December 2011 Issue by Aroundabout Local Media, Inc.

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

D ecember 2011

Volume 1, Issue 6

Featured Articles

22 Fernbank Museum

Holiday celebrations of many cultures in a special exhibit.

Get In Shape For Women owner Janey Walker.

Around Walton.......................... 6 Birthdays................................. 11 Community Calendar............... 17

38 Meet Our Military

Everyday Angels...................... 18

Recipe Corner.......................... 24

Tripp Bishop earns his wings.

42 Playoff Action in

32 & 33 On the Cover

In Every Issue

Raider Valley

WHS Varsity football team enjoys home field advantage in the postseason.

Houses of Worship.................. 52 Clubs & Organizations.............. 56 School Information.................. 58 Product Recalls........................ 59

48 Local Author

Community Numbers.............. 60

Humane Society...................... 61

Meet Jeffery Stepakoff, author of â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Orchard.â&#x20AC;?

Elected Officials....................... 62 Classifieds............................... 63 Advertiser Directory................ 64

Contributing Writers

Michael Thrash is the Market Manager for AroundAbout Walton magazine. Look for him out and about in Walton! You can reach him at (770) 615-3311 or michael@ aroundaboutlocalmedia.com for advertising information.

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Judson Adamson.............................16

Kara Kiefer.......................................30

Don Akridge....................................14

Zett Quinn.......................................21

Mary-Kathryn Boler.........................30

Dawn Reed......................................29

Pete Coleman..................................36

Doug Rohan.....................................19

Dr. Cristi Cheek................................34

Scott Sweeney.................................40

Sen. Judson Hill...............................12

WellStar..........................................35

Jennifer Jarosick..............................23

Carl Whitmire..................................46

Linda & Kevin Keeton......................28

Bryant Wright..................................51

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Community

Our Community Board Publisher AroundAbout Local Media, Inc.

Doug Rohan is a bi-lingual attorney and owner of Rohan Law, PC. Doug can be reached at doug@rohanlawpc.com. Dr. Cristi Cheek is a dentist and owner of Cristi Y. Cheek, D.M.D., P.C. Dr. Cheek can be reached at CCDental@bellsouth.net. Caroline Whaley is the President of the Junior League of Cobb-Marietta. Caroline can be reached at carolinewhaley@ earthlink.net. Judy McNeil — Judy is the Principal at Walton High School. Judy can be reached at (770) 578-3225, x229. Judson Adamson — Judson is a 24-year veteran of the Atlanta Real Estate Industry Judson can be reached at (770) 240-2001. Dawn Reed — Dawn Reed is a Certified Senior Advisor and the owner of Aloha To Senior Solutions Consulting. Dawn can be reached at dawn@ alohatoseniors.com. Mary Stephens — Mary currently serves as Media Director for Right From The Heart Ministries. Mary can be reached at (678) 388-1862.

Executive Editor Kara Kiefer kara@aroundaboutmagazines.com, (770) 615-3309 Director of New Market Development Lee Ann Jones leeann@aroundaboutmagazines.com, (770) 615-3318 Market Manager Michael Thrash michael@aroundaboutlocalmedia.com, (770) 615-3311 Title Editor Lynne Lysaght lynne@aroundaboutmagazines.com, (770) 615-3306 Art Director Michelle McCulloch michelle@aroundaboutmagazines.com, (770) 615-3307 Digital Marketing Director James Ball james@aroundaboutmagazines.com, (770) 615-3310 AroundAbout Walton is a publication of AroundAbout Local Media, Inc., a monthly community magazine. The magazine’s goal is to build a sense of community and pride in the Walton area by providing its residents with positive stories and timely information. It is distributed free by mail to approximately 14,850 homes and businesses and 2,150 in racks throughout the Walton community. AroundAbout Walton welcomes your comments, stories, and advertisements. The deadline is the 20th of the preceding month. Subscriptions are available for $24 per year. Send payment 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. AroundAbout Walton 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 2011. AroundAbout Walton 2449 Towne Lake Parkway, Woodstock, GA 30189 For Advertising call Michael Thrash (770) 615-3311

Zett Quinn — Zett is the owner and founder of Quality Craftsmen. Zett can be reached at (404) 483-7446.

Website: www.aroundaboutwalton.com Powered by TrustWorks, Inc. Franchise Opportunities Available: www.AroundAboutLocalMedia.com Volume 1, Issue 6

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Community

AROUND WALTON by Lynne Lysaght

The People, The Places and The Pleasures that make Walton

There are many signs of the holiday season around Walton: the trees for sale at St. Ann’s, Kroger and Rick’s Farmers Market, the lamppost decorations in shopping centers, the huge wreath at the Avenue, the crowded parking lots and the Salvation Army volunteer ringing his bell and collecting donations. If you are buying gifts for Christmas, Chanukah or other occasions, or to show appreciation Lynne is the Editor of AroundAbout Walton for someone such as a teacher or coach, magazine. She please consider shopping at the stores lives in the Walton and service providers that advertise in community with her AroundAbout Walton. We are extremely husband Martin and grateful for our advertisers because their three sons Kyle, without them, we would not be able Logan and Camden. to provide free delivery of our monthly community-based publication. Help us build a stronger community through supporting our local businesses. As they grow, the community grows.

Big Liquor and Wines recently held its grand opening in Merchants Exchange at 4400 Roswell Road, Suite 156. The store carries liquor, wine, beer, cigars and cigarettes. Owner Andy Kapoor says it is an upscale store with the largest beer cave with one of the largest selections of chilled beers in the area. The store will be offering specials throughout the month of December. For more information, call (404) 379-9324.

What’s New? The Hub Boutique, “East Cobb’s new trend!” is open at 1311 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 140 in Merchant’s Walk next to Kohl’s. The Hub Boutique gives our community the accessibility to great designer clothing without the time consuming commutes. For more information, visit www.thehubboutique. com or call (678) 483-8338. Savvy Snoot recently celebrated its grand opening and the debut of Marty Mason Collected Home at 1311 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 540 close to Whole Foods Market. The store sells consigned furniture and accessories in near perfect condition. “Snooty furniture at Savvy prices.” You can consign items, but the store only takes the very best. Marty Mason Collected Home is a retail shop with new furniture inspired by favorite Savvy Snoot finds over the years. Marty Mason Collected Home also features the Design Bar, which offers complimentary design services from the in-store Design Mixologists. For more information, visit www.savvysnoot.com or call (770) 977-1339 for Savvy Snoot or (770) 977-1345 for Marty Mason Collected Home. Once & Again Books is now open in Merchants Exchange at 4400 Roswell Road, Suite 172. The store sells new and used books with discounts on new titles and best sellers. They buy quality books for cash or trade. For more information, call (770) 726-9170 or visit www.onceagainbooks.com.

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Marco’s Pizza is open at 2424 Roswell Road. Marco’s serves authentic Italian pizza, meatballs, fresh baked subs and more. The restaurant offers delivery, carry-out and dine-in, and you can order online. For more information, visit www.marcos.com or call (770) 694-6400.

AroundAbout Walton would like to welcome our newest sales team member, Michael Thrash. Before joining us, Michael was part of the management team at Aaron Rents Furniture, founded an appliance rental company, USAppliance Rental and created a magazine, Lucky Dog Coupon. Michael has earned two BBAs from Kennesaw State University, one in Finance and one in Accounting. Outside of work, Michael enjoys playing golf, water and snow skiing, traveling, white water rafting and spending time with his family. Michael and his wife Michelle have three daughters Nicole, Torey and Annie and live in the Kennesaw area.

Our purpose: 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 your photos, ideas, stories or anything else you think the community would like to know about to lynne@aroundaboutmagazines.com. Sincerely, Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your community. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your magazine.

Your Friends at AroundAbout Walton

The Community Of

WALTON

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Community

What’s Happening in Walton... Record Number of Racers in Annual Habitat Road Race

Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church’s Annual Habitat Road Race, held earlier this year, raised the funds needed to build its 30th and 31st Habitat For Humanity homes. This goal was accomplished through the generosity of the Race sponsors, race participants and donations from Habitat supporters. On race day, last year’s record number of racers of 820 was beaten with 870 registered racers. There were 50 volunteers that helped on race day. Mt. Bethel UMC wants to thank the Race’s largest sponsors, Balfour Beatty and WellStar, and congratulate all the race winners. The houses have been built and the keys handed to the homeowners at the dedication ceremony.

Home Depot Expansion to Bring Jobs to Cobb County The Georgia Department of Economic Development, Cobb Chamber of Commerce, Cobb County and City of Kennesaw joined The Home Depot in announcing an expansion in Kennesaw, including 700 jobs to support its online retail operations. This expansion by the largest home improvement retailer will bring $24 million to Cobb County between Home Depot and the developer. The new customer support center in Kennesaw is expected to open with more than 400 associates and has plans to expand to 700 employees by 2015. “The addition of so many jobs in Kennesaw would be welcome news at any time, but especially in this difficult job market. And we can’t underestimate the positive impact it will have on retail and food service businesses in our community,” said Mark Mathews, Mayor of Kennesaw.

Cobb Public Health Staff Offering Annual Flu Vaccine Cobb and Douglas Public Health’s immunization clinic is going mobile in an effort to get annual flu vaccines to the community. In addition to offering annual flu vaccines to everyone six months and older at all public health centers, health department staff is also offering them to local businesses and community events for groups of 20 or more people. This year’s flu vaccine includes protection against three different viruses: an H3N2 virus, an influenza B virus and the H1N1 virus that caused so much illness last season. The cost is $20, and children without health insurance and children with Medicaid PeachCare are eligible for a sliding fee. If you are interested in having the flu vaccine administered at your business or community event for 20 or more people, call Lisa Shadrix at (770) 514-2307. For more information, visit cobbanddouglaspublichealth.org.

Holy Smoke Disburses Funds to Local Charities The Holy Smoke BBQ, held each Labor Day on the grounds of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, had to be cancelled this year due to the extreme inclement weather. Thanks to the generous sponsors and a successful online auction of more than 100 donated items from local businesses, the Holy Smoke team was able to make a financial donation of $5,150 to both of this year’s selected charities: Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) of Cobb and Storehouse Ministries Food Pantry. Holy Smoke is a ministry of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church.

Cobb County Central Library Hosts Exhibit About The Tuskegee Airmen The Cobb County Library staff is honoring veterans of the United States Armed Forces with the free exhibit “The Tuskegee Airmen: The Segregated Skies of World War II” through January 2. It is open to the public and will be held at the Central Library at 266 Roswell Street. This exhibit explores the history and heroism of the first African American pilots to fly in combat. It is available for viewing during regular library hours of 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. continued on page 10

We Are Your Community’s Source for Information • www.aroundaboutwalton.com 8

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Community

East Cobb Citizen of the Year 2011

Local Musician Releases Christmas CD

Former East Cobb Citizen of the Year and former Chairman of the East Cobb Division of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, Johnny Johnson of EdwardJohns Jewelers presented this year’s award for East Cobb Citizen of the Year 2011 to Cynthia Rozzo. Cynthia was honored at the quarterly meeting of the East Cobb Area Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce held at the Indian Hills Country Club. Congratulations!

David Savage has been the music teacher at Timber Ridge Elementary School for the past ten years. However, before coming to Atlanta, David was a known San Francisco Bay area jazz and blues musician and recording artist. Christmas 2008, David decided to record a Christmas CD to send as a thank you to many people throughout the country that had made a difference in his and his wife, Karin’s lives. The inspiration for the Christmas CD came from David losing both of his parents in less than a year and from getting a new (old) piano that David calls the “Magic Healing Piano,” which came from an old church in Atlanta. The recording was made at home over two evenings with less-than-professional equipment, and was packaged and out the door in a week with the help of a few friends. The Savages sent the CD to 150 people. There was such an overwhelming response to the CD and requests to purchase it that the recording has now been digitally mastered and packaged for retail. Many people have told David that his CD totally took away the stress of the holidays. The CD, titled Christmas Piano by David Savage, is available locally. Please visit www.savagemusic.org to see a list of retailers or to order online.

Local Teen Performed at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Quinn Marshall, an eighth-grade student at Dickerson Middle School, was a member of the ensemble that performed the opening song and dance for this year’s 85th Anniversary Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. She was one of 140 Stagedoor Manor students from all over the world that sang and danced to a new original song written for the the parade. Stagedoor Manor is a 26-year-old theatrical camp in the Catskill Mountains of New York state that Quinn has attended. More than 400 Stagedoor Manor students applied to be in the parade. Those chosen represented 27 states and Canada, Jamaica, Sweden and Saudi Arabia. Quinn and her father, Richard, went to New York City three days before the parade to join the others so the ensemble could learn the entire routine with limited rehearsal time. The Stagedoor Manor ensemble was the first performance of the parade after Al Roker and the Parade Grand Master cut the ribbon. The group then went to the beginning of the parade route and escorted Santa Claus into Herald Square. It was estimated that 50 million television viewers and more than 3.5 million spectators watched the parade. Quinn and her father left New York soon after the parade ended to make it back in time to eat Thanksgiving dinner with her mother, Cheryl, and visiting relatives from Indiana and Florida. Quinn practicing in the rain

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Cobb Senior Services Selling Incredible Edibles Cookbook Cobb Senior Services staff is selling the Incredible Edibles Cookbook to raise funds for Cobb’s new Senior Wellness Center that is being constructed on Powder Springs Street. There are more than 100 recipes, and the cookbook makes a great gift. Cookbooks are available for purchase for $15 by sending checks to: Incredible Edibles, Cobb Senior Services, 32 N. Fairground Street, Marietta, GA 30060. Cookbooks also are available online for $20 by visiting www.cobbcounty.org/seniors and the cookbook can be shipped anywhere in the continental U.S. All donations to Cobb Senior Services, including the cookbook, are tax deductible.

Happy Birthday!

Kate Zeiher

Age 7 on December 10 Daughter of Linda and Bill Zeiher Sister of Will, Ben and Eric

Jordan Clayton

Age 15 on December 6 We love you and are proud of you! Happy Birthday! Dad, Mom and Jack

Matthew Keeton

Age 3 on December 18 Happy Birthday Matthew! Love, Mom, Dad and Christian

Norma Carr Celebrating December 10 Happy Birthday Mom! Love, Peter Carr and your husband William Carr

Karli Cuthrell (left)

Age 10 on December 19 Happy Birthday – We Love You – Mom, Dad, Alexander and Olivia - XOXOXO

Jeanne Cuthrell (right)

Celebrating on December 2 We Love You – Happy Birthday! Brian, Alexander, Karli and Olivia

Jack Forestner

Age 12 on November 14 Son of Connie and Dave Forestner Brother of Elizabeth and Hayden

Wedding! Mr. and Mrs. Matt Shetler Married on 11/11/11 at 11 a.m.

Wedding, Birthday and Anniversary Announcements are Free! E-mail to: lynne@ aroundaboutmagazines.com. January deadline is December 15.

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Community

U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Healthcare Law Challenge by State Senator Judson Hill

Sen. Judson Hill serves as Chairman of the Government Oversight Committee. He represents the 32nd Senate District, which includes portions of Cobb and Fulton counties. He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0150 or by e-mail at judson.hill@ senate.ga.gov.

On Monday, November 14, the Supreme Court of the United States announced it would hear a challenge to President Barack Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The sweeping reform bill, which promised healthcare to citizens of all ages and economic status, has proven to have severe constitutional flaws, hurting many whom it promised to help. Passed into law in March 2011, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as “ObamaCare,” has already been nothing but a costly burden to individuals, businesses and states alike. In Georgia alone, ObamaCare is estimated to cost taxpayers close to $600 million annually. On a national level, it is estimated to result in more than $669 billion in new or increased taxes in its first 10 years.

