11-18 AroundAcworth Webfinal by Aroundabout Local Media, Inc.

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AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Contents

32 & 33 On the Cover élon Salon

November 2018

In Every Issue

Features

16 Taste of Acworth

Annual tradition brings a crowd to the historic downtown area to enjoy food, drink, and arts and crafts. Mark your calendars now to catch Santa’s arrival, other Christmas events in Acworth.

22 Artistic Opportunities

Children from the community gather at the Art House for a morning of creative.

See what your neighbors’ families just can’t do without on their holiday table.

40 Helping Hands

Tommy Allegood

10 Celebrations

Ryan Blythe

12 Community News

Jennifer Bonn

46 Rob’s Rescues

Cobb County

School District

48 Library Events

Wayne Dennard

Thomas Farrell

Malinda Howe

Tiffany Hughes

Joshua Fuder

Ellen Kennerly

50 Community Calendar 54 School News 56 Clubs & Orgs

36 Thanksgiving Must-Haves

Comprehensive list outlines the ways you can help those in need this holiday season.

Contributors

4 Around Acworth

38 Senior Activities

21 Getting Ready for Santa

57 Acworth Parks 58 Cobb Photographic Society 60 Churches

Becca Kienel

Jackie Loudin

Advertising

Dave McClanahan

Katherine Amick, Market Manager 678-279-5502 Katherine@AroundaboutMagazines.com www.AroundAcworthMagazine.com

Josh Nelson

Andrew Payne

Aaron Strimban

Around Acworth Magazine 2

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

62 Directory of Advertisers

@AroundAcworth

around_acworth

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AROUND ACWORTH The

People, The Places and The Pleasures that make Acworth

From the Editor

Ribbon Cuttings

I'm Katie Beall, and my family moved to Cobb County a few months ago, so I'm not just the new editor of Around Acworth, but I'm new to your community as well. I worked in athletic communications at the collegiate level for seven years before working in corporate communications. I enjoy writing and editing because it allows me to tell stories that matter, and I'm excited about the opportunity to do that here in Acworth. My husband and I are both Peach State natives who spent the last four years Calling the Hogs in Arkansas. Growing up in Georgia, Arkansas was not a state I thought about ever. It was just the butt of an old Southern joke, poking fun of Alabama, Mississippi and eventually the Natural State. Well, the joke was on me because work took my husband to Fayetteville, Arkansas and that's where we set up our lives as Mr. and Mrs. Despite my preconceived notions, Fayetteville proved to be a charming college town and Northwest Arkansas in general has much to offer. This is where we found community. We made lifelong friends, found a church home, explored the Ozark Mountains, bought our first house together and had our first child. Our daughter, Parker Grace, will forever be a native Arkansan. Wooo Pig! Even though we built a wonderful life in Fayetteville, and Northwest Arkansas will always hold a piece of my heart, the goal was to come back home. Home to Georgia. The drive from Fayetteville to metro Atlanta typically takes 12 hours, but with a moving truck, loaded-down vehicles and an infant, it turned into a two-day voyage. During that long trip home, I kept repeating this line from the song â&#x20AC;&#x153;Georgia On My Mindâ&#x20AC;?: "Still in peaceful dreams I see, the road leads back to you." So here we are! My husband's job brought us back to Georgia, but I think it'll be my job that makes the move really feel like home again. This is your community and your magazine, and I'm really excited about becoming a part of this community.

1. I Heart Atlanta Realty - Lisa Simpson 4616 North Main St., 404-428-7963, iheartatlantarealty.com/ 2. Brookwood Christian School 4728 Wood St., 678-401-5855, www.brookwoodchristian.com. 3. Acworth Whistle Stop Cafe 3365 Acworth Oaks Drive, 678-324-8243 whistle-stop-cafe-breakfast-restaurant.business.site/ 4. Georgia Rug Gallery 3335 Cobb Parkway NW, Suite 300, 770-966-0801, www.georgiaruggallery.com. 5. Atlanta Safe House 4435 Acworth Industrial Dr NW, 678-398-9021, www.atlantasafehouse.com.

2 3 4

K atie Beall Katie Beall is editor of Around Acworth. Send your comments or questions to Katie@AroundaboutMagazines.com

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

COMMUNITY BOARD The Around Acworth community board consists of well-respected community leaders from different walks of life. Our board members assist us in many ways that range from serving as contributing writers to providing valuable feedback.

Tia Amlett, the principal of Barber Middle School, has

been an educator for the past 19 years. Prior to becoming a principal, Tia served as an assistant principal at Garrett Middle School and North Cobb High School. She is a native of South Carolina who earned her bachelor’s degree at Clemson University and master’s and education specialist’s degrees from Nova Southeastern University. Tia is married to Jonah, and they have two children, Nia and Jordan, who attend Cobb County schools.

Ellen Kennerly has lived in Acworth since 1992. She has worked as a journalist for more than three decades, most of it with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution holding positions as Olympics News Editor, Design Director, A1 Editor and Director of Content Development and Operations for ajc.com, among others. More recently, she worked as Professional in Residence at Louisiana State University and as Director of Asset Intelligence for WebMD. Her business, Kennerly Digital Directions, provides consulting and hands-on deliverables in communications, design and web development, largely for Acworth business people. Bob Weatherford has been a Cobb County resident for

two decades. Bob was a reserve police officer for more than 20 years, eight of those with Acworth PD including time as Captain. He is active in local charities, numerous civic organizations, and co-founded Shop with a Hero. He was elected Cobb County District 1 Commissioner in 2014. In addition to his duties as commissioner, he teaches motorcycle safety courses for the Department of Driver’s Services.

Danielle Hilderbrand is a Cobb County native. She has

been a business owner on Main Street in Acworth for more than six years. Danielle is the proprietor of Pearl’s Spa and Boutique, a partner in Rustic Ruby gift shop and an active volunteer in Acworth. She has been a member of the Acworth Downtown Development Authority for several years and is the 2017 president of the Acworth Business Association. She is a graduate from McEachern High School and Acworth’s North Metro Technical College (now Chattahoochee Tech).

Malinda Howe has lived in Acworth since 1996. She is owner and broker of Anchor Realty Partners and vice chairman of Acworth Tourism Board. She has been a member of the board for nine years. Malinda is originally from Alexandria, Va., and attended George Mason University. She always loved real estate and began her career in commercial real estate working with Savage/ Fogarty, which acquired and managed Class A office buildings on behalf of Dutch pension funds. She moved to Georgia with TMW Management, assisting in acquisitions and leases from 1997-2003, and then pursued her career in residential real estate. Malinda and her husband, Rick, have one daughter, Kara. Malinda lives, plays and works in Historic Downtown Acworth. 6

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Publisher Aroundabout Local Media, Inc. ALM President Patty Ponder 770-615-3322 Patty@AroundaboutMagazines.com Market Manager Katherine Amick 678-279-5502 Katherine@AroundaboutMagazines.com Title Editor Katie Beall 770-852-8481 Katie@AroundaboutMagazines.com Executive Editor Candi Hannigan 770-615-3309 Candi@AroundaboutMagazines.com Art Director Michelle McCulloch 770-615-3307 Michelle@AroundaboutMagazines.com Page Designer Laura Latchford Laura@AroundaboutMagazines.com Controller Denise Griffin 770-615-3315 Denise@AroundaboutMagazines.com Market Support Associate Christie Deese Christie@AroundaboutMagazines.com

Around Acworth, a publication of Aroundabout Local Media, Inc., is a monthly community magazine. The magazine’s goal is to build a sense of community and pride in Acworth and surrounding area by providing residents with positive stories and timely information. It distributes a total of 16,500 free copies. Approximately 15,400 are direct mailed to homes and businesses and an additional 1,100 are placed in racks around the community. See page 64 for a distribution map. Around Acworth also has many digital viewers of the magazine online each month. Around Acworth welcomes your comments, stories, and advertisements. The deadline is the 10th of the previous month. Subscriptions are available for $24 per year. Send check or money order to the address below. The viewpoints of the advertisers, columnists and submissions are not necessarily those of the editor/publisher and the publisher makes no claims as to the validity of any charitable organizations mentioned. Around Acworth is not responsible for errors or omissions. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. © Copyright 2018 Around Acworth

1025 Rose Creek Dr., PMB 380, Ste. 620 Woodstock, GA 30189

www.AroundAcworthMagazine.com

Volume 3, Issue 4

America’s Community Magazine

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

A Message from the

is the season of giving! In Acworth, we like to offer something for everyone so the community can get out and celebrate with us. Each year, our merchants create some of the most incredible window displays for the holiday season, and our Acworth Power Department does a fantastic job of hanging the holiday decorations you see throughout town. Our numerous holiday events, combined with our unique assortment of shops and boutiques in our historic downtown, will make it possible for you to avoid the mall crowds and “shop small” this holiday season while enjoying the festivities in your very own community. Acworth merchants are kicking off things by celebrating Small Business Saturday with a Merchants Open House on Nov. 24, the day after Black Friday. We encourage everyone to shop small and take advantage of the sales and sample treats in our downtown stores. There will be incredible deals you won’t want to miss. We also would like to take a moment to celebrate our wonderful merchants, schools and residents who are part of this amazing community. Last month, we hosted our annual scarecrow parade in our Historic Downtown. We encouraged our community to help us succeed in hosting the biggest scarecrow parade we had ever seen. They came through! We had 43 scarecrows displayed along Main Street, double what we’ve had in previous years. Their creativity was so outstanding that additional categories were created during judging. (See page 26 for photos) We are so proud of our community and the air of festivity this event brings each year.

As you may have noticed, the pedestrian overpass was set in place on Oct. 3. We were thrilled to witness this historic moment for our city. The overpass will connect Historic Downtown to Lemon Street Boulevard and the ample public parking available in the Parkside District. Residents and visitors will be able to experience amazing views of our Historic Downtown District and we believe this will quickly become a favorite spot for photographers and families. The brick façade will soon be in place and the bridge is on track to be open by winter 2019. The remaining projects also are on schedule and should be complete by spring 2019. We would encourage you to visit www.acworth.org/downtown to learn about the exciting things that are forthcoming. Our city homepage also has links to the Downtown Revitalization page and will have some updates on the “Notices and Alerts” section. Please encourage your neighbors to sign up for email updates to learn about all the exciting projects that are associated with this continued revitalization. As always, for more information on any of these projects, you can visit www.acworth.org, sign up for our e-news blasts on our home page, “like” Visit Acworth on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter at @VisitAcworth. God bless, Tommy

Atlanta native Tommy Allegood is a University of Georgia graduate. He was elected to Acworth’s city council in 2000 and has served as mayor since 2002. He is a Community Builder who is purposed to Make it Count!

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

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AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Celebrations!

Lana Michelle Hirten

Age 4 on Nov. 5 Happy Birthday Lana, we love you very much! Love Mom, Liam, Pepa and your whole family! You are my sunshine.

Happy birthday, Georgia!

Age 11 on Nov. 29 Love, Dad, Mom, Grant and Ansley.

Happy sixth birthday, Andreita! We love you so much and we are so proud of you. You are the best blessing that life could give to us. Mami and Daddy.

Hallie Ayers

Age 5 on Nov. 3 Her Papa, family and friends love her very much!

Nov. 19

Happy 25th anniversary to Alderman Tim Houston and his wife Janice.

Happy birthday, Connor Age 5 on Nov. 21 You are so loved.

Happy Birthday Vladimir (Nov. 20) and Nathalie (Nov. 19) Portes-Encarnaciรณn. Shown here with sons Gael and Fernando. Happy Birthday! Your family loves you!

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Happy 15th birthday!

To my Beautiful Bella! I love you to the oceans and back!

ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE FREE!

E-mail to: Katie@AroundaboutMagazines.com December deadline is Nov. 10.

SPORTS MEDICINE NEARBY FOR UNEXPECTED BUMPS.

Being active is great for your health, but sometimes it can lead to an injury. The Northside Hospital Cherokee Sports Medicine Program has a team of experts to diagnose and treat all types of musculoskeletal injuries. Their one goal is to get you back in the saddle enjoying life. For information visit Northside.com/Cherokee-Sports. AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

YOUR LOCAL NEWS 2019 Boating Safety Classes

Liberty Hill Chapter DAR members, from left: Jane Bentley, Helen Story, Stacie Duncan, Bonnie Steger, Beth Holt, Melinda Allen, Ellen Reid and Dwana White.

Activities Keep DAR Members Busy Members of the Liberty Hill Chapter DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) recently visited their scarecrow, Miss 1776, which was part of the downtown Acworth scarecrow parade. The ladies also spent an afternoon packing items for members of the military serving overseas during the DAR Day of Service. The state regent, state board members, prospective C.A.R. members and family took part in the activities. The Acworth chapter meets the first Saturday of each month, from September to May. For more information, email LibertyHillDAR@gmail.com.

Menorah Lighting Ceremony Acworthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual Menorah lighting ceremony begins at 6 p.m. Dec. 4 (the third night of Hanukkah) at the corner of Cowan Road and Main Street. Rabbi Zalman Charytan from the Chabad Jewish Center will officiate the lighting, and Mayor Tommy Allegood will assist. The eight-day Jewish holiday commemorates the Jewish Maccabees' military victory over Syrian-Greek oppression more than 2,000 years ago. During Hanukkah, Jews across the world celebrate the miracle of light that burned for eight days from from a single day's worth of oil found in the Temple. One Hanukkah candle is lit the first night and an additional candle is lit each successive night. The holiday is a celebration of religious freedom and hope. For more information, visit www.acworthparksandrecreation.org or 770917-1234.

