a mobile STEM lab to the day it became a reality two and a half years later, there were numerous obstacles to overcome. The county removed perhaps the biggest impediment by donating a retired school bus. Then students applied for—and won—two grants totaling $10,000 from corporate sponsor Ford NGL. After countless hours of work by the team and a generous assist from local business partner SteelCo Buildings Inc., the project is hitting the road.

“The kids did the theoretical side of putting together their vision of what they wanted it to look like,” Rains said, “and SteelCo took [their] drawings and brought [the bus] to life.”

The result is an interior space that is a uniquely designed mobile STEM lab, including workstations for laptops and projects. Initially, students coming on the bus will have the opportunity to choose from about 30 STEM projects.

“A lot of kids think science, technology, engineering and math is so boring,” sophomore Trey Kimble said. “We are bringing projects on the bus to show K-12 students throughout the county [that] it’s fun.”

Rains hopes that local businesses and industry that have STEM-based jobs will participate in the STEM Bus events by showcasing the different types of positions available and the skills needed to hold them.

“The kid that’s a third-grader right now, when they graduate from college, they [will] know what STEM jobs are available in Newton County,” Rains said, “and we’re eventually just going to create a pipeline of students that come back to work here in this community. That’s the hope.”

Soon, these STEM students will be graduating and moving on to the next phase of life. Rains believes—and history confirms—that the STEM Institute is preparing its students well for whatever path they choose.

“It’s getting a kid to say, ‘OK, what do I do when I don’t know what to do?’ and figuring that out,” he said. “What we need more of today is problem solvers. There are lots of problems.

We need more problem solvers.”

SPORTS & R E C R E AT I O N HEAR THE CALL Outside one, outside all, Beneath the trees, cathedral tall!

Swift and slow, young and old, Refresh the body, alert the soul!

Ignite the fire within the heart.

Oh such joy at Chimney Park!

LaTrelle Oliver

PHOTO CREDIT: FRANCISCO GONZALEZ

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

by BRIAN KNAPP

DIAMOND

KING Tim Hyers has traveled an unlikely path, from second-round draft pick out of Newton High School to hitting coach for the World Series champion Boston Red Sox.

Tim Hyers stood on the field at Dodger Stadium on a 72-degree night in October and wondered for a moment if it was all real. He had accepted an offer to become the hitting coach for the Boston Red Sox on Nov. 4, and a little less than 12 months later, he was posing for pictures with the Commissioner’s Trophy—awarded each year to the World Series champion.

It was, in fact, real: The Red Sox had capped a historic 108-win season by reaching Major League Baseball’s mountaintop.

“It was exciting,” Hyers said. “It was just a long ride with a lot of emotions, and when it finally came to an end, we had accomplished all of our goals. It was a great team with a lot of guys you were pulling for. The players believed in each other and just connected. It was one big family, an I-got-your-back-you-got-mine kind of team.”

On a personal level, it was the culmination of a lifetime of hard work that has its roots in Covington. The oldest of three sons born to James and Brenda Hyers, he became a star on the baseball diamond at Newton High School. Hyers was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the second round of the 1990 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft and spent parts of four seasons (1994–96, 1999) in the big leagues with the Padres, Tigers and Marlins. He compiled a .217 batting average with two home runs and 19 runs batted in across 133 career games, walking nearly as many times (27) as he struck out (32).

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Hyers retired following the 1999 campaign, coached for a year in the Tigers’ minor league system and then left baseball altogether. However, he returned as a scout for the Red Sox in 2009 and covered the state of Georgia for four years. Hyers was later hired as Boston’s minor league hitting coordinator, spent time as an interim hitting coach at the major league level and in 2016 accepted a position as assistant hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Then Boston called. When Hyers arrived in Florida for spring training prior to the 2018 season, he was greeted by familiar faces, as men he once coached as minor leaguers now formed the core of what would become a championship team.

It made for a smooth transition.

