Seniors/Baby Boomer Expo Oct. 17, 2015 • The Mall at Stonecrest Copyright © 2014 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
October 10, 2015
www.crossroadsnews.com
Section B
Living Life to the Fullest
The 50-plus crowd will be dancing, performing and having a good time at the annual CrossRoadsNews expo at the Mall at Stonecrest that celebrates their style, wit, activity and creativity.
Seasoned people squeezing the best out of life The baby boomers will be in the house on Oct. 17 when the third annual CrossRoadsNews Seniors & Baby Boomer Expo rolls into the Mall at Stonecrest. It’s going to be a day to remember. These 50-plus men and women are not the sitting-in-the-rocking-chair types. They like to strut their stuff on stage and off, and they will be modeling, “Electric Sliding,” ballroom dancing, hoofing, and shaking the booties they still have. The expo, which takes place noon to 5 p.m. on the lower level of the Lithonia mall, also will feature fitness demos with Rae Rae
“the Exercise Motivator” Clark. Hold on to your bonnet when those saucy seniors begin strutting down the runway in the latest fall fashions from Macy’s, Sears and Zoom de Italy. Life Chef Asata Reid, who has been changing the world one meal at a time, will be cooking up something simple, tasty and oh so healthy. Nearly two dozen exhibitors who serve seniors will have information, resources and giveaways. And of course, the Main Stage, near Sears, will be rocking with entertainment all day.
Expo co-sponsor Kaiser Permanente will have information about Medicare enrollment. Oakhurst Medical will have information about Affordable Care Act enrollment, which opens again on Nov. 1. There will be free health screenings for hypertension and diabetes. And one lucky expo-goer who visits at least 15 expo exhibitors will win a “Fabulous Fall Basket” compliments of the Mall at Stonecrest. Come early, stay all day. It’s going to a blast!
Nearly two dozen exhibitors ranging from medical centers, senior centers, county government departments, colleges, and other groups and organizations that serve seniors will offer information, resources and health screenings for hypertension and diabetes at the Oct. 17 Seniors & Baby Boomer Expo that takes place noon to 5 p.m. on the lower level of the Mall at Stonecrest between Dillard’s and Kohl’s.
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2015 Seniors/Baby Boomer Expo Exhibitors & Grand Prize Entry Form
2346 Candler Road Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007
Visit at least 15 of these exhibitors* at the 2015 Seniors/Baby Boomer Expo and enter to win a Fabulous Fall Harvest Basket from the Mall at Stonecrest. The drawing takes place on October 17, 2015, at 4:40 p.m. at the Main Stage in front of Sears on the lower level of the Mall at Stonecrest. _____ AARP
_____ DeKalb County District Attorney
_____ JenCare
_____ Atlanta Center for Medical Research
_____ DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office
_____ Kaiser Permanente
_____ Atlanta Gastroenterology
_____ DeKalb County Sanitation Division
_____ Kennedy Memorial Gardens
_____ Central Auto Sales
_____ DeKalb Medical
_____ Lou Walker Senior Center
_____ CrossRoadsNews
_____ Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority
_____ Oakhurst Medical
_____ DeKalb Board of Health
_____ Georgia Dept. of Community Affairs
_____ Thomas Eye Group
_____ DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court
_____ Georgia Piedmont Technical College
_____ WellCare
Name ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________________________________________ City ____________________________________________________ State __________ ZIP ___________-__________ Email____________________________________________________________________________________________ Home phone _____________________________________ Cell __________________________________________ * Eligible entries must be validated by at least 15 exhibitors and must include your complete name, address, email address and telephone number. Employees and immediate family members of CrossRoadsNews, Kaiser Permanente 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.
www.CrossRoadsNews.com editor@CrossRoadsNews.com The Seniors/Baby Boomer Expo Special Section is a publication of CrossRoadsNews, Atlanta’s award-winning weekly newspaper. Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Graphics Editor Curtis Parker Reporters Jennifer Ffrench Parker Donna Williams Lewis Copy Editor Brenda Yarbrough 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 © 2015 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reprinted without written permission of the publisher.
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www.thefdha.org
Sharing Resources and Solutions to End Violence in Our Communities Please join us for The FDHA’s 4th Annual Health Summit Free Admission
October 28, 2015 - Hyatt Regency, Downtown Atlanta 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Please register at: https://thefdhahealthsummit.eventbrite.com You can also find us on
#FDHA
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October 10, 2015
Expo
2015 Seniors/Baby Boomer Expo Program Highlights October 17, 2015 • Noon to 5 p.m. • The Main Stage in front of Sears Lower Level, The Mall at Stonecrest 12:30 p.m.
Warm-up With Exercise Motivator Rae Rae
12:45 p.m.
