AUGUST 2021: (GREEN) Our Town Gwinnett/Walton Monthly Magazine

AUGUST 2021 Gwinnett/Walton Community & Family Magazine

Our Town GWINNETT

Grayson Dacula Loganville Lawrenceville Hamilton Mill

Up Close with Primrose School at Sugarloaf Parkway-East, see story on page 5.

9 14 15 19

Hometown Brag: Getting to Know Marcel Graham Grayson Spotlight: Shakespeare in the Park Returns Come Clean Gwinnett: Citizens Involved in Litter Cleanups Gwinnett Tool Depot: Rebuilding Gwinnett One Tool at a Time

Scan to Read Digital Edition 6

Cremation-Funer Cremation-Funer

It's It's simple simple to to cust cust

1.

1. Click Click "Change "Change D D of of the the page page an an abbreviated abbreviated pu pu

thethe c The The cos 2.

2. Ensure Ensure you've you've

3.

3. Double-click Double-click “S “S below Layers, below Layers,

4.

4. In In the the pop-out pop-out

5.

5. Click Click "Preview" "Preview" downloading downloading o o

6.

6. Click Click "Finish" "Finish" tt Your wish is to be cremated.

Then, Then, click click “Do “Do “Moderate" for “Moderate" for Have you considered a memorial service?

OR, OR, click click “Save “Save Your ad will Yourmemo ad will ap ap why pre-plan your Why pre-plan your m YOUR WISH IS TO but BE CREMATED. wise decision.

Yes, perhaps beyond that? but have have you you thought thought beyond that? wise decision.

Yes, pe A ceremony gives loved aa sense of Awish ceremony not not only only gives your your loved ones ones sense of closure, closure, it's it's aa Your is to be cremated. celebration of something Have you considered aplan memorial service?Contact you celebration of your your life. life. Let Let us us help help you you plan something that that truly truly reflects reflects Conta who you are. It's what we do.

So you've decided on cremation, So So you've you've decided decided on on cremation, cremation,

Have you considered a memorial service? who you are. It's what we do.

SO YOU’VE DECIDED ON CREMATION, but have you thought beyond that?

A ceremony not only gives your loved ones a sense of closure, it’s a celebration of your life.

Let us help you plan something that truly reflects who you are. It’s what we do.

ET E ETERNAL FUNERAL HOME & ETERNAL HILLS HILLS FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION CREMATION ETERNAL HILLS MEMORY GARDENS HILLS MEMORY GARDENS So you've decided onETERNAL cremation, but have you thought beyond that?

Snellville --

Snellville Snellville EternalHillsFuneralHome.com EternalHillsFuneralHome.com EternalHillsFuneralHome.com 770-972-3155 770-972-3155 770-972-3155

A ceremony not only gives your loved ones a sense of closure, it's a celebration of your life. Let us help you plan something that truly reflects who you are. It's what we do.

E

ETERNAL HILL the cost of livin MEMORY GARDENS The cost of your fun

Please visit and like our Facebook page, Eternal Hills Funeral Home & Cremation Services for future event postings.

Ask about our veteran’s discount.

PAGE 2

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

Gregory Williams, Williams, Gregory Gregory Williams, SNELLVILLE GeneralManager Manager General General Manager

EternalHillCemetery.co Aug770-972-3260 ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

ETERNAL HILLS FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION

Let us do the cleaning for you, so you can do what you love!

• 1st General Cleaning • Top to Bottom Deluxe • Move in & Move out • Laundry and Lite housecleaning

Scan Me!

25 OFF

$

your cleaning when you sign up for recurring service, applied after the third cleaning

10% OFF

for gift certificates.

Cannot combine offers. New customers only. Credit Card required.

Call Us Today! 678-587-5279 www.rescuemytimecleaningservice.com info@rescuemytimecleaningservice.com

We are hiring!

OVER 10,500 CLEANINGS PERFORMED Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

PAGE 3

Trust me...

YOU WANT AWESOME! Aligners are an excellent alternative to traditional wire braces. If you are wondering about their effectiveness, expense or timing, take out the unknowns by scheduling a FREE CONSULTATION! • Master level clear removable aligners for tweens, teens and adults.

• Shorter treatment time and fewer visits—Same awesome results!

GRAYSON 2402 Loganville Hwy, # 100 770-236-9660 ATHENS 705 Oglethorpe Ave. 706-549-0110

SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION—NO REFERRAL NEEDED russell-orthodontics.com

WELCOME CAMPERS! Bark to School 2021 Join us for the best day of School ever

CampBowWow.com/Lawrenceville-GA

(770) 995-3500 PAGE 4

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

On the Cover: Getting to the Heart of Education with Primrose School at Sugarloaf Parkway-East

By Kristen Eleveld As parents, you want the best for your children, whether they are taking their first steps into preschool or learning to drive the family car. And in Gwinnett, you have a lot of options when it comes to educating and caring for your young children. It’s good to have choices, but how do you know which choice is best? You can find this answer at the Primrose School at Sugarloaf Parkway-East.

Since the moment the school building was completed in 2003, the team at this Primrose location has been run by Tanisha Turner. With over three decades of experience as an educator, Tanisha knows how to create an environment that fosters the opportunity to learn alongside the ability to develop crucial social and emotional life skills.

“We want every child to know that they can change the world, even if they are little,” said Tanisha. “We spend just as much time on social and emotional skills as we do on academics.”

The Primrose School at Sugarloaf Parkway-East accepts students as young at six weeks old, and even these young ones benefit from the idea of developing social skills that are ageappropriate. Every child who comes through the doors of the school is viewed as an individual with his or her own needs, and the teachers are excited to work with these children as they grow and develop under their care.

Part of the reason this school is so well-loved in the community is because of the staff that works in every classroom, office, and everywhere in between. For Tanisha, her main goal when hiring is to look at how well the applicants love children and how much of a passion they have for education.

“When I look for new teachers, I am looking at their hearts first,” said Tanisha. “I have enough experience of my own to help anyone learn to teach, but I can’t teach someone how to love kids. I look for people who already do that.”

It’s obvious that Tanisha’s hiring practices are working well because the community they serve has only good things to say about this Primrose School. Due to the school’s physical location between two hospitals, many of the parents have careers in the medical field. While those kinds of jobs are always demanding, the recent events surrounding the COVID pandemic have brought an even more intense work schedule than usual for many medical workers. Tanisha and

her team are proud to be able to provide trustworthy care so these parents can do their jobs while knowing their children are safe and loved.

“We didn’t close for a single day during the pandemic,” Tanisha said. “We were able to keep all of our students and staff safe, and we remain dedicated to safety and wellness for everyone who comes into our school.”

This partnership with the parents also extends to the communication that Tanisha personally oversees throughout the year to make sure everyone is up to date and aware of policies and events. Most recently, she sent a survey to her parents to find out their thoughts on the safety policies implemented as a result of the pandemic to help her determine next steps moving forward.

Continued on page 11

Dr. John Simmons and Dr. Robert French combine a blend of experience, wisdom and fresh new knowledge to affordably serve our patients with healthy, beautiful smiles.

Our experienced team provides 5 star service, personalized care, and an extraordinary commitment to your health and well-being.

Please join our family by scheduling a new patient exam!

Before

After

H e a lt H y • B e a u t i f u l • i n s p i r e d Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

John W. Simmons, IV, DMD, PC Robert J. French, DDS

2381-B Main Street East • Snellville, Georgia 30078 770-985-2437 • SmilesBySimmons.com

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

PAGE 5

EVENING & WEEKEND APPOINTMENTS

Our Town

Our Essential Drapery Program:

NOW ACCEPTING EVENING & WEEKEND APPOINTMENTS

· Priced Right! · Free, Instant Quotes · Same & Next Day Appts.

Gwinnett/Walton Community & Family Magazine

· Priced per Pair NOT Panel · Up to 240” in Length

Publisher/Owner Ryan T. Sauers Ryan@EndResultz.com

· Side Panels or Full Window · Choice of Select Fabrics · Multiple Header Styles Residential | Light Commercial Debora Barber Custom Window Treatments · Premium Fabrication Debora Barber Allied ASID Allied ASID Furniture · Designer Hardware 372.1952 (770) (770) 372.1952 Coupon Special: Coupon Special: Bedding off purchase. a $500 purchase. commoncraa@decoratingden.com commoncraa@decoratingden.com · Delivery & Installation Included $100 off$100 a $500 Wallcoverings York®www.commoncraa.decoratingden.com Promotion.

