4 TASTE OF TUCKER Returns to Main Street
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8 Age Friendly Tucker: Effective Communication Requires Multiple Tactics 11 Back Talk: Fall Returns – and So Does Stress 21 Tucker Candidate Forums Planned for September
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Our Town DeKalb
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
select homes in the Tucker / Northeast DeKalb area. Opinions expressed by the writers and staff are their Creative Director own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Jay Adcock the publisher. Our Town DeKalb reserves the right jay@adcockcreativegroup.com 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 Writers validity of claims made by advertisers.
Cindy E. Farrar Doug Reynics Lois Ricci Sanah Sayani Karl Schwartz Art Wood
Entire contents copyright 2021 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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4426 Hugh Howell Road, Suite 307B Tucker, Georgia 30084 770.621.9041 | info@ourtowndekalb.com
IN THIS ISSUE 4 TASTE OF TUCKER Returns to Main Street 6 The Bits in Between: Keep Local Business Alive 7 Wellness In-Sight: Our Superpower (Yielding, Part 2) 8 Age Friendly Tucker: Effective Communication Requires Multiple Tactics 9 Common Sen$e: Don’t Trade Good Credit for a Free T-Shirt 10 Food for Thought: Cherokee Rose BBQ Heralds a Rebirth of Stone Mountain Village 11 Back Talk: Fall Returns – and So Does Stress 12 Beauty Byline with Sanah: The Lazy Person’s Guide to Skin Care 14 Rotary Club of Tucker Inducts New Officers and Board for 2021-2022 17 Kroger Partners with Lyft for Rides to COVID Vaccinations 18 New Streaming Network to Headquarter in Tucker 21 Tucker Candidate Forums Planned for September 22 Tucker First United Methodist Plans Great Day of Service for September ON THE COVER: Main Street during Taste of Tucker on Saturday, October 5, 2019.
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On The Cover:
TASTE OF
TUCKER
Returns to Main Street L.A. Dison After the COVID pandemic forced many events to move online last year, one of Tucker’s most popular celebrations returns to Main Street this fall. Taste of Tucker is scheduled for Saturday, October 2, offering the best of local cuisine and musical entertainment to attendees hungry for socialization. Founders Art and Karen Wood are excited to bring the event back to Main Street after last year’s turn as a virtual event. “We didn’t want to skip last year, as so many Main Street events did in 2020 because of COVID,” said Art. “But
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the 2020 virtual event raised only half the funds of the 2019 event, and did not offer as much support to the restaurants as we would have liked. We felt it was important to bring people back to Main Street this year, not just to remind people how diverse and firstrate Tucker cuisine is, but because people are ready to reconnect with their community.” Art was born and raised in Tucker, a former Tucker High Tiger (class of 1992). Local residents know Art as “Tucker’s Mortgage Guy;” as the producing branch manager of Art Wood Mortgage Team of Goldwater Bank, for fifteen years he has helped thousands of people realize their dreams of home ownership. His office is on Main Street and he is an active member of both the Old Town Tucker Merchants Association (OTTMA) and the Tucker Business Association (TBA). Both Art and his wife Karen have a long-term relationship with Tucker, and Taste of Tucker was a way to “give back” to a community that had given them so much. Founded in 2010, the original festival was held on the grounds of Tucker First United Methodist Church, and featured local
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Christian bands while about 500 attendees enjoyed offerings from thirteen food vendors stationed along a side street near the church. By 2013, the event had outgrown the church campus, and was moved to Main Street and expanded to include a wider variety of food vendors and musical performers. That year, it attracted almost 4,000 attendees, and continued to grow in attendance until it topped 6,000 in 2019. Over the years, Taste of Tucker has raised over $100,000; when it moved online in 2020 due to COVID, for the first time the event saw a decrease in fundraising. The Woods are optimistic about 2021. “Tucker has always fostered a wonderful sense of community, and people felt that loss during the last eighteen months,” said Art. “People are ready to get back out and see their neighbors and friends. Taste of Tucker has been successful in the past as a street fair, and we feel strongly that both attendance and fundraising will surpass 2020 levels with this year’s event.” Funds raised by Taste of Tucker will benefit primarily Camp Kudzu, a non-profit offering camping and outdoor activities for families, children and teens living with type 1 diabetes. A portion of the proceeds will also support the Tucker community, through donations to OTTMA, which uses its funds for various downtown improvements, and NETWorks Cooperative Ministry, which addresses food and financial needs for residents of Tucker, Northlake and Embry Hills. Taste of Tucker will be on Main Street on Saturday, October 2 from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. At press time, twenty-three restaurants have committed to the event but check the Taste of Tucker Facebook page for updated restaurant and music lists. Tickets are available for sale onsite day of the event, or for presale at eventbrite.com. (Search for Taste of Tucker 2021.)
