Enjoy Cherokee Magazine November/December 2023 by Enjoy Cherokee Magazine

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[table of contents]

Cover Photo by Terri Starnes of Terri Starnes Photography

Fifty Years of Christmas Magic Ball Ground’s Tim Cavender celebrates fifty years of bringing the magic of Christmas to life as Santa Claus.

Enjoy Cherokee Team Randy Gravley, CEO/President Jodi Drinkard, COO/Publisher

[special feature]

Bill West, Vice President of Sales Jaye Grimes, Managing Editor

Reinhardt Alumnus Experiences Antarctica

Raymond Werner, Digital Media Specialist Bobbie Christmas, Senior Editor

Dr. Jeff Dobson has traveled the globe, and after spending his birthday snowed in on Antarctica, he can now check all seven continents off his bucket list.

Laurie Parente, Designer Angela Chambers, Writer Leana Conway, Writer Rebecca Johnston, Writer

Cindy Pope, Writer Brooke Schmidt, Writer

One of the Lucky Ones

Ashley Velez, Writer

In this Pearl Harbor retrospective, discover the story of Colonel Roy Reid, copilot of the first plane shot down on that day of infamy and father of Canton resident Joan Reid Ahrens.

Jennifer Allen, Account Executive Makenzie Bird, Intern Nick Feehery, Intern Emilee Hendrix, Intern

rights reserved. Every effort is made to ensure the

Talking About Outdoors Explore the outdoors in Cherokee County this wintry season with our guide to some local favorite spots for hunting, fishing, biking, and hiking.

Gratitude Q&A with Kevin Monroe Gratitude counselor Kevin Monroe of Woodstock discusses what it means to be genuinely grateful in this Q&A session, just in time for Thanksgiving.

Thankful for Agricultural Education Oak Grove Elementary School teacher Christy Cook explains the Three Sisters planting method practiced by indigenous people since long before the first Thanksgiving.

Remember, Honor, Teach

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Every December the Wreaths Across America initiative remembers the fallen, honors those who served, and teaches the next generation about the value of freedom.

contents of this publication are true and accurate.

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Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds. . . . . . . . . . . 49

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Atlanta Event Specialists. . . . . . . . back cover

Giggle Monsters Craft Donuts. . . . . . . . . . . . 3

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Bear Claw Vineyards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Harmony Orthodontics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. . . . . . 10

History Cherokee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Blue Ridge Business Association . . . . . . . . . 47

It’s Me Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Camellia Place Assisted Living & Memory Care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

J. Thompson Ross Investments . . . . . . . . . . 34

Holiday Happenings

Magnetize.Me. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Christmas at Reinhardt, a Harry Potter-themed Yule Ball, Holiday Lights at Veterans Park, and the Reindeer Run 5K are some holiday highlights this season.

SimplyTheBest@EnjoyCherokee.com. Reproduction in whole, or in part, without permission of Enjoy Magazine, Inc. is strictly prohibited.

Canton Funeral Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Century House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Chattahoochee Technical College . . . . . . . . 43 Cherokee Floor Covering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Darby Funeral Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 P.O. Box 4666 I Canton, GA 30114 I 678-454-9552

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Molly & Margie’s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Northside Hospital. . . . . . inside front cover Northside Hospital: Ask the Doctor. . . . 26-27 Once Upon a Child. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Divinely Aligned Healing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Renovation Sells. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Explore Canton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Senator Brandon Beach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Falany Performing Arts Center. . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Sweety’s Café & Ice Cream Bar. . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Fermented Wine Boutique. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Wellstar Health System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

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Not Just a Gift After the holidays, animal shelters often see an influx of surrendered pets when new pet owners feel overwhelmed by the animal’s needs. Learn about local resources for pet owners to help keep animals out of our local shelter.

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OUTDOORS

by Ashley Velez, Woodstock Resident

Ask any local outdoors person or nature lover: there’s nothing quite like the anticipation of fall and winter in Cherokee County.

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hile some of us may prefer to hibernate during the colder months, many thrive in the great outdoors, knowing it is a perfect time of year to embrace nature’s beauty and engage in thrilling recreational activities.

Let’s explore some of the potential outdoor activities in Cherokee County to keep your adventurous spirit alive during the cooler months.

Best Places for FISHING Cherokee County is home to 103 lakes, rivers, and other fishing spots. Here are some of the most well-loved locations.

Lake Allatoona

A shining gem in the heart of Cherokee County, Lake Allatoona offers some of the best fishing opportunities in the region. As cooling waters trigger fish to fatten up for the winter, October and November are prime months to target striped bass, hybrids, crappie, catfish, and Alabama bass, which are sometimes confused with Kentucky spotted bass.

Etowah River

The Etowah River is especially attractive for folks who like to kayak fish, particularly anywhere from Knox Bridge to the headwaters of the river. According to Cherokee local and avid angler Travis Dockins, “There are trout in the upper reaches, and as you travel downstream toward Canton, Alabama bass become the main game species available. They’re really fun to catch in the river; they fight really hard because of the type of environment they live in, as they are always fighting against the current. In the fall they are particularly susceptible to topwater lures that mimic threadfin shad, such as a buzzbait. When they strike your lure, the Alabama bass will blast out of the water like a torpedo, and as they hit the water and start swimming again, you can set the hook, and the fight is on.”

Photo Courtesy of Travis Dockins

Travis Dockins of Woodstock holds up a great catch during the Peach State Kayak Anglers Classic held on Lake Allatoona and the Upper Etowah River on Saturday, September 30. Sponsored by his accounting firm, Frazier & Deeter, Travis placed fifth in the tournament with five catches measuring a total of 81.50", an estimated 12.2 pounds. Peach State Kayak Anglers is a statewide kayak fishing trail created out of a collective passion for the sport. The club's primary goal is to provide Georgia's kayak fishing community with the knowledge and resources to have fun on the water, regardless of each participant's level of expertise.

The upper reaches of the Etowah and Amicalola creek, a tributary of the Etowah, are stocked with rainbow and brown trout from spring to fall, making for exciting fly fishing or bait fishing outings for anglers during these months. Largemouth bass are less prevalent but are present in the river. Bluegill, sometimes called bream, are the most abundant pan fish and there are also good numbers of redbreast sunfish, green sunfish, and redear sunfish.

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‘‘ Photo Courtesy of Travis Dockins

Competitive kayak angler and lifelong fisherman Andy Middleton of Jasper makes his way down the Etowah River during the Peach State Kayak Anglers Classic on Saturday, September 30. Andy placed eighth in the competition with five catches measuring a total of 79.50", an estimated 11.2 pounds.

Hunting is an important aspect of wildlife conservation and land management, especially here in North Georgia. With a dense population of people moving and expanding north of Atlanta, it’s essential that we have hunters and outdoor enthusiasts out in our woods. Not only [do they] help manage our large deer population and keep a healthy herd by working alongside Georgia DNR, but hunters also play a key part in funding research and advocating for our wilderness areas. As we grow and expand into our beautiful North Georgia mountains, it’s the outdoorsmen and women who play a role in caring for the woods and advocating for these special places.

Best Places for HUNTING Georgia has one of the largest deer populations in the country. For first-time hunters, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources [DNR] is a crucial first step for the successful completion of a hunter safety program before obtaining a hunting license. For 2023 the annual limit is ten antlerless and two antlered deer for licensed hunters in Georgia, creating promising possibilities for a successful hunt. Below are some Wildlife Management Areas [WMA] to consider for your hunting grounds.

Lake Allatoona Wildlife Management Area

Deer hunting in Cherokee County is a cherished tradition, and Lake Allatoona WMA is one of the prime spots to bag a buck or two. This WMA is located off Highway 20 headed west to Cartersville.

McGraw Ford Wildlife Management Area

Located on the Etowah River and accessible by Ball Ground Road in the northeast part of the county, the McGraw Ford WMA is a 2,070-acre property with hunting opportunities for deer, bear, turkey, small game, dove, and waterfowl. This WMA allows archery equipment only.

Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area

Dawson Forest WMA is an alluring location for deer hunting just north of Cherokee County between Big Canoe and Dawsonville. The rolling hills and dense forests offer excellent cover for deer, making it a challenging and rewarding hunting experience. If you’re a seasoned hunting enthusiast, you’re likely always looking for valuable insights and discussions about the sport. One local resource out of Waleska is the Talk About It Outdoors podcast hosted by Alex DeBord, Nick Wilson, Cody Watson, and friends. It has gained steady popularity among locals

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–Caitlin Brunson, Canton resident

Etowah River Photo Courtesy of Travis Dockins

Dan Thrailkill (far right) takes to the trails with sons Raleigh and Michael and husband, Joe Cianciolo.

for engaging discussions about hunting tactics, gear, and conservation efforts. One of the highlights of the hunting calendar is an annual bow shoot, which took place on August 12 and drew 170 shooters who sought to hone their archery skills, learn from seasoned hunters, and connect with the local hunting community. The passion for the sport runs deep in the community and is nuanced with meaning for each person who seeks it out.

