7-21 Around Canton webfinal.pdf by Aroundabout Local Media, Inc.

Discover Your New Home at Great Sky

Nestled in rolling hills of northern Georgia on the edge of picturesque Hickory Log Creek Reservoir, you will find Great Sky. A community with the perfect balance of nature and home, quiet and convenience. Over 300 acres of protected green space is the stunning backdrop for new homes with beautiful views of both mountains and water. Yet for all the wide-open space, Great Sky is still a small southern community at heart, with friendly neighbors, family activities, and award-winning schools. Nearby Canton has a vibrant downtown with great shopping, dining, and cultural events. Great Sky is where natural beauty and life-enhancing amenities mingle perfectly to create a peaceful, rewarding life for you and your family. GreatSkyGA.com

info@greatskycanton.com

(770) 704-0234

©2019. Equal Housing Opportunity. The amenities and features described and depicted herein are based upon current development plans, which are subject to change without notice. Actual development may not be as currently proposed. References to housing products, builders and prices are subject to change without notice as well.

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Contents

Contributors

July 2021

34 Cherokee Office of Economic Development 37 Cherokee Women’s Health Specialists

The Avenue Boutique

14 Shanna Coulter

On the Cover

42 Barbara Jacoby

Owner Morgan Lyons sees The Avenue as a place to find the perfect outfit, and enjoy a refreshing little getaway.

25 Harry Johnston 18 Asher Kelsey 40 Rob Macmillan

Pages 28 & 29

38 John Rodgers

Cover photo by Maniac Agency

32 Susan Schulz

Unveiling the Mural

Grillin’ and Chillin’

Artists share their experiences in creating the city’s first public art project.

Recipes from local grillmasters will impress your friends and family, and take the pressure off summer cookouts.

30 Elisabeth Stubbs 26 Kevin Williams

In Every Issue 4 Around Canton 8 Local News 23 Celebrations 24 Ribbon Cuttings 36 Everyday Angels 38 Library Events 40 Rob’s Rescues 44 School News 46 Canton Dining Guide 48 Noteworthy 50 Community Calendar 52 Cherokee Photography Club

54 Directory of Advertisers

Congrats Grads!

We celebrate the accomplishments of high school and college graduates.

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Home

is where you

Belong

Home is a sense of certainty you’re in the right space and the right place. It’s a sense that you are part of a larger community, where friendships and connections are important. It’s a sense that you belong. At St. George Village, we understand how important it is to feel that sense of belonging. Our welcoming and inclusive environment offers a variety of activities, events and other opportunities for engagement that support existing connections and foster new ones, creating a strong sense of community and purpose. Every facet of St. George Village has been designed to encourage and promote the health, vitality and well being of all who live and work here, qualities that are integral to our mission, “Be Active, Be Engaged, Be at Home.” Here, you’ll experience that right space, right place feeling that means you truly belong. Discover why so many people have chosen St. George Village as their home. Call 404-558-6108 for information, or visit us online at stgeorgevillage.org, and on Facebook and YouTube.

Roswell’s first senior living Life Plan retirement community 11350 Woodstock Road, Roswell, GA 30075 (678) 987-0410 | stgeorgevillage.org AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Around Canton Letter From the Editor

One of the goals I have for each issue is to share stories of our neighbors who are doing great things, small or large deeds, to help their neighbors and friends, or folks they’ve never met who live around the world. Izetta Stoner is one of these inspirations. At 93, the Woodstock resident crochets an average of two hats per day for a nonprofit called The Encouragement Project, which sends hats and scarves throughout the United States and around the world. It’s tough to give an update on the number of hats she’s produced so far, because it changes daily. At press time, our best count is more than 2,800. Apparently Izetta’s story prompted a reader in Holly Springs, Jennifer, to contact The Encouragement Project to learn how to help. Jennifer leads a group of knitters/ crocheters at her church, and the members were looking for new places to donate. In addition to giving 100 items, the group is helping with other projects for the nonprofit. “As a result of the article, we have also heard from one other lady who wants to volunteer in an elder care home,” said Stephanie Cervantes, founder of The Encouragement Project. “I have gotten her in touch with a place in Canton.” Another reader decided to volunteer at the Circle of Friends coffee shop at The Circuit, after reading Susan Schulz’s February article about the nonprofit, which opened the coffee shop to offer job opportunities and a level of independence to young adults with disabilities. I am sure - at least, I hope - there are more stories like these that I haven’t heard about. If you’ve been inspired by the people you meet on our pages, I’d love to hear from you. It’s inspiring to me to know what we do each month is making a difference in the community. This month’s kindness challenge will help make a difference, especially considering the new libraries open in Canton.

July

Share a Book or Two. If you have a favorite book, consider passing it along to a friend, or someone you know who loves to read. Find a Little Free Library in your community and make regular visits to keep the shelves stocked. Check www.littlefreelibrary.org to find one, or look for Candy Baylor’s article on the subject in our May 2021 issue.

What’s Coming

Around Canton’s parent company, Aroundabout Local Media, is launching a new magazine, Around Kennesaw, in August! Our team is excited to serve our Kennesaw neighbors with a full-color, 60-page publication that highlights the news and events in the community, and supports the local businesses that make Kennesaw great. Please contact Jennifer Coleman at jen@aroundaboutmagazines.com or call 678-279-5502 for more information.

What’s New

Canton has eight Little Free Libraries, thanks to city councilor Shawn Tolan and sponsors, including Hasty Elementary teachers Cristin Bell, Justine Bekebrede and Beth Cronan, Mark and Angela Whitaker, the Dickerson family, the Farrar family, Dr. Susan Buice and Becky Buice, and Alison Berkshire-Hendrix. Little Free Library (littlefreelibrary.org) is a nationwide book sharing movement that builds community, inspires readers and expands book access for all. Pictured is the Little Free Library in Cannon Park. Others are located in Harmon Park, Etowah River Park, Burge Park, McCanless Park, Heritage Park, Boling Park and Brown Park (previously installed by the Rotary Club).

Society Boutique has opened at 1810 Cumming Highway, Suite 715, Canton. The Alpharetta-based retail store will feature a variety of clothes, jewelry, home accessories and candles geared toward ages 20-55. www.shopsocietyboutique.com. On Facebook. The Be Brand, Whitetail Coffee Co. and Whole Soul Shop have opened at The Mill on Etowah. See Page

24 for Cherokee Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting photos. www.etowahmill.com.

What’s Coming

Candi Hannigan is the executive editor of Aroundabout Local Media. She has lived in Cherokee County since 1987. Send your comments or questions to Candi@AroundaboutMagazines.com.

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

During this summer, the following improvements will be made to Harmon Park, with funds from the community development block grant: bleachers will be rebuilt; roof and siding will be replaced; new picnic tables will be added: playground improvements will be made, and new, efficient fixtures will be installed in the restrooms.

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Experience the Diﬀerence of a Credit Union Mortgage at www.CUofGA.org/Promo! 678-486-1111 *Qualification is based on an assessment of individual creditworthiness and our underwriting standards. For complete terms and conditions, visit www.CUofGA.org/promo. AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Around Acworth | Around Canton | Around Kennesaw 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.

Results With Us

“We have had positive feedback and new patients come to our center after reading about us in Around Canton magazine. Many thanks!” —Laura Elledge NP TwleveStone Health partners

Advertise With Us

Publisher Aroundabout Local Media, Inc. www.aroundaboutlocalmedia.com ALM President Patty Ponder 770-615-3322 Patty@AroundaboutMagazines.com Director of Marketing Jennifer Coleman 678-279-5502 Jen@AroundaboutMagazines.com Executive Editor Candi Hannigan 770-615-3309 Candi@AroundaboutMagazines.com Managing Editor Katie Beall 770-852-8481 Katie@AroundaboutMagazines.com

Assistant Editor Jessica Forrester 770-615-3318 Jessica@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 Social Media Manager Kathryn Holt Kat@AroundaboutMagazines.com

Market & Advertising Specialist Michelle Smith Michelle.Smith@AroundaboutMagazines.com Copy Editors Bill King, Eliza Somers Around Canton, a publication of Aroundabout Local Media, Inc., is a monthly magazine created to help local businesses grow and prosper by offering affordable advertising opportunities in a quality publication that provides positive, relevant information to our readers.

Jennifer Coleman, Director of Marketing 678-279-5502 Jen@AroundaboutMagazines.com

Get Social With Us!

@aroundcantonmagazine @aroundcantonmag @around_canton

www.aroundcantonmagazine.com AROUND CANTON | July 2021

A total of 17,200 free copies are distributed monthly; approximately 16,800 are mailed to homes and businesses, with an additional 400 placed in racks around the community. Many readers catch the latest edition online each month. Around Canton welcomes your comments, stories and advertisements. The deadline is the 10th of each month. Yearly subscriptions are available for $24. Send a check or money order to the address below. The viewpoints of the advertisers, columnists and submissions are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher and the publisher makes no claims about the validity of any charitable organizations mentioned. Around Canton 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 2021.

Around Canton

1025 Rose Creek Drive, PMB 380, Suite 620 Woodstock, GA 30189 Volume 9, Issue 4

America’s Community Magazine

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6 AUGUST

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AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Local News Fire Training Center to Get Addition A groundbreaking ceremony was held recently for an addition to the Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services Training Center, on Holly Springs Parkway in Holly Springs. The completion of construction is anticipated by early January 2022. The addition is a 3,190-square-foot single story expansion that will house new offices, classroom areas, storage and support spaces. The new large classroom area includes an operable partition system, which will allow it to be divided into two smaller classrooms. The pre-engineered metal building will feature interior walls of gypsum board and metal stud framing. The exterior will be a mixture of preengineered metal building panels and brick veneer, to match the existing facade. The site work will include some demolition of existing parking, but will add new parking space and drives to connect the north and south entrances. New concrete stairs will be constructed between the upper and lower buildings, to better facilitate travel throughout the entire campus.

The mobile classroom is a STEM-based educational opportunity for students to explore agriculture.

Mobile Classroom Visits Cherokee County Students enjoying summer vacation were able to spend a day visiting a mobile classroom, sponsored by the Sequoyah Regional System, Georgia Public Library Service, Georgia Foundation for Agriculture and the Cherokee County Farm Bureau. The Georgia Farm Bureau Foundation sends out the mobile classroom, which houses a unique STEM-based education program, for students across Georgia to explore the vast opportunities in agriculture. At R.T. Jones Library, 45 third-, fourth- and fifth-graders enjoyed eight interactive stations, where they learned about poultry, peanuts, beef and dairy, cotton production, horticulture and careers in agriculture. The children also learned about planting, and potted a mint plant to take home. They took a storybook walk and made a caterpillar, played games to earn prizes and watched educational videos about science. Lunch was provided by the Cherokee County Farm Bureau and Family Tradition restaurant.

