NOV 2022: (GREEN) Our Town Gwinnett/Walton Monthly Magazine

Gwinnett/Walton Community & Family Magazine

Best

By Kristen Eleveld

at The Industry Salon

Ever since she was a little girl, Candace Colegrove knew exactly what she wanted to be when she grew up: a master cosmetologist who could bring a smile to someone’s face by helping them look their best. Now, not only has Candace made her dream come true, she has gone above and beyond with the services she and her team provide at The Industry Salon in Grayson.

Though Candace had always planned to cut and style hair profession ally and had kept up her skills since obtaining her certification, she was not working in a salon when she had the idea to start her own business. Between raising her children and working at multiple jobs, Candace began to look ahead to the career opportunities that awaited her.

“Seven years ago, I wondered what was next,” said Candace. “God kept laying it on my heart to open my own salon.”

At first, the task seemed impossible. Candace called around to find a space that worked well for her needs, but the option she hoped for the most, an open space in The Railyard, was not available. The Railyard will be familiar to Grayson residents as a community space where many local retailers, restaurants, and business owners have set up shop. Determined to fulfill her dream of opening her own salon, Candace experienced what she called a sign from God when she was in the process of reviewing a rental contract in another location: she spotted a typo in the contract just as she was preparing to sign. While waiting for the typo to be corrected, Candace got a call from The Railyard – the space she had hoped for was now available and she was able to start her salon.

“I prayed for God to give me multiple signs, and he did,” said Candace.

Continued on page 16

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 opin ions 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 2022 by Our Town Gwinnett. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden in any media without written permission from the publisher.

An Acronym We SHALT Remember

By Dr. Ryan T. Sauers

Most people are very much the same. We all eat and drink. We all sleep. We all live and die. We all seek to be loved. And we all have different emotions. It is what makes us human. What we have in common (UNITE) is far greater than anything that makes us different (UNTIE). With that said, I want to focus on an idea from a book by Laurie Jones. It is the word/acronym SHALT. SHALT stands for Sad, Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired.

How many times have you said something or written something you later regretted? How often have you acted in an “out of character” manner and wished you could get a “do-over”? If you are like me, you have done so, and this information should prove helpful.

If you are sad, it is best to postpone a decision until you are in the right frame of mind. You will be glad you did. Second, many of us get grumpy when we are hungry. So, if you have not eaten, wait until you are no longer hungry and you will think more clearly and com municate more effectively.

How about when we are angry? In social media, it is easy to fire off a tweet, post, text, or email in seconds. You know the drill – when someone makes you mad, blast them right then for the whole world to see. Of course, this is not the best thing to do. Like sadness, anger is an emotion that will settle itself in time. And you should wait until that emotion is gone so you calmly respond to what you are facing. In youth sports, there is often a 24-hour rule after a game. If you are upset with your child’s playing time, etc., you must wait 24 hours before talking to the coach. If you still are angry after that time has passed, then it is a real emotion, and it’s okay to begin the conversa tion. However, in many cases, the emotion dies down before 24 hours, and you are glad you did not react on adrenaline. Time has a way of making us think more clearly about what we say and write. Every time I have reacted in the moment, I later kicked myself for getting baited, especially when I knew better and should have waited.

How about when we are lonely? Maybe you have not had much time around people recently or are just bored. When you have a lonely mindset, it is not a good time to make decisions on important matters because you are out of balance and need to be centered. It is easy to feel everyone else is getting something that you are not, or you feel they are in a better place than you are. Such thoughts creep into our heads when we are lonely. Social media such as Facebook or Instagram can seem like the ultimate “highlight reel” (no pun intended) of others’ lives and can lead to us feeling even more alone (Note to reader: such highlights are not “everyday life,” but can sure seem that way).

What about when we get tired? After all, in our rapidly moving world, we ALL get tired at some point. This is a time you feel signif icant stress and need to rest. You know... chill out. So, do not com municate something you will later regret because you’re worn out. It will come across the wrong way. Instead, get some rest and approach everything with a fresh perspective. This is why we tell people to get a good night’s sleep, and things will look better in the morning.

So, there you go. You have my take on the SHALT rule and how it helps us better understand our emotions and when we should/should not communicate. What about you? What “SHALT” you no longer do when you are not in the right frame of mind? Let’s also focus on

Thanksgiving Tips: How to Practice

Gratitude

By Tana Poncsak

There’s a lot of chatter about how being thankful and practicing gratitude can help one live a healthier and a happier life. We hear about it in inspirational quotes on social media, discussed on podcasts, and we even read about it in various articles in magazines and on the web. It’s November and the month of Thanksgiving, and while many will be reminded to give thanks as a result of the holiday, let’s look at some ways we can practice gratitude all year.

1. Take a look at your values and how you spend your time. Perhaps those values have shifted along the way. Think about the things you value most and why you value them. Are you missing some special people in your life? Perhaps you need more time to yourself. Whatever it may be, time to yourself or more time for the special people in your life, think about ways to spend more time on the things you value in your life.

2. We’ve all heard it before, but it bears repeating. Stop comparing yourself to others. It’s easy to do, especially with social media 24 hours a day, but it’s counterproductive. You’re unique, so be thankful for your uniqueness and learn to lean into it.

3. Keep a gratitude journal. You don’t have to write a page every day. A few lines will do because being consistent is important. Just the act of writing something down can have a positive impact.

4. Be generous about saying “thank you” when you’re out and about in the community. In a world filled with road rage and other bouts of anger, it’s refreshing to encounter someone with a gracious spirit.

5. Make it a goal to send at least one thank you note or thank you email a week. Perhaps a coworker helped you with a big project or there’s a family member you haven’t spoken to in a while. Not only will they

feel good about receiving the note, but you will feel good about making some one else’s day a bit brighter.

