OUR TOWN DEKALB (November 2022)

Lizbeth Dison ldison@shinycomm.com

Creative Director Jay Adcock jay@adcockcreative.com

Writers

Emma Dison Brantley

Victoria Crosby Cindy E. Farrar

Doug Reynics

Karl Schwartz

A Shiny Inc Publication

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 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.

Entire contents copyright 2022 by Our Town DeKalb and Shiny Inc LLC. Reproduction in whole or part is forbidden in any media without written permission from the publisher.

Candice

Spicer’s

Life is a Nod to the Past Vintage My Home

L. A. DISON

has, and hasn’t stopped since. Over the past thirty-five years, she has amassed a vast treasure trove of vintage items, which includes over three hundred furs in addition to clothing, furniture, glassware, dishes, vinyl records, telephones, jewelry and other accessories, and more than a few one-of-a-kind period items. She travels often in search of unique collectibles to add to her collection, visiting estate sales, garage sales, and private collections throughout the United States. Her friends are also resources; she collects discarded items from them so often that they have lovingly nicknamed her “The Junkernecker,” which, roughly translated from German, means “someone who loves junk.”

Since she was a child, Smoke Rise resident Candice Spicer has been obsessed with everything vintage. More than just an avid collector of items manufactured between 1960 and 1980, Spicer lives a vintage life, in everything from her home architecture and decorating, to the clothes and accessories she wears on a daily basis.

Spicer was born and raised in Tuskegee, Alabama, the oldest of two daughters born to city planner Walter and college professor Nan. Spicer has fond memories of her childhood, especially of the frequent Saturday mornings when the family would pile into the car and visit an estate sale or auction. The upper middle-class family would not have been out of place browsing through the items for sale except for the color of their skin. “We were often the only people of color at auctions in these Alabama towns,” remembers Spicer, “but my parents raised us with an appreciation for these finer items, and we were taught that nothing there was off-limits to us nor impossible to acquire.”

Spicer’s mother nurtured her oldest daughter’s love and appreciation of vintage items when they visited the auctions together, where Candice watched her mother purchase carefully selected items and then often resell them at a profit. Spicer also became fascinated with the architecture in her community; both her parents and her grandmother owned mid-century houses. “I grew up with people who lived in mid-century and post-modern houses (built between the 1940s and the 1980s). There was always really cool stuff inside.”

At twelve, Spicer bought her first antique, a mammy rocking bench, which she still

In 1999, Spicer “accidentally” moved from Alabama. “I never intentionally moved to Atlanta,” explained Spicer with a smile. “I helped my family move in 1999 and didn’t even bring any belongings. I just never left.” In 2016, she purchased and renovated a 1960s-era house in Smoke Rise, which she has furnished and decorated from her vintage collection. “My friends would say my house looks like the set from the movie ‘Casino,’ or ‘That 70s Show.’ Every room in the house has a Seventies or Eighties theme, and I actually change each room seasonally. My favorite room has to be my living room; it’s Seventies and gaudy on purpose!”

About ten years ago, the Seventies and Eighties began a comeback. Late Boomers waxed nostalgic for reminders of their youth, and Zoomers developed a fascination with the period, due in part to the popularity of television shows like “Mad Men” and “Stranger Things.” With an extensive collection of vintage items from the period, most in pristine or like-new condition, Spicer became known as a ready resource for film and television props. Sharp-eyed viewers can catch sight of some of her items in comedy series “Boomerang” and “The Wonder Years” reboot, and videos from several music artists, including Young Dolph and Snoop Dog, Nivea, Usher, and Summer Walker.

With the growing popularity of the period, and the continuing growth of her personal collection, Spicer began to market her items online in 2018, opening an official online store in 2019. Post-pandemic, she wanted to leverage her online success in a brick-and-mortar model, and searched for a local location that would fit her vintage stylings. She found it in a vacant 1970s-era, former auto repair shop on Railroad Avenue in downtown Tucker. Fifty years of auto repair had left layers of oil and grime in the building, which Spicer spent months cleaning up mostly by herself. Earlier this year, she moved into the space with a select inventory from her collection,

Spicer’s living room is a celebration of classic Sixties décor.

and is allowing a limited number of customers into the store by appointment. Early next year, she plans a grand opening, and will then open the store to the general public. Spicer also recently launched Tha Vintage Diva, a YouTube channel where she chronicles her adventures searching for vintage treasures. Spicer’s mother, who helped develop her daughter’s love of vintage, is still an important part of her life and business. Spicer will host monthly lectures at My Vintage Home, featuring experts in period topics. The first lecture, “Music as Social Commentary,” is scheduled on Wednesday, November 16 at 6:30 p.m., with Dr. Nan Poole Spicer, retired professor of music, Savannah State University.

