Walton Living Magazine by Fox Printing and Digital Publishing

Fall-Winter 2019

On the Right Track NOW POPULAR AS PICTURE BACKDROPS, RAILWAYS ONCE BUSTLED WITH COMMERCE

Community Leaders

Meet these inï¬&#x201A;uential Women of Walton

The Premier Walton County Magazine

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Table of

CONTENTS

8 - Boxed Art These boxes of art are designed to lift spirits

50 - Food for the Needy Volunteers work to keep food pantry shelves stocked

12 - Camp Carousel Wild critters make this ‘camp’ a true attraction

56 - History Renewed Older buildings getting new lease on life

20 - Walton Women These ladies are Walton County Community Leaders

60 - Cemetery Preservation Locals join together to save Walton County grave sites

28 - Butterfly Kisses The Monarch Butterfly is the king of winged insects

66 - Thoughtful Gift Boy Scouts are getting CERT training in the form of a gift

36 - Rail Tale There’s a rich history found in local railroads

74 - Kids Zone Boys and Girls Club offers retreat for local youth

44 - Gift Guide Holiday Shopping is made easy with this guide

60 On the Cover: Photo by Darrell Everidge of Darrell Productions.

Walton Living Magazine

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Walton Living Magazine

From the

PUBLISHERS

his year has flown by! Summer has come to an end, finally, and now our focus is on the wonderful time ahead of us with so many holidays to enjoy, visits from friends, family fun and a time of loving, living and giving. And a time to enjoy the Fall-Winter 2019 issue of Walton Living Magazine. This issue is filled with information about your county and the never ending projects to keep our history intact. We’ll take a look at some of our older historical homes and how they are being repurposed to live on for years to come. You’ll see that some of our older grave sites are getting a facelift and a good scrubbing. You’ll also meet some of the women in our county who have been instrumental in our growth, the Boy Scouts and CERT, our local Railroad and the amazing Camp Carousel - a traveling zoo. We’ll visit the Monroe-Walton Center for the Arts and see their new project. You’ll learn so much about this wonderful county of ours. Be sure to take a look at our Holiday Gift Guide. It is chock full of great ideas and finds to please all the people on your holiday gift list. SHOP LOCAL! As always, we want to thank all of our contributors, our advertisers, our photographers, our writers, designers and readers. Because of all of you we exist. We couldn’t do it without you.

PUBLISHERS Melanie Ann Jackson Sharon Swanepoel EDITOR Sharon Swanepoel DESIGNERS Brian Arrington Kaitlin Bradshaw PHOTOGRAPHERS Barbara Barth Becky Brewer Camp Carousel Darrell Everidge Elizabeth Jones Mylinda Knittell: Spring Street Studios Linda May - Georgia Department of Natural Resources Historical photographs courtesy of: The Monroe Museum and Larry Witcher Hope Reese Dan Shulimson Sharon Swanepoel Anna Yellin CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Barbara Barth Christy Breedlove Lori Duff Melanie Ann Jackson Alanna King Robbie Schwartz Sharon Swanepoel Joshua Walker ADVERTISING SALES Melanie Ann Jackson Walton Living Magazine published by Your Local News P O Box 128, Monroe, GA 30655

Have a very Merry Christmas and a joyful New Year. See you in the spring with our next issue of Walton Living Magazine.

Melanie Ann and Sharon

Publishers

6 Walton Living Magazine

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Walton Living Magazine 7

The HEALING POWER of ART

Monroe-Walton County Art Center sings praises of art box program By Barbara Barth

n mid-2018, an idea was put into action thanks to Hope Bennet Reese, Director at the Monroe-Walton Center for the Arts, to give back to the community by helping children in times of distress. The Art MD Healing Art kits project began. Packed by volunteers, these kits are given for free to hospitals, the Division of Family and Children Services, local fire stations, and other agencies who in turn give the kits to children in times of trauma, loss, or illness. “MWCA is committed to bringing the beauty and healing nature of art to our community,” Reese said. “It is proven that the sooner you get art supplies into someone’s hands, the quicker healing begins. We did some research and found nothing quite like our Art MD Healing Art kits. With the wholehearted approval of the Board of Directors, we got to work to make this happen.” Funded by donations and grants, the Art MD kits contain MWCA activity books for coloring, crayons, stickers, Play-Doh, a stuffed animal, and angel paintings by our artists and volunteers. With the help of Gratuity Paper Company in Monroe, a logo and

box design were developed. Artist members Donna Coffman and Sandy Blanchard created the original artwork for the journal pages in the activity book. Initially, two businesses supported the first round of boxes; Animal Care Hospital of Bold Springs and S/B Paisley Estate Sale Company. The Monroe UPS Store printed the activity books at a large discount. Play-Doh, Crayola Crayons, stickers, and stuffed animals were purchased thanks to donations from the community and generous support from The Walton EMC RoundUp Foundation. As the project has grown, more volunteers are needed to keep up with the demand. “As you can imagine, we always need more angels,” Reese says. “Please consider helping. You can paint angels at home or drop by the art center on Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and paint with others.” While it would be easy to use photocopies, the art center prefers to include small original pieces of art making the kits more personal than mass-produced. The art center potters, under the supervision of Rebecca Braswell, have made and donated angel ornaments to sell to raise money for the project. Each

The boxes are packed by volunteers, led by artist-member Julie Bell and her son Ian. To date, more than 1000 boxes have been created and distributed to the community. The list includes Piedmont-Walton Hospital, Monroe Fire Department, Team Up Mentoring, Joy Community Kitchens, Abbey Hospice, The Gardens of Social Circle (Alzheimer’s ward), Walton County Jail (family waiting/visiting area), and Walton County DFACS (foster children) and Reese plans to keep this project going. “We’d love to see this idea continue locally and into neighboring communities. There is a huge need. If you are a business or foundation that would like to help us, if you work with children in times of distress and would like some of our Art MD kits, or if you’d like to volunteer, please contact us,” she said. On a final note from Reese, “This has been a community effort for sure! We love how our small town has embraced this effort and given our angels wings to soar.” •WLM

For more information

The Monroe-Walton Center for the Arts 205 S. Broad St., Monroe, GA 30655 770-207-8937 www.monroewaltonarts.org/

10 Walton Living Magazine

Take a look inside Your CBD store

he first stores dedicated to CBD, Your CBD Store, have now opened two locations in Walton County, Loganville and Monroe. The store is a national chain with over 400 locations in 32 states nationwide; however, they are locally owned and operated. CBD or Cannabidiol, is a non-psychoactive compound found in the cannabis plant which has been shown through studies to affect a wide array of conditions. The CBD sold at Your CBD Store is derived from hemp organically grown in Colorado and processed in Florida. The CBD extract is thoroughly tested and inspected for quality to ensure that it exceeds the standard for quality and that legal guidelines set forth by the Farm Bill of 2018 are adhered to. Because of this, all of the products sold at Your CBD Store are completely legal and the quality is guaranteed. Your CBD Store offers a full range of CBD products from SunMed, the store’s exclusive brand and manufacturer, including oil-based tinctures, water-soluble tinctures, topical pain cream, edibles, vape products, bath bombs, and even pet products. Of the Loganville location, opened in January 2019, owners Jeff and Amber Yabuki said, “We are truly grateful to have the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people from the community. The response has been overwhelming. We have seen so many of our customers enjoy relief from debilitating conditions. Many are looking to avoid prescription painkillers, but need help managing their daily pain. Others are looking for relief from terrible anxiety or insomnia. We even have parents reporting great results with their kid’s ADD/ADHD. We welcome and invite anyone to stop by and ask us or our amazing staff any of the questions you may have, and try a free sample for yourself. We are here to help.” Your CBD Store has two convenient locations - in Loganville at 4611 Lawrenceville Road - in Monroe at 2120 W. Spring St. Suite 1500. Both are open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.

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CAMP

Carousel Where the Wild Things are

By Christy Breedlove

ith the opening of Camp Carousel, Lisa McNair’s life has come full circle. Camp Carousel, set in the midst of rural Walton County, aims to educate children and parents about diverse animals that include a camel, monkey and others many have only read about before coming face to face with them. It is also a rescue organization, receiving many that need rehabilitation and/or raising. McNair works with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources in adopting wild animals that need a permanent home. While interacting with the animals, McNair sees learning beyond the obvious things such as feeding and cleaning. “I want to teach feelings.” she said. The love affair with animals began in 1965 when her family opened McNair Amusements, a carnival dedicated to entertaining families, living their motto

of ‘clean family fun.’ For 30 years, the McNairs traveled to countless communities. Then, in 1995, tragedy struck. McNair lost many of her family in an airplane crash, leaving only her and her father. McNair admits, “If it hadn’t been for animals to get me up and out of bed - I think I would have grieved myself to death - but I had an obligation to them to feed and water and cleanup behind and - basically to busy myself ! Yes, I had a business to run - but it could be put on hold for a while as my dad could handle things if I weren’t right there - but my animals could not survive with no supervision.” It was this chore that prompted healing for McNair and an idea blossomed. With a hundred acres off Center Hill Church Road, McNair hopes to turn the petting zoo into something more. Possible private parks, movie nights under the stars and more are on the table.