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Small businesses – the epitome of the American Dream – are being hit. In one of ObamaCare’s most devastating insurance mandates, businesses with more than 50 employees must provide “minimum essential coverage.” However, these businesses do not have the freedom to determine the level of insurance offered in their baseline plan, and instead must provide the amount of coverage dictated by the federal government, forcing much higher premiums on both businesses and their employees. The National Federation of Independent Business predicts that 1.6 million individuals will lose their jobs by 2014 as a result of the employer mandate. Small businesses will comprise twothirds of the jobs eliminated. And already taxpayers, teachers, state employees and others are being forced to pay high health insurance premiums required by ObamaCare. As you can see, ObamaCare exacts a heavy toll on an economy already reeling from high unemployment and sluggish growth. Moreover, ObamaCare comes at the expense of our individual rights. Georgia has already taken steps to protect Georgians against the unfair mandates ObamaCare presents. In 2010, Georgia

passed the My Health Care Freedom of Choice Act that now allows Georgians the protection from being forced to purchase a healthcare plan against their will or be penalized for not doing so. The Act also prohibits any government from punishing an individual or business that does not participate in such a health plan, as well as protects health care providers from being forced to perform mandated medical procedures. Almost immediately, ObamaCare was challenged in courts all across the country. In August 2011, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta held that ObamaCare’s individual mandate provision was unconstitutional. A federal Court in Virginia made a similar ruling in 2010. However, other court jurisdictions have not been so fortunate. The law’s constitutionality has been upheld by the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, creating a conflict in federal court findings throughout the nation. The decision of the Supreme Court of the United States to hear a challenge to ObamaCare is monumental. Not since the 2000 ruling in the Bush v. Gore case (which ultimately secured George W. Bush’s presidential victory) has a Supreme Court case had the potential to impact our country this powerfully. U.S. Supreme Court arguments take place next spring and its ruling is expected in late June 2012, which is just four months before the next presidential election. The outcome of this court case is certain to be felt by both President Obama and his Republican challenger. At the heart of the Supreme Court challenge is ObamaCare’s requirement that individuals must purchase health insurance or pay a penalty. Never before has the government forced Americans to purchase a product or service for the privilege of living in our country. Most Americans reject giving their government so much authority and control over their lives. Aside from the impact of ObamaCare’s provisions, this issue is of utmost importance to address the role of government. If the law’s healthcare mandate is found unconstitutional, the Supreme Court Justices may also overthrow the entire law because it is virtually impossible to enforce ObamaCare without the mandate. The clear winners in a ruling that ObamaCare is unconstitutional will be the American people. Most experts now agree that the tax burden on businesses, governments and individuals is detrimental to creating jobs and, for some, making ends meet. If the Supreme Court upholds the constitutionality of ObamaCare, then its entitlements via the taxes and regulations may be irreversible, further draining the wallets of taxpayers and American businesses. Rather than impose government mandates in healthcare, Georgians deserve patient-centered free market based health care measures to improve people’s access to affordable, highquality health care and health insurance. AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Community

Little Ways You Might Improve Your Financial Life Some things to think about this year – and every year. by Don Akridge, MBA, CPA, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ U.S. Marine Corps Veteran – Emory University Alumnus This is the year! Yes, you can make 2012 the year you alter your financial life for a better future. Let’s look at some steps you might think of taking with the goal of financial freedom in mind.

Don Akridge is President of Citadel CPA, Financial Planning & Investment Services founded in 1994 and conveniently located off Chastain Road between I-575 & I-75 in Kennesaw. Phone (770) 952-6707.

No, we’re not talking about those ridiculously obvious steps the usual articles recommend, like “write your goals down” and “set a budget.” Let’s go past the clichés and get into the real issues. Look at your income source, your expenses and your debt. How do you earn income? If you earn it from one source, is there effectively a ceiling on it, or is there real potential for your income to rise in the next few years? Now, look at your core living expenses, the ones

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

you can’t avoid (such as a mortgage payment, car payment, etc). Can any core expenses be reduced? Investing aside, you position yourself to gain ground financially when income rises, debt diminishes and expenses stay (relatively) the same. Maybe you should pay your debt first, maybe not. If you are a business owner or a professional, for example, you’ll likely always have some debt. Your ultimate goal should be to build wealth – and you can plan to build wealth and minimize debt at the same time. Some debt is “good” debt. A debt is “good” if it brings you income. If you buy a rental property, you’re paying a mortgage, but that’s considered a “good” debt because you’re getting passive income from the rent payments. Credit cards are “bad” debts. If you’ll be carrying a debt for a while, put it to a test. Weigh the interest rate on that specific debt against your potential income growth rate and your potential investment returns over

the term of the debt. If the interest rate on that debt looks like it will outpace your income growth and investment returns, then you should really think about paying that debt down fast, because you can’t afford that interest rate. Of course, paying off your debts, paying down balances and restricting new debts all work toward improving your FICO score, another tool you can use in pursuit of financial freedom (we’re talking “good” debts). Implement or refine an investment strategy. You can’t refrain from investing, even when the bears are out. You’re not going to retire on the relatively small elective deferrals from your paycheck; you’re going to retire on the interest that those accumulated assets earn over time, plus the power of compounding. Investing can also potentially bring you passive income. Consistent investing, this year and in years to come, has the potential to help you improve your financial life. Manage the money you make on your way to financial freedom. It’s amusing: all these Internet gurus tell you they have a method to make you “financially free” or “debt free,” but few tell you how to manage the money you make. Their not-sosubtle message seems to be “succeed and live lavishly” – if you make it financially, you’ve earned the freedom to blow it all on cars, boats and luxuries.

“

You can't refrain from investing even when the bears are out. This is a classic nouveau riche mistake. If you simply accumulate unmanaged assets, you have money just sitting there open to risk – inflation risk, market risk, even legal risks. Don’t forget taxes – while not technically a “risk,” they are a threat to your money. The greater your wealth, the more long-range potential you have to accomplish some profound things – provided your wealth is directed. If you want to build more wealth this year or in the near future, don’t neglect the risk management strategy that could be instrumental in helping you retain it. Your after-tax return matters even more than your investment return, so risk management should be part of your overall financial picture. Request professional guidance for the wealth you are growing. A good financial advisor will really help to educate you about the principles of wealth building. You can draw on that professional knowledge and guidance this year – and for years to come. Securities offered through 1st Global Capital Corp. Member FINRA, SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through 1st Global Advisors, Inc. Created by 1st Global or Peter Montoya, Inc. for use by our financial advisors.

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Community

Good News for Real Estate in 2012 by Judson Adamson

Judson Adamson is the President/CEO of Atlanta Communities Real Estate Brokerage serving the Walton community. He is a member of the AroundAbout Walton Community Board. He can be reached at (770) 240-2001.

A gradual improvement forecast for the metro Atlanta real estate market in 2012 seems to be the consensus among most Atlanta real estate professionals. Several areas (including the East Cobb/ Walton school district) should perform much better than others due to the smaller number of foreclosed homes and their highly rated schools. Overall inventory levels have been gradually trending down and homes are selling for less than the cost of construction in most parts of the country. The hope is that tight mortgage credit guidelines that have been hurting potential buyers will ease and allow more buyers to take advantage of current housing affordability conditions.

It does seem that the media and government officials are suddenly speaking more to housing problems and realizing that a major factor in any recovery depends on real estate. Many homeowners in Cobb County may be able to take advantage of the revamped Home Affordability Refinance Program (HARP). This program is for homeowners who are not behind on their mortgage payments, but have been unable to refinance at current low interest rates because they are underwater on their mortgage (i.e., their mortgage balance is higher than the value of their home). To qualify, homeowners must have been on time with their mortgage payments for at least the last six months and

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

must not have missed more than one payment within the last year. Borrowers cannot be in foreclosure or bankruptcy. The original mortgage must have been sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac prior to April 1, 2009, and there are some loanto-value conditions depending on loan type. The new HARP program has been extended through December 31, 2013. Focusing on homeowners that are trying to stay in their homes and make their payments on time during this recession would seem to make more sense than modification programs that result in only temporary fixes for homeowners who are behind on their payments and in homes that they will be unable to afford under any circumstances. The current economic crisis also has created a large pool of potential renters who are either credit-crippled or do not want to tie themselves down to a mortgage for a variety of reasons. For some homeowners who can hire out or manage property themselves, the rate of return from rising rental income is an attractive option. Rentals in the East Cobb/Walton area are in high demand and usually receive multiple applications very quickly. Many homeowners are choosing to become reluctant landlords instead of selling their homes at this time for a loss, or for other reasons. It is imperative that homeowners/landlords perform their due diligence in screening all potential renters and fully understand their personal and financial situation. The right tenant can be a win/win for both parties, but the wrong tenant can quickly turn into a nightmare.

EVENT CALENDAR: December 12 - 15 Artist Attic

Time: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Location: The Art Place – Mountain View, 3330 Sandy Plains Road Information: The Art Place’s Holiday Show and Sale. All items are handmade by students, instructors and staff. Unique gifts at reasonable prices. For more information, call (770) 509-2700 or visit www.theartplace.us.

December 14 Cookie Swap

Time: 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Location: McCleskey-East Cobb Family YMCA, 1055 East Piedmont Rd. NE Information: Bring your favorite homemade cookies to trade with friends. Pack six bags with six cookies. You will leave with six bags of different cookies. RSVP to (678) 507-9624 or to cristinat@ ymcaatlanta.org.

December/January December 15, 16, 17 CenterStage North Presents “Christmas Belles”

Times: December 15 & 16 8 p.m., December 17, 2 & 8 p.m. Location: The Art Place Mountain View, 3330 Sandy Plains Road Information: CenterStage North Community Theatre presents the comedy “Christmas Belles.” Tickets will be $12 with special online price of $8 for December 17, 2 p.m. show. For tickets, visit www. centerstagenorth.org or call (770) 516-3330.

December 17 Winter Holiday Tasting

Time: 6 – 7:30 p.m. Location: Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church, Sanctuary, 4385 Lower Roswell Road Information: The story of Christmas presented live. For more information, visit www.mtbethel.org.

Time: 2 – 5 p.m. Location: Whole Foods Market Merchant’s Walk, 1311 Johnson Ferry Road NE Suite 580 Information: Taste Whole Foods Market’s winter holiday menu by sampling some of the most popular menu items at demo stations throughout the store. This event is free and does not require registration. For more information, visit www. wholefoodsmarket.com or call (678) 9969700.

December 15, 23 Holiday Events at the Avenue

December 17 WHS Basketball Alumni Reunion

December 14 Live Nativity

Time: 3 - 7 p.m. Location: 4475 Roswell Road Information: Enjoy live music and entertainment, complimentary horse drawn carriages and photos with Santa. For more information, visit www.eastcobb.shoptheavenue.com.

Time: 6 p.m. Location: Walton High School, Information: All former girls and boys players, cheerleaders and coaches are invited to the 11th annual Alumni Basketball Reunion. Walton will play Langston Hughes High School. The girls’ game begins at 6 p.m. and the boys’ game at 7:30 p.m. A hospitality room will open at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria. Please feel free to bring your family. For more information, please contact Larry Pace at email, lengpac@ yahoo.com or call (770) 977-2321.

December 18 Chanukah Expo

Time: 1- 5 p.m. Location: Stonewood Village Shopping Center, 4719 Lower Roswell Rd., #140 Information: A Chanukah experience for the entire family! Activities will include Dreidel House, Chanukah Lego Land, cooking, computer center, crafts (nominal fee for some crafts), Olive Press Live Demo, Chanukah Theater, treats and more. Special activity: Menorah candle making. For more Chanukah Expo dates and information, visit www.chabadofcobb.com or call (770) 565-4412.

December 26 - 30, January 2 – 6, 9 Dynamite Days Off Camp

Time: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Location: McKlesky-East Cobb Family YMCA, 1055 East Piedmont Rd. NE Information: During school holiday breaks, the YMCA provides healthy and fun activities for children. Qualified counselors will lead activities that include swimming, crafts, sports, group games, and making friends! Pack a lunch, drink, two snacks, swim suit and towel. Cost for members will be $35/day, prospective members $55/ day. Extended care is available from 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. For more information, visit ymcaatlanta.org or call (770) 977-5991.

January 7, 14, 21, Humphrey Bogart Film Festival

Time: 2 - 4 p.m. Location: East Cobb Library, 4880 Lower Roswell Road Information: The East Cobb library presents this weekly film festival for adults, celebrating Humphrey Bogart. For more information, please call (770) 509-2730.

Send Us Your Community Calendar Events to lynne@aroundaboutmagazines.com. January deadline is December 15. AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Lifestyle

Everyday

Happy holidays!

we begin our

annual hustle and bustle of the season,

Everyday Angels

Last month, we featured the Stewart family. Thank you, readers, for your strong response! Collectively, our community has provided them with a great deal of relief and encouragement, not to mention those who stepped up to assist with Sidney’s day-to-day care. We will continue to collect for the Stewart family throughout the holidays. This month, we are sharing a letter from a concerned resident:

would like to remind you to take time, slow down, and be still and awake to your many blessings.

we try to fulfill our children’s dreams, remember to teach them through your example of giving.

Dear Everyday Angels: I recently hired a man that had been unemployed for some time. I just learned that he has been living without electricity for a while. I have been feeding him while he is at work and giving him things he can take home to eat that will keep fresh, providing money for his transportation (his elderly father’s truck) and other needed items. He is a very hard worker and only needs a hand in getting back on his feet. I am just not in the position to be able to help him much more. I worry about him living without heat in these colder months and lack of food and hot meals. He does not have a phone, and his parents live out of state and have some major health problems. I am concerned for his well-being. Any suggestions or assistance that you could provide would be helpful.

their example of

compassion for those less fortunate and those who struggle

After careful qualification, Everyday Angels will provide this gentleman with assistance. He needs to keep his electricity on and small amounts of grocery cards. Once he has several months of a steady flow of income, he will be back on track for a good start to the New Year.

to keep food and shelter during the season.

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Please visit www.townelaker.com/everydayangels to donate via Paypal or send your donations to: Everyday Angels, 2449 Towne Lake Parkway, Woodstock GA, 30189. One hundred percent of your funds will go to the family you specify. Also, if you know of a special need within your community that you would like to share, please send an e-mail to aaeverydayangels@gmail.com for consideration and qualification.

Holiday Cheer: What To Do With That Not-Quite Empty Bottle Of Wine At The Restaurant by Douglas B. Rohan, Esq., ROHAN LAW, PC

Doug Rohan lives in the Walton community with his wife, Julia, and three daughters. He is a bi-lingual attorney and owner of Rohan Law, PC where he specializes in Criminal Defense and Workers’ Compensation claims. He also is a member of the AroundAbout Walton Community Board. You can email Doug at doug@ rohanlawpc.com.

During the season of holiday parties, it is quite common for an employer to host an event at a local restaurant. Or, perhaps, as an escape from the present buying season, you take a night off with your lovely spouse for a quiet “kids-free” dinner. No, not a “kids-eat-free” dinner at IHOP, but a classic date night at a fine restaurant. After perusing the wine list, you settle on your favorite Cabernet, even if the retail price is a little higher than what you are used to. For one reason or another, you complete your meal and find that you are just not able to finish off that bottle of wine. Maybe the babysitter called and requested an early end to the night, or after reading my November article on DUIs, you decide it would be imprudent to have “just one more.” But alas, you don’t want to cast away that last glass or two remaining in the bottle…

Not to fear: the Georgia State legislature has come to your rescue. Under OCGA 3-6-4, you are allowed to ask your server to recork the bottle for you. So long as you heed a few minor and common sense rules, you are free to take that bottle of wine home and finish it at your leisure. The few minor rules include

the following: 1) The bottle must be resealed in the restaurant, preferably with the original cork. 2) The bottle must be placed in a bag which would show evidence if it was subsequently tampered with. For example, a paper bag that is stapled shut across the top. If you tried to open it on your way home, the paper bag would tear where it was stapled. 3) Keep a copy of the dated receipt with you for the drive home, preferably stapled to the same paper bag containing the wine bottle. 4) For the ride home, the bottle should be out of reach of the driver, preferably in the trunk or behind the last upright seat, if the vehicle does not have a trunk. So feel free to spoil yourself with that nice bottle of wine you have been eyeing all year, even if you are not accustomed to finishing the whole bottle in one sitting. You now know you can always (safely and legally) take it with you when you go home and enjoy it later.

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Lifestyle

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Don’t Throw Money Out the Window – Make Your Home Energy Efficient by Zett Quinn Are you looking for a way to cut costs? You can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs by properly sealing and insulating the “envelope” of your home – its outer walls, ceiling, windows, doors and floors. Zett Quinn is the founder of Quality Craftsmen, offering more than 20 years of experience in the construction and renovation business. To learn more, visit www. quality-craftsmen. com or contact him at zett@qualitycraftsmen.com.

Here are some projects you can tackle that will help reduce utility costs: • Upgrade insulation. Dramatically lower energy bills by upgrading your insulation to a higher R-value. It will help keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Start with insulating the attic and unheated crawl spaces, and install a radiant barrier. • Seal air leaks and drafts. Sealing ducts, caulking and weather-stripping reduce energy loss. Some air leaks are easy to find; you’ll feel them when you walk by a drafty window or door. Simple home

sealing projects like these can be done easily during a weekend. • Replace old windows and doors. If you feel drafts in your home, it’s not just warm air that’s leaking — you’re throwing money out the window! Replacing old windows with energy efficient windows can lower household energy bills by 15-25 percent. • Install a programmable thermostat. Save up to $100 a year by installing a programmable thermostat that monitors your home’s temperature while you’re at work or on vacation. • Invest in a tankless water heater. By heating water only when you need it, Energy Star qualified tankless water heaters save the typical family more than $100 per year on gas bills continued on page 54

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Lifestyle

Change of Scenery Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Everyone needs a change of scenery every now and then. Each month we will feature places to visit, including museums, family friendly activities, outdoor adventures or great places to dine. If you have any suggestions, please email lynne@ aroundaboutmagazines.com.