My Vintage Home (4204 Railroad Ave in Tucker) sells and leases vintage, antique, retro, and repurposed housewares, furnishings, and more from several eras, including Mid-Century, Art Deco, Retro and Hollywood Regency. The store houses an extensive collection of carefully curated vintage fur and leather coats, vintage or period clothing, and luxury accessories. It also has access to a substantial fleet of classic and exotic cars which are available to book for all types of productions. My Vintage Home is “All Things Vintage.”

The store currently has five vintage resellers, but is looking for three more resellers. Contact Candice Spicer with questions and inquiries at myvintagehomestore@gmail.com, or visit myvintagehomestore.com.

Spicer with some of her inventory of vintage glassware.

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Our Town DeKalb is always looking for talented writers! 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.

Place of Gratitude

When your relationship is one with the source of all, your higher power, God, spirit, by whatever name you call her, him or it, when you surrender to this, accept what is, and don’t resist don’t try to change what you know you can’t change, let it be, as in the prayer for serenity, be grateful for who you are, your accomplishments so far, and be open to receive, and believe the blessings that will come to you when you are in that place of gratitude.

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.

© Copyright Victoria R. Crosby 2010 All Rights Reserved

Wellness In-Sight: It’s Showtime!

CINDY E. FARRAR

There is an iconic scene in the semi-autobiographical movie “All That Jazz” about dancer, choreographer, and director Bob Fosse. When Fosse’s character is about to go onstage, the camera zooms in on his face, framed by his famous “jazz hands,” and he enthusiastically says, “It’s showtime!”

In my years prior to massage, I worked in sales. On days when I found my energy low, before getting out of my sales vehicle to go into my accounts, as a way of flipping the switch to “full on” and readying for my “performance,” I would channel my inner Bob Fosse (sans jazz hands), look in my rear-view mirror, and repeat, “It’s showtime!” It worked each time as it drew from my own inner resources, accessing the energy necessary to engage authentically and successfully with my customers.

As we explored last month, how we “show up” greatly impacts the outcomes of our relating with others and our world at large. One of my favorite life quotes, and most often cited in my workshops, classes and speaking engagements, is from Teacher and Child: A Book for Parents and Teachers, by schoolteacher, child psychologist, psychotherapist, and parent educator Haim G. Ginott.

I’ve come to a frightening conclusion. I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate.

It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or heal.

In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and a child humanized or dehumanized.

While this is directed toward teachers and parents in relation to children, if you remove those who are specifically referenced, I believe and have found the quote holds true for each of us in all our interactions.

This realization can be difficult to own. We often underestimate the influence we have whether it be intentional or otherwise. The responsibility carried by the acknowledgement of the extent of our impact can certainly be frightening, even overwhelming. However, our lack of awareness or chosen denial does not make it any less true. As I have noted, on several occasions in previous columns, it is important to stay mindful that such responsibilities also bring great opportunities.

So, as we begin to enter the season of family and social gatherings, times that can be wrought with anticipated anxiety and dread, channel your best Bob Fosse and flip the switch. Be cognizant of the potential of your effect. You may also help others remember theirs by posting a simple sign as shared in My Stroke of Insight, by Dr. Jill

May your Thanksgiving be filled with gratitude and all good things.

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.

Bolte Taylor. “Please take responsibility for the energy you bring in this space.” It’s showtime!

Zoomer Zone: Do Video Games Stimulate Your Brain…

Or Rot It Away?

EMMA DISON BRANTLEY

The first video game was invented in the late 1950s. Tennis for Two was played by two people with separate controllers connected to an analog computer with an oscilloscope used for the screen. With no arcades or roller rinks at which to “hang,” citizens would line up at the Brookhaven National Laboratory to play Tennis for Two. Since that primitive time, video games have exploded in the entertainment market, evolving into imaginative worlds with highly detailed characters and extensive lore. Many parents and scholars have attributed negative effects to those who have spent too much time playing video games. The stereotypical description of someone with “gaming disorder” is someone who is physically and mentally stunted, who prioritizes gaming over everything else, even personal care and upkeep. I believe the overuse of video games goes beyond just a lack of physicality, but actually may begin to distort the scope of reality and fantasy for someone with the disorder.

