Northside Woman - August 2016

JULY 2016

WOMEN

Rule

The ladies who lead the Fulton School Board

Hidden Homeless Standing up for students in North Fulton schools

Tea Time!

New owner continues traditions at Mittie's

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staff

DEVON MCKENNA/PHOTOSYNTHESIS ATLANTA

NEWECTION

ED SPONSOR

S

ALTH HERPAHGE E 33

the cover

{ INSIDE }

Members of the Fulton County Board of Education from North Fulton include, from left, Katie Reeves, Katha Stuart, Linda McCain, seated, and Julia Bernath. The four join their peers from the Central and Southern part of the county to compose the only all-female school board for a major metro school system. Read more on page 6.

northside women { 6 } THE INTERVIEW

Get to know the four dedicated women

who represent their North Fulton

districts on the Fulton County

Board of Education, and learn their

views on the ever-changing education landscape. { 10 }

SHE GIVES BACK Ending the stigma of youth homelessness is the mission for Julie Binney a longtime advocate for teens, who helped start the North Fulton chapter of Stand Up for Kids.

{ 16 }

WOMEN IN BUSINESS Emily Fuchs and her husband brought their vision of the perfect preschool from Missouri to Alpharetta, and are preparing to open Little Sunshine’s Academy this fall.

{ 22 }

WOMEN IN ART Mary Jo Cox has taken photography from a hobby to a career in a short span of time, gathering numerous awards and recognition for her photographs of wildlife in their natural setting.

northside lifestyle { 14 } GOOD BOOKS

Roswell writer Marilyn Baron, whose

11th title with The Wild Rose Press,

“Stumble Stones,” considers it her most serious work yet.

{ 18 }

HER STYLE View the display of iconic women’s formal wear from the “first lady of fashion,” Carolina Herrera, at the Museum of Fashion and Film in Atlanta through September.

{ 20 }

GOOD EATS From waitress to new owner, Elizabeth Seago carries on the traditions of Mittie’s Cafe in Alpharetta – adding a few of her own fresh touches.

{ 28 } TAKE FIVE

With the new school year just

underway, look for ways to get

involved in your child’s classroom.

Here are five ways you can make a difference. { 29 } ASK THE VET

Just like your “human” kids, your

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local veterinarian Dr. Joanne Roesner

on sending your pups to “school.” { 36 } AUGUST CALENDAR

Suzanne Pacey

PUBLISHER/ GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Candy Waylock EDITOR

suzanne@northfulton.com

Lori Wynne

STYLE CONTRIBUTER

Kathy Des Jardins Cioffi CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Devon McKenna PHOTOGRAPHER

Kathleen Sturgeon

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

owner Christina Appen general manager Hans Appen sales executives Wendy Goddard, Mike Dorman, Sabine Genet, Steve Neese, April Thornton, June Meltzer sales assistant Susan Hernandez production Suzanne Pacey, David Brown, A.J. McNaughton

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NORTHSIDEWOMAN.COM facebook.com/ northsidewoman twitter.com/ nsidewoman Northside Woman is published monthly & distributed free throughout north metro Atlanta. © 2015 Appen Media Group. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be copied or reprinted without the express written permission of the publisher.

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DEVON MCKENNA/PHOTOSYNTHESIS ATLANTA

Ruling the Schools

theinterview

From left to right: Linda McCain, President of the Board (Johns Creek), Julia Bernath, Roswell/Sandy Springs, Katie Reeves, Alpharetta/Milton, and Katha Stuart, Roswell.

All-female school board unique to Fulton County

By CANDY WAYLOCK

candy@northsidewoman.com

A

cross the country, more than 90,000 school board members serve on 13,500 local boards of education, tasked with keeping the wheels of education moving for the students in their district.

Demographically, women compose approximately 44 percent of elected school board members nationally. That figure is statistically higher than the state and national legislatures in the communities they serve, which average less than 20 percent female representation, according to the National School Board Association.

Here in Fulton County, the local Board of Education is an outlier among its peers when it comes to female representation. Since 2005, the Fulton County Board of Education has had a slate of seven women representing the system’s seven districts – a demographic unseen in any other major metro district, according to state and national education officials.

Throw in the fact that Fulton County is the only major school system in the country dissected by a completely separate school system (Atlanta Public Schools) and the uniqueness is amplified.

But despite its obvious tilt to the female point of view, the board makes up for in progress what it may lack in diversity. Fulton County Schools remain one of the strongest systems statewide, based on the academic achievement of its schools, and continues to attract highperforming superintendents and school leaders.

The four board members who represent North Fulton range from its newest member -- appointed to fill an expired term and running for her first election in November -- to the senior member closing in on nearly two decades on the board.

Northside Woman sat down with each board member to learn more about the challenges and opportunities of serving the Fulton County School System.

Julia Bernath – District 7 (Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, Johns Creek and Roswell) A board member since 2000, Bernath served as the board president from 2007 to 2009, and as the vice president from 2009 to 2010. She is actively involved in education statewide, including the Georgia Schools Boards Association where she served as president, the Georgia Professional Standards Commission where she is the vice chair, and on the staff for the Center for Reform of School Systems.

BERNATH Bernath is also active locally, serving as past chair of the Sandy Springs Education Force, the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education's Advisory Committee, and the Rotary Club of

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Sandy Springs. Her three children are Fulton County School graduates, and she is now preparing for her granddaughter to start kindergarten this month in Fulton Schools.

What have been the biggest changes in education in the time you’ve served on the board?

We have seen several pendulums in education - from phonics to whole language and back, and the variety of math journeys which led us back to a more traditional approach. We have gone from a "one size fits all" approach to learning to “personalized” learning and, in Fulton County, more autonomy and decision-making at the local school level.

“Choice” is now part of the vocabulary, and Fulton has emerged a leader in exploring choice options for our communities. Career Pathways have given students a path to new opportunities -- instead of just college -- and technology continuously redefines our landscape.

At the same time, schools continue to do more with less, and teachers must now address the social, psychological, emotional and economic stresses that follow children to school. We have also seen a move to take more control by federal and state government. I am hopeful more control will move back to school districts.

Are there challenges to serving on a board with all women?

When I began service on the board, our makeup was two white men, two black women and three white women. We are now six white women and one black woman. Despite the changes, the one constant is every person came onto the board wanting to make a positive difference for ALL students in Fulton County. No one has had personal agendas — we all realize we represent the entire district, working on behalf of ALL of our students. As long as each board member remembers this, I don't think other issues matters.

What are your personal goals for what you, or the board as a whole, would like to accomplish during your current term in office?

I am very excited about the choice of options being discussed and look forward to hearing from our communities on the options they want for their areas. Becoming a Charter District has opened up a variety of opportunities, including partnerships with technical colleges and universities, trades professions, artists, foreign language exploration, STEAM – the list is only as limited as our imagination! I hope to be here for a while as part of this great leadership team to see what lies ahead for Fulton Schools!

► See INTERVIEW, Page 8

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▼ INTERVIEW, Continued from Page 6

After your board service concludes, how do you want the public to view your legacy?

I have had a number of jobs in my life, but I discovered my passion in board service, and I hope that the public sees that I made a positive difference in the lives of our students and staff. The most difficult lesson I have had to learn is that, with most decisions made by the board, someone is not going to be happy. But if I can end each day answering “yes” to the question, "Is this what is best for kids?", then I know I have done the right thing.

Linda McCain – District 5 (Johns Creek and Alpharetta) Currently the president of the Fulton School Board, McCain was first elected to the board in 2010 and is serving her second four-year term which expires in 2018.

McCain is a proponent of efficient McCAIN and conservative use of taxpayer dollars and the increased accountability of school system stakeholders. In December 2014, she was appointed to serve on Gov. Nathan Deal's Education Advisory Board to advise on strategies for reforming the state’s schools and funding mechanisms.

A resident of Johns Creek, McCain and her husband, Stephen, have three daughters, the youngest of whom graduated this year from Johns Creek High School.

What have been the biggest changes in education in the time you’ve served on the board?

In the past six years, there has definitely been a shift away from high-stakes testing previously required by No Child Left Behind. This is a welcome — and necessary -- change since nationwide many parents have started opting their children out of the assessments altogether.

The amount of stress and testing fatigue placed on the students has also affected our teachers. There are fewer university graduates that enter the field of education, and many teachers are choosing to leave the profession early.

What were your original objectives in seeking a seat on the Board of Education?

I ran on the platform that one size doesn't fit all.

Decisions made by the district at the central office do not have the same impact districtwide because of our very diverse populations and geography. Fulton was serving the highest performing students and lowest performing students well; however the average students were just coasting along.

I felt more could be done for kids who flew under the radar. Our move to a Charter System allows us to do things differently. Local Governance Councils can delve more deeply into each school’s strategic plan, partner the school with the community and really support students in a way that was not possible before.

You’ve held an elected position nearly since the day you took office. What are your responsibilities as president?

My number one goal is to make sure all board members have the information they need before a vote.

We all have one vote, so being the president does not bring any additional influence. We operate under the "no surprises" rule, and I serve as the spokesperson for the board. With a new superintendent in place, I am also trying to make sure he knows the history behind certain topics from the boards' perspective.

Moving forward, what are your personal goals 8 | northsidewoman.com | august2016

for what you, or the board as a whole, would like to accomplish in the next five years?

We are eager to get started on our next five-year strategic plan with Dr. Rose. While we have made some inroads with our graduation rate we won’t be content until 90 percent or more of our students walk the stage each year. We have only begun to scratch the surface of adding choice opportunities for students, and I would like to see faster progress on that front. There is also a new opportunity to rethink how we deliver instruction with a new STEM campus in North Fulton. We are starting to think beyond bricks and mortar buildings, and an eighthour student day.

