INSIDE
YOUTH
Getting ready for school
To Hawaii or bust
There will be lots of free information, health screenings and more at the CrossRoadsNews Family & Back-toSchool Expo on July 21. Section B
Southwest DeKalb’s marching band needs community support to help commemorate the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. A5
Put Litter in Its Place Let’s Do Our Part to Keep DeKalb Beautiful A PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE FROM CROSSROADSNEWS
EAST ATLANTA • DECATUR • STONE MOUNTAIN • LITHONIA • AVONDALE ESTATES • CLARKSTON • ELLENWOOD • PINE LAKE • REDAN • SCOTTDALE • TUCKER • STONECREST
July 14, 2018
Copyright © 2018 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
Volume 24, Number 11
www.crossroadsnews.com
‘Anchors Aweigh’ with a twist
I-285/Flat Shoals bridge may reopen by December By Lyle V. Harris
Eversen Bevelle (above, with South DeKalb residents Sydney and Debra Brown) and Jami Ffrench-Parker (right), who graduated five years apart from Southwest DeKalb High, now manage entertainment departments on Carnival’s “Glory” and Norwegian’s “Pride of America,” respectively.
Southwest DeKalb alums working as cruise directors By Lyle V. Harris
Like two ships passing in the night, Jami Ffrench-Parker and Eversen “Reverend Doctor E” Bevelle have never met in person. But buoy, they shore have a lot in common! In an unlikely turn of fate, Ffrench-Parker and Bevelle both grew up in south DeKalb County; they graduated five years apart at Southwest DeKalb High School; and here’s the interesting part – they’re both working as cruise directors for major cruise lines, a rarity for African-Americans in a highly competitive industry. “When I found out about [Bevelle] I didn’t really believe it, to be honest,” said Ffrench-Parker, 26, who works for Norwegian Cruise Line. “There are probably about 450 cruise directors in the whole world and two of us graduating from the same high school in South DeKalb is mind-blowing.” Bevelle, 32, who works for Carnival Cruise Line, was likewise surprised to learn that Ffrench-Parker, a fellow “Panther” from his beloved alma mater, was also making big
are the odds?” There are an estimated 250,000 people working on cruise ships worldwide, according to a 2017 analysis by Crew News, an industry trade publication. While no demographic statistics are readily available, insiders say cruise ship companies have not attracted many Americans as crew members, much less African Americans. Most crew members hail from other parts of the globe, because the pay is often much lower and working conditions are far more taxing than many Americans are accustomed to, said Oivind Mathisen, editor and publisher of Cruise Industry News in New York. “I think crews on most ships are very diverse and inclusive,” Mathisen said. “You have a lot of people from the Caribbean, from Latin America and the Philippines – but not too many from the U.S. It’s really hard work, but the industry is expected to grow by 80,000 people a year over the next decade. There are a lot of opportunities for advancement and you can move up in a company very quickly.”
waves as a cruise director. “I never heard of a cruise director from Decatur and now there are two?” Bevelle asked rhetorically during a brief stopover in Baltimore on June 1. “I know [FfrenchParker] had just gotten into the business and I congratulated her on her excellence when she friended me on Facebook. What Please see CRUISE, page 4
Georgia transportation officials are sticking by their latest prediction to open the long-delayed bridge project at I-285 and Flat Shoals Road by December 2018, but nearby residents and business owners remain frustrated by its ongoing, construction-related disruptions. About 35 people who live and work in the impacted area attended a “Conversation with the Community” with Georgia Department of Transportation officials on July 9 at New Life Baptist Church on Flat Shoals Road. The $35 million project has been a major headache from the start. Since it start date in January 2015 there have been 18 months worth of delays and the cost has jumped by $3 million. Christopher Raymond, who manages GDOT’s construction projects in DeKalb County, told residents and business owners they get it. “We really appreciate your patience and we know it’s been a long, long process,” he said. “We want to get out of your way as soon as possible and we know that’s what you C. Raymond want too.” Raymond said construction is now 92 percent complete. “We expect that the traveling public will be able to use the corridor at its full capacity by December,” he said. “The main thing is that they seemed to be listening and making effort to make things better,” said Voncile Hodges, 68, a retiree who lives in the Westbury condominium complex that directly abuts the project. “It has been a pain for all of us as far as traffic but I think it will be better once it’s finished,” she said. For more information, visit www.flatshoals285.org. An expanded analysisi of the Flat Shoals project is at www.crossroadsnews.com.
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July 14, 2018
Educating & Empowering the Community
Sponsors
• DeKalb County School District • Kaiser Permanente of Georgia
Exhibitors Include:
• AAA Auto Club South • Arete Preparatory School • Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates • CDI Head Start Serving DeKalb and Rockdale Counties • Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta • DeKalb County Solicitor General – Donna Stribling-Coleman • DeKalb County Tax Commissioner • Discover DeKalb Convention & Visitor’s Bureau • Dream Stories Inc. • First Afrikan CDC Food Pantry • Georgia Stars Academy of Dance & More • Icon Models & Talent • Kaiser Permanente Education Theater Programs • Kilombo Academic & Cultural Institute • MIMS Youth Association • Oakhurst Medical Centers, Inc. • Organization of DeKalb Educators • South DeKalb Family YMCA • World Financial Group (WFG)
Georgia Academy of Stars
July 21, 2018 Noon - 5 p.m. at
T H E M A L L AT S TO N E C R E S T Title Sponsors Conservatory of Dance
Emcee Jazzy Jan Martin
Kaiser Activity Table with Healthy Eating & Active Living Games Icon Models
Georgia Stars Academy of Dance & More
Healthy Eating Demo with Life Chef Asata Reid
McGruff the Crime Dog & the Reading Ram
Back-to-School Fashion Show
Food & Fitness Demos • Exhibitors • Health Screenings • Entertainment & Performances
Award-Winning Community Expos
Limited number of sponsorships available. Call to confirm your participation.
Don’t miss out • Book your space today • Call 404-284-1888
July 14, 2018
Community
CrossRoadsNews
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“Unfortunately, once converted to gift cards, it is nearly impossible to track where this converted cash has gone.”
