NW GEORGIA’S PREMIER FEATURE READER / Special Edition
kid
compendium
2011
M AG A Z I N E
A parents’ guide to raising happier,
healthier, better-adjusted children in the great Peach State
$4.00
kid compendium
2011 CONTENTS
Special Edition Staff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF+PRODUCTION MANAGER Neal howard ART+DESIGN Brittany howes+Neal Howard FEATURE TEXT Brian Foster+Neal Howard PHOTOGRAPHY Derek Bell MANAGING PARTNER Ian Griffin ORIGINAL AD DESIGN Brittany Howes CHIEF SALES REPRESENTATIVE Shadae Yancey. CONTACT V3 One West Fourth Avenue, Rome, Ga. 30161. Phone 706.235.0748 / Email v3publications@gmail.com
v3visualconcepts.com
straight talk for
STRAIGHT
SMILES
a
—VARGO ORTHODONTICS—
s a kid, Dr. Joe Vargo was a bit of a traveling salesman. From second to ninth grade, he and his sister would go door-todoor pitching corn. Although the product was simple enough, little Joe had to possess a charming personality and a well-informed mind as to the standards of that product. In turn, Vargo learned early on that even with something as straightforward as corn, you absolutely must anticipate individual customer needs. He didn’t stay in the corn business, of course, but later chose to make client relations a key part of his career with Vargo Orthodontics. “Customer service is a dying art,” Vargo says. “I was always raised that you treat people the way you want to be treated, and sometimes that’s easier said than done.” Vargo’s practice opened with an ambitious bang in 1996. Originally located across from the Rome News-Tribune’s headquarters on East Sixth Avenue, the operation changed venues in 2003 to the old Double Cola at 419 East Second Avenue. The new building gave the company a fresh new face, as well as a new perspective. Here, Vargo and his staff have the ability to utilize a larger space for individual patient care and the frequent introduction of new technologies. With personal portraits of Vargo’s family, heavily-textured walls and a chic, comfortable waiting area, it’s somewhat of an anomaly compared to your typical orthodontist’s office. But the building’s historically rich interior is just one element that helps patients relax. Vargo and his staff say they enjoy laughter in the office, and they try to interact with both children and their parents in an “upbeat way.” The majority of Vargo’s employees, in fact, have been with the practice for over 10 years, and with three retired school
teachers on staff, education is a vital tool. They see around 50 patients over the course of a single day, yet time is allotted through each appointment to treat and to talk. “Explaining things to [patients] and getting them to understand is really important,” Vargo adds. Unlike the sterile relationships held by many doctors and their patients, Vargo aims to form a personal bond. This has created a pleasant environment for both staff members and patients, specifically children. Vargo says, “Kids are usually excited. They’re motivated and they’re compliant … They want to please you. Therefore, we produce phenomenal results.” Though it once took upwards of a few years to create a straight smile, at Vargo Orthodontics it can be achieved in as little as six to 14 months, depending on the severity of the case. The shortened timetable not only cuts down on visits and patient costs, but Vargo says it can also help to prevent potential psychological and emotional issues. “Kids have a lot of social pressures …
I would hate for a child to feel self-conscious about their teeth and carry that with them throughout their teenage years.” he says. Vargo can relate. After his front teeth were knocked out in the second grade, he was subjected to seven years of steady orthodontic care. “I chose the career that I
did because I liked the way it made me feel,” he says in retrospect. “I like being able to provide that to anyone.” But it’s not all about looks. Vargo and his team take every element into consideration, from a gum-heavy smile to the placement of the jaw. They want children to keep their genetic makeup and just be themselves—the best version of themselves. Orthodontic treatment can improve looks and health concerns, sure, but Vargo goes one step further. He says that the results allow a child to release some heavy “baggage.” “How about just being a kid when you’re a kid? The world’s tough enough. You have plenty of time for that.” VVV
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that weighs heavily on any good parent’s mind. Finding the right plan is extremely important, and this importance is certainly not overlooked when dealing with Ward. “When advising parents about college savings plans, I try to stress that the sooner you’re able to start saving, the better off they’ll be,” Daugherty explains. “Especially for 529 plans, since they grow tax-deferred. Dealing with finances makes some people very uncomfortable. I try to make sure each of my clients feels comfortable with their investments and that they have a thorough understanding of them.” With a brain built for investing and a genuine affection for working with people one-on-one, Daugherty felt that he could help Northwest Georgians better understand personal finance so that they might able to avoid some of the pitfalls often associated with the trade. Ward took his current post with United Community in 2009, and says he still relishes the opportunity to work with a local bank. “One of the great things about working with United Community Advisory Services is that I have an open platform from which to work. That means I can use any company or investment that meets my client’s needs, as long as INVEST has approved it.”
all the way to the
PIGGY BANK
a
—UNITED COMMUNITY BANK ADVISORY SERVICES—
t just 28 years of age, financial advisor Ward Daugherty is wise beyond his years. Graduating cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in business and a masters in business administration from Georgia College & State University, he hasn’t looked back since. Today, he is a financial advisor with United Community Bank’s Advisory Services, where he handles a wide variety of investment opportunities for current and prospective clients.
