WGL July-August 2013

West Georgia

Li V ing July/August

2013

Life . Art . Music . People

Getting Creative in the Classroom Learn how local teachers are going the extra mile to give their students an edge

The Ferst Foundation gives children a leg up on reading See which recipes made the cut in this year’s Blue Ribbon Contest

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West Georgia

Li V ing Volume 3 . Issue 6 July/August 2013 Publisher Leonard Woolsey leonard@westgaliving.com

Editor Amy K. Lavender-Buice amy@westgaliving.com

Advertising Melissa Wilson melissa@times-georgian.com

Photographer Ricky Stilley ricky@westgaliving.com

Contributors Ken Denney T.L. Gray Joyce McArthur Rob Duve´ Katie Allen Ross Gail Woody

From the Editor Dear Readers: We’re deep into summer, which means many will soon be getting ready to go back to school – preschool, elementary school, high school, college. Whatever school you’re headed to, it is the season of learning. With that in mind, we decided to put together an issue dedicated to education. As education is multi-faceted and permeates our culture, we came at the topic from many angles.

We talked with the Ferst Foundation about the importance of exposing children to reading at an early age. As we all know, reading is the gateway to knowledge and learning, and it is arguably one of the most important educational skills we learn; however, the statistics of how this translates into our society can be staggering. Learn more on page 56.

Of course, no issue on education would be complete without highlighting the great work being done at our local school systems.

As always, the world is changing, and our teachers know the classroom must change with it. But making sure the next generation is prepared for college or the workforce is no easy task – especially as educational funding has been reduced to a trickle in recent years.

As a result, teachers have had to get creative

with their lesson plans. In this issue, we’ve highlighted the hard work and ingenuity of teachers in three of our area schools. See how these teachers and their students are taking learning to the next level on page 34.

As we were highlighting education, we also wanted to help educate you, our readers. So we chose to focus on human trafficking, a serious topic that has been off the radar for many years but is finally getting some attention. Learn how local, state and federal governments have begun to address this issue on page 52.

Also, we continue our series, Homes of Distinction, with a beautiful Victorianera home in Tallapoosa on page 22. We also have a new contributor joining us, Rob Duve´, who will be featuring a food column in each issue along with a recipe for you to try. We hope you enjoy!

Sincerely,

Amy K. Lavender-Buice

To advertise in West Georgia Living, call Melissa Wilson at 770-834-6631.

West Georgia Living is a publication of the Times-Georgian.

West Georgia Living is published bi-monthly.

Submissions, photography and ideas may be submitted to Amy K. Lavender-Buice c/o The Times-Georgian, 901 Hays Mill Rd., Carrollton, GA 30117.

Submissions will not be returned unless requested and accompanied with a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

West Georgia Living reserves the right to edit any submission.

Direct mail subscriptions to West Georgia Living are available for $24 a year.

Copyright 2013 by the Times-Georgian

4

West Georgia Living

July/August 2013

Leonard Woolsey is the Publisher of West Georgia Living and the TimesGeorgian.

Melissa Wilson is the Advertising Director for West Georgia Living and the Times-Georgian.

Ricky Stilley is the Photographer for West Georgia Living and IT Director for the Times-Georgian.

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Contents

10

44

34

66

28

22

Features

Photos and Cover Art by Ricky Stilley.

On the Cover: Martavious McCoy works on an assignment at Carrollton Junior High

34 Innovation in the Classroom: Learn how 56 For the Love of Reading: Those who are

local teachers are getting creative and using innovative techniques in the classroom.

44 Thrifty Design: See how a local couple took

a kitchen disaster and turned it into a one-of-a- kind remodel.

passionate about early education and reading tout the benefits of the Ferst Foundation’s program.

22 Home of Distinction: Take a peak inside the

Sheppard House in Tallapoosa – a beautifully maintained Victorian home.

Departments Life

10 42 64

People

Take 5: Terry Langley

49

Tanner Foundation Garden Expo County Fair

Art

Artist’s Corner: Richard Hill

66

Garden

Feature Flower: Sages Southern Blueberries

16 18

Food

Blue Ribbon Winners Column: Live to Eat

28 32

6

West Georgia Living

July/August 2013

How does your Garden Grow? months to come, and be amazed at the sense of accomplishment you will feel when you open a jar for the family, or present as a gift to your friends.

School is out, summer is really here, and vacations are in full swing.

Hopefully your flower garden, plants, shrubs and trees are all in full display adding color, excitement, and freshness to your home surroundings.

If you were one of the many who are planting their own family back yard garden, this was a tough spring to get started, but the fruits of your labor should be close at hand.

Depending on the size of your garden or your love of the fresh produce market, there’s nothing better than the taste of freshness.

The irresistible appeal of canning and preserving is timeless and on the rise in many homes throughout Carroll County and the surrounding areas.

Let the whole family join in the fun of harvesting, preparing, simmering, and preserving homemade goodness. Seal the freshness of the season to be enjoyed for

Whether you are a first- ‐timer or have been canning for decades, you want to give your family the tastiest, healthiest, and most nutritious foods possible, and WE CAN HELP! Southern Home & Ranch carries a wide assortment of all your canning needs, one stop shopping for jars in all shapes and sizes, lids and bands, boiling- ‐water and pressure canners, canning utensils, and all the newest specialty devices and equipment. We also have a wide variety of cook & recipe books with how to ideas and wonderful recipes.

Canning is all about the anticipation of something great to come, to be savored, enjoyed, and shared throughout the year. Are you ready, WE CAN Help!

Southern Home & Ranch Garden Center 1110 NORTH PARK STREET • CARROLLTON, GEORGIA • 770-832-0114 HOURS: MONDAY-SATURDAY 8AM-7PM • SUNDAY 12PM-5PM VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT: WWW.SHRCENTER.COM

Pub Notes From Publisher Leonard Woolsey

A

Education’s Role In Our Lives

dmit it – you are who you are because of the impact a teacher or a learning experience made in your life.

Maybe you discovered your love for science in a high school biology lab or possibly the thrill of theater while in a school play. We all have our own story – but the common thread is education.

Personally, I can look back to a seemingly innocent remark from my fifth-grade teacher who helped me gain the confidence to continue to place words on a blank page for the rest of my life. Had our pathways not crossed, I am sure my life would’ve most likely taken another direction. She – and a few well-chosen words – remains with me throughout life, offering inspiration regardless of my circumstances.

This month in West Georgia Living magazine we take a look at many of the amazing things happening in education – a subject that touches the lives of each and every one of us.

For between the walls of our neighborhood schools, the next generation is currently “under construction.”

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West Georgia Living

July/August 2013

On a national stage, education can sometimes takes it on the nose. But like many things, if you take the time to look more closely, you’ll find some terrific accomplishments happening as nearby as your local elementary school. If most people set foot in the classroom of today, they’d be amazed at the level of learning and technology present. We are truly blessed in west Georgia to be home to countless hard working and inspiring leaders of education.

Within a short drive from anywhere in west Georgia, you can find the highest levels of educators and learners. That is exactly where we are going this month – to touch on and celebrate the truly great things happening in west Georgia education.

So join us as we highlight and share some truly wonderful stories of educational excellence in our community.

And should you happen to run across an educator who made a difference in your life, make sure to say thank you.

Life

Annette and H.D. Tyson, honorees and primary sponsors of the Magnolia Ball, admire a painting by Carrollton artist Steve Penley that was auctioned at the annual event hosted by the Tanner Foundation.

Story by Katie Allen Ross Photos by Ricky Stilley

A Community Effort Tanner Foundation gives hospital behind-the-scenes support

F

ounded in 1949 as Tanner Memorial Hospital, Tanner Health System has been a fixture in the west Georgia community for more than 60 years. As the community has grown, so has Tanner, transforming from a humble, community-funded and built hospital into a successful, non-profit regional health system serving nine counties across the west Georgia and east Alabama region. Tanner Health System now has more than 300 physicians who represent a broad spectrum of 34 medical specialties.

Today, Tanner Health System continues their legacy of community support, and an essential tool of that legacy is the Tanner Medical Foundation, an organization that may be unfamiliar to some. For many of us, Tanner Health System has been a part of our lives for as long as we can remember. Tanner 10

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July/August 2013

physicians and staff have cared for our family members over the years, but Tanner Medical Foundation was always there, too – just behind the scenes.

Tanner Medical Foundation says they are here to partner with the community; they help by raising funds in support of the programs and services of Tanner Health System. The Foundation raises funds for state-of-the-art equipment, facilities, and programs that help Tanner Health System continue to provide a high standard of healthcare in west Georgia. Contributions to the Foundation raised in our community stay in our community to serve our needs.

Healthcare foundations are unique from other charities in that hospitals care for everyone at some point during their lifetime.

Because of that connection, the reach of healthcare foundations comes full circle. As Denise Taylor, President and CEO of the Foundation, explains, “Tanner is there for the joys of welcoming a new life, and we’re there for patients and their families when they face health problems. We’re also there to provide sensitivity and support during the final phase of life.

From the beginning, our community has championed Tanner, and because of that, Tanner is here to support the community.”

port from families like the Maners assisted in the most recent expansion of the Tanner Heart and Vascular Center, which celebrated saving its 2,000th heart in February.

Giving

For the last 20 years, the annual Tanner Hospice Care Food Sale has brought the community together to raise funds in support of Tanner Hospice Care, enabling them to continue providing care to the area’s terminally ill, regardless of their ability to pay. This fund helps a number of people. People like Judith and her mom.

While the most visible efforts of Tanner Medical Foundation may be their two annual events, the Magnolia Ball and Choirs for Cancer, the majority of the Foundation’s efforts involve partnering with individuals and organizations that value the work that Tanner Health System does for the community.

Judith, like many family members of Tanner Hospice Care patients, was reluctant to ask for hospice assistance. “I didn’t want to call hospice,” said Judith. “I didn’t think Mom was doing that bad, but then I learned hospice can help before things get bad.”

Major gifts are often made to honor the memory of a loved one and may be used to introduce new programs and resources to the community. If a donor has experienced an illness in their family and wishes to make a major gift to the Foundation, they can direct that the gift expand a program for others suffering from the same disease. The Roy Richards Sr. Cancer Center and the John and Barbara Tanner Cardiac Rehab Center are examples of “Named Giving Opportunities,” in which donors may associate their family name with a specific hospital unit to help current and future patients.

Judith’s 90-year-old mother, Lillian, had periods of confusion and had taken a few falls before moving in with Judith. Her brothers also helped with their mother, but Judith often had to lift her, which was difficult because of neck surgeries Judith had previously undergone. “When Tanner Hospice Care stepped in – it was a big burden off of me.”

Tanner Hospice Care helps ensure that patients have the option of being at home, alert and free of pain, among the r

Another way a donor can positively impact the future of our community is the establishment of an endowment, which is a gift that continues to create a source of income for specific programs and services. Endowments have been created at Tanner in support of cancer care, cardiac rehabilitation, and capital improvements.

There are countless other ways to partner with Tanner Medical Foundation and make meaningful contributions to the health of our community. The Bremen Middle school basketball team, for example, raised $2,000 last year by selling pink lemonade and pink T-shirts to help area women receive mammograms.

The Nest, a local business in Carrollton, has held an annual “PJ Party” for the last four years to support Tanner’s Heart & Vascular Center, which has special meaning to mother and daughter co-owners Donna and Carla Maner.

“We choose to support The Heart and Vascular Center because it holds a special place in our family,” Carla explains. “My mother, Donna Maner, had a heart attack five years ago, and Tanner saved her life. She was one of the first few patients to have stents put in at the Carrollton Tanner.” Donor sup-

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tients at the hospital information desks, escorting patients to different areas of the hospital, and managing the Lamplighter Gift Shop in Carrollton, the Golden Treasures Gift Shop in Villa Rica, and the Reflections Gift Shop in Bremen.

Tanner volunteers are an important part of the health care team. Last year, members of Tanner’s Auxiliary, together with other volunteers, worked more than 60,000 service hours.

The monetary value of this commitment was more than $1.3 million. Preparation for Tanner Medical Foundation’s annual fundraising events, such as the Magnolia Ball and Choirs for Cancer, begins as early as a year before the events. Each year, the Foundation enlists the help of more than 200 volunteers from the community to make the Magnolia Ball possible.

“Volunteers have always had a direct and powerful impact on Tanner,” Tanner Health System President and CEO Loy Howard explains. “By offering their time, talent and dedication, these volunteers provide an extra dimension of care to Tanner patients and their families. This diverse group of caring individuals shares a dedication to helping others, and the care they provide is invaluable.”

Helping the Community people and things they love. Contributions to Tanner Medical Foundation help Tanner Hospice Care provide hospice services to every area resident who needs it.

“Words will never be able to express my gratitude for the excellent care they gave my mom before she passed away,” Judith said. “It was wonderful that there was someone we could rely on.”

A community-wide effort, the annual food sale receives support from many, including talented local chefs who prepare the food, companies that donate supplies and equipment, volunteers who manage the sale, organizations that help publicize and promote the sale, and community members who line up to make their purchases. Together, they all help patients and their families worry a little less about how they are going to get the care they need.

Volunteer Support One of the many ways the community reaches out to support Tanner Health System is through volunteering. Volunteer programs are available at every Tanner location, each serving the unique needs of its own hospital and community. Volunteers serve at Tanner in a variety of ways, including helping pa12

West Georgia Living

July/August 2013

Donations of time and funds from local individuals, businesses, and organizations have a positive impact on the west Georgia community and Tanner Health System, particularly during hard times. The community’s need is real, especially recently, considering that Georgia’s unemployment rate in the past few years has often been above the national average.

