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

JUNE 2021 Gwinnett/NE DeKalb Community & Family Magazine

Our Town GWINNETT

Lawrenceville Snellville Lilburn Stone Mountain Tucker

Up Close with Georgia Will and Probate Lawyers, see story on page 5.

8 9 14 15

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Hometown Brag: Meet Shekinah Phillips – SGHS 2011 Trickum Tales: The Case of the Traveling Yearbook Working Hard: JLC is Creating Leaders of Tomorrow Community Member Spotlight: Meet Beth Volpert-Johansen

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On the Cover: Meet the Team at Georgia Will & Probate Lawyers, LLC

By Kristen Eleveld When it comes to estate planning and creating wills, many people prefer to put the process off to a later time, or even avoid it entirely. But you may be surprised to learn just how important having a will can be and how simple it is to get one. Even more important is how much relief it can give you now. Thanks to one local law firm, more and more community members are able to learn what exactly is necessary to plan for the future.

Attorneys Steven Ashby and Latawsha Little-Hill of Georgia Will & Probate Lawyers, LLC have a lot in common, but the biggest similarity that unites these law partners is their genuine desire to help their neighbors plan for the future.

That’s why they decided to create a law firm that focuses exclusively on wills, probate, estate planning, advanced medical directives, and other related areas that can help people obtain peace of mind for themselves and their loved ones.

Steve decided he wanted to be a lawyer when he was nine years old. After reading the book To Kill a Mockingbird, which tells the story of an attorney and his family, he knew that practicing law would be his life’s work. He pursued his goal and graduated at the top of his class at Georgia Tech and then the University of Georgia Law School, and is now celebrating forty years of practicing as an attorney. Although he started out at a large corporate law firm, Steve found himself wanting to have a more personalized experience with his clients. This attitude is a large part of the reason he and Latawsha sought to build a firm that was designed to work with people regardless of their socio-economic status.

“I wanted a kinder, gentler practice,” said Steve. “We want to help families on a really personal level.”

Steve and Latawsha had been working in the same office, both practicing family law, when they decided to join forces.

Latawsha has also known she would be a lawyer since she was a kid in school. After gaining her undergraduate degree at Georgia Southern University, Latawsha attended law school at Western Michigan University. Incredibly, Latawsha commuted back and forth between Georgia and Michigan to obtain her law degree. Right out of Law School, Latawsha served as a prosecutor in Gwinnett County for five years.

Later, she built a civil practice before she and Steve created Georgia Will & Probate Lawyers to fulfill her dream of serving families in a more personal way.

“I’m glad my path led me here,” said Latawsha, who has been practicing law for over a decade. “I love the opportunity to really understand my clients and their needs.”

This dynamic duo has worked hard to not only provide important services to the metro-Atlanta community, but also to help educate people on what it really means to make a will and plan for the future. When someone reaches out to the team with questions, the first thing they do is set up an interview. This interview typically lasts around an hour, and is spent getting to know the client, finding out what their concerns and goals are, and walking them through the process of understanding what they need to do to make sure their loved ones are covered when the client passes away or suffers an incapacitating life change.

This consultation is given at no charge. Clients are free not to pursue the plans they discuss with Steve and Latawsha.

But the attorneys find that most clients do wish to continue the entire process once they understand just how important it is to go through the legal steps of creating a will, planning Continued on page 20

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Our Town Gwinnett/NE DeKalb Community & Family Magazine

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

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

Our Town Gwinnett is published and direct mailed to select homes in the Gwinnett /NE DeKalb area. Opinions expressed by the writers and staff are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Our Town Gwinnett reserves the right to edit and/or reject any editorial or advertising content. Our Town Gwinnett is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the cost of the space or for the validity of claims made by advertisers.

Entire contents copyright 2021 by Our Town Gwinnett. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden in any media without written permission from the publisher.

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IN THIS ISSUE 5 On the Cover: Meet the Team at Georgia Will & Probate Lawyers, LLC 7 From the Publisher: Ryan’s Remarks 8 Hometown Brag: Meet Shekinah Phillips – SGHS 2011 9 One on One with Lilburn Farmers Market 9 Trickum Tales: The Case of the Traveling Yearbook 10 One Man’s Opinion: So…What’s the Plan 12 One Man’s Opinion: The Dying Custom of Shared Sacrifice 13 Sports Talk: Middle School Golf League’s Spring Season 13 Travel Tales: Up, Up, and Away!

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

15 Community Member Spotlight: Meet Beth Volpert-Johansen

(770) 972-6540 • www.vecoma1.com

17 Where Are They Now? Dan Cook: Brookwood High Class of 1997

PAGE 6

14 Working Hard: JLC is Creating Leaders of Tomorrow 16 Shawn Mullins – Backstage at the Red Clay Theater

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Jun ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

From the Publisher:

1988

Eddie’s Automotive Service

Ryan’s Remarks @RyanSauers

@RyanTSauers

We have all lived through unprecedented and traumatic times the past sixteen months. We are slowly getting to the other side.

As I said a year ago, it was going to require everyone working together to make such progress and to prevail. And we have done just that.

I do not know about you, but I am ready for masks to become an old, old memory. Moreover, I am already enjoying the gathering of friends and families again to party like it was 2019. Sports, concerts, and crowds are back, and I am sick of Zoom. It is convenient, but it can never take the place of a face-to-face encounter. And man, am I ready to travel, speak, and do the things again that I took for granted. How about you?

