400 Life December 2020

400 LIFE December 2020

Love to the rescue

How one man inspired the community to help others Also: Sawnee PTO teams up with artist, local businesses to create a fun place to play

EMA director proud of how Forsyth officials responded to pandemic Plus: The Place of Forsyth aims for strong finish to 2020 Meals by Grace humbled by support of others

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contents from the editor

Well, the year is coming to a close. And what a year it’s been. There are a lot of ‘new normals,’ as they say, but one thing that remained the same is the way this community stepped up when it was needed more than ever.

Watching all of it unfold, there was a lot of anxiety and fear.

School leaders, local businesses, residents — everyone scrambled to figure out how to shelter-inplace, continue to work, learn and stay healthy.

But Forsyth County is amazing. For every heartbreaking story we heard, there were three more that were uplifting. Restaurants donated food to health care workers, local nonprofits and anyone else that was struggling.

When Socks’ Love BBQ owner Steven Hartsock saw another restaurant struggling he didn’t hesitate to call out to the great folks of this community to support the business — Lake Burrito — even donating his sales for the day to the family-owned eatery.

I encourage you to continue to support them both.

The Place of Forsyth and Meals by Grace continued to help those who needed it, even as that number grew every day. The Place distributed well above $1 million of food to families in 2019, and they are not slowing down as this year winds down.

The nonprofits year-end giving campaign “Why The Place?” will help keep the pantry open, and serve families in many different ways.

As we close out 2020, let’s carry our spirit of giving into 2021.

— Tracie Pike

4 Socks’ Love Barbecue to the rescue Steven Hartsock didn’t hesitate to help another restaurant in crisis during the pandemic. Lake Burrito was struggling, and Hartsock posted a video on social media that garnered an overwhelming response from the community.

21 Invest in community through The Place of Forsyth When the pandemic hit earlier this year, The Place of Forsyth provided food for families while also collaborating with local restaurants to support them as well. The nonprofit plans to have a strong finish to 2020 with the help of community members.

contributors Publisher Stephanie Woody Managing Editor Tracie Pike Staff writers Sabrina Kerns Kelly Whitmire Ashlyn Yule Special contributors Nicole Bader Jones Becky Cahill Jennifer Colosimo

Director of Revenue Leah Nelson Advertising Tim Anderson Stacy Clark Sabrina Mergenthaler

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People in Forsyth County and surrounding areas opened their hearts and offered their time to continue to help Meals by Grace feed families.

This magazine is a product of the www.ForsythNews.com Sign up for daily newsletters at ForsythNews.com Cover photo by Ashlyn Yule

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Sawnee Elementary PTO members partnered with local businesses to raise money for an alternative, creative outdoor space for students.

Chris Grimes, director of Forsyth County’s Emergency Management Agency, shares his thoughts on the local COVID-19 response and what lessons have been learned.

December 2020 | 400 LIFE | 3

Socks’ Love BBQ began with a homemade spice rub that Steven Hartsock and his wife made to pass out as favors at their wedding. It was a hit. More rubs came out of his home kitchen, and a real label and logo was born.

All you need is Love

Local cook does good in the neighborhood Story by Jennifer Colosimo | photos by Ashlyn Yule

D

on’t worry — this is not another story about COVID. But the tale of Socks’ Love BBQ does include pandemic-related news that tastes so good, I guarantee, you can stomach it.

Whether you’re a regular to the lunchtime line at its inconspicuous little storefront off of Highway 20 or you’re wondering what the heck the name even means, it’s a feel good story about a big community hug and the power of helping others that can’t help but inspire anyone to want to be a part of the zeitgeist.

Here’s what happened: Socks’ Love owner Steven Hartsock (attention novices: this is where the Sock comes from) was checking his social media one day when he saw a message about a crisis happening at a restaurant up the road. Lake Burrito — a community staple in Cumming — had finally reopened after taking months off, only to now be enduring incredible 4 | 400 LIFE | December 2020

Steven Hartsock and his team of amazing workers.