Even now, many are uninsured or underinsured due to a lack of employment, and in the face of this community hardship, Tanner and the Foundation have reached out to help.

Foundation donors provide assistance to Tanner patients facing cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, and other lifethreatening illnesses. Without this support, many would not otherwise have been able to afford the expenses related to their illness. Funds raised by and donated to Tanner Medical Foundation have also supported many Tanner programs and services that are important to the community, including the W. Steve Worthy Maternity Center in Carrollton and the Maternity Center in Villa Rica, the Health Education and Wellness Center, and the John and Barbara Tanner Cardiac Rehabilitation Center.

Upgrades and expansions of many of Tanner’s services, as well as the purchase of high-tech equipment, have been assisted through donations to Tanner Medical Foundation, including the Emergency Department and Surgical Services

expansion recently completed at Tanner Medical Center/ Carrollton – an expansion of Tanner Intensive Care Unit at Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton – and the purchase of a new Linear Accelerator, which is used for radiation treatment.

Generous contributions have also made an impact on Tanner’s behavioral health facility, Willowbrooke at Tanner. Through donor contributions, a wing was converted to accommodate the growing need for adolescent behavioral health services.

Additionally, funding provided by the Foundation’s donors went to purchase expressive therapy supplies and fully funded an equine therapy program.

The lives of many in our community are affected by cancer, and gifts to Tanner Medical Foundation support various cancer funds, such as the Cancer Patients Assistance Fund and the Mammogram Assistance Fund.

“I remember the day we were in the doctor’s office and were told about all of the medications my mom was going to need,” explained Tammy, whose mother is a Tanner patient fighting ovarian cancer. “She started crying. She was so overwhelmed by everything, and she’s on a fixed income, so she wasn’t sure how she was going to pay for so many medicines.”

The doctor suggested that Tammy’s mother apply for assistance from Tanner Medical Foundation’s Cancer Patients Assistance Fund, which provides Tanner cancer patients with financial help with medication, treatment and other expenses related to their cancer care.

The fund helped Tammy’s mother with several medications she needs to fight her cancer. “It blessed our hearts. We are very grateful for the help.”

According to statistics, one woman in eight is likely to develop breast cancer in her lifetime, and one in 33 will die from it. However, research shows that early detection could prevent one-third of all breast cancer-related deaths. Gifts to Tanner’s Mammogram Assistance Fund last year ensured mammograms were made possible for 214 area women who otherwise wouldn’t have received one.

Through its leadership and the diversity of its board, Tanner Medical Foundation is able to leverage expertise in finance, entrepreneurialism, management, marketing and medicine to make decisions that consider all stakeholders: patients, donors and the community. Through each, the full-circle relationship between Tanner Health System and the community

continues, with the community supporting the Foundation, the Foundation assisting Tanner, and Tanner, in turn, helping the community. This relationship is built on strength of will and character, built on community involvement and the willingness to care for our neighbors.

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” The immortal and wise words of Winston Churchill greet you upon a visit to the Tanner Medical Foundation’s website and represent what the Foundation means to west Georgia. Essentially, the Foundation has become a bridge between Tanner Health System and the community, an indelible connection between a medical organization and the people it serves that keeps the welfare of both front and center.

Tanner Medical Foundation’s Denise Taylor probably sums up the mission of the Foundation best with these words: “Every day, it is such an honor to witness the compassion of this community. It is a privilege to partner with individuals, families and organizations to support the programs and services provided by Tanner Health System that make a difference in the lives of the patients we serve.”

For more information on the Foundation, or how to volunteer or donate, visit their website at http://tannermedicalfoundation.org or call 770-836-9879. wgl

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Salvia

Garden Story by

Sage and

Salvia What’s in

Joyce McArthur Photos by

Ricky Stilley

a name?

S

alvia officinalis. Sounds fancy, or may I say, kind of “official.” The plant it describes is also known as Common Sage. Not really very fancy sounding at all, but what a beautiful plant this is! Salvia officinalis is the culinary herb we grow and use in so many of our favorite dishes.

The salvia family has about 1,000 species, and in such a variety of foliage and colors that it is a standard in gardens throughout the world.

Botanically, sage and salvia are the same plant – with varied uses. Sages are members of the salvia family, and often the terms are used interchange16

West Georgia Living

July/August 2013

ably. Some gardeners prefer to refer to the culinary species as “sage” and to the various ornamentals as “salvia.” All are members of the mint family.

C

ommon sage, or Garden sage, can be found at most nurseries and home centers, and comes in a variety of hybrids. This culinary species originated in countries around the Mediterranean and is actually a subshrub, surviving for several years before it loses its attractive shape and should be replaced. The leaves are thick and wooly, deliciously aromatic, with colors ranging from

purplish-green (“Purpurascens”), to variegated white, red and green (“Tricolor”) and a lovely yellow (“Aurea”). Flowers are blue, lilac or white, but generally the plants are pruned to keep them from blooming.

Planting flats of annual salvias is a tradition in many parts of the United States, including the Southeast. How many gardens have you seen with row upon row of flaming red spikes of Scarlet Sage (salvia splendens) blooming their little heads off all summer long? This compact plant (8 to 30 inches) is also

unpalatable to deer and insect pests, which is a bonus here in west Georgia. Unfortunately, Scarlet Sage, a native of Brazil, is not as attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds as other species of salvia can be. Cultivars of salvia also are available in white, purple and salmon. They like bright sun, but need regular watering to do their best.

Sage

T

o confuse issues further, there is a lovely American native tender perennial named – drum roll please – Scarlet Sage, or salvia coccinea. Its native region encompasses an area from South Carolina down to Florida. This native also has spikes of bright red, two-lipped blossoms atop 2- to 3-foot tall stems. It reseeds easily without invading the garden, and is especially lovely in native plantings.

Salvia coccinea is a favorite of butterflies and hummingbirds, too. Cultivars also include pinks, whites and bicolor flowers.

The leaves of the various ornamental salvias are aromatic, redolent of mint or herbal scents.

For an adventure in flavor and hummingbird magnetism, plant a few Pineapple sages (salvia elegans) in your garden. This native of Mexico sports flashy red blossoms on 3- to 4-foot tall stems. The leaves on this beauty smell like pineapple when crushed, and are delicious as a flavoring in tea and lemonade.

Though Pineapple sage’s homeland has a more tropical climate than ours in west Georgia, if given a sunny spot near a south or west wall, it very likely will return year after year.

Though it dies back to the ground in winter, Pineapple sage returns with a bang each summer, reaching up to 4 feet in height and 3 feet in width.

F

or sheer drama and beauty, nothing beats “Black and Blue” Salvia (salvia guaranitica), a long and lean greenleaved garden bully. The flowers are a brilliant electric blue, terminating at a black calyx (the base of the flower that is green in most salvias) and a black stem that fades back to green. Hummingbirds love Black and Blue, the foliage smells lovely, and if you don’t watch out, it will take over your flower bed before you can blink.

L

astly, there’s the standby perennial salvia in many gardens – “May Night” saliva (salvia x sylvestris “Mainacht”). It’s hardy, it’s purple, it’s striking and it’s a breeze to grow in your garden. It won’t take over the bed, rather May Night makes a tidy clump of grayish green leaves with tall candle-like purple spikes of blooms towering over the plant. Drought tolerant and heat loving, this is the plant to place in that spot that the hose barely reaches at the sunny edge of the yard.

Choose sages or salvias, and call them what you like; they are all lovely to behold in their many colors and equally attractive in the varied fragrances of their long, green leaves.

Joyce McArthur is a Carroll County Master Gardener Extension Volunteer.

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If you have the space to accommodate this plant, just purchase three small pots of Black and Blue, plant them and step back.

In one year, the three will have sent out enough new growth to cover about 3 feet of real estate, and in five years, plan on it squatting on a 6-foot square area.

Unlike other salvias, Black and Blue doesn’t mind drought and hot summers. Like Pineapple sage, Black and Blue salvia is rated for zones 8 to 10, but in a warm sunny location, it happily returns each spring in our area.

Southern Home & Ranch Garden Center 1110 NORTH PARK STREET • CARROLLTON, GEORGIA • 770-832-0114 HOURS: MONDAY-SATURDAY 8AM-7PM • SUNDAY 12PM-5PM VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT: WWW.SHRCENTER.COM

Garden Story by Gail Woody Photos by Ricky Stilley

Blueberries:

Fruit at your Fingertips

A

lot of folks complain about Georgia’s red clay, but one thing is for sure: we can grow some mighty fine blueberries here in the South.

If you daydream about growing your own fruit, blueberries could be the perfect choice. The one thing blueberries do require is acidic soil – which, luckily, is exactly the soil we have here in the piedmont region of Georgia. I am talking about soil that has not been amended with lime year after year; a piece of land that has not been “doctored” – as my Dad would say.

Blueberries are an easy fruit crop to grow with very few pest problems and low nutritional requirements. Blueberries contain high concentrations of antioxidants, which are important for 18

West Georgia Living

July/August 2013

good health.

G

eorgia actually has a native blueberry called “Rabbit Eye.” Growing up in the rural South, we called them huckleberries. Now, in Trout Creek, Mont., where they have given their town the title “Huckleberry Capital of Montana,” folks would argue that a huckleberry is not a blueberry. Montana has everything for sale in huckleberry

flavor. Fresh huckleberry ice cream is as common as vanilla ice cream is in the South. They actually claim that no selfrespecting Montanan would compare the blueberries of the South to their huckleberries. Be that as it may, I am actually happy to walk to my back yard and pick blueberries without looking over my shoulder for grizzly bears. Huckleberries of the northwest actually are a deeper

purple in color, but after many Montana visits and huckleberry taste tests, I prefer the Southern variety any day.

T

hree types of blueberries are grown in Georgia. The Northern Highbush, Southern Highbush and Rabbit Eye. Northern Highbush is more adapted to the northern portion of Georgia due to the requirement for chilly temperatures and low heat tolerance. The Southern Highbush is a hybrid between the Northern Highbush and the Southern native blueberry. Rabbit Eye and the Southern Highbush do well locally due to a moderate requirement for winter chilling.

The Rabbit Eye blueberry varieties have proven to be the easiest to grow in Georgia and in our local area due to their adaptation for mineral soils. Several varieties of Rabbit Eye blueberries bloom in the spring and set fruit early, making them at risk for crop damage if a late frost should occur.

Austin, Brightwell, Ochlockonee, Vernon and Premier are a few good early season choices.

Tifblue, a variety that provides a bumper crop of blueberries, pollinates very well with Brightwell, Briteblue and Powderblue for late June to early July fruit. For a late-season harvest of blueberries, plant Baldwin, Centurion, Maru and Delight. Visit the UGA Cooperative Extension website (caes. uga.edu) for publications on the best varieties, information on fertilizing and important planting instructions.

Rabbit eye varieties are not self-fertilizers, so they require a pollinizer for maximum fruit. It is important to choose pollinators that bloom during the same part of the season. A few choices are listed above. It is very important to plant different varieties of blueberries together as well. The different varieties will maximize production.

Blueberries are also sensitive to sodium, which makes them a perfect crop for our area. They thrive when the soil pH is in the range of 4.0 to 5.5. Bring a sample of your soil to the UGA Cooperative Extension office for a proper soil analysis.

If your soil pH is 6.0 or higher, add equal parts peat moss and

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soil to the planting hole. In addition to the right soil pH, blueberries require a well-drained soil and at least 8 to 10 hours of sun each day.

M

ost varieties of blueberries are mature in seven to eight years and can reach 15 feet high and 10 feet wide. Renowned Georgia gardener Walter Reeves recommends keeping them trimmed around 5 feet for easy harvesting by removing a few of the oldest canes to develop a plant with seven or eight young vertical canes. Pinch the tips out when the canes are 4 to 5 feet tall to force laterals that will bear fruit the following spring. For more advice from Reeves on how to care for blueberries, go to www.walterreeves.com.

Blueberries are sold bare-root, in containers, balled and burlapped. Plants that are two years old are the best choices.

Dig the hole shallower than the container depth and twice as large as the container size. Keep in mind that blueberries are shallow rooted plants and should never be planted deep. This will cause root rot and the death of your plant.

Fill the planting hole with water, add soil and water in again. Newly planted blueberries will need watering once a week during dry weather. Remove any flower buds and broken or damaged branches at planting time to give your plant a fresh start during establishment.

Do not fertilize at the time of planting. Fertilize

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after three or four weeks with an organic fertilizer, such as cotton seed meal. Apply fertilizer again the following spring after new buds appear. It is advisable to test the soil pH every two years to keep the soil acidic. Add sulfur only if recommended on the soil analysis.

O

nce you are in the blueberry business, you may find birds to be your worst enemy. Netting is probably the best solution for keeping birds out of your fruit. Stake the net off the plants so you can remove it easily when you are ready to pick your berries. This will also help to prevent damage to the plants.

Blueberries also benefit from pine bark mulch and actually do well when planted on a slope. As with any tree or shrub, do not pile mulch against the trunk of your plants. Mulching is proven to keep blueberries productive but the mulch should be kept back at least 2 inches to prevent insects and voles from causing damage to the plants.

