OurTown Magazine Feb 2011 issue

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The Gwinnett Area’s Family Lifestyle News Magazine

February 2011

Meet Drew Benton of Project Live Love

See cover story on page 5

STONE MOUNTAIN GA PERMIT #1037

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Are You Suffering with..... R Chronic Pain R Depression R Obesity R Diabetes R Fatigue R Fibromyalgia R Headaches R Heart Burn/Acid Reflux R High Blood Pressure R High Cholesterol R Irritable Bowel Syndrome R Menopause Symptoms R Sleep Issues/Insomnia R Low Energy Most of us know that when you improve your lifestyle, not only do you lose weight but many health problems improve. But sometimes the body needs more than just a balanced diet and exercise. You could be having other health issues that may be prohibiting you from having the full effects of a good healthy lifestyle. That’s where Functional Medicine may be able to help. As a Doctor who practices Functional Medicine, my job is to assess what your body needs so that it can work (FUNCTION!) at its best - without the use of stimulants or drugs! And if you are on medications, I will work with your Medical Doctor to help you reach your health goals! ~ Dr. Gravante

Lorraine S. Gravante, D.C. 1790 Presidential Circle Suite A Snellville, GA 30078 678.990.9400 www.drgravante.com

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The Gwinnett Area’s Family Lifestyle News Magazine

Our Town

Lilburn

l

Lawenceville

Publisher/Editor

l

Grayson

Susan Cadley, LPC Sagdrina Jalal, BS Ed, CPT Cassidy Johnson Althea Lawton-Thompson, CPT Ryan T. Sauers Carol Chandler-Wood

Norma Flores

Cover Photography D. Flores and

Snellville

Contributing Writers:

D. Flores

Graphics

l

Design

Our Town Jules Williams

FEBRUARY 2011 IN THIS ISSUE… About the Cover.........................................................................5 Counselor’s Corner: Keeping Love Alive..................................6 Calendar of Events.....................................................................7 Fitness: Create an Aerobic Program..........................................8 Finance: Halcyon Times - To Serve and Protect........................9 Education Corner: The College Essay........................................11 Wellness Corner: Childhood Obesity......................................12 February Crossword..................................................................12 Crossword Key...........................................................................14

O ur T own M agazine , I nc .

P.O. Box 644 l Snellville, Georgia 30078 Telephone: 404-824-5396 www.OurTownMag.org For reader comments or questions, please E-mail us at life@ourtownmag.org

Relationships: HomeAlone.......................................................15 Business: 2011 Is There a New Social Etiquette?.....................16 Pet Page: Puppy Mills.................................................................17 Recipes......................................................................................18

Our Town is published and direct mailed monthly to prestigious homes in the Gwinnett Area. Opinions expressed by the editorial staff are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Our Town reserves the right to edit and or reject any editorial or advertising content. Our Town is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the cost of the space or for the validity of claims made by advertisers. Entire contents copyright 2011 by Our Town. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden in any media without prior written permission from the publisher.

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Hi, I’m David Futral, Doctor of Chiropractic at Scott Chiropractic Neurology and Rehab Center. Perhaps gentleness in chiropractic is a new concept to you. It was to me, before I began the eight years of college training necessary for my doctorate degree. But during those years, I learned the precise location where light pressure can bring great relief to chronic and acute pain. Our office specializes in this gentle, but powerful non-force technique in addition to traditional methods. We also offer physiological therapeutics, exercise rehabilitation, nutrition with healthy weight loss, and massage therapy. In addition to my Doctorate, I am involved in a three year post graduate Chiropractic Neurology program and work with the only Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist in Gwinnett, Dr. Jane Scott, who has served the community since 1988. I devote one weekend a month attending chiropractic seminars to assure you the latest techniques, research and discoveries to better serve my patients.

