NCM_Nov/Dec 2021 by The Times-Herald

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A Publication of The Newnan Times-Herald

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Sara Moore

Newnan-Coweta Magazine is published bi-monthly by The Newnan Times-Herald, Inc., 16 Jefferson Street, Newnan, GA 30263.

Editor Jackie Kennedy

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72 | Southern Christmas Dinner

By Jackie Kennedy

By Jeffrey Ward

By Gail McGlothin

23 Sharpsburg turns 150

68 | One to Watch

City of Newnan's Page Beckwith is One to Watch in 2021 and beyond.

By Robin Stewart

Canceled in 2020, the beloved Newnan Christmas Parade is set to march and roll through town in December. Emily Kimbell

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 ISSUE our features 68 3834

CONTENTS

52 Hail the Return of the Christmas Parade

Enjoy a new twist on what may become your traditional Christmas dinner.

The small Southern town celebrates its sesquicentennial in December. By Jennifer Dziedzic

38 Cookies with Santa Newnan-Coweta Magazine holds its fourth annual Bake Your Best Christmas Cookie Contest.

12 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM

Ellis Lowery, of Sharpsburg, fought global terror in Iraq and Afghanistan.

58 | War Veteran Recalls Military Career

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In this season of Thanksgiving, we are grateful for Newnan-Coweta Magazine – and the hands that prepare it.

For all his blessings, he credited the same source. Whether thankful for rain on a dry day or a good ham biscuit, he’d say, “God is good.”

Here’s hoping your holiday season is one of thanksgiving.

Jackie Kennedy with her father, Jack Smith in 2008.

He led a good life. Born dirt poor, he grew up working on the farm and continued to work hard even 20 years after retirement age. As a cattleman and hay producer, he was also a master mechanic, carpenter and businessman skilled in veterinary care. He ran a tractor dealership for most of 40 years where he earned a good living and a good reputation.

Daddy sure did.

14 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COMJackieKennedy, Editor magazine@newnan.com LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

y daddy was 86 and had lived a full life when he died in late November seven yearsMoreago.than anyone I’ve ever known, he exuded a spirit of gratitude, so it seemed fitting he left at Thanksgiving. With the anniversary of his death and the holiday forever linked, remembering him, especially in November, is my reminder to be grateful and give thanks.

At mealtime, Daddy’s prayer almost always included this expression of gratitude: “Thank you for the food on the table and the hands that prepared it.”

We give thanks for the freelancers and staff members who write, photograph, edit, design and proof the pages; the community members who compete in our contests and submit photos, poems and book reviews; the advertisers and sponsors whose support enables us to publish NCM; and the readers, whose devotion keeps us Inmotivated.thisHoliday Issue, we celebrate Sharpsburg’s sesquicentennial, see page 23, and the return of the Newnan Christmas Parade, see page 52. We share winning recipes from our fourth annual Bake Your Best Christmas Cookie Contest, see page 38, and we wrap up our Ones to Watch in 2021 features with a shoutout to Keep Newnan Beautiful’s Page Beckwith, see page 68.

With gratitude, we salute local veterans, see page 62, and we profile war veteran Ellis Lowery, see page 58.

In this season of Thanksgiving

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In November, we'll post another photo for readers to caption. Winners receive an NCM T-shirt. Visit newnancowetamagazine.com or follow us on Facebook to submit your caption.

In September, we asked our Newnan-Coweta Magazine readers and Facebook friends to caption this photo. We received numerous entries with the winning caption, above, submitted by Christy Landrum Johnson of Newnan.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 15 Caption This! @newnancowetamag “Does this purse make me look fat?”

Payton Thompson is the mother of a baby boy who keeps her busy 24/7. She loves her family and her job as receptionist at The Newnan Times-Herald and, when she’s not occupied with all of these, she enjoys crafting.

Jennifer Dziedzic lives in Newnan with her amazingly artistic daughter. The two love creating stories together, with Jennifer writing and her daughter illustrating. Jennifer loves being a freelance writer, uses a pen name sometimes, and enjoys digging crystals to make jewelry in her free time.

Caroline Nicholson studies French at the University of West Georgia. Since she was a young girl, she has loved disappearing behind a book and falling into fictional worlds. After graduation, she plans to pursue a master’s degree in English to become a college English and creative writing professor. In time, she hopes to publish her own young adult novel.

Sandy Hiser counts herself fortunate to live and work in downtown Newnan. Passionate about helping animals, she serves on the board of directors for Newnan-Coweta Humane Society. She admits her rescue dog Lucille may have a few issues, “but she’s the perfect dog for me,” says Sandy.

The Rev. April McGlothin-Eller is the director of Church and Community Engagement at Wellroot Family Services, a ministry of the United Methodist Church. In her free time, she fancies herself a musician, artist and photographer.

Sara Moore’s warm and welcoming nature influences her photography by putting her subjects at ease. She enjoys living the quiet country life while residing in Newnan with her husband, horses, dogs, chickens and ducks.

Jill Whitley is a former courtappointed child advocate for Coweta CASA and has navigated widowhood, single parenting and blending a family. She lives in Coweta County with her incredibly patient husband and two kindhearted, hilarious children.

Emily Kimbell is executive director of the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society. An active member of her community, she enjoys exploring the city’s historic cemetery and acting in local theatre productions.

Our Contributors

Gail McGlothin is a nonprofit consultant and grant writer. When she's not searching for starfish on the Oregon coast, kayaking, reading or playing board games with her grandchildren, Gail helps voters get government-issued picture IDs.

Jeffrey Ward is a native San Franciscan, Vietnam vet and University of communicationsWashingtongradwith a 50-year career in aviation. He’s been married 47 years, has two adult children and six grandchildren, and is a foodie and Facebook junkie.

Chuck and Barbara Cleveland of Newnan have been happily married for 44 years and enjoy travel, especially to Italy. Barbara is a retired social worker/counselor who likes photography. Chuck has contributed articles to local publications, including NCM and The Newnan Times-Herald.

I read that Misha Benson was responsible for the cover idea and the fashion sense of the Scarecrow on your September/October cover. Awesome! I think that is my favorite front cover. I want that scarecrow.

Local and non-local volunteers, local and nonlocal churches, are still in there getting it done. Debris cleanup, chainsaw work, all of the time and labor, personal tools and equipment these guys and gals provide are admirable. And what about Tractor Mike bringing his John Deere with the grapple every Saturday?!Thesecrews got heart and love the community so much they are giving up their Saturdays and still cleaning up Newnan and Coweta County from the tornado. Thank you all who have and are still helping the homeowners get through this.

ROLL CALL

Learn more at westga.edu/business.

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OUR READERS WRITE

Dear Editor,

Robin Stewart volunteers with the Newnan-Coweta Humane Society and, along with her artist husband, is active in the local arts scene. She loves all animals, is addicted to costume jewelry, and the part of her brain that used to know math is now occupied by useless facts for team trivia purposes.

– Linda Huff Coweta/Newnan Office Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Let Us Hear From You...

Send thoughts, ideas and suggestions to magazine@newnan.com.

KennedyJackiebyPhoto

In between visits with children, Santa posed for pictures, and Moore got some great shots of the Big Guy. With his plate of winning cookies on the cover, he's about to sink his teeth into

HiserSandybyPhoto

Mrs. Claus steals a kiss in between shots

Santa TownComesClausto

We reached out to Santa himself, but he reminded us that autumn is his busy season in the elves' workshop as he oversees the final stages of toy production.

MooreSarabyPhoto

Afterarticle.judging for our Bake Your Best Christmas Cookie Contest was complete on Sept. 24, our own Santa joined us for a photoshoot with Moore behind the camera. We had barely stepped foot outside when the magic ensued. It was like walking with a rock star. Like a magnet, Santa attracted children whose eyes sparkled at the great surprise of seeing him strolling through downtown Newnan in September. His entourage – his wife Jennifer, Media Sales Specialist Misha Benson, Moore and myself – patiently waited as he listened to Christmas wish lists and reminded the kids to be good little boys and girls.

hen the time came to consider our holiday cover, Media Sales Specialist Jill Whitley came up with a great idea: "Let's combine our cookie contest with Santa Claus," she said. "We can have him holding a plate of the winning cookies."

our grand prize winning submission, a delicious Fruitcake Cookie baked by Carol Grizzard. (See all of our Cookie Contest winners on page 40.)

Creating the cover for Newnan-Coweta Magazine is always a treat. But for this one, we got to experience what it must feel like to hang out with a rock star. Just call us Santa's Groupies. NCM

18 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM

Written by JACKIE KENNEDY

PhotobySaraMoore

Cover_1112_final.indd 10/14/21

As it turns out, freelance photographer Sara Moore had recently interviewed and photographed a fellow who portrays Santa Claus during the holidays. Yes, if Santa on the cover looks familiar, it's because he's Tony Doolittle, who was featured in our September-October issue's Coweta Cooks

BEHIND THE SHOT

Karris Teagle was all aglow when she got a hug from Santa after spotting him strolling upJefferson Street in September.

We knew we needed a substitute Santa.

At Rock Salt Milk Bar, Sara Moore leans in for a shot of Santa as Jennifer Doolittle helps direct the shoot.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 19

Santa reminds his adoring fans that Christmas is only weeks

time with Ashley Teagle and herkids, from left, family friend Robert Pitts, EdwardChidester, Karris Teagle and Kynslee Teagle

Sisters Peyton, left, and Madison Deiterman beckoned Santa to their car window. They are the children of Derek and Kristen Deiterman of Newnan.

Santaaway.spent

The author’s uncle, celebrated Moultrie architect William Frank McCall Jr., designed several residences in Newnan. All feature the inspired classicism with understanding of proportion and detailing that earned McCall the highest award attainable from the American Institute of Architects when he was named a Fellow in 1984. Frank McCall’s tributes included the Georgia Governor’s Award for the Arts as well as recognition from Classical America. He died in 1991.

“McCall: Lost Images of a Design Tradition” was published April 9, 2021 by Amazon.com; 202 pages.

cCall: Lost Images of a Design Tradition” is replete with stunning color photography and equally stunning reminisces by the author, John Clark McCall Jr., an interior designer with important ties to Newnan.

“M

BOOK REVIEW 20 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM

While there are two books by Robert R. Mitchell on Frank McCall, in this book, his author-nephew shares photographs and family stories that offer a capstone of information on his celebrated uncle.

John McCall also includes the work of his 40-plus years in design, which have been recognized with awards from the American Society of Interior Designers. It was Frank McCall who first inspired the author to pursue the interior design field. The younger McCall also worked in education and campus planning

Read a good book lately?

Share your favorite new read with NewnanCoweta Magazine by writing a book review for possible publication in an upcoming issue. Keep your review at 200-300 words and please include the author’s name, page count and date of publication.Sendyour review with your contact information to magazine@newnan.com or mail to NewnanCoweta Magazine, 16 Jefferson St., Newnan, GA 30263.

Lost‘McCall:ImagesofaDesignTradition’

Reviewed by MITCH S. PARKER

at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Readers will find an engaging text that supports lavish pictorial documentation, from the marshes of Louisiana to Sea Island. Unlike many coffee table books, this one features compelling reading in addition to marvelous photography. Many photos were taken by Van Jones Martin, who recorded not only Frank McCall’s work but that of other famous Georgia classicists as well.

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CELEBRATES 150

YEARS OF HISTORY

A SUPER Sesquicentennial

Photos and Images Courtesy of BLUE COLE

Written by JENNIFER DZIEDZIC

StanleyKaybyDrawing

COWETA FEATURE

commissioners. Cotton production was plentiful in mid-19th century Sharpsburg, and completion of the Savannah, Griffin and North Alabama Railroad in 1870 aided in moving agricultural products to markets.

