Educator survey focuses on school challenges during pandemic
Officials relate dangers, stress diligence as vaccine rollout continues
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J a n u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 2 1 | T h e C r i e r. n e t | A n A p p e n M e d i a G r o u p P u b l i c a t i o n | S e r v i n g t h e c o m m u n i t y s i n c e 1 9 7 6
Publix grocery store worker bags fans with caring attitude By CATHY COBBS newsroom@appenmediagroup.com
ALAN MOTHNER/SPECIAL
Volunteers at Spruill Center painted the plaza on Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.
Volunteers roll up sleeves to contribute on MLK Day By CATHY COBBS newsroom@appenmediagroup.com DUNWOODY, Ga. — Despite restrictions on group activities during the nation’s pandemic, Dunwoody volunteers executed a number of projects around the city on Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 18. “We’re working hard to provide important volunteer opportunities that are safe and socially distanced,” Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch said. “Even in these challenging times, we want to continue our tradition of honoring the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. with community service projects for all ages.” Some of the work began the day
before in Brook Run Park, where volunteers with the Daffodil Project, a national organization that aspires to build a living Holocaust Memorial by planting 1.5 million daffodils around the world, installed 500 bulbs around the park. The following day, the organization continued work, planting 4,500 more bulbs at Brook Run. The local effort is part of a worldwide initiative to plant 1.5 million daffodils to represent the 1.5 million children murdered during the Holocaust. Organizers say that, to date, 520,000 bulbs have been planted.
See VOLUNTEERS, Page 7
DUNWOODY, Ga. — William Blackshear loves everyone, and he’s not afraid to tell them. Blackshear, who has been a bagger at the Publix Super Market on Chamblee Dunwoody Road for four years, believes it’s his mission to bring joy and comfort to his customers. “God has placed me here to be a blessing to people, to lift them up and to be kind to them,” Blackshear said. “Especially during times like these, with so much hatred in the world, this is when we need to love people more, and they need to know they are loved.” He hands out encouraging cards to customer, and always ends his grocery delivery with, “I love you” or “God bless you.” People who meet him often aren’t aware of his struggles. Blackshear was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia in his youth and was told he wouldn’t live past the age of 20. That was 40 years ago. He says that’s one of the many reasons that he needs to spread positivity throughout the world. “I’m here because God wants me to do good things in the world,” he said. “God brought me to this Publix to bring peace, joy and love to everyone I meet.” Publix employees call Blackshear a “difference-maker,” and the epitome of the organization’s philosophy of giving back to the community. His popularity is evident in the fact
MISTY CREEK COMMUNITY CHURCH/SPECIAL
William Blackshear gets the feel for a vehicle he received from an anonymous member of Misty Creek Community Church.
that the line for his station is often longer, even when there are other cashiers available. Customer Pamela McKinstry of Dunwoody is a fan. “Every time I saw William, he would ask about my family,” she recalled. “But after my mom died (in August 2020), I carried on and said everyone was fine. One day I told William about her death, and he stopped what he was doing, laid hands on me and prayed like no doctor of divinity ever could. He is so gifted.” Chrissa Hammond feelsthe same love from Blackshear every time she goes shopping at Publix.
See PUBLIX, Page 6
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Vandals spray-paint graffiti on Brook Run Park building DUNWOODY, Ga. — Police responded to North Peachtree Road for a vandalism call at Brook Run Park on Jan. 12. Police said one of the park’s operations supervisors reported that someone had spray-painted a sexually derogatory term outside the women’s bathroom overnight. The vandal also sprayed graffiti all over one of the bathroom stalls.