6. Volunteer and help others any way you can. As peo ple, we have a tendency to feel better about ourselves and other things when we’re helping others. And perhaps during the holi days is a great time to start.

Volunteer in your church or your community. Help out a friend in need. Any small act could make a big impact.

7. Spend some time reflecting, praying, or meditating on and for an attitude of gratitude. It takes time and focus to develop a habit, even good ones. We often have to constantly remind ourselves as we pur sue new endeavors and being thankful is no different. Keep it up. Hopefully, as you see and feel the positive power of gratitude, you’ll be motivated to keep practicing, even if it’s just for one more day.

what we SHALT do to make a positive difference in our community each day, week, and month. How can we bring people together? How can we help people find common ground? How can we listen more and talk less? The Our Town community always seeks to UNITE and grow together.

Finally, I thank you for your kind feedback on my monthly col umn. I shalt continually work hard to make it better. Until next time, I wish you a great November. And, as always, thank you for continu ing with me... on the journey of my town, your town, OUR TOWN!

Pet Perch: It is All in the Drills

By Terie Hansen

Sit/down/sit drills firm up your dog’s sit and down commands. When you tell your dog to sit or down that is what your pet should do, and he or she should hold that command until told to do otherwise.

Oftentimes when own ers give their dog the sit command the dog sits for a little bit and then either pops up or lays down. Follow through and have your dog do what you told him or her to do, not what your pet feels like doing. Allowing your dog to ignore your command gives your pet the go ahead to not listen to you at other times.

Let’s say you tell your dog to come to you, but in the past you’ve allowed your dog to do what he or she feels like doing instead of lis tening to you; then in that moment that’s exactly what your pet will do. Follow through to get what you asked for.

Here are some reasons why dogs don’t listen to their owners:

1. They weren’t taught the command in the first place! ***Your dog does not speak English! You cannot ask your dog to do something that you have not taught them.

2. The command was not taught properly and/or long enough. ***It takes a lot of patterning over weeks of time. Thousands of consis tent repetitions for your dog to grasp a concept fully.

3. They weren’t consistently made to follow through and do the com mand. *** You give the dog a command and for one of the above reasons he or she doesn’t do it, and you don’t follow through to make it happen.

4. You haven’t maintained what you taught your dog. ***Even if you taught it and your dog knew the command(s) very well at one point, if you don’t use it enough your dog will lose it. Use the commands that you have taught your dog daily. Work them into your daily rou tine. It’s simple at that point. Use them when you’re making your breakfast or grabbing your coffee, before you go in or out of doors, at feeding time, before getting in the car, while watching TV, eating dinner, or inviting guests into your home.

These are all great times to insert a sit, down, or place command. Throw in some recalls while you’re walking your dog or playing in the yard. It’s all in the drills. Drills engage your dog and maintain a high level of performance, which makes your pet much more enjoy able to live with.

Terie Hansen is the Owner or Good Dog! Coaching & Pet Care More information at www.gooddogcoaching.com

Conflict Corner: Why Do I Have to Go?

By Barbara A. Bailey, PhD

Three possible outcomes in a conflict situation have a loser. I win, you lose. You win, I lose. I lose, you lose. But, the fourth outcome is just as possible, yielding a win for both parties. I can’t think of a better time to focus on that outcome than in a holiday situation where emotions run high, excitement abounds, and expectations soar to the skies.

Right after Labor Day weekend, a local retailer had Christmas decorations around the store. I saw Halloween and Thanksgiving merchandise, but not as much as those dec orations connected with Christmas. I couldn’t help but think of all the young people who will be agitated for months about the holidays. I thought of their parents whose last nerves might be frayed with short tempers to follow, answering one more time, “Not yet!” And, with those innocent decorations come plans to be made, travel to be contemplated, and interaction with people who push our last buttons of sanity and good manners.

A holiday gathering doesn’t have to be a “winner take all” affair. Really, it doesn’t. We could probably compare stories all afternoon, but who wants to relive those times? This year, I encourage you not to bring “those times” into “this time.” Since all you can control

during a conflict situation is your own behavior, let’s talk briefly about how you craft a win and encourage the other person to win at a time when all might seem lost.

Think about the person who: a) you will see this holiday season, and b) you wish you didn’t have to see this holiday season. Now ask yourself, “What did I learn about our conflict the last time I saw this person?” Is it ongoing and will it rise again when you spot each other as one of you enters the room? Is it simmering, just waiting to jump out when one of you raises an eyebrow the wrong way? Or, is it so weak that you might manage it?

You might not want to, but I encourage you to take the lead. If the conflict has run its course except for the acknowledgement by both parties that it’s done, reaching out and having a discussion with the other person could bring the win-win outcome that can lead to a hol iday interaction with better memories for you both. Conversely, if the conflict is just as strong as ever between you and the other person, you must make some plans that don’t bring others into your situation. You can promise yourself not to be the instigator; you can deflect if the other person chooses to instigate. And if the conflict waits for the raised eyebrow, control yourself and remember that others do not need to be brought into your challenge, and certainly not when they want to make a holiday memory for themselves.

A win-win outcome is not easy. A win-win outcome means the other person might not realize that it happened if you are the only one who focuses on achieving it. You must attend the event; you might not have a choice. But you do have choice in outcome because you can control your own behavior. And, in positive conflict manage ment, win-win outcomes bring a reason to celebrate, holiday season or not.

Barbara Bailey is the co-founder and CEO of The Healing Bridge Foundation.

Learning Lessons: Skills Needed for Future Success and Nurturing Them in Early Childhood

By Tanisha Turner

When parents think about the earliest skills they should be nur turing 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 chil dren the foundation they need for future success.