LimitedLimited Promotion. www.commoncraa.decoratingden.com · Fast Turnaround Times Floor Coverings · We Bring Samples to You! Lighting · Schedule Now: 770.372.1952 Accessories

Creative Director Elsie Olson Elsie@EndResultz.com

CUSTOMTREATMENTS WINDOW TREATMENTS | FURNITURE | WALLCOVERINGS & FLOOR COVERINGS | ACCESSORIES TOM WINDOW | FURNITURE | BEDDING| |BEDDING WALL & FLOOR | LIGHTING| LIGHTING | ACCESSORIES

Full Service Interior Design

www.commoncraftstudio.decoratingden.com

First Essential Drapery Pair $25 OFF

(770) 372.1952

Editor Catherine L. Osornio Editor@EndResultz.com Cover Photographer Aleen Karakashian Photography Distribution Coordinator Wendy Head

Feature Writers K. Coats NOW Kristen Eleveld ACCEPTING Amy Ney EVENING Tana Poncsak & WEEKEND Emily Rubin APPOINTMENTS Traci Sanders Beth Volpert Johansen Contributing Writers Bill Crane Tanisha Turner Pam Walker

— An EndResultz Media & Communications firm www.EndResultz.com Our Town Gwinnett is published and direct mailed to select homes in the Gwinnett /Walton 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.

Stay Connected!

OurTownGwinnett.com

OurTownGwinnettOnline.com @OurTownGwinnett @OurTownGwinnett @OurTownGwinnett

Join our VIP Group: www.facebook.com/groups/ OurTownGwinnettCommunityForum/ Radio: www.MarketingMattersShow.com TV: www.CommunityConnectionsTV.com

IN THIS ISSUE Service When It Fits Your Schedule!

Broken Spring Replacement ✓ Annual Maintenance ✓ Door Silencing Packages ✓ Garage Door Repair CUSTOMRepair WINDOW TREATMENTS | FURNITURE | WALLCOVERINGS & FLOOR COVERINGS | ACCESSORIES ✓ Opener CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS | FURNITURE | BEDDING| |BEDDING WALL & FLOOR | LIGHTING| LIGHTING | ACCESSORIES ✓ Certified Technicians ✓ 20 years Experience ✓ Locally & Family Owned

5 On the Cover: Getting to the Heart of Education with Primrose School at

✓

7 8 8 Debora Barber 8 Debora Barber Allied ASID Allied ASID 9 HERE WHEN YOU NEED US! 372.1952 10 (770) (770) 372.1952 Coupon Special: Coupon Special: $100 off a $500 purchase. commoncraa@decoratingden.com 10 $100 off a $500 purchase. commoncraa@decoratingden.com Limited Promotion.

Limited Promotion. www.commoncraa.decoratingden.com 11 www.commoncraa.decoratingden.com 14 15 17 17 19 19 19 Present Coupon for 20 $20 Off! 21 22

770-965-8973

PAGE 6

Sugarloaf Parkway-East From the Publisher: Ryan’s Remarks Learning Lessons: It’s All About Balance Summer Reading: Looking to End the Summer with a Great Book?

Back-to-School: Help Your Kids Transition into the New School Year Hometown Brag: Getting to Know Marcel Graham SportsTalk: 2021 Fall Middle School Golf League One Man’s Opinion: The One with Barclay Phoenix Gardens: Supporting Local Food Systems Grayson Spotlight: Shakespeare in the Park Returns Come Clean Gwinnett: Citizens Involved in Litter Cleanups Gardening with Purpose Exciting Things in the Works for Snellville Read-Able Reopens with Learning and Fun Gwinnett Tool Depot: Rebuilding Gwinnett One Tool at a Time Show Your Ride for the Ribbons The Case of the Traveling Yearbook Gwinnett Christian Terrace – Overcoming COVID Travel Tales: Are You Ready for International Travel?

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Veteran Electric

From the Publisher:

blishers Column: Ryan’s Remarks Ryan T. SauersRemarks Ryan’s

Free Estimates • Residential/Commercial

By Ryan T. Sauers

Bobby Albritton

llo OUR TOWN community. It has been an unprecedented (if that is a strong enough word) + months. @RyanSauers This means our@RyanTSauers communication @RyanTSauers skills have likely been impacted in some way. ce I am Hello askedOUR so TOWN much community. about thisIttopic, I am going to share some ideas. has been an unprecedented

(if that is a strong enough word) 16 + months. This means our communication skills have likely been impacted in some way. e communications process a key of every Since I am asked so muchis about thiscomponent topic, I am going to shareaspect of our lives. Organizations are some ideas. and our communications patterns are complex. Therefore, my goal here is mprised of people The communications process is a key component everyTo do this, we must strive to achieve all to become better communicators in all parts ofoflife. aspect of our lives. Organizations are comprised of people and our communications patterns maximum level Therefore, of efficiency and effectiveness in our communications. are complex. my goal here is for all to become better communicators in all parts of life. To do this, we must strive to achieve the maximum level of efficiency and effectiveness in communications. te: theour 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.

Master Licensed Electrician

404-519-8635

bgalbritton@live.com

Choice Education Academy n Monday and Wednesdays 9 am to 1 pm n Full Time Accredited School n Credit Recovery n Accepts Special Ed. Students n Graduate Early 271 South Culver ST. Ste. A • Lawrenceville, GA 30046

470-514-5525 • nancyg@ceaschool.com

Our world is noisy, has a short attention span, and moves rapidly in nature. Also, it has been isolated, masked, remote, distanced, and more. In consulting/coaching, I ask people what level of “competence” they believe their communication is in. Most have not spent time thinking r worldabout is noisy, hasaska how short attention span, and moves in nature.

Also, it has been this. I then effective and efficient they are.

Today,rapidly I am asking you the same thing.

Let’s look at four common stages ofand communication development. lated, masked, remote, distanced, more. In consulting/coaching, I ask people what level Continued on page 16 not spent time thinking

of

ompetence” they believe their communication is in. Most have about You do have s. I then ask how effective and efficient they are. Today, I am asking you the same thing. Let’s a choice, k at four common stages of communication development.

Corporate, let it be us!

Weddings, e first stage is referred to as the unconsciously incompetent segment. In this stage, a person is aware of what he knows. ManySchools, people think they know more than they do and tend to and erestimate their overall knowledge, skills, and abilities of communications. This can be (if Special Events meone is not coached) quite dangerous.

(Our buffets are served using e second stage of communicationsSneeze is thatGuard of being consciously incompetent. In this stage, a Shields) Full Service Catering son is now aware of how much he does or does not know. It is during this second level that a and Event Customized son realizes his orPlanning her need to learn, grow, and Boxed improve, and is no longer “over-confident.”

Breakfasts, Boxed Lunches, 770-934-8338 office 404-630-5405 direct Boxed Salads, and Dinners

One-on-One Individualized Care… for All of Your Physical Therapy Needs!

www.partiesgalore.com Five Star Rating on Google and Yelp Contact us at info@partiesgalore.com

Check us out on Facebook and Instagram

@partiesgalorecatering

Present Coupon for

10% OFF on any service $500 or more

Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

20 Grayson New Hope Rd., Grayson, GA 30017 770-554-7977 promotionpt.com Post-surgical care v Chronic Pain v Headaches v TMD v Fibromyalgia v Balance issues Visit our website to learn about our wellness services.

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

PAGE 7

Learning Lessons: It’s All About Balance

By Tanisha Turner

Children start learning from the moment they are born, soaking up information from observing, discovering, and eventually exploring the world around them. Research shows that the first five years of a child’s life hold the most potential for development. During this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for learning, parents, caregivers, and educators can help children build a foundation for future success by providing a rich balance of learning experiences.

“The first five years are the best time to engage children’s minds and help them develop skills that will allow them to thrive later on in life,” says Gloria Julius, Ed.D., vice president of education and professional development at Primrose Schools. “There is no one-size-fits-all approach to teaching and learning, so an ideal learning environment for young children balances purposeful play with nurturing guidance from adults and offers a variety of experiences.”

