TM Summer & Fall 2020

Summer & Fall 2020 $3.95

VOLUME 18, ISSUE 2

COMMUNITY ANGELS AMONG US

ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES YEAR-ROUND WITH THE PROPER USE OF NATIVE PLANTS

The

Dog Days of Summer

Fall

give way to

Thomasville DenTal CenTer alan G. sanDers, D.m.D ZaChary J. ChanDler, D.m.D. Family · seDaTion · implanTs

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M AGA Z I N E The first and finest in the Red Hills Region

FOUNDER

John D. “Jack” Kelly | March 15, 1931 - July 8, 2015

“He spent his life giving back to the community he loved!”

A bank’s success is never an idea alone.

Thomasville National Bank’s success lies in our community of customers, in their character, in their loyal response.

They value trust: the handshake agreement.

They are proud of Thomasville: its families, traditions, and prosperity.

• EDITOR IN CHIEF

Karen “KK” Snyder| kk@thomasvillemagazine.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Lauren Vann | Adele Creative Marketing & Design

GRAPHIC DESIGN Lauren Vann

ART DIRECTION & LAYOUT Gloria Fielding

ADVERTISING SALES Christy Layfield | Wendy Montgomery

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS This is what banking should be.

For you. About you.

Bunny Byrne | Beth Grant Annie B. Jones | Jacqueline Knight Stephanie Rice | Marta Turner

PHOTOGRAPHY Todd Stone | Tiffany Evitts 301 NORTH BROAD STREET TNBANK.COM

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CONTENTS SUMMER & FALL 2020

< Annie’s Reads PAGE 34

The Bookshelf ’s purveyor of fine titles shares her favorite books for both escaping the inevitable summer doldrums and relishing in the final days of the hottest, most relaxed season.

10 Angels Among Us Hometown pride shines through these heroes silently helping neighbors through the COVID-19 crisis.

46 Jerry Turner’s Nature Bringing the flora and fauna of the region to life through the lens of one of this area’s most interesting photographers

23 Bring Nature Home Plant a garden that fosters the link between native plant species and native wildlife

58 IN EVERY ISSUE 6

Editor’s Letter

Light a Spark!

A new competition is growing the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs

40 Downtown Guide

HUNTING GUIDE

72 Health & Wellness

The dog days of summer give

68 Recipes It’s apple pickin’ time in North Georgia, and these applebased recipes are all about the comforts of the season

way to the sporting life that Thomasville embraces.

PAGE 76

70 IN THE KITCHEN

A traditional summer dessert, this pavlova is a luxurious update for fall, topped with caramel, apples, and pecans.

PAGE 68

New Hire Solutions A local employment agency has a surprising bevy of offerings that increase business for local companies 5

THOMASVILLEMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER & FALL 2020

WELCOME FROM THE EDITOR EDITORIAL INFORMATION Thomasville Magazine is published four times each year. Subscription rates are $15 for one year.

Hello, Thomasville!

We’re pleased to bring you another magazine, though a bit delayed,

SUBSCRIPTIONS

a combination of our planned summer and fall issues. While we’re

ThomasvilleMagazine.com

certainly in the midst of trying times, many of our loyal advertisers

Subscriptions@ThomasvilleMagazine.com

were experiencing even more uncertainty earlier in the summer, not

Checks may be mailed to:

even sure whether they’d still be open by now. But this community

Thomasville Magazine

quickly rallied, and so many of you have gone above and beyond to

15125 US Hwy 19 S

help keep the doors of Thomasville businesses open, using creative

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means such as online promotions, social media marketing, curbside

Thomasville, GA 31792

pickup for dining and retail, virtual meetings and more. Food banks,

Be sure to specify your delivery address when

mask making, fundraising, community organization―they’ve all

submitting a check.

made a difference as we weather the storm.

One thing many of us have found solace in during these past months is slowing down enough to enjoy the space we occupy. This issue celebrates getting outside and appreciating the beauty of nature with photos by local photographer Jerry Turner. Also timely is a piece on turning your yard into a haven for butterflies, beneficial insects, and other wild creatures by choosing native plants for your landscape.

And a great list of summer reads will help you enjoy those quiet moments some of us are experiencing more of these days.

So, kick back with a cold beverage, and enjoy your latest issue of Thomasville Magazine. Remember, we are stronger together!

KK

DIGITAL EDITION & SOCIAL You can follow us online on our social media accounts @ThomasvilleMagazine.

Karen (KK) Snyder EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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ANGELS AMONG US

PROFILES of SERVICE Revealing the extraordinary individuals and community, church, government, non-profit, and business leaders who selflessly rushed to provide vital and necessary assistance to the most vulnerable among us

BY JACQUELINE AMBROSE KNIGHT

Sewing a

Difference DOZENS OF VOLUNTEERS FORMED A SEWING CHAIN HEADED BY LOCAL BUSINESSMAN CHRIS LOVELADY, WHIPPING UP THOUSANDS OF MASKS FOR FRONTLINE WORKERS WITHIN DAYS PAGE 20

ANGELS AMONG US

A

t its core, generosity is an individual, and often private, act. It can be one person doing a selfless deed for another, volunteering at the local food bank, or giving to a favored charity. But something singularly beautiful occurs when likeminded people come together to serve a common cause that helps those in need in their community.

When COVID-19 hit the shores of America, many states, municipalities, and townships across the country were forced to close churches, schools, public services, major attractions, parks, beaches, and businesses for the sake of public health. Rural, suburban, and urban areas saw their economies come to a grinding halt, plunging many Americans into economic uncertainty.

For those low-income Americans, people of color, and others who were already marginalized, it was worse because they were also experiencing a disproportionate toll in both access to healthcare and necessary services, all of which were severely diminished as a direct result of the pandemic.

Thomasville has always been a friendly and outgoing community, a place where a strong tradition of Christianity and other foundational beliefs result in much of the generosity it displays. People are quick to welcome a stranger, wave at a passerby, and extend what has become a kinship bigheartedness that can melt the heart of even the most jaded human being.

So, it came as no surprise that when the pandemic shut down most of the businesses in town, many residents began asking how they could help. Some extraordinary individuals and community, church, government, non-profit, and business leaders selflessly rushed to provide vital and necessary assistance to the most vulnerable among us, illustrating the compassion and unselfish delivery of resources Thomasville has come to exemplify.

12 THOMASVILLEMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER & FALL 2020

Meals for the Sheltered partnered with Dr. Sharon Edwards (Thomasville Homeless Coalition), Pastor Ricky Monroe (MSAC), Pastor Veronica Scott (WWMFC), Pastor Terry Scott (WWMFC), Jay Flowers (First Presbyterian Church of Thomasville)

Meals for the Sheltered-in-Place FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH LAUNCHED A SPECIAL INITIATIVE WITH MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO PROVIDE FOR SHUT-INS AND HOMELESS FAMILIES LIVING IN HOTELS DURING THE CRISIS

F

A COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

ounded in 1853, First Presbyterian Church, Thomasville (FPC) is known for its community outreach programs. Providing weekend backpacks of non-perishable foods to students, giving financial assistance to those in unexpected hardship, meeting with inmates to help them through their struggles, and helping single mothers navigate their lives, FPC has been at the forefront of community building in Thomasville.

In April, during the height of the shutdown, FPC received a substantial anonymous financial donation to provide COVID-19 relief in the community. Those funds were immediately funneled to their Local Missions Committee, which then raised $30,000 for the cause.