In 2014, two Wisconsin girls, Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier, lured their friend, Payton Leutner, out into the woods and stabbed her nineteen times, stating as their motive an attempt to appease the internet fictional character, Slenderman. Slenderman first appeared online in 2009 as an internet meme, but soon become widely popular through urban lore, hoax sightings, altered photos, and even a video game that came out in 2012. Geyser and Weier were both twelve years old when they became obsessed with the Slenderman myth and the associated game, and their descent into that fantasy world led them to plan and implement the vicious murder of their friend.

So how much video game time is too much? Extensive studies in videogame usage conducted by San Diego State University, The American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Kaiser Family Foundation indicated that just two to five hours per day of media

time negatively impacted the player’s sense of reality. As an avid gamer myself, who can easily spend up to six hours at a time playing online with friends, I would argue that it’s not the amount of time kids are playing video games or looking at social media, but rather what they’re seeing and how much it’s affecting their other life activities. Geyser and Weier apparently had been plotting against Leutner for months; their parents told reporters that Geyser was never a very empathetic child growing up, and that Weier was Geyser’s only friend for much of their childhood. Studies have shown no direct correlation between video games and violence, but Geyser’s lack of socialization and self-imposed isolation seems to have led her to the internet for connection with the world (albeit a skewed version), and convinced her the cold-blooded murder of her best friend was an acceptable norm.

This was probably one of the most recent and best-known examples of how the heavy use of media and video games can distort the scope of reality. Nowadays, many people are inspired by events like The Slenderman Murder, and sometimes even attempt chilling ‘copycat’ recreations of these dreadful actions. I don’t believe video gaming is generally harmful in moderation, but the question of whether heavy use of video games stimulates your brain or rots it away is subjective. The answer depends on what you’re seeing, how often you see it, and whether your gaming is interfering with your personal life or has the potential to hurt the lives around you.

DISON BRANTLEY is a third-year student at the University of Cincinnati, where she is pursuing a degree in information technology on the game development and simulation track. When she is not gaming online, she spends time with her parents trying to help them not be so boomer.

EMMA

Common Sen$e: The Rainy Day Fund

ith all of the talk about inflation and recession, I wanted to talk about defensive strategies to make it through any economic downturn. You can’t turn on the TV or look at your phone or computer without hearing something about the impending recession. So, what should you be doing to prepare for it? SAVE!

Typical monetary advice says you should have three to six months of monthly expenses stashed away in a safe place that you never touch except in an emergency. With inflation the way it is, I would recommend six to nine months. I think most people believe a slowdown is coming, or is already here, but what people don’t know is how long it will last. The Federal Reserve says it won’t stop hiking interest rates until the unemployment rate starts to rise. That means people are going to have to start losing their jobs, and then be out of work for a while. What is your safety net if you lose your job for six months?

The good news is that you have time to prepare. If you are not already doing so, increase your direct deposit program so 4% of your income goes to 401K, 20% gets split out to a separate savings account, and the rest goes into your regular checking account. Doing this requires discipline to not touch the savings. Pretend it’s not even there, and any money left over after paying your bills, move over to savings as well. Even if you never get affected by a layoff or recession,

you will sleep easier at night knowing there is a safety net there.

Another great idea to help you accomplish this is a review of your monthly bills to decide what you truly need and what you don’t. Do you really need all those streaming subscriptions? Really…do you? Or maybe you can look at cutting the cord and quit paying for expensive cable? Do you need to buy a brand-new car right now? Do you need the latest and greatest cell phone? These things should not be considered essential, and should be paid with excess money after the main bills are paid, and you have put aside funds for savings and retirement. I know, it’s not easy, but you can either fail to plan or plan to fail.

My family is going through a lot of this right now. The mortgage business was booming in 2020 and 2021. In my seventeen years in the business, I had never seen anything like it. On the flip side, now rates are in the sevens and the highest they have been since I got into the business - and business has really slowed. My early mentors always told me to save for a rainy day. I am glad that we did. We have the nest egg put away, but we also constantly are looking at ways to reduce our monthly outlay of cash until we get through this. There is no finite period for when this recession will start or when it will end, so we just need to do our best to be prepared the best we can.