According to a national survey of human resources managers respon sible for hiring, executive function skills – problem solving, critical thinking, teamwork, self-control, adaptability, and working memory – 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 fac tors 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 employ ees 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, exec utive function skills actually have their foundational roots in early

Helping Change the Lives of Deaf Children: Green Financial Charity Golf Classic

By Our Town Gwinnett Staff

What a spectacular day! The 19th Green Financial Charity Golf Classic was held on October 25, 2022 at the River Club in Suwanee. Participants enjoyed a day of golf in absolutely fabulous fall weather; while helping to support something life-changing for deaf children.

Roger Green, President/CEO of Green Financial Resources, LLC (GFR) in Duluth, reported this year that over $53,000 was raised to support the Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc (AVC).

AVC provides comprehensive AuditoryVerbal and Audiological Services, and through their verbal approach, they teach deaf children to listen and speak clearly, without ever needing to use sign language or lip reading.

Michael Green, Roger’s adult son, was diagnosed as being deaf as an infant. With the training Michael received from AVC as a small child and a cochlear implant, he does not use sign language to communicate and his speech is clear. Michael’s entire life path was changed by this training. Mainstreamed through his school years, Michael earned his undergrad in account ing and finance and a Master’s in Finance. He won honors and accolades along the way.

Michael later joined his father and brother, Andrew Green, at GFR. He’s now working with Andrew to carry on Roger’s thirty-fiveyear legacy of helping others with their money and giving back to the community. In 2022, Michael was a Gwinnett Young Professionals Top 35 Under 35 Award winner.

Seeing Michael’s success through the years inspired him to join the AVC board in 2015, and in 2016 he became chairman. He’s been the Presenting Sponsor of their primary annual fundraising event for several years now. Michael also serves on the AVC Young Professional Board.

Roger’s overall efforts on behalf of AVC also earned him the Invest in Others Community Service Award. After the 2021 tour nament, Roger was named the recipient of this national award, and AVC was given $50,000 by Invest in Others. This brings the real

total Roger and Green Financial have brought to AVC since last year to over $100,000.

Roger’s wife and COO, Laura Green, and Client Service Manager Kelly Schmidt have taken the lead on organizing and carrying out the planning details for all nineteen of these tournaments. More recently, Taylor Sloss, part-time marketing assistant, and Sarah Parks, GFR admin, have provided additional support with the many tasks required to make these events successful. The entire staff joins in the week leading up to and the day of the event.

Through the years, that effort has helped Green Financial raise over $600,000 that went directly to local charities such as Gwinnett Children’s Shelter, Dreamhouse for Medically Fragile Children, Friends of Gwinnett Seniors, and now AVC. GFR staff does most of

the work and pays for the event, increasing the money going to AVC, and bringing them new sources of ongoing donations. Participants and sponsors make donations to AVC on behalf of the event.

GFR says their advertising connections, such as Our Town Gwinnett Magazine, are very important to help bring awareness to these wonderful non-profits and the services they provide so more can be served.

Roger hopes to see both the firm and the Charity Golf Classic continue for many years. To learn more about AVC, visit www. avchears.org. For more information about Green Financial, visit www.RogerSGreen.com.

Roger, Michael & Andrew Green are Investment Advisor Representatives providing secu rities and advisory services through Cetera Advisors, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), broker/dealer, and member FINRA/SIPC. GFR and Cetera Advisors are not affiliated. Cetera Advisors is not involved with this event. GFR’s office is located at 3700 Crestwood Pkwy NW, Duluth GA 30096.

Wonder What It’s Really Like AT THE SHERIDAN AT EASTSIDE?

Get your answers from the people who know it best – the residents!

Come visit. We’d love to introduce you around so you can get your questions answered at the source – the wonderful individuals who live here. They’re the right people because they’ve been where you are now – seeking a community that fits.

Develop a real connection with The Sheridan at Eastside. Schedule a visit today.

Travel Tales: Have You Been to Amsterdam?

By Pam Walker, CTC, ATC, DS, LS

I am sure if you do any international travel to Europe, at one time or another you must have transited Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

The first time I did, it was scary: so big, so confusing, and everyone speak ing Dutch. Lately, it has aquired quite a fame along with London’s Heathrow, Paris’ Charles de Gaulle, and others. Post pandemic travel is back with a vengance, and these airports, with staff problems and multilple airlines and gates, have proved challenging.

That said, the next time you have to go through Amsterdam, I suggest you stop and “smell the tulips” as it is. The Netherlands (or Holland as we know it) is a fascinating country with lots to do and see.

Aside from the Tulip Festival (from the end of March to mid May every year), you can see fields and fields of tulips growing in the “Bulb” region of Lisse not far from Amsterdam.

Known as the Land of Water, the Netherlands is about the size of a large city in the USA. Start your stay in Amsterdam itself, which is full of museums and bycicyles. You have to be careful when walking through the streets as there are more bicycles than there are cars. Don’t forget to visit the Anne Frank House, made famous by her reknowned diary about life in an attic during the Nazi invasion of Europe.

Gearing up for Vintage Market Days®

Greater Atlanta

By Kristen Eleveld

It’s our favorite time of year, the time when Vintage Market Days® Greater Atlanta returns to the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds in Lawrenceville. Whether you are looking for some new-to-you vintage items, a pair of handmade earrings, or the best candle you’ve ever smelled, you are in luck because you will find all that and more at the Vintage Market Days® event “Be Merry” on November 18th, 19th, and 20th.

Vintage Market Days® combines a vintage-inspired aesthetic with a fun, unique atmosphere provided by artists and vendors showing off their considerable skills and handmade wares to create a Market that seems to have no end of exceptional, one-of-a-kind treasures. While you will see several local creators represented, this event has become so popular among artisans and makers that you will also see some vendors who have traveled from other states just to be part of Vintage Market Days® Greater Atlanta in Lawrenceville.

At the helm of this impressive event is Lara Landinez, who runs Vintage Market Days® for the greater Atlanta area in addition to two other areas around the country. Lara, whose eye for detail and passion for event planning have helped her create one of the best weekends that Gwinnett will enjoy this year, has been looking forward to Vintage Market Days® for months – and has been planning it even longer.

