2022 Spring Issue

community magazine 2022 SPRING ISSUE

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PUBLISHERS

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

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

FEATURE 10 Fight of His Life

EDITOR

Brian Knapp PHOTOGRAPHERS

Mary Ann Miller Michie Turpin CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

HEALTH & WELLNESS

SPORTS & RECREATION

20 Sick Days 24 Old Faithful

30 Kings of Their Court 34 A League of Their Own

Kari Apted John Babylon Chris Bridges Michelle Floyd Nat Harwell Neely Rentz Lane Taticasejuana Stevens Meredith Tredeau Terri Webster ILLUSTRATOR

Scott Fuss DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS Candy Passmore’s name was mistakenly printed as Cathy under the story titled “Fanning the Flames” on Page 38 of the Winter 2022 issue of the magazine. The NEWTON Community Magazine apologizes for the error, as it strives to provide the public with accurate information. Readers can notify us of potential mistakes via email at info@thenewtoncommunity.com.

ARTS, EDUCATION & INNOVATION 40 Artistic Impression 46 Class Act

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LIVING 54 A Cut Above 58 Servant’s Heart

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.

On the Cover

THE SECRET INGREDIENT IS LOVE

by MEREDITH TREDEAU

I love to cook and bake for my family. I’m the first to admit I’m not very good at it, and there have been plenty of times nobody liked what I made for dinner, myself included.

Nonetheless, it brings me great joy to feed them. When they tell me they like something, I ask, “You know what the secret ingredient is, right?” They all shout, “Love!”

This Kirby family recipe for fresh apple cake dates back to 1977. My dad’s sister, Kay, shared it with my mama, who shared it with me. It is perfect for celebrations or everyday occasions.

We hope you try it, and we hope your family enjoys it as much as ours does.

Don’t forget to add a heaping teaspoon of love: FRESH APPLE CAKE Ingredients • 2 large or 4 medium red delicious unpeeled apples • 1½ -2 cups pecans • 1¼ cup butter flavored oil, or 1 cup oil and ¼ cup melted butter • 2 cups sugar • 3 eggs • 3 cups all-purpose flour • 1 tsp baking soda • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp cinnamon • 2 tsp vanilla extract Directions 1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease and flour a Bundt pan.

Scan for the chance to get your own 2. Chop apples and pecans and set aside. recipe published.

3. Mix oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Set aside.

4. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

5. Reserve ½ cup of the flour mixture to coat apples and pecans.

6. Mix remaining flour mixture into oil mixture.

7. Sprinkle the reserved ½ cup of the flour mixture over apples and pecans and coat evenly.

8. Add the coated apples and nuts to the batter and mix well.

Batter should be stiff/thick.

9. Bake 2.5 hours in a well-greased and floured Bundt pan. Let cool and sit for 12 hours before cutting.

We would like to say a special thank you to Kathy Kirby for baking the lovely cake on the cover of this issue of The NEWTON Community Magazine.

PUBLISHERS’ NOTE

It’s no secret how much we at The NEWTON Community Magazine believe in the power of storytelling. Stories invite us to share in one another’s experiences, reminding us that we all have far more commonalities than we do differences.

The stories in this issue are about people who have changed the world around them through their incredible love, strength and determination. In telling their stories, they invite each of us to not only bear witness to their experiences and feel what they felt but to see parts of ourselves in their experiences.

We believe everyone has a story and that everyone’s story matters. In this issue, we are debuting a new section called Meet Your Neighbor, where we introduce you to someone from our community that you may not have had the chance to meet yet.

First up: Robert A. Smith, a kind-hearted, fun-loving dude who we have had the chance to get to know over the past year.

If you happen to see him the next time you dine at Stalvey’s or the next time you are out and about around town, say hello. It will make his day—and yours.

We are forever grateful to our advertisers, advocates and readers. Together, we are building a more connected and compassionate community.

May the Lord bless and keep you.

Scott and Meredith Tredeau If you have a story idea, please head over to thenewtoncommunity.com to tell us about it. We want to hear it.

2022 Spring Issue 7

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F E AT U R E

FIGHT OF HIS LIFE Anderson Krieger was in fourth grade when he was diagnosed with leukemia. After enduring two remissions and an innovative new immunotherapy treatment, he now pursues his studies as a thriving college freshman. His family has chosen faith over fear and made it their mission to help others find healing from cancer.

by KARI APTED Anderson Krieger was just 10 years old when he first complained of chest pain. Although his parents, Jon and Sally, gave him Advil, the pain persisted. The Kriegers took him to the emergency room after he also began experiencing shortness of breath. A possible virus diagnosis coupled with a clear chest X-ray led the family to believe that nothing serious was afoot.

Three days later, they went out of town. When Anderson

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continued to complain, they thought perhaps he had pulled a muscle swinging a bat at baseball practice. Then the high fevers and vomiting began.

Alarmed, the Kriegers ended their trip early and drove home in the middle of the night. Their pediatrician told them to go straight to Atlanta’s Scottish Rite Hospital. Initial bloodwork revealed that something was amiss, so the hospital kept him overnight. The next day, the doctor led Jon and Sally down a long hall to a small room.

“I will remember that walk for the rest of my life,” Sally later wrote on the family’s Caring Bridge social media page. “As I clutched Jon’s hand, I wanted to freeze time. I knew something bad was about to happen, and I didn’t want to go there.”

The Kriegers sat down, then heard the words no parent ever wants to hear: Your child has cancer. “No!” they both cried out.

“My first thought was, ‘Is he going to die?’” Jon said. “I didn’t realize at the time that there were treatments or that cancer wasn’t necessarily a death sentence.”

Anderson was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). According to the American Cancer Society, ALL develops in bone marrow from immature forms of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. These cells play an important role in the immune system by fighting off infections. They make up lymph tissue, which is found in the tonsils, adenoids, spleen, thymus and lymph nodes. ALL has few risk factors, and most people—including Anderson—never learn why they develop it. A rare type of cancer, it progresses quickly and can be fatal within a few months when left untreated. However, it responds well to treatment and has one of the highest cure rates of all forms of leukemia.

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F E AT U R E

“I wrestled with why it happened,” Jon said. “We both knew that no matter what happened, he was still God’s child.”

The Kriegers were thankful to discover that their doctor shared their faith.

“He prayed with us before we left the room. Then he went with us back to Anderson’s room to tell him and prayed with us again there,” Sally said. “We felt that God had the right doctor there with us. He was very positive and encouraging.”

Telling Anderson was one of the hardest things they had ever had to do, so they were grateful when the doctor started the conversation. Naturally, Anderson cried, and his first question was whether or not he would lose his hair. The doctor informed him that he would, then assured him it would grow back.

“After that, Anderson was just so brave and amazing. He would actively listen to everything his care team told him,” Sally said. “They were good about explaining everything, and the child life specialist was amazing. They made a devastating process so much easier for all of us.”

Anderson and his care team hit the ground running the next day. He endured a spinal tap, bone marrow extraction and surgery to implant a port to make it easier to receive chemotherapy.

He received his first dose of chemo during the operation. It was the beginning of a projected three-year treatment plan—

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a standard protocol for kids with ALL that has since been reduced to two and a half years. Anderson, now 19, admits he did not realize at the time all the challenges that lay ahead.

