ROAD TRIP IN A DAY
Take a short drive from Athens to see the leaves change Outdoor activities are always sought after, and with Autumn just around the corner comes the thought of where the best locations are to catch the leaves changing color from green to their glorious hues of reds, browns and yellows. This article will help highlight the best locations to catch this fantastic display, with locations ideal for both families and couples.
Tallulah Gorge is a perfect location near Athens to watch the leaves change. Photos courtesy of Georgia Department of Natural Resources 6
Athens Magazine | Fall 2016
LEAVES Continued on Page 8
Chattahoochee National Forest
A two hour drive from Athens, this vast national forest is one of the most ideal spots for leaf watching and getting out of the house for the day. With viewpoints overlooking long stretches of trees and hiking trails suited to all levels, this is a perfect day trip for seeing the leaves and perhaps one of the most scenic. Parts of this national forest link up with Blue Ridge, so you could potentially do both in one day (albeit a long one) if you give yourself enough time.
Victoria Bryant State Park
A short drive north from Athens, this small but fantastic state park is a favorite among couples and families. With camping and picnic spaces, as well as playgrounds for the kids, fishing, a golf course and nature centers, there is something here for everyone to do while enjoying the changing leaves.
Blue Ridge Scenic Railway
Victoria Bryant State Park is just a short drive north of Athens. Photo courtesy of Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Tallulah Gorge, Tallulah State Park
This area of natural beauty hosts Tallulah Falls, perfect scenery for leaf watching. Set amid a background of the gorgeous autumn hues, Tallulah Gorge and its falls make a perfect stopping point on a tour around to see the leaves changing – or just a perfect short outing on its own. The hike to the viewpoints is described as challenging, but worth it, so it may be best suited to families with older children.
Each autumn, North Georgia turns a myriad of colors and is certainly one of the most idyllic places to go and take in the changing leaves. The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway is the perfect outing for couples or families, allowing everyone to take a break from driving to truly enjoy the winding rail through the forests of changing leaves. With a special tour specifically aimed at enjoying the fall foliage, this fantastic source of fun for everyone is sure to delight. Blue Ridge is roughly a two and a half hour drive northwest of Athens. Vogel State Park is also nearby and offers wonderful views for those who don’t have the time (or haven’t gotten tickets) for the Railway. The Railway does fill up fast, so make sure to book ahead.
As an added bonus, the State of Georgia runs a Leaf Watch website (http://gastateparks. org/LeafWatch), where you are able to find information related to traveling out to the best spots for leaf viewing. So get your day planner out and start penciling in some dates in October and November for catching the fantastic fall colors, a sure bet to please everyone from children to grandparents, families, couples or even just if you’re traveling solo. 8
Athens Magazine | Fall 2016
PATIENT Continued He doesn’t understand what an amputee could be feeling. That’s when Ehretsman pulls up his right pants leg to reveal his own prosthetic — the one he got 14 years ago. All of a sudden, there’s hope. Ehretsman has performed this process on hundreds of patients since Shamrock Prosthetic’s opening in May 2015. Staying true to his job title as “patient advocate,” he helps each patient progress through the three stages that make up Shamrock Prosthetic’s motto: Hope. Inspiration. Reinvention. Helping others through the process of getting a prosthetic is his passion because he didn’t get that help when he was a 30-year-old amputee. “I’ve lived through the experience — certainly the highs and the lows, and some extreme lows,” Ehretsman said. “How do I learn from the failures that I had so those people don’t experience the same? Being a coach to patients to make them have a better or brighter day, that’s fun for me.” Ehretsman was 29 years old when he experienced the accident that changed his life. He drove to a Buckhead fast food restaurant, preparing for a business meeting later that day. Like most fast food restaurants, he had to walk into the drive-through lane to get to the front door. That’s when a Mercedes SUV accelerated forward and pinned him to the rear bumper of another car. The driver was a 15-year-old still learning how to drive — he mistakenly pressed on the gas instead of the break. Ehretsman was screaming in pain. Blood was pouring profusely from a 14-inch gash on his left leg that cut down to the bone. 10
Athens Magazine | Fall 2016