Learning occurs as children play freely and interact with their environment, as well as through guidance and modeling by adults. Childcare and preschool environments that blend both approaches to learning while balancing different skills and subjects – from science to music to lessons in kindness – help ensure every child reaches his or her full potential.

Of course, learning is not limited to the classroom. The following fun at-home activities also nurture important skills and developmental areas for little ones. Best of all, you can do them together!

Exercise decision-making and critical thinking skills by playing with puzzles together. Let your child try out different pieces rather than showing him or her the right ones.

Build language and literacy skills by writing a story with your little one. Let your child add the illustrations and contribute to the storyline.

Develop important motor skills by tossing a ball with your child or chasing each other in a game of tag. Being active together helps children build a love for physical activity.

Explore science and nutrition by planting a fruit and vegetable garden together. Your child’s natural curiosity will spark questions and exploration as the planted seeds grow and transform.

Model important character traits, such as compassion, kindness, and generosity, for your child. Volunteer at your local animal shelter or share veggies from your garden with a neighbor so your child can witness and learn firsthand the joy of giving back.

Every experience can be a learning opportunity for children. Encourage them to explore, observe, investigate, and ask questions. Allow lots of time for play and provide guidance along the way to take learning to the next level.

Tanisha Turner is Owner of Primrose School at Sugarloaf Parkway. More information at www.PrimroseSugarloafParkway.com

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

By Tana Poncsak

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.

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 soon 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

PAGE 8

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.

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.

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Hometown Brag: Getting to Know Marcel Graham

AUGUST AUGUST

By K. Coats

The career survey seems pretty universal among American middle schools. Students answer many preference and informational questions, and a magical list of suitable career fields is generated. I’ll admit I never paid them much attention. My sister’s friend once scored a suggested career of “clown.”

She cried. A lot. But South Gwinnett High School class of 2011 alumnus Marcel Graham thought differently. “When I was in the 7th grade at Snellville Middle School,” he remembers, “one of my teachers took the class to the computer lab to complete a careers builder survey. My results said being a pilot was in my top three best-fitting jobs.”

And, unlike most of us, Graham thought seriously about the suggestion. “I said to myself that would be cool, and I can do that,” he continues. “So, I stuck with it ever since.”

From there, Graham took advantage of the Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) Maxwell High School of Technology and their Aircraft Flight Operations program, which was taught by retired Delta Air Lines Captain Kenneth Phelps. “This class was my first big step in my career field that gave me more hands-on experience than I ever imagined,” Graham explains. “From learning the aircraft, flying the simulators, and taking job fair field trips, I couldn’t have wanted anymore.” The Maxwell High School of Technology has a unique place in the GCPS system that is irreplaceable and helps prepare students for some pretty wonderful career fields with hands-on experiences.

During his high school years, when not using flight simulators, Graham was very active outdoors. “During my time in high school, I ran track as well as playing football at the same time,” he recalls. “I also spent some time volunteering and tutoring on off days.” But he also took advantage of Gwinnett County’s generous parks and countryside. Graham says, “I used to spend a lot of time outdoors. I owned an ATV and a dirt bike and would hit the trails daily to explore and relax my mind. I was also into hiking, biking, swimming, wakeboarding, and camping.

Anything that kept me outside was right up my alley.” And he has pushed that love of outdoors so far as to leave the ground itself behind. “It is pretty cool seeing the world from 37,000 feet in the air,” he admits. “I’ve seen stellar views such as the Great Lakes, Grand Canyon, national parks, and mountain ranges.” That’s a far cry from Lenora Park!

In fact, Graham attributes everything he’s experienced as leading up to his current situation. “I always knew I wanted to be a pilot, and I kept a laser focus on achieving that dream,” he says. “I always kept an open mind about which company I would end up working for or even where I would potentially live. I made sure nothing distracted me from my end goal. Every past experience was a learning event that helped shape me into the person I am today.” And with that in mind, Graham would go on to attend Middle Georgia State University and officially became a pilot in 2017. Currently, he is a Captain at SkyWest Airlines on the Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) out of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

And Graham is still as much in love with his career as he was four years ago. “How many jobs provide you the opportunity to get paid to travel to a city at any given time while enjoying yourself?” he asks. But the skies aren’t always friendly, and Graham acknowledges that responsibility. “While we mostly have great days and blue skies, we also can have rough weather or mechanical issue days as well,” he explains. “Everything falls on my shoulders to be able to cultivate the talents of my team while inspiring all to strive for greatness as we are a customerfocused industry.” When asked about the best part of his job, Graham echoes the common understanding – everyone loves a uniform. “I think the best part of being an airline pilot is putting on the uniform,” he says. “There is a level of professionalism that is unmatched by any other Continued on page 22

Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Time fertilize your Time toto fertilize your warm-season turf and get rid of those peskyget warm-season turf and summer weeds. pesky summer rid of those Be proactive in helping your weeds. landscape plants thrive and ensure they reach their full potential with Be proactive in helping your our Plant Health Care program. landscape plants thrive and ensure they reach their full Now Offering potential with our Plant Mosquito Health Care program.

Control!

Same-Day Free Estimates $25.00First FirstLawn LawnTreatment Treatment $25.00

Lawn Care

FirstPlant PlantHealth HealthCare Care$10 $10OFF OFF First

Custom Fertilization And Weed Control Programs

Lawn Care

Plant Health Custom fertilization and weed Care control programs Fertilization, Disease And Insect Control

PlantInsect HealthControl Care Lawn

Fertilization, and insect control Fire Ant, disease Flea, Tick, Grub Worms

Locally Owned Owned And Locally and Operated Smaller company, Company, bigger Bigger service Service Smaller

SIMPLY GREEN GREEN SIMPLY Lawn Care Care PLUS PLUS Lawn

770-923-0387 770-923-0387

Your Lawn. Our Passion.

Passion. simplygreenlawncare.com simplygreenlawncare.com

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

PAGE 9

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.

PAGE 10

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 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 self-guided 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 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

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Phoenix Gardens: Supporting Local Food Systems

By Beth Volpert Johansen

The word “Gardening” brings to mind many things. In the South, gardens come in a variety of sizes and capacities. Some families can trace the items they plant through generations here in the South, while newer efforts by more recently arrived residents help their traditional favorites push their tendrils through our hard red clay. No matter where the seeds, plants, or cuttings originated, one thing is true: the post-pandemic world has opened up new ideas and thoughts on local food systems.

Brennan and Gwendolyn Washington first established their Lawrenceville farm in 2005.

Rising from two significant challenges – skirting the progress of the Sugarloaf Parkway as well as a devastating house fire in 2015 – Phoenix Gardens has risen from the ashes to become a model for educating others about how to be more locally connected to primary food sources.

“From the beginning, we set out to grow wholesome food in a sustainable manner,” says the couple on their website. “We use no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. We grow a wide range of vegetables, herbs, and fruit at our farm.”

In addition to growing food, Gwendolyn and Brennan help nurture the ideas behind growing food systems, mentoring new farmers and those interested in expanding their sustainable farming efforts. As the 1890 Land Grant Liaison and Limited-resource/Minority Farmer Outreach Specialist for Southern Sustainable Agriculture Resource and Education, Brennan works with the University of Georgia and other Southern institutions to bring agriculture education directly to those who will benefit from his outreach. “My job, until the pandemic, involved a good bit of travel,” explains Brennan. “We had to figure out a way to reach our farmers and continue education and relationship-building despite the restrictions on travel.”

Working behind a computer more than behind the wheel gave both Brennan and Gwendolyn time for pause and reflection on how the pandemic brought the idea of food insecurity and vulnerability to light. Knowing that the key to education begins very young, Brennan and Gwendolyn continued to offer their farm as a place for families to connect with the soil and learn how to begin growing food. “My heart went out to parents – not only having to deal with their own lives, but also the upheaval this pandemic took on the children,” says Brennan.

“Watching people, especially children transform once they really get outside and plant something is very satisfying.”

As the Washingtons begin once more to rise from another challenging circumstance, their post-pandemic plans are beginning to take form. A chance meeting with Blake Hawkins of the new Farmacy local food market in Grayson, began what appears to be a match made in, well, Georgia.