“I knew it was serious, and I was scared and nervous, but I think it was to my advantage that I didn’t completely understand what was going on,” he said. “I didn’t get how much of my life it was going to take up. I got through it purely because I didn’t know what was going on. Well, that and my faith in God.” Tests showed that the chemo was working, and the Kriegers were able to go home. However, the same chemo that was killing the cancer wiped out his bone marrow, leaving him vulnerable to pathogens. After just one month of treatment, Anderson ended up back in the hospital with a life-threatening intestinal infection called typhlitis. Despite receiving broadspectrum antibiotics and medication to increase his white blood cell count—and giving his digestive system full rest—the infection perforated his intestines. Surgery was extremely risky, but when Anderson became septic, there was no other choice.

Emergency surgery was performed in the middle of the night.

More Than a Little off the Top

by KARI APTED Haircuts are an ordinary part of most people’s lives, but in October, Jon Krieger had a trim he will never forget. The Mansfield Elementary School physical education teacher played a major role in the school’s fundraiser to support childhood cancer research. Paige Smith, a special needs teacher whose sister battled childhood cancer before her death at the age of 18, partnered with Krieger to organize the fundraiser. They chose The Rally Foundation to receive their collected donations.

“Organizations like Rally and CURE, they were very, very instrumental in helping us along the way,” Krieger said, as he reflected on his son Anderson’s fight with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia.

“I told the kids that if they met our goal, they would get to see me bald. I’ve had short haircuts before but never bald. It’s well worth it for the fundraiser.”

The Rally Foundation, an Atlanta-based nonprofit, funds childhood cancer research around the world. Its mission is to empower volunteers to raise awareness and funds to support its cause. The foundation works to find better treatments with fewer long-term side effects and, ultimately, cures for pediatric cancer.

According to the foundation, 46 kids are diagnosed with cancer every school day.

For every dollar it raises, 93 cents go directly to childhood cancer research.

Mansfield Elementary has long been known as a small school with a big heart, so the teachers felt confident in setting an ambitious goal of raising $5,000 over the span of one month. Apparently, Krieger’s incentive was a powerful one.

Not only did students, teachers, staff and the surrounding community collect enough change to meet their goal, they exceeded it by over $2,000. In total, the school raised $7,017.11 to help children fighting cancer—and to see their favorite PE teacher’s shiny noggin.

Due to coronavirus restrictions, the entire school was not able to witness Krieger’s transformation in person, but they all watched it live on Zoom. The class that raised the most money, Karen Piper’s third-graders, won the honor of being present in the gym for the event. They also got to paint their names on the wall.

Mansfield Principal Chris Haymore, himself bald-headed, was eager to pick up the clippers and start Krieger’s charitable makeover. He was not only proud of the school’s achievement but delighted that there would be another bare head on staff. “[Being bald] is a lifechanging experience. He’s going to wake up in the morning and not know what to do with all the free time he has because he doesn’t have to dry or style his hair,”

Haymore joked. “It was a good challenge. Coach Krieger is a good sport being willing to do that for the kids.”

Anderson was surprised when his father sent him a picture of his bald head.

“I didn’t even know he was doing it,” he said. “He just sent me this picture out of nowhere, but when I found out why, I thought it was cool.” Anderson also recalled that when he first lost his hair to chemo, his father offered to shave his own head in solidarity. He had declined.

“I didn’t want him shaving his head just for me,” Anderson said. “For some people, I’m sure it makes them feel better, but I was thinking that if I were to lose a leg, I wouldn’t want you to chop your own leg off. Why do we both have to go through it?”

2022 Spring Issue 13

F E AT U R E

“I wrestled with why it happened.

We both knew that no matter what happened, he was still God’s child.”

Jon Krieger

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He spent 13 days on a ventilator in the intensive care unit to give his body time to recover. When Anderson awoke from the vent, the Kriegers were dismayed to discover that he was unable to walk. The infection had spread into the muscles on his right leg. Anderson ended up spending nine weeks in the hospital.

During that time, Sally and Jon struggled to adapt to a new routine, splitting their time between the hospital and home. They worked to maintain some degree of normalcy for their 12-year-old son, Ian. Sally wrote about Ian on Caring Bridge: “I miss seeing him every day and hate that our goodnights are mostly through FaceTime…. He keeps me in stitches with his laid back approach to life. He is truly the best medicine a mom could ask for during a time like this. Ian loves his brother, shares in the praises of each new blessing and can’t wait to have Anderson back home. I’m so proud of how brave he’s been through all of this.”

The Kriegers also expressed gratitude for the friends and family who stepped up to assist them.

“It was hard at first accepting help,” Sally said, “but you need to let everyone help, even if that’s praying with you, sending a few dollars on Venmo or bringing meals. That support was so meaningful to all of us.”

As soon as Anderson was able, he began an intensive physical therapy schedule to regain use of his leg. It took six months of daily therapy—inpatient and outpatient combined—before he

could walk again. He also had to have an ostomy bag for 15 months to keep his bowel infection from returning. Anderson’s ALL was in remission, but he still had to take certain medications at home on a set schedule and attend regular clinic visits.

He was able to return to school, and the Krieger family enjoyed a season of relative calm.

In February 2017, Anderson suffered a relapse. The doctors spoke about a possible bone morrow transplant but were unsure that he would have a good outcome. Instead, he began a two-year chemotherapy protocol that put him back in remission. In December 2019, at a regular checkup, the Kriegers learned that Anderson had relapsed once more.

“It was devastating, because we knew that with each relapse, it would be harder to treat,” Jon said. “With ALL, chemotherapy works better on younger patients. We were told that standard chemo wasn’t an option, but there were new targeted cell therapies that could help; and a bone marrow transplant was still in their back pocket.”

The doctors told them to go home for Christmas, and in January, Anderson went back to the hospital to prepare for CAR-T—a new immunotherapy treatment. CAR-T is an innovative way to prompt the immune system to fight leukemia.

It involves removing T-cells from the patient’s blood and altering them to add chimeric antigen receptors, or CARs. These special substances help the T-cells attach to leukemia cells. The CAR-T cells are grown in the lab, then infused back into the patient’s blood. These special cells then seek out the leukemia cells and attack them. Referred to as a “living treatment,” CAR-T cells can detect and destroy cancer cells for many years. Emily Whitehead, the first patient to be treated in a clinical trial at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has been in remission for 10 years.

Anderson, his parents and his medical team were hopeful that the therapy would work by itself. Then the coronavirus pandemic struck. Since preparing for CAR-T is a lengthy process, Anderson had to be extra careful to avoid catching the virus.

That summer, they heard the wonderful news that Anderson had no detectable cancer. After the pandemic lockdowns ended, Anderson was able to enjoy a normal senior year of high school.

He graduated in 2021 and is now a freshman at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he majors in audio engineering technology with a minor in music business.

“During his stay at CHOA, Anderson connected with a music therapist,” Jon said. “She handed him a guitar, and God began to develop this talent in him. He’s really getting to see the fruits of it now.”

Anderson’s music career represents a silver lining after all he has endured.

“I think I just really enjoyed the distraction of playing the guitar in the hospital,” he said. “Now I hope to work as an audio engineer or do publishing A&R [Artist and Repertoire, or identifying and developing talent for record companies].”