“It was easier going to the Red Sox because I had been their minor league hitting coordinator for four or five years,” Hyers said. “Every single starter we had, except for two, I coached in the minor leagues, so I was ahead of the game because

I could relate to them. When I showed up the first day, it was just about catching up and seeing where they were at.”

The team was special from Day 1. In Hyers’ first season as hitting coach, Boston led the major leagues in runs scored (876), hits (1,509), doubles (355), batting average (.268), on-base percentage (.339) and slugging percentage (.453). The Red Sox were an offensive juggernaut by every measurable metric, their prolific lineup anchored by a budding superstar in right fielder Mookie Betts, the American League’s Most Valuable Player in 2018. Betts, 26, socked 32 home runs from the leadoff spot, scored 129 runs and with a .346 average became the first Boston player in more than a decade to win a batting title.

“Mookie is one of a kind,” Hyers said.

“He’s an exceptional athlete but also very coachable. He communicates back to you.

He doesn’t have an ego. He understands there are ups and downs, and he’s honest with himself.”

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

NEWTON’S GREAT OUTDOORS Got a case of spring fever and some extra energy to burn? Here are two ways you can get outside and enjoy the extra daylight and mild spring temperatures.

CHIMNEY PARK Miles of walking and biking trails lead to Chimney Park—a whimsical woodland for children and adults of all ages and abilities to enjoy and explore. The park is located behind the Newton County Library on Floyd Street. Be sure and check out one of the park’s signature events—Fairy Houses in May and Twilights in December. chimney-park.com

YELLOW RIVER PARK & WATER TRAIL A gentle float on the Yellow River, stopping at sandbars along the way to play or picnic, is fun for all skill levels and perfect for beginners. Mount Tabor Road (I-20 Exit 88) to the Yellow River Park in Downtown Porterdale is a seven-mile paddle trip (3-4 hours). Nomadic Flow Outfitters in Porterdale offers boat rentals and shuttle service. nomadicflowoutfitters.com

For 81-plus days out of the year, Hyers calls Fenway Park home. It remains one of the most revered venues in all of sports, and he can literally reach out and touch The Triangle, Pesky’s Pole and The Green Monster. Opened on April 20, 1912—less than a week after the RMS Titanic sank in the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean— Fenway Park has played host to many of baseball’s all-time greats, from Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski and Carlton Fisk to Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens and Wade Boggs.

It oozes history.

“It’s an amazing place,” Hyers said.

“When you walk down the street before a game, people are so excited. The atmosphere is like that every game. It’s hard to explain.”

Decades in professional baseball have provided Hyers with a vast reservoir of knowledge upon which to draw as a hitting instructor, his philosophy derived from shared experiences and years of trial and error. During his playing career, he shared locker rooms with some of the game’s most recognizable figures, from Tony Gwynn, Ken Caminiti and Steve Finley to Alan Trammell, Travis Fryman and Cecil Fielder.

They influence him to this day.

“Every hitter is unique,” Hyers said.

“They all swing the bat differently. You have to figure out what works for them. I always try to see it from their perspective.”

With continued success, more lucrative coaching offers figure to come his way.

However, Hyers cannot foresee a situation

“It was just a long ride with a lot of emotions, and when it finally came to an end, we had accomplished all of our goals. It was a great team with a lot of guys you were pulling for. The players believed in each other and just connected. It was one big family, an I-got-your-back-you-got-mine kind of team.”

Boston Red Sox Hitting Coach Tim Hyers

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in which he gives up his role as a hitting instructor for a managerial seat. The married 47-year-old father of three believes he has found his wheelhouse.

“I think hitting is my passion,” Hyers said. “I enjoy the day-to-day battle, studying film, preparing a game plan. It’s what gets me up every morning. I would never say never, but right now, I have no desire to manage.”

Hyers opened his second season with the Red Sox on March 28 in Seattle. He finds humility in the path he has traveled from player to scout to coach and remains grateful to those who helped him light the way.

“I do believe God’s got a plan,” Hyers said.

“It’s so interesting to watch things fall into place. I was out of the game at one point.

