V3 December 2019

NWGA'S PREMIER FEATURE MAGAZINE / DECEMBER NWGA'S PREMIER FEATURE MAGAZINE / DECEMBER 2019 2019

The 2019 Align Design Series December cover contest winner, Shaun Ellis, is a Rome High School student who wants us all to remember Rome for the holidays.

READV3.COM | DECEMBER 2019

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Happy birth day,

baby!

Celebrating 150,000 first breaths and counting.

Wow! We've delivered over 150,000 babies at Floyd. And, while this amazing number speaks to our experience, it speaks to your trust as well. It's a special bond with growing families in the communities we serve that's almost 80 years strong. With an expert medical team, a family-centered environment, state-of-the-art care, education and support classes, and the peace of mind from knowing the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is available 24/7 right here, every day brings more reasons to celebrate at the Family Birth Center at Floyd.

floyd.org/baby 2

V3 MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2019 | READV3.COM

It's All In Our Name...

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We’ve MOVED! Classically Crafted

519 BROAD ST. SUITE 101/103 Rome, Ga • 706.584.7816 amanda@farrellsframeanddesign.com www.FarrellsFrameAndDesign.com

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harbinclinic.com READV3.COM | DECEMBER 2019

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December 2019 COLUMNS 12

Getting older, according to Jim Alred, is only an excuse. Our favorite go-to guy for sports says that with the help of his friends, blowing out more candles on the cake means it is time to set new goals.

FEATURES 19

20 26 32

40 49

6

See the work by student artists who participated in the 2019 Align Design Series cover contest.

We asked a few of Rome's most familiar faces to give us the inside scoop on some of their favorite family Christmas traditions.

Who says planning a restful vacay has to be stressful? With the help of Travel by Jon and Jo'El, families or frequent jet setters can focus on fun and let this knowledgeable team handle the details.

Stone Mountain Park is offering their guests the chance to enjoy the white and fluffy stuff for the holidays with the transformation of their grounds into Snow Mountain Park.

Just a short drive up Mount Aventine and you’ll find yourself captivated by a half-sculpted block of marble sitting underneath a small pergola. Meet Frank Murphy who is not your typical neighbor.

The success of families in Rome and Floyd County are paramount when considering a better quality of life for us all, and the Exchange Club Family Resource Center has made it their mission to help homes in crisis.

V3 MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2019 | READV3.COM

Merry Christmas from:

Independent Living | Personal Care | Memory Care 706.295.0014 • 3126 Cedartown Hwy SW, Rome, GA 30161-4314 • www.RenaissanceMarquis.com READV3.COM | DECEMBER 2019

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Publisher's Note OWNER & CEO Ian Griffin MANAGING PARTNER Chris Forino EDITOR IN CHIEF Oliver Robbins, Jr. MAG DESIGN Elizabeth Childers

O W N E R & C E O Ian Griffin MANAGING EDITOR

Just like that, it is Christmas time again.

My wife and I got an early start on the shopping this year in hopes to lessen the stress that comes with scrambling to buy and wrap gifts last minute. It is a good goal and I’ll let you know if we achieve it.

But as a sat down to write this note and thought about what holiday topics I could delve into, my mind settled on just how bad I am at gift wrapping.

Full disclosure, here.

When it comes to the gifts I buy my wife, I either let the store I purchase the item from take care of it, beg my mother to do it or give it my best effort. That last option is one that is avoided at all cost. My wife and daughter, for some reason, actually enjoy gift wrapping. So, I’ve tried to take notes and some of their techniques have certainly improved my finished product. However, cutting straight lines, precise folding and a delicate touch with scotch tape don’t come easy for me.

If I’m lucky, my packages have a good side. If I sit them under the tree the right way, I can hide their flaws.

I try to do my part to help, but rightfully get relegated to the bulk wrapping of kids' gifts that will be torn to shreds in seconds without a thought about how pretty the package is.

And I’m okay with that.

While digesting this shortcoming of mine, one of my cheesiest ideas of all time sparked in my head. I may not be good at wrapping, I thought, but I do fancy myself as a bit of a rapper. Why not create a track about Christmas in our neck of the woods?

If I was going to actually do this, I needed a partner-in-cheese and it just so happens our Editor in Chief, Oliver Robbins is a gifted word smith that might lend his talents to the effort. I asked, he said yes and after a few short hours and a little help from the our friends Mark Price, Jr. (producer) and Andy Calvert (studio work), we created a track we would like to share with all of you titled "Christmas in the R-Town."

I hope it’s something you can throw on and enjoy while wrapping your presents this holiday season. If nothing else it should be good for a laugh.

Happy Holidays.

LISTEN TO "CHRISTMAS IN THE R-TOWN" AT READV3.COM/2019/12/RTOWN/ OR SEARCH RTOWN

READV3.COM ReadV3.com: Where you can now find all the print content from this issue, our archives and exclusive ReadV3 digital features.

