Atlanta Senior Life - January 2022

By Donna Williams Lewis

Sue Belden is the gatekeeper for the local Girl Scout Archive, a tiny museum in Mableton that’s jampacked with historical documents, vintage artifacts and Girl Scout uniforms dating back to the first, which was navy blue.

Deanna Simmons is co-leader of her granddaughter’s troop and a mentor for metro Atlanta girls working for Girl Scouts’ highest honor, the Gold Award.

They were Girl Scouts generations ago, but both women remain deeply connected to the organization as tireless volunteers for the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta.

As the Greater Atlanta council observes its centennial this year with planned historical exhibits and special patch-earning activities for girls, its CEO says the organization is as relevant today as it was 100 years ago.

“After all, building girls of courage, confidence, and character never goes out of style,” said Amy Dosik, CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta.

‘Once a Girl Scout, Always a Girl Scout! ’

“Girl Scout programs continue to resonate because we move at the speed of girls. We honor our traditions while embracing innovative programs that girls want and need to succeed.”

In the 1920s, Girl Scouts could earn a badge for learning to feed, kill and dress poultry. In 2021, they were earning badges related to cybersecurity.

Girl Scouts was founded by Juliette Gordon Low of Savannah in 1912 and today has more than 2.5 million members nationwide. Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta serves more than 50,000 members in 34 counties and has three campsites.

Volunteers – including many seniors who work with the scouts -- are the heart of the organization, Dosik said.

“Whether a role is ongoing or short-term, we depend on volunteers to bring Girl Scouting to life in the community. Over the years, both Sue and Deanna have donated thousands of hours of service, making a lasting impact within our council,” Dosik said.

Two senior volunteers who embody that mantra are in the spotlight as Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta observes its centennial year.

A volunteer archivist guards girl scouting’s relics, from 100-year-old scrapbooks to vintage Barbies

By Donna Williams Lewis

It all began in a rec room in Sue Belden’s Marietta basement. The repository of artifacts that is now the local Girl Scout Archive was born in 1989, when Belden joined a committee charged with figuring out what to do with boxes of artifacts that had been piling up at the local Girl Scout council for decades. Her basement was home to these items for 10 years as the collection got organized, grew and moved back onto Girl Scouts turf.

Belden, 84, now of Austell, is the official volunteer archivist of the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and caretaker of the archive now located at the organization’s Mableton headquarters.

“We’re excited that we have all this space to show what we have and be able to teach girls and the community our rich history,” Belden said.

Her efforts have landed Belden the prestigious Thanks Badge, a Girl Scout national recognition awarded to a volunteer for outstanding service to a local Girl Scout council.

“Sue is the guardian of our treasures and the keeper of our memories,” said Leslie Gilliam, spokesperson for the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta. “She’s a history detective, finding pieces of the past that surprise, entertain, and educate both our members and the community. Her years of commitment mean our stories are preserved for future generations. We’re thankful for her and the archive committee’s work.”

Working with a small but dedicated committee, Belden is the curator of everything from

“What I really liked was the fact that I was learning things. And we went camping. We learned how to care for a home and the world around us, and there were wonderful women willing to be our leaders.”

Sue Belden

Girl Scout archivist Sue Belden displays old scouting badges.

Photos by Donna P. Williams

historic Girl Scout records, photos and publications to old troop pictures and other memorabilia unearthed from attics.

Just about every available inch of space is filled with relics such as troop scrapbooks dating back to 1922, Girl Scout lunch boxes, vintage Girl Scout Barbie dolls and camp items. Girl Scout story books written from the 1920s to the 1950s line a shelf and retro cookie boxes and old cookie sale incentive items are on display.

Fun fact: Girl Scout cookies were made in homes until 1936 when a company was hired to make them, Belden said.

A collection of hanging uniforms includes almost every uniform worn by Girl Scouts and their leaders since the national organization’s 1912 launch. Accessories and the more fragile uniforms are boxed. Among Belden’s favorite archive holdings are two statuettes of

national Girl Scouts founder Juliette Gordon Low.

A glass case in the entry area displays photos and articles related to the history of the local Girl Scouts council, which began as the Atlanta Girl Scout Council in 1921.

Many of these relics were donated by Girl Scout volunteers or their families. Some were rescued from garage sales by people who thought the Girl Scouts would like to have them. Belden delights in talking with potential donors.

“I like to hear what their experiences were and how they enjoyed Girl Scouting,” she said.

“But the main reason for keeping all this is I love going out and talking to troops and taking some memorabilia with me to show them their history.”

Belden’s lifelong association with Girl Scouts began at the age of 10 in Irvington, N.Y.

“For girls, there really wasn’t another organization in that small town and everybody belonged. I mean we had three big troops,” she said. “What I really liked was the fact that I was learning things. And we

went camping. We learned how to care for a home and the world around us, and there were wonderful women willing to be our leaders.”

Belden particularly remembers a Mariner Girl Scout trip through Cape Cod with no one on a 92-foot schooner but the troop, the boat’s captain and a cook.

“So, we had to hoist up those five sails and bring them down and navigate and do all that stuff. And, of course, we all got seasick,” she said, laughing. “But it was fun.”

The mother of three sons, Belden has always been a Girl Scout volunteer, leading troops in Tennessee, West Virginia and Ohio as her family moved around the country. After their move to Atlanta in 1979, she volunteered with the local Girl Scout council and was employed in the membership department from 1984 to 1994 and from 2000 to 2003.

She’s a steadfast believer in Girl Scout traditions and practices who meets regularly for lunch and activities with a group of Girl Scout alums known as the Trefoil Guild.

“Girl Scouts is an amazing organization,” Belden said. “This is one organization where you don’t tell girls what to do. They tell you what they want to do. … So, they learn how to organize and how to make things happen for themselves.”