But in order to hold costs down for entry tickets for families, McNair needs community help to expand. She is actively looking for donors, community businesses and volunteers to aid in her vision. “I definitely have obstacles, I need volunteers to help complete this project - I need materials, I need folks that just want to give back or maybe I should say pay it forward - life is short and wouldn’t it be nice to leave your mark so that a child could experience something besides virtual - computers are great - but what about the basics? I have the land - I have over 100 animals - I just need help developing. I have reached the stagnation point - I can sustain but am having trouble making progress. If this is something of interest to anyone then maybe you too can help to make a difference in the life of a child,” McNair said. One of the busier aspects of Camp Carousel is the mobile petting zoo. While many petting zoos offer 8-10 animals per party or event, McNair is a step above. “When people expect a rose, I want to deliver a rose garden.” McNair smiles. “I take 25-30 animals for every event and all over the southeast.” She brings her brood to different church community festivals and is always delighted to see families play with the animals. She further states that all her parties are non-alcoholic and fun for all ages which reflects the camp’s motto--”life continues with clean family fun.” Just because McNair is traveling throughout the Atlanta metro area, it doesn’t mean she ignores Walton County. 14 Walton Living Magazine

Drs. Beau Upshaw, Vic Koehler and Stewart Helton

Walton Living Magazine 15

She has deep roots in the Loganville area. In addition to this enterprise, McNair is a real estate broker/owner of Carousel Properties, auctioneer, and dedicated faith volunteer for New Testament Baptist Church. Recently, she and some friends took a group of senior women boating and kayaking. It is her wish to help these ladies “to live and not merely to exist.” She adds as a member of her faith community, she is charged by God to do His work. “Our lessons are simple, each meeting. The church is one that I call family - the people are real and not judgmental.” McNair knows that Carousel Properties where ‘life continues to turn’ pays for the petting zoo. But her real estate business is based on the same principles as Camp Carousel - treating others, including animals, with respect and trust in God and others. Her philosophy is simple. “I hope that just maybe I can touch one life - to show them that animals come from the man upstairs, God, and He uses these beautiful creatures to teach us life lessons. I love the Lord, He is my rock and my salvation. I know my family is with Him, and between now and the time I get to go home, Heaven, I want to show the world what God can do.” McNair says. She explains, “I just want to have a Camp or a place where the outside world can be forgotten for a bit and get back to nature - after all it was here before man - a place where we can forget our everyday problems and be with our kids and let nature show off - learn the values of life.” So in the end, it’s the journey that matters to McNair as well as her human and animal companions. Life has indeed come full circle at Camp Carousel. •WLM For more information: www.campcarousel.net 4931 Center Hill Church Road, Loganville GA 678-230-8420

“I hope that just maybe I can touch one life - to show them that animals come from the man upstairs, God, and He uses these beautiful creatures to teach us life lessons.”

16 Walton Living Magazine

Walton Living Magazine

Student triumphs over childhood obstacles with support from Student Success Alliance “I climbed to the top of a wall and there was another wall behind it.”

hat’s how Shannon described his journey to overcome his difficult childhood and succeed in school. Now he’s a student at Kennesaw State University studying mechanical engineering with a double-minor in mathematics and nuclear engineering and a GPA of 3.5. His story is a triumph over insurmountable odds. Shannon was born into a family who lived on the wrong side of the law. Drugs took their toll and his father terminated his parental rights and ended up in prison. Shannon lived with his grandmother until she passed away, leaving him a ward of the state. When he enrolled at Loganville High School, he should have been a senior but only had enough credits to be in 10th grade. The school placed him in a credit recovery class to help him catch up, and his teacher, Kelly Tompkins, introduced him to Shannon, a graduate of Loganville High School who is studying ensomeone who would help him change his life. gineering at Kennesaw State University. He overcame insurmountStudent Success Alliance site coordinator Andrea Mitchell able barriers with support from Student Success Alliance. immediately saw something special in Shannon. “He’s amazing!” Mitchell said. “He planned to join the military, which is a great option for a lot of kids, but we knew he could go to college, so we brought him in and sat him down and just told him he was going. He had never had anyone do that for him before.” But the road wasn’t easy and Shannon needed a lot of support. He had many walls to climb over, starting with earning the credits he needed to graduate. Mrs. Tompkins pushed hard and kept him on task, encouraging him every step of the way. Mrs. Mitchell helped with his college applications, entrance tests, financial aid, and made sure he had food, clothes, school supplies and anything else he needed to stay in school and focus on his work. Student Success Alliance unites the community in “When you go from having no one to help you, no motivation empowering students to succeed in school and in to do anything in school – or anything for that matter – and life. Our site coordinators provide schoolwide then you have her rallying the entire school to push me to gradprograms and one-to-one support to help uate and go to college or do whatever it is that’s going to make me happy and make me successful, it can change your entire students overcome barriers and reach their goals. world,” Shannon said. Student Success Alliance works with nearly 400 students like Join the Alliance! Shannon in 12 schools across the Walton County and Social Volunteer or give at ww.ssawalton.org Circle school districts to help them set and meet goals, overcome barriers and succeed in school and in life. Resources are provided through an alliance of community partners, donors, sponsors and volunteers. Find out more and Join the Alliance at www.ssawalton.org.

@ssawalton

18 Walton Living Magazine

Chiropractic: More than low back pain

hen you hear the word chiropractic, most people think of low back pain. While this is true, chiropractic care has been shown to be beneficial for numerous health condi-

tions. Chiropractic care helps with sports injuries, headaches, allergies, stress (emotional, mental and physical), as well as wellness and prevention. Gentle realignment of the spine helps your body heal by improving joint mobility, decreasing inflammation, therefore, decreasing pain and restoring proper function. Chiropractic care also aids in recovery from injuries by increasing blood flow to the areas which supply vital nutrients your body needs to heal. Chiropractic adjustments improve your body’s nervous system functions and the nerves’ ability to carry impulses more effectively, improving the informational pathway from your brain to your body. By increasing the function of your nervous system, you strengthen your immune system, improve organ system function, increase energy, vitality and improve your sleep. In addition to a physical performance boost and a speedy recovery from injury, chiropractic also boosts your cognitive ability to think more clearly by decreasing the adverse effects of stress. All these benefits combined can improve your overall performance and help your body naturally fight off sickness and disease, which equals optimal health. Adams Clinic of Chiropractic is here to treat any and all of your chiropractic needs.

Walton Living Magazine

Women to Watch

Community Leaders

Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just some of the Women of Influence in Walton County making their marks By Sharon Swanepoel

There are so many people who contribute so much to the citizens of this county and the communities therein. Some contribute to the advancement of the youth, some to the recreation and entertainment, some to the economies and the smooth running of the cities, the arts, disseminating important information and others work with those in our communities most in need. Some of these workers bees are men, some are women, some are more seasoned citizens and yet others are young enough to give us hope for the future. In this issue, we would like to feature a cross section of Walton’s Women of Influence. Sadie Krawczyk - Economic Development Director for the City of Monroe and Leigh Ann Walker, Monroe Main Street Coordinator In the City of Monroe, one of these women is Economic Development Director Sadie Krawczyk. As active and trendy as the city has become, she is sometimes more visible than others, but she can just as often be found in the trenches doing what she can to help drive Monroe’s economy in the right direction. Her job is to organize and drive efforts that support economic growth, the creation and retention of jobs and the improvement of quality of life. And her efforts are very Sadie much appreciated by those who work Krawczyk with her and who get to bask in the benefits. “Sadie has a tenacity to make things work no matter how difficult a project may be. She will dig into the details and learn everything needed to make something work,” says Monroe City Administrator Logan Propes, citing the recent opening of LR Burger as one of the benefits of her passion for the city. “She initially brought the concept of taking over the old gas station/auto lot to the DDA for turning into a restaurant by someone, sometime, somehow. To say that there Lee Ann were challenges with the property is an understatement. She was absoWalker lutely determined to make the project work. And two years later we enjoy some amazing burgers in a cool new atmosphere in Downtown Monroe.” Monroe Mayor John Howard echoes these sentiments, noting that Krawczyk has been the main driver behind the downtown revitalization. “Sadie is brilliant, and she stays focused on the overall betterment of Monroe. Her ability to put her plans into action and follow through on new, innovative ways to build the community make her the perfect fit for Monroe,” Howard said. Krawczyk says when she can help the people of Monroe be successful, everyone benefits. 22 Walton Living Magazine

“My hope is that this place continues to flourish with creativity and generosity. I have so many goals and dreams for the future. I can see Monroe as a center of innovative commerce and a training ground for the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders.” Prior to taking on this role in economic development, Krawczyk was the Main Street director for the City of Monroe. That role has now been taken over by Leigh Ann Walker, and in many instances the two are seen as a duo - sort of a two for one. “Sadie and Leigh Ann really complement each other with their strengths.The overall success of Monroe that is visible to so many is really based on the success of our downtown,” the Mayor said. “Sadie and Leigh Ann find a way to attract people through events, safety improvements, and entertainment; by their efforts, more businesses flourish, people want to move closer to town, property values rise, and community becomes tighter and safer.” “I’m very fortunate to have them both on staff,” Propes said. “The success of the duo is most evident in the fact that Monroe’s Downtown is at 100% occupancy of available spaces.” People want to be here both as business owners and patrons. The streets of Downtown aren’t dead anymore.” Howard and Propes both tout the recent award of “Downtown Transformation of the Year” is testament to how far the two of them have guided the City and its Downtown economic development over the past four-five years.” Propes said that the success of the concerts and monthly events are largely driven by the Main Street Coordinator. “Leigh Ann is the conductor in our orchestra that is Downtown Monroe. Along with that is her work ethic. You can always count on Leigh Ann to be there when the City has something going on, big or small. She will be there before sunrise to place signs, or at midnight after a concert breaking things down; weekdays and weekends, always dependable.” Walker is known for her approachability and the fact that she is very likable. “I don’t know anyone in town who is as well-liked as Leigh Ann,” Howard said Walker says its more about the people in the community. “We are blessed with so many innovative people who have poured themselves into giving back to this place. Those who think outside of the box, those who take a risk to follow a dream, those who believe in this community even when an idea may not make sense,” she says. “Being able to support and walk alongside this process is what I love about my job.” She says it is her mission is to continue to support businesses new and existing to keep Monroe’s downtown flourishing.