It’s nice to reflect on the journey you’ve made and how it all came together.”

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

World Traveler

by BRIAN KNAPP

Nothing—not even a life-altering battle with Crohn’s disease—could stop Erron Maxey from pursuing his dream of playing professional basketball. The 40-year-old has now suited up in 15 different countries.

The steady drumbeat of a dribbled basketball echoes through the Ronald M. Bradley Gymnasium, followed by the occasional crack of a taut net. A few walkers circle the track overhead inside the recreation complex at Turner Lake Park, casting sporadic glances down at a chiseled and finely tuned 6-foot-6 professional athlete making his rounds on the court below. Jump shot after jump shot after jump shot falls, an orange Wilson basketball given the truest of flights from the hands of one Erron Maxey.

The Lake Elsinore, California, native and current Newton County resident enjoyed a productive four-year career at Providence College in Rhode Island, where he scored more than 1,300 career points, emerged as a team captain and led the Friars to a berth in the 2001 NCAA Tournament.

Now 40, Maxey has spent the last 17 years traveling the globe while playing professionally, the sport of basketball having taken him further than he ever

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thought possible. He has suited up in 15 different countries—Finland, Hungary, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, Venezuela, Argentina, Taiwan and China—and competed against some of the most accomplished players of his generation, from Baron Davis, Richard Hamilton and Andre Miller to Mike Bibby, Tayshaun Prince and Paul Pierce.

“When I think about it all, I have been truly blessed to be able to do what I do for a living,” Maxey said. “I’ve been able to have my college education paid for, as well as being able to travel the world and see places I’ve only seen in books. This experience has been priceless, and I thank God for the blessing I’ve been given.”

His resume glistens with achievement.

Among Maxey’s individual highlights: He was named the National Basketball League’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2010 as a member of the Gold Coast Blaze in

Australia and was chosen as a 2015 all-star in the Queensland Basketball League, where he averaged 26.2 points and 10.5 rebounds per game for the Toowoomba Mountaineers.

While he played briefly in the National Basketball Developmental League, he was never afforded the opportunity to play in the NBA. That dream died hard.

“I was in camp and had individual workouts with a few teams,” said Maxey, who currently competes in Wild Ball—the money tournament circuit in China. “It’s a business, and I understand that. Of course, it’s a disappointment to not play in the NBA. However, having the opportunity to still play the game that I love as a job, it isn’t that bad in my opinion.”

Nothing could keep Maxey from pursuing his goals, not even a life-altering health scare. He was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2014. The disorder causes inflammation to the digestive tract, which can lead to abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition. It was a humbling blow that forced Maxey to take inventory.

“The first thing that came to mind was I had to learn and educate myself about Crohn’s disease,” he said. “I had heard about it, but I didn’t know exactly what it was. It was a blessing but a frightening doctor’s visit. The frightening part about the diagnosis was I knew that my life was going to change and I was going to have more challenges. The blessing was finally having answers to the problems that were going on.”

While Maxey keeps his symptoms in check with diet and medication, he has had to undergo four surgical procedures related to Crohn’s. He anticipates more.

“The type of Crohn’s disease I have is Perianal Crohn’s,” he said. “Crohn’s disease is an autoimmune disease. The surgeries are a part of having the type of Crohn’s that I have. There is no cure, but I do everything that I can to manage it.”

Nearly 800,000 Americans suffer from Crohn’s. The disease interrupted Maxey’s playing career for more than a year, and there were times when he wondered whether or not he might be done with basketball altogether.

“I believe if there’s a will, then there’s a way,” he said. “My career was derailed for 18 months, as I had to go through all of my initial Crohn’s treatments to discover exactly what type of Crohn’s I had. Once I finished all of these exams, then I had to find a team to sign me. It was a long and stressful period.”

Maxey moved to Newton County in 2007 to be closer to his parents, who relocated to Covington after they retired.

Between stints overseas, he has served as a 2019 SPRING ISSUE

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“What continues to drive my passion for basketball is the competition and the love that I have for the game.”