How you can help

To volunteer, email community@gsgatl.org.

In addition to serving as troop leaders, volunteers can participate at camps or with special events, help with recruitment in their community, serve as first-aid trainers, work with archives, or with administrative tasks. Roles can be ongoing or limited.

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‘I bleed green blood’

Grandmother heads up three generations of Girl Scouts

By Donna Williams Lewis

When Deanna Simmons first started selling Girl Scout cookies at the age of 7, they cost about 45 cents a box, there were only three kinds of cookies, and her troop sold them from a red wagon on Peachtree Street.

Her mother was co-leader of her Brookhaven troop and Simmons loved the troop’s trips to Camp Timber Ridge in Mableton and to other outdoor activities. She was a Girl Scout all the way through high school and earned the scouts’ Curved Bar Award, the precursor to today’s Gold Award, which is comparable to the Eagle Scout rank for Boy Scouts.

Today, the Lawrenceville resident is gearing up for cookie sale season as co-leader of a granddaughter’s troop in Buford and as a legend in the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, now celebrating its 100th anniversary.

Simmons, 73, was recently recognized for her many years of service to the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta with the organization’s Helen Foster Pin, an honor bestowed upon volunteers who have served multiple geographic areas in more than one role.

Inspired by her mother’s love of Girl Scouts, “I bleed green blood,” Simmons says.

It must be in her DNA. Scouting for her offspring is a huge family affair.

Both of Simmons’ daughters and one of her granddaughters, are all Gold Award Girl Scouts, a rare scenario in the world of Girl Scouting. Only about 5 percent of eligible Girl Scouts earn the award.

Her son, Scott Simmons, of Gainesville, is an Eagle Scout. His son, Zachary, is a Boy Scout and his daughter, Teagan, is in Cub Scouts.

has been a major role model for herself and many others.

“Her outstanding leadership qualities, organizational skills and ability to motivate others have been the power behind so much successful Girl Scouting in the Atlanta Regional Area,” Whitman wrote, in nominating Simmons for the Helen Foster Pin. “Through Deanna’s many efforts, thousands of girls and adults have grown into myriad roles making their communities and the world better.”

A former registrar for the Gwinnett County Girl Scouts, Simmons helped launch the weeklong Rainbow Day Camp, now named Lilburn Day Camp, in 1982. She retired as its director in 2001, but has visited the scout camp every year and has served as one of its nurses for the past five years.

As a Gold Award coach, she

The Helen Foster Pin Girl Scout volunteer Martha

Above, Deanna Simmons (second from left, in back row) poses in 1956 with Brownie Troop 741, which operated out of Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School in Brookhaven. Her mother and troop coleader, Audrey Blanton, is in the back, at far right. Troop co-leader Thelma Fitzpatrick is on the left. The girls hold wings that represent their “flying up” from Brownies to Junior Girl Scouts. (Simmons Family)

Below, Deanna Simmons, right, with daughter Kathryn White, left, and granddaughter Aubree White Whitman said Simmons

has mentored many girls around metro Atlanta.

She’s a lifelong Girl Scout, through and through.

Before the pandemic, Simmons had regular lunch dates with childhood friends from her Junior Girl Scout troop and her Brownie troop.

Simmons said her love for children is what keeps her active in Girl Scouts. She’s also a volunteer with Stand Up For Kids, mentoring high schoolers in an organization that works to end the cycle of youth homelessness.

“I love working with kids,”

Simmons said. “I mean, that’s what I love to do.”

A green legacy

When Simmons’ daughter, Kathryn White, started a Girl Scout troop in Alpharetta for her daughter, Aubree, she learned that the number of the first troop Simmons led in Gwinnett was to be retired. Aubree’s troop now bears that number — 884.

“Growing up, I have watched her volunteer as a Service Unit Director and Troop leader. I am both of those now, too -- the apple

Continued on page 10

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Deanna Simmons, right, with daughter, Kelley Hammock, left, and granddaughter Bryn Hammock

Continued from page 9

doesn’t fall too far from the tree,” White wrote of her mother when nominating her for the Helen Foster Pin. She called her mother “an amazing rolel model.”

“She’s always promoting Girl Scouts on social media. She even helps sell cookies for her grandchildren. Everyone she comes across leaves with a positive experience with scouting.”

Simmons’ other daughter, Kelley Hammock, of Buford, says she’s proud to have come from such a “huge scouting family.” She fondly remembers her years of attending Lilburn Day Camp, becoming a leader there, and taking her daughter, Bryn, to the camp as a baby. Bryn is now a camp aid and Hammock volunteers with her scout troop.

“My mom was always there to take us camping, go on Girl Scout trips and help us with badges. When I look back on my

childhood, scouts played a huge role,” Hammock said. “My mom was able to donate so much time to scouting, as well as giving her time to many other volunteer projects, while working full time as a pediatric nurse. I don’t know

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how she did it all!”

Bryn, 18, received her Gold Award in September. In December, she was named a Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta Council Young Woman of Distinction for her extraordinary leadership and

impact with her project.

Her “Take Action” project, one of the requirements for the Gold Award, was to make weighted gloves for babies in neonatal intensive care units.

Stuffed with beads, the “Tiny Hugs” glove lays on top of a baby like a weighted blanket and can help develop the baby’s muscles.

Simmons, who co-leads Bryn’s troop, helped Bryn learn to use a sewing machine, working mostly over FaceTime because of the pandemic. Leading a team of 20 people, Bryn surpassed her goal of 30 gloves and ended up with 140 of them, which were distributed to seven hospitals.

“Her guidance to us and her excitement about Scouting has definitely been so important to my life and to my cousins’ lives,” Bryn said, of Simmons. “I can’t imagine someone more dedicated to Scouting and what it stands for than my grandmother.”