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Hope Reese - Monroe-Walton Center for the Arts The Monroe-Walton Center for the Arts has become a central part of the downtown community, largely due to its director, Hope Reese. She came out of retirement, well really staying home to take care of her special needs granddaughter, in February 2017 and since then hardly a day goes by that there isn’t something different and exciting going on at the center. “I was a member a hundred years ago -- my kids attended the arts camp when they were little. But now I’m a member because there is more for me,” said author Lori Duff who can often be found emceeing one of the Saturday night open mic nights. “Under her guidance the art center has become more prominent and Hope vibrant and a real community hub. By Reese increasing the footprint of the creative arts in Monroe, she has contributed to the vitality of the entire community.” Reese, not an artist herself, sees herself as the worker bee, “The boring drone, in service to the artists and true geniuses around here.” “Along with a really great board, we’ve embarked on a mission to re-imagine the art center. Like any organization that’s been around for a quarter of a century, we had grown to be a little stagnant. But with the growth and changes in Monroe, the youth and creative spirit of our community -- we saw a big change was needed,” Reese said. As the only full-time worker of MWCA, it’s been Reese’s job to carry out that vision. She is responsible for the planning, social media, website; working with artists, teachers and the board. “We’re a gallery, but also a teaching arts center - with tons going on,” she said. “We have become almost a second home to many creatives in our community. Community is actually an important part of who we are and what we do -- an outreach to people of all ages (so neat to see teens working right alongside older adults!).” Reese notes some of the things offered to the community are free or low-cost art classes to special needs adults and children and the elderly, the Art MD healing art kits, and many more, including relieving stress. “Art can be used to define a town or a county. A robust and exciting art center in a town the size of Monroe is a unique and precious thing.” Reese’s passion for the Center is something that is appreciated, not only for those who are members, but also the MWCA board that is excited to see it flourish. “I just can’t say enough good things about her and what she’s done. She’s a joy to be around - a very positive image for the Center,” says Joe Gargasz, MWCA president, saying when the decision was made to rebrand the center, Reese was brought on because they saw her potential. “She was just what we needed and we’re very proud of her efforts. She puts in tireless hours coordinating and work working with teachers to put the events together. She’s very much committed to making it a success.” 24 Walton Living Magazine

Adrian Brown - Residential Services Manager at Live Forward and founder of Diamond Ministries There is a sector of those who live in Walton County who don’t have some of the benefits that others enjoy for various reasons, and it is those in the community who most benefit from someone like Adrian Brown. As the residential services manager at Live Forward/Aids Athens in in Monroe, Brown helps find housing and improve the health of those in the community suffering from HIV Aids. The office serves Walton, Barrow and Morgan counties. “The mission of Live Forward is to build healthier communities through stable housing, improved health management, strong community outreach and widespread prevention Adrian services, ensuring those we help live Brown with dignity and a positive quality of life,” she said. But this is not the only section of the community she serves. A domestic violence survivor herself, eight years ago Brown founded Diamond Ministries using her own personal experience and that she had gained as a former transitional housing director at Peace Place Domestic Violence Shelter in Barrow County. “Diamond Ministries works to end all types of abuse and violence through support, advocacy, prevention, and education while promoting community awareness and accountability,” Brown said. Diamond Ministries also works to eradicate sex trafficking. “Currently, we are doing a five-city tour to educate the community on sex trafficking, domestic violence and HIV. The initiative is taking place to educate the community about preventive measures, myths, and facts,” she said. “Diamond Ministries seeks to be a resource for the community at risk of becoming victims of violence, homelessness, substance abuse and/or those impacted by health disparities.” It is making the connection between these different issues and addressing them collectively that makes Brown such a valuable resource to the community says Tammy Kinney with Advantage Behavioral Health in Walton County. “Adriane is addressing domestic violence and the introspection between this and sexual diseases and substance abuse,” Kinney said. “That is what is so important in what she does and the message she sends. People do not connect domestic violence with substance abuse. She is able to look at the whole scope. People don’t understand how substance abuse can put people at risk for domestic violence and the different behaviors associated with it. It is the help through resources like Adrian Brown that can make a difference.” Brown said the plan over the next five years is to continue the tour, “to ensure that everyone living in our service area has the resources they need when they are faced with a crisis. The events will feature a panel discussion with survivors, professionals, and speakers, free HIV testing, counseling and healthcare resources will be provided to encourage participation. There will also be free lunch, groceries, HIV testing and resources.

Megan Herndon, Director Shepherd’s Staff Another valuable resource in the community for those who are in crisis as a result of their circumstance is Megan Herndon, director of Shepherd Staff in Loganville. “Shepherd’s Staff’s mission is to help families who are in crisis by providing strategies that lead to independence, sharing Christ and His love and providing basic human need services such as food, financial assistance, housing and continued education,” says Herndon, who is quick to deflect credit elsewhere. “I often tell people that I just show up but its God who does all the work.” And while spreading His word, Herndon makes sure that the people seeking help from the ministry learn Megan their value and reconnect with their Herndon own self worth. “We work tirelessly to teach our clients that they are not defined by their current circumstances, their current living situation or their current pay check. Our desire is to guide and assist through the process of improving the overall quality of their lives and becoming productive members in the community.” Herndon said it is on rare occasion that they suggest that clients should apply for government assistance or additional assistance, steering them rather back to a full and more productive lifestyle. “We are talking about the able-bodied, 18-55 year olds who either have a high school diploma, more than a high school diploma, decent work experience or all of the above. There are jobs out there, they just need the confidence, encouragement and accountability to get the ball rolling. There will be huge opportunity for people who are interested in becoming skilled laborers and not just working for other people but becoming business owners and employers. If we can help facilitate that, I think we will have a positive impact on the community and a return on investment that will pay huge long-range dividends.” And in the meantime, Sherpherd’s Staff is there to help them through that crisis. Herndon says her responsibility is to look for strategic partnerships, funding and relationships that will make our organization stronger and add value to our community “In today’s environment there is much need and Loganville is no exception. Fortunately we have Megan. She has her hand on the pulse of the city. Megan knows the less fortunate, she understands their pain and can help,” said former Loganville mayor Dan Curry. “Whether the need is food, lodging, prescription drugs, eye glasses, counseling or paying of bills, she seems to have a solution. From the people on the streets, schools, civic organizations or churches she serves as a source to make a way when seemingly there is no way.” Curry said Herndon was born with a gift, a calling on her life that make life better for so many others. So too, he says, as Kristy Daniel, event and marketing coordinator for the City of Loganville. “Thank God for them and all they do daily,” Curry said.

Kristy Daniel, Events and Marketing Coordinator for the City of Loganville Much as Leigh Ann Walker has been the worker bee in making Monroe a fun and happening destination, Kristy Daniel is tasked with doing something similar in Loganville. With a background in marketing, Daniel says it is her main job to let everyone else know why the City of Loganville is such a great place to live and work. “That is done mainly by being out there and involved throughout the Walton and Gwinnett communities and as the main organizer of the number of great events that we have. I have always said, and I truly believe this, the City of Loganville becomes Kristy a stronger community through our Daniel events because our main goal is to bring people together, let them get to know their neighbor or provide a venue to get together with friends.” Daniel also helps provide networking opportunities for the small businesses that make their home in Loganville. Well-known Loganville resident and an unashamed advocate for the city, Janice Tribble, can’t say enough about the difference Daniel has made in the five years she’s been with the city, branding her a “gift from God.” “You know how I love Loganville. Kristy has done so many great things since she came here. She keeps Loganville alive. We have so many new events since she came. It is like she brought Loganville out of the dark and into the light,” Tribble said, noting Daniel puts her whole heart into what she does. “I love working with Kristy! She has a wonderful personality, a beautiful smile and is kind to everyone! She never stops! She has so much energy!” That sentiment is echoed by former mayor Curry on whose watch Daniel was hired by the city. “Kristy is hard working, smart, has a great personality, and does not need a handbook - she makes her own way. She knows the value of economic development working hand in hand with community. She books concerts, parades, fireworks, car shows and other events. She had the wonderful idea of “morning mingle” bringing business people together on the third Friday of each month,” Curry said. “Give Kristy a goal and she will make you proud of her accomplishment.” And it’s not just with city business. When the holiday season comes around, you will find Daniel hard at work making sure everybody has a good season. For many years she has been a driving force behind the Empty Stocking Fund. Daniel said she plans to keep doing what she can to help make Loganville the destination they all want it to be. “Like everyone else here at the City of Loganville, I want to do whatever my part is to help with the redevelopment of our downtown. There is great vision for our Main Street that I think, once it takes shape, people will say it was worth the wait,” Daniel said.

Walton Living Magazine 25

Patrice Broughton, Public Information Officer for the Walton County Board of Commissioners In her recent role as public information officer for the Walton County Board of Commissioners, it is Patrice Broughton’s role to publicize and promote Walton County programs, events, and initiatives and to communicate county information and news to the media and citizens of Walton County. “Communication is essential in any type of relationship. Providing reliable and timely information to the citizens of Walton County is the Office of Public Information’s way of keeping the lines of communication open with the Walton County Board of Commissioners,” Broughton said, noting the need for transparency in sharing Patrice information. She says that some of Broughton the ways to ensure this happens is by providing an accurate and easily navigated website and social media presence. “This allows us to provide information instantly and get it in the hands of as many people as possible in a short amount of time. Mostly, we want everyone to be as informed as possible, whether it’s an event or an emergency,” she says. But Broughton’s presence in the community goes way beyond her job with the County, according to Donna Peters who served with Broughton on the Gamechanger project. “Patrice has a heart for children, which is evident any time you see her with young people. She truly believes that empowering young people for success is the key to a better future. She’s worked hard with the Boys and Girls Club and as a former board member of Team Up Mentoring to help bring resources and support to the children who need it most. She is an outspoken advocate for young people in our community,” Peters

26 Walton Living Magazine

said. “She isn’t afraid of a challenge, is diplomatic, open-minded, charismatic, and challenges others to learn more about the world. She reads, writes, and immerses herself in theories, problems, ideas, Her personality and laugh are contagious and she proved herself to be a leader throughout the Gamechangers program, providing research, big ideas, and collaborating with others to create the best version of the problems and potential solutions that she worked on. I think you’d be challenged to find anyone who completed the program and doesn’t remember working with her.” Peters said being born and raised in Walton County gives Broughton an edge in her role as PIO as well as the community work that she is involved in - and Walton County Board Chairman Kevin Little agrees. “Patrice is an asset to Walton County by being born and raised here and graduated from Monroe high school. By growing up here she knows the dynamics between all of the political entities including the school systems and local governments,” Little said. “She also has the connections that enable her to walk into any of the local governments including the school board to disburse and acquire information that the citizens need. She has good relationships with the local media outlets as well. Walton county can now get the message out through all of these entities.