His right leg seemed fine visibly, despite the fact it was tweaked outward. Ehretsman was taken immediately to Grady Memorial Hospital where the hallways echoed with his screams — “Why me? Why me?” Doctors eventually discovered his left leg would be fine, but X-rays showed he had broken every bone in his right foot. He had poor circulation to his foot, so each toe turned black over time. Doctors had to remove them as they withered away. With many open wounds, his foot’s bone became infected, leading surgeons to remove half the foot. Over the course of one year, he underwent 13 surgeries to try and recover his right foot. They never could. Ehretsman slipped into depression. Unable to walk anywhere without intense pain, he relied on his girlfriend and his mom for everything. He spent his days watching TV and taking pain medications. One day, he said “I don’t know if I want to wake up tomorrow.” “I was questioning so much of myself because I couldn’t do the things that I could before — including walk,” Ehretsman said. But he didn’t want his injury to ruin is life. At the time, his passion was basketball. Standing 6-foot-4, he was captain of Boston University’s basketball team, grandson of a Hall of Fame coach for division 3 colleges and had been recognized as a talented player since he was in middle school. When it came time for the Atlanta Hawks’ celebrity game in 2002, which Ehretsman won the year prior, he didn’t want his injury to slow him down. So he played. Seven OxyContin and hours of pain later, Ehretsman had pushed
himself through the game. He got a quick taste of the joy that had formed his life up to that point — the rush of competition, the freedom of running around on a court. But it was painful. He couldn’t walk for a week afterward. Regardless, to him, it was still a great decision. “One of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I had to prove to myself that I could do that again, but I also had to evaluate how functional I could be,” Ehretsman said. “I had to test myself that, is this going to be the rest of my life? That really was the turning point for me to make the decision of being a below-knee amputee.” Once he was fitted to a proper prosthetic, Ehretsman began to work hard. He ran his first halfmarathon, he completed triathlons and he pushed himself until he could dunk a basketball again. He refocused his life to giving back to other amputees who faced a similar story to his. He created a nonprofit, One Leg Up, that gave donations to amputees that needed money for a prosthetic. Eventually, he got the idea to create a prosthetic company that would not only help people with the physical rehabilitation of getting a prosthetic — but the mental rehabilitation. While working with a children’s hospital in Cleveland, Ehretsman met an 11-year-old boy who had club foot all his life. It was the night before he was set to get an amputation, and Ehretsman said the boy was “petrified” of his future. Ehretsman spent two hours with the boy and was surprised of the results of their conversation. “It was like, oh my God,” Ehretsman said. “This kid looks at things totally different now. He was crying and all that stuff but now he looks at things totally different
TAP INTO FALL Athens breweries reveal their seasonal beers By Hilary Butschek
Maranda Ruddle pours a beer at Copper Creek Brewing Company in Athens. John Roark | Athens Magazine
The season of pumpkin beers is nearing. Athens breweries are preparing for the new flavors autumn will bring. Southern Brewing Company brews its pumpkin beer inside giant pumpkins from a farm in Elijay. “We’ll buy three giant pumpkins, and then we’ll clean them out and use them as fermenters,” said Brian Roth, co-founder of the brewery along with Rick Goddard. After about seven days inside the pumpkins, the beer, called “Bumpkin,” is ready. Each barrel uses about 10 pounds of pumpkin flesh. “It’s kind of a funky farmhouse beer. It’s a little bit 12
Athens Magazine | Fall 2016
different,” he said. The version of Southern Brewing Company’s pumpkin beer sold in stores will have more of a traditional pumpkin pie flavor. “Bumpkin,” set to be released near the end of September, will kick off the fall season of beer. Southern Brewing Company will also have varying flavors of kolsch, a German light ale. “We get different fruits and vegetables from local farms to infuse into it based on the changing season,” Roth said. So, there will be beets and sweet potatoes used in the fall varieties. Also, the Southern Bock season will start. “Instead of Southern rock, we have Southern Bock, where bands will choose their own flavors to go into our bock brew,” Roth said. Beginning in October, bands playing in Athens can create their own bock
PREGAME PLAY
This family has been tailgating for over 40 years By Martha Michael
John Culpepper’s son, John, and Johnny Terrell pose in front of Jack Davis caricatures in the background during a tailgate. Submitted photo 14
Athens Magazine | Fall 2016
Thrive Assisted Living & Memory Care is located at 2040 Resurgence Drive in Watkinsville. For more information, visit www.thriveatathens.com
Thrive Assisted Living & Memory Care recently opened in Watkinsville. John Roark | Athens Magazine view senior living with some of the things we do,” community relations director Amanda Folds says. “We’re very innovative in our care approach and we’re very innovative in the way we use technology in our building. “It’s important to be very proactive in your care approach with your residents. You put measures into place that helps to support throughout whatever their disease process may be. The fact that we have assisted living and memory care allows us to have that bridge, that transition, for our residents and their families.”In addition to having
the flexibility to furnish their own suites (thus adding to the comfort level), residents can enjoy the Classic City influence at Thrive. The hallways are named after well-known streets – Prince Avenue, Milledge Avenue, Baxter Street, Lumpkin Street and Broad Street. In this instance, familiarly breeds calm, confidence and comfort. “In all of our communities we try to give them some local flair,” Reed says. “We want to be a part of the community because a lot of our residents are from this community. So we want it to feel like home for them.”Perhaps
or call (706) 521-0550.
