community magazine 2021 SPRING ISSUE
PUBLISHERS
Meredith & Scott Tredeau 770-788-6795 info@thenewtoncommunity.com
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DIRECTOR OF SALES
Maree Cronan 770-530-7837 sales@thenewtoncommunity.com
FEATURES 6 Heroic Legacy 10 Take Nothing For Granted 14 Fallen Soldier
EDITOR
Brian Knapp PHOTOGRAPHERS
Michie Turpin CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
SPORTS & RECREATION
22 Rescuing Rescuers 30 A Life Saving Act
36 Ties That Bind 40 Miraculous Recovery
Kari Apted Chris Bridges Michelle Floyd Nat Harwell Patty Rasmussen David Roten Gabriel Stovall Ronnie Thomas Terri Webster ILLUSTRATOR
Scott Fuss The Newton Community Magazine is published quarterly. All contents are copyrighted by The Newton Community Magazine. Reproduction, in whole or part, without permission is prohibited. The Newton Community Magazine reserves liability in error to a printed correction.
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ARTS, EDUCATION & INNOVATION 46 The Power of Pollination 50 Sharp Left Turn
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LIVING
56 Photographic Memory 62 When Hollywood Brought The Heat
On the Cover
HOPE INDEED SPRINGS ETERNAL by BRIAN KNAPP
No season stimulates the senses quite like spring. It teases us with warmth, bites us with cold and overwhelms our auditory circuits with awakened life. Its occasional storms light up night skies, as a fading winter and a hard-charging summer duel to the death in the atmosphere above. A thick haze often hangs in the air once pine trees shed their yellow coats, inconveniencing some, tormenting others and spurring business at car washes. Family bike rides, and the smell of fresh-cut grass lets us know that the annual heat-and-humidity grind many of us dread lurks right around the corner.
However, spring’s most enduring quality may be found in its ability to renew hope. Webster defines hope as “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.” It runs much deeper than that, especially for believers. South African archbishop Desmond Tutu once said, “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” It feels as though we have been surrounded by hopelessness for the past year-plus, from rising death tolls due to a virus we cannot control and social strife to political discord and unsettling uncertainty. Through it all, God remains sovereign, patiently waiting for His people to turn back to Him. Charles Spurgeon, one of the truth hammers of the Christian faith, put it best: “Without Christ there is no hope.” Yes, God is in the hope business still, tirelessly reaching down while waiting for us to one day reach up to Him. “Our world today so desperately hungers for hope, yet uncounted people have almost given up,” Billy Graham said. “There is despair and hopelessness on every hand. Let us be faithful in proclaiming the hope that is in Jesus.”
PUBLISHERS’ NOTE
“The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” — Robert Burns, 1785 If there’s one truth I’ve learned throughout my life, it’s that things don’t always go according to plan. Sometimes, it seems like they never do. That’s life, right? Things are going to be difficult and go wrong at one point or another. Hardship and tragedy are inevitable parts of the human condition, but lucky for us, what happens afterwards is not. This issue of The Newton Community Magazine is full of stories about times when life hasn’t gone according to plan—stories about surviving an illness or a tragic loss— and not just surviving but becoming stronger and more resilient, rediscovering joy and finding peace on the other side of these tragedies and hardships. As you’ll find throughout these pages, it wasn’t easy. The journeys have indeed been agonizingly painful for some, but these stories demonstrate that even in our darkest hours, hope remains. They are a reminder that God’s mercies are new every morning and that life endures, even when the world has other plans. If you’re still in the dark of night, dear friend, hang on and hold tight to the promise of God’s unending love and grace. May God bless and keep you.
We would like to say a special thank you to Goodie Barn for donating the use of their bike and Sherwood’s Flowers & Gifts for their beautiful flowers to help bring the 2021 spring cover to life.
Scott and Meredith Tredeau
2021 Spring Issue 5
F E AT U R E S
HEROIC LEGACY Wyatt Hatcher’s death at age 11 spawned the Be Your Own Hero Foundation, a 501c3 organization that not only assists others as they navigate health crises but also provides a way for his family to honor a life cut far too short. by PATTY RASMUSSEN The measure of one’s life is how well he or she spends it, not its length. While that seems like a small comfort to those bidding early farewells to loved ones, especially children, it is nevertheless true. The way we live matters, especially when the life measured is shorter than we think it should have been. Wyatt Hatcher lived a short life, just 11 years, but its impact is still felt by his parents Kevin and Jessica; brothers Aubrey, Cohen and John Rhett; sister Hannah; his extended family, caring friends, his community and families throughout Georgia. Thanks to the efforts of people who knew and loved Wyatt—and even those who did not—families going through health crises receive assistance through the Be Your Own Hero Foundation, a 501c3 organization established soon after his death. Kevin and Jessica see it not only as their way to help families but as a means to honor and remember their son. “What we’re doing is what Wyatt wanted to do when he grew up,” Kevin said. “We’re doing what he’s unable to do now.” The Hatchers lived in Covington in 2008 when they were expecting Wyatt, their second child. They knew Kevin had a heart condition that could cause problems to their developing child. At around the 15th week of pregnancy, during a routine ultrasound, Jessica’s doctor found an anomaly related to Kevin’s heart condition. Several weeks later, she saw a cardiologist who performed a fetal echocardiogram.
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“He said this what he has, and these are our options,” she said. Wyatt was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, which occurs when the chambers and valves on the left side of the heart form incorrectly, affecting normal blood flow. The options were limited: surgical, transplant or palliative (do nothing). The palliative option was never on the table. “As soon as it came out of the doctor’s mouth,” Jessica said, “I said absolutely not.” The remaining options were three complex surgeries that would rebuild the heart and reroute the circulation. The goal was to keep Wyatt’s heart viable for as long as possible before transplantation; or they could list Wyatt for transplant right away and do everything possible to keep him stable. Either way, a heart transplant was part of Wyatt’s future. There was no cure. The couple chose the surgical route, hoping to make Wyatt’s heart last as long as possible. Thankfully, Wyatt was born at 39 weeks on Oct. 20, 2008. He weighed six pounds, seven ounces, and other than the heart defect, he was healthy. He was transferred within hours of his birth to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and given medication to keep the ductus arteriosus—a sort of backup circulatory system which typically shuts down a few days after birth—functioning. Four days later, Wyatt underwent his first open-heart surgery: the Norwood Procedure. Dr. Paul Kirshbom, created a new left aorta—he used a Sano shunt—to connect to the right ventricle since the original aorta was too underdeveloped to handle any blood flow.
