Dogwood Forest Grayson

Continued from page 5 them. The Wellness Nurse, Terry Smith, has been with the company for eleven years, and General Manager Bill Windsor has been there for nine years.

Nearly thirty other employees have been with the community for five to six years, which goes to show that the workplace environment is just as important as the residential experience. Chef Greg, who has been on the staff for six years, often offers samples of his latest baked goods to residents in the common area. All in all, it’s clear that working at Dogwood Forest Grayson means working for a community that wants every person on campus to experience their best life.

Residents at the Holbrook Life communities are certainly experiencing the best of life as they work their way through a bucket list, which each resident gets to contribute to. Activities like zip lining, sky diving, and horseback riding are just some of the things that residents have asked to participate in.

“There are so many options, like joining a club, going to see a musical at the Fox Theater, and trips to the mall,” said Tosha. “All of these activities are coordinated by the Lifestyles Activities Director, who plans weekly and monthly outings based on resident requests.”

Dogwood Forest Grayson may not sound like your typical assisted living and memory care community, and that’s because it isn’t. This is a place where anyone at any age can find physical, mental, and spiritual wellness – sometimes as they jump from an airplane.

“Our mission is to inspire wonder,” Al said. “At eighty years old, you’ve seen, done, and lived it all. To have our residents wake up every day excited about something is what we are all about!”

More information at www.dogwoodforest.com/communities/ grayson-georgia-community/

Making a Difference in Lives: AVC and the Green Financial Charity Golf Classic

By Our Town Gwinnett Staff

The 20th Green Financial Charity Golf Classic was held on October 24, 2023 at the River Club in Suwanee. Participants enjoyed a spectacular fall day of golf, while supporting The Auditory-Verbal Center (AVChears.org) and raising over $56,000 to help change the lives of deaf children.

Why the Auditory-Verbal Center you might ask? Imagine being a new parent, and learning your precious baby is hearing-impaired or deaf. So many thoughts and emotions run through your mind. You want so desperately to see that sweet baby achieve the dreams you have for them and live a full and happy life – but now you aren’t sure how to help.

That was the challenge facing Roger Green, CEO of Green Financial Resources (GFR) of Duluth. Michael Green, Roger’s now adult son, was diagnosed as being deaf as a baby. Roger was living in Texas at the time, but moved his family and his small but growing business to Georgia in the early 90s after learning of a program that could help Michael.

That program was through the Auditory-Verbal Center, Inc. (AVC). With the training Michael received from AVC as a small child, and a cochlear implant, Michael does not use sign language to communicate, and his speech is clear. Michael’s entire life path was altered by this training. Mainstreamed throughout his school years, he earned a dual undergrad in accounting and finance, and a master’s in finance. He won honors and accolades along the way, participated in sports, joined a fraternity, and just lived life fully – without barriers in communicating with others.

Michael joined his father and younger brother, Andrew, at Green Financial as a financial advisor. Since 2017 he’s been working with Andrew, to carry on Roger’s thirty-six-year legacy of helping others with their money – and giving back to the community. But it all started with that early intervention and his AVC training.

Seeing Michael’s success through the years inspired Roger to join the AVC board in 2015, and he’s been helping them with fundraising and more, since that time. Roger and GFR have now sponsored twenty golf tournaments: eighteen for charity, raising over $675,000 for various charities. The past seven tournaments have raised over $336,000 for AVC, and Roger and GFR have also been the Presenting Sponsor of AVC’s annual Gala fundraiser for several years. In 2021, Roger was recognized with a national award – the Invest in Others Community Service Award, for his work with AVC. And along with this accolade came another $50,000 for AVC.

Roger says that advertising connections, like Our Town Gwinnett Magazine, help to increase public awareness – another benefit of the events. He would love to find out if even one deaf child’s life was improved because someone learned about the Auditory-Verbal Center through the tournaments.

These events do not put themselves on. A year of work goes into them. GFR covers the staff time and expense, which allows 100% of the sponsorships to be direct donations to the charity. Roger’s wife and COO, Laura Green, and Client Service Manager, Kelly Schmidt, have taken the lead on all twenty of these tournaments, but the entire team pitches in. Roger is forever grateful for the work of his team, and the ability to give back to this important cause, which means so very much to him.

Roger, Michael & Andrew Green are Investment Advisor Representatives providing securities and advisory services through Cetera Advisors, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), broker/dealer, and member FINRA/SIPC. Green Financial and Cetera Advisors are not affiliated. Awards are not to be considered a guarantee of future results; nor as an endorsement by any client. The charities described herein are not endorsed by or affiliated with Cetera Advisors LLC or its affiliates. GFR’s philanthropic interests are personal to them and are not reviewed, sponsored, or approved by Cetera. Green Financial Resources, LLC is located at 3700 Crestwood Pkwy NW, Duluth GA 30096. More information at www.RogerSGreen.com .