Piecing It All Together

Senior Life Atlanta

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MARCH 2020 • Vol. 5 No. 3 | AtlantaSeniorLIFE.com

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Sew In Love: Quilters Hang Together page 4

PROFILE

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Baseball Fan Visits Parks Across the U.S

A Taste of Irish in Atlanta

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Contents MARCH 2020

COVER STORY

4

Sew In Love: Quilters Hang Together by Many Threads

8

Museum Preserves Quilting’s Past, Promotes Its Future

10

PROFILE A Collection of Ballparks

12

HEALTH Elder Abuse Can Be Close to Home

15

SPORTS & FITNESS Support & Sign Up for Senior Olympics

16

PERSONAL FINANCE Ask Rusty: What Happens to My Social Security if I Die at Age 62?

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THE ARTS Inside the Movie

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FOOD A Taste of the Irish

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PERSONAL SAFETY Beware the Smishers!

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PETS Pet Picks

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OUT & ABOUT

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4 Atlanta Senior Life focuses on the interests, accomplishments and lifestyles of the active senior population in metro Atlanta. It aims to inspire readers to embrace a more rewarding life by informing them of opportunities to expand their horizons, express their talents and engage in their community.

CONTACT US ON THE COVER From left, East Cobb Quilters’ Guild members Gail Oliver, Wendy Blanton and Devon Pfeif, with the Lion King quilts they presented at the January meeting of the Bulloch Hall Quilt Guild. Oliver’s and Pfeif’s quilts were accepted into the 2016 Cherrywood Challenge. Blanton is also a member of the Bulloch Hall Quilt Guild.

Photo by Asep Mawardi

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Editorial Kathy Dean Contributing Editor kathydean@atlantaseniorlife.com Joe Earle Editor-at-Large JoeEarle@reporternewspapers.net Contributors Russell Gloor, Judi Kanne, Donna Williams Lewis, Asep Mawardi, Jacob Nguyen, Steve Rose, Mark Woolsey Advertising For information call (404) 917-2200 Sales Executives: Cory Anne Charles, Jeff Kremer, Janet Porter

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© 2020 All rights reserved. Publisher reserves the right to refuse editorial or advertising for any reason. Publisher assumes no responsibility for information contained in advertising. Any opinions expressed in print or online do not necessarily represent the views of Atlanta Senior Life or Springs Publishing, LLC.

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Committed to Fulton I am running to be a Fulton County Superior Court Judge because I believe Fulton County residents deserve to have fair, efficient, effective and excellent judges, who have a deep commitment to serving this County and its residents. My husband and I decided to make Fulton County our home fourteen years ago, and I am committed to making my community proud.

I have dedicated my legal career to the service of Fulton County residents and organizations. I have served as legal counsel to several of Fulton County’s bedrock institutions, including Grady Memorial Hospital, MARTA and the Atlanta Housing Authority. In 2017, I was honored to be appointed as the 1st Chief Judge of the City of South Fulton’s Municipal Court, and efficiently and effectively built the judicial system for the third largest city in Fulton County in record-time, 40 days! While there, I developed effective programs, such as the “Be What You Can See” youth shadowing/ mentorship program, which allowed middle and high school students an opportunity to shadow Court officers during Court sessions in order to expose them to careers in the justice system. Currently, I serve as a Pro Tem Judge in Union City’s Municipal Court. My commitment to Fulton County and its judicial system is unwavering, and if elected, I will work every day to make you proud.

I humbly ask for your support in my endeavor to become the next Fulton County Superior Court Judge.

Early voting begins April 27, 2020, and the election is May 19, 2020.

Education

South Carolina State University, B.A. Political Science, summa cum laude, 2003 University of Georgia School of Law, J.D. cum laude, 2006

Judicial Appointments

Chief Judge, South Fulton Municipal Court (20172019) Pro Tem Municipal Court Judge- Union City, Forest Park and Riverdale (2019-present)

Awards

POLITICO’s 2018 Woman of Impact 2018-2019 Law and Justice Woman of the Year, Georgia’s Most Powerful and Influential Attorneys 2018 Atlanta Women of Distinction Finalist

Professional Memberships

District Five Representative, Council of Municipal Court Judges Executive Committee Member, Atlanta Bar Association Judicial Section Member, Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys Member, Gate City Bar Association Member, Elizabeth Baptist Church Member, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Endorsements

Honorable Debra Bazemore GA House of Representatives District 63

Dr. Craig L. Oliver, Sr., Senior Pastor Elizabeth Baptist Church

Tiffany Tiffany Carter Sellers Candidate, Fulton County Superior Court

Dr. Walter L. Kimbrough Cliftondale United Methodist Church

Thomas Gatewood Sampson, Sr., Managing Partner Thomas, Kennedy Sampson & Tompkins, LLP

MARCH 2020 | AtlantaSeniorLife.com

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COVER STORY

Sew In Love: Quilters hang together by many threads

Left, Debbie Scarimbolo, president of the Bulloch Hall Quilt Guild, with the quilt she’d just completed after 24 years. She took it to the show-and-tell portion of the guild’s January meeting.

Top, from left, Holly Anderson and Barbara “Berber” Debolt, co-chairs of the 38th Annual Bulloch Hill Quilt Show, display the raffle quilt for the March 6-15 show. The 2020 raffle quilt is a modern patchwork quilt featuring black and white prints and bright batiks. The king size quilt was pieced by Bulloch Hall Quilt Guild members.

By Donna Williams Lewis Debbie Scarimbolo has always been enamored with fabric. As a child, she spent her summers making clothes for the next school year. As a home economics teacher, she taught her students to make quilts for infants in need as a class project.

Today, she is president of the Bulloch Hall Quilt Guild, a group

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at capacity with 65 members and a waiting list. It’s one of dozens of guilds across metro Atlanta that draw quilters together for fellowship, skill sharing, community service and the allure of the ever-evolving craft.

It’s show time for the Bulloch Hall guild, which is based in Roswell at the childhood home of Mittie Bulloch, the mother of

MARCH 2020 | AtlantaSeniorLife.com

Bottom, Bulloch Hall’s 38th Annual Quilt Show, “Inspired by Endangered Species,” takes place March 6-15 at the historic house museum in Roswell. The show is presented by the Bulloch Hall Quilt Guild.

President Theodore Roosevelt.

From March 6-15, the guild will host Bulloch Hall’s 38th Annual Quilt Show, a commissioned show entitled “Inspired by Endangered Species.”

More than 180 quilts depicting animals and plants from the collection of Virginia-based quilter

Donna DeSoto will fill the historic house museum. Also on display will be a raffle quilt for charity that was created by the Bulloch Hall Quilt Guild.

Bulloch Hall’s quilt shows alternate each year between traveling shows, such as the current one, and shows featuring

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its guild members’ work, which are non-juried and open to other quilters. Scarimbolo said the event is “a win-win for everybody.”

