Kingfisher Academy:
Small is Beautiful
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7 Wellness In-Sight: Thriving in Uncertain Times 10 FODAC Run Walk ‘n’ Roll is a Virtual Success 12 Cleaning in the Pandemic
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Medical Alerts starting as low as $1 per day†. *Fall detection pendant does not detect 100% of falls
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OurTown NE DeKalb Community and Family Magazine
A Shiny Inc Publication Editor Lizbeth A. Dison Shinycomm.com ldison@shinycomm.com Our Town DeKalb is published and direct mailed to Creative Director Jay Adcock jaywadcock@gmail.com Writers Lizbeth A. Dison Cindy E. Farrar Lois Ricci Sanah Sayani Karl Schwartz Art Wood
Entire contents copyright 2020 by Our Town DeKalb and Shiny Inc LLC. Reproduction in whole or part is forbidden in any media without written permission from the publisher.
Distribution Coordinator Emma Dison Brantley
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select homes in the Tucker / Northeast DeKalb area. Opinions expressed by the writers and staff are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Our Town DeKalb reserves the right to edit or reject any editorial or advertising content. Our Town DeKalb is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond the cost of the space or for the validity of claims made by advertisers.
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IN THIS ISSUE 4 Kingfisher Academy: Small is Beautiful 6 The Bits in Between: Can We Cure The Racism Pandemic? 7 Wellness In-Sight: Thriving in Uncertain Times 8 Age Friendly Tucker: Avoiding Cybercrime While Aging in Place 9 Common Sen$e: Old Dogs and New Tricks 10 FODAC Run Walk ‘n’ Roll is a Virtual Success 12 Cleaning in the Time of Pandemic 13 Back Talk: This July, Declare Your Independence from Pain 14 Beauty Byline with Sanah Here Comes the Sun! ON THE COVER: Kingfisher student Andy and a guest science lecturer get up close with a locust shell during “Insect Day” at the school.
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On The Cover:
Kingfisher Academy:
Small is Beautiful L.A. Dison Few elementary students today have experienced a small neighborhood school like Tucker’s Kingfisher Academy; many of today’s younger students attend centralized “megaschools” that serve hundreds of students from several communities. But while the larger schools may provide lowered operating costs and a wider menu of educational experiences, smaller schools like Kingfisher tend to do a better job of making students feel connected – with each other and with faculty and staff – and offer opportunities for more individualized programs rather than teaching on a mass, “factory school” level. Kingfisher Academy founders Dan Johnson and Debbie Gathmann were both employed in the late nineties at a large Atlanta public elementary school where they saw firsthand an educational system that prioritized cost efficiencies over programs that favored the individual. Both held master’s degrees 5th graders play Valentine Bingo at their holiday party. in education; they often discussed how much of their teaching experience wasn’t covered in their college courses but rather emphasized working within their own state systems and teaching “to the standards.” Both had long been interested in British Infant Schooling, which was operating not only in Britain, but also in Canada. This was a mix of project-learning, Montessori concepts, and some uniquely organized British ideas about groupings of classes and activities that work on skills and the child’s interests, rather than a “one-size-fits-all” curriculum. Gathmann and Johnson shared their dreams of creating a school from scratch, independent from the pre-conceived notions of how education should work but rather based on what does work. When in 1998 the Atlanta Public School system began to close down many neighborhood schools 4th and 5th graders learned mapmaking in favor of creating one big elementary school, frustrating many on a visit to Henderson Park. parents who openly voiced their oppositions to the plans, the two remains sectarian, it does innovative educators quickly realized that this was their opportunity to support any service projects make their “dream school” a reality. of the church. Kingfisher Within the year, Johnson and Gathmann had eleven parents committed to is diverse in terms of their new non-profit school, now named “Kingfisher Academy,” and the promise religion—students are of free space in a former Methodist Church building on the edge of