JUNE 2017: Our Town Gwinnett/NE DeKalb Monthly Magazine

JUNE 2017 Gwinnett/NE DeKalb Community & Family Magazine

Our Town GWINNETT

Lawrenceville Snellville Lilburn Stone Mountain Tucker

Meet the team at Dr. Chris’ Natural Remedies, see story on page 5

8 9 12 17

SportsTalk: Exciting Merger of Top Gwinnett Soccer Clubs Lilburn Farmers Market: Produces Lots of Fun Camp Creek Student Council: Making Pennies Count Getting Schooled: Brookwood Elementary Develops Entrepreneurs

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Our Town

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We’re With You. Think you’re ready? Some would say you never truly are – but the most important thing to do is to think it through. DeKalb Medical has been delivering babies for over 50 years and we love helping prospective parents make the decision that is right for them. Ready to start pondering? Visit PonderingPregnancy.com to download 10 Questions for Every Pondering Parent. You can also watch videos introducing you to our Obstetricians, so you can find one that thinks just like you.

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PAGE 4

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Our Town

On the Cover: Dr. Chris’ Natural Remedies is Making a Difference

By Daidra Annis “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” - Jim Rohn Healthcare is a pretty hot topic these days. Due to rising costs and other factors, many people want to take a more active role in their own healthcare, and they’re seeking out alternative ways to care for their bodies. Thankfully, there is a solution for them at Dr. Chris’ Natural Remedies.

The practice, as its name suggests, offers a natural approach to healthcare that is high-quality and affordable. Based on the principles of Naturopathic medicine, the staff at Dr. Chris’ practice believes in the body’s innate ability to heal and rejuvenate itself. In order for this to happen, though, the nervous system must be operating at its best. That’s where their vitalistic thought process – treating the whole person, not the symptoms – really makes a difference.

Dr. Kerith Powell, owner of Dr. Chris’ Natural Remedies, spoke candidly about the importance of one’s nervous system when considering overall health. As a chiropractor, Dr. Powell believes that health is an “above-down, inside-out” concept. This simply means that the brain is the control center of the body, and what comes from “above” filters throughout the entire body and manifests itself on the outside. If the nervous system is impaired, your body will reflect that impairment through aches, pains, and disease. There are three factors that interrupt the functions of the central nervous system: physical, chemical, and emotional stress. Some of these are easier to recognize than others, but Dr. Powell and his staff work to identify the source(s), and then support you in an effort to build resistance to the stresser. Often, that is done through a program that includes both chiropractic adjustments, and non-GMO, whole food supplements. However, many do not realize that Naturopathy is not an alternative, but rather a complement to traditional medicine. As holistic practitioners, they offer a full range of options so their patients can make the best decision to meet their needs. This includes partnering with a non-affiliated medical doctor who is located in the office next door. If needed, she can assist with additional patient monitoring and the administration of prescription medication.

Outside of the busy practice, Dr. Powell serves as a member of the faculty at Life University and is a member of Concerned Parents of Young Athletes. Dr. Chris’ Natural Remedies is a member of the Greater Eastside Chamber of Commerce, where they are able to support the community via various chamber projects. In addition, they serve as volunteers for Special Olympics, and help

to provide free tutoring services at local favorite, the Grayson Coffee House. Participation in coat and food drives are other ways that the team at Dr. Chris’ spreads the news of healthy living to the community in which they live and serve.

In the end, the goal of everyone at Dr. Chris’ Natural Remedies is for their patients to continue to be active in their older years, and to be able to live fuller lives with less medicine and less surgeries, and without the enormous expense of prescription drugs, and uncovered medical costs. If you think that a naturopathic approach might be right for you, Dr. Powell encourages you to make an appointment for a free consultation with one of the providers at the office.

More information at http://drchrisnaturalremedies.com/

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Four Agents - One Team One Goal 100% Customer Satisfaction • Sold 90% of properties listed in 2016

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Our Town Gwinnett/NE DeKalb Community & Family Magazine

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

— An EndResultZ Media & Communications firm EndResultZ.com

Creative Director Elsie Olson Elsie@EndResultZ.com Editor Catherine L. Osornio Cover Photographer Amadorphoto

Our Town Gwinnett is published and direct mailed to select homes in the Gwinnett /NE DeKalb area. Opinions expressed by the writers and staff are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher.

Our Town Gwinnett reserves the right to edit and/or reject any editorial or advertising content. Our Town Gwinnett is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the cost of the space or for the validity of claims made by advertisers.

Entire contents copyright 2017 by Our Town Gwinnett. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden in any media without written permission from the publisher.

Our Town Gwinnett

Distribution Coordinator DeeDee Chapman Feature Writers Daidra Annis Heidi Campbell Dana Harvey Kim Hill Joanna Shackelford Karla Socci Somers Michelle Watson

1227 Rockbridge Road Suite 208-171 Stone Mountain, GA 30087 678-825-2049 Info@OurTownGwinnett.com

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Contributing Writers Terie Hansen Javier Munoz Pam Walker

OurTownGwinnett OurTownGwinnett OurTownGwinnett

IN THIS ISSUE

“Exceptional coffees and teas complimented with house made breads, sweets and savories.”

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5 7 7 8 9 10 10 11 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 20 21

On the Cover: Dr. Chris’ Natural Remedies is Making a Difference From the Publisher: One Man’s Opinion One on One with Community Connections SportsTalk: The Merger of Two Leading Gwinnett Soccer Clubs Lilburn Farmers Market “Produces” Lots of Fun! Amazing Grace Provides Homework Help Community Spotlight: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Pet Perch: Don’t Bake Your Dog Travel Tales: Finding the Capybaras of Northern Argentina Camp Creek Student Council Makes Every Penny Count Beauty and the Beast (2017) Has it All: Music, Action, and a Worthy Heroine Parkview’s Dr. Samela T. Reid is Gwinnett County High School Counselor of the Year Getting to Know: Park Springs in Stone Mountain Character Counts: Up Close with NG3 and Parkview High School Brookwood Elementary School Students: Becoming Successful Entrepreneurs Try a New Genre: Top 6 Memoirs Provide Excellent Summer Reading Girls on the Run at Camp Creek Elementary: More than a Running Club

For information on becoming an advertising partner visit OurTownGwinnett.com or call 678-825-2049

Our Town

From the Publisher: One Man’s Opinion

By Ryan T. Sauers

@RyanSauers

School is out and summer is here. In this issue, as always, we have many local stories, written by our talented team of local writers, on local topics. These are stories that are covered virtually nowhere else and that provide you a break from our “constantly connected” and noisy world that often focuses on quite little but negative news.

