V3 December 2015 by V3 Magazine

NWGA'S PREMIER FEATURE MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2015

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34 Do you ever wonder what the bubbly guy in the big red suit does in the off season? Santa answers this, and many more of our Christmas questions, over hot chocolate and candy canes.

10 As a politician pulls up to the Starbucks drive-through in a shiny new Volkswagen, remember that they can’t blame journalists and debate moderators for their empty banter. J. BRYANT STEELE says they made the naughty list all on their own.

18 REDMOND REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER is getting the jump on lung disease by offering advanced treatment efforts in their new Lung Screening Clinic.

14 Knock, knock! HOLLY LYNCH reminds us to leave the door open all year long for the child-like spirit of the holiday season.

26 Why not put a tiny red bow on the keys to a new home? See the property that owner PATSY BAKER has fashioned into a family abode with all the trimmings.

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38 Hear about the traditions of Christmas past from some of our most valued hometown treasures. Seniors at RIVERWOOD SENIOR LIVING help us gaze into the past and see what the holidays were like before Black Friday. 42 One of Northwest Georgia’s most magical Christmas moments is a ride through CALLAWAY GARDENS’ FANTASY IN LIGHTS. Find out why this is a tradition you should add to the family’s holiday fun list.

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Publisher’s Note

Spoiler alert: This is a pro-holidays editorial so humbugs should proceed with caution. Traditions … we all have them, especially this time of year. From the ornament displaying old Aunt Petunia in a frame of ancient macaroni noodles to the antique manger scene that rests on your mantle, this is the season for traditions. In the Griffin household, we have stuck to our traditions like white on rice. I was a bit of a picky eater growing up, so as my mom busted out the fine china, white linens and whipped up an extravagant meal for the rest of my family each Christmas Eve, she always went through the extra trouble of making my favorite homemade dish – fresh-cut French fries Ian Griffin and beer-battered fried shrimp. OWNER+CEO It was always just the four of us, so it’s not like it mattered, but when you look back it’s the little things that make you realize just how much your parents loved you. Among all of my mother’s beautiful decorations at that table, yours truly sat – with a giant bottle of Heinz ketchup – eating fried shrimp and French fries. I don’t remember how it started exactly, but that tradition stuck well into my teenage years before it was replaced with the standard-but-delicious turkey and various side dishes. While many of those silly traditions came and went, one thing we have never missed out on in my 35 years is making Christmas candy. While chocolate chip cookies and other treats might make the menu from one year to the next, fudge and divinity are a mainstay. For those in the know, divinity requires a day with low humidity if you want to get it just right, so it’s not like you can just decide that today is the day to make candy. You have to stay on top of the forecast. We tend to pick a few days and times that look promising and pull the trigger when the time seems right. At that point my mother, father and myself all put on our aprons and get to work. This process begins with my mother having every ingredient pre-portioned at precisely the right measurements. This is followed by an explanation of the recipe instructions, which inevitably leads to a debate about how we did it the year before. We can never quite agree, so eventually we throw our hands up and just get started. My dad and I do all the cooking, and the fudge always goes smoothly. While I can’t remember a specific year that it was any better than the others, upon sampling our work we always claim that we have made our best batch yet. Next comes the divinity, and this is the true test of a candy maker. I can’t give away our secrets, but after several years of making divinity soup, I think we have mastered the art of one of the toughest dishes I’ve ever tackled as we are on an unprecedented streak of successful batches. The end result is delicious; I can promise you that. It hasn’t always been easy to make the time in the kitchen to create these treats, but through my college years and into parenthood, we have found a way to keep this tradition and many others – both serious and silly – alive. Now, my children get to enjoy the ones we created and invent their own as we move along, and that is what makes the holiday season so special. It’s a time for celebrating the accomplishments of our loved ones, a time to reflect on what those loved ones mean to us, and a time to build memories that last a lifetime … like fried shrimp and French fries.