Donation Benefits Effort to Fight Overdoses The Acworth Police Department has received a $3,720 donation from Yvette Williams from Realty4Rehab for the purchase of Narcan, a medication used to reverse the effects of opiate overdoses. During the past several years, the occurrences of opiate overdoses have increased exponentially. This is, in part, due to the introduction of fentanyl, which has exacerbated the problem, and also puts first responders at risk of exposure. Realty4Rehab is an organization that works to fight addiction and save lives. www.realty4rehab.org. Front row, from left: Sgt. Lisa Montcalm, Yvette Williams and Chief Wayne Dennard. Back, row, from left: Cpl. Jason Larocque, Officer Erich Van Tubbergen, Officer Mike Payne, Officer Shawn Foster. 12

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is hosting a one-day class called About Boating Safely, that covers topics including knowing your board, navigating the waterways, operating your vessel safely, legal requirements and boating emergencies. Individuals who successfully complete the course and exam meet the Georgia boating certification requirements and are awarded certificates and wallet cards. Boaters born after Jan. 1, 1998, must complete a National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) approved boating safety class to legally operate a boat or personal watercraft (PWC) in the state of Georgia. Class dates are Feb. 9, March 2, April 13, May 4, June 1, July 13, Aug. 10 and Sept. 14. Only one day needed to complete the course. Classes will be held at Roberts School Community and Education Center, 4681 School St. The fee for program materials is $20. Family discounts are available. To register or request a gift certificate for someone else, email Greg Fonzeno at flotilla22pe@gmail.com.

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

YOUR LOCAL NEWS Annual Fundraiser is a Home Run

Award winners, from left: Kirby Alls, Clem Freeman, Jeff Chase, Kim Watt, Neely Motiejunas, Michelle Berryman, Taylor Aubrey, Greg Walker (GRPA District 5 Commissioner), James Albright, Nick Fryman, Bailey Arnaud (in front of Nick in khaki pants), Mychal Lewis, Lauren Ham, John Greeson (behind Lauren), Eddie Lacher (beside Lauren) and Dan Sheets.

Congratulations to Parks, Recreation Department The Acworth Parks, Recreation and Community Resource Department recently was named Georgia Recreation and Parks Association, District 5, Class A Agency of the Year. The purpose of the award is to recognize exemplary agencies in the district whose primary function is the delivery of recreation, park or leisure related services, according to recreation coordinator Michelle Berryman. The department, which has a team of 31 full time employees and several year-round part-time positions, is responsible for maintaining 12 parks that consist of more than 800 acres, nine indoor facilities, 10 baseball fields, two football fields, a special needs field, four beaches on two lakes and two trail networks. The team also is responsible for hosting and overseeing several large, impactful events including the Acworth Art Fest, Smoke on the Lake BBQ Festival, 4th of July concert and fireworks and the Taste of Acworth. In addition to these, the department plans and implements smaller, family style events, Camp Acworth, Acworth Youth Basketball, Expanding Horizons and Acworth Achievers After-School program, the Horizon League Baseball and Kickball programs, and Seniors Got Groove, to name a few. Over the past year, the department has experienced growth in anticipation of the Acworth Community Center, scheduled for completion in early March 2019. Renovation of the 1850’s Logan Farm House was completed, as well as a 1930’s historic house on the Logan Farm Park campus that was turned over to the Acworth Arts Alliance, a non-profit organization devoted to enhancing the arts in our community. The department’s vision is to create extraordinary experiences and its mission is to provide quality services through exceptional people. 770-917-1234. www.acworthparksandrecreation.org.

Red Cross Seeks Blood Drive Hosts The American Red Cross needs hosts for blood drives this winter, in an attempt to help prevent blood shortages and potential delays in medical care. Blood shortages are not uncommon during the winter months; by hosting a drive in December, January or February, individuals and groups can ensure patient needs are met all winter long. To learn more, visit RedCrossBlood.org/HostADrive. Blood drive partners who host a drive between Dec. 20 and Jan. 6 will receive long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirts for all who come to give, and if the partner achieves its donation goal, it will be recognized in a national newspaper highlighting its lifesaving work. 14

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Covering the Bases and Shoot for the Horizon raised $23,546.53 this year, with several local schools participated in kickball. Covering the Bases raises awareness and funds to support the Horizon Field, a synthetic surface field that allows children with physical and cognitive disabilities to play organized sports. The fundraiser is a partnership between the Acworth Police Department and members of the community. The tally before the September event is more than $150,000; 100 percent of the proceeds go to the field. “We appreciate all of the generous donations and the support shown for the Horizon Field and League athletes,” said Cpl. Youlanda D. McIntosh with the Acworth Police Department.

Event Helps Food Insecure Children The Acworth location of Jim ‘N Nick’s BBQ participated in a company-wide September fundraiser, which raised $50,000 for the nonprofit No Kid Hungry. Sales manager Lauren Caplan credits the store’s customers for the successful campaign, something Jim ‘N Nick’s has been a part of for at least the past five years. Locally, proceeds will benefit an Atlanta Community Food Bank food pantry in the Allatoona area. No Kid Hungry works to make sure food insecure children get the nutrition they need through school breakfasts, summer and after school meals, advocacy and food skills education. More details available at www.nokidhungry.org.

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Taste of Acworth

2018

Ash Croxdale of Center Street.

The Jensen family of White, Georgia.

Debbie Baxter with grandchildren Wyatt, Isabel and Isla Baxter, and dog Jake.

Jennifer and Megan Wilder.

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

PHOTOS BY BETH FORNUTO

Charleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dollhouse owners Robert and Sheelah Harris.

Tracy, Westyn, Camdyn and Jaycee Wyche of Acworth.

Barbecue is the lunch choice of this hungry family.

Vendor Erin Stevens with Christmas items.

Taste of Jamaica chef preparing jerk chicken.

Denise Ribeiro and Ben and Luke, with Denia Fitzpatrick and Noel Thomas.

Kennesaw/Acworth Optimist Club members. AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Cars on the Lake. Photo courtesy of Jerald Shindledecker. Right, Clyde Baxter's 1954 Ford F-100.

Cars on the Lake BY BECCA KIENEL

Close to 100 classic cars descended on Dallas Landing in Acworth recently to compete in the inaugural Cars on the Lake. The event, co-sponsored by the Save Acworth History Foundation (SAHF), raised money to support the group’s special projects, including video histories and preservation of early Acworth photos and memorabilia. The AACA (Antique Automobile Club of America, Acworth Chapter) also was a co-sponsor. SAHF Vice President Mack Turner pitched the idea of a car show earlier this year. Turner, a classic car owner since his 2006 retirement, is a veteran of many shows, including ones in Kennesaw and Acworth at the First Baptist Church parking lot.

Mack Turner, left, and Richard Boyer congratulate Clyde Baxter on winning Best in Show. 18

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

“Since I know a lot of people in the car show groups, I thought this could be a successful venture. And the setting on Lake Allatoona was perfect,” he said. Food trucks and a silent auction, along with classic oldies played by Ernestine Godfrey, also were part of the day. The winner of Best in Show was Clyde Baxter and his beautiful blue 1954 Ford F-100 pickup truck. Other awards were given for the Top 20, Best Paint, Best Interior, Best Engine, City of Acworth Choice, AACA Choice and SAHF Choice. The first Joe “Trooper” Looper award was given to Butch Thompson for his generous donation to help defray expenses of the car show. The award was created to honor Looper, a popular character who became an area legend as the security guard for the Big Hugh Baby Hops. In the 1960s, Acworth Beach was the site of the live musical stage show that featured entertainers like Billy Joe Royal, Joe South and Mack Davis. The event put Acworth Beach on the map. While it was a lot of hard work, SAHF board members agreed that this should become an annual event. So, if you were not able to make it this year, try to come next year!

Becca Kienel is a current and former resident of the Collins Avenue Historic District. Since moving back to Acworth, she has enjoyed researching the area's history and homes.

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AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Another Amazing Taste of Acworth BY DAVE MCCLANAHAN

UPCOMING EVENTS Nov. 8 Alive After Five

5:30-7:30 p.m. Dogwood Terrace 4975 N. Main St. Acworth

Nov. 13 Morning Jolt

7:30-9 a.m. American Legion Post 304 4220 S. Main St. Acworth Networking event that focuses on exchanging referrals with one another. Coffee and breakfast provided.

Nov. 15 Women's Business Network

11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Logan Park Farm House 4756 Logan Road Acworth

Nov. 27 Morning Jolt

7:30-9 a.m. American Legion Post 304 4220 S. Main St. Acworth Networking event that focuses on exchanging referrals with one another. Coffee and breakfast provided. 20

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

With the passing of October, another ABA Taste of Acworth is in the books, and I still can smell the fragrant aromas of great food! As I write this, the numbers are still coming in, but all signs point to this being the biggest, most successful Taste of Acworth we ever have had. Much of Acworth and the surrounding communities descended on downtown Acworth for a day of food, games, entertainment, giveaways and great times. Many of our top local business owners and restaurants were there. I may have found my calling as a professional taste tester! A massive thank you to all the business owners, ABA board members, ambassadors, city staff, law enforcement and the amazing community that makes everything we do possible. Taste of Acworth reminds me again of how thankful I am to be part of Acworth and the men and women that make up Acworth’s business community.

Why I Am Thankful

Shortly after I started my financial practice, I was invited to an Acworth Business Association luncheon. I had no idea what to expect. What I found was a community of business owners and professionals that was committed to making a positive impact on the city while growing one another’s businesses. I knew I had to come to the next event, something called the Morning Jolt. The rest was history. In a few weeks, I was an integral part of a warm and welcoming group that believed in me and my success. I was giving back to my community, alongside many of the most generous people I have known, who happened to be professionals just like me. And my business grew. After a few years, I was on and off the board a couple of times, and was asked to serve as ABA’s president. Through much soul searching and prayer, as 2018 president, I learned at a new level what I already had seen many times: ABA is not about any one person or small group. The ABA and Acworth, as a community, are special because of the amazing men and women who make it great. This November, my heart is full of gratitude for a one-of-a-kind city made up of exemplary public servants, business owners and citizens. However, it is a city that is vastly more than the sum of its parts. In my opinion, Acworth is one of the best places in the world to work, play, raise a family, and do life. I hope this fall finds you thankful for your blessings. If you have trials, I hope you are not alone. If you are alone, I hope you reach out. Together, we are stronger. Together, we can continue to make Acworth great. If you are a business owner or professional, whether a part-time dream, side hustle, or full-time career, you need this community, and we need you. I encourage you to join the ABA and find out what I’m talking about. Go to AcworthBusiness.org and learn about our full slate of events and opportunities every month. This is one community that you cannot outgive. I challenge you to try.

Dave McClanahan is 2018 president of the Acworth Business Association and a certified financial planner. Dave, his wife Heather, and their four children happily have called Acworth home for 15 years.

Christmas in Acworth It’s not too early to plan for Santa visits and holiday fun in the city. The activities are family-friendly and the perfect way to entertain the children while getting in a little holiday shopping. • Main Street Acworth kicks things off with a Merchants Open House on Nov. 24, the day after Black Friday (also known as Small Business Saturday). Shop the sales and sample treats in downtown Acworth stores. On the north end of Main Street, stroll through Frana Brown Park to see the Festival of Trees. Local school groups and businesses decorate Christmas trees donated by the Acworth Home Depot. • Santa arrives on Dec. 7. Festivities begin at 5:30 p.m., with Santa’s appearance scheduled for 6:30. The event, hosted by the city of Acworth and NorthStar Church, takes place on Senator Russell Avenue, with a host of live performances and activities until 8:30 p.m. to help Santa kick off the holiday season. Bring the entire family to hear Mayor Tommy Allegood read “'Twas the Night Before Christmas,” and watch the lighting of the tree on the Plaza behind Henry's. Enjoy pictures with Mr. Claus, eating candy canes with all his elves, and filling the streets with the holiday spirit. Pictures with Santa are free and begin at 6:45 p.m. Bring your camera; no photographer will be on-site. The Holbrook is a sponsor this year. • On Dec. 8 and Dec. 15, celebrate Christmas in Acworth. Santa will be at the Plaza beside Acworth City Hall for pictures from 1 to 5 p.m. both days. There’s no charge for taking photos. Again, bring your camera to capture this special moment; no photographer will be on-site. Participants also can enjoy free horse and carriage rides. For more details, contact Kim Watt at kwatt@acworth.org.

Mya and Ian Rodriguez with Santa last year.

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Art House Hosts Painting Party BY ELLEN KENNERLY

Birdhouses regaled in colorful plumes of rainbow hues brightened the Art House in Acworth as children from local neighborhoods gathered there one recent Saturday morning. Two rocking chairs took center stage, their bland, white arms reaching out to embrace the bold colors from youthful hands.