“Fortunately, there were no barriers to him having surgery,” Jessica said. “They told us to prepare for a month and possibly longer than that, but he did extremely well. He was in the hospital for three weeks and then came home.” Once they got Wyatt home, they had to keep him there, away from family and friends, because of the shunt and the threat of infection. “We missed Christmas with the family because he could not get sick,” Jessica said. The second surgery, the Bi-Directional Glenn Shunt Procedure, was done the following March when Wyatt was 4 months old, slightly ahead of the usual timeline. The Glenn procedure creates a direct connection between the pulmonary artery and the vessel bringing oxygen-poor blood from the upper part of the body to the heart. It is usually performed when the infant is between 4 and 6 months of age, but Wyatt’s heart was underperforming. “His oxygen saturations were dipping too low,” Jessica said. “We went for a regular check-up and went straight to CHOA for a couple of days before they did the surgery. He was only there for five days afterward.” The surgery was a success. Wyatt put on weight and did not require oxygen or other support. They enjoyed a few good months with their young son. However, around his first birthday, it was apparent that his heart was failing. Though he could pull up on furniture and stand, his circulation was not strong enough to allow him to walk. He was placed on the transplant list at 16 months of age. 2021 Spring Issue 7
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“We were fortunate that Wyatt was stable enough with the right cocktail of [anti-rejection] medications and oxygen that we were able to wait at home and not be hospitalized,” Jessica said. Weary after six months of no call, Jessica did not answer the phone when it rang on Sept. 17, assuming it was a telemarketer. After letting the call go, she reconsidered and checked Caller ID. “I realized it was a cellphone number and thought, ‘This might be it,’” she said. “Then Kevin called me.” Not getting an answer at the house, the transplant team at CHOA called him at work. “I told my co-workers, ‘I have to go,’ and high-tailed it home,” Kevin said. “We loaded up and got to the hospital. Within a couple of hours, we were prepping, waiting for the heart to get there.” Wyatt’s transplant surgery started around lunchtime and ended after 13 hours. He came through like a champ and was home 10 days later. The heart transplant radically changed the quality of his life. “Seeing him for the first time after surgery, he was pink instead of blue, his lips and his fingertips,” Jessica said. “He had immediate strength. We weren’t two weeks out of surgery, and he was already trying to stand up and walk.” The problem with organ transplantation is rejection, which is why Wyatt took strong anti-rejection drugs after surgery. Unfortunately, these medications bring side effects of their own, including post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders, a form of cancer that only solid-organ transplant patients get as a result of medications they take to lower their immune systems. In February 2019, after nine happy years of playing baseball, going to school, having fun at the beach and loving life, Wyatt was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer in multiple organs. At first, the lab technicians thought it was a mistake, that his blood had gotten mixed up with that of another patient. Unfortunately, it was no mistake. He was admitted to CHOA again, this time as a cancer patient, to undergo four rounds of chemotherapy. To keep their spirits up, they created a slogan. “We were sitting in the ICU, brainstorming,” Jessica said. “We were going to order those silicone wristbands. He’s the one that picked the hashtag ‘Brave like Wyatt.’ That’s how it got started.” Rebecca McConnell, a licensed clinical social worker at CHOA, remembers meeting the family and Wyatt. McConnell saw them during his treatment admissions, which were often lengthened by complications. “He had such a sweet spirit and was so calm,” she said. “I thought he was an old soul and seemed so wise.” By August 2019, Wyatt finished his treatment, and his scans showed no evidence of cancer. McConnell talked to Kevin and Jessica about taking Wyatt to Disney World the following February as part of Bert’s Big Adventure. However, in December,
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Wyatt was admitted again as a cardiac patient. In a cruel twist, the chemotherapy had damaged the transplanted heart. While another heart transplant would not have been out of the question, the United Network for Organ Sharing rules state that Wyatt had to be cancer-free for one full year before he could be listed again. The Hatchers did what they could to make Wyatt’s final month memorable. CHOA allowed the entire family of seven to spend Christmas together in the hospital room. As they saw his vitals trending in the wrong direction in January 2020, Kevin and Jessica decided to take Wyatt off the medication keeping his heart functioning and let nature take its course. Wyatt died on Jan. 10, 2020, surrounded by people that loved him. Jessica’s uncle, Marcus Barela, wanted to do something tangible in Wyatt’s memory. “He said, ‘We’d like to turn this hashtag into something to help other families like yours in whatever ways they need, be it a bill paid because they’re not working because their child is in the hospital, or food or gas or if they need Mr. Pibb,’” Jessica said. With Barela’s contribution and those from friends, they started the Be Your Own Hero Foundation. They collected items to help families do laundry, restocked pantries and purchased iPads for children who were hospitalized. Through Barela’s connection to NASCAR, #bravelikewyatt received a massive awareness boost when it was featured on Michael McDowell’s No. 34 car in the NASCAR Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March 2020. “Every family is different,” Jessica said. “It’s important to us to provide the family with what they need, not what we think they need.” They work with McConnell to identify where they can help. One area where they have made a difference is a sensitive but necessary one, according to McConnell. “I told her we have organizations that help with hospital bills but so few resources to help families with their final expenses for their child,” she said. “She’s helped pay for at least one funeral expense and headstone. It was such a gift.” The Be Your Own Hero Foundation is not only a gift to a community of families walking through difficult circumstances but a gift to the Hatchers, as well. “Wyatt never met a stranger,” Kevin said. “He’d meet you for 15 minutes and climb up in your lap and talk to you.” His impact continues to be felt. “People loved him,” Jessica said. “This is the best way we can celebrate the best parts of everything that happened.” For more information on the Be Your Own Hero Foundation, visit BraveLikeWyatt.com.
“What we’re doing is what Wyatt wanted to do when he grew up. We’re doing what he’s unable to do now.” Kevin Hatcher
2021 Spring Issue 9
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TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED Shawn Randolph had never heard of transverse myelitis until he woke up to complete paralysis in his legs in 2012. He continues to move forward with his life despite not knowing if his body will ever function properly again. by KARI APTED Shawn Randolph was enjoying a completely normal day at work when his legs suddenly buckled beneath him. It was Monday, Nov. 26, 2012. Stunned, he stood back up and noticed his legs felt a little weak. “I was just doing regular work,” he said. “I hadn’t lifted anything heavy or done anything strenuous.” Just 23 years old at the time, Randolph attributed the incident to a severe case of muscle spasms, perhaps from dehydration. His coworkers agreed and advised him to flood his body with fluids. He went back to work and promised his friends he would see a doctor the next day if he did not improve. Randolph felt a similar muscular spasm sensation in his back the following morning. “I was able to walk OK,” he said. “It was just a little painful, so I went to Kaiser. The doctor said the same things we’d said the day before, that I needed to rest and drink a lot of fluids. I went to Walmart to get some Icy-Hot for my back. Then I went home and went to sleep.” When Randolph woke a few hours later, he could not feel his legs. They were completely paralyzed. “All I could do was yell for my mom,” he said. “My room was upstairs. She and my brother Marcus had to get me down the steps.” Randolph admits the most painful part was emotional. “Mom was trying to be strong for me, but she kind of had an idea it was something serious,” he said. “That was the start of a crazy 24 hours.”
Randolph’s parents, Tim and Marilyn, took him to a local hospital. There, the doctor agreed with the Kaiser physician’s diagnosis of muscle cramps from dehydration. However, when Randolph’s condition remained unchanged, his family took him to Northside Hospital in Atlanta, where he underwent extensive testing that revealed a frightening diagnosis: transverse myelitis. “The way it was explained to me, my brain can send nerve signals to my legs,” Randolph said, “but my legs aren’t receiving them. My spine is blocking the signal.” According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, transverse myelitis is an inflammation of the spinal cord— the part of the central nervous system that sends impulses from the brain through a network of nerves in the body. It also returns sensory information back to the brain. As in Randolph’s case, the pain and weakness of transverse myelitis can develop suddenly over a period of hours. In other cases, the disease gradually manifests over the course of many weeks. In most instances, the exact cause remains unknown, although it has been linked to several triggers, including viruses and autoimmune disorders. Treatments for transverse myelitis are tailored to each individual and may include medication, rehabilitative therapy and long-term physical therapy. Randolph went straight from the hospital to the Shepherd Center—a world-renowned spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitative facility in Atlanta. 2021 Spring Issue 11
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“It was the best place I could’ve gone,” he said. “I was surrounded by other people in similar situations. My condition is very rare, though. Nobody there had exactly what I had, but all the people I was around were paralyzed in different parts of their body.” During Randolph’s two months at the center as an inpatient, the therapists remarked on his consistently positive attitude. Randolph attributed it to keeping his situation in perspective. “You know, there’s always somebody who has it worse than you,” he said. “Some were paralyzed from the neck down. At the Shepherd Center, they had this mindset that what you’re going through isn’t permanent, and I had that mindset, too, trying to be strong for everyone else.” Still, the main question he had about his condition remained unanswered. “The hardest thing was not knowing why it happened,” Randolph said. “No one knew why it happened. They also didn’t know when or if I’d get back the use of my legs. Some people get it back completely, some get it back somewhat, some don’t get it back at all. It’s one of those things where there isn’t much I can do to control it. It’s just up to your body.” After two months of inpatient therapy, he continued going to the center daily for rehab. As he transitioned back to his home and usual routines, he experienced periods of frustration and uncertainty. “They kept you so busy at the center [that] you didn’t really have time to think about how life had kept moving while you were away,” Randolph said. “They made rehab fun, and you’re with people who know what it’s like. I had people who looked up to me because I was always so active. Then you come home and see life had just kept moving. It didn’t revolve around you anymore.”
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Randolph’s parents gave him their bedroom on the main floor, where he could use his wheelchair to access everything he needed. He began looking for work and strived to remain active. His brother Marcus suggested they go back to the gym together. “Working out felt like therapy,” Randolph said. “I got to free my mind. I enjoyed it more than just a hobby. Year after year, I got stronger and better and figured out ways to make it my own.” Randolph met another person in a wheelchair, and the two of them started CrossFit together. Soon, they were training twice a day to compete. “You have to have that mindset where you believe you really can do anything you put your mind to,” Randolph said. “You’ve got to get it done.”
Now studying to become a personal trainer, Randolph shares an apartment with Marcus and works at Alcovy Fitness and Wellness Center in Covington. “It’s a lot different trying to teach somebody how to work out versus working out on your own,” he said. “Everyone has their own limits. Teaching is harder than it seems.” Randolph encourages people of all ages, sizes and fitness levels to do their personal best and avoid comparing themselves with others. When he hears that other people find his determination inspiring, he reacts with humble surprise. “I’ve motivated people I didn’t even know,” he said with a laugh, “but really, you never know who’s watching you and being inspired by your example.”
“The way it was explained to me, my brain can send nerve signals to my legs, but my legs aren’t receiving them. My spine is blocking the signal.” Shawn Randolph
2021 Spring Issue 13
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FALLEN SOLDIER David Bartlett Roten Jr. was killed in action during an attack on a safe house in Afghanistan on Thanksgiving Day in 2014. The family, friends and brothers in arms he left behind tell of a courageous man who lived passionately, loved well and inspired others to do the same. by DAVID ROTEN Dave was coming home for the last time. Our family had gathered to meet him upon his arrival from Afghanistan. Now, in the dead of night, standing on the tarmac of Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, we held tightly to each other and silently waited. Knees trembled, partly from the cold but more from the indescribable anticipation of seeing with our eyes what we still could not believe in our hearts. A C-17 military cargo plane, parked just a few feet away, was poised for the dignified transfer of our fallen soldier. As we peered into the shadows of the aircraft’s cavernous interior, a rectangular, flag-draped wooden box at last began to emerge. Solemnly and in step, six United States servicemen carried our brother and son down the lowered ramp and passed by, from left to right, just beyond our reach. Carefully, the carry team placed the container into the rear of a large white van and closed the door. With a final salute, the vehicle slowly pulled away and disappeared into the darkness.