Erron Maxey

substitute teacher in the Newton County School System and worked part-time at Home Depot in order to make ends meet.

Maxey appreciates what the area has to offer.

“I knew that between my brothers— Marcus is older, Kristopher is younger—and I, one of us should be close to my parents if they ever need any assistance,” he said. “It’s a

quiet place where people can raise a family.

I’ve lived in big cities around the world that are constantly busy 24 hours a day. However, living in a quiet and relaxing place like Newton County is a good change.”

Though he no longer sees eye to eye with Father Time, Maxey has designs on continuing to play professional basketball

for the foreseeable future. He turned 40 on Dec. 6.

“What continues to drive my passion for basketball is the competition and the love that I have for the game,” Maxey said.

“I plan on playing for another two years.

Once I finish my career as a player, I would like to become a professional coach.”

For more information—including a list of physicians and support groups— on Crohn’s disease, visit the Chron’s & Colitis Foundation website at crohnscolitisfoundation.org.

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LIVING “If spring came but once in a century, instead of once a year, or burst forth with the sound of an earthquake, and not in silence, what wonder and expectation there would be in all hearts to behold the miraculous change! But now the silent succession suggests nothing but necessity. To most people only the cessation of the miracle would be miraculous and the perpetual exercise of God’s power seems less wonderful than its withdrawal would be.”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

PHOTO CREDIT: MASAAKI KOMORI

LIVING

by NAT HARWELL

THE CREAM RISES TO THE TOP The Rock House Creamery in Newborn turns out a variety of milks and cheeses, and it stands as a throwback to mom-and-pop operations of yesteryear.

Seeing an example of Americana at work never fails to refresh the spirit. The inspirational Horatio Alger-type story of pulling one’s self up by one’s own bootstraps or small-town-boy-makes-good sort of tale almost always illustrates what remains great about this nation. Dreams can still come true if one has a vision, a little luck with good timing and a desire to work hard.

Such a dream is taking shape out in some of the most beautiful country found in this neck of woods, southeastern Newton County, where a visionary named Keith Kelly has purchased the former Johnston family dairy farm and established the Rock House Creamery. With a passion for the small mom-and-pop dairy operations that once populated our area but have been squeezed nearly out of existence in the 21st Century, Kelly decided to put together a complete creamery operation in one spot, producing products from start to finish under one roof.

“We want to follow a course of keeping sales close to the customer so our story doesn’t get lost in translation,” said Haley Gilleland, who manages wholesale distribution and coordinates tours of the creamery.

Hailing from Fitzgerald, she earned her

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Master’s degree from the University of Georgia in animal science before joining the Rock House Creamery team.

Jessica Kennedy serves as the creamery manager. A 1996 graduate of Newton High School, she earned her dairy science degree at Georgia, and after 16 years serving the Georgia Department of Agriculture as a farm inspector, she discovered how she could follow her passion of dairying with the Rock House Creamery. Kennedy oversees the herd, milks the cows, produces the growing number of products at the creamery and takes a hands-on approach to every aspect of the operation.

“We have a herd of 100 cows,” Kennedy said, “and we’re currently milking 60 of them. From this we’re able to turn out whole milk, New World-style chocolate

milk, buttermilk [and] several varieties of cheeses, along with fresh curds and Fromage, which is a cream cheese.”

What sets Rock House Creamery apart from any other milk-producing entity?

That would be the process that turns out milk products which have been pasteurized but not homogenized. In other words, the cream is not separated out via homogenization and will still be present in the packaged product.

“All milk in the state of Georgia has to be pasteurized,” Kennedy said. “We heat the milk to 145 degrees and hold it there for 30 minutes, but after that, we do not go into the homogenization to separate out the cream, so you have to shake up the milk, but the result is an incredibly rich, tasty product.”

Indeed, anyone who qualifies as a chocolate lover needs to be on high alert for the Rock House Creamery New World Chocolate Milk. It is produced in the gourmet European style, rich in cocoa and lighter on sugar. One would be hardpressed to find finer chocolate milk anywhere, even at San Francisco’s famed Ghirardelli chocolate factory.