Distinguished First Responder of the Year Isaiah Johnson, a paramedic with Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services, has been named the Distinguished First Responder of the Year by Northside Cherokee Hospital The award was presented during National EMS Week, which honors the contributions of those who work on the medical front line. A plaque in his honor will be placed in the EMS lounge at the hospital. Isaiah Johnson’s nieces, Anna and Nariah, and his father, Frank, attended the ceremony with Johnson and Sara Putzer, manager of emergency services at Northside Cherokee Hospital, Jonathan Gottfried and EMS Chief Nate Sullivan. 8

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Local News Patriot Day Recording Wins Telly Award Cherokee County is among the 2021 winners of the Telly Awards, an international award honoring video and television across all screens. Established in 1979, the Telly Awards receives more than 12,000 entries from 50 states and five continents. Entrants are judged by the Telly Awards Judging Council — an industry body of more than 200 leading experts, including advertising agencies, production companies and major television networks, reflective of the multiscreen industry the awards celebrate. Cherokee County won a Silver Telly in the nonroadcast government relations category for its production of the annual Patriot Day Ceremony. Communications Director Erika Neldner and Cherokee Sheriff ’s Office Capt. Jay Baker spearheaded the video project for the county and partnered with J. Clarke Productions owner Justin Webb. “When we began planning the 9/11 ceremony in 2020, we knew it would look different. We wanted to be able to commemorate the day in a way that would welcome everyone in a safe manner,” Neldner said. “That’s when the committee, led by Assistant Fire Chief Eddie Robinson, opted to make the experience virtual, and share it across social media platforms and YouTube.” The ceremony was prerecorded and broadcast on the Cherokee Sheriff ’s Office YouTube page, as well as Facebook pages for Cherokee fire, the sheriff ’s office and the county. On Facebook alone, the video reached nearly 60,000 people.

Erika Neldner 10

Jay Baker

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Cherokee Chamber Names Top 10 in 10 The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce has announced the 2021 group of Cherokee County’s Top 10 in 10 Young Professionals to Watch. The Top 10 in 10 initiative focuses on Cherokee County residents under age 40 who are considered to be the county’s up and coming leaders over the next 10 years. Judging criteria included past professional achievements and awards, fiveto 10-year professional goals, as well as volunteer and community activities. The honorees, who will be under the age of 40 on Oct. 1, have been nominated for Georgia Trend magazine’s 40 Under 40 recognition. The honorees are, front row, from left: Jeremy Adams, assistant principal and athletic director, Cherokee High School/Cherokee County School District (CCSD); Anna Teal, owner, Teal Marketing; Lindsay Bowley, coordinator of recruitment, CCSD; Elizabeth Lanier Evans, clinical nurse manager, Northside Hospital Cherokee; Robert Capovilla, founding partner, Capovilla and Williams. Back row, from left: Angela Glowcheski, deputy director, Sequoyah Regional Library System; Brian Albrecht, president and CEO, Credit Union of Georgia; Christopher Brazelton, executive director, Elm Street Cultural Arts Village; Coty Thigpen, assistant city manager, Woodstock; and Savannah Holcomb, school library media specialist, River Ridge High School/CCSD.

An Evening With Tim Tebow Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Cherokee is hosting An Evening With Tim Tebow at 7 p.m. July 9 at First Baptist Church Woodstock. Individual tickets are available for $10 and proceeds fund the nonprofit’s yearlong activities. “Our goal is to encourage every athlete and coach to enter into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and his church, and nobody embodies that message as well as Tim Tebow,” said Steve Hyland, FCA Cherokee area director. “This event is a way to welcome the entire Atlanta community to listen to Tim share his testimony, while also helping underwrite the cost of the numerous activities FCA Cherokee hosts in support of all that we serve.” Tebow is a two-time NCAA national champion, Heisman trophy winner and first-round NFL draft pick. Recently, he signed a contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars to continue pursuing his dream of playing in the NFL. Also part of the event will be former Georgia Bulldog All-American linebacker Rennie Curran, who competed against Tebow in college, and Kayla Lewis Norman, who played basketball at the University of Florida and was named Georgia’s Gatorade Women High School Player of the Year in 2010. For more information, and to make a donation, visit www.cherokeefca.org.

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Local News

Adopt a Mile Program Gains Traction

Keep Cherokee Beautiful has begun a new program, Adopt-aMile, that encourages residents and businesses to show community pride by keeping the roadsides free of trash and debris. Cherokee County District 3 Commissioner Benny Carter recently introduced the program at a commission meeting as the first initiative for Keep Cherokee Beautiful. Tom and Ann Earley of the North Georgia Pickleball Club adopted the first road in the program, Water Tank Road. The Earleys collected eight bags of trash, weighing approximately 160 pounds during a roadside cleanup in April. Residents interested in adopting a mile need to identify a section of county road they want to adopt, sign an agreement committing to maintain the section for 12 months, and host a minimum of four roadside cleanups. Waste Management has invested in the beautification of Cherokee County by donating $23,907.76 to the Keep Cherokee Beautiful program. For more information, visit the Keep Cherokee Beautiful page at www.cherokeega.com, or email cleancherokee@gmail.com.

Woodstock Elementary teachers and students involved in the plant stand are, from left: fifth-grader Zoey Boehmer, third-grade teacher Suzy Boehmer, art teacher Maria Londoño, third-grader Kaylee Wolfe and third-grade teacher Melissa Wolfe.

Take a Plant, Leave a Plant A plant exchange stand has been set up at the Noonday Creek Trailhead in downtown Woodstock, beside the Event Green on Market Street. Woodstock Elementary students worked with OM Grown Art to paint and plan the stand, which is fully stocked and operates as a self-monitored station, where local residents can take a plant or leave one for someone else to enjoy.

Retiring County Manager Honored

Members of the North Georgia Pickleball Club are prepared to go on a clean-up mission.

Waste Management presented a check at a recent county commission meeting. From left, Cherokee County Community Services Agency Director Bryan Reynolds, Cherokee County District 3 Commissioner Benny Carter, Keep Cherokee Beautiful Board President Mark Preetorius, Waste Management community relations specialist Marla Prince and Keep Cherokee Beautiful board member Andrew Richard. 12

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Cherokee County Manager Jerry Cooper was presented the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia’s Jerry R. Griffin Excellence in Public Service Award at his retirement ceremony in May. “It was an honor to receive the Jerry R. Griffin Excellence in Public Service Award,” Cooper said. “I have been blessed to have the opportunity to work with outstanding chairmen and commissioners, agency directors, employees and community leaders, who for 20 years have made Cherokee County a great place to live, work, and raise a family.” The award recognizes an individual who has worked toward achieving a lasting positive impact on his or her community. Cooper served as Cherokee County manager for 20 years. Prior to his time with the county government, he served as the city manager for Woodstock. “Jerry has clearly been the best county manager in Georgia,” said Commission Chairman Harry Johnston. “Over the past 20 years, he’s done more than anyone else to make and keep Cherokee the state’s best value for residents and taxpayers. He’s been the common thread throughout that period to build excellent county infrastructure and services, while keeping tax rates among the lowest. And, he’s been an exceptional county leader beyond his role as county manager, leading and raising funds for more civic and charitable organizations than anyone else I know.”

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

From left, Chris Lambert, Morgan Boswell, Lori Thompson, Leslie Babcock, Shannah Dean and Shanna Coulter work on completing the mural.

RAILROAD STREET MURAL: BY SHANNA COULTER

Artists create for many reasons. The past year was filled with unrest, wrecked plans, chaos and loss. So, when I heard about a call for artists for a downtown mural project in Canton, I thought it could be something to bring Cherokee County art teachers Shannah Dean, Chris Lambert, Lori Thompson, Leslie Babcock, MaryJo Mulvey and me together, something we could

collaborate on to help us process the challenges. When I saw the wall, I immediately envisioned a parade of legs through history, marching toward the present moment. Sometimes, ideas crash like lightning, and this was one of those times. A friend suggested I enter, and then Susan Jones also contacted me about it. I took that

From left, Shannah Dean, Chris Lambert and Shanna Coulter pose in front of a stretch of the mural. 14

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

as confirmation I should go for it. MaryJo wasn’t able to work on the mural, but Susan joined us, and I invited the new art teacher at Cherokee, Morgan Boswell. And everyone was in! In early November, we were notified by the city that we were in the top three for the mural, and they wanted a life-size sample of our idea. Shannah and I created the panel and started planning how we actually could pull this off. I made a 3-inch by 45-foot paper scroll, and we placed critical dates and photos we wanted to include from 1800 to 2020 on the 540-foot wall. Then, we were awarded the bid! We met with Canton City Council members, artists and historians on the steering committee, to show them the plan. We discussed the overall concept, dates, critical events and legends, and rummaged through exhibits and resources at the historical society, taking photos to work from. In early February, we bundled up and went to work. We understood the overall vision, but the wall seemed longer than when I first saw it. It had 25-foot concrete sections, so we used them to break up time by decades, and began sketching out figures. As we worked, with our faces inches from the concrete wall, people would honk as they drove by.

Photo by Bronson Kurtz

The Artists’ Perspectives They would yell from car windows, shouting that we were doing a good job. It made us realize that we were impacting the community. As soon as the black and white images were painted, I hardly could contain my excitement. It was finally coming to life! We transitioned to sepia, and then color. Work slowed down significantly, because painting in color takes longer than black and white. But, we delighted in the work. We made changes, erased, added images, brought in irony and folly. People brought us food, drinks, stories, tears and photos of their loved ones. They cheered us on. It was helping them find joy, too. Finishing the mural was very different from the beginning. It went from 28 degrees in February to 94 in May, and everyone’s lives got busier. A handful of the original team finished up, just in time for the ribbon-cutting, where a crowd of strangers, stakeholders, family and friends came together to celebrate the first mural of Canton’s focus on public art. The project was bigger than any of us bargained for, but it became a huge blessing. As art teachers, we tell our students that art is a way of healing and processing life, and through the creation of this mural, we experienced it.

Shanna Coulter with husband Chris. “I couldn’t have done it without my husband’s support, Chris Coulter,” Shanna said. Photo by Bronson Kurtz. AROUND CANTON | July 2021

The Railroad Street ribbon-cutting celebrates the city’s first public art project. Photo by Bronson Kurtz.

RAILROAD STREET MURAL: The Artists’ Experiences “The opportunity to work on the Canton ‘Legs’ mural came at a time when I was struggling with several losses, the hardest of which were the loss of my mother in July and my husband in August of 2020 from COVID-19. Working with my artist friends on this project was a balm to my spirit. Art heals. For me, the most unexpected part of our work was the immediate interaction between us and the community. Folks driving by waved, honked and hollered, ‘Thank you!’ One day, three women walked by and began looking up and down a section of the mural. One of them shouted, ‘Here we are!’ They gathered around and began taking pictures. We asked them the significance of that section of the mural and they said it was the three of them sitting on the hood of a truck when they were in high school. I love that they are still in Canton and have lifelong relationships with one another. Art connects community.” — Chris Lambert “When I did work on the mural, I was grateful to have the experience to work with other amazing artists and teachers. Creating is my happy place, and to see it come together over the last few months has been exciting. Being a resident of the city of Canton, and both my husband and I working within the county, has made it even more special to contribute back to my community. It is all about giving back to others and making a difference, no matter how small, so we can find some happiness in a world that has seemed so chaotic over the last year.” — Susan Jones “As a first-year art teacher new to Canton, being a part of the mural team has allowed me to build community and establish a place in the city. This team has made me feel so welcome as its newest member, and the relationships I have built with them will continue to grow as we work together in the future. The outpouring of community love has been phenomenal. Each day, people stopped and said thank you for our hard work. Being appreciated as an artist is sometimes rare, so this truly revealed the heart of the citizens of Canton and their commitment to public art.” — Morgan Boswell

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

“Art brings people together and helps us define community. It has been a terrific experience working on this mural and seeing the exchange of kindness as we are coming out of a difficult year of 2020. This group of artists and teachers are a joy to work with and share in the experience of how art truly unites people.” — Leslie Babcock “My experience in working on the mural was about the people I met while sitting on the sidewalk and painting for hours. People who use the sidewalk to get to work or the store passed by, and some drove by and stopped. I am thankful for the nice words, generosity and kindness shown by people who brought us gifts, like drinks, snacks, pizza and flowers. What I will remember most are the stories that people told me about their lives. There are so many people from different walks of life and different areas of the world that travel down this road every day, and I feel honored to have had the chance to meet them.” — Shannah Dean “Canton has been my home for the last 20 years, so I was honored to be a part of this project. Shanna had such a great idea with this concept of a walking timeline, from the past and into the future; I think it will have a unifying effect on the community. I learned so much about the history of Canton and its diversity. Happy to be a part of this project and to collaborate with an amazing group of artists!” — Lori Thompson

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

GRILLIN &

CHILLIN

July is National Grilling Month, and because our mouths started watering when we discovered this, we decided to ask a few local grillmasters to share their best tips and a few of their favorite recipes. If you decide to try one of these recipes, take a photo of your creation and send it to us, or post on social media and tag us. We’d love to celebrate your grilling success — and maybe join you for dinner?