“One of the best parts of living in the Atlanta Metro Area is that we are doing such a great job with local food sourcing that we are becoming a model for other areas,” explains Brennan. “However, one place I think that the local food sourcing movement has dropped the ball is in more permanent retail establishments. Blake’s vision for Farmacy will go a long way toward showing how all of this comes together in a sustainable agricultural model.”

Brennan and Gwendolyn are anxiously anticipating the reception of their local farm goods, of which Gwendolyn presides over with extreme care and a very green thumb. “All of my years in customer service has allowed me to provide the most amazing personal service to old and new customers, which helps our local food systems to thrive,” says Gwendolyn. Moreover, when the food systems thrive, people thrive.

As to the future, Brennan is looking toward children to secure local food systems in the South.

He will continue to travel to bring education and encouragement to places that need the support for a more robust urban, suburban, and rural agrarian culture. “I think we are not reaching down far enough,” says Brennan. “We do a good job teaching children about where food comes from, but we wait until they are older to teach them to consider agriculture as a career. We need to identify kids with interests and a knack for growing things much earlier on and encourage their interests.”

Brennan and Gwendolyn certainly have a love for all things farming – except maybe the tomato horn-worm – and even that creature is worthy of study by a curious child. “Finding new ways to reach others by way of education is one positive thing that has come from this pandemic,” says Brennan. “It shows that anything can be a learning experience.”

More information at https://southern.sare.org/grants/

Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Primrose School at Sugarloaf Parkway-East

Continued from page 5

“Parents are grateful to have a voice in these decisions,” said Tanisha. “And I am grateful to be able to hear from the community.”

Community is another core part of the program at Primrose at Sugarloaf Parkway-East, and even the pandemic did not stop the staff, parents, and students from finding new ways to meet the needs of the people around them. Whether it was asking parents to send in supplies to donate to the Southeastern Gwinnett Co-op Ministry, coordinating teachers to work with the 7 Bridges program in Atlanta to bring aid to those struggling with homelessness, or getting the preschool students to assist in packing lunches for local children, everyone at Primrose is part of making their community a kinder, more helpful place.

A huge part of the success of these endeavors is that everyone is so willing to pitch in. Parents are always happy to lend a helping hand when needed, and even the younger students at the school are excited to be given a task that allows them to play a part in making a difference.

“Children have such a big heart for everybody and anybody,” said Tanisha. “They love to love people!”

Loving people is what Primrose School at Sugarloaf Parkway-East does best – and they are still accepting enrollments if you are interested in finding excellent care and education for your little one. The school operates year-round and even offers after-care for older students up to 12 years old. So, if you are looking for a way to have peace of mind for the rest of your summer, you can start and end with Primrose.

More information at www.primroseschools.com/schools/sugarloaf-parkway-east/ or call (770) 513-0066

Mellow Mushroom Snellville

770.736.9396 Join our E-Club at mellowmushroom.com for special offers & deals Text Mellow86 to 47377 for updates & free stuff!

Dining In hours: Sunday-Thursday open till 9pm Friday and Saturday open till 4pm

Order Online at mellowmushroom.com/order to pick up or for delivery!

Curbside and delivery available all hours of operation.

Check us out on

@mmsnellville.

2000 East Main Street Snellville, GA 30078

$1 off a Small $2 off a Medium Pizza or Calzone.

Pizza.

Coupons cannot be combined with other offers.

Expires 8-31-21

Coupons cannot be combined with other offers.

Expires 8-31-21

$3 off a Large Pizza.

Coupons cannot be combined with other offers.

Expires 8-31-21

Introducing

Dr. Priya Arcot-Joshi, D.O.

Dr. Priya Arcot-Joshi is a board certified family practice and obesity medicine physician.

She helps patients prevent, understand and manage acute and chronic illness. Her focus is to empower patients by giving them tools to stay healthy and recover from illness.

Your Health is in Good Hands with our Family

Mahon Family Medicine

1786 Oak Rd Suite B • Snellville, GA 30078

MahonFamilyMedicine@Gmail.com 770-925-2526 • 770-921-1770

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

PAGE 11

Presidential Relocation Services

Putting

Pursuing Excellence For All Your Moving Needs • Our mission since day one has always been to offer an unmatched, high level of service to our customers.

• We take pride in the fact that we are known for treating our customers with respect, sending crews that are well trained and equipped to offer personal and professional service, and an in-home or virtual consultation with every potential client.

Custom “True service to be honest! best. Thanks

• We build lasting relationships with our customers so that there is no other company, but PRS, to consider when additional services are required or recommended.

“I am a rea/to I called Presid handled her n I will now reco

• Our pricing is straight forward, and our quotes are all inclusive, therefore, there is no guessing game as to what the final cost will be.

“Moving a ba impeccable c floors, or wall Relocation Se

678-743-6377 • info@presidentialrelocation.com PAGE 12

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

People Before Profits

mer Satisfaction

professionals, true care and precision, just incredible human beings We would have been Jost without PRS during our move! Simply the again for being Rockstars!” -Bartolemeo

or, and I have never been more impressed with a moving company. dential to handle the move for my most difficult client yet. They needs with the utmost professionalism and respect for her belongings. ommend this company to all my clients and rea/tor friends.” - Parker

aby grand piano is not an easy task, but the PRS crew showed care in the process. Not a single scratch or damage to furniture, ls were made and the house was left clean. Thank you, Presidential ervices, for giving us a 5 star move!” -Michelle

A word from our founder…

Grant Brondyke I always wanted to own a business one day, but never dreamed it would be a moving company. I started PRS as a senior in college after previously working for a moving company. I felt that the industry needed an overhaul. I saved every penny I could, surrounded myself with wise businesspeople, got my licenses, and opened my doors for business! My desire is to make serving others our top priority. We cannot look at the competition and say we do things better; we look at the competition and say we HAVE to do things different. I want PRS to be known by our reputation of being trustworthy, dependable, hardworking, and respectful.

Visit our website at presidentialrelocation.com Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

PAGE 13

Grayson Spotlight: Shakespeare in the Park Returns

By K. Coats

It’s summer, and if you went to Grayson Park during the weekday evenings anytime this June or July, you probably saw a strange sight: people running around the ampavilion yelling “thee” and “thou” and a lot of other words both strange and familiar. But of course, they were there last summer as well. And the summer before that. That’s because for the third summer in a row, Grayson Shakespeare in the Park has returned! They added the comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona to their repertoire, joining A Midsummer Night’s Dream from 2019, and The Taming of the Shrew and The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet in 2020. This year had a lot of new faces as well as a healthy amount of returning folks.

The 2021 production was co-directed by brothers Drew and Tyler Kenyon. For Tyler, the idea of Shakespeare is far from outdated. He explained, “William Shakespeare wrote 37+ plays that timelessly continue to present themselves in today’s society. The Lion King, She’s the Man, West Side Story and so many other films have drawn on Shakespeare’s genius in playwriting

Know someone who deserves an act of kindness?

REACH INITIATIVE Our Reach Initiative will award a deserving family or organization with a donation, hands-on assistance or a complimentary project before the end of the year!

Who will you nominate?

Nominations close Aug 31

AMS Financial

We Finance!

SCAN HERE OR VISIT CEPAINTCOMPANY.COM/REACH

Exterior Painting?

We've got you covered!

PAINTING | REPAIRS | GUTTERS | PRESSURE WASHING

PAGE 14

to bring such stories to a modern audience.” In fact, it’s that timelessness that he finds most appealing.

“It also allows for a beautiful historic moment,” he added, “where audiences in 2021 can share in the enjoyment and laughter of a show that was enjoyed by people in the late 16th and early 17th Centuries.”

And many of the cast would agree. Nathan Ray plays the character Proteus, and said, “I really enjoy the rhythm and style of Shakespeare’s plays. It’s really fun to figure out how it works both as a play and as poetry.” Zach Connor plays the character Valentine and echoed Nathan’s sentiments. “It is challenging,” Zach said, “because of the complex wording, but each time you have a practice, each line makes more and more sense and you really get a great understanding of the production; and that is something very intriguing and unique about Shakespeare.”

That sense of understanding and appreciation is one of the things Tyler was hoping to transfer to the audience. “The biggest compliment a director can receive after months of hard work,” he said, “is to stand in the back of an audience and watch as they are captivated by the show. Seeing audience members laugh, grumble, and react to the characters as they follow the story scene to scene says more than any one compliment can express.”

