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NOW
[feature articles]
Features
The Fight for Equality
Pat Tanner knows firsthand the meaning behind Black History Month after living through some of the most turbulent times of the Civil Rights movement and marching with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in Selma, Alabama.
Gospel Fest Celebrates Tenth Anniversary
Cherokee County’s Gospel Fest hits a milestone this year, when the annual Black History Month musical event marks its tenth anniversary.
Hayden's Restaurant Review
Tucked away in the Holly Springs subdivision of River Park sits Eat at River Park. Offering elevated southern cuisine with nods to Louisiana, this little gem delivers a tasty dining experience.
8 12 32 [special feature]
6 True Stories of Love and Romance
"Love at First Sight," a true love story by Devon Smith. We were stationed onboard USS Port Royal CG-73 in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The first time I saw Angelica she was in her dress-white uniform waiting to check in to the command. I knew from that second I would marry her.
[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
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WHERE YOU TAKE THEIR SPINE MATTERS
Because we know growing bones. Our pediatric orthopedic team knows kids’ and teens’ spines. They have specialized training in pediatric techniques that you won’t find at most other healthcare providers. Children’s assesses every step of the spine surgery journey looking for ways to improve. This dedication to quality has led to our program achieving some of the best outcomes in the nation with less time in the hospital and high patient satisfaction. When it comes to your child’s spine, trust the specialists at Children’s. ©2020 Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Inc. All rights reserved.
Visit choa.org/cpgortho to learn more.
Children’s at Town Center Outpatient Care Center | 605 Big Shanty Road NW, Kennesaw Children’s at Cherokee | 1558 Riverstone Parkway, STE. 100, Canton
[table of contents]
Contents
Glitzy Goats
One Cherokee County business combines eco-friendly land clearing with priceless entertainment. If you’ve ever giggled at goats, you’ll appreciate that they deliver big benefits as well.
Dining in the Dark!
Dining in the Dark is a challenging and educational fundraising experience where visually healthy people gain appreciation for achievements and abilities of those with vision loss. As a participant my life has been changed forever.
Amy Williams
Michael Searcy
Michael@EnjoyCherokee.com
Jennifer Allen
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Galentine's Day
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Next Step Ministries
28
What’s Galentine’s Day? To get the answer we turn to a fictional character named Leslie Knope, arguably the world’s most enthusiastic government employee.
Amy@EnjoyCherokee.com
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Jennifer@EnjoyCherokee.com
Cheryle Schoeneman
Cheryle@EnjoyCherokee.com
Imagine you have a severely disabled child over the age of twenty-two. You need to go to work or to take care of other dependents in the daytime, but your adult child needs help, care, feeding, education, and even entertainment. If nothing else, you need a break. Where can you turn for help? For many families the answer is Next Step Ministries.
[Advertisers Index] Brandon Beach, Senator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24/25
Georgia Medical Treatment Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Chattahoochee Technical College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Cherokee County Historical Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Cherokee County Aquatic Center . . . . . . . . . inside front cover & 40/42
Holbrook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
J. Thompson Ross Investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Chocolate Walk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Darby Funeral Home, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Digestion Healthcare of Georgia, P.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Falany Performing Arts Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40/42 & inside back cover
Infinity Roofing & Remodeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Magnetzine.ME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Piedmont Physicians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Wellstar Cherokee Health Park . . . . . . . . . . back cover WLJA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40/42 [www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
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t h g i S t s r i F t a e v o story
love storIES
L -a true love
by Devon
Smith
ning the n of win Smith further io t a c ifi n t Upon no y contest, Devo follows: r s o a t S y or Love or t R oy a l is life st o worked rd USS P rst time I lained h a p o x b e n o other wh p the fa mily d fi m e e n le o g Th ti n . a si ii by a to kee iform were st H aw a as raised if ts at Wellstar y years at Harbor, er dress-white un from w rl I a e P our sh ughout m ated bet ween CG -73 in ca she was in h mmand. I k new ht t welve-h oat. Thro tu eli co saw A ng check in to the er. I hoped I mig than financia lly a fl igh School, I fluc performed to my s h re r to o y H e r g v m r k e thing a c s in ld m wait me a Woodsto depression and n some bonehead nd I wou e would notice o c se id d t d n a a I sh th y. . a n g er demica ll nderbite r eye and catch he y guy with an u ntia l aca lot of trouble. ce te n d a o d p t h f o loved an otlig to a just a go ches who e on the nd got in ur first sp a requested a a o o c d a se h s e ro parently . A ngelic rs later w to keep m I had lac s not Two yea ntr y bar on base ll Bundy, and ap r ank fully e and managed kes. W hile I wa Th e o u m B o o ta is like out au r a the fl at the c cared ab a m, despite my m tive ma le figures ht me Up” by L r song. We had ” to me; n o y d te pula “Gid broug g posi sang lacrosse a ver y po lves. She “trash rabbed and te, havin Coach Dennis emotiona l le ’t sn th a a w d d g it se a gif te iegler an d n wa s a n ly to our , where I nued h John Z h era. Graduatio s, my mother, an complete e into the railing and then I conti fe. c a o C d li e g ; se h u r y m s c e to a e d m ro e o b f a c c o push guy’s love hen I both rough e w m se th f o th u e d a y li n c b e a re r b ll h it me drank a ted like a ragdo om, time for er were cr ying w a rrack s ro stea k a th b o y m d to get tre m n . a e gr lay place in inner ever. Th on stage ship to p d graduati date took used a a scholar Sadly I d e iv e Our first oked her the best cork screw, so I chubby the c re . a o d my school I St. Louis where I c . We didn’t have pieces. We playe nt fter high sma ll school in y not holding up fter A e h g w in b u a a y d at was to ork out r y thing I was lacrosse d my opportunit and was expelle dig the c toes. Eve in re a e g d r n k nife to h our baby pota een more perfect. one a a b u ic sq e it b e a c a de m bunny w it couldn’t have myself with som end of th er of college. e d ided the b n a y st , ll fina aw r y seme na lly dec turit y I ld e fi s. n u s o o d e c n n a I d . s ir r n a ca in heave lemented my we otiona l m r selling und p ent a yea t give me the em eptember 2011 to gelica fo et n sp I A n e who com h h m S w months months later we day job. militar y mig ed in the Nav y ted four list n e I . . d e We’d da s pregnant. Two uck s nearest his pes e lov lack a p rb ountr y I out she w ciate at the Sta and drink ing fra pest to earn a r ve the c se ffi a g was able earned my o e I h in n c y a tt t e si h u d th e it il I w as ve h rings; “I do” w e on acti a ke. It w tor y, and the We said lemon pound c change wedding fingers W hil r’s degree in his tly a fter leaving g lo x r r elped n e e o u h h ti ’t o c sh a n a e ly s n e b s id o d e it an We d ooed defin busin tt r. y , e r y in ta v r a s e it r’ re sa r e n il e o tu in st m ma f be g a the signa anniv recepti lthough responsibilities o become h other’s ark our five-year spunk y A c . a y e v t a o g N e we our lm up,” the helped m May wil blessed to have me “grow nd father rea lly instead. s. d e n v o li y e r a b u o re husband lf. and we a old Devon, Jr., in . se a c rli a e e y g rmy best n u fo ? ” asks A
We
Thend Graize Prnners Wi
u
Angelica & Devon Smith
6
[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
ply. love me ow,” I re n k “Do you r e v e l an you’l “More th
True Love Stories from Our Neighbors Compiled by Leana Conway, Woodstock Resident
In the November/December edition of Enjoy Cherokee Magazine, we asked residents to write and submit their love stories in a lighthearted romance competition. After receiving countless entries and realizing that each story was special in a different way, our writers selected the top six entries (and one surprise entry) and have woven them throughout this magazine to share with you.
You’ll find compelling love stories by contestant winners throughout this magazine.
Each of the published story winners has received a pair of tickets to the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville. In addition to museum tickets, the grand-prize-winning entry received a gift certificate for Going Coastal in downtown Canton, a bouquet of flowers from the Woodstock Flower Company & Truck, and a professional photo package from Hello Honey Portraiture. We thank these sponsors and all story writers for making our Valentine’s Day come to life.
Love Stories Sponsored By:
[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
7
History
The Fight for Equality by Rebecca Johnston, Canton Resident
Pat Tanner knows firsthand the meaning behind Black History Month after living through some of the most turbulent times of the Civil Rights movement and marching with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in Selma, Alabama. Pat’s experiences mirror the history of the nation, starting with her childhood in a segregated community under Jim Crow laws and leading to her college years in the mid1960's, when she joined the battle for equal rights, and culminating with her being the first elected African American Canton city councilwoman.
Pat Tanner's Life Reflects Black History
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[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
The Cherokee County native graduated from all-black Ralph Bunche High School in Canton in 1964, a school built in the 1950s to consolidate African American students into one elementary and high school.
“
When I graduated the school was still segregated. A lot of things were going on worldwide as far as people’s rights were concerned,” and here in Canton we had some of the same issues, such as having to enter through the back doors of restaurants and doctors’ offices. I lived it and lived through it.