“Patrice has a heart for children, which is evident any time you see her with young people. She truly believes that empowering young people for success is the key to a better future.”

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Walton Living Magazine 27

K B

ing utterfly

In the world of butterflies, the Monarch is King By Melanie Ann Jackson

t is estimated that there are about 20,000 species of butterflies in the world. Of all these varieties, the monarch is considered to be the “king” of the butterflies and therefore was dubbed the “Monarch.” This colorful butterfly has the most interesting story of generational survival and life cycle. Monarch’s go through four stages during one life cycle, and through four generations in one year, according to monarch-butterfly.com. As most of us have learned in our school day studies, the four stages are the egg, the larvae (caterpillar), the pupa (chrysalis), and the adult butterfly. The four generations are actually four different butterflies going through these four stages during a year until it is time to start again with stage one and generation one. In February and March, after wintering in southern Mexico, the monarchs head to warmer climates such as Texas or southern California where they mate and lay eggs on milkweed plants in March and April. Becky Brewer, of Monroe, is an avid monarch protector and nurturer. “Monarch butterflies will only lay their eggs on the underside of the milkweed leaf. They secrete a sticky substance that allows the eggs to stick to the leaf. After the eggs from the monarch hatch into caterpillars, the only food the caterpillar will eat is the milkweed,” she said.

30 Walton Living Magazine

Joel Burnsed with the University of Georgia Extension Office in Monroe gave some information on local plants that are safe for monarchs. “Walton County is in the Piedmont Region of the state and several different milkweed plants are safe for the monarch butterflies in this area. There are two to avoid, however,” he said. “One is the tropical milkweed. If planted here the monarchs confuse them for the milkweed grown in Mexico and will not make the flight to the warmer climate and could die in our winters. The other is the common milkweed as it is very invasive.” This is stage one and generation one of the monarch butterfly. In a few days, the eggs hatch into striped caterpillars of brilliant black, gold and white. These caterpillars gorge themselves on milkweed for about 2 weeks until they are fully grown and then form a chrysalis. Within the chrysalis, the caterpillar undergoes a remarkable transformation called metamorphosis, and after 10 days becomes the beautiful parts that make up the butterfly that will emerge. The new butterflies fly another few hundred miles north before finding another batch of milkweed and repeating the process. The second generation of monarchs is born in May and June with the third generation being born in July and August. The fourth generation of monarch butterflies is a little different. When the fall rolls around again, a special “super generation of monarchs that can live up to eight months will be born and will make use of air currents to wing all the way back to Mexico - a seemingly impossible feat for such a delicate-looking insect. Anna Yellin, Wildlife Biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division, has Walton Living Magazine

been tagging the monarchs for the last two years. “I have five sites where I collect butterflies placed on milkweed for this area,” Yellin said, adding that a monarch can lay from 100-200 eggs at a time. “This year I had 10 milkweed plants and about 100 eggs. All became butterflies and were released. Hard Labor Creek invited the public to come and help with the tagging.” Yellin went on to explain the tagging process. “There is a little cell on the monarch’s wing where we attach a little tiny sticker. This sticker holds a unique identification number, date, gender, wild-caught or raised by someone. The monarchs are tagged to see where they are going and where they are coming from,” she said. “On the Georgia coast, there is a migration study going on. It wasn’t until the 1970’s that it was first found that the monarchs migrate to Mexico.” •WLM

32 Walton Living Magazine

It is amazing how the four generations of monarch butterflies work so that the monarch population can continue to live on throughout the years, but not become overpopulated. However, sadly, monarch butterflies are now headed for extinction. But there are ways we can help: Establish a wildlife garden in your yard for pollinators like the monarch and the honey bee. Ask your garden clubs to work together to establish pollinator wildlife gardens in parks, etc. Encourage local farmers to designate space in ditches and along fences where wildflowers thrive without the use of chemical sprays. Plant milkweed in your yard or field. Plant native wildflowers along your driveway and fencing. Don’t spray chemical herbicides in your lawn, garden and field. Buy a butterfly kit and encourage your children to experience, and appreciate the life cycle of the butterfly, first hand. - farmersalmanac.com

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Piedmont Walton now offers 3 -D Mammograms

iedmont Walton Hospital is now offering three-dimensional (3-D) mammograms, also known as the tomosynthesis 3-D imaging. The 3-D mammogram provides more detailed images of the breast tissue, which can decrease the number of false positive diagnoses and increase the chances of early detection of breast cancer. Piedmont Walton is one of the few healthcare facilities in the area offering the technology. “We’re pleased to be able to offer this important screening tool to our patients in Walton County,” said Rose Dennis, executive director of patient services at Piedmont Walton. “While digital mammography remains one of the most advanced technologies today, it’s only a 2-dimensional image. A 3-D mammography allows for a better image of the breast interior and improves the chances of early detection.” A traditional 2-D mammography usually takes images from two angles and creates a flat image of the breast for doctors to review. The new imaging unit allows doctors to examine the breast tissue one layer at a time, building what is essentially a 3-D image.

34 Walton Living Magazine

“Early detection is critical in increasing the survival rate among breast cancer patients,” Dennis said. “When detected early, breast cancer patients have a better chance of being treated successfully and

recovering.” Aside from skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women and is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, according to the American Cancer Society. The average risk of a woman in the United States developing breast cancer sometime in her life is 1-in-8. Survival rates continue to increase due to early detection, increased awareness and improved treatment options. Today, there are more than 3.1 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. In addition to 3-D mammography, Piedmont Walton will soon provide diagnostic mammography, breast ultrasound, bone densitometry, stereotactic guided biopsy and ultrasound-guided biopsy. For more information about Piedmont’s breast health services, visit piedmont.org.

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Walton Living Magazine 35

Stopped in their

Tracks

Trains used to roar through Walton County, but local railroad tracks have gone silent, unlike the days of old By Jeff Allen

ou’d never know it today, but railroads used to be the life blood of Walton County. Remnants of the burgeoning rail culture are still around, if you know where to look for them. “The roads were atrocious,” said Steve Brown of Monroe Museum. “Especially if it rained, you just couldn’t get anywhere. Railroads were it.” The oldest rail line in Walton County touches the southern tip of the county. In 1844, The Georgia Railroad purchased enough right of way to extend its Augusta-to-Atlanta line past its previous terminal in Rutledge, through Social Circle and onward to Covington and points west. After changing hands several times over the years, it was purchased in the 1980s by the company that eventually became CSX, which owns the line today and continues to run trains down the 176-mile stretch. The depot in Social Circle remains the only active station in Walton County. And if you’re at the right

place at the right time, you may still see and hear the familiar sight and sounds of rail as freight is moved in and out of some of Social Circle’s larger companies. “It is used by General Mills and Standridge,” said Social Circle Mayor Hal Dally. He believes it has helped keep Social Circle on the map with regard to attracting industry to the area, even after the passenger trains stopped. And he believes there is still a possibility of a revival of rail returning to the area - possibly even passenger trains. “That new bridge that we built was made to accommodate the rail lines underneath. I’ve seen the plans that include the possibility of bringing more rail back through here.” When the Georgia Department of Transportation announced that the old bridge over the CSX railroad in Walton County was going to be reconstructed, it noted that the new bridge would be raised slighter higher to achieve proper railroad clearance.

The new bridge was completed and opened on Oct. 7, 2019. Shane Short, executive director of the Development Authority of Walton County, said while it is not used much anymore in Walton County, except for the freight lines into a couple of larger companies in Social Circle, rail can never be counted out. “Interest in it comes and goes along with the fuel price,” Short said. “When fuel goes up, there is always more of an interest in rail.” Monroe was home to three different railroads over the years, according to the archives found in the Monroe Museum. The Gainesville-Midland is the most commonly known of them, which ran from the Augusta-Atlanta line in Social Circle, through Monroe, Winder and on up to Gainseville. Monroe historian Steve Brown, who shared some of the photographs from Larry Witcher and the Monroe Museum, noted that the Midland Railroad, which ran from the CSX line in Social Circle to Gainesville, made stops along the way including Monroe and Winder. “This train ran from the 1840s until around 1958 and was mostly a passenger train. Later in its lifespan, the line ran “doddlebugs”...buses that were specially fitted to be used on rails. They were self-contained and did not need a locomotive to pull them, making this an efficient way to travel the considerable distance between Monroe and Gainesville,” Brown said. “The Greene County Railroad which, interestingly enough, never actually ran into Greene county, ran from Downtown Monroe to a small station into Apalachee, which was located in northern Morgan County, closer to Oconee County than it was Greene. It primarily transported goods, crops to sell and workers back and forth between the two towns.” When buses were introduced that began carrying passengers from the connections between Social Circle and Monroe, the Georgia Railroad discontinued passenger service on August 19, 1928. The Great Walton is a short line railroad company operating a 10-mile line between Monroe and Social Circle since 1987. The railroad’s offices are in Social Circle. The train was used to transport the Bicentennial Flag from Social Circle to the outskirts of Monroe during the 2018 Walton County Bicentennial celebrations in 2018. The flag was then carried to Good Hope on a tractor to continue the significance of honoring Walton County’s early history.