Grant Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Park. The school opened as a pre-school and kindergarten, and followed the and all sects of Christianity, The school allows plenty of time for play along Human Scale Education model that promoted smaller learning environments including Baptist, Methodist, with learning. where children and young people are known and valued as individuals. By the Presbyterian Catholic and Quaker. Many families look for schools that following year, the school had grown to include elementary grades, and was aren’t affiliated with a specific religion, so there is no conflict with their accredited by both the Georgia Accreditation Commission and the Small School own churches, mosques, synagogues, or temples. The school does honor Association. and respect various family traditions and holidays; rather than ignoring or The school’s continued growth through the 2000s required moving several squelching celebrations and holidays, it encourages and offers activities for times into larger facilities in East Atlanta. By 2009, the skyrocketing real estate many of the holidays that are left off standard school calendars. Kingfisher market forced Kingfisher to consider relocating outside of Atlanta, and after celebrates differences, while promoting that people tend to be more alike researching various DeKalb communities, the school relocated to Tucker in than different. 2015. Students have a variety of ways to meet education objectives—writing, The school leases space at First Baptist Church of Tucker, but while Kingfisher
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drawing, singing, moving around, or building. Kingfisher students work under a looser structure and with more freedom than in a larger school. Some projects are group-based and some are individual work. Students often research beyond the classroom environment and create something to demonstrate the knowledge gained in a subject, helping to cement the learning and making abstract knowledge more useful. In addition to the standard field trips, students travel into the surrounding community as part of their learning— eating in the restaurants, using the public library and parks, and doing service projects around the neighborhoods that surround the school. Extracurricular activities include options for art, drama, piano, various sports including gymnastics, tennis, taekwondo, swimming and yoga, and library book club. In Atlanta, most of Kingfisher parents were chefs,
Kingfisher holds an annual science fair allowing students to show off their top projects. artists, city workers, or self-employed folks. In Tucker, the school attracts more parents working in technology, teachers, and many CDC or Emory folks, with just a few self-employed workers. Kingfisher fees are structured to cover most details — with a few separate fees for certain books for literature, some art materials, special field trips or other ancillary costs. “We know it’s a sacrifice for many families to send their children to private school,” stated Executive Director Gathmann, “so we try hard to keep our tuition affordable for our middle-class working families.” Currently, Kingfisher Academy enrolls about thirty students, from four to thirteen years of age. This fall, the school will be divided into three classes— one for kids from four- to seven-years old, one for students from eight- to ten-years old, and one class for eleven-years-old and up. These multi-age classes are extremely important to the school mission. Family-based grouping allows children to work on material on their own level while still being part of their own social group. Students may have the same teacher for several years, allowing a true in-depth relationship to develop between the kids and the teacher. The school plans to open on August 31, adhering to CDC recommendations for COVID-19 safety. Classrooms will only host ten students per class, and desks will be spaced to maintain social distancing. Air purifiers will provide sanitary air filtering, and all rooms and equipment will be cleaned and sanitized regularly. Students will also have access to Chromebooks which they can use at home in case of a shelter-in-place order. Kingfisher Academy is located at First Baptist Church of Tucker, at 5073 Lavista Road in Tucker. The full-day program teaches students pre-K through eighth grade. For more information, including fees and registration, visit kingfisheracademy.org or call 678.615.2313.
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Tom Edmondson
Photo: Pam McNall/RespectfulWays.com
The Bits in Between: Can We Cure the Racism Pandemic?