”
Living through it and accepting it were two different things for Pat, though. “Jim Crow laws, all of that, bothered me. I had to drink from the colored water fountains. I was not able to try on clothes in stores here in Canton,” she says. Her family had to go to Atlanta to try on shoes and clothes. “It still bothers me today. I still ask a higher power to help me find answers.” On visits to Rich’s and Davison’s department stores in downtown Atlanta, Pat says she encountered “the first blacks I had ever seen working in the stores, and it surprised me to see black people waiting on us.” Pat was home from the historically black Barber Scotia College in Concord, North Carolina, in the summer of 1964 when tensions came to a head in downtown Canton. A group of young African American men visited the downtown Canton movie theater and sat in the whites-only section instead of the segregated seats in the balcony. While theatergoers taunted the four young men inside the movie theater, an angry crowd gathered outside. When the black men left the theater and attempted to get to their car across the street, an angry mob confronted them. Pat and her mother, Ozella Tanner, drove by and opened the door of their car. “Rocks and sticks were being thrown at us,” Pat recalls of the confrontation. “We were scared, but we knew we were doing something that needed to be done.” The young men jumped in the opened car doors and rode out of town with the Tanners. No one was injured in the
Gaylen Jo Ann
the
confrontation that night; however, the young men’s empty car was turned over, set on fire, and destroyed, according to newspaper accounts. Residents in the African American communities such as Stumptown off Main Street in Canton and the Nineteen community in North Canton braced for a visit from the Ku Klux Klan that night. “We were told we would be attacked, and my neighbors sat on their porches with rifles. Word was out that the KKK was coming,” Pat recalls of that tense night. Historical accounts of that night in Canton indicate members of the KKK did attempt to enter the African American community but abandoned the plan when they encountered resistance from the residents there. Pat says, “It left a lasting impression on me, and even now when I look at shows about those times, I see again what actually happened here.” Less than half a year passed when on March 7, 1965, about six hundred civil rights marchers departed Selma, Alabama, and headed east toward the capital of Montgomery to protest the denial of black voting rights in parts of the South, including Alabama, where the problem was systemic. After the marchers passed over the crest of the Edmund Pettus Bridge and left the boundaries of the city, county sheriff’s deputies and state troopers attacked them using tear gas, horses, and billy clubs and drove them back across the bridge, injuring many, according to accounts at the time. The incident later became known as Bloody Sunday. uuu
mons
edia Com
dit Wikim
Photos Cre
Roberts
In 2007 Gaylen and Carla Roberts and Paul and Jo Ann Smith moved into the active 55+ adult community of Seasons on Laurel Canyon Parkway in Canton. Their homes were on opposite ends of the development, and they never had the opportunity to meet. In April 2009, Paul passed away after an extended illness, and four days later, Carla died with no warning. Over the following year mutual friends in what had become known as Soleil suggested that Gaylen and Jo Ann meet, but the opportunity never presented itself. At a Kentucky Derby party at the Soleil clubhouse on May 1, 2010, however, Gaylen spotted Jo Ann and asked one of their mutual friends to introduce them. They talked for quite a while, and three dates later, they knew it was going to be the real thing. They married in Clayton, Georgia, on January 27, 2011, in a private ceremony at a mountainside bed and breakfast. After their honeymoon in Cancun, they held a reception at a nearby restaurant for almost two hundred folks to celebrate their happy wedding. The two of them declare that true love is: • Combining two complete houses into one. • Joining two large extended families. • Learning to play Mah Jongg with your wife. • Becoming an Ole Miss Rebel for your husband. • L istening to both classical and country and western music. • Having two TV sets. • Never trying to change another’s politics. • Sharing cooking duties. • Taking seven cruises and three bus tours. • Attending seven high school, college, and fighter-pilot reunions, and knowing you’ll always have differences, but you’ll always be in love. Submitted by: Jo Ann and Gaylen Roberts
[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
9
u
Equality City Hall Pat Tanner is the only African American to have been elected to the Canton City Council and served from 2004 to 2012. Theater/Barber-Scotta College In 1964, seating inside the Canton Theatre (est. 1911, center photo) was segregated. While on summer break from Barber Scotia College (right photo), Pat and her mother rescued four young black men from an angry crowd outside the theatre.
uuu Pat was a sophomore on March 9 when she traveled from her college in North Carolina to Selma to march with Dr. King in a second attempt to get from Selma to Montgomery. She was among the two thousand protestors, black and white, that Dr. King led across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The protestors once again found state troopers blocking Highway 80, but King paused the marchers and led them in prayer. The troopers finally stepped aside.
“I was not a part of the original march that ended in the involvement with law enforcement. We went down as a result of the actions that were taken against our brothers and sisters. We went to support them in their fight for the right to vote,” Pat recalls. “I answered the call for all communities, ministers, and students to come and march with Dr. King from Selma to Montgomery. College students were going, and I wanted to be there.”
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[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
Pat did not let her mother and family know in advance that she was going to Selma. “I told my mom I was going to a friend’s house, and when I got back, I let her know that I was safe. She was not happy about my going,” Pat remembers. A third march took place on March 21 that finally reached Montgomery on March 25. Nearly 50,000 supporters, both black and white, met the marchers in Montgomery, where they gathered in front of the state capitol to hear King and other speakers address the crowd. Speakers included Ralph Bunche, winner of the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize and namesake of the African American school in Canton. After graduating from college, Pat spent a thirty-four-year career with the Cherokee County Department of Family and Children Services, where she began as a social services caseworker and later achieved supervisory status in the areas of adoption, foster care,
and adult and child protective services. After retirement Pat wanted to give back to her community, since she had the time and ability, and she became the only African American to be elected to the Canton City Council. She served two terms, from 2004 to 2012. She went on to serve on the Cherokee County Board of Health and the Cherokee Friends of Recovery Foundation. She is a former board member and chairperson of the Canton Housing Authority and former board member of the Cherokee County Boys and Girls Club and of the North Regional Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases Planning Board.
It should come as no surprise that in 2005 the Rotary Club of Canton awarded Pat Tanner the Jean Harris Award for her outstanding community service.
[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
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arts
by Rebecca Johnston, Canton Resident
Cherokee County’s Gospel Fest hits a milestone this year, when the annual Black History Month musical event marks its tenth anniversary. 12
[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
The festival began in February 2010 by then Canton Councilwoman Pat Tanner and the Reverend Fred Forsh, and since then a record crowd turns out each year for the musical celebration at the Cherokee Arts Center in downtown Canton. “At the time there was no other recognition for Black History Month going on in the city,” Pat says, “and I decided we needed to do something. I was on the city council at the time and had the backing of the council, and I went for it. The rest is history.” This year’s Gospel Fest is set for February 1 at 5:00 p.m. at the Arts Center and is free to the public. The event showpieces gospel music under the direction of Reverend Forsh and performed by a mass choir comprising choir members from churches across Cherokee County. uuu
Muriel Reggie
the
Hoiesths Dear Readers,
I’m honored to share my parents’ love story, which I have no doubt, has continued in heaven. Thank you for this opportunity to tell it, as it is one that lives on in our hearts. Sincerely, MaryEllen D. Hoiseth Reginald, a sailor, and Muriel, a member of the WAVES, the United States Women’s Naval Reserve, met in 1944, both barely twenty-one. Muriel had just lost her mother, and the handsome sailor with jet-black hair helped her smile again. She was a beautiful brunette with the type of Irish eyes that inspired many songs. Like many couples in wartime, they married after only three months. Muriel stayed stateside when Reggie deployed overseas. They raised four children. The years flew by, and suddenly the children were planning Reginald and Muriel’s fiftieth anniversary. The couple often talked about New York City, where they honeymooned, so the children orchestrated a surprise return trip for the couple. Muriel loved the Today Show, so she and Reggie went to the Plaza to meet Al Roker. She took their gold “50” cake topper as her attention-grabbing prop. Al came over to ask if she was turning fifty, and she replied, “I wish!” She said their best man and maid of honor, native New Yorkers, had shown them the sights back in 1944. Unfortunately the friends had lost touch. The friends, living on Long Island and watching TV, called NBC Studios, which arranged an on-air reunion. Shortly thereafter, Muriel was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Seven more anniversaries passed. Muriel spent the last few years at a memory-care facility. Reggie visited daily, despite her not recognizing him. He knew Muriel cherished her memories, so he’d tell her their stories. When they pledged for better or worse, in sickness and health, they meant it. Reggie passed away five years after Muriel. He had missed his wife every minute of every day, and it gave us children peace to know they were reunited in heaven. Muriel and Reggie, my beloved parents, were never rich, but they shared life’s greatest treasure: everlasting love.
[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
13
u Musicians, vocalists, and spectators come together at Gospel Fest to sing good tidings and spread the joy of Christianity.
u Pat Tanner (pictured) and the Reverend Fred Forsh spearheaded Gospel Fest twenty years ago in celebration of Black History Month.
uuu “Gospel music is music everybody can relate to,” Pat says, “and it is the springboard of spirituals from the days of slavery. It was the way slaves communicated. We still sing some of the old Negro spirituals.” She adds, “Gospel music transcends all walks of life. Every social and ethnic group can relate, and everyone has their own expression through gospel music.”
Pat adds, “Various ethnic groups come and participate. The event crosses all lines.” On a personal note Pat says, “Gospel speaks to me. If you are not having a good day, a gospel song will brighten your day and give you direction.”
u Gospel Fest attracts a large and diverse crowd to the Cherokee Arts Center. Admission is free to the public because of generous local donors.