2022 Spring Issue 15

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

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SICK DAYS

Kamilah Smith was alarmed when she became violently ill at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. Pregnant with her third child at the time, she would soon discover that she had hyperemesis gravidarum—a serious disorder responsible for almost 300,000 emergency room visits annually.

by KARI APTED Kamilah Smith became terribly sick at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Unable to keep anything down, she ended up in the Newton Piedmont emergency room, where a nurse administered intravenous fluids and collected samples to find out what was making Smith so miserable.

“The nurse came back in the room and said, ‘It’s positive!’”

Smith said. “I immediately assumed I had corona, but she said, ‘No, you’re pregnant!’ We laughed because I didn’t know what she was testing me for.”

Grateful to be expecting again, Smith went home with a prescription to help the vomiting subside. Unfortunately, the medicine did not work. She ended up enduring a full eight months of relentless nausea that impacted every facet of her daily life. Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a blessedly rare condition limited to pregnancy. In fact, it is included on the National Organization for Rare Disorders’ website. However, for the women it affects, the condition can be quite serious. Characterized by severe nausea and persistent vomiting, it can result in vitamin and mineral deficiency, dehydration and weight loss. It can also affect the baby’s growth and result in premature delivery.

“I was an OB/GYN nurse for 15 years,” Smith said. “I knew that ‘normal’ morning sickness could include nausea at any time of day, but after about 12 weeks, you get better. I knew about HG from my work, and I also had a friend who had it.”

The mother of two daughters was surprised when she was diagnosed with HG, because she had only endured the usual morning sickness experience with her previous pregnancies.

With her first daughter, Khalilah, she vomited just once while brushing her teeth. With her second daughter, Kalani, her queasiness was limited to the first trimester. With Jayse, the sickness was so profound that all the Piedmont labor and delivery nurses grew to know Smith and her son by name. She cannot recall how many times she landed in the ER, but she was admitted to labor and delivery twice because her dehydration could not be adequately managed at home.

“It was a day-by-day struggle,” she said. “I look back, and I don’t know how I made it through.”

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

Because of the pandemic, her kids were doing virtual school.

Smith had to balance teaching them with her sickness, all while working from home as a corporate recruiter.

“When your stomach hurts all the time, all you want to do is lie around. I had an old orange Halloween bucket that I had to carry around with me,” she said. “I had all these little rituals.

I’d go lay in the shower and have the water run over me in the tub, because I’d rather just throw up in the tub than have to run to the toilet every five minutes. Every day, I would just remind myself that the end date was my due date.”

“It was a day-by-day struggle. I look back, and I don’t know how I made it through.”

Kamilah Smith

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Smith’s healthcare team put her on a pump that distributed a continual dose of the anti-nausea medication Zofran. She had a home health nurse that helped her manage the pump and her diet.

“The nurse educated me on how to eat when I did feel well enough to,” she said. “It was basically a bland diet—stay away from spicy stuff and things you crave but trigger you. For me, dairy was a big trigger. I always craved ice cream, but I learned that if I gave in, I regretted it later.”

Despite the limitations from HG, Smith was amused to find that she still gained a normal amount of weight throughout her pregnancy.

“I’m that lady that always gains 40 pounds when I’m pregnant,” she said with a laugh. Smith credits her healthcare team, Dr. Cathy Larrimore in particular, with helping her have a positive outcome.

“One time I was hospitalized, [and] my potassium was really low.

They brought this big fruit bowl up to my room. Later, I found out that Dr. Larrimore had sent it to me herself because she wanted to get my potassium up. We have a special relationship.”

Smith was naturally concerned about how HG would affect her son. Jayse was delivered three weeks early but at an impressive seven pounds.

“He clearly wasn’t missing anything,” Smith said. “I had a healthy baby. In the end, that’s all that mattered.”

Smith encourages other women experiencing HG to trust that their baby will be fine and to surround themselves with a supportive village of nurses, friends and family.

“Stay in tune with your doctor, build a relationship with your nurse [and] find a safe person who will let others know what you need,” she said. “Like my mom, I could text her the word ‘sick’ and she would let everyone know I needed help that day.

My neighbor across the street was wonderful, too.”

Despite all she endured, Smith remains willing to go through it again to have another child.

“It’s crazy because my mom’s like, ‘You want to have another baby after all this?’ It didn’t scare me away from it,” she said. “My daughters are only two years apart. I think Jayse needs a partner.”

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

GRACE & TRUTH

Conflict Resolution is an Opportunity for Growth Saint Paul the Apostle provides a roadmap to healing division in his letter to the Church of Corinth, which urges the congregation to counter discord with love.

by NEELY RENTZ LANE As a part of my ordination journey, I attended a workshop guiding clergy in conflict resolution and mediation skills.

Conflict is inevitable in every social system—families, churches, businesses, etc.—but it can be a healthy opportunity for growth.

When our social systems are experiencing conflict, our goal should be to remain a calm or non-anxious presence to avoid contributing to the uneasiness. We can show up in the conference room, the zoom call or around the dinner table as a non-anxious presence in times of high tension. It is about entering into dialogue and actively listening to one another.

Active listening involves listening as another person dives in, and it is a way of showing love.

Paul exemplifies this in a letter to the Church of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 13:1–13. The Church in Corinth was in a quarrel. The body was up in arms about how it was to gather and be a church. People had stopped respecting one another and letting everyone’s voice be heard around the table. They started posting about one another on Facebook and engaging in gossip while making assumptions about one another, so when the church gathered on Sunday morning, their worship space was disruptive and divided because they did not recognize one another’s gifts.

As conflict mediator, Paul holds space for the divided and arguing congregation by urging them to engage in resolution on the basis of love—messy, hard, real, vulnerable, scrappy love.

Paul writes to remind them that while they have different spiritual gifts, each comes from the same spirit—a variety of

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voices, beliefs, ideas and opinions, but one Lord. All these gifts are meant to come together in unity to glorify God, not to become the basis of division or separation.

Paul writes to the Corinthians, “Beloved children of God, have you forgotten the way of love? Have you forgotten what love looks like? What God’s love looks like? Because if you have forgotten, then your gifts don’t mean anything.” He is writing to the Corinthians to engage in conflict resolution by actively listening to one another so that the body could be who God has created and is creating them to be: the church. People of Newton County, we must remember what love is. Love is the willingness to engage in conflict mediation, resolution and transformation.

Do we not need that more than ever in our society?

These past two years have been challenging. The temperature in our nation has been hot. The division is heavy, real and hurtful. We know it all too well. We can feel it when we walk into a room, only to be sized up and labeled. The conflict in our hearts, homes and nation can be felt when scrolling through your Facebook page, in our body language and in how we speak to and about one another.

We are not much different than the Corinthians. We are now the Church in 2022, and Paul is telling us to remember what love is.

Neely Rentz Lane is the senior pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Covington.

For information, visit FPCCOV.org.

“Love is the willingness to engage in conflict mediation, resolution and transformation. Do we not need that more than ever in our society?”

Neely Rentz Lane

2022 Spring Issue 23

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

“Ramsey Produce serves as one of the only places in town where citizens can purchase fresh, local fruits and vegetables. We are lucky to have Ramsey’s as part of the business landscape.”