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Deanna Simmons shows her junior Girl Scout merit badge sash to her granddaughter, Bryn Hammock

Girl Scout cookies are back

The pandemic crushed Girl Scout cookie sales last year, with fewer options for buying in person. But the program is back on track for 2022 and with a new brownieinspired cookie, “Adventurefuls.”

Girl Scouts start selling cookies on Jan. 1. Booth sales begin Feb. 7. Cookies are available through March. Visit showmethecookies.com to find a booth sale or to order Girl Scout cookies to be shipped directly to you or as a gift. You can donate cookies to members of the military through the Girl Scouts’ Smiles4Military program. The Greater Atlanta Council donates hundreds of thousands of boxes in Georgia and overseas.

Cookie proceeds stay in the Atlanta area to help fund camps, volunteer training, scholarships and other programs. Troops retain a portion of sales and learn to manage that money for purposes they choose, such as trips, events and service projects.

Some famous Girl Scouts

Sally Field , actor

Venus Williams, tennis player

Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher, mother/daughter actors

Sally Ride and Mae Jemison , astronauts

Sonia Sotomayor, Supreme Court justice

Queen Latifah, singer/actor

Source: Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta

when seeing really Big Events meant going to Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

from the crates

Kelly McCoy is a veteran Atlanta broadcaster who writes about the days popular music only came on vinyl records, which often were stored in crates.

As I’m writing this in late 2021, Atlanta can claim only one championship team. My Georgia Bulldogs haven’t played yet.

So, the champion team I’m talking about, of course, is our Atlanta Braves. In all honesty, I haven’t really been a serious Braves fan for decades, but I watched the entire 2021 World Series.

Back in the 70s and 80s, Atlanta Fulton County Stadium was home to not only the Braves and Falcons, but a multitude of events that included everything from motocross to major concerts with worldfamous artists. One of the most famous “Quixie” disc jockeys, Tony Taylor, even got to introduce the Beatles there! I don’t think that one can be topped.

I’ll touch briefly on my Braves days, and other things I did at the old stadium. Let’s go back to the days of Dale Murphy and Bob Horner. I was dating a young lady at the time whose father had season tickets. The seats were directly behind the dugout. We’d literally place our beverages on top of the dugout.

As luck would have it, I heard Dale Murphy was going to be at WQXI cutting a commercial. I thought, here’s my chance.

Everyone in the place was excited he was there, and he could not have been any nicer.

After telling him we attended games on a regular basis with the dugout-level seats, I coerced him to join me on the air for a few minutes.

children! Quite a few times after that I’d shout, “Murph” when I’d see him on the field, and we’d get a genuine smile and friendly wave. He came and sat with us for a few minutes one pregame.

Later during that same season, we sponsored an event with a company who had created a flyingdisc-type toy. They were trying to get a little of the Frisbee market, I guess. I was the emcee for the event, so that put me on the field.

told him about the flying disc promotion earlier… he said he remembered seeing me. After asking the server what they were drinking, we sent a congratulatory round of four beers. He nodded thank you. A few minutes later, our server came to our table with four beers. She said, “these are from the baseball player.” We nodded a thank you and cheers to them. I swore I’d never lose that American Express receipt, but I did.

A couple of other cool events at the stadium included the Quixie Quackers Softball Team playing the Atlanta Rhythm Section in a charity match. Pictures on the Matrix, running those bases, and just being there was another cool thing we all experienced.

Once we were in the studio, this big baseball star was like a nervous little kid. I told him he’d be fine; I would make it really easy. We weren’t on the air any longer than 15 or 20 minutes. I jokingly asked how a player of his stature — who crushed home run balls in front of thousands of people — could be anxious about talking to people who he couldn’t see. Not too long after our meeting, I met Nancy, his wife, who was pregnant with their first child. Just like her husband, she was as nice as humanly possible. That first child is now the oldest of eight

The contest would award some huge prize to anyone who could throw this disc out of the stadium like a home-run ball. I think we had second- and third-tier prizes for hitting upper-level centerfield seats and even to the homerun fence. No one won anything. I can’t even remember the brand.

That same evening, Bob Horner had an amazing night. I do remember two homeruns, but not his other hits.

After the game, my date and I were at TGI Fridays on Roswell Road. (By the way, it was the only Fridays in small-town Atlanta.) All of a sudden, there were cheers, and applause filled the room. It was Bob Horner, and his wife! After they had been there for a while, I introduced myself and

I also had the pleasure of introducing the 60s music groups Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, The Association, and Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels at another concert event the station sponsored.

In the bowels of the stadium, I saw Ted Turner’s parking place with the sign, “Don’t Even Think About Parking Here.”

The Braves and Falcons shared the stadium for 26 years. The Falcons moved out to the Georgia Dome in 1992. Five years later, the Braves moved to Turner Field. The old stadium was demolished in 1997. All that remains of it is a piece of outfield wall, preserved to memorialize Hank Aaron’s recordsetting 715th home run.

I saw Dale one more time at a charity event a few years later. Shortly after that, he left town for another team. He’ll always be a Hall of Famer in my world.

Medicare Advantage Saves Georgia Seniors

By Charlene Love

After my husband and I retired, we knew that we would need new health care coverage, as we would no longer be employed. We also knew that we would need coverage that was affordable, as we were both switching over to a fixed income. After conducting a great deal of research on all of the plans available to us, we landed on Medicare Advantage.

When we first enrolled in the program, we did so because we thought Medicare Advantage coverage would give us the best bang for our buck. Given that we were retired, having a plan that wouldn’t exhaust our savings was important.

But since being enrolled, we have learned that Medicare Advantage does far more than most plans – even though it costs the least!

