MAY 2019: Our Town Gwinnett/Walton Monthly Magazine

MAY 2019 Gwinnett/Walton Community & Family Magazine

Our Town GWINNETT

Grayson Dacula Loganville Lawrenceville

Up Close with Reddy Medical Urgent Care, see story on page 5.

13 14 16 18

Meet Jordan Eugene: Creator of Who Would You TRUST? Collecting History: Stamp Collecting in Gwinnett County Getting to Know Mesum Zaidi: Grayson High’s 2019 Valedictorian iCan Bike Gwinnett: Making a Difference in Lives

Celebrating each life

like no other .

NO TWO OF US ARE ALIKE. A memorial service should reflect that. Whether your family is in need of immediate service or interested in planning ahead, you can rely on your Dignity Memorial® professionals to help you create a unique and meaningful send-off.

Celebrating each life like no other.

Celebrating each life like no other.

Celebrating each life like no other.

Celebrating each life like no other.

No two No of two us are A memorial service should of alike. us are A alike. memorial service should No two ofalike. us are A memorial service should reflect that.

Whether your family is in need of immediate reflect that.

Whether your family is in need of immediate No two of us are alike.

A memorial service should reflect that. Whether your family is in need of immediate service or service interested in planning ahead, you can rely on or service interested in planning ahead, you can rely on reflect that.

Whether your family is in need of or interested in planning ahead, you can rely on immediate ®Memorial ® professionals your Dignity professionals to interested help youtocreate a tocreate yourMemorial Dignity help you a create ® professionals service or in planning ahead, you can your Dignity Memorial help you a rely on unique and meaningful send-off. ® unique and meaningful send-off. your Dignity Memorial unique and meaningful send-off. professionals to help you create a unique and meaningful send-off.

ETERNAL HILLS

FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION & MEMORY GARDENS

SNELLVILLE EternalHillsFuneralHome.com ETERNAL HILLS ETERNAL HILLS HILLS ETERNAL Funeral Home & Cremation & Memory Gardens Funeral Home & Cremation & Memory Gardens ETERNAL Funeral Home & Cremation & MemoryHILLS Gardens 770-972-3155 sNellVille sNellVille Funeral Home & Cremation & Memory Gardens sNellVille

Gregory Williams

sNellVille 770-972-3155 EternalHillsFuneralHome.com 770-972-3155 EternalHillsFuneralHome.com General Manager 770-972-3155 EternalHillsFuneralHome.com 770-972-3155 EternalHillsFuneralHome.com

PAGE 2

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

_EternalHills_10x4-9369_PreNeedAtNeed_C.indd 1 6615_4546_0438_EternalHills_10x4-9369_PreNeedAtNeed_C.indd 1 M6615_4546_0438_EternalHills_10x4-9369_PreNeedAtNeed_C.indd 1

M6615_4546_0438_EternalHills_10x4-9369_PreNeedAtNeed_C.indd 1

Our Town Gwinnett

3/26/17 1:48 PM3/26/17 1:48 PM

3/26/17 1:48 PM

3/26/17 1

Our Town Gwinnett

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

PAGE 3

russell-orthodontics.com

Russell Orthodontics

THE CLEAR CHOICE COME AND ENJOY THE SUMMIT CHASE EXPERIENCE....

YOUR TABLE IS READY.

Social Dining Memberships $300 per year.

SUMMIT CHASE COUNTRY CLUB 3197 Classic Drive • Snellville, Ga 30078 • 770-979-9000 www.summitchasecc.com

PAGE 4

YOU BELONG HERE!

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

Our Town Gwinnett

On the Cover: Reddy, Set, Go! Reddy Urgent Care Opens a New Location in Loganville

By Kristen Eleveld In an age where information seems literally endless, we find ourselves presented with hundreds, sometimes thousands, of places to choose from for all types of services. But when it comes to picking an urgent care, you know you need to find a place that is not just available – it needs to be the right fit. Making that choice can seem daunting and maybe impossible, but for Loganville residents, your decision is over: Reddy Urgent Care has moved into town.

With a history of medical care services going back nearly 40 years, Reddy Urgent Care and its accompanying medical centers have already established themselves as reliable and trustworthy.

The Loganville urgent care center is the seventh such facility to open in Georgia, and they are committed to what Medical Director Dr. Ram Reddy calls “The Reddy Way.” “The Reddy Way means you will walk into an urgent care that is family-owned and committed to finding a solution for your needs,” said Dr. Reddy. “We work hard to be economically savvy while still offering you the highest level of medical care available.”

The greatest thing about urgent care? It’s the best of both worlds. You can receive comprehensive medical treatments in a timely fashion that doesn’t blow your budget. In short, you are able to get what you need, when you need it, for the right price.

But the “urgent” in urgent care does not mean you will be rushed out the door to save time.

In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Dr. Reddy and his team believe in the value of getting to know a patient and working with them to solve their problems instead of just sending them on their way.

“We always want our patients to walk away with a solution and a plan,” said Dr. Reddy of his philosophy for urgent care. “It’s important to us that you know the next steps to take before you walk out of our doors.”

As part of Reddy Urgent Care’s ever-increasing efforts to educate their patients, they also provide a list of current, relevant information for common medical situations. An on-call doctor stands ready to assist you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And their patient portal allows for constant and reliable access to your medical records and the treatment you have received.

It is these types of details that set Reddy Urgent Care apart from your average walk-in clinic.

With full access to equipment like x-ray machines and EKGs, Reddy Urgent Care is able to address a wide variety of medical issues, ranging from the most common types of problems to

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

the most unique.

You don’t even need an appointment. Simply walk into the office (4072 Atlanta Highway, Loganville, GA 30052) during business hours and you will be helped as soon as possible.

More information at www.reddyurgentcarecenters.com

isJohn honored to beIV, we are committed to providing you with the high AtDr. the Simmons dental office of W. Simmons, comprehensive dental care, focused on both the function and beauty of your smile. A one of only nine dentists improving in patient care and comfort are our primary concerns. We are proud to run a practice that treats ea Georgia to have passed the kind, gentle, and caring manner, just like family. We offer a full range of the latest cosmetic a rigorous required to long-lasting, earn procedures thattesting concentrate on ensuring brilliant results you will love, and others

Cosmetic Dentistry The cosmetic procedures we offer can dramatically enhance the appearance of your smile. We offer a wide selection of procedures that can correct almost any dental imperfection.

• Porcelain Veneers • Teeth Whitening • Dental Bonding • Gum Recontouring • Dental Implants • All-Porcelain Crowns

BEFORE

AFTER

Compassionate Dentistry Our superior services can recapture the health, functionality, and youthful appearance of your natural smile. Our practice focuses on providing Before After long-lasting results and promoting overall dental health.

Hexcellent e a lt H y • B e a u t i f u l • i n s p i r e d Our Town Gwinnett

accreditation from the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

His state-of-the-art equipment and updated technology allow him to affordably serveDENTAL CARE AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY D.M.D., P.C. • SUPERIOR his patients by providing healthy, beautiful smiles. Our experienced team provides five-star service, personalized care, and an extraordinary commitment to your health and well-being. Please join our Call for an Appointment family by scheduling a new patient exam.

J OHN W. S IMMONS,

2381-B Main Street E Snellville, Georgia 30

770-985-2437

John W. Simmons, IV, DMD, PC

2381-B Main Street East www.smilesbysimmons.co Snellville, Georgia 30078 Hours: Monday 9:00am - 7:00pm Tuesday 7:00am 770-985-2437Office • smilesbysimmons.com Wednesday 7:00am - 6:00pm Thursday 7:00am - 2:

Dr. John W. Simmons, IV

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

PAGE 5

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

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

YOUR BEST SMILE STARTS HERE

Our Town Gwinnett/Walton 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 Cover Photographer Marcie Reif Photography

Drs. Vic Koehler, Beau Upshaw and Stewart Helton

770-466-0474 www.CreeksideDentistry.net 3238 KRISAM CREEK DR. • LOGANVILLE, GA 30052 Member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry ADA,GDA, Hinman Dental Society

{

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

}

l Heating-Ventilation l Air Conditioning l Air Purification l Duct Cleaning l Blown Insulation

Freon Special

$35 a pound

For the first 50 people

starting at:

$3340.00

Cash Price Upflow Only

14 Seer Package

Furnace, Coil and Air Condensing Pro Thermostat Expires 05/01/19

PAGE 6

Distribution Coordinator DeeDee Chapman Feature Writers Pearl Aidoo Heidi Campbell K. Coats Kristen Eleveld Emily Haney Kim Hill Amy Ney Traci Sanders Beth Volpert Johansen Contributing Writers Bill Crane Tanisha Turner Carol Tuttle Pam Walker

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

Entire contents copyright 2019 by Our Town Gwinnett. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden in any media without written permission from the publisher.

