Alpharetta-Roswell Herald - January 12, 2023

Legion Post 201 marks 75th anniversary

Members share links to local organization

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — American Legion

Post 201 member Mike Roman recounted when a civilian couple walked in and asked if the guys at the Legion liked each other because of the nature of their interaction. The guys like to playfully criticize one another, he said.

“I said, ‘You oughta hear us when we hate somebody,’” Roman said.

Growing up, Roman and his family went to the Legion or a Veterans of Foreign Wars post on the weekends. His grandmother headed the Legion Auxiliary, a separate entity exclusive to women who are affiliated with and who support the American Legion. Roman is a veteran of the Vietnam War.

“There is a sense of community here that is nowhere else,” Roman said.

Roman and three other veterans and Post 201 members — Ralph Jordan, Roger Wise and Harry Hollingsworth — sat at an old poker table in the low light of the Legion’s bar area, each sharing their connection to the organization. Accompanying the conversation Jan. 5 were Styrofoam cups filled with “veterans’ coffee,” or a brew made earlier that morning.

Beginnings

In front of Wise, there was a folder of signed commendations from several north

Roger Wise, veteran and member of American Legion Post 201, walks towards an informational plaque for a UG-1 Huey helicopter,

the Republic of Vietnam. The helicopter is part

Fulton mayors, including those from Alpharetta, Roswell, Johns Creek and Milton, as well as a commendation from Gov. Brian Kemp regarding Post 201’s 75th anniversary.

The celebration was postponed from its Nov. 26 anniversary date last year. The official date for the celebration has not been set, but Wise said the gathering will happen within the next couple of weeks.

Constituted in 1947, the American

Legion Post 201 stands as a place of community for more than 700 veterans and their family members across the Northern Arc. It’s one of the largest in the country, Wise said.

According to a historical record written by Melvin B. Coalson, Post 201 began when Abijah B. Adams, a World War I veteran and longtime Alpharetta resident,

Alpharetta approves $2.2 million in repairs to Greenway section

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Failing sections of the Big Creek Greenway in Alpharetta will get a much-needed upgrade, thanks to a $2.2 million construction project recently approved by city officials.

The Alpharetta City Council approved the project at a Jan. 3 special called meeting, after hearing from Alpharetta Public Works Director Pete Sewczwicz that the plan will replace approximately 1,200 feet of rotting wood boardwalk off Mansell Road with a trail made of concrete and steel.

“This is the trail that takes you from the Beaver Creek Road area, underneath Mansell Road and ties into our boardwalk greenway at the other side,” Sewczwicz said.

According to Sewczwicz, this section of greenway boardwalk, which was built in 2008, has been particularly problematic because it is below flood elevation and is regularly under water. The new trail will still be four feet below flood elevation, he said, but the concrete and steel will be much more resistant to damage from flood water.

“When it floods, it’s going to get wet,” he said. “We cannot go higher, because then we run into lack of headspace underneath the Mansell Road bridge.

Sewczwicz said the project will take about 12 months due to the

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

flown during the 1968 Tet Offensive in

of the Legion’s Walk of Memories exhibit.

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Residential worksite plagued by burglaries

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — For the second time in less than a month, thieves burglarized a home under construction in Alpharetta twice, stealing thousands of dollars in construction materials, police said.

Alpharetta police first responded to the job site on Hook Street in Alpharetta Dec. 5, after receiving reports that 32 bundles of shingles had been stolen. Officers were again called to the scene Dec. 17, after a witness reported seeing a strange truck and a man going in and out of the residence late at night.

The homeowner reported in both cases that nobody had permission to be at the home and no workers would have been at the house that late.

Officers arrived on scene and found a black pickup truck with multiple cases of shingles loaded in the bed, but no suspect was located.

Police identified the truck’s owner, who later said two friends had been using the truck at the time of the burglary.

Reports said the truck was impounded, but the report did not say whether the investigation has led to any arrests.

Woman reports loss of $145,000 in scam

ROSWELL, Ga. — A Roswell woman reported to Roswell police on Dec. 1 that she had been scammed out of $145,000 in gift cards by a man she encountered online.

The resident began chatting with the man in February, when he told her he had lost money while overseas and

needed financial assistance. When she offered to send money, he asked that it be sent in the form of Steam cards, gift cards used to buy online video games.

Over time, the woman purchased and sent photos of about $145,000 in Steam gift cards. She never met the man in person.

The case is still open.

Suspect in drug probe escapes police pursuit

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Police chased a suspect linked to a DeKalb County drug investigation through the roadways of Alpharetta Dec. 19.

Officers began chasing a Nissan Altima on Ga. 400, south of Windward Parkway after receiving a request for assistance from DeKalb County Drug Task Force detectives, who were chasing the suspect into Alpharetta’s jurisdiction.

Officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle at a shopping plaza on Windward Parkway and Deerfield Parkway, but as officers approached, the car sped away. Officers later located the vehicle at the Wild Wing Cafe on Windward Parkway but found no sign of the driver.

An investigation of the vehicle showed that it had been purchased the same day and it’s trunk lid had been modified with a space to hide drugs.

No suspect had been apprehended at the time of the report.

Missing elderly man located after search

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell police said a 75-year-old missing man with dementia was found safe on Dec. 4 after he was missing for more than half a day.

The man was reported missing by his sister-in-law, who he lives with. She had gone to his room to give him medication for dementia and muscle relaxation when she realized he was missing. A doorbell camera showed him walking away from his home on Etris Road at

12:52 p.m.

Police said they later found the man and reunited him with his family.

Alpharetta man’s identity used to enroll at college

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — An Alpharetta man reported to police Dec. 19 that his identity was stolen and used by a suspect to attend school at the University of Houston, reports said.

The man learned about the identity fraud after he received a phone call from debt collection agency, stating that he owned a past due balance from the summer 2021 semester at the University of Houston.

The man reported to police that he had never attended the university but was told by school administrators that a student has used his personal information to enroll in classes.

Reports said the man told police he had no idea who could have used his personal information and police had not identified a suspect at the time of the report.

Police spot license plate mounted on wrong car

ROSWELL, Ga. — On Dec. 3 at a parking lot on Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell police found a Georgia license plate on a black Audi registered to a car whose owner had been arrested in Florida on multiple felony warrants.

The license plate was originally registered to a white Audi A5. The owner of the black Audi, who was using the plate, told police he found the license plate in a trash can and put it on his car because he had issues registering his vehicle in Georgia.

Police told the man the owner of the license plate had multiple felony warrants. The man told police that it was just his luck. He said he does not have a place to stay and will camp outside behind his friend’s property.

Police seized the license plate and gave the man a citation for using a license plate to conceal the identity of a vehicle.

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HANS

Greenway:

lead time needed to procure steel. Construction will be performed by Excellere Construction for $2,240,000.

The project proposal was unanimously approved with Councilman Brian Will and Councilman Donald Mitchell absent.

“We do appreciate you and Director [Morgan] Rodgers efforts in getting that resolved,” Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin said. “We were left in a bind when the decision was made many years ago to use wooden 2-by-4s for that stretch, that was going to be underwater so frequently.”

Alpharetta Jail IGA approved

Councilmembers also approved an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Milton, which will allow individuals arrested in Milton to be housed at the newly reopened Alpharetta Jail.

Public Safety Director John Robison told councilmembers Tuesday night reopening the Alpharetta Jail off Old Milton Parkway has been a “huge success” thanks to their relationship with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department.