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ABOUT THE COVER

Drew Benton

H

appy New Year, Gwinnet! Believe or not, we are already a month into 2011. Have you kept up with your resolutions? The good news is, you can set goals anytime of the year! Most of our resolutions are focused on improving ourselves, but February is the month of love so why not make plans to help others this year? You wouldn’t be alone. In fact, there are a rising number of people from Gwinnet and the metro Atlanta area who are devoting their time and resources to an organization called Project Live Love. Meet Drew Benton, the founder of Project Live Love and a truly compassionate individual who understands the importance of reaching out to those who need love the most. He calls himself the “Chief Lover” and describes the non-profit organization as one designed to influence culture thru love in action by engaging, networking and mobilizing people who are motivated by love. He originally came from a ministry-based background, but decided to wander a little further from the pulpit and a little closer to those in desperate need of love in action. “I was both a student pastor and a college pastor for a while, but I began to sense a personal shift happening in my own life to want to really live out the love of God to other people and not just talk about it and sing about it,” Benton said. “So I began a personal journey that began to shape and teach me, and I just began to learn different things. I ended up at a place called Safe House Outreach in downtown Atlanta, which is a homeless organization that feeds about 200300 homeless people every night.” Benton continued to work there for about three years. “I would say that Safe House was really the place that kind of taught me personally what it meant to love people. Everyday I would open the door and was right in the face of poverty, addiction, and homelessness: all the different needs that people have in this world,” he said. “As an employee, I was able to meet their needs through my own life, and that began to shape me and teach me really what it felt like to live love out; not just to talk about it, but to allow the love that is essentially in me to get out of me by tangible expressions of love to other people.” At the end of 2009, Benton left the Safe House Outreach and founded Project Live Love. “I sensed a need in my own life to take this lesson of living love and introduce it to other people. I felt like a lot of my friends, family, other people in my network could benefit from becoming a part of something that gave them an opportunity to put their love in motion as well,” Benton said. “When I started Project Live Love, I started it with the idea of just impacting the

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greater culture with the idea of love in action; doing something for somebody else. We execute that in two steps; first, the initial sharing of that message with our stickers and our t-shirts and second is through our hands on opportunities which include the Live Love events as well as the Three-Oh-We-Go program and other opportunities that are created.” Benton is no stranger to the city of Atlanta having spent most of his life here. He has encountered homeless people from all walks of life on the streets. Many, because of Benton’s huge heart, have made better lives for themselves and for those around them. Take Russell, for example. “A couple weeks ago, while a friend from Sugarloaf United Methodist Church and I were out doing light local outreach, I bumped into a guy named Russell. He had just stepped off the bus. He had a Bluetooth in his ear and was all cleaned up and looked good to go. The thing is, I had met Russell before when I was doing outreach, and he had been homeless living in the very park that we were in at that time!” Benton said. “But Russell had gotten connected to a transitional house (which was part of our work to connect people to transitional housing) and had done well with that. He became an employee of the transitional house and now was back in the park simply for the sake of visiting people to try and get them into the transitional house. So for me, it was really cool to see our work come full circle. Sometimes living love is just these little moments: bumping into someone here, helping there, doing this, doing that. But to watch somebody’s homelessness go from meeting them in a park to seeing them in that very park again only in a different state of living is a really neat thing to see.” There are a lot more stories like Russell’s, demonstrating how one person’s love can alter the life of someone in great need. All it takes is someone wanting to show love. “The best way for people to get involved with Project Live Love is either by visiting the website to purchase t-shirts or stickers to help spread the message, or by coming out to the events,” he said. “The next event will be April 9th and anyone can register for it online as well as for our Three-OhWe-Go program. Every time the temperature drops below freezing, we go out into the streets with blankets, hand warmers, hot chocolate, and other items

for people living on the streets.” Also on the website is a “go alarm” which allows you to sign up to receive email or text alerts on the nights that the temperature goes below freezing, as well as links to their Facebook page and blog. If you are unable to participate physically, you can opt to make a financial donation instead. “To achieve the goals and dreams we have for the future, we need more financial support. Right now, some of our support comes from marketing money. People can even support us by advertising at one of our events,” Benton said. “For example, our Three-Oh-We-Go program is completely sponsored by GA Natural Gas. So, we actually don’t have to raise money for the program because they pay for everything. But then we have other sponsors come in on smaller levels that sponsor our quarterly events as well. So, we rely not just on financial donations but sponsorships as well.” When Benton isn’t working the streets of Atlanta in search of those in need, he is at home with his wife of 10 years Alicia Benton and their two daughters. “We have an eight year old and a four year old as well. And they keep us pretty busy, to say the least. We enjoy doing a variety of things, but our biggest thing is just spending time together. Periodically we will have a bonfire, or I will grill out. I smoke meat, so I will smoke the meat for like 13 hours to do BBQ ribs (YUM!) or something,” he said. “That’s pretty much what we do, we are a very laid back family. We are simple people, so we don’t have a lot of extravagant things. We are a one car family and not very flashy people, so we just do a lot of low key things. As long as we are together, we are having fun. That’s all you need really! The rest of the world outside of America is living with so little. In America we are very fortunate, but the rest of the world is so far behind. My family has everything we need. We are not in want for anything.” Such a different perspective! We all could benefit from understanding what it feels like to do without and comprehending the importance of helping those with so little. Drew and all the volunteers at Project Live Love are really on to something big. So why not join them? “We want people from all walks of life and of all faiths to participate in our events. We have tried to make it a place that no matter what your perspective is, you can still come and put your love in motion towards other people.” For more information, go to www. projectlivelove.com Writer, Cassidy Johnson

