NOVEMBER 2020 Gwinnett/Walton Community & Family Magazine
Our Town GWINNETT
Grayson Dacula Loganville Lawrenceville
Up Close with Vecoma at the Yellow River, see story on page 5.
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Making an Impact on Lives: Lawrenceville Response Center Community Member Spotlight: The Candyman Celebrates 100 Years Meet Devine Wright: Grayson High’s Teacher of the Year Keeping it Green: Learn How to Recycle the Right Way
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Call 770.931.1414 to schedule a no-cost telephone or Zoom consultation to discuss your investment accounts, retirement plan, job change, small business concerns, and more! An advisor with the experience and qualifications you need. A team with the customer service you expect. Put this team to work for you! Investment Advisor Representative offering securities & advisory services through Cetera Advisors LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor, Broker/Dealer, member FINRA, SIPC. Green Financial , Gwinnett Tech, & Cetera Advisors are not affiliated. Awards are not to be considered a guarantee of future results, nor as an endorsement by any client. Best of Gwinnett winners are chosen via voting and editors’ input, & opinions are vetted with the use of other available information. Pinnacle award rankings are based on growth, revenue, community service, & other criteria. Barron’s: based on total assets (AUM), revenue, & other factors. Office located at 3700 Crestwood Pkwy, Ste 140, Duluth, GA 30096.
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On the Cover: Style and Flair: Vecoma at the Yellow River Gives Brides an Unforgettable Experience By Kristen Eleveld Planning a wedding, big holiday party, or even an important corporate gathering is no small task. You have to find the perfect venue – a place that is run by experts in the business who can offer you guidance and ideas while still allowing you to add your unique style to make the event your own. Luckily, for the citizens of Gwinnett, you can find all that and more in Snellville at Vecoma at the Yellow River. Vecoma at the Yellow River is celebrating its 25th year as an official corporation, but the history of this gorgeous area extends all the way back to the 1800s. Now, motherand-daughter team Judith Warren and Caroline Tucker run Vecoma with the efficiency and expertise that has become synonymous with the venue itself. Both Judith and Caroline have worked to ensure that every event, from bar mitzvahs to quinceañeras, has every detail attended to in order to create a memorable celebration. “We hold over one hundred events a year and have hosted thousands of weddings, anniversary parties, birthday parties, celebrations of life, holiday parties, bar mitzvahs, and corporate meetings,” Caroline said. “We have even done baptisms in the river!” With so many events taking place in such a short time, it may seem like it would be difficult to remember each of them individually. But for Caroline, the celebrations that stick out the most in her mind are the hundreds of themed weddings they have hosted. “At Vecoma, brides can be creative and put their own unique flair on their wedding,” said Caroline. “Some of our most fun weddings have been theme weddings. Our couples are so creative!” Indeed, the couples who are tying the knot at Vecoma have certainly run the gamut of possibilities when it comes to choosing a theme to commemorate their special day. Caroline and Judith have seen it all, from Harry Potter to Star Wars to a variety of favorite Disney movies. They have even seen themes centered around lumberjacks and Harley Davidson motorcycles. At this point, it would be hard to surprise Caroline or Judith with
any kind of theme a couple chooses – though they certainly invite you to try! Hosting so many weddings has made the Vecoma team experts at noticing and predicting trends for upcoming ceremonies. For instance, Caroline noted that purple had a long reign as the most popular color to appear in a wedding. More recently, the colors burgundy and blue have been playing larger roles, and Caroline predicts that blue will stick around, while burgundy may be traded for icy shades of green instead. Whatever your color choice, you don’t have to spend months thinking about it. Vecoma at the Yellow River can put together a wedding with very short notice. In fact, when many couples found themselves unable to go through with their wedding plans after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, the experts at Vecoma at the Yellow River were able to help several couples move their weddings to the Vecoma venue and create the Continued on page 15
Dr. John Simmons and Dr. Robert French combine a blend of experience, wisdom and fresh new knowledge to affordably serve our patients with healthy, beautiful smiles. Our experienced team provides 5 star service, personalized care, and an extraordinary commitment to your health and well-being. Please join our family by scheduling a new patient exam!
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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 Aleen Karakashian Photography Distribution Coordinator
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 2020 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: Style and Flair: Vecoma at the Yellow River Gives Brides an Unforgettable Experience
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7 From the Publisher: Ryan’s Remarks 8 Health Matters: Aging from a New Perspective 10 Learning Lessons: Nurturing the Skills Needed for Future Success in Early Childhood 11 Cartoons These Days 12 Making an Impact on Lives: Lawrenceville Response Center 13 Gwinnett Salvation Army: Welcomes New Leadership 13 AsWeDream: Meet Mike and Jordan Ososki 14 A Look Back on Hispanic Heritage Month 14 Community Member Spotlight: The Candyman Celebrates 100 Years 17 Meet Devine Wright: Grayson High’s Teacher of the Year 18 Keeping it Green: Learn How to Recycle the Right way 19 Crane’s Corner: Confirmation Obfuscation? 20 Pet Perch: Remote Collar Training, Yes or No? 22 Grandma Tech Support: Amazing COVID-19 Heroes 22 Travel Tales: Holiday Celebrations Close to Home 23 Home Improvement: Three Projects that Will Improve Your Home Value
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From the Publisher: Ryan’s Remarks By Ryan T. Sauers
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We are in unbelievable and unprecedented times. It seems like everything around us has changed, and yet at the same time most days blend together and feel the same. School is different, jobs are different, and LIFE is different. We are now in the month of November 2020. Can you believe it? It seems like 2020 has been the never-ending year and has flown by at the same time. We will be celebrating Thanksgiving in a few weeks. I do not think we should forget what we have learned and continue to learn in 2020. There is no greater time than now to try to find something you are thankful for. I challenge you to do that. It could be Election day has finally passed or that sports have returned. It could be the great freedom we have as Americans. Or it could be how thankful you are that you simply woke up this morning to live another day. We all have 24 hours and 7 days a week. What we do with this precious 168 hours of time each week makes all the difference. How have you grown as a person during the pandemic? Have you grown physically, socially, spiritually, mentally? I know I have and sure hope you have, too. And if not, it is never too late to start. You can be reactive or proactive in life, and I encourage you to choose the latter. I challenge you to take the high road in dealing with others. Many people are at their emotional maximum, so be a blessing to them and do not push them over the top. Let us all focus on the many things we have in common and not our differences. Have a wonderful November and Thanksgiving holiday Our Town Gwinnett community. And as always, thank you for continuing with me on the journey of my town, your town, Our Town!
