400 Life May 2021

400 LIFE MAY 2021

Women making an impact

South Forsyth DECA teacher follows in mother’s footsteps

Mom, daughter make a huge impact at Meals by Grace

Nancy Horton creates unique pottery on Back Porch

Inside: Fountain’s Food Adventures checks out the best sushi spots | The Yaarab Shrine Circus is coming to town!

contents from the editor

This month 400Life talked to some amazing women doing amazing things in Forsyth County.

One woman put South Forsyth High School’s DECA program on the map. Internationally.

There were 11 students in the marketing program when Debra Moore started in the ’90s.

When she retired a few years ago, there were more than 1,400. Now her daughter has taken the helm and plans to continue DECA’s success.

Another mother and daughter duo spend time together helping others through their volunteer work at Meals by Grace. Now they are lead volunteers each Sunday helping distribute food to those who need it.

Nancy Horton, who many of you may know, continues to create her unique pottery on her Back Porch. Horton shares how she adjusted during the pandemic when all her shows were cancelled and how she’s gearing up for her next one.

It’s closing in on summer quickly, and what better way to welcome it than with The Yaarab Shrine Circus. The circus has been in the metro Atlanta area for 79 years.

This is the first year the circus will take over the Cumming Fairgrounds. They will be in town beginning on May 22 and run through May 31. Make sure to mark your calendars!

Fountain’s Food Adventures takes us on a journey to find the best sushi in town. Check out this month’s picks and let us know if you agree.

— Tracie Pike

4 Mother, daughter duo build strong legacy within DECA program Debra Moore was a DECA teacher at South Forsyth High School for 20 years. She had a huge hand in making the program what it is today. Now her daughter, Chasady Shadburn, helps lead the program at the school.

8 Mother, daughter team up to help fight food insecurity Shawna and Ansley Lyons have been volunteering at Meals by Grace since last summer. Now they lead the Sunday meal service.

contributors Publisher Stephanie Woody

Director of Revenue Leah Nelson

Managing Editor Tracie Pike

Advertising Tim Anderson Stacy Clark

Staff writers Sabrina Kerns Ashlyn Yule Special contributors Jennifer Colosimo

This magazine is a product of the www.ForsythNews.com Sign up for daily newsletters at ForsythNews.com

14

20 The Yaarab Shrine Circus will be at the Cumming Fairgrounds from May 22-31.

This is the 79th in the metro Atlanta area.

Nancy Horton, owner of Back Porch Pottery, has run the business from her 12 Fountain’s Food Adventures checks out home in North Forsyth since 2007. local sushi spots this month.

May 2021 | 400 LIFE | 3

‘I don’t foresee that I will ever, ever not participate in Forsyth County’s DECA program. As long as my body will continue to allow me to go, I’ll be there.’

- Debra Moore, former DECA teacher at South

Debra Moore, front, was a DECA teacher at South Forsyth High School for 20 years. She had a huge hand in making the program what it is today. Now her daughter, Chasady Shadburn helps lead the program at the school.

Impacting young lives for generations Mother, daughter duo build strong legacy within South Forsyth High School marketing program Story by Sabrina Kerns

D

ebra Moore first joined DECA as a junior at what was then Forsyth County’s only high school. She thought the international marketing career and technical program looked fun while her older sister travelled out of town for competitions before Debra herself was old enough to join the program.

She had no idea at the time, however, that DECA would change the course of her life forever, opening her up to skills, talents and a confidence that she never knew she had.

“The marketing teacher, she just — she was incredible,” Debra said. “That’s what made me decide I wanted to become a marketing and DECA teacher. I wanted to pour into young people the way my teacher had poured into me.”

Debra, like many of her peers back then, had never pictured herself attending college before joining the program. But just a few years later, she earned her bachelor’s degree in education.

She began her career at Forsyth Central before eventually transferring to South Forsyth High School where she ran the DECA program and taught marketing classes for more than 20 years.

When she started at South Forsyth in the late 1990s, the school had 11 DECA students in total. Knowing the impact the program had on her and could have on so many other young lives in the county, she worked hard to build up the program. She dodged budget cuts, recruited students after new school openings and coached her kids to success at competitions and in their future careers.

Debra retired just a few years ago, and when she left, South Forsyth’s DECA chapter had grown to be the largest in the world with more than 1,400 members.

