We would like to thank the staff at Antiques and Stuff for allowing us to come to their store to take the picture for the 2024 fall cover of The NEWTON Community Magazine.
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 ALWAYS ON TIME
by KARI APTED
When our publisher, Scott Tredeau, spotted the clock in an antique shop, he knew it had to grace our latest cover. It’s an excellent image for a quarterly magazine like ours because we always go to print near the start of a new season. He asked me to think of a Bible verse whose numbers he could set the clock’s hands on. After thought and prayer, I landed on Daniel 2:21: “He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.”
I’m writing this in late August. It’s still sweltering hot most days, but the evening and morning breezes just started carrying the slightest hint that fall is on the way. Honestly, the promise tucked inside that taste of cool air is what keeps me going through our long, humid summers. I can trust that “sweaty weather” will always turn into “sweater weather” because Someone much bigger than me set it up that way. No season has ever skipped its turn.
I believe this verse tells us that the same kind of trust is warranted when looking at the times in which we’re living. Although clocks and calendar pages shift predictably, history does not.
Things established today could last for centuries or dissolve tomorrow. Leaders are raised or removed according to God’s plan, from government officials to employers and teachers. We can also follow symbolic “kings” against our best interest, such as worrying, overworking or slothfulness. Wisdom recognizes their rule over our life and asks God to remove them.
The book of Proverbs has a lot to say about wisdom, and James 1:5 tells us that if we want to be wise, we only have to ask. God delights in giving us wisdom, knowledge and understanding. One sign of a wise people is that they are stable no matter how the world is shaking around them. They value peace, and they will not sacrifice it by being agitated over situations beyond their control.
Clocks almost seem alive, the way their constant forward motion helps us keep pace with time. In the same way, faith is constantly in motion, with months, seasons and life events serving as hallmarks for the next new thing. Like the wisest clockmaker, God set it up that way. As for me, I’m grateful that His goodness can be found in every new moment, no matter what time it is.
PUBLISHERS’ NOTE
Have you ever considered the valuable of each breath you take?
We did a story about Tony Pless in the Summer issue of The NEWTON Community Magazine. We have become friends. He’s not in good health, so I check in with him once or twice a week. A couple times within the last month, Tony has landed in the hospital. His lungs will fill up with fluid, to the point that he is essentially drowning. This has happened to him seven times. He has explained the fights he has had for one more breath of air. Tony is not scared of dying, but he told me, “I will fight for every breath until the end.”
I take breathing and a long list of other blessings for granted each day. My heart keeps beating, the sun still rises and I currently have my health.
What are you drowning in? Your marriage? Raising kids? Finances? You name it, someone is drowning in it. How many times do we stop in the middle of the waters rising around us and show gratitude for the air we breathe? I get it. That doesn’t seem to be a solution. How are you going to get control of any situation by doing nothing but breathing? Therein lies the problem. There isn’t much in our control. Let’s be honest. It was the illusion of control that probably got us into whatever situation we find ourselves. When we pause to breath, sweet oxygen begins fueling our brains. We are no longer reacting to emotions, but instead, the rational thought centers of our brains take over. I believe this is when we hear The Spirit leading us. At this moment, we can surrender control to our Higher Power. We can be led according to His plan, not ours. This is the place of true freedom. Will you fight for every breath?
Have a great day today.
Scott Tredeau
HEIRLOOM TO A BYGONE ERA
Country stores dawned in America during colonial times, allowing pioneers to stock up on supplies and socialize with distant neighbors. Often replaced by big-box retailers, only a precious few remain. One of them still thrives in Covington today.
by KARI APTED
Stepping into Patrick’s Feed and Seed seems to make time slow down, even for just a little while. Stacks of animal feed bags greet you, their current prices chalked onto huge antiqued blackboards that hang over the counter. Like a barn, the ceiling looms high above, and dozens of quilts line the walls. Thousands of colorful cotton fabric bolts coax you to learn how to sew. Handmade wooden shelves are lined with jams, pickles and honey from small local businesses. At one end of the building, a well-stocked candy department begs for more than a glance, especially at Christmastime.
Patrick’s is a Newton County fixture. Established in 1948 by E.L. (Pat) Patrick, it is as familiar to longtime residents as Floyd Street or the iconic courthouse on The Square. Pat’s son, Gary, has worked in the store since childhood. He and his wife, Jan, now own the business at 10285 Covington Bypass. Gary enjoys sharing the stories that built Patrick’s Feed and Seed.
“Pat was born in 1917 and grew up on a farm, but he wanted to have his own business. He worked hard at a grocery store. He wouldn’t take his 30-minute lunch break; he would go help the butcher instead,” Gary said. Eventually, the young man was hired as a butcher at another store and invited to become the manager.
Stories by Kari Apted
“He figured if he could manage a store, he could run one,” Gary said. Pat stocked his new store with a variety of groceries, dry goods and toys. One hot-selling item in those early years was sugar. “They would get a boxcar full of 50-pound bags of sugar and sell it to the moonshiners, along with empty gallon and half-gallon jars,” Gary said. “Well, the feds came around and said he had to start reporting any sugar sales over 50 pounds and take down the names and addresses of anyone who tried to buy more, so instead of reporting his customers, he just quit selling sugar.”
Cheese was one of Pat’s favorite foods, and Gary explained how his love for it began.
“When Pat was around 9 years old and they gathered the first bales of cotton, they put it on a horse-drawn wagon to sell in town. It was Monroe or Rutledge, I’m not sure. They would stock up on supplies, and if there was money left over, Granddad would buy a big block of cheese. He told the boys they could eat as much as they wanted on the long ride home, but they had to save some for their mama and sister,” Gary said. “Well, one year, the cheese was extra sharp, and my dad loved it so much he said he was going to eat it all. Granddad said he would get a whipping if he did, but he didn’t care. So Pat ate all the cheese, then got a big whipping, and Granddad asked if it was worth it. My dad said ‘yes’ and then got a second whipping for sassing his father. After that, he said, ‘If I ever get rich, I’m going to have all the cheese I want.’”
“I worked with Dad for 29 years,” he added, “and I never remember a day that he didn’t have cheese and crackers for lunch, with a slice of fresh tomato when it was in season.”
Patrick’s still sells the type of cheese that won young Pat’s heart—a rich, crumbly cheddar in sharp and super sharp flavors. Each portion is weighed on an antique scale and wrapped in white paper, just like in the olden days. “It’s better than anything you can buy at the grocery store,” Jan said. “We sell more than a ton of it each year.”
(L TO R) TALBORT MOODY AND PAT PATRICK
“I’m astounded when I think of how many people this little store has touched.”
Jan Patrick
Jan has helped at the store since she met Gary when they were Chemistry students at DeKalb Tech. “We met in September 1971. The day we met, it was time for lunch, and I’d never seen him before. I told him if he was going to lunch with me, he better hurry up,” she said with a smile. Jan thought it was a bit odd that Gary would never tell her where he worked. She finally got frustrated with the situation. “You’ve always got money, so you either work, or you’re a drug dealer,” Jan said. “That’s when he told me he worked at his family’s feed store.” Gary explained why he was reluctant to tell her about his job. “I was proud of the business, but I thought she was a big-city girl, and I wanted to impress her.” Little did he know that Jan was a country girl at heart and hoped to marry a country boy. She grew up in Macon and was already familiar with feed stores. “My grandparents had cows, and my family had chickens. I used to collect the eggs,” Jan said. “I grew up gardening and loved the farm.”