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Health Matters: Aging from a New Perspective
Our Town GWINNETT
By Dr. Kerith Powell, Chiropractor
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I have been asked many times during my career as a chiropractor, “Do I have arthritis?” My answer is usually, “Yes, Mr. Jones, you do.” I watch as a mood of gloom or resignation comes over the man. He and others like him may have been told or witnessed a loved one suffer from what was called arthritis. What I think they are associating with the word arthritis is their hobbies, work, family fun time slowly fading from their life experience. In 1998 an anatomy teacher of mine explained that there are only two vertebrates on the planet that scientists have not found signs of arthritis. One is the sloth. I cannot recall the other one. This stuck with me for the simple fact that the large animals like elephants and the smaller ones like squirrels, the whales of the ocean and the fish of the sea, even frogs, get arthritis. What we have in common is that we are living on the same planet. Each of us wake up to fight gravity and inertia. This requires us to use force, by contracting our muscles. We depend on our bones to support our frames. We also rely on the connective tissue to hold our bodies together. Every cell in our body goes through a life cycle and eventually dies. This fact is well established, but how is it that the new cells repeat the patterns of the old? Mr. Jones will tell me that he is getting old and I must ask, “Is that part of your body older than the rest of you?” If all our joints are the same age, and age alone is responsible for arthritis, then all the joints should be affected the same way. We know that is not the case in osteoarthritis, which is what I am talking about. We know that the joints are affected differently, but why? The best information we have indicates that the answer is related to stress. Think of stress as a load someone must carry. A pound of feathers and a pound of lead are both equal to a pound. One individual may have mental, another a physical, and yet another a chemical stress. We must adapt to these stressors, and arthritis is one form of adaptation. To reduce the ill effects of arthritis we must find a way to share the stress load more efficiently, carry the burden better. In some cases that means thinking of a situation from a new perspective, moving our bodies in a new or different way, or adding nutritional supplementation to offset the bombardment of chemicals we ingest or are exposed to at work. Awareness of all I have said so far really will not help until two things become foremost in one’s mind. First, one must believe his or her body has the capacity to heal, and then that person must act in some manner to assist in the healing process. The degenerative process of arthritis will not stop on its own; in fact, it did not start on its own. The degenerative process began with poor adaptation to one of the stressors of life and will continue to progress unless a new pattern is established. Some of the physical options include surgery to remove the spurs caused by arthritis, physical therapy to improve the movement of the joints, and rehabilitation to strengthen weaker areas. Some of the mental efforts include prayer, meditation, and deep breathing exercises. The chemical component may be as simple as adding more water to one’s daily routine. Other cases require a more elaborate plan. We take the approach that your body innately strives for health. We look for the tools that will help you on the way towards health. Do not let arthritis permanently affect your function, like keeping you from playing your favorite sport, or doing your favorite activity. You have options and we can help. Do not wait until you have built up years of abnormal stress in your body to come in. The longer you wait to make a change, the more difficult the change will become. Dr. Kerith Powell is a chiropractor at Dr. Chris’ Natural Remedies in Snellville, Georgia. More information at https://www.drchrisnaturalremedies.com/
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Learning Lessons: Nurturing the Skills Needed for Future Success in Early Childhood By Tanisha Turner
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When parents think about the earliest skills, they should be nurturing in their children, language, reading, and motor skills likely come to mind. However, a recent survey revealed that another set of skills may be just as important to develop early in life to give children the foundation they need for future success. According to a national survey of human resources managers responsible for hiring, problem solving, critical thinking, teamwork, selfcontrol, adaptability and working memory – collectively referred to as executive function skills – are essential to succeeding in today’s workplace. In fact, survey respondents agreed that these skills are more important than good grades, technical skills, and other factors when it comes to hiring. Yet, the majority of those surveyed said that entry-level employees are rarely proficient in executive function skills and agreed that they are difficult to teach. One in four respondents also indicated employees are becoming less proficient in executive function skills over time – a concerning trend given that research suggests these skills will only become more valued as society evolves. These statistics may sound worrisome, but encouragingly, executive function skills have their foundational roots in early childhood. The Harvard Center on the Developing Child reports that children’s early life experiences influence their capacity for executive function skills, and laying the foundation for such skills is one of the most important tasks of the early childhood years. All the adults in a child’s life – parents, grandparents, teachers, and others – therefore have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help set him or her on a pathway for success. And nurturing the executive function skills needed to succeed later in life does not have to be difficult. Try the following fun activities for children at home: • Develop problem solving through play. Children work through their understanding of the world as they play. For example, when children play with blocks, they learn that putting heavier blocks on top make block towers tumble more quickly but putting heavier blocks on the bottom make the tower stronger. • Promote critical thinking by asking thought-provoking questions. Whether you are playing with blocks or at the grocery story, ask your child simple, open-ended questions like, “Why do you think…?” and “What if…?” to inspire deeper thinking. Be sure to give your child plenty of time to answer the question, refraining from giving the answer yourself. • Encourage teamwork by leading by example. Children learn how to respond to others mostly by watching their parents and caregivers. Make it a point to model behaviors like listening and being respectful at home. • Cultivate self-control by giving instructions. Instructions do not immediately sound like much fun, but singing songs like the hokey pokey and playing games like Simon Says encourage self-control by requiring children to move in a specific way at a particular time. • Nurture adaptability through dramatic play. Children can practice adaptability – the ability to take in and adapt to new information – by using everyday objects in new ways, like turning a paper towel roll into a telescope. • Foster working memory by reading aloud. Consistently reading aloud with children reinforces sounds and letters, helping them learn and store information in a way that feels more like play. Take things a step further by making up a story together. As the complexity of the story grows, your child will get more practice remembering the information. By intentionally nurturing these skills during the first five years of life, parents and caregivers can help set children up for success that will last a lifetime. Tanisha Turner is the Owner of Primrose School at Sugarloaf Parkway. More information at www.PrimroseSugarloafParkway.com.