Stay Connected!

OurTownGwinnett.com

Read Online: OurTownGwinnettOnline.com @OurTownGwinnett @OurTownGwinnett @OurTownGwinnett Join the Our Town Community Forum:

www.Facebook.com/groups/ OurTownGwinnettCommunityForum

IN THIS ISSUE 5 7 8 9 10 10 13 14 14 15 16 17 18 20 21

On the Cover: Reddy, Set, Go! Reddy Urgent Care Opens a New Location in Loganville From the Publisher: One Man’s Opinion Family Corner: Plan, Unplug, and be Positive at Mealtime Learning Lessons: Focus on the First Five Years to Foster Your Child’s Development It’s in the Blood: Meet Emily Rusch Keeping You Informed: Lawrenceville Neighborhood Alliance Meet Jordan Eugene: Who Would You TRUST? Collecting History: Stamp Collecting in Gwinnett Travel Tales: Re-Wilding South America Crane’s Corner: Insights from Bill Crane Getting to Know Mesum Zaidi: Grayson High’s 2019 Valedictorian McCurry Photography Exhibit Graces Halls in Gwinnett School iCan Bike Gwinnett: Making A Difference in Lives Local Book Review: Where the Crawdads Sing is a Great Read Feeling Unmotivated? Remove “Should” from Your Vocabulary

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

Our Town Gwinnett

A Mother’s Day Gift

From the Publisher:

To all mothers,canine and human alike Happy Mother’s Day!

One Man’s Opinion

By Ryan T. Sauers

@RyanSauers

It is May and we are moving to the end of the school year.

We all look forward to a great summer. My love of family, faith, and community is one of the many reasons I enjoy publishing two monthly magazines dedicated to these topics.

I believe there are better things happening in the world than is ever reported. If you are a regular reader of this column, you may be thinking that I say this a lot. And you are correct. We all need to remind ourselves of the good that exists – yet is often overlooked – throughout our community, country, and world. Moreover, many of us see our world as overloaded with information and moving at warp speed – quite impersonal and “short attention” span in nature.

If you consume any type of news (locally or globally), you witness a world that may can seem out of control, angry, and divided. But let me tell you something – there are more amazing people out there than we can ever do stories on. And that is just in our local community.

The people I know desire peace, love, laughter, and a better world for their children/grandchildren. The Our Town community is simply a microcosm of all that is happening around America and the world. In our communities we have our own opinions, beliefs, and values. Thus, we must work hard to care about each person we meet. So, please put your phone down and talk to someone (and really and truly listen).

Will you help me challenge others to think of further ways to strengthen our community, refrain from criticism, and to focus on solutions? Every human has emotions: love, anger, frustration, etc. Together we can make a difference and build strong bridges of understanding between one another. This allows us to develop trust that is needed as we all move forward together.

A community is strengthened one person and one day at a time. I wish you and your family a wonderful and blessed May and upcoming summer season. I am so glad you are with us as we continue the journey of my town, your town, our town!

MAY Disease control for turf.

Core aeration for strong roots and a lush, dense lawn.

®

CampBowWow.com/lawrenceville-ga

#EquipToThrive

Additional fertilization for lawn, trees, and shrubs.

Same-Day Free Estimates Same-Day Free Estimates $25.00 first lawn treatment New customers only uptreatment to 6,000 sq. $25.00 first lawn

ft. when you agree toup ourto86,000 treatment New customers only sq. ft. program. valid anytreatment other when youNot agree to with our 7-8 discount offer. program. Not valid with any other discount offer.

Pre-pay discount

No contract to sign

Lawn care

You call, we come

Custom fertilization and weed control programs

Plant health care

Fertilization, disease and insect control

Locally owned and operated

Service guaranteed

We strive to exceed your expectations

Providence is equipping students to lead, serve, and embrace faith in Christ while providing top-tier academics, competitive sports, award-winning fine arts, and a nationally-recognized STEM program.

Come and see how we prepare the next generation to be hard-working, articulate and gracious young people who live out their faith and thrive in an ever-changing world.

2018

WINNER

tourprovidence.org

Smaller company, bigger service

simplygreenlawncare.com Our Town Gwinnett

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

PAGE 7

Family Corner: Plan, Unplug, and be Positive at Mealtime

By Our Town Staff With our busy lifestyles today, finding time to shop for groceries, cook, then meet as a family to enjoy a meal together can be a major challenge. A Harris poll shows only 30 percent of American families share dinner each night.

Yet the benefits of maintaining that family time are so substantial that it’s well worth your while to make it happen.

Research shows, for example, that kids and teens who share meals with their families three or more times per week are significantly less likely to be overweight, more likely to eat healthy foods and less likely to have eating disorders. Further, such togetherness is linked with higher grades, better self-esteem, and positive behaviors such as sharing, fairness, and respect among children who participate.

In that spirit, we asked actress, host, food lover, and mom of two, Courtney Lopez, for some helpful tips on how she gets her family together for mealtime. Lopez has recently teamed up with Eggland’s Best (EB), a proud supporter of the American Heart Association’s Healthy for Good movement, to challenge families across America to pledge to stay at the table for an additional “dozen” minutes.

1. Unplug and unwind. Make your table a phone-free zone, encouraging everyone to talk about their day. This will help your family grow closer together and become more and more involved in each other’s lives. You might be surprised by what you will learn!

2. Try new dishes. Comfort food can be a great thing, but so can the sense of adventure that comes from trying new dishes. Eggland’s Best eggs can be incorporated into an endless spectrum of family-friendly recipes like the Southwestern Quinoa and Egg Breakfast Bowl. EB eggs are the only eggs good enough for my family meals, with superior nutrition like 25 percent less saturated fat and 6 times more vitamin D than ordinary eggs.

3. Make it a team effort. Your family will feel more involved if they share the work. My little guys love helping by cracking eggs, stirring, sprinkling spices, or setting the table. Allowing little ones to help can also get them excited about the meal, even if they tend to be picky eaters. And as the old saying goes, many hands make light work.

4. Plan in Advance: It can be tough to have nutritious meals ready to go with a busy schedule, but spending just a few hours of your weekend buying, prepping, or even cooking the components of your weekday meals will go a long way. You’ll thank yourself when you’re hungry and tired at the end of a long day. Having everything nearly ready to serve reduces the chances you’ll opt for fast food or other less-healthy food options.

5. Focus on the Positive. No one wants to share a table with fellow diners who are grouchy and unpleasant to each other – although sometimes that can be unavoidable with kids. To keep it positive during this relatively short time each day, avoid judgments, lectures, sarcasm, and snarky comments. Ask each person about the highs and lows of his or her day, setting aside this space and time to celebrate victories and help each other through life’s challenges.

Sharing great food together can be an excellent way to create positive memories and boost family bonding. So, make some time to have a meal with your family. You will be glad you did.

(BPT)

PAGE 8

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

Our Town Gwinnett

Learning Lessons: Focus on the First Five Years to Foster Your Child’s Development

By Tanisha Turner The brain develops faster in the first five years of life than at any other point, and studies show that the human brain is never more receptive than during this time period. Understanding a couple of key facts behind children’s brain development can help parents and caregivers better support a child’s learning during this critical time.

Dr. Laura Jana, a pediatrician, award-winning author, and member of the Primrose Schools Early Learning Council, employs four key connections to help explain why the first five years are critical for children’s development: Connecting the Neurons. Babies are born with more than 100 billion nerve cells in their brains. These neurons must connect and communicate with each other in order to form the circuits needed to think, learn and succeed – something neurons do at the remarkable rate of 700 connections per second in the first five years of life. In fact, peak development of sensory pathways, such as hearing, vision and language, occurs during the first six months of life. Parents can make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity by nurturing their child’s natural desire to explore, asking meaningful questions, and creating as many learning experiences as possible!

Making Connections with Caring, Responsive Adults. The everyday back-and-forth interactions adults have with babies – from babbling to singing, cooing, and other responsive gestures – shape brain development far more than parents and caregivers may realize. Research from The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University reveals that a strong relationship between a caring responsive adult and a child is so powerful that it can literally serve as a protective buffer against the potentially negative effects of stress and adversity on the developing brain. Start building this relationship with your infant by responding to his babbles, gestures, or cries with the appropriate eye contact, words, or a hug. This supports the development of your little one’s communication and social skills.