Police investigate report of attempted credit fraud DUNWOODY, Ga. — Officers were dis-
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Relief is on the way for those seeking vaccine The City of Dunwoody doesn’t have an official role in the COVID-19 vaccine distribution, but it’s very important to me to stay informed and share what I learn with all of you. During a legislative briefing last week, Dr. Kathleen Toomey, the Georgia Public Health commissioner, explained that the allocation of vaccines is controlled by the federal government, and quantity is the main limiting factor in getting the vaccines distributed. The state is receiving about 120,000 vaccine doses a week, but about 40,000 of those
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DUI & Drug arrests Triston H. McMullen, 28, of Sheppard Lane, Stone Mountain, was arrested Jan. 13 on Winters Chapel Road for DUI, open container violation and driving while license suspended/ revoked. Deon Tesfai Davis, 26, of Rays Road, Stone Mountain, was arrested Jan. 12 on Winters Chapel Road for DUI, possession of drug-amphetamine and improper lane usage. Porshi S. Gaines-McFarland, 29, of Gentrys Walk, Chamblee, was arrest-
ed Jan. 11 on Wellesley Trace for DUI and improper stopping on roadway. Steven Edward Ayers, 43, of Delk Road, Marietta, was arrested Jan. 10 on Chamblee Dunwoody Road for DUI and expired tag. Jordan Todd Robertson, 29, of Sweet Birch Way, Cumming, was arrested Jan. 4 on Mount Vernon Place for DUI and improper lane usage. Alivia Ashley Steele, 28, of Stonemill Manor, Lithonia, was arrested Jan. 4 on Chamblee Dunwoody Road for DUI and stopping, standing, parking prohibited in specified places.
patched to a residence along Dunwoody Club Drive on Jan. 14 after a homeowner reported suspicious activity relating to a delivery. The resident told police a UPS driver delivered a package to his doorstep and informed him that he had been approached by a man posing as the recipient. When the UPS driver checked for
identification, the person’s last name did not match the name on the package. The resident told police that when he opened the package, he realized someone was trying to open a credit card account in his name. He called the credit card company, and representatives told him someone had requested the package to be mailed Next Day Air before 5 p.m.
are reserved for nursing home residents. (This should change in the next week or so as Walgreens and CVS have enough doses to complete those vaccinations.) We have now administered about 535,000 doses. There are about 2 million people who are eligible in Phase 1A+. Be sure to check your primary care or other medical provider’s patient portal to see if they have information about securing a vaccine through them. There are providers who have signed up to administer vaccines, but there is no supply for them yet. Additionally, the state is aware that many frail, elderly people, who are not in nursing homes, cannot visit a vaccine site. The Georgia Department of Public Health is working with providers who will make home visits, but the current limitation is vaccine supply.
Finally, on Thursday, Dr. Toomey announced that any Georgian can be vaccinated at any health department in the state. While this is not yet a statewide tool to search availability, you can find the contact information for health departments across the state at dph.georgia. gov/locations/covid-vaccination-site I will continue to provide updates through the City of Dunwoody newsletter, on my Facebook page and through my newsletter. The message from public health officials is clear — everyone who wants a vaccine will eventually get one. I am hopeful that we will see an increase in flow of the vaccine in the next few weeks. Lynn Deutsch Mayor of Dunwoody
NEWS
TheCrier.net | Dunwoody Crier | January 28, 2021 | 3
Officials relate dangers, stress diligence as vaccine rollout continues By KATIE ANDERSON newsroom@appenmediagroup.com METRO ATLANTA, Ga. — Newly elected State Sen. Dr. Michelle Au and State Rep. Angelika Kausche joined local experts on a virtual community forum to give an update on the area’s COVID situation and address concerns on Jan. 14. Dr. Audrey Arona, district director of the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments, explained that the 14-day positivity rates for the area sit at around 27.8 percent. That’s up significantly from the 6.9 percent rate recorded on Nov. 9, 2020. “My message to the community is that, look, we have done some major damage over the holidays, and we need to get back to whatever behaviors and everything we were doing prior to Nov. 9, and even do a better job of that now,” she said. Sen. Au said the variant strain of COVID is now present in the U.S. and Georgia. Alana Sulka, director of epidemiology and infectious diseases of the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments, explained despite the growing fear associated with the new COVID strain, virus mutation is normal and not as scary as it seems.
“I think some good things that we need to remember is that not all mutations make something more dangerous, make something more deadly,” Sulka said. “While it does seem that this may spread a little bit easier... there’s been no indication that it confers more severe disease, or is more likely to lead to severe infection or death.” Dr. Arona added that the existing vaccine should also cover this mutant strain. Jessica Corbett, director of External Affairs for Fulton County and a member of the county’s COVID response team, addressed the vaccine rollout in Fulton
and issues the county has faced already. Fulton County has three vaccine rollout sites, one in Atlanta, a second in Alpharetta on Northpoint Parkway and one at the Mercedes Benz Stadium. The first issue the county faced, Corbett said, was the demand exceeding the supply. As of right now, the vaccine is available to people who fall into Phase 1A— those over the age of 65 and first responders. The next phase, 1B will concentrate primarily on essential workers, and 1C will target the population 64 years of age and younger with concurrent medical problems.