A few years ago, my husband had to go to the hospital, and he ended up staying overnight for several days, which we weren’t expecting. Naturally I wanted to stay at the hospital with him, so when he was finally cleared to go home, we didn’t have anything to eat in the fridge! The last thing I wanted to do was go to the grocery store, but I knew we needed to have something. As I was begrudgingly heading out to the store, I opened our front door and found that we had had groceries delivered right to us!

It turns out that an additional benefit of our coverage was that if you had an unexpected and extended hospital stay, you could get food delivered to you when you got home. It’s the little benefits like this one that make the world of difference – and that you wouldn’t get with a typical plan.

Medicare Advantage really goes above and beyond to provide the

benefits seniors need. Whether it be integrated vision, dental, and hearing benefits, prescription drug coverage, wellness programs, fitness classes, or the food delivery we received, Medicare Advantage strives to ensure comfort and peace of mind for seniors. And for all of these benefits, Medicare Advantage has some of the lowest premiums out there, with the average payment being just $19 per month.

Unfortunately, there are now conversations in Congress that could result in the Medicare Advantage program losing funding. If these cuts were to go through, it is likely that premiums will rise, which could make some benefits, or even complete plans, out of reach for seniors who currently depend on them.

Considering that nearly 800,000 seniors in Georgia rely on Medicare Advantage coverage, any changes to the program could have a huge impact on our community. The last thing seniors want is to see their health care coverage taken away.

I hope that Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff and all of Georgia’s representatives in Congress do what is right and protect Medicare Advantage. Seniors count on the affordable benefits of Medicare Advantage to keep us healthy, and now we are on counting on our elected officials to protect them.

Charlene Love is a managing partner with TCH Consultants, an Atlanta project management and sales training company, and a program director with extensive experience working with businesses and nonprofit organizations in the areas of project and process management, training, and people development.

A legacy of FDR lives in west central Georgia

Travels with Charlie

Veteran Georgia journalist Charles Seabrook has covered native wildlife and environmental issues for decades. For “Travels with Charlie,” he visits and photographs communities throughout the state.

Driving around Meriwether and Harris counties in west central Georgia, I can almost feel the presence of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the nation’s 32nd President.

Reminders of Roosevelt are everywhere there — from wall-size murals and FDR memorabilia in small towns to the Little White House and 9,049— acre F.D. Roosevelt State Park on Pine Mountain.

Long before becoming a world leader, Roosevelt visited the town of Warm Springs in Meriwether County in October 1924 to get relief in the naturally warm water there for his polio-paralyzed legs.

The water, which stays a constant 88 degrees Fahrenheit and is deemed therapeutic, flowed from natural springs into man-made pools. Swimming in the buoyant, mineral-laden water gave Roosevelt relief, but no miracle cure.

At the time, the only lodging in Warm Springs

(formerly Bullochville) was the dilapidated Meriwether Inn. In 1927, Roosevelt bought the old inn and the 1,700-acre farm surrounding it. He built his own six-room cottage just outside the town in 1932, shortly before he was elected to the Oval Office. When he was President, the cottage became his “Little White House and retreat from Washington.” He died there on April 12, 1945, near the end of World War II, of a cerebral hemorrhage.

In all, between 1924 and 1945, Roosevelt, a native New Yorker, visited Warm Springs and Georgia 41 times, generally in late March and April and again in the fall.

During those visits, when not exercising in the pools or attending to presidential business in the Little White

House, he rode around the countryside in his convertible, picnicked on Pine Mountain and fished in the nearby Flint River.

He also dearly loved to visit the small towns and talk to the rural folks, whose lives had been upended by the Great Depression, the boll weevil and plunging cotton prices. A generation of West Georgians came to regard Roosevelt as their trusted friend.

In October 1928, while he was visiting with folk in the town of Manchester in Meriwether County, New York Democrat leaders reached him by telephone to ask him to run for governor of that state. He ran, and won, and four years later was elected President of the United States.

According to historians, some of the initiatives in his administration’s pivotal New Deal program were inspired by the struggling farmers and others that he met during his drives around west Georgia — initiatives such as the Agricultural Adjustment Administration and the Rural Electrification Administration. Indeed, Roosevelt in 1938 called Warm Springs the birthplace of the REA.

One other way that Roosevelt still is remembered in Georgia is through the Roosevelt Institute for Rehabilitation to treat polio and other paralyzing maladies. He established it in 1927, after hearing about a boy who had regained the use of his legs through hydrotherapy, which used water for treatment.

The institute was funded by the Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, later the March of Dimes. The institute is now called the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation and is a comprehensive rehabilitation facility operated by the state of Georgia.

4 — FDR’s Little White House in Warm Springs, now part of the Little White House State Historic Site.

5 — Another photo of the Little White House, Warm Springs, GA.

6 — Mural of FDR talking with rural folk in Manchester, GA.

7 — The Flint River in Meriwether County where FDR fished, picnicked and relaxed

8 — Mural in Warm Springs of a a tearful Graham Jackson playing accordion at the Warm Springs train depot on the day FDR died.

9 — Manchester, GA, Meriwether County, still looks much the way when FDR visited

10 — Georgia Hall, built in 1927, was the first building to be constructed at what is now the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation.

11 — Archive photo of FDR exercising in the naturally warm spring water in the pools at Warm Springs (Photo: Wikipedia Commons)

12 — Type of wheelchair used by FDR 1 FDR sculpture at Dowdle’s Knob on Pine Mountain in F.D. Roosevelt State Park, Harris County, where Roosevelt picnicked and relaxed while looking over the peaceful valley below.

2 — Broad Street in Warm Springs, similar to the way it was during FDR’s day.

3 — Historical marker in Warm Springs where FDR died at his Little White House on April 12,, 1945.

