Moxie: Celebrating Women of North Georgia

SUMMER|2016

celebrating women of north georgia

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Investment advisory services are offered through Precision Capital Management, an SEC registered investment advisor. The firm only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements. SEC registration is not an endorsement of the firm by the commission and does not mean that the advisor has attained a specific level of skill or ability.

For more than 20 years, our board-certified physicians have provided compassionate care to women of all ages, and mothers delivering at Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton will be no exception.

To learn more about the physicians who will deliver at the state’s newest hospital this fall, or to make an appointment,

visit ngpg.org/braselton-babies

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on the cover Star of stage shows, Katie Deal travels North America performing in country guitar musicals, when she’s not on the farm.

table of contents Moxie is a publication of The Times, 345 Green St., Gainesville, Ga. A Morris Multimedia Inc. property.

Charlotte Atkins Publisher Norman Baggs General Manager Keith Albertson Editor

Portrait Showcase 6 women, 6 stories to tell. Capturing their spirit through the lens and showing sides of them not all get to see.

08| Nairika Cornett

24| Katie Deal

12| Amanda Wilbanks

28| Jane Hemmer

14| Phillippa Lewis Moss

36| Stacey Dickson

Michelle Boaen Jameson Art Director Steven Welch Design Director Scott Rogers Staff photographer Erin O. Smith Staff photographer

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by an information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Morris Multimedia Inc.

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Summer 2016

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Lifestyles

16| Bon Appétit, Y’all

Summer means different things to different people, but to many “backyard warriors,” it means breaking out the grill. Chef Kathy Patrick shows us how.

20| For the Health of It

Crossfit is a fitness trend that has been increasing in popularity across the country in recent years — and Hall County is no exception.

10| Moms with Moxie

40| Floral Rush Before the flowers of summer are gone, take time out to appreciate the rainbow of color on display.

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Making a difference In Hall County, almost 25 percent of residents ages 16 and older have difficulty reading. Dorothy Shinafelt aims to change that.

They’ve got moxie As children grow up and leave home, parents deal with empty nests.

22| Minding her Own Business Dannella Burnett and her Oakwood Occasions team have turned her catering, event planning and organic coffee business into entreprenurial successes.

26| Historical Moxie

Bessie Bickers founded Hall County Humane Society, predecessor of today’s Humane Society of Northeast Georgia.

34| Brava Hailey Ann Smith pulls at the strings of love with her music.

38| 50 Plus & Fabulous Mary Hart Wilheit recalls her part in bringing the ‘96 Olympics to Lake Lanier. celebrating women of north georgia

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Publisher’s Musings

Enjoying the pleasures of a North Georgia summer

It’s summertime, and the livin’ is easy … I love me some Ella Fitzgerald and summertime. Of course, here in North Georgia what’s not to love?

We have Lake Lanier with its 59 square miles of water and 692 miles of shoreline, whether that’s enjoyed via numerous waterfront parks, marinas and resorts or private access. Every year some 7.5 million folks find a reason to visit the lake and enjoy its recreational bounty.

Then there’s the Northeast Georgia mountains with trails to hike and cascading waterfalls and lush forests to help us escape from the stresses of daily life. And if that’s not enough then there are wineries too!

Of course, amidst all of the natural wonder are our cities and small towns that play host to locals and visitors alike with unmatched Southern hospitality. The place is wonderful, but the people make it exceptional. We see that time and time again.

Just recently, Lake Lanier Olympic Park and Gainesville-Hall ’96 (the nonprofit that operates it) played host to the 2016 Pan American Championships. Once again the Olympic venue on Lake Lanier was again fueling the flame of Olympic hopes as canoe and kayak athletes from North and South America came here to compete because the road to Rio went through Gainesville in the final bid to compete in Brazil this summer. We held onto our “hospitality capital of the world” title earned at the Olympics 20 years ago.

You’ll see the best of North Georgia reflected on the pages of this summer edition of Moxie. In our showcase portraits you’ll see you area women celebrated that you may know, but we’re betting you’ll learn something about them you didn’t know. From cover girl and musical performer Katie Deal to Jane Hemmer whose Hall County roots go back more than 200 years.

Then there’s Nairika Cornett who left her homeland in India and danced her way into life here in North Georgia to Stacey Dickson who spends her days selling just how wonderful living and playing here can be. And let’s not forget women like Amanda Wilbanks and Phillippa Lewis Moss who are making their mark in business and with social issues.

Of course, in reflecting back on Lake Lanier’s ’96 Olympic legacy, we spotlight Mary Hart Wilheit and her part in making that the success it was heralded to be. In Minding Her Own Business Dannella Burnett shares here inspirations for success in multiple businesses and her reputation as an event planner of note. In Brava, we celebrate the talent of young harpist Hailey Smith and the stringed chords she weaves into so many local events.

The skill of reading is so basic to navigating life and the

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Gainesville-Hall County Alliance for Literacy gives those who need help with those skills a chance at bettering themselves and their circumstances. And in Moxie Moms, those parents who already survived and thrived through empty nesting share their wisdom.

For those who are intent on a more intense approach to physical fitness, Crossfitters share the appeal of their competitive regiment and the camaraderie that the movement offers. Of course, it wouldn’t be summer without firing up the grill. Chicken and burgers are the norm, but personal chef Kathy Patrick gives us some food for thought when it comes to the types of dishes you can create on the grates of your grill this summer.

Moxie is wrapping up our first year this summer. We hope you’re enjoying our celebration of North Georgia women and our lives here!

Charlotte Atkins | Publisher

Summer 2016

Nairika Cornett started her ballet training at 4 in London and dance is what brought her to Brenau College to study in the 1990s.

Here, we got her to reclaim her pointe shoes and the stage at her alma mater.

Photo by Scott Rogers

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Summer 2016

Nairika Kotwal Cornett En pointe from India to North Georgia

By Charlotte Atkins Nairika Kotwal Cornett says her husband Tommy calls her his mail-order bride. But it’s actually Brenau University and dance that brought her to Gainesville 23 years ago from Bombay, India.

“I wanted to attend a school that had dance (particularly ballet) as a major so I applied to Juilliard and the Boston Conservatory.

My parents wanted me to go to a school that paid equal attention to academics,” said Nairika. For her 11th and 12th grade she went to a school in India that geared its students to attend university abroad.

The American Consulate helped her family identify schools based on their interests and she and her father visited nine U.S. colleges.

“I got into all and Brenau offered me the largest scholarships -- academic and dance -- so I think my parents also felt better sending me half way around the world to a predominantly girl’s school.”

Though it was a good education at Brenau that brought her to Georgia, it was love and marriage that kept her here. Now she’s the director of marketing and Arts in School coordinator for The Arts Council in Gainesville.

However it was those early years in India and a progressive principal Shirin Darasha who profoundly shaped her life and her spirit at an all-girls’ school called J.B. Petit High School for Girls. “Her investment and dedication to improving the place of the girl-child, in a society where oftentimes women are treated as second-class citizens, is far reaching and generational,” says Nairika.

“Shirin taught us to unabashedly voice our opinions, especially in the face of injustice.

She taught her students that acting ‘like a girl’, talking ‘like a girl’, fighting ‘like a girl’… meant being victorious. She always challenged our thinking and encouraged unconventional ways of being.”

When she was in the seventh grade

celebrating women of north georgia

Nairika proudly proclaimed that she wanted to be a doctor. “Shirin’s face dropped in disappointment. She gently said, ‘I hope you see yourself as much more than that. That is what you may become but not WHO you will become.’” In another instance she remembers being in art appreciation class.

“While studying works by Picasso she showed us one of his works with nothing but some simple triangles in primary colors. ‘Oh, I can do THAT,” I boastfully declared. Her response, ‘But you didn’t. It is always easy to copy someone’s work. Be the first to do it. Be a pioneer.”

She credits that educator with instilling the joy of being a life-long learner. Perhaps that’s why her very long bucket list includes taking voice lessons and medical school still calls to her because “I am completely fascinated with the human brain and body.” The rest of her wish list ranges from watching “Svetlana Zakharova perform the lead in Swan Lake at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow and a year of attending Grand Slam tennis finals to spending an evening with Jon Stewart and miles and miles of travel.

Of course, the life she’s already lived is fascinating. “I am related to Freddie Mercury from the band Queen,” shares Nairika. She goes on to explain that her first rock concert ever was Pink Floyd in London with Freddie during Queen’s heyday. So at 12 she attended her first rock concert with a rock star …

Then there’s her stage time that started as a young ballet dancer at 4 at the Royal Academy of Ballet in London and then evolved. “I have performed on stage with Marisa Tomei, Jane Fonda and Eve Ensler.” That happened because her mother Mahabanoo Mody Kotwal, one of the most esteemed English-speaking actresses in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), acquired the rights to the “Vagina Monologues” and has been staging it in India since 2002. Nairika

performed it with the aforementioned famous trio for its 200th performance in 2004. “It’s hard standing next to Jane Fonda because her body is as hot as it looks!” says Nairika.

And Nairika’s connection to the U.S. and a Southern iconic product started long before she left her homeland. “In 1993 Coca-Cola products were reintroduced to India and I was the first Coke female model for the year.

Made sense for me to move so close to its headquarters.”

Now her life is full of community, family and the occasional Coca Cola here in North Georgia. Her boys are her greatest joy. She loves “chatting with my two sons Kamyaab, 10, and Shayaan, 8, and learning to see the world through their eyes – full of curiosity and awe.”

And their playtime is creative. “As a family, we love improv and constantly enact various scenarios in a variety of accents ... many of these moments we capture on video (on my phone) and then laugh at them till we are blue in the face.”

Even with the global life she’s led, she considers the most notable part of it to be her own personal growth. “With age I have become less judgmental. I have always wanted to love in a way I can allow people to flourish. It takes strength to build people and I think I am headed in the right direction.”

