POWERFUL EXPERTISE. MEANINGFUL RELIEF. At Cherokee Lung and Sleep Specialists, we focus our expertise on leading you to a more restful and refreshing daily life. It starts by working with you to pinpoint your breathing or sleep problems and developing a plan to address them. Our team of board-certified specialists is equipped with advanced diagnostic and treatment capabilities for a wide range of pulmonary and sleep disorders. Our experience and evidence-based approach has helped thousands of Georgians find meaningful relief. Together, we’ll help you breathe easier and sleep better. Visit cherokeelungandsleep.com to learn more.
Our Locations Our Locations Kennesaw – Opening 10/2020
Jason Krahnke, MD, Shirish Amrutia, MD Rohit Panchal, MD 611 Pine Mountain Road Suite 102 Kennesaw, GA 30152 678-354-9821
Woodstock
Some of the conditions our pulmonary and sleep specialists treat include: • Emphysema • Asthma • Pulmonary Fibrosis
• Sleep Apnea • Narcolepsy • Insomnia
900 Towne Lake Parkway Suite 206 Woodstock, GA 30189 770-852-7740
Canton 460 Northside Cherokee Blvd Suite 130 Canton, GA 30115 678-493-2527
Blairsville 308 Deep South Farm Road Suite 102 Blairsville, GA 30512 678-493-2527
East Ellijay 433 Highland Parkway Suite 203 East Ellijay, GA 30540 678-493-2527
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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Contents
July 2020
Contributors
Pearle Vision Center
28 36 32 79 22 30 35 70 75 16 17 26 26 42 40 38 74 18 50 60 70 56 46 28 33 53
On the Cover
Dr. Gregory Scott Wright consults with a patient in the vision center, adhering to distancing rules for a safer experience.
Pages 44 & 45
Cover photo by J. King Images
Don Akridge Gloria Avillar Danny Branom Christopher Brazelton Cherokee County Historical Society Cherokee Office of Economic Development Cherokee Women’s Health Specialists Daniel Dorsch Greg Fonzeno Candi Hannigan Glenn Hannigan Linda Hartsfield Susan Holder Harry Johnston Ann Litrel Rob Macmillan Christopher Purvis Preservation Woodstock Rocky Salet Susan Schulz Sonny Sellers Jaime Stone Elisabeth Stubbs Ursula & Associates Ashley Velez Pacita Wilson
In Every Issue
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A Look Back
You might not see this on the Discovery Channel, but gold mining was an important part of Cherokee County's history.
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Lake Warriors
These dedicated volunteers spend time hauling junk - including a full-size refrigerator - from the waters of Allatoona Lake.
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Explore Our County
The Cherokee Office of Economic Development’s new coloring book designed to raise awareness about local landmarks and businesses.
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4 Around Towne 8 Community News 12 Celebrations 34 Everyday Angels 38 Rob’s Rescues 51 Towne Lake Dining Guide 52 Greenprints Trail Map 58 Library Events 62 Community Calendar 68 School News 72 Churches 76 Allatoona Lake Map 78 Downtown Woodstock Dining Guide 80 Cherokee Photo Club 82 Clubs & Orgs 84 Recent Home Sales 86 Directory of Advertisers
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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Around Towne Letter From the Editor Celebrating our company’s 24th birthday has been a fun and nostalgia-filled time for me. I’ve been taking trips down memory lane, flipping through the pages of our earliest issues in 1996 and 1997. It felt more like looking through old family photo albums, because I recognized so many names and faces. Some were more familiar than others — either through church, school or the neighborhood — and led me to wonder what they are doing now: Julie Ramsey, David Pusey, Emily Robertson, Trey Clark, Katie Gilman, Liane Hunter, Johnny Crowers, to name just a few. I found a photo of Peggy Namie, who was my son’s preschool teacher, and her family before they moved to Alabama. I imagine she’s been a blessing to many families there. Others are friends, still in our lives. Ginny Anderson and Kevin Morgan were members of the youth group led by my husband Glenn. They wrote about a mission trip to Costa Rica. We’ve known them since they were in middle school, and are blessed to be in touch to this day. My involvement with the TowneLaker started earlier than I remembered. I found an article I wrote for the January 1997, issue about the change in pastors at Hillside United Methodist Church. The outgoing pastor, the Rev. Greg Porterfield, and his family are still very close to us. So much so, we’ve been trying to plan a vacation together this year. Some of our pages may have made their way into the Hugenberg family photo albums. For 24 years, Missy has sent photos of her daughters for our birthday celebrations feature. We asked her to share her memories; read her thoughts on Page 12. Although Towne Lake isn’t really a town, or a city proper, it provides that smalltown community that is so special when raising a family or enjoying retirement years. That was the vision of the developers who, back in the mid-1980s, ventured into these Thousand Acre Woods to carve out a place for us to live, work and play. Read about how Towne Lake came to be on Page 16. We’ve included history lessons for you on Cherokee County and Woodstock, as well. I hope that each of you creates as many amazing memories in the Towne Lake area as I have. And, keep letting us know about the milestones in your lives. We love doing life with you!
What's Open The Corner Street Taco Bar, has opened at 514 Arnold Mill Road, serving authentic Mexican food, including house-made salsas. On Facebook at @tcstbwdstk. 770-485-7650. www.cornerstreettaco.com. The to-go style Korean restaurant
Seoul Food, at 105 Parkside Lane,
Suite 1208, was opened by the owners of KPOP BBQ and Bar. The menu offers multiple styles of Korean barbecue meats and sides. 678-402-5245. On Facebook.
Flux Ice Cream has opened a location in downtown Woodstock at 201 Wheeler St. Open 4-8 p.m. Fridays, noon-8 p.m. Saturdays and noon-6 p.m. Sundays. The homemade ice cream uses fresh, in-season products, with no artificial ingredients. On Facebook. The Daily Draft Tap Room & Bar, at 8594 Main St. in downtown
Woodstock, has opened with a craft beer bar featuring more than 30 taps, a walk-up window for to-go drinks and snacks, pool tables, darts and wall-to-wall flatscreen TVs. https://thedailydraft.net.
What's Changed Destination Pet of Woodstock
is the new name of The Pet Hotel, at 2897 Eagle Drive. The services remain the same: doggie day care, boarding, grooming and full-service animal hospital. 678-712-3642. https://veterinarianwoodstockga.com.
What's Closed Candi Hannigan is the executive editor of TowneLaker. She has lived in Cherokee County since 1987. Send your comments or questions to Candi@AroundaboutMagazines.com.
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Petit Artist in Woodstock has closed. According to a post by owner Sherine Searcy on the business’ Facebook page, “It is with heavy heart that I am saying goodbye and I had to close Petit Artist.”
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Publisher Aroundabout Local Media, Inc. www.aroundaboutlocalmedia.com
Around Acworth | Around Canton Around Woodstock | TowneLaker
Our Mission
“Helping local businesses grow and prosper by offering affordable advertising opportunities in a quality publication that provides positive, relevant information to our readers.”
Testimonial: “We have developed a wonderful working relationship with Aroundabout Local Media. We appreciate their attention to detail and creative approach to the advertising and marketing needs of our office to the local Woodstock Community...." — Dr. Bruce Fink
ALM President Patty Ponder 770-615-3322 Patty@AroundaboutMagazines.com Executive Editor Candi Hannigan 770-615-3309 Candi@AroundaboutMagazines.com Managing Editor/Social Media Strategist Jackie Loudin 770-615-3318 Jackie@AroundaboutMagazines.com Art Director Michelle McCulloch 770-615-3307 Michelle@AroundaboutMagazines.com Page Designer Laura Latchford Laura@AroundaboutMagazines.com Controller Denise Griffin 770-615-3315 Denise@AroundaboutMagazines.com Market & Advertising Specialist Michelle Smith Michelle.Smith@AroundaboutMagazines.com Copy Editors Bill King, Eliza Somers Community Board Kurt Johnson, Ann Litrel, Scott Coleman, Bettie Sleeth, Lynne Saunders
Advertise With Us
@Townelaker
TowneLaker, a publication of Aroundabout Local Media, Inc., is a monthly community magazine. The magazine’s goal is to help local businesses grow and prosper by offering affordable advertising opportunities in a quality publication that provides positive, relevant information to our readers. It distributes a total of 16,400 free copies. Approximately 15,500 are direct mailed to homes and businesses and an additional 900 are placed in racks around the community. TowneLaker welcomes your comments, stories, and advertisements. Editorial deadline is the 1st and advertising deadline is the 5th of the previous month. Subscriptions are available for $24 per year. Send check or money order to the address below. The viewpoints of the advertisers, columnists and submissions are not necessarily those of the Editor/ Publisher and the Publisher makes no claims as to the validity of any charitable organizations mentioned. TowneLaker 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 2020.
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TowneLaker 1025 Rose Creek Drive, PMB 380, Suite 620 Woodstock, GA 30189
Patty Ponder, ALM President 770-615-3322 Patty@AroundaboutMagazines.com
Get Social With Us! TowneLakerMagazine
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TOWNELAKER | July 2020
Volume 25, Issue 2
America’s Community Magazine
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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Local News County Leaders Want to Hear From You The county’s new communications division, led by Director Erika Neldner and Assistant Director Andrea Barker, has created a community survey to learn more about how constituents want to receive news and events information from the county. The survey, which ends July 31, is on the homepage of the county government’s website, www.cherokeega.com. “This is a wonderful opportunity to learn how Cherokee County residents, business owners and stakeholders would like to receive information from our office and other agencies and departments in the county,” Neldner said. “We hope you take a few minutes to complete this short survey, so we can better serve you.” The communications division was launched in early May to assist the Board of Commissioners, county manager’s office and other county government offices in communicating news and events to the public. Neldner can be reached at ebneldner@ cherokeega.com or 678-493-6015, and Barker can be reached at ambarker@cherokeega.com or 770-721-7834.
Erika Neldner
Andrea Barker
Cherokee’s Top 10 in 10 Honorees Named The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce has announced the 2020 group of the Top 10 in 10 Young Professionals to Watch. "The Top 10 in 10 initiative is designed to cultivate and showcase exceptional Cherokee County young professionals," said Pam Carnes, chamber president and CEO. The recognition program focuses on Cherokee County residents under age 40 who are considered to be up and coming leaders over the next 10 years. The honorees who will be under the age of 40 on Oct. 1 have been nominated for the Georgia Trend magazine 40 Under 40 recognition. The rising stars include: Kelly Dobson, Northside Hospital Cherokee; Victoria Hill, Miss Georgia Scholarship Organization; Blake Honea, Northside Hospital Cherokee; Paige Reid, Next Step Ministries; Eric Rein, Renasant Bank; Nick Richert, Universal Alloy Corporation; Amanda Rostin, Lead Edge Design Group; Jose Luis Sanchez, JW Collection; Rebekah Smith, Office of the Cherokee County Solicitor General, and Luke Williams, Professional Benefits Consultants.
Rotarian Honored for Work With Students
Alexander Cua and his son Andrew. 8
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
Towne Lake Rotarian Alexander Cua has been recognized by Georgia FIRST Robotics for his work with the Interact Club of Etowah High School and Firestorm Robotics. He was announced as the winner of the 2020 Woodie Flowers Finalist Award in May. Cua was instrumental in the success of the club’s district grant project, Mobility Power Wheels, that benefited children with disabilities in our community. He led the way for the integration of Interact Clubs and robotics teams to join forces for the betterment of local communities. The Woodie Flowers Award recognizes an individual who has done an outstanding job of motivation through communication, while also challenging the students to be clear and succinct in their communications. Charlie Meyer, vice president of the Interact Club of Etowah High School for the 2019-20 school year, nominated Cua for the award. In his nomination, he calls Cua “a natural coach and teacher,” always moving toward achieving a goal.
CLUBHOUSE AND MODEL NOW OPEN! WESTBROOK
Our Newest Active Adult 55+ Community in Acworth. Exclusive Community of Only 39 Homesites Ranch Homes From the High $200s Westbrook | Acworth | 770-516-3678 | Model Now Open
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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Local News Free Guide to Open Businesses The Cherokee Office of Economic Development (COED), with the support of Cherokee’s cities, has launched a free online tool promoting Cherokee businesses and health care facilities that are open for business on https://covid-19.zoomprospector.com/ CHEROKEE. Powered by GIS Planning Zoom Business, the interactive platform enables businesses to create fully customizable business listings with current service offerings, hours of operation, curbside, dine-in or pickup options, and special promotions. “Now, more than ever, it is important for us to support our local businesses,” said COED Chairman Marshall Day. This new map-based tool further promotes the Cherokee By Choice brand and makes it easier than ever to find stores, restaurants and services that are open for business in Cherokee.” As part of the platform, residents can search for local businesses by categories, including restaurants, retail, pharmacy, grocery stores, hardware stores and banks – among many others. Businesses that have operations or are located within Cherokee County can list their business on the site at no cost by following three easy steps: • Click “add a business” on the top right of the webpage. • Complete the online form and then click “save” at the bottom of the page. • When completing the information, businesses should include an email address under “business contact email” for future modifications and logins. The online platform also includes a COVID-19 data center with Cherokee-specific data. For more information, visit the COVID-19 Resources page on the COED website.
Worshippers can sit in the arbor or bring camp chairs and sit outside.
Cherokee’s Camp Meeting Tradition Continues Holbrook Camp Meeting will open its 182nd year of old-fashioned, outdoor worship services at 8 p.m. July 10, ending after the 11 a.m. service July 19. Services will be held daily at 11 a.m. and 8 p.m., with a 3 p.m. prayer service. Guest ministers are Chris Bagley of Goshen Baptist Church in Waleska, and the Rev. Kyle Smith of the Highlands United Methodist Church in Gainesville, a 35-year veteran. Song leader is Newt Hendrix, and the Rev. David Laycock of Macedonia United Methodist is host pastor. The campground, founded in 1839, is situated on 40 heavily shaded acres in north Cherokee, east of Canton and 1 mile south of Ga. 20. Services are held in an open-air arbor on a wooded lot where visiting pastors deliver nightly sermons. The arbor is surrounded by a circle of 75 cabins, known as “tents,” ranging from small buildings with sawdust floors and no bathrooms to air-conditioned cottages with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms. More details can be found at www.holbrookcampground.org or on Facebook.
Give a Kid a Chance Will Offer Backpack Pickup The July 18 back-to-school Give a Kid a Chance Cherokee outreach will look different this year. For safety of the recipients and volunteers, a drive-through backpack pickup will take place. Families interested in receiving a backpack filled with supplies need to register at www.giveakidachance.org. Details will be sent after registration. Only backpacks and school supplies will be given out that day. Donations, including school supplies and new backpacks, will be accepted through July 16. For details, email Nitasha Ginn at gakac.nginn@gmail.com. 10
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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From the Editors
Celebrations!
We’ve been helping families celebrate life for the past 24 years, and we look forward to many more years of celebrating with you. This is what one mom shared with us:
ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE FREE!
E-mail to: Edit@AroundaboutMagazines.com August deadline is July 10. Please specify TowneLaker.
“
Amy Collins
Age 11 on July 23 Happy 11th birthday, Amy! We love you so much! Love Daddy, Mommy, Emily and Tommy.
Nick Condon
Happy 21st birthday! Love, Mom and Dad.
Leigha Woodard of Woodstock and John Stephenson of Macon, both University of Georgia graduates, were married May 17.
Joseph Campagna
Happy 11th birthday, Joseph! You are precious and a delightful bookend to our family. We love you, Nugget! Dad and Mom.
Laurel O’Brien
July 3 Happy Sweet 16, Laurel! Love you more, always! #teamOB
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Alice Schroeder
June 1 Happy 5th birthday to Alice, named "most stylish and smiling" at pre-k graduation. We are blessed, Pete, Corinne and little bro Gram.
I can't begin to explain how thankful I am for the TowneLaker. I have so appreciated receiving a publication that provides relevant information about our community and local events, and I look forward to its arrival each month. One thing I feel sets the TowneLaker apart from other publications is the fact that they take the time to celebrate special events in the lives of local citizens. Throughout my children's entire lives, the TowneLaker has helped us celebrate birthdays, back to school, prom and special achievements. This dedication to the people of Towne Lake fosters a sense of community that helps make our Towne so special, and reminds us all that we belong and are supported by each other. I'm so thankful that the TowneLaker has helped our family celebrate these milestone moments for the past 20 years. Kudos for a job well done, TowneLaker staff, and best wishes for many more years of serving the Towne Lake community. - Missy Hugenburg
”
Missy’s daughter, Elizabeth, at age 2 from the December 2001 issue. And Elizabeth in 2018, when she graduated high school. Turn to Page 68 to see a photo of Elizabeth's sister Rachel, Etowah High School's valedictorian.
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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Summer Learning
CONTINUES!
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Last month, we ran some valuable summer learning resources from Barbara P. Jacoby, chief communications officer for the Cherokee County School District (see Pages 72-73 of the June issue). This month, we want to add our own touch by focusing on the history of local communities. For example, did you know that the land now occupied by Towne Lake was once called the Thousand Acre Woods? Long before this area became the sprawling master-planned community, local residents rode dirt bikes, and used the trails to make their way through the woods to reach the shores of Allatoona Lake. Don’t worry, there won’t be any exams, and you won’t be required to write a research paper, but we do invite you to share your newfound knowledge with friends and families. And, make sure to enjoy the coloring pages we’ve included. Thanks to Stefanie Joyner, executive director of the Cherokee County Historical Society for her help in pulling together this feature. The photos used on this page appear in “Cherokee County, Georgia: A History” compiled by Rebecca Johnston. Copies of the book are available through the historical society. For more information, including updates on the history museum’s re-opening and hours, visit cherokeecountyhistorymuseum.com.
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History of
TOWNE LAKE
Up until the mid-1980s, Cherokee County was a quiet, rural community of rolling hills and a few scattered subdivisions of 50 to 100 homes. Most of its 50,000 residents lived around Canton, the county seat and historic mill town. Southern Cherokee featured a few subdivisions, mostly surrounding Woodstock, and a scant few restaurants and shops. For the most part, the area was dominated by a rolling expanse of heavily wooded acres, close to a large lake, with good road access. If someone was looking to build a large master-planned community featuring golf courses, swimming pools and tennis courts, they would have a hard time finding a better location, only 30 miles from a major city. So, Larry Johnson, of the Texas-based Johnson Co., made his move. Johnson’s vision was to create a community of homes, schools, restaurants and shops that would resemble a small city. The original plans for Towne Lake envisioned 12,000 homes spread across 3,700 acres. Eventually, the plan was modified to approximately 8,000 homes. Arvida was one of the first development companies to sign up. Their 1,300-home swim-tennis neighborhood helped set the tone, leading the way for other homes, apartments, offices and retail centers. Semi-retired developer George McClure, 70, owned Manchester Properties, another of the developers. He also is a pilot, and remembers taking
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others for a bird’s-eye view of the rocky terrain, which had no roads, county water or sewers. One flyover with John Wieland left the well-known builder commenting about feeling like he was “in the middle of the boondocks.” The property wasn’t completely in the hinterlands. While a new interstate, I-575, brought northbound travelers by the master-planned community, there was no direct access to the development. The first phase of I-575, which stopped at Highway 92, opened in October, 1980. The second phase, taking travelers to Riverstone Parkway at Exit 20, opened in March, 1985. Former Canton Mayor Gene Hobgood, who was sole county commissioner at the time, said the Georgia Department of Transportation funded construction of a two-lane bridge over Noonday Creek (on the present Towne Lake Parkway), but the road from I-575 to the schools, called West Mill Road, was just a trail, only passable with four-wheel drive. McClure remembers when a trip to the grocery store or bait shop meant driving to Big Star, in the shopping center on the northwest corner of the Bells Ferry Road and Highway 92 intersection. Not everyone was excited for the growth that Towne Lake would bring. Hobgood recalls quite a bit of opposition; about 300 people attended the meeting when he approved the final plan. The crowd filled the first floor and balcony of the old courthouse. “When the plans were presented to me, I felt very strongly that it made sense to have a large, well-planned community, as opposed to what had been developing in the southern part of Cherokee County,” he said. “Those developments had no connectivity to one another, with many entrances directly off SR 92 and other roads. It just made sense to plan a community where residents could truly live, work and play. Towne Lake was truly the first mixed-use development of its kind in Cherokee County.”