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These are the restaurants and sponsors participating in Taste of Tucker as of press time. Check the Taste of Tucker website (tasteoftucker.com) or on Facebook for an updated list of participants. 1910 Public House Bell Street Burritos Cherokee Rose BBQ Bar and Kitchen Chick fil A Tucker Station The Corner Cup Coffee Dairy Queen Ford’s BBQ Grecian Gyro Hot Betty’s Breakfast Bar Jimmy John’s Just Bakery The Local 7
MeatBallerz Magnolia Room Cafeteria Marlow’s Tavern Matthew’s Cafeteria Smoke Rise Country Club Sprig Restaurant Trinity Soup Kitchen Tucker Brewing Company Tucker Meat Market Uncle Maddio’s Pizza Village Burger
SPONSORS Alpine Fresh Atlanta Magazine Cornerstone Team Realty Discover DeKalb Georgia United Credit Union Grecian Gyro KedPlasma Keller Williams Atlanta Partners
Park Springs Polyglot Labs Pontoon Brewing Company RES Roger Orlando Smoke Rise Agents Team Tucker First United Methodist Church
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The Bits in Between: Keep Local Business Alive Last month, we saw two Tucker Main Street businesses close their doors for good. For ten years, The Garden Enthusiast had supported gardeners and backyard nature watchers; for ten months, Nailed It DIY Studio had brought out the creative side in kids and adults alike with crafting classes. While the pandemic may have contributed much to their demise, it can’t be totally blamed. Each of these businesses had a variety of factors that combined to bring about their closing, and many of those factors had no easy solutions. When each of these businesses announced their closing on social media, the posts were flooded with comments, many expressing surprise, sadness, or condolences. But how many of these people had actually supported the businesses? Are we sometimes partly to blame when our business neighbor decides to throw in the towel? Many of the social media commenters had frequented the businesses but also many of them had never set foot in the door. When any business closes, it is a loss to the community in terms of lost jobs and reduced resources. But when a local business owner decides to close up shop, they aren’t just losing their job but the jobs of many others, and often a substantial personal investment of time and money. They have to deal with a sense of loss, of failure, and of letting customers and employees down. Losing a business is probably one of the worst events in a person’s life. While we can’t be responsible for a pandemic, or for a bad economy, we can still support local businesses, even in the bad times. Shopping in-person over the past eighteen months might have been difficult; could we have changed our business more to online? Amazon reported record earnings during the pandemic; how much online shopping did we route to our local businesses? How many of us expressed sadness over a business closing but had never gone into the shop? Did we spend any time promoting the business or its resources to others? Businesses don’t go out in a vacuum. If you hear, think or know a business is struggling, ask how you can help. Business owners are our neighbors; if your next-door neighbor was ill and struggling, wouldn’t you ask how you could help? Small Business Saturday is November 27, when holiday shoppers are encouraged to patronize brick and mortar businesses that are small and local rather than big-box stores or online retailers. Make sure this year you honor your local businesses but don’t wait until then to come into one and shop. Let them know you value their contributions to the community. Go in today and buy something.