2341 Main Street

“Tucker’s Mortgage Guy” for sixteen 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.

ART WOOD (NMLS #118234) is the branch manager of The Art Wood Mortgage Team of Goldwater Bank, located at

in downtown Tucker.

Food for Thought: Fun with Thanksgiving Leftovers

DOUG REYNICS

Holidays are a time of family, food, and fun. But what to do with all the leftovers? Here are some creative and fun ways to use up all that extra food!

Cranberry Sauce Muffins (leftover cranberry sauce)

Crumb Topping

½ cup all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

1/3 cup light brown sugar pinch of salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

Add flour, light brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom into a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine all dry ingredients.

Pour in the melted butter and stir everything together with a spatula. Set the crumble to the side to hydrate.

Coffee Cake Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour 2 eggs

1 tablespoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon cinnamon ½ cup buttermilk

½ cup unsalted butter ½ cup sour cream

1 cup white sugar 1 cup cranberry sauce

1/3 cup light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a muffin pan with twelve cupcake liners. Add flour, baking powder, and cinnamon into a mixing bowl. Whisk to mix together the dry ingredients.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat on a medium speed for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy.

Add eggs one by one until they’re fully incorporated. Then, add buttermilk, sour cream, and vanilla extract and continue to beat until the wet ingredients are fully combined.

Turn mixer down to the lowest speed and add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Beat together just until combined, be careful not to mix it more than necessary.

Spoon about a tablespoon of the batter into the cupcake liners. Spread it all the way to the edges. Add about ½ tablespoon of cranberry sauce directly into the center of the batter. Then, fill the rest of the cupcake liner to the top with the batter over the cranberry sauce. Spread it to all of the edges using the back of a spoon, being sure to encase the cranberry sauce at the edges.

Lightly spoon ~1 teaspoon of cranberry sauce over the top of the batter.

Give the crumble topping a quick mix. Top the muffins with 2-3 tablespoons of the crumble topping. Be sure to press them into the batter so they don’t fall off.

Put muffin pan into oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the crumble is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Remove the muffin pan from the oven and allow them to set for 5-10 minutes before removing them from the tray. Serve the muffins warm or room temperature.

Easy Turkey Enchiladas (leftover turkey)

1 1/2 cups cooked shredded turkey

2 cups enchilada sauce divided

8 flour tortillas

2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese, divided salt and pepper, to taste optional toppings: diced onions, chopped cilantro, sour cream, shredded lettuce, cotija cheese

Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, combine the shredded turkey, 1/4 cup enchilada sauce, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix together and taste. Season with more salt and pepper as needed.

Microwave the flour tortillas on a plate for one minute, flipping them halfway through until all of them are warm and pliable.

Assemble the enchiladas by filling each tortilla evenly with the shredded turkey mixture and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Roll the tortillas tightly to close and place in large baking dish seam side down.

Pour the remaining 1 3/4 cup enchilada sauce over the tortillas, top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately and garnish with desired toppings.

Ham and Cheese Sliders (leftover ham)

12 Hawaiian rolls 2 teaspoons honey or Dijon mustard

12 ham slices 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

10 Provolone slices 1 ½ teaspoon everything bagel seasoning 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice the buns horizontally in half. Place the bottom bun in a 13” x 9” baking dish. Layer ham, cheese, and the top bun.

In a small bowl, whisk butter, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and seasoning. Pour the mixture over the rolls, spreading evenly over the tops.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes.

Uncover the dish and bake for 2 more minutes.

Remove from oven, let stand for a few minutes. Serve warm.

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 3,000 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.

Back Talk: The Continuum of Health

KARL SCHWARTZ, D.C.

When a new patient comes into my office, I need to decipher a few extremely important facts. First, what type of injury is the patient experiencing? These generally fall into three categories: acute, chronic, or wellness.

