V3 April 2022

NWGA'S PREMIER FEATURE MAGAZINE / APRIL 2022

Everyday Getaway Spectacular lake and mountain views from almost every room make this Hardy Home both a luxurious home and a peaceful mountain retreat.

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APRIL2022 COLUMNS 10

A destination wedding has Tammy Barron nostalgic for a place that exists only in memory. When the world around us is rapidly changing, how does where we are from anchor our perspectives and identities?

FEATURES 14 4

The Cartersville Country Club is a full-service private club that offers golfing instruction from PGA professionals to people at their own personal level of skill and experience, whether novice or accomplished player.

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FEATURES 22

Parents, students, and educators in Rome and Floyd County hang their hopes on a May 24th vote on a one cent sales tax—the E-SPLOST—to fund a new Rome Middle School and an array of upgrades for the county schools.

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Hardy Realty offers a Cartersville home that combines peaceful seclusion with plenty of warm, welcoming space for entertaining.

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Rome, Georgia, native Bobby Goosby found his life’s calling in driving buses and helping children in need.

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Publisher's Note OWNER & CEO Ian Griffin MANAGING PARTNER Chris Forino CREATIVE DIRECTOR Elizabeth Childers WRITERS Tammy Barron, DeMarcus Daniel, Ian Griffin, Nina Lovel, Paul Moses PHOTOGRAPHER Rob Smith

O W N E R & C E O Ian Griffin At the ripe age of 42, there are days I feel young and days I wonder how the time went by so fast.

With my second child nearing the end of his freshman year of high school there are more reminders than I like that I’m climbing the ladder rather swiftly. So, I try to stay engaged with things that make me feel young. I’m in the process of finishing a basement that was once nothing but dirt, gravel, and cinderblocks. This has been in the works, at least conceptually, since 2020.

The finish line is near, and I plan on detailing the adventure in one of these columns when all is said and done, but one of the features of this new living space is a recording studio. Outfitted with all the gadgets and tools I need to produce tracks both silly and serious, I already have a few practice projects lined up to hone my skills.

My longtime friend and musical partner Stephen Smith and I have a slew of original Irish drinking tunes that have long needed to be laid down, while my son and I are determined to create a synthesizer-driven EP inspired by 80’s video game soundtracks under the moniker, Rumble Pak. Very different projects, I know, but such are my musical tastes and I can’t think of a better way to learn my new equipment than scratching a project off my bucket list and goofing off with my teenage son to create whatever we end up creating.

Another project I’m hoping comes to fruition in this new space, is the long-awaited debut from your favorite band you’ve never heard of, Progress Report. Local favorite and godfather of slop rock, Bryan Mullins created this power duo in the early 2000s with aspirations that haven’t wavered in the almost two decades that followed. We have shared ideas and concepts, but haven’t played a single note together to make it a reality. Though our report doesn’t show much progress to date, some things are worth the wait, and perhaps we can get it together before the final grades are given.

Aside from that, any goofy theme songs or jingles I can throw together will be a regular way to melt my time. Perhaps my buddy Matt Davis over at WLAQ will like something I do enough to use it for his programming. Regardless, my goal is to throw a lot of things at the wall and see if they stick. That creative process will be a lot of fun and having a good time certainly makes me feel young, so I’m excited to learn and create.

If I can slow down Father Time at least in my own head, that’s an added bonus.

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AD DESIGN Elizabeth Childers PUBLISHER V3 Publications, LLC CONTACT 417 Broad Street Rome Ga, 30161 Office Phone 706.235.0748 hello@v3collective.com CREATOR Neal Howard

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

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Is There

Really

A Time & Place For Everything? opened doors

By Tammy Barron

A strange nostalgia washes over me as we drive through Montana’s Emigrant valley.

THIS IS MY FIRST TRIP TO MONTANA, yet these sloping fields of wild grass and untamed brush cradled under the watchful peaks of the surrounding mountains take me back to the long-lost Salt Lake valley of my childhood. Watching through the car windows as this pseudo familiar landscape whirs by, memories collide with the present and I want to know this place.

We are here for the destination wedding of my husband’s friend. As we drive an hour through postcard scenes to the Copper Rose Ranch, I wonder how on Earth the couple found this obscure location for their vows. They, being from the Louisiana 10

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Bayou, make this place feel even more remote than it already is. We arrive at the ranch and see dozens of Cajuns spilling from eight rustic log cabins. Loud pickup trucks come and go, picking up and dropping off people, alcohol, and provisions for a well-stocked four-day party that is in full swing. Smoke billowing from a cauldron on the front porch of one of the lodgings masks the mountain air with a buttery mixture of onions and peppers, as an old man stirs the roux for gumbo with what looks like a wooden boat oar. There is a raucous joviality to the scene, and I can’t help but appreciate the unpretentious good time of such a fun-loving southern crowd in themiddle-of-nowhere Montana. I am as unfamiliar with Cajun culture as I am of this town, with only a faint association to Mardi Gras to color my understanding.

I am eyes wide open to meeting these new friends. I can’t understand a word anyone is speaking whether it is the trucks’ pipes or the fact that no one appears to be moving their lips when they talk; however, two things are not lost in translation: 1) everyone here is getting loose, 2) our presence makes us part of the family.

The wedding was a hodge-podge of perfection.

It began predictably enough, set within a beautiful

western timber and stone lodge with window views of the snow-covered mountains. When the guests began to arrive in their party regalia, however, I knew I was about to learn all about a Louisiana wedding.

Tuxedoed men sashayed in with their polished gator boots, and the women wore their skin complemented by bits of flashy fire red chiffon and blue taffeta the color of jewels. I was charmed by the unabashed gaudiness, for there was such enthusiasm and joy in everyone’s face. The ceremony was eloquent and short, and the party revved back up exactly one beat after the “Mr. and Mrs.” were declared.

