OUR TOWN DEKALB (February 2022)

4 Who is Bo Phillips?

11 It Was at That Point, the Wheels Came Off… 16 Local Drama Students Win National Awards 20 Tucker Rec Schedules Summer Camp

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Steve Ashby Cindy E. Farrar Doug Reynics Lois Ricci Sanah Sayani Karl Schwartz Art Wood

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IN THIS ISSUE 4 Who is Bo Phillps?

6 The Bits in Between: Closing a Door, Opening a Door 7 Wellness In-Sight: Be YOUR Valentine!

8 Age Friendly Tucker: The Heartbeat of Tucker 9 Common Sen$e: It’s Time to Audit Your Credit Cards (Part 1) 10 Food for Thought: Winter’s ‘Liquid Gold’ 11 It Was at That Point, the Wheels Came Off… 14 Back Talk: Spring - A Time of Change…And Patience 16 Local Drama Students Win National Awards 16 Local Minister Finds Hope in a Time of Crisis 20 Habitat for Humanity Helps Tucker Teacher ‘Age in Place’t 20 Tucker Rec Schedules Summer Camp 22 Cosmic Love ON THE COVER: John Craig, Sr. and son John Craig, Jr. with the "world's largest sawhorse" in front of Bo Phillips Co. OUR TOWN DEKALB | February 2022 3

COVER STORY

WHO IS

BO PHILLIPS? L.A. DISON

4 OUR TOWN DEKALB | February February 2022 2022

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to set are tapped as extras!) As a long-time he twenty-seven-foot sawhorse, with Tucker business, the company is also a major the name “Bo Phillips Co.”, near community supporter, providing traffic control the intersection of Lawrenceville equipment for city events like Tucker Day and Highway and Northlake Parkway, is a Taste of Tucker, local church events, and local longtime landmark for the residents of Tucker. sports programs like Tucker Youth Soccer But what or who is Bo Phillips?

Association (TYSA).

Since 1965, Bo Phillips Co. has manufactured Over the years, the business has become a street signage, and rented out to road real family affair. While the elder Craig at 86 still construction companies safety equipment, like continues as a consultant for the company, son flashing message boards, arrow signs, barricades, John has worked there since 1987, and recently traffic cones and hydro barriers. The company purchased the company. His wife Sharon was founded in DeKalb County by Bo Phillips, manages accounts receivable and company but in 1979 was purchased by John Craig, Sr., a events. The third generation of Craigs, daughter sales manager at Superior Rope & Slings, which Taylor and son Ryan, so far haven’t shown an provided wire rope, chain and nylon slings for interest in taking over the reins, but as their the construction industry in North Georgia. father says, “Things change minute by minute Craig wanted to leverage his road construction and day by day.” experience and contacts with a company of In the meantime, the fifty-six-year-old his own, and purchased Bo Phillips’s company along with its inventory, equipment and client Bo Phillips management team from the 80s( left to right): John Jenkins, John Craig Sr., company continues to expand but has no plans to move away from Tucker. “We’re established list. unidentified staff member , Glen Black, John Craig Jr., Cecil Collins. here and everyone knows where we are,” explains “Bo Phillips’s name was on all the equipment the son. Space is limited at their current location, and while they did just celebrate and signage,” explained John Craig, Jr., who is company CEO and the senior Craig’s the grand opening of their new offices and show room there, at some point in son. “So, when my father bought the company, he just kept the name.” the not-too-distant future there may be a need to set up a satellite location for Craig set up his newly-acquired company in the downstairs back section of warehousing and distribution to more Americana Furniture (now easily handle customers spread across Furniture Liquidators and metro Atlanta and most of Georgia.

More) on Lawrenceville So, the next time you are in traffic, Highway, but the next year with lanes closed with traffic cones, or moved across the street to a blinking arrow advising you to move the current location at 3440 into another lane, check for the “Bo Lawrenceville Highway. The Phillips” label. road construction business continued to grow, and in 1984 the company also began supplying signage and safety equipment for the burgeoning film and television industry here in Georgia. Since its first film work that year in Chuck Norris’s film “Invasion USA,” Bo Phillips has worked with dozens of productions, including television shows “In the Heat of the Night” and “The Living Dead,” and films “Driving Miss Daisy,” “Bad Boys for Life”, “Game Night” and “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” While the equipment The new showroom is a spacious display of company products. is usually used to redirect traffic around a production location, sometimes it also appears in the set as well. (And occasionally, Bo Phillips staff delivering equipment (Left) Members of Tucker City Hall and Bo Phillips employees celebrate the grand opening of the new showroom as Craig father and son cut the ribbon.