PHOTOS BY MICHELLE MCCULLOCH
BY CANDI HANNIGAN
No Joke: Ch BY GLENN HANNIGAN
Many of my colleagues at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution considered me a bit of a trailblazer when I purchased a home in Cherokee County in 1981. It was the source of constant ribbing. “A multiplecar wreck has closed I-75, just south of Chattanooga,” might be a typical news alert, “near where Hannigan lives.” Truthfully, it wasn’t a terribly long commute from the AJC building at 72 Marietta St. in downtown Atlanta. But, Cobb County and Gwinnett County were considered the fringes of metro Atlanta then. In 1981, Cherokee had only 50,000 residents. Today’s count is close to 260,000. I didn’t move here because I craved isolation. I chose Cherokee because the lots were large and the homes were affordable, even for a 23-year-old sports journalist. About a month after moving into my new home, just off Eagle Drive on the southern edge of the county, the Sunday AJC real estate section had a cover story that featured my new neighborhood. The large headline proclaimed: The Exurbs.
herokee Isn’t the Exurbs Any More I paused for a moment. The exurbs? What are the exurbs? Where the heck have I moved? Ten years later, when my wife, Candi, and I announced we were building a new home in Cherokee, to accommodate our growing family, the new joke became, “You gettin’ a double-wide?” But, my journalism colleagues had failed to keep up with the news. In hindsight, it seems inevitable that Cherokee would become a destination of choice for many families relocating to metro Atlanta. But, it certainly didn’t seem that way in the early ’80s, when I-575 abruptly ended at Ga. 92 and there wasn’t a single fast-food restaurant in the entire south end of the county. Still, for all the positive changes here — and it would be nearly impossible to list all the advantages we now enjoy — there are a few things I miss. It was 30.6 miles from my driveway to the parking lot at the Omni decks (now CNN Center), across the road from the AJC. It was not uncommon for me to make that doorto-door commute in 32 minutes. Sure, I might have been going a bit over 65 mph every now and then, but there was
not a single traffic light between me and downtown. Now, on a bad day, it could take you 32 minutes just to reach I-75. In the early ’80s, I often would drive the entire length of I-575 and not see another car in either direction. “Why in the world did someone build a four-lane highway here?” I wondered. Now, a more reasonable question would be: Why isn’t this road six or eight lanes? When I moved here, I treated it as folklore when people told me there were plans to build a big mall on Exit 1 (Barrett Parkway). “Why would anyone want to put a mall out here?” I wondered. The other crazy rumor I heard was that, when I-575 was extended, they were going to add an exit on Eagle Drive (now Towne Lake Parkway). I didn’t believe that, either. Of course, I was skeptical when I heard about plans for development of Thousand Acres, the vast expanse surrounding our neighborhood (which was actually closer to 4,000 acres). They said homes in this new Towne Lake community might sell for $130,000. In Cherokee County? Who
would pay that kind of money for a small lot way up here? Then came the rumor that Arvida, a successful developer I knew from South Florida, was going to build a golf course community with 1,300 homes as part of Towne Lake. I didn’t believe it. By the time we moved into Eagle Watch in January, 1992, in a home built by Tony Perry, there weren’t many homes available for $130,000. Twenty-eight years later, Tony is building another home for us, an investment property in downtown Woodstock, where I am not sure you could find many lots as low as $130,000. Cherokee isn’t the exurbs anymore. The county enjoys a wide variety of dining and entertainment options, has excellent schools, and more amenitiesrich neighborhoods are being added all the time. The jokes ended a long time ago. In fact, a couple of the colleagues who poked fun at my chosen place of residence ended up moving to Cherokee themselves — but a few exits farther north. Welcome, pilgrims. Life is good here. TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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History of
WOODSTOCK
Pioneers began to settle in Woodstock in the early 1830s, shortly before the time that the Native Americans were being removed from the area. Postal records show Woodstock had a postmaster beginning in 1833, and other documents confirm the organization of churches in the area at the time. The first settlements were near waterways, Little River, Rose Creek, Rube’s Creek, and Noonday Creek, where pioneers farmed the land and were largely self-supporting. While there were nearby skirmishes, the area escaped major destruction during the Civil War because there was no rail line to serve as a target. After the railroad and its depot became a reality in 1879, the little village came to life. The railroad was a lifeline, bringing industry and entrepreneurs, and allowing farmers to ship their cotton to mills far and wide. There would not have been a City of Woodstock had there been no rail line. Cityhood was inevitable, and on Dec. 8, 1897, Georgia’s legislature granted a charter and Woodstock became an official city. The census of 1900 showed the population to be 276. Boundaries were set at ¾ mile north and south of the depot, and ½ mile east and west of the railroad tracks, making the depot the exact center of town, literally and figuratively. A new depot was built in 1912, a combination station offering freight and passenger service. It was in operation until the 1950s. The town prospered and grew. All manner of businesses, from cotton brokers to bankers, blacksmiths, and barbers, lined the west side of Main Street, while cotton warehouses occupied space on the east side. North of town, on Little River, Woodstock’s first industry used cotton to produce rope, and the remains of the Rope Mill can be seen today. All over town, beautiful homes began to take shape, complemented by a school and churches and in-town farms. Throughout the decades since, the town’s residents have enjoyed the many positive aspects of small town life, while continuing to progress with the times. 18
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PROVIDED BY PRESERVATION WOODSTOCK
Main Street in downtown Woodstock in 1949.
From the paving of Main Street in 1925 to the arrival of Interstate 575 in 1982, and from the notoriety of native son Lew Carpenter as the Southern League’s Atlanta Crackers’ 1940 Star Pitcher to the national spotlight as President George H. W. Bush kicking off his 1992 re-election campaign from a makeshift stage on Main Street’s sidewalk, Woodstock has made a name for itself. Two native sons, Dean Rusk and Eugene Booth, were Rhodes Scholars. One would become the nation’s Secretary of State, and the other would be a renowned physicist and a member of the Manhattan Project team who developed the atomic bomb. The town has been blessed with dedicated physicians throughout its history. Perhaps the one doctor who stands above others is William Hiram Dean. Having moved to the area around 1850, he soon began a medical practice while also serving as a Baptist minister. His only son, Will Dean, also became a doctor and was on Woodstock’s first city council. He opened Dean’s Drug Company on Main Street in 1906, but died soon afterward. The store serves today as the Woodstock Visitors Center, preserving relics of days gone by. During the following years there were several other doctors in the area, but the name most often mentioned is that of Dr. T. J. VanSant, who practiced until retiring in 1962. Dr. Evan
Boddy then opened a medical center, and in 1969 the Cherokee Atomedic Hospital was added to the complex, which would later include an apothecary and a nursing home. The circular hospital structure had been on display at the 1964 World’s Fair as the “Hospital of the Future,” featuring computers and microwaves, novel items at the time. The grand opening was held July 20, 1969, the day Americans first landed on the moon. Although some visible Woodstock landmarks remain, many survive only in memory. Towne Lake Parkway was once Church Street, a narrow lane leading to “parking lots” for the churches where early worshippers tethered their horses and parked their buggies. While many original homes have succumbed to the wrecking ball, others now house businesses. A few treasured homes still serve as residences, some for descendants of the original owners. The oldest house in Woodstock is the Dean House, the former Cherokee Ledger-News office beside The Park at City Center on East Main Street. The city celebrated its centennial in 1997 with parades and activities, including a Centennial Quilt, the development of the City Park, installation of plaques on historic structures, and the publication of a history book. That group is still involved with historic preservation and operates as Preservation Woodstock, Inc.
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Coloring Pages of
OUR HISTORY
The Woodstock Community Mural was completed in 2018. Artist AnnaLysa Kimball shares some of the stories behind a few of the panels from the mural, which includes past and present life moments in our city. There are many historical details within the masterpiece.
The Woodstock Railroad opened in 1879.
Miss Magnolia Thomas was a greatly respected teacher in 1917. First Baptist, one of the first churches built in Woodstock in the 1830s, is in the picture frame.
This is the hand of Lew Carpenter with the famous knuckleball that he pitched in the Southern League in 1945. Connect the dots and color for the bigger picture.
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Draw yourself on the wall eating your favorite ice cream with these kiddos!
Eye Spy in the Mural Take this list with you to visit the mural, and see how many you can find.
1. How many dogs do you see? 2. Red train
(tip: It is not where you expect it to be).
3. A melted lollipop. 4. An American flag. 5. Garden seeds. 6. Woodstock School students from the 1930s.
7. Bob the Turkey
(possibly the hardest to find).
This big dog you see on the mural wall is Jackson. To get him to pose, AnnaLysa had to plop peanut butter on the wall for him to lick off.
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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History of
CHEROKEE COUNTY PROVIDED BY THE CHEROKEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Native Americans have inhabited the place we call Cherokee County for thousands of years; numerous archaeological investigations reveal Cherokee County was occupied 11,000 years ago by the PaleoIndians and then by the Cherokee Nation. During the 1700s, the Cherokee towns were self-sufficient and self-governing, and each person was a member of one of the Seven Clans of Cherokee. Continuing their efforts to adapt to white culture and keep their lands, the Cherokee established a government with the capital at nearby New Echota.
Despite the national unease over who controlled the Cherokee territory, the white settlers began moving to the area in the mid1700s and, by 1831, the new Cherokee County was created, which originally encompassed all territory west of the Chattahoochee River and north of Carroll County. Soon after the formation of the county, this area was dotted with gold mines and encampments of miners. Most miners did â&#x20AC;&#x153;placer mining,â&#x20AC;? which included surface mining or panning for gold in the many rivers and tributaries. Larger
This map dated 1909 shows that Cherokee County was in the gold belt.
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operations concentrated on mining vein deposits. The best-known mines were the Franklin, Pascoe, and Sixes mines, which yielded gold and other minerals for decades. As the gold supply dwindled, many people from Cherokee County left for the west after gold was discovered in California in 1848. During that time, Georgia and the federal government continually pressured the Cherokee Indians to give up their lands, until finally creating legislation that took their land and forced them out. In 1837, local removal forts were built at Fort Buffington and Sixes. In 1838, soldiers forcibly evicted the Cherokee and sent them to the forts. In Cherokee County, 950 were sent from Sixes and 450 from Fort Buffington. They joined more than 15,000 on the Trail of Tears and estimates say that approximately 4,000 did not survive the journey west. During the mid-1800s, the Etowah Valley became the industrial hub of north Georgia. In addition to gold, other minerals mined in Cherokee County included iron ore, copper, titanium, quartz, mica, granite and marble. During this time, Cherokee County had as many as 10 grist mills, 14 sawmills, seven flour mills, and 12 distilleries and a population of about 12,000. The years leading up to the Civil War were prosperous for Cherokee County. Agriculture was the main industry in the area and small farms dotted the landscape. As in the rest of the South, whites purchased blacks and forced them into labor. The slaves in Cherokee County
A train in front of Roberts Marble Company in Ball Ground is loaded and ready for departure.
made up 9% of the population and of the 150 residents who owned slaves, most owned fewer than four. Although soldiers fought no major battles in Cherokee County, they did frequently forage in the area for supplies, and there were many skirmishes between the armies. The order to burn Canton was issued in October 1864 and at least half of the town was burned, including the courthouse and the bridge over the Etowah River. The order may have been issued because Georgia Gov. Joseph E. Brown had lived in Canton.
For Cherokee Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enslaved blacks, the end of the Civil War in 1865 brought freedom and citizenship. Many former slaves worked as sharecroppers, some on the same farms they worked before the war. New black communities were settled, including Hickory Log near Canton. Some of the land in this area was given to the freed slaves by their former owners, the Keith family. Life was hard, though, for almost everyone in Cherokee County â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the gold rush was over, boomtown Atlanta was attracting
talented people and investment dollars from Cherokee County, and the wounds of the Civil War were still fresh. When the railroad rolled into Cherokee County, it opened new markets to farmers and industrialists. In May 1879, the railroad linked Woodstock to Canton and two years later it extended to Ball Ground, where the first train arrived in May 1882. Farmers began to send their cotton to larger markets and mills flourished. Trains also made it possible for marble finishing plants in Ball Ground, Nelson and Canton
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During the late 1950s, Cherokee County was known as the Poultry Capital of the World.
Construction of the county's marble courthouse.
to flourish using marble quarried from Pickens County. Cherokee County continued to prosper, and in the 1920s experienced a surge of growth. During this decade, the population grew to more than 20,000 and new construction flourished throughout the county. The new buildings in Canton included the marble courthouse, a post office, Canton High School, and Baptist and Methodist churches. After the Great Depression, which Cherokee County withstood 24
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better on average than the rest of the country, the economy slowly began to improve. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, men from Cherokee County enlisted in the service and in May 1942, women could join the Women’s Army Corps. While the soldiers were away, the families at home dealt with the stringent rationing of goods; others planted victory gardens to supplement their food supply. Numerous women also went to work to support the war effort and their families.
The poultry industry that began during the Great Depression grew dramatically during World War II. This continued through the 1950s and 1960s, bringing prosperity to Cherokee County. During the late 1950s, Cherokee County was known as the “Poultry Capital of the World” and billboards proclaiming this fact greeted everyone as they entered Cherokee County. The surge of the poultry industry created much needed job opportunities in hatcheries, feed stores, rendering plants, processing plants and equipment manufacturers. After the turbulent 1960s during the Civil Rights Movement, Cherokee County was given another opportunity for growth with the federal government’s construction of Interstate 575. In 1979, the first stage of I-575 was completed to Highway 92 in Woodstock and opened to traffic the following year. The next section to Highway 20 was opened in 1985 and the last section to Pickens County was completed later. The interstate let Cherokee County residents work in Atlanta, and made Cherokee County part of the Atlanta metropolis. More and more people moved to Cherokee County, by the early 2000s at a rate of one new resident every hour. Home to 100,000 people in the year 2000, Cherokee County currently has more than 250,000 residents.
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Bryan Topper loads his canoe with trash collected from the Little River.
On the Lake Small Group of Warriors Makes a Big Dent in Cleanup BY LINDA HARTSFIELD AND SUSAN HOLDER
The Allatoona Lake Warriors, part of the Lake Allatoona Association (LAA), have been doing extraordinary work the past two years, collecting trash year-round and particularly in winter and spring when water levels are the lowest.
However, special efforts are being made this year despite higher water levels and more lake activity. Despite the recent shelter-in-place mandates, our Lake Warriors, led by Dave Matthews, have been busy doing small group shoreline and lake clean-ups. Their recent focus has been on the Little River and Noonday Creek areas, and the results have been extraordinary. From Nov. 5, 2019, through May 28, 2020, the Allatoona Lake Warriors have concentrated on the Cherokee County arm of Lake Allatoona. They have spent almost 500 hours collecting and removing trash from the Lake Allatoona shoreline. They have removed 526 bags of trash and 20 tires. However, there are other odd pieces that also were collected, including a pay telephone, a water ski, a full-size refrigerator, several lounge chairs, 55-gallon drums, just to name a few. A majority of the trash and debris is entering into the Lake Allatoona watershed from the Cherokee County arm of the lake. A work boat is almost at capacity with garbage bags.
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Trash Bag Tally • Little River, 271 bags • Rose Creek, 93 bags • Boy Scout Aquatic Center, 60 bags • Noonday Creek, 28 bags • The Waterfalls on Little River, 19 bags • BridgeMill subdivision, 18 bags • Scott’s Mill, 18 bags • Gold Mine Branch, 7 bags • Rope Mill Trail, 6 bags • Blankets Creek, 6 bags. “[The Lake Warriors have] collected 16.8 tons of trash over the last 2.5 years,” Matthews said. “For the most part everyone cleans up after themselves but there are a few infamous coves where the trash comes back every year. We would love to say it’s only drunk, partying people that are leaving the trash, but we will find everything from juice boxes to bongs and some things we can’t mention. We’ve found perfect canoes, it feels like 1,000 plastic chairs, thousands of bottles and lots of them are current but you’ll find some from the 70s and 80s.” It’s amazing what a small group of dedicated folks can do! "LAA believes that the lake trash removal efforts have now reached a turning point, and can soon move to more of an ongoing maintenance mode,” LAA President Mike Bearden said. “LAA believes that moving forward, the annual Great Lake Allatoona Cleanup trash collection push, complemented by more limited and targeted Warrior team efforts, will result on a continuous basis, in perhaps the most trash-free, large lake body of water in the U.S." Most importantly, we believe that partnering with area communities including Cherokee County, Canton and Woodstock will be needed to work toward maintaining and managing a cleaner lake. We are looking for opportunities to discuss ideas about a maintenance program including trash diversion strategies to keep the trash from entering the lake. Bryan and Megan Topper and Craig Myers have been doing a majority of the collection in the Little River and Noonday Creek areas of the lake.
Linda Hartsfield, an LAA board member, has been retired three years from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after more than 41 years of service. Susan Holder, a volunteer on the GLAC promotion and publicity committee, has lived in the Wilderness Camp area for 11 years.
Warriors remove a full-size refrigerator from the lake.
The Sources Lake trash and contamination comes from individuals and businesses that are irresponsible with their trash; the sources vary.
1. 2.
Lake users who don’t take their trash with them, or dispose of it properly. We often see people leave trash within sight of a trash can. Communities that dump household trash and yard waste into storm drains, and around the lake and its watershed. We regularly see trash from electronics and appliance packaging, along with debris from remodeling projects in and around the lake and nearby communities. Grass clippings and other yard waste, along with household trash, can be seen flowing into the lake after a rain. Tennis balls also can be seen floating in the lake.
3.
Roadside trash. When it rains - especially during a heavy rainfall - much of the trash thrown, dumped, left on the roadside, parking lots, behind convenience stores and shopping centers, along with the oils and debris on paved surfaces, is washed into the lake. Trash can be seen flowing into Lake Allatoona from its many tributaries after a rain. Much of it flows in from the Etowah River, Little River and Noonday Creek. For example, Noonday Creek originates near Kennesaw Mountain and flows north to join Little River. The creek collects runoff and the trash, debris and contamination contained in it from all the retail and commercial establishments, residential communities, roads and highways from Kennesaw Mountain to Towne Lake. It is important to let everyone who lives, works and plays not just at Lake Allatoona but within the lake’s watershed to know that what they do affects the lake’s health and quality. -- Craig Myers TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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Relief for Federal Student Loan Payments DON AKRIDGE, MBA, CFP®, CPA/PFS U.S. MARINE CORPS VETERAN – EMORY UNIVERSITY ALUMNUS
Are you or someone you know currently making federal student loan payments? In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, some welcome relief may be on the way. Thanks to the recent passage of the CARES Act, the U.S. Department of Education will allow you to halt your federal student loan payments temporarily, from March 13 until Sept. 30.1
What should you do next?