I know everyone is ready for school to be out and to have a great summer. The past two school years have been some of the most challenging of our lifetimes. I want to give parents, students, school staff, administration, teachers, and anyone else I am missing, the ultimate kudos of persevering through these difficult times. It looks like nearly everyone will be back in school this fall studying like it was 2019.

Keep Pushing Forward (KPF) no matter what you are facing and no matter your age. Simply said, age is just a number. Consider the pandemic as the “great reset,” which allowed us to remember what truly matters. So go for your dreams. Life is short.

I hope you work to find the good in people and to try and make others laugh and smile. Let us love more and judge less. Let us get to know a person and build a relationship before throwing Bible verses at him or her. That is called “walking the talk” and it is what we all need. If we seek to operate with the utmost in ethics and integrity, although difficult at times, you will be glad you did.

I wish you a safe and blessed June 2021. Yes, we are nearly halfway (hard to believe) thru 2021.

Continued on page 8

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PAGE 7

Hometown Brag: Shekinah Phillips – SGHS 2011

By K. Coats If you were lucky enough to attend the South Gwinnett High School (SGHS) graduation for the class of 2011, then you heard a solo by Miss Shekinah Phillips. As her gorgeous voice rang throughout the Infinite Energy Center arena singing Jennifer Hudson’s I am Changing, you also heard one proud papa yell, “That’s my daughter!” And that honestly captures everything you need to know about the Phillips family. They do not know how to do anything by halves, be it praising God, loving people, or lifting others up. The Phillips family will capture your heart, and as the eldest daughter, Shekinah is a perfect example of everything her family embodies.

Leaving South Gwinnett High School in 2011, Shekinah went on to Agnes Scott. From there, she left the Greater Atlanta area far behind when she pursued a medical degree at the American University of Antigua. And it was in Antigua when Shekinah’s plans took a major turn. She says, “I decided to pursue research instead of a medical degree in order to work

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towards finding cures rather than treating.” Her goals eventually brought her to the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she is working on her PhD in Neuroscience. As a Graduate Research Trainee, Shekinah explains, “I currently study how drugs of abuse affect brain function. This entails me performing research in animal models to detect how certain drugs affect brain pathology and how it can be used to create new therapeutic agents for individuals that consume these drugs.” Her goals go even further, though, and Shekinah plans on leading her own charge before all is said and done. “My future plans and aspirations,” she says, “are to one day have my own research institute that makes groundbreaking discoveries in a manner that combines research and medicine and impacts the community to promote effective therapy and wellness.”

But being a leader is something Shekinah has been doing long before her graduate school days.

When she was a student at SGHS, she served on the Gwinnett Student Leadership Team, Beta Club, NHS, 2015 Homecoming Court, and Chorus. When she thinks about her time as a student there, she particularly remembers her favorite teacher, Coach Derrick Burchette. She admits, “Even though history was not my favorite subject, he taught it in a way that was exciting and allowed me to appreciate the subject matter.” And in regards to Snellville, “My fondest memories of growing up in Snellville consisted of my friends and I attending the Gwinnett County Fair and going to the movies, bowling and Stevie B’s with friends,” she recalls.

One would think that being a Graduate Research Trainee and earning a PhD in Neuroscience would be enough to fill anyone’s schedule, but Shekinah still finds time to do what she does best – lift and empower others. “I serve as a volunteer for Gaining Early Awareness and Continued on page 19

Ryan’s Remarks

Continued from page 7

Stay cool and enjoy each moment no matter what life throws your way. As Kenny Chesney says in his classic song Don’t Blink, “Cause when your hourglass runs out of sand... you can’t flip it over and start again... take every breath God gives you for what it’s worth.”

We have some great things happening and are in growth mode, so stay tuned. Have a blessed month, Our Town community. And as always, thank you for continuing with me on the journey of my town, your town, Our Town!

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Trickum Tales: The Case of the Traveling Yearbook

By Kristen Eleveld

One on One with Lilburn Farmers Market

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.

Continued on page 18

By Beth Volpert Johansen For more than twelve years, the place to be on Friday evening has been the Lilburn Farmers Market. Located at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church, the market draws a regular clientele from a wide region representing numerous nationalities.

Instead of closing up shop when COVID-19 regulations came into play, the intelligent management team of Mandy McManus and Andrea Brannen simply went digital. “We had an order online and pick up program running fairly quickly,” says Mandy. “Even though we are able to resume our on-site booths, we found the pick-up program was so popular that we kept it as well.” The market is so tempting that oftentimes those who order online still get Continued on page 19

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PAGE 9

One Man’s Opinion: So…What’s the Plan

By Bill Crane Not much more than one month into this pandemic, millions of Americans were losing their jobs or going from full to part-time, under-employed to unemployed, and, increasingly, self-employed. As housing costs are the highest fixed expense for most American households, mortgage and rent payments started to become more difficult, or went unpaid.

As part of their State of Emergency Declaration, the Centers for Disease Control issued an order prohibiting evictions or foreclosures based on the non-payment of rent or mortgages. Millions of Americans have struggled since, some of course more than others. Many paid no rent or mortgage because they were unable. Some delayed or made partial payments because that is what they could afford. Regrettably, yes, some certainly did not pay because eviction/foreclosure was at now at least temporarily off the table.

However, sooner than later, perhaps as early as July, this president will be in the position to end this State of Emergency. With that, the prohibition on evictions and foreclosures will end. And talk with any mortgage banker or lender, or anyone who owns, manages, or leases rental real estate property, and there is a tsunami of evictions and foreclosures building just offshore.

Good leaders react, build consensus, and sometimes use the bully pulpit to unite the country and American will. Great leaders identify problems before they reach critical mass and assemble a team and a plan. So, what is the plan?