“Planning Vintage Market Days® is like putting pieces of a puzzle together,” said Lara. “I love the transformation as everything comes together for a fun-filled weekend, and then seeing the sparkle in peo ple’s eyes as they shop, eat, and listen to music while spending time with family and friends.”

And while the handmade crafts and household items are certainly

From there you can take day trips to Marken to see real windmills and how wooden shoes are made. En route you can see the amazing fields construct ed below sea level, with dams and dikes holding back the water till har vest. Or you can take a short trip down to Utrecht to see it’s quaint canals with historic buildings and castles. There is also the beautiful Dom Tower which is beautifully lit at night. Go to Gouda where the cheese was first made, where all the street lights in the old town look like rounds of cheese. Rotterdam should round out your stay for shopping and enjoying all of the mostly duty free “goodies” you can find in the amazing and very modern port city.

There is a lot more to see and do in the Netherlands besides Amsterdam’s Schiphol. So the next time you have to connect there, stay a while. It may be a small country, but there are lots to do and the Dutch people are happy to share it with you.

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

why many people are excited to attend, Vintage Market Days® offers even more than that. While you’re strolling from booth to booth, take a moment to enjoy the live music that will be playing throughout the day. You won’t even have to leave the Market to grab some lunch, because there are tons of delicious treats and hearty meal options available through vendors and food trucks.

Vintage Market Days® is still a few days away, but go ahead and

Health Matters: We Are All on a Diet

By Dr. LaRonda Ward - Doctor of Chiropractic and Traditional Naturopath

Every day we are inundated with fad diets, temporary weight-loss solutions, and short-term weight-management strategies that are not ideal for sustained weight loss. People are hurled into programs that offer nothing more than cookie-cutter approaches to health and well ness. Many people begin to wonder if their wellness goals will ever be achieved. These diets may work for the short term, but they do not take into account that most Americans are starving for nutrients and in need of cellular detoxification, stress management, and hormonal and endocrine support.

My approach to health is focusing on the cornerstone of wellness: nutrition. Nutrition is bio-individual. I take into consideration the

foundational needs of each indi vidual’s body based on their stress, exercise, genetics, and lifestyle. The nutritional needs of people vary from person to person, so I design a diet and nutrition pro gram that is appropriate for the individual’s needs. What works for one person may not work for the needs of another. There are a host of mineral and vitamin deficien cies that can create disease in the body. Bringing these deficiencies up to optimum levels often elimi nates symptoms and challenges in wellness. The fast-paced American lifestyle has many households choosing convenience foods over those used for fuel. It is believed that 9 out of 10 Americans suffer from deficiencies in key minerals such as zinc, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iodine, and chromium. Minerals create a cascade of enzymatic activities that support ana bolic and catabolic processes in the body. Deficiencies in minerals can lead to both mental and physical aberrancies, causing dis-ease in the body.

Due to the lack of nutrients in foods, 94% of Americans lack essen tial vitamins such as Vitamin A, D, E, K, and B vitamins. Failure to consume these vital nutrients can be the cause of metabolic syn dromes, hair loss, increased appetites, and severe cravings. Over-thecounter and prescription medications can be instrumental in creating a decline in essential nutrient absorption and/or assimilation in the body. Due to the unprecedented rise of autoimmune disorders, it is known that improper vitamin levels can cause fatigue, pain, mental clarity, and sleep disturbances.

This dilemma of nutritional deficits cannot be resolved by taking a general multivitamin from your local drug store. At Dr. Chris’ Natural Remedies our whole food solutions are tested to be as bio available and efficacious as possible.

In addition to nutrition, I focus on cellular detoxification. Cellular detoxification is the process by which harmful toxins and excess metabolites are removed on a cellular level. When cells under go detoxification, energy, metabolism and inflammation are all improved. This is key to any wellness regime, and is a weight man

One Man’s Opinion: Your Vote is Secure, Your Vote Counts

By Bill Crane

Early voting for the recent November 8, 2022, General Election began on Monday, October 17th. Your ballots were secret, safe, and secure, and each vote counted.

I tend to prefer dealing with facts versus rumor and innuendo. One former president might have you believe that our election system was gamed in 2020 and that our equipment is faulty and hackable. Dominion Voting Systems (DVS) is the dominant election equipment, software, and hardware provider in twenty-eight states, as well as Puerto Rico. Also, DVS is the election vendor for Ohio, Florida, Tennessee, Louisiana, Kansas, and Missouri – all states handily won by Donald J. Trump.

And here in Georgia, we have also had another highly visible candidate and public figure suggesting that Georgia’s voting system is stacked and rigged with tactics of voter suppression. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams has softened her verbiage more recently, but still contends that the gubernatorial contest of 2018, which she lost narrowly for governor, was unfair and caused by a flawed and broken system of disenfranchisement and voter suppression.

I am, of course, going to again stick to the facts. Georgia voter turnout in every demographic set records for turnout and hard vote count totals during 2018 and again during 2020. President Joe Biden received more votes than any Democratic candidate in Georgia history, and U.S. Senator David Perdue set a similar record on the GOP side. Virtually every demographic category also saw surges in registration, with African-American registration in both cycles exceeding their percentage of the Georgia population.

Shortly after losing the governor’s race in 2018, which Ms. Abrams never actually conceded, she filed or sponsored a series of lawsuits through multiple non-profits she founded and led for several years, including Fair Fight Action and Vote America. Both entities recently lost their days in court to the Georgia secretary of state. Each piece of litigation challenged a variety of aspects of Georgia election law, ranging from how voter registration lists are updated and maintained (as required by state and federal law), to how precinct boundaries are drawn and which precincts remain open or closed (decisions made by local county boards of election), to the exact match requirements of signatures and voter identifica

tion for ballot integrity.