Local residents may wish to visit the Rock House Creamery, located at 2471 Broughton Road just outside of Newborn.

For an introductory look at its products and the venues throughout the area which

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carry them, visit the creamery online at rockhousecreamery.com. However, a visit in person reveals the care that goes into the entire operation from top to bottom and turns pages in the chapter of a book still being written every day.

“We do conduct tours of the facility,” Gilleland said, “and [we] have hosted FFA groups, pre-school groups, private tours for folks interested in learning more about local dairy operations and senior citizens groups.”

While the creamery is a working dairy farm and not oriented toward handicapped access, the operation is accessible to virtually anyone. Rock House Creamery is more than just a dairy and more than just a producer of a unique line of milk products.

It stands as a throwback to the era of mom-and-pop dairies that so many farmers in this area established long ago. The employees are proud of what they do and what they produce, and they reap rewards not limited to dairy products.

“We have a certified, naturally grown garden from which our employees benefit with fresh fruits and vegetables,” Kennedy said. “It’s certified the same way an organic garden is adjudicated, and our employees have full access.”

Sales have grown exponentially since the establishment of Rock House Creamery in March 2017. Indeed, Christmas sales of milk and cheese were so good that expansion sounds like a real possibility. For now, it pays homage to the way things used to be done and serves as a testimony to excellence.

“This is what we call our Pilot Plant,” Kennedy said, “and although we are exploring building a bigger operation, we don’t want to get too big too fast, as quality control is always first on our list; but we are proud that our New World Chocolate milk won the ‘Flavor of Georgia’ contest, held annually by the University of Georgia, in 2018; and as the New Year dawns, who knows what the future holds.”

“We want to follow a course of keeping sales close to the customer so our story doesn’t get lost in translation.”

Rock House Creamy Special Projects Coordinator Haley Gilleland

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HERE COMES THE HEAT! How Aerations, Watering Can Save Your Turf Warm-season turfs such as bermuda, zoysia and centipede are bred to survive the harsh Georgia summers. However, that does not mean these turfs do not need help to maintain a healthy look. Fertilizers and pH levels are obviously important for a great looking turf, but there are two things that are either overlooked or done improperly: watering and aerations.

WATERING

AERATIONS Aerations are an important, if not overlooked, factor for a healthy turf.

• The University of Georgia recommends that aerations take place at least every two years to assure a healthy root structure.

• Core aerations are more effective than spiked aerations because the cores allow more air and oxygen to penetrate the ground.

• Aerations break and tear old roots to create new roots. This works much the same way that working out with weights tears old muscle to allow new stronger muscle to take its place.

• Aerations will reduce the buildup of thatch in the turf. Thatch is caused by left-behind grass clippings. To reduce thatch in the future, never cut more than one-third of the blade while mowing. Changing mowing patterns from vertically to horizontally every other cut will help, as well.

• As you will read in the next section, watering is important.

Aerations make the soil more porous and able to gather and retain water. This will help the turf survive drought conditions.

Proper watering is the most important factor in a healthy turf.

However, too many homeowners are using improper watering techniques that are ineffective and costly. Here are some tips for proper watering of your turf: • One inch of water a week is all that your turf needs to be healthy. Overwatering can cause diseases and weeds that can be avoided with proper techniques. Increase watering only if drought conditions are severe and the blades of the turf are starting to wilt.

• Water early in the morning, generally setting your system to run between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. Watering late in the afternoon is ineffective and can be a waste of time. When the ground is hardened from the heat of the day, water has trouble penetrating deep enough into the turf to be beneficial.

• Water penetration is key. One deep early-morning watering is more effective than doing multiple watering during the week.

Multiple watering does not allow the surface of the turf to properly dry out. Allowing time for the surface of the turf to dry out will force the roots of the turf to search for water deeper in the ground, giving you a deeper-rooted turf. A root will not work to find water unless it has to.