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V3 MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2019 | READV3.COM

McKenzie Todd WRITERS Oliver Robbins, Jr., Jim Alred, McKenzie Todd, Ian Griffin, DeMarcus Daniel, Ashlee Bagnell, Cassie LaJeunesse EXECUTIVE PHOTOGRAPHER Cameron Flaisch CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Jason Huynh Andy Calvert AD DESIGN Elizabeth Childers Ellie Borromeo PUBLISHER V3 Publications, LLC CONTACT 417 Broad Street Rome Ga, 30161 Office Phone 706.235.0748 v3publications@gmail.com CREATOR Neal Howard V3MAGAZINE.COM

holiday greetings from our Family to yours!

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You Will Be Successful

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JOIN • GIVE VOLUNTEER YMCA OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY 810 E 2nd Ave, Rome, GA 30161 706-232-2468 WWW.YMCAROME.ORG READV3.COM | DECEMBER 2019

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THAT'S WHAT

FRIENDS ARE FOR:

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME

WITH JIM ALRED 12

V3 MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2019 | READV3.COM

The other day one of my good friends texted me.

The text turned out to be a photo of someone’s half marathon finishing time. I looked at the time and nodded my head. I was impressed. Then I saw the name, and shook my head.

The individual in question turned a phenomenal time in the race. A time I couldn’t come close to in my current shape. A quick aside here, my current shape is deplorable. I can get out and run, but my lack of fitness leaves my times at pedestrian at best.

For long time readers, all six of you and my mother, you will know that at one time during my life I ran some fast times. Although I cringe these days when anyone asks me my fastest time. Because I haven’t approached those numbers since I was 23. Seeing as I’m now 47, that was more than half a lifetime ago.

I remember having a conversation with Berry cross country coach and outstanding distance runner Paul Deaton about aging a few years ago.

He mentioned how recovering from training runs and getting back to certain times became harder and harder. Deaton isn’t too much older than me, and he still regularly kicks my butt if he enters the same race I’m in.

And as much as I hate to say it, Deaton’s words are true. The day after a long run I get out of bed and my body doesn’t always react well. One or both of my knees often complains and other parts of my body can range from a nagging ache to a downright full on painful scream.

I’m not complaining though. I know there are plenty of people who have it far worse and I’m lucky that distance running hasn’t done more of a number on my body. On these days, I often wonder why I continue to run.

And sometimes the question looms so large that I answer it by not running for a few days, weeks or even months. But then somehow, somewhere the siren’s song returns, I lace up the running shoes and get outside and attempt to get my legs turning over.

Over the past year, my running has struggled quite a bit. After our yearly family tradition race on July 4th, I’m not sure I’ve managed to run more than about 10 or 12 more times. I’ve even had a few people ask me if I’m done.

As in if I’m hanging up my shoes or deciding to take it easy and not chase after faster times or longer distances. And then the day comes when my friend shares a text message.

One thing I’ve often found is the need for a goal or something to help motivate and push me. In high school, it was easy. I wanted to get to state.

In college, it was easy, I wanted to continue working hard enough to stay on the team. That’s the walk-on’s curse. At any time the coach can look at you and say, “Sorry. You’re just not cutting it.

Thanks for your time, but we don’t need you on the team any longer.”

Trust me. I never wanted to have that conversation, and luckily I never did.

After college, my goals have been a mishmash.

After a softball-sized tumor got removed from left hip, I wanted to run a half marathon. After arthroscopic surgery on my right knee and a doctor telling me to switch to biking, I wanted to prove I still could. I managed both of those.

And when I moved back to Rome more than a decade ago, I wanted to chase breaking 19 minutes in a 5K. I just missed it, but managed to turn in some great times. But I now realize those times are fading in the rear view mirror, and the big 50 is looming larger every day.

For someone who has spent a large majority of my life running against the clock, I now find myself competing against it in more than the traditional way. I know I won’t be turning in 100-mile training weeks again. I’m pretty sure my body would break down and fall apart.

I’m also not so sure pursuing the marathon make much sense, knowing the amount of training I would have to put in. But I look at the 5K distance, 3.1 miles, and know it’s possible to chase some time barriers again.

Motivation comes in strange ways. And while I have strong faith that I will be able to compete after I turn 50, I can tell my body will require more and more rest to keep from hitting me with an injury that could shut my running down.

So know the trial begins. I haven’t looked at any race calendars yet, or plotted a major training plan.

Instead, I’m going to work on just getting myself out the door and start putting some miles and training in. I can’t go too fast or train too hard too soon, or I’ll be on the sidelines quickly.

Hopefully, my many years of running will give me enough insight to be able to be smart, stave off injuries and begin to recover my shape. It’s funny, a few weeks ago I thought about running with a sense of dread.

Today, I still have some trepidation, but realize I’m not getting any younger.

Maybe my friend somehow knew I needed a swift kick in the butt, and the text message served as just that. That’s what friends are for sometimes.

Reminding us where we have been and what we have done and helping plant a signpost to get us back on track. Even if it means a lot of work along the way.

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‘Tis the Season!

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V3 MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2019 | READV3.COM

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V3 MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2019 | READV3.COM

ALIGN DESIGN SERIES COVER CONTEST The Align Design Series was initiated in 2018 by Rome Area Council for the Arts and V3 as a three-day workshop to introduce area high school students to the graphic design and related industries. Rome Area Council for the Arts and V3 partnered with Darlington to host the workshop on Darlington main campus and worked with local high schools to recommend interested senior and junior students. During the workshop, the students were invited to compete in a cover design contest for this issue of V3 Magazine.