Everyone flooded the open bar while the DJ kicked up the music, a predetermined playlist of alternating country and hip-hop tracks. The celebration on the dance floor was wild and earnest, and I have never seen a wedding like it before. Hours into the night a Nelly hit from the 2000’s blared from the speakers beckoning a new wave of twenty-somethings to the dance floor. The man I recognized as the one who had been cooking gumbo the day before stood next to me as I watched the dancers gyrate lower and lower to the ground in a merry heap. He leaned into my ear, and in what I assumed was an attempt at funny, said something so outrageously bigoted I

choked on my drink. I stared at him, blinking hard and thinking, “Surely, I misheard him.” He shrugged with a half-cocked grin and slithered back to the corner of the room from where he spent the rest of the night. I tried not to think about what he said and blew it off to enjoy the rest of the party.

At the end of the wonderful trip, I tried hard to put the experience into words. What is Montana’s vibe and who are the Cajun as a people? The two components of the wedding were so deliriously weird and mismatched. I find myself asking in what ways are we influenced by the place we grow up? I think of that old bigoted man, and I think of myself. Are we all just products of our environments?

Our identities and values are affected by where we live. At some point in our lives, we all face the choice to accept or reject the cultural norms of where we are from. Salt Lake City most certainly informed who I grew up to be as a non-Mormon in a Mormon city. From an early age, I obstinately rebelled against the black and white version of sin and salvation that was spoon-fed to me all my life. In my rejection of the culture at home, at school, in friendships, and at work, I found my identity as a perpetual outsider living against the grain. However, if I pigeonhole

the attitudes of the old man as a product of where he grew up, I would be condemning the bayou as a breeding ground for racists. That’s ridiculous and emphatically ignorant.

The old man’s joke was plucked right out of Jim Crow. Perhaps our perspectives are more influenced by the when than the where. I once read a fictional description of time illustrating that it is sticky in its nature. It described how people get stuck in certain meaningful moments in their lives, never moving on or changing. Thinking of the ladies who cling to the shimmery eyeshadow and claw bang trend of the nineties, there is a validity to consider. This man may be mentally stuck living in a time in which such off-color jokes were acceptable. I wonder. In which ways am I limited by my generational views? The way I communicate, spend money, prioritize my time, and place value on people are all influenced by the times in which I was raised. It makes me feel anything but helpless to think our perspectives are circumstantial. Circumstances change, and so can we.

Our roots are an anchor to our understanding of the world around us, and our experiences are the lens through which we see. Our personal expertise and limitations are a direct reflection of our willingness

to step outside of our comfort zones. We must be more than mere products of our environment. Just as towns and cities grow, becoming unrecognizable to our childhood memories, we too must allow ourselves to adapt in syncopation with the world around us to keep our connection with each other genuine. Montana reminded me so much of a Utah that no longer exists, its wildness long forfeited to land developers and condos. I realize that I too have changed. I no longer cast myself as an outsider; I am front and center in my family and community.

Some of us are born, live, and die within a ten-mile radius and others may travel the world; a person’s life’s journey really happens within.

*The views expressed in this column are those of the writer, and do not represent the opinions of V3 Magazine READV3.COM | APRIL 2022 V3 MAGAZINE

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Living Club THE

Life

Text: Paul Moses | Photos: Rob Smith The Cartersville Country Club offers its members a wide range of amenities, a chance to enjoy improving their golf game, and all the social enjoyment of club life.

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Since the time of its origins on the windy hills of Scotland in the Middle Ages, golf has grown, evolved, and spread, ultimately securing for itself a permanent and illustrious place in the consciousness of international sporting.

TODAY, THIS GAME IS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO EITHER THE PROFESSIONAL GOLFER OR THE WEALTHY; it is played by a wide range of people of varying

backgrounds. It has become as much a lifestyle phenomenon as it has an activity. Golf courses provide a place of escape from the hectoring troubles of life, as well as an opportunity to take part in both competition and companionable conversation.

Golf is a game that combines eye-hand coordination, finesse, patience, and strategic thinking with a love for the wide-open spaces of the great outdoors. Today, whether a person is a pro or attending their very first golf clinic, the widespread availability of golf courses has made this intriguing game accessible to the general public. For many Northwest Georgians, just such a place is conveniently located within easy driving distance: the Cartersville Country Club.

Born to play the game

If the direction of anyone’s career seems preordained, it is that of Jonathan Mattox, general manager of the Cartersville Country Club. There’s never been a time in his life that he wasn’t around golf. Mattox grew up on St. Simons Island, where his father ran a golf course (and still does). “My dad is 72 years old and still works every day,” says Mattox, who was trotting along on the greens at his father’s heels as soon as he was old enough to carry a club.

“I’ve played the game my whole life.”

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Mattox began his career as an assistant pro at a golf club in the Atlanta area. Since then, he has worked similar jobs around the South. “Our best friends moved to Cartersville three years ago, and when we came to visit them, we fell in love with the area. With my wife being from Marietta, we’ve always wanted to relocate somewhere near there.” In September of last year, when Mattox took up his role at the club, he and his wife made the move to Cartersville, where they are building a new life with their two daughters, three-year-old Madeline and eight-month-old Emily. He adds, “We’re thrilled to be here.”

A home away from home

Founded in 1954 by several members of the local community, the Cartersville Country Club originally created a nine-hole course. According to Golf Course Ranking, a ratings and reviews service, famed golf course architect Arthur Davis and South African golfing great Gary Player designed and added nine new holes and redesigned the existing nine in 1972. In the early 2000s another remodel was done, changing some of the greens and tee boxes.