Phase 2 will move onto group homes, jails and detention centers and homeless shelters. The general population, those who do not fall into any of the other categories, will have the option to be vaccinated in Phase 3. “One of the things we really want to assure folks is that the plan will allow us to vaccinate more and more people as we get to go through the process,” Corbett said. The county faced initial difficulties with its scheduling software resulting in severe overbooking and frustrated patients. Corbett said the county is fixing the scheduling issues and is committed to having appointments to schedule online. Overall, the message to citizens was to continue to be diligent and follow the CDC guidelines, not fall victim to the “COVID fatigue” and to encourage those who are offered the vaccine to take it. “I totally sympathize with that, I’m sure we all do, with this desire to return back to pre-pandemic life,” Sen. Au said. “But it’s one of those things where we can’t get through this until we get it under control.” Vaccine rollout information and appointment scheduling can be found on the Georgia Department of Health’s website at www.dph.georgia.gov.
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LOCAL POLITICS. LOCAL PODCAST. Georgia has proven to be the epicenter of the political world these last few months. Catch up on all the latest under the Georgia Gold Dome and with our representatives in Washington D.C.
GEORGIA POLITICS
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Educator survey focuses on school challenges during pandemic By CANDY WAYLOCK candy@appenmediagroup.com ATLANTA — Persistent teacher shortages, increased workloads and lost learning are the consequences of schools shutting down during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent survey of teachers by the state’s largest education association. “The COVID-19 pandemic has placed new demands on Georgia’s public schools…with no guidebook for best practices to operate,” noted Claire Suggs, senior policy analyst with the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, who authored the 2021 Legislative Survey report. Nearly 6,300 educators in Georgia responded to the PAGE survey, representing 171 of the state’s 180 school districts. The results of the survey, conducted in November and December, are used for advocacy efforts at the state and local level. The survey found the pandemic had direct effects on academics, student well-being and family needs, along with the need to adapt existing policies on student instruction and assessments. School districts began the 202021 school year with a $1 billion cut in funding from the previous year which impacted the ability to manage COVID demands at the start.
The survey found the pandemic had direct effects on academics, student well-being and family needs, along with the need to adapt existing policies on student instruction and assessments. CARES act federal funding last spring filled the gaps, and an increase in state funding and additional stimulus funds this year will make up much of the lost revenue and added expenses moving forward. “Though deeply challenging, current circumstances [because of COVID] provide an opportunity for policymakers and educators to build on the policies and practices they have already implemented to support public schools,” Suggs wrote in the report. Of primary concern cited by educators was the demands placed on them to teach students in both classroom and
virtual formats, as well as trying to stem the loss of learning after months of flux. One high school teacher said her students were “missing prior skills they were supposed to gain last spring which makes it difficult to build on top of them [because] math builds as the years progress.” Fewer than 20 percent of educators believe the state’s annual Milestones Assessments, help educators improve student learning. Many educators said students are challenged outside of school by the fear of COVID, disruptions in daily routines and food insecurities, especially during breaks and weekends. More than half of teachers said tending to their students’ social and emotional well-being was as important as academics. Based on the survey results, PAGE recommendations for policymakers include support for student mental health, continuation of efforts to fully fund schools, making Georgia the top state in which to teach by investing in educators, and aligning assessments to meet parent and student needs. A copy of the PAGE survey results can be found at https:// www.pageinc.org/wp-content/ uploads/2017/05/2021-LegislativeSurvey-Report.pdf.