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In June, in the midst of a global pandemic, masses of people emerged from their homes in defiance of COVID-19 restrictions and in support of an idea – to end the police brutality and systemic racism that disproportionately impacts people of color. The demonstrations began in Minneapolis, following the brutal killing by police there of George Floyd, an African-American man accused of passing a counterfeit twenty-dollar bill. After video of his death was widely distributed across social media and news reports, Black Lives Matter began instigating demonstrations that quickly spread across the United States, starting in the big cities and trickling down to small towns. Some of these protests turned violent but for the most part, demonstrations were peaceful but powerful – including those in Tucker. Like elsewhere in the world, Tucker protesters crossed ethnic, race, economic and age boundaries – an example of the growing recognition among all Americans that our social system demands change. Tucker residents banded together to show their support of the BLM movement. Groups organized to display signs and banners at every intersection, and the streets were filled with the noise from motorists honking their approval. Tucker consumers posted referrals and reviews of black-owned businesses on Tucker Town Talk (the community Facebook page). Americans are now talking to family and friends about race and racial equality; a recent Pew report showed that 69% of those surveyed, including majorities across racial and ethnic groups, say they have done so in the last month. The events of the past few weeks served as a catalyst for a broader movement but will it sustain momentum or disappear in the next news cycle? The world has been fighting a virus for the past six months but we’ve been harboring an insidious disease in our global population for hundreds of years that has killed millions and permanently scarred those who survived. Like with COVID-19, many of us think we don’t have it because we aren’t displaying obvious symptoms. Thorough testing will identify who is infected, and like COVID, there are many more people with the virus than we realize. But knowing we are infected with the virus is the first step in treating it. Are the events of the past few weeks a test for racism? And how will you seek a cure?
Lizbeth A. Dison, Publisher and Editor
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Wellness In-Sight: Thriving in Uncertain Times Cindy E. Farrar At the onset of the sheltering in place, during my prayer and meditation, I asked, “How can I contribute in a meaningful way during this time?” It was placed upon my heart that I needed to continue to provide opportunities for others to maintain wellness, personal development, and stay connected. The complimentary weekly Wednesday morning Zoom discussion group, “Thriving in Uncertain Times,” was launched. When the “I” in illness is replaced by “we” it becomes wellness: the deliberate collective effort toward health and longevity. This inspired my intention for the group: to bring together individuals from different backgrounds and places in life, to engage in meaningful discussion and support while identifying tools to help negotiate these times. Drawing on my training as a Certified Life Coach, I facilitate the discussions each week, exploring themes that emerge, or pertinent perspectives that I come across. The week I felt the group became grounded in its purpose, we were discussing the quote, “We are gardening in the dark;” we are blindly planting seeds for an unknown future. To reap a bountiful harvest is going to take a collective endeavor, like that of a community garden. We each have our patch of soil to prep, plant, and tend. How well we care for our plot can have direct impact on everyone else’s. However, while responsible for our own garden, we are also available to lend a hand on another’s if needed. The conversation also led us to the role of Victory Gardens during WWII. Initially, the gardens were planted to ease the demand on the food supply. Their significance grew to become symbols of hope and triumph. The group
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was so connected during this discussion that one member not on the Zoom that week, without knowing what we had discussed, afterward let us know he couldn’t be with us because during that time he was having his vegetable garden installed! In a time of much change and upheaval, the richness of connection is far more than I could’ve hoped for the group. The “we” has evolved into its greatest manifestation - a COMMUNITY. Cindy E. Farrar, LMT, BCTMB, CLC is a licensed massage therapist, certified life coach and the owner of Massage Associates of Atlanta, LLC (Lavista Road in Tucker). In addition, she is a certified Qi Gong instructor and a nationally approved continuing education provider for massage therapy and bodywork. Cindy enjoys sharing insights on wellness and personal and community development as a speaker and writer.