Katie Reeves - District 2 (Alpharetta and Milton) A board member since 1999, Katie Reeves is the longest serving member of the North Fulton delegation of board members. She was the school board president from 2003-05. Her current term expires at the end of 2018.

REEVES An active community member, Reeves served on the Alpharetta Planning Commission for four years. She also has been a Local School Advisory Committee member and PTA legislative chair at Lake Windward Elementary School.

She and her husband, Cliff, have three grown children who all graduated from Fulton schools.

What have been the biggest changes in education in the time you’ve served on the board?

One of the more obvious changes has been the infusion of technology into education. Of course, it mirrors our changing world, and in that way it is good.

However, there is still a struggle to find a balance between content, or the basics, and reliance on technology. When you dig into “successful stories” in education, important relationships and connections to adults who cared are still the secret. Keeping technology in perspective is critical.

It is a tool, an important one, but parents and teachers remain the most important component in a child's education.

What were your original objectives in seeking a seat on the Board of Education?

One of the pressing issues when I ran for office was extreme overcrowding and the belief the growing North Fulton community was not being heard. I believed there was a better process to plan for the growth in Fulton.

I knew that at some places in Fulton County, students were able to move ahead as their ability dictated. I believed that should be available for all students; and that parents, who know their child best, should have the ability to weigh in. As a strong believer in the power of local control, I have always believed we would be a stronger, more effective district with parents having a seat at the table. Continuous Achievement is now policy, ensuring that each child in Fulton County can advance in math and language arts at a pace to match their ability and motivation.

And finally, I advocated for a more central location for our main administrative offices – which we finally accomplished last year.

Are there challenges to serving on a board with all women?

An all-female board tends to look unique, and we are unique. However, each of my fellow board members truly reflects the needs of her district. As different as each district is, we are all that different. Regardless of gender, the challenge to bringing the perspectives of each district together remains the same.

The fact we are all "parents," rather than "mothers," definitely impacts our decisions...in a good way. We never forget that we are dealing with parents and their children.

After your board service concludes, how do you want the public to view your legacy?

I want to be remembered as a strong advocate for my community. And hopefully, I'll be viewed as someone who did the homework on issues affecting our schools, whether it was construction, math, continuous achievement, or local governance, and that I was open to sharing that information.

I hope they will know that I cared about our students, families, and employees and was unwavering in fighting for our students.

Katha Stuart - District 1 (Alpharetta and Roswell) Currently filling the unexpired term in District 1, Stuart is running unopposed in the November election for the permanent seat. She was a volunteer in Fulton Schools since STUART her children started kindergarten at Mountain Park Elementary and on up through Crabapple Middle and Roswell High. She has served in various PTA and School Governance Councils, and has been a member of the Superintendent’s Community Advisory Committee since 2009, and was the vice president of programs for the North Fulton Council.

She and her husband, John, live in Roswell with their two daughters who attend Roswell High School.

How has the transition been from volunteer to a member of the school board?

As a board member, my responsibility is to work with the superintendent on the overall direction of the school system, taking into consideration ALL schools and populations in the system.

My work as a volunteer leader is/was more project based, and generally involved specific initiatives at only one or a select number of schools.

I was well aware of the differences between the roles before being appointed, so the transition has been relatively smooth.

What were your original objectives when you sought a seat on the Board of Education?

My primary objectives in seeking the appointment were to ensure that all students are provided opportunities for success; that excellent staff members are valued and retained; to be transparent with all system issues; and to be fiscally responsible with the taxpayer dollars entrusted to us.

Now that I am seated, I remain committed to these objectives.

Are there challenges to serving on a board with all women?

I don’t think there are any more challenges to serving on a board with all women than there would be with serving on a board with both men and women. Regardless of the sexes involved, we each bring to the position our own personal experiences and opinions and are committed to working toward what is best for students.

What would you like to see accomplished in the next four-year term?

System goals include continuing to utilize the flexibilities of the charter system; increase our offerings of CTE pathways for current and future work opportunities; continue to make Fulton a highly desired working environment for teachers; evaluate and improve systems that have been in place for many years; and to develop additional partnerships with municipalities, businesses, faith-based organizations and other entities.

My own goals include continued support for our schools’ administrators and teachers and to attend at least one school function per week involving students! ■

august2016 | northsidewoman.com | 9

she gives back

Standing Up

for Kids

North Fulton group works to help homeless youth in area schools

By CANDY WAYLOCK

candy@northsidewoman.com

B

Mentors play an important role in the lives of the students in the SUFK program.

VOLUNTEER by giving some of your time to help kids.

SPONSOR kids by providing goods or services.

DONATE money to let StandUp For Kids purchase what is most needed.

eyond the gated subdivisions and manicured lawns that dot North Fulton, are nearly 650 students who attend classes each day at area schools, then head “home” to sleep in shelters, motels, their cars or on a friend’s couch.

“Youth homelessness in North Fulton is definitely not on most people’s radar,” said Julie Binney, an advocate for homeless youth through Stand Up for Kids (SUFK).

“Most teens want to fit in. They don’t want to call unnecessary attention to themselves,” Binney said. “And they don’t want all of their friends and teachers to know Dan and Julie Bi they are homeless.” nney.

She noted that many would be surprised to learn 40 percent of the 1,500 homeless students in the Fulton County School System attend schools in North Fulton. Unfortunately, statistics show about 75 percent of these kids are likely to drop out of school before receiving their diploma.

Stand Up for Kids (SUFK) is working to reverse that trend. The national organization provides support to teens and young adults who are experiencing homelessness, with the mission to end teen homelessness. The organization has chapters in cities across the nation, including here in Atlanta.

Binney, a former math teacher who has lived in North Fulton since 1997, began volunteering with Stand Up for Kids Atlanta (SUFK) in 2011 along with her husband, Dan. For the next four years, the two spent every Monday night at the drop-in center near downtown Atlanta mentoring homeless teens, and in street outreach looking for teens living alone on the streets who needed help.

All her life Binney felt strongly that safe and decent housing is a basic human right.

She had lived in New Jersey prior to moving to North Fulton and helped start a Habitat for Humanity affiliate, as well as a Family Promise affiliate that helped house homeless children and their families.

As a teacher, she also knew the impact of homelessness in the classroom.

“I had been a high school teacher, so the first question in my head was ‘How can these students concentrate on doing well in school when their basic needs of shelter and food aren’t being met?’” she asked.

In 2013, the SUFK Atlanta program expanded to North Fulton, and Binney stepped up to become a mentor for the schools in this area. Currently, SUFK runs mentoring programs at Centennial, Independence, Milton, North Springs and Roswell high schools.

“We work with the Fulton County schools homeless liaison [and the] social workers at each school to identify the kids who are homeless and who want to be part of our mentoring program,” Binney explained.

► See SHE GIVES BACK, Page 12

10 | northsidewoman.com | august2016

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she gives back ▼ SHE GIVES BACK, Continued from Page 10 Mentors are matched to each student by the school social worker and the director of the SUFK school mentoring program. The role of the mentor is to guide the student on their journey to graduation, and be their “cheerleader” to celebrate the victories and successes along the way.

“Each mentor helps their student obtain services and tutoring, set realistic goals, recognize the importance of completing high school, and plan ahead for life beyond graduation,” said Binney, who worked as teacher at Crabapple Middle School and Blessed Trinity High School before retiring.

She noted stereotypes of homeless youth do not exist, and few people could discern the homeless youth from the general student population.

“Teens experiencing homelessness look and act just like teens who have a home. They come from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds, and have a variety of interests, talents, and intellectual abilities,” Binney said. “They are a true cross-section of our North Fulton population.”

Often the students are in transition, and the circumstances vary, from living in hotels or motels, staying with a rotating group of friends from night to night, to being completely on their own. It is these “unaccompanied youth” who are most at risk, Binney noted.

“Without someone to consistently provide for their basic needs, these students are at extremely high risk for dropping out of school. For every 100 homeless youth, the potential exists for 76 to become dropouts,” said Binney. She noted about 20 percent of the homeless high school students

12 | northsidewoman.com | august2016

Students were asked to describe the program in 3 words. The bigger the word, the more it was mentioned. This is the Word Cloud for 2015.

are “unaccompanied.”

There are currently about 30 mentors volunteering in North Fulton schools, and the need for more is an ongoing effort. Binney said they recruit new mentors from community groups, Rotary clubs, churches and Fulton County staff members to fill the need.

“There is no shortage of youth in North Fulton who are experiencing homelessness and who need a positive adult role model,” said Binney.

“These kids are just one caring adult away from success, one day away from living on the street.

There is, however, a shortage of people power and support to meet the need.”

She’s learned to celebrate every victory – the 19-year-old who learned to read and could finally read books to her children, or the student who pulled up failing grades and was able to earn college scholarships – and recognize its impact to that student.

“We’ve had some large successes with a few of the teens, but we mostly saw small successes,” said Binney. “But it was those small successes and the relationships that all of us established with the teens, that keep us coming back week after week.”

For more information on Stand Up for Kids visit standupforkids.org. ■

According to Jennifer Greenlee, director of the School Mentoring Program for SUFK-Atlanta, "Our kids hide in plain sight. They might sit next to yours in class.

No situation is the same, but even a moment of instability and transition effects their ability to succeed. They deserve an advocate to empower them, to give them a voice."

Graduations are celebrated for students in the SUFK programs.

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august2016 | northsidewoman.com | 13

Novel take on history, romance

goodbooks

In 2014, Marilyn Baron signed books during the Georgia Romance Writers Moonlight & Magnolias Conference, an event she will return to this October with “Stumble Stones.”

Baron’s 19th work, ‘Stumble Stones,’ a dark and humorous suspense

By KATHY DES JARDINS CIOFFI

R

oswell writer Marilyn Baron, whose 11th title with The Wild Rose Press, “Stumble Stones,” will be released Aug. 19, considers it her most serious work yet. And, since she has 19 published works, that’s saying something.