A mix of winter mysteries can help keep the cold outside

By Michele Ross

As nights grow longer and cold weather returns, it’s once again the season to find our diversions inside. What could do more to pass the time and to keep winter at bay than to settle into an armchair by a crackling fire and tackle a good, spinetingling mystery novel?

Here’s a selection of a few new whodunits and thrillers to help take the chill out of a January night.

All the Queen’s Men

By S. J. Bennett

A sequel to last year’s charming “The Windsor Knot,” “All the Queen’s Men” again finds Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth solving crimes in royal places. This time, it’s 2016 and Her Majesty is already dealing not only with Brexit but also with troubling American politics. But she will also try to determine how a missing painting is connected to the surprising death of a staff member—inside Buckingham Palace! And once again, the Queen’s capable and loyal assistant, Rozie is there to help. Keep calm and read on!

(Morrow, $27.99, March)

Autopsy

By Patricia Cornwell

Patricia Cornwell made bestseller lists in 1990 when she created medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta. Then a computer analyst at the office of the chief Medical Examiner in Richmond, Va., Cornwell drew on her experiences, introducing readers to a fresh genre, the forensic thriller.

In “Autopsy,” Cornwell brings Scarpetta back after a five-year break, Scarpetta is again in Virginia and is soon dealing not only with a murder, but the challenge of working a crime scene remotely in outer space. (Morrow, $28.99).

Beach Wedding

By Michael Ledwidge

A lavish wedding in the Hamptons, with lots of family, tons of money, a taste for revenge and buried secrets— what could possibly go wrong?

Tom Rourke is now a rich hedge-fund manager, but he wasn’t always. He grew up in the working-class part of the Hamptons and has come back to celebrate his upcoming wedding at a huge, rented estate.

Brother Terry, now a cop,

can’t forget a family tragedy of decades ago, and his digging will lead to people who will do anything to keep some things secret.

(Hanover Square Press,$27.99, February)

Marion Lane and the Deadly Rose

By T.A Willberg

Marion Lane is again handling inquiries and investigations in mid-century London (following last year’s lauded “Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder”).

A killer. dubbed “The Florist” because he brands his victims with a rose, has Scotland Yard puzzled. They turn to Miss Brickett’s Inquiries service for help. She assigns the case to Marion Lane, who will investigate despite having problems and perils of her own. Is there a traitor among the staff?

Inquiring readers will want to know, and trust Marion Lane to find the truth.

(Park Row, $27.99 February)

The Match

By Harlen Coben

Veteran bestselling author Coben brings back the character of Wilde, introduced in Coben’s “The Boy from the Woods” (2020).

As a boy, Wilde was found living in the woods with no memory of his past. “The Match” explores Wilde’s search for the truth of his background. In his usual fluid fashion, Coben explores topics ranging from family and fame to current events, all wrapped up in a twisty plot.

(Grand Central, $29, March).

How Do I Apply for Social Security Benefits?

ask rusty

process, but don’t know where to begin. Could you guide me to the right place?

Ready to Claim Benefits

Dear Ready to Claim,

Sorry to hear of your loss of employment and your current financial struggle, but the Social Security benefits you earned from a lifetime of working are there for you. Here’s what you need to know about applying for Social Security:

Dear Rusty,

This month, I will be 62 1/2 years old. I was laid off two years ago and have not had a steady income since (though I still have bills to pay). I also did not qualify for unemployment. Therefore, what little I had for “retirement” is now gone.

For this reason, I have been seriously considering applying for Social Security as soon as I’m able. I remember reading something that said I should begin the “paperwork” three months ahead of time. I’d like to begin that

Since you are already 62 years of age, you can apply for your Social Security at any time now. The process is fairly simple, especially if you apply online, which you can do at www.ssa.gov. Just click on the “Retirement” icon and you’ll see a link to the online application.

You simply fill out the application, save it if you need more time to work on it, and later when you’re done submit it online to Social Security. Before you do that, however, you’ll need to create your personal “my Social Security” online account, which is easy to do at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.

Once you have your online account set up, you can fill out and submit the online application. Of course, you can also apply via telephone by calling either the national Social Security service center at 1.800.772.1213 or your local Social Security office to make an appointment to apply, but applying online at www.ssa.gov is by far the most efficient way.

Applying online for Social Security benefits is a reasonably easy process, and if you have even moderate computer skills you shouldn’t be intimidated by the thought. But if you are, simply call Social Security and request an appointment to apply. They will walk you through the application process.

This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit (amacfoundation.org/programs/ social-security-advisory) or email ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.

About AMAC

The 2.3 million member Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC] www.amac.us is a conservative advocacy organization founded in 2007 that represents its membership in the nation’s capital and in local Congressional Districts throughout the country. The AMAC Foundation (www. AmacFoundation.org) is the Association’s non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and educating America’s Seniors.

Russell Gloor is a certified Social Security advisor with the Association of Mature American Citizens.

It’s time for delightful winter blooms, tree planting and garden cleanup

THE ENVIRONMENTAL GARDENER

Erica Glasener is the Community Involvement and Events Manager for the Piedmont Park Conservancy. She also serves on the advisory board for Trees Atlanta.

While winter is not typically a time we think of for blooms, there are a few winter flowers I always look forward to including some of the camellias, snowdrops, and Japanese flowering apricot (Prunus mume).

I was first charmed by

Snowdrops

PRESENTED BY:

Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) when I lived in Pennsylvania and brought some with me when I moved to Atlanta many years ago. While they didn’t persist in my garden I have since added more and am rewarded with a few sparse blooms every year. These tiny hardy bulbs are best to transplant “in the green.” In other words, if you know someone that has snowdrops growing in their garden and they are willing to share, move them while they have their foliage. There is a small clump that grow in my neighborhood in a patch of ivy (please note I don’t recommend planting English ivy) next to the sidewalk. Seeing them pop into bloom always brings a smile to my face.