The original clubhouse is still in use today. The building, which is stylishly traditional without feeling stuffy or ostentatious, was much expanded in the 1980s, and updates have been incorporated in subsequent years. Upon entering the front door of the clubhouse, a visitor will find a full-service golf pro shop offering lots of great apparel for playing golf and for lifestyle use, as well as high-quality clubs and a wide range of other golf paraphernalia.

One great benefit of club membership is the opportunity of having a club fitting, that is, being evaluated and measured to see what types and lengths of golf clubs would work best for the individual. “We highly encourage a club fitting,” says Mattox. “Pete Weber of Cool Clubs Atlanta offers a great club fitting for our members. He can match your clubs to your athletic ability and height.”

Mattox is quick to point out that the Cartersville Country Club is not just about golf; he stresses the importance of their social and dining components.

Jonathan Mattox, General Manager Since it is a full-service private club, it anticipates the needs of its members when they show up hungry or in need of social interaction. For one thing, they employ an award-winning level of skill and experience. Unlike such sports as basketball, football, and chef. Mattox says, “We provide not only lighter fare, but also a full-service track & field, golf doesn’t require players to be extraordinarily tall or strong dining room. Members can come out and have a nice steak in a beautiful or fast. “Almost anyone can take the game up,” Mattox says. “It can be a hard setting that overlooks the eighteenth green and our giant old oak trees.” He game to learn for some; it takes some patience in the beginning process of adds, “And the Founder’s Lounge is a great place to relax and enjoy an adult getting the basics. I often suggest people take up the game with somebody else. It’s hard to learn it by yourself, so have a friend come out with you and beverage before after a round of golf.”

Some visits to the club involve different kinds of entertainment. They host take some introductory lessons.”

Fortunately, the Cartersville Country Club has the PGA professionals Comedy Night, spotlighting standup comedians. Then there’s the Murder Mystery Dinner, where diners can take part in an audience participation to help novice players start out on the right track, teaching them the version of solving a fictional murder. Recently, the club featured a magician fundamentals. That way, golfers don’t have to unlearn bad habits somewhere down the road. “Our job as PGA professionals is to help you find that proper who entertained the children with tricks and slight-of-hand.

The Cartersville Country Club is a fun place for the whole family. “We balance between practice and play,” Mattox says. “To improve your game, have our Kids Club,” Mattox says. “That allows members to drop their you need to make sure you play at least nine holes on a regular basis—at least children off and enjoy our amenities, knowing their children are safe and once per week.” He also suggests golfers make regular use of the club’s driving having a good time with our Kids Club staff, doing fun activities, maybe range, as he puts it: “to keep the rust off.” At the practice facility, golfers can watching a movie.” (And this Easter there will be an Easter carnival with an work on their full swing, use the putting green and chipping area. The club’s goal is to help the player learn and improve in every area of the game. egg hunt, rides, and games.)

For those who want to learn the game from scratch or improve their More family fun can be found at the swimming complex, with its outdoor pavilion and good dining menu. Maddox says, “It’s a great place to cool off present play, the club provides the Scott Hamilton Golf Academy. “Scott is the number one instructor in the state of Georgia and among the top fifty with a swim, relax, and have a great meal with the family.” instructors in the nation,” Mattox says. “He’s our long-time professional, and Perfecting the swing now he focuses on golf instruction full-time. He works with several PGA While it’s true that golf is a game that constantly challenges players to achieve professionals, too.” for themselves a new personal best, it also invites people to play at their own READV3.COM | APRIL 2022 V3 MAGAZINE

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The professionals at the Cartersville Country Club know that there is an intrinsic connection between the improvement of the technical skills of golf and the social aspect of playing the game.

As Mattox puts it: “Our PGA staff can help you get to know other players who are at your same playing level—same age, same stage of life. That way, you can enjoy the game, but you can also enjoy all the other aspects of club life.”

“The unique thing about golf,” says Mattox, “is you can participate no matter what phase of life you’re in.” Mattox sees the game as a lifelong pursuit. He adds, “You can start out in a junior golf tournament and then carry on throughout your whole adult life, even into your senior golden years. We have members in their 90s who are still active and out there playing the game.” Mattox

goes on to explain how the Cartersville Country Club makes helpful allowances to accommodate players’ changing needs: “You can play different sets of tees at different yardages that will help you enjoy the game more, and people can move up further on different tee boxes as they get older.”

Resurgence and rediscovery

In the last couple of years, golf has gotten a shot in the arm (so to speak) from an unexpected source.

The global pandemic. When the lockdowns occurred, people began to try things they had long wanted to do but never had time for. Baking bread.

Cooking. Birdwatching. Families began playing boardgames together, doing puzzles. Some took up painting or physical training at home. When social distancing became an enforced part of

life, golf became an obvious solution to people’s frustration of being cooped up indoors.

“When the pandemic hit it was a boon for our industry,” Mattox says. “It got people outside, and golf was something they could do safely.

We saw huge rounds increases, not just here but worldwide.” Maddox explains that during Covid lots of people who used to play golf took the game back up, and people who had played very little in the past began to play much more. They went to the golf courses and took their friends with them, thus creating new fans of the game. He says, “Because people were working from home, they didn’t have those long commutes, and they found they had time for golf.”

Club life for a new generation

The Cartersville Country Club has now been around long enough to have deep roots in the community in a substantial way. For some families, membership has become a meaningful tradition. “Seeing how our club was formed in 1954—and, thankfully, we still have some of our founding members with us—we are beginning to really see the multigenerational factor here,” Mattox says. “Some of our families now have their third generation involved in the club. We’ve been a big part of this community for a long time now.”

One of the present goals of the Cartersville Country Club is, of course, growth. “People keep moving to the Bartow County and Cartersville area,” Mattox says, “so as this community continues expanding, we’re gearing the club up for the future. We make sure we always offer an amazing golf course and a great lineup of activities and programs for the entire family.”

