2023 Winter Issue

PUBLISHERS

Meredith & Scott Tredeau

678-852-2715

info@thenewtoncommunity.com

DIRECTOR OF SALES

Maree Taylor

770-530-7837

sales@thenewtoncommunity.com

EDITORS

Kari Apted

Brian Knapp

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Michie Turpin

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Michelle Floyd

Nat Harwell

Kathleen Jeffries

Rebecca McDaniel

Avril Occilien-Similien

David Roten

Taticasejuana Stevens

Paul Yeun

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.

‘TIME MARCHES ON, DOESN’T IT?’

by BRIAN KNAPP

I once viewed winter through a lens of dread. As someone who has fought a lifelong battle with anxiety and depression, it was the season with which I was least compatible. Shorter days, colder weather and the inability to experience the outdoors as much proved to be a difficult emotional maze to navigate. Some of you out there can undoubtedly relate.

Life sped up on me as I aged, got married and had children. Perhaps it was fitting that my youngest son was born in January, for it serves as a reminder that we cannot fit seasons into a box. Good can happen anytime. I look in the mirror sometimes and cannot believe that I turn 45 in May, will have been married for nearly half of those years and have two teenagers at home who will be leaving the nest before we know it. My dad likes to say, “Time marches on, doesn’t it?” Indeed it does, Pops, and all we can do is

march along with it. James 4:14 tells us, “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. For you are just a vapor that appears for a little while, and then vanishes away.” The events of the last few years have taught me to live life one day at a time. Kirby Puckett, one of my favorite baseball players of all-time, once said, “Tomorrow is not promised to any of us.” Wiser words have never been spoken. Puckett died at the age of 45, five years before he was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. With Christmas and all the chaos associated with the holidays now behind us, perhaps we should use the next few months to reflect on what God has done, what He continues to do and what He will do moving forward. His promises to us endure, without regard to the color of the sky or what the temperature on the thermometer might read.

PUBLISHERS’ NOTE

Happy New Year, friends and neighbors. We’re shaking up the Publishers’ Note and doing it a little differently in 2023. Have you ever wondered, “Who are these people?” Well, you’re in luck because we’re going to share a little of our own story in each one.

This picture was our first selfie (Is it still called a selfie when two people are involved?), and it was taken circa 2000, before digital cameras were the norm. We had to blindly snap the picture and hope for the best, then wait for the film to be developed to see how it turned out. Oddly enough, this has been a metaphor for our life together. Leap after leap of faith, hoping for the best as we’ve watched it unfold.

We were both living in Atlanta when we took this picture and had just started dating. On this particular day, we had driven to the Sope Creek Paper Mill Ruins in Marietta to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine. When we got back to the car, we found the keys locked inside—before cellphones were the norm, too. Thankfully, someone who had one eventually came by and let us use it to call for help.

So began a fun-filled life of adventure, with its first of plenty more mishaps to come. We were married three years later on a beautiful Friday night in October, our wedding overlooking Piedmont Park in Atlanta against a backdrop of city lights. Now here we are, nearly 20 years later, with Newton County providing the backdrop for our story. We love how it’s unfolding.

May the Lord bless and keep you.

Scott and Meredith Tredeau

MATT COOPER’S DAMASCUS ROAD

The Covington police officer was shot between the eyes while responding to a shoplifting call on Sept. 3, 2018. Though his miraculous physical recovery has been wrought with difficulty, it has strengthened his marriage and resulted in spiritual renewal for an entire family.

by NAT HARWELL

Matt Cooper chose his words carefully. I had asked him about what his family calls “the accident” and the day the Covington police officer responded to a shoplifting call at Walmart. He had pursued the fleeing suspect and rounded a corner of a building before being shot between the eyes at nearly point-blank range. The man I call “Coop” stunned me when he spoke.

“I don’t know why it was me that took the bullet,” he said softly, “but as I’ve had time to think about it, I feel honored that God chose me to be there. I don’t know if it was because God believed I was strong enough to bear it and maybe someone else would not have been, but I’m honored, in a way, that God chose me.”

Cooper’s words humbled me when I realized what manner of man he had become since I had coached him as a football player at Indian Creek Middle School. The poignancy of the moment was made even clearer as he continued.

“I’d seen a lot of bad,” said Cooper, a former Army sniper who did two tours in Afghanistan. “To be honest, I’d lost my faith, grown away from God; and I saw a lot of bad as a police officer. Getting shot saved my soul, got me closer to God.”

I thought about the man called Saul of Tarsus, who pursued and persecuted Christians in the first century. It took a bright light and the voice of God to knock Saul to the ground and bring him—now known as Saint Paul—to a new relationship with his Creator. For Matt Cooper, it took a bullet between the eyes.

The miraculous story of Cooper’s survival and recovery is well-known to local residents and, thanks to widespread media coverage, to people flung far and wide across America and beyond. A brief recap entails miracle after miracle—the first being that the bullet hit cartilage, diverting it down behind his right eye and eventually lodging against his carotid artery,

Scan to read more stories by Nat Harwell.

blocking the flow of blood to the brain. It was later discovered that Cooper had inexplicably grown a network of smaller blood vessels which took over the task of supplying his brain with blood and life-giving oxygen throughout the trauma.

Airlifted to Grady Memorial Hospital’s trauma center and then later to Emory University, Cooper underwent multiple and unbelievable surgeries, including the temporary removal of part of his skull. His story became widely reported, prayer groups sprang up and Badge 148—his number—began appearing on signs, banners, flags and even on the iconic incinerator smokestack at the intersection of I-20 and I-75/85 in downtown Atlanta. Friends, family and untold numbers of everyday citizens rallied in support for him and his family. Two years later, Cooper was the starter for the Covington Police Department’s annual 5K Fuzz Run. The Atlanta Braves honored him with a day, as did the Atlanta Falcons. I am reminded of a Paul Simon lyric from “Slip Slidin’ Away,” which reads: “God only knows. God has a plan. The information’s unavailable to the mortal man.”

An Unlikely Union

Kristen Osburn was a quiet, somewhat shy, student when she was in high school. As it happened, when Matt was deployed, Kristen was working with Sharon Cooper, his mother, who suggested the two them should date when he returned home.

“Oh, it was so prearranged,” Kristen said. “In high school, I’d always been quiet, and Matt was the popular, handsome stud athlete. I told Sharon that I didn’t think that dating would be a good idea, but... she persisted. I finally gave in, figuring I would at least get a good steak dinner out of it and that would be it.”

Matt and Kristen had been together for eight years when “the accident” occurred. Their two children, Noah and Natalie, were but 4 and 2 years old. In the blink of an eye, this shy, lithe brunette with Miss America good looks had to make some quick and impossibly difficult decisions.

“It was such a shock,” she said. “We’d had a plan for our lives. We were doing what we thought was everything the right way, and just like that, we had to go into role reversal. Now I had to be the head of the household, making the decisions, taking care of the kids, being with Matt in the whirlwind of hospital procedures and with the surreal shock of what had happened.”

As Kristen spoke of those ongoing trials, I remembered another Biblical story of the man called Job. Faithful to God, nonetheless he was subjected to horrific loss of family, possessions, virtually everything. Friends turned on him, yet Job never lost faith.