City of Covington Downtown Coordinator Laura Sullivan

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OLD FAITHFUL Ramsey Produce became a staple of Downtown Covington after it opened for business in 2004, providing customers with a wide range of fresh fruits and vegetables. The Garber family’s commitment to quality and attention to detail fosters loyalty among its regulars.

by MICHELLE FLOYD Downtown Covington has seen many changes over the last 20 years, but one staple remains almost unchanged. Ramsey Produce continues to operate a fruit-and-vegetable stand at the corner of Usher and Hendricks streets near The Square.

“Ramsey Produce serves as one of the only places in town where citizens can purchase fresh, local fruits and vegetables,” City of Covington Downtown Coordinator Laura Sullivan said. “We are lucky to have Ramsey’s as part of the business landscape.”

Customers can find baskets or single pieces of typical fruits and vegetables like peaches, tomatoes, potatoes, onion, squash, beans, okra and different berries and melons, depending on the time of year.

“Everything is seasonal,” said owner Bill Garber, who estimates that he purchases about 150 different items from the state farmers market to sell at his stand. His attention to detail has not been lost on those he serves. “Everything looks really fresh,” Covington resident Kenya Waterford said, “and there’s nothing like fresh fruits and vegetables at good prices.”

Garber’s son, Caleb, believes the customer base consists mostly of locals, although tourists have been known to stop by from time to time.

“We get a lot of regulars. Some people come every day, or at least every other day, or we have people I know who are going to come every Saturday,” he said. “Every once in a while, people stop by from Ohio [or somewhere else]. We’ve had somebody stop in from Germany.”

Ramsey Produce sells to area restaurants like Stalvey’s, Butcher Block, Osake and Tava’s Diner. Bill admits they enjoy getting to know the people who frequent their business.

“We love serving this community, and the customers who shop here are the best people who live in the area,” he said. “Their kids have grown up, and now I’m selling to their kids.”

The Garbers also purchase items like bread and pickled vegetables from nearby vendors, including Mitcham Farm in Oxford and Southern Style Canning in Shady Dale. In addition, Ramsey’s boasts specialty items, like cider and honey, and some meats, like country ham hocks and fatback.

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

“I come often. I can get in and out quick without having to go to the supermarket, and everything I get here is fresh,” said Dannie Wiggins, who has lived in Covington since 1999.

“They always have everything I need, and they are very nice.”

Wiggins has shopped at the stand since the Garbers took over from original owner Jim Ramsey, who worked at Kroger in the 1950s and had a grocery store in Cliftondale before he retired.

He owned and operated the stand from about 2004 to 2018, when his health began to deteriorate. Ramsey died in September 2020. His son, Tony, who co-owns Ramsey Furniture, remains grateful to the Garbers for keeping the name as a way to honor his family.

“We enjoy having them there,” Tony said. “I think it’s good for the town, and everyone enjoys having it here.”

Bill, who relocated to Georgia from California in 2006, came to own the stand after working there alongside his father, who knew Jim through church. “[Jim Ramsey] was a very old-school guy,” Bill said. “He was the most honest guy I ever met. He treated people very straightforward and honest. He meant so much to us, so I didn’t even change the name. It takes after him, and it encompasses what he was about.”

Bill now runs the stand with his wife, Michelle. All five of their sons have worked there at one point or another. The two oldest, Sean and Jonathan, are now in the military. While Caleb currently runs most of the day-to-day operations, younger brothers Isaac and David help out during the summers.

“It’s a fun environment to work in,” said Caleb, who finds pride in carrying on the family tradition. “I try to follow in [my dad and grandfather’s] footsteps. They set a really good example.”

Ramsey Produce, located at 1158 Usher Street in Covington, is open year-round: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

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

PHOTO BY: MILLER MAMA PHOTOS

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KINGS OF THEIR C URT

The Social Circle High School boys’ basketball team took friends, classmates, teachers and an entire community on an adventure of a lifetime during a breathtaking five-month campaign that saw the Redskins bring home their first region championship in 40 years and make the impossible seem possible.

by BRIAN KNAPP Taylor Jackson stood near center court at The Complex in Valdosta and held a crestfallen KJ Reid, one of five graduating seniors for the Social Circle boys’ basketball team. It was an enduring and powerful image that said everything about how the third-year head coach feels about his players and how they feel about him. Moments after their historic season reached its unceremonious conclusion, they were there for each other one more time.

The Redskins ran out of road on March 5, when they lost 70–66 in overtime to Drew Charter Academy in the Georgia High School Association Class A State Tournament semifinals.

They entered the game as the only undefeated team in Georgia at any classification, as they had gone a perfect 30–0 to that point and clinched the school’s first region championship in 40 years. The sudden finality of their last game ending in defeat was difficult to stomach. In the locker room afterward, Jackson was confronted by a mixture of disbelief and sorrow.

“Through my tears, I told them that it was OK to cry, that this was crushing,” he said. “I told them that I loved them and that I was so thankful they trusted me to coach them; and I told the seniors that I wish we had one more game. Then I prayed with them.”

The result would have been heart-wrenching enough had it been just. However, Drew Charter had been awarded two phantom points by the GHSA official scorer in the first half.

The two separate scoring errors—which were later confirmed by video replay—were addressed at the time they occurred, but pleas to correct them were brushed aside. The game was locked in a 56–56 tie at the end of regulation when, in actuality, Drew Charter had scored two fewer points than the Redskins.

Overtime should not have been played, and Social Circle should have advanced to play Warren County in the state final. An official appeal was denied and repeated calls for the GHSA to rectify the situation fell on deaf ears.

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

So it was that a remarkable, once-in-a-lifetime team saw its glorious story end in a most inglorious fashion. However, the events that came before the Drew Charter debacle were far too rich and memorable to get overshadowed by bureaucratic oversight.

Social Circle won 25 of its 30 games by double figures, 16 of them—including the Region 8-A championship game against Towns County—by 30 points or more. The Redskins surpassed the 100-point plateau three different times, highlighted by a school-record 114 in a 78-point blowout of Atlanta Classical Academy in the first round of the state playoffs. Perhaps most importantly, they galvanized an entire community. By the time the team reached the postseason, school officials were having to turn people away at the door, the 700-seat gym having swelled beyond its capacity. “I saw people at the games I hadn’t seen in 20 years,” said Kevin Brooks, a 1991 graduate of Social Circle High School. The student section pulsed with activity and spirit, its “Start the Buses” chant often echoing between the four walls.

“We needed the fans,” Reid said. “They just bring more energy.”

No one benefitted more from the experience than the players themselves, their efforts led by those five battle-seasoned seniors: Reid, Tyrhell Branch, Cam Gaither, Amarion Russell and Trey Douglass. The group formed unbreakable bonds, winning 86 games over four years in the process. Russell selflessly accepted a more limited role with the rise of junior Lamarius Jackson, and Douglass, despite spending much of the season on the shelf with a knee injury, remained a presence in the locker room, at practice and on the bench. Reid, Branch and Gaither—who have played basketball together since Pre-K—were All-State selections in their final season together, with Reid and Branch both surpassing the 1,000-point mark for their careers. They put the program on the map and took a small town along for the ride.