After college and marriage, Gary and Jan used their chemistry degrees to work in the corporate world, Gary at Coca-Cola and Jan at Emory. They lived in Decatur but drove to Covington on Saturdays and at Christmas to work at the store. Their daughter, Amanda, also helped out there from the age of 6, when she would count apples and oranges for holiday fruit baskets.
“When Amanda was around 11 or 12, she worked every Christmas,” Jan said. “She told her daddy that she wanted a raise. He said no, so she said she quit. We had a lot of teenage boys working for us then. She told Gary, ‘I work as hard as those boys do. I’m as good as they are, and I’m as smart as they are.’ And her daddy gave her a raise that day.” Amanda worked at Patrick’s through graduate school and is now a teacher, wife and mother of two.
Married for 51 years, the Patricks run the store with comfortable precision, each bringing their expertise to each area of the business. Gary admits their chemistry experience still proves useful when dealing with insecticides and fertilizers, but he is happy to delegate the quilt department to Jan entirely. Gary pointed to a line on the floor between the general merchandise and the quilting area. “She can work both sides of the store,” he said, “but I’m not allowed to cross that line.” Once an avid cross stitcher, Jan delved into quilting when cross stitching’s popularity waned. “Evelyn Poore taught me how to quilt,” she said. “She was a wonderful quilter. Once I learned how, I never looked back.” Jan added the quilt shop to Patrick’s in 1994 when she realized friends had to travel an hour or more to the nearest quilt store. She has made upwards of 400 quilts; all but two of
Patrick’s displayed quilts are the result of her handiwork. At one point, she was making a new quilt every week. Now, Jan offers quilting classes at the store. “I’ve taught around 200 people so far,” she said. “It’s a five-week course with 30 hours of instruction. One man I taught does the most beautiful art quilts I could never do, intricate work that I can only sit back and admire.”
People worldwide were able to admire Jan’s quilts when 10 of them were featured in Dolly Parton’s movie “Coat of Many Colors,” which was filmed primarily in Covington and Conyers.
A set designer learned about Jan’s impressive artistry when her assistant visited Patrick’s to buy burlap bags. The next day, the set designer met with Jan and arranged for her quilts to be used on set, along with the store’s scales, seed buckets and price board.
“In the movie’s final scene, where Dolly’s father goes into the church for the first time, there’s a quilted cross hanging over the piano,” Jan said. “That was mine. I had 21 quilts in the sequel, ‘Christmas of Many Colors,’ too.”
The Patricks praise many of their former young employees, listing their current occupations like proud parents. “Among the
kids who’ve worked here, we now have a dentist, three or four physician’s assistants, a veterinarian, a banker, a lawyer and lots of teachers,” Jan said. “We’ve had kids go on to every branch of the service except the Space Force. It’s a good first job where they’re kind of protected. We don’t let customers mistreat them.” Gary quickly interjected: “But we will fuss at them when they need it.”
Gary recognizes the community loyalty that has allowed Patrick’s to survive and thrive.
“Our customers have made the business,” he said. “People love going back in time, reliving memories when we weigh things on old scales and write the price on white paper bags. Our policy is just being nice to them and giving them something good to take home.”
Jan has an answer for people who ask when they plan to retire.
“What would I do?” she asked. “I’d be miserable. I love what I do. I love my customers. I’m astounded when I think of how many people this little store has touched. I guess when I stop being astounded, that’s when it’s time to quit.”
Shopping in a Sugar Wonderland
by KARI APTED
It doesn’t matter what time they arrive: Frankie Moss is already there when Jan and Gary Patrick turn into their store’s parking lot every Dec. 24. If another customer comes before the Patricks, Moss hurries to the door to keep alive his tradition of being the first shopper on Christmas Eve.
“He keeps count,” Jan said. “He always tells us how many years he’s been first.”
Kids and kids-at-heart can’t help but be wowed by the store’s selection of goodies. A whopping 50 tons of confections flow in and out of Patrick’s between October and Christmas each year. “That’s the equivalent of two and a half tractor-trailers full,” Gary said. Patrick’s holiday candy had a humble beginning. Gary’s father, E.L. (Pat) Patrick, was trying to decide what to sell during the slow season.
“He remembered that people would buy candy even if they only had a few cents in their pocket,” Gary said. “When you don’t have anything, something as small as a piece of candy can make your day.”
Customers can pick up ready-made candy platters or customize their own.
Orange slices are the most popular candy, but shoppers can choose from 200 different treats, including coconut macaroons, chocolate-covered pecans, peanut clusters and gumdrops. Many people combine their candy selections with a fruit basket, a tradition that harkens back to Gary’s childhood.
“At Christmastime, we always had a box of fruit on the table with bags of candy on top. We could have all the fruit we wanted, but we weren’t allowed to touch the candy until Christmas Eve,” Gary said. Customers still request to have their fruit selections placed in apple or orange boxes
or in rectangular peach baskets. “They want those because they bring back so many good memories.”
One noteworthy customer is an airline pilot who flies in from California to get candy at Patrick’s. One December, after landing in Atlanta, he told a flight attendant that he was staying overnight to get some candy for his family.
“There’s a little bitty store in Covington that has all kinds of candy,” he relayed, “and I always take it back home for Christmas.” It turned out that the flight attendant was the daughter of the Patricks’ bookkeeper, Pauline Smith, and she knew exactly where the pilot was heading.
The Patricks have enjoyed seeing families grow as they maintain the tradition of holiday shopping at the store.
“Some have been coming for 40 or 50 years,” Jan said. “We served them as children; now, they’re bringing in their grandchildren. We’re at least five generations in with some families. One big family brings 30 to 40 people altogether, grandparents down to newborns.”
Starting your own “Christmas Candy at Patrick’s” tradition is easy enough. Call the store to pre-order gift baskets, or visit to shop in person with your loved ones. It’s the only sure way to get what everyone likes—and you can enjoy free samples.
Stories by Kari Apted
Shaping Smiles
Dr. Venitress Bryant grew up in the projects of Detroit. However, determination, work ethic and family support enabled her to succeed while cementing her desire to give back as much as possible.
by KARI APTED
Dr. Venitress Bryant (formerly Carrington) knew she could do big things, even as a little girl. How could she not, having been raised by a single mother who worked full-time as a secretary while attending college full-time and putting her daughters through private school?
“We lived in public housing, but my mom always gave to others,” Bryant said, her eyes welling with tears. “She made our clothes. She made our bread because we couldn’t afford to buy it. I know how to bake because that’s what we ate.”
Bryant was an excellent student, especially in science and math. She knew she wanted to be a doctor after hearing the inspirational story of Dr. Ben Carson, but she was unsure if she wanted to undergo lengthy residency requirements. After narrowing down the specialties that would enable her to maintain a good work-life balance, she further reduced it to three possibilities: an eye doctor, dermatologist or dentist.
“I thought, being an eye doctor might be boring,” she said. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to deal with skin conditions all day, either, so I decided to go find an internship that would pay me while I was going through undergrad to determine what was a good fit.”
Two dentists, Dr. Darnell Kaigler and Dr. Richard Blanding, offered Bryant externships in dental assisting. Soon, she discovered she loved the discipline of being a chairside assistant and knew she was destined to become a dentist. One of Bryant’s first actions after graduating from dental school was to go on a mission trip to Kenya with her mother, Dr. Helen Bryant, and her sister, Dr. Sharona Bryant. The trip was organized by Operation ReachBack, a nonprofit affiliated with the Seventh-Day Adventist church.
“ We’re all more alike than we’re different. We all have needs— physical, emotional, spiritual. We have to keep that in mind.”