Fernbank Museum located at 767 Clifton Road, Atlanta, near Emory University is not far from our community. Once visitors enter the museum, they have the opportunity to go back in time, learn about the history of Georgia and our planet, discover cultural treasures, take part in hands on scientific investigations, gaze at the stars and observe fossils and dinosaurs by exploring the permanent exhibitions at the museum. Don’t miss the World of Shells where you can learn about shells from the Georgia coast and around the world or the Sensing Nature exhibit that lets you play with your senses and learn how they work together. Special exhibitions are included in admission to Fernbank, and they change year round so there is always something new to enjoy. The special exhibition Winter Wonderland: Celebrations and Traditions Around the World opened recently and will give visitors the chance to learn about how different cultures celebrate the holidays. On December 10 and 11, and December 17 and 18 there will be Winter Wonderland Celebration Weekends with special activities, dance groups, musical performances, craft demonstrations and storytelling for families to enjoy. Fernbank Museum has an IMAX theatre with the biggest screen in town and currently has two films available, Galapagos and Hubble. Tickets for the IMAX are separate from museum admission, but Fernbank does offer some combination ticket packages. Visit www.fernbankmuseum.org for full details. Fernbank offers events specifically for adults as well as their family friendly activities. Adult events include Martini’s and IMAX or Salsa Night. Check Fernbank’s event calendar for dates and times at www.fernbankmuseum.org.

Fernbank Museum’s Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday Noon – 5 p.m. Extended hours are offered on Martinis and IMAX nights. Tickets: Museum Admission (Includes all special exhibitions. Members enjoy Free Museum admission and discounted IMAX tickets.) Adults $17.50 Students and Seniors (62+) with ID $16.50 Children 3 – 12 $15.50 Children 2 and under (ticket required) Free* IMAX admission Adults $13 Students and seniors $12 Children 3-12 $11 Children 2 and under (ticket required) FREE* Museum members (up to a 45% savings) $8 *Free seating is subject to availability

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Teacher Gift Ideas: Gifts to Buy, Gifts to Avoid by Jennifer Jarosick

Jennifer Jarosick, a former teacher and MOMS Club chapter president, is the mother to three children ages five and under. E-mail her at Jenniferjarosick@ yahoo.com.

Giving holiday gifts, no matter how small, can be a nice way to say “thank you” to your children’s teachers. They work so hard for our children and are a huge part of molding our community, but shopping for teachers can be tricky. Do you purchase the scented soaps shaped like stars, or copy Ralphie from “A Christmas Story” and send your child to school with a larger-than-cranium-sized fruit basket? You may not know the teachers’ preferences, but you want to get them something that they will enjoy. If you’re still trying to come up with gift ideas, keep reading! After surveying several teachers in our area, I’ve come up with a list of ideas for gifts and also a few items that you should avoid.

The most popular survey response is gift card, gift card, gift card! The second most popular item that can go along nicely with any gift is a heartfelt thank you note. One of the teachers shared a story about how she once received the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” along with a thank you note about how she made this student’s life so wonderful. It’s her favorite gift to date. Other items that repeatedly made the list are potted plants, surprising the teacher with a cup of coffee or a treat during the day, lunch totes or plastic water holders with initials, fancy pens, cute notepads or personalized stationary. You can also ask your child, what does he or she notice about the teacher? Does she wear jewelry? Does he have a favorite football team? These little details can be very helpful. All of the teachers I surveyed commented on how grateful they are when they receive gifts during the holidays or at the end of the year. However, when asked what gifts to avoid, there was one gift that was listed by every single teacher: anything with the word “Teacher” on it. Soaps, lotions and food also repeatedly made the list. One teacher even stressed, “Lotion, lotion, lotion!” Every single teacher listed a heartfelt thank you note as a favorite gift. So no matter what you purchase or make for your children’s teachers, don’t forget to add a little thank you note from you and/or your child. I hope this will be a helpful guide as you go holiday shopping. Have a wonderful holiday and Happy New Year! AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Lifestyle This month’s recipe corner features several family favorites from Sandra Scheiwe. Sandra is the mother of four boys as well as being the only girl in a family with four brothers. Her passion for cooking started early as she found “cooking and baking to be her therapy and freedom from other chores in the house” when she was a girl. Sandra’s grandmothers and mother were all good cooks, and Sandra has always enjoyed being around others who share her passion for cooking. She and her husband are of German descent and this is reflected in some of the family’s favorite foods. Sandra grew up with fresh vegetables from the garden on the farm where the chicken coop used to be and her uncles provided homegrown meats as well. These days, Sandra is a Catering Liaison at Whole Foods Market. She loves to make digital storybooks using her family recipes and is glad to share these recipes with our readers. Happy eating!

Recipe Corner

Granny Carol Brueck Vaughn’s Cut Out Sugar Cookies 1 C butter (2 sticks) 1 ½ C sifted confectioner’s sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 ½ C flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp cream of tartar ¼ tsp salt Cream butter. Add sugar gradually, cream until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Beat well. Sift together dry ingredients and add to mixture. Chill dough. After chilled, roll on well-floured surface to ¼ inch thick. Cut with floured cookie cutters into desired shapes. Bake on unbuttered cookie sheet at 400° for 4 – 6 minutes watching closely. Cool on cake rack. Ice with Butter Cream Frosting when cool.

Granny Sandra Vaughn Scheiwe’s Butter Cream Frosting 8 T or 1 stick of butter at room temperature 3 ¾ C confectioner’s sugar 3-4 T milk 2 tsp vanilla or almond extract Cream butter in bowl. Add other ingredients on low until incorporated. Blend in tablespoon of milk if too stiff. Yields 3 ½ cups of frosting.

Drunken Beef

4 lb. rolled rump roast Pepper, to taste Oregano, to taste 2 cans of onion soup 1 can of beer 2 jiggers of bourbon

Rub roast with pepper and oregano (no salt). Place in open pan at 500° for 1 hour. Refrigerate over night. Next day, slice thin and add onion soup, beer and bourbon. Cover and bake at 325° for 4 hours. Serve on hard rolls. Cook’s note: Serve with slices of green pepper or sautéed onions and green peppers as sandwich topper.

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Apple Dumplings

2 C sifted unbleached flour 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt ½ C butter (1 stick) 2/3 C milk 6 medium granny smith apples 1/3 C sugar ¼ tsp cinnamon 3 T butter Sweet and Sour Sauce (see recipe below) Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; cut in butter. Stir in milk and mix until soft dough is formed. Turn out onto floured surface, knead lightly and roll out to 1/8 inch thick. Cut dough into 6 squares. Core and peel apples and then slice very thinly. Place on the dough square and add sugar, cinnamon and ½ T butter to each dough square. Moisten the edges of the dough with milk. Press corners up over the apples. Place in greased baking pan. Use a 9” X 13” pan with high sides. Bake in 350° oven for 30 minutes. Pour sweet and sour sauce over apple dumplings for last 15 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

German Pancakes

3 large eggs ½ tsp fine salt 3 T sugar 1 C milk, warmed 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 T unsalted butter, melted 1 C unbleached all-purpose flour 2 tsp vegetable shortening Preheat oven to 425°. In medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, sugar, milk, vanilla, and butter. Whisk in the flour to make a smooth batter. Set aside. Heat a well-seasoned 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and brush the inside of the skillet with shortening. Pour in batter and bake for 15 minutes. Lower the oven to 350° and continue baking until puffed and golden brown, about 13-15 minutes more. Run a knife around the edge of the skillet. Sift confectioner’s sugar over pancake and serve immediately. Other serving suggestions are fresh fruit, baked apples or maple syrup.

2 C water 1/3 C vinegar 1/3 C butter 1/3 C flour 1 C sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp nutmeg Heat water, vinegar and butter together. Combine remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Stir into hot mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring until thickened. Makes about 2 ½ cups. AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Lifestyle

beaut y

backyard

This month, the AroundAbout Walton featured yard was nominated by friends of Jaime and Kay Kirsche. The Kirsche’s live in the Jacksons Creek subdivision and have lived there for 18 years. They chose to move to the Walton community because they wanted great public schools for their children. Jaime and Kay have a son, Eric who graduated from Walton High School (WHS) and is a sophomore at the University of Georgia and a daughter, Emily who is a sophomore at WHS. When they first moved in, the yard was overgrown so they replaced all the bushes and removed a couple of trees. For years, the Kirsche’s took care of the yard and really enjoyed being outside and seeing their hard work pay off. Like many families these days, they have hired a landscaper in the last couple of years to be sure that the weekly maintenance gets done as their busy schedules have started to interfere with the yard work. Last spring when they added on to the back of their home through a kitchen remodeling, they redid the backyard to level out the grassy area and added a dry stack rock wall to separate the grass and the more wooded area. To finish things off, they replaced an old concrete path with a flagstone walkway from the driveway to the patio with a beautiful stone wall beside the walkway. The Kirsche’s have a lovely view from their patio and screened in porch and often spend time outside enjoying their yard.

wanted: Beautiful yards!

Each month, we will feature local yards, submitted by you, our readers. If you have a yard, or know someone else with a beautiful yard, that showcases a green thumb and landscape prowess, send us a photo and it could be featured in next month’s AroundAbout Walton! All featured yards will receive a yard sign stating “AroundAbout Walton Featured Yard.” Please submit your photos to lynne@aroundaboutmagazines.com by December 15 for our January issue. 26

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Lifestyle

Party Host Liability Tips by Linda and Kevin Keeton

Linda and Kevin Keeton live in the Walton community with their two sons, Christian and Matthew. With a combined experience of over 36 years within the insurance industry, Keeton Insurance Services, Inc. is a Trusted Choice® Independent Agency specializing in property and casualty insurance. They may be reached by calling (770) 971-8900 or visiting www.keetoninsurance.com.

In the midst of the festive and hectic holiday atmosphere, it is easy to forget the serious responsibility involved with hosting a party at your home or business. In many states, individuals and employers hosting holiday parties can be held liable in cases where a guest or third party is injured in an accident related to alcohol consumption at the event. Hosts have been held responsible for medical bills, vehicle repair costs, lost time from work, and even wrongful deaths. Trusted Choice® independent insurance agents recommend that those planning to host holiday parties this year review their homeowner’s, renter’s or comprehensive general liability (CGL) insurance policy and ensure they have adequate liability coverage if sued and found liable for the actions of a guest who

drank at their home or business. While all holiday partygoers and hosts alike should be responsible and know their limits, consumers need to acknowledge that most risks cannot be eliminated entirely. But planning ahead and learning about what’s involved in hosting a reception is the best defense. Liability Coverage Tips: • If hosting a holiday party, individuals should look to the

continued on page 54

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AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Dial Down Your “Multi” World by Dawn Reed

Dawn Reed is the founder of Aloha to Aging, a 501c3 nonprofit, which includes the Aloha Day Club (adult day respite center), caregiver education and support groups. She is also the owner of Aloha to Senior Solutions. She can be reached at (678) 7777241 or at dawn@ alohatoseniors.com. For more information, visit www. alohatoaging.org.

In today’s society, more than ever we are faced with multi-everything: multimedia, multiplayer, multipotential, multipower, and multitasking. All this “multi” can make us feel that if we aren’t multifaceted or able to multiprocess quickly, we aren’t good enough. This leads to the idea we should be constantly doing more and doing it better! Though this theory may work well for retailers and other businesses, it doesn’t always ring true for the consumers themselves. During the holiday season, our schedules can be pushed into overdrive. If we are not regularly recharging our batteries, it will be hard to keep up with our hectic schedules. Feeling drained can lead to all sorts of negatives, like making bad decisions or not fostering harmonious relationships. The question is, with the crazy multiple demands of life, how do we keep ourselves on schedule and energized? The answer is not an easy one. We must first nurture ourselves.

Dial up your focus on self-care! What makes you feel good? Exercising, reading for pleasure, studying the Bible or visiting with a friend are all activities that we need to keep in our schedules to nurture ourselves. As we make plans, the activities that are important to our growth and energy level need to be scheduled as high priority. The holiday season is not a time to put self-nurturing activities aside. Take 10 minutes to read that magazine, have a cup of tea or call a friend. Dial down your expectations! Pushing our kids, our parents, our friends and ourselves for more and bigger, better, and faster everything can actually backfire. Often times we don’t even realize how pushed we are, until there is a perceived or real meltdown. When this occurs, emotions such as anger, grief, fear and frustration can build to the point where a person can feel paralyzed. Trying to make even the simplest decision can become difficult and seem overwhelming. To avoid this situation, try taking a time-out with friends and family. Talk with them about their expectations. Then shave off of the to-do list expectations that are not necessary. Just think of all the “multi”tude of things you will then have the energy, time and attitude to actually enjoy. AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Lifestyle

Take a Break and Improve Your Business

Bucket List Number Two by Kara Kiefer

by Mary-Kathryn Boler

Several years ago, my friend Michele came back from a Costa Rican vacation where she went zip lining. At the time, zip lining was a fairly new adventure, and it was certainly not available anywhere in Georgia. From her description, I knew that would be something I would definitely want to do.

Juggling the numerous responsibilities of running a business – generating sales, serving customers, collecting receivables, and managing your office – is enough to make your head spin, and the stress seems magnified this time of year. Let me suggest a novel approach to getting it all done: take a break. Mary-Kathryn Boler is the owner of Catapult Strategic Consulting, LLC (www. CatapultStrategies. com), located in the Walton area. Her proven approach to creating business strategies and action plans has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs grow their businesses faster and more profitabilty than they thought possible.

Unless we exit the rat race, we are likely to continue doing the same thing the same way, and the craziness will continue into next year. A working vacation or a change of scenery can help businessmen and women refocus on the big picture and figure out how to spend the most precious of all limited resources: time. Recharging is an active, not passive, process. Ask yourself some tough questions to clear your head of company clutter and clarify what are the most important aspects of your business.

“

The best time management advice I ever received was to remove two items from my "to do" list every day.

Kara Kiefer is the Executive Editor for AroundAbout Local Media. She lives in southwest Cherokee with her husband Mike and sons Brandon and Garrett.

Thanks to Half Off Depot, a zip line tour at Lake Lanier landed in my inbox, and it took me about five seconds to buy four tickets, one for each member of the family. I knew I wanted to do it in the fall, when the color on the leaves was near its peak, and it would not be too hot or too cold. The day came in late October.

Our certificate was for a three-hour zip line along the shore of Lake Lanier. Once you get outfitted in a harness and a snappy helmet, your instructions begin, which were pretty simple- how to brake and what to do if you get stuck on the line in the middle. After everyone completed their “test” zip to make sure we comprehended our directions, we started on our zip tour. The first time you step off the platform and zip down the line is truly exhilarating. On the first line, I was last and just praying that I wouldn’t be “that person” who got stuck in the middle because she didn’t follow braking instructions. I made it, embarrassment free! The second zip found my husband following my son. As my son watched his father come towards us, he said something out loud that really should have stayed in his brain. “Dad has his beaver face on!” Everyone heard this comment and laughed. On a proceeding zip, my husband was one of the last ones again, and the guide told everyone standing

What drives your business? Which factor has the greatest impact on your company’s bottom line? Is it your pricing strategy, labor hours, collection policies, financing terms, or something else? Specify three or four profit drivers – those key activities which most directly determine your profitability. Then figure out how you will manage them. In this process you also identify those which don’t warrant as much attention. Focus your energies on the important factors, and let the others go. Who are your top customers? Think about the customers who purchase the most and pay bills promptly. Chances are, you meet their needs exceptionally well. continued on page 54 30

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

continued on page 55

Do you know a couple who has been married a long, long, long time? AroundAbout Walton would like to honor them!

2011 Winners Revalee and Lonnie Ayers married 71 years at the time of last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contest.

We are looking for the couple married the longest in Walton for our

2012 Tournament of Roses Contest If you know someone or if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been married a long, long time, you could be the winner of the annual Tournament of Roses Contest! Winners will be featured in the February issue of Around About Walton. If you or someone you know is a contender in the Tournament of Roses Contest, send us your nomination, including the names of the couple and their wedding date, including year. Please include your

name, address and phone number, as well as a phone number for the couple you are nominating. Nominations may be submitted by e-mail to lynne@ aroundaboutmagazines.com, faxed to (770) 516-4809 or mailed to AroundAbout Walton, 2449 Towne Lake Pkwy, Woodstock, GA 30189. The deadline for nominations is Friday, January 20.