For more information on all of your horticulture questions, contact a Carroll County Master Gardener volunteer at 770836-8546, via e-mail at ccmg@uga.edu or visit our office located at 900 Newnan Rd. in Carrollton.

Gail Woody is a Carroll County Master Gardener Extension Volunteer and ISA Certified Arborist.

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WellStar Douglas Hospital’s full spectrum of cardiac services includes Percutaenous Coronary Intervention (PCI), which provides lifesaving angioplasty to cardiac patients in need of treatment. This catheter-based procedure opens up a blocked coronary artery which restores blood flow to the heart muscle.

Benefits of coronary angioplasty (PCI): • An alternative treatment to coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) • Less invasive, less expensive and faster to perform than bypass surgery • Patients usually return home the next day • Can be performed on an emergency basis to treat a heart attack This critical cardiac treatment enhances an existing cardiac program at WellStar Douglas Hospital including an accredited chest pain center, diagnostic catheterization, cardiac rehabilitation, 24-hour/7-days a week cardiology coverage, heart screenings and educational programs.

For a cardiology referral, call 770-956-STAR (7827). wellstar.org

Life Story by Ken Denney Photos by Ricky Stilley

The Sheppard House was built on the grounds of the Old Academy, which is mentioned in documents dating to 1849. The Old Academy building has been incorporated into the house.

A Victorian

Home of Distinction

W

hen David and Beth Warner were both children in Tallapoosa, they each frequently passed by the rambling Victorian-style house on Bowdon Street and separately dreamed about living in it. A year ago, they got their wish.

W

That’s how long they’ve owned the Folk Victorian-style house built in 1896 by George W. Sheppard. He was a former Union cavalryman from Iowa who became part of the big land and investment boom that built Tallapoosa near the turn of the 20th Century. He went on to be a two-term 22

West Georgia Living

July/August 2013

mayor, bank president and leader of Dixie Glass Works.

Victorian houses like Sheppard’s were extremely popular in their time, as their large size and multiple rooms enabled their owners to make an ostentatious show of wealth in the Gilded Age. Yet, these homes could be built affordably, thanks to mass-produced, machine-made wood ornaments that could be cheaply shipped across America by rail.

The Sheppard house is full of special features that would have been unique even when it was built. The most eyer

Victorian homes benefitted from the Industrial Revolution, which made massproduction of ornate parts affordable. Owners and builders used their imaginations to mix features borrowed from other eras and styles.

The Sheppard House has had six owners over the past 117 years, but still has many of its original components. Here, current owners Beth and David Warner perch on a beautiful window seat, complete with a unique glass-work design.

catching interior highlight is an elaborate wood staircase that appears to “float” off the wall, in that it appears to have no exterior support. The secret is a thick, steel bolt concealed in a newel post and which passes up through the ceiling, where it is bolted to an attic brace, effectively pinning the stairs in place.

There are other special features, as well. For example, there are a series of copper tubes inside the walls that are “speaking tubes” – sort of an early intercom system that allowed people upstairs to talk to those downstairs.

Later, when the house had electricity, 24

West Georgia Living

July/August 2013

that system was replaced by push buttons in every bedroom that would ring a bell in the butler’s quarters.

T

he Warners are the sixth owners of the house and have filled its 10 rooms with their lifetime collection of personal mementoes and relics from Tallapoosa’s past. Also incorporated into the décor are some of the furnishings left behind by the previous owners.

They have done very little to the house, which spreads out over a large lot and now includes a school building called the Old Academy, which

had been there long before Sheppard’s time. The Warners have transformed the basement into a combination eating nook and wine cellar, while the voluminous attic is decorated year-round with a spectacular display of Christmas lights.

The Warners may own the home, but they think its beauty should be shared with others, especially those who, like themselves, have admired it since childhood. They offer tours of the house during special events and are determined to add to its history before passing it on to a new generation. wgl

The railroad, which helped Tallapoosa grow, made it possible for newly rich citizens to build their dream homes straight from the catalog – much like the picturesque room shown above.

The Sheppard House had some advanced features for its day: heavy pocket doors; an antique intercom system using copper tubes; and an antique fuse box from the home’s first introduction to electricity (shown at right).

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Blue Ribbon Perfection!

W W

ell folks, as promised, we returned to the Carroll County Old Time Fair and Farm Days this year to hold our second annual Blue Ribbon Contest featuring your pies and cakes. Once again, you blew us all away! We had some wonderful entries again this year, and while we wish we could share all the contestants’ recipes with you, we’ll have to be satisfied with the first, second and third place finishers in each category.

Just like last year, tasting pies and cakes proved harder than it sounds.

Everything was wonderful, and picking favorites wasn’t easy. However, Rob Duve´, Amanda Edwards and I put our collective heads together and – eventually – announced the winners. We hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we did, and we hope to see you all at next year’s Blue Ribbon contest!

– Amy K. Lavender-Buice Editor

28

West Georgia Living

July/August 2013

Ice Box Peanut Butter Pie

Third Place - Ice Box Peanut Butter Pie By: Andrea Eidson-McDonald 2 Graham cracker crusts 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup milk 1 cup confectioner’s sugar 8 oz. whipped topping Combine cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth. Add milk, sugar and whipped topping, and mix. Divide mixture equally into the two crusts. Freeze at least four hours before serving. If desired, garnish with shaved chocolate or chocolate curls.

First Place - Lemon Icebox Pie By: Andrea Eidson-McDonald Makes 2 2 Honey Maid graham cracker pie crusts 1 can sweetened condensed milk 3/4 cup ReaLemon Juice (do not use fresh squeezed lemon juice) 12 oz. container Lite Cool Whip Combine sweetened condensed milk and ReaLemon juice until smooth. Fold in half of the Lite Cool Whip until blended then add remaining Cool Whip until it is completely incorporated. Divide mixture equally between the two crusts. Place in freezer for at least four hours. Pies will keep in freezer for at least one month.

Second Place - Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie By: Velvalyn Williams Pie Crust Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes 1 box chocolate pudding 1 cup sugar 1 stick butter 2 squares Bakers Chocolate (melted) 2 whole eggs, beaten 1/4 cup flour 6 drops vanilla 4 spoons peanut butter Place pie shell in pie pan.

Mix all ingredients. Put in pan and bake for 15 minutes, then add top crust and bake for 10 more minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Food

Pies

Lemon Icebox Pie

Category Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

July/August 2013 West Georgia Living

29

Food

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cakes

Category

First Place - Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Andrea Eidson-McDonald 2 cups sugar 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil 4 eggs 2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. cinnamon 2 tsp. baking soda 2 cups flour 3 cups carrots, grated 1 tsp. vanilla Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix sugar and oil, then add eggs. Mix well. Sift together salt, cinnamon, soda and flour 30

West Georgia Living

July/August 2013

and add to the sugar mixture. Add carrots and vanilla.

Spray pan with nonstick spray. Pour mixture into pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool before icing.

Icing: 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup butter, softened 4 cups confectioner’s sugar 1 Tbls. vanilla Cream first four ingredients together, then add nuts. Use as filling for layers and ice cake.

Second place - Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake By: Gail Woody 3 cups granulated sugar 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (softened) 3 sticks softened butter (do not substitute with margarine) 6 large eggs 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 Tbls. vanilla flavoring 1 Tbls. lemon flavoring Cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add sugar gradually and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add 2 eggs alternating with 1 cup of flour beating until completely mixed each time. Add flavorings and beat until completely mixed.

Grease and flour a large bundt pan. Spoon batter into pan and bake at 325 degrees F for approximately 1 1/2 hours. A toothpick may be inserted into middle of batter to test for doneness. Let stand for 30 minutes before turning onto cake plate.

Lemon Glaze 1 stick of softened butter, 4 cups powdered sugar, and 6 Tbls. milk.

Food

Beat butter until light and fluffy. Add one cup of powdered sugar at a time alternating with milk. Beat after each addition until light and fluffy. Scrape bowl often. Add 1 Tbls. lemon flavoring last. This cake is wonderful without the glaze, topped with strawberries and whipped topping.

Third Place - Honey Bun Cake By: Andrea Eidson-McDonald 1 box yellow cake mix (with pudding in the mix) 4 eggs 2/3 cup vegetable oil 1/3 cup water 8 oz. carton sour cream 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 cup chopped pecans Glaze: 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, 2 Tbls. milk, and 1/2 tsp. vanilla.

Sift yellow cake mix into bowl. Add next four ingredients and beat until smooth. Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans in another bowl. Pour half of the batter into a greased and floured 9x13-inch pan or glass baking dish. Sprinkle half

of the sugar mixture over the batter. Pour remaining batter over sugar mixture and use rest of sugar mixture to cover the cake. Gently swirl batter with knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Just before cake is finished, make glaze.

Beat glaze ingredients at medium speed with electric mixer until smooth. Remove cake from oven, drizzle with glaze and let cool.

Live to Eat W

A Food Column By Rob Duve´

e talk about eating local over and over, but there really are good reasons for this beyond the Organic angle. Our economy is still lagging behind where experts thought it should be and it is more important than ever to keep your local economy thriving. Keeping your money local is a great way to do that. Our local Farmers Markets now take SNAP/EBT payments to help encourage better eating among those who don’t have a lot. It’s all about a better, healthier, vibrant community and a fiscally sound community.

The other part of eating local includes something that I have been putting my head and heart into over the winter (not to mention, quite a bit of “On Site Research”), and that is Drinking Local. I have the benefit of knowing a few certified Wine Snobs and of listening to them discuss the finer points of French wines and all of the attributes of the various wine regions from all over the world. I have quite a bit of experience with the world’s wines and like to think I have a good handle on things.

However, the essence of Eating Local is to know your region and the foods that not only are produced there but also thrive there. Our area has the great benefit of local beef, pork, chicken, lamb – not to mention the produce. But, if one expects to have any form of fine dining experience, doesn’t it make sense that the wine should be local as well? The essence of the soil and the climate mean that the traits you find in a batch of collards can and will be found in a Scuppernong or Muscadine wine. When I am in Michigan, I try to visit the St. Julian winery store in Dundee as I come into and leave town. They make dozens of great wines and products, including Catherman’s Port and Grey Heron

Vodka (which is actually a brandy), and they all have the same trait. I can taste that essence of cherries in every product they make and that essence, even in the distilled products, comes from the land.

It’s all about the region, its foods, and pairing those with your local spirits. I can promise that the sausages made in Frankenmuth, Mich., taste exceptional with Catherman’s Port; the same as Dennis Farms (Ranburne, Ala.) Prime Beef Burgers can’t be beat when paired with Fruithurst Wineries’ (Fruithurst, Ala.) semi-sweet Muscadine wine, and so on. If you claim to be a “locavore” and live by the local nature of your food, try the wines. You won’t be disappointed. And with the recent boom of wineries in the U.S., there is no doubt you’ll be able to find one – or 10 – regional wines that will make you very happy.

Chicken Burgers

2 Boneless Chicken Breast 3 Boneless Chicken Thighs 1 small can Crushed Pineapple 1 Shallot, finely diced 1 clove Garlic, finely diced 1 tsp Cajun Seasoning

olive oil until slightly caramelized, let cool for a few minutes, and add to the chopped chicken with the Pineapple and Cajun seasoning. Mix thoroughly and let stand for at least an hour, over night if possible. I like to make REALLY big burgers and this recipe make three of those. It will make four to five normal sized burgers. Make sure to brown the outside nicely, then turn down the heat for a slow ride to well-done but still juicy.

Serve on a well toasted, local sourdough bread and pair with a dry Scuppernong for a healthy, flavorful, and locally produced meal that will make people take notice.

Cut chicken breasts and thighs into strips then into smaller strips, the cut across the strips until the chicken is diced. Proceed to chop with a meat cleaver or heavy knife until the chicken is roughly chopped.

Next, saute´ the shallot´s and garlic in a bit of

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Getting Creative

Seniors Austin Paul and Morgan Tucker launch race cars built in their engineering and physics class at Bremen High School.

34

West Georgia Living

July/August 2013

Local

schools use innovative

People

techniques to give students an edge

T

hose who went to school in the latter decades of the 20th Century will remember that teachers literally drilled holes in students’ skulls to pour in knowledge.

OK, not really – but the education process did seem painful back then; kids could only sit still, take in what they were told, and repeat it on demand. It was not often a challenging experience.

As a result, there are generations of Americans who are now flummoxed by the computer-driven world of the 21st Century.

If the world gets even more complex, as is inevitable, will the high school students of 2013 be equally unprepared for the future?

Not likely. Across west Georgia, schools are not only teaching kids how to use modern technology, but they are changing the way information is presented to students. Kids are being taught to work in collaboration with each other and to find

practical solutions for problems that are less like academic exercises and more like real life.

Story by Ken Denney Photos by Ricky Stilley

In Douglas, Haralson and Carroll Counties, there are dozens of examples of how teachers are revolutionizing the education process, using innovative techniques to energize students. Here, we take a look at three schools that are producing graduates with built-in upgrade capability.

School: Carrollton Junior High School, Carroll County Teacher: Terrie Ponder, Social Studies Her class is held in a darkened room, lit only by shaded windows and an overhead LED projector. Terrie Ponder r

CJHS Teacher Terrie Ponder helps Oscar Hernandez and Erin Vance with an assignment on their computers.

July/August 2013 West Georgia Living

35

Trent Farrington, left, and Simone Douglas rehearse the play “Little Shop of Horrors” at New Manchester School in Douglas County.

starts the class off by giving her students a list of web resources. When she finishes, each child pops open the laptop that sits in front of them and eagerly goes to work.