Halfway between Newnan and Senoia, early Sharpsburg had a bank, drugstore, cotton gins and other businesses that thrived in the community until the Great Depression hit America in 1929. Through the 1930s, people left the area in search of work, but the population gradually grew

24 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM

the town of Sharpsburg was officially incorporated on December 13, 1871. This December, the small city in Coweta County celebrates its 150-year history in a big way with the Sharpsburg Sesquicentennial.Themonth-longobservation is set to feature various events with local groups and businesses in cooperation with the NewnanCoweta Historical Society. The town of Sharpsburg was named for Judge Elias Sharp, one of the original town

Bridges & Cole general store was a mainstay in Sharpsburgdecades.for

RIGHT Downtown streets and shops bustle with business in 1970s Sharpsburg.

Founded in 1825,

ABOVE

again as more families moved in.

Today, incorporated Sharpsburg is home to 354 residents; however, what Sharpsburg Mayor Blue Cole calls "metropolitan Sharpsburg" contains 22,000 residents.

Mayor Cole, whose family lineage goes back to 1800s Sharpsburg, says: “Throughout the years, just like the Newnan Coles, the Cole family in Sharpsburg was active in the business and civic community. They founded the bank, and they had partial interest in the general store.”

COWETA FEATURE

Sesquicentennial Events

Preserving History

Of his family, Cole says they “did help install the first telephone line that ran from Newnan to Senoia.” A photo of that original phone line, which came through Sharpsburg, will be on display with the historical documents.

“Just like in yesteryear, we want to foster a sense of community. We want to have events. We want to have gatherings. We want a place to create memories.”

A Mayor's Personal Ties

note is the Sharpsburg bank’s official early-1900s charter from the State of Georgia.

For the Sesquicentennial celebration, historical exhibits will be on display at the community center at 105 Main Street. Visitors will see memorabilia that has been preserved over the years with some going back to the late 1800s. The items include those from founding families of the town as well as digital newspaper articles highlighting life in Sharpsburg through the decades. One item of

— Sharpsburg Mayor Blue Cole

— Continued on page 28. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 25

Cole says most citizens don’t necessarily know or understand where the municipal borders lie. He explains: “The municipal borders go from East Coweta High School over to Highways 16 and 54, roughly, so just that little bit is the actual town of Sharpsburg. The zip code of Sharpsburg, the greater Sharpsburg area, goes from Highway 29 and Interstate-85 all the way down to 16 and 54.”

Included in the display are a voting packet from the December 1978 election and other municipal documents.

Mayor Cole anticipates having both a Found Art Project, in conjunction with the NewnanCoweta Art Association, and an Art Walk consisting of Sharpsburg-centric art from Kay

COWETA FEATURE

“ lookingWe’re to find capablepartnerswhoareandwillingtoinvestinthetownwithusaswetrytomakeitaplaceforfamiliesandbusinessestoprosper.”

LEFT

— SharpsburgBlueMayorCole

The mid-twentieth century is captured in time in this photo taken inside Bridges & Cole general store, the hub around which daily life in Sharpsburg revolved.

“Just like in yesteryear, we want to foster a sense of community,” he says. “We want to have events. We want to have gatherings. We want a place to create memories. We look back at the articles from the early

— Sharpsburg Mayor Blue Cole

ABOVE

“One of the things that I’m super excited about and proud of is that everybody I've brought in is passionate . . . we love this little town.”

A 1950s Sharpsburg Town Council meeting was held at a card table at Bridges & Cole general store.

RIGHT

“The art can take nearly any form,” says Cole. “In fact, that’s part of the fun.”

Looking Ahead

Mayor Cole has high aspirations for the future of Sharpsburg.“Wewant the sense of community, as in the sense of civic pride that we’ve had in the past, but we want to give the modern touch,” he says. “We want to modernize some things around here. We started that in Town Hall and we’re hoping that the ripples can expand outward. We’re looking at developing and improving our infrastructure. We’re looking to find partners who are capable and willing to invest in the town with us as we try to make it a place for families and businesses to prosper.”

The Found Art Project is being created by local artists using natural and discarded material like bricks, glass, bottles and metal from Sharpsburg.

Stanley, a local art teacher, and her students with art focused on the town and its history.

By taking items that would have otherwise been discarded, artists involved in the project will display their folk art works at the art show held during the Sesquicentennial celebration.

Cole said work is ongoing to bring new classes and new topics to the Sharpsburg Community Center for all ages to utilize and benefit from.

— Continued from page 25.

Whether Sharpsburg residents needed groceries, gas or cooking utensils, Bridges & Cole was a one-stop shop in 1978.

28 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM

COWETA FEATURE

Finally, Cole expresses appreciation for the City employees and Sharpsburg business community.

1900s, where you had brass bands and fireworks and trains coming by. We want to bring back that sense of community, and everything that we’re doing here in Town Hall is to position us to get there. Our job at Town Hall is to set our businesses and our residents up forFuturesuccess.”plans call for expanding and improving the local library, according to Cole.

“We see the library becoming the focus and the driving force behind these community improvements,” he says. “We want the library to have a larger place in town, not a larger physical space but a larger presence in town, so that we can do a lot of the promotion and engage with the children.”

“One of the things that I’m super excited about and proud of is that everybody I've brought in is passionate about the town,” the mayor concludes. “We love this little town.” NCM

Written by JENNIFER DZIEDZIC | Photographed by JACKIE KENNEDY

Two Centuries in Sharpsburg

30 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM

orn in 1944, Dean Adamson has had family in Sharpsburg, in the area of McIntosh Trail and Reese Road, since Coweta County was established in 1826.

“That’s when they drew the land lottery and the settlers came in,” says Adamson. “They found one of my ancestors, Aquila Hardy, already living here.”Hardy, from Adamson’s grandmother’s lineage, was one of the first settlers in the area. “So I’ve been here since dirt was invented,” says Adamson.

A FAMILY LINEAGE: FROM HARDY TO ADAMSON, 1826-2021

ABOVE and OPPOSITE PAGE Dean Adamson describes how farm life used to be at his family's Sharpsburg roomconstructedhomestead,asatwo-housein1830sandoneofCowetaCounty'soldestbuildings.

“My great-great-granddaddy was a preacher,” says the descendant. “I guess the preaching and planting cotton made him enough money to build a big

An old wood house that still stands on the family’s property was built in the 1830s. The family moved into a larger house on the corner of the property in 1880, according to Adamson, who says they planted cotton and worked the land using mules.

COWETA FEATURE

share of the farm work. The mules at his place now, says Adamson: “These right here are just like me. They’re relics of the past.”

“The family went into the woods, buried everything they had that was of value, including all the hams and side meat they had cured, so the Army wouldn’t steal it,” says Adamson. “They were some tough old dogs.”

Crossed between a donkey and a horse, the mules that his family had when he was growing up handled their

After cotton production stopped, Adamson’s family began milking cows.

As a youngster, Adamson went swimming in the creek and played baseball.

The farmer figures it was sometime in the 1950s when his father purchased the family’s first tractor.

COWETA FEATURE

In 2021, Adamson wondered if he was the only Coweta County resident with a patch of cotton growing on his

“We milked about 150 cows twice a day, every day, almost all of my young working life,” he says, recalling that the family planted soybeans and corn and cut silage and hay. “A whole lot of people went into the dairy business. We owned Coweta Dairy, a local co-op right there in Newnan.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 31

According to Adamson, farming in the early 19th century was basically the only way to make a living in the“Therearea. wasn’t nothin’ to do but farm,” he says. “When I was growing up, there wasn’t nothin’ but cotton growing everywhere. That was all there was. It was the only game in town.”

house on the corner.”

“I’veproperty.gotsixrows planted over there in back of that old house,” he says with a laugh. “That might be the only cotton you’ll find within a hundred miles of here. I planted it because my dad and my granddad, they were cotton farmers, and I got two mules just because that was in my blood.”

“Everyone had a ball team,” says the son. “Most all your little communities had a semi-pro baseball team

“My daddy was a big baseball fan,” says the younger Adamson. “He had all the little boys with him. He had a ’49 Ford. We’d put about ten or twelve kids in it and go all around, playing baseball.”

His father was one of a few residents instrumental in getting the little league program started in Sharpsburg, according to Adamson.

Adamson’s family farmed at Sharpsburg through the Civil War, Great Depression, World Wars, and the devastating boll weevils. “They all were good farmers,” he says of the multiple generations on the land. “Some of ’em had real good mules. They were notorious mule handlers. They could make an old mule read and write.”

Adamson’s great-grandfather told stories to his grandchildren about how the family hid everything when they got word that the Union Army was on the move.

After the Civil War, many of his family members moved away, leaving signs on their doors that read: “GTT.” At the time, that meant: “Gone To Texas.”

“They still did most of their farming with the mules,” he says. “The last cotton that was planted here, to try to make a living with, was probably in the early ’60s.”

“I played a lot of ball, but I wasn’t the best of the ball players, but I always have been a pretty good horseman,” he recollects. “That’s all I could think about on the way home on the school bus – catchin’ my horse and lightin’ out.”

with grown people playing. That’s what you did on SundayAnotherafternoon.”pastime for Adamson was riding horses. He’s ridden horses since he was big enough to get on one.

The Adamson family showed cattle through the local 4-H program and, after graduating high school,

Adamson worked as a camp counselor at Rock Eagle for threeAftersummers.hisfamily sold off the dairy in the 1990s, Adamson followed his calling. “All my life, I rode horses and mules, and liked to show horses,” he says. “I went to Texas to try to be a cowboy, got to Texas, and everybody out there was a little bit better cowboy than I was.”Heeventually returned to Georgia and hauled pulpwood for a living until he sold his pulpwood truck in Ever2019.since Coweta County was settled almost two centuries ago, Adamson’s family property has been farmed. “It’s never not been farmed since 1826,” he says with pride. Today, some of the land is rented to planters who raise row crops.

32 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM COWETA FEATURE

Thinking back on what he loves most about Sharpsburg, Adamson says with a deep sigh: “Ah, my memories of it. My dad, he always said we are as much a part of the land as the rocks are. And that’s the truth.”

In those days, Adamson and his siblings rode horses everywhere and hunted rabbits and squirrels. Nobody complained, except for one time, he recalls: “One fella had a liquor still and told us not to tell anybody where his still Adamsonwas.”and his brothers took rabbit skins to the Bridges & Cole store in Sharpsburg and sold them for fifty cents apiece. Then, they would give the merchant his fifty cents back in exchange for Baby Ruth candy bars and RC colas.

NCM TAKE THE TOUR! SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13 • 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14 • 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Chattahoochee Hills • Coweta County • Fayette County Peachtree City • Tyrone • Senoia Visit artists of all types in studios!their Enjoy refreshments and participate directlydemonstrations!inPurchaseitemsfromartists!Visitourwebsiteformoreinformationandfullschedule. SOUTHERNHANDSARTISTSTUDIOTOUR.COM

Newnan-Coweta Historical Society officially opens a tactile timeline of Sharpsburg's history. The exhibit contains artifacts, photographs and archived newspaper material to illustrate the town's history.

DEC. 12

Monday Memories

DEC. 6

10 a.m.: Join Team Hungry at the beloved Sharpsburg Market! Our Christmas themed gifts will be perfect last-minute purchases. Pickin' in the Park will feature live music.

10 a.m.: The Town of Sharpsburg government hosts a local reception where nearby communities can visit and learn about Sharpsburg’s education and community engagement initiatives.