COVER CONTEST WINNER

NWGA'S PREMIER FEATURE MAGAZINE / DECEMBER 2019

Shaun Ellis Rome High School

"The Clock Tower of Rome was built in 1871, so for nearly 150 years it has been a standing symbol of the Roman people in Georgia. This season, let us enjoy the warmth and culture that it brings to everyone!"

- Shaun Ellis

The 2019 Align Design Series December cover contest winner, Shaun Ellis, is a Rome High School student who wants us all to remember Rome for the holidays.

COVER SUBMISSION Carolyn Smyth Coosa High School

NWGA'S PREMIER FEATURE MAGAZINE / DECEMBER 2019

COVER SUBMISSION

COVER SUBMISSION

Leah Simon Rome High School

Kendall Buford Coosa High School

SPECIAL THANKS TO Darlington for their partnership Ellie Borromeo for leading the class instruction Jordan Epperson, Digital Strategist, Whiteboard Ron Moore, Design Department Head at Creative Circus Atlanta Melissa Kuperminc, Graphic Design Professor at SCAD

READV3.COM | DECEMBER 2019

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R

m Ho

me olidays for the

Text: Oliver Robbins | Photo: Andy Calvert

From Dirty Santa gifts to Chinese food, these local leaders have a few holiday traditions you just may want to make your own.

READV3.COM | DECEMBER 2019

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Mark Cochran

• Owner of Cevian Design Lab • Rome City Commissioner

"The tradition we have as a family revolves around the gifts under the tree. We are very specific about which gifts we open on Christmas Eve and which ones we will open on Christmas Day. We let each person open one gift on Christmas Eve and the trick is to try an guess which one we really want to see unwrapped. We rattle them around to try and figure out what is inside. I always go by the size of the box, but my wife is on to me. She wraps the least significant gifts in giant boxes to try and throw us off. Then, on Christmas Day, we all get together again for dinner."

Greg Shropshire

• Owner of Higher Progress Consulting • Former Educator of 13 years Rome City Schools

for

• Former President of the 100 Black Men of Northwest Georgia • Member of Phi Beta Sigma

"Our major family tradition that happens at Christmas is always on the Saturday after Christmas. We have a family dinner that has grown from around 30 people to over 100 of our relatives, and we gather at a place designated by whomever is hosting that year. The group includes all of the children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and so on, from my grandmother's and her sister's line of relatives.

We all bring a dish and some of us have become known for perfecting those dishes. What is awesome about this dinner is that I may not see some of these people but once a year, but it is important that we know our family members. We also honor those of us who have passed away and we talk about our family line. So, for me, my Christmas tradition is about family and seeing our growth through the years at our dinners."

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Seth Ingram

Executive Director of the Rome International Film Festival

"My mom always cooks a really large meal for brunch. On Christmas Day, we get up early and the entire family sits down to enjoy different types of quiches and we always have a pineapple, for some reason. Everyone is there, even my extended family, for breakfast at my mom's house. We also take a family photo after breakfast, and our family has grown so much that the photographer has to stand further back each year.

It is nice to see how much we have grown every year."

Jill Fisher

• Vice Chairperson for the Rome City Schools Board of Education • Chairperson of the Board for Good Neighbor Ministries

"One thing we do on Christmas Eve that may sound little strange is we have Chinese Food for dinner. Because of the traditional food associated with holidays, like home cooking, it is fun to have something really different for Christmas Eve. So after we attend church on Christmas Eve, we always order takeout from one of our favorite Chinese restaurants. The tradition started with my husband's family and since we are so spread out, we have adopted this tradition for our family.

rivercitybankonline.com • 706.236.2123 • 228 North 2nd Ave.

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9:51 AM V311/26/19 MAGAZINE 23

Willie Mae Samuel • Founder and Director of the African American Connection of the Performing Arts • Former Educator of 32 years for Rome City Schools • Founder and Director of the Blues Connection

"I grew up in the country and we always had a real Christmas tree. It was real because we would have to go out into the woods and cut it down. We would then turn the bad side to face the wall and decorate the good side. So, that is one of the oldest traditions we have as a family. Now, we always give gag gifts. We give those gifts according to our family member's personality. For example, my oldest sister loves to cook cabbage with every meal. So, we always wrap a cabbage head and give it to her for Christmas. The wrapping is always very ornate because we want to try and fool our relatives during the time we open gifts. It is so much fun to see what you will get each year."

John Schroeder

Owner/Partner Schroeder's New Deli

"The entire family gets together on the Sunday before Christmas and we usually gather at my house. Then, we give gifts in the Dirty Santa style, meaning we steal gifts from each other. It is always a lot of fun to try and get the gift you want without it being stolen from you. There is a lot of strategy involved. Then we eat a really big meal. After a rest, we go out in the front yard to throw around a football. We have made a game of it that is sort of like hot potato. We try to see how many times we can throw the ball to each other without it hitting the ground. Then, it is nap time."