“It was super special because we grew up together, all of us,” Branch said. “We didn’t go out and recruit nobody. We just stayed together, played together and played hard.”

“It was super special because we grew up together, all of us. We didn’t go out and recruit nobody. We just stayed together, played together and played hard.”

Tyrhell Branch (L TO R) TAYLOR JACKSON, CAM GAITHER, KJ REID, TYRHELL BRANCH, AMARION RUSSELL AND TREY DOUGLAS

32 The Newton Community Magazine

“I think we were a one-of-a-kind group because we’ve been knowing each other since we were babies,” Gaither said. “That did nothing but help us build strong chemistry, which translated to the court and helped us get where we got.”

Social Circle will return a talented team in 2022–23. It includes Lamarius and his identical twin brother Quindarius, defensive dynamo Phillip “Petey” Baynes, sharpshooters Jaylin Robinson and Parker Dial, Dashon Hyman and 6-foot-6 center AJ Vinson.

The Redskins will likely be favored to win their second straight region championship and once again advance deep into the state playoffs. When the time comes, they will call upon the events of March 5, 2022 as inspiration to ensure the legacy of those departing the program lives on.

“They are already motivated,” Jackson said. “These guys see how close we are to creating a sustainable program that expects to win region and compete at state year in and year out. I’ve already had requests to get in the gym after school.”

FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR NEWLYWEDS

by MARK S. REAGAN - FINANCIAL ADVISOR Combining finances with another individual can be difficult, so planning and communication are essential, both before and after the “big day.”

Knowing the specifics of each spouse’s financial situation is vital, as honesty and transparency are important. It is also critical to align your views regarding money to the best of your abilities, as each of you have developed financial habits based upon your own experiences.

Once you begin marriage on the same financial page, you can start to accomplish your goals with specific actions. Establish a monthly budget by using spreadsheets to distinguish inflexible bills such as rent, insurance, and loan payments from flexible expenses such as savings and entertainment. Although both spouses need to be involved in the family’s financial decisions, you may want to designate a bill payer, as having one person oversee the output of money avoids confusion. Establish specific goals linked to the budget, such as saving for a new home or the percentage of income that you would like to set aside for retirement. Other specific tasks may include filling out a new W-4 Form, updating your driver’s license and Social Security information, determining which spouse’s health insurance to use, changing account beneficiaries, or addressing other types of insurance needs (i.e., life) that this new path may have initiated.

And do your individual best to ensure a successful marriage by committing yourself to having a sacrificial attitude. Place your spouse’s needs and desires ahead of your own. With this type of commitment, your financial goals and aspirations will become much easier to accomplish.

770-658-9440 mark@reaganfinancialplanning.com reaganfinancialplanning.com 170 Bostwick Road Oxford, GA 30054

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

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN Dynastic success represents only the tip of the iceberg with the Peachtree Academy volleyball team. The relationships that were forged and the lessons that were learned on the road to four consecutive state championships have left an indelible mark on all involved.

by CHRIS BRIDGES Sports dynasties often expand beyond the circle of athletics, which is why even casual fans know about the New England Patriots, the Los Angeles Lakers, the New York Yankees, the University of Alabama and even our Atlanta Braves.

Success for one season can be difficult enough to achieve, but to be at the top of a sport for an extended period of time demands attention. Such is the case for the powerhouse Peachtree Academy volleyball program. The Lady Panthers have won four consecutive state championships in the Georgia Association of Private and Parochial Schools—a notable accomplishment, not only for the volleyball program but for the small Newton County school that has a limited number of student-athletes from which to draw.

“Being a part of the team these past years has been such an honor and blessing,” senior Haley Hopkins said. “I have loved every minute of it. I thank God for giving me the love for this sport and for all the friendships and memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”

34 The Newton Community Magazine

Head coach Bobby Mitchell took a circuitous route to Peachtree Academy. He was looking for a place for his daughter to compete in the sport, and after initially trying to start a program somewhere else, he settled on Peachtree.

“My dad and his friends built a sand court on Jackson Lake back in 1988, and that’s when I was first introduced to the sport,” Mitchell said. “A few years later, I had the opportunity to see beach volleyball in the Olympics at Atlanta Beach. After that, I was hooked. I’ve been competing in doubles beach tournaments for 25 years now. I started coaching indoor volleyball 10 years ago when my daughter Brianna wanted to play. It was club volleyball at A5 South in McDonough. I never played or coached indoor before that. Since then, I have also coached for several other clubs and started my own beach and indoor program three years ago.”

Mitchell credits the high level of play Peachtree has exhibited during its run to several factors. Coaches, parents and players all bought into the program.

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

(L TO R) BOBBY MITCHELL, ANNIE GIBSON, MARISSA MCCULLOUGH, MADELINE PATIL, MARANDA MCCULLOUGH, BRIANNA MITCHELL, HALEY HOPKINS, MEGAN GIBSON, HANNAH LESHOK

“My advice is to never stop learning. We should all give back and teach, coach, mentor and volunteer. There is nothing more rewarding in this life than to help guide others.”

Bobby Mitchell

36 The Newton Community Magazine

“We never stop learning,” he said. “A practice we ran five years ago is not even close to what we do today. I’ve had the opportunity to learn from some of the best coaches, psychologists and leaders in the country over the past five years. Our program is always evolving. We have a great culture, too. These kids know what it takes to be successful on the court and in life. They work super hard in the weight room, beach, gym and the classroom.”

All the pieces seemed to fit together naturally.

“This team is truly something special,” Hannah Leshok said.

“God knew we needed each other. He just used volleyball to bring us to one another. We are truly a family. I believe that our closeness made winning so much easier, not just winning it for ourselves but for each other.”

With such a large group of seniors graduating, it will be a challenge for Peachtree to maintain its excellence moving forward.

“Honestly, we never talk about winning or state championships,” Mitchell said. “We only worry about what we can control: work ethic, sleep, mindset, health and nutrition. If we are doing all these things well, the results will take care of themselves.”

The Lady Panthers were forced to replace four key players ahead of their 2021–22 campaign but nevertheless managed

to pull off their historic four-peat. The senior class also won a championship in middle school as eighth-graders.

“I don’t want to be cocky, but we really don’t know what losing is,” Maranda McCullough said. “The girls and Bobby made the last five years so fun, and I’ll remember this forever.”

Brianna Mitchell had the added perk of playing for her father.

“I don’t even know where to start,” she said. “To be a part of this program means more to me than I could put into words.”

While the championships were undeniably sweet for Mitchell and his players, the road to them was lined with invaluable life lessons.

“My advice is to never stop learning,” he said. “We should all give back and teach, coach, mentor and volunteer. There is nothing more rewarding in this life than to help guide others.”

Mitchell’s wisdom and influence resonate with his players.

“Being part of such an amazing team is something I will cherish forever,” Madeline Patil said. “I have lifelong friendships and a lifetime of funny memories and stories to tell and remember.”

Teammate Annie Gibson echoed those sentiments.

“This team had my back on and off the court, and I think that made our bond stronger when we played,” she said. “We come from a small school with about 50-something kids in the high school. Somehow, with the limited options our coach had, we grew as a team and worked our butts off to earn our wins.”

Marissa McCullough, another senior, summed up the experience in one word: family.

