AUGUST 2021 (BLUE) Our Town Gwinnett Monthly Magazine for Gwinnett/NE DeKalb

AUGUST 2021 Gwinnett/NE DeKalb Community & Family Magazine

Our Town GWINNETT

Lawrenceville Snellville Lilburn Stone Mountain Tucker

Up Close with Cutting Edge Painting, see story on page 5.

8 9 13 14

One on One with Tim Oppelt: Brookwood High Class of 2000 Getting to Know: The Vinyl Peach & Katie Bollinger Community Spotlight: Lilburn Community Garden Gwinnett Swim League Coach of the Year: Meet Cathy Ruffing

Scan to Read Digital Edition6

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Investment Advisor Representative offering securities & advisory services through Cetera Advisors LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor, Broker/Dealer, member FINRA, SIPC. Green Financial, Gwinnett Tech & Cetera Advisors are not affiliated. Awards are not to be considered a guarantee of future results, nor as an endorsement by any client. Best of Gwinnett winners are chosen via voting and editors’ input, & opinions are vetted with the use of other available information. Pinnacle award rankings are based on growth, revenue, community service, & other criteria. Barron’s: based on total assets (AUM), revenue, & other factors.

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On the Cover: Reach for New Heights with Cutting Edge Painting

By Kristen Eleveld We’ve all been working from home for a while now, and many of us have embarked on some home projects, such as updating the paint in the kitchen, to pass the time. If you’ve been thinking about changing up some of the colors in your home, you don’t want to use just anyone. You need a company that knows what it’s doing and cares about its clients. You need Cutting Edge Painting.

Founded seven years ago, Cutting Edge Painting has made a name for itself throughout its hometown community of Grayson and the greater Gwinnett area. While this company certainly brings a high level of expertise and knowledge to every paint job, it is the incredible level of customer service that keeps customers coming back.

This client-first mentality is the philosophy of owner Nathan McMichael, who has been the sole owner since 2016. Nathan believes that treating customers well isn’t just a good idea, it’s the only way to do business. He extends this philosophy to his own crew members as well.

“When I hire someone for our team, I am not just looking for experienced painters,” said Nathan.

“I am looking for people who have great character and who understand what it means to serve.”

The service for each Cutting Edge Painting client goes above and beyond. In fact, the reviews speak for themselves. Nathan always invites people to leave a review whether they are happy with his work or not, and he finds that an overwhelming majority of the feedback he receives is positive and shows just how satisfied his customers are. His team members are often commended for their dedication to a job well done.

“Every client is paying for more than just a paint job – they are paying for an experience,” said Nathan. “We are going to give you quality work and stick with your project until it’s done.”

If a client finds that a project did not live up to his or her expectations, Nathan encourages the client to reach out to him and his team so they can make it right. He is always ready to listen to a customer issue and fix a problem, even if the project was already completed.

For Nathan, this business is about creating relationships. He knows his clients are spending money to make their home or business better, and he wants to deliver in every way.

“When I do work for a customer, we’re really there to build a relationship based on trust,” Nathan said. “I want to show people that we are a quality company that can really meet their needs.”

Cultivating relationships doesn’t end with the customers. The team at Cutting Edge Painting has been active in the community for several years, and just launched a new program that is designed to identify individuals or organizations in need and then provide a solution for them. Cutting Edge

Painting decided to call this the REACH Initiative, which serves as an acronym for their core values: Respect, Excellence, Accountability, Character, and Honesty.

Through the REACH Initiative, Nathan and his team have been able to meet a variety of needs in the Grayson area, whether it’s donating painting services for a local family or working with small businesses and charities to give them some much-needed building updates. Each summer, they ask for nominees through their social media accounts, and then choose a recipient at the end of August.

“It’s pretty awesome to be able to give back like this,” said Nathan. “Being part of the community is always important to us.”

If you want to check out Cutting Edge Painting in person, take a look around Grayson. Nathan and his team are currently working with the city to paint several buildings, and you’ll be able to see his handiwork in several local businesses as well. Thanks to the incredible service they provide to customers who happily spread the word, Cutting Edge Painting has made itself a household name for the entire Grayson community.

As for Nathan, his priority is to continue to use his skills and his incredible team to make their neighborhood a better place.

“God’s blessed me with this company,” said Nathan. “Painting houses is great, but I want to do more and have more purpose. I want to give back, pay it forward, and pass it on.”

More information at www.cepaintcompany.com or call (678) 571-5975.

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PAGE 5

Dr.Cat McGinnis!

Where pets are treated like family!

Come inside with your pet!

Our Town Gwinnett/NE DeKalb Community & Family Magazine

Publisher/Owner Ryan T. Sauers Ryan@EndResultz.com Creative Director Elsie Olson Elsie@EndResultz.com

Editor Catherine L. Osornio Editor@EndResultz.com Photography Aleen Karakashian Photography Distribution Coordinator

Wendy Head

3475 Stone Mountain Hwy Snellville, GA 30078

770-972-7026

Gwinnett’s premier event destination for 23 years!