And her legacy at the school is far from over. Now, she gets to look on with pride as her daughter, Chasady Shadburn, leads the program along with three other marketing teachers, ensuring DECA’s future and impact in the Forsyth County School System.

Chasady grew up alongside South Forsyth’s DECA kids, going with her mom to every competition. It was no surprise, then, that when it came time for her to start high school, she went outside of her district to South Forsyth where they allowed students to join in their freshman year.

“My mom just happened to be the teacher there, but that wasn’t why I did it,” Chasady said. “I actually very much didn’t want to be affiliated. I loved my mom, but I wanted to be my own person.”

Debra taught Chasady’s first marketing class, and she said they did not even tell the other students that they were related.

“And so for the first semester, nobody knew she was my mom,” Chasady said, laughing. “And then one day, somebody figured it out and they said, ‘Wait, hold up! I had no idea!’”

Despite wanting to keep a distance from her mom, Chasady

Continued, Page 6 May 2021 | 400 LIFE | 5

instantly fell in love with the program and excelled during competitions.

Debra compared DECA’s competitions to the TV show ‘Shark Tank,’ explaining that students present a business or advertising idea to a group of judges. Chasady placed third internationally in just her first year in the program, and she ranked within the top 10 in the world three times before graduating.

Much like her mom, Chasady said DECA completely changed her life. Before joining, she said she was “painfully shy,” but in learning to speak publicly, pitch ideas to judges and network with professionals, she slowly found her confidence.

“By the end of it all, I was just Miss Chatty Kathy over here talking to everybody,” Chasady said. “It really got me out of my shell and helped me find something that I loved.”

As she neared graduation, she remembered others asking if she would take over her mom’s legacy as a DECA teacher. At the time, she almost scoffed at the idea. She comes from a family of teachers, and she wanted to break out from the pack and find a career path that she could call her own.

After graduating from the University of Georgia, she began to guide her career down the corporate route.

While still taking classes, she began an internship at Arby’s corporate headquarters that later turned into a job in the company’s marketing department.

From there, she worked in advertising sales at Discovery Channel and later in media planning at 22 Squared, an advertising agency in Atlanta.

“It was great and so much fun,” Chasady said. “But I remember when I got back home …. it always felt like there was kind of a hole. I felt like what I do is really cool, but I’m not fulfilled.

There is something missing, and I can’t figure out what it is.”

At the same time, Chasady remembered using almost all of her vacation time off from work to go with her mom on week-long trips to DECA competitions. For the first time, she started to seriously consider leaving the corporate world to go into teaching.

“I battled with coming back to teach because I didn’t want to admit it to myself,” Chasady said. “I had all of these dreams of being a CMO of a major corporation. But then it just dawned on me that it doesn’t matter what title I have if I don’t feel fulfilled.”

When Chasady told her about the decision, Debra said she had mixed feelings. She knew that her daughter is talented and would be able to go far within a corporation, but she also knew from her own experience how amazing teaching could be.

Thinking back to just her second year at Forsyth Central, Debra remembered one student who she said was incredibly timid and shy. She eventually talked him into going to a DECA competition, and he ended up walking off stage that day with a trophy.

“I’ve never won anything in my whole life,” she remembered him saying.

She felt the impact the moment had on him, and she knew then that she would stay with DECA for as long as she could.

“I will never forget it,” she said. “It still gives me chills just talking about it.”

6 | 400 LIFE | May 2021

Chasady began teaching marketing at South Forsyth three years ago, just before Debra retired from her job at the district office overseeing all of Forsyth County’s DECA chapters. Debra said Chasady’s role there has helped her to stay connected to the program.

The teachers always bring in extra coaches to help students prepare for competition, and before the pandemic, Debra came to the campus regularly to volunteer. Chasady said her students are always overjoyed when she is assigned as their coach.

“They go around bragging like, ‘I got Ms. Moore!’” she said, laughing. “It’s because they know she’s produced so many winners, and they’re just so excited to get to work with her.”

Chasady said that while she felt some pressure when she first started at South Forsyth, she likes sharing the connection to the program with her mom, and she is determined to use her experience in the corporate world to continue to build up the program and help students.

Debra explained that when she first started, it was difficult even to try to keep the program running. At the time, about 20 years ago, marketing and other career and technical programs were considered vocational courses. Many in the county simply didn’t see the value.