Thrive’s greatest asset is its attitude, which turns the tables on residents when it comes to celebrating well-lived lives. “We are thrilled to be here,” Folds says. It is a joy to be able to be here where we enjoy what we are doing. This is what brings us our joy for life. The fact we’re able to be here with our residents and feel like we’re making a difference every day, it’s truly the best feeling in the world.” “It’s completely a privilege to take care of the residents,” Reed adds. “They’re the ones who bring joy to us every day – not us bringing joy to them. It’s a blessing for us.”
pital. “We thought we would lose him,” Sonny said. Two years later, Karl explored a cave with friends and came in contact with areas inhabited by bats. Karl’s weakened immune system was no match for a fungal infection that developed, causing him to drop to 110 pounds. He spent a month in the hospital as doctors tried to treat him. “I never saw weakness in him,” Kirby said. “There was never a time that I didn’t think he wasn’t going to beat it.”
SMART Continued to immediately go to the hospital in Tallahassee and that Kirby and Kendall needed a place to stay for the night. “Kirby was still a young guy and I’m certain there was a lot he didn’t understand,” Killough said. Late that night, Kirby’s concern peaked. “I want to talk to my dad,” he said to Killough. This was before cell phones, so it took time to reach Sonny at the hospital. “It’s not a pleasant memory,” Sonny said. Karl had acute lymphoblastic leukemia. “I just remember my mom started crying,” Karl said. “That’s when I knew that was a serious thing.” Sonny and Sharon returned home and picked up Kirby and Kendall. “We just sat down and told them as honestly as we could what was going on,” Sonny said. The kids didn’t understand. Am I going to get this? What causes this? Is Karl going to die? There were more questions than answers. “The only thing I had ever heard of was Lou Gehrig’s Disease because I followed baseball,” Kirby said. “I had no clue what any of that was. I just wanted to know if he was going to make it or not. We didn’t really know.” RIGOROUS TREATMENT The first part of treatment, induction therapy, called for Karl to be constantly slammed with chemo at Egleston (now Children’s Healthcare) in Atlanta for a month. Each weekend stay lasted 36 to 72 hours. Sonny continued coaching, so Sharon and Karl drove to each session. As soon as games ended 22
Athens Magazine | Fall 2016
on Friday night, Sonny drove four hours north and remained until late on Sundays. “You just do what you have to do,” Sonny said. “We just made it happen.” Karl went into remission within four weeks, but treatment sessions came regularly for the next three-and-a-half years. Treatment was first come, first serve, so Sharon would wake Karl up at 2 a.m. to begin each trip to get in line. They waited in the parking lot at the outpatient clinic until they could go in. Sometimes it was for intrathecal chemotherapy, where drugs are injected into the fluid-filled space between tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord. Other times it was for a bone marrow biopsy, a procedure to gather samples for testing. “It was survival,” Sonny said. Twice, Karl’s survival was in doubt. Shortly after Karl went into remission, he had a reaction to medication that caused pancreatitis and diabetes. Karl spent three days in intensive care and three weeks in the hos-
CAMP INTRODUCTION During nearly every hospital trip, doctors, nurses and patients told Karl where he needed to go. Camp Sunshine, they all said, would help every aspect of his life and fight with cancer. “It was almost like a cult,” Karl said. The organization began as a camp for kids with cancer in 1982 and by the time Karl was diagnosed, there were two five-day sessions each summer, trips coordinated across the country and programs to help educate affected parents and siblings. Karl joined a group that he says enjoyed, “the red carpet treatment,” on a trip to Washington D.C. in the spring of ’90. “We had our own private bus,” he said. “We would pull up to a place and they would undo the ropes and let us through. It was great because we were a lot of sick kids.” Sally Hale, now executive director of Camp Sunshine, cornered Karl outside the Smithsonian about attending summer camp. “He was one of those kids that just enjoyed being around other kids and having fun,” Hale said. “He just has a very positive