We never settle for less than the best in writing local and organic stories. And, our goal in writing them is to focus on community and family content. This demands a great team, and I promise you, we are one that is never satisfied, and we are aware that there is always room to improve. This is our goal each day, week, and month. With that said, I am so proud of our team as it grows each day.

I may be writing this column; however, it is the super team of Our Town that makes it happen.

You see, we are not merely a “publication,” but a community connection point. Others may sell “advertising” whereas we offer value, expertise, and creativity... all built on trust. By the way, you have a choice of where you spend your marketing dollars. So, the next time you are deciding where to invest them, I suggest you ask the person “selling to you” what they know about marketing. And I mean “all marketing,” not just printed publications (i.e. content marketing, digital marketing, inbound marketing, influence marketing, traditional marketing, integrated marketing etc.).

Our team consists of marketing experts who can walk you through the pros and cons of every component listed above. And this in turn will keep you from wasting money and instead help you stretch your marketing reach through a variety of mediums. And guess what? Sometimes we tell people NOT to use print advertising and advise them on another medium. Wow, can you imagine? We do what is best for YOU. For more information listen to my Marketing Matters radio show on NewsTalk AM 1160 each Sunday at 2 p.m. http://www.newstalk1160.com/shows/marketingmatters/ People look forward to reading Our Town, and thus they spend time with it and pay attention to it. There is no trick – just expertise – built on strong relationships to help you grow your organization in a methodical manner one week, month, and year at a time.

We are excited about the future. I wish you a wonderful and safe summer. And as always, thank you for continuing with us on the journey of my town, your town, Our Town!

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By Michelle Watson Community Connections is celebrating its fifteenth year of helping foster families throughout Gwinnett County and the metro Atlanta area. Karen Jackson and Linda Coil met as social workers at the Department of Family and Children Services (DFACS). They saw there was a need for non-profit support to foster families, so they co-founded Community Connections.

Community Connections seeks to help all foster families with vital resources and training.

Their specialty, though, is children with developmental delays and the medically fragile. Children in their program range from age 0 to 21. Dispelling the myth that children “age out” of the foster care system once they turn 16 or 18, Jackson says that upon turning 18, young adults do have the option of voluntarily staying in the foster home they are currently placed until they are 21. This allows them to have some stability while they finish high school or attend college.

The children who come to Community Connections do so in the custody of DFACS. This means the children often have very little or nothing with them. Jackson and Coil’s vision is to help the foster families these children are placed with get started in the right direction. If a child comes to them without any extra clothes, school supplies, medical equipment, diapers, or baby wipes, etc., as is often the case, then Community Connections ensures that the foster family receives the necessary items for the child. Community Connections serves an average of 100 children per year, with as many as sixty-five children in foster homes at any given time.

Training for foster families is held at the center. Each family is required by the state to complete a 23-hour pre-service training program, and then, once approved, each foster parent attends 15 hours of training per year. The training covers topics of interest to foster families. Once approved, staff and volunteers provide free childcare for all the children in the home (born, adopted, or fostered) during the trainings, so parents can attend without worry. All volunteers are required to pass a background check.

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SportsTalk: The Merger of Two Leading Gwinnett Soccer Clubs

By Dana Harvey In the ever-expanding landscape of sports, soccer has evolved in Gwinnett County for more than forty-five years. The oldest of the two Gwinnett soccer clubs and a nationally recognized elite club, Gwinnett Soccer Association (GSA), located on Cole Drive in Lilburn, has serviced south and central Gwinnett and surrounding counties for over thirty years.

According to its website, GSA competes at the “highest levels both in the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship Series and is a founding member of the Elite Club National League (ECNL).” Dacula Soccer Club (DSC), another leading soccer club in Georgia, emerged over fifteen years ago in the northeastern portion of Gwinnett County with its home field at Rabbit Hill Park Soccer Complex (Rabbit Hill Road).

After a few years of strategic planning and preparation, both clubs recently announced a merger that will re-brand youth soccer in Gwinnett County and begin joint soccer operations as Gwinnett Soccer Academy for the fall 2017 season.

“By uniting with another organization that shares our values, we will have a greater positive impact on soccer families and communities at large, both in Gwinnett and its surrounding communities,” said Dacula Soccer Club Executive Director Drew Prentice.

The overall vision shared by both clubs is to serve the soccer families of Gwinnett County communities and Northeast Metro Atlanta with the highest possible standard of customer service, facilities, staffing, and player development. With this merger, all youth soccer players will have increased opportunities to play recreational or competitive soccer at a level that meets their specific individual needs.

Geographically, Gwinnett Soccer Academy will operate through its two existing facilities: GSA (now home to GSA South) and Rabbit Hill Park (now home of GSA North). Rhodes Jordan Park, in downtown Lawrenceville, will also offer select level programming for many age groups.

The new Gwinnett Soccer Academy will continue to offer recreational and elite summer camps along with the same recreation, academy, and select programs for boys and girls, including the addition of the boys ECNL program.

More information at www.gsasoccer.com.

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Our Town

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Lilburn Farmers Market “Produces” Lots of Fun!

By Kim Hill Beginning its 8th season of bringing good music, good food, and good fun to the community, the Lilburn Farmers Market promises to be the best place to spend Friday evenings this summer. An idea conceived by Mandy McManus and Andrea Brannen, the market originated in downtown Lilburn and is now located in the large shady parking lot of Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church on Killian Hill Road. With 35-40 vendors any given week, the market offers something for everyone.

Open from 4-8 p.m. each Friday from June until the end of August, Ms. McManus advises to get there early because “the good stuff gets gone quick!”