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Happy Birthday Nichole From the staff at
Cartoons These Days By K. Coats I’m going to begin by telling you all something taboo – my age. I’m 38. No big deal, except that it means I was a child in the 80s. For me, the 1980s meant some of the most widely recognized cartoons outside of Disney: He-Man, Strawberry Shortcake, She-Ra, My Little Pony, G.I. Joe, and Care Bears – to name a few. Cartoons were a large part of being a kid during those days, and I suppose that fondness never really went away. I still find myself wanting to watch them with my kids. For most of my age group, we’re now having our own children, and companies have rightly guessed that nostalgia is the best recipe for success. Much of what was old is now getting a makeover for the 21st century. I’ve seen some of my beloved cartoons get revamped, and I’ll admit I was nervous. That first time I sat on the couch with my daughter to watch My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, I held my breath. Now I’ll admit right here in front of my daughter, Twilight Sparkle, Bedtime Bear, and all that is 80s cartoons, the reboot was superior – and not by a little. Complex characters that grew throughout multiple seasons, plot lines way beyond the normal scope of a cartoon, and a level of humor that appealed to old fans as well as new. Heck, there was even a Weird Al Yankovic and Dr. Who cameo! No other cartoon has ever had me almost fall off the couch laughing. If I’m being honest, much of the cartoons from my childhood were really meant to generate toy sales. We tried to get as many sets and figurines as we could, and the artistry that is an 80s toy commercial should have its own branch of psychology. But the absolute quality of the modern versions cannot be touched. The latest cartoon to get an update is She-Ra. I hadn’t learned my lesson from the My Little Pony experience and went in cynical because She-Ra was hopelessly 80s. There was no way they were going to be able to update a girl’s answer to a boy’s cartoon inspired by Conan the Barbarian. It just wasn’t going to happen. Except it did, guys. It really did. Continued on page 12
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Making an Impact on Lives: Lawrenceville Response Center By Traci Sanders It all began as a vision from a prayer group in 2012 where local leaders gathered to pray for the city of Lawrenceville. These concerned citizens knew there were important issues that needed to be addressed, but they weren’t sure how to go about doing that at the time. Friendships developed throughout the group as years went by and, in May 2017, began being leveraged into partnerships for various missions. Prior to COVID-19, a company called Impact46 was strengthening its summer internship initiative, The Summer of Impact, with its local education and business partners. However, when the virus came and closed down the schools, Impact46 shifted and redirected their efforts towards providing relief for Lawrenceville residents. After many conversations with community leaders, the Lawrenceville Response Center (LRC) was formed in March 2020. It is comprised of several nonprofits that aid those affected by COVID-19 in three key areas: housing, employment, and nutrition. Its partners are the Lawrenceville Housing Authority, Georgia Center for Opportunity, and The Lawrenceville Co-op. Knowing that families would need access to many resources to help stabilize their losses, the LRC partnered with these nonprofits to offer access to employment and nutrition while providing up to three months worth of rental assistance for those who had lost employment, wages, or hours as a result of COVID-19. Since the LRC expanded their virtual presence, they have provided rental assistance as well as employment and food for over 160 families by raising funds through a network of local churches, grants, and community donors. The city of Lawrenceville matched the funds thus providing $250,000 for rental assistance in Lawrenceville. Continued on page 15
Cartoons These Days Continued from page 11 Netflix’s She-Ra and the Princesses of Power provides an astounding level of maturity in its writing, plot, and visual elements. As a child who grew up with the cartoon, I appreciated the fact that the new version remembered some aspects that the original did not, like character development. Clearly this cartoon is taking itself more seriously than the original, and it’s meant to do more than sell toys. It’s an antidote to the saccharine sweet princess culture while still embracing it at the same time. Princesses are leaders who are responsible for their people. They are assertive and strong. And yes, they’re also pretty in a variety of shapes, colors, and abilities. But I’m finding that it isn’t just the revamps that are taking the conventional “cartoon” to a new level, and I say this both as a mother and as a literature teacher who is used to viewing stories with a critical eye. The 90s had Avatar: The Last Air Bender that really set the bar for what a cartoon could be in terms of writing and maturity. And that show deserves its own article to itself. I use it in my classroom quite a bit, actually. And now, there are so many that have followed in their footsteps. Netflix’s The Dragon Prince is a great example. The Dragon Prince had me transfixed as I watched a character who was deaf using sign language to communicate. It looked so realistic that I had to look it up. Turns out it was, indeed, correct American Sign Language. I cannot imagine the amount of time it took to animate that. But there’s an appreciation that comes with this. More people can value these shows and feel included and represented. There’s a quality there that is admirable, especially when compared to the mostly stock character types in the originals. Be honest, they were fairly predictable. It seems a weird vessel to bring about inclusiveness and intersectionality cartoons. But here we are. Of course, not all cartoons follow suit, and there are plenty who have done well on a diet of cheap laughs. But with many of the ones my kids watch, I find myself sitting down and watching with them. We discuss the characters together and can have meaningful conversations in ways the older cartoons just couldn’t promote. So there we have it. I didn’t foresee cartoons being on the forefront of cultural change, but this literature teacher/mother/child of the 80s cartoons must give credit where it is due. These modern cartoons are amazing, and I don’t just say this because She-Ra has a flying horse.