According to Jay Flowers, a committee member and point person, “The first thing we did was give half of those funds to the local food bank, which was overwhelmed by the community’s needs.” Then they approached mission partners throughout the community, including pastors such as Denny Blake from Disciples of Jesus, Terry Scott

The ministry worked with local restaurants and caterers like JB Crumbs to provide 125 meals twice per week.

of Worldwide Ministries of Christ, Ricky Monroe from Mt. Sinai Apostolic Church, and Dr. Sharon Edwards, Thomasville Homeless Coalition. The committee sought to partner with these groups to help shut-ins, homeless families in hotels, and others for whom they already routinely provided outreach services.

Knowing that restaurants and caterers were also feeling the negative impact of the shutdowns, the Missions Committee reached out to several locally-owned eateries, including Liam’s, Sweet Grass Dairy, Mom and Dad’s Italian, Savannah Moon, Q Café, and caterers JB Crumbs and Climmie Mosely. “We told them we would pay them to provide 125 meals twice a week for the program. We also wanted to include their restaurant employees who had been financially damaged due to closings.”

The program also allowed mission partner organizations to engage with their most at-risk members twice a week.

“These meal deliveries drove the process of getting our partners out into the community to see what was going on with those they served,” says Flowers. “By delivering the food directly to their constituents, they had a reason to be there and fortify those relationships. It was a win-win for everyone.”

COMMUNITY

OVER Corona

Take-Out

FOR A CAUSE Getting food to go never felt so good! With Community Over Corona, thousands of people came together to support local mom & pop restaurants and shopsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;some of the hardest hit by COVID-19.

Pictured: a server provides curbside service for a family meal from Jonahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fish & Grits.

ANGELS AMONG US

Supporting Small Business in Thomasville A LOCALLY-BASED MARKETING AGENCY, ADELE CREATIVE MARKETING & DESIGN CREATED A PLATFORM FOR THOUSANDS OF LOCAL PEOPLE TO SUPPORT THE MOM & POP BUSINESSES THAT MAKE OUR TOWN SO SPECIAL

L

ADELE CREATIVE MARKETING & DESIGN

auren Adele Vann and Milton Fielding, owners of Adele Creative—a Thomasville marketing and design agency—have spent much of their lives in service to others. Milton was a construction missionary to Manaus, Brazil, along with his wife Gloria, and founded Adele Creative with their daughter, Lauren, while living in Brazil. While experiencing rapid growth, their family-owned company has remained true to their values of service above self.

When businesses began to close their doors due to the government mandated shutdown, Milton and Lauren believed they had to do something. As a small business owner, Lauren knew the value of getting the public to band together to save small businesses and restaurants. “Right from the beginning, I saw the effects of the shutdowns on many of my clients and friends who own businesses in the community. I wanted to do something that brought the public directly into contact with the small business owners who desperately needed their business. I wanted to give people in Thomas County a platform so businesses could get the word out for free about their offers and people could find out right away how to support them.”

And so, Community Over Corona took the stage. Lauren and her team created a logo, developed the branding, and launched social media marketing. Within days Adele Creative’s team was posting photos encouraging the public to support local businesses. Soon others joined in, and within two weeks, the Community Over Corona Facebook group had over 3,200 followers.

“It’s amazing what can happen when you empower others—when you connect people. The power of social media is that it’s social. If you know how to do it right, it can have a significantly positive impact on businesses, in the best and the worst of times,” she says.

“What’s really inspiring is to see the group take on a life of its own. People embraced the community as a way to show their support. It galvanized people into real action, into the real purchase decisions that these mom and pop businesses depend on to thrive. That’s what’s so powerful about good marketing. It’s not a sales pitch; it’s a way for people to respond to who you are and to show who they are in return. And this group showed how truly supportive everyone in Thomas County is of local business.

“We’re going to keep bringing attention to Thomasville’s small business community throughout this pandemic and beyond, for as long as we are needed.”

Pictured: Adele Creative owners Milton Fielding (center) and his daughter, Lauren Vann, meet with a client

Who Rules the World?

Techs!

LOCAL MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS WERE EXCITED ABOUT THE SCHOOL’S RECENT PURCHASE OF 3D PRINTERS. THEN SCHOOLS GOT SHUT DOWN. BUT A NATIONAL PANDEMIC COULDN’T SHUT DOWN THE CREATIVITY OF THIS AMAZING GROUP THOMAS COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS

L

ike many teachers across our nation, Ashley Palmer, Tammy Sharpe, Matt Casper, and Will Hanna, all teachers at Thomas County Middle School, closed the doors of their classrooms and offices this spring as the school year was suddenly stopped in its tracks. Pre-pandemic, they’d been excited about the school’s purchase of several 3-D printers and were disappointed to not have the opportunity to use them with the students.

When Ashley’s mother, who works in pediatrics, told him the plastic face guards medical personnel were using continually fogged up and made it hard for them to see, he knew he had to do something. Will Hanna got permission from the school district for the teachers to take the 11 printers home and soon the group was churning out masks.

“What we thought was just a fun thing to use in school turned into something that could save lives in

Previous page: Thomas County Middle School teachers Will Hanna, Tammy Sharpe, Michelle Dechman, Wes Sampson, Matt Casper, and Ashley Palmer used new 3D printers to print over 2,000 face guards for local hospitals and clinics.

ANGELS AMONG US

the community,” says Ashley, a technology teacher. Tammy, who also teaches tech, added, “We don’t just teach our students; we also serve the community and the families who live here.”

Overall, they’ve printed over 2,000 face guards and given them to local hospitals and clinics. “We are truly blessed that our skills were able to help out this great community,” says Matt Casper.

Word of their efforts quickly spread beyond the borders of Thomas County, and soon these valiant angels were being contacted by other people in need of face guards, from as far away as Ohio and Mississippi. Techs really do rule the world!

Local. Loyal.

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Taking It to the Streets SPREADING MESSAGES OF HOPE THROUGH STREET SIGNS AROUND TOWN LED TO AN UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK TO THE CHILDREN’S TREEHOUSE ADVOCACY GROUP FOR THIS LOCAL REAL ESTATE AGENT

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LESLIE BENNETT

eslie Bennett of Bennett Real Estate Company is no stranger to the camera. “We’ve been doing promotional videos of our properties for years, and I wanted to use our vast network to promote local businesses,” she says of her project to help during the pandemic.

Bennet began interviewing business owners about their businesses and products and posting them on social media sites. But she wasn’t content with simply promoting local businesses. She wanted to do more.

She began to come up with slogans, printed them on yard signs, and passed them out to homeowners and businesses for display throughout Thomasville.

Drive past stately homes on Clay Street or down busy Jackson Street and see the fruits of her labor in slogans like “Hope’s Not Cancelled,” “Faith Over Fear,” and “Don’t Give Up!” She started out simply giving away the signs to anyone who wanted to display them, but soon people began to insist on giving donations. After raising more than $1,600, Leslie completed another act of generosity by donating the money to the Treehouse Advocacy Group, an agency that helps children who’ve been sexually, physically, or psychologically abused.

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Se habla Español

Hands On Thomas County partnered with Chris Lovelady to organize about 50 volunteer sewers and deliver over 7,200 masks, including to law enforcement and health workers.

20 THOMASVILLEMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER & FALL 2020

The Masked Heroes LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER AND CREATIVE ENTREPRENEUR CHRIS LOVELADY FOUND HIMSELF THE OFFICIAL HEAD OF A BRIGADE OF SEWING VOLUNTEERS, PROVIDING THOUSANDS OF MASKS DURING MASK SHORTAGES CHRIS LOVELADY & VITAL SIGNS LLC

W

hen the call went out from Dawn Allen Newsome via Facebook that masks were desperately needed in Thomas County, Chris Lovelady, owner of Vital Signs, had recently learned to sew. He began to sew masks nights and weekends at home, but soon the demand became more than he could handle alone. Chris moved operations to his business space, which became a drop-off point for materials and a pickup location for masks. He began paying his employees to cut out and sew masks on the clock, but the need outgrew their capacity. “It just kind of exploded,” says Chris, who was also enlisted by Archbold Medical Center to sew surgical masks to their specifications.