Acute care deals with recent injuries or major or minor traumas. Major injuries have the most obvious causes, such as a fall, sporting injury, or car accident. All patients who have experienced a major injury can easily articulate the facts of the trauma and the symptoms that quickly followed with an immediate onset. The trickier cases are chronic injuries, often repetitive in nature and usually with very mild trauma. These injuries are a bit harder to decipher in their cause, duration of cause, and extent of direct injury. We usually will perform x-rays to help determine the degree of the injury and how long the injury has been present. In general, the longer the problem has been present, the longer it takes to fix it. We also have to look at the lifestyle and the repetition of the cause so we can find alternative ways to perform actions that are less destructive to this patient. The last category is wellness These are the patients who are active, have been actively staying healthy, and doing many things to stay healthy. These patients usually have a lower-level severity and the problems are newer. These patients are the easiest with whom to work because “an ouch of prevention is worth a pound of cure!”

Regardless of whether this is an acute or chronic patient, age really matters. A healthy adolescent or teen with a problem has the benefit of age. In general, their problems are more recent and are easier to fix. The younger a person is, the quicker they heal. Older patients often have longer-standing problems, more spinal degeneration, and therefore are more unstable. Older patients also have a tendency to have co-morbidities, such as high blood pressure, increased weight or obesity, or diabetes. These are all conditions that can slow down the healing process.

Where do you live in the health spectrum? If you are younger and have minimal injuries, your body is in the healthy region and wellness care is appropriate for you. If you have chronic issues that have been present for a long time, along with multiple surgeries and multiple medications, then you are closer to the region of health that is deteriorating and severe.

Finally, what is the goal of your care? Do you want to get out of pain, or are you an athlete who wants to restore optimal function? We can help both patients. We see all types of patients with different goals. The underlying theme of all care plans is that the earlier the problem is addressed, the easier it is to correct.

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

Note “Back Talk” in the subject line.

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.

Tucker Rotary to Sponsor November Electronics Recycling Event

OUR TOWN DEKALB STAFF

The Rotary Club of Tucker will host its Annual Electronics and Home Medical Equipment (HME) Recycling Day on Saturday, November 12, 2022, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Collection sites will be Handy Ace Hardware (3969 Lawrenceville Highway, Town Square Center) and Tucker Rec Center (2898 Lavista Road). Working and nonworking electronics (with the exception of CRT monitors and televisions) and gently used HME, such as wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, commode chairs and shower benches, will be accepted for recycling at no charge, but participants are encouraged to make a donation to Rotary when dropping off items. Funds and equipment collected from the event will support Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC) and its mission to supply HME to the mobility impaired and their caregivers, at little or no cost to the recipients.

The NX2 Agency Tucker, GA

Tucker Rec Center to Host November Campfire and Cocktails

OUR TOWN DEKALB STAFF

This annual fall event moves to the Tucker Rec Center courtyard to continue the tradition of smores and more. On Saturday, November 19, bring your favorite chair and gather around the firepit for a quiet evening of live acoustic music and relaxation. Cocktails and special fun treats will be available between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m.

North Pole at Tucker to Move to Church Street Greenspace

OUR TOWN DEKALB STAFF

aTucker Parks and Recreation will host its third annual North Pole at Tucker at the Church Street Greenspace on December 3, and this year will include the City’s Annual Holiday Celebration with the lighting of the city’s tree and menorah. Santa will be there for photos and to get your holiday gift wishes. Live entertainment will be provided by local music and artistic talent. There will be crafts, games, food and fun for the entire family. Check out all the details at tuckerga.gov/parks.

Our Town DeKalb’s July Cover Dog Finds a Forever Home

OUR TOWN DEKALB STAFF

Soon after shelter dog Alava was featured on the cover of the July issue of Our Town DeKalb, tea professional Gillian Millard took him out for the day through LifeLine’s Dog for a Day program. Millard was thinking about adopting a dog, but wasn’t sure she was quite ready, and Dog for a Day was a great way to “try out” some canine candidates while giving a homeless dog a much-needed break from shelter stress with some socialization and entertainment.

Alava was pictured as part of a feature story on LifeLine Animal Project’s Community Animal Center (CAC). Alava was a stray dog found in March at a Stone Mountain construction site with a broken front leg, possibly sustained in a fall down an elevator shaft. CAC took in the three-years-old dog, and scheduled him for surgery to repair the injury. (He was wearing his cast still when the cover photo was taken in June.)