‘I just felt this urge to help them, so I posted a video on our social media page, and told people that if they ate here, spent money here, whatever, I would donate all of the profits to Lake Burrito.’

- Steven Hartsock, owner of Socks’ Love BBQ

restaurant hardships in the face of a pandemic. It wasn’t looking good for them.

“When they came back, it was like opening a brand new restaurant again,” says Hartsock. “Nobody really knew they were back and they were really struggling.

They’ve been around a lot longer than I have — and talk about real chefs, Paris is the real deal. I just felt this urge to help them, so I posted a video on our social media page, and told people that if they ate here, spent money here, whatever, I would donate all of the profits to Lake Burrito.”

For Socks’ Love that meant stocking the smoker on Thursday night with everything they had, calling in the entire team and gearing up for making an already busy Friday something even bigger. What happened was even bigger than that.

“It happened so quick,” says Hartsock. “It was really cool to see. We sold out at 12:30 — and I mean sold out of everything. It was the craziest thing. There was a line out into the parking lot. People were picnicking outside.”

But there’s more. Customers donated cash, neighboring restaurant Tam’s Tupelo brought over a check from

Steven Hartsock didn’t hesitate to help another restaurant in crisis during the pandemic. Lake Burrito was struggling and Hartsock posted a video on social media that garnered an overwhelming response from the community.

Continued, Page 6

December 2020 | 400 LIFE | 5

their restaurant and Socks’ Love cut a check for more than they’d ever made. Hartsock closed early and drove up 400 to hand Lake Burrito the donations, personally. When he got there, he realized the story didn’t end with him.

“When I got up there, I saw they had a line out the door, too. They were already starting to turn people away,” says Hartsock. “They told me that when they turned on the computer that morning, tickets had just started printing like crazy from online orders; and they sold out of lunch and dinner by 2 p.m. that day.”

Neither of these guys realized what the potential of this call-toaction was, especially when Kelly Clarkson called. The producers had heard what happened and filmed a Live! episode on October 15 from the Socks’ Love shop where they got to tell their story to a national crowd. In fact, the fruits of Clarkson’s on-air plugs showed Paris and company at Lake Burrito stuffing mailers to send to new fans all over the country.

“For me, I think it showed a lot of people that it’s pretty much free to help,” says Hartsock. “What I encouraged people to do was that if you haven’t talked to someone in awhile, pick up the phone, see how they’re doing.

“If a struggling restaurant needs some help, just go on Facebook and write about it. I’m in my own little bubble, but I know that it encouraged a lot of people because to date there are more than 40,000 views on that Facebook post. The Kelly Clarkson post has more than 100,000 views. I can’t help but think that with that much connectivity and engagement that it didn’t make an impact on the local community.”

Making an impact in the community is Hartsock’s biggest goal in owning a local business.

“Anyone that gets to know us and experience this as a whole — all of us, as a team, we’re more than just what a normal person would identify us as,” he says. “I want to be an ambassador to the community. I want to be a good place for people to come and get filled with positive energy all around — not just with the food. I’m a Christian. I love Jesus. I’m not some weird guru. I just want to be a good leader to my team and to my community. I can’t just be a chef or a business owner. I’m all of it.”

6 | 400 LIFE | December 2020

How it all began Another thing they are is a neighborhood staple now, but the business actually started as something completely different. In fact, in 2010 it wasn’t even a business, just a homemade spice rub that Hartsock and his wife made to pass out as favors at their wedding.

It was a hit. More rubs came out of his home kitchen, and a real label and logo was born. Good seasonings led to a few catering jobs, and his reputation for good, quality barbecue eventually demanded a catering kitchen. Fast forward to summer of 2018, he opened the doors to serve lunch and sell those signature rubs and sauces (and more) at their current location.