“Interest in it comes and goes along with the fuel price. When fuel goes up, there is always more of an interest in rail.” 38 Walton Living Magazine

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Although there are no longer any real visible signs, Loganville too has a railroad in its history. In 1898, Georgia, Carolina & Northern Railway company had opened a small company in Loganville, running just a 10-mile line on through Grayson to Lawerenceville. It was primarily used by residents and farmers in the area to get their crops to the markets in the city. The Loganville depot was located quite literally on the county line between Walton and Gwinnett where the Post Office, a strip mall and IHOP are on, aptly named, Line Street. Seaboard Airline/Railway took over the company in 1901 and, with better roads and automobiles to run between the towns, demand for the railroad decreased. The service was eventually dropped in 1932 and even the old depot was torn down to make way for modern development. Although there is no longer any active lines into downtown Monroe, the signs of the railroad are still very visible, and productive in their own right. The old depots have been preserved and used for commerce and trade and there are plans to incorporate the railway tracks into walking trails in the near future. In the meantime, the old, unused tracks are a photographers dream. Many a wedding, engagement, graduation, homecoming or family photograph has a piece of Monroe’s rich railroad history as a backdrop. •WLM 40 Walton Living Magazine

Walton Living Magazine 41

Live life to its fullest at The Retreat in Loganville

n Aug. 1, 2019, Southern Plantation Senior Living was acquired by Phoenix Senior Living in a joint venture with White Oak. It is now named The Retreat at Loganville, one of the two most recent PSL communities in Georgia. The Retreat at Loganville offers premier assisted living and memory care with superior personalized care and a compassionate staff. “We are pleased to blend the high standards in place at these communities with our operational expertise and commitment to a purposeful life for every senior we serve,” Jesse Marinko, a Georgia native and the Founder and CEO of Phoenix Senior Living, said at the time of the acquisition. “We recognize that our team’s success is directly tied to partnering with organizations like White Oak REIT that share our commitment to offering senior living options focused primarily on the wellbeing of the residents, their families, and our teams.” Situated in Loganville, the community offers luxury style accommodations with a comfortable, small-town feel. Phoenix Senior Living is a company built on love that spans generations, offers ideal senior living options for seniors and specialized services for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and various forms of dementia. Phoenix Senior Living, whose leadership collectively has been serving seniors for more than 30 years, believes that transitioning into your new home at The Retreat at Loganville welcomes a new chapter in your life, where seniors can live as

42 Walton Living Magazine

independently as they desire — a life where seniors live, love, learn. The Retreat at Loganville wants every resident to live life to its fullest. The community encourages purposeful living, individually tailored to complement each resident’s unique interests, life experience, and abilities. From the moment you enter The Retreat at Loganville, it will become clear that the aim is to instill purpose and love in their seniors through our specialized programs and services. They pledge to exceed the expectations of ordinary personal care and treat their seniors as a beloved family member. The Live, Love, Learn philosophy embraces the National Wellness Institute’s Six Dimensions of Wellness: Cognitive, Emotional, Physical, Spiritual, Occupational (Sense of Purpose), Social Everything at The Retreat at Loganville begins and ends with service. The executive team and knowledgeable staff uphold the highest standard of excellence in Independent Living, Senior Living, and Memory Care settings. Offering superior, innovative, and personalized services for seniors, the goal at The Retreat at Loganville is to consistently engage the residents in meaningful activities and assure them that their beliefs, interests, and lives matter.

Walton Living Magazine 43

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RESTOCKING There is no better way to appreciate the spirit of the season than by helping those less fortunate

By Robbie Schwartz

laces such as Faith In Serving Humanity, Shepherd’s Staff, newcomer Almsprings Food Basket and other efforts across Walton County have charged themselves with helping those less fortunate in the Walton County community. And with the arrival of the holiday season, efforts such as the Empty Stocking Fund of Walton County step in to provide a little more cheer and support at a time when it seems help is most needed. “The demand for food definitely increases during the holiday season, but typically we see a higher demand for food in the winter months overall because people typically eat more for warmth than during the summer months,” said Megan Herndon, executive director of Shepherd’s Staff in Loganville. “Additionally, with school breaks for Thanksgiving and Christmas, families who would normally have their children eating free or reduced breakfast or lunch at school have to figure out how to make their food budget stretch even further. Clients turn to us to bridge that gap.” Herndon estimates they will serve 135,000 meals this year and that more than 60 % of their clients have visited them two or more times during 2019

for food assistance. While Shepherd’s Staff provides education services, winter coats, vision assistance, housing and financial assistance, it is the food bank that sees the greatest demand as the Loganville nonprofit attempts to address one of the greatest challenges of those who they help: food insufficiency. Twice a month they open up the doors to their food assistance program where qualified families receive food to cover breakfast, lunch and dinner for three or four days. This will include fresh fruit, frozen meat, fresh eggs and bread as well as pre-packaged food items. About 10,000 of the meals they provide are targeted nutritional meals for those with diet-related health issues, which is coupled with an educational component. To help meet the need during the holidays, for 15 years now Shepherd’s Staff has offered a holiday basket program that provides additional assistance for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. A donation of $35 from the community helps provide a family with all the ingredients for a holiday meal – a Publix or Kroger gift card that can only be used for a turkey or ham plus four additional breakfasts, lunches and dinners.

THE SHELVES

Faith in Serving Humanity, much like Shepherd’s Staff, is also challenged with helping bridge so many gaps for those in need in Walton County. Over the first nine months of 2018, FISH provided 863,000 pounds of food and 1,199 food boxes in addition to $18,000 in rental or mortgage assistance, $50,000 in utility assistance and almost $1.5 million in dental and health care service through its FISH MD and FISH Dental programs. The FISH4Kids program also brings together a trove of volunteers from the community who put together and distribute lunches during the summertime for those who received discounted or free meals when at school. The Monroe-based nonprofit also provides a soup kitchen three days a week. A newcomer has emerged in the effort to help provide food to those in need in Walton County. Almsprings Food Basket started a little more than two years ago from the efforts of Restoration Church in Bethlehem. The group opens its doors from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in the suites next to Sparky’s Machines Auto Museum between Loganville and Monroe. John Sparks has spearheaded the effort. “I handle it for the church because I believe it is exactly what we are called to do,” he said. “We started on a small scale because we weren’t really sure if we had ample resources to supply everyone. We have been growing steadily now and trying to get the word out now families can come in once a month to receive help.” Sparks estimates they have helped 121 families in the second quarter of 2019, relying on funds raised from partners of the program who make monthly donations as well as other revenue sources to purchase food from different suppliers, food banks and food baskets. The annual Masters Club Car Show that is held in Loganville each spring provides a sizable donation to the program as well, in addition to members helping each week to re-stock, clean up and organize the food bank. The hard work of volunteers and organizers of Walton County’s food banks, as well as the support they receive from the community, serve as a testament to the kindness many have toward those in need. Another great example of that is the Empty Stocking Fund of Walton County.

“The demand for food definitely increases during the holiday season, but typically we see a higher demand for food in the winter months overall because people typically eat more for warmth than during the summer months.”

52 Walton Living Magazine

Walton Living Magazine 53

For almost 40 years, this program has distributed canned goods gathered at the local schools, as well as monies donated, to purchase additional food to provide on average about 400 food boxes to families in need for Christmas. The drive begins in November with sign-up days where local families can register to receive one of the boxes. Canned food drives in the schools culminate during the first week of December and barrels upon barrels of non-perishable items are taken to the National Guard Armory in Monroe where the boxes are eventually put together. Then the delivery day arrives, where the support from the community is on full display as residents line up along Washington Street in their cars to load up and then drop off the boxes to those in need in the community. “We have a lot of families who come out with their kids to strengthen the lesson of how important service is to our community and to share that feeling you get when you drop off a box to someone in need whose smile shows just how grateful they are,” said Kristy Daniel, one of the organizers for the Empty Stocking Fund of Walton County. “We have families that have come out for years to do this and newcomers alike. “For the most part, it is a great experience that leaves people rewarded that they are able to help another during the holiday season. And those who receive the food boxes are truly grateful that their community has provided this extra bit of support.” Additional financial help, as well as volunteers, are always needed. •WLM

54 Walton Living Magazine

To help, contact: Shepherd’s Staff Ministries 770-554-9722 shepherdstaffloganville.com Faith in Serving Humanity 770-207-4357 www.fishofwalton.org Almsprings Food Basket 770-570-8805 Empty Stocking Fund of Walton County kdaniel@loganville-ga.gov

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Modern Uses

Buildings built in the past are getting new life with uses their creators never foresaw

By Barbara Barth

alton County is full of historical buildings that are private residences, but for some folks heading to work brings more than the usual office setting, as more historical houses are being refurbished for business purposes, historical societies and city halls. Preserving the past while looking towards the future is not just for history buffs but a way of life for many. The workplace has a new look in old buildings as you will see in these three properties.