“For us, we had experts on life who covered us with love and support,” Kristen said. “Matt’s parents, Coley and Sharon, and my folks, James and Denise Osburn, were there for us constantly, and that love and support continues. Just recently, Coley took Matt to the Georgia Aquarium, where he swam with sand sharks. Coley helps out so much around the house with things Matt would normally do.”

I asked Matt if he had any memories of all he had undergone, and he admitted he did not remember much but has a vivid recollection of answering that shoplifting call. He expanded on Kristen’s testimony of help from the family, giving credit to the Wounded Warrior Project. Both he and Kristen were amazed at how, without being asked, WWP representatives would show up with everything from meals to rehabilitation programs. Kristen, meanwhile, recalled a day—after some pretty bad days—at Grady Memorial Hospital when Matt had seemingly taken a downturn. Nothing seemed to be working, but he had somehow improved.

“One of our Grady nurses spoke to me that day,” Kristen said. “She said, ‘I’ve seen medical things happening with your husband that just don’t make sense, and I’ve got to give this to your God.’”

As Matt recovered and fought his way through torturous physical therapy with progress measured in baby steps, he and Kristen grew closer to God. Kristen admits there is a battle at times as the two of them hand over control to God while wrestling with the desire to take it back. They have made Him their focus, attending Crossroads Baptist Church, where they attend disciple group meetings, prioritize their time and socialize with like-minded people who offer sound counsel when needed.

The Coopers also searched for the best way to talk to their children about “the accident.” A child life specialist has provided insight relatable to training them, as well as dealing with grief, short-term memory loss and the fact that Matt will tire out more easily as he continues to recover physically.

“We want our kids to be kids,” Kristen said. “The Bible says tribulation will come, that it rains on the just and the unjust, but we are coping.”

Matt volunteers with the Covington Police Department when time and health allow, and he stays involved in programs such as adaptive cycling through the Wounded Warrior Project. Kristen teaches part-time at First Baptist Academy, where she is afforded the flexibility she needs. This formerly shy and quiet girl has grown into a Type A wife, mother and caregiver, and she and makes no apologies for whatever situation arises to cause changes in plans.

“The role reversal has been challenging,” she said. “It’s a fact that Matt will get tired, but he does not need to apologize for that. Folks who know, know, and if they don’t get it, well, that’s OK.”

Coaching ‘Coop’

by NAT HARWELL

I was coaching at Conyers Middle School in 1996 when I learned through the grapevine that some people in high places wondered if I would be interested in inaugurating the football program at the brand-new Indian Creek Middle School. For me, it was a no-brainer. I knew those seventh- and eighth-grade kids composed perhaps the greatest batch of athletes to come through the system in one group—ever.

Their team picture still hangs on a wall at Indian Creek. After an undefeated regular season, we won the semifinal playoff game before falling to powerhouse Henry County in the championship. I ran a simple offense built on the wing-T, which featured tailback powers, sweeps and devastating inside traps and end-around plays. Our Panthers were talented, deep, coachable and had great parental support, and I had three wonderful assistant coaches. It was a recipe for success.

Trap plays in middle school were not widely anticipated back then, and our opponents were not always apt at recognizing them. However, effective traps require a quick and fearless pulling guard who hits like a freight train. My pulling guard was Matt Cooper. He signed my championship football simply as “Coop.” Coaching him and that offense provided me with pure, unbridled joy.

A few years later, Cooper and a best friend, Matt Tyree, were in my wife’s science class at Eastside High School when passenger jets flew into the World Trade Center in New York and The

Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The two Matts reached across the aisle, clenched hands and decided then and there to enlist in the United States Army to right that wrong. They became one of the highest-rated sniper teams in the world. Upon returning to civilian life, Tyree entered the medical field as an EMT, while Cooper decided to defend and protect the people he loved as a Covington Police Department officer. They served freedom abroad and now desired to serve their own hometown.

One afternoon, as I worked on a manuscript, I got a phone call from my wife. She informed me that a Covington policeman had been shot and that the identity was being withheld. Five minutes later, I found myself leaning against my

Jeep outside the police department, unable to stop sobbing. A cop in a cruiser stopped by and attempted to console me. I asked him to tell me if the officer down was “Coop.” He told me he could not and went inside. A few minutes later, he came out and started to drive off but stopped and asked if I was under control. Awash in emotion, I explained that I had coached a few officers and simply begged him to tell me who was down.

“It’s Coop,” he said.

I had prayed fervently before, but the prayers I offered to God that day were the sincerest I had ever uttered. Parents are never supposed to bury their children, and the same holds true for coaches and their players. Thankfully, we were spared that experience.

‘It Takes a Village’

Matt has an interesting approach to talking about “the accident” with Noah and Natalie. The kids have heard others mention his having been shot, being a hero and so forth. “I tell them,” Matt said with a laugh, “hey, not everybody’s dad gets to get shot. Not everybody’s dad gets to be a hero.” Kristen rolls her eyes at the quip. “Everyone close to the situation knows about the many miracles which unfolded to keep Matt alive and to bring him though this,” she said, “but there are things that transpire—even now—that truly humble us both. People will show up and provide those random acts of kindness which aren’t expected, which makes them even more special. My parents, Matt’s parents… there are no words to express how great they’ve been.”

In fact, both of Kristen’s parents got involved in the medical field. Her father was studying in a nurse practitioner course and knew a specialist in cardiac and thoracic care at Emory. It became necessary to transfer Matt from Grady to Emory but only if a cardiac or thoracic care physician would sign off on it. James asked, the Emory specialist agreed and one more miracle in a chain of miracles occurred.

To see Matt and Kristen Cooper as merely remarkable people would not do them justice. The series of events befalling this young couple would be more than enough to buckle even the heartiest of people, test the faith of anyone and would at times appear just too overwhelming to contemplate. Yet through their renewed faith in God and with the support of loved ones and friends, they are making it work.

“It takes a village,” Kristen said with a sigh. “It really does.”

As for me, I think of an eighth-grade football player who was as rock-solid as any kid I ever coached. I remember my wife telling me on the dreadful day of Sept. 11, 2001 that Matt and his buddy, Matt Tyree, had decided to join the Army and serve their country. I think of the Covington police officer and the banner emblazoned with “148” we flew on our front porch during his recovery from “the accident.” Now, in a new chapter, as I reflect on this loving couple facing down adversity on a daily basis, I am reminded of yet another passage of scripture, this from the book of Isaiah, Chapter 6, Verse 8, which I believe sums up the courage evident in the lives of Matt and Kristen Cooper: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ And I said: ‘Here am I; send me.’”

“I don’t know why it was me that took the bullet, but as I’ve had time to think about it, I feel honored that God chose me to be there.”

Matt Cooper

by MICHELL FLOYD

Although Crystal Sanders has endured numerous obstacles in her life, she serves as a success story to many. She faced a difficult path as a high-school dropout who struggled to find stable work. Now, she devotes her time to sharing the resources she discovers with others. Sanders’ search for help as a Covington newcomer led her to connect with the Newton County Housing Authority, a GED program at Georgia Piedmont Technical College and Newton Family Connection—a 501(c)3 nonprofit collaborative of the Georgia Family Connection Partnership.

The state established GFCP in 1996 to meet the needs of families and children. Executive director Laura Bertram and program director Mollie Melvin operate Newton Family Connection, which serves as a clearinghouse of resources for individuals and organizations in the community. Bertram met Sanders some five years ago when she came to take parenting classes with the organization. She continues to be impressed with Sanders’ drive to make a successful life for herself and her two children.