DEC. 13

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 33 For questions and up-to-date times and locations, call 770.251.4171 or visit the City of Sharpsburg's website www.sharpsburg@sharpsburg-ga.gov.at

6 p.m.: East Coweta High School Alumni Association will gather.

DEC. 9

Friday Night Lights

4 p.m.: Friday Night Lights: Join us for the East Coweta versus Newnan Pep Rally! Celebrate Coweta County’s favorite rivalry with a pep band, cheerleaders and your favorite East Coweta classmates from years gone by. (No alcohol.)

150th Monday

1 p.m.: Members of Newnan Coweta Art Association display and present artwork.

6 p.m.: Join the mayor, council and esteemed guests for food and refreshments prior to Sharpsburg’s Sesquicentennial Meeting. NCM

Quiltin’ Tuesday

ScheduleSESQUICENTENNIALSHARPSBURGofEventsCelebration

Dancing Thursday Away

6 p.m.: All are invited to an Art Walk at the Community Center and Staley Park and Pavilion to enjoy art created by local artists. Food and drink, including alcohol, will be available.

10 a.m.: The Sharpsburg Piecemakers hold a quilting demonstration and historic/ antique quilt and handicraft display downtown. Food and drink, including alcohol, will be available.

DEC. 10

DEC. 7

Solemn Sunday

DEC. 8

6 p.m.: The public is invited to a rehearsal session for the Old Town Dance Party. Learn how to dance or practice your moves before the party on Dec. 11. Food and drink, including alcohol, will be available.

Market Saturday

Wednesday’s Art

6 p.m.: Enjoy an evening of dancing at the Old Town Dance Party, hosted by Rachel Ferguson’s Dance Connection.

10 a.m.: Kay Stanley, longtime Sharpsburg artist and art instructor, presents and displays her art and the art of her students. All the featured art celebrates Sharpsburg.

It's a day of reverence as Sharpsburg residents remember their heritage.

DEC. 11

SharpsburgTheMarket

n third Saturdays in Sharpsburg, members of Team Hungry can be found surrounded by food, crafts and happy locals at the Sharpsburg Market, a monthly farmers market they host.

The Sharpsburg Market sets up on third Saturdays at 105 Main Street.

LEFT Team Hungry's teen members gather for an hour each Monday for Prayer on the Porch where they pray for each other and their community.

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

“Our goal is to help every student become all that they were created to be,” he says. Part of reaching that goal is counting on the kids to help with planning the monthly market, strategic placement of vendors, and setting up and cleaning up after each market.

Jeff Flavin is co-founder of the nonprofit, non-denominational Team Hungry, a local organization for youth.

ABOVE

TEAM HUNGRY SERVES ITS CITY PROUDLY

Market merchants offer up everything from foodstuffs to handcrafted items, including winsome birdhouses, wood art, jewelry, clothing, baby gifts, home decor and original paintings. Between visiting vendors, shoppers can relax under the large pavilion, which features plenty of seating for weary shoppers or those enjoying lunch.

HungryTeamcourtesyPhoto

Written by JENNIFER DZIEDZIC Photographed by SANDY HISER

“Our goal is to expand to the next road over with 13additionalanvendors.”

– Logan Stephens, Team Hungry volunteer

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 35

LEFT Team TeammarketaSharpsburgnonprofit'sMullinsvolunteerHungryChristophermansthetableattheMarket,monthlyfarmerssponsoredbyHungry.

ABOVE

The monthly market is held at 105 Main Street from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on each third Saturday from March through December.

RIGHT

Janeca Hatcher, Everything on a STICK! proprietor and chef, greets customers with an infectious smile while grilling mouthwatering chicken kabobs.

Regulars at the Sharpsburg Market, Joel Dunnington and Kay Tibbets sell creations Tibbets makes under her business name: Kay Marie Wreaths.

36 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM

By working with visitors at the market, the teens create a sense of community for the kids, according to Flavin, who says Team Hungry’s short-term plans call for finding a coffee truck to bring out for markets. Long-term plans involve opening Ruby’s Coffeehouse in downtown Sharpsburg in the old 1880s post office,

“You ask any vendor there, and they’ll say this is one of the best places to go,” says Flavin, who describes Team Hungry’s purpose for the market like this: “It’s an effort to cultivate community in our local area. We dream of a place where students, parents, local businesses and people of all kinds can do life alongside one another in love and support.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 37

Tassels highlight this chandelier created by Humble Home + Co.

SPOTLIGHT

WHERE 105 Main Street, Sharpsburg

Teething beads and paci clips are available from The Rooted Home Company.

ABOVE

WHEN: 3rd Saturday of the month, 10March-December,a.m.-2p.m.

according to Flavin, who says profits from the farmers markets go to the group’s coffee truck fund and developing the coffeehouse.

Team Hungry hopes to bring in food trucks in 2022.

Pete Nye is the birdhouse guy at the Sharpsburg Market. Through Pete's Country Store, he's sold more than 60,000 of his handcrafted birdhouses.

WHAT: The Sharpsburg Market

NONPROFIT

“Everything we do is student-led and student-run,” says Flavin. “The whole reason behind the market is to develop community.”

Flavin looks forward to having Team Hungry serve as part of the Sharpsburg Sesquicentennial celebration with activities ramping up in the weeks leading up to the 150th anniversary in December. NCM

Written and Photographed by JACKIE KENNEDY

Our grand prize and other winners received baskets filled with gift cards, candles, artwork, jewelry and other prizes donated from our gracious sponsors, who are listed on the opposite page.

Marilyn Brown GoldensManager,ontheSquare

Nathan Brain 714Owner,Bistro

Cile Smith RedneckFounder,Gourmet

Grizzard won first place in the Traditional Cookie category. Judges called her cookie “absolutely delicious” and deemed it pretty for the holidays as well with its red and green fruit pieces.

“ I went through my basket and just loved it,” says Grizzard.

Each year, we invite readers to submit cookies in one or each of two categories, Decorated and Traditional, and our judges vote for the first, second and third place winners in each category. Then, they choose the grand prize winning cookie from the two first place winners.

38 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM

Santa Claus! Cookies with

Our Judges

anta himself visited on the day of our fourth annual Newnan-Coweta Magazine Bake Your Best Cookie Contest – and he came away from the table content and happy!

Recipes for our winning cookies are featured on the following pages.

READERS BRING THEIR BEST FOR OUR FOURTH ANNUAL NCM BAKE YOUR Best Christmas Cookie Contest

Well-suited for the task, this year’s cookie judges were Newnan restaurateurs and chefs who know a thing or two about baking.

As we have in years past, NCM kicked off the holidays in September with guest judges invited to taste and rank cookies submitted by our readers.

This year's grand prize winner was Carol Grizzard, whose delicious Fruitcake Cookies wowed the judges so much that, for the first time since our contest began in 2018, a traditional cookie beat out decorated cookies for the grand prize.

Our Sponsors Newnan-Coweta Magazine thanks the following sponsoring merchants who donated prizes for our Bake Your Best Christmas Cookie Contest: • Blue Moon Boutique • Corner Arts Gallery • David Boyd Jr. • Doug Kees • Eat Thai • Ellie Mack Boutique • Faith Farrell • Gillyweeds • House of Light • James Malone Salon • Miss Pearl • Morgan Jewelers • Raw Body Essentials • Redneck Gourmet • Sure Bride

MooreSarabyPhoto

Marilyn Brown: “They are absolutely delicious. They are the bomb!”

1st TraditionalPlace Prize WinnerGrand

“I collect cookbooks and found this recipe in one and thought they were pretty and would taste good, and they did. They freeze well, too.”

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

From left, judges Marilyn Brown, Cile Smith and Nathan Brain agree Carol Grizzard's Fruitcake Cookies are tops!

40 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM

1 large egg, temperatureroom

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Nathan Brain: “This cookie has the perfect balance of ingredients with no single ingredient overpowering another. If I saw these in the grocery store and knew they were these cookies, I’d buy them every time. I’m not a fan of fruitcake, but these are great.”

Judges' Comments

2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup each candied red and green cherries and pineapple

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup chopped dates

Fruitcake Cookies

In a bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugars. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and oats; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in coconut, dates, cherries and pineapple. Shape into 1-inch balls, place on greased baking sheets. Bake at 325 degrees until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Cool on rack.

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cile Smith: “We could make these and sell them at Redneck!”

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

Submitted by Carol Grizzard

1/2 cup shortening

FRUITCAKE COOKIES

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 41

– Carol Grizzard

“I went through my basket and just loved it.”

First Place Traditional Cookie and Grand Prize Winner, Carol Grizzard.

Divide dough in half and cover one half. Place the other half on a floured surface and roll to ¼-inch thickness. Cut out desired shapes. Place cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Bake one batch at a time for about 7 to 8 minutes. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes. Remove cookies from pan and place on wire rack. Allow to cool.

Submitted by Karin Francis CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIES WITH PEPPERMINT ROYAL ICING

2 pounds confectioners’ sugar 5 tablespoons meringue powder

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Peppermint Royal Icing

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Marilyn Brown: “This is a good cookie that’s not oversweet, and it’s very pretty.”

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 large egg, room temperature

In bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar 3 to 4 minutes, slowly increasing speed to medium, until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, beating until mixed..

1st DecoratedPlace

Nathan Brain: “This cookie makes me feel like Christmas.”

In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. With mixer on low, slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until a dough forms. Scrape sides of bowl and knead dough 3 to 4 times to combine everything.

Cile Smith: “It’s a good sugar cookie, and the icing is soft and good, too.”

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat confectioners’ sugar and meringue powder at low speed until combined. Slowly add warm water and peppermint oil,

Judges’ Comments

beating until fluid, about 1 minute. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until stiff, 4 to 5 minutes. Icing can be stored in an airtight container for 3 Dividedays.icing into bowls to add necessary colors for decorating. Add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until border consistency is reached. Place some in a pastry bag with a small round tip.

Continue adding water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until flood consistency is reached. Place in large squeeze bottle.

Christmas Sugar Cookies with Peppermint Royal Icing

3/4 cup warm water

Couple of drops of peppermint oil

Using border icing, pipe an outline along edges of cookie. Using the flood icing, fill in the center. Using a wooden pick, remove air bubbles and make sure there are no gaps in the icing. Continue decorating as needed or desired. Let icing dry for 2 to 3 hours.

“I found this recipe and decorating technique in an issue of 'Bake from Scratch' last year. I added the peppermint flavor to give it a little extra pizazz!”

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup Dutch Process cocoa powder

onto prepared sheet pan

Cile Smith: “It has eye appeal, too, and I truly believe people eat with their eyes first.”

Scooppeppermintbatter

Double PeppermintChocolateCookies

“I started with my Double Chocolate Chip recipe and tweaked it to create a cookie with a Christmasy vibe. I think the chocolate and the peppermint complement each other well and create a really good holiday cookie.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 43

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white melting chocolate

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Once cookies have cooled, slowly heat melting chocolate. Use a spoon to stripe the tops of cookies.

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together butter and both sugars for 2 to 3 minutes. Add cold eggs, peppermint extract and vanilla; mix until light and Addfluffy.flours, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt just until incorporated.

Nathan Brain: “I love the minty freshness of this cookie. I felt like I’d brushed my teeth after eating it. It reminds me of a peppermint patty.”

2nd TraditionalPlace

2 cold large eggs

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Submitted by Hannah Kupfer

Mix in chocolate chips and crushed

Marilyn Brown: “It’s moist and chewy and a good Christmas cookie.”

1/2 cup crushed peppermint

1 cup cold salted butter, cut into pieces

1 cup cake flour

DOUBLE PEPPERMINTCHOCOLATECOOKIES

with scoops 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Pull from oven and let cookies finish baking on pan.