The Biden Administration has already proposed $6 trillion in spending in response to this pandemic, other initiatives, and other massive expansions to the federal government that it supports. None of that money, in a significant sense, was budgeted to address this problem.

Private landlords and apartment complex owners are certainly due their rent, and it is impossible to indefinitely manage, maintain, or service debt on real estate without income. And with the banks and mortgage lenders, we mortgage loan holders signed a contract. Deferred payments are one thing, but no one expects the financial services industries to write down potentially hundreds of billions of lost mortgage loan principal and interest income.

Potentially, if the debt load is not managed, it could dwarf the sub-prime lending collapse in 2006 which triggered a 2008 market collapse.

Yes, there are dozens of billions available for emergency housing assistance and the homeless, but that doesn’t mean that the zoning or building permits are in place, or that neighborhoods and communities will not push back when some of the newly homeless are relocated into their area, or older apartments are rehabilitated complexes, etc. Where is the plan for what is coming?

This will require a mix of solutions, local, state, and federal, including loosening local building and zoning codes to allow for tiny houses, non-traditional construction such as remodeled rail cars, or 3-D printed structures. States can potentially utilize former military bases or empty college dormitories (during summer semester) to provide temporary shelter, and the federal government can look at ways to incent the private sector and a broader range of non-profits to invest in affordable and lower-cost housing development offerings.

With lumber costs off the chart, the way we typically build homes will also need to be reconsidered. A greater use of cinder blocks, lighter cement, and structural steel will come into the mix, as well as more factory-built prefabricated housing. And I already am aware of several families and friends who are not so certain what the rest of this year will bring them on this front, even with the new security that their good health may again be safe.

Part of the American Dream is homeownership, and rightfully so. But that also comes with multiple never-ending costs, utilities, and ongoing and unexpected expenses. For renters, things may be even scarier. The AVERAGE rent in metro Atlanta during this real estate price spike is $1,200.00 a month, and that’s for two bedrooms and one bath.

Yes, more sustainable energy sources and multiple other aspects of the Biden agenda are worthy of debate and support, but NOT over the likely immediate housing needs of millions of Americans. And we simply can’t afford the federal government to cut that check and pay off everyone’s mortgage debt or back rent. You will be hearing more about this soon. Some of our friends may be needing help as well, even temporary housing. If the macro plan isn’t ready, start with your own family and circle and be ready. That’s the start of a plan.

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

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PAGE 11

One Man’s Opinion: The Dying Custom of Shared Sacrifice

By Bill Crane Granted, the past year and change has been tough on almost all of us. Global pandemics have a way of leaving a mark. This is my first, and there are many indelible memories, good and bad.

As I recently watched north Georgia and much of the southeast overreact to a spot fuel shortage, largely driven by consumer behavior and hoarding, it struck me that our society as it exists today probably would not survive the multiple challenges and difficulties of the Second World War, or the rationing and shared community sacrifices of the Great Depression.

Both of my parents are of the Greatest Generation and survived that Depression. My mother was a toddler when her parents split, and she was then an only child. When a second marriage brought a younger sibling, she was over-joyed, but polio was also ravaging the nation and spreading rapidly, particularly among school children. Mom, just a child herself at that time, brought polio home, and the crippling disease would soon claim her only brother, not long after his third birthday. The second marriage also did not survive the death of the child.

By 1957, when polio had taken 37,000 lives so far that year, Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine became available. Americans waited in lines wrapped around blocks as public schools, gyms, and churches all became vaccination sites. The vaccine was painful, left a visible scar on many, but this illness was beaten back as a world killer, iron lungs all but disappeared, and the disease which slowly and painfully took down a former president was in part tamed by the shared sacrifice and enthusiastic mass vaccination of nearly the entire country.

When my father speaks of those challenging years, he references the rationing of gasoline, most food staples, tires and rubber, and any practical piece of hardware or electronic material being reserved for the war effort, whether building warships, planes, bombs, or relief, and

medical supplies for the GI’s.

I won’t re-state here the obvious maxims of supply and demand, but I will mention that 55 percent of the motor fuel in metro Atlanta and north Georgia is trucked in, and that although the Colonial Pipeline is critical infrastructure, it only accounts for 45 percent of our typical fuel supply.

Yes, there are critical needs for transportation. Let’s start with the first responders and truckers stepping in for the pipeline, and we shouldn’t need to declare a state of emergency for a temporary pipeline shutdown when the region also holds a near 30-day supply on hand, if you include the winter fuel mix which typically goes into reserve in early spring until late fall.

And though there were mean internet memes aplenty, there were also real people filling 30-gallon barrels in the backs of their trucks and container after container after container in broad daylight, often on camera, until some consumers and retailers began to limit purchase amounts.

So as the next few days wore on, broad fuel shortages became 60+ percent of north Georgia gas stations soon without fuel. Georgia’s governor froze sales tax collection on motor fuels and our state agriculture commissioner released the winter mix fuel for sale from storage, as numerous public officials urged people to simply buy only what they needed and to please not hoard or price gouge, allowing normalcy to return to the marketplace in a manner of days (which it did).

When the next Big Hack occurs, and it will, or another Hurricane Katrina wipes out significant oil refining capacity (as it did), could we all just take a moment to pause and realize that we are all in fact more or less in this together? A spot gasoline shortage should not cause an instant shift to the behavior of The Walking Dead or Mad Max. Can’t we at least start from the more civilized position of “women and children first”?