“No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
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Though our family’s grief over losing Dave was intensely personal, in the days following his death, we would learn that our pain was shared by so many of his friends and comrades who came, literally, from around the world to pay their respects. He may have been Dave to us, but he was known as “Achilles” or “Hooch”—among other telling nicknames—by his devoted bands of brothers. Each could tell stories of bravery and kindness, adventure and humor. Most all of them would tell of a courageous man who lived passionately, loved well and inspired others to do the same. Testing Boundaries We should have seen it coming. Davie, as we called him when he was little, was nearly 2 years old, and already, our firstborn was a force to be reckoned with. His mom and I had told him to do something, and if I remember correctly, it was to sit, not stand, on the couch. His body seemed to twitch slightly in response as he gave us a sideways glance and, with a matter-offact shrug of his tiny shoulders, said simply, “I can’t.” We stifled a chuckle and knew this was a boy who was going to push the limits, especially his own. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, on March 21, 1980, David Bartlett Roten Jr. would soon tagalong with his parents as we moved to Nashville. The following year, Dave would welcome the first unofficial lifetime member of his brotherhood pack, baby brother Matt. Two years later, the family relocated to Fort
Worth, Texas, and grew twice more when Lisa and Greg were added to the fold. By the time Davie was 7 years old, the Rotens were packing up once again and headed for Ellenwood, Georgia, his playground and base of operations for the next 16 years. A natural athlete, Dave excelled at most sports he attempted, getting his first taste of organized competition while playing soccer as a 4-year-old. Later, as a baseball player, he would display a beautiful left-handed swing. During his teenage years, he enthusiastically embraced snowboarding, skiing and motorcycling, while leaving room for high school football as an undersized but formidable lineman. If Dave’s skills did not always match the sport in which he was engaged, he was not above improvising, as witnessed years later on a golf course, where his “Happy Gilmore” approach and swing launched a ball into erratic orbit time after time. Dave was all boy. He could turn mundane domestic chores into workout sessions or opportunities for invention. Once, when he had kitchen duty, his mom walked in to find him drying the dishes with a leaf blower. Dave had an appreciation for animals of all kinds, including his pit bull and his pet python. Though he loved history, art and music, the classroom would prove to be too confining. 2021 Spring Issue 15
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He longed for adventure and a purpose bigger than himself. The band of brothers that began with just he and Matt was growing to include neighborhood buddies. A precursor to packs to which Dave would belong in the future, these boys would help each other survive the turbulent teenage years, if nothing else. In the years immediately following high school, Dave was employed as a metal worker, a bartender and as an assistant manager for an ice-skating rink, winning the respect and affection of bosses and peers alike for his work ethic and affability. In between jobs, he attended college for a semester or two. Nothing quite fit. Then, as with many Americans, love of country and a desire to defend her was stirred in response to 9/11. On that very day, Dave went out and did the only thing he knew to do, I suppose: He bought a Mossburg shotgun. The warrior had awakened. By the spring of 2003, Dave was making plans to join the Army. However, there was something he wanted to check off his to-do list first. He had the seemingly foolhardy notion of fighting—with no previous experience—in the upcoming Georgia Golden Gloves boxing tournament. After just six weeks of intense training, he stepped into the ring to fight for the state light heavyweight championship. Punishing blows to the head inflicted by his opponent in the first round only served to fuel a gutsy and expeditious comeback in the second. Dave won by technical knockout. On July 8, 2003, Dave, now 23, raised his right hand and took the oath of enlistment into the United States Army. After completing basic training and infantry school in Fort Benning, Dave would make it through a grueling selection and training process at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, before earning the coveted Green Beret—an arduous undertaking spanning almost two years. As part of the 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Dave saw extensive combat as a weapons sergeant during deployments to Iraq from January 2006 through October 2007. He quickly earned the respect of peers and superiors alike for his
calm demeanor and keen marksmanship, even while coming under heavy fire himself. Other notable actions indicative of Dave’s example of leadership, initiative and courage are recorded in narratives accompanying numerous military service awards he received, including the Bronze Star and the Army Commendation Medal with Valor. Of all the accolades received, he valued none more than the Hard Hitter Award—a recognition by his peers in Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 043 as the “best performing, most dependable and hardest working operator.” In 2010, after almost seven years of service, Dave ended his career in the Army but continued actively supporting the United States government in austere and hostile environments, this time in Afghanistan. He soon felt at home with his new band of brothers, most of them also former members of Special Operation Forces. For the next four years, Dave would alternate working rotations in Afghanistan with stateside visits home or exciting adventures around the globe. He was always on the move, always exploring, always looking for the next challenge and always pushing the limits—in a weight room, on a surfboard, on a mountain face and on the battlefield.
2021 Spring Issue 17
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Ultimate Sacrifice It was the morning of Nov. 27, 2014: Thanksgiving Day. At our home in Newborn, my wife and I were busy making preparations to celebrate the holiday later that afternoon with as many of our children and grandchildren as we could gather together. It would be a fun and happy day highlighted by the announcement that the soon-to-arrive grandchild would be a girl. There was laughter, tears of joy and hugs all around for the promise of a new life coming into the world. In Afghanistan, the sun had already set. Dave and his team were on the job providing security for their five-story safe house and celebrating the holiday as best they could while away from home. Just one more week until this deployment was done, and it would be “wheels up” for the states once again. Dave had allowed himself a cheat day from his normal workout routine and healthy food choices and had enjoyed a big Thanksgiving meal with the rest of the guys. While some were getting ready for a game of poker, Dave bantered with a teammate in the kitchen over the last remaining piece of apple pie. Outside, under cover of night, a vehicle quietly rolled down the steep hill stretching behind the house. When it hit the wall that encompassed the compound, all hell broke loose. A booming explosion caused by a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device had breached the wall behind the safe house adjacent to theirs. Members from both houses scrambled to predetermined defensive positions as four enemy combatants attempted to gain entry into the compound next door. Engagement by Dave’s teammates on the roof triggered three to four machine gun nests that enjoyed an unobstructed line of fire from the hill above. The guys on the upper floors and roof were getting “absolutely pounded” by an “indescribable” amount of machine gun fire and called for Dave to bring up heavier weaponry from his position on the first floor. He grabbed his rifle, with a 40mm grenade launcher attached, and raced through a hail of bullets up the five flights of stairs to the roof and began engaging the enemy on the ground below. Dave’s team would ultimately kill the four invaders, and after a Quick Response Force arrived to help, both teams evacuated their houses and their residents. Later, Dave and his comrades would be credited with saving the lives of everyone in the adjacent house, as well as their own. Miraculously, of the Americans, only two were wounded and one killed. Only one.
An Infinitely Greater Gift Away from the city lights, it was dark, peaceful and quiet on our little farm. On this night, just days after Dave’s death, I had stepped outside for a few moments of solitude. Gazing overhead at the myriad of brilliant stars plastered against the black canvas of space, I was struck to the core by the knowledge that Dave was now somewhere beyond them. I pleaded with God for a sign, for confirmation that Dave was OK, that he was with Him. At that moment, my tear-filled eyes beheld a shooting star that blazed an arc across the glorious night sky. Almost seven years after his passing, a loyal and loving circle of family and friends refuse to let his memory die. Annual Thanksgiving Day roll calls, Hard Hitter Go-Ruck events, Workouts of the Day, Longtab Brewing’s “Achilles” beer and even the naming of a child in his honor all represent expressions of love and admiration meant to celebrate his life and legacy. I miss him still—we all do—but I am learning that, though his loss was great, the gift of having him for the time we did is infinitely greater. The way he changed us and made us all better just by being uniquely and authentically Dave … that will last forever.