At this time, no action is necessary. As part of this relief initiative, all federal student loans will be placed in an administrative forbearance, and automatic payments will be paused from March 13 to Sept. 30.
What about the interest?
Good news! During this same time period, interest rates are being set to 0 percent on the following types of federal student loans:2 • Defaulted and nondefaulted direct loans • Defaulted and nondefaulted FFEL program loans • Federal Perkins loans
Securities offered through registered representatives of Cambridge Investment Research Inc., a broker-dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc., a registered investment adviser. Cambridge is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, the opinions or services of Peter Montoya Inc. or MarketingPro Inc. This material was prepared by MarketingPro Inc., and does not necessarily represent the views of the presenting party, nor their affiliates. This information has been derived from sources believed to be accurate. Please note: Investing involves risk, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. If assistance is needed, the reader is advised to engage the services of a competent professional. This information should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice and may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalty. This is neither a solicitation nor recommendation to purchase or sell any investment or insurance product or service, and should not be relied upon as such. All indices are unmanaged and are not illustrative of any particular investment. Citations. 1 - Ed.gov, 2020 2 - Studentaid.gov, 2020
What if I want to keep making payments?
It’s important to keep in mind that payments are still being accepted during this time period, but they won’t be automatic or required. Depending on your situation and goals, continuing to pay down your federal student loans may make sense, even during this challenging time.
Don Akridge is president of Citadel Professional Services, LLC, an independent firm, founded in 1994 and conveniently located off Chastain Road between I-575 & I-75 in Kennesaw. 770-952-6707.
5 Tips to Help Pets Feel at Home PROVIDED BY URSULA AND ASSOCIATES
There are many considerations that home buyers must think about when searching for a new home. The list is even longer for pet owners. Here are five things to look for in seeking pet-friendly accommodations.
1.
Research what laws or restrictions the area has regarding pets. Some communities are restrictive
about the type of pets you can have, whether or not they need to be restrained if outside, and so on. You will need to know this information since the deed to the property is subject to those covenants.
2.
Is there a yard, and is the yard fenced in? This is
a special concern for homeowners with dogs, cats, or other animals that they don’t want to escape out into the world. Having a fenced-off yard would grant those pets a space to be able to safely run and play outside.
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Is the neighborhood and surrounding area safe for pets? Is it near a major highway or busy
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intersection? Establish whether or not your area is conducive to the safety of your pets, with particular regards to vehicular traffic.
4.
Are your floors OK for pets? If your pets are not
inside trained, having carpet could become an issue. If you have soft wood floors and a Great Dane as a pet, scratches will be an issue as well.
5.
Does the layout of the house work for your pet?
Older pets may have trouble in homes with lots of stairs. Additionally, some pets require more space in general to thrive. Like any member of your family, your pets have needs as well, so be sure that your new home suits them well, for your sake and theirs.
Ursula and Associates (Jason Wilson and Ursula Butler) is a real estate team, associated with Keller Williams Realty Partners, that has specialized in Woodstock and surrounding areas for more than 23 years.
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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Buy Local for Your Summer Staycation BY CHEROKEE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
More than any other time, the summer months bring renewed expectation for relaxing dips in the pool, freshly squeezed lemonade, and family road trips. But, times have changed. While we’re still enjoying many of these things, we’re now doing them 6 feet apart. If the quarantine has caused you to feel a bit blue, brighten up your mood by downloading the recently launched Cherokee By Choice (CBC) Coloring Book. Located within the Living in Cherokee tab on cherokeega.org. This free 28-page coloring book takes adults and kids on a journey to some of Cherokee’s most iconic destinations, including the Cherokee Aquatic Center, the Ball Ground Burger Bus, Greenprints Trail System, Gibbs 30
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Gardens, The Circuit (Cherokee’s first coworking space), and the Atlanta Yacht Club, among many others. The CBC coloring book was created as part of the Cherokee By Choice initiative, a public-private partnership and branding campaign focused on fostering economic growth, raising awareness of Cherokee’s exceptional lifestyle, and building community pride. If you are looking for a fun, family-friendly staycation, the CBC coloring book is the perfect day trip guide for a little sightseeing. As an added bonus, enjoy some much-needed relaxation as you color through some of the county’s most beloved attractions. Whether you are looking to destress, boost creativity, or explore, an adventure awaits right here at home. So, grab your colored
pencils, markers, and crayons — it’s time to discover Cherokee By Choice. Once you have created your masterpiece, load up the family, snap a selfie at your favorite Cherokee attraction (while practicing safe social distancing), and share your artwork on social media, using the #cherokeebychoice hashtag. While touring our county’s most beloved locations, join us in rallying behind our community — especially Cherokee’s small businesses. But, before you head out to your favorite local store or restaurant, let us save you time, energy and a tank of gas. On cherokeega.org, we removed the guesswork out of finding the latest information on local health care facilities, shops, restaurants and services through our new online business tool. In partnership with Cherokee’s cities, this interactive platform makes it easy for residents to search for current business offerings, all in a single location, including special promotions, and curbside, delivery or pickup options — just to name a few. Cherokee businesses can take advantage of this resource by creating a free online profile at https://covid-19. zoomprospector.com/CHEROKEE. Buying local is one of the greatest gifts you can give to our community. Every dollar spent is an investment in Cherokee’s future, and will help our businesses recover from the devastating impacts of COVID-19. Wondering what else you can do to support local business? Write a positive review, visit COED’s career page to spread the word about who’s hiring, tell a local business they are appreciated, tip big, and pay it forward. When we all do our part to shop/buy locally, even the smallest gesture can make the biggest difference. Together, we are Cherokee By Choice.
The Cherokee Office of Economic Development is the leading organization for business and film recruitment and industry retention & expansion. www.cherokeega.org.
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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Thinking of a Road Trip? BY DANNY BRANOM
If you are going on a road trip soon, here are a few tips to help you have good memories, not memories spent on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck.
Always have your vehicle checked before leaving.
Not being up to date on routine maintenance before taking a trip can be costly and inconvenient. Many of today’s shops will perform a safety inspection as a courtesy while doing your scheduled oil change. Have your vehicle inspected by a trustworthy and trained professional.
Know your vehicle.
Knowing how to change a flat tire can be priceless. As crazy as it sounds, some vehicles today do not have a spare tire or jack! Read your owner’s manual to become familiar on how to perform this. If time allows, I strongly suggest you practice by changing a tire at home a week or two before the trip.
Keep alert while traveling.
I know this sounds easy but with all the distractions today, especially cell phones, it only takes a split second to have a disaster. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates more than 3,000 deaths and 400,000 injuries occur each year from distracted drivers. Be sure to maintain a safe following distance, especially while on the interstate. Having more than one driver share the driving times will help reduce fatigue. This also allows you to make stops to stretch your legs.
Woodstock-Towne Lake
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(770) 345-4155
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Check the weather.
Fast changing weather conditions can create hazardous road conditions. Help keep everyone safe and be aware of the weather you will be traveling through.
Travel with an emergency roadside kit.
I believe most of us remember our parents having one of these emergency kits in the trunk of our family car. With today’s family vehicle of choice usually being an SUV or minivan, which doesn’t have a trunk, what do you do? My first choice would be a plastic tub with a resealable lid. It does not have to be large, but you should make it a priority to have room for it. Your kit should include a set of jumper cables, first-aid kit, pair of old gloves (these come in handy when changing a flat tire), spare phone charger, flares, a gallon of bottled water, and flashlight with new batteries. Last, but not least, (and hard to find these days) is a road map of the area you will be traveling. For additional tips on safe summer driving, visit one.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/tips/ summer. Danny Branom is owner/ operator of Christian Brothers Automotive in Towne Lake. 770-926-4500. www.cbac.com/townelake.
Michael D. Williams, DMD, MS Sunya Sweeney, DMD
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Working From Home, Post Shutdown? BY ASHLEY VELEZ
In March, the COVID-19 pandemic led many companies to allow employees to work from home. The result? Many organizations learned firsthand the same data that multiple studies have found about employees’ productivity and engagement from home. People who are permitted to work remotely often are more productive, more engaged, and more satisfied with their work than their co-workers in the office. One fourth of the U.S. workforce worked remotely, at least some of the time, before the pandemic, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of course, not everyone can do their job from a home office, but, with the many online tools and technologies readily available to employers, the resistance to working from home from some company leaders, especially during a pandemic, shows how deep the bias runs that remote work somehow is less productive than working every day in an office. Parents, and other caregivers, especially suffer when it comes to little or no flexibility regarding work-from-home arrangements with their employers. Women are more likely to have care responsibilities, so this belief that the best work is done in the office hurts us the most. That said, millennials have taken the lead on job progression issues, like working from home, maintaining work-life balance, and finding meaning in their work while working from home. Having flexibility in hours has been an attractive perk to gain top talent for many companies. During the first few turbulent weeks of quarantine, millennials especially found themselves in a balancing act of caring for their families in addition to working from home full-time, managing their children’s schoolwork and doing their own work from their dining room tables. Falling into this category myself, I spoke to many parents who were thrilled to be presented with options to work from home and spend more time with their children, but feared their organization’s leadership would pull them back in, once the threat of the novel coronavirus lifts. As of 2020, millennials make up at least half of the global workforce, and, with the evolving changes to office culture and the ways we work, attracting and retaining top talent will be determined by what drives that talent. If your organization has made the switch to allow telecommuting during the pandemic, providing your team with the tech and productivity tools to continue working from home after it’s over is a positive step in the right direction of growth and innovation for the workplace.
Ashley Velez handles social media for YPOW and is a digital marketing expert. She is a proud resident of Woodstock, where she lives with her husband Oscar and their two sons. TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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EVERYDAY Identifying people in need in our community. Israel’s spinal taps, blood and platelet transfusions When schools closed on and chemotherapy began. He will remain at CHOA at March 13, Tiffany and Richard least until July 2.” Everett, educators and parents The treatment for this type of cancer is a marathon of Shya, 17, Zamar, 12, Israel, with aggressive treatments. “We are on an eight-year 8, followed the rules necessary to journey, not all the years will require medical attention, keep their family and students safe. but the first 3 1/2 will,” Tiffany said. “It is difficult to They taught their students, and their own children, know what lies ahead for our son and our family. All from home. Throughout the shelter-in-place that we feared last month has mandate, they diligently and been overshadowed by the battle fearfully stayed home. ahead of us. We aren’t sure if we On May 31, the Everetts finally can afford all that insurance does allowed their two sons to visit not cover, but we do know that a friend’s house. “They were so Israel cannot miss a treatment.” excited to leave the house and While most of us pray, and see their close friends,” Tiffany long for a sense of normalcy and said. “But, that afternoon we routine to return to our lives, received a call from their friend’s the Everetts now pray for their mom saying that Israel wasn’t son’s life. They must remain fluid feeling well and wanted to return and reactive to how their son’s home. Israel complained that his body accepts and responds to the neck hurt and there was a small different treatments thrown at lump present. We decided to take him. They have to care for their him to a local clinic to check for other children as they tag-team strep or a recurrence of an ear traveling from Woodstock to infection. We left with a diagnosis CHOA. They must maintain their of mono. Around 6 that evening, jobs and keep their family’s health Israel began to run a low-grade insurance. fever, so we scheduled a video “The love and compassion that call with his pediatrician, who everyone has shown is beyond said if certain symptoms arise what we expected. We are so very then we would need to take him grateful,” Tiffany said. Close friends to the emergency room, which is the last place we wanted to go Israel was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. set up a GoFundMe account for the Everett family, and they are during a pandemic. Around 10 that appreciative of the generosity and love shown to them evening, we were on our way to Kennestone’s ER. One – especially during these uncertain economic times. parent was allowed to be with him. After performing Everyday Angels hopes that we can continue to rally a series of bloodwork, the on-call physician carefully around this sweet family, and provide much needed told me that they would be transporting our son prayer and support for them as they face this fight. to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) and to prepare ourselves for a diagnosis of leukemia. Within an hour after arriving at CHOA, the oncologist informed us that our son had mixed phenotype acute Everyday Angels is a 501(c)3 nonprofit serving Cherokee County leukemia (MPAL), a rare type representing 2% to since 2000. To make a tax deductible donation, visit www.everydayangels.info to donate via Paypal or send your 3% of leukemia cases. Leukemia is a type of cancer donations to: Everyday Angels, PMB 380, 1025 Rose Creek Drive, that attacks blood forming cells in the bone marrow. Suite 620, Woodstock GA, 30189. One hundred percent of your The fast-moving nature of mixed phenotype acute funds will go to the family you specify. If you know of a special leukemia means it is especially crucial for those newly need in your community, e-mail aaeverydayangels@gmail.com diagnosed to be treated quickly. Not returning home,
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Normal Stress or Something Else? BY CHEROKEE WOMEN’S HEALTH SPECIALISTS, PC
With the state of the world lately, many people are feeling stressed, anxious, or even depressed. This is not unusual as people are dealing with issues brought by the pandemic. Some may feel they need psychological help or medicines to cope. But, if you are a woman in your 40s or early 50s, it could be something totally different that has you feeling this way: perimenopause or menopause. Menopause is the time that marks the end of your menstrual cycle. It is diagnosed after you have gone 12 months with no menstruation. Perimenopause is the first stage in the process and can start 8-10 years before menopause. Most menopausal changes are caused by the decline of three hormones: estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Some of the common symptoms are irregular periods, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, sleep problems, and weight gain. There are other symptoms though that are not always recognized as menopause, therefore causing many women to think something is seriously wrong with them. These lesser known symptoms may include forgetfulness, confusion, loss of focus, difficulty concentrating, headaches or migraines, extreme fatigue, depression, and others. Some of these symptoms may seem minor and not a big concern, while others can cause serious effects. Here’s one woman’s story: “Sometimes an overwhelming sense of exhaustion
overtook me. I could barely stay awake. No matter how hard I tried, I would doze off, almost without warning. One day I was driving when that unusual fatigue hit. I felt my eyes closing against my will. I pulled into the first parking lot I saw and turned off the engine. I thought I would just rest my eyes for a minute and then I would be OK. I woke up two hours later to the sound of my phone ringing. I realized how perilous a situation I had put myself in. I was alone and sound asleep for hours in a strange, empty parking lot. Anything could have happened to me.” Another patient said, “I felt as though I was losing my mind. I was having angry outbursts at my loved ones and experienced severe depression.” Both women were tested and discovered they were in menopause. The good news is there are treatments. Sometimes, changes in diet and exercise can help, Otherwise, hormone replacement therapy may be advised. Women should meet with a doctor who specializes in menopausal management. With the right help, women can enter this next phase in their lives and enjoy it, too.
Cherokee Women's Health Specialists PC has seven physicians with offices in Canton and Woodstock. 770-720-7733. www.cherokeewomenshealth.com.
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Sharing the Pin Mother-daughter pair didn’t lose a step in coming up with an alternative to the annual 3-Day Susan Komen event. BY GLORIA AVILLAR
From left: Kelly Dean, Gloria Avillar, Jen DeMichele, Kelly Gamboa, Amy Arnold, Shelley Walters, Gwen Worley and Tracie Giles in Boston last year.
Worley, Walters, DeMichele, Arnold, Avillar and Dean in San Diego in 2016.
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In 2009, I joined a group of friends to participate in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure, the annual event where hundreds of men and women walk 60 miles in three days to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. Since, I’ve been a part of Team Treasure Chest, and we have collectively logged more than 4,000 official 3-Day miles and raised more than $165,000 in the fight against this dreaded disease. Raising money and awareness are the most crucial elements of being involved with the 3-Day events, and that is why we do it. As a member of the special community dedicated to this cause, I know that the money we’ve raised has helped save lives. And being together as a team, along with hundreds of other Pink Warriors, for the actual 60-mile weekend event is always just icing on the cake. Each year as the weather starts to warm up, I begin my walk training. Starting slowly and building up the mileage, I hit the streets of my neighborhood to prepare my body and mind for the 60-mile challenge. And this year was no different. Happy to have my daughter, Maddie, join me, we decided to expand the training area and explore the many beautiful walking trails and paths
nk Love, Locally throughout Cherokee County. It was on one of these walks that we realized that we could actually create our own 60-mile route right here in our backyard. Well, in mid-May we received the inevitable email letting us know that, understandably, this year’s Susan G. Komen 3-Day events had been canceled. We would not be spreading the pink love in Chicago later this year. Without missing a step (pun intended), Maddie and I knew what we had to do: bring the Pink Bubble to Cherokee for Team Treasure Chest’s own 60-mile/3-Day adventure. Just like a true 3-Day event, our route will take us through amazing parks, trails and neighborhoods. There will be quiet streets and busy roads, and plenty of opportunities to buy food and fill water bottles. We know it won’t have all the bells, whistles and amenities of an official event (like sweep vans and port-a-potties), but it will give us the opportunity to celebrate the fact that Team Treasure Chest raised more than $20,000 this year. We would be happy to share our route and welcome those of you interested in making a statement to take the challenge and give it a try. Walk for one day or all three, it’s up to you. This is a walk with friends – a walk with a purpose. And if seeing a group decked out in pink, walking down the street, gets one woman to make that mammogram appointment or do a self-exam, it will be worth it. So, on Friday, Oct. 2, we will begin the journey with pride, knowing that we will continue this battle Because We Can and Because We Must.
Oct. 2-4, 2020
From left, Worley, DeMichele, Arnold, Avillar, Dean and Debi Lee in Twin Cities in 2015. TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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Rob’s Rescues
I interviewed Dr. David Steen when he was the research ecologist at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island. Steen is a wildlife scientist and science communicator. He is currently the reptile and amphibian research leader of the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute and the founder and executive director of the Alongside Wildlife Foundation (www.alongsidewildlifefoundation.org), and serves on the board of directors of the Wildlands Network. This is Part 1 of my interview with him. Part 2 will run in next month’s issue.
What does it mean to be a research ecologist at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center at Jekyll Island? The big picture is to generate new knowledge that helps our understanding of loggerhead turtles and other turtles. We research the status and biology of the loggerhead population and monitor how it is doing. Research projects take up pretty much all of my time. I also manage the personnel and AmeriCorps members that help at the center and contribute to the body of knowledge of sea turtles. Research, education and rehabilitation is all interwoven, and, here at the Center, we focus on giving people the full experience of our work.
What is your favorite animal?
Rob with kittens from Purr Nation Cat Alliance.
These kittens are available from Purr Nation Cat Alliance (www.purrnation.org). You can see my interview with them on www.robsrescues.com. They came from a hoarding situation. There are six kittens that had really bad fleas and were not taken care of. Their names came from the “Hunger Games” — Primrose, Buttercup, Katniss, Rue, Cinna and Gale. They are in a great foster home now that is socializing them very well.