She says one of the great successes of Gospel Fest over the years is that it brings the entire community together. “We are all the same in the sight of God. On this night, gospel music brings us together. We have a diverse group in the mass choir and the audience. We have brought the community together, not only in the city of Canton and Cherokee, but now we are having some folks coming from outside our community to participate. We paint broad strokes. People know about us,” she says. The event also brings people to downtown Canton. Pat says, “At the time we started we wanted to get more people to downtown Canton and put it on the map. We also wanted to let people know Canton existed and encourage then to come downtown to be a part of the community. It has achieved that goal. Other cities within the county are now also strong participants.” While Gospel Fest has exceeded Pat’s expectations in many ways, she comments that there are still things she would like to accomplish. “Gospel Fest has lived up to my expectations regarding the talent and
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[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
the cooperation. The participation has been awesome. I continue to hope other churches join us too. I want to get one hundred voices in our mass choir, and so far, we have fallen short. I hope those who have participated in the last nine years would come back and be a part of the choir for the tenth anniversary,” she says. Gospel Fest is now in partnership with the Cherokee Arts Center in downtown Canton, where it is held each year. Pat says Executive Director Mary Akers and the Arts Council board have been extremely supportive of the event, helping its continued success. “T. J. Cochran was president and instrumental in forming the partnership, which cut back on a lot of the expenses Gospel Fest was experiencing. We now have sponsors,” Pat says, so the Gospel Fest continues to be free of charge to the public. In addition to local talents and soloists, Gospel Fest this year will feature The Singing Brothers of Stilwell, a collection of students from the Martha E. Stilwell School of the Arts in Jonesboro under the direction of Dr. Jimmy Cheek. Longtime favorite performers Pam Mullins, Jamora Keith, Reverend Johnny Foster, Michael Freeman, the Wallah African Drum and Dance Ministry, Jeremy Law, and others will also take to the stage. Pat Tanner hopes Gospel Fest will continue for years to come and is pleased the city of Canton is sponsoring the event this year. Darby Funeral Home is also a sponsor, along with Kipling McVey Stubbs, who gave her donation in honor of Pat’s mother, Ozella Stevenson Tanner. As Pat looks to the future, she is planning big. “I want the Gospel Fest to grow and be so big that we outgrow the venue we are in and still partner with the Arts Center, because we will always be indebted to them,” she says. “I want us to be in a bigger venue so even more people can come and be seated.”
[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
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local business
One Cherokee County business combines eco-friendly land clearing with priceless entertainment. If you’ve ever giggled at goats, you’ll appreciate that they deliver big benefits as well. 16
[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
by Angela Chambers
Thomas everal years ago Brooke Heimerl, a college student at the time, moved in with her aunt and uncle in Woodstock. In lieu of paying rent she promised to perform several chores. She had to clean the turtle tank once each month, change the cat litter weekly, and weed the “back forty” each season. The back forty, a steep eighth of an acre, faced the neighbor’s large picture windows. After one backbreaking attempt to clear the back forty, Brooke anteed up the cash for rent and exclaimed, “The deal is off!” If only she had made friends with Glitzy Goats. Clay Dempsey and his Glitzy Goats would have gleefully undertaken the chore on the back forty. Clay buys foreclosure properties and flips them. Like Brooke, he found cleaning overgrown yards tedious and painstaking. Helpers were hard to find and expensive to hire. He once joked that he wished he had a herd of goats to clear the land. His joke turned into reality and became another successful business for Clay. Clay purchased seven goats in 2017 to see if they would actually clear the brush from his foreclosure properties. Fast forward a few years, and Clay’s Glitzy Goats consists of thirtysix goats that happily clear almost any brushy area. Goatscaping is an ecofriendly and amusing alternative to bush hogging overgrown land. Goats love to devour kudzu, honeysuckle, and even poison oak and ivy. Interestingly they will eat almost anything except grass on the ground, woody stalks, and trees. A huge bonus to having goats clear land is that after the weeds are gone, they’re gone! You don’t have to hire a contractor to haul away the debris. You can sit back and have coffee on your porch while you watch the goats work. Clay says, “Several homeowners have had cookouts while their guests watched the goats,” combining entertainment with landscaping.
Melinda
the
Flowers
Eight years ago I was living for the world and doing whatever I wanted. I was miserable and prayed many times for God to help me change my life. I had gone through emotional and physical abuse and constant fighting in previous relationships. I believed all men were the same. I finally had enough and fell to my knees and asked for help and for God to send me a godly man. The next day I met Thomas at a local Dollar General store. It was storming outside, and someone said there was a tornado over us. Thomas grabbed my hand, and we ran to the bathroom. The roof shook. He got on his knees and prayed for us. Instantly I thought, “This is him.” I knew he was the one God sent to help me. That’s the day my life changed. That’s the day I started a completely new life for my daughters and myself. Thomas and I started talking every day. He had also been in a bad relationship and was trying to make a better life for his kids. I had never felt so much love from someone. He invited me to go to church with him. I rededicated my life to God that day, because I knew God had answered my prayers. A year later Thomas and I married. We have five amazing children, and our home is filled with love and peace. We pray together and love unconditionally. I’m a completely different person than I was eight years ago. I’m blessed and never would have imagined that this life was possible or even realistic. It hasn’t always been easy, though. We have been through trying times, including a heartbreaking miscarriage, but our challenges only made us stronger. Submitted by: Melinda Flowers
Having goats as employees means you don’t have to hire anyone, and you get added employees every spring. Clay’s goats gave birth to twenty-three kids in three weeks last spring, but in the future he plans to ensure his goat flock does not give birth to as many babies at the same time. The company owns a farm in Cedartown, where the new mommies and babies hang out together and don’t work while the babies grow. uuu [www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
17
did ewe know: goat trivia? by Cindy Pope
brought to t animals nists listed rs fi e th re Goats we e Mayflower. Colo sions. th n sses o a c ri Ame aluable po v t s o m s them a
Abraha m Nanny a Lincoln loved nd Na goats His you nko, during h and kept two is term , ngest around son, Tad, rode in office. the Wh t ite Hou hem se.
tained fiber ob ere s u o r t s ich w is a lu Mohair gora goats, wh e St. Louis from An o America at th goats do ed t gora introduc air in 1904. An er; rabbits F b World’s duce angora fi ber. not pro duce angora fi pro from Cashmere is a fiber obtained takes It ts. goa ina hm pas or cashmere ke ma to the fiber from two goats r. ate swe one cashmere
A group of go ats is or trip. Herd an called a tribe imals, goat without a com panion will b s ecom depressed an d unhealthy. e
imals, so their Goats are hooved an shape gives them is Th r. pupils are rectangula degrees around them vision for 320 to 340 to move their heads. without their having ns have a field of By comparison huma 210 degrees. to 0 vision of only 16
NOTE: Harvesting hair from goats does not harm the animal as long as the animal is kept in a warm place after hair removal. Sources: Lively Run Goat Dairy: LivelyRun.com, MentalFloss.com
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[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
uuu If you think your teenager eats you out of house and home, be thankful you don’t own a goat. One of the reasons goats are so good at clearing land is that they eat for sixteen hours out of the day. They eat an average of ten pounds each day, and they even wake up twice each night to eat. Another reason they are ideal for the job of clearing land is that they can reach places people and machines cannot. They are surefooted and nimble. Homeowners with steep areas or rough terrain have been successful using goats to clear their land of weeds.
A crew of ten goats can clear a half acre in seven to ten days. Larger jobs require multiple crews, but the company is always aware of how much the goats have been “on the job.” The company has reserves at the farm and rotates them throughout the year.
“
The animals bleat from time to time, but they are generally quiet.
”
Folks have asked if the goats are loud and if they can roam the neighborhood. Clay says, “The animals bleat from time to time, but they are generally quiet.” The goats stay within a fenced area until the job is done. If necessary Glitzy Goats brings in temporary fencing. The hungry animals typically finish a yard in five to seven days. For those reasons Glitzy Goats rarely receives complaints from neighbors or homeowner associations. In fact most neighbors are excited to see the goats do their work. Some potential clients raise the question about the doo-doo that inevitably results. Goat droppings take the form of pellets and are not as messy or pungent as other animal waste. It’s also healthy fertilizer, so the pellets stay on the cleared land. Clay says, “Goats are similar to dogs. Some recognize their names. Some come when I call them.” They recognize their owners’ voices, and each has a unique personality. Goats are social animals, so they stay together when they are eating and clearing an area. They are competitive eaters, however. If one sees a friend running for food to new area, the others will follow. The Glitzy Goats business is located on the Cherokee County side of Acworth and reports that about 30 percent of its workload is centered in Cherokee County. It also serves Cobb, Bartow, Paulding, Polk, and Floyd counties.
Win
A Glitzy Goats
t-shirt
Find an ov e acreage th rgrown yard, ditch , or at could u munch att s ack and ta e a Glitzy Goat the weed ke a selfie y w your pic to background in view ith . Post E n jo y C h erokee’s F Instagram ac , could win or Twitter feed and ebook, an authen you T-shirt! Th ti e most ca c Glitzy Goat will be an ptivating p n Day. Extr ounced on Valenti osts a conside ne's ration wil given to a lb n goat—to y pics that include e y goats, g a oa pics of go ats, and e t masks, are welco ven live g oats me. Facebook :@ Twitter: @ enjoycherokee C Instagram herokeeEnjoy : enjoyche rokee
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giving
Dining in the Dark is a challenging and educational fundraising experience where visually healthy people gain appreciation for achievements and abilities of those with vision loss. As a participant my life has been changed forever. The dinner was an extraordinary sensory-awareness experience, inviting people to eat a meal the way a sight-impaired person would, in the dark.