The Highlighters
1 p.m. Jay White, Tap Dancer 1:30 p.m. 2 p.m.
Ballroom dancers Ken Wilson & Diane Gilliard
The Highlighters
Fashion Show featuring styles from Macy’s, Sears and Zoom de Italy
2:15 p.m.
Healthy Food Demo With Life Chef Asata Reid
3 p.m.
Lou Walker Dance Troupe
3:15 p.m.
Ballroom dancers Johnny Kimbrough & Angela Sanford
3:30 p.m.
Footsteps Tap Ensemble
3:45 p.m.
A Different Flava Dance Group
4 p.m.
Beulah Boys
4:30 p.m.
Line Dance-off
4:40 p.m.
Grand Prize Drawing
5 p.m.
Expo Ends
Rae Rae
Fashion Show
Chef Asata
Footsteps Tap Ensemble
Ken Wilson & Diane Gilliard
A Different Flava
Lou Walker Dance Troupe
Beulah Boys
DEKALB COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Office of Senior Affairs
Celebrates the Seniority of Life The Office of Senior Affairs functions as an information clearing house for DeKalb County Seniors and their family members/caregivers. Information & Referral Specialists provide up-to-date information to callers about services (Home delivered meals, congregate meals, transportation, case management & more) obtained through DeKalb County Office of Senior Affairs’ Link Line or other agencies and organizations. To receive information or assistance, please contact us!
Phone: (770) 322-2950 • Fax: (770) 322-2962 Located inside the Lou Walker Senior Center 2538 Panola Road Lithonia, GA 30058
Let’s Keep Seniors of DeKalb County Active! Please visit our other Senior Centers Central DeKalb Senior Center 1346 McConnell Drive Decatur, GA 30033 (770) 492-5461 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
DeKalb/Atlanta Senior Center 25 Warren Street Atlanta, GA 30317 (404) 370-7297 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Lithonia Senior Center 2484 Bruce Street Lithonia, GA 30058 (770) 482-0402 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
North DeKalb Senior Center 5238 Peachtree Rd. Chamblee, GA 30341 (770) 455-7602 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
South DeKalb Senior Center 1931 Candler Road Decatur, GA 30032 (404) 284-4865 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
We don’t Retire, We ReFire Join us for a Medicare Open Enrollment Expo Wednesday, October 28, 2015 10:00am-3:00pm
Weekday Classes: Monday- Friday 8:30am-5:00pm Physical Fitness/ Dance/Aquatics/ Technology/ Fine Arts/ Photography and a variety of other classes, clubs and groups
Contact us at (770) 322-2900
2538 Panola Rd., Lithonia, GA 30058 We also have rental space for birthday parties, weddings and other special events!
Contact our Events Coordinator at (770) 322-2939
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CrossRoadsNews
October 10, 2015
It’s never too late to start, or renew, good dietary habits. The road to success is built on a foundation of solid planning.
Eating healthy for life includes these seven simple tips Make small changes and good choices for healthier eating – use smaller plates and trim portion size, say no to sodas, and limit salt consumption.
Like most successful ventures in life, good health is an accumulation of good habits. Over the years, it’s easy for us to slide into bad habits because of busy schedules, information overload or emotional triggers, all of which contribute to less-than-stellar eating choices. But it’s never too late to start, or renew, good dietary habits, and these simple changes can ensure that you have a lifetime of healthy eating while still enjoying the foods you love. The road to success is built on a foundation of solid planning, and with these easy habits below in place, you will be well on your way to making small changes and good choices that can add up to a lifetime of healthy eating.
safflower oil, and fatty fish. These are often called “good” fats because they can help lower your total cholesterol level. We need to limit our intake of saturated fats, which can increase total cholesterol and LDL and may boost your type 2 diabetes risk. Meat, seafood and dairy products are the most common sources of saturated fat intake. Some plant foods, like palm and coconut oil, also contain saturated fats. The Dietary Guidelines recommends that no more than 10 percent of total calories come from saturated fat.