You can’t miss the huge house located at the intersection of 78 and New Hope Church Road in Between, Ga. Its size catches your attention as you drive past it. On The National Register of Historic Places, the James Berrien Upshaw House was built in the early 1900s. In April 2019, Cathi Houston purchased the property at 1994 New Hope Church Road for her business The Houston Group, CPA. “James Berrien Upshaw had nine children and his grandson, Red Upshaw, was Margaret Mitchell’s

husband,” Houston shared a bit of glamour that came with the house’s history. The previous owners lived there for 37 years and renovated much of the house during the first 18 years. Houston is making some changes of her own, renovating areas of the house, while keeping period details and making comfortable office spaces. “The rooms are large and make placement of office furniture and conference tables easy and the fireplaces and historic touches give a warmth that you can’t find in contemporary office space. I love working surrounded by history,” Houston added. There is a fireplace in every room, but one, including the laundry room. Some of the changes over the years modernized the house. Houston plans to bring back the character to those areas. While the renovation is still in progress, the downstairs area is open for business with a lovely entrance hall freshly painted and decorated to greet clients. Known as Gunter Hall, the Nebhut-Akridge-Gunter House is the headquarters of the Historic Preservation Society of Social Circle, Inc. The house serves as a museum, an education center, and a small events center. Built in the early 1850s by Eberhardt Nebhunt, a publisher and businessman, the house had been moved several times around town as the area grew. The society obtained the home in 1990 and relocated it to its present location, a four-acre track at 403 West Hightower Trail, in 1992. Not a simple task, the house was cut in half horizontally and moved 58 Walton Living Magazine

for a cost of $40,000. The Historic Preservation Society held two fund-raising auctions to acquire and move Gunter Hall, saving it from the wrecking ball. Additional funding through grants, membership drives, and rummage sales helped with money for renovations and to put in the driveway and parking lot. Many residents opened their homes to visitors for tours for fundraising, including author and chef Nathalie Dupree when she lived in Social Circle during the early years of her TV cooking show. Today Gunter Hall is available to rent for wedding showers, birthday parties, meetings, and other special events. The Clay-Mitcham-Peitso House, or Walnut Grove Plantation as many used to call the property, is now home to Walnut Grove City Hall. The building is one of the three outposts built to protect settlers from both the Creek and Cherokee Indians. Each of these posts was just a day’s ride from the main fort, Fort Yargo, which is located in what is now Barrow County. The conference room and Mayor’s office at City Hall are part of the original outpost built in 1792 to 1793. The earliest known owner of this structure was Thomas Evans who named Walnut Grove because of the “inviting shade of the walnut trees.” According to those who work in City Hall, it is like living in history every day they’re there. “I love it,” said Kathy Glass, Walnut Grove’s City Clerk. “It is so neat to walk back through the hall. Over time they had put boards over the original walls, which were logs back then, and

painted it a cream color. But in the hallway that’s been removed so you can now see the original wall. The front two rooms are the old Indian outpost. There were three of those outposts and this is the only one that still sits where it was originally built. Of the other two, one was burned and one was moved.” According to the history of the home, the principal owner of the house and land for about 100 years, beginning in the 1840s, was the Augustus W. Clay family. The house dates to the late 18th to early 19th century, with the earliest portion being a two-story log structure. Augustus Clay’s 1850’s addition is stud construction. A room both upstairs and down was added as well as two more fireplaces and another chimney. The house stayed in the Clay family until the late 1940s and early 1950s as the property began to be sold in parcels. The purchase by the city of one of the first log cabin homes for City Hall showed their interest in honoring the city’s past. In 2007, the city worked with the University of Georgia to draft a design plan that would move the city forward without losing its roots. Today, City Hall has modernized a few common areas downstairs, but most of the house remains the same as when it was purchased. Original boards and

antiques from the period add to the charm of the rooms. “One day, when this town grows, I see this as being a real neat museum,” Glass said. If you drive around Walton County you will see many examples of other historical properties being used for commercial purposes, a sure sign that even with progress there is a commitment by private individuals and cities to save the past for future generations. •WLM For additional information: The Houston Group, CPA www.thehoustongroupcpa.com/index.htm Gunter Hall historicsocialcirclega.com/gunter-hall Walnut Grove City Hall www.walnutgrovegeorgia.com/CityHall.htm

Walton Living Magazine

GONE

But Not Forgotten Community comes together to reclaim a decaying cemetery and respectfully restore it

By Alanna King

he cemetery rests deeply nestled on the edge of Monroe’s downtown with many unknowingly passing by a rich history of fellowship, joy, loss, community, and slavery, on their daily commutes into town. If not for Elizabeth Jones, the history might have remained buried deep within the ground as generations passed and the history was long forgotten. Luckily, the Monroe citizen and First African Black Church member saw a need to reveal and preserve the African-American history of her town and got to work. Jones is currently pursuing her third master’s

degree from the University of Georgia in historic preservation, and while working on a mill project she caught wind of the abandoned cemetery on Alcovy Road. “I was talking to Chief Bill Owens about [the mill] and he actually told me about this. I came over here and I was just enthralled, so I kept thinking about it and I just decided…let’s do something.” Jones says. She had a meeting with Monroe Mayor John Howard and assembled a team of herself, Fire Chief Bill Owens, and First African Baptist Church Deacon Johnny Smith, who decided to get the community

involved in restoring the cemetery. While she has never worked on a graveyard restoration project before, Jones says “there’s a first time for everything!” “I knew the cemetery was here for a long time. I brought Elizabeth over here one time and she started getting involved in it, and I’m involved with the community and…said ‘hey, this is a good thing. Let’s do this,’” Owens said. He enjoys learning about the history of the cemetery and engaging in the community, and finds the work very rewarding. This is his first time working on a historic project. Smith offers a unique perspective by being a part of the restoration project. He has deep roots within the community through the time he spent at Zion Hill Baptist church as a child, the time he has invested by serving Walton County in the Sheriff’s office during his adult life, and the title he now holds as Deacon and Historian at First African Baptist Church. He is one of eight church members left from Zion Hill Baptist Church. Smith said he remembers the time he spent as a child playing in the cemetery with other children at the church without the many trees and plants that now crowd it. The cemetery is now surrounded by trees and vines and faces a brick shopping center. White wooden crosses cover the property placed by the Moore’s Ford Group as a commemorative act. However, the real grave markers are rocks of many different sizes. “Anywhere there is a rock, someone is buried,” explains Jones. There are engraved gravestones in the cemetery, which Jones dusts with flour to get a better reading of them until she is able to clean them with a special solution. Some grave stones are engraved with significant symbols such as acorns, ivy leaves, and the Odd Fellows Fraternity links meaning friendship, love, and truth. While Jones plans to remove the hazardous plants, she has to be careful not to destroy the surrounding environment’s 62 Walton Living Magazine

ecosystem or historical heritage plants. The trees are too deeply rooted, so Jones is unable to remove them. The property that the cemetery sits on was once owned by George Selman, who owned 6,000 acres of land and 90 slaves. He promised the land to the slaves, turned sharecroppers, as long as it was being used for a religious purpose and in 1868, the Colored Baptist Church was built as a log cabin. Once the congregation grew too large for the cabin, Zion Hill Baptist Church was built south of the original location. The church stayed at the location until 1954, when the congregation moved and split into Tabernacle Baptist Church and First African Baptist Church. The last known burial in the cemetery was in 1968. After the cemetery was abandoned, the property went back into the Selman estate where it has remained ever since.

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Walton Living Magazine 63

The church members had no control of the cemetery. Jones plans to first clean up the cemetery and then get it into the name of the city of Monroe. “There’s an Abandoned Cemetery Law in Georgia that can protect a cemetery if it’s put in the name of a certified entity and the city of Monroe is a certified entity…if we can work with the community and the churches and the city of Monroe, and come up with a sustainable, long term plan, we can protect this cemetery,” Jones says. Until the property is carefully cleared of dangerous vines and hazardous plants, it is too much of a liability to the city. The team must be strategic about this, ensuring they do not damage the integrity of the site. Next, Jones will begin the application process for the property to go on the National Register of Historic Places. She will map out the property and record each gravestone. She also will apply for grants from the Department of Natural Resources. “Every little bit helps,” Jones said. Mae Murray Dorsey, a victim of the 1946 Moore’s Ford lynching inWalton County, rests in the cemetery. Dorsey, along with her husband and another black couple, were tied to trees and shot more than 60 times on the Walton-Oconee County line in 1946, the last lynching to take place in the United States. Although Jones is unsure of where she is buried, a memorial stone in honor of Dorsey sits on the corner of the cemetery. Because of Dorsey’s burial there, Jones and her team are sure that the cemetery is more than qualified for the National Register. Smith’s personal connection with the church makes him even more grateful for Jones and the work she has done. “Elizabeth was a blessing when she joined this church because she jumped into this thing with both feet,” Smith said. “So the pastor said, ‘Okay, it’s yours.’” Jones’ enthusiasm for the project seems to have spread like wildfire. She believes that cleaning and restoring the cemetery will bring people together, and revealing the hidden history of the cemetery will bring peace to many. •WLM

“I came over here and I was just enthralled, so I kept thinking about it and I just decided…let’s do something.”

64 Walton Living Magazine

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Giving back through emergency training is passion for man with family ties to Boy Scouts of America By Joshua Walker

ohn Alderman of Walnut Grove recently returned from an enlightening training camp in California where he became inspired to put in motion an idea he has had for nearly eight years. Coming from a long line of Boy Scout Troop leaders, Alderman grew up reaping the rewards of hard work and skill. Both his father and his grandfather before him were vital in establishing Historic Troop 107 in Decatur, Georgia, which is the oldest Scout Troop in the state and one of the oldest in the nation. Originally known as Boy Scout Troop 1, the post was officially established on March 14, 1911. Ever since that date, Alderman’s family has been instrumental in its success and growth. As Alderman says, “It’s in my DNA…each generation was supposed to be better in performance and teaching.” Growing up in the Boy Scouts, with his father as scout master, shaped Alderman and his ambitions greatly. He pursued a dual degree in agriculture and agricultural engineering from the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, but he

was drafted into the Vietnam War soon after as an electronics technician for nuclear submarines. Post-war, Alderman joined the Environmental Protection Agency and even went on in later years to create his own business: Alderman HVAC. Despite his obvious passion for engineering and environmental systems, Alderman became convinced that he had a calling to public service. So eight years ago, he and his wife trained up and joined the local chapter of the Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT. This service-based organization is meant to give members the skills they need to help out during disasters as well as to help clear the way for first-responders to do their job. Alderman described it “like being in an airplane and the cabin is depressurizing, does the parent put their child’s air mask on first?” Basically, CERT members help the first-responders so that those professionals are better equipped to do their jobs and give aid to others. However, Alderman sought to take the program further. Bringing in his experience from both CERT and the Boy Scouts