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Age Friendly Tucker: Avoiding Cybercrime While Aging in Place Ron Culler Today’s world is more connected than ever; even old friends you lost touch with or those who are halfway across the world are effortlessly reachable. But the benefits of digital communication come with downsides. Despite increased publicity and warnings, the sad truth remains: seniors are a prime target of online scammers, hackers, and cybercriminals. Boomers are Booming According to AARP, 87 percent of adults over 65 want to stay in their current home and maintain their current lifestyle. And there are more and more of them pursuing this goal - as baby boomers age, an unprecedented demographic shift is unfolding. In the next decade, Americans over 65 are projected to outnumber children for the first time in history. While challenges remain, in many ways today’s seniors enjoy more flexibility than ever - as demonstrated by the “aging in place” trend. “’Aging in Place’ is all about using resources (technology, equipment, inhome caregivers, and knowledge) to stay at home as long - and safely – as possible.” (The Senior List) The Impact is Real Staying in your home as a senior has never been easier—as long as you’re equipped with the right tools, including the knowledge and protection to fight online financial fraud. The financial losses inflicted by scams targeting seniors is estimated at almost $3 billion annually and the scams that put seniors at risk can run the gamut from fake texts from “Amazon” to calls from impostors impersonating the IRS, both of which are incidents that have spiked since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. According to the FTC, “When older consumers experience consumer fraud, their reported financial losses were greater than what younger consumers reported.” And as CNBC reports, “Older Americans are especially at risk and those over 65 are 34 percent more likely to have lost money on a financial scam than people in their 40s.” Far from only affecting seniors themselves, the emotional and financial effects of these incidents can impact their families and children as well. The good news? There are simple steps families and seniors can take to vastly minimize these risks—and gain greater peace of mind.
There is a Solution To help seniors avoid falling victim to these threats, cybersecurity and identity theft protection is a great safety net option. Cybersecurity might sound like something only big companies and governments need to worry about, but in 2020, individuals are just as much at risk from hacking and cyber-scams as larger entities—and often much less equipped to defend themselves. To keep yourself and your loved ones safe, we recommend the following services and actions: • Anti-virus and computer protection • Password management • Identity theft expense reimbursement • Dark web monitoring • 24/7 fraud incident resolution • Credit monitoring, scores and reports • Annual credit reports • Change of address monitoring • Public, courts and criminal records monitoring Choose a service provider you trust and put your loved ones at ease— everyone deserves to enjoy their golden years with relaxation, peace, and joy. With the right plan in place, you can have the best of both worlds: seamless modern communication and connection—backed by advanced, 24/7 protection. Our regular Age-Friendly Tucker columnist, Dr. Lois Ricci, is taking a summer break in July but she’ll be back next month. Our guest columnist for July is Ron Culler, senior director of technology and solutions, ADT Cybersecurity.
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Common Sen$e: Old Dogs and New Tricks Art Wood Back in 2001, I remember walking into a sandwich shop franchise with my Dad for lunch. The store was outdated, and the menu had not been changed in twenty years. We both acknowledged that this place wouldn’t make it because of their lack of flexibility to change with the market; their largest competitor, now found on every street corner, was nimble and open for change as they saw the need. We have experienced a lot of that change over the last three months with COVID. The global slowdown has seen great companies struggle and we have watched how each one responds to the change. Some have embraced the change and made lemonade out of lemons, and some have not had such foresight. I have read so many stories about distilleries shifting to make hand sanitizer, equipment factories shifting to make ventilators, and restaurants shifting to take-out and delivery only. It has been truly amazing to watch how the successful companies embraced the need for quick change. I think the saying is “necessity is the mother of invention!” The mortgage industry has had to shift a lot as well. A few of the challenges we have had to overcome are: • How do we do closings that are typically done in person? • How do we provide accurate title work when the courthouses are closed? • How do you do an appraisal in a time of social distancing? To compound the situation, every single person in the mortgage business is slammed with record low rates and 400% capacity issues. Some of the things we have done to accommodate the changing environment include ZOOM closings on just about every refinance, or if the closing is in person, it is limited to the signer and the attorney. With regards to appraisals, we have seen more (but not all) appraisal requirements being waived, or in a lot of instances, just a desktop appraisal is needed. But perhaps the BIGGEST change we have seen is the realization of many companies (not just in the mortgage space) that they don’t need these great big offices. I was having lunch with a buddy in the mortgage industry yesterday, and he said his loan officers have been more productive working remotely and he was trading in his big office lease for something much more reasonable in size and cost. I think the same lessons can be learned by all of us, not just those in business. 2020 has been tough on a lot of people, and the hard thing is not knowing when, or IF, things will return to “normal.” The question that needs to be asked daily is “How well are you positioned to change? To be able to shift in the face of adversity?” To paraphrase other old quote, “You CAN teach an old dog new tricks.” This old dog has had to learn a lot of new tricks. Art Wood (NMLS #118234) is the branch manager of Legacy Mortgage Team of Goldwater Bank, located at 2341 Main Street in downtown Tucker. “Tucker’s Mortgage Guy” for fifteen years, he is a former Tucker Tiger (Class of ’92), and co-founder and organizer of Taste of Tucker. Family guy, community guy, and definitely not your typical mortgage guy - it’s all that he does that makes Art Wood who he is. Contact him at 678.534.5834 or art.wood@goldwaterbank.com.