The students are writing a book report – a virtual book report.

They are using the websites Ponder has given them to create a multimedia presentation with pictures, text, and sometimes sound. The end result will not only show what the students have learned about the books they’ve read, it will also give the kids practical experience in using animation, slideshows and other techniques to make their reports both entertaining and informative.

It is a far cry from the days when students reported on “A Tale of Two Cities” on wrinkled notepaper. And Ponder says it is her way of teaching her students how to integrate the world outside with the classroom they share with their peers.

“We live in a flat world now, and we’re trying to make our 36

West Georgia Living

July/August 2013

children global citizens of today’s society,” she says. “We come to school, and students go into four walls of a classroom and learn, when in reality our students are not on that level any other time. They are out, globally connected to the world, and yet we try to force them to learn within four walls of a classroom, so I decided at that time to completely transform my classroom into a digital classroom.”

She admits that school officials took some persuading, chiefly because of concerns over the privacy of her young students.

But Ponder quickly convinced the higher-ups that not only were the websites she was using child-friendly, her elaborate protocols of passwords and other security systems would keep the students safe.

All of her web resources are based on Web 2.0 technology – the so-called “new Internet” that leans on social networks and online interconnectivity in a way that the “old” web, which relies on basic web pages, does not. A prime example is

Edmodo, a web resource that is very similar to Facebook and which allows students and teachers to interact wherever they are.

While learning about the cultures and lifestyles of those in other countries, the students pick up life lessons on living in a virtual world beyond borders.

“I also needed to teach them about plagiarism and the digital citizenship aspect of using technology,” she says. “I teach the students what you can post, what you can’t post, what’s going to get you in trouble, what are the consequences.”

Ponder will not grade the students on how well the book reports use graphics and multimedia; the purpose of the presentation is, after all, to show how well the students learn their subject. But the ability to express themselves in these creative outlets makes the students just that much more enthusiastic about delving into their research.

And it’s working. Previously, a large majority of the students would not turn in projects on time. “With projects like this, I have probably around 80 to 90 percent who will turn them in,” she says. What’s more, disciplinary problems seem to stop at the computer lab door.

At the end of the school year, New Manchester’s troupe of actors presented a full-scale musical, “Little Shop of Horrors.”

Along with being a multi-disciplinary exercise in singing, stagecraft, music and set design, the experience was also a dress rehearsal for life itself, as the students had to learn how to give a performance that reflected well on the rest of the cast, and to give the best of themselves.

Damien Gaiters is director of the Fine Arts Magnet Program.

“I’m one that believes in exploratory learning,” he says.

“Everything can’t be textbook, pencil and paper – some things have to be life experiences. I mean, that’s the only way they are ever truly going to be able to appreciate it.”

His method of teaching is a cross between the stern hand of discipline, to “reel in” the creative minds of his talented students, and that of a collaborator and colleague, allowing them to sometimes fail so that they can learn by experience to improve their craft.

But don’t get the idea that New Manchester is all about the arts. It enrolls plenty of students who learn other disciplines, and everyone has to take those courses required by the state for graduation.

“Basically, what we do is we take all of their electives,

“The neat thing is watching kids teach each other,” she adds.

“When one hand is raised, another student will reach in and help their classmate out.”

School: New Manchester School, Douglas County Teacher: Damien Gaiters, fine arts At Douglas County’s newest school, students are getting ready for life in the mid-21st Century by using iPads and smartphones in the classroom, and learning by “flip teaching,” in which students learn the material at home, instead of being lectured in class, and use their classroom time for free discussion of the subject.

Also at New Manchester School, students are learning more through collaboration than by instruction and gaining practical experience in a very specialized field that not only can propel them into a bright college future, but maybe – just maybe – take them directly to the bright lights on Broadway.

New Manchester has just completed its first year as a fine arts magnet school. In essence, it is a school-within-a-school, in which students across the county school system can enroll for an intensive course of study to prepare them for a career in music, visual arts, or performing arts.

r

and they have to participate in so many hours of large ensemble, so many hours of study privately, so many hours of theory and music history … they have the stuff that they have to have for graduation, but then to get the fine arts diploma, there are certain standards that have to be met for that as well.”

It’s not easy to enroll in the fine arts program. “The kids have to have at least an 80 average in all of their academic classes; they have to have at least an 80 average in their field of study classes in order to progress to the next level.”

The end goal, Gaiters says, is to produce the kind of talented individuals that will be sought out by other universities, or even by New York producers, straight out of school.

Such an education was once an opportunity available only to students in affluent parts of the state. But now, Douglas County students have an opportunity to move on to, quite literally, a bigger stage.

Gaiters says that even though the program is new, the support from the community has been overwhelmingly positive. “They want this for their kids.

They want the absolute best for their children.”

School: Bremen High School, Haralson County Teachers: Rick Brower, engineering; Machelle McKibben, physics At Bremen High, students learn the answer to one of mankind’s oldest questions about studying physics and math: “What’s the point of learning this stuff?”

Machelle McKibben teaches physics, which is required. Rick Brower teaches engineering, which is an elective. But since engineering uses math and physics to create things which exist in the real world, why not combine the two disciplines?

That’s exactly what the two teachers did during the 2013 school year. They literally mixed their two classes in the afternoon, so that the physics kids could work with the engineering kids to do something fun and exciting. Specifically, they built miniature race cars, powered

by CO2 cartridges. Both sets of students learned how pressurized gas can shoot an aerodynamically designed race car along a 60-foot track in less than a second.

The idea that McKibben and Brower experimented with is the same basic concept behind the Georgia Department

of Education’s STEM program. That’s an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, and the goal is to revolutionize the teaching of those subjects by showing how they apply in the real world.

“It’s our job to teach, but at the same time they learn better when they have to use their noggin a little bit more instead of just being spoon fed,” said Brower.

“It makes a huge difference.”

“We can learn it in my classroom, and do all of the math and they, in their head, understand what it is supposed to mean,” said McKibben, “But it is a totally different ball game to come in here and actually do a simulation on the computer using those same numbers and seeing how it actually affects a product.”

Brower’s classroom is equipped with state-of-the art equipment, including computers loaded with CAD software, on which the students can design threedimensional objects. The software also allows the students to run simulations that include the physical forces of nature – in the case of race cars, that means how airflow can impact a vehicle’s speed. The two classes work together in teams to create what they think will be the best design, while McKibben and

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Bremen High School teachers Rick Brower, left, and Machelle McKibben.

Brower jump in whenever necessary for instruction. When the design is ready, the students “print” it out to a prototyping machine, which uses a lathe to carve out a chunk of balsa wood.

Both teachers came up with the idea even before they attended a conference on the STEM initiative earlier this year.

Since then, their effort has gotten the endorsement of the Bremen Board of Education. That puts their school in the forefront of the STEM program, which is only now gaining traction across the state. Carrollton Elementary School is one of only seven schools certified in the program, but perhaps Bremen is not far behind.

That would be very significant, since Bremen High – like all schools in Haralson County – struggles with a lack of resources and funds in a community that is perpetually coping with a down economy. The hope is that such innovative educational opportunities will translate into the kind of workforce that will attract new industry to the area.

The students in these west Georgia classes are impressive to a visitor – bright, inquisitive and confident. They are a new generation, one that has taken an active role in their own education. By learning how to solve problems – as opposed to being told how to solve them – it seems likely they will be ready for whatever the future holds. wgl

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Tallapoosa Garden Club Summer Brunch and Flower Expo

Attendees, at left, shop for plants sold by the Garden Club during their Flower Expo on June 8.

Proceeds from the sales will fund the groups beautification projects around town, including the entrance to Hollywood Cemetery in Tallapoosa.

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West Georgia Living

July/August 2013

Photos by Ricky Stilley Tommy Allen of Allen’s Flowers, Gifts and Weddings in Tallapoosa, above, demonstrates how to make a decorative wreath. Allen was a presenter for the first ever Tallapoosa Garden Club’s Summer Brunch and Garden Expo.

Pamela Bracknell, left, of Carrollton, and Titine Lawlis of Tallapoosa, admire the garden miniatures that were entered in the Garden Club flower competition during the June 8 expo.

July/August 2013 West Georgia Living

43

Life Story by Amy K. Lavender-Buice Photos by Ricky Stilley

Designing on Less

Than a Dime

Y

Y

After

ou may think it’s impossible, but local residents Mimi Gentry and Johnny Jackson know that it really is possible to redesign your kitchen “on a dime” – as the saying goes. But, actually, they renovated their 1970s kitchen for next to nothing.

on fire while cooking up some low country boil. Afterwards, the stove sat lifeless against the wall while Mimi and Johnny searched for a suitable replacement, which was complicated by the fact that they decided to switch over to gas and didn’t want to shell out big bucks for a new stove.

I know, you see people make these claims in magazines all the time. But it really is possible; it’s all in who you know – and how much extra stuff they have lying around.

Anyone can go out and buy a new stove, but to find a real deal takes dedication ... and patience.

It all started with a fire. After quite a long time of hoping their stove would make it “one more year,” Mimi’s appliance decided to exit, stage left, by catching the kitchen floor 44

West Georgia Living

July/August 2013

Facebook can be a useful tool, as Mimi was soon to find out.

A friend posted to the social media website that she was trying to sell her old gas stove.

“It was a good price, but we were broke as a joke and couldn’t r

Before

The kitchen mid-demo, was pretty bare-bones, not to mention in need of repairs thanks to “The Great Low Country Boil Fire of 2013.� However, the new fridge and stove had already arrived. Also in place, is the dry goods counter (foreground) before Johnny gave it a good refinishing.

At left, Mimi bids a tearless farewell to her old stove, which caused her so much grief and spawned the impromptu kitchen makeover.

The Culprit July/August 2013 West Georgia Living

45

get up the cash,” Mimi recalls. But her patience paid off when, receiving no interest from other friends in her stove, she offered to simply give the stove to Mimi and Johnny. On their way back from picking up the stove, the situation got serious.

Johnny and Mimi with Cholita the Chihuahua

“‘I have a great idea,’ Johnny said.

‘Let’s remodel the kitchen.’” And after a moment’s pause, mulling over their extremely limited budget, Mimi responded, “Let’s do it!”

M

imi and Johnny were not daunted by the task ahead of them, and I honestly believe they were the perfect people for it. Both exercising patience and frugality to a degree of which most of us would break under the strain.

But the couple’s resourcefulness and aversion to paying for something they can do just as well themselves became valuable traits in making sure the project was completed within budget.

The first tool at their disposal was knowhow. Mimi and Johnny are no strangers to renovating and repurposing. Johnny teaches construction at Haralson County High School and has his own business, Rough Cut Designs, which builds modern furniture out of salvaged materials.

And Mimi, a corporate communications writer, is pretty thrifty and crafty herself and uses her resourcefulness to bring antique or just plain “old” objects back to

life. Evidence of her and Johnny’s work can be seen all around their home. In fact, you might call them modern-day, part-time homesteaders.

“We’re both thrifty, so making something out of nothing was fun,” Mimi said.

The second tool in their arsenal: Facebook!

“I sent out a message on Facebook asking if anyone had any leftover materials or anything they wanted to get rid of,” Mimi says. “I never dreamed I’d get such a response!”

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Vintage Stove Hood

How much did save?

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goods counter

they

$1,500

Cabinets $1,500 Counter Sink $600 Stove Light

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The cabinets, above, were made from reclaimed heart pine wood rescued from a barn, then finished with contrasting wood stains.

F

riends and family came through for the couple in true style. In no time, they had the makings of a full-fledged kitchen.

Mimi’s father donated light fixtures that were salvaged from a Paulding County School - one even had a working light bulb in it! A friend donated butcher block, which Johnny turned into counter tops. Their church donated the hardware for the cabinets. Another friend donated a dry goods counter that was formerly in a downtown Carrollton business. Someone else threw in a free fridge. And Johnny acquired a vintage stove hood through trade. In the end, the only thing they paid for was the backsplash, which cost $150.

In all, the goal wasn’t to build a fancy kitchen but rather a unique one the couple could love and build memories in – many of those memories were created during the renovation itself amongst the sounds of hammering and sawing.

“We didn’t really have a plan because we’re both spontaneous,” Mimi said. “One part would come together and then another.”

Eventually, it all began to take shape. r

Display cabinet found in an alley

“I always wanted a kitchen I could entertain my friends in, and now I do!”

However, Mimi says the truly great thing about the remodel was its ability to bring many hands to one space, as if all her friends and family were working on the kitchen with her.

“People gave us all these things, so it really was like a community project,” she said. “It’s wonderful how the generosity of so many people combined to create a beautiful, unique kitchen.”

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Of course, Mimi and Johnny plan to throw a big shindig for all their friends and family who donated to the room’s progress as a way to show their appreciation - hopefully, this feast won’t lead to flames. wgl

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July/August 2013

West Georgia Living

49

Give Us Your Two Cents’ Worth!

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arroll Electric Membership Cooperative was established when neighbors helped neighbors achieve the goal of getting electricity to improve their quality of life. More than 75 years later, our electric cooperative is still going strong – lasting proof that great things are possible when people pull together for a common purpose.

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Carroll EMC operates by the seven guiding principles of a cooperative. One of these is Concern for Community. To live out this value, the co-op established the Carroll EMC Foundation in 2001. The Foundation is composed of trustees who each represent one of Carroll EMC’s nine service districts and who oversee the distribution of charitable funds.