Activity Coordinator Angela Morman worked with Executive Director Cathy Green to bring the group in for the sunny session in October. Morman said it’s important to nourish creative activities for children to foster learning and community engagement. The Art House opens its space for groups such as this as part of its mission in furthering art education in the Acworth area. "This is what it is all about: Sharing art with the community — art education — making new friends and having fun. It was the second time several of these children came to the Art House for an art project,” Green said. “The painted chairs stay at the Art House this fall, for visitors to enjoy." Children who showed up to pick up a brush Oct. 13 included Shaniya Faust, 10; Jahliya Faust, 8; Cyionna Faust, 6; Jordan Tillman, 10; Beyla Eves, 10; Alaysia Long, 10; Lulu Williamson, 9; Kayla Grant, 13. Bazille Jones also was on hand to help coordinate. To coordinate an event at The Art House, contact Green at acworthartsalliance@ gmail.com or 678-543-5777.

Kennerly is on the Around Acworth board and also serves on the board of the Acworth Arts Alliance.

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Hey Acworth,

Below, Angela Morman gives a chair a fresh coat of paint. Photos by Ellen Kennerly.

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ACWORTH POLICE DEPARTMENT

Spend Time, Do the Right Thing commander, Lt. Charles Ball, took the time to carefully listen to the man’s concerns, locate the license, apologize for the Our department’s motto is: Spend time and do the right mistake, and personally delivered it to the driver’s residence. thing. I am passionately dedicated to this simple principle. I Doing the right thing means admitting when we make a know that if we do this, we will always be successful stewards of mistake. Mistakes happen, but once we are aware of them, it our community’s trust, and that is our primary objective. is our duty to correct them. Ball did the right thing, and then That sounds nice, but how does it look? What does spending spent the time to go the extra mile (literally). Admitting a time and doing the right thing actually look like? Is it just a mistake, even a small one, helps build trust in our community, community policing thing? Is it our Cop-a-Treat event, Covering and while it may have been a small action, it made a big the Bases, Shoot for the Horizon, Citizens’ Police Academy? It is impact on the individuals involved. all these things, but it is also much more Our officers are plugged into our local than those events. schools in ways the general public may The bigger moments The truth is in the details. Small not have heard. Sometimes, we are moments make up the bulk of our lives, there to participate in specific events, and events are a big but they are usually overshadowed but often, we are just stopping by to say deal ... but the small by the bigger moments. The bigger hello and spend time. One example of this moments and events are a big deal, and moments are the ones is at Barber Middle School where many they deserve attention, but the small of our patrol officers, detention officers that leave us with an moments are the ones that leave us and administrative staff spend time to sit with an emotional imprint. Later in life, and talk with selected students on Friday emotional imprint. we may not remember a specific small afternoons. There is no prescribed lesson, moment, but we always remember how just an opportunity for students and our that moment made us feel. Here are a couple of small moments staff to spend time and chat. Listening goes a long way, and it is that you may not have heard about, but I think you’ll agree, the absolutely the right thing to do. It’s something I’ve noticed that people involved will remember how that small moment gave we are missing in our online society. There are a lot of people them a sense of peace even during a stressful time. talking, but not nearly enough who are actively listening. That’s Recently, our jail administrator, Lt. Kenneth King, met with what we are doing in our schools - spending time, doing the the mother of an inmate who was incarcerated for a DUI the right thing, and listening. night before. The vehicle the inmate was driving belonged to The big events matter, but there are a million little actions his mother, and it was her only mode of transportation. The that make up the bulk of what we do. mother had walked from her home to the jail to inquire about Our mission statement is, “It is the mission of the Acworth bailing out her son and was prepared to walk to the impound Police Department to provide fair, impartial and excellent lot to retrieve her vehicle. King stepped up and offered to drive law enforcement service to our community. To that end, we the mother to the impound lot. The woman did not ask for a pledge to pursue the highest levels of training and education ride, King took it upon himself to offer. Why? Because it was available, and to offer our community the highest levels of the right thing to do. He spent some time to learn about the professionalism to the best of our ability.” mother’s struggles, and then took the time to do the right thing. By spending time and doing the right thing, we are able to fulfill That is what spending time and doing the right thing looks like. our mission and our commitment to the Acworth community. Our officers are not perfect. We do our best, but like everyone else, we can make mistakes. Last month, one of our officers inadvertently failed to return a driver’s license to a driver after issuing a warning. The driver’s parent called the Chief Dennard has served as chief since 2012 and has lived in police department the following day and was upset because this community for more than 40 years. he believed that the license had been seized. Our patrol BY WAYNE DENNARD

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

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AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Traditional Dishes Add Flavor to the Holidays BY TIFFANY HUGHES

The holidays are associated with two important things – tradition and food. Typically, food is a big component of seasonal traditions, which is why every family has a few recipes that are “must-haves” for the holiday season. You can simply say “Thanksgiving,” and mouths will start watering, as people think of their favorite dish. It doesn’t matter if your family prepares traditional or nontraditional foods, the recipes are passed from generation to generation. For instance, the star of the day might be a turkey, but it could be ham, duck, fish or even a tofurkey. More than likely, the preparation of your main dish has had only slight variations over the years, because it has become a tradition. In addition to the main entrée, side dishes are crucial. Whether it’s your grandmother’s dressing or your sisterin-law’s green bean casserole, sides are important, because they balance out the main dish. It is easy to dress up canned veggies to make it appear like you slaved over them for hours. For instance, pour four cans of cut green beans, including liquid, into a large pot. Add half a stick of butter and ½ cup of sugar. Cover with water and cook on high until the water reduces, and the butter and sugar are absorbed. Cover with water again and add more butter and sugar. Cook until reduced a second time. Repeat process once more, then taste. In a small frying pan, brown sliced almonds in a little butter, and stir into the beans just before serving. Finally, no holiday meal is complete without dessert. Desserts usually have their own table, because there are so many of them. Remember to consider the amount of food that will require refrigeration versus how big your refrigerator is. It’s always a good idea to have a few dishes that do not require refrigeration, such as gooey butter cake. Family recipes are important, and should be preserved. If you’re asking folks to bring dishes to your get-togethers, ask them to jot down their recipe so you can save it. Another great idea is to photograph each person holding the dish they made, and save it in your holiday photos. No matter what you do to celebrate the holidays, make certain you take the time to celebrate those you hold near and dear to your heart. Happy Thanksgiving!

Tiffany Hughes is an Acworth resident and is volunteer coordinator/scheduler for the Booth Western Art Museum. She enjoys spending time with her family and furbabies. You can contact her at creativecook11@yahoo.com.

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Citrus Turkey • • • • • •

8-pound turkey or turkey breast, thawed One stick butter, cut into pieces 2 tablespoons seasoned salt One large sweet onion, quartered One navel orange, quartered 3 apples (such as Gala or Red Delicious), halved with seeds removed

Directions

Place onion and apple pieces in the bottom of a slow cooker. Pat turkey dry, then sprinkle with salt. Insert slices of butter under the skin of the turkey, paying particular attention to the breast. Sprinkle with additional salt, then insert the orange pieces into the cavity of the turkey. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 7 hours. When the turkey is done, it literally will fall apart. Save the juices to drizzle on leftover turkey. Reminder: If you’re cooking meat in a slow cooker, a tabletop fryer or a roasting pan, it’s always a good idea to check the size before you take the meat out of the package. Once you’re certain your meat will fit, then you can proceed as planned.

Gooey Butter Cake • • • • •

One box yellow cake mix 3 eggs One stick butter, melted 8 ounces cream cheese, softened One pound powdered sugar (or 3 ¾ cups)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cake mix with the melted butter and one egg, then press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan coated with cooking spray. In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar and two remaining eggs, and beat with a hand mixer until well blended. Spread across the cake mix and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Note: The middle still will wiggle, but it is done when golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving.

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AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Thanksgiving Side Dishes We asked you, our readers, to share the recipes for your must-have Thanksgiving dinner side dishes. You responded to our plea, and now we all can enjoy your favorites as our own. Thanks for sharing a taste of your holiday traditions, and happy Thanksgiving!

Chocolate Pound Cake

From Around Acworth Editor Katie Beall When it comes to Thanksgiving, my family has always served the basics. (My mom uses canned cranberry sauce.) But, we do have a dessert that is usually in the mix, no matter what the holiday is − my mom's chocolate pound cake. My grandmother used to make it, and now my mom is known for it. • • • • • • • • •

2 sticks margarine 1/2 cup Crisco 3 cups sugar 3 cups plain flour 1/2 cup cocoa 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 5 eggs 1 1/4 cup milk

Directions

Sift flour, baking powder and cocoa three times. Cream margarine, shortening, sugar and eggs (slowly add one egg at a time). Add flour, milk and vanilla. Pour in pound cake pan and bake at 325 for 90 minutes.

Icing • • • • •

1 stick margarine 1/2 cup cocoa 1 box powdered sugar 7 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt margarine in double boiler. Add cocoa and heat for one minute. Pour into mixing bowl and alter adding milk and sugar. Add vanilla. Let cake completely cool before icing. 36

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Cranberry Oatmeal Delight From Ashley Velez

Here's a recipe that my Mom makes every year at Thanksgiving. It's one of my favorites! • 1 16-ounce can whole-cranberry sauce • 1 ½ cups chopped Granny Smith apples (with peels) • 1 cup quick cooking oatmeal • ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar • ¼ cup butter, melted • ½ cup chopped pecans • ½ teaspoon salt • ¼ cup flour

Directions

Combine cranberry sauce and apples in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Stir together remaining ingredients and spread over fruit. (This can be done a day in advance, and covered and stored in the refrigerator until ready to bake.) Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Great served the next day for breakfast or as a dessert with vanilla ice cream.

Wanda's Creamed Corn From Jen Bixler

When my husband and I got married, my mother-in-law gave me a stack of favorite family recipes. Creamed corn is my husband's favorite Thanksgiving side. It is now one of our children's favorite dishes. • • • •

6 ears of fresh corn 1 stick of butter 2 tablespoons of sugar 1/4 cup of milk, if needed (very fresh corn often has enough liquid in it) • Cornstarch, if needed to thicken • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Use a large bowl to catch all the kernels and juice from the corn cobs. Using a very sharp paring knife, cut the very tips of the kernels off the cob. Then use a fork to scrape what remains of the kernels plus all the juice. Place corn and other ingredients in a pan and cook over medium to low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Serves six to eight people.

Broccoli Casserole From Tammy Cobb

If you were to ask my family which side dish is a must for Thanksgiving, they’d tell you broccoli casserole — like, I would be disowned if it’s not on the table. (Kidding, kinda.) They even suggest that I make a double batch, so there will be more leftovers. • 20-ounce bag frozen broccoli • 2 eggs (beaten) • 1/2 cup milk • 1 can cream of mushroom soup

Ham Glaze

• 1 cup Miracle Whip

From Lynn Meharg

• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Our family recipes are tried and true. We use the same ones every year, because we have to have the same exact meal. We always have a ham and a turkey, to make Momma happy. She is 86, so she gets what she wants.

Directions

We use the bone in (not sliced) butt end of the ham, but any kind is fine to use. • • • • • • • • • •

6 garlic cloves 4 ½ ounces dried mangoes Small jar of orange marmalade ½ cup Dijon mustard 1 cup light brown sugar Zest from 1 large navel orange ¼ cup orange juice 1 tablespoon fresh ginger from tube 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon dehydrated onions, reconstituted in the vinegar

• 1 sleeve Town House crackers, crushed Cook broccoli in a small amount of salted water until tender; drain. Mix remaining ingredients together, add cooked broccoli. Pour into casserole dish and top with cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Note: You can assemble the casserole the day before, and add the cracker crumbs right before baking, Add 5-10 minutes to the cooking time if it is refrigerator-cold.

Directions

Put everything in a blender and blend well. Simmer in small saucepan until thickened. Spoon over ham about 30 minutes before you are ready to take it out of the oven, and again about 15 minutes later. Reserve some sauce for the table. Cook the ham for about 1 ½ hours, at 350 degrees, inside a large oven roasting bag. AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Senior Activities CITY OF ACWORTH

COBB COUNTY

Parks and Recreation Department www.acworthparksandrecreation.org

North Cobb Senior Center 4100 S. Main St, Acworth • 770-975-7740

Nov. 20

Senior Lunch includes lunch, bingo and other special activities. Location is the Roberts School Community and Education Center, 4681 School St. Lunch is served at noon. Bingo with prizes follows lunch. Free.

Jan. 8-March 12

Senior Chair Yoga gives participants a chance to learn stretching and strengthening exercises, breathing techniques and more. 10-10:45 a.m. and 11-11:45 a.m. on either Tuesdays or Thursdays (participants choice). Senior Cardio Combo. Elevate your metabolism by moving

rhythmically to music. Strengthen and tighten muscles using free weights. 10-10:45 a.m. and 11-11:45 a.m. on either Tuesdays or Thursdays (participants choice).

Jan. 18

Trip to The Center for Puppetry Arts for a guided journey around the world with this in-depth look at the Center’s Global Collection Gallery.

ALOHA TO AGING 4608 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta 770-722-7641• info@alohatoaging.org

Nov. 13

Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Group, 10:30- 11:30 a.m., meets at

Burnt Hickory Baptist Church, 5145 Due West Road, Powder Springs. Open to family members who are assisting an aging loved one either in or out of the home. Dawn Reed, founder and executive director of Aloha to Aging, Inc., will facilitate. Free respite care is provided for loved ones during the meeting; call 770-722-7641 to reserve a spot.