The award-winning writer has explored a variety of genres – from humorous “coming-of-middle-age” women’s fiction to historical romantic thrillers and suspense to paranormal/fantasy – in a range of formats, including novels, novellas, short stories and even a musical.

Clearly, Baron is all about books. An avid reader and member of two book clubs, she is on the steering committee of Roswell Reads, an annual communitywide reading event. She has been a featured author in the program’s Atlanta Author Series, a Decatur Book Festival presenter and is a double nominee for the 52nd Georgia Author of the Year Awards. All while working full time, traveling widely with her husband and “hovering over” her two adult daughters in Atlanta.

Baron, whose next signing will be during the Georgia Romance Writers annual Moonlight & Magnolias 2016 Conference in October, previewed her new book while discussing a life shaped by a love of books.

Tell us a little about yourself and your background

I have been a corporate writer and editor my entire career, first with AT&T and then as head of my own PR agency, so fiction is just a different kind of writing for me. I’ve been writing fiction for about 13 years. I’ve always wanted to be a writer, ever since I read the “Little House on the Prairie” books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I started out writing humorous paranormal short stories in 2011 for TWB Press, a small press specializing in science fiction, supernatural, horror and urban fantasy, thriller and mainstream. My stories are about angels and devils, love and death, weddings and funerals – happy endings guaranteed. Then I self-published a women’s fiction novel, a shopping-related suspense tale and a musical about Alzheimer’s with my sister, Sharon Goldman, a Florida artist. I submitted a manuscript to The Wild Rose Press Inc. in 2012, and my novel, “Under the Moon Gate,” was published in 2013. That novel was a romantic thriller set in contemporary and World War II Bermuda. I’ve visited Bermuda about 10 times and fell in love with it. I’m also fascinated

by WWII, since my father was a top-turret gunner on a B-17 in the European Theater during the war. So I combined both loves into my first traditionally published book.

Tell us about your new novel, “Stumble Stones.”

“Stumble Stones” is a multilayered, dark and humorous “Romancing the Stone”-style suspense novel about a cache of priceless diamonds hidden in WWII that sparks a hasty wedding on the high seas and a dangerous chase through Europe that holds the key to an unsolved mystery and a promise of lost love.

The idea for the novel was inspired by a real project, known as stolpersteine, or “stumble stones.”

14 | northsidewoman.com | august2016

German artist Gunter Demnig has placed some 50,000 of these brass plaques – cobblestone-sized Holocaust memorials – in 18 countries in Europe.

I was looking for an idea for my next novel when a former Roswell neighbor who moved to Stuttgart, Germany, emailed me about some stumble stones that were placed in front of his house, and that sparked my imagination. No one I’ve talked to about stumble stones has heard of this unique Holocaust memorial project, but once they find out about it, they are fascinated like I was.

What sets “Stumble Stones” apart from your other works?

All of my novels are humorous – even the ones about serial killers – and most feature romance and suspense. But “Stumble Stones,” set in contemporary and WWII Europe, deals with serious themes. In addition to the contemporary love story, it tells the tale of two women in the Holocaust. The light content balances the dark, and it has a hopeful, surprise ending.

What writing schedule/routine has made such a body of work possible, and how frequently can fans expect new Marilyn Baron books?

That varies. Last year, I published four books. This year, “Stumble Stones” will be the only one. I don’t have a regular writing schedule but I write whenever I can fit it in to my day job. I get inspiration all hours of the day and night and write ideas in the notes section of my iPhone. I have a beach condo in Palm Coast, Fla., that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. I don’t get there often enough (about four or five times a year) but, when I do, I get a lot of writing done and I often get inspiration for new books.

Your writing encompasses a variety of genres, including “coming-of-middle-age” women’s fiction.

How would you define that?

Coming-of-middle-age fiction features heroines who are 40 to 50 and over and stories about love the second time around or reconnecting with a lost love. The heroine goes on a personal journey but her issues are different from the typical 20-something heroines you tend to find in romance novels. The population is aging, and I want my books to appeal to “woman of a certain age,” like I am.

goodbooks What are you working on now?

My current work in progress is called “The Vampire Next Door,” and it’s the fourth and final book in my Psychic Crystal Mystery Series.

Where can we buy “Stumble Stones,” as well as your other books?

After “Stumble Stones” is released Aug. 19, it will be available in e-book and paperback formats on Amazon and through The Wild Rose Press, as well as in e-book format on Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks, Kobo, Bookstrand and ibookstore. It is now available for preorder on Amazon Kindle.

There’s a book trailer on YouTube and it will be available for readers to check out at the East Roswell Library. Readers can find out more about my books and humorous supernatural short stories on my website at www.marilynbaron.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Marilyn-Baron-286807714666748/. ■

d lon! e t ca va Lo nd A hi Be

Sign up by Aug. 10 for Writer’s High Retreat The second Writer’s High Retreat will be held Sept. 9-Sept. 11 at the Brasstown Valley Resort and Spa in Young Harris, Georgia. The retreat will feature workshops for poets, fiction writers and creative nonfiction writers, as well as readings and talks.

Featured speakers will include New York Times best-selling author Joshilyn Jackson as well as poet Clifford Brooks III, fiction writer Michael Morris, and nonfiction author Jessica Handler.

The cost of the retreat, which includes lodging and meals as well as all presentations, workshops and events, is $779 for a single room and $586 for a double room. The registration deadline is Aug. 10.

“Many retreat guests told me last year’s debut was ‘magical’ and they felt energized in a way they’d never experienced before – ‘the writer’s high,’” said Mari Ann Stefanelli, retreat founder. “There’s a powerful alchemy that occurs when writers come together in a gorgeous, peaceful setting and are given the time, inspiration and support they need to breathe life into their writing.”

For more information or to register, visit www.thewritershigh.com or email Stefanelli at mariann.stefanelli@gmail.com.

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women in business

Bringing sunshine to preschoolers & families Local mother opens Little Sunshine Playhouse in Alpharetta

The exterior of the preschool will look similar to this.

By KATHLEEN STURGEON

kathleen@appenmediagroup.com

A

passion was ignited when Emily and D.J. Emily and D.J. Fu ch Fuchs first sent their son, Bradley, to Little while Emily was pr s first found Little Sunshine’s Playh egnant with Brad ouse ley.

Sunshine’s Playhouse and Preschool two years ago while living in Missouri.

“We experienced first-hand the challenges that go into finding a perfect preschool for your family when we were in search of childcare for our son,” Emily evaluating, but after spending time in Atlanta, we were said. “There was no doubt in our mind, after touring many sold. The city has so much to offer and is really the capital of the local options, that Little Sunshine’s Playhouse was of the South.” our perfect fit.”

The residential population of Alpharetta was a plus, The couple developed a close as well as the “high concentration relationship with the facility director of families who were in need of in St. Louis. Then later they met the our services.” The large number of company founder Rochette Dahler businesses also played a huge part and were given the opportunity to in deciding to pick this city. open a new location in Alpharetta Having experienced Little at 12385 Morris Road. They are Sunshine from the parent’s hoping to open by fall, depending on perspective, Emily said her family’s construction. business outlook is unique. The “As parents of a kiddo in the reasons the Fuchs ultimately chose program, we knew the school was Little Sunshine for their son were special,” D.J. said. “But it wasn’t until many, but include the school’s we had the opportunity to sit down proprietary curriculum, called with Rochette that we realized how Creatively Shine. It is a inspirational this life decision would Reggio Emilia-influenced be. I know it sounds cliche, but from curriculum that focuses on the the top down each and every person whole child concept of developing in the organization is treated like a cognitive, social, emotional, physical member of an extended family.” and language skills.

The entire process was Little Sunshine also has transparent, D.J. said, and the couple distinctive services that set the was given the opportunity to meet facility apart, including: with other families similar to them • “Kiddie Cams” that had made the decision to spread • “LuvNotes” the LSP philosophy in other U.S. • Red Carpet Service markets.

• Menu planning It did not take the pair long to realize that “this was Enrichment activities, including: dance, soccer, yoga, going to be a perfect match.” sign and foreign language.

That was a little over a year ago, and since that time All of these are included in the tuition, D.J. said. they have gone through a comprehensive search, focusing “Another differentiator for our family was the their efforts on finding a city that shared the same passion environment,” Emily said. “From the design of the facility and optimism as Little Sunshine. to the teachers, with whom we developed extremely close Emily said they know they found it in “Awesome relationships, the environment really felt like Bradley was Alpharetta.” But Emily also said the family wanted to going to his ‘home away from home’ every day.” choose a location where they could ultimately move to.

Now the Fuchs are hoping to ensure other families in After visiting Atlanta, the couple knew this was the Alpharetta have a similar experience. place for them.

“We couldn’t think of a more rewarding way to “The charm and pride that the region displays are dedicate our lives than having a positive impact on the contagious,” D.J. said. “We’ve always been attracted to that. children that attend our school and the families we hope to There were a couple other large metro areas we were touch,” D.J. said. ■

We couldn’t think of a more rewarding way to dedicate our lives than having a positive impact on the children that attend our school and the families we hope to touch.”

D.J. Fuchs

16 | northsidewoman.com | august2016

herstory

First-year teacher makes her way back to Summit Hill Lauren Goldfuss goes full circle from student to teacher

By MILES GARRETT

news@appenmediagroup.com

T

o chase your passion it’s sometimes best to see where the origin of that passion came from.

That is precisely what former Milton High School graduate Lauren Goldfuss will be doing this fall as she teaches music at Summit Hill Elementary School.

Goldfuss, who went to Summit Hill as a student herself, comes full circle after graduating with a degree in music education at the University of Alabama this past spring.

From a young age she realized that music was her forte. Having a passion for singing since first being introduced to it at Summit Hill, Goldfuss took her talent in stride by joining chorus in 4th grade, eventually becoming involved in the music program at Milton while in high school.