That wisdom and compassion no doubt goes back to the seeds planted by her school principal. “Every child needs a Shirin in his/ her life. Whenever I am feeling low, I recite a prayer she taught us: From strength to strength go on; Wrestle and fight and pray.

Tread all the powers on darkness down, And win your well-fought day.

“I will eternally be thankful for her presence in my early life.”

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Moms with Moxie Empty nesters learn to cope

Doug and Sandy Carter are still getting used to life with an empty nest now that their children are grown and have moved away.

Photos by Scott Rogers

Coping mechanisms for empty nesters The AARP offers several recommendations to ease the transition of being an empty nester.

• Establish healthy boundaries on the amount of alone time. For example, meals can easily erode into frozen TV dinners. Have a meal with your partner or friends several times a week. If you find yourself lonely and bored, find activities involving others.

• Talk with your child about using his or her room. Before creating a home office in your child’s former bedroom, talk it over. He or she may be fine with it, but some children come home over the summers during college and still need space. A compromise might be a split-purpose room that includes space for your child.

• Most parents say their relationship with their adult child improves when the child moves out.You may spend less quantity but more quality time together actually communicating.

• Celebrate! Writer Ellen Goodman said, Is there any other job that defines success as becoming unnecessary? Congratulate yourself for a job well done.You’ve been at this parenting job for a long time and your child is venturing out of the nest. This is a significant success. Relish it.

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By Jennifer linn

Two years ago, Doug and Sandy Carter dropped off their youngest child at college.

While tears were shed, it didn’t take long for the Gainesville couple to adjust to life in their home without their two children, Shaw, 23, and Lauren, 20.

“I think when the first one went off, when Shaw went off, there was sort of that feeling that, ‘What will this be like?’ and there were some tears,” Sandy Carter said. “When Lauren came around, we had tears when we left her at college, but literally we adjusted pretty quickly. We were happy that she was happy.”

Shaw graduated from Young Harris College in May and will begin graduate school at the University of Georgia in the fall. Lauren just finished her second year at the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati where she studies acting.

Before heading off to college Shaw and Lauren attended Gainesville schools and were heavily involved in activities.

While in high school, Shaw was heavily involved with the theater program. He was a part of academic bowl and mock trial, the Thespian Society and National Honor Society.

Lauren, on the other hand, played on the varsity tennis and volleyball teams. She also participated in club volleyball with the Georgia Juniors out of Athens for two years.

Theater was also part of her high school career, leading to being elected state chair of the Georgia Thespian Society and president of the local Thespian Troupe. She was also an officer with National Honor Society.

Outside of school, she was the director of the Northeast Georgia Stage Actors Guild, a group that performs original shows in original spaces in Gainesville.

She was a part of Youth Leadership Hall and the Communiversty program.

Both Carter children were honor graduates and members of the Beta Club.

Summer 2016

New found freedom

With all of these activities, Doug and Sandy Carter supported their children by driving them to and from activities, watching them in their theater events and assisting them with any projects. Now both children are out of the house, the Shaws were left with free time.

“When they transitioned to college, you suddenly find this amount of time that you didn’t previously have,” Doug Carter said.

For the Carters that meant more time to do things they enjoy.

The couple does a lot of together as is, especially since they work together in the real estate business and participate in the same hobbies. But now they have time for hiking adventures and attending more concerts, plays and other events sponsored by The Arts Council or the Quinlan Visual Arts Center.

The couple who are in 50s even joined Gainesville Fit Club, which offers a class five days a week at 5:30 a.m.

“We … found a lot of fun things to do to keep us busy, where you weren’t just sitting around the house thinking about your kids being gone,” Doug said.

The AARP recommends doing just that and refers to empty nesters who view their children leaving as a chance to grow as “empty nest opportunists.”

But it’s not all fun and freedom. Among the suggestions for new empty nesters, the AARP recommends allowing time to grieve and acknowledge the change in the family as well as reaching out to other empty nesters to see how they are coping. Changes in relationships between spouses may become more apparent, too.

“From talking with friends both present and the past, the ones (who) struggle are the ones (who) don’t find ways to occupy their time, to stretch themselves and learn new things or maybe take a class or do some of those things you were never able to when you were so engaged with your children, particularly in middle and high school years,” Doug said.

The member of the Carter family who has had the hardest time adjusting with the children leaving is their dog, Bauer.

“When they’re here he’s so happy, but as soon as he sees those bags being packed he just collapses and pouts with us all,” Doug said.

Keeping in touch

The Carters admit technology has made it easier to keep in touch with their children while they are at school — about 60 miles for Shaw at Young Harris and 443 miles for Lauren in Cincinnati.

Texting has been the easiest way to reach the

college students, Sandy said.

“We found early on that trying to call them, we just didn’t know what their schedule was,” she said.

“We just text and they call when they can.”

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Amanda Wilbanks Baking a better pie with a song in her heart

By Charlotte Atkins Amanda Wilbanks says she always has a song in her heart. “I love to sing! When I’m working in the kitchen I’m always humming,” says the owner of Southern Baked Pie Company. “All my employees notice it, and point it out. I hum and sing without even realizing I’m doing it.”

Now 28, Amanda baked up local renown at what was previously known as Buttermilk Pie Company. That makes sense since she’s happiest in the kitchen.

“I couldn’t live without cooking. Cooking is so many things to me: energizing, calming, exciting, relaxing and entertaining all at the same time. I feel alive and most connected to my family in the kitchen. Cooking or simply being in the kitchen when someone else is cooking makes me at peace.” Though she does have to be careful even in her happy place. “I’m deathly allergic to the pie that my company has become famous for, my caramel pecan pie.”

She’s spent her whole life here in North Georgia. “I grew up in Habersham County, spent my college years between the hedges at UGA, and settled in Gainesville.”

But like most of us, Amanda does love to travel. Her mainstay is the 30A beach area “because I grew up going there with my family. Now I’m able to take my children there and watch as they enjoy the same simple pleasure I once did. It’s surreal.” And she considers Napa “breathtaking.” She spent two months traveling Eastern Europe and now can’t wait to visit Western Europe next. In fact, her travels to Poland left an indelible mark “because it’s where I discovered my love for French pastry and what probably sparked the idea for my company without me knowing it at the time.” Her bucket list still includes cooking classes in Italy and France.

But most of her leisure time is spend right here in North Georgia and she loves this time of year. “I love heading to our family’s lake house on Lake Burton during the summer. I love to paddle board and kayak around the lake and just breathe the fresh mountain air. It’s peaceful.”

And she loves the local people and their positive spirits. “The support of the people in this community is unreal. There is no better place to live in the world in my opinion.”

Beyond pies, Amanda would like to leave her mark in other ways too. “I’ve always wanted to start a charity/kids camp for underprivileged kids. I’m a giver at heart.”

Amanda has enjoyed success at a young age, owning her own company. “I’m obsessed with the daily thrill of what I do and the people I work with. Growing your own company is an exciting challenge and I love it.”

But she says it’s vital for women to support each other in their business pursuits.

“Support your female friends in business and build them up! Women do not help women enough in the workplace. Do not compete with each other. Support each other and work to grow stronger, smarter, and more confident females for our future.”

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Amanda Wilbanks serves up a delicious piece of pie, but sometimes it’s just the peace of being on her paddle board on the lake that gives this busy young baker and business owner a respite from her busy life.

Photo by Erin O. Smith Summer 2016

celebrating women of north georgia

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A flip of a coin on a U.S. map brought this California girl to Georgia. She’s found that North Georgia’s natural bounty, especially the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Gainesville, provides a peaceful resonance in her soul.

Photo by Scott Rogers

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2016

Phillippa Lewis Moss Coining ways to help create a community connection

By Charlotte Atkins A fateful flip of the coin landed both it and Phillippa Lewis Moss in Georgia.

“I met my husband at a conference in Chicago,” shared Phillippa.

“At the time, he was living in his hometown of Cleveland and I was living in my adopted home of Long Beach, CA. After deciding that Ohio was way too cold for me and California had too many earthquakes for Wayne, we tossed a coin on a map that landed in Georgia.”

Phillippa says that was probably the bravest thing she’s ever done in her life. After meeting at the conference in the summer of 1994, their first date was to the Grand Canyon in September and by December they were engaged. She couldn’t handle the frigid temps of Cleveland but was sure he’d be tickled to come to sunny California. “But we had a relatively small earthquake during his visit and he was not tickled.”

Thus the coin toss on the U.S. map. “We left our family, homes and jobs within six months and moved to the South. I’d known my husband for less than a year and didn’t know a single person in Georgia.”

They ended up in Duluth, across the street from Harry’s Farmers Market since Phillippa was a vegetarian and needed fresh fruit and vegetables. A year later they bought a home in Suwanee.

So now she’s been in North Georgia for 21 years and serves as director for the Gainesville-Hall County Community Service Center.

Through her job she gets to serve her passion of connecting people.

“Most of my jobs and many of my volunteer activities are about helping people overcome obstacles that prevent them from being full participants in society. I think that we are at our best when we are fully expressed and connected to the ones we love.”

Phillippa has two graduate degrees — one in public administration and policy and the other in conflict management. “My post retirement career goal is to operate a community center for conflict management.”

Even though her job requires her to be engaged and outgoing, Phillippa is actually more reserved than folks might imagine.

“Because of the nature of my work, I’m always involved, engaged and participating in conversations, but I’m an introvert by nature, celebrating women of north georgia

crave my alone time and would much rather be reading a good book at home than partying on the town.” She says her husband has to push her to have “play dates” with her girlfriends. “ When I do get around to connecting with my closest friends, I can be downright silly. As the youngest of five children, I’m accustomed to verbal sparring, which occasionally carries over into work, which is sometimes helpful and sometimes not.”

