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SPRING 2017 IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION:
City of Decatur:...............................................www.DecaturGA.org Police (non-emergency):.............................................404-373-6551 Fire (non-emergency):.................................................404-373-5092 Active Living (Recreation Center):.............................404-377-0494 Children and Youth Services:......................................404-378-1082 City Clerk: ...................................................................404-370-4100 City Manager: .............................................................404-370-4102 Economic Development: ............................................404-371-8386 Mayor / Commissioners: ............................................404-370-4102 Planning & Zoning: ....................................................404-370-4104 Sanitation & Facilities Maintenance: .........................404-377-5571 City Schools of Decatur: .....................www.Decatur-City.k12.ga.us Dekalb County: ..............................................www.Co.Dekalb.ga.us Agnes Scott College: .......................................www.AgnesScott.edu Oakhurst Community Garden Project:........ www.OakhurstGarden.org The Solarium at Old Scottish Rite: ...............www.TheSolarium.org Trees Atlanta: ................................................www.TreesAtlanta.org YMCA – East Lake: .................................. www.ely.ymcaatlanta.org YMCA – Decatur/Dekalb: ......................www.ddy.ymcaatlanta.org Samuel Jones Boys & Girls Club: ......... www.bgcma.org/club.jones
ADVERTISER PHONE LISTINGS:
Ace & A: ......................................................................404-373-4074 Avondale Veterinary Hospital: ...................................404-294-4800 Butch Whitfield, Harry Norman Realty: ...................404-897-5558 Chip Wallace, KellerKnapp Realty: ............................678-429-9731 Decatur Pest Control: .................................................404-296-4044 Dekalb Medical Hospital: ...........................................404-501-5200 Escuelita de Lita School: .............................................678-764-8617 Finders Keepers: .........................................................404-296-0285 Griffin & Co Insurance: ..............................................404-378-2888 Hammertime Construction: ......................................404-525-3332 Heather Tell, Atlanta Intown Realty: .........................404-219-4078 Jack n Jill Consignment: .............................................404-508-0611 Linda Lehsten, Keller Knapp Realty: .........................404-784-8779 mCary & Daughters: ...................................................404-370-0999 Matador Cantina: .......................................................404-377-0808 Mezcalitos: ..................................................................678-471-6135 MoJo’s Pizza: ...............................................................404-373-1999 Mustang Computers and Supplies..............................404-373-1321 Oakhurst Electric: ......................................................770-256-7174 Oakhurst Market: .......................................................678-732-3109 Pam Hughes, Harry Norman Realty: .........................404-250-9900 Plants Creative Landscapes: .......................................404-309-7175 Private Bank of Decatur…………………………….…678-799-4167 Pure Gas Station: ........................................................404-856-0393 Scout Restaurant: ……………………………………404-496-6863 Shelter Lending: ………………………………………404-277-6044 Steinbecks Pub: ………………………………………404-373-1116 Universal Joint: ...........................................................404-373-6260 Wahoo Grill: ...............................................................404-373-3331 Wahoo Wine & Provisions:.........................................404-687-9463 Wildheart Salon: .........................................................404-228-7365 Disclaimer: The Clarke Agency LLC publishes the Village Magazine bi-monthly with the support of the Oakhurst Neighborhood Association (ONA) and the Winnona Park Neighborhood Association (WPNA). The content, including ads, articles and photos are not authorized or endorsed by ONA or WPNA and do not necessarily reflect the views of the ONA or WPNA, The Clarke Agency or the Publisher. Therefore neither The Clarke Agency nor the Publisher may be held liable for the business practices of the advertisers in the Village Magazine. The content reflects the views of its authors and we have provided the email addresses of the writers for direct response. We encourage Decatur residents to contribute content often. The Village Magazine staff reserves the right to modify, edit or not publish submitted content.
@2017 The Clarke Agency, LLC Mailing Address: 931 Monroe Dr. NE #282, Atlanta, GA 30308 Phone: 404-587-7887
SPRING 2017
Village Magazine 3
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
There is a festival for that …
In Decatur it seems there is always a festival even before the spring festival season! We have featured the Mead Rd Mardi Gras Parade, the AARF Stravaganza and the Mardi Gras Ball amongst other events this winter. These types of fundraising events are what make Decatur so special. I have heard the saying It’s Decatur— we have a festival for that. In this issue we profile Scott Doyon, the creative genius that initiated the Oakhurst Porchfest. This type of free pop-up music event is what was behind the Oakhurst Jazz Nights as well. Jazz Nights, now in its 14th year, is just around the corner with the Spring Series that starts Thursday nights in April. What an amazing line up of Grammy nominated and Grammy award winning musicians we have on tap this year! Faith Harris, Diane Durrett, Faith Carmichael and Kermit Walker haven’t been on our stage in many years, if at all. While Matt Wauchope, Bonaventure (Charles Williams), Mace Hibbard and Will Scruggs are returning with their fabulous jazz stylings! Our very own Oakhurst Garden and its Wylde Center always has spring events but this year is special because of the 20th birthday! Look for their regular Earth Day celebration to explode with the advent of Lorelei Cooper, “20 Wylde Years” on Sunday, April 23. Managing Editor This time of year is also a time when we have to watch out for homeless pets. We profiled a great story about a professional police dog that passed and the subsequent foster to adopt scenario of Eiko Junior in this issue. Our hope is that the community will reach out to organizations like: Atlanta Animal Rescue Friends (AARF) whose fundraising event at the Solarium is profiled in this issue; and Releash Atlanta Dog Rescue, who rescued Eiko Jr; and LifeLine Animal Project, a non-profit group that manages our Dekalb County shelter. The spring season also kicks off so many walk, run and bike race events that lend itself to Decatur being such an active community. We profiled the Tour deCatur in this issue but we know there are so many great fitness and health related stories especially with our young athletes in the community. Please keep us informed by emailing OakhurstMag@gmail.com. Both Lorelei and myself would love to hear from you! Anne Clarke, Publisher, Village magazine OakhurstMag@gmail.com • 404-587-7887
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4 Village Magazine
SPRING 2017
CITY NEWS: STATE OF DECATUR
DBA hosts Mayor’s State of City address Decatur Mayor Patti Garrett gave the annual State of the City of Decatur speech at the Decatur Business Association meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 24 in the Marriot Courtyard Conference Hotel in downtown Decatur. She honored the many longtime employees and spoke about the successes and progress within the city. Beyond the development of the Avondale Marta station area, the most exciting announcement is that the City of Decatur is considering the purchase of the United Methodist Children’s home property, 77 acres on Columbia Drive. —Staff report
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Mayor Patti Garrett presented the annual State of the City of Decatur speech. She honored many long term city employees pictured above.