It took years for these suits to wind their way through fed eral courts, and on September 30, 2022, U.S. District Court Judge Steven Jones ruled that Georgia election law does not vio late Georgia voters’ Constitutional Rights. Judge Jones, an Obama Administration appointee, wrote in his 288-page decision, “Although Georgia’s election system is not perfect, the challenged practices vio late neither the U.S. Constitution nor the Voting Rights Act.”

Judge Jones added that the actual “…burden on voters is relative ly low,” and that Fair Fight Action did not provide “direct evidence of a voter who was unable to vote, experienced longer wait times, or was confused about voter registration status.”

Translating and cutting through a bit of that legalese, the judge is pointing out that after dozens of witnesses and reams of testimony of anecdotal harm and injury to our democracy and voting rights,

Now, The Industry Salon has made a name for itself in the Grayson community and beyond as it continues to provide excellent customer care and a full array of hairstyling services and makeup for formal occasions. The salon won Best of Gwinnett in both 2020 and 2021, and is nominated for 2022 as well, further proving just how much the community values the services that The Industry Salon offers.

Much of their success is due to their team’s mission, which centers on caring for everyone they meet and remembering the extraordinary circumstances under which they began.

“We want to be a positive contact for everyone, and we want to be faithful stewards of what God has given us,” said Candace. “Our staff and clients are like family – we know you by name here.”

With their extensive hairstyling options and their additional

options for makeup and blowout services, it’s no wonder that this group has made such a splash. But they aren’t done yet. As of last July, The Industry Salon has expanded their repertoire even further to include women’s clothing and jewelry, sold from a boutique inside the store

“We’re a one-stop shop,” said Candace. “We want to make people feel beautiful both inside and out.”

If you’re ready for a new hairstyle, have been looking for some new clothes, or want a professional to do your makeup for your next for mal event, you have found it all in The Industry Salon. Head to their website to make an appointment or just give them a call – they’re ready and waiting for you.

More information at www.theindustrysalon.co, or (678) 647-7037

Miracle at Grace New Hope Church

By Traci Sanders

Many authors share their stories, but we don’t always hear the story behind the story. And author Dana Edwards, Ph.D. definitely has an interesting one for her new book Drive-Thru Miracle, which just released in April of this year.

It all began on a hot summer day in 2013. Dana was driving to the park for a walk when she passed by Grace New Hope Church and saw a man sitting under a tent next to a sign that read “drive-thru prayer.” As an author, Dana is always looking for unique themes and settings for her stories, so the next day she stopped by the church on the way to take her son to baseball practice. She’d shared her plan with her son to take some POWERADE® to the man at the church. “You chat with him for a bit while I go look around and see if I can find out what this drive-thru prayer thing is about,” she told her son.

“As it turned out,” Dana later shared, “this man’s name was Wayne Edwards – no relation to me – and he was a volunteer from the church. He asked if there was something he could pray about for my family. I don’t even remember what I said to him, but I had no idea that day how our meeting would play into my life later down the road.”

Time went by and Dana did write a story that was inspired by meet ing Mr. Wayne that day – a story that was picked up by a publisher in 2020 and released in 2022. “It was a long process,” Dana recalled. “I pitched my story to several literary agents and finally found one, but they never were able to get my story signed with a publisher. I found a new agent, and within one month of submission, two publishing houses showed interest. My book was sold to Lifeway B & H Kids Publishing.”

Learning Lessons

Continued from page 10

childhood. The Harvard Center on the Developing Child reports that children’s early life experiences influence their capacity for execu tive function skills, and laying the foundation for such skills is one of the most important tasks of the early childhood years.

All of 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 doesn’t have to be dif ficult. 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’re 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 don’t immediately sound like much fun, but singing songs like “The Hokey Pokey” and playing games like Simon Says actually encourage self-control by requiring children to move in a specific way at a particular time.

• Nurture adaptability through dramatic play. Children can

Mae, the main character of the book, mimics Dana’s actions from that summer day of meeting Mr. Wayne. She sees a sign at a local church that says “drive-thru prayer” and sneaks around the church property to scope out the scene, just as Dana had done. And what she discovers changes her life forever.

Mr. Wayne isn’t the only character in the book that’s based on a real-life person. Shelby Grace, Mae’s sister, who has cerebral palsy and is wheel chair bound, is based on the daughter of a family friend of Dana’s. The young girl is also disabled.

After Dana had published the book, she realized she had forgotten to acknowledge Mr. Wayne. Feeling bad, she went to visit the church in hopes of seeing the man she’d met nine years earlier. He was sitting outside the church under a tent on a Thursday afternoon, next to a female volunteer. Dana wanted to drop off a copy of the book for the church. She mentioned to Mr. Wayne how he had inspired the story, but she figured he wouldn’t remember her. Dana’s heart melted when the man looked at her and said, “I remember you. You and your son brought me the POWERADES®.”

Later that evening, Dana received an email from the woman volun teer who’d been standing next to Mr. Wayne at the church. Attached was a copy of a note the man had written in his prayer journal. There, in black and white, were words of prayer for Dana and her son Jake. Prayers for safety for a young baseball player. She couldn’t believe the man truly remembered her and her son after all those years.

Dana invited Mr. Wayne and his wife to her book launch the follow ing week. The couple showed up with smiling faces and celebrated the book’s success.

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 story grows, your child will get more practice remembering the informa tion.

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 or call 770-513-0066.

Health Matters

Continued from page 14

agement solution because it ensures that all cells are maximizing function and output. The results of this process are increased cogni tive function, energy, diminished water retention, improved digestion, and elimination of waste from the body.

To facilitate wellness, I implore Traditional Naturopathic tech niques, including muscle testing. I measure the energetic response to stressors and utilize Iridology assessment, zinc test, iodine test, urine analysis, food/lifestyle analysis, and nitric oxide tests. It is my passion to restore health so that my patients are able to live out their own passions and purposes.