OUR TOWN DEKALB | February 2022 5

The Bits in Between: Closing a Door, Opening a Door L.A. DISON

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y sister recently moved here from Kentucky, to be closer to me as she deals with a serious health crisis. Moving from a three-bedroom house with a full finished basement to a much smaller two-bedroom apartment required quite a significant reduction in household goods. Losing so much of her acquired “stuff” resulted in some sadness but she chose to instead focus on the positive results of the downsizing. The ten boxes of clothes she donated to Sisters Road to Freedom will help women in crisis with everyday life or to prepare them for employment opportunities. The household goods and furniture she donated to Habitat for Humanity will help families settle into a home, often for the first time. Her twelve boxes of hardcover books went to the Friends of the Lexington Public Library, who will use the sale proceeds to support the public library and the role it plays in the quality of life in the community. And her beloved collection of Shih Tzu collectables was donated to the Bluegrass Shih Tzu Rescue, an organization she has supported financially and through volunteerism for many years. They will sell the items in an online auction, and use the funds to support their mission of rescue, fostering and adoption of small breeds in Kentucky. She also gave them all the sheets, towels, and blankets she was not moving, to provide comfort for abandoned and abused dogs who now had hope for a new life.

Moving is never easy; a move forced upon you because of a life crisis is probably the most difficult challenge one can face. Alexander Graham Bell once said, “When one door closes, another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.” Sometimes, that includes the doors we open for others. In a month where love reigns supreme, let’s remember that love isn’t always of the romantic kind but more often of the kind we freely give through service and deed to our fellow man.

OurTownDeKalb.com 6 OUR TOWN DEKALB | February 2022

LIZBETH A. DISON Publisher and Editor

Wellness In-Sight: Be YOUR Valentine!

CINDY E. FARRAR

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he new year theme shared last month, “Celebrate You!”, and the intention set of reducing the pressure we place on ourselves, continues and is expanded upon this month. Cupid’s favorite month may seem an odd time to focus on ourselves. That is precisely the point.

Each February, we are provided more potential for a great deal of stress to be heaped upon us, especially on and around the 14th of the month. Trying to fulfill the expectations associated with Valentine’s Day can throw off the trajectory of Cupid’s arrow - from it landing in our heart to hitting us square in the gut. Do we have a Valentine, that special someone? Have we asked someone to be our Valentine and are awaiting the answer? Do we have special plans for Valentine’s Day? Have we gotten something special for our Valentine? Etc., etc., etc….

As a hopeless romantic, I am by no means bashing Valentine’s Day. I am highlighting the potential stress so that we may make a conscious effort to decrease the possibility for undue and, dare I say, unnecessary pressure. Ironically, it is the pressure that results from expectations regarding a day associated with acts of the expression and profession of love.

Why not take the occasion to turn the expectations into opportunity? What if we were to apply our efforts to satisfy the Valentine’s expectations to include ourselves? It is not our societal norm or even considered acceptable in many circles to care for or think of ourselves as a special someone. Thinking about it ourselves may feel odd, uncomfortable, or even scary. This can be largely attributed to the misconception of a generalization of self-love being equated with self-serving, egotistical or just plain odd. However, when expressed in healthy ways and not to the exclusion of others, it is a wonderful affirmation of the intrinsic value of our very being.

“And if I asked you to name all the things you love, how long will it take you to name yourself?” This question posted on Facebook (with no original attribution) caught my attention as well as the attention of many more globally. Not surprisingly, it sparked a great variety of comments. The question lands with each of us all differently, as we all have our own histories, experiences, and stories. Without any self judgement, what was your initial response?

The intention of the question is to bring positive awareness as to where we place ourselves on the list of that which we hold dear. Our relationship with ourselves is the most personal one we have. After all we spend the most amount of time with ourselves. This is an opportunity to begin to enhance at the very least our thoughts and at best our behavior in our relationship with ourselves.