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It
by Leana Conway
was a dark and stormy night in Canton when a friend and I drove downtown to take part in Dining in the Dark, the flagship fundraising event for Camp Abilities North Georgia (CANGA). On our way to Downtown Kitchen on East Marietta Street we commented on how the heavy clouds and rain made it difficult to see the road and signage. At the time we had no idea how much we actually could see. After we entered the foyer of the restaurant, we shed our umbrellas and raincoats and were instructed to don a blindfold like none I’d ever worn. It allowed no light to pass through at all. I found myself straining to find a single speck of light, but to no avail. I was in complete darkness. I had entered a strange, new world. A pleasant-sounding woman introduced herself as our guide. She explained that we should snugly grasp the elbow of a person in front of us. She took the lead and walked us through the venue. Never having been in the room before, I felt like I was being taken in circles. I became disoriented. Noises encroached from all sides. I heard live instrumental music
playing, chairs scraping the floor, people chattering, plates clanging, and a man giggling loudly. All the sounds seemed louder than usual. As I clung to a person’s elbow, I felt oddly intimidated by the people I passed and couldn’t see. I could hear them and even feel their body heat, so I knew they were there. After being led to my table and helped into my booth-like seat, I took a calming breath and realized I had begun perspiring with nervousness. I felt vulnerable, with no points of reference, as if I were in a lightless cave. A moment later three strangers were seated on the opposite side of the table. The guide introduced each new guest by first name, suggested that we each identify ourselves before speaking, and then walked away. The woman directly across from me was introduced as Cheryl. Instinctively I reached out my hand for a friendly shake. Perhaps Cheryl did the same, but we did not feel each other’s hands touch, so we will never know. My gesture faded into the darkness. I felt a little embarrassed, as if someone had seen my futile gesture. Awkward discussions began as we started getting to know each other. uuu [www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
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uuu Cheryl mentioned that her last name was Mosley. “Cheryl Mosley?” I asked. “Your name sounds familiar.” After fumbling around for clues as to our history, I was shocked to learn that she was the woman I interviewed a couple months earlier. Perhaps readers remember the story about the Cherokee Thanksgiving. Cheryl Mosley heads that mission, which provides food for those who need it. Without my being able to see her face, our history was as blank as the room.
As our table of new friends conversed, my brain struggled to paint portraits of my dinner companions. I tried to listen to the unique sound of each person’s voice, but I still had difficult, ascertaining who was speaking. Identifying ourselves before speaking seemed strange, and all of us ignored that suggestion. I was often unsure who was speaking. The hardest part of getting to know new people in the dark was that I did not have their expressions and body language to guide my conversation. How was I to know if my words were boring or perhaps offensive? How could I tell if someone was enjoying my conversation? Unsure if my comments were being met with a smile or a scowl made me more inhibited than usual. My insecurity made me feel lonely. I felt as if I could easily have remained silent, melt into the darkness, and people would forget I was there.
Before serving dinner, Katie Proctor, the event organizer, described how the food would be arranged on the plate. She said to think of our plate as a clock. “At twelve o’clock you’ll find your salad and some bread for dipping in the dressing,” she began. “At three o’clock you’ll find garlic mashed potatoes. Your meat will be sitting at six o’clock and your vegetable at nine o’clock.” I struggled to eat. Although Katie had explained a simple way to cut meat and delicately find food on the plate, my attempts turned out to be a mess. Although I stabbed my fork into the table a few times, I did finally manage to get most of the delicious hangar steak in my mouth, but some mashed potatoes plopped onto the table and vegetables ended up in my lap. Believe it or not, I even found a mini desert squished on the bottom of my purse, although I’m not sure how it happened. As the event came to a close, we were asked to remove our blindfolds. Although the room filled with sighs of relief, I was disappointed, as I would have liked to explore even more things as a blind guest. For example, how would I navigate the fixtures in the restroom? How would I pay the bill or even know if I was charged appropriately or what tip to leave? How would I even find the exit without sight? The event was over, though, and my blindfold was removed. The light was overwhelming! Painful. Is this why some visually impaired people wear dark glasses, or are they covering eyes that might be less visually appealing than the “norm?” After I adjusted to the brightness, I looked around the room to find, striking paintings on the walls, fellow diners in brightly colored clothing and table scraps scattered like confetti.
After my friend and I left the restaurant we thanked heavens above that we have healthy sight. Even though we experienced darkness for a while, we knew it would end and the blindfolds would be removed. Our handicap was temporary. Temporary! Blind and visually impaired persons never have the chance to remove their masks. We came away from the event with new insight from having experienced lack of sight. We also were well informed about Camp Abilities, a sports camp that gives visually impaired youngsters an opportunity to see the world in a less frightening and more self-assured way. My heart soars with empathy and excitement for each of those children.
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Camp Abilities North Georgia by Leana Conway
A life-changing, educational sports camp for visually impaired children u ctor Katie Pro mp a enjoys c s a h as muc rs. e p m the ca
Camp Abilities North Georgia 2020 July 21 – 24
u This tale nted young man played his guit ar during the Din ing in the D ark eve nt.
Lake Allatoona, Woodstock, Georgia
Camp Abilities North Georgia activities include the following: • Beep baseball and kickball • Archery • Rock climbing • Kayaking • Paddle boarding • Yoga • Jiu-jitsu • Horseback riding • Soccer • Goalball (a sport specifically created for the visually impaired)
Participants get to do the following: • Meet other visually impaired children • Experience the fun of overnight camping • Gain confidence and increased independence • Learn to incorporate physical activity into their lives for health and fitness For more information see the following: Web: CampAbilities.org Twitter: @campabilitiesNG Instagram: @CampAbilitiesNorthGA Facebook: @CampAbilitiesNorthGeorgia Q u otes
“Since my grandson lost his vision,
he has not been very active in sports. He used to love playing baseball. Camp Abilities gave some of that confidence back to him.” –grandparent of CANGA camper
“I enjoyed being around other kids with visual impairments because they are all the same as me, No one can make fun of me, because we are all the same, and no one is weird.” –CANGA camper
hat u ile is w Her sm ities is bil Camp A t! all abou
Dr. Laura Lieberman originated Camp Abilities in New York in 1996 to give visually impaired children an opportunity to participate in various adaptive sports. Students who attended the camp played games and gained self-advocacy skills. Since 1996 nearly thirty Camp Abilities have emerged around the globe. Katie Strack Proctor founded Camp Abilities North Georgia (CANGA) in 2018, and she continues to spearhead it. A 2004 graduate of Cherokee High School and a 2009 graduate of Georgia College and State University, Katie is the lead vision teacher for the Cherokee County School District. While spending time with visually impaired children, Katie realized a vital part of her own youth, summer camp, was not available to the sight impaired. “Summer camp was a place where magical things happened,” she recalls of her own camping experiences as a child. It became her mission to provide a similar experience to visually impaired children.
“
At Camp Abilities kids get to know their peers, have fun, and be independent,” “When I am at CANGA I have trouble sleeping because I’m so excited to see the kids learning so many new things. It’s the best high. –Katie Strack Proctor
”
u Campers h a ve fun aiming for the bullsey e. CANGA is a three-day camp providing one-on-one coaching so children can focus on things they can do to enjoy and excel in sports and recreation. Participants learn sport-adaptation skills and ways to selfadvocate so they can join school sport teams. Best of all, CANGA is offered to twenty local youngsters at a time at no charge. CANGA is staffed entirely by volunteers and funded by donations from the Canton and Ball Ground Lions Club, the Foreseeable Futures Foundation, Cherokee County businesses, and fundraising events such as Dining in the Dark. In 2014 Katie started The Blind Believers, an extracurricular club for the socialization of blind or visually impaired Cherokee County students. Their motto is “I can do anything you can do, just in a different way.” That motto carries through to CANGA.
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friendships
Amanda Teasdale’s Galentine’s Day party in Woodstock, Georgia, 2019 (left to right) Ryan Tillman, Hailey Hannigan, Nicole Neily, Ana Masdea, Amanda Teasdale (host), Lauren Curtis
y a D s ’ e n i t n e l a G by Leana Conway
A Celebration of Besties
What’s Galentine’s Day? To get the answer we turn to a fictional character named Leslie Knope, arguably the world’s most enthusiastic government employee. 26
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Amanda Te
asdale host
and Katie C onway
Leslie, played by Amy Poehler on a TV show called Parks and Recreation, invented Galentine’s Day in 2010. On the show Leslie says, “What’s Galentine’s? Oh, it is only the best day of the year. Ladies celebrating ladies.” On the day before Valentine’s Day each year, Lesley gathered her best female friends and her mother to dine on waffles and whipped cream to celebrate their positive attributes. The celebration struck a chord with women around the globe. According to Nielsen Media Research, nearly five million household viewers watched the Galentine’s Day episode, making it one of the highest-rated episodes of the series with viewers between eighteen and forty-nine years of age. Fiction became tradition with many women. Like the fictional civic crusader, women all over the globe now rally with their besties on February 13 to celebrate the beauty and power of female friendships. For Galentine’s Day last year, Woodstock resident Amanda Teasdale invited all her best gals over for a celebration of women. They played Truth or Dare, Stumbling Blocks, and Guess Who Said This. They drank champagne and had a Treat Yo’ Self—another Parks and Recreations invention—chocolate bar. For all her friends Amanda handed out superlatives such as Miss Congeniality, the best secret keeper, the funniest gal, etc. All in attendance voted Coco Butter, Ryan Tillman’s dachshund, as the all-around prettiest and best gal.
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Galentine’s Day Party Ideas
You want to throw a highspirited Galentine’s Day party, right? Here are a few suggestions for ways to show your besties how much you love and appreciate them. ✔ Go old school like Leslie Knope, the mother of Galentine’s Day, with a waffle brunch, lots of heartfelt sappy toasts, and gifts for members of your support system. ✔ Take a hike together on one of Cherokee County’s hiking trails, such as Red Top Mountain, Vineyard Mountain, or Garland Mountain. After working up a sweat, head back for “whine” and cheese, or if your gals are extra woodsy, take the picnic with you. ✔ Plan a road trip to one of our area wineries, such as Big Door Vineyards or Feathers Edge Vineyard. ✔ Crank up tunes from Spotify and other streaming services that have Galentine’s Day playlists. ✔ Have a game night with a “Treat Yo’ Self” goody buffet containing nothing but the best treats imaginable: chocolates, wine, gin, tequila, cakes, and fancy appetizers. ✔ Put memorable pictures of you and your crew on a table and write toasts for each gal.