Judges’ Comments

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 cups all-purpose flour

Preheatovernight.oven to 375 degrees. Roll out dough to ¼-inch thickness. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out designs. Place on cookie sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes at 375 degrees.

Mix ingredients. Add preferred coloring, and decorate cookies.

“I love to bake because my grandmother baked. I use her KitchenAid mixer, and every time I bake I think of my grandmother.”

2 teaspoons light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Marilyn Brown: “This cookie is very nicely decorated and has a good flavor, too.”

Cile Smith: “It’s decorated well and tastes good.”

Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

Withmixture.mixer

on low speed, add flour mixture. When cookie dough is mixed, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate

2 teaspoons water, adding more if necessary for consistency

2nd DecoratedPlace SUGAR COOKIES WITH ROYAL ICING

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

1 cup sugar

Submitted by Beth Johnson

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Judges’ Comments

Sift flour and salt; set aside. Mix together butter and sugar for approximately 5 minutes. Whisk together egg, vanilla, almond and lemon; add to butter and sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

44 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM

Nathan Brain: “I liked this one a lot.”

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

ICING RECIPE

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 45

Chill for at least one hour (but dough will keep for a couple of days). Shape dough into balls and roll in sugar. Use red or green sugar for an added Christmas touch. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Marilyn Brown: “I like the flavor and softness of these, and they have that eye appeal.”

Cile Smith: “It’s good. I could see putting raw brown sugar on top instead of red sugar sprinkles.” TraditionalPlace GINGERMOLASSESCOOKIES

GingerMolassesCookies 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon cloves 1 teaspoon ginger 1 teaspoon cinnamon 3/4 cup shortening 1 cup brown sugar 1 egg 4 tablespoons molasses

3rd

Judges’ Comments

“This was my Great-Grandma Mary Leonard’s recipe, and we make them every year at Christmas.”

Submitted by Maximus Smith, 9

Nathan Brain: “The taste is not overwhelming. It’s a good cookie.”

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first six ingredients and set aside.

Cream together shortening, brown sugar, egg and molasses. Slowly mix in dry ingredients.

2 large egg yolks

Judges’ Comments

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

Cile Smith: “These took time to make and look like Christmas.”

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

Zest of 2 small lemons

Choice of Confectioners’jam sugar

To toast almonds, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on cookie sheet and toast 8 to 10 minutes, until fragrant. Let almonds cool completely. In food processor, grind almonds with ¼ cup granulated sugar until finely ground. In a separate bowl, mix flour and salt together. Stir in ground almonds. In mixing bowl, beat butter until pale in color. Add remaining granulated sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg yolks, vanilla and lemon zest. Gradually add flour/nut mixture. Divide dough into quarters and wrap each piece in plastic. Refrigerate at least an hour and up to 2 days. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a flour sack cloth, put additional flour on the cloth. When dough is soft, flatten it onto the cloth and sprinkle a little flour on top of dough; roll dough to ¼-inch thickness. Use 3-inch cookie cutters (round, star and heart are traditional) to cut cookie bottom, and

2 cups all-purpose flour

Nathan Brain: “This cookie looks great.”

3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

“This is a cookie I’d never made before but thought it sounded interesting, and my husband and I liked the flavor combinations. I’ll definitely make them again.”

3rd DecoratedPlace LINZER COOKIES

Linzer Cookies

1 cup whole almonds

46 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM — Continued on page 51

Marilyn Brown: “They took a lot of time to make these – to cut out and bake the cookies, make the filling and put them together.”

Submitted by Pam Beavers

then cut second cookie as the top. Use a smaller cookie cutter to cut out the center of the top cookie for the jam to show through. Repeat with remaining dough, chilling dough as needed.

Expert Staff close to home 2301 Newnan Crossing Blvd. East Suite 100 Newnan, GA 30265 Phone: (678) SCHEDULERESURGENS.COM633-6600YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY!

(Recipe continued from page 50)

Repeat with remaining cookies. Store in

Bake cookies about 12 minutes until edges are golden brown. Let them cool a little and then transition to wire rack. Once cooled, spread cookie bottom with jam, leaving a narrow border. Dust each cookie top with confectioners’ sugar, and then place the top cookie on the jam-spread bottom cookie. Using a spoon or decorating tip and piping bag, fill the cutout center with more jam.

Clockwise from top: Fruitcake Cookie, Linzer Cookie, Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookie, Christmas Sugar Cookie with Peppermint Royal Icing, Molasses Ginger Cookie, Sugar

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 47

Linzer Cookies

Our Winning Cookies

church and school campuses, improving local government buildings, and creating outstanding fire stations and public recreation complexes, Headley Construction has permanently changed the landscape of our community. While it is difficult to say which individual project has had the greatest impact on Coweta County, there is no doubt that each of the following buildings has influenced how we live, work, learn, play and worship.

WhitleyJillbyPhoto

By renovating the Historic Coweta County Courthouse, building and expanding local

NEWNAN HOSPITAL/UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA

Headley Construction Builds a Better Coweta

SPONSORED CONTENT

FIRE STATION NO. 4

True to the company’s mission to build better lives, Headley Construction was honored to construct the Pathways Care Campus on Hospital Road. National Vital and Health Statistics report that more than 13% of Coweta County’s adults suffer from frequent mental distress. For our children, this number is even higher. Pathways Center, a behavioral health organization focused on improving outcomes for individuals in crisis, partnered with Coweta County and the Coweta Hospital Authority to design and construct a facility offering important support services to local adults and children in distress.

Welcome Back! The Newnan Christmas Parade Set to March Again

Written by EMILY KIMBELL

52 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM

— Continued on page 55.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 53

The annual Christmas Parade has been part of the community for more than a century. Newnan held its first Holiday Carnival in December 1900. Planning for the event began in November that year when attendees of a local citizen’s meeting decided to stage a Free Street Fair and Carnival held over the course of four days in mid-December. The community simply wanted to take time to come together andThecelebrate.carnival featured a variety of attractions including a high-dive act, light show, vaudeville show, snake-handler acts, carnivalesque sideshows and a merry-go-round. While many of these early traditions have not carried through to modern times, some elements of the Christmas celebrations of yore are still part of our annual tradition, most notably, theTheparade.most anticipated aspect of the carnival festivities in 1900 was the Christmas parade. A committee of ladies was assembled to plan the parade, which kicked off the Holiday Carnival week. The Brilliant Floral Parade featured decorated carriages and floats and was led by Olive Dent who had been voted Queen of the Carnival. Parade participants congregated on Jackson Street and marched toward the square and down Greenville Street, and the best decorated float won a monetary prize.

Times-HeraldNewnanTheofcourtesyPhoto

Records indicate that the Christmas carnival and parade may have continued periodically after 1900 until the 1920s.

ne of the most beloved Christmas traditions in Coweta County is the annual downtown Christmas parade in Newnan. Every year, local businesses, churches, schools and other organizations display holiday floats and performances and march through downtown Newnan to a waiting crowd lining the streets. Santa ends the parade by riding into the city on a firetruck, officially marking the beginning of the holiday season.Lastyear’s parade was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As of presstime, the Newnan Christmas Parade, set for Dec. 11, is still a go.

Though parades had been held in Coweta County before 1900, this winter carnival seems to be the first documented Christmas parade in the county, and the Newnan Herald and Advertiser reported it as “surpassing anything of the kind ever seen in the city.”

Canceled in 2020, the Newnan Christmas parade returns this year, promising twinkling lights and a fun night as was evident in the 2016 parade featured here.

The modern iteration of the Christmas parade started about 1986 with creation of the Main Street program, though the exact date is uncertain due to incomplete or lost records. The Christmas parade grew in such popularity under Main Street that, in 2004, City Council developed the City

NewspapersHistoricGeorgiaofcourtesyPhotoSocietyHistoricalNewnan-CowetaofcourtesyPhoto

54 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM

On Dec. 21, 1900, The Herald and Advertiser showcased the queen of the 1900 Holiday Carnival and her court.

A float reminiscent of the era was presented in the 1927 Coweta County Centennial Parade and featured the Sarah Dickinson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

RIGHT

An article published in the Dec. 14, 1990 issue of Newnan’s The Herald and Advertiser newspaper advertised the 1900 Holiday Carnival.

OPPOSITE PAGE

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NewspapersHistoricGeorgiaofcourtesyPhoto — Continued from page 53.

Last year, due to the pandemic, the annual parade was called off for the first time in recent decades. In lieu of the parade, Santa and Mrs. Claus took neighborhood riding tours around the city with the fire department, police department and the Newnan trolley joining the tours.

On April 27, 2004, the Newnan City Council established The City of Newnan Christmas Committee to gain more citizen involvement in planning the local Christmas season celebration.

This year’s parade is set for December 11 beginning at 6 p.m. The 2021 theme is Parade of Lights, and recently retired Newnan Police Chief D.L. “Buster” Meadows will serve as the grand marshal.

According to Haynes, the group’s first task was to help the City of Newnan decorate downtown, which eventually

Since 2014, the Christmas parade has been held at night on the second Saturday of December. This year's parade will start on Greenville Street moving north, turn left on North Court Square, turn left and head south on LaGrange Street, and end at Newnan High School. Businesses, schools, nonprofits, churches and other organizations pre-register to participate in the event and spend weeks building their floats in hopes of spreading holiday cheer and the opportunity to win a monetary prize. Each year, the parade has grown. The 2019 edition had the largest number of participating organizations with 95 groups taking part.

About the Christmas Commission

of Newnan Christmas Committee to assist with planning and publicity of the annual parade. In 2014, the committee became the City of Newnan Christmas Commission.

Today, the annual Christmas parade is planned by the City of Newnan under the direction of City of Newnan Christmas Parade Chair Page Beckwith, with assistance from the Christmas Commission whose members help choose the parade’s theme and the grand marshal. Past parade themes have included Christmas Around the World, Christmas Movies and Home for the Holidays. The grand marshal is traditionally a prominent member of the community who has made a particular contribution within the past 12 months. In recent years, grand marshals who have led the parade include Bill and Anita Headley, former Coweta County Sheriff Mike Yeager, and David and Rosalyn Boyd.

For many citizens like Haynes, the return of the Christmas parade brings back a sense of tradition and hope.“As far as I’m concerned, the parade is what brings in our Christmas, and it brings our community together so beautifully,” she says. “It takes you away from things that

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 55

Norma Haynes, who served on the Christmas Commission for more than ten years, recalls her first experience helping to organize the Christmas parade. After the parade’s lengthy hiatus, the first one staged by the Christmas Commission was “pure magic,” she says. “From Day One, it was the most exciting, fun thing. It was amazing to see how many hundreds of people came to the parade and enjoyed it. It was a small-town event that I’ll never forget. It was wonderful.”

aren’t so pleasant. It reminds you of what the Christmas season is all about and brings everyone together from all walks and all stages of life.”

involved construction of a sleigh and the decorating of a large Christmas tree set up each year. In addition, the group ensured that every letter written to Santa and placed in the mailbox downtown was read and answered.

56 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM

“The commission is super excited about adding some extra holiday cheer,” says Beckwith. Each roundabout will be decorated based on its greenery and will feature different designs. Newnan Utilities, which already works closely with the City to help with the Christmas decorating, will be instrumental in this project as well. They installed power to the roundabout areas and will help with the installation, according to Beckwith.Inthefuture, the Christmas Commission plans to add more decorations and expand lighting to more roundabouts.Servingon the 2021 Christmas Commission are Pam Anderson, Linda Arnall, Kenya Brantley, Jane Clifford, Val Cranford and Nancy Telle. NCM

ABOVE

This Christmas season, the Commission’s exciting new project is decorating the roundabouts on McIntosh Parkway, East Broad Street and MLK Jr. Drive. All the chosen roundabouts lead to downtown, and the goal of the project is to bring Christmas spirit to citizens as they drive into the area.