The funds are collected through Operation Round Up®, a program in which Carroll EMC Members volunteer to have their electric bills rounded up to the next dollar. When given on a regular basis, this small change amounts to big support for our local communities. Two cents may not sound like a lot of money, but when you combine your two cents with that of Carroll EMC’s other 50,000 Members, it can add up to a large amount.

If you choose to participate in Operation Round Up, your electric bill is automatically rounded up to the next whole dollar amount.

For example, a bill amount of $94.40 would be rounded up by 60 cents for a total due of $95. The additional 60 cents is your

Operation Round Up donation for that month. Carroll EMC will track your tax-deductible donations and provide an annual statement of your charitable contributions.

Operation Round Up donations fund Bright Ideas grants, Impact grants, scholarships and local community efforts. Bright Ideas is a grant program that awards funds to teachers to put innovative educational projects into action. Impact grants provide assistance to area organizations and projects whose primary purpose is to improve the quality of life for residents in communities within CEMC’s service area.

Sign up for Operation Round Up and your small change – an average of only two cents per day – can make big things happen. Sign up at www.carrollemc.com or see any Customer Care Representative.

Remember, your donations help individuals and organizations in your local community, and donations are tax deductible. Additionally, you’ll receive a FREE GIFT just for signing up. You’ll also qualify to win $100 in a quarterly drawing. Plus, attend the annual meeting in October for another chance to win $100.

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People Story by Ken Denney Photos by Ricky Stilley

Confronting

a

Quiet Menace

State and federal agencies are coming together to combat human trafficking, citizens can help by being vigilant and educating themselves about this threat to our communities

W

est Georgia is a place where neighbors look after each other, and where the biggest problems are potholes and tax millage. Almost by design, we have walled ourselves away from the worries of a bigger metropolis, and by distance and attitude consider ourselves secure.

But Interstate 20 pierces that boundary, passing through Haralson, Carroll and Douglas Counties on its 1,500-mile trek from west Texas to South Carolina. Along with the world’s goods and products, the interstate also lets in the world’s evil – the sort of crime associated with giant cities, not rural communities.

The worst of these crimes is human trafficking – the buying 52

West Georgia Living

July/August 2013

and selling of human beings. It is a crime that runs the gamut, from forced labor that amounts to Civil War-era slavery, to the marketing of children for the sexual pleasure of adults. Only two years ago, police in Douglas County arrested a man and charged him with prostituting underage boys; a crime difficult to reconcile with west Georgia’s image of cows and kudzu.

“There’s a large pipeline that runs between Atlanta and Birmingham and elsewhere,” said Brock Nicholson, special agent in charge for Homeland Security in Georgia. “That I-20 and Birmingham-Atlanta connection is huge. We’ve seen these human trafficking cells that basically trade women back and forth.”

The FBI has named Atlanta one of the 14 cities in the U.S. with the highest instances of child prostitution. It’s no wonder. Its dense population cloaks these activities from law enforcement, while its access to technology and spider web of interstates enables exploiters of boys, girls and adults to market and ship their human “products.”

It’s called ‘trafficking’ for a reason “I mean they treat these women and children like they’re commodities, and that is one of the most important distinctions about human trafficking versus other crimes,” says Nicholson. “If you sell a kilo of cocaine, that cocaine is gone; a woman can be used continuously, over and over again, without having to replace her. It’s a self-perpetuating industry because they are using a human being as a product, which in my mind makes them some of the most heinous individuals I’ve ever seen in 26 years of law enforcement.”

In fact, human trafficking is a worldwide “business,” yielding more than $32 billion in profits. With such a return, it would be foolish to believe it could not exist in west Georgia. And it would be equally naïve to believe only foreigners are involved.

In Georgia, the job of policing human

trafficking is shared between Homeland Security on the federal level and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on the state level. The GBI, however, focuses primarily on child exploitation – and that is almost exclusively an issue that involves kids from the United States, even those from our local area.

“These offenders view this type of crime as a business arrangement,” said Sara R. Thomas, a special agent for the GBI. “They no longer view the juveniles or the victims as people. They see them as a way to make money, so they are going to go wherever they need to go to make the most money.”

Her agency says that each month in Georgia, some 300 to 500 girls are sexually exploited. They enter the realm of the human trafficker after they run away or are lured away from their homes by recruiters who find a weakness to exploit.

And that is remarkably easy. Thomas makes the startling observation that anyone can go into any high school in west Georgia and, by observing the children, pick out a potential victim.

“Just watch the kids and see how they interact. It would be easy to identify those with something lacking in their lives.”

An exploiter would not know what that something is until they talk to the child

– and then take advantage of that child’s vulnerability.

Thomas said it would be giving these recruiters “too much credit” to believe these exploiters are masters in psychology; yet, by gaining a child’s confidence, these criminals get them to transfer their trust to them, and in that way introduce them into the commerce of exploitation.

Both Nicholson and Thomas say that once under their control, these children are, by a combination of force, fraud or coercion, put to work for their exploiters and “shipped,” like a product, from one city to the next. The GBI tries to track these activities, through Internet sites set up specifically to “market” the children, but such sites shut down as quickly as they open, and the traffickers stay on the move. Yet, children are not the only humans who are trafficked.

“We certainly have a fair number of what we call the ‘domestic servitude’ cases, where young girls, often times from Africa and other third-world countries, are brought over,” said Nicholson. Such women are lured to the U.S. on promises they will be given an education, or a better life. “And, in reality, when they get here, they are locked in rooms and have their documents taken away, and forced to work 12 to 15 hours a day with no compensation.” r We specialize in Colon Cancer Screening and in the disgnosis and treatment of: Reflux and Heartburn Stomach and Digestive Disorders Chrohn’s and Collitis Hemorrhoids Hepatitis Liver, Pancreas, and Gallbladder Disease

Bigger than local law enforcement “It’s a crime that’s always been there – but we haven’t had a name for it,” said Thomas of the GBI. What she means is that trafficking contains so many components – exploitation, prostitution, drug abuse, etc. – that there has been a tendency for law enforcement to look only at its parts, not the sum of those parts.

While sometimes perpetrators, and even victims, are prosecuted for the various crimes associated with trafficking, there had never, until recently, been an effort by law enforcement to see that larger picture.

Police may arrest a prostitute and charge her for that crime – but were they to look closely, they may find that she is not an adult, but a child; and because of that, she may have been forced into such a life. Thomas says her agency is attempting to train local law officers, including those in west Georgia, to take a more comprehensive approach in fighting trafficking.

“There’s a lot of new legislation that’s coming out, a lot is going to be changed. I actually just got back from a symposium, and it was being hosted through the White House … and it was to specifically identify these practices and identify the gaps that we have so we can all work on this.”

And the scope of the problem, Nicholson says, can be difficult to grasp at the local law enforcement level. “Anywhere there are people who can be exploited, there’s usually someone there who will try to exploit them,” he says. “But even scarier to me, one of the trends that we’ve seen in human trafficking is larger numbers of women involved in it, women victimizing other women. And that is just terrifying. You will have literally women running organizations that are bringing in 14- or 15-year-old girls and forcing them into prostitution.”

Even if police arrest an adult for prostitution, she may still be a victim of human trafficking. Nicholson said that it is largely a “Hollywood” myth that women voluntarily become prostitutes – the vast majority are introduced at a very early age when “prostitution” is actually child rape. The practice simply continues after they are adults, but they are still held to their

exploiter either by psychological dependence or force.

It is a message that Homeland Security wants especially to get out, particularly to men who may pay for a prostitute’s services believing that the transaction, albeit illegal, is still in the spirit of mutual consent. “We want to put it in their heads that they’re potentially participating in the rape of a child, or the continued rape is what we like to say with the older prostitutes.”

Raising Local Awareness Because the concept of looking at these components under the umbrella term of “trafficking” is so new, it is hard to determine just how big the problem is. Only recently has the FBI begun compiling statistics specific to human trafficking. Once that’s done, Thomas said, state law officers will have a better idea of what they are dealing with.

“It’s one of the more unreported crimes just by the nature of it,” said Nicholson. “Most of the victims are from an exploitable class, whether they are aliens that have been brought in here, or whether it be a young runaway that feels they have nowhere else to turn.”

Both Homeland Security and the GBI are working hard to get people to recognize the problem of human trafficking and to intervene when necessary. That includes not only the training of local law enforcement, but also reaching out to teachers, hospitals and merchants; anyone, in short, who might encounter a child. And the first step is always to get folks to understand that trafficking is, indeed, a local problem.

Nicholson said that local deputies and police are being encouraged to no longer treat prostitution arrests the same.

“When you encounter a prostitute, look and see if there isn’t something more behind it … find the monster who originally brought them into it.

We’ve found that education awareness is one of the best ways not only to attack this problem from the beginning, but also to identify victims,” said Thomas.

“When we go out and deal with local law enforcement, we talk to the medical professionals, doctors’ offices, hospitals, and emergency clinics – psychiatric services as well. We talk to churches, we talk to Kiwanis clubs, community groups, hotels, taxi drivers – basically anybody can come into contact with these victims.”

But considering the fact that many children exploited in this way are runaways; children who have fled bad situations at home, only to find worse situations on the street; children, who, in fact, are ensnared in this life because their predators offered the first sign of “caring” they have ever known – it is no wonder that the odds against saving them, or stopping the problem, is high.

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And yet both Thomas and Nicholson remain adamant that parents and those who care for the welfare of children should remain vigilant.

“I always tell people, ‘If you see something that looks strange, report it,’” said Nicholson. “If you see something, and it just doesn’t seem right to you, you literally could save somebody’s life.” wgl

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Life Story by Ken Denney Photos by Ricky Stilley

Chairwoman of the Carroll County Ferst Foundation Martha Thurman

Your Book’s in the Mail!

•

•

•

Ferst Foundation starts children on a lifelong journey of reading and learning

W

•

•

•

hen a parent and child read together, it is both a bonding and sharing experience. As both curl up on a chair, the child’s small world of house and home disappears, and the words of the story become a way to explore the big world outside.

birthday every month – and inside the package is a shiny, new book full of colorful pictures and a story chosen according to the child’s age. You have to think that a child would immediately demand that mommy or daddy stop what they are doing so they can explore the book together.

Parents are a child’s first teachers, and that’s a motto for the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy, a unique statewide, privately-funded program that aims to simultaneously improve Georgia’s literacy rate while instilling a lifelong love of reading and self-learning in every young child.

The foundation is based in Madison, Ga., but has branches across the state, including Haralson and Carroll Counties.

The program is absolutely free, and parents can sign up online, in libraries, or at dozens of other venues. And, once enrolled, a child can get a book once a month for the first five years of their life; potentially giving him or her a huge advantage once they enter school.

W

Each month, Ferst sends packages in the mail to thousands of children across the state. For many, getting such a thick packet delivered to their home is like Christmas, or having a 56

West Georgia Living

July/August 2013

“There are some statistics that are kind of alarming,” said

Martha Thurman, chairwoman of the Carroll County Ferst Foundation. “(Carroll County Sheriff) Terry Langley says that 80 percent of people in jail cannot read; that low literacy rate is one of the big issues, and we know that affects our community in so many ways.”

Heather Chesnut reads to her children, Brin, left, and Allie.

According to the foundation’s website, about 61 percent of low-income families have no reading materials in their homes that are either suitable or written for children. A third of Georgia’s children come to school unprepared to learn, and 75 percent of students who cannot read well by the third grade will carry that liability through life. That not only affects those children when they enter the workforce, it impacts all of us. The foundation says that our low literacy costs Georgia’s businesses $7 billion a year.

Thurman said there are more than 8,000 preschoolers – those aged zero to five – in Carroll County alone, but that right now the foundation has only enrolled 3,000 children in its program. Their goal is to register up to 4,000, but of course would like to enroll all of them, if possible.

The Ferst Foundation was started in 1999 by Robin Ferst, a Morgan County resident who was born with a hearing impairment. To compensate, she became an avid reader. “Books gave me a confidence that I might not have otherwise known,” she has written. “They opened up a world of imagination and possibility that helped me face and overcome challenges.”

The non-profit organization has since distributed more than 3 million books to more than 245,000 children.

Thurman has been involved in the Carroll County chapter since it was first organized in 2004. At the time, the retired teacher was a member of the Carrollton

Civic Women’s Club, which decided to “champion” a local branch of the foundation.

“In order to get a Ferst Foundation unit going in a county, you have to have a championship team, or a champion group,” Thurman explained. With that start, the 501(c)3 group gets organized, which includes applying for grants and raising funds from the local community to keep the books flowing.

It costs the organization $28 per child to ensure the child receives one book each month, Thurman says.

“Getting a book in the mail is so important because, for the child, it’s theirs – not their older sister’s. The books are different, so that every child is not getting the same book. They are getting age-appropriate books, picked out by a

select group of professionals who are educators.”

The children aren’t the only ones getting something in the mail. Each packet also contains material for the parents: information about upcoming activities for the local chapter, as well as a learning guide for the book or books inside, summarizing the plot, and suggesting additional learning opportunities for the parent and child, including pictures to color. While these materials are available in Spanish as well as English, the books themselves are available only in English. Thurman says the foundation has learned through feedback that most Hispanic parents want their children to have a command of English.