In just her first two years of teaching, she said the school cut at least four career and technical programs.

“We were pushed in the background and treated as if we weren’t important,” Debra said. “I made it my mission and my goal …. to make sure that when the school system was doing budget cuts, marketing would never be cut from Forsyth County Schools.”

She worked hard to rebrand the program completely, showing students, parents and school and district leaders the many benefits of the marketing program. She remained “stubborn,” in her goal, not backing down on her belief in the impact the program could have on students.

Now, the atmosphere surrounding the courses in the school district is completely different. Every high school in the county offers marketing classes with 30 different marketing teachers overall, and district leaders continuously stress the importance of career pathways for students.

“It made me feel really, really good that I could contribute to making sure that this program will hopefully never be cut,” Debra said. “They will always be thriving in our school system so that more and more students can have these experiences.”

Debra is excited that her daughter will be part of the program, continuing on and growing after her retirement, and she said she will always be there to see the students and support them alongside her.

In their family now, the two have a saying — “Once you get bit by the DECA bug, it never goes away.”

“I don’t foresee that I will ever, ever not participate in Forsyth County’s DECA program,” Debra said. “As long as my body will continue to allow me to go, I’ll be there.”

Favorite Five Sushi Spots

We have good news if you are looking for some of the most fresh and tasty Sushi in the area. David Fountain, a local food enthusiast and our community’s Best of Forsyth Financial Planner and Investment Advisor, continues his monthly mission to uncover and support FoCo’s local favorites.

This month, David wanted to highlight some of our community’s best Sushi restaurants in hopes to provide you, our readers, with a new favorite spot while also helping these restaurants regain some of the business they may have lost during the pandemic.

From Maki, to Nigiri, to Sashimi, David is on the hunt to discover it all. This Japanese cuisine has a wide variety of preparation and presentation methods that are sure to excite your taste buds.

KITANI SUSHI (Peachtree Pkwy / Sharon Road)

WORTH THE DRIVE

IZUMI ASIAN BISTRO

FUMI

(Market Place)

MF SUSHI

RICE RESTAURANT AND SUSHI BAR

(Avalon/Alpharetta and Inman Park/Atlanta)

(Keith Bridge Road / Browns Bridge Road)

HAPPY FAMILY CHINESE FOOD AND SUSHI (Downtown Cumming)

(Duluth, Dunwoody, Dacula)

The Monthly Food Adventure Continues with

BURGERS

Summer is just around the corner, so it is time to start the grill and prepare some juicy burgers! We will be looking for the best burgers in Forsyth, Gainesville, and Dawson. Let us know some of your favorite burger joints in these areas, or worth the drive locations.

ICHIBAN STEAK AND SUSHI (The Collection)

You can read the complete sushi review, or reach David, at www.FountainsFoodAdventures.com.

Follow the “Food Adventure” on Facebook and Instagram.

Tastings made possible and Sponsored by

‘I’m just so very thankful that I get to experience [volunteering] with Ansley and ... work with her because I think it helps the community, but it also helps our personal relationship.’

-Shawna Lyons, mother and volunteer at Meals By Grace

8 | 400 LIFE | May 2021

Shawna and Ansley Lyons, along with Ryan Wallace, help load a car at Meals by Grace.

A passion for fighting food insecurity Mother, daughter team up to help community through volunteering Story and photos by Ashlyn Yule

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ince her two kids were little, Shawna Lyons and her husband have made it a point to teach their children the importance of volunteering and giving back to the community. As her children, Ansley and Ryan, grew older, each of them used their “servant’s hearts” to help others in their own, unique way.

“My mom’s philosophy is: ‘If you’re going to do it, you’ve got to want to do it,’” said Ansley, a junior at Alliance Academy.

“She’s not going to just sit there and force me to … do all this community service if I don’t want to do it myself.”

Shawna and her daughter grew closer when she started participating in pageants six years ago. Through pageantry, Ansley discovered her passion for helping others.

Ansley said each person who competes in pageants is typically encouraged to pick a “certain platform,” or a cause they can support. She started volunteering with the Susan G. Komen Foundation because her aunt is a two-time breast cancer survivor.

Ansley said that her aunt and her mom would do the three-day walks whenever they could.