Exploring Cherokee’s TRAILS AND PARKS Mountain Biking

As summer wanes and cooler temperatures prevail, cycling enthusiasts find their way to the Cherokee County mountain biking trails, which cater to riders of all levels. Our mountain biking community is notably family friendly, encouraging younger enthusiasts to participate. This support is especially evident at Rope Mill and Blankets Creek, where seasoned riders respect eager learners on the trails, avoid high-traffic areas with kids, or hang back to allow younger riders to practice their skills. Located off Sixes Road, Blankets Creek offers a diverse experience with seven interconnected trails featuring jumps, drops, and significant elevation changes. Blankets Creek offers beginner trails such as Mosquito Flats all the way to expert-level trails such as Van Michel and South Loop. Farther south, Olde Rope Mill Park is home to the Taylor Randahl Memorial Bike Trails and offers three courses with an exhilarating mix of rocky terrain and flowing trails along Little River. Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association [SORBA] Woodstock, serving primarily Woodstock and Canton, is working alongside the county to bring more mountain bike trails to the area through a proposed park expansion. This initiative may expand into the Ball Ground area in the coming years as demand for additional trails increases.

ON THE MAP 1. Lake Allatoona

Photo Courtesy of Dan Thrailkill

When asked about Cherokee County’s tight-knit mountain biking community, Dan Thrailkill, Woodstock resident and SORBA main treasurer, shares, “There are a ton of people in Georgia who visit our area because of these trails. They’re easily accessible, relatively close to Atlanta, and offer trail diversity, so it’s not all the same type of trail. The board of SORBA Woodstock has done a great job of pushing the envelope in terms of what’s considered standard for mountain biking trails in our area. There are some jumps that you’re not going to see anywhere else in Georgia.”

Hiking and Mixed-Use Trails As the leaves shift to brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold, the area unveils a colorful canvas that draws hikers and explorers alike. Among the most well-loved trails are Blankets Creek and Rope Mill, which offer various winding trails catering to outdoor enthusiasts. Other local trail sites include Etowah River Park, accessible off Brown Industrial Parkway in Canton, and JB Owens Park, off Hickory Road in Holly Springs, which are mixed-use and open to pedestrians and cyclists. The 1.6mile Noonday Creek Trail that runs through downtown Woodstock is a popular choice for biking, running, and walking and is a leisurely stroll that’s perfect for beginners or walkers of all ages. There’s no arguing that Cherokee County comes alive with outdoor activities during fall and winter. Whether you’re an avid angler, a passionate hunter, or someone simply seeking to explore the outdoors, the region has something for everyone. Bundle up, gear up, and embrace the crisp air and natural beauty of Cherokee County during this splendid time of year.

Fields Landing 600 Fields Landing Drive, Canton AllatoonaLake.org Little River Marina 6986 Bells Ferry Road, Canton LittleRiverMarina.com Lake Allatoona WMA 6231 Highway 20, White

McGraw Ford WMA 2. 1554 Ball Ground Road, #1552, Ball Ground Dawson Forest WMA 3. 5872 Highway 53 West, Dawsonville 4. Blankets Creek

2261 Sixes Road, Canton

5. Olde Rope Mill Park

690 Olde Rope Mill Road, Woodstock

Etowah River Park 6. 600 Brown Industrial Parkway, Canton J.B. Owens Park 7. 2699 Hickory Road, Holly Springs 8. Noonday Creek

111 Elm Street, Woodstock

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Gratitude

Q&A

Gratitude Counselor Kevin Monroe

with

Kevin Monroe

Q A

by Angela Chambers, Canton Resident

On Thanksgiving Day all around the country, families and friends will gather and likely discuss the things for which they are grateful. We don’t usually think about what being grateful actually means—the nature of gratitude. We might not think about it in detail, but Gratitude Counselor Kevin Monroe does. Kevin grew up in Perry, Georgia, and has lived in Cherokee County for the past thirty-four years. He has made a career of studying gratitude and teaching it to others. He even developed an app to help everyone practice the art of being grateful.

Q A

What was Kevin’s introduction to the concept of gratitude? Kevin believes that being Southern was his introduction to being grateful and expressing thanks to others. Wanting to make the world a better place has been in his DNA, in large part because of his mother’s influence. He shares, “Being kind, generous, caring for others was just the world I was raised in.”

What is the difference between being grateful and being thankful? Many people confuse being thankful for being grateful. Kevin explains being thankful is often transactional. You pick up your coffee at the drive-through and say, “Thank you.” You may be listening to the radio or looking at your phone and not actually thinking about what you said and why. You were taught to be polite and say the words. Being grateful, however, means you go deeper. “Gratitude is to linger longer in the spirit of thanks, and it becomes transformative,” Kevin explains.

Q A

Kevin hosts Gratitude Encounters on Zoom.

How do we start practicing authentic gratitude? To practice authentic gratitude, Kevin says we must pause, notice, and express. Pause what you are doing, notice what you are grateful for, and express that gratitude. When you get your coffee in the drive-through, put down your phone, turn off the radio, and have a genuine conversation with the baristas. Thank them for something specific and engage in real discourse. Another great way to practice gratitude is by writing a simple thank-you note. Make it simple and sincere, he says.

Why is gratitude so important? Kevin has a great analogy about gratitude: “Gratitude is like the clown car at the circus; it never travels alone.” Joy, abundance, and deep connections are some of the traveling partners to gratitude. Being truly grateful will combat hate and anger, because once you start practicing gratitude more frequently, joy will follow, and your perspective of the world will change.

“Gratitude,” Kevin explains, “is our best tool for shifting or shaping perspective.” Instead of thinking about gratitude as an obligation—I should be grateful for these things—think of it as a way to help get through the tough parts of life and make real connections with others. What is a simple way we can work on gratitude during the holidays? Instead of asking our friends and family what they are grateful for, start with these prompts: Who was the superstar of your day/week/month? . If your day were like a movie, what was the highlight today? . What is your favorite thing about your house? . What is your favorite thing about your best friend? . W hat was your favorite dish at the meal? Go through all the ways you are grateful for it, from the person to who grew it, processed it, cooked it, and served it. .

Why create an application about being grateful?

Instead of saying the usual things we are thankful for this year, branch out and express your gratitude. Keep that attitude of gratitude going, and watch how your life improves.

Kevin has worked with companies and organizations to develop ways to use gratitude to improve leadership skills and employee morale. When he emailed exercises to help employees continue to work with gratitude, often the emails hit firewalls or had other problems getting delivered, thus the app Grateful was born. It helps individuals connect with those around the world who are sharing things for which they are grateful.

Kevin says, “Gratitude is not a cure all, but it’s a great cope all. Hope grows in gratitude.” He’s not alone in his thinking. Zig Ziglar, a famous author and motivational speaker, once said, “Of all the attitudes we can acquire, surely the attitude of gratitude is the most important and by far the most life-changing.” In his day he recommended keeping a journal filled with things you’re grateful for. Today there’s an app for that.

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THANKSGIVING

Under the guidance of Christy Cook, Oak Grove Elementary students break ground on their Three Sisters project.

A sprout bursts through the soil, only the beginning of a great harvest to come.

by Cindy Pope, Woodstock Resident Corn stalks reach tall on the grounds of Oak Grove Elementary School, serving as a hands-on lesson in both the garden and the classroom.

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Photos Courtesy of Christy Cook

For thousands of years Native Americans practiced Three Sisters companion planting to enhance their yields and ensure their survival. Indigenous people then taught the Pilgrims this system of planting corn, beans, and squash or pumpkins together. To enjoy their successful efforts Native Americans of the Wampanoag tribe and Pilgrims sat down in peace with a bountiful harvest of corn, beans, pumpkins, and squash for the first Thanksgiving dinner in 1621. C H R I S T Y C O O K , Oak Grove Elementary School STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) teacher, is fascinated with the Three Sisters method of planting and shares that knowledge with her students. “We were learning about Native Americans and reading stories of how some of their customs carry over into today,” Christy begins. “One of those stories was of the Three Sisters, a tale of companion planting that Iroquois and Cherokee [tribes] used since before the 1300s.” Planted together, the “sisters” use their strengths to benefit each other. The corn sister is planted first. As it grows strong and tall, the bean sister is planted between the corn stalks. Her tender vines wrap around and lean on her corn sister to grow upward, thereby keeping her precious bean pods off the ground while absorbing nitrogen from the air and converting it to nitrates that fertilize the soil for the corn and squash. The low-growing squash sister is then planted around her corn and bean sisters to hold in moisture and provide ground cover that prevents weeds from taking over. Her rough leaves also discourage pests for all the sisters. Christy’s fifth-grade pupils found the Three Sisters story intriguing and wanted to know which plants can and can’t work with each other. To demonstrate the companionship method, Christy instructed her students first to plant corn in the school garden. Later they planted beans between the corn stalks and then squash around the corn and beans. Her students took pictures weekly to measure the plants’ growth. She states, “By the end of the school year they were excited about the progress of their efforts.” When the squash didn’t produce fruit because of a bug infestation, however, the kids became puzzled.