South Precinct Maj. Johnson disciplined for improper oversight By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
followed an internal investigation, completed Sept. 9, 2017, that found that Johnson “alMaj. K.D. Johnson of the DeKalb Police lowed, condoned, and encouraged behavior” South Precinct was suspended for eight hours by Clay to represent herself at department in June for departmental functions and to individual businesses as a violations stemming from department employee. his management of comAs a result of Johnson’s lack of of appromunity outreach work the priate oversight, Yarbro said it is unknown precinct has been doing. what funds, or how much, were converted Police Chief J.W. Conto Clay’s personal use. roy suspended Johnson “Mrs. Clay’s actions coupled with Major without pay on June 29 Johnson’s failure to supervise her activity for allowing civilian volhad a significant impact on the reputation of unteer Marjorie Clay, K.D. Johnson the department,” Yarbro wrote. “It is fair to who was a South Precinct say, individuals and businesses may be less “ambassador,” to represent inclined to support the police department herself as a department under the cloud of suspicion this activity employee, raise funds has caused.” for the precinct and keep Clay told CrossRoadsNews on July 12 some of it for herself. that “absolutely no impropriety took place.” In a May 22 disciplinShe called the investigation “a witch ary action recommendahunt.” tion to Conroy, Johnson’s Marjorie Clay “I am picking my words carefully,” she immediate supervisor, said. “But there was another agenda at play Assistant Chief Cornelius Yarbro had recom- to not promote Major Johnson to chief.” mended that he be demoted. But in a June 12 letter to Johnson, Conroy opted instead for Fundraising role an issue The 14-page Internal Affairs report and the suspension without pay. Johnson, who has headed the South Pre- disciplinary letters were obtained in an cinct since April 2015, is passionate about Open Records Request.The investigation community policing. He has targeted crime followed complaints from multiple donors hot spots by attacking socio-economic fac- that money they gave to the precinct “was tors that fuel them. He has co-hosted cook- being mishandled.” Brenda Pace, one of the complainants, outs and community cleanups, turkey giveaways, workshops for boys and recreational told the investigator that when she asked about donating $50 to the precinct to help activities to keep teens off the streets. Reached July 12, he said he was not al- its community work, Clay told her to write the check to Green Pastures Church and put lowed to comment on his suspension. Johnson said Clay stopped volunteering “South Precinct” in the memo section, and at the precinct last summer when the inves- that when the check cleared the funds would tigation got underway, and that the volunteer be “funneled back to the South Precinct to be used.” ambassador program continues. Pace, a former DeKalb County employee, Department policies violated said she knew that was not the way to handle Specifically, Yarbro said Johnson violated donations. four department policies: conduct towards South Precinct employees interviewed fellow employee, unauthorized person in by the investigator said they thought it vehicle, conduct unbecoming on/off duty, was “unwise” for a non-vetted volunteer to and professional image. raise money for the precinct. They voiced Taken in totality, Yarbro said the seri- concern about Clay’s role and that she was ousness of the offenses “is of tremendous allowed to attend staff and PAL meetings, concern, especially when they are committed and interact with schools in the name of the by a Major.” department. “These intentional actions are not repCounty procedures require that money resentative of someone in his position and donated to precincts go directly to the precreates a situation whereby, I, as his superior, cinct accounts and be disseminated through have diminished confidence in his ability to the Police Financial Services office at the perform his duties within the confines of request of the precinct. policy.” Clay told the Internal Affairs investigator The disciplinary action recommendation that she met when Johnson in April 2015
Annual passport day on July 21 By Bryce Ethridge
DeKalb residents can renew or apply for passports at the DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court on July 21. The Saturday event is part of the U.S. Secretary of States annual Passport Day, which is in its 10th year. The event offers U.S. citizens a weekend day, so they don’t have to miss work, to apply for or renew a passport book or card at domestic passport agencies or hundreds of participating non-department passport application acceptance facilities, like the Clerk’s office. D e b r a D e B e r r y, DeKalb’s Clerk of Superior Court, said the office will open 8 a.m. to noon. No appointment is necessary. First-time applicants and those renewing a passport received before Debra DeBerry age 16 must apply inperson. This also applies for passports that were lost, stolen, damaged or issued more than 15 years ago. All applicants must bring a form of photo
ID and a front and back copy of their proof of identity. Applicants who are 16 years old or younger must have both parents present to apply. If one or both are absent, the parent(s) must fill out a consent form, notarize it and send a copy of the front and back of their ID. Applicants can apply one of two ways: routine or expedited. Routine applicants receive their passport books within six weeks for a fee of $110. Expedited applicants receive theirs within three weeks but must pay an additional $60. Applicants also have the option of purchasing a passport card for $15 for ages 15 and under, and $30 for ages 16 and up. Passport card holders can travel internationally by boat, but not plane. Both options are subject to a $35 execution fee. Passport processing fees must be paid with a check or money order. Execution fees must be paid with cash or money order. To allow entry, some countries require the passport holder to have six months of validity on their passport. The clerk’s office is at 556 N. McDonough St. in Decatur. For more information, call Fayron Woodley at 404-687-3873.
when she visited the precinct to find out what was being done about crime after a carjacking in her Decatur community . Johnson invited her to a community meeting where various outreach projects were discussed. Clay said she decided to become involved in the projects. When Johnson said there was no budget for outreach projects, Clay said she told him she had experience in the business world and would be happy to assist with fundraising. Clay said Johnson authorized the fundraising but said he was not allowed to touch the money. He also approved her use of DeKalb Police letterhead to solicit donations for an April 3-7, 2017, Spring Break Camp. During her two years volunteering at the precinct, Clay also worked on Thanksgiving and Christmas projects, Coffee With a Cop, Business Community Outreach Meetings, and Midnight Basketball at Green Pastures for the precinct. She told the investigator that she often connected donors to vendors and they paid for things like catering for parties and gatherings. For example, for 2016 Thanksgiving, she said I-285 Flea Market gave about $11,000 to Kroger which provided turkeys for officers, firefighters and local families in need.