Dr. Venitress Bryant
“I took a suitcase full of toothpaste, toothbrushes and dental supplies and donated my time and services at a dental clinic in Nairobi,” Bryant said. “My mother has a doctorate in special education leadership and development, so she set up the curricula for a special ed private school. My sister, an emergency medicine physician, provided medical care to Maasai warriors.” Bryant remembers returning home with empty suitcases but a full heart. She gave away nearly everything she brought, including her own clothing, and admits the trip taught her many lessons in humanity and humility. “It amazed me how
people so impoverished could still have so much joy,” she said. “I wish we had that level of appreciation in America. We are often guilty of being ungrateful and entitled.”
Over a decade passed before Bryant went on another overseas mission trip. This time, she volunteered in the Dominican Republic with the American Dental Implant Association.
“In three days,” she said, “three doctors did 1.5 million dollars’ worth of dental implant surgeries for people in need.” Bryant has been in practice for 27 years and at her current location in Covington since August 2015. She has never lost her love of learning, as she always stays on top of the newest trends in dentistry. “Like any skill set, it’s polished and fine-tuned by practicing,” Bryant said. “I do a lot of continuing education courses. There have been many times I’m required to take 20 hours of classes, but I’ll take 120 hours.”
She calls her mother her inspiration for education, as the elder Bryant graduated from Andrews University in 2007 with a PhD and was a special education teacher with the Detroit Public School System for 32 years. She even came out of retirement to raise over $50,000 for local schools and help private schools create new programs to benefit students. Dr. Helen Bryant also serves as her daughter’s mentor for compassionate philanthropy.
“Mom always taught us the importance of giving back,” she said. “She has been my role model for how to work with churches and organizations, and if I could even give half of what she’s given, I’ll be proud.”
While volunteering overseas was meaningful for her family, Bryant wants people to understand that it is not necessary to travel the world to make a difference. There are ample opportunities to help others in our neighborhoods and cities.
“Most of my charity work now is in Georgia, doing community health fairs and working on the free dentistry vans,” she said. “The important thing is to do what you feel led to do, but you have to give back. I don’t care what you believe in, God, the universe, karma or gravity. What goes up must come down, and life must be in constant motion. [Sir Isaac] Newton had it right: Energy is never lost.”
Bryant believes we all find purpose in meeting the needs of others.
“We’re all more alike than we’re different. We all have needs—physical, emotional, spiritual. We have to keep that in mind,” she said. Whether giving an encouraging word, offering help or delivering dentistry, Bryant loves making people smile. “My favorite thing is creating smiles beautifully,” she said. “As we say on our office phone, ‘How can we help you smile today?’”
“Trust God’s provision and protection more than the stagnate place made comfortable by the bed of familiarity and fear.”
Terrance Evans
GRACE & TRUTH
Seize the Opportunities
Rev. Dr. Terrence Evans has learned what matters most in life through his experiences at home, in the pulpit and on the basketball court. His advice? We only miss the shots we decide not to take.
by TERRENCE EVANS
There is a four-word phrase most of us have heard at some point in our lives. It frames fruitful moments ripe with possibilities while simultaneously being measured in duration. The phrase “the window of opportunity” conveys a moment full of chance and choice that will fade if not taken advantage of. The window of opportunity shows up quite frequently in our lives, but for some of us, the shades of distraction, doubt and difficulty cause us to miss the great offering of possibilities presented by our gracious God. Difficulty with seeing beyond our “right now” often restricts many of our viewpoints and mindsets, which leads some of us to focus more on the “might not” instead of the “can be.”
Albert Einstein once posited, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” So, my dear friends, what opportunities are you looking for when pressure-filled moments show up in your life? Are you seeking opportunities to trust in God and the God-given abilities with which our Creator has gifted you?
As I humbly submit these questions for us to ponder, I am reminded of games I played as a Georgia State University basketball player, especially when the intensity grew exceedingly high and the pressure was on. Oftentimes, I witnessed players with opportunities to score and positively impact games buckle under the weight of the moment and miss “the window of opportunity.” Shots were open for them to take, but they did not take them. The opportunity was there, but the player pump
faked and passed. The right play was called to create a clean look at the basket, but the player played it safe and did not take the shot. This choice often led to poor possessions, turnovers and the player being benched for fear of taking what he may have considered a bad shot. During high-intensity games, as shot opportunities were presented with the game on the line, I remember my coaches saying, “There is only one bad shot, and that is the one not taken, so shoot your shot.”
My friends, I tell you the same thing my coaches told me: When the window of opportunity opens, shoot your shot. Go back to school. Start authoring the book. Go on the date. Open the business. Walk away. Do the soul work you know you need to do. Take the trip. Be happy. Trust God.
Beloved, trust God’s provision and protection more than the stagnate place made comfortable by the bed of familiarity and fear. The Bible clearly tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7 that “God did not give us a spirit of fear …,” so trust that God has opened this moment, this window of opportunity, for you to exercise your faith. The ball is in your hands, so square your shoulders and feet, jump and shoot your shot.
Rev. Dr. Terrence Evans is the pastor of St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Covington. For information, visit www.stpaulamecov.org.
Grace & Truth
From HEALER to ADVOCATE
Cancer survivor Becky Beavers brings a unique perspective to her role as president of the auxiliary at Piedmont Newton Hospital. After the former nurse underwent a double mastectomy, she became more determined than ever to use her knowledge and experiences to benefit others.
by WENDY RODRIGUEZ
Becky Beavers was raised in Alabama, where she was surrounded by a family of nurses. Early on in her nursing journey, she developed a passion for being a resource and educator within the healthcare field. After beginning her career at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, she moved to what is now Piedmont Newton, where her diverse roles included work in the intensive care unit, operating room, emergency room and pediatrics.
Despite her rich clinical experience, Beavers always felt a pull towards education. One of her first projects as a young nurse in Alabama was developing a diabetes teaching program, and she drew upon those efforts when a colleague at Piedmont Newton reached out with a new opportunity. Beavers hesitated but ultimately embraced the role of director of education in 1996. She played a crucial role in shaping the hospital’s educational landscape over the next 18 years. In January 2012, a routine evening took a dramatic turn.
“It was a Thursday evening, and I had already taken a shower, put on my jammies and I was watching television,” Beavers said. “I just kind of stretched and I thought, ‘What is that?’ I felt a nodule on my right breast. As my hand came across, I thought, ‘That’s not supposed to be there.’”
Beavers knew to call Lisa McWilliams, the director of diagnostic imaging services at Piedmont, and quickly scheduled an appointment. “There is something there,” she was told. An ultrasound and potential biopsy were next. Within a few days, she had an answer. “The pathologist took the specimen back to
her office,” Beavers said. “She came back and she told me and my husband that it was cancer and that I needed to talk to a surgeon about [my] options.”
Beavers visited Dr. Steven Whitworth, who asked her to get a breast MRI. At the time, the hospital did not have an open MRI, so she had to travel all the way to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital in Kennesaw. Subsequently, the auxiliary identified a need to raise money to purchase an open MRI so that people no longer face such obstacles locally. The breast MRI had an unfavorable outcome. It showed that there were multiple foci in both breasts. From her experience as a nurse, Beavers knew that “multiple foci did not automatically mean that it is cancer. It just means there’s something there. It could be nothing. It could be something.”
After many conversations with her husband, they decided she needed to undergo a bilateral mastectomy—also known as a double mastectomy, a surgical procedure that removes both breasts. The surgery was scheduled for early February 2012, just 10 days after her breast cancer diagnosis. The operation went well. The only complication? It was a lengthy surgery due to the fact that she opted to have implants.