Lizbeth A. Dison Publisher and Editor
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Wellness In-Sight: Our Superpower (Yielding, Part 2) Cindy E. Farrar Wellness InCindy Farrar We are onE. the cusp of another seasonal change, marking an additional milestone on our journey. At month’s end, we will have completed three quarters of our 2021 ‘road trip.’ Last month, we took an introductory look at the role of yielding and its potential in our journey. Its great significance makes it feel important to spend time further exploring some specific aspects of yielding. There are times along our journey when the need to push through our current place of being and doing and feeling supersedes all else. Sometimes it is necessary to get us to the next moment. It becomes problematic, however, when that moment becomes the next moment and the next and so on until it is our default in all circumstances. This characteristic is often connected with our concern over giving in or giving up. It tends to speak to our sense of power, our ability to do or act. The perception that if we yield, we are giving up our power is misconstrued. Despite what our minds tell us and that which has been espoused around this concept of surrendering, to yield is to cease to resist, not ceasing to exist. Think about times in which you were resisting something. What feelings, physical and emotional, are evoked? How much energy were you expending? Did you feel powerful? The metaphor that comes to my mind is wrestling. There comes a point when a wrestler’s offensive moves are thwarted, and evasive tactics ineffective. The wrestler is pinned to the mat by their opponent and rendered powerless. Resisting is no longer productive. To persist could even cause injury. Surrendering is not only necessary, it is the wisest decision. Yielding to their opponent then allows the wrestler to get up from the vulnerable position and resume a standing position of potential power. In a more tangible physical example, our bodies are communicating with us continually. Some of the communication is to alert us to potential harm. If we miss or ignore the signals, they will become more pronounced. The longer the pattern continues, the more at risk we place our bodies and potentially our lives depending upon the condition. Our ability to do or act as we had is now in jeopardy. Our power now lies in yielding, responding to the cues our body has been sending and acting accordingly. We can also encounter this conflict with yielding when negotiating emotions and feelings. Few things can trigger emotions of powerlessness more than when strong feelings are brewing. At the same time little is as empowering than acting on our courage and allowing ourselves to experience our feelings. Researcher, storyteller and author Brene Brown expands the definition of power to be “the ability to achieve purpose and affect change.” When we resist the opportunity for expression, pressure on the walls of our internal emotional dam continues to build. Over time the walls will weaken. At some
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point the feelings will break through. If we allow ourselves the choice to yield, the catharsis can become our superpower. We will be in a better position to achieve purpose and affect change within ourselves and our external world. 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: Effective Communication Requires Multiple Tactics Dr. Lois Ricci Humans have always had an essential need for communication, with the technology evolving along with human civilization. Communication transfers information to produce greater understanding, and remains one of life’s most important skills. Today, people communicate in ways few could have imagined a decade ago, with 4.66 billion active internet users worldwide - 59.5 percent of the global population. Of this total, 92.6 percent (4.32 billion) access the internet via mobile devices. A world without the internet is unimaginable. Connecting billions of people worldwide, the internet is a core pillar of the modern information society. But Age-Friendly Communities recognize that information needs to be shared through a variety of methods since not everyone is tech-savvy, and not everyone has a smartphone or home-based access to or interest in the internet. Communication is one of the eight domains addressed in the Age Friendly Tucker Action Plan, which includes both digital and “old-school” methods of transferring information. Albert and Mary Still are leading the communications plans for the Action Plan; they are long-time members of the Tucker Optimists Club as well as the Tucker Civic Association. • The Tucker Civic Association website (tuckercivic.org) has been updated and made more user-friendly, with links to pages for the Lifelong Community Committee and Age Friendly Tucker as well as many other Tucker organizations and services. • Bulletin boards will be created at several locations such as city hall, libraries, schools, grocery stores, big box stores, and Main Street, where information and resources will be posted for visitors. • A community directory of existing organizations and activities will be created and regularly updated. • This directory will be distributed electronically to the listed organizations, schools, employment organizations, athletic organizations, Tucker Cofer library, places of worship and other appropriate organizations, for easy access to interested parties. • This directory in pamphlet form will be distributed to new residents and new businesses via welcome packets. • Wi-Fi will be available at no charge in public places citywide.