Connecting Language and Literacy Skills with Future Life Success. Reading and talking to young children is fundamentally important to their development. Betty Hart and Todd Risley, child psychologists at the University of Kansas, found in their landmark 1995 study that the frequency and quality of words spoken to children have significant implications on their vocabularies, IQ, literacy skills, and future academic success. Parents don’t need to wait until their child can sit up, hold a book or even focus on the words to start reading together – the earlier, the better!

Recognizing the Connection between Early Skills and Workforce Development. All parents strive to raise happy, successful children, but over time certain skills have become more relevant for success in today’s workforce. Instead of focusing solely on academic success, parents, caregivers and early educators are also focusing on instilling essential traits and skills like grit, perseverance, compassion, and problem-solving. Early childhood is when the foundation for these attributes is built and nurtured. Modeling these skills and traits is one of the best ways parents can help their child develop them.

The first five years of a child’s life are special for many reasons. Recognizing the rapid development that takes place during this critical stage and fostering the above connections will help ensure your little one gets the most out of this once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity!

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

PrimroseSugarloafParkway.com

We’re Hiring Bus Drivers!

We’re Hiring Bus Drivers!

• Competitive hourly wages

We’re Hiring Bus Drivers!

We’re Hiring Bus Drivers! its & paid training •• Bene Competitive hourly wages •• Bene Required havetraining a good driving record its &topaid • Competitive hourly wages •• Must havetoahourly High aSchool Diplomarecord or GED Required have good driving Competitive wages • •Benefits & paid training Callits 678-225-7670 applyorto • Must have a High Schooland Diploma GED • Bene & paid training

• Required to have a good driving record posting #have 52993 atand GCPSjobs.org Call 678-225-7670 applyrecord to Required aSchool good driving • •Must havetoa High Diploma or GED posting at GCPSjobs.org • Must have a#52993 High School Diploma or GED @GCPSHR

Call 678-225-7670 and apply to Call 678-225-7670 and apply to @GCPSHR posting #52993 at GCPSjobs.org posting #52993 at GCPSjobs.org @GCPSHR

678-469-1599 | scottpressurewash@gmail.com Our Town Gwinnett

@GCPSHR

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

PAGE 9

The Heart of What Matters

It’s in the Blood: Meet Emily Rusch

By Traci Sanders

Beverly D’Amico RN, MSN, GRS Life Coach & Grief Recovery Counselor TheHeartofWhatMatters.com 770-896-3871 TheHeartofWhatMatters@gmail.com

“The Voice of Business”

Reasons to Consider Having Your Own Radio Show 7 Grow Your Business By Spending Quality Face-To-Face Time With Key Business Leaders And Decision Makers And Executives

7 Create Thought Leadership And Digital Content For Your Online Platforms

7 Become The VOICE Of Your Vertical Market

And Separate Yourself From Your Competitors

moreinfo@businessradiox.com PAGE 10

Lawrenceville Neighborhood Alliance

By Emily Haney

7 Market Your Business To An Audience Of Business Leaders

BusinessRadioX.com

Imagine the joy of hearing your doctor tell you that you’re pregnant with your second child, only to have all that joy sucked right back out when he also tells you that your baby is in danger because of your blood! This was one Loganville woman’s experience. At her initial doctor’s visit to confirm the pregnancy of her son in 2016, Emily underwent some routine blood tests. Four weeks later, she was diagnosed with a rare blood condition called isoimmunization. She later learned that she’d probably developed this disorder during the birth of her daughter in 2014, and it had gone undiagnosed.

Isoimmunization – also known as alloimmunization, or simply Iso – is a condition where antibodies are produced in an individual that essentially battle the antigen of another related individual (as with transfusions between family members). In Emily’s case, her antibodies were destroying the blood of her son, which contained the FYA antigen her antibodies were programmed to attack during pregnancy.

Emily was surprised by this because she had no history of this condition anywhere in her family, and she learned that Iso only affects her baby during pregnancy. One could consider this condition a cousin of the Rh factor disease.

When doctors discover that a pregnant mom has Iso, the mother and baby must be monitored closely throughout the pregnancy to ensure that the baby’s blood is not too thin and pumping too quickly, which would indicate anemia and possible hemolytic disease. In some cases, the baby will need a blood transfusion in-utero. Generally, doctors will simply monitor the blood flow for the duration of the pregnancy and the baby might need a few transfusions once born, but is eventually weaned off them. This process can take up to six months.

While researching Iso online one day, Emily came across a blog by another mom with Iso. Emily reached out and joined a Facebook group called Iso Moms, which had hundreds of moms who had also been diagnosed with this condition. Many times, a company called Access Biologicals was mentioned in the group as a way to help other Iso moms.

Emily contacted the company and began setting up appointments to donate plasma that is used to create test kits for others who suspect they have isoimmunization. Since Emily’s blood plasma has something known as a high titer, it has the highest concentration of the anti FYA factor, which is extremely rare. Access Biologicals reimburses Emily for flying to Indianapolis up to twice per week to donate her plasma which serves as the control group for others to compare their antibody titer (or concentration) against. This company also accepts donations for autoimmune and infectious diseases such as fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, mono, lupus, and more.

Having lost her first child just three days after birth, not related to this condition but due to unreported decelerations of the heart rate, Emily encourages women to educate themselves and share any findings with their doctor to advocate for their health and the health of their babies.

One important question Emily suggests that women ask the doctor in charge of treatment is “How many procedures have you done in a year?” Five to ten is the minimum you want to look for when interviewing doctors.

According to Emily, Dr. Moise out of Houston, Texas, is the country’s top expert on this condition. He performed one of the earliest in-utero blood transfusions at just fifteen weeks gestation.

Continued on page 14

All shows are broadcast from the

Studio

City council meetings, code violations, and candidate forums. In the city of Lawrenceville, it can be difficult to stay up to date with everything happening within the community.

Whether you’re unable to attend city council meetings or are unsure how to address code violations in your neighborhood, the Lawrenceville Neighborhood Alliance (LNA), according to its president, Gerold Martin, acts as a “conduit between the residents and the city.”

What began by Beverly Dryden in 2008 over concerns with code enforcement in local neighborhoods has evolved into something more. There are about 100 families represented. If someone has a concern, LNA will help connect them to the proper person in the city. Recently, Martin Continued on page 13

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

Our Town Gwinnett

Our Town Gwinnett

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

PAGE 11

home atanyone risk.

Perimeter Roofing weHere at Perimeter Roofing we at risk. before youbefore let anyone put yourHere hard earned you let putat your hardhome earned have the experts and trained roofing thatand trained roofing techs that have thetechs experts home at risk.

Here at Perimeter weRoofing home at risk.

Here at Roofing Perimeter we have yearsand of experience in the roofing have years of experience in the roofing busiexperts and trained roofing techs that have experts trained roofing techs thatbusiWhen it have comes the to finding the the perfect roof for years your home ness.ofWe insured to work on ness.

Weany aresize fully insured to work on any size have of experience inare thefully roofing busihave years experience in the roofing busiwe have a HUGE selection of project no matter how big small. brands and colors to are choose no matter how big or small. ness.

We fully insured to insured work on sizeor ness.

We are fully toany work onproject any size from, so we can make your Perimeter Cares pay off project matter how big orhow small. no matter big or small. house look perfect.no Allproject of our unpaid lunch debt for roofs come with one of the best Roof Repair and Replacement Roof Repair and Replacement elementary school students. warranties in the industry and We have paid off over 50 we use above standard roofing Perimeter Roofing is Metro Atlanta’s Roofing Perimeter Roofing is Metro Atlanta’s Roofing Roof Repair and Replacement Roof Repair and Replacement schools and plan to take care materials. expert.

WeAtlanta’s have the professionals toWe help youthe professionals to help you of all elementary schools in expert. have Perimeter Roofing is Metro Roofing Perimeter Roofing is Metro Atlanta’s Roofing Certified Professionals the state of Georgia.

When it expert. comes to your home with repairs, or even insurance replacements or even insurance Weexpert. have the to help you Weprofessionals have thereplacements professionals towith helprepairs, you perimetercares.org you need a company that is fully claims for storm damaged roofs. claims for storm damaged roofs. with repairs, replacements or even insurance with you repairs, replacements or even insurance insured and certified before let anyone put your hard earned storm roofs. claimsdamaged for storm damaged roofs. home atclaims risk. Herefor at Perimeter Roofing we have the experts and trained roofing techs that have years of experience in the roofing busi-ness. We are fully insured to work on any size project no matter how big or small.

With crews all over, With crews all over, With crews allare over, Withwe crews all over, able to service we are able to service we arewe able toable service are to serviceALL of Georgia.

ALL of Georgia.