Ian Griffin, Owner

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Owner&CEO Ian Griffin

Mag Art & Design Ellie Borromeo

Editorial Manager Oliver Robbins

Contributing Editor Tannika Wester

Writers J. Bryant Steele, Oliver Robbins, Erin deMesquita, Holly Lynch Corinna Underwood, Louis Spivak

Executive Photographer Derek Bell, MFA 706.936.0407

Contributing Photographers Christian David Turner Cameron Flaisch

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Contact One West Fourth Avenue Rome, Ga. 30161 Office Phone 706.235.0748 v3publications@gmail.com

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into my mid-teen years, I was regularly required to participate in Sword Drills. And because a competitive gene somehow drifted into my DNA, I was damn good at those drills. There was a pretty girl named Deborah who always gave me a close contest, but I always won. If you grew up with Zorro or Star Wars films, you may have the wrong image of a Sword Drill, but if you grew up in a fundamentalist church, you know what I’m talking about. Sword Drills were when you stood in a line cradling unwieldy Bibles while an

adult called out lookups, by book, chapter and verse. So, to this day, I remember, for example, that Judges is sandwiched between Joshua and Ruth. Bui I could not have told you, back then, the meaning of a particular verse I’d rapidly found, or of the bigger picture, the Bible itself. The presidential debates we have endured recently brought to mind those teen-age Sword Drills. The candidates have their talking points, but no substance. If pressed for details on, say, a flat-tax plan, they blame the moderators of missing the

point. They, like pretty Deborah, pout if they don’t win. Further, they have childishly demanded changes in the debate format, basically insisting on no hard questions from journalists. Look, fellas and gals, if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the race. Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel aren’t going to have you over just for tea and crumpets. Candidates, don’t fall back on that wornout tactic of blaming the media for your shortcomings. Don’t think we’re going to fall for the “America is broken, and only I can fix it”

We Getting Nothing for Christmas

Cents & Sensibility with J. Bryant Steele

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routine. The wise and wealthy businessman Warren Buffett said recently that America is in fine shape. I tend to trust Warren Buffett’s judgment. The candidates, many of them, want to make us fear, and then tell us who to blame for it, whether it’s incumbents, their current opponents in the Great Sword Drill, or journalists. Back in the 1950s, during the Congressional witch hunts for closeted Communists, some extremist politicians played the fear card quite well, sabotaging careers and ruining friendships. The legendary and revered journalist Edward R. Murrow, said it best back then: “We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men – not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate and to defend causes that were, for the moment, unpopular.”. Wouldn’t it be nice if that were required reading prior to a presidential debate?

Biz Bits

Question of the month: If my phone is so smart, why does it “alert” me to stuff I already know? Chattanooga, which seven years ago scored a coup when it won, over competing U.S. cities, a Volkswagen manufacturing

plant, shouldn’t hang its head over VW’s disgrace concerning cheating on vehicle emissions testing. It’s not like German engineers and executives hatched the idea while on a cursory tour of The Chatt plant. More troubling might be how the scandal eventually affects VW sales in the southeastern U.S. … and jobs in Chattanooga. In the bigger picture, the Volkswagen scandal will become a case study in law schools and public relations seminars because the automaker initially did everything wrong. It gave curt and imprecise answers as the news broke, apparently not understanding that when lawyers and journalists smell blood, they move in next door. Anheuser-Busch InBev, better known to you as Budweiser, with a brewery in Cartersville, is trying out a new product, Bud Light Apple, an apple-flavored beer. You can buy it now because Georgia is the test market. A brand manager at Anheuser-Busch InBev called Georgia “a microcosm of the U.S.” We’ve been called worse. Russian athletes could be banned from next year’s Olympics. It has long been the world’s worst-kept secret that Russia, and the Soviet Union before it, cheated in sports. Now, the World Anti-Doping Agency has released its first statistics on doping violations. Russia came in first by a wide margin, followed by Turkey. If you’re keeping score at home, the U.S. came in 11th on the cheating scale. The annual outcry over a non-existent “war on Christmas” found a convenient target this year in Starbucks. Seems the coffee chain switched to plain red cups this season,