“I fell in love with it,” she said. “It was one of the only things that made me truly feel like myself. Whenever I was making music, I felt like that was where I was supposed to be.”

While at Alabama, she received the school’s Most Outstanding Choral Music Education Student for 2016 in the College of Education. Now graduated and preparing for her first year as a full-time music teacher, Goldfuss is ready to finally take her career to the next level in teaching at Summit Hill.

Goldfuss said she wants to teach elementary school students in order to spark their excitement about their education early so they can use that for future endeavors in their lives.

“Education is my passion,” she said. “But I believe it’s really important for kids to have a well-rounded education, and music is such a vital part of that, creatively and intellectually.”

A strong proponent of music education, Goldfuss said she believes that music is a powerful resource for

not only pursue music, but to use her knowledge to share with others.

The prospect of teaching was born.

“I will always think of myself as a musician and singer,” she said. “But what I love more than anything in the world is being able to teach and make a connection with a student by giving them a chance to see something in a way that they may not have it seen before.”

In addition to her musical talents, Goldfuss said she has an ability to help people understand things, in particular music. She found that teaching students at the elementary level was the best fit.

The idea of becoming a teacher seemed fitting given her unique ability to connect to younger students.

“I’ve always had a connection with the younger aged kids,” she said. “I love their spirit and their vibrancy.

They’re excited to learn and I’ve always strived to match that energy for them.”

Goldfuss comes to Summit Hill after teaching briefly in Tuscaloosa, AL where she went to college. Her experience teaching there influenced her decision to return to the town where she grew up.

“Milton is such a thriving community,” she said. “The parents and students are so involved in the arts especially and I knew that I would be so supported here.”

Goldfuss said she wants to Lauren Goldfuss will be inspire the same passion for music teaching music at Summit Hill her teacher gave her at Summit Hill.

Elementary School this fall.

“I want that to be the experience my students have,” she said. “Where they feel excited elementary students to coming into my room knowing that discover their strengths in they’re going to have fun and learn learning. something new.”

“It’s something With school starting in less than that gives kids so a month, Goldfuss is excited to get to much opportunity know the students she will be teaching to be creative and and the faculty she will be working be expressive,” she with.

La said. “Whether it’s through in uren Goldfuss as a Sum Not every passion comes to g her chorus m shirt when sh it Hill student wearplaying, or dancing or fruition, but for Lauren Goldfuss that e was a child . singing, it gives students passion will become a reality starting this multiple outlets for telling fall. people what is important to “I’m excited to just dive into a new them.” experience and learn from new people,” she It wasn’t until late in high school and early in her said. “I know with every fiber of my being that this is what collegiate career though, that she realized she wanted to I was meant to do.” ■

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herstyle

SCAD features

Carolina Herrera’s

Refined Irreverence

By LORI WYNNE

Style CONTRIBUTOR

F

or a fun and enlightening indoor activity, escape the heat and see true artistic craftsmanship in fashion at the Carolina Herrera “Refined Irreverence.” A dual exhibit at the Savannah College of Art and Design. with seventyfive pieces of women’s formal wear, created by the “first lady of fashion,” are displayed at SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion and Film in Atlanta and at the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah. The exhibit is the first museum showing of Herrera’s work and celebrates the 35th anniversary of the House of Herrera. The exhibit runs through Sept. 4 in Savannah and through Sept. 25 in Atlanta.

Venezuelan born Herrera opened her fashion studio in New York in 1981, but her love of beautiful things started much earlier. Herrera’s socialite grandmother took her to fashion shows at a young age and purchased outfits for her from Dior. For more than three decades, celebrities, socialites and presidential first ladies from Jacqueline Kennedy to Michelle Obama have worn her timeless and feminine designs.

Many designers have a distinct trademark look with certain fabrics, colors or silhouettes. This exhibit shows Herrera’s 35-year career in fashion and the array of trims, lush fabrics and colors that she has used over the years. Vivid colors along with muted tones share timeless appeal. Herrera has created styles for all body types and seasons of life.

There is something for all generations of fashion lovers to enjoy in the collection.

With my love of sewing and quality garment construction, I was in absolute heaven as I strolled past SCAD’s artful display of Herrera’s work from 1981 to the present. Many gowns were labeled with the name of the celebrity or socialite who wore it where and when. After reading sign near a truly feminine and classic black strapless full-length gown, I was surprised to read that Lady Gaga wore it. I didn’t know the “Princess of Pop” had that much taste.

I enjoyed the gentle walk through time -- not a 18 | northsidewoman.com | august2016

jarring “smack in your face” of ‘80s designs. In Savannah, the exhibit begins with a suspended staircase featuring flowing gowns in muted tones. As you walk through the exhibit, the pieces become more iconic. In a glass case at the end of the tour is a black velvet motorcycle jacket with brass, amber and iridescent stone studs and ample shoulder pads from 1989.

Seeing a display of Herrera’s work in one collection, a few themes come to mind. If it’s classically feminine with luscious details, it’s Carolina Herrera. She creates iconic silhouettes that celebrate the female form without being vulgar. For example, I saw several dresses with the timeless feminine touch of a thin ribbon or belt emphasizing the waist. Her choice of fabrics and the unabashed way in which she features them in cascading hems is over-indulgent and classic at the same time. Herrera unapologetically uses fur, features, and thin pieces of geometric foam as trim on her gowns.

My favorite display is the juxtaposition of the 1981 ecru overflowing puffed sleeves, peasant bodice and bell skirt next to the 2008 watercolor pleated hi-low strapless. Styles evolve but appeal to many regardless of the year and current styles.

If you are crushing on Carolina Herrera’s style and want to touch, try-on and own a piece of her line, go to the Lenox Square Mall in Atlanta to the Carolina Herrera (CH) store. The store contains men’s and children’s clothing, accessories for the whole family and plenty of shoes and clothes for women sizes 0 to 12.

Shoes run sizes 6-10. Here you can see hand-sewn suits for men, finished seams and dressmaker details that truly make Carolina Herrera’s clothing luxurious and timeless. ■

herstyle

As a personal wardrobe consultant and owner of Alpharetta-based Fashion With Flair, Lori Wynne helps people look their best. Contact her at fashionwithflair.com.

august2016 | northsidewoman.com | 19

Food from the heart

goodeats

Mittie’s Cafe embodies feeling of home through food, staff and atmosphere

By KATHLEEN STURGEON

kathleen@appenmediagroup.com

G

rowing up, Elizabeth Seago called Mittie’s Cafe her second home.

From her job as a waitress while attending Milton High School, to working her way up to manager before she left for Georgia Southern University, the 27-year-old has returned to Mittie’s at 62 North Main Street in Alpharetta time and again.

“I loved the small business aspect of Mittie’s,” Seago said. “I grew up working in food. My uncle owned a catering business. I’ve been working with food since I was about 12 years old, if not younger. I got to do everything at Mittie’s. I didn’t just have to sit in my corner and do my job. They taught me everything.”

And now, the young local has owned the business since May 2015.

Her background of working at the cafe for more than 10 years has helped keep the family-like atmosphere alive in the thriving teashop.

After graduating with her degree in hotel and restaurant management, Seago was trying to figure out her next step in life.

While between jobs, the former owner of Mittie’s asked Seago if she would ever want to own her own business, or even Mittie’s.

But Seago thought the question was rhetorical until she was brought a number

20 | northsidewoman.com | august2016

Miss Emily's Salad Plate includes the a bed of greens famous Miss Em with fresh season ily's Chicken Salad al fruit, a custome on and house balsa r favorite, tea, mu mic dressing. ffin

to buy the business.

“She said ‘We’re ready, are you ready too?’ And that’s how it went,” she said.

Since buying the business, Seago has used her love of the cafe and her own knowledge of the industry to continue on the beloved traditional aspect of Mittie’s. She has also incorporated her own touch.

The restaurant’s consistent menu includes its famous chicken salads, Miss Emily’s and Cherry Bleu Chicken Salad, which are both recipes from presidential families, lobster bisque and, of course, tea service -- all still as popular today as they were when the store opened in 2003.

Seago is developing a new concept of occasionally mixing things up with specials from time to time.

She added a dish titled Elizabeth’s Crepes after she and her staff were looking to add something to the breakfast menu. This plate, made of strawberries and Nutella wrapped in a crepe shell and topped with Nutella, strawberries and Chantilly cream, is what Seago would eat every morning.

“We want to honor the tradition of everything we’ve been through here,” Seago said. “But we always want to update it and branch back out into the community.

We’ve been here for so long we have such a great following of people. But there are also people who don’t know we’re here. It’s a way to reach back out to have a refresher.”

Aside from the food, the atmosphere and feeling customers get when they walk in the door is what Seago believes brings back the regulars and entices the first timers.

The wonderful Lauren Stupp serves top selling Miss Emily's Salad Plate. So many orders, not enough hands.

Hosts and guests alike love having private parties and celebrating the "moments that matter" on Mittie's newly opened veranda screen porch. There are rooms available for all size parties.

Mittie’s has many other options besides dining in, including: • Online ordering: mittiesalpharetta.com • A new app: http://apple.co/29RUESq • Selling chicken salad by the pound and lobster bisque at the Alpharetta Farmer’s Market • Catering, call (770) 772-0850 • Private parties and business meetings • Princess teas where customers dine with princesses from Glass Slipper Entertainment

Elizabeth Seago has owned Mittie’s since May 2015.

Tea room

“It’s the feeling of getting to spend those moments with the people who matter to you and having a good environment to do it in,” she said.

And one of the most memorable moments of coming full circle for Seago is the customers who remember the staff, including people who remember her from her early high school days.

“Last year there was a lady who remembered me being her waitress and doing her bridal shower,” Seago said. “And then we recently hosted her children’s birthday party. So you get to see the whole span.”