5 Tips for Grilling Steak BY ASHER KELSEY

1. 2. 3. 4.

For an evenly done steak, use the reverse sear method.

Always let your thawed, refrigerated steak sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Invest in a good meat thermometer — if you spend less than $50, you are risking inaccuracy. If you really want to make grilling easy, get two grills: one that’s built for low temperatures (like a pellet grill) and one for high temperatures (like a traditional gas grill or griddle). This setup allows you to bring the steak to 10 degrees below your desired internal temperature on the low-temperature grill (131 degrees is the perfect medium rare) before searing it a few minutes per side at close to 500 degrees on the hightemperature grill. Your steak will have a nice smokey component this way.

If you want to play around with flavor, don’t do it with the seasoning (which should be limited to salt, pepper and garlic powder) — do it with accompaniments and garnishes. Herbs and compound butter are perfect toppers. Experiment with different flavor profiles to give guests a unique experience. For instance, try a compound butter with garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper and fresh lemon juice.

Grillmaster Asher Kelsey stands in front of his Traeger and Blackstone grills at his home in Woodstock. 18

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

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AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Reverse-Seared Steak With Lemon Compound Butter Asher Kelsey, Woodstock

I like using two grills for this cooking method: one low temperature, and one high. However, using one grill definitely will work.

Ingredients

• • • •

1 stick of unsalted butter 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon rosemary 1 tablespoon thyme

Directions

• • • •

½ of a lemon, juiced salt and pepper garlic powder your choice of steak

Before grilling, make your compound butter. Melt the butter just enough so you can mix in the minced garlic, rosemary and thyme. Add the lemon juice and a few shakes of salt and pepper. Once mixed, wrap the compound butter in plastic wrap so it clumps into a cylinder, and let it harden in the fridge for no less than 3 hours. Set out your thawed, refrigerated steak on the counter. Season liberally with equal salt, pepper and garlic powder. Let sit for 30-40 minutes. Heat your grill to 225 degrees and place the steaks on the grill. Measure the center of the steaks with a reliable meat thermometer for the most accurate reading. When they reach an internal temperature of 120 degrees, pull them off the grill while you heat it to a higher temperature for searing. Crank your grill to 500 degrees. Sear the steaks 2-3 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Remove from the grill. Place a slice or two of the compound butter on top of each steak and tent it with aluminum foil for 5 minutes, to allow it to melt. Consider garnishing with rosemary or a herb of your choice. Enjoy!

Tomahawk steak with compound butter. 20

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Andrew loves grilling at his home in Towne Lake.

Steak Kebabs

Andrew Markley, Woodstock

I like to use 2 pounds of top sirloin or strip steak for kebabs, but sirloin tips also work well, and can save you some time.

Ingredients • • • • • • • •

¼ cup soy sauce ½ cup teriyaki sauce 1 tablespoon of steak seasoning 1 cup red wine vegetables of choice salt and pepper garlic powder olive oil

Directions

Mix the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Cut the steak into 1 ½ inch pieces and add to a gallon size resealable bag. Pour the marinade on top; make sure the steak is coated, and squeeze out excess air from the bag. Marinate in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Cut your vegetables into similar size pieces as the meat, and place into a large bowl. My favorites are onion, mushroom and asparagus, but you can use zucchini, tomato, squash, broccoli or bell pepper. Sprinkle the vegetables with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Use metal skewers, or make sure you soak wooden skewers in water before grilling. Layer steak and vegetables onto 3-5 skewers. If using thinner vegetables, like onion, layer 2-3 pieces together so they don’t burn. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, around 425 degrees. Brush the grates lightly with oil and place the kebabs on the grill. Cook until the steak reaches desired doneness, turning occasionally, around 8-10 minutes for medium doneness.

Randy often grills for family and friends at his home in BridgeMill.

Pig Shots

Glen Barber, Woodstock

A shot glass made of pork, filled with cheese and peppers, dusted with brown sugar and smoked until crisp.

Ingredients • • • • • • •

2 smoked sausages, cut into disks about ½ inch thick 2 pounds of thick sliced bacon, cut in half crosswise 2 blocks of cream cheese 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese 2 small cans of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, or use diced chiles ¼ cup of your favorite barbecue rub (Bad Byron’s Butt Rub is a good basic rub) brown sugar for dusting

Directions

Wrap a piece of bacon around the sausage, and pin it with the toothpick. It should look like a shot glass made of pork. The sausage acts as the base, and the bacon as the walls of the “glass.” Mix all ingredients, except brown sugar, and blend until smooth. Spoon the mixture into a resealable bag, and cut the corner off to make a “country piping bag.” Fill each of your shot glasses with your mixture, and place them in a smoker-safe pan, like castiron, or a dish with a lip. Some grease will collect in the pan as you cook. Avoid spilling any into the fire, which can cause trouble. Finally, dust the pig shots with brown sugar. I smoke them with apple wood or Jack Daniels chips at 350 degrees until the bacon crisps up, about 10-15 minutes. Let them cool some before eating, and enjoy.

Dry Rub Ribs Randy Saxon, Canton

For ribs, try a dry rub that uses sugar and spices. I use a pellet smoker and smoke at a lower temperature to start, and then crank up the heat later. These ribs will have a moist and tender consistency, and a flavor that will leave your guests wanting more.

Ingredients • • • • •

¼ cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons black pepper 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons sugar

Directions

• • • • • •

4 teaspoons smoked paprika 2 teaspoons garlic powder 2 teaspoons onion powder 2 teaspoons ground mustard 1 teaspoon celery salt ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat the grill or smoker to 185 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients into a bowl. Mix well. As a binder, use mustard to hold the rub on the ribs. This is optional, but it doesn’t impact the flavor, since that comes from the spices and smoke. Apply mustard to both sides of the ribs, then apply the rub to the ribs. Cook at 185 degrees for 3 hours. After 3 hours, increase the temperature to 225 degrees, and cook for 2 more hours. Then, wrap the ribs in foil and cook for another hour.

Easy Grilled Chicken Mark Markley, Ball Ground

Grilling chicken gives such a good flavor that you don’t need many spices to impress your guests. I like to use breasts, drums or thighs with this simple marinade.

Ingredients • • •

salt and pepper lemon pepper seasoning, or your favorite all-seasoning olive oil

Directions

Glen’s recipe won second place in Marlow’s National Recipe Contest and first place in People’s Choice.

Season the chicken with salt, pepper and lemon pepper seasoning to taste. Add the chicken to a gallon size resealable bag. Pour in olive oil to coat. Marinate in the fridge, for 45 minutes to an hour. Alternatively, forgo the marinade; just season the chicken to taste. Brush the grill with olive oil before putting the chicken on. This prevents the chicken from sticking to the grill and ripping apart when you turn it. If you can’t find your meat thermometer, there’s another way to check if your chicken is done. Poke a piece of chicken with your spatula; the juice that runs out should be clear, not red or pink. AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Congrats

2021 GRADUATES!

Zachary Phillip Brown, Eckerd College

Lexie-Anne Rodkey, Cherokee High

Creekview High graduates, from left: Mason Silk, Pate Arthur, Tucker Pence, Fletcher Bryant and Andon Byrd.

Goshen Valley Graduates

The Goshen Valley Foundation celebrated these high school graduates from the foster youth program.

Kaelyn

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Malik

Chase

Michael

Nina

Adam

Tyriek

Celebrations!

ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE FREE! Edit@AroundaboutMagazines.com August deadline is July 10. Please specify Around Canton.

Kiersten

Age 9 on July 26 Happy birthday! You are such a blessing in our lives, and we love you bunches! Love, Mom, David, Carson, Connor and Chloe

Jason Wilcox, Jr.

Age 9 on July 18 Happy birthday! We love you very much!! Love, Mom and Dad

Sophia Kolodin

Age 10 on July 13 Happy birthday Soph! Love, Mom, Dad and Clover

Savannah

Age 16 on July 7 Happy sweet 16th birthday! You bring us so much joy! Love, Dad, Mom, Skylar and Hershey

Sullivan Newell

Happy first birthday to our heart and soul! We love you more than you will know! Love, Mom and Dad

July 24

Happy 35th anniversary to my husband, Martin. First, last and always. I love you, Brenda

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Cherokee Chamber of Commerce 3605 Marietta Highway, Canton • 770-345-0400 • www.cherokeechamber.com

Ribbon Cuttings 1. Whole Soul Shop

225 Reformation Parkway, Suite 104, Canton. On Facebook.

2. Whitetail Coffee Co.

225 Reformation Parkway, Suite 104, Canton. On Facebook.

3. The Be Brand

225 Reformation Parkway, Suite 104, Canton. On Facebook.

Upcoming Events Good Morning Cherokee

breakfasts held at 7 a.m. monthly, except July. Aug. 5, Sept. 2, Oct. 7, Nov. 4, Dec. 2. Meeting at First Baptist Church Woodstock through June.

3 24

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Power Hour Networking,

held at the Chamber office, 3605 Marietta Highway, Canton, 10-11 a.m. July 29, Aug. 3, Sept. 16, Oct. 5, Nov. 10 and Dec. 16.