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Gwinnett Salvation Army: Welcomes New Leadership By Emily Rubin The Salvation Army in Gwinnett welcomed two new captains a few months ago. Captains Paul and Analese Ryerson transferred to the Lawrenceville location from Texas where they had been commissioned officers for ten years. The couple has only been in Gwinnett for just a few months, but they are enjoying the community so far. “It’s been a pleasant experience,” Paul said. “People have been nothing but kind; they’ve been very welcoming.” Because the captains moved amid a global pandemic, getting acquainted with the community has been somewhat difficult. They have good friends in the area already through the Salvation Army training college and territorial headquarters in Atlanta. To branch out more, Paul plans to join the Gwinnett Rotary Club. Becoming acquainted with the community is extremely important to Paul and Analese because it allows them to assess the community’s needs. The Salvation Army helps those in need through rent and utility assistance, grocery assistance, emergency housing, and drug and rehabilitation centers. The current pandemic has brought more demand for these services. “The financial requests that we saw coming in, just in the first fourteen days of April, is what we would normally assist in a given year,” Paul said of the demand he saw in Texas before transferring. The Salvation Army had to change operations to accommodate those in need while safely practicing social distancing. Food distribution was moved outside in a drive thru format, and social work was done virtually as much as possible. Along with the social work they do, the captains pastor the church at the Salvation Army together. Worship is now offered virtually on Sunday mornings and in the parking lot on Sunday evenings for the safety of the community. Deemed an essential organization, the Salvation Army has worked throughout the pandemic to help those in need. Many people lost their jobs due to the shutdown of the economy, and those living paycheck-to-paycheck were left with no means of paying rent or feeding their families. “Need doesn’t change just because people aren’t able to go out,” Analese said. “I think need has actually grown.” Paul and Analese are proud of their staff for continuing to serve others amid the pandemic. They are pleased with the outcome and response to their continuation of services and are still working on safely assisting those in need. “We’re still figuring out what the next several months are going to look like,” Paul said. “We’re focusing on where to go from here – what does the Salvation Army look like three months from now, six months from now, one year from now – so that we can continue to do the most good in Gwinnett.” More information at salvationarmygwinnett.org
AsWeDream: Meet Mike and Jordan Ososki By Traci Sanders AsWeDream is a recent father-son production partnership that has been in the makings for decades. From age seven, Mike Ososki was mesmerized by music from iconic bands and artists such as the Beatles, Steely Dan, and Stevie Wonder, as well as A.C. Jobim’s gentle, poignant, and bittersweet compositions. In 2002, Mike formed a band and named it AsWeDream. The group played some songs live, including vocals. Since 2009, many of those songs were (and still are) enjoyed as live instrumental acoustic guitar performances by Mike in the lobby of the Atlanta Botanical Garden. In 2010, it became Mike’s solo music moniker. Mike’s son Jordan picked up the guitar at age thirteen when he saw Billie Joe Armstrong in Green Day’s Basket Case video on MTV. He later gravitated toward the Continued on page 22
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Community Member Spotlight: The Candyman Celebrates 100 Years By Traci Sanders
A Look Back on Hispanic Heritage Month By Kristen Eleveld Did you know that Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated every year from September 15th to October 15th? If not, you’ll will want to mark it on your calendar for next year – not only for the many fun celebrations that happen right here in Gwinnett County, but also for the opportunity to learn something new about the culture of many friends and neighbors. Many Gwinnett citizens identify as Hispanic, and this rich culture spans dozens of countries, traditions, and celebrations. People like Nury Castillo Crawford are especially invested in showing local communities exactly what it means to be Hispanic, and some of her thoughts may surprise you or challenge ideas you’ve always held. For instance, Nury, a Peruvian native, points out that many people outside of Hispanic culture tend to lump all Hispanic and Latin countries together. But the truth is that these countries are just as diverse as any other set of countries, with different customs and a vast array of ethnicities. “As an educator and a mom, I feel it’s important that we all learn a little bit more about each other,” said Nury, who currently serves as Director of the Division of School Continued on page 16
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Born in Atlanta in 1920, Clarence Page celebrated his 100th birthday on Monday, September 21th this year. He is the oldest member of Grayson United Methodist Church, where he is known simply as The Candyman for handing out peppermints to all the children in the church for over fifty years. Clarence’s wife Becky, now in her eighties, has been attending Grayson United since age five. She and Clarence were married in the church fifty-two years ago. Clarence learned the tradition of handing out mints from his mother and picked up the torch soon after he attended Grayson United for the first time. Clarence chose peppermints (or candy canes, often) rather than any other type of candy because of the special spiritual meaning behind them. The red signifies the blood of Jesus Christ and the white, purity. Clarence and Becky even dressed up as Mr. and Mrs. Peppermint at one of the early church Christmas programs and read the book “The Legend of the Candy Cane” to the children, many of whom are now adults with children and grandchildren of their own. Clarence received hundreds of handwritten cards and letters for his birthday from family and friends. Many well-wishers referenced the significant role The Candyman played in their lives growing up. Peppermint isn’t the only candy Clarence enjoys. He has a bit of a sweet tooth for chocolate as well, so he was delighted when Becky surprised him with special custom-made chocolate bars with his picture and title of The Candyman on the wrappers. Another highlight of his birthday celebration was a ride in a 1931 Model A Ford the family arranged as a surprise for him. Teaching others about God is a mission close to Clarence’s heart. In fact, he didn’t reserve his candy treasures solely for church children all these years. He used to visit nursing homes and local businesses where he passed out mints to business owners and workers. Clarence is not able to get out and about as much these days because of the COVID virus and his age, but he will always have the memories of bringing sweet smiles to those in his community and church who will forever think of him as The Candyman.