“Having the same girls with me and around me for every single win makes the [championship] we won for senior year 10 times more special,” she said. “It’s not going to be the same once we’ve left the school, but we’ve definitely left our mark on the program. Tears, bruises and laughs were all shared and compiled into a memory that will never be forgotten.”

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

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ARTISTIC IMPRESSION Martin Mensah has spent nearly 30 years as an art teacher, but when the West Africa native arrived at Veterans Memorial Middle School, he was greeted by an administration that was open to his ideas.

The results have been breathtaking.

by TERRI WEBSTER Martin Mensah was born in Ghana, West Africa, and discovered his passion and appreciation for art at a young age. He placed third in a district contest at his school in fourth grade, an event that spurred his motivation to learn more about the arts and develop his talent. Mensah’s inspiration to pursue an education and career in the field was passed down from a family member.

“I have an uncle who was an artist and very successful in life—he owned his own house and piano at a very young age— and I said to myself, ‘I can be like him with my art, too,’” he said.

Mensah grew up in a church program called The Boys Brigade. Part of an international program and interdenominational Christian organization, it focuses on developing leadership qualities in young boys between the ages of 6 and 17.

“I went through the ranks of The Boys Brigade to become the captain of the program as an adult,” Mensah said. “My father was my motivator, as well as my Boys Brigade leaders. They saw the talent I had as a young boy and kept encouraging me to pursue art as a career.”

As captain, Mensah became effective in running activities in arts and crafts, hiking, camping and community service.

“Teaching as a career was the best option for me to have time for the young boys and also practice my skill,” he said, “hence teaching art as a career.”

Mensah attended Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana, where he majored in sculpture; painting was an elective for his first degree. He also holds a

“At the beginning of my classes, I repeat a Michelangelo quote to my students: ‘A man paints with his brain and not with his hand.’”

Martin Mensah 2022 Spring Issue 41

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

master’s degree in art education from the school and completed certification programs at The Art Institute of Seattle and The Art Institute of Atlanta. Mensah taught in Ghana and the Bahamas before he arrived in the United States in 2001. He has taught students of various ages throughout his 27 years in the classroom, from kindergarten through college.

“I have seen my students develop through the arts to become successful, practicing artists in their adult life,” Mensah said.

After he settled in America, Mensah landed multiple teaching positions at several schools in the Atlanta area before he came to Veterans Memorial Middle School in Covington roughly five and a half years ago. His teaching techniques and learning strategies have had a major impact on his students there. Mensah has made use of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math program, which allows gifted students—including those in art—to earn high-school credits while still in eighth grade.

“These are the students I have been working with on mixcollage portraits,” Mensah said. “They were students who were identified at the end of sixth grade and put in an intermediate visual arts program in seventh grade to prepare them for the high school-level program. Most of these students have a strong interest in art, which is the main ingredient for learning and developing their artistic skills.

“This makes it easy for the teaching and learning of the visual art program with these identified students,” he added.

“Though the program is very challenging, they strive to meet the level of every requirement. All I do is motivate them and develop their confidence.”

Mensah also models practical application after instructing students on techniques.

“This helps them better understand the process of the project and builds their confidence in the teacher with what he is asking them to do,” he said. “I am not really surprised at the results I have seen in my students because growing up as a boy their age, I was also doing great works like them; and I do tell them they can do better with all the modern technological devices that aid artistic development.”

According to Mensah, support from the school administration and VMMS Principal Dr. Takila Curry has been paramount to his program. “She gives me all the support, supplies and resources I need to be a successful art teacher,” he said. Mensah

(L TO R) KENZIE WINCHESTER, DANTE ENGLISH, HAILEY CRUZ-GASGA, AIDEN WATERS AND KAITLIN GOODMAN

42 The Newton Community Magazine

points to the development of confidence in his students as one of the secrets of his success, as they use daily creative thinking skills and a warmup activity called “What Do You See?” He finds inspiration in one of the greats.

“At the beginning of my classes,” he said, “I repeat a Michelangelo quote to my students: ‘A man paints with his brain and not with his hand.’”

Martin Mensah’s artistic talents and skills extend beyond the classroom. He founded the Adanko Studio in 1989 and operates it out of his basement.

While wood carving and cement sculpture are his specialties, he focuses more on acrylic painting in the abstract—Pablo Picasso cubism style. He also paints realistic portraits. To schedule a portrait session or to find out more about Mensah’s artwork, email him at adankostudio@gmail.com or msmensah@yahoo.com.

ART SPEAKS

by MARGARET WARFIELD - ARTIST Art is a vital part of our lives. It helps children develop their motor skills, social skills, decision-making, risk-taking and inventiveness. Art also allows us to see new perspectives on our world, our emotions, and our imaginations. There are multiple forms of visual arts, painting, drawing, sculpting, pottery making, jewelry making, wood turning, digital and fashion design.

Fewer artists focus on the oldest materials used in the process of painting, oil paints.

History tells us that oil paints have been used since the 7th century when oil was taken from walnuts or poppies to decorate caves.

BRENDA BOSTIAN, COLORIST

Fast forward – oil paint is a slow-drying medium made of pigment particles suspended in linseed oil. The linseed oil causes light to bounce around and gives oil paintings a certain glow, as seen in the Mona Lisa’s face. Today’s paints have additives like titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, red and yellow cadmium pigments. Many artists increase the glossiness of their paintings with varnish.

To learn the art of oil painting, contact: Wildart 404-455-1594 TheWildart.com 1105 Washington St. Covington, GA 30014

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

E D U C AT I O N C O R N E R

The Buck Starts and Stops with Parents Statistics show that poor readers who are identified as having behavioral problems as children are much more likely to drop out of school, have low job skills and pay, adopt unstable work patterns and engage in delinquent activities that lead to incarceration.

by TATICASEJUANA BOBO STEVENS Eagerness and zeal to read and learn are critical primary skills that are honed from home at an early age. Our children’s development is contingent upon how we mold them from birth. We are their first teachers. They model the behavior they see, so it is imperative that we lead by an excellent example.

We teach good manners, proper etiquette, respectable behavior, great civic and citizen conduct and my all-time favorite: an enthusiasm for reading. These life skills are a crucial part of their persona before entering pre-school—or are they? We have all heard the phrase that “it takes a village to raise a child.” I subscribe to this idea and believe in building stronger communities for our families.

Learning is not one size fits all. However, this does not exonerate us from exploring what teaching style works best for our children. Take a look at your kids. No two are alike.

That’s what makes learning unique and exhilarating. We must nurture and encourage reading from the womb. Studies have

“Learning is not one size fits all.

However, this does not exonerate us from exploring what teaching style works best for our children. Take a look at your kids. No two are alike.”

44 The Newton Community Magazine

shown how reading stimulates part of a child’s brain to grow and be more active. It increases their vocabulary, comprehension and confidence to speak publicly. Reading spawns great business leaders, creates effervescent imaginations and develops confident communicators.

Education has always been an integral fiber of my being.

Early in my career, I served in law enforcement at a mediumsecurity prison and worked as a community programs director at a children’s group home and in the school system. In hindsight, I see the correlation with reading efficacy, beginning in primary grades. I encourage us to leave no child behind. The time is now to bridge the gap of reading and leading productive lives.