Cut the salt Hypertension runs rampant in our community, meaning many of us are what we like to call “salt sensitive.” The USDA recommends most adults limit their sodium intake to less than 2,400 milligrams per day – or approximately 1 teaspoon. An excess of that amount can lead to high blood pressure, which affects one in four Americans and can lead to heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. However, there is a large percent of the population considered at high risk for high blood pressure. African-Americans; people with high blood pressure, existing heart disease, diabetes or kidney disease; or those over the age of 51 should limit their sodium intake even further to 1,500 milligrams per day. The American Heart Association notes that if Americans cut their sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams per day, cases of high blood pressure would decrease by 26 percent. Cut the sugar If you have a sweet tooth, you are not alone. Humans are hard-wired to like sweets, and even seek them out, because our brain runs on glucose. However, the American Heart Association recommends women consume no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day (or about 100 calories). Most American adults consume at least twice that amount daily, and unfortunately that can increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, weight gain and tooth decay. To cut back on sugar, consider taking these steps: n Read labels. If an item’s total sugar content is over 22.5g per 100g, it is high in sugar. Anything under 5g per 100g is low. n Learn sugar’s aliases: sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, fruit juice, molasses, hydrolyzed starch, invert sugar, corn syrup and honey. n Buy unsweetened: Yogurt, tea, applesauce, nut butters and canned fruit are all available in unsweetened versions. n Gradually reduce the amount of added sugar to your coffee, tea, cereal, oatmeal or other foods and beverages that you normally
sweeten. n Add more flavor. Use citrus zest, vanilla extract, cinnamon and other spices to boost the flavor of your coffee, beverages and desserts. n Watch your drinks. Juice, soda and “enhanced waters” are all high in sugar. Dietitians recommend 4 ounces of juice per day.
Nix processed foods Any food that has been altered from its natural state in some way, either for safety reasons or convenience, is considered processed, and while processed foods aren’t necessarily unhealthy, they may contain added salt, sugar and fat. These ingredients are sometimes added to foods to make their flavor more appealing and to prolong their shelf life, or in some cases to contribute to the food’s structure, such as salt in bread or sugar in cakes. This can lead to people eating more than the recommended amounts for these additives, as they may not be aware of how much has been added to the food they are buying and eating. Make a shift toward eating more whole foods – foods that are found in their natural form. Yes, that may mean you find yourself in chef mode more often, but
Shrink your portions Over the past few decades, regular portions in America have swollen to double and triple their size. No wonder our bellies have done the same! Many adults carry over the habit of eating everything on their plate, left over from the childhood “Clean Plate Club.” That’s actually a bad habit if you are filling up the now-standard 12-inch dinner plate. Start trimming your waistline by trimming your portion size. Start off by using smaller plates, then make sure half of your plate is filled with fruits and vegetables. The other half should this way you’ll be able to control what’s in be split between protein and grain-based foods (half of which should be whole grains). your food and how it affects your body. For more ideas, explore the USDA My Plate program at www.myplate.gov. Ease off the meat Studies have shown that a diet high in red and processed meat (regularly eating more Say ‘no’ to soda There are no health benefits to drinkthan 3 ounces a day) also has been linked ing soda. None. So save yourself the empty to an increased risk of bowel cancer. That’s just the size of a deck of playing cards! Some calories, potential tooth enamel damage, and studies also have shown that eating a large cocktail of mystery chemicals by sipping on amount of processed meat, like deli meats, something healthier. The same holds true of precooked meats, and meats found in snacks “sports drinks” and enhanced waters, which like beef jerky and Lunchables, may be linked are all laden with sugar, sugar substitutes, soto a higher risk of cancer or heart disease. Try dium and preservatives. Fruits and vegetables smaller portions of meat at mealtimes, and contain plenty of electrolytes, as does milk. consider participating in the international So how about a post-workout treat of yogurt Meatless Monday movement for meals that with granola and fresh citrus fruit? That not only replenishes your electrolytes, but also are deliciously vegetarian. provides carbohydrates and protein, both of which are needed after a good workout to Switch to ‘good’ fats According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines help rebuild tissues and energy stores. Life Chef Asata Reid is making the world for Americans (the updated 2015 version a healthier place, one plate at a time. Join is due out this year), adults should get 20 percent to 35 percent of their calories from her in the delicious, life-affirming revolution fat. Generally, we’re striving to get more poly- where we cook with joy, dine with pleasure and unsaturated fats, which are rich in omega-3 celebrate life! Visit her at www.lifechef.net and and omega-6 fatty acids and are found in www.youtube.com/chefasata and follow her at nuts, seeds, vegetable oils such as corn and Twitter/ChefAsata and Facebook/LifeChef.
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Expo
“Dancing has always been a passion of mine. Back in the day, I was at the club winning dance competitions.”
Friends bring ‘A Different Flava’ to favorite music DeKalb Mo bile Farmers M arket Dates and Times Th ru Oct. 2 3
Tuesdays
10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Exchange Park Recreation Center, 2771 Columbia Dr., Decatur 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Mainstreet Community Assoc., 5001 Mainstreet Park Dr, Stone Mountain
Wednesdays
10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Hairston Lake Apartments, 1023 North Hairston Road, Stone Mountain 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Spring Chase II, 4947 Memorial Drive, Stone Mountain 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Downtown Lithonia, 6861 Main St. Lithonia
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Fridays
9 a.m. – 11 a.m. DeKalb County Extension, 4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur
Cash, Credit, Debit, and EBT cards are accepted. For more information, call DeKalb County Extension at 404-298-4080
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Providing quality, affordable, and culturally sensitive healthcare for more than 30 years.