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FODAC Run Walk ‘n’ Roll is a Virtual Success Our Town DeKalb Staff Many non-profit organizations this year have had to postpone or cancel major fund-raising events because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting social restrictions. Rather than cancel one of its major fundraisers, Tucker organization Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC) reimagined its 20th Annual Run Walk ‘n Roll as a “virtual” event. On May 9, 175 participants across thirteen states “got moving” through a variety of activities anywhere they chose, whether inside in the comfort of their home or outside while observing safe habits like social distancing or wearing masks. People ran or walked on a treadmill, rolled through their neighborhood, hiked a trail, rode bikes, worked out, did yoga – anything to keep moving and raise funds from sponsors. Many participants posted on social media photos and videos of themselves in action with the hashtag #MovingWithFODAC. The event raised over $45,000, a record amount of funds to support FODAC’s mission to provide home medical equipment (HME), such as wheelchairs, shower benches and walkers, at little to no cost for mobility-challenged recipients and their families and caregivers. For more information on FODAC or to make a donation, visit fodac.org.
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Tucker residents Gloria Brand and Scott Schwartz actively raised funds for FODAC during its virtual RWnR.
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Cleaning in the Time of Pandemic Our Town DeKalb Staff COVID-19 created a daunting challenge for businesses as they had to suddenly and quickly reinvent everything they did – from serving customers with limited physical contact to conducting business with a homebound workforce. High on the priority list was keeping everyone safe from the virus, which offered the cleaning industry unique opportunities during a crisis which was devastating every other industry. While many of their customers were experiencing significant drops in business, Starlene Kirkland and Tracey Bolton, co-owners of Swept Away Cleaning, suddenly found their company in unprecedented demand. Custodial services nationwide added over 68,000 jobs in May; in fact, the cleaning industry was the only industry to remain strong through all phases of the pandemic. Swept Away Cleaning was no exception; the company did not close during the recommended “shelter-in-place” imposed across Georgia during April and June, but provided essential cleaning services to both residential and commercial customers during that time. “Our business did slow down a bit at the start of the pandemic, because of initial caution and confusion on the part of our customers,” said Kirkland. “Information on handling COVID was changing quickly and often, and customers just were unsure as to how to maintain their safety from infection.” Like many businesses, Kirkland and Bolton had to quickly adjust to the “new normal” of doing business, which as a cleaning service involved different complexities than other industries. Work schedules were adjusted to more readily accommodate office staff working from home. Social distancing and face masks were required when in the office, and employees had to take their temperature every day as well as watch for any of the COVID-19 symptoms, reporting if they felt they had been exposed or symptomatic, and quarantining if necessary. Taking advantage of the downtime at the beginning of the pandemic, Kirkland and Bolton implemented intense in-office training on COVID-19, to prepare their cleaning staff for the stricter cleaning standards necessary to combat a biohazard like COVID-19. They worked with the local and state health departments to ensure a thorough knowledge of required protocols and guidelines for cleaning and disinfection, ensuring their customers could rely on Swept Away to keep them safe and healthy, their homes sanitized and disinfected. They also followed daily news reports on how the virus was trending, especially in DeKalb County which was one of Georgia’s “hot spots.” “Prior to COVID-19, we always followed a more stringent regimen of cleaning, so we didn’t need to change a lot of our basic cleaning methods,” continued Kirkland. “Now we are taking extra precautions, such as interacting with our customers more by phone or email., and we practice social distancing on the job or in the office. We wash our hands for twenty seconds when entering and when leaving a house or business, and wear personal protective equipment (PPE), such as masks, gloves, and shoe covers,