Perhaps that’s why this introspective city girl has found a peaceful connection to North Georgia’s natural vibe. “My last home was in southern California where the sights and sounds of busy people and bustling industry muffled and dulled the wonders of nature,” said Phillippa. “What I love most about this area is the sound and sights of nature like cicadas and running water from a creek, waterfall or other body of water and I love to watch the stars, which are hard to see in the city.”

She’s a self-professed “homebody” and takes creating her “home” to heart. “It brings me joy to transform spaces. I’m particularly fond of living rooms and kitchens. While working on my first graduate degree I cleaned houses in Belmont Shores, a posh neighborhood in Long Beach,” said Phillippa. “Much to my family’s dismay I’m always moving furniture, changing out curtains, rugs, pictures and bedding.

Home is my happy place.”

But she does like to travel. The Grand Canyon will always hold a special place in her heart because it was the site of her first real date with her husband. “The canyon is just majestic and reminds me that I’m part of something very big.” Egypt is a historical gem that speaks to her. “I also love the small villages in North Africa because of their strong sense of community.” Germany tops her destination list for wholly different reasons. “Germany has fascinating pro-family staterun programs, a clean and efficient rail system and the Autobahn, which is both exhilarating and terrifying.”

Here in North Georgia though Phillippa is known for her passion for helping others, especially those facing obstacles. “My hero is anyone and everyone who is in the midst of, or has overcome, some form of political, social, economic or religious oppression. I admire the underdogs of the world; the ones who stand up and shout when everyone else is telling them to sit down and shut-up.”

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Bon Appétit, Y’all

Summer Grilling: Great Food on the Grates By kathy patrick “Grilling means good times, good friends, and hopefully, great food.”

— Bobby Flay, celebrity chef and restaurateur

Summer means different things to different people, but to many “backyard warriors,” it means breaking out the grill for (hopefully!) scrumptious food that’s fun to cook and easy to clean up.

Over the years, I’ve learned some “great tips for the grates.” I prefer a gas grill as I’m usually in a hurry, plus I never seem to be able to load charcoal into a grill without ending up looking like a coal miner, so gas is my preferred source of heat. But these tips are just as important for charcoal grill masters!

1. Make sure it’s hot: Preheat the grill for 15-20 minutes with the lid closed before you begin. If your grill, like mine, has an unreliable built-in thermometer, test the heat using the hand test: place your open palm about 5 inches above the grill rack; the fire is high if you have to move your hand in 2 seconds, medium if you have to move your hand in 5 seconds and low if you have to move your hand in 10 seconds.

You may also hang a thermometer inside the grill from the upper rack, but again, these thermometers have a tough life and often aren’t accurate.

2. Get it (and keep it!) clean: Once the grill has heated, use a wire brush to scrape off the grates; a hot grill is much easier to scrape clean. Even if you cleaned the grill after its last use, wire brush it again before cooking. And when you’re done grilling, use the wire brush to scrape the grates

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again before the grill cools off.

3. Oil it up: The last thing you want is food sticking to the grates. You risk ruining a grilled sensation by ripping it off the grates if the food sticks, not to mention searing your eyebrows and fingers. So after you’ve scraped the hot grates clean, put a healthy amount of oil (canola or olive) on several thicknesses of paper towel. Use your grill tongs to hold the oiled paper towels and wipe the hot grates until you can see a sheen on the grates. Never use cooking spray on a hot grill!

4. Make sure it’s done: When grilling, you want to hit the food’s perfect internal temperature, and this is especially true when grilling proteins. It’s easy to undercook or overcook items, so use both a timer and a digital food thermometer.

Before you light the grill, make sure you know the proper temperature range for the food you’re cooking. Once the food hits the grates, set a timer for the estimated time till you flip the food, and after it’s flipped, reset the timer.

Test for doneness by sliding the food to a cooler part of the grill (or off the grill onto a plate) and insert a food thermometer in the center or thickest part of the food, away from any bones.

Remove the food from the grill when the internal temperature is about 5 to 8 degrees below its ideal temperature; it will finish cooking off the grill.

5. Keep it hot: Don’t open the lid any more than is necessary, as each time you open the lid the grill cools off significantly. This adds to your cooking time, and may interrupt/reduce searing.

6. Don’t burn out: Avoid flare-ups that can happen when fat drips onto

the flames. Fires above the grates are dangerous to you as well as your food.

Excess charring forms some potentially carcinogenic hydrocarbons on your food, as well as creating off-tastes. Avoid flames by using leaner cuts of meat, by trimming any fat off the meat, by keeping the lid shut as much as possible, or by keeping a small squirt bottle with water in it to “tame the flames.”

7. Use a grill basket or pan: If you’re cooking items that are too small to sit on the grates, or foods that are delicate to turn (examples of each include tomatoes, sliced onions, zucchini, broccoli, peppers or trout) use either a grill basket or pan.

These are fry pans or cookie sheets with lots of holes in them, and most

Summer 2016

important, handles, so you can have the ease of using a pan to contain the food while getting that wonderful grilled taste.

I have two grill fry pans and a cookie sheet, as well as a fish basket, underneath my gas grill that are always ready to go.

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Before each use, wipe the pan with oil (you can do this while the pan is cool), pre-heat the pan on the grill, then add the food.

Clean the pan well after each use and – remember this -- be sure to use potholders when handling the grill pan handles as they’ll be super-hot.

8. Give it a rest: As mentioned above, take the food off the grill 5 to 8 degrees below ideal temperature, put it on a clean plate or cookie sheet, and cover the food with foil. You may either seal the food tightly or tent the food, depending on whether you want more steam circulating inside the foil. Let grilled proteins rest for 10 to 15 minutes; other foods should rest about 5 minutes. This allows the juices to distribute through the food before slicing.

Some foods are classic for grilling: hot dogs, burgers, steaks, chicken, ribs or salmon. I love all these, but sometimes it’s fun to shake things up a bit by going beyond grilling just the entrée. Grilled dessert anyone? Or grilled salad? Here are some recipes that are great paired with grilled proteins or as additions to a nongrilled meal.

Have a fun summer and enjoy some great food on the grates!

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Grilled Bacon and Purple Onion Appetizers Serves 12 These make a fantastic appetizer but they’re also a great side dish for a perfectly grilled steak!

2 large sweet red onions 12 slices hickory smoked bacon 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup molasses 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce Fresh ground pepper Directions 1. Cut each onion into 12 wedges.

2. Cut bacon strips in half widthwise, and wrap a piece of bacon around each onion wedge and secure with toothpicks.

3. Place appetizers in an ungreased 13-in x 9-in. x 2-in dish.

4. Combine the brown sugar, vinegar, molasses, fresh ground pepper and barbecue sauce. Pour 1/2 cup over onions and reserve the rest of the marinade for basting.

5. Cover and refrigerate the onions in marinade for 1 hour, turning once.

6. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for basting.

7. Drain and discard marinade on onions.

8. Preheat grill to medium heat and grill appetizers, covered, for 10-15 minutes, turning and basting frequently with reserved marinade. You may serve any remaining basting marinade with the grilled appetizers.

Grilled Watermelon with Yogurt Serves 6 This is a great first course or it makes a delicious light summer dessert. Try different infused/flavored olive oils for drizzling!

1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt or homemade Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 1 teaspoon coarsely chopped thyme 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling Salt and freshly ground black pepper Twelve 3-inch-long triangles of seedless red watermelon, about 1 inch thick 1/4 cup small mint leaves 1/4 cup crumbled feta, for serving 1. Preheat the grill to high heat. In a bowl, combine the yogurt with the lemon juice, honey, vinegar, thyme and the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Drizzle the watermelon triangles with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill watermelon over high heat until nicely charred, about 1 minute per side; transfer to plates. Top the watermelon with the yogurt sauce and season with black pepper.

Drizzle with olive oil, garnish with the mint and feta, and serve.

Make ahead: The yogurt sauce can be refrigerated overnight.

Bring to room temperature before serving Grilled Tomato and Scallion Salad Serves 10 This is a fantastic way to use all those wonderful summer tomatoes!

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

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Charred Corn Salad with Parsley, Mint, and Cilantro

Photo by Kathy Patrick

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 cups crumbled cotija cheese, about 4 ounces (or use shredded Parmesan or crumbled feta) 8 tomatoes (6 to 8 ounces each), cored and cut into 6 wedges 2 bunches of scallions Canola oil, for rubbing 1. Heat the grill to high heat.

2. Rub the tomatoes and scallions with canola oil and season with salt and pepper.

3. Rub a grill pan with oil, place on grill to preheat and, when hot, add tomatoes and onions.

3. Grill the tomatoes and scallions over high heat with the lid down, shaking the pan once to turn the vegetables, until they’re blistered, 2-4 minutes total, then transfer to a platter.

4. Drizzle the salad with the lime juice and olive oil, sprinkle with the cheese and serve.

Charred Corn Salad with Parsley, Mint, and Cilantro Serves 4 This unusual combo of ingredients makes for a true summer salad that’s delish!

4 large ears of corn, shucked Extra-virgin olive oil Salt Freshly ground pepper 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup 1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced 3 tablespoons torn mint leaves 3 tablespoons torn parsley leaves Summer 2016

3 tablespoons torn cilantro leaves 1. Heat the grill to medium high/high heat. Brush the corn with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over moderately high heat, turning several times, until crisp-tender, about 12 minutes. Let cool.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the onion and lime juice and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in the syrup, jalapeño and 2 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper.

3. Working in a large bowl, cut the kernels off the cobs in sections. Add the onion dressing and toss. Add the mint, parsley and cilantro and toss again. Serve warm.

From runway to your everyday, the hottest trends in modern, Southern style.

Grilled Angel Food Cake with Balsamic Mint Strawberries Serves 6 It doesn’t get any easier than store-bought angel food cake – and grilling it only makes this favorite dessert even better.

Try different flavors of balsamic vinegars in the strawberries: espresso, maple, fig walnut, or champagne ginger balsamic vinegar flavors all work great!