“That’s where I started my community service journey, with my mom and my aunt,” Ansley said. “And it’s just really evolved

from there.”

When Ansley entered high school, her passion for fighting food insecurity blossomed.

“You know that people go to school on free and reduced lunch,” Ansley said. “And when you’re a kid, you see that but you never really understand what that means.”

Ansley said that one of her goals is to take her passion nationally, and she hopes to someday help a foodbank in every state by encouraging residents to donate boxes of cereal.

Shawna, who has been a teacher in Forsyth County for more than 10 years and has seen food insecurity existing in public schools, was more than happy to support her daughter in the cause.

Shawna and Ansley came across Meals by Grace in July 2020 and say they fell in love with the nonprofit’s mission, staff and volunteers.

“Lord, if I had known when we [first volunteered] what I was getting myself involved in, I would’ve been just blown away,” Ansley said.

Shawna and Ansley started as regular weekly volunteers, work-

Continued, Page 10 May 2021 | 400 LIFE | 9

Shawna and Ansley Lyons help load a car at Meals By Grace recently.

ing with others to fill a need during Sunday services wherever they could find one. They worked with volunteers and staff members such as Ryan Wallace, chief development officer, and Suellen and Stephen Daniels, co-founders of Meals by Grace.

When 400 Life magazine met with the Lyonses at Meals by Grace, Wallace said he was “just so grateful” for everything Shawna and Ansley have done and was especially proud of Ansley and her drive for helping others.

As time went on, the duo were eventually asked to be lead volunteers for Sunday services and now assist with setting up, unpacking delivery trucks, repacking food in bags for residents and breaking everything down. Shawna said the entire process can take about three hours each week.

Ansley said she believed she and her mom had somewhere between 50-75 hours of community service at Meals by Grace since last summer.

Shawna started off as “just a chauffeur” for Ansley when she was younger, but through the years and her time at Meals by Grace, Shawna has found her own passion for volunteering. She said that she still likes to let Ansley take charge when it comes to volunteering and pageants, but that she is “always happy to be a support for her.”

“Ansley and I [lead together] which can be interesting … as mother and daughter,” Shawna said. “But most of the time I let her take the lead, and I support and explain what we’re doing next to keep the teams moving. Ansley does a really great job as a leader, though.”

Shawna talked about one of her fondest memories of Ansley in pageants and volunteering.

“I had left to go pick up an item for somebody [at a pageant] … and the next day, [people] were talking about how Ansley was on the floor helping another child whose hem had ripped,” Shawna said. “She was helping her tape her hem. And they said she 10 | 400 LIFE | May 2021

WANT TO GET INVOLVED? Meals by Grace is located at 3540 Keith Bridge Road in Cumming. Sunday services are held at Midway United Methodist Church at 5025 Atlanta Highway in Alpharetta. To learn more about the organization, visit www.mealsbygrace.org or call (404) 426-4055.

always had a kind word for everybody.”

Shawna said that she was proud of her daughter for being “kind and gentle” and was pleased to find out that she had later been awarded with a cash scholarship of $150.

“Most kids when they get $150 or money that’s just given to them, they spend it on whatever,” Shawna said. “Ansley divided her money into thirds and … helped people instead.”

With her money, Ansley bought cereal boxes for Meals by Grace, supported Jordyn’s Project by buying ‘Be Kind to Everyone’ bracelets and gave a donation in the name of one of their pageant friends in honor of recovery.

“So [Ansley] had taken her money that she had been given, that honor that she’d been given, and turned around and spread it back into the community,” Shawna said. “Which, at 14, not every kid would think to do.”

Both Shawna and Ansley said they hope to continue volunteering with different organizations when Ansley goes to college, either together again or separately, and keep their family values of helping others close to their hearts.

“I’m just so very thankful that I get to experience [volunteering] with Ansley and get to do this and work with her because I think it helps the community, but it also helps our personal relationship,” Shawna said. “We’re very close.”

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FAVORITE FIVE SUSHI SPOTS We have good news if you are looking for some of the most fresh and tasty Sushi in the area. David Fountain, a local food enthusiast and our community’s Best of Forsyth Financial Planner and Investment Advisor, continues his monthly mission to uncover and support FoCo’s local favorites.