That’s just one positive outcome of having a loyal customer base.

“One of the best parts about being in small business is getting to know the customers,” Seago said. “Moments can be special and in all different shapes, forms and sizes. That’s something this business has taught me. We always say ‘It’s your moment.’”

For information on Mittie's, including online ordering, visit mittiesalpharetta.com. ■

Mittie's caters too, so you can take Mittie's anywhere. Order sandwiches, salads, quiches and sides for groups small and large through their website and app.

august2016 | northsidewoman.com | 21

women in art

Bear}

Encounters{ Mary Jo Cox captures wildlife through the lens of her camera

By CANDY WAYLOCK

candy@northsidewoman.com

T

hrough the lens of her camera, Mary Jo Cox photographs a world that most people see only in nature magazines. Her photos of wildlife in their natural settings reflect her lifelong passion for animals, and are quickly garnering awards and recognition for the Milton photographer.

From grizzly bears emerging from salmon-filled streams, to black bear cubs whose curiosity trumps their fear, to aggressive moose the size of Clydesdale horses, Cox has filled her portfolio with up-close and personal encounters.

22 | northsidewoman.com | august2016

“I want people to see the beauty in animals,” said Cox, a resident of Alpharetta and Milton since 1995. “Bears [are] my favorite. In the wild, it’s amazing to watch interactions between mom and cubs, confrontations and the speed at which bears can [move].”

She is a relative newcomer to the world of wildlife photography, starting with a photography class just three years ago at the suggestion of her husband, David. At the time she was looking for something to fill her time, not necessarily her bucket list.

“I got involved in photography when I became an empty nester and wasn’t sure what to do with my life,” said Cox, whose sons, Zachary, 22, and Ryan, 25, are Milton High School graduates.

She is more the “accidental photographer” than a lifelong artist. Prior to children, Cox worked as an engineer after receiving her degree from Bradley University (Ill.), her world filled with logic and data with few outlets for artistic ventures.

But she loved taking photos of their boys in their younger years, following their many sports activities through the eye of her camera; then creating scrapbooks of those photos. The idea of a career in photography never crossed her mind back then.

She took a photography course through the University of North Georgia, learned how to use the camera properly and decided to focus on wildlife photography. Cox said her talent for capturing images was

something others soon noticed in her photos.

“My artist’s eye was recognized by others,” said Cox. “People were intrigued by how I was able to get ‘that’ shot of a bear.”

In many ways, she applies the lessons learned in engineering to her work as a photographer, relying on careful planning and patience to get the right shot.

“You not only need to know how to use the camera, you have to be in the right location at the right time. Bears do not pose for pictures, nor do they show up just because a photographer is in the area!” she noted.

Since that first class in 2013, Cox has traveled extensively to remote locations to shoot wildlife in their natural environment. Her first photography adventure

women in art

found her in Canada during a cold, wet October, three hours away from the closest town with no access to phones or Internet.

Cox was in her element…and had found her calling.

“We photographed from small fishing type boats [with] a guide/ driver and two photographers on each boat,” Cox said. “We travelled up and down the river from sunup to sundown watching and waiting for the bears.”

She noted her husband accompanied her on that first trip, but she’s flown solo for most of her trips since then.

“David no longer comes with me since the days are long and we are usually in remote locations….no Internet or phones!” she said, laughing.

She accepts the element of risk involved when shooting wild animals, and she takes precautions to mitigate the danger. Those precautions include only traveling with groups, with experienced guides and carrying bear spray.

But there have been several close calls, said Cox, who emphasizes these beautiful creatures are also capable of harm. She recalls making the mistake of locking eyes with a black bear cub that lunged at her in a “bluff charge” to get her attention. It did. Or the time she was focused on a bear family and failed to notice a single bear sidling up next to her.

“I could feel the fur,” she recalled. “I had to freeze until the bear was past to not startle him and cause a reaction.”

Cox has been involved in animal rescue for years, primarily with Furkids, an Atlanta-based shelter and rescue group, so her focus on wildlife photography was a natural path. She is actively involved in GNPA (Georgia Nature Photographers Association), and has won numerous honors in the past year from the organization.

Her photos are on display at the Chattahoochee Nature Center as well as at Callaway Gardens, and last month her photo of a grizzly bear was selected to be painted by the Rowell Fine Artist’s Club. She also opened booths in both Ellijay and Blue Ridge where her photographs are on display and for sale.

Cox said she is amazed by her success and the turn her life has taken in the past few years.

“I started [taking photos] mainly because I was fascinated by bears and bear interactions. It was purely a hobby,” she said. “Now I travel domestically and internationally to be at the right location during the right times of the year to capture the bears that I’m interested in photographing.” ■

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august2016 | northsidewoman.com | 23

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llabell came to Furkids animal rescue from a county animal shelter when her time there was up. She is a very sweet dog, but understandably can be a bit nervous in a new environment. We found out, though, that she loves peanut butter, so be sure to have plenty on hand when you adopt her. Ellabell weighs 18 pounds and is five years old.

There is an adoption fee for Ellabell, but senior citizens and military personnel receive a discounted fee. If you want to know more about making sweet Ellabell a part of your home, contact Furkids at https://furkids.org/dog-adoptions/application. You can also follow Furkids on Facebook at www.facebook.com/furkidsinc ■

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24 | northsidewoman.com | august2016

give it

Take a book, leave a book

a whirl

Little Free Libraries coming to Roswell’s parks

By JULIA GROCHOWSKI

Little Free Libraries offer a place to relax and enjoy a book outdoors in neighborhoods all across North Fulton.

julia@appenmediagroup.com

B

ook lovers rejoice – Little Free Libraries have been catching on in North Fulton neighborhoods.

These free, communal libraries may look like creative yard decorations or extravagant bird feeders, but the small boxes hold new and used books for everyone to enjoy. No fees or memberships are needed to borrow, take or exchange the books. People are welcome to just come up and read.

Currently in Roswell there are four of these libraries, but 18 new libraries are expected to join the ranks soon.

Nancy Halsema is a local Little Free Library owner who has been spearheading a project to put one Little Free Library in every Roswell park.

Halsema was first inspired to start the project when she heard about the global Little Free Library organization, then visited the libraries near her home in Johns Creek.

The conditions of her local Little Free Libraries shocked her.

“When I got there, I was just horrified,” Halsema said.

“The door was broken off one. There was a bird’s nest in

another one. The third one just had some pamphlets and plastic cups in it. They were just in horrible shape and it made me sad.”

She tracked down the original owner of the libraries, who had since moved away, to adopt and restore them to their former glory. Hearing the positive responses to this project in her neighborhood, said Halsema, has been fun.

“I can hear people saying ‘Let’s just meet at the Little Free Library and then go for a walk,’” Halsema explained.

“I can see children going to the park to play and then picking up a book when they go home. It’s just another way to be a community.”

The libraries see a lot of use. Each week, Halsema or a volunteer replenishes them with more books, but the new stock vanishes quickly. A new Harper Lee paperback she put in one evening, Halsema recalled, was gone the very next day. Kid’s books are used the most.

Inspired by her success in Johns Creek, Halsema has since turned her eyes on Roswell to spread her love of reading.

The Roswell Recreation and Parks Department recently got on board with Halsema’s mission and has

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agreed to put a library in each of the city’s 18 parks. She envisions that each library will have a unique, eye-catching design that reflects the spirit of the parks themselves.

“Every one of them will be painted differently and perhaps take on the environment it’s in,” Halsema said. “If it’s down in the river park, for example, it might reflect the Chattahoochee.”

She estimates that the cost of building, painting, registering and installing the libraries will be about $500 each. Any donations to the city of Roswell for the Little Free Libraries project are tax deductible. Checks can be made out to Friends of the Roswell Parks, Inc., 38 Hill St., Suite 100, Roswell.

The libraries are part of the global Little Free Library which encourages literacy, fosters community and facilitates book exchanges. Since its beginnings in 2009, the organization now boasts more than 40,000 libraries worldwide.

For information on where to find or how to start a Little Free Library, visit littlefreelibrary.org. To reach Halsema for information or donations, email nancy@ idohousework.com. ■

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august2016 | northsidewoman.com | 25

recipebox

Deep Dish Pizza Cupcakes

cipe Send us youriare m nmed group.co suzanne@appe in it you might seseue! the next is

A

creative version of the classic personal pizza — a great after school snack!

• • • • •

Ingredients: 1 can refrigerated crescent rolls (I used the seamless sheet) 1/2 cup pizza sauce 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1/2 tsp garlic powder pizza toppings - pepperoni, ham, sausage, peppers, onions, mushrooms

Preheat oven to 375.

Spray 8 regular muffin cups with cooking spray.

Cut crescent rolls into 8 squares. Press into muffin cups.

Sprinkle some of cheese (about 1 Tbsp) in the bottom of each muffin cup. Top with 1 Tbsp of pizza sauce.

Add remaining cheese and top with pizza toppings.

Sprinkle garlic powder over toppings.

Bake 15-18 minutes. Remove from pan and serve immediately.■ Submitted by Brittany Brown

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*6 month minimum commitment Full page includes 500 words and photo, half page includes 300 words and photo, quarter page includes 200 words and photo

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Call your account executive today - 770-442-3278 email: advertising@appenmediagroup.com | 319 North Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009 26 | northsidewoman.com | august2016

herstyle

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SPONSORED SECTION

Design

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Interiors

orth Atlanta is a hub for trendy-yet-refined interior decor. With plenty of brick and mortar stores to choose from, the difficult part is picking which styles best reflect your personality and taste. Below, experts offer their views on the staples and fads.