Take advantage of Cupid’s month. Start simply. Get to know yourself. Send yourself a “Valentine.” Take yourself out on a “date.” Try it. You just might be surprised at how much you enjoy the company.

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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OUR TOWN DEKALB | February 2022 7

Age Friendly Tucker: The Heartbeat of Tucker LOIS RICCI

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hat exactly is a community? It’s a group of people with something in common - neighborhood, faith, profession, or interests. Strong communities are critical because they can be an important source of social connection and a sense of belonging. Participating in community activities can be both beneficial and rewarding for an individual, and is part of the decision-making process that drives projects which will have an impact on the community.

Volunteering is an important community activity because it brings a better understanding of a community’s needs and wants. An organization’s volunteers often share their personal perspectives with decision makers, who in turn become better informed and better able to meet the needs of the community. With good communication between an organization and the community, people feel like they have had a part in the positive outcomes. And community participation can be fun!

Tucker has always been a city of volunteers, with plenty of opportunities for community involvement. There are about forty-nine churches in Tucker and all of them offer some form of community service, including shelter and meals for the homeless, clothing closets, programs for older adults, food pantries, and youth programs.

The city has a number of fraternal organizations which also support community services The Optimist Club (tuckeroptimistclub.org) values all children and helps them develop to their full potential. The Rotary Club (tuckerrotary.org) provides service to others, promotes integrity, and advances world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders. The Lion’s Club (e-clubhouse.org/sites/la_vista) empowers its volunteers and partners to improve health and well-being, strengthen communities, and support those in need through humanitarian services and grants that impact lives globally, and encourage peace and international understanding. Freemasons (tuckerlodge42.com) is the world's first and largest fraternal organization which binds like-minded men in a worldwide brotherhood to overcome all cultural, social and educational differences. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (elks. org) invests in their communities through programs that help children grow up healthy and drug-free, meet the needs of today’s veterans, and improve the quality

Rotary Club of Tucker conducts an annual Electronics Recycling Event in November.

of life for their communities.

Tucker has neighborhood HOAs, neighborhood watches, garden clubs and special interest groups. Tucker Civic Association (tuckercivic.org) promotes a healthy, safe, and fun community for all residents - the young, the aging and all who care for them – with the Lifelong Community/Age Friendly Tucker Project. The Tucker Recreation Center (tuckerga.gov/departments/parks_and_recreation) offers a diverse list of group activities and opportunities to socialize. Friends of Tucker Parks (tuckerparks.org) works closely with the Parks and Recreation Department to preserve, protect, and improve all of the parks in Tucker, and assists with planning, coordinating volunteers, generate funding, and formation of “friends” groups for each park. NETWorks Cooperative Ministry (networkscoop.org) responds to the food and financial needs of residents and partners with them to find long-term solutions to poverty. Habitat for Humanity (dekalbhabitat.org) sees a world where everyone has a decent place to live. The Tucker Business Association (tuckerbiz. org) serves as the unified voice of the men and women who form the business backbone of the Tucker community.

Americans are just not as committed to volunteering as they once were – except in Tucker. We are a city that is quickly growing and maturing, whose residents care about one another, and donate their time and resources to stay involved. Tucker volunteers are Tucker’s Heartbeat.

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. Contact Dr. Ricci at loisricci@ bellsouth.net.

8 OUR TOWN DEKALB | February 2022

Common Sen$e: It’s Time to Audit Your Credit Cards (Part 1) ART WOOD

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eactions to credit cards generally involve negative feelings. Most people see them as an anchor around their neck. Negative feelings can be tied to financial mismanagement but there can also be positive feelings tied to when credit cards bailed them out of a bad situation. There are folks who use credit cards as tools for simplicity and financial gain. Whether you use them wisely or not-so-wisely, credit cards all have different attributes that can benefit you, and it is important to do your research to make sure you have the best one for your needs.

