March 2014

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v3magazine march2014 26 Rome Braves head coach

jonathan schuerholz relives the glory days while remaining focused on 2014

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Grizzard Park screams to life as rome-floyd ymca arsenal soccer gears up for spring competition

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features

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opinions

j. bryant steele deconstructs the the post-Leon political maelstrom still roiling within a capitol caught wholly unprepared for disaster

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the always-inspirational kent howard explains how to "hold the line" when penning the next chapter of your life story

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V3 senior events planner and etiquette consultant, holly lynch, illustrates how to perhaps charm your way into changing someone's mind

(left) Arsenal Soccer U9 player clay robinson shows V3 photographer Derek Bell his best chops on the Grizzard Park pitch (see pg. 30, "Kickin' It New School")

• Photos by S oto •

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a

s I inched forward in my car during the epic “dusting” Georgia endured this January, I caught myself griping on the phone to my wife about how they should have canceled school long before things had gotten so far out of hand. She had driven to the store around 11:15 that morning, noticed the roads were already turning treacherous, and had called me right after to say I should leave my office right away to check the kids out of school before their 1 p.m. release time.

Her advice was solid. But, as everyone now knows, it had already come too late. The mass exodus bumped my travel time (from the Bojangles on Martha Berry to the intersection at Redmond Road) from two minutes to two hours. By the time I made it to my son’s elementary school around 2, then headed to pick up my daughter at her middle school, then made it back across town, it was 3:30.

It was only thanks to the few phone calls I did manage to successfully dial out that I was informed the roads leading to our house in Silver Creek were more or less impassable. And so, we parked at a nearby church lot, grabbed what we needed out of Ian Griffin the family truckster, and hiked up to my mom and MANAGING PARTNER+

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dad’s house in East Rome to wait things out.

I felt fortunate we had a place to go, and was grateful we had avoided sliding off the road or getting into an accident.

My gas tank had just enough fuel to survive our time on the road.

Others weren’t so fortunate. But, despite the inevitable worry parents went through scrambling to collect their children, I was generally impressed with the patience and goodwill displayed by nearly everyone stuck in the mess that was Winter Storm Leon. Those few with vehicles equipped for the weather helped friends, neighbors, even and strangers stuck on or off the road; restaurant and convenience store owners brought food and water to the people who needed it; and while drivers were rightfully frustrated, it appeared to me that Greater Rome worked well together to keep the roads as safe as possible. In turn, what transpired was a testament to the goodness in all of us, and I was even more impressed with the teachers and school administrators I with whom I spoke while picking up my kids. Parents’ emotional thermoNeal Howard stats were all over the charts—and rightfully so— CREATIVE PARTNER+EDITOR-INbut those who spoke out of line due to stress would CHIEF+V3 MAG HEAD DESIGNER do well to remember in the future: teachers don’t make decisions concerning their students’ release from school. They were all dealt a rough hand, and from what I could tell, they stepped up to handle the situation admirably.

Leon was a mess, no doubt, but it never ceases to amaze me how, more often than not, the worst situations bring out the best in all of us. Watching the news later that night and seeing the chaos going on in Atlanta, it only affirmed my fuzzy feeling to hear what I had seen on the streets of Rome was true there, as well—people helping people when they needed it most.

Ian Griffin, V3 Managing Partner

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF + PRODUCTION MANAGER + MAG ART & DESIGN Neal Howard WRITERS J. Bryant Steele, Luke Chaffin, Oliver Robbins, Holly Lynch, Kent Howard, Neal Howard, Ian Griffin, Matt Davis PHOTOGRAPHY Derek Bell, MFA 706.936.0407 CHIEF OF ADVERTISING + OFFICE MANAGER + SALES DIRECTOR Ian Griffin AD SALES + CLIENT RELATIONS Shadae Yancey-Warren, Chris Forino AD DESIGN + MARKETING CONCEPTS Ellie Borromeo, Laura Briggs PUBLISHER V3 Publications, LLC CONTACT One West Fourth Avenue Rome, Ga. 30161 Office Phone 706.235.0748 Email>v3publications @gmail.com

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GreatExpectations, GOODINTENTIONS­­Hindsight is too convenient

C

when the two fail to intersect on the road of then and now

laims and counterclaims, the early signs of electioneering, serve as a sort of frost before the storm, or the clean white shirt before the mudslinging starts. A couple of recent political statements caught the attention of PolitiFact Georgia (politifact.com/georgia), which checks and gauges the degree of validity in such statements.

The Rev. Raphael Warnock, who now holds the pulpit at Martin Luther King, Jr.’s church, said that Georgia has the “fifth-highest number of uninsured people of any state in the Union.” Georgia has the eighth-highest

population in the nation, so PolitiFact Georgia checked data from public and private institutions and rated Warnock’s claim as true. (Warnock is one of several voices arguing for expansion of Medicaid in Georgia, an idea that isn’t popular under the Gold Dome.)

Prior to Warner’s claim, state Sen. Jason Carter, grandson of Jimmy and Rosalyn and a Democratic candidate for governor, said that after factoring in inflation, the average Georgia family makes $6,000 less than the average family did 10 years ago. PolitiFact also rated this claim as true.

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when deciding where to send the first or next brigade of shovels. Chambers of commerce, convention bureaus, developers, et al., have boundless pockets with fantastic selling points around the state, but sometimes the big picture can darken the brightest slide show. Georgia’s overall reputation for education is dismal, for one. And now, with a tiff over Medicaid expansion in light of the high number of uninsured, and the fact that the general wealth of an average family has declined, competing states have more to use against the Peach State.

But the remaining response is to blame data on sparsely populated counties and inner cities. Or, to put it another way, money talks where money resides.

Another image problem, though, is tied solely to Atlanta and its traffic, displayed for all the nation to see after the winter storm in late January that was either 1) unexpected or 2) predicted in advance, depending on whose version you believe. (The second round of snow in February stirred far less controversy.)

We’ll let the task forces, pundits, politicians and finger-pointers have at it until we (hopefully) find useful lessons for the future. One adage that still applies today: Err on the side of caution. The main traffic arteries could have been salted in advance, just in case.

Schools could have dismissed students early.

Businesses could have closed early or let employees work from home. Atlanta’s largest employer by far is not Coke or Delta, but the federal government. That’s a lot of commuters that could have stayed home.

Granted, I am not someone who can just safely advise from the comfort of distance.

For most of my life, I have worked, studied and lived in Atlanta, and that includes some commuting. The precautions described above were relatively routine then. And if caution later proved to be too much in abundance, we laughed at ourselves and moved on.

No, Atlanta’s traffic problems during the last snowstorm were less weather-related than the whole mess that is Atlanta traffic and the misguided, ill-intentioned decisions or policies that started before I could even drive.

There was the choice to put Interstate 75 right through downtown, dividing white and black business districts. Then came MARTA, except to some counties near you. Cobb and

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Gwinnett wanted no part of it, and the undercurrent racial “jokes” made clear why. So there never was a comprehensive design to connect the city and its sprawling suburbs. You couldn’t even catch a train to the old Atlanta Stadium.