Feature Writers K. Coats Kristen Eleveld Amy Ney Tana Poncsak Emily Rubin Traci Sanders Beth Volpert Johansen

Contributing Writers Bill Crane Pam Walker

— An EndResultz Media & Communications firm www.EndResultz.com Our Town Gwinnett is published and direct mailed to select homes in the Gwinnett /NE DeKalb area. Opinions expressed by the writers and staff are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Our Town Gwinnett reserves the right to edit and/or reject any editorial or advertising content. Our Town Gwinnett 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 2021 by Our Town Gwinnett. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden in any media without written permission from the publisher.

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IN THIS ISSUE

Weddings & receptions, holiday parties, anniversary celebrations, sweet 16 parties, corporate events and more!

(770) 972-6540 • www.vecoma1.com PAGE 6

5 7 8 9 9 10 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 19

On the Cover: Reach for New Heights with Cutting Edge Painting From the Publisher: Ryan’s Remarks One on One with Tim Oppelt: Brookwood High Class of 2000 Getting to Know: The Vinyl Peach & Katie Bollinger Farmacy – Grayson’s New Front Porch Parkview Graduate Publishes Children’s Book About Food Allergies SportsTalk: 2021 Fall Middle School Golf League Community Spotlight: Lilburn Community Garden Gwinnett Swim League Coach of the Year: Meet Cathy Ruffing Make Art the Heart of Your Summer One Man’s Opinion: The One with Barclay Summer Reading: Looking to End the Summer with a Great Book?

Back-to-School: Help Your Kids Transition into the New School Year Travel Tales: Are You Ready for International Travel?

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Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Ryan’s Remarks

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blishers Column: Ryan’s Remarks Ryan T. Sauers

By TOWN Ryan T. Sauers lo OUR community. It has been an unprecedented (if that is a strong enough word) + months. This means our @RyanTSauers communication @RyanTSauers skills have likely been impacted in some way. @RyanSauers ce I am asked so much about this topic, I am going to share some ideas.

Hello OUR TOWN community. It has been an unprecedented (if that is a strong enough word) 16 + months. This means our

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communication process skills haveislikely impacted in of some way.aspect of our lives. Organizations are communications a keybeen component every Since I am asked so much about this topic, I am going to share mprisedsome of people ideas. and our communications patterns are complex. Therefore, my goal here is The communications process is a key component of life. everyTo do this, we must strive to achieve all to become better communicators in all parts of aspect of our lives. Organizations are comprised of people and our communications patterns are maximum level of efficiency and effectiveness in our communications. complex. Therefore, my goal here is for all to become better communicators in all parts of life.

e: the

To do this, we must strive to achieve the maximum level of efficiency and effectiveness in our communications. goal is (top right/green quadrant) as per the “E” model below.

Note: the goal is (top right/green quadrant) as per the “E” model below.

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PAGE 7

One on One with Tim Oppelt: Brookwood High Class of 2000

By K. Coats

When one thinks of a “lawyer,” what comes to mind? For some of us, it’s Cousin Vinny and his “two yutes’’ comment. For others, they might recall Lieutenant Kaffee as he demanded to know the truth in A Few Good Men. As a child, my image would have been courtesy of Jurassic Park and Mr. Gennero’s unfortunate end via t-rex. The fact is, the term “lawyer” isn’t as simple (or even as exciting) as a modern film would have us believe. However, it has a calling all its own. And not all who are called to practice law are called to practice legal “chess matches” in courtrooms, as Brookwood class of 2000 alumnus Tim Oppelt discovered. For him, it’s all about the fine print.

“I give advice to credit unions, so member-owned financial institutions, on how to make good choices and comply with the law,” Tim explains. “This can include everything from writing the fine print that comes with your credit card to helping boards of directors work together.” And, like other jobs, the running of the business itself also calls for attention, something Tim discov-

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ered when he became a partner in a firm. “With a couple of my other partners, I also manage our office, its finances, and its technology,” he says. “Our office (15 lawyers) deals with institutions holding over 1% of the deposits in the US. While one’s a small number, working with deposits for millions of households isn’t too shabby.” No indeed, Tim. Not too shabby at all.

The journey from Brookwood High School to a firm partner in Glendale, California, has many twists and turns for Tim. During his time at Brookwood, Tim played alto and bari sax in the marching band, was a chess club member, and helped re-start the literary magazine, Pegasus, and was its editor under the direction of Renee Covin. Ms. Covin was one of Tim’s favorite teachers at Brookwood. “She got me in a way that other teachers didn’t and leaned into my dreamer/poet side,” he explains.

After Brookwood, Tim enrolled at Emory University. But again, a career in law wasn’t in the plans just yet. He says, “Honestly, I didn’t know what I was going to do when I left Lawrenceville for Decatur and Emory. I was considering majoring in poetry. Falling into a philosophy major and then law school was a bit of an accident, but it works.” It seems going west was a pattern as Tim headed for California next to study law at Loyola Law School, where he would graduate in 2007. Even then, the current arrangement wasn’t evident. Tim originally had a flashier part of law in mind. “I had the idea that I would be working as an entertainment lawyer, supporting my artist friends with business solutions,” he recalls. “I had no idea that I’d accidentally fall into supporting financial institutions – and before applying for jobs during law school, I didn’t even know what a credit union was. In 2000, I certainly would not have pegged that I’d be living with a family in suburban Los Angeles working with banks and credit unions. It’s amazing how sometimes, you can’t even imagine where you will find success or what opportunities might become available to you if you keep your eyes open and lean into where you actually find yourself.”