Full Roof Replacement Perimeter Roofing is Metro ALL ofALL Georgia. of Georgia.

Atlanta’s Roofing expert. We have the professionals to help you with replacements or even insurance claims for storm damaged roofs.

678-948-ROOF

facebook.com/perimeterroofingllc facebook.com/perimeterroofin perimeterroofing_ga perimeterroofing_ga facebook.com/perimeterroofingllc facebook.com/perimeterroofingllc www.perimeterroofing.com facebook.com/perimeterroofingllc perimeterroofing_ga perimeterroofing_ga perimeterroofing_ga

More than 30 Years of Helping People with their Money Roger S. Green, MSFS, CFP®

With more than 30 years of experience helping people with their money through the tough times and the good times, and teaching retirement planning classes since 1997, Roger is very qualified to assist with all of your financial and investment planning needs.

Take control of your financial future by registering for Successful Retirement Strategies held at Gwinnett Technical College

Successful Retirement Strategies Sugarloaf Campus Two Wednesdays July 10 & 17 6:00-9:00pm

Alpharetta Campus Two Thursdays July 11 & 18 6:00-9:00pm

Course tuition is $99 for you and a guest.

Ask about the senior discount!

Registration: call Gwinnett Technical College at 770.995.9697 or go to www.GwinnettTech.edu/CE. Successful Retirement Strategies will be found under the Hobbies and Personal Enrichment section.

Unable to attend class? Call 770.931.1414 today to schedule a no cost personal consultation. www.RogerSGreen.com

Securities and Advisory Services offered through Cetera Advisors LLC, member FINRA/SIPC, a broker/dealer and a Registered Investment Adviser. Green Financial and Cetera Advisors are not otherwise affiliated.

Awards cannot be considered a guarantee of future performance. Green Financial, Gwinnett Tech, and Cetera Advisors are otherwise unaffiliated. Office located at 3700 Crestwood Pkwy Duluth, GA 30096.

PAGE 12

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

Our Town Gwinnett

PowerHouse Electric, LLC S E R V I C E

&

R E P A I R

Taz Butler Owner

Ice maker repair/ replacement

Who Would You TRUST?

By Pearl Aidoo It’s the ultimate interactive party card game for adults and a fantastic social ice-breaker. It’s a game that very quickly gets everyone talking and laughing with questions like, “Who would you trust to lead you through a minefield blindfolded?” Or “Who would you trust to shave your body in places you can’t reach?” The objective of the game is to get five cards to win. Right off the bat, the person you actually trust in the group is eliminated from your choice, so now with a timer ticking away, you have a group of people creatively persuading you to trust them instead as they try to weed out the competition. Suddenly, the room is filled with excited voices, sounds of laughter, and fun. Everyone in the group is engaged and getting to know each other.

Jordan Eugene is the creator and designer of the card game Who Would You TRUST? Back in August of 2018 an old friend from high school asked Jordan to accompany him to a dingy bar. Given the lengthy passage of time and the lack of communication between them, Jordan wouldn’t even trust said friend with getting him a glass of water. However, instead of voicing his thoughts, he politely declined. Later on as he considered the situation, Jordan thought, “Who would I trust to accompany to a dingy bar… or get me a glass of water?” Thinking it was a Continued on page 21

Lawrenceville Neighborhood Alliance Continued from page 10 met residents in the neighborhood of Grayland Hills. Drainage concerns came up, and he was able to put them in contact with the city engineer, who came, talked to the residents directly, and resolved the issue. LNA will also meet up with people, help them document a situation, and then present it in front of the city council on their behalf. “This gives them a greater voice than just one individual saying they need assistance,” said Martin. “We’re able to put some weight to that.”

Along with speaking with members one on one, the group hosts events like an annual meeting with a guest speaker and city officials to talk about future city plans. Mark your calendars because to further inform the public, LNA will host another candidate forum on October 2, 2019 at the Lawrenceville Presbyterian Church. This is an opportunity for residents to learn more about who is running in local elections and to have a question and answer time with the candidates.

LNA also sends out newsletters with what’s happening. They include city council agendas, reminders for referendum votes, and more. The goal is to keep residents as up to date as possible.

City officials have even sent out material to the LNA board members to be shared within the newsletter, recognizing LNA as a key organization in the community.

Playing an important part in the future of Lawrenceville, LNA has led the city to develop 2030 and 2040 plans. “They’re really planning ahead now,” said Martin. “When there are planning and zoning requests, they can refer to the plans and figure out how the request fits in.” According to Martin, Dryden, the founder of LNA, wanted the city to have an idea of what it should look like. This includes the plans for the future as well as working to get the new Lawrenceville signs that are up around town now.

LNA believes that education is important for students, too, so the organization works to support groups such as the Central Gwinnett Cluster Foundation and the Boys and Girls Club.

The Central Gwinnett Cluster Foundation provides grants to teachers to do programs with their students. From materials for fine arts and reading to robotics, the grants allow students to further their education. The Boys and Girls Club off Five Forks also contributes to expanding minds. “They’re teaching children how to accept responsibility and also to think about their own future,” said Martin. “That’s the perfect thing to be teaching youth.” According to Martin, LNA has always had a connection with teachers and youth, so these programs seemed like a natural fit.

LNA not only helps to keep residents informed, but supports the future of the city (the youth) and encourages the city to do more as well while still holding code enforcements at the forefront.

The organization is a voice for neighbors, students, and city improvements.

More information at lawrencevilleNA@hotmail.com

Our Town Gwinnett

770-856-1845 (Text) Licensed & Insured No Job Too Small

n Is your Child having difficulty in public school? n Is your child Failing or getting behind with credits? n Is your child fighting you to go to school? n Is your child getting in TROUBLE? n Is your child getting Bullied?

Then you need to make a CHANGE in their school Environment: n Small classes n SAFE environment n Caring teachers n Work they understand and can actually succeed in n IEP’s are Welcome n Not ALL students fit in Public School

out: Come check usMake the right “Choice” for your child. n Traditional, private elementary, middle and high school n Non-traditional high school n Credit Recovery n HIGH ACT/SAT scoresWay above state averages n Accepted to all Colleges and Universities n Hope Scholarships/Dual Enrollment

CHOICE Educational Academy 5510 Lilburn Stone Mountain Road Stone Mountain, GA 30087 Phone 770.921.3690 n Fax 770.921.3693 admin@choiceeducationalacademy.com www.choiceeducationalacademy.com

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

PAGE 13

Emily Rusch Continued from page 10

Collecting History: Stamp Collecting in Gwinnett

Dr. Moise is also developing a drug that prevents antibodies from crossing the placenta during pregnancy. This drug is not currently available to Emily, but she hopes after FDA approval, a similar drug will be developed for her specific antibody type. This is different from the Rhogam shot, which stops D- antibodies from being developed in the first place. Once antibodies are created by the mother, there is no way to get rid of them.

Even though Emily has learned more than she ever wanted to know about isoimmunization and other illnesses, she’s thankful to be a voice for other women and children affected by this and hopes to one day create a program that educates and provides resources to help them navigate the choppy and uncertain waters through which she has traveled.

If you’d like to check out the Facebook group on isoimmunization, you may connect with Emily Rusch on Facebook and she will share more information, as it’s a closed group.

To learn more about Access Biologicals and find out if your condition or illness qualifies for donations, please visit the below address and tell them you learned about them through Emily Rusch: https://www.accessbiologicals.com/?fbclid=IwAR0q52p3dLjDFEQuOCUlGQGypJPejHo_ MAkMDl8uWMcZLQUvgcQGxddbKwI

By Emily Haney

Welcome Dr. Racquel Vaughn to the practice!

Travel Tales: Re-Wilding South America

Financing Options Available !

59

$

Cleaning, Exam & X-rays

By Pam Walker

100

$ -OR-

(Reg. $149) Offer expires in 60 days.

Includes exam, cleaning (prophylaxis) & x-rays. New Patients Only.

Advertised fee is the minimum fee, subject to clinical need. One or more of the following ADA codes may reflect the treatment rendered under this offer. D0150, D0330, D0272, D0210, D1110.

Off Treatment

Offer expires in 60 days. New Patients Only.

Enjoy a $100 savings on all treatment over $500. Call for details.

Call and ask about our services, including: • Crowns and Bridges • Orthodontics • Invisalign® Treatment

Richard P. Gangwisch, D.D.S., M.A.G.D., A.B.G.D. Board Certified General Dentist John D. Hulsey, D.M.D., F.A.G.D. Racquel Vaughn, D.M.D. General Dentists

• Full Mouth Reconstruction • Teeth Whitening • Oral Cancer Screenings

Call Today!