instead of cups adorned with snowflakes, reindeer or other secular images associated with the holiday. I agree with those who say “put Christ back in Christmas.” But you do that by participating in the numerous offerings in churches and on campuses during the Advent season, not by raging against the machine and then only showing up for a Sunday service that falls closest to Dec. 25. Besides, I don’t think Jesus ever built a snowman or saw a reindeer. On the subject of culinary franchises, McDonald’s, has thrown down the gauntlet, or the cholesterol, or something or other, in a direct challenge to Waffle House. The hamburger empire will now serve breakfast 24 hours a day. I wouldn’t worry if I were WH, for three reasons: First, there are several Waffle Houses in all directions within 100 yards of any highway junction in the South. Not so with Mickey D’s. Second, no one ever wrote a country song about an Egg McMuffin. Third, pimply high school girls don’t have much to talk about. On the other hand, middle-aged, bleached, wrinkled Waffle House waitresses in uniforms that are always too tight have enough stories for a weekend. Or maybe two.

J. Bryant Steele has won awards for business reporting, feature writing and opinion columns, and is based in Rome. *The views expressed in this column are those of the writer, and do not represent the opinions of V3 Magazine.

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HIPPOS FOR THE HOLIDAYS TRENDS & TRADITIONS WITH HOLLY LYNCH

rom Handel to Hippos, find your joy this holiday season With a whole lot of hubbub about a silly red cup and the advent of my favorite season, I thought it appropriate to discuss finding your cheer in the holidays. For some of our readers, the joy comes from delighting your children with special presents or baking your grandmother’s best cookie recipe. For others, you may find your joy in having some paid time off of work, a welcome break from co-workers you barely tolerate. For many, I fear, the joy gets lost in the shuffle of the 14

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“busy-ness” of the season. If you don't have kids, like me, it’s easy to slip into the horrible adult routine of work-work-work, buy some presents, drink some wine, eat the food and go home. The cheer of the holidays gets totally lost. Recently, while visiting some friends whose children I had not met, I was reminded of the joy and innocence of kids’ humor. While listening to a series of extremely silly knock-knock jokes told by a precocious 8-year old, I remembered all the great things about being small. Especially at this time of year. I remember the anxiety of waiting for

the school break to start, the crippling fear of sitting on Santa’s lap, planning which toys I would bring to my grandmother’s house – where I would stay for the school break following Christmas day. I would love to feel that anxious joy again, and somehow listening to silly jokes from my friend’s daughter brought all that back. So when I arrived back in town, I pulled out my Christmas music and discovered that the song I most played was Gayla Peevey’s “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.” In fact, I play this song more than any other song in my iTunes library. I know all the words – just