As we have watched political leaders in both major parties play politics on occasion with this pandemic, and a news media becoming more interested in reporting its own leanings and biases than simply unvarnished facts, it becomes harder and harder to know who and what to trust.

However, I still think the majority of us know simple right from wrong, and it’s RIGHT to look out for and assist one another, particularly in times of crisis and in situations which they did not cause. Yes, we must take care of our own, but that does not mean excluding, hoarding, or taking well more than we need to be safe. Thank God, again, my mom raised me right. After you, Ma’am.

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

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PAGE 12

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Jun ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

had two flights for the boys, one from the forward red tees and one from the junior tees, and this season’s winners included: red flight tie for first place Jackson McAleer from Loganville and Evan Carbone from Youth Middle both shooting 42, and from the junior tees Gavin Moncrief from Loganville Middle with 36 and Austin Chadwick for McConnell shooting 39. For the girls from the junior tees, Ava Ali from Creekland Middle won with 50, and Caitlyn Soroka from Five Forks Middle and Chloe Gordon from Trickum Middle tied for second with 51.”

Witmer added that it was pretty different from the parents’ orientations and the awards presentations via Zoom. Also, precautions were taken with mask-wearing outside optional and social distancing and limited player groupings during the season’s opening clinics and instruction.

“Our 105 players were from Bay Creek, Couch, Creekland, Crews, Dacula, Five Forks, Hull, Lanier, Loganville, McConnell, Shiloh, North Gwinnett, Trickum and Youth Middle Schools,” said Witmer. “And again, this fall we played at seven different golf courses including Bear Creek and Providence Golf Courses in Monroe, Summit Chase Country Club and Country Club of Gwinnett in Snellville, Cedar Lake Golf Course in Loganville and Collins Hill Golf Course Continued on page 18

Sports Talk: Middle School Golf League’s Spring Season

By Our Town Gwinnett Staff Trickum Middle School won the Middle School Golf League (MSGL) Spring Season team competition. Members of the winning team included Asa Brock, Chloe Gordan Beckett Lynch, Ayaan Patel, Mary Primm, and Trace Wood. Five Forks Middle School was second and Loganville third.

“We culminated our season with the individual skills competition of our Drive, Chip and Putt Contest,” said League Director Les Witmer. “COVID-19 impacted our season, but not the enthusiasm of these junior golfers to get outside and away from those doing virtual learning.”

Modifications because of the pandemic included running the skills competition in smaller groups of 20 at a time. Chip and Putt competition’s overall winners of the Drive were Mauri Robb from Bay Creek Middle School for the girls and Austin Chadwick for the boys from McConnell Middle School.

“In addition to our weekly best ball team play and our individual skills competition,” added Witmer, “we have a 9-hole invitational individual stroke tournament for the top juniors.” We

Travel Tales: Up, Up, and Away!

By Pam Walker Another week of good news! The list is growing. Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal are all opening up starting in June!

According to the latest news, the rest of the European Union will be open by the end of summer.

Best of all, you can enter without quarantine (if you are vaccinated). There are some restrictions in each country, so be sure to check with your Travel Advisor before you book that flight.

If you want to go, here is what the World Health Organization is saying: “Travelers from the US are allowed to enter only through COVID-tested flights. Currently only Delta is offering these flights. Travelers must have a negative PCR test within 72 hours of departure, take a rapid COVID antigen test at the departing airport prior to boarding, and a second rapid test upon arrival. One traveler per group or family must fill out an online European Digital Passenger Locator Form and include details of all fellow travelers.”

Also opening for vaccinated travelers are various cruise lines. Alaska is begging for visitors, so much so that the CDC has lifted all pre-requisites for cruises this summer. Summer is the most important time for Alaska. Tourism revenues for that short period load the coffers of Alaska’s businesses and will last until next summer.

Cruises are also re-starting in other parts of the world in late July. Again, ask your Travel Advisor which cruise line will take you where you want to go this summer and fall. Do make sure you have at least six months validity on your passports. The US Passport Office is way behind due to staffing cutbacks during the Pandemic and now the crush of travelers wanting to go somewhere. So, what are you waiting for all you European lovers? The pent-up need to get going again has thousands of travelers booking right now. Don’t be left out!

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

Jun ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

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PAGE 13

Working Hard: JLC is Creating Leaders of Tomorrow

By Kristen Eleveld When you think of school, the first things that come to mind are probably academics, school spirit, or maybe even your favorite school sport. But for several Gwinnett County middle schools, the focus goes beyond the basics. They want to focus on helping students be the best version of themselves through the Junior Leadership Corps.

The Junior Leadership Corps, or JLC, is all about giving students the tools and resources they need to find their stride in leadership and academic and personal success. Students are encouraged to become leaders among their peers and within their community as they learn what it means to define success for themselves.

For Dr. Frank Jones, the coordinator for this and other programs through the Gwinnett Instructional Support Center (ISC), the JLC was an answer to one of his academic passions: teaching skills and providing education that will serve students long after they have graduated high school.

“It’s been quite a learning experience for me,” said Dr. Jones, who was a middle school teacher for over twelve years before taking on his role at the ISC. “These students aren’t just given assignments to complete – they are becoming leaders in their own school.”

With the emphasis on leadership, academic success, and personal success, it’s easy to see why this program has been successful for ten different middle schools in the area. While each school has a unique approach to tailoring the program to their student body, the example of leadership is what unifies these programs throughout the county. The team at Trickum Middle School in Lilburn is especially excited about developing their program to an even higher level as they close out their first year with the JLC. Both Dr. Jones and Trickum Principal Ryan Queen attribute the success of their Junior Leadership Program to Sergeant First Class Veronica Ingram, U.S. Army (ret.) who created the JLC program at Trickum entirely on her own.