When I was younger, I just opened a credit card with a big bank because that is what you were supposed to do. I didn’t ask about interest rates, annual fees, or rewards - all things I should have asked. It wasn’t until about fifteen years ago that I made the decision to get serious about my credit card strategy. I have been fortunate in my life not to be tied down by credit card debt. What I was looking for then were the best rewards program for my spending habits and the least amount of fees. I wasn’t looking for the lowest interest rates because I set my cards up to auto-draft the balance every month. (I have mentioned in a previous article that autodraft is how I ensure that I never get into credit card debt.)

At the time, I was spending a lot of money on radio advertising, and I found a card I could use that would give me 2% cash back on any purchase. In my opinion, that was free money. I was spending the money anyway and paying it off every month, so I was getting 2% for everything.

I took my search one step farther and found a credit card that would give you 5% on grocery and gas purchases. Lastly, I got sucked into an Amazon Ad a few years ago that offered to pay me $80 to open their card, with no annual fee, and I get 2%-5% cash back on all Amazon purchases. If you guys are as addicted to Amazon as my family is, that was a no-brainer.

All that being said, the cards we chose fit my family’s lifestyle and spending habits.

We are not big travelers so don’t need the miles, and I don’t like the cards that have a different reward for every place you shop. I am also totally against an annual fee on a card, which often negates the benefit of any rewards.

Next month, I will tackle the other aspect of credit cards - how best to manage balances and get them paid off as quickly as possible. For those of you that don’t maintain a credit card balance, I would encourage you to take a deep dive into your spending habits and see which cards fit your lifestyle the best. You can do a lot of research if you go to nerdwallet.com. Do a credit card audit and see what “free money” you can add to your bottom line.

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OUR TOWN DEKALB | February 2022 9

Food for Thought: Winter’s ‘Liquid Gold’ DOUG REYNICS

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love making broth. Beef, poultry, mushroom and vegetable broths can elevate an ordinary soup, stew or food item to legendary status. To make better risotto, try using mushroom broth instead of water. For beef stew, try using your own beef broth rather than a boxed or canned broth. Yes, you really can taste a difference! While there are countless recipes out there, I am providing four basic broth recipes. Just make sure you use or freeze your homemade broth within three to four days.

Beef broth 5 pounds beef bones 1 small can tomato paste 1 cup each chopped onions, celery and carrots 1 cup dry red wine (any red will work) 15 peppercorns 3 or 4 garlic cloves 3 or 4 bay leaves ½ teaspoon dried thyme 1 to 1 ¼ gallons water Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the bones on a roasting pan and roast for one hour. Remove from oven and brush with the tomato paste. Lay the vegetables over the bones. Return to the oven and roast for thirty minutes. Place the pan on the stove and deglaze with the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan for browned particles. Put this mixture in a large stock pot. Add the peppercorns, garlic, and herbs. Season with salt. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for four to twelve hours. Remove from heat and skim off any fat that has risen to the surface. Strain the liquid with cheesecloth and discard the bones.

Chicken/Turkey Broth 2 or 3 carcasses with some of the meat (I use Costco whole, cooked chicken or turkey. I use 1/3 of the meat and freeze the rest for future meals.)

1 big bunch of freezer scraps (see below for recipe) 1 small bunch fresh dill or 3 tablespoons dried dill (I use freeze dried.)

1/2 cup dry white wine (Any white will work; this may be omitted.)

15 peppercorns 3 or 4 garlic cloves 1 to 1 1/2 gallons water (You can make it with less water to start. Add more if it’s strong enough.)

I simmer mine in a turkey roaster for up to twenty-four hours at 190 degrees. You can do this in a pressure canner or instant pot for two hours letting the pressure release naturally until no pressure. Strain the liquid with cheesecloth and discard the bones.

Vegetable Broth Begin with your freezer scraps from below. To that, add: 3 to 4 carrots and celery 1 to 2 onions 1 to 3 tomatoes 1 to 4 garlic cloves Up to 1 bunch asparagus 3 to 4 bay leaves 15 peppercorns Up to one carton mushrooms

10 OUR TOWN DEKALB | February 2022

Up to ½ bunch parsley 3 to 5 parsnips 1- 1 1/2 gallons water You can make it with less water to start. Add more if it’s strong enough. I simmer mine in a turkey roaster for up to twenty-four hours at 190 degrees. You can do this in a pressure canner or instant pot for 2 hours letting the pressure release naturally until no pressure. Strain the liquid with cheesecloth.