You had to disembark and wait in interminable lines for your turn to transfer to a packed bus.

MARTA has also been plagued with poor decision-making and inept leadership. Which I suppose those early diehard opponents rising from their graves and saying, “I told you so.” I’ve ridden the rails extensively in New York, Boston and Chicago. Standup comedians have found fodder in those train systems’ ills, especially New York’s. But I’ll take them over Atlanta’s.

You have to feel the most sympathy for the schoolchildren who had to spend the night in classrooms or gyms during the shut-down snowstorm in late January. But they no doubt have recovered quicker than the businesses and workers who lost revenue and wages.

The governor has formed a task force, the Atlanta newspaper has put decisionmakers under the microscope, but those who were affected suffer consequences more than those responsible ever will.

The question for the future is how will Atlanta and Georgia assure bigticket events that they can bring their conventions and shows here in the winter? The marquee attraction coming up is the Super Bowl, and Atlanta (with its new stadium still in blueprint stage) is in the discussion, despite Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000, scene of one of Atlanta’s crippling ice storms.

Then again, let’s not forget that the NFL rolled the dice on the most recent Super Bowl by holding it last month in New Jersey in an outdoor arena. Nobody was the worse for it (except Denver).

I have no inside information, so this prediction is just for fun: The Super Bowl will return to the Peach State in 2020. That gives global warming enough time to live up to its hype.

I

BIZBITS

n its first year, the limit on what lobbyists can spend on Georgia’s lawmakers seems to be working.

Lobbyist spending, at least initially, has dropped more than 70 percent.

That doesn’t mean the influence peddlers aren’t still thick under the Gold Dome. It does

CENTS& SENSIBILITY WITHJ. BRYANT STEELE

mean there are fewer linen-tablecloth dinners and no tickets to expensive events. Lobbyists are looking for loopholes—a safe bet—but at least Georgia has finally joined the rest of the country in trying to curb its gifts-for-favorable-regulation style.

Workers at Chattanooga’s Volkswagen plant defeated by a scant 86 votes an effort by the United Auto Workers to organize labor at the fledgling enterprise. The UAW had seen Chattanooga as an opportunity to gain a foothold in the South, given its growing presence in auto manufacturing, because Germany is a labor-friendly country, comparatively.

But Southern anti-union sentiment is strong.

Workers at the plant did say they were open to

a German-style work council, and the UAW should seize that opportunity to be a bridesmaid.

A couple of interesting analyses recently pointed to the eternal haves/have-nots reality. First, the richest one percent of the world controls 85 percent of the assets. So much for Occupy Wall Street.

The second analysis involving economic polarization, presented by the Pew Research Center, shows that the earnings gap between people with a bachelor’s degree and those without is at its widest in 48 years. Those with only a high-school diploma earn 62 percent

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TOUCHING

THELINE

W I T H K E N T H O WA R D

YOU GOTTA FIGHT FOR YOUR WRITE Fortunately for the fighter in all OF US, the next chapter in each of our life stories is ALWAYS yet to be written

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I

t is extremely “bush league,” so my editor tells me, to begin a column with a famous quote, but for the sake of premise, allow me to break rank just this once:

“Fight and you may die. Run, and you’ll live—at least a while.

And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance? just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedoooom?!”

—Mel Gibson as William Wallace, Braveheart

Every time you watch that iconic film and hear those iconic lines, wouldn’t you love just one chance to go back and do that one thing you wish you would have done? What was it?

A dream vacation you should’ve taken? That career change that needed to happen years ago? That chance to go back to school? That meeting with someone where you wanted to look them in the eye and share your heart regardless of what they thought or said? That broken marriage that could’ve been repaired with some needed some twerking—oops, I meant tweaking—every now and again?

I can certainly think back on the handful of times I had the chance to make a big decision that could have changed my life for the better.

In some cases, I pulled the trigger and took the chance. In others, a glaring fear of failure prevented me from taking the risk.

As you read this column, think about your life as a book in three ways. First, what has already been written in my life (the past)? Second, what am I writing at this very moment (the present)? Third, what do I want the rest of my book (the future)? In the movie Braveheart, the people were tired of the way things had been run in the past, motivated to fight in the present, and determined to change their future. How many of us look back and say, I should’ve, I could’ve, if I would’ve…?

As a coach, I cannot tell you how many young people I have seen run from the discipline, accountability, and grind of athletics by quitting. Let’s face it, things are easy when we quit. If we choose to stay and fight, things become difficult. That dream vacation is easy to talk about, but actually saving, planning and

sacrificing to go is another issue.

Changing careers is far more difficult.

You might not like the new schedule. You might not make enough money to survive.

You might have to learn all over again. Argh.

Again, it’s tough, so our first thought is Let’s just quit pushing forward and not take a chance.

How about the countless individuals who quit sports in their younger years? They live to tell their kids, ‘When I was a player, I could’ve done (blank), but I didn’t because of (blank).’ What these people are actually saying is that they ran into adversity, uncertainty, or simply just didn’t like, and so they decided it was easier to run than to fight.

Fortunately, many of these same people I have known personally are in the process of writing a new, inspiring chapter in their lives, having resurrected themselves as second-act fighters. People who look back and regret the weak-minded decisions of their pasts, but want their new chapters to read something dramatically different. They have learned from these missed chances by later asking themselves, What would I do if I had one more chance at that?

I have run a time or two myself, hiding from the risk of failure. I came out of the shadows unscathed, but a coward. Now, I write to you as a man who has learned from

those past regrets and lives as a fighter. The thought of missing another great chance is all I need to motivate me. Others have carved out for themselves a risk-free life in which they know deep in their hearts that it’s time to fight, but the thought of failure is too much to bear.

Your life’s book is a story inked by the decisions you make, and free will allows us to readily make decisions that will write the future chapters of our lives.

I decided to write a new chapter 12 years ago, actually, when I took a big career chance and became a high-school teacher. It pays off not in cash, but in the form of service to others. It was a decision that involved great financial underpinnings, as it required that I leave a good job in the corporate world, take a $20,000 pay cut, and move back to Northwest Georgia with my wife (a small business owner in a tough economy) to teach kids who live and think within a totally foreign generational mainframe than me.

This is my fight. This is my chance.

It is important for every last one of us to, occasionally, smartly, take worthwhile chances. You might fail miserably, but that doesn’t make you a failure. It makes you a warrior.

You won’t stay down long. You’ll learn a lot

CONTINUED ON PG. 22 >> vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

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W

e often use the phrase “let’s just agree to disagree” when involved in a conversation with someone whose ideas and opinions are different than our own. Emily Post even has a section about agreeing to disagree in the 17th edition of her Etiquette book. The author writes, “Keeping a disagreement from escalating into a war of words is essential to civil conversation—and the trick is to agree to disagree.”

Unfortunately for many of us, the phrase is just lip service. Once we have that disagreement, we walk away muttering under our breaths about how idiotic and ignorant that person must be. The etiquette rules of good conversation used to mean that we didn’t discuss religion or politics in polite circles.

But, in an effort to create more meaningful conversation, nowadays that rule doesn’t always apply.

Etiquette is a blend of traditions and manners that give us a guideline for interacting with other people.