678-710-3003

KillianHillDentalCare.com

912 Killian Hill Rd SW, Ste. 100 | Lilburn, GA 30047 Offers not to be applied toward account balances or dental services already delivered and not in conjunction with any other offers, discounts or reduced-fee plans. Additional charges may be incurred for related services which may be required in individual cases.

PAGE 14

ADV34057

• Cosmetic Dentistry • IV & Oral Sedation • Dental Implants

Most “old time” stamp collectors began at a young age. According to Allen Johnson, who has been stamp collecting on and off since the age of 8, “People start collecting young, drop out sometime around high school and then pull [their collections] back out and start adding to it again.” Johnson became serious about stamps again in his early 30s. Now 63 and retired, he’s able to devote more of his time to growing his collection. “My goal,” he said, “is to try to own one of every stamp made between the beginning of stamps in the 1850s to 1974, when I graduated high school.”

Johnson spends time each month with people who share his passion. The former president and the current secretary of the Button Gwinnett Stamp Club, Johnson attends club meetings on the third Wednesday of every month at Mountain Park United Methodist Church from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The nonprofit club has been around for more than twenty years. Meetings have a designated time for show and tell for anyone who has bought anything unusual that they want to share, and there is always an auction at the end of meetings. “The auction is open to anyone, but you have to be a club member to put items in,” said Johnson. Membership is $12 for the year.

The stamp club gets quite a few people coming in for free appraisals of collections. Johnson is accustomed to seeing nine out of ten collections worth around 20 dollars, but there are surprises. A couple years ago he helped to appraise one lot that ended up selling for $23,000. “Most collectors don’t sell their stamps. They die and leave them to relatives,” said Johnson. The free appraisals offered by the Button Gwinnett Stamp Club can be very helpful to people who are often overwhelmed by the intricacies of collections. Depending on the time period, there can also be multiple variations of one stamp. One variation can be worth 35 cents while another can be worth $250. It all depends, and the club helps people to figure out the value of what they have bought or, more often than not, inherited.

There is no one way to collect stamps. “It’s almost endless how you can collect – how finite you can make a collection or how infinite,” said Johnson. “Topical stamps are very popular among Continued on page 19

I am really a very fortunate person! To date, I have traveled to 123 countries and met people from everywhere in my effort to engage and spread peace through travel. I love the wild places of the world and have been so lucky to have traveled to the wilds of Africa, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and South America.

On a recent trip to Patagonia, I was ecstatic to have run into one of my personal idols! No, not a movie star, but a real hero in my eyes. Her name is Kristine McDivitt Tompkins. As former CEO of Patagonia – along with her husband, Douglas Thompkins, former owner and creator of North Face – Kristine created the Thompkins Conservation Foundation to RE-WILD huge swaths of land in South America.

Unfortunately, Doug was lost in a kayaking accident in his beloved Chile, but Kristine continues the work of the Foundation, bringing the natural wildlife of South America back into existence. She and Doug purchased huge acres of land in Argentina and Chile with the intention of returning the true nature of their ancestry back to the people of these two countries.

They were the original conservation activists, buying farms and grazing fields, unfencing them, and turning them back into the wilds they once were. The couple sowed seeds of native plants, started campaigns against commercial tree farming and single-use plastics, and much more.

Kristine has continued the Foundation’s work by re-introducing the jaguar in Argentina as well as the Giant Anteater, Huemul Deer, Patagonian Deer, and the Patagonia Panther. She has created one of the best conservation museums in history at Patagonia Park with hopes of creating one in New York City as well.

I urge you all to get to know what Kristine has done for our world at http://www.tompkinsconservation.org/home.htm. Save the planet, save the people, and most importantly, peace through understanding.

Pam Walker is a Virtuoso Travel Advisor and can be reached at pam@walkeradventures.com

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

Our Town Gwinnett

Crane’s Corner: Insights from Bill Crane

By Bill Crane “We cannot allow this dangerous disease to make a comeback in New York City,” said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaking to the city’s emergency powers in matters of public health during a press conference on April 9, 2019.

There are limits to my belief in modern medicine. Currently, I am only taking one prescription drug for elevated blood pressure, lots of supplements, and CBD oil to deal with a chronic inflammatory illness. I’m a big believer in wellness, prevention, chiropractic, exercise, and a near daily yoga practice to help maintain good health.

But the evidence is indisputable: vaccines have prevented serious illness among hundreds of millions, saved lives, and shrunk the world of many killer diseases into petri dishes deep frozen and secured within vaults at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Undoubtedly, preventative vaccines have spared both my children from most of the once more severe illnesses of childhood.

Yet I did note a significant increase in both the type and number of required vaccinations from the birth of daughter #1 in 1992 to daughter # 2 in 2007.

Both children have been spared the pleasure of the measles and its German cousin, chicken pox, mumps, and many other maladies too numerous to mention.

And yet, in many parts of the first world, parents are increasingly vacillating or in many cases simply saying NO to childhood vaccinations. Some believe vaccinations harbor small amounts of heavy metals like mercury and other toxins as preservatives. Thiomersal, and its trade name, Merthiolate (patented by Eli Lily in 1928), is a preservative derived from Mercury and used in the manufacture of many medical vaccinations.

A not small number in the scientific community, thousands of parents and families, and several well-regarded studies have indicated that Thiomersal may contribute to or cause autism and other illnesses, including cancer, SIDS, and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

While parents have the right to make these decisions for their families and children, we are at

the same time, more and more congregating in cities where population density and commonly used surfaces and gathering places are also more and more the societal norm in the United States and elsewhere. A current resurgence of the measles in New York City, originating reportedly within Orthodox Jewish communities that do not vaccinate as a matter of faith, has moved into the broader public-school system population.

New York’s Mayor Bill de Blasio is leading a public awareness effort, “Don’t Wait...Vaccinate,” to slow the measles outbreak, already resulting in hundreds of hospitalizations, from developing into a pandemic. The mayor and city council have mandated the measles vaccine for school-age children within several ZIP codes™ in Brooklyn where outbreaks first occurred. Prior to the public health emergency declaration, Orthodox Jewish families in the impacted neighborhoods and communities were simply urged to keep sick children at home.

Vaccinations, on a global scale, have all but eradicated the threats of small pox and polio – and yet without continued vaccinations among our new population, these crippling and fatal diseases may likely make a return just as measles, chicken pox, and other ailments considered less threatening are occurring, even to the extent that some parents hold “measles/pox parties” to intentionally expose their offspring in hopes of naturally strengthening their immune systems.

The annual flu vaccine, as an example, is often administered without any preservatives, while still sparing millions of Americans from the serious and in some cases fatal malady of the flu. And yet, with that vaccine both inexpensive and almost universally available, thousands of adults continually choose to avoid it, and Georgia was among the most flu-infested states in the nation yet again this year.

The pharmaceutical industry, coming off another year of near record profits, would do well to make the common sense decision to research and deliver other preservative options. Protective mothers, like bears and lionesses, are not likely to simply accept assurances and admonitions of “trust us.” Trust once lost or broken must be earned. Let’s not gamble again with global public health. Drugs are tweaked and re-patented every day at the molecular level by big pharma when seeking the protections of a new patent. It’s time to step up, so that you help remove the doubts of thousands of families refusing to roll up their sleeves and point their child’s foot, upper arm, thigh, or other body part at the business end of a needle. How about a little bit of self-directed financial pain for a significant confidence and consumer trust gain? Don’t vacillate – make the smart and easy choice.

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

Now open in Loganville!

Now Open in Loganville!

Now open in Loganville!

Ready when you need help the most...

Ready when you need help the most...

No appointment needed!

Open 7 days a week. No appointment needed!

Our Town Gwinnett

Open 7 days a week.

4072 Atlanta Highway 4072GA Atlanta Highway Loganville, 30052

Loganville, GA 30052

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

PAGE 15

Getting to Know Mesum Zaidi: Grayson High’s 2019 Valedictorian

By K. Coats

PRINCESS 3 DAY SALE Get ALL SIX of the below Expedia® Extras on balcony & above:

FREE DRINKS

FREE GRATUITIES

onboard beverage package*

included onboard*

Over

up to an additional

in onboard coupons*

for Princess Captain's Circle*

750 SAVINGS

$

400 SAVINGS

$

50 CREDIT

$

onboard cash credit*

REDUCED DEPOSIT

pay only $200 reduced deposit*+

CONTACT US TODAY (470) 282 0227 3157 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville

cruiseshipcenters.com/Lawrenceville

*Offer applies to select 7 – 49 night sailings departing Jan. 2020 to May 2021. Valid for new bookings created and deposited June 6-8, 2019, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time. Additional restrictions apply, contact us for full terms and conditions.