Mushroom broth You can wash four containers mushrooms, then chop. Follow the vegetable broth recipe or just do all mushrooms. I only do mushrooms when I make mine.

Freezer scraps Save your vegetable peels to help with making chicken or vegetable broth. Gather into a gallon Ziplock bag and store in freezer until enough peels are saved. Things to add: onion skins (gives a darker broth and sweeter flavor), pieces of celery, onions and carrots, small bunch of parsley, peels and or pieces of parsnips. Add to the carcasses when making broth.

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 almost 2,300 airport rides!) If you have a food story or question you would like to see him write about (or if you need a ride!), email him at dougthedriver1@gmail.com or call him at 770.842.4261.

It Was at That Point, the Wheels Came Off… STEVE ASHBY

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hen I first began practicing law, right after the Civil War, most of the lawyers in the DeKalb Bar were fat old white guys. Thankfully, as we sprint into the second decade of the 21st century, our legal community is blessed with barristers of many flavors; young, old, men, women, white, black, Hispanic, Asian, each with their own gifts and talents. Sadly, with the passing years, I now find myself in the category of fat old white guy, left to reminisce about my legal career in the rear-view mirror.

Being a generally gregarious bunch, lawyers love to regale anyone who will listen with stories of epic courtroom battles in which the good guy prevailed, and the miscreant opponent was given a well-deserved come-uppance. However, the most instructive, and dare I say, the most humorous lessons, come from the instances where a case crashes and burns upon impact.

One such case arose on a Valentine’s evening in the early 1970s when a hapless DeKalb County husband was embroiled in a heated argument with his then current wife. Hostilities increased and the husband, outflanked, found himself on the front porch of the marital residence, shoeless, and clad only in a terrycloth bathrobe. The click of the front door deadbolt signified that the argument was over and that the husband had lost.

Uncharacteristically for Atlanta, this Valentine’s evening had overnight temperatures in the 20s. Shivering on the front porch, and realizing that further shouting would have little effect, our hapless husband retreated to the shelter of his Cadillac Coupe de Ville parked in the driveway. As was the custom in that day, the car was open and the keys were left in the ignition. Husband peeled out of the driveway to show his displeasure, with no apparent destination in mind. Upon leaving the neighborhood and cruising down Lavista Road, husband was horrified to discover that the gas needle was cozying up to the E on his dash. With no wallet or credit card, husband rifled through the glove compartment in search of spare bills or change. He found only an old Varsity bag and the snub-nosed revolver he kept there in case he was ever forced to defend his life, his Cadillac or the American way. Desperate, he was thinking that possibly he could find a gas station and trade the revolver for a tank of gas.

It was at this point the wheels came off. Our intrepid husband headed for the only gas station in Atlanta sure to be open after midnight - the Hess station on Lavista Road near a field that would one day become Northlake Mall. The pimply faced teenage attendant was awakened by the bell when the Coupe de Ville roared into the station. As he later testified, a short, shoeless man in a blue bathrobe strode towards his little window with a snub-nosed revolver in his right hand. The little feller then held the gun up in the light and stated, “How much gas can I get with this gun?”

In an amazing display of legal acumen, the criminal defense attorney was able to convince the District Attorney to reduce the charge from armed robbery to reckless conduct, with a sentence of time served, a year’s worth of probation, and a hefty fine. Of course, before our husband could shake free of the legal system, this negotiated plea had to be approved by a Superior Court judge in open court. In the plea and sentencing hearing, our stellar criminal defense attorney painted a picture of a hapless victim who made an understandable mistake after being turned out by a cruel wife on Valentine’s Day. The judge, hearing this tale for the first time, was at a total loss for words. Shaking his head slowly, he signed the plea and sentence without comment. That is until right before the attorney and the husband reached the courtroom door (in an effort to escape before the judge changed his mind).

Now finding his moral outrage, as well as his voice, the judge roared at the

attorney, stopping him dead in his tracks. “When you leave this courthouse, I direct you to proceed straight to the Ace Hardware (then on the square where MARTA runs trains now). You will then withdraw $5.00 from your wallet and purchase an eighteen-ounce ball peen hammer, at which point you will knock a hole in your client’s head and fill it with mule ****, so that he will have something for brains.”