To that end, we need to start embracing the ambiguous state agreeing to disagree actually creates.

We live in a world where we claim to know everything and no longer enjoy a sense of wonder.

Most of us Google everyday questions. Reading a quick article online, or a 140-character tweet, we often think we have the whole story. In the absence of wondering about things, we are not as comfortable living without answers and resolution. If you really study your feelings on various issues, there will be times that your beliefs and your practices don’t neatly align. And when we really take time to examine the differences between our behaviors, beliefs, and feelings, we may even find the three are completely different. Ambiguity reins in human behavior, so why is it so hard to accept in a disagreement? Are we so hard-headed that we must create a world where everyone in it agrees with us all the time?

How do we go about agreeing to disagree and actually mean it? I would say we need to spend more time thinking about areas where we take a stand, and decide if our behaviors match those feelings and beliefs.

Then, as we go forward in the world, instead of avoiding conversations that make us feel awkward and uncomis kind and tolerant of all sides on the issue. fortable, we should admit our feelings and The difference is possible—it’s called agreeaccept the fact that everyone will not agree ing to disagree in a polite, respectful manwith us—and that’s okay. ner—using our tools of etiquette to submit an The media likes to take this sense of amopinion. biguity and create “pro” versus “anti’ people.

When we disagree with someone we need When a public figure offers an opinion, I to watch our, and their, behavior. Ask yourhave seen modern media blow that statement self, Do they disagree with me but still treat out of proportion and take the statement out me with respect? If so, they’ve achieved the of context to label that public figure as properfect balance. this or anti-that. What an irresponsible jump The example I’m about to use might upset to conclusions. Indeed, when pressed, that some of you, but in the spirit of this column, public figure probably has some opinions I hope we will be able to agree to disagree. and feelings about a topic, but their behavior 20

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When I was in high school and early college, I was fairly ambivalent about abortion rights.

I figured it’s a woman’s body and she should have the option of terminating a pregnancy if she wanted to do so. Then I got older, my sister married, and she went on to suffer several miscarriages. Then, something wonderful happened. She became pregnant and carried the little guy for 23 weeks. My family was elated. We thought we were home free, and that a little one would soon be part of our family. Instead, my sister went into labor a week later. Through medical intervention,

AGREE TO DISAGREE CLEVERLY PART WAYS OF OPINION IN THE MOST RESPECTFUL OF MANNERS, AND YOU MAY JUST

SUCCEED IN IMPARTING YOUR VIEWS BY THE WILIEST OF MEANS

TRENDS&

anything. I dare anyone to label me as such.

Having feelings and opinions on a subject, no matter how fraught political or reliW I T H H O L LY LY N C H with gious vigor, does not mean we are suddenly anti- all other sides of the question. It does mean that in a debate with someone who does not see things my way, I will, hopefully, listen to their views in a respectful manner, present my side factually and graciously, then shake hands upon realizing we’ll never see eye to eye.

I believe there are many of us who may be pro- one side of today’s major issues, but are not necessarily antithe other side. As a society packed with passionate people, we must learn to be comfortable with ambiguous feelings, where a resolution or compromise might not be possible.

Find a way to express your opinions without assaulting the other person’s character or accusing them of dishonesty. As voices raise, true discourse is lost, leaving a vacuum in which emotions and anger escalate.

Agreeing to disagree—and actually meaning course, and I don’t treat them any differently. it—is the most appropriate way to engage in The issue is religious, political and social. debate with another person. By showing reThe point is, I’m happy to debate the topic spect for another person’s feelings, particularwith anyone if we can do so in a respectly when they don’t mirror our own, we adhere ful way. Everyone’s individual experiences to the principles of good etiquette. Don’t you shape their opinions, and how we express agree? VVV those opinions to people who disagree with us can do more toward changing someone’s mind than yelling, screaming and/or stompHolly Lynch is owner of ing around. and head planner for The real gist behind this example: Because The Season Special Events I believe a pregnancy at 23 weeks is a living Planning at 250 Broad person does not mean that I am pro or anti Street in Rome.

TRADITIONS

she was able to stay pregnant with her son for another two weeks before the doctors were no longer able to stop her labor. My nephew was born at 26 weeks, weighing 1.5 pounds.

He breathed and he cried, he had all his fingers and all his toes. In that instance, I knew that I would never view pregnancy or abortion the same way again.

My nephew is now 11 years old, and for the last 11 years, my beliefs and feelings have evolved because my opinion on the issue has changed through personal experience. There are people out there who disagree with me, of

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“For my hEart, I choosE rEdmond.”

Elsie

Heart Attack Survivor

“I felt so good when I got out of the hospital. I felt wonderful and I couldn’t wait to go to rehab. The staff there was incredible.”

Elsie had already had one heart attack, so she knew the symptoms and knew she needed to get to Redmond immediately. At Redmond’s ER, she got the fast treatment she needed. The physician confirmed that she had experienced a second heart attack and needed a stent. The experienced heart team at Redmond treated more than 5,000 patients last year, providing a full range of services.

Redmond is an accredited Chest Pain Center and the only hospital in Northwest Georgia providing open heart surgery. Comprehensive services even include Cardiac Rehab to get you back on your feet.

Elsie is just one of many stories at Redmond Regional Medical Center.

Tell us your Redmond story at

MyRedmondStory.com 501 Redmond Rd NW, Rome, GA 30165 22

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FROM PG. 17, CENTS & ... of what college graduates typically earn. It stands to reason, then, that even with rising tuition costs, college pays off in the end.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has predicted that adult smoking in America will continue to decline and drop to 10 percent in the next decade. That’s a far cry from the “smoke-free society” predicted for the year 2000 by the U.S. Surgeon General in 1984. But it’s a big drop from today’s rate of 19 percent, and an astounding decrease from the more than 42 percent first reported in 1965.

On the heels of that report came the news that pharmacy giant CVS is dropping tobacco products from its shelves by October. And on a barely related note, Chick-fil-A is working to remove antibiotics from its fare without affecting taste or price. Some big businesses are listening to public concerns over better health, it seems, and all the marketing textbooks are going to have to be rewritten. VVV

J. BRYANT STEELE IS AN AWARDWINNING BUSINESS JOURNALIST BASED IN ROME.

FROM PG. 19, TOUCHing...

Coosa Valley Home Health Care, an Amedisys company, is in the business of helping our patients maintain and improve their quality of life-at home. Home is the place where family, friends and familiar surroundings make patients feel most comfortable - and recover faster.

With more than two decades of experience in the health care industry, we understand the importance of delivering high-quality services to patients in their homes. Choose Coosa Valley for all your home care needs.

about life along the way. Matter of fact, you might even be like my 3-year-old son, who prides himself on doing whatever it is he can’t do the first time ’til he conquers it. He is a risk taker, which makes him a fighter.

Every time he takes a small risk, he knows there is potential for great reward.

You were made to fight, to take calculated risks for opportunity. As you look back on life chapters past that you now regret, focus on the good news: You can begin today anew by making decisions that will better write the current chapter of your life’s book and better guide the chapters to come in your future. Those regrets should fuel your passion to fight, for only by living with boldness and passion are we truly living.