A Different Flava – Dorothy Wright (from left), Renita Stultz, Clovis Clark, and Marilyn Thomas – performs at 3:45 p.m. on Oct. 17 on the Main Stage near Sears.
By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
Like many of their peers, Dorothy Wright and her three dancing buddies – Renita Stultz, Clovis Clark and Marilyn Thomas – love to line dance. They go crazy over “The Electric Slide,” “Cupid Shuffle” and other music of that ilk, but when they thought of forming another dance group based at the Lou Walker Senior Center in Lithonia, they didn’t want to do the same ole, same ole. “We wanted to do something a little different,” said Wright, 69. So she and Stultz, 62; Thomas, 65; and “the baby” of the group, Clark, 57, came up with A Different Flava. “We do some line dancing, some pantomiming and a lot of interpretative moves,” said Wright, who lives in Lithonia. Stultz and Thomas are from Stone Mountain and Clark is from Decatur. The four met at the Lou Walker Senior Center where they have been members for two to four years. Since they formed A Different Flava a year ago, they have performed at events at the
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Lou Walker Senior Center, at family reunions and at a domestic violence awareness event. On Oct. 17, they will show their “flava” at the CrossRoadsNews 2015 Seniors & Baby Boomer Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest. A Different Flava will be on the Main Stage near Sears at 3:45 p.m. Only Clark, a registered nurse who works part time, is not retired. Wright said they got the idea for the group while attending the 2013 DeKalb Senior Olympics and felt a little left out because they weren’t in a dance group. “Dancing has always been a passion of mine,” Wright said. “Back in the day, I was at the club winning dance competitions.” Once she retired, she said she began to do all the things she had been putting off, including wanting to be in a dance group. “You begin to realize that you better get it done,” she said. “It’s now or never.” The Seniors & Baby Boomer Expo takes place noon to 5 p.m. The Mall at Stonecrest is at Turner Hill Road and I-20. For more information, call 404-284-1888.
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October 10, 2015
Expo
“The seniors, they like to see men shake their butts. So with what little butt we have left, we have to do that.”
It’s official – Beulah Boys’ moves are the best in nation By Donna Williams Lewis
The Beulah Boys sure didn’t get the retirement memo. Over the past six years, the Decatur line dance group in black cowboy hats has become some of the hardest-working men in local show business. Members who range in age from 61 to 75 practice three days a week. On days they’re not practicing, they are usually performing, gaining fame across the city and beyond. This summer, their stardom soared when they took first place in the line dance division of the 2015 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival representing the Atlanta VA Medical Center. Nick Bowers, the group’s spokesman, said the honor was “so surreal,” particularly for the veterans among them. “We had to send different videos of us performing at different events. I guess they thought these young men are really doing something here,” he said. “Yeah, but you ought to see how we be aching when we wake up in the morning.” The Beulah Boys, regulars at the CrossRoadsNews Community Expos at the Mall at Stonecrest in Lithonia, will be back with their silky smooth, syncopated steps at the Oct. 17 Seniors & Baby Boomer Expo. They will be on the Main Stage near Sears at 4 p.m. Bowers, the youngest member and the only non-retiree, says they dance for any age group. “But our biggest thrill is dancing for seniors because that’s who we are.” The Beulah Boys are crowd-pleasing and crowd-teasing. Bowers said they plan to ramp up the R&B for the expo that celebrates the 50-plus crowd with fitness and healthy cook-
The Beulah Boys, perennial crowd-pleasers, will perform at 4 p.m. on Oct. 17 on the Main Stage near Sears at the Mall at Stonecrest in Lithonia.
Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews
ing demos, health screenings, giveaways and performances from noon to 5 p.m. on the lower level. “The seniors, they like to see men shake their butts,” he said, laughing. “So with what little butt we have left, we have to do that.” They practice at Beulah Missionary Baptist, where Jan Martin is their instructor, emcee and chief cheerleader. She gets crowds ready to be wowed by the Beulah Boys: Winston Nick “Fireman No. 1” Bowers, 61, and Hubert “Zydeco Jack” Jackson, 75, of Lithonia; Mack “Chocolate Man” Cook, 62, and Chico “Charmin’ Chico” Hill, 66, of Ellenwood; Jerry “Fireman No. 2” Heard, 66, and Rufus “Primetime” McWhorter, 60, of Decatur; Leon “DJ Bosco” Nolton, 63, of McDonough; William “Q Dog” Rogers, 72, of Gresham Park; and Sam “Sandman” Swain, 73, of East Lake. More than half of the group has been together since the start. Cook and McWorthy
are the very recent additions. Women have thrown money on their stages and have tried to jump onstage with them. Some fans have even gotten a little loose with their hands. But that’s all in a day’s work. “They’re just having fun and we understand that,” Bowers said. “You really have to have a special better half to do this.” That’s not just because of the attention they get – these guys are always on the run. They perform at nursing homes through the week and have performed four times at Georgia Regional Hospital. Every Saturday, they’re out doing parties and other events. Meanwhile, calls from churches are beginning to pour in. “Now that people have seen us do line dances to gospel music, we’re locking down our Sundays,” Bowers said. The expo performance is one of four gigs they are committed to on Oct. 17.
They’ll zigzag across metro Atlanta with an 80th birthday party in East Point at noon, a Heart-Burn Foundation charity event at 7 p.m. in Fayetteville, and a Howard High class reunion at 10 p.m. in downtown Atlanta. “We’re old men. We remember that,” Bowers said. “So the Sunday after, don’t call us for nothing.” On Oct. 31, they will be in Jackson, Miss., for a Senior Ball. In the past year, they have expanded from seven to nine members so that every Beulah Boy won’t have to go to every event. But most of them do anyway. “Our oldest member definitely will do that, and he’ll be 76 in a few days,” Bowers said. “I don’t ever tell him this, but Mr. Jackson inspires me. He doesn’t miss a practice. He doesn’t miss an event, and he doesn’t complain.” Chauncy Rozier, a recreation therapist at the VA Center, was captivated when she saw the Beulah Boys perform at an event a couple of years ago. She asked them to perform at the center and, after they did, to return. “I can’t walk the halls without people asking me when the Beulah Boys are coming back,” Rozier said. When she found out that three were veterans – Heard (Marine Corps) and Jackson and Rogers (both Army) – Rozier set out on a mission. A flurry of government paperwork and video submissions that began in January ended with the thrilling news of their national VA award in July. “I think the Beulah Boys are fantastic. We couldn’t ask for a better group to represent us,” Rozier said. “When I saw them, I thought they could bring us to gold and that’s exactly what they did.”
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CrossRoads News 2015 Seniors & Baby Boomers
Expo Stonecrest Mall
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October 10, 2015
“You learn it one step at a time. A lot of times, with seniors, I’ll say go right. If they go left, I’ll say, no, your other right.”
Lou Walker Dance Troupe to ‘swagger’ at Senior Expo By Donna Williams Lewis
The Lou Walker Senior Center Dance Troupe is showing old and young alike that it’s cool to be a senior. “So many people want to join us,” said J.D. Hall, the troupe’s instructor. “I tell them you have to be 55. They say, ‘I’m working on it!’ I just thank the Lord every day that I can put a smile on people’s faces.” The members of the mostly female dance troupe of about 25 are “fabulous,” Hall said. “They love dancing. They bring on energy. They each have their own swagger.” And they range in age from 60 to 75. They perform regularly at Lou Walker and have taken their show on the road to nursing homes, schools and county events. They have even hit a nightclub stage, but nightlife isn’t really their thing, Hall said. “We don’t do that much clubbing. We don’t do that kind of work,” he said, laughing. “We’re seniors. We need to go home.” On Oct. 17, the line dancers will prove how well they can move at the CrossRoadsNews 2015 Seniors & Baby Boomer Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest. The annual expo that celebrates the 50-plus crowd takes place noon to 5 p.m. on the mall’s lower level. The Lou Walker Dance Troupe will be on the Main Stage near Sears at 3 p.m. Dancing through rain – as they did at the Heart of South DeKalb Festival at the Gallery at South DeKalb on Sept. 26 – or shine, nothing stops these dancers’ show. Nothing, that is, except Hall, a retired Norfolk Southern freight train conductor who has taught line dance since 2008. Hall has been known to stop the show when a dancer gets too far out of line. After a pause that refreshes, the troupe gets right
J.D. Hall (left back row) and the Lou Walker Dance Troupe will perform at 3 p.m. on Oct. 17 on the Main Stage near Sears.
Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews
back to stepping. Hall got tickled remembering the kid who piped up after one such incident, “Grandma, you messed up!” While he takes performing seriously, Hall says line dancing is really all about having fun. If you’re afraid to “Get in there, yeah, yeah,” you’re definitely not alone. Hall says don’t be intimidated. “You learn it one step at a time,” he said. “A lot of times, with seniors, I’ll say go right. If they go left, I’ll say, no, your other right. Or the right right.” “If you can walk,” he said, “you can dance.” Known on stage as “J Smooth,” Hall may be his own best example. He’s got COPD and asthma and has undergone three heart
We’ve moved!
procedures just this year. “I cooled down a little bit but most of the time I’m dancing,” said Hall, 70. “Dancing is a blessing to me.” His wife of 16 years, Conneva, teases him that he won’t go anywhere unless dancing’s on the agenda. Lately, the dance troupe has been fielding some surprising invitations. Among them was a bit of a shocker, a funeral. The service was for a member of Lou Walker Center, an 80-something who volunteered there as a disc jockey. His girlfriend told Hall the man loved watching the dance troupe perform. “I felt reluctant to do a funeral,” Hall said, “but that’s what they said they wanted.” So that’s what they did – a line dance,
performed to the song “Wade in the Water.” There’s a potentially really big gig on the horizon. The troupe was performing at a health fair at Saint Philip AME Church on Candler Road when they were spotted by Amber Pannell, an ad exec from the Atlanta Dream women’s basketball team. Pannell was so impressed that she asked the troupe to consider doing a pre-game or halftime performance. Negotiations may soon be under way. In the meantime, Lou Walker Dance Troupe members keep on spreading joy at home and abroad. Hall had his mind on a niece’s wedding he was soon to attend in North Carolina and shared one thing she told him: “Unc, bring your dancing shoes.”
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If you’re 50 or older, a screening colonoscopy is just what the doctor ordered. The truth is, when detected in its early stages, colon cancer is one of the most highly treatable and preventable cancers. And the risk of getting colon cancer increases with age. Remember – anyone can be diagnosed with the disease – men or women, any ethnicity. Even you. Let the specialists at Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates help you stay healthy. For more information, call the office nearest you or talk to your primary care physician. Conyers 678.745.3033
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www.atlantagastro.com • 1.866.GO.TO.AGA AGA is a participating provider for Medicare, Medicaid and most healthcare plans offered in Georgia.
October 10, 2015
CrossRoadsNews
ARE YOU A LIFELONG LEARNER? Is there a skill or degree you want to obtain? Georgia Piedmont Technical College is where the pursuit for knowledge never ends. • Affordable • Flexible Class and Online Schedule • Numerous High Demand Programs to Choose From Georgia residents over sixty-two (62) years of age who are otherwise qualified may attend Technical Colleges for credit courses only without payment of tuition on a space available basis.
Robert Knox, Georgia Piedmont Technical College (GPTC) 2014 GOAL Award Winner and CIS (Computer Support Specialist) student speaks at GPTC 2014 Commencement Ceremony.
Visit our website at www.gptc.edu or call (404) 297-9522 for additional information. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY INSTITUTION
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Expo
CrossRoadsNews
October 10, 2015
“Our goal is to entertain, to encourage, and to be an example that we should keep active in our golden years.”
Footsteps Tap Ensemble debuting classic ‘hoofing’ tap at expo By Donna Williams Lewis
By day, Vicki Carmichael taps into kids’ brains as an ESOL teacher at Doraville’s Cary Reynolds Elementary School. By night, she’s tapping her feet as artistic director of the Footsteps Tap Ensemble, a newly minted dance troupe that has education at its core. “Our goal is to preserve the art of ‘hoofing tap’ and the history that goes along with it, and to show that dance can be ageless,” said Carmichael, 63. “Tapping can be ageless. We want to put a new spin on what it means to be a senior.” The Footsteps Tap Ensemble makes its public debut Oct. 17 at the CrossRoadsNews 2015 Seniors & Baby Boomer Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest. They will be on the Main Stage near Sears at 3:30 p.m. The expo, which takes place from noon to 5 p.m., also will feature fitness and healthy cooking demonstrations, the Beulah Boys, and line and ballroom dancers from the Lou Walker Senior Center, The five-woman group will perform a tap routine to “Take the A Train,” the signature tune of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. The Footsteps – Carmichael, Sheila Artis, Deborah Roberts, Mona Scott and Leslie Robinson – came together just in the past few months, but Carmichael has known each member for many years. They range in age from 50 to 65. Her dance partners include women she’s met on the Atlanta dance scene and teachers she hired for workshops and the dance studio she ran for 13 years in College Park and Union City. She and Roberts live in Covington, Artis is from Tucker, Scott is from Douglasville, and Robinson lives in Riverdale.