Continued on page 22

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Getting to Know: The Vinyl Peach & Katie Bollinger

By Kristen Eleveld

A few years ago, Katie Bollinger welcomed her son into the world. And then she did what so many moms do – she looked for some adorable outfits to dress him in for holidays and special occasions. But while she was sometimes able to find what she needed, she found that the effort involved and the money spent trying to get personalized clothes was more than Katie wanted to spend. And since she was no stranger to creativity, she decided to take the plunge and start personalizing items herself.

Once Katie found the Cricut machine she needed and set up a Facebook page dedicated to her products, she was ready to offer her services to anyone who needed them. While the Facebook page did steady business, it was a blogger in 2019 who really helped get Katie’s shop the exposure it needed to show everyone why her products were so great.

Now, three years after her business began, Katie stays busy, both professionally and at home as she continues to raise her son. She has even expanded to an Etsy page, which has become the most popular way for customers to order from her.

“I love being able to work from home,” said Katie, whose mother has been helping her at home so Katie can have a few hours to focus on her work each day. “Being able to stay home with my son and make my own schedule is amazing.”

Katie’s creativity speaks for itself. She has maintained a steady stream of business, offering everything from customized drink koozies to themed t-shirts to personalized coffee cups. And while she is a one-woman operation, that doesn’t mean she works on a small scale. The Vinyl Peach is able to work with large events like weddings to provide a personal feel to every wedding favor or wedding party gift. And since Katie is working on each of these products herself, customers experience top-notch service as they work with Katie to make their order perfect for their needs.

“It’s so nice to be able to make things for my own family and for other people,” said Katie. “Working from home can be challenging, but it gives me the flexibility I need.”

When it comes to flexibility, Katie might have the corner on that market.

There is very little she can’t do to add personalization or customization to the products she offers. And if you’re not sure whether she can help you get what you need, the answer is as easy as asking Katie herself.

“I try to have everything a client needs ready in the Etsy order form,” Katie said. “But if someone has a question, I encourage them to reach out!

You never know if I can help you until you ask.”

If it sounds like The Vinyl Peach is everything you’ve been waiting for, go view some of the products for yourself. You can find them on the Facebook page or over on Etsy – you will be able to get in touch with Katie at either place. Happy shopping!

For more info visit www.thevinylpeach.com

Farmacy – Grayson’s New Front Porch

By Beth Volpert Johansen

The wordplay involved in naming Grayson resident Blake Hawkin’s newest venture, Farmacy, brings together two major components: farm fresh and community gathering. No stranger to starting a successful Grayson business, Blake is ready to bring something new and innovative to town.

After several years with Hail Mary Pub, a Grayson favorite, Blake was ready for something different. “Farmacy allows me to stay in the food industry without having to do the cooking,” says Blake. “I still love to cook, but this way, I get to be the official recipe taster of all the wonderful locally sourced products – something I enjoy way too much!”

Mayor Allison Wilkerson is thrilled with the idea of having another quality, community-oriented business in town. “Blake has a talent for bringing people together,” says Wilkerson. “His ability to provide a nice place to gather has been evident in all of his ventures in Grayson.”

The concept for Farmacy formed itself in Blake’s brain over the course of a few years. “I have had this super-strategic plan in my back pocket for about five years,” says Blake.

Blake’s carefully considered plans include joining the Georgia Grown Program as well as continuously seeking the best in local produce, meats, and a variety of other goods. “It is very important to support our Georgia Farmers, especially in light of the pandemic,” says Blake. “Farmers all over have been hit badly.”

One good thing that has emerged from quarantine has been the rediscovery of the home kitchen.

While many people had already made a habit of cooking from home, quarantine has pushed many more to learn or relearn to cook. “People are looking for the freshest, healthiest ingredients they can find for cooking at home,” says Blake. “We will be able to provide the ingredients as well as tips Continued on page 10

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Who will you nominate?

Nominations close Aug 31

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PAGE 9

Parkview Graduate Publishes Children’s Book About Food Allergies

By Emily Rubin

Katherine Kise has struggled with asthma and nut allergies almost all her life. She was diagnosed with asthma at just one year old and found out about her nut allergy when she was about four years old. Katherine’s asthma impacted her physical fitness test results in school when she attended Camp Creek Elementary and Trickum Middle, and she remembers being told to push through running a mile even when she was unable to breathe.

“I always felt as though there was something different about me compared to my peers,” she said.

Katherine always knew the sensitivity of her health, but she didn’t understand the gravity of her allergies until she almost died because of them. Her allergies not only affected her day-to-day life, but who she became and how she saw the world as she was growing up.

Her health challenges early on impacted what she viewed as healthy growing up. She dealt with other health issues later on that were not mitigated by traditional methods and she had to find her own way to deal with them.

After graduating from Parkview High School in 2000, Katherine went on to higher education, earning degrees from UGA and Georgia State, and then joining Coca-Cola. She saw multiple doctors who were unable to pinpoint her underlying issues, so she took her health into her own hands.

Katherine realized there was a lack of accessible, relatable information around many health concepts and became a board-certified health coach to help others. She sat down one afternoon and wrote her book Katie Can’t Eat Nuts as one solution to this issue.

Katie Can’t Eat Nuts was released June 1st. Aimed at a young audience, the book touches on the isolation Katherine felt but not the severity of what can happen when nut allergies are triggered.