The loggerhead sea turtle. They are survivors and warriors that live for decades against the odds. It’s cool to see them return to the beach year after year. You develop relationships with them.
When did you start to be interested in wildlife conservation? As long as I can remember I have been looking under rocks for salamanders and bugs. I still do that, and, now, I am paid for it.
Why did you write your latest book, “Secrets of Snakes”?
I wrote the book basically to interact with people who are not scientists. There are so many misconceptions about snakes, and the book aims to educate people and address those misconceptions. Snakes are really fascinating animals. They are very unappreciated, and I aim to change that.
What should I do when I see a snake?
Stop, take a step back and just observe it. This is an opportunity to watch wildlife undisturbed.
What do you like best about working at the Sea Turtle Center?
I am surrounded by people wanting to make a difference for sea turtles. That is very inspiring.
How can the community help wildlife?
Learn about local wildlife and conservation issues. See who needs help, and donate time and money to the causes you are interested in. Support legislation consistent with your views and priorities.
Rob Macmillan is on a mission to help shelter dogs and cats. www.robsrescues.com. On Facebook @robsrescues.
Kittens from Purr Nation Cat Alliance. 38
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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No Pesticides, Higher Property Values BY ANN LITREL
Mosquitos can ruin the Great Outdoors. Services have blossomed that promise to spray and kill every mosquito in your yard, not to mention every honeybee, butterfly and bug in the vicinity. Ignore for a moment the unknown long-term effects on pets and children, birds and wildlife. There is a different trend on the horizon, which savvy folks may have noticed: The educated homebuyer of the future, especially one with pets or children, will be asking questions about toxins and pesticide use in the community. Testing will become more common. Property values in healthy communities are going to be higher. I’m in my yard and on my deck all the time. But mosquitos are not a problem for me and my family. I am going to tell you how we do it:
Picaridin Bug Repellent for Mosquitos and Ticks
Picaridin is a pepper-like ingredient with all the benefits of DEET and none of the downsides. It’s long-lasting and effective, without the heavy chemical smell or toxicity warnings. I've been using a lotion version of the repellent, and it has been incredibly effective. The consumer advocate group Environmental Working Group lists insect repellents with Picaridin as effective for 8-10 hours against not just mosquitos but also ticks.
Pedestal Fan to Eliminate Flying Bugs If you’ve ever been on a beach without a breeze, you know that the biting flies can come out in swarms. Guess what? A tall pedestal fan blowing on your grill, outside table or poolside, works the same way as an ocean breeze – it drives the insects away. Consumer Reports found that just one pedestal fan (for as little as $20-$50) can keep an outdoor space mosquito-free.
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TOWNELAKER | July 2020
Toxin Free, Pollinator Friendly – Buy a Home Here!
Don’t take my word for it. Do your own research. It’s natural - and maybe even a little funny - that we are trying to fool ourselves once again. Sometime in the next few years, spraying for insects in our communities is going to look as short-sighted as DDT use in the 1960s looks to us today. I care about the health of our community, and I bet you do, too. Try an alternative – they work!
Ann Litrel is an artist and certified Master Naturalist. She instructs nature journal workshops and paints in her studio, Ann Litrel Art, in Towne Lake.
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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Communications to Improve with Growth BY HARRY JOHNSTON
Cherokee County continues to move rapidly into the future. The quiet rural county of yesterday has become Georgia’s seventh largest. We’ll likely double again in population over the next 25 years, even with careful growth management. We have to conduct ourselves like the county we are, and prepare for the county we will become. Cherokee County hasn’t had a public information officer or communications director. That role has been filled by one administrative assistant to the board of commissioners and county manager, who has juggled communications with all other duties. The role properly includes more than writing occasional press releases; it involves maintaining a positive relationship with the media. Not just posting items on social media, but creating a consistent and meaningful presence there. Not just directing questions and complaints to an appropriate staff member, but understanding what’s behind them, and how more proactive communications could head them off. Essentially, it means developing and carrying out an effective strategy to keep people well informed about Cherokee County, and what’s going on here. But, it’s even more than that. Communication is a two-way street. We have to invite and respond to citizen input actively. One person just can’t do that in his or her spare time.
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TOWNELAKER | July 2020
As your elected leaders, we want to keep you informed, and have worked to make sure we get out timely information. I write this monthly column, and I send an email update to a fairly large distribution list once or twice a month. We answer calls and emails. But, it’s not enough. Communication has been an ongoing weakness, and a notable weakness during times of controversy and crisis. We need improvement, and we’ve taken action to achieve it. We’ve created the position of county communications director, and hired county resident and former newspaper editor Erika Neldner to fill it. She most recently served in a similar role for Reinhardt University. She’s a pro in the field, and we’re lucky to get her. Erika is developing a communications strategy and plan, and she wants your input about how the county can communicate better. If you have suggestions, email her at ebneldner@cherokeega.com. I plan to continue my individual communication efforts, but will work to coordinate them with Erika’s overall plan. If you’d like to receive my occasional email updates, or if you have suggestions for me about communications or anything else, please email me at hjohnston@cherokeega.com.
Harry Johnston is chairman of the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners. He's a retired CPA and accounting manager, and a former district commissioner.
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43
A Vision for Towne Lake A
Local resident opens Pearle Vision to offer neighbors more opportunities for eye care.
Pearle Vision EyeCare center has opened in Towne Lake, bringing the company’s founding principles of “caring for eyes and the people behind them” to Woodstock. Owner/operator Keith Bachmann has lived in Towne Lake for 20 years and wanted to offer his neighbors the convenience of eye care during the evenings and weekends. The office is open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and 9 a.m.6 p.m. Saturdays. The Towne Lake center Pearle Vision is one of more than 400 locally owned and operated Pearle Vision eyecare centers, which is nearly 80% of the brand's national EyeCare Centers. Bachmann, who also owns other Pearle Vision EyeCare centers,
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follows the same principles established in 1961, when the company’s founder, Dr. Stanley Pearle, opened his first practice in Savannah. “We know that it’s about caring about the people behind the eyes that matters most,” Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Doug Zarkin said. “When you combine this focus on care with our best in class assortment of frames and lenses, Pearle Vision stands apart from the crowd.”
The Pearle Vision Difference
Best in class doctors. “Our doctors consistently score high in ratings and reviews on Google,” Zarkin said. “It’s how our doctors Sponsored Content
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
focus on care that propels them to be the best in class.” Commitment to care, from the exam room to the retail floor. Pearle Vision’s EyeCare Centers rank among the top on Google My Business ratings. Zarkin said the providers’ genuine care about their patients is part of their focus on earning trust, through really assessing the needs of each patient and his or her specific situation. Premium assortment of frames and lenses. Pearle Vision is a division of EssilorLuxottica, manufacturer of frame brands and lenses. Brand assortment includes options from Oakley, RayBan, Coach, Vogue, Armani and Versace, and lenses such as
The Towne Lake location is a one-stop shop for your eye exam and frames or contact lenses. Photo by J. King Images.
Transition and Blue Light lenses. Bachmann said there are more than a thousand frames and contact lenses in stock.
A Look at Eye Health
The eye care experts at Pearle Vision understand that eye exams can be intimidating. Therefore, the neighborhood optometrists and opticians take the time to answer questions, ensuring each person has a stress-free experience and feels cared for, listened to and understood. Eye exams typically last about 45 minutes, but the duration of each visit will depend on the reason for the visit. The exams focus on more than vision; overall eye health is monitored. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dr. Stanley Pearle believed that to be a good practitioner
with a reputation for service and quality, you must make a commitment to care about the people behind the eyes. Our community of eye care experts, optometrists and opticians, live out this commitment every day and strive to ensure your eyes are healthy and improve how you see your world,â&#x20AC;? Zarkin said.
Insurance Accepted
Pearle Vision works with all major health and benefits plans, including EyeMed, United Healthcare, and FSAs. Current prescriptions also are welcomed. The website offers details on filing for insurance and applicable terms. For more information and to see if your insurance is accepted, call today.
Pearle Vision - Woodstock 2360 Towne Lake Parkway Woodstock, GA 30189
770-790-0000
www.pearlevision.com
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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Don’t Forget the ‘Sunscreen’ for Your Floors! BY ELISABETH STUBBS
It’s summer, and, for all the fun and comfort that the sun brings us, it also can do some damage. We've known for years now that we need to protect our skin from too much exposure to the sun. But, did you ever think that you needed to protect your floors from sun damage? Damage is not the right word; it is really a sun "reaction." The sun will change the color of hardwood floors slowly, but surely. How it will be discolored depends on the wood. Some woods bleach out light; other woods darken from exposure. Some change quickly, others more slowly. Certain floor finishes also will change color over time, sometimes becoming milky white, with others ambering. Direct sunlight also can discolor carpet and vinyl flooring permanently. The heat that goes along with intense sunlight can cause the edges of luxury vinyl plank and luxury vinyl tile to curl. Tile and porcelain are probably the only floor coverings that the sun will not damage. So, how can you protect your beautiful new floors?
Use window coverings.
As much as we all enjoy letting the light in and allowing our furry friends to bask in those golden rays of sun, the best protection for your floors is not to be exposed to direct sunshine. So, pull those drapes shut, or let down those blinds, at least for the sunniest part of the day. The correct window treatments transform harsh sunlight into beautiful natural daylight by diffusing the light into the room, all while preserving the outside views and offering daytime privacy. Some window coverings also reflect the sun's heat, helping to keep inside temperatures comfortable.
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TOWNELAKER | July 2020
Apply UV blocking film to windows and glass doors. This is not a cheap process when done by a professional, but it certainly beats the expense of new wood floors, and is a lot less messy than having your floors sanded and refinished. Doing this also may help lower the cost of your air conditioning, so that is another plus.
Move around furniture and rugs.
This is not a total fix, but it will reduce the effects of the sun hitting just one spot repeatedly. And, take the opportunity to freshen up your look with a new area rug or two. These are a few ideas to protect your flooring investment while also protecting other valuable household items, like furniture, artwork and even your interior paint.
Elisabeth Stubbs is one of the owners of Enhance Floors and More, one of Atlanta’s top-rated flooring dealers, located in Marietta.
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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A Fresh Look at the
Evelyn sells handmade cards next to her parents' produce stand.
Farmer’s Market Things have been going well at the Woodstock Farm Fresh Market since it opened in mid-May, according to Kyle Bennett, Woodstock’s tourism manager. The market is open 8:30 a.m.-noon Saturdays through Dec. 19. “We have a great line up of vendors and we have been thrilled with the support the community has shown the market,” he said. “Our tip to new shoppers is to shop the market in the first hour it opens. The most popular items can sell out quickly so if you want the best selection at the market, be sure to visit the market when it opens.” Organizers have worked hard to make sure the market is safe for vendors and shoppers. Vendor booths have been spaced farther apart in a new layout that utilizes the Elm Street Green. Here’s a list of guidelines shoppers are asked to follow. • Do not attend the market if you are sick or at risk. • Folks at risk should consider using the virtual farmers market page https://visitwoodstockga.com/ landing-page/farmers/. • Shop with a purpose and don’t linger. • Send one person per household to shop the market. • Leave pets at home. • Consider pre-ordering from vendors at https://visitwoodstockga.com/ landing-page/farmers/. • No consumption of prepared foods or samples at the market. • Shoppers shouldn’t touch items on vendor’s tables. • Don’t walk or stand between booths. • Avoid cash transactions; most vendors have electronic payment options. • Use the hand sanitizing stations set up throughout the area. • Restrooms are unavailable. For more information, call 770-924-0406, visit https://visitwoodstockga.com/farm-fresh-market, or email kbennett@woodstockga.gov.
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PHOTOS BY ABIGAIL PEYTON TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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A Look at the Future of Travel BY ROCKY SALET
“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” — Anonymous Pandemics have a history of robbing us of everyday life. The Cyprian Plague in 250 AD lasted approximately 20 years. In 1350, the Black Death took a third of the world’s population. In 1918, as World War I was winding down (which claimed more than 17 million lives), Mother Nature unleashed the deadliest strain of influenza in modern history, taking up to 50 million lives. There were no cures during these times; control efforts were largely limited to social distancing and quarantines. But, today, we live in a fast-paced world of technology, speeding up preventative measures against disease.
Hartsfield-Jackson Leads the Way
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is leading the world by deploying a new, cutting-edge, cloud-based platform technology from a division of Georgia-Pacific for smart restrooms. The KOLO Hygiene product is an innovative new feature that is part of a wirelessly connected facilities management system. It is designed to help monitor, measure and manage day-to-day performance of the airport’s heightened cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting practices. The technology alerts custodians if restrooms need to be cleaned or restocked with supplies. It is being released this month to meet guidelines set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). You go, ATL!
Travel Industry Recovery
The travel industry is on its way back, but it will be a long road to recovery. Overall, most experts estimate it will be 2023 before we get back to profitability. Bookit.com, one of the largest online booking engines, did not survive the full month of March, and travelers were left with a great financial burden. Simply posting, “your resort booking has been canceled automatically. ... As we are currently unable to process refunds to you, please contact your bank for options available to you as a cardholder.” That’s cruel; sorry I asked you to dance.
Competition Benefits Travelers
Recovery will be fierce. Like swimming with sharks in the Caribbean, only the best will survive. One thing you can count on, competition will be super focused on what is most important to the traveler. America’s free-market nature will create a bigger, better and safer way to travel. It will inspire us to dream again, and to remember how much travel does to renew our minds, bodies and souls. Our mental health depends on it.
Rocky and Robin Salet are residents of Eagle Watch and owners of Freebird Cruises and All-Inclusive Resorts, winner of the 2019 and 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards. 404-547-1157. www.fbcair.com.
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TOWNELAKER | July 2020
Towne Lake Dining Cancun Mexican Grill
Mexican 4451 Towne Lake Parkway, #200 770-693-4680 www.cancunmexicangrill.net
Cheeseburger Bobby’s
American 2295 Towne Lake Parkway 678-494-3200 www.cheeseburgerbobbys.com
China Fun
Chinese 1075 Buckhead Crossing 770-926-2671 www.chinafunwoodstock.com
Donovan’s Irish Cobbler American Irish 1025 Rose Creek Drive 770-693-8763 www.donovansirishcobbler.com
El Ranchero
Mexican 1025 Rose Creek Drive 770-516-6616 www.elranchero8.com
Family Tradition
Homestyle Cooking 4379 Towne Lake Parkway 770-852-2885 www.familytradition.net
GAMEDAY Fresh Grill American/Burgers 2990 Eagle Drive 770-693-6754 www.gamedayfresh.com
Izumi Asian Bistro
Thai/Sushi/Chinese 2035 Towne Lake Parkway 678-238-1899 www.iloveizumi.com
JD’s Bar-B-Que
Barbeque 6557 Bells Ferry Road 678-445-7730 www.jdsbbq.com
Johnny’s Pizza
Pizza/Pasta/ Salad 1105 Parkside Lane 770-928-9494 www.johnnyspizza.com
Kani House
Japanese Steak/Sushi 2455 Towne Lake Parkway, #110 770-592-5264 www.kanihouse.com
Keegan's Irish Pub
Irish/Pub 1085 Buckhead Crossing, #140 770-627-4393 www.keegansirishpub.net
KPOP BBQ and Bar Korean BBQ 1105 Parkside Lane 770-485-3055
La Parrilla
Mexican 1065 Buckhead Crossing 770-928-3606 www.laparrilla.com
LongHorn
Steakhouse 1420 Towne Lake Parkway 770-924-5494 www.longhornsteakhouse.com
Maple Street Biscuit Co. Southern 2295 Towne Lake Parkway, #160 678-903-2161 www.maplestreetbiscuits.com
Mellow Mushroom
Pizza/Pasta 2370 Towne Lake Parkway 770-591-3331 www.mellowmushroom.com
NaNa Thai Eatery
Thai 2360 Towne Lake Pkwy. Suite 110 770 -485-6008
NY Style Deli & Pizza Pizza/Subs/ Bakery 2340 Towne Lake Parkway 678-426-7004 www.pizzabymansi.com
Panera Bread
Bakery/Soups/Sandwiches 2625 Towne Lake Parkway 678-813-4809 www.panerabread.com
Peking & Tokyo
Chinese/Japanese 200 Parkbrooke Drive, #160 770-591-8858 www.pekingandtokyoga.com
Song’s Garden
Chinese 4451 Towne Lake Parkway, #320 770-928-8387 www.songsgarden.com
Tavern at Towne Lake
American 1003 Towne Lake Hills East 770-592-9969 www.tavernattownelake.com
The Place
Bar/Grill 1105 Parkside Lane 770-928-8901 www.theplacebargrill.com
Tuscany
Italian 250 Cinema View Drive 678-453-0888 www.mytuscanyrestaurant.com
Volcano Steak & Sushi Asian 2990 Eagle Drive, #100, 101 678-498-7888 www.volcanowoodstock.com
WOW Pho & Grill
Vietnamese 6242 Bells Ferry Road, #118 678-383-6099 On Facebook at: Wow Pho & Grill
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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GREENPRINTS TRAIL SYSTEM
Sources: City of Woodstock, Esri, HERE, DeLorme, TomTom, Intermap, increment P Corp., GEBCO, USGS, FAO, NPS, NRCAN, GeoBase, IGN, Kadaster NL, Ordnance Survey, Esri Japan, METI, Esri China (Hong Kong), swisstopo, MapmyIndia, Š OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS User Community
Visit website for more information on these or other trail projects. www.greenprintsalliance.org
Noonday Creek Trail - This 1.43 mile paved trail
trail connects the Towne Lake community to Downtown along Noonday Creek. It runs from the intersection of Towne Lake Parkway and Towne Lake Hills South to Woofstock Park.
Trestle Rock Trail - This 0.40 mile flat paved trail is
Rubes Creek and will ultimately connect into a larger run of trails.
located in Olde Rope Mill Park on the banks of Little River. 52
Towne Lake Pass - This approximately 1.2 mile
begins at M arket Street in Downtown Woodstock one block west of Main Street. It continues toward Noonday Creek where it intersects with Towne Lake Pass Trail and the bridge to Woofstock Park. The trail continues along Noonday Creek to its current end at Highway 92.
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
Rubes Creek Trail - This .5 mile trail runs along
Family, Friends and the Fourth
Enjoy summer days and nights to the fullest. BY PACITA WILSON
Kids laughing, music playing, the smell of food grilling, floating in the pool, and sunset nights - these are the sounds, smells and sights of summer! Vacations are being planned and of course Fourth of July celebrations. Whether you are having a staycation or traveling to a special destination, it is all about being outside soaking in the sun or sitting in the shade with family and friends. A sparkling crystal clear pool beckons you to dive in; floating with a tall sweet iced tea is divine. Of course, anticipating getting splashed by giggling children is always a requirement. Huge umbrellas are a must for reading your favorite book. Comfy outdoor furniture to lounge in when entertaining family and friends also is a requirement. It’s always exciting to get out all your red, white and blue décor, and planning a patriotic tablescape is part of the whole
celebration. Yard games encourage friendly competition between family and friends. If you are choosing to relax while feeling a slight breeze, a hammock will beckon you every time. As the night falls, sparklers and fireworks are the perfect touch as you relax in an oversized chair. Long conversions will continue for hours after the stars light up the night sky. If it’s a bit chilly, a fireplace and a soft blanket will keep your family and friends cozy long into the night. Summer is all about the sun, celebrations, vacations, and of course family and friends. The memories made will indeed last a lifetime.