“I told Sergeant Ingram what I hoped to accomplish with the Junior Leadership Corps program, and she jumped right in and started working,” said Queen. “She’s done a tremendous job.”

Sergeant Ingram was previously serving as a teacher at a military school in California. While the new environment in Gwinnett was very different from the one she came from, she didn’t miss a beat when it came to creating a program that would help students understand what it

truly means to lead.

Each JLC program has a proud tradition of community service and leaving their neighborhoods better than they found them. While the COVID-19 pandemic certainly changed many plans, the JLC members did not stop working to achieve their goal of helping their communities.

“The students are the ones who come up with the ideas for community service and celebrations,” said Dr. Jones. “The JLC unit at Lilburn Middle School designed and coordinated the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration for the entire school.”

The Junior Leadership Corps has also been present at parades in Lawrenceville and Atlanta Continued on page 22

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Community Member Spotlight: Meet Beth Volpert-Johansen

By Emily Rubin Beth Volpert-Johansen has been interested in storytelling for as long as she can remember.

Her parents were natural storytellers, and reading books was huge in her family.

“Words always came easy to me,” Beth said.

“I have the first story I ever wrote in first grade taped to the wall in my office.”

Beth uses the moniker, “Freelance Beth” and says she has been interviewing Gwinnett since 1991, so it’s no surprise she has many connections to the community. She has lived in Grayson since 1978 and knows quite a few people to reach out to when working on a story.

“I appreciate all of the relationships that have naturally developed over the years here in Gwinnett County,” Beth said.

She started writing for publications as early as 1991 and then founded her own paper, The Grayson Gazette, in 2001. The newspaper originally started as a newsletter while she was working in real estate with her parents, Earl and Marianne Volpert. The paper eventually moved to other ownership, but Beth continued writing pieces for it.

In 2007 when the real estate market tanked, Beth began her second venture into teaching. After that, she decided to take a break and stay home with her kids. She coached a hockey team, a soccer team, and was a dedicated band mom.

“It turns out they’re much easier to raise when they’re little than when they start getting into things like band and swim team and soccer and hockey,” she said.

For six years, Beth experienced new ways of storytelling through her job at NightGlass Media Group. She learned to tell stories through writing scripts, shooting and editing video, and producing.

Beth has written for several other local publications and is even a ghostwriter. One experience ghostwriting ended in her co-writing a book called “Still a Soldier” with local civic leader, LC Johnson.

A 9th grade English teacher at Berkmar High School, Beth plans to use the summer break to work on her own books. She says she is living her best life by both teaching and writing. “That’s something that will hopefully break for me this summer,” Beth said. “That’s my big goal.”

Beth has been with Our Town Gwinnett for about six years and likes to stick to stories that profile people in the community. Her favorite part about the magazine is the positivity, inclusion, and neighborliness.

“For the most part it’s positive,” she said. “It keeps everything happy and joyful and in the past year and a half we need happy and joyful.” Beth loves the publisher/writer relationship at Our Town Gwinnett. She also loves the commitment to positivity, even when something negative may come up.

“It doesn’t do you any good to be negative about anything or dig up dirt because eventually you might want to have something positive come out of a relationship you have worked to maintain,” she said. Beth says she could not do what she does without the love and support of her family.

Together, she and her husband, Eric, have five mostly “grown and flown” children.

Not ones to sit around in an empty nest, Beth and Eric spend free time traveling as he plays keyboards for the Pink Floyd Tribute band, Interstellar Echoes, which performs throughout the southeast. Additionally, her oldest son has also begun to tour with his band, Movers, out of Athens, so there will be even more tune-filled travel in the future.

Traveling and working aside, Beth is happiest when she has a house full of kids swarming her kitchen and staging whiffle ball games in the back yard. “I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t surrounded by kids, either my own and their friends or my students,” she said. “It is where my heart is.”

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Shawn Mullins – Backstage at the Red Clay Theater

By Beth Volpert-Johansen “Four Sundays in May” – that’s what Eddie of Eddie Owen Presents called his hybrid project with Atlanta-based singersongwriter, Shawn Mullins. On Sunday nights in May, Shawn Mullins took the stage armed with only his guitars, a mic, and his vast collection of stories. The limited audience in attendance created an intimate setting for those watching the online concert.

In a word, the experience was soulful. As long-time fans, my eldest son and I were treated to what felt like an evening in Shawn Mullins’ own living room. Banked by a couple of lamps, an antique side table, his guitars, and wearing his signature hat, Shawn spun tales that had inspired his storytelling-style songs.

Signature songs like “Lullabye” that promise everything is gonna be alright and “Shimmer” that turned up on the Dawson’s Creek soundtrack are readily recognizable from radio play.

“Beautiful Wreck” gives a nod to the love you can’t quite shake no matter how wrecked they are. More from his 9th Ward Pickin’ Parlor added to the savory delights voiced by a master storyteller.

The night happened to coincide with Mother’s Day which is the reason I was in the audience with my son. While we both love Shawn Mullins’ music overall, each of us has our favorites.

“Getting to hear Shawn sing ‘Twin Rocks’ – one of my favorite songs – shows his mastery as a storyteller,” says Drew Serrero.

“He brought the story to life which was one of the highlights of the evening.”

As a storyteller, Shawn Mullins has covered a variety of songs; but his rendition of “House of the Rising Sun” always captures the attention of his audience. “That song is covered by everybody and his brother – including me,” says Drew. “His unique version of the song is not like anything else you will ever hear.”