“At United Community Advisory Services, through INVEST, we offer access to everything from 401K plans and traditional IRAs to individual and joint brokerage accounts,” says Daugherty. “For college savings, we offer UGMA/UTMAs, which have certain tax advantages, and 529 Plans which grow tax-deferred…” Ward strives to keep his clients in the loop so they fully grasp whichever plan they are buying into. Planning for your children’s future is a vitally important process, one
For moms and dads looking to invest in the name of their children’s education or any average Joe in the market for a solid retirement plan, Daugherty is prepared to find the right avenue through which your goals can be achieved. “I thoroughly enjoy getting to know my clients and helping them navigate and plan for their financial futures,” says Daugherty. “What makes my job even better is that working for United Community Bank…we are large enough to offer all of the services that the larger institutions can offer, but still offer the personal touch and feel of a homegrown bank.” VVV
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adventures in
BABYSITTING
—TENDER LOVING CAREGIVERS—
l
ike most small businesses today, it seems, it started out on Facebook. Jessica Carey, co-owner of Tender Loving Caregivers (TLC) in Rome, had endless reasons not to start this business. But after living in Rome for 9 years and meeting scores of mothers from church and other social outlets, TLC was at last a possibility. “I posted to all my friends, ‘Do you all have babysitters?’ And then, of course, they all had their favorites … So I started calling some of [the babysitters], and it just seemed that one girl came in and she brought, like, six friends, and they all go to Shorter. So I had an office full of all these college girls,” Carey says with a giggle. Now with a staff of 30 caregivers aged 19 to 50, TLC is leagues away from a mere Facebook status update. With such a large staff, Carey guarantees every client a babysitter, and she’s never been unable to fill a request. If anything, she’s prepared to fill that role herself, if need be. TLC provides notably good caregivers, not the run of the mill babysitter. To be a part of the team, liking children is a given. But that’s not enough. With an extensive application process, TLC babysitters not only provide references of past experience (which are actually checked), but they
must fill out pages and pages of questions concerning interest and comfort level with dogs, newborns, family sizes, you name it. This allows Carey to properly match a family with the best available caregiver. “I have one family where the kids are great, but I would never send a Shorter College girl because they would tie her to a chair. I send the older women who work for me who I know can handle these children. But that’s why I kinda like to go first to get a feel for the kids, so that way I know who to recommend.” TLC babysitters are directly paid $10 to $15 an hour. By joining the annual membership for $50, clients will have to pay a $5 service fee for each date requested, with discounts given when requesting multiple dates at once. There is a charge of $10 if a
date is scheduled with less than 24 hours notice. A membership is not required, but merely reduces costs for families who require service on a regular basis. “Since parents are paying more, I expect more out of them,” says Carey, “and I try to emphasize that … My babysitters have been well-versed in the do’s and don’ts. When people are paying more, they expect more, so you need to perform more … I have faith that [my sitters] will not be texting the whole time or be on the computer. We have very strict rules.” TLC also offers housesitting services, as well as caregivers for the elderly. And though they wouldn’t be able to care for someone who requires constant medical attention, they can handle most situations by pre-educating themselves on the senior in question. As TLC continues to expand its clientele and staff, Carey sees it as another life adventure, much like each babysitting experience. VVV
w
ith a colorful interior aesthetic, countless pieces of eccentric art, and a booth designed to look like a VW Bug, Mellow Mushroom at 238 Broad Street is adorned like a trippedout incarnation of a kid’s playhouse. In a corner booth, two young girls smile in anticipation of their pizza, noticeably giddy at the lively atmosphere of families, teenagers and busy servers.
Started in Atlanta in 1974 by three college students with a desire to open an unconventional, progressive pizza joint, Mellow Mushroom is now a nationwide hotspot for the youngest of children to elderly couples. But as the laidback restaurant chain continues to cater to a young adult demographic with late night trivia and other events, the Rome location has aimed to make it just as enjoyable and convenient for kids. “Pizza is a kids’ food, too,” explains Mellow manager, Jeremy Duke. “That’s what we try to tell people when they ask for a kids menu … but parents still want to eat a medium pizza, and they don’t want to order a small pizza for the kids.” Lucky for Duke and company, the solution to this concern came a month ago with the arrival of new kids menus, which now offer six items at $5 each, complete with a drink, an apple and a vegetable. The general menu includes vegan and gluten-free items for children who may have allergies, as well. Kids can also share their birthday celebrations in one of Mellow Mushroom’s spacious, private party rooms. These areas can usually be reserved for $50, and can accommodate up to 100 guests. The food available is usually served buffet style, but individual orders can also be made. The best part, though: Parents can rest easy knowing they won’t have to clean up after 15 or so hyper children. And kids will rest easy after packing their tummies full of stone-baked pizza. Although plans must be arranged via their respective schools, children are welcome to tour the restaurant and be a part of the pizza-making process, too. “We’ll make them a small dough and they’ll make their own pizzas,” Duke says. “Then, we’ll
cook it for them … They get to walk through the kitchen and see how a day-to-day kitchen is run.” Like the wide-eyed school children sprinkling cheese over their personal pizzas, the two little girls in the corner booth of Mellow Mushroom rub their little bellies, expressing to their mom that they want to come back tomorrow—and the next day, and the next. “[Kids] just love the atmosphere,” says Duke. “Everyone always talks about how this is one of the nicest Mellow Mushrooms they’ve ever been in, that it’s so much different than most of them. Of course, Mellow Mushroom today and Mellow Mushroom 10 years ago has changed a lot. They have gone for a brighter, friendlier atmosphere.” Back in the booth, the mother of the two girls laughs, telling her daughters, “Maybe we’ll visit sometime next week.” As they walk towards the exit, the girls say goodbye to a giant Mellow Mushroom statue character situated at the front entrance, wearing a teal shirt, blue jeans and red converse. The fair-haired sister giggles at the amusing character and scurries away, eagerly awaiting her next visit. VVV
pizza party
PARADISE
—MELLOW MUSHROOM—
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THE GIFT REGISTRY
12
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THE CATERER
A MATCH MADE IN
MENTONE • THE WILDFLOWER CAFE •
THE VENUE