“In doing that, we anticipated that

Flood waters and deteriorating wood boardwalks have caused persistent problems at Alpharetta’s Big Creek Greenway. But city officials said Jan. 3, that $2.2 million dollar project will replace the aging section of trail off Mansell Road with concrete and steel.

our neighbors will be joining us at some point afterwards and Milton is the first to do that,” Robison said.

Under the new IGA between Alpharetta, Milton and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, both cities will be able to book and detain “pretrial detainees and inmates” while sharing the costs associated with running the jail.

“When we can do these sorts of collaborative ventures with surrounding areas … just makes it better,” Councilman Dan Merkel said. “The jail just for Alpharetta would be a heavy lift for the city ... So, I think it’s

a testament to the leadership and the surrounding cities.”

The Alpharetta Jail reopened in November 2022 with room for 70 inmates after nearly three years of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The reopening came after a $517,000 investment by Fulton County to refurbish the facility.

Under terms of the agreement, Milton will pay an inmate holding fee of $60 per day. The overall cost for the City of Milton is estimated to be around $45,000 a year for booking, lodging and medical costs for up to 12 inmates held concurrently.

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Roswell Rotary member leads fight against human trafficking

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — In 2017, Dave McCleary organized a survivor-led candlelight vigil for victims of human trafficking during the Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, and 12,000 people attended.

The event had a panel consisting of actor Ashton Kutcher, who started an anti-human trafficking organization called Thorn, former Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker, International Justice Mission CEO Gary Haugen and survivor advocate Rebecca Bender.

“The idea of [Rotary’s concept] ‘Power of One’ is that you do for one what you wish you could do for all,” McCleary said. “As Rotarians, we can really make a big impact. There's thousands of stories out there, where Rotarians in their community did what they could in their sphere of influence. It really made a difference.”

Speaking at the Roswell Rotary Jan. 5 meeting, McCleary said he envisioned the 2017 event while at the Passion 2012 Conference where 60,000 people participated in a candlelight vigil for the same cause.

While there, McCleary heard from a trafficking survivor named Melissa, who hails from Roswell. Hearing her story jump-started his campaign to end modern slavery. With Mark Little, McCleary helped form the Rotary Action Group Against Slavery (RAGAS) in 2013 and held the position of global chair for three years.

As part of RAGAS, McCleary served on the White House roundtable under the last administration, organized and chaired a world summit with former President Jimmy Carter and has spoken to Rotary Clubs in five continents.

Before Passion 2012, McCleary never thought trafficking was an issue that affected his hometown. But when he invited Melissa to speak at Roswell

Rotary, he found that she babysat the children of a fellow Roswell Rotary member. She dropped out of high school at 16 years old and was trafficked for several years in Atlanta.

“It wasn’t somebody else’s problem,” McCleary said. “It was happening in our own community.”

Last year, 146 counties in Georgia reported human trafficking, McCleary said.

‘Shine a light’

McCleary is on the steering committee for an upcoming Human Trafficking Summit at the Innovation Academy, hosted by Alpharetta Rotary. He said the idea for the summit

is to have a local focus.

“It's estimated that 47 percent of the men buying girls, for instance, live in the Northern Arc, which is Johns Creek, Roswell and Alpharetta,” McCleary said. “We just want to make the community aware of that.”

The Jan. 21 summit will have keynote speakers, including Georgia First Lady Marty Kemp, former Ambassador to the State Department for Trafficking in Persons Susan Coppedge, FBI Special Agent Renee Green, survivor Rachel Fischer and Alia El-Sawi from Homeland Security Investigations.

There will also be a representative from Wellstar to talk about training that helps health care professionals

spot signs of trafficking. It’s estimated that a survivor goes to the emergency room 15 times before they realize they have been trafficked, McCleary said.

At the summit, students from Innovation Academy will also present an app they have created, related to human trafficking.

Summit organizers discussed the idea of “shining a light” on the community and integrated the concept into the summit’s stand-alone slogan and logo.

“This does happen here,” McCleary said.

The event is free, but space is limited. Those interested can register online by Jan. 20.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Dave McCleary, former president of Roswell Rotary, speaks against human trafficking at the club’s Jan. 5 meeting with trafficking statistics behind him on screen. McCleary is the immediate past global chair and founding member of the Rotary Action Group Against Slavery, an anti-human trafficking organization.

Nursing home resident dies after report of care neglect

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga.— Roswell police responded to an emergency medical technician report of elder abuse and care neglect after an 80-year-old nursing home resident died at North Fulton Hospital Jan. 9.

According to police, two emergency medical technicians had been dispatched to a man at Roswell Nursing and Rehabilitation Center who was unresponsive but breathing with a pulse.

When they began performing life-saving measures, the medical technicians noticed he showed alarming medical signs like hypoxia, low levels of oxygen in body tissue.

The pair of technicians told police the man’s condition pointed to a lack of medical attention for an extended period. By the time they had gotten there, the technicians said the man appeared to already be brain dead.

The man’s wife said her husband was fine before. She had been with him at the nursing home until 12 p.m. the day before, and the medical call came in around 5 p.m. that same day.

His wife told an emergency medical technician her husband had received no attention from his caregiver in that five-hour period, raising concerns of possible elder abuse.

The emergency medical technicians took the man to the hospital and continued performing life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead after an hour. The doctors said the man died of natural causes.

One technician told Roswell police he felt the neglect played a significant role in the man’s death, and he plans to file a report with the state and with Adult Protective Services.

Contacted by phone, a representative from Roswell Nursing and Rehabilitation Center had no

Legion:

called a meeting in February 1946 with nearly 60 military veterans at the Old Milton County Courthouse in Alpharetta. District American Legion officers attended, and action was taken to establish the post. Post 201 relocated from across the street to where it is today on Wills Road. The building was dedicated in 1968, said Scott Childress, a Son of the American Legion (SAL). Childress’ property adjoins Post 201 — he goes to and from the Legion via a gate he made in his fence.

Old Soldiers Day

The American Legion Post 201 sponsors Old Soldiers Day, held annually on the first Saturday in August. The event dates to 1920 and parallels some of the Legion’s history. At the time, Childress said

wars were “fresh.”

“People were proud of being Americans,” Childress said. “Some folks came home, some folks didn’t. And they wanted to remember the service of folks who defended our country.”

According to the Post 201 website, an elderly Confederate soldier invited young World War I soldiers, who had just returned home, to assemble to the rear and parade with them down Alpharetta’s Main Street.

The parade dissolved in 1924 but was revived nearly 30 years later by a group of men “vitally concerned with veterans and their loved ones.”

For the past three years, festivities have been held without the parade at the Legion post. The parade was canceled in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2021, plans were derailed again after negotiations between the Legion and City of Alpharetta over costs for police and other services.

For years, the city partnered to help sponsor the parade, but it withdrew in 2019 after litigation over which groups could be represented in a governmentsponsored event.

Turning inward, Legion members established the Northern Arc Old Soldiers Day Foundation to extend its reach outside of Alpharetta for support of the parade. Any expense incurred is a taxdeductible contribution to the foundation, Wise said.

“Many friends … plan their visits back home to visit with their kids and grandkids around the Old Soldiers Day weekend,” Wise said. “They were in the parade. They enjoyed the parade. They enjoyed the festivities we had here. And they were devastated when the parade stopped.”

Youth education

One pride and joy of the American Legion Post 201 is its natural turf, professionally kept baseball field. People come from all over to play the field, as part of a pay-to-play program. The Legion hosts around 300 games a year.

“The baseball field is a natural gateway to the community,” said Jordan, finance officer for Post 201.

The Legion engages youth in other ways. Education is a dominant value among its members, centering around the Walk of Memories. The path, which leads out from a back entrance, passes several informational plaques. Some describe the history of the ground’s tank, helicopter, Navy gun and Air Force T-33 trainer.