Spring break camp questioned Clay said the DeKalb Ethics Board told her that as long as no county employee received anything with a value greater than $40, there was no conflict. She said she used Green Pastures Church to receive the money and for the spring break camp because larger companies would only contribute to recognized 501(c)(3) charities and because the South Precinct has a good relationship with the church. She raised $2,000 for the camp and said
the church deposited the money, wrote a check to her, and she spent it on camp expenditures. She also paid herself $700 for administering the camp. “She advised that no one authorized it or knew about it but that she thought it was ‘appropriate’ since she was at the camp all day and was acting as the camp director,” the internal report said. The investigator called Clay’s recordkeeping “vague” and said that some purchases was “unusual,” and for gift cards that were reportedly given to camp participants as prizes for winning games and contests. “Unfortunately, once converted to gift cards, it is nearly impossible to track where this converted cash has gone,” the report said. Clay said that she created and designed the spring break camp and became its manager at the last minute when other arrangements fell through. “I supervised it for 50 hours,” she said. “The $700 was in the budget for the manager. I put a lot of work into that camp and I needed to be paid the money.” She said she stopped volunteering at the precinct in August 2017 when the Police Department sent her a letter terminating her relationship with the precinct. Johnson told the investigator that he did not think any background check was done on Clay and he did not know if she had ever signed a “Rider Waiver” form allowing her to ride in county vehicles. Johnson also told the investigator that he did not know that the South Precinct had an account in Financial Services, and that once former DeKalb Public Safety Director Dr. Cedric Alexander approved the concept of fundraising he did not consider reaching out to his more immediate chain of command.
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People
CrossRoadsNews
July 14, 2018
“When guests look back through their photo albums from the cruise, they’ll see pictures and have great memories of us.”
Seeliger donates another $15,000 to three legal groups 2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com
Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Staff Writer Jennifer Ffrench Parker Editorial Interns Rosie Manins Bryce Etheridge Front Office Manager Catherine Guy Multimedia Editor Sharif Williams CrossRoadsNews is published every Saturday by CrossRoadsNews, Inc. We welcome articles on neighborhood issues and news of local happenings. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor those of any advertisers. The concept, design and content of CrossRoadsNews are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher. Advertisements are published upon the representation that the advertiser is authorized to publish the submitted material. The advertiser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless from and against any loss or expenses resulting from any disputes or legal claims based upon the contents or subject matter of such advertisements, including claims of suits for libel, violation of privacy, plagiarism and copyright infringement. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement.
Circulation Audited By
Since 2003
By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
Three legal groups – the DeKalb Lawyers Association, the DeKalb Volunteer Lawyers Foundation and Atlanta Legal Aid – have each received $5,000 donations from DeKalb Superior Court Clarence Seeliger Judge Clarence Seeliger. “I did it again,” Seeliger said with a laugh on July 9. The latest round of donations, made in the last two months, bring to more than $75,000 the amount that Seeliger has donated since 2014 to the groups, which are helping to increase the ranks of minority lawyers, and providing legal representation to the indigent. Seeliger, who has been on the DeKalb bench for since 1980, first as a State Court judge and since 1985 as a Superior Court judge, began
donating to the groups instead of replacing his trusty 2002 Honda Accord. Attorney Mereda Davis-Johnson, a cofounder of the DeKalb Lawyers Association, said they appreciate Seeliger’s generosity. “His donations helps law students to obtain their law degrees,” said Davis-Johnson, who is also the DeKalb District 5 commissioner. “He is a generous person giving to a worthy cause and we challenge others to give so that students are not denied the opportunity to become lawyers because of a lack of funding.” At the group’s May 2018 Scholarship Breakfast, Seeliger pledged the latest $5,000 donation if DLA could raise a matching amount. “He pledged to do it if we could match it, and we did,” Davis Johnson said. Deborah Jackson, president of the nonprofit DLA Community and Education Fund, said Seeliger’s donations help to further the group’s mission of supporting law students.
“Law school is expensive and we are honored to receive the donations from Judge Seeliger who sees the value of work that we have been doing for 10 years,” she said. Toni Roberts, DeKalb Volunteer Lawyers Foundation’s executive director, said Seeliger’s donations has helped the nonprofit provide free legal services to 600 indigent clients a year. “He believes that low-income families and domestic violence victims should have access to justice,” she said. “And he has been consistent with his giving.” Angela Riccetti, managing attorney for Legal Aid DeKalb, said the office advised or represented more than 3,600 clients in 2017 and that they are grateful for Seeliger’s ongoing support. “Judge Seeliger has an enormous heart. The help of donors like Judge Seeliger is vital to our mission of serving the low-income citizens of DeKalb County with their civil legal needs,” she said.
Work ethic, enthusiasm keys to directors’ rapid ascents CRUISE,
from page
1
Quick climb to the top Thanks to a strong work ethic, FfrenchParker and Bevelle’s shipboard careers are going full speed ahead. Bevelle, who graduated from SWD in 2004, grew up with his mother, Pattie Bevelle, in the Sherwood Oaks subdivision off Kelley Chapel Road where she still lives. He attended neighborhood schools and, after graduating Southwest DeKalb, studied film and TV production at Alabama A&M University before returning home to South DeKalb. A natural showman, Bevelle worked for several years as a “man-on-the-street” reporter for DeKalb County TV, Channel 23, while also hosting and emceeing parties, concerts and other local events to help make ends meet. “At that point, I didn’t know anything about cruise ships and had no idea what a cruise director was,” Bevelle said. “Out of the blue, a friend of mine told me that Carnival was hiring and thought I might be interested.” Bevelle said he wasted no time. Following a job interview in Miami, Bevelle was hired on the spot and accepted an entrylevel position as a host on the Carnival Glory ship where he was mostly responsible for cajoling the guests into playing games and karaoke. Bevelle was a hit in that role and within three months, he was promoted to assistant cruise director – a big jump in a short time. Bevelle has worked for Carnival for seven years and was promoted to cruise director in 2014, a job that perfectly suits his over-the-top personality. Whether he’s donning a woman’s wig, dressing up like a Dr. Seuss character or sporting a fake mustache and Mexican sombrero, Bevelle said he’ll do almost anything to make sure guests have a great time when they’re on the ship. Nicknamed “The Reverend Dr. E.” for his preacherly onboard persona, Bevelle said, “I don’t see color when it comes to our guests. I see people who want to come together and have a good time.” Grueling schedule part of the job Despite holding glamorous titles and visiting scenic locales, Bevelle and Ffrench-Parker say their daily schedules are grueling compared to landlubbers who work 9-to-5 jobs with free weekends and holidays. As cruise directors, they’re responsible for a 24-7 operation that includes entertaining guests, managing staff, and handling administrative duties. There’s little time for sleep or recreation while they’re at sea. But Ffrench-Parker, who is the daughter of CrossRoadsNews owners Jennifer FfrenchParker and Curtis Parker, said she truly enjoys the challenge and the adrenaline rush of her exotic job. “I’m busy and it’s a lot of work but I love it,” Ffrench-Parker said. “I never imagined I would be doing this when I was growing up.”