“She took so much initiative herself,” Bertram said. “She’s such a forward-thinking individual and totally confident and willing to accept any help given to her.”

Bertram recalls when Sanders participated in an eight-week “Mom and Me” program that helps improve literacy skills. She was the only one at that time who took all of the classes and practiced skills at home.

“We get a lot of calls, and we don’t have funding for utilities, rent and so forth, but we try to refer them and connect them to resources,” said Bertram, who encourages citizens to volunteer with the Salvation Army and other organizations that assist local families. “We are cognizant of the needs of families who are in special situations, like single parents who are involved in resource courts, parents raising small children and the homeless. We are letting people know what they can do to help.”

Newton Family Connection led Sanders to facilitate training and reading events in conjunction with the Newton County Health Department. She also promotes the program to her neighbors and other parents she meets at the health department and elsewhere.

“We invited her to go and be a leader to teach us to be successful,” Bertram said.

In addition, Sanders participated in the Bridges Out of Poverty program with the Newton County School System. It pairs

Crystal Sanders had few resources to build a new life after she moved from Kentucky to Newton County with her two small children. Determined not to let her past define her future, she actively sought the help she needed and now leads others along the same path she walked.

Scan to read more stories by Michelle Floyd.

members of the low-income community with a middle-class mentor to help them learn about and coordinate resources. “She’s truly a competent and dedicated worker,” Bertram said, “and she is so dedicated to her kids.” Sanders, who dropped out of high school in Kentucky during her senior year, admits she now has a better understanding of navigating her future using resources in the community.

“I see what resources that I qualify for,” she said, “and I hope more families will get connected to assist them in ways I never knew.”

Sanders struggled to pass multiple sections on the GED test and later discovered it was due to a previously undiagnosed learning disability. When she began to take GED courses again, she learned that she had enough high school credits to exempt the exam. A new state program allows passing Georgia Piedmont Technical College students to bypass the GED test through a certificate program.

“I was thrilled and overjoyed,” Sanders said. “The GED test hinders so many people that drop out of high school, and so many [leaders] don’t focus on the reasons that they drop out. They may be frustrated or have a shortcoming, so people drop out [without] getting the help they really need or knowing they have an issue.”

Once Sanders completes her certificate program, she hopes to secure a long-term job, possibly in computer science. She also wants to find stable housing for her family and strongly encourages her daughter to finish high school.

“I want her to be guided,” Sanders said. “She can figure out her career pursuits she wants to embark on when she gets out of high school.”

Sanders joins Bertram in nudging others toward volunteering wherever they can.

“I’ve been trying to get more people to go get help instead of the route I took,” said Sanders, who linked arms with Newton Family Connection through the housing authority. “A lot of people at that age think they know everything, but if you don’t have a trade or a paper, you won’t get to the other side.”

Newton Family Connection helps foster and adoptive families, people in emergency situations and anyone who needs assistance with food, housing, utilities, transportation or other resources. The group facilitates connections between citizens and helpful organizations in and around the community. It welcomes volunteers and invites people to learn more by visiting www.nwtnfamilyconnection.org.

“I’ve been trying to get more people to go get help instead of the route I took.”

Crystal Sanders

“Saints are people who dare to be so different that they become the living, visible presence of Christ in the world.”

Paul Yeun

Called to Sainthood

by PAUL YEUN

“Who are the saints? Do you know the answer, Charlie Brown?” Lucy asked.

“Be kind. Don’t smoke. Be prompt. Smile a lot. Eat sensibly… Eat a lot of vegetables and fruits and drink plenty of water. Avoid cavities, and mark your ballot carefully… Avoid too much sun. Send overseas packages early. Love all creatures above and below. Ensure your belongings, and try to keep the ball low,” Charlie rambled.

“Stop,” Lucy said, interrupting. “Hold real still, Charlie Brown, because I am going to hit you with a very sharp blow upon the nose!”

In considering the lives of the saints the Catholic Church consecrated, not all of them fit into the image Charlie Brown provided to Lucy as part of the beloved “Peanuts” canon. Historically, saints were people of action and conviction who followed Jesus and took his teaching seriously. In Protestant traditions, all believers of Jesus are called saints.

According to the Apostle Paul, every Christian qualifies as a saint. In his letter (I Corinthians 1:2) to the Christians in Corinth, Greece, he writes: “To all the church of God, which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ, called to be saints.” As British theologian Alan Richardson reminds us, “The saint of the New Testament is not a perfected being but a forgiven sinner.” It sounds to me like he means all of the redeemed. Let’s give some thought to sainthood and determine what goes into the people being discussed.

They dare to be different. Saints are people who adhere to the teaching Jesus put forth in the Beatitudes. Blessed are the merciful.

Blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. Blessed are those who are persecuted for my name’s sake.

Saints seek to do the right things, and as a result, they may be rejected or looked down upon because of their faith and practices.

For a while, the bestselling item in religious bookstores was a simple nylon bracelet with the letters W.W.J.D. embroidered on the fabric. It means “What Would Jesus Do?” This is the question that rests constantly on the lips of all Christians when they are confronted with moral and ethical decisions. Saints are people who dare to be so different that they become the living, visible presence of Christ in the world. They also leave legacies. When they have finished their sojourns, the world will be a better place because of them.

So, who are the saints, and what does this have to do with you and me? Every follower of Jesus is called to sainthood. All Christians, all believers of Jesus, are considered saints, according to the Apostle Paul. We are called to lead merciful, peacemaking lives, lives of integrity and justice and generosity. We may not wear the bracelet, but it serves as our credo: “What would Jesus do?” We are called to leave the world a better place because we were there living out the answers.

Paul Yeun is the pastor of Covington Mill United Methodist Church. For information, visit www.covingtonmillumc.com.

Those who are redeemed in Christ are expected to lead lives of mercy, peace, integrity, justice and generosity. When in doubt, ask

‘What Would Jesus Do?’

FREEDOM FIGHTER

Semina Books’ past was filled with traumatic experiences, including abandonment, abuse, addiction and shame. Yet her story does not end there. By God’s grace, her life now serves as a testimony of glorious redemption and true liberation.

by AVRIL OCCILIEN-SIMILIEN

Semina Books has an infectious laugh and a magnetic personality. Anyone who encounters her today cannot help but be positively influenced by the joy she exudes.

Unfortunately, positive interactions with Books were not always the norm. Because of a past filled with destructive experiences and influences, she once moved through the world veiled in negativity. In fact, her countenance was so hostile that she was given the nickname “So-meana” to reflect her harsh personality. Books was pensive as she recounted her childhood.

“I am a rare Atlanta native, a Grady baby who grew up as one of four siblings in what was considered ‘the projects’ with my mom and my grandmother,” she said. “When I was 10, my mom became a single mother after my parents divorced. I never really saw my father again, and I felt abandoned by him. To cope with the divorce, my mother turned to alcohol, and that alcohol addiction translated into her being physically and emotionally abusive toward me. Since my mom could not care for our family, I became the default caretaker. I felt my childhood was lost because of them and became resentful toward my siblings.”

