Celebrations

ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE FREE!

Email to: Edit@AroundaboutMagazines.com

July deadline is June 10. Please specify TowneLaker.

Olivia Kirkland

Age 15 on June 28 Happy 15th birthday, Olivia! Mom and Dad love you.

Alice Schroeder

Age 6 on June 1 She excelled in virtual kindergarten, and we are excited to see what excitement awaits her in first grade. Grateful parents Pete and Corinne, and brother Gram

Juniper Kirk

Happy fifth birthday, Juniper!

Happy birthday, Makenzie!

Age 8 on June 30 I love you so much, and I am so happy we have been friends our whole life. Love, Madison

Dustin Balde

Age 5 on June 30 Happy fifth birthday, Dustin! We are so proud of you and love you so much! Love, Mommy, Daddy, Dylan and Danny

Jessica F.

Happy 10th birthday! You complete our world. We love you bunches! Daddy, Mommy and Kathryn

Lauren Giesler

Happy 17th birthday! Love, Mommy, Daddy and Ansley

Corbin

Happy seventh birthday, Corbin! We are so proud of the young man you are becoming. We love you so much! Love, Momma and Matty

Ethan Lasenyik

Age 18 on June 24 Happy graduation and 18th birthday, Ethan! We are so very proud of you and cannot wait to see what the future holds for you. Love, Mom, Dad and Zachary

Zachary “Z” Lasenyik

Age 14 on June 2 Happy 14th birthday. We love you and hope you have a great day! Love, Mom, Dad and Ethan

Noah C. Bauer

Class of 2021, Etowah High “Work hard, win easy.” We love you, Mom and Dad

Juniper

Happy fourth birthday, Juniper! You’re one of a kind, and God has big plans for you. You’re the BEST sister in the world! Love, Mom, Dad, Grantman and Jocelyn Birdie

Strong!

Celebrating a Quarter Century Of Serving Cherokee County

With this month’s issue, we at Aroundabout Local Media (ALM) are celebrating the company’s 25th birthday! We know, we don’t look a day over 20! In fact, we think we are getting better looking each year, inside and out, with our vibrant pages filled with dazzling ads, and uplifting articles and features from cover to cover.

It’s a joyous occasion, as we celebrate being the longestrunning community magazine publisher in Cherokee County. It began in June, 1996, when the TowneLaker’s first issue coincided with Atlanta hosting the Summer Olympics. Over the years, we’ve grown to our current lineup of four magazines. Each month, close to 75,000 copies of Around Acworth, Around Canton, Around Woodstock and the TowneLaker magazines are distributed to 71,520 homes, with the rest placed in racks around town.

On the following pages, we have assembled a scrapbook, of sorts, that chronicles the history of ALM, with a timeline highlighting covers and a list of some milestones reported in those issues. Next, you’ll find a collection of then-and-now photos, and comments from longtime advertisers; some have been with us since 1996.

ALM’s owners, Jon and Karen Flaig, have been Woodstock residents for more than 25 years. Our newest staff member is a Cherokee County native, and the rest of us have lived here long enough to feel we can claim that status. Our 10-person team works tirelessly each month to unite and inform the members of our community through positive articles and affordable advertising to help local businesses prosper.

It’s always nice when hard work is recognized, especially by the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce. In 2016, ALM was given the Small Business of the Year award, followed by the Excellence in Customer Service award in 2019. We consistently hear from our faithful advertisers how their ads in our publications have supported the success of their businesses.

We won’t end our celebration this month; we plan to include a little something in every issue moving into our 26th year. If you have special memories to share, please email candi@ aroundaboutmagazines.com. We look forward to celebrating our 50th with you, and each year in between!

Celebrating

of

PUBLICATION

25

YEARS AGO July 1996

On the cover: Bill Tomlinson, who was chosen as the TowneLaker’s Father of the Year. • Home sales: 4,000 homes closed in Towne Lake in June, 1996, pushing developers closer to the estimated 8,000 homes to be built. • Bill Tomlinson was named Father of the Year, nominated by his 10-year-old daughter, Melissa. See then and now photos on Page 17. • In business briefs: State Farm agent Steve Cannon announced the grand opening of his business, in the parking lot next to Publix, where it still stands.

The Bank of Canton opened in Towne Lake. Rumors were circulating that Pike’s would open a 10-acre super store next to Kroger, and a Ford dealership would open in the area. • In school news, 900 seniors graduated on June 1, with the following breakdown:

Cherokee, 210; Etowah, 280;

Sequoyah, 330, and the Open

Campus Evening School, 72.

For comparison, in 2020, 2,954 seniors graduated: Cherokee, 561; Creekview, 479; Etowah, 550; River Ridge, 409; Sequoyah, 429, and Woodstock, 526. • Woodstock Middle and High schools were set to open in

August, 1996. • Kris McKeeth was given the Pathfinder award, and 17-yearold Jacob Thomas, an Etowah student, was Student of the

Month. • On the celebrations page, Emily Robertson, Alyson Pfrimmer and

Michel Punch were celebrating 5th birthdays.

20

YEARS AGO March 2001

On the cover: Boy Scout Corey Groom and Venture Scout Brian Hess. Back row, Girl Scout Alysa LaRicca, Tiger Cub Jordan Possway and Cub Scout Ryan Mead. • Best of the Best (now called Readers’ Choice) winners sound familiar. Dr. Thad Baird won best dentist in 2001, and Baird Family

Dentistry won in 2021. MIK

Cleaners also won in both years. • Sidewalks in Towne Lake were to be completed in summer, 2001; a traffic light at Eagle Watch and Towne Lake Parkway also was to be added. • Woodstock Square had a grand opening March 9-11 (the plaza on

Highway 92 with Target). • Publix at Buckhead Crossing opened. • A feature was done on the Paint n Plaster Fun Factory, which was owned by Lauren and Danielle

Nagle, 15- and 16-year-old sisters and students at Etowah. • Wild Birds Unlimited opened, and Manhattan Bagel closed.