Five or six vendors will offer fresh produce, which must be grown within a 100-mile radius of the market – with the exception of peaches, which may come from further south or north depending on what time of the growing season it is. Ms. McManus says the fresh peaches alone are worth the trip as they are usually picked that afternoon and brought straight to market. Over the thirteen weeks, visitors will find greens, sweet potatoes, corn, tomatoes, green beans, okra, watermelon, cantaloupe, blueberries, raspberries, and more.

Other market offerings include baked goods, fresh coffee roasted in Gwinnett County, salsa, breads, eggs, honey, jams and jellies, cold treats, bath and body products, and even homemade dog biscuits. All items are required to be made or grown by the vendor.

The market makes for a great family outing. For dinner, choose from ready-to-eat homemade micro-grain wraps served with wheat juice and wheatgrass shots, or barbeque smoked on site with delicious homemade sides. There is a food truck each week as well.

Kid activities abound with face painting, sidewalk chalk, and the Lilburn Women’s Club Free Little Library, a free book exchange that works on the share a book, take a book principle.

Complimentary tractor rides are provided by a member of the North Georgia Two-Cylinder Club, who sets up hayrides pulled behind his antique tractor. Kids love it!

A different non-profit is featured every week, such as the Master Gardeners Q&A booth where visitors receive expert answers to their gardening questions. Also popular are the chef demos. Local chefs talk to the farmers the week before to see what’s coming in, and then prepare a recipe using those ingredients. Visitors watch how to make the recipe, taste samples, and receive printed recipes to take with them.

To round out the evening, music is provided by local musicians. “The music alone is worth it,” says Ms. McManus, then adds, “Peaches and music!”

If all this isn’t enough, there is a customer loyalty program called My Market Club. Visitors Continued on page 22

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PAGE 9

Amazing Grace Provides Homework Help

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You’d expect to find tutoring at a local learning center. You’d expect to find it within your local school. You might be surprised to find it in the halls of the local church. But that’s exactly where you will find it if you’re at Amazing Grace Lutheran Church in Lawrenceville. Homework Help is a program that Amazing Grace has hosted for the past four years and is available for all elementary age children, though it primarily serves the students at Bethesda Elementary School.

Thanks to some pretty amazing volunteers, the church is able to offer help with homework for students whose parents cannot. The program is mostly comprised of ESOL (English as a Second Language) students who receive help with reading and basic math from those who have a heart to serve in their community. Every Wednesday evening during the school year, a potluck dinner brings parents and students together for a time of fellowship with the volunteers. Then, the parents stay on campus while their children receive much needed help with their homework. In the summer, the group still meets on Wednesday nights as part of the church’s annual Vacation Bible School program.

Homework Help started from a relationship one of the church families had with a Hispanic mom in the community. When the family reached out and asked how they could help her, the need for homework help was realized. For Amazing Grace, a church that is always looking for new ways to serve the community, the outreach is one that just makes sense. Interest in the program is garnered through the fantastic relationship they have with Ms. Williams, the principal at Bethesda Elementary. Pastor Scott Seeke visits the school to inform parents of the program, and flyers are provided to all students during their Parent/Teacher Conference. Attendance varies, but averages 30 students per week. Students participating in the program consistently get better grades, so it’s certainly a win-win-win for the school, the students, and the church.

Amazing Grace’s parishioners include a large percentage of older adults who have enthusiastically embraced the Homework Help program. For them, the students provide a grandchild-type relationship, as many of their families are not local to the area. Likewise, the program volunteers fill a void in so many of the students who left behind their own grandparents and older relatives in their native countries. The volunteers have become not just mentors, but extended family.

That relationship was evident recently when the father of one of the students died tragically. The whole church came together to support the family with everything from meals to fundraisers to babysitting. Pastor Seeke says, “[this is] the kind of connection they strive for.” The “Three Rs” of education translate here into real relationships, thanks to the Homework Help program.

More information at www.tisgrace.org

Community Spotlight: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

By Michelle Watson

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Chris Owens, Area Director for the Georgia Chapter of American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), is working hard to bring awareness to the state of Georgia and the Gwinnett and metro Atlanta area. As a psychiatric nurse, Owens had a long history that included a background and interest in suicide prevention. In 2004, she was hired to help organize a local Out of the Darkness Walk, an annual walk held across the country to bring suicide awareness to local communities. Shortly afterward, Owens became the area director and helped to start the chapter.

Founded in 1987, AFSP now has 85 chapters throughout all 50 states. They provide various programs for medical personnel, educators, students, and families, as well as fund research and do advocacy.

Georgia AFSP has several annual Out of the Darkness walks which occur from Labor Day weekend to just before Thanksgiving, when they end with a day to honor survivors of loss to suicide. In 2015 the Atlanta Out of the Darkness Walk raised $230,000 and hosted over 1,600 participants. In the spring, the focus switches to various events on college campuses and a major annual fundraising event. In March, Field Advocates from around the state come together for a day at the capitol. It is a day to meet with legislators and educate them about suicide prevention as well as to advocate for a mental health policy.

The Georgia chapter of AFSP has put their More Than Sad program in place in every public

For information on becoming an advertising partner visit OurTownGwinnett.com or call 678-825-2049

Continued on page 22

Our Town

Pet Perch: Don’t Bake Your Dog

Travel Tales: Finding the Capybaras of Northern Argentina

By Terie Hansen Yes, you heard me! As the days begin to warm, the temperatures in your car become hot – hot enough to kill your dog. It only takes 10 minutes for the inside of your car to reach a temperature that can cause heatstroke in your dog. According to Jules Benson, DVM, “Heat stroke can permanently damage a pet’s health very rapidly. The change of only a few degrees to a dog’s normal body temperature can quickly result in coma, organ dysfunction, permanent brain damage, even death.”

Your dog’s body temperature of 101°- 102.5° is already naturally higher than a human’s. Couple that with the fact that in minutes the temperature inside your car can soar to deadly levels even on a relatively cool spring or summer day.

A dog can begin to suffer from heat exhaustion when the temperature inside your car reaches just 83°. Dogs can’t sweat like humans, so they pant to cool their body temperature. When locked inside a hot car, they are recycling hot air – so panting gives little to no relief.

Take a look at how quickly your car can become an oven.

Even in the shade, the temperature inside your vehicle can be deadly. Leaving the windows cracked has little effect on how hot it is inside.