Soon Angela Kiminas of Hands On Thomas County stepped in to help organize about 50 volunteers in various capacities―sewing, donating materials and money, and helping distribute the masks to about 150 essential businesses and agencies in the area, including law enforcement and health care workers, says Chris. In all, the group sewed about 7,200 masks between mid-March and midJune, says Angela, adding that, while many stepped up to help, Chris and Vital Signs were the driving force behind the project.

“We all play a part in how we react to things like this,” says Chris. “As a community, people have the heart to do the right thing.”

While there is undoubtedly a long list of others in the community who worked tirelessly to help during these challenging times―including the hundreds of dedicated health care workers who served for months on the front line― one thing is certain: Thomasville is most assuredly a city filled with angels. TM

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bring nature home

GARDENING TO SAVE NATIVE SPECIES

A NATURALIST AND FOUNDER OF FRIENDS OF LOST CREEK FOREST EXPLORES HOW MANY ATTRACTIVE, LANDSCAPE WORTHY NATIVE TREES LIKE OAKS, WILD CHERRIES, AND WILLOWS ARE THE KEYSTONE SPECIES THAT SUPPORT THE MOST INSECTS.

by BETH GRANT

23 THOMASVILLEMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER & FALL 2020

NATIVE GARDENS

W

e all love nature, yet we hear and read the alarming statistics of the mass losses of plants and animals, caused in large part by human degradation of our planet. Climate change, urban sprawl, and invasive species destroy resources that native plants and animals need to survive.

You may have witnessed telling examples in your own lifetime. The problem is so sweeping and vast that you may feel powerless to do anything about it, but you can make a difference. How? By planting American (native) plants.

This page: common buckeye on goldenrod; next page, right: giant swallowtail on white bidens (Photos by Rick Barnes)

Zebra longwing caterpillars on passionvine (Photo

by Eric Nesset)

Unbreakable Link PLANTS & WILDLIFE There is an unbreakable link between native plant species and native wildlife. Native plants are the basic essential of the natural world. Insects come next in the food web, and insects can only survive on plants with which they share an evolutionary history.

Our native insects have not had time to adapt to the non-native plants we have brought to this continent in recent centuries.

Caterpillar Reproduction WILD TREES & SHRUBS For example, caterpillars of the beloved and iconic Monarch butterfly can only eat plants in the milkweed family, but the most frequently used landscape plants have their origins in Asia and other continents. The Georgia state butterfly, the tiger swallowtail, cannot reproduce on a Taiwan cherry tree but can on the wild black cherry.

Circle of Life FEEDING A NEST It’s gratifying to watch birds flock to a backyard birdfeeder, but baby birds―even the babies of seed eating adults like cardinals―need caterpillars. It takes 6,000-9,000 caterpillars for a pair of chickadee parents to rear one nest of babies.

How can these birds survive if all they find in the vast urban landscape is boxwoods, Asian azaleas, and other exotic plants that do not support our insect populations?

25

THOMASVILLEMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER & FALL 2020

Easy Steps

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY FOLLOWING THESE STEPS TO PROVIDE MORE RESOURCES FOR BIODIVERSITY:

PROTECT NATIVE PLANTS Protect the native plants you already have.

Many attractive, landscape worthy native trees like oaks, wild cherries, and willows are the keystone species that support the most insects. For example, oaks can support 534 caterpillar species.

ADD AMERICAN PLANTS Add American plants, shrubs, and trees to your yard. There are many good native plants that serve the same function as the formerly popular exotics. The silverbell tree is as graceful and elegant as a Japanese maple.

Wax myrtle makes a wonderful and fragrant hedge, much more attractive than red tip photinia.

NATIVE GARDENS

ERADICATE INVASIVE PLANTS Eradicate exotic invasive plants. These take the resources that native plants need to thrive and can eventually choke them out. There are very few “natural” areas left that are not overrun by the worst of these plant thugs. Privets, Japanese climbing fern, Chinaberry, mimosa, Chinese tallow tree, coral ardisia, English ivy, and skunk vine are the worst offenders here. Nandina even kills birds!

REDUCE YOUR LAWN SIZE Reduce the size of your lawn to the area you need for walking and playing. A lawn is a dead space for wildlife. Put down cardboard and mulch to kill the grass you don’t want.

PLANT FOR BEES Plant native sunflowers, goldenrod, asters, and coreopsis for the 4,000 species of native bees that live in our area, 90 percent of which are solitary insects and do not sting. (Social bees and wasps protecting their nests are the aggressive ones.)

PLAN (AND PLANT) PROPORTIONALLY An environment with more than 30 percent non-native plants cannot support wildlife. Over time, replace all but your very favorite exotics with native plants. Keep your beloved tea olive and gorgeous camellia but think of them like garden statues―not very useful to wildlife.

What’s the Buzz About?

There are over 4,000 species of native bees in our area. Over 90 percent do not sting.

27 THOMASVILLEMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER & FALL 2020

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AVOID PESTICIDES Don’t use pesticides except on termites and colonial insects like fire ants and yellow jackets.

THOMASVILLEMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER & FALL 2020

Opposite: native plants can sustain thousands of insect species which depend on them for continued propogation.

Right: tropical checkered skipper on lantana

SPREAD THE WORD Once you start seeing and enjoying the results of your stewardship, spread the word. On my block, the creekside along the backyards remains naturalâ&#x20AC;&#x2022;a wildlife corridorâ&#x20AC;&#x2022;much more valuable than fragmented natural areas separated by buildings, lawn, and hard surfaces.

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Common buckeye on white bidens; next page: tall yellow coneflower at Cherokee Pollinator Garden (Photos by Rick Barnes)

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An environment with more than 30 percent non-native plants cannot support wildlife.

All places have ecological significance. We can no longer expect nature to be somewhere else. Nature needs us to support it right where we live, in our own backyards, parks, and roadsides. Bring nature home!

Beth Grant is a local naturalist, president and founder of Friends of Lost Creek Forest, and lead volunteer at Cherokee Pollinator Garden, adjoining the Rose Garden at Cherokee Lake Park. She learned about the importance of native plants from Dr. Douglas Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home, Natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Hope, and co-author of The Living Landscape.

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FROM THE BOOKSHELF

SUMMER READS This Seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Must-Have Books

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BY ANNIE B. JONES | BOOKSHELF PHOTOS BY TIFFANY EVITTS

hat is time anymore? Are the weeks lasting forever for you, too? Do seasons mean anything? I always feel this way during the hottest months of our year.

After the July 4 holiday, the summer days seem to last an eternity. Add a global pandemic to the mix, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to feel overwhelmed and to wish away the remaining few weeks of the summer season.

Books, though, help, and reading seasonally

helps, too. I love reading about characters who are enduring suffocating heat and humidity just like me, and I also love reading about characters who have escaped their norms for glamorous, far-off vacations. The best summer reading titles, as you know, encompass both. Behold, then, my favorite titles for both escaping the inevitable summer doldrums and relishing in the final days of the hottest, most relaxed season.