Christy’s hands-on instruction left her students wanting to plant vegetables, tend to them, and watch them grow, so she also wanted to teach variety. “Most of my students think all corn is yellow, so I had them plant Violet Hybrid sweet corn with its purple and white kernels as well as Scarlet Runner beans with their beautiful red flowers.” To illustrate the fruits of their labor, Christy made Three Sisters salsa using some of the students’ produce. “Whenever the kids get to try out food, they get excited,” she adds with a laugh, “I try to pair the produce from the garden with something I think they would like.” The previous year, Christy and her students planted spinach in the school garden and made quesadillas with sauteed spinach. Christy says gardening naturally leads into other lessons. “We talked about how many stalks we had and how many corn cobs would be on each stalk. As corn is wind pollinated, it can’t be planted too far apart, yet the stalks will steal soil nutrients if planted too close.” This lesson tied into math. During the planting process the students discovered decomposing corn stalks from the summer crop, which led to a discussion on composting, a new concept to most of the students. “We let it naturally decompose and then had the kids observe and answer questions about the changes, which the kids thought was pretty cool.” This lesson tied into biology.

Christy also uses gardening to teach her students life skills, including trial and error, as in the failure of their squash crop; patience, as corn takes a long time to grow; and trusting proven methods for success, such as the Three Sisters method. CHRISTY COOK “I wanted the kids to understand where the was named Three Sisters companion planting method 2021 Oak Grove came from [and that it] is a trusted planting system still used today.” She also wanted to Elementary School give credit to the Indigenous people who STEAM Academy Teacher of the Year. created the method.

Christy states, “Now that they had a vested interest in the success of their garden, they wanted to know what they could do about the problem and what else they could plant to support the corn and beans and keep the pests away to prevent further damage.”

Kitchen Creations

I N G RE D I E N T S 1 15 oz. can of black beans, drained 1 can of corn 4 tomatoes, small diced 1 zucchini, small diced 1 small red onion, finely chopped ½ large bunch of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped Juice of 2 limes 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp. chili powder salt and pepper D I REC T I ON S 1. Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl and adjust seasonings to taste. 2. Serve salsa with tortilla chips. T I P S FOR K I D S Encourage your child to use a butter knife to cut the tomato into smaller pieces. Have your child help place all the ingredients into the bowl and mix everything together. Kitchen Creations is Sponsored by:

Christy’s STEAM projects teach students the value of learning from other people, how to handle success as well as failure, and the importance of working together. [EnjoyCherokee.com] 13

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EXPLORATION

In March 2023 Dr. Jeff Dobson, a geographer born in Canton, found himself snowed in on an Argentine Antarctic Command base for his seventy-eighth birthday. He could not have devised a better way to celebrate. Jeff, a true adventurer, has visited fifty-seven countries and been around the world four times (and halfway and back more than twenty-five times). Now that he has been to Antarctica, he can check off all seven continents.

While at Reinhardt College, as it was then called, Jeff Dobson was a member of the Haygood Literary Society and was editor of the Cherokee Phoenix, Reinhardt's yearbook. Photo Courtesy of Reinhardt University

eff says he “wanted to visit all seven continents before [he becomes] incontinent.” Who says scientists don’t have a sense of humor?

Jeff has tales wild and woolly from his experiences all over the globe, including being abducted in Bangkok and paying for his ransom with his Amex card (purchase-protection applied, and he received a full refund). What events combined to produce such a highly educated man living a rich, adventurous life? The story begins with a deathbed promise.

A Simple Country Beginning

Jeff’s grandfather, Charles Monroe Tippens, died from mastoiditis in 1934. On his deathbed in Canton he asked that his wife, Mamie Cleo Cagle Tippens, promise that all seven of their children would attend college. In the context of that time, that request was audacious. Cleo must have been made of stern stuff, because the family pulled together through grit, determination, and raising chickens, and all seven Tippens children went to Reinhardt College, with six graduating. As of 2013 the family has a combined forty-nine years of education at Reinhardt. Altogether those seven children and their progeny have gone on to teach half a millennium of years in Cherokee County. One of the Tippens children, Jeff’s uncle Leroy Tippens, was principal of North Canton Elementary School during the years of integration and is the namesake of the L. R. Tippens Education Center in Holly Springs. A firm believer in the power of education and his alma mater, Reinhardt University, Jeff says, “I lay any success I have had and the education I went on to get in the hands of Reinhardt, and I will continue to do whatever I can to champion the university wherever I may be.”

Cherokee County’s Exploring Geographer

During a 2009 Ernest Hemingway Look-Alike contest in Key West, Jeff (third from left) and his twin brother, Jerry (second from right), asked the witty question: "What if Ernest Hemingway had been born a conjoined triplet?" Mark Twain impressionist and college roommate Kurt Sutton (far left) joined them on stage. World traveler Jeff is also a cigar aficionado, pictured here in Argentina, South America, enjoying a premium stogie. Photos Courtesy of Jeff Dobson

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Jeff is the picture of a world traveler as he leans back in his recliner on a beautiful Indian-summer day. Savoring a cigar Jeff could pass for an Ernest Hemingway look-alike, not just because of the beard but also because he exudes the posture of a man who has seen much and has many stories to tell. Incidentally Jeff competed in a “Papa Hemingway” look-alike contest in Key West in 2009. The fix must have been in, because he didn’t win. Jeff’s personal story demonstrates how education, perseverance, and imagination can take you far—very far indeed—and you’ll want to pull up a chair and listen for hours. When Jeff and his twin brother, Dr. Jerome “Jerry” Dobson, attended Reinhardt College (both class of 1965), the school offered only two-year degree programs. Jeff went on to receive a B.A. and M.A. from Western Carolina University and another master’s degree and Ph.D. in geography from the University of Georgia. Jeff completed his master’s thesis, which involved traveling on a bicycle in northern Sweden and Norway near the Arctic Circle, during the summer of 1973.

by Leana Conway, Woodstock Resident

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After completing his PhD in 1978, he taught at the Ohio State University, the University of Alaska, the University of Illinois, and the University of Georgia. After two years in the Navy serving as public affairs officer for Naval Air Station New Orleans and ten years in academia, Jeff moved into the private sector. In 1980 and 1981 he worked at TRW Missiles and Space Division in San Bernardino, California, where he served as principal geographer on the MX Missile System project under study by the Carter and Reagan administrations.

A geodetic survey marker was the highlight of an afternoon walk. The Antarctic Peninsula off the continent’s mainland is visible in the distance.

An early winter storm brought heavy snow drifts, subfreezing temperatures, and sixty mileper-hour winds. Flights were grounded for eight days.

Photos Courtesy of Jeff Dobson

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Throughout the next three decades Jeff’s experiences in the private sector led him to found Data Research and Applications (later renamed Interlink USA) in 1982, followed by Global Interlink Corporation in 2011. He currently serves as president and CEO of both companies, which sell two primary products that are internationally in demand. One of the products is a platform developed in response to the tragedy of September 11, 2001. It allows multiple agencies to collaborate in emergencies. Argentina has been one of Global Interlink’s most prominent clients, providing security for the G-20 summit in Argentina, its COVID-19 Unified Security Command System, and homeland security. The other product from Global Interlink Corporation is a highly robust radio for digital communications that works in environments inhospitable to radios, such as the commuter train lines of Buenos Aires, Argentina. This business relationship introduced Jeff to the Argentine Antarctic Command. The radios Jeff’s company produces are a perfect fit for the hostile environment of Antarctica.

Antarctica, The Uninhabited Continent

Antarctica is the fifth largest continent in terms of total area, but it doesn’t have a native population, and there are no countries in Antarctica. A group of nations governs Antarctica in a unique international partnership. The Antarctic Treaty was signed on December 1, 1959, and designates Antarctica as a continent devoted to peace and research. Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, and Germany have established year-round scientific bases there. Argentina has had territorial claims on Antarctica for more than a century, but agreed to sign the 1959 Antarctic Treaty. Argentina has six permanent stations and seven summer stations on the frozen continent, which is where hometown son Jeff Dobson comes in. Communication in Antarctica is tricky. Global Interlink was already solving problems for Argentina on its home ground and had the products needed for its Antarctic bases. Any equipment intended for use in Antarctica must first survive an entire grueling Antarctic winter. As these tests were commencing, Jeff was invited to visit Marambio Base, a permanent Argentine base established in 1969 on Marambio Island in the Antarctic Peninsula. Jeff also focused on public relations between the base commander, Global Interlink, and his Argentine partners at InterLink Latino America SA. Jeff and his group were supposed to be in Antarctica for only four days, but when they were about to leave, a violent storm blew up, stranding them on the base for eight more days. Jeff says he was bemused when people tried to sympathize with him that he had been delayed in a snowstorm in Antarctica. A true traveler, Jeff chuckles and says, “Getting caught in a snowstorm for eight days in Antarctica was absolutely perfect. I would have felt cheated of the full experience if it hadn’t happened.” When Jeff tries to describe being in Antarctica, he grasps for words. Finally he says, “Stark, barren, a pageant of nature. In the morning when I got up and went into the breakroom, the big window revealed thousands of icebergs with the sunrise turning them purple, pink, and gold. It was unbelievable; I can’t even explain it, and I didn’t have the thousand-dollar camera I would need to capture its beauty. But what makes Antarctica amazing is the people who find themselves there; they are the magic. Everyone is from all over the world and each of them has an interesting story.”