And as the number of productions increases over the years, the troupe keeps growing. For some, it’s an opportunity to pick up an old pastime. “I haven’t done much acting since I graduated from college,” Nathan said, “and it’s nice to get back into it in a low-pressure setting.” Returning troupe member Greg Field also said, “I love acting! This surprises most of my students because they don’t see how a math teacher could enjoy acting. If they only knew that that is what I am doing each and every day of the school year. I am performing while I teach. Shakespeare in the Park simply takes that and makes it more ‘official’ by being placed on a stage.”

For Julia Byrne, who coincidentally plays the character Julia, it was a continuation of what she already does. “I’m an artist in residence at STE(A)M Truck and a theatre generalist (playwriting, directing, performing, etc.),” she explained. For Zack, it was an opportunity to gain experience in his future career as an actor.

As far as the production itself, The Two Gentlemen of Verona isn’t as widely known as some of the other comedies. Tyler explained why this piece was selected. He said, “Two Gents is one of the first plays Shakespeare ever wrote, and certainly one of the first comedies, which allows it to hold a special place in the heart of any Shakespeare fan.”

Julia saw the lack of familiarity as a good thing. “This play specifically comes with very little baggage,” she said. “It’s not very well known, so everyone comes with fewer expectations and the discoveries are more authentic.” Greg was particularly pleased with his unique role in this production. “For me personally,” he said, “I am SO excited to play a role that is not typically ‘me.’ Most shows/productions have a father figure or an old man, and I can easily be cast in such a role. Lance is VERY different than that, and I looked forward to the challenge of playing a character that was so unlike any I have ever played before.” And speaking of challenges, the youngest cast member, ten-year-old Lucy Coats, also played an unconventional role as Crab the dog.

But pulling off a Shakespeare play outside comes with its own challenges. However, that doesn’t stop the Brothers Kenyon from giving each production their all. Tyler explained the unique challenges that come with outdoor summer productions. “Georgia tends to have summers full of unforgiving heat,” he said, “which can make rehearsals unbearable at times for us as well as the actors. The time of year also brings its own challenges as many are off living their vacations to the fullest, leaving us with the challenge of putting together a rehearsal schedule that accommodates everyone’s personal lives. That being said, we wouldn’t trade it for the world, as we see the challenges as the unique part of summer Shakespeare!”

When asked how this year’s production compared to previous ones, Tyler answered, “Our previous two summer productions have been period pieces set in the 1970s and 1945 with costumes, music, and set to accommodate for the themed settings. This year’s production catered to a more simplistic style, taking a modern setting and basic set to tell the story without any ‘grand display’ to hide behind.” In fact, the main bit of staging for this production was a catwalk that allowed actors and audience to blend and provide a more immersive experience.

The cast echoes the sentiments of Julia as she said, “First, I hope [the people] enjoyed themContinued on page 20

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Come Clean Gwinnett: Citizens Involved in Litter Cleanups

By Emily Rubin

One morning earlier this year, a handful of citizens gathered to clean a heavily littered road in Snellville. After a few hours of teamwork, volunteers had hauled in forty-four bags of trash and seven tires. The cleanup that day sparked an idea – why not expand this to the rest of Gwinnett?

That evening, Gwinnett residents Laura Hernandez, Glori Hunter, Chad Livsey, and Donna and Dennis Swessel messaged one other and decided to create Come Clean Gwinnett, a group on Facebook, to empower other neighbors to tackle direct action on litter and blight.

“It was pretty spontaneous,” Laura said. “It began that evening, that spontaneously.”

Just two months after the group was created, it had reached over 1,400 members. The group has had over 200 cleanups and have picked up almost 2,000 bags of trash, hundreds of tires, and hundreds of illegal road signs.

Because the group is so new, no patterns can be found in the frequency or locations of trash yet. Right now, the biggest issues are roadside litter and illegal dumping.

Along with roadside cleanups, the group organizes what they refer to as “deep cleaning,” where members venture into the woods or into waterways to pull large items that have been dumped.

Mattresses, sofas, and tires are among the items removed during cleanups. Laura says many of those items have been sitting for quite a while.

“Our cleanups sometimes pull in more than 50 bags of litter, sometimes more than 100 bags of litter, along with lots of tires and usually a mattress or sofa or two,” Laura said. “It’s been some pretty intensive cleanups that are needed right now.”

The most common items found are single-use disposable plastic. A Gwinnett Recycles Litter report from April 2021 shows that the top three plastic products in litter found in Gwinnett over the past nine months are plastic bottles, plastic bags, and snack wrappers. Other items the cleanup crews have found are motor oil, electronics, and lightbulbs.

Glori, an admin of Come Clean Gwinnett, believes an unclean environment diminishes quality of life for those who live, work, and play in the community.

“It doesn’t feel good to be greeted with trash,” she said. Glori feels trash in the community lowers the quality of life for those in it. Cleaning up the community not only improves the quality of life, but the home values in the area as well.

“I think it’s important to have a clean community because it instills pride and ownership,” Glori explained, adding that cleaning up the environment can have great lasting impacts if done correctly.

“I think that definitely as a practice it’s really best for residents to have easy, super accessible, super convenient ways to dispose of waste of all kinds; otherwise, you invite trouble in how it gets disposed of,” Laura said. “Personally, I feel that in addition to convenient, low-cost trash disposal and curbside recycling, we also need a lot more recycling and hazardous waste recycling sites all around the county.”

Currently, the only publicly accessible recycling center in Gwinnett County is the Snellville Recycling Center. The center accepts hard to recycle items that are not accepted by curbside pickup such as glass and electronics, but getting there could be a long drive for those who live elsewhere in Gwinnett.

Continued on page 22

678-469-1599 | scottpressurewash@gmail.com

now Open Sundays

Bloody and Mimosa Bar Saturdays and Sundays

144 E Crogan St, Lawrenceville, GA 30046 770-338-9274 • info@socialoncrogan.com

Working Hours: Sun - Thu: 11:00am - 12 am • Fri- Sat: 11 am - 2 am Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

PAGE 15

Ryan’s Remarks Continued from page 7 The first stage is referred to as the unconsciously incompetent segment. In this stage, a person is not aware of what he knows. Many people think they know more than they do and tend to overestimate their overall knowledge, skills, and abilities of communications. This can be (if someone is not coached) quite dangerous.

The second stage of communications is that of being consciously incompetent. In this stage, a person is now aware of how much he does or does not know. It is during this second level that a 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

PAGE 16

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!

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Exciting Things in the Works for Snellville

By Traci Sanders

Gardening with Purpose

By Amy Ney

When Beth Arechiga began attending Grace New Hope Church a few years back, she said she was admiring all the fallow land and empty greenhouses when she felt God speaking to her. “I asked Pastor Randy (Rainwater) if we could utilize the space for a community garden and he said, ‘Of course!’ and that’s how we got started.” Today, Arechiga is the Administrator of the Organic Community Garden at the church.

Unlike many community gardens that have sprung up over the area, the Organic Garden is a true collaboration of many groups in the Grayson Area. “The Master Gardener for Lovin Elementary, Kathie Kellie, lives next door to me and was explaining about her aquaponics program the school was granted,” Arechiga says. “We realized our Organic Garden could benefit from the plants and fish after their time in the schools.” The sheriff’s office also wanted to partner with the garden. “They provide a lot of workforce for the community garden in their time off,” she explains. Mercer, the University of Georgia, and the Archer Cluster all have had a hand in making the garden a success. “Even community businesses such as The Grower’s Outlet have donated surplus materials to make the garden a true community project,” Arechiga adds.

A Master Gardener, Arechiga moved to Georgia over twenty-five years ago from California, right after the birth of her sixth child. “It was a bit of a long path to get to here and what I do today,” she reveals. She was a stay-at-home mom, then worked as a manager for small-box stores. When her daughter had their grandson, Eli who has special needs, Arechiga quit her job to help with his care. She remembers, “When he was small, he would sit for hours while I worked in the garden, watching the trees; and then when he was older, gardening himself. He loves to be outside.”