Men may come and men may go, but girlfriends are forever. Galentine’s Day is a time to champion each other as women because it’s hard, complicated, and wonderful to be a woman.
✔ Go out to celebrate. Reformation Brewery in Woodstock and Canton has a Parks and Recreation trivia game and of course offers a Galentine’s-inspired cocktail. The Woodstock Flower Truck comes out and sets up a photo booth complete with flower crowns.
For further research, read Be My Galentine: Celebrating Badass Female Friendship by Alicia Clancy.
Leana Dennis
the
Conways
As I began to write Dennis and Leana Conway’s love story, I realized Leana had already written it in her blog, “Frolicking to 50.” Dennis, who uses a wheelchair, has secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, and Leana is his primary caregiver. No one expresses the love between this couple better than Leana, with a little help from her “twin flame.” Leana: If we are truly honest, our souls long for a love that’s bigger, rooted, more substantial, and more challenging; just more. Lucky me, I found that gritty, messy, breathtaking passion that makes your soul sing and pushes you further than you thought you could ever go, all at the same time. On June 17, 2004, Dennis and I married. We promised each other we were sailing on the same boat, wherever the currents would take us. We were on our way, with the wind behind us. I understand why we say “fall” in love, because that’s how it feels. One moment you’re standing on firm, reasonable ground and the next you feel weightless, headed into an unknown destination. Things at our house are not all peanut butter cups and kittens, though. Nights are a wrestling match of tangled nonworking limbs, with few periods of peaceful rest. Dennis: A true caregiver makes you feel normal, and that is Leana. Not a day goes by that something doesn’t go wrong, and I say, “I’m sorry.” She is always quick to reply, “For what? It’s not your fault; it’s the MS.” When Leana and I got married, I told her in our vows, “Sometimes you must lose everything to find something, and I found you.” Leana: We are on this boat together. The opportunity to bail is long gone, and the shore is nowhere to be seen. Submitted by: Tracey Stapleton and Leana's "Bunco Buds!" [www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
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heartstrings
W h e r e E v e r y Day i s a n A d v e n t u r e by Cindy Pope
u
Little Red Barn Mobile Petting Farm Visits Next Step Ministries.
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Imagine you have a severely disabled child over the age of twenty-two. You need to go to work or to take care of other dependents during the day, but your adult child needs help, care, feeding, education, and even entertainment. If nothing else, you need a break. Where can you turn for help? For many families the answer is Next Step Ministries. A 501(c)(3) Cherokee County nonprofit organization, Next Step Ministries specializes in daytime therapeutic caring for adults with severe handicaps.
L
ori Baker, founder and executive director, grew up with a mother battling multiple sclerosis. She knows from personal experience the weight on the family of the disabled. With a leap of faith and some steep barriers to cross, Lori opened the doors of Next Step Ministries in 2009 with three clients. Currently it serves forty-five clients a day total at its two Woodstock locations. Its main location is on Turner Road, and its satellite location is on the corner of Trickum Road and Highway 92. Open Monday through Friday from eight o’clock until six and with a Saturday respite, Next Step Ministries offers a personal touch for its clients, treating all with care and respect. “We find out what they need and how we can help,” Lori says. It might mean the client attends at a discounted rate, or even free, if needed, until parents can get funding in place, such as a Medicaid waiver. It might mean working around a schedule that clients require. “If the client is not appropriate for us to serve, we work with the family to find a more appropriate program or resources. Our approach is to love families and provide support where we can, whether they are our clients or not.”
Lori declares, “We see our clients in a whole different perspective, understanding each as a person who happens to have a severely disabling diagnosis.” With a catch in her voice, Lori asks, “Where else can you work where the clients you serve come in smiling and happy every day?”
Ryan
Anna
the
Teals
Love Overcomes Struggles True love doesn’t always manifest itself as a fairytale or a perfect relationship. It’s a knowing and longing for someone who embodies the other half of your soul, someone who makes you complete and exhibits love in the purest form, no matter what. My husband and I met in college at Kennesaw State University. He stole my heart one fateful day at my place of work, and the rest is history. We’ve been married seven years; however, on February 6, 2018, our love was put to the test. At age thirty-four, my sweet love had a stroke in the middle of the night. He’s an absolute miracle. For the past two years I’ve been privileged to fight by his side as he overcame weakness in his right side and a speaking disorder called aphasia. We’ve beaten the odds in every way imaginable. It’s easy to love someone when life is going swimmingly. When life hands you a curveball, though, you find out quickly what your marriage is made of. If you look closely, you’ll discover love and learning at every corner. Love and romance for me is the way my husband grabs my hand and smiles at me when I’m having a tough day. It’s the gratefulness I feel for his presence, because I know he cheated death. It’s his laugh that I cherish and his sense of humor I admire so greatly. It’s the way I catch him looking at me when he thinks I don’t see him. It’s his resilience and ability to stay focused and motivated to get back to me. In those moments I feel complete. What a blessing it is to learn to let go of what doesn’t matter in this life and let love lead us! Submitted by: Anna Teal
After meeting a client diagnosed with a brain tumor, Lori followed the patient through the follow-up clinic and as a physical therapist. As the patient grew up, Lori and the patient’s mother became friends. They became so close that the mom set Lori up on a blind date. Lori and the man eventually married, and the patient remains a client of Next Step today. uuu [www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
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The year ahead will bring exciting changes to Next Step Ministries. With the support of grants, sponsors, and committed donors, a new three-story facility is being constructed on Turner Road in Woodstock. This larger building will nearly triple the number of available spaces for clients.
uuu Next Step Ministries accepts private payment as well as funds from Medicaid. Currently seventy-five percent of its clients are on a Medicaid waiver. Lori says if someone in the area has the need, Next Step Ministries will work with that client.
“We are a nondenominational Christian ministry first and a service provider second,” Lori proudly states. She adds with humor yet in all seriousness, “Our leader is God in heaven, not the earthly executive director. We expose our clients to Christian music, prayer before meals, the idea that God loves them, and that they have value. We believe that each one was made perfect by God for his purpose. Many of our clients would not be able to understand theology, but they do understand when someone cares for them in a respectful manner and encourages them.” Lori and her dedicated staff continue the same skills their clients learned in school and work with self-care, gross motor, and fine motor skills; vocation; activities of daily living; communication; and socialization, all at different skill levels. “Each client has a set of goals, and we meet those goals,” she states. Some clients even get to experience the joy of performing meaningful work. Lori explains, “With our job-skill extension group, we work with other nonprofits to perform their assembly-line-type projects such as stuffing goody bags or mailing letters. We take on projects at no charge, because it gives our clients meaningful work while it also teaches them fine motor skills and how to work with others.” Some of their clients’ families moved here specifically for Next Step Ministries program. “We get to work with some really amazing families,” Lori says and smiles gratefully.
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Pamela Bone, one parent of client, says, “When you are told you have a specialneeds child, you go through bereavement, but you love your children for who they are. Next Step provides caring people who are mentally and physically around you.” She says the organization has had an important impact on the community.
(left to right) DeAnn Taylor, her daughter Ashley Taylor, and Next Step Ministries executive director, Lori Baker.
DeAnn Taylor, mother of client Ashley reports, “Ashley grins as soon as she knows we are going to Next Step. The folks there are a ministry to our whole family by taking care of Ashley for her social, medical, and day-to-day living needs. They love on her and do whatever is necessary to help her, going above and beyond any expectations. Their care takes a huge burden off the family by allowing us to take care of the rest of our family. Next Step Ministries has been a blessing to us.” Lori and her staff are a compassionate team with a heart for ministry and a love for helping other people. She reveals, “We make sure our employees feel good about their jobs and are provided more perks than just a paycheck.”
Staff member Valeria Lobo exemplifies the employees at Next Step Ministries when she says, “I love teaching the clients independence. We teach them various skills. To see them bowling by themselves is really a sweet time. These clients bring out the best in everyone. It’s such a fulfilling job.” Next Step Ministries also educates families on the next steps to take after a client’s parent passes away, providing information on programs such as Special Needs Trusts and The Able Act, various ways for families to plan the future for such clients. Because of its success, Next Step Ministries is growing out of its current facilities. “Our goal for 2020 is to build one large building to cover our growth and house everyone in one facility,” Lori notes. She knows that with the growth of Cherokee County, Next Step Ministries will receive more clients, “and currently we have six months of growth left in these two facilities.” To stretch its dollars, Next Step Ministries works with volunteers who feed, perform guided activities with, and read to clients or otherwise provide an extra set of hands to help clients with individualized activity. Next Step Ministries also works with local colleges to secure student interns and summer camp counselors for those interested in pursuing therapy, nursing, or special education careers. Next Step Ministries, Inc. 501(c)(3) Cherokee County nonprofit organization 7709 Turner Road and 3353 Trickum Road Woodstock, Georgia NextStepMinistries.net (770) 592-1227
Little Red Barn Mobile Petting Farm Visits Next Step Ministries What a privilege it was to visit Next Step Ministries on the day the Little Red Barn Mobile Petting Farm came to amuse clients! All the clients from both facilities thoroughly enjoyed the animals; however, the clients’ families and Next Step Ministries staff may have enjoyed it even more, appreciating that their loved ones were having such a good time. The petting farm arrived with a donkey, rooster, and six-month-old heifer, two goats, a white bunny, a miniature horse, and a sheep. Catherine Anderson and her assistant, retired pastor Bill Ratliff, carried each animal to every client, encouraging them to touch, pet, hug, or hold the well-behaved animals. With each new creature, clients’ faces lit up with joy. Some squealed with delight, and others cried with excitement. Enthusiasm shone in all clients, no matter their disability, and everyone delighted in sharing the joy and laughter over having the animals visit. Little Red Barn Mobile Petting Farm 334 Prater Lake Road NE Calhoun, Georgia (678) 493-5860
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HAYDEN’S REVIEW
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Jackson Smith and his daughter Leslie stand in front of an authentic submarine door that has been embellished with the restaurant logo.