The Court’s colloquy was not recorded by the court reporter, but the memory of this event still burns bright in the recollections of those in that courtroom, the intrepid criminal defense attorney, and all those who heard him retell the story.

STEVE ASHBY is celebrating forty years of practicing law, often with a sense of humor. He and law partner Latawsha Little-Hill founded Georgia Will & Probate Lawyers, which focuses exclusively on wills, probate, estate planning, advanced medical directives, and other related areas that help their clients obtain peace of mind for themselves and their loved ones. Learn more about Steve and Latawsha and their practice at gwaplaw.com

Missing Beauty Byline with Sanah?

Columnist Sanah Sayani is taking a sabbatical from her column, “Beauty Byline with Sanah,” starting with the February issue. In her absence, Our Town DeKalb will feature a series of guest columnists, starting with lawyer Steve Ashby of Georgia Will and Probate Lawyers, and his column, “It Was at That Point, the Wheels Came Off…”

OUR TOWN DEKALB | February 2022 11

12 OUR TOWN DEKALB | February 2022

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Send story suggestions to info@ourtowndekalb.com. Submissions become the property of Our Town DeKalb; all submitted material is subject to review and editing. Acceptance of submitted material does not guarantee publication.

OUR TOWN DEKALB | February 2022 13

Back Talk: Spring - A Time of Change…And Patience KARL SCHWARTZ, D.C.

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personally love the winter. I feel the change of seasons is necessary to clean out the old and bring in the new, a kind of circle of life. As a replanted Yankee, I have acclimated to our great weather in Georgia, with abbreviated winters and longer spring, fall, and summer weather. I am spoiled living here so already I am anticipating the upcoming spring season. Spring denotes a clean slate, a fresh start, and an improvement is our quality of lives.

As I reflect on the larger related topic of health and COVID, I am hugely optimistic. Surprisingly, Denmark has officially declared that their country has “flattened its curve” in regards to COVID and is moving back to pre-COVID life: no restrictions, no masks, back to normal. Talk about optimism! Who knew it would take this long to weather the COVID storm? All countries are handling this differently.

Australia denied number-one seeded tennis player Novak Djokovic the opportunity to stay in the country and play in the Australian Open because he was not vaxxed, although he claimed he had already had COVID. Talk about two completely different paradigms of health relating to COVID! But the fact that one country has declared they are through with health mandates, mask mandates, and societal mandates, gives me an optimism I have not felt since 2020. No one once believed it was humanly possible to run a mile in less than four minutes. Then once Roger Bannister broke the record, there were multiple runners that did the same. I am hopeful that as other countries see the benefits experienced

by Denmark in returning to a pre-COVID life (people back to work, people out socializing, stimulating the economy, improving emotional and physical health) many more countries will follow their lead.

To effectively move past governmental regulations regarding COVID, we have to be patient. I see many patients with problems that have been insidiously deteriorating for decades, and they want to be better tomorrow. There isn’t a magic pill that can make that happen quicker, but if we abide by the rules of nature, do things correctly and consistently, the body wants to heal and be well. Remember that outside of a fall or trauma, loss of health takes time, so returning to health also takes time. Do things correctly and consistently and you will improve. Continue to do this and you will move into prevention, staying well and avoiding health deterioration. When will you decide to be healthy?

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.

14 OUR TOWN DEKALB | February 2022

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OUR TOWN DEKALB | February 2022 15

Local Drama Students Win National Awards OUR TOWN DEKALB STAFF

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tudents representing Smoke Rise Academy of Arts won multiple awards at the 2022 Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta, January 14-16.

Over one hundred groups with over 5,000 participants participated in the 2022 festival, both in-person and online. Smoke Rise’s attending group won a Freddie G Outstanding Production award for their performance of selections from “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast JR”; students Sophia Kuechenmeister, Amanda Riedel, and Rayna White Shinault made it to the callback for future video shoots for “how-to” choreography videos; and students Logan Dokes and Harlie Sawtelle were named as All-Stars, an outstanding group of young performers at the festival.