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Counselor’s Corner

Keeping Love Alive

By Susan Cadley

“There is no remedy for love but to love more.” ~Henry David Thoreau

R

omance is in the air with the celebration of Valentine’s Day this month. Romance is grand and celebrated in the movies, songs, poetry and literature. It can bring the most pleasure and pain. Romance is what occurs in the beginning phases of a relationship and if that is where you are at right now – enjoy it fully! If you stay with your partner, this phase naturally shifts into a more mature, committed love. It is during this phase couples can enter into power struggles or begin to lack the intimacy that brought them together. Relationships take some work, and if we want to keep the love alive, we need to stoke the fire of our relationship. The following are my Top 5 “A-List” recommendations for keeping love alive and healthy: 1) Appointment – Take time each day to connect with your partner and share. I often recommend that couples decide on a time, duration, and shake on it. This is an agreement and a commitment to yourself and the other. By connecting daily, you keep the lines of communication open, sharing the good and what is not working. When distance grows between two people, so can resentment, anger, and hurt. Be proactive and connect daily. 2) Acknowledge – When your partner shares any feeling with you acknowledge that you hear them. Tell them you can understand how they might feel the way they are feeling before you try to “fix” or defend. This is the most missed step in communication and it causes the most disagreements. Why? The person sharing does not feel heard. This one step can change a conversation in a positive direction for both partners.

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3) Ask – If you expect your partner to be a mind reader and know exactly what you want in the relationship, you may have a long wait. As an adult, it is your responsibility to know yourself and ask your partner for what you need. If you passively wait to see if your partner figures out what you need, this is unhealthy for you and your partner. You are not getting your needs met and your partner is shut out from your true feelings. 4) Apologize – Love is having to say you are sorry. This one word can be a healing elixir in a relationship. If you find yourself apologizing all the time, check your behavior and maybe it’s time to makes some changes that your partner has brought to your attention. Or if you are apologizing to appease your partner too frequently, you are sacrificing your own needs. Maybe you find it difficult to apologize altogether. If so, ask yourself what your fear is about apologizing. 5) Actions – Remember the little things that mean a lot to your partner. Take time to do the things they appreciate and enjoy; finding a surprise note, flowers, running an errand, filling up the gas tank, doing anything for your partner they don’t expect or ask for can leave one feeling loved and cared for. Taking time to nurture your relationship brings great rewards to both you and your partner as it keeps the LOVE alive. Susan Cadley, LPC, CSC, Licensed Professional Counselor & Certified Soul Coach is available for couples/ adult individual counseling, Soul Coaching workshops, and book studies in Suwanee, GA. She may be reached directly and confidentially at 678-296-1278; www. coachingforyoursoul.com.

Our Town Magazine

FEBRUARY Calendar Black History Month Exhibit February 01 – 28, 2011 Centerville Community Center 3025 Bethany Church Rd., Snellville, GA 30039 Venue: Centerville Community Center www.gwinnettcounty.com Snow Mountain February 01 – March 6, 2011 Stone Mountain Park 1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd., Stone Mountain, GA 30083 Venue: Stone Mountain Park www.snowmountainpark.com Homes Around the World Exhibit February 01 – April 16, 2011 Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center 2020 Clean Water Drive, Buford, GA 30519 Venue: Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center www.gwinnettehc.org Walk Like a Gwinnetian... People and Places February 01 – April 25, 2011 Gwinnett Historic Courthouse 185 West Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, GA 30046 Venue: Gwinnett Historic Courthouse www.gwinnettpark.com