The Footsteps Tap Ensemble – Leslie Robinson (from left), Sheila Artis, Vicki Carmichael and Deborah Roberts (Mona Scott is absent) – will perform at 3:30 p.m. from the Main Stage near Sears.
at about age 6. A lifelong educator, she came to Atlanta in 1973 to attend what was then Atlanta University. She performed modern and African dance in Barbara Sullivan’s Atlanta Dance Theatre from 1974 to 1978. She left academia from 1987 to run her own dance studio, Footsteps. She closed it 1999 and moved to Memphis after battling breast cancer and getting divorced. After a “healing” five years there, she was back to Atlanta in 2003 and began running into her old dance crowd – women who were all missing the hoofing style of tap popularized by Sammy Davis Jr., Gregory Hines and contemporary tap phenomenon Savion Glover. Hoofing, a close-to-the-floor dance, focuses on rhythmic percussion rather than arm and body movement. All of the Footsteps dancers, except for one retiree, still hold down jobs. Finding a time when all of them can meet can be a challenge. But last summer, the women put their collective feet down and launched the group. Now, Carmichael is tapping away at the forms needed to acquire nonprofit status. One thing’s already been decided – their attire – tuxedos for a “polished” look. Carmichael points out that the famous hoofing duo, the Nicholas Brothers, always wore tuxedos. “Of course, we can’t jump on tables like “We consider ourselves senior tappers, Born in Memphis and raised in Atlantic they usually did,”she said, “but it’s in that although we hope we don’t fit that typical City, N.J., Carmichael began dance training genre that we perform.” senior mode,” Carmichael said. The group is on the lookout for more tap dancers – seniors preferred, and men, most definitely. They’re on a fast track to build a reperThe Highlighters toire of diverse routines for shows they hope will dance to a to book for the holiday season. medley of songs,
Highlighters rock old school music
including Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel,” at 12:45 p.m. on Oct. 17 on the Main Stage near Sears.
By Donna Williams Lewis
Lovers of old school music are in for a treat on Oct. 17 at the Mall at Stonecrest when the all-female dance group, the Highlighters, hits the Main Stage at the CrossRoadsNews 2015 Seniors & Baby Boomer Expo. The Highlighters, based at the Lou Walker Senior Center, will dance to a medley of songs, including Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel,” at 12:45 p.m. The stage is near Sears on the mall’s lower level. The Seniors & Baby Boomer Expo, which takes place noon to 5 p.m., celebrates adults 50 and older. Johnnye Ashley, a Highlighters spokeswoman, said members just love line dancing. “It’s so much fun,” she said. “Our goal is to entertain, to encourage, and to be an example that we should keep active in our golden years.” The Highlighters, who range in age from 62 to 69, include members Dorothy Wright, Marsha Frazier, Doris Lowe, Eunice White, Carol Hughes and Renita Stultz. Ashley enjoys line dancing so much that she’ll be on the expo stage for an additional performance as a member of the Lou Walker Dance Troupe. “Dancing is therapeutic for the mind and body,” said Ashley, 62, a retired GM autoworker. “If I’m having a bad day, line dancing can take my mind off of what caused me to have a bad day.” The Highlighters have danced at community and AARP events, Red Hatter functions,
and church programs. They’ve performed at nursing homes in DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties. “When we go into nursing homes, a lot of people are in wheelchairs and [dance] brings so much joy to them that we can’t wait to visit them again,” she said. The Highlighters are winning standing ovations with their steps, even though every one of them contends with some type of physical issue, Ashley said. “But we push through because we love to dance,” she said. “You’re going to hurt whether you’re sitting down or you’re dancing, and most doctors encourage you to get some type of exercise.” After being defunct for a number of years, the Highlighters dance group was reassembled at Lou Walker a year and a half ago. Their summer appearance for a Voices of Faith Ministries 50-plus event called “Jazz at Night in White” was one of Ashley’s favorite performances. “The Way You Make Me Feel” was on their playlist, she said. They also did some “Flashin,” a line dance set to a remix of Parliament’s classic hit “Flash Light,” and they danced to Jennifer Hudson’s “Spotlight.” When their show ended, they were inundated with compliments. “People were coming up to our table telling us what a great job we did,” Ashley said. “You wouldn’t expect 60- and 70-yearold women to dance continuously as long as we did.” The Mall at Stonecrest is at Turner Hill Road and I-20 in Lithonia.
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CrossRoadsNews
October 10, 2015
Expo
“It’s wonderful at this age to find something you are passionate about. … I want to continue doing it as long as I can.”