So, what do you do with your dog? Here are a few alternatives to baking them.

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By Pam Walker Okay – what is a capybara? It is a large but very cute rodent that wanders around, munching on grass and rolling around in muddy pools in the Iberá Wetlands in northern Argentina.

Douglas Tompkins, the founder of North Face who turned worldwide philanthropist, died two years ago in a kayaking incident on the border of Chile and Argentina. Before the accident, he was moved by all the wonderful species of animals disappearing from the planet. So he purchased large swaths of land in Chile and Argentina with the idea of “rewilding” the missing species into these areas and then donating the lands to their countries as major national parks.

Iberá Wetlands is one of those places where 80% of the native animals had been displaced through farming, cattle farming, and extinction. Tapirs, giant anteaters, pampas deer, and jaguars are just some of the animals that he wanted to reintroduce.

I recently traveled to see this wonderful project and to honor Thompkins’ memory with my time and a small donation. After an overnight bus to Iberá – which borders Argentina and Paraguay – then two more hours over dirt roads, I ended at a lovely little hostería (hotel) called Rincón de Socorro. With eight rooms in the old hacienda style, life was idyllic with days filled with working to see the Thompkins rewilding projects and learning just how difficult it is to reintroduce these species back to where they belong.

It is not possible just to take animals from one place and bring them back to the Iberá Park. The conservationists must find males and females that are not related, then purchase or get them donated, and then get permission to bring them into Argentina.

Then the process begins for the pair to mate Continued on page 14

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Camp Creek Student Council Makes Every Penny Count

By Kim Hill As elementary teachers Luanne Murphy and Lara Sauers took over as new advisors for Camp Creek’s Student Council this year, they were looking for an opportunity to help students think about how they could make a difference in their school and their community. When the time came for the Spring Project in April, Ms. Murphy knew just what she wanted the annual fundraiser to be. Having worked with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) for years, she was familiar with their “Pennies for Patients” program, but had never had an opportunity to run one.

“Blood cancer has touched my family and my friends, and it is important to me,” she says.

“We talked to the kids about what cancer is, and specifically what blood cancer is: leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma.”

The fundraiser was organized through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Student Series, with the emphasis being, what can a penny do? Every student was given a collection box featuring a picture and bio of a local survivor, and each class decorated a class box for kids to collect donations. Ms. Murphy feels the boxes really helped to give the fundraiser an official feel so students could get parents and neighbors involved and could collect in different places, such as at the ballfield. Though Ms. Murphy set up an online site, only a small portion of the contributions was collected that way. She contends it was the power of the old-fashioned coins that made the fundraiser a success because the kids wanted to shake the boxes and to feel how heavy they were.

The Pennies for Patients campaign was a great math lesson as students weighed their pennies and saw how they added up to become dollars, plus they witnessed Ms. Murphy struggle to carry them to her car!

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is one of several charities that has a partnership with Coinstar®, the company that places the coin-cashing machines in area stores. By selecting a charity, 100% of the money put into the machine is donated. The machine counts it and gives a receipt. Ms. Murphy visited the machine every few days, carrying the heavy bags of coins. “It’s amazing how heavy coins can be!” she says. Student council representatives reported the collection update on the morning announcements.

The fundraiser ran for three weeks. Since student council members are only selected from grades 3-5, they buddy-classed, meaning the representatives were assigned K-2 classrooms to visit to collect pennies. The campaign was not done as a competition between classes, but just focused on “every penny counts.” One teacher, however, felt very strongly about the cause and really talked it up to her class. They collected over $500 and the LLS gave them an Olive Garden luncheon to thank them for being the class to raise the most money.

The organization suggested a campaign goal of $2,017, but being a time of year when many other fundraisers had just taken place, Ms. Murphy chose to set the goal for $1,000. As it turned out, the students raised an amazing $2,802.17! The kids loved beating the goal. “We really knocked it out of the park – it was fantastic,” she says. “It’s a real testimony to the generous spirit of our school community and this makes me really proud.” The student council was also proud that the efforts of the students, parents, and community of Camp Creek Elementary had raised so much for patients with blood cancer.

Ms. Murphy is not sure if they will do the same fundraiser again next year, but says its success attracted the attention of other school groups, one of which collected pennies for the playground. She laughs and says, “The power of the penny rubbed off!”

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Our Town

Beauty and the Beast (2017) Has it All: Music, Action, and a Worthy Heroine

By Heidi Campbell Once in a while a film comes along that crushes the barriers of critical reasoning and astounds audiences with heartwarming characters, hair-raising action, beautiful music, magical sets, and epic romance. Beauty and The Beast, released in March of 2017, was produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Mandeville Films. The film, which breathes new life into a timeworn fairy tale, raked in nearly half a billion dollars at the box office in its first month.

The story incorporates all the elements that make fairy tales so engaging: a heedless royal in need of a moral overhaul, an enchantress who casts a spell, a virtuous hero, a host of personified inanimate objects, an evil villain, and a kind, single father who raises his daughter with unyielding love. Transformations weave their way into nearly every ounce of the film, and beautiful music scores transition, adding magic and meaning to the scenes.

The film wastes no time in transforming a French Prince, played by Dan Stevens, into the Beast – a just dessert for a man who cruelly casts away an old woman seeking shelter. The Beast, who struggles to adjust to his cursed, isolated castle life, becomes angry and withdrawn. His previous subjects, who have all been transformed into household objects, are his only company: a talking candelabra named Lumiere, played by Ewan McGregor; Cogsworth the mantle clock, played by Ian McKellen; a motherly teapot, Mrs. Potts, played by Emma Thompson; and Mrs. Pott’s son Chip the teacup, played by Nathan Mack. Like all good fairy tale curses, this one teaches a lesson, but thankfully the curse doesn’t last forever.

The music in the film is at once beautiful, challenging, moving, and plot driven. In a tiny French village, a girl named Belle, played by Emma Watson, lives with her father Maurice, played

by Kevin Kline. The audience quickly learns of her reputation through the townspeople as they sing “Belle,” which highlights the fact that she’s a little different from the rest: “But behind that fair façade/I’m afraid she’s rather odd/Very different from the rest of us/ She’s nothing like the rest of us/ Yes, different from the rest of us is Belle!”