Dr. Lois Ricci is a longtime resident of Tucker, where she chairs the Tucker Civic Association Lifelong Community Committee. She serves as an adjunct faculty member at Kennesaw State University, where she teaches gerontology courses and the Professional Development in Gerontology Certificate Class. Ricci also serves as an official representative for American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), co-facilitator for the Rosalyn Carter CareNet, and on the board of the Atlanta Regional Commission Advisory Committee on Aging.
Being able to communicate our thoughts, opinions, and wishes to others has always been important for our individual and species survival. In today’s technological world, where people are isolated as much as connected, this ability is more important than ever. We can’t not communicate. Thanks to modern technologies, we can now connect to virtually any person from any place. The evolution of communication is an on-going project, but the same techniques may not work for all people in all situations. The culture of each person, his or her gender, the environment, and the individual’s goals will determine how the person approaches and accesses communication. The task for a lifelong or age friendly city is to work to make information accessible to everyone however they best communicate.
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Common Sen$e: Don’t Trade Good Credit for a Free T-Shirt Art Wood If you went to college, you know the endless credit card offers that you receive in the mail on a daily basis. They all sound so attractive. Get a free T-shirt! Get $50 in bill credit! No payment for 60 days! The deals go on and on. This may be the first time many young adults are faced with the kinds of financial decisions that are potentially also life-altering, and they are often ill-equipped to make the right decisions. I have spoken a lot about credit in my column here. In my line of work, I see all the nightmares that poor credit decisions create. If you can avoid early financial missteps, you will have a leg up when you go to buy your first car or house. My first suggestion to students is to just throw all those credit card solicitations away - plain and simple advice. I know those offers are like the new “shiny object,” and they make them feel all grown-up, but they should find another way to feel more mature. Credit cards, and debt in general, are not to be messed with. Let them ask any adult about the weight of paying off their debt. It is like a ton of bricks. My second suggestion comes straight from my Dad! If they do indeed open a credit card, listen to his words. “If you can’t pay cash for it, then don’t buy it.” Notice he didn’t say NOT to buy stuff on a credit card, just don’t leverage yourself and put money on credit cards. Sometimes credit cards can be super convenient. I use them all the time, but I pay my balance off every month, even when it hurts. One of the reasons I do this is because I hate to pay interest, and credit card interest is the worst. Banks try to lure you in with low up-front or promotional interest rates, but then at the end of the promotional period, raise the interest rates to often over 20%. If you carry over a balance from the promotional period, you never seem to make a dent in it, but end up paying the interest and never the balance. My last suggestion is to set your payments on auto draft so you never miss a payment. Racking up credit card debt is bad enough, but you are toast if you miss payments. I learned the hard way about this. I am not organized and would often procrastinate until I missed a payment, and then have to suffer the consequences of penalties, increased balances and negative credit reports. When you set up auto draft, you have the choice to auto draft the full balance or the minimum payment. Per the last paragraph, you know what I recommend, but if you decide NOT to do that, please set it up to at least pay the minimum payment so you are never late or get behind on payments. Another one of Dad’s favorite sayings was, “Always come from a position of strength.” College is the start of a student’s financial journey and these decisions will help shape their life for years to come. If they can abide by these simple steps, they will be coming at life from a position of strength!