The misses made in our pasts weren’t once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Starting today, take a few big chances you never believed you’d have the nerve to. See what happens. VVV

KENT HOWARD IS A 12-YEAR NWGA EDUCATOR, BASKETBALL COACH AND INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER. TO BOOK HIM FOR PUBLIC SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, CALL call 706.767.3226 or email bookkenthoward@gmail.com vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

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tHey grOw up FAst... but tHey Aren’t 21 yet tHey grOw up FAst... tHey Aren’t 21 yet DID YOUbut KNOW...

24% of 6th graders agree “it’s easy to get alcohol” DID YOU KNOW...

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Underage drinking cost the citizens of Georgia $1.4 billion in 2010

ALCOHOL is tHe mOst COmmOnLy used drug AmOng Our nAtiOn’s yOung peOpLe, surpAssing tObACCO And iLLiCit drugs!1 ALCOHOL is tHe mOst COmmOnLy used drug AmOng Our nAtiOn’s yOung peOpLe, surpAssing tObACCO And iLLiCit drugs!1

learn more at stopalcoholunder21.org learn more at stopalcoholunder21.org scan the QR code to learn more

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Spotlight on Underage Drinking, No. 22 scan the QR code to learn more 32010 Georgia Student Health Survey, Georgia Department of Education Hingson RW, Heeren T, Winter MR. Age at drinking onset and alcohol dependence: age at onset, duration, and severity. Pediatrics 2006;160:739-746 342009 Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance Survey http://health.state.ga.us/epi/cdiee/studenthealth.asp 1Hingson RW, Heeren T, Winter MR. Age at drinking onset and alcohol dependence: age at onset, duration, and severity. Pediatrics 2006;160:739–746 National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Spotlight on Underage Drinking, No. 22 4 22009 Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance Survey http://health.state.ga.us/epi/cdiee/studenthealth.asp vini vidi vici / v3 magazine 2010 Georgia Student Health Survey, Georgia Department of Education 11National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Spotlight on Underage Drinking, No.22 22010 Georgia Student Health Survey, Georgia Department of Education 2

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MD WE'RE JOINED BY JOna-

than schuerholz, who is, of course, getting ready for his first season at the helm of the Rome Braves. But being a part of the inaugural team that ultimately ended up winning the south atlantic league championship back in 2003, he's no stranger to Rome or the Rome Braves.

Jonathan, that must have been a real thrill in '03. What are your fondest memories of being a part of that team?

JS the coolest part about that team was the fact that,

11 years later, i'm still being asked about that team. And what comes to my mind is the friendships i made on that team that i still have today. one of the reasons our team was so special was the makeup of character we had in the clubhouse—Jeff Francoeur, Brian McCann, wes timmons,

FOR FIRST-SEASON

R O M E B R AV E S HEADCOACH

J o n at h a n SChuerholz —Yep, son of legendary atlanta braves gm john schuerholz, not to mention the super-clutch former player who helped cinch the game-winning run in Rome's only championship season back in 2003—it appears that settling down once more in the city of seven hills/three rivers has him almost as jazzed as the thought of finally, finally making it to Florida for spring training >>>>

AREWE THERE YET??? willie hernandez, blaine boyer, kyle Davies. We just had a group of guys who really enjoyed coming to the park and being around each other.

The very last game there, you guys clinched the championship in front of the home crowd. You had a pretty sizeable role in the end, didn’t you?

You could call it that. I was fortunate to be put in a situation where the go-ahead run

was on third base, Mike Grasso, and I was able to hit such a deep fly ball that the fastest guy on the team was able to score from shallow center. (Laughs) I was just lucky to be in the right place at the right time, but it was fun to be the guy to come through.

You grew up with a perspective on baseball that was pretty unique, and having the access to Major League Baseball you had would be a dream come true for most kids. What was the best part of that?

I think growing up in that environment, the best thing was exactly that: growing up in that environment. I got to the opportunity to have hands-on, first-person knowledge of how these professional athletes, these big-league baseball players went about their business. Not what you see on the field between the white lines, but what you see in the clubhouse, what you see on the buses, what you see on the charter flights, in the hotels, the work that goes into it during spring training. The stuff that the casual fan isn’t privy to, I was fortunate enough to see; how the players at the highest level go about their business and do what they need

INTERVIEW MATT DAVIS

clubhouse to bother everybody. He would help me out, tell me the right places to go, the right way to do things.

When I was a kid, George Brett was awesome to me. We were in Kansas City when I was probably 8...

Those were probably the guys who had the biggest impact not only on the kind of player I became, but also the kind of person I wanted to be in the clubhouse.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ROME BRAVES to do to get ready to play a game.

I wasn’t taking notes or writing anything down, it just added to the already growing love I had for the game at that age.

With that kind of insider perspective, who would you say—other than your dad—influenced you the most?

Jeff Blauser had a big impact on me. Terry Pendleton, Mark Lemke. I liked Mark Lemke and Jeff Blauser a lot because they were grinders, blue collar, always dirty and diving around. I loved to watch them and how they played because they were middle infielders, much like myself.

TP was big, too. He was always really gracious, and kinda took me on as more than the boss’ son who would come in the

It’s interesting you say that, because I have read several articles about your playing days at Auburn and at the minor-league level within the Braves organization, and the common thread in comments made by your managers and coaches is that they all see your work ethic and leadership to be outstanding— a cut above, just like the people you just mentioned.

But what really drives you [other than

the examples set forth by those players who schooled you early on]?

It’s got to be my innate desire to win and be a winner. I’m a very competitive person, almost to a fault sometimes. My friends can attest to that. I almost got into a bunch of little scrums growing up because I took things too seriously and wanted to win …

In high school my temper was such that, if I didn’t win, I wasn’t happy. It almost cost me some friendships in the long run. I once almost got into a fight with a buddy of mine over a matchbox football game—you know, where you fly the piece of paper over the field goal across the table, that kind of thing.

But going back to your question, I think it’s whatever personality trait [I have that motivates me] to want to win. I always want to win, I’ve always wanted to win.

The other thing is that I wasn’t blessed with a ton of talent, either—and I knew that. I could run, but my ability to hit wasn’t overwhelming, so I knew I had to have

something that would create an edge for me. Luckily, it got me to a very high level of baseball. Obviously not to the pinnacle, but I got a lot higher than a lot of people would have believed I could’ve gotten to— or even myself sometimes.

From what I’ve read, and what you’ve already told me in this interview, it appears that your goal was to be in the major leagues as a player. But now that your career has shifted to the role of manager, in retrospect, was that something you had intended on doing eventually, regardless of where your playing career took you?

No. When I was playing, I was so focused on making it—as most players are—to the big leagues that I didn’t have a plan B. I didn’t know what I was going to do after baseball was over. I thought I’d play ’til I was 38—back then I thought that was old—then I’d retire and I’d be good. But the further I got along, the older I got, the more I realized I probably wasn’t going to become a big-leaguer.

