D EC 2 0 1 9 /JA N 2 0 2 0
A U G U S TA
Winter THE MAGIC OF
RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR A CREATIVE MOVE TOWARD KINDNESS augustafamily.com
on the cover
DECE MBE R 2 0 1 9 / JAN UARY 2020
As shown below: Sophie Crowther (4) Photo by Randy Pace
w w w.a u g ust afa m i l y. co m
PUBLISHER
Ashlee Griggs Duren
EDITOR
Aimee Serafin
ART DIRECTOR
Michael Rushbrook
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Lisa Dorn
ADVERTISING SALES Doressa Hawes Mary Porter Vann
CIRCULATION/MARKETING Kimberly Stewart
PHOTOGRAPHY Randy Pace
CONTRIBUTORS
Kim Beavers, MS, RD, CDE Meredith Flory Karen Gordon Dr. Dana Harris Cammie Jones Renee Williams Dr. Ron Eaker
A Publication of MCC Magazines, LLC A division of Morris Communications Company, LLC | 735 Broad St., Augusta, GA 30901 Morris Communications Company, LLC William S. Morris III, Chairman William S. Morris IV, President & CEO Morris Visitor Publications Donna W. Kessler, President Dennis Kelly, Chief Financial Officer Scott Ferguson, Director of Operations
Augusta Family Magazine is published 9 times per year and distributed throughout the Augusta and Aiken area. Send press releases, story ideas or comments to the editor at aimee.serafin@ augustafamily.com or mail to 725 Broad Street, Augusta, Ga., 30901. For advertising information, call (706) 823-3702. For circulation/ distribution, call (706) 828-4391.
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Is your child ready for their “close up?” If you think you’ve got a “cover kid,” submit their photo and information on our website or to aimee. serafin@augustamagazine.com and they may grace the cover of Augusta Family Magazine. 4 � AUGUSTA FAMILY | DECEMBER 2019 / JANUARY 2020
@AUGFamilyMag
We look forward to hearing from you; visit our website www.augustafamily.com and on facebook and twitter.
Warm Water
Water Safety
Small Class Size
Dolphin Team
GIVE THE
Gift OF SWIMMING
contents www.augustafamily.com
Ringing in the New Year
A Creative Move Toward Kindness
Mom to Mom
Ask the Doctor
17
—Dr. Dana Harris
—Renee Williams
Pet Chickens and New Classrooms —Karen Gordon
31
34
11
with Hope, Joy and Optimism
6 • AugustA FAmily | December 2019 / JAnuAry 2020
Five Little Known Facts About Exercise —Dr. Ron Eaker
DEC 2019 / JAN 2020
Eating Well with Kim
Smart Mom’s Guide
—Kim Beavers, MS, RD, LD, CDE
Decluttering Your Phone in 2020 —Cammie Jones
18
20
Sip, Savor & Celebrate!
Raising Readers
Navigating Difficult Holidays
25
Annual GIFT GUIDE
8
Editor’s Page
12
News & Notes
40
Calendar
46
The Modern Perspective
Special Advertising Section
—Aimee Serafin
Inspiration Station
—Meredith Flory
Two Moms and Their Vision to Inspire Youth —Meredith Flory
22
38
AUGUSTA FAMILY | DECEMBER 2019 / JANUARY 2020 � 7
editor’s notes S impl e Tr a diT ionS by Ai mee Seraf i n
I
was 10 years old when I found out most American families eat turkey or ham for the Christmas meal. I remember my surprise. For years, being raised as the granddaughter of both Italian and Polish descent, our Christmas meals were anything but conventional to the southeast region where we lived. Celebrating our Eastern European roots on Christmas Eve we served fish, Kielbasa, pierogis, and sautéed sauerkraut with apples. My older brothers and I awoke Christmas morning to a table of kolache, or Polish rolled yeast breads filled with a poppy seed or nut mixture. The afternoon meal was a southern Italian fare of stuffed ricotta shells, Grandma B’s meatballs and Nani’s nutmeg cookies nestled among the side table of towering desserts. Everything was homemade with fresh ingredients! It’s easy to think about family traditions as the holidays arrive. I wouldn’t trade my family traditions for the world. They make me who I am. And to this day I always look forward to huddling up in the kitchen with my mom and young daughter as we read handwritten recipes from generations past. In its double issue of December and January, Augusta Family captures a festive mix of topics and traditions. We have articles on optimism and joy, decluttering our phones and a special feature on a young man’s creative impersonation to help kids show kindness and compassion in the New Year. The News and Notes section highlights some favorite holiday traditions of Augusta Family contributors, and we are rolling out a new feature for 2020 called The Modern Perspective where we will highlight a different extraordinary student with each issue.
8 • AugustA FAmily | December 2019 / JAnuAry 2020
At the close of 2019, my hope is that Augusta Family readers will reflect on the joy of simple traditions. The privilege of preparing a meal, attending a memorable event, or gathering in cozy spaces has a timeless effect not to be overlooked in the bustling noise around us. Valuable moments are lasting. In fact, they blanket our hearts like a falling snow with a indelible identity for years to come. Blessings through the holidays, and best wishes for a happy and safe New Year! See you in 2020!
Aimee Serafin aimee.serafin@augustafamily.com
Child Health Services East Central Health District
CARE
EAST CENTRAL HEALTH DISTRICT - 6 CHILD HEALTH
1916 North Leg Rd. Augusta, GA 30909 | 706-667-4757 | 1-888-307-6365
Visit ecphd.com for more information
mom to mom
Ka ren Gord on
Pet Chickens and New Classrooms
M
om, I love love LOVE my new school. Oh. Em. Gee!!!” This declaration came before the end of the first week of school, yet after a summer break filled with weeping and gnashing of teeth. For example: @SayWhatScooter: “… but I like my OLD school!” Mommy: “Ooh, look at this beautiful garden. And we get to do the Tuesday market!” Scoot: “But I’m gonna miss my FRENNNNNS” Me: “You’ll make NEW friends!” LeScoot: “But… DAAAAADDDDYYYYY!” #writhingonfloor Truth is, I, too, was perplexed. Our family had a lot going on. Bossman and I were buying a house, which meant we would be moving during the school year (that also meant we would have to get serious about Marie Kondo-ing our space). I was working my way out of a steady music gig and stepping into a completely new field and scope of work. So, I get it. But here’s the best part: Bossman, Scoot, and I get to share this journey with some of the most wonderful people– family (my Mom is a Rockstar), friends, our #sahdahtay group and creative community. They are smart, kind, beautiful, giving and gifted. And all strive to bring light into the world in a very real way. And because of that, I am thrilled to see how this all shakes out. I’ve always believed that you should surround yourself with people who are smarter than you. Well, I’ve got that part covered. I also seek out people who are more compassionate than I. Compassion was one of the many things that my sis, Niki, and I would discuss at length when Scoot and I would have regular sleepovers, many moons ago. Compassion and kindness were among the topics of conversation when I joined her at a friend’s home for cocktails about five years ago. We talked about how important it is to raise children who are confident and self-aware. We spoke about alternative education methods, and this was the first time I gave home-schooling some real consideration. That friend was Margaret Strickland. At that time, she was embarking on her new adventure, as founder of the Westabou Montessori School. Back then, The Scoot fell outside of the age range for enrollment, but, when the planets lined up, we signed on the dotted line. The Montessori class setup, teaching methods, etc., are new to me, but Scooter takes it all in stride. He is loving his responsibilities as market manager (well, I think I love that more than he), junior zoologist (they’ve got a pair of sugar gliders, a bearded dragon and periodic visits from Mrs. Amanda’s chickens), and junior counselor (because, well, kindness and compassion). So, here’s the thing. While we love love LOVE Westabou Montessori, I was also excited to receive Richmond County Public Schools 2020-2021 School Options Guide and check out what they offer. I’ve not had a chance to dig too deeply, but I’m eager to discover how Richmond County employs innovation and collaboration in the classroom. Quality education is not to be taken for granted, and while I’m no expert, I know that equal opportunity is not a reality for all. And though there are exceptions, kids in different zip codes walk into very different classrooms (thanks, Latasha Louis). So… As we get ready for an epic Year 2020, let’s put the kids out of the house every morning with an encouraging word. Let us shower our teachers with hand sanitizer, colored pencils and gift cards. And let us work toward a more perfect classroom. And let there be a pet chicken in every classroom. ONWARD! Karen Gordon is a singer, songwriter and the founder of Garden City Jazz. She works with the City of Augusta to present the Candlelight Jazz Concert Series each year and has partnered with RCBOE to develop interactive courses such as Taking Notes: Jazz & The American Story and Jazz4Kids. AUGUSTA FAMILY | DECEMBER 2019 / JANUARY 2020 � 11
news&notes
Photo by Janko Ferlic from Pexels
D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 9 /J a n u a r y 2 0 2 0
12 • AugustA FAmily | December 2019/JAnuAry 2020
news&notes
I Am
App-Tastic!