Ballroom dancers share passion for elegant, smooth moves When Ken Wilson and Diane Gilliard get to ballroom dancing, it’s hard to take your eyes from them. But the casual observer would never know that the two have been dancing together for just a year. The dance partners, who met at the Lou Walker Senior Center, both confessed that they have found their new passion in life. “I have just fallen in love with ballroom dancing,” said Gilliard, 68, who leaves Thomas, her husband of 45 years, three to four times a week to practice for three to five hours at a time. “I love the elegance and smoothness of it.” Wilson, 72, lives in Chamblee and drives 28 minutes one way to get to the Lithonia senior center to practice with Gilliard. “Diane is the best practice partner you could get,” he said. “She is willing to put in the time.” Gilliard, a retired assistant principal who worked for DeKalb and retired from the Gwinnett School System, said she must have taken every art, self-defense and other classes at the Lou Walker Senior Center before she saw Wilson dancing at an event and liked his moves. She asked him to show her how to dance and she joined the ballroom class, taught by Johnny Kimbrough. The two have been dancing every since. “It’s wonderful at this age to find something that you are passionate about,” said Gilliard, who lives in Lithonia. “When I can’t dance, I feel bad. God willing and my legs hold up, I want to continue doing it as long as I can.” Wilson, who retired 10 years ago from a defense factory in Connecticut, relocated to Georgia and started a pressure-washing business that he ran for 10 years. He said he took up ballroom dancing two years ago when he saw a couple dancing at a birthday party. One of them was a dance instructor and he joined his class at Berean Baptist Church in Stone Mountain. “I liked the way they moved,” he said. “The smoothness of it.” To get good at dancing, Wilson said you need a practice partner. When he is dancing, Wilson said all the cares of the world are left behind. “It makes me feel good,” he said. “I am doing something I like. I am in the moment.” Because of the enjoyment he gets, Wilson
Ken Wilson and Diane Gilliard (left photo) will be on the Main Stage near Sears at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 17. Johnny Kimbrough and his partner, Angela Sanford (above), dance at 3:15 p.m.
Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews
said he would like to see more people take up ballroom dancing. “I hope when people see us dance they will want to do it too,” he said. Besides performing at events at the Lou Walker Senior Center, the dance partners have performed at nursing homes and some special events. On Oct. 17, they will showcase their smooth moves at the 2015 CrossRoadsNews Seniors & Baby Boomer Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest. They will be on the Main Stage near Sears on the mall’s lower level at 1:30 p.m. Kimbrough, their dance teacher, and his dance partner, Angela Sanford, will dance at
The Atlanta Center for Medical Research
is looking for participants for our database with medical and clinical trials.
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To add your name to our database, please visit the following link: www.acmr.org/volunteer-for-a-study and complete the brief form or feel free to send an email to participants@acmr.org or call 404-881-5800.
Kennedy Memorial Gardens 2500 River Rd. Ellenwood, GA 30294 404-243-8900 Perry Isham - General Manager Princess Malcom - Assistant Sales Manager
3:15 p.m. The Seniors & Baby Boomer Expo celebrates active seniors 50 years and older. It takes place noon to 5 p.m. on the mall’s lower level between Dillard’s and Sears. The mall is at Turner Hill Road and I-20 in Lithonia.
DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office Protecting DeKalb County seniors from abuse, neglect and exploitation Robert James
DeKalb County District Attorney
404-371-2561 556 N. McDonough Street Decatur, GA 30030 If you are in need of immediate assistance, please call Adult Protective Services at 404-657-5250
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CrossRoadsNews
October 10, 2015
“We are rolling forward together as one” -Interim CEO Lee May
Phase II - Coming November 2015
Recycling • Garbage roll cart rightsizing • Additional garbage roll carts The DeKalb County Sanitation Division is Rolling Forward to Phase II of the sanitation collection service change. Please see below for recycling and garbage roll cart options.
Single-Stream Recycling Join our single-stream recycling program that recycles more materials than any other recycling program in Georgia Recycling benefits • Creates green jobs • Decreases landfill waste • Controls rising sanitation costs • Conserves natural resources • Promotes environmental stewardship
Single-stream recycling benefits • Subscription-based • Free to Sanitation Division customers • All recyclable materials placed in a single bin, bag or roll cart • Recyclable materials include paper, cardboard, aluminum, plastics 1-7 , glass and tin
Upgrade from an 18-gallon bin to a 65-gallon roll cart for a one-time $15 fee
18-gallon bin
65-gallon roll cart
40-gallon bag
For more information, call (404) 371-2654 or visit www.keepdekalbbeautiful.org
Additional and Rightsizing Garbage Roll Cart Options
35-gallon roll cart
45-gallon roll cart
65-gallon roll cart
95-gallon roll cart
Upgrade to a 95-gallon roll cart for a one-time $15 fee. Subscribing to the recycling program is required. Request additional 35-, 45- or 65-gallon roll carts. An increase in annual sanitation assessment fees will apply.
For more information, please call or visit: (404) 371-2654 • www.rollingforwardtoone.com Ask questions about the program via @ItsInDeKalb on Twitter