Pacita Wilson is the owner of Pineapple Park Home. www.pineapplepark.com
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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Alpha & Omega The first and the last stop for auto repair. Some of Billy Kennedy’s earliest memories about cars come from when he was 8 years old, and working on autos alongside his dad. Those experiences set the foundation for who he is today, and drove him to create a legacy that would honor his father. The result is Alpha & Omega Automotive, an auto repair shop that Billy opened in 2002. “I wanted a shop with a friendly, local vibe,” Billy said, “one that is customer-driven and committed to quality, honesty and integrity.” Family values, faith and loyalty to the community where they live, work and play are at the heart of Alpha & Omega, which Billy owns with wife Lori. The couple lived in Cobb County when their sons Drake and Grant, ages 27 and 24, were born, and moved to Cherokee County in 2000. They recently celebrated the birth of their first grandchild, Ezra Rose.
All in the Name
The Kennedy family, from left: son Drake, Billy and wife Lori, son
A family friend thought of the business name, inspired by Revelation 1:8, which says: “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’” While they have the goal of being the first and last stop for anyone who needs automotive care and repair, the Kennedys also want to let everyone know they’re fully invested in this community. “We’ve been here a long time. We’ve raised our kids here; we do life and ministry here,” Lori said.
Services from A to Z
SHOP PHOTOS BY ABIGAIL PEYTON
The quality ASE (Automotive Service Excellence)certified technicians at Alpha & Omega Automotive employ the latest technologies and can handle major
Oil Change 54
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
and minor repairs on foreign and domestic vehicles. And, they are able to honor most dealer and private warranties. The first and last stop for auto care/repair means Alpha & Omega can handle most needs that come up, from air conditioning service to wheel alignment. Highlights from the extensive list of services offered include: transmission and engine repair, brakes, emissions repair, oil change, preventive maintenance, computer diagnostics, radiator service, suspension work, alternators, axle and air filter replacements, towing and roadside assistance. Alpha & Omega also is a Repair Pal shop and partners with Carfax. • Consumers can access a variety of resources at www. repairpal.com. Certified network shops guarantee repairs are done at fair prices with quality parts and an expert, attentive staff. The fair price estimator removes the worry of overpaying for repairs. • Carfax records each service completed by Alpha & Omega, which comes in handy for preventive maintenance tracking, warranty coverage, or transparency about what has been fixed when selling the vehicle. Working in an industry that’s constantly evolving requires a continual commitment to learning. Billy and his staff are motivated to stay on top of the latest technological advances, offering expert repair for even the more complicated features, including computerized operating systems, keyless entries, GPS systems and more.
Sponsored Content
The Safest Service “We are supporting our community at this time by accommodating customers who don’t feel comfortable getting out,” Lori Kennedy said. Alpha & Omega has implemented policies to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. • Vehicle pickup and delivery within a 10-mile radius of each location. • Taking credit card payments by phone. • Sanitizing the door handles, steering wheel, and all touched surfaces.
Customers Reviews
n Grant with wife Allie holding their daughter, Ezra Rose.
Decades of Experience
Alpha & Omega customers benefit from more than 100 years of automotive experience — and ASE certifications — between the owner and employees at both locations. The managers of the Woodstock and Marietta shops also are mechanics, so clients who arrive and describe their car issues will be met with a knowledgeable and understanding ear. This distinction brings an extra level of wisdom and experience to the business. “We are not just businessmen, but auto enthusiasts,” Billy said. “This is more than what we do, it’s who we are. We are here to serve you at two locations for your convenience.”
“I needed new tires for my car … I stayed outside while the tires were being put on and they came out to me to keep all of us safe. Once the car was test driven, they sanitized my car, again. When I was sitting outside, another customer came by. He stopped to talk to me and explained that Alpha & Omega is the only place he takes his car for repairs. Another testimony for the honesty and integrity of this company.” — Sherry M. “Alpha & Omega came through with great service and fair pricing. The guys in the shop were friendly and knowledgeable. Will definitely be returning for my next scheduled service.” — Joe M. “All-around friendly service. The best shop I have been to in the area. Quick and competent staff will get you back on the road in no time. Always willing to work with you.” — Jon C.
Computer diagnostics TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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Doughnut Delights
Homemade Pastries for Your Sweet Tooth BY JAIME STONE
Buttercream-filled doughnuts 56
TOWNELAKER | July 2020
You may have noticed National Doughnut Day recently transpired, as it does annually the first Friday of June. Did you grab a free doughnut from the number of retailers who offered them? Were you as disappointed as I was with the selection? Doughnuts didn’t start out as the sad, preservative-filled junk food we now recognize. In World War l, the Salvation Army sent members to Europe to feed and lift up tired, lonely soldiers with (you guessed it) doughnuts! They found it so effective for boosting morale that, in World War ll, the Salvation Army again made its way dangerously close to front lines to fight the war against hunger with doughnuts. It is those brave bakers and Salvation Army members that we celebrate by observing National Doughnut Day, so I pledged to honor them with something fresh and scratch-made from my home kitchen. The easiest way to make doughnuts at home is to use a doughnut-cavity baking pan, available at various retailers. This pan allows you to make a basic cake batter turn out looking like doughnuts! My glazed chocolate doughnut recipe is simple, and will yield a wonderfully moist treat. My family has been celebrating Doughnut Friday at home since the pandemic began, thus offering baking lessons for my kids and something fun to anticipate! They absolutely love the cake-style doughnuts referenced above, but their favorite is a filled doughnut. It’s a touch more timeintensive, as a yeast-raised dough requires a double rise. However, filled doughnuts have a wonderful, soft texture that won’t deflate, and a not too sweet cream filling that your taste buds will thank you for. Don’t forget your neighbors and friends when you bake! It’s the best way to portion-control your own household and spread joy through the community at a time when we need it most. Happy baking!
Jaime Stone is a New England native, but feels blessed to call Georgia home since 2015. You can find her in the kitchen or garden with a cup of coffee.
Glazed Chocolate Doughnut • • • • • • •
1 ½ cups flour 1 cup granulated sugar ½ cup cocoa ¾ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 6 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
• ⅓ cup strong coffee, cooled (to enhance the chocolate)
• ⅓ cup buttermilk
(or milk and a splash of vinegar)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 1 large egg
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray your doughnut pan with nonstick spray. Sift or whisk your dry ingredients together in a large bowl — flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, baking powder and soda. In a separate bowl, whisk together coffee, buttermilk, butter, oil, vanilla and egg. Slowly stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined. Let sit for a minute and stir just a bit more, making sure to scrape the bowl and ensure no dry lumps remain. Do not overmix. Transfer batter to piping/zip top bag (cut the corner off when ready to use). Fill each doughnut cavity ¾ of the way up to allow for rising while baking. Bake for 11 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into doughnut comes out clean. Cool doughnuts in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove and place on a baking rack to cool. Optional glaze: Mix 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk and splash of vanilla until smooth. Dip cooled doughnuts halfway into glaze and top as desired with nuts, sprinkles, fruit or enjoy as is!
Buttercream-Filled Doughnuts • • • • •
2 ½ cups flour, divided in half ¼ cup granulated sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 1 packet of instant yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons) ⅔ cup warm milk (110 degrees)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, • • • •
melted 2 egg yolks ½ teaspoon vanilla ⅓ cup powdered sugar for dusting buttercream; recipe follows
In a large mixing bowl (preferably a stand mixer), whisk together sugar, packet of yeast, salt and half the flour. Add milk, yolks, vanilla and 3 tablespoons of butter; mix to just combine. Cover with plastic wrap and leave for 10 minutes at room temperature until bubbles form on the surface. Add remaining flour and mix with a dough hook on medium speed for about 4 minutes until the dough is no longer sticking to the bowl. If the dough continues to be sticky, add ⅛ cup flour at a time until the texture is correct. Cover the bowl again and leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour, until doubled in size. Dump the dough onto a clean floured surface and roll into a half-inch thick circle. Cut circles using a biscuit/cookie cutter or a glass, getting as many doughnuts out of the first roll as possible. Reroll scraps to complete. Allow the doughnuts to rise again under a tea towel on a parchment-covered baking sheet at room temperature for 30 minutes, until puffed up. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the towel and bake the doughnuts for about 11 minutes; do not allow them to get brown. Quickly dip the warm doughnuts into powdered sugar to coat. Make buttercream; add 1 stick of butter and 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar to a mixing bowl; beat until combined. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla, ¼ teaspoon salt and beat until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Scrape down the bowl and add 2 tablespoons of sour cream and mix until just combined. Fill a piping/zip top bag with buttercream. Using a small sharp knife, cut a slit into the side of the cooled shells and fill with buttercream; fill until the sides slightly puff out. TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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@ the Library Sequoyah Regional Library System www.sequoyahregionallibrary.org
Sequoyah Sidewalk Service You can request titles for pickup at a pre-arranged appointment time, Mondays-Fridays, with Sequoyah Sidewalk Service. Some libraries offer Saturday pickup hours. Request a title online or by phone, and you’ll be contacted when your hold is available. • Request a title by logging into the website or by calling your local library. • Once your hold is available, you will receive a notification with instructions. • Your item(s) will be placed near the library entrance, already checked-out to you. • Look for the first 4 letters of your last name and the last 4 numbers of your library card. • Please keep the safety of others in mind and practice safe social distancing.
2020 Summer Reading Program: Imagine Your Story Sign up for the Summer Reading Program online. The fun takes place on Beanstack, an online portal where you can log your reading, participate in bonus challenges for rewards, and post reviews of titles for others to read. Adults, teens, and children can participate for free, individually, or as a family, all through the end of July. Head over to the official 2020 Summer Reading Program webpage for the latest on summer happenings, updates and partnerships.
Find Out What to Read Next Not sure what to read next? Ask a librarian! Click Contact Us on the website, select the topic called What to Read Next, and enter your library card number to receive oneon-one help from a library staff member.
Virtual Programming Enjoy your favorite library programs from the comfort of home. Follow Sequoyah Regional Library on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for a full schedule of virtual programming each week. Join in online for live storytimes, DIY crafts, health and wellness exercises, and more. View the full schedule on the online events page at www.sequoyahregionallibrary.org.
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We are Open! Some local libraries have reopened their doors with limited service hours. When you visit, you will notice the staff is wearing masks for your safety. It is appreciated if visitors wear face coverings as well. Some services will be limited, and staff will remain behind their desks at all times, but gladly will answer questions from there. Operating hours at each library will be limited, but services are available online.
Any library materials that have been checked out now can be returned. Once returned, materials are held in quarantine for a limited time, so your account may not immediately show that the items have been checked in. Overdue fines will not be charged for materials that have been checked out. Libraries are not accepting donated materials at this time.
An Open Letter To Our Patrons
Stand still . . . pause . . . reflect . . . and Move Forward motivated by the future. We can’t wait for our 35th season when we dim the house lights and are transported to a time of open laughter, collective sorrow or the briefest glimpse into our mortal selves. Celebrate the joys of Live Theatre. Please check our website cherokeetheatre.org for calendar and show postings.
Stay well and blessed Ed Palombo
Founder, Cherokee Theatre Company WWW.CHEROKEETHEATRE.ORG
Playing at Canton Theatre • 171 Main St., Canton, GA
Box Office 770-591-0282 | info@cherokeetheatre.org Cherokee Theatre Company PO Box 5885 • Canton, GA 30114
FOLLOW US Because CTC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization your donations are tax deductible.
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Parent-Partnering
A New Concept in Orphan Care BY SUSAN BROWNING SCHULZ
Did you know there are more than 150 million orphans worldwide? Orphaned children often lack guidance, support, structure, love and attention. Saving Susan Ministry (SSM) is dedicated to reversing the effects of abandonment by connecting orphans with loving Christian families. The organization’s parent-partnering program is a unique approach to orphan care in countries with borders closed to adoption due to the dangers of human trafficking. More than just financial support for a parentless child, it is an experience that requires a commitment to building relationships through regular video calls and an opportunity for families to meet their sponsored child in person on SSM’s mission trips. “Having a parent partner with Saving Susan Ministry means that I have someone beside me to love, care, support, encourage and teach me in many ways,” said Cambodian orphan Sopheak Loas. “I’m so grateful that I have the chance to study in college.” Loas is a student in her third-year training to be a teacher at the Royal University of Phnom Pehn. In 2013, SSM’s co-founder, Jay Arntzen, met a little girl named Vichika on a mission trip to Cambodia. He nicknamed her Susan because he couldn’t pronounce her name. God ignited a special bond between the two and gave Arntzen a desire to adopt her. However, after his return home, he learned U.S. borders are closed to adoption in Cambodia. Arntzen continued to pray about what could be done. He did not allow this difficulty to thwart his efforts to make a difference in the lives of Susan and other children at that orphanage. Arntzen, along with his wife Tracy, established SSM in 2015 to serve orphans not only in Cambodia, but also Guatemala. Presently, there are 39 children connected with parent partners, and an additional 32 waiting to be paired. Saving Susan Ministry’s motto is one child, one step at a time. Their mission: • Connecting children with loving and godly parent partners who video call with them regularly. • Enrolling children in online English courses. • Awarding scholarships for students to attend universities or trade schools in their own countries. • Providing beneficial music education through Music Academies, which includes professional instruction and donated instruments, at partnering orphanages. • Assisting in the development of Christ-centered sports teams. • Orchestrating mission trips to build relationships with orphanage staff, partners and children. 60
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Jay Arntzen, co-founder of Saving Susan Ministry, visiting Vichika, aka “Susan,” on a trip to Cambodia.
Looking back on their journey with SSM, parent partners Bill and Anna Burbridge say they can see God’s hand at work from the very beginning. “What are the odds that I, an Italian immigrant to France, would go to Germany for a year and end up marrying a young airman from Iowa? And that we couldn’t have children of our own?” Anna said. “It is amazing to look back on how God orchestrated the tapestry that is our life. Much later, we ended up going on a mission trip to Guatemala with SSM and met and fell in love with Hugo and Jelbin. They call us Grandpa and Grandma and we love it. We take our commitment to them very seriously. God had a plan, and he was waiting for us to put our ‘yes’ on the table, and because we have, he has blessed us handsomely.” For more information, or to donate to Saving Susan Ministry, visit www.savingsusanministry.org. The organization’s music program always needs donated instruments. To learn more about becoming a parent partner, or for information on the upcoming tennis and coed pickle ball fundraiser, email info@savingsusanministry.org.
Susan Schulz is a wife, mom, writer and mentor who lives and plays along the Etowah River in Canton. She loves serving at Woodstock City Church. Connect with her at www.susanbrowningschulz.com.
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Around & About
Editor’s Note: We’ve done our best to include the new Be sure to check each website for the most updated in
JULY 4
in Woodstock
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF WOODSTOCK.
This year’s celebration will look a little different in Woodstock. The traditional Freedom Run has been postponed until Fall 2020; the date will be announced soon. The parade and festival are canceled because social distancing requirements would be difficult to maintain. The fireworks display will begin at dusk in the Woodstock Square area on Highway 92. Traffic plans will be shared on the city’s social media outlets. For more details, visit www.woodstockga.gov.
JULY County Animal Shelter 1-31 Cherokee Cyber Sprint is a fundraiser that
allows participants to walk or run, inside or out, and make a pledge to the animal shelter. The levels are: $15 for kids, $25 for adults, and includes a digital race bib, commemorative medal and bragging rights for helping animals. A $50 registration includes the previous items and a T-shirt. At $100, participants get a certificate for a free adoption and a water bottle in addition to the other items. To register, go to cherokeega-animals.org.
Designer Purse and Man Cave 24 2020 Bingo, sponsored by the Rotary Club of
Towne Lake, is set for 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6, at His Hands Church in Woodstock. Seats are first come, first served, unless a reservation was made. Adult only event. More details and reservations available at www.rotarysignup.com. Proceeds benefit local charities.
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AUGUST and Brews Canton is set for noon-8 p.m. at 1 BBQ Etowah River Park. More details on Facebook.
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The sixth annual Chick-fil-A's Moo've It 5K, a fundraiser for the Cherokee County Educational Foundation and the county’s Special Olympics, will take place at Etowah River Park in Canton. Details at chickfilamooveit5k.itsyourrace.com.
Life Golf Tournament at Woodmont 18 Young Golf and Country Club, with tee time at 12:30
p.m. Registration and the range open at 11:15 a.m., with lunch at 11:30 a.m. Four-player scramble. 470-377-1235. cherokeecounty.younglife@gmail.com.
SEPTEMBER My Lambs Golf Classic will take place at the 21 Feed Marietta Country Club. Feed My Lambs operates free Christian preschools, one of which is in Canton. For more information, visit www.feedmylambsgolf.givesmart.com.
w dates on events that were rescheduled. nformation.
THE LANTERN SERIES At the Elm Street Event Green, shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets available at www.elmstreetarts.org
July 18: The Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cartoonists Aug. 15: Crystal Bowersox Aug. 22: JigJam Aug. 29: David Nail Sept. 19: VoicePlay Sept. 26: The Black Market Trust Oct. 17: We Banjo 3
FARMERS MARKETS Woodstock Farm Fresh Market
Now open, featuring some alternative ways to connect shoppers with farmers. www.woodstockga.gov.
Canton Farmers Market
Open every Saturday through Oct. 24, and will be open 9 a.m.-noon in Brown Park. Initially, participants will be limited to growers, prepackaged foods and prepared food vendors. www.cantonga.gov.
Farmers Market at River Church 2335 Sixes Road, Canton, meets 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesdays. On Facebook.
The Market at The Mill on Etowah A weekly event, 5:30-8 p.m. Tuesdays, featuring farmers, makers, creators and artists. On Facebook.
ELM STREET CULTURAL ARTS VILLAGE www.elmstreetarts.org
July 10
iThink We're Online? A Digital Improv Comedy Show on Elm Street's Facebook page at 8 p.m. Cool off with an Improv Comedy show fit for the entire family that can be enjoyed from the comfort and safety of home. www.facebook.com/elmstreetarts.
July 18
The Queen's Cartoonists, on the Elm Street Event Green at 7:30 p.m. plays music from classic cartoons and contemporary animation. The music is synchronized to video projections of the original films, and the band leads the audience through a world of virtuosic musicianship, multi-instrumental mayhem, and comedy. Elm Street will keep a close watch on the situation as it develops to provide updates on how the outbreak impacts programming. Due to COVID-19, dates and situations may vary; check the website for updates.
WOODSTOCK SUMMER CONCERT SERIES Shows begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Northside Hospital Cherokee Amphitheater. www.woodstockconcertseries.com
July 31: Marc Martel Aug. 8: Steep Canyon Rangers Sept. 12: The Black Jacket Symphony Oct. 30: Rumours. Details for the fifth concert are still in the works.