Jami FfrenchParker (red dress) cavorts with members of Pride of America’s cruise staff – whose primary job is to make sure passengers have fun.
Like Bevelle, Ffrench-Parker also moved up the ranks very quickly. She joined the Pride of America as a server in the ship’s main dining room but by the end of her first five-month contract, she was lured to cruise staff and soon was managing the ship’s daily newsletter. In only her third year with Norwegian, Ffrench-Parker was promoted to cruise director in September 2017 and says she is now the youngest person to hold that position in the company’s fleet of 17 ships.
Eversen Bevelle dons “Cat in the Hat” attire as part of his entertainment repertoire.
She was raised in Chapel Lake subdivision off Wesley Chapel Road, a half a mile from where Bevelle grew up, and graduated from SWD in 2009. After high school, Ffrench-Parker studied hospitality at Georgia Southern University, worked at a couple of Atlanta restaurants, and for the Grand Hyatt hotel in Buckhead. She landed the cruise ship job when a family friend told her that Norwegian was hosting a recruitment event at the Ritz Carlton hotel, and on a lark went to check it out. “I always wanted to travel and work in hotels and resorts and a cruise ship is basically a hotel at sea,” Ffrench-Parker said. After training, Ffrench-Parker in June 2015 joined the crew of the Pride of America, a luxury liner with a capacity of nearly 2,200 passengers that sails the Hawaiian islands year-round. Although she described herself as a “shy and quiet girl with glasses and braces” as a teenager, Ffrench-Parker has flourished personally and professionally since going to sea. “I was never really someone to act crazy and let loose,” Ffrench-Parker said. “But I realized I had the personality and willingness to make people happy. Now I’m doing it on a mass scale. A lot of my superiors saw something in me that I didn’t.”
Make people have fun Creating fun-filled and lasting experiences for onboard guests is the best part of her job, Ffrench-Parker said. For the Fourth of July, she and her team hosted a Mr. and Ms. America show, hot dog and ice-cream eating contests, and water volleyball games with guests playing against ship officers decked out in their dresswhite uniforms. “When guests look back through their photo albums from the cruise, they’ll see pictures and have great memories of us,” she said. “The core essential of the job is to make people have fun, to break them out of their shell and help them make memories. It’s very heartwarming for me.” Ffrench-Parker and Bevelle say they don’t get seasick. But sometimes, they get a bit homesick. An upside to working as cruise directors is the six to eight weeks of vacation they’re allotted annually compared to just two weeks for most employees. The pair have both welcomed family members to enjoy cruises with them and usually spend at least some of their vacation with friends and relatives back in South DeKalb. Who knows? The seafaring Southwest DeKalb High graduates may someday even share the same port-of-call. “If we’re ever in Atlanta at the same time I would love to meet him,” Ffrench-Parker said of her fellow cruise director. “No matter where we go or what we do, we’re Panthers till we die.”
CrossRoadsNews
July 14, 2018
Youth
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The band will also perform at the Pearl Harbor Memorial and participate in wreath laying ceremonies on the USS Arizona Memorial.
Georgia State student collecting toys for children in the hospital
Southwest DeKalb’s 200-member band wants to go to Hawaii for the Nov. 23, 2018, Waikiki Parade of Lights commemorating the 77th anniversary of Japan’s attack on Dec. 7, 1941.
SWD Marching Panthers need help getting to Pearl Harbor for parade By Bryce Ethridge
Southwest DeKalb’s Marching Panthers band, which has performed across the United States and in Europe, now has Hawaii in its sights. The 200-member band wants to take its signature style to Honolulu to appear in the Nov. 23, 2018, Waikiki Parade of Lights commemorating the 77th anniversary of Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. The Marching Panthers, known as the “best band in the land,” will also perform at the Pearl Harbor Memorial and participate in wreath laying ceremonies on the USS Arizona Memorial, final resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors and Marines killed during the attack. The Arizona was one of five battleships sunk by the Japanese. The price tag for Nov. 17-24 trip is $450,000, and the band is turning to the community for help to make it possible. Stephen Seda, the Marching Panthers Band Booster Fundraising chair, said the “No Band Student Will Be Left Behind” trip will give band members a “historical perspective they’ll never forget.” “It is for these reasons that we reach out to our supporters and partners to request your help,” he said. Kimberly Hunter, Southwest DeKalb Band Booster president, said the students cannot get to Hawaii without the community’s support. “Your generous donation and sponsorship will be used to defray the costs that are incurred in supporting the band program,” she said. For decades now, the Marching Panthers have been able ambassadors, representing DeKalb County School District and South DeKalb nationally and abroad. In 2002, the Decatur school’s band
The band has performed before presidents, in parades at home and abroad, and in a movie.
performed at President George Bush’s inauguration in Washington, D.C. It has also strut its stuff at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in New York, the Rose Bowl in California, and in the Carnival of Flowers Parade in Nice, France. The band even made it onto the silver screen in 2002’s wildly popular “Drumline” movie, where band members sporting the school’s gold and navy blue uniforms comprised the movie’s “hero band.” Hunter said the band’s future success is reliant upon the community’s generosity and support. “I’m really hoping to take everyone,” she said. Donors can contribute money at www. gofundme.com/SWDBand or to $SWDband on Cash App. Items like shipping/airline services, frequent flyer miles, and breakfast for takeoff day can be delivered to the band room with email notification to swdbands@gmail. com. “Anything that anyone is able to provide, we’d really appreciate it,” Hunter said. The deadline for donations is Oct. 31. For more information, contact swdbands@gmail.com or call 404-933-3643.
Avani Patel launched a toy drive as part of her Perspectives course at GSU’s Perimeter campus because of her recollections of when she was hospitalized as an 11-year-old.