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A Penny FOR Progress Text: Paul Moses | Photos: Provided by Rome City Schools

On May 24th the citizens of Rome and Floyd County vote on E-SPLOST, the one cent sales tax to help local public education to flourish.

The lowly penny.

ONE RED CENT. Just a zinc disk with a thin copper

shell. Doesn’t sound like much, but it means a lot when those pennies add up to improving the education of children. That’s where the E-SPLOST comes in. This acronym stands for Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for Education. This measure calls for a one cent sales tax on all retail purchases in Rome and Floyd County. The funds will go to various muchneeded school projects in the city and county. This is not a new tax; there is an E-SPLOST in place right now. This new one will begin when the current one ends in 2024, and it will continue for the following four years.

The benefits to the local education system will be huge, but this new E-SPLOST is not a given. It must be approved by the voters. That vote will take place on May 24th.

From the grassroots up Unlike many government initiatives which are driven from the top down, this E-SPLOST effort is powered largely by volunteers who see themselves as having a personal stake in the issue. Leadership comes from

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the co-chairs of the Central Committee: Trina Rohner (Rome City Schools) and Melissa Veillon (Floyd County Schools), as well as the treasurer, Bryan Shealy. Also, one representative from each school district sits on the Central Committee.

These committee members recruit an individual leader for each school, who in turn recruit school team leaders. These team leaders organize vote recruiters. At each level of this volunteer structure the same purpose is served: get out the vote. They do that through a host of means: social media, website, printed materials, organizing fundraisers, yard signs, speaking at various community organizations, etc.

Rohner says, “I have three children, and I’ve been highly involved in their schools over the years.” Rohner has been an enthusiastic parent volunteer for many organizations, and she is an all-in cheerleader for this new E-SPLOST. She goes on to say, “The way I see it, if you want to know what’s going on, you can’t just sit on the sidelines and gripe about it; you have to get involved.”

This is also a personal issue for Shealy, a retired banker and a former School Board member. He says, “My own kids are grown, but I have grandchildren now, and I want them to have the best schools possible. And I want the same thing for my future great-grandchildren and for the generations to come.”

Among Veillon’s motivations for promoting this E-SPLOST are the safety and comfort of all the students in the schools of Floyd County. For instance, she wants to see upgrades in the athletic facilities. She says, “Some of our athletes are getting hurt from running on tracks that are old 24

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and cracked.” Veillon also points out that there are rooms in some of the county schools that are uncomfortable during exceptionally hot or cold weather. “Right now,” she says, “we have children sitting in rooms that are not properly heated and cooled.”

Putting those pennies to work The big-ticket item for Rome City Schools will be a new middle school. Current plans call for the new school to be built on a 31-acre lot across the street from the present middle school (where the school buses now park). There’s no final decision yet on the future use of the present middle school after the transition; there are several options on the table, perhaps some sort of office space, but it will not be used as classrooms.

According to Louis Byars, superintendent for Rome City Schools, the construction of a new middle school will not only benefit the middle school students, but also the students and teachers of Rome’s six elementary schools. “With the new middle school,” Byars says, “we’ll be able to move all our sixth graders up, freeing up more room in the classrooms in the lower grades.” This will head off overcrowding in the elementary schools as more people move to Rome. Right now, the average class size in Rome’s elementary schools is 17 students. Moving the sixth graders up will help maintain this ideal teacher/student ratio.

“We try our best to keep the numbers low in our classrooms,” Byars says. “We want to be advocates for our students’ best education.”

“We’re a growing district,” Byars says, “and we’re adding students all the time.” New subdivisions are popping up around Rome on a

regular basis, with more to come. For instance, Byars estimates that the 1,000 new homes planned for Chulio Road could add as many as 500 new students to the district. And that doesn’t take into account all the other new housing going up around the city. “Rome is a great place to live, and people want to come here,” Byars says, “and this new middle school will help us get ahead of the curve on the population growth.”

Also, Byars explains that in the new middle school each grade—sixth, seventh, and eighth— will have its own dedicated wing. “Right now,” he says, “we have some students meeting in mobile classrooms at the present middle school. We need more room. It’s time.”

As for Floyd County, the current E-SPLOST funds make a huge difference in the quality of every student’s educational experience. The new E-SPLOST will provide various county schools with facility upgrades: replacing heating and air conditioning and doing field house renovations.

The elementary schools will get canopies for car riders’ drop-off areas. Different schools will get new technologies: cameras, phone systems, intercoms, etc. The auditoriums will be equipped with new lights and sound. All county high school baseball/softball fields will get lighting. Turf and synthetic tracks will be laid.

A cautionary tale Veillon says, “My husband’s aunt was a lunchroom manager over nine different schools in Louisiana.

Every time she comes to Rome, she says, ‘I am so jealous of your schools.’ She says our worst school is better than their best school.”

“My own kids are grown,” says Bryan Shealy, “but I have grandchildren now, and I want them to have the best schools possible.”

Clearly, the kind of commitment to supporting public schools that is found in Rome is not universal. Case in point: Ville Platte High School, of Ville Platte, LA. When the school was built in 1885, it was a one-story building (then known as Evangeline Academy). As the community grew, rather than build a new school, the old building was expanded (upward); a second story was added in 1908, then a third story came along in the 1940s. As the old building aged, there were few funds for renovations and repairs. In time, this school became so dilapidated it became the subject of persistent paranormal legends and local lore, even being featured in a volume of the book series Ghosts of America. In 2008, the U.S. Justice Department urged closure of the school due to its deteriorating facilities. Still, public apathy continued, and students kept attending the run-down school. When a tax increase was finally purposed for a new school, voters rejected it three times in a row.

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Veillon and her fellow volunteers are determined to prevent such a thing from ever happening here. Veillon says, “We’re trying to make it so the E-SPLOST benefits every school in the county.”