“We’re very, very proud of this memorial,” Wise said as he began walking down the path.

Along the path, there’s also bricks that represent veterans in the community who were killed in action or died of wounds, prisoners of war, sons of the Legion as well as friends and family.

Jordan said the Legion also funds competitive college scholarships for high school seniors, one designated to a student in the JROTC program.

The bedrock of American democracy is civil society, Jordan said. Engagement is less about war itself and more about the

important lessons that spawn from war, like learning how to prevent war or in the words of Teddy Roosevelt — “carry a big stick but walk softly.”

“We have to teach and pass on those values that — quite frankly, it’s playground diplomacy,” Jordan said. “I had to tell some young brains one time off the coast of Beirut. ‘Why are we here?’”

A service to veterans

The Legion does veteran outreach and gives back to its members through financial assistance, funded through business partnerships and fundraising events, and job fairs. The Legion also has an attorney for veterans who need one.

But service extends beyond the material. The Legion provides a space for veterans and family members to come together and gives them an opportunity to give back.

“I saw a civic organization to re-engage into certain things that need to be engaged,” Jordan said. “We have a lot of veterans — who we call ‘forever young’ — to honor them is how you live and engage the community, make the community better, make your world better here.”

Wise, a 14-year Post 201 member, said he also saw the good things the Legion did for veterans and wanted to be a part of the process.

“I have the pleasure of being the brother of these individuals, and many more,” Wise said. “And it makes me proud every day to be part of Post 201.”

What it means to be a veteran entered the conversation.

Recently, Hollingsworth poked around online to include something in the Legion’s newsletter, and found a quote on Quora written by a retired Navy senior chief radioman who served for 23 years, including time in Vietnam.

The quote was a response to the question, “How do you think about military members being called ‘veterans?’”

Hollingsworth read the quote aloud, ending with, “A veteran is someone who has written a check, payable to the country, up to an amount up to and including his life.”

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

American Legion Post 201 members and veterans Ralph Jordan, Roger Wise, Harry Hollingsworth and Mike Roman gather inside of the Legion’s bar area Jan. 5. While Post 201 passed its 75th anniversary last November, members will celebrate it in the coming weeks.

Windward volunteer group presents Founders Award

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Windward Association of Retired Men presented its annual Founders Award to Leland Carawan “for his participation and dedication to WARM and the local community.”

The ceremony took place during the organization’s annual Holiday Dinner Celebration jointly with the Women of Windward at the St. Ives Country Club.

The award was presented to Carawan by 2019 Founders Award winner Wayne Smith.

“Each week Leland has served as our bellringer, or master of ceremonies, at our breakfast meetings, sharing the responsibility with Eric Hempleman,” Smith said. “Leland’s presentations week-in and week-out are always entertaining, interesting and very well prepared. His enthusiasm and sense of humor are a great part of the success of our meetings. He is always ready to pitch in to help others.”

WARM is a voluntary association of current or past residents of Windward and friends of Windward who are retired, or nearing retirement. The group organizes a wide range of activities for interested members throughout the year. There are no dues and no officers, but the organization accomplishes a great deal

for its members and the community. Carawan has long been active in numerous WARM community programs. He has spearheaded WARM’s volunteer effort for the Windward July 4 Celebration and is an active organizer of the annual Windward Veterans Celebration event.

He has been a long-time volunteer for WARM’s daily collection of food from local supermarkets for North Fulton Community Charities’ pantry and is involved with numerous other WARM

programs.

For further information on WARM, please contact Eric Hempelman 470514-7877 or Leland Carawan 813545-0501.

BOB MEYERS/PROVIDED

Wayne Smith, far right, presents the 2022 Founders Award to Leland Carawan for his many years of service to the community. Smith was the 2019 recipient of the award. From left: former award recipients Paul Barrow and Jim Rausch, Leland Carawan and Wayne Smith

Sweeping legislation will help protect Chattahoochee River

By REBECCA GRAPEVINE Capitol Beat

ATLANTA — President Joe Biden has signed legislation aimed at protecting the Chattahoochee River.

The first-of-its-kind measure authorizes $90 million in federal funds for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to work with local partners on water projects throughout the Chattahoochee River system.

Biden signed the bill recently as part of congressional reauthorization of the Water Resources and Development Act.

“This exciting new program will improve water quality, protect essential public works, and restore ecosystems along the river, which supplies much of our state’s drinking water,” said U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., who introduced the bill into the Senate along with Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.

“Clean water is essential for healthy and thriving communities,” Warnock said. “While the Chattahoochee River’s water quality has improved in recent years, hundreds of

miles of Chattahoochee watershed waterways still do not meet water-quality standards. I’m proud to have worked with Senator Ossoff to ensure this provision that will invest in improving, protecting, and preserving the Chattahoochee River gets signed into law.”

According to the Georgia River Network, the Chattahoochee supplies 70 percent of Metro Atlanta’s drinking water. The river is also a key source of water for farmers and an important source of power generation through hydroelectric dams.

However, more than 1,000 miles of waterway within the Chattahoochee watershed do not meet water quality standards, creating potential health risks to humans and wildlife.

In 2019, the National Park Service reported visitors to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area added more than $200 million to the metro region’s economy, supporting more than 2,000 local jobs.

This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.

FILE PHOTO

The Chattahoochee supplies 70 percent of Metro Atlanta’s water. $90 million in newly-allocated federal funds will go towards projects throughout the river system.

More than 100 Neighbors help replace stolen Nativity scene

By LUKE GARDNER newsroom@appenmedia.com

CUMMING, Ga. — After a Forsyth County man had his Nativity scene stolen, more than 100 neighbors pitched in to replace it in just two days.

Displayed just off Ga. 20, the Nativity scene consisted of over 27 pieces and served as a community beacon for three decades. The scene’s owner, 75-year-old Linden Anderson, has been a loved member of the community for 50 years.

“I’m really proud of the community,” said neighbor Chris Radosta. “With very little sacrifice by over 100 families out there, we get everything replaced, and Mr. Anderson gets to know what he means to the community.”

After his Nativity scene was stolen, Anderson’s daughter Melinda Havens posted about it on Facebook in an attempt to locate and return the items. She was shocked to see so many people sharing how much the Nativity scene means to them, with comments describing her father as “a dear sweet man” and “the kindest.”

“It’s heartwarming to read posts about how much the scene has meant to them,” Havens said. “It’s an annual trip for some people. In December, a gentleman stopped by and gave dad a card saying thanks for the manger scene. Some people who moved away still drive by it. I’m just overwhelmed with all the love and support.”

Radosta, a resident of the Windermere neighborhood since 2003, was also moved by the support the post received. Despite not knowing Mr. Anderson very well, he decided to organize a fundraiser to replace the Nativity scene.

Radosta purchased a replacement online, using photos of the original for reference. He then worked with Krissy Toth, a resident of the nearby Chattahoochee River Club neighborhood, to help raise funds for reimbursement and maintenance.

With over 100 donations, the fund reached $3,800 in just a day and a half, far surpassing Radosta’s $2,000 goal. Radosta gave the remaining $2,225 to Havens to purchase and install a camera and security system at her father’s home, where the Nativity scene is located.

“God has sent these loving people to us,” Havens said. “ Forsyth County has grown massively, and the support and love from the community is still there.”

The new Nativity scene will include around 15 pieces, including the classic manger scene with a few extra animals.

Later this month, Havens and Radosta will present Anderson with the

new Nativity scene alongside friends and neighbors.

“I believe he knows that the community has rallied to help but he doesn’t know the extent,” Radosta said. “He means so much to so many people. I’m not even sure he knows how many people value him.”

