Letter From the Editor

Ioften am very transparent … vulnerable … silly … you name it, in this space. As serious as I am about so many things, I do believe I’m making strides in not taking myself too seriously. When I became a pastor’s wife in 2010, I suddenly became aware of everything I was saying and doing, and worrying about what people might think of me, with my nose piercing and toe ring. (So far no tattoo — still working up the courage.) But then it dawned on me. I believe God put me in this role to make others feel better about themselves! I say things I shouldn’t … I don’t always express myself properly … I am afraid of public speaking and driving over bridges. I don’t have a good memory, so don’t expect me to amaze you with Scripture recitation. It helps me to remember this: God doesn’t call the equipped, he equips the called. Thankfully, there’s no time limit to that promise as we’re going on 13 years since Glenn entered the pulpit at Ebenezer Methodist Church to deliver his first sermon as a new pastor. I am a work in progress.

I’m sharing all of this to lead up to something I’m going to reveal about myself that will be embarrassing but hopefully will make you feel better about your choices. My Spotify playlist. I’m playing along with our feature honoring World Music Day.

In no particular order, you may find me tapping my toes to Al Green, Earth Wind and Fire, the Newsboys and DC Talk, Parliament and other funky bands like Lakeside, Average White Band, Kool & the Gang and Dazz Band. There, I’ve said enough. Interesting choices for a girl who can’t dance, huh? If you want a peek into the musical preferences of some of our county’s leaders, see Pages 42-43.

If the music puts you in a party mood, follow our suggestions for a fun girls’ night out! Jessica Forrester created some options for you; all you have to do is set a date. See Pages 22-24.

On a more serious note, we’re so thankful for our special contributor, Margaret Miller. She has blessed us with so many interesting stories, including her introduction to Juneteenth, which she writes about on Page 14.

My playlist gives you an idea of my favorite genre — one of the questions we posed to our friends. The first concert I attended was The Osmonds — wow, I’m really going all out on the embarrassment tour! I also loved The Jackson 5. And I can sorta kinda play the piano.

Pardon me while I go hide my head in the sand. Please don’t tell anyone what I told you here. Let’s keep this between you and me!

America’s Community Magazine

Volume 27, Issue 8

PUBLISHER

Aroundabout Local Media, Inc. www.aroundaboutlocalmedia.com

VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES

Jennifer Coleman | 470-263-8414 jen@aroundaboutmagazines.com

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Candi Hannigan | 770-615-3309 candi@aroundaboutmagazines.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Donna Harris | 770-852-8481 donna@aroundaboutmagazines.com

CONTENT EDITOR

Jessica Forrester | 770-615-3318 jessica@aroundaboutmagazines.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Michelle McCulloch | 770-615-3307 michelle@aroundaboutmagazines.com

CONTROLLER

Denise Griffin | 770-615-3315 denise@aroundaboutmagazines.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Laura Latchford laura@aroundaboutmagazines.com

Savannah Winn savannah@aroundaboutmagazines.com

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

Kathryn Holt kat@aroundaboutmagazines.com

MARKET & ADVERTISING

SPECIALIST | Michelle Smith michelle.smith@aroundaboutmagazines.com

COPY EDITORS

Bill King, Eliza Somers

Aroundabout Local Media, Inc. (ALM) publishes five hyperlocal magazines serving the communities of Canton, Woodstock, Towne Lake, Acworth and Kennesaw. Approximately 16,000 free copies are distributed monthly in each community, through direct bulk mail and first class mail; approximately 500 copies are available in magazine racks placed around each community.

TowneLaker welcomes your comments, stories, and advertisements. Editorial deadline is the first and advertising deadline is the fifth of the previous month. Subscriptions are available for $24 per year. Send check or money order to: TowneLaker, 1025 Rose Creek Drive, PMB 380, Suite 620, Woodstock, GA 30189. The viewpoints of the advertisers, writers and other submissions do not necessarily reflect those of the editor/publisher. And the publisher makes no claims to the validity of any opinions expressed by charitable, business or civic organizations mentioned, or statements made within the editorial content. The cover and inside related article, and other editorial-type submissions labeled SPONSORED CONTENT, are paid content. The publisher neither guarantees nor supports any product or service mentioned in this magazine, nor does it guarantee any assertions made by the manufacturers or providers of such products or services, or claims regarding the status of such businesses. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher.

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