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Feature

Transform I

Your Body and Your Life!

magine shopping for the perfect holiday outfit for breakfast with Santa, the office holiday party, the Nutcracker ballet, or the neighborhood celebration. The harsh light of the dressing room, the inescapable view from all sides in the mirrors and the realization that the size that once fit no longer does, turns this shopping quest into a nightmare. It’s at this moment you think, “I have to take better care of myself and lose some of the weight.” Get In Shape For Women (GISFW), which recently opened a brand new small group personal training facility in East Cobb, is ready to help the women of the Walton community reach their health and weight loss goals with its unique body transformation program. The program is based on four components: 1) Weight Training 2) Cardio Intervals 3) Supportive Nutrition 4) Accountability

The key to results is the “sum of all parts, all four steps,” and if you take one out, it does not work. This complete and balanced program that incorporates each of these components sets GISFW apart from other programs. Janey Walker, owner and manager of the Marietta studio, stated, “We are a transformation model. This includes body transformation, metabolic transformation, habit transformation, and ultimately, LIFESTYLE TRANSFORMATION.” At GISFW, the clients aren’t on a diet because the word “diet” generally means a beginning and an end. “Our clients are changing their lives for the better and for the long run. Dieting only works in the short-term and always leads to weight gain when the diet ends. Being active, having balanced nutrition, and being held accountable are the keys to long-term success,” said Janey.

out at four participants, which allows each woman to get the personal attention she needs. Clayton Meeks, a Transformation Specialist at the Marietta location said, “This style of small group training is the perfect hybrid of one-on-one personal training and fitness classes and gets maximum results.” Janey knows that this program works from her own weight loss journey. Janey’s journey began almost 11 years ago when she reached 230 pounds and was bulging out of a size 22. She decided that “enough was enough,” and she was ready to change. She hired a personal trainer and nutrition coach who helped her lose 65 pounds and, more importantly, keep it off. Janey realized that she had found the key. She knew she could throw away her “fat” pants because she was NEVER going to wear them again. This

GISFW is not your typical gym. It’s a small boutique studio designed specifically to create a comfortable atmosphere for women. The small space is more inviting than a huge gym that typically has several pieces of intimidating equipment. In this program, clients work under the supervision of a Transformation Specialist at all times to ensure safety and proper technique. The groups max 32

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

realization changed her, and from that point forward, she devoted her life and career to helping women just like her. Janey earned her dual major Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and Psychology

as well as a Master’s degree in Health Education from Mississippi University for Women. She also earned several personal training and group fitness certifications during this time. Earlier this year, Janey discovered GISFW, a franchise based out of Boston, MA. The four components of the program and the entire model aligned with Janey’s philosophy. She decided that Marietta was the perfect location to set up Georgia’s first GISFW and has hired an experienced staff devoted to helping East Cobb women change their bodies and their lives. How do you become a client at Get In Shape For Women? You must be accepted into the program. Clients at GISFW must have a measurable goal, be committed to reaching that goal, be coachable, and add to the culture of transformation created in the studio. “We know if our clients follow the program, they will achieve RESULTS 100% of the time,” according to Clayton. Since the studios are small, availability is limited. It is important to make sure that every client is ready to change. “We will dedicate ourselves to helping you,” declared Janey. Every client receives a free session to help determine if this program is a fit for her. How does the program work? Each workout is one hour in length that consists of 30 minutes of weight training followed by 25-30 minutes of interval cardio training. The client receives constant nutritional support. During the first week of the program, the transformation specialists will help you develop a meal plan that fits your needs and will continually support you throughout the program with unlimited nutrition consultations. Clients will have their weight and body fat checked every two weeks to make sure they are on track to reach their goals. Janey stated, “When things aren’t moving in the right direction, we sit down with the client and come up with a plan to help her combat her struggles.” The staff at GISFW will challenge you, motivate you, and inspire you to make the commitment to your health TODAY!

Small Group Personal Training

Get In Shape For Women 3822 Roswell Road, Ste. 114, Marietta, GA 30062

(770) 605-8788

Visit www.getinshapeforwomen.com to read testimonials and see before and after photos. Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 6 a.m. – 12 p.m. 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Sunday CLOSED

You don’t have to wait until the holidays are over; you can start transforming your body and your life at GISFW. This studio has limited capacity and other GISFW studios that have been opened longer have waiting lists to become a client, so don’t wait. Set up your free session today. AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Health & Wellness

Fillings, Root Canals and Crowns – What Blessings! by Dr. Cristi Cheek, D.M.D.

Dr. Cristi Cheek, D.M.D., is the owner of Cristi Y. Cheek, D.M.D., P.C., Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in the Walton community. Dr. Cheek is also a member of the AroundAbout Walton Community Board. You may contact her at (770) 993-3775 or visit www.cheekdental.com.

A few weeks ago, I took my children to the toy store with their “Samaritan’s Purse” shoeboxes in hand. I hoped to teach them how much they are blessed, as there are less fortunate children who would be receiving only one of those shoeboxes for Christmas, filled with whatever my children decided to put in them. Poverty is a hard concept for a six year-old (my oldest) to grasp, living in the affluent East Cobb area. In my dental practice, it is not often that I see poverty either. But when I am called by a local charitable organization and asked to help a needy resident, I am always willing – not just because I know that I can relieve someone’s pain or improve their self-esteem by repairing their smile, but because the feeling of selfworth and fulfillment that I gain by helping that person is tremendous.

It is easy to take your smile for granted when you have

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

access to good dental care and were raised by parents who encouraged you to have good oral hygiene. There are those among us who are not so fortunate and live with daily dental pain and embarrassment. Right or wrong, we often make assumptions about people from the way they look, and teeth are an important part of one’s appearance. If you are fortunate enough to have your teeth and are able to afford dental care, be grateful! Keep your teeth and gums healthy by brushing twice a day, flossing once a day, and seeing your dentist every six months for regular check-ups. And consider yourself blessed if you deal with only the occasional cavity, crown, bridge, or root canal. This means you still have teeth to treat, and what an asset healthy teeth are for chewing, speaking and maintaining self-confidence! Being able to meet the dental needs of needy people in our community is truly a blessing for me. My hope is that everyone has an opportunity to affect someone’s life for the better. What may be a small thing for you to give may truly change the world of another person. “Your talent is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to Him.” — Leo Buscaglia

Allergies, Asthma and Winter Holiday Triggers With the arrival of winter, seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and asthma sufferers can breathe relief as most outdoor allergens disappear until spring. But holiday gatherings and spending more time indoors exposes many people to different allergic triggers. Food Allergies during the Holidays Food plays a central role in many events. If you have a food allergy, these functions can be difficult to navigate. Be sure to ask about the ingredients used to make each dish, and be aware that cross-contamination can occur during preparation. If you think the foods served pose too much of a risk, or if you just don’t feel comfortable eating foods provided by others, you don’t have to. Bring your own snacks or eat before you arrive. “Even if you take every precaution, there’s still a slim chance of an allergic reaction,” said Grace Chiang, M.D., of WellStar Allergy and Asthma. “Have your auto-injectable epinephrine at hand just in case.”

Other Holiday Triggers Holiday decorations, travel and stress can all present challenges for people with allergies and asthma. Here are some of the most common triggers to be on the lookout for: • Does your Christmas tree make you sneeze or cause shortness of breath? It’s unlikely that you are allergic to the tree itself, but the fragrance may be irritating. Some trees may also be home to microscopic mold spores that trigger asthma or allergies, causing symptoms like sneezing or an itchy nose. Use an artificial tree or, if you must have the real thing, let the tree dry in a garage or enclosed porch for a week and give it a good shake prior to bringing it inside. • Follow directions carefully when spraying artificial snow or flocking. Inhaling these sprays can irritate your lungs and trigger asthma symptoms. • If you leave your pet behind when traveling for the holidays, you may experience allergy or asthma symptoms on your return home. Dubbed the “Thanksgiving Effect,” this phenomenon continued on page 55 AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Feature Health & Wellness

My First

m a r at h o n I by Pete Coleman

t was a brisk Sunday morning, with temperatures in the high 30s, for the start of the 2011 Atlanta Marathon sponsored by the Atlanta Track Club. A great day for a run, and I for one couldn’t have been happier given the fact that this was my first marathon, but I was also treating the marathon as a training run for the Death Race 2012, which will occur in June. In preparation for that race, I am carrying a backpack today weighing 33 pounds that holds items I will need for the Death Race. I’m challenging myself to show my two young sons that anything in this world is possible if you give it your very best. As we started out to circle the city and see the old neighborhoods and sites, such as the Georgia Aquarium, Oakland Cemetery, Piedmont Park, Morningside and Buckhead, my feet started to cramp a little bit as if they were nervous with stage fright. It didn’t take long to shake those nerves away and begin an epic journey I will not soon forget. I had specific plans and goals in mind, as I suspect most marathoners do, and figured if I could maintain a consistent 10-minute mile pace, I’d be fine. I knew I had properly prepared for this, but today was the day and this was the event, no do-overs — it was time to make it happen. The mile-four water station was my first personal checkpoint. I had brought along Chia Seeds, nutritious little seeds that are packed with protein and perfect for runners. Eating while running was one thing I needed to figure out before running the 48-hourplus Death Race. I am training with a goal to finish this future challenging race. After several more Chia Seed “meals,” I was ecstatic that my half split time was 2:15, and things were going as planned. As I began the second half of the race, the warnings I had heard about mile 20 being the one to fear crept back into my mind, but as it turned out, miles 16 through 19 were my toughest. The hills were never-ending and were taking their toll on me at this point, so much that I skipped eating at mile 18 and decided I would eat my last “meal” at mile 20 instead. My last feast consisted of cinnamon graham crackers with Nutella, a personal favorite. I had packed several crackers stacked as a Nutella sandwich of sorts, and now they were all stuck together and refusing to come apart. With shaky hands and strong determination, I was able to break off a few pieces

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

only to learn just how difficult it is to eat crackers with Nutella while running. I had hoped to come in by the 4:30:00 mark, but by mile 23, I was clocked in around 4:15:00. I knew it wasn’t going to happen, if for no other reason than that the Piedmont Hospital hill was right in front of me. I simply put my head down, and told myself to go one step at a time, but do NOT stop running until the top of this hill! Now, I had walked a few hills before and a few after, but I knew this hill from the Peachtree Road Race, and it wasn’t going to get the best of me today! This is where I found the real benefit of the crowds that lined the course. Their words of encouragement kept me and the other runners going. I could only hope they each knew how important their cheers were to this stranger among them, and I’m so glad, looking back on it now, that I thanked those I came close enough to all along the course. As I worked my way through mile 25, cramping started to occur in my thighs, but my worst nightmare was about to be realized - black toe. My left big toenail was going to be lost, but that wasn’t a concern right now. At this moment, I had only one goal left for the day- to finish! I did, with my family waiting for me at the finish line. It was all I could do to hold back my tears of pride and joy until just after I passed them and trotted to the finish line. 4:52:10. I’m starting to truly understand that a focused mind and fully devoted heart are the ultimate tools of success. Stay tuned for more updates on my preparation for my journey to Pittsfield, VT in June 2012. If you’d like to help me raise funds for the Green Beret Foundation, please visit: http://www. firstgiving.com/fundraiser/petecoleman/goruck-challenge-2012.

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Feature

meet the military

Tripp Bishop to Fly Jets for U.S. Marine Corps From the time Tripp Bishop was a very young boy, he had a passion for planes. His mother Susie Bishop recalls being outside in their front yard with Tripp when he was four years old and when she pointed out a plane in the sky, he knew what type of plane it was. In his room, there were always books about planes and the history of aviation. Tripp’s family moved to the Walton community when he was entering first grade, and his parents still live in the same home. Tripp and his older sister, Rachel both attended East Side Elementary, Dickerson Middle and Walton High schools. In elementary school, Tripp was friends with Jeff Teplis, featured in last month’s AroundAbout Walton military feature. At Walton, Tripp played trumpet in the band, as well as playing on the football and lacrosse teams. He graduated in 2002 and headed to Georgia Southern University. When asked why he joined the military, Tripp said that he knew he wanted to fly planes for a living, and when he was a sophomore at Georgia Southern, the time came for him to make the choice between civilian and military aviation. He talked to family, friends and classmates that had served in the military, and this led him to the decision that a life in uniform was right for him. He chose the United States Marine Corps because he had always admired the Marine uniform and the enthusiasm and devotion of members. At that time, the Marine Corps was offering aviation contracts guaranteeing a commission and seat in flight school if Officer Candidate School (OCS) was successfully completed. Tripp applied and was accepted, and in the summer of 2005, he attended OCS in Quantico, Virginia. He graduated and was awarded the Marksmanship Award for handgun accuracy. When Tripp graduated from Georgia Southern, he received his commission and reported for active duty. He returned to Quantico, VA for six months to attend the Basic Officer Course. This course focuses on basic tactics and leadership skills in the infantry setting and is the initial training course for all new officers. Upon completion, Tripp was ready to begin the journey through flight school, and the first stop was Pensacola, FL. Tripp explained flight school as a series of courses that 38

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

both train and evaluate students for the various pipelines of naval aviation. How well the student performs at each course determines the path the student will follow. Tripp’s goal was to fly jets, and he had to be in the top of each class he attended to continue towards his dream. Tripp learned to fly the T-34 Turbo Mentor in primary flight training, which included aerobatics and formation flying of fixed winged aircraft. Due to his excellent performance in Primary, he earned a slot in the Advanced Jet pipeline, his ultimate “little kid” dream come true. In 2009, he and his wife Lindsay moved to the Naval Air Station in Kingsville, Texas for Tripp to attend advanced flight school as a member of the Fighting Redhawks of VT-21. He learned to fly the T-45 Goshawk, a two-seat single jet engine aircraft. Tripp said the highlights of this training were low-level navigation, bombing, air combat and landing on an aircraft carrier. In December, 2010 Tripp received his wings and was assigned to fly the F/A-18 Hornet at the Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort, SC as a member of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312. Of course, there was additional training required to fly this jet, and he and Lindsay moved to Virginia Beach, VA. During this time, Tripp was promoted to Captain. He will finally be joining the fleet this December. His unit has just returned from deployment in Iraq and is scheduled to deploy again in March 2013. During Tripp’s training, he and three other student naval aviators were followed by a camera crew filming a documentary, Angle of Attack: A History of Naval Aviation for the Public Broadcasting Service which recently aired. They were the “current aviators” in the film. Tripp has always been Tripp in this community, but the military uses first names and so he is referred to in the documentary as Lanier Bishop. Tripp’s parents, Susie and Larry, were thrilled to watch and see what their son has been doing in his training, including watching him land a jet on an aircraft carrier. Susie said she was amazed and astonished as she watched the show. “I always knew he had something great inside him, but I didn’t know when he would find it,” she said. Captain Lanier “Tripp” Bishop is one of the very few to find his passion and figure out how to actually spend his life doing it.

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Health & Wellness

No Child Left Behind Waivers by Scott Sweeney In September, Senator Isakson and Georgia’s School Superintendent Dr. John Barge notified the Department of Education that Georgia would be seeking certain waivers of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), and the waiver application is now official.

Scott Sweeney is Vice Chairman of the Cobb County Board of Education and represents Post 6. Scott may be contacted at ssweeney. boardmember@ cobbk12.org or (678) 646-2470. For more information, visit www.cobbk12.org

Georgia’s waiver application seeks relief from certain NCLB provisions and requests permission to initiate accountability measures under a new College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCPRI). Schools’ score criteria will vary by grade level and will be revealed in Achievement Scores, Progress Scores and Achievement Gap Closure Scores. Rather than basing a school’s success on such limited factors as standardized test performance, attendance and graduation rates, the CCPRI will use multiple criteria to show how a school is affecting student performance.

Under the waiver application for the 2011-2012 school year,

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Georgia also requested “stay put” permission, regarding the 2011 Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) determinations, among other relief. Detailed information can be found at www.gadoe.org. These waivers, if granted by the U. S. Department of Education and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, will have a direct impact on the Walton community. Under the current structure, achieving AYP recognition is more challenging every year. Analogies have been made likening AYP recognition to the track and field event of high jumping: if the athlete fails to clear a five-foot bar, raise the bar to six feet in the hope that it will be cleared. Under NCLB, even the highest performing schools within the Walton community would eventually face the same fate as the high jumper. Georgia’s move to a CCPRI is timely. It should present a better indication of both student and school achievement. The Cobb County School District superintendent, Dr. Hinojosa, has been charged by the Board of Education to investigate career path education opportunities. The Board and Superintendent realize that people with advanced technical skills will be in greater demand for the next several years. In many ways, the knowledge and skill required for technical jobs will be every bit as demanding as those required to prepare students for college. Understanding that dynamic means that the District must emphasize career readiness as well as college readiness.