Tuesdays

The Aloha Day Club meets 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Open to adults age 55

and older who are no longer driving and need engaging activities outside their homes. Participants range in age from 55 to 96. The 3.5-hour program includes a morning snack, art, games, music, trivia, lunch and 50 minutes of seated exercise.

Volunteers Needed

Program and kitchen volunteers (no cooking required) are needed for the senior adult social program on Tuesdays in West Cobb, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. to socialize and help facilitate games and projects with seniors. Join in a morning snack and lunch, as well as a fun 50 minutes of seated exercise with the participants and fellow volunteers.

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Nov. 7

Veterans Recognition Luncheon, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Registration and membership required. North Cobb Center welcomes all veterans and their spouses to attend a honorary luncheon to thank them for serving our country and protecting our freedom.

Nov. 9

Crafting Corner, 1-2 p.m. Membership required. $3 Cobb residents/$4 nonresidents. Bring your favorite pattern of wired ribbon and learn how to tie a basic bow, a looped bow and a floral bow.

Nov. 13

Friends of North Cobb, 11 a.m.-noon. Raise funds for North Cobb Senior Center, which will help maintain and enhance programs and projects. Technology for the Hearing Impaired.

9:30-10:30 a.m. Educational seminar on the technology offered for seniors with hearing impairment.

Nov. 15

Thanksgiving Potluck, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $3 Cobb residents/$4 non-residents. Bring a side dish. Turkeys, desserts and beverages provided.

Nov. 19

Culinary Creations, 10:30-11:30 a.m. $2 Cobb residents/$3 non-residents. Learn to prepare easy appetizers, ready in 15 minutes.

Nov. 20

Acworth City Luncheon and Bingo, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Register by Nov. 20. Limited transportation for $2 at registration. At Roberts School Community and Education Center, 4681 School St., for free lunch and bingo.

Nov. 29

How to Prevent and Manage Diabetes,

10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Registration required.

Nov. 30

Reading Food Labels, 10-11 a.m. Free.

Registration required.

Helping the Sandwich Generation

“Let Our Family go to work for Your Family”

BY JOSHUA NELSON

According to the Pew Research Center, (www.pewsocialtrends. org/2013/01/30/the-sandwich-generation) almost half of adults in their 40s and 50s are living in the “sandwich,” working full time and caring for their minor children, but also caring for elderly parents. This so-called sandwich generation carries the responsibilities of child care and education, planning for their own retirement, and caring for their aging parents.

Here are five ways to help effectively manage the caregiver role.

Ask for help. You might think you can do it all yourself, but here’s the truth: You cannot. Asking for help doesn’t show weakness; it shows compassion and intelligence. Find resources for your parents at the local senior center, or try the local county senior services office (Cobb County 770-528-5355; Cherokee County 770-345-2675), which has lots of information and resources. Find the right lawyer. The maze of Medicare, Medicaid and veterans benefits is complex, and you likely need guidance to help you and your parents navigate it. The right lawyer will be attuned to the needs of the senior population and provide information on a variety of resources. An experienced attorney can guide your family through estate planning that may assist you in qualifying for various benefits, thereby easing some of the financial burden imposed on the sandwich generation. Plan as far in advance as possible. If your parents are still healthy, now is the time to discuss their desires for the future. While it is easy to put off uncomfortable conversations, especially if mom or dad is not thrilled with the idea of needing help, it only makes things more difficult in the future. Keep the lines of communication open. As with any relationship, open communication is key. This is especially important when parents are reluctant to accept help, or are located far away. Either situation lends itself to hiring someone else to handle day-to-day caregiver tasks. Perhaps having someone come in to clean or cook once a week (someone who also is happy to sit and chat for a while) will be perceived as less intrusive, but can help provide enough assistance. Talk with your parents about what they want for the future, what they like about the help they are receiving, and communicate regularly with the caregivers. Don’t forget to take care of yourself. Studies have shown that the burden of caregiving is significant, even if we don’t think of it as a burden. Up to 50 percent of sandwich generation caregivers report anxiety, emotional stress and even depression. Caregivers who neglect their own needs have an increased risk of developing serious conditions themselves. Do the best you can and remember to care for yourself, too.

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Helping Hand

Lend a

Because many of our friends and neighbors struggle financially every day, there are many charities that work hard to help people in need. Here’s a list of local nonprofits that have additional needs for the holidays. While you’re at it, consider bringing a basket of homemade goodies, fresh fruit or colorful flowers to show your appreciation for the staff and volunteers at these nonprofits. Special thanks to Irene Barton for help in compiling this list. As executive director of Cobb Collaborative, Barton is a great resource for those interested in plugging in to help folks in need. www.cobbcollaborative.org.

Aloha to Aging

Destiny's Daughter of Promise

www.alohatoaging.org

www.ddpgirls.org

The following items are needed for the Day Club: Clorox wipes; Lysol spray; 6-inch dessert paper plates; 8 1/2-inch lunch paper plates (no styrofoam please); small bowls; large cans of fruit and vegetables; decaf coffee; 9-ounce plastic cups; copy paper, and Publix, Kroger or Costco gift cards. Items can be dropped off at either Aloha to Aging location: West Cobb (Tuesdays only, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.), 5145 Due West Road, Powder Springs, inside Burnt Hickory Baptist Church; East Cobb (9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays), 4608 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta.

The Kennesaw nonprofit prepares teen girls for college, careers and a successful life by offering programs and opportunities for young women to excel in leadership, community involvement, education, and personal growth and development. Mentors are needed.

C.H.O.I.C.E.S.

www.choicesforkids.org The Center Helping Obesity In Children End Successfully (C.H.O.I.C.E.S.) fights childhood obesity with a multifaceted approach. C.H.O.I.C.E.S. is a resource to families with overweight and obese children, through collaborative partnerships with fitness trainers, physical and psychological health professionals, motivational speakers and dietitians. Variety of volunteer opportunities from office to event to hands-on cooking.

Cobb School Social Workers www.cobbsuccessforall.com

Can use donations to their fund for uniforms, food, etc. May have need for tutors, general volunteers for front office, media center, etc. Contact the school close to you and see what their needs are.

Cobb Senior Services

Family Promise Cobb County www.familypromisecobbcounty.org

Family Promise serves housing insecure families with children, by providing shelter through community faith partnerships. While the family has shelter, the day center staff stays busy working to help the adults find jobs, learn budgeting, connect with benefits and services that will help them. The nonprofit has asked for donations of gas cards, and WalMart or Target gift cards to help the families being served.

Forever Fed

www.foreverfed.org Forever Fed is distributing 350 Christmas food boxes to families in need, as well as hosting mobile pantries in communities experiencing high need. Groups, businesses and individuals can donate nonperishable foods, such as peanut butter, jelly, canned beans, canned soups, breakfast-style snacks and hygiene items. To donate, contact Susan@ForeverFed.org or phone 678-883-3314.

www.cobbcounty.org

KSU CARE Center

There are several opportunities to contribute to the Senior Santa program. Financial donations of $30 or more are welcome. Adopt a senior and fulfill their specific Christmas wish list. Donate gift certificates from Walmart, Kroger, Publix, etc. Donate new unwrapped gifts that are gender specific. Volunteers welcome for the 11th annual Senior Santa party, a special event for current clients who are homebound. 770-528-5368.

The Campus Awareness, Resource & Empowerment (CARE) Services offers support to students who have experienced homelessness, food insecurity and/or the foster care system. Donations of food for the pantry and monetary donations to the scholarship can make a huge difference in the life of a student.

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

www.care.kennesaw.edu

Lekotek

Operation Christmas Child

The Kennesaw organization uses adapted toys, educational materials, computer equipment and iPads to make a difference in the lives of children with disabilities who can have fun and learn along the way. There are many volunteer opportunities, through volunteering a few hours or making an ongoing commitment.

Representatives will be collecting donations of filled shoeboxes at various locations in Cobb County Nov. 12-19. Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Purse, collects boxes filled with clothing and accessories, craft items, school supplies, toys and personal care items (no liquids accepted, including toothpaste, shampoo, deodorants, etc.) and ships them around the world to children in need. Check the website for locations.

www.lekotekga.org

MUST

www.mustministries.org. The Cobb County nonprofit provides food, housing, employment, clothing assistance to individuals in distress. Current needs are for new socks and undergarments for men, women and children of all ages and sizes.

New Horizons for Children www.nhfc.org

The nonprofit serves international, orphaned children by finding local host homes where each child can spend four to six weeks with a family where he or she can experience family and the love of Jesus. Financial gifts are always welcome, and organizers are asking for prayers. Prayer cards available at the website can be printed and shared with friends, family members and faith communities. 678-671-2279.

www.samaritanspurse.org

Simple Needs GA

www.simpleneedsgablog.com Simple Needs meets unmet, but important, needs in several ways: Bringing a tent to a person living in the woods, providing birthday gifts to a homeless child, or connecting people to services that can help them. Donations needed of full-size toiletry items, new shoes for children or $25 gift cards to shoe stores, tents, candles, cleaning supplies (which cannot be purchased with food stamps), and new children's books and toys for children living in shelters.

Tommy Nobis Center www.tommynobiscenter.org

Helps people with disabilities find jobs. Most critical need is financial support. Vehicle donations also are welcome.

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Raise Your Expectations to See the Possibilities BY JENNIFER BONN

Have you ever heard someone complain about a situation, but when you offer suggestions to improve the issues, the person finds reasons why none of them will work? Another scenario is the person who accepts where circumstances have landed him in life, instead of seeing the possibilities beyond where he is. What causes some people to reach for their dreams while overcoming obstacles? What makes someone think that so much more is possible while someone else cannot imagine more? I believe the answers to these questions can be found by examining what our expectations are. Why are we so quick to settle for less than glorious? Imagine what could happen if we raised our expectations and saw more possibilities. Here are some ideas to help us make the leap.

Stop Making Excuses

The first step in raising the bar is to change from an excusemaker to a challenge-breaker. Instead of saying you cannot exercise, because you do not have the time, realize that your physical and mental health influence everything else you do in life, so it needs to be a priority. Take charge of those elements in your life that will make you better, and improve your quality of life.

Map Out Your Goals

Write out goals to improve your work and your personal life. Detail what you want to achieve in the short and long terms, and make a plan for how you will make it happen. Pick certain dates to revisit your goals. Mark the goals you have achieved with a green highlighter, and reflect on what you need to do to move forward.

Find Inspiration

Always look for inspiration to motivate you to improve, whether it comes from people around you, the music you hear, programs you watch or books you read. Sometimes, when we see others rising above unbelievable challenges, it pushes us to do more.

Ask for Help

Knowing when to ask for help is a sign of strength and intelligence. Other people who can open doors for us, and teach us what we need, can be the catalyst we need for change. We all need mentors who have the experience and wisdom to help us improve.

Have an Attitude of Why Not?

Fear holds us back from doing spectacular things. We are afraid of failure, and afraid of being hurt or embarrassed. Step out of your comfort zone now and then, and take a leap of faith. I have a fearless friend who always is ready to try a new adventure. I think she lives life to the fullest, because she refuses to let fear of failure hold her back. My why-not came in the form of an ultra-marathon. I never imagined that an ultra was something I could do. A friend convinced me to give it a try, and I fell in love with this type of race. If I had given in to my fears, I would have missed out on some great experiences.

Ask God to Open Doors

I have found that my greatest blessings have come when I ask God to guide me and open the doors I need to do his work. The doors are not always the ones I expected, but there always seems to be an amazing adventure waiting for me on the other side, as long as I am willing to step through. Raise your expectations and imagine more in your life. Imagine what might happen if you open up to the possibilities.

Make a Vision Board

Put up images and photos that represent what you want to achieve in life. Your vision could be for a job that you would like to have, or a house where you would like to live. This is just for you to dream, so think big.

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Jennifer Bonn is a French teacher at Mount Paran Christian School, and is working on a book about lessons she learned in the classroom.

Historic Home Continues to Charm Community BY MALINDA HOWE

An old Singer sewing machine serves as a bathroon vanity.

Built in 1901, this home has undergone a complete renovation, inside and out. A stove from the 1900s is still operational.

In May 2006, Kathleen Rios purchased the home at 4510 Lemon St. in Historic Downtown Acworth; coming from California, the price of a historic home at $305,000 seemed liked a bargain. Originally built in 1901, the Queen Anne Victorian style house was the home of Edward Lemon; once mayor of our city, and the nephew of Capt. James Lyle Lemon, one of Acworth’s early pioneers. The home was in need of a complete renovation. Rios and her two daughters took on the task of hiring contractors and architects who had historic preservation backgrounds to complete the work that included: digging out a useable basement, unveiling gorgeous beadboard ceilings, renovating kitchen and baths, adding additional support beams to the entire home, updating electrical and plumbing, building a full attic expansion, and installing hardscape and all new landscaping. The home turned into one of the treasures of Historic Downtown Acworth. For those of us who watched the renovation, it was something to be seen. Rios enjoyed living in the renovated home, but as she got older, maintenance of the house and yard became too much for her. In early May, she decided to sell the home. With its attic expansion, stain glass windows, sewing machine vanity base, blue kitchen cabinetry and operational stove from the 1900s, this home needed the right buyers. Appraised at $450,000, the home was either too big for empty nesters or just out of their price range. Finally, the perfect family found the house − Peggy and Lou Ramos, and their two sons. Peggy had wished for a renovated historic home in downtown Acworth where she could walk to the lake, shops and restaurants. A sincere thank you to the Rios family for investing in our community and for restoring this Queen Anne home. And we welcome the Ramos family to our city and thank them for recently sharing their home in October’s Acworth Charm Home Tour. Most important, thank you for knowing what a historic treasure you have, and for saving it for years to come by listing the home on the local register.