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V3 MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2019 | READV3.COM

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Jon and Jo’El Lapp

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PACK Text: Cassie LaJeunesse | Photos: Jason Huynh

Pull the luggage from the closet, pack a bag and visit with travel professionals who have just the trip for you.

A

vacation shoudl be a relaxing escape from everyday life, and Jon and Jo’El Lapp are here to make sure it is just that for their clients.

As travel agents with an independent agency in Cartersville, Ga., the two take pleasure in helping their clients with every aspect of a vacation, from planning and booking to damage control should anything go wrong.

“Your vacation starts the day you hire us,” Jo’El says. “All you have to do is pack and make memories.”

According to Jon and Jo’El, booking a vacation through a travel agent makes everything simpler. They research destinations and things to do in various cities, sifting through hundreds of search results to determine which are legitimate and which are not. Jon loves this part of the job, as it allows him to learn new things for himself and future clients.

“My favorite thing is just learning about the destinations that either I want to go to at some point because they’re on my bucket list or the places I’m sending people to,” Jon says.

Both Jon and Jo’El went through hours of training with multiple providers to become certified travel agents and be able to create vacations for their clients. They enjoy working together and bouncing ideas off of each other in order to make the perfect trips for people.

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“We have enough experience that we’re able to give our clients suggestions that they may not have thought of,” Jo’El says. “There’s so much more to seeing Italy than just going to the Coliseum or the Vatican. How about experiencing Italy by going into a grandma’s house and learning how to make gnocchi?

Those are the experiences that we want to be able to bring to people, not the canned tours of cities that everyone goes to.”

Jo’El sees a travel agent as an advocate for the client and a representative in dealing with providers such as hotels, airlines or cruise lines. As agents, she and Jon are paid commissions by suppliers, meaning that their services are free to clients.

“If you don’t use an agent, you’re still paying the commission to the provider,” Jon says. “Why wouldn’t you use an agent?”

As advocates for their clients, Jon and Jo’El occasionally have to solve problems for travelers when things do not go as planned. If issues arise with a provider or a client gets sick, misses a flight or loses a passport, Jon and Jo’El are available around the clock to take care of things back home. They have the training to find solutions to any travel problems that might arise, allowing their clients peace of mind when traveling.

“A vacation is… a time to disconnect from everyday life, learn about new things, experience new things and come back to life recharged,” Jo’El says.

“When you’re stressing about your vacation and stressing about every little detail, there’s details you’re going to miss.”

But planning vacations is not just a job for the Lapps, and they aren’t always running things from behind the scenes. Last December, the couple and their two daughters, Madie Rose (18) and Macie (13), took a river cruise in Europe, visiting Budapest, Prague and several other cities. These cruises are a favorite vacation for the Lapps to plan for clients, especially those with families.

Jo’El believes that many people often think of river cruises as vacations for older, retired adults, and she wants to encourage families not to heed that stereotype. She suggests thinking outside the box when planning vacations.

“Just because kids are young doesn’t meant they can’t understand or appreciate a trip like that,” she says.

This was Madie and Macie’s first trip out of the country, and they both had a fantastic time exploring various cities and experiencing different cultures.

Madie loved seeing the architecture in Prague and Amsterdam.

“My favorite city was Amsterdam just because of the energy you could feel in the air,” Madie says. “Also, the architecture was amazing. I love architecture in Europe because it is so much older than here and you can see where they developed the architecture. It is like walking around in a fairytale.”

Macie, who was 12 at the time of the trip, found it to be very educational.

In Amsterdam, she had the opportunity to tour the Anne Frank house, which fascinated her because she had recently read "The Diary of Anne Frank." She is interested in World War II history and enjoyed seeing it firsthand on this trip.

“More kids my age should go on trips like this; they would have so much fun,” Macie says. “It’s very educational… getting to see the different ethnicities and languages and architecture.”

Part of the family’s motivation for this trip was visiting Christmas markets, an activity that had something to offer for everyone. Each stall at the markets

“Your vacation starts the day you hire us.

All you have to do is pack and make memories.”

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had a different craft, food or collectible, including leatherworkers, blacksmiths and more. Macie even got to go ice-skating in the town square at a Christmas market in Budapest.

“As I was ice-skating I was in awe of the scenery and how much life was going on around the place,” Macie says. “It was amazing to me.”

The Lapps hope that their personal experiences will encourage other families to consider a similar river cruise for their next vacation. Jon and Jo’El both saw this trip as an incredible opportunity for their kids to learn new things while enjoying time with family.

“It gave us the ability to expose the kids to things that they would never be able to see in this country, and expose them to history that really isn’t taught in our history classes here in the United States,” Jon says.

According to Jo’El, people are often hesitant to consider a river cruise because it seems expensive.

However, she explains, it’s actually a great deal because everything is included. A cruise makes transportation easier, often includes daily excursions, and still allows for ample free time to explore each destination.

“When you go on a river cruise, you get on the cruise, you unpack one time, and you have a five-star resort hotel and restaurant that follow you to the different cities,” Jo’El says.

To learn more about their services or to enlist Jo’El or Jon’s help in planning your next vacation, visit their website, jlapptravels.com, or their Facebook page, Travel by Jon &Jo’El. You can also contact them directly at jlapptravels@ gmail.com or call 716-326-2004 (Jon) or 716-8638205 (Jo’El).