The menu here is drool-inducing for sure, especially if you happen to catch a glimpse of the creatively concocted specials on Instagram and arrive in time to be one of the first in line. Fans flock for bacon burnt ends, scratch-made squash casserole and mac and cheese, or the crazy things he thinks to put between two pieces of bread (see: the Chopped Sticky Rib Sandwich with spicy slaw dubbed a “Best Sandwich in Atlanta” by Thrillist and still getting new likes on Instagram every day). I took home a pint of Buffalo Brisket Dip and decided it was the best thing I ever ate. Loyalists die for the ribs, and new fans know to get in line early on Wednesday for wings.

Know this: you’re not paying for a paper-plate pork sandwich that you could get anywhere and forget by tomorrow.

Socks’ Love’s premium products you’ll remember forever. They’re made with love, after all, and customers only get the best. Aiming for 100% no waste, what he doesn’t sell out of (and that’s a tall order) or repurpose in dips and sides, he donates locally.

“I just feel like we all have a lot to learn and a lot to give,” says Hartsock, who pitched in to feed hungry families when schools shut down and lots of neighbors were hungry. “I want to make sure that when I’m here running a business with some kind of a platform, I want to use that opportunity to make sure everyone knows they are welcome here, and that we can just continue to be positive when people come in.”

So, what comes next for Cumming’s most generous pit master? You can start by never calling him that — nor chef.

This baseball cap, T-shirt wearing, Jesus-loving, self-taught barbecue guy sees himself as “just a cook,” preferring the ambassador to the community label. Hopefully, then, what’s next includes more bacon burnt ends and his incredible squash casserole to appease procrastinators to to-go lines.

But also a hope that the good vibes he put out there back in May (and all the time) can continue to inspire other business owners and community members to lock arms, lend hands and help each other out. That’s not just good for the belly … that’s good for the soul.

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‘Nobody ever quit — they never stopped’

Rylee Zulauf held a dance-a-thon in her front yard to help gather food for Meals by Grace.

Meals by Grace receives mosaic of kindness and generosity during uncertain times Story by Ashlyn Yule | Photos courtesy Meals by Grace

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eals by Grace, a local nonprofit that provides food to families in need, has always operated by its motto, “For Community, By Community.”

With the rollercoaster of the global pandemic affecting nonprofits across the state and nation, Meals by Grace relied heavily on support from the local community.

People in Forsyth County and surrounding areas opened their hearts and offered their time to continue to help the nonprofit feed families in need, culminating in an overwhelming display of compassion, patience and community.

“We all say that we care about our community,” said Grace Suellen Daniels, executive director of Meals by Grace, “But it was really, really visible this year.”

Meals by Grace has been operating out of many different locations across Forsyth County, among them being Midway United Methodist Church.

“When the world shut down, we went underground and sat until we had worked out a plan for how we could keep serving,” Daniels said.

Continued, Page 10 8 | 400 LIFE | December 2020

Volunteers help load a car at Meals by Grace during the pandemic.

Local band Okay Kenedi held virtual concerts and donated its funds to Meals by Grace.

“We don’t want people to miss even a single day of eating.”

On March 13, 2020, Meals by Grace, along with much of the state and nation, shut down its operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Daniels said she didn’t know what they were going to do to continue to receive, sort and distribute food to families when social distancing procedures were put in place.

Daniels said she was afraid the church would ask them to move their operations. But leaders at Midway UMC had other plans.

Staff at the church told Daniels they would be discontinuing face-to-face services, and that Meals by Grace could have access to the whole building and campus to continue to work while socially distancing.

So volunteers were able to isolate small teams in different rooms all throughout the building.

Drivers and volunteers had to be kept separate to follow safety guidelines. Food teams were spread out inside, and delivery teams lined up in long caravans, wrapping around the church and through the parking lot.

“We had some stumbles along the way,” Daniels said. “But after just a few weeks, we’d gotten in the swing of things and were doing really well and everyone was happy. So really, the hero story of the year has to go to Midway.”

Members of Midway UMC also donated over $12,000 from two separate collections they held. Daniels said she was blown away by the members’ kindness.

“The biggest problem for us was, really, volunteers,” Daniels said. “When you go from working with a volunteer force of 300400 people a week to only having teams of 10 or less… there was a little bit of a panic … and it was challenging.”