Arechiga’s s work with the garden has earned it two grants. Last year, they were able to establish a pollinator and native plant program. “This year, the Food Well Alliance, which partners with Atlanta Food Bank, is helping us build senior and handicap accessible [garden] beds. It is really my passion to work with disabled adults,” Arechiga confides. “There is so much evidence this garden is God’s garden. All the connections have been remarkable. He’s shown up repeatedly and done miracles here.”

And it is her trust in God’s plan that directs Arechiga on how the direction of the Organic Garden should follow. “I don’t know, but I expect there will be free food and maybe there will be a plant sale,” she shares. “God has taken over this space. He will make it blossom! I am really so proud that God likes what we are doing here. He has been in this, connecting people the whole time.”

Finding volunteers has been the greatest challenge in the garden. “There are over two acres of pastureland, the garden, and the greenhouse,” she says. “That is a lot of work. We can always use people.” She explains she does not even need other gardeners, but just people. She can teach volunteers how. “I love the Organic Garden,” she says, “and how it is an extension of the church and an opportunity to serve and be in the community.”

More information at IamtheBeth@comcst.net or Patrick@gft.tv.

Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

A joint venture between CASTO and MIDCITY is pleased to announce that it has closed on the purchase of the land for Phase I of The Grove at Towne Center with the City of Snellville.

Construction on the project’s $85 million first phase commenced in March. General contractors Hodges & Hicks, Fortune-Johnson, and Winter Construction, TSW Architects, and Place Makers Design, along with architects Dynamik and Smallwood are leading the construction and design of the Towne Center. The project is expected to deliver in the fall of 2022.

In addition to closing on the land, the CASTO/MIDCITY JV also closed on its loan with US Bank, leaving only the continuation of construction and securing the ideal mix of tenants. This process is already well underway.

The Grove at Towne Center’s first phase will include over 50,000 square feet of shopping, dining, recreation, and business space. The Grove at Towne Center will also offer residential opportunities, a new Gwinnett County Library, a special use Mercantile Building, and significant common areas including The Grove town green. Two hundred sixty-two multi-family luxury apartments in The Grove will feature an upscale living experience that will appeal to a wide range of ages and life stages that wish to enjoy the convenience and luxury of an urban lifestyle. Offering walking access to retail, dining, the greenway system, and more, these apartments will combine the best of modern convenience with a quiet, peaceful setting.

Atlanta-based Place Maker Design has been tapped by Mayor and Council to design the Mercantile building, a unique city market planned for The Grove at Towne Center. By a 6-0 vote, Mayor and Council agreed to pay the firm $118,500 for its services to create a signature, 25,000 square-foot, two-floor building that will be a centerpiece of The Grove. Place Maker Design has designed prominent buildings in Woodstock, Alpharetta, and Atlanta, among other locations.

Costs cover schematic design, design development, and construction document services of the $6 million project. Also included are architectural, civil engineering, structural engineering, mechanical, plumbing, electrical engineering services, and administration services.

The design will be completed by late summer in time to start construction this fall. It is scheduled to open in September of 2022. A city market eatery concept will be offered on the first floor, while event space will be offered on the second level.

“Every item we check off the list brings us one day closer to seeing The Grove at Towne Center open to our community,” said Mayor Barbara Bender. “It’s especially exciting to see physical evidence of this long-awaited project now that construction has begun!”

While Snellville residents await this development to be completed, several upcoming concerts can be enjoyed. There will be a Zac Brown Tribute event called 20-RIDE on August 21st from 7 to 9 p.m. And Purple Madness – Prince Tribute and Timeless Tina (a Tribute to Tina Turner) – will take place on September 18th from 6 to 9 p.m.

Attendees can reserve a table at a concert for six people for $125. Tables are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. More information at www.experiencesnellville.com.

In addition to these events, the award-winning Snellville Farmers’ Market takes place each Saturday on the Green from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through the end of September.

Public Information Officer for the City of Snellville, Brian Arrington, stated, “As you can see, we are coming out of the COVID-19 doldrums and are looking forward to getting everyone back to normal – which includes all the fun they are used to on the Towne Green.”

More information at www.snellville.org/the-towne-center-snellville.

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

PAGE 17

let’s get

peachy

Celebrate National Peach Month!

Come in for a personal tour of our community ANY WEDNESDAY IN AUGUST and we’ll send you home with a freshly baked peach dessert, so you can experience the delicious flavors from The Sheridan at Eastside.

RSVP at 678-841-0030

INDEPENDENT LIVING | ASSISTED LIVING | MEMORY CARE 1900 TREE LANE | SNELLVILLE, GA 30078 SHERIDANEASTSIDE.COM

PAGE 18

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Read-Able Reopens with Learning and Fun

By Kristen Eleveld

For almost a decade, Read-Able Learning Clinic has made a difference for families in Gwinnett and beyond as they seek ways to help children succeed both academically and socially. Now, after working virtually during the pandemic, the Read-Able team is back in person forging ahead with new opportunities for students to build success.

Read-Able Clinic started out as a solution to a problem that Dr. Kate Crews saw over and over again: kids were struggling with reading problems that required in-dept assessment and specialized intervention. Now, thanks to the expert team at Read-Able, students with learning disabilities, dyslexia, autism, ADHD, Down Syndrome, and other challenges receive evidence-based instruction tailored to their individual needs. Read-Able also helps parents address the behaviors that negatively impact students at home and school.

“We are open in person, and it feels good!” said Nancy, who provides counseling and attention training for students aged 4 to 15. “Many of our students need movement and sensory input to self-regulate and benefit from instruction. Children are often told to ‘Pay attention’ when they do not have the tools to do that.”

In the clinic, the patients benefit from Read-Able’s multi-sensory approach, which combines cognitive material with motor activities in two fully-equipped sensory rooms.

This year is an especially exciting one because the Read-Able team is welcoming a new therapist to their staff – Reece C. Jennings, MT-BC. Reece is providing music therapy to small groups throughout the year, enhancing the work they are doing with Nancy and Dr. Kate. In fact, Reece and Dr. Kate have been collaborating on a new project for the summer, which they have named Books and Beats. This program is designed to help kids work on their reading skills through music. To add even more fun to the summer, each week of Books and Beats has a different theme: Jungle, Space, Yummy Foods, Dinosaurs, and Silly Stories.

Aside from small groups, Reece also offers individual music therapy and adaptive lessons for students with special needs, focusing on fun first, but also self-regulation and personal accomplishment.

Looking to the future, Read-Able Clinic is planning small groups for children with similar learning or social struggles, as well as a group for young adults with developmental disabilities to continue life-long learning. The Read-Able team wants to give students as many opportunities as possible to practice their social skills through guided social relationships.

With a master’s degree in reading and a doctorate in special education, Dr. Kate has a professional resume that is extraordinary. She is trained in Orton-Gillingham for dyslexia and in DIR FloorTime for Autism. She also has advanced training in Story Grammar Marker, a kinesthetic, hands-on method using icons to mark the parts of a story to present an oral or written narrative. Dr. Kate is a firm believer that not all methods work for all students, which is why she places so much focus on staying up-to-date on current research and evidence-based methods of instruction.

“There are so many kids I see who are incredibly gifted, but they are labeled as being lazy or low-performing because of their reading difficulties,” said Dr. Kate. “It’s our job to find out why this student is having trouble, and then come up with a research-based plan to help him or her work through it.”

It’s no surprise that Dr. Kate also spends time advocating for the students she teaches, working with their teachers in public and private schools, and helping parents navigate the Individual Education Plan (IEP) that many students already have.

“At Read-Able, we want to partner with local schools to build a strong support net for students who are struggling with core skills, as well as emotional and behavioral challenges,” said Dr. Kate.

A licensed clinical social worker, Nancy can always be found working with children who need guidance in sensory regulation, attention, and behavioral skills. She uses computer-based biofeedback/neurofeedback for attention training and self-regulation and offers solutions for handling emotions, following directions, and interpersonal communication. In addition to the academic demands of school, many students are dealing with issues related to adoption, divorce, frequent moves, and self-esteem. Nancy helps parents interpret difficult behavior to address the emotional needs of their children and teens and to reduce family conflict.

“Our services keep getting better,” said Nancy. “We are always looking for more effective methods that will help us guide these students through their challenges.”

More information at https://readablelearningclinic.com/ or call 678-697-6049.

Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Gwinnett Tool Depot: Rebuilding Gwinnett One Tool at a Time

By Traci Sanders

The pandemic of 2020 forced millions of people to start working from home. More time at home with the family also resulted in many more homeimprovement projects. Jennifer and Gabriel Gann saw a great opportunity to help locals in their DIY efforts.

Gabriel had an extensive career in management in the telecommunications industry for over twenty-six years. Jennifer has over fifteen years of experience in DIY projects and home renovations and shares some of her projects and process on her website That Girl That Builds.

The couple located a supplier and started purchasing liquidated pallets of tools, which they sold from their garage using online selling outlets such as Facebook Marketplace. Gwinnett Tool Depot was born. With a revenue of over $5,000 in their first month, and limited space for their growing list of supplies, the couple decided to lease a commercial space. Their first space was a 2,200 square foot building, and Gwinnett Tool Depot quickly became a well-known name in their community. Within one year, the business was thriving and moved to a 4,500 square foot space, where it is currently located.

Gwinnett Tool Depot offers power tools, hand tools, lawn tools, and more to accommodate all home-improvement needs. Ryobi, Milwaukee, and Rigid are a few of their top brands. Since they deal with overstock, RTV (returned to vendor), and last-year models, all tools are tested for quality and functionality before being made available for sale. Both new and gently used tools are offered, at an average of 20-30% off retail cost. This has been a blessing for many local families who lost their jobs or lost wages during the pandemic, but perhaps needed to upgrade their homes to sell or repair something. Many homeowners also found themselves needing Continued on page 21

Show Your Ride for the Ribbons

By Traci Sanders

Over 500 people showed up at Ironshield Brewing in Lawrenceville on Saturday, June 5th to support National Cancer Survivor Day and share their love of classic cars in the Show Your Ride for the Ribbons event.

Bobbie Menneg, CEO and Founder of Beyond the Ribbon, a nonprofit organization that offers support and relief for cancer survivors and their families, hosted this event with little more than two months to prepare.

A total of 225 car owners from all over the United States turned up to enter their cars to support this great cause and for the chance to win one of several prizes that included Best in Show, People’s Choice, Kids’ Choice, Top 15, Most Donations, and Survivors’ Choice.

Trophies for each of these categories were distributed to the respective winners, as well as gift cards and baskets, and one lucky person received a raffle prize of $561. This was after splitting the winning 50/50 with Beyond the Ribbon organization.

Car entries ranged from classics, such as the 1930 Hudson, to several 2021 models. There was even an exact replica of Lightning McQueen in the running. Each car owner submitted an entry fee of $20 (or $25 if after May 29) to secure a parking spot for the judging, and each entry was

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

Continued on page 22

PAGE 19

The Case of the Traveling Yearbook

By Kristen Eleveld

If you have ever received a yearbook from a Gwinnett County School, what’s one of the first things every teacher tells you to do as soon as you open the cover? Write your name down in the book – and make it legible. Most of the time, this rule is in place to keep students from mixing up their yearbooks at school. But for one Trickum Middle School alum, this rule was still making a difference nearly three decades later.

Principal Ryan Queen of Trickum Middle School said he did not expect to receive a package that the USPS dropped off at his school a few weeks ago. It contained an old yearbook from Trickum dated 1994. A note from the post office explained that the yearbook had been lost in the mail, and, without any clue as to where the yearbook belonged, they decided to return it to the middle school.

But Principal Queen knew exactly where to look for a clue – the upper left-hand corner of the inside cover. Sure enough, a name was printed there. Principal Queen even noted that the writer’s penmanship was excellent.

“As soon as I saw the name,” Principal Queen said, “I thought, ‘You know what? We could find this person.’”

The team at Trickum immediately got to work. School registrar Melissa Torres and data clerk Mary Ann Propes each began researching different ways to find the owner.

They looked to see if her parents were in town, tried to find clues in the yearbook signatures, and even utilized social media. Finally, their efforts paid off, and they narrowed down the list to only a few. After passing that list off to Technology Coordinator Drew Schoen, the school was that much closer to finding the owner of the traveling yearbook.

And a few days later, they did just that. Schoen, who manages the school’s social media accounts, reached out to the person they thought was most likely to be the owner, and she quickly responded that the yearbook was hers. It belonged to Katie Roy, a Trickum Middle School Alumna who was currently living several states away.

On Roy’s end, the mystery had deepened. Earlier in the year, she had received a box of childhood items from her father, but when she opened the box, the yearbook wasn’t inside. While some of her items were still in the box, there were also a few things that did not belong to Katie, leading her to think that maybe the contents of two different boxes somehow got combined on their way to her home.

She is not exactly sure how long the yearbook had been trying to make its way to her. Roy’s

husband currently serves in the Navy and the family has moved over half a dozen times in recent years. This made it hard for Roy to realize that the yearbook was lost to begin with, because she often did not unpack every box between each move.

Once Schoen was able to confirm that Roy was the owner of the yearbook, the school arranged for the yearbook to be shipped to its rightful home.

“I was glad to get my yearbook back, because suddenly I wanted to look through it again,” said Roy. “It means a lot to me to go through it and see the experience my own kids can have at school.”

Roy, who is a mother of two, was new to Trickum Middle in 1994, the year that the yearbook was issued. As she watches her own children navigate the ups and downs of starting at a new school this year, she says the yearbook reminded her how it felt to be the new kid and how she can encourage her kids to make new friends and have new experiences.

As for the team at Trickum, they were excited and proud that they had been able to solve the yearbook mystery.

“A yearbook is something we can all relate to,” said Queen. “This situation just shows you how connected we can be through the power of social media.”

Shakespeare in the Park Returns Continued from page 14 selves. That’s the most important thing. Secondly, I hope they felt the energy and enthusiasm of their community’s members telling them a story. Community theatre is an incredibly earnest, loving act.”

The cast encourages you to follow them on social media as they add more productions each year, including another projected fall show. They are on Instagram under @graysonshakesinthepark and on Facebook under Grayson Shakespeare in the Park. There is also an official website at graysonshakes.org.

More information at graysonshakes@yahoo.com.

Your Best Smile Starts Here Doctors Stewart Helton & Beau Upshaw

3238 Krisam Creek Dr. • Loganville

770-466-0474

www.CreeksideDentistry.net Member: American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry ADA,GDA, Hinman Dental Society

Preventive Dentistry | Root Canals | Crowns | Fillings | Teeth Whitening | Veneers | Oral Surgery | Periodontal Disease

you to feel good about your visit. We place your concerns and needs above { We want } our own and focus everything on your well-being, happiness and comfort.

PAGE 20

We use the latest techniques and state-of-the-art technology to deliver a full suite of general and cosmetic dentistry services with a patient and friendly touch.

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Gwinnett Christian Terrace – Overcoming COVID

By Traci Sanders

During COVID-19, many people worried about friends and family who resided in senior living homes. Would they be able to weather the virus if contracted? Would they be lonely without visitors? Would they have access to medical care if needed?

According to Assistant Administrator Melody McTier, Gwinnett Christian Terrace (GCT) weathered the COVID storm quite well. In fact, within a building of over 150 residents, GCT experienced less than 5 cases!

Gwinnett Christian Terrace is a spacious six-story, federally assisted apartment community for seniors, nestled in a quiet wooded setting near Lawrenceville Highway and Beaver Ruin Road in Lilburn. It’s a non-profit organization whose community houses 125 one-bedroom apartments. Rent is based on 30% of the monthly gross income. All income and assets must be verified to determine the amount of rent to be paid. Satellite television channels and all utilities, except telephone, are included in the rent. Each apartment is equipped with an electric stove, refrigerator, carpet, tile flooring, and mini-blinds. Residents provide their own furnishings.

Initially, in March 2020, the establishment went into full lockdown where only essential visitors were allowed. No deliveries of any sort were permitted. The center officials sprang into action, providing a number of activities residents could enjoy from their apartments. Among those were movie and TV marathons on GCT’s “in-house channel” and weekly puzzles left on the residents’ doors. Weekly check-ins were also conducted to gauge the “mood” of the building and provide assistance to those in need.

In July 2020 GCT began gradually offering in-person activities within the complex.