“It’s an opportunity to educate the public about quilting. It brings people to Bulloch Hall and lets them have a little taste of history,” she said. “And, on the years that we put our quilts in, it gives our members an opportunity to show their work in a very friendly environment.”

Holly Anderson, who co-chairs this year’s show with Barbara Debolt, is a quilting expert. She is a retired American Quilt Society certified appraiser and was vice chair of the Georgia Quilt project, which documented more than 8,000 quilts in Georgia in the 1990s. She lectures on quilts and judges quilt shows around the

state and has traveled around the world with friends to quilting exhibitions.

“Quilting has brought so many wonderful people into my life,” Anderson said. “It’s just been a pretty sleek ride.”

Competing for the joy of it

Traditional quilting involves sandwiching a soft material called “batting” between two layers of fabric, with the top often made of a pattern of “blocks.” All three layers are then stitched together.

Quilting is usually done by machine these days, and new trends are taking quilting to advanced levels. Historically, quilting was primarily done to make bed covers. Today, there’s

Treasure your time.

Continued on page 6

Learn more Quilting classes can be found at fabric stores, arts centers, senior centers and at some of the dozens of local quilt guilds in the metro area. Find quilt guilds online at sites including quiltguilds. com, americanquilter.com and generations-quilt-patterns.com.

Check before you visit to make sure meeting details are accurate.

Here’s a sampling of some local guilds.

Bulloch Hall Quilt Guild—Meets monthly on first Thursdays, September through June, at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 10250 Haynes Bridge Road, Alpharetta 30022. Social time: 9:30 a.m.

Meeting: 10 a.m. Info: Send an email to bhquiltguild@gmail.com.

East Cobb Quilters’ Guild—Check their website for day and evening meetings held monthly except in November.

Info: ecqg.com.

Brown Sugar Stitchers Quilt Guild—Meets monthly on third Saturdays, except for July and December, at 10:30 a.m. at the William C. Brown-Wesley Chapel Library, 2861 Wesley Chapel Road, Decatur 30034. Info: brownsugarstitchersquiltguild.com.

Original Sewing & Quilt Expo, March 12-14

See the latest in techniques and products and learn new skills this month at a three-day sewing, quilting and machine embroidery consumer show. Attendees can shop with more than 80 retailers for machines, tools, fabric and supplies.

Original Sewing & Quilt Expo, which produces shows around the country, will also feature displays of quilts, stage presentations and trunk shows.

The expo will be held March 12-14 at the Infinite Energy Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth 30097. Daily general admission is $8 if you register online or $15 at the door. Classes are $23 per session.

Some of the classes are suitable for children.

Value packages offer the biggest savings if you preregister by March 8, and group discounts are available. The expo is a branch of Hoffman Media, an Alabama-based publishing company. For more info, visit sewingexpo.com or call 800-699-6309.

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Continued from page 5

Left, East Cobb Quilters’ Guild member Devon Pfeif with her Bob Ross quilt, which depicts through fabric the progression of a painting. Pfeif was on a panel of presenters at the January meeting of the Bulloch Hall Quilt Guild. In 2017, Pfeif’s Van Gogh quilt went on tour in Paris through the Cherrywood Challenge. In 2018, she won the Prince Cherrywood Challenge.

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Bottom, (Photo by Ben Hollingsworth) Ben Hollingsworth’s Prince quilt will tour for about two years with the Cherrywood Challenge.

The East Cobb Quilters’ Guild member was part of a program panel at the January meeting of the Bulloch Hall Quilt Guild.

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lots of quilted art, usually a smaller piece using all forms of fiber and all types of embellishments.

Longtime quilter Wendy Blanton was on the Bulloch Hall guild’s waiting list for about five years before she was able to join 10 years ago. In February, she was asked to be “Mystery Spotlight” speaker for the group’s monthly meeting.

She presented five friends from another guild she belongs to, the East Cobb Quilters’ Guild, which usually has more than 200 members.

All of them, including Blanton, have had work accepted into the Cherrywood Challenge, an annual competition sponsored

by Minnesota-based Cherrywood Hand Dyed Fabrics. Participants’ mission is to create a 20-inchsquare quilt with a very limited color palette with a new theme each year. Themes to date were the Broadway musical “Wicked,” Disney’s “The Lion King,” painter Van Gogh, the musician Prince and artist Bob Ross. The 2020 theme is Princess Diana.

Among the panel presenters, Blanton’s and Ben Hollingsworth’s Van Gogh quilts traveled to Australia and both of them currently have Bob Ross quilts on tour. Van Gogh quilts made

by Gail Oliver, Nancy Hutchison and Devon Pfeif went to France.

Hollingsworth and Pfeif, who was first-place winner in the Prince challenge, currently have Prince quilts on tour.

Hollingsworth also teaches a portrait quilt class at the Alpharetta Arts Center, and the Bob Ross and Prince quilts are examples of that type of work. “I do a lot of challenges because I like

Bulloch Hall Quilt Guild’s 38th Annual Quilt Show The quilt show will be held March 6-15 at Bulloch Hall, 180 Bulloch Avenue, Roswell 30077. MondaySaturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday 1-4 p.m.

Admission to the quilt show is included with regular museum admission, $8 adults, $7 seniors, $6 children.

For additional info, bullochhallquiltguild.org or 770-992-1731.

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pillowcases for children at the Carrie Steele-Pitts Home and for patients with sickle cell disease at Hughes Spalding Children’s Hospital, both in Atlanta. “Quilts are hugs in fabric form,” said Elisa Woods, president of the south DeKalb County guild.

The guild’s 62 members are observing their 20th anniversary at the William C. Brown-Wesley Chapel Library. “I think what really binds us together,” Woods said, “is that there’s nothing better than to work with fabric.”

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East Cobb Quilters’ Guild member Ben Hollingsworth holds his Van Gogh quilt, which toured Paris through the Cherrywood Challenge, at the January meeting of the Bulloch Hall Quilt Guild. His wife, Kathleen Hollingsworth, holds the Bob Ross quilt she made for last year’s Cherrywood Challenge.

having my imagination stimulated and I like coming up with creative solutions to things,” he said.

Competing has also been exhilarating for Blanton. “My friends tell me how my art has grown since I started doing the challenges,” she said. “With every new challenge I try to do something I’ve never done before.”

‘Hugs in fabric form’

Quilt guilds also provide a way to serve. The Bulloch Hall Quilt Guild makes quilts and children’s pillowcases for the International Women’s House, a domestic violence shelter in Decatur.

The Brown Sugar Stitchers Quilt Guild makes quilts and

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COVER STORY

Museum preserves quilting’s past, promotes its future

By Donna Williams Lewis A renovated historic cotton warehouse in Carrollton, Ga. is a fitting place for a museum that not only exhibits and interprets the heritage of quilting but is also a breeding ground for future generations of quilters.