When Avani Patel was 11 years old and a middle-schooler, a diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma sent her to the hospital where she amused herself with toys and television. Patel remembers that donated toys helped her pass the time as she battled childhood leukemia at the Scottish Rite campus of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and she has always wanted to give back. “I always wanted to have a toy drive for the hospital, but the timing wasn’t right,” she said. To ensure that other children have toys to play with, Patel, now 19, launched a toy drive as part of her Perspectives course at GSU’s Perimeter campus. Professor Beth Wallace’s Perspectives course, “Diversity and Multiculturalism in Your Community,” gave her the platform to launch her toy drive. The class, which connects students to their communities, embraced the project and began collecting toys, which can be donated
Your PRIDE, South DeKalb!
Show ShowYour YourPRIDE, PRIDE, South DeKalb! South DeKalb! Show Your PRIDE, h Don’t Litter South DeKalb!
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New toys and games can be donated at all three of Georgia State’s campuses in DeKalb.
through July 17 to Wallace’s offices, Building CA Room 1110 on the Clarkston campus, and Building SA Room 2280 on the Decatur campus. Patel says the donated toys will be delivered July 18 to the Scottish Rite hospital. Because of germs and infection control, donated toys and games must be new. For more information, email apatel264@
The Marching Panthers, whose signature style has led to it being called the “best band in the land,” needs to raise $450,000 to make the trip to Honolulu.
h Mow, Trim & Paint h Don’t Litter h Clean to the Curb h Mow, Trim & Paint h Mow, Trim & Paint
h Clean to the Curb
h Clean to the Curb
Show Your PRIDE, South DeKalb!
MESSAGE ADSNEWS
A PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE FROM CROSSROADSNEWS
h Don’t Litter
h Mow, Trim & Paint
h Clean to the Curb
Show Your PRIDE,
A PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE FROM CROSSROADSNEWS
A PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE
A PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE
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Wellness
CrossRoadsNews
July 14, 2018
About 65 percent of men in Georgia who buy sex with young females do so in and around suburban and metro Atlanta.
Rowing enthusiasts can help pick river for 2019 Paddle Georgia By Bryce Ethridge
Paddling enthusiasts can help pick the 2019 Paddle Georgia destination with a visit to www.surveymonkey.com/r/PG2019destination. Six rivers – Upper Flint, Savannah, Withlacoochee, St. Mary’s, Oconee-Altamaha and Satilla – are on the list for the annual weeklong canoe/kayak camping adventure set for June 15-19, 2019. The event, believed to be the largest of its kind in the Southeast, will also celebrate Paddle Georgia’s 15th anniversary. Paddle Georgia, which launched in 2005, is funded by the Georgia River Network. Since its inception, it has introduced more than 4,500 people ages 2 to 82 to Georgia’s rivers. Joe Cook, Paddle Georgia coordinator,
“The purpose of the event is to raise awareness of our rivers,” he said. “When people explore a river and develop a relationship with it, they are much more likely to take action to protect our rivers.” This year, from June 6-22, more than 275 people floated down the Yellow River starting near Stone Mountain highlighting emerging recreational boating trails on the Yellow and Ocmulgee rivers. The 86-mile journey took paddlers – from across Georgia, nine other states and as far away as Australia – through Gwinnett, DeKalb, Rockdale and Newton counties on the Yellow River and then on to Macon via we wanted our supporters to have a say in the Ocmulgee River through Jasper, Butts, where we journeyed.” Monroe, Jones and Bibb counties. Cook said the event also offers particiFor more information, call Joe Cook at pants the opportunity to get to know their 706-409-0128 or email him at joecookpg@ environment. gmail.com. Cary Baxter of Perry navigates through Cedar Shoals on the Yellow River in Porterdale. He was one of 250 paddlers who participated in an 86-mile trip down the Yellow and Ocmulgee rivers during the June 16-22, 2018, Paddle Georgia.
said there are so many places to explore, so why not try something different. “With more than 70,000 miles of rivers and streams in the state, there’s no shortage of places to explore,” he said. “This year,
Hotlines for victims of sex trafficking Striders cut entry fee for 5K race By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
As human trafficking continues to be a big problem in metro Atlanta, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation wants victims to know that help is available. Victims and people who know someone being sold for sex or made/forced to work for little or no pay and cannot leave, can call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888. The statewide Georgia Hotline for Domestic Minor Trafficking is 1-844-842-3678. All victims of slavery and human trafficking have rights and are protected by international, federal and state law. The toll-free hotline, accessible in 170 languages, is available 24/7. It is anonymous
and confidential, and can provide help, referral to services, training, and general information. Metro Atlanta, including DeKalb County, is one of the top human trafficking destinations in the United States. In 2007, the sex trade generated $290 million in Atlanta and authorities say it has been steadily growing. Sex traffickers in Atlanta make an average of $33,000 per week. The average age of entry into the commercial sex market for girls in Georgia is 12 to 14 years. About 65 percent of men in Georgia who buy sex with young females do so in and around suburban and metro Atlanta, with 9 percent near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
By Bryce Ethridge
New and experienced runners can sign up now for the annual 5K for Hope and Health Race kicking off Aug. 25 at Georgia State University’s Decatur campus. The run, which is in its 25th year, is hosted by South DeKalb Striders, a 28-yearold running club. It will take place along the South River Trail. Leonard Broomfield, the Striders president, said walkers and runners don’t have to be members of the running club to participate and that this year, the club has halved the registration to $5 to encourage more people to participate. With the continued high incidence of heart disease and diabetes in the commu-
nity, Broomfield said the club felt it needs to do something to encourage more people to become more active. “This is a start to try and get people moving,” he said. Since inception, the 5K has raised thousands of dollars for Our House, a South DeKalb childhood education program and center for homeless families, and other charities. The race will begin at 8 a.m. Participants can compete in competitive races for prizes, or run at their own pace. Registration is open now at southdekalbstriders.org. GSU’s Decatur campus is at 3251 Panthersville Road in Decatur. For more information, contact southdekalbstriders@gmail.com or call Leonard Broomfield at 404-932-3660.
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“We, as visual artists, have omitted the visually impaired.”