The delay in Antarctica was also fortuitous because it meant Jeff would spend his seventy-eighth birthday on the Argentine base. Jeff says he was the oldest person ever to be on the base. In Argentine culture the older generation is revered and treated as respected elders. Jeff says, “They even sang to me, ‘Moses, Moses, we all follow you’ in Spanish. I was really touched.” The commandant of Marambio Base gave him a birthday gift of a helicopter tour of the base, the Marambio Straight, and the Antarctic mainland. Jeff wonders how he will ever top that experience for his seventy-ninth birthday. It’s obvious the wheels are already turning in his creative mind.

Reinhardt University in Antarctica

In the Argentine province of Mendoza, Jeff Dobson explores the Andes Mountains on horseback.

Argentina has a technological university in Buenos Aires that supports its bases in Antarctica, and Jeff’s enthusiasm for Reinhardt as an alumnus and member of the board of trustees since 2016 makes him the perfect person to represent Reinhardt on his business travels. Jeff and Reinhardt partnered together and chose two areas of focus: a potential student-exchange program or a joint research program, and introducing Reinhardt as a possible school for international students who want to be educated in the United States. Education is the foundation of any thriving community. Reinhardt University gave Jeff Dobson and much of his family a great launching pad, and he took it and ran all around the world four times and counting.

Living an Extraordinary Man’s Dreams

The only time during the conversation when Jeff doesn’t convey enthusiasm about his career or travels is when talking about one thing. Jeff shares, “I regret that I never got to travel internationally with my dad. He was a geographer at heart, and I would have loved to have seen the world with him.” Jeff draws on his cigar slowly and pauses to think of what could have been. Still reminiscing, Jeff discusses a group of friends that first banded together in 1997 in Knoxville, Tennessee, and anointed themselves the League of Ordinary Men. The group loves to hike, backpack, ride horses, and tackle pretty much any outdoor activity. The men relish cold nights by a fire and warm nights on pontoon boats, but no matter where the group goes, two things are always present: cigars and engaging conversation. The longtime friends claim they are “ordinary men,” although if Jeff is the group’s idea of ordinary, they must surely be the most fascinating ordinary men around.

Jeff's extensive travels have taken him to the Great Pyramid of Egypt, the deserts of Dubai, Death Valley, Australia, Cambodia, the Dead Sea, and beyond. Here he stands at the southernmost tip of the continental United States in Key West, Florida.

Jeff and his twin brother, Jerry, cowrote science mystery novels The Waters of Chaos: The Ancient Saga and The Waters of Chaos: The Modern Quest. The books tell the story of two scientist brothers trying to discover what happened at the end of the Ice Age. The book dedication reads as follows: “This book is dedicated to our mother, Margaret, who taught us geography, and our dad, J. L., who loved the earth and deserved to see more of it.” [EnjoyCherokee.com] 21

HISTORY

ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES:

Copilot of First Plane Shot Down at Pearl Harbor

by Rebecca Johnston, Canton Resident

For Canton resident Joan Reid Ahrens, the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor has a personal meaning as well as a historic one. Her father, Air Force Colonel Ernest LeRoy “Roy” Reid, had the unique distinction of being the copilot of the first U.S. airplane downed by the enemy during World War II. He was a second lieutenant at the time. 22 [EnjoyCherokee.com]

In this photo dated June 2012, Roy Reid sits in the cockpit of a replica B-17F aircraft, Memphis Belle, at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport in Atlanta.

Roy was also one of the lucky ones on the December day in 1941 when Japanese forces attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, destroying American ships and aircraft and killing more than 2,400 military personnel and civilians. Through a miracle Roy Reid walked away unharmed and went on to live to the age of ninety-five. Roy fought valiantly throughout the war, had a distinguished career in the military, and he and his wife, Shirley, are buried at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton. He was laid to rest there in September 2015 with full military honors. His service at Pearl Harbor and throughout the war earned him two Silver Stars and numerous other medals. He flew fifty missions and served twenty-eight years in the U.S. Army Air Corps and Air Force, but on that day in 1941, he was a part of the spark that would ignite the country into World War II.

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by the naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan,” President Franklin D. Roosevelt told a joint session of Congress when he declared war during perhaps the most memorable speech of the twentieth century. Roy decided to join the armed forces in early 1941 at the age of twenty-one and completed pilot training not long before that fateful day he copiloted his B-17C toward Hickam Field at Pearl Harbor. According to Roy’s written account of the event, “Shot Down at Pearl Harbor,” published in Air Force Magazine in 1991 on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, Captain Raymond T. Swenson was the pilot that day. Aviation Cadet G. C. Beale was the bombardier, and Second Lieutenant H. R. Taylor was the navigator. [EnjoyCherokee.com] 23

Roy also discussed the squadron flight surgeon, First Lieutenant William R. Schick, who he says “had just joined the organization. He had been taken out of Flight Surgeon School at Randolph Field [Texas] a few days before he graduated in order to go with us and had been assigned to go as a passenger on our plane.”

IN THE

Lieutenant Schick would not be among the lucky that day. Other crew members were Master Sergeant L. B. Pouncy; Sergeant Earl T. Williams; Corporal M. C. Lucas, the radio operator; and Private Bert Lee, a gunner.

photograph of the wrecked U.S. Army Air Corps B-17C bomber at Hickam Field in which Roy was the copilot became one of the most iconic pictures of that day, showing it burned in half after being hit by a strafing attack. The photograph was featured in numerous magazines and publications, including the Life magazine December 14, 1942, issue. Each year on December 7 we remember those brave men and women who fought to protect our freedoms during World War II that day and throughout the war.

Roy Reid and Shirley Root were married June 3, 1941, in New Haven, Connecticut, Shirley’s hometown. Roy had enlisted in the Air Force in anticipation of the possibility of war and was preparing to enter flight school in Albany, Georgia. He made the trip to Connecticut for the wedding but was late arriving for the ceremony, unable to get clearing papers to travel. The wedding ceremony took place at midnight at Plymouth Congregational Church.

The Georgia National Cemetery in Canton provides a peaceful place to reflect with a Veterans Tribute Carillon Tower Chime and Concert, a patriotic concert presented weekdays for twenty minutes at 8:30 a.m., 12:05 p.m., and 4:30 p.m., and on weekends at 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and at 5:00 p.m. T aps is played each day at 7:00 p.m. The 2023 Wreaths Across America event will be conducted over a two-day period. People with family members interred at Georgia National Cemetery are invited to place one wreath at their family member’s gravesite on Friday, December 15. Council members will be present to assist families in obtaining a wreath. The 2023 Wreaths Across America public wreath laying will take place at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 16. After all wreaths have been placed, the 2023 Wreaths Across America Ceremony will be held at the assembly area at the cemetery. Learn more about Wreaths Across America on page 29.

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When Roy and the others in the plane began their descent toward the landing strip at Pearl Harbor they saw plumes of black smoke filling the air from below. The pilot told Roy he thought it was just sugar cane being burned, but Roy dismissed that assessment, fearing something more serious was happening. When they got closer they saw planes burning on the ground. “In that short period of a fourteen-hour-plus flight I saw more action, witnessed more significant events, and felt more strange reactions than in my previous twenty-one years or, for that matter, in all the years since,” Roy continued in his written account. “I have seen much aerial warfare in the intervening years and experienced many of the emotions I felt that day, but never with the same intensity. Fifteen minutes before we finally came to a sudden stop on the east-west runway of Hickam Field, we caught our first glimpse of land. It was Diamond Head, a welcome sight. We all looked forward to spending the rest of the day on the beach at Waikiki. “As we approached Oahu, Lieutenant Schick began taking pictures with a small camera he had brought along. It was 8:00 a.m. I remember the exact time because I had to fill out a status report on our engines every hour on the hour.”

The couple’s first child, Ernest LeRoy Reid, Jr., was born on July 19, 1942. He was the eldest of five children born to Colonel and Mrs. Reid. Colonel Reid would not see his firstborn until the little boy was more than a year old. By the time he met his son, Roy was a decorated war hero who had distinguished himself as a bomber pilot, received the Air Men’s Medal, the Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Distinguished Service Cross, and attained the rank of captain in the Air Force.

Years later Roy recalled that what he saw shocked him. At least six planes were fiercely burning on the ground. “If I saw one airplane burning, I would just think it was an accident,” he said. “It was obvious, the only thing it could be was that it was an attack. I knew instantly that there was a war on. As if to dispel any lingering doubts, two Japanese fighters came from our rear and opened fire.” By 1944 the Reid family had grown with the addition of a baby girl, Joan, pictured here with her mother, Shirley, and Ernest LeRoy, Jr., called Lee by the family. The Reids would later welcome three more children: Janice, John, and Betty.