Many students who grew up in the Floyd County area and then moved away, have become painfully aware that community commitment to local education is not always enthusiastic elsewhere. Rohner says, “I have a son who’s about to graduate from Jacksonville University. While doing student teaching [in band] in an out-ofstate district, he took a short break to come work with Rome City students. He wanted to regain his focus on Rome’s organization, structure and discipline. We really have something special here, and many people don’t know it.”

laws that cap the property tax.” Veillon explains, “90% of the Board of Education’s budget pays for the salaries of teachers and staff. That only leaves 10% to cover all the other operating expenses: utilities, water, gas, electricity. It’s not enough.”

Up to this point, the Central Committee has expended tremendous effort and energy to make the public aware of this vital upcoming vote. “I’ve been surprised at how many people who have no idea what E-SPLOST is,” Veillon says. “And this is a very big deal. Very big! So, it’s our job to get the word out about what E-SPLOST is and why it’s so important.” On May 24th the voters will decide its fate.

Melissa Veillon Floyd County Schools

Getting the word out Financially speaking, a big plus for Rome and Floyd County is that about 40% of the E-SPLOST dollars come from people who travel here but do not live here. “A lot of this is funded by commuting workers and tourists,” Rohner says.

“People come to watch the Rome Braves or visit the Rome Tennis Center; they spend their money and go home.” Veillon agrees: “These people spend money here and help us build our schools.

Without E-SPLOST, the only place the money can come from is property owners.”

Shealy says, “Having served on the School Board, I saw funds come and go—for school buses, for building maintenance—and the millage rate [property tax rate] can only go so far. There are

Trina Rohner, left Rome City Schools

Bryan Shealy Treasurer

Louis Byars Superintendent, RCS 26

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VOTE YES ESPLOST TUESDAY, MAY 24

TH

1 penny in sales to support flourishing public education

“

ESPLOST allows our schools to grow and opportunities for our most valued resources, our children. It should make sense that a yes vote means visitors to our wonderful community contribute to this investment.

A YES vote means a one-cent contribution on every purchase. That is a small price to pay for a very large return. State-of-the-art facilities will assist our rapidly growing school population with preparation for their futures. Help us spread the word, and vote YES for the continuation of the ESPLOST as you head to the polls on May 24, 2022.”

Trina V Rohner - RCS ESPLOST Chair

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• Funds school building construction, maintenance, and technology • Continues existing sales tax, NOT a new tax • 40% of funding comes from visitors from other areas

“

I’m afraid a lot of people do not realize the impact a penny has and what our school system would look like without it. Floyd County and Rome City have used E-SPLOST funding to build 12 brand new schools since 2004. This is amazing for our community because quality schools promote economic growth.

Please vote yes to help our kids, and help our community continue to grow and improve by voting YES to E-SPLOST on May 24th 2022.”

Melissa Veillon - FCS ESPLOST Chair

Happy Easter from the entire family and staff of Henderson & Sons Funeral Homes and Rome Memorial Park

H Henderson & Sons Funeral Homes www.hendersonandsons.com

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A Mountain Getaway, Every Day Overlooking Lake Allatoona from beautiful Red Top Mountain, this lovely home is the perfect setting for family and friends to appreciate the serene beauty of Northwest Georgia.

photos KEITH BEAUCHAMP text KARLI LAND

T

he incredible view. That is what the Cummings family fell in love with when they first visited 55 Waterside Drive, Cartersville. The property boasts a tranquil overlook of Lake Allatoona from Red Top Mountain. “Almost every room in the house has a view,” said homeowner Jessie. With floor-to-ceiling windows, the word “incredible” seems to fall short when describing the vista. Whether you are standing on the expansive back deck or having coffee in the breakfast nook, you can’t help but lose yourself in the joy of being wrapped in nature.

Even before stepping into the home, you will certainly fall in love with the spectacular landscape and serene sites; sites that are shared with deer and birds of many different species. The peace felt is soul-charging. “Obviously, we love the exclusivity, but what drew me to the house was the vast view,” says homeowner George. “Initially, when you enter the property, coming through the front door—and then across every floor of the house with floor-to-ceiling windows—you feel that huge expanse. At any given point, you can see Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield, Coal Mountain in Cumming, the Blue Ridge Mountains of Ellijay, and because of Red Top Mountain State Park, it is all undeveloped; your view is unobstructed.”

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When the Cummings moved in, they went to work making changes to the landscaping. “The home and its layout are so excellent, we didn’t have to change any of it,” says Jessie, “but we saw an opportunity with the landscaping.” The entire family enjoys flowering plants and found a need for plants that were deer-resistant. They found a professional landscape designer and got started. “We pulled up everything in the front yard and started from scratch,” laughs Jessie. What they ended up with was a thoughtful landscaping design that created a serene outdoor oasis. Only minutes from town, you instantly feel the relief of being secluded in a nature wonderland knowing that you can access anything you need within a few miles drive.

This spectacular home is just as stunning as its settings and background. The walkway leads to a covered porch area that instantly invites you inside. Bold columns transport you to a place of luxury.

Upon entering, you can’t help but notice the view from the rear of the house in this open-concept living area. Sitting at 7,838 square feet of living space (9,217 if you include the porches and garage), the home is a perfect place for hosting family and friends. It’s no wonder they instantly fell in love. “It’s one of those feelings where you walk in and just sort of know—this is awesome,” shared Jessie.

Beauty in the details

After taking in the views, you begin to notice the beautiful details that are part of the carefully planned aesthetics. The natural light throughout the home gives even the most indoorsy of folks a connection with the outdoors, especially at sunset. The kitchen features natural cherry cabinetry with a large dark wood island and matching built-in hutch, creating visual appeal with the deep color change. These spaces wait beautifully for dinner party platters and loads of laughter from the company of guests. Crown molding and 21-foot ceilings make this grand

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space even more open. “There are so many different places to host and gather,” says Jessie, who loves to have guests over. And with enough space for their 16-foot Christmas tree, the holidays are spectacular.