SPRING 2017
CITY NEWS: WPNA MEETING
Minutes from WPNA February meeting From Tom DeSimone Secretary, WPNA board@winnonapark.org The Winnona Park Neighborhood Association (WPNA) met on Feb. 7 at the Winnona Park Elementary School. The Executive Committee was approved, including: President: Scott Moore, Vice President: Pete Shannin, Treasurer: Seegar Swanson, and Secretary: Tom DeSimone and Lorelei Cooper filled the Volunteer Social Chair position. Decatur Police Sgt. Jennifer Ross discussed crime statistics at the meeting stating that thefts had gone down from year to year. General crime went up nominally from 2015 to 2016, but closer to historical averages. Officers devoted some time to discussing when they would engage in a car chase. City of Decatur can only chase for a small number of specific crimes. Officers also talked about some misconceptions about how certain crimes are defined. Robbery is defined as taking something from a person versus a burglary, which is a taking property from a home. The difference is a crime
Pictured are Winnona Park Neighborhood Association (WPNA) Executive Board members: Scott Moore, Pete Shannin, Seegar Swanson, and Tom DeSimone. against a person versus a crime against property. Sgt. Ross also discussed crime prediction software used by City of Decatur Police. Detective Scott Richards added more detail in relation to vehicle chase criteria. More often than not, suspects fleeing a scene have not committed one of the limited ranges of crimes where a chase would be permitted. There have been relatively few incidents where police officers engaged in vehicular chases over the past five years. The City of Decatur has dense police coverage of the area and can often respond to emergency calls in less than two minutes. Sgt. Ross provided the City of Decatur Police Department non-emergency dis-
patch number (404) 373 6551. Enrollment in Smart 911 was then discussed. If you call 911 a profile will appear and the dispatcher will immediately know who you are based on your provided Smart 911 profile. The police department is on the NextDoor app, Twitter, Facebook and it is working to increase its presence on various social media platforms. The board wants to gain more members and involvement from neighbors by hosting events, including block parties. There is a push to support your community by becoming a member of, or renewing your membership with, the Winnona Park Neighborhood Association. Membership/Dues are $15 per voting member, or $20 for all adult members in the household ages 18 and up.
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Village Magazine 7
BUSINESS PROFILE: BONNIE KALLENBERG
Finders Keepers store owner has been adapting artfully for 25 years Bonnie Kallenberg helmed popular Decatur consignment stores over quarter-century By PATRICK SAUNDERS The story of Finders Keepers Consignment Stores begins in the singular – as in Finders Keepers Consignment Store. It began in 1984 when the original owner carried just children’s clothing, later adding women's clothing and a backroom of house wares. Bonnie Kallenberg came on board as an employee in 1988 and two years later bought the business for herself. Two years later, women’s clothing business was booming and they needed more room, so Kallenberg bought a new, second location and put men’s clothing where the women’s were. She admitted the men's clothing market was a challenge. “Men don’t shop like women. Men are pretty much like, ‘I need a pair of khaki pants, let me go to Macy’s, here’s my size, I’ll get three pairs, I’m good,’” she told Oakhurst Magazine, laughing, adding that the men’s market has come around since then. By 1995, it was time to expand again, in part because the building was falling apart and the landlords weren’t cutting it. But there was a problem – no one wanted to lease space to a secondhand clothing store. “Nobody really wanted us back in the day,” Kallenberg said. “It had to be a rundown shopping center for anybody to be interested. So with that in mind, I built my own building.” That 4,500 square foot space in Avondale Estates became Finders Keepers’ flagship store and home to women's fashion, house wares, plus-sizes, children's fashion, menswear and jewelry. Continued on page 9
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“Men don’t shop like women. Men are pretty much like, ‘I need a pair of khaki pants, let me go to Macy’s, here’s my size, I’ll get three pairs, I’m good.’”
Bonnie Kallenberg SPRING 2017
Bonnie Kallenberg in front of her Avondale Estates consignment store she has owned for over 25 years. She now has multiple locations and is the board president of the National Association of Resale Professionals. (Photo by Anne Clarke) Continued from page 8 “That was the greatest thing that ever happened,” she said, noting the nicer space, easier parking and a ’90s retail boom. “Business exploded.” House wares was the next pillar of the business that began to need its own space, so Kallenberg purchased what was a body shop on East College Avenue, renovated it and moved them there for 4,000 square feet of room to stretch its legs. As word spread about Finders Keepers and business grew, the quality of incoming consignments soared, with a number of high-end labels like Manolo Blahnik, Balenciaga, Chanel, Armani, St. John, Marc Jacobs and Prada becoming familiar sights. Enter a third location specifically for boutiques in 2007, this one on North Decatur Road. Then in 2011, a bigger space became
SPRING 2017
available next door, the boutique operation moved there and menswear moved into its own space in boutique’s old spot to make Finders Keepers location number four. The menswear and house ware locations have become favorites of the booming film and television industries, with Tyler Perry Studios and “The Walking Dead” becoming regular customers.