Malinda Howe lives, works and plays in Historic Downtown Acworth and is a broker and owner of Anchor Realty Partners. Howe is also vice chairwoman of the Acworth Tourism Board. AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Nothin’ Sweeter Than Local Honey BY JACKIE LOUDIN

Did you know that bears don’t raid beehives for the honey? I didn’t either. It turns out, bears are looking to consume the bees’ larvae, which are good sources of protein. The honey is merely a sweet byproduct of their foraging. That’s what I get for basing my knowledge of bees and bears on Winnie the Pooh. On the other hand, Bobby Thanepohn and Ryan McDonald (aka Mac) of Cherokee County have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to honeybees. They are apiarists, a fancy word for beekeepers. Both are University of Georgia certified beekeepers, and members of the Georgia Beekeepers Association and the Cherokee and Forsyth Beekeepers Club. The two have been friends since 2003, and enjoy hunting and riding motorcycles together. While sitting around a campfire on a hunting trip, the conversation revealed that each had started keeping bees. Since neither one likes to do anything halfway, they went all in, and soon realized they were about to have a whole lot of honey. “Our primary reasons for getting into beekeeping were the cool, sciency, animal-husbandry, entomology, gardening aspect of it,” Bobby said. "Then, the beehives grew. They grew organically, and the natural byproduct was honey.” Once they had given gifts of honey to all their friends and family members, the two

decided to sell the surplus honey at the Canton Farmers Market. That’s where you can find Bobee MacBee's most Saturdays, sharing their love and knowledge of all things related to honey and honeybees, with anyone who will listen. There’s one thing they want to stress: “Get into it for the bees, not the honey.” During my visit to their hives, Bobby and Mac made sure I learned a few things about keeping bees. I now feel smarter than even the most average of bears.

Fun Bee Facts

• Honeybees will fly up to 3 miles from the hive, or a 28-square-mile radius, in search of good nectar sources: dandelions, blackberries, clover. The bees will focus on a favorite source until it’s exhausted, often flying past something closer to the hive. • In the winter, bees disconnect their muscles from their wings. This renders them unable to fly, but still able to vibrate their wings, in order to generate heat for the hive. • Bees prefer a small window of temperatures in the hive - from the midto high 90s - and they will fan their wings and cluster to keep the temperature constant, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, no matter if it is 100 or -10 degrees outside. • Once the queen lays an egg, it takes three days for it to hatch into a larva. On day 21, a working bee emerges, and its first job is to clean its own cell.

Below, inspecting the frames is an important part of keeping a hive healthy.

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

The owners of Bobbee MacBee's showed Jackie how to safely hold bees in the palm of her hand.

• The lifespan of a bee in the springtime is only a few weeks. • Bees use stored honey for food to sustain them through the winter. • There are three kinds of apiarists: hobbyist (own less than 100 hives), sideliner (100-300 hives) and commercial beekeeper (300+ hives). Bobby and Mac are hobbyists. • The answer to every beekeeping question is: “It depends.” Many factors affect a hive’s ability to thrive. Eating local honey often is acknowledged by health advocates as a good way to tackle seasonal allergies. It’s important to find a local beekeeper as a source for honey, since most grocery store honey is not local, and has been heated and filtered, removing valuable enzymes and nutrients. If you can’t be a beekeeper, there are ways you can assist the honeybee population: plant flowering trees and shrubs in your yard, avoid pesticides, don’t mow as often, allow clover and dandelions to grow. While some of these suggestions may not be popular with your homeowners association, you can plant a small section of wildflowers or try container gardening as an alternative. Visit bobbemacbees.com for more information or search Facebook or Instagram

The Biology of the Honeybee BY JOSHUA FUDER

A mosaic of colors is created from the various pollens the honey bees gather. Photo courtesy of Bobbee MacBee's.

Bobby Thanepohn (left) and Mac McDonald are UGA certified beekeepers.

In May, I attended the Young Harris College-University of Georgia Beekeeping Institute. While I am not a beekeeper, I also am not a novice to beekeeping. In my role as a UGA Cooperative Extension county agent, I have a number of friends in various bee clubs. I even have two hives that a friend keeps at my house. In my two days at the institute, I learned that there is much more to these amazing creatures than most people realize, and I wanted to share my newfound bee knowledge. Bees have three body segments: head, thorax and abdomen. The head has five eyes; there are two on the side and three small eyes that look like dots on the top of the head. These three eyes are more like light sensors so the bee knows which way is up. These light-sensing eyes can get bees into trouble in snowy areas. They sometimes exit the hive when snow is on the ground, and if the reflected light from the ground is brighter than the sky, the bees will fly upside down before crashing into the snow. The thorax, the bee’s power center, is the location of the bee’s four wings and six legs. There are many bee look-alikes in the insect world. One way to distinguish a bee from a fly is the bee’s four wings. Flies only have two wings. The abdomen houses the internal organs, and the stinger is located at the base of the abdomen. The abdomen has seven segments and contains eight waxproducing glands. Wax is secreted in liquid form through segments four through seven until it cools and hardens. After it hardens, the hive workers collect it and form the hive’s cells. These wax scales are 3 millimeters across and 1 millimeter thick. It takes about 1,100 scales to make 1 gram of wax. Bees, like butterflies and moths, go through a complete metamorphosis, which includes egg, larva, pupa and adult life stages. With honeybees, what interested me was the time it takes them to progress from egg to adult. A queen completes this in as little as 16 days, whereas a worker, the female sister, takes 21 days. A drone, the male brother of the queen, takes 24 days. The difference is based on survival. When a colony needs to replace a queen, they must replace her fast so egg-laying can continue. It takes only three days for an egg to develop into a larva. A bee larva looks like a small grub or maggot. It is white in color, nestled into a cell and has no legs or eyes. During this stage, it increases 900 times in weight. But how can it grow this fast, molting its skin six times, if it is blind and immobile? The worker bees feed these voracious little eaters, making approximately 1,300 visits each day to feed them and clean their cells. After bees become adults, they have various roles in the hive. While we may think they leave the cells and start flying to flowers, only the oldest adults at the end of their lives are seen in gardens. The bees begin their adulthood as homebodies, working on important jobs like cleaning and capping cells, basically acting as the hive’s sanitation department. After they graduate from these tasks, they move to brood tending, comb building, grooming and food handling. It is not until around day 15-20 of their adult life that they begin outdoor tasks, like ventilating and guarding the entrance to the hive. An adult bee’s first foraging flight usually is not until about day 20. In the summer, most bees live only 35 days. Foraging flights are dangerous business given all the hazards: lawnmowers, windshields, birds, spiders and other predators. It makes sense that this is a task for the older, disposable bees.

Joshua Fuder is the agriculture and natural resources agent with UGA ExtensionCherokee County. Joshua lives on two acres in Canton, where he keeps a large vegetable garden, composts, maintains two beehives and cares for 30 fruit trees. AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Robâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rescues I interviewed Freedom Flightz recently and flew with them. Freedom Flightz is part of the Two Tailz Rescue organization (twotailzrescue.org) founded by Carolyn O'Brien. I will be interviewing Ms. O'Brien soon about Two Tailz. Kevin Saunders is the chief pilot for Freedom Flightz and Hannah Jahr is the president and chief flight coordinator.

What does Freedom Flightz do, and who do you work with?

Primarily, we pull dogs from high-kill shelters and fly them to homes or foster homes in different states along the Southeast corridor. In this way, we save more lives and save dogs from the stress of being in a crate for 24-plus hours of ground transportation somewhere.

How many animals do you fly each year on average?

This past year has been our highest year to date. We average a dog a month.

Where do you usually fly to, and how far is it usually?

We fly all over the Southeast corridor. We fly a lot to the Carolinas, also locally in Georgia, Mississippi, Texas and Florida. We try to keep the flights under two hours per pilot, and sometimes we string together a few flights.

How far is the longest flight you've flown with an animal, and your shortest flight? I've done Naples, Florida, which is about four hours, and Washington, D.C., which was three and a half to four hours. My plane is a Moony M20 J that cruises at 200 miles per hour. My shortest Freedom Flightz flight recently was Anderson, South Carolina, which is less than 30 minutes flying time.

What types of animals do you fly?

Generally, dogs. We are not breed-specific. The dogs we fly are typically abused and neglected dogs and lots of bully-breeds. We tend to take dogs that other rescues don't want, and if we can't find fosters or homes in the vicinity, we fly them to homes out of state.

Where do you put the dogs when they're on the plane?

Wire kennels in the cargo section. The Moony has great space in the back.

Rob, Hannah Jahr and Kevin Saunders (co-pilot selfie in flight).

Has anything ever gone wrong when you and a dog are in a plane?

I was flying a crate full of puppies to Washington, D.C. It was a hot day and, due to some parachuters jumping over the airport, I was put in a holding pattern over the Potomac. Finally, I was given the go-ahead to land and, on descent, every puppy ejected out of every orifice all over the place. Another troublesome time was with a German Shepherd dog I was flying to a former military dog handler in Winston Salem, North Carolina. It would not get out of the plane. Eventually, it took six people to get the dog out. We got him into a soft crate and had to pull him out like luggage and put him on a cart.

What has been your favorite flight?

Carolyn and I flew Libby, a terminal cancer dog, to her forever hospice home in Meridian, Mississippi.

What can I do to help you?

Please promote what we do. We need more pilot volunteers. Pilots generally like to go up and fly, and if they are flying anyway, they might as well fly for a cause. Also, we will help transport animals for any 501(c)(3) rescue organizations. We will do this for free, but request a $75 donation. The animals need to be going to an approved placement. Extensive background checks are made for applications.

What advice do you have for me?

Keep doing what you are doing. Don't pass by an opportunity that you think will make a positive difference in life.

I am Rob Macmillan, and I am on a mission to help shelter dogs and cats. Contact me at robsrescues@gmail.com.

This dog's tag number is 609240. I am going to ask the shelter to name this dog Floppy, that will be short for Floppy Disc Ears. She is 12 years old. This dog has a good nature and should be adopted because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not easy for older dogs at the shelter. This cat's name is Chloe. She is a calm, easy, sweet, loving, gentle, loyal, soft, 9-year-old cat. You should definitely adopt Chloe if you want a nice, gentle, loving, sweet and calm cat. And who doesn't want a cat like that? 46

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

@ the Library

Cobb County Public Library System www.cobbcat.org

Nov. 10 Read to a Dog

2-3:30 p.m. Your child can read to a certified therapy dog for 15 minutes. This is a great way for youngsters to experience the joy of reading aloud to an appreciative audience. Spaces are limited, so be sure to register by coming in person to the library or calling 770-917-5165. For ages 5 and older. Children must be independent readers. The library’s dog is a multilingual listener.

Nov. 12, 26 Baby Storytime

ACWORTH LIBRARY 4569 Dallas St., Acworth, 770-917-5165 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Wednesday • 1-6 p.m. Saturday Closed Thursday, Friday and Sunday

Nov. 6, 13, 27 School Age Storytime

4:45-5:30 p.m. Elementary school-aged students are invited to hear a reading of a variety of books and engage in discussions with the librarian and fellow participants. This storytime is designed to engage students and encourage them to use their comprehension skills. Storytime is followed by a craft.

Nov. 7, 14, 21, 28 Toddler/Preschool Storytime

10:30-11:30 a.m. Toddlers, preschoolers, parents and caregivers are invited to come enjoy books, songs and rhymes in a friendly, encouraging environment. Structured storytime with books and songs lasts about 30 minutes, followed by a short movie, a craft and informal fellowship.

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

11:15-11:45 a.m. Babies, parents and caregivers are invited for a morning of books, songs and lap bounces, as well as bubbles, balls and blocks. A fun way to introduce little ones to the library.

Nov. 13 STEAM Storytime

4:45-5:30 p.m. Elementary school-aged students are invited to join us on the second Tuesday of the month for a storytime in which we explore all things STEAM, and do some cool experiments, too!

Nov. 21 Acworth Library Book Club

1-2 p.m. Fellowship and book discussion. November’s selection is "The Forgotten Garden" by Kate Morton.

Nov. 27 Legomania

5:30-6:30 p.m. You provide the creativity, and the library provides the Legos! Join in the fun on the fourth Tuesday of the month.

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Around & About NOVEMBER Nov. 3-Dec. 22

The Small Works exhibit will be on display at the Acworth Arts Alliance’s Art House, 4425 Cherokee St. For hours and more details, visit www.acworthartsalliance.org.

Festival at Kennesaw Charter Science 10 Harvest & Math Academy, 2-5 p.m. with bounce houses,

games, balloon twisting, staff pie in the face, concessions, food trucks, and more. Hot ticket raffle items available. Child wristbands $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Individual tickets also available. Adults are free. KCSMAPTO@gmail. com or visit kcsmapto.com/harvestfestival2018.