Opportunity Knocks

So, what else is held in all this square footage? Large bedrooms, five to be exact, a bonus room that can be used for a playroom or an extra bedroom, five indoor fireplaces, five bathrooms, and two half-baths. These oversized areas are perfect for children or overnight guests. The upstairs area has an expansive balcony that overlooks the downstairs. The basement is the key to fun with a full bar and a theater room. The back deck holds a spectacular outdoor fireplace that makes wintery nights cozy and draws you out into the open space. An office with coffered ceilings, recessed lighting, and large built-in shelving sits just off the keeping room- an area that is perfect for any business owner tired of paying for off-site office space. Rich, deep wood is woven throughout, and ample natural lighting provides a luxurious workspace sure to make doing business more enjoyable.

A Must See

When visiting this property, watch as the cares of the world melt away with the altitude change. “People have called our home the ‘Cloud House’ because of the fog on the lake,” says George. “We are above the cloud line with the fog, so leaving the property to exit the neighborhood you end up coming out of a cloud—-it’s pretty wild.”

If you’re interested in purchasing this property, you’ll want to act fast.

The amount of space provided by a home, with long-range, layered views of the mountains makes this a rare opportunity. This beautiful turn-key home is waiting for you and your family to enjoy for many years to come.

For additional information, contact Hardy Realty at 706-291-4321.

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It’s All In Our Name...

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MANY PEOPLE HOLD OFF ON SEEING A DOCTOR ABOUT TROUBLING SIGNS OF VEIN PROBLEMS IN THEIR LEGS. The thought of the operating room can cause them to delay treatment for years, only worsening their condition. Half of all Americans deal with such issues as spider veins, varicose veins, and venous ulcers.

These conditions cannot be hoped away; they must be treated. Fortunately, Rome, Georgia, is home to the Harbin Clinic Vein Center, which does about 90 percent of all vein treatments onsite under local anesthetic—no trip to the operating room required. Dr. John Kirkland is one of six board-certified vascular surgeons at the Vein Center, and Dr. Billy Chacko serves as Georgia’s first board-certified vascular medicine physician. These talented doctors work with a compassionate and highly trained medical staff to provide care and healing for patients suffering from a wide range of vascular and vein diseases.

THE WHAT AND WHY OF TREATMENT

Because spider veins and varicose veins are visible on the skin, some people think of them as nothing more than cosmetic issues; they want to know what can be done about them. The physicians at the Harbin Clinic Vein Center, however, always seek to find out the why behind the surfacelevel symptoms. “Here’s a good example,” says Dr. Kirkland. “We see a lot of people with swollen legs. Typically, some of these

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are elderly patients; they may have heart disease, kidney disease, or liver disease.

There are a variety of potential causes.

They want to stay active, but their legs are swelling, hindering their lifestyle.” Dr. Kirkland explains that such a patient may have been treated previously by someone who prescribed them diuretics, perhaps a support hose, using a sort of shotgun approach in hopes of hitting on a solution.

When those methods fail and the patient finally comes to the Vein Center, the staff take it upon themselves to take a systematic look at the issues. Before proper treatment can be implemented, the doctors must look deeper than what is happening on the surface; they must determine why the symptoms are occurring in the first place. “I tell people these situations are like finding out what’s on the inside of an onion,” Dr. Kirkland says. “You have to peel back each layer. One of our best “onion peelers” is the ultrasound.”

Dr. Chacko points out that sometimes people come in with leg pain or swelling, assuming they have a vascular problem, and it turns out to be something else. “In those cases,” Dr. Chacko says, “it is our job to get them to the place where they can get their problem addressed.” The doctors at the Vein Center work with a large group of Harbin Clinic specialists who deal with many of the underlying diagnoses of the causes of leg pain and swelling. Dr. Chacko explains that prior to his work in vascular medicine, he worked at Harbin Clinic as an internal medicine physician. "I saw this group of expert vascular surgeons but no vascular medicine physician to pair. I wanted to bring this specialty to our community and round out the already high standard of quality care offered at this

Dr. Billy Chacko practice. It's critical that we approach care with the operative word why. We want to get to the root cause. What may look like a vein problem may actually be a kidney problem, liver problem or something else."

This goes back to Dr. Kirkland’s “onionpeeler” metaphor. He says, “The ultrasound is a totally safe, non-invasive way to look at the blood vessels and circulation in the legs, but it also allows us to see the structure of the muscles and tendons.

Evidence of tumors may pop up. Or torn muscles. Hematomas. Many of those types of things that nobody anticipated show up on ultrasounds.”

THE CONFIDENCE OF ACCREDITATION

Since its inception, the Harbin Clinic Vein Center has been on the cutting-edge of its field. Patients can take great comfort in knowing that the medical practice there is held to the highest standard. Dr. Kirkland says, “In 2007, we sought to get accredited,

but found there were no organizations that accredited vein centers. So, we approached the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF). They accredit surgery centers, mostly outpatient, dealing with such things as plastic surgery, neurology, and dermatology.” As a result, the Harbin

Clinic Vein Center became the first accredited vein center of any kind in Georgia.

“This accreditation guarantees our patients’ quality of care,” says Dr. Chacko.

He explains that the AAAASF assures the public that the clinic is held to standards that are peer-reviewed across the country.

The ultrasound technologists are also held to a national standard, as the Vascular Lab is accredited by the International Accreditation Commission and all of the ultrasound technologists are Registered Vascular Technologists. “That is important,” Dr. Chacko says, “because there’s a wide variability in the capabilities of those who perform ultrasounds. This accreditation gives patients confidence in the imaging they’re getting.”