Seconds later the pilot landed the plane with the front half on fire, the back half missing, and black smoke everywhere.

“It was only later that I would hear my father speak to groups and realize the significance of his life.”

Lieutenant Schick, who had been hit once while in the plane, managed to get out, but a bullet fired from a Japanese plane struck him almost immediately. “We then ran for the protection of the nearest hangar,” Roy recalled.

Roy was born April 13, 1920, and grew up during the Great Depression in Hamden, Connecticut. He completed two years of college at the University of Connecticut, called Connecticut State College at the time, but with the threat of war, Roy decided to join the U.S. Air Corps.

Schick was picked up by an ambulance and taken to the hospital but died later that day.

‘‘

Roy concluded his account with this:

The next day, I climbed up into the cockpit of our plane. I discovered four bullet holes in the armor plate behind my seat. I was one of the lucky ones on the Day of Infamy.

On the Home Front

’’

While Joan Reid Ahrens was growing up, her father was just her dad. She would be an adult before she realized the significance of her father’s career. “We just grew up doing regular things, like all the other children in our neighborhood,” she remembers.

After the Pearl Harbor attack, Roy headed to the South Pacific, where he was stationed in New Guinea and Australia and was involved in the fighting at the Battle of Rabaul in 1942, the same year his first child and namesake, Ernest LeRoy Reid, Jr., was born some five thousand miles away in Connecticut, where Roy’s wife, Shirley, started raising their young family on the home front. When Roy returned home after the war, he was admitted to Yale University on the GI bill, daughter Joan recounts. “He taught flying lessons and worked in a mortuary to make ends meet for his young family. Still, he was able to be captain of the Yale fencing team.

After graduating he went to work for Macy’s in New York City in personnel, as his degree was in psychology,” she remembers. The family lived on Long Island at the time. When the Korean War was imminent, though, the Air Force needed pilots again and made Roy an offer to come in as a major, Joan says. “It was a better deal for him to go into the military than stay in New York. He took the opportunity.” He was sent to Tripoli, Libya, where he served for two and a half years. He then came back to Washington, D.C., and served at the Pentagon. He reached the rank of full colonel at just thirty-two years of age while serving in Denver as commander of the rehabilitation center for officers. He retired at age forty-eight after twenty-eight years in the service. After Joan’s husband, former Cherokee County Commissioner L.B. “Buzz” Ahrens, retired from a corporate career, he and Joan moved to Cherokee County. Eventually Roy and Shirley moved to the area to be near their family and lived for several years in Eagle Watch in Woodstock.

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Wreaths Across

America

by Ashley Velez, Woodstock Resident

T H U R S D A Y December 14, 3:30 p.m. Volunteers needed to unload trucks and stack boxes. F R I DAY December 15, 3:30 p.m. Reserved for those with loved ones interred at Georgia National Cemetery. Families will be provided one wreath per interred loved one. The wreath placement will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, because of scheduled funerals earlier in the day. S A T U R D A Y December 16, 9:00 a.m. Wreath placement will start at 9:00 a.m. Following the wreath placements, volunteers will conduct a ceremony honoring the veterans, their spouses, and dependent children interred on the property. S A T U R D A Y January 13, 9:00 a.m. Volunteers needed for wreath pick-up. To support the GNC Advisory Council with decorating graves and cremation niches at the cemetery for the holidays, donate online at GANationalCemetery.org (click “Make a Donation”). Cost to sponsor a wreath is $17/each or $70 for a set of 6. For volunteer details or more information about Wreaths Across America and Georgia National Cemetery, contact Wreaths Across America Coordinator Russ Seltenright at salty31@hotmail.com.

The Georgia National Cemetery, spanning more than 775 acres in the serene landscape of Canton, is the final resting place for thousands of veterans and their families thanks to a generous donation by the late Scott Hudgens, Jr., a veteran of World War II, entrepreneur, land developer, and philanthropist from Atlanta.

very December Wreaths Across America fosters a spirit of remembrance and gratitude for the sacred grounds. The nationwide initiative remembers the fallen, honors those who served, and teaches the next generation about the value of freedom.

Heartfelt Tribute

The program began as a modest tribute in Arlington National Cemetery in 1992 and has grown into a grassroots movement involving thousands of volunteers and sponsors who gather each December, marking a poignant moment of collective remembrance by placing wreaths on veterans’ graves in cemeteries nationwide. Wreaths Across America receives no government funding but is made possible by thousands of volunteers who organize local ceremonies, raise funds to sponsor wreaths, and donate their time. Last year Wreaths Across America and its national network of volunteers placed more than 2.7 million sponsored veterans’ wreaths on the headstones of our nation’s service members at 3,702 participating locations.

Local Focal Point

Each year the Georgia National Cemetery becomes a focal point of the Wreaths Across America program in the Southeast. This year the Georgia National Cemetery Advisory Council has a goal to raise $225,000. It has already raised $150,000, leaving $75,000 needed to ensure each gravesite and columbarium niche, or cremation niche, will receive a wreath again this year. All of the funding for Wreaths Across America comes from individual donations and a few corporate donations, according to Coordinator Russ Seltenright. “It’s the worst feeling in the world to run out of wreaths,” council member Bruce Williams shared. “We don’t want to ever be in that position.” He adds that it hurts when someone comes up to him and asks,

“Why doesn’t my father have one? Doesn’t the federal government do this?” He says, “We have to tell them, ‘No, they don’t,” and then they realize they could have done it if they had donated. Georgia National Cemetery averages 2,500 funerals a year. The Advisory Council commits to placing enough wreaths and ensuring visitors feel a sense of pride and a touch of holiday spirit when they visit the cemetery once the wreaths are visible.

‘‘

When the cemeteries are all dressed up, you come to visit and have a look, and it just takes your breath away. Bruce adds,

GNC Advisory Council Enacts Schedule Changes

’’

Last year the enormous response to place wreaths resulted in heavy congestion on Highway 20. To reduce traffic concerns, the event schedule has been changed to two days, bolstered by provided transportation to and from a remote parking site at Sutallee Baptist Church, on Knox Bridge Highway in White. Vans and buses will continuously run both before and after the ceremony. Cherokee County police officers will also direct traffic before and after the event. Visitors, volunteers, and wreath placers are encouraged to carpool as much as possible to ease the parking burden and to drive slowly and carefully through the singular entrance off Scott Hudgens Drive. More than a burial ground, the Georgia National Cemetery is a testament to Scott Hudgens, Jr.’s love for the people who served and sacrificed for their nation. On December 15 and 16, volunteers from across the state will gather with families of the fallen and join hands to ensure that every headstone bears a wreath as a symbol of remembrance. [EnjoyCherokee.com] 29

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s a m t s Chri at Reinhardt

by Suzy Alstrin, Guest Contributor

Soon after the Thanksgiving tables are cleared, the little town of Waleska comes alive with the Christmas spirit.

Christmas on Stage

This year the Christmas Concert Series includes 3 Redneck Tenors, finalists of NBC’s America’s Got Talent, performing their Christmas SPEC-TAC-YULE-AR musical comedy revue on December 4. The Woodstock School of Ballet honors a classic holiday favorite by performing The Nutcracker Ballet on the Reinhardt campus on December 8 and 9. A Joni Mitchell Christmas is a show sure to warm your heart and get you in the Christmas spirit. Starring Lauren Fox, two performances on December 11 feature familiar Christmas songs as well as songs made famous by singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. A perennial favorite, the sold-out Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Christmas performance on December 15 has a waiting list now available. As patrons visit the Falany atrium throughout the season, they can take photos by the festive Christmas tree and enjoy a display of joyful holiday paintings of Santa by local artist Brenda Harris Tustian.

Visit with Santa

The Christmas season wouldn’t be complete without a visit with Santa Claus. All families are invited on December 10 from noon to 4:00 p.m. to stop by the North Pole mailbox outside the Falany and send their letters to Santa. Children can sit in Santa’s sleigh and chat while taking a photo. No child will leave empty-handed, and each will receive a special surprise by mail.

Joni Mitchell

as Chrisivtm G eaway

Later that evening, experience the holiday tradition of watching The Polar Express on the big screen in Flint Hall at 6:00 p.m. Complete with a hot cocoa bar and cookies, this free event is sure to keep the magic of Christmas in all of our hearts. Reservations are recommended for both events.

A Season of Giving

The spirit of Christmas of course includes charitable giving. Each year the Reinhardt community supports the R. M. Moore Elementary School Giving Tree program. Reinhardt faculty, staff, and students collaborate with this partner in education to donate gifts to families and children in need within the local community. Waleska United Methodist Church at Hagan Chapel on Reinhardt’s campus holds its annual Christmas Angel program to provide Christmas gifts and groceries for dozens of children and families in need throughout the Waleska community. Each angel ornament includes an item on a child’s wish list to choose and donate. Beginning December 3, the church offers an Advent and Christmas Worship on Sunday mornings at 10:30. The community is also invited to join a candlelight Christmas Eve service on December 24 at 5:30. celebrating Christmas joy and love through carols, candle-lighting, and a meaningful message. Students at Reinhardt are treated to a night of holiday cheer to welcome the holiday season. The cherished tradition includes dinner at the W. Frank & Evelyn J. Gordy Center, the campus dining and meeting facility at Reinhardt University, followed by desserts at The President’s Home. Most students will return home after final exams in December, but thanks to the generosity of local families opening their homes, those who are not traveling have a friendly place to stay.