“First, they removed the breast and then they looked at the lymph nodes to determine if it had metastasized, and then the plastic surgeon came in to start the reconstruction. Ultimately, I was at very low risk for recurrence within 10 years,” Beavers said. A post-surgery meeting with an oncologist resulted
(L TO R) BECKY BEAVERS AND LISA MCWILLIAMS
in her only having to take an oral chemotherapy. “I really have to credit my husband for helping me to keep my spirits up. There was a particular time when I was crying, so he came to me and the next thing I knew, I was laughing during my tears.”
After retiring in 2014, Beavers was determined to continue her work through volunteering. She began her new chapter the day after her retirement, driven by a deep commitment to give back to the community that had supported her throughout her career and her battle with breast cancer. Right after her diagnosis, she received a care package from the women’s diagnostic center. It was an undeniably meaningful gesture.
“You look at your life with a different perspective,” Beavers said, “and again, I know that any act of kindness is so magnified to the person going through the chemo.”
Today, Beavers’ role as president of the auxiliary at Piedmont Newton allows her to stay deeply involved in hospital activities and special projects. Her volunteer work includes supporting new mothers, working with the Hope Boutique to provide essential items for cancer patients and reviewing scholarship applications for aspiring healthcare professionals. Beavers values the flexibility volunteering offers, as it allows her to travel with her retired husband while continuing to make a difference.
“You don’t volunteer for glory. You don’t volunteer for money. There’s got to be something in your heart that leads you,” she said.
“If you’ve been a volunteer, you know that.”
Beavers shed tears as she shared the impact the support she received from family and friends made during her time of hardship.
“My journey was so uncertain, and that was very difficult to deal with,” she said. “Something could be bad, [but] at least you know it’s bad. If you don’t know, your mind can just take off and wander into very dark places. I attribute my survival to my family, my friends, my healthcare buddies [and] to those who care for me and cared about me, as well.”
Profound resilience and unwavering dedication define Beavers’ story. From her early days as a nurse to her impactful volunteer work, she continues to inspire and advocate for those around her. Her journey underscores the importance of immediate action in health crises and the powerful impact of giving back.
“I’ve seen the patient side. I’ve seen the employee side. I’ve seen the volunteer side,” Beavers said. “When a woman finds a lump in the breast, the best thing to do is to act immediately to do something about it to get it diagnosed or to find out what’s going on as quickly as possible. That increases the possibility of a positive outcome. I acted immediately.”
“ You don’t volunteer for glory. You don’t volunteer for money. There’s got to be something in your heart that leads you. If you’ve been a volunteer, you know that.”
Becky Beavers
“A lot of my foundation for things is just based on how I was raised.”
Arthur Hawkins
Stories by Gabriel Stovall
LETTING HIS LIGHT SHINE
Arthur Hawkins’ ministry has taken a number of twists and turns, from the football field to the pulpit and many points in between. Through it all, he has remained true to his calling to share The Gospel with others.
by GABRIEL STOVALL
Even when Arthur Hawkins whispers, his voice carries.
With the passion of a football coach, the mindset of a school administrator and the cadence of a charismatic preacher, he relays his convictions about Jesus Christ anywhere he goes. For the former college football player, coach and Fellowship of Christian Athletes director, the desire to share The Gospel has often manifested on the football field or among high school athletes in football locker rooms.
However, it also applies to the waitress taking his order at IHOP.
“What’s your name, ma’am?” Hawkins asks. “You’ve got children? I tell you what, you all come and be our special guests at Church Without Walls. We’ll be glad to have you.”
Church Without Walls is the non-traditional ministry Hawkins leads, where he speaks into the lives of attendees, whether in person or during Zoom calls. It is just one of the ways the coach-turned-pastor introduces people to Jesus and the impact He can make on those willing to submit to Him.
No matter where Hawkins’ career has taken him—from Clarkesville, Tennessee, where he began his work with FCA, to LaMarque, Texas, Salem High School in Conyers or Newton High School in Covington—he has always taken The Gospel with him.
“It’s a journey that started when I was 23 years old when I first got saved and went into the United States Army after college,” Hawkins said.
That came after a three-year stint on the football team North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina, where he played for two Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships and competed with and against multiple opponents who would go on to play professional football. Hawkins was not afforded such opportunities, and for a time in his life, that reality bothered him.
“Back then, you know, I’m asking God, ‘Why is he getting drafted?’ and, ‘He blocked for me, and I’m not getting drafted?’
And God says, ‘I’ve got other plans for you.’ You don’t understand at the time when you’re in your 20s, but now you do.”
Those plans have included an eight-year tenure at Salem, where his non-profit organization, Men and Women of Action, served as the start of his work with Sid Calloway, who asked him to come on staff part-time with FCA. While there, Hawkins ended up working with the football team but then stepped away to take on some administrative duties at the school. He remained chaplain of the football team.
“I had some great experiences there,” Hawkins said. “They took me to a [FCA] camp at Gardner-Webb [University], and it was so good. I coached quarterbacks there. I was blown away. I did my first Black Mountain camp, [with] 500 athletes from all over the country [and] Bobby Bowden and Tony Dungy speaking. I took 10 guys from Salem. It was a great experience.”
Those experiences only solidified what Hawkins knew he was called to do: To bring the light and love of Christ to young teenage athletes, regardless of their backgrounds or what life had done to them. His passion for it was derived from his own upbringing. Hawkins was born the only child to a teenage mother, and he remembers some of the difficulties and challenges they incurred. It was enough to bring tears to his eyes.
“I get emotional when I think about it,” Hawkins said. “My mom was a single parent. Fourteen years old. What do you know about being a parent at 14? I love my mom. I remember the sacrifices. I remember the impact. I know it was God that kept us, and I just want young men to know that same God while they’re young.”
If you are a Newton High School football fan and Hawkins’ face looks familiar, it should. He spent 10 years sharing The Gospel and providing spiritual guidance to the athletes and coaches, primarily on the Rams’ football team. Now, he operates another non-profit called All the Way and Then Some. It has given Hawkins the ability to extend his ministry beyond Newton County—to places like Stockbridge and to the football team at Jackson High School, where he spends most of his time now. His story features tons of unexpected twists and turns that may not be seen as conventional for many who are called into ministry. Though he gave his life to Christ initially at age 23, Hawkins did not get baptized until he was 43 years old. Ten years later, he was married in the same church where he got baptized. At age 63, he was ordained as a minister of The Gospel. He may be 71 now, but you would never know it based on how he looks, moves or speaks. He carries a workout regimen as if he were still an athlete. Hawkins says he takes care of his “temple” so he can stay in good enough health to continue doing the work God has commissioned him to do.
“A lot of my foundation for things is just based on how I was raised,” he said. “I was raised by grandparents who couldn’t read or write. I was in a community who saw us playing football and basketball and would come to support. I saw that, and it made a difference. I wanted to be a part of facilitating that kind of support.”
His mission for All The Way And Then Some is a simplistic yet profound embodiment of the elements of nurturing that helped him succeed, despite the odds.
“Changing the culture, empowering youth, changing lives,” Hawkins said. “That’s what we’re about. That’s what happened to me. That’s what I want to continue to make happen for others for as long as I can.”
For information on All the Way and Then Some, visit www.all-the-way-and-then-some.ueniweb.com.
Stories by Gabriel Stovall
THE NEED FOR SPEED
Todd and Brooke Shambo found an uncommon father-daughter bond in go-kart racing, a hair-raising pursuit that affords them the opportunity to scratch their competitive itch alongside fellow adrenaline junkies.
by GABRIEL STOVALL
Todd and Brooke Shambo like living on the edge.