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The LRC was certain to include the next generation into their model by hiring three summer interns, all of whom live within the city limits and graduated from local high schools. Jen Young, with the LRC, stated, “We believe that by going deeper, we will be able to go further. Through our partnership model, we have been able to provide services that propel residents towards self-sufficiency instead of becoming dependent on social services and financial support. It is the families that are doing all the hard work and we just want to make sure they are supported. It is a true picture of a community taking care of its community.” Although Lawrenceville will forever be the heart of the LRC, Jen and her staff are hoping to expand the model beyond the city limits and discover new potential partners in other Gwinnett County areas to impact even more people. More information at https://www.impact46.org/lawrenceville-response-center.
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BEST BEST BEST BEST
More than anything, Nury wants people to know that it’s okay not to be an expert on every Hispanic culture in the world – and that it’s also okay to ask questions so you can increase your knowledge about the people in your life. Improvement and Operations for the Gwinnett County Schools. “It’s all about getting to know each other and learning,” Nury said. “These learning Nury has made diversity education a priority in multiple areas in her professional life. opportunities help other communities see we are a vast and diverse group.” Along with introducing more diversity-focused education in the school system, she is For the second year in a row, Nury was named as one of the Top 50 Most Influential also a published author. Each of her books, which are written for children and parents Latinos by the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and was recently featured on alike, discuss how it feels to be different than others in your class or in your group of ABC News for her work with students, receiving national recognition for her leadership. friends, and speaks about ways everyone can recognize and celebrate the differences It’s easy to see why. Her dedication to bringing cultural awareness to her students and found in each culture. the community around her is not only bringing new levels of understanding, but also Along with education through books, Nury also feels it is important for children to be helping Gwinnett citizens of all backgrounds find their common ground while celebratWhen it comes to When it comes to finding the perfect roof immersed in other cultures to truly experience what they are like. As Nury says, once ing what makes them unique. you begin to learn a new language, you begin to learn about the societies that go with for your for your home have a HUGE selection “I want toto make this community the best it we can be,” Nury said. “Iroof want my kidshome to be we it comes finding the perfect roof When it comes to finding the perfect it, and subsequently the art and literature that it produces. This promotes the idea ofWhen not and happy. We can all together to make thatto happen.” of brands ofwork brands and colors choose from, so and colo for yoursafe home we have awww.1010publishing.com. HUGE selection for atyour home we have a HUGE selection only being bilingual, but bicultural and biliteral, the accomplishment of which Nury More information we can make house look Allmake your compares to having a superpower. of brands and colors choose from, soyour ofto brands and colors to choose from,perfect. sowe can
Hispanic Heritage Month Continued from page 14
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Meet Devine Wright: Grayson High’s Teacher of the Year By K. Coats Though her name is pronounced like Devin, not “Divine,” Devine Wright’s fellow faculty members certainly thinks she is divine as they have named her the Grayson High School Teacher of the Year for the 20202021 school year. If you ever get the chance to meet her, you’ll understand why. Hailing from South Carolina, Wright graduated from the University of South Carolina. Ever the life-long learner, she also has a degree from American University and will complete her Educational Specialist degree from Piedmont College this December. This marks her fifteenth year as an educator and her sixth at Grayson High School where she teaches American Literature, AP Language and Composition, Dual Enrollment, and is the Language Arts Department head. Some of her favorite works include Jane Eyre, Beloved, Song of Solomon, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Great Gatsby, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. As wonderful of an educator as she is, Wright’s initial career goals focused on accounting. “During my senior year in high school,” she explains, “I worked part-time in the accounting department of a local business. I decided to major in accounting. However, I couldn’t ignore how much I enjoyed my English classes, so I changed my major.” The shift towards education came as a result of a tutoring opportunity when she volunteered with a non-profit organization called Communities in Schools and tutored students at an alternative high school. “I worked with teenagers who had been expelled from their schools,” she adds, “and I was shocked to learn how much I loved it. I was actually named Volunteer of the Year, and my fate was sealed.” But as a teacher, the literature itself is only one of many skills Wright covers. “Teaching students how to write well is my passion,” she says. “My former students often tell me how much of an impact that my class had on their writing skills. However, that means that I have to grade a lot of writing. My husband and kids are accustomed to me bringing stacks of essays with me everywhere I go.” But tugging essays around is worth it in the end. “I am fortunate to play a part in shaping the lives of young people,” she says. “Relationship-building is the first step of teaching. Students have to trust teachers before they learn from them. Over the years, I have maintained relationships with my former students, and I am honored to witness the accomplishments they have made
after high school.” Former student Goodness Dauda shows that Wright’s efforts paid off as she remembers, “No matter how stressed I was, it was always great to be in her class!” To be a successful student in Wright’s classroom, students have to push themselves well outside of their traditional comfort zone. “Critical thinking is a significant component of English Language Arts,” Wright explains. “Students cannot become successful with memorization; they have to apply their reading and writing skills. To be successful in life, students need to be able to comprehend what they read and to communicate in writing.” Aside from top notch writing, Wright also encourages looking at experiences beyond what a student’s situation may entail. “It is imperative for young people to read works by women and people of color,” Wright says. “However, literature can also expose readers to cultures and experiences very different from their own.” And in this, Wright ensures her legacy and that she and her students will do their part to make this world a better place. Former student Jaime Quinones agrees. “She knows how to explain the method of analysis and composition to uncover students’ potential,” he says. “You also learn to Continued on page 19