Veterans Day ceremony begins at 2 p.m. at 11 Patriots Point at Cauble Park, the site of the local

veterans memorial. Service flags of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard surround the American flag. The concrete dome structure is surrounded by a walkway made of engraved pavers. Anyone interested in purchasing a 4-by-4 or 8-by-8 paver can get more information at www.Acworthparksandrecreation.org or 770-917-1234.

A Veteran’s Day event featuring the world premiere of “Memories of War” begins at 3 p.m. at the Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre. Special guest is the Big Chicken Chorus. Free admission to veterans. Tickets are $10, VIP admission $25 (includes copy of the movie and a reception prior to the event). The theater is at 117 North Park Square, Marietta. 770-293-0080. www.earlsmithstrand.org.

The 14th annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration, an event sponsored by more than a dozen faith-based groups in Cobb, Cherokee and Fulton counties, is at 7 p.m. at Temple Kol Emeth, 1415 Old Canton Road in Marietta. The event is free, but the 900 seats fill up quickly; organizers suggest arriving 15 minutes or more early. Viewers can watch a livestream at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3155 Trickum Road, Marietta. For more details, visit the Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration page on Facebook.

10th annual Acworth Turkey Chase 5K Fun Run & 2K Walk, presented by Acworth Parks, Recreation and Community Resource Department. Walk, jog or run and open to all ages and abilities. Participants are asked to bring a non-perishable food item to receive their race number and T-shirt. 5K begins at 9 a.m., 2K walk at 9:15 a.m. on Main Street. Little Pilgrim trot for children up to age 5 begins at 10 a.m. For details, visit www.acworthturkeychase.com. 50

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Annual Gobble Jog, a benefit for MUST Ministries, 22 16th is a Thanksgiving Day tradition. 7:30 a.m.-noon. The event

includes a 10K run, 5K run/walk, 1K run/walk and Tot Trot. MUST helps roughly 28,000 people with 84 percent women and children in need each year by providing food, clothing, shelter, job training and more. A Thanksgiving meal will be served at MUST’s Elizabeth Inn Shelter after the Gobble Jog. Anyone is welcome to share in the annual feast. Every client will receive gifts, including toiletry kits. For more details, visit www. mustministries.org.

DECEMBER

A Christmas party will be held 4-7 p.m. at the Acworth Arts Alliance’s Art House. The event is free and open to the public. Guests can create a Christmas ornament. The Art House is at 4425 Cherokee St. A Holiday Gift Shop, sponsored by the Art House, will be open 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Rosenwald School, 4410 Cherokee St. www.acworthartsalliance.org.

Lighting Ceremony, hosted by the city of 4 Menorah Acworth takes place on the third night of Hanukkah. The

menorah is located at the corner of Cowan Road and Main Street. Rabbi Zalman Charytan from the Chabad Jewish Center will officiate the lighting with Mayor Tommy Allegood assisting. For more information, visit www.acworthparksandrecreation.org or call the Parks and Recreation office at 770-917-1234.

The 3rd annual Hoya Merry Market craft fair takes place 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Harrison High School's main dining hall, 4500 Due West Road, Kennesaw. Features crafts, music, food and a chance to visit Santa. The event benefits the Harrison Foundation.

OPEN REGISTRATION Adult Flag Football. Registration opened Nov. 5 for city residents, Nov. 12 for non-residents. Cost is $600 per team, $55 for each free agent. Men and women who don’t have a team can participate in the free-agent sign-up day, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 25 at the Acworth Sports Complex football fields. More details available at www.acworthparksandrecreation.org.

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Monarch volunteers, from left: Jeanette Lutterbeck, Barbara Levers, Ella Strawn, Susan Adair, Linda Boutwell, Karen Yeates, Holly Klein and Annise Smith.

School Volunteer Embodies the Giving Spirit worked with our parent facilitator to ensure that all the volunteers received the proper training and understood the volunteer guidelines. We started out with just a few It is rare that you meet a person who is completely selfless. volunteers, but have grown to 19. Three years ago I had the pleasure of meeting someone who I could not be happier with the Monarch Senior program. is. On the evening of Oct. 13, 2015, I was invited to Acworth Our students completely love the attention they get from City Hall for a Town Hall Meeting. I was asked to attend the volunteers. They love reading so I could share some of the major to the volunteers and playing math successes of McCall Primary. I sat games with them. In addition to down and introduced myself to the academic benefits, I think it is woman beside me. She introduced great that our students have the herself as Jeanette Lutterbeck, and opportunity to interact with seniors told me she volunteers all over the in the community. I believe they city. I asked her why she wasn’t will develop a greater appreciation volunteering at McCall, and from this and respect for their elders. the Monarch Senior program was As much as I think the students born. benefit, Jeanette will tell you Jeanette and I exchanged that it is the seniors who benefit information. Oftentimes, I meet the most, because it gives them people who express a desire to help a sense of purpose. Many of our McCall who don’t follow through. I volunteers go way beyond the understand that life gets in the way, one hour a week minimum. Some so when we exchanged information I volunteer in multiple classrooms, wasn’t positive anything would come and attend field trips and after from this. Boy was I wrong! Jeanette school performances. They truly contacted me the next week and Principal Thomas Farrell with Jeanette Lutterbeck. bond with the teachers and we set up a meeting. I expressed students they serve. my desire to establish a volunteer As a principal, you often have an idea but know it would program where seniors in the community would commit to a be impossible to accomplish without the right person minimum of one hour per week volunteering in classrooms. supporting you. Jeanette is that person. She is a woman of Jeanette took this idea and ran with it, reaching out to her action who embodies the giving spirit that is pervasive in friends in the community. Acworth. The staff and students of McCall Primary greatly Jeanette established a screening interview to make sure appreciate all she does to support our school. the volunteers were the right fit for McCall Primary. She also BY PRINCIPAL THOMAS FARRELL, MCCALL PRIMARY

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Saying Goodbye to End-of-Year Tests SUBMITTED BY THE COBB COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Every year, students in Georgia’s public schools lose at least a week of educational time taking state-mandated tests. That’s five full days of instructional time teachers could use to cover new topics or help students master skills they’ve struggled with. Even worse, state-mandated tests, which are given toward the end of the school year, do not provide results to school districts until the following school year, after the students have already settled into their new classrooms with new teachers. Any concerns identified by last year’s test would have to be addressed by this year’s teacher, who is already concentrating on preparing the students for the next end-of-the-year test. So, without year-end standardized testing, how can school districts empower teachers with data on what their students know? How can states, such as Georgia, hold the school districts accountable to educational standards? The Cobb County School District has the solution. It’s an innovative assessment model called Cobb Metrics, which focuses on the individual student. It shows what each student knows and how to teach each student what they don’t know. The Cobb County School District’s educational leaders decided to develop the district’s own assessment system

to empower teachers, demonstrate learning, provide accountability, realign instructional time, and lead the way in transforming the education system. Cobb applied to the state of Georgia with an innovative assessment model to stop giving Cobb students the state-mandated Georgia Milestones summative test in favor of piloting the Cobb-created assessment system. Georgia approved Cobb’s request in September, and the U.S. Department of Education is expected to give final approval before the end of the year. Before Cobb is able to win federal approval, the Georgia Department Education must submit an application with the U.S. Department of Education using Cobb’s pilot as the state’s alternative assessment model. Under Cobb’s plan, teachers will see instant feedback on what their students know so they can immediately adapt their instruction to meet the needs of their students. Instead of one test on one day, students have the opportunity to prove mastery many times throughout the year, which will provide teachers a more complete picture of what each student knows. Teachers also will be able to realign their instruction throughout the year as Cobb Metrics provides updated feedback on how students are progressing. “The outdated model of end-of-theyear testing is equivalent to an autopsy, which determines a problem, but it’s too

late for a solution,” Cobb Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said. “Cobb Metrics is more like a biopsy that allows teachers to diagnose areas of weakness and adjust their teaching to help each student succeed.” The Cobb assessments, which align with Georgia standards and provide immediate feedback, are not limited to multiple choice questions. Instead, students will be able to fully demonstrate learning through multiple methods. Like the teachers, parents also will have instant access to data on student performance. The parent portal will provide educational resources parents can use to supplement learning and ensure their student’s success in the classroom. If the Cobb County School District wins federal approval, the 23rd largest school district in the country could complete the transition from Georgia Milestones to Cobb Metrics by 2020. “One of the best parts about Cobb Metrics and the Cobb Teaching and Learning System is that they were designed for students,” Ragsdale said. “Assessment should be a tool used by teachers to effect positive change in instruction for each and every student. I’m proud to see Cobb leading the way in changing how our educational system helps students succeed.” To learn more about CobbMetrics please see the website at www.cobbmetrics.com. AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

YOUR SCHOOL NEWS Fighting Cancer, One Lap at a Time Twelve-year-old Stella Newton recently raised $3,232 for Swim Across America, a nonprofit that hosts coast-to-coast swims to fight cancer, with the main event in Atlanta in September. The Durham Middle School student participated in memory of her cousin, Collins Dixon, and in honor of her friend Drew Brandon. Here’s a portion of her speech that explains why she was a part of the fundraiser. “A little less than three years ago I saw Mrs. Brandon, Drew’s mom, running down the hallway of my elementary school with a panicked look on her face. Later that day, I found out that Drew was having a hard time breathing, and just a few hours later he was diagnosed with Stage 4 T-Cell lymphoblastic lymphoma. The chemo caused him to have no immune system and he ended up in the hospital with five infections later that year. After answered prayers, incredible doctors and amazing nurses, Drew recovered and left the hospital seven weeks later. He eventually started up his chemo again and would Stella with her friend Drew. continue to battle his cancer until August of this year. After 942 days, countless chemos, thousands of pokes, hundreds of pills and endless waiting, Drew finished his chemo and his port was removed. He is now cancer-free, and his family is incredibly grateful that AFLAC treated his cancer with love, patience and encouragement.” Stella swims with the Acworth swim team Tidal Wave, and has participated in Swim Across America for three years, serving on the junior advisory board for two years as the youngest member. Drew was Swim Across America’s honorary ambassador as a cancer survivor treated at AFLAC Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

ACT Scores Higher Than State, National Averages Cobb school district students have posted ACT scores above the state and national average for the 13th consecutive year. Cobb’s class of 2018 scored an average composite ACT score of 22.8 out of a maximum possible 36 points. That’s 1.4 points higher than the Georgia average of 21.4 and 2 points higher than the national average of 20.8.

Cornerstone Student Earns Honor Cornerstone Preparatory Academy senior Hannah Baines has been named a Commended Student in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program. A letter of commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, was presented to Baines by Secondary Principal Marsha Robbins. About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2019 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scorers of more than 1.6 million students who entered the 2019 competition by taking the 2017 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). 54

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Hannah Baines

Schools Roll Out New Parent Portal During a recent board of education meeting, Cobb County School District leaders discussed the January launch of a new parent portal — CTLS Parent — that will show parents what their child knows and provide resources to help their child master other content areas. Initially, CTLS Parent will roll out to a select group of schools, to serve as a proof-ofconcept. The district will collect feedback from parents and teachers before CTLS Parent is expanded to all schools. CTLS Parent is part of the Cobb Teaching and Learning System (CTLS). The innovative digital platform empowers teachers with information on what each student knows and what they don’t know, so the educators can realign instruction time to help students achieve success. The new parent portal was developed with input from parent focus groups, which helped district leaders understand what Cobb parents want to see about their children. The system not only will provide information, in real-time, about the progress their students are making, CTLS Parent also will give parents access to on-demand resources, so they can support their children at home. The thousands of district-vetted resources will make up Cobb’s Learning Object Repository (LOR) within CTLS Parent. “Parent engagement is critical to the success of the educational process,” said Cobb Superintendent Chris Ragsdale. “We have talked to parents. We have talked to teachers. With their help, we have developed a system that will help each student succeed, and I think CTLS could be used as a model to help students outside of Cobb succeed, too.”

Students hold buckets to collection donations, and carry signs to raise awareness of the fundraiser.

Lost Mountain Students Rally to Beat Cancer More than a decade ago, Jennifer Dawson’s former student, Tyler, asked his teacher to fight for kids, like him, who have cancer. Three days later, Tyler, who had battled cancer for six years, passed away at age 19. Soon after, another Lost Mountain Middle School student, Alexa, succumbed to the disease. That’s when the social studies teacher decided to rally the students to help fight cancer. The middle school students just finished their 11th year of fundraising for childhood cancer research. From dropping money into buckets, bringing in donations from their family, and encouraging local businesses to give to the cause, Lost Mountain students raised an estimated $27,000 for the Rally Foundation this year. Since 2008, they have given more than $160,000 to cancer research. Dawson thinks her Lost Mountain students really can change the world, and they know it. Some rally for someone they know. Some rally in honor and memory of the 10 Lost Mountain kids who

battled different forms of cancer. Some rally so, one day, their kids don’t have to. “I have a lot of things in my life. I get to have a lot of fun and go to a lot of places. I feel bad for these kids who have to deal with cancer at such a young age. So, I like to raise money to help find a cure,” eighth-grader Joey said. Joey raised money from local businesses and family members. He even solicited the help of his older brother, who raised $600 through his fraternity. Joey’s efforts yielded more than $1,000 to help find a cure. Joey’s eighth-grade classmate Dyllon is not new to raising money for the Rally Foundation. She started fundraising at Vaughan Elementary School in memory of her neighbor, Alexa, whose passing helped inspire the first Rally Week at Lost Mountain. “I remember going to visit her in the hospital. She was always so happy and full of smiles. [Alexa] was never sad or down,” Dyllon said. “She was always hopeful. That is really inspiring.” Because of Dyllon’s personal connection to a kid who battled cancer, she’s committed to the cause, but she thinks she can rally more donations if others understand that cancer is a disease that can impact anyone. “Forty-six kids find out they have [cancer] every single day, and that is just terrible,” Dyllon said. “You should donate because then [the kids] have a hope of surviving and have a chance to beat this disease. Please donate.”