“I’ve always been an adrenaline-rush junkie,” said Todd, a 61-year-old Miami native who works as a prominent State Farm Insurance representative in Conyers. “I used to water ski for a living before becoming a State Farm agent. I raced motocross before that. I got hurt real bad, and that’s when my work for State Farm came into play.”
Shambo opened his agency in 1995 and has achieved the highest levels of State Farm recognition, from President’s Club, the Chairman Circle and Ambassador Club to Crystal Excellence. He serves clients from Conyers, Covington, Lithonia, Loganville, Social Circle and points in between, and while he finds great satisfaction in building a business that caters to thousands of people’s insurance needs across metro Atlanta, it does not scratch the adrenaline itch. However, go-kart racing does, and Shambo remembers exactly where he was when he was introduced to it.
“I was listening to the radio and an advertisement came on about go-kart racing at the Atlanta Motorsports Park in Dawsonville,” he said, “and I said, ‘That’s it.’ I told my wife, ‘I’m buying a go-kart and this is what I’m going to do. Next thing you know, I’m racing in Morrisville, North Carolina,
where the competition up there is really, really fierce, and I’m loving it.”
Shambo has grown into quite the force on the track. He won the 2016–17 karting series in Morrisville and finished fourth in the United States Pro Kart Series, which features racers from all across the country. It was the kind of “hobby” that became infectious enough that it began to catch on throughout the Shambo household. While Todd was getting deep into racing, his volleyball-playing daughters, Brooke and Summer, began to take notice—particularly Brooke. She started with a “mini swift” kart at around age 10 and raced for about a year before she quit to get into dance and then volleyball. She flirted with the possibility of playing volleyball in college but eventually opted for cosmetology school, and soon, she gave into the temptation to get back on the track. Her interest was rekindled after she watched “Gran Turismo,” a 2023 film based on the video game racing simulator of the same name.
“I went with my family to watch that movie, and that just brought the spark back and really inspired me to get back into the kart,” Brooke said. “Once I got back in, I guess I’m an adrenaline junkie, too. I get that from my dad, and I ended up falling back in love with it.”
Brooke started competing again in August 2023 by racing full series in Morrisville and Dawsonville. It did not take long for her to return to form. Todd recalls a race in Morrisville where she did not perform as well as she had hoped in qualifying. She finished 12th out of 13 and thought it was the prelude to a really bad day on the track.
“She was like, ‘I messed up. I’m done,’” Todd said. “I told her, ‘No, just huddle down and focus.’ And when she did, she drove from the 12th position to sixth, then from sixth to fourth. She was making passes that I wouldn’t even attempt. She impressed me to no end. She wasn’t scared at all. Brooke is just fearless.”
That may be how it appears on the surface, but inwardly, she acknowledges she is a bundle of nerves before a race.
“I really get a lot of anxiety before going out on the track,” Brooke said. “I sit on the grid and think of somewhere cool that I’ve been or a fun memory or something—anything— to calm me down. It’s really nerve-racking, but once I get on the track and I kind of zone out everything around me, I just feel like all of the nerves go away. All of my things in life, all distractions, just go away, and the competition makes me better. I want to run in front.”
Todd loves to watch her compete, perhaps even more than he enjoys racing himself.
“She’s really good,” he said. “She’s so fearless. She blows away these other drivers that have been doing it for years. If she would’ve stuck with it, she could’ve had the chance to do some really cool things. She’s a natural.”
Perhaps she could have found her way into the heart of the auto racing world. Both Brooke and Todd watch NASCAR, IndyCar and Formula 1, and it is not uncommon to see some of the standouts in the “big boy” auto racing world matriculate back to the go-kart track, where, for many of them, it all began. Take Will Power, for example. Power, a two-time IndyCar Series champion and one of the most successful IndyCar drivers the sport has seen, has been to the karting track in Dawsonville a few times. Brooke even got the chance to drive with him. “He came to Brooke and asked her to go out and practice with him,” Todd said. “That was pretty cool.” Even when Brooke backed off the track for a while, Todd stuck with it. Kart racing, motocross and water skiing are his football, baseball and basketball, and he has no intentions of walking away anytime soon.
“You know, at 61, by far, I’m the old guy out there doing it,” he said, “but I work out five days a week to stay in shape. I don’t plan on stopping until I can’t do it anymore. I was never good at those more traditional sports, but these are the kinds of things that I just really love to do.”
To be sure, Todd did not choose a cheap hobby. Some of the pro kart racing series offer a winning purse of up to $5,000 per race. That may sound nice until you factor in the costs of entry fees, let alone the fact that purchasing a kart can run you anywhere between $10,000 to $12,000.
“It’s not like motocross, where you’ve got guys like Ricky Carmichael making a living off of it,” Todd said. “With the fees it costs to get into a kart race, tires, pit fees and those kinds of things, if you win top prize, you’ll basically just be getting your money back.”
That means the passion for kart racing looms much larger than any financial payoff. In fact, Todd, a born-again Christian, sees his ability to get on the track as a reason to give thanks to God.
“I’ve always prayed that God would bless my business,” he said. “I’d say, ‘Lord, bless my business where I can help others and show others how I can give.’ He’s blessed my business 10-fold, which has allowed us to be able to do this and afford it. I can spend anywhere between $5,000 and $6,000 on a race, but it’s worth it; and if it weren’t for God blessing my agency, well… I just give Him the glory for it all.”
“It’s really nerve racking, but once I get on the track and I kind of zone out everything around me, I just feel like all of the nerves go away.”
Brooke Shambo
Stories by Michelle Floyd
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS
Newton College and Career Academy senior Ibraheem Zareef sets his sights on becoming an international motivational speaker and hopes to open a marketing and finance agency, a real estate company and a nonprofit organization once he completes his schooling.
by MICHELLE FLOYD
Newton County senior Ibraheem Zareef does not just hope to start one business someday. He wants to start many of them.
“I want to be a founder,” the Newton College and Career Academy student said. “I want to establish them and then be on the board.”
After graduating college, Zareef plans to become an international motivational speaker and wants to open a marketing and finance agency, a real estate company and a nonprofit organization. He was exposed to Spanish in elementary school at an after-school program, later took classes at the Newton County Theme School and now continues his journey at the Newton County STEAM Academy. Zareef fell in love with the language and soon hopes to be fluent in it.
“With business,” he said, “it’s the main language you need to understand.”
“He is an impressive young man who is enthusiastic about providing assistance wherever possible. His future looks exceptionally promising.”
Newton College and Career Academy CEO Chad Walker
After already earning academic credits in middle and high school, he continues to study the language online and practices it with friends. To get to the next level, he hopes to study management information systems and business finance at Georgia Gwinnett College or Georgia State College after high school graduation in May.
“He is an impressive young man who is enthusiastic about providing assistance wherever possible,” said Chad Walker, the CEO and principal at the Newton College and Career Academy. “His future looks exceptionally promising. His leadership qualities reflect those of a seasoned professional.”
While at NCCA, Zareef has become a leader in the Distributive Education Clubs of America—an international student organization for those with an interest in marketing, business management, hospitality and tourism, finance and entrepreneurship.
“Students improve their professional skills through networking, public speaking and presentations,” said local DECA advisor Joi Morgan. “NCCA DECA participates in community service, competitions and fundraisers. We pride ourselves on being inclusive and focus on preparing students as well-rounded individuals.”
Zareef, who’s based out of Newton High School, has been a part of DECA for four years and became more involved three years ago when he started at NCCA. In a group of about 50 students, he started off as vice president of finance his sophomore year, then he moved up to president of the chapter as a junior. For his senior year, he progressed to a more advisory role as chairman.