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Art Wood (NMLS #118234) is the branch manager of The Art Wood 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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Food for Thought: Cherokee Rose BBQ Heralds a Rebirth of Stone Mountain Village Doug Reynics I have been following, with great anticipation, the recent opening of Cherokee Rose BBQ, located in the heart of Stone Mountain Village. Owner Jonathan Hartnett invested three years in the construction and planning of Cherokee Rose, and it was worth the wait. Joining Hartnett on this culinary adventure are equity partners Gregg Herndon, chef owner of Tiburon Grill and Redfish, and Josh Brewer, bar manager with thirty years’ experience; these partners bring a wealth of strength and stability to Cherokee Rose. Hartnett grew up only minutes away from the Village; he went to school close by and worked at Mama Mia’s in high school. While he currently resides in Smoke Rise, he still feels rooted to the Village, and really wanted to make a splash there. People living in Stone Mountain believe the Village is poised for a come-back, but there have been very few new businesses and attractions to create a buzz - until now. The plan for Cherokee Rose began on paper as a simple BBQ and Brew but was soon elevated to a much more complex menu, inspired by what was revealed by the walls during renovation and the rich history of the surroundings. When you walk in, notice the décor. See a pattern? Much of the wood on the walls and the tables are from an old barn. The names of the horses are on the walls and even the bar. The construction of the bar is an intentional shape of a horseshoe - inspired by Hartnett’s time working at a bar in England. I have eaten there twice and am thoroughly impressed with every aspect of the casual yet fine dining. Highlights of our meals thus far: • The pork belly rib - something nobody is putting on a plate but Cherokee Rose. • The creamed turnips - inspired by old school steak house creamed spinach but in line with the southern roots of the restaurant. • The Chocolate Pot de Crème - a cooked custard that contains heavy cream and egg yolks. • Several house-made cocktails - bearing the names of the horses. • The rainbow trout - the most popular menu item based on social media comments. I look forward to trying it on our next visit. There is space for dining, for having a drink at the bar, and even private meeting and dining rooms. Before Cherokee Rose, diners had few options in the Village to drink and dine, but now there’s a new choice to stay local and do both in a relaxed, comfortable space. Cherokee Rose is currently open every day for dinner from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. The owners have plans to begin brunch service soon and lunch service when “the time is right.” I sincerely wish for Cherokee Rose BBQ a long and glorious stay in the Village, and I hope you will give them a try. Doug Reynics is a longtime Tucker resident and self-described “foodie.” Many know him as “Doug the Driver,” who provides rides to and from both the domestic and international airport terminals. (To date, his service has provided 1,650 airport rides!) If you have a food story or question you would like to see him write about, email him at dougthedriver1@gmail.com.
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Back Talk: Fall Returns – and So Does Stress Dr. Karl Schwartz Welcome to fall! As a kid, I never thought I’d actually look forward to September and the beginning of fall. Then, September was the return to early rising, long days at school, studying, testing, learning, all while being in the pool six to seven days per week for swim team practice. It was a grueling schedule but it was the foundation for my adult life to follow. September is also rife with new stressors for parents, particularly getting the kids back to school and on track with their studies and daily routines. For other parents, perhaps they are stressed getting a child ready for their first year of college. Of course, all of these returning and new situations create stress on both sides, for the parents and the kids. So, what can we do to alleviate these stressors? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. First, we must be aware that we are entering into a busy time of the year. A well-thoughtout plan can facilitate new ventures; preparation and planning are musts for minimizing daily stress for both old and young alike. Remember that all work and no play make Johnny or Joanie a dull boy or girl. Everyone should take some time daily to rest and recharge. I used to do all my work, and then reward myself with some time outside or hanging out with friends. There are many additional ways to relax: yoga, stretching, resistance or weight training, partaking in any sport you like, walking the dog,