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Ground Hog Day February 2, 2011 Yellow River Game Ranch 4525 Highway 78, Lilburn, GA 30047 Venue: Yellow River Game Ranch www.yellowrivergameranch.com Dance Lessons with your Sweetheart February 03 – 10, 2011 Gwinnett Historic Courthouse 185 West Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, GA 30046 Venue: Gwinnett Historic Courthouse www.gwinnettcounty.com

Great Train Expo February 05 – 06, 2011 LNorth Atlanta Trade Center A1700 Jeurgens Court, Norcross, GA 30093 Venue: North Atlanta Trade Center www.northatlantatradecenter.com

Valentines Day Dinner and Dance February 14, 2011 Gwinnett Historic Courthouse 185 West Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, GA 30046 Venue: Gwinnett Historic Courthouse www.gwinnettcounty.com

14th Annual Georgia Home & Garden Show February 11 – 13, 2011 Gwinnett Center 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, GA 30097 Venue: Gwinnett Center and Arena at Gwinnett Center www.booksandshows.com

The Great Southern Fishing Show February 19 – 20, 2011 North Atlanta Trade Center 1700 Jeurgens Court, Norcross, GA 30093 Venue: North Atlanta Trade Center www.northatlantatradecenter.com

Take Inventory! February 5, 2011 Centerville Community Center 3025 Bethany Church Rd., Snellville, GA 30039 Venue: Centerville Community Center This seminar will help build a personal career skills inventory that will be valuable in writing résumés, preparing for interviews, or launching an entrepreneurial endeavor.

Atlanta SCRABBLE Club February 12 – May 14, 2011 Centerville Community Center 3025 Bethany Church Rd., Snellville, GA 30039 Venue: Centerville Community Center Put your skills to the test and make new friends.

Ice Hockey: UGA vs. Georgia Tech February 5, 2011 L Atlanta Ice Forum 2300 Satellite Blvd., Duluth, GA 30097 Venue: Atlanta IceForum www.ugahockey.com

A Valentine’s Date Night February 14, 2011 Gwinnett Center 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, GA 30097 Venue: Gwinnett Center and Arena at Gwinnett Center Follow us on Twitter & Facebook.

2011 Run The Reagan February 19, 2011 Ronald Reagan Pkwy http://www.runthereagan.net Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus presents “Barnum’s Funundrum” February 25 – 27, 2011 Arena at Gwinnett Center 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Duluth, GA 30096 Venue: Arena at Gwinnett Center www.ticketmaster.com

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here are an infinite number of possibilities when it comes to aerobic training. When planning a program, it is important to use your interest and imagination. Choose activities that you enjoy (or ones that you enjoyed in the past) to get you started. Regardless of what shape your aerobic plan takes, here are a few guidelines that will help you achieve your goals: Make a commitment This is a necessary first step. For many, signing up for an upcoming race provides the structure needed to stick to the commitment. The difference between being in or out of shape is often the level of true commitment. Get a physical Exercise is not hazardous, but it is a good idea to establish a health baseline. Current cardiovascular function, body fat, blood cholesterol, and triglycerides levels are all items that should be established by your doctor. There may be other health concerns that deserve consideration before beginning your fitness program. Pay attention to injuries If you have an old injury or any physical problem that causes pain, choose an aerobic program that will avoid making that injury worse. Elliptical machines and recumbent bikes are very popular because they help protect the joints against injury.

Start Slowly Try not to consider what others are doing. It takes time to achieve fitness. It is a lifelong process! Cut yourself some slack and ease into your program. Be consistent No aerobic program will work if you don’t stick to it. You should plan for exercise in the same way you plan other activities that have top priority in your life. Make a routine date with yourself and don’t cancel! Reward Yourself Staying focused and on course is hard work. When you reach a milestone, celebrate. You can even use the promise of something really special to help keep you motivated. You deserve it! By Sagdrina Jalal, BS Ed, CPT, Fitness Consultant, Inner Strength Fitness, 404-271-0071 www.innerstrength-fitness.com

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FINANCE Halcyon Times– Helping you enjoy smooth financial sailing. By Glenton Ashby

To Serve and Protect “T

o serve and protect” is a common law enforcement motto. It speaks of the function and duty of law enforcement to serve citizens by protecting them.