Secrets to success
When asked what the secret is to her success, Kallenberg notes a few different factors. “Probably the thing that helped me the most was I worked for the original owner for two years, so I knew exactly what I was getting into, so there were no surprises,” she said. “I’d been in it, I got it. That probably was the biggest reason that I didn’t fail miserably right off the bat.” Being comfortable with taking leaps of
faith is another factor, as shown by Kallenberg’s willingness to expand numerous times as needed. “Every time, you put out money, you hire more people, you just trust that what you’re doing is right,” she explained. “But when I hit a wall, I also don't try to break through the wall. I’m just like, ‘OK, that’s not what’s supposed to happen.’” She also noted her involvement with the National Association of Resale Professionals, of which she is currently board president. “They give me courage to do things,” Kallenberg said. “You hear what works and doesn’t work. I have a lot of friends in the industry and we talk a lot and compare circumstances. Staying connected with our retail community has been very helpful.” So is a fifth location in the works? KallenContinued on page 10
Village Magazine 9
Continued from page 9 berg said there are no immediate plans for another expansion, citing the rising number of store closings in the retail industry. “I’m just waiting to see how the dust settles on that and if there will be an opportunity,” she said, adding, “The real opportunity is, and I’m too old for this, is for someone in their late 30s or whatever with a lot of retail experience to buy a bunch of these little stores and put it under one big umbrella. Streamline all the processes and take the best practices of all of them and put them everywhere.” While she and the Finders Keepers team are holding off on any immediate expansion, as always, they have an eye on the next growth opportunity. “This year I’m going to sit back and see how things are going and what do I need to do within the stores to make sure they're at their best,” Kallenberg said. “We’re doing a little team-building right now before we can launch again, because you have to have the right people in place to expand. So we’re team-building this year for the next thing that comes up.”
10 Village Magazine
Photo from Finders Keepers website of Bonnie Kallenberg (right) sorting through merchandise.
SPRING 2017
CITY NEWS: ONA FEBRUARY MEETING
Oakhurst Neighborhood Association meeting report The Oakhurst Neighborhood Association regular quarterly meeting was held on Monday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. in the Solarium. President and acting Treasurer, Greg Reihing kicked off the meeting with great news that the budget is positive. He added that the Oakhurst Jazz Nights had covered expenses and with the additional Wine Crawl funds, many of the neighborhood events are sustainable for 2017! That would include Porchfest, Mead Rd. Mardi Gras, Madison Ave Soap Box Derby, and more! Anne Clarke who manages the Oakhurst Jazz Nights reported the expectation of $5,000 in sponsorship funds to cover the 2017 Spring and Fall series. “Adding the table rentals during jazz nights will sustain our expenses,” Clarke expressed.
SPRING 2017
Special guest Kyle Williams, who just became the president of the Decatur
Business Association, expressed that the group would be hands on in support of the Oakhurst Village area. Also at the meeting were Mayor Patti Garrett and Commissioner Brian Smith who provided updates from the city. The crime report was presented by Lt. Jennifer Ross and showed 21 percent decrease in crime for the South City of Decatur! The largest block of the meeting was centered on the property at 1529 Oakview Rd. – what used to be the Oakview Grocery. The new owners, Mission Development, want to provide a small amount of retail frontage but add residential condos. Neighbors provided input as well as some folks from the City of Decatur Zoning Board. —Staff report
Village Magazine 11
GARDEN NEWS: WYLDE CENTER
Photos from the Wylde Center website: left is the Edgewood Community Learning Garden; right, top and bottom are photos of the Oakhurst Community Garden.
Earth Day Birthday, A Tour of Gardens slated for spring By JULIE HERRON CARSON jhcarson@bellsouth.net The Wylde Center has two major events on tap for the spring season. The Earth Day Birthday on Sunday, April 23 and A Tour of Gardens on May 6-7. The annual Earth Day event will also be a special celebration of the Wylde Center’s 20th birthday. Earth Day Birthday will be held at the Oakhurst Garden (435 Oakview Road in Decatur). The celebration begins with a festive parade at 12:30 p.m., then Earth Day activities scheduled from 1-4 p.m. Attendees will enjoy cake, children’s activities, games, a T-shirt design contest, live music, food vendors and much more. Admission is free. “I hope the community will come out to help us celebrate ‘20 Wylde Years’,” said Stephanie Van Parys, executive director of the Wylde Center. “We have planned a number of exciting events and activities throughout our five public greenspaces to celebrate
12 Village Magazine
this milestone year.” That would include the Wylde Nature Series and Art in the Garden offered at each of the Wylde Center’s green spaces. Those five public green spaces: Oakhurst Garden, Mulberry Fields, Hawk Hollow, Sugar Creek, and Edgewood Community Learning Garden, will be featured on the Into The Wylde: A Tour Of Gardens event along with beautiful private gardens in both Decatur and Atlanta. The Wylde Center will present some intriguing gardens at this rain or shine event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 6 and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 7. “We are excited to open up some very lovely public and private gardens to the public,” said Aditi Bhardwaj, chairman of the tour. “The tour is self-guided, so attendees can spend as much time as they wish at each stop and plan their own route, and volunteers will be stationed at the gardens to answer quesContinued on page 13
SPRING 2017
Photos from the Wylde Center website.