bicycling, hiking, or rollerblading. Pretty much any activity that you do in the great outdoors will help to decrease your stress and increase your energy. This will also prepare your body and mind for the following day. Our bodies need activity to encourage our bodies into deeper, more restorative sleep. If your dog exhibits too much indoor hostility, getting it outdoors to run or move will improve its attitude or demeanor. The same is true with adolescents, teens, and adults. We must have balance in our lives. If we are spending most of our time working our minds, we must also balance that with physical activity, preferably outdoors. All stress that we experience in our lives is manifested in our brain and expressed in our nervous system. If not handled appropriately, these stressors can cause dysfunction in our bodies, muscular systems, and eventually in our organ systems. The easiest way to neutralize this stress and to maximize our health is to get our spines checked monthly. Spinal adjustments help to decrease pressure on nerves and optimize our body’s health. Has your family had their spinal check-ups this month? 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: The Lazy Person’s Guide to Skin Care Sanah Sayani “These products are for lazy people!” exclaimed my client. A light bulb went off in my head. She was right; I love these products and I am super lazy! Eminence Organic Skin Care is a blessing for anyone who is like me. Even though I preach the power of skincare every day, I don’t take ten minutes a week and give myself a facial. I also don’t like feeling dry, but I regularly skip night routines, even though I preach the most important wash of the day is the one at night. And I also know that I need to put down the strawberry cake with cream cheese and pick up a salad because you are what you eat. My clients know that I don’t always practice what I preach because it’s hard. But everything you do or don’t do has an impact on your skin. In that one sentence, my client made me appreciate Eminence products so much more. I went from washing my face once day to twice a day, I’m giving myself weekly facials, and although I may not have put down the cake just yet, I am getting more greens into my skin. Since 1958, Eminence has been using sustainable farming and green practices to create natural, organic and biodynamic products. They literally take the same vegetables and fruits we eat and put them in a bottle. So instead of me having to take time out of my busy schedule to put potato skins on my dark circles, they’ve already squeezed out the juice, mixed it with some other brightening product and put it in a bottle that will last me forever. Can you tell I’m in love? With more than two hundred products and an environmental outreach, there’s a lot to love about Eminence Organic Skin Care. My main skin concerns are hydration, hyperpigmentation and blemishes, and hormonal acne. I spent $200 (that’s a lot for me) on Stone Crop Gel Wash, Lime Refresh Tonique, Eight Greens Phyto Masque, and Stone Crop Whip Moisturizer. I’m pleased to say, “Money well spent!” A little goes a long way with these products; my purchases should last me at least six months which makes them more cost effective than my previous skincare line. Stone Crop is a succulent that hydrates, brightens and heals the skin. Right after the first wash with it, I felt clean and healthy. My hormonal acne has cleared and my blemishes are starting to disappear. The lime juice in the toner is minimizing my pores and the green tea is rich in antioxidants. I put on the masque once a week for hydration and anti-aging. Eminence masques are not the traditional fifteen-minute, leave-on and take-off masks. They are treatments you can sleep in or apply on the body (like a moisturizer), and wash off the next day. Perfect for lazy people like me! I am getting so much from so little and my skin is thanking me for it. The best part about these products is they are gentle and customizable, and can be used all over the body. No matter your concern, there is a natural and organic solution in this line. I recommend visiting eminenceorganics.com and finding a local spa where you can get a facial and pick up a starter kit. And for every product you buy, they plant a tree — ain’t that something! Sanah Sayani is a master cosmetologist and owner of Thread Beauty Spa (4426 Hugh Howell Road in the Tucker Publix shopping center). Her monthly column seeks to answer readers’ beauty concerns; write to her at threadbeautyspa@gmail.com or drop by the shop to ask her in person!