Mesum Zaidi has always been a bright kid. He’s consistently been in the top of his class, and by all accounts he’s highly motivated. But it’s only been official for a short while just exactly how motivated and bright he really is.

As the top student of his class, Mesum will lead the Grayson High School class of 2019 as valedictorian. Ending on a high note, he considers this his top accomplishment of his high school years.

Mesum is a testament to Gwinnett County Public Schools and, specifically, the Grayson cluster. He began school at Pharr Elementary and went on to Couch Middle after that. At Grayson High, he was quick to stand out from amongst his peers. When asked about what one of his bigger struggles in high school was, Mesum was reflective in his response. “My main challenge was developing a consistent work ethic,” he responded. “While I could easily ‘breeze’ through a lot of my classes before, some classes in high school required me to develop and consistently study, which I found difficult at first.” Freshman year is certainly a pivotal time for developing good study habits, and Mesum was able to adapt and keep up the momentum.

But even more than good study habits, Mesum wants to emphasize passion and balance as another key element to student success. He claims, “Contrary to what some people believe, I don’t spend all my time studying or doing school work. I have hobbies and interests, just like any other person.” But more importantly, when asked about his advice to other students as they enter high school, Mesum cautions against what most would assume to be obvious advice. He emphasizes passion, not college admissions boards and such. “I’d advise students to take classes they feel genuinely interested in and do things they enjoy, not just what looks good for colleges.”

After all, if students are going to be in high school for four years, it seems logical that success would follow passion, and in that passion lies confidence and the foundation for a lifetime of growth and personal satisfaction.

As far as his peers go, they had nothing but positive responses concerning Mesum. One even went so far as to say, “Mesum is a legend!” His teachers can all testify to his passion as well. Mrs. Gambria Lightfoot has had the pleasure of instructing Mesum in AP Literature and Composition this year, and she affirmed what Mesum’s peers have already claimed. “Of course Mesum is intelligent and has a reputation for setting the bar high,” she says, “ but with all of the accolades and recognition, Mesum remains humble.” And to further this, Mrs. Lightfoot adds, “Never once Continued on page 19

THE MANSIONS AT GWINNETT PARK t a g n i t Star 9 5 ! $2,8

IS OPEN NOW!

Reserve your new construction villa, cottage or senior independent living apartment before they’re all gone!

THE MANSIONS at GWINNETT PARK

2400 Buford Drive Lawrenceville, GA 30043 (right next to CoolRay Field) www.MansionsSeniorLiving.com

Call now to schedule your personal tour and enjoy lunch on us!

PAGE 16

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

Our Town Gwinnett

McCurry Photography Exhibit Graces Halls in Gwinnett School

By Kim Hill If you received a call from an art gallery owner asking if you would like to have an art display set up in your school, no strings attached, you would probably think it was too good to be true. Fortunately, when Trickum Middle School received such a call, the offer had come through a connection with the gallery owner and a former Trickum teacher, so those involved knew the offer was valid. “We didn’t know what they were at the time, just that they were artwork,” says Trickum visual arts teacher Christine Cliatt about the collection. “The gallery owner said his sole interest is to provide fine art for children to experience every single day right within their school.”

The artwork provided is an exhibit containing 118 poster-sized images of photographer Steve McCurry, who is best known for his Afghan Girl photograph that was featured on the cover of National Geographic Magazine in June 1985. The collection, called Faces of Innocence, features photographs taken around the world. Afghan Girl is located beside an intro picture of McCurry from 1983.

Trickum language arts teacher Joanna Shackelford explains that Massoud Besharat, owner of Besharat Museum Gallery in Atlanta, began achieving his vision by donating 75 framed prints to Elbert County Primary and Elementary Schools in northeastern Georgia, and later donated an exhibit to Saint Thomas More Catholic School in Decatur because he had a connection there. Debra Moody, a former Trickum language arts teacher who now teaches at Saint Thomas More, learned of Besharat’s desire to expand his exhibits throughout the Atlanta area and that he wanted the next one to be in a public school. Knowing Trickum would be an ideal location for the exhibit, she contacted Ms. Shackelford, who shared the proposal with Principal Ryan Queen and Cliatt, who were thrilled by the prospect.

Cliatt and Shackelford were invited to visit Besharat at his gallery and residence in Castleberry Hills where he shared his big dream to expose children to art, saying he feels schools resemble institutions and that students do not have enough exposure to beauty. His idea is to bring the culture into the school so children can be exposed to cultures other than their own. However, because diverse cultures already exist in Gwinnett County Schools, Cliatt says many of the students are able to find children from their native countries captured in the photos. Queen says many students will pose in front of a selected image and take a selfie or have someone make a picture. “I think it’s a great representation of the diversity that we have [at Trickum],” he adds, “and I do think it was ironic. It wasn’t necessarily that we were chosen for our diversity; however, because of how diverse we are, it is very fitting because the kids definitely have a connection.

They are very much finding themselves in the images.”

At the same time, the images also give students some perspective of the differences between our culture and others. Shackelford says the collection captures her students’ interest every day as they return from lunch. “They are always pointing and seeing something new and interesting.”

Queen has observed classes in the hallways doing projects as teachers are finding ways to incorporate the collection into their lessons. Cliatt has used the exhibit to teach her photography students about composition and use of light. As many students are oriented to social media and the “selfie,” she has them observe the pictures to realize that the artist never includes himself; there are no self-portraits.

The exhibit has a created a lot of interest in photography circles and other groups, and Principal Queen welcomes these groups to see the collection as long as they call ahead and visit during school hours. “The cool thing,” he says, “is even the non-photography folks may not recognize his name, but as soon as you mention the Afghan Girl, those of us of that generation recognize that face and those green eyes and immediately have a connection to who Steve McCurry is.”

The school is hosting an Open House on Tuesday, April 16th from 6:30 until 8:00 p.m.

Students will be available to guide people through the exhibit and talk about some of the photographs they have researched, or guests may choose to walk through freely. There will be student musical performances and student artwork on display as well.

Queen says his understanding is that the exhibit is permanent, with a new collection provided about every year. Shackelford adds, “So this is just the first installation of many – this is what Mr. Besharat’s plan is, because he doesn’t want it to become mundane.”

“I was overwhelmed with their generosity,” she continues, “because the first installation was 100 images, but when they saw this hallway, they said ‘you need more’ and so they came back and brought 18 more to fill the space.” Besharat’s only request is to hear, periodically, how the art affects the kids. Cliatt plans to have her students write letters about how the exhibit makes them feel and to send those to the gallery. “What a beautiful self-concept,” she says. “He wants nothing back.”

You do have a choice, let it be us!

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

Word AflameWord Tabernacle Aflame Tabernacl 20 Grayson New Hope Rd., Grayson, GA 30017 770-554-7977 promotionpt.com

Post-surgical care v Chronic Pain v Headaches v TMD v Fibromyalgia v Balance issues Visit our website to learn about our wellness services.

2nd International 2nd International Festival Fes

Celebrating Diversity Celebrating with Grayson Diversity with Gra Word Aflame Tabernacle Word Aflame Tabernacle Saturday, June Saturday, 22, 2019Festival June 22, 2019 2nd International 2nd International Festival

Celebrating Diversity with Grayson 11AM-4PM 11AM-4PM Celebrating Diversity with Grayson Saturday, 22, 2019 Word AflameJune Tabernacle 2142 Loganville2142 Hwy, Loganville Grayson, Hwy, GA 30017 Grayson, G Saturday, June22, 11AM-4PM 2019 2nd International Festival

11AM-4PM 2142 Loganville Hwy, Grayson, GA 30017 Celebrating Diversity with Grayson 2142 Loganville Hwy, Grayson, GA 30017 22, $1 2019 Food Saturday, and GameJune tickets each!

Food and Game Food tickets and$1 Game each!tickets $1 eac Prizes, Raffles, and More!

Raffles, and More!

Find our eventPrizes, on Facebook for more information!

Find our event on Facebook for more information!

Food and Game tickets $1 each!

11AM-4PM Prizes, Raffles, and More!

Prizes, Raffles, and More!

2142 Loganville Hwy, Grayson, GA 30017 Food and Game tickets $1 each!

Prizes, Raffles, and More!

Find our event on Find Facebook our event foron more Facebook information! for more in

Our Town Gwinnett

Find our event on Facebook for more information!

All proceeds will go towards Word Aflame’s efforts to rebuild after a devastating fire.