To learn more or to schedule a consultation, visit harbinclinic.com/ services/vein-surgery-center or call 762-235-3760.

Dr. John Kirkland

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WWW.STUDIOSIRI.COM 1205 DEAN AVE. ROME, GA • 706.409.3022 READV3.COM | APRIL 2022 V3 MAGAZINE

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Driving Buses,

Changing Lives Text: TC Peulausk | Photos: Rob Smith

Even after retirement, Bobby Goosby has no plans for coasting in life’s slow lane; he still works hard and strives to make a difference.

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Native Roman Bobby Goosby had a dream when he was growing up in East Rome. He wanted to be a bus driver.

THAT IS ALL HE EVER WANTED TO BE. He made good on that dream at age twenty-five; fifty years later, he is still driving buses through the streets of Rome, going strong.

Goosby was born in Rome in the wake of World War II. He grew up with his five siblings, including twin sisters, in the home of single mother Eliza Goosby. The family home was half of a duplex in East Rome that was in the very center of present-day Banty Jones Park. Charles “Banty” Jones, for whom the park is named, owned and operated a one-pump service station located where the park’s basketball pavilion now stands and lived with his family in a house next to it. Jones was a neighbor who Goosby remembers as an important influence in his life, always there to give help and offer wise advice.

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Lifelong preparation As a boy, Goosby was fascinated with buses and dreamed of growing up to be a bus driver. When nine years old, he would run a make-believe route through his family’s home, pretending he was driving a bus, loading and unloading passengers at different imaginary bus stops scattered throughout the rooms.

About the same time Goosby taught himself the rudiments of how to drive. Capitalizing on the presence of an old, junk car, he would sit behind the wheel, pressing the clutch with his left foot and moving the gear stick through the gears, pretending he was accelerating and slowing down by working the foot pedals. He had only an inkling that he was preparing himself for his life’s work.

After finishing at East Rome’s Mary T. Banks Elementary School, Goosby attended Main Junior High School, a distance away from East Rome. He rode a bus every day to and from school, which fed his interest in buses and bus driving. The only bus service for school kids at that time was that offered by Rome Transit Department via its city route buses at a cost of ten cents one way. Mrs. Goosby was paying $3.00 per week to transport three children to school, not an insignificant amount in those days.

Notwithstanding the monetary cost to his family, riding the bus to-and-from Main Junior High was not idle time for Goosby. Each run, he would position himself at the front of the bus for the sole purpose of observing the driver’s

movements and routines in driving and picking up and unloading passengers. The dream of being a bus driver remained an indelible image in his mind.

An extraordinary work ethic Goosby continued riding the city bus during his three years at Main High School, continued observing the driver, imagining himself behind the wheel. Though he did not participate, he vividly remembers the day his sophomore year when a large number of Main High School students marched from school to downtown Broad Street and simultaneously visited four different lunch counters, sitting in seats they were not welcome to sit in, to protest Rome’s restaurant segregation practices.

At age eighteen, just before his senior year, Goosby quit Main High School. Eliza Goosby

was having difficulty raising her family as a single mother and Goosby felt the responsible thing for him to do was to forego completing school – he later would earn a high school diploma via GED – to help his struggling family.

For the next seven years, Goosby worked a series of jobs to provide income for his family.

His first job was as a delivery truck helper for Coca Cola; he then worked in the Coca Cola Bottling Plant on Fifth Avenue, where the Rome/ Floyd County Law Enforcement Center is now.

Upon leaving Coca Cola, he took his first driving job, driving a delivery truck for Hank Sanders Wholesale Grocery Supply. The desire to be a bus driver was still vivid in his thoughts.

It was in doing these jobs that Goosby began developing an extraordinary work ethic. He had the foresight to try to learn as many work skills as he could, should he need them to find work in the future. As he says in looking back on his work life, “I always worked, was always giving my best.”

drove a bus but who was also in charge of other drivers and routes.

His work ethic, his drive to always give his best paid off. After only four years as a driver, he was promoted to a newly created position, becoming Rome Transit’s second route supervisor.

For thirty-eight years Goosby would remain both a driver and route supervisor until his retirement from Rome Transit Department in 2009.

Commitment & love for the job Retirement did not mean he stopped working.

Though no longer a supervisor, he continued working part-time for Rome Transit as a driver, still working a near-full week. When Rome Transit was forced by GDOT to relinquish its school bus system and it was taken over by the

Rome City Schools, which began new service October 1, 2020, Goosby went over to RCS and began driving a regular school bus route.

Christina Buffington, Regular Education Route Coordinator for Rome City Schools, recalls when Goosby started with RCS at age 73. “I had the pleasure of doing some of his training because at the time he didn’t have the required school endorsement on his license. He was concerned about it but kept putting in the hours, doing the training and was able to obtain the endorsement.

Bobby helps us get the job done. His commitment and love for the job is like none other I have seen.

We feel fortunate to have him by our side doing what he loves best.”

Each day Rome City Schools is in session, Goosby comes to its bus yard at 6:10 AM to pretrip his bus and go out on his route picking up kids for school. When they are delivered and school

His boyhood dream realized Not long after he turned twenty-five, Goosby heard from a friend on the Rome police force that the transit department was seeking a driver.

Securing a reference from his police department friend, he applied and on October 1, 1971 began driving a bus for the Rome Transit Department, his boyhood dream finally realized.

Back then, Rome Transit drivers worked roughly sixty hours of straight time per week – there was no overtime. Every two weeks, Goosby netted around $300.00 pay for his family to live on.

Finally, Goosby was living his boyhood dream. Part of that dream, however, had always been that he wanted to be a boss, someone who

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has started, he parks his bus, then heads over to the Rome Transit bus yard to drive a para-transit bus for a few hours until it is time to go back to the RCS bus yard for his afternoon school run. At age 75, between his two jobs, he puts in a fortyhour week, still doing exactly what he dreamed of as a boy.