SEX AND VANITY

By Kevin Kwan You’ll recognize Kevin Kwan as the author of the beloved Crazy Rich Asians trilogy. Now he’s back with a standalone title wisely set on the beautiful island of Capri, off the coast of Italy. (The back half of the book does take place in the upper echelons of New York society, but it’s so opulent, readers will find the setting as exotic as Capri.) Sex and Vanity pays homage, in part, to E. M. Forster’s Room with a View; young Lucie Churchill falls in love—or is it lust? — while at a family wedding, and years later there are consequences to be paid for that young love affair.

Sex and Vanity is uproariously funny and biting. I loved this book!

NOBODY WILL TELL YOU THIS BUT ME

By Bess Kalb Bess Kalb’s debut memoir is wondrously original.

She tells the story of her late grandmother Bobby Bell in Bobby Bell’s voice, and the book focuses on Bobby’s relationships with Bess’ mother and Bess herself. Kalb has her grandmother’s storytelling down to an art, and you’ll be laughing out loud one minute and sobbing the next. (In a completely healthy, cathartic way. I promise!) My relationship with my own grandparents was extremely close, and Kalb’s book is exactly the kind of book I wish I was capable of writing about the people I’ve loved. This one’s for fans of writer Dani Shapiro.

THE VANISHING HALF

By Brit Bennett I know we’re barely past the halfway point, but I believe I can safely describe The Vanishing Half as my favorite book of the year. Brit Bennett’s sophomore novel is storytelling at its very best.

At the book’s heart are twin sisters raised side-by-side in a small, Black community outside New Orleans.

Once the Vignes sisters outgrow their hometown roots, they follow completely separate paths―one raising her Black daughter in the same town she left as a young adult, and the other passing as a white woman out on the West Coast. Bennett’s writing is some of the best I’ve ever read, and I couldn’t stop reading about the Vignes sisters and the paths they chose.

THE BOOKSHELF

THE BOOKSHELF FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER

By Rachel Beanland

SEA WIFE

By Amity Gaige Do you need a one-sitting kind of read?

Allow me to introduce you to Amity Gaige’s Sea Wife, which you’ll pick up and won’t be able to put down. Juliet’s husband, Michael, is a sailor determined to breathe life back into his family. He plans a round-the-world sailing trip and loads everyone up for the journey, including his two young children. Readers know from page one that the trip doesn’t go as planned, so the novel has this quiet, impending sense of doom from the very beginning, yet Gaige has somehow also made sailing around the world with your family sound totally appealing. It’s like magic, and it’s best read in the heat of the summer.

36

Fans of Thomasville’s 2018 One Book selection We Were the Lucky Ones will appreciate Florence Adler Swims Forever, a new historical fiction novel set in the late 1930s, early 1940s. The book’s cover art screams summer, but it’s so much more than its coastal New Jersey setting suggests. Within the first chapter, Florence Adler—an aspiring young swimmer determined to cross the English Channel—dies, and her close-knit family is left to grieve their loss privately while keeping Florence’s death a secret from her pregnant sister. Author Rachel Beanland wrote the Adlers’ fictional story with her own family’s history in mind, and although the book is a testament to family and love and loss, there’s also a sweet romance to keep things light. I fell in love with the Adler family this summer, and I bet you will, too.

THOMASVILLEMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER & FALL 2020

I’M STILL HERE

By Austin Channing Brown Austin Channing Brown’s memoir isn’t new reading, exactly. I’m Still Here debuted in 2018, but current events and Reese Witherspoon have put it back on the map, and I’m so glad. If you’ve been watching the news and have felt overwhelmed by racial bias and injustice this summer, Brown is a gracious, kind, and willing teacher. I’m Still Here is her account of her experiences as a Black woman existing in often very white spaces. Her words are a balm and a call to do better. I devoured my copy with a pencil in hand, and you’re sure to, too.

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DOWNTOWN THOMASVILLE

SummerFall NEW WAYS OF LIVING OUR FAVORITE SEASONS

AUGUST to NOVEMBER

Thomasville Rocks! Giveaway Every week, TNB will hide a painted rock in a local park and leave clues on their Facebook page about where to find it. This “treasure hunt” for children 10 and under awards a $100 savings account to the finder and donates $100 to the local charity of that child’s choice. You can follow TNB on Facebook at Facebook.com/ThomasvilleNationalBank

Sip n Stroll Returns It’s back! Starting in September, enjoy sipping your favorite adult beverage (required event cup and wristbands available from

participating merchants) while you shop, stroll, and dine in Downtown Thomasville the first Friday of each month from 6 to 8pm. Then make your way to the Ritz Amphitheater for live music from 8-10pm. Updates at thomasvillega.com.

Sidewalk Sale Semi-Annual Sidewalk Sale in Downtown Thomasville on September 26. Find bargains galore as local shop owners clear out merchandise to make room for new shipments.

Mark Your Calendars!

Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival Nov 6-21. Details at pwaf.org.

DOWNTOWN THOMASVILLE

CAJUN EATS WITH A

Southern Attitude!

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ONLINE AT WWW.ALLYBBOUTIQUE.COM

Times Enterprise’s “Best of the Best” Awards for Pizza and Italian Food

Luxury Linens, Furniture & Décor 107 N. Broad, Thomasville 229-236-4455 Goldiesonbroad.com

Patio Seating, Limited Indoor Seating, Delivery, Curbside Pickup 113 N. Crawford St., Thomasville 229-226-4488 Online Orders at ajmoonspin.com

DOWNTOWN THOMASVILLE

Found the quail? You can be entered in a weekly drawing. The winner gets $10 in Downtown Dollars!

Having Fun Outdoors Hunt for the Lost Quail

Two of Thomasvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite attractions have been added as locations for the popular Hunt the Lost Quail Scavenger Hunt. Pebble Hill and Thomasville History Center each have one quail hidden on the property and welcome visitors to tour their scenic grounds and historic exterior buildings and look for the quail. There is even an incentive to find the quail! A weekly drawing will be held from the list of those who find the quail and the winner will receive $10 in Downtown Dollars. Once you find the quail, continue your hunt in Downtown Thomasville where the covey of 18 quail is hidden in plain sight all throughout the downtown area.

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DINING · SHOPPING · LIVING

New Photo Opp!

The “Dinosaur of the South” While you are exploring downtown, stop by the UnVacant Lot located near The Ritz Amphitheater and check out the cool and colorful mural. This is the wonderful “Dinosaur of the South” mural by artist Toni Ardizzone. This artist is brought to Thomasville by the Thomasville Center for the Arts. Be sure to stop by and snap a picture with the reptile and tag Downtown Thomasville in your Instagram post!

Art and Sewing Classes This Fall 118-1 S. Madison St. 229-234-7664 www.youremaker.com info@youremaker.com

Inspire Your Soles 204 West Jackson St. Thomasville 229-236-7653

BEHIND

46 THOMASVILLEMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER & FALL 2020

Wetlands are critical for all living things.

the

LENS

with Jerry Turner

Great blue h eron in morning fog

By MARTA JONES TURNER · PHOTOGRAPHS by JERRY TURNER

YOUNG BARRED OWL STUDIES THE PHOTOGRAPHER.

Jerry and Marta are serious about helping people understand the balance of nature. In 2014, they bought a 212-acre property near Thomasville that includes diverse habitatsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; wetlands, woodlands, and open fieldsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and placed the land in a conservation easement with Tall Timbers to protect the habitats and diverse plant and animal life the property supports.

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Turkey vulture investigates a field camera.

Field Reports

“In Wildness is the preservation of the world.”