Though Meals by Grace had to scale back its volunteer base and adapt to the many external forces the pandemic brought, the community stepped up and helped in any way they could.

“You know, nobody knew the world was going to shut down and there would be this massive need — that nobody was going to have food and the supply chain was going to be disrupted.

Nobody knew any of that,” Daniels said. “So we were having to 10 | 400 LIFE | December 2020

really depend on the kindness of strangers and the community, and whatever they could find or do for us.”

Daniels said when restaurants first closed, many donated their perishable food items.

“Poor [Kevin Gautreaux] was just driving all over the Atlanta area,” Daniels said, “Just getting calls and picking up food from places that wanted to donate.”

Meals by Grace also made use of the generosity of churches and the Forsyth County Board of Education, storing food “literally wherever we could find space.”

Small pieces of the puzzle like freezers and donations fell into place to create the larger picture of families being able to receive food this year.

When asked what her fondest memory was from this year, Daniels was hard-pressed to give a definitive answer.

“The highlight of the year for me was really just all the different ways people found to help,” Daniels said. “You can’t just isolate your favorite to one story that’s heart-touching, because this year was full of a community of little stories.”

Some of the fond memories that Daniels recalled are a young girl named Rylee Zulauf holding a dance-a-thon in her front yard, a local band called Okay Kenedi holding virtual concerts and donating its funds, a little boy collecting cereal boxes and photographers offering porch-side family portraits in order to raise money for the organization.

One particular event that brought a smile to Daniels’ face came from the Forsyth County Lions Club.

Earlier in the year, the USDA bought boxes of crops from farmers throughout the country so they didn’t lose their yields. The government then gave boxes of produce to Meals by Grace to distribute to families in need.

“We had basically from the time the truck arrived to the time the truck left to get all those boxes off and get them distributed,” Daniels said. “And I mean, there were thousands of them.”

Despite a flooding rainstorms, many charities in the area showed up to receive boxes full of produce.

“The Lions Club came with their masks and their gloves to help … and we’re loading and unloading these things in a torrential downpour,” Daniels laughed. “I mean, the words are just running off the page to where when somebody pulled up, we were like, ‘How many do you want?’ instead of ‘How many do you need?’”

It took some time to get all the boxes unloaded, but Daniels said they truly could not have done it without the help of the Lions Club and other local charities.

“Nobody ever quit — they never stopped,” Daniels said. “They never whined or complained — they just kept going.”

Daniels expressed how thankful and blessed she has felt this year, surrounded by a supportive, loving and truly generous community.

Steve and Suellen Daniels enjoy dinner during a 2019 gala.

“I know what this year reminds me of. Have you ever seen one of those mosaics that is made up of little individual tiles, but when you get closer, you realize each tile is a different picture?” Daniels said.

“This year has been like a mosaic of individual tiles — a little girl dancing in her front yard; a young boy collecting cereal boxes. And they all fit into this mosaic of love and beauty that made up the community this year.”

As if to further emphasize her point, Meals by Grace received a donation from the Junior ROTC program from Creekview High School in Canton during Daniels’ interview with 400 Life magazine. A young man dressed in an Army uniform dropped off a few boxes of his own volition, filled with a variety of canned goods.

“See that?” Daniels asked, smiling brightly. “That’s like our everyday here — people just dropping off food out of the blue. And we love it. We love the community, and we feel so blessed this year that everyone has helped us.”

Members of the Forsyth County Lions Club help unload a truck of food for Meals

by Grace to then distribute to local families.

December 2020 | 400 LIFE | 11

Chris Grimes, director of Forsyth County’s Emergency Management Agency, has been on the front lines of the pandemic since the beginning.

‘I couldn’t be more proud of how Forsyth County responded’

Emergency Management director shares thoughts on COVID-19 response, lessons learned Story and photo by Kelly Whitmire

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here has been a lot of change in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic with the country learning new phrases, like “social distancing,” finding new ways to go to work and school at home or in-person while limiting the spread of the disease and keeping up with the ever-changing numbers, data and other information surrounding the outbreak.