By Anastasia Ebersole Evans elementary Anastasia Ebersole, 5th grade
I am curious and can be strange
Photo courtesy of letsreadapp.com
I wonder why people can be blind of what’s real I hear people ringing bells I see what’s on my mind I want freedom of knowing what is true I pretend I am wisdom going from town to town I feel like I’m a spirit going through the walls
LE T ’ S RE A D A PP “We wanted to create a way for kids to actively engage with stories that had been personalized just for them by the people who loved them the most.” (www.letsreadapp.com)
I touch back down on earth coming back from the heavens I understand what isn’t real but I cannot fake what I feel I say that I believe what I believe And I dream what might not seem real
The Let’s Read App, built on a secure platform for Apple iPhones and iPads, is an easy and fun way for kids to see the people they love share stories with them. The app gives parents, teachers, grandparents and other special friends and family an opportunity
I try to understand the present I hope I will someday I am Anastasia Ebersole
to record their voices reading children’s stories. The founders, Chris and Ava Barnes, pride themselves on the ease of use for anyone recording a story to share. Users record video and audio narrations that the app then synchronizes with the site’s award-winning collection of illustrations from children’s books. Let’s Read App was rated the #1 Kids and Education app in 75 countries. This is a great way for out of town family to stay connected with young ones throughout the year! Free. Ages 4 – 7.
“I wrote this piece because I love to imagine what it would be like to be in space with the stars and I like to imagine what the world would be like if we didn’t have people in the world who judge and bully just by people’s appearance. People who lose family members get targeted by bullies. People who have a wild imagination get bullied too. Give people a chance before you go ahead and judge them.”
AUGUSTA FAMILY | DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 � 13
news&notes HOLIDAY TRADITIONS We asked our Augusta Family staff and contributors their favorite holiday traditions and here is what they said: DUSTIN TURNER (Feature Writer) On Christmas morning, my dad and stepmother come to our house to watch our daughter (now 12) open her presents— all while drinking coffee and eating my wife’s heirloom recipe red velvet cake. Then we spend the afternoon in Ehrhardt, S.C., on Jamie’s family’s horse farm with family. MEREDITH FLORY (Raising Readers, Inspiration Station) We open one “Christmas Eve” present that has a family theme like a new picture book or board game. CAMMIE JONES (Smart Mom’s Guide) We adopt a family who needs a little extra help at Christmas and shop for them with two other families. We then deliver the gifts and all the food needed for a holiday meal to the family on Christmas Eve.
Photo by Burak K from Pexels
RANDY PACE (Cover Photographer) On Christmas Eve we have family over to eat and exchange gifts. Having all of our relatives come together is just awesome!
cookies as we all listened to Christmas carols on our floor model stereo on dad’s birthday which was on Christmas Eve. RON EAKER (Ask the Doctor) Every year we decorate a separate tree with ornaments that our two daughters made in school while growing up, along with ornaments representing all the pets we have had over the years. PAIGE TUCKER (Mom to Mom) We sing “Happy Birthday, baby Jesus” on Christmas Eve! We bake the same cake and decorate it with my daughter’s play nativity set, then blow out a candle to celebrate Jesus’ birth. RENEE WILLIAMS (Feature Writer) We make a special baked French toast on Christmas morning. Egg-rich challah bread makes it super fluffy, and we have a choice of three toppings: strawberry-citrus sauce, maple-walnut butter (my favorite) or caramel-apple cream.
KIM BEAVERS (Eating well with Kim) One tradition my husband and I started was placing an envelope on our Christmas tree each year that contained a surprise family adventure for the following year like a camping trip or going to Yellowstone Park.
KAREN GORDON (Mom to Mom) My siblings and I engage in a silly dance contest at every single family function. I always receive honorable mention.
DANA HARRIS (Feature Writer) Mom would make her famous homemade eggnog and bake Christmas
To see favorite holiday traditions of the Augusta Family staff, visit augustafamily.com.
A U G U S TA
14 � AUGUSTA FAMILY | DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020
news&notes
SAFE KIDS FAST FACTS CARBON MONOXIDE: THE INVISIBLE WINTER HAZARD “Young children are at the greatest risk of carbon monoxide
• Fatigue
(CO) poisoning – of the over 14,000 annual calls to poison
• Shortness of breath
to take it out of the garage right away. Even if the door is open,
control centers due to CO poisonings, nearly 4,000 were
• Nausea
don’t leave it sitting in the garage while the engine’s running.
for children 19 and under. That’s a quarter of all calls,” says
• Dizziness
• If you need to turn on your vehicle to warm it up, make sure
• Make sure to use generators and grills outside the home,
Renée McCabe, RN, BSN, Injury Prevention and Safety Program Manager at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia.
away from any windows and doors. More severe symptoms include:
• Check the vents for the dryer, furnace, stove and fireplace
• Mental confusion
outside your home to make sure they’re clear of any snow
What is Carbon Monoxide?
• Vomiting
• CO is a gas produced by burning any type of fuel, like gas or oil.
• Loss of muscular coordination
• If the CO alarm sounds, leave the house immediately.
• It can also be produced by heaters, fireplaces, furnaces
• Loss of consciousness
• Call 911 or the fire department as soon as you and your
and other appliances and cooking devices, as well as by
or other debris.
• Death
family are outside the home. Stay outside until emergency
idling vehicles. • CO is colorless, odorless and tasteless. It is not detectable by humans without the help of an alarm or a detector.
personnel arrive. What Can Parents Do? • Make sure there’s a working CO alarm on every level of your house and near every bedroom. Test them every
Some of the symptoms of CO poisoning include:
month to make sure they’re working correctly, and replace
• Headache
them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Safe Kids Greater Augusta, led by the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, works to prevent accidental childhood injury, the leading killer of children ages 1 to 19. Safe Kids Greater Augusta is a member of the Safe Kids Worldwide network. To find out more about local Safe Kids programs, call 706-721-7606, or visit augustahealth.org/safekids. Check out the Ultimate Car Seat Guide and “Parent Pep Talk” at SafeKids.org.
AUGUSTA FAMILY | DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 � 15
6
20
Augusta Christian Schools offers: • Christian worldview curriculum and excellent academic program
• Chapels every week, spiritual emphasis week
• Advanced Placement and honors courses for upper grades
• Fine Arts classes in band, chorus, drama and visual art
• Medical Health Sciences Academy
• Community service and mission projects and trips
• Classes for students with learning differences
• And more……
313 Baston Road Martinez, GA 30907 Call 706-863-2905, ext.206 or visit www.augustachristian.org
2019 Physicians’ Directory Available Free on AugustaMagazine.com for iPhone® and AndroidTM. Download the Physicians’ Directory app for free and have contact information at your fingertips for Augusta and Aiken area physicians and dentists. Database is searchable by both specialty and by name. Brought to you by Augusta Magazine.