I started to watch how my managers handled different situations…and handled themselves, because I knew if it wasn’t professional coaching or professional managing, maybe the college game would be an option. Who knew where I was gonna be, but I really just started taking stock of what was going on around me and trying to learn from the guys I respected. … Typically, people who expect a lot out of themselves also tend to expect a lot out of others whom they’re leading. What has been your management style up to this point in your managing career?

I’ve been using the word “I” way too much 28

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in this interview. I really don’t like to use it much, but watching my father and the way he runs his clubs—the staffs, the players—I fully believe in not micromanaging guys. You let them play. You let the coaches coach, you let the players play. And you do it with the knowledge that the best teacher in this game is playing time. The more they’re out there, the better they’re going to be.

And I’m really not a yeller and screamer, as much as my friends don’t believe me, because I grew up that kind of a player. Fiery. But since I’ve learned to channel that passion and fire internally, and to let the players have their time on the field, to let them have their glory and their experiences.

When a guy needs to be talked to, I talk to him in a professional manner. I try not to talk down to any guy. Because…the results may not be there, but if the effort is there, I’m happy with that.

Well, it’s time for you guys to head down to Florida for spring training. As a matter of fact, as you and I are talking right now (Feb. 18, by speakerphone) you’re in the car on your way down there to get things started. What does that feel like for you?

It’s one of my favorite times of the year. I love it. I probably drove my wife crazy the past few days, packing up the house. My bags were packed like three days ago. We’re already going to be down there a week early, and it’s one of those things—I just can’t wait.

Once that calendar flips over, it’s baseball season in my mind. Especially once the Super Bowl is over. Once the Super Bowl is over, it’s full-on baseball. I’m ready to be down there. And coupled with the worst winter we’ve had in ages, I just couldn’t wait to get down to sunny Florida. … Coming back to Rome as a manager and having won a championship here a little over a decade ago, in some ways I’m sure it must feel like coming back home. What does it mean to you to come back to Rome this season?

You hit the nail on the head. It is a homecoming. I don’t think there’s a better word for it.

Like I mentioned earlier in the conversation, the experience I had in Rome was such a pleasure, such a great experience. The community, the people who work at the stadium, the fans, the teammates I had here—everything, all around, was such an amazing experience. And to top it off, we won the championship. You couldn’t have written a better script.

To come back to this environment knowing how lucky we are to being playing in a place as hospitable as Rome, I’m just excited for our players to go through what I was fortunate enough to go through 11 years ago.

VVV The Rome Braves will host their 2014 home opener versus the Savannah Sand Gnats Thurs., April 10 at State Mutual Stadium. For tickets or further season info, visit romebraves.com

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(BELOW) FEB. 27, ARSENAL u10 ACADEMY PLAYER JOSH McCreeless stRETCHES TO BLOCK A PRACTICE KICK AT ROME'S GRIZZARD PARK

Don’t sleep on the true emergence of "THE OTHER football" in the Deep South, folks. the NO-HANDS army behind ROME-FLOYD

YMCA ARSENAL SOCCER is armed

to the HILT and rallying astride a mission to DEVELOP FUTURE LOCAL LEGENDS

KICKIN' IT NEWSCHOOL REPORT IAN GRIFFIN NEAL HOWARD TEXT PHOTOS DEREK BELL

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L

ook just off the East Rome Bypass and you’ll spy Grizzard Park, a sprawling YMCA facility that is home to the Rome-Floyd Y’s Arsenal Soccer Program. Here, approximately 500 male and female players 4-to-19 years of age compete at varying levels of play throughout the calendar year. And though the competition becomes decidedly more competitive as these fast-developing young athletes mature, thanks to the younger end of the age spectrum, Grizzard is also home to some of the best live comedy available anywhere in Northwest Georgia.

The pre-K classes and “U-6” games are often the stuff of comedic legend, in fact, providing spectators with superhero bits, daisy-picking improv routines, even the occasional wild spirit running clear out of bounds with the ball in hand, following through 110 percent on some longwinded play taking shape only in his/her own precious, oblivious little mind.

Further up the chain, however, a genuine opportunity for players of all skill sets to learn a blueprint for success on the field as part of a TEAM—a term that, as you’ll quickly notice, folks, contains no “I”—and a deeper look into Arsenal’s multi-tiered program reveals a far deeper operation than what’s visible at first glance. To start, along with hosting regular development camps, Pre-K classes, and adult soccer leagues, the youth-engineered wing of the program (a.k.a. U6-U19) is broken down into three evaluated skill levels: Recreational

(U6-U16), Academy (U9-U12), and Select (U13-U19).

And while recreational-level play is certainly competitive in its own right, the academy and select leagues turn up the heat a tick, to allow players who have more clearly demonstrated onthe-field excellence a shot at traveling to compete against other accelerated players—all the while receiving critical, additional experience and training that will chisel their skill sets immensely if applied over time. After all, leagues like Arsenal produce elite players, and the common foundation linking their bright futures has been

...WHILE RECREATIONAL-LEVEL PLAY IS CERTAINLY COMPETITIVE IN ITS OWN RIGHT, THE ACADEMY AND SELeCT LEAGUES TURN UP THE HEAT A TICK, to allow players who have more clearly demonstrated on-the-field excellence a shot at traveling to compete against other accelerated players...

(LEFT TO RIGHT) ARSENAL ACADEMY's DAVE WILLIAMS, MARK BEATTIE, ANDY EDWARDS AND JOSEPH GRAY

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u11 ACADEMY PLAYERS BRIGHLEY POWELL (LEFT), MEGAN KLIGORA (RIGHT)

recreational-level play, beginning with the Pre-K and U6 kids.

“At the Pre-K level we really only try to establish one thing, and that is soccer is played with your feet,” says Grizzard Park director, Roy Dickinson. “At U6, it’s our main goal to establish the boundaries, which way your goal is located, and to start teaching positions.

That doesn’t mean they’re going to play them properly or that they won’t decide to sit down and pick daisies,” he chuckles, “but we are going to get them up and exercising, then try to set those fundamental rules in place.”

With over 34 years experience in doing just that, the Rome Arsenal program has certainly evolved since its birth in 1980, when games took place on the farfrom-regulation field found just behind the Rome-Floyd YMCA’s Second Avenue headquarters. But its ingenious 1995 merger with the Rome Area Soccer Association (RASA) stands as its biggest

u13 ACADEMY PLAYERS AVERI WALRAVEN (LEFT), MARY GRACE SNOW (RIGHT)

leap of success, given that RASA’s already travel-tested schedule would ultimately cater to the creation of Arsenal’s Academy and Select leagues.

Coupled with the (badly needed) opening of Grizzard Park in 1998, there was little to stop Arsenal from making a real local impact in a sport still widely dismissed by most Southern sports circles. The exercise alone is worth it, of course, but the tenets belying how to best expand a child’s mind using team sports is equally emphasized and distributed across all three leagues. Recreational-level coaches, for instance, are required to make sure each and every player gets his or her fair share of playing time regardless of skill level, in order to give everyone an equal opportunity to grow as a player and person.

With a seam-busting roster of participants already signed up for the 2014 program, the next focus is on keeping it affordable.