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Keeping it Green: Learn How to Recycle the Right way By Kristen Eleveld When you see the number inside the recycling symbol on your milk jug, do you know what it means? If you don’t, that’s okay – most of us don’t. But one Gwinnett organization is working to help us all become confident recyclers and showing us that the payoffs of recycling right are well worth the effort. Those payoffs? Conserving natural resources, preventing harmful emissions, and powering Georgia’s economy. Back in 2015, Laura Hernandez was volunteering at Gwinnett County’s annual America Recycles Day event. Unloading broken and outdated electronics for recycling, Laura was encouraged by the high turnout of people who were willing to take
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the extra steps needed to responsibly dispose of these items. She had an epiphany: to be part of this type of eco-friendly education and change. Laura put in her two weeks’ notice at her job the next week. “I really wanted to get in front of people and show them how they can do right for the earth,” Laura said. She knew there were other like-minded people in the area, having seen that at the recycling event. Laura and these other passionate citizens began meeting as a group, looking for new ways to protect the local environment and encourage others to do the same. By early 2016, the group had created a website and named themselves Gwinnett Recycles. “This is a group about neighbors helping neighbors,” said Laura. “All of us have decisions to make every day about what to do with things we’re finished using. Our group wants to help people make smart choices.” A main source of inspiration for Laura is that so much of what is properly recycled
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Continued on page 21
Our Town Gwinnett
Crane’s Corner: Confirmation Obfuscation? By Bill Crane Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a member of the 7th District Court of Appeals, is our 163rd nominee to serve as Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court since 1789. She is only the fifth woman to be nominated, and the second female to be nominated by a GOP president. Three female Associate Justices have been nominated by Democrats. Twenty-nine nominations have taken place during a presidential election year. In nineteen of those cases, the political party controlling the White House was the same as the Senate Majority. In ten of those cases, the opposite was true. When the Senate and White House were from the same party, seventeen justices were confirmed; when they were in opposition, only one of those ten designees was confirmed. Only seventeen nominees to the court have been rejected since 1789. Justice Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed by a vote of 50 to 48 in 2018. Justice Clarence Thomas was confirmed by a vote of 52-48 in 1991. Associate Justice Kavanaugh is the newest member, and Justice Thomas currently is the longest serving. Then Senator Joe Biden, a Democrat, presided over the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearings for Thomas, who was nominated by President George H.W. Bush. Senator Charles Grassley, a Republican, chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings of Kavanaugh, nominated by President Donald Trump. Those bookends presenting the court, partisan splits, and close votes are non-remarkable, as there have also been landslide confirmations. In 1993, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was confirmed by a vote of 96-3, the second woman nominated to serve, and Supreme Court confirmation hearings were again chaired by Senator Joe Biden. Only three Republicans voted against Ginsburg, despite her well-established credentials as an advocate and legal expert on progressive causes and ending all discrimination based upon gender. Ginsburg was confirmed in forty-five days. Here are some important things to know if you do not have days or hours to devote to these hearings. Amy Coney Barrett is a native of Louisiana and attended Rhodes College in Memphis. She went on from Rhodes to law school at Notre Dame in Indiana on a full scholarship. IF confirmed (at the time this article was written it is unknown),
Meet Devine Wright
Continued on page 22
Continued from page 17
appreciate literature as she makes everything we read interesting, real-life applicable, and entertaining with light-heartedness – even the darkest texts. By the end of the year, everyone who works with her is a different person.” One of the biggest compliments a teacher can receive is to be entrusted with a fellow teacher’s children. Veronica Crawford is both Wright’s administrator and the parent of one of her students. Crawford says, “Devine is a caring and compassionate teacher who encourages her students to achieve their very best.” And regarding her daughter, she adds, “As a parent, I could not ask for a better teacher.” Co-worker Jamye Giametta states, “Not many people get to work with a teacher like Devine, who not only encourages her students to do better, but does the same for her fellow teachers. She works hard to help us teachers in any way she can because she appreciates what we do in our classroom.” However, like a good citation, Wright insists on giving credit where it is due. She wishes to give a shout out to “the dedicated, hardworking teachers in the Grayson High School Language Arts department.” But she adds, “I would also like to celebrate all of the teachers working in this pandemic. Whether we are teaching remotely, teaching in person, or teaching in person and virtually simultaneously, we all deserve to be recognized for being teachers of the year. These last months have been unlike anything that we have ever experienced, and all who are currently teaching should have recognition.” The staff at Our Town Gwinnett would like to extend a special congratulations to Devine Wright on her award. Thank you for your hard work with our community’s youth, for your dedication to both students and faculty as you continue to be an example of a life-long learner, and for using your gifts and talents to change lives and make this world a better place. More information at www.gcpsk12.org/GraysonHS.
Our Town Gwinnett
she will be the only justice on the current court not to have attended Yale or Harvard law school. By the age of 30, Notre Dame had hired Barrett as a member of their law school faculty. While concurrently serving on the 7th District U.S. Court of Appeals, she remains on the Notre Dame faculty to this day. Since her nomination, Barrett has commented and joked that she is used to being in a group of nine – her family. She is the mother of seven young children. Barrett said, “While I am a judge, I’m better known back home (in Indiana) as a room parent, carpool driver and birthday party planner.” Critics of Barrett point to some of her more conservative writings in academic journals, and remarks made in speeches to groups like the Federalist Society. Similar criticisms were initially lobbed at Chief Justice John Roberts, whose earlier writings on the bench and as legal counsel in the Bush White House would not exactly belie some of his later decisions made while on the court, or several decisions which formed the majority opinion, occasionally siding with court progressives.