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Eat at River Park is a familyfriendly restaurant. From waffles to an egg sandwich, children have lots of choices.
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Portabella Frites and Crispy Grits are perfectly fried with a homemade batter.
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Enjoy your gumbo de jour in a unique pottery bowl with feet.
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B.L.A.T.F.—Not your ordinary BLT. Choose turkey or pork bacon for this masterpiece.
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Chicken and Waffle Sandwich with a maple twist will make you smile.
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This delightful Donut Bread Pudding delivers a perfect ending to a scrumptious meal.
Tucked away in the Holly Springs subdivision of River Park sits Eat at River Park, a little restaurant with a big heart. Offering elevated southern cuisine with nods to Louisiana, this little gem delivers a tasty dining experience. Don’t be afraid of spice; its spice is not the Cajun you might imagine; you have control over it. For years friends and family
members encouraged Hickory Flat residents Jackson and Monique Smith to open a restaurant. Finally, after a chance encounter with a real estate agent, the couple was presented with a chance to open a small restaurant in the commercial area at River Park. For most of us this idea would seem crazy, but Monique, “Chef Mo,” is no stranger to the world of cooking. As a graduate of culinary school and a professional culinary teacher, Chef Mo is passionate about food. Originally from Louisiana, Chef Mo didn’t want to create a traditional Cajun restaurant, because some people are leery about Cajun spice. You will certainly
find gumbo and red beans and rice at Eat at River Park, but if you are sensitive to spicy food or love extra spicy cuisine, the chef will alter almost any dish to make it less spicy or even spicier. Jackson explains, “It’s all about making the customer happy.” The décor of the restaurant reflects the tastes and humor of Jackson and Chef Mo. Metal rescued from a local farm became the window valances. A submarine door is a focal point, and one cannot overlook the various “Eat” decorations and signs throughout. The restaurant is both homey and chic, the kind of place where you feel at home the moment you walk through the door.
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“Eat at River Park dishes out tremendous flavor, fun at the table, and a staff that cares about our experience.” — Cynthia Anne Marie Meyer First-time diner at Eat at River Park
That home atmosphere continues when you meet the Smiths; their talented chef-intraining daughter, Leslie; and the staff, all of whom clearly care about the restaurant and want to give the customer the best dining experience. Tables include conversation starters for diners, homemade games, and fresh flowers in authentic Steen’s Cane Syrup bottles. Jackson and Chef Mo blend their Georgia and Louisiana backgrounds throughout the restaurant. You will see their Georgia and Louisiana zip-codes above the door and the area codes on pots on the tables. The door to the kitchen looks like an old-school screen door, with the top featuring peaches and Georgia birds while the bottom sports Louisiana sugar cane. Blending cultures doesn’t stop with the décor. Eat at River Park isn’t quite southern or quite Cajun. The dishes have elements of both; however, Chef Mo has created a unique taste for each dish and sauce. You may see grits and cornbread on the menu, but they are not like any grits or cornbread you have ever eaten.
Menu Says: Peach Hurricane Punch Hayden Says: Tastes like a fresh, sweet
Hurricane minus the alcohol. If you like punches and peaches, this sweet drink is for you.
Menu Says: Portabella Frites Hayden Says: Portabella Frites are an
inventive alternative to French fries. The light batter creates a perfect crunch on the outside with meaty portabella mushroom on the inside. The dipping sauce, though, snagged my full attention: homemade Tabasco ranch sauce that I would drink through a straw, if acceptable.
Menu Says: Crispy Grits Hayden Says: Not your grandmother’s grits!
Similar to Tater Tots, these cubed nuggets of heaven are crispy on the outside with creamy grit goodness on the inside. The dish is dusted with parmesan cheese and paired with a flavorful Cajun aioli. Definitely the most unusual grits I’ve ever eaten.
Menu Says: Gumbo du jour Hayden Says: I closed my eyes and thought
I was in the French Quarter. The picturesque crock contained the perfect roux, a symphony
of flavors, andouille sausage, and tender chicken. The restaurant offers a different gumbo flavor weekly.
Menu Says: Cast-Iron Skillet Cornbread Hayden Says: Served in a small cast-iron
skillet and topped with a honey butter glaze, this side dish is sweet, savory, and crunchy— the best cornbread I’ve ever eaten. Next time I’m going to try the sweet potato cornbread.
Menu Says: B.L.A.T.F.—Not your ordinary BLT Hayden Says: Pecan-wood smoked pork
shoulder bacon plus lettuce, smashed avocado, tomato jam, a fried egg, and creole aioli all on lightly toasted Hawaiian bread. I almost have no words, possibly because I keep taking a bite of the sandwich and cannot stop. An adult sandwich that will bring you back to Eat.
Menu Says: Waffle Chicken Sandwich Hayden Says: The day before I visited Eat,
I told someone that I’m not a fan of chicken and waffles. The next day I bit into Eat’s masterpiece and changed my mind forever. Between two perfectly golden-brown waffles sits a crispy fried chicken breast topped with lettuce, tomato, and a smoky maple mustard that gives a hint of maple syrup without creating a mess. The powdered sugar dusting includes a mild cayenne pepper, giving it a balanced flavor I’d never experienced. This dish, my friends, is a must try!
Menu Says: Bayou House Salad Hayden Says: Greens, veggies, crispy
cornbread croutons, and a vinaigrette containing Steen’s Pure Cane Syrup straight from Louisiana. The sweetness in the dressing creates a perfect balance of veggies and flavors.
Menu Says: Donut Bread Pudding Hayden Says: Save room for dessert! A
brilliant concoction made with donuts instead of bread, the bread pudding is as good as it sounds, not overly sweet and perfectly cooked. It’s a showstopper. Thursday & Friday: 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Saturday Brunch: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Saturday Dinner: 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. (678) 403-2178 EatAtRiverPark.com
Pictured on left from top to bottom. (First photo) Each table is loaded with conversation starters and games to keep guests entertained. (Second photo) Unable to meet Hayden face-to-face, Chef Mo called in from Louisiana. (Third and Fourth photos) This restaurant features cozy, often handmade decorations that exemplify the Smith family roots.
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LOCAL AUTHORS
Your Favorite
bookmark
The Slave Daughter
Catfish
Canton: Images of America
When a group of settlers move into the Appalachian Mountains, they face the monumental task of carving new farms from a frontier area. For those settlers the task is made easier because they can rely on slaves they brought with them. For the slaves, however, this new area means not just brutally hard work, but also separation from families they left behind. And for one of those slaves, a young woman, it means additional indignities: not only is she her owner’s slave she is his daughter.
It’s the 1960s and early 1970s in a small town in the Deep South where Susanna Burton, a white girl whose traumatic home life is hidden behind her father’s power, finds a forbidden world of love and acceptance with a Negro family. She falls for Rodney Thibault, a colored boy who gives her the tenderness and warmth she’s never known, when anti-miscegenation laws are still in effect. Even after the supreme court rules against these laws in 1967, the KKK, other white supremacists, and Susie’s parents continue to enforce them. From teenagers to young adults, while the two are forced to go their separate ways, date people of their own race, and live apart, the one thing that keeps bringing them back together is the patriarch of the Negro family, Catfish, who becomes Susie’s surrogate grandfather.
On Christmas Eve of 1833, Canton received its charter. Situated along a broad curve of the Etowah River, Canton was ideally located to become the economic center of the region. The discovery of gold lured white settlers to the area. Early resident leaders included William Grisham, Judge Joseph Donaldson, John P. Brooke, and Joseph Emerson Brown, who later served as Georgia’s governor during the Civil War.
by Bob Lipscomb
The Slave Daughter is based on a true story, now largely shrouded in time. From that story Bob Lipscomb has crafted a novel portraying the slaves’ fears and suffering, but by recounting their endurance and courage, he has demonstrated their towering humanity. Bob Lipscomb is a graduate of Cherokee High School and Reinhardt College and teaches history at Chattahoochee Technical College. Bob says, “I live in northern Georgia, in the area where the actual events that inspired The Slave Daughter took place. One of my favorite activities is hiking to some waterfall or other scenic spot in the mountains near my home.” Contact Jodi@EnjoyCherokee.com to submit recommendations for Your Favorite Bookmark. Local authors are encouraged to submit a summary, personal photo, and book cover image.