• Knowing how long to run your irrigation system requires testing. Using a tuna can to measure your irrigation system is an easy way to know how much water your system is applying to your turf. Set an empty can in your yard and turn on your system. Use a timer to see how long it takes for water to fill the can. Once you have a time, set your irrigation system to run for that amount of time per zone.

The professionals at ArtScape Lawn and Turf can help with your landscaping needs such as aerations, small irrigation repairs and system startups. We also offer a full-service lawn care program that can provide all the nutrients and weed control necessary to make your yard beautiful. For any further information or help with your landscaping needs, please contact ArtScape Lawn and Turf Professionals at 770-922-TURF(8873) or check out our website at art-scape-inc.com. Updates and alerts can be found at ArtScape Lawn and Turf’s Facebook page. Search @artscapelawn.

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by PATTY RASMUSSEN

Brice and Allison Hope have opened their home and hearts to more than 40 children through fostering and adoption.

Hope: a simple four-letter word carrying so much possibility, so much promise. “Hope anchors the soul,” penned the writer of the New Testament book of Hebrews. The verse is painted on a sign on the door to the Social Circle home of Brice and Allison Hope and their six children—three biological, Maddie, Ty and Jack, three fostered and adopted, Louie, Mia and Bryson. Theirs is a story rich in hope, doused with generous splashes of faith and love, endurance and resilience.

They met in college, Allison an incoming freshman, Brice a junior, at Atlanta Christian College, now Point University, in West Point. Both grew up in Gwinnett County, where they knew people in common and perhaps, without knowing, crossed paths. They dated and clicked, and though they were young, they talked about important subjects: faith, their futures and the family they hoped to have someday.

“Our first conversations were about kids and how many we were going to have,” Allison said, “and that I also wanted to adopt. I always knew I wanted to adopt.”

Brice, focused heavily on mission work, was not even sure he wanted kids, but, as Allison said with a chuckle, “He came around.”

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The Hopes married in August 2002 when both were in their early 20s. They attended a church where fostering was the norm, and just six months after marrying, they started training through their local Department of Family and Children Services office to become foster parents (the rules have since changed, as foster parents now have to be at least 25 years of age). Six months later they got two surprises.

“We found out we were pregnant with our oldest, Maddie, the same month we got our first foster placement,” Allison said.

“We were fully vested in this little girl. We had her from 6 months until 18 months.

She ended up going to live with relatives

out of state. It broke our hearts. It was like the death of a child. We cried and grieved and were not prepared.”

However, the heartbreak did not stop them from taking in children for weeks, months, even years—like the 14-year-old boy from the youth group at the church where Brice was youth pastor. He had been kicked out of school, so DFCS let Brice take him to work with him each day to prepare for his GED. After three years with the Hopes, he moved back with his mom.

It was not ideal, but by that point, “he got an experience of what a marriage looks like, what a family looks like,” Brice said, “and he got that GED.” The couple still sees him today.

Over time, the Hopes fostered 40 children, and while Brice and Allison still loved the mission of fostering, they were worn down by the administrative side, especially the bureaucracy and lack of accountability and transparency from DFCS. They needed a break. By this time, they had moved to Rockdale County.

“I thought our family was complete,” Allison said. However, when their youngest son, Jack, was 3 years old, a presentation at church flipped the switch back on.

Brice was at a Sunday morning service when a representative from the United Methodist Children’s Home, a Child Placing Agency with the State of Georgia, spoke about fostering.

“I don’t remember what was said,” Brice said, “because there was another sermon going on in my head. I didn’t want to [foster] again because I had a fear of getting hurt, all the heartache. At the end of the day, God essentially said, ‘So you’re not doing something because of your feelings being hurt,’ and that was it; and it wasn’t

acceptable. We’re going to get banged up and bruised and damaged, but the goal of fostering is worth that. I came home and said, ‘This is where I’m at.’”