HENRY DAVID THOREAU

YOUNG BOBCATS CAVORTING ON A FALLEN LOG STARLIGHT REFLECTING IN A FROG’S EYE CLOUDS ALIVE WITH COLOR AND PATTERN GREAT BLUE HERON METICULOUSLY PREENING EVERY FEATHER

N

EAGLES WATCHING THE SUN RISE FROM THEIR FAVORITE PERCH

ature offers an endless array of amazing creatures, fascinating behaviors, incredible textures, patterns and light that have kept Jerry Turner, naturalist and nature photographer, busy since he was a child.

His first camera was a Brownie—a gift when he was 10. As a teenager Jerry made nature movies, in college he captured microscopic images, and today, at age 72, he is more productive than ever, producing dozens of nature videos and hundreds of photographs each year.

His cameras are more sophisticated now—DSLR, high definition trail cameras, GoPro, and iPhone.

Inspired by dedicated science teachers in elementary and high school, Turner went on to study biology at Georgia Southwestern College where Dr. W.L. Tietjen and other professors further enhanced his enthusiasm for nature. Jerry earned a master’s degree and taught biology in Fort Valley, Columbus, and Thomasville. He worked as a photographer for the Florida Department of Natural Resources and then became a freelance nature photographer. He owned and operated the Canopy Road and Wonders of Nature galleries in Thomasville, selling his fine art photographs and nature videos as well as other artists’ work.

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52 THOM ASVILLEMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER & FALL 2020

Anole strikes a pose

Turner holds a master’s in biology, a passion which he taught for years in addition to his freelance nature photography.

Working with native plant consultant J. Walter Bland of Rock Spring Restoration, the Turners are removing invasive plants and restoring native plant species throughout the property. They are working on a legacy plan that will fund educational field trips and provide a trust to manage and maintain the property and its natural habitats.

Through the decades, Turner’s favorite shooting locations include the woodlands and wetlands of his home in Taylor County, Georgia; St. Mark’s National Wildlife Refuge and other areas of Florida; and, more recently, Gentian Creek Preserve, a nature preserve he and his wife, Marta Jones Turner, formed in Thomas County.

His goal is to inspire others to have a better appreciation of nature and an understanding that all living things are linked. The quality of life for humans is directly related to the health of other organisms, from the simplest to the most complex.

Healthy soils, water, and air are essential for life.

This is the essence of ecology.

Jerry and Marta are serious about helping people understand the balance of nature. In 2014, they bought a 212-acre property near Thomasville that includes diverse habitats—wetlands, woodlands,

Field Reports

Opposite: great blue heron in beaver pond

Clockwise from top: Young deer, red headed woodpecker, green tree frog

TURNERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GOAL IS TO INSPIRE OTHERS TO HAVE A BETTER APPRECIATION OF NATURE AND AN UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL LIVING THINGS ARE LINKED. THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR HUMANS IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE HEALTH OF OTHER ORGANISMS, FROM THE SIMPLEST TO THE MOST COMPLEX.

54 THOMASVILLEMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER & FALL 2020

Main pond is fed by creeks and springs. and open fields. They placed the land in a conservation easement with Tall Timbers to protect the habitats and diverse plant and animal life the property supports. Working with native plant consultant J. Walter Bland of Rock Spring Restoration, the Turners are removing invasive plants and restoring native plant species throughout the property.

The Turners’ long-term vision is to host ecology field trips on Gentian

Creek Preserve for students of all ages.

They are working on a legacy plan that will fund educational field trips and provide a trust to manage and maintain the property and its natural habitats.

Looking ahead, the Turners hope Gentian Creek Preserve will inspire a land ethic in future generations that encourages broad conservation efforts to support land stewardship, thereby ensuring a healthier ecosystem for all living things. TM

“Healthy soils, water, and air are essential for life.

This is the essence of ecology.”

Jerry photographing a caterpillar

—Article written by Marta Turner. Jerry Turner’s 180+ nature videos are available online free-ofcharge on Vimeo (search Jerry Turner on Vimeo) and his photographs are available at Wiregrass Gallery in Thomasville.

56

Rain lilies

THOMASVILLEMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER & FALL 2020

Your One-Stop Shop for Boots, Clothing, and Archery Supplies in Thomasville

715 Smith Ave. THOMASVILLE www.dallaswaynebootcompany.com

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Sparking

Economic Growth A pivotal event leads to the formation of one of Thomasville’s newest and most impactful economic programs

By Jacqueline Ambrose Knight

I

Disclaimer: Writer Jacqueline Knight is the winner of Spark Thomasville’s Spring 2020 session.

t starts with an interview before a panel of businessmen and women to determine if your idea is a fit for the program. It ends with Spark Tank, a business idea competition where the winners receive cash prizes along with packages from Thomasville’s top marketing, branding, and design specialists. In the middle is a 12-week entrepreneurial program designed to take a business idea from concept to reality.

Welcome to Spark Thomasville, an innovative, intense, and powerful series of workshops that guide would-be entrepreneurs step-by-step through the process of starting and operating a business. Aimed at addressing the issues

of job creation, unemployment, entrepreneurship, and equity in underserved communities, Spark’s goal is to give entrepreneurs a firm foundation to build their own successful business.

For three hours each week, participants attend classes led by a facilitator who guides them through the curriculum, which includes writing a business plan, budgets and accounting, how to structure a business, and marketing, among many other important topics.

The program was born out of the protests and marches following the tragic shooting death of Herbert Gilbert Jr. by police in Thomas County in 2017, church, community,

Budding Entrepreneurs Spark Thomasville pairs entrepreneurs with seasoned mentors, and then helps them pitch their business concepts to a panel of judges. Alexandriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Delights was just one of the amazing businesses presented in the 2019 season.

60 THOMASVILLEMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER & FALL 2020

Spark Thomasville is modeled after a successful program in Nashville, TN—StartSpark. The program provides a clear pathway for Black businesses to startup, thrive, and create sustainable living for the next generation.

and business leaders wanted to assure both the citizens of Thomasville as well as outsiders that the town was more than capable of handling their own situation.

Some of those bold leaders formed the Good Neighboring Coalition whose purpose was to transform communities in a fundamental and positive way so that future generations would love and not hate each other.

Modeled after another successful program based in Nashville, TN―StartSpark― Spark Thomasville gives a clear pathway for Black businesses to startup, thrive, and create sustainable living for the next generation of entrepreneurs. The program is based on four pillars—safety, education, economic viability, and community development.

Dr. Sharon Edwards, deeply involved in conducting workshops on entrepreneurship and other important community issues for many years, was already using prominent African American businesspeople to inspire her participants to excellence and success. She was a natural choice to lead the charge in tackling the economic viability initiative, along with Thomasville residents Denny Blake, Bryan Watt, and Harry T. Jones.

When asked to head the Spark initiative, Edwards says she jumped at the chance to help even more aspiring entrepreneurs see their dreams realized.

“I’ve always believed that what I don’t know, I learn; what I learn, I master; and what I master, I teach to others,” she says.

EXPERIENCE THE BEST SERVICE GREAT AGENTS ARE THE KEY & THE REASON WE ARE THOMASVILLE’S MARKET LEADER

KeySouth isn’t an average real estate firm.

We don’t just buy and sell homes.

Yes, we’re experienced, trustworthy real estate professionals with a passion for finding the right home for your family or buyer for your house.

But more importantly, we’re your neighbors. We invest in our community, we give back, we care.

And we invest in our agents, because we know they are the key to providing you with great customer service.

Nothing makes our team happier than opening doors in Thomasville, Cairo and Tallahassee and welcoming new neighbors to the KeySouth family!