1½ pounds strawberries 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 1 store-bought angel food cake Whipped cream (optional) 1. In medium bowl, toss strawberries with balsamic vinegar and sugar. Add mint and let stand at room temperature until sugar dissolves, at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling on medium. Cut angel food cake into 6 wedges.

3. Place cake on hot grill rack and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly toasted on both sides, turning over once. Spoon strawberries with their juice onto 6 dessert plates. Place grilled cake on plates with strawberries; serve with whipped cream if you like.

Kathy Patrick is the owner of Meals on Heels, a personal and entertainment chef service serving North Georgia. She handles all the details for dinner parties, holiday occasions, birthdays, anniversaries or other small events. Contact her at greatfood@meelsonheelsga.com or at 404 312-0421.

Grilled Angel Food Cake with Balsamic Mint Strawberries

Photo by Kathy Patrick

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For The Health of It Women turn to Crossfit for training, camaraderie

By Jennifer linn

Emily Shoaf, 38, lifts 90 pounds off the ground during her workout session at CrossFit in Gainesville. Some in the class have deemed her Emily "Strong."

Photos by J.K. Devine

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For the women at Crossfit of Northeast Georgia walking into a workout is like spending time with a family of sorts.

The close-knit group says the atmosphere of that particular gym — or box, as it’s called in Crossfit — is like nothing they’ve ever experienced. With positivity, encouragement and some friendly rivalries that make them look forward to their work outs.

The group on a Thursday in May consists mainly of men, but five women attend the mid-day class. Their reasons for attending the class and their backgrounds vary, but they come together for the shared-goal of bettering their fitness levels and feeling good.

Emily Shoaf, Jana Easter and Natalie Jarvis, all of Gainesville, workout at Crossfit of Northeast Georgia, owned by Kelly and Ray Mullins. Easter and Shoaf have backgrounds in fitness, having both taught various fitness classes elsewhere. They came to Crossfit looking to push themselves. Jarvis, however came after she had her twin 4-year-olds and wasn’t seeing the results she wanted after working with a personal trainer at another gym.

Shoaf, who now also coaches Crossfit, began working out there three years ago but wished she would have heard about it sooner.

“We thought how hard can it be? We’re in shape,” she said of her and her husband’s reacSummer 2016

Natalie Jarvis, from left, Emily Hembree and BriAnn Hammond do a round of pushups during a workout at CrossFit in Gainesville

tion to learning about the class. “We came and it was harder than anything we’d done and we love it.”

After that she was hooked.

“It’s really intense but it’s the funnest workout,” she said.

Crossfit is a fitness trend that has been increasing in popularity across the country in recent years — and Hall County is no exception, said owner Kelly Mullins. The Northeast Georgia box has grown since she became owner in fall of 2013. The workouts are based on functional movements that include aspects of gymnastics, weightlifting, running, rowing and more.

“It seems intimidating if you’re searching on the internet but if you come and try it out, especially at this box, everybody is so helpful and encouraging,” Shoaf said. “The first person done will come and cheer on the last person...It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced at other gyms. I don’t know, it’s just cool.”

Jarvis was one of those people who was initially intimidated by Crossfit. She emailed Kelly a several years ago but thought it was too intimidating. After working out with a personal trainer at a different gym she wasn’t seeing results and a friend suggested she try Crossfit. This time she did.

“It’s been the best thing, the challenges and the rewards,” she said. celebrating women of north georgia

She appreciates how the Crossfit coaches at the Gainesville location take an interest and care about the athletes.

Easter also had her reservations about starting Crossfit last fall. Her daughter does Crossfit in another area and encouraged her to try it. Easter, who was the oldest of the five women at the May class, said that while she’s in her mid-50s she’s able to complete the workouts with some modifications.

Easter has been teaching gymnastics and martial arts most of her life.

“After age 50 injuries started occurring and I think that was the biggest thing coming into this,” Easter admits. “Everybody around me said ‘oh, you’re going to get hurt, oh that’s too much,’ but I’ve found that since I’ve been here I’ve had less injury. I think the workouts are so intense for shorter periods of time, that the wear on my knees (is less) and you can always modify. It’s been nothing but a win-win for me.”

She said despite her age increasing, she feels like she’s getting stronger.

Shoaf, too, said Crossfit has made a positive impact on her life — and not just her by improving her fitness. She was surprised when she realized some of the key aspects of Crossfit could be carried over to her job as a counselor, especially in working with clients with anxiety issues.

“Basically when you’re working out, and I never thought about this before I did Crossfit, but because it’s so intense you have to control your breathing in order to stay in the game or else you’ll die,” she said.

“And that’s how an anxiety attack is. If you have panic attacks you lose control of your mind and then it just kind of snowballs into being an overwhelming situation. So I use a lot of what I have to do to keep my mind engaged and my breathing engaged and incorporate that into my teaching and how they can control the physical symptoms of a panic attack because they mimic the physical symptoms of an aerobic workout.”

Shoaf said she’d never noticed this before coming to Crossfit because she’d never worked this hard before.

The workout is physically demanding but also requires a lot of attention to form and proper techniques. When asked how they felt on the drive home after a workout, all three women said they feel awesome.

“It just makes everything better. You feel better about yourself and I have more energy,” Jarvis said.

Easter echoed her thoughts on having more energy, saying she feels revitalized after a workout.

“It’s truly amazing,” she said.

Kelly and Ray Mullins bought Northeast Georgia Crossfit in 2013. Kelly had worked out at the box previously and was approached by the former owner about buying it. After some thought she and her husband decided to give it a go.

“It’s almost like a dream come true,” said Kelly, who has a degree in exercise science from North Georgia University.

She said she loves coaching and has enjoyed learning the business aspect of running the gym.

As owner, Kelly spends her days coaching, planning workouts, analyzing program data as well as managing the day-to-day operations of owning a business.

The positive atmosphere has helped to make people feel at home there. The competitiveness and the commitment of the athletes brings people back — whether they’re new or not.

“We’ve got such a great group,” she said.

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Minding her own business Dannella Burnett grabbed opportunity by the coffee mug

By Pamela A. Keene Dannella Burnett operates Oakwood Occasions and Organo Gold Healthy Coffees.

Photo by Scott Rogers

S

he started her business in the kitchen in her church eight years ago. Since then, Dannella Burnett’s Oakwood Occasions has grown to become one of North Georgia’s top event management and consulting firms, partnering with the Lake Lanier Olympic venue, the Buford Business Alliance and other high-profile groups.

“When the construction industry took a dive in 2008, my husband Lee suddenly had no job,” said the 48-year-old award-winning

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businesswoman. “I decided then and there that our family would never be in the position again of relying on a single job to support us. With Lee’s blessing and wonderful support, we started Oakwood Occasions and I haven’t looked back since.”

The economy is back on the upswing, and the Burnett family has diversified its sources of income. Lee is back in the construction business, Dannella’s Oakwood Occasions is extremely successful and the couple has

built a strong foundation for their financial future.

“I’ve always had the entrepreneurial spirit, but Oakwood Occasions was my first business of this size and scope,” she said.

“I have learned a great deal over the years about how to streamline and still deliver what I promise my clients. Life just keeps getting better.”

Dannella has been hired to work with companies, organizations and individuSummer 2016

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celebrating women of north georgia

Trusted, Caring, & Comfortable Dental Care

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als across North Georgia, going as far south as Atlanta, east to Athens and west to Rome. Oakwood Occasions handles massive special events from soup to nuts, including the recent employee appreciation party for Kings Hawaiian that was attended by more than 1,500 people, the fashion show for the 24th Annual Bridal Expo in Gainesville, the PeriCON technical conference in Atlanta with more than 40 national speakers, and the Buford Holiday Parade and Festival. Oakwood Occasions also plans weddings and family events.

With a vision to create a catering and special event company back in early 2009, Dannella approached her church, McEver Road United Methodist, about using the kitchen.

“I started the company with three employees — me, myself and I,” she said with a smile. “The church welcomed me with open arms and has been a strong supporter all along.”

Through grass-roots networking, referrals and repeat business, the company outgrew the space by late in 2011.

“At the church we simply didn’t have enough refrigeration for all the events we were doing, so I was going to Sam’s once or twice a day to buy fresh produce, meats and other supplies,” she said. “About that time Hall County had moved into its new administrative building off Browns Bridge Road and CVB President and friend Stacey Dickson told me about the building’s kitchen. Things took off from there and we moved in October 2012.”

Oakwood Occasions had found a new home, plus the company was chosen to operate the building’s food concessions: OO Cafe and OO Coffee Shop. She also became a distributor for Organo Gold Gourmet Coffees, which the company serves at many of its events.

Relationships are the key to the success of Oakwood Occasions. Dannella is constantly networking, meeting new people and building her database of partners, vendors and suppliers.

She says she has more than 8,800 names in her database and sends out semi-monthly newsletter to them about events, networking tips and opportunities.

At one time, Oakwood Occasions employed 28, but now the company works with a core of six and partners with other small businesses to offer a full range of services. Oakwood Occasions often manages multiple events on the same dates seamlessly.

“I’ve found that as we’ve grown, just like any other service business, it’s important to work with people who also have the same goals and standards as I do. I’ve taken a hard look at what things need to be done by me specifically and what I can delegate to trusted employees,” she said. “The key is to always to have the right people without losing sight of what makes Oakwood Occasions the company that people have come to know.”

Burnett says she believes in giving back to the community. She has actively participated with Lanier Charter Career Academy for the past several years, offering internships to special needs young adults to prepare them for the workforce.

Always happy to share her success, Burnett has recently been published in a book called “Multiple Streams of Income.” Selfpublished, the book is a compilation of the journeys of a dozen entrepreneurs in varying industries who share their insights for creating a secure future.