FRESH START CHEROKEE @ THE CIRCUIT 1 Innovation Way, Woodstock. 770-345-0600 www.freshstartcherokee.com www.circuitwoodstock.com/events
1 Million Cups Cherokee (1MC)
Livestream meetings will be held July 1 and July 15, 9-10 a.m. The free, biweekly coffee gathering helps build startup communities on a grassroots level. Visit www.1millioncups.com/Cherokee for more details. PHOTO BY ANGELA RICE, SHOT FROM THE HEART PHOTOGRAPHY.
The other entrepreneurial networking events are postponed until further notice. TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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#Class of
2020 On Parade The Cherokee County School District organized parades on the high school campuses, another way to celebrate this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senior class. Etowah High photos were taken by Carrie McGowan. To see more photos from each county high school, visit www.cherokeek12.net/Gallery.
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Touching Tributes
At the close of each school year, the school district holds its annual Scholar Recognition Banquet to recognize the graduating class valedictorians and salutatorians. The event includes speeches by the students to honor their most influential teacher. The banquet could not be held this year, so we wanted to share the students’ tributes to their teachers.
Thank You, Dr. Brian Heglund, Etowah High
“
I’ve had the pleasure of being in Dr. Heglund’s class for both my junior and senior year. As I’m sure Dr. Heglund would agree, a yearlong preparation for a calculus-based physics AP exam could be very, very tedious. Dr. Heglund might be the only person that I’ve ever met that could make AP physics genuinely enjoyable. I left his class every day feeling like I understood the concepts, and had a good time doing it. He cares for his students more than any teacher I’ve ever had, and he always makes his classroom a comfortable space for students who need help in any way, academically or otherwise. When I missed a day of school, he would make time to go over all of the concepts that I missed, one-on-one, until I felt comfortable with them, and when I needed someone to talk to, he was always there. I struggled throughout most of my senior year deciding what major and career I wanted to pursue in my future. I discussed it with Dr. Heglund, and he made me promise to pick up the handout for data science on my student tour of UGA, because it was the ‘job of the future.’ After some research, I’ve found myself deciding to pursue a career in data science. Thank you so much for everything you have done for me, Dr. Heglund. You truly have made a difference in my life and many others’.
”
Salutatorian Maxwell Marchetti will be attending the University of Georgia to major in data science. He earned the Zell Miller Scholarship and the Baldwin Scholarship. After earning his undergraduate degree, he plans to attend the Georgia Institute of Technology to earn a master’s degree in analytics and pursue a career as a data scientist for either a consulting company or a hospital.
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Thank You,
Margo Kemmerer, Etowah High
“
Mrs. Margo Kemmerer is by far one of the most incredible women I have ever met. Her optimism and smile truly light up any room, and she always makes the days of her students better than when they walked in her class. Not only did she tremendously improve my writing skills due to her outstanding teaching abilities, but she also served as a close friend and role model to me. Mrs. Kemmerer is always there for her students and is their biggest cheerleader, both inside and outside of the classroom. From the moment I met her, I could tell how trustworthy and supportive she was. Whenever I was faced with an obstacle in life, I knew I could always count on Mrs. Kemmerer to serve as a listening ear and support me through it all. In addition, Mrs. Kemmerer exemplifies a servant heart and consistently places the needs of her community and students above her own as a sponsor of the National Honor Society, only adding to the extent to which I admire her. Compassion, selflessness, diligence and a fun-loving spirit radiate from her wherever she goes, positively impacting everyone around her. I honestly cannot express how large of an impact Mrs. Margo Kemmerer has had on my life, and I cannot thank her enough for all that she has done for me these last few years of high school. I truly hope that I can be a fraction of the remarkable woman that Mrs. Kemmerer is.
”
Valedictorian Rachel Hugenberg will attend the University of Georgia honors program and major in pharmacy. She has earned the university’s Charles McDonald Brown Scholarship, the Zell Miller Scholarship, and the Etowah High School PTSA Scholarship.
Thank You, Loretta Muise, Woodstock High
“
Throughout my education, I had many great teachers, but Ms. Muise stuck out as my most influential. She took math, a class I had always been ‘good at’ but never particularly enjoyed, and showed me a fascinating game existed behind it. Ms. Muise taught me that challenging problems often have a trick inside that one must be clever enough to see. Beyond teaching course material, Ms. Muise recognized my interest in her subject by entertaining my after-class questions, nominating me for summer programs (because who doesn’t like extra summer math), and encouraging me to take the Georgia Tech distance math class. Also, Ms. Muise cared about each student actually understanding her lessons, as opposed to learning them. She dedicated time to students who were lost, and any student who wished to know more. Not only is she an amazing teacher, she is a genuinely cool person. She motorcycled across the country over the summer and lives on a farm! Despite her students’ best efforts, the location of the farm remains a mystery. Ms. Muise changed my outlook on education for the better, and I was lucky to have her as my teacher. I will always remember to ‘work smartah not hardah,’ Ms. Muise.
”
Valedictorian Hayden Johnson will be attending the Georgia Institute of Technology to study biomedical engineering. He earned the Cobb EMC Community Foundation scholarship. He is considering a career as a medical doctor or a career in the biomedical engineering industry.
Thank You, Anna Grantham, Woodstock High
“
From the time I attempted to facilitate the adoption of an alpaca, to the time a closeted demonstration of glow-in-the-dark E. coli failed, to the time you challenged our engineering prowess in catapulting marshmallows, to the time you taught us how to manipulate pea plants, to the one time my contact in Brazil came in handy, to all the times I attempted to read the research abstracts you sent me, to all the times you told me to hush after saying certain words too loudly, to all the times I wrote too much before getting to the point, Ms. Grantham, your class has been the one wondrous constant throughout my four years at Woodstock. No word limit would allow me to properly express my gratitude for everything you have done for me. To limit the descriptions of you and your teachings to brilliant, dedicated, innovative, inspiring, intelligent, kind, marvelous, passionate and selfless would fail to capture my true sentiments of the time I spent in your class and to the impact you had on me. Simply put, Ms. Grantham, you epitomize the very notion of whom a person and a teacher should be. I will likely never have a mentor of your caliber again, and while that notion does invoke melancholy, I know I will forever cherish the time I spent in your class. And so, in a bit of an underwhelming and clichéd manner, I would like to conclude with these two words and eight letters: Thank you.
”
Salutatorian Zakwan Khan will be attending the University of Chicago and is undecided on his major. He plans on pursuing a career in “potentially something bureaucratic or something involving an alpaca farm.” TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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Who Was That Masked Man? BY THE REV. SONNY SELLERS
The Lone Ranger wore a mask because the men he pursued for justice’s sake thought he was dead, and he wanted to keep it that way. “Watchmen” is now on HBO and both sides wear masks to protect their identities. Jay Leno’s latest joke? He got in trouble for walking into a bank and he was the only one NOT wearing a mask. OK, enough. Masks are on my mind. I’ve been wearing one a lot and, when our church reopens, we will all need a mask to come inside the sanctuary. But masks are not a popular thing and they may have become politicized. I do pray American culture becomes more comfortable with the practice. It protects other people from what you might unknowingly carry. Our culture could use a greater focus on community health. Such a common sense approach will come in handy if there is a second wave or if (this fall and winter) we deal with the flu, as well. One good that could come out of this is a greater sensitivity to our community health. Before the pandemic, I saw masks as problematic. A desire for anonymity was an indicator that trouble was brewing. The word “hypocrite” is derived from the Greek word for actors – people who put on masks and pretend to be someone they are not.
Being the comedian in the room, if someone says, “the church is full of hypocrites,” I say, “why not join the rest of us?” There is no false pretense here. Humans are inconsistent, doubleminded, clueless, disloyal, and prone to failure, and I am a human (or at least I resemble one). But my faith tells me that I was created just a little lower than the angels. “…what are human beings that you think about them; what are human beings that you pay attention to them? You’ve made them only slightly less than divine, crowning them with glory and grandeur” Psalm 8:4-5 (CEB). So, my creator thinks well of me! And my faith encourages me to take off the mask of anonymity, confess my fallen nature, and embrace the higher calling of humanity. Somewhere inside my confused, infected, scared reality is the image of God just waiting to come out. Who was that masked man (or woman)? – a fellow human not that different from you! We are all in this together. If a germ from somewhere in China can make it to Woodstock, we should all realize we are in the same boat!
The Rev. Sonny Sellers is an elder serving Bascomb United Methodist Church. A teacher, musician and actor at heart, he can be reached at sonny.sellers@ngumc.net.
Renewing a Forgotten Jewish Holiday BY RABBI DANIEL DORSCH
It may surprise you to learn that, across the metro Atlanta area, nearly a thousand Jews came together over Zoom for an evening of Torah study to mark our observance of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. Shavuot is the holiday that often gets forgotten, because it generally falls at the beginning of summer (as the comedian Jackie Mason once quipped, the Jewish holidays are always early or late, but never “on time”). Nonetheless, its importance is on par with its better known counterpart — Passover. Traditionally, Jews count 50 days from the evening of the second night of Passover, marking the period when we first left Egypt until our arrival at Mount Sinai. The last day of the counting, the holiday of Shavuot, commemorates our receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai. In addition to spending the prior evening learning Torah, there are several customs associated with its observance. Most commonly practiced is the tradition of eating dairy foods (cheesecake and blintzes are staples). The reason usually given for this practice is because we symbolically re-enact the receiving of the Torah on Shavuot; we pretend as though we had not yet received the kosher laws. “To be on the safe side,” we eat only dairy. We also hold religious 70
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services where we recite a special celebratory service full of selections from the Book of Psalms, known as “Hallel.” Although, in America, Shavuot is sometimes “the forgotten holiday,” in Israel, the holiday of Shavuot is seeing a resurgence. This is largely due to the North African Jewish community, which has brought rituals from their home countries to Israel, regarding the use of water during this season. Throughout our sacred literature, the Jewish people and our relationship to Torah is compared with fish living in water. Without the spiritual nourishment that comes from our connection to Torah, it is hard for us to breathe. To celebrate this relationship, Shavuot now sometimes is called Chag HaMayim, “the water holiday,” in Israel. In 2017, Dubnov Park in Tel Aviv brought in a giant slip-and-slide, and held a bubble workshop. At home, Israeli children also now celebrate Shavuot with water guns and water balloons. I am thinking we may have found a way to reinvigorate this otherwise forgotten holiday in America. Next year, I am thinking it's time to place a giant slip-and-slide across my synagogue.
Rabbi Dan Dorsch serves Congregation Etz Chaim in Marietta. He is a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary, and holds a master’s degree in synagogue education.
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COMMUNITY OF FAITH ADVENTIST
Cherokee 101 Rope Mill Road, Woodstock 770-591-7304, cherokee.netadvent.org Canton 411 Scott Mill Road, Canton 678-880-0106, www.cantonadventist.org
AME
Allen Temple AME 232 N. Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock 770-926-6348, www.allentempleame.org St. Paul 390 Crisler St., Canton 770-479-9691, www.stpaulame-canton.org
BAPTIST
Canton Bible Church 94 North St., Canton CantonBibleChurch.org Carmel 2001 Bascomb Carmel Road, Woodstock Cherokee 7770 Hickory Flat Highway, Woodstock 770-720-3399 www.cherokeebaptistchurch.org Cornerstone Community 4206 North Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock 678-439-5108, www.ccchurchonline.org Crossroads Community Church 2317 Bascomb-Carmel Road, Woodstock 770-592-7007 Crossroads Primitive 3100 Trickum Road, Woodstock 770-710-1068
Hopewell 78 Ridge Road, Canton 770-345-5723, www.hopewellbaptist.com Mt. Zion 4096 East Cherokee Drive, Canton 770-479-3324, www.mtzb.org New Victoria 6659 Bells Ferry Road, Woodstock 770-926-8448, www.newvicbaptist.org Rising Hills Church 615 Mountain Road, Woodstock www.gorhc.org River Church 2335 Sixes Road, Canton 770-485-1975, www.riveratlanta.org Shallowford Free Will 1686 Shallowford Road, Marietta 770-926-1163 www.shallowfordchurch.com South Cherokee 7504 Highway 92, Woodstock 770-926-0422 Sutallee 895 Knox Bridge Highway, White 770-479-0101 www.sutalleebaptistchurch.com Toonigh 4999 Old Highway 5, Lebanon www.toonightbaptistchurch.com
CHURCH OF GOD
Bells Ferry 6718 Bells Ferry Road, Woodstock 770-592-2956, www.bellsferry.com
Faith Community Office: 110 Village Trail, Suite 110, Woodstock Sunday Services: 3075 Trickum Road, Woodstock 770-516-1996 www.faithcommunitychurch.org
Canton Church 110 Bluffs Parkway, Canton 678-285-3288, www.cantonchurch.com
First Baptist of Woodstock 11905 Highway 92, Woodstock 770-926-4428, www.fbcw.org
Sunnyside 2510 East Cherokee Drive, Woodstock 770-693-1018, www.sunnysidecog.org
First Baptist Canton One Mission Point 770-479-5538, www.fbccanton.org First Baptist Holly Springs 2632 Holly Springs Parkway 770-345-5349, www.fbchollysprings.com Harvest 3460 Kellogg Creek Road, Acworth www.hbcga.org Heritage Fellowship 3615 Reinhardt College Parkway, Canton 770-479-9415, www.HeritageCanton.com Hickory Road 2416 Hickory Road, Canton www.hickoryroad.org Hillcrest 6069 Woodstock Road, Acworth 770-917-9100, www.hbcacworth.org 72
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New Life Church 154 Lakeside Drive, Canton 770-345-2660, www.newlifecanton.com
Toonigh 4775 Holly Springs Parkway, Canton 770-926-3096, www.toonighcog.org
Congregation Ner Tamid Reform Jewish Congregation 1349 Old 41 Highway NW, Suite 220, Marietta 678-264-8575, www.mynertamid.org Congregation Etz Chaim 1190 Indian Hills, Marietta 770-973-0137, www.etzchaim.net Temple Beth Tikvah 9955 Coleman Road, Roswell 770-642-0434, www.bethtikvah.com Temple Kehillat Chaim 1145 Green St., Roswell 770-641-8630, www.kehillatchaim.org Temple Kol Emeth 1415 Old Canton Road, Marietta 770-973-3533, www.kolemeth.net
MESSIANIC JEWISH CONGREGATIONS
Sar Shalom 180 Parkway 575, Suite 150, Woodstock http://sarshalomgeorgia.org/
LUTHERAN
Celebration of Grace 3655 Reinhardt College Parkway, Canton 770-345-8540, www.celebrationofgrace.org Good Shepherd 1208 Rose Creek Drive, Woodstock 770-924-7286, www.gslutheran.org Timothy 556 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock 770-928-2812, www.tlcwoodstock.org
ORTHODOX
St. Elizabeth 2263 East Cherokee Drive, Woodstock 770-485-0504, www.stelizabethga.org
PRESBYTERIAN
Cherokee 1498 Johnson Brady Road, Canton 770-704-9564, www.cherokee-pca.org. Covenant South Annex Rec Center 7545 Main St., Bldg. 200, Woodstock www.cc-pca.org Faith 3655 Reinhardt College Parkway, Canton www.faithpc.us
EPISCOPAL
Grace Church 1160 Butterworth Road, Canton 678-493-9869, www.gracecanton.org
Christ the Redeemer Charismatic 6488 Hickory Flat Highway, Canton 404-395-5003, www.ctrcec.com
Heritage 5323 Bells Ferry Road, Acworth 770-926-3558 , www.heritagepres.com
Episcopal Church-Annunciation 1673 Jamerson Road, Marietta 770-928-7916, www.ecamarietta.org
Trinity 1136 Trinity Church Road, Canton www.trinity-presbyterian-church.org
Saint Clementâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2795 Ridge Road, Canton 770-345-6722, www.stclementscanton.org
Woodstock 345 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock 770-926-0074, www.woodstockpcusa.com
JEWISH
ROMAN CATHOLIC
Chabad Jewish Center 1480 Shiloh Road, NW, Kennesaw 770-400-9255, www.jewishwestcobb.com
Our Lady of LaSalette 12941 Sam Nelson Road, Canton 770-479-8923, www.lasalettecanton.com
St. Michael the Archangel 490 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock 770-516-0009, www.saintmichaelcc.org
Antioch Church 9876 Main St., Suite 250, Woodstock 678-494-2193, www.antiochchurch.life
Transfiguration Catholic Church 1815 Blackwell Road NE., Marietta 770-977-1442, www.transfiguration.com
Awakening 180 Parkway 575, Suite 140, Woodstock 770-924-4150 www.awakeningwoodstock.com
UNITED METHODIST
Ball Ground 3045 Canton Hwy, Ball Ground 770-735-6247, www.ballgroundumc.org
Branches of Christ 5946 Jacobs Road, Acworth 770-917-4964, www.branchesofchrist.com
Bascomb 2295 Bascomb-Carmel Road, Woodstock 770-926-9755, www.bascombumc.org
BridgePointe 233 Arnold Mill Road, Suite 400, Woodstock 770-517-2977, www.bridgepointechurch.org
Big Springs 2066 Sugar Pike Road, Woodstock Canton First 930 Lower Scott Mill Road 770-479-2502, www.cantonfirstumc.org CITY ON A HILL 7745 Main St., Woodstock 678-445-3480, www.coahumc.org Fields Chapel 1331 Fields Chapel Road, Canton 770-479-6030, www.fieldschapel.org Hickory Flat 4056 East Cherokee Drive, Canton 770-345-5969, www.hickoryflat.org Hillside 4474 Towne Lake Parkway, Woodstock 770-924-4777, www.hillsideumc.org Holly Springs 2464 Holly Springs Parkway 770-345-2883, www.hollyspringsumc.com Liberty Hill 141 Railroad St., Canton 678-493-8920, www.libertyhillumc.org Little River 12455 Highway 92, Woodstock 770-926-2495, www.littleriverumc.info Mt. Gilead 889 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock 770-591-0837, www.mtgilead-umc.org Sixes 8385 Bells Ferry Road, Canton 770-345-7644, www.sixesumc.org Woodstock 109 Towne Lake Parkway, Woodstock 770-516-0371
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST Emerson 4010 Canton Road, Marietta 770-578-1533, www.emersonuu.org
OTHERS
Abiding Church 132 North Medical Parkway, Woodstock 678-445-8766, www.abiding.church Action Church 271 Marietta Road, Canton 770-345-3030, www.actionchurch.tv Antioch Christian Church 3595 Sugar Pike Road, Canton 770-475-9628, www.antiochcanton.org
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 2205 Bascomb-Carmel Road, Woodstock 770-529-9572, www.mormon.org Church of the Messiah 4115 Charles Cox Drive, Canton 770-479-5280, www.churchofthemessiah.net Dayspring 6835 Victory Drive, Acworth 770-516-5733, www.dayspring-online.com Dwelling Place Church 110 Londonderry Court #130, Woodstock www.dwellingplacemovement.org Empowerment Tabernacle 507 Industrial Drive, Woodstock 770-928-7478 www.EmpowermentTabernacle.com Engage Church 180 Parkway 575, Suite 150, Woodstock 678-445-8766 The Factory 9872 Main St., Woodstock 770-517-7265, www.thefactoryministries.org Faith Family 5744 Bells Ferry Road, Acworth 770-926-4560, www.ffcacworth.com Fivestones Church 1358 Sixes Road, Canton 770-720-2227, www.fivestonesga.com Fresh Springs Worship Center 1910 Eagle Drive, Suite 100, Woodstock 678-557-9841, www.freshspringsworship.com
Life Church 300 Adam Jenkins Memorial Drive Suite 108, Canton 770-847-0170, www.lifechurchcanton.com Ministry House 347 Holly St., Canton 678-459-2347, http://MinistryHouse.org Momentum 659 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock 678-384-4919 ,www.MomentumChurch.tv New Covenant Bible 1095 Scott Road, Canton 770-479-6412, www.newcovenantcanton.org New Life Church 154 Lakeside Drive, Canton 770-345-2660, www.newlifecanton.com North Atlanta Church 6233 Old Alabama Road, Acworth 770-975-3001, www.northatlantachurch.org Oak Leaf 151 East Marietta St., Canton 678-653-4652, www.oakleafcanton.com Prayer & Praise Christian Fellowship 6409 Bells Ferry Road, Woodstock 770-928-2795, www.prayerandpraise.org Resurrection Anglican 231 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock 770-591-0040, www.rezwoodstock.org Revolution 125 Union Hill Trail, Canton 770-345-2737, www.therevolution.tv Sojourn Woodstock 8534 Main St., Woodstock 770-769-7495, www.sojournwoodstock.com Sovereign Grace 471 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock 678-494-2100, www.sgcatlanta.org Thrive Chapel 11303 Highway 92, Woodstock 770-835-5795, www.thrivechapel.com Unity North Atlanta 4255 Sandy Plains Road Marietta, GA 30066 678-819-9100, www.unitynorth.org
Fuente de Vida (Fountain of Life) 205 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock 678-880-3135, www.fdvida.org
Victory 4625 Highway 92, Acworth 770-794-7366, www.victoryga.com
Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rolling Thunder Latimer Hall, 103 Towne Lake Parkway, Woodstock, www.godsrollingthunder.org
Woodstock City Church 150 Ridgewalk Parkway, Woodstock 678-880-9092, www.woodstockcity.org
His Hands 550 Molly Lane, Woodstock 770-405-2500, www.hishandschurch.com
Woodstock Christian 7700 Highway 92, Woodstock 770-926-8238 www.woodstockchristian.org
Hope Church 6576 Commerce Parkway, Woodstock www.HopeChurchAtl.com Iglesia Mana Para Siempre, Inc. Bilingual church Spanish & English 452 Milton Drive, Canton 678-880-8750 www.iglesiamanaparasiempre.com Life Bible Church 124 P. Rickman Industrial Drive, Canton www.lifebiblechurch.com
Woodstock Church of Christ 219 Rope Mill Road, Woodstock 770-926-8838 www.woodstockchurchofchrist.org Woodstock Church of the Nazarene 874 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock 770-366-7515, www.wcnga.com Woodstock Community Church 237 Rope Mill Road, Woodstock 770-926-8990, www.wcchurch.org TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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Summer Fun on the Recreation Updates BY CHRISTOPHER PURVIS
The recreation season at Allatoona Lake was just beginning to gear up when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. In response, many U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recreation areas were closed, following guidance from corps headquarters and the state of Georgia’s stay-at-home orders. However, many corps areas that were already open were able to stay open. Cooper’s Furnace and Riverside Day Use Areas, including the Etowah Disc Golf Course, stayed open. Most ramps, and all trails and trailheads, stayed available to the public. As we head into the summer, please be aware of changes in the recreation program during these unprecedented times. As a change to usual policy, campground sites will be by reservation only, and there will be no walk-ins. The public can download the recreation.gov app, or visit the recreation.gov website, to make reservations. Visitors will not be allowed at campsites, and no more than eight people are allowed on each site. Campers will be asked to be aware of social distancing, and there will be capacity limits for restroom and shower facilities. Remember to bring your own soap and hand sanitizer when visiting any corps-operated area. The Allatoona boating community is passionate about getting on the water, and we want to ensure visitors remain safe while boating. Practicing the following recommendations can help improve visitor safety while recreating on the water. It is important to stay active and healthy in these uncertain times. Fresh air, nature and outdoor activities are the perfect way to maintain and improve your mental and physical health. The corps will continue to keep the public up-to-date on any changes regarding the recreation program at Allatoona. In the meantime, be safe, keep healthy, and please recreate responsibly.