New County Manager, New Budget BY HARRY JOHNSTON

scenario under initial consideration would leave the county We are pleased to welcome our new county manager, Geoff maintenance and operations (M&O) and fire tax rates flat, Morton. Geoff replaced longtime County Manager Jerry while reducing the park bond tax rate. The school tax is Cooper on June 1. Geoff is a 19-year veteran of Cherokee separately set by the Board of Education, but we may have an County government. Prior to this appointment, he served as opportunity for a small reduction in the fire tax chief county engineer, community development rate. We also are on track to meet, or exceed, director and deputy county manager. our targets for reducing and eliminating the Geoff is inheriting management of a use of reserves over the next two years. We’re county that is in great shape, but which still fortunate to have adequate financial reserves, has ongoing challenges. We have been able and we have some unexpected opportunities to to manage and keep up with our exceptional add to them, but we only want to draw on them growth better than most fast-growing counties. for short periods. Infrastructure and services are mostly excellent, Unlike most counties, Cherokee offers and the tax burden is among the lowest in homeowners a floating homestead exemption Georgia. Growth can be a good thing; however, that automatically increases with property it takes great care to manage it in a way that value, for as long as you own your home. If the doesn’t overwhelm us, drive taxes up to pay Board of Commissioners doesn’t increase the for it, or destroy the quality of life that makes tax rate, your county M&O tax bill won’t go people want to live here. up. However, the homestead exemption only Geoff is thoughtful, universally liked and applies to the county M&O tax. If the other tax respected. He’s up to the task, but he’ll need the rates stay flat and your assessed value increases, New county manager, Geoff Morton. full support of the Board of Commissioners, you’ll see an increase in those parts of the tax county employees and all citizens, so that our bill. That’s why we try to reduce rates a little each year. county continues to prosper. I’m always interested in your thoughts. Email me at In the current budget, we committed to increase the hjohnston@cherokeega.com. number of public safety employees, and raise their pay to match surrounding jurisdictions, in order to meet the needs and demands of county growth. It made that budget a tough one. To avoid an increase in tax rates, we postponed some of those initiatives into the upcoming budget year, so we knew Harry Johnston is chairman of the Cherokee County this one also would be tough. Board of Commissioners. He's a retired CPA and The good news is, the initial numbers indicate we’re accounting manager, and a former district commissioner. on track to meet our challenging goals. The budget

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

What KIND of Year Are You Having? The Year of Kindness Continues

Aroundabout Local Media checked in with Kevin Williams, who led us in a challenge to show kindness in 2021. We thought it was time for a mid-year checkup. How have you been showing kindness so far? If you f ind your enthusiasm has waned, let Kevin inspire you again. Let’s head into the rest of 2021 with a renewed emphasis on showing care, concern and kindness to our family, friends and neighbors. BY KEVIN WILLIAMS

How are things going for you? I want to encourage you to continue on the path of practicing kindness. It requires a daily renewal of the mind. Approach each day with buckets of courage to bring a mindset of kindness. I have worked in the hospitality business for nearly 30 years, with the majority of it in the Chickfil-A restaurant business in Canton. My goal has been to learn and teach my team members how to build relationships by treating guests and fellow team members as individuals who matter, not just transactions in a business. Learning how to serve kindness is a pursuit I have gotten to dig deep into, especially as we’ve worked to overcome the challenges of the pandemic. Kindness can allow a 16-year-old fast-food employee to discover joy by putting their energy into lifting up customers rather than just taking orders. It can allow young couples to get to know neighbors in their community who are completely different from themselves. It can redirect each of us to remove negative distractions (often found on social media) that occupy our minds, and redirect those energies into volunteering at a community organization. We’ve had huge obstacles to overcome in the last year, haven’t we? Approaching each socially distant day with no hugs, no handshakes, and our smiles hidden, has filled our days with uncertainty and pressures related to work or to our children’s education. I have noticed two things in 2021, as a small business owner and human on earth. The ways in which we deliver kindness have never been more difficult, and the need for kindness is greater than ever. The good news is that in these challenges, light shines the brightest. As masks and concerns ease, July is the perfect time for a kindness update − a follow-up from our initial challenge in the January issues. 26

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Since my book, “Irrational Kindness,” was released on Jan. 12, we decided to take a road trip. We supported a variety of different organizations by partnering with Chick-fil-A restaurants in every state between Georgia and New York. We witnessed amazing things happening in the communities along the East Coast, as people encouraged one another and continued to show kindness. • In Colonial Heights, Virginia, filled tanks and hearts with kindness by giving away gas at Wawa. • In Washington, D.C., fed families at Samuel P. Massie Academy with a pop-up drive-thru.

• In Aberdeen, Maryland, supported Halls Cross Roads Elementary and Martin House Workshop, a recovery house for homeless men.

• In Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, presented a check to Bethany Christian Services, to support foster care, adoption and post-adoption. • In Newark, Delaware, spread kindness at three COVID-19 testing centers and Sunday Breakfast Mission, a homeless shelter.

Remember practicing kindness starts with a dose of courage, one step to serve another person, and moving things from the head to the heart. Have faith that the joy of loving others is a much better investment of our time than yelling at the news or binge-watching Netflix. When we do that, life gets a little irrational in the most beautiful way. Let’s be irrational and know that kindness starts with just one step. Not perfection, just one courageous step.

Neighbors Who’ve Shared Kindness Over the last six months, we’ve shared some pretty amazing stories of our friends and neighbors practicing kindness. Here’s an update from some of the more touching stories. We hope they will inspire you.

FEBRUARY

2021

Crocheting Hats Gives 93-Year-Old ‘Something to Do’

In February, we met 93-year-old Izetta Stoner, who spends her days crocheting hats for her favorite nonprofit, The Encouragement Project. She averages two hats a day, and to date, she’s completed more than 2,800; it was tough to get an accurate count before the press date with the rapid rate of her crocheting. “It gives me something to do,” the Woodstock resident said. “I used to read a lot, and I still read, but I love to crochet, and I’ve enjoyed this so much.”

APRIL

2021

A Challenge for the Community

An old kitchen cabinet serves as the food pantry at the community garden site.

MARCH

Members of Ursula & Associates, a Woodstock real estate team, delivered 105 bags, overflowing with food, to the nonprofit Never Alone. Their current initiative is to feed 10 families for every home they sell during the second quarter of this year. They’ll continue to donate to the nonprofit, and are encouraging others to help by offering these suggestions. • Contactless: Through Instacart or AmazonPantry, put together a cart of food to be delivered to a local food bank. Send “Thinking of You” cards to residents of local nursing homes. • In-person: Join volunteers at Never Alone to assemble food boxes. Volunteer at a nearby animal shelter. “Each act of kindness or service may feel small, but, we can assure you, is making a difference beyond that moment. We’ve seen it — and so can you,” Realtor Jason Wilson said.

2021

Food Pantry is a Good Thing ‘To Do’

When Laine Wood had an encounter with a family experiencing food insecurity, it didn’t take long for the community to rally and find ways to help. It wasn’t long before several food pantries were built and placed around Canton. The food pantries are located at the community garden in Canton, and in front of the Salvation Army store on Marietta Street. Jory Seidel Cannon got on board and created a Facebook page called Canton Pantry Angels, and people Laine doesn’t even know have volunteered to check the inventory daily, and to keep the shelves filled.

Ursula and Associates collected 105 bags of groceries for community food pantries.

MAY

2021

A Successful Shoe Drive

Izetta Stoner crochets two hats a day for children in the United States and Romania.

Grace Avillar has been in Girl Scouts for 12 years, and decided to collect athletic shoes for others as her Gold Award project. As an athlete, she recognized the importance of having good shoes when participating in sports, and wanted to find a way to help others who may not be able to afford them. Her project ended May 15, and she collected 512 pairs.

Grace collected 512 pairs of shoes for her Girl Scout project.

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Morgan Lyons carries clothing and accessories in The Avenue Boutique.

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

A visit to this boutique is filled with style and fun. A mother-daughter shopping destination with weekly new arrivals. A boutique convenient to BridgeMill, Sixes Road and Canton residents. While shoppers may appreciate these features of The Avenue Boutique, the area’s newest clothing store, owner Morgan Lyons sees The Avenue as more than a place to find the perfect outfit. “The Avenue is more than just a boutique in my eyes. Considering we don’t have many boutiques in the Canton/BridgeMill area, many women come to the store to get away or just have a little midweek refresh,” Morgan said. “Also, we offer complete styling for anyone needing a specific outfit for an event like a wedding, vacation or graduation. What makes us different from other boutiques is that we don’t really do reorders on unique pieces, just so everyone in the community isn’t wearing the same blouse or dress. No one likes showing up to an event wearing the exact same outfit as someone else!”

Three Shopping Tips

•

Bring your mother or daughter. Mothers and daughters can shop together at The Avenue. Morgan’s customers range from age 16 to 65. “We have something for everyone, no matter her age.” Try on clothes, even if you aren’t sure they’ll work for you. “The most important thing to me is for women to feel confident leaving The Avenue. We really try to understand everyone’s style and how different it is. That’s why it’s so important to come in and try things on. Everyone’s body is different and so is the style of the clothing.” Shop often; the boutique gets new arrivals every week. “If you don’t find anything on the first visit, you can count on the store having at least 10-20 new items before your next visit. The store is constantly being flipped every week.”

•

Watch for Special Events

At the beginning of every new season, or holiday, The Avenue hosts a ladies night, offering a percentage off all merchandise and light appetizers and spritzers to enjoy while shopping. During Christmas, shoppers enjoyed the 10 Days of Christmas, which featured a new item for sale each of the 10 days. “The Avenue has been such a great place for the community so far, and we look forward to growing more and more every day,” Morgan said. “It has been such a joy styling the ladies of the community, and I look forward to planning more events and welcoming women from across Cherokee County to find their favorite new outfits.”

Morgan opened The Avenue in November, 2020, after she and her husband moved to the area, and she discovered there wasn’t a boutique nearby. As a resident of BridgeMill, the location was fitting. The shop fulfills a deep passion that she developed for the apparel industry as she accompanied her mother-in-law, also a boutique owner, on trips to trade shows in Atlanta and Las Vegas. “I was instantly hooked. I didn’t want the trade shows to come to an end,” Morgan said. “There is truly so much to look for while buying the merchandise, because you want good quality, different prints and styles to set you apart from your competition.”

PHOTOS BY MANIAC AGENCY

Why Canton?

Customers can choose unique pieces or get help assembling an outfit for a special occasion.

The Avenue Boutique • 3760 Sixes Road, Canton 30114 • 770-213-3977 •

@shopavenueboutique

Sponsored Content AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Are Price Increases the New Normal? BY ELISABETH STUBBS

It’s summertime. You need new appliances, pool supplies or meat to grill. You are ready to make a purchase: a new refrigerator, a new HVAC system, chlorine for your swimming pool, chicken. But there’s a problem. You can’t find it anywhere. Or, if you can find it, the prices are ridiculously high, like plywood, a used car or steak. So what’s going on? Demand is outpacing supply, and prices are going up, if you can get the product at all. Costs to ship products have increased dramatically, especially on imported items. You may be wondering what this has to do with flooring. Well, similar challenges are being faced in the flooring industry. U.S. manufacturers of hardwood flooring, laminates and carpet padding are having a hard time keeping up with demand. They are selling products as quickly as they can make them. If the product is imported, such as most luxury vinyl plank flooring, there are extensive delays and costs involved with receiving the product. It’s a challenging time. Normally, when clients have to wait on flooring, they are waiting for installers. Right now, clients are waiting for products. Another challenge is pricing. Every manufacturer 30

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

we work with has had at least one price increase this year. As of June, some manufacturers were on their third price increase. Unfortunately, that means flooring companies are able to honor only some estimates for 10 to 14 days since pricing changes so quickly. Industry experts do not expect product availability or pricing to stabilize until 2022. The “new normal” for many clients is they either have to wait for exactly what they want, or flooring retailers have to continuously check availability on products to find the color that they love in stock. But don’t give up; everything isn’t on backorder. Contact a trusted flooring expert to assist you during these unprecedented times. Although the “new normal” may make the process a little more difficult than it once was, flooring experts can help you make your home beautiful.

Elisabeth Stubbs is one of the owners of Enhance Floors and More, one of Atlanta’s top-rated flooring dealers, located in Marietta.

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Experiences Foundation

A local version of Make-A-Wish meets Big Brothers, Big Sisters. BY SUSAN BROWNING SCHULZ

After dealing with their challenges of loss and heartbreak, Chad Blake and his wife, Cheryl, decided to make it their mission to help others. They co-founded Experiences Foundation, and through the organization provide experiences that are open for all individuals and families who have suffered a tough break in life.