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Rotary Club of Tucker Inducts New Officers and Board for 2021-2022 Our Town DeKalb Staff The Rotary Club of Tucker in July installed its new president and board for the 2020-2021 Rotary year. The induction ceremony was held during the club’s weekly member lunch on Thursday, July 2 in the Fellowship Hall of First Christian Church of Atlanta in Tucker; the oath of office was administered by Rotary District 6900 Past District Governor Margie Kersey, with Assistant District Governor Chris Brand attending. Kellianne King, public health analyst and project officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was installed as the club’s new president, along with the club’s new board members: • Marc Lisenby (president, Master Building Services), secretary • Bill Dowden (owner, Coastal Pond and Fountain Supply) and Wayne Gresham (agent, State Farm Insurance), treasurers • Colin Crawford (president, Chick-fil-A Northlake Festival and Tucker Station), membership chair (left to right) Club Past President Johnathan Clark and Secretary Marc Lisenby celebrate the induction of • Daryl Hubbard (Realtor, RARE Team LLC), community new President Kellianne King. service chair • Joe Williams (visionary, Men in the Kingdom), club administration, newsletter editor and programming • Lizbeth Dison (vice president, Shiny Inc.), public image ® • Nate Martin (CEO, NX2 Agency), webmaster • Renie Halford (retired, DeKalb County School District), sergeant-at-arms and senior advisor What's your Real EstatePlan? Let's talk! • Onuzulike “Nat” Nwizu (administrator, GPA Treatment), international services and Rotary Foundation chair • Penny Stovall (retired, DeKalb Board of Education), literacy Since 2004 • Johnathan Clark (financial advisor, Edward Jones), immediate past president, vocational services and Rotary Means Business Fellowship • DeNorris Heard (attorney, DeNorris A. Heard P.C.), Rotary Youth Exchange and youth service • Graham Stovall (retired, Stovall Marine), fundraising SOLD! $215,000 COMING SOON! • Tom Edmondson (senior pastor, First Christian Church of Atlanta), Favor Road, Marietta Juniper Street, Atlanta Rotarian action group/addiction prevention
Stacy Slocum,Realtor
“Rotary International’s theme for the year is ‘Serve to Change Lives,’” said King. “Through various projects focused on education and literacy, the Tucker Club has sought to change the lives of students both locally and overseas. Rotary teaches us that caring for and serving others is the best way to live because it changes not only other people’s lives, but also our own.”
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Celebrating its 47th year of service, the Rotary Club of Tucker is one of 34,000 member clubs of Rotary International. The club meets every Thursday at noon for lunch in the fellowship hall of First Christian Church of Atlanta (4532 Lavista Road in Tucker), where the meetings are conducted in compliance with COVID safety regulations. Guests are always welcome. To learn more about the club and its upcoming programs, visit tuckerrotary.org, or follow the club on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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Metro Atlanta area, but Tucker is my home!
From Contract to Close, I've got you covered! www.stacyslocum.com Direct: 404-402-5998 sslocum@georgianhomerealty.com
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Our goal has always been to help meet yours. Today, we’re here for you in more ways than ever. With more locations, more services, and more expertise to help you wherever life takes you. This is banking at its best. This is Banking Forward.
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AVP, Branch Manager NMLS# 1934368 9353 Lavista Road, Tucker, GA Office 404.297.2238
800.277.2175 | SouthStateBank.com Member FDIC
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OurTown NE DeKalb Community and Family Magazine
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Kroger Partners with Lyft for Rides to COVID Vaccinations Our Town DeKalb Staff Starting July 14, Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co., has partnered with Lyft Healthcare, Inc., the healthcare subsidiary of rideshare company Lyft, Inc., to provide access to free and discounted rides to and from COVID-19 vaccine appointments. This partnership is part of Lyft’s Vaccine Access Program and Kroger Health’s continued efforts to vaccinate Americans, specifically those in underserved areas. Kroger Health’s partnership with Lyft Healthcare began on July 14th and will provide access to free and discounted rides to individuals in underserved communities across the nation. Individuals who schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment at a participating Kroger Health pharmacy or The Little Clinic will receive a Lyft ride code with their appointment confirmation. The code will cover about $12 per ride to and from the appointment for both one and two dose vaccines. Participating Kroger pharmacies in Tucker include Kroger Northlake (3959 Lavista Road), Kroger Embry Hills (3559 Chamblee Tucker Road) and Kroger Cofer Crossing (4357 Lawrenceville Highway). For a full list of Kroger Pharmacies offering COVID vaccinations and participating in the Lyft ride program, visit kroger.com/rx/covideligibility.