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Pet Perch: Remote Collar Training, Yes or No? By Terie Hansen Petco says, “Stop the shock” and has decided to stop selling the low quality, remote collars they carry. I say good riddance to those cruddy systems, but NOT to high quality systems that are available through reputable companies and that are placed in the hands of professional who know how to train and use them to save dog’s lives daily. Some have said, “Shock collars have been shown to increase fear, anxiety, and stress in dogs.” A good trainer does not increase these issues. The dogs come to us WITH these issues and we work to alleviate them. The consumer who walks into a pet store to buy a cruddy, low quality remote collar system without knowledge of how to properly use one or without help from a professional could certainly impact his or her dog in a negative way; but so does owning a dog and showering it with love and affection without training or setting boundaries or creating structure. This can yield the same or worse
fear, anxiety, and stress. These are the dogs we see daily. Many dog’s lives have been saved and are happier than they have ever been because of remote collar training. Would you rather those dogs be euthanized? And by the way, 90% of training with a remote collar training program is positive reinforcement! The other 10% is stopping the bad behaviors. But nobody talks about that, of course. Can these behaviors be stopped without the use of a remote collar? With some dogs yes, but not all. So, what about those dogs? What would you have us do with them? What is more inhumane? Allowing these behaviors to go on, or euthanizing the dog? Wouldn’t you rather stop the behavior? High tech, high quality remote collar systems and professional training result in happy, well-balanced, well-trained ALIVE dogs. Terie Hansen, Owner of Good Dog! Coaching & Pet Care. More information at www.gooddogcoaching.com
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Keeping it Green Continued from page 18 is used by industries in Atlanta and the surrounding areas to make new, more ecofriendly products. As both the website and Laura herself notes, the recycling industry creates 23,000 jobs in Georgia alone, thanks to the many available local outlets for recycled fiber, plastic, metal, and glass. While the team at Gwinnett Recycles is passionate about recycling, sometimes the conversation has to be about what not to recycle. According to Laura, many people are “wishful recyclers,” putting items in their curbside bin that cannot be recycled that way or cannot be recycled at all. For instance, your plastic grocery bags can’t be recycled in your curbside bin because the companies that process our paper, cardboard, plastic bottles and jugs, and metal cans simply don’t have the means of sorting out bags. These lightweight bags get tangled in equipment. Instead, look for a local bag return at your grocery store, and bring your empty plastic bags and film there. As long as the filmy plastic stretches and is marked with the number two or four inside the triangular recycling logo, it’s good to go in the store bins. Examples of these items would be shopping and produce bags, dry cleaning bags, bread bags, Ziploc bags, and even Amazon bubble mailers. There are many locations in our community that accept recyclable and donatable goods. H&M clothing stores take all types of textiles to be used in new ways. Snellville is home to a local drop-off for recycling your empty glass bottles and jars, as well as a host of other household items. A directory on the Gwinnett Recycles website includes instructions for recycling hundreds of items that aren’t curbsidefriendly.
“We need to recycle the right way to help the system work,” said Laura. “The list of items recyclable curbside is pretty short, which is surprising to many people.” More than anything, Laura and her group want people to understand that having a full recycling bin each week may feel great, but, ideally, we would recycle less because we would be more mindful of the products we use in the first place. Laura encourages everyone to look for ways they can reduce their own use of plastic and other single-use or short-term use products, along with finding creative ways to bring new life to old items. These efforts are also part of the educational resources provided by Gwinnett Recycles. If you are interested in helping Laura and her team beautify the county, join them for one of their socially distanced litter clean ups. If you feel you may have other talents this organization can use, contact them about your ideas. Volunteers are always needed and are welcome to participate in any of the many projects Gwinnett Recycles is coordinating. More information at Laura@gwinnettrecycles.com
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Grandma Tech Support: Amazing COVID-19 Heroes
AsWeDream Continued from page 13
By K. Coats
drums and began playing in local bands. In 2017, Mike and Jordan formed a musical partnership, keeping the AsWeDream name. Their company provides music that is intended mostly for synchronization use, which is put together with any visuals, regardless of media and industry. The most common uses are web, film, TV, and advertising. The recordings are available online, and “soundtrack” is only one potential use. No vocals are provided for these tracks yet, but Mike does plan to incorporate that aspect soon. Jordan handles all the technical tasks including production, recording, mixing, and mastering for final release. All this is mostly done from the Digital Audio Workstation. As well as being an accomplished drummer, Jordan also produces all of the graphic art and chimes in on some of the guitar pieces for the tracks. Mike focuses on creating most of the music through guitar performance and songwriting. He also handles all the networking for the company, although father and son do work together for the marketing, business, and legal aspects. Both pursue other interests in addition to the AsWeDream musical stylings. AsWeDream LLC Recruiting is a headhunting company mostly run by Mike, who has twenty-five years of experience in engineering and manufacturing, which is a primary income source for the Ososki household. More information at https://www.AsWeDream.com/
My mother-in-law, Grandma Joanie, will be the first to tell you she does not like technology. She grew up in a different era – one full of poodle skirts and vinyl record players. Smartphones are a long way from her comfort level, and she still prefers sharing cut out newspaper articles with her loved ones instead of website links. She taught in public schools for over thirty years, and when her career started, she mastered the typewriter, the overhead projector, and the movie reel machine for her students. Knowing this only makes her more recent actions even more impressive. After a decade and a half in retirement, Grandma Joanie dusted off her teacher-persona and sat down to a classroom as foreign to her as anything could possibly be – a digital classroom during COVID-19. Armed with a cord splitter so she and her second-grade grandson could listen on headphones at the same time and a blank notebook for taking down directions, my mother-in-law went outside her comfort zone to help us out and keep our kids digital for just a little while longer as the school year started. Platforms like Google classroom, Prodigy, and Loom were unknown to her, but together she and our second grader navigated the lessons each day. And as I looked over her notes and his progress, I was impressed by both. I am fifteen years into the same profession from which Grandma Joanie retired, and I have seen many shifts even within that time. I know how disorienting new programs can be, and I consider myself proficient when it comes to instructional technology, so I am lucky in that regard. I am also lucky that Grandma Joanie stepped up to help us. And I am sure that she is not alone in her actions. Across the country, grandparents are stepping into the world of digital learning to help their grandkids continue their school year. They are helping to navigate platforms when their experience with computers might be limited. They are trying to troubleshoot video permission issues and open Zoom meeting links. It is overwhelming for the best of us at times, but they continue giving each digital learning day their best effort. So I think it’s important, as we celebrate the everyday heroes during this frustrating time, to take a moment and give a nod to all those grandparents out there who are giving it their all. They are the quiet ones in the background who are easily overlooked, but I see you guys. I see you helping monitor Google Meets, navigating online quizzes, submitting pictures, and checking grades. You are rock stars, and if, during all the stress and confusion of this pandemic, the parents forget to say thank you, then please let me say it now: thank you for helping with the unknown. Thank you for giving up your time. Thank you for your love. Thank you for you. We owe you a dinner after all this is said and done – especially Grandma Joanie.