ask me and I’ll give you a round or two. So, I mentioned this addiction to my student intern and she promptly told me she’d never heard the song. WHAT??!! Of course, we remedied that situation right then. “What joy and what surprise when I open up my eyes and see my hippo hero standing there!” These lines remind me so much of the joys of children at Christmas. Miss Peevey was 10 years old when she recorded her singular hit. How great would it be if we, as adults, could find that same carefree laughter (if not the same high-pitch tone). I hope my parent friends spend lots of time with their kids the season watching silly programs like “Frosty the Snowman” and “Charlie Brown's Christmas Special.” Laughing at these little programs is so much fun – it requires suspending our adult sensibilities, much like listening to knock-knock jokes. Don't be so busy that you don't take time to watch a little 30-minute program and laugh just like you did when you were 8. In rediscovering childhood pleasures, like adult coloring books (whoever thought of these is a genius), we keep the joy in our own lives that too easily get burdened with politics, job pressures and family drama. We need to keep these joyful traditions alive as adults. There’s a whole lot of flap about people celebrating Christmas too early. Yes, I think stores putting out décor before Halloween is a bit much, but I don’t have to buy it just because it’s there. I don’t participate in Black Friday, but I do support Small Business Saturday. I choose the things to do this season that give me pleasure – in between weddings and holiday parties, where hopefully our entire team is giving others a pleasant time. While I also don't want to put up a tree until the day after Thanksgiving, I do think that if you find joy in putting out your décor the day after Halloween (or even before), then go for it! If your kids are into elves on shelves, go find that little guy and pull him out. Who said we had to limit Christmas to just 12 days? Why do we put limitations on when we are allowed to celebrate? My birthday is also in December (no, it is not OK to combine my presents). I remember as soon as Thanksgiving passed, I knew my birthday was coming up. It was like I celebrated for weeks prior to the actual day. Who says a joyful event has to be limited to one day. I know plenty of my brides certainly turn their wedding day into a wedding weekend with celebrations beginning as soon as friends and loved ones come into town. Need some ideas this holiday season to find that childlike joy? How about spending

some time with some kids at the Open Door Home? They could use some volunteers, so give them a call and find out how you can help. Or offer to take your niece or nephew on a special Christmas outing so your sister or brother can get some shopping done (or just take a nap). Go see the symphony and STAND when the Hallelujah chorus of Handel’s “Messiah” is played. Make cocoa and put a ton of whipped cream on it (I’ve heard this might be available in a controversial red cup). I like to go to a really huge mall and watch the Santa there interact with the kids and see their faces as they see all the grand decorations. Maybe you should just go find an unsuspecting adult and tell them a knock-knock joke. Wait for the silly laughter to follow. Whatever you find joy in, surprise yourself with some childish delights this holiday season! VVV

Holly Lynch is the owner of The Season Events, a full service catering, event planning and design company located at 300 Glenn Milner Blvd. in Rome. *The views expressed in this column are those of the writer, and do not represent the opinions of V3 Magazine.

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Breathing New Life TEXT LO UIS S PIVA K

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Early detection is paramount when fighting deadly diseases. Redmond Regional Medical Center has added a facility that is helping us to breathe easy, right here at home.

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Kunal P. Patel MD, Darshak K. Pandya DO, Lisa Acree APNP

cough that does not go away or gets worse. Chest pain that is often worse with deep breathing, coughing or increased activity. Coughing up blood or rust-colored spit or phlegm.” These are three of nine symptoms associated with lung cancer as identified by the American Cancer Society. Robbing over 150,000 lives annually, lung cancer, or pulmonary carcinoma, affects one in 13 men and one in 16 women. But the statistics take on new meaning when it is the account manager one cubicle over, your maid of honor who grew up two doors down, your grandfather, your sister, or you. Lung cancer is a merciless bully, stealing away sweet memories and breaking the hearts of loved ones. Because of the effects of this malignant and prevalent thief, Redmond Regional Medical Center continues to push back against the disease with new and innovative tactics. Lung cancer screening, a low-dose CAT scan designed to identify concerning lung nodules before the onset of symptoms, is one such strategy, albeit a recent

development. Approved for coverage by Medicare and Medicaid as of Feb. 5, lung cancer screening will better arm the medical community in its battle against the deadliest cancer. With screening increasing the likelihood of finding a cancer in a curable stage, a fact supported by the findings of a National Cancer Institute clinical trial, lowdose CAT scans can reduce the disease’s fatality rate by up to 20 percent. This significant reduction in mortality and the potential to save thousands of lives each year has motivated the team at Redmond Regional Medical Center to develop a Lung Screening Clinic and promote lung cancer screening to the northwest Georgia community. Dr. Darshak Pandya, a Harbin Clinic pulmonologist, leads Redmond’s lung program as medical director; supervises Lisa Acree, Redmond’s nurse practitioner lung navigator and program coordinator; and chairs the program’s Lung Cancer Work Group. With over 10 years of experience as an oncology nurse practitioner, Acree holds a key role, acting as the program gatekeeper,