Kudos to the producers of the film for creating a heroine in Belle. She is a self-proclaimed bibliophile and a fantastic role model for modern youth! She is a young woman who stands up for herself, loves her family, appreciates that beauty comes from within, and is proud of her intellect.

She is a strong-willed woman. When the evil Gaston, played by Luke Evans, tries to demand her hand in marriage, she’ll have none of it! “When we return to the village, you’ll marry me,” says Gaston. “Never!” she tells him boldly.

When Maurice returns from a delivery, he takes a wrong turn and ends up imprisoned by the Beast. Belle acts quickly to come to his aid, which is precisely how she finds herself in the castle of the Beast. The objects of the house quickly welcome her with excitement and humor.

“Cogsworth, look! A beautiful girl!” says Lumiere. “Yes, I can see it’s a beautiful girl you fool!

I’ve lost my hands, not my eyes!” responds Cogsworth. These two characters play off each other throughout the film with memorable wit.

Beauty befriends the castle’s characters and eventually the Beast as well. Belle begins to see a softer side of the Beast, and is overwhelmed by his enormous library and appreciation of Shakespeare. In her song “Something There,” Belle explores her emerging feelings singing, “There’s something sweet and almost kind/But he was mean and he was coarse and unrefined/ And now he’s dear and so I’m sure/ I wonder why I didn’t see it there before?” She has the endearing ability to look beyond the physical monstrosity of the Beast.

Belle seems to naturally transition into the role of a princess, even before Madame Garderobe, played by Audra McDonald, whips up a gown for her. The Beast, who up to her arrival was harsh and angry, completely transitions into a softer character. Belle has the power to soften his entire demeanor, and he shares his feelings in “Evermore” singing, “Now I know she’ll never leave me/ Even as she runs away/ she will still torment me/ calm me, hurt me/ move me, come what may/ wasting in my lonely tower/ waiting by an open door/ I’ll fool myself, she’ll walk right in/ and be with me for evermore.”

The audience is completely enamored with the couple as their relationship develops. While the world knows how the age-old story ends, there are several surprises to this rendition that bring the action to a wild climax that will shock and excite even the most prepared viewer. Good battles evil, and lessons are learned. Even the anticipated happy ending is happier than one expects. Love wins. The Beast transitions back into the handsome Prince, the staff is reunited in human form, and Beauty is rewarded for her moral virtue with a life beyond her dreams.

Belle, earlier in the film, asked “How Does a Moment Last Forever?” In the end, the reprise of that song answers that question: “Sometimes our happiness is captured/ Somehow, our time and place stand still/Love lives on inside our hearts and always will/ Minutes turn to hours,/ days to years and gone/ But when all else has been forgotten/ Still our song lives on.”

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Parkview’s Dr. Samela T. Reid is Gwinnett County High School Counselor of the Year

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“When people ask me what I do as a high school counselor,” says Dr. Samela T. Reid, “I jokingly respond that I save lives.

However, I seriously believe this to be true.”

Dr. Reid, of Parkview High School, says that she works with the “whole student” to provide academic, social, and emotional support for kids throughout their challenging high school years.

Ten years after graduating from high school, Dr. Reid began her counseling career at her own alma mater in Bibb County, Georgia.

In 2002, she joined the Parkview High School Counseling Department where she continues to enjoy her work helping students achieve their fullest potential. Her years of dedication and service were recognized in 2017 when Dr. Reid earned the honor of Gwinnett County Public Schools High School Counselor of the Year Award.

“The goal of every student that enters high school is that of graduation,” says Dr. Reid, “but this involves so much more than helping students meet assessment requirements towards graduation.

Every time a student enters my office in tears and leaves with a smile, I feel rewarded. Every time a student enters my office in fear and leaves feeling safe, or is sent to me angry and leaves with a calm composure, I feel rewarded.”

She also notes that she is truly inspired each May when she has the opportunity to watch seniors walk across the stage to receive their diplomas. “It is always one of the most fulfilling times in my life, and I get to experience it again and again.”

With a lifelong passion for helping others, Dr. Reid set ambitious goals for herself when she became the department chair at Parkview High School in 2015. She wanted to implement Junior Parent/Student Conferences; host a Georgia Probe College Fair; increase visibility among stakeholders; and to complete the application process for RAMP (Recognized ASCA Model Program designation from the American School Counselor Association).

“I am proud to share that all of the previously mentioned goals have been successfully implemented,” says Reid. “In October 2016, our department submitted our application to ASCA and received notification late January 2017 that we earned the RAMP with Distinction Award. We will be presented with the award at the ASCA National Conference in July 2017 in Denver, Colorado.” She adds, “We are now, in the words of one of my peers, ‘An award-winning department – on the national level.’”

Dr. Reid has served on the Gwinnett County Counselors’ High School Steering Committee, Parkview’s Advisement Team, and Parkview’s Advisory Council. She is also the immediate past Chair of the Gwinnett County High School Counselors’ Steering Committee and is currently serving as Parkview High School’s Counseling Department Chair.

Her list of credentials and committees is long, and includes membership in the Professional School Counselors of Gwinnett, Georgia School Counselor’s Association, and the American School Counselor’s Association. As a counselor, Dr. Reid is certified through the National Board for Certified Counselors as both a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and National Certified School Counselor (NCSC). In addition, she is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Georgia.

Dr. Reid is married and the proud mother of three children – two of whom are Parkview graduates. Her youngest attends Creekland Middle School.

She is the daughter of retired educators and notes that her mother continues to influence her work today. “With every task that I begin, I hear my mother’s voice in the silence, ‘Once a task is first begun, never leave it till it’s done. Be the task great or small, do it well, or not at all.’”

More information at https://sites.google.com/site/parkviewpanthercounseling/

Our unique camps provide three hours of fun and activities in a non-

Travel Tales Continued from page 11

themes keep your child on their toes as they take part in exciting imaginative journeys.

and hopefully have a healthy birth. The new little creature and the mother are closely monitored for several months, being careful to allow no human interaction. When the baby is ready, it will be released with young from other pairs into the wild once again. To date, and after three years, only seventy animals have been rewilded.