LWSC’s ‘An Evening of Elegance’ celebrates with all manner of arts By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
Classes offered by the DeKalb Entertainment Commission are geared toward people who are interested in working in metro Atlanta’s growing entertainment industry.
Intro to movie industry classes for interested DeKalb residents DeKalb teens and adults interested in career in metro Atlanta’s growing entertainment industry can sample a range of workshops in film, television and digital media this summer and fall for a nominal fee. The classes, offered by the DeKalb Entertainment Commission, have limited space and registration is required. Workshops range from introduction to film business and writing a résumé to land an entertainment job, to movie production, script writing and budgeting, and renting
your home as a movie set. On Aug. 4, from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., participants can attend Intro to the Film Business 101, Starting a Career in the Film Business 102, and Resumes for Film and TV 103, at Discover DeKalb Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1957 Lakeside Parkway, Suite 510 in Tucker. For a list of classes/workshops, costs, course descriptions, and registration information, visit www.DeKalbEntertainment. com and www.atlantafilmsociety.org.
A harpist, a vocalist, an opera composer and a sassy saxophonist will headline “An Evening of Elegance” at Lou Walker Senior Center on July 19. The event, presented by Samuel O. Williams and the LWSC Theatre Arts Class, will feature versatile harpist Monica Hargrave, vocalist and actor Richard Morton, opera composer Sharon Willis and saxophonist Amarylis Sueing. It will also showcase the theatrical and artistic talents of the center’s theater arts students. Hargrave, whose repertoire ranges from Bach to Beethoven, has backed artists such as Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Johnny Mathis. Morton is known for his interpretation of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Willis, founder of Americolor Opera Alliance, is believed to be the only U.S. female who has composed, written, and directed more than 14 original operas. Sueing, who is associate professor of music at Morris Brown College, is also a dancer and actress. The show in The Victory Room Auditorium starts at 7 p.m. It will be preceded by a 5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. art exhibit, artist’s talk and reception in the center’s atrium. Williams, the theatre arts class instruc-
06/30, 07/07, 07/14, 07/21
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An art exhibition will include multimedia pieces that encourage touch and interaction.
tor, will present the artists’ talk to enlighten the audience about the different pieces on display. The exhibition will include highly textured multimedia pieces that encourage touch and interaction, especially by visually impaired. “We, as visual artists, have omitted the visually impaired,” Williams said. Lou Walker Senior Center is at 2538 Panola Road in Lithonia.
of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Ahishakiye Quinthia Dorcas. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within the time prescribed in OCGA 19-12-1(f)(2) and (3). Dated: May 01, 2018
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Civil Action Case Number: 18FM6546-1 Tabu Sophie filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on May 01, 2018 to change name(s) of the following minor child(ren) from: Tuliya Tabu to
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July 14, 2018
Family & Back-to-School Expo Saturday, July 21, 2018
Copyright © 2018 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
July 14, 2018
www.crossroadsnews.com
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Info, Fun For All The Ages
13th annual expo offers resources for families preparing for school year Noon to 5 p.m. • Lower Level • The Mall at Stonecrest ■ Free health screenings ■ Fashion show ■ Entertainment ■ Book Bag giveaways
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The expo takes place noon to 5 p.m. on the mall’s lower level between Dillard’s and First Class Barber Shop.
Annual expo is here to help families get ready
Established 1995 2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com
The 2018 Stonecrest Section is a publication of CrossRoadsNews Inc., South DeKalb’s awardwinning weekly newspaper. Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Staff Writer Jennifer Ffrench Parker Editorial Interns Rosie Manins Bryce Etheridge Multimedia Editor Sharif Williams The content, design and concept for CrossRoadsNews is copyrighted and no parts of it should be copied, reproduced or duplicated without the express written permission of the publisher.
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Yes, we know. It feels like school just let out for the summer, and here we are trying to remind you that the new school year is just around the corner. Well it is, and it’s time to start preparing, and here comes CrossRoadsNews’ 13th annual Family & Back-to-School Expo on July 21 to help you do it in style. Helping us stage the popular expo this year are our title sponsors, DeKalb County School District and Kaiser Permanente. They will be joined by nearly two dozen exhibitors – private and prep schools, medical centers, head start and tutoring programs, dance schools, the YMCA, and county government departments, a theater group, among others – who will have information and resources to help families execute a successful school year kicking off on Aug. 6 . Dr. R. Stephen Green, DCSD superintendent and CEO, who has not missed a Family & Back-to-School Expo since he joined the district in 2015, will bring greetings. Sponsors and exhibitors will share information about upcoming events they have, registration deadlines and specials and discounts for after school programs and extra-curricular activities. There will be book bag and school supplies giveaways and other prices and surprises. Expo goers who visit 15 or more of our exhibitors can enter to win a “fabulous” Back-to-School Gift Basket from the Mall at Stonecrest. Door prizes will include two boxes of groceries from the First Afrikan Church Food Pantry. The expo takes place noon to 5 p.m. on the mall’s lower level between Dillard’s and First Class Barber Shop. The Main Stage in front of Footlocker will feature performances by talented stu-
Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Kaiser Permanente, a title sponsor of the 2018 expo, will give away 200 book bags on a firstcome, first-served basis, as well as other school supplies.
dents including singers, authors, dancers, and cheerleaders from across metro Atlanta. Some of them are featured on the next seven pages of this section. The must-see Icon Models & Talent Fashion Show starts at 12:30 p.m. featuring kids from preschool to college in DeKalb, Fulton, Rockdale, Newton, and Gwinnett counties. If your kids don’t wear uniforms to school, you will get some ideas about how to keep stylish on a budget. Chef Asata Reid, who is passionate about
feeding growing bodies fresh and tasty foods, will be demonstrating one of her easy to make dishes from the Main Stage at 2:30 p.m. Kaiser Permanente Educational Theater will host a one-hour “Name That Stress!” game show from the Main Stage at 1:30 p.m. There will be fun, laughter and prizes. Kids and adults can take photos with DCSD mascots The Reading Ram and McGruff the Crime Dog. The mall is at I-20 and Turner Hill Road in Lithonia.
2018 Family & Back-to-School Expo Exhibitors & Grand Prize Entry Form Visit at least 15 of these exhibitors* at the 2018 Family & Back-to-School Expo and enter to win a Back-to-School Gift Basket from the Mall at Stonecrest. Drawing takes place on July 21, 2018, at 4:40 p.m. at the Main Stage in front of Footlocker on the lower level of the Mall at Stonecrest.