The Southeastern Quilt & Textile Museum, which opened in 2012, attracts nationally touring exhibitions and visitors from across the country and beyond. The museum offers a wide range of educational opportunities, including quilting expos, lectures, classes for adults Marilyn Hubbard, president of the board of and children, and summer directors of the Southeastern Quilt & Textile camps that usually end up Museum, discusses the history of some with waiting lists. of the quilts in a recent museum exhibit, Marilyn Hubbard, Marti Michell’s Antique Quilts Collection. president of the museum’s board of directors, said Photo by Jay Luzardo/Times-Georgian quilts give people another way to create and enjoy art. Quilting can do everything from “satisfying someone who just wants to have a pretty decoration for their home or to put on their bed…to being a way for people to express basic human emotions,” Hubbard said. “Quilts can be quite powerful works of art.”

An upcoming exhibit features quilts that sprang from emotions.

Beginning April 5, the museum will host the nationally touring “Sacred Threads Exhibition of Quilts Expressing Life’s Journey: Joy, Inspiration, Healing, Grief and Peace.” In a multisensory experience, museum goers can dial the code on each quilt on their cell phones to hear the spiritual journey of that quilt’s creator.

‘A Thread Runs Through It’

The museum’s current exhibit, hanging through April 25, is “A Thread Runs Through It.” It’s described this way: “A thread runs through fabrics, conversations, families or ideas. Threads are what remain when everything unravels—perhaps as a frayed edge or a tenacious connection.” Presented by Studio Art Quilt Associates members from the Georgia/South Carolina region, the exhibit is a juried show displaying the work of 19 artists.

“From quilts that look more like paintings to a quilt made from onion bags and scraps of food packaging at the Atlanta Food Bank, you will see a varied collection,” Hubbard said.

The museum’s previous exhibit featured about 30 quilts that are all at least 100 years old from the collection of Atlanta area resident Marti Michell. Michell was recently announced as the 2020 inductee into the Quilters Hall of Fame in Marion, Indiana. She will be inducted July 18 during a three-day celebration of the art of quilting

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The woman was on her way from a business trip in Columbus, Ga. to the Atlanta airport and said she just wanted to “swing by” to see the exhibit. But instead of rushing through, she became immersed in Sacred Threads.

After a while, she turned to Hubbard and said, “I bet these people experience a lot of healing in doing these quilts.”

“Yes, I think, probably so,” Hubbard replied.

“Well, I’d like to try this because I sure need a lot of healing,” the woman said, as she left the museum and headed for home.

The Southeastern Quilt and Textile Museum

is located at 306 Bradley Street, Carrollton 30117.

The museum is open Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Admission is $5.

Info: southeasternquiltandtextilemuseum.org or 770-301-2187.

This quilt, “Enough for Everyone,” was made of food packaging salvaged from the Atlanta Community Food Bank by Margaret Williams of Tucker.

Part of the “A Thread Runs Through It’ exhibit at the Southeastern Quilt & Textile Museum, it symbolizes that the food bank is a thread that connects people who have something with people who need something.

Photo by Southeastern Quilt & Textile Museum

that annually draws about 500 people, according to a Hall of Fame representative.

Among the museum’s own antique quilts is one made in the 1860s-70s from a wool Civil War uniform that was cut up and patched with other heavy material to provide warmth. Hubbard said the quilt was donated by a 99-year-old woman who arrived at the museum in a wheelchair, saying she wanted to personally present the quilt her grandmother had made from her grandfather’s uniform.

“So it represents this pointed desperation that was going on at that time, plus the reality of life and subsistence,” she said. “But the other thing is quilts can bring such joy and express such meaning to people.”

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The Southeastern Quilt and Textile Museum is a vibrant space with a research library that holds more than 2,500 volumes; a gift shop featuring quilts, crafts and souvenirs; and conference space shared with others in its county-owned building. Hubbard said the 1,500-square-foot facility will soon undergo modifications allowing for new library space and a dedicated teaching area that can accommodate 10 sewing machine stations as well as be used for conference and event space.

The museum plans to offer classroom usage to the local West Georgia Quilt Guild, which meets in Carrollton, and to home schoolers who can be taught art, measurement and geometry through quilting. Hubbard said museum members have taught quilting in math classes at local schools, and each summer the museum offers a two-week camp that teaches up to about 30 students. Each student has their own quilting mentor.

Throughout the year, the museum continues to preserve history, celebrate current trends in quilting and meet its public.

“We’ve had people from every state. We’ve had people from 15 foreign countries,” Hubbard said. “There’ve been a lot of people who say, ‘I can’t believe this is here!’”

One of the guests who left a lasting impression on Hubbard visited the museum during a previous Sacred Threads exhibition.

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A Collection of Ballparks DeKalb librarian visits baseball stadiums across the U.S.

Greg Hutchinson grew up in a small Pennsylvania town about 35 miles from Joe Earle is editor-at-large Pittsburgh. As a boy, he loved baseball. He and has lived in played Little League and remembers wild metro Atlanta for more games of Nerf baseball in a cousin’s basement. than 30 years. He can be reached at joeearle@ Needless to say, he was a Pirates fan. reporternewspapers.net He started watching the Pirates play on TV. It didn’t take long before he wanted to see a game in person. By the time he was 9, he stayed at wake at night thinking about going to a game.

“I remember getting out of bed one night—I couldn’t sleep—and going to talk to my mother and saying, ‘When am I going to get to go to a baseball game?’”

His grandmother took him to see his first game. “That lit a fuse under me. Every year on my birthday we’d go to a [game].”

Those games were at Forbes Field, the Pirates’ home for much of the 20th century, from 1909 until 1970. Since then, Hutchinson has seen the Pirates play in two other Pittsburgh ballparks, Three Rivers Stadium and PNC Park.

Pittsburgh’s stadiums were just the beginning.

Through the years, Hutchinson, now a DeKalb County reference librarian, has wanted to see games in as many major league ballparks as he can as he’s traveled the country.

“It’s just a situational sort of thing,” he said one recent evening as he sat in a Decatur tavern wearing an oldfashioned Pirates hat. “If we were traveling somewhere, we might go see a game.”

Or he and his friends or family might travel somewhere Greg Hutchinson displays part just to see a game or two in of his collection of postcards showing baseball stadiums. a different stadium or two.

Photo by Joe Earle Hutchinson has watched

these days

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PROFILE

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baseball games on fields scattered across the country, from Fenway Park in Boston to Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

He’s seen games played on historic fields and in newly opened ones. He figures that counting current and past parks, he’s watched games played in something like 43 major league ballparks. The major leagues contain only 30 teams.

He still has a half dozen or so ballparks to go to complete his list.

And teams keep tearing down old ballparks and building new ones, so his quest to see them all never quite seems to end.