“I hope it cultivates inclusion and acceptance, not only for the kids with the food allergies to accept themselves, but also to foster that conversation around how we all have differences and that’s okay,” Katherine said, “and to help those kids who might not be familiar with food allergies to have a better understanding so that they can be more compassionate. Maybe all of that together

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Farmacy – Grayson’s New Front Porch Continued from page 9 and demonstrations from our growers.” Farmacy will source from as close to Grayson as possible, but will rely on their relationship with the Georgia Grown program to fill any needs.

The final piece of Blake’s “back pocket plan” was finding the perfect location. “When the old bank building became available, I just knew,” says Blake. “We are intentionally working to keep the ambiance of a building that brought people to town many years ago,” says Blake. “It is historic and harkens back to a time when things were a little slower, and when people did come to town, they stayed a bit to learn the news of the day and enjoy each other’s company – that is what we are seeking to do here at Farmacy.”

The current stained-glass windows will throw light on a simply repurposed space designed to draw in neighbors from the community. “We will have a front-porch feeling with an outside gathering space where patrons of the other establishments will want to wander around with their tasty beverages to meet and greet.”

The pandemic might have sent people home, but now as they are beginning to emerge, Farmacy is ready to provide the perfect place to find the company of man and beast alike (Blake has a heart for dogs, but that is another story entirely).

Look for Farmacy to open in mid-summer – a great time to enjoy the bounty our local soil will yield.

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will create a more compassionate experience for anybody.”

Katherine hopes her book normalizes food allergies. She feels if there had been a book like hers when she was growing up, she might not have felt so different.

Katherine is also considering a sequel where Katie takes a field trip to a farm, a cookbook for kids who cannot eat nuts, and a novel for young adults where Katie navigates parties and more serious issues are addressed.

“It seems like there is a need for more conversations around these things no matter what age you are,” Katherine said.

Katherine’s holistic health and wellness coaching practice, Sprout and Rosebud, was started to make health information available to everyone regardless of income level. She works one-on-one with clients, but mainly does pro bono coaching with women’s groups, mental health groups and neighborhood associations as well.

“The most important thing I’ve learned through this,” she added, “is that we have a lot more power to create the life we want and to create the health we want to have than I think any of us really knew we could.”

More information at www.katherinekise.com.

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PAGE 11

SportsTalk: 2021 Fall Middle School Golf League

By Our Town Gwinnett Staff

The Middle School Golf League (MSGL) announced that online registration for the 2021 fall season will be scheduled from August 1st to August 18th. However, because of the closing of one of the host golf courses and restrictions for scheduling at others, participation will be limited to the first 80 registrations. Play will begin in August and run through the end of October. Parents can register their middle school players at https://www.middleschoolgolfleague.com.

The Middle School Golf League is organized with parents registering through the South Gwinnett Athletic Association. Players are assigned teams based on middle school attendance and receive golf shirts with their middle school or feeder high school colors. Play during the fall season is planned to be at Dacula’s Trophy Club of Apalachee, Lawrenceville’s Collins Hill Golf Course, Loganville’s Cedar Lake Golf Course, Monroe’s Bear Creek, Providence, and Monroe Golf Courses, and Snellville’s County Club of Gwinnett.

“We had a great spring season,” said League Director Les Witmer. “I think the players just wanted to get outside and return to some normal activities, and we put into place coronavirus procedures that allowed us to do that safely.”

MSGL will again be employing COVID related precautions and will be following the same contact tracing procedures the schools employ.

In the past players participating attended many different middle schools including Bay Creek, Couch, Creekland, Crews, Dacula, Five Forks, Loganville, North Gwinnett, McConnell, Osborne, Providence Christian, Shiloh, Trickum, and Youth Middle Schools.

“We’re really proud of the interest we have received in the past from these middle school players and parents and the support from their middle school administration and their cluster high school golf coaches.” Witmer said.

Witmer emphasized that the program’s goal is to teach the fundamentals of golf and through team best ball play provide a positive environment where everyone participates no matter whether just a beginner or a junior player who has playing experience.

During the first weeks beginning golfers spend more time becoming more proficient at ball striking and understanding golf rules and etiquette. Then they take that knowledge onto the golf course, joining repeat Middle School Golf League players or the more advanced junior golfer playing as team members in the best ball “Lauderdale” format. The league schedules four weeks of team best ball play for all including a week where high school players are invited to play with their cluster middle school team, and then the middle school golfer is introduced to stroke play where they play their own ball for an individual score. The season culminates with a very popular Drive, Chip, and

Putt competition and awards party.

League play and clinics are normally held on Sundays at 4 p.m. “Each team has a volunteer team marshal who is responsible for team lineups and supervises the play on the course,” added Witmer.

“Parents may rent a cart if available, and players may ride with them and have their bag of clubs in the cart, but again parents must keep the carts on the cart path at all times.”

However, Witmer, who is also an assistant high school golf coach, emphasized that middle school players play from tees based on ability and that players are encouraged to walk the nine holes and carry their clubs or have a push cart. If a player walks, they may choose to have a parent or another adult caddie for them and walk the course, carry the bag, or push the cart. Caddies must observe golf rules and etiquette and may advise players on shots, club selections, and distances.

“As a high school golf coach, we see some players coming out for high school golf, struggle from playing the required tees farther back than they have been playing and in walking 18 holes,” concluded Witmer. “We emphasize that to our more advanced and older junior players!”