Crane’s Corner Continued from page 19 In 1992, Ruth Bader Ginsburg gave a lecture, just prior to joining the court. She believed that the broad authority and decision making granted by Roe v. Wade was flawed, and that a narrower and more prescriptive decision would have likely sooner opened up dialogue on this subject in legislatures across the country, many of whom were already moving towards liberalization of abortion access at that time. Ginsburg said, “Roe halted a political process that was heading in a reform direction and thereby, I believe, prolonged divisiveness and deferred stable settlement of the issue.” It has long been a Democratic Party talking point that given control of the U.S. Senate, White House, and Congress, what we know as Roe v. Wade would be codified into federal law. Back to facts: American voters gave just that to President Barack Obama in 2008, and though the Democratic majority in Congress did pass the Affordable Care Act (by seven votes in the U.S. House and one vote in the U.S. Senate) before losing majority in the 2010 mid-term elections, there was not a single bill introduced or passed by Congress to establish a federal standard for allowing safe and legal abortions. Hmmm... probably just got lost in the mail. Bill 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
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Travel Tales: Holiday Celebrations Close to Home By Pam Walker I know, I know – where can we go for the 2020 holidays without chancing the dreaded COVID-19, crowds of maskless people, and over-the-top pricing? I think I have a few answers for you. Many places are still celebrating with holiday light displays and festivities. But this year you may be doing a drive through instead of walking amongst throngs of people. Callaway Gardens is always a bright spot not far from home, and if you want to stay, you can choose either a hotel room or cottage. The Fantasy In Lights is called one of the world’s Top 10 Places to See Holiday Lights. Also close by is the Magical Nights of Lights at Lanier Island where you can also enjoy carnival rides or make s’mores around a bonfire. The indoor pool at Legacy Resort is always fun when it is cold outside. Brasstown Valley Resort has a Holiday Festival of Lights as well, with many other activities planned. Holiday light parades include Dublin’s Christmas Parade and Rock City Gardens with its 30+ holiday scenes to drive through. Dahlonega also has a winter wonderland for kids. And don’t forget the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway where you can hear a Christmas story, sing carols, and ride along with Santa. A little farther away, St. Augustine, Florida’s famous Nights of Lights can be seen from Trolly tour or Santa’s Red Express Train. You can see the huge light display from the water on a pirate ship or in a private carriage with a glass of wine in hand. This famous festival has won National Geographic’s Best World Festival for many years now. There are plenty of quaint bed and breakfast hotels and bigger hotels on St. Augustine Beach, all with proper COVID-19 procedures dictated from the CDC. At the top of the 5-star list, there is always Sea Island, Georgia, with its famed holiday celebrations at the Cloister, and Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee. Both places sell out quickly – even in the time of COVID-19 – so reservations for all are highly recommended as soon as possible. There are so many places and so many things to do to get us over the doldrums of 2020 and the pandemic. It is time to celebrate the new year. 2021, here we come!* *(Make sure to check each activity’s website for any updated information regarding hours of operation or safety standards) Pam Walker is a travel advisor with Virtuoso and can be reached at pam@walkeradventures.com
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Home Improvement: Three Projects that Will Improve Your Home Value By Our Town Gwinnett Staff Buying a home is exciting. Once you purchase a property, you want to make it your own. Whether it is a 100-year-old beauty or a fresh new build, there are improvements you can make that will not only personalize the space, but add instant value to your real estate investment. Project 1: Update the garage door. Garage doors take up a lot of visual real estate on the exterior of a home, so they dramatically boost curb appeal. Bland designs, old styles, and damaged doors detract from a home’s appearance and overall value. Updating a garage door has a mid-range cost, but an impressive Return on Investment (ROI). According to Remodeling Magazine’s 2020 Cost vs. Value report, the average national job cost of a garage door replacement is $3,695, with an impressive 94.5% cost recouped at resale. When choosing a garage door, select one you like that matches the home’s design. For example, carriage-house garage doors have a rustic look that work well with American Craftsman style homes. Contemporary garage doors with clean lines work well with mid-century modern homes. Raised panel garage doors are popular and work with many types of homes. Project 2: Add a Bathroom. Basements, attics, garages, and unfinished spaces are tricky, but there is one way to add a bathroom without busting through concrete or sacrificing the structural integrity of a home – above-floor plumbing such as macerating toilets and drain pumps. This was the case for David Pirain, who wanted to add a half bath to a home he was going to flip. His primary challenge was that sewage access was above grade and 40 feet
away from the basement, which was situated about six feet below the sewer line. Installing conventional plumbing was impossible without installing a large sewage ejector system that would require breaking concrete to dig a pit to hold the system, which he estimated would cost $9,000. He decided above-floor plumbing options would be an effective alternative at a much lower cost. He spent $1,100 and now estimates that adding a basement bathroom increased the value of the home by $20,000. Project 3: Revitalize Ceilings. Dingy, cracked ceilings are eyesores that date a property and make it look older than it is. By updating your ceiling, you not only improve the appearance, but you also increase the home’s overall value. If there are chips and cracks, it is important to repair these issues before applying any paint. Once repaired, vacuum cobwebs and remove dust to ensure that a fresh coat
of ceiling paint adheres properly. Don’t like the style of ceiling you have? Many homeowners are opting to replace popcorn texture ceilings with flat or knock-down styles. While a ceiling is a personal preference, updating it to a more modern option may command a higher price at resale. If the ceiling has never been painted, you may be able to remove the popcorn texture yourself; otherwise, hiring a professional should get the job done quickly. Keep in mind, popcorn textures and other ceilings applied before 1979 may have asbestos, so you will want to get it tested before removal. Enhance the value of your home and enjoy the results. As you look at different properties, you imagine yourself in each house, enjoying the space and making memories. Even when you find “the one,” there are things you want to update. By making these improvements, you will personalize the space, instantly enhance the value, and have a property you will enjoy. (BPT)
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