“I’ve found that the key to being secure is to diversify, and that’s just what we’ve done,” she said. “Lee and I have come through the difficult times and are each other’s rocks. I am so grateful for all the opportunities that we’ve had.”

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Katie Deal

Loving guitar musicals and farm life

K

atie Deal spent most of her early years “star gazing in the middle of the woods on Skitts Mountain in North Hall County. It will forever be my very favorite place on earth.”

Now the star of stage shows, she travels North America creating performing in country guitar musicals. “If I couldn't make music or art in some form or fashion, I'd be completely lost. Luckily, art is everywhere and music is everything,” says Katie, who is known in these parts for both her talent and for being part of Georgia’s first family.

While she loves traveling and experiencing other places and hopes to continue to get to work in bigger and better venues, she also loves coming home to North Georgia.

She grew up in Hall County and graduated from Piedmont College in Demorest.

“I traveled the country a bit, setting roots temporarily in Memphis then New York City before returning to Habersham County to be close to family again. The beauty and calm of the Chattahoochee River is a nice respite after a busy tour.”

She and her husband Chris Wright live on a small farm “complete with a pet turkey named Arnold, various roosters and hens, a rabbit, two dogs, a couple of ducks, and a very cool cat. All of our animals have distinct personalities and voices. We are a true funny farm. One of these days we are going to write some children's books,” says Katie, just off tour in New England and Virginia.

She loves both performing and creating.

“I am awed by those who can put their feelings into words and in turn, stir others. I am a big fan of songwriters like Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan,” said Katie. In addition for hew renown as a classical country crooner — think Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn — she can play most anything with strings from guitar and mandolin to dulcimer or autoharp.

At 37, Katie is living her dream of entertaining people. Because of that, some

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By Charlotte Atkins might assume she likes to be the center of attention. “As the youngest of four, that was definitely true when I was young, vying for attention from family. But as an adult, I typically do not enjoy being singled out in a crowd. That's a fine line to walk because my profession requires accepting attention and accolades,” she said. “But truthfully, I have to work very hard at being comfortable offstage. Performing may seem like a selfish career but if you're doing it for the right reasons, you are giving of yourself to enhance the emotional journey of others. Because I'm always on, when I'm not, I need ample time to decompress and recharge. That's the best part about living on our farm in Habersham!”

In her down time, her pursuits are simple.

“Since high school, I have enjoyed newspaper crossword puzzles. I have recently been trying my hand at The New York Times.

I appreciate the online version very much because I can cheat when I'm stumped.”

But once Katie is recharged, she’s ready to go, especially since she has a goal to perform in every state in the U.S. “I'm more than halfway there! I would also like to tour as many countries as possible. I'll be performing in Canada soon and I'm working with a friend to try to tour Great Britain. I also have a dream of performing at the Grand Ole Opry, originating a role on Broadway and writing a hit song. One out of three would suit me just fine.”

But this Georgian always loves to come home to reconnect with friends and family.

A summer highlight recently was the 50th anniversary celebration of her parents Nathan and Sandra Deal, the governor and first lady of the Peach State.

She considers her fellow Georgians to be exceptional. “I'm proud to be a Southerner.

Nationally, we are often ridiculed for our slow drawls, narrow minds and simplicity but the Southerners I know are openminded, multifaceted and complex. If given an honest chance, most Georgians would

shatter the stereotypes placed upon them.

It makes me extremely proud that we are diverse and unpredictable.”

Katie is all that and more. But most of, despite her time in the spotlight, she remains genuine. Genuinely Katie.

Her favorite quote that she once saw on a bumper sticker read: Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes. “I've always loved that …”

Summer 2016

Musician and performer Katie Deal can play a number of stringed instruments from autoharp to guitar. Photo

by Scott Rogers

celebrating women of north georgia

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Historical Moxie Bessie Bickers’ love for animals led her to start local humane society

By JOHNNY VARDEMAN Her mother’s moxie probably rubbed off on Bessie Bickers, the indomitable founder of Hall County Humane Society, predecessor of today’s Humane Society of Northeast Georgia.

As a young girl in Virginia during the Civil War, Martha (Mrs. G.R.) Bickers was staying with a friend near Appomattox when Union Gen. Ulysses Grant made his headquarters in the friend’s parlor.

When Gen. Grant learned Martha was a fledging musician, he requested a private piano concert. True to her Southern upbringing, from her upstairs room she rebuffed the Union soldier sent by Grant to make the request. That prompted the general to march to the foot of the stairs and holler, “Little sister, come on down here and play for me.”

Martha’s retort, according to the story: “I wouldn’t play for you to save your life.” And she didn’t.

After marriage, Martha and her family moved to Gainesville in 1883 for her husband’s health.

When Gainesville Fire Department bought a fire truck, Martha and her daughter Bessie took in the orphaned fire horse.

That began Miss Bessie’s dedication to caring for unwanted or sick animals. People in the area learned about Miss Bessie’s heart for animals and began bringing hurt ones to her, as well as strays that had no home.

She did all this while teaching school, first in her mother’s private school at age 15,

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Photo from Vanishing Georgia; Georgia Archives; University System of Georgia

then to public schools and finally to Brenau College. She taught for 50 years, kindergarten through college, most of them as second grade teacher at the old Candler Street School, which she saw being built. “Be Kind to Animals” was a constant theme in her classrooms.

In 1911, Miss Bessie lured a veterinarian to Hall County and in 1913 established somewhat of a shelter in her home on Spring Street, the future site of what is now

Northeast Georgia Medical Center. That was the genesis of today’s Humane Society of Northeast Georgia.

But it took a tornado to shake up the community’s need for a true shelter. The 1936 storm not only killed more than 200 people and destroyed most of downtown Gainesville, it scattered animals far and wide. Numerous pets no longer had homes, and farm animals wandered the countryside.

She gave them shelter in a barn and fenced

Summer 2016

Bessie Bickers greets well-wishers while being honored on Dec. 15, 1972, by the First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Gainesville as “First Citizen” for that year. The award is presented at right by Buford Battle, executive vice president of First Federal. “Miss Bessie” served for many years as executive director of the Hall County Humane Society located on Ridge Road in Gainesville. Opposite: Bickers at the Humane Society of Hall County.

area at her home.

Miss Bessie always tried to get young people involved in caring for animals, forming a Junior Humane Society in 1947. It would be 1949, however, after retiring from teaching that she could devote full time to her calling and build the first real shelter on property she bought with her own money on Ridge Road. It continues to be the location of today’s Humane Society of Northeast Georgia. She relied on her own funds and donations to do the work, begging city and county officials to put the shelter in their budgets.

Miss Bessie didn’t mind upsetting some important people’s apple carts. She would scold local officials when they didn’t provide enough funds in their budgets to run the shelter. She would take on the poultry industry when she discovered some companies were dumping live baby chicks in the landfill. She criticized the practice of dyeing baby chicks to be sold with bunnies during Easter. Any hint of animal abuse drew her ire, and she was quick to respond, no matter whose toes got in the way.

Rick Aiken, former humane society director, said he heard a story about Miss celebrating women of north georgia

Bessie picking up a stray dog in a well-to-do neighborhood. The prominent owner found out and demanded his pet be returned.

When Miss Bessie refused, the owner said he’d call the sheriff to get the dog back.

When he did, the sheriff, apparently having tangled with her before, is said to have told the owner, “Oh, no. That’s between you and Miss Bessie.”

Her days were long, often working until dark and getting calls in the middle of the night to rescue animals in trouble or fetching a litter of puppies or kittens. She was a familiar sight riding shotgun with a helper driving a pickup truck to catch unwanted or injured animals.

On its website, the Humane Society of Northeast Georgia wrote: “To adopt an animal from Miss Bessie was like adopting a baby through child welfare. You had to promise to care for it humanely, buy a license, promise not to sell, trade or dispose of the animal in any way, but to return it to the Humane Society at any time you desired to relinquish custody.” She also was known to check up on adopted animals and take them back if she didn’t believe they were being cared for properly.

Miss Bessie’s reputation grew around the Southeast, and she was invited to speak at national meetings. She appealed every chance she got for people to spay or neuter their animals rather than allowing them to continue to have litters that would often go unwanted. She wrote articles in the local papers to promote humane treatment of animals and the necessity to have an operating shelter.

In 1969, Gainesville and Hall County proclaimed “Miss Bessie Bickers Day” to recognize her service as director of the humane society. First Federal Savings and Loan Association honored her with its “First Citizen” award in 1972. Gainesville Rotary Club named her “Woman of the Year,” and the Altrusa Club made her an honorary Altrusan. Gainesville Kiwanis also honored her, and Brenau presented her with its first Distinguished Service Award in 1975.

For all her humane society work, Miss Bessie never received any pay. White-haired and every benevolent bone in her body bent from years of stooping to care for her four-footed friends, Miss Bessie died at age 91 in 1975.

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Jane Hemmer is a woman of many talents including sculpture and forensic art.

Photo by Summer Erin O. Smith 2016

Jane Reynolds Hemmer Her roots and her passion run deep

By Charlotte Atkins To say that Jane Hemmer feels connected to Hall County would be an understatement. She not only exudes passion and heart for the community but for the very earth here itself.

That’s because her roots run deep in North Georgia. “I live on the farm in East Hall County that has been in my family for 200-plus years,” explained Jane.

Those roots and a husband who wanted to farm is why she still lives on the homestead. “Since our farm has been in my family for so long, it was a natural place for us to want to raise our children. My husband is from the city, having grown up in Smyrna. When we were deciding where to settle, he was the one who most wanted to live on the farm. Almost 40 years later he’s still loving it!”

So this lifelong resident – who lists her age as “medicare eligible” and “39 and holding” – has only lived elsewhere during college and her husband’s orthopedic surgery training.

Jane’s titles number too many for any single business card – property management, cattle farmer, sculptor and forensic artist.