Those of us who have families or other people who depend on us financially serve them by providing for their financial needs. How can we serve our dependents and provide long-term protection, even after we die? Two ways: a will and life insurance. A will documents what you want to pass on to others when you die, preserving your control over who gets what you leave behind. Perhaps the most important thing you can do with a will is to leave specific instructions regarding the guardianship and care of minor children. If you don’t do anything else, make a point of putting in place your instructions and desires concerning the care and guardianship of your children in the event of your death. This applies to both parents. Everyone is going to die, but when is unknown. You can only make sure you are ready. If you don’t leave legal instructions about who should raise and care for your children, someone else will make the required decisions and those decisions may be completely different than your desires. A will also allows you to say what should happen to all your “stuff ” when you die. Again, if you don’t leave legal instructions, someone else will decide. If you do not want a judge, or some other representative of the state, to say who gets your “stuff ” when you die put a will in place. Public libraries have books on writing basic wills. An attorney who specializes in wills is a better alternative, especially if you have a lot of details to address. Insurance protects against risks. Examples of risks include illness, car accident, damage to a home and death. Types of insurance include homeowners, auto, life, liability, health and disability. Life insurance is what is important in terms of providing for your dependents. How much life insurance should you have? The usual recommendation is 5 or 10 times your annual salary. That may be a good place to start. However, a more thorough way to decide determine an amount requires that you invest some time determining actual needs you would like to provide for and figuring out how much money is required to to meet those needs if you were no longer around. Consider needs such as income replacement, mortgage payments, utilities and food, car payments, child care and higher education for children. Determine how much money will be needed annually and multiply by the number of years for which you feel it would be necessary to provide money to your survivors. Term life insurance is the cheapest and quickest life insurance to put in place. It costs a few hundred dollars a year. Even if money is tight, if you have dependents, make every effort to put in place at least a minimal amount of life insurance. This will help your survivors through the transition time necessary to replace lost income and make other financial adjustments. One other element of protection to strongly consider is disability insurance. It is likely you know at least one person on disability or who has someone in their family on disability. Disability insurance provides a level of income when you are not able to work at your job or in your chosen profession for an extended period of time. Without some income replacement you may face unmanageable debt, inability to save for retirement or even personal bankruptcy. If you have financial dependents that you desire to serve and protect I encourage you to make sure you have a will and the appropriate insurance in place! Feedback and topic suggestions are welcome - HalcyonTimes@HalcyonFP.com, or comment at www.HalcyonFP.com/halcyon-times. Tweet @halcyonplanning. Glenton Ashby is the founder and owner of Halcyon Financial Planning, LLC, a fee-only financial planning and Registered Investment Advisor firm. Visit HalcyonFP.com.

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EDUCATION Corner The College Application Essay

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f you are a high school student in the process of applying to colleges, this article is for you!

Many colleges require that students submit an essay as part of their college application. The essay can be one of the strongest parts of your application, presenting you as a thoughtful, sincere, and interesting applicant! Often students are unsure how to begin this essay and about what to write, but it is important to get started now because the tension created by procrastinating can be worse than the work itself. Following are a few suggestions which may make this process easier and also make an impression on the college admissions officer reading your essay. Rather than saying why you are such a great candidate for the college, tell a story that focuses on yourself and portrays your positive aspects. It is not possible to write your life story in about 800 words, which is a good length for a college application essay. This could be a story about someone you once met who had a need and you were able to assist in fulfilling that need. It could be a story about something that happened in your family, what you learned from the experience and how you helped resolve and/or reacted to this event. Or, it could be a story about your interests, activities, travels, struggles, or a situation that had a significant impact on you.

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It is ideal to write a story about something that occurred in high school or as an older student, unless there is a significant life lesson you learned when younger. Avoid writing about a topic that remains unresolved in your life; rather tell a story about something that has had closure. It is certainly best to not write about your political or religious views or give strong opinions about a topic. You never know the thought processes or values of the reader of your essay so you do not want to risk offending him or her. If you find that developing and writing your essay is taking a long time, you have probably selected the wrong topic and need to find something else to write about. Usually something we are passionate about or something that was truly exciting and/or meaningful in our lives, we can write about with ease. At the end of your writing, it is important that you go back to the beginning of your essay and work on the first several sentences to make sure they make a strong opening. Then, cut out all wordiness throughout, make it specific, and check your grammar. I hope these suggestions are helpful and you are accepted into the college of your choice!