VIEW BEAUTIFUL PROPERTIES AT WWW.KEYSOUTH.COM

Pivotal Moments One of the strongest impacts Spark Thomasville has is in the relationships it forges throughout the weeks-long competition.

From strong connections with the mentors, judges, and fellow contestants, competitors are challenged to push themselves beyond their limits. While not every competitor walks away with a cash prize, the reward is in the life-changing experience itself.

By bringing diverse communities together for a the third cohort to graduate and complete the common goal, Spark Thomasville has helped develop program. To date, Spark has helped launch more leadership, build bridges, nurture relationships, than two dozen small businesses in Thomas County, and encourage budding entrepreneurs to invest in and the owners continue to receive mentorship, themselves. Dozens of volunteers from throughout advice, and encouragement for as long as they feel the community serve as coaches, that they need it. mentors, guest speakers, donors, This past spring, the newest Anthony Watkins, an and simply just friends willing to graduates and winners were executive with Launch champion the cause. announced. I took first place Anthony Watkins, an executive Chattanooga, was invited to with my plan for Genesis House with Launch Chattanooga (later International, a live/work Thomasville to help develop known as SparkStart), became community for special needs their guide. He was invited to and train the first group of adults who will live in Genesis Thomasville to help develop and Village, be vocationally trained, coaches and facilitators. and work in the community. train the first group of coaches, and facilitators, and he is still GHI will use social enterprise involved with the local program. techniques to change the face of Southwest Georgia, The first cohort of 12 participants had 100 percent creating nearly 200 jobs and serving nearly 400 completion in the spring of 2019, followed by seven clients over the next three years. more entrepreneurs that fall. Spring 2020 provided I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enter the competition thinking I would

63 THOMASVILLEMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER & FALL 2020

^ Dr. Sharon Edwards was a natural choice to lead the charge in tackling the economic viability initiative, along with Thomasville residents Denny Blake, Bryan Watt, and Harry T. Jones.

Hampton Inn of Thomasville

win, but rather I wanted the chance to focus solely on building the infrastructure of my organization.

Winning was an unexpected consequence of the hard work I put into the process.

Second place went to Nicole Duncan of Duncan Smile Catering & Mo’s, committed to making good food for the soul. Founded in 2016, Duncan Smile Catering & Mo’s vision is having a family-style, laid back establishment where strangers become family and food becomes love.

Third place winner Briana Brown is a content creator and social media strategist for her company, Affluent Influence. She is a writer and a speaker at major conferences around the country. “When I came into the program, I didn’t even know that what I did on social media for fun could become a business. Now, I have both local and national clients who call on my services.”

First, second, and third place winners are awarded a cash prize of $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 respectively, a one-year membership in the Thomasville/Thomas

951 S Broad Street • Thomasville, GA 31792 Phone 229-228-4130 Fax 229-226-4690 ThomasvilleFamilyMed.com

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Tours Thur & Fri 1-3pm (also 10am, if others sellout) Sat 10am Tickets $35 Gift Certificates great gifts!

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229.236.1522 Venice Causey Your Local Agent 107 N CRAWFORD ST THOMASVILLE, GA 31792 VCAUSEY@FARMERSAGENT.COM Advertisement produced on behalf of the following specific insurers and seeking to obtain business for insurance underwritten by Farmers Insurance Exchange, Fire Insurance Exchange, Truck Insurance Exchange, Mid-Century Insurance Company, Civic Property and Casualty Company, Exact Property and Casualty Company, Neighborhood Property and Casualty Company, and their a liates. In Texas, insurance is underwritten by Farmers Insurance Exchange, Fire Insurance Exchange, Truck Insurance Exchange, Mid-Century Insurance Company, Texas County Mutual Insurance Company, Mid-Century Insurance Company of Texas, and Texas Farmers Insurance Company. In New York, insurance is underwritten by Farmers Insurance Exchange, Truck Insurance Exchange, Mid-Century Insurance Company, and Farmers New Century Insurance Company, home o ce Los Angeles, California. Life insurance is issued by Farmers New World Life Insurance Company, 3120 139th Ave. SE, Ste. 300, Bellevue, WA 98005. Each insurer has sole fi nancial responsibility for its own insurance products. Visit farmers.com for a complete list of companies. Not all insurers are authorized to provide insurance in all states. Not all

< Spark Thomasvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2020 winner Jacqueline Knight with Dr. Sharon Edwards

County Chamber of Commerce, and access to some of the most successful lawyers, educators, and finance professionals, as well as mentoring from businessmen and women in the region, leading them though the process of creating a new enterprise.

Spark Thomasville is a game changer for a new startup business. In a region that has an average household income of $24,000 and a housing rental average of $1,500 a month, raising the average income in the area can change the face of equality in a city that is ready to meet that challenge.

For more information about upcoming opportunities, visit sparkthomasville.com.

Fall Registration Now Open

Limited Space Available Register today! southgeorgiaballet.org

THE THOMASVILLE KITCHEN

Fall in Love with

A V O L PAV itional

trad ples make this ap d an s an ec p Caramel, the fall. rt perfect for se es d er m m su

Autumn Pavlova with Apples, Maple Cream, and Salted Caramel SERVES 12 3 medium Honeycrisp or fuji apples, core removed and cut into slices 4 tbsp butter, melted 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice ¼ cup light brown sugar 4 large egg whites 1 cup confectioner’s sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp cornstarch 1 tsp white vinegar 12 oz heavy cream ¼ cup pure maple syrup Pinch of salt 2 tbsp salted caramel sauce 2 tbsp chopped pecans

PREPARATION 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large roasting pan with foil and set aside. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, pie spice, and brown sugar. Add the sliced apples to the bowl and toss to coat. Transfer the apples to the prepared roasting pan and roast the apples for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Once the apples have cooked, remove the pan from oven and allow the apples to cool to room temperature.

2. While the apples are baking, prepare to bake the pavlova tart by lining a large baking tray with parchment paper. Using a 6-inch cake pan, trace a circle onto the parchment paper and set aside.

You’ll use it to create a round pavlova with the meringue.

3. Once the apples have cooked, lower the oven temperature to 280°F to bake the pavlova.

To make the tart, place the egg whites in a stand mixer and beat on high with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form.

Sift in half of the confectioner’s sugar and mix on low to combine.

Add in the vanilla, corn starch, and remaining sugar, mix again on low to combine. Spread the egg whites onto the circle traced on the parchment paper. When spreading out the egg whites, ensure the outside edges are a big thicker and there’s a slight dip in the center, as if you’re making a bowl.

Apple Pickin’ Prepare your Autumn Pavlova with apples you pick yourself! Visit ExploreGeorgia.com and search for “Where to go Apple Picking in Georgia.” A list of orchards will appear. Have fun exploring!

69 THOMASVILLEMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER & FALL 2020

THE THOMASVILLE KITCHEN

A twist on

Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls SERVES 12 FOR THE FILLING: 5 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced 1/2 cup sugar 5 tbsp melted butter 2 tbsp butter room temperature 1 cup brown sugar 2 tbsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp apple spice (optional) CREAM CHEESE ICING: 4 tbsp butter, room temperature 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1/2 tsp salt FOR THE DOUGH: 1 package yeast (about 2 & 1/4 tsp) 1/2 cup lukewarm water 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup warm milk 1/3 cup melted butter 1 egg, room temperature 1 1/2 tsp salt 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

a fall favo

APPLE P rite IE CINNAM ON ROLL S

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s n

othing q uite like waking u oma of c p in the innamon morning rolls. Th e apples add a sp ecial tou ch.

to the ar

PREPARATION Combine lukewarm water, 1/4 cup sugar and yeast in a small bowl and set aside for for 8-10 minutes or until the mixture begins to bubble and the yeast has begun to activate.