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by Madelyn Bennett Edwards
How this unlikely pair navigates the white girl’s physical and emotional abuse and the black boy’s and his family’s encounters with the KKK forms the character and inner strength these two young people need to finally take charge of their own destiniesy. Madelyn Bennett Edwards is a Louisiana native who lives in Canton, Georgia, with her architect husband, Gene. Catfish is the first book in the CatfishLilly Trilogy.
by Rebecca Johnston
Canton: Images of America is a photographic walk through local history. Rebecca Johnston, author and lifelong resident of Canton, penned the book with the assistance of many contributions by friends and neighbors. Each home in Cherokee County should proudly display this compelling publication as a showpiece. Local writer Rebecca Johnston is a Cherokee County native and graduate of both Cherokee County High School and the University of Georgia. Rebecca has won several Georgia Press Association awards for her writing, including the 2007 First Place Award for Serious Columnist. She currently writes for Enjoy Cherokee Magazine. She and her husband, Harry Johnston, live in historic Canton. They have two grown children.
by Angela Chambers
with the Murphys
Outside the state of Louisiana most folks either ignore Mardi Gras or misunderstand it. Cherokee County residents Tom and Cindy Murphy no longer fit that mold. For many years Tom and Cindy Murphy Orpheus-related beads, trinkets, and heard about Mardi Gras in New Orleans, stuffed animals to the crowd along a four-mile parade route. but they had never considered being part of it. Contrary to the image many folks have about the event, the parades are family Tom, an interventional radiologist by day, plays in a band called Third Rail in his spare friendly. Similar to tailgating, people wait for hours along the parade route and spend time. Last year a bandmate’s wife, who is from New Orleans, suggested the Murphys the time having cookouts, playing ball, and enjoying the camaraderie. go to Mardi Gras and join a parade. As recent empty nesters, Tom and Cindy decided to embark on a Mardi Gras adventure. They both had the same preconceived notion that many folks do about Mardi Gras, that it is debauchery geared toward young adults. Cindy says, “I am shy and reserved. This concept was far out of my comfort zone.” Despite their earlier misgivings, the Murphys joined the Krewe of Orpheus, whose parade rolls on Lundi Gras, the Monday night before Fat Tuesday. Krewes are organizations that put together parades or balls for the Mardi Gras season. Krewe members can number from under a hundred people to more than four thousand. A famous New Orleans native, Harry Connick, Jr., cofounded the Orpheus parade. Riders don costumes and masks (a rider can be fined for not wearing a mask) and climb aboard floats. They then throw
Cindy says she wasn’t quite prepared for the crazy, fun-filled, chaotic experience of being on the float. “Tom is used to being on stage, because he is in a band. I was a teacher. As a member of a krewe, however, you are virtually a rock star that night. People scream for you and cheer you on for hours. There is nothing like it.” She muses that wearing the mask helped reduce her anxiety. “I got to be someone I’m not. I could be anyone I wanted to be that night.” Costuming and being incognito is part of the magic of the carnival season. From the basic store-bought Halloween costume to elaborate works of art, the strongest part of the celebration on the morning of Fat Tuesday is to wear and witness costumes. The Murphys are planning a return trip to ride this year. One of Cindy’s goals is to encourage more introverts to experience Mardi Gras in New Orleans. She was
surprised that the crowds were not as suffocating as she thought. She was also pleased with the communal atmosphere on the streets. “All ages and cultures mingle. Social barriers are taken away. Being there is just about celebrating the carnival season.” If you attend Mardi Gras, watch for your fellow Cherokee County residents and yell the phrase almost everyone in the crowd utters: “Throw me something, mister!”
al s parade grand marsh • This year’s Orpheu e. fam d Ba g kin Brea is Brian Cranston of t l season had a direc • In 2014 the Carniva 64 million on the $1 economic impact of . ns lea Or w city of Ne gins on the twelfth • Carnival season be as and culminates on tm ris night after Ch as, the day before Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gr Ash Wednesday. s Fat Tuesday change • The actual date of d an y da es dn We h As because the dates of Easter change. nuary 6, with parades • Parades begin on Ja every weekend. before Fat Tuesday, • On the Wednesday daily until the end parades begin running of Mardi Gras. [www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
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Splash of Love Recipes
Mardi Gras Madness Sausage/Shrimp Jambalaya
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons flour 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves ¼ teaspoon each ground red pepper (cayenne) and black pepper 8 bone-in chicken thighs (2-1/2 lb.), skinned 1 tablespoon oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 large green pepper, chopped 4 cloves of garlic, minced 1 can (28 oz.) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained ½ cup bull’s-eye texas style barbecue sauce 1 package (9 oz.) fully cooked andouille sausage, sliced 3 cups fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth 1½ cups long-grain white rice, uncooked ½ pound uncooked deveined peeled large shrimp ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
Begin the fun:
1 Mix flour and seasonings in shallow dish. Add chicken; turn to coat both sides of each thigh. Heat oil in Dutch oven or large deep skillet on medium heat. Add 4 chicken thighs; cook 4 min. on each side or until each is golden brown on both sides. Transfer to plate, reserving drippings in pan. Repeat with remaining chicken.
3 Add shrimp to tomato mixture; simmer 8 min. or until shrimp turn pink. 4 Spoon rice into shallow bowls; top with chicken mixture and parsley.
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1 1 1 1 ¼ 2½ ½ ½
cup butter unsalted, room temperature cup granulated sugar egg large tablespoon vanilla extract teaspoon almond extract optional cups all-purpose flour teaspoon baking soda teaspoon baking powder
For a festive option, add some red food coloring to the dough - go heavy for a deep red or light for pink!
Begin the fun:
1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar until light and fluffy. 2. Add egg and extracts and mix until smooth. 3. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda. Mix until just combined to a cookie dough consistency. 4. Roll out and use cookie heart cutter. Decorate as you wish. 5. Place them on a cookie tray, lined with parchment paper or a non-stick tray. 6. Bake at 350º degrees for 12 minutes or until edges are firm and light golden brown. 7. Allow them to cool down and enjoy!
Suggestion:
u
2 Add onions, green peppers and garlic to drippings in pan; cook and stir 5 min. Stir in tomatoes, barbecue sauce and sausage. Return chicken and any juices from plate to tomato mixture; simmer 25 min. or until chicken is done, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, bring broth to boil in medium saucepan. Stir in rice; cover. Simmer on medium-low heat 20 min. or until broth is absorbed and rice is tender.
Ingredients:
Valentine Heart Sugarlove Cookie
Be creative and use a smaller heart shape cookie cutter and cut out the center of the cookie and fill with your favorite jam!
Mardi Gras So Goooood Wings Ingredients:
2 pounds of whole chicken wings (leg, wing, tip) 4 tablespoons mardi gras wing seasoning (recipe below) 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
Mardi Gras Wing Seasoning
2 tablespoons dried rosemary 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon dried ground oregano 1 tablespoon Tony’s Creole Seasoning 1½ teaspoons cumin 1 teaspoon dry Mardi Gras yellow mustard Happy Hurricane 1 teaspoon black Ingredients: pepper 3 tablespoons canola 1 cup lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage oil, optional for making paste Condiments Combine all seasoning 1 oz. lime juice ingredients and store in an air tight container.
Frozen ½ cup ice
Begin the fun:
Beer, Wine & Liquor 1 fl oz 151 proof rum 2 fl oz passion fruit liqueur 2 fl oz rum, light
1. Separate the tips from the wings and wings from the legs with a sharp knife and two good whacks. The result: wings (less the tips) and legs. 2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Parboil wings for 8 minutes.
3. Drain on racks for about 5 minutes until mostly dry; then pat with paper towels until completely dry. 4. Preheat oven to 450º degrees. 5. Working in batches, place 8-10 wings in a bowl with 1-2 Tbl. of sunflower (or other high heat oil) and 1-2 Tbl. of Mardi Gras Wing seasoning. Toss until well coated. Place directly onto large shallow rimmed baking sheet. 6. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn wings over and bake another 5 minutes.
Pure Love Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting (with kisses on the side) Ingredients:
½ 1½ 2 1 1 1
cup butter cups white sugar eggs cup buttermilk fluid ounce red food coloring teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ 1 2 1/3 1
Buttercream Frosting
teaspoons baking soda tablespoon distilled white vinegar cups all-purpose flour cup unsweetened cocoa powder teaspoon salt
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened tiny pinch fine sea salt 1½ pounds (24 ounces) powdered sugar, sifted 1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract (this helps maintain the bright white color) 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream (or milk)
Begin the fun:
Begin the fun:
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, red food coloring and vanilla. Stir in the baking soda and vinegar. Combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt; stir into the batter just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
2. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the salt and powdered sugar, and continue beating until the sugar is fully incorporated.
1. Preheat oven to 350º. Grease two 12 cup muffin pans or line with 20 paper baking cups.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter and frost with the delicious buttercream frosting.
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed for 6-7 minutes.
3. Add in vanilla and cream (or milk) and mix on low speed until incorporated. 4. Turn the mixer back up to medium-high speed and beat the buttercream for an additional 6-7 minutes. 5. If the buttercream is too thick, add in a bit of cream (or milk), one teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Medical Assisting Program
Launch Your Healthcare Career High-Demand Rewarding Quick Start Affordable
ChattahoocheeTech.edu 770-528-4545 A Unit of the Technical College System of Georgia. Equal Opportunity Institution.
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[Calendar of Events]
17
VAC Fundraising Luncheon
18
Higher & Higher
20
DJ Trivia
Friday
Saturday Martin Luther King Day
Monday
Volunteer Aging Council 3333 E. Cherokee Drive, Canton 11:30 am $5; Please RSVP VAC-CherokeeGa.org
24
Grease Sing-Along
25
Last Laugh Comedy Competition
26
It’s a Wibit
29
Watercolor Workshop
30
Mary Poppins Jr.
31
Mary Poppins Jr.