SMART Continued Alabama. In Colorado, with eight other teenagers recovering from cancer, a nurse and a counselor, he set up campsites and carried his own backpack. “It gives them this ability to really understand that even though this thing cancer has happened to them they are still able to regain what they’ve lost and they become a leader amongst their peers and then also out in the community,” Tenise Newberg, a cancer survivor and Camp Sunshine program director, said. After 3 1/2 years of treatment and ups and downs, Karl kicked cancer for good during his senior year of high school. Being alive and no longer in need of chemo was great, but “Karl talks more about the friends he lost,” Kirby said. “I think there’s a certain kind of bravado about beating cancer,” Karl said, “but I had many friends who were a lot tougher and died.” Karl carried that appreciation with him to Georgia Tech for a year and then to the University of Colorado to finish his degree. He moved to the West Coast, first to Portland and then to San Francisco before eventually settling near the Bay Area with his wife Halo. Each summer he came back to Camp Sunshine. He worked as a lifeguard. He led mountain biking adventures. He became a counselor during the teenage week of summer camp. “I think he realized who he could and couldn’t push to get to where they needed to be because he was one of those kids who a counselor might have pushed to get him somewhere,” Newberg said. “He learned that from his counselors and he committed to carry 24
Athens Magazine | Fall 2016
that on.” A generation of campers became volunteers and counselors. Karl gave up being a counselor when he started a family (he now has two children), but his influence at the camp lives on. “Not only was he a great inspiration to these kids but the volunteers here all admire him,” Hale said. “They know his jour-
“It’s so much more meaningful than what I do.” -Kirby Smart ney, they know what he gave back. I always know that if Karl is coming in he’s going to have those big arms to give you a big hug and be so upbeat and positive. That’s just an energy that people want to be around.” ‘KARL’S THE SUPERSTAR’ Karl’s phone lit up in mid-June. Kirby and his players were at Camp Sunshine, making the annual trip to visit campers and tour the facility. “I got about a million texts sending me pictures of Kirby and sending jokes back and forth,” Karl said. The Bulldogs have made trips to Camp Sunshine, now held each summer in Rutledge, since the
Vince Dooley Era. Ray Goff and then years later Mark Richt continued the tradition. Kirby made an appearance when he was on Richt’s staff and a few other times to see Karl. His visit in June came with a twist – most people referred to him as “Karl’s brother” instead of “Bulldogs coach.” “Karl’s the superstar,” Hale said. Kirby met with kids, toured the arts and crafts cabin and the radio station and watched star running back Nick Chubb play dodgeball with campers. Kirby also told Karl’s story to everybody he could. “It’s so much more meaningful than what I do,” Kirby said later. “I touch lives but mine are not in danger. They’re healthy athletic bodies, and Karl’s out there really affecting people that are going through a tough time. I’m sure he’s an inspiration for so many because he made it through it and now he’s got his own family and that’s something that a lot of people aspire to do.” These days, Karl works with people who went through what he did. He consults with patients dealing with the stress of hospitalization and others with brain trauma and mental illness. He also trains and competes in various duathlon and triathlon races. “It is nice to be alive and to stay fit and it helps with the stress,” Karl said. For the Fourth of July, the entire Smart family gathered at Kirby’s house on Lake Oconee, 50 miles south of Athens and 30 miles east of Camp Sunshine. That’s become a tradition. “We all rally around,” Karl said. “I would say it’s just like old times, but it’s better than old times.”
2016
READERS’ CHOICE
WINNERS SERVICES
AIR CONDITIONING / HEATING
1st PLACE - COMPLETE COMFORT SERVICES
Complete Comfort Services offers heating and cooling services and indoor air quality products. It is the only Athens HVAC company to offer a 100 percent money back guarantee on all equipment, parts and labor. It was founded by Scott McElhannon, an Athens native.
2nd PLACE - STANFIELD HEATING & AIR
APARTMENT COMMUNITY 1st PLACE - ABBEY WEST
Abbey West is a student apartment complex featuring lighted tennis courts, a car wash, basketball court, tanning beds, on demand fitness studio and gym, a pet park and more. It is located at 250 Epps Bridge Parkway in Athens.
2nd PLACE - FAIRWAYS AT JENNINGS MILL
AUTO REPAIR
1st PLACE - GEORGIA SQUARE COLLISION
Georgia Square Collision is a full service, independent auto body repair shop and collision repair center serving Athens and all surrounding communities. It provides a full range services for all automotive makes and models. It is located at 1950 Jimmy Daniel Road in Athens.