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Feature

WHS Raider Vars

he 2011 Walton Raider Varsity football team had a spectacular record, winning all 10 games in regular season play. The Raiders continued to roll over their opponents in post-season play. In the first round of the state class AAAAA championship playoffs, Walton defeated the Milton Eagles by a score of 48 to 14. The photos seen on these pages are from the second round of playoffs when the Raiders beat the South Cobb Eagles, 42 to 7 in Raider Valley. Walton Raider Tyren Jones (#1) played a significant role in the offense with 217 yards rushing on 20 carries, 97 receiving yards on three catches and scored 5 of the touchdowns. Next, Walton played the Dacula Falcons in the quarterfinals and won a close game of 21 to 13 with Zach Blaylock (#18) intercepting a pass in the end zone with 16 seconds to go to clinch the

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

victory. The Raiders have enjoyed the home field advantage throughout the playoffs leading up to a championship game in the Georgia Dome. The semifinal of the playoffs was an all Cobb County affair when the Raiders met their own regional rival the Lassiter Trojans for the first time in state playoff history. Earlier, in their regular season game, Walton came out on top 34 to 10 over the Trojans. After winning the semifinal game against Lassiter 30-24 , Walton advanced to the State Championship game for the first time in school history!

rsity Football

All photos copyright by Scott P. Bennett

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Schools & Sports

Walton High School Science Classrooms

Get a Facelift

“We’re very excited to be getting upgrades in our classrooms, including new and improved lab and safety equipment in addition to Smart Boards and other 21st century technology,” stated Dr. Sharon Camp, who teaches Chemistry and AP Environmental Science and also sponsors the Environmental Club. “These improvements will be a tremendous benefit for our students.” Most of the classrooms, which were either built or updated about 20 years ago, need to be brought up to code according to county officials. This means that the students whose classrooms will be affected will be moving temporarily to trailers on the Walton campus. The first rooms to be renovated will be the four chemistry classrooms, although construction is expected to impact every science student eventually. The initial construction is expected to begin in January, 2012. The students in AP Chemistry, Honors Chemistry, on-level Chemistry and AP Environmental Science will be learning in new, state-of-the-art trailers that will be installed on campus, replacing 20-year old trailers that are currently in place. “The existing trailers are inadequate for the necessary level of instruction,” Dr. Camp said. The county will be installing new trailers equipped with state-of-the-art technology, which will be more appropriate for the level of instruction of these classes. There’s only one problem: nine red maple trees will have to be removed to allow the new trailers to

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fit. “We’ve looked at this problem from many different angles. The trees would be very expensive to dig up and move, about $650 per tree, and would have to be paid for with funds that are presently reserved to support student activities on campus. The trees are presently stressed due to very bad soil conditions, and are unlikely to survive much longer where they are. The Environmental Club decided to come to the rescue by organizing a tree planting on the campus, replacing the older trees with new red maples, which will be purchased with club money. This tree planting, which will be done on another location on the campus, will be open to all Walton students who wish to be involved in learning about and participating in tree plantings. According to Dr. Camp, “All the information one needs to be a successful tree planter will be presented. This will enable our students to go forward and plant many more trees in the future. Planting new trees seemed to be a win-win solution to our problem.” The old trees will be chipped on the campus and the mulch will be used where needed, which will keep them out of the landfill. The tree planting will be held in January or February of next year. Even though moving will be a challenging experience, both students and teachers agree that the rewards will be worth the effort. The renovations are expected to be complete by the end of 2012.

School News Reflections Participants Advance to State Competition For more than 40 years, the National PTA Reflections program has promoted the arts through education and encouraged millions of students to explore their artistic talents. This year, the Reflections theme was “Diversity means….” Students submitted entries based on their portrayal and interpretation of this theme. This year Walton High School had more than 220 entries into the program, which were judged by Georgia State University, Savannah College of Art and Design and Kennesaw State University professors, an executive director of an Atlanta photography gallery, and a panel from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. The first and second place winners from Walton then advanced to the County level for judging. The East Cobb County Council of PTAs selected the winning entries. Rachel Schneller advanced to the state competition in the Film category for 11th grade. Faizan Khan and Colin Humble advanced in the Literature category for 10th grade. In Music, Stephanie Niu advanced for the 9th grade and William Fulkerson for the 11th grade. In Photography, Ariez Martinez advanced for the 9th grade and Hadar Ben-Simon for the 11th grade. In the category of Visual Arts, Christina Voss advanced for the 9th grade, Hudson Tsay for the 10th grade, Joy Zhang and Reid Harm for the 11th grade and Ashley Blocker for the 12th grade.

Ashley Blocker Reflections Painting – Diversity

Hudson Tsay Reflections Painting – Citizenship in America

Robotic Team Places First in Tournament Recently, the Walton High School Robotics Team working with Kell Robotics and Flash Robotics, placed first at the Georgia Regional Invitational Tournament and Showcase (G.R.I.T.S) in Warner Robins, GA. The team also earned the coveted Spirit Award. Team WALT (Walton Advances Literacy and Technology) is in its fourth year providing students opportunities in the areas of technology, leadership and service. Brian Benton is

the faculty advisor and coach. Team WALT takes part in the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), where under strict rules, limited resources and time limits, teams of 25 or more students raise funds, design a team “brand” and build and program robots to perform prescribed tasks. This competition gives the students real-world engineering experience as well as teamwork. G.R.I.T.S. was a continuation of the 2011 FRC competition season. For more information about FRC, visit www.usfirst.org.

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Feature

Walton Junior Raiders Reds Team - Cobb County Middle School B Champions. Front row (left to right): Emily Gaskins and Grace Gaskins. Middle row: Sarah Esposito, Grace Ryan, Caroline Williams, Delaney Hans, Josie Brown, Savannah Meaux, Mary Belle Gosch, Lauren McMahon and Isabel Kun. Back row: Coach Chris Cook.

The Walton Volleyball Program:

A commitment to excellence and growth, on and off the court

t’s no secret that Walton is an exceptional high school in so many ways – academics, athletics, college prep, character building, SAT scores, Raider Pride – you name it. It’s one reason why so many of us choose to live in the Walton community.

The Walton Raider Women’s Volleyball Program is no exception either, and, again, at so many levels. There’s so much more going on in this program than a simple win/loss record at the varsity level, as there are actually seven teams in the program – the largest in the state of Georgia, serving more than 100 Walton community student-athletes, from 3rd-4th graders all the way up to graduating seniors. In terms of on-court achievement, the recently-concluded 2011 season did yield an unprecedented number of championships – each team won as much as there was to win. The “Reds” were crowned Cobb County Middle School B Champions, with a 15-2 match record; the “Royals” took the Cobb County Middle School A Championship, with a 19-0 match record; the Junior Varsity went undefeated, to take the Cobb County Junior Varsity trophy with a 26-0 match record, and Varsity battled Harrison to win back-to-back GHSA AAAAA State Championships (to go along with the other five state championships in previous years under different coaching staffs). Three other teams are development/ 46

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practice teams that do not compete. No other school program in the state can come anywhere near this record, in size or accomplishment. Led by Walton literature teacher and Head Volleyball Coach Suzanne Fitzgerald and strongly supported by the Walton administration, volleyball booster parents and area sponsors, the volleyball program has returned to championship form and is a leading program in the Southeast. The program has attained national status as well, with many graduating seniors going on to play at some of the finest colleges in the U.S. The emphasis of the term ‘Program’ is significant because Walton volleyball is about the entire community. It’s a top-tobottom program, not just a very talented varsity, and it takes a lot of hard work by committed players at every level, by an outstanding committed coaching staff and by well-organized, supportive boosters. Today, there are graduating seniors who started playing as Junior Raiders in 5th-6th grade and who are

now going to national caliber tournaments and winning state championships. Founded by two Walton volleyball dads, Carl Whitmire and Bill Peters, the Junior Raiders had its start in 2004, with 74 girls showing up at tryouts, a testament to the popularity of the sport in East Cobb. “We had 74 girls, one court in the dimly lit and hot auxiliary gym at Walton High School, ten volleyballs and very little support from sponsors or boosters,” said Whitmire. “It wasn’t easy or glamorous back then, but it always was, and still is, about the girls – developing talent and skills, instilling a

love for the game and fueling a desire to want to compete.” Enter the new era – Coach Fitzgerald, seven other coaches, a dedicated boosters organization, sponsors, even a new practice facility exclusively for the Junior Raiders (via a negotiated partnership with the newly built East Side Elementary) – and, most importantly, a new vision for the program. The vision is a desire to grow the volleyball program into something more than playing good, competitive volleyball on the court, and more than just trying to rack up as many championships or great seasons as possible. A lot of people see a championship as a destination, the reaching of a goal, but the program views it more as the best potential outcome of the journey on which players embark together as teammates. The journey includes 5:30 a.m. workouts, sand pit drills, running, conditioning, weight training, retreats, team bonding exercises and fun, intense practices, matches against boys, summer camps, fundraising, confidence building and testing, national tournaments against top programs and “buy in” by every girl at every age group. At the end of all these extreme workouts, when Walton competes, at any level, they are in shape and ready for battle. The on-court results spoke for themselves this season. For more information, visit www. waltonvolleyball.org. Next year’s teams will begin forming in August.

Walton High School Junior Varsity Volleyball Team with Cobb County Championship Trophy. Front row (left to right): Lane Crawford, Taylor Jones, Ashley Dean, Ashley Miller, Olivia Whitmire and Head Coach Chris Williams. Back row: Hannah Ashmore, Hannah Kriscovich, Brooke Landon, Leo Hausman, and Bailey Miller. Not pictured: Rae Grant (player) and Linda Lager (Co-coach).

WHS Varsity Volleyball Team with AAAAA State Championship Trophy, second consecutive year. Front row (left to right): Anouska Best, Katherine Plessy, Kelly Murphy, Morgan Smith and Laney Davis. Middle row: Kate Schwartz, Lindsay Seagraves, Isabella Haswell, Olivia Pierce, Tori Ferguson, Ashley Miller and Chloe Cook. Back row: Morgan Patterson, Leah Jackson, Brooke Landon, Hannah Rooks, Jada Linton, Jessica Sloan, Caroline Goerke and Head Coach Suzanne Fitzgerald.

Walton Junior Raiders Royals Team - Cobb County Middle School A Champions. Front row (left to right): Maddie Fulton, Celeste Fitzgerald, Coach Linda Lager, Caroline Welsh and Mary Kate Kriscovich. Back row: Maria Nielsen, Emily Justice, Ashley Bauer, Leanne Villanueva, Grace Chapin and Mason Langhorne.

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Feature by Lynne Lysaght

Jeffrey Stepakoff: Father, Writer and Teacher

n a recent Saturday morning, Jeffrey Stepakoff, author of The Orchard (his second novel released in July 2011), an assistant professor of English at Kennesaw State University (KSU) and married father of three, invited me to his home in the Walton community to talk about his writing career, his books and his life.

Left to right: Sophie, Jeff, Eli, Elizabeth and Charlotte Stepakoff

Jeff has been writing professionally since he was 23 years old. It all started for him when he wrote his first play in high school. Jeff grew up in the metro Atlanta area and attended Woodward Academy, Atlanta’s oldest private school. He was interested in drama and playwriting, and chose to attend college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. He went on to earn his Master of Fine Arts in playwriting at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh. At this point, Jeff had planned to go to New York City and write plays, but after hearing John Wells (executive producer of TV shows like ER and West Wing) speaking at Carnegie Mellon about writing for TV, Jeff changed his plans, packed his car and headed for Hollywood in 1988. The night before Jeff left, he went out with friends in Atlanta and met a beautiful girl with big black hair, blue eyeshadow and large shoulder pads (remember, it was the 80’s) named Elizabeth who would later play a major role in his life. Jeff arrived in Hollywood during the writer’s strike and, even though he was offered a job as a scab writer (a worker who replaces a union worker during a strike) he chose to turn it down. Soon afterward, he began writing for the TV show Simon & Simon. Since that time, Jeff has written for numerous television series, including Emmy-winning shows like The Wonder Years and Sisters. He was Co-Executive Producer of Dawson’s Creek. Jeff found television writers to be a close-knit group, which may be a result of all the hours that they are locked in story rooms trying to write the next scene. Jeff has also worked on video games and has written major motion picture films, such as Disney’s Tarzan. Eight years later, that beautiful girl he’d met the night before he left, moved to Hollywood and called him, and they began dating. They married and began a family. Jeff knows that one of the most important skills to have as a writer and a husband is to be a good listener. When Elizabeth and he were discussing their changing family in 2004, which then had two young daughters, and how and where they wanted to raise their family, Jeff listened when Elizabeth said, “Jeff, you are a writer; you can write anywhere.” They made the decision to move back to the Atlanta area. They wanted to raise their children in the same type of environment that they grew up in, in a neighborhood that had similar values as theirs and with neighbors that cared about the community and each other. Approximately three years ago, they found just the neighborhood they were looking for in the Walton community. They were drawn by excellent public schools available here. By this time, the family included a third child, a son.

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Now, Jeff teaches film and television dramatic writing at KSU and is working on his third novel. This career is a better fit for his current lifestyle and allows him to be a family man. His first book, published in 2007, was a memoir of his 18 years in the television industry and is called Billion Dollar Kiss, with the subtitle “The Kiss that Saved Dawson’s Creek and Other Adventures in TV Writing.” His first novel, Fireworks Over Toccoa, published in 2010, began as a pilot for a TV show that Jeff wrote, but decided to hold on to the story for later literary purposes. Jeff lived near a theme park at the time and the nightly fireworks display gave him the inspiration for his story. This love story is set in the time of WWII and is about the struggle between commitment and finding true love. The Orchard, Jeff’s second novel, is a love story involving the world of perfume and is written to awaken all the senses of its readers. Jeff’s novels have been translated into 11 languages and can be found locally at Bookmiser. Jeff describes his novel writing as popular women’s fiction. His goal is to write smart, well-executed prose that aspires to touch people emotionally with a story that the reader can’t put down. He enjoys exposing his readers to new worlds through his novels. In his classes at KSU, he tries to teach his students to be writers first so that they can translate their skills in many different directions later. When writing, Jeff works from a story outline and he feels that both character and plot need to be focused in order to to develop a good story. To Jeff, the most surprising thing about writing novels is how much the readers reach out to the writer through personal correspondence. He has received many moving letters from his readers. One of these letters is thumbtacked to the wall above his writing computer (an area he keeps mostly undecorated, to limit distraction) to remind him to never forget about the reader as he is writing his stories. When I arrived at Jeff’s home for our interview, I was greeted by his oldest daughter Sophie and three-yearold son, Eli. Jeff had warned me that the “house will be messy and the kids will be running around, but that’s the real me.” The house was not messy, but the kids were running around. Jeff introduced me to his three children, Sophie (12), Charlotte (10) and Eli. After settling me into the living room, he returned to the kitchen to finish up the breakfast of blueberry pancakes he made for the children. His wife was ill that morning and was keeping away from the rest of the family. The girls went outside to ride bikes and ripsticks, and while Jeff and I talked, Eli watched Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends videos in the family room and ran in and out of the living room to check on Dad and the reporter. After hugging Eli and watching him run back to his show, Jeff said, “I did not know the size of my heart” before he had children.” It was very easy to see why this Hollywood writer and his wife made the decision to come home to Georgia.

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Faith

Involved vs. Committed by Bryant Wright ...but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will. 2 Corinthians 8:5

Bryant Wright is the Senior Pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church and the founder and chairman of Right from the Heart Ministries. He currently serves as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention. He can be reached at (770) 9736561 ext. 2962.

A pig and a chicken took an afternoon stroll that led them near their neighborhood Waffle House. They looked up at a sign in the window that advertised the daily special – Ham and Eggs for only $3.99. “Look at that!” said the chicken. “I am involved!” “It’s true that you are involved,” replied the pig. “But for me, it’s total commitment.” Lou Holtz, the famous football coach of several great schools said, prior to one season of his team, “They

“

On a team, in the office, or in church, we have lots of folks who are involved. But we don't have enough who are totally committed remind me of an Italian Kamikaze pilot who flew 50 missions. He was involved, but not committed!” On a team, in the office, or in church, we have lots of folks who are involved. But we don’t have enough who are totally committed; determined to get the job done, no matter what the personal cost. How about you? When it comes to your responsibilities, are you just involved or are you committed to give it your all for the good of your team, the group, and all concerned? Even more important, are you totally committed to do your best for the glory of God?