This is made possible by 50 volunteers on whom the Y depends to instruct its young Arsenal grunts in weekly practices and games. Despite being volunteers, however, all 50 coaches are mandated to reapply on an annual basis, as well as having agreed to a rigorous background check before, again, being allowed to engage with the children.

Sizing up Arsenal’s 19-year boom in retrospect, and must agree to a back round check before they are allowed to participate.

Training is provided by the Rome-Floyd Y recreational soccer director, Chase Watterson, who says he is acutely aware of the vital role these volunteers will play in helping Arsenal Soccer kids to find success. “I got involved in this program through my children, and that’s how the majority of our coaches get involved,” Watterson explains. “It’s a natural progression, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate each and every one of our coaches.

“Before I took this position with the YMCA, I was a part of an organization that would train and manage groups of volunteeradvocates for juveniles in juvenile court. I vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

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never imagined I would be working with more volunteers in this position, but I am, and I’m enjoying every minute of it.”

Inevitably there are time and equipment costs when involved in any potential-packed program, particularly one that is built around an inherently competitive enterprise, but part of the YMCA’s upfront policy is that no child will be turned away from participation irrespective of their ability to pay. Hence, donor-subsidized scholarships and donated equipment fill the void, further opening soccer to kids from all walks of life. Tireless fundraising efforts slogged time and again by a dedicated board produce prepaid fees for players whose families can’t front the dues. Take into account your average team travel expenses, the salaries for the handful of paid coaches, and the purchasing of essential equipment concerns and, whoa, now you’re talking substantial coin.

Impressive, too, that this is all proving possible in a state which typically regards European football as the Billy Carter of bigticket sports on planet Earth. Watterson says, “Unfortunately there are a lot of children in our community who for reasons beyond their control can’t afford to pay the fees. I grew up playing at a Y in Little Rock, Ark., so I have always had a connection to the organization. The fact that they don’t turn

u13 ACADEMY's LUIS SANDOVAL anyone away just makes me even prouder to be a part of this program. The recreational program is very affordable, but if there is a child who shows the ability to play at the Academy or Select level, we always find a way to fund it—which truly is remarkable.”

With spring leagues kicking off March 10, Rome-Floyd YMCA Arsenal Soccer will be in full swing by the time you read this notice. This means games and practices

are already being hosted nearly every day at Grizzard Park, including adult-league play on Mondays and Wednesdays, and pre-K programs lighting up the field. VVV For more on Arsenal Soccer and/ or details for signing up, visit YMCA ROME.ORG and access the soccer link, email info@ymcarome.org, or simply call 706.232.2468.

16 O’Neil Street , Rome GA 706.291.9977

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C

radled in the peaks of Lookout Mountain is a very special place where one can escape the fastpaced, everyday hustle and be wrapped in nature’s arms. The 600-acre property is home to lakes, streams, and trails that weave travelers through mature forest landscapes so beautiful, even the most talented artist could never replicate what the eyes behold. Rolling meadows spill off the mountainside into the valley, framing a backdrop of Northwest Georgia in all her splendor.

As the senses ease and the tension melts away, a gentle neighing offers a warm introduction. Valley View Ranch (606 Valley View Rd., Cloudland, Ga.) is home to horses with a mission. For 60 years they have given young ladies the courage and confidence to ride into life with purpose.

Jack and Olive Jones, cofounders of Valley View Ranch, seized the chance to purchase the property in 1954. The Joneses had a passion for summer camps for children, and were already successfully operating a camp for boys called Camp Cloudmont.

Building a large family of eight children gave them their love for seeing the smiling faces of children enjoying the great outdoors, as well as bonding during the stay away from home.

But there was a small problem. Camp Cloudmont was only for boys, and only two

LANDOF

S U G AR &SPICE of their then three children met the criteria.

With a young daughter waiting in the wings, Jack knew he must continue to build a legacy tailored to his beloved baby girl. Nancy had a passion for both riding and caring for horses, so Jack set out to give her a place where she could bond with the animals she loved so dearly. Today Nancy Jones is owner/director of VVR, and still has vivid memories of the camp’s fledgling years.

“Dad bought the farm in 1954 at an auction. It was a cattle farm and the gentleman retired,” she recalls. “Some buildings that were already there we used for the camp.

The barns and the big gymnasium—that was a barn—were used. We also built three cabins and the shower house, and we turned one of the big garages into a dining room.

We were in business that summer.”

The Joneses wanted to extend the invitation for boys to come and enjoy the horse farm, so the summer program was initially divided into two sessions. Five weeks of the camp would be reserved for boys and five weeks for the girls. “Camp Cloudmont had a riding program, but it was Dad’s dream

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OLIVER ROBBINS TEXT PORTRAITs INGRID KRANPE

CHELSEA MANNING ACTION PICS

AT CLOUDMONT, GA.'S

VALLEY VIEW RANCH,

A GIRL OF IMPRESSIONABLE AGE CAN FIND SOLACE IN THE DEEP, EMOTIONAL EMBRACE OF HER VERY OWN "GIFT HORSE"

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"[VALLEY VIEW RANCH] IS VERY UNIQUE IN THE SOUTHEAST, BECAUSE EACH GIRL GETS HER OWN HORSE WITH A FULL PROGRAM OF WESTERN AND ENGLISH RIDING."

to have something unique. He wanted each camper to have their own horse,” Jones says. “He had Valley View for boys for five weeks, and Valley View for girls for five weeks, but he realized within about three years there were a lot more girls who loved horses. So we girls took over,” she laughs, “I’ll put it that way.”

The focus of the camp was clear. In its fourth summer, VVR would become a haven for young ladies who yearned to escape the pressures of makeup, fashion and other teenage stressors, and perhaps lean on an animal companion able to saddle them into 38

vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

adulthood with valuable life lessons. “Since I was 12 years old, this has been an all-girls camp. It is very unique in the Southeast, because each girl gets her own horse with a full program of Western and English riding.”

VVR offers a multitude of programs for girls between the ages of 8 and 17 with primary instruction centered on riding horses.

Of course, the girls will also be responsible for caring for their horses on a daily basis.

Chores such as cleaning the stalls and fixing their saddles to the horse are important parts of the camp’s curriculum. Chelsea Man-

ning, assistant director and Nancy’s niece, is an expert in the day-to-day at VVR, because she too has attended the camp since she was 8 years old. Manning recalls a little grey pony who became her first summer camp partner. “His name was Trouble. He taught me how to ride. Yep, I learned to ride on Trouble and he was good no matter what his name was,” she chuckles. “We learned how to ride a horse, but we also had to learn how to take care of it. We had to learn to tack them up, keep them watered, and how to make sure the horse was cool after riding them, because you didn’t want the horse to get sick.”

“Tacking up” is a process defined as brushing the horse before securing the saddle pad and saddle to the horse’s back.

“Some of the girls have trouble getting the

saddle on, tightening the girth, and putting the bridle on. We help them with learning all of that.”

VVR teaches several different riding styles to campers of all skill levels, novice to advanced. Staff members are highly trained professionals. “All of our summer camp counselors have been a camper,” Jones says. “It is pretty incredible to be able

to say that, because we raise them, train them, and they just keep coming back.”