Attendance was limited, and social distancing measures were taken. Several virtual trips to places such as Disney World, Omaha Zoo, Jefferson’s Monticello, and more were enjoyed by the residents who wished to participate. Virtual Theater trips – complete with Playbills, popcorn, and souvenirs – were also offered.

Quarterly birthday lunches were delivered to residents’ doors, accompanied by personalized songs and party hats. Several surprise deliveries have also taken place: apple cider donuts, flowers, Christmas gifts, and Valentine’s treats.

As of now, all visitor restrictions have been lifted and residents are able to once again enjoy all activities with their neighbors and family members.

“It’s been a year full of adapting,” Melody said, “but the residents have done so well overall.

Our goal has been to keep spirits bright despite everything going on, all while being vigilant about keeping residents safe.”

More information at https://www.christianterrace.com/.

Gwinnett Tool Depot Continued from page 19 power tools to do odd maintenance jobs around their homes due to lack of funds to pay professionals. And, homeowners needed tools as many were left to manage their own small projects as several service companies, such as lawn care and construction-based ones, were booked for weeks at a time.

The company has grown into a full-fledged family business, with Gabriel and Jennifer’s teen girls offering administrative support and assistance in customer service, and Gabriel’s brother as a sales/warehouse associate. At the moment, the store functions as a retail space with the full walk-in experience, but the couple plans to have an e-commerce site available, as well as a check-out service window, by the end of the summer 2021 and are considering the option of offering DIY tool rental services.

Gwinnett Tool Depot strives to become the local go-to for all home-improvement needs on a budget!

More information at www.gwinnetttooldepot.com

Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

PAGE 21

Come Clean Gwinnett Continued from page 15 “In a county of our size, 437 square miles, we really need one of those centers in all districts for convenient access,” Laura said. “I would also add to the Snellville Recycling model that we need hazardous waste disposal.”

The problem does not lie only with the people who may be littering on the side of the road, but with corporations who continue to push single-use plastics.

“Where does that bottle come from?” Laura asked. “Why do companies think it’s a good idea to create all these bottles, bags, and single-use plastics, and how can we galvanize citizens to speak up, change their buying patterns, make their voice heard, call for legislation around this, and just change the world?”

Change takes time, but citizen volunteers see a brighter, cleaner future for Gwinnett. By working with neighbors through organizations such as Come Clean Gwinnett and Gwinnett Recycles, they are making progress toward those goals.

“I think my biggest goal as I look forward like twenty or thirty years in the future,” Laura added, “would be through these types of organizations to help Gwinnett County become a zerowaste community.”

More information at https://www.facebook.com/groups/comecleangwinnett/

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

PAGE 22

Show Your Ride for the Ribbons Continued from page 19 given a goodie bag that contained items such as hand sanitizer, sunglasses, an ink pen, a water bottle, and other memorabilia. The car exhibition spanned five parking lots, and the brewery bar, lounge, and deck were packed out with guests enjoying beer and live music. Despite the sweltering heat and crowded spaces, people enjoyed the beautiful cars and great conversation.

Various vendors of t-shirts, car paraphernalia, and beauty items were set up in booths inside and tents outside during the event. Pin-up models posed in front of a few of the cars to contribute to a calendar that will be available for sale by the end of 2021. Stormtroopers and other characters wove their way through the crowd to the delight of all in attendance, especially since the temperature was in the mid-eighties.

Local artist, Jose Pena, contributed by painting an original classic car in the lobby of Ironshield in honor of cancer patients. Jose is a huge supporter of cancer awareness through his program The Healing Arts Initiative at the Hudgens Center for Art, where he offers free monthly art classes to cancer survivors and their families as a coping and healing tool.

Menneg’s monetary goal for this event was $5000. “But we crushed that goal in no time and ended up raising $10,000!” she shared. “This was my first time ever doing an event of this magnitude, and it went so well I’m already planning another one for the fall.”

No doubt the next one will be a huge success as well.

More information at https://beyondtheribboninc.org/.

Hometown Brag: Marcel Graham Continued from page 9 job/career. It’s the best feeling when family and friends recognize you while you are on the job.”

And although Graham has always had a strong, single focus, his plans for the future still have some further aspirations to fulfill. His next move came as a result of the pandemic. “I just recently uprooted twenty years of living in the Atlanta, Georgia area to move to Houston, Texas,” he explains. “The airline industry has been so consistently changing due to COVID that some job relocations have been necessary. I figured why not move and explore a new city. My ultimate dream career is to one day be the Chief Pilot for FedEx Express. I have always had a huge fascination with how one company can move thousands of customers’ packages throughout ‘The World On Time.’”

But “soaring through the friendly skies” isn’t all that Graham is doing. He’s plenty busy outside of the cockpit as well. “Outside of my responsibilities at SkyWest Airlines, I spend much of my time volunteering with The Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP) and Professional Pilots Of Tomorrow (PPOT),” he says.

“For OBAP, I am the Atlanta Solo Flight Academy Coordinator and Southeast Region Administrator. I assist in facilitating our events such as Atlanta Solo Flight Academy, Aerospace Professionals in Schools, and Aviation Career Education. For PPOT, I am the SkyWest Airlines Lead Mentor, scholarship committee, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Liaison. I am responsible for acting as a liaison between my airline group and the quality assurance department.” And those old days of flight simulators at Maxwell are never far behind. He says, “While at SkyWest, I am a Captain as well as a Simulator Seat Sub. I volunteer my time to assist the Training Department, Simulator Check Airman and Aircrew Program Designee by acting as a qualified Captain for First Officers Initial Line Operational Evaluations, Maneuvers Validation, Line Oriented Flight Training and Continued Qualification training events.”

The next time you see a SkyWest plane in the sky or taxiing the runway at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, know it could potentially be a Snellville native in that cockpit. Captain Marcel Graham, on behalf of the Our Town Gwinnett staff and your hometown, know that we are all so proud of you and your accomplishments. You are a testament to your schools and community, and we wish you the best in all your endeavors. We hope, like Ella Fitzgerald once sang, “nothing but blue skies do [you] see.”

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

At BenchMark Physical Therapy, we’re focused on your full recovery.

Our licensed physical therapists are musculoskeletal experts who can identify the source of your pain and recommend treatment to get you moving and feeling better.

Visit BenchmarkPT.com to request an appointment at one of our local clinics: BUFORD I-85 P: (770) 271-4413

LILBURN P: (770) 925-9210

SNELLVILLE P: (678) 344-7197

GRAYSON P: (678) 376-0213

LILBURN – BEAVER RUIN P: (678) 691-7163

SNELLVILLE CENTERVILLE HWY 124 P: (470) 365-2135

LAWRENCEVILLE P: (678) 985-0238

Aug ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049

PAGE 23

Backpack Safety Checks!

Is your child’s backpack too heavy?

Does it fit properly?

Does Your Child’s Backpack Fit Properly?

These days, a “heavy acade ic load” is rarely reading, writing and arith etic—it’s the burden of a heavy backpack bulging with books and school supplies .

Is it causing spinal distortions?

Find out. Each year at this time, we hold our annual Backpack Safety Event.

A quick check of the backpack’s size, weight and fit can uncover the underlying health issues of childhood headaches, back pain and fatigue.

It just takes a few moments and will give you peace of mind.

1982 Main St. E Ste D, Snellville

www.drchrisnaturalremedies.com

|

|

770.979.5125

info@drchrisnaturalremedies.com

Invest in your Future

Make time to review your retirement plan

With more than 30 years of experience helping people with their money through the tough times and the good, Roger is highly qualified to assist with all of your financial planning needs - personal and business.

We can help with the following and more: Roger S. Green, MSFS, CFP®

• • • •

Financial and retirement planning Investment allocation for long-term growth potential Maximizing your existing 401k/403b/457b Retirement withdrawal advice

• • • •

Estate Planning/Trust Planning Disability, life insurance, & long-term care ins IRA/Roth contributions Timing of Social Security/Medicare

G

GREEN

FINANCIAL

Call 770.931.1414 or visit www.RogerSGreen.com to schedule your complimentary telephone or Zoom consultation today.

Barron’s Top 1000/1200 Advisors 2009-2016 & 2019-2020

Put this team to work for you!

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. Since 1997 office located at 3700 Crestwood Pkwy Ste 140, Duluth, GA 30096.