At the festival, each attending group performed fifteen minutes of a Broadway Junior® musical for a group of adjudicators, representing all facets of Broadway talent. Said actor Krystina Alabado (“Mean Girls”) about Smoke Rise Academy of Arts, “Everything about ‘Beauty and the Beast’ - from start to finish - was spectacular, from the complex and inventive staging, to the choreography, powerful sound, and energy from the entire company.”

Smoke Rise Academy of Arts Drama is a theater program representing Smoke Rise Baptist Church. The group does not audition its students, who are in grades 1-12 and come from throughout the Atlanta area. All students who register for the drama classes are in the staged production. 2020 marked the group’s first trip to the Junior Theater Festival Atlanta, and the group won a Freddie G Outstanding Production award and performed for all attendees during the closing ceremony. iTheatrics and the Junior Theater Group produce the Junior Theater Festivals.

Based in New York City, for the last decade iTheatrics has established itself as the

world’s leading authority on musical theater for young people. iTheatrics works with leading public and private companies around the world - including the Kennedy Center, NBC, and all the leading theatrical licensors - to make sure that young people everywhere have access to quality musical theatre programs.

Local Minister Finds Hope in a Time of Crisis OUR TOWN DEKALB STAFF

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n his debut work, Faith Greater Than Our Challenges, Rev. Tom Edmondson offers a message of hope based on the Apostle Paul’s letters to the Philippians and the writings of psychiatrist and Auschwitz survivor Viktor Frankl. Though separated by nearly two thousand years, both faced certain death—Paul in prison, Frankl in concentration camps. Despite such dire circumstances, each one in his own way affirmed that life has meaning, even under the most extreme difficulties, and inspires hope and patience during this time of pandemic.

The book is based on a series of nine sermons Edmondson delivered at First Christian Church of Atlanta in early 2021, inspired by his rereading during the pandemic of Paul’s and Frankl’s works and a desire to encourage his congregation during the very difficult months of quarantine and isolation. When drafting the sermons, Edmondson referenced the work of authors Alex Pattakos and Elaine Dundon, who in their book, Prisoners of Our Thoughts, distilled Frankl’s work into seven easy to understand principles. He added two principals of his own for the nine sermons, then for the book edited the sermons into chapters and added discussion questions.

“This book is a logotherapeutic reading of Paul’s letter to the Philippians,” wrote Edmondson in the introduction to his book, “…drawing comparisons between what Paul wrote theologically about suffering during his imprisonment and what Viktor Frankl taught psychologically about his suffering and experience in the camps.”

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Though the messages were delivered during the COVID pandemic, Edmondson believes the lessons are timeless and applicable to any type of circumstances we may face. “I hope this book helps readers discover a more productive way to cope with real life issues and to discover ‘a faith greater than our challenges.’”

Edmondson is the senior pastor of First Christian Church of Atlanta in Tucker, and leader of the Tucker Community Action Team. Faith Greater Than Our Challenges is available for purchase online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, WIPF and Stock.com in hardcover, softcover and as an eBook.

Print copies can also be purchased at the church and at Tall Tale Books in Toco Hills.

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Latawsha Little-Hill Steven R Ashby 4500 Hugh Howell Road Suite 600 Heritage Place Tucker, GA 30084 770.493.4924 www.gwaplaw.com

Call for free consultation

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Habitat for Humanity Helps Tucker Teacher ‘Age in Place’ OUR TOWN DEKALB STAFF

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he City of Tucker’s 2013 designation by the Atlanta Regional Commission as a “Lifelong Community” is one of its most appealing features for potential residents who are looking for a home where they can live for life, or “age in place.” One such resident is retired teacher Lea Ann Lewis, who returned to Tucker to live in her childhood home on Smithsonia Drive and care for her aging parents. After her parents died, Lewis found herself unable on her limited income to afford the necessary repairs on her aging home. The roof was leaking, there was significant wood rot, the plumbing was faulty, and a new front handrail was necessary to ensure that Lewis could safely continue to stay in her home.

But thanks to DeKalb Habitat for Humanity, Lewis is now aging in place. After applying to the program, Lewis met with representatives from DeKalb Habitat, who reviewed the condition of her house and noted some repairs that she had not even considered. After that, a doctor and two physical therapists from Emory visited Lewis to do a physical assessment of Lewis as a young student teacher in front of the Smithsonia house. her health and needs. The Habitat crew began working on Lewis’s house at the end of November. Many were volunteers from the Tucker community, including some students from Tucker High School, especially meaningful for Lewis, who once was a young student teacher there. The crew worked every Saturday so that by Christmas, they were able to give her the best gift – a safe place for her to live, hopefully for many years still to come.