Books explained that her mother’s addiction financially drained the family, thrusting them into poverty. Most days, she and her siblings lacked enough to eat. It caused Books to develop an unhealthy relationship with food, hoarding and binging in secrecy and using food for comfort during her darkest days. Overeating led to weight gain and a negative body image that was magnified as her body blossomed. She became a target for sexual abuse by the strange men her mother allowed into their home.

“I carried the weight of these experiences into my adulthood,” Books said. “After college, I sought solace in relationships with married men who were drug dealers and soon became a single mother. At first, I was transporting the drugs, but I soon developed a drug and alcohol addiction. I felt lost and alone. I was ashamed of who I had become. I had become my mother.”

Books’ story soon took a positive turn. One day, a co-worker invited her to church. She declined because she felt unworthy to be in God’s presence. Books could not fathom a God who would accept her knowing her past. Her co-worker persisted, and she finally accepted the invitation.

Scan to read more stories by Avril Occilien-Similien.

“I felt lost and alone. I was ashamed of who I had become.”

Semina Books

“It was a divine appointment,” Books said. “During the church service, a former drug dealer gave his testimony from the stage. He spoke confidently and beamed as he detailed the deliverance and freedom he experienced by receiving Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. I was amazed. I wondered, ‘Could I experience that, too?’ I yearned for it, so when the opportunity came, I accepted Jesus Christ for myself. It was the best decision I ever made.”

Books knew she had to make drastic life changes. She moved to Minnesota for a fresh start for herself and her two children. There, Books connected to a church, sought help for her addictions and learned about a program called Celebrate Recovery. She joined immediately. Through Celebrate Recovery, she learned how to identify her triggers, deal with stressors and heal from trauma and abuse through the art of journaling. Books also gained accountability partners and a strong community of believers, leading to a newfound freedom in her faith.

“I started a new chapter of my life,” she said. “I met my husband in that church. We are divorced now, but we had two beautiful children, which was a blessing.” Books glowed as she thought about that time in her life. “After our divorce, I moved back to Georgia with my four children,” she said, “but this time, I returned as a different person—healed, whole and free.”

Books credits the Celebrate Recovery program with other blessings, including reconciliation with her estranged father before his death. She also received healing from anger toward her siblings and offered forgiveness to her ex-husband. Books now helps others find spiritual freedom and serves in Celebrate Recovery, where she assists women who struggle with anxiety and depression.

In addition, she drives the ministry’s bus to homeless shelters so more people can access the same blessings she has enjoyed. The transformation in Books’ life has become so evident that she was been given a new nickname. She no longer answers to “So-meana,” ridden with the weight of her past. She now carries “So-nicer” as a moniker, beaming with a forgiveness and freedom found only in Christ. When asked what one message she would give to women facing experiences similar to her past, Books quotes her favorite scripture from Jeremiah 29:11: “When you feel alone and abandoned, God says, ‘I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.’”

CAUGHT IN A

PICKLE

Ron and Tami Mast were exposed to a competitive outlet in the unlikeliest of places. They set out to share their discovery by connecting their community to one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States.

by BRIAN KNAPP

A chance encounter in paradise sent Ron Mast tumbling down the rabbit hole. He and his wife were enjoying a cruise to the western Caribbean in 2019 when a couple from Arizona introduced them to a world they never knew existed. Their lives have not been the same since, for it seems as though pickleball—a sport best described as a tennis and ping-pong hybrid— tends not to let go once it sinks its teeth into you.

“I thought, ‘What the heck is pickleball?’ I’d never heard of it,” Mast said. “We got out there and started playing on deck, and that was it. We got bit. When we came home, we started googling, ‘Where can you play pickleball?’”

Options were frustratingly limited. Their search took them to the Walton County Boys & Girls Club in Monroe as the nearest location where pickleball was offered. “That first night, we went up there and had nothing,” Mast said. “We started playing and fell in love with it.” Soon, they were swinging their paddles at a church in Bethlehem and at Bay Creek Park in Loganville. “We did that for about the first year maybe,” Mast said. “Every time,

we were driving like 45 minutes, and we thought, ‘Why don’t we have it in Covington. There’s no reason not to have it in Covington,’ so we started doing some talking.” Conversation led to action, and the Covington Pickleball Club was brought into being on Nov. 9, 2020 at Wolverine Gym.

“We went over there and taped down some courts,” Mast said. “We had eight people that first night. Now, we’re over 80-something. That’s how we got started.”

Suddenly, Ron and Tami Mast found themselves caught up in a wave with one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States. More than five million people now participate nationwide, and the number swells by the day. With an ongoing push to make pickleball an Olympic sport and television deals exposing it to an even wider audience, its popularity only figures to surge further. The Masts spent a year as area ambassadors for USA Pickleball, the body that governs the sport nationally. All the while, they expanded their local chapter, its members ranging in age from 12 to 85. There are no fees associated with

Scan to read more stories by Brian Knapp.

joining the Covington Pickleball Club. Dots are connected through the club’s Facebook page and a GroupMe app that keeps interested parties in the loop.

“Word of mouth is how it spreads more than anything,” said Mast, a 63-year-old father of two and grandfather of six. “The great thing about pickleball is it doesn’t matter what your age is. I played softball until I was 58. I thought I’d never find anything to play that was competitive. With pickleball, you can play as competitive as you want or as laid back as you want.”

The sport offers other perks. It rebuilds old bonds once thought lost, forges new friendships between people who might not have otherwise met and strengthens current relationships between fathers and sons, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives.

“When my wife and I found pickleball, we were like, ‘This is something we can do together and have a good time.’ We get to play together,” Mast said. “There aren’t many sports where the husband and wife... it’s hard to go play football together; it’s hard to play basketball together. In pickleball, you can play with your wife. You can be as competitive as you want to.

“The group is great,” he added. “We’ve met so many new people, and then, old friendships are rekindled. There are a

couple of people I hadn’t seen in 20, 25 years, and all of a sudden, we start playing pickleball together and now we’re back to where we were when we were playing church basketball and softball against each other.”

The club meets multiple days per week, either inside the Ronald M. Bradley Gymnasium at Turner Lake Park or outside on the tennis courts at City Pond Park. When the Newton County Recreation Commission resurfaced the City Pond facility over the summer, it created four courts that were dedicated to pickleball. It was welcomed progress.

“We still don’t have enough room,” Mast said. “It’s almost like a reptile. They’ll grow as big as their surroundings. Whatever they give us, it’s going to bring more people in. We have people not only from Newton County, but we have people coming in from McDonough, Loganville, Madison [and] Monroe. When they hear about it, people come.”

The Covington Pickleball Club operates under USA Pickleball rules and regulations. It held its first anniversary tournament in November 2021, limiting the number of entrants to 36. The field was expanded to 45 participants for 2022. The response has been overwhelming.

“ We had eight people that first night. Now, we’re over 80-something.”

Ron Mast

“Now, we have a waiting list,” Tami said. “It’s so much fun. We just laugh the whole time. You don’t even realize you’re getting good exercise.”

Improving access remains their primary goal.

“Getting courts is the big thing,” Mast said. “If you look at other counties around us, they’re all building huge pickleball complexes, where they have 14 to 18 courts and they stay busy all the time.” Tami echoes her husband’s sentiments: “I think we could grow this fast—huge—if we had the facilities.”

For information on the Covington Pickleball Club, email CovingtonPickleBallClub@USA.com or visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/profile. php?id=100063692822472.