At the close of online registration, there will be a parent orientation either in person or via video conferencing.

More information at https://www.middleschoolgolfleague.com or lawitmer@comcast.net.

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Community Spotlight: Lilburn Community Garden

By Beth Volpert Johansen

Growing a garden is mostly an excuse for an adult to play in the dirt again. At least that is the way it is with me. And, if the smiles on the faces of Lilburn Community Garden Vice President Mandy McManus and fellow gardener Andrea Brannen are any indication, playing in the dirt has its benefits.

The garden was established in 2012 and has more than doubled its original 25 raised beds. “We rent the beds out on a first come-first served basis each year,” explains Mandy. “And each year, we sell out quickly.” It is no wonder why the bed rentals sell out so fast. They are reasonably priced with tools, soil, and compost provided. What more could a gardener want?

“We have all sorts of people take advantage of having a gardening bed,” says Andrea. “We also provide some beds that are handicapped accessible.” The variety of bedding types fits with their mission: creating an opportunity for local residents to grow food; cultivating community interaction and fun across all ages, cultures, and income levels; providing a learning environment for organic sustainable growing practices; and beautifying downtown Lilburn.

Located along Camp Creek in downtown Lilburn, the community garden is much more than a place for individual gardeners to try their green thumbs. “We have everything from corn to peppers, greens, and, of course, tomatoes,” says Mandy. “Some people do just flowers; it doesn’t have to be food.” Beyond these smaller garden plots visitors will find an herb garden filled with fragrant and essential herbs planted and maintained by the Lilburn Women’s Club. Additionally, the garden is host to honey bees that buzz through the Pollinators Garden, an orchard, and hops growing on the 5-acre site. “Our hope is that a local brewery might be able to use the hops in crafting their beer,” says Mandy.

“Visitors can wander the gardens as it is a public space, but we always ask that they respect the produce found there,” says Mandy. “We do get some natural ‘theft’ from deer, racoons, but some of our losses come from the two-legged visitors who don’t always understand that the produce belongs to the person who rented the plot.”

Having such a thriving public space allows people to come together in a safe manner outside.

Visitors are encouraged to wander through, enjoy the company of others, and see all that the gardens have to offer.

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PAGE 13

Gwinnett Swim League Coach of the Year: Meet Cathy Ruffing

By Beth Volpert Johansen

Coaching gets in your blood, pure and simple. It is an emotional roller coaster that produces the most joyful of happy moments and the most crushing of defeated moments. It is what you do with those moments, when kids are watching, that makes you Coach of the Year material. Coach Cathy Ruffing is made of the right stuff.

With a forty-year swim coaching legacy, Cathy has stood on the pool deck at the county meet more than most. In each of those years she has congratulated her peer coaches as they received awards, except in 2021. This year, at the Gwinnett County Swim League (GCSL) County Championship Meet, Cathy was announced as the 2021 Swim Coach of the Year.

“I have been coaching for forty years, twenty of them at Evergreen,” says Cathy. “I was excited and a little embarrassed that I started crying when everyone – coaches, officials, parents, kids – all started hugging me!”

GCSL is a non-profit organization composed of 43 teams with approximately 6,500 swimmers ages 4 to 18. The League was established in 1973 and is a summertime league with meets starting in May that conclude in July with a County Championship Meet at Georgia Tech.

Helping children become confident swimmers is important to Cathy. Like anything else, COVID-19 brought changes to how GCSL was able to extend the summer swim program. Changes to how many swimmers in the pool, how close coaches could get, and how both practices and meets were held took some getting used to, but Cathy and her coaching staff managed to keep the kids motivated and excited to participate. “Swimming is a life-skill,” says Cathy. “When kids participate on a swim team, they are working hard to constantly improve their personal best times.”

PAGE 14

Cathy says she has been coaching so long that parents, swimmers, coaches, and alumni all know that when a kid asks her in which place they finished, she is most likely going to tell them their time instead. “We reward the swimmers with Personal Best ribbons for improving times,” says Cathy.

“Every little second counts towards a bigger goal.”

The bigger goal for many kids in the summer swim league is just to do something fun – and a bit competitive – with their friends. However, for the high school and year-round swimmers, Summer Continued on page 22

Ryan’s Remarks Continued from page 5 person realizes his need to learn, grow, and improve, and is no longer “over-confident.”

The third stage is referred to as consciously competent. A person is cognizant of what he is doing well and competent at it. Moreover, a person in this stage is committed to “lifelong learning” and developing more efficient and effective communication skills. He or she has become a solid communicator but still needs to think about it (as it is not yet second nature) and to realize that he or she must continue growing to reach the highest level.

The final developmental segment is an unconsciously competent communicator. A person in this final/fourth stage has become so competent, that he or she no longer must think about his or her communications strategies. Simply said, one’s competence is ingrained into his or her DNA and has become second nature.

We all need to become better communicators (the key to life) and thus must have the unconsciously competent (fourth) stage as our goal. With that said, we should never stop learning something new each day. In this stage, individuals have mastered the proper balance of highly efficient and effective communications.

What level of communications competence are you in? How far are you from reaching the final stage? Are you an effective and efficient communicator (top right/ green quadrant of the “E” model) who communicates (through all mediums) the best way? If not, what quadrant are you in?