Therefore, the buck starts and stops with us, as parents. Invest in your child’s literacy and knowledge, so that you are not left holding an empty bag. Meet your children where they are, take a trip to the local library or bookstore, or browse books online.

Allow them to select an age-appropriate book and share with you the things they found fascinating in the story. Finally, encourage them to write their own stories, too.

Taticasejuana Bobo Stevens is a Ph.D. candidate and holds an undergraduate degree in accounting and a Master of Business Administration. She is the CEO and founder of Stebeaux’s Educational Enterprises, LLC, where she teaches early childhood literacy from Pre-K to eighth grade.

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

CLASS ACT Livingston Elementary School third-grader Reniya Ritter rescued her family from a potential tragedy in October, not long after receiving life-saving instruction from Newton County Fire Service officials.

by CHRIS BRIDGES Reniya Ritter has proven herself as an attentive young student beyond any doubt.

The Livingston Elementary School third-grader is also proficient at breaking age barriers, as she was recently named an honorary firefighter by Newton County Fire Service officials.

It was a well-earned distinction. The past few months have been harrowing at times for Reniya, but through it all, she has shown the importance of listening, learning and taking action when the situation demands it. She helped save the lives of several family members during a house fire on Oct. 16, putting the lessons she learned in a fire safety class into practice.

“I learned how to get out of a house or a truck when there’s smoke in there,” Reniya said, “and I learned how to be a good firefighter.”

Newton County Fire Safety Specialist James Franklin always hopes young students are listening when he and his department make their presentations for classes.

“We teach the class over a two-day period,” he said. “We watched a video that taught them what to do in the event of a fire, and then we talked about matches and lighters and the importance of not playing with them. We talked about the importance of having working smoke alarms in the house, and then we moved to the back of our trailer, where we can

46 The Newton Community Magazine

actually practice what we’ve learned. We fill up the room full of smoke and have the children practice crawling outside to a meeting place. We teach them to go home and ask their parents, ‘Where would we meet if there was a fire?’”

The presentation caught Reniya’s attention. When she returned home after school, she was eager to talk about what she had learned. Her mother, Nikia, remembers those discussions.

“When she got home, she explained that the fire department came to her school,” she said. “She went over the drill, even climbing on her knees to show how to get out of the house.

She also talked about sparkles that you might see in a fire.”

Reniya was encouraged to immediately report any colorful sparks or the smell of smoke to an adult. No one could have imagined that the family’s rental house would catch fire just days later. As a result of her quick thinking and the lessons she learned in the class, Reniya and her family escaped the fire virtually unharmed. Although they lost their home, they still had each other. No one suffered serious physical injuries, but some had to deal with the effects of smoke inhalation. The mental toll has been far more difficult, as the family lost many priceless personal items like photos, including those of late loved ones.

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

“I’m proud of her,” Nikia said. “She’s an attentive listener and very helpful. She wants to see people win and be successful.

She helped us. She really, really saved us by listening and paying attention. I told her that was an A-plus for me, because not everybody pays attention and utilizes [what they have learned] and brings it home. Everything she learned from Mr. Franklin she brought home and shared it with her family. We were able to put that into perspective, and she saved us.”

Franklin beams with pride when discussing Reniya’s heroics.

“It definitely made my day that she took the lesson to heart and brought that home to her family, and not only did she learn it, but she passed it on to them and put it into use,” he said.

“I’m very proud of her.” Livingston Principal Dr. Yoli Howard

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shares those sentiments. “The fact that I have third-grader who came in, took it seriously, brought it home to her mother and was able to explain everything… it filled my heart as a principal just knowing that we are doing the right things, bringing the programs in and allowing the kids to have all of these different experiences,” she said. “It fills my heart to know that she really did get it.”

Reniya’s finds her most ardent supporter at home.

“She kept a calm head,” Nikia said. “She took a class by the fire department, but her principal put her in there even though it was actually a class for fourth- and fifth-graders. There were a handful of third-graders who attended, and it meant she knew what to do in the case of a fire.”

“When she got home, she explained that the fire department came to her school.

She went over the drill, even climbing on her knees to show how to get out of the house.”

Nikia Ritter

The family has temporarily relocated to Conyers, but Reniya and her older sister, 11th-grader Asada Brown, continue to attend school in Newton County. “The Newton County School System transportation department has been great,” Nikia said.

“Even though we are still out of the district currently, they are helping make sure they stay in their same schools.” She also pointed to the assistance the family has received from the Red Cross but admits the experience has been beyond difficult for all involved. “Our faith keeps us together,” Nikia said. “I appreciate what she learned. She is the type of person who wants to give to others even when she is struggling to have anything. She is just a sweetheart. We will pray through this and get through it. We pray for our own home one day.”

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The marketing mission prior to the development of the internet focused on finding new customer’s and getting a company’s products directly in front of as many people. While some of this rings true today, the consumer now drives the approach. When they have a need, the first place they search for answers is on the internet. What does this mean for businesses?

If you’re not up to speed on marketing in a digital world, your business will most likely suffer the consequences.

You may be asking yourself “How do I boost my online visibility”? It is by no means a simple and quick task; it takes strategy and time to build your presence organically. Here are some tips to think about from the Digital Marketing Manager at SCB, Heather Nelson:

• Website Design – a website is one of the most essential parts of a company, as it enables online marketing and credibility. In fact, 75% of consumers make judgements on a company’s credibility based on their website.

• Search Engine Optimization – 95% of all web traffic goes to the first page of the search results. If a website isn’t optimized, it will not show up on that first page.

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WE LOVE THEM!” Bobbie Ray Fieldstone Center Inc

52 The Newton Community Magazine

Heather Nelson Digital Marketing Manager

2022 Spring Issue 53

LIVING

A CUT ABOVE

Lewis Mason was more than a barber. He was a genuine article, a one-of-a-kind character, an ordinary man of extraordinary quality who made the world a more enjoyable place for others by illuminating his community with a small-town sincerity few could match.

by NAT HARWELL People are creatures of habit. We find something that works, an establishment that provides top-notch service or an individual who gives that little extra “something” to the task, and we stick with them. Think for a moment about those people with whom you may deal only sporadically, but when the need arises for you to call upon them, you do so with eagerness. You know you will not only benefit from the service rendered but leave with a smile or a chuckle while you count yourself lucky to know such a person. I want to introduce you to one of those people, if only vicariously. Lewis Mason left us all too soon four years ago.

He was my barber, as he was for so very many in these parts.

Funny story as to how Lewis came within a whisker of not being at all. Up in Blairsville back in 1864, his grandfather, Lewis “Buddy” Turner, refused to give the Union Army information as to where locals had hidden their food, so they hung “Buddy” on his front porch and hastily left. Neighbors came a’runnin’ and cut him down, just in time, and that was how close Lewis came to not being here at all.

To describe Lewis to the unfamiliar is quite a task. He was not a big man, slightly stooped as he grew older, and he had a twang in his voice which carried with it a bit of joyous laughter. I used to love to sit in that barber’s chair and listen to the tales he would

54 The Newton Community Magazine

tell, or join in conversation with him about some shenanigan he had pulled, or listen patiently to him brag about the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. One hallmark of a great barber is knowing when to talk and when to stay quiet, and Lewis allowed me to nod off upon occasion and enjoy some of the purely most wonderful naps in that chair I have ever experienced.