Hearing the backstory of “Catoosa County” brought the pain of

war to life for me. The lyrics are masterful and include, “If I could I would place a hundred billion dollar bounty/On the hate that makes a war that digs the graves at Catoosa County.” The whole song is heart-rending and is applicable to the result of hate in general. It seemed, at least to me, that Shawn’s voice took on more gravel as he sang it.

As a nod to those who inspired his music as a young musician, Shawn drew out a terrific story of how a rock legend almost always has a gentler side. This was the case with Alice Cooper of “School’s Out (for summer)” fame. Shawn began with a couple of notes and the heads in the audience began to nod in recognition of Cooper’s “I Never Cry.” I was especially happy that the night didn’t pass us by without hearing such a remarkable tribute.

Of playing cover songs, Shawn says, “I don’t typically do covers unless I have really listened to it and the music had some influence in my life.”

As the music rocked the audience gently between heartbreakers and hard hearts, Shawn reminded those in-person and online fans that the music is only good if it can be shared and heard.

Playing at The Red Clay Theater is a little like coming home for Shawn. “One of the highlights of my career has been to play at Eddie’s place,” says Shawn, who began his career playing in places like Trackside and any bar around Little Five Points that would take him. “Me and Eddie go back a long way with the music scene here in Atlanta.” His stories alone are complete proof of the long-term friendship that had both Shawn and Eddie putting their heads together (six feet apart) to bring live music back to the audiences. “A live audience is a celebration in itself,” says Shawn. “I really couldn’t wait to get back in here. It keeps my tools sharp.”

Celebrating the audience and what we all hope is the end of quarantine, at a time when live music is beginning to take baby steps back towards the stage, Eddie Owen is more than ready to provide the space. “I am ready to go-go-GO!,” he says with a big smile and genuine enthusiasm. “As things are allowed to open back up, people will find that performers are more than ready to bring back the joy that only music can provide.”

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Where Are They Now? Dan Cook: Brookwood High Class of 1997

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By K. Coats Saint Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna is, without question, breath-taking. There is a grandeur about it that quickly reminds us of our humble place in this world. And for 1997 Brookwood graduate Dan Cook, it was a place where his life was to take a very different direction. However, the pieces for that direction had been laid long before that trip to Europe.

While Europe has its fair share of art, for Dan Cook, that was a study he had long avoided. “I was always interested in art growing up,” he says, “but never really felt like I had the ‘knack’ that others seemed to possess inherently, and I was frequently discouraged by how talented others seemed. It wasn’t until my senior year of high school that I even took my first 2D Art course.” And it was Mr. Parker with his Technical Drafting course who finally gave Dan the confidence with design he would eventually need in his career. “Technical Drafting taught me something that I wish someone had told me much earlier in my life,” Dan explains. “Drawing is a skill like any other and can be learned; it just takes practice. What I always believed until that time was a God-given gift to artists typically just came from practice and learning from those willing to teach.”

While art may have taken a while to warm up to, there was another field where Dan felt he had an advantage. The late 90s was an exciting time to be a student as traditional learning blended with newer technology. Computers in the classroom and private homes slowly began to be the norm. “I grew up in a family with a father who got on board with computers long before they were everyday household items and sort of felt that a future in computer programming was likely,” Dan recalls. “That said, that meant that I was interested in computers and computer gaming which also brought me into electives in high school related to programming and the like.” But as natural a fit as computers were, it took some time at Georgia Tech for Dan to learn how he truly felt. “After getting most of my initial coursework done,” he says, “I decided on Computer Science as my major and stuck with that for over a year – and hated it.” And it was here that the family was able to take a well-timed trip to Europe.

“I was 19 and didn’t really know what the heck I was doing,” Dan says, “but when we flew into Zurich, I went to a gift shop, bought a pencil and a sketchbook, and decided that in addition to the photographs I was planning on taking, I’d also take some time to sketch. I hadn’t picked up a pencil to draw in two years, so the sketches were awful.

But a week into the vacation, we were in Vienna, and I sat down in a beautiful cathedral called Saint Stephen’s in the heart of the city.” Little did Dan know that this would be a pivotal moment for him.

“My family went off on a tour,” he continues, “and I just sat down in a pew and looked around in awe for a while. Eventually I pulled out my sketchbook and began to draw the altar and sculptures framed by the massive columns of the nave. It wasn’t a particularly good sketch, but before I knew it, I heard people murmuring behind me and the snap of cameras clicking. Curious, I turned around and saw several groups of tourists snapping photos – not of the beautiful church I was attempting to draw, but of me – and my sketch.” And before Dan ever took a class on the subject of architecture, his work was internationally acclaimed – sort of. “A couple spoke in German, another in Italian, and in Japanese,” he recalls, “but all said essentially the same thing as they nodded and looked at my sketch – ‘beautiful.’” And at that moment, computer sci-

Jun ’21 Our Town Gwinnett

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The Case of the Traveling Yearbook Continued from page 9 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

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in Lawrenceville, and Trophy Club of Apalachee in Dacula. Summit Chase has been our home course for our clinics and Drive, Chip and Putt contest and where the MSGL originated, and we culminated our season there as the golf course closed.”

The Most Improved Golfer Awards for the fall season were given to Kennedy Howard for Bay Creek; Jonathan Cobb, AJ Parrish and Samuel Seybert for Couch; Mya Ali for Creekland; Benjamin Greene for Crews; Zachary Miller for Dacula; Logan Coffman and Caitlyn Soroka for Five Forks; Emmett Dane for Hull; Alex Culver and Gavin Moncrief for Loganville; Tanishk Rajpurohit, Samantha Dunn and John Graham for McConnell; Jordan Ramsey for Shiloh; Ayaan Patel and Drew Rouk for Trickum; and Alexis McClary for Youth.