This month, David and Fountain’s Food Adventures wanted to highlight some of our community’s best Sushi restaurants in hopes to provide you, our readers, with a new favorite spot while also helping these restaurants regain some of the business they may have lost during the pandemic.

From Maki, to Nigiri, to Sashimi, David is on the hunt to discover it all. This Japanese cuisine has a wide variety of preparation and presentation methods that are sure to excite your taste buds. crispy tempura flakes and eel sauce, making it the perfect dish for those who enjoy a crunch. Between the inviting atmosphere and large variety of sushi options, this location makes for the perfect sushi enjoying experience.

Izumi Asian Bistro is on Market Place Boulevard

Kitani Sushi When first walking in the door of Kitani, David Fountain and fellow Foodie, Jennifer Asher, were promptly greeted by the owners, Lee and Thing. Operating Kitani Sushi since 2008, this pair makes a wonderful team. Lee is behind the bar preparing sushi with precision, while Thing is there to greet you with enthusiasm.

Thing immediately asked for David and Jennifer’s names and continued to refer to them throughout the evening, creating a personable experience. When placing an order, David and Jennifer did not regret starting with the Tuna Ahi Poki, which was prepared beautifully with fresh and tender Hawaiian marinated tuna and spicy sesame oil. Their next choice on the menu was a featured item, the Double Spicy Tuna Roll.

Jennifer said that this is the best spicy tuna roll she has had. The presentation was not only picture perfect, but the taste was exquisite.

Saving the best for last, David highly recommends the Spicy Dragon Roll. It consists of Shrimp Tempura, and a cucumber top with spicy tuna. Look closely and you will notice the roll is creatively shaped like a dragon- what a unique touch!

Overall, this hidden gem is now Jennifer’s all-time favorite sushi. The entire experience is what keeps the regulars coming back for more.

Kitani Sushi is at Peachtree Parkway and Sharon Road.

12 | 400 LIFE | May 2021

Rice Restaurant & Sushi Bar

Izumi Asian Bistro Walking into Izumi, David was surprised with the open and airy atmosphere created by high ceilings, large windows and opaque skylights. The feel of this sushi location is quite different than others and creates a hip and fun location to enjoy their unique sushi selections. The menu is very colorful and offers a wide variety of choices, sure to satisfy your sushi needs.

David ordered the Tuna Lover Roll, which is spicy tuna and avocado, topped with tuna, scallions, masago, and screaming sauce. This roll is named perfectly and is recommended for anyone in the mood for tuna. David also ordered the Natsumi Roll which included spicy tuna, mango and crabstick. This is a fun and unique alternative to traditional sushi as it is wrapped with thin cucumber skin instead of rice and seaweed. David’s favorite dish was the Dynamite Roll.

Made of crab stick, avocado and cucumber, topped with a baked lobster salad, spicy mayo and eel sauce, this roll offers a very dynamic tasting experience. Fellow foodie, Caroline, ordered the Crazy Crab Roll, and was impressed seeing the dish arrive at the table. The crab stick tempura was covered with

Upon arrival, David and fellow foodie, Jennifer Asher, immediately felt immersed in the elegant yet comfortable atmosphere of Rice Restaurant & Sushi Bar.The eatery prides itself on creating an environment for families to have a good time and enjoy their delicious panAsian varieties.

David and Jennifer began their meal with aTunaTartare — diced seared tuna, avocado, house marinade, wasabi mayo and eel sauce.The dish was fresh and did not skimp on the sauce, making it an extremely tasty appetizer for the two.

Recommended by their waiter, Jennifer and David were pleasantly surprised with the MangoTango Roll.The roll included spicy yellowtail and tempura crunch, topped with seared tuna, avocado, serrano pepper, mango, black tobiko and wasabi yuku dressing. All these flavors paired wonderfully and left both foodies wanting more. David and Jennifer also enjoyed the Explosion Roll and the SpicyTuna Roll.

Open since 2005, the eatery continues to impress customers with consistently fresh and beautifully prepared sushi, inviting atmosphere, and welcoming service. Rice Restaurant & Sushi Bar is at Keith Bridge/ Browns Bridge roads.

Ichiban Steak and Sushi This location provides a unique vibe as soon as you walk in. The restaurant has an industrial look meshed with the Japanese style décor, making this is fun place to sit down and enjoy their tasty sushi options.