Because the books are specifically chosen by age groups, Thurman says the first book a child receives, r July/August 2013 West Georgia Living

57

presumably when he is an infant, is made of thick cardboard and therefore “chew friendly.”

The last book a child receives is called “Will I Have a Friend?,” and is meant to address the anxiety of a child who is leaving both the program and their home, entering school for the first time.

Thurman stresses that the books are meant to be a shared experience between parents and their children, with each page opening a new opportunity for the child to learn from his or her first, and most important, teacher.

“The book is just an instrument for conversation,” she says.

Heather Chesnut of Carrollton is a believer in the program. The daughter of a reading specialist, she has two young girls who are in the process of leaving the program, but she has already regis-

tered her 9-month-old. She said she enrolled simply because of the “surprise” impact of how the program works.

“Kids love getting packages in the mail, and when that package is a book, that excitement leads into reading,” she said. “Getting that start, where they are getting books that are appropriate for their level of reading, it starts them on the right path to enjoy reading.”

Her daughter, Brin, aged 7, is a first grader who already reads at a 4th Grade level. She even reads to her sister, Allie, aged 5 – and to her mother as well.

“(Brin) excels in reading, and I know part of that is she loves to read,” said Chesnut. “I’m very proud of her.” She added that when she herself was a child, she would get under the covers to read and couldn’t put a book down until it was finished. “So I love that she’s that way too, and she’s getting better.” wgl

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Photos by Ricky Stilley Kate Wright, at left, takes a stroll through a display by Deborah Wofford of Bloom ‘N Gardens during the sixth Annual Penny McHenry Hydrangea Festival on June 1 in Douglasville.

Olivia Perrone of Cobb County, below, finds delight in a Fairy Garden display at the festival, which is held annually in honor and memory of Penny McHenry, founder of The American Hydrangae Society.

Douglasville Hydrangea Festival

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West Georgia Living

July/August 2013

Willowbrooke: An Integrative Approach to Health and Wellness

F

or someone you love who is sick or disabled, recovery is not always easy. As a result, relationships with family and friends can become strained, especially if your efforts to help are met with indifference, anger or suspicion.

“Oftentimes, mental health is not considered by an individual and his or her family when dealing with an illness,” says Marcy Edwards, program manager for Willowbrooke at Tanner’s Partial Hospitalization Program in Carrollton. “We must take a holistic approach when dealing with the well-being of our patients. It is important to deal with the patient’s physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being when seeking recovery.”

Willowbrooke at Tanner’s philosophy of treatment extends beyond mental health into the other areas of medical care.

“We take great care in addressing the entirety of any individual that comes to us for treatment,” Edwards says. “This begins from the very first contact with us, through our assessments and throughout the duration of treatment at Willowbrooke at Tanner.”

F

The Partial Hospitalization Program at Willowbrooke at Tanner, also known as PHP, is a great example of a holistic and integrative approach to treatment. Patients, who present no imminent danger to themselves or others, may receive

the intensive clinical treatments that their conditions require, without hospitalization.

Through PHP at Willowbrooke at Tanner, the patient continues to reside at home, but commutes to Willowbrooke at Tanner’s outpatient center five days a week for a period of four to six weeks. The benefits of the program include minimal family and home-life disruption, an opportunity to practice newly learned skills in the home environment and a less stressful transition from hospital to home.

If a loved one is experiencing a difficult time with an illness or diagnosis, it is important to pay attention to their mental state during their quest for recovery. Using all available resources will make it easier to deal with the unpredictability of any illness. For example, keep a list of phone numbers of therapists, doctors, family members and friends who can help out. Also include the number of a suicide crisis line, substance abuse center or mental health hospital in case of a crisis. This will help you and your loved one to know that there is a safety net of people and resources available at all times.

To learn more about Willowbrooke at Tanner’s Partial Hospitalization Program, visit www.WillowbrookeAtTanner.org.

To schedule a free, confidential assessment, call the 24-hour help line, 770-836-9551.

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July/August 2013 West Georgia Living

61

Kelly Shackelford

Artist’s Corner Review by T.L. Gray Photo by Ricky Stilley

I

Short Stories and Flash Fiction by Kelly Shackelford

’m a novelist. That’s what I do. It’s what I know. I used to work in the corporate world and was good at it, but now I pour all I have into the wide world of writing and publication. In this dynamic new affiliation, I learn something new with every aspiring writer I meet.

Since writing reviews for West Georgia Living magazine, I‘ve reviewed many different genres, from children’s fiction, western, and romance to science fiction and fantasy. But, since the New Year, I’ve determined to read something different, something outside my genre, or discover some new trend in publication.

My latest venture has me jumping headfirst into the amazing world of short stories and flash fiction. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking… “Well, that’s easy; it’s a very short novel.”

But, I’ve discovered writing, submitting, and publishing in this style is really very complicated.

While these two particular forms of writing – “short” stories written in less than 5,000 words or even in a flash piece under a 1,000 words – I’ve learned this process is more difficult than you might imagine. The complexity of developing a story arch, conflict, and resolution in a small cluster of words is quite a feat. It takes skill, understanding and a tight grasp on

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the concept of simplicity. EVERY word counts. The very act of writing short stories and flash fiction isn’t the only process we have to think about when embarking in this particular form of writing, but also how to apply other goals for contests in order to fulfill a writing prompt for publication or placement.

I’ve recently met a writer that is on fire for writing in “short style.” She’s a local who is also an active member of the online writing community Scribophile.com. Since January of this year, I’ve seen this woman tackle this genre with ferocity, publishing story after story in many different online publications.

Who is this writing dynamo who has vowed to write and publish more than 100 short stories or flash fiction pieces throughout the year of 2013 and has already accomplished 41 publications so far? Her name is Kelly Shackelford, and the writing community better watch out because she’s a force to be reckoned with.

This Dallas, Ga., resident and former editor at Old Red Kimono has published the following short stories, poems and flash fiction pieces so far this year: • The Day I Found the Holy Ghost – Flash Fiction – March

2013 FreeFlashFiction.com • Lost in Glass Slippers – Flash Fiction – March 2013 – Fictionontheweb.com • Buried in Fine Print – Short Story – April 2013 – Dance Macabre Du Juor • All He Loved – Short Story – April 2013 - Black Petals • A Pair of Shoes – Poem – May 2013 – Original-Writer. Com • For Sale: Lost Childhoods – Poem – May 2013 – Original-Writer.com • 3 Poems – May 2013 – The Mindful Word.org

This up-and-coming writer started her writing career as a way to cope with domestic violence. Her very first piece was a poem entitled “The Battered Wife’s Prayer,” which she wrote following a violent incident. This is what came out: “The Battered Wife’s Prayer” The bastard is my husband.

I shall never want another.

For he maketh me lie beside him, And he leadeth me through my life.

He destroyeth my soul, He ruleth me down the paths of obedience.

For HIS namesake.

Yea, though I live in the valley of fear, I will report no acts of evil, For he is always watching me.

His fits and hate, they govern me.

He preparest a bed for me to share with mine enemy, He fills my head with self-hate, My tears runneth over.

Surely, misery and despair shall follow me All the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Bastard, forever…

For, if I leave, He’ll kill me.

Amen From there, Shackelford began writing in stolen moments: late nights after her children were in bed, while her husband

was away at work and her daily responsibilities were met, or when she found a moment alone. Like any good story, Shackelford’s writing also comes with a good dose of conflict. Here’s a few examples in her own words: “In the fall of 2012, I had a health scare and was forced to stay in bed. To keep from going ‘bug nuts,’ I decided to become serious about my writing and actually learn the craft. I purchased a subscription to a few writing magazines, such as Writer’s Digest, joined an online writing group, like Scribophile.com, and began to write every single day. I am still on my journey of honing my craft, but I have seen huge improvements. I have dyslexia, which affects my spelling and word choice, and I struggle with my speech because I can’t enunciate many words properly. This is further aggravated by memory loss due to earlier abuses. I’ve learned it’s not just football players who have issues later in life.”

“Not only did writing, after I became sick, occupy my energy, but it released me to new worlds. Worlds where I battled man-eating spiders, crazy taxidermists, or where the Reaper proposed to save me had I followed the rules. In these worlds, I was not sick, nor was I a mother battling a rebellious teenaged son. I love to write short stories.

It is my passion because I know for 20 minutes, while someone reads my story, they are not worried how they are going to pay the light bill, or if their husbands are cheating on them, or bombarded with a million other concerns. They get lost in my adventure and forget their real-world troubles.”

Shackelford is an inspiration to us all, not only for escaping a life of domestic violence, but also for pursuing her passion, chasing her dream and living to do what makes her heart soar.

Short story and flash fiction writing isn’t one of those high-paying jobs. In real-

ity, most publications, if they pay, pay little to nothing for publication.

The biggest question on my mind is how to find any of Shackelford’s wonderful stories. Most of her publications are in online magazines, some are in print and others in anthologies. The best source that I can find is to simply send her an email (partiesbykellys@aol.com) and ask her where and when her next publication is going to be. She can also be found on Facebook under the user name Kelly Haas Shackelford. I’m hoping she will soon have a regular blog that will feature her works and publication announcements.

I also hope with all sincerity that Shackelford reaches her goal of publishing 100 short stories or flash fiction pieces this year.

Reviewer: T.L. Gray is a local author from Temple, Georgia. Her first book, “The Blood of Cain” was published in 2009 by Fireside Publications, released as a second edition by Carrollton publisher, Vabella Publishing, June 2012.

She has since published two young adult novels “Keezy’s 10 Awesome Rules for Teenaged Dating” and “Milledgeville Misfit.”

Her fourth novel, a sequel to “The Blood of Cain,” “The Arcainians” is due for release this fall. Ms. Gray is a full-time novelist, editor, social media specialist and website manager. She is also active as a Contributing Writer for Impact Times Magazine and a member of the Carrollton Creative Writer’s Club. www.tlgray.net.

Big meets small, at left, when Seth Thomas Mullins, 5, of Madison, Ga., makes way for Levi Huckeba who drives by on his grandfather’s John Deere tractor at the Old Time County Fair and Farm Days at the Little Tallapoosa Park.

The West Georgia Two Cylinder Club and the county parks department sponsored the fair.

Whoa! Hannah Hicks, 9, isn’t so sure about an emu that she encountered at the Old Time County Fair and Farm Days on Saturday, April 20. The bird was part of the Tickled Pink Petting Zoo of Graham, Ala.

Old Time County Fair Leanne Cates, 4, of Temple, left, glances back to see if anyone is gaining on her during the Pedal Racing Tractor Pull. Cates took 1st place in her age group.

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Artist’s Corner Interview by Jessica Fountain Photos by Ricky Stilley

Richard Hill Whitesburg, Ga. How long have you lived in Whitesburg?

I don’t claim I live in Whitesburg. I claim I live in Banning – it used to be called Banning, but they got the idea to call it Whitesburg. It really means “White Mountain.” We love it because of the way it looks up here. This is like going to the mountains without going to the mountains. One reason I moved out here was because I could build a studio much cheaper here than I could in Atlanta. I’ve lived here since 1983.

What kind of art do you do?

I’ve made just about everything. I’ve worked with wood and brass, acrylics and oil. I used to draw a lot. I’ve worked in just about every medium you can imagine. I went from drawings, to paintings, to photography, and then to photographic collages. Then I started working with sculpture, because of a series of dreams that suggested to me in a strong way that I start making sculpture, showing me pictures and things.

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In the beginning, I made sculptures out of things that I found and put together – kind of a “Found-Object” sculpture. They dealt with gold-plated brass and crystal spheres. Very slick and highly polished. It took me a long time to make them.

Then, I got a “Rat Rod.” I never really liked rust; I mean, it was something I wanted to get rid of. But rust was something that culture was all about. So I started making things called “Useless Tools,” and I started making them out of old parts. I fell in love with rust.

That’s what I’ve done most recently.

Do you have a muse?

This may sound naive, but God is my muse. I don’t preach to people, and I don’t try to convince anyone. I respect all religions, and I believe that the God of Christianity is the same God in other religions. I try to operate as a spiritual person. I mean, I live on Earth – it’s hard to be perfect.

For a while, all of my pieces had to do with spiritual things. I made “portals” – round pieces that had holes in the middle, and the hole represented the perfection of God – and I used the sphere a lot. They also represented perfection and higher levels.

Now, I still have that continued kind of faith, but I’m

making very Earthly things. We live on the Earth, and I like the Earth.

Do you teach?

I was with the Atlanta College of Art for 17 years, and I was head of the drawing department for 14 years.

Now, I teach at the University of West Georgia. I’ve been teaching there for four or five years now.

I had retired, but just about that time, the economy went bust, and people stopped buying art. They asked me if I wanted to teach there, and now I teach almost 300 students per semester. But I only teach two days a week, so I still have plenty of time to make art.

Where do you display your art?

It’s in the High Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Atlanta. It’s in museums in Moscow and Brazil. I have it really all around.

There are a couple of galleries that carry my work in the mountains and in Peachtree City.

Can you describe your version of the Creative Process?

I make things that are very realistic, and I make things that are very abstract. I love the way butterflies look, I love the way flowers look, and I love the way that rotted wood like driftwood looks.

Beauty covers a big, huge range. So when I’m working, especially when I was working with wood, sometimes a piece of wood would tell me something. Sometimes, something tells me what I should make, and sometimes I tell it what I want to make.