Experiences Foundation recently delivered recess bags to Avery Elementary students. 32

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

“We think of ourselves as a local mini-Make-aWish meets Big Brothers, Big Sisters,” Blake said. “We offer a wide variety of events and programs, helping those who are struggling in our own circle of friends and those recommended through other community nonprofits. We have been doing ‘experiences’ that include mission trips for over 15 years, but made the foundation an official nonprofit in 2018. We want to make dreams come true, while lending a helping hand to do so.” Prior to the global pandemic shutdown, many experiences offered were sports-oriented. For example, they took special-needs clients and staff of Next Step Ministries in Woodstock to an Atlanta Braves game, which included lunch and snacks. “Everyone had such a wonderful time, and the staff was very appreciative of all [Experiences Foundation] did to make it run smoothly,” said Lori Baker, Next Step’s director. Without sporting events, the foundation made adjustments and got creative in serving the community. On one recent project, Experiences supplied an outdoor classroom with recess bags and picnic tables to enhance the students’ recess at Avery Elementary. Experiences also organized a drive-by parade to honor Aden Martinez, a young boy with a brain tumor. “I am at a loss for words,” his mother Sandy said after the event. “Thank you doesn’t sound like

Left, special-needs clients and staff of Next Step Ministries enjoying a Braves game through Experiences before the pandemic. Below, Chad Blake with Charles and Doris Beavers.

enough. Tonight was so, so special and something our family will never forget. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to every single person who took time out of their evening to bring a smile to Aden’s face. He was amazed, and we were truly blown away by everyone’s kindness. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” The goal of the long parade with vehicles of all kinds, even boats (on trailers, of course), was to give Aden a joyful reprieve from his battle with cancer. The continuous flow of the parade inspired quite a flow of tears. For regular updates on Aden’s health, join Aden’s Army on Facebook. Another family, the Beavers, lost everything in a house fire. Experiences Foundation stepped in to restore what was lost. “My mind was racing on how we were going to have Christmas,” Doris Beavers said. “[Experiences] showed me how God showed up and showed out. I am very thankful for the dresser, TV, and other household items. My life is not great, but it’s better thanks to [Experiences].” The blessings Experiences Foundation has delivered to hurting members of the community are countless. To learn more about the foundation, visit www. experiencesfoundation.org, or call 678-386-4513. Save the date for Experiences’ golf tournament fundraiser Oct. 21. Early registration is $100 per player.

Susan Schulz is a Bible teacher and mentor who lives and plays on the Etowah River in Canton. Connect with her on social media or at susanbrowningschulz.com.

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Be Pro Be Proud Georgia Gets Grant SUBMITTED BY THE CHEROKEE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Be Pro Be Proud Georgia — a comprehensive initiative that connects students around the state to highdemand, high-paying careers — recently announced it is the recipient of a $600,000 grant from the Marcus Foundation. Launched in July 2020, Be Pro Be Proud Georgia is aimed at changing the perception of the skilled professions by linking career opportunities, training and where to find jobs through an interactive website and hands-on mobile workshop. The Marcus Foundation’s generous two-year investment will help Be Pro Be Proud continue to work statewide, attracting talent to Georgia’s high-demand industry sectors and changing public perception about these valuable careers. The Marcus Foundation is well known for its groundbreaking investments in initiatives that deliver unprecedented training opportunities and build a sustainable workforce. “The path to success is not always paved with a four-year degree,” said Bernie Marcus, chairman of the Marcus Foundation. “A skill within the trades can lead to a lifelong, fulfilling career. From construction workers to commercial truck drivers, the skilled professions help build our world and keep our economy moving forward.” The foundation’s early investment will begin solving one of this state’s greatest problems and influence widescale change. “The skills gap is a threat to economic growth, and the Marcus Foundation’s support will help this initiative close that gap,” said Marshall Day, Cherokee Office of Economic Development (COED) chairman and Be Pro Be Proud Georgia founding team member. To learn more about Be Pro Be Proud Georgia, visit https://www.beprobeproudga.org. 34

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Students Brandon Gomez, left, and Brent Burgess, right, with Jacob Flanagan.

Signing Day for Skilled-Career Students Be Pro Be Proud Georgia, in partnership with COED, the Cherokee County School District and Chattahoochee Technical College, recently hosted the first annual Skilled Professions Signing Day. The event celebrated 19 high school seniors, representing the six county high schools, who are committed to pursuing advanced technical training or careers in skilled trades. In a format similar to national signing days for athletes, the inaugural signing day event seeks to raise awareness of the value of the skilled professions and celebrate students who have made a commitment to fulfill these essential careers. “This was a big day,” Cherokee High senior Brent Burgess said. “It takes a lot of skill and dedication to do what we are training to do.” Etowah High senior Brandon Gomez added, “This day cements what

I’ll be doing for the rest of my career.” “Getting to come out and teach these kids about their future is a wonderful opportunity to show what the industry holds and the potential income possibilities,” NASCAR Technical Institute admissions representative Jacob Flanagan said. “It is our hope that this event will become a statewide event for years to come,” said COED President Misti Martin. “Initiatives such as Be Pro Be Proud Georgia and the Skilled Professions Signing Day shine a light on high-growth industry sectors and opportunities for lifelong, fulfilling careers.” Superintendent of Schools Brian V. Hightower added, “Skilled professionals build our world and keep it running smoothly each day in so many ways. It’s an honor to help recognize their work’s importance through this celebration.”

The Cherokee Office of Economic Development is the leading organization for business and film recruitment and industry retention and expansion. www.cherokeega.org.

Luxury. Community. Independence.

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• Spectacular floor plans • Convenient on-site dining • Maintenance-free living • Pool with heated jacuzzi • Transportation services • Fitness Programs • No community fees or fee for second person • Every apartment includes a balcony, full kitchen & washer/dryer

Call (470) 863-2690 or visit BridgemillSeniors.com Premier Senior Living Community

TODAY FOR A PERSONAL TOUR! AROUND CANTON | July 2021

EVERYDAY Identifying people in need in our community.

In May, Bob Meyer boldly shared his throat cancer story with our readers. Bob’s concern for his family, and desire to give his story purpose, were greater than himself. Sadly, Bob’s story didn’t end as we had prayed. His last scheduled surgery was halted when doctors discovered that his cancer had spread too far. Their efforts would be futile. Bob was placed in hospice care and passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving wife, Terry, and daughter Maria.

My daughter and I are deeply grateful and humbled by the tremendous support and generosity from friends and neighbors, known and unknown, who donated to Everyday Angels and our GoFundMe page to help offset the medical expenses from my husband’s 10-month battle with throat cancer. Your kindness to us will never be forgotten and we will pay it forward in the months and years to come. — Blessings, Terry and Maria

”

We also honor the life of a local legend, James Jicha, 86, who passed away from cancer in May. You couldn‘t walk into the Publix in Towne Lake without a warm smile and hug from Mr. Jim. He had worked for Publix for 25 years. His warm smile will be missed by everyone. He lived a long and blessed life, and we are grateful to have been a small part of it.

Jim was a true gentleman. It was such a pleasure to work with him at Publix. He touched the lives of everyone around him and made this world a better place to live, and Publix a better place to work and shop. — Carla McPhee

”

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Bob Meyer

Jim Jicha

As a nonprofit, we hear of many stories of heartbreak. It is our privilege and honor to meet some of the strongest, yet most broken, people during their most difficult seasons of life. We do not like to share negative stories, but we all know that, often, stories don’t end as we hope. We are grateful for the long lives of these two gentlemen. While we wish things were different, we rejoice in the time we had with them and the positive impact they made in our lives and our community. May we all leave this world better than it was when we arrived here. May God bless these sweet families and all of those who grieve great losses. For the month of July, Everyday Angels will continue to assist identified and qualified families with groceries and utilities. Over the months, we also have seen an increase in displaced families and the need for extended-stay hotel costs. We thank you for helping us make a positive difference in your community. Everyday Angels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving Cherokee County since 2000. To make a tax deductible donation, visit www.everydayangels.info to donate via Paypal or send your donations to: Everyday Angels, PMB 380, 1025 Rose Creek Drive, Suite 620, Woodstock GA, 30189. One hundred percent of your funds will go to the family you specify. If you know of a special need in your community, e-mail aaeverydayangels@gmail.com.

Tips for Choosing OB-GYN or Midwife BY CHEROKEE WOMEN’S HEALTH SPECIALISTS, PC

Many women who are pregnant, or plan to become pregnant, wonder if they should see an OB-GYN, a midwife, or both. To make the best decision, it’s important to know the difference. Both OB-GYNs and nurse midwives have extensive training. An OB-GYN is a doctor who has studied for at least 12 years between college, medical school and 4 years of residency. Most midwives earn bachelor’s degrees, work as registered nurses, and go back to school for two or more years to obtain a master’s degree in midwifery. OB-GYNs and midwives work in separate but complementary professions. Both focus on quality prenatal and postpartum care; however, these providers offer different services.

OB-GYN

• Attends and assists with births within a hospital setting. • Handles high-risk pregnancies and can perform surgeries, such as cesarean sections. • Uses forceps or vacuum delivery for difficult deliveries. • Offers external cephalic versions to turn breech babies.

Certified Nurse Midwife

• Attends births in hospital settings, also assists in birthing centers or home births. • Relies on clinical experience and guidelines to provide expert care in normal pregnancies. • Spends more time with patients during labor. • Uses natural approaches, such as showers, water births, massages, breathing techniques, acupressure and alternative delivery positions during labor.

Considerations In Making a Decision

• Is vaginal birth your priority? • Have you been told you have a high-risk pregnancy? • Would you prefer an epidural or managing your pain using natural techniques? • Do you want your caregiver with you throughout your labor? • Are you a new parent who needs more educational support and advice about nutrition, breast-feeding and exercise during pregnancy and after delivery? By knowing what you want and understanding all of your options, you can make the decision that is right for you. The most important thing is to clearly communicate your expectations, goals, needs and desires with your provider. By choosing a practice that has both OB-GYNs and midwives, you can ensure you have all the options to keep you and your baby safe, healthy and happy.

Cherokee Women's Health Specialists, PC has seven physicians with offices in Canton and Woodstock. 770-720-7733. www.cherokeewomenshealth.com.

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

@ the Library Sequoyah Regional Library System www.sequoyahregionallibrary.org

What’s Happening at Your Library?

BY JOHN RODGERS

Have you marked the library’s summer reading program on your July calendar? If not, you’re missing a whole jungle’s worth of fun! Sequoyah Regional Library System’s (SRLS) animal-themed extravaganza, “Tails & Tales,” began on June 1 with a visit from the Georgia AG Experience, a mobile lab filled with STEMbased activities to teach families all about agriculture. That same week, all five SRLS libraries in Cherokee County hosted drivethrough safari events featuring a variety of farm animals at the parking lots of local schools. Attendees took selfies, made their best animal sounds and registered for the summer reading program on Beanstack.

Students learn about the importance of agriculture, soil health and potting plants.

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Local kids participate in the library’s Georgia AG Experience.