Japanese flowering apricot (Prunus mume) is a mediumsized tree that blooms in January

to February in Atlanta. While it produces small fruits that are edible, they are not known to be tasty. It is the fragrant flowers on green stems that make this plant garden worthy. There are selections with pink, magenta and white flowers, both single and double.

While I am admittedly a lover of trees during every season, in January I appreciate their spare beauty, whether I’m hiking in the north Georgia woods or strolling through Piedmont Park.

This month is a great time to plant trees in Atlanta. Before you get out your shovel, it’s ideal to know what type of tree or trees you will plant and the best technique for planting. It also is important to plant the right tree in the right place. This will help ensure that your tree thrives.

If you took photos throughout the year of trees you admired, this is a good place to begin. It’s also worth noting that you don’t have to start with large trees.

A container-grown tree (usually a 15- or 30-gallon) is easier to manage than a large balled and burlapped tree. It will also catch up in a few years with trees that are of a larger size when they are planted.

White oak (Quercus alba) is a fantastic tree for numerous reasons, but it need lots of space and is ideal where a specimen tree is called for. This is true for most of our native oaks as well as hickories and tulip poplar. All of these are large canopy trees. Understory trees are smaller and include redbuds, fringe trees, dogwoods and Amelanchier species (also known as serviceberry or shadblow).

Tips for Planting Trees Atlanta has a great video that is worth watching in its entirety on “How to plant a tree.” The link is treesatlanta.org/ resources. It covers in detail the steps listed below.

■ Preparing the hole. Remove any grass, mulch or weeds before you dig the hole. The planting hole needs to be twice as wide as the container in which the tree is growing but only as deep as the container. It should be dug like a cereal bowl -- flat on the bottom, with sides of the hole that flare.

■ Preparing the root ball. Often the roots are wrapped tightly around the soil ball. Use a

hand cultivator to loosen them. Expose the root flare (the part of the tree at the base where it transitions to the root system, occurring at the surface level of the soil). The soil should reach this level when the tree is placed in the hole.

■ Backfilling the hole. Once you have placed the tree in the hole, fill with soil that you dug out, making sure there are no air pockets. It should be firm, but still allow water to get to the roots.

■ Building a berm. Once the tree is planted, use the excess soil to create a berm of soil that surrounds the tree. It should start at the periphery of the root ball

and be at least 4 inches high and about 8 inches wide. This forms a basin to catch water that will then get to the tree roots easily.

■ Mulching. Add 2 to 3 inches of mulch. This insulates the roots, protects the tree from lawn mowers and helps suppress weeds. Keep the root flare exposed and keep a wide area around the trunk where no mulch touches the trunk.

■ Watering. Once the tree is planted, water it well. This helps the roots and the tree get established. The water should stay inside the berm. Two large buckets of water applied slowly should do the trick. Other garden projects

for January include ongoing cleanup. Cut back perennials that have long been finished and remove diseased, dead or damaged wood from shrubs that will bloom next year.

You can also renovate overgrown shrubs by removing one-third of the oldest branches from the base of the plant.

January is also a good time to edge beds or add a stone border to delineate the lawn areas from your planting beds. If your garden is tidy, and you have no chores left to do, (or even if you still have chores) be sure to take a stroll in your neighborhood, favorite local park or in the mountains and enjoy the beauty that January offers.

Japanese Flowering Apricot Pignut hickory

Two acres of Waterworks Park set to reopen after 25-year closure

By Collin Kelley

Two acres of greenspace around the Atlanta City Water Works’ Hemphill Reservoir will reopen next year offering visitors sweeping views of Buckhead, Midtown, and Downtown.

Fenced off in 1996 due to terrorism concerns during the Summer Olympics, “The Hill” will once again be open to the public. As one of the highest points in the city, the park at the corner of Howell Mill Road and 17th Street will be perfect for picnics and Instagramworthy moments.

Upper Westside Improvement District (UWID) and Friends of Waterworks have been negotiating with the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management for five years to get the fences pushed back and the park reopened to the public.

“Upper Westside Improvement District has never given up on the effort to open the reservoir grounds,” said UWID Executive Director Elizabeth Hollister. “The residents and the businesses tell us they want more parks in the Howell Mill – Marietta area, and we have a huge, magnificent space which was once open to everyone and will be again.”

The city determined it could maintain safe water treatment operations while opening some of the former parkland. Atlanta City Councilman

Dustin Hillis also voiced his support for the reopening, as did Mayor-elect Andre Dickens.

Friends of Waterworks has advocated returning the land to the public for more than decade.

“Friends of Waterworks is grateful to the Upper Westside Improvement District for taking the lead on moving the fences back,” said Friends of Waterworks co-chair Chris LeCraw. “Opening the hilltop has been a successful public, private and philanthropic effort, and we hope to continue to grow our relationship with Watershed to open even more of the Waterworks.”

In 2018, UWID and Friends of Waterworks were instrumental in transforming four-and-a-half acres on the northwest corner of Northside Drive and 17th Street into public greenspace. In June, Park Pride awarded a $100,000 legacy grant to create a water-themed learning landscape and amphitheater on the site.

Residents, business leaders and planners have identified the waterworks campus as a solution to the lack of greenspace, which is reflected in local planning documents, including the Upper Westside masterplan.

Work was expected to begin at The Hill in December, with accessible sidewalks and a crosswalk at intersection of Howell Mill and 17th Street.

Resolutions: Our annual attempt for the Holy Grail continues into a New Year

STAY SAFE

The article suggested that one should have a greater benefit than themselves. For example, resolve to make more money so your child can attend private school, or so your trophy wife could get those enhancements she keeps talking about. Motivation comes in several forms.