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JASPER 620 J.L. White Dr., Suite 110 (706) 692-9080

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Let It

snow!

Text: Ashlee Bagnell Photos provided by: Stone Mountain

Snow Mountain Park comes around every holiday season to bring 360 tons of snow to Atlanta, Georgia.

Those who live in Georgia know that snow is rare and a white Christmas is rarer still. Seasons change in a matter of hours and snow is usually the last thing residents expect on any given winter day.

But for those who long for the experience of building snowmen and having snowball fights, you don’t have to look far to find real snow, guaranteed, every year. Located in the heart of Georgia is Stone Mountain Park, and every year from November to February, the park transforms into Snow Mountain.

With more attractions than ever, park visitors are promised a festive, fun-filled, family experience.

Snow Mountain is a 400-foot hill made of real snow. The park generates 360 tons of snow every day to keep up with all of the snow-centered activities. It is hard to imagine that much snow in Atlanta - outside of the 2014 Snowmageddon of course - but attractions like Snow Zone, Avalanche 34

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“My inner big kid loves Snow Zone. I love being around guest and seeing people experience snow for the first time. I will say that it’s probably tied with Avalanche Alley.

Just getting your friends together and experiencing that fall. You're not sure where your stomach is but you are having a blast coming down the hill.”

Alley and the newest addition, Dare Devil Plunge requires so much snow that they have to mass produce it every single day.

Stone Mountain public relations spokesperson, Angela Walton, assures guests that the snow is being made sustainably. “We take the water from the lake, we create snow and then the snow that melts runs back into the lake.”

The park will also premier the Dark Tunnel Ride. This ride is a 150-foot drop through lights and music, paired with the Dare Devil Plunge. Both are described by Walton as attractions for thrill seekers.

“Guests start about three stories high and come down the hill at almost 30 miles an hour. I tell folks that it is the only place at the park where you can go faster than the speed limit and not get a ticket," Walton laughs.

Snow mountain is a 400-foot hill but Dare Devil Plunge sits higher than that at around three stories. Patrons are either in a single tube or double tube. "It is really an adventure," says Walton, "but if you aren’t in it for the adrenaline, or have small children, don’t worry there are plenty of options for your family."

Snow Mountain also features Snow Zone for families complete with a bunny hill for kids who don’t quite meet that height requirement for the big hill. It is also Walton’s favorite attraction. “My inner child loves Snow Zone. I love being around our guests and seeing people experience snow for the first time. I will say that it is probably tied with Avalanche Alley. Just getting your friends together and experiencing that fall. You're not sure where your stomach is but you are having a blast coming down the hill.”

There is also periodic snow fall and plenty of opportunities for snow angel making.

Snow Mountain will also host Snow Mountain Christmas. All of the attractions of Snow Mountain will remain with a few extras added to get you into that Holiday spirit.

The biggest addition to Snow Mountain Christmas this year is the Snow Angel Parade.

Walton says, “we’ve had guests describe it like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It is beautiful. The slopes are fantastic but it is on a Stone Mountain Park scale. We have this grand parade to celebrate Christmas and the holidays. We have Santa flying in to kick off the entire celebration. It is really fun and cute for the kids, too. Snow Mountain Christmas happens every weekend and all during the school holidays through January 5, 2020.”

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Guests will be able to take in live musical shows and enjoy special meet and greet opportunities with some of their favorite North Pole friends including Santa, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Bumble. Hear the true meaning of Christmas aboard the Sing-A-Long Christmas Train and end your evening with Angelina the Snow Angel as she flies above the town and creates one last magical snowfall.

Stone Mountain park is one of the most recognizable parks in the State of Georgia. The park sees four million visitors every year and they are tied with the Piedmont Park as the most visited attraction in Georgia.

This is the park’s 12th season of Snow Mountain, but the park has been in operation since 1965 and it rests on 3,200 acres. Outside of Snow Mountain, guests can camp, hike, take a cable car ride to the top of the mountain and even take a train ride.

There are countless events and ways to keep the whole family entertained all year long.

So, if you are looking for snow without the traffic jams and the black ice, make your way just a little east of Atlanta and visit Snow Mountain Park. To find out more information, get a calendar of events or buy tickets, visit www.stonemountainpark.com.

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captain MARBLE Text: McKenzie Todd | Photos: Cameron Flaisch

Frank Murphy is a notable artist who bests in the lost medium of marble sculpting.

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T

hroughout history, artists and sculptors have experimented with an eclectic range of mediums, all of which have made lasting impressions. However, no material has captivated its audiences quite like marble.

Prevalent in ancient and contemporary art, marble makes up some of the most famous sculptures in the world. In fact, it’s hard to imagine a material that signifies high art more than marble.

In today’s world, this medium is most recognizable as a bougie kitchen countertop and the like. It’s hard to visualize a modern-day artist chipping away at a block of marble in order to express themselves. But here at V3, we aren’t normal, and we love different.

Recently, we met one neighbor who sets up his studio right in his front yard, and his name is Frank Murphy. We traveled to Murphy’s residence up on Mount Aventine to witness this rare spectacle of marble carving, which did not disappoint.