The creative process, for me, is so multifaceted. I think what happens, especially in this day and time, is that we want to see an artist who is consistent, and they have this theory that they follow. I try to avoid that, because I don’t want to get locked into

one thing and not have the opportunity to make something else. It really covers anything I want to do.

I believe that some people have this intuition and know how to put things together. I think I have that. I think I just understand how the parts of a whole work.

When it all comes together, sometimes it’s really magical, and sometimes it’s just okay. The creative process is just something I live with.

Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?

I’ve taught art for almost 40 years.

I’ve taught a lot of drawing and painting and sculpture. Probably 30 years ago, I realized that you can’t teach someone to be an artist. You can set up an environment and let them grow in that environment, like a cocoon, but the real artists are just artists. I make art because I can’t do anything else.

July/August 2013 West Georgia Living

67

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Ask the Ex ert What every West Georgian should know about...

5 Common Mistakes Borrowers Make & How to Avoid Them Britt Duffey/ Duffey Realty . ........................ 69

Memorials for Your Loved One West Georgia Monuments.... ................... 70

Title Tax

Contacting an Attorney for Family Law Issues MacMillan Law Firm................................... 75

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Walker Cadillac, Buick, GMC, Inc............ ..71

Your Newspaper

Oak Mountain Academy

Newspapers of West Georgia. ................ ..77

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Insurance Billy Upton/ State Farm.. .......................... ..73

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Mental Health

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What every West Georgian should know about...

5 Common Mistakes Borrowers Make and How to Avoid Them

Q A

Q A

Britt Duffey REALTOR ® Duffey Realty

Britt has been a Realtor® since 2002.As a life-long resident of Carroll County he knows the West Georgia market as well as anyone. Britt has been a recipient of The Top Producers Award for the past 10 years.

In addition, he is a recipient of the Phoenix Award from the West Metro Board of Realtors in 2012 in recognition as a Top Producer for 10 consecutive years. Britt is a licensed Realtor® in Georgia and Alabama.

cost and hassle and maximum benefits. Better yet, ask your Realtor. They know who to trust and who not to.

Should I search for a home without being pre-‐approved?

As a buyer competing for a property, you have the best chance of getting your offer accepted by showing that you are as prepared as possible. Most sellers will not consider an offer unless a lender pre-approval letter accompanies the offer. Being pre‐approved by a reputable lender is the first step in being prepared.

Q

My lender can wait for all of my information, right?

A

Without the necessary information, your lender cannot do their job. Often people think that their work is done after they’ve met with the lender. Remember that you are partnering with your Lender and Realtor, and it is truly a team effort. If you have chosen this team correctly, they will work hard for you -‐ just don’t forget to do your part.

Q

I didn’t receive a Good Faith Estimate from my lender. Is that ok?

A

You should receive a written statement of fees associated with your transaction within days of the lender receiving your loan application.

This is the best way to know what you will pay for your loan. Take your Good Faith Estimate (GFE) with you when you sign loan documents. You are not expected to pay fees that are substantially different from those contained in your GFE.

What about selecting a lender because they advertise the lowest rate?

Don’t get caught in the rates game. It is important to know all the costs of a loan and when a lender is just using clever advertising.

There are more than a few shady lenders out there drawing in people with rates that either don’t tell the whole story , or that they won’t actually offer you. Pick a Lender who is available for you to sit down with, face‐to‐ face, to discuss the best options available to you.

Q

Do I really have to properly evaluate the lender?

A

Most people have no idea what really matters when choosing their lender. Instead, they rely on interest rates (See previous), or the first lender they meet or hear about. Your goal should be getting a loan with the minimum

Whether this is your first loan or your hundredth, these are some common errors buyers make when getting a loan.

LEARN MORE: Britt.duffey@duffeyrealty.com 770.354.0120

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What every West Georgian should hould know about...

Memorials for your loved ed one

Q

A

Yes. Sandblasting can be done to carve additional names, dates and even pictures into your existing xisting monument.

Q

Do I have the option on of adding llion to my armed forces medallions marker?

A

Yes. We offer bronze medallions for all four branches of the military ry in various sizes. You can do all bronze, bronze with baked enamell or porcelain with baked enamel.

They are a great way to memorialize ze your loved one’s time in service

David Willis Owner, West Georgia Monuments

Qualifications

David has been working with granite, marble and stone for over 25 years. The monument business just comes naturally as it uses the same type of materials David understands that the longevity of your monument is dependent on the foundation it is set on and he is a perfectionist. He is licensed and bonded and can work in any cemetery in the State of Georgia. David and his staff treat each family as their own. His goal is superior customer service and they get the job done right!

I bought my memorial at the ng. times of my loved one’s passing.

I would like to add more information upon my passing.

Is that possible?

Q

I have seen these beautiful utiful ke pictures picture memorials with life like hose? on them. What are those?

A

Those are etchingss done on black blac polished granite. te. You can get benches, ledgers cover dgers (which co the entiree grave) uprights, uprigh flush markers provided rs all with etchings, etch you have ave chosen tthe appropriate granite. ite. Just ask us about and we can guide you. you

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Title Tax

Q

What’s new with the title tax?

A

GREAT NEWS, Georgia residents! As of March 1, 2013 you WILL save money buying a new or pre-owned vehicle from a licensed automobile retailer like Walker Cadillac Buick GMC, Inc. For many many years Georgia residents have paid 7% sales tax AND an annual ad valorem fee, but that is NO LONGER the case. New and Used vehicles are now sales tax exempt for residents in Georgia. The fee taking place of sales tax is a Title Tax and will be charged at 6.5%. That is an instant .5% savings PLUS that vehicle will not be subject to the annual ad valorem fee.

Todd Rupp Sales Manager Walker Cadillac, Buick, GMC Inc.

Qualifications

Todd has been in the Automotive Industry Since 1978 in Sales, Service and Finance and has worked with Walker Cadillac Buick GMC as Sales Manager since 2000.

Q A

Q

How are used vehicles affected?

A

The GA Department of Revenue created a system for calculating an average value for used vehicles. The 6.5% title tax is based on this DOR value minus any trade in and is not based on the selling price of the vehicle. In almost all cases at Walker to date, this system has saved the customer money.

We realize this new tax system is very confusing and we would love the opportunity to address you questions or fears related to title tax.

How are new vehicles affected?

The title tax on a new vehicle is based on selling price minus trade allowance minus available rebates. Before March 1st, the consumer paid sales tax on the value of the rebates. I know it doesn’t sound like a tremendous savings, but every hundred or so dollars help.

LEARN MORE www.walkergmauto.com• 770.832.9602

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What every west Georgian should know about...

Oak Mountain Academy

Q

What is Oak Mountain Academy?

A

Oak Mountain Academy, located in Carrollton, Georgia, is an independent, college-preparatory, nondenominational, faith-based school. Found on 88 acres off Cross Plains Road, we provide classes for students in the Pre-Kindergarten threeyear-old program through Grade 12.

Paula Gillispie

Head of school, Oak Mountain Academy, Carroll County’s only independent, college preparatory, faith based, day school.

Qualifications

A forty-year educator spanning Arkansas, Louisiana, Virginia, and Georgia, Paula Gillispie taught in the public schools for twenty-five years, spending twelve of those in neighboring Fayette County. Mrs. Gillispie earned her graduate degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from The George Washington University in Washington, DC. In 1998, she began working in independent schools in Virginia where she taught English, served as a middle school Dean, and later as Head of School. In 2010, she returned home to Georgia to begin her tenure as Head of School at Oak Mountain Academy. Additionally, she chairs accreditation teams for the Southern Association of Independent Schools and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, a division of AdvancED.

What is accreditation and is Oak

Q Mountain Academy an accredited A

school?

Accreditation is a voluntary method of ensuring that an institution adheres to a set of educational standards.

Oak Mountain Academy is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), Georgia Independent School Association (GISA), and proudly holds dual accreditation through the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), a division of AdvancED.

Q

What is the “mission” of Oak Mountain Academy?

A

Every decision made in an independent school is based on its relevance to the school’s Mission. Remaining true to that mission is the responsibility of the Head of School, the independent school counterpart to a public school superintendent or a CEO. The Mission of Oak Mountain Academy is to provide a challenging college preparatory education i n a safe, positive, and nurturing family environment.

We commit to join sound learning with ethical, spiritual, and physical development to produce a responsible citizen who is prepared to b e a leader in tomorrow’s global community.

LEARN MORE www.oakmountain.us 770-834-6651 paulagillispie@oakmountain.us

Where do our students go when they leave the Mountain?

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ANYWHERE THEY WANT. STOP BY ANYTIME FOR A VISIT Please visit us on the Mountain to learn how we help our students make the most of their potential.

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Find out more about OMA by scanning this QR code.

222 Cross Plains Road Carrollton, GA 30116 770-834-6651 www.oakmountain.us

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What every West Georgian should know about...

Auto Insurance Q

Why do I need a personal local insurance agent? I can go online and buy insurance and not have to go through the hassle of going to an agent’s office!

a much higher limit, for an adult driver, the cost is a fraction of the added coverage. Plus, you have peace of mind of better Liability coverage.

A

Let’s look at my job. I’m a State Farm agent. Yes, I sell insurance! But my goal is so much more than that. I want each of my clients to know their worth, to know that I value their relationship beyond a mere policy. My job is to be sure that my clients are well protected against all the difficulties that life may throw their way. I work for you! AND you really don’t have to come into my office. With all the technology of today, a lot of my clients handle their business with me over the phone or internet. But we do love to have you come ome by the offi o ce. I view my customers as my friends. All of them em have my e-mail; many have my cell number. They know ow they ey can contact me anytime, even evenings and weekends.

If you have a disaster happenn inn your lilife, wou would you feel most secure sitting in my office with you ith someone som yo know, discussing how to get through this sitting on the is disaste disaster, or sit phone waiting for someone to answer 1-800 call? wer yyour 1-80 wer

Can you explain in laymen terms exactly what Liability insurance covers and why do you suggest having higher limits?

Billy Upton Agent State Farm

Qualifications:

Billy has over 41 years as an agent with State Farm Insurance earning the highest award given by State Farm, the prestigious President’s Club Trophy as well as Lifetime Member of the President’s Club. He prides himself and his office team with getting to know clients on a first name basis and helping them with their needs.

Q A

Why do I need higher limits off Liability Insurance?

The State only requires $25,000/50,000/25,000 00/25,000 for our rotect yo automobiles. Liability insurance is to pprotect your assets. If you injure someone in an auto accident, youu can exp expect a lawsuit, sue Would you whether it happens or not, you expect too be sued. rather have $25,000/50,000/25,000 (the State State minimum) or what a lot of my clients have, $250,000/500,000/100,000?

00,000/100,00 Or he State minimum mum to higher! Examining the added cost from the

Q A

Sure. Let’s exam what the State requires of you, $25,000/50,000/25,000. $25,000 is the maximum amount your insurance will pay toward an injury you cause to someone in an auto accident; this may even be a passenger in your car that is not a household relative. $50,000 is the maximum for all injured parties, but again only $25,000 for any one person.

The 3rd figure is for property damage you cause to someone else’s property. I.E the other car, etc. You cannot be liable against yourself, so if you back into your 2nd car or your house, Liability coverage does not come into play.

Think about the cost of medical care or long term disability someone may incur where you could be held liable. It’s easy to understand why I suggest much higher limits to my clients. A lot of them even carry an additional $1,000,000 or $2,000,000 Personal Liability Umbrella Policy to protect against lawsuits.

That’s a subject for another time, or if you’re interested, give me a call, or shoot me an email. It would be nice to find out if anyone is reading this commentary!!

LEARN MORE billyupton.com • 770-949-5863

Honesty.

Respect.

Professionalism.

Courtesy.

Billy Upton, Agent 3417 Highway 5 Douglasville, GA 30135 Bus: 770-949-5863 billy.upton.bw8y@statefarm.com www.billyupton.com

Its how I treat all my customers.

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Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.® CALL ME TODAY

Serving Douglas County & West Georgia for over 40 years

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What every west Georgian should know about...

Mental Health

Q

How prevalent are mental health issues?

A

Most people don’t realize that 1 in 4 American adults live with a diagnosable, treatable mental health condition and they often don’t understand how important mental health is to overall health.

In fact, nearly 46 million American adults have had a mental illness in the past year, according to a recent government report. Almost 30 percent of those aged 18 to 25 experienced a mental illness—twice as many as those aged 50 and older at just over 14 percent. And more women than men suffered a mental illness in the last year—23 percent vs. nearly 17 percent— according to a recent report released from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Meagen Thompson, MA, LPC

Licensed professional counselor with Willowbrooke at Tanner

Qualifications

Thompson earned her master’s in community counseling from Argosy University in Atlanta and her bachelor’s in psychology from the University of West Georgia. She is the program manager for the adult, child and adolescent partial hospitalization programs at Willowbrooke at Tanner, a division of Tanner Medical Center/Villa Rica and a part of Tanner Health System, providing inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services for children, adolescents and adults.

Q A

Who is affected by mental health issues?

We have all come into contact with someone—a family member, friend or colleague—who has battled with depression or anxiety due to a life event, or we may know someone who struggles with a more serious, diagnosed illness like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

There are many reasons behind these mental health challenges—economic, personal issues, biological or physiological factors and social influences—but they all contribute to an

individual’s mental health state. Mental health issues don’t just affect adults, either: 1.9 million 12- to 17-year-olds had a major depression in the past year, and teens suffering depression were twice as likely to have drug problems than teens who did not have a major depression (roughly 37 percent vs. 18 percent).