In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, egg, warm milk, and salt. Add the yeast mixture and then slowly whisk in 1 cup of flour then another cup. The mixture will begin to thicken. Switch from the whisk to a wooden spoon, gradually add the rest of the flour and continue mixing until the flour is fully combined.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap, place in the microwave or oven (turned off) for 90 minutes. Begin working on apple filling. When the dough has risen, remove the cover and punch it down, then remove from the

bowl. Roll out on a floured surface into a 16x24 inch rectangle.

Spread the apple mixture over the brown sugar as evenly as you can.

Roll into a log, starting from one end to the other, lengthwise, so the log is 24 inches. Cut 2-inch slices for 12 cinnamon rolls or 3-inch slices for 8 big cinnamon rolls. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper and place the rolls on the paper about 1 inch apart. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 1 hour. About 20 minutes before the rolls are done rising, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the rolls for 20 minutes or until the edges are golden in color. Allow the rolls to cool for at least 15 minutes, then top with cream cheese frosting and serve warm!

Apple Pie Filling: While the dough is rising, begin working on the apple filling. Heat a large skillet to medium/high heat and add 5 tablespoons of butter and stir until melted. Add the apples and sugar and saute until the apples are lightly caramelized. Remove the skillet from heat and set aside until you are ready to use.

Cream Cheese Frosting: Mix cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt together with an electric or stand mixer on medium speed until the icing is light and fluffy.

APPLE PICKIN’ TIME The North Georgia Mountains offer fresh air, beautiful scenery, and apples ripe for the picking.

When the first hint of autumn is in the air, the hills of North Georgia beckon. Leaf watchers travel the curvy roads to take in the colorful scenery. Sleepy towns come alive with fall festivals, and roadside farm stands welcome their peak season. There are pumpkin patches, corn mazes and plenty of boiled peanuts. And it’s apple time. While the orchards offer many of the same apple varieties, each apple house has its own personality. Get out, ride around, and try them all!

Along Apple Alley Ellijay, in Gilmer County, is a great place to start the apple journey. The county produces roughly 600,000 bushels of apples each fall and is known as the “Apple Capital of Georgia.” On October weekends, Highway 52 can come to a standstill as leaf changing and apple season hit their peaks. The second and third weekends of October are particularly busy as Ellijay puts on the annual Georgia Apple Festival. georgiaapplefestival.org Hillcrest Orchards Celebrating its 25th year this fall, Hillcrest Orchards’ Apple Pickin’ Jubilee is a hub of activity from the first Saturday in September through October (or until all the apples are picked). For a $14 admission fee on weekends, or $8 on weekdays, visitors can pick their own apples, with varieties ranging from Gold Rush to Rome Beauty. Weekend activities include entertainment, a petting farm, and wagon rides.

The farm market is open daily from September through November. hillcrestorchards.net Reece Orchards Reece’s offers some 30 varieties of apples. They offer U-pick beginning the last weekend of August, when the first varieties like Gala, Mutsu, and Golden Delicious are ripe.

The trees are usually picked clean by the end of October.

Reece Orchards also offers a petting farm, hayrides, and an apple cannon, each for a small fee. U-pick is available every day during September and October. The farm market is open 8am to 6pm daily. reeceorchards.com The Hills of Blue Ridge Mercier Orchards in neighboring Fannin County, just outside of Blue Ridge, offers over 50 varieties of apples throughout the growing season. To pick, buy a bag in the market and take a tractor ride up the steep hill to the orchards. U-pick is available on Saturdays and Sundays as soon as the first apples mature. Most of the apples will be gone by early to mid-October, so plan your trip accordingly. The farm market is open daily and offers fresh apples, seasonal produce, and a variety of apple products. A fried pie is an absolute must, and the market bakery offers a couple dozen varieties. mercier-orchards.com

Baked Apples with Granola, Pecans and Honey SERVES 12 4 apples, sweet ½ cup granola ¼ cup pecans, chopped 4 tsp coconut oil (or butter) 4 tsp honey

PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350.

Wash apples and scoop out the core using a melon baller or knife/spoon combo, leaving the bottom quarter of the apple intact.

Place apples in a baking dish and drop ½ tsp of coconut oil in each apple hole.

Fill each apple with 2 tbsp of granola mixture and top with remaining ½ tsp of coconut oil.

Bake apples, covered, for 20 minutes.

Remove cover and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle apples with 1 tsp honey each.

THE THOMASVILLE KITCHEN

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rs of fall

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

New Hire

Solutions

By Bunny Byrne

W

For both job seekers and the companies who need them, New Hire Solutions has been cutting through the storms for 15 years.

In addition to giving back in other ways, the company is supportive of the work-based learning program in local schools. This program includes 20 local schools providing concrete assistance in the form of mock interviews with local businesses, resume workshops, and a focus on soft skills in an effort to not only strengthen the quality of their candidates, but also the community.

74 THOMASVILLEMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER & FALL 2020

hen the waters of employment and staffing are turbulent, you need a confident captain to steer you clear. For both job seekers and the companies who need them, New Hire Solutions has been cutting through the storms for 15 years.

When New Hire began in 2005, their focus was on temporary placements for light industrial clients, but that’s changed. Over the years, New Hire has seen where there are gaps in the local workforce and have adapted their offerings to better support the local economy. President Landis Thomas says, “By partnering with schools across our region, our work-based learning program allows us to help educate those entering the workforce with real-world knowledge of how to succeed in their career.”

This program includes 20 local schools providing concrete assistance in the form of mock interviews with local businesses, resume workshops, and a focus on soft skills in an effort to not only strengthen the quality of their candidates, but also the community.

New Hire remains deeply invested in the community, doing what they can to help in these trying times.

During the first wave of pandemic related closures, New Hire assisted not only their own clients, but other businesses in the community by filing for unemployment benefits on behalf of their permanent employees. They also walked businesses through the

reporting requirements needed to apply for the Payroll Protection Program loans available, in addition to notifying employees of the various extended FMLA programs.

“Age can give a person a better perspective on situations,” says Marketing Director Jacob Welch, “and it is no different in business. Our employees depend on a paycheck and we want to make sure they are kept working in order to be able to provide for their families. We’ve been very focused on making sure we are staying current with labor trends and being flexible to the needs of our clients and communities.”

Welch points out that their clients are relying on the company’s prescreening services to help minimize exposure risk. Welch says, “The hiring manager of your business is looking at only applicants based on criteria you’ve given to us.

And in today’s COVID-19 world, the fewer people one has to interact with in close proximity, such as an interview, is a huge plus.” In addition, their services include payment and reporting of payroll taxes, unemployment insurances, workers compensation coverage and all basic human resources and payroll duties. They keep up with all the requirements to let their clients focus on running their businesses.

“We’ve also stayed in constant contact with our

clients to make sure that all CDC guidelines are being followed to protect not only our workers but those that are permanent employees of our client companies. For some of our smaller clients that don’t have a human resources department, we’ve been able to guide them through how to make sure they are in compliance and protecting the well-being of all involved.”

As of July 3, there were over 250 positions open between New Hire’s three office locations. The global pandemic has left many in search of work, and Welch wants to encourage job seekers. “We have seen a major increase in the need for workers. We are seeing a large majority of employers that are willing to take someone with little to no experience and train them to work for their companies if they can show the willingness to learn.” TM

75

THOMASVILLEMAGAZINE.COM | SUMMER & FALL 2020

What is the

Pooch?