PRESENTED BY
ask the doctor J. Ron Eaker, M .D.
Five Little Known Facts About Exercise
I
have long maintained that exercise is the fountain of youth (well, either exercise or Merlot). But, for purposes of this article, I’m going to stick to exercise. While I acknowledge the constant harangue about the benefits of exercise is annoying, it doesn’t detract from the absolute truth that being engaged physically and mentally can slow aging. I make no apologies for being an exercise evangelist, especially when you consider its ability to lower your risks of everything from cancer to senile dementia. While most people born after the 1800s understand exercise is beneficial, there are some surprising tidbits you may not already know. So, today I share with you five little known facts about exercise that you can read while running on a treadmill or eating a handful of cheesy puffs... your choice. First, exercise is not particularly useful in losing weight. I didn’t say completely useless— just not essential. The bottom line is that you can’t outrun a bad diet. When it comes to weight loss, eating is king and exercise is more like a fit pawn. However, the tables turn when it comes to keeping weight off. In maintaining weight loss, being active is about as essential as sunscreen on Mercury. You can even cheat with the Little Debbie cakes occasionally in the maintenance phase as long as you continue sweating with the pros. So make exercise a habit while losing weight to not forget how to maintain the loss after you arrive at your set goal. Secondly, exercise in smaller “sprint” sessions can be incredibly beneficial. The old school thought held that thirty minutes of continuous heart rate elevation was needed to get your sweat on. Not true! It seems that as few as seven minutes of intense movement can get you fitter and firmer. Studies now show that breaking up a regimen into three ten minute segments can still get you benefits compared to one thirty-minute fatigue fest. The one caveat is that it has to be pretty strenuous, not just playing darts or jumping to conclusions. Some may
know this by its anagram HIIT, High-Intensity Interval Training (or Help I’m Irreversibly Tired!). Thirdly, if you think you are too old to exercise, think again. A recent study looked at nonagenarians (90 year-olds) and found that even older folks built muscle and lost body fat when engaged in exercise training. However, regardless of age, it is always advisable to get your doctor’s permission when starting a new exercise program. Fourthly, distance running will not make your knees turn into crumbled Saltines. Science now is conclusive that regular activity doesn’t contribute to arthritis, but actually may prevent and/or improve it! Sure there is the natural wear, tear and overuse, but as long as you’re not doing a marathon every weekend, you’re probably okay. Lastly, I bet you hadn’t heard of my little friend called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Don’t feel bad, neither had I until a few months ago when I read a book on my favorite bedtime topic, neuroplasticity. It seems that when you exercise you squeeze out a plethora of BDNF which in turn makes all your little neurons love each other and want to connect, sort of like Bumble for brain cells. It turns out that the more of these connections, the less likely you will forget where you put your false teeth. Both memory and concentration are improved by exercise and that becomes increasingly important to us old geezers. There’s even evidence that regular activity may reduce the incidence of senile dementia. Now there’s reason alone to get on your bike! So, in the spirit of revivalist George Whitfield, I say: “Verily, exercise thou bottom off and thou wilt have not only a smaller bottom, but ye wilt also remember thou’s address and what year ‘tis!” Dr. Eaker is an Augusta Ob/GYN and author. He and his wife, Susan, have two daughters in college.
AugustA FAmily | December 2019 / JAnuAry 2020 • 17
eating well with kim K i m Be avers
18 • AugustA FAmily | DECEmbEr 2019/JAnuAry 2020
Eat Poor for a Day, Prosper in the New Year
C
ollards and black-eyed peas are traditional New Year’s Day food in the South because they are believed to bring prosperity in the New Year. Not only are these foods tasty and inexpensive, they can be very healthy. I can’t think of a better way to start the New Year! Cost: each serving of greens is about $0.70 and the blackeyed peas are $0.13 per serving. Nutrition: Greens are a beneficial powerhouse. They are packed with vitamin A, fiber, folic acid and calcium. And they contain many phytonutrients. Beans are also packed with fiber— the soluble kind that helps to lower cholesterol. To keep these foods healthy, reduce the fat and sodium in the cooking process (traditional New Year fare can be quite high in sodium). Use dry beans, fresh or frozen greens and flavor with reduced-sodium chicken broth and salt-free seasoning. Limit fat and fatty meats by flavoring these southern favorites with lean ham or Canadian bacon. If you end up incorporating fatty meats for your New Year meal (such as bacon in the sugarcured greens), remember the key to heart-healthy flavor is sticking to the mantra of “a little goes a long way”.
Other good eating habits to continue in 2020: • Eat plenty of produce and whole grains. Fill 2/3 of your plate with produce/whole grain foods, and finish off the remaining 1/3 with fish or lean meat. • Practice portion control: Set your fork down at the first sign of feeling full. • Eat a variety of unprocessed, fresh foods. Choose whole foods. Indulge in salads. If you have to use convenience foods, try freshly frozen ones that have been minimally processed. Until next time: eat well, live well. -Kim Kim Beavers is a Registered Dietitian and Diabetes Educator for University Health Care System. She is the co-host of the culinary nutrition segment Eating Well with Kim, which airs at noon Monday, Wednesday and Friday on WRDW. To be notified of new recipes join Kim’s facebook fan page at www. facebook.com/eatingwellwithkim.
Sugar-Cured Greens
This recipe will turn you into a mean, green eating machine. The cooking method keeps the greens green and the flavor is tough to beat. Enjoy.
1 pound collards, cut and cleaned 2 slices bacon (lower fat, center cut)
1 tablespoon brown sugar Nonstick cooking spray 1 small, sweet onion chopped (about 1 cup)
The first step to delicious greens is to blanch them. Bring a large pot (Dutch oven) of salted (1 teaspoon salt) water to a boil. Add greens and boil for 1 minute. Remove the greens with tongs or a slotted spoon and immediately place in a large bowl of ice water. Allow them to sit for 1-2 minutes. This retains their bright green color and helps to decrease any bitter flavor. In a nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray, coat bacon with sugar and cook over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from the pan and allow to cool. Meanwhile, remove greens from the ice bath squeezing out any excess water and placing them in a colander to continue draining. Pour bacon drippings out of the pan and add back 2 teaspoons. Over medium heat, add onions to the pan and cook until translucent (1-2 minutes). Add drained greens and toss to coat, heating throughout (2-3 minutes). The greens should still be bright green. Crumble the bacon and use it to top the greens when serving. Yield: 4 servings (serving size 1 cup) Nutrition Breakdown: Calories 100, Fat 4g (1.5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 5mg, Sodium 161mg, Carbohydrate 14g, Fiber 5g, Protein 4g Diabetes Exchange Values: 2 Vegetables, 1 Fat Kim’s Note: Once blanched, the greens will hold up to 2 days and can be cooked in a flash when needed.
AugustA FAmily | DECEmbEr 2019/JAnuAry 2020 • 19
smart mom’s guide C a m m i e Jo n es
Decluttering Your Phone in 2020
W
ith the approaching New Year, decluttering and tidying is always something that comes to mind. How can I clean up my act, my house, my body or my attitude? Where does one start? After years of trying to do ALL of these things as a fresh year approaches, I thought starting with the phone would be a useful and attainable goal to kick off being organized in 2020.