You may e-mail Carol Woods at ccwood@bellsouth.net or visit company’s website, www.totallearningconcepts.com.

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Page 11

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WELLNESS CORNER CHILDHOOD OBESITY – MORE THAN A CHILD’S ISSUE

I

n 2003, I began working with Johns Hopkins Hospital on a project called the Youth Circle. The group’s purpose was to tackle the issue of youth obesity through child-appropriate fitness classes and nutritional workshops. The kids loved the classes, and a few lost weight, but we noticed a larger challenge than getting the children to move and eat right - their parents.

Each week, parents sat observing the class, while eating fast food or sweets; and uncles, aunts or grandmothers drank sodas as they watched, many of them overweight themselves. In the seven years since I started working with the Youth Circle, we’ve revised the program to include workshops and exercise classes for the caregivers, and we encourage parents to participate in fitness classes with their children. In one of our parent group sessions, we asked caregivers what were some of their challenges in providing a healthy environment for their children. Below are some of the responses: • I recognized there was a problem with our family’s eating habits and activities, but I didn’t know what to do about it or where to start; • I am so busy handling the day-to-day aspects of our lives, I didn’t notice that anything was physically wrong with me or my children until a doctor’s visit revealed an area of improvement; • I am very concerned about my own physical fitness levels and have a poor personal body image; sometimes I say negative and derogatory things about myself in front of my children; • I reward my child with sweet treats if she exhibits good behavior or performs well in school. I don’t see anything wrong with a treat a few times a week. If you can identify with any of the responses, consider the tips below: • Watch Your Words – Be careful about making negative comments about yourself or your children regarding weight, attractiveness and success in life based on these things. These comments are internalized by all who hear them consistently and are demoralizing. • Reward Wisely – Instead of presenting sweets as a reward for good behavior, show your love and appreciation by doing something together – just the two of you – that your child enjoys doing or something out of the ordinary that’s fun and physical. Fly a kite on a windy day, rake up leaves and jump in them, or go roller skating in the park. • Seek Resources – You may not know where to turn, but there are resources all around you from after-school programs, to local parks-andrecreation classes and extracurricular activities. Ask your physician for referrals as well. If you’d like to learn more about creating a healthier environment in your home, consider participating in Aerobics, Yoga & More’s Preventive Family Wellness for Childhood Obesity program. This year-long program is broken into quarterly workshops to assist families with discovering the causes of unhealthy lifestyles at home and creating realistic strategies and activities to overcome them. Call 678-749-7777 to reserve your space in the first workshop on Saturday February 5 @ 12:30 – 2:00pm or Monday February 7 @ 7:30 – 9:00pm. Althea Lawton-Thompson, Certified Fitness Expert, is the owner of Aerobics, Yoga & More Fitness Studios in Lilburn, GA & the Fitness Coordinator of the Johns Hopkins Youth Obesity Program in Baltimore, MD. See classes & workshops she offers at www.AYMFitness.com.

Page 12

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RELATIONSHIPS

Home Alone? What is the right age for children to be unsupervised?

E

ventually the quandary of letting a child stay home alone becomes a topic of conversation. It often starts wondering if a quick trip to the grocery store, leaving the kids contentedly playing games is the right choice. Tweens and teens often exert pressure to shun supervision, with the conversation going something like— “But mom, seriously, everyone else stays alone. I’ll be fine!” Often the decision to try it alone is based on whether a parent feels the child is “old enough” to take care of themselves. A better gauge is maturity and circumstances. Questions to consider include: Is the house a safe environment? Can the child use the phone, know who to call and recite their address? Is the child alone or supervising siblings? How far away will parents be? Are helpful neighbors close by? How long will they be alone? Is my child comfortable being home alone?

n Children under age 10 should never be left alone for any period of time. n Children ages 10 to 12 may be left alone for traditional latch-key hours (before and after school), depending on maturity level of children and safety of environment. n Children 12 to 14 may baby-sit with the expectation that an adult will return later in day, but no more than 4 to 5 hours at a time. n Children under 16 should never be left alone over 24 hours.