For Anderson’s family, putting up the Nativity scene is a holiday tradition with wonderful memories. Havens recalled going to Sears with her father when she was around 8 to purchase the Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. She also recounted a more recent time when the Georgia Department of Transportaion wanted to expand Ga. 20 into her father’s yard and he told them that they could, on the condition it didn’t interfere with the Nativity scene.

Originally, Havens felt heartbroken and angry over the theft, but now she feels a sense of relief in knowing that her father is surrounded by a community so willing to help in times of need.

“I pray whoever stole them takes good care of them and uses them so maybe it’ll touch more people,” Havens said. “At first I was mad, bitter and hurt, but now hurt has been overridden by love and support from the community. Thank you, from my dad and me.”

PHOTOS BY LUKE GARDNER/APPEN MEDIA Linden Anderson’s original Nativity scene included almost 30 pieces, about half of them animals.

Chris Radosta originally purchased this similar Nativity scene on eBay before being reimbursed with donations.

Radosta also used donations to buy these animals to go with the new Nativity scene.

Northern Ridge announces December Eagle Scouts

The Northern Ridge Boy Scout District (Cities of Roswell, Alpharetta, John’s Creek, Milton) is proud to announce its newest Eagle Scouts, who completed their Eagle Board of Review on December 29, 2022, at Johns Creek Presbyterian Church. Northern Ridge District ended the year with 139 new Eagle Scouts.

Top row, from left:

Austin Barrett, of Troop 10, sponsored by St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, whose project was the design and construction of 26 cello cradles for the Alpharetta High School Orchestra.

Taarunkumar Loganathan, of Troop 27, sponsored by the Johns Creek Christian Church, whose project was the design and construction of four benches for the Sai Shirdi Temple of Atlanta

Liam Reid, of Troop 143, sponsored by John’s Creek United Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction of two rabbit hutches for the Denmark High School Veterinary Science Program.

Michael Alston, of Troop 629, sponsored by Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church, whose project was the creation of an outdoor gathering place for Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church. This project included the design and building of a picnic table and two benches, restoration of existing benches and weeding and clearing the fence area.

Victor Joseph, of Troop 10, sponsored by St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, whose project was the design and construction of a Rainwater Harvesting System for Innovation Academy.

Akhil Karthi of Troop 3143, sponsored by John’s Creek United Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction of three large Cubbyhole shelving units, for Waypoint Baptist Church.

Bottom row, from left:

Evan DeHart, of Troop 143, sponsored by John’s Creek United Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction of a kiosk for the Mountain Bike Organization at Big Creek Park.

Vikhyat Arun, of Troop 2000, sponsored by Johns Creek Presbyterian Church, whose project was the design and creation of a free-standing shelving unit and a storage box for the Art Department at Chattahoochee High School.

Thejase Suhanthan, of Troop 2000, sponsored by Johns Creek Presbyterian Church, whose project was the design and construction of an early Intervention Center at the Teaching Hospital Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Thejase went to Sri Lanka and recruited Scouts from Sri Lanka to help him in the construction.

Saketh Nallagatla, of Troop 3143, sponsored by John’s Creek United Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction of three cubbyhole shelving units, for Waypoint Baptist Church Nursery School.

Reis Weimer–Johnson, of Troop 431, sponsored by Roswell United Methodist Church, whose project was the removal of all existing shelving and the design and construction of new shelving for the food storage area for PAWS Atlanta.

Christopher Kammerer, of Troop 7153, sponsored by St. Brigid Catholic Church, whose project was the design and construction, of a programming guidebook complete with video guide and class instruction, for the Cristo Rey School (an Atlanta School that provides a strong education for lower income families) Robotics team.

Anthony Schutz, of Troop 7153, sponsored by St. Brigid Catholic Church, whose project was removing trash along a 5 mile stretch of the Chattahoochee River from Garrard’s Landing to Island Ford, using canoes and kayaks.

Cinema & Taphouse curates ‘gathering place’

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Brandt Gully never planned to own an independent movie theater.

But when his daughter fell seriously ill six years ago, Gully bought the Lefont Sandy Springs to plant his roots deeper into the community.

Gully’s Springs Cinema & Taphouse is a neighborhood movie theater at Parkside Shopping Center with a full kitchen and bar that shows new, old and independent movies.

Gully’s background is in finance, where he worked with movie theaters and entertainment companies on the financial side. He had been around the industry for years, but when his eldest daughter was diagnosed with cancer, Gully’s perspective changed.

“I had the question: What is the point of what I do?” Gully said.

Gully spent most of his time in the hospital, around nurses and doctors he watched serve the community. His daughter is fine now, and so is Gully, but the experience made him realize he wanted to get more “plugged in” to the community.

It was then that George Lefont told Gully he wanted to sell his business— a local movie theater.

“That’s when it just clicked that maybe this is my way to get plugged into the community, through my profession,” Gully said.

The theater had been untouched since the 1980s. Gully said it had a beloved arthouse following, but it needed a revamp to bring in bigger crowds. It was a task Gully was ready to take on.

“I had no idea how hard it was going to be, and if it was, I probably wouldn’t have done it,” Gully said.

“I’m very pleased that I was naïve, as I’ve loved every minute of it.”

The revamp Gully had in mind was a top-to-tail renovation. Gully had no renovating experience, but he had a vision. He wanted recliner seats and big screens, a full kitchen and bar. He also wanted the theater to have a distinctly local feel.

“I had been to a thousand movie theaters, but I had never really walked through them thinking this is the way I want it,” Gully said.

He brought in multiple movie

theater architects, but none of their designs matched his vision. They felt like theaters, but they were lacking any distinct community feel.

Gully wanted a different approach. Because the bar would take up about 75 percent of the theater lobby, Gully brought in a bar architect. His vision came to life, and the Spring Cinema & Taphouse was born.

The bar sprawls across the lobby, taking up the space where concessions would typically dominate. The lights on the ceiling look like film reels, a motif that carries through to the design of the walls. The space is decorated with movie posters and art

prints. The bar boasts 18 beers on draft, a variety of wines and different craft cocktails. The cocktails range from espresso martinis to themed drinks, like the blue beer and frozen margarita to promote the newest Avatar movie.

The Springs also has a full kitchen, with offerings from hummus to hot dogs. Gully wanted a little bit of everything for his Sandy Springs clientele.

The food and drinks were one thing. The content was another challenge. When Gully took over the theater, the previously named LeFont showed mostly art house films.

“I knew art house and indie would be a piece of what we did,” Gully said.

The Springs theater does play some arthouse films, but it also plays major studio films, which draw bigger audiences and more money.

The issue with those major films, Gully said, is that movie theaters typically function at the whim of Hollywood. Whatever films trickle into theaters get shown, but at the peak of COVID-19 Hollywood had no content to send to movie theaters.

That left Gully with a staffed theater and no content to screen. The theater, renovated in February 2019, was only a year into its new start before the pandemic shut everything down.

Gully wanted to keep his team busy and find a way to stay afloat, but he had nothing to show onscreen and knew audiences were unlikely to risk going into theaters.

“We’re like, why don’t we show

DELANEY TARR/ APPEN MEDIA

Brandt Gully stands behind the bar of The Springs Cinema & Taphouse in Sandy Springs on Dec. 5.

I’ll do whatever continues to make this a relevant gathering place.

BRANDT GULLY, Owner of Springs Cinema & Taphouse

Cinema:

drive-in movies in our parking lot? And our first one was ‘Back to the Future,’” Gully said.