20 • AugustA FAmily | December 2019 / JAnuAry 2020
1. Delete emails It is difficult for me to delete emails. So, when I look at how many email messages are on my phone I get a little overwhelmed. What if I need to refer back to an email for some reason? What if I can’t remember where today’s meeting is? Nine times out of ten I never go back to the email so why do I feel the need to hang on to it? Schedule time to sit down and delete those messages, starting with 50-100 each day, until they are knocked out. Stay calm and you will find in a few short days your inbox will have a reduced amount that is easier to manage. 2. UpDate YoUr Voicemail message/Delete messages I am sure you have had the quick text from a friend: “I couldn’t leave a message because your voicemail is full.” Phones today don’t store enough voicemails. At least I don’t think they do. Maybe cell phone providers rely on users erasing old voicemails right away. I mean, they can read our minds, right? Don’t they know we don’t do that even though we should? After listening to saved voicemails, decide to get rid of the unnecessary ones. If you have kept a few for valid reasons, decide to either act on the call, delete or save it for later. An updated recorded voicemail message is another good way to usher in 2020. Keep it short and succinct. 3. Delete UnnecessarY apps Before my daughters had phones, my phone became the docking bay for all their favorite apps. I ended up with a lot of unnecessary apps. When each of my girls got their phone, I deleted as many of those as I could. In addition, I bet you (like me) have downloaded apps to your phone for a wide variety of reasons such as getting discounts at a store to tracking your food intake. Assess your current apps and decide if they are worth keeping. If you don’t use them anymore, get rid of them. You can always add them back later.
4. organize YoUr apps How many times have you had to search your phone to find an app? Your home page is prime real estate, according to Better Homes & Garden article, “The Smartphone Detox & Declutter” (August 2019). Position your favorite and most used ones on the front page. Wondering how to do that? It’s easy: just touch and hold any app until it jiggles, then drag it to another location on the same page or if moving to another page drag it to the side of the phone (left or right) where you want the app to go to. There are various ways to organize your apps— alpha order, order of importance with the most used apps on the main screen or even in folders via certain categories. Maybe you want to have all your social apps in one folder or all your financial apps together. It is a pretty simple process to do this. For iPhone users visit www.support.apple.com for stepby-step instructions. 5. Delete photos This may be one of the toughest and most timeconsuming tasks for decluttering your phone. Taking inventory of your photos is the quickest way to delete any that are not necessary. I know I have taken photos like a recipe or a picture from the book I was currently reading to share with a friend. Those “forthe-moment” pictures can go. Move other important or special photos to a cloud storage or another storing service to free up space on your phone. Then, categorize the images you want to keep on your phone for use in the future (i.e., birthday Instagram shout-outs, family videos, etc.). When you complete these five steps, it’s important to back up your phone. Your phone is like a small computer where you have many things you need for daily life. Be mindful to back it up so that you won’t lose anything precious to you. When life gets hectic and seems out of control, at least your phone will be organized, neat and ready to assist you for the upcoming year! Cammie Jones is an Augusta freelance writer and mother of three.
AugustA FAmily | December 2019 / JAnuAry 2020 • 21
raising readers Me re di t h Fl ory
Navigating Difficult Holidays
F
or many families, the winter holidays are a time of joy and togetherness. With days off from work, school holidays, traditions and parties, children love the magic of the season. However, for a child learning to navigate a new separation from a parent or loved one, these feelings of happiness may be mixed with confusion, sadness and anxiety. My parents divorced after I became a college student, and even then, the first few years of learning to adjust a holiday schedule that included time with each section of my family was frustrating— and I was an adult. For small children who may not have as much input in their holiday schedule, these fears and frustrations are amplified. To any parent, family member, or guardian of children going through the holidays in a new situation caused by divorce, separation, death or other complicated family matters, I hope you are finding the resources and support that you need.
22 • AugustA FAmily | December 2019/JAnuAry 2020
Children’s books can be a valuable conversation starter or source of comfort for that child in your life. There are several popular children’s books such as Dinosaur’s Divorce and Why Do Families Change: Our First Talk about Separation and Divorce that explicitly define and explain terms the child may be hearing. Why Do Families Change, by Dr. Jillian Roberts and illustrated by Cindy Revel, is more inclusive than many children’s books about family life. There are same-sex couples and different ethnicities represented in the illustrations. Furthermore, common law marriage and long term relationships are included in the types of families that change which reaches children whose parents may not be in traditional marriages. Russell D. Knight, a divorce lawyer in Chicago, suggests Jeanine Franz Ransom’s I Don’t Want to Talk About It because “this book candidly deals with the feelings a child has and a child’s natural defense mechanisms.” It allows the child’s viewpoint and emotions to be front and center, rather than merely explaining or talking down to the child. He continued, “the point of a book about a sensitive subject is to start an honest conversation. This book does exactly that.” Lawyer John “Dee” Compton reminds us that “all families are different, and the shades and nuance of the family dynamic— especially in divorce— can change dynamically and in unforeseen ways.” In his experience, he’s observed that children and teens navigating the trauma of divorce need the sincerity and best behavior, in words and conduct, of both parents. He shares that “in the best of situations, parents work together for the best of the children and support the other’s visitation and connection— which is harder work than during marriage. Which is why I see so many parenting plans fail.” As resources, he suggests two books for parents: No Longer Little: Parenting Tweens with Grace and Hope, by Hal and Melanie Young, and Counseling Adolescents through Grief and Loss by Jodi J. Fiorini and Jodi Ann Mullen. Jessica Wertheim is the Chief Learning Officer at Dearest, Inc., a service that provides in-home childcare from quality educators. She works with the Dearest Educators on their session planning, often interacting with students facing transitions. She suggests several of her favorite books that can help children adapt and take on a challenge with positivity, including Brave by Stacy McAnulty and What Do You Do with a Problem? by Kobi
Yamada. She says storytime presents opportunities to speak with children about their feelings and encourages adults to let “children express their unique thoughts about the book’s characters to give parents a better understanding of what the child is attuned to, afraid of, or anxious about.” If you are reading to a small child, she encourages “pausing throughout the book and asking children about the characters in the story and how they might be feeling will help subtly illustrate the similarities (or differences) between the two. When storytime is over, having an honest, loving talk about the types of changes and transitions that the child is about to face can be the start of an ongoing conversation about how to overcome obstacles.” I always suggest books as wonderful gifts for any holiday. For a child going through a difficult situation, you might pair a book with a heartfelt note of encouragement. You could also share a small gift like a matching stuffed animal for small children, or a trinket like a scarf or small clay figure for a teen. One book I love that would make a meaningful gift is The Invisible String by Patrice Karst and illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vruethoff. It addresses family love and connection through a variety of situations that might separate you from a parent or sibling and demonstrates how love connects us to people even when we aren’t with them, through the metaphor of an “invisible string”. The beautiful pictures show loved ones connected as far as the depths of the ocean, to astronauts in the sky. Another possibility is Two Nests by Laurence Anholt and Jim Copplestone which addresses divorce with anthropomorphized birds. When a nest is too small for the whole family, daddy bird moves to another nest, assuring the baby bird that both parents love the baby bird, and now he has two homes. The baby bird learns to fly between the two nests. For a teen, consider purchasing a copy of your favorite classic or book that got you through a difficult time and you can explain why it was so meaningful. The leather-bound Collectibles editions from Barnes and Noble are a beautiful option for illustrated and curated classics.
Meredith Flory is a freelance writer, military spouse and mother of two. She has a master’s degree in Children’s Literature from Kansas State University and has taught high school and college
AugustA FAmily | December 2019/JAnuAry 2020 • 23
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church
The Sanctuary
Whole Life Ministries
605 Reynolds St. on the Riverwalk Downtown Augusta 706.724.2485 | www.saintpauls.org Regular Sunday Worship Services at 8 a.m., 11 a.m., & 5:30 p.m. *CHRISTMAS EVE FESTIVAL CELEBRATION Tuesday, December 24 4 p.m. & 10 p.m. A nursery will be available at the 4 p.m. service. *CHRISTMAS DAY Wednesday, December 25 10 a.m.—in the Chapel
4584 Cox Road, Evans, GA 30809 706.364.8284 | www.mysanctuary.org
2621 Washington Road, Augusta, GA 30904 706.737.4530 | www.wholelife.org
A PRAISE & WORSHIP CHRISTMAS “GOD COMING DOWN” Sunday, December 8 11:00 a.m. & 6:30 p.m.
CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA Sunday, December 15 10:30 a.m.
CHRISTMAS CANDLELIGHT SERVICE Sunday, December 15 6:00 p.m. FAMILY CHRISTMAS SERVICE Sunday, December 22 11:00 a.m.
CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE Tuesday, December 24 7:00 p.m. NEW YEAR’S EVE SERVICE Tuesday, December 31 10:00 p.m.
holiday gift guide
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Augusta Family | December 2018/January 2019 • 25
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
MESSY MOOSE SOCKS
Oh baby! Each pair of these socks has a soft rattle at the end of each toe. Available in a variety of whimsical designs. Sizes 0–24 months. Morris Museum of Art Gift Shop One 10th Street, 2nd Floor
CUSTOM ENGRAVED FRAMES
SOUTHERN TIDE COLLEGIATE TEES
Celebrate anyone from a new baby to an allstar or favorite grandparent. Anything you want engraved to make any photo or memory extra special. CommuniGraphics, Inc. 1400 Georgia Ave., North Augusta
Southern Tide Collegiate is perfect for any collegiate fan - their tees and apparel say quality, you mean a lot to me and go team all in one gift. CommuniGraphics, Inc. 1400 Georgia Ave., North Augusta
KROC CENTER DAY PASS
Looking for the perfect stocking stuffer? Look no further! - A Kroc Center Day Pass is the perfect little something extra. A Day Pass provides all-day access to everything the Kroc has to offer - from the Aquatics Center to Zumba! Purchase passes for the whole family to enjoy before Christmas break comes to an end! Kroc Center, 1833 Broad St
HIPSTER ORNAMENTS
A horde of felt holiday hipsters, eager to hang on your tree. Sold separately. Morris Museum of Art Gift Shop One 10th Street, 2nd Floor
SHOP LOCAL! DECORATE LOCAL!
Show your hometown pride with these made in America home decor pieces! CommuniGraphics, Inc. 1400 Georgia Ave., North Augusta
26 � AUGUSTA FAMILY | DECEMBER 2019 / JANUARY 2020
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
CAROLING REINDEER ORNAMENTS
A-caroling they will go! Cute, felt reindeer ornaments, ideal for mantles, trees, or gift toppers. Morris Museum of Art Gift Shop One 10th Street, 2nd Floor
GIVE THE GIFT OF LIVE MUSIC AND SUPPORT YOUR HISTORIC MILLER THEATER
Gift Certificates are available in $25 increments and can be redeemed toward the purchase of any Miller Theater performance. The Miller Theater hosts more than 100 concerts, comedy events, family shows and special events each year. Miller Theater, 708 Broad Street
BRIGHTON LOCKET
While you wait, have a photo from your phone put into any beautiful Brighton locket. A gift you can truly hold on your heart! CommuniGraphics, Inc. 1400 Georgia Ave., North Augusta
KROC CENTER MEMBERSHIP
I CAN’T FIND MY MANNERS
by Gail Reed; illustrated by Leonard Jones This story follows a worried little girl who is afraid that she has lost her manners. Search with her while teaching your kids basic etiquette. Morris Museum of Art Gift Shop One 10th Street, 2nd Floor
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Choose the gift of health! Membership at the Kroc means year-round access to our stateof-the-art, award-winning Aquatics Center, as well as more than 70 fitness classes each week, and of course, a well-equipped Fitness Center, featuring free weights, cardio machines, and circuit training machines. But membership at the Kroc Center is so much more than belonging to a health club or wellness center. The Kroc is a place where everyone feels welcomed and supported no matter his/her physical, educational or social goals. Kroc Center membership - truly one size fits all and sure to please anyone on your list this holiday season! Kroc Center, 1833 Broad St
LIMITED SPECIAL EDITION MILLER THEATER
Ornaments Available at the Miller Theater Box Office Miller Theater, 708 Broad Street
AUGUSTA FAMILY | DECEMBER 2019 / JANUARY 2020 � 27
holiday gift guide
CustoM HoMe deCor signs
Customized signs make great home decor gifts. CommuniGraphics, Inc. 1400 Georgia Ave., North Augusta
Jelly Cat PlusHes
Jelly Cat makes beautiful soft plushes that pair perfectly with their books to match. A great gift for any young child or baby. CommuniGraphics, Inc. 1400 Georgia Ave., North Augusta
Holiday BirdHouse
Bird Lovers best gift ever!! Once all the seed is eaten a usable birdhouse still hangs for the birds to enjoy. A great gift for anyone with a backyard built for birds! CommuniGraphics, Inc. 1400 Georgia Ave., North Augusta
Miller tHeater tervis
Custom Tervis with Miller Theater logo. Miller Theater 708 Broad Street
PoPPa d’s CHutney
tin Bank Puzzle
Kids will enjoy solving this forty-eight-piece puzzle. Afterwards, they can transform the puzzle container into a money bank. Morris Museum of Art Gift Shop One 10th Street, 2nd Floor
28 • AugustA FAmily | December 2019 / JAnuAry 2020
A great hostess, party or tailgate gift. Poppa D’s chutney is made right here in the CSRA and sells out quickly so get yours now. CommuniGraphics, Inc. 1400 Georgia Ave. North Augusta
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
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AUGUSTA FAMILY | DECEMBER 2019 / JANUARY 2020 � 29
HOLIDAY FUN! Join Gymnastics Gold For Winter Camp
DECEMBER 30-31 & JANUARY 2-3 AGES 4 - 13 Bring this ad for 10% off your total purchase in our Pro Shop For more information visit www.cityofgrovetown.com or www.facebook.com/grovetowncommunityevents or reach us by phone at: 706-860-7691
Register online at www.gymnasticsgold.com or call 706-650-2111 for more information 124 Cedar Lane, Martinez, GA
New Year Ringing in the
With Hope, Joy
and Optimism
BY DA NA HA RRIS
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
A
s we ring in the New Year, what do we want to celebrate, accomplish and focus on in 2020? This time of year evokes the possibility of change more than any other month on the calendar. Each January, millions of people set goals for themselves. Unfortunately, many will notoriously give up their goals within a few weeks. Researchers say about 60 percent of us make New Year’s resolutions but only 8 percent are successful in achieving them. Most resolutions unwisely focus on making sweeping changes, or changes that require staggering efforts to pull off and maintain over time. Regardless of your resolutions, you must be committed.
AUGUSTA FAMILY | NOVEMBER 2019 ďż˝ 31
Learning to embrace happiness and achieve inner peace can happen simpLy by incorporating some heaLthy LifestyLes
Although living your best life may seem difficult, it is not outside your grasp. Learning to embrace happiness and achieve inner peace can happen simply by incorporating some healthy lifestyles. Focusing on the good in our lives can sharpen our focus and help guide our actions and emotions. Countless studies have been conducted on optimism. Most of them are well established and support the same conclusions: Positive and optimistic people take the lead by constantly finding encouragement within their soul. They live longer, have better functioning immune systems, better productivity, and maintain healthier and happier states of mind. It’s more important now than ever to look on the bright side. It is not unusual to have challenges and struggles throughout life, and being an optimist won’t change that. However, acknowledging we have a choice in how we respond is powerful. Often, many people wander through life without understanding their active role. As a result, some miss critical opportunities. Instead of doing what is meaningful, they blindly drift from job to job, relationship to relationship, or city to city. Well, why not use this time of year to construct a road map for yourself that is fulfilling and meaningful? Taking ownership of
32 • AugustA FAmily | December 2019/JAnuAry 2020
your choices will create a new sense of self-respect, efficacy and worth. After all, it is worthwhile to better understand ourselves and our purposes. Here are several things you can do to help empower your journey. •
Set a Limit with Good Intentions. One of the keys to success is intentionality. Setting goals helps you act with purpose and drive. But be mindful to keep goals realistic. Take it slowly. For instance, if your goal is to lose weight, it’s unrealistic to try to lose 20 pounds in the first month. Resolutions are more like marathons, not sprints. Don’t get discouraged if you start slow. Keep at it over the long haul.