Saturday
Sunday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Black Market Trust
Cherokee County Aquatic Center 1200 WellStar Way, Canton 5:30–10:00 pm $15/child advance; $20 at door PlayCherokee.org; CRPA.net
Falany Performing Arts Ctr. 7300 Reinhardt Circle, Waleska 7:30 pm Tickets available at: reinhardt.edu/falany/tickets
PARENT’S NIGHT OUT Need some adult time? Drop your children off at the Aquatic Center for a night of excitement while you enjoy some much-needed adulting. Admission price includes open swim time, pool games, crafts, dinner, and a movie. Friday, January 31 Friday, February 14 & 28 5:30 pm–10:00 pm Cherokee County Aquatic Center
Guston’s Grille 12195 Hwy. 92, WDSTK 8:30 PM Free Gustons.com/Woodstock
Self Defense Class
Friday
Parent’s Night Out
Canton Theatre 171 Main St., Canton 7:00 pm Brother Brown & Soul Reunion CantonTheatre
21
Tuesday
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January 2020
Cherokee Recreation & Parks January 21 & 28 6:00–7:30 pm $55 per two-week session PlayCherokee.org; CRPA.net Canton Theatre 5:00 pm; 8:00 pm $3 at the box office FB: CantonTheatre
Elm Street 8534 Main St., WDSTK 7:30-10:00 pm $10 Online; $15 at the Door elmstreetarts.org
Clay Anderson, The Palms
Author Event, FoxTale Book Shoppe 105 E. Main St., WDSTK 1:00 pm Anderson is an adjunct professor at Reinhardt Univ. FoxTaleBookShoppe.com
Cherokee County Aquatic Center 1200 WellStar Way, Canton 1:00–5:00 pm 25-yard swim test required PlayCherokee.org; CRPA.net
Cherokee Arts Center 94 North Street, Canton 1:00 pm Reservations at 770-704-6244 CherokeeArts.org
Elm Street 8534 Main St., WDSTK 7:30 pm $13.50 Online; $16 at the Door elmstreetarts.org
Elm Street 8534 Main St., WDSTK 7:30 pm $13.50 Online; $16 at the Door elmstreetarts.org
[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
GA Aquarium Behind the Seas
Silver Roamers Trip 8:00 am pick-up Boys & Girls Club 8:30 am pick-up Rec Center $70 members; $80 non-members PlayCherokee.org; CRPA.net
Parent’s Night Out
Cherokee County Aquatic Center 1200 WellStar Way, Canton 5:30–10:00 pm $15/child advance; $20 at door PlayCherokee.org; CRPA.net
Sail On! Beach Boys Tribute
Falany Performing Arts Ctr. 7300 Reinhardt Circle, Waleska 3:00 pm; 7:30 pm Tickets available at: reinhardt.edu/falany/tickets
PlayCherokee.org
[Calendar of Events]
February 2020
1
Mary Poppins Jr.
2
Mary Poppins Jr. (ASL)
7
iThink Improv
The Fantastics (musical)
8
Volunteer Trail Clean-up
The Fantastics (musical)
9
The Fantastics (musical)
Saturday
Groundhog Day & Super Bowl 2020 Sunday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Elm Street 8534 Main St., WDSTK 7:30 pm $13.50 Online; $16 at the Door elmstreetarts.org
Tickets $10
Elm Street 8534 Main St., WDSTK 2:30 pm $13.50 Online; $16 at the Door elmstreetarts.org Elm Street 8534 Main St., WDSTK 8:00 pm $8 Online; $10 at the Door elmstreetarts.org
Cherokee Recreation & Parks Lewis Park; 200 East Bells Ferry 11:00 am–2:00 pm Free; Tools provided by CRPA PlayCherokee.org; CRPA.net
Cherokee Theatre Company 171 Main St., Canton 8:00 pm $18; $15 senior/student/military CherokeeTheatre.org Cherokee Theatre Company 171 Main St., Canton 8:00 pm $18; $15 senior/student/military CherokeeTheatre.org
Downtown Canton Chocolate Walk
Jukebox Saturday Night Falany Performing Arts Ctr. 7300 Reinhardt Circle, Waleska 7:30 pm Tickets available at: reinhardt.edu/falany/tickets
Chocolate Walk Downtown Canton 3:00–6:00 pm $10/person Buy Tickets Online FB: Downtown Canton Chocolate Walk
Cherokee Theatre Company 171 Main St., Canton 2:30 pm / $18; $15 senior/student/military CherokeeTheatre.org
[www.EnjoyCherokee.com]
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[Calendar of Events]
11
Self Defense Class
12
Romeo & Juliet (Shakespeare Tavern)
13
Welcome Neighbor!
14
Parent’s Night Out
15
The Fantastics (musical) The Underpants
16
The Fantastics (musical) The Underpants
17
Splish Splash Camp (Feb. 17-21)
Tuesday Wednesday Galentine’s Day
Thursday
Valentine’s Day
Friday
Saturday
Sunday Presidents’ Day
Monday
Cherokee Recreation & Parks February 11 & 18 6:00–7:30 pm $55 per two-week session PlayCherokee.org; CRPA.net
Silver Roamers Trip 7:45 am pick-up Boys & Girls Club 8:15 am pick-up Rec Center $60 members; $70 non-members PlayCherokee.org; CRPA.net Cotton Mill Exchange OPEN FOR BUSINESS! 1:00 pm–9:00 pm Support Canton’s Newest Retailers 141 Railroad Street, Canton Cherokee County Aquatic Center 1200 WellStar Way, Canton 5:30–10:00 pm $15/child advance; $20 at door PlayCherokee.org; CRPA.net Cherokee Theatre Company 171 Main St., Canton 8:00 p.m. $18; $15 senior/student/military CherokeeTheatre.org Cherokee Theatre Company 171 Main St., Canton 2:30 pm $18; $15 senior/student/military CherokeeTheatre.org
Archery Come and Try Days
22
The Underpants
23
Guns & Hoses Fun Run & Walk
Saturday
Sunday
The Fantastics (musical) Cherokee Theatre Company 171 Main St., Canton 8:00 pm $18; $15 senior/student/military CherokeeTheatre.org by Steve Martin Falany Performing Arts Ctr. 7300 Reinhardt Circle, Waleska Tickets available at: reinhardt.edu/falany/tickets by Steve Martin Falany Performing Arts Ctr. 7300 Reinhardt Circle, Waleska Tickets available at: reinhardt.edu/falany/tickets
The Underpants
by Steve Martin Falany Performing Arts Ctr. 7300 Reinhardt Circle, Waleska Tickets available at: reinhardt.edu/falany/tickets
Gospel
Cherokee County’s Choice
Cherokee County Aquatic Center 1200 WellStar Way, Canton 7:30 am–6:00 pm $230; includes three field trips PlayCherokee.org; CRPA.net
21
Friday
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February 2020
Cherokee Recreation & Parks 7545 Main Street, WDSTK 6:30-7:30 pm $10; all ages welcome PlayCherokee.org; CRPA.net
Country Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Falany Performing Arts Ctr. 7300 Reinhardt Circle, Waleska 8:00 pm Tickets available at: reinhardt.edu/falany/tickets
by Steve Martin Falany Performing Arts Ctr. 7300 Reinhardt Circle, Waleska Tickets available at: reinhardt.edu/falany/tickets
Cherokee Recreation & Parks 6688 Bells Fery Road, WDSTK 7:30 am $25 early registration PlayCherokee.org; CRPA.net
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The Underpants
by Steve Martin Falany Performing Arts Ctr. 7300 Reinhardt Circle, Waleska Tickets available at: reinhardt.edu/falany/tickets
The Underpants by Steve Martin
Falany Performing1Arts WLJA-03-04-19-BOX.indd
Ctr. 7300 Reinhardt Circle, Waleska Tickets available at: reinhardt.edu/falany/tickets
2/8/19 11:02 AM
Fat Tuesday
25
University Wind Ensemble
26
Museum of Papermaking (Mary Macs)
28
Parent’s Night Out
29
Garland Mountain Day Hike
Tuesday Lent Begins
Wednesday
Friday
Saturday
Falany Performing Arts Ctr. 7300 Reinhardt Circle, Waleska 7:30 pm Tickets available at: reinhardt.edu/falany/tickets
Silver Roamers Trip 8:00 am pick-up Boys & Girls Club 8:30 am pick-up Rec Center $55 members; $65 non-members PlayCherokee.org; CRPA.net
Passport to Employment 2020
Resume assistance & interview tips 3605 Marietta Hwy., Canton 10:00 am–3:00 pm CherokeeChamber.com
Sail On!
A Beach Boys Tribute
Saturday, Jan. 25
Jukebox
Saturday Night
Saturday, Feb. 8 The
Underpants
Feb. 14-16, Feb. 21-23 The
University Winds
Tuesday, Feb. 25 Tribute to
Johnny Cash
Saturday, Feb. 29 www.reinhardt.edu/falany (770) 720-9167
Adams
Every Love Story is Beautiful, but Ours Is My Favorite
Cherokee County Aquatic Center 1200 WellStar Way, Canton 5:30–10:00 pm $15/child advance; $20 at door PlayCherokee.org; CRPA.net
Cherokee Recreation & Parks 1411 Garland Mtn. Way, Waleska 10:00 am $10; all ages welcome PlayCherokee.org; CRPA.net
the
It was November 3, 1983, when a boy was born in Virginia. His future wife came into the world on November 3, 1987, in Costa Rica.
Johnny Cash Tribute
Falany Performing Arts Ctr. 7300 Reinhardt Cir., Waleska 3:00 pm; 7:30 pm Tickets available at: reinhardt.edu/falany/tickets
Years went by, the boy and girl grew, and the pieces of the puzzle moved. He went to college, majored in Spanish, and took an international community service opportunity. From a long list of countries, as random as a ball on a roulette wheel, he chose Costa Rica. She moved frequently, but this time she was going to meet the love of her life. It was 2005 when they laid eyes on each other. They spent time together and then went on their first date on January 13. Sharing ice cream, rainforest hikes, and learning about each other all came naturally. She went to the airport with a broken heart to say goodbye. Promises, hugs, kisses, and tears were shared, but a long-distance relationship seemed impossible. He graduated and started his new job. Emails, letters, Skype video, international phone calls, and plane tickets became the norm. She started college and waited for him to return. In 2010 he quit his job and moved in with her. The pura vida life in Costa Rica made their love blossom. He proposed and they made plans to move to Atlanta. On December 8, 2010, she first set foot in the USA with two suitcases and full of dreams, memories, tears, joy, and hopes. They exchanged vows in 2011. They’ve completed their fifty-states quest with lifelong memories and adventures. Their love has given them Isabel and Sophia, who are their whole world. It’s 2020 and their ninth anniversary is approaching. Submitted by: Sylvia Adams