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New Streaming Network to Headquarter in Tucker Our Town DeKalb Staff
Atlanta-based reality television network DTNTV has opened offices here in Tucker for administration and production. The offices are located in the Tucker Professional Center on First Avenue. DTNTV has begun production on a number of shows and films, with other projects greenlit for production before the end of the year. The flagship series of the network, “Rhythm and Success: The Boardroom,” centers around DTNTV CEO Shamiar Spann and several prominent Atlanta-based entrepreneurs as they advise Spann on building a media empire. DTNTV is scheduled to launch in October on its own streaming platform, as well as on Roku, Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Fire TV. The network will also deploy a wide array of social media content with a strong emphasis on audience engagement. Bonus content will be regularly posted on the network’s YouTube page that further builds on the coverage of its featured
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personalities along with clips and sneak peaks of the network’s series. A grand opening and ribboncutting is planned for Saturday, September 25, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tickets to the gala event will be available for sale at the DTNTV booth on Main Street at Tucker Day on Saturday, September 4, or online at dtntv. network. For more information on programming schedules, visit dtntv.network/tv.
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Tucker Candidate Forums Planned for September Our Town DeKalb Staff Several Tucker organizations are sponsoring forums in September to give local candidates opportunities to discuss their platforms and debate city issues. Decaturish (publisher of Tucker Observer), Tucker Business Association (TBA) partnered with Tucker Civic Association (TCA), and a local men’s church group will be holding virtual and in-person forums. Decaturish will hold its forums exclusively via Zoom this year, with live broadcasts on its Twitch Channel (m.twitch.tv/decaturish), and posted to its YouTube channel (Decaturish Media) for later viewing. The following forums are scheduled for Tucker candidates: Wednesday, September 15 - Tucker Mayor: 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday, September 17 - Tucker City Council District 1, Post 1: 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. District 1, Post 2: 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, September 18 District 2, Post 1: 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. District 3, Post 1: 11:00 a.m. to noon For a full schedule of Atlanta and DeKalb County forums, check decaturish.com and tuckerobserver.com. Due to time constraints, Decaturish will not be conducting forums for unopposed candidates. TBA and TCA will host a forum on Tuesday, September 28, from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. The event will be in-person at the activities building at Tucker First United Methodist Church, 4315 Church Street in Tucker, as well as via streaming media. Full details for the event were still being finalized at press time; those interested in attending should check tuckerbiz.org or tuckercivic.org for updated information. On Monday, September 20, Men in the Kingdom will host its candidate forum at First Christian Church of Atlanta, 4532 Lavista Road, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The event will be live-streamed in addition to in-person; full details are available on the Men in the Kingdom Facebook page. Forums which are open to the public will require all attendees to observe COVID guidelines, including masking and social distancing. The next General Election for the City of Tucker will be held on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 for the purpose of electing the mayor and four members of City Council. The voter registration deadline for the upcoming city elections is October 4, and early voting for Tucker voters will begin on October 12 at Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library, 5234 LaVista Road. Those eligible to vote in Georgia can register online at georgia.gov/register-to-vote.
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Tucker First United Methodist Plans Great Day of Service for September Our Town DeKalb Staff Tucker First United Methodist Church (Tucker FUMC) will sponsor its third annual Great Day of Service on Saturday, September 25, 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Multiple volunteer teams will tackle projects in the community benefiting various organizations including Wellroot Family Services, Tucker Parks and Recreation, Tucker Community Policing Unit, local nursing homes, and DeKalb County Fire and Rescue. All volunteers are welcome, regardless of age, activity level, or experience. There is no cost to participate, and breakfast is provided free to volunteers starting at 8:00 a.m. Volunteers will be assigned to a project team of their choice after breakfast. Many of the projects are family friendly, and a good opportunity for teens to earn community service hours. Free childcare is available for children eight years of age and younger. Tucker FUMC is located at 5095 Lavista Road. Register at tuckerfirst.org, or contact Ellen Griffith, ellen.griffith@yahoo.com, or Becky Burnett, rsb1950@gmail.com, with questions. TFUMC member Will Shanholtzer gets ready to rake the yard of an elderly Tucker resident in the 2019 Great Day of Service.
SHAWN Woods
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
FOR
TUCKER CITY COUNCIL
REIMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESHAPING PARKS AND RECREATION
ShawnWoodsForTucker.com PAGE 22
info@ShawnWoodsForTucker.com
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