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whenever interacting with a customer or when on client premises. We sanitize or disinfect our vacuum cleaners and other equipment in between jobs, and disinfecting cleaners are always left on surfaces the instructed amount of time.” Swept Away has also stepped up to help community members through this crisis. It has added additional services like personal shopper and errand assistance for clients. In April, the company also held a one-day drive-thru giveaway of free disinfectant and toilet paper for community members who couldn’t find these vital supplies on their own. Left-over supplies were donated to Rehoboth Food Pantry to package with other pantry items for those in need. As the pandemic and the health recommendations evolve, Swept Away continues to constantly update its customers, even making personal phone calls for wellness checks and adjusting service timing for customer convenience. Even though the company will work hard to keep its customers clean and safe during this time, Kirkland still advises customers to take some responsibility for safety in between their visits. “Everyone should continue to wear masks and gloves when in a public environment. Wash your hands frequently, and for the recommended twenty seconds. Use sanitizing wipes on cell phones, doorknobs, light fixtures and other frequently touched areas. And remember to sanitize and disinfect.” The CDC “Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools, and Homes” is available for download from cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019.
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Back Talk: This July, Declare Your Independence from Pain Karl Schwartz, DC When I celebrate our Independence Day, I immediately think back on our country’s beginnings. I think of the physical, mental, and emotional risks that our Founding Fathers took to free us from the tyranny of England. To me, the opportunity of living in this great country is directly related to the idealism our Founding Fathers held for themselves and future generations for a life of liberty, freedom, and the novel idea of democracy, giving each and every one of us the opportunity to be the best we can be. I am proud of our country and I think of each war we endured in order to continue the “fight” to be free. My dad was a veteran and I wish to continue to honor and to help our veterans in any way I can. However, I am dismayed to learn that our military’s health insurance programs do not yet cover chiropractic care. When I think of the many careers that require a healthy spine and nervous system, the first one that comes to mind is our active military. Not only do they have to endure a challenging basic training bootcamp, but the physical demands continue with active service, not to mention the continuous mental and emotional stress that comes with the job Running five to ten miles daily with a forty-pound backpack can easily compress the spine and cause premature degeneration in the disks (Degenerative Disk Disease). The disks hold the bones of the spine (vertebrae) apart so that the delicate nerves, which are a direct extension of the brain, can exit from the spine without pressure. Messages from the brain can be sent to the rest of the body without distortion. The receptors in the organs, muscles, and tissue send a reply message back through the spinal cord to the brain, in order to maintain homeostasis (normal function). So, multiply that one daily five or ten mile run by fifty, and one hundred or more throughout a military career, and you can easily understand why nearly all military personnel need regular chiropractic care. And although there may be a chiropractor on staff at the military base, veterans report that chiropractic care is not utilized regularly and certainly not as a preventative treatment. The result is that most veterans retire with bodies that are run down, not functioning well, and the vast majority suffer with chronic pain, dysfunction, and degeneration. We daily see and help patients who have a similar path and end up in our office looking for the cause of their pain and health ailments. In celebration of our Independence Day, if you are a veteran, (active or non-active), and you find yourself not living a life that is pain-free, resilient, and physically happy and healthy, why not try chiropractic care, and celebrate a new kind of freedom!