streamlining care among specialists and supporting primary care physicians. But most importantly, she works to educate, support and advocate for patients throughout their journey. “Historically, most lung cancers have been diagnosed at later stages, offering patients fewer options,” she says. “Coordinating this program at Redmond gives me the opportunity to promote lung screening and identify high-risk patients before they develop symptoms, enabling us to find these cancers when they are small, treatable and curable.” According to Acree, The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) defines “high-risk individuals” as current or former 30 pack-year smokers (equivalent to a pack a day for an average of 30 years) between the ages of 55 and 77. Additionally, the individual may not exhibit current symptoms of lung cancer to be eligible for a lung screen. “These folks are essentially healthy, but are at a risk for lung cancer because of their age and their lifestyle choices,” she explains. An essential part of her role is to work v3 magazine

patient went from CAT scan to pulmonary with the primary care physician to assess referral in 24 hours,” Acree says. “My secan individual’s eligibility for lung cancer ond patient went from CAT scan to biopsy screening and offer a shared-decision makin 24 hours.” ing visit prior to the actual screen. The Another attempt to reduce patient purpose of this visit (included in the cost of anxiety is the implementation of new, cutthe lung screen) is to ensure the individual fully understands the risks and benefits of lung screening and how they will Historically, most lung cancers be followed. Additionally, Acree offers have been diagnosed at later support and education to assist with stages, offering patients fewer smoking cessation, including access to options. Coordinating this free classes offered in partnership with The Northwest Georgia Cancer Coalition. program at Redmond gives me With many diagnostic procedures the opportunity to promote lung demanding hours of tests and weeks of screening and identify high-risk waiting for results, lung cancer screening patients before they develop at Redmond is unique in its expedient, symptoms, enabling us to find patient-centric timeline. “It is the easiest these cancers when they are small, test you will ever have; it takes less than treatable, and curable. 20 seconds,” says Acree. “Because we have a 24-hour turnaround time, the very ting-edge lung diagnostic technology at next day I can call the patient with results Redmond. In the past, smaller lung nodules and recommendations. By this point, I have were only managed through “watchful waitreviewed the data along with a thoracic ing” or close monitoring with imaging. In radiologist and pulmonology.” addition to Dr. Pandya’s supervisory role, he By accelerating the transition from awarenow drives the use of Veran’s Navigational ness to action, the patient no longer has to Bronchoscopy, a GPS-type technology desuffer the extended emotional anxiety of signed to diagnose certain smaller lung anticipating the phone call. “My very first

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nodules through the airways of the lung and at times, reduce the need for “watchful waiting.” A two-time breast cancer survivor and the point person for oncology at Redmond Regional Medical Center, Ann Hook is another advocate for the benefits of lung cancer screening. The oncology service line director is passionate about promoting the early detection of cancers. “Cancer screening is very important to me personally,” Hook says. “Due to a screening mammogram, my cancer was found early and cured. When I heard of advances in lung screening, I wanted this same opportunity afforded to all patients at high risk for lung cancer. I wanted it for Redmond and I wanted it for Rome.” Already, the low-dose CT lung screen is becoming a well-known practice in the war against lung cancer. Before Acree joined Redmond in April 2015, the hospital had only performed six tests since September 2014. However, with many insurance companies now covering lung screening and increasing awareness, June saw 10 screenings for the month, and July saw a record 13 lung screenings. Already, success stories are echoing from the doors of Redmond. To date, three of 44