of America, Alderman is currently developing a program which would combine aspects of the two into a new organization: Scout CERT. His plan is to take current scouts and train them to use their skills to handle emergency situations. This idea stems from his belief that there is no “limit to what a Scout can do… if there is chaos going on, that kid can stand up and make a difference.” His plans were enhanced when he attended a CERT training session in California this past June. There, he explained his idea to several colleagues, including Suu Va Tai, the Director of California CERT. Their positive responses have encouraged him to follow what he says is a “calling, not an agenda.” Already, Alderman has established the first Scout CERT at a new Boys and Girls BSA Troop in St. Albans this past August, which he claims is promising to his mission. Alderman may have developed the foundation of this program, but he is not planning on training members himself; “I’m like an apostle for a church who begins a new church but backs off once it is developed.” Alderman is what is called a T3 trainer. He teaches an incoming trainer so that this trainer can become his replacement and take over the local Scout CERT. By approaching the program with this method of expansion, Alderman can ensure that his idea will spread quickly and effectively across Georgia’s and even the United States’ Boy Scout Troops. But why is Alderman creating this organization in the first place? It is independent from both the Boy Scouts of America as well as CERT, so his funding is minimal, which makes planning its success daunting. However, he is sure that his idea will be fruitful because he is pursuing it to increase the number of people in the community who are prepared when an inevitable 68 Walton Living Magazine

tragedy occurs. By taking students who are involved in the BSA and teaching them the real world applications he has learned through disaster-preparedness in CERT, Alderman believes he can generate a youth population in America who are readily available to serve their communities. Alderman is even looking into creating a Spanish Scout CERT, which stems from the program Listos, a Hispanic-based CERT. His mission is to be as widely available as possible to anyone who wants to serve, so he is also including the opportunity for families to enroll in Scout CERT courses, which are in the process of being able to be taught online. Both Alderman and his wife are excited at the prospects of Scout CERT, which will hopefully be fully ready for the local Scout troops by the end of this year. “It’s about strengthening CERT and strengthening the Boy Scouts,” Alderman says, “It will strengthen the whole community, and it’s beneficial for everyone.” •WLM

“It’s in my DNA…each generation was supposed to be better in performance and teaching.”

Big entertainment in a small town

ocial Circle might not sound like the kind of place you want to visit for an afternoon or evening at the theater, but if you want a great theater experience, that’s just where you need to be this fall. Social Circle Theater is a non-profit community theater founded in 2000 by Bob and Mabel Standridge. For more than 19 years, the small community theater has been providing wholesome, family-friendly performances to thousands of patrons. Many fall seasons, between 70 to more than 100 amateur actors come together to perform the series Stories from the Well. Actor ages range from infants to 80+ years, and there is a part written for everyone. The process begins each spring as Social Circle Theater story-collectors interview long-time community residents and gather their tales of long ago. The anecdotes might be their own memories, or they might be the oral histories passed down by parents or grandparents.Those stories are crafted into vignettes that are woven into a community performance. These have a different theme each year, such as one past performance that was centered around Wiley’s General Store, another highlighted the Social Circle Mill, yet another the train depot and a more recent one that encouraged audience members to find their hidden gifts and talents and let them shine - not just the talents you see and hear, like singing and dancing, but gifts like helping others and patience and courage. We hope you’ll come out and enjoy this year’s theme of Stories from the Well: Seasons of Life, written by Sue Lee, a friend of the community and local resident. A sprinkling of scenes written by Joey Fargar round out a show filled with singing and dancing, drama and laughter. This year’s show centers around a family scrapbook as a young bride discovers stories never heard as family members and friends, through their photos, move through the seasons of life. Whether coming with the family or chartering a bus for your church group, make reservations at the Blue Willow Inn for lunch or dinner and then spend two hours being entertained with wholesome fun. Our theater offers cushioned seating and paved, spacious parking. We can’t wait to welcome you and promise you won’t be sorry you came!

Stories from the Well: Seasons of Life

Nov. 21-24. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday shows 7 p.m.. Sunday’s show – 3 p.m. Social Circle Theater – 770-464-2269 for reservations Blue Willow Inn – 770-464-2131 for reservations

Walton Living Magazine

What is CERT? The Community Emergency Response Team concept was developed and implemented by the Los Angeles City Fire Department in 1985. CERT is an organized group of trained volunteers who can help in times of emergencies and disasters. During natural disasters, the Emergency First Responders could face a difficult time in getting to the areas that need help. CERT members in the community can help others in these times until the First Responders can arrive. CERT has since been developed Nationwide as a team who help in times of need, disasters and emergencies. From tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, floods, shelter in place, hurricanes, winter storms, setting up first aid stations at civic events and helping with traffic and parking needs at other events, CERT is an active part of the Community. The training is done by national certified instructors, police, fire, EMS and other professionals that would normally respond to emergencies and disasters. This eight-week course is followed by an actual disaster drill to demonstrate the effectiveness of the training. How can you be a part of this great team of people? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very simple. Send us an email at waltoncert@gmail.com and we will place you on our mailing list so we can alert you to the next class in 2020 that you can participate in. It will be an eight-week course, one night a week for approximately 2.5 hours and is open from teenagers to adults. You are trained on how you can help in times of need and how you can help others be prepared.

70 Walton Living Magazine

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WALTONEMC.COM Walton Living Magazine 71

Loganvlle is home to Walton County Health Department branch

here’s something for everyone at your local health department, and now that something includes a bigger building in downtown Loganville! Loganville Health Department is open for business in the old Loganville City Hall Building on Pecan Street. The Loganville Health Department was previously located inside the West Walton County Government Center on Tom Brewer Road under the name “West Walton Clinic.” The available space at that time necessitated a small staff and a more limited range of services. Since moving to their new location in December 2018, the increased space allowed Loganville Health Department to expand its services and staff for the benefit of the community. Previously, the clinic offered free and low-cost family planning services, immunizations, breast and cervical cancer screening, and STD testing and treatment. Now, the clinic additionally offers Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Program services for qualifying low-income residents. Overall, residents from Loganville and the surrounding areas will find a lot to love at the new Loganville Health Department. But not birth and death certificates. You’ll still need to drive to Monroe for those. Call 770-466-1789 or visit Loganville Health Department today to find out what your health department can do for you. Located at 4385 Pecan Street in Loganville.

72 Walton Living Magazine

Inside the Loganville Health Department, the second location of the Walton County Health Department, located at 4385 Pecan Street in the former City Hall building in Loganville.

Walton Living Magazine 73

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Young People’ Boys & Girls Club expanding programming, reach to keep local youth on positive track

By Lori Duff

he Walton County Boys & Girls Club is one of Walton County’s greatest resources for underserved young people and yet, somehow, many of our citizens seem to be unaware of the impact the Club has made. The Boys & Girls Club Mission Statement says it all. They aim “to enable all young people, especially those who need us more, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.” The club provides not just an after-school program for younger children, but a variety of clubs and programming geared for teens. This is a place where at-risk youth can find positive peers, mentoring programs, homework help, sports and leadership programs, and hope for the future. The academic success of club members is indisputable: 94% of members in 2018 received A’s and B’s on their report cards. Its impact cannot be understated: 54% of Club alumni say that the Club saved their lives. Since its inception in 2002, there have been over 6,000 Club Members serviced. The programming is year-round. School breaks and summer programs at the club allow parents and guardians to have a safe and affordable place to send

their children while they work. Families are charged only $65 a year to send a child to the Boys & Girls Club after school, and only $200 for the entire summer. Of course, it costs a great deal more to service each child. The rest of that cost comes from charitable donations and fundraising efforts. The fundraising efforts get more and more creative. This Fall’s fundraising theme is “Fight for the Future” with different community leaders boxing each other at George Walton Academy on Oct. 26. None other than former Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield was tapped to be a guest referee. Headlining the event is Walton County Boys and Girls Club Board Chair Ross Bradley facing off against Bob Mackey, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of North Georgia. “I was ‘volun-told’ I was going to square up with Bob ‘the Mountain,’ Mackey! I don’t have a background in boxing, but I trained in Mixed Martial Arts for a quick stent during my early years of college, and I played competitive rugby for a while,” Bradley said, getting into the spirit of the event. “There is a certain excitement associated with the primal contest of something like boxing. If we can raise money for

the future of our Next Generation, and I can get in the ring with Evander Holyfield all in the same night, why not? Bob Mackey, our CEO, is a big, strong leader in our organization, but I like my chances.” Lacrosse has become a big hit at the Boys & Girls Club. Board Member Katie Downey was instrumental in bringing the sport along with its leadership lessons to the club. It has grown in popularity so fast that in late August, four children from the Club went to Canada for a professional Lacrosse skills camp and tournament. This summer, the children at the Club were able to participate in the Junior Master Gardeners Club along with the Master Gardeners of Walton County and House Representative Bruce Williamson. They planted a vegetable garden and made salsa and other vegetable dishes from plants they grew themselves. In this way, they were able to learn about where food comes from, cooking, nutrition, as well as the pride that comes from sincere effort. Regular programming at the Club includes the Power Hour, which gives homework help, tutoring, and high-yield learning activities. Academic progress is rewarded in order to encourage progress. In Money Matters, financial responsibility, independence, and money management skills are taught. In the 76 Walton Living Magazine