If you haven’t heard, Beanstack is an online portal on the library’s website where readers of all ages can log their summer books, the number of minutes they’ve read, receive reading recommendations, write and read book reviews, and earn rewards based on how many challenges they complete. Hear that, adults? The summer reading program isn’t just for children. And, with the library going fine-free for summer, now’s the best time to visit the library to check out materials and make sure you have your account ready on Beanstack. Download the app, or visit sequoyahregionallibrary.beanstack.org. Don’t worry; the library’s full schedule of free summer programming hasn’t ended yet. In July, SRLS welcomes guests from Southeast Reptile Rescue, Zoo Atlanta, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, juggler extraordinaire Adam Boehmer and more, for a month filled with animal-themed fun that won’t cost you a dime. You can reserve a spot by visiting sequoyahregionallibrary.org/srp and navigating to the word “Calendar.” Select an event you like, and click on the online program registration

Books to Calm Back-to-School Jitters Back-to-school season seems like the most cringeworthy time of year, but it doesn’t have to be. We at Sequoyah Regional Library System have put together a list of available books that might help as we count down to August. Whether you’re nervous about your first day of school or simply hoping to hold on to some of that summer fun, we hope these books can put a smile on your face.

Picture Books

• “The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson and Rafael López • “First Day Jitters” by Julie Danneberg and Judy Love • “We Don’t Eat Our Classmates” by Ryan T. Higgins form. Each library in Cherokee County is offering programming, so there’s always something for you to do, no matter where you live. Back-to-school season is coming up, and Cherokee County School District and Georgia Cyber Academy students now can use their lunch number to borrow physical and digital materials from SRLS, without the need for a library card, and without overdue fees. During the Back-to-School Gateway, parents and caregivers can enroll their student in the library’s EZ Student Access on the electronic enrollment portal on the Cherokee County School District or Georgia Cyber Academy websites. To get started, head over to sequoyahregionallibrary.org/students.

John Rodgers is the community engagement manager for the Sequoyah Regional Library System.

Grades 1-3

• “The 13-Story Treehouse” by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton • “Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea” by Ben Clanton • “Hildafolk” by Luke Pearson

Grades 4-6

• “Invisible Emmie” by Terri Libenson • “Front Desk” by Kelly Yang • “Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library” by Chris Grabenstein

Teen Books

• “The Best at It” by Maulik Pancholy • “Sorcery of Thorns” by Margaret Rogerson • “We Are Okay” by Nina LaCour

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Rob’s Rescues This dog and cat are at Cobb County Animal Services. The dog’s name is Willy. He is 3 years old and a medium-sized beagle mix. He has a great attention span and seems like an easy going dog. He has brindle coloring and loves to be outside. I am sure he would also love to lie down with someone and watch TV on the couch. This cat’s name is Chanel. She is a small, gray tabby. She is 3 years old and loves to be held. She is not very needy, but she likes attention.

A Mission to Unchain Floyd County I go with a group of volunteers called the Rome Planning Group every quarter to help dogs and cats in Rome, Georgia. I interviewed Rachel Meier Sala of Floyd County Animal Alliance, who organizes this outreach. Thank you to Bridgemill Pets, Frida’s Foundation and Pet Buddies Food Pantry, which donate food to the outreach.

What does the Rome Planning Group do?

We make up Unchain Floyd County, and we are working toward the ultimate goal of enacting a full tether ban for the dogs of Floyd County. While we work toward changing the laws and conditions, we bring some small comforts to the animals that have to live in these deplorable conditions daily. We bring food, flea meds, dewormer, dog houses, toys, treats and straw to chained or outside dogs and cats. We also get as many spayed and neutered as possible, with owners’ permission and funds.

What are the main problems you face in Rome?

Rob with 3-year-old Willy.

There is a lack of enforcement regarding conditions for dogs. They have no tether ban yet, so dogs can be chained outside 24/7. This type of chaining breeds negligence and mistreatment, and the laws are just not clear enough for animal control to do their jobs. There are no spay and neuter laws, so you see that overpopulation is a major issue. The dogs that we assist have owners that can barely take care of themselves; they have no business having multiple dogs or cats, or any animals for that matter. Many animals do not have basic needs met unless we supply them.

How and why did you start this group?

Rob and gray tabby, Chanel. 40

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

I started this group about seven years ago. I worked in Rome, and my father lives there. I noticed the sheer number of chained dogs, living in filth and starving. I started posting for help, and that’s when I connected with Monika Wesolowski, who had been helping dogs on her own. From there, the group grew to a solid foundation of amazing volunteers who are regulars, including the W-Underdogs. We have multiple individuals who consistently do the dirty work, and we couldn’t do this without them.

Rob with Rachel Meier Sala of Floyd County Animal Alliance.

What are some success stories that you have? We do have many success stories, thankfully, too many to count over the years. So many rescue groups are willing to help us with dogs and cats that are surrendered. We have saved dozens of dogs off of chains and starving street cats. Many times, the owners will realize that they cannot offer proper care, and they want better for the animals. We can usually find rescuers or adopters to help. The change in a dog off of a chain, or a cat that gets regular meals, is incredible and heartwarming. We also count every spay or neuter as a win, and have worked with No More Puppies GA recently to get multiple animals fixed.

What do you hope to accomplish?

We hope to accomplish better living conditions, including a tether ban and spay and neuter ordinances. Floyd County Animal Control, now called Public Awareness Welfare Services (PAWS), has a new director, Jeff Mitchell, who is making improvements. But a lot still needs to be done, and they need a lot of help.

How can I, and the community, help? We always need community support, especially local. We need letters to commissioners asking for change. We always need “boots on the ground” to help, but we hope to not have to go and do so much one day. We need the community to stand up for animals and say that the conditions that they are living in are not OK.

Rob Macmillan is on a mission to help shelter dogs and cats. On Facebook @robsrescues. www.robsrescues.com.

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Countdown to

BY BARBARA P. JACOBY

While our students, teachers and school support staff enjoy a well-deserved break this summer, Cherokee County School District’s (CCSD) central office is busy preparing for the new school year. On Monday, Aug. 2, we’ll welcome back 42,000 students for a year of learning, with new programs to participate in, new teachers and staff to learn from and new friends to make. In addition to offering traditional in-person classes, CCSD will continue to offer digital learning for the first semester. You can find school supply lists and other basic back-to-school info on your child’s school website. We’ll send the next CCSD Connections parent newsletter to all parents in mid-July with the latest back-to-school updates. While CCSD Digital Learning is a temporary program, student interest in a permanent digital option led the district to create i-Grad Virtual Academy, which will serve students in grades 9-12 beginning in August. The initial i-Grad enrollment is 200 high school students, but the program may be expanded to more students and additional grade levels in the future.

Students in a CTAE healthcare science class at Etowah High School. 42

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

A kindergarten student at Liberty Elementary School.

Although a full-time virtual school, i-Grad still follows the traditional school calendar. It’s housed on the ACTIVE Academies campus in Canton, which also includes ACE Academy daytime alternative high school, CCSD Transition Academy for older special-needs students and the new Cherokee College and Career Academy (C3 Academy). Students enrolled in i-Grad complete classwork online at home, but come to the campus for specific tests, and can attend optional in-person instructional sessions as offered. Andy Hall, who most recently served as an assistant principal at River Ridge High School, is the lead administrator. If you think i-Grad may be a good fit for your child in the future, more information is online at http://bit.ly/CCSDigrad. C3 Academy opens in August with its initial career pathway course offerings in cyber security. Enrollment is open to students from all Cherokee County high schools, with plans to expand to offer other unique career programs. You can find out more about C3 Academy by contacting your child’s school counselor. All county high schools already offer a variety of career pathway classes through the Career, Technical & Agricultural Education (CTAE) program, ranging from agriculture to computer science, to healthcare science to transportation. More information about CTAE programs can be found at http://bit.ly/CCSDctae. Every new school year, CCSD welcomes new teachers and staff, following the retirement of longtime employees. In addition to the usual hiring needs, CCSD hired 125 additional

THE SWEET DELILAH SWIM CLUB Sep 17-19, Sep 24-26

CHRISTMAS CAROL Dec 3-5, Dec 10-12 and Dec 17-19 Coming in 2022

PICASSO MEETS EINSTEIN AT LAPIN AGILE

teachers. These new teachers will help lower class size and provide individualized instruction to ensure any learning opportunity losses due to the pandemic are bridged as quickly as possible. Funding for school nurses, psychologists and social workers also has increased to better serve students’ needs. More information can be found in CCSD’s Financial Facts budget overview at https://bit.ly/CCSDff21. Four Cherokee County schools will welcome new principals. Dr. Carolyn Daugherty, who has led Macedonia Elementary as its principal since 2016, has been tapped as Bascomb Elementary’s next principal. Christy Rich, who most recently served as an assistant principal at Hasty Elementary Fine Arts Academy, will serve as Macedonia’s next principal. After successfully leading Mountain Road Elementary for the last five years, Principal Melinda Roulier will take over the post at Ball Ground Elementary STEM Academy. Erica Morrie, who has served as an assistant principal at Carmel Elementary since 2018, will serve as the new principal for Mountain Road. We look forward to seeing you soon as we celebrate the start of a new school year!

Barbara P. Jacoby serves as chief communications officer for the Cherokee County School District, and is a CCSD parent with four children.

Feb 11-13, Feb 18-20

FAITH COUNTY Apr 22-24, Apr 29-May 1

IN THE RESTROOM AT ROSENBLOOMS Jun 10-12, Jun 17-19

Because CTC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization your donations are tax deductible.

Cherokee Theatre Company PO Box 5885 • Canton, GA 30114 AROUND CANTON | July 2021

School News

Girls Golf Team Wins State Championship

The Creekview High School girls golf team won the two-day Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Golf State Championship in the 6A division. It was the first time a girls golf team from Cherokee County has taken the state title. Samantha Buchberger, Makena Dubois, Lindsay Wayland and Nicole Gerthing played two rounds, supported by Coach Casey Gramling. They defeated the defending state champions, Johns Creek, by 10 shots, and were 26 shots clear of third-place Carrollton. Makena Dubois was named all-state as a sophomore, and Lindsay Wayland was given an honorable mention as a junior.

From left, School Nutrition Director Tina Farmer and Culinary Specialist Jessica Emmett accept the sign celebrating the award.

School Nutrition Program Earns Top Honors

The Creekview girls golf team shows off its GHSA Golf State Championship trophy.

3 Graduates Earn University Scholarships

Cherokee graduate Dylan Iovino, Etowah graduate Benjamin Willett and River Ridge graduate Audrey Norton, have won National Merit scholarships. National Merit university and corporate scholarship winners are selected through review of academic records and college-entrance exam scores, leadership and service in their school and community, along with personal essays and letters of recommendation. Only 15,000 of the nation’s top graduating seniors are eligible for the 3,300 Dylan Iovino National Merit Scholarships financed by U.S. universities and colleges. The scholarships range from $500 and $2,000 annually, for up to four years of undergraduate study. Iovino won a National Merit university scholarship from the University of Alabama. He served as the school’s academic bowl team captain and was in the Band of Warriors marching band and honor band, as well as the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. Willett won a National Merit university scholarship from the University of Georgia. A repeated state qualifier in swimming, he was a member of Etowah’s Eagle Connections group. Norton won a National Merit corporate scholarship from Crum & Foster and plans to attend the University of North Carolina. She participated in the River Ridge marching band for four years and served her school and community.

The Cherokee County School District School Nutrition Program earned top honors from the Georgia Department of Education (DOE). The program earned the state’s 2020 Vision District award in recognition of its outstanding efforts to use Georgia-grown foods in school cafeterias. The program has received numerous accolades for its farm-to-school initiative and collaboration with community partners including Cherokee County Farm Bureau. “Your collaborative efforts have positively impacted our communities and students,” said Linette Dodson, Georgia DOE school nutrition program state director. “Congratulations on your success and being named a 2020 Vision District!”