“My husband and I raise cows that look like Oreo cookies. They are Belted Galloways I from Scotland and a very old breed of beef cattle.”

But there’s so much more to Jane than anything she might consider work. Among her proudest titles are mother and grandmother. “My daughter is an Episcopal priest and my son, who sells industrial real estate, raises Tamworth hogs.” She’s also a Girl Scout leader, with her daughter, for a troop of 6-12 year olds that includes three of her granddaughters.

As you might imagine, much of Jane’s leisure time is spent out of doors – “hiking, walking, riding around the farm in the mule, or playing with the horses. Taking our grandchildren down in the bottomlands to count the cows, and watching them play in the creeks and pools are favorites. It reminds me of my own childhood.”

At the heart of Jane’s world is faith and family, including her husband, their children and spouses, and their six grandchildren. “We have a small chapel where we gather a few times a year to worship as a family. The service always fills my soul in a special way.” celebrating women of north georgia

That would not surprise those who know Jane. But did you know she knows her way around a rifle? “I was on the Rifle Team in college, both at UNG and UGA.” Other perhaps less known facts include that she has been a supervisor with the Hall County Soil and Water Conservation District for many years. Add to that, every summer she “puts up” fruits and vegetables they raise on their farm. “I also make pies and casseroles for the freezer.”

Jane is a student of the world, having traveled to its corners.

“The education gained through all those experiences is invaluable. Witnessing the world’s different cultures through the eyes of the local people grants you a much broader understanding of their particular behaviors, attitudes, biases and customs.”

Her favorite destinations have included: • Africa because of its diversity.

• Egypt has an overwhelming wealth of antiquities.

“The land of the Nile brings us as close to the birth of civilization as we can get at this moment in history.”

• In areas like Tanzania and Kenya there are large swaths of untamed grassland and savannah where wild animals yet roam. “I have hope that mankind will better learn to manage, protect and ultimately save these marvelous but dwindling game herds and predators before it is too late.”

• “South Africa can be both urbane and remote, and ruggedly beautiful. Liberia has the most generous and loving people.”

• India was a grand surprise. “In the south, its air is perfumed with jasmine and the architecture of the Dravidian temples is enchanting. Sites in the north such as the Taj Mahal and Jaipur’s Amber Palace must be seen to be believed. Floating in a small boat out on the Ganges River at daybreak is spiritually haunting.”

• Antarctica is another world unto itself. “Cold and raw, yet gasping with a stark and unparalleled beauty. “ What could her bucket list possibly contain that would top all that? “I plan to sky dive on my 90th birthday, and not a minute sooner. I’m afraid of heights.”

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The Gainesville Hall County Alliance for Literacy's biggest fundraiser is the annual Spelling Bee for Literacy.

Photos by Scott Rogers

Making a difference Alliance for Literacy opens doors through reading

By Pamela A. Keene

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Summer 2016

In Hall County, almost 25 percent of residents ages 16 and older would have difficulty reading this article. According to the most recent information from National Center for Educational Statistics, Hall is in the lower fifth of all counties in Georgia for prose reading literacy.

“Our primary goal is to improve adult literacy and promote education for adults,” said Dorothy W. Shinafelt, executive director of the Gainesville-Hall County Alliance for Literacy. “In partnership with Lanier Technical College we are all working to have a truly literate community and help adults learn to read, to pass the GED (general educational development) test and to improve their lives.”

Shinafelt says that it’s not most nonreading adults’ fault for their lack of reading skills.

“Students may not have been encouraged to stay in school, they may have needed to drop out to take full-time employment to support their families, or they may have simply fallen through the cracks in the education system,” she said. “We also work closely with people for whom English is a second language to help them be able to more fully live and work in their communities.”

For some, lack of literacy is a well-guarded

Dorothy Shinafelt, Executive Director of Gainesville-Hall County Alliance for Literacy.

secret; many literacy-challenged adults have simply learned to compensate for their lack of reading skills. Nonetheless, nearly 400 adult students completed their basic literacy classes and/or earned their GED in 2015 through Lanier Technical College’s Adult Education Program.

“While the majority of those students were under 45 years old, almost 10 percent were older,” Shinafelt said. “One of our older students, a grandparent, decided to work to earn her GED alongside her grandson to encourage him to complete the program. She told him, ‘I want to do this with you, because it is so important for both of us and our futures.’

They walked across the stage together at the GED graduation when they both achieved their credentials.

“Another older student decided he wanted to go to college at age 50, but knew his literacy skills would make it very difficult to become enrolled. He took classes at the Adult Education Center and will be starting college later this year.”

The services are free for the basic reading skills, English as a Second Language and GED preparation classes, but many literacychallenged adults face other barriers, including transportation to attend the classes, the money to pay for gasoline and various issues related to child care.

“A large percentage of our students are single parents and even though our classes are offered both during the daytime and in the evenings, they’re either at work or need to find someone to care for their children,” Shinafelt said. “It can seem insurmountable

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to them.”

Founded in 1989, the Alliance is an umbrella organization for all literary initiatives in the community. It collaborates with Lanier Tech, which also serves as the group’s fiscal agent. Since 1995, the agency working with Lanier Tech has helped more than 50,000 people and more than 4,700 GEDs have been earned by adult students in Hall County.

Shinafelt and her husband Terry moved to Gainesville from Florida in 1998.

“As a stay-at-home mom, I was always active in the community with my children’s school PTA and as a volunteer coordinator at our church,” she said. “When we moved to Gainesville, I looked for a way to connect with a community organization and jumped at the chance to work with the Alliance because I believe so strongly in the power of literacy.”

She was hired as executive director in the fall of 2000. She works with an active board of directors who are also strongly committed to increasing the literacy rate in Gainesville and Hall County.

“Literacy is such an important issue that can address and solve the root cause of so many community challenges,” said Gainesville attorney Keith Whitaker, who is this year’s board president.

“The Alliance helps gives people the tools to improve their lives and their chances for success. And we are always looking for support from the community and businesses to continue our work.”

The Alliance is a 501(c) 3 organization that’s chiefly funded through grants, public and private donations, including The United Way and Jackson EMC. It pays an instructor from Lanier Tech to teach basic reading skills, plus there are other administrative and operating costs that must be met, including the purchase of books and classroom materials. Though classes are free, there is a $160 charge for students to take the 4-part GED; the Alliance awards scholarships for students who cannot afford to pay for their testing and provides continuing education scholarships for post-secondary education.

“We rely on the community to help us meet our mission in so many ways,” Shinafelt said. “The greatest gift you can give a child is a parent or caregiver who can read. And that’s our goal, to improve adult literacy so that people can improve their confidence, their quality of life and their economic outlook.”

Annual Spelling Bee and More

Perhaps the most visible community event for the Alliance for Literacy, the annual Great Grown-up Spelling Bee raises funds and awareness about the organization.

The 25th edition was held in May at Brenau’s Hosch Theatre and included local teams, audience participation and educational skits. www.allianceforliteracy.org/communityevents.html.

The agency is also partnering with Center Point and Rape Response for the third annual Dancing for a Cause on Aug. 27 at Chattahoochee Country Club. Celebrity dancers have already begun their instruction by their professional dance partners for the grand prize of the mirror ball trophy.Visit dancehallcounty.com.

For more information or to donate, contact the Gainesville/Hall Alliance for Literacy at http://www.allianceforliteracy.org/.

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Summer 2016

The Alliance helps people become more educated so they can get better jobs, make more money and, ultimately, help provide better skilled workers for local businesses.

Photo by Scott Rogers

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Brava Hailey Ann Smith: Ethereal beauty and music blend

By Jennifer linn

C

ountless brides have walked down the aisle in Northeast Georgia and as far away as Arizona to the sweet sounds of Hailey Ann Smith’s harp music.

Smith, 19, has been playing harp for 12 years and began playing professionally for weddings and other events at age 12.

“I kind of feel like it’s a part of me,” Smith said of her love of the harp. “We go on vacation for a week or two and (when I come home) I go straight to the harp. I just have to play. I really love it — and I love music.

There’s always some kind of music going on in our house. There are five of us kids and we sing together places and there’s just always music.”

Smith began playing the harp at age 7.

However, her interest in the instrument started when she was only 4 ½ years old.

“We went to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and I saw the big harp and I said ‘Mommy, I want to play that!’” Smith said.

But the young Gainesvillian had to first learn on a less expensive instrument before graduating to a harp. So, she started playing the piano.

“It was a great base for me,” she said. “I did piano for a year.”

Then the family found Martha Burwell who was teaching for an organization called Prepatory Music and using space at Brenau University. Smith began taking lessons from her once a week in 2004. Now, she plays classical, Christian, some pop, American folk and Celtic music on her harp.

“I really believe that God gave it to me,” she said. “So that’s why I play Christian music and even the classical music glorifies him.”

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Photos courtesy Hailey Ann Smith

She also shares her skills with others.

She started teaching harp in Pendergrass in January 2015. Her students range in age from 7- to 8-year-old children to adults.

When it comes to learning harp, she offers this advice: “Relax and enjoy it and give all of yourself,” she said.

Smith practices what she preaches on her four harps.

The biggest, the Baby Grand, is a 40-string instrument, weighing 60 pounds. Smith has to use a dolly to move it because it is almost as big as her five-foot-six-inch frame. And it is the harp she takes to events.

Her smallest harp is a 22-string Celtic harp, which she seldom uses because of the limited

strings and keys.

But her skill with all four harps have led to a successful career, verified by a quick Google search of her music revealing many happy customers including newlyweds, wedding planners and event coordinators.

Satisfied customers and clients

Catherine Cosenza of Braselton is one of those happy customers. Smith played for her son and daughter-in-law’s, Peter Cosenza and Jessica Kelley’s, wedding in April.

“She was absolutely a doll to work with , she is very mature beyond her young years,” Catherine Cosenza said of Smith.