•
Meditate. It may seem overrated, especially in a world when it is increasingly difficult to be still, but meditation is an amazing practice for mental health and clarity. It is beneficial as a way to step back from the busyness of life and get in tune with your inner self. Sometimes we need to slow down to move forward. Slowing
down is a deliberate choice. It is one that can lead to greater appreciation for life and a greater level of happiness, which yields better results in one’s endeavors.
•
Helping Others. It’s no secret that helping others makes you feel good. It is an amazing feeling to know that you have helped someone to live a better life by bestowing a little positivity. While it’s not your job to make everyone happy, it doesn’t hurt to perk up someone’s day. At work, compliment someone about a good question raised in an e-mail or salient points that they brought up in an important meeting. At home, praise your child for how hard they worked on their math homework. Or, tell your partner how much you appreciate them. Being a vehicle of help to others is one of the most fulfilling experiences in life.
•
Be Courageous and Educate Yourself about the World Around You. Life takes courage. There are many obstacles to overcome on the path to a purpose-driven life. In most cases, we simply are too comfortable within our comfort zones. In other situations, negative habits keep us from making progress. For this very reason, it is important to be courageous and step out to new opportunities. Feeling that you’re making a difference— that what you’re doing has meaning— can have significant impacts. A sense of purpose and being courageous can help you get up each morning feeling excited about the day. When it comes to education, continue to read and learn. When you are intellectually stimulated, you are more likely to be productive in other areas of life. So, start reading the newspaper every morning, or pick up a few books to keep on the nightstand instead of scrolling through social media before bed.
•
Invest in Your Health. Another step toward your best life is your health journey. Conscious steps to take better care of your physical health is one essential part of improving your overall well being. Take the time and effort to plan meals, and cook at home more regularly. Set yourself up for long-term success. When you feel good, you look good.
•
Practice Gratitude Daily. When you cultivate gratitude, you access true joy and contentment, no matter what you do and don’t have in your life. The best way to practice gratitude is by recognizing gifts that most people take granted. If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes in your closet and a roof over your head, you are better off than 75 percent of the world’s population. If you eat three meals a day, you possess more than a billion people who eat only one meal a day. These daily conveniences are gifts that most people in the world do not enjoy. Celebrate the simple things. Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all the others.
•
Don’t Accept Failure and Get Rid of the Negative Voices in Your Head. Never give up! There is a solution to everything, so why would you want to throw in the towel? Make this your mantra. Succeeding through great adversity is a confidence booster. Low self-confidence is often a result of negative thoughts running on auto-pilot. If you are constantly bashing yourself because you’re not good enough, aren’t attractive enough, aren’t smart enough or athletic enough, and on and on, you are creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. You are becoming what you speak inside your head. The next time you hear negativity in your head, switch it immediately to a positive affirmation and keep it up until it hits the self-confidence boost.
George Washington Carver once said, “No individual has any right to come into the world and go out of it without leaving behind him distinct and legitimate reasons for having passed through it.” Life is too short and unpredictable to keep dreaming and talking about what you need and desire to do. If you’ve never taken the time to define your core values and beliefs, here’s your chance to do so. Find the activities that interest you and add meaning to your life for the New Year!
Follow Your Passion and Do What Makes You Happy. When you are doing what you love, motivation comes easy. Rewards, applause or payment are not your end goals. Following your passion is. Learn as well to practice self-care. Creating your dream life will not happen if you are neglecting your intuition and emotional state.
Dr. Dana Harris is a former Richmond County public school educator, elementary school teacher, professional staff development consultant & principal. She is a public speaker & freelance writer with more than 37 professional years in the educational arena. Currently she is retired, a wife of 41 years, a mother and grandmother of two beautiful grandkids, London & Bryce.
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AugustA FAmily | December 2019/JAnuAry 2020 • 33
34 • AugustA FAmily | December 2019/JAnuAry 2020
A CREATIVE MOVE TOWARD
KINDNESS BY RE NE E W ILLIAMS
D
o unto others as you would have them do unto you” is a rule that has proven its excellence as a moral guide since the beginning of time. And really, what better teaching than “The Golden Rule” can we utilize in our day-to-day approach to parenting? One local teen is doing just that and ushering in kindness in 2020 by reaching out to schools, acknowledging the effects of school bullying and the responsibility we have to one another to practice The Golden Rule.
AUGUSTA FAMILY | DECEMBER 2019/JANURAY 2020 � 35
High school senior, Genesis Williams was born January 5, 2002, to Earl Williams and Jamie Avery. Growing up in Augusta, Williams’ mom was a loving single parent working two jobs while taking care of him and his brother when he first felt the effects of bullying. But, it was in these difficult moments that Williams would learn some of life’s biggest lessons. “I was 9 years old and we were having financial problems around back-to-school time,” Williams recalls. “My mom couldn’t afford new school supplies and I told my teacher about the issue and the next day my teacher brought me a book bag and school supplies. But one of the kids in my classroom heard what was going on and told the entire class. Rumors then began to spread and everyone was going around saying I was poor and homeless. That made me feel so sad because you never know what other people are going through. And I never told my mom because I felt so sorry for her and I knew she already had a lot on her plate at the time. As a matter of fact, she still doesn’t know about this story today.” Gaining wisdom and empathy from this hurtful experience, Williams found a way several years later to help other children at risk for bullying. Inspired by his idol Tyler Perry, Williams had an idea and thought, “I know a cool way I can stop bullying. I’m going to use Tyler Perry’s character “Madea” to stop bullying.” So with that, Williams became a Madea-impersonator and says he loves performing as the popular character because he’s a huge fan of Tyler Perry’s work. In October 2019, Williams had one of his dreams come true when he was invited to Tyler Perry Studios and had the opportunity to meet Mr. Perry, along with other Hollywood stars and recording artists. Today, Williams has a non-profit organization known as, “Madea’s No Bullying Zone.” He dresses as Madea and visits daycares, elementary schools and middle
36 • AugustA FAmily | December 2019/JAnuAry 2020
schools to talk about bullying, what it is and how to stop it. He also passes out school supplies (as his teacher once did for him) after his presentation and plays games with the children such as Madea’s dance battle. Williams’ goal is to bring, “Madea’s No Bullying Zone” into all public schools in Georgia. Bullying among children has been a prominent issue in schools and neighborhoods for decades but not fully understood or recognized as a critical issue until more recent years. Williams has combined his early experiences, his passion and his talents to shed light on bullying as a means of education and prevention. Williams says his definition of kindness and The Golden Rule is, “Respect... respect not only for yourself, but for your peers and those around you.” The approach is gaining him enormous exposure in the area as he has been featured on many local news channels and radio stations. His videos are seen around the world as he has over 19,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, “Hollywood Here I Come.” Williams is active in church, enjoys making short films, writing books as well as stage plays and is currently a student at the James Brown Academy of Musik Pupils. “I’m learning how to play the piano and drums. I’m also an actor with the Augusta Jr. Players and have starred in The Parchman Hour and Four Little Girls: Birmingham 1963,” Williams says. At 17, Genesis Williams has big dreams of becoming an actor, news anchor, philanthropist and funeral director (yes— it’s a family thing) and he adds, “Hopefully, one day I will be mayor of Augusta.” Renee Williams an Augusta native and has been a Huffington Post contributor, lifestyle blogger and has worked with many local publications to include Georgia Music and The Augusta Chronicle.