Spread the Joy

Last year, a Season’s Greetings message from the university was a video featuring University President Mark Roberts playing guitar while singing “Auld Lang Syne.” The video became one of Inside Higher Ed’s 2022 top ten holiday videos in the nation for colleges and universities. The Reinhardt community highly anticipates learning the secret of what is coming this year. [EnjoyCherokee.com] 31

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by Makenzie Bird, Canton Resident

Calling all Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and even Slytherins— it’s time for the Yule Ball. Potterhead or not, all students from grades

seven through twelve are invited, although not by owl, to the Sequoyah Regional Library System’s Yule Ball. It’s happening on Friday, December 1, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Woodstock Public Library branch on Main Street. For one night only, the Woodstock Public Library transforms into Hogwarts for a magical evening ball. Teens, especially homeschoolers, are encouraged to register on the library website before Friday, November 24. The dress for the night is prom- and homecoming-appropriate attire, but Harry Potter robes, uniforms, hats, and wands are acceptable and encouraged. The Yule Ball festivities include dancing, food, crafts such as wand decorating, trivia, and photos, as well as meeting with other teens in the community. “We wanted to give homeschoolers an opportunity they don’t normally get to be a part of a dance where they can have that fun night and be fancy,” says Jenny Brooks, the assistant programming manager at the library. While homeschoolers are the focus, all middle and high schoolers are invited to register for the magical night. The event is organized and run entirely by teens through the library’s Teen Advisory Board [TAB], a group of teens under Jenny’s direction. Through TAB teens connect with other teen leaders, select young adult books for the library, and volunteer for and organize library events. Applications begin in May and are open to all middle and high schoolers in any of the three counties in the Sequoyah region—Cherokee, Gilmer, and Pickens.

TAB also seeks ways to give back to the community. At the ball teens are invited to participate in Dobby’s Sock Drive—a donation for unworn socks, one of the most requested items in homeless shelters and charity organizations. A drop-off box will be available at the doors. The Yule Ball is a chance for wintry celebration and is also an opportunity to give back to the community. The Yule Ball became an annual event in 2019 and as of this year is open to all three counties in the Sequoyah Regional Library System. In past years teen witches, wizards, and Muggles gathered to enjoy festive music, treats straight from the cauldron, and even a brief folk-dancing lesson. Like a public-school dance, the event is traditionally an elegant, classy event, yet it differs in that it also maintains a sense of whimsical wizarding fun. Wave your wands, solemnly swear you’re up to no good, and watch as TAB casts a spell for a magical Yule Ball. Teens are guaranteed a night of wizarding fun and a chance to socialize with other teens in the community. To quote Ron Weasley,

“When in doubt, go to the library.”

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by Nick Feehery, Acworth Resident

As you drive through neighborhoods during the holiday season, it is a joy to see the colorful lights shining and twinkling like stars in the night, lighting up homes and showing off the homeowners’ Christmas spirit. It’s a magical moment during what many would call the most wonderful time of the year.

For both kids and adults it is a joy to point out the displays, whether a string of lights or shapes and pictures formed with small lights. Holiday Lights at Veterans Park successfully captures and enhances this moment in a drive-through experience that shares the spirit of the season with all of Cherokee County, along with folks who come from outside of Georgia as well. Mark Lallathin and David Pitts are business partners who have been working on Holiday Lights of Hope at Woodstock’s Hobgood Park, a sixty-acre park where Towne Lake Parkway meets Bells Ferry Road, for twelve years. “The county asked us to make an event to showcase Veterans Park,” David recalls. He and Mark drew on their experiences from working on lights at Hobgood Park and came together to make the impressive light display at Veterans Park. Seven years have come and gone, and going to Veterans Park for the holiday lights is still a tradition for many Cherokee County families.

Speed for Need

Just like its merry counterpart at Hobgood, Holiday Lights at Veterans Park benefits local charities, including those that benefit local veterans. The leading charity for its 5K event changes every year, and Mark and David are happy to announce that this year’s leading charity is Speed for Need.

According to Speed for Need volunteer Scott Luiña, the funds raised during the 2023 Holiday Lights 5K will allow the group to purchase additional custom Hoyt running chairs—valued at $5,000 each—and fund operational costs. Speed for Need is a volunteer-led organization, so all fundraiser proceeds directly benefit the riders, known as Track Commanders.

Speed for Need raises awareness and fosters inclusion of those with special needs through participation in fitness events supported by the men of F3 Nation, a peer-led workout group that promotes fitness and inclusivity. Volunteer drivers welcome Track Commanders—people with special needs—to complete 5Ks, 10Ks, and marathons using wheelchairs customized to their needs. The drivers from F3 Nation give the racers in wheelchairs a chance to complete a marathon just like those without disabilities. Track Commanders can be any people who cannot complete a race on their own, regardless of what caused their disability. Speed for Need has been making fitness inclusive since its first race six years ago.

Driving Through a Christmas Movie

The Holiday Lights event begins Saturday, November 18, at 6:00 p.m. with a 5K through the park. Runners and Track Commanders will make their way through the park full of twinkling lights on foot or on wheels, getting a closer look at the bright and beautiful lights. When the track clears, the park opens for cars to flow through the bright displays, such as the showstopping sixteen-foot by twenty-foot American flag display that showcases patriotism and support for the veterans for whom the park is named. The two-mile course is filled to the brim with more than two million lights.

With your friends and family in the warmth of your car instead of a chilly sleigh, you will certainly feel like you are experiencing a Christmas fairytale. Bring hot chocolate with marshmallows, tune into some Christmas music, and create magical memories for both young and old. The Christmas spirit continues past December 25, though. The Holiday Lights display continues through Sunday, December 31. You can have both a merry Christmas and a happy new year as well.

Event Details The Holiday Lights at Veterans Park event opens for drive-throughs on Saturday, November 18, following the Holiday Lights 5K. After opening night the hours are 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday and 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. You can find Veterans Park at 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. Admission is $20 a car or $50 for a season pass. The event continues rain or shine except in the event of power outages. Be sure to check the Holiday Lights at Veterans Park Facebook page for updates in the case of inclement weather. The last day of the display will be Sunday, December 31. [EnjoyCherokee.com] 35

It’s a season of giving; giving back to the community, that is. This holiday season marks a milestone for a local favorite fundraiser. Combining charity, cardio, and Christmas, the Reindeer Run for the Children celebrates its twentieth year in Canton.

THE Service League of Cherokee County organized the Reindeer Run to support local children in need, and its twentieth anniversary is expected to be the biggest one yet.

The race originally began as a smaller early spring run in downtown Canton with a few more than a hundred participants. As the race grew in popularity, the Service League scaled it up, moved it to December, and transformed it into a holiday-themed race. More recently it relocated to Etowah River Park. This year the Service League anticipates around five hundred participants. Registration fees and T-shirt sales raise funds the Service League gives to children in need. Non-runners are encouraged to register as Santa’s Helpers and purchase T-shirts. “The money raised is used in the springtime for scholarship programs and special projects,” notes Kelly Scott, chairperson for the race. “We also use the funds to help with basic needs for schoolchildren and their families, such as medical bills, housing, [and] utilities.”

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The Service League organizes several events throughout the year. While the Reindeer Run proceeds go toward springtime projects, the money raised from the league’s annual arts and crafts festival, Riverfest, goes toward helping children throughout the holiday season. Photos Courtesy of Service League of Cherokee County

by Makenzie Bird, Canton Resident

raring to ners of all ages were Despite the cold, run n. Ru eer go for the 2015 Reind

Carolers from Avery Elementary School sang holiday favorites du ring the 19th Annual Reindeer Run in 202 2.

The Service League also encourages nearby schools and local cross-country and track programs to participate. A $1,000 award is given to the school with the highest number of participants. Last year Cherokee High School took home the prize. Additionally the Service League features a school chorus that performs the national anthem and sings holiday carols to cheer on the runners. In most recent years the Avery Elementary School Choral Program performed under the direction of music teacher David Boggs. The Reindeer Run has also seen guest appearances from jolly Old Saint Nick himself. This year carolers will stand at the mile markers to keep runners in the festive spirit, because of the new longer race. Runners can participate in the newly introduced 10K as well as the 5K (a Peachtree Road Race qualifier) or the One-Mile Fun Run. The 5K includes a walking option and typically has the most runners of the three races. On the day of the race, runners clad in red and green wear reindeer antler headbands and Santa hats. The crowd is full of people from across the county of all ages and levels of training. Awards are presented to the overall top three males and females, the top male and female masters, and top three males and females in each age division for the 5K and the 10K. Fun Run finishers each receive a commemorative ribbon.

n up are invited to sig al Santa's Helpers annu e th r fo s er te as race day volun nt. day of merrime

Members Cheroke of the Service Le e a service o County, the coun gue of rg ty combine anization, volu 's oldest nte d May 202 8,376 hours betw ered a 2 and Ap ril 2023. een

“I love events like the Reindeer Run because people of all different ages, backgrounds, and running experiences get to spend their time together for the same goal of completing the race and supporting a good cause,” remarks Seth Grogan, a previous winner from Cherokee High School.