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Faith

WALTON AREA Houses of Worship Anglican

Mt. Arbor Baptist Church 2235 Morgan Road, NE, (770) 971-9339

The Church of Our Redeemer 2625 Canton Road (770) 421-1928 Rector: Fr. James Danford www.ourredeemeracc.org

New Life Baptist Church 4010 Canton Road, (770) 592-6880 Pastor: Roger Brink www.thenewlife.org

Apostolic

New Providence Baptist Church 3740 Providence Road, (770) 971-3519 Pastor: Charles Whittaker www.newprovidencebc.com

Northside Apostolic Church 2115 Northfield Court, (770) 975-3001

Baha’i Faith Baha’i Faith of Marietta 2601 Sandy Plains Road, (770) 509-0070

Baptist Bible Baptist Church 2025 Eula Drive, NE, (770) 592-2660 Pastor: D.L. Cooper Chattahoochee Baptist Church 375 Johnson Ferry Road, (770) 977-2058 Pastor: Rick Shoup http://cbc.us.com Cornerstone Baptist Church 1506 Sawyer Road, (770) 422-3579 Pastor: Carl George Crossview Baptist Church 1100 Piedmont Road, (770) 973-0063 Pastor: John E. Johnson www.crossviewbaptist.org East Cobb Baptist Church 1940 Shallowford Road, (770) 928-2233 Pastor: David York Eastside Baptist Church 2450 Lower Roswell Road, (770) 971-2323 Pastor: Dr. David H. Chauncey www.ebcfamily.org Eastwood Baptist Church 1150 Allgood Road, (770) 973-9011 Pastor: Mike Hatton www.eastwoodbaptist.org Elizabeth Baptist Church 315 Kurtz Road, (770) 427-3325 Pastor: Steve Echols Galilee Baptist Church 2050 Bentley Lake Road, (770) 422-6487 Holt Road Baptist Church 675 Holt Road, NE, (770) 971-3052 www.holtroadbaptist.org Johnson Ferry Baptist Church 955 Johnson Ferry Road, (770) 973-6561 Pastor: Bryant Wright www.johnsonferry.org Liberty Hill Baptist Church 1053 Liberty Hill Road, NE, (770) 422-1406 Pastor: Amos Williams

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Northside Primitive Baptist Church 5265 Roswell Road, (678)481-2793 Pastor: Jason Solomon www.northsidepbc.org Piedmont Baptist Church 570 Piedmont Road, Marietta, (770) 422-2566 www.piedmontchurch.tv Sandy Plains Baptist Church 2825 Sandy Plains Road, (770) 971-8525 Pastor: Dr. Alvin Southerland www.sandyplains.org

Sewell Mill Baptist Church 2550 Sewell Mill Road, (770) 971-3746 Pastor: David Watson www.sewellmill.org Shady Grove Baptist Church 1654 Bells Ferry Road, (770) 428-0216 Shallowford Free Will Baptist 1686 Shallowford Road, (770) 926-1163 Pastor: Len Blanchard www.shallowfordchurch.com

Catholic Holy Family Catholic Church 3401 Lower Roswell Road, (770) 973-0038 Pastor: Darragh Griffith www.holyfamilycc.org St. Ann’s Catholic Church 4905 Roswell Road, (770) 552-6400 Pastor: Tom Rielly www.st-ann.org Transfiguration Catholic Church 1815 Blackwell Road, (770) 977-1442 Pastor: Monsignor Patrick Bishop www.transfiguration.com

Christian Chestnut Ridge Christian Church 2663 Johnson Ferry Road, (770) 971-8888 Pastor: Byron Wells Northside Christian Church 3535 Shallowford Road, (770) 565-6613 Pastor: Jason Burchfield Walking By Faith Christian 1821 Kinridge Road, (678) 560-1144

Christian and Missionary Alliance Marietta Alliance Church 1787 E. Piedmont Road, (770) 973-2189 Pastor: David Hayes www.macweb.org

Christian Science Christian Science Churches & Reading Rooms 2641 Old Sewell Road, (770) 565-7271

Church of Christ Church of Christ at East Cobb 5240 Roswell Road, (770) 587-5888 Pastor: Ray Hawkins Church of Christ-Piedmont Road 1630 Piedmont Road, (770) 971-9933 Minister: Neil Richey www.pr-coc.com Emmanuel Tabernacle Christ Church 2692 Sandy Plains Road, #A32, (770) 422-3268 Pastor: Dwight Graves

Church of God Church of God of Prophecy 3393 Canton Road, (770) 427-5923 First Church of God 592 Shannon Drive, (770) 461-1925 Mount Paran North 1700 Allgood Road, (770) 578-9081 www.mtparan.com Town Center Church of God 1040 Blackwell Road, (770) 424-4004

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 3195 Trickum Road, NE, (770) 509-9074 Pastor: Bishop Ho Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints — Paper Mill Ward 95 Holt Road, (770) 578-8734

Community Churches Cobb Community Church at Highlands 4649 Sandy Plains Road, (770) 992-3330 Pastor: Alan Daniels www.cobbcc.com Shallowford Falls Community Church 3662 Shallowford Road, (770) 565-7468 Pastor: David White www.shallowfordfalls.com Vineyard Community Church 2692 Sandy Plains Road, #A25, (770) 565-1505 Pastor: Tommy Papevies

Episcopal Episcopal Church of St. Peter & St. Paul 1795 Johnson Ferry Road, (770) 977-7473 Rector: The Rev. Dr. Robert G. Certain www.peterandpaul.org Episcopal Church-Annunciation 1673 Jamerson Road, (770) 928-7916 Rev. Paul McCabe www.annunciationepiscopal.org St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church 571 Holt Road, NE, (770) 971-2839 Rev. Jim Nixon www.stcatherines.org

Greek Orthodox Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church 3431 Trickum Road, NE, (770) 924-8080 Rev. Father Panayiotis Papageorgiou www.HolyTransfiguration.info

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church 2922 Sandy Plains Road, (770) 971-4600 Pastor: Ronald Grunke www.holytrinitymarietta.org

Restoration Life Church 2692 Sandy Plains Road, (770) 509-1481 Pastor: Ken Kessler www.lifeschoolinternational.org

Lutheran Church of Incarnation 1200 Indian Hills Parkway, (770) 971-2738 Pastor: Rev. Jerry Reynolds www.lcilutheran.org

Orthodox

Lutheran Church of Resurrection 4814 Paper Mill Road, (770) 953-3193 www.lcrmarietta.org

Methodist East Cobb United Methodist 2325 Roswell Road, (770) 971-3643 Pastor: Brian Germano www.eastcobbumc.org

St. Elizabeth Orthodox Church 2263 East Cherokee Drive, (770) 485-0504 Priest Frederick Watson www.stelizabethga.org

Presbyterian Christ Presbyterian Church 495 Terrell Mill Road, (770) 956-7572 Pastor: Legree Finch www.christpreschurch.org

Jehovah’s Witness

Mount Bethel United Methodist Church 4385 Lower Roswell Road, (770) 971-2880 www.mtbethel.org

East Cobb Presbyterian 4616 Roswell Road, (770) 973-4114 Pastor: Richard Holmes www.ecpca.org

Jehovah’s Witness 2065 Bells Ferry Road, (770) 427-1881 Pastor: Hope Torkornoo www.watchtower.org

Mountain View United Methodist 2300 Jamerson Road, (770) 928-0050 Pastor: Bill Burch www.mvumc.org

Eastminster Presbyterian Church 3125 Sewell Mill Road, (770) 977-2976 Pastor: Dr. Tim McConnell www.epres.org

Jewish

Mt. Zion United Methodist Church 1770 Johnson Ferry Road, (770) 971-1465 Pastor: Dr. Joe Peabody www.mtzionumc.org

Geneva Orthodox Presbyterian 3605 Sandy Plains Road #240-161, (404) 786-9815 Pastor: John Fesko www.genevaopc.org

Congregation Etz Chaim 1190 Indian Hills Pkwy, (770) 973-0137 Rabbis Shalom Lewis and Paul Kerbel www.etzchaim.net

Powers Ferry United Methodist Church 245 Powers Ferry Road, (770) 973-5271 Pastor: Jane Nugent www.powerumc.com

Hope Presbyterian Church 4101 Sandy Plains Road, (770) 971-4673 Pastor: Martin Hawley www.hopepca.org

Temple Kol Emeth 1415 Old Canton Road, (770) 973-9205 Rabbi: Stephen Lebow www.kolemeth.net

Sacred Tapestry UMC 3000 Johnson Ferry Road, (770) 605-5083 www.sacredtapestry.com

John Knox Presbyterian Church 505 Powers Ferry Road, (770) 973-5050 Pastor: Fritz Bogar www.johnknoxpcmarietta.org

Korean

St. Andrew United Methodist Church 3455 Canton Road, (770) 926-4961

Bethany Korean Presbyterian Multi-cultural (Korean, Brazilian and American) 4644 Sandy Plains Road, (770) 643-1459 Pastor: Byeongho Choi www.bethanykorean.org

St. Paul United Methodist Church 244 Kurtz Road, (770) 422-1089 Pastor: Dana Overton-Garrett

Chabad of East Cobb 4450 Lower Roswell Road, (770) 565-4412

Korean Covenant Presbyterian 2100 Sandy Plains Road, (770) 565-4777 Pastor: Paul Sim www.sungyahk.org Korean United Methodist Church 945 Old Canton Road, (770) 321-0020

Lutheran Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church 2240 Shallowford Road, (770) 928-7919 Pastor: John Guse www.bslc.us Faith Lutheran Church 2111 Lower Roswell Road, (770) 973-8877 Pastor: Carl Schneidert www.faithLCMS.org

Wesley Chapel United Methodist 4495 Sandy Plains Road, (770) 993-4919 Pastor: Jim Bocian www.wesleychapelumc.com

Non-Denominational Marietta Vineyard Church 1492 Roswell Road, (770) 977-9496 Pastor: Jeremy Graves www.mariettavineyard.org North Atlanta Church

Ray-Thomas Memorial Presbyterian Church 4644 Sandy Plains Road, (770) 998-9321 Pastor: Carrie Scott www.rtmchurch.org

Unitarian Universalist Emerson Unitarian Universalist 2799 Holly Springs Road, NE, (770) 578-1533 Pastor: Rev. Jeff Jones

United Church of Christ Pilgrimage Church UCC 3755 Sandy Plains Road, (770) 971-0007 Pastor: Kimberleigh Buchanan www.pilgrimageucc.org

2800 Johnson Ferry Road, (770) 518-0303

Unity

Overcomers World Church

Unity North Atlanta Church

2300 Shallowford Road, (770) 924-0607 Pastors: Allison and Isaac Crawford overcomerswc.org

4255 Sandy Plains Road, (678) 819-9100 Temporary Minister: Stephanie Seigh www.unitynorth.org AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Don’t Throw Money Out the Window – Make Your Home Energy Efficient continued from page 21

compared to a standard storage model. • Add ceiling fans. During the winter, ceiling fans can save up to 10 percent in heating costs by circulating warm air from the ceiling to the floor where you can enjoy it. During summer, fans can make you feel cooler while reducing air conditioning costs. Most power companies offer free energy audits. At no cost to you, a company representative will inspect your home and provide recommendations on how you can save energy – and money. Many of the recommendations will be projects you can tackle yourself. If you don’t have the time to take on these projects, hire a local contractor who is licensed and insured. Your family will enjoy lower utility bills and a more comfortable home year-round.

Party Host Liability Tips continued from page 28

liability portion of their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy to provide them protection if they are sued and found liable for an accident involving a guest who drank at their home. • Employers need to make sure that their comprehensive general liability (CGL) policy provides them coverage for thirdparty liquor liability before hosting a holiday office party. • Charging employees for alcoholic beverages in the home or office may not always be the best solution for business parties. It is important for businesses to remember that once they charge a fee for alcohol, they have technically entered the alcohol sales business, even if only for one night. That carries requirements for a liquor license and an array of special liability protection needs. It by no means lets these employers “off the hook.” • Purchasing a personal “umbrella” liability policy—that can provide $1 million or more in additional coverage over the limit offered by a standard homeowner’s or renter’s policy—may be a prudent move for the frequent party host. This type of coverage can cost as little as $125 a year. Party Host Safety Tips: • Limit guest lists to those you know. • Provide filling food for guests and alternative non-alcoholic beverages. • Schedule activities or entertainment not involving alcohol. If the party centers around drinking, it is likely that guests will drink more. •

Arrange transportation or overnight accommodations for

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

those who should not drive home. • Stop serving alcohol well before the time the party is to end. •

Do not serve guests who are visibly intoxicated.

• Review your insurance policy with your Trusted Choice® independent insurance agent before the event to ensure proper liability coverage. • Consider hiring an off-duty police officer to discretely monitor guests’ sobriety or handle any alcohol-related problems as guests leave. • Stay alert yourself, always remembering your responsibilities as a host.

Take a Break and Improve Your Business continued from page 30

How did you attract them, and how can you get more? You can spend a great deal of time, money and energy trying to break into new markets, or you can cultivate more customers like the ones you have. Unless the market is shrinking or you have concerns about being too heavily dependent on one industry, try to replicate your best customers. What aren’t you good at? One of the characteristics that makes entrepreneurs so successful is their belief they can do anything better than anyone else. That approach can be the source of great exhaustion, however, if you try to be the best at everything. When helping clients identify ways to work more effectively, I often start by asking which of their responsibilities they dislike the most and which are the most challenging. You have enough to do. Hand off the “lousy” jobs to a staff member or service provider. For example, do you really want to learn tax regulations? I don’t, so I use a tax accountant. My nightmare job is technology management. All I need to do is look at my laptop to make it break. So I outsource my IT needs. You probably have an abundance of skills – focus on them, and hand off the others. What can you remove from your “to do” list? The best time management advice I ever received was to remove two items from my “to do” list every day. Asking what can be removed forces me to clarify what is important. A long list of responsibilities is wonderful if time is unlimited, but we have limited resources and must use our time wisely. Give yourself permission to not do something and pat yourself on the back for being an effective manager. The ability to differentiate between major business challenges and minor issues is a critical success factor for all business owners. For truly effective managers, this process is second nature. Of course, developing the skill takes practice. Take a break before the end of the year so you can hone your skills.

Bucket List Number Two continued from page 30

there waiting, “Let’s everyone watch for the beaver face.” Good thing my husband is good-natured. This particular tour included four suspension bridges. These bridges were about two feet across, with slats about twelve inches long. I would have been perfectly fine crossing the first bridge if the guide had not encouraged people to catch up to the person in front of him or her. It just happened that the same son who called out his dad’s beaver face was behind me on the bridge and felt it was necessary to catch and scare his mother. The bridge was swaying, and even though we are all attached by hooks to a line above us, it was unnerving, and I issued a stern, “Get away from me,” to the laughing boy behind me. At this point, I think my husband and I were both in agreement that this son would be finding his own ride home. Who would be laughing then? The longest zips occurred over the lake, and the adventurous could do this particular line backwards. I preferred to see where I was going, thank you. Of course, my husband went backwards because it reminded him of when he was little and had to ride in the back of the station wagon in the seat that faced the back of the car.

There are a variety of tours available at Lake Lanier, including a night tour! I want to do that next! If this is something on your bucket list, be sure to subscribe to several group coupon sites, as this type of adventure frequently is offered. And may you look as good in your helmets as we did!

Allergies, Asthma and Winter Holiday continued from page 35

occurs when a person loses tolerance to her own pet after being away for a few days. • Be aware that stress can lead to asthma attacks. Chemicals released by the body during stressful times can cause the muscles around your airways to tighten, making it difficult to breathe. To learn more about allergies and asthma, visit http://www. wellstar.org/allergy.