2021 Spring Issue 19
H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S
Rescuing Rescuers
The March 2017 suicide of a fellow fireman prompted Newton County’s Blake Stinnett to search for a way to cast out a lifeline to first responders. Soon after, Next Rung was born, offering hope and help to those who might have otherwise succumbed to the relentless stress of their profession. by KARI APTED Firefighter Blake Stinnett in March 2017 answered a phone call that shifted his life’s trajectory. Stunned to hear that a fellow fireman he knew had taken his own life, he realized something had to change. Just 28 years old at the time, Stinnett was distraught by how frequently his first-responder friends succumbed to the unrelenting stress of their profession. “I never really thought about the mental health aspect of the job until that point,” Stinnett said. Despite being the son of a Newton County volunteer fireman—he also worked for two metro-area fire departments himself—he was alarmed to learn that firefighter suicides sometimes outnumbered line-of-duty deaths. Stinnett’s background gave him many of the keys needed to create a support network. After high school, he earned degrees in psychology and counseling. He also worked in family ministry at First Baptist Church of McDonough for several years before he felt drawn to become a firefighter. “I always knew I wanted to make an impact in this field,” Stinnett said, “but if I was going to be able to help first responders, I had to become one first.” Stinnett initially worked with the Gwinnett County Fire Department and now serves with the Sandy Springs Fire Department. After his friend’s suicide, he began selling apparel with the intent of donating the profits to a charity providing mental health support to first responders. However, he had trouble finding an organization that was helping to the extent
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he envisioned. “Six months into it, I thought, ‘If I can’t find anything, I need to put my money where my mouth is and start something, but I can’t do this on my own,’” Stinnett said. “I brought in my friend Charlie as co-director, and that’s how Next Rung started.” The friend of whom Stinnett speaks, Charlie Brown, works as a firefighter and paramedic in Glendale, California. “As firefighters,” Brown said, “we are called upon in people’s most desperate times of need, but who do we, the firefighters, call when we are in need?” The two men share a passion to provide the answer to this question. Their east and west coast locations allowed Next Rung to quickly expand into the nationwide mental health support network it is today. Firefighting is routinely classified as one of America’s most stressful jobs. In fact, a 2019 article published by CBS News rated it second only to a lower-ranking enlisted soldier as the most stressful career choice. Soldiers and first responders share two key characteristics: Stress is nearly always present, and periods of higher stress appear in unpredictable spikes. While the public is generally aware of the military’s struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health crises, few consider the prevalence of these issues in first responders. Fewer still realize how taboo the topic has historically been in the firefighter, EMT and paramedic community. “There’s that stigma where you don’t want to talk about it because you don’t want to be viewed as weak,” Stinnett said. “We have to change that culture of silence.” He noted another
(L TO R) FF BEN LANDERS, FF CODY TREDEAU, FF BLAKE STINNETT, BATTALION CHIEF BRYAN JACKSON, FF DANIEL SPELL
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“There’s that stigma where you don’t want to talk about it because you don’t want to be viewed as weak. We have to change that culture of silence.” Next Rung Founder Blake Stinnett
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difference between the top two stressful professions. “Soldiers alternate times where they’re deployed and times at home, but firefighters know we’re going to see traumatic situations on every single shift.” The unique challenges of the profession are why Next Rung relies strongly on peer support from active and retired firefighters. The foundation’s 15 peer support volunteers in 2020 counseled 253 first responders with compassionate, been-there-donethat insight. Stinnett believes this approach has helped more firefighters break through the longstanding tradition of quiet stoicism. “If we can get people to share their stories, that helps others open up to talk about their experiences,” he said. “The first person we helped was a Hot Shot firefighter out west. Hot Shots are highly trained firefighters who work big wildfires and forest fires, which is mostly seasonal work.” Stinnett explained that during the offseason, Hot Shot crewmembers have down time to think about all they have experienced. “He had suicidal ideations,” Stinnett said. “We were able to line him up with a counselor, and he’s done really well. Four years later, he’s married and has a baby. It’s so rewarding to hear that.” The COVID-19 pandemic has given everyone—including firefighters—more time at home, more time away from work and more time to think. Next Rung has noticed a spike in calls since the pandemic began, especially from firefighters seeking help for substance-abuse problems. “I read that alcohol sales have ramped up during the pandemic,” Stinnett said. “As firemen, we are kind of known for that anyway; when we get together, there’s drinking involved. It’s really accepted across the board. When people have time to sit and think, their problems hit them in the face. Then they try to drown it all away with alcohol.” Next Rung in 2020 managed to help six firefighters attend inpatient substance-abuse treatment programs—a revelation Stinnett was proud to share. “Inpatient treatment costs from $6,000 on the low end up to $30,000 on the high end,” he said. “Insurance companies as a whole don’t adequately cover mental health services. Most fire
departments have an employee assistance program that will help you find a counselor, but they cover maybe three sessions and you’re on your own. That’s just enough time to start opening up, then the rug gets yanked out from under you. Even insurance copayments for counseling are high, and without insurance, you’re looking at between $80 and $120 per session.” Next Rung vows to provide support for as long as it is needed. Some first responders just need to talk to someone once or twice, while others take much longer. “Cumulative trauma, where things happen over and over, that’s where a lot of people meet their breaking point. Maybe it triggers something from their past that they never dealt with,” Stinnett said. “I tell them that it took a while to get here and sometimes it takes a while to get back. We walk with them for however long it takes to feel comfortable again.” Next Rung also offers its services to spouses and children of first responders, noting that the profession’s high stress level affects the entire family. “Sometimes, family members reach out after a loved one has committed suicide,” Stinnett said. “When that happens, we send a donation and a care package to the family and let them know we’re here and [that] they’re not forgotten. Their story provides fuel to our fire to help the person that comes to us next.” Stinnett runs Next Rung out of his Newton County home, which he shares with his wife Natalie and their children Layleigh and Jack. While he counts it a blessing that the nonprofit foundation has no overhead expenses, financial donations are always needed to continue helping as many first responders as possible. Stinnett and Brown encourage firefighters to reach out and let others help them bear the burden of their experiences. “Get the help that you deserve,” Stinnett said. “You’ve got to have a support system—everybody needs encouragement and someone to push them at times. You don’t have to face anything alone. I’ll be here until the doors shut or the Lord calls me home.” For more information on Next Rung, visit NextRung.org.
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H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S
GRACE & TRUTH
Facing Our Giants The story of David and Goliath serves as a reminder that God prepares us to confront the obstacles that stand in our way, even those we deem insurmountable. by RONNIE THOMAS The story of David and Goliath is one of the more familiar stories in the canonized collections of writings we call the Bible. We understand that David faced a literal giant by the name of Goliath of Gath. Some scholars believe he stood around 9-foot-9 and that his armor weighed upwards of 125 pounds. David facing his giant (in the literal sense) gives us encouragement (in the figurative sense) to face obstacles that we deem insurmountable. However, when we look at David’s story, we should pay particular attention to what he dealt with before he could even face his giant. He was literally counted out: In the opinion of others, he had no chance to defeat the giant who stood before him. In fact, David was counted out by three groups of people. First, David was counted out by Goliath (this posed no problems for him, as no one depends on his or her opponents for encouragement); second, David was counted out
“Just as He did with David, God has equipped you with the necessary tools for battle. You have what it takes.” Bethlehem Baptist Church Senior Pastor Ronnie Thomas
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by King Saul; and third, David was counted out by his family, particularly his brothers (this could have been devastating for him, as you expect your family to believe in you). Nevertheless, Davis remained confident. He did not count himself out. Beloved, whatever battles you are currently facing, be reminded that you are not to be counted out. In 1 Samuel 17, David took several steps to prevent himself from being counted out. David considered his past victories, remembering when he fought the bear and the lion in order to protect his father’s sheep. You have to consider your past victories and remember all the difficult situations God has brought you through. David also counted on his present virtues. Essentially, God had already given him everything he needed for the fight: five smooth stones. Just as He did with David, God has equipped you with the necessary tools for battle. You have what it takes. Lastly, David confidently proclaimed victory. He emphatically looked past the size of the giant and declared himself the victor. Why? David knew God was on his side. When God is on your side, the giants in your life have no choice but to fall at your feet. Ronnie Thomas is the senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Covington. Visit bethlehembaptistcovingtonga.com or call 770-786-8229 to learn more.
2021 Spring Issue 27
H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S
A LIFE S AV I N G ACT Angel Griffith started donating blood as a teenager because she was interested in pursuing a career in the medical field. She had no idea her son would one day need others to follow her lead in order to stay alive. by MICHELLE FLOYD Angel Griffith has donated blood since she was 16 years old, not knowing that one day her son would be a beneficiary of the selfless, life-saving act. “I started giving blood as teenager because I wanted to be in the medical field,” Griffith said. “It just made sense to give blood. If I can give blood to save somebody else, it’s definitely worth it.” In November 2018, her 5-year-old son Kendell was diagnosed with leukemia. Months before the diagnosis, he began experiencing excruciating leg pains that had him crying in the middle of the night. Griffith’s motherly instincts kicked in, as she knew something was amiss. After several visits to various emergency rooms and doctors yielded no answers and with the pains in his legs becoming so intense that Kendell was having difficulty walking, Angel and her sister decided to take him to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. “I told my sister, ‘I know my child. This has gone on for two months. Something is wrong with him,’” Griffith said.
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H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S
After several examinations and tests, doctors finally provided the Griffith family with some answers. It was not the revelation for which everyone had hoped, but they finally had a direction in which to turn. “That night, they pulled us out of the room and told us that he had leukemia. They couldn’t tell me all of the details, but he had it,” Griffith said. “He was admitted to the hospital and began treatment immediately and aggressively.” A second grader at Stark Elementary School in Jackson, Kendell underwent a blood transfusion within the first week, then started chemotherapy treatments, lumbar punctures and further testing. Griffith, who attends Eastridge Community Church in Covington, leaned on her faith. “It was too much to take on,” she said. “I just worshipped and cried and prayed and knew that God was going to work it out.”