Saturday, January 25 10am - 1pm
at the James Brown Arena Petting Zoo • Clown • Facepaint & More! Brought to you by
AugustA FAmily | December 2019/JAnurAy 2020 • 37
inspiration station Me re di t h Fl o ry
38 • AugustA FAmily | December 2019/JAnuAry 2020
Two Moms and Their Vision to Inspire Youth
T
wo local mothers are using their talents, passion, past work and educational experiences to fill a need in the Augusta homeschool community. In 2018 Erika Bible and Christi Wildes opened INSPIRE Studios to encourage children in theater and music through camps, classes and lessons. Bible and Wildes were a part of the music and theater community in Augusta’s River Region and other communities where they’ve lived before devoting their talents to this new endeavor. Both performed with the Augusta Players and taught private lessons— Bible in voice and piano, and Wildes as a voice and acting coach. Bible was previously an elementary school teacher and performer at Walt Disney World while Wildes was the co-owner and founder of Singing Princesses and Pirate Parties until January 2019. Each developed a desire to work with the homeschool community after experiences teaching their children and teaching at homeschool co-ops. They see musical theater as a way to develop other life skills, and their passion is to use music to inspire and encourage children. Wildes says she “has a passion to help others, especially youth, learn how to be more confident and bring out the best in themselves.” INSPIRE is an acrostic that means: to use my Imagination, my Narrative, my Strengths, and Prepare me to Include, Respect, and Encourage others. Bible and Wildes are codirectors, teach classes and hold camps through their new business endeavor. During summer, they host a musical theater camp. Bible remarks that “watching the children grow closer together and encourage one another” is her favorite part. They have plans to host more summer camps in the coming year, as participation
thrived in the first year. The co-directors plan to grow with the need. While camp is open to all children, during the school year INSPIRE has a choir that is mostly open to homeschoolers looking for a way to be a part of a music group or class. They will be performing The Messiah for Young Voices this December. The children will also engage in community service with their voices by performing at an assisted living facility. Dates for public performances will be posted on their Facebook page @inspireaugusta. Classes for the choral group include instruction in group singing, with melody, harmony, and music theory lessons. They aspire also to host special guests or lessons on choreography and acting. Families interested in participation in camps and auditioning for the choir can email Bible at e_bible@hotmail.com. Wildes’ concern is that “in our world today, some kids feel that can’t be themselves for fear of ridicule. Our theme, INSPIRE, is meant to encourage youth to use who they are to better themselves and encourage those around them.” She hopes her groups give a home to students who may not find joy or talent in academics or sports, the typical areas where children are usually praised. Instead, she wants to show how music and theater is more than just what students may watch in pop culture, and that gifts in music and movement can assist in many areas of life, such as public speaking in the workplace.
Meredith Flory is a freelance writer, military spouse and mother of two. She has a master’s degree in Children’s Literature from Kansas State University and has taught high school and college English.
AugustA FAmily | December 2019/JAnuAry 2020 • 39
calendar December 2019 / January 2020
lights of the south
We’d love to hear from you. if you have an event you’d like to add to our next issue, send an email to aimee. serafin@augustamagazine.com.
40 • AugustA FAmily | December 2019/JAnuAry 2020
Photo by Mike Adams
Open daily until Jan. 6, clOsed december 2 and 25 5:30 — 10pm 633 Louisville Rd, Grovetown General Admission $12/ Fast Pass $20/Kids three and under FREE Call 706.556.6623
calendar
DECEMBER 2 Chris Tomlin: Christmas Songs of Worship Tour 7:30pm Miller Theater $33 - $103 Visit, www.millertheateraugusta.com. DECEMBER 4 The Brian Setzer Orchestra’s 16th Annual Christmas Rocks! Tour 7:30pm Miller Theater $59 - $79 Visit, www.millertheateraugusta.com. DECEMBER 5 — 6 The Nutcracker, Columbia County Ballet 7 — 9pm Imperial Theatre $17 - $42 For more information, visit www. imperialtheatre.com. DECEMBER 6 — 15 3rd Annual Festival of Trees Lighting of the Trees — December 5 at 4pm Aiken Visitors Center FREE For times, visit www.visitaikensc.com DECEMBER 6 — 7 49th Annual Christmas Craft Show 9am — 5pm H. Odell Weeks Activities Center, Aiken Santa will stop in on Saturday to take photos with the kids! For more information, call 803.642.7631. DECEMBER 6 19th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting 4 – 10:30pm
Evans Town Center Blvd. For more information, visit www. evanstownecenterpark.com.
DECEMBER 13 — 14
DECEMBER 7 Christmas for the birds 11am Living History Park, North Augusta For more information contact Lynn Thompson at 803.279.7560.
6th Annual Auggie’s Holiday BUZZar and Movie Night Friday: 6pm, Movie Night Saturday: 10am —1pm, Holiday BUZZar and vendor market Green Jackets, SRP Park
DECEMBER 7 Fresh Wreath Making Workshop 10am — 1pm Aiken Center for the Arts Cloudberry and Willow Floral Design owner, Maggie Rasmussen, presents the wonders of wreath making. Fresh eucalyptus Carolina sapphire, olive, magnolia, cedar, cypress, juniper, kale with other fresh and dried varieties and perfect ribbons are provided to make beautiful wreaths this season. $75/participation fee. Visit www. aikencenterforthearts.org to register. DECEMBER 7 Black Nativity: A Gospel Christmas Musical Experience 8 — 11pm Bell Auditorium $37 - $57 Visit, www. augustaentertainmentcomplex.com. DECEMBER 7 — 8 Polar Express 6pm Aiken Visitors Center and Train Museum Bring pillows and blankets to watch the Polar Express on the deck of the Depot. Popcorn and hot cocoa served. $5/person Reservations required, www. visitaikensc.com.
This 2-day event starts Friday night with a holiday movie favorite and plenty of hot chocolate, coffee and adult beverages. Kids 5 and under are FREE. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and a new unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots to receive a discounted ticket price. Come back Saturday for the BUZZar holiday market featuring local vendors for all your Christmas shopping. Photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, inflatables, free hot chocolate and coffee, holiday music and live performers. Dogs welcome! For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ events/773642083057626/, or if interested in being a vendor, contact Shannon at 803.349.9400.
DECEMBER 8 The Augusta Choral Annual Christmas Concert 4pm Gilbert Lambuth Memorial Chapel at Paine College $20. For more information, visit www. eventbrite.com.
AUGUSTA FAMILY | DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 � 41
Evans on icE opEn daily until Jan. 6
Photo by Immortal shots from Pexels
Evans Towne Center Park The Evans winterfest includes an outdoor skating rink, weekend train rides, s’mores, movies in the park, private parties and enough seasonal wonder for all of Augusta’s River Region. Check website for times and prices, www.evansonice.com.
December 13 — 14 Augusta Player’s A Christmas Carol, The Musical 8 — 11pm $22 - $49 For more information, visit www. imperialtheatre.com. December 14 — 23, anD 26 The 28th annual christmas in Hopelands 6 — 9:30pm Hopeland Gardens, Aiken SC With over 2 miles of lighted pathways and illuminated Christmas displays, guests can leisurely walk through the gardens while sipping hot cocoa or apple cider. There are more than 100,000 sparkling lights to shine peacefully through the night. A holiday must-see. FREE. All guests are to use the nightly shuttle service to Hopelands. There is no parking at the gardens. For more information, visit www.visitaikensc.com.