Alava was a friendly dog who worked easily with volunteers to learn basic commands and leash training. When the foster coordinator learned that this was Millard’s first time for Dog for a Day, he suggested Alava. Millard and Alava spent the day at Brook Run Park in Dunwoody, stopping for lunch at Blue Top Grill. “He was a dream in the car,” said Millard, “great on leash and the perfect guy to spend the day with.” After she brought Alava back to the shelter, she couldn’t stop thinking about him, and a few days later brought Alava home with the intention

to foster him until someone adopted him. The choice brightened both their lives. “I was truly enjoying his company. My days were brighter, my mood lighter, and my home warmer for his presence.” Millard was saddened by the thought of Alava going to someone else through adoption, but she didn’t think she had the resources to adopt a dog. The adoption coordinator told Millard about LifeLine’s affordable veterinary care program for adopted pets, and found a sponsor to cover the adoption fee. “I decided to adopt Bodhi because I couldn’t imagine my home without him.”

Most LifeLine adoptions are handled online, but Millard wanted to finalize the paperwork in person. “I finalized Alava’s adoption on August 19, which was the fifth anniversary of my brother Zeb’s passing,” she said. “Zeb was a jokester, and artist, and an amazing brother, who helped me adopt my cat Quinnifer, my very first pet. If felt right to have him be a part of my adoption of Alava.” LifeLine volunteers who had worked with Alava during his time there attended the adoption, showed off the tricks they had taught him, and gave him goodbye hugs.

Alava, now renamed Bodhi, has settled into his forever home, which he shares happily with two cats and another dog. He loves going to the local dog park and anything involving water, but his favorite activity is a car ride. “Bodhi will do anything for a car ride,” laughs Millard. “We have to go on one every day, even if it’s just around the neighborhood. He just sits in the back seat, looking out the window, happy to be there.”

What advice would Millard give someone thinking about adding a pet to their life? “Start with a tour of your local shelter! So many shelters are at or beyond their capacity.” Millard felt the LifeLine staff was key to her adoption of Alava, offering advice and assistance through all the steps. “I never thought adoption would be so simple!”

If you are interested in adding a pet to the family but aren’t sure about adoption, visit the LifeLine Community Center (3180 Presidential Drive, Atlanta) and talk to a volunteer about the Dog for a Day program, or fostering a dog or cat. LifeLine covers the cost of fostering, including food, medical care, and bedding. Being out of the shelter and in a home offers pets a break from a stressful shelter environment, while helping them develop social skills and providing insight into pet personalities. Check out both programs and adoption at lifelineanimal.org

Henderson Mill Dental’s Newest Dentist is also a Musical Talent

OUR TOWN DEKALB STAFF

Henderson Mill Dental Care (2847 Henderson Mill Road in Tucker) has announced the addition of Richard Upton, DMD to its dental team.

Upton is a native of Raleigh, North Carolina, where as a child he displayed proficiencies in music, competitive swimming, and the sciences. As an undergraduate, he attended Emory University in Atlanta, where he

earned dual degrees in biology and music (with an emphasis on violin performance). “Emory University was the only place I could study biology and music, and swim at a high level without sacrificing any of those three things,” explained Upton. “Other schools would have made me choose.” The future dentist had been playing violin since the age of five, and played in the college’s symphony as well as multiple chamber groups.

After graduation from Emory, Upton attended Augusta University Dental College, and then went north with his wife, Ellyn, to complete his general practice residency at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. Upon completion of his residency the following year, the two moved back to Georgia to pursue his dental career. “Organized dentistry is very strong in Georgia,” he said. “The idea of dentists supporting dentists is a really great thing about practicing in this state.”

The Uptons love travelling; they have been to Italy twice, and enjoy beach locations like Charleston. They also enjoy outdoor activities like skiing and hiking. And he still plays the violin regularly, although now his public performances are mostly for friends and family events.

Smoke Rise Country Club to Host Holiday Sip N’ Shop in November

OUR TOWN DEKALB STAFF

Shoppers can enjoy seasonal cocktails while taking care of holiday gift needs at this season’s Smoke Rise Country Club Sip N’ Shop Holiday Market. Scheduled for Sunday, November 13, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., the event will be held in the club’s recently updated Clubhouse, which will serve shop pers Signature Holiday Drink Specials with a Mimosa Bar, Bloody Mary Bar, and light festive snacks. The Market will host vendors from all over the city, offering a wide variety of gift ideas for the whole family. To purchase a booth and find out more details contact Rosa Garcia at rosegarcia302@gmail.com or call 404.553.6841. The event is open to all, members and non-members, but club representatives will be present to answer questions on membership.