“We are excited to open up some very lovely public and private gardens to the public,”
— Aditi Bhardwaj, chairman of A Tour of Gardens
Continued from page 12 tions. In addition to the private gardens, attendees are encouraged to stop at Woodlands Garden, Scott Park Garden, as well as the five Wylde Center greenspaces and other public gardens on the tour. Tickets are $15 for Wylde Center members, $20 for non-members in advance and $25 the day of the tour, and may be purchased online at www.wyldecenter.org/into-the-wylde-a-tour-of-gardens or at the Oakhurst Garden (435 Oakview Road in Decatur). Children under age 12 will be admitted for free. Proceeds will benefit the Wylde Center, one of metro Atlanta’s premier environmental organizations, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Memberships, donations, volunteers and grants support the Wylde Center. It’s never been a better time to get involved with this homegrown environmental resource! Visit www.wyldecenter.org for more information on these events.
SPRING 2017
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Village Magazine 13
HEALTH MATTERS: TOUR DECATUR
Tour deCatur 5k race finishers as well as the runners from the 1-mile fun run. (Photos by Anne Clarke)
Community fun at Tour deCatur race event By ANNE CLARKE OakhurstMag@gmail.com The weather was perfect, sunny and cool, for the 15th annual Tour deCatur benefitting the Decatur Education Foundation on Saturday, March 11. This fun community event engages hundreds of school children and adult runners with the 5k Race, 1-mile Fun Run and the Tot Trot. Thousands of participants gathered at Decatur High School early in the morning for check-in and goodies from the race
14 Village Magazine
sponsors like Smoothie King, Beth Anne Clanin of KellerWilliams Intown Realty, Crews Orthodontics, InKind bars and Lockman Home Building. FitWit led the stretching workout while a local band played in the background. After the national anthem, the 1-mile fun runners lined up outside Decatur High football stadium for the start of the race. There was a mix of young runners, elderly, and families with strollers, all in great shape for the 1-mile trek. As they entered the stadium toward the inflated
finish line the 5k runners began to line up outside the stadium. By 9:40 a.m. the 5k runners had taken off with the winner, Rabah Sayed, coming in 16:25 minutes later. Followed by Jonathan Corso and Mark Kohler who were both under 18 minutes. Eoin McNally, age 13, came in sixth with a time of 18:30 and I think young Sam Corso made history at age 10 finishing with a time of 20:31! Haley Rose was the first female finisher at 20:53. The eldest finisher was Stan Hammond with a time of 34:25.
SPRING 2017
FAMILY MATTERS: PARENT COACH
What to do about my lying child? By SUSAN MORELY, ECE, CARES susan@ParentCoachAtlanta.com Dear Susan, My 8 year old constantly lies! Just this morning I saw her hide her vitamin and when I asked if she took it, she said she did. But I know she didn't! She lies about every little thing and I'm worried I need to get her evaluated. Why is she lying to me? Is there anything I can do to stop her from lying? Worried in Decatur Dear Worried, Yes, there's something you can do to eliminate this behavior. It's simple and you can do it as soon as she comes home from school. STOP asking her questions! As far as why she is lying, it's really quite simple. Consider the old saying, "ask me no questions and I'll tell you no
SPRING 2017
lies." Well, it applies here. If you didn't ask her if she took the vitamin, she never would have lied to you. And the reason she did lie is the same reason any of us lie. We lie because we don't want a consequence for our behavior. I've been very direct in my response to your concern. I am not without sympathy to your position. I'm a mom. I've been there. But the bottom line is your daughter's lying isn't the problem here. It's your approach to parenting. You need to go ahead and tell your daughter what's on your mind rather than beat around the bush by asking questions you already know the answer to. Address the misbehavior head-on. If you see that your daughter hid the vitamin, say, "I see you didn't take your vitamin. That's not okay. Is there something you want to tell me about this?" Maybe it hurts her tummy when she takes it or maybe her BFF takes
a different brand and she wants you to buy the same brand. Who knows? Asking a direct question is likely to yield a better result. In the coming days, notice how many times you ask your daughter a question you already know the answer to. Sometimes, awareness to a parenting problem yields positive changes in parenting. And positive changes in parenting almost always yield positive behavior in children. Good luck and let me know how it goes! Susan Do you have a parenting question for Susan? If so, please e-mail her at susan@ParentCoachAtlanta.com. For more information about Susan or parent coaching, visit www.ParentCoachAtlanta.com You can also follow Susan on Twitter @ParentCoachATL
Village Magazine 15
COMMUNITY PROFILE: SCOTT DOYON
A well-known face in the Oakhurst community By SHANNON HAMES shannon@commongroundrealestate.com Long-time Oakhurst resident, Scott Doyon, is a well-known face in this community. He is a staple at the Decatur Planning Commission, the idea originator of the Oakhurst Porchfest and is a partner at PlaceMakers, a planning and urban design company. He knows communities and he has chosen Oakhurst to be his residence for the past 21 years. Doyon landed in Atlanta in 1989. Like many young graduates, he was looking for opportunities and a cheaper place to live than his former home in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. “When I got here,” said Doyon, “Atlanta was a huge draw for young people from all over the southeast. Most of them were coming from very small, southern towns and they were complaining that Atlanta was too expensive. Me, coming from the D.C. area, thought they were crazy. Atlanta is cheap compared to there!” He spent time developing his career and eventually ended up in his current position of partner at PlaceMakers. He describes his job working “as a translator between the incomprehensible things that planning commissioners say and what normal people need to hear to understand that’s happening.” Doyon recognizes the need to “what the potential outcomes are and be brought on board to help. In essence, my job is an explainer. You’re competing for people’s mindshare so to capture that, you have to cast a really big net by simplifying things as much as possible.” Because of his ability to do this, Doyon found himself becoming more and more involved with the community, including his role on the Decatur Planning Commission, a constant witness to the many changes taking place in our community. “We bought our house here in
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1996” Doyon recalls. “We’ve certainly seen a lot of change in Oakhurst. We’ve seen demographic change, affluence change, physical changes of houses that were rehabbed – I’ve been in a position where I can look at it from a ‘big picture’ perspective. Despite the changes, the underlying thread is people who want to be part of a community, who want to contribute to the community and want to be there for each other during times of struggle. That remains consistent. The personal values of community remain consistent even though faces and personal circumstances have changed.”