December 14 Home for the Holidays, aiken Symphony 7:30pm Etherredge Center, Aiken Featuring the Aiken Chorale Society, the Aiken Civic Ballet and vocalist Scarlett Strallen. Visit, www.aikensymphonyorchestra. com for tickets. December 14 augusta christmas Parade 6pm 836 Reynolds Street FREE Call Yolanda at 706.724.5901. December 16 23rd annual christmas Songs and Stories with John berry 7 — 9pm Imperial Theatre $28 - $42 Visit, www.imperialtheatre.com.
42 • AugustA FAmily | December 2019/JAnuAry 2020
DeCeMber 17 Suzy bogguss Holiday Show 7:30 — 9pm Imperial Theatre Visit, www.imperialtheatre.com. DeCeMber 19 Christmas with the Isaacs 7:30 — 10pm Jabez Hardin Auditorium, 7022 Evans Town Center Blvd. Call 706.726.0366 for information. December 20 beautiful: The carol King musical 8pm Bell Auditorium $64 - $86 Visit, www. augustaentertainmentcomplex.com. December 20 romeo and Juliet, national ballet Theatre of Odessa Ukraine 7 — 9pm
BrickUniverse LeGO Fan eXPO January 10 — 11
Photo by HONG LIN on Unsplash
Two sessions per day: 10am – 1pm, 2 – 5pm Augusta Convention Center Children 2 and younger FREE. $15 online, $18 at door. DUPLO pile, life-size LEGO sculptures, architect building zone, challenge zone, minifigure merchants and special professional LEGO artists on site. Visit, www.brickuniverse.com.
Imperial Theatre $30 - $60 Visit, www.imperialtheatre.com. December 21 Santa at the Depot 10am Aikens Visitor Center and Train Museum FREE. Cookies, milk and a craft to go. Visit, www.visitaikensc.com. December 22 A bing crosby christmas 3pm doors open; 4pm show Miller Theater $35 - $60 For more information, visit www. imperialtheatre.com. December 22 Family Chanukah Festival Giant Menorah Lighting 5 – 7pm Evans Town Center, Lady A Pavilion
performing artists from 14 countries specializing in many acrobatic acts such as foot juggling & Icarian games, hand balancing, contortion, aerial straps, slackwire, Russian cradle and a signature final act mixing trampoline, tumbling & rock-climbing. Tickets start at $39/adults and $25/ children. Family 4-packs available. Visit, www. augustaentertainmentcomplex.com.
Call 706.722.7659 for more information. December 29 The marcus King band 7:30pm Miller Theater $25 - $48 Visit, www.millertheater.com. January 2 — 5 OVO, cirque du Soleil returns to Augusta Jan 2 & 3: 7:30pm Jan 4: 4pm and 7:30pm Jan 5: 1:30pm and 5pm
JAnuAry 3 Kid’s night Out 6 — 10pm The Salvation Army Kroc Center of Augusta. Visit, www.augustakroc.org.
Bell Auditorium OVO, meaning “egg” in Portuguese, is a headlong rush into a colorful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy and movement. The cast of OVO is comprised of 52
January 3 (Family-Friendly night) Supernatural Shakespeare 7 — 11pm Imperial Theatre $10 Visit, www.imperialtheatre.com.
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44 • AugustA FAmily | December 2019/JAnuAry 2020
Images courtesy of www.acharliebrownchristmaslive.com
A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS LIVE ON STAGE
JANUARY 6 Music Motivational Storytime 10:30am Edgefield County Public Library Visit, www.abbe-lib.org/events/musicmotivational-storytime. JANUARY 10 Balsam Range and The Cleverlys 7:30 — 9pm Imperial Theatre $15 - $45 Visit, www.imperialtheatre.com. JANUARY 11 The Harlem Globetrotters 3:00pm James Brown Arena $26 - $300 Visit, www. augustaentertainmentcomplex.com.
JANUARY 13 The Teen Lego Club 3:30 – 5:30pm Aiken County Public Library FREE builds! Visit, www.abbe-lib.org/events/teenlego-club-2. JANUARY 14 Artrageous, Cultural Series 7:30pm The Etherredge Center, USC of Aiken A combination of fine art, live music, humor, dancing and audience interaction makes a unique performance experience. For more information and prices, visit www.usca.edu/etherredge-center. JANUARY 19 Glorious Strings, Aiken Symphony 3pm - St. John’s United Methodist Church. Visit, www. aikensymphonyorchestra.com for tickets.
DECEMBER 26. Everyone’s favorite holiday classic comes to life in the all-new touring production A Charlie Brown Christmas Live on Stage! Join Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, and the whole Peanuts gang as they produce their own Christmas play and ultimately learn the true meaning of the season. A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS LIVE ON STAGE is a present the whole family can enjoy! 7pm Miller Theater $35 - $69 Visit, www.millertheateraugusta.com.
JANUARY 25 WINTERFEST 7pm Miller Theater $66 – 86 Visit, www.millertheateraugusta.com. JANUARY 31 — FEBRUARY 2 Aiken Antique Show 2020 10am – 6pm, Friday and Saturday 11am – 4pm, Sunday Aiken Center for the Arts Visit, www.visitaikensc.com. JANUARY 31 — FEBRUARY 3 Columbia County Library Book Sale Friday, Saturday and Monday: 10am — 5pm Sunday: 2 — 5pm 7022 Evans Town Center Blvd, Evans Books will be on display in the foyer of the library. There will be both fiction and non-fiction books for sale.
AUGUSTA FAMILY | DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 � 45
T H E
MODERN P E R S P E C T I V E
When did your interest in photography start? Our family, really my parents, purchased a DSLR for our family to better document family trips and special events, such as graduations and trips. When our family returned from visiting Alaska in 2015, I got my hands on the camera and I haven’t stopped taking pictures since then.
What do you enjoy most about taking photos? I love having the ability to capture moments and preserve places I’ve been. When I shoot a gorgeous view or a group of friends, I can go back and relive those moments and memories through my pictures, as well as share them so others can experience them too. It is also a nice outlet, to just be able to take time to slow down and actually appreciate the scene around you.
Describe one of your favorite photos and why? This is definitely a hard question, but if I had to choose one, I would actually go with a recent one. I was just in Alaska traveling with Georgia Tech’s Outdoor Rec program (ORGT). A group of seven other freshmen and I, along with three student leaders, had the opportunity to take a bus tour in Denali National Park. We saw the mountain– which is only visible about 30% of the year– but I got some amazing shots of the surrounding mountains as well. One stood out to me, taken at Polychrome Pass, because of the caribou we were able to get so close to, the color of the tundra and mountains behind it, and the surprising size of the landscape.
What kind of equipment do you use? Currently, I’m shooting on a Nikon D3300, but upgrading to a D750 in the near future for higher resolution photos and better color.
Mirror Lake, Denali National Park
In terms of lenses, I use an 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 for most of my pictures. The lens has a wide range of focal lengths that I can use for landscapes, close up wildlife pictures and anything in between. When I’m taking portraits and more personal work, I use a Nikkor
Young Augustan, Jack Monnig, is a freshman at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Augusta Family Magazine
50mm f/1.8 prime lens. This lens is much faster so it gives a better depth of field and bokeh than the zoom lens.
caught up with Jack over the summer to ask him some questions about his growing interest in photography.
46 � AUGUSTA FAMILY | DECEMBER 2019 / JANUARY 2020
Check out more of Jack Monning’s photography at augustafamily.com
EXPLORE THE NEWLY INSTALLED PERMANENT COLLECTION GALLERIES!
The
MORRIS MUSEUM OF ART 1 Tenth St. I Augusta, GA 30901 I 706-724-7501 I www.themorris.org Smithsonian Affiliate