Key insights from the PAGE Educator Survey • Nearly 90 percent of educators say the school shutdown had a negative impact including lost learning time in math and reading • Over 80 percent of educators are spending more time communicating with parents and having to cover classes for absent colleagues • 75 percent of educators say students have higher social-emotional needs this year • Nearly half of educators are teaching both in-person and virtually; and having to cover classes for colleagues who are not available • Nearly 30 percent of educators with less than 20 years of experience say they will leave the profession in the next decade; 14 percent say they will leave in the next five years • Fewer than 20 percent of educators say the Georgia Milestones annual assessment provides information to improve education
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Continued from Page 1 “He walked me out to my car one day and he could tell my heart was heavy,” Hammond said. “We prayed together, and it was very moving. I believe that God speaks through William.” After that, Hammond said she felt called to help Blackshear, who, along with his health issues, struggles with making ends meet. For one, his car, which was 20 years old, was constantly in need of repair. Through an anonymous donor who attends church at Misty Creek Community Church in Sandy Springs, Blackshear was gifted a blue-grey Toyota Solera shortly before Christmas. “I just broke down and started crying,” he said. “It was just a blessing and so heartfelt.” Blackshear said he wants to continue spreading God’s message beyond his daily encounters with customers. With the help of Hammond and her husband, Gary, he has started a podcast called JohnSolution 316WB, which can be found at john316wb.podbean.com. A U D I T
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Opportunities in the transition to the next normal We live in a world of periodic crises, traumatic jolts like wars, terrorist attacks like 9/11, domestic turmoil, recessions and pandemics, which change LEWIS J. WALKER, CFP generally behaviors of consumers, business owners and investors, while altering political cycles. We will see a range of challenges and opportunities as the economy recovers in 2021, moving potentially to a more robust 2022. The Wall Street Journal, 1/15/21, noted that more than 25 percent of America’s workforce will be age 55 or older in 2029, up from 12 percent in 1999. Aging will continue to influence how business restructures work forces, handles the development of human capital as younger workers demand “bosses” not as dictators, but as coaches and mentors. Closely held business owners will have to think harder about the development of successors, how to build value in their business to fund retirement independence goals when they move to cash out and transition. Investors vividly remember the market drops of 2000 and 2008, and are agog at the pandemic-driven panic selling market drop in late February into March, only to witness an astounding recovery to record highs driven to a significant degree by a concentrated number of stocks that benefited from “work-from-home” mandates, equities now with lofty valuations. Investors who held on and remote workers who kept getting paid occupy a cohort of
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“haves” — those whose net worth actually increased, especially since they had less to spend money on with curtailed travel and other activities. But we also saw an increase in those who suffered economically, lost jobs and income, small businesses devastated. They are the focus of changing government policy under a new administration. Investors, business leaders and business owners must ponder the potential for rising inflation rates, more regulations and changes to the tax code. With the accelerating aging of America, the delivery of quality healthcare will be front and center. Some will advocate for “healthcare for all,” while others worry about quality in an “all government run” system. The debates will sharpen since the pandemic illustrated flaws in our system, especially with initial vaccine distribution. With the vaccine rollout in Georgia chaotic at the outset, especially as seniors 65 and older clamored for shots, antiquated systems were on display. A 1/15/21 news broadcast on WSB television revealed that Georgia depends on a 25-year-old computer system to track vaccine distribution. The Georgia Registry of Immunization Transactions and Services, which uses floppy disks (remember those?), and is plagued with glitches and cumbersome data entry procedures, clearly was not designed for a pandemic. The CDC ranks Georgia No. 49 out of 50 states in the efficiency of administering vaccine. Shameful, but therein lies opportunity for job creators, investors and business. There will be a boom in spending and upgrading of disjointed technology systems in city, state federal, and commercial facilities. Healthcare and the environment will be targeted for more spending, upgrading of equipment and systems, and training and development. The Wall Street Journal chronicled eight occupations “expected to grow at the fastest
rate” over the next 10 years — wind turbine technicians, nurse practitioners, solar installers, occupational therapy assistants, statisticians, home health aides, physical therapist assistants, medical/health services assistants. Attention students, teachers, college presidents and curriculum designers, technical school heads, corporate trainers. Are you preparing people for “what’s next”? A boom in robotics that will eliminate some lower-skilled jobs while opening other jobs? Somebody has to design and manufacture robots (hopefully made in America) and install, repair and maintain emerging technologies. Are you readying students and workers for a boom in high tech, energy and health services? Georgia is making improvements to the vaccine rollout, as are other states and the feds. As more people get vaccinated through spring into summer and infection rates fall, consumer confidence will grow. Those with money will spend it as pent-up demand hypos the economy, as we’ve experienced after all previous downturns. A January 2021, McKinsey & Company report opined, the bounce back will likely emphasize hard-hit businesses, “particularly those that have a communal element, such as restaurants and entertainment venues.” Watch for Part II of this commentary as we examine other possibilities of the recovery from 2020, the year we’d prefer to forget! Lewis Walker, CFP®, is a life centered financial planning strategist with Capital Insight Group; 770-441-3553; lewis@ lewwalker.com. Securities & advisory services offered through The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc. (SFA). Lewis is a registered representative and investment adviser representative of SFA, otherwise unaffiliated with Capital Insight Group. He’s a Gallup Certified Clifton Strengths Coach and Certified Exit Planning Advisor.