High Schools Celebrate Future Educators

From left, front row: Career, Technical and Agricultural Education Coordinator Krista Webb, Laura Jane Garrett, Madison Uren, Hallee Cloud and Career Tech Teacher Julie Coker; back row: Riley Shepard, Sophie Bentley, Kyla Standridge, Daisy Sisson, Rebekah Pratt and Principal Bob Eddy. 44

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Creekview and Woodstock held “signing day” events for graduating seniors, to celebrate those who plan to pursue teaching careers. Creekview future educators include Laura Jane Garrett (Young Harris College), Madison Uren (University of Kentucky), Hallee Cloud (Kennesaw State University), Riley Shepard (University of North Georgia), Sophie Bentley (Kennesaw State University), Kyla Standridge (University of Georgia), Daisy Sisson (Freed-Hardeman University), Rebekah Pratt (Georgia Southwestern), and Savannah Hill (University of North Georgia). Woodstock future educators are Kaydee Cohran, Lauren De Sanctis, Morgan LaPorta, Hattie Holloway, Sarah Holloway, Macy Hill, Emma Williams, Maddie Brown, Audrey Reecer, Jazlyn Saucedo, Lily Burlew, Hannah Emling, Kendall Reichman and Isabella Alfano.

R.M. Moore Earns National Digital Citizenship R.M. Moore STEM Academy has earned national digital citizenship certification. The school has been named a Common Sense Certified School for Digital Citizenship by Common Sense Education, a national organization that helps educators teach students to understand and safely use technology, and to develop successful digital skills and habits. Principal Abby May thanked media specialist Wendy Landry, who also earned individual certification, for organizing the school’s successful digital citizenship program and application. To earn certification, schools must demonstrate best practices for teaching students to think critically, and to use technology responsibly, including how to combat cyberbullying, understand privacy issues and avoid plagiarism.

Rylee Morris

Graduate Presented With $1,500 Scholarship

Camille Janawitz

Gamma Eta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an organization of active and retired female Cherokee County educators, presented Cherokee High graduate Camille Janawitz with its $1,500 college scholarship for future educators. Janawitz was a member of the Cherokee High School Band of Warriors and served as a section leader during the 2020-21 school year. She has performed onstage in many of the school’s theater productions, and she also works in customer service at Publix.

Riley Turner

Valedictorians, Salutatorians Celebrated at Banquet The class of 2021 valedictorians and salutatorians were recognized at the 21st annual scholar recognition banquet. The special event was attended by the scholars and their parents, the teacher each scholar chose as the most influential in his or her education, high school principals, and school board and district representatives. The students and teachers each gave a brief speech, and Hightower presented each student with an iPad, $50 gift card and plaque, and each teacher received a plaque and $100 gift card. The dinner and gifts were made possible by sponsor donations from LGE Community Credit Union, Cherokee County Educational Foundation, Poole’s Insulation Company and EyeMed. “This has been a school year like no other, but you did not let the challenges stop you from reaching your goals,” Superintendent of Schools Brian V. Hightower said. “Congratulations! We’re so proud of you.”

Valedictorians: • • • • • •

Baker Brown, Cherokee Nathan William Davis, Creekview Analise Black, Etowah Nicholas Audinet, River Ridge Jeremy Jeong, Sequoyah Elizabeth Lawrence, Woodstock

Salutatorians: • • • • • •

Harrison Russ, Cherokee Koryn Thanh Todd, Creekview Sophia Stewart, Etowah Aarya Kothari, River Ridge Bradley Gordon, Sequoyah Arnav Sharma, Woodstock

Grace Hanner

Coloring Contest Winners

Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority held a Drinking Water Week coloring contest, open to grades K-3. Homeschool students and 11 Cherokee County School District elementary schools participated, with nearly 1,000 entries. The winners are:

• Kindergarten

Avery Clanton, Johnston

• 1st grade

Mauvick Carlson, Arnold Mill

• 2nd grade

Rylee Morris, Clayton Elementary

• 3rd grade, grand prize

Riley Turner, R.M. Moore

• 2nd grade honorable mention

Felicia Untung, Johnston

From left, front row: Baker Brown, Koryn Thanh Todd, Sophia Stewart, Aarya Kothari, Jeremy Jeong, Arnav Sharma; back row: Harrison Russ, Nathan William Davis, Analise Black, Nicholas Audinet, Bradley Gordon and Elizabeth Lawrence.

• 3rd grade honorable mention

Grace Hanner, homeschool, Ball Ground AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Downtown Canton Dining Branchwater

Local on North

Queenie’s

Downtown Kitchen

Mamma Onesta’s Italian

R&M Sandwich Shop

Goin’ Coastal

New Georgian Hills

Green Line Brewery

Panera Bread

Steak & Seafood 190 East Main St. 678-880-7540 www.bwsteakandseafood.com

Steak & Seafood 140 E. Marietta St. 770-479-1616 downtownkitchencanton.com

Seafood 125 W. Main St. 770-479-3737 goincoastalseafood.com

Craft Beer, Street Tacos, Pub Food 192 E. Main St. 770-213-4420 www.greenlinebrews.com

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Eatery & Bar 170 North St. 770-213-8970 localonnorth.com

Italian 250 E. Main St. 678-880-7770 mammaonesta.com/canton-ga

Southern 69 Waleska St. 770-479-8311 Facebook/GahillsRest2005

Sandwich Shop 205 W. Main St. 770-720-1565 panerabread.com

Southern Cooking 151 W. Main St. 770-213-4897 eatatqueenies.com

Custom-made Sandwiches 117 W. Main St. 770-479-4413 Facebook/R&M Sandwich Shop

Because of you, she will be fed this summer. UPCOMING AT ELM STREET Theatre

ON STAGE

And so will thousands of other children.

Your generous contribution will help us serve thousands of children in Cherokee and the north metro.

Junie B. Jones

Legally Blonde

Musical | All ages

Musical | Ages 13+ (Language)

JUL 7-21, 2021

AUG 13-29, 2021

Lantern Series

EASY WAYS YOUR FAMILY CAN HELP

Donate online, volunteer at www.mustministries.org or mail a check to P.O. Box 1717, Marietta, GA 30061

UNDER THE STARS

Pop Roots

Scott Mulvahill

Irish Folk | Coming in from Ireland!

JigJam

JUL 31, 2021

JUL 17, 2021

Modern Counry

Keith Anderson

AUG 7, 2021

Swamp Pop

Marc Broussard

AUG 28, 2021

Visual Arts

IN THE GALLERY

PLUS...

ELM STREET CULTURAL ARTS VILLAGE WILL BECOME

WOODSTOCK ARTS AUGUST 1

ELMSTREETARTS.ORG | 678.494.4251 AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Congratulations! Children’s Book Donated to Libraries

For the sixth consecutive year, the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture (GFA) and the Georgia Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) are jointly promoting agricultural literacy by donating copies of the children’s book “Tales of the Dairy Godmother: Chuck’s Ice Cream Wish” to the more than 400 libraries in the Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS). The GFA and Georgia EMC have given each county farm bureau in Georgia enough books for every public library in each county. Cherokee County Farm Bureau recently delivered a copy of the book to the following libraries: Ball Ground, Cherokee County Law Library, Hickory Flat, R.T. Jones, Rose Creek and Woodstock.

From left: John Bennett, vice-chairman board of directors Amicalola EMC in Jasper; Shirley Pahl program coordinator/office manager for the Cherokee County Farm Bureau, and John Rodgers, community engagement manager at the Sequoyah Regional Library System.

Woodstock resident Craig Kramer has been named CEO of Gulf Georgia. Kramer has more than 30 years of experience in the oil industry with small companies and larger brand names, serving in roles ranging from consultant to regional manager. Craig Kramer

Canton Piano Student Earns National Award Ephram Key of Canton is a winner in the National Guild of Piano Teachers Guild auditions, which recognizes accomplished students at all levels of piano achievement. Ephram performed a 10-piece memorized program before a professional adjudicator, chosen by the national organization. The adjudicator scores the student based on his or her performance in the areas of accuracy, continuity, phrasing, pedaling, dynamics, rhythm, tempo, tone, interpretation, style and technique. Each winner is awarded a certificate, a pin and a report card that acknowledges their areas of achievement and areas that might need additional effort. They also gain membership in the National Fraternity of Student Musicians. Ephram is a piano student of Anna Lee Moss of Canton. Anna is a member of the American College of Musicians.

Novel Written to Help Youth

Former school psychologist and Cherokee County resident Dr. John Poidevant has written an adventure novel that addresses challenges faced by youth that often exceed their coping skills. Depression, anxiety and suicide are on the rise with tragic results. “Into the Vortex” is intended to promote hope and resiliency for teens and tweens (ages 1115). The story/plot is drawn from the author’s 30-plus years as a school psychologist and mental health consultant working directly with elementary, middle and high school students; many of whom faced life’s most difficult challenges. The story is fiction, but based on a series of real-life events.

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Ephram Key with piano teacher Anna Lee Moss.

Club Provides Camp Tuition The Laurel Canyon Optimist Club contributed $1,000 to help local high school students attend the summer day camp at Reinhardt University School of Performing Arts. This is the fourth year the group has offered support for the annual camp. Reinhardt University School of Performing Arts’ summer day camp provides an opportunity for local high school students to enhance their theater skills, including workshops in singing and acting to set design and makeup. For camp information, visit www.reinhardt.edu/schools-programs/school-of-performing-arts/ musical-theatre-intensive/.

John Michael Bowling

Woodstock Native Earns Medical Degree

John Michael Bowling of Woodstock has received a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, and will undergo emergency medicine residency training with Cleveland Clinic Akron General in Akron, Ohio.

Burpees for Veterans Heal Andrew St. Bernard, chiropractor at Corrective Chiropractic in Woodstock, has an inspiring story to share. “For the month of April, I was challenged by a friend to complete 2,000 burpees while raising money for Stop Soldier Suicide. Amidst the challenge, I felt it necessary to up the ante to 6,000 burpees, completed as a whole office (staff and clients at Corrective Chiropractic). I also felt a burden to do more than just raise money, but physically touch the life of a local veteran in need. “We said if we got to 6,000 collectively, which represents the average number of veteran suicides committed annually in the United States, we would sponsor chiropractic care through our Chiropractic For All Foundation for a veteran in need for a whole year. “We crushed that goal, completing over 7,000 burpees. I reached out to Jim Lindenmayer, director of the Cherokee County Homeless Veterans Program, to help with a nominee. He introduced me to Jim B., who is a paraplegic, and we were happy to award him with the gift of chiropractic care for a year! Since he started just a couple weeks ago, he says he has improved mobility in his shoulders and neck, and is sleeping better.”

Andrew St. Bernard with Jim B. AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Around & About JULY

Guardians of the Jukebox will be performing at

The Mill on Etowah from 7-11 p.m. Join the fun on the green for food trucks, locally crafted beer and live music. Sponsored by Shottenkirk Automotive Group.

The Market at The Mill on Etowah is every Tuesday night on the green from 5:30-8:30 p.m., featuring local makers, creators, bakers and artists. Details available on Facebook at The Mill on Etowah page.

A Built to Quit smoking and tobacco cessation course will take place at Northside Hospital- Cherokee. This class will be held once a week for six weeks, through Aug. 10. Classes are offered during afternoon and evening hours. Register online at www.northside. com, call 404-780-7653 or email smokingcessation@ northside.com.