“Ibraheem is the prime example of a student who engages in a career technical student organization and seizes the opportunities that are provided,” Morgan said. “He has presented in front of his peers
(L TO R) BACK ROW: ISAIAH EDMONDSON, JAN SANTIAGO AND JOI MORGAN FRONT ROW: MADISON DAMIANI, HAILEY QUINN AND IBRAHEEM ZAREEF
DIANE ROBERTS
and networked with students across the country. It is a pleasure watching him go after his success.”
Over the last few years, Zareef has traveled to DECA conventions locally, as well as in Florida, Tennessee and California. There, he and other students participate in workshops on topics like fundraising and public speaking and face off in competitions in areas like marketing and finance.
“I’ve built my network across the state and over the country,” Zareef said. He also works at Chick-fil-A on Salem Bridge, serves as a member of the Future Business Leaders of America student group and participates in an inaugural digital internship in the Newton County School System’s superintendent’s office. “I want to get more involved and make connections.”
Students in DECA can network with leaders and businesses across the country, participate in community service projects and also earn college scholarships. Out of 260,000 international members and more than 18,000 students in Georgia across more than 200 middle and high schools, Zareef was one of six elected from among 21 candidates to serve as a Georgia executive officer as the VP of finance. He and the five others helped plan and will execute a program of leadership this year for the DECA chapter in Georgia.
“I have seen many examples of Ibraheem’s dedication and have been very impressed by his diligence and work ethic,” said Shannon Aaron, the Georgia executive director and state advisor for DECA. “He is always cheerful and willing to assist with any task.”
Zareef notes that he was not chosen for the role last year, so he stepped up his networking at conferences to build more connections for a stronger application.
“I believed I had the ability to do it,” he said.
The local chapter, which Zareef compares to a family, hosts fundraisers and connects with area businesses to raise money and sponsorships for transportation to conferences, club activities and recruitment, along with food for local events. Students teamed up with Nothing Bundt Cake for a fundraiser in 2023. While in the state office, Zareef hopes to network even more while traveling to states like Florida and North Carolina. He also wants to teach chapters how to grow their finances through fundraising and networking with business professionals.
“He has a great drive and passion for all that he does,” Aaron said. “I look forward to working with Ibraheem this year as we grow our membership, support our chapters, increase awareness and advocate on behalf of our members.”
(L TO R) JOI MORGAN AND IBRAHEEM ZAREEF
(L TO R) TYLENCIA ZAREEF, ZAKEE ZAREEF, IBRAHEEM ZAREEF, BERNARD ROBERTS AND
“Listen to God’s guidance, first and foremost. He will open doors in His timing.”
Stephen Smith
A S UND STRATEGY
Stephen Smith exudes a quiet, humble strength. No one could guess the places he has been—they include the Super Bowl and countless movie sets—or the plethora of famous people he has met. Life has led him into a fascinating series of projects that even he sometimes finds hard to believe.
by KARI APTED
Stephen Smith struggled with learning disabilities as a child. Now 46, he still recalls being removed from class for special education enrichment. “Of course, the other kids were mean about it and called me the dumb one,” he said. “I failed third grade and had to repeat it.” Smith did not believe in himself until he attended an open campus with alternative learning. “In high school, I challenged myself and realized that I could do it,” he said. “I made myself take the hard classes. I passed them and graduated.”
Smith’s deep interest in music led him to Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, to learn how to record his songs.
“Music had a huge influence on my decision to study audio engineering,” he said. Smith moved to Atlanta in 2002 and interned at several studios. He even built a basement sound studio, which he still uses to record and mix other artists’ music. Even so, Smith’s audio career took a while to lift off. “There was a 12-year gap between graduating and starting serious work,” he said. Sporadic sound mixing gigs kept his skills honed while he worked at a trucking company to pay the bills. “At that point in life,” Smith said, “I was not in a good place. I was unhappy, in a downward spiral, addicted to alcohol.”
Smith believes those dark years taught him how to seek God’s will entirely. “God was working on me,” he said. Smith points to his alcoholism and depression as self-indulgent behavior that affected everything, including his relationships with his wife, McKenzie, and their children. “I wasn’t a new believer, but I had to reach that point of truly giving everything to God. I said, ‘I’m at the bottom end. Help me.’ And things started getting better.”
When the film industry amped up in Georgia, the Smiths prayerfully took a leap of faith by quitting their jobs. McKenzie wanted to become a stay-at-home mom to their children, and Smith invested in professional soundman gear to freelance in sound engineering.
“Leaning on God gave us the confidence to do that,” he said. “He started opening doors, and I gradually started getting gigs. It was a really slow start, but I kept at it. It really took off the next year.” One of his first film jobs was in construction utility, pushing a broom and maintaining sets for “The Vampire Diaries”—a popular television series that was filmed in Covington and ran for eight seasons, starting in 2009. “I did that to get my foot in the door,” Smith said. “I ended up meeting some
Stories by Kari Apted
sound guys and, through networking, met a sound mixer named Terry Duncan. We became friends, and he took on a mentorship role. That’s when things became totally different.”
Duncan provided the insider knowledge Smith needed to flourish in the industry. Smith started working in reality TV as a sound mixer. “That’s the guy with the boom mic and recorder, putting microphones on the talent and making sure they sound clean,” he said. Later, he switched his focus to electronic press kits, a collection of material used to promote a film or other media. Smith began recording behind-the-scenes director interviews with actors. “My niche is bag mixing; I document the making of the movie,” he said. “It’s basically a storytelling job, explaining why this director, these actors, this storyline.” Before long, the self-proclaimed film geek was elated to find himself working behind the scenes on Marvel movies.
“The coolest film I worked on was ‘Ford vs. Ferrari.’ We filmed the race scenes, the crashes, the actual drivers,” Smith said. “We got to see the fast-paced car scenes up close [and] how they aged the car to look like it’s been in the Petit Le Mans, 24-hour race. It was different from anything I’d ever done before.”
Another highlight was documenting the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s 10-Year Anniversary, as more than 80 actors and filmmakers gathered at an Atlanta studio in October 2017. They took an iconic “class photo” and Smith was there with his boom mic, capturing cameos from some of Hollywood’s biggest names. “Every actor who’s been in a Marvel film was there: Kurt Russell, Don Cheadle, Michael Douglas, Samuel L. Jackson, everyone.
When I was walking across the stage with my boom, I almost ran over Jeremy Renner,” Smith said. “I think the Tony Stark character was based on Robert Downey Jr.’s actual personality. One time, I needed to mic him. He flung his arms out dramatically and said, ‘I’ll allow it.’” Another memorable moment was when actor Chris Hemsworth gave Smith a giant “bro hug” on the set of “Avengers: Endgame.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic caused a lull in the movie industry, one of Smith’s cameraman friends invited him to work on a crime TV film crew.
“I visited 32 cities in one year,” he said. “I’ve been everywhere but Hawaii, Alaska, the Dakotas and Maine.” Diving into those interviews taught Smith a lot about crime investigations. He admits processing some of the graphic details he witnessed was difficult. “They’re blurred on camera, but of course, we saw the raw crime photos on set,” he said. “It was really hard to meet the victims’ families, especially when kids were involved, but it was interesting seeing how different people deal with the worst thing that can happen to them.”
As a freelancer, Smith has been hired by CBS, NBC and other major news networks to cover presidential events for Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden. He covered behind-the-scenes stories at the Super Bowl in 2019 and 2020 and has covered The Masters twice.
“Those were really cool for a sports guy like me,” he said.