“It’s important. If it wasn’t for people like us giving blood, my son wouldn’t be here today. We give so he can live and so others can, too.” Angel Griffith Although Kendell enjoyed his stay at times—he remembers using a hoverboard to roll around the halls—the initial diagnosis was difficult for the family, which spent countless nights dealing with fevers and the fallout from hundreds of blood transfusions. Even though he continues treatment, his situation has improved. For the past year, Kendell has benefitted from a blood infusion that filters antibodies from donors. He even beat back COVID-19 at the end of 2020. Kendell helps put a face on the importance of blood donation. “Approximately every two seconds, a patient in the United States needs a blood transfusion,” American Red Cross spokesperson Ronnika McFall said. “On average, the Red Cross must collect more than 2,600 platelet and nearly 13,000 blood donations every day for patients at about 2,500 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide. Here in Georgia, we need to collect approximately 568 blood donations each and every day to meet the needs of patients.” According to McFall, blood and platelets are needed for a variety of reasons: accident and burn victims, patients who have undergone heart surgery or organ transplant and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease. “Platelets play a critical role in the treatment of millions of Americans fighting cancer and other chronic diseases, as well as those recovering from traumatic injuries,” she said. “Since platelets must be used within five days of donation, platelet donors are constantly needed.”
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Although the situation appears to have taken a positive turn for the Griffiths, Angel and her husband continue to donate blood as often as they are allowed to do so. “We go every three months—as much as we can go,” she said. “It’s important. If it wasn’t for people like us giving blood, my son wouldn’t be here today. We give so he can live and so others can, too.” Kendell’s experience has opened his mother’s eyes to a cold reality. “I need other people to help me keep my son alive,” she said. “You never think about those things until it’s a life-ordeath situation. It changes things when the blood donations become personal. Nobody thinks this will happen to them; and here it is, this is happening. I’m so thankful to people
who selflessly give. They don’t even realize the impact it has on everybody’s life. Their blood is what helps keep my baby alive.” The family hopes to organize a blood drive in Kendell’s honor someday soon in an attempt to raise awareness. Information regarding blood donation can be found on the Red Cross website and the Red Cross app, which also allow interested parties to complete some of the paperwork ahead of time to speed up the process. All blood types are needed. “It doesn’t really take that long,” Griffith said. “If you eat a good lunch or breakfast and keep yourself hydrated, you can be done in about 30 minutes.” For more information, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-733-2767.
S P O R T S & R E C R E AT I O N
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ties that bind Valentine and Elizabeth Gomez have used their mutual love of soccer and longstanding relationship with the Covington Family YMCA as a means to strengthen and enrich the community to which they proudly belong. by CHRIS BRIDGES When describing Valentine and Elizabeth Gomez, one must first consider the strong sense of community pride they display in virtually every activity they pursue as a couple. They do it not for recognition but out of a genuine love for Covington and Newton County. Their involvement as volunteer coaches in the Covington Family YMCA soccer program elevates the positives originating from a shared joy that they derive from serving others. Valentine and Elizabeth have been married for 13 years. He played soccer at Eastside High School and has pursued the sport for most of his life. Valentine even had the opportunity to train with a professional team in Mexico in 2006. When he returned to the United States, he continued playing, and once the
couple’s son, Jonathan, began competing in the sport, Valentine naturally morphed into a coach. “Our son began playing for the Covington YMCA, and we got to know the staff,” Elizabeth said. “Valentine and I both enjoyed the sport so we wanted to become involved. Once we got started, we never looked back. We still enjoy being involved as much today as when we first began.” Valentine coaches a U13 team for the Galaxy, a travel program based at the Covington YMCA. Every spring and fall, he sets out to pass on what he has learned to a younger generation. Elizabeth played soccer in middle school but admits she never got serious about the sport. She, too, has coached recreation teams but now considers herself more of a Team Mom or team manager. 2021 Spring Issue 37
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“When I met Valentine, I figured one day we would be involved in coaching young people, especially once we had kids,” Elizabeth said. “Our son has shown a talent for the game since he was little. We knew as he got older [that] we would want to be involved to some degree in helping coach him.” Valentine and Elizabeth also have a 10-year-old daughter, Valeria. She plays soccer and softball, and her mother admits she bounces “back and forth” between the two. The Gomezes definitely consider soccer something of a family tradition. Two of Valentine’s nephews play adult soccer through the Covington YMCA. Elizabeth and Valentine both value seeing young people enjoy the sport, even as they learn life lessons through its inherent ups and downs. “Through the years we have been involved, we have become close with so many kids,” Elizabeth said. “That is what has kept us going. We want to support and lift up our local children and to try and make Covington a better place. We really do have a love for this community. You get to interact with a lot of people and kids. The programs offered through the YMCA add so much to this area.” The Gomez family’s sense of community pride extends beyond the area soccer fields. They attend Calvary Baptist Church, where they are active in the band. Valentine is a mechanic by trade and Elizabeth is a real estate agent, and their professions put them in direct contact with even more local residents.
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“I don’t think either one of us could imagine walking away from being so involved,” Elizabeth said. “The YMCA is a great opportunity to meet other local people. It is a great way to become involved and to give back to Covington and the surrounding areas.” Their dedication has not gone unnoticed. “The Gomezes truly love to see people of all ages learning how to play and enjoying soccer or any sport,” Covington Family YMCA Executive Director Louly Hay-Kapp said. “Having volunteers who are always willing to inspire and motivate children is such a gift to our Y and to our community. The Gomezes understand the value of community and do their part to make our community so special.” Valentine and Elizabeth admit they have built a number of lasting friendships through their years of giving back. “So many people have pride in our community,” Elizabeth said. “We aren’t the only ones. When we see young people learning about a sport and developing an interest in something positive, then we know we are making a difference. That is what is truly important for us and our family. We truly appreciate the opportunity we have through the Covington YMCA in making a positive difference locally.”
“We want to support and lift up our local children and to try and make Covington a better place. We really do have a love for this community.” Elizabeth Gomez
S P O R T S & R E C R E AT I O N
WARRIOR
SPIRIT Oxford College tennis coach Pernilla Hardin was given weeks to live in August 2020. She believes her decision to ‘trust the Lord completely’ resulted in a supernatural turnaround during a second battle with ovarian cancer. by GABRIEL STOVALL August 3, 2020 was supposed to be the beginning of the end. That was the day Oxford College at Emory University tennis coach Pernilla Hardin settled in at her home with the caregivers from Longleaf Hospice in Covington. She was immediately struck by a tangible sense of what it was supposed to mean. As the arrangements were being made, her doctor gave a soft benediction she really did not need to hear to understand her fate. “Mrs. Hardin, we can’t cure you,” he said. “The only way that happens is if the guy upstairs intervenes.” It was a most profound moment. “I knew what that meant,” Hardin said. “Hospice is there to make you comfortable to die.” Ovarian cancer—the same form of the disease she had beaten into remission before—had returned to Hardin’s body. Some five years and about a half dozen more national championships after her initial battle, the coach was about to face a much bigger challenge. Hardin in 2015 had several surgeries to remove softball- and soccer ball-sized tumors from her stomach, in addition to a full hysterectomy. Near the end of October in 2018, the cancer returned, and she underwent chemotherapy from around Thanksgiving until March 2020. “They say that the big thing with ovarian cancer is if it comes back, it comes back so much harder,” Hardin said. “It isn’t a good thing.” Indeed, the cancer and the chemotherapy made for a devastating 1–2 punch that did its best to take her out. “It was the Rubraca inhibitor,” she said. “It was horrible, and it knocked the heck out of me.” It was at that time that Hardin started to entertain the idea that the healing for which she had been praying was going to take place in the hereafter. It was also at that time that she decided to place her full trust in God. After a January 2020 doctor’s appointment, Hardin was informed that she had 13 tumors. In April, with the COVID-19 pandemic underway, she leveled with her husband Robert.
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S P O R T S & R E C R E AT I O N
“I had all this morphine to take for pain, and I never had to use it. When I told the doctor that I had no pain anymore, he told me, ‘Well, God must really be helping you.’” Oxford College tennis coach Pernilla Hardin
“I realized the doctors couldn’t cure me,” Hardin said. “When the pandemic started, I was still trying to take the chemo, but it wasn’t working. I was feeling horrible. The pain level was steadily increasing, and I was spiraling downhill pretty quickly. It was somewhere in April when I looked at Rob and said, ‘This is not working. I just need to go ahead and trust the Lord completely.’” It meant backing away from the treatment that seemed to make her feel worse than the disease. While the decision to do so did not improve her physical condition initially, Hardin admits she experienced much more peace about the situation. “Things started getting really bad in June,” she said. “Rob didn’t think I was going to make it.” Hardin was born in Hudiksvall, Sweden, where her daughter and 90-year-old mother still live. The daughter was at first hesitant to travel to the United States due to the risks and inconveniences associated with the pandemic. However, when Rob broke the news to the family that doctors were discussing feeding tubes and hospice care, the decision to visit her mother as she approached her last days became much easier. By that time, Hardin had grown tired of the pain and Rob had grown weary of watching his beloved wife waste away. “I remember around that time they were telling us that she had about two, maybe three weeks left,” he said. “At that point, it really was about just trying to make her comfortable and me starting to think about how I was going to get through Thanksgiving and Christmas and all those moments without her.”