2nd PLACE - FIVE STAR AUTOMOTIVE
BANK
1st PLACE - ATHENS FIRST BANK AND TRUST
Athens First Bank and Trust was opened in 1929 and is a division of Synovus Bank, one of the largest community banks in the Southeast. It offers personal, business and corporate banking, as well as wealth management services. The bank has a number of locations in the Athens area.
2nd PLACE - FIRST AMERICAN 32
Athens Magazine | Fall 2016
BEST KEPT SECRET
1st PLACE - RUSH ATHENS
Rush Athens is the only indoor trampoline, dodgeball court and foam pit facility. The space can be reserved for all types of events. It is located at 10 Huntington Road, Suite B, in Athens.
2nd PLACE - COMPLETE COMFORT SERVICES
CAR WASH
1st PLACE - BULLDOG CAR WASH
Bulldog Car Wash not only offers car washing and detailing services and packages, but oil change services and sells and repairs golf cars. It is owned by Dan Tokos. It is located at 2920 Atlanta Highway in Athens.
2nd PLACE - SWIFTY CAR WASH
CARPET CLEANING
1st PLACE - LEWIS CO. FLOORS
Lewis Co. Floors has been selling, installing and cleaning all flooring materials for 40 years. It is pet-oriented, carrying floor coverings and cleaning products for customers who share their homes with pets. It is located at 2364 West Broad Street in Athens.
2nd PLACE - CERTIFIED CLEAN CARE
CONSTRUCTION COMPANY 1st PLACE - JOMA CONSTRUCTION
JOMA Construction works on a variety of projects, from kitchen and bath renovations to full remodels, custom homes and historic renovations. They have worked with many insurance companies on restoration projects and built many EarthCraft Certified Homes.
2nd PLACE - PAUL DAVIS RESTORATION
CREDIT UNION
1st PLACE - ROBINS FINANCIAL CREDIT UNION
Robins Federal Credit Union provides financial services, including mobile and online banking and loans, to those who live in 21 counties across Georgia. It is located at 2636 Atlanta Highway in Athens.
2nd PLACE - PEACH STATE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
DAY SPA
1st PLACE - URBAN SANCTUARY
Urban Sanctuary is a local spa offering massage, waxing, facial, makeup and nail services. It has been operating for 11 years and was opened by Candice Courcy and Alan McArthur. It is located 810 North Chase Street in Normaltown.
2nd PLACE - THE GRADUATES SPA
DRY CLEANER
1st PLACE - COSTA’S CLEANERS
Costa’s Cleaners offers various dry cleaning and laundry services. It is located at 20 Barnett Shoals Road in Watkinsville.
2nd PLACE - ATHENS WEST 34
Athens Magazine | Fall 2016
LOCAL ATTRACTION 1st PLACE - RUSH ATHENS
Rush Athens is the only indoor trampoline facility, along with a dodgeball court, foam pits and obstacle course-like activities. The space can be reserved for all types of events. It is located at 10 Huntington Road, Suite B, in Athens.
2nd PLACE - ATHENS COTTON PRESS
LOCKSMITH
1st PLACE - JERRY’S LOCK AND KEY
Jerry’s Lock and Key specializes in residential, commercial and automotive locksmith services, and provides broken key removal, emergency locksmithing, key duplication, safes and more. It was founded by Jerry T. Fields in 1989, and is now operated by his children. It is located at 2198 Lexington Road.
2nd PLACE - CLARKE COUNTY LOCK AND KEY
LUBE, OIL, & FILTER SHOP
1st PLACE - GEORGIA SQUARE COLLISION
Georgia Square Collision is a full service, independent auto body repair shop and collision repair center serving Athens and all surrounding communities. It provides a full range services for all automotive makes and models. It is located at 1950 Jimmy Daniel Road in Athens.
2nd PLACE - TIRES PLUS
MOWER REPAIR
1st PLACE - HOWARD BROTHERS
Howard Brothers Equipment Company offers outdoor power equipment and parts sales, service and repair, as well as hard-to-find hardware and commercial sales. Edwin Howard founded his first hardware store in Doraville in 1972, and later expanded to other locations, including Athens. It is located at 1675 Commerce Road in Athens.
2nd PLACE - WATKINSVILLE POWER SHOP
NONPROFIT
1st PLACE - PROJECT SAFE
Project Safe is non-profit organization working to end domestic violence hrough prevention and educational programs, crisis intervention, ongoing supportive services for survivors and their children, and advocacy/systems change work in the community. It was founded in Athens first as a network of safe houses, and later as a confidentially located emergency shelter and hotline. It is located at 995 Hawthorne Avenue # 7.
2nd PLACE - EXTRA SPECIAL PEOPLE