All those changes have meant Chris Grimes, who serves as director of Forsyth County’s Emergency Management Agency, has had a busy year between responding to the pandemic and the more typical weather-related emergencies he typically deals with, such as Tropical Storm Zeta.

12 | 400 LIFE | December 2020

“In our business, it’s always best to plan for the worst and hope for the best,” Grimes said.

But he has also been in a more forward-facing role this year, updating the community on information as it becomes available and helping with the county’s plan for dealing with the pandemic and other emergencies and, most recently, being awarded one of the Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce’s most prestigious honors, the Chuck Welch Citizenship Award, for his efforts.

400 Life recently sat down with Grimes to talk about the attention he has received, his extra workload, the county’s response and more.

Being EMA director is usually a behind-the-scenes role, what has it been like for you this year being more out in the public than in most years?

“I think that one thing that is nice is people are getting a better understanding of what emergency management really is. Yes, we are generally a behind-the-scenes organization where we work with a lot of partner agencies. A lot of people think it’s the fire department or sheriff’s office, it goes much deeper than that.

“You’re talking about other county resources, roads and bridges, the animal shelter, the Red Cross, Salvation Army, some of the volunteer agencies, some of the state agencies like GEMA and DOT and the forestry commission and some of the federal agencies…”

What has it been like balancing the COVID-19 response with the department’s normal duties?

“A lot of times, we deal with things that are more like a spring. You have hurricanes, you have severe storms and …

you’re busy for a little bit, but you’re generally busy and then it trails off.

“We’ve dealt with more of a marathon this year where you’ve got one on top of the other, so for our staff, we try to take it one day at a time, one step at a time and we deal with things as they come up.”

What goes into a normal week now that the department wasn’t doing a year ago?

“We were always planning fur hurricanes and surge storms and getting into winter weather now, and a little more regional approach to it. We’re really looking now nationwide on COVID to see what are the trends, what are other states dealing with, what are the lessons learned from other states.”

How do you feel about the local response to COVID-19?

“I’ll tell you, I couldn’t be more proud of how Forsyth County responded, and, once again, it’s not me, it’s been all levels. I think we got on it and did some things early on, through the [Forsyth County] commissioners and [Cumming] city council where we were able to support small business, where we were able to support people and I think we have weathered the storm very well compared to most places.

“Obviously, we’ve learned lessons along the way and pandemic is one of those things you hope you will never be confronted with again, but what a lot of people don’t realize is there have actually been smaller pandemics in just the last few years, so how do we take the things that we learned now … I hope there never is a

‘next time,’ but if there is, we [know] what we need to consider.

What are some of those lessons that have been learned?

“The testing has been a huge lesson learned for us and just the demand for testing. Whether big or small, I don’t think any community knew what was going to happen with the testing and the demand for testing.

“We’ve got a great relationship with [the department of public health], but for instance, if you were to go get tested today, once public health gets the specimen and sends it off to the lab, at that point, it’s kind of out of both of our hands.

“I think testing has been one of the biggest, that and supply chain. I don’t think anybody knew what this would do to the supply chain, and it’s hard to comprehend until you’re in it. When everybody in the world is trying to get PPE or trying to get other resources, how that impact the supply chain.”

As we continue to deal with the pandemic, what advice do you have for the community?

“It doesn’t matter if we’re in a pandemic, dealing with winter weather, people always need to be prepared for emergencies and disasters.

“We saw a huge amount of power outages during Zeta, and generally, disasters happen quickly.

“Think about how quick things shut down at the beginning [of the COVID pandemic], how quick things disappeared off shelves, so no matter if it’s local or worldwide, it’s important to be prepared not just for pandemics but for any emergencies.”

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December 2020 | 400 LIFE | 13

Sawnee Elementary Principal Derrick Hershey, left, and artist Andy Burt, owner of The Wall Nut, show off some of the designs created at the school.