CALL of the WILD

Linda Scovanner always enjoyed breaking down cultural norms and stereotypes, so it was only natural that she would find a way to do so—and show others how to do the same—through her work at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center.

by DAVID ROTEN

volunteering through scouting, as well as other activities. All of it together served to lead Scovanner down a career path toward outdoor education and, ultimately, to the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield, where she now coordinates the Becoming an Outdoors Woman program.

Designed for women 18 years of age and older, BOW is a weekend-long, hands-on workshop offering a variety of outdoor-skills training that ranges from hunting and fishing to firearms and archery, birding, backpacking, orienteering and more. Courses are taught by knowledgeable, empathetic instructors within a safe and structured environment. Overnight accommodations include dormitory-style lodges and primitive campsites; attendees may choose to commute if they live locally. Registration for the popular program, held annually in November, typically begins in early August. The most recent BOW was a sell-out, with event accommodations maxed out by 80 enthusiastic participants.

Linda Scovanner knew exactly where she wanted to be at an early age. At the same time her Girl Scouts troop was doing indoor sleepovers, a group of Boy Scouts, led by her father, were camping in the great outdoors and cooking over a fire. The call was irresistible.

“When the girls wanted to do makeovers, I was like, ‘Hold up, I want to go sleep under the stars,’” Scovanner said. “Any time his troop did anything, I was the little sister bouncing along with them.”

Scovanner credits her father for passing his love for nature and science on to her. Her mother was a teacher and instrumental in exposing her to the educational side. Both parents modeled

“We’ve got all demographics, all age ranges, all levels of experience,” Scovanner said. “We meet them where they’re coming from.”

Though attendees come to the conference with varied interests and degrees of expertise, they all arrive with a common bond: They are women who want to know and experience more of the natural world. Fortunately, cultural stereotypes that suggest women are not as suited as men for outdoor activities are fading. “BOW is just about enjoying the outdoors and creating an equal playing field,” Scovanner said, “because there really are no boundaries in the outdoors. It’s for everybody.” Still, though perceptions have changed and the door leading

Scan to read more stories by David Roten.

outside is more open to women, many need help walking through it. “Now women are stuck,” Scovanner said, “because, [they say] ‘Yes, everything’s inclusive and we can all go out there and do it, but where do we start?’” In a sense, it has been Scovanner’s lifetime ambition to help them to know.

“My goal was always to do some kind of outdoors science education,” she said, pointing to a high school field trip to Belize as an inspiring confirmation. “I was like, ‘This is it. This is the job I want. I want to teach people about all the wonders of the world and nature.’”

Scovanner’s was a childhood filled with outdoor adventure and exploration with her father. “And always the wonder of it all,” she said. “He always asked me questions, ‘Oh, what do you think that is?’ What do you hear?’” His inquiring way of sharing his knowledge and passion for the outdoors instilled in her the same love and a desire to pass it on. A teacher was being born.

Not surprisingly, Scovanner earned a degree in education with a concentration in science from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. Since then, she has gone on to teach both inside and outside the classroom, including a stint with stingrays and sharks where she utilized microphone-equipped SCUBA gear. Scovanner also worked with county park systems and the Boy Scouts before coming to the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center, where she oversees the school residential and public programming, in addition to BOW.

Scovanner can summarize the Becoming and Outdoors Woman weekend in a few words: “A lot of fun and a lot of learning.” Attendees have ample time to socialize and compare notes from the day’s activities as they eat dinner together and cozy up around the fire pit. Old friendships are rekindled and new ones formed as repeat participants take on the role of mentor for those coming for the first time. Friday night usually

“When the girls wanted to do makeovers, I was like, ‘Hold up, I want to go sleep under the stars.’”

Linda Scovanner

includes an inspiring speaker. A silent auction to benefit future attendees who may lack the means to pay the full registration fee culminates on Saturday. Interestingly, the most popular course on the schedule is Field Dressing and Quartering a Deer. “These women really want to know how to field dress a deer,” Scovanner said. However, once the actual cutting starts, responses run the gamut. “Some women are ‘full head in’ doing the cuts,” she said. “Some stand back and watch because they just want to see how it’s done. Others decide it’s not for them; and that’s all OK.”

Scovanner sees outdoor education as more than just a job. It is, as it has always been, a family affair. Her husband, Nick, is the lead ranger at Bert Adams Scout Camp, and their three children have also inherited their own appreciation for the outdoors. Sharing her passion for outdoors education with others comes naturally for Scovanner: “Knowing that I can do what I’ve always wanted to do and get more women doing things that they were told originally they couldn’t do, or their parents didn’t know how to do or teach them, is one of the best parts of the job.”

For information on the Becoming an Outdoors Woman program at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center, visit www.georgiawildlife.com/BOW.

SEWN TOGETHER

Award-winning seamstress Carol von Cannon’s work represents a lifetime of honing her craft. Perhaps even more than her blue ribbons, von Cannon finds pride in teaching the skills she learned from her grandmother to a whole new generation.

by MICHELLE FLOYD

Carol von Cannon talks humbly about her remarkable sewing ability. She credits her grandmother for passing it down from one generation to the next. The Mansfield resident has been sewing since she was about 8 years old but only became an expert seamstress in recent years.

“I believe that you are given gifts and talents—and I got the gift from my granny—but it’s up to you to develop them,” said von Cannon, who has lived in Newton County with her husband, John, since 2003. “I believe that with all my heart. It’s something that was born in me, and I have worked to do the best that I can to develop my talent and to share that knowledge.”

Every August, when von Cannon was a child in Macon, her paternal grandmother came from Dubois for a three-week-long visit. She spent most of her time making back-to-school clothes for von Cannon and her sister, Kaye. “I watched her,” von Cannon said. “I would assist, but normally the way I would assist was fixing her lunch and staying out of her way.” Von Cannon continued sewing and even made her sister’s wedding dress in 1968. Still, she only considered herself an expert after she retired in 2000 and had time to devote to the art. After working for 10 years at Sears and another two decades at Allstate, von Cannon finally had the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of her labor.

Scan to read more stories by Michelle Floyd.

“I think it’s become a lost art, and I want my girls to know how to sew.”

Amanda Kirkham

“That required so much of me as far as being available for customers in the evening,” she said. “I put it down. I couldn’t do it anymore.”

Von Cannon attended a local sewing and quilting expo, where she found a $7,000 designer sewing machine—a price tag that nearly made her husband faint. “He said, ‘How do you know you would use it enough to make a purchase that big?’” she recalled. “I said, ‘Well, I won’t know unless I get it.’” The expensive machine still sews as well today as it did back then.

After purchasing the machine, von Cannon—a mother to two sons—became interested in making little girls’ clothing and heirloom outfits for christenings. She began to take classes from renowned women in the sewing industry, traveling as needed to hone her skills. Her education included attendance at a sewing school in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for three years and taking classes in Tennessee and Alabama. “I was self-taught until that point,” von Cannon said, “but when I see it once, I can do it, and I can do it well.” Over the years, she welcomed 14 grandchildren into the world, about half of them girls who were mostly grown by the time she started taking the art seriously. Von Cannon progressed to more advanced sewing classes and recalls that she knew she had “arrived” when she was given an assistant to help with her

projects. “I no longer had to do busy work,” she said with a laugh. “I didn’t know that I had this talent until I retired and started taking the classes.”