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Community Garden group schedules monthly program DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody Community Garden and Orchard will present a Master Gardener Talk at 11 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 13, via ZOOM. Tielke Baker, Master Gardener and current chair of Dunwoody Community Garden and Orchard, will discuss selecting and caring for the best indoor plants for your environment. A question-and-answer session will be included. Those interested in attending can email dcgocommunity@gmail.com to receive the ZOOM login link. The Dunwoody Community Garden presents Master Gardener Talks on various topics of gardening interest each month on the second Saturday. Inperson discussions will resume once the City of Dunwoody allows class gatherings.
Student achieves Eagle Scout rank Dunwoody All Saints Boy Scout Troop 434 is proud to announce that Paul Weidle, Jr. has achieved Eagle Scout rank. His Eagle Scout project was installing a split rail fence along the parking lot at Dunwoody Nature Center. His entire scouting career has been
Volunteers: Continued from Page 1 The city, working with the Atlantabased Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, held a community food drive and volunteer service projects that involved planting 100 trees at Brook Run Park and another 40 at the Dunwoody Nature Center. Jack and Jill of America’s mission is to nurture children through community service, legislative advocacy and philanthropic giving. Dunwoody Nature Center Market-
Paul Weidle, Jr., Eagle Scout and Willy Trent, Troop 434 Scoutmaster. with Troop 434 and his favorite memory during this time was camping with the Troop at Cumberland Island. Weidle is a sophomore at Wesleyan School where he is a member of the swim team. He is also an altar server at All Saints Church. His parents are Paul and Nina Weidle of Sandy Springs. He credits his parents with encouraging and supporting him throughout his time in scouts. ing and Operations Director Charles McLaughlin said about 175 volunteers attended its morning workday, planting trees and pulling invasive plants throughout the 22-acre park. At the Spruill Center, 18 volunteers painted the plaza in the courtyard and created origami doves for its “Doves of Hope” installation that will be erected on Jan. 30. Spruill Center is partnering with Pebble Tossers (pebbletossers.org), to create 2,021 doves that include messages of hopes and dreams for the upcoming year. Step-by-step instructions can be found on Spruill’s website (spruillarts.org).
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One stretch of road, three Chamblee churches Three churches were established in the 1800s in a small area along Peachtree Road in Chamblee. The building that was once Prospect Methodist Church, built in 1885, still VALERIE stands at 5576 BIGGERSTAFF Peachtree Road. All three churches evolved and moved through the years, two finding homes in new communities. Their first locations were close to where the Native American trails known as Peachtree and Shallow Ford Trail (also known as Hightower Trail) met and near the boundary between Chamblee and Doraville. Each had church cemeteries which remain today. According to Vivian Price Saffold’s “History of DeKalb County,” the congregation of Prospect Methodist Church gathered in a log building located behind the existing church as early as 1827. The 1885 church was originally built with two entrances, one for women and one for men, which was common at that time. The church remained in use until the congregation voted in 1963 to build a new church on Chamblee Dunwoody Road. This church was called Chamblee Methodist and is still active today as Chamblee First United Methodist Church. The 1885 church building became home to Cagle Auction house, followed by Biggar’s Antiques. In 2019, the building was renovated, and the central portion is now home to the City of Chamblee Planning and Development offices. The left side of the building houses an activity center for young children called The Bunny Hive. The right section of the building is additional office space. The history of Prosperity Presbyterian Church begins with members meeting at the home of Samuel McElroy in 1836. In 1849, Joseph Stewart, one of the founding members, gave land for a church to be built. That church was located along what is now Peachtree Road, just north of Prospect Methodist. Although the church is gone, Prosperity Cemetery is well maintained and identified with a plaque identifying the church timeline. The second sanctuary was built in the same location. According to
Woman works to eliminate Georgia’s medical debt Bills cripple families already in trouble By TIFFANY GRIFFITH newsroom@appenmediagroup.com