After that, he showed “Indiana Jones,” then “Jurassic Park” and “Jaws.” Each showing was a smash success. The drive-in was one of the few things open at the time, so audiences came in droves to sit inside and outside their cars to watch the old films.

“It helped us do things we didn’t know we were capable of and helped us find aspects of our business we didn’t know existed,” Gully said.

The retro films became a permanent fixture, even as people began to venture back inside the theater. Now, the theater hosts film series like Fright Nights or Movie Party, classic scary movies and retro film showings.

The theater also hosts private events, from birthday parties to memorial services and private corporate events.

Gully finds that screening old and new films, and hosting special events, have built the theater into a real community destination.

“I’m around every day, and most

of our regular customers see me here at some point, so that’s important,” Gully said.

Now, he finds the theater has reached a level where the customers trust his taste.

“We give people what we want, but we also curate what they want and help them understand their tastes and broaden their horizons,” Gully

said.

To Gully, the greatest sign of success is that customers show up to the theater without even knowing what they plan to see.

“It’s more about the complete experience than just the movie,” Gully said.

They may not have the largest screens in the industry, but Gully

hopes the community feeling, culinary offerings and local feel will keep people coming back.

Most of all, he hopes to show people “really good movies, really good movies people haven’t even heard of.”

As for the future of the theater, Gully guarantees he’ll “always be tinkering.” He said the movie theater industry is always doing just enough to stay relevant, and he plans on doing the same.

“I’ll do whatever continues to make this a relevant gathering place,” Gully said.

Frank

Tara Tucker

Brandt Gully hired a bar architect to design the space to give The Springs Cinema & Taphouse a more distinctive and local feel than chain movie theaters.

PHOTOS BY DELANEY TARR/ APPEN MEDIA The Springs Cinema & Taphouse has a full kitchen and bar with craft cocktails and draft beer, alongside typical movie concessions.

Start the new year prepared for your in-home care needs

With the beginning of a New Year, it’s a great time to assess your care needswhether it’s the need for live-in care or using the benefits of your Long-Term Care policy.

Live-in care alternatives allow you to age in place in the comfort and safety of your own home. A skilled and well-matched caregiver lives in your loved ones home, providing daytime support care ideal for challenges like decreased mobility, fall dangers and conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. They’re also available for occasional nighttime assistance or emergencies. But a caregiver needs five hours of uninterrupted sleep and eight total hours of sleep, so if care is needed throughout the night this option was unavailable, making a team of caregivers and more expensive fees the norm. Home Helpers takes a different approach, providing a nighttime caregiver for supplemental assistance. This allows your primary caregiver to get the rest they need, is more economical than an hourly team and creates a safe, calming environment with no shift changes during the day.

If you have a Long-Term Care Policy (LTC) this is the time to review your annual records and policy. As care needs begin to surface, many people aren’t using the benefits they’ve faithfully paid for or understand when it makes sense to utilize LTC. While LTC can be applied towards assisted living, it can also apply towards in-home care if provided by a licensed agency.

There are typically two circumstances when you can consider starting LTC. The first is when you need help with at least two Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s), those everyday basic activities of bathing, dressing, toileting or incontinence, transferring and eating. The second is when there is cognitive impairment due to conditions like dementia, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, where help is needed with reminders and cues to just get through each day. Your LTC plan will have forms that you can provide to your doctor who will

write an order confirming the need for assistance. Using your LTC policy does not affect Medicare.

Your policy has daily benefit amounts, maximums and terms you need to know. There is typically an elimination period of 30, 60 or 90 days depending on your policy. This may be waived for in-home care and reimbursement could start immediately. It’s important to stay current with your premiums but remember, when you start using your policy for care you won’t pay premiums. Call your provider if you have questions about these details.

At Home Helpers, we can help you navigate the use of your LTC Plan, handle all the ongoing paperwork and filings that are needed and even join you in a call to your LTC provider to help determine what your policy provides.

Our heart centered Caregivers can assist with all personal care, help around the house, safely speed up recovery from surgery, or provide specialized care for Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Parkinson’s, etc.

We’re here to help - from six hours a day, several days a week to 24/7 and live-in care. For a free consultation contact Home Helpers of Alpharetta and North Atlanta Suburbs today at (770) 681- 0323.

Brought to You by - Home Helpers of Alpharetta and North Atlanta Suburbs

Barnacles on the ship of life

Over the next few months, we’ll take a closer look at a few of the most common spots that pop up on our skin. Today’s article is about the most common new growth that develops after the age of 40 – the “seborrheic keratosis” or SK for short.

SK’s are benign, which means that they are not cancerous. Still, they are probably THE growth that patients ask me about most frequently. It is understandable that SK’s generate worry because they exhibit many of the features that we teach people to fear. SK’s grow and sometimes itch. If scratched or traumatized, they can hurt or bleed. They can be brown or black. Such spots often cause alarm.

Changing brown or black growths should be examined by a dermatologist to rule out melanoma. The most common differences between SK’s and melanomas are fairly easy to list but can be hard to apply without practice. And because the stakes for misdiagnosing one’s self are so high (death), having a dermatologist look at spots with you is completely justified. Some patients feel silly coming in for something that turns out to be “nothing” but getting checked is smart. Self-diagnosis is not advised, especially not initially. But, with time, patients can often identify most SK’s confidently using these rules:

SK’s have a few reasonably consistent features: they are usually rough or waxy in texture. They are almost always “stuck-on” in appearance similar to a barnacle on a ship. SK’s often feel as if you can get a fingernail underneath the edge and just pop them off (and some patients can and do!). Waxy SK’s are not particularly rough whereas the rough SK’s are often “warty” in appearance.

Other features of SK’s are less consistent. SK’s are often tan or brown, but they can be black, pink, multicolored or even white. On the feet and ankles, white SK’s are called “stucco keratoses and look as if the ankles and feet were spackled with stucco. Seborrheic keratoses range in size from pinpoint to as big as an oyster shell. Given these variations, color and size are not helpful diagnostic features. They often get thicker and bigger with time, so growth isn’t a helpful differentiator either.

What do you do once you’ve confirmed that a growth is “only” an SK? Seborrheic keratoses are easily treatable and can often be frozen away with liquid nitrogen or curetted away with ease. Insurance unfortunately only considers it medically necessary to treat SK’s that are bleeding, irritated, painful, getting rubbed on by clothing or otherwise symptomatic. “Cosmetic” SK removal is available at most dermatology clinics for a cosmetic fee.

Small SK’s can usually be removed with minimal residual blemish, but larger SK’s may leave a lighter-colored area or subtle scar after removal. In one U.S. study, the average American over the age of 40 developed one new SK per year with the average 65-yearold exhibiting 33 SK’s upon a thorough counting. Given how pleasingly SK’s can be removed when they are still small, a “debarnacling” every year or two is a reasonable choice for most individuals.

Given that skin cancer is more than ten times more common than any other cancer, it pays to familiarize yourself with the appearances of skin cancer and its mimics (Google Images is a great tool for this purpose). For patients with concerning spots, a family history of skin cancer or risk factors such as a history of sun damage or tanning bed use, a visit with a dermatologist is highly recommended.

PROVIDED

Brought to you by - Brent Taylor, MD, Premiere Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta

Cancer Nutrition 101

New year’s resolutions usually include eating better, so you have probably thought about nutrition. If you ask most oncologists about nutrition, they will say that it doesn’t matter what cancer patients eat. Some will even say to eat whatever you want. Unfortunately, this is bad advice.