The Middle School Golf League is organized through the South Gwinnett Athletic Association and plays mainly on Sunday afternoons during fall and spring seasons.

“We began our season again with a clinic for all, an extra on-course clinic for new players to golf or the league in preparation for their team best-ball play, and a practice round to get everyone organized,” said Witmer. “Then four weeks of team best-ball play, and then we introduced them to stroke play where everyone got to play their own ball for an individual score, then the more experienced juniors participated in a 9-hole tournament,” added Witmer. “Our season culminated with a Drive, Chip, and Putt competition.”

The 2021 Fall Season for the Middle School Golf League will begin in August and play through the end of October.

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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.”

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Lilburn Farmers Market Continued from page 9

Hometown Brag: Shekinah Phillips Continued from page 8

out of the car and pick up additional items.

One of the advantages to an established farmer’s market is access to additional programs that benefit the community. “We have a program called Wholesome Wave Georgia that allows us to accept EBT benefits and double the value on fruits and vegetables,” says Mandy.

“This helps us deliver healthy fruits and vegetables to our neighbors.” Andrea adds, “We are one of the few markets that offer this program in the county.”

Each week the market hosts various vendors who deliver a wide variety of locally grown/ produced products to enjoy. Among the offerings are seasonal fruits and vegetables, herbs/ spices, preserves/jellies, whole-grain breads, fish, meats, local honey, ready-to-eat foods, handcrafted bath/body products, candles, and tasty baked goods. Also included in the offerings are locally blended teas for a variety of health and taste reasons.

Different events are also held throughout the season that runs from May through August.

“We host a blood drive each month as well as feature a Little Free Library that the Lilburn Woman’s Club runs,” says Andrea. “We will even have a Dog Daze of Summer for the dog people.”

One of the most popular aspects of the market is the featured chef, Lisa Lowe. “Each week, Lisa will wander the market and think about what she will prepare the next week,” says Mandy. Andrea adds, “She showed us how to make a variety of vinaigrettes with basil and other fresh ingredients.”

Stopping by the Lilburn Farmers Market on the way home is a tasty way to start the weekend. “Buying products from the people who grow it is a game-changer,” says Mandy. “The growers can make specific suggestions on how to store, prepare, and cook their products.”

Knowing precisely who grew a product and who harvested it creates a relationship between growers and consumers that cannot be duplicated in a large grocery. “You name it, we have it!” says Andrea. “This year, we have a more international representation, which has been a big hit.”

The big takeaway? Any way you look at it, the Lilburn Farmers Market is a tasty way to start the weekend.

Andrea’s tip: “Try the mac and cheese - It’s to die for!” Mandy’s tip: “Give the microgreens a try, but don’t miss the smoked sausage, or bath and body, or...well, just everything!”

More information at https://www.lilburnfarmersmarket.org/

Readiness for Undergraduate Programs,” she says, “which strives to increase the number of low-income students in high-poverty, middle and high school, who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.” She also serves as the vice president of the Neuroscience Roadmap Scholars Program. This program is an “effort to enhance engagement of underrepresented graduate trainees in the neuroscience workforce by providing a day-to-day educational and training environment,” she explains. And just when you think that’s all, Shekinah also helps out as a Científico Latino Graduate Mentor to “help prepare underrepresented students apply to STEM PhD programs.”

Her other passion project can be found online: a non-profit organization called Girl, You Can Do It Too. “For most of my life, it was challenging to find people in my surroundings that were on career paths that spoke to where I wanted to go in life,” Shekinah says. “So, I’ve created this organization as a space where young women will access a network of scientists and other professionals from different backgrounds to receive mentorship and to help them discover their potential.” In the spirit of empowerment, she states, “Our goal is to create a bridge between the possible and impossible where, at the core, there is a certain conviction that solidifies that, whatever race, socioeconomic status, or creed, they can achieve their dreams.”

For her achievements, Shekinah says, “I just want to honor God, my parents, and my sisters, Zoe and Melody, for leading and guiding me every step of the way. I am forever grateful and honored that God chose my parents to guard me, cover me, and be present through all of the ups and downs. They are my special gifts, and I love them forever.”

Admittedly, we all expected big things from Shekinah Phillips when she left South Gwinnett. To see her true potential, one only has to look at the meaning of her name. “It is Hebrew,” she says, “and means the glory of God, dwelling, and the majestic presence or manifestation of God which has descended to ‘dwell’ among men.” And Shekinah spreads that presence to others as much as she is able by working tirelessly to help improve the lives of those near and far, old and young, well or sick.

Thank you, (future) Dr. Phillips for all that you have done and all that you will do. Thank you for raising up those around you in love, faith, and the belief that anyone can be the best version of themselves at any time. You certainly show us how it’s done.

Shekinah Phillips is the founder of Girl, You Can Do It Too. More information at https:// girlyoucandoittoo.wixsite.com/website.

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Georgia Will & Probate Lawyers, LLC Continued from page 5 out their estate, and making plans to protect them in the event they ever become incapacitated.

While a Last Will and Testament will protect a family once a loved one passes away, Steve and Latawsha point out that a Durable Power of Attorney and an Advanced Directive for Health Care will protect your family if you ever become incapacitated and cannot fend for yourself.

“We have tried to streamline the process as much as possible,” said Latawsha “Once we finish the interview and understand what you need, everything begins to fall into place.”