Allison still needed reassurance, but she found it during information meetings at UMCH. Because the private agency is much smaller, UMCH caseworkers have lighter caseloads, providing foster families more support than DFCS could.

“The agency eased my mind so much,” she said. “Communication and trust were there. It was a different experience.”

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FROM FOSTER TO FOREVER Up to this point, the Hopes had only fostered children. Without knowing it, they were venturing into new territory, the journey of fostering to adoption beginning with a baby they named Bryson.

“We got Bryson when he was 2 days old,” Allison said. “I don’t know how we would ever have given that baby back if we’d had to because we went through some hard times with him.”

Bryson had to return to the hospital the day after he came home when he developed late-onset drug withdrawals. He stayed in the neonatal intensive care unit for several weeks, Brice and Allison never leaving him. Two months after bringing Bryson

home, a text message came from their caseworker. Enter Louie: a little boy who had been in foster care since birth and had multiple failed adoptions. “We got one text, then another,” Allison said. “It was unexpected, but we said yes.” Louie led to their next child. At the time, Louie was non-verbal and thought to be autistic, and Allison felt it might help him to visit his previous foster home. When they arrived, they met another foster child living there. The little girl, Mia, was 2 years old and unable to sit up or roll over.

She was tube-fed and would not allow anyone to touch her.

“She was left in a crib 24/7,” Allison said. “She had zero socialization. My heart ached for her from the moment I saw her.

We had a connection. I had no intentions, but I loved her.”

Allison visited Mia regularly and noticed her health, already fragile because of Turner syndrome—a chromosomal condition affecting development in girls—was precarious. Alerting the authorities, Allison took her to the emergency room, where it was determined that Mia had not been properly cared for and fed. Eventually,

“If you look throughout Scripture, God’s heart is always for the broken, the orphan, those who can’t take care of themselves. Brice and Allison live their convictions. That’s probably their greatest strength.”

Eastridge Community Church Pastor Scott Moore

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the foster home was closed and the Hopes became her foster parents. Bryson and Louie were adopted a month apart from each other in 2014; Mia was adopted the following year. Because of the effects of Turner syndrome on her liver, Mia underwent a life-saving liver transplant in December 2017. The transplant journey was grueling but continued to cement the Hopes as a family. Though all three children have ongoing challenges to varying degrees, they are flourishing. The family in 2018 moved to Social Circle, where the children attend public school and participate in the typical flurry of activities.

“There are families who could have done what they did with one child and then said ‘that’s it’ and stopped,” said Denise Peacock, manager of foster home recruiting for UMCH. “They weren’t like that. Their greatest strength is that they are really committed to children needing a home.

When we would call them, most times they would say ‘yes.’”

It is tempting to look at Brice and Allison as if they are special. They bristle at that type of talk. “I know I don’t have all my stuff together,” Brice said. “There’s always something I can improve, but you don’t have to have your stuff together to help a child.” Their friend Scott Moore, pastor of Eastridge Community Church, also fostered and adopted children. “If you look throughout Scripture, God’s heart is always for the broken, the orphan, those who can’t take care of themselves,” Moore said. “Brice and Allison live their convictions. That’s probably their greatest strength.”

Fostering and adoption are not for everyone, certainly, but it is inspiring to hear success stories.

“Those who succeed go into it knowing that there are a lot of unknowns, but these children still need homes and families regardless of the challenges,” Peacock said.

“The Hopes are a perfect example of that.”

The Hope’s Top 3 Books on Adoption • Adopted for Life by Russell Moore • Fields of the Fatherless by Tom Davis • The Connected Child by Karyn Purvis

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Once the Center of Georgia’s Culinary Universe In the 1950s and into the 1960s, Mrs. Effie Boyd served up some of the best Southern cooking this side of Heaven, from fried chicken and baked ham to roast turkey and country fried steak.

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by DARRELL HUCKABY

I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list. I love to travel, and I have been to many, many places across our great country and around the world and I have never, ever—not even once—told anyone I was from Atlanta, because I’m not. Neither have I told anyone I was from Covington.

