Gwinnett’s oldest locally owned newspaper - established 1988 Covering Snellville, Grayson, Lawrenceville, Lilburn, Loganville
Vol. 29, No. 8
Just for you
page 6
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www.gwinnettcitizen.com
JUNE 2017
YO! Homeless kids, in Gwinnett? By Carole Townsend Staff Correspondent
Happy 50th Albert & Janet! page 23
Think Gwinnett County, and what comes to mind? Sidewalklined streets, top-notch schools, and beautiful parks with miles of walking trails. Gwinnett attracts jobs and the people qualified to fill them, and it’s home to award-winning healthcare facilities. Gwinnett means, to many, success. This county is one of the most diverse in the nation, with the population virtually exploding in the last 20 or so years. And it’s a sad fact that when a county grows from having tens of thousands of residents to nearly a million, there will inevitably be some problems that accompany that growth. Think about these statistics. In the Unites States today, 2.5 million children are homeless. In Gwinnett County alone, nearly 2000 children
See YO on Page 36 Advancements in Sports Medicine page 24
Kashaun Cooper talks to a group of Berkmar teens about winning in life as underdogs
Special Photo
Demystifying Emotional Intelligence
OrganWise guys
Classical pianist page 28
INSIDE Picture Perfect 4 Gwinnett Pulse 6 Roadrunner 26 Health & Wellness 30 Classifieds 35 Spiritual 35
PRESORT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID LILBURN,GA PERMIT NO. 99 ECR-WSS POSTAL CUSTOMER
Michelle Lombardo and Karen McNamara and Puppets By Carole Townsend Staff Correspondent Every now and then, you run across somebody who loves what they do for a living. They’re passionate about it, and that passion is evident in their speech, their expressions and even in their workplace. Dr. Michelle A. Lombardo and Karen McNamara are two such people. Friends for about 24 years and business partners for 23 of those years, these two women love their business. What do they do? They fight childhood obesity, and they’re winning. In fact, their company – The OrganWise Guys – is the number one obesity prevention program in the country. In a
Special Photo
nation in which children are being diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes and obesity at an alarming rate, Lombardo and McNamara seem to be just what the doctor ordered. “We met twenty-four years ago. I was one of (Michelle’s) patients,” said McNamara of Lombardo, who is a chiropractor. “She did a regular lecture to educate her patients on the tenets of good health in a way that could easily be incorporated into one’s day. I went almost every week because I loved it! We just clicked. Soon after that, we decided to go into business together.” McNamara laughs as she remem-
See ORGANWISE on page 38
Provided by Dr. Steve Sampson
Licensed Georgia Psychologist, Dr. Steve Sampson has been teaching social intelligence, conflict resolution, and interpersonal skills for over thirty years.
By Katie Hart Smith Staff Correspondent Do these comments sound familiar? Emotional intelligence (EI), which is different than one’s intelligence quotient, or IQ, is defined “as the ability to identify, assess, and control one’s own emotions, the emotions of others, and that of
groups” (Goleman, 1995). Research shows that IQ doesn’t predict success; the ability to have strong interpersonal communication skills does. The amount of emotional intelligence one possesses can vary – a high amount of emotional intelligence can be an asset to your career and in building effective lifelong
See DEMYSTIFYING on page 34