So back to the capybaras! These little creatures are in no way going extinct. Entire families of the little critters are everywhere. Many other animals like armadillos and foxes, rheas, and over 300 species of birds inhabit Iberá. They wander freely around Rincón and everywhere. The capybaras are the true lasting stars in the Iberá Wetlands of Argentina!

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PAGE 14

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Our Town

Getting to Know: Park Springs in Stone Mountain

By Daidra Annis

Park Springs is the first property to use the household model in a large-scale community in Georgia. Within Pebblebrook, small households of 18 residents will have its own front door, country kitchen, and dedicated staff to provide relationshiporiented care, rather than the more common task-oriented care that is available in most other facilities. At Pebblebrook, the members are empowered to make their own decisions for their daily routine, and they will work with staff as a team.

Members will set their own schedules, and be able to control the flow of their day. Even the simple decision of when, what, and where to eat will be guided by the member, not the staff.

When care is less institutional, and more individual, both staff and member morale is proven to be higher, and confidence in care is increased, as well. The goal of the Park Springs community as a whole is to support its members in living a life of well-being, and Pebblebrook’s households will continue that

mission. An expansion of the current skilled and memory care facilities at Park Springs, Pebblebrook Health Center will offer long-term care, skilled nursing, a full medical practice, assisted living, adult day care, home care, and memory care options.

The Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation center will also serve the local community.

While 85% of members come to Park Springs in independent living arrangements, those needs can change, and having the resources available for a lifetime provides peace of mind for Park Springs members. Park Springs and Pebblebrook have placed an emphasis on providing options for those persons living with dementia. Those members founding the new memory care households in Pebblebrook will be protected by the “Price For Life” provision that stabilizes monthly costs, even as members age.

Continued on page 22

“Dr. Simmons is proud to offer Botox and Dermal Fillers. Call the office to schedule your consulta

Great lifestyle and great healthcare are two things that most of us hope to have as we age gracefully into retirement. Some may think they are mutually exclusive, but that is not the case for residents of Park Springs, a resort-style community in the shadow of Stone Mountain. It’s just one of the adult communities developed by the folks at Isakson Living where active, independent, healthful lifestyles are encouraged. Residents – also known as members – enjoy a 60-acre campus that offers a full range of amenities like dining options, golf, and various fitness and social activities, along with a full spectrum of healthcare options should they ever be needed.

In June, Park Springs will open Pebblebrook Health Center, based on the household model of living. While this concept is already popular in Europe and other parts of the United States,

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Community Connections Continued from page 7 Community Connections holds several events throughout the year. They have a coat drive in the fall and a toy drive in the winter. In the spring they give a new summer outfit to each child in the program, and in the summer they provide school supplies in preparation for the coming fall semester. They also have a donation center called The Closet Connection that accepts new and gently used books, toys, and clothing for ages 0-12.

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Character Counts: Up Close with NG3 and Parkview High School

By NG3 Parkview Director Javier Munoz Caleb Mitchell (CM) is a senior at Parkview High School who was a quarterback and pitcher for the 2015 State & National Champion Panthers.

He will be playing baseball at Mercer University next year, and is the recipient of multiple awards, including The Panther Award, Atlanta Journal Constitution Cup Senior Award, and Gwinnett Outstanding Athlete. Here is a recent Q and A with Javier Munoz (JM).

JM: How are you a part of NG3? Why did you get involved?

CM: Getting a chance to be a part of an NG3 huddle group this past year has been an incredible life experience. When Coach [Munoz] asked me to make the year commitment, I was all in. I just wanted to branch out of my comfort zone of faith, per se, and learn more skills to share it with others. My favorite thing about getting involved in this group is that we are very diverse, so when society faces tensions and issues, we stick together and keep our minds and hearts focused on one common thing – Jesus. That’s what I really wanted, and why I really got involved. Our group is just a smaller symbol and image of how the world should be, and it gives us all the hope and drive to change the world one community at a time.

JM: What have you learned from being a part of NG3?

CM: What I have learned most from NG3 is what truly makes someone a leader. I have learned that the most effective leaders are those who serve. As Christians, we know who represented this quality perfectly, but it’s hard to grasp the concept until it is truly implemented in our lives. That’s what NG3 does. From Christmas tree lot duties, to service projects, to Christmas shopping for kids in need, NG3 has shown me how rewarding it is to serve and how much it can build character. Seeing our Leader [Coach Munoz], welcome us into his home and feed us every week is just another way that that lesson holds true. When you genuinely care about others, they genuinely care for what you have to say and what you have to teach. That is the most valuable lesson I have learned from NG3.

Continued on page 18

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Brookwood Elementary Students: Becoming Successful Entrepreneurs

By Karla Socci Somers When you think of budding entrepreneurs, images of elementary school children managing inventory and estimating profit margins probably do not come to mind. But for the kids in Brookwood Elementary School’s Entrepreneurial Program, this scenario is a typical part of the enriching experience.

Three years ago, fourth grade teachers Jeane Sammons and Jennifer Moon attended a training in Hilton Head, South Carolina to learn how to implement entrepreneurial efforts in their classrooms. Alongside educators and business owners from the US and other countries, Sammons and Moon attended the International Entrepreneurship Institute offered by the Georgia nonprofit organization Real LEDGE (Leading Economic Development through Global Entrepreneurship).

They learned how to teach the various aspects needed to run a business, including valuable life skills essential to succeeding in the “real world.” The biggest difference from their colleagues was that Sammons and Moon were the only elementary teachers at the seminar.

Creating the Entrepreneurial Program The biggest challenge Sammons and Moon faced upon returning from the seminar was how they could adapt a more advanced curriculum for their own fourth grade classrooms. They started small, teaching students about creative problem-solving, how to fill out a job application, and even how to dress for an interview for classroom “jobs” that offered a salary using a token economy system called Brookwood Bucks. The fourth graders enthusiastically embraced their mission and applied for jobs that would help others in the classroom and around the school. They could earn a salary of $10.00 per week.

“They supported kindergarten students with reading skills, teachers with clerical duties and bus dismissal, and classroom organization. Students learned the value of earning and saving money in order to be able to purchase items in a quarterly auction,” Moon said. “When students have responsibilities and know that someone is depending on them, attendance improves because students want to participate! They have a real purpose for doing something that really matters.”