Scott Doyon receiving Decatur’s Hometown Hero Award.
Continued on page 17
SPRING 2017
COMMUNITY PROFILE: SCOTT DOYON
Photos by Anne Clarke of the Porchfest banner in front of a porch participant and actual performers at one of the homes in the Porchfest event. Continued from page 16 When asked for examples, Doyon cites the Oakhurst Porchfest. “Porchfest revealed to me what I already tended to believe but didn’t really have the evidence, that people in this community share strong community values.” The original “Porchfest” started in Ithaca, NY in 2007 and was a way to celebrate music and community by allowing local bands to perform for the community on the volunteered porches of the residences in the community. Doyon said that one of the residents that participated in the Ithaca Porchfest was an industry colleague who shared the idea with Doyon at a conference in 2010. “He started telling me about it and how excited he was about the community-building celebration of music. I saw the similarities between Ithaca and Oakhurst – the historic homes with the big porches and the walkability. My first thought was that it would be something easily transferrable. Oakhurst had the vibe of a community that would embrace something like that.” Despite the appeal of the idea that
SPRING 2017
“Porchfest revealed to me what I already tended to believe but didn’t really have the evidence, that people in this community share strong community values.”
Scott Doyon
took root in Doyon’s mind, he didn’t have a chance to act upon it until fate opened a door. He explained, “In 2015, the Decatur Arts Alliance, the group that does the Decatur Arts and Music Festival, couldn’t take place that year because the park they usually used was torn up for the overhaul of Oakhurst Village. The Arts Alliance put out word to the community asking for ideas for an arts-related event that we could do in Oakhurst that wouldn’t require use of the park. That was the invitation that I needed.” Doyon reached out to them, pitched the idea and they loved it. Angie Macon, Arts Alliance member, agreed to co-organize it. “We brought in Nick and Michelle from Decatur Metro and the four of us became
the organizing committee” said Doyon. “My role was that of ‘obsessive vision-keeper’. We had our first one in 2015 and the second was last fall.” The success of the first year surprised even Doyon. “The first year was like proof of concept. The first year they had Porchfest in Ithaca, they had 25 bands. Angie and I started out with a goal of 30 bands – then we could pat ourselves on the back and say it was a good first year. We ended up with 130 bands our first year! What we learned was that there was a massive, pent-up demand in the neighborhood for an event that people could feel personal ownership of and that Continued on page 18
Village Magazine 17
COMMUNITY PROFILE: SCOTT DOYON
Photos by Anne Clarke of the Porchfest banner in front of a porch participant and actual performers at one of the homes in the Porchfest event. Continued from page 17 connects them with their neighbors.” The community had rallied around the idea – a new and creative way to bring a festival to the community that the community could assume ownership of. “The thing that makes it different from other festivals,” Doyon says, “is that most festivals are something that a small group of people put on for the neighborhood. Porchfest is a festival that’s put on by the neighborhood because it’s distributed to individual homes. This past year, we had 185 porches. If you’re a host, then 1 hour out of the 6 hours, you are 1/185th of a festival organizer. That’s your slice. You own it and can orchestrate it any way you want. Everyone feels a sense of ownership for the success.” As with changes in the community over time, Doyon saw an evolution from the first Porchfest in 2015 and the following year.
18 Village Magazine
“The first year, the porch hosts put out chairs and blankets. But last year, people really got creative. Neighborhood kids were chalking up the sidewalks to put the name of the band that was playing and at what time.” Doyon said he got a little grief from some men in the community as they joked with him that they normally didn’t have yardwork in October but now, they had long “Honey-Do” lists in preparation for the guests. “We were also trying to cultivate the spirit of generosity and hospitality. People really embraced the role of ‘host’ this past year. A lot of them fed their guest or gave out some free beer. They thought, ‘I have an hour with my neighbors. How can I make them feel comfortable and welcome?’” Like a proud father talking about his accomplished children, Doyon clearly takes pride in his Oakhurst community. When asked about his thoughts on the future of Oakhurst, Doyon shares his thoughts: “That
depends on the political whims of the city. I’m typically of the mindset that I welcome positive change. I welcome scenarios where places are more desirable rather than less desirable. I recognize that if that’s the only thing that you’re interested in, you can quickly un-do a place and make it what it no longer was.” Ever the optimist, Doyon explains, “Oakhurst will continue to be a great neighborhood so long as the change that is tempered with a sense of meaningful compassion and empathy of people of many different stripes. I think it was reflected last fall when the senior tax exemption was passed. That is something that was driven primarily by seniors with roots in Oakhurst who were facing very realistic prospects of not being able to stay. The degree to which that passed, from a political perspective, was like 89%. To me, it was reaffirming that underlying desire that residents have to be there for people who need them. That’s who we are.”