Wednesdays features food trucks and 7 Unwind market night at Veterans Park, the first Wednesday of

every month through October from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Follow the Revival Events Group page on Facebook for details.

Evening with 9 An Tim Tebow will be

held at First Baptist Church Woodstock at 7 p.m. Bring family and friends for fun, raffle prizes and an inspiring message from Tim Tebow. Presented by Cherokee Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Tickets available at https://cherokeefca.org/ banquet. Call 770-789-7150, or email Steve Hyland at shyland@fca.org.

10-11

Tim Tebow

Southern Tradition Car and Truck Show will be at Etowah River Park from

Inaugural First Responders Golf Classic

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Summer Block Party will be held 11 a.m.17 A4 p.m. on Gilmer Ferry Road in Ball Ground,

featuring food from Wilkes Meat Market and Dominic’s Food Truck, live music by Ben Jammin, and many vendors and small businesses.

Market at Menagerie on Main is in downtown Canton from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Visit the artist’s market, and grab a drink from one of the local restaurants or venues. More details on Facebook. Wayne: A Night of Story and Song will 23 beJimmy at Timbers on Etowah at The Mill in Canton

from 7-9 p.m. Seating is limited, and there is a suggested donation of $75 per seat to support Goshen Valley foster youth. RSVP at http://evite.me/4MJANadj8G and donate at goshenvalley.org/donate. More details on Facebook.

School. Join the race and celebrate the life and legacy of Collins Dixon. Funds raised will go to families in North Georgia with pediatric cancer. Register at runsignup.com/ Race/GA/Canton/BendYourKnees5k.

is at Woodmont Golf and Country Club. Registration begins at 8 a.m. All proceeds support the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation and Kennesaw State University WellStar School of Nursing. Visit www.cherokeechamber.com/first-responders-golfclassic for the full schedule of events. 50

held in building A, classroom 207 of the Chattahoochee Tech campus in Woodstock from noon-1 p.m. It’s free, open to the public and particularly useful for business owners. It also will be streamed live on several platforms. Register at https://unlabelingyourbrand.com/.

The 10th annual Collins Dixon Bend Your 24 Knees 5K will begin at 7 a.m. at Teasley Middle

8 a.m. Saturday to 3 p.m. Sunday. All makes and models are welcome. Visit www.southerntradition.bigcartel.com for registration and more information.

Unlabeling Your Brand: creating your 14 An authentic brand and style workshop will be

A Discover Paddleboarding program will be at Murph’s Surf off Bells Ferry Road in Canton from 9-11 a.m. Participants will learn about water safety and paddleboarding basics on Allatoona Lake. Fun for the whole family and a cool way to enjoy the great outdoors in the heat of the summer. Cost is $79 per person. Visit the Woodstock Parks and Rec website to register, https://bit.ly/3cqRBlf.

The 14th annual Canton Explorers’ 30-31 Rodeo will be held at Boling Park. Gates open at 6 p.m., and the event starts at 8 p.m.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOLS July 19-23

Calvary Baptist Church: Rocky Railway 137 Hightower Road, Ball Ground 30107 6:30-8:30 p.m. Ages 4-Completed Fifth Grade Visit http://cbcballground.org/ to register.

AUGUST

The 2021 Lake Allatoona Poker Run, benefiting Folds of Honor, is hosted by the Lake Allatoona Association. This is not a race, and a vessel is not required. You may purchase a hand and select your cards at the table. Registration and details are available at https://lake-allatoona-association.square.site.

Yoga in the Park is at Brown Park in Canton the first Saturday of each month through October from 9-10 a.m. The free yoga class is for everyone, beginners to advanced. Please sign up if you plan to attend; waivers must be signed before starting. Information on the Horizon Healing Center Facebook page.

14 Moo’ve It 5K Chick-fil-A Cherokee County

The 8th annual , a fundraiser for the Cherokee County Educational Foundation and Special Olympics, will take place at Etowah River Park in Canton. The 5k begins at 8 a.m. Visit www.cfamooveit.com for a full schedule and to register.

CANTON RIVER ROCK CONCERT SERIES The free concerts begin at 6 p.m. at Etowah River Park. Visit the events calendar on www.cantonga.gov for more information.

July 17: A1A Jimmy Buffett Tribute Band Aug. 21: Sundance Head Sept. 17: Laine Hardy

CANTON FIRST FRIDAY The monthly block party, sponsored by the Canton Main Street Program. 6-9 p.m. in downtown Canton. On Facebook. www.cantonga.gov/our-city/visit-us/downtown-canton/first-fridays

Aug. 6: The Ultimate Eagles Tribute - On the Border Sept. 3: Trotline Oct. 1: Electric Avenue Oct. 29: No Sweat, Halloween costume contest

FARMERS MARKETS Ball Ground

Every other Saturday until Oct. 16, 8 a.m.-noon City Park in Ball Ground. On Facebook.

Canton

Now open in Brown Park. Continues weekly, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturdays through Oct. 16. Details available at www.cantonga.gov.

River Church

9 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesdays at 2335 Sixes Road, Canton. On Facebook.

Waleska

Runs until Nov. 4, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Heritage Fellowship Baptist Church, 3615 Reinhardt College Pkwy. 404-805-7468.

Woodstock

Now open for the season on Market Street. Hours are 8:30 a.m.-noon. Saturdays through Dec. 18. Details available at www.visitwoodstockga.com.

LIVE AT THE MILL ON ETOWAH Join the fun for live music from 7-9 p.m. Reformation Brewery will have cold beer on tap. Details on Facebook.

July 9: July 10: July 16: July 17: July 23: July 24: July 30: July 31:

Levi Ransom

CHI-TOWN Transit Authority Steve Baskin

Too Many Peachtree Streets Daniel Toole

The Manly Hero

Brennan Johnson Erin Kirby

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS SCREEN ON THE GREEN Family-friendly movies 7-9 p.m. Wednesdays at The Mill on Etowah. More details on Facebook.

July 7: July 14: July 21: July 28:

“Secret Life of Pets 2”

“Elf ” (Christmas in July) “Shrek 2”

“Trolls World Tour”

Join Northside Hospital experts for a weekly virtual health presentation every Wednesday at noon. For registration, www.northside.com/community-wellness/classes-events. . July 14: Dr. Mike Hulse, North Georgia OB/GYN Specialists

July 21: July 28:

Dr. Nathaniel Lytle, Bariatric Innovations of Atlanta and General Surgery

Dr. Cheney Wilson, Northside Vascular Surgery AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Cherokee Photography Club Congratulations to the winners of the May Competition “Leading Lines!”

Color Print

1st Eillene Kirk “Mirror, Mirror”

2nd Jim Kirk “On the Way Up”

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

3rd Martin Longstaff “Mont St. Michel”

Monochromatic

1st John Quinn “Astoria Megler Bridge”

2nd Dean Kelley “Pier One”

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 770-6177595 or email him at kbphotoart@comcast.net for more information.

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

Advertisers

For advertising rates and information Jennifer Coleman 678-279-5502 Jen@AroundaboutMagazines.com

July 2021

ACCOUNTING & TAX Denson Pepper, CPA 678-797-5241 www.densonpeppercpa.com

DENTAL 13

ANIMALS/PETS Cherokee County Animal Shelter www.cherokeega-animals.org

ATTORNEYS Imbriale Injury Law 678-445-7423 www.imbrialeinjury.com

BEAUTY SALON & SPA Salon La Faye 678-880-0113 www.salonlafaye.com

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

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

EDUCATION/TRAINING Georgia Trade School www.georgiatradeschool.com Courier Express 678-626-4132 www.courierexpress.net

FUNERAL HOMES Darby Funeral Home 770-479-2193 www.darbyfuneralhome.com

YogaSix BridgeMill 770-274-6372 www.yogasix.com/bridge-mill

Your CBD Store Canton 770-704-0550 www.cantonga.cbdrx4u.com

HOME & GARDEN 47

Cherokee Theatre Company 770-591-0282 www.cherokeetheatre.org

Edward Jones, Sarah Kendall 1 770-720-6245 www.edwardjones.com/sarah-kendall The Piedmont Group Paul Kill, 770-757-3313 www.thepiedmontgroups.com

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Elm Street Cultural Arts Village 678-494-4251 www.elmstreetarts.org

First Friday Concerts www.cantonga.gov

My Home My Chef 508-353-7356 www.myhomemychef.com

FINANCIAL SERVICES

BUSINESS SUPPORT Canton Business Club

Gentle Dental Care and Georgia Dental Implant Center Inside back 770-926-2784 www.georgiadic.com

ENTERTAINMENT

AUTOMOTIVE BridgeMill Auto Care Canton location: 770-720-0765 East Cobb location: 770-641-9906

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

AUDIOLOGY North Georgia Audiology & Hearing Aid Center 770-726-8948 www.YourHearingLink.com

BridgeMill Dentistry 770-704-1812 www.bridgemilldentistry.com

FOOD SERVICES

Bryan Plumbing Services 770-826-5277

City Painting and Construction Inside front 770-462-9077 www.citypaintingandconstruction.com ckb Kitchens Bath and More 770-485-0911 www.ckbpros.com

Enhance Floors and More 770-565-3808 www.enhancefloors.com

Mr. Junk 678-675-8651 www.mrjunk1.com

Sundance Pressure and Seal 23 O: 770-720-2303 C: 404-771-0071 www.sundancepressureandseal.com INSURANCE Farmers Insurance, Michael Thomas 678-880-9985

PHYSICIANS AND MEDICAL SERVICES TwelveStone Health Partners Inside front 844-893-0012 www.12stonehealth.com/infusioncenter/canton REAL ESTATE & RELATED SERVICES Century 21 Celina Meador C: 361-463-6170 O: 770-640-6800

Homeowners Financial Group, The Dean Team 470-863-7070

www.homeownersfg.com/location/canton

RETAIL

PHOTOGRAPHY Maniac Agency hello@maniac.agency

Great Sky 770-704-0234 www.greatskyga.com

Cotton Mill Exchange 770-992-9294 www.cottonmillexchange.net Golf Cars of Canton 678-880-1156 www.golfcarsofcanton.com

Back cover

The Avenue Boutique Cover, 28-29 770-213-3977 www.instagram.com/shopavenueboutique/

SENIOR LIVING/SENIOR SERVICES Manor Lake BridgeMill 678-990-5055 www.manorlakebr.com

The Lodge at BridgeMill 470-863-2690 www.bridgemillseniors.com

St. George Village 678-987-0410, 404-558-6108 www.stgeorgevillage.org

SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS Goshen Homes www.goshenvalley.org/homes

MUST Ministries www.mustministries.org

Next Step Ministries www.nextstepministries.net

For information on all of our titles, visit www.aroundaboutlocalmedia.com

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

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. It’s your community. It’s your magazine. Look on page 6 for our contact information.

OUR PHOTOGRAPHY PARTNERS We work with some of the best professional photographers in the business.

Jerry King J. King Images 404-384-2794 www.jkingimages.com

AROUND CANTON | July 2021

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

Heather Stevens Joyful Day Photography 678-947-1200 www.joyfuldayphoto.com

Joseph Baum Maniac Agency maniac.agency

7-21 Around Canton webfinal.pdf

Articles inside

Community Calendar

Noteworthy

School News

Susan Schulz

Cherokee Women’s Health Specialists

Cherokee Office of Economic Development

Everyday Angels

Elisabeth Stubbs

Kevin Williams

Harry Johnston

Local News

Pages 28

Around Canton

Shanna Coulter

Asher Kelsey

Celebrations