‘‘

Most events don’t last twenty years, so we are very thankful for all the community’s support to help grow our event,” comments Kelly. “With the continued growth of the county and help from our generous sponsors, we have been able to help more children each year.

’’

With the addition of the 10K and carolers lined up to spread holiday cheer, the twentieth year of the Reindeer Run will set a memorable milestone. Registration is available online through November 29 and walk-up registrations are welcome on the morning of the race or during package pickup. Rain or shine, the December 2 Reindeer Run Fun Run kicks off at 8:00 a.m. at Etowah River Park, followed by the 5K and 10K at 8:30 a.m. The Service League hopes for a tremendous turnout and wishes all participants a holly jolly time!

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COMPANIONS

Not Just A Gift:

Surrenderas a Last Resort by Brooke Schmidt, Canton Resident

After a gift-giving holiday, animal shelters, alas, receive an increase in surrendered pets. Pets require a huge commitment that includes the time and costs of training, food, and medical care. When families underestimate the time and costs involved in pet ownership, they often believe that turning the fur baby over to an animal shelter is their only choice.

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The Cherokee County Animal Shelter, however, wants to help pet owners understand their other options. Animal Shelter Director Susan Garcia reminds pet owners that animals depend entirely on their humans to do what’s best for the pet’s future. Because county shelters can be overwhelmed by unwanted or homeless animals, Susan says surrendering a pet to a shelter should be a last resort. Although the Cherokee County Animal Shelter works to save any healthy or treatable pet that passes a behavior assessment, Susan explains, “Any pet surrendered to a county shelter is at risk of being euthanized.” She and other experts recommend that rather than resort to the shelter, owners should try solutions such as behavior training, dog-walking/play services, rehoming programs, and assistance with veterinary care and pet food, if needed.

Sit, Stay, Fido

When it comes to making themselves at home, new pets and their new pet parents can have a tough time adjusting. The humans that belong to these pets need to respond with patience and some basic pet-training knowledge. The Cherokee County Animal Shelter offers training for any puppy or dog adopted through its facility. Susan says, “The key to training is to train positively and be consistent.”

Teaching dogs basic manners such as sit, stay, come, and potty training are specialties of the nonprofit Georgia Dog Advocates. Owner and full-time dog advocate Lisa Pelletier retired from law enforcement in 2013 to dedicate her time to helping area dogs. “Our organization is happy to help with the basics, and if we can’t help, we refer to a trainer,” Lisa says. “We never recommend aversive methods, prongs, or shocks. A professional trainer who uses reward-based, positive methods and who gets the entire family involved is helpful,” Lisa continues, “but when it’s not affordable, many helpful websites and Facebook groups can assist too.” Pet advocate and volunteer Kathy Russell has been working to save and rehome animals in Cherokee County for twelve years. She recommends new owners have realistic expectations. Families bringing in a new pet should expect challenges and some disruption to life as they’ve known it. For the first three days in a new place, a pet feels overwhelmed and uncomfortable and may not be willing to eat or drink normally. It may require as many as three weeks for a pet to “settle in” initially and understand a daily routine. Many pets don’t fully acclimate to a new home for up to three months, during which time pet parents should be closely watching for common behavioral issues to pop up. Like Lisa, Kathy says that trainers who use positive reinforcement are most effective, but if all else fails, new pet owners should not be afraid to contact the dog’s original rescue organization or breeder for assistance. She also reminds owners to consult a trusted veterinarian to ensure that pet-behavior issues are not related to a medical issue. “We have seen a lot of people make knee-jerk decisions based on one bad behavior episode and regret it after the fact,” Kathy says. The staff of the animal shelter and local rescues want new pet families to succeed, says Jenn Kandt, a volunteer with Ruff Redemption rescue. “Part of our mission,” Jenn says, “is educating and supporting those who rescue. If you adopted your pet, check your adoption agreement,” Jenn advises. “Most rescues have a policy that they will help families find resources to help keep the pet in the home. But if all else fails, most rescues also require the pet be brought back to the organization they came from versus surrendering it to the shelter or rehoming.”

Walk the Dog; Entertain the Cat

According to the Cherokee County Animal Shelter website, “just fifteen to twenty minutes of play or mental stimulation each day” is enough to curb bursts of energy and limit mischief. Consider family walks each evening with a new dog, and stock up on interesting toys and feeders for both dogs and cats. Pet proof your home, just as you would for a newly mobile human baby, to avoid destroyed shoes, handbags, and lunchboxes. Don’t be afraid to use baby gates or positively crate-train while everyone learns to adjust.

RESOURCES Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Programs Contact each for eligibility requirements

CONSIDERATIONS Before Pet Adoption

CatSnip Spay Neuter Services of Georgia 770-455-7077 ProjectCatSnip.com

Cherokee County Humane Society 770-928-5115 CCHumaneSociety.org

Be prepared for a ten- to fifteen-year commitment.

Spay-Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) provides low-cost sliding scale programs for county residents based on income eligibility. . The Georgia Animal Project 770-704-PAWS (7297) TheAnimalProject.org

Understand the size your pet will be when it's fully grown.

Research breed characteristics and energy levels.

678-834-0777 SpayNeuterVets.com

Be honest about how much time you have to spend with a pet.

Know whether your new pet will need a groomer.

Be aware that many dog adoption centers require that you have a fenced yard.

Know that dogs need to be walked multiple times a day.

Know whether anyone in your household has allergies.

Lisa Pelletier with nonprofit Georgia Dog Advocates shares the following factors to consider before bringing home a furry family member:

Understand the budget: an average, medium-sized dog will cost about $1,500 a year for treats, toys, high-quality food, flea/tick/heartworm prevention, and an annual vet visit. Budgeting should also consider the costs for grooming and for emergencies such as ear infections, internal obstructions, injuries, or dental work.

Spay Neuter Vets

Lower Cost Microchips and Vaccines These organizations hold periodic free and/or low-cost microchip and vaccine clinics. Check for schedules. .

Cherokee County Animal Shelter 770-345-7270 CherokeeGa-Animals.org

Cherokee County Humane Society 770-928-5115 CCHumaneSociety.org

Express Vets

Pet Shots Express

678-402-8717 (Holly Springs) 678-493-5288 (Canton) ExpressVets.com 678-880-3947 PetShotsExpress.com

Pet Food Assistance

Cherokee County Animal Shelter Food Pantry 1015 Univeter Road, Canton

Donations of any brand and size dry cat or dog food accepted. Donations are used to support those with Cherokee County residency having trouble affording pet food. Pets being supported should be spayed/neutered or will be referred to Georgia Animal Project low-cost clinic. People receiving pet-food assistance should not add any additional pets to their home.

Georgia Dog Advocates

GADogAdvocates.org

LOOKING FOR

pet advice or to foster, adopt, volunteer, or donate? Check out these local pet organizations. mazing Mutts & Wiggle Butts A AmazingMuttsAndWiggleButts.org . Angels Among Us Pet Rescue, Inc. AngelsRescue.org . Cherokee County Animal Shelter CherokeeGa-Animals.org . Ruff Redemption RuffRedemption.org .

Pet Buddies

Pet Supermarket, Towne Lake

678-310-9858 PetBuddiesFoodPantry.org 770-517-3798 This Pet Supermarket location accepts new and opened but fresh pet-food donations and distributes them through Never Alone food pantry (NeverAlone.org) in Woodstock.

Find a Trainer

Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers

CCPDT.org Click “Find a Dog Trainer” to choose a certified professional.

Rehoming Assistance .

eorgia Dog Advocates G GADogAdvocates.org

esponsibly Rehome a Pet R Rehome.adoptapet.com

Purebred Rescue Groups

SpotSociety.org/purebred-rescue-groups-atlanta

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HIGHLIGHTING THE HISTORICAL NAMESAKES OF THE HISTORY CHEROKEE GALLERIES

Gallery

THE

SERIES by Rebecca Johnston, Canton Resident

HISTORY CENTER MAIN HALL: GATEWAY TO MUSEUM For Cherokee County native and respected businessman Ken White, giving back to his hometown and the institutions that helped him on his way to success is a driving force in his life. Now, thanks to his generous gift to the Cherokee County History Center, the Ken White Main Hall offers an impressive gateway to those who come to learn about the history of the county where he was born and raised. While Ken has his roots deep in Cherokee County, he spent most of his adult life in Dalton, Georgia, where he enjoyed a successful and varied career, first as an accountant and then as an entrepreneur, launching two carpet-manufacturing businesses. As an innovative community leader and tireless benefactor for his alma mater, Ken served forty years on the Reinhardt University board of trustees. Those who visit Reinhardt University are familiar with his name. His presence and support are recognized throughout the campus where the atrium, music center, baseball field, softball fields and hitting facility, faculty conference room, and football field all bear his name. “It is important to me to pay back the community, to help people who need help, and to help others to get higher education. In 1992 when I formed the White Family Foundation, my goal was to pay back,” Ken shares. “I like to stay busy, and I like to help others. Part of my plan with my life was to work and retire and teach, but the teaching part didn’t work out. But giving back to the community and helping others did. I love Cherokee County. I am still very interested in what goes on there and help where I can.” Born in 1941 in Lathemtown, the son of Walton and Kathryn White, Ken graduated from Cherokee High School in 1959 and from Reinhardt College in 1961.