The Lewis home repairs were funded in part by grants from Lowe’s and The Clare Foundation. “There is a huge need in DeKalb County for senior home repairs yet funding does not keep pace,” said Sharon Steele, executive director of DeKalb Habitat. “Ms. Lewis had inquired about our Aging in Place program some time ago; she met the criteria, completed the necessary health and fall risks assessments and her needed repairs fell within the scope of the Aging in Place program. Any seniors in need of home repair can contact us to mail them an application or they can do so on our website. But our pipeline is currently at capacity based on funding, and we have over 200 DeKalb seniors requesting assistance.”

“It is important that seniors have the opportunity to age in place and remain a part of the community where we have familiarity and feel safe,” said Lewis. “I am grateful for Habitat for Humanity and the Age in Place program that made that possible for me.”

Learn more about DeKalb Habitat for Humanity and its Age in Place program at dekalbhabitat.org. Sign up to volunteer or donate today.

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Tucker Rec Schedules Summer Camp OUR TOWN DEKALB STAFF

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ucker Recreation Center has announced a summer camp for ages 5 to 12, open from May 31 to July 29, 2022. Camp registration is by the week, at $128 per child per week. Camp hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., with free before care (7:00 to 9:00 a.m.) and aftercare (4:00 to 6:00 p.m.). Breakfast and lunch are included in the registration costs.

Camp activities will include swimming, hiking, sports, STEM and art projects, group games, and nature programming. Detail and registration at tuckerga.gov/departments/parks_and_recreation/index/summer_camp.php, or email parks@tuckerga.gov or call 470.481.0205. Tucker Parks and Rec is committed to following all COVID-19 health and safety protocols established by the Centers for Disease Control and Georgia Department of Public Health, as well as any local or state guidelines.

n the first annual celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Tucker dog daycare and boarding Camp Woof was named “Small Employer of the Year” by Georgia's Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE). Camp Woof was honored at the Supported Employment Celebration Awards Virtual Event, “Work Works for Everyone,” on Thursday, October 28, 2021, in an online ceremony and celebration. APSE is a national organization focused exclusively on Employment First to facilitate the full inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace and community. Camp Woof was recognized because of its consistent and comprehensive commitment to employing people with disabilities.

“We work together as a team, and that means everyone on the Staff works together and inclusively to get the job done,” said Robert Poff, Camp Woof COO and general manager. “Our goal is to be sure all our people clients and dog clients have a safe, happy, and active experience while they are at Camp Woof, and it takes everyone on the team to make that happen.”

Camp Woof is an employment partner with WOW In-Sync, a Tucker-based non-profit providing training and support for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism to help them integrate more fully into business and community. WOW has placed several adults with disabilities at Camp Woof, in meaningful jobs that provide career and life development. Camp Woof not only provides an inclusive environment for individuals who want to work, but it also hosts discovery tours for young adults in high school who are learning about work expectations at the WOW in-Sync Pre-Employment Training Site.

“Camp Woof sees potential rather than barriers, empowering people with

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Cosmic Love Just thinking about you brings a smile to my face.

You touch me without contact.

Like a magic magnet I feel you pull me near.

It seems a strange fact that we’re together even when you’re not here.

Have we loved in other times, have we dreamed together, were our past lives intertwined, will our future destiny cross eternal lines?

Someday when all the universe is in harmony, our love song will still reverberate across the cosmos Loving you for who you are and who you used to be across the lines of space and time for all eternity. © Copyright 1999 Victoria T. Crosby All Rights Reserved

British-born poet and writer Victoria Crosby has been Poet Laureate of the City of Glen Cove in New York for more than twenty-five years; her work has been published in magazines and newspapers as well as featured on radio shows. Now residing in Smoke Rise, Victoria will create a unique gift with a custom poem for an anniversary, engagement, wedding, birthday, retirement or any other special occasion. You can contact Victoria at poeticvic@aol.com.

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