Dr. Ronda Ward practices at Dr. Chris’ Natural Remedies in Snellville. For more info visit drchrisnaturalremedies.com

Crochet Your Way with Eco-Friendly Crafts

By Kristen Eleveld

“Let your creativity shine” – this is just one of the many mottos that inspires Eco-Friendly Crafts, a local store that offers an incredible array of fun, interesting, and eco-friendly crafting options that are sure to be a hit for all ages.

With its founder Jill Bridges at the helm, Eco-Friendly Crafts has quickly made a name for itself across Gwinnett, especially as Jill and her team strive to educate the Lawrenceville neighborhood and beyond about the impact of the materials used in many craft projects, as well as in many crafting stores. After doing some research on what exactly is in the materials that many popular crafts and projects are made of, Jill was inspired to start a space of her own that not only gave people the opportunity to learn how to make art, but to do so in a way that would not harm the environment around them.

“Many people assume that if they find their materials in a craft store it’s safe to use, and that’s just not the case,” said Jill. “Our goal, first and foremost, is educating our customers and artists nationwide about safe and sustainable crafting.”

The team at Eco-Friendly Crafts backs up their beliefs in a big way. All the craft supplies you find in the store are specifically chosen for their low impact on the environment. And while many people think this may raise the price tag, Jill and her team have taken extra steps to ensure that their prices remain competitive while still offering their customers a wide variety of environmentally sound materials.

“We make it a point to find products that are priced similar to what

Gwinnett and Lawrenceville Officials Break Ground on Hooper Renwick-Themed Library

By Our Town Gwinnett Staff

Construction on the first themed library in the Southeast is now underway. Gwinnett officials, in partnership with the city of Lawrenceville, the Hooper-Renwick Legacy Preservation Committee, and the Gwinnett County Public Library Board of Trustees, recently broke ground on the new Hooper-Renwick-Themed Library.

The themed library will revive and expand the existing 11,400-square-foot Hooper-Renwick School building, which once served as the only public high school for African American students in Gwinnett.

The finished 25,000-square-foot facility will include library ame nities, community space, and exhibits, which will showcase stories, accomplishments, and memorabilia related to the school and high light the Black experience in Gwinnett.

Gwinnett County’s District 4 Commissioner Marlene Fosque rec ognized the impact the library will have on both the school’s alumni and future generations.

“This historic facility will highlight the laughter and joy that was shared here, but also the challenges and hardships that the students faced through segregation and desegregation,” Fosque said. “This special commu nity gathering place will cel ebrate how far we’ve come and acknowledge the work still to be done, providing amazing opportunities for residents and guests to learn and grow for generations to come.”

The County has set aside

you’d buy at Hobby Lobby or Michael’s,” said Jill. “While we are a true yarn store and do have some more expensive fibers, we also have recycled acrylic that is comparable to the cheaper yarns like you’d find at those big retailers. We really want folks to know that there is no reason not to choose safer materials; price really isn’t a barrier.”

A true yarn store, indeed. When you go to Eco-Friendly Crafts, you

$7.6 million from the 2017 SPLOST program to fund the project along with an additional $1.7 million from the city, which also pro vided the 3.8-acre site and will contribute sidewalks, lighting, and landscaping for the project.

Lawrenceville Mayor David Still said, “The city of Lawrenceville is proud of its partnership with the Hooper-Renwick Legacy Preservation Committee and Gwinnett County in preserving this historically significant site for future generations.”

The project was inspired by the activism of a group of local alumni and stakeholders who wanted to see the former school preserved, forming the Hooper-Renwick Legacy Preservation Committee in 2017.

“We’ve waited a long time to see this day,” said Committtee Chair Theresa Bailey. “Though the wait was difficult, and at times discour aging, our faithful patience is at last paying off. I hope today, those who once walked the halls of Hooper-Renwick and stayed focused on preserving its history through petitions, protests, and meetings can look at how far we’ve come and be proud. All thanks to my fellow committee members.”

Gwinnett County Public Library Board of Trustees Chair Dr. Wandy Taylor highlighted her experience growing up in a segre gated community in South Carolina, where she attended segregated schools up until 10th grade.

“This themed library preserves a history that’s both painful and joyous,” said Dr. Taylor, “and as this library comes to fruition, it will serve as a place to continue these much-needed, tough and healing conver sations. The Library Board of Trustees focuses on com munity awareness and part nerships, and this project highlights the importance of both.”

Officials expect to cut the ribbon on the new facility in 2024.

Holiday Matters: Make Your Holidays Stress-Free

By Tana Poncsak

As soon as the kids roam the neighborhood for candy on Halloween, many of us start thinking (and maybe obsessing) about the upcoming holidays. After all, there’s cooking to be done, presents to buy, and plans to be made all while still working and going about our daily lives. And while the holidays are supposed to be meaningful and fun, often they turn out to be tiring, disappointing, and stressful.

According to a December 2017 article in Medical News Today, some people can feel overwhelmed by the excess, expectations, and exchange and can become depressed during the holidays. The article goes on to say that a lack of time and money, credit card debt, and the pressure of gift giving can often contribute to stress during the holiday season.

As mentioned in this article and cited by many others as well, one of the main causes for holiday stress can be linked to our expectations. We watch the holiday movies and see images of the picture-perfect holidays, and that becomes what we strive for. Anything less misses the mark. And unfortunately, with the recent pandemic there may be even more emphasis on that picture-perfect holiday now that we’re able to gather together once again.

The answer can be as easy as keeping things simple and don’t over plan. But we all know that’s easier said than done. Here are a few things you can do to lower your expectations and keep things simple.

• Make a realistic list of the things you need to accomplish to make your holiday special and meaningful. This shouldn’t be a long list. Try to keep this list at three to six things. Then make a second list of the things you would like to accomplish but aren’t necessary to make your holiday complete.