Do you want to grow? If you do, then you are reading the right column. I am here to help you if I can.

There is no better time than right now to strengthen your skills to become a better communicator. This growth will make you more successful in every aspect of your life. And it goes without saying (as we are now in the second half of 2021) that we need such skilled communicators in our community now more than ever.

Thank you for reading, and as always, thank you for continuing with me on the journey of my town, your town, OUR TOWN!

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Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Make Art the Heart of Your Summer

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By Kristen Eleveld

Do you heart art? If so, you are in the right place, because over the last few years, Gwinnett County has become a hub for the artistic community. Every medium is represented, including performance, painting, drawing, and, of course, music. The local music scene has become a staple of the county, and there are multiple groups leading the charge including Music on Main Street, Citizen Exchange, and the Grace Note Foundation for Music Education.

This summer, Music on Main Street in Lilburn and Citizen Exchange are working together to support the Grace Note Foundation, which provides music education in the form of classes and camps for all ages and walks of life.

The benefits of music education speak for themselves. For children, music offers invaluable skills and development for things like hand-eye coordination, muscle tone, and even language development. But children aren’t the only ones who can gain something from music. Studies show that music can motivate teens and adults to new goals for an exercise routine, can help a person get a better night’s sleep, and can increase overall endurance. Music even has benefits for one’s mental health, as multiple studies report that music causes mood elevation and can help people work through the challenges of stress and depression.

It’s easy to see why so many Gwinnett groups are motivated to make music education more available, but they need help to do it. Through a variety of events and fundraisers, Music on Main Street is working through their non-profit to help the Grace Note Foundation find the funds and resources they need to offer more music to more people.

One such event is the market that took place on June 26th in Lilburn. This market was designed for artists and other creators to offer their wares to the community. Art, clothing, jewelry, and a variety of other hand-made products were available for purchase, and nearby food trucks and a great live music made the event fun for community members and families in the area. The market was a rousing success, raising $3,600 dollars with more donations continuing to arrive.

But while the market is over, the opportunities to contribute to the arts in Gwinnett are ongoing.

“Art is for everyone,” said Megan Flowers, who serves as the Director of Arts for Citizen Exchange. “We want to use art as a way to bring our community together.”

While the market benefitted the Grace Note Foundation, other music-centered organizations in Continued on page 16

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Make Art the Heart of Your Summer Continued from page 15 the area also offered camps and classes. Music on Main Street in Lilburn offered a camp the week of July 12th where campers learned about songwriting, music composition, and everything they need to know to put on a show of their own. At the end of the week, the campers performed as bands for their parents in a show to celebrate all they had learned.

Over at Citizen Exchange, there are multiple art classes for all ages waiting for you to sign up.

Whether you have a kindergartner who wants to paint or you like the idea of sipping your favorite beverage while learning a new artistic skill, the classes at the Citizen Exchange should definitely be on your bucket list. This year, they are taking their classes a step further by offering an art therapy camp for children with special needs.

“I am so passionate about having Lilburn be an arts area for Gwinnett,” Megan said. “Our mission is to uplift one another through art until ‘I am’ becomes ‘we are.’”

What are you waiting for? Head to Lilburn to find out just what kind of artist you are, and you might even make some new friends in the process.

More information at www.gracenotefoundation.org, musiconmainstreetlilburn.com, www.citizenexchange.biz

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PAGE 16

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Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

One Man’s Opinion: The One with Barclay

By Bill Crane

Fans of Friends, one of the most popular sitcoms of all time, know well that every episode is entitled “The One with...” The long running program is a generational and pop culture icon. This pandemic has in part reminded me of the importance and many benefits of pop culture – as a distraction, as a reminder of the “lighter side of life,” and on occasion for a bit of escaping the not entirely daily realities of the real world for the past couple of years. We can all use an extra daily dose of whatever helps make us laugh, relax, or smile.

And though each generation may have their favorite sitcom or TV show, there are few like Friends that attract viewers transcending across multiple generations since the program first aired on NBC in 1994 and the 10-rating topping seasons that followed. Its six-core cast members became rightfully successful and wealthy, even if only a few matched those successes in later performances and venues. However, the show and its cast, not unlike the Petries of New Rochelle (The Dick Van Dyke Show) or the Ricardo’s of New York (I Love Lucy) or Mary Richard and WJM-TV (The Mary Tyler Moore Show), have become effectively timeless and beloved by millions.

Though Friends ended in 2004, Netflix paid $100 million for the rights to rerun the series starting in 2015. HBOMax later paid $400 million for air-rights for those same episodes and financed and produced a long-awaited, Friends Reunion Special this year, which resulted in first-time Emmy nominations for a few cast members, not received during the series original run. The special, as well as the reruns, keep the Friends’ fountain of nostalgia flowing and those bright lights Continued on page 20

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PAGE 17

Summer Reading: Looking to End the Summer with a Great Book?

By Tana Poncsak

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The early days of the pandemic had us sheltering in place. And perhaps for many of us after living our lives on the go, we had to learn what it’s like to stay home again. Much of the days were spent working from home and teaching our children, but what about the rest of the time?

It seems that some of us worked on our health and fitness, while others found new hobbies or revisited old ones that had long been forgotten. But with a little more time on our hands, it’s no wonder that some of us picked up a book and started reading again.