The 1885 church was originally built with two entrances, one for women and one for men, which was common at that time. “History of Doraville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church,” by Flora McElroy Miller, the church had a wood stove which was used not only by worshippers on Sunday, but by those traveling in covered wagons and needing a place to spend the night. Prosperity Presbyterian also played a role in the organization of New Hope Presbyterian in Dunwoody and Antioch Presbyterian near Embry Hills. In 1871, the church moved to Doraville and began meeting at Doraville School at Central Avenue and Church Street. The name was changed to Doraville Associate Reform Presbyterian Church in 1890. In 2000, the church moved to 5918 Spalding Drive and became Peachtree Corners Presbyterian Church. The last of the three churches is Corinth Baptist. Thanks to the book, “A Century in North DeKalb,” there is a wealth of history available about Corinth Baptist, which became Chamblee Baptist Church, First Baptist Church of Chamblee, and eventually Johns Creek Baptist Church. That history will be shared in the next Past Tense. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@ gmail.com or visit pasttensega.com.
NORTH ATLANTA METRO, Ga. — When Elizabeth Beck was 13, her mother became disabled with a rare condition. While most teens spent spring break running wild, Beck traveled to Washington D.C., so her mother could undergo experimental surgeries. Despite her family’s hardships and sacrifices, Beck knows how fortunate they are. “I’ve been very painfully aware for the last 20 years just how horrible a position we’d be in if she didn’t get to keep her insurance,” Beck said. “My family would be hundreds of thousands of dollars — at minimum — in the red.” Beck is grateful her mother’s colleagues at Emory were determined BECK to take care of her, even when she could no longer work. Her gratitude eventually turned to curiosity and concern for those who aren’t as lucky. “How many other people are going through this, but they don’t have the resources we do?” she wondered. She began doing her homework on medical debt. It’s more expensive for hospitals and providers to pursue the debt, so it’s sold to collectors for pennies on the dollar. The more it’s traded, the less value it has. And over time, it’s less likely that a person who owes will pay their debt. But the bill doesn’t diminish for the patient. It could even grow with penalties and interest. Not good news for someone whose bank account has been wiped out to pay for treatments like chemotherapy. Families forgo treatment Beck said the growing debt has become a paralyzing burden for families statewide, and some choose to forgo expensive, but needed medical treatment to afford basic necessities. “Just seeing the scope of how ruinous it is, and how it impacts people’s credit, and it makes it harder for them to obtain any social mobility,” Beck said. “You get stuck in this hamster wheel. It’s really expensive to be poor.” Data from the United Health Foundation shows 17.8-percent of Georgia adults avoided medical care due to the cost in 2020, and 13.4-percent were uninsured. In 2018, Georgia was above
the national average for overdue medical bills, with 30 percent falling behind, according to ARC Research. Further studies by the Urban Institute found 13 percent of households in DeKalb County owe an average of $619 with 16 percent uninsured. In Forsyth County, 8 percent of households have an average of $637 in collections, with 9 percent uninsured. As for Fulton County, 12 percent of households owe an average of $554 in medical debt with 12 percent living without insurance coverage. The debt is significantly higher for communities of color. Throw in a recession and a once-in-acentury pandemic, and Beck figures the pipeline of medical debt could be devastating for Georgia families. So, in August, she launched a campaign to eliminate Georgia’s medical debt. She partnered with RIP Medical Debt, a 501(C)(3) founded by two former debt collectors. “When people just can’t afford to be sick during a pandemic, I thought this just might give people some breathing room,” Beck said. RIP Medical Debt uses the diminishing cost of debt to their advantage. By purchasing it from collectors, the charity is able to pay off medical bills at a cheaper price. Every $1 raised can eliminate $180 worth of medical debt in the Peach State, Beck said. As of midJanuary, she surpassed her fundraising goal of $25,000. That could eliminate more than $3.5 million in debt, based on the varying averages of each county. Campaign gains strength Beck’s campaign continues to gain momentum as she reaches out for grants and support from friends, business owners, elected officials and colleagues. Although her main line of work is with Cushman & Wakefield as an associate appraiser, she is now making it her mission to eliminate Georgia’s medical debt, which currently stands at close to $214 million — and that’s just the amount RIP Medical Debt has access to. “I can’t not do something knowing how far a single dollar could go,” Beck said. “This could restore someone’s credit.” She’s even had the support of complete strangers who donated more than just a dollar. “A couple anonymous donations came in, too,” Beck said. “One for $1,700 and another for $1,200. And I said, ‘Who did this? I want to kiss you, and I’m so mad that I can never know who you are!’” There’s an even greater good Beck hopes to accomplish. She sees her cam-