SocietyHistoricalNewnan-CowetaofcourtesyPhoto

On Nov. 18, 2014, the Christmas Committee was established as a permanent commission. The City of Newnan Christmas Commission was charged with planning and sponsoring events for the Christmas holiday season.Working closely with the City Council, the Christmas Commission has three main functions: 1) to develop and present plans for Christmas season events by August 1 of each year, 2) to assist and coordinate activities with the City staff and public, and 3) to review and recommend types and placement of holiday decorations in Newnan.

The 1927 Centennial Parade also featured the R.D. Cole Manufacturing Company float. Aboard the float as it waits on College Street were, from left, R.D. Cole Jr., Duke Cole Blackburn, Edward Guy Cole Jr. and Thomas Kellam “T.K.” Barron.

BELOW: This year's parade route differs from that of the last parade. Be sure to check out the revised route in order to choose your spot for viewing.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 57 SAFE & SOCIAL CALL MIRNA 770-461-0039TODAY! 105 Autumn Glen Circle - Fayetteville

- Claire Formwalt since 2016

ABOVE: Santa greets kids of all ages at the 2016 Newnan Christmas Parade.

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When I first walked through the front door of Azalea Estates, I knew I was home. It felt so good and right. Life is as full for me here as it was prior to moving here. The staff is warm and loving. They quickly drew me into the Azalea Estate Family, showing me the genuine care and concern they have for all of us here at AE. Everyday is interesting (even in these COVID times) with a variety of games, entertainment, and creative activities. It’s a won derful place to be and I’m grateful beyond measure to be here enjoying these sunset years of my life.

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veteran of both the U.S. Marines and U.S. Army, Ellis Lowery served his country in the global war on terrorism in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. The retired combat soldier and Sharpsburg resident never expected his military service would stretch for more than two decades.

Sharpsburg resident recalls military career War Veteran Ellis Lowery:

WardJeffreybyPhoto

“If anyone would have said in the beginning of all of this that I would spend 23 years in the military in active combat situations, I would have said they’re crazy.” Lowery

SFC Ellis Lowery (Ret.), works at On Target Gun Club in Peachtree City.

– Ellis

Written by JEFFREY WARD Photographs courtesy of ELLIS LOWERY

Wanting to emulate his father’s example, he enlisted in the Marine Corps after high school and served for six years on active duty. He then returned home and became a police officer.

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When the terrorist attacks struck America twenty years ago on 9/11, the warrior inside of Ellis Lowery was unleashed. Within days of the attacks in New York City and Washington D.C., he joined the Army National Guard and was assigned to Company H, Georgia Long Range Surveillance, in the 121st Infantry Airborne. In 2003, his unit crossed the border into hostile FollowingIraq.that deployment, Lowery returned stateside on a ship escorting combat equipment that was withdrawn from the Iraqi War zone. He

“If anyone would have said in the beginning of all of this that I would spend 23 years in the military in active combat situations, I would have said they’re crazy,” says Lowery, who retired as sergeant first class with the Army National Guard.

The son of a Vietnam veteran and East Point police officer who enjoyed hunting on his days off, Lowery grew up becoming proficient with firearms. The 1991 graduate of Newnan High School describes his military service as, “lengthy, detailed and complicated.”

As for close calls or injuries, Lowery recounts a couple of minor traumatic brain injuries, which were concussions caused by close enemy combat explosions. He remembers one incident with off-handed humor.

TOP RIGHT

RIGHT

At Kabul International Airport, with Air Force One in the background, Lowery and his fellow troops provided protective services for their commander during weekly status briefings.

Afghan Development Assistance Bureau Commander Larry Dudney and the Primary Protective Services Detail Team pose atop GHAR Mountain, near the Kabul Military Training Center, after a routine Friday morning hike up.

redeployed in 2005-06 with the 48th Brigade, Infantry Combat Team H. In 2006, he volunteered for Airborne School at Fort Benning and took continuing training there in long range surveillance before deploying to the Syrian-Iraqi border where, as a combat field instructor, he taught Army Pathfinder and air assault techniques. Also during this time, he served as the primary protective detail to the brigade commander.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 59

In 2009, Lowery organized and trained protective service details in Afghanistan via Task Force Phoenix. Not only was he responsible for protective services to his own commanders; he also trained Afghan National Security Forces to protect their own commanding officers. His unit was based out of Kabul but was responsible for training the Afghan military all across Afghanistan.Loweryfinally retired in 2019 and returned home to Sharpsburg.Aftertwo years of being back on American soil, he contemplates his thoughts on post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“I grew up in a family where my dad was a police officer and there was lots of hunting, so the concept of life and death was instilled in me at an early age,” says Lowery. “Once I got into traumatic situations, the effects of violent combat were a little bit different on me than the 18-year-old who’s doing his first tour. Over time, I don’t want to say you get numb to it, but it gets easier to deal with.”

Lowery commends a new combat generation for trying to take the stigma of “disorder” out of the PTSD acronym.“Thestigma attached to the disorder is putting a scarlet letter on a lot of vets,” he says. “It should be just PTS. We were in multiple violent combat situations, but you have to just lock those away and compartmentalize them in your mind.”

“We were all doing morning physical training at Camp Phoenix when a vehicle-borne IED exploded at our compound gate,” he recalls. “It was an extremely large, powerful device, and when it detonated, it partially collapsed the roof of our gym. I immediately grabbed my combat pistol, which was all I had at the time, to defend myself. It was impossible to take cover under a treadmill, but I sure tried anyway!”

In retirement, Lowery says he enjoys spending

“I have been lucky and blessed to have made it back, especially considering how many of my fellow soldiers did not,” he says.

NCM

At left, Ellis Lowery mans the crows' nest observation post outside the Queen's Palace south of Kabul. Above, he stands in front of the palace.

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A grateful Coweta County salutes you, SFC Lowery.

On this season of Veterans Day, he speaks with gratitude about his career.

“I have been lucky and blessed to have made it back, manyconsideringespeciallyhowofmyfellowsoldiersdidnot.”

time with his wife Candis and their three children, Alexis Brandon, 19, Austin Lowery, 18, and Karen Brandon, 16. The veteran rides his Harley with two veteran groups and shares fellowship with other vets at the Coweta Veterans Club. He works at the On Target Gun Club facility in Peachtree City, using his extensive firearm expertise to teach gun safety classes and provide gunsmithing skills.

– Ellis Lowery

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U.S. FloydARMYBoswell Saluted by: Berkshire Hathaway Along with our readers and page sponsors, Newnan-Coweta Magazine and The Newnan Times-Herald salute our outstanding and valiant Coweta military veterans. On these pages, you’ll recognize some familiar faces, and you may discover new neighbors who served our country well. Our hope is for a Happy Veterans Day to all. U.S.MARINESCharlesR.Banks Saluted by: Mom

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OPPOSITE PAGE As volunteersNewnandirectorexecutiveofKeepBeautiful,PageBeckwithworkswithtokeepcitystreetsandneighborhoodsfreefromlitter.

“. . . a Newnanalllovelyandenvironmentcommunity,litter-freehealthierforpeoplewildlife,andclean,surroundings–pointsofprideforresidents.”

Written by ROBIN STEWART | Photographed by JACKIE KENNEDY

– Page Beckwith in to One to Watch in 2021 is an NCM initiative to recognize those making headway in their careers or volunteer efforts. Nominated by avid recycler Misha Benson of The Newnan TimesHerald, NCM is proud to feature Page Beckwith as One to Watch.

2021

In the 1960s, Johnson, as first lady, brought national awareness to Keep America Beautiful’s anti-littering campaign – long before “going green” was a Fast-forwardthing. a few decades to find Beckwith, executive director of Keep Newnan Beautiful (KNB), taking up the mantle locally.

Carbon footprints, recycling, proper waste disposal and the like can be confusing, and well-intentioned wannabe recyclers often don’t know the right way to handle their trash.

Enter Beckwith and KNB. Their mission is to educate, motivate and empower Newnan residents to take greater responsibility for improving

On a Mission to KeepBeautifulNewnan

ewnan has its very own Lady Bird Johnson in Page Beckwith. She’s not a presidential first lady, but some recognize her as the environmental conscience of the city.

Affiliated with both Keep Georgia Beautiful and Keep America Beautiful, KNB reaches the next generation of recyclers through greenspace projects like the Outdoor Classroom and Pollinator Garden, a multisensory children’s playground that features natural and recycled materials.

paint recycling events and a day to clean up local streams.Thecampaign to end litter includes the Adopta-Street initiative where private companies or churches volunteer to help keep clean their adopted section of roadway.

A former educator, Beckwith’s favorite KNB service is environmental education. Her team speaks to elementary students and adults alike on all topics environmental and ways to keep the community tidy.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 69 ONE TO WATCH

“Trash is not very glorious,” says Beckwith. But the fruits of trash-related labors she says, “are a

Under Beckwith’s tutelage, Keep Newnan Beautiful offers guidance on proper disposal of hazardous household items like batteries and lightbulbs. Year-round, KNB hosts solutionoriented events such as Electronics Recycling Day,

the local environment through beautification, litter prevention and waste reduction.

We recognize the sacrifices that our deputies and officers make every day and night serving and protecting our community throughout the year! Coweta Cities & County EFCU is honored to be the credit union that serves you and all our First Responders! Sgt. Trent

litter-free community, healthier environment for people and wildlife, and clean, lovely surroundings – all points of pride for Newnan residents.”Beckwith, a married mom of three, is passionate about her purpose. She’s maestro to the KNB orchestra, which includes a cadre of volunteers, partnerships with private companies, cooperation with the City’s Public Works Department, and many more moving parts.

The Coweta Cities & County EFCU would like to thank members, Sgt. Trent Hastings with the Coweta County Sheriff’s Dept and Cpl. Van Meadows with the Newnan Police Department and all their fellow deputies & officers as they walked with flashlights in treacherous conditions through the night ensuring the safety of Newnan Residents tornado. Hastings and

after the

The once part-time role bloomed into a full-time position five years ago. Beckwith finds service to the people of Newnan highly rewarding. After the March 26 tornado, she says she was compelled by a “deep desire” to do something.“IknewI

The magnitude of post-tornado debris was staggering, but Beckwith’s focus was targeted. Helping residents safely dispose of household hazardous chemicals, from bug spray to gasoline, KNB safely disposed of more than 2,000 pounds of hazardous waste, including that of

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Page Beckwith, left, joins Brownie Troop 19394 to beautify the neighborhood by picking up trash. Brownies are, from left, Izzy Godfrey, Carys Kuhr, Ansley Barrett, Allie Faison, Grace Headley, Kate Hadden, Ellie Herdic, Margaret Skinner and Troop Leader Stephanie Skinner.

BeautifulNewnanKeepofcourtesyPhoto

couldn’t build a house or replace a roof,” she says. Instead, she did what came naturally: deployed Keep Newnan Beautiful knowledge and resources to help. She and her team posted flyers in the hardest hit areas, from Chalk Level to Hollis Heights, and went door to door to help inform city residents about ways KNB could assist.

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Assistant City Manager Hasco Craver is a fan.“Page has done a marvelous job of engaging the community,” Craver says. “Citizens of all ages have grown to enjoy Keep Newnan Beautiful because of Page’s commitment to itsNominatedmission.”

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Working with the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) in Atlanta, Beckwith knew they could receive and recycle what Newnan-Coweta couldn’t. Using Public Works transport and paying for it out of KNB’s budget, Beckwith got the job done.