According to a Publishers Weekly article dated July 17, 2021, entitled “May Bookstore Sales Jumped 130%,” preliminary estimates indicate bookstore sales increased by more than 100 percent in the month of May, suggesting we may be opening and reading a lot more books these days.

Given that, and the fact we’re coming up on the end of summertime and the summer reading season, there are some titles worth picking up these last few weeks of summer. Here are a few that have made a splash among readers that you may want to consider: The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid Golden Girl by Elin Hildebrand People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry Look for these and other titles wherever books are sold. They can also be found at your local library. At the time this issue went to print, the Gwinnett County Public Library branches and DeKalb County Public branches are open to patrons. Also, residents with a valid Gwinnett or DeKalb County library card can access the library’s collection online respectively, via a computer tablet or smartphone.

Visit gwinnettpl.org and dekalblibrary.org for details on how to access the library collections electronically, the hours of operation, any current protocols or guidelines being observed due to the pandemic, upcoming events, and more.

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Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Back-to-School: Help Your Kids Transition into the New School Year

By Tana Poncsak

Perhaps it can be normal to have some anxiety as the end of summer is in sight with students returning to the classroom. But if they’ve been learning from home due to the pandemic, your student’s anxiety level may be higher than usual.

The more physically and mentally prepared your child is, the more confidence he or she will have as he or she steps inside the classroom. Here are a few things that might help make for a smooth start to the new school year.

Remind your student about any summer school-related activities or projects that need to be finished up. This would include summer reading assignments and/or any writing projects.

When school supply lists are available, purchase your child’s supplies so he or she is ready for class on day one.

As the school year starts and schedules become clear, make any transportation arrangements.

Are they participating in school sports or activities that meet after school? If so, they will feel more confident knowing how they will get to and from activities.

The lazy days of summer always give way to more structure and routine once the school year starts. Talk to your students about the new routine. They may need to ease into the new schedule by getting to bed earlier so they can wake up in time to get ready and catch the bus.

The last thing you want is for your student to scrounge around for something to wear and then run to the bus at the last minute. Create a morning routine starting with school clothes. Make it easy for your student to find and pull things together. Or better yet, have your child pick out his or her clothing the day before school.

We’ve all heard the importance of a good breakfast. Have some simple breakfast items on hand that your kids can eat on the run when necessary. Make-ahead quiche muffins, breakfast bars, and fruit all make a nutritious start to a busy day.

Continued on page 22

Travel Tales: Are You Ready for International Travel?

By Pam Walker

It was the first time on an overseas flight since the pandemic began. After nineteen months of only traveling in the USA, I was ready. Yes, me and everyone else! It was not surprising that along with a huge desire to get out there again, everyone wants to go somewhere.

So, my first suggestion is to plan ahead! Flights are full, and you cannot always get what you want. Secondly, have patience! I have heard that reaching an airline reservation agent can take up to 9 hours on hold.

Thirdly, make sure you know the rules and regulations of the country you want to travel to. Rules change daily, so make sure that you have everything in order, or the airlines won’t let you get on your first flight.

Flying to one country is easy, but if you want to go to more than one, you will have to have all requirements for each country you will visit. This may even mean multiple PCR or Antigen tests going from one to another. Again, each country has its own rules. Some countries have forms to fill out; others not. Plus, you have to do the math because it is not 48 hours in your time zone, but theirs. So, if you are arriving in Madrid at 9 a.m. on Monday, you need to have your test done no earlier than 3 a.m. on Saturday EST in Atlanta.

Fourthly, make one or two printouts of everything, plus an electronic record on the cellphone you travel with. Fifthly, be prepared. It can be a real snag if you get delayed and/or miss a connecting flight. The flights are so full, the next flight could be at least a day later meaning another PCR test so that you are within your window of 72 or 48 hrs.

Airports are jammed. Everyone wants to go. When you do get aboard, flights are also jammed!

Not an empty seat anywhere! Be prepared. Many airport outlets for food are closed due to staffing problems, so make sure you bring a protein bar or something to eat just in case.

There is so much more to be prepared for, both here at home and when you get to your favorite destination. Preparedness and patience are the real buzzwords for travel now. Next time we’ll discuss what happens when you test positive before returning home. Until then, Be Safe and Be Well, and Let’s go! The world is waiting!

Pam Walker is a Virtuoso Travel Advisor. More information at pam@walkeradventures.com

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The One with Barclay Continued from page 17 of the big city burning, as well as fueling not only fond memories but a renewed desire to connect with and even “experience” that Friends’ world and phenomenon.

Warner Brothers and Hollywood tend not to miss too many opportunities to capitalize on markets like that, so in partnership with an entertainment experience company, Superfly X, the Friends Experience was born. It was originally housed in Manhattan, not far from the fictional address of where our Friends lived in lower Manhattan, just as the Ricardos did as a young married couple back in the day. The Friends Experience itself is pretty large, sort of a traveling pop-up museum and souvenir retailer that usually occupies a previously vacant Big Box space. Tours are selfguided and take you into both of the apartments and the iconic Central Perk coffee shop, as well as through re-creations of several scenes and memorable moments from the series, with the entire space also covered with “old school” TV models of that era running clips from the show. It’s been a couple of weeks since we took the tour, and I can’t get that theme song out of my head.