Indeed, the goal of Georgia Will & Probate Lawyers, LLC is to truly serve their clients in every sense of the word. That’s why they work to make their intake process both thorough and manageable so that anyone who walks through their doors can have the chance to learn what they need to know and get the services they need.

Georgia Will and Probate Lawyers also help families navigate the legal process that arises when a family member dies, either with or without a will. The process of probating or administering an estate can be subject to many pitfalls. Steve and Latawsha are experienced in guiding

families through this maze as efficiently as possible.

A large factor in the success of this law firm is the way Steve and Latawsha work together.

The two attorneys have an incredible working relationship that allows them to work together seamlessly.

“Latawsha is a tough person!” said Steve of his partner. “I admire her intellect, tenacity, and kind heart.”

“One of the reasons I like working with Steve so much is because he is so personable,” added Latawsha. “We’re busy, but we both love what we do.”

The love for their practice and community is evident to anyone who interacts with this attorney team. Whether you’ve lost a family member or are not quite sure how to start your end-oflife planning, give Georgia Will & Probate Lawyers, LLC a call. Both Steve and Latawsha urge everyone to start sooner rather than later. It’s always better to be confident that your future is secure, so that you can focus on living your life today.

“Our vision in creating this practice was to relate to our community on a personal level,” said Steve. “We are right here with you, and we’re ready to help.”

More information at gwaplaw.com or call (770) 493-4924

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Creating Leaders for Tomorrow Continued from page 14 as well as coordinated donations to local food banks. Community service is part of the idea of good citizenship, which is something JLC likes to encourage in its members.

“These kids are leaders around the school, not just in their classrooms,” said Dr. Jones. “We want to them to realize they can be the ones who stand up and meet a need for someone else.”

Beyond the regular participation in community service, the JLC program at Trickum has also competed in several events that test their physical fitness and drill movement skills. Even though the program is brand new to the school, the Trickum JLC team came home with multiple trophies and first-place awards.

While the JLC program is not available at every school, Gwinnett County hopes to offer it to more students in the coming years. If your middle school student is interested in participating, they should talk to their teacher or school administration “I look forward to watching this program grow,” said Queen. “We are seeing these kids do so much for their community.”

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Dan Cook Continued from page 17 ence didn’t stand a chance. “When I returned from Europe,” Dan explains, “I headed back to campus at Georgia Tech and immediately swapped majors to Architecture. There were times in undergrad that I again questioned my career choice, but there were enough professors at Georgia Tech that encouraged traditional and classical architecture (shout out to Betty Dowling and Lane Duncan) that I really haven’t looked back since.” Dan would get his graduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and is currently working with Atlanta-based Pak Heydt and Associates.

The title “architect” can cover a vast swath of expectations, so Dan broke down his responsibilities a little more. “I primarily work on renovations and additions to historic homes in the Atlanta area, including homes originally designed by Neel Reid, Phillip Shutze, and James Means,” he says. “New homes – usually in a classical, vernacular, or traditional design – are also designed and executed by our firm where we will design a home to the specifications, requirements, and inspirations brought by a family and coordinate every last detail so that it is built as-designed to last generations.” But Dan lends his experience to areas closer to home as well – in fact, his own neighborhood. “I sit on the Historic Preservation Committee for the City of Stone Mountain,” he says. “I’m the only architect on the committee, so I do my best to guide those that come before us to maintain the historic fabric of the city.” And the city of Stone Mountain is lucky to have him, to be sure.

And it’s the legacy of buildings that motivates Dan in his future plans. “Having worked on so many dream homes for so many families,” he admits, “I’d like to design a home for my own family. While most of my work focuses on high-end residential, a couple of years ago, I did form my own LLC to do side work when I find that I have the time. In the past year, that time has evaporated due to focus on my job, the pandemic, and my little toddler running around the house. I’ll be celebrating my 7th anniversary this year with my lovely wife, Whitney, who is a pharmacist specializing in infectious diseases at Piedmont Rockdale, and my wonderful son Harrison will be turning three this December.” Despite his full plate, Dan still looks to the future and the mark he’d like to make. “I feel like, as an architect, I’d like to leave behind a legacy of built work that people use, admire, and cherish long after I’m gone, whether they know my name or not.”

As an architect, parts of our community now stand out to Dan that he may have overlooked when he was younger. “Years after leaving my hometown,” he says, “I discovered many historic buildings that I am quite fond of: the Wynne-Russell House in Lilburn, the Historic Courthouse in downtown Lawrenceville, and a more recent construction, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, also in Lilburn. Built according to Hindu architectural techniques and scripture, it’s the largest temple of its kind outside of India. It’s truly impressive and a real gem for the community.” He adds that the tours are definitely worth taking once they are offered again.

To see examples of Dan’s work, he says, “Simply search for Eisenhower Memorial and Daniel Cook and you’ll find my design.” This is the design he won an award for in Washington D.C. For professional work examples, you can find them in the renovation and additions to Wheeler High School in Marietta when he worked with a previous firm. “For Pak Heydt & Associates, our homes often grace the pages of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, Veranda, Southern Living, and other magazines focusing on residential architecture,” he adds. “A great spread of images can be found for the 2017 Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Showhouse, which was a renovation and major addition to an original historic home by the architect James Means.”

The Our Town staff would like to wish Dan Cook and his family the best as he leaves his mark on our community through his architecture. Thank you for showing us that houses have character and homes are a legacy.

More information at https://atlantahomesmag.com/article/history-in-the-making/ or http:// www.academyofclassicaldesign.org/news/?p=328.

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