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Former students and players from Hardin’s tennis teams visited—they came from as far away as Boston, New York and Chicago—to say “thank you” and “goodbye.” For those who knew her best, it was unimaginably difficult to see her in such a state. While she was buoyed by her faith and the love and support of her students, husband and immediately family, Hardin’s body was rapidly deteriorating, even as her spirit was gaining strength. Her three children—two daughters and a son—had begun planning her celebration of life service. In fact, they had gone so far as to buy a burial plot for her at Honey Creek Woodlands Cemetery, across from the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers. Rob, however, refused to give up. “I’m seeing her death two or three weeks away,” he said, “and you know, love is long suffering in more ways than one. So I’m watching Pernilla come to grips with her death. She’s coming to grips with God’s grace being sufficient, and she’s saying, ‘I’m fine no matter what.’ I was saying, ‘No, don’t think that. You’re a fighter.’ She was at peace, but for me, on Aug. 3, I didn’t think she was going to see September.”
Hardin had no choice but to attach her one-point-at-atime tennis approach to whatever time she had left. Soon, days turned to weeks, and by the middle of August, she realized she no longer felt much pain. “I had all this morphine to take for pain, and I never had to use it,” Hardin said. “When I told the doctor that I had no pain anymore, he told me, ‘Well, God must really be helping you.’” Sometime around September, she found something else for which she could be thankful, and it was quite unexpected. “I went to the bathroom, and I came out and said, ‘I passed gas.’ Not to be too detailed, but up until that point, I had a full-on obstruction,” Hardin said. “Nothing had come out on either side of my intestines, so when I came out that day after passing gas, I said, ‘I think God is doing something.’” From there, she tried to eat and drink a little more and continued to see signs that her digestive track had reactivated. The progress was enough to keep her going. “By Thanksgiving, I was able to participate in our meal,” Hardin said. “By Christmas, I was able to stand drinking water again. Before those times, I’d lost all my muscle mass and just so much weight, but since that point until now, I’ve put on like 45 pounds.” She now measures her progress by mailboxes and golf clubs. “I started gaining strength by making trips to the mailbox,” Hardin said. “Then I’d walk to one more, then two, then three—until I was able to just keep on walking. I can walk through nine holes of golf now. At first, I couldn’t lift a bag of golf clubs, but now I can. I’m back doing pushups, dips [and] planking. My joints aren’t quite ready for weightlifting, but I’ve been doing isometric strength training.” Tennis was another outlet on which she relied. As Hardin continues down her recovery road, she has stayed active on the virtual recruiting trail. Yes, even as she recovers from another life-threatening encounter with ovarian cancer, she exudes excitement when discussing the latest class of players that she and her staff have assembled at Oxford College. “I love what I do,” Hardin said. “Having the opportunity to help young people to be their best, I just love it. I’m super thankful that I continue to have the opportunity to do what I love. After all of this, I have a different perspective I can bring to my athletes. When situations get tough and stressful, I can think through what I’ve been through and say, ‘Listen, it’s just tennis. No matter how tough it gets, you still are blessed to be able to play, so don’t stress about it.’” Hardin maintains her trust in God’s ability to heal—so much so that she never bothered to visit the doctor for the official word that her cancer has gone into remission. “I don’t need to have a scan to tell me I’m healed,” she said. “God gave me peace to get off the chemo. He gave me peace to get off the inhibitors. I’m gaining weight. I feel no pain. I don’t feel sick, and I’m not going to live like [I am].”
A R T S , E D U C AT I O N & I N N O VAT I O N
As a state-certified beekeeper, Newton College and Career Academy agricultural education teacher Marcus Pollard plays a pivotal role in maintaining a healthy relationship between the public and the often-misunderstood honey bee population. by DAVID ROTEN
The “location, location, location” mantra applies to more than just the world of real estate. Apparently, it also has much to do with how people respond to honey bees. Observing a bee buzz from flower to flower can be a delightful experience. Discovering a “bee in your bonnet”—or in your attic? Well, not so much. Marcus Pollard, an agricultural education teacher at the Newton College and Career Academy, has been coming to the rescue of bees and people for the past 10 years as a state-certified beekeeper. It is a small but important part of his role as advisor for the Georgia Young Farmer Program in Newton County. “I kind of connect the community with agricultural education— the FFA chapters, the kids in the high schools and middle schools with adults,” he said. “It’s a big networking thing.” By limiting his teaching at NCCA to only two classes, Pollard can invest more time helping landowners and citizens with all
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things agricultural. When the issue arises of what to do with bees, it becomes a matter of no little importance. “One out of three bites of food that humans eat, a bee is 100% responsible for,” Pollard said. “The reality is that for the cow to eat the grass you have to have the bee to pollinate it.” While pesticides in the form of neonicotinoids continue to kill large numbers of the insects, a deadly mite, aptly named the Varroa destructor, is also thinning the ranks of colonies across the country. Thankfully, there are ongoing efforts on a variety of fronts to address these and other issues facing pollinators, in general, and the honey bee, in particular. “As a beekeeper, our job is just to optimize the conditions so that bees can produce and do their thing,” Pollard said. Those conditions can deteriorate rapidly when bees inadvertently choose to build their nests in human dwellings. “You would hope that all of them would go to a hollowed-out tree trunk or whatever, but that’s just not always the case,” he said. Homeowners fearful of stings and/or property damage often lack the knowledge and skills to deal with such an intrusion and are forced to look for outside help. “Beekeepers,” Pollard said, “typically get that phone call.” By the time Pollard took one such call from Little Springs Farm, just south of Covington, a sizeable bee hive was already firmly ensconced on the back of the house, neatly framed behind siding and between studs. The removal was neither simple nor easy. “The challenge was that it was 30 feet in the air,” Pollard said. The beekeeper needed help and found it in Newton County Young Farmer member Glenn Dowling. He contacted Sunbelt Rentals’ Joe Camadeca, who donated scaffolding to support the operation.
When moving a colony of bees, finding the queen is key, as the rest of the bees will typically follow her when she leaves the hive, according to Pollard. Because of her larger size and the movement of workers around her, she is usually easy to identify and apprehend. That was not the case at Little Springs Farm. “She was running from me the entire time,” Pollard said. “As I would pull the outermost layer of honeycomb out of the hive, she would move deeper into the remaining honeycomb.” Finally, after reaching the last layer, he managed to grab her. “Well, I made an attempt,” Pollard said. “She promptly fell down the scaffolding and held on to the middle level about 15 feet below us. I was able to climb down and scoop her up.” Queen and colony were soon transferred to Mansfield Elementary School, where an observation hive sat empty, its former residents having been victims of a mite infestation. Students, particularly second-graders, have utilized hives at the school to study bees and their life cycles for the past seven years, according to Sarah Nichols, a school office secretary who also works with the afterschool program’s Farm to School Initiative. “The kids love to watch the queen and the whole hive just work,” she said. One of the first realities students learn is that swatting at a bee is generally not a good idea, because it will be interpreted as a sign of aggression. Honey bees sting but normally only in self-defense. “We discuss that the bees don’t want to sting them because they don’t live after that,” Nichols said. Students are also able to learn about the importance of bees as pollinators as they see the process firsthand in the pollination garden located just outside the observation hive.
Pollard credits the successful relocation of the bees, from house to school, to a community effort that began with the homeowner. “It all wouldn’t have been possible without Little Springs Farm deciding to try to keep the bees as opposed to calling an exterminator,” he said. Another kind of call that Pollard commonly receives tends to come from a landowner who has spotted a large mass of bees, often hanging from a tree branch. Though encountering a basketball-sized swarm containing thousands of bees can be a frightening experience, it need not be, according to Pollard. Because they have left their hive, they have no honey or honeycomb. “There is nothing to defend,” he said, “so this is actually when they are the most docile.” Swarming is simply the natural process through which bee colonies multiply by dividing. “They reproduce by one hive becoming two,” Pollard said. Though the queen is responsible for populating the colony by laying as many as 2,000 eggs per day, the worker bees are the real movers and shakers when it comes to getting vital tasks done. They not only feed and attend to the queen constantly, but they also build the honeycomb and clean its cells, handle incoming nectar, feed the brood, guard the entrance to the hive and cool and ventilate it when necessary. In addition, they guide community activities by continuously evaluating conditions in and around the hive. 2021 Spring Issue 47
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When it is determined that the hive is becoming crowded or nearby resources are too limited to support the colony, worker bees will choose 6–12 eggs out of the thousands stored in the hive and feed them a kind of super-food called “royal jelly,” creating a queen. When the current queen senses she is about to be replaced, she leaves the hive, or swarms. “She’s big. She doesn’t like to fly, and so, she’s going to hang on to something very close to the hive,” Pollard said. “About half of the current hive will go and hang with her.” While the rest wait, a number of scout bees will scatter, searching for an open but protected place to make a new home. “One scout finds something. It comes back. Another scout finds something. It comes back,” Pollard said. “Then [all the scouts] do a little dance, and whoever has the most exciting dance wins.” Having reached a consensus, the hive lifts as one and flies to its new home where the whole process begins again. Meanwhile, back at the old hive, a power struggle ensues among the half a dozen or so queens that have hatched. “They will fight to the death, and then the last one standing is the new queen,” Pollard said. “So it is with nature: One hive becomes two.” Whenever possible, Pollard relocates bee colonies to NCCA, where they will fill either the observation hive situated inside a classroom or one of several hives located outside the school. Under Pollard’s tutelage, students outfitted in full beekeeper gear learn the art and science of beekeeping and how to make lip balm and candles with the wax. Out in the community, Pollard can often relocate hives to beekeepers needing new or replacement bees. He wishes more people understood the “power of pollination” and took on beekeeping. “Bees are struggling; bees are dying,” he said. “Anybody that could lend a hand really has a compound effect on their communities.” FUN FACTS • It takes 12 bee lifetimes to make a teaspoon of honey. • From hive to flower and back, it takes 2,000,000 trips and 50,000 miles of flight to produce a pound of honey. • Honey is (technically) not bee vomit since it does not come from the stomach. It is regurgitated from another organ. For more information or help concerning honey bees, contact Marcus Pollard via email at pollard.marcus@newton.k12.ga.us.