Murphy has called Rome his home for 33 years, which is fitting as the empire of Rome (Italy, but still counts) is known most for its famous artists—like Italian sculptors Michelangelo and Bernini, who happen to be two of Murphy’s favorite artists.

He discovered his love for art and the medium of marble, however, from his hometown in Sylacauga, Ala.

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“I grew up in a little town in Alabama called Sylacauga.

Sylacauga is one of the largest deposits of marble in the world—incredibly white marble like the Carrara marble in Italy. It’s a very fine grade of marble, very fine crystals,” explains Murphy as he runs his hand across one of the many statues that are scattered throughout his home.

He continues, “I grew up in this town thinking, someone should use this to carve with. Nobody did at the time, or that I knew of. It’s been interesting to see how it has evolved over the years. In fact, I currently attend a big marble festival there every year.”

Murphy left Sylacauga for college at the University of Montevallo, beginning his academic career as a declared art major. But he didn’t graduate an artist, rather a physical education teacher.

“Yeah, I actually ended up as an education major with a focus in physical education, which is about as far as you can get apart from art,” chuckles Murphy.

“However, one of the great things that happened with this major change was that I ended up having to take anatomy. Everything I do now is figurative, and it has helped me immensely to know the parts of the body when carving these intricate sculptures.”

Murphy uses the knowledge of human anatomy for his realistic marble portraits, while drawing inspiration for his oil paintings from artists like Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Velasquez and Tintoretto.

After college, Murphy moved to Rome to put his degree to use, becoming a minister of youth to the First Baptist Church of Rome. “I did that for 11 years before I began working at Berry College, and I still do some volunteer work at Georgia Highlands College as a campus minster. I did that part-time so that I could be an artist in my other part-time world. So, for 20-something years, I have been working to balance out those two-things.

“I just recently retired so now I am trying to figure out what it’s like to be retired—and so far, I like it. I’ve got plenty to do!!” smiles Murphy. Usually, Murphy finds himself splitting his days between painting and sculpting, his two favorite mediums.

During the day, he will sculpt outside, and when it gets too dark, he will spend the night inside of his studio. His favorite, however, is marble sculpting.

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One of his proudest marble sculptures, "Pieta,” is similar to the idea of the Pieta of Michelangelo, where Mary is seen holding onto Jesus following the crucifixion. In fact, Murphy’s sculpture was just recently placed in the Courtyard at First Baptist Church of Rome and can be viewed by anyone who wishes to visit.

It may seem odd at first… a P.E. teacher who paints and sculpts, but Murphy has always loved art.

“Ever since I was young, I could draw,” recalls Murphy. “You know how in elementary school you have a time dedicated to art? I remember everyone always wanting to look at my drawings. Back then, I mostly drew horses, cattle, cowboys, eagles and sports figures… things that I was interested in.

That was kind of my first involvement in art, was just drawing.”

In fact, Murphy still has a stack of drawing notepads from his school days that he likes to look back on every once in a while.

“As I transitioned through high school and college, I really didn’t know what you needed to know about art. Words like contrast and value were thrown around a lot, and I didn’t know what they were talking about!” laughs Murphy. “I definitely had a little trouble figuring out what I was going to do with all of that, but things always work out in the best ways.”

And work out, it did.

Murphy started venturing more heavily into art, with a focus more on oil painting and all things figurative.

“I started into some pretty large paintings pretty early on,” explains Murphy. “I like doing the bigger pieces; it is different. I found some opportunities to display them in several cool ways, so I just started painting these big murals. Some of them are religious paintings and murals that I have done for churches.”

He continues, “I took a class back in the 90’s at Shorter University for sculpting. It was sort of general sculpting, we did things in clay, bronze, etc. I got back into sculpting after that class; I had seen some stone carving tools in an art shop, so I bought them. It was a cheap set, but I thought, I’m gonna see what I can do with this.”

Murphy’s first marble sculpture was crafted with solely a hammer and a wooden chisel. “I think I just beat on it until, eventually, I noticed that it looked like a face… so, I painted Abraham Lincoln on the other side of it,” smiled Murphy as he showed off this flat piece of carved marble.

Now, you may be wondering, where in the world do you find slabs of marble? According to Murphy, when traveling in Sylacauga, you can just pick up a piece of marble on the side of the road, as long as you can get it into your car. “My first three marble pieces of art were born from rocks that I grabbed on the side of the road,” says Murphy.

Most of his marble sculptures find their way back 44

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to Sylacauga in some form or fashion as well, such as his statue of Rapunzel, which currently sits at the library in Sylacauga.

As we toured around his home, it’s hard not to feel as if one is walking through the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, except a lot less crowded and definitely more welcoming. The abundance of paintings and sculptures tell stories of a man who isn’t afraid of failure. Especially because failure is a key component of success in sculpting.

“You truly only learn how to sculpt once you’ve done it. Messing up is how you learn—where you can’t put pressure, where the strength is in the stone, where the weak points are, etc. You just have to keep carving,” explains Murphy. “But you do have to have a plan before you just start carving away.

You’ve gotta think about why or how to do it first.”