• Try to simplify or delegate the things that need to be done to make the best use of your time. For example, you want to read the latest holiday novel, but you have no time. Try listening to the audio ver sion while commuting to and from work. You may even be able to borrow it from the library for free using an app like Libby.

• Don’t like outdoor decorating? Delegate it to the professionals. Some local landscaping companies may offer outdoor decorating during the holidays.

• Don’t like to bake but need fes tive cookies? Leave the baking to your local bakery.

• Have company coming into town for the holidays, but no time to clean? There are a num ber of cleaning services in the area you can call.

• Need help wrapping? Hire a neighborhood teen to wrap your packages one afternoon.

• Short on time for cooking the holiday meal? Have it catered by a local restaurant. Or if that’s totally out of the question, try cooking some dishes using a pressure cooker or an air fryer and save the stove and the oven for dishes that need your extra attention.You get the idea. Be creative and ask for help!

• Don’t overwhelm yourself and your family with holiday activities. Pick a few that are manageable and let the others go. And even with the hustle and bustle of the season, remember to make self-care a priority.

• With gift giving, it’s the thought that counts. Don’t feel like you have to spend a small fortune. A small thoughtful gift or handmade gift can be just as personal and meaningful than an expensive one.

• Don’t compare your holiday to the holiday of others. The season is not meant to be a competition.

• Be more thankful for the things you accomplish instead of sad about the things that you don’t get to on your list. You can look forward to the ones you didn’t get to for next year.

• Always keep in mind the perfect holiday doesn’t exist. There are always things that are out of our control.

• If loved ones can’t make it to your holiday celebration, keep in mind the holidays are a relatively short period of time within a year, and there are another 300+ days in the year giving us plenty of other opportunities to spend time with loved ones. Plan something for later when the timing is better and everyone can be more relaxed. At the end of the holiday, take some time to reflect. What went well? What didn’t go as well? Were there any surprises? And make notes for a head start on next year. Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Author Frans de

By Victoria R. Crosby

Tucker resident, Primatologist and Ethologist Frans de Waal, the Charles Howard Candler Professor of Primate Behavior in the Department of Psychology at Emory University’s Psychology Department, now retired, is an internationally renowned author who was named as one of Time Magazine’s top 100 most influential people in the world. Neighbors of de Waal, Susan and Joel Gilbert, invited him to give a lec ture for local residents, which he titled, “Politics, Morality, Gender, You Name It, Other Primates Have It, Too.”

The free event was open to everyone, and several hun dred people attended.

Chimpanzee Politics was Frans de Waal’s first book in 1982 and is still being published. This book, and his TED talk, compare the behav ior of chimps and their power struggles to human behavior in the political arena.

During his lecture de Waal showed video footage of humorous and intelligent animal behavior and cited the experiments of Wolfgang Kohler between 1912 and 1920 to prove that animals can think. In one experiment chimps were given a box and sticks and attempted to knock down bananas hung up high. One chimp positioned the box at the tallest level and was able to knock down the bananas easily. Three female chimps used this method to bring down a drone, which showed pre-planning, as the chimp waited on the box for the drone to pass overhead and used the stick to knock it down.

Another clip showed two monkeys being fed pieces of cucumbers. However, when one was fed a cucumber piece and another was given a grape, the chimp who received the cucumber got angry, threw the cucumber, and raged at the trainer, like a two-year-old child’s temper tantrum. The audience recognized this sort of behavior and laughed.

Continued on page 23

One Man’s Opinion: Water, Water... Everywhere

By Bill Crane

Two of the strongest determinants of whether you are standing in a first-world or third-world country are whether or not you have ready and easy access to pota ble water and whether or not the nation has some type of sewage removal and possibly treatment system in place. For nearly a century now, across the United States, working water, sewerage, and, more recently, stormwater systems have been a hallmark of our civilization. But a LOT of that water/sewer pipe and infrastructure in many places is also approaching the century mark, folks, and that means trouble, folks, right here in River City and across this great land.

In January of 1994, Atlanta was to host its first Super Bowl, mid week that last week of January. Global media was descending on the city, and downtown hotels and the Georgia World Congress Center, and the players and VIPs would soon follow. Every hotel room for fifty miles in almost every direction was booked, most all at full rack rates.

The Hemphill Pump Station, the main water delivery conduit for the entire city, just over a mile northwest of downtown Atlanta, on the west side of Midtown, failed...and went offline. For a few days, water pressure across the city dropped like a rock, high-rise hotels and the Georgia World Congress Center could not flush their commodes, and there was no water, hot or cold, available in residential or hotel high rises, without a large supply and water tank on their rooftop.

Miracle of miracles, late that Wednesday afternoon, full pressure and service were restored, but not until exposing the fragility and vulnerability of the city’s two reservoirs and the pumping station which distributed that water. Following the 1996 Centennial Olympics Games, the next Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin would champion a $3 billion bond issuance to bring the city’s water and sewer systems up to speed, as well as meet the needs/demands of a truly world-class business center and destination city.

The work took years to complete and includes a new 2 billion gallon reservoir in the former Bellwood Quarry, northwest of the City, inside Atlanta’s largest and newest greenspace, Westside Park, as well as multiple new sewerage treatment facilities, including one underground inside of Piedmont Park. Business and residential water rates nearly trebled and are still among the highest in the southeast, for water, sewer, and stormwater management. But Atlanta paid its own way.

In the case of natural disasters, like Hurricane Ian and the result ing storm surge, which recently devastated Fort Myers, Sanibel, and Captiva Islands along the west coast of Florida, and which is more recently threatening Florida’s east coast as well as the Carolinas, there is an appropriate federal disaster relief role in restoring water and other utilities as well as building back infrastructure, following a natural or even man-made disaster like the more recent and massive California wildfires.