Since he’s lived in metro Atlanta, the Braves have placed three ballparks on his life list: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Turner Field and Truist Park. He roots for the Braves, unless they’re playing the Pirates. “I liked Turner Field,” he said, but he admits the new park “kind of feels claustrophobic.”

He’s visited some storied stadiums that no longer exist. He says he saw the next-to-last game played at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. That was the first time he’d traveled just to see a stadium.

And he realized he wasn’t the only person with an interest in visiting various ballparks. “On the flight back, there must have a dozen other guys wearing their Tiger caps from the game,” he said.

Now, in addition to going to games and picking up a hat or some other souvenir, Hutchinson collects postcards of baseball parks.

He keeps scores of them in an album. He’s accumulated images of parks he’s seen and ones that were torn down long before he had the chance to buy a ticket there.

Last year, Hutchinson add one more park to his list. He saw his first game at Coors Field in Denver. He said he doesn’t have any plans

yet to travel to a new park this year, but he’s sure he’ll get in a Braves game or two and perhaps one at a nearby minor league ballpark. “I’ll definitely keep my hand in,” he said.

His favorite ballpark of them all? Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif. “I’ve always had a good time being there,” he said. “They take care of the fans.”

The worst? The old Municipal Stadium in Cleveland. “It was just cavernous,” Hutchinson said. “It looked there was nobody at all in the [stands], it was so big.”

What’s the appeal of traveling around the country seeing baseball games and baseball parks? The chance to make memories, he said.

Baseball and its ballparks can provide indelible memories, like the time he saw Pirates superstar Roberto Clemente hit a homer or the time he got to walk on the ballfield at Forbes Field because the ball club let fans exit through an outfield gate.

“There’s a lot more nostalgia in baseball than in other sports,” he said. “I think, in part, just because I’m a big fan, I want to see the games [played in different parks]. A lot of stadiums have personalities. There’re things that some people think about Fulton County [Stadium] and the baseball games they saw there that they may not think about the Falcons [Atlanta’s football team, which also once played there].

Every ballpark—in fact, every game—offers a chance to see something new, he said. “One of the things about baseball stadiums is there is always a potential for a memory you’re going to have forever.

It doesn’t always happen, but the potential is there.”

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HEALTH

Elder Abuse Can Be Close to Home This is the second of our two-part series to help elders, seniors and family members recognize and stop abuse before it begins.

Watch Out for Physical Abuse

Pat King, a registered nurse, worries about physical abuse of older adults. It’s her job. King Becky Kurtz, Managing manages the Forensic Special Director, Aging & Independence Initiatives Unit in the State of Services, Atlanta Regional Georgia’s Division of Aging Commission, sees nearly every Services. day how easily abuse can occur Since she began as a with Atlanta’s prosecutor’s growing senior investigator, King community. has “encountered Atlanta Regional the worst physical Commission data abuse toward show that 16% of others,” she said. metro Atlanta’s And she learned population was to become already over the increasingly aware age of 60 in 2015. By of unexplained 2030, that figure is fractures or projected to reach malnutrition in Judith L. Kanne, 24% or more. older patients.

“One thing we do RN, BSN, BA When she first know about abuse is a registered nurse and started her work, is that women are freelance writer who lives “there were no victimized more in Atlanta. laws and zero frequently than awareness [for men,” Kurtz said. many of us in the field],” she said.

Sometimes that abuse is coming Immediately, she was interested from a spouse. Whether it’s called in learning as much as possible domestic abuse or elder abuse, the about ‘suspicious deaths,’ by name doesn’t matter, the problem beginning basic research with the does. local medical examiner’s office.

According to the “I saw patterns and trends [of Administration for Community physical abuse] come to light,” Living, abusers generally use a she said. Currently, it’s the main pattern of coercive tactics, such focus of her work. Her unit as isolation, threats, intimidation, supports agencies helping with, manipulation and violence to and working for, at-risk adult gain and maintain power over crime victims through technical victims. assistance, case consultations and Kurtz encourages all older reviews. adults to remain active and stay Physical abuse is sneaky. It involved, as much as possible. can show up unexpectedly in the “Socialization can help lower finest of assisted living facilities everyone’s risk from abusers,” she and even specialized personal said. care homes. At times, a broken Seniors can be abused in a hip can be the first warning sign wide variety of ways. Sometimes, of inadequate staffing or lack of the abuse is physical. But training. abuse can also be emotional or Georgians may not realize financial. And targets can be as while nursing homes are tightly varied as the way they are abused. regulated, other types of senior Here’s a look at several types of living facilities may not be. abuse local social workers and Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s journalists say they’ve discovered (AJC) investigative reporters, in our local communities.

Carrie Teegardin and Brad

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MARCH 2020 | AtlantaSeniorLife.com

Schrade, provided AARP’s BankSafe “the public with program, which behind-the-scenes facilitates insights” on partnerships Georgia’s privatebetween pay, older adult older adults industry. Through and financial their combined institutions. work, the two Financial reporters learned mistreatment, that 35 states manipulation have set higher or “exploitation standards than of older adults Georgia. and adults with In some disabilities cases, physical frequently goes Becky Kurtz, Managing Director, protection for unrecognized, Aging & Independence Services, residents remains unreported and Atlanta Regional Commission.

SPECIAL dangerously unprosecuted,” lacking. “The explained David maximum fine issued for the Blake, a bank trainer with most serious violations is Georgia’s Division of Aging. “A typically $601,” Teegardin said. change in banking habits by a She added that these seniors bank customer is sometimes the were some of the most vulnerable first indication of trouble. Red people she’d written about in her flags include misappropriation years of investigative reporting. of funds from their varied Addressing physical abuse in accounts.” facilities will require state policy Blake said that an all too changes with new mandates and common situation is observing public-private partners. an elderly customer making large withdrawals, especially involving cash, outside of their Looking to regular banking habits. “In some Banks for Help cases, a family member or friend Local seniors also can become may be using undue influence to victims of financial abuse as gain access to a customer’s bank scammers often find them assets,” he said. convenient and gullible targets.

Not many people think about a bank as a source of senior assistance. But it can be.

Several banks participate in

Scams and Financial Abuse

Many criminals find older Continued on page 14

Graphic courtesy of the Atlanta Regional Commission.

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This article was written with the support of a journalism fellowship from The Gerontological Society of America, Journalists Network on Generations and the Silver Century Foundation.

bodily harm. It often, but not always, causes physical discomfort, pain or injury. It may include the willful deprivation of essential services, such as medical care, food or water.

See Something, Say Something

Emotional abuse—The use of tactics, such as harassment, insults, intimidation, isolation or threats that cause mental or emotional anguish, diminishing a person’s sense of identity, dignity, and selfworth.