DESIGNED to SATISFACTION…

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s owners of the design center, Tuscany Fine Furnishings, in our 13th year serving greater Atlanta, my wife Kathy and I, have often heard satisfied customers voice their high praise for various design projects, upon completion. Many of our 11,000+ Facebook Shoppers, also leave kind comments and messages. But nothing captures the essence of true “client customer satisfaction”, like recent customers, Laura and Steve Kaufman of Alpharetta, note sent to our awarding winning Designer, Cherri Campbell. So we asked them if we might share it with you.

Hi Cherri, Steve and I wanted to express our fond appreciation for all your design expertise and guidance, you gave us during our latest home renovation project. You helped us with the renovation/update of our very “traditional” style home. As you know, we wanted to update colors, declutter, and freshen the look to a more “transitional” style.

You were absolutely great at sizing up what needed to be done, made things

happen quickly and were always respectful of our budget. You did a fantastic job of mixing the old with the new and re-using items when and where… it made sense. We appreciated your organizational skills, professionalism and your attention to detail…is impeccable.

Working with you made our project “fun” because things happened in such a timely fashion. We constantly saw something changing in our home. It goes without saying that your design expertise is topnotch and we will be calling on you soon… to help us update our terrace level!

With sincere thanks.

Laura and Steve Kaufman Alpharetta, GA Bravissimo Cherri…Kat and I appreciate your professional dedication to customer care , interior design and… making it all FUN! — Kelle and Kathy McConnell, Interior Designer and Owners of “Tuscany Fine Furnishings” ■

Cherri Campbell, is an accomplished, award winning Interior Designer, with Tuscany Fine Furnishings, Offering Life Style Fine Furnishings, Decorative Accessories and Design Services for Every Room in Your Home at 1570 Holcomb Bridge Rd. in Roswell, 770-993-0640 ext. 2, Showroom Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6 p.m. Sun. 1-5 p.m. or Shop our 100 supplier collections online at “Click Brick”

Kind, Compassionate & Skilled Women’s Healthcare We are a full-service gynecologic and reproductive endocrinology practice that offers routine preventative care and specialized advanced treatment for patients ages 8 years of age and older.

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Call Today 770-292-2670 GYN Services Include • Adolescent gynecology

Our board-certified physician, Dr. Carla Roberts, and our nurse practitioner, Cyndi Witt, provide a comprehensive patient-centered approach to women’s healthcare in a soothing, friendly and elegant environment.

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1800 Northside Forsyth Dr Suite 380 Cumming, GA 30041 ReproductiveSurgicalSpecialists.com august2016 | northsidewoman.com | 27

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Specializing in the Detection and Treatment of Pediatric Digestive Disorders

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ALPHARETTA • DULUTH • SANDY SPRINGS For appointments: 404.843.6320 www.AGApediatrics.com

AGA is a participating provider for Medicare, Medicaid and most healthcare plans offered in Georgia.

28 | northsidewoman.com | august2016

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tips to becoming involved at your child's school

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hether their kids are just starting kindergarten or entering the final year of high school, there are many good reasons for parents to volunteer at school. It's a great way to show your kids that you take an interest in their education, and it sends a positive message that you consider school a worthwhile cause.

Many schools now have to raise their own funds for activities and supplies that once were considered basic necessities, and parent volunteers are essential to organizing and chaperoning these fundraising events and other school activities.

Even if you haven't been involved in the past, it's never too late to start. In fact, it may be more important than ever to get involved when kids reach secondary school. Many parents who volunteered a lot of time during their kids' elementary years return to their full-time careers by the time their kids are teens, so there's often a shortage of volunteers in the secondary schools.

• supervise or judge experiments at a science fair Remember that not everyone is suited for the same type of involvement — you may have to "try on" a number a few activities before you find something that feels right. If you're at a loss for how you can help, just ask your child's teacher, who will likely be glad to help you think of something.

1. FINDING THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY One of the best starting points for getting involved is a parent-teacher conference or open house. These are usually scheduled early in each school year and are a great opportunity to approach your child's teachers or principal about volunteer involvement.

Here are just some of the ways a parent volunteer can help: • help children with special needs • volunteer in a school computer lab • help organize, cater or work at fundraising activities such as bake sales or car washes • act as a lunchroom or playground monitor • help to plan and chaperone in-school events (dances, proms or graduation ceremonies) • work as a library assistant or offer to help with story time or reading assistance in the school library • hold a workshop for students in trade or technical programs • volunteer to speak in the classroom or at a career day, if you have a field of expertise that you'd like to share

3. BE CLEAR HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE. Before you begin, consider how much time you're willing to volunteer. Even stayat-home parents don't have an unlimited amount of time to volunteer — many parents have other activities and interests, as well as other kids to care for.

2. ASK QUESTIONS When you offer to help out, find out how much of a time commitment is expected and if it will be ongoing. Are you chaperoning a track meet or coaching the whole season?

Be sure to ask if any financial costs are associated with your volunteer activities.

If you're organizing or helping out with an activity that will take place off the school grounds, be sure to find out if there are any specific school regulations you need to keep in mind or any liability issues you should consider.

4. START SMALL Don't offer to coordinate the holiday bake sale, the band recital and a swim meet all at once. If you've taken on too much, find out if you can delegate some duties to other interested parents.

5. GET FREQUENT FEEDBACK Get feedback from the teachers and students you're working with. Find out what's most and least helpful to them, and ask what you can do to make the most of the time you spend on school activities.

Remember that volunteering not only benefits your kids, but will enrich the classroom, the whole school and the entire community by providing students with positive interaction, support and encouragement. ■ Source www.kidshealth.org

Start ‘puppy school’ early for most benefit

By DR. JOANNE ROESNER, DVM, DABVP, Loving Hands Animal Hospital (Alpharetta)

L

ike our human children, puppies are not born knowing social skills, proper boundaries or appropriate behavior in specific settings.

These are skills that must be taught in ALL puppies, regardless of size or breed.

In every interaction a young dog has, with other beings or their environment, they are learning. It is important to be intentional and support behaviors we wish to recur. Without really knowing it, we often teach puppies to jump, bite, bark and defecate in the house.

Again, like teaching a toddler, puppy training and socialization is fun. The inquisitiveness, awe at new experiences, joy at mastering new skills and innocence of puppies is immensely and emotionally gratifying.

Training also helps to build bonds between you and your puppy. If possible, it is important to involve the whole family and to start simple training with your four-legged friend as soon as you bring them into the home.

There are many methods and forms of training, but those that rely on positive interactions are the most effective, humane and enjoyable to use. Training can be done in a group class, as private lessons, or in a board and train setting. The first two settings offer the

ask the vet

advantage of including you at the time of instruction.

Even if you choose to send your pet to be trained, it is important to work with the trainer and your pet so that you can continue practicing when your pet comes home. Your involvement in training is essential and should continue for your pet’s life.

To pick a trainer, it is essential to find someone both you and your dog are comfortable with. A trainer should work with you and your puppy as a team to accomplish the goals that you have set. The situation should be mutual, not dictatorial or harsh.

With the appropriate intervention and time, your puppy can become a comfortable family member and friend. ■

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august2016 | northsidewoman.com | 29

girlpower

“You have to be 100 percent” Chloe McSwain pursues musical theater dreams

By KYLIE MCFADDEN

news@appenmediagroup.com

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hloe McSwain, 16, has known her path for a long time.

Chloe began pursuing musical theater at age 3, finding her inspiration from an unusual source; “Sesame Street”.

As McSwain watched opera singer Denise Graves sing to Elmo, she began imitating Graves’ vocals, even matching her vibrato. Atlanta Opera told Tiffany, Chloe’s mom, she was too young for opera, as she could damage her vocal chords.

Instead, they suggested musical theater, and McSwain has been absorbed with the performance ever since.

She even had the chance to perform the national anthem at the Braves game on July 15, the largest audience she’s performed for.

“It’s a great opportunity to perform in front of that big of an audience,” she said.

Additional highlights of McSwain’s musical career include performing at Carnegie Hall, on a Royal Caribbean cruise, and performing as Pocahontas at a charity event.

But according to McSwain, the one that stands out the most is performing with Kristin Chenoweth.

When Chenoweth performed a benefit concert for Arts Bridge, McSwain and a few others were invited to

perform in a youth choir alongside her.

“That was pretty amazing,” Tiffany said. “Chloe’s loved and admired her since she was a little girl. It was a magical moment.”

In April, McSwain performed with Orbit Arts Academy in their production of “Crazy For You.” This summer, she has done two intensive courses with Broadway Dreams Foundation, where McSwain met and trained with Broadway stars.

But music isn’t McSwain’s entire life.

As a result of her busy schedule, McSwain has been enrolled in Georgia Cyber Academy

since fourth grade.

“I like it because it gives me the flexibility to train and audition. My schedule can get pretty hectic at times.

Doing online school definitely helps with that.”

She has been taking group voice practices, but plans to return to individual practices in anticipation for school auditions.

“I like to train at different places to get as much out of it as I can.”

McSwain said she plans to apply to University of Michigan and Carnegie Mellon, among others.

“For the next year, I’m really going to focus on my

schoolwork and try to get an academic scholarship to a good musical theater college. I’m also going to train, get into private voice, dance and acting lessons.”

Tiffany said applying to college musical theater programs is more intensive than a traditional college application.

“You have to have a number of different songs and monologues and dance preparation for these auditions.

You have to be competitive both academically and prepared for musical theater auditions.”

For young girls hoping to follow in McSwain’s footsteps, she said the best advice she could give is to be all in.

“If there’s something that you want to do just as much as musical theater, do the other thing. It’s a very hard business to get into, but if you love it and you work hard, you will make it. You have to be 100 percent.” ■

NewtownMed.com

Newtown Medical Associates is a full-service primary care practice dedicated to providing the highest-quality medical care possible to patients aged 13 and older. Our board-certified physician, Dr. James Stewart provides care for the whole patient, promoting wellness and preventative care, and provides diagnosis and treatment for acute and chronic medical problems. Our patientfriendly staff takes pride in the good health of our patients, and works as a team to provide you with the time and attention that you need.