The “employees” quickly learned whether or not they enjoyed their jobs, and how to speak to their “employers” about any concerns or issues they had with their responsibilities – another valuable, real life skill.

For a culminating project the young entrepreneurs showcased their goods and services at their end of the year Entrepreneurship Expo. “We had a wide range of businesses,” Sammons said, “from baked goods to pet rocks and even a nail salon. The kids surprise us every day with what they are learning, and we believe we are doing something very impactful for the kids!”

Phase 2: The Colt Caboodle After getting their feet wet in their own classrooms, Sammons said they wanted the kids to run their own school store for actual money. The “Colt Caboodle” became their mission for the next phase of the entrepreneurial program, and they even built a portable wooden structure. The kids operate the store selling school supplies to fellow K-5 students. Students use iPads to keep up with the sales and inventory of the products being sold. All items cost three dollars or less, and are useful in class. Kids conducted a market survey in order to determine the products that would be sold. Students quickly learned about supply and demand, and even how to have a sale on items that were not selling well.

“Last year,” said Sammons, “the students were able to donate $4,000 back to the school toward new playground equipment, all from the profits of the Colt Caboodle!”

Expanding the Program With Principal Carter’s support, Brookwood’s entrepreneurial program has come a long way in three years. Many kindergarten through fifth grade teachers have also been trained through Continued on page 18

Our Town

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Brookwood Elementary Continued from page 17 the Real LEDGE program, which has now expanded school-wide. Besides students having jobs, conducting interviews, and beginning their own businesses, the token economy that Moon and Sammons developed is now used throughout the school.

This year Moon researched materials and created a curriculum for a Specials class that reaches all third through fifth grade students. Typically, this kind of curriculum is reserved for high school students. But when it begins in elementary school and is offered as a middle school Connection, young students can actually choose a career path of entrepreneurship by the time they get to high school. And they acquire valuable business, marketing, and life skills before they even get to ninth grade.

“I asked myself what I would do to teach 600-700 students about entrepreneurship,” Moon said. “I realized that it is not a ‘curriculum,’ but a way of thinking. The kids are learning valuable life lessons and skills such as good customer service, problem solving, teamwork, and communicating with others.”

Moon also notes that the entrepreneurial program integrates many other academic areas including math, technology, language arts, and art. One project required the students to develop their own business logo and marketing materials. Additionally, they had to determine startup costs, profit margins, and manpower to work various shifts.

The leadership team at Real LEDGE has noticed the outstanding efforts of Sammons and Moon. In fact, they’ve invited the duo to train elementary school teachers from all over the world at this summer’s seminar. These two innovative teachers will also be facilitating a training for 35 elementary teachers within the Brookwood cluster so the program can expand to additional schools.

More information at http://brookwoodelementary.com/home.htm

NG3 and Parkview High School Continued from page 16 JM: What would you tell someone if they asked you what NG3 is?

CM: When people ask me about NG3, I like to describe it as a group of individuals who invest in other’s lives, to serve the community and build their own character as well. The group values the importance of keeping your word, committing to changing the community for the better, and putting others above yourself. It’s a welcoming group of people looking to do these things while enjoying each other’s company all at the same time.

More information at http://ng3.org/

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PAGE 19

Try a New Genre: Top 6 Memoirs Provide Excellent Summer Reading

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PAGE 20

Autobiographies are now passé. The telling of one’s story is now done in a relatively new genre – the memoir. Over the last decade, there have been some truly amazing memoirs published, many which have the power to completely change the reader. As an English teacher of nearly twentythree years, I am always seeking high interest literature for my social-media crazed students. Here is a list of what I consider to be the top six, high-interest memoirs on the market.

My Lobotomy (Howard Dully) As humans, we have a natural morbid curiosity that compels us to read stories involving traumatic content. This memoir is the heartbreaking story of Howard Dully, who was the youngest victim of Dr. Walter Freeman – a doctor who performed ice pick lobotomies out of the back of his “medical” van. The proverbial evil stepmother comes to life in this tale of dysfunction, disappointment, and abandonment. This is a story that will enrage every reader, and one that is absolutely unforgettable.

Look Me In the Eye (John Elder Robinson) This New York Times Bestseller is told by a man who grew up with Asperger’s Syndrome, but didn’t know it until he was an adult. He is at once socially awkward and gifted, but wholly misunderstood.

He was seen as a social deviant – a kid with major behavioral problems. His story, which includes a dysfunctional family life, is one that truly helps the reader better understand the mind of a person with Asperger’s. He was, for instance, always expected to “look people in the eye,” but this is not something that came to him naturally. These are the kind of normalcies that he had to learn throughout his life, often times learning them too late. His life and talents eventually led him into business with the rock band Kiss, where he worked to create their legendary exploding guitars. This is an endearing, eye-opening memoir, which, as a teacher, truly helped me to better understand this syndrome.

Proof of Heaven (Eben Alexander) This New York Times #1 Bestseller is a fascinating read for anyone who has ever pondered what happens to us after we die. Dr. Eben Alexander is a neurosurgeon who sees life slip away on a regular basis. In his scientific mind, he has always believed that life simply ends – there is no afterlife. This belief, however, changed when he had a near death experience. He describes what he recalls from this event in vivid detail.

His descriptions of his tour of another universe are thought-provoking, and certainly solidifies the beliefs of those who believe in an afterlife.

Same Kind of Different As Me (Ron Hall & Denver Moore) This memoir, also a New York Times Bestseller, is actually written by two men, offering their perspectives on a unique and unlikely friendship. Deborah Hall, the wife of Ron Hall, a wealthy Texas art dealer, runs a ministry for the homeless in Dallas, TX. She meets Denver Moore, a homeless man with a tormented past, and finds a way to bridge a lifelong relationship between this man and her family in a story that is poignant and uplifting. This is powerful, spiritual, and uplifting.

Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust (Immaculee Ilibagiza) This is a memoir of one woman’s struggle to stay alive after her entire family was massacred. When I say massacred, I do not mince words. The mass murderers in Rwanda used machetes to kill close to one million Rwandans. As I read this story about this modern day genocide occurring on our planet in 1994, I was embarrassed by the lack of media coverage this devastation received here in America.