Drawing is a crucial element in art, and Murphy agrees, “drawing is just a foundation point for anything else you are going to do in art, because being able to visually see it is so important.” When Murphy travels to schools to speak with aspiring art students, the best piece of advice he can give to them is to just “draw, draw, draw.”

As we moved the tour to Murphy’s outdoor studio, which is positioned neatly underneath a specially built pergola, he pulls out his tools to being carving on a new sculpture of a Native American Indian. After previously sketching the Indian, Murphy then created a mockup of it with clay before diving into the rough-cut marble block.

Starting with a forked chisel (for details), Murphy works to carve the face, switching to a point chisel to then take off the bigger chunks that he will eventually morph into a body. He uses an angle grinder for even bigger pieces, which is the only power tool that Murphy uses, if necessary.

Neighbors love to hear the tapping of chisels against rock, and flock to his driveway as soon as the melancholic sound echoes down the winding

mountain path. Murphy sees this as his solitude, and a great way to get to know the community that rallies behind him.

“To be outside and do what I love is nice. It’s solitude, just me and my sculpture. Now, my neighbors do love stopping by. I love having them come by and talk,” smiles Murphy.

Murphy’s favorite part of sculpting is when he realizes he has hit the halfway mark in his sculpture.

“I love it when I am about halfway through my sculpture and I can see how it is going to work out, that my idea is working out,” he explains. “That’s my refining phase, and from there, I get super excited to get it done. The process of thinking about it is one of my favorite parts, too. I’ve got stacks of random pieces of paper that have scribbles of ideas on them—the prep and dreaming about it.”

On average, it will take Murphy a couple of months to finish a marble sculpture, but you can bet that if the weather permits, he will be outside underneath his pergola carving away at another masterpiece.

Murphy has big plans for the City of Rome, as he hopes to continue to spread his art with the world. “I have several ideas for sculptures in marble around Rome. The first one would be an ensemble at the corners of the South Broad Bridge on Broad Street. The second one would be a gladiator sculpture in front of the Aqueduct at the junction of US 411 and US 27, and lastly, I would love to carve a Viking Warrior to put at the entrance of Berry College’s Valhalla Stadium,” says Murphy.

In the meantime, be on the lookout for some of Murphy’s other works of art. You most definitely will not be disappointed.

Visit Frank Murphy’s website at: www.frankmurphyfineart.com

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Sometimes, parents just can’t handle all life throws at them, so it helps to have an organization to catch them when they fall.

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In the Spring of 1979, The National Exchange Club adopted the prevention of child abuse as a national project.

Beginning in the late 80’s, the Exchange Club of Rome became interested in opening a center after learning of other parent-aid programs, as none existed in Rome or Floyd County.

After three years of work, the Exchange Club Family Resource Center officially opened in November of 1991 with the mission of preventing child abuse and neglect. The Floyd County Center (FRC) is a part of a national network of centers that use the model of Exchange Parent Aid. There are 67 such centers across the United States; however, the Family Resource Center is the only program of its kind in Georgia. The FRC has grown from one employee in 1991 to eight employees now, and from serving five families a year to now serving 131 yearly.

Services provided by the Family Resource Center are family-centered and focus on child safety, problem-solving skills, parenting skills and social support. Through these services, the FRC’s goals are to facilitate safety (children are 50

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protected from abuse and neglect), permanency (children have permanency and stability in their living situations), and child and family well-being (families recognize the needs of their children, have enhanced capacity to provide for those needs and have support systems).

Tina Bartleson, Executive Director for the Family Resource Center, is in her second tenure with the center. She was with the FRC from 19942001. She resigned in 2001 to spend time with her newborn baby boy for a few years. She worked part time with the National Model of the Exchange Club and then returned to the local FRC in 2013.

Bartelson’s background is with the Department of Family and Children Services as an investigator.

She was driven to join the Family Resource Center due to patterns that she noticed. “I felt like I kept seeing the same families coming to me again and again” she says.“What I found is that parents love their children. It is hardly ever a matter of lack of love. It is a matter of having the information and support they need to be successful. When I learned about this model is that I very much wanted to be involved, and they were crazy enough to hire me, and then promote me as the director,” Bartelson says with a laugh.

The FRC and the Parent Aide program is about child abuse prevention and helping families who

may feel overwhelmed. They also assist parents with children who have behavior problems and assist parents who may not have an understanding where their children are developmentally.

Other services provided include helping with the relief of financial pressure and helping families with no support system.

Families do have to be referred by sources like the Department of Family and Children’s Services, schools, other agencies and sometimes from neighbors or community members. The family has to be willing to have someone meet with them in their home and to try to work through a provided plan. The services are free and completely dependent on the consent of the family in need, though some families have been strongly recommended to utilize the FRC via the courts and/or DFACS involvement.

A family’s criteria for assistance is to be experiencing some form of challenge that is negatively impacting the them as a unit. They also must be a resident of Floyd County and must have one child in the home under 12 years old.

FRC is not a counseling program,; they are a skill building program. “We focus a lot on those practical things parents need to be successful,” Bartleson says. “We aid in helping them through day-to-day processes, like how a parent gets their child on a schedule so that they are able to make it

“

There’s no reason to be bashful about asking for help. There’s no reason that anyone should be afraid to ask for help because that help you chose not to ask for or take advantage of could be what causes a downfall in your life.