Ken’s father served in the U.S. Navy in World War II and upon returning took a job with Canton Cotton Mills. When Ken was seven years old his family moved from Lathemtown to the mill village in North Canton. After completing his first nine years of education, Ken attended Cherokee High School the first year it opened in 1957. “It was very nice, a great school. We had a great mathematics department,” Ken recalls. “I was primarily involved in athletics, in Beta Club, was an honor graduate, and played three sports: baseball, basketball, and football.” Ken credits Reinhardt University with preparing him for a successful career, first as a certified public accountant and then as a business owner.

C. Ken WHITE

“I decided [for financial reasons] to go to Reinhardt for five quarters, then graduated from UGA [University of Georgia]. What I have done for Reinhardt is for other students so that they can get a higher education, because my education gave me a road to success,” Ken explains. “The cultural and religious aspects of Reinhardt were good for me and gave me the chance to get my education at a reasonable cost.”

Ken married his wife, Myra, when he was a senior at the University of Georgia. The couple has two grown sons. The Cherokee County History Center classroom is named in honor of Myra. In 2021 Reinhardt University honored Ken with an honorary doctorate in humane letters to recognize his extraordinary kindness, professional achievements, service to the community, and generosity to Reinhardt University. Today Ken continues to operate the White Family Foundation while also being a minority owner in ventures across several industries. The Main Gallery features a mural by noted artist, Reinhardt graduate, and Canton resident Bryan White. The mural showcases each of the cities in Cherokee County. A video offers an overview of the county’s history, and interactive exhibits give visitors a chance to learn about the history in detail before exploring the galleries.

THE CHEROKEE COUNTY HISTORY CENTER is open Wednesdays to Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5:00 p.m. Located at 221 East Marietta Street in Canton, History Cherokee provides free parking for guests. There is also a free public-use parking garage across from the History Center at 200 West Marietta Street. Admission to the museum is $9 for adults and $7 for children ages five to fourteen as well as seniors over sixty-five. Admission for children under the age of four is free. All History Cherokee members also receive free admission. For more information visit HistoryCherokee.org.

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Snowman Banana Nog from FoodNetwork.com

Ingredients 5 cups whole milk or oat milk ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for sprinkling 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for sprinkling ¼ tsp. ground allspice 4 bananas, sliced and frozen Whipped cream, for topping

Begin the Fun

Champurrado from MuyDelish.com

Ingredients ½ cup Masa (100 grams)—the one you use to make tamales. If you can’t find already-made masa, you can use ½ cup of maseca (corn flour). Chocolate tablets: 1 Abuelita or Ibarra Chocolate tablet—90 grams tablet Sweetener: Piloncillo half (see note below). Also, if you can’t find piloncillo, you may replace it with ½ cup of dark brown sugar and 1 tablespoon molasses. Spices:

Special equipment: hot-glue gun and glue sticks, 12 black buttons, 4 plain-sided pint-size (16-oz) mason jars, red or green felt, ruler, scissors, 4 straws.

TRY MAKING A MARSHMALLOW SNOWMAN FOR DIPPING!

3. Put the milk, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, allspice, and banana in a blender and blend on high 2. Glue 3 buttons down the front of speed until the banana liquifies and the drink 4 pint-size (16-oz) mason jars. Cut 4 strips is thick and creamy. Pour into the decorated of red or green felt, each 1 ¼ inches by jars and mound whipped cream on top of each 18 inches. Snip fringe into the ends of drink so it’s taller than the rim. Grate more the felt with scissors. Wrap a felt scarf nutmeg on top. Insert a straw and sprinkle around the neck of each jar. confectioners’ sugar snow over everything. 1. Heat hot-glue gun.

1 cinnamon stick

Milk: Use whole milk or 2%. Substitute with almond milk for a dairy-free option. Optional:

vanilla extract

Begin the Fun 1. In a blender, add one cup of water and the masa. Puree until a smooth consistency and set aside. 2. If you’re using maseca, toast it in a skillet on medium heat until light golden brown and then add it to the water and blend just as step 1 above. 3. In a medium-size saucepan, add one cup of water, one cinnamon stick and piloncillo. Bring it to a soft rolling boil until the piloncillo melts. About 5 minutes. (See notes)

To cut the piloncillo in half easily, place in microwave for about 30 seconds to soften it up a little bit then cut with a knife.

5. Once this mixture is hot, add the masa and water mixture and whisk constantly. 6. Cook for about 10 minutes (the masa has to cook) or until you reach a dense consistency. Add a little more milk if you desire a more liquid consistency. Keep whisking often to prevent it from boiling over. 7. Serve hot and enjoy.

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from ItIsAKeeper.com

Ingredients 15.25 oz. 5 cups 4 tbsp.

chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreos) mini marshmallows butter

Begin the Fun 1. Place cookies in food processor and pulse until they resemble fine crumbs. 2. Place marshmallows and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl; microwave for 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows are puffed.

i o ns

va ri

RECIPE

NOTES

4. Add the milk and whisk. Once the milk is hot, add the chocolate and whisk until it’s all dissolved. Move the mixture often so that it does not stick to the bottom of the saucepan.

3. Remove marshmallows from microwave and stir in cookie crumbs.

4. Break off pieces of the mixture and form into lumps that resemble coal. 5. Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Allow to set until firm. 6. Optional: place the coal in little bags.

K Add peppermint extract or pure vanilla extract.

K Add sprinkles or edible glitter.

K Add Rice Krispies or nuts.

K Add white chocolate or dark chocolate chips.

K Add cute gift tags to the bags.

Classic Latkes from TheKitchn.com

Ingredients 1 ½ lbs baking potatoes (3 to 4 potatoes) ½ medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered 1 large egg 2 tbsp. matzo meal or unseasoned dry breadcrumbs 1 tsp. kosher salt ⅛ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 cup canola oil or chicken schmaltz, or a combination of both Applesauce and sour cream, for serving

Begin the Fun 1. Heat the oven and fit one baking sheet with paper towels and another with a cooling rack. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 200°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels. Fit a wire cooling rack into another baking sheet. Set both aside. 2. Scrub the potatoes well, but do not peel. Cut each potato in half crosswise. 3. Grate potatoes and onion using the shredding disk of a food processor. 4. Transfer the grated potato and onion onto a large triple layer of cheesecloth. Gather the corners and tie around the handle of a wooden spoon. Dangle the bundle over a large bowl and then twist and squeeze the potatoes and onion as hard as you can until no more liquid comes out of the potatoes and onion shreds. 5. Give the liquid a few minutes to allow the potato starch to settle, and then pour off and discard the liquid but leave the potato starch.

potato starch breaks up and is evenly distributed with the rest of the ingredients. Set batter aside for 10 minutes. 7. Heat the oil. Place the oil or schmaltz (or a combination of the two) in a large skillet so that when melted there is a depth of 1/4 inch (for a 10-inch skillet you’ll need 1 cup of melted oil/ schmaltz). Heat over medium-high heat until dropping a piece of the latke mixture into the oil sizzles immediately. 8. Form latkes one at a time. Scoop 1/4 cup of the mixture onto a dish or flat spatula. Flatten with your fingers to a 4-inch patty. 9. Slide the latke into the hot oil using a fork to nudge the latke into the pan. Repeat until the pan is full but the latkes aren’t crowded. Cook until deeply golden-brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side, adjusting the heat if necessary. 10. Transfer the latkes to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain for 2 minutes.

11. Serve immediately with applesauce and sour cream or transfer the latkes to 6. Add the potatoes, onion, eggs, the wire cooling rack set in the baking matzo meal or breadcrumbs, salt, sheet and keep warm in the oven for and pepper to the bowl of starch. Mix up to 30 minutes while you continue with your fingers, making sure that the cooking the rest of the latkes.

RECIPE

NOTES

Latkes are best made and served right away, although they can be fried and kept warm in a 200° oven for up to 30 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and re-crisp in an oven at 300° for 5 to 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on the latkes when reheating, so they do not burn. The recipe can be doubled, although you will need an extra sheet of cheesecloth to squeeze the extra potato and onion shreds. If doubling, the oil (and schmaltz, if using) will need to be replaced halfway through frying. Pour the used oil into a heatproof bowl, wipe out the skillet, then heat fresh oil and continue frying.

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