Ilibagiza’s bravery, as she hides in a tiny bathroom for over three months, will be a story I will never forget, particularly the tenacity of her human spirit.

Parts of this story are very difficult to read, but it is a worthy, important read.

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness (Susannah Cahalan) This harrowing New York Times Bestseller is a memoir about a journalist in her mid-20s, who wakes up strapped to a hospital bed and labeled violent and psychotic.

Cahalan recreates her story in journalistic fashion, relying almost solely on the medical staff and family members who witnessed her spiral into madness.

She has no recollection of parts of the experience. She moves us through her horrifying tale with a perfect balance of science and compassion, and reminds all readers that we should never be satisfied with the opinion of one doctor.

This is a frightening and triumphant story.

Look for additional Top Book Recommendations in future issues of Our Town, including “Top Authors,” “Top Beach Reads,” “Top Humor,” and more.

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Girls on the Run at Camp Creek Elementary is So Much More than a Running Club

By Dana Harvey While searching for an opportunity to serve her Lilburn community, Dr. Alexia Rothman was intrigued by the idea of starting a running club after learning about Girls on the Run (GOTR).

With the hope of training not only her own daughter to run a 5K, Dr. Rothman, an avid runner and clinical psychologist, thought it would be wonderful to share her love of running with other girls as well. After going through the approval process and with Principal Valerie Robinett’s overwhelming support, the Girls on the Run Club at Camp Creek Elementary School took flight this past spring.

According to the organization, “Girls on the Run is a transformational physical activity-based positive youth development program for girls in 3rd-8th grade. Our mission is to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident, using a fun, experience-based curriculum, which creatively integrates running. We teach life skills through dynamic interactive lessons and running games. ” Girls on the Run at Camp Creek Elementary is one of many GOTR programs developed throughout the Metro Atlanta area. The season at Camp Creek consisted of a 12-week training program that properly taught a team of 12 girls to run a 5K (3.1-mile) race at the culmination of the period. The girls were selected for the inaugural season through a lottery system held by the organization. No previous running experience was required. At the end of the training, the girls safely and successfully completed the 5K running event at Georgia Tech that is organized each season as a celebration for all the Atlanta Girls on the Run programs.

For the girls at Camp Creek, this program inspired not only a love for running, but also an appreciation of others and self. Group discussions and activities were incorporated into practices twice a week that focused on cooperative team building, building self-confidence and self-esteem, Continued on page 22

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Girls on the Run Continued from page 21

Lilburn Farmers Market Continued from page 9

diversity, encouraging and celebrating each other, care and compassion for others, and understanding inner beauty.

“The curriculum is so well-organized and promotes the development of the whole person physically, mentally, and socially. This exceeded my expectations because the girls accomplished so much more than running a 5K,” Rothman noted.

Another component of the Girls on the Run initiative is for each program to develop, organize, and participate in a community service project at the end of its respective season. Through this aspect of the program, the team learned about working together to set and achieve goals, organization, and giving back to the community. The girls at Camp Creek organized a bake sale fundraiser to help their school purchase playground equipment to replace old equipment that is slated to be removed this summer.

“This was an awesome way for the girls to support their school. They were full of pride and excited to see their efforts go into something that their classmates will benefit from directly,” said Rothman.

The first season of this program at Camp Creek would not have been as successful without the time, efforts, and dedication of the volunteer coaches, which included Dr. Alexia Rothman, Abbey Impson, Dr. Michael Rothman, and Kelly Rothman. The fall season of Girls on the Run at Camp Creek Elementary will begin in August for those interested in participating in this wholeperson experience through running.

More information at www.girlsontherun.org.

receive a stamp card and a gift on their initial visit, and a second gift on their next visit. “These are good gifts, like samples of jellies or honey jars,” says Ms. McManus. On the third visit, patrons get $5 to spend free in the market. Repeat customers reap rewards!

Another program offered at the market is Georgia Fresh for Less. Through a grant, EBT/SNAP dollars are doubled on eligible EBT food items. For example, if $10 is swiped, then $20 can be spent on fresh food. Ms. McManus hopes to raise awareness for this program, which is in its third year at the market.

Ms. McManus explains that every farmers market is about community – it is local people selling local products. Then there’s the health component. “We’re really trying to help people eat healthier, by teaching them ways that they can use fresh produce – that’s a side benefit of this.

The main thing is to have a community gathering place for friends to meet and neighbors to see each other, and we see that every week.”

More information at www.lilburnfarmersmarket.org

Park Springs in Stone Mountain Continued from page 15 Living at Park Springs offers more lifestyle choices than traditional retirement communities, while still allowing its members to be an active part of their community. An activities director coordinates all events on campus, and even invites guest speakers for discussions on a variety of topics. Many of these events are also open to the general community, as well. Transportation is provided by Park Springs to various cultural activities in and around Atlanta, like the Atlanta Ballet, Atlanta Botanical Garden, and neighboring Stone Mountain Park. So many of Park Springs’ members have spent most of their lives in the Atlanta area, and the community offers a way to stay close to the city that is “home” to them.

More information at http://www.parksprings.com/

Suicide Prevention Continued from page 10 school in Georgia. Private schools may request the program free of charge as well. More Than Sad can be used to educate staff and faculty of schools so they can recognize signs of depression and warning signs of suicide. There is a separate module specifically for high schoolers and their parents.

Other education programs include a half-day program called safeTALK and a one-hour program called Talk Saves Lives. According to the AFSP website, suicide is ranked 11th in causes of death in Georgia. It is the 2nd leading cause of death for young adults ages 25-34 (https://afsp. org/about-suicide/state-fact-sheets/#Georgia). Owens believes the reasons for the suicide rates in our state and nation are a lack of understanding the signs, what to do about signs, and communication about the issue.

Although some suicides can happen without warning, most of the time people do show warning signs. These can often, someone planning or contemplating suicide will talk about it, they may increase drug and alcohol use, or they may feel anxiety, depression, irritability, or even rage.

Being educated about the issue will go a long way toward prevention. Together, we can make a difference.

More information at www.afsp/georgia or www.suicidepreventionlifeline..

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PAGE 22

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