Visit our new and improved website

www.aroundaboutwalton.com

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Reference

WALTON AREA CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS Business Organizations APICS, The Association for Operations Management Meeting: 3rd Tuesday for 5:30 p.m. networking; 6:15 - 8 p.m. dinner & speaker Location: Villa Christina, 4000 Summit Blvd, Atlanta Contact: www.atlantaapics.org or programs@ apicsatlanta.org East Cobb Business Association Meeting: 3rd Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. Contact: Susan Hampton, (404) 218-6216 www.eastcobbba.com East Cobb Open Networking A referral network for professionals Meeting: Fridays at 7:30 a.m. Location: Capozzi’s NY Deli, 4285 Roswell Road Contact: Tim Langley, (770) 289-9711 East Cobb PowerCore Team Meeting: Thursdays at 7 a.m. Location: IHOP, 3130 Johnson Ferry Road Contact: Mitch Lovell, (770) 851-8549 Northeast Cobb Business Association Meeting: Third Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. Location: Piedmont Church, 570 Piedmont Road Contact: crba@cantonroadba.org or (678) 229-2893 www.northeastcobbba.org

Cobb County WWII Veterans Meeting: 2nd Tuesday at 1 p.m. Location: Windy Hill Senior Center East Cobb AARP Meeting: 1st Thursday at 1:30 p.m. Location: East Cobb Senior Center 3332 Sandy Plains Road East Cobb Civic Association Meeting: Last Wednesday at 7 p.m. Location: See website for location. Contact: Jill Flamm, President www.eastcobb.net East Cobb Civitans Meeting: 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 12 noon Location: Old Towne Athletic Club, Marietta Contact: Mary Karras, (770) 422-6485 East Cobb Community Friends for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Meeting: 3rd Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Contact: Suzanne Strickland, (770) 992-2882 East Cobb Lions Club Meeting: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Location: Eastside Baptist Church 2450 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta Contact: Susan Hampton, (404) 218-6216

Y Business Network Y membership not required. Meeting: Every other Friday, 7:30-8:45 a.m. Location: Northeast Cobb Y, 3010 Johnson Ferry Road Contact: Rosemary Macmillan, (678) 569-9622

East Cobb Optimist Clubs Meeting: Mondays at 7 p.m. Location: Shillings on the Square 19 N. Park Square NE, Marietta Contact: Jim David, (404) 683-0196

Charitable Organizations

Kiwanis Club of East Cobb Meetings: Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Location: Paradise South of the Border 3605 Sandy Plains Rd. Contact: Johnny Johnson, (770) 977-2026 www.eastcobbkiwanis.org

Aloha To Aging, Inc. Support Programs for Seniors and their families. Contact: Dawn Reed, (678) 439-1177 Animals Deserve Better, Inc. Animal rescue and adoptions Contact: Kimberly Brenowitz, (770) 402-0297 kimberlyadb@aol.com Boys and Girls Clubs Contact: (770) 427-0418 Foundation for Hospital Art Contact: Scott Feight (678) 324-1695 www.hospitalart.org Meals on Wheels Contact: Shelia Perkins, (770) 528-5381 MUST Ministries Contact: (770) 426-7667 SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center, Inc. Contact: Elizabeth Underwood (770) 801-3465

Civic Organizations American Legion Post 29 Meeting: 2nd and 4th Wednesday and Saturday at 11 a.m.. Location: 921 Gresham Ave. NE. Contact: (770) 427-5900 Cobb American Association of University Women Meeting: 2nd Tuesday at 7 p.m. Contact: www.aauwcobb.org

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Kiwanis Club of Marietta — Golden K Meetings: Thursdays at 10 a.m. Location: East Cobb Senior Center 3332 Sandy Plains Rd. Contact: Joe Van Horn, Sr., (770) 428-3419 gajosbarb@comcast.net League of Women Voters of Marietta-Cobb Meeting : 2nd Monday Location: Various Contact: mariettacobb@lwvga.org or Elizabeth at (770) 592-0625 President’s Club Toastmasters Meeting: 1st, 3rd, and 5th Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Location: East Cobb Government Services Building, 4400 Lower Roswell Road Contact: Sean Ryan, sean_ryan@comcast.net Rotary Club of East Cobb Meeting: Wednesdays at 7 — 8 a.m. Location: Indian Hills Country Club Contact: (770) 971-2605 www.eastcobbrotary.com VFW Post 2681 Location: 140 Powers Ferry Road Contact: (770) 977-2088 www.vfwwebcom.org/ga/post2681

Political Organizations Cobb County Democratic Party Committee Meeting: 2nd Saturday at 9 a.m. Location: Piccadilly Cafeteria, 536 Cobb Parkway Contact: (770) 420-7133 ccdc@cobbdemocrat.com Cobb Democratic Women Meeting: 2nd Thursday at 6 p.m. Contact: Beverly McMurry, (770) 426-6916 btmcmurray@comcaStreet.net Cobb Young Democrats Meeting: Wednesdays at 12 noon Contact: webmaster@ydcobb.org www.ydcobb.org Cobb County Libertarian Party Meeting: 1st Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Location: Council Chamber Marietta City Hall Contact: Ted Skirvin, (770) 795-1331 www.cobblp.org Cobb County Republican Party Meeting: 1st Saturday at 8:30 a.m. Location: Williamson Bros. BBQ, Marietta Contact: Billy Dendy, (770) 272-0458 dendyjoe@gmail.com, www.cobbgop.org Cobb County Republican Women Meeting: 4th Friday at 11:30 a.m. Location: Marietta Conference Center 500 Powder Springs Street Contact: (770) 785-2522, www.ccrwc.org East Cobb Democratic Alliance Meeting: 3rd Thursday at 7 p.m. Location: Delkwood Grill, 2769 Delk Rd. Contact: Tom Barksdale (770) 592-9424

Recreation and Hobbies American Needlepoint Guild Meeting: 2nd Tuesday at 6:45 p.m. Location: Mountainview Library, 3320 Sandy Plains Road Contact: Penny Boswinkle, (770) 394-0065 Bridge Club Meeting: Mon. – Fri. 10:30 a.m., Mon. – Sat. 7:30 p.m. Location: 1089 Roswell Road Contact: (770) 973-7717 Cobb Alley Cats People who help stray cats Contact: Sue Verner, (770) 436-6758 Cobb County Special Olympics Contact: (770) 819-3223 www.prca.cobbcoga.org Cobb County Stamp Club Meeting: 2nd Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Location: Jewish Towers, 3160 Howell Mill Rd Meeting: 4th Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Central Cobb Library, 266 Roswell St. Contact: C. Rejent, (770) 330-0790 crejent@stampsclubs.com www.stampclubs.com/cobb Dog Hikers of Georgia Meeting: Sundays at 10 a.m. Contact: Dan Batchelor, (770) 992-2362

Sope Creek Garden Club Meeting: 1st Wednesday at 10 a.m. Contact: Karin Guzy, (770) 955-1303

Support Groups Al-Anon Meeting: Location: Contact:

Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. Johnson Ferry Baptist Church 955 Johnson Ferry Road (770) 794-2978 www.johnsonferry.org/counseling

Alzheimer’s/Caregiver Support Group Meeting: 1st Monday at 10:30 a.m. Location: Aloha to Aging, Mt. Bethel Community Center, 4608 Lower Roswell Road Contact: (678) 439-1177 Alzheimer’s/Dementia Support Group Meeting: 2nd Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Location: Savannah Court, 866 Johnson Ferry Road Contact: Derin White, (770) 977-4420 Autism Support Group Meeting: 3rd Thursday at 9 a.m. or 7 p.m. Location: Mount Bethel United Methodist Church, 4385 Lower Roswell Road, Room F002 Contact: (770) 971-2880 Blended Families Support Group Meeting: 3rd Sunday at 7 p.m. Location: Mount Bethel United Methodist Church, 4385 Lower Roswell Road Contact: (770) 971-2880

Website: www.chadd.net/300 Families Anonymous (FA) Support group for families who have loved ones struggling with addiction. Meeting: Every Tuesday at 7:30 Location: Mt. Zion United Methodist Church Youth Center, 1770 Johnson Ferry Rd. Contact: jawadta@yahoo.com Family Caregiver Support Group Meeting: First Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Location: St. Ann’s Catholic Church, 4905 Roswell Rd Facilitator: Dawn Reed, (678) 777-7241 Foundation for Ensuring Access and Equity Contact: Mychal Wynn, (678) 395-5825 or (678) 620-3685 Website: www.accessandequity.org

Parkinson’s Disease Support Group Meeting: First Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Location: Aloha to Aging, Mt. Bethel Community Center, 4608 Lower Roswell Road Contact: (678) 439-1177

Job Seekers Meeting: 1st and 3rd Saturdays at 8 a.m. Location: Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 3125 Sewell Mill Road Contact: (770) 977-2976

Dad 2 Dad For stay-at-home dads Contact: Richard Collins, (770) 579-5445 Diabetes Support Group Contact: Wellstar, (770) 793-7828 East Cobb CHADD For parents with children who have ADHD. Contact: east-cobb@chadd.net

Parents Without Partners Contact: Ted Perskey, (770) 973-4087 www.Pwpchapter698.org

Grief and Loss Support Group All faiths are welcome. Meeting: 6 session format Location: Jewish Family & Career Services, 1501 Johnson Ferry Road Suite 100 Contact: Yael Stein, 770-677-9305, ystein@jfcs atlanta.org.

Cancer Support Group Meeting: 2nd and 4th Mondays at 7 p.m. Location: Johnson Ferry Baptist Church 955 Johnson Ferry Road Contact: (770) 794-2978 www.johnsonferry.org/counseling

Compassionate Friends Support group for bereaved parents, grandparents and siblings. Contact: Kathy, (404) 429-4953, tcfmarietta.kathy@hotmail.com Erica, (404) 539-4287 erica_beltz@yahoo.com Website: www.tcfmarietta.org

Parents of Prodigals Children with self-destructive lifestyle. Meeting: 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 6:45 p.m. Location: Johnson Ferry Baptist Church 955 Johnson Ferry Road Contact: (770) 794-2978 www.johnsonferry.org/counseling

Parkinson’s Disease Support Group Meeting: 2nd Sunday at 4 p.m. Location: Roswell UMC, 814 Mimosa Blvd., Bldg. A Contact: Robin Cleveland, (678) 819-3915 rcleveland@visitingangels.com

Grief Support Group Meeting: First Tuesday at 10 a.m. Location: Aloha To Aging, Inc. , Mt. Bethel Community Center, 4608 Lower Roswell Rd. Contact: (678) 439-1177.

Codependents Anonymous Meeting: Monday and Thursdays at 7:30pm Location: Unity North Church, 4225 Sandy Plains Road (Administration Bldg upstairs) Contact: Janet D. 770-578-6368 Website: northgeorgiacoda.org

Overeaters Anonymous Meeting: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10 a.m. Location: St. Ann’s Catholic Church, 4905 Roswell Rd Contact: Betsy, (404) 226-4931, www.oa.org

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Meeting: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 7:15 p.m. Location: Transfiguration Catholic Church Blackwell Road Contact: Jeannie DeCarlo, (770) 919-9275

Breast Cancer Support Group Meeting: 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 7 p.m. Location: St. Andrew United Methodist Church 3455 Canton Road Contact: Sandy, (770) 926-3488 sandy@thepumpkinchurch.org

Career Quest Ministry Meeting: Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. Location: St. Ann’s Catholic Church 4905 Roswell Road Contact: (770) 552-6400 x 6104

Location: North Metro Church on Barrett Pkwy. Contact: (678) 404-0034, www.NOWaMOM.org.

PASA (Parents of All Stages and Ages) Meeting: Fridays at 10 a.m.Free child care available Location: East Cobb UMC Lower Level Activities Building, 2325 Roswell Road Contact: Lisa Hunt (770) 984-0699 Road to Recovery Divorce Support Group Meeting: Wednesdays at 6:45 p.m. Location: Mount Bethel United Methodist Church 4385 Lower Roswell Road Mission House Contact: (770) 971-2880

Moms In Touch — East Side Elementary Meeting: Mondays at 10 a.m. Contact: Movita Stallworth, (770) 321-1783 Mo633@bellsouth.net

Sexual Assault Support Group Meeting: Mondays at 7 p.m. Location: YMCA of NW GA, 48 Henderson St, Contact: Susan Roberts, (770) 427-3390

Moms In Touch — Walton High School Meeting: Tuesdays at 1 p.m. Location: Johnson Ferry Baptist Church 955 Johnson Ferry Road, room 332 Contact: Cynthia Eller (770) 578-6301 eller2905@aol.com

Single Adult Ministry Location: Mount Bethel United Methodist Church, 4385 Lower Roswell Road Contact: (770) 971-3447, www.mtbethel.org

Mothers and More Meeting: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Location: Saint Catherine’s Episcopal Church, 681 Holt Road Contact: www.mmeastcobb.homestead.com Newcomers of Cobb County Meeting: 3rd Tuesday at 10 a.m. Location: John Knox Presbyterian Church, 505 Powers Ferry Rd. Contact: (770) 234-5068 newcomersofcobbcounty@yahoo.com Next Century Youth, Inc. Location: 791 Mimosa Boulevard, Roswell Contact: Mary Brooks Green, (678) 278-9278 Website: www.nextcenturyyouth.org Northwest Atlanta Moms of Multiples Club Meeting: 2nd Monday at 7 p.m.

Single’s Ministry Location: Johnson Ferry Baptist Church 955 Johnson Ferry Road Contact: (770) 973-6561, www.jfbc.org Treasures in Heaven (miscarriage/infant death) Meeting: 4th Monday at 7 p.m. Location: Johnson Ferry Baptist Church 955 Johnson Ferry Road Contact: (770) 794-2978 www.johnsonferry.org/counseling VOICE Today Survivors of child sexual abuse Meeting: 1st & 3rd Tuesday at 7 p.m. Location: Johnson Ferry Baptist Church Room 334 Contact: Tom Scales, (678) 578-4888 Website: www.voicetoday.org Widowed Helping Others Meeting: Twice each month Location: St. Ann’s Catholic Church, 4905 Roswell Rd Contact: Marguerite Williamson, (770) 977-8438 AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Reference

SCHOOL INFORMATION

Elementary Schools East Side Elementary School 3850 Roswell Road, Marietta, GA 30062 (770) 578-7200 Principal: Elizabeth Mavity Mount Bethel Elementary School 1210 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta, GA 30068 (770) 578-7248 Principal: Joan Johnson Murdock Elementary School 2320 Murdock Road, Marietta, GA 30062 (770) 509-5071 Principal: Cynthia Hanauer Sope Creek Elementary School 3320 Paper Mill Road SE, Marietta, GA 30067 (770) 916-7085 Principal: Martha Whalen Timber Ridge Elementary School 5000 Timber Ridge Road, Marietta, GA 30068 (770) 642-5621 Principal: Dr. Tracie Doe

Middle Schools Dickerson Middle School 855 Woodlawn Drive, Marietta, GA 30068 (770) 578-2710 Principal: Dr. Carole Brink Dodgen Middle School 1725 Bill Murdock Road, Marietta, GA 30062 (770) 578-2726 Principal: Robin Lattizori

High School Walton High School 1590 Bill Murdock Road, Marietta, GA 30062 (770) 578-3225 Principal: Judy McNeill

School Websites: School District Website Pinnacle Picasso Meal Pay 58

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Private Schools East Cobb Christian School At East Cobb Presbyterian Church 4616 Roswell Road, Marietta, GA 30062 (770) 565-0881, www.eccs.org Grades: K — 8 Principal: Teresa Staley Eastside Christian School 2450 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta, GA 30068 (770) 971-2332, www.eastsidechristianschool.com Grades: K – 8 Head of School: Judy Cripps Faith Lutheran School 2111 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta, GA 30068 (770) 973-8921, www.FaithLCMS.org Grades: Pre-K – 8 Principal: Jack Hibbs

2011 — 2012 School Calendar December 23

Student Holiday

December 26 - January 6

Winter Holiday

January 9

Student Holiday

January 10

School Resumes

January 16

Mt. Bethel Christian Academy 4385 Lower Roswell Road Marietta, GA 30068 (770) 971-0245, www.mtbethelchristian.org Grades: K – 8 Head of School: Jim Callis Lower School Principal: Vivian Lovett Middle School Principal: Jack Grimm

Omega Private Academy 2960 Shallowford Road, Marietta, GA 30066 (770) 529-1717,www.Omegaprivateacademy.com Grades K – 12, Certified Teachers, SACS Accredited/GSNS Approved Director: Kathy Keeton

May 24

MLK Day Holiday

February 20

Pres. Day Holiday

April 2-6

Spring Holiday Last Day of School

Shreiner Academy 1340 Terrell Mill Road, Marietta, GA 30067 (770) 953-1340, www.shreiner.com Grades: Toddler – 8 Director: Sarah Walker Woodacres School 1772 Johnson Ferry Road , Marietta, GA 30062 (770) 971-1880, www.woodacresschool.org Grades: Pre-K – 8 Head of School: Judy T. Thigpen

www.cobbk12.org https://pinnacle.cobbk12.org/Pinnacle www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice/picasso www12.mealpayplus.com

RECENT CONSUMER PRODUCT RECALLS AroundAbout Walton wants to help keep you and your family safe. The following items have been recalled by their manufacturers in cooperation with the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC).