Georgia’s Division of Aging Services has a link on their website, Aging.Ga.Gov, to report Elder Abuse. The organization says that atrisk adult abuse can take on varied forms, including: Financial abuse or exploitation—Improperly or illegally using a person’s resources for the benefit of another person, for example, using a Power of Attorney to gain access to an adult’s assets for personal gain or using undue influence. It can also be false representation and other means to gain access to an adult’s monthly government checks.

Physical abuse—The use of physical force to coerce or to inflict

Neglect—When caregivers refuse or fail to provide essential services (food, water, shelter, medical care, etc.) to the degree that it harms or threatens to harm an older and/or disabled adult.

Self-neglect—When older adults fail to perform essential self-care.

This can be by depriving oneself of necessities such as food, water or medication. Consciously putting oneself in harm’s way or being unable to handle needs of day-to-day living because of medical, mental health or other disabilities. Self-neglect is not a crime.

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adults an extremely attractive target. With the U.S. senior population controlling about $18 trillion in assets, there is no shortage of scammers who want that money, says AARP. Like many types of crooks, financial fraudsters are first-rate con artists.

The majority of victims are older people who have no family or friends nearby and may be people with disabilities, memory problems or more moderate dementia, says the National Institute on Aging (NIA).

“Abuse will not stop on its own, someone needs to step in and help,” states the NIA website.

WSB-TV recently reported on a 90-year-old grandmother from Wisconsin who received multiple calls telling her that her grandson was in terrible trouble.

Sadly, she believed the Georgia caller.

According to Channel 2 reporter Tom Jones’ report, the woman was asked to send money to an address in south Fulton County. It turned out to be unoccupied rental property.

Fortunately for her, the property owner, a good Samaritan, got there first, found $8,000 in the mailbox and contacted the police.

Over time, however, the woman had sent more than $54,000 to several addresses given to her by the scammer.

Jones said that he was told the family does not “trust calls from people they don’t know,” any longer. They hung up on him!

It’s good advice—hang up if you don’t know the caller and contact local law enforcement if you sense a scamming problem.

The Caller-ID Equivalent of Wearing A Mask

Spoofing is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Scammers often use spoofing to make it appear that an incoming call is coming from a local number, perhaps a neighbor, or spoof a number from a company or a government agency that you may already know and trust.

Today’s bad guys can make any phone number look like another. Callers sound convincing. And they probably have already obtained some personal information.

Once the call is answered, they often try to seriously frighten their victims. The best thing to do is stay calm, don’t share any personal information and get off the phone as soon as possible.

Of course, once you’re off the phone, reach out to family or friends to verify any information about requests for money. If it looks like a scam, call your local police non-emergency number.

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SPORTS & FITNESS

Support & Sign Up for Senior Olympics Fulton Golden Games

The opening ceremony is scheduled for April 29, with the closing ceremony on May 28. Find out more at johnscreekga. gov; go to the Recreation & Parks page, click on ‘Seniors,’ then ‘Fulton Golden Games.’

Gwinnett Senior Golden Games This year,

the games un March 25 through May 6. Visit gwinnettseniorgoldengames. org or email gsgginfo@ googlegroups.com to learn more.

Georgia Golden Olympics

The games usually are held in September. Start watching in June and July for information on their website, georgiagoldenolympics.org.

National Senior Games

Next year, Nov. 5-18, 2021, older adult athletes from across the U.S. will meet in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to compete in a variety of events. Details are available at nsga.com.

Left, Georgia archer Ed Brown competes at the National Senior Games.

Courtesy of Georgia Golden Olympics.

Above, National Senior Games Gold medal winners Georgia Boys 60+ Team Courtesy of Georgia Golden Olympics

Georgia residents 50 and older are invited to stay active and enjoy competitive fun through the Senior Olympics.

While games are held on national and state levels, they’re also hosted in several Atlanta metro counties.

In 2020, games will be held in Gwinnett, Cherokee and north Fulton counties. Georgia Golden Games, normally held through September in Warner Robins, Ga., will qualify participants for the 2021 National Senior Games. The national games are scheduled for Nov. 5 through 18, 2021 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

There’s information below to find out how to qualify and register. If you’re not interested in competing, you can still go to the games and support the players.

Cherokee County Senior Olympics

The games will be held in April. For info, visit cherokeecountyseniorolympics. com.

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PERSONAL FINANCE

Ask Rusty: What Happens to my Social Security if I Die at or before Age 62?

By AMAC Certified Social Security Advisor Russell Gloor Dear Rusty: I have worked my entire life and contributed to Social Security.

I have also been single my entire life with no children. What happens to all that money I have contributed to Social Security if I die at age 62?

Signed: Curious Worker Dear Curious: From its inception in 1935, Social Security has always been a “pay as you go” program where current workers contribute money from which current beneficiaries are paid. That’s the way it has worked since the first Social Security payroll withholding occurred in 1937 and the first Social Security benefit was paid in 1940. And it works the same way today.

Social Security FICA payroll taxes collected from current workers are used to pay all those who are currently receiving benefits. Any excess collected which is not paid out in benefits is deposited into a special Trust Fund and held in reserve for the future.

My hope is that understanding this will dispel a far too widely held myth that the money you pay into the Social Security program from your paycheck is deposited into a personal account for you—it is not. Rather, that money is used to pay benefits to all those who are already collecting Social Security. And the extra money in the Trust Fund is invested in special interest-bearing bonds which contribute further to the Trust Fund’s reserves (more about the Trust Fund in a minute).

If you were to pass away at, or before, age 62, all the money you paid into Social Security via FICA payroll taxes will have already been spent to pay benefits to those already collecting Social Security.

With no surviving dependents, there are no benefits to be paid from your lifetime work record.

True, you will have paid a great deal over your working career, but the system is designed so that when you retire your benefits will be paid for by those who are still working and paying into the system. Of course, it’s a game of averages and Social Security says the “average” longevity for a male today is about 84. So, unless you’re already in poor health, chances are pretty good you will live beyond age 62.

Chances are also pretty good that if you do, you’ll get back much more in benefits than you have contributed. In fact, if you start collecting benefits at your full retirement age you will get back benefits at least equal to what you contributed within about 5 years.

(We’ve studied this carefully.) Which brings us back to the Trust Fund.

The Social Security Trust Fund held about $2.9 trillion in reserves at the end of 2018. But over the years, the ratio of workers to beneficiaries has declined from 16.5 to 1 in 1950 to less than 3 to 1 today, so there are far fewer workers paying for beneficiaries who are living much longer.

Social Security pays out more in benefits than it received from FICA payroll taxes, which means the excess paid out in benefits will come from the reserves in the Trust Fund. That will continue, according to the most recent Social Security Trustees’ Report, until the Trust Fund is depleted in about 2035, at which time Social Security will only be able to pay out about 80% of benefits due— unless Congress acts soon to resolve the issue. And the solutions are well known; what’s lacking in Congress is a serious bipartisan effort to fix the problem

This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the Association of Mature Americans (AMAC) Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit amacfoundation.org or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.