For more than 20 years, my January Crime-Prevention Newsletter always opened with a paragraph that this would be the year we would finally shore up our home and business security and begin enhancing our personal security with the goal of becoming victim-free in the new year. In the months following, I think that I read as many theft, burglary, and robbery reports as I had before the new year kicked in.

Such is the trend with New Year’s resolutions. According to Forbes Magazine, each year more than 50% of people make the annual resolution to lose weight, quit smoking, save money, work out and/or get promoted at work. Most say the failure rate is 80% or more.

This should be no surprise to anyone who, while nursing a New Year’s hangover, made their first resolution of the new year: never drink this much again.

The article went on to say one reason most fail is that we were not that emotionally committed to the goal in the first place. The fact we pick Jan. 1 to be the date to start this new “you” becomes a product of peer pressure and self-pressure to do something. To say, “I have no resolutions for the new year” implies that we have an inflated sense of self-importance to the point that we feel no need to improve ourselves or that we’re too pitiful to give it a go in the first place.

The other reason for failure is that the goals we set were not that important in the first place, so the motivation wasn’t really there.

I think you need to choose your resolutions carefully. Resolving to lose weight in January is tough because most folks aren’t as active in the cold months as they are in the spring and summer. Food seems to be more appealing than in hotter temperatures.

Going to the gym makes absolute sense until it’s time to get up, get dressed, get in the car, and actually go. It’s almost designed to fail.

Writers make the same resolution each year. Write more, take more time to write, attend workshops, take part in writing groups, find an agent, freelance more and finish that inevitable “novel.” No pressure at all.

Getting older means my resolution goals need to adapt to what is achievable and practical to me. My first resolution last year was to do away with “resolutions” and instead transition to “bucket lists.” To me, to accomplish a “bucket-list” item gives greater satisfaction.

For instance, my wife and I said for years that we’d like to try skydiving. Talk, talk, talk. I realized that I didn’t want to get to the point where I’m saying “Gee, I really wish I’d done that, but now it’s too late.” So, while my wife was taking a golf lesson, something else we’d talked about but never did, I signed us up to go skydiving.

The two of us went up 14,000 feet and jumped out of an airplane with a couple of instructors who looked like they’d been following the Grateful Dead for years. We flew through the air at 120 mph, then literally floated through clouds for a few minutes.

When we walked away, I said, “I’m glad we did that.”

Another item on the list was to learn to play the drums. Again,

talk, talk, talk. Finally, as I was firmly headed to my 69th birthday, I said to myself, “Heck with it. I’ll buy them,” so, I bought a Roland electronic drum kit, a good one at that, and began learning to play.

What I learned after a few months was that I had the drumming skills of a block of wood. The drums soon were sold to

someone else who had that desire. In the end, I said to myself, “I’m glad I tried it and I’m pretty sure my wife is glad I sold them.”

For 2021, I accomplished two goals, two more resolutions than I usually had accomplished in the past. It’s a system that works for me. So, good luck on your resolutions for 2022. Maybe this is the year for us because I too made one resolution beginning this month: be less sarcastic. Yep. And if you know me, you probably won’t bet on my making it, but here we go.

Steve Rose is a retired Sandy Springs Police Captain, veteran Fulton County police officer and freelance writer. He is the author the book “Why Do My Mystic Journeys Always Lead to the Waffle House?” and the column “View from a Cop.”

Steve Rose and his wife join a group boarding an airplane to go skydiving

Music

▲Matthew Kaminski w/ Annie Sellick

Friday, Jan. 7, 8 p.m.

City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, 30328

Atlanta Braves organist

Matthew Kaminski and Annie Sellick perform as part of Sandy Springs’ Blue Stone Jazz series. Kaminski plays piano and accordion as well as the Hammond B3 organ. He’s been playing for the Braves since the 2009 season and has released three studio CDs. $30.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Friday, Jan. 7, 8 p.m.

First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, 1328 Peachtree St. NE. 30309

Associate Conductor Jerry Hou, organist Dr. Jens Korndörfer and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra present a special holiday performance at the First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. The program includes works by T.J. Cole, Poulenc and SaintSaens.

$35-$70, students $10 at door as available.

Michael Feinstein

Thursday, Jan. 13, 8 p.m. City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, 30328

Feinstein performs the music of

the Great American songbook. His work has earned nominations for five GRAMMY® Awards and his PBSTV specials have been nominated for Emmy awards. $44.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Thursday, Jan. 13, and Saturday Jan. 15

Atlanta Symphony Hall, 1280

Peachtree St. NE, 30309

Pianist Stephen Hough plays Saint-Saens Concerto No. 4 and the orchestra, ed by conductor Kazuki Yamada, performs works by Mozart and Takemitsu, and Schubert’s “Symphony No. 5.” A negative test or proof of COVID-19 vaccination and a photo ID are required to attend this event.

$18-$99.

Nobuntu

Friday, Jan. 21

City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, 30328

This female a cappella quintet from Zimbabwe takes their name from an African concept that values humbleness, love, purpose, unity and family. The ensemble represents a new generation of young African women singers who celebrate and preserve their culture, beauty, and heritage through art and have drawn international acclaim for inventive performances that range from traditional Zimbabwean songs to Afro Jazz to Gospel. $40.

Atlanta Opera

Saturday, Jan. 22; Tuesday, Jan. 25; Friday, Jan. 28; and Sunday, Jan. 30

8 p.m. on Saturday and Friday,

7:30 p.m. on Tuesday and 3 p.m. on Sunday

Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, 30339

The Opera stages Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Pirates of Penzance.” Proof of vaccination of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the performance are required. Masks are required upon entry and during time inside the facility.