KEDS Girls’ Shoes. Collective

Brands, Inc., of Topeka, KS, is voluntarily recalling approximately 45,000 KEDS® “Know It All” girls’ shoes. Ornamental stars on the heel of the shoe may loosen, posing a laceration hazard.

Children’s Animal Slippers.

Family Dollar Services Inc., of Matthews, NC, is voluntarily recalling approximately 160,000 Kidgets® animal sock top slippers. The animal’s eyes can detach from the slippers, posing a choking hazard to young children.

Build-A-BearTeddy Bear Swimwear Set. Build-

A-Bear Workshop®, of St. Louis, MO is voluntarily recalling approximately 19,720 (in the United States) and 1,100 (in Canada) sets of swimwear with inflatable inner tube. The inner tube accessory can be pulled over a small child’s head, posing a strangulation hazard.

Arctic Cat ATVs. Arctic Cat Inc., of Thief River Falls, MN, is voluntarily recalling approximately 1,384 Arctic Cat All-Terrain Vehicles. The ATV’s steering tie-rod can bend, causing loss of control which poses a crash hazard.

Combination Grills/ Griddles. W.P. Appliances Inc.,

of Hollywood, FL, is voluntarily recalling approximately 27,000 Wolfgang Puck Electric Reversible Tri-Grill/Griddles. A defect in the electrical wiring of the electric grills/griddles can pose a risk of overheating, melting and an electrical shock hazard to consumers.

Chin Straps for Football Helmets.

Under Armour, Inc., of Baltimore, MD, is voluntarily recalling approximately 541,000 UA Defender chin straps. The metal snap that connects the chin strap to the helmet has sharp edges, posing a laceration hazard when the user’s metal snap comes into contact with another player.

Glass Bowls. Libbey Glass Inc., of Toledo, Ohio, is voluntarily recalling approximately 16,600 (in the United States) and 2,000 (in Canada) Fantasy glass bowls. The glass bowl can break when subjected to sudden temperature changes or impact, posing a laceration hazard to consumers. Magnetic Sketchboards.

Battat Inc., of Plattsburgh, NY, is voluntarily recalling approximately 95,000 (in the United States) and 4,300 (in Canada) ToulouseLapTrec magnetic sketchboards. The magnetic tip of the drawing pen can dislodge from the pen, posing a choking hazard to children.

Plastic Trikes. Kiddieland

Toys Limited, of Scituate, MA, is voluntarily recalling approximately 12,000 Disney Fairies plastic racing trikes. The plastic fairy figures protrude from the top of the handle bar posing a laceration hazard if a child falls on them.

For more information on these and many other warnings issued by the Consumer Products Safety Commission, visit www.cpsc.gov or call 1-800-638-2772. AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Reference

COMMUNITY INFORMATION Emergency — 911 • AroundAbout Walton (770) 615-3318

Cobb County Chamber of Commerce Driver’s License Health Department Post Office Recycling Center

Cobb County Government:

Business License CCT Bus Service Commissioners Engineering Office Traffic Signals Extension Office Jury Phone — State Court Jury Phone — Superior Court Keep Cobb Beautiful Planning and Zoning Senior Services Tax Assessors/Evaluation Taxes: License Plates/Tags Property Tax Voter Registration

(770) 980-2000 (678) 413-8400 (678) 784-2180 (800) 275-8777 www.usps.com (770) 528-2500

(770) 528-8410 (770) 528-8465 (770) 528-1000 (770) 528-1616 (770) 528-1600 (770) 528-4070 (770) 528-2626 (770) 528-1804 (770) 528-1135 www.cobbcounty.org/kcb (770) 528-2004 (770) 528-5355 (770) 528-3100 (770) 528-8247 (770) 528-8600 (770) 528-2581

Children/Family:

Aloha to Aging, Inc. Family Caregiver Support

(678) 439-1177 ww.alohatoaging.org Child and Adolescent Services (770) 514-2300 Child Support Enforcement (770) 528-2410 Department of Family and Children’s Services (770) 528-5000 Meals on Wheels (770) 528-5381 Mothers Making a Change (770) 499-2422 Next Steps (Child/Adolescent) (770) 514-2300 MUST Ministries (770) 427-9862 YMCA of Northwest GA, Rape Crisis Center (770) 427-3390

Clubs/Groups:

AARP Kiwanis Club Lions Club Rotary Club

Public Service:

Fire Departments: 2905 Library Lane 4431 Trickum Road 3892 Oak Lane Georgia State Patrol Non-Emergency 911 Sheriff’s Department

Hospitals:

North Fulton Hospital Northside Hospital Atlanta WellStar Kennestone Hospital AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

(678) 290-9895 (770) 912-9632 (404) 218-6216 (770) 422-7551

Hotlines — 24 Hour Help Lines:

Cobb Judicial Victim Assistance Domestic Violence Unit Drug Tip Poison Control Center Public Outreach/Programs

(770) 528-3047 (770) 499-4665 (770) 590-5520 (404) 589-4400 (770) 499-4719

Libraries:

East Marietta Library Gritter’s Library East Cobb Library Mountain View Regional Library

(770) 509-2711 (770) 528-2524 (770) 509-2730 (770) 509-2725

Parks and Recreation:

Aquatic Centers: Mountain View Sewell Park East Cobb Park Fullers Park Harrison Park Harrison Tennis Center Main Office Mount Bethel Park Sweat Mountain Park YMCA

(770) 509-4927 (770) 509-2741 (770) 591-3160 (770) 509-2737 (770) 591-3150 (770) 591-3151 (770) 528-8800 (770) 509-2748 (770) 591-3160 (770) 977-5991

Pets:

Animal Control Animal Shelter and Pet Adoptions Cobb County Animal Control Cobb County Humane Society Emergency Veterinary Clinic Good Mews Animal Foundation

(770) 499-4136 (770) 499-4136 (770) 499-4136 (770) 428-5678 (770) 424-9157 (770) 499-CATS

Schools:

Board of Education

(770) 426-3300 www.cobbk12.org

Utilities: (770) 528-8000

(770) 205-5400 (770) 499-3900 (770) 499-4600 www.cobbsheriff.org

(770) 751-2500 (404) 851-8000 (770) 793-5000

AT&T Broadband/Comcast

AT&T Residential Phone Service Atlanta Gas Light Co. Cobb County Water System Cobb EMC Georgia Power Water Emergency

(404) 266-2278 www.comcast.com (888) 757-6500 www.att.com (770) 907-4231 www.aglc.com (770) 423-1000 water.cobbcountyga.gov (770) 429-2100 www.cobbemc.com (888) 660-5890 www.georgiapower.com (770) 419-6201

ADOPTION INFORMATION: Please call first to see if we have what you are looking for. We have many resources to help you find what you are looking for if we do not have it. 770-428-9882 We screen potential adopters to make sure our pets will be a good match for your family and vise versa. New adoptive dog owners will also need a home check before they can take their new dog home. DOGS: We only house small breed dogs. Our adoption fee is $200 for dogs. All of our dogs or puppies will be altered before they can be adopted. They will have as many vaccines as we can give them for the time they have spent here. If the dog is over six months old it will have been heart worm tested negative and be on preventative. All of our pets are micro chipped and will have flea preventative on them.

We need a home!

Pebbles

CATS: Our adoption fee for cats is $125.00. All of our cats and kittens (10 weeks and up) will be altered before they are adopted. If you would like a kitten younger than 10 weeks old, we can refer you to other resources. Our cats or kittens will have as many vaccines as we can give them for the time they have spent here. They are all tested negative for Feline Leukemia and FIV, and will have been micro chipped.

Timmy

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP

Please donate your household items: toys, furniture, knick knacks, kitchen items etc. to the Garage Sale Mart. Please tell them to donate the proceeds to the Humane Society of Cobb County. This will help us continue our life saving programs.

Serena

Marshmellow

Garage Sale Mart 461 S. Marietta Pkwy SE, Marietta, GA 30060 (678) 354-5100 Mon. - Sat. 10am - 7pm, Sun. 11am -5pm info@garagesalemart.com AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Reference

ELECTED & APPOINTED OFFICIALS United States Government: President Barack Obama (D) 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, D.C. 20500 Website: www.whitehouse.gov e-mail: president@whitehouse.gov

(202) 456-1414 fax: (202) 456-2461

Senator Saxby Chambliss (R) (202) 224-3521 Senate Russell Courtyard-2 fax: (202) 224-0103 Washington, D.C. 20510 Website: www.saxby.org e-mail: saxby_chambliss@chambliss.senate.gov Senator Johnny Isakson (R) 1 Overton Park, Suite 970 3625 Cumberland Blvd, Atlanta, GA 30339 Website: http://isakson.senate.gov

(202) 224-3643 GA: (770) 661-0999

Rep. Tom Price (R), District 6 3730 Roswell Road Marietta, GA 30062 Website: http://tom.house.gov e-mail: tom@tomprice.com

GA: (770) 565-4990 fax: (770) 565-7570

Rep. Phil Gingrey (R), District 11 219 Roswell Street Marietta, GA 30060 Website: www.gingrey.house.gov e-mail: gingrey.ga@mail.house.gov

(202) 225-2931 GA: (770) 429-1776 fax: (770) 795-9551

fax: (770) 661-0768

State Government: Governor Nathan Deal (R) 203 State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334

(404) 656-1776 fax: (404) 657-7332 www.gov.ga.gov.com

Senator Chip Rogers (R), District 21 chip@SenatorChipRogers.com

(404) 463-1378

Senator Judson Hill (R), District 32 judson.hill@senate.ga.gov

(770) 565-0024

Rep. Sharon Cooper (R), District 41 sharon.cooper@house.ga.gov

(770) 956-8357

Rep. Don L. Parsons (R), District 42 repdon@gmail.com

(770) 977-4426

Rep. Matt Dollar (R), District 45 matt.dollar@house.ga.gov

(404) 656-0254

County Government:

Juvenile Court Presiding Judge James Whitfield Director of Juvenile Court Services Michele Marchant-Wellmon

(770) 528-2290 fax: (770) 528-2214

Solicitor General, Barry E. Morgan

(770) 528-8500 fax: (770) 528-8578

District Attorney, Patrick H. Head cobbda@cobbcounty.org

(770) 528-3080 fax: (770) 528-3030

Cobb County Coroner Brian Frist 150 North Marietta Pkwy Marietta, GA 30060 Cobb County Board of Commissioners 100 Cherokee Street Marietta, GA 30090 www.cobbcountyga.gov

(770) 528-3300 fax: (770) 528-2606

(770) 528-3300

Helen Goreham, District 1 hgoreham@cobbcounty.org

(770) 528-3313

Bob Ott, District 2 bob.ott@cobbcounty.org

(770) 528-3316

JoAnn Birrell, District 3 joann.birrell@cobbcounty.org

(770)528-3317

Woody Thompson, District 4 woody.thompson@cobbcounty.org

(770) 528-3312

Cobb County Sheriffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office Sheriff Neil Warren 185 Roswell Street, Marietta, GA 30060 www.cobbsheriff.org

(770) 499-4600

Cobb County School System www.cobb.k12.ga.us Superintendent, Dr. Michael Hinojosa 514 Glover Street, Marietta, GA 30060 (770) 426-3453 michael.hinojosa@cobbk12.org fax: (678) 594-8559 Board of Education Kathleen Angelucci, Post 4 kangelucci.boardmember@cobbk12.org

Superior Court Judge Reuben Green

(770) 528-1800

Magistrate Court Chief Judge Frank R. Cox

(770) 528-8900

Probate Court Chief Judge Kelli Wolk

(770) 528-1900

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

(770) 528-2200

Commissioners: Tim Lee, Chairman tlee@cobbcounty.org

(770) 528-2220

David Banks, Post 5 dbanks.boardmember@cobbk12.org Scott Sweeny, Post 6 ssweeny.boardmember@cobbk12.org

City of Marietta:

Mayor Steve Tumlin stumlin@mariettaga.gov

(770) 794-5501

classifieds Children / Family Parenting. Trouble understanding your teenagers & teen life? For parents, teenagers & young adults. www.TeenMyth.com. Math Immersion Saturdays. Beginning December 10th. Explore Algebra, Geometry, mental math, word problems. Grades K-8. 678-770-2761.

Services Save 50% to 80% on Holiday, Birthday & Greeting Cards! Professional quality & can add gifts. 20k customizable cards available. Try it for free!! www.sendoutcards.com/amazement. LOSE WEIGHT, STOP SMOKING, RELIEVE PAIN. Helping you when other methods have failed. Georgia Hypnotherapy Associates, LLC, (678) 9387274. www.GAhypnotherapy.com. www.virtualgastricbandgeorgia.com.

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attorneys/legal services Brosnahan, Carpenter, Lyons & Smith, LLP (678) 805-4458 www.bclslegal.com

Rohan Law, P.C. (404) 923-7570 www.rohanlawpc.com

Sellars Goodyear (770) 973-5780, 648 Johnson Ferry Road (770) 992-7977, 2950 Johnson Ferry Road (770) 509-1422, 3621 Sandy Plains Road

Patrick Carmen NR.9 Salon (678) 427-8000

41.

Citadel CPA & Wealth Care Services Inside Front (770) 952-6707 225 Town Park Drive, Suite 440, Kennesaw LGE Credit Union (770) 424-0060 www.LGEccu.org

Quality Craftsmen (404) 483-7446 www.quality-craftsmen.com

Insurance

Banking/Financial Services

Cleaning Services Carpet Dry-Tech (678) 368-5991

Image Maids (770) 627-4670

Back Cover

Keeton Insurance Services (770) 971-8900

Pets Hot Dogs and Cool Cats (770) 858-1000

Humane Society of Cobb County (770) 428-5678 www.humanecobb.com 148 Fairground St. SE, Marietta

57.

Dentists/Orthodontists Cristi Y. Cheek DMD, P.C. (770) 993-3775, www.cheekdental.com

Shenk Dental Care (770) 992-6568, www.drshenk.com 4690 Woodstock Rd. Suite 100 Roswell

Health & Beauty Get In Shape for Women Cover, 32,33 (770) 605-8788 3822 Roswell Road, Ste. 114, Marietta www.getinshapeforwomen.com Nail Eagle (770) 565-5634

AroundAbout WALTON | December 2011

Marietta Plastic Surgery (770) 425-0118 823 Campbell Hill St., Marietta www.mariettaplasticsurgery.com Pearle Vision (770) 509-8480 1401 Johnson Ferry Road

WellStar Health Systems (770) 956-STAR www.wellstar.org

WellStar Medical Group (678) 403-4660 1523 Johnson Ferry Rd. Ste. 150, Marietta

Atlanta Communities Real Estate (770) 240-2000 3173 Roswell Rd., Suite 101, Marietta www.atlantacommunities.net

Lake Nantahala Sunset Pointe www.visitlakesend.com

Reflection at Lake Nantahala Inside Back Cover www.reflectionlakenantahala.com

Baristas Gourmet Coffee www.mybaristas.com

Good Measure Meals (404) 815-7695

Retail /Miscellaneous

Physicians and Medical Services

Marietta Facial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics Center (770) 425-7575 111 Marble Mill Road NW, Marietta

REstaurants/Food SErvices

Studio 7 Photography (770) 685-7391 www.studio7hub.com

Betsy Thurston Registered Dietitian (404) 295-1415

Resurgens OrthoNow (770) 423-2172 61 Whitcher St. Suite 1100, Marietta www.resurgens.com

Real estate & related services

American Family Insurance (770) 250-1890

Photographers

Computer/ Web Services

Home Improvement

automotive

Trustworkz (770) 615-3275 www.TrustWorkz.com

LaVida Massage (770) 973-6385 atlanta.ga.lavidamassage.com

Bookmiser - A Used Book Store East Cobb - (770) 509-5611

Edward-Johns Jewelers (770) 977-2026 www.edward-johns.com

Paper Mill Village 137 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta

Stella & Dot Boutique Style Jewelry (678) 548-0285

The Giraffes Tree House (770) 509-3366

Senior Services 1

Atherton Place (770) 421-7300 www.athertonplace.org

Plastic Surgery Center of the South (770) 421-1242 www.plasticsurgerycenterofthesouth.net

19 .

Parc at Piedmont â&#x20AC;&#x201D; East Cobb 999 Hood Road, Marietta, GA 30068 (770) 565-8828

Progressive Audiology Center, Inc. (770) 592-4744, (706) 253-7244

Savannah Court of Marietta (770) 977-4420