During Rally Week, biographies of kids who have battled cancer line the school halls of Lost Mountain.

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

ACWORTH AREA CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS Acworth Business Association 770-423-1330 www.acworthbusiness.org

Southern Hope Humane Society 770-445-7294 www.hopehumane.org

Cherokee Chamber of Commerce 770-345-0400 www.cherokeechamber.com

CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS Acworth Optimist Club Contact: Debbie Ward 770-974-0670

Cobb Chamber of Commerce 770-980-2000 www.cobbchamber.org

Acworth Masonic Lodge 4497 McLain Circle 770-974-3577

KSU Small Business Development Center 470-578-6450

Air Force Aviation Heritage Foundation 770-529-9003 Ext. 40 www.afahf.org

LeadsNet Business Referral Group 404-819-8896 No Fee Referral Network - Acworth Contact: Betty Motter 770-256-4864 West Cobb Business Association www.westcobbbusiness.com CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS Cherokee Child Advocacy Council 770-345-8100 www.cherokeechildadvocates.org Cherokee County Habitat for Humanity 770-345-1879 www.cherokeehabitat.net Cherokee County Humane Society 770-928-5115 www.cchumanesociety.org Cobb County Habitat for Humanity 770-432-7954 www.cobbhabitat.org Forgotten Paws Animal Rescue 404-993-7958 www.forgottenpaws.com Here Am I Ministries, Inc. 770-529-4644 Contact: Rev. DeAnna Fountain Homeward Bound Pet Rescue 706-698-HOME www.homeward.petfinder.com Humane Society of Cobb County 770-428-9882 www.humanecobb.org Lung Cancer Alliance Georgia Contact: Edward J. Levitt 770-590-7898 MUST Ministries 770-427-9862 www.mustministries.org Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue & Adoption 770-325-PETS www.mostlymutts.org Papa’s Pantry 770-591-4730 www.papaspantry.org

American Legion North Cobb Post 304 www.post304.org Atlanta Area Council Boy Scouts of America 770-989-8820 Girl Scout Council of North Georgia 770-974-4278 Girl Scout — Camp Pine Acres 770-974-6696 Junior League of Cobb — Marietta 770-422-5266 www.jlcm.org Kiwanis Club of Kennworth Golden K Contact: Ken Leone 470-422-0382 Liberty Hill Chapter DAR Contact: libertyhilldar@gmail.com

RECREATION & HOBBIES Atlanta Yacht Club www.atlantayachtclub.org Atlanta Water Ski Club 770-425-3679 Cherokee Soccer Association 770-704-0187 www.csaimpact.com Children’s PEACE Center 770-917-8815 www.childrenspeacecenter.org Cobb County Radio Control Modelers Club www.ccrc.info Friends and Neighbors Club (F.A.N. club) Judy, 770-514-7819 Kennesaw Futbol Club Carrie Crawford, 404-630-8805 www.kennesawfc.org North Cobb Photo Club Meets 9:30 a.m.-noon first Thursday at Celebration Village theater, 4460 Celebration Blvd., Acworth. Contact Jim at 770-842-3114. www.NorthCobbPhotoClub.com. Northwest YMCA (Brookstone Area) 770-423-9622 West Cobb Lacrosse Club 770-641-2222 http://eteamz.active.com/westcobblacrosse

North Cobb Lions Club www.facebook.com/NorthCobbLions

SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS Active Adults Living with Arthritis (AALA) Contact: Marcia 770-605-7960

Rotary Club of North Cobb www.northcobbrotary.org

Celebrate Life International www.CelebrateLife.org

Sigma Gamma RHO Sorority Contact: Jackie Ajudua 770-529-5654

Grandparents Support Group 678-699-3400

VFW Post 5408 (Acworth & Kennesaw Post) 770-974-0958 www.vfwpost5408.org POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS Acworth Business and Professional Chapter of the John Birch Society Contact: Boyd Parks 770-975-3303 Cherokee County Democratic Party 770-345-3489 Cherokee County Republican Party 770-592-0575

MOMS Club of Acworth-West www.acworthwestmomsclub.weebly.com MOMS Club of Acworth-East www.momsclubacwortheast.clubspaces.com Moms in Ministry @ Summit Baptist Church Every other Tuesday morning 770-794-0442 mnm@summitchurch.org Newcomers of Cobb County Meets 3rd Tuesday 770-234-5068 www.newcomersofcobbcounty.com

Cobb County Democracy For America www.dfalink.com/cobbcounty

Parents of Prodigals Mt. Calvary Baptist Church Meets 1st & 3rd Wednesday 770-424-4387

Cobb County Democratic Party 770-420-7133

Sisters of Support (Breast Cancer Support) Contact: Sandy, 770-926-3488

Cobb County Libertarian Party 770-425-2856

Widows / Widowers Grief Support Recovery 770-590-0334 www.burnthickory.com

Cobb County Republican Party 770-421-1833

Paws for Disabilities www.pawsfordisabilities.org

Cobb County Republican Women’s Club 770-785-2522

West Cobb CHADD Meets 1st Thursday at Due West United Methodist Church 404-368-9394

Pet Buddies Food Pantry 678-310-9858 www.petbuddiesfoodpantry.org

Republican Women of Cherokee County 404-747-3353 www.rwccga.com

West Cobb Mothers and More www.westcobbmothersandmore.weebly.com 770-314-1211

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Acworth Parks • Acworth Sports Complex. 4000 S. Main St. 7 a.m.-11 p.m. A 42-acre complex with six baseball fields, two football fields, multiple practice areas, batting cages, restrooms, two concession stands and parking. The complex is home to the Acworth Baseball Association and the Acworth Football and Cheerleading Association. The complex accommodates players ages 5 through 14 for baseball and 5 through 12 for football. The complex includes Horizon League, which provides team sport opportunities to children ages 5 and older who have cognitive and physical disabilities. • Baker Plantation Park. 4790 Baker Plantation Drive.

Sunrise to sunset. A half-acre neighborhood park in the Baker Plantation subdivision. Playground, two grills and a picnic pavilion.

• Cauble Park. Home of Acworth Beach, Lake Acworth

and Veterans Memorial Patriots Point. 4425 Beach St. A 25-acre park with fishing points, public restrooms, a boat ramp (for electric motor-driven boats only), a boardwalk, beach, rental facilities, two playgrounds and an open play area. Rental facilities include four pavilions, a lakeside gazebo and a beach house. Acworth Beach opened April 28 and closes Labor Day weekend. No lifeguard on duty. Parking is free Monday through Friday. If you are not a city resident, a weekend fee of $10 (cash only) will be charged per vehicle from 8:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m. between the end of April and Labor Day weekend. No pets are allowed on beach areas and must be on a leash at all times while in the park.

• Dallas Landing Park. 5120 Allatoona Drive. 8 a.m.-9

p.m. An 82-acre park located on Allatoona Drive off Main Street. Dallas Landing overlooks Lake Allatoona. The park contains a beach, group pavilion, picnic tables, grills, volleyball court, horseshoe pit and public restrooms. The group pavilion is available for rental. The park is home to Acworth Slide, the world’s largest inflatable water slide, according to the city. The park is open from mid-April through mid-September and there is a $5 parking fee weekdays and $10 on weekends.

• East Lakeshore Park. 4449 East Lakeshore Drive. 7 a.m.-11 p.m. The 1.5-acre park includes a playground, picnic benches and an open play area. • Frana Brown Park. 4901 N. Main St. 7 a.m.- 11 p.m.

The quarter-acre park contains a fountain and benches for relaxation. The park also contains the original bell from the Acworth Methodist Episcopal Church South. The church congregation was established in 1905. The park can be rented for weddings or other small gatherings. • Logan Farm Park. Central Entrance is at 4762 Logan Road. 7 a.m.-11 p.m. A 120-acre park that encompasses

Logan Farm Park expansion. Photo courtesy City of Acworth.

the parks formally known as Terrace Drive Park and Tanyard Creek Park. Logan Farm Park includes a nature trail that connects to Cowan Road, Terrace Drive, Cherokee Street, School Street, and McClain Circle. Park contains a lighted walking track around a multipurpose recreational field, a half-acre fishing pond, a playground and public restrooms. This park is also home to the Parks and Recreation Offices. A 15-acre expansion was completed in late 2016 that winds along Cherokee and Taylor streets. The addition includes a large playground, a group shelter, restrooms, more walking trails and greenspace.

• Newberry Park. 4321 Toccoa Drive. 7 a.m.-11 p.m. The 12-acre park

contains a baseball field, concession stand and batting cages. Home to the Acworth Baseball Association's Senior League. The baseball field is known as the historic Coats and Clark Field and is for kids ages 13 through 16. The park also includes a passive recreation atmosphere great for picnicking and relaxation.

• Overlook Park. 4636 Lake Acworth Drive. 7 a.m.- 11 p.m. The 1.5-acre park overlooks beautiful Lake Acworth. The park offers great fishing and picnicking opportunities.

• Proctor Landing Park. 5260 Proctor Landing Road. 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Proctor Landing is an 82-acre park along the banks of Lake Allatoona. A beach, two group pavilions, picnic tables, grills, two volleyball courts, two horseshoe pits and public restrooms. Group pavilions are available for rental, except Sundays in May, June and July. The park is open from midApril through mid-September. There is a $5 parking fee on weekdays and $10 on weekends. • South Shore Park. 4555 Ragsdale Road. 7 a.m.-11 p.m. A 30-acre park with a beach and fishing areas. Nonresidents pay a weekend fee of $5 (cash only) per vehicle from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. between the end of April and Labor Day, when the beach is open for the season. Information compiled by Acworth Parks and Recreation. For more information on the Acworth Sports Complex, tournament listings, registration dates or directions, please contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 770-917-1234. AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Cobb Photographic Society Winners Congratulations to each of you who entered the Cobb Photographic Society competition. The topic for the September contest was "Night.â&#x20AC;? The guest judge was Mike Nalley. The Cobb Photographic Society is a photography club open to photographers of all skill levels. The club meets the first and third Monday of each month. For information about the club, please go to www.cobbphotosociety.com.

Black & White:

Mark Chandler - 2nd place "Busy Night at the Fair"

Phyllis Westland - 1st place "Roasting on a Summer Night"

Robert Hale - 3rd place "Night Time Abstract #21"

Sally Hale - Honorable Mention "Hopeless" 58

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Sally Hale - Honorable Mention "Solitude"

Novice:

Rachel Copeland - 1st place "The Busy Path"

DeeDee Bonesteel - 2nd place "Stop!"