David started off his meal with the Bang Bang Shrimp, which is shrimp tempura and cucumber topped with tobiko, sriracha, aioli, and kabayaki sauce. For the main dish, he ordered the OMG Roll and the Ichiban Roll. The OMG roll had a unique and flavorful taste, combining both spicy tuna and jalapeno.

The Ichiban roll was David’s personal favorite, and it was salmon tempura and cumber topped with escolar, salmon, avocado, wasabi lime aioli, kabayaki sauce, and spicy aioli sauce. David is a lover of sauces, so this dish left him wanting more.

The quality, freshness, and atmosphere of this location is what makes this a great choice for your next sushi outing.

Ichiban Steak and Sushi is at The Collection at Forsyth.

WORTH THE DRIVE MF Sushi

Happy Family Chinese Food and Sushi Located in downtown Cumming, this family-owned restaurant is eager to please with fresh sushi and friendly service. Upon arrival, David and Fellow Foodie Caroline were promptly greeted and seated with menus. The waitress was extremely helpful and took time with us to share some of their popular items and give some backstory on their establishment.

After dealing with family loss and having to close their doors for many months, the establishment is now back and better than ever. David ordered the Yellowtail Crunch Roll, Bagel Roll, and his personal favorite, the Atomic Bomb Roll- spicy tuna topped with baked minced salmon spicy mayo, eel sauce and sriracha. Caroline enjoyed the Happy Family Roll -- shrimp tempura and cream cheese, topped with avocado, crab, crunchy and special sauce.

She said the flavors complimented each other well, especially with soy sauce and wasabi. Happy Family Chinese and Sushi recently completed renovations and expanded the restaurant, making it much more open and inviting. If you are looking for a casual but still very tasty location to enjoy some fresh sushi, this is the place to be. Happy Family Chinese Food and Sushi is in Downtown Cumming.

This sushi restaurant is certainly one location to go out of the way for. As you enter MF Bar, there is a casual yet luxurious feel. They offer indoor and outdoor seating with modern, updated décor, creating the perfect atmosphere for relaxation and enjoyment. David and Jennifer began the meal with the Baked Lobster, which MF Sushi is known for. Topped with Japanese mayo, eel sauce, tobiko and scallion, this appetizer certainly did not disappoint. They also ordered the Spicy Tuna Roll, which defiantly satisfied Jennifer’s sushi needs. If you are looking for an upscale night out with quality sushi and a full bar, MF Bar is the perfect sushi destination for you.

MF Sushi has locations at Avalon/Alpharetta and Inman Park/ Atlanta.

FUMI The inside of the establishment is beautifully laid out and provides an upscale feel. The restaurant offers a large menu full of Sushi and Hibachi varieties.

David opted for the Roll for Two Love Boat, which gave him six different rolls to enjoy. The Love Boat included a Spicy Yellowtail Roll, Shrimp Tempura Roll, Crazy Roll, Godzilla Roll, Fumi Dynamite Roll and a California Roll. All the rolls were very tasty, but David’s Favorite was the Godzilla Roll, which is spicy tuna and scallion, deep fried with a special sauce.

The Love Boat options give parties an exciting vessel to view and eat the many sushi rolls that FUMI offers. All the sushi was extremely fresh and created a very enjoyable tasting experience. If you are looking for a unique and exciting sushi adventure, or the perfect location for a special event or occasion, FUMI is the place to go.

FUMI has locations in Duluth, Dunwoody and Dacula.

THE MONTHLY FOOD ADVENTURE CONTINUES WITH BURGERS Summer is just around the corner, so it is time to start the grill and prepare some juicy burgers! We will be looking for the best burgers in Forsyth, Gainesville, and Dawson.

Let us know some of your favorite burger joints in these areas, or worth the drive locations.

Follow the adventure at Fountain’s Food Adventures on Facebook and Instagram

May 2021 | 400 LIFE | 13

‘Making mistakes and discoveries’

14 | 400 LIFE | May 2021

-Nancy Horton, Back Porch Pottery

Nancy Horton, owner of Back Porch Pottery, has run the business from her home in North Forsyth since 2007.

Nancy Horton hones craft with Back Porch Pottery Story and photos by Ashlyn Yule

S

ince she was a little girl, Nancy Horton said she has always felt like a “doer of everything but a master of none.” Horton was always busy and setting new goals for herself, through competitive swimming or arts and crafts.