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THE ARTS

Inside the Movie

Regal Atlantic Station’s new 4DX cinema is like a thrill ride

By Jacob Nguyen Atlanta’s first 4DX theater is now open at Regal Atlantic Station and it is, literally, a thrill ride.

Last month, Regal was showing “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” and historical war drama “1917” in the 4DX cinema. I had already read about the moving seats, water spray, fog, and wind effects, so a movie like “Star Wars” is made for the 4DX experience. But I chose to see “1917” to see what the 4DX format would be like for a more normal movie without so many special effects.

First, let me say that “1917” is a very good film. Director Sam Mendes uses long scenes to make it seem like the events are happening in real time. The movie follows two British soldiers who are given orders to take an urgent message across the German enemy line in France during World War I. There were no 4DX special effects for the first 15 or 20 minutes, but then there was an explosion and suddenly I felt like I was part of the movie. The chair pitched back and dropped, while a gust of wind and water droplets hit my face. It was disorienting and a total shock, but also put me right into the action.

As the soldiers were shot at by Germans, I could feel the bullets flying past my face thanks to little bursts of air that came from inside the seat. As soldiers rode in the back of a truck, the seat rumbled and bumped along.

In another scene, a soldier jumped off a bridge to escape the enemy and the seat pitched and rolled, water splashed, a mist appeared and then it felt like I was actually floating as the soldier was swept down the river. It was impressive.

If 4DX can do that during a period drama, imagine what it’s like for a special effects heavy movie. I think seeing the new “Top Gun” and James Bond movies in this format would be very exciting.

You really have to experience it for yourself to understand how the seats and effects perfectly synchronize with the action on the screen.

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I enjoyed it so much, that I’m planning to go back and see “Star Wars.”

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MARCH 2020 | AtlantaSeniorLife.com

17

FOOD

A Taste of the Irish

By Mark Woolsey While nobody’s going to mistake Atlanta’s Irish Pub scene with the Emerald Isle’s watering holes or fabled spots like McSorley’s in New York, the ATL makes a pretty fair showing.

Local offerings range from upscale showplaces to compact, darkish cubbies where you could easily imagine hulking Irish farmhands pairing a Guinness and shepherd’s pie.

St. Patrick’s Day beckons, and while Atlanta area Irish spots will pull out all the stops to celebrate, where do you go the rest of the month—and year—for some truenatured immersion in the auld sod?

Here are some suggestions.

Limerick Junction— Virginia-Highland limerickjunction.com

Limerick Junction Fish and Chips Photos by Mark Woolsey

It’s the oldest Irish pub in metro Atlanta, dating back to the late 80s. Named after an Irish railway intersection, it brings the theme off beautifully from a mural showing country folk boarding a train to railway signal lights.

It’s really more of a drinker’s haven than a foodie emporium, with manager Joshua Jacob accommodatingly explaining the ins and outs of everything from Irish whiskey to craft gin.

But the food isn’t a forlorn afterthought. Bangers and mash feature savory sausages— seemingly with a bit of filler but nicely herbed—nestled on a bed of horseradish-flavored potatoes.

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They’re served with tingly Coca-Cola Gravy. Also, a dining companion pronounced the fish and chips among the best she’d ever tried.

Limerick Junction is a tiny spot, but the folks behind the bar have some of the biggest hearts.

The Marlay House—Decatur themarlayhouse.com In contrast to the somewhat nook-and-cranny layout of Fado (and the Olde Blind Dog, more on them in a minute), The Marlay’s seating area is grouped around a central bar—an arrangement meant to encourage conversation, said part-owner Colin Comer, one of three Irish sibs who preside over the neighborhood-vibey spot.

“We strove to create a place we’d want to go in Dublin,” is how he put it. “We wanted to be authentic and not have shillelaghs everywhere.” You’ll find the usual Guinness signs and football banners but overall less Irish kitsch and more original art.

And the food is very much a part of the conversation. The signature item is the brisket, braised in Guinness, spiced just right and slow-cooked overnight.

It’s fork-tender and bursting with flavor. The accompanying gravy is a nice bonus, but you don’t need it—this dish stands on its own.

Tomato basil soup didn’t score quite as well; it was less creamy and more astringent tasting than many. Marlay House has all the pub standard beers, ales, stouts and spirits, but are more localcraft-beer-dominated than many pubs.

The Olde Blind Dog— Milton and Brookhaven oldeblinddog.com Points for name, even more points for its own brand of authenticity. You’ll find it much lighter and airier, with highceilings and abundant lighting creating a spacious feel. It may lack the warm, murky and huddle-up feel of some traditional Emerald-themed gathering spots, but the shepherd’s pie brings you right back to the heart of the matter.

It’s cooked up with the traditional lamb, not beef, and

MARCH 2020 | AtlantaSeniorLife.com

very tender lamb at that, which is ensconced in a rich gravy with peas, carrots and onions and topped with cheesy mashed potatoes. The Fado Irish Breakfast combination virtually they open eye-achingly early on melts in the mouth. Paired with weekends for the soccer games a perfectly poured Irish lager, it’s across the pond. a joyful brunch item. No wonder And if you go there, don’t get this place was voted International too attached to the surroundings.

Irish Pub of the year in 2015.

A full-on remodeling to be done Try the cheddar and ale dip; it’ll by summer will include a covered make you want to lick the spoon patio and a substantial reshaping once the accompanying chips are of the interior, with brighter colors exhausted. And should you be and fewer knickknacks. undecided about spirits, they have flights of Irish whiskey—a nice Keegan’s—Kennesaw, Woodstock touch.

Fado—Buckhead and Midtown fadoirishpubl.com Any Irish-inAtlanta discussion has to include Fado, which Irish investors debuted right before the 1996 Olympics. Whereas Limerick feels a bit frayed, Fado is much more what one wag dubbed “Disneyland.”

There’s plenty of stained glass and metal handiwork, with an obvious love of detail.

Alas, the menu didn’t show the same love. The Irish breakfast scored many points with over-easy eggs, tasty soda bread, blackand-white pudding that was meaty and satisfying and sausage that virtually caressed the tongue.

In contrast, the American breakfast suffered from stone-cold eggs and soggy hash browns. In all fairness, a manager was quick to address food and service issues.

The place almost feels more like a sports bar than anything else—

and Vinings

keegansirishpub.net There’s nothing super-special about the décor, nor is the menu particularly heavy with Irish food. What will keep you coming

Irish Spring Rolls

back again and again are the Irish Spring Rolls, wontons stuffed with lean corned beef and cabbage and Swiss cheese.

Served with a side of Thousand Island Dressing, they whet the appetite for a pint quite nicely.