Being environmentally conscious is all in a day’s work for Beckwith, but in the aftermath of the devastating EF-4, the job was new. With no template to follow, the intrepid Beckwith says she “just kinda made it up” when it came to how to serve those affected by the storm. She says she knew KNB had three things needed to pull off the assist: knowledge, transportation and funding.

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“Just look at some of KNB’s accomplishments,” says Benson. “Through recycling and other efforts, Page is ensuring all of us have a better environment.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 71 ONE TO WATCH

for One to Watch in 2021 by avid recycler Misha Benson of The Newnan Times-Herald, Beckwith is humbled by the attention. She admits being more comfortable talking about KNB than herself, but that doesn’t stop others from singing her praises.

Tired of long waits and being on hold?

For Beckwith, Keep Newnan Beautiful is more than the name of a city program and more than a job. It’s her mission. NCM

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a 91-year-old resident for whom KNB got rid of old kerosene cans and antique candy jars containing gasoline. The family, grateful for the ability to keep potentially hazardous waste from reaching the landfill, gave Beckwith a thank you card she keeps on her“Itdesk.was a group effort,” Beckwith recalls. “Between Public Works, word of mouth and the flyers, we were able to reach people who needed that kind of help.”

to your home or office within city limits.

Enjoy a new traditional Southern holiday meal.

The next year, Christmas dinner was prime rib and served on the USS Rowan at the naval base in Yokosuka, Japan. Thinking about walking up the gangway to the ship and being greeted by a sailor and an officer in dress blues brings shivers to my spine, especially when I remember those whose holiday family meal is eaten with shipmates.

“One of the advantages is the short time they take to cook. They look elegant for adults, and the kids think the tiny drumstick and wishbone are hilarious. Either way, game hens are a winner.”

RIGHT

Turkey does bring to mind the year my Uncle Ben went turkey hunting on Thanksgiving morning and promised to bring back a turkey ready for the pan by 10 a.m. and dinner at 1 p.m. Ten starving children and eight hungry adults finally had a small portion of a scrawny, tough old bird at 4 p.m. My grandparents did not fall for that the next year.

While tradition often guides our holiday meals, life’s experience introduces new ways and new dishes to add to our holiday celebrations. Places we’ve lived or visited, friends from other parts of the United States or from other countries, magazine articles, and the wonderful internet world of recipes open doors to new dishes and menus.

Written by GAIL MCGLOTHIN | Photographed by APRIL MCGLOTHIN-ELLER

AND ENJOY A (NEW) TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN HOLIDAY MEAL

TableSet the

raditional Southern holiday meals resonate through my memory and my recipe box. Roast turkey, cornbread dressing, gravy, Brussels sprouts, green bean casserole, mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows, cranberry sauce, ambrosia, pumpkin pie and coconut cake show up in the best way possible in November and December.

When close enough to Louisiana to enjoy holidays with family, we feasted on groaning boards that were truly overloaded. My German motherin-law added her famous potato salad to the table, plus stollen, lebkuchen and pfeffernüsse sent by her German relatives. Seafood gumbo, oyster dressing and pralines showed up on the south Louisiana tables, and hunters added venison roasts and cochon de lait.

Over the past years, I’ve had Christmas with Mexican friends in El Paso and learned that tamales are “must have” for Christmas dinner. We spent hours in a warm kitchen spreading masa over cornhusks, piling on fillings, wrapping and steaming the savory packets.

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COWETA COOKS

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With COVID-19 likely to determine the size of holiday gatherings again this year, a simpler menu that's easy to prepare seems to be called for. We've downsized our turkey to Cornish game hens, and the Wild Rice Stuffing with Dried Fruit and Pecans is a stovetop dish that's ready in less than an hour. Start it when the hens go in the oven.

A traditional green bean casserole never tasted like Not Your Mama’s Green Bean Casserole, which looks more like dressing and has flecks of artichoke hearts and green beans throughout. It may be the richest item on the table

Southern cuisine, reworked favorites and old favorites mixed with new set the stage for a gathering of family and friends – the most important tradition of all.

The piece de resistance of this new traditional holiday meal is the Almond Joy Cake. The candy bar-turnedshowpiece dessert will delight coconut and chocolate lovers. Assemble it in time to display and entice guests to anticipate dessert. For the few who don't like chocolate, Cherry Pineapple Bars combine maraschino cherries with the traditional hospitality represented by pineapple.

Roasted Cornish Game Hens

and is certainly the most garlicky.

1 cup chopped sweet onions

1/2 cup olive oil

Trim the ends off the Brussels sprouts. Using a food processor or sharp knife, slice sprouts thinly. Then slice apple and red onion; combine.

Combinemixture.

Stir dried apricots, cranberries and raisins into rice mixture; cover and simmer 3 minutes. Stir onions and remaining 2 tablespoons butter into rice. Mix in pecans. Season with salt, if needed.

1 medium tart apple, sliced

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until brown, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

Wild Rice Stuffing with Dried Fruit and Pecans

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. With hands, massage soft butter all over hens. Season inside and out with salt, pepper, garlic powder and seasoned salt. Place in a foil lined pan. Bake for 1 hour or slightly more, depending on weight. Baste with pan drippings every 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature up to 400 degrees the last 15 minutes to brown and crisp up the skin. Let rest 15 minutes then serve in halves.

1Saladpound Brussels sprouts

3 tablespoons butter

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 75

Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, finely minced

Dijon mustard, maple syrup, red wine vinegar, garlic and olive oil in a jar, and shake until blended. Add salt and pepper as desired. Pour over vegetables, toss to coat, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

1/2 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped

To toast walnuts, spread on a plate. Microwave at one minute intervals until toasted. Add to sprout

Cornish game hens, 1 per person

SeasonedGarlicPepperSaltButterPowdersalt

2 1/2 cups canned chicken broth

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Apples and Walnuts

3/4 cup wild rice

“The Brussels sprouts can be shredded the day before. Add the honey mustard dressing, apples and walnuts early enough to scrape into your serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to place on the table.”

1/2 cup sliced red onion

1Vinaigrettetablespoon

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted

1 cup chopped walnuts

Roasted Cornish Game Hens

“Cutting up apricots is the most labor intensive step of this recipe.”

3/4 cup long grain white rice

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2 teaspoons maple syrup

1/2 cup golden raisins

Bring 2 1/2 cups broth to boil in large saucepan. Add wild rice; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 Addminutes.white rice; cover and simmer until all rice is tender and liquid is almost absorbed, about 15 minutes longer.

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup butter

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

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16 ounces frozen peaches, cut into bite size pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (16-ounce) bag fresh or frozen cranberries

3/4 cup sugar

Mix cranberries, peaches, sugar and water in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil and lower temperature to a simmer. Cook until cranberries pop and sauce has thickened.

1 (8¾-ounce) can crushed pineapple

Cherry Pineapple Bars

“The Georgia Peach Cranberry Sauce evolved out of wanting to use up a bag of frozen peaches from a friend’s tree. Peaches bump up the flavor, but they're so juicy that extra simmering is needed to thicken the sauce.”

1/2 cup water

Combine flour, brown sugar and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Set aside 1 cup crumb mixture; press remaining mixture on the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool slightly while preparing topping.

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup chopped maraschino cherries

In saucepan, stir together sugar and cornstarch. Stir in undrained pineapple and egg yolks. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat; stir in cherries. Spread evenly over baked layer. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture on top. Bake for 30 minutes more. Cool before cutting into bars.

Georgia Peach Cranberry Sauce

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 (15-ounce) can French style green beans, drained

1 egg

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 egg yolks, beaten

COWETA COOKS

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup sugar

Not Your Mama’s Green Bean Casserole

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained, reserving liquid

Saute garlic in olive oil over low heat for about 3 minutes. Finely chop artichoke hearts. Combine hearts, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, green beans and egg. Pour oil and garlic over mixture; stir well. Add ½ cup artichoke liquid. Add black pepper, to taste. Bake in greased casserole for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup artichoke liquid (reserved)

1 1/2 cups shredded coconut

3 tablespoons cocoa

1 ¼ cups self-rising flour

Stir together sugar, flour and cocoa. By hand, mix in butter, eggs and vanilla. Pour into 10-inch greased, fluted tart pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Coconut Filling

COWETA COOKS

Almond Joy Cake

1 1/2 cups sugar

Additional ingredients: Cool ChocolateWhip syrup

Brownie Base

1 1/2 stick melted butter, cooled

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat eggs in a microwavable bowl. Add sugar, vanilla, butter and coconut. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes, then stir. Microwave for 1 minute; stir. Repeat twice or until the mixture is thick. Let cool to room temperature.

1/2 cup melted butter

3 eggs

3 beaten eggs

Slivered almonds, toasted

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 77

Bake Brownie Base, cool, and set on serving dish. Top with Coconut Filling, leaving ½ inch border of cake exposed. Mound Cool Whip in the center, leaving ½ inch border of filling exposed. Drizzle chocolate syrup back and forth over Cool Whip, Filling, and Base. Top Almond Joy Cake with toasted almonds. Serve within 2 hours or refrigerate until serving. NCM

1 Paper constructionmagazine(newspaper,pages,paper) Hot PenScissorsglueorpencil (helps with rolling) Ribbon Supplies

Payton’sPlace

Here are easy instructions for making your own Santa hat, star or snowman using paper around the house, hopefully from your copy of The Newnan Times-Herald or Newnan-Coweta Magazine.

by PAYTON THOMPSON

COWETA CRAFTS

There’s nothing like making your own homemade Christmas ornaments. When what hangs from your tree are treasures you created yourself, gazing at the sparkling decorations takes on an extra layer of delight.

Paper OrnamentsChristmas

Instructions and Photography

3. With a cut strip(s) of paper, outline your design/image. Roll other strips into different sized circles, using the pen or pencil to help with rolling. Glue the last bit of paper strip to the circle so the circle will hold its shape.

2. Cut other paper into strips. Be sure to cut pages that are the color you need. For example, Santa’s hat is red, so cut red strips. If using lightweight paper, like newspaper or magazine pages, fold the strips in half.

4. Glue paper circles to fill the inside of your design.

5. Add ribbon to hang your homemade ornament, and have a very Merry Christmas! NCM

1. Pick an image to make, like a star, snowman or Santa hat. Draw the image on paper of your choice and cut it out.

Directions

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 79 COWETA CRAFTS

24 53 The Newnan Centre and You... The Perfect Union. INDOOR AND OUTDOOR CEREMONY OPTIONS • BEAUTIFULLY APPOINTED BALLROOM ACCOMMODATES UP TO 350 GUESTS • ON-SITE BRIDE AND GROOM SUITES (678) 1515www.newnancentre.com673-5486LowerFayetteville Road, Newnan, Georgia 30265 PHOTOS BY JAMIE HOWELL PHOTOGRAPHY JANUARY/FEBRUARY ISSUE Advertising Deadline NOVEMBER 19, 2021 Publication Date JANUARY 1, 2022 Advertise in upcoming issues of NCM! If you would like information about how to advertise your business, please call us 770.253.1576 or email advertise@newnan.com

that drive him are love of family, service to others, and an appreciation of nature.