When Horton had kids of her own, she used her “cando” attitude to teach swimming lessons. Years passed with Horton in the water, but she’d always had a nagging itch to get her hands dirty.

Horton bought a potter’s wheel to satisfy that urge, but it remained unused until her daughter, Jana, went to college. Horton said that when her daughter decided to take a pottery class, she “dug out the old wheel” and set it on her back porch.

Continued, Page 17

May 2021 | 400 LIFE | 15

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‘I was a competitive swimmer and I’ve always had to have goals. I’ve got to get those plates done, got to be able to get the clay thicker and thinner, got to try new techniques. I just have to try everything.’

“It’s been such a nice transition [from teaching swim lessons] to have something that I enjoy doing that makes people happy,” Horton said.

Encouraged by her daughter, Horton began taking pottery lessons in 2007 with Helen Miller. She took a class at Central Park in Forsyth and one at the John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina.

Her goal for taking classes was that she was determined to make herself a set of different-sized dinner plates.

“Other than those short few classes, I’ve just been on my back porch making mistakes and discoveries,” Horton said.

As she continued to grow, so did her back porch and her business — Back Porch Pottery.

Horton said her porch has been through three renovations since she first set down that old potter’s wheel in 2007. She has three kilns, an awning and a weatherproof space where she can create in peace. Her porch overlooks Lake Lanier, making it the perfect spot to relax and imagine new possibilities.

Horton said she was looking forward to the year when she could begin to audit college classes and “finally learn some techniques with different glazes.” She qualified last year but was shot down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I thought that now that I’ve finally got the age to [audit college

classes], I’m going to do it. But then the Covid-19 [virus] came,” Horton said. “And I ... really wanted to go to one of the colleges and see the class.”

Auditing classes was not the only thing that the pandemic took away from Horton. Her art shows were all cancelled in 2020, and she had to find creative ways to sell her pieces. Some of her pottery pieces were still being sold in shops in Forsyth County, including The Gypsy’s Farmhouse on Veterans Memorial Boulevard in Cumming, but she wanted to reach more customers.

Around Christmas, Horton began to sell some of her pottery directly from her back porch. She said that she called up neighbors and posted on Facebook about the sale, and people from all over the street came to pick up pieces they liked.

Horton said the event was a success and “convenient,” and said she would consider selling from her back porch again. But for now, she is content to just spin and mold clay.

Some of Horton’s most popular designs are centered around nature. Horton said people ask her often to make her “little leaves.”

She makes shallow bowls with the shapes of different leaf

Continued, Page 18

May 2021 | 400 LIFE | 17

imprints on them, perfect for resting coffee spoons and tea bags.

Horton also makes mugs, and her signature style is to make mugs with upsidedown handles which is “way more comfortable for people to use.” Her mugs incorporate a variety of different colored glazes and shapes and are all unique.

Because of their originality, Horton said her mugs are typically the first pieces to leave her booth at art shows.

As well as using natural themes, Horton also likes to make pieces that incorporate pressed lace and crocheting. She said she first got her “doily kick” when she made everybody in her family plates, bowls and compotes with their grandmother’s doily imprinted on them. Horton said that the pieces made great gifts and were like “family heirlooms” that everybody could have and share.

“Most of my pieces are individual. I don’t make duplicates very well,” Horton said. “I think that’s why I’ve still been putting off my dishes all these years. It’s because [I think] I’ve got to make them all the same size … that’s hard.”

While Horton has still not finished her dinner plates, she has made it her goal this year. She also hopes to continue to work with her husband, Dave Horton, who was the administrator of the Cumming Fairgrounds for 20 years, at the family’s Christmas tree farm, Holly Hill Christmas Tree Farm in Dahlonega.

With a family business and her own, Horton makes sure her daughter and grandkids “are priority number one … pottery can come after.”

“I do try to get [my granddaughter] in the mud sometimes with me, though,” Horton said. “That’s always very interesting.”

Horton said she will continue to bring Back Porch Pottery to art shows. She’s also hoping to start an Etsy shop so she can capitalize on the online front and sell through a different platform.

“I just love creating new things, I love sharing my craft with as many people as possible,” Horton said.

She said that doing pottery has given her a sense of “self-worth” through the years and that she feels happy whenever she sees someone smile because of something she created.