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“One out of three bites of food that humans eat, a bee is 100% responsible for. The reality is that for the cow to eat the grass you have to have the bee to pollinate it.” Marcus Pollard
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SHA R P
LEFT
TUR N
A nerve injury suffered in 2015 impacted the use of Alissa Muscarello’s dominant hand and forced her to leave a career in veterinary medicine. Acrylic painting provided her with an outlet to self-discovery and eventually led to a new vocation. by TERRI WEBSTER Alissa Muscarello always enjoyed sketching and doodling as a child. Little did she know that those early years of dabbling in art would turn around her life as an adult. Muscarello was born in Connecticut, but her family moved to Georgia when she was a toddler. Growing up, her passion had always been in the veterinary field. She even recalls dressing up as a veterinarian in preschool. The passion followed her through the years, and after she graduated from Salem High School in Conyers, she went on to study animal science at Berry College in Rome and the University of Georgia in Athens. Muscarello focused on disease prevention. After she earned her degree, she went on to work with pharmaceuticals and at various animal hospitals, clinics and emergency rooms. Muscarello was fulfilling her dreams as planned. Then life took a sharp left turn. Muscarello in 2015 suffered a nerve injury that affected the use and functionality of her dominant right hand, and the pain progressed to a point where she could no longer perform her duties at work. Following extensive therapy, she faced the cold reality that the damage was permanent and gave up her career. Despite such a dramatic life change, Muscarello remained positive. “I feel fortunate to have had such a wonderful team of doctors and physical therapists,” she said. Muscarello received acrylic paints as a gift in 2017 and hoped to try painting as a positive outlet, even though she had never painted before. Because of the pain in her right hand, the paints stayed 2021 Spring Issue 51
A R T S , E D U C AT I O N & I N N O VAT I O N
“I am thankful for and truly inspired by the incredible amount of support I have received from a large network of people.” Alissa Muscarello
boxed for months. “I thought I may have to give up the idea of painting,” Muscarello said, “but I had a realization that I was fortunate to still have my left hand at full functionality and attempted to change hands.” The first time she dipped a paintbrush with her left hand and attempted to paint was difficult. “To say this was challenging is an understatement,” Muscarello said, “but I became very determined.” Her efforts were eventually rewarded, as it was not long before she discovered that she possessed a talent she never knew she had. It ignited a new passion that she had to explore. “This was the turning point that gave me a new sense of purpose and fulfillment,” Muscarello said, “and it led me to pursue painting as a new career.” She had been painting primarily with her left hand for less than a year when she made her official debut. Muscarello’s work can be found on display at WildArt in Covington. While her career path changed, her passion for animals never went away. In fact, it has surfaced in her paintings.
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“I feel great gratitude painting portraits of beloved pets for families,” Muscarello said. She draws inspiration mostly from places she travels and wildlife encounters that hold significant meaning to her, especially those that have left her in awe and compelled her to express them on canvas. Muscarello creates each piece with heavy body acrylics, using small brushes and individual strokes to achieve fine detailed realism. She finds great joy knowing her artwork has wound up on walls in homes across the United States and overseas. Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Muscarello planned to show her work at numerous festivals in the Atlanta area, along with others in North Carolina and Florida. Those plans were ultimately nixed, but she hopes to branch out in the future once the health crisis subsides. Muscarello credits her success to the encouragement she received from others.
“I am thankful for and truly inspired by the incredible amount of support I have received from a large network of people,” she said. The most amazing part of the story? Muscarello was selftaught. She professes her gift as a God-given talent and believes it all happened for a reason. She has not given up working with animals again one day and plans to go back as a volunteer or in some other capacity. Muscarello experiences pain and flare-ups in her hand from time to time but views them as manageable. She has practiced writing with her left hand and spends a great deal of time painting her signature on each piece she completes. Muscarello calls upon wisdom imparted on her by her mother whenever she faces difficult times. “When in the moment things seem devastating, God might have a vision or plan for you that you can’t see,” she said, “but it will all work out.” For more information on Alissa Muscarello’s work, visit PaintingsByAlissa.com.
LIVING
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PHOTOGRAPHIC
MEMORY Kipp Tarver visited all 50 states and chronicled the decade-long journey through a variety of artistic mediums, most notably black-and-white pictures. by KARI APTED “The States—A Photographic Memoir of My Travels Through a United America” looks like a lovely coffee table book at first glance. Its pages illustrate one man’s goal to document his journey through all 50 states via black-and-white photography. As you thumb through the images of America’s natural and constructed beauty, you begin to notice the prose on the pages opposite each image. As you read Kipp Tarver’s words, you realize there is a bigger message behind this work than simply showcasing national scenery. Tarver, a Covington photographer, writer and painter, did not start out pursuing a career in the arts. The New Jersey native graduated from Rutgers University with a communications degree, then attended graduate school at Georgetown University. His first job was at NASA, helping to pioneer the video teleconferencing technology we take for granted today. He went on to work at the Pentagon, then for the Federal Aviation Administration—where he was employed during 9/11. He relocated to Georgia in 2008 and worked in logistics for a construction and engineering firm. Although his career history is more technical than creative, Tarver always held a deep appreciation for traveling and the arts. He credits each step of his life for the role it played in bringing him to where he is now. Highly focused, he lives by an inspiring mission statement: Create boldly, exhibit proudly, inspire others.
“Very early in my career at NASA, as I arranged teleconferences between Kennedy Space Center in Florida and Johnson Space Center in Houston, I began seeing the immense value in connecting different parts of the country,” Tarver said. “Everything I did led me to travel. When you plug into a place, something inside you says, ‘I have to go there.’ When you go, you start connecting to people from completely different backgrounds, and you inevitably realize that you are far more alike than different.” Tarver’s desire to visit every American state was triggered at the age of 22 while visiting his cousin in Hong Kong. He met a local student who had studied in the United States and visited all 50 states. “I wondered how many Americans can say they’ve done that,” Tarver said. “That’s when I knew that’s what I wanted: to travel to every state.” Tarver began traveling soon after, but his love of photography would surface later in life. “I was inspired by Ansel Adams and especially Gordon Parks. Parks traveled around the world and made a lasting impact on me,” he added. “He did everything, from fashion photography in Paris to capturing images of poverty for Life Magazine in the ghettos of Brazil.” Like Parks, Tarver is a self-taught photographer. He began experimenting with black-and-white photography using a Nikon N80 single-lens reflex camera with 35-millimeter film. 2021 Spring Issue 57
LIVING
“If each of us had the opportunity to travel to all 50 states, we would be a more united, sympathetic nation.” Kipp Tarver
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He learned about light exposure, filtering and masking, as he conceived a plan for his work. Following a premise of “one photograph, one story, one state,” his book became the manifestation of his love for photography and travel. Tarver planned his trips around the nation regionally, with scheduled stops at certain attractions, always open to diverting from the planned path if circumstances led him to do so. “Some of the images in this book came to me in dreams, which left me with a sense of déjà vu when I arrived,” he said. “Others were unexpected surprises. I call them gifts of serendipity.” One such serendipitous occasion transpired in South Dakota. “It’s the Crazy Horse Memorial. I’d never heard of it,” Tarver said. “I went there to photograph the Badlands. A man I met said that I had to go see Crazy Horse, so I did. It was amazing. It’s funny that this giant mountain carving is only a few miles from Mount Rushmore, but so many people have never heard of it.” Tarver took hundreds of photos in each state. For his book, he narrowed it down to the one picture that he felt best captured the spirit of the state. “My theme is God vs. Man, alternating images of God’s creation with what man has designed and built,” he said. Thumbing through the book, this pattern flows from giant oaks with exposed roots in Louisiana to the world’s longest covered bridge in Vermont. Far from just a photographic journal, Tarver includes poetic descriptions of his impressions of each state. “It’s my responsibility as an artist to connect with my audience,” he said. “This doesn’t just happen. You have to be intentional.” One of Tarver’s favorite quotes comes from Mark Twain.