‘Just keep it simple’

Community-funded project brings fun back to recess for Sawnee Elementary students Story and photos by Sabrina Kerns

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he kids at Sawnee Elementary School, much like kids across the county, could not help but feel a little disappointed when they found out their classes would have to be separated for recess this year.

Each class started to go to their own designated spots that they would switch out of each week. A class bubble near the monkey bars, a class near the basketball hoops, and so on. So kids started to dread spending a week in the most boring spot for recess — the bus lanes.

“Our kids told us,‘We hate this area. We can only do so much sidewalk chalk, and we need other stuff to be able to play.’ So they didn’t want to go to recess,” said Sawnee Principal Derrick Hershey. “Then … our amazing [Parent Teacher Organization] said, ‘Well, let’s think about how we can make this a little more engaging.’”

So one Monday afternoon, the kids ran outside for 14 | 400 LIFE | December 2020

‘Who knew something that’s not technology-based, that’s not super complex would be such a big hit? That just seems to be the winning combination with families, with the kids, with everything. Just make it simple.’

- Nicole Hale, Sawnee Elementary PTO another dreaded week of recess in the bus lanes when they got a huge surprise — a colorful alphabet snake, painted on the blacktop. It gave the younger kids a break from chalk as they jumped from letter to letter, excitedly spelling words they learned in class.

Pretty soon the kids had two activity courses, two hopscotches, two four square centers, an alphabet snake and a Chutes and Ladders game to add to the fun.

Nicole Hale, a member of the PTO and a mother to two Sawnee Elementary students, imagined the idea, looking up photos on Pinterest to try to get an idea of how to best use the space so kids could start to enjoy recess again.

Hale and other parents reached out to artists in the area who would be able to bring some of these ideas to life on the blacktop, and eventually, they found the perfect artist — Andy Burt, owner of The Wall Nut. Burt paints all types of murals, with most any theme, but he specializes in children’s murals.

Hershey said that Sawnee Elementary School’s assistant principal used to work at Matt Elementary where Burt had painted a mural inside of the school. He knew that the artist had also painted murals for nearby Brookwood and Mashburn elementary schools, so he and the PTO figured they should reach out to see if he could help.

“We gave him a call and asked him … and he blew us away,” Hershey said.

Hale spoke with Burt about her ideas for the space, and together, they started brainstorming ways to make it perfect for the kids at Sawnee. Hale and PTO President Emily Hawkins sent out an email to other parents asking them to send ideas that their own children might have.

“It was really cool because we kind of showed the artist some ideas and he designed it all,” Hale said. “And so this was like a

question and answer. We [told him] we want some hops, we want some jumping — and so we created this from looking at different pictures online.”

After coming up with the idea, Burt immediately started to get to work, coming to the school after hours and on weekends to accommodate everyone’s schedule. After only three weeks, the paintings were finished. The PTO and Hershey absolutely loved how it all turned out, and the kids loved it even more.

Hershey said that the most popular activity on the blacktop by far is the obstacle course, a long course that requires kids to jump, skip and balance their way to the finish line. As everyone runs out for recess in the afternoon, kids assigned to the blacktop congregate toward the courses to challenge each other to race across as fast as they can.

“My son drew an obstacle course on our driveway after he saw that,” Hawkins said.

“He’s 5, so it looked hilarious. But he was like, ‘Look! It’s like the one at school.’ So he was enamored with that. He just thinks it’s the coolest thing.”

Hawkins has been working with the rest of the PTO to connect the school with the community during the pandemic. She said that not only is it a great way to have the school feel more connected to the area, but it also helps to fund projects like the blacktop activities since they are not holding a traditional fundraiser this year.

The PTO felt that, with the pandemic impacting community members in so many different ways, they didn’t want to make parents feel pressured about donationing. Instead, the group has decided to start Take Out Tuesdays, partnering with local Continued, Page 16 December 2020 | 400 LIFE 15

restaurants to hold spirit nights where a portion of the restaurant sales goes to the Sawnee PTO. Hawkins said that the school has held spirit nights in the past that have been incredibly successful, but before this year, they have only held them once or twice a year. With them holding one every week now, it’s an opportunity for them to not only help out local restaurants who may be struggling, but also earn donations for future projects.