Our House

By C.R. Phillips

is the husband of Ruth, father of Graham, grandfather of Henry, and a Navy veteran. He's a Purdue alum, Kiwanian and Master Gardener theVolunteer.ExtensionHesaysthreevirtues

Share Your Prose

Our FacesHousetheEast catching the morning sun That Therewarmsareflowers on the hill and in the pots around the door And on the terrace That bloom in the spring And the summer And fall

In winter all sleep With a promise of the future

NCM CowetaProse&Poetry 770-253-1576 The Newnan Times-Herald P.O. Box 1052, Newnan, GA 30264 • ATTN: EASY PAY Fill out form and drop off at 16 Jefferson Street, downtown Newnan or: Mail to: or Call: CityAddressName State Zip Phone Email Subscriber Name ( if different from above) Subscriber Address ( if different from above) City State Zip Credit/Debit Card No. Exp. Date CVV I authorize The Newnan Times-Herald to charge my credit or debit card on a monthly basis for the amount stated above.* Your authorized signature I want my subscription to The Newnan Times-Herald on EASY PAY, the low monthly payment plan. Auto-bill me at the $10.35* per month rate. ❑ Yes!NTH subscription using Auto-bill is easyjust Great Christmas Gift! Only$1035 per month

80 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM

C.R.Phillips,Newnan,of

Are you a closet poet? Or a creator of short fiction? Share your best work with us and we may publish it in an upcoming issue of Newnan-Coweta Magazine. Submit your work along with your name, address, email address and daytime phone number to magazine@newnan.com or mail to or drop by our office at Newnan-Coweta Magazine, 16 Jefferson St., Newnan 30263.

C.R. Phillips

ORDER YOUR NEW 2022 TRACKER® OR RANGER® BOAT TODAY! NOW available at LaGrange’s ONLY TRACKER® Dealer! 225 E. Render Street • LaGrange, GA 30241 www.WestGeorgiaBoatCenter.com • facebook.com/WestGeorgiaBoatCenter706-256-8705

“Between Shades of Gray.” Written by Ruta Sepetys, this book was published in 2011 by The Penguin Group.

On Christmas Eve, Gracetown, Va., is hit by one of the largest snowstorms in recent history. The story follows three different plotlines with all of the characters being affected by this snowy Christmas present. Jubilee, named after the holiday she vehemently hates, is separated from her family and stranded in an unfamiliar town when the train she is on breaks down. While stranded, she meets a kind stranger who invites her to his house to stay until the train gets back up and running. In another part of Gracetown, Tobin and his friends Duke and JP decide to brave the storm to go to Waffle House. What follows can only be described as a series of unfortunate (Christmassy) events. And finally, there’s Addie, who is going through heartbreak during a time that is supposed to be filled with joy. All of their stories collide on Christmas Day when the characters realize that these strangers aren’t really so unfamiliar.

Deep into the Second World War, Lina Vilkas, her mother and brother are taken away from their home in Lithuania by Soviet officers and separated from Lina’s father. The life they led before quickly takes on a dreamlike quality as they are forced into a small train car with other refugees in various stages of disarray and carted north under Stalin’s orders. They are underfed and mistreated, and once they arrive at a labor camp, they’re forced to do intense labor to earn their insufficient meals. The situation reaches a worrisome peak when winter hits and Lina’s incomplete family is moved to a new camp, one that has no shelter. Required to build their own homes with little to no supplies, a horrifying number of refugees die from exposure and starvation. It is twelve years before Lina is rescued, and by then, she is wholly changed. Sepetys drew inspiration for this heartbreaking tale from real stories of Lithuanians living during this time, making Lina’s tragic struggle all the more heartbreaking.

82 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM

Written by CAROLINE NICHOLSON

Best Books to Read, Best Books to Give this Holiday Season

Winter Reading

“Let it Snow.” Written by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle, this book was published by The Penguin Group in 2008.

his time of year, when colder weather keeps us indoors, is a great time to curl up with a good book and a mug of hot chocolate. I recommend two books to enjoy while sipping something warm this winter.

If you’re thinking of giving books as Christmas gifts, here are a few I’d recommend.

Isla has had a crush on Josh since their first year at the boarding school in Paris. After a chance encounter in their hometown of Manhattan, the two begin a romantic relationship. But with the start of senior year in Paris, an avalanche of problems causes issues between Isla and Josh. The question is: Can they get through these problems and still end up together? You’ll find out when you read “Isla and the Happily Ever After.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 83

Lola Nolan, a young fashion icon and designer, is in a happy relationship with her older, rockstar boyfriend that is, until her childhood neighbors move back into the house next to hers. Cricket, her ex-best friend, brings with him hurt and long-neglected feelings. “Lola and the Boy Next Door” follows Lola and Cricket’s path to resolving their issues and forming a new relationship.

This contemporary romance series is perfect for young adult readers with a zeal for romance. The trio of books follows three teenage girls looking for love in different parts of the world. Anna Oliphant attends a boarding school in Paris where she meets new friends, including an enchanting, handsome English boy named Étienne St. Clair. “Anna and the French Kiss” follows her escapades in France and her journey with St. Clair.

For Young Adult readers, the “Anna and the French Kiss” series by Stephanie Perkins is sure to please. The three titles include “Anna and the French Kiss,” “Lola and the Boy Next Door” and “Isla and the Happily Ever After.” The installations were published by Dutton Books in 2010, 2013 and 2014, respectively.

When Louisa Clark is let go from her longtime job at a small cafe, she is forced to look for other work to support her family. This leads her to Will Traynor, a successful, experienced man who spiraled into depression after a motorcycle accident left him disabled from the waist down. He is extremely unkind to Louisa at first, but thanks to her bubbly nature, he warms up and the two form a strong bond. But Louisa eventually uncovers a secret that upsets everything. On a vacation to a tropical island, Will tells Louisa about his feelings and future plans, and their relationship crumbles around them. This is a heartrending tale about the meaning of life and other people’s role in it. If you enjoy the book, see the movie with the same title. For once, the movie is as good as the book. NCM

For adult readers: “Me Before You.” Penguin Books published this title by Jojo Moyes in 2012.

84 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM

CHRISTMAS AT GROVE PARK INN

My wife Barbara and I have witnessed couples, children, grandparents and grandchildren delighting in the gracious hospitality offered by the Grove Park Inn staff. We can confidently say that Christmas at Grove Park exudes a family-friendly atmosphere.Thehistoric hotel, built by Edwin Grove, is nestled among the Blue Ridge Mountains in Asheville, N.C. The original building was constructed in less than one year and opened July 12, 1913. Since then, two wings have

hen Grove Park Inn opened in 1913, former Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan observed it was “built for the ages.”

COWETA TRAVEL

Written by CHUCK CLEVELAND | Photographed by BARBARA CLEVELAND

That remark has certainly proven true, but we would amend his statement slightly to say Grove Park was built for all ages – that is, for all age groups.

GingerbreadSplendorCreations &

History,

Chuck and Barbara Cleveland

Barbara and I have stayed at Grove Park Inn at least a dozen times. Each of our visits was in late December. Space does not permit recounting a lengthy list of memories, but we’ll mention a few highlights that are significant to us.

Warmth in the Great Hall. Upon entering the Great Hall, just beyond the lobby area, what most people notice first are the immense fireplaces on opposite sides of the room. If you’re fortunate enough to obtain a chair in front of them, you can experience a carefree calm in an otherwise bustling atmosphere. In my experience, I’d say peacefulness in the mountains is particularly special.

TOP

The entrance to Grove Park Inn welcomes visitors from across America and throughout the world.

Exceptional Dining. Adding to the delight of guests is the excellent food available at several superb restaurants. The large breakfast buffet is deliciously filling, and we have found it unnecessary to eat again until evening. If you’re at the hotel on Christmas Day, you’ll almost certainly want to enjoy the fantastic feast in the Grand Ballroom. With gentle classical music in the background, guests can devour

been added. Today, Grove Park houses more than 500 rooms and suites.

Marketing.InnParkGroveOmniandSmithJorjaofcourtesyPhoto

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 85 COWETA TRAVEL

ABOVE

This aerial view of Grove Park Inn spotlights the internationally acclaimed spa, which covers more than 40,000 square feet and offers exquisite treatments in breathtaking surroundings.

Gingerbread Contest. A popular tradition since 1992 is the presentation of entries from around the nation in Grove Park Inn’s annual gingerbread contest. Judging takes place in late November, so dozens of spectacular creations are available for inspection during December.

86 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM COWETA TRAVEL

COGGIN1-800-912-9701TRAVELS Join our mailing list at coggintravels.com Wine & Culinary Small Ship Cruises Europe Romantic Dinner in Santorini, Greece The American Song on the Columia River The Douro River Valley, Home of Port Wine

the succulent food in a most relaxing manner. A reservation, particularly for the Ballroom, is necessary.

A Forest’s Worth of Decorated Trees. Finally, there are the elaborately decorated Christmas trees. Many couples desire to have their picture taken in front of the trees, and a fellowship of sorts develops as they accommodate one another by taking each other’s photos. To reserve your holiday stay at Grove Park Inn, call 800.438.5800. Wishing you a Merry Christmas in the mountains! NCM

LEFT

At Christmastime, visitors to Grove Park Inn have the added benefit of viewing entries and winners in the annual gingerbread contest.

LAGRANGEEXPERIENCE Call Today toaschedulevisit! SHOP our HOLIDAY SELECTIO N TOP DESIGNERS PRICESEXCELLENT 9 East Lafayette Square (Downtown LaGrange) 706-416-2396 AnA airToRememberBridal.com Southerners have always been known as great storytellers. So, when you combine this trea sured art form with a dose of folklore, small town secrets, and things that go bump in the night, you know you’re in for a treat. This is what you get on Troup County Historical So ciety’s Strange LaGrange walking tour. Led by the gregarious Southern spirit guide and docent Lewis Powell, it’s a combination haunt jaunt, history lesson and an overall great way to get to know the city, up close and personal. Tours are Friday nights at 7:00pm at Legacy Museum on Main at 136 Main Street, La Grange, GA. Tours walk rain or shine (unless the weather is dangerous) so bring an umbrella and wear comfortable walking shoes. Join Us Friday Nights at 7pm Call 706-884-1828 for tickets 136 Main St., LaGrange, GA Brighten Your Spirits at HILLSANDDALES.ORG 706-882-3242 Receive a 10% discount on ticket purchase with promo code NCMag2021 WWW.SWEETLANDamp.com Winter Season Opening Soon November 19 | 5PM - 9PM

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NEWNANEXPERIENCE12 Jefferson Street • Dow 599 e s t. 2 0 1 6 Everything for you and your gift giving needs • Established Myra Bag & Repurposed LV dealer • Leading Boutique Brands Mon., Tues, Thurs., Fri. 12:00 - 6:00; Sat. 11:00 - 3:00 Sun. & Wed. Closed 30 South Court Square, Newnan, Ga cornerartsgallery@gmail.com • facebook.com/cornerarts678-633-5705 Locally Handmade: • Christmas Ornaments • Stocking Stuffers • Unique Gifts • Teaching Classes, Ages 3 to Adult • Painting Parties available onsite and offsite • Ceramics Painting • We have Local Authors Books Local Artist Gallery & Gift www.cornerartsgallery.netShop follow us on facebook, Instagram and Twitter Creating Beauty. Preserving Memories. (770) 683-3463 • 10 E Broad St, Newnan, GA 30263 FineLinesArtandFraming.com 21 W. Court Square Historic770-683-9200Newnan,DistrictGa. GILLYWEEDS KEEPING #NEWNANSTRONG 8 N. Court Square letthemeattoffee.com770-683-0137

Duncan's Blue Fern Merchant was named Coweta's Best Interior Design Service and Barnes was ranked Coweta's No. 1 Realtor in this year's Best of Coweta Reader's Choice Contest.Bestof

1 2 3 4 3

Best TogetherWinnersBringsReceptionCowetaof

Winners of Newnan-Coweta Magazine's 2021 Best of Coweta Contest joined in late August to celebrate at a reception held in their honor. Hosting the event at Blue Fern in downtown Newnan were Lori Duncan of Blue Fern, Joy Barnes of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia, and Newnan-Coweta Magazine.