short “trial” periods. Start with a 15 minute walk in your own neighborhood. If that goes well, move up to a 30 minute trip to the gas station or drug store. Use these short periods to boost both your child – and your – confidence that staying alone is a safe situation. Whether you will be gone for 15 minutes or several hours, always discuss house rules for behavior while you are gone. Caller ID has made it easy for children to only answer calls from specific people. Outline exactly which calls can be answered – perhaps only you or another family member. Children home alone should never answer the door and all doors and windows should be locked. Internet security is even more critical if you are not home – determine if your child is allowed to use the internet if you are not home. Make sure that all of your expectations are clear – and that your child understands the consequences if your house rules are not followed.

n Children 16 and older may babysit for more than 24 hours.

Georgia does not have specific laws outlining the age considered “appropriate”. The Divison of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS), does provide some guidance via it’s website. Mary Dean Harvey, director of the Division of Family and Children’s Services, is quoted as saying “Leaving a child at home alone should never be an easy decision for a parent”.

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College Nannies, the nation’s largest legal employers of nannies, has compiled the following guidelines:

These are guidelines and in all cases the individual family situation must be considered. There is a wide How can a parent determine if a child is ready to range of capabilities and maturity among children of stay home alone? First, talk with your child. Some all ages and no one knows their children’s abilities bet“tweens” are anxious to show their maturity, while oth- ter than their parents. To err on the side of safety is alers are concerned about being home by themselves. ways the best choice. Even if children pout and deem If your child has any concerns, it is best not to push you ridiculous, take pride in knowing you have their them into the situation. You as the parent will tend best interest in mind. to be worried the entire time you are gone and your Content provide by College Nannies & Tutors. Building Stronchild will be anxious. A better solution is to agree to ger Families® www.collegenannies.com/lawrencevillega

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Page 15

BUSINESS 2011- Is There a New By Ryan T. Sauers

Social Etiquette?

What is going on these days? Everywhere around me, I see people looking down and usually at their smart phone/mobile device. The next time you are out, look around and see if you agree. For example, I see friends or couples at restaurants, who though they are sitting across from each other, are more focused on their phone than the person they are with. Here is another example from when groups go out together for an event. Do you notice that some people, in these groups, spend more time posting their “status updates” through social technologies than they do in conversing with the actual group they are with? Also, how often have you seen a person drop any conversation they are having in real time and with a real human being to answer their chirping phone or text message? This, like the other two examples, happens all the time. Are these behaviors ok? All of these communications and situations are things we need to consider. Quite frankly, there are no formal rules yet established for how human beings should handle such social technologies. Do we need a new generation of social etiquette rules? Yes, but that will take time. So, let’s focus on what we do know about human beings. We have not changed but the technology around us has and will keep doing so. So here goes… We need real world relationships. We need time to disconnect from the online world. We need to realize it’s okay to be bored. We need to work on focusing on the present. We all desire to feel important. These are time tested things that we know. So while the tools/technology around us will keep changing, our basic human needs will remain the same. Thus, human beings will seek calm solutions from all the craziness of the world around them. So, if you can provide others this solace, peace of mind, trust, and rest-- you will not only be a good friend but will also create good customers. We are in a new year, so I challenge us all to be more purposeful in the ways in which we communicate. The people and organizations who master this new world of communications will be the leaders in 2011 and beyond. We have some neat ideas to share. Please let us know if we can help you.

Ryan T. Sauers is President/CMO of Sauers Communications. He has a Masters degree in Organizational Leadership; is an MBTI Certified Practitioner and a Certified Marketing Executive. He is a frequent writer and speaker at a number of business conferences. For more leadership, communications, and business insights visit www.sauersblog.com.

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PET PAGE

PET OF THE MONTH Available for Adoption:

Puppy Mills - Understanding the facts

P

uppy Mills - Helping to raise Awareness Dog Breeding requires excellent breed knowledge and outstanding responsibility by reputable breeders.Unfortunetly dog breeding is often exploited as a profit making business with the sad consequence of cruelly treat bitches and puppies who are kept in inhumane conditions. The bitches are expected to breed many litters, once they are no good for breeding they are cruelly destroyed.