The camp is certified by the Camp Horsemanship Association, and Jones explains how this is important to their program. “We actually help develop the CHA. It is an international certification system for camps that run horse programs.

We are members of that particular organization because it is appropriate for our program.

It’s based on safety and education.”

Western riding is a discipline girls can practice while at VVR. Barbara Clark is the instructor. Western Equitation, or “stock seat,” centers around the rider learning the correct position when on a horse. Campers learn essential commands that allow for better control in the saddle, and more experienced riders can begin to develop skills in barrels (i.e. maneuvering around them) and Gymkhana. Barrels and Gymkhana help seasoned riders learn to compete in time trials that require strong communication with the horse in tight turns and obstacles.

Pony Club is also available to the smaller cowgirls, and CHA-trained counselors work with them on the basics.

The English style of riding is also taught at VVR by Marsha Hair. Girls will learn to ride with both hands on the reins while performing jumps in the ring and in the field.

Ground poles are employed for beginners,

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39

so that they can become accustomed to advanced movements while on the horse. All of the horses are trained for the maneuvers required, and under the careful eye of VVR professionals, a camper can polish the skills practiced by world class riders.

Both riding styles seem like a boatload of fun, but vaulting (performing stunts on horseback) is something offered which seems as fun to watch as it would be to perform. In fact, VVR has a specially bred horse to accommodate this very skill, and pictures posted on the camp’s website, valleyviewranch. com, show amazing examples of the vast array of instruction available. Parents can feel good knowing that for every two campers there is a staff member to guide them step by

step toward becoming more knowledgeable riders.

The days at camp are filled with other activities as well. Sports, archery, arts and crafts, and drama programs are sprinkled in with the riding sessions, rounding out the total summer camp experience. There are also field trips available to Rock City, the Tennessee Aquarium, and the Discovery Museum to name a few. “The horses get a break on Sunday, so we try to do something fun offsite with the girls,” Manning says. Or, some of the campers may just want to cool off in the lake and beat the heat of the summer day. Canoes line the water’s edge, waiting for young ladies who wish to paddle the day away surrounded by the beauty of the ranch.

Manning knows many young campers will want to tell their parents all about the day’s adventures, and moms and dads will miss their babies during the time away from home. To this end, she has some instructions for staying in touch. “I take pictures of the campers every year. We upload the pictures every other day so that parents can go online and check on them. The kids sometimes get homesick on the first two nights, but the parents are the ones who get sick because they miss their daughters. Parents can send e-mails, but the campers can only send mail.

Sometimes the mail is slow, so the pictures help parents to keep track of them better.”

To further put parents’ minds at ease, there is also a nurse onsite 24 hours a day.

The ranch is only open for campers during the summer months, and space is limited.

Jones does, however, provide other services upon request. “I have several birthday parties planned for girls from the Rome and Atlanta area,” she says. “They can come up and bring their friends, and we do a riding program for them for two hours. Then we have a birthday party before they head home.” Jones also wants folks to know that group outings are available for booking in early spring, and run until Thanksgiving. Time slots are only available when camp is not in session. Also, on May 18, from 1-3 p.m., VVR will welcome visitors during an open house. This is the perfect chance for would-be campers and parents to visit the ranch and meet the staff.

At 1,800 feet, high atop a mountain in Cloudland, young ladies staying at Valley View Ranch are literally able to rise above the growing pains they face as children. The time they spend at camp teaches them to work together, and gives them a shared respect for the beauty found in learning about horses. This is VVR’s 60-year anniversary.

Sixty years of smiles, friendship, and getting to know some of nature’s most majestic creatures. That’s a pretty special milestone.

Lucky for Jones, she still has the pleasure of watching the campers each summer. “There is a bright star every day. Each camper, as they accomplish things like making a friend or learning to canter on a horse, develops a healthy self image and builds confidence. That makes it all worth while.”

Manning, too, holds a special place in her heart for the girls who drive the winding road every summer to the ranch in the sky. “I love to see the looks on the girl’s faces when they come to camp. They love it and they want to come back every year,” she smiles. “That’s what makes my heart pound, and makes it all important.” VVV FOR MORE On VALLEY VIEW RANCH, VISIT THEM ONLINE AT VALLEYVIEWRANCH. COM OR FACEBOOK.COM/VALLEYVIEW EQUESTRIAN CAMP FOR GIRLS

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"THERE IS A BRIGHT STAR EVERY DAY.

EACH CAMPER...

DEVELOPS A HEALTHY SELF-IMAGE AND BUILDS CONFIDENCE. THAT MAKES IT ALL WORTHWHILE."

vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

41

TEXT JAKE SUMMERLIN & NEAL HOWARD PICS COURTESY OF THE GREATER ROME CVB

When a POTENT THUNDERHEAD of AREA artists converges on the Rome Civic Center this coming April 11-12, a perfect storm of preoccupation (with the well-being of Romans in need) and proliferation (of local talent) will converge to rain hope on the

THIRD ANNUAL SPRING

ART MARKET

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S

ometimes hobbies grow into passions. Sometimes the mundane becomes the unique. Sometimes circumstance morphs into opportunity. For some, their circumstances and passions are greater than what they seem. Thus, they are works of art unto themselves.

For the third year running, Rome’s Jackson Hill will be the spot where artists meet and demonstrate their own recent works among friends, as the April 11-12 arrival of the Third Annual Spring Art Market (SAM), hosted by the Greater Rome Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the Last Stop

ART IMITATES

much like the great inventors of history who preceded him, Neal decided to try making a better version.

So he did. And it was good.

It was more than good, actually. It was heavenly. Heavenly as a barbecue sauce can be. In those early days, though, the Jochimsen’s little startup was merely a side job.

“A hobby,” he says, “that quickly turned into a passion.” But when Jochimsen finally allowed his friends a taste of his new sauce, they all insisted he sell it as quickly as possible, and Sir Porker’s BBQ Sauce was born. These days, Jochimsen says, he travels NWGA spreading the delicious taste of his newly discovered art medium.

Fellow SAM 2014 artist Ryan Smith, conversely, has a taste for old things. We tend to leave the older things unnoticed, he insinuates, perhaps because by their very nature they inevitably become ordinary, commonplace, even boring. But when Smith experiences the boring things most of us bypass each and every day without granting a thought, he instead sees the chance to visualize something entirely new. Through his photography, he pursues subjects long ignored, things that are old, decaying, then reanimates them through a distinctly different artistic lens. “I find it challenging to change something you see every day into a piece of art,” he adds.

But Smith does it. And he does it well.

Sometimes art comes from somewhere else. Sometimes art takes a different shape.

HEART Gift Shop, again looks to assemble a community of creative minds from across the region. All told, roughly 70 vendors will showcase at the Rome Civic Center via a free, high-energy festival open to the public.

Amidst the 2014 lineup of jewelers, potters, sculptors, food producers, authors and painters appearing at the market will come a subset of artists who were, each in his or her own way, able to turn something ordinary into something more meaningful.

This group of talented folks includes, for instance, a man who says he just wanted a better sauce, a photographer who plucks the exceptional from the ordinary, a mother who simply wanted to give her son the opportunities he deserves.