See DEBT, Page 9
COMMUNITY
Facemasks; not only good for your health Ever order from a drive-thru alone and suddenly feel selfconscious as you pull up to pay and get your bag-o-burger? You know, those situations in which you have ordered for yourself and another JOE PARKER person who isn’t Editor with you, but it’s not joe@appenmediagroup.com quite obvious the order was for two? Maybe they wanted a “No. 4,” but you just ordered a la carte. Now it looks like you’re just a big, fat, fatty who needs more than a sizeable burger and several potatoes-worth of fries to satisfy your hunger. Or maybe it’s just me? I dunno. Do you skinny people think about this kind of thing? A year ago, I’d just have to pull up and hope that the restaurant workers weren’t silently judging me. But now, hey, just throw on my facemask and worry no more! They don’t know who I am. Wearing a facemask has become a part of our daily life and wardrobe, a small way to help curb the ongoing pandemic that has impacted every single one our lives. Of course, there are those that label facemasks as “tyrannical,” probably the same people who raise hell when they are not immediately seated at a ridiculously popular restaurant at 7:30 on a Friday night. But I’m not here to facilitate a debate. There shouldn’t be one. That said, facemasks are not exactly comfortable or something that goes unnoticed when one is worn for an extended period of time, but they are vital to don when out in public. Plus, I think they have positive attributes that go be-
Debt: Continued from Page 8 paign as a way to open up the economy and erase the belief that medical debt is a moral failure. “Healthcare costs being stressfully high is such a ubiquitous American experience,” Beck said. “It just meant the world to me that people who had gone through medical debt and were now in a position to help, were willing to hold the door open so that somebody else doesn’t have to go through this.”
yond just protecting yourself and others from COVID-19. In addition to helping quell your shame at the drive-thru, they provide a nice level of anonymity when I’m out and about. Picking up a batch of groceries curbside, for instance. I don’t really have any reason to want anonymity when my groceries are brought out, other than maybe not wanting the worker to be able to identify the man that goes through that much beer in a week. Of course, it’s not true anonymity considering the store has my phone number, email address and credit card info on file and I’m there every week, but at least they likely wouldn’t be able to identify me out on the street. And when you have to go into the store, it’s nice to have a mask considering you don’t have to care about fashion. At all. If you’re like me, pajama pants or basketball shorts have become your everyday attire. Normally, I would never want to be considered a “People of Walmart” candidate, but throw on a mask and I have no problem wandering the aisles in a pair of pajama pants and a raggedy t-shirt that is held together by nothing more than mustard stains. There is also the benefit of not having to display a half smile or nod at every single person I make eye contact with because I am from the South and it is innate and involuntary, even if that person happens to be shouting they will stab the next person that looks at them with a rusty spoon. Masks are also good because, socially distancing or not, when was the last time you smelled someone’s bad breath? You know, I may just go on keeping a mask on hand for the foreseeable future even after COVID. Let’s just all keep wearing them so we can hopefully get to that point a little sooner. Beck has rallied people from across the state, calling her campaign incredibly meaningful and impactful work. Her next goal is to raise an additional $1 million to wipe out over $180 million in medical debt. She said an eager fundraiser is backing her cause. “I’m still in absolute shock. All I can say is, whillikers!” Beck said. “I’m really proud of my community and I’m just humbled by the support. I’m going to go as hard as I can for this.” Beck is grateful for any dollar amount. To support her mission and for more information, visit secure.qgiv.com/ event/cwva-loves-atlanta
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