Kids Drone Zone, STEM engagement skills are encouraged. SMART Girls is a small-ground health, fitness, and self-esteem enhancement program “designed to meet the developmental needs of girls in three age groups.” This program includes mentoring opportunities with adult women. Passport to Manhood “promotes and teaches responsibility in Club boys.” The Keystone program is the Boys & Girls Club’s signature leadership program. The Torch club is the service arm of the Club. The Youth of the Year program celebrates exemplary youth while also teaching valuable leadership skills. There are also Yoga programs, sewing programs, golf, health, arts and music, and other educational programs. Bradley said he finds serving on the board very rewarding. “Free, unsupervised time isn’t always the best thing for children. I have two of them, and I was one not too long ago. Providing a place where children can fellowship with other similarly aged kids, all while becoming a stronger part of the fabric that makes up our Community is so important. There are so many amazing children in our Community that don’t have full parent involvement during the hours of school ending and parents getting off work. Our Club provides a great, safe place for kids to spend that little bit of extra energy during gym time, continue learning through tutoring, or participate in an internal club that

promotes further advancement of their skill sets,” Bradley said. “I have seen a lot of kids finish their time at the Club and move on to college or careers, and for me, that’s a big reward for all of the work that goes into running the Boys and Girls Club.” And People don’t just leave the Club and never return. Alumni often come back to visit and sometimes to work. The current Youth Development Professional and director of the Teen Center, Antonio Dillard, is a Boys & Girls Club graduate. He says on their website, “I’m a product of the Boys & Girls Club. Because of the Club and those who cared for me, I’m here as a successful adult. I want to provide that support to our youth here in Walton County every day.” Chastity Rosenbaum was a club member for seven years, and has been employed with the Club for over 11 years as a Youth Development Professional Learning Center Instructor. Devin Sheats is a Monroe Area High School graduate and current University of Georgia student who attended the Club for eight years and continues to work with youth at the Club. He believes it is the difficult days that can bring tremendous growth and strength in your life and wants to pass that attitude on to current Club members. Who knows what would happen to the hundreds of children who pass through the doors of the Walton County Boys & Girls Club each year. Would 98% of them expect to graduate? Would 100% participate in STEM education? Would 87% feel confident leading? Would 92% know they have e mentor who believes in them? Would they all have a safe place to go every day after school where they know they’ll be fed a nutritious snack and get help with their homework? Maybe, maybe not. Good thing we don’t have to find out. •WLM

The academic success of club members is indisputable: 94% of members in 2018 received A’s and B’s on their report cards. Its impact cannot be understated: 54% of Club alumni say that the Club saved their lives. Since its inception in 2002, there have been over 6,000 Club Members serviced.

Walton Living Magazine

Meet the professionals at Dermatology Associates of Georgia

ermatology Associates of Georgia offers a full range of medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology services in the Atlanta metropolitan area, including in the location right here in Walton County. The Monroe location is one of five in the metro Atlanta area that adheres to the stated mission of Dermatology Associates which is to provide superior medical skin care in a professional, compassionate, and patient friendly environment. All physicians and physician assistants are board certified and specialize in the latest medical and cosmetic procedures. “Our dermatologists specialize in medical procedures such as mole checks, skin cancer screenings, and wart removal as well as surgical procedures like skin cancer removal, Mohs micrographic surgery, and cyst and mole removal,” says Dr. Marcus R. Stonecipher, founding partner of Dermatology Associates of Georgia. “We also offer a wide range of cosmetic procedures including laser treatments, fillers, and face and body rejuvenation.” Dr. Stonecipher earned his medical degree from East Tennessee State University in 1986. After completing his residencies and chief residencies in Internal Medicine in 1989 at East Tennessee State University and in Dermatology in 1993 at Wake Forest University, he entered private practice with Dermatology Associates of Georgia, L.L.C. He is Board Certified in Dermatology and Internal Medicine. Dr. Stonecipher has a particular interest in geriatric dermatol-

78 Walton Living Magazine

ogy, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t just as strong a representation for patients at the other end of the age spectrum. For that there is Dr. Z. Pressley Rice, one of only three fellowship trained and board certified pediatric dermatologists in the state of Georgia. In addition to pediatric dermatology, Dr. Rice also offers general and cosmetic dermatology care as well as a specific clinical and Dr. Marcus R. research interest in atopic dermatitis and hyStonecipher perhidrosis, becoming a master clinician and instructor for the International Hyperhidrosis Society in 2012. Dr. Rice is triple boarded in dermatology, pediatric dermatology, and pediatrics. She has contributed to CNN and Fox News medical segments, Allure magazine, Insider, and Web MD. and is a 2019 Atlanta Magazine Top Doctor recipient. Dr. Maren E. Cotes and Dr. Carl Washington are both board certified in dermatology Dr. Z. Pressley and fellowship trained in Mohs micrographic Rice surgery. Dr. Washington joined DAG 7 years ago following two decades at Emory University where he was involved in the supervision of training future Mohs surgeons. In addition to Mohs surgery, Dr. Coles interests include cosmetic and general dermatology.

Mohs surgery is a highly specialized treatment for the removal of skin cancers. It is typically a one day, outpatient treatment which allows for selective removal of the cancer while preserving as much of the surrounding skin as possible. When it comes to cosmetic dermatology and beauty, Dermatology Associates stays ahead of the game offering an expertise in aesthetics that brings such state of the art procedures as VI Peel, Skinpen and Cool Sculpting to the clinic here in Monroe. For those procedures you’re likely to see Medical Aethetician Dawn Kinsey Smith or Certified Nurse Practitioner Anna Weir. Cleared by the FDA, Cool Sculpting is the only non-surgical body contouring treatment that freezes and eliminates fat from the body with no needles, no special diets, no supplements and no downtime. And as a special right now, you can schedule a Free consultation for Cool Sculpting SkinPen is the first microneedling device cleared by the FDA that is clinically proven to safely and effectively treat facial acne scars for ages 22 and up. The VI Peel (Vitality Institute) is a gentle but powerful medical grade chemical peel for the treatment of acne and acne scarring, fine lines and wrinkles, age and sun spots, hyperpigmentation, melasma, rosacea, enlarged pores, oil balancing and for overfall overall skin health. And, of course, Dermatology Associates also offers all the old favorites, such as Botox, fillers and laser treatments. These are just a few of the experts and expert care offered by Dermatology Associates.

“Our dermatologists specialize in medical procedures such as mole checks, skin cancer screenings, and wart removal as well as surgical procedures like skin cancer removal, Mohs micrographic surgery, and cyst and mole removal. We also offer a wide range of cosmetic procedures some of which are laser treatments, fillers, and face and body rejuvenation.”

For more information on the care team and the services offered at dermga.com on the web. The Monroe practice is located at 201 Michael Etchison Road, Monroe, GA 30655 phone 770-267-5877. Walton Living Magazine 79

“The American Legion Family”

BARRETT-DAVIS-WATSON AMERICAN LEGION POST 233 4635 Highway 78, Loganville, GA 30052 • 770.466.4728 The Barrett-Davis-Watson American Legion Post 233 is a Non-profit 501 (c) 19 Veterans Service Organization. Our goal is to provide support to our Veterans, their families, and our Community. We, along with our American Legion Auxiliary members, host Bingo Sunday afternoons at 2pm, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights at 7:30pm and the Public is welcome and encouraged to come in and play. We are supported in our efforts by our American Legion Riders and the Sons of The American Legion, without them we would not be able to provide the depth of assistance or programs we operate daily. We also have a large and two small spaces available for rental by the public.

On December 18th we will have our annual Children’s Party where we ensure that every child in attendance receives a gift for Christmas. Please direct any questions via email to info@gapost233.com and we will do our best to help where we can.

WWW.GAPOST233.COM

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Walton Living Magazine 81

INDEX

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Spring-Summer Issue Preview

What’s

3 Twisted Sisters 44 Abbey Hospice 83 Adams Chiropractic Clinic 19 Alfa Insurance 59 American Legion Post 64 39 American Legion Post 233 80 Ana’s Hair Braiding 44 BSL Solutions 80 Barrelle Roofing 41 Blue Willow Inn Restaurant 47 Broad Street Boots 44 Bruce’s Sweet Sensations 45 CBD of Loganville/Monroe 11 City of Loganville 27 City of Social Circle 65 Conner Smith Realty 33 Creekside Dentistry 15 Dancing with the Stars 5 Darrell Productions 80 David Thompson 63 Dermatology Associates of Georgia 2/3 Dolls and Stuff 44 Edward Jones 39 Envelopes 365 & More 63 Word is axe throwing is the hot new thing. Known as FISH 49 urban axe throwing, this ancient craft with a modern Frog’s Pawn and Sales 46 Georgia Farm Bureau 23 twist will soon have a home in Walton County at The Harvest Corner Market 44 Southern Ox, an indoor axe-throwing facility opening Hometown Clips & Cuts 44 this fall in historic Monroe. J. Reynolds Furniture & Interiors 46 J.L. Designs 47 JDC 81 John’s Supermarket 23 Lazarus Vintage Emporium 44 Lead Foot Mulching & Grading 7 Lee’s Collision 65 Legacy Beverage 45 Level Best Billiards 45 Lori Duff 48 Luxe Living Interiors 45 Monroe Country Day School 31 Monroe Downtown Development 27 Monroe Small Engine Repair 49 Monroe-Walton Center for the Arts 45 Peachy Keen 47 Peters & Foster 47 Photography by M & M 17 Piedmont Walton 34/35 Quality Foods 23 Rinse Bath and Body 84 Sailor Studio 46 With so many new restaurants that have either just Sanders Consign & Design 45 opened or are scheduled to open before the Summer Sidestreet Boutique & Decor 46 Snellville Heating • Air • Plumbing 53 of 2020, this seemed like the perfect time to give our Social Circle City Schools 55 readers a look at what’s on the table. Social Circle Theater 69 Southern Roots Outfitter 46 Stone Mountain Pecan Company 49 Striplings General Store 47 Student Success Alliance 18 Tapp Plumbing 33 Teri Braswell 55 The Retreat at Loganville 42/43 For more information on Walton County Chamber of Commerce 55 advertising opportunities in Walton County Health Department 72/73 Fall Winter 2020 Walton Living Magazine please Walton County School District 23 Magazine Advertising Deadline contact: Walton County Sheriff Office 53 Walton EMC 71 Feb. 15, 2020 Melanie Ann Jackson at Walton Proud 15 Publication Date 404-375-7881 or Waste Pro 23 April 2020 melanieann@waltonliving.com Yesteryears Treasures Reborn 46/47

Throwing Axes

Restaurant Guide

Details

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Walton Living Magazine 83

Fall - Winter 2019

EST. 2003

MONROE GA

106 SOUTH BROAD ST. 678.525.1927 WWW.RINSESOAP.COM

Walton Living Magazine

NATURAL PRODUCTS YOUR SKIN WILL LOVE