We have significant research showing that what we eat matters a lot, whether we are treating cancer or trying to prevent it. Scientific

studies recommend a whole food, plant-based diet. This means focusing on vegetables, fruits, beans, and grains, while limiting animal protein sources such as beef, meat, fish, and dairy. Your food should be as organic and unprocessed as possible. Such an approach focuses on the cleanest, healthiest foods on the planet, full of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

If you do eat animal protein, strive for organic and grass-fed meat, organic and free-range poultry,

and wild caught fish. This nutritional approach is not only anti-cancer. It will also reduce your risk of developing other chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s as well.

If you would like more information on the topic of cancer nutrition, as well as many other aspects of cancer treatment and prevention, please check out my bestselling book, Cancer Secrets. It is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions.

Brought to you by - Jonathan Stegall, MD, The Center for Advanced Medicine

STEGALL

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Brought to you by – Urgent Team

It’s the weekend and after days of enduring a low-grade fever and body aches, you realize it’s time to seek medical care. So where do you go for relief—the emergency room or urgent care? A lot of people grapple with this decision. For immediate or after-hours care for mild illness or injury, a visit to Urgent Team Walk-in Urgent Care is the best option.

Across the country, emergency rooms are filling up with patients seeking care for respiratory illnesses like influenza, COVID-19, and RSV. In many of the mild cases, patients may be better served at an urgent care clinic to get fast treatment.

Urgent care should not be considered a replacement for emergency care, which remains the best option for life-threatening situations such as chest pain, severe breathing problems, serious burns, and severe trauma or injury, for example. But to get fast, same-day treatment for minor but bothersome symptoms of cold, flu and other viruses or issues such

cuts, sprains, or a UTI, urgent care is often the most cost effective and convenient option.

Urgent Team is open seven days a week across from Kroger Grassland. Just walk in, schedule online with Hold My Spot® or reserve a Telemedicine visit.

New study finds redheads have a higher pain tolerance

People with red hair have always been known to possess similar, unique traits, such as fair skin and freckles, but did you know that they also feel pain differently than people with other hair color types? It’s true! Research shows that the same gene responsible for giving pigment to hair, skin, and eyes (MCR1), exhibits a mutation in red-haired people that causes them to have a higher tolerance for pain, but also to be more difficult to sedate.

Studies have revealed these findings about redheads:

• They need about 20 percent more anesthesia to be sedated.

• They also need more local topical anesthetics, such as lidocaine, which is why many redheads have a fear of dentists, according to the American Dental Association.

• They need lower doses of painkilling analgesics, such as opioids.

• They easily detect changes in hot and cold temperatures. Be proactive about your care

Unfortunately, these findings that redheads require more anesthesia, but may be more tolerant to pain medications due to their higher pain threshold is still not widely known. It is recommended that redheads be proactive when undergoing a procedure that requires medication for pain.

Tell your surgeon, anesthesiologist, and dentist that you will most likely need more anesthetic or local anesthesia, and that you may be more sensitive to opioids. Avoid taking extra doses of these types of pain medications without talking to your doctor.

Drs. Hood and Remaley at Roswell Dental Care understand and customize treatment for each person. We assure you will feel confident in the solution you choose before beginning any treatment. For enhanced comfort, we offer FREE nitrous oxide. You can rest assured that your experience will be positive, relaxing, and rewarding on many levels. Give our office a call at (470) 288-1152 or visit us at www. roswelldentalcare.com, to begin your journey to happy and pain-free oral healthcare!

Brought to you by – Roswell Dental Care

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The state of mental health

changing the conversation in 2023

Even before COVID-19 the state of our mental health was on the decline. Since 2019 we have heard reports that “our children are not OK”, “90% of adults say mental health is a crisis”, “suicide rates are on the rise”, and “over 107K people died of a drug overdose in the past 12-month period”.

In October of 2022, Mental Health America (MHA) released their annual report for “The State of Mental Health in America 2023”. MHA uses 15 measurements to create a national snapshot and state-by-state rankings for this report. It is also worth noting that the most recent data is from 2020, so it will be several years before we realize the full impact of COVID-19 on our mental well-being. Key findings show that during the reporting period:

• 21% of adults experienced a mental illness.

• 15% of adults had a substance use disorder.

• 55% of adults with a mental illness received no treatment.

• 16% of youth reported suffering from at least one major depressive episode.

• 60% of youth with major depression did not receive mental health treatment.

The report also shows that the State of Georgia finished at or near the bottom in the following categories (1 being the highest ranking and 51 being the lowest ranking):

• Access to mental health care (49th).

• Adults with a mental illness did not receive treatment (43rd).

• Adults with a mental illness who were not insured (47th).

• Adults reporting 14+ mentally unhealthy days a month who could not see a doctor due to costs (51st).

• Youth with major depression did not receive any mental health treatment (44th).

• Youth with severe depression did not receive consistent treatment (42nd).

• Youth with private insurance that did not cover mental or emotional problems (44th).

• Mental health workforce availability (47th).

While these key findings are disappointing and continue to move in the wrong direction, it is also worth noting some major mental health improvements being made at the local, state and national

levels. Join The Summit for 2 community events during the month of January to learn more about new laws and legislation, state and local support, and services available in our community.

The Summit Open House, 2750 Old Alabama Rd., Wednesday, January 18th, 9:00-11:00am. Join our clinical team for presentations on our services, programs and community partners and learn more about our mission and vision of meeting the behavioral health needs of our community by removing common barriers to care through awareness, accessibility, and affordability.

Changing the Conversation

Surrounding Mental Health: Georgia Update, Alpharetta First United Methodist Church, 69 N. Main, Thursday, January 26th, 10:0011:30am. Join this community discussion about 9-8-8, Georgia HB1013, CHOA’s Behavioral and Mental Health program, and other mental health topics impacting our community. Panelists will include representatives from Georgia Department of

Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability (DBHDD), Fulton County

DBHDD, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and other mental health stakeholders from our community.

For more information visit our website at SummitCounseling.org or email cmurphy@summitcounseling.org.

Brought to

by - Cathy Murphy, Director of Community Outreach at Summit Counseling Center

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Brought to you by - Dr. Bradley Hepler, Dr. Jeffrey Priluck at Atlanta Center for Dental Health

Just like the American Express commercials, “Membership Has Its Privileges”. Dental membership programs are a subscription service where patients pay an annual or monthly fee and receive complimentary preventive hygiene services and discounted pricing on additional services. If you don’t have employer paid dental benefits, a dental membership plan is often the most cost-effective way of receiving the preventive services that you need each year to maintain a healthy, diseasefree mouth.

A dental membership program, like Plan for Health at the Atlanta Center for Dental Health, includes:

• No Deductibles

• No Yearly Maximums

• No Claim Forms

• No Pre-Authorizations

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• Immediate Eligibility

• Simplicity

More than dental insurance, Plan for Health is a yearly membership program with lots of benefits fit to you

according to your needs. The Plan for Health includes 3-4 professional dental cleanings a year, comprehensive, periodic, and emergency dental exams, all dental radiographs as needed, fluoride treatments, and discounts on dental treatment. Call the Atlanta Center for Dental Health for more information at no cost. We are devoted to educating and helping as many people as possible.

The Atlanta Center for Dental Health is a team of exceptionally talented professionals dedicated to providing comprehensive oral healthcare for the health and happiness of our patients, their families, and our community. We are committed to providing a lifetime of optimal oral health to our patients and fostering relationships of mutual trust, excellent customer service, and the best patient care avail-

able. Patients are at ease knowing that their care will be administered with a sense of kindness, care, and comfort, and we will not rest until they are completely satisfied with their smile.

Prevention is key. Much of dental disease is preventable. Do you have a Plan for Health?