When he isn’t making his delicious barbecue sauce, Neal Jochimsen works as an administrator at the Surgery Center of Rome.

Faced with the dilemma that most of the sauces he was buying from the grocery store were lacking direly in originality and flavor,

vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

43

The whimsical variety created by volunteers at DIGS, Inc., for example, arrives in the form of concrete stepping stones and other garden/ home décor, a surprisingly detailed craft when one delves more deeply into how it is made and what it supports. SAM 2014 is a noble cause, as well, all proceeds from which will be donated to DIGS, Inc., the nonprofit founded by Barbara Monday and other parents to help provide assistance to area adults living with developmental challenges, some of whom cannot live independently.

“I was concerned for the care of my son when I could no longer care for him,” Monday explains, adding that DIGS was formed in 2007 with a mission to provide better work, safer housing, and leisure activities for adults with developmental problems— i.e. to offer them an enhanced quality of life, above all else. This April 11-12 her organization, alongside budding craftsmen like Jochimsen and boundary-pushers like Smith, will be looking to sell its new wares and, hopefully, return home with a few new fans/ followers in their pockets.

“We want to pull this special community 44

vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

together,” says Charlene Mathis of Last Stop Gift Shop and the RomeFloyd Visitors Center.

Last Stop and the CVB have teamed to host the Rome Art Market series since the Winter Art Market was first launched in December 2011, and three years into their series run, whether they start out as small hobbies, as special insight into the mundane, or as simple benefactors of circumstance, these are all true works of art. They exist as representatives of the artists themselves, welldeserving of our admiration and attention.

VVV The indoor-outdoor Third Annual Spring Art Market will fill the Rome Civic Center, located across from the Turner Mc-

Call Blvd. Applebee’s, Fri. (10-6 p.m.) and Sat. (10-4 p.m.) April 1112. A variety of lunch and dinner options will be available to SAM 2014 shoppers, as well, and both parking and admission are free. at the event, where parking and admission is free to the public. For more on the upcoming SAM or its sister event, the 2014 Winter Art Market, visit romeartmarket.com or contact both the Last Stop Gift Shop and Rome-Floyd Visitors Center at 706.295.5576.

The Dish www.schroedersnewdeli.com 2115 Shorter Ave. Rome, GA

PH: 706-291-6200 www.eltorotexmexgrill.com Open 7 days a week “Not just any” Mexican Restaurant. Rome’s only Mexican Restaurant where you can taste the best of Tex-Mex and True Mexican Fare. From sizzling fajitas to delectable tortas. It’s the best of both worlds. Come see our complete menu and choose your favorite. New brunch menu Saturday and Sunday.

VAMONOS to El Toro!

406 Broad Street Rome, GA 30161

PH: 706-234-4613

4 East 3rd Avenue Rome, GA 30161

www.lascalaromega.com

sugarcandyemporium@gmail.com

PH: 706-238-9000

PH: 706.622.2280

Hours: Mon-Thur: 11:00am-10:00pm

Hours: Mon: 11:00am-5:00pm Tues - Thurs 11:00am-7:00pm Fri - Sat 11:00am-8:00pm

Schroeder’s menu includes

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Fri-Sat: 11:00am-10:00pm

sandwiches, calzones, soups, salads,

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hundreds of candies, holiday and

more. And don’t forget our pizza!

seasonal items, custom gift baskets,

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candy buffets for special events,

mellow about it! (Draft and Bottled

corporate accounts, favors and more!

Beers also offered) Famous for:

Northwest Georgia’s premiere candy store!

Their Roast Beef Relief!

413 Broad Street Rome, GA 30161

Hours: Mon - Sat: 6:00pm-10:00pm 400 Block Bar & Lounge: 4:00pm-1:30am Live music each weekend.

La Scala offers both first-rate service and terrific Italian Cuisine in an upscale casual atmosphere.

50% off cafe menu from 4:00-6:00 p.m.

Wildflower WildflowerCafé Café & Country Store

& Country Store

www.wowcafe.com/rome

2817 Martha Berry Highway Rome, GA 30165

PH: 706.291.8969

Hours: Mon -Thu: 11:00am- 10:00pm Fri - Sat: 11:00am-11:00pm Sun: 11:00am-9:00pm

WOW strives to serve the highest quality of food with the freshest ingredients. You will leave saying “WOW! What a Place!” Famous for: Wings and over 17 signature sauces to choose from!

www.getjamwiched.com 510 Broad Street Rome, GA 30161

NOW OPEN PH: 706-314-9544 Like us on FACEBOOK Wed-Sat only 11:00am-3:00pm

Jamwich - Serving distinctive sandwiches, salads, and soups.

Sandwiches built with the finest ingredients: Boar’s Head meats and cheeses, Zelma’s Blue Ribbon Jams and Jellies, fresh sourdough bread, and farm-to-table produce.

595 Riverside Parkway Rome, GA 30161

PH: 706-233-9960 Hours: Sun -Thu: 11:00am-9:00pm

Fri - Sat: 11:00am-10:00pm

Fuddruckers catering can help you feed just about any size group, anytime, anywhere. Our menu will

www.mentonewildflower.com 6007 Al Highway 117 Mentone, AL 35984

PH: 256-634-0066

Hours- Sun: 11-2pm (peak season ‘til 6 pm) Mon,Tue,Wed: 11-2pm Thurs, Fri, Sat: 11-8pm (AL Central Time)

Enjoy fall beauty, drive up a

please the most discerning tastes

mountain highway to dine & unwind

and meet the high standards you

with fabulous food in a fun, shabby,

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chic cafe. Also, take-out & catering

your event spectacular with the

for holiday parties! Tomato Pie and

WORLD’S GREATEST CATERING.

Sweet Potato Biscuits are a must!

Make it a meal worth remembering. Where to eat in Northwest Georgia. vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

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A Allergy Care

B

Back Pain

C

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K

Knee Pain

P

Pediatrics

U

Ultrasounds

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Z

Endocrinology

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Hearing & Balance

Infusions

J

Joint Care

L M N O

LASIK Eye Surgery Minimally Invasive Procedures

Q

Quality Care

R

Runny Noses

Nephrology

S

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Learn more at ncqa.org/Consumers.apx

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(2, 3 & 4D)

TO

Dialysis

(At your home or ours)

F G H

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D E

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X-rays

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Travel Medicine

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YOU

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zzzzzzzz.....

(Did you know we have a Sleep Center?)

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At l a n ta S t e e p l e c h a s e

TENT PARTY 2014

April 19th, Kingston, Georgia. Presented by V3 Magazine.

TROPIC THUNDER TICKETS ON SALE: $95 EACH reserve yours today before we run out! call 706.235.0748 Tickets Include:

Entrance into the V3 Tent Party, a 30x60 custom tent located on the 3rd turn of the beautiful Kingston Downs All-Day access to our fully staffed open bar Fully catered buffet with professional service staff Live Entertainment provided by Atlanta’s hottest rockabilly-swing band - Atomic Boogie VIP tickets grant acccess to top-shelf liquor, wine, beer, hors d’oeuvres and personal wait staff inside V3 tent