Smith will celebrate 10 years of sobriety in October.
“Any time I think about drinking,” he said, “God reminds me of what life was like on that path versus what it’s like now, and it stops me.” Smith remains grateful for the season of growth he endured before his career took off. “Listen to God’s guidance, first and foremost. He will open doors in His timing,” he said. “Learn all you can and find the right people to guide you. Don’t quit your dream just because it’s not working at the moment. If God is waiting for you to take a leap of faith, always go for it.”
Stories by Kari Apted
A TALE OF TWILIGHT FAIRIES
Newton County’s Chimney Park stands as one of metro Atlanta’s hidden gems. With winding trails and secret gardens tucked among 12 acres of towering trees, it provides a unique outdoor experience for visitors of all ages.
by KARI APTED
Once upon a time, the land behind the library on Floyd Street was a tangled mess of trees, shrubs and undergrowth. It was so thick that neither man nor beast could comfortably tread a path to reach the lone structure in its midst. Covered with vines, entwined with ghostly tales, the tall brick chimney and its granite foundation was all that remained of the grand southern mansion that had stood there for decades before tragically burning down. One warm summer night, a group of handsome knights and lovely maidens gathered, drawn to the verdant thicket by the rumors of magical potential tucked beneath its leaves. One by one, tiny glowing lights appeared, and though many assumed they were simply fireflies, a delicate song wafted through the damp night air, leading those with imaginations to believe that fairies were truly in their midst. The people knew right then they must do whatever it took to uncover their magic…
Although the tale may be slightly exaggerated, no one who has been to Chimney Park can deny that it is an enchanting place. It is like no other park in Newton County, and perhaps all of Georgia, with its natural landscape, art displays and collection of fairy houses. The beautiful park that has replaced the tangled landscape is a testament to the hard work of volunteers from the non-profit Friends of Newton Parks.
TOP: SHAWN JOHNSON, LUKE SMITH, AND BRIAN WORTON. BOTTOM: CATHY STUBBS, NICOLE FLEMING, BARBARA MORGAN, LINDA SHORE, KELLIE AND MICHALA KIRKLEY, SCOTT FUSS, JEAN AUSTIN, BRYANT KIRKLEY, AND AMELIA FAZIO.
“It’s such a happy place. It’s a place for people to enjoy having fun with their kids.”
Jean Austin
Scott Fuss has been on the board since the park’s inception and holds the title of design emeritus. He designed the park’s large structures and explained why they are so different from other children’s parks.
“The premise of Chimney Park is that it has been designed to foster imagination. We didn’t want it to have the usual big plastic playgrounds. We wanted it to be a place where kids can play in the woods like we did,” Fuss said. “We encouraged the community to use their imagination to build fairy houses from found materials.” Chimney Park constantly evolves. Fuss revealed that the park’s Fairy Village is being renovated, with local groups and organizations donating new houses. The highlight of 2024 was the opening of the new giant Tree House. “It’s a huge attraction,” Fuss said. “We wanted it to be handicapped accessible, a place that all people could enjoy.”
Crowds are thickest at the park during its two annual signature events. The Fairy Festival is held on the first Saturday in May, while Twilights at Chimney Park is held on the first Saturday in December. Each event promises an enchantingly inspired time for nature lovers of all ages. The Fairy Festival was the brainchild of park volunteer Kathie Smith after she was inspired by fairy house traditions and festivals she saw in New England.
“I proposed creating a Fairy House Festival at Chimney Park. Since fairy houses were new to this part of the country, we partnered with the Newton County School System’s media centers in order to introduce fairy houses to the children of Newton County,” Smith said. “We donated several books to each elementary and middle school media center, including Richard Louv’s ‘Last Child in the Woods’ and ‘Fairy Houses… Everywhere’ by Barry and Tracy Kane. To build excitement for the first Fairy House Festival at Chimney Park, we also built and installed a Fairy House in each media center.”
“At the park’s first fairy festival, fairy houses built by our amazing volunteers were scattered throughout the park,” she added. “In addition, we encouraged attendees to build their own fairy houses. Other activities included story time, a scavenger hunt, decorating fairy wings and a May Pole. Chimney Park was magical that day, with children scampering about as they participated in the activities and discovered the enchanting fairy houses everywhere in the park. What started as a glimmer of hope has evolved into a beloved annual event at Chimney Park.”
Jean Austin joined the Chimney Park board a few years after it started, as she was drawn to the park’s whimsical vibe. “It’s such a happy place,” she said. “It’s a place for people to enjoy having fun with their kids. You’ll never see regular swings or playgrounds there. We always wanted to make it different.” According to Austin, the Twilights event was started to bring more people to the park in the wintertime. People gather to stroll among beautifully decorated Christmas trees and light displays, make crafts and enjoy holiday snacks. “It was never about making money,” she said. “We saw it as more of a community service, a reason for friends and family to gather and enjoy seeing the lights and decorations.”
Austin invites volunteers to get involved with this year’s Twilights at Chimney Park, not only to lighten the load of producing such a significant event but to simply enjoy the experience. “It dawned on me at the first one,” she said. “Even though we were exhausted, you couldn’t see a frown on a single face.” Volunteers are especially needed to decorate the park’s trees and tunnels prior to the event.
Fuss believes the future of Chimney Park is as bright as its holiday light displays. “We’re building some new rock structures and a bridge,” he said. “We hope that these will be finished by spring.” With its dedicated team of volunteers, the park promises to be a place where children can creatively play happily ever after.
Stories by D.J. Dycus
WISE COUNSEL
Firsthand experience taught Undrey Bostic he could benefit from the positive presence of a strong confidant who wanted to help him achieve his goals. Today, he strives to make a difference in the lives of area youth by serving with Newton Mentoring Inc.
by D.J. DYCUS
Just like the current hurricane season, life can be a stormy affair. To help navigate those turbulent waters, we have people in our lives to whom we can reach out for support and guidance. Those relationships are resources we build over the course of many years.
Children, however, frequently have not made such connections. Maybe their family is going through a difficult time. Perhaps their classmates at school are not exactly following the “straight and narrow.” Everyone is familiar with the “kids are our future” platitude, and while it is repeated frequently, the notion does express a deep truth. If children are not learning healthy lifestyles and skills, then they are not likely to be successful and our communities will suffer as a result.
Enter Undrey Bostic. He is part of the solution to build better, stronger communities for the future. Undrey serves as a mentor for Newton Mentoring Inc.—a grassroots nonprofit set up in 2008 by the late Judge Horace Johnson Jr. NMI’s mission is “to build and strengthen the character and competence of children and youth, which will help build their leadership abilities, thus, their ability to succeed during their school years and beyond. NMI’s vision is to change the community, one child at a time.”
Bostic is one of the volunteers helping NMI accomplish its goals of building a better Newton County. Every week, he touches base with high school student named Khalil. Bostic sees his role as a mentor as someone who is outside of the family who can offer advice and perspective.
“Sometimes, kids aren’t willing to talk about sensitive topics with their parents, so it’s important for them to have another adult that they can turn to,” he said. “They might have gotten in trouble and need advice, or they might have personal problems that they need help sorting out.”
NMI provides Bostic with an opportunity to meet those types of needs and to be an available source of advice, as well as companionship. Ruth Banks, the program coordinator at NMI, raves about Bostic’s contributions.
“He is dedicated and trustworthy,” Banks said. “Undrey understands the importance of spending quality time with young people and lending them a listening ear.” She believes volunteers like Bostic make a difference in the lives of those they mentor. Originally, he started with two young boys who were entering seventh grade. Khalil is now in 10th grade, and although Bostic’s other mentee moved out of state, he still maintains a relationship with him. “Mentoring isn’t just for at-risk youth, although it is a powerful antidote for kids in that circumstance,” he said. “Really, mentoring serves to prevent youth from falling into at-risk situations.”