_____ AAA Auto Club South
_____ DeKalb County Tax Commissioner
_____ Kaiser Permanente of Georgia (Sponsor)
_____ Arete Preparatory School
_____ Discover DeKalb Convention & Visitor’s Bureau
_____ Kilombo Academic & Cultural Institute
_____ Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates
_____ Dream Stories Inc.
_____ MIMS Youth Association
_____ CDI Head Start Serving DeKalb and Rockdale
_____ First Afrikan CDC Food Pantry
_____ South DeKalb Family YMCA
_____ Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
_____ Georgia Stars Academy of Dance & More
_____ Oakhurst Medical Centers, Inc.
_____ CrossRoadsNews
_____ Icon Models & Talent
_____ Organization of DeKalb Educators
_____ DeKalb County School District (Sponsor)
_____ Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre
_____ World Financial Group (WFG)
_____ DeKalb County Solicitor General Name ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City _____________________________________________ E-mail_______________________________________________________________________ Home phone _________________________________________________ Cell ___________________________________________________________ * Eligible entries must be validated by at least 15 exhibitors and must include your complete name, address, e-mail address and telephone number. Employees and immediate family members of CrossRoadsNews and the Mall at Stonecrest are not eligible to win. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. You MUST be present to win.
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2018 Family & Back-to-School Expo Program Highlights July 21, 2018 • Noon to 5 p.m. • The Main Stage in front of FootLocker Lower Level, The Mall at Stonecrest Noon
Georgia Stars Tiny Stars Dance Team & Jr. Dance Company
12:30 p.m.
Icon Models & Talent Back-to-School Fashion Show
1: p.m.
Amari & Alana Johnson, vocalist & authors
1:30 p.m.
Kaiser Permanente Educational Theater
2:20 p.m.
MIMS Youth Association
2:30 p.m.
Healthy Food Demo with Chef Asata Reid
3: p.m.
Kingdom Worshippers Dance Ministry
3: 15 p.m.
Jr. M.G.T Drill Team
3:30 p.m.
Georgia Stars Academy of Dance Dazzling Gems Majorettes
4:p.m.
Conservatory of Dance
4:15 p.m.
Dr. R.Stephen Green, DeKalb County School District Superintendent & CEO
Jan Martin Emcee Chef Asata Reid
Georgia Stars Dance Team
Back-to-School Fashion Show
Kingdom Worshippers Dance Ministry MIMS Youth Assn.
4:40 p.m. Grand Prize Drawing 5 p.m.
Expo Ends
Jr. M.G.T Drill Team
Conservatory of Dance
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“We started dancing at family reunions. I was the one with the big family so we began entertaining everyone.”
Talented sisters to sign books, sing, read excerpts of their work
By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
Amari and Alana Johnson may be just 11 and 9, but please, don’t let their young years fool you. The sisters, who are rising seventh- and fifth-graders at Brookhaven Innovation Academy, are already published authors. Amari is also an accomplished singer who can belt out Whitney Houston’s “The Greatest Love” with the best of them. Both will perform from the Main Stage on July 21 at CrossRoadsNews’ annual Family & Back-to-School Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest. The noon to 5 p.m. expo will be on the mall’s lower level between Dillard’s and First Class Barber Shop. Big sister Amari’s book, “Set Free By Truth,” is about how Aleah and her friends survive an attack of robots in New York. She already has ideas for more books she plans for a series. Alana’s tome is “The Pig Who Became
Amari (right) and Alana Johnson, who attend Brookhaven Innovation Academy, are both published authors.
Special to CrossRoadsNews
President: A Story about Courage and Friendship.” It is about Freddy, a shy thirdgrader growing up on a farm in Gabby
Dance ministry to bring it at expo Some of Kingdom Worshippers Dance Ministry’s 100 members will perform at the annual Family & Back-to-School Expo on July 21.
Kingdom Worshippers Dance Ministry does not discriminate on talent and that is why its company is made up dancers who are 5 to 80 years old. Sabra Simon, who leads the ministry and is director of workshop arts at Living Faith Tabernacle in Forest Park, said 10 of the liturgical dance troupe’s 100 members will perform at CrossRoadNews’ annual Family & Back-to-School Expo on July 21 at the Mall at Stonecrest. Kingdom Worshippers Dance Ministry began three years ago at the 3,000-member church led by the Rev. Jeremy Tuck, but Simon and the 11 children she raised have been dancing for years. “We started dancing at family reunions,” she said. “I was the one with the big family so we began entertaining everyone.” From there, the family, which danced
under the name Third Generation, began performing at homeless shelters, at Toys for Tots events, and at pastors’ anniversaries. Her six boys and five girls are now 18 to 42 years and no longer perform. But daughter Crystal is Kingdom Worshippers’ choreographer. From the expo’s Main Stage in front of Footlocker on the mall’s lower level, Kingdom Worshippers dancers will perform to Tasha Cobbs’ “Your Spirit” and to Jekalyn Carr’s “Young People Cry” mixed mime piece, and “Trust You” by Anthony Brown. The Family & Back-to-School Expo takes place noon to 5 p.m. between Dillard’s and First Class Barber Shop. The mall is at I-20 and Turner Hill Road in Lithonia. For more information, call 404-284-1888.
Land, who believes that if he could become president of Calpernia, he could really bring a positive change his community. The dynamic duo, who live in Southwest Atlanta with their parents Alan and Veronica, penned their books in 2017. Both were published in May 2017 by Atlantabased The Solid Foundation Group and are available in paperback and on Kindle at amazon.com.
The Johnsons said Amari began reading at 22 months old. An “A” student, she grew up making regular entries in her journals, and when she is not writing, she plays three instruments: violin, piano and recorder. A member of the Junior Beta Club and Duke University’s Talented and Gifted program, Amari wants to be a judge when she grows up. She also sings in the youth choir at Elizabeth Baptist Church in Atlanta and will pay tribute to Houston from the expo Main Stage in front of Footlocker at 1 p.m. Often described as “mature beyond her years,” Amari is passionate about helping those who are less fortunate and she volunteers around metro Atlanta. Little sister Alana, who will read an excerpt from her book at the expo, loves “family nights,” card games and all forms of electronics. The Family & Back-to-School Expo, which is in its 13th year, showcases talented students singing, dancing and more, and will get kids excited for the start of the 2018-2019 school year, which begins Aug. 6 in DeKalb County. The mall is at I-20 and Turner Hill Road in Lithonia. For more information, call 404-2841888.