Coweta winners who donated food and beverage for the event included Cakes by Debbie, The Cellar, Contemporary Catering, Goldens on the Square, Karvelas Pizza, Knife and Stone, and RPM Full Service.

Written by JACKIE KENNEDY

Photographed by SARA MOORE and DEBBY DYE

(4) Hank Lane, of The Venue at Murphy Lane, visits the hors d'oeuvres table. The Venue was named Best Special Event/Wedding Venue for 2021.

(6) Daniel and Megan Lichty represented Lichty Brothers Homes, which took top honors for Best Home Builder and Best Home Remodeling/Renovation.

109 8 7 6 5

(5) Celebrating Best of Coweta winners are Newnan-Coweta Magazine employees, from left, Jackie Kennedy, Misha Benson, Sonya Studt, Debby Dye and Sandy Hiser.

(7) Rachel Kuehl, of Newnan Mercantile, celebrated her shop's first place win for Best Home Decor Store.

(9) At center, Doug Kees, voted Coweta's Best Local Musician, chats with Debby Dye, left, and Misha Benson.

(10) A celebratory Best of Coweta cake was created by Debbie Barronton, of Cakes By Debbie, which won first place for Best Local Bakery and Best Dessert.

(8) Owner Maridee Wise and Manager Marilyn Brown, of Goldens on the Square, contributed their famous banana pudding for the party. Goldens took top honors for Coweta's Best Southern Food.

(3) Lyndsey Vittegleo and Jeff Morgan represented Morgan Jewelers at the Best of Coweta reception. Their shop won first place for Best Jewelry Store in Coweta County.

(1) Lori Duncan, left, and Joy Barnes prepare for guests to arrive.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 91

(2) Abigail Alvarez, her husband Nicholas and their cute-as-pie daughter Evelyn represented Pathways Center, which was voted Coweta's Best Mental Health Services.

D & G Improvements.Home Inc. Residential LicensedRenovationsCommercial&&Insured * Room Additions * Kitchens & Baths * Garages * Decks * RenovationsBasement * More! Call 770-527-6544Danny manny the HANDYMAN • HOME IMPROVEMENT & REPAIRS • FINISHED BASEMENTS • ELECTRICAL / PLUMBING • DRYWALL / TRIM WORK • PRESSURE WASHING • INT. - EXT. PAINTING • ALL TYPES OF FLOORING • KITCHEN / REMODELINGBATHROOM • ROOFING / SIDING / GUTTERS • WINDOWS / DOORS • DECKS /SCREEN PORCH No Job Too Large or Small Over 33 Years Experience For your FREE Estimate call: 770-940-4057DIRECTORYSERVICE “When we leave... ’s finished!” MONO SLABS PATIOS • TEARDRIVEWAYSSIDEWALKSOUT/REPLACEBASEMENTSLABS Cele ating 39 YEARS in Business! Call for a FREE 678-378-4860Estimate!

DIRECTORYSERVICE

Blacktop

tornado.herhome

Photos must be original, high-resolution (300 DPI) digital photos in .jpg format, at least 3x5 inches in size. Please include your name so that we can give you credit for your photo in the magazine! Email your photos with the subject “Blacktop” to the address below. the season to find the beauty in all, even an everyday drive up Oliver Potts Road in Coweta County.

Email us your photos of life in and around Coweta County and we may choose yours for a future edition of Blacktop!

magazine@newnan.com ‘Tis

Photo by Kelly Hines

Photo by Terri Smith Laika, a Sharpsburg canine resident, seemsto say, “Come on, Mom, let’s go for a walk.”

submitphotosyour

in Moreland.

At the Festiva Drive home of Hugh and Lynne Maddux in Newnan,volunteers with Samaritan’s Purse carved crosses into the trunkof a tree felled by the March

ALL ROADS LEAD TO COWETA

Recurring Events: Market Day • 1st Sat of the Month • 10am-2pm

Deer visit a Coweta County backyardin autumn.

winter ON THE MAINSTREETNEWNAN.COMSQUARE

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 95

Holiday Sip & See • Nov 19, 5-9pm

Plaid Friday • Nov 26

Santa on the Square • Nov 26, 6-8pm Small Business Saturday • Nov 27

With this in mind, we present our own version of the Polar Express, thanks to outstanding photography by Logan Rethmel, who took these photos in Coweta County.

here’s just something about trains at Christmastime. They simply seem to go together like milk and cookies left out for Santa, stockings stuffed with candy, and holiday lights strung around a cedar tree. Whether it’s a toy train on a plastic track circling the tree on Christmas morning or a weekend jaunt aboard a real train headed out on a holiday shopping jaunt in north Georgia Christmas and trains make a happy match.

Photographed by LOGAN RETHMEL

At top, a CSX grain train passes under the Salbide Avenue bridge in Newnan. Above, a Norfolk Southern locomotive leads a stack train around a curve in Coweta County. In our opinion, each photo whispers “Merry Christmas” as sure as a train chugging around the bend.

ALL ROADS LEAD TO COWETA

Coweta’s ExpressPolarOwn

BlacktopBonus

96 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM

BY JOE joe@newnan.comADGIE

Central Baptist Church celebrates installation of new organ FAITH • 8B Saturday & Sunday $2.00 ISSUE 181 NEWNAN, GA SINCE 1865 September 25, 2021A comedreamtrue Holmes: 13 strikeouts in six innings for the Lady Indians SPORTS • 1B LadypostseasonIndians FAIR DAY • 2A

Many teachers and caregivers said their groups looked forward to the event, and looked forward to getting on the rides, as a nice counterpoint to the everyday life in classrooms.Inaddition, those asked were delighted about the perfect weather on Thursday, with temperatures topping out at the low 70s and not a cloud in the sky.

technology, engineering and math —

McClellan taught at the school since its open ing in 2006. Recently, she was the school’s STEM

Welch Elementary School teacher Sharon McClellan died on Sept. 21 as a result of a COVID-19 infection.

BY JEFFREY jeffrey@newnan.comCULLEN-DEAN

Welch Elementary mourns STEM teacher

A letter from the school was sent to students’ parents on Wednesday, Sept. 22 informing them of McClellan’s passing.

BY SARAH FAY sarah@newnan.comCAMPBELL

Susan Drew’s journey through addiction to recovery started when she was 12 years old. She to cope with the pain of years of ‘It’s the thefeelingbestinworld’ RECOVERY SPOTLIGHT: SUSAN DREW Opinion .................. 4A Community 12A Obituaries.............. 14A Sports 1B-3B Senior Living 4B Faith 8B Home & Garden 10B Classifieds ............. 15B INSIDE GUIDE Page 4B The MadrasShangri-La?LastSchoolRestoredasCommunityCenter Page 12A BE THE FIRST TO KNOW Call: 770-253-1576 • Stop by: 16 Jefferson Street, Newnan • Order Online: times-herald.com/subscribe Never Miss a Magazine! Your subscription to The Newnan Times-Herald (NTH) includes a copy of Newnan-Coweta Magazine mailed to your home or office! NTH is your reliable source for news on community events, crime, local government, arts and culture, social services, zoning and development. Standard Subscription Rates: Includes the NTH newspaper mailed to your home or business; PLUS full access online; and all 6 issues of Newnan-Coweta Magazine 3 months $31.25 • 6 months $62.50 • 12 months $125 Senior (65 and older), Military and Veterans: 3 months $24.75 • 6 months $49.50 • 12 months $99 Subscribe Today! NewsCommunity written by ReportersLocal NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | 97

On perhaps the most perfect day this season, groups of special-needs children and adults took to the Coweta County Fairgrounds for an afternoon of fun and games at the Fair. Groups from numerous schools across the county, as well as adult groups, were on hand for the event, where children and adults enjoyed various rides, such as the pirate ship, the fun slide and bumper cars, while others enjoyed a special show from Johnny Peers and the Muttville Comix, a circus-style dog show.

“My group was really excited, because it was supposed to happen Tuesday, and because of the weather, they moved it today,” said Rene Chestnut of Adults in

WEATHER Pleasantly warm partly cloudy 80º 55º PleasantlySATURDAYwarmwithsunshine 81º 56º SUNDAY Special needs students, adults enjoy a day at the fair - and what a day! A group of special needs students from schools across Coweta County go airborne in the pirate ship ride at the Kiwanis Coweta County Fair. Students from Lee Middle School swing wildly aboard the Scrambler at the Kiwanis Coweta County Fair.

And though the day will never be the same for me, it can still be the magical day for my children that it was for me all those years.

My parents deserve that much. And my children certainly do. They may be a little bit older now, but Santa Claus is no less real. NCM

My parents lost their loved ones, but it never stopped them from making our Christmases magical. I think they’d be pretty sad to know that I let pining over them take away some of the magic of what was always a magical day for us.

The best thing I can do, for them, is to get back to making sure it’s the best day of the year.

Except this year.

I didn’t like it, having to list someone else. The brother who I added probably won’t like it if they ever have to call him. He can blame his mama for that, I suppose. I’d rather it still be her,

the numbness is a little less numb. I’m not looking forward to Christmas at all. But I do feel confident I’ll at least remember it.

What used to be my favorite day of the year went to something I don’t even remember, just likeThisthat.year,

Southern-born and Southern-bred, Toby Nix is a local writer who works in law enforcement.

Christmases Past and Future

went for my yearly medical physical for work last week and had a first. There’s a first time for everything, and I had my first.

too.Christmas was always the biggest day in the year for the Nix clan. It was when my brother in Washington D.C. was sure to be in town. We would spend every waking minute up at my parents’ house for those few days.

98 | WWW.NEWNANCOWETAMAGAZINE.COM THE WRAP-UP/ TOBY NIX

When I got to the part where you list your emergency contacts, it hit me. Every year for my entire life, my mother has been an emergency contact. That’s not an option this year.

There was nothing out of the ordinary with the checkup, so I was in and out in 15 minutes. But “the first” came for me in the lobby as I was filling out my paperwork. I’ve been completing this pre-appointment paperwork once a year for decades. Very few things ever change, so it’s easy paperwork to fill out.

Last year was the first Christmas we had without both of my parents and my oldest brother. The year 2020 took them all. I think I must have been numb from the year because I have no memory of this past Christmas.

the energy output from our local solar farm for a monthly charge of $7.00 per solar panel. Each panel will generate an average of 55 kiloWatt hours per month.

SmartChoice SolarSmartChoice Solar

Smart Choice Solar offers CFEMC members a zero emission, affordable, renewable energy solution for their home and business. By grouping solar panels together, costs can be shared, power output maximized and the hassle of rooftop installations can be avoided. Smart Choice Solar generates energy in a way that creates no pollution or carbon emissions. To purchase your clean renewable energy source or receive more information, fill out the form below.

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www.JoyBarnes.BHHSGeorgia.comJoy.Barnes@BHHSGeorgia.com

Georgia Properties NEWNAN | COWETA OFFICE | 770-254-8333 LINDA HUFF | SR. VP & MANAGING BROKER WWW.COWETA.BHHSGEORGIA.COM | THE FOREVER BRAND © BHH A liates, LLC. An independently operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway a liate, and a franchisee of BHH A liates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company, a Berkshire Hathaway a liate. Equal Housing Opportunity

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JACQUELINE HILL 770-369-0665

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JOY BROWN BARNES

TROIOLA 678-770-5269

IDELETTE REMY

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JENNIFER SPRALDING

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www.JenniferSpralding.BHHSGeorgia.comJennifer.Spralding@BHHSGeorgia.com

MICHELLE

404-328-5699

678-850-6663

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