• Welcoming New Patients

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New Location: 3400 Old Milton Parkway Building A, Suite 200, Alpharetta, GA 30005

(770) 740-8550 30 | northsidewoman.com | august2016

northsideman

northside man AUGUST

DR. JEFF ROSE

By CANDY WAYLOCK

candy@northsidewoman.com Northside Man: Dr. Jeff Rose, 43, Superintendent of the Fulton County School System College: Doctorate in Educational Leadership and a Master's degree in Teacher Education from Lewis & Clark College (Oregon); Bachelor’s in Education from California State University, Long Beach.

Past Experience: Superintendent of the Beaverton (Ore.) School System from 2011-2016; Superintendent of the Canby (Ore.) School District from 2008-2011.

Family: Wife, Lisa; two children (middle school and elementary school)

R

ecently transplanted from Oregon to Atlanta, Fulton County’s newest superintendent, Dr. Jeff Rose, is learning not only about the workings of the state’s fourth largest school system, but also about living in the South.

Born and raised in Southern California, hot weather and traffic jams are nothing new to Rose. But he is learning about the diversity of both population and geography as he navigates his way along the 78-miles from tip to tip that make up the Fulton School System.

You recently moved to Fulton County after a lifetime on the opposite coast. What has been the biggest change from the West Coast to the East Coast?

For one – the wet heat. It can get to 90 degrees in Oregon, but it does not feel quite as hot. I exercise

often, and I am often finding myself drenched.

Secondly, I have found Georgia to be extremely diverse, which I greatly appreciate.

Working for an all-female school board is a unique situation, especially in a major market. How has it been so far?

Things are going really well. I previously worked with a school board that had six women and one man, so this situation isn’t that unique to me. The Fulton School Board is made up of very intelligent, strong women who are passionate about children and their education.

To me, it’s all about communication. I think communication styles are something that we all know are different between men and women, so it’s something I pay attention to. It’s important for both sides to listen well and provide good feedback.

Have you adjusted to Atlanta traffic yet, and the 24-hour rush hour cycle?

While I’ve spent the past 20 years in Oregon, I grew up and went to college in Southern California. Atlanta traffic and Los Angeles traffic have some similarities in

terms of rush hours. Fortunately, in Atlanta, within one hour one can find themselves off the expressway and onto a lonely two-lane highway.

I also have to learn to stop putting “the” in front of the interstate name. It’s a California thing to say “the 405” for example. I keep catching myself saying “the 400” or “the 285”. I’ll eventually get it right!

So what have learned about Southern culture since arriving in June?

1. I’ve learned there are Southern expressions that have double meanings, like “Bless Your Heart.”

2. I’ve also discovered that BBQ is a big deal in the South – and rightfully so. I see BBQ places everywhere, and they are delicious.

3. Amidst Georgia’s diversity, there are dramatic racial and poverty differences from one community to the next. ■

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Day Center • Home Care Visit us online at www.sarahcare.com/johnscreek or call (404) 410-1510 for more information.

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She Gives Back

Please share your story ideas with our staff by emailing Editor Candy Waylock at candy@appenmediagroup.com.

www.ypckpets.com

1(800)460-2860

Do you know a woman who loves to volunteer? Tell us your suggestion of a woman that gives back and what she does for the community. She could be featured in an upcoming issue of Northside Woman!

Northside Woman is all about celebrating and connecting the amazing women who live in the North Fulton and South Forsyth communities of Alpharetta, Roswell, Milton, Johns Creek and Cumming – helping you get to know your neighbors and build business and social networks which allow women to support and encourage each other. august2016 | northsidewoman.com | 31

32 | northsidewoman.com | august2016

herhealth SPONSORED SECTION

Color yourself happy

By SUE MCCORMICK SYNERGY HOMECARE

A

dult coloring is a hot trend, and coloring books are popping up everywhere you go, from the check out at your local drug or grocery stores to the top of Amazon’s bestseller list. Aside from being a craze adults can’t get enough of, there are also major health benefits to coloring. At SYNERGY HomeCare we are dedicated to promoting and inspiring healthy lifestyles.

Health Benefits Coloring utilizes both hemispheres of the brain which uses logic and creativity. This form of art therapy has many health benefits that are great for everyone, especially seniors living with Alzheimer’s. The McCORMICK following are the benefits of coloring; improves dexterity, prevents boredom, helps with coordination, relieves stress and anxiety, and provides a sense of accomplishment.

Research has proven that adults 65 years and older who participate in art therapy such as coloring have better overall health, used less medications and had fewer health problems than non-crafting senior citizens.

Share your art skills!

Log onto our website at www.SynergyHomeCare.com/NorthAtlanta and click on “Color Me Happy” to download and print some adult coloring pages that you can start with and then Visit us on FACEBOOK at Synergy HomeCare North Atlanta to share your completed artwork to our page, we’d love to see how you did.

Sue McCormick and Stacy Fotos are the owners of Synergy HomeCare North Atlanta and provide non-medical homecare to the seniors in the North Metro Atlanta area. Their caregivers assist people of all ages with any activity of daily living and their goal is to keep your loved ones safe and in their home for as long as possible. Call today for a free home assessment at 770-777-4781 or visit their website for more information. ■

You’re always there for them, so let us be there for you.

The Most Trusted Name in Home Care No contracts, just great service. We offer customizable care plans with hourly or 24 hour live-in care based on your needs. We also accept long term care insurance. Our caregivers are trained, insured and background checked for added peace of mind.

Companionship • Light Housekeeping Medication Reminders • Personal Care Errands & Shopping • Transportation Bathing Assistance • Meal Preparation Respite Care • Daily Living Assistance

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To learn more visit us online - www.synergyhomecare.com

august2016 | northsidewoman.com | 33

herhealth

NOW OPEN!

SPONSORED SECTION

Internal Medicine The practice specializes in:

• Comprehensive approach to patient care

• Disease prevention and promotion of health via wellness visits and routine physicals • Effective treatment of common acute medical illness

• Effective management of chronic medical illnesses including Hypertension, Diabetes,High cholesterol, Heart disease, Hormonal Disorders, Digestive disease, Kidney Disease, Allergies, Respiratory Disorders,Infections, Blood Disease, Arthritis,Depression, and more

• Care for patients with undefined symptoms and complaints such as shortness of breath, chest pain, fatigue etc • Preoperative evaluation of medical risks prior to surgery • Coordinate medical care when sub-special-ists and hospitalization is involved • Women’s health

• Adult Immunizations, Travel advice

• DOT physicals, Sports physicals, employ-ment physicals • Minor procedures

• Labs drawn in office

Our Mission: To be your lifelong health coach.

Our Approach: To get a complete understanding of your health condition and coach you to attain a healthy lifestyle.

Our Promise: To serve you with compassion and respect in providing comprehensive healthcare

Hours: Mon – Fri | 7:30am – 4:30pm Sat – By appointment Accepting New Patients Same-day appointments & Walk-ins

Savitha Shama M.D. Board Certified Internal Medicine

735 N. Main Street - Suite 1100, Alpharetta, GA 30009 34 | northsidewoman.com | august2016

M

MG is excited to offer: Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) Screening PAD is the hardening of the arteries supplying blood to the limbs. PAD not only causes pain and disability, it also is associated with a much higher risk of cardiovascular diseases.

PAD screening is beneficial for people with risk factors like Diabetes, Obesity, Smoking, High cholesterol, Heart disease, Family history, Heavy alcohol consumption, Poor diet, and physical inactivity and symptoms such as pain in legs during exercise, which is relieved during rest, cold legs, poor wound healing, constant leg pain, tingling, burning or loss of sensation.

PAD screening is done by using the ankle-brachial index (ABI) which is a quick, easy and non-invasive test. This screening typically takes less than 15 mins.

COPD Screening Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) includes progressive lung diseases such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, refractory (non-reversible) asthma, and some forms of bronchiectasis.

COPD screening is beneficial for anyone who has history of smoking, longterm exposure to air pollutants (including pollution and second-hand smoke), chronic cough, wheezing and or shortness

of breath.

COPD screening is done using a simple, non-invasive device called spirometer. This screening typically takes less than 10 mins.

Lifestyle management program Lifestyle management visits help improve chronic medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease, fatigue, etc. with customized lifestyle measures Weight loss program Physician supervised weight loss management program for people who are overweight or obese with or without chronic medical conditions.

Schedule your appointment today to learn more about these beneficial services.

MMG has promotional offers for these services for August and September 2016.

Please access our website, www.

MiltonMedicalGroup.com to learn more about MMG services. Milton medical group was founded by Dr. Savitha Shama to provide compassionate and quality health care to adolescence, adults and seniors in the North Metro Atlanta area.

Dr. Sharma has been providing superior medical care in North Atlanta Metro area for the past 15+ years. She is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is affiliated with several local area hospitals. ■

When is the best time for orthodontic treatment?

By DR. JEFFREY JORDAN

O

To Make Appointments: Visit www.MiltonMedicalGroup.com or Call 678.827.9157

www.MiltonMedicalGroup.com Call Us Today 678-827-9157

New service offerings from MMG

rthodontic treatment today is about faces not just braces.

Consequently, facial esthetics dictates the proper timing for treatment.

While treatment can contribute to the physical and psychological development of patients young and old, some patients require early intervention. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends an initial visit to an orthodontist at age 7 for this reason. Most patients do not need early treatment, but if necessary, amazing improvements in facial esthetics and function can be accomplished.

JORDAN The majority of patients benefit from a single treatment during adolescence, as the last few primary teeth are lost and the second molars erupt. The exact age varies, but most teens are in a rapid growth phase at this time. As a result, dramatic results can be achieved with improved facial esthetics and function. For example, the smile can be made wider, the lower jaw can be advanced, or a gummy smile can be eliminated. These changes can be life altering for some patients during the teen years.