Von Cannon decided to start entering her work in local competitions in 2021. Her first entries were submitted to a national fair’s advanced-level contest. They included several pieces: a christening gown, two little girls’ dresses, a set of girls’ pajamas, a play set and two crocheted Afghans. She was delighted to win four blue ribbons, one red ribbon and an honorable mention. In 2022, she entered two sewing pieces and three crochet pieces—all winners. Von Cannon took home four blue ribbons, a red ribbon and a judge’s comment that simply read, “Perfection.” The awards meant even more to her due to the fact that she had battled osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, in 2015. Von Cannon overcame the disease after six months of physical therapy and surgery to remove part of a bone in her leg.

“I didn’t even go down in the sewing room that whole year,” she said. Soon after, she added a new machine to her collection and started sewing again. “It’s important for people to know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel,” she said. “You do have to fight it; however, even though I put [sewing] down, I picked it back up.”

Although von Cannon always has a project in the works, she gives away most of the items she makes instead of selling them.

“I usually keep a blue or pink blanket in my cupboard, so I have a handmade gift for someone if I need it, but if I know them very well, I try to make them something special with their name so it’s a treasure,” she said. “I don’t want the pressure of somebody saying they want [something] at a certain time or a certain way if I sell it, so I make it for my pleasure and I share it.”

Von Cannon also partnered with her church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Covington, by making baby hats and clothing for the congregation’s children. She has taught several fellow church members how to sew.

“The dresses remind me of things you don’t see in stores today,” said Amanda Kirkham, whose daughters, Josephine and Jenevieve, have received clothes from von Cannon at church. “They have a classic look about them, and they love them. Carol is an expert. She is so creative and talented.”

Von Cannon has taught Kirkham’s daughters basic sewing skills and plans to teach them more. In a way, she has stepped into a grandmother role for two girls whose own grandparents live far away.

“I think it’s good for our children to learn from other people,” Kirkham said. “I think it’s become a lost art, and I want my girls to know how to sew.”

ART SPEAKS

by MARGARET WARFIELD - ARTIST

Wildart is home to two glass artists, John Conkling and Greta Beech.

After taking an extensive glass fusion class in 2005, John’s love for fusion was born. For him, glass fusion is relaxing. He arranges the pieces of glass until he’s happy with the design before firing the forms in the kiln. “It’s always exciting to see how the piece turns out after firing, and yes, unfortunately, there are also disappointments,” John said. His nature-inspired work embraces a variety of distinctive decorative objects.

Greta learned the copper foil stained glass technique in 2000 after years of admiring a stained glass window made for her by Father Methodius of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers. In 2007, she added a kiln and began fusing glass. Greta then began teaching both techniques at her home studio, and she enjoys holding workshops at WildArt making ornaments, jewelry, and bottle stoppers.

Wildart

404-455-1594

thewildart.com

1105 Washington St. Covington, GA 30014

To SAT or ACT? That is the Question

by TATICASEJUANA BOBO STEVENS

comprehensive exams. I encourage you to take one or both exams before your senior year. If you find yourself in a situation where you have not taken either exam as a senior, then closely pay attention to your upcoming college application deadlines to ensure your scores get to the school(s) of your choice before it’s time. Remember, start now. By April, most of the funding has already been disbursed among the students who planned early. You should be in that number.

If you are interested in higher academia, it’s never too early to prepare for the SAT or ACT exams. Colleges use SAT and ACT scores for admissions and merit-based scholarships or endowments. Studies have indicated that the earlier your children are exposed to these exams, the better results they yield. Registration for the SAT is $60, with a $30 late fee. Registration for the ACT is $63 without the writing section and $88 with the writing section. There’s also a $36 late fee assessed. Encourage your children to plan, prepare and execute earlier, so late fees aren’t incurred. Inquire about fee waivers. Financial Literacy Lesson 101: Be a good steward over your finances.

I recommend establishing a good study regimen before sitting for both exams. Allow your children to devote a minimum of 10–20 hours a week, as it will provide a greater return on your investments (i.e. their application fees, books, tutor, etc.). This will also increase their chances of scoring higher on these

Deciding which exam works best for you will primarily depend on the college of your choice. Some colleges want one or the other, while other colleges want both. If you are involved in extracurricular activities or work a part-time job, now is the time to start planning. The SAT consists of reading, writing, language and math, and it takes three hours to complete. The ACT consists of English, reading, math, science reasoning and an optional essay. It lasts two hours and 40 minutes without the essay and three hours with the essay. Whenever you see the word “optional,” commit yourself every time. That separates the leaders from those following the easy conduit of the crowd.

Remember, there’s no standard for how many times a student should take the exams, but a rule of thumb is typically two to three times. Lastly, these exams do not show a student’s creativity, intelligence and resilience, so don’t let the number define you. Whether high, low or in between, it is simply one facet of the vibrant life you have ahead of you. Go and be great future leaders.

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 and the Taylor Marie Bo Foundation, Inc.

Preparation is paramount for the tests colleges use for admissions and merit-based scholarships or endowments.

FOLLOWING THE SCIENCE

Laura Lambert never planned on leading a classroom, but a career in education found her nonetheless. Named as the Newton County School System’s 2023 Teacher of the Year, she relishes the journey that led her from the lab to her position as a biotechnology teacher at the Newton College and Career Academy.

by REBECCA MCDANIEL

It was the moment everyone had been waiting for at the awards ceremony. As the presenter broke the silence by reading aloud an excerpt from the winner’s essay, biotechnology teacher Laura Lambert felt incredulous. She knew immediately it was her essay, which meant she was the Newton County School System’s 2023 Teacher of the Year.

Lambert had one certainty growing up: She did not want to be a teacher. Her mother was a kindergarten teacher, so she had a front-row seat to the blood, sweat and tears that went into that particular profession. She simply could not envision herself spending many hours a week working during her free time and receiving minimal pay for her efforts.

Instead, Lambert’s passion was for science. As a child, her favorite word was always, “Why?” She was curious about how and why things worked the way they did. When Lambert was in fifth grade, her parents bought her a cordless house phone. Instead of using it to call friends, she spent her free time taking it apart and studying the components that made it work before putting it back together again. This was one of her favorite activities and increased her hunger to learn more about science and technology.

In middle school, Lambert’s science teacher expanded her growing passion for the subject. He taught his students by allowing them to apply science in a real-world setting as opposed to teaching them via lectures. Lambert’s high school teachers further built upon her innate love for science and allowed her to take chemistry as a freshman instead of waiting until her sophomore year, like most of the other students. No one in the class knew Lambert was a freshman until after she aced the first exam. When her chemistry teacher lectured the class on how horribly they had scored while the only freshman had excelled, Lambert knew she was destined to be a scientist.

Lambert’s college years began with her majoring in neuroscience at Georgia State University. However, it was not until her senior year of college that she finally knew what she wanted to do. That was when Coweta County’s STEM institute presented Lambert with an opportunity to work to promote STEM education. A STEM institute focuses on teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. This job allowed her to visit elementary schools, engage with students and teach them

the basics of STEM schools and how they differ from traditional institutions. In addition to working with Coweta County’s STEM program, Lambert also accepted an internship with Georgia State’s Neuroscience department and was involved in designing a booth for the Atlanta Science Festival.