The litters that are produced are very very unhealthy and will not have a long life at all. These unhealthy puppies are often taken away from there mother far before they should be which means they are denied the vital socialisation they require from their mother and litter mates. Remember when buying a puppy, puppies should still be with their mother and litter mates until at least 8 weeks old. Backyard Breeders and Puppy Mills/Farms - The Difference Who are these ignorant, selfish, greedy animal abusers? They are known as backyard breeders and puppy millers/farmers, what is the difference? Backyard Breeders are people who practice random or ignorant dog breeding on a small scale. Puppy mills or Puppy Farms are large dog breeding operations, and the people who own them are known as puppy millers/farmers. Backyard breeders and Puppy Millers are only motivated by the idea of profit, not realizing that the hobby of animal breeding practiced on a small scale is not usually profitable when one factors in costs such as health, maintenance and pregnancy care. They are people who are ignorant of selective breeding goals and techniques, and are not familiar with the breed standard of their chosen breed of dog. They are cruel and abuse animals. What to look out for: Backyard Breeders and Puppy Millers want your money, so, they will tell you what you want to hear. The will tell you that the puppy is registered, this is a lie. They will tell you they have a certificate to prove that the puppy is registered but the certificate will not be signed or have the breeders name on it.

MISHA

(DOB ~12/18/2008) is a lovely female lynx point Siamese mix with expressive blue eyes who we rescued from a high kill shelter in North Georgia. MISHA is a very attentive, inquisitive, and playful girl who will provide her new family with many, many years of love and companionship. She is an excellent candidate to become your next lap kitty! MISHA is spayed, up-to-date with vaccines, negative for Feline AIDS/Leukemia/Heartworm, microchipped, dewormed, has received flea and ear mite preventative, and is eligible to receive at least 30 days of prepaid pet health insurance at the time of adoption. MISHA’s adoption fee is $125.00. To see all our cats available for adoption, please visit www.fancyfelinerescue.org; then call, 678-522-2152, or email us, FancyFelineResQ@bellsouth.net, to schedule an appointment to meet your new family member! Fancy Feline Rescue of the South is a non-profit, no-kill rescue organization dedicated to individual attention and excellent care to homeless cats, working hard to find them good homes.

Atlanta Pet Rescue is open Tuesday – Friday 11am-4pm and Saturday 12pm-5pm. For more information about Atlanta Pet Rescue or how to adopt Benji or any of our 80+ dogs, cats, puppies and kittens looking for homes, visit our web site: www.atlantapetrescue.org

Reccomendations: Be wary of outlets offering more than one or two breeds When visiting the seller note the surroundings Visit the puppy more than once Ask to see the pedigree papers and ensure the breeder’s name is on the certificate The breeder should want to know about you too Ask to see the puppy with its Mother - be very suspicious if you can’t Think carefully before buying and do not buy the puppy because you feel sorry for it. If you trade with an unscrupulous breeder, you will be supporting their trade in misery. Every one you buy, another takes it place. Don’t buy from a Pet Shop Purchasing dogs, especially those claimed to be purebred, from a pet store is strongly discouraged by reputable breeders and animal shelters. While many pet stores claim to purchase dogs from “local breeders” instead of puppy mills, this is often untrue or is a difference in name only, as reputable breeders generally do not sell animals to pet stores. The phrase “local breeder” may also refer to backyard breeders Reputable Breeders Reputable breeders raise their animals in humane conditions, provide good socialization and often formal training, and adhere to the breed standard. They are knowledgeable about major health problems associated with their breed, and with the principles of genetics, frequently undertaking specific matings to produce or refine particular desirable characteristics in their dogs. They are also sensitive to the requirements of their breeding adults — who may also be breed or performance champions — and the puppies they produce. Reputable breeders frequently screen potential customers rigorously, and usually provide a pedigree and health guarantee with their puppies. Always get proof of Kennel Club registration. Article provided by: DogArticles.org 2009 All Rights Reserved

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Page 17

RecipeS

Valentine’s Pie Prep Time: 20 MinReady In: 1 Hr 20 Min Original Recipe Yield 1 - 9 inch pie Ingredients 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed 1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust 1 (16 ounce) can cherry pie filling Directions In an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and the powdered sugar until combined. Add vanilla and beat 2 minutes. Gently fold in whipped topping. Transfer mixture into the pie crust. Top the filling with the cherries. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Nutritional Information Amount Per Serving Calories: 441 | Total Fat: 23.4g | Cholesterol: 31mg

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