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Dr Karl Schwartz is a graduate of Life University in Marietta, Georgia; he has been practicing chiropractic in Tucker for twenty-one years and a resident here for fifteen years. His office specializes in preventing sports injuries and maximizing performance by analyzing posture, weight bearing, and gait. If you have a question you would like addressed in a future column, please email karlschwartzdc@gmail.com. Note “Back Talk” in the subject line.
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Beauty Byline with Sanah Here Comes the Sun! Sanah Sayani The sun is out and summer is finally here! COVID-19 may have kept you indoors and in your PJs for most of spring but now that summer is here, it’ll be very hard not to step out and enjoy the outdoors. As the sun’s rays shine down upon your face, it’s important to protect that beautiful skin of yours and that means… sunscreen! YES, you need it, indoors and outdoors, every day. Applying sunscreen regularly can help decrease the risk of skin damage and skin cancer. Daily use can reduce risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma by about forty percent and lower melanoma risk by fifty percent. It can also help prevent premature skin aging. I’m not going to go deeply into the science behind why you need it (cancer = bad) but rather focus on what you should be looking for when purchasing the right sunscreen for you. According to skincancer.org, there are three things to note when selecting sunscreen: • Broad spectrum which protects your skin from UVA and UVB rays. The sun emits two types of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Ultraviolet A (UVA) rays cause tanning and premature aging and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays cause sunburn. Broad spectrum protects your skin from both types of rays. • SPF (Sun Protection Factor). The SPF number tells you how long the sun’s rays will take to redden your skin. If the number is 30, it means it would take you thirty times longer to burn than if you used no sunscreen. Experts recommend choosing SPF 30 or higher even if you do not plan on being outdoors.
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Body, Mind and Breathe Tuesday & Thursday 1:00pm Details ~ massageassociates.net/Classes
• Water resistance. Go for the water-resistant option. Even if you don’t plan on going for a swim, a water-resistant sunscreen will stay on longer. Sunscreens, on average, should be reapplied every two hours but more frequently if you’re going in and out of the pool or working outdoors and sweating. Make it a rule of thumb to always check the ingredients on any beauty product, including sunscreen. Physical or mineral sunscreens made with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide block sun rays before they can penetrate your skin. Chemical ingredients like avobenzone or octyl salicylate absorb UV rays before they can damage your skin. If your skin is acne-prone or sensitive, go for the mineral option. At the end of the day, no sunscreen is going to protect your skin completely. Dermatologists say SPF 30 filters about ninety-seven percent of UV rays, meaning it allows about three percent to reach your skin. To truly cut down on sun damage, experts recommend layers of clothes, hats, and sunglasses. Finally, the best sunscreen is the one you will actually wear. My recommendation is to try out a few different kinds and find the one that works for you. I currently use Neutrogena’s Age Shield Face oil-free SPF 110. I like trying out new products, so write to me at threadbeautyspa@gmail.com and tell me your favorite sunscreen! Sanah Sayani is a master cosmetologist and owner of Thread Beauty Spa (4426 Hugh Howell Road in the ucker Publix shopping center). Her monthly column seeks t o answer readers’ beauty concerns; write to her at threadbeautyspa@gmail.com, or drop by the shop to ask her in person!
5165 Lavista Rd., Tucker, GA 30084 ~770.493.8181 ~ massageassociates.net
“Be at Home in Your Body”
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Our Town DeKalb
...at it’s finest! Local and farm fresh, Sherry’s produce is our exclusive source for fresh vege�a�les and frui�s. �ome �as�e �he di�erence��
SHOPS OF HERITAGE PLACE 4450 Hugh Howell Road, Tucker, GA 30084
Our Town DeKalb
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www.MagnoliaRoomTucker.com
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(770) 864-1845
To become an Our Town DeKalb advertising partner, email info@OurTownDeKalb.com or call 770.621.9041
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To become an Our Town DeKalb advertising partner, email info@OurTownDeKalb.com or call 770.621.9041
Our Town DeKalb