The combination of the internship and the STEM institute position revealed to Lambert that she wanted to pursue a career in a science communication field. That decision would allow her to engage with people instead of being confined to a laboratory setting all day.

As Lambert neared the end of her senior year, a professor introduced her to the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, which focuses on bringing real scientists into classrooms as teachers. Lambert applied to the highly competitive program and was delighted when she received her letter

“The phrase ‘pride and joy’ never meant anything to me until I started teaching.”

Laura Lambert

of acceptance. The fellowship allowed her to pursue her master’s degree at Piedmont University while obtaining a distinct advantage. Unlike some teaching fellowship programs, the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation devotes one of the three years to hands-on teaching, from pre-planning to post-planning.

Lambert’s first teaching job was at Monroe Area High School in Monroe, where she taught biology and chemistry. She taught there for two years, admitting that she loved the atmosphere and how the students and the administration became like family. One night, Lambert received a call from her mentor and friend, Mark Crenshaw, who was a STEM institute program director. He shared that the Newton College and Career Academy had an opening for a biotechnology teacher. Lambert had an interview the following day and got the job.

Lambert now has a true passion for teaching, as it allows her to show her creative side while bringing her emotional fulfillment. “The phrase ‘pride and joy’ never meant anything to me until I started teaching,” she said, tears streaming down her face. Lamber indicated that seeing her students receive their own awards provides her with more motivation than she could have ever imagined.

Lambert lives in Covington with her husband, Bruce Hudson, and their Golden Retriever mix named Tucker. They enjoy traveling and spur-of-the-moment activities, with Tucker in tow. When asked where she thinks she will be in five years, Lambert replied: “Wherever the road may lead me.”

MORE THAN A TEAM: 10 EXPERTS IN OUR FIELD

We’ve all been on long road trips. You know the ones where everyone’s hangry... like really hangry... and all you see is faded, torn, worn-out roadside billboards of restaurants. So, you turn to Google and you find a place that looks okay. You click on the listing. The website is expired. Facebook is a ghost town for the past six months. You’re wondering if this place even still exists....NEXT!

This restaurant, and so many others, could’ve had your business. You found them - they were the needle in the haystack! But their lack of even the slightest modern marketing techniques ultimately cost them a car full of hungry travelers. Why aren’t more businesses advertising online effectively? Look, we get it. Being that the average salary for someone in the role is between $70,000 to $85,000 annually, it’s rarely advantageous for a business to hire a full-time marketing specialist.

So, what if you could get the knowledge and experience of nine-experts for less than the annual salary of this one person? Sounds almost too good to be true, right?

SCB’s nine experts have been trained to the highest standard in the modern marketing industry. Our decades of combined marketing experience have allowed us to witness firsthand the progression and transformation of the online marketing space.

We understand that, as a business owner, overhead is everything! The skillset our experts provide allows for a one-stop-shop for all of your content creation and marketing needs when it comes to your business. We do it all: video production, photography, social media management, media buys, website development, graphic design, and digital marketing. Our strategic plan for your business’s online success shows that content and distribution thereof are equally important when it comes to the growth of your business, as well as that maintaining relevant content is the key to keeping and attracting target high-grossing customers.

As a small business ourselves, we are able to relate to your business’ needs in a unique way. Our strategies are molded around both your unique business’ goals and the latest online trends, converting multiple forms of specifically crafted content around your brand.

SCB is more than just a team - nine experts to refresh your business, so it won’t be NEXT’d.

Schedule your free consultation to see how we can help you outshine the competition! 678-554-6410 | SCBTV.com

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

If not for the coronavirus pandemic, one of the coolest local “kidpreneur” businesses might not exist. When Robert and April Chapman’s four children began spending too much time connected to electronics during the COVID-19 lockdowns, their woodworking father came up with a brilliant idea to give their idle hands something better to do.

“We are a family full of ideas,” April said. “Because we’ve always homeschooled and our business stayed open, it was basically life as normal, but because life outside the house and store was shut down, we needed to come up with something to get them off those devices.”

Robert’s idea expanded upon his own Farmhouse Signature wooden furniture line sold at the Chapman’s home furnishings store: The Furniture Loft. Incorporated in 2013, the store features a wide variety of national brands. It is also the operations center for Farmhouse Signature Home: the Chapman children’s venture into making handcrafted wooden signs, wall art and other custom home accessories. Brothers Isaiah, 14, and Brandon, 12, were not exactly sure what to think about getting into the home decor business.

“We thought it would be hard,” Brandon said. “I thought it wouldn’t last that long. Sometimes when we come up with a new thing, we forget about it in a couple of weeks.” The Chapmans laughed at his honesty. “I thought it would be hard to do it,” Isaiah said, “but when we tried, it wasn’t as hard as we thought.”

The boys are in charge of cutting, assembling and painting the signs, while twin sisters Hailey and Hannah, 10, choose the colors and design the graphics. The girls enjoy the creative aspect of it the most. According to April, all four Chapman children are artistic and come by it honestly.

Robert, a South Carolina native, moved to Georgia to major in visual communications at the Art Institute of Atlanta. Meanwhile, April moved from New York to attend Spelman College. They met at a supper club when April saw him across the bar and waved. They married in 2007. The couple somewhat stumbled into the furniture business when the boys were toddlers and April discovered she was expecting twins. Robert started a furniture delivery service for people who lacked vehicles big enough to carry large items. He often removed old furniture, some still in fair condition.

For all its horrors, the coronavirus pandemic forced society into necessary innovations from which many benefit. It drew new gifts out of Robert and April Chapman’s children, as they tapped into creativity handed down through multiple generations.

by KARI APTED

“ We work together, play together. We are together a lot, but it allows us to foster a good foundation.”

April Chapman

Scan to read more stories by Kari Apted.

“Being as handy as I am, I started cleaning up, repairing and painting furniture to sell on Craigslist,” Robert said. “Soon, I filled up our garage, then a warehouse, so I started specializing in selling used furniture. I got new accounts and eventually got a storefront.”

The Furniture Loft had two stores until earlier this year: one in Covington and their primary location in Conyers. The Chapmans were sad to close the Covington store but saw it as an “organic scaling back.”

“The area loved us, and if the economy hadn’t taken a nosedive and inflation hit so hard, we probably would’ve weathered the storm,” April said, “but we had to do it the Lord’s way instead of ours.”

The children never skipped a beat. April, Hailey and Hannah like looking for inspiration for their Farmhouse Signature

Home sign designs. “We like family-oriented signs,” April said. “We’re Christians, so we love faith-based signs. We like quirky sayings, things that light you up or make you smile or start a conversation.” One such sign simply read, “Hey there, Sweet Cheeks.” April loved it, but Robert was less enthusiastic. “Nobody is going to buy that,” he said with a laugh. Still, they displayed it at a homeschooling expo in September, and it was quickly purchased as a gift for a retired couple in Florida.

Former Conyers residents Neil and Ninnah Allen have been married for 58 years and were delighted to receive the sign that bore the unusual “Sweet Cheeks” nickname Neil gave Ninnah years ago. It was a bonus that Hailey and Hannah had used her favorite color: turquoise.

Knowing the joy they bring into people’s homes is a mission that keeps the Chapman family going. The children also like earning their own income. When a sign sells, the parents divide the money equally into the kids’ individual accounts, encouraging them to save and donate a percentage of their earnings.