SPRING 2017
FINANCE: SELF-EMPLOYED
Know the mortgage rules for self-employed income By DENISE PAJAK dPajak@privateplus.com Ready to make the plunge to self-employment or 1099-contract work? Keep some things in mind if you want to buy a home or refinance soon. The rules for income may affect when and if you qualify for a loan. Borrowers need a minimum of two years self-employment history. Income is calculated by averaging the last two year’s gross adjusted income from income taxes and year-to-date income. The lender will require a YTD profit and loss statement and are cautious if the income is declining. They will also pay particular attention to Schedule C and any expenses you are writing off since new businesses usually have substantial write-offs for the first few years. The lender will add back in the depreciation, if any. If you’ve been self-employed for 3-23 months, it’s still possible to get a loan, but there are more restrictive hoops to jump through. The 1099 form. When you receive a 1099, the lender considers you self-employed. However, if you recently changed to 1099 contract work in the same industry in the same type of work, your income may count. You’ll probably have unreimbursed business expenses (tax form 2106), and the lender will reduce your income by those expenses. Also, the lender may require a statement from your employer as to the length of your contract or the probability that it will be renewed. Lenders like consistency and growth. Just be sure you can prove both before you seek a loan. Or keep these rules in mind before leaving your salaried employment. Denise Pajak is Vice President, Mortgage Banker at Private Bank of Decatur. NMLS#6191 / Company NMLS #758195 / Member FDIC
SPRING 2017
Village Magazine 19
REAL ESTATE RESOURCE Home sales were supplied by Keller Knapp Realty via the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). The information has not been verified and may not be listed by the office or agent advertised on this page.
Address
Area
129 Kirk Crossing Dr
Winnona Park $675,000
$620,000
1/17/17
11
4
4.5
3295
514 Chevelle Ln
Winnona Park $829,000
$799,900
12/9/16
35
5
5.0
3600
119 Candler Oaks Ln
Winnona Park $570,000
$555,000
12/14/16
66
3
2.5
2056
142 Avery St
Winnona Park $825,000
$825,000
12/28/16
1
5
4.5
3403
105 Kirk Crossing Dr
Winnona Park $749,000
$735,000
12/30/16
96
4
3.5
3992
325 Mimosa Dr
Winnona Park $555,000
$530,000
12/30/16
45
3
2.5
2138
503 Chevelle Ln
Winnona Park $349,000
$291,350
1/16/17
91
3
1.0
1146
235 S Columbia Dr
Winnona Park $600,000
$600,000
1/27/17
18
6
3.5
4621
142 Adams St
Oakhurst
$625,000
$600,000
2/9/17
48
3
2.0
1926
1030 S McDonough St Oakhurst
$450,000
$395,000
12/30/16
14
4
1.5
1917
515 Second Ave
Oakhurst
$899,900
$899,900
1/18/17
52
4
5.0
3830
150 Mcclean St
Oakhurst
$325,000
$348,000
1/19/17
253
3
2.0
1613
734 Oakview Rd
Oakhurst
$424,900
$424,900
1/26/17
1
3
2.5
1472
260 East Lake Dr
Oakhurst
$649,000
$649,000
2/13/17
3
5
2.5
3000
131 Jefferson Place
Oakhurst
$774,444
$775,000
2/21/17
5
3
2.5
2680
217 Underwood St
Oakhurst
$739,000
$705,000
2/24/17
65
4
3.5
2305
317 W Howard Ave
Decatur
$762,900
$723,000
1/31/17
55
5
4.0
3012
120 Poplar St
Decatur
$735,000
$680,000
2/24/17
166
5
3.0
2606
1002 Braeburn Ln
Decatur
$569,900
$516,000
1/31/17
63
4
4.0
2054
615 Glendale Ave
Decatur
$999,000
$940,000
1/11/17
86
5
3.5
4160
312 Melrose Ave
Decatur
$779,000
$750,000
1/30/17
27
4
3.0
2896
330 Melrose Ave
Decatur
$765,000
$765,000
12/30/16
1
5
3.0
2691
305 Melrose Ave
Decatur
$365,000
$348,000
2/15/17
51
2
2.0
1132
20 Village Magazine
List Price Sale Price Sold Date DOM Beds Baths Sq.
SPRING 2017
AROUND TOWN: TOUCH-A-TRUCK
Event lets kids climb on board public vehicles By ANNE CLARKE OakhurstMag@gmail.com It was a perfect sunny day for Decatur’s annual Touch a Truck event held at the East Lake Marta station on March 25th this year. This fun community event, presented by Decatur Active Living, gives children of all ages an opportunity to touch, explore and see their favorite trucks or equipment on wheels. The City of Decatur and DeKalb County dump trucks, fire trucks, tractors, police cars and motorcycles and many other types of vehicles were on display. Many attendees rode the MARTA train to the event or at the least parked on the Oakhurst side of MARTA and walked across to the North East Lake station lot for the event. The children that did ride their bikes to the event were given a special bike pin. In fact, the City of Decatur Police had a tent so folks could register their bike. Families were able to interact with city and county officials. Children were taught school bus safety on the 2 school busses parked at the event. Many children climbed aboard the police motorcycles, swung on the large crane, stepped inside the fire truck, rode on the garbage cart, stood on the dumpster and played with fire hoses. They explored the fascinating compartments on the trucks and seemed mesmerized with the size of these vehicles. Children beeped horns, flashed lights and really got to interact with these vehicles and the city/county workers. They even got to hang out in a moving truck from event sponsor Two Men & A Truck.. The event also included a Food Drive in cooperation with the National Nutrition Month. Parents were able to contribute canned and non-perishable food items to the Decatur Emergency Assistance Ministry. Definitely a fun day in Decatur! Be sure to visit www.beactivedecatur.com for up-to-date information on all Active Living programs throughout the year. Contact Cheryl Burnette 678-553-6541 or cheryl.burnette@decaturga.com
SPRING 2017
Photos by Anne Clarke
Village Magazine 21
AROUND TOWN: MLK WEEKEND
Martin Luther King Jr. Service Project 2017
What a perfect weekend, Jan. 14-16, for the 1170 volunteers who made repairs on 32 homes of senior citizens in the Oakhurst Village area. The 15th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Service Project, a program managed by the Decatur Preservation Alliance, makes homes safe for elderly residences identified throughout the year. Volunteers were able to transform interior spaces including professional contractors that managed plumbing and electrical projects, cabinet and countertop installation, and accessibility controls throughout the homes. Decatur firefighters helped by installing smoke detectors or replacing batteries. Roofers and HVAC professionals contributed to repair the outside of homes along with volunteers who cleared gutters, built wheelchair ramps and made other accessibility changes to homes. In fact, the yard repair team cleared invasive plants and raked 200 bags of leaves and yard waste. Much of the bags were redirected to the Oakhurst Dog Park to control erosion. At the end of the project, on Monday, the volunteers and senior citizens enjoyed a complimentary dinner at the Solarium.