Dr. Bradley Hepler and Dr. Jeffrey Priluck and the experienced team at the Atlanta Center for Dental Health provide all the modern advances that contemporary aesthetic dentistry offers. You will realize immediate results with non-invasive and often inexpensive procedures to enhance your smile. If you would like a complementary consultation to discover your smile restoring options, please call the Atlanta Center for Dental Health at 770-9922236. Dr. Bradley Hepler and Dr. Jeffrey Priluck have spent many hours dedicated to perfecting and updating the latest and best techniques in dentistry. It is with this breadth of knowledge that they provide each patient with the perfect solution to their situation, their life, and their goals. It is our pleasure to serve this community and help as many people as possible live their best life.

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Tree stump stone markers spark grave interest

If you have ever visited a cemetery and noticed a stone marker shaped like a tree stump, you experienced a fascinating bit of history. The “tree stone” markers were provided free of charge by an insurance company to its policy holders many years ago. Several of the markers are found in North Fulton cemeteries, others throughout the state. Here is the story behind them.

BOB MEYERS Columnist bobmey@bellsouth.net

Joseph Cullen Root (1844-1913) was a philanthropist and businessman who as a young man in Iowa was member of many fraternal organizations. He operated several businesses, including a grain elevator, two flour mills and a store. He sold insurance and real estate, taught bookkeeping and practiced law.

In 1890 he founded Woodmen of the World in Omaha, Nebraska, a membershiponly insurance company. He wanted to create a fraternal membership organization that would look after the financial and social wellbeing of its members and would welcome Jews, Gentiles, Catholics, Protestants, agnostics, and atheists. He believed that working as a woodman cutting trees was a noble occupation, and he was aware that his last name could be associated with the order’s name and might imply an organization growing from its roots, much like a tree in the forest. He wanted to “clear away problems of financial security for its members.”

In 1913, he visited “camps” or “lodges” in the South, including Georgia. He became ill during a Southern tour and died in December 1913 at age 69.

In 1922, Woodmen of the World began its own radio station in Omaha. By 1935 it was one of the most powerful radio stations in the country with 5,000 watts of power. In 1949 the organization launched a TV channel with local resident Johnny Carson hosting his show “The Squirrel’s Nest.”

From 1890 to 1900, the organization’s life insurance policies had a provision that provided grave markers free of charge to members. From 1900 to the 1920s, members paid as little as $100 for the markers. The cost was added to a member’s life insurance policy with the actual cost determined by how elaborate the member wanted the marker to be. Due to the increasing cost of the stones, the organization discontinued the benefit by the mid-1920s.

A single 4 to 5-foot-high stone was designed for adults and three stacked logs for children. The organization sent the pattern to a local stone carver in the deceased woodman’s hometown.

Joseph Cullen Root sits for a formal portrait probably in the early part of the last century. Root was a successful businessman who founded a unique membership-based insurance company in Omaha, Nebraska, that provided many social and economic benefits to its members. The Woodmen Life Insurance Society has been very successful over the years and currently has more than $39 billion in life insurance in force.

The pattern could be altered locally as desired. Woodworking tools are sometimes depicted on the stones such as axes or mauls. Doves and lilies were also popular additions. The company moto “Dum Tacet Clamet” (Though silent he speaks) on a round medallion is often carved on the stump.

Ed Malowney, local historian and president of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society, has been intrigued by tree stones and has identified the locations of several in North Fulton cemeteries including Clear Springs Missionary Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Mount Pisgah United Methodist Church in Johns Creek and Warsaw Cemetery in Johns Creek.

Todd Wiley, regional director of Woodmen of the World in North Georgia, notes that some markers are 12 to 14 feet tall and very elaborate.

“It all depended on what the policy owner wanted,” he says.

In the North Georgia mountains, there are several tree stones in almost every cemetery, according to Wiley. The cemetery at the Level Grove Baptist church in Cornelia has at least five Woodman markers, for example. Since the Woodmen of the World was a membership organization, the social aspect of affiliation was important, especially in small, isolated mountain communities.

“It provided people with something to

In 1890, Joseph Cullen Root

organization, to make life insurance affordable to everyone. During its first 10 years, the company provided free tombstones in the shape of tree trunks with their policies. From 1900 to 1920, members bought a $100 rider on their policies. The tombstones were discontinued in the 1920s. Several tombstones have been found in north Fulton County cemeteries. This tombstone marks the grave of Dr. J.A. Parsons in the Warsaw Cemetery in Johns Creek.

do and be involved in,” according to Wiley. There was a summer camp for children of members in Gainesville, he added.

Woodmen of the World continues to be active in communities in numerous ways. Since 1998, the organization has partnered with the American Red Cross to provide disaster relief nationwide.

Under the program, local Woodmen lodges encourage members to volunteer with their local Red Cross chapters and provide support for Red Cross relief efforts. The company’s national cause is feed the hungry, which it supports by partnering with local soup kitchens and food pantries

throughout the United States.

Tree stone monuments can be found in the West, Midwest and South. Today, Woodmen of the World is also known as Omaha Woodmen Life Insurance Society. According to the company, at the end of 2021 the socially conscious organization Root founded had $11.5 billion in assets and more than $39 billion of life insurance in force.

Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net.

ED MALOWNEY/PROVIDED

founded Woodmen of the World, a fraternal benefit

FIND A GRAVE

Thank You!

Our local news is free to read but not to produce. Alpharetta-Roswell Herald relies on advertisers to keep the lights on, pay our reporters and publish your news. That’s why we want to say thank you to all the advertisers, large and small, who have stuck by us through thick and thin. Consider giving them your business, just as they have done with us.

Buy local, eat local, read local.

Webb family dairy in Sandy Springs was well equipped

Clifford and Clara Sanders Webb, along with their 12 children, moved from Mayson Avenue in Atlanta to the intersection of Glenridge Road and Johnson Ferry Road in 1924.

Mayson Avenue was where the Lindbergh Marta Station is today. The family traveled down Lindbergh Drive across Peachtree Road to Peachtree Battle Road, then north on Northside Drive toward Sandy Springs. The cattle the family owned followed behind. (Interview with Montez Webb Shackleford, 2008) Their new home was on 24 acres. They called the farm C.S. Webb Dairy Farm, named for Clara Sanders Webb. They enlarged the small house that already sat on the property. Local Sandy Springs builder Arthur Mabry constructed the dairy buildings. There was a dairy barn, milk house, sleeping barn, engine room, smokehouse and boiler room. Fifteen stalls were built on either side of the dairy barn, and the barn doors were wide enough to allow milk trucks to park inside at night. (More of Sandy Springs Past Tense, 1982, Lois Coogle)

The C.S. Webb Dairy kept Aberdeen Angus and Holstein cows. As soon as each child reached the age of 10, they were expected to help with the milking. Each child had their own stool and bucket. The buckets

were carried to the milk house where the milk was strained into large, sterilized cans, bottled in glass bottles with a stopper and stored in a large ice box. Ice was brought in from the Buckhead Icehouse in 100-pound blocks.

Milk and other products such as buttermilk and chocolate milk were delivered by truck seven days a week to Atlanta. The people of Sandy Springs and other neighboring communities did not need milk delivery because most families had their own cow. The Webb family wrote bills and collected at the end of each month.

The children attended Hammond Grammar School, which was located where Mount Vernon Towers is today at Mount Vernon Highway and

Johnson Ferry Road meet. Daughter Montez Webb Shackleford recalled going to high school at North Fulton High School on Delmont Drive, which is now The Atlanta International School. She rode a bus from Sandy Springs.

The family attended Sandy Springs Methodist Church. In the summer, they went to the Sandy Springs Methodist Camp Meeting, a week of outdoor church services held at the time when crops were laid by. This was when farmers waited to harvest their crops.