Adele Grubbs - 3rd place "The Bridge to Church"

Above, DeeDee Bonesteel - Honorable Mention "Castle on the Hill." Top right, Adele Grubbs - Honorable Mention "Sea of Power." AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

COMMUNITY OF FAITH BAPTIST

Antioch Baptist Bible Church 5871 Glade Road SE, 770-529-1546 Awtrey-Westwood Baptist Church 5855 Awtrey Church Road NW 770-974-0023 Calvary Baptist Church of Acworth 4361 Westside Drive 770-974-4965 www.CalvaryBaptistAcworth.org Cedarcrest Church 4600 Cobb Pkwy NW 678-460-3500 www.CedarcrestChurch.com First Baptist Church of Acworth 4583 Church St. 770-974-3021 www.FBCAcworth.com Glade Road Baptist Church 6570 Glade Road SE 770-975-1143 www.GladeRoadBaptist.com Harvest Baptist Church 3460 Kellogg Creek Road 770-974-9091 www.HBCGA.org Hickory Grove Baptist Church 2862 Hickory Grove Road Hickory Heights Baptist Church 221 Dabbs Bridge Road, Dallas 404-488-3667 www.HickoryHeights.org Hillcrest Baptist Church 6069 Woodstock Road 770-917-9100 www.HBCAcworth.org Iron Hill Baptist Church 5172 Groovers Landing Road SE 770-974-2951 www.IronhillBaptist.org Keystone Baptist Church 3303 Dallas Acworth Highway Acworth, Georgia 30101 www.KeystoneOnline.org Lost Mountain Baptist Church 5400 Old Dallas Road, Powder Springs www.lmbc.us Morning View Baptist Church 3750 Dallas Acworth Highway www.MorningViewBaptistChurch.org 60

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Mount Olivet Baptist Church 2385 Acworth Due West Road 770-974-8335

Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church 4255 Taylor St. 770-974-8221 www.ZionHillAcworth.com

EPISCOPAL

New Hope Baptist Church 3814 New Hope Church Road 770-974-7612

Christ Episcopal Church 1210 Wooten Lake Road NW 770-422-9114 www.ChristChurchKennesaw.com

New Life Community Church 4160 New Hope Church Road SE 770-529-0509

St. Teresa’s Episcopal Church 5725 Fords Road 770-590-9040 www.StTeresasAcworth.com

Pickett’s Mill Baptist Church 7147 Hiram Acworth Highway 770-423-0955 www.PMBChurch.net Piney Grove Baptist Church 1605 Mars Hill Road 770-428-5122 www.PineyGrove.net Sardis Missionary Baptist Church 2741 S. Main St., Kennesaw 770-428-4031 www.SardisMBCKennesawGA.org Summit Baptist Church 4310 Moon Station Lane NW 770-975-4595 www.SummitChurch.org

JEHOVAH’S WITNESS

Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witness 2515 Old Highway 92 770-672-6838

JUDAISM

Chabad Jewish Center of Acworth 1480 Shiloh Road NW #500 678-460-7702 www.JewishWestCobb.com Congregation Ner Tamid Reform Jewish Synagogue Old 41 Highway NW, Suite 220 678-264-8575 www.MyNerTamid.info

LUTHERAN

Thankful Baptist Church of Kennesaw 928 Kennesaw Due West Road NW 678-797-0611 www.ThankfulBaptistKennesaw.org

Christ Lutheran Church 176 West Sandtown Road SW, Marietta 770-424-2850 www.clcwestcobb.org

The Entire Bible Baptist Church 4980 Cobb Parkway North NW 770-975-1100

Living Hope Lutheran Church 3450 Stilesboro Road 770-425-6726 www.LivingHopeGA.com

Three Taverns Church 3575 Acworth Due West Road 678-856-8002 www.ThreeTavernsChurch.org

First United Lutheran Church 3481 Campus Loop Road, Kennesaw 770-427-0325 www.FULC.org

Victory Baptist Church 5717 Priest Road 770-337-0952 www.VictoryBaptist.net

PRESBYTERIAN

Acworth Presbyterian Church 4561 Church St. 770-974-6552

West Ridge Church 3522 Hiram Acworth Highway 770-222-2125 www.Westridge.com

Christ Community Church 2753 Watts Drive 770-529-2600 www.ChristCommunityCobb.org

Western Hills Baptist Church 700 Mars Hill Road, Kennesaw 770-425-7118 www.WesternHillsBaptist.net

Heritage Presbyterian Church 5323 Bells Ferry Road 770-926-3558 www.HeritagePres.com

Wildwood Baptist Church 4801 Wade Green Road NW 770-428-2100 www.WildwoodBaptist.org

Kirkwood Presbyterian Church USA 618 Acworth Due West Road NW 770-427-3545 www.KirkwoodPC.org

Mars Hill Presbyterian Church 3385 Mars Hill Road NW 770-974-4395 www.MHChurch.com

Branches of Christ 5946 Jacobs Road 770-917-4964 www.BranchesOfChrist.com

Kellogg Creek Church of Christ 3510 Kellogg Creek Road 770-974-2814 www.KelloggCreekChurchOfChrist.org

ROMAN CATHOLIC

Bethel A.M.E. Church 4826 School St. 770-905-9539

LifeBridge Church 3102 Loring Road 770-422-3010 www.MyLifeBridgeChurch.com

Calvary Chapel River Oaks Meets at Brookwood Christian Academy, 4728 Wood St. 770-881-4862 or 678-977-0087 www.CalvaryChapelRiverOaks.org

Masjid Suffah 2750 Jiles Road, Kennesaw http://www.masjidsuffah.com/

St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church 1618 Ben King Road, NW 770-428-7139 www.StCatherineRCC.org St. Clare of Assisi Roman Catholic Church Meets at St. Teresa’s Episcopal, 5725 Fords Road 770-485-0825 www.StClareCC.org St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church 680 West Memorial Drive 770-443-0566 www.SaintVincentDePaulChurch.org

UNITED METHODIST

Acworth United Methodist Church 4340 Collins Circle 770-974-3312 www.AcworthUMC.org County Line United Methodist Church 1183 County Line Road, NW 770-428-0511 www.CountyLineUMC.org Due West United Methodist Church 3956 Due West Road 770-427-3835 www.DueWest.org Kennesaw United Methodist Church 1801 Ben King Road 770-428-1543 www.KennesawUMC.org New Beginnings United Methodist Church 2975 Cobb Parkway NW, Kennesaw 770-421-9980 www.NBUMC.org Shiloh United Methodist Church 3860 Cherokee St. 770-971-9655 www.NGUMC.org

OTHERS

Abiding Church 1370 Lockhart Drive 678-888-1515 www.Abiding.church Activation Church 3415 Old Highway 41, Suite 720 www.ActivationOnline.org Acworth Christian Church 4476 Northside Drive 770-974-1358 Acworth Church of God of Prophecy Ministry 3891 Nance Road NW 770-975-1124 www.AcworthChurch.com

Christ the King Church of Greater Atlanta 6464 Highway 92 770-924-9161 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 5055 Holt Road NW 770-974-9697 Cobb Vineyard Church 3206 Old Highway 41 NW 678-574-0005 www.CobbVineyard.com Dayspring Church 6835 Victory Drive 770-516-5733 www.DayspringChurch-Online.com Eagle Pointe Church 5100 Old Stilesboro Road NW 770-421-1643 www.EaglePointe.org Empowerment Worship Center 4192 Main St. 770-609-9062 www.EmpowermentWC.org Faith Family Church 5744 Bells Ferry Road 770-926-4560 www.FFCAcworth.com Federation Of Apostles International Ministries Inc. 4192 S. Main St. Suite B, Acworth. 404-436-1100 Four Points Church 3565 Dallas Acworth Highway 678-402-6632 admin@fourpointschurch.com www.FourPointsChurch.tv Freedom Church 3611 Cobb Parkway 770-529-6006 www.FreedomChurch.tv Gateway Church 1455 Ben King Road 770-701-0003 www.GatewayKennesaw.org Household of Faith Bible Church Meets at North Cobb Christian School 4500 Lakeview Drive NW 770-365-6723 www.HOFBC.org

Mission For Life Church 2655 Cobb Parkway, Suite 105 678-401-2675 www.MissionForLife.com Mount Olives Church of God 5065 Cherokee St. 678-651-9042 New Covenant Full Gospel Inc 5653 Priest Road 770-974-0685 NorthStar Church 3413 Blue Springs Road 770-420-9808 www.NorthStarChurch.org Northwest Christian Church 3737 Dallas-Acworth Highway 770-425-2525 www.NWCC.net Open Doors Church 2011 Hickory Grove Road Prayer & Praise Christian Fellowship Church 6409 Bells Ferry Road 770-928-2795 www.PrayerAndPraise.org River’s Edge Church 3450 Acworth Due West Road NW 678-318-1918 RiverStone Church 2005 Stilesboro Road 678-384-5200 www.RiverStoneOnline.org Sanctuary Church 700 Mars Hill Road 770-884-1963 www.SanctuaryInHim.org Unity of Kennesaw Meets at Big Shanty Elementary, 1575 Ben King Road 404-644-0512 www.UnityOfKennesaw.org Victory Church 4625 Highway 92 770-794-7366 www.VictoryGA.com Vintage 242 Church 8492 Hiram Acworth Highway 678-383-2299 www.Vintage242.com Wholistic Life Ministry 1719 Nemours Drive NW, Kennesaw 678-836-9586 www.WLMinistry.org AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Advertisers NOVEMBER 2018

ATTORNEYS/LEGAL SERVICES Joel Williams Law, LLC 404-389-1035 www.gatrialattorney.com

Nelson Elder Care Law, LLC 678-250-9355 www.NelsonElderCareLaw.com

Tidwell Strimban 678-999-8500 www.tidwellstrimban.com

Cover, 32, 33

CHIROPRACTIC The Joint 678-574-559 www.thejoint.com

COUNSELING Thrive Counseling 678-217-7529 www.thrivecounseling.com

CREDIT UNION Credit Union of Georgia 678-486-1111 www.CUofGA.org

LGE Community Credit Union Back cover 770-424-0600 www.LGEccu.org DENTAL Daniel Lee DMD, PC 770-974-4146 www.AcworthDental.com 62

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Gentle Dental Care/Georgia Dental Implants Inside back 770-926-2784 www.georgiadic.com Williams Orthodontics Woodstock: 770-592-5554 Canton: 770-345-4155 www.DrWilliamsOrthodontics.com

Brookwood Christian 678-401-5855 www.brookwoodchristian.com

Georgia Trade School 770-590-9353 www.georgiatradeschool.com

Bay Equity Home Loans Jay White, Area Sales Manager 770-870-0644 www.jayclosesloans.com

Edward Jones Daryl Ulmer 678-574-8620 www.edwardjones.com

FUNERAL SERVICES Georgia Funeral Care & Cremation Services 678-574-3016 www.GeorgiaFuneralCare.com

Wikenhofer Pine Ridge Funeral Home, Cemetery & Crematory 29 770-422-7299 www.WikenhoferPineRidgeFuneralHome.com HEALTH & WELLNESS Your CBD Store 770-627-3512 www.cbdrx4u.com

HOLIDAY EVENTS Acworth Turkey Chase www.acworthturkeychase.com

GobbleJog 49 www.GobbleJog.org Hoya Merry Market

HOME & GARDEN Casey's Painting 678-445-9661 www.caseyspainting.com

FINANCIAL SERVICES

CLEANING SERVICES Carpet Dry-Tech 678-368-5991 www.carpetdrytech.com

EDUCATION/TUTORING

Depew Orthodontics 770-422-3939 www.depewsmiles.com

Dr. Fixit, Ph.D. 770-974-2390 www.DrFixitPHD.com

Jeffery C. Glover, LLC 404-694-0550 www.bren-abby.com

Mr. Junk 678-Mr-Junk1 www.MrJunk1.com

Reliable Heating & Air 770-594-9969 www.ReliableAir.com

Tom Kris & Sons Plumbing 770-529-0799 www.tkandsonsplumbing.com

OPTOMETRIST Acworth Family EyeCare 770-974-3153 www.acwortheyes.com

PEST CONTROL One Dead Bug 404-704-4685 www.onedeadbug.com

PETS Pet Play Place Kennesaw: 770-919-8738 Canton: 770-213-3829

FOR ADVERTISING RATES AND INFORMATION Katherine Amick 678-279-5502 â&#x20AC;¢ Katherine@AroundaboutMagazines.com

www.petplayplace.com The Dog House 678-988-4171 www.DogHousePetResort.com

PHOTOGRAPHY Beth Fornuto Photography 770-846-3848 www.bethfornuto.com

CA Stewart Photography 727-373-8223 www.castewartphotography.com

Northside Cherokee Surgical Assoc. 770-924-9656 www.ncsurgicalassociates.com

Resurgens 25 770-491-5481 Towne Lake Primary Care Family Medicine 678-445-0819 www.TowneLakePC.com WellStar & Mayo Clinic 770-956-7827 www.wellstar.org

Inside front

Magnolia Cottages by the Sea www.magnoliadreamcottage.com

RETAILERS/SHOPPING Acworth Bookstore and Coffee Shop 678-403-1355 www.acworthbookstore.com

The Safe House

678-398-9021 www.AtlantaSafeHouse.com

SENIOR LIVING/SERVICES

REAL ESTATE & RELATED SERVICES

PHYSICIANS Governors MedSpa & Concierge Medicine 678-888-5181 www.GovernorsMedicine.com

Northside Hospital Cherokee 11 www.northside.com/Cherokee-Sports

Anchor Realty Partners Malinda Howe, Broker D: 404-444-0225 / O: 770-917-0322 www.anchorrealtypartners.net

Debi Smith Properties C: 404-660-6652/O: 770-240-2004 www.DebiSmithProperties.com

The Holbook of Acworth 404-445-7777 wwwHolbrookLife.com

SEWING Ashby Sewing Machine Co. 770-427-9947 www.ashbysewing.com

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Since 1996, we have brought relevant, uplifting and reader-driven content to readers. We publish Around Acworth, Around Canton, Around Woodstock and TowneLaker. We look forward to serving you, our readers and advertisers, every month. Thank you for your continued support and participation in making this truly your community magazine.

Front row, from left, Laura Latchford, Christie Deese, Patty Ponder and Jackie Loudin. Back row, Michelle McCulloch, Denise Griffin, Candi Hannigan, Karen Flaig and Katherine Amick. Photo by Beth Fornuto.

At Aroundabout Local Media, we believe the world functions at the community level: diverse groups of people living in close proximity, sharing commonality of culture, values and local pride, developing safety nets for those in need, and helping each other to live richer lives. It is our heartfelt desire to contribute to the fabric that helps make a community happen. Through our magazines, we aim to provide everyone in the communities we serve with uplifting, interesting information about the community they are proud to call home. We encourage you to send us your photos, ideas, stories or anything else you think the community would like to know about. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your community. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your magazine. Look on page 6 for our contact information.

Around Acworth Distribution Map Circulation: 16,500

AROUND ACWORTH | November 2018

Give some holiday joy.

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LGEccu.org • 770-424-0060