22 Village Magazine
SPRING 2017
COOKS CORNER: CARRIE CRESPINO
Food Network’s ‘Kids Sweet Showdown’ features local student
Carrie Crespino, a 12-year-old from Renfroe Middle School was chosen to compete for $10,000 cash prize on the Food Network show, “Kids Sweets Showdown” (Photo credit AJC and Food Network)
trains. Her red velvet cake did stick to the pan but she was able to turn it into cake pops and arranged them into a train-shape. While she saved the first baking task, ultimately Diego Beltran of San Diego won the $10,000 prize as aired in the final show. But that will not slow down this baking dynamo! Carrie has said that baking in a competitive environment is not much different from cooking at home. Probably a sign of a professional chef in our midst! I understand Carrie is still cooking for friends and family and may have other endeavors up her sleeve. As for the baking, Carrie has said that she does stick to recipes but will add slight twists such as adding cinnamon to vanilla cupcakes. Her key to success seems to be using nothing artificial as she bakes from scratch!
overall showdown. In the first episode, Carrie was tasked with making treats look like holiday themed
To watch all episodes of the “Kids Sweets Showdown” go to the http://www.foodnetwork.com/search/kids-sweet-showdown
By ANNE CLARKE OakhurstMag@gmail.com Carrie Crespino, a 12-year-old from Renfroe Middle School was chosen to compete for $10,000 cash prize on the Food Network show, “Kids Sweets Showdown” that aired during the holidays. The daughter of musician Caroline Herring and Emory University professor Joe Crespino, Carrie has said that she is a self-taught baker who first got interested in baking desserts after viewing “Cupcake Wars.” “Kids Sweets Showdown” is a fast-paced baking competition hosted by Ali Sweeney with co-hosts Sharone Hakman and Harley Marenstein. In each episode, competing teams of two kids bake their way through a main challenge. There was also the spur-ofthe-moment ‘sugar rush’ where one team member must make something quickly that will be judged as part of their teams
SPRING 2017
Village Magazine 23
PET ROUNDUP: K-9 PARTNER
Clockwise from left: One of the last photos taken of Eiko before he passed away. A heartbreaking image of Officer Shawn Humpreys at Eiko’s funeral. (Both photos by Kristen Alexander/www.kristenphoto.com). Shawn with Eiko Jr and Eiko on his couch.
Shelter dog saved after losing K-9 partner By VICTORIA STILWELL askvictoria@positively.com It came as a shock to all of us when we learned that K-9 Eiko had lost his battle to cancer before it seemingly ever began. We cried together around Eiko and his steadfast partner, Officer Shawn Humphreys, as he received the news that his beloved four-legged friend had a few days, perhaps a week or two at best, to live. He was only 8 years old – an impeccable police dog that had still been working the streets up to that fateful day – and had shown no signs of illness or pain. One week later, we were gathered together again. But this time, it was to say a final goodbye to one of the best police dogs any of us have ever known. The community rallied around Shawn and a truly beautiful funeral was arranged for Eiko. Shawn was devastated, still in disbelief that his ever-dependable partner was gone, but he took some comfort
24 Village Magazine
in the support of his friends, family, department, and community. The week after Eiko’s death, Shawn received word that a local rescue group, Releash Atlanta, wanted to rescue a dog in Eiko’s honor. The dog, an injured shepherd mix that was facing euthanasia at a rural animal control facility, had been surrendered to animal control by his former owner and needed immediate medical attention. Releash Atlanta founder Kristin Sarkar says that her group really didn’t have room for another dog, but that, “We couldn’t help but think his life needed to be saved given the loss of my newest dog friend Eiko that I had met the week before. We named him Eiko in memory of Shawn’s amazing K-9.” Shawn and his family jumped at the opportunity to open their home as fosters for the dog, who they’ve nicknamed “EJ” (Eiko Junior). He has settled in wonderfully in their home and after a few weeks
of medical attention, Eiko Jr. was available for adoption through Releash Atlanta and eventually adopted into his forever home. Although the void Eiko left will never be truly filled, Shawn says that EJ’s presence helps to ease the pain and bring joy back into their grieving household. As you’ll see in the photo, Eiko Jr. has even taken over Eiko’s duty of sharing Shawn’s favorite chair with him, quite literally filling the void that Eiko left behind. The loss of K-9 Eiko left our entire “Guardians of the Night” family in pieces, but seeing the positive impact he continues to have even after his death gives us all just a bit more peace. Story reprinted with permission, Victoria Stilwell 2016. Stilwell is a world-renowned dog trainer, TV host and best-selling author who resides in Atlanta. For more information on fostering or adopting a dog go to ReleashAtlanta.org ©
SPRING 2017
AROUND TOWN: SCHOOL NEWS
Winnona Park Elementary awards students for leadership Letter from Greg Wiseman Principle Winnona Park Elementary School I am proud to announce that Clay Herring and Hannah Eastham are this year’s Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King award winners. Each year City Schools of Decatur recognizes two students from each school that exemplifies the values and ideals of the two Civil Rights leaders. Below is why Clay’s and Hannah’s teachers chose them to represent Winnona Park for this award: Hannah Eastham was chosen as Winnona Park’s Coretta Scott King Award recipient because of her consistent dedication and interest in social justice. Perhaps sparked by our Fall Expedition, Changemakers, Hannah has consistently shown an interest within and outside of the classroom in learning about historical figures of the past and Changemakers of the present who stand up for others and fight for fairness and equali-
SPRING 2017
Winnona Park Elemenatry students; Hannah Eastman (left) received the Coretta Scott King Award, and Clay Herring (right) received the Martin Luther King Jr. Award. Both exemplifying the values of the two Civil Rights leaders. ty. Hannah recently did a book report about Martin Luther King Jr. sharing her favorite quote, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Hannah truly practices this every day by standing up when she sees another student being treated unfairly, by proudly stating her opinions, and by at-
tempting to sway the minds and opinions of others through protests and marches. Hannah is certainly not the quietest student in our classroom, nor is she the best behaved but it is often those people who affect change the most. I look forward to seeing Hannah grow and seeing her learn how to most effectively use her words and her actions to make the world a better place for everyone. Winnona Park’s recipient of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award is Clayton Herring because his peers can count on him to include them, to guide them, and to empower them. He stands up for others, and is a natural leader. Clay creates friendships among other students by facilitating games at recess, leading conversations in the classroom, and guiding others to fair solutions to problems. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would be proud to know that Clay is the kind of leader he described when he said, “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus, but a molder of consensus.”