WHAT’S CAUSING YOUR “MOMMY TUMMY” AND HOW TO FIX IT

BY STEPHANIE RICE

E

v er had one of those “lightbulb” moments? I have been in the health and wellness industry for over 17 years. My specialty is helping women lose weight and heal from injuries. You work your core every time you exercise for the hopes of getting a flat stomach.

Over the years I have run into numerous women who, no matter what they did, couldn’t seem to get rid of the “pooch.”

When my first baby was born, I had lost a lot of

core strength (BIG baby!), so I skimmed the surface of what I knew about postpartum rehab and bounced back quickly and thoroughly… or so I thought! It wasn’t until after my second (and even bigger) baby that I realized how frail my core had become. Not only did I struggle with the “pooch,” but my deep core had become very weak. So, I decided to explore the area of the pelvic floor more closely.

The pelvic floor is the deep muscular base of your abdomen, attached to your pelvis. These deep

ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOALS, AND HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO GET THEM DONE.

Local Health

NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME TO

“I would caution jumping right back into bootcamp, Crossfit, HIIT, and even yoga or Pilates classes before you know if your pelvic floor is strong enough. No number of lunges or counting calories will get rid of that dreaded “pooch” if it is a DR or pelvic floor issue.”

core muscles are responsible for numerous tasks, supporting vital organs like the bladder and intestines, and, in women, the vagina. The majority of women have a weak pelvic floor and most have no idea the importance of it and what it can do for their everyday lives, baby or not.

Diastasis recti (DR) is when your abdominal muscles separate, resulting in a “pooch” or “mommy tummy.”

A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that at least 60 percent of women still suffered from

DR six weeks postpartum, and 32 percent at 12 months out. Even thin moms can have DR and the accompanying problems like incontinence, constipation, low back pain, and hernias.

It’s essential for all women to know whether they have DR before starting any exercise program as the wrong type can increase the DR. To begin, I recommend watching YouTube videos on how to assess or evaluate diastasis recti. This does not replace your doctor, but it will give you a good idea about whether or not you should seek professional help.

A strong pelvic floor will help mitigate back pain, potentially enable easier childbirth, and keep you from urinating when you laugh or sneeze. Your pelvic floor is also the base support for all functional movements in life: picking up your child, putting groceries in the car, lugging around a heavy purse, and so on. You need a strong pelvic floor to avoid injury.

If you find yourself pulling your back a lot (or experiencing back pain in general), having to use the restroom too much, clenching through your

Local Health DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING

jaw (grinding your teeth), shallow breathing, and/ or lack of bladder control, you may have a weak pelvic floor. Once again, please seek professional help from a pelvic floor specialist.

Here are some great exercises you can start at home to help strengthen your pelvic floor.

Honestly, I have never met anyone who didn’t need these. The breathing exercises are great because you get a two-for-one—they also help reduce stress!

TRANSVERSE ABDOMINAL BREATHING

• Lay on your back with knees bent and feet flat • Take a deep inhale and relax all of your muscles • As you exhale, engage through your pelvic floor by squeezing the muscles as if you were holding in urine • At the same time, squeeze your belly button to your spine • Take a full exhale, squeezing all air out and holding the muscles • You should feel like your waistline is shrinking (think of a tight corset being wrapped around you) • Repeat 8 – 10 times

• Sit tall with your feet flat on the floor and spine straight • Take a deep inhale, feel your ribs expand and diaphragm dropping (imagine an elevator going down as you breath in) • As you exhale, engage through your pelvic floor by squeezing the muscles as if you were holding in urine • Exhale starting at your pelvic floor and work your way up, squeezing your belly and ribs at the top (imagine an elevator going up as you breath out) • Repeat 8 – 10 times

I would caution jumping right back into bootcamp, Crossfit, HIIT, and even yoga or Pilates classes before you know if your pelvic floor is strong enough. No number of lunges or counting calories will get rid of that dreaded “pooch” if it is a DR or pelvic floor issue. Aside from that, once you do have a strong deep core, your success in those types of workouts will be much greater.

Once you take the time you need to build your base, you can get back to all the things you love without as much risk of injury. Your “pooch” will go down and you won’t feel the need to hide whenever you sneeze! TM STEPHANIE RICE B.S. Exercise Science Jacksonville University ASCM, Certified Personal Trainer ACE, Weight Management Specialist Balanced Body Pilates Instructor MBG Functional Nutrition Specialist Fit Fab Life - Owner www.fitfablife.biz fitfablifetraining@gmail.com

PELVIC TILTS

• Lay on your back with knees bent and feet flat • Take a deep inhale and relax all your muscles • As you exhale, engage through your pelvic floor and lower abdominals by drawing your belly button to your spine and tilt your pelvis back so your lower back touches the floor • Key is to not use your butt to push, so relax that tush • Inhale to relax the pelvis back into its neutral position and relax all the muscles • Repeat 8 – 10 times

BRIDGING

• Lay on your back with knees bent and feet flat • Take a deep inhale and relax all your muscles • As you exhale, engage through your pelvic floor and lower abdominals by drawing your belly button to your spine and tilt your pelvis back so your lower back touches the floor • Press your hips to the ceiling, making sure your ribcage does not lift or flare • Keep squeezing your deep core and lower your hips down slowly • Repeat 8 – 10 times

MODIFIED SIDE PLANK

• Lay on your side with your elbow bent and positioned right under your shoulder • Bend your knees with your feet slightly behind you • Press your elbow and knee into the floor to lift your top hip towards the ceiling • Take a deep inhale before you press, exhale and squeeze your pelvic floor and belly button towards your spine as you press up • Inhale to lower your hip back down to the floor • You should feel this in the core and the muscles on the side facing the ground • If this is too easy, try extending your legs and going up on the side of your foot instead of your knee • Repeat 8 – 10 times

SPORTING

Life

HUNTING GUIDE TO THE RED HILLS REGION

DOWNTOWN THOMASVILLE

Georgia Hunting SEASON DATES

Deer 12 per season, statewide. No more than 10 may be antlerless and no more than 2 may be antlered. One of the antlered deer must have at least 4 points, one inch or longer, on one side of the antlers.

• Archery, Sep 12 - Jan 10 • Youth Firearms, Oct 10 - 16 • Firearms, Oct 17 - Jan 10 Turkey 3 gobblers per season; private land only • March 20 - May 15 Dove 15 per day; 45 in possession • Sept. 5–30 • Nov. 21–Nov. 29 • Dec. 8–Jan. 31

WE TAKE THE

Quail 12 per day • Nov. 14–Feb. 28 Rabbit 12 per day • Nov. 14–Feb. 28 Bear 2 per season; provided, however, that no more than 1 may be taken from the southern/central bear zones.

• Firearms: Sept. 17–19 & 24–26, • Oct. 1–3 & 8–10 Alligator 1 per quota permit • Aug. 14 (sunset)–Oct. 5 (sunrise)

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THE RANGES AT OAKFIELD The Ranges at Oakfield is Thomas Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new sporting center.

This range is filled with all the new technology to help improve your technique or learn a new skill. The facility consists of a 25-yard pistol range, a 100-yard rifle range, two skeet/trap fields, and a 5-stand clay range. Educational classes are offered for individuals as well as group settings. Fore more info, visit https://thomascountyboc.org/oakfield.

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Family Style Buffet Restaurant Enjoy fresh country cooking served buffet style daily in a casual family friendly atmosphere.

Rotating menu features 10-plus meats, 20-plus vegetables, a 70-item salad bar, and over 20 varieties of fresh baked desserts, served every day.

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