Someone cares and loves them One of the measures a person may be gauged by is what they give their time to. Goosby has spent his life living his dream, driving buses and supervising others. That is only part of what he has given his time to.

Sometime in the early 1990s while transporting school kids of all ages, he noticed that many of them were less fortunate than others.

They often lacked the books and school supplies needed to do well in school. He determined to do something about it.

Goosby founded Members Only Civic Club.

When asked what the purpose of Members Only was, he replies without hesitating, “To urge kids to stay in school, to be drug free, to go to church and Sunday school, and to let all kids know someone cares and someone loves them.”

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The main thrust of Members Only was an event held annually the last Saturday before Rome City Schools began in the fall. The event was called “Kids’ Day.” Fittingly, Kids’ Day was held in Banty Jones Park because, as Goosby says, “That is where my homeplace was.”

Kids’ Day was no small event. There was plenty of food prepared by individuals as well as served by local vendors. There were numerous games and activities for the kids to absorb themselves in. Members of the local law enforcement were present, not for security but to mingle and show the kids that they were their friends. Each child was given a large bag with a full array of school supplies and other necessities with which to start the school year. All kids were welcomed and there was no admission charged.

Usually between five and six hundred kids attended. Many, with the help of Rome Transit Department, were bused in from all parts of Rome.

He had help from interested friends of Members Only and some help from local churches, but Goosby was the driving force. For every Kids’ Day a program was printed. Each year he would work on Kids’ Day for six months leading up to it, visiting area businesses (after a full day’s work)

to sell ads for the program and garner donations.

He spent additional time overseeing the logistics of food, activities, transportation, procuring the school supplies for the kids’ bags and other details.

Goosby is candid to admit that it took a great deal of work, most of it done by him in his spare time.

For twenty-five years Goosby gave of his time, his efforts, his thoughts and his prayers in putting on Kids’ Day through the arm of Members Only Civic Club.

There is heaven, and that’s it When Goosby is asked his view of Rome and what it was like for him as a Black man born before the era of civil rights and living his life in the rural, small town South, his answer is thoughtful, given with a strong measure of feeling. “I was born in Rome, I was raised in Rome, I am familiar with Rome. I love Rome. I don’t really talk about it. Life in Rome is not perfect, but it is better now than when I was growing up. I just work, go to church, mind my own business, and I’ve tried to get along with everybody. There is no Black heaven and there is no white heaven. There is heaven, and that’s it.”

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706-234-4613

Hours: Mon-Thur: 11am-9pm Fri-Sat: 11am-10pm Sun: 11:30am-3pm

Schroeder’s menu includes sandwiches, calzones, soups, salads, potato skins, nachos, wings, and more. And don’t forget our pizza! It’s the best in town... and for a sweet treat, try our Cheesecake Calzone! (Draft and Bottled Beers & Wine also offered) Famous for: Their Roast Beef Relief!

www.hardees.com

1204 Turner McCall Blvd • Rome, GA 30161 2300 Shorter Ave • Rome, GA 30165 3110 Cedartown Hwy • Rome, GA 30161 104 S Tennessee St • Cartersville, GA 30120

We’re known as the place to go for juicy, delicious charbroiled burgers & made from scratch biscuits. Because if you’re gonna eat, you should Eat Like You Mean It!

429 Broad St Rome, GA 30161

706-295-5330

Hours: Sun-Wed: 11am - 9pm Thursday: 11am - 9:30pm Fri-Sat: 11am - 11pm

470-227-7049

Funky, art-filled chain pizzeria featuring craft beer, calzones & creative stone-baked pizzas.

www.moesoriginalbbq.com/rome 101 West 1st Street Rome, GA 30161

Hours: Sun-Thu: 11am - 10pm Fri- Sat: 11am - 2am

706-622-2977

Moe’s Original BBQ is a Southern soul food revival where great food is served in an atmosphere that is relaxed, spontaneous, yet civilized….well, sometimes.

www.swheatmarketdeli.com Hours: Mon-Sat: 5am-10pm Sun: 6am-10pm

706.291.2021

www.elzaraperome.com

28 S Wall St Cartersville, GA 30120

5 E Main St Cartersville, GA 30120

Hours: Mon - Sun: 11am-3pm

770-607-0067 Casual counter serve offering sandwiches, salads & American comfort food

www.maineonmain.com Hours: Mon - Thu: 11am-9:30pm Fri - Sat: 11am-10:30pm Sunday: 11am-4pm

Colorful, casual outpost serving Mexican street tacos & fajitas, plus beers & tequila drinks. Join us every Sunday for Brunch from 11-4pm.

24 W Main St Cartersville, GA 30120

770-334-3813

Hours: Mon - Thurs: 11am - 9pm Fri - Sat: 11am - 10pm Sun: 11am - 8pm

At Maine Street Coastal Cuisine, in the heart of historic downtown Cartersville, we pride ourselves on sourcing seafood from sustainable fisheries. Our passion is to provide a restaurant free of artificial flavors and ingredients.

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

READV3.COM | APRIL 2022 V3 MAGAZINE

47

“My heart doctors are compassionate and understanding. They take the scary out of heart issues!”

– Karen, a real Harbin Clinic Heart Center patient

At the Harbin Clinic Heart Center, we are here to care completely for you and with you when it comes to matters of the heart. Our cardiologists work alongside a talented and compassionate team of providers, front office staff and cardiac imaging technicians to deliver a 5-star experience throughout your entire appointment. But don't take our word for it! Hear directly from those who chose the Harbin Clinic Heart Center and got the 5-star treatment they deserve at

harbinclinic.com/heartcare.

HARBIN CLINIC HEART CENTER 48

V3 MAGAZINE APRIL 2022 | READV3.COM