Yes, the people of Jackson, Mississippi, and before that, Flint, Michigan, do deserve clean, safe, and potable water for drinking, bath ing, and other uses. That said, rebuilding the water systems in those cities, and virtually re-plumbing all of Flint, should NOT be expenses born by the federal government, adding debt to every U.S. taxpayer household. There is a big difference between decades of inaction and neglect and a natural disaster.

If a local community doesn’t care about its infrastructure, they have the right to make that choice, and not invest tax dollars or bonded debt; but they then should NOT have the ability to expect their state or the federal government to step in and bail them out. America’s smarter mayors and county commissioners are on top of this already, and do not want to be in the situation that the west Florida coast is at present with water, water everywhere…yet not a drop to drink.

Start investing now, create a side fund or temporary water rate increase to start building capital improvement funds, and begin replacement work on the most vulnerable parts of your system first… like aging pump systems. Trust me on this one. And with a recession in the near view, don’t expect Uncle Sam to run in with a plunger or play Master Plumber if you cannot at least match that infrastructure investment in the not-too-distant future. That spigot needs to be cut off.

Bill Crane owns the full-service communications firm, CSI Crane. More information at www.CSICrane.com

One

Man’s Opinion

won’t just find an amazing selection of yarn to choose from. The store also offers classes to teach beginners how to crochet and knit, as well as additional classes on using vinyl with a Cricut machine. Some of the more popular classes they offer are the free knitting and crocheting beginner hours, which provide participants with the materials they need to learn some of the basics. Another community favorite is the store’s Knit the Rainbow sessions on Wednesday nights, where partici pants knit much-needed winter garments for homeless LGBTQ+ youth.

Looking to the future, Jill and her team are excited to continue the amazing growth they have experienced since their opening. The store is currently in the process of adding an art studio in the store’s adjoin ing space, which will offer pottery, fine arts drawing and painting, and homeschool classes. Eventually, Jill wants the studio to become a non-profit organization in order to make their art accessible to anyone who is interested in learning.

If the idea of a fun craft project made from sustainable materials appeals to you, Eco-Friendly Crafts checks all the boxes. You can even sign up for their newsletter to learn more about what they do and why it matters so much, not to mention be the first to know about any upcom ing events. Whether you are brand new to crocheting or are an expert at pottery, this store truly has something for everyone. All you have to do is stop by the Lawrenceville square and say hello.

More information at ecofriendlycrafts.com

the plaintiffs could not present one single person who was unable to vote.

President Trump and his supporters went roughly 0-60+ in their court losses to this point across the country, but Fair Fight Action and its peers just received similar smackdowns in their litigation against Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Georgia election law. Our democracy is not at risk. We set voter turnout records again this year in Georgia during the general primary and runoff elections for midterm election cycles. New voter registration had again been surging in time for the recent General Election.

Donald Trump and his Stop the Steal sycophants still cause many to question the security of our election systems and the integrity of election results. That is both harmful and wrong. Ms. Abrams’ litiga tion may have had better intentions, but she now knows in the eyes of the courts, her arguments have also been flawed, light on fact versus allegation, and they also undermine voter confidence in the integrity of voting and our elections

And two wrongs certainly don’t strengthen voting rights either. Congratulations to Secretary of State Raffensperger and the people of Georgia. Our republic and democracy remain safe and secure.

Bill Crane owns the full-service communications firm CSI Crane. More information at www.CSICrane.com

“We are all apes without tails,” Frans de Waal explained. He also talked about the males always trying to dominate, and the female’s power in choosing an alpha male.

The Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the only Bonobo Sanctuary in the world and was founded by Claudine Andre in 1994 to care for orphaned bonobos and those who have survived the poachers. These animals are rehabilitated with some returning to the wild, and some spending the rest of their lives at the sanctuary.

Vintage Market Days® Continued

from page 13

plan your visit now, because the first twenty-five pre-purchased ticket holders to attend the Market on Friday and Saturday will walk away with a tote bag filled with goodies provided by the same vendors and artists who have booths waiting for your visit. Anyone who purchases a ticket for Friday or Saturday will be able to use that ticket for access to the Market for the rest of the weekend, so if you find that your arms are too full to carry everything you’re hoping to buy, just make a note to come back the next day.

Of course, there is another solution to that problem: Vintage Market Days® has partnered up with their sponsor, the Paw Project of Georgia, to provide volunteers onsite to help customers take their larger purchases to their cars. Paw Project of Georgia, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing low-cost veterinarian and animal rescue services, is teaming up with Vintage Market Days® for the second time in a row and hopes to provide a heightened aware ness about the services they make available for our furriest friends.

“Working with Paw Project of Georgia is a great way to support the

Chimps show elements of morality and empathy. “Nature is unfair,” de Waal told the crowd. “Cooperation and sharing benefits all.”

His latest book is titled Different: Gender through the Eyes of a Primatologist.

“Animals are more tolerant of difference,” de Waal explained. “Humans label everything.”

Following the lecture, guests lined up to have Frans de Waal sign copies of his books, some of which were available for purchase and some the guests had brought from home.

More information at www.fransdewall.com.

local community,” said Lara. “I love having the opportunity to work with non-profits like these.”

So if you are ready to enjoy some amazing hand-crafted items, vintage decor, fantastic music, and yummy treats, look no further. Just join Lara and her team at Vintage Market Days® on November 18th, 19th, or 20th!

More information at vintagemarketdays.com/market/greater-atlanta

Drive-Thru Miracle

Continued from page 17

Drive-Thru Miracle was nominated for the Independent Schools Reading Bowl for the 2022-2023 school year by the media specialist at Hebron Christian Academy, one of ten books chosen from dozens of entries. While Mr. Wayne continues to sit under that tent at Grace New Hope Church from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. every Thursday to offer hope to passersby, his words of encouragement live on through the character in Drive-Thru Miracle.

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

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