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to work and get their kids to school on time. We also help parents to learn how to manage behavior in a way that is positive, and in ways that get the job done but isn’t abusive. We try to change the culture of with screaming at them or any other abusive behavior that could harm the child down the road.”

Bartleson enjoys her job and can easily explain why. “I feel fulfilled,” she smiles. “I love families and as a parent myself I know that we can’t always do it alone; it is a really hard job. There are a lot of different parts to being a parent. You always have the practical stuff like laundry, food, taking care of the house and going to work. When you add all of the things that complicate life, like a parent who was abused themselves, then it carries over into their adulthood.

"We also have parents that don’t have a support system," she continues. "Sometimes, it just gets overwhelming. What we do is we take all of what a parent may be juggling and help put it into a basket per se, so that makes it more organized and manageable.

"Once we meet a family, we try to learn what their story is. We want to know how they got to their current way of living, what is happening for them that is feeling overwhelming, what scheduling

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difficulties they may have and how to get it all into a basket to be managed. We also get an idea of where they want to go as a unit and what their family's goals are. For some, that’s getting a handle of their financial situation. For others it is a struggle with the child or children,” Bartleson explains.“We really help them pinpoint what they want to work on then we bring in curriculum information and meet with them weekly to work on the curriculum. This is our process for starting to work with them and to address the issues they have. We also sometimes see things that they don’t see, and we add those things to their plan.”

A family that is currently working with the Family Resource center had nothing but kind words for the group. The father (we will call him Joe for privacy reasons) breaks down what he sees from the Family Resource Center.

“For us, the Family Resource Center has been a help to establish our family or get re-established as a family. They’ve helped keep our family together.

There are a lot of things that go on in life. To be honest, in some situations, having an outside source like the FRC can be a blessing,” Joe says.

“Any time we were in need, all we have had to do is call our parent aide and they’ve been able to

assist us,” Joe adds. “Due to our situation, having them come into our home and into our lives, they’ve helped us with the continuation of our structure.

They’ve helped us decipher what’s going on and what our issues are. They’ve helped us to be able to dissect, detect, and be able to deal with our household issues. Without the FRC, life would be a struggle, a major struggle. It would be hard for us as parents and our children. They’ve been able to help us keep everything in the circle.”

He then remarks about their parent aide.

“Our parent aide is very accessible, like the lawyer commercial, one call that’s all. She is excellent.”

Bartleson explains another factor that makes the FRC successful. “What makes the program work are relationships,” she says “and the fact that we can be intentional and intensive with the families.

They’re not coming to us, we’re going to them to see what makes them tick. We then partner with them to get everything on a good path.”

Joe also gives advice to anyone else who may need the FRC. “There’s no reason to be bashful about asking for help. There’s no reason anyone should be afraid to ask for help, because the help you chose not to ask for or take advantage of could be what causes a downfall in your life. It could be the

difference between overcoming and adapting, or becoming another statistic and being in the system.

They are caring. They go above and beyond. There’s no other organization like the FRC. As a staff, they are nothing but a blessing. They become part of your family and they become part of the healing in your life. They helped us see and do what is best for us, especially our children."

One parent aid (we will call her Helen), described the center as the best job she could ever have. Helen loves the center, she loves what she can do for people, and she loves that she can go out into the homes and meet families where they are. “We can help you find all of the resources you may need,” Helen says.“We can talk to the school system on a family's behalf, we can get them help with counseling, we can help with resources for food, parenting classes and just about anything else they may need. We will go and find it.” Helen says proudly.

“We are very much partners with our families,” Bartleson says. “Once we see that they are achieving the goals or progressing, we’ll know the time is nearing to close. We have testing that we use as well, so we’re looking for an improvement in those test scores as well as working on their plans. Typically, families work with us for about eight months and about 85 percent of families graduate from the program. That means they have worked with the FDR for multiple months and have accomplished at least two of the goals in the area of safety, life skills, etc. And families are always free to come back if they find that they need the extra support.”

“One of my favorite stories was when I was with DFACS,” recalls Bartleson, “ is when I dealt with a lady from a bad situation when she was a child, but we could never confirm it. When she became an adult, and had her own children, she called me up and told me that she didn’t want to repeat how she had grown up and needed some help. We worked with her for nearly a year. After completion, we closed her case successfully and she graduated from the program. Years later she had another child and asked for help to make sure she stayed on the right path. As time passed, all of her children graduated college and were working. She herself had gone back to school and was working with a social service agency. We saw her break the cycle. She was determined to be there for her grandchild.”

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The Family Resource Center needs community support. Donations are an important way to keep the doors open. You can donate in many ways, just stop by their office at 202 East Third Avenue to see how you can donate. They also have four events annually; a Night at the Movies (February), a Golf Tournament (May), a Road Race and Health Walk (August) and a Bowling Tournament (November).

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Make it a meal worth remembering. Where to eat in Northwest Georgia.

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we don’t

kid

around when it comes to your child’s health

HARBIN CLINIC PEDIATRICS harbinclinic.com/pediatrics 56

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