“He said, ‘Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.’ When you travel, you find out that our cultures are more alike than different,” Tarver said. “If each of us had the opportunity to travel to all 50 states, we would be a more united, sympathetic nation. Imagine if everyone before their 30s made seeing every state their goal? It would be a different country.” Tarver suggests that novice creatives exhibit without a goal of selling in order to remove the stress of measuring the worth of their work against what people are willing to pay for it. “Everyone who’s an artist doesn’t have to be a marketer,” he said. “Create for the sake of creating.” Although the message was the mission behind Tarver’s project, he is also a skilled marketer of his work. It has been shown around the nation, as well as internationally in Brazil, Greece, Italy and South Africa. The COVID-19 pandemic has made a difference in the number of shows he has been able to schedule recently. His next exhibition will be on June 26 at The Cloister at Sea Island in Sea Island, Georgia. He also has plans to present his work locally at Oxford College and at Peachtree Academy. Tarver also enjoys partnering with nonprofits for fundraising purposes. “I’ve been given these abilities to share them where I can,” he said. “I give a full 50% of my sales to the charities I partner with.” Beneficiaries of his photo auctions include a Florida-based chamber orchestra and a battered women’s shelter. Constantly evolving his message into new expressions, Tarver presented his work at an Atlanta event accompanied by music and an interpretive dancer. He is currently working in his home studio, turning his photographs into large mixed-media works of art. He has printed images on wood, chiseling and painting to add depth and dimension. Tarver is also writing a screenplay and hopes to turn it into a film about his work. He challenges others to travel and creatively document their own experiences through writing, photography, drawing, videography or whatever media interests them. “I meet a lot of creatives who are fantastic but afraid to exhibit. I never let the fact that I wasn’t a writer or a photographer stop me from writing a book about photography,” he said with a laugh. “I admit I have a boatload of confidence—it comes from having success in my endeavors—but I want my work to be an example for people close to being creative but feeling hesitancy. I want them to look at what I did and say, ‘If he can do it, I can do it, too.’” For more information on Kipp Tarver’s work, visit KippTarver.com.com. 2021 Spring Issue 59
ADVERTORIAL
TAKE A LOOK Have you ever been browsing the Internet or scrolling through social media and saw a company or product that you were really interested in? It’s that exciting moment of clicking the link to see more information only to find that the photos are blurry, the videos are not interesting, and the site is just filled up with stock images. Businesses revert to using stock photos and videos when they don’t have the proper content to fill the space in their marketing efforts. By doing this it misleads and may hinder the return that a business has due to a lack of relatable and high quality content. Now that spring has arrived, it’s the perfect time to TAKE A LOOK at the content you are using to promote your business. Does it reflect your brand and properly highlight your products and services? It is important to evaluate all of your content including photos, videos, and graphics to ensure that they properly represent you.
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“I have had the opportunity to work with the SCB team over the last six months on a series of video productions for tourism in Covington. They made the entire process smooth for our group from contacting potential locations, having a professional production team, and making our requested edits in a timely manner. Overall, I was blown away by the quality of the filming and how well they were able to capture an image of Covington.” Nic Matthews Downtown Coordinator, City of Covington
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LIVING
W HEN H O LLYW O O D BR OUGHT
THE ‘HEAT’ Newton County had been on the film industry’s radar for years, but during its seven-year run from 1988 to 1994, ‘In the Heat of the Night’ flung open the doors to an influx of business that exists to this day. by NAT HARWELL Along about 11 a.m. one wintry morning in the late 1980s, the public address speaker in my classroom at Sharp Middle School crackled to life. I was teaching a social studies class when Principal Thomas Glanton interrupted and told me I was needed in his office. I explained my status, to which he replied that someone was on the way to watch my students. The first and foremost thought in my mind was that this could not be a good thing. A second thought occupied my mind as I walked to the office from my classroom: What could I have possibly done wrong? As I entered the front office, longtime school secretary JoAnne Preston waved me through to Glanton’s office without even saying a word. In the inner sanctum, I found Glanton seated behind his desk and two adult males dressed in grunge clothing seated in two other chairs. Glanton beckoned me toward the only empty chair left and proceeded to introduce me to the two men, one of whom was a producer, the other a director, for the television drama “In the Heat of the Night,” which starred Carroll O’Connor and was being filmed in and around Covington. Although parts of the series’ first season had been filmed in Louisiana, “Heat” had
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LIVING
“It was a simpler time, and a television show that featured a white police chief from the Deep South teaming up with a black detective went a long way toward promoting harmony in this corner of the world.” Nat Harwell
found a home in Covington, transforming it into the fictitious Sparta, Mississippi. The two men were part of the team of movers and shakers in charge of filming the episodes. As the introductions were being made, I wondered, “What could any of this possibly have to with me? What could be important enough to get me out of a classroom in the middle of an instructional period?” The plot thickened at this point. I was also serving Sharp Middle School as the boys’ basketball coach at the time. We were in the middle of the season, and practice followed immediately after school. It was explained to me that the men wanted to use the historic gym—where legendary coach Ron Bradley once won a national record 129 consecutive home games (the record stands to this day) for Newton High School—to film an episode of “Heat” that required them to set up a boxing ring and necessary lighting. They needed the gym just that one afternoon and evening,
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as they also planned to film a bloody murder scene in the shower area under the north stands. They put the question to me: Would I be willing to call off basketball practice that afternoon to allow the filming to take place? To his credit, Glanton had put the ball in my court and would agree or disagree based on what I decided. I thought about it for about 10 seconds, the time drawing out seemingly for hours as the men fidgeted in their seats. “Gentlemen, as you know, we are in the midst of a challenging season, and every practice is important,” I said. “However, I will agree to call off practice today and allow you to do what you need in the gym on one condition: I want to be in a scene with Carroll O’Connor himself. If you will agree to that, the gym is yours.” So it came to pass that practice was cancelled. I reported to the wardrobe area in a soundstage set up in a warehouse over on Hazelbrand Road, where I was fitted into a Sparta police uniform. At approximately 6 p.m. that same day, Sparta Police Chief Bill Gillespie (O’Connor) held a briefing for all his officers, and there I am, on camera, right behind the man who portrayed him. I always referred to O’Connor as Archie Bunker—the polarizing character he played previously in “All in the Family.” It was for me the
beginning of opportunities to appear as an extra in six episodes filmed in Covington in the late 1980s. They included one featuring a beauty pageant in which I, playing a photographer, have a full-face shot walking into the camera. I felt certain that I would be edited out of that scene, but when it aired in those pre-cell-phone days, our landline rang off the hook from friends and family calling to tell me that they had just seen me on television. Many Newton County residents can talk late into any evening about such stories. For example, a gentleman named Grady Spradley just happened to be a dead ringer for O’Connor himself. Grady was utilized as a stand-in for many shoots. While this is just hearsay, it has been told to me that O’Connor would pay Grady to have dinner out at various restaurants in order for the actor and his wife to have a quiet dinner without being harassed ceaselessly for autographs. There were the police chases and the encounters with actors at seemingly every turn on The Square. The storefront for the Gary Massey Agency was transformed into the show’s town cafe. Covington’s old post office at the corner of Conyers and Monticello streets became the headquarters for the Sparta Police Department. Massey, our neighbor at the time, saw my wife and children watching as an exterior shot of Chief Gillespie entering the cafe was about to get underway. He beckoned to Louise to bring the kids inside his office to watch. O’Connor came in and chatted with Louise and the kids for a few minutes. “All I remember,” she said, “is that Carroll O’Connor had the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen.” There was also an unforgettable day at the corner of Crestview and Forest drives, where a scene involving a car crash was being shot near the home of Skip and Betty MacFadden. Louise was bringing the girls home from a clogging show—instructor Kim Dylong called it “The Dylong Express—and they were in their dance outfits. Actor Alan Autry, who played Officer Bubba Skinner on “Heat,” stopped them and asked if they could clog for him. To his delight, they agreed. Autry had the broadest grin on his face, and many locals who were around during those days can testify that he was always friendly to everyone he encountered. Covington had been on Hollywood’s radar for years. “A Man Called Peter” was filmed here, along with “Cannonball Run” and “The Dukes of Hazzard.” However, “In the Heat of the Night” blew open the doors to the film industry. It was a simpler time, and a television show that featured a white police chief from the Deep South teaming up with a black detective— Howard Rollins played Virgil Tibbs for 121 episodes and won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series in 1989—went a long way toward promoting harmony in this corner of the world. Although I had basically blackmailed my way into that first scene with O’Connor, I do relish the memory of how a nervous walk down a long hallway to my principal’s office turned into some special moments for me in a television series with Archie Bunker.
BY THE NUMBERS: Loosely based on the novel and film of the same title, “In the Heat of the Night” ran for seven seasons on NBC and CBS, from March 6, 1988 to May 16, 1995. It remains popular in syndication. 142: Total episodes. Eight episodes aired during Season 1, followed by 22 episodes each for the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth seasons. The seventh and final season featured 24 episodes. 15,639,200: Average viewers for Season 1, which established the benchmark for the series. 17.3: Peak rating. It was achieved during the show’s second season, which ran from Dec. 4, 1988 to May 16, 1989. “Heat” was the 18th-most-watched program on television at the time. 4: Made-for-television movies spawned by the series. The films aired on CBS and were titled “A Matter of Justice,” “By Duty Bound,” “Grow Old Along with Me” and “Who is Geli Bendl?” They were packaged together on DVD and marketed as the show’s eighth season.
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