They’re perfect as a small plate, but should they arrive as an appetizer for the crew, grab them quickly or you’ll be left out.

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PERSONAL SAFETY

Beware the Smishers!

Well, as if we a reward—but the didn’t have enough fine print states the buzz words to person is required to contend with, you pay a small shipping can add “smishing” to cost. That’s not the collection. the payday for the As most of us scammers. evolve as humans, When the person so evolves the agrees to pay the technology that both shipping cost, they helps make our lives unknowingly agree STAY SAFE more convenient, to a 14-day trial Steve Rose is a retired Sandy Springs Police and, it seems, then period with the Captain, veteran Fulton seeks to destroy all company selling the County police officer and human existence. freelance writer. He is the scam’s product. After OK, that’s a stretch… the 14-day trial, the author the book “Why but just when we got Do My Mystic Journeys victim’s credit card Always Lead to the Waffle is billed $98 monthly our heads around House?” and the column phishing, skimmers and they continue “View from a Cop.” and a host of other to receive the cheap scams, a new one reward chosen in the pops up—smishing, or SMS survey. phishing—disguised as a FedEx “Fine print” information is package-delivery text. usually information required I’m one who loves the by legal standards. The seller convenience of ordering is saying “I have to tell you a product on Amazon and this, but I don’t want you to receiving it 10 minutes later. particularly dwell of this part What could be better? of it.” For instance, “Zero down, Well, after you look at your zero percent for 12 months!” credit card statement, you But in the fine print, “After 12 might not be so giddy about months, put your seatbelt on!” it, but convenience includes The television version of fine knowing when that package print is when the announcer will arrive and where it is dives into a ten-second right now. It’s like a relative rant of legal information sending postcards from Mount that absolutely no one can Rushmore. “Here I am; be home comprehend since it’s delivered soon.” at light speed. They’re required Let’s say you’re at home to deliver that information, but watching the NFL Pro-Bowl no one said they had to do it at Touch Football game and saying normal speed. If they did, the to yourself, “Why worry?” commercial would last another According to an article on 30 seconds and, after all, time is the website How-to Geek, the money…money that’s ultimately intended victim receives a text passed on to the buyer’s cost. from FedEx asking them to set Loopholes. up their delivery preferences, If you do receive a text from along with a tracking code. In FedEx, stop and put some reality, the code takes them to a thought-time into what you phony Amazon listing. have out there that’s supposed The listing requests the to be delivered. Ask everyone intended victim to complete a else in your family if they’re customer satisfaction survey. expecting a delivery. If no one Those doing so will receive is expecting a package, either

Listen to podcasts on personal safety with steve rose atlantaseniorlife.com

ignore the text or contact FedEx to confirm the information.

The FedEx website says the following: “FedEx does not request, via unsolicited mail, e-mail or SMS messages, payment or personal information in return for goods in transit or in FedEx custody. If you have received a fraudulent email or SMS message that claims to be from FedEx, you can report it by forwarding it to abuse@fedex.com.

The best form of prevention for this, as well as all attempts to fraudulently obtain money from you, is to be skeptical until it’s proven true. Put the brakes on and examine it for flaws.

For instance, is the web address slightly different? As an example, Fed.Ex.com is not FedEx’s URL. Also look for grammatical errors in the pitch.

Be skeptical of any unsolicited texts or emails that require you to provide credit or debit card information, personal

information or any form of money. Big companies just don’t do that.

So what do you do if you read this and realize you’ve fallen into this scam? If you used a credit card, do a charge back on the payment and then remove the card from that particular account.

If a debit card was used, contact your bank and have that card number discontinued and a new card account number issued. Let the bank know what has happened so they’ll be aware and monitor your account to ensure no other transactions targeted it.

Remember, don’t click on links within unsolicited emails and don’t provide personal or financial information without investigating—with a skeptical attitude.

And don’t assume. Verify any request for money or information. Just be diligent and you’ll be fine.

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19

PETS

Pet Picks Affectionately known as JB, Jelly Bean is a 2-yearold mixed breed who arrived at the Atlanta Humane Society from an overcrowded local shelter.

She quickly became a staff and volunteer favorite.

While she can be a little shy at first, once you offer her a treat or two, she’ll lean against you for pets—and she has the softest fur in the world.

Because she was transferred in from another shelter, her history with cats or children is unknown, but she plays extremely well with other dogs. While the AHS staff encourages a meet and greet, they think Jelly Bean would enjoy having a canine friend in her forever home.

She loves treats of all kinds and enjoyed walking on the Atlanta BeltLine with AHS staff members; many people who passed by commented on how beautiful and well-behaved she is!

Jelly Bean is spayed, microchipped and up-to-date on vaccinations.

Meet her at the AHS Howell Mill location at 981 Howell Mill Road in Atlanta or learn more about this cutie at atlantahumane.org/dogs.

Meet Nala! This 1.5-year-old has that adorable “Puss in Boots” look that you just can’t resist! She’s outgoing and social and will greet you with happy chirps, begging for a scratch behind the ears.

Nala was very nervous when she first arrived at AHS, and she’s still a bit unsure about being picked up or held, but she has gained confidence and will seek affection in ways she’s comfortable with.

Once she gets to know you, Nala may even climb into your lap and purr until she falls asleep.

She needs a home with a patient adopter who will give her time to adjust to a new environment, and she’ll likely do best as the only pet in your home. Nala is spayed, microchipped, up-to-date on vaccinations and ready to meet you at the AHS Mansell location, 1565 Mansell Road in Alpharetta. For more info on Nala, visit atlantahumane.org/cats or email adoptions@atlantahumane.org.

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►Out & about

Writers Remember Pat Conroy ►

The Arts Mama Mia! March 12-22. This family-friendly production uses ABBA’s greatest hits to tell the hilarious story of a young woman’s search for her birth father. Jerry’s Habima Theatre, a program of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, is Georgia’s only theatrical company, directed and produced by professionals, that features actors with special needs. MJCCA member tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for children 12 and under. For the community, tickets are $35 for adults, $15 for children 12 and under. MJCCA’s Morris & Rae Frank Theatre, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody 30338. To purchase tickets, call 678812-4002, or visit atlantajcc.org/habima.

Sunday, March 22, 3 p.m. New York Times bestselling writer Pat Conroy inspired a legion of fans. A panel of writers—featuring Anthony Grooms, Mary Hood and Teresa Weaver—will discuss Conroy and the anthology in his honor, “Our Prince of Scribes.” The panel will be moderated by coeditor and Pat Conroy Center executive director Jonathan Haupt. A book signing will follow. A Gwinnett County Public Library event held at Peachtree Corners City Hall, 310 Technology Parkway, Peachtree Corners 30092. Call 770-978-5154 or visit gwinnettpl. org for more.

◄enra: Dreams Friday, March 27, 8 p.m.