So picture this somewhat diminutive, gentle man exuding happiness at seeing you enter his barbershop and wonder for a moment how he could make such an impact on so many people.

After high school, he joined the United States Air Force and was stationed in the Philippines during the Korean War. When he came home, he decided to cut hair—a career which eventually spanned more than half a century.

He put down roots in Covington, where he moved his chair to several locations before he and his son, Mike, built their own building on Mill Street. Although I had visited him at two other locations, most of the great stories, naps and shenanigans occurred there, where he shared the room with beautician and comrade in comedy, the late Bobbie Jean Buckelew.

On a shelf in the corner of the waiting area, Lewis kept a stuffed bobcat. It was right next to the radio, which always was playing gospel music, and every once in a while, Lewis would caution youngsters not to disturb the napping feline, as they were prone to attack strangers. More than one customer could not discern whether or not the predator was in fact stuffed.

Speaking of shenanigans, Lewis once partnered with a barber who was fond of alcohol, and Lewis was puzzled as to why some of the hair tonic bottles emptied rather quickly. When he found out the fellow was drinking the alcohol-laden tonic, Lewis mixed in some dishwashing soap, and that cleaned up the issue rather quickly.

Lewis was also a fixture at the Oxford Baptist Church. For more than 40 years, he was a choir member, music director or deacon, and he served actively with Gideons International.

That barber shop radio playing gospel music was not just for show. Lewis was that marvelous Christian who did not just talk about faith but lived it for all to see. He was married to his late wife, Ann, for more than 60 years. Together they raised four children—Mike, Alton, Connie and Becky—and along the way, Lewis began driving a school bus in order to qualify for some benefits. For more than a decade, he faithfully drove his routes, actually practicing so as to time his arrivals and departures to the minute. That punctuality carried over into his barber shop. If you had a 2:15 appointment, you had best be in the chair at 2:15.

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LIVING

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“I tell myself that if there is a Heavenly Barber Chair, the line started forming on Aug. 12, 2018, when the Lord called out to his disciples, ‘OK, fellas, Lewis is finally here.’”

Nat Harwell

Annually, Lewis looked forward to a week-long Canadian getaway with his son, Alton, son-in-law Lester Castleberry, and great friend, Harold “June Bug” Ayers. They would fly to International Falls, Minnesota, then head by float plane to a spartan camp, where they would spend a week fishing and “roughing it.” After an injury, a doctor advised Lewis to slow down a bit. He did not rightly know how to cull his customer list, so instead, he just raised his prices thinking that would do it for him. To his amazement, folks gladly forked over the increase.

That was because we went for more than a haircut; we went to visit with Lewis.

Though no one person can convey all the stories involving Lewis Mason in one sitting, allow me to share a thought I have occasionally. I tell myself that if there is a Heavenly Barber Chair, the line started forming on Aug. 12, 2018, when the Lord called out to his disciples, “OK, fellas, Lewis is finally here.”

LIVING

S e r va n t ’ s

H e a r t

Loy Summers’ tireless work with the Covington Garden Club spans 14 presidencies, from Harry Truman to Joe Biden. The legacy of beautification she began back in 1952 will echo into future generations thanks to her unwavering passion and commitment.

by JOHN BABYLON What do seven decades of contribution, community and connection look like? The answer can be found in Loy Summers, whose Newton County roots can be traced all the way back to before the American Revolution. Born on a farm two miles south of Mansfield, she credits her time there for the lifelong passion she developed for growing things.

When Summers was asked to join the Covington Garden Club in 1952, she did so with a quiet humility. She admits she was “flattered” to even be considered, though joining the club would prove to be the first seeds sown in a long life of service to her community.

The Covington Garden Club dedicates itself to social interaction and the beautification of Covington’s many parks and public areas. It sparked Summers’ passion for the work.

When asked about her tireless dedication to the cause, she responded like only she could: “It never occurred to me to quit.”

Gardening was a sanctuary—a deeply spiritual pursuit through which she found harmony with nature and God. Using her

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passion to contribute to the community she calls home was a bonus. Summers sees it as an “investment of the soul” and a way for her to leave something behind to future generations.

“You have to have faith,” she said, “that someone is going to see it.”

Summers’ contributions extend far beyond her own garden.

She has been afforded the opportunity to work on many projects in which she took particular pride, not the least of which is Memorial Gardens in Academy Springs Park—just a few blocks from her home. However, her proudest moment was when she received the Certificate of Merit from the Garden Club of Georgia. Summers admits she was never motivated by such achievements but was grateful for the recognition and the experience. The Covington Garden Club graced her with other opportunities to contribute to her hometown in ways she never imagined, like arranging flowers for local churches and sitting on the club’s tree board, which is responsible for the planting and arranging of trees in Covington’s public parks.

2022 Spring Issue 59

LIVING

“Nothing turns out like you envision, but don’t be afraid of mistakes.”

Loy Summers

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Through these contributions and many others, Summers has dedicated her life to bettering her community. Her deep and abiding love for gardening and the outdoors remains apparent, but the connections she has made through her efforts with the Covington Garden Club are even more deeply felt. Summers speaks of a universal joy she found when exercising her craft.

It was only enhanced when she shared the experience with others. Helping breathe life into a community of growers was as important as the growing itself.

Nothing compares to the countless connections she made and the friendships that were formed throughout her 70 years of service. She passed them down to her own family, her love of the craft carried on through some of her 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. It appears as though the pastime of gardening will be well preserved in a legacy Summers continues to build.

Beyond the experiences and relationships, she points to the memories she has been able to share with others, including the thrill and privilege of showing her own garden and the chance to teach and mentor others in the labor of love.

Summers admits she made many mistakes while refining her craft over the course of 70-plus years.

“Nothing turns out like you envision,” she said with a laugh, “but don’t be afraid of mistakes.” For Summers, gardening is akin to handling a newborn baby—a miracle of life. As with so much of life, there are too many avenues to follow to allow a few missteps to keep you from being successful. “Focus on what you can do,” she added.

That connection brings her closer to the Creator. Just as a garden can be an expression of Summers, she can be an expression of God. The vibrant life that can be coaxed out of the soil is proof enough of His existence and, perhaps more importantly, proof of His attention to the smallest details.

Anyone who spends time with Summers seems certain to come away with one thought: Few flowers in Covington bloom any brighter than she does.

MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR

ROBERT A. SMITH, 43

Where do you work?

I am a busboy and wash dishes at Stalvey’s in Covington.

Where did you grow up?

I was born in Brooklyn, Indiana, but I have lived in and around Newton County most of my life.

What do you like to do for fun?

I like fishing, camping and cutting grass.

What’s your favorite food?

Pizza and Sprite—and sour gummies.

Do you have a favorite color?

Blue-green.

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What’s the best thing that happened to you this week?

I lost all the money I had on me, and then someone found it and gave it back to me.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

Super speed. It would be fun to run that fast.

Would you rather fight one horsesized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?

I would choose to fight 100 duck-sized horses.

After you beat them, you could BBQ them.

What are you most grateful for?

Being alive and having good friends who love and support me.

“I would choose to fight 100 ducksized horses. After you beat them, you could BBQ them.”

Robert A. Smith

2022 Spring Issue 65