Christopher Purvis is lead ranger at Lake Allatoona over Partnerships, Volunteers and Project Security. He has been a ranger on Allatoona Lake since 2005.
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Also consider the following guidelines:
• • •
Depart the ramp area as quickly as possible when launching and retrieving your boat, and make sure to distance yourself at ramps and along the shoreline. If a boat launch appears to be crowded, consider visiting a different boat ramp, or try again at a different time of the day. As you head out for a day on the lake, be prepared, be safe, and, most importantly, always wear a life jacket.
Water
Renewed Focus on Safety BY GREG FONZENO
Plan Ahead. Now you should think more about your destination. Will it be open? Are there restrooms? Be sure to bring hand sanitizer. You will be touching many surfaces others have touched. The fuel pump at the fueling dock, just as at the local gas station, can have more bacteria than a toilet seat. Wear gloves and use hand sanitizer. Be sure your passengers can maintain a safe social distance on your boat. Don’t just look at the number of passengers allowed by your capacity plate, but the number that can safely social distance. Preference should be to boat with only your family members. Clean Your Life Jackets. If you haven’t considered cleaning your life jacket, now is the time. The surface of life jackets, particularly those you may stow aboard for guests, is susceptible to bacteria from others. Life jackets have cleaning recommendations printed on them. Once cleaned, the life jacket should be allowed to dry for at least 72 hours before using. To clean your life jacket, hand wash or sponge down the jacket in warm soapy water. Be sure not to submerge the inflator when washing an inflatable life jacket. Then, rinse your life jacket and hang to dry it. Never dry-clean your life jacket or use chlorine bleach. Dry it in a warm well-ventilated place out of direct sun. If you have an inherently buoyant life jacket (foam filled), you can use the same process but you can fully submerge it in the soapy water. Because the COVID-19 virus can potentially live on surfaces for three days, clean and dry your life jacket three days before intended use. Because of the surface bacteria, wear gloves when washing.
PHOTO BY MICHELLE MCCULLOCH
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the things we now must do to be safe and courteous to everyone on the water have changed a bit. The Coast Guard Auxiliary, National Safe Boating Council, BoatUs, the U.S. Power Squadrons, and other safe boating organizations can provide guidance.
Dock Distance. Boating etiquette calls for being courteous at the launching ramp. Give others a little extra room when launching or loading a boat at the ramp. If launching on a busy day, it’s a good idea to wear a face covering and gloves when at the ramp. Take Shorter Trips. As much as time on board your boat is enjoyable, consider taking shorter trips from home. Less time and distance from home means fewer stops for restroom and meal breaks. It will help limit the number of people you come in contact with and surfaces you touch. It might also help prevent the unknowing spread of the virus to others.
Avoid Rafting Boats Together. Do not tie up your boat with other boats. This encourages people to move from one boat to another. Maintaining a safe distance is not possible when boats are rafted together. Helping prevent the spread of COVID-19 is critical for all of us. We all want to get back to enjoying the water and keeping our friends and family safe. Stay healthy and enjoy the water. Greg Fonzeno is the public education officer and vice commander of the local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Unit (Flotilla 22) at Allatoona Lake.
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Downtown Woodstock Dining Canyons
J Christopher’s
Salt Factory Pub
Century House Tavern
J Miller’s Smokehouse
Semper Fi Bar and Grille
American 335 Chambers St. 678-494-8868 www.canyonsfresh.com Modern American 125 E Main St. 770-693-4552 www.centuryhousetavern.com
Copper Coin Coffee
BBQ & Southern Sandwiches 150 Towne Lake Parkway 770-592-8295 www.jmillerssmokehouse.com
American 400 Chambers St. 470-308-6914 www.coppercoinwoodstock.com
Mad Life Studios
Freight Kitchen & Tap
Partners II Pizza
Southern 251 E. Main St. 770-924-0144 www.freightkitchen.com
Gyro Aegean Grill
Greek/Mediterranean 180 Towne Lake Parkway 770-485-5236 https://gyroageangrill.com/
Habanero’s Taqueria
Mexican 9550 Main St. 678-498-8243 www.habanerostaqueria.com
Ice Martini & Sushi Bar Tapas/Sushi 380 Chambers St. 770-672-6334 www.icemartinibar.com
Ipps Pastaria & Bar Italian 8496 Main St. 770-517-7305 www.ippspastaria.com
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Diner 315 Chambers St. 770-592-5990 www.jchristophers.com
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Southern 8722 Main St. www.madlifestageandstudios.com
Pizza 8600 Main St. 678-224-6907 www.partnerspizza.com/woodstock-ga
Pure Taqueria
Mexican 405 Chambers St. 770-952-7873 www.puretaqueria.com/woodstock
Prime 120
Steakhouse 120 Chambers St. 770-800-8049 www.prime120steakhouse.com
Reel Seafood
Seafood 8670 Main St. 770-627-3006 www.reel-seafood.com
Rootstock and Vine
Wine bar & Tapas 8558 Main St. 770 -544-9009 www.rootstockandvine.com
Gastropub 8690 Main St. 678-903-6225 www.saltfactorypub.com/woodstock American 9770 Main St. 770-672-0026 www.semperfibarandgrille.com
Tea Leaves & Thyme
English Tea room 8990 Main St. 770-516-2609 www.tealeavesandthyme.com
The Daily Draft Tap Room and Bar American 8594 Main St. 770-783-2799 thedailydraft.net
Truck & Tap
Variety of Food trucks 8640 Main St. 770-702-1670 www.truckandtap.com
Vingenzo’s
Italian 105 E. Main St. 770-924-9133 www.vingenzos.com
A Brief Intermission BY CHRISTOPHER BRAZELTON
“Ladies and gentlemen, we will be taking a brief intermission prior to the second act. Thank you.” The ominous voice is so classic. The practice of intermission is classic in the theater, as well. Some people hate it, but I must confess, I love the brief 15-minute period. It is easy, as an arts administrator, to back up this needed time with financial numbers, the added concession sales, donations, etc. to help us reach the bottom line. But, in the end, we can manage without financial justifications or a bathroom break. I am fond of intermission because, in the midst of the suspense of a story that has enveloped an audience, it is a moment to pause, reflect and connect with fellow audience members. The moments we are left with prior to intermission, and the anticipation for a hopeful resolution, allow us to connect with ourselves and our desires. What do we want to see happen? Will that resolution occur? What is at stake right now? What, at this moment, am I going to take with me? I believe this time to be crucial to what we do in the industry. Usually, we reflect on the year at the end and make judgments accordingly to build toward the next year’s goals. I’m sure you have seen many social media posts asking what else 2020 will bring - admittedly it is easy to empathize with this. It feels like we’ve had enough excitement for a decade these last six months. But, if we aren’t careful, we might miss an opportunity. We’ve been forced into an intermission - to pause. In fact, we are only halfway through. What story is left? What do we want to see happen? With plans derailed, what if we still could accomplish those goals? What story will you write with so much unknown, uncertain? At Elm Street, we have been forced to pause as well. The end of our season was derailed a bit, but we are still planning to hold our next season. Even as I’m writing this, there is lack of clarity about when we are allowed to open. We are hopeful, but, more important, we are planning. While we are discussing how to remain socially distant during large events, the story we are telling is how our community still can connect. And when we are together, we will cherish those moments even more looking to build the community together.
Christopher Brazelton, a Florida State University graduate, is the executive director of Elm Street Cultural Arts Village.
UPCOMING AT ELM STREET
She Kills Monsters Crystal Bowersox Play | Theatre Season
AUG 7 - 23, 2020 Recommended for ages 16+
JigJam
Irish Folk|Lantern Series
AUG 22, 2020
Indie Folk|Lantern Series
AUG 15, 2020
David Nail Modern Country|Lantern Series
AUG 29, 2020
SUBSCRIPTIONS &
SINGLE TICKETS AVAILABLE
THEATRE SERIES
She Kills Monsters Dogfight the Musical Alice in Wonderland Jr. A Christmas Carol Freaky Friday the Musical 26 Pebbles Sister Act the Musical How I Became a Pirate Junie B. Jones the Musical
LANTERN SERIES Crystal Bowersox JigJam David Nail VoicePlay Black Market Trust We Banjo 3 Time for Three Little Texas Gina Chavez Swedish Jam Factory Laila Biali Ian Sherwood
DATES AND INFO AT ELMSTREETARTS.ORG
ELMSTREETARTS.ORG | 678.494.4251 TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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Cherokee Photography Club Congratulations to the winners of the May competition, "Night Time."
Digital Projection - Color
1st Martin Longstaff Donna Kay
2nd Donald Newton Ready for Launch 80
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3rd Howard McNeeley Pop Culture
Digital Projection - Monochromatic
The Cherokee Photography Club meets on the fourth Monday of the month, and for those participating in the monthly contest, that meeting is held on the second Monday of the month. Both meetings are 7-9 p.m. and held at the Cherokee County Arts Center, 94 North St., Canton. Please contact Kim Bates at 770-617-7595 or email him at kbphotoart@ comcast.net for more information. 1st Donald Newton The Dreamer TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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TOWNE LAKE AREA CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS
Ahimsa House helps domestic violence victims 24-hours a day get their pets to safety. 404-452-6248. www.ahimsahouse.org. Anna Crawford Children’s Center, dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect through prevention and intervention services. 678-504-6388. www.cherokeechildadvocates.org. Bend Your Knees, Inc. raises awareness, helps children with pediatric brain tumors. Bob Dixon, 678-922-1560. CASA for Children has programs to increase safety and improve educational, social and emotional functioning of children impacted by abuse. 770-345-3274. www.casacherokee.org. CCHS Thrift Store accepts donations, sells used household items to raise money for Cherokee County Humane Society. 5900 Bells Ferry Road, Acworth. 770-592-8072. Cherokee Family Violence Center offers emergency shelter and crisis intervention, affordable housing, education, support services. 770-479-1703. Spanish 770-720-7050 or 800-334-2836 option 2. www.cfvc.org. Cherokee Fellowship of Christian Athletes challenges professional, college, high school, junior high and youth level coaches and athletes to use athletics to impact the world for Christ. Bill Queen, 404-441-3508. www.cherokeefca.org. Cherokee County Humane Society (CCHS) 770-928-5115. admin@cchumanesociety.org. www.cchumanesociety.org. Cherokee FOCUS works to improve lives of children and families through collaborative programs and initiatives. 770-345-5483. www.cherokeefocus.org. Cherokee County Senior Services offers educational, social, leisure and recreational activities for senior citizens. 770-345-5312. 770-345-5320. www.cherokeega.com/senior-services. Cherokee Young Life for high school students, meets Monday nights at Bradshaw Farm clubhouse, 7853 Hickory Flat Highway, Suite 104, Woodstock 30188. 678 653-5707. www.cherokeecounty.younglife.org. Community Veterinary Care provides professional veterinary care for pets whose owners have limited financial means. 678-640-3512. www.communityveterinarycare.com. Companion Animal Connection 678-493-9847. www.adoptapet.com. Everyday Angels offers financial assistance for local families in need. aaeverydayangels@gmail.com.
Green Shelters America animal rescue group. 770-712-4077. GreenSheltersAmerica@gmail.com. www.GreenSheltersAmerica.com. Habitat for Humanity North Central Georgia, 770-587-9697. www.habitat-ncg.org. HopeQuest Ministry Group helps people with life dominating issues related to alcohol abuse, substance abuse and/or sexual brokenness. 678-391-5950. www.hqmg.org. HOPE Center offers support for unplanned pregnancy. 770-924-0864. info@hopectr.com. www.hopectr.com. HOPE Center — Seeds Thrift Store offers men, women & children’s clothing, furniture & other home goods. 770-517-4450. www.seedsthriftstore.com. Life Connection Ministries provides humanitarian relief in the form of wells and greenhouses to impoverished communities. Mission trips offered. 678-234-1798. www.lcm-ga.com. Matthew E. Russell Foundation establishes literacy and libraries in rural areas worldwide. 678-234-1798. www.mattrussell.org. MUST Ministries provides groceries, hot meals, emergency shelter, supportive housing, clothing, employment services, summer lunch and more from five locations in eight counties, including the Canton office at 111 Brown Industrial Pkwy. www.mustministries.org. National Alliance for Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots organization in America working to build better lives for the millions affected by mental illness. www.nami.org. Never Alone provides food and clothing assistance to Cherokee families in need. www.neveralone.org. Next Step Ministries offers a therapeutic day program, Saturday respite, camps and special events for people with special needs. 770-592-1227. www.nextstepministries.net. The North Georgia Angel House Girls Home, residential facility to help girls ages 12-18 learn selfsufficiency. 770-479-9555. www.angelhousega.com. North Georgia Pregnancy Center offers help and care to young girls and women with an unplanned pregnancy or who need counseling. 706-253-6303. www.ngapregnancy.org. Papa’s Pantry, a year-round food ministry that includes the Masters Training Center to help individuals and families in crisis get back on their feet. 770-591-4730. www.papaspantry.org.
The Blue Ribbon Foundation fosters a national dialog toward finding the cause, cure and prevention of ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis), CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome), fibromyalgia and Lyme disease. 478-397-5542. www.theblueribbonfoundation.org. Volunteer Aging Council helps raise funds for seniors in Cherokee County. A list of current needs is available. 770-310-3474. www.vac-cherokeega.org.
SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS
AA Meetings Canton: 9:30 a.m. Mondays-Saturdays, 7 p.m. Mondays at Canton First United Methodist, 930 Lower Scott Mill Road. Woodstock: 7 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at Hillside United Methodist, 4474 Towne Lake Parkway. 11 a.m. Saturdays at Woodstock Community Church 237 Rope Mill Road.Woodstock. www.aageorgia.org/14c-meetings.html. Abortion Recovery Helping those who have been impacted by abortion. 678-223-3519. Al-Anon and Al-A-Teen Canton: 8 p.m. Tuesdays at St. Clements Episcopal Church, 2795 Ridge Road. Woodstock: 7 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays Al-Anon at Hillside United Methodist Church, Room 2208, 4474 Towne Lake Pkwy. American Heart Assoc. - Cherokee Div. 678-385-2013. American Red Cross metro chapter 770-428-2695. A-Typical Parkinson’s Education and Support Group Meets 6:00 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month at Ball Ground UMC, 3045 Canton Hwy. in Ball Ground. Contact Norma Schmidt at 770-366-9585. Caregivers Alzheimers Spousal Support Group Meets: 12:30 p.m. first Tuesday of every month for lunch at Benton House of Woodstock, 3385 Trickum Road. 678-494-4500. woodstockinfo@bentonhouse.com. Celebrate Recovery, Christ-centered recovery program for all types of habits, hurts and hangups. Meets: 6:30 p.m. Thursdays at Woodstock Church of the Nazarene. 770-366-7515. Meets: 6:30 p.m. Mondays at Sixes United Methodist. 770-345-7644. www.sixesumc.org. Meets: 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Ministry House, 678-459-2347. www.MinistryHouse.org. Meets: 6:15 p.m. Thursdays at 411 Scott Mill Road, Canton. 678-764-8660. www.celebraterecovery.com. Cherokee County Support Group for people with autoimmune conditions. Meets: 6:30 - 8 pm second Thursday at New Light Baptist Church, 1716 New Light Road, Holly Springs. 404-402-0571, 770-337-0294, jhmom88@comcast.net or christystephenson@msn.com.