Village Magazine 25
AROUND TOWN: MARDI GRAS PARADE
Mead Road Mardi Gras Parade 2017 By ANNE CLARKE OakhurstMag@gmail.com Emily and David Berg created the Mead Road Mardi Gras party about 4 years ago as a Mardi Gras parade for their kids. The event, which benefits the Decatur Education Foundation, blossomed last year into an Oakhurst Village community event. On Saturday, Feb. 25 about 30 Krewe’s lined up for the parade that meandered
26 Village Magazine
from Oakview Road eventually passing the judges stand at Universal Joint and ending at the Imperial Pub at Mead Road. Louisiana Bistreaux Decatur provided food and coffee at the start of the parade while the Imperial Pub hosted the huge party, staged in their parking lot, at the end of the parade. Laisser les bons temps rouler, the Bergs, ex-Louisiana residents, would say! (Photos by Anne Clarke)
SPRING 2017
AROUND TOWN: DIVERSITY AWARD
The National League of Cities recognizes Decatur By ANNE CLARKE OakhurstMag@gmail.com The City of Decatur was one of six cities in the US to receive recognition from the National League of Cities (NLC)! The NLC recognized cities for implementing programs that enhance and promote cultural diversity in their communities. The City of Decatur received 2nd place in cities with populations under 50,000 for its Better Together Initiative. The Better Together Initiative, a year-long, community-wide visioning process designed to cultivate a more just, welcoming, inclusive, equitable and compassionate experience for all who live, visit, or work in Decatur included conversations across differences, a community engagement outreach designed to include all, especially those who might not feel welcome at the “table”. According to Patti Garrett, the NLC described Decatur’s Better Together Initiative
Left to right: City Manager Peggy Merriss, Mayor Patti Garrett and Linda Harris, Assistant Director of Community and Economic Development accepted the NLC award. Photo from the City of Decatur. as “a shining example of diversity and total community collaboration and partnership.” This Initiative resulted in a Better Together Community Action Plan for Equity, Inclusion and Engagement that outlines 60 action items for individuals, organizations, and local government to undertake together and independently to carry out Principle
B of the 2010 Strategic Plan “Encourage a diverse and engaged community.” The City Cultural Diversity Awards Program was established in 1995 by the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials to promote cultural diversity. Guest judges representative of NLC’s constituency groups according to population select winning cities.
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SPRING 2017
Village Magazine 27
AROUND TOWN: OAKHURST WINE CRAWL 2017
Fabulous day for the 16th annual Wine Crawl By ANNE CLARKE OakhurstMag@gmail.com It was another fabulous day for the 16th Annual Oakhurst Village Wine Crawl produced by our neighbors Melissa Stratton and Marc Brennan with the help of Oakhurst Neighborhood Association volunteers. Probably 1000 crawlers visited many of
28 Village Magazine
the 30+ businesses serving wine on Saturday, March 4 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The most popular stop was Origins Realtors since they have the big raffle every year. Upstairs in their building is Decatur Eye office that serves the chocolate fountain every year. Of course, MoJo’s Pizza offered complimentary bread sticks and many other locations from Wahoo to Intown Auto had food items available to crawlers. Michael
Gaertners’ Wine Crawl app kept everyone up to date with the FurBus schedule as well as the wine varietals and locations. The Fur Bus was able to transport folks from Harmony Park to College Ave., making for a safe and fun experience all day! Proceeds from the Wine Crawl support the Decatur Arts Alliance events and the Oakhurst Neighborhood Association events. (Photos by Anne Clarke)
SPRING 2017
AROUND TOWN: AARF STRAVAGANZA 2017
The Atlanta Animal Rescue Friends (AARF) 2017 Stravaganza event was held at the Solarium this year featuring the Amorettes performing drag lip sync in style! Beyond the ticket price which included an open bar and food, the auction raised money for the charity. (Photos by Anne Clarke)
SPRING 2017
Village Magazine 29
AROUND TOWN: MARDI GRAS BALL
Mardi Gras Ball benefiting 4/5 academy By ANNE CLARKE OakhurstMag@gmail.com The Decatur Mardi Gras Ball was quite the elegant event benefitting the 4/5 Academy at the Solarium on Friday, Feb. 24. DJ John Scott kept the crowd dancing along with live performances from the Cajun Zydeco Dancers and Comedy from Amanda Marks. Local restaurants donated food and the beverages were flowing for all the masked revealers! This was the first year for what is expected to be an annual event based on this year’s success. (Photos by Anne Clarke)
30 Village Magazine
SPRING 2017
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