“We’re trying to get local businesses and people just interested in seeing and contributing to this school,” Hale said.

The PTO has been holding Take Out Tuesdays since the school year began in August, and they were able to pay for the entire blacktop project with those donations.

“We’ve been pleasantly surprised,” Hawkins said. “Several of the restaurants have reached back out and asked for extra days because it’s so successful and it’s driving their business so much, and that just warms my heart because not only are the kids able to get stuff like [the blacktop activities] because of that, … the community is also benefitting.

“And as a parent, I don’t have to cook dinner on Tuesday night, so I’m super excited about that,” Hawkins continued. “I feel like it benefits so many people.”

Before this year, the PTO had also worked to create Sawnee Valley, a space near the school’s playground with a track that loops around, which gives kids an opportunity to do more outside. Near the 16 | 400 LIFE | December 2020

track, they have built gaga ball pits and literacy walk stations along the track.

Hale and Hawkins said that they want to add to this area in their upcoming projects for the school, especially now with the pandemic. One of their ideas included an outside pavilion where teachers could take students outside for class.

“What we’ve really doubled down on this year is simplicity because it’s the simple things that really make the difference,” Hawkins said. “I mean, this [blacktop project] cost, for what it brings to the kids, very little. And who knew something that’s not technology-based, that’s not super complex would be such a big hit?

That just seems to be the winning combination with families, with the kids, with everything. Just make it simple.”

As the PTO continues to partner with local businesses to raise money for future projects while also helping out the community, they plan to continue with creative projects like the blacktop activities because, for Hale and Hawkins, nothing beats seeing how a simple alphabet snake or small obstacle course can bring such joy and excitement to their kids.

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Supporting community focus for Blair family Story by Nicole Bader Jones

M

arshall Blair never expected to go into insurance after 20 years as a Marine Corps officer but his passion for serving others led him to State Farm, where he works to provide local families with a peace of mind securing their safety and overall well-being.

Working at State Farm has helped to fuel Blair’s ultimate life passion, giving back to his local community, “Serving our community is something my wife Jessica and I were both doing independently when we met in Africa. It’s part of the foundation of our relationship and at our core, it’s our passion. We feel that helping others is what God calls us to do and ultimately brings us joy as well,” he stated.

With his background in the Marine Corps, and now as a local business leader, he understands the importance of utilizing the gifts you’ve been given for greater good.

“I think that knowing whatever you are able to give, big or small, can make someone’s day or month is the best gift one could ever receive,” Blair said.

Even though we all come from different backgrounds and everyone has a story, we all have gifts we can use to serve others, in big and small ways. Whether it’s at our jobs, volunteering with local nonprofits, or with your family at home, showing kindness to one another matters.

Marshall and his wife Jessica learned the importance of serving the community during their time in Africa and have applied that same passion here in Forsyth County. Emphasizing that you don’t have to travel across the world to make a difference. One of the ways he tries to model his passion for greater good and service is by giving back to his local community.

As a member of a local Rotary Club, Marshall volunteers with Family Haven working with domestic violence intervention.

18 | 400 LIFE | December 2020

Visit marshallblairinsurance.com | Call (770) 781-6550 3125 Dahlonega Highway, Cumming, GA 30040-3919

His wife, Jessica, is part of Orange Duffle Bag, a North metrobased organization that mentors students after high school graduation, helping them find jobs and learn professional life skills.

They also serve with The Place of Forsyth, No Longer Bound, and Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an organization that partners with local business owners to help build resources for families in need.

It’s also important to Marshall and Jessica that they emphasize the importance of service and leadership to their two daughters, “More than anything, we want our girls to be kind and loving to others. Lila, my oldest daughter, just received a leadership award. Her teacher sent us an email saying that she shows kindness and helpfulness to every kid in the class, she doesn’t discriminate. That to me is what we hope and pray for every day,” said Blair.