“We work together, play together. We are together a lot,” said April, “but it allows us to foster a good foundation. Just because we homeschool, I don’t want people to think our kids are in a bubble. We don’t shelter them, but we prepare them for the way the world works. We equip them to be productive citizens and stand up for their beliefs, even when it’s hard. They aren’t looking for their identity out there. They get their affirmation from us.”

SEVEN ACRES of FREEDOM

by

Once upon a time, a mother cow in North Carolina was abandoned, along with seven horses. Their owner simply moved away without telling a soul. The animals managed to survive a while thanks to a mild and rainy winter. However, sparse grass and leaves were not enough to fill their stomachs, and as the winter deepened, they slowly grew emaciated. One day, the cow broke free from her enclosure and walked until she found some people. She led them back to the abandoned farm. It had been at least three months since the owners took flight, and the horses were near death. No one is sure where the horses ended up, but the rescuers helped the cow move to a beautiful free-range sanctuary in Oxford. A nice lady with curly red hair named her Amari, which means “peace,” and to this day, she continues to live out her happily ever after.

Amari is just one of hundreds of animals and birds that have made their way to Freedom Acres Rescue and into the care of its sole manager: Lisa Kario. Her life has been dedicated to helping animals in need. Even as a child, she dreamed of someday owning a sanctuary where animals could roam free instead of being stuck inside cages. Kario moved to Georgia from Connecticut in 2001. At the time, she worked in the insurance industry and handled major malpractice claims. She wanted to

get involved with animal care somehow, so she volunteered at a horse sanctuary. Being with the horses verified that her instincts were correct: This was a life she wanted to pursue full-time. Although she was several years away from retirement, she started looking for small farms, just to see what was available. The first time she saw the seven acres she now calls home, she had a good feeling about the property. “I looked at a few more places,” she said, “but I knew this was the one I wanted.” The move represented a restart of sorts for Kario, although she was still four years away from retiring. She began to take in rescued animals immediately while continuing her insurance career. “Fortunately,” she said, “I worked at home by that point.” The number of animals at Freedom Acres varies throughout the year. Kario currently has around 90 animals under her care, including seven dogs and three cats. The rest are farm animals, including pigs, cows, horses, goats, chickens and ducks. Nearly all of the animals roam free on the property, going wherever they wish, whenever they desire.

“I just never liked the idea of animals being in pens or cages. I want them to be free. By adding them one by one, they don’t fight or anything like some people assume,” Kario said, explaining the sense of peace that floods the sanctuary. “If one animal is bothering another one, it knows it can just get up and move.”

Lisa Kario saw an opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream when she moved to Newton County from Connecticut two decades ago, so she purchased a farm and began populating it with rescued animals. She now invites others to come experience life inside a unique sanctuary.

KARI APTED

“I just never liked the idea of animals being in pens or cages. I want them to be free.”

Lisa Kario

Scan to read more stories by Kari Apted.

There are several barns on the property for when the larger animals need shelter. There are also areas where Kario safely houses her chickens, rabbits and ducks overnight. Although predators can be a problem on farms with small creatures, the presence of the bigger animals at Freedom Acres seems to help keep them at bay. People constantly ask Kario to take in new animals, often via the Freedom Acres Farm Sanctuary Facebook page. Although she can rarely accept new rescues, she does what she can to connect them to other resources. There are continual requests to accept roosters, male ducks and pigs—three animals for which homes are difficult to find.

“Roosters will fight, and male ducks will, too. You need to have three females to one male, and a bachelor flock won’t work for ducks,” Kario said. “Pigs are just an incredible problem because people buy them as pets and then 90% of them end up in sanctuaries.”

None of the animals at Freedom Acres end up on local dinner tables. In fact, many were intended for the slaughterhouse but had a fortunate detour to the sanctuary instead. Kario believes animals are friends, not food, companions, not pets. She encourages people to live a vegan lifestyle to help save a variety

of animals around the world. In retrospect, Kario wonders if she should have gotten a larger farm that would have allowed her to rescue more animals.

“Since I didn’t really know what I was doing, maybe I should’ve gotten a bigger place? I don’t know,” she said. “Since it’s just me running the farm, maybe I kind of saved me from myself.”

City- and suburb-dwellers interested in getting a taste of farm life are invited to visit Freedom Acres. Kario has two listings on Airbnb. One is for people to schedule 90-minute visits to interact with and learn about the animals, and the other is to stay overnight at the sanctuary’s loft apartment. The fully furnished and climate-controlled apartment is located above one of the barns and a great way to enjoy a quiet retreat. Volunteers are always welcome, as Kario does nearly all of the work by herself. “People think we get government funding. We get nothing at all. In Georgia there aren’t any funds for sanctuaries. It’s very hard,” she said. “We need volunteers and donations—always.”

For information on Freedom Acres Rescue, located at 5531 Hillview Drive in Oxford, visit www.freedomacresrescue.com.

FINANCIAL PLANNING DURING INCOME TAX SEASON

by MARK S. REAGAN - FINANCIAL ADVISOR

Although calendar year 2022 is in the books, there are still things that you can do before the income tax filing deadline of April 15th that can have a positive effect on your final 2022 tax liability.

Begin by compiling all your tax deductions related to your W-2 and/or business income. If your itemized deductions come close to your standard deduction, make sure to check your overall federal and state tax liability both ways since the state standard deductions have a much lower threshold than federal. Also, provided you have earned income for the year, you still have time to fund an IRA account with up to $7,000. If you don’t have access to a retirement plan through your employer, you will most likely want to utilize a Traditional IRA for its tax deductibility feature. If you do have a retirement plan through work, you will most likely want to opt for a Roth IRA since the contribution will not be deductible. If you had a Health Savings Account (HSA) tied to your health insurance coverage and haven’t fully funded the account up to the maximum level, you can still make a tax-deductible contribution prior to the filing deadline. If you had selfemployment or 1099 income for 2022, you also have an opportunity to fund a Simplified Employee Pension(SEP)-IRA for yourself with up to 20% of this net income and then deduct the contribution from your taxable income.

Get started early this year with your tax preparation and make sure to take advantage of all the available options. You could lower your final “tab” and set yourself up for a better future at the same time.

770-658-9440

mark@reaganfinancialplanning.com

reaganfinancialplanning.com

“I’ve always loved cooking for other people and worked in the restaurant business for decades.”

Kathleen Jeffries

WHAT’S COOKING

Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup

by KATHLEEN JEFFRIES

I was born and raised in the cold state of Maine, one of 12 children and the granddaughter of a chef. I’ve always loved cooking for other people and worked in the restaurant business for decades. My husband was in the military, and our world travels sparked my interest in foods from other cultures. This delicious soup was a signature item at my daughter’s restaurant in Naples, Florida. I’ve probably made it once a week for over eight years. I thank the Lord for giving me 82 years of life experiences and allowing me to share this six-serving recipe with you:

Ingredients

· 1 pound of sweet Italian sausage

1 medium sweet onion

2 large cloves of garlic

2 cans (14.5 ounces) of diced tomatoes

· 1 can (8 ounces) of tomato sauce

· 3 tablespoons of Italian seasoning

3 tablespoons of sugar

2 tablespoons of beef base to 1½ quarts of water

3–4 small zucchini, sliced thin

· Pepper, as needed

· 16 ounces of cheese tortellini

Scan for directions on how to prepare.