Of course, adults want to look good too, and orthodontic treatment for adults is more popular than ever! Invisalign, clear braces, and improvements in surgical techniques make having a fantastic smile easier too. ■

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4205 North Point Parkway • Alpharetta, GA 30022 • www.jwjordan.com

Braces and august2016 | northsidewoman.com | 35

todo

AUGUST

2

Roswell Riverside Sounds Roswell Farmers and Artisans Market Concert Series 8 a.m.-noon. Each Saturday throughout 6-9 p.m. The annual Roswell summer. Browse a large selection of fruits, Riverside Sounds concert series features vegetables, flowers, herbs, breads, pastries, The Get Right Band. Combining cheese, grass-fed meats, eggs, drinks, everything from funk to rock n’ roll to jams, artisan bath products and more. reggae, The Get Right Band is “hipA typical Saturday includes live music, shaking, earth quaking pure funk fun,” said mini-workshops, children’s programs and The Alternate Root. Riverside Park, 575 chef demonstrations. A bistro area allows Riverside Road, Roswell. shoppers to relax, eat and enjoy. 38 Hill St., Roswell. www.roswellriversidesounds.com www.roswellfam.com Food Truck Alley in Alpharetta Johns Creek Farmers Market 5-9 p.m. Every Thursday through 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Each Saturday through Oct. 20. Feast on the street every Oct. 31, rain or shine. Meet local farmers Thursday evening with a rotating variety who grow local and organic foods and of six to eight food trucks and live music produce. Shop for everything from fruits each week. Old Roswell Street (behind and vegetables to honey and flowers. NewSmokeJack) in downtown Alpharetta. town Park, 3150 Old Alabama Road, Johns www.awesomealpharetta.com Creek. www.johnscreekga.gov Leader of the Pack 8 p.m. “Leader of the Pack” is a Tony Alpharetta Farmers Market Award-winning musical that celebrates 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Each Saturday through the life of Ellie Greenwich. Running Oct. 29. Browse homegrown fruits and Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and vegetables from local farms as well as Sundays until Aug. 14. Sunday shows at 3 all-natural meats, fresh flowers and plants, p.m. The Cumming Playhouse, 101 School desserts, raw honey and homemade soaps, St., Cumming. sauces and jellies. Old Canton Street, Downtown Alpharetta. www.playhousecumming.com www.alpharetta.ga.us Johns Creek Food Truck Fridays Roswell Free Family Movie 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Johns Creek’s Food Series: “Zootopia” Truck Fridays return to Technology 8 p.m. “Leader of the Pack” Park, with different food trucks each is a Tony Award-winning musical that Friday. 35 Technology Drive, Johns Creek. celebrates the life of Ellie Greenwich. www.johnscreekadvantage.org Running until Aug. 14. Sunday shows at 3 p.m. The Cumming Playhouse, 101 School Seussical the Musical St., Cumming.

8 p.m. This show presented by ACT1 www.b985.com Theater brings to life classic Dr. Seuss characters like Horton the Elephant, The Area 13.1/Terrestrial 5K Cat in the Hat, Jojo and more. Tickets start 7 p.m. Escape the alien invasion on this at $20 for adult, $17 for child. Performances flat course along the roads of Roswell. will run Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays The race supports the Matthew E. Russell through Aug. 7 at the Alpharetta Foundation and Life Connection MinisPresbyterian Church, 180 Academy St., tries, which provide help to the people of Alpharetta.

South Africa through education, feeding www.act1theater.com programs, educational libraries and more.

5K registration is $40. Half marathon Old Soldiers Day registration is $75. Starts at 575 Riverside 7 a.m.-noon. Both the Old Soldiers Road, Roswell.

Day Parade and Road Race attract www.alienhalf.com thousands of people every year. The 8K

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road race starts at Wills Park and finishes right before the parade to honor veterans of war. Free hot dogs and drinks will be available after the race. Throughout Downtown Alpharetta. www.awesomealpharetta.com

Train at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater 7:30 p.m. The American roots rock band from San Francisco were perform live at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. Tickets start at $25. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park, 2200 Encore Parkway, Alpharetta. www.vzwamp.com

Family, Fun, Flicks & Food Trucks 7 p.m. “A League of Their Own” will play for free at Milton High School. The event starts at 7 p.m. with food trucks, and the B at the Movies movie starts dusk. 13025 Birmingham “Zootopia” will play for free at East RoHighway, Milton. swell Park as part of B98.5’s “B at the Mov www.cityofmiltonga.us ies” series along with concessions, games and prizes. The movie will start at dusk.

97.1 The River Presents Boston Kings Market Center, 1425 Market Blvd.

7:30 p.m. 97.1 The River presents a live Suite 200, Roswell. performance by rock band Boston, with www.b985.com special guest Dennis DeYoung. Tickets Dixie Chicks start at $20. Verizon Wireless Amphithe7 p.m. The Grammy Award-winatre at Encore Park, 2200 Encore Parkway, ning country band Dixie Chicks Alpharetta. will stop by Alpharetta to perform as part www.vzwamp.com

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of their DCX MMXVI World Tour. Tickets start at $20. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park, 2200 Encore Parkway, Alpharetta. www.vzwamp.com

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Friends of the Roswell Library Book Sale Come find thousands of reading gems among professionally organized riches of general fiction, mystery, history, romance, sports, sci-fi, art, reference, religion, travel, southern, fantasy and carousels of current magazines. Look through some decorating, children's and youth books, plus Southern and African-American authors. Aug. 18-20, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 21, 2:30-5:30 p.m. Roswell Library, 115 Norcross St., Roswell. www.forl.net Alive in Roswell 5-9 p.m. Head to Canton Street in downtown Roswell for one of the best street parties in the metro Atlanta area. Live music, food, displays and shopping make this event a fun and family-friendly event. The event is free, with trolleys moving between Canton Street and Roswell City Hall.

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Touch a Truck 10 a.m.-2 p.m. This free event showcases all types of vehicles including fire engines, cars, trucks, heavyduty construction equipment, military vehicles, motorcycles, buses, emergency vehicles and more. Enjoy balloons, entertainment, moonwalks, food vendors and face painting. Wills Park, 1825 Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta. www.awesomealpharetta.com

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Miss Mary’s Ice Cream Crankin’ 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Taste more than 100 flavors of homemade ice cream, dive into ice-cream eating contests, enjoy live music and let the kids work off their energy in the Kids’ Korner. Proceeds benefit the Drake House, emergency housing for women and children in crisis in North Fulton. $6 per person or $20 per family, up to six. Rain or shine. Roswell Town Square, 610 South Atlanta St., Roswell. www.missmarysicecream.org

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Foreign Films at the Alpharetta Library 5:30-7:30 p.m. The Alpharetta Library will present a series of foreign films each month for free. This month, they will show the award-winning Indian film “Monsoon Wedding,” a comedy about romantic entanglements during a traditional Punjabi Hindu wedding in Delhi. Rated R. Alpharetta Branch Library, 10 Park Plaza., Alpharetta. www.afpls.org

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Roswell Family Series: Big Bang Boom!

10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The band Big Bang Boom! will perform a high-impact, high-energy show that gets kids up and moving. They will play original music that mixes alt-rock, hip-hop, punk and country. Individual show costs $12 per ticket. Season passes are available for $30. Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest St., Roswell. www.roswellcac.com

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Alpharetta Mayor’s Corporate Challenge 5K and Block Party 5 p.m. The annual Mayor’s Corporate Challenge will begin and end across from City Hall in downtown Alpharetta. Food trucks and live music begin at 5 p.m., followed by a free kids’ run at 6:30 p.m. and the 5K run at 7 p.m. Awards will be given at 8 p.m. $30 registration.

Funds will go to local and international charities supported by Alpharetta Rotary. www.mayorschallenge.com Classic Nashville Roadshow 2016 3 and 8 p.m. Enjoy a musical journey into the legends and songs that built Nashville into the capitol of country music. Jason Petty and Katie Deal will house this twohour tribute to country music legends Dolly Parton, Hank Williams, George Jones, Loretta Lynn and more. The matinee performance is at 3 p.m. Tickets are $30. The Cumming Playhouse, 101 School St., Cumming. www.playhousecumming.com Johns Creek Summer Concert Series 7 p.m. The Johns Creek Summer Concert Series at Newtown Park continues with a free performance by Savannah Jack, a Nashville country band. Reserve seating available. Newtown Park Amphitheater, 3150 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek. www.JohnsCreekGA.gov

Looking Ahead

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SEPTEMBER

Roswell Farmers and Artisans Market 8 a.m.-noon. Each Saturday throughout summer. Browse a large selection of fruits, vegetables, flowers, herbs, breads, pastries, cheese, grassfed meats, eggs, drinks, jams, artisan bath products and more. A typical Saturday includes live music, miniworkshops, children’s programs and chef demonstrations. A bistro area allows shoppers to relax, eat and enjoy. 38 Hill St., Roswell. www.roswellfam.com Alpharetta Farmers Market 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Each Saturday through Oct. 29. Browse homegrown fruits and vegetables from local farms as well as all-natural meats, fresh flowers and plants, desserts, raw honey and homemade soaps, sauces and jellies. Old Canton Street, Downtown Alpharetta. www.alpharetta.ga.us ■

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WellStar North Fulton Hospital is now Chest Pain Accredited.

Closer to Home, Closer to Your Heart!

As a newly certified Chest Pain Center, WellStar North Fulton Hospital follows best practices set forth by the American Heart Association to assess, diagnose and treat acute coronary symptoms and heart attack. Every second after a heart attack is critical to recovery—the faster you seek treatment, the more likely you are to reduce the risk of damage to your heart, or even death. Our STEMI call team is ready and waiting to get you from the ambulance into treatment in minutes. If you suspect a heart attack is causing you chest pain, call 911.

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