The Webb family only bought flour and sugar at stores. In addition to the dairy and vegetable garden, they had a fruit orchard. They raised chickens, turkeys, ducks and guineas and always had canned goods and

meat stored in the smokehouse. They bought their necessities at Burdette’s Grocery in Sandy Springs, often bartering with eggs from their farm.

Glenairy Drive and Aberdeen Forest got their names from the Webb Dairy and cattle that once were on the land. When Clifford Webb’s health declined in 1938, the family sold the farm and moved to a home on Sandy Springs Circle. The old home that was part of the dairy farm burned in 1940.

Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media. She lives in Sandy Springs. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

The neighborhood of Aberdeen Forest at Glenridge Drive and Glenairy Drive gets its name from the C.S. Webb Dairy that once was on this land and the Aberdeen Angus cows they raised.

Column about roundabouts chronicled early controversy

I would like to comment on Pat Fox’s article of December 8, 2022 regarding roundabouts.

As the Transportation Director for the City of Roswell during that time I have intimate knowledge of all the details of the Grimes Bridge at Norcross roundabout project.

First, like many others, I am amazed that a decade has passed since we constructed this milestone project. Second, I am grateful to Mr. Fox for highlighting the significance of this project not only for Roswell, but for the surrounding communities as well.

Mr. Fox did not contact me in advance of publishing this article. But he didn’t need to. As usual, Mr. Fox did his homework. I can verify his article is accurate in every detail, except for one small one. The intersection of Grimes Bridge at Norcross was in fact a signalized intersection, not stop controlled. Regardless, it was consistently one of the highest accident locations in Roswell at the time. The need for improvement at this fivelegged intersection was obvious. But the idea of improving it at the time using a roundabout was controversial to say the least. Mr. Fox is correct in the fact that the

accident rate declined dramatically after the construction of the roundabout.

This article brought back memories for me that are still vivid today. Ms. Smith, Mr. Burroughs, the large trees, contentious public meetings, the struggle to combat fear and emotion with facts and sound engineering. I also remember how we spent a great deal of time and energy educating the public on how roundabouts worked since this was the first one many drivers had ever experienced. In the end, the citizens put their trust in us and the rest is history. I remain grateful to the Mayor, the City Council, the City staff, and all the residents and stakeholders who supported this groundbreaking project.

Finally, given the recent controversies surrounding the media, including misinformation and disinformation, I am encouraged that there are still professionals like Mr. Fox who take the time to “journal” significant events in our lives in a balanced, accurate and thought provoking manner.

Acenbrak, Former Director, Roswell Department of Transportation

Steve

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The position can be a fit for an experienced Ad Account Executive, or other B to B sales experience.

Full benefits, base salary and an aggressive uncapped commission package and fun team environment!

Then imagine the number of other readers that noticed it too! Advertise your products and services in our newspapers and get noticed by our 262,500 readers every week in North Atlanta.* CONTACT YOUR MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE TODAY! 770-442-3278

30009

AppenMedia.com

Full-time

POOL TECHNICIANS

WANTED

Part-time & Full-time positions available. Pay is $12-$14 per hour. Hours starting at 6:30AM, Monday-Friday. Pick-up truck not required but must have your own reliable transportation. Gas allowance provided. Looking for people who enjoy working outside and are enthusiastic, dependable & punctual. Able to contribute independently or on a crew with consistently friendly attitude.

Well-established commercial pool maintenance company providing service in the North Atlanta Metro area.

Call Bill: 404-245-9396

Now Hiring at Lazy Dog Restaurant Alpharetta!

$500 sign on bonus once training is completed! Hiring for servers, cooks, bartenders, bussers, host/hostesses, and more. There are competitive wages, tips for culinary teammates, flexible schedules and tons of opportunity to grow!

Interviews are held on site at 10800 Haynes Bridge Rd. Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Text LD45 to 52345 to apply or call 430-735-4501.

Agilysys NV, LLC seeks Manager, Technical Services in Alpharetta, GA to conduct hands-on design & programming of new product features. Apply at jobpostingtoday.com Ref: 42218

ENTERTAINMENT ATTENDANTS.

ALPHARETTA, GA.

Assist coach/athletes, prepare locker room before games & clean up after games. Monitor activities.$12/h. jessica@wfpimmigration.com

Dgital Mrketng Stratgst (Cumming, GA): Identfy targt audiencs & dvlop mrketng plans wth spcfic objtcves across dffrent chnnls & segmnts. Reqs: Bach or equiv & 2 yrs of search engne optmzation exp in dgital mrketng or rel. Mail resume to: HR, Beverly Rug Inc, 1252 Irvine Blvd, Fl 2, Tustin, CA 92780

Pinestraw

PINESTRAW, MULCH

Delivery/installation available. Firewood available. Licensed, insured. Angels of Earth Pinestraw and Mulch. 770-831-3612

Flooring

PHILLIPS FLOORING

Hardwood, laminate, carpet & tile installation and repairs. We do tile floors, showers, tub surrounds and kitchen back-splashes. Regrouting is also available. Call 678-887-1868 for free estimate.

Cemetery

ROSWELL GREENLAWN

1 lot, Crucifiction Section. $3995. 678-232-6816

Home Improvement

PHILLIPS HOME IMPROVEMENT

We offer drywall, painting, carpentry, plumbing and electrical. Basements finished, kitchen and bath rehabs. All types flooring. Also total home rehab for those who have a rental house or one to sell. Call 678-887-1868 for a free estimate.

BASEMENTS-FRAMING-DRYWALL-TRIM-PAINT

Decks repaired/built. Labor payment upon completion. 30-plus years experience. John Ingram/678-906-7100. Act now before prices increase next year! Heritage Home Maintenance homerepairga@ gmail.com. heritageconstructionga.com

Driveway

Mention this ad. Concrete driveway specialists. Driveways, Pool Decks, Patios, Walkways, Slabs.  A+ BBB rating. FREE ESTIMATE. Call Rachael at 678-250-4546

Etc.

Many local referencesCall Ralph Rucker 678-898-7237

Roofing

Donate Your Car to Veterans Today! Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800-245-0398

HughesNet - Finally, super-fast internet no matter where you live. 25 Mbps just $59.99/mo!

Unlimited Data is Here. Stream Video. Bundle TV & Internet. Free Installation. Call 866-499-0141

Become a published author. We want to read your book!

Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation, production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author’s guide 1-877-729-4998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ads

DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/21/23. 1-866-479-1516

The Generac PWRcell solar plus battery storage system. Save money, reduce reliance on grid, prepare for outages & power your home. Full installation services. $0 down financing option. Request free no obligation quote. 1-877-539-0299

Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-in tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-theline installation and service.

MobileHelp, America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you’re home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts! Free brochure! 1-888-489-3936

Free high speed internet if qualified. Govt. pgm for recipients of select pgms incl. Medicaid, SNAP, Housing Assistance, WIC, Veterans Pension, Survivor Benefits, Lifeline, Tribal. 15 GB internet. Android tablet free w/one-time $20 copay. Free shipping. Call Maxsip Telecom! 1-833-758-3892

Caring for an aging loved one?

Wondering about options like senior-living communities and inhome care? Caring.com’s Family Advisors help take the guesswork out of senior care for your family. Free, no-obligation consult: 1-855-759-1407

FREE $20 Cash App Everyone! Yes It’s Real. Very Limited supply until we run out! Go to Free20Now.com

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Attention Homeowners! If you have

cleanup

call

We’ll get in & work with your insurance agency to get your home repaired and your life back to nor-mal ASAP! 855-767-7031