All proceeds will go towards Word Aflame's efforts to rebuild Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com oraCall 678-825-2049 PAGE 17 after devastating fire.

find us

Necessities By Sherrie Bra Fitting Specialist Since 2004 Cup Sizes AA-JJ,K Band Sizes 28 - 50 Strapless Bras High Impact Sports Bras Nursing Bras

Your mom deserves some luxury this Mother’s Day.

25% off

Loungerwear and Sleepwear.

Through May 15th.

Present coupon for discount.

PAGE 18

Sherrie Strong, Proprietor Lilburn Resident 20 Years Bra Fit Experience Hwy. 78 at 2308 Henry Clower Blvd.

New London Plaza, Snellville

770.736.7113

www.necessitiesbysherrie.com

Store Hours: Tues. - Sat. 10-6 / Sun. - Mon. Closed

iCan Bike Gwinnett: How One Summer Will Make a Lifetime of Difference for Kids

By Kristen Eleveld When it comes to summer camp, you might think of the great outdoors, or learning a new sport, or even developing survival skills.

But for one group of campers in Gwinnett County this summer, their camp will be focused on something a little less traditional: learning to ride a bike. iCan Bike is a national program that travels the country and holds camp sessions to teach people with disabilities how to ride a two-wheel bicycle independently – and they do it in a week.

Campers attend a 75-minute session every day for five days to work on skills that incorporate balance, coordination, and other vital tasks that allow them to successfully ride a bike when the last session has ended.

And they aren’t doing it alone – iCan Bike has partnered with The Guide Project, Inc., a local non-profit designed to connect people with disabilities and their families with opportunities to have enriching life experiences that others may take for granted.

Together, they have created iCan Bike Gwinnett.

“Riding a bike seems like a little thing, but little things can have a big impact,” says Stacey Cheney, who is the co-founder of The Guide Project. “We want to give these kids the chance to gain confidence and skills that will last long after camp is over.”

The Guide Project has devoted itself to creating opportunities for individuals with special needs to have experiences that may otherwise be limited or unavailable to them. Their goal is to bridge the social gaps between people with and without disabilities and break down the stigmas often associated with disability.

“We envision more opportunities that focus on the experience or activity – not the disability,” Stacey explains. “We don’t want to ignore their special needs, but we also believe they should have the chance to participate in something they love, just because they love it.”

This is true inclusion – recognizing the value of a person with special needs that goes beyond Continued on page 21

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

Our Town Gwinnett

Mesum Zaidi Continued from page 16

Collecting History Continued from page 14

have I heard him brag or carry himself as if he’s better than anyone else. He continues to push himself, seeking every opportunity to improve, sometimes selling himself short.” Humility is such an underrated characteristic, and Mesum seems to have struck an uncommon balance in one so young. “Mesum will change the world, a true scholar with integrity and character to match,” Mrs. Lightfoot concludes.

When asked what advice he would give to parents to help their students be successful, Mesum continued to focus on passion and choice as the foundation. “I think parents should give their children freedom to choose what they want to do in school. While it’s sometimes necessary to push your children, they usually know their own capabilities and interests,” he says. “If [parents] put [them] into a class they dislike or feel unprepared for, a student will naturally underperform.”

For Mesum, his passion is leading him to Georgia Tech where he plans to major in biomedical engineering with a focus on genetic engineering. We look forward to following Mesum and seeing what great accomplishments his passion nets him and the field of science. Thank you, Mesum, for your advice, passion, and wisdom. Best wishes to you at Georgia Tech!

More information at www.graysonhs.org.

younger people.” These would be stamps with a similar theme such as dinosaurs or Disney.

Twice a year the Button Gwinnett Stamp Club hosts a stamp show, which has something for every kind of stamp collector. GWINNPEX Spring 2019 will be held on Saturday, May 4 this year.

Admission to the stamp show is free, and you can purchase a table to sell for $25. Johnson enjoys the show because smaller and larger sellers all have a place. There’s a local Boy Scout troop leader who sells donated stamps for five cents, as well as a table for anyone under the age of 16.

“If they have any interest in stamp collecting, they can get a free stamp as well as a beginner album to keep it,” commented Johnson. “We’d love to get more young involved – to keep [stamp collecting] from dying.”

The stamp show is one of the ways Johnson and the Button Gwinnett Stamp Club share their passion for stamp collecting in Gwinnett. “It’s not a hobby that you do for investment,” remarked Johnson. “Stamp collection you do for the history and the beauty of the stamps. Every stamp has a history that you can research.”

More information at ajrj1957@yahoo.com

Recapture the Charm of Your Home!

Call us today for your free consultation!

Your fully insu

red, Exterior Painting Carpentry premium paint company.

Interior Painting Gutter Work Commercial Painting Concrete Floor Finishes

We Finance!

Exterior Painting? We’ve got you covered!

Painting | Repairs | Gutters | Pressure Washing | Decks Our Town Gwinnett

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

PAGE 19

Local Book Review: Where the Crawdads Sing is a Great Read

By Heidi Campbell Where the Crawdads Sing, a novel written by Delia Owens, is a captivating work of fiction that fits numerous genres including historical fiction, women’s fiction, and literary fiction. The New York Times bestseller not only was a finalist for the Southern Book Prize for 2019, but it also won the prize for Goodread’s Choice Award for Historical Fiction in 2018. The story of the “Marsh Girl” is simply unforgettable. Readers fall in love with the abandoned young girl, Kya, who rises above the criticism of an entire town and proves that she can more than survive – she can thrive.

The triumphant story takes place during the 1960s in a small, coastal town in North Carolina. The town reeks of segregation, racism, and class division. The townspeople don’t respect the “marsh people,” and clearly don’t even think that Kya, an orphan, is important enough to rescue. At several points, the book begs the question: will no one do the right thing? This town allows a little girl to fend for herself in her shack by the marsh. The theme of survival manifests itself throughout the novel in ways that are, at times, completely predictable, yet other times not expected at all. Kya is thrown into her situation at a young age, and the author explains, “When cornered, desperate, or isolated, man reverts to those instincts that aim straight at survival. Quick and just.” This is exactly the way that Kya reacts when she finds herself alone and isolated – she instinctively does what she needs to do to survive.

Kya is the heroine of the novel, and she well-deserves that title. She is abandoned by her family and learns to completely use her resources. She “…laid her hand upon the breathing, wet earth, and the marsh became her mother.” The marsh became her mother, indeed, as it provided food, love, education, and protection – all the things that her absent mother didn’t offer. Kya’s survival, however, could not have happened if it weren’t for Jump’in and his wife Mabel, who provided her with used clothes, extra supplies, and gas for her boat under the guise of buying her mussels.

Although they did not “take her in,” they watched out for her.

Perhaps the most influential person in her life, however, was Tate, a boy from town who loved Continued on page 22

GRAYSON 2019

Summer/Fall

Free Concerts & Movie ALL AGES WELCOME

2019 Concert Benefiting The Southeast Gwinnett Co. Cooperative Ministry Featuring:

Presented By:

Saturday, June 8th, 2019 6:00pm - 10:00pm Grayson Ampavilion Jimmy Buffett Tribute Show

@ Grayson City Park

Landscape Management Co.

06/22

Lanier Jazz

7:00pm

07/13

Young Elvis & Blue Suedes

7:00pm

07/27

Christmas in July

08/03

Fly Betty Band

08/09

10am-4pm

7:00pm

Movie Under the Stars 8:30pm

*Times subject to change

1st Annual Grayson Brew & Que October 5th, 2019 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm 21 and over - Must present ID - No outside coolers, food or pets permitted.

PAGE 20

Requires admission fee.

Must be 21 & over

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

Our Town Gwinnett

Feeling Unmotivated? Remove “Should” from Your Vocabulary

By Carol Tuttle Pause for a moment and think of that thing you need or want to do but have not gotten around to it. The idea or project is just sitting there, and the fact that it is unfinished is weighing on you. But when it comes down to doing it, you seem to have lost all motivation. So how do you recover motivation to do something you think you should do? You can start by giving up the word “should” and replacing it with something much more powerful!

Say goodbye to the S-word...Should.

I’ve found that whenever I used the word should, I would procrastinate and avoid the activity or project I thought I “should” do. That’s because the word should in the dictionary indicates a meaning of obligation or duty.

Notice how often you might say something like: I should get out of debt.

I should go work out.

I should clean that closet.

I should eat healthy.

I should learn how to ____.

I should lose 10 pounds.

iCan Bike Continued from page 18 their disabilities and looks at their interests and dreams. And it is this idea of inclusion that drives The Guide Project as they work toward helping those with special needs and their families to navigate the various opportunities available to them.