Feed My Lambs, Inc. provides free Christian preschools in the U.S. and around the world. 770-795-9348. office@feedmylambs.net. www.feedmylambs.net.
Pet Buddies Food Pantry provides pet food, supplies, spaying and neutering, and education through community outreach programs to families in need. 678-310-9858. www.petbuddiesfoodpantry.org.
Forever Fed is a mobile food ministry that addresses physical hunger and hopelessness by providing meals and sharing the gospel. www.foreverfed.org.
Safe Kids Cherokee County offers free child safety seat inspections by appointment. 770-721-7808. www.cherokeesafekidscherokeecounty.org.
Funds 4 Furry Friends helps those in need with food, spay/neuter and medical attention for their pets. 770-842-8893. www.funds4furryfriends.com.
SmileUp! Charitable Foundation works to get children involved in volunteering with local charities that help children. www.smileupfoundation.org.
Georgia Animal Project, based in Ball Ground, offers high quality, low cost spay/neuter services for dogs and cats. 770-704-PAWS (7297). www.theanimalproject.org.
SERV International operates the House of Hope orphanage in Africa, sponsors a clean water program in Dominican Republic and meal distributions worldwide. Offers mission trips. 770-516-1108. www.servone.org.
Cherokee County Special Olympics provides yearround sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. www.cherokeecountyspecialolympics.org. Cherokee Christian Ministerial Association for pastors and ministry leaders. Meets: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. last Wednesday at Dayspring Church, 6835 Victory Drive, Woodstock. www.cherokeeministers.org. Diabetes Support Group Meets: 9:30 and 11 a.m. third Tuesday at Emeritus Assisted Living, 756 Neese Road, Woodstock. 770-793-7818.
Timothy’s Cupboard, a food pantry associated with Timothy Lutheran Church at 556 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock. Open Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment only. 770-591-5515 www.timothylutheran.360unite.com/timothyscupboard-home.
Grace Valley Ministries connects pastors through small group meetings, free counseling and a place to retreat. 727-251-7690. info@gracevalleyministries.org. www.gracevalleyministries.org.
Give a Kid a Chance – Cherokee sponsors a yearly back-to-school bash, giving children in need filled backpacks to free haircuts. www.giveakidachance.org. Goshen Valley Boys Ranch offers a home, care and counsel to young men in the DFCS system. 770-796-4618. www.goshenvalley.org
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Georgia Canines for Independence. 404-824-4637. gcidogs@aol.com. www.gcidogs.org.
Grandparents Raising GRANDchildren Meets: 7:15 p.m. second Tuesdays Transfiguration Catholic Church, Marietta (nursery available). 770-919-9275. Hearing Loss Association of America NW Metro Atlanta chapter for people with hearing loss looking for support and resources, holds free and informative quarterly meetings at the Senior Center on Arnold Mill Road. nwmetroatlantahlaa@gmail.com. La Leche League of South Cherokee Meets: 10 a.m. first Tuesday and 7 p.m. third Tuesday at Bascomb United Methodist Church. 678-315-7686. 770-517-0191.
Male Veteran Support Group
Meets 6:30-8 p.m. Thursdays at First Baptist Church Woodstock in Building "A" Room 260. Snacks provided. MOMS Club of Woodstock-Towne Lake momsclubofwoodstocktl@gmail.com. www.sites.google.com/site/ momscluboftownelakewoodstock. MOPS — Mothers of Preschoolers (birth — K) Meets: 9:30 a.m. second and fourth Mondays at Hillside UMC, 4474 Towne Lake Pkwy. 770-924-4777. Unlimited Possibilities, support group for stroke and brain injury survivors. Meets: 7 p.m. first Tuesday of each month at Kennestone Outpatient Rehab Center. 678-677-2589.
BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS
American Business Women’s Association, Cherokee Eagles Charter Chapter. Meets: 6:30 p.m. on the third Tuesdays at Dynastic Buffet at the intersection of Canton Highway and Piedmont. 678-493-3618. Cherokee Business Network Meets: 7:45 a.m. Wednesdays at Chick-fil-A, 9728 Highway 92, Woodstock. 770-345-8687. Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce Meets: Various times during the year. Schedule at www.cherokeechamber.com. 770-345-0400. Gini@CherokeeChamber.com. Cherokee Toastmasters Club Meets: Noon-1:15 p.m. Wednesdays at the Bank of North Georgia, 200 Parkway 575, Woodstock. www.cherokeetoastmasters.com. The Joy of Connecting Networking for Women Meets: Various times and locations. 678-789-6158. www.xperienceconnections.com/spotlight/ woodstock/. Towne Lake Business Association Meets: 12:30 p.m. third Tuesdays at Tavern at Towne Lake. 678-389-3887. www.tlba.org. Towne Lake PowerCore Team Meets: 7-8:30 a.m. Fridays at Freight Kitchen & Tap, 251 E. Main St., Woodstock. 404-816-3377. www.powercore.net. Women of Woodstock Meets: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. first Wednesday of the month at Tavern at Towne Lake. info@womenofwoodstock.com. www.womenofwoodstock.com. Woodstock PowerCore Team Meets: 7 a.m. on Thursdays at Tavern at Towne Lake. 770-952-5000 ext. 20.
VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS
American Legion Post 316 Meets: 7 p.m. third Thursdays at William G. Long Senior Center, 223 Arnold Mill Road. 678-662-2366. Cherokee County Homeless Veteran Program Contact Jim Lindenmayer at Jlindenmayer80@gmail. com or 678-983-7590, or Mike Satterly at 404-680-2412. Cherokee Veterans Community Support Groups for males and females meet on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursdays of the month at First Baptist Church Woodstock. www.cherokeeveteranscommunity.org. 678-494-2680. veteransministry@fbcw.net.
Woodstock VFW Post 10683 Meets: 7 p.m. second Tuesday at Woodstock Senior Center, 223 Arnold Mill Road. 404-663-4663.
CIVIC, COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS
AARP Woodstock Chapter is for anyone age 50 and older. Meets: 11:30 a.m. second Tuesdays at Tuscany. Lunch is $15. 770-926-1944. Canton-Cherokee TRIAD/S.A.L.T. (Seniors and Law Enforcement Together) Meets: 8:30 a.m. first Tuesday at Canton Police Department 151 Elizabeth St., third floor training room. www.saltcherokee.com. Cherokee County Historical Society 770-345-3288. www.rockbarn.org. Citizen Oversight and Education 678-520-2236. citizenoversighteducation@yahoo.com. Firestorm Robotics FIRST Robotics Competition Team for High School Students in Etowah, Woodstock and River Ridge. Meets: 4-6:00 p.m. on Wednesdays at Cherokee Makerspace, 6436 Hwy 92 Ste 100 Acworth. 678-247-1972. www.firestormrobotics.org. Jewish Havurah (Friends) A group of Jewish people who meet for Jewish holidays, special Jewish events and Shabbat dinners. 770-345-8687.
Cherokee County Libertarians Meets: 7:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday at the Cherokee County Board of Realtors Training Center 1600 River Park Blvd., Suite 104, Woodstock. www.cherokeelp.org. Cherokee County Republican Party P.O. Box 1267, Woodstock 678-882-0915. www.cherokeecountygop.com. Contact us to verify meetings, time and locations. Follow us on Facebook and twitter. Cherokee County Republican Women affiliated with The Georgia Federation of Republican Women. Meets: Monthly in Woodstock/Canton. 770-592-7811. jkconkey@gmail.com. Grassroots Conservatives of Cherokee Meets: 7- 9 a.m. Fridays at Chick-fil-A, 951 Ridgewalk Parkway, Woodstock by the Outlet Mall. 770-294-0922. Republican Women of Cherokee County 678-520-2236. www.rwccga.com.
RECREATION & HOBBIES
Allatoona Gold Panners. Periodic events, outings. rrkelly@bellsouth.net. Cherokee Amateur Radio Society Meets: 10 a.m. on the second Saturday at William G. Long Senior Center, 223 Arnold Mill Road. www.cherokeehams.com.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Cherokee Meets: 8 a.m. first Monday, at Hillside United Methodist Church, Room 2107, 4474 Towne Lake Parkway, Woodstock. 678-468-9900. www.greatercherokeekiwanis.org.
Cherokee Community Chorale 678-439-8625. www.cherokeechorale.org.
Pilot Club of Cherokee County Meets: 6:30 p.m. second Mondays at IHOP on Hwy. 20. 770-393-1766. Lynda@edgoodwinassociates.com. www.pilotinternational.com.
Cherokee County Master Gardeners 770-721-7803. www.caes.uga.edu/extension/ cherokee/mastergardeners.
Rotary Club of Cherokee County Meets: 6:30 p.m. Thursdays at IHOP on Highway 92. 770-480-4179. Rotary Club of Towne Lake Meets: Noon Thursdays at Tavern at Towne Lake, 1003 Towne Lake Hills E., Woodstock. www.townelakerotary.com. Rotary Club of Woodstock Meets: 7:30 a.m. Tuesdays at IHOP on Highway 92. 678-428-6514. Service League of Cherokee County 770-704-5991. www.serviceleague.net. South Cherokee Optimist Club Meets: 7:30 a.m. every Friday at Tavern at Towne Lake. 770-926-3522. Towne Lake Optimist Club Meets: 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays at Tavern at Towne Lake. 770-715-3375. www.townelakeoptimists.com. Woodstock Jaycees Meets: 7 p.m. first Tuesday and third Thursday at 216 Rope Mill Road. 770-926-8336. Woodstock Junior Woman’s Club www.woodstockjwc.org. Woodstock Lions Club Meets: 7 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month at The Arbor at Bridgemill, 700 Freedom Blvd, Canton. 770-906-2958. Woodstock Preservation Group 770-924-0406. http://preservationwoodstock.com/.
POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS
Cherokee County Democratic Party Monthly Social: 1 p.m. first Saturday at Canton IHOP. Monthly Business Meeting: 7-9 p.m. second Thursday at Holly Springs Train Depot. Monthly Dinner Social: 6:30 p.m. second Thursday at Las Palmas, Holly Springs. 470-240-1529. www.cherokeedemocrats.com. Charles Ravenscraft, chairman@cherokeedemocrats.com.
Cherokee County Arts Center 94 North St., Canton. 770-704-6244. www.CherokeeArts.org.
Cherokee Photography Club www.cherokeepc.org. Cherokee County Saddle Club hosts monthly meetings and group rides. www.cherokeesaddleclub.com. Cherokee Hockey In Line League (CHILL) roller hockey. www.cherokeehockey.org. Cherokee Music Teachers Association 770-720-1701. www.cherokeemta.org. Cherokee Soccer Association 770-704-0187. www.csaimpact.com. Cherokee Youth Lacrosse Association www.cherokeelacrosse.com. Christian Authors Guild Meets: 7-9 p.m. first and third Monday at Prayer and Praise Christian Fellowship, 6409 Bells Ferry Road, Woodstock. www.christianauthorsguild.org. Firestorm Robotics Meets Wednesdays and Saturdays at Cherokee Makerspace, 6436 Highway 92, Suite 100, Acworth. 678-247-1972. firestormrobotics.org. Girl Scouts Atlanta Sherry Saunders, ssaunders@gsgatl.org 404-293-3511. www.girlscoutsatl.org. Kingdom Riders, a chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association in Canton. Meets: 8 a.m. fourth Saturdays at Family Tradition restaurant in Hickory Flat. Les Marmitons, for men interested in culinary arts. www.lesmarmitons.org. Neighbors and Newcomers of Towne Lake (NNTL) is a social club for residents of 30189 area code. 770-855-9623. www.nntlclub.com. Sons of the American Revolution - Cherokee Meets: 7 p.m. second Tuesdays at the Rock Barn, 638 Marietta Hwy., Canton. www.cherokeechapter.com. William G. Long Senior Center offers activities for seniors at 223 Arnold Mill Road, Woodstock. 678-445-6518. TOWNELAKER | July 2020
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Advertisers July 2020
ANIMAL/PET SERVICES & SUPPLIES Cherokee County Animal Shelter www.cherokeega-animals.org
CHIROPRACTIC 61
ATTORNEYS/LEGAL SERVICES Debranski & Associates, LLC 770-926-1957, ext 306 www.debranski.com
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Imbriale Injury Law 678-445-7423 www.imbrialeinjury.com
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Aspen Falls Auto Spa 770-591-3630
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Chloe's Auto Repair 770-575-8800 www.chloesautorepair.com
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Christian Brothers Automotive 678-841-8764 www.cbac.com/townelake
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BEAUTY SALON & SPA A New You Skin & Body Clinic 678-739-0400 www.anewyouclinic.com Mood Salon 678-653-8444 www.moodsalonwoodstock.com
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Robyn Smith Salon 678-758-5522
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Salon Gloss 678-483-8900 www.salongloss.biz
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Towne Lake Business Association www.tlba.org
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CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS
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TOWNELAKER | July 2020
CREDIT UNION Credit Union of Georgia 678-486-1111 www.cuofga.org
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DENTAL
Baird & Baird Family Dentistry 770-517-0444 www.bairdfamilydentistry.com
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Dentistry for Woodstock 770-926-0000 www.dentistryforwoodstock.com Gentle Dental Care and Georgia Dental Implant Center 770-926-2784 www.georgiadic.com
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Park Pediatric Dentistry of Woodstock 43, 59 770-926-9260 www.pediatricwoodstockdentist.com Smile Doctors by Williams Orthodontics 32 770-592-5554 and 770-345-4155 www.smiledoctors.com Towne Lake Family Dentistry Inside Back 770-591-7929 www.townelakefamilydentistry.com EDUCATION/TRAINING/TUTORING St Joseph Catholic School 770-428-3328 www.stjosephschool.org
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FINANCIAL SERVICES Accounting Connections, LLC O:770-516-5987 C: 770-846-7799 www.accountingconnections.org
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Citadel Professional Services, LLC 770-952-6707 www.citadelwealthcare.com
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FITNESS
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ENTERTAINMENT
BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS
Give a Kid a Chance-Cherokee www.giveakidachance.org
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(Cosmetic, Family, Orthodontics, Prosthodontics & Pediatric)
AUTOMOTIVE Alpha & Omega Automotive Woodstock: 678-483-5995 Marietta: 770-928-0006 www.alpha-omega-auto.com
Ribley Chiropractic 770-592-2505 www.ribleychiro.com
Woodstock Summer Concert Series 71 www.woodstockconcertseries.com
R2 Total Fitness 678-809-7833 www.r2totalfitness.com
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FUNERAL SERVICES Poole Funeral Home 678-932-2097 www.poolefuneralhome.net
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Woodstock Funeral Home and Cremations 25 770-926-3107 www.woodstockfuneralhome.com HOME DÃ&#x2030;COR Neighborhood Nest, The 29 770-485-5898 www.theneighborhoodnestga.com HOME IMPROVEMENT & REPAIR Bryan Plumbing Services 770-826-5277 CFM Electrical Services 678-614-9661 Coleman Home Services 770-294-9667 www.colemanhomeservices.com
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Dr. Fixit, Ph.D. 770-974-2390 www.drfixitphd.com
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Cherokee Theatre Company 770-591-0282 www.cherokeetheatre.org Elm Street Cultural Arts Village 678-494-4251 www.elmstreetarts.org
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Enhance Floors & More 770-565-3808 www.enhancefloors.com
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For advertising rates and information Patty Ponder 770-615-3322 Patty@AroundaboutMagazines.com
Handy Handyman, The 404-316-1490 www.thhmga.com
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Home Efficiency Solutions 678-665-3626 www.homeefficiencey.solutions
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Mr. Junk 678-Mr-Junk1 www.mrjunk1.com
PHOTOGRAPHY
Prosperity Home Mortgage 404-895-0641 www.lisaeifert.phmloans.com
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Abigail Peyton Photography www.apeytonphotography.com
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J. King Images 404-384-2794 www.jkingimages.com
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Ursula and Assoc., Keller Williams Back Cvr 678-389-3887 www.townelakeexperts.com
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PHYSICIANS AND MEDICAL SERVICES
Sarah Terrell/Remax Town & Country 39 770-928-6525 www.realestateagent.net
Pike’s Professional Painting 770-516-0045
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Scrappy’s Junk Removal 678-330-9282 www.scrappysjunkremoval.com
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Cherokee Lung & Sleep Specialists Inside front Blairsville, Canton, East Ellijay: 678-493-2527 Kennesaw: 678-354-9821 Woodstock: 770-852-7740 www.cherokeelungandsleep.com
Towne Plumber 770-257-7503 www.towneplumber.com
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Calvary Landscaping & Irrigation 770-720-1727 or 770-827-0346
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Landscape Matters 770-403-5813 www.landscapemattersinc.com
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RPM Landscape & Pavers 41 770-597-5175 www.rpmlandscapeandpavers.com OPTOMETRY Cover, 44,45
Plastic Surgery Center of the South 68 770-421-1242 www.plasticsurgerycenterofthesouth.net REAL ESTATE & RELATED SERVICES Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Tomlinson Team, The 770-365-6193 www.thetomlinsonteam.com Broadus Realty Group 404-583-8856 www.broadusrealtygroup.com
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RECREATION 59
Optimal Performance Medicine 9 678-250-0700 www.optimalperformancemedicine.com
LANDSCAPING AND LAWN CARE
Pearle Vision 770-790-0000 www.pearlevision.com
North Georgia Audiology & Hearing Aid Center 770-726-8948 www.YourHearingLink.com
Windsong Properties, Westbrook 770-516-3678 www.windsonglife.com
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Gordon Mosley, Harry Norman Realtors 7 C: 404-667-3221, O: 404-495-8331 www.gordonsellsatl.com
Paper Scissors Cake Art Studio 25 404-867-1630 www.paperscissorscakeartstudio.com SENIOR LIVING/ SERVICES Oaks at Towne Lake 770-592-2195 www.oaksseniorliving.com
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SPECIALTY FOOD The Butcher and A Baker 770-517-2225 www.thebutcherandabaker.com
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SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS Next Step Ministries www.nextstepministries.net
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TRAVEL Freebird Cruises & All-Inclusive Resorts 3 404-547-1157 www.fbcair.com
For information on all of our titles, visit
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Since 1996, we have brought relevant, uplifting and reader-driven content to readers. We publish Around Acworth, Around Canton, Around Woodstock and TowneLaker. We look forward to serving you, our readers and advertisers, every month. Thank you for your continued support and participation in making this truly your community magazine.
At Aroundabout Local Media, we believe the world functions at the community level: diverse groups of people living in close proximity, sharing commonality of culture, values and local pride, developing safety nets for those in need, and helping each other to live richer lives. It is our heartfelt desire to contribute to the fabric that helps make a community happen. Through our magazines, we aim to provide everyone in the communities we serve with uplifting, interesting information about the community they are proud to call home. We encourage you to send us your photos, ideas, stories or anything else you think the community would like to know about. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your community. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your magazine. Look on page 6 for our contact information.
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