Again, because I’m not. I always make sure everyone knows I’m from Porterdale, and you would be amazed at the number of times that revelation has put smiles on people’s faces—from London to San Francisco and points in between—and was usually followed by a question: “Do they still serve that great food in that little hotel there?”

Ah, the Porterdale Hotel, or the Village Inn, as it was properly called back in the day. “The Day” would have been in the 1950s into the 1960s, primarily, when Mrs. Effie Boyd—Ef, to her many friends—served up some of the best Southern cooking this side of Heaven.

There was a publication back then known as “Brown’s Guide to Georgia,” which

rated the best places to eat throughout the state. People swore by it. More importantly, they ate by it. “Brown’s Guide” named Effie Boyd’s dining room the No. 1 place to get a meat-and-three year after year after year.

During the week, local workers from “town,” meaning Covington—the mill people didn’t get lunch breaks—would fill Mrs. Boyd’s tables for lunch and again at supper time. On Sundays? Goodness gracious sakes alive. On Sundays, people from Atlanta and points beyond would line up on the porch for hours to get inside the door and enjoy her delectable dishes.

On special occasions, like Mother’s Day or Easter, they would start coming before noon and the lines would still be long at 4 p.m. and beyond. I know. I lived right across the street.

Those people weren’t wasting their time or energy or hard-earned money. They knew a good thing, and the reward they got when they finally made their way inside was well worth the wait. I speak from experience. Fried chicken. Baked ham.

Roast turkey. Country fried steak. Smothered pork chops. Are you hungry yet?

We haven’t gotten to the best part, at least to me. I never thought I’d think so, but looking back, those fresh vegetables were something I took for granted then.

I would give anything to be able to sample them again on a daily basis, or just one more time. Collard greens swimming in pot liquor, black-eyed peas, green beans— seasoned to perfection and actually cooked down to that special Southern tenderness, the way God intended them to be served—and candied yams. Mrs. Effie Boyd had a special way of cooking slices of sweet potatoes that made you think you were eating a dish prepared for gods and goddesses. Fried okra, squash casserole.

There was a reason “Brown’s Guide” named the Village Inn No. 1 in Georgia all those years.

If you have all those vegetables, you have to have cornbread and biscuits with which to sop. Effie Boyd’s biscuits were as good as anybody’s biscuits who ever sifted flour,

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“During the week, local workers from “town,” meaning Covington—the mill people didn’t get lunch breaks—would fill Mrs. Boyd’s tables for lunch and again at supper time.”

PHOTO CREDIT: VANISHING GEORGIA, GEORGIA ARCHIVES, UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF GEORGIA

and her cornbread came in pones, muffins or sticks, depending on the day of the week and her mood.

Of course, there were desserts: cakes and puddings and pies of every description. I’ve spent many hours pondering the question but have never managed to decide whether I preferred her coconut cream pie, her pecan pie or her seven-layer chocolate cake.

Such questions will, I suppose, be debated throughout eternity.

Now that I’ve managed to whet your appetites and made you wonder where you’re going to go tonight in search of food that will at least approximate that which I have described, let me give you a little history lesson. The building in which

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Darrell Huckaby Effie Boyd worked her magic and made her reputation was originally called the Welaunee Inn, after the small spinning mill of the same name on the south bank of the Yellow River. The inn was built in the 1920s to serve as a 26-room dormitory for single women who worked in that mill and the Porterdale Mill. Later, it served as a hotel for men with business at the mills and as a boarding house for a lucky few who got to eat Mrs. Boyd’s cooking every day as part of the deal.

Now let me tell you how lucky my generation of Porterdalians was. Mrs. Boyd not only ran her restaurant but also cooked all the food in our school cafeteria, on a daily basis, and when we went on a class

trip, she sent us on our way with boxes of her famous fried chicken, homemade pimento cheese sandwiches, ham sandwiches and a plethora of other culinary delights direct from her kitchen.

Yep, I’m from Porterdale, but sadly, the hotel restaurant that served that great food is only a precious memory.