Smith was easy to work with during the wedding-planning process, too. Since the

Summer 2016

bride was in Florida, Smith invited Catherine Cosenza to her home where she played sample songs.

“She had a format so that she can help you decide what you want played for the prelude; for each step of the wedding she helped to suggest ideas,” she said.

The bride and groom were very happy with Smith’s music and said it helped to set the tone for their big day. Catherine said many of the wedding guests raved about Smith’s music and have purchased CDs since the wedding.

“She is just a joy to work with and she’s someone that after you’ve met her and you just feel like you’ve known her all your life and you want her to be a part of whatever event — you just feel like you’ve made a friend for life,” Catherine Cosenza said.

Cosenza’s biggest regret about hiring Hailey was as mother-ofthe-groom, she wasn’t able to be front and center to watch Smith play first hand.

Julie Ann Chance, principal wedding planner at Atlanta-based Juliette Weddings, has known Smith for several years. She said the harpist provides an exceptional level of service.

“Working with Hailey Smith has always been a delight for both Juliette Weddings as the planner and our bridal clients,” she said.

“When Hailey plays harp, she radiates an ethereal beauty that blends perfectly with the delicate sound of her instrument. Her talent allows any bride the ability to add a level of elegance to her wedding at a very reasonable price.”

Chance said she’s planned weddings in five different countries and Smith is always at the top of her preferred vendors list.

“What she provides is very different to the bridal community and for the wedding planning industry,” she said. “There are not a lot of people who are professional harpists.

It’s a lost art.”

Smith’s music also embodies her as a person, Chance said, describing her as an old soul. celebrating women of north georgia

it for someone without it being mine.”

She acknowledges every event is different, which is one element Smith enjoys most about playing professionally.

One of the weddings she played early in her career was a FrenchHaitian wedding. She said four officiants were part of the service, which was spoken in three different languages. The service also lasted 2 ½ hours.

Hectic harpist lifestyle

“When I have a conversation with Hailey I feel like I’m talking to someone from the 19th century,” she said. “She’s very graceful. She’s very polite and charming. She’s a rare find.”

Beginning of a career

Smith’s professional career started at age 12 when she played at the wedding of one of her mother’s friends.

“My mom gave it (her harp playing) to a friend of hers that was getting married as a gift,” she said. “So it was our family’s gift to them and I was like ‘I can do this, this is fun!’”

At first she didn’t really tell people her age because she felt a lot of brides wouldn’t be comfortable with a 12-year-old in charge of their wedding music.

But she used her organizational skills and thoughtful nature to ease clients concerns and helped them pick out music to suit their needs.

“I have quite a wide repertoire,” she said.

“Occasionally people bring me a song and I see if I can do it on the harp, see if it’s transposable. Everything I play outside of the house is memorized. I don’t feel like I can play

With this talent, Smith has grown her reputation and business.

Last year, she played more than 50 events. Most of those were weddings, but she hopes to start playing at corporate banquets and company dinners.

She also played more than 20 times in 2015 at Chateau Elan Winery and Resort in Braselton for special events. And sometimes the resort recommends her services.

“I’ve had the chance through the years to work with a lot of really amazing people and I have kept in touch with a lot of the brides,” she said.

This year is shaping up to be busy, too.

Smith already has four dates this year that she’s scheduled for two events.

When she is not playing, she works for her father’s company, Calibre Home Inspections.

She also is a representative for Essante Organics, a company that makes toxic free and organic every day use products. She also enjoys old-time square dances and English country dancing.

During her downtime, Smith promotes herself using a website. She also receives recommendations from venues.

Her music also is available on iTunes and Amazon. She has one official music video complete and has started preparing a second.

The music video for “This is my Father’s World/Fairest Lord Jesus” is available on her website, www.harpistfortheking.com, Facebook and on Youtube.

She credits some of her biggest accomplishments as playing at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta and being on stage with Buddy Valastro of the TLC television show “Cake Boss.”

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Stacey Dickson A playful heart with a love for travel

By Charlotte Atkins After working tirelessly on planning and preparing for the 2016 Pan American Championships at Lake Lanier Olympic Park, Stacey Dickson’s next sentiment echoed that of many just finishing up a world-class sporting event. “I’m going to Disney World!”

And off she went to the Magic Kingdom and other fantasy pursuits after exhilarating and exhausting work that is part of her role of president of the Lake Lanier Convention & Visitors Bureau and as a board member for Gainesville-Hall ’96 that runs the local lake-front Olympic venue.

Stacey came here a decade ago to take the helm of the visitors bureau and put down roots with her family in Flowery Branch. At 46, she’s a dynamo that’s an event planner, master brander and head community cheerleader all in one.

As women we often get put into a box of one context or another. Stacey is too energetic and fun loving to let any one box contain her. She counts her heritage as one of those attributes that sets her apart. “Even though I am very fair skinned and have blue eyes, my family has strong Native American roots. My paternal great grandmother was a full blooded Chippewa.”

Of course, her dance moves set her apart too. That started young. “I won my middle school talent show by dancing to the song ‘Pac Man Fever.’”

But movies are her big love. “We are a family of film lovers. I’d go the movies every day if my schedule allowed for it. I love all genres of films from classics to the latest blockbusters.”

To wit, her big fantasy: “Attend the Academy Awards as a nominee. As a huge movie buff, being a part of Hollywood’s biggest night would be a thrill.”

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But in real life, it’s the simple and creative things that color her world. “I also enjoy many artistic pursuits. I paint, make jewelry, do all kinds of crafts, sew and am a big fan of Pinterest projects,” says Stacey. “I’d love to learn how to sculpt and make pottery. Those are some classes that are on my list to try.”

Not surprisingly, for this tourism pro travel is her “professional and personal favorite thing to do.” So far, visiting the Sistine Chapel and a private tour of the catacombs below the altar at St Peter’s Basilica” tops the list. She notes that the light in Rome is different from anywhere she’s ever been. “It’s ancient and yet vibrantly young at the same time. I love being there and watching the world go by.”

Other faves include St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. “The most pristine and peaceful beach on earth. Perfectly Zen.” Of course, the Big Apple matches her seemingly endless energy. “I thrive on the chaos and constant opportunity being in that city offers. I’d love to live there one day.”

Perhaps that’s why her dream job – other than the one she has – would be a travel writer for Conde Nast magazine.

But playing close to home is fun too. Stacey loves “our proximity to Atlanta and all of the exciting entertainment opportunities it offers while being far enough away to have a sense of community and the small town, neighborly bond we have with our friends here. We are also big fans of Lake Lanier and especially enjoy weeknight evening rides on our boat when the lake is peaceful.”

So most roads, it would seem, lead to Lake Lanier for its No. 1 promoter.

Summer 2016

celebrating women of north georgia

Stacey Dickson, sporting her Minnie Mouse ears from her recent Disney trip, loves watching movies. “I’d go to the movies every day if my scheduled allowed for it.”

Photo by Scott Rogers

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50 plus&

fabulous

Mary Hart Wilheit put Lake Lanier on the global radar

By Savannah King It was a cold, windy day a little more than 20 years ago, when Mary Hart Wilheit waited behind a small table for a helicopter to land.

A group of officials from kayaking and canoeing federations circled over the parking lot off of Clarks Bridge Road, surveying the surrounding water of Lake Lanier.

Her goal was to convince them that this particular strip of Lake Lanier was the best location for the 1996 Olympic Games.

“They brought in people from all over the world with these associations to look at it,” Wilheit said. “They brought them all in by helicopter and flew them over so they could see how wonderful it was. They landed them down in this little parking lot and I was standing there with hot coffee, donuts and cookies. Southern hospitality, you know. They love it. But they also realized that we were right (about the site).”

The federations and associations then went to the Olympic committee and requested the site.

Ultimately, the Olympic committee chose the site on Lake Lanier.

Gainesville-Hall ‘96

Mary Hart Wilheit got to help carry the Olympic torch as it moved into Gainesville in 1996.

Photos by Scott Rogers

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Though the effort to bring the Olympics to Gainesville and Hall County started off with just a small group of people, it didn’t take long to see the effort would require the entire community.

Gainesville-Hall ‘96 was formed and Wilheit was asked to take the helm.

“They asked me if I would be the executive director and offered to pay me,” Wilheit said. “ I thought about it Summer 2016

and said ‘I’ll do it but I don’t want any money.”

Her only requirement was that the group hire someone to answer the phones at the office on Green Street.

One of the goals of GainesvilleHall ‘96 was to house athletes who otherwise couldn’t afford to bring their families over to watch them compete.

“There are some countries that don’t have any money,” Wilheit said. “The athletes get here and they really don’t have much.

So, if we could help, we did.”

Wilheit said many of the families who hosted an athlete or rented their home to a family have remained in contact with their athlete.

“I still have people say ‘we’re still in touch with our rower from Yugoslavia’ or some other little country,” Wilheit said.

“And then they’d go to the events and cheer them on. That makes me teary. It was like (the athletes) were their children and they were now going to watch their new children row.”

An Olympic job

During the Olympic games, Wilheit was given the role of “protocol director.”

She attended protocol school at the Olympic headquarters in Atlanta, a place she described as being “like a beehive, just electric.”

“You had to learn about every country,” Wilheit said. “I was scared all the time.”

During the events Wilheit’s duties kept her inside of a large air-conditioned tent with dignitaries like Prince Rainier of Monaco and President Bill Clinton’s daughter, Chelsea Clinton.

While she spent most of her time in the tent, she did get to help carry the Olympic torch from one side of the lake to the other- but it wasn’t without its difficulties.

“We were on these two pontoons and we had to light it and we kept moving back and forth,” she said, laughing.

“I didn’t think that thing would ever get lit. Everyone was saying ‘hurry up!’”

Wilheit said the two-week job was exhausting but that she had a wonderful time doing it.