Serving others is something we do everyday, in some capacity.

Marshall Blair has exemplified this principle in his life by reminding us that whether you’re serving your country, your local community or being a dad and husband, you have the opportunity to show up with your kindness and make someone’s day, every day.

This is what is most important. It’s more than just selling insurance, or showing up on Saturday morning to serve at a nonprofit, it’s about giving back, it’s about using the gifts you have been given to spread kindness.That is what matters.

“Most of us have been in positions at one time or another where you just need someone to come alongside you and help you back up. I’ve been there and really can appreciate the kindness that it shows,” Blair said.

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State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, ILDecember 2020 |

400 LIFE | 19

400gives

The Place of Forsyth County

Why The Place? Year-End Giving Initiative

Supporting The Place of Forsyth is an investment into community T

Story by Nicole Bader Jones

he Place of Forsyth was established in 1975 as the first nonprofit organization in Forsyth County. Over the past 45 years they have been committed to serving the community by providing resources to help residents overcome barriers and obstacles in their life and become self-sustaining.

Some of the many ways they do this is by providing assistance for the immediate needs of those who come to them seeking financial help, food, clothes, furniture or pro-

20 | 400 LIFE | December 2020

viding resources for finding employment and budgeting.

As of Oct. 31, The Place has distributed over $235,000 worth of financial assistance for rent, utilities and transportation needs. They have also purchased $197,000 worth of food from food banks and wholesalers during the pandemic to provide meals for families or individuals.

Continued, Page 22

The Place of Forsyth has been serving the community for 45 years by providing resources to help residents overcome barriers and obstacles in their life and become selfsustaining.

December 2020 | 400 LIFE | 21

Over the years, the impact The Place has had on the community is a direct reflection of their mission and vision to serve the people of Forsyth County where they’re at “as a nonprofit, we are committed to being community focused and collaborating,” said Jacob Granados, director of Purposeful Engagement. When the pandemic hit earlier this year, The Place provided food for families while also collaborating with local restaurants to support them as well.

“During COVID, one of the things we were most proud of is that we decided we were spending all this money on purchasing food from wholesalers, why not turn it around and invest it in our community so, we asked restaurants to make meals that would feed a family of four and we would purchase them straight from them,” said Granados.

“Not only were we providing food for families, but we were also supporting local business during a really rough time in the pandemic.”

In a year that has emphasized the importance of helping others through difficult times, it also serves as a reminder to support the local nonprofits in our community who provide much needed relief and assistance to so many of our neighbors. Without The Place, local families and individuals would be without many of the necessary resources we tend to take for granted.

Donations provide The Place with the financial support they need to continue to serve Forsyth County throughout the year.

The donations given through their year-end giving campaign “Why The Place?” will help keep the pantry open, serve families with the food they need, provide mental health counseling for cli22 | 400 LIFE | December 2020

For more information, contact Jacob Granados at jacob@theplaceofforsyth.org or visit the website, www.theplaceofforsyth.org for giving instructions. ents who need extra support dealing with mental illness, fund youth internship programs, aid seniors and contribute to The Place Cottage, a home for girls aging out of foster care, and so much more.

“We believe that when people give to us, when they invest in our programs and services, we’re able to make lasting impact and create life change for those who rely on our services,” said Granados.

By donating to The Place this year, you are investing in your community and supporting your neighbors. Your generosity and donations this season will impact families, neighbors and your local community.

Maybe the question for you at the end of this year is, “Why not give to The Place?”

If you would like to donate to the nonprofit’s year-end campaign, The Place will accept cash, check (made out to The Place of Forsyth P.O. Box 2607), as well as donations from investment accounts. As a bonus, on Dec. 30 and 31, a donor has committed $25,000 to match all of the donations given on these two days.

If you have any questions about donating, contact Jacob Granados at jacob@theplaceofforsyth.org or visit the website, www.theplaceofforsyth.org for giving instructions.

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December 2020 | 400 LIFE | 23

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