$45-$150

Leo Kottke

Monday, Jan. 24 City Winery

650 North Avenue NE, Atlanta, 30308

8 p.m.

Acoustic guitarist Leo Kottke performs a mixture of country blues, folk and traditional American music. All indoor guests of City Winery will temporarily need to provide proof of vaccine or show a negative Covid-19 test within the previous 72 hours; and wear masks indoors when moving throughout public areas. $30 to $45

Atlanta Symphony

Saturday, Jan. 29, and Sunday, Jan. 30

8 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday Atlanta Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St. NE, 30309 Pianist Saleem Ashkar performs Grieg’s “Piano Concerto” and conductor Nikolaj SzepsZnaider leads a performance of Boulanger’s “Of a Spring Morning” and Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 6, Pathetique.” $23-$99

►Emerson String Quartet

Sunday, January 30 City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, 30328

2 p.m.

The Emerson String Quartet has maintained its status as one of the world’s premier chamber music ensembles for more than

four decades. The Quartet has made more than 30 acclaimed recordings and has been honored with nine GRAMMYs.

Comedy

Tig Notaro

Tuesday, January 25

The Eastern 800 Old Flat Shoals Rd SE, Atlanta 30312

6 p.m.

Tig Notaro is an Emmy and Grammy nominated standup comedian, writer, radio contributor, and actor as well as a favorite on numerous talk shows, including “Ellen” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Rolling Stone magazine named her one of the “50 best stand-up comics of all time.” $37.50 to $47.50.

Books

Buckhead Heritage Book Club

Saturday, Jan. 12 Mathieson Exchange Lofts, 3180 Mathieson Drive, Atlanta, 30305

7 p.m.

The Buckhead Heritage Book Club discusses “Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn: A Saga of Race and Family” by Gary M. Pomerantz. Open to nonmembers. Free. Register at www.BuckheadHeritage.com.

ATLANTA READS

Tuesday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m. Online at gwinnettpl.org. The ATL Reads Virtual Book Club discusses the historical novel “The Book of Lost Names” by Kristin Harmel. Free

celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day

Sunday, Jan. 16

Atlanta

Atlanta History Center, 130 West Paces Ferry Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30305.

9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Atlanta History Center celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through a variety of virtual and in-person educational family activities, including simulations, crafts, and story time, as well as offerings for adults including author talks. COVID-19 policies will be in place for the in-person event, and capacity will be limited. A small number of same-day passes will be available at the door, but advanced registration is strongly encouraged to guarantee admission. Guests will not be admitted without either an

advanced registration pass or same day pass. Free. For tickets: atlantahistorycenter.com.

Monday, January 17

Atlanta

Atlanta History Center

130 West Paces Ferry Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30305.

9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Atlanta History Center celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through a variety of virtual and in-person educational family activities, including simulations, crafts, and story time, as well as offerings for adults including author talks. COVID-19 policies will be in place for the in-person event, and capacity will be limited. A small number of same-

day passes will be available at the door, but advanced registration is strongly encouraged to guarantee admission. Guests will not be admitted without either an advanced registration pass or same day pass. Free. For tickets: atlantahistorycenter.com.

Sandy Springs City Springs, 1 Galambos Way, 30328

The community is invited to the City’s annual tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This familyfriendly event will feature interactive art projects and a film designed to celebrate, educate, and share the teachings of Dr. King. Time TBD. Free.

COMPASSIONATE CARE RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER

Northside Medical Midtown is now open, bringing powerful expertise to the heart of Atlanta. Over 20 practices are based out of our new state-of-the-art facility. To better serve you, we’re offering virtual or in-person visits depending on your needs. Schedule an appointment today.

Clinical Specialities include:

NORTHSIDE HOSPITAL CARDIOVASCULAR INSTITUTE 404-962-6000 • northsidecvi.com

NORTHSIDE HOSPITAL CANCER INSTITUTE Radiation Oncology

404-575-2050 northside.com/radiation-oncology-midtown

NORTHSIDE HOSPITAL ORTHOPEDIC INSTITUTE Sports Medicine

1-855-647-7678 • sportsmedicine.northside.com

Arthritis & Total Joint Specialists 770-292-6500 • arthritisandtotaljoint.com

Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates

404-888-7601 • atlantagastro.com

Bariatric Innovations of Atlanta & General Surgery 404-250-6691 • bariatricinnovationsatl.com

Georgia Colon & Rectal Surgical Associates 770-277-4277 • gcrsa.com

Georgia Urology 404-222-0292 • gaurology.com

GYN Surgical Specialists 404-303-3157 • gynsurgicalspecialists.com

The Hand & Upper Extremity Center of Georgia 404-255-0226 • handcenterga.com

Laureate Medical Group 404-892-2131 • laureatemed.com

Midtown Medical Associates 404-215-6525 • midtownmed.com

North Atlanta Primary Care 770-442-1911 • napc.md

Northside Thoracic Surgery 404-252-9063 • northsidethoracicsurgery.com

Northside/Midtown Imaging 404-875-2640 • northside.com/midtown-imaging

Northside Family Medicine & Urgent Care 404-575-2000 • northsideurgentcare.com

Peachtree Women’s Clinic 470-875-1050 • peachtreewomensclinic.com

Randy Rudderman, MD Plastic Surgery 678-566-7200 • drrudderman.com

Sovereign Rehabilitation 404-205-5567 • sovereignrehab.com

Surgical Specialists of Atlanta 404-847-0664 • surgicalspecialistsofatlanta.com

Thomas Eye Group 678-538-1968 • thomaseye.com

University Gynecologic Oncology 404-300-2990 • ugynonc.com

NOW OPEN Northside Hospital Center for Perinatal Medicine 404-898-2550 • northside.com/cpm