Book bag, school supplies giveaway Kaiser Permanente will give away 200 book bags on a first-come, first-serve basis, as well as pens, pencils, crayons, notebook paper and other supplies.
Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Clear book bags and school supplies will be available at CrossRoadsNews’ annual Family & Back-to-School Expo to help parents stretch their dollars. Kaiser Permanente, a title sponsor of the July 21, 2018, expo, will have 200 book bags available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
6th Annual
SENIORS
It will also offer pens, pencils, crayons, notebook paper, composition books and hand sanitizer to students preparing for the new school year, which starts Aug. 6. The expo, which is in its 13th year, takes place noon to 5 p.m. on the lower level of the Mall at Stonecrest.
October 13, 2018 Noon - 5 p.m. at the Mall at Stonecrest
Exhibitors • Screenings • Entertainment
Limited number of sponsorships available. Call 404-284-1888 to confirm your participation.
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Reynolds also teaches basic and advanced modeling classes at the Lou Walker Senior Center in Lithonia.
Fashion show to offer stylish ideas for dressing kids for school The Back-toSchool Fashion Show models come from 19 elementary, middle and high schools and colleges from across DeKalb, Fulton, Rockdale, Newton and Gwinette counties.
Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Curtis Parker/ CrossRoadsNews
The Back-to-School Fashion Show on the Main Stage in front of Footlocker on the mall’s lower level, will feature dozens of students from preschool to college.
Parents can get fresh ideas about dressing their kids for the new school year at CrossRoadsNews’ 13th annual Family & Back-to-School Expo on July 21 at the Mall at Stonecrest. One of the highlights of the noon to 5 p.m. expo is the Back-to-School Fashion Show, choreographed by Icon Models & Talent director Jan Reynolds. The show, which kicks off at 12:30 p.m. on the Main Stage in front of Footlocker on the mall’s lower level, will feature dozens of students from preschool to college showcasing the latest fashions from Dillard’s and Ashley Stewart stores at the mall. Reynolds, a former Miss Black Missouri, said the fashion show will offer parents stylish and affordable ideas to dress their children for school, if they don’t wear uniforms to school.
Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews
The models, who come from 19 elemen- Icon Models & Talent director Jan Reynolds will choreograph her fifth fashion show for tary, middle and high schools and colleges CrossRoadsNews’ community expos. from across DeKalb, Fulton, Rockdale, Newton and Gwinette counties. Some have graced the expo stage in 2017 and 2016. “We will also have some new models this year,” Reynolds said. Reynolds who runs modeling, choreography and pageant courses for men and women ages 3 to 80, also teaches basic and advanced modeling classes at the Lou Walker Senior Center in Lithonia. This is her fifth time choreographing fashion shows for CrossRoadsNews Community Expos. She will also choreograph the Oct. 13 Senior/Baby Boomers Expo. The Mall at Stonecrest is at Turner Hill Road and I-20. For more information, call 404-2841888.
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During the fast-paced, interactive workshop, the audience will learn why we have stress and ways to manage it.
Live game show to help take on Do you know how much stress with laughter and prizes Sugar is really in that drink Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre focuses on topics such as stress, healthy eating and active living, grief management, and social/ emotional learning
Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Kids and adults can learn strategies to cope with stress with a fun game show at the July 21 Family and Back-to-School Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest. The hourlong “Name That Stress!” – presented by Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre Programs – will be on the Main Stage across from Footlocker at 1:30 p.m. During the fast-paced, interactive workshop, the audience will learn why we
have stress, how our bodies react to it, and ways to manage it – all while earning prizes and having a few laughs. Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre Programs, a community service of Kaiser Foundation Health Plans, was founded in 1995. It educates, motivates and entertains audiences through theatre and health education. The program has reached 2 million people, from preschool through senior adults.
Oakhurst offering free screenings Oakhurst Medical Centers will offer free screenings for diabetes and hypertension at CrossRoadsNews’ 13th annual Family & Back to School Expo on July 21 at the Mall at Stonecrest. Both diseases disproportionately afflict African Americans. Hypertension, which often has no symptoms, is called the silent killer. The only way to determine if your blood pressure is high
is to test it. Physicians say that prolonged hypertension can lead to stroke. The expo, sponsored by DeKalb County School District and Kaiser Permanente, takes place noon to 5 p.m. on the lower level of the Mall at Stonecrest between Dillard’s and First Class Barber Shop. For more information, call 404-2841888.
The amount of sugar in bottled and can drinks can vary wildly. Expo patrons will get to guess just how much sugar are in their favorite beverage at CHOA’s table.
Soft drinks are popular, but do we really know how much sugar we are consuming when we down a can of soda or a bottled juice? Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding will help parents and kids get to the bottom of the sugar mystery with its Sugar Sweetened Beverage Demonstration at CrossRoadsNews’ Family & Backto-School Expo on July 21 at the Mall at Stonecrest. The demonstration from their table on the mall’s lower level will show just how much sugar is in popular drinks, even those people think of as healthy.
Participants may just walk way from the demo convinced that plain water and milk are the best drinks to keep them hydrated and energized. CHOA is one of more than a dozen exhibitors who will offer information and resources to help get children excited about the new school year, and help parents prepare for sending children back to school in a few weeks. The expo is noon to 5 p.m. The Mall at Stonecrest is at Turner Hill Road and I-20. For more information, call 404-2841888.
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Good Health
is just around the corner
Now it’s easier than ever to enjoy good health in DeKalb County. :LWK ƓYH .DLVHU 3HUPDQHQWH PHGLFDO FHQWHUV LQ WKH DUHD FRQYHQLHQW FDUH IURP JUHDW GRFWRUV LV FORVH WR KRPH RU ZRUN Enroll in a Kaiser Permanente health plan, and you’ll learn how Kaiser Permanente brings care and coverage together to help our DeKalb County members thrive.
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