Japanese performance company enra blends contemporary dance, juggling and martial arts. Animated computer graphics

Picasso’s Musicians: Creating Harmony in Classical Proportions Sunday, March 15, 4 p.m. Join the Atlanta Concert Band for their first concert of 2020 as they kick off their 58th year of providing classical and pop music to the metro Atlanta area. The concert will feature works by Hazo, Persichetti, Schubert, Zdechlik, Heel, Fillmore, Reed and others. Synagogue Ahavath Achim, 600 Peachtree Battle Avenue, Atlanta 30327. To find out more, visit atlantaconcertband.org or contact John Arnold at 404-358-1966.

A Page from the Book Festival: Harlan Coben Wednesday, March 18, 7:30 p.m.

Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) welcomes Harlan Coben, the New York Times bestselling author of “Run Away,” as he discusses his newest book, “The Boy from the Woods,” with New York Times bestselling author Emily Giffin. Tickets are $35 and include a hardcover copy of the book. MJCCA, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody 30338. For information, visit atlantajcc.org/bookfestival or call 678-812-4002.

Continued on page 22

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Learn more about this research study.

NeuroStudies

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►Out & about Continued from page 21

synchronize with the performers in a series of magical scenes. Part of the 2019-2020 Georgia Tech Arts season. Tickets are $15-25. Ferst Center for the Arts, 349 Ferst Drive, Atlanta 30332. For tickets and info, call the box office at 404-894-9600 or visit arts.gatech.edu.

Fix-a-Leak Saturday, March 14, 11 a.m. Learn steps you can take to save water, and how small changes add up to significant savings each year.

Every attendee receives a free indoor/outdoor water conservation kit. Presented by the Gwinnett County Water Department. Gwinnett County Public Library, Collins Hill Branch, 455 Camp Perrin Road, Lawrenceville 30043. For more GCPL events, visit gwinnettpl.org.

Local Snakes and Amphibians

A Night in Russia Saturday, March 28, 7:30-10 p.m. Presented by Transamerica Foundation, this is a blockbuster musical tour of Russia, including Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 2. Chattahoochee High School’s finest young musicians will be incorporated into the concert. Johns Creek United Methodist Church, 11180 Medlock Bridge Road, Johns Creek 30097. Go to johnscreeksymphony.org for tickets and more info.

Classes & Community Events Organic Gardening Tuesday, March 10, 6:30 p.m. Join UGA Gwinnett County Agricultural Agent Timothy Daly to learn the basics of organic gardening.

Registration requested. Gwinnett County Public Library, Peachtree Corners Branch, 5570 Spalding Drive, Peachtree Corners 30092.

Register at gwinnettpl.org/calendar. Get details at 770-978-5154 or gwinnettpl.org.

Junior Geologists at Big Trees Preserve Friday, March 13, 9-10:30 a.m. Spend some time creek side under the big, beautiful trees at Big Trees Preserve. The pebbles at Big Trees contain a lot of mica—nature’s glitter! We’ll decorate egg cartons for your budding rock collection. Free and open to all ages; registration requested. Big Trees Preserve, 7645 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs 30350. Register at registration.sandyspringsga.gov.

NOWAMOM Spring/Summer Consignment Sale Saturday, March 14, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Find everything your grandkids need for Spring and Summer. Go to the website for an early bird pass and get in at 8 a.m. Sandy Plains Baptist Church, 2825 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta 30066. More at NowamomSale.org.

Thursday, March 19, 7-8:30 p.m. Lost Corners Preserve has a mature second growth forest, a natural springhead, an ephemeral bog and perineal stream. It’s a great place to view the plants and wildlife of the area, including frogs and snakes. Learn about the varieties of snakes that currently—and used to—live here. Open to all ages; registration requested. Donations are appreciated. Lost Corner Preserve 7300 Brandon Mill Road, Sandy Springs 30328. To register, visit friendsoflostcorner.org.

Big, Stupid Parking Lot Carnival Saturday, March 28, 3-8 p.m. The adults-only carnival is a fund-raiser for Dad’s Garage Theatre. In addition to rides, street performers, food and lots of beer, there will be “performance” booths manned by Dad’s Garage improvisers, like Redneck Wine Tasting, Battle Shots and Bad Caricatures. Tickets start at $12. Dad’s Garage, 569 Ezzard Street, Atlanta 30312. Details and tickets at dadsgaragecarnival.com.

Shows & Festivals The Model Train Show Saturday & Sunday, March 14 & 15. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Visitors can view old or new model trains and shop from the more than 250 vendors.

The show is sponsored by the Piedmont Division of the National Model Railroad Association.

There will be an operating layout, door prizes and a raffle. Admission is $10 for adults, free for ages 8 and under; parking at Cobb Galleria Centre is $5. Cobb Galleria, 2 Galleria Pkwy., Atlanta 30339. Tickets and details are available at themodeltrainshow.com.

Water Drop Dash 5K & Kids Fun Run

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MARCH 2020 | AtlantaSeniorLife.com

Saturday, March 21, 7 a.m. The 5K is held along a fast and flat course beside the Chattahoochee River. Afterward, stay for a celebration with music, giveaways and fun activities. Registration is $35, or $45 on the day of the race; Kid’s Fun Run cost is $15. Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell 30075. Visit chattnaturecenter.org for more info.

ShamRockin’ for a Cure Saturday, March 21, 7 p.m. Enjoy a night of music, good food and drinks while helping support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. There will be silent and live auctions, too. This event is for people 21 and older only. Early bird tickets are $105; the cost increases to $115 as the event gets closer. Ameris Bank Amphitheatre at Encore Park, 2200 Encore Pkwy., Alpharetta 30009. Get tickets and more info at shamrockinforacure.com.

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Health Fairs, Open Houses and More

Brookhaven Cherry Blossom 5K & Festival 5K is on Saturday, March 21; festival is on Saturday & Sunday, March 28 & 29. Plans are underway for the 2020 Brookhaven Cherry Blossom celebrations. Blackburn Park, 3493 Ashford-Dunwoody Rd., Brookhaven 30319. For updates, go to brookhavenga. gov/festival or facebook.com/ BrookCherryFest.

Iora Primary Care has planned several Wednesday events in the metro Atlanta area to share health information and introduce their services to the community. Refreshments provided.

Marietta Health Fair March 11, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

280 Cobb Parkway, Marietta 30060

Diabetic Chew & Chat March 11, 12:30-1:30 p.m.

4424 Hugh Howell Road, Tucker 30084

A Healthier You! March 18, 2:30-4 p.m.

4850 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville 30044

Metro Open House March 18, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

2685 Metropolitan Parkway, Atlanta 30315

Spring into Health!

March 25, 12-2 p.m.

3527 Memorial Drive, Decatur 30032 For more information, visit ioraprimarycare.com.

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