“Not that I don’t have self-worth from my husband and child and family, of course,” Horton said. “But you know, I was a competitive swimmer and I’ve always had to have goals. I’ve got to get those plates done, got to be able to get the clay thicker and thinner, got to try new techniques. I just have to try everything.”

18 | 400 LIFE | May 2021

You can find Nancy Horton’s work online at BACKPORCHPOTTERY.COM and BACK PORCH POTTERY on Facebook.

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May 2021 | 400 LIFE | 19

Photo by Ashlyn Yule

The Yaarab Shrine Circus will be at the Cumming Fairgrounds from May 22-31. Marking the 79th year in the metro Atlanta area, this is the first time it will be in Forsyth County.

Cause for Celebration A brand-new circus comes to town

Story by Jennifer Colosimo

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ions, tigers and bears — that’s what it’s all about. Well, swap the lions for elephants, in this case, and then add horses, ponies, llamas, a handful of other animals and that should get a pretty big, “Oh my!” from Forsyth County families looking to kick summertime off with something more exciting than another movie night in the living room.

It’s extra exciting, actually, because this is the first year that The Yaarab Shrine Circus takes over the Cumming Fairgrounds, May 22-31, for the world’s largest shrine circus and a really great excuse to get out and do something fun as a family.

Previously in Cobb County, the new locale means more space for the world-famous circus to spread out its renown acts, including 26 different performances under the Royal Hanneford Circus big top, more than 40 rides, unforgettable (and undeniable) fair food, and the one-and-only daredevil Johnny Rockett and the Johnny Rockett’s Cycle Circus Live, featuring the largest FMX freestyle show of its kind. That’s just to name a few.

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2021shrinecircus.com

“We know people are ready to get out, and the circus is just a really good time. We’re coming out over Memorial Day and want families to know that we’ve got a great line-up for them, really good food, and, coming off a pandemic, we’re outdoors, aiming to make it as safe as possible.”

- Tom Holt, Yarrab Shrine Potentate for the 2021 circus

“We know people are ready to get out, and the circus is just a really good time,” says Tom Holt, Yarrab Shrine Potentate for the 2021 circus. “We’re coming out from May 21 through Memorial Day and want families to know that we’ve got a great line-up for them, really good food, and, coming off a pandemic, we’re outdoors, aiming to make it as safe as possible.”

That’s doable because Yaarab enlists the top professionals from the industry, including Hanneford, the oldest family-owned circus business in the world, with roots dating back to the 1600s and experts doing edge-of-your-seat aerial and ground acts, Wade Shows ferris wheel, rides, and carnival games, and the Yaarab Shrine Clowns, a group of fun-loving guys who families look forward to seeing every single year. Marking the 79th year in the Atlanta Metro area, the Cumming Fairgrounds also gives Yaarab a chance to localize with vendors in the community, and add new attractions, such as pig races and a brand-new petting zoo with camel rides.

Did we mention the circus food? Yaarab is famous for its turkey legs, “to-kill-for” apple dumplings and ice cream, barbecue, funnel cakes, wings and chicken fingers, cotton candy and popcorn (is it even a circus without cotton candy, funnel cakes and popcorn?), hamburgers and hot dogs, taco salad and more.

It’s also for a great cause.

“Everything we do is for the hospital,” says Holt. “We fundraise so that we can do more for the kids in the long run. We put any kind of profits toward that.”

That “we” includes nearly 1,000 Yaarab Shriners to make the circus happen. They’re made from members of 57 different clubs and units spanning North Georgia into the suburbs south of Atlanta. With the sole purpose of raising money for the children’s hospitals (the closest being in Greenville, S.C.), they’ve got a pure purpose and a dedicated volunteer force to turn something seriously fun for a whole lot of families into something truly great for families with children in the hospital.

And the best part? You can come back night after night.

“You can’t hit all of these rides in one night,” says Holt. “Plus, it’s serving the community and it’s for a great cause. All our vendors do a great job, so I want to tell people to come out, get a hat, get a T-shirt and just enjoy themselves. Besides, you can’t ever have enough circus food, now, come on!”

For more information or tickets, visit www.2021shrinecircus. com.

Visit www.2021shrinecircus.com for more information 22 | 400 LIFE | May 2021

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