“It was really amazing and as I reflect on it, which I do quite often, I’m even more touched,” Wilheit paused to wipe tears from her eyes before they fell. “Touched by just how willing (to help) everybody was.” celebrating women of north georgia

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Floral rush by michelle jameson

Why have women always been drawn to the beauty of flowers?

Maybe it’s written in our DNA. Why else do we get dewy-eyed at a bouquet of roses? Some species of birds decorate their nest with colorful petals in an attempt to draw a mate. Male dolphins have been filmed in the wild offering wreaths of kelp to woo a female. And size does matter.

So as spring and summer arrive, color bursts onto the scene attracting the attention of ladies everywhere. And the grandeur of continuous blooms in landscapes and parks can be much more alluring than that bouquet, which will soon wither.

Here are a few summertime favorites likely to be found in a yard near you.

Clockwise: Rhododendron, Yellow Bearded Iris, Blue Phlox

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Summer 2016

Photos by Michelle Jameson Clockwise: Asiatic Lily, Blue Perennial Salvia, Canna Lily celebrating women of north georgia

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Clockwise: Hibiscus, Knockout Rose, Daylily, Black-eyed Susan

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Summer 2016

Clockwise: Red Hot Poker (Torch Lily) Blue Aster, and a Southern favorite, Mophead Hydrangea.

celebrating women of north georgia

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Moxie Happenings June

June 14 Wellness in the Kitchen: Restaurant Secrets for Great Grilling, Braselton.

6:30 p.m. Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton, 1400 River Place, Braselton. Free. www.nghs.com/ braselton-events.

June 16 Master of Interior Design/Master of Fine Arts portfolio exhibition, Atlanta. 3-5 p.m.The High Museum of Atlanta, Stent Family Wing, Robinson Atrium, 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. Featuring Brenau graduate students. RSVP required.

770-534-6240. sconn@brenau.edu.

June 16, 18, 24 “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Demorest. 7:30 p.m. June 16, 18 and 24.

2 p.m. June 26. Swanson Center, 365 College Drive, Demorest. $10-$16.

706-778-3000 ext. 1152.

June 17 R-Ranch’s Mountain Top Rodeo, Dahlonega, www.mountaintoprodeo. com June 17 Downtown Splash Down, Clarkesville.

6-8 p.m. . Downtown Clarkesville. www.clarkesvillega.org.

June 17 Moonlight paddle, Gainesville. 7:30 p.m. Lake Lanier Olympic Venue, 3105 Clarks Bridge Road, Gainesville. $20.

770-287-7888. www.lckc.org.

June 17 Karaoke kickoff, Gainesville. 7-10 p.m.

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Downtown Gainesville square. Free. www.facebook.com/Historic.Downtown.Gainesville.

June 17, 19, 23, 25 “Merrily We Roll Along,” Demorest.

7:30 p.m. June 17, 23 and 25. 2 p.m.

June 19. Swanson Center, 365 College Drive, Demorest. $10-$16. 706-7783000 ext. 1152.

June 18 The Four Tops, Gainesville. 7 p.m. gates open and 8 p.m. show. Atlanta Botanical Garden, A Smithgall Woodland Legacy, 1911 Sweetbay Drive, Gainesville. $8-$5. www.atlantabg.org/visit/Gainesville. 404888-4760.

June 18.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Gainesville. 8 p.m. Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center Lawn, 331 Spring St. SW, Gainesville.$28-$320. www. theartscouncil.net or 770-534-2787.

June 18.

Steve McKee, Clarkesville. 7:30 p.m.

Habersham Community Theater, 1370 Washington St., Clarkesville. $15. 706839-1315. www.habershamtheater.org.

June 18-26 “The Lion King Jr.,” Dahlonega. Holly Theater, 69 W. Main St., Dahlonega. $10-$14. www.hollytheater.com. 706864-3759.

June 20-24 Fifth Row Center’s summer theater camp, Buford. 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. St. Mary and St. Martha’s Church, 4346 Ridge Road, Buford. For ages 4-18. $250. www.fifthrowcenter.com.

June 20 Prenatal Yoga class, Braselton. 6 p.m.

Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton, 1400 River Place, Braselton.

Free. www.nghs.com/braselton-events.

June 23-24 “Painted Vacations” watercolor workshop, Dawsonville. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bowen Center for the Arts, 334 Ga. 9 N, Dawsonville. $200. Instructor Kathy Rennell Forbes. www.dawsonarts.org or 706-216-2787.

June 23 Plein Air painters outing, Helen. 9 a.m. to noon. Smithgall Woods, 61 Tsalaki Trail, Helen. $5 parking. 706-878-3933.

June 25 Mitch Farmer June Jam, Gainesville.

Gates open 5 p.m. The Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center, 331 Spring St. SW, Gainesville. $25-$30. 770-5311964. www.mitchfarmerjunejam.com.

June 25-26 Mountain Fling, Blairsville. www. artguildstore.com June 25-26 Fifth annual Georgia Mountains Farm Tour. 1-6 p.m. Northeast Georgia farms. $35-$30 per car. www.eatwellbuylocal.org. gmfnfarmtour@gmail. com.

June 29 “Move It, Move It, Move It” Crossfit class, Cornelia. 10 a.m. . Cornelia Library, 301 N. Main St., Cornelia. 706778-2635. www.cornelialibrary.org.

June 30 Artist talk and dinner meeting, Clayton. 5:30 p.m. Lillian E. Smith Center, 449 Hershey Lane, Clayton. RSVP by calling 706-894-4272 or email rsvp@ piedmont.edu.

July July 1 Beach Bash, Gainesville. 6-10 p.m.

Downtown Gainesville square. Free. www.facebook.com/Historic.DownSummer 2016

town.Gainesville.

July 3 Northwinds Symphonic Band, Gainesville. 8 p.m. The Arts Council, 331 Spring St. SW, Gainesville. $15-$194.

770-534-2787. www.theartscouncil.net.

July 4 Braselton Flood Run, Mulberry RiverWalk, See event page on Facebook July 4 Fourth of July Festival, Parade and Firework, downtown Braselton, www. downtownbraselton.com July 4 Dahlonega’s 4th of July Celebration, downtown square. www.dahlonega.org July 9 Cracker Fly-In, Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport, Gainesville July 9-10

celebrating women of north georgia

Second annual Painted FERN Festival of Art, Clayton. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ;11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rabun County Civic Center, 201 W. Savannah St., Clayton. Free. 678467-2697. www.north georgiaartsguild.com.

July 12 Wellness in the Kitchen: Farm Fresh Summer Cooking, Braselton. 6:30 p.m.

Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton, 1400 River Place, Braselton.

Free. www.nghs.com/braselton-events.

July 14-16 Pirates of Lanier Poker Run, Lanier Partners of North Georgia, lanierpartners.org July 15-23 Georgia Mountain Fair, , Hiawassee. georgiamountainfairgrounds.com July 16-17 Butternut Creek Festival, , Blairsville. www.butternutcreekfestival.com

July 16.

Indigo Girls, Gainesville. 7 p.m. gates open, 8 p.m. show. Atlanta Botanical Garden, A Smithgall Woodland Legacy, 1911 Sweetbay Drive, Gainesville. $8$5. www.atlantabg.org/visit/Gainesville.

404-888-4760.

July 21 Skin Health class, Braselton. 6:30 p.m.

Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton, 1400 River Place, Braselton.

Free. www.nghs.com/braselton-events.

July 22 The Highwaymen: “A Musical Tribute,” Gainesville. 8 p.m.The Arts Council, 331 Spring St. SW, Gainesville. $28-$275.

770-534-2787. www.theartscouncil.net.

July 30 John Jarrard Foundation Summer Songwriters Show, Brenau University, Gainesville. www.johnjarrardfoundation. com

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Moxie Moments 108th annual GHCC Gala

May 19, 2016 The Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce presented its Annual Business Awards at the 108th Annual Meeting and Gala, with some 500 chamber members and guests in attendance at the Chattahoochee Country Club.

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Summer 2016

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Memorial Day Celebrations

May 30, 2016 The American Legion Women’s Auxiliary provided flags to place on veterans’ graves at Alta Vista Cemetery in Gainesville. A parade through town and a ceremony performed by the sheriff’s office was held on Memorial Day.

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She said...

What was most memorable about the Pan American Championships recently hosted at Lake Lanier Olympic Park?

“The enthusiasm of our Pan American friends regarding our hospitality and how welcomed they felt made me proud to be a Gainesvillian. The venue is such an asset and we need to protect and grow it. Kudos to Morgan House and the board for the great job.” — LeTrell Simpson

“Some of my most memorable experiences included the dedication of the Fields Butterfly Garden which was a truly amazing experience — dedicating the Garden to Bill Fields, who not only was an Olympic gold medalist but also was instrumental in the selection of Gainesville and the Olympic Park site as the 1996 site for canoe/ Kayak and rowing events. That same day there was the public art unveiling of five pieces at the park — one done by a student from Riverside Military Academy that really captures the spirit the Olympic movement.” — Mimi Collins, pictured with her children Stanton and Elizabeth

“Seeing our community at large coming together to celebrate the athletes and our great venue!” — Lona Pope, pictured with Simpson, right, and a Brazilian dancer.

“I felt an enormous sense of pride in our community and its dedication to ensuring a successful event for the athletes and for the spectators. I literally had tears in my eyes when I witnessed the interaction between our community volunteers and people from all over the Americas. A lot of smiles, determination, synergy and collaboration – that’s what Gainesville-Hall County is all about!” — Dana Miller, left, pictured with Robin Lynch

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“There are so many. One if the first was on Thursday. It was the first medal ceremony, I was standing on the far end of the podium. The kids started walking toward me, the flag guys, flower girls, medal girls and the athletes. It was just beautiful. I had some tears, seeing lots of work finally here.”— Renee Carden, pictured with her son Brian Photos by Charlotte Atkins

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