Bostic had his own mentor in his 20s. The man was a friend of his father’s and a well-known pastor in the area. Bostic points out that even though his father was present in the home, a mentor was still an important part of his early formation as an adult.
“By helping someone else, I have a fresh viewpoint. I’m reminded that it’s not all about me.”
Undrey Bostic
“I could have conversations with this man that I struggled to discuss with my parents,” he said. “He provided an additional resource for advice and counsel, as well as serving as a role model.” For Bostic, work as a mentor was a natural fit with his upbringing. “I was raised in a family that always extended help,” he said, “even when we needed help ourselves.”
Bostic served in the military years before he joined NMI as a volunteer. The background provided experience and skills that he would later pass along to those he mentored. As Bostic moved up the ranks, he became responsible for more and more young men.
“Leading and serving young adults is a central part of the job,” he said. “They need structure and consistency, whether they’re in the military or junior high school. I appreciate NMI for providing an opportunity to continue my family’s practice of extending help.”
Bostic brings this real-world know-how to his work as a mentor.
“You have to be genuine with kids,” he said. “They are very good at recognizing authenticity, and it’s a vital part of gaining their trust and establishing a positive relationship.” Of course, home life remains an important part of the equation. “You also have to build trust with the parents,” Bostic said. “They need to see that you’re reliable and that you’re going to do the right thing.”
Because of Bostic’s diligence and care, Khalil’s family has come to include him in decisions like which classes to take or which colleges to consider. Recently, he took Khalil to visit
some possible schools to attend after he graduates. Bostic volunteers not only to make a difference in Khalil’s life but also because he cares about Newton County.
“Mentoring is necessary, and it’s needed,” he said. “If you want everyone to be involved in building a better community, you have to model that for the younger generation. As a mentor, I hope that I help make Newton a better place for everyone. When you mentor, you are modeling how to be a positive member of the community.”
People like Bostic are helping the youngest members of our community navigate the turbulent waters of life. He provides a safe harbor where they can enjoy a respite from the storm and plan how to chart the course ahead. Bostic strives to model how to work hard, be productive and strive for ambitious goals—an important example for all young people. Mentoring has personal benefits, as well.
“When I’m pouring into someone else and I’m attentive to their needs, it helps me escape my own world of pressures and problems,” he said. “I become so focused on my narrow perspective that it slowly pulls me down. By helping someone else, I have a fresh viewpoint. I’m reminded that it’s not all about me.”
For information on Newton Mentoring Inc., located at 6161 Turner Lake Road in Covington, visit www.newtonmentoring.org.
“There's a saying that the macaroni and cheese is actually more important than the turkey at the holidays, and I agree.”
Diane Boyd
WHAT’S COOKING
Mrs. Mae’s Old-Fashioned Mac and Cheese
by DIANE BOYD
I’ve been in the catering business for the past decade and cooking for much longer than that. One dish that everyone seems to love is homemade macaroni and cheese, but if you’ve ever had dry or unseasoned mac and cheese, you know that a great recipe is everything. There’s a saying that the macaroni and cheese is actually more important than the turkey during the holidays, and I agree. It is the foundation of a great meal to savor. If your mac and cheese doesn’t give you the “mmm-mmm good, big smile and a nod” feeling, then please go back to see where you went wrong. Having perfected my macaroni and
cheese recipe over time, I’m happy to share it. Make a pan for your family and friends this holiday season, and watch it disappear. This recipe is inspired by my very dear friend, Mrs. Mae Frank Stodghill, who worked tirelessly to support Boyd’s catering.
INGREDIENTS (MACARONI)
• 16 oz. box of elbow macaroni
INGREDIENTS (CHEESE SAUCE)
• 2 teaspoons butter or margarine
• 1 tablespoon of Lawry’s seasoned salt (season to your taste)
• 6 fl. oz. evaporated milk (½ can)
• 1 teaspoon of sour cream
• 1 10.5-ounce can cheddar cheese soup
• ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
• ½ cup shredded Colby cheese
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup 2% milk
• Additional shredded cheese and paprika for topping
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 365 degrees. Spray a 9x12 casserole dish with Pam cooking spray. Prepare elbow macaroni noodles, per instructions on box. Mix cooked macaroni with cheese sauce ingredients and stir well. Pour mixture in prepared casserole dish and cover the top with a generous layer of shredded cheese. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until golden brown.
DIANE BOYD AND MRS. MAE
Hot Rod’s Diner
Handcrafted Black Angus Burgers, All Beef Hot Dogs, Homemade Soups & Chili, Fresh Salads, Jumbo Wings, Meat & Vegetable Plates, A Variety of Sandwiches, Homemade Cobbler, Hand Spun Shakes, Malts, Floats, Cakes, Pies, and much, much more.
“Family/Veteran owned and operated since 2013”
294 N Cherokee Rd Social Circle, GA 30025 (770) 464-3464 www.that50sdiner.com
Our private meeting space, located adjacent to Hot Rod’s, boasts accommodations and amenities for all your event needs. Full-service catering is available with a wide variety of choices and options.
For more information visit www.that50sdiner.com/private-events
LOVE IS LOVE COOPERATIVE FARM
We are a certified organic, worker-owned cooperative farm providing produce, flowers and vegetable, herb and edible flower seedlings for our community through our plant sales and subscriptions to our community supported agriculture group. 101 Loyd Road, Mansfield, GA 30055 www.loveislovefarm.com
MUSULYN’S INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT (470) 444-1135
Explore and experience a variety of cuisines with an added twist. Whether its Southern, African, or Caribbean-style cooking, we know you will be amazed.
6129 U.S.278 NW, Covington, GA 30014 www.musulynsinternational.com
POPPIN’ STOP (COVINGTON) (770) 728-1012
Indulge in the extraordinary, where every kernel is a masterpiece. Our handcrafted popcorn is made from the finest ingredients, offering a symphony of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. Try before you buy, we give free samples!
9188 Hwy 278 NE, Covington, GA 30014
STALVEY’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE (770) 787-5091
We offer top quality food at a reasonable price. We use only USDA Choice or Prime meats, fresh seafood (when available), homemade dressings & hand cut salad greens.
3132 U.S.278 NE, Covington, GA 30014 www.jimstalveysrestaurant.com
THE BUTCHER BLOCK DELI (770) 787-2003
Join us for your next meal. We offer sandwiches, salads, soups, quesadillas and much more. We use only the best ingredients that will keep you coming back again and again.
6171 US-278 NE, Covington, GA 300144 www.thebutcherblockdeli.com
ZIMSKILLET (770) 268-1845
Voted Best BBQ in Newborn! When you don’t want to cook, come get some brisket, ribs, pork, or chicken, beans, tater salad, and Brunswick Stew! We love to cater! 4142 GA-142, Newborn, GA 30056 www.facebook.com/ZimSkillet/
Lily & Sparrow Mercantile
We are Lily & Sparrow Mercantile: A family + friend owned market celebrating faith, Georgia roots, and honest foods. Explore our on-site roasted artisan coffees, teas, fresh baked goods, local organic produce, and handmade eco-friendly finds. Each offering embodies our dedication to creativity & community, ensuring a personal connection with every visit.
“Wise people are builders, they build families, businesses, communities....”
- Proverbs 24:3-
1177 Reynolds St SW Covington, GA 30014 (770) 233-7551