My daughter Barclay is a Millennial and my firstborn. The show started airing two years after her birth and was done by the time she was 12. She became a Friend-ophile much later via reruns

PAGE 20

and binge-watching online. Though we didn’t really have such options in my day, there are programs that can still similarly lift my spirits or coax out a smile after a trying day. Besides Barclay’s near-constant smile as we moved from room to room and scene to scene through the “best of...”, I was amazed at her knowledge of the details of each episode. A trivia machine tests your recall and memory, much like Jeopardy, in sets of five questions. Get all five correct, and you may continue with the game. We were well into the double-digits of queries before she missed more than one out of five.

I was happy to serve as visit photographer and to spend the brief bonding time that a mother of preemie twin boys has available, as well as the sit-down supper that followed. Their growing up time passes all too quickly, and the time with them as adults and even “friends” can seem too few and far between, not due to distance or damaged relationships – just due to the many tugs of life. Being able to give Barclay this little bit of leisure and downtime was a true joy for me. Thanks also to Monica, Phoebe, Rachel, Ross, Chandler, and Joey for their assistance in making this a memorable and special day. So, go grab your bag of 90s memorabilia and your phone for selfies and head to Friendsville, unless you are “taking a break.” I’ll be there for you.

Crane is the senior political analyst with WSB Radio and TV and owns the full-service communications firm, CSI Crane. More information at www.CSICrane.com

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Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

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Meet Cathy Ruffing Continued from page 14 League keeps them in good shape while having fun. “Summer League is good for these kids,” says Cathy. “They get some time to play – to just hang out and be kids – and they also get to race!”

As the summer winds down, thoughts of returning to her job as a kindergarten paraprofessional at Mountain Park Elementary begin to find their way into Cathy’s head. Additionally, she will return for another year as a “lay-coach” for Parkview High School’s Swim and Dive Team. “Now that my own sons are grown, and I have a grandbaby, I will start thinking about retiring from coaching,” says Cathy. But there is always that thought in the back of her mind of what summer would be like if she were not on the pool deck encouraging the littlest “Elvers” (baby eels) into the pool. “There are so many kids I consider ‘mine’ who, of course, are not my own,” says Cathy. “I would miss seeing them come back as grown kids and adults with their own little ones just learning to swim.”

As Cathy heads back into the classroom and into another year of coaching, she can reflect on the visual recognition of a job well done. Not unlike the swimmers and their Personal Best Ribbons who start each season with the goal to improve themselves, Cathy has begun each year with the

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goal to become a better coach. “I still believe that I didn’t get that award by myself,” says Coach Cathy. “I had help from the parents, other coaches, and all of the swimmers over the past forty years who have taught me how to be a coach.”

More information at www.GwinnettSwimLeague.com

One on One with Tim Oppelt Continued from page 8 Often when asked about future plans, people will focus on the next level of their career. But for Tim, it’s about perspective and context. For him, it isn’t so much about going “higher” on the ladder as it is about security. “My goal for a long time has been freedom from worry,” he says. “I want to work to pass on that freedom to my kids: financial stability, intellectual resources, choice, health. For me, that means work to make my business successful but also work to make a happy home base for us and our friends.” And keeping family at the core of his motivations helps Tim stay focused on his out of work hours. “Now, my major hobby is home improvement; landscaping and remodeling take up any time that kids and work don’t,” he explains. But don’t mistake that for being a homebody. With access to many of the nation’s natural treasures, Tim and his wife, Megan, are very active. “We try to visit a national park every year for our wedding anniversary,” he says, “and we’re looking forward to getting back to the food, wine, and outdoor experiences that Los Angeles has to offer. Pre-pandemic, we loved entertaining, and hope to get back to that as well.”

Some of the National Parks they have visited include Sequoia, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Zion, Rocky Mountain, and Joshua Tree. They were even married at Muir Woods. “Last year, we had to cancel a trip to Olympic, so we’ll have to reschedule that one,” he adds.

Concerning his proudest accomplishment, Tim explains that it’s all about context. “No accomplishment is without its context, and getting to some brass ring but neglecting everything else wouldn’t be worth it,” he says. “Professional attainment, financial stability, secure housing, beautiful (albeit occasionally monstrous) children, a happy marriage, and all the foundations to work forward to good things. It’s not without significant challenges, but I am proud of what we’ve built.”

Good luck, Tim, on your firm, family, and accomplishments. And while we may often take the fine print in life for granted, we thank you for your work and wish you the best.

Back-to-School Continued from page 19 Keep all school items such as backpacks and lunchboxes in one place so they’re easy to grab as your child heads out the door.

Again, due to the pandemic, there may be more anxiety this year than usual. You can help your kids by encouraging them to talk to you about any trepidations they might have about returning to the classroom.

A listening ear and a bit of encouragement may be all your child needs, but if your child seems to have more anxiety and is struggling, contact your school’s counselor for advice or a mental health provider who can give your child the help he or she needs.

And finally, keep in mind that even with all the planning, things may not go as smoothly as you would like it to in the first few weeks. It’s likely the entire family may have a period of adjustment as they settle into a new routine.

Visit either your child’s school website, the Gwinnett County Schools website, or the DeKalb County Schools website for the latest information on COVID -19 guidelines and protocols, academic calendars, and more.

Disclaimer: This information is based solely on experience and not intended as medical advice.

Should you need medical advice, seek help with a licensed physician.

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