Q A

Where can I or someone I know get help?

Resources are available for anyone needing treatment, so encourage those needing help to seek it. Willowbrooke at Tanner’s assessment services department is a terrific source of help and information—including other community resources—for those needing treatment.

In fact, we offer free, confidential mental health assessments that may be scheduled at a Willowbrooke at Tanner facility in Carrollton, Villa Rica, Cartersville, Newnan or Bremen by calling our 24-hour help line at 770.836.9551.

LEARN MORE AT www.WillowbrookeAtTanner.org 770.836.9551

When behavioral, emotional or substance abuse problems threaten to tear you or your family apart…

Let Willowbrooke at Tanner help you or someone you know get back to life.

It looks like we have the perfect family.

A beautiful home. Two great kids.

The perfect dog, even.

But her addiction is ruining our lives.

Willowbrooke at Tanner offers free, confidential mental health screenings and services for adults, adolescents and children with behavioral, emotional and substance abuse problems. With locations in Carrollton, Villa Rica, Bremen, Newnan and Cartersville, along with a full continuum of care that includes inpatient, partial hospitalization and less-intensive care, the help you need is just a phone call away.

Call Willowbrooke at Tanner’s 24-hour help line at 770.812.6888 to arrange for a free, confidential mental health screening.

To learn more, visit www.tanner.org/GetHelp.

Carrollton Villa Rica Bremen Newnan Cartersville

My son enjoys hanging out with his friends.

He’s a talented musician.

He seems like a normal kid.

But he’s so angry. It scares me.

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Ask the Ex ert

What every West Georgian should know about...

Contacting an Attorney for Family Law Issues

Q A

Tim MacMillan Attorney MacMillan Law Firm

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Tim MacMillan received his Juris Doctor in 1998. Tim practices in the legal areas of Family Law, Personal Injury, Worker’s Compensation, and Wills. He is also a certified mediator.

He has been practicing law in Carrollton since July 2001.

Are Grandparent’s entitled to visitation rights in the State of Georgia?

The simple answer is yes. However, the burden is on the grandparents to show the court that the “health or welfare of the child would be harmed unless such visitation is granted and if the best intersts of the child would be served by such visitation.� As stated in O.C.G.A. section 19-7-3, the court may look at several things when determining if harm would result without the visitation, including, but not limited to where the child has lived, financial support provided by the grandparents and an established pattern of regular visitation. There are some limitations regarding the filing of said rights so an attorney’s advice would be recommended.

Q A

What is a Guardian ad Litem (GAL)?

A Guardian ad Litem (G.A.L.) is an attorney who is appointed to represent the interests of a child (children). Generally, a G.A.L. is appointed by a Judge in divorce/custody matters or Juvenile Court issues. The role of the G.A.L. is to investigate allegations made concerning the child’s welfare, interview the parties and other witnesses involved, and make a recommendation regarding the child’s best interests to the Court. The Court is not bound by the recommendations of the G.A.L.

Q

How long does a divorce take?

A

An uncontested divorce can be completed in as few as 31 days from the filing of the divorce.

This would involve a divorce action where the parties agree to everything and there are no issues remaining for a Court to determine. A contested divorce however may take a great deal more time. Depending on the level of discovery entailed as well as any forensic matter which may be involved it is much harder to put a time frame on a contested divorce.

LEARN MORE www.macmillanlawfirm.com 770.834.0871

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MacMillan L a w

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770-834-0871 418 Bradley St. - Carrollton

Ask the Ex ert

What every West Georgian should know about... ability to function properly and process speech.

Hearing Aids If fit and worn properly, hearing aids will help

Q A

Chris Sonnedecker

Owner & Hearing Instrument Specialist Affordable Hearing Aids

Qualifications

Chris began his career training under an audiologist with more than 20 years experience at one of the leading hearing aid companies in the world. Chris became one of the company’s top hearing instrument specialists in the Atlanta area. He then started his own company, Affordable Hearing Aids, and began practicing here in Douglasville. He has a total of 10 years experience treating hearing loss.

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Q A

What are common signs of a serious hearing problem?

It is common for people to unknowingly cause permanent damage to their hearing that could be easily prevented. Lack of awareness and knowledge causes people to ignore problems with their hearing causing complications that cannot be corrected medically or compensated for with hearing aids. The easiest way to prevent damage to your hearing system is by having it checked at the first sign of trouble. Hearing loss progresses relatively slowly causing it to be difficult for most people to know when to have it checked. Here are a few signs that it is time for a hearing exam: (1) Family and/or friends mention your hearing to you. (2) People complain that you listen to the television or radio too loud. (3) You experience “ringing” in your ears. (4) You can hear people, but sometimes have trouble understanding what they are saying.

Do hearing aids keep my hearing from getting worse?

This question can be complicated because so many different things can cause or affect a person’s hearing loss. However, one of the most common reasons that people develop significant trouble understanding speech is because they wait too long to treat their hearing loss. A hearing loss typically results in your brain not receiving enough information from your ears. If ignored, the auditory cortex of the brain begins to lose its

Q A

keep this system stimulated and less likely to lose its ability to function. Ignoring a hearing loss for years before treatment is detrimental to a person’s hearing system and the effectiveness of hearing aids and/or other treatments.

Who Do I See For Hearing Aids?

There are two types of specialists that fit hearing aids; Audiologists and Hearing Instrument specialists. For the purpose of hearing aids, there is no difference between the two. Both carry the same licensing from the State Licensing Board.

If you have a medical problem with your ears, you should see an Otolaryngologist at an ENT office.

Whether you see an Audiologist or HIS, here is a checklist to help you choose wisely.

• Make sure they care more about your situation than selling you a hearing aid.

• Make sure there is a return policy. Fitting fees higher than a few hundred dollars are a red flag.

No fitting fees might suggest they are more concerned with sales and you may find quality service hard to come by after the return policy expires.

• Make sure the specialist uses a “Probe Microphone Measurement” when they fit your hearing aids for the first time. They will be required to put a probe in your ear canal while programming your hearing aid. If the specialist does not kow what this is, run!

For more information, contact Chris at (770) 694-6599 or affordablehearingaids@ahahearing.com

OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE THE BEST HEARING AIDS AFFORDABLE FOR EVERYONE • As little as $25 per month for digital/programmable hearing aids • 0% Financing for up to 18 months O.A.C. • Free life time care • We accept and file insurance

Save 40-60% off hearing aids!

AFFORDABLE HEARING AIDS

8601 Baldwin Parkway, Suite 101, Douglasville, GA 30134

(770) 694-6599

www.ahahearing.com Email: affordablehearingaids@ahahearing.com

Ask the Ex ert

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What every West Georgian should know about...

Your Newspaper

Q A

Mitch Sneed

Editor of the Douglas County Sentinel

Qualifications

Mitch Sneed, 51, serves as the editor of the Douglas County Sentinel. He has been involved in the newspaper business for three decades, beginning covering sports at the age of 15. He is a native of Georgia and enjoys country music, all sorts of sports, working in the garden and yard and covering the news.

Q A

What is the most important thing that makes a good newspaper or magazine writer?

Q A

It’s hard to say just one thing, but interview skills and being able to tell a story are what I feel is most essential. You have to be able to let an interview evolve and instinctively know what question to ask next to get the entire story. Good conversationalists make great reporters and writers. And as far as story telling, I had an English teacher who said “Write it just like you were going home and telling your mother the story,. but only use good grammar?� That has proven to be good advice.

Q

Where do story ideas come from?

We get story ideas from the police scanner, court calendars, public meetings, news tips from readers and residents and all sorts of sources. But the best story ideas are often the ones that we hear about in the checkout line at Walmart. If people are talking about it, then it should be written about. We try to have our people live in the community we serve, therefore they get ideas from schools, churches and the places they visit regularly.

A

How do you decide what gets in the paper and where?

I like to look at what all we have on a given day and think as a reader and say “what would I want to read first and what would make the most difference in my life.� When I get the top four of five things on that list, I have a front page ready to go. Photographs also play a big part. You need images that will catch people’s eye and draw them into the paper. We say that the paper should be a snapshot of what is happening in the community. If we do that, then it is a good day.

What is the future of newspapers?

Hard to say, but I know that there will always be a need for gathering news. Local or community news will always have a home.

That is the thing that big news organizations don’t have the time or patience to cover. So community papers will survive. How that news is delivered is changing every day. From the Web, to text alerts and social media, we are now embracing those platforms. I think newspapers have an exciting future if we adapt.

LEARN MORE msneed@douglascountysentinel.com

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What every West Georgian should know about...

Roll-off Dumpsters

Q

What Are Roll Off Dumpsters Used For?

A

Roll off dumpsters are great for large household junk removal projects. Spring cleaning, foreclosures, estate cleanouts, and moving in or moving out of a home are common examples. Dumpster rental is also the ideal solution for construction debris removal. Remodeling projects, reroofing, and new construction projects often require a temporary waste dumpster on site.

Q

Why Are They Called “Roll Off” Dumpsters?

A

The dumpster rolls off the back of the truck and onto your driveway, street, or parking lot. You may hear roll offs referred to as trash dumpsters, construction dumpsters, roll off containers, temporary dumpsters, driveway dumpsters, open top dumpsters, and more.

Ron Crist

President & CEO of Crist Roofing & Construction

Qualifications

Ron Crist has been in the construction industry for the last 26 years, including 12 years as the owner of Crist Roofing.

Ron has certifications from Atlas, Owens Corning, GAF, Duralast, Genflex, the NRCA and is accredited with the BBB. Ron founded Crist Roofing in hopes to develop an honest, reliable, community friendly business. For the last 12 years Crist Roofing has not only met, but exceeded these expectations.

Q

How can I prepare my property for a dumpster rental?

A

It is recommended to place a protective board such as plywood under the container to avoid a situation where the placement surface can be damaged. Most roll-off companies do not offer plywood, but will place the container on the wood if supplied.

Learn more www.cristroofing.com 770-514-9653

CRIST ROOFING

& CONSTRUCTION

770-514-9653 www.cristroofing.com

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James Long, DMD Long Orthodontics

Qualifications

Dr. Long received his DMD degree from the University Of Louisville, and was named Alpha Omega Honor for outstanding scholastic achievement in Dentistry, graduating fi rst in his class. He graduated from Emory University in Orthodontics and Maxillo Facial Orthodontics in 1976. Dr. Long is a fellow in the National Academy of Dental Science, and a Diplomate in the World Federation of Orthodontics. He has practiced on the southside of Atlanta for over 30 years. Dr. Long has offices in Douglasville, Newnan and Peachtree City.

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What every West Georgian should uld know about...

Orthodontics

Q

Can Invisalign handle all types of orthodontic problems?

A

Just about!!!! Align Technologies has refined treatment in such a way that the plastic has become easier to wear, more long acting and easier to change. An orthodontist who performs a lot of treatments with aligners is best qualified to use the aligners in this new and innovative way, by which the treatment design is done by the doctor and not a technician. Our office is highly technical with the latest scanner that enables the patient to avoid messy impressions of the teeth.

Invisalign Teen can do more than just align teeth, it can fix your bite and improve your facial features just as metal braces do. We have completed over 700 cases and everyone liked the results of their teeth and ease of treatment.

Q

When is the best time to get invisalign?

A

The best time to wear invisalign is when all the baby teeth have been lost and the 2nd molar has erupted. This can be as early as 10 years old. The maturity of the patient is also a factor as to when to start because good cooperation is paramount for a successful result.

Our largest population of patients with Invisalign are 35 year old males who want to improve their image and dental health. This is not just a cosmetic appliance. Gum specialists love Invisalign because they do not invade the soft tissues of the mouth.

Learn more at www.LongOnSmiles.com

LONG

Orthodontics 35 Years of All American Smiles

We Run on Passion

Dr. Long and West Point Grad John C. Long and Cadet Lainie B. Long

One of Georgia’s Elite Providers of Invisalign® Well-trained staff members with over 20 years of experience.

We don’t just treat people; we provide care and accommodate your family needs.

Dr. Long proudly honors and recognizes military families with a 20% discount.

Douglasville Peachtree City 3666 Hwy. 5, Suite 100 1280 Hwy. 74 S., Suite 110 Douglasville, GA 30135 Peachtree City, GA 30269 (770) 949-7259 (770) 461-9642

Newnan 84 Jefferson Pkwy., Suite B Newnan, GA 30263 (770) 251-2660

This is no place for a nap.

Not many people suffer from narcolepsy, but there’s only one way to tell if you do.

Nodding off at the wrong times, such as during movies or while driving, could be an indication of a sleep disorder, such as narcolepsy or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Narcolepsy can cause excessive sleepiness and frequent daytime “sleep attacks,” where the urge to sleep is overwhelming. Knowing whether or not you have a sleep disorder can help you take steps to manage it—avoiding unanticipated naptime.

The only way to diagnose and treat a sleep disorder, such as narcolepsy, is with a sleep study. The fully accredited Tanner Center for Sleep Disorders — with locations in Carrollton and Villa Rica — can help, providing comfortable, hotel-like amenities and a certified staff of sleep technologists and medical directors who are board-certified in sleep medicine.

Don’t be caught asleep at the wheel.

Reclaim Your Waking Hours!

All you need to schedule your sleep study at Tanner is an order from your doctor.

Contact your family doctor. Or, for a referral to a Tanner sleep specialist, call 770.214.CARE.

www.TannerSleep.org