“We want to increase the number and variety of choices for people with special needs,” says Stacey. “Everyone benefits when everyone is included.” iCan Bike currently has no more spots available for campers, but there are plenty of other ways for you to get involved. The camp needs volunteers to assist the riders as they learn to ride, and Stacey promises it will be a worthwhile workout. They are also in need of sponsors and donations which will allow The Guide Project to make iCan Bike Gwinnett an event to remember for all of their attendees. If you want to help, just head to https://www.guideeachother.org/icanbike-gwinnett to learn about the ways these organizations can use someone like you. No special skills or class required – just show up with a positive attitude and a willingness to love some amazing kids.

Stacey Cheney is co-founder of The Guide Project, Inc. More information at www.guideeachother. org.

Why should can sabotage your success Whatever it is for you, it might even be a necessary or good idea such as organizing a closet, cleaning out the car, taking a class, or planting a garden. But if you’re trying to force it, you either just won’t make the time or have the energy, or you’ll probably keep putting it off because you don’t enjoy it. Or it might be a good thing to do, but maybe not for you to do.

Get clear on what you want first Now, for every should statement you say, ask yourself, “Is this what I want?” Or do you think you should do it because someone told you to, or you feel under some obligation to do it?

Sometimes our choices are influenced more about what others want than we want.

Although they might all be great choices, we will not be motivated to follow through until we personally own them for ourselves. So, the first step to healthy motivation in the new year is to examine your should and get clear on what it is YOU want. You can also clarify what it is you want so it matches the outcome you want to create (i.e. I want to clean the closet, so I can always find what I need).

Once we claim a choice for ourselves, we then can declare them with “I am” statements.

Replace “I should” with: I am working out I am debt free.

I am eating healthy.

I am cleaning that closet.

I am losing 10 pounds.

I am learning how to ____.

Take your choice even higher with gratitude An even higher vibration of belief is to act as if you have already accomplished it and to imagine your success with these statements of gratitude: I am grateful I choose to workout.

I am grateful I am debt free.

I am grateful I eat healthy.

I am grateful I cleaned the closet.

I am grateful I lost 10 pounds.

I grateful I have learned how to ____.

This simple but powerful shift can make a world of difference! Remember, when you declare your intentions, you uplift your energy so it can support you with the motivation to do it when it is right and timely for you.

Carol Tuttle is a teacher, speaker, and author. More information at https://ct.liveyourtruth.com/.

Who Would You TRUST? Continued from page 13 funny and interesting question to ask a group of his peers – “Who do you trust?” – an idea began to form. He ran it by his mother Lisa, who as an entrepreneur and business owner has always encouraged her children to develop an entrepreneur’s mindset. Lisa immediately honed in on his vision, and helped him develop the concept. After months of tweaking, testing, and perfecting the idea, an engaging and hilarious party card game is now available for your entertainment.

A native of Grayson, twenty-seven-year-old Jordan is a product of both Grayson and Archer High Schools, and a graduate of Savanna College of Art & Design (SCAD) with a degree in animation and illustration. Jordan is a very talented, fun loving young man, who enjoys meeting and interacting with people. When asked what excites him about the game he says, “The sheer pleasure of seeing a group of people animated and having fun.” Jordan is inspired by the idea of “getting people to talk again,” and through this engaging and interactive game, he hopes to draw people away from their electronics, social media, texting, emails, etc., even if it’s just for a moment, and get them to engage, relax, talk, and enjoy the real life company around them.

More information at www.whowouldyoutrust.today.

Our Town Gwinnett

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

PAGE 21

Where the Crawdads Sing Continued from page 20 the marsh. It was clear that Kya would fall for him when he told her that they “…better hide way out there where the crawdads sing,” which was what her mother used to say to her. It was Tate who taught Kya to read and helped to break up her complete isolation and loneliness. Readers loved Tate from the start, especially when they learned that “his dad had told him many times that the definition of a real man is one who cries without shame, reads poetry with his heart, feels opera in his soul, and does what’s necessary to defend a woman.” Their relationship blossomed until Tate went off to college, promising to return. Kya was left alone again.

Unfortunately, Tate didn’t return, and Kya’s heartache and loneliness drew her into a perilous relationship with the town “player,” Chase Andrews. Her relationship with Chase was one that Kya maintained out of utter loneliness. Deep down, she really didn’t like him, and it was obvious when she said that she “laughed for his sake, something she’d never done. Giving away another piece of herself just to have someone else.” This relationship, however, was one that would change both of their lives forever.

Aside from the relationships and ties made in the story, the importance of protecting natural

“Once a Cesarean, always a Cesarean.” …Unless there’s another way out.

resources is a theme that is not lost on readers. The author clearly respects the land, and writes beautiful descriptions of the wild beauty found all around the shack. Kya’s passion for the land is clear as the height of her eventual success is in the publishing of books about the marshlands.

Kya’s connection to the marsh and its wildlife keeps her there for her entire life. The reader sees the marsh through the eyes of the characters who love it, and the relationship to nature is a special one that few grasp.

Where the Crawdads Sing is a novel that makes a reader angry, sad, frustrated to the point of tears, thankful, resentful, and grateful. It is the story of loyalty and trust, and the story of the survival instinct inherent in human beings. This novel is the world of an abusive, alcoholic father and husband; a wife and mother who is pushed so far over the edge that she deserts her family; a young girl forced to make her own way in a world that considers her trash; a young boy who sees beyond circumstances; a caring couple who do all they can to help; and a young man who nearly destroys everything that Kya has worked to achieve. Calm balances with terror in this novel that intrigues through its final page.

Atlanta Gynecology & Obstetrics includes you in the healthcare decisions surrounding your birth experience. Women have been having babies for centuries — our physicians and nurse midwives have worked as a team for years, guiding women along that birth journey. We meet you at the crossroads of collaboration, choice, and safety. Our goal is for you to have the birth experience you’ve dreamed of — planning WITH you, not AT you, guiding you to the best birth possible.

Visit AtlantaGYNOB.com to learn more, or call to make an appointment!

Decatur Office 315 Winn Way Decatur, GA 30030 404.299.9724

PAGE 22 Become an Advertising Partner: Email Info@OurTownGwinnett.com or Call 678-825-2049 19-AGOB-0025 Our_Town_Green 10x7.5306_May.indd 1

Gwinnett Office 449 Pleasant Hill Rd, Suite 200 Lilburn, GA 30047 770.923.5033

Our Town3/12/19 Gwinnett 3:11 PM

Your business is your livelihood…

WE CAN PROTECT IT! Your business is your livelihood so it only makes sense to protect it. Brand & Britt Insurance Agency offers custom business insurance options from multiple companies to make sure you have the right insurance protection at the right price for your business.

Often we turn to Donegal because Donegal provides a full line of business insurance coverages including: ✓ Businessowners ✓ Commercial Auto ✓ Workers’ Compensation ✓ Commercial Liability

Grayson • Loganville • Buford 20 Grayson New Hope Rd • Grayson, GA 30017

www.brandandbritt.com

At BenchMark, your journey is our journey, and we’re committed to getting you back to your best.

That’s why our licensed physical therapists use manual therapy, a hands-on technique that’s proven to get better outcomes so you can start moving and feeling better faster.

Our 99% patient satisfaction rate speaks for itself. Choose better outcomes.

Choose BenchMark.

Call your local BenchMark today to set up an evaluation.

BUFORD I-85 2815 Buford Dr, Ste 102 (770) 271-4413

LAWRENCEVILLE 4825 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Ste C (678) 985-0238

LILBURN – BEAVER RUIN 4145 Lawrenceville Hwy NW, Ste 8 (678) 691-7163

GRAYSON 2065 Grayson Hwy, Ste B (678) 376-0213

LILBURN 1227 Rockbridge Rd, Ste 402 (770) 925-9210

SNELLVILLE 2050 Scenic Hwy N, Ste A (678) 344-7197 SNELLVILLE CENTERVILLE HWY 124 3641 Centerville Hwy, Ste 400 (470) 365-2135

Our Town Gwinnett

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

PAGE 23

850

NEUROSURGERY CASES ANNUALLY Treating a range of cerebral and spinal issues and conditions, the respected neurosurgeons at Gwinnett Medical Center provide comprehensive care to more than 850 patients annually across the region.

To expedite the healing process for each individual patient, our board-certified surgeons and comprehensive neurosurgical team utilize the latest technology and advanced treatment options to provide the best care possible.

Dave J. Seechran, MD & Bethwel Raore, MD Neurosurgeons Neurosurgery & Spine Associates

gwinnettmedicalcenter.org/numbers

678-312-5000