lung screens have found lung cancers, all early stage disease. One of these success stories is Angie Robinson. A new lung cancer survivor, she is a huge supporter of lung screening because the technology, in her words, “saved her life.” “Lisa and Ann came to one of our public health meetings and were talking about the lung screening program,” she shares. “Being a former smoker, I thought this sounded like something I need to consider.” Having lost two friends in the last year to the disease, Robinson understands being symptomatic usually means the cancer has reached an advanced stage. “My screening discovered a small, suspicious nodule on my lung, which the medical team described as the size of a peanut M&M,” she says. “The biopsy revealed the tumor as a stage 1 lung cancer, and I was able to effectively and expediently have it removed.” Robinson believes the process may seem overwhelming for many, both logistically and emotionally. This is where one of Acree’s roles, patient advocate, became a comforting reality. “She helped to arrange all of my appointments,” Robinson says. “She

went to those first consultations with me. She explained when I did not understand the medical terminology. She made it all so much more comfortable than if I had gone it alone.” Because the screening intercepted her tumor before it reached an advanced stage, Robinson says she hopes to see screening for all types of cancer in the near future – as awareness can equal future years of quality life. Never satisfied with the average or the ordinary, the Redmond Regional Medical Center team has ambitious expectations of its Comprehensive Lung Program. “When a patient is given the diagnosis of a lung nodule, anxiety is a given, and quick results are the expectation,” Acree explains. “Our program manages lung screening findings or referred lung nodules to diagnosis or resolution in a collaborative, expedited manner. Our goal is to meet the individualized needs of the patient, every time.” With the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in 2012 reporting 28.5 percent of men and 22.6 percent of women as regular smokers in Floyd County, compared to a

national average of just under 19 percent, lung cancer screening is a must. “Because we live in an area with a large population of people at high risk for lung cancer, Redmond’s Lung Screening Clinic provides the resources needed to support our primary care physicians in the identification, screening and rapid management of these patients,” explains Hook. “Lisa Acree’s role as lung navigator and program coordinator serves to assure as many people have access to this screening as possible.” For Redmond Regional Medical Center, the goal is saving lives, and for lung cancer, the answer is screening. “Our community-based physicians have been providing lung cancer patients in Northwest Georgia with excellent, state-ofthe-art medical care for decades,” says Dr. Pandya. “Redmond’s Lung Screening and Nodule Clinics now provide the opportunity to screen and diagnose lung cancers in their earliest stages, potentially offering curative solutions to a greater number of individuals. This is exciting! This will save lives!” VVV

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Merry Christmas from the entire Family and Staff of Henderson & Sons Funeral Homes and Rome Memorial Park

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At Home By the Hearth

If Santa drops down the chimney in this cozy space, he may not make it to everyone’s stocking on Christmas Eve. text CORINNA UNDERWOOD photos DEREK BELL

ritish author and social activist William Morris once said, “Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or beautiful.” Pasty Baker has achieved a perfect combination of the practical and the aesthetic inside her home in Northwest Georgia, and is now ready to let another family enjoy her finished project. The elegant house, located at 5 Broken Arrow Trail, Rome, is part of the North Quarters Community, a neighborhood that is well known for being family friendly and safe. From the moment you pull into the paved driveway, you will be smitten with this graceful home. Its welcoming floorto-ceiling windows and attached two-car garage are just the beginning of a series of delights. Inside, the living room’s coffered ceiling and hardwood floors give the area a spacious feeling that does nothing to detract from its homeliness. You really can’t beat a welcoming hearth to relax in front

of with your family and friends, especially at this time of year, and this gas-flame fireplace does not disappoint. Baker, former proprietor of Antiques on Broad, has lived here for a little over five-and-a-half years. When she bought the property, the unfinished house was little more than a shell. “It was concrete floors; nothing was finished upstairs, no sheetrock, no wiring, nothing,” she says. “Because I finished the house, I could do it the way I really wanted to.” Her creative flair for interior design is apparent in the house’s many unique details, from the solid wood doors to the built-in bookshelves. Another unique feature of the house is the keeping room – in early colonial times, this area was not only a kitchen, but also incorporated a common area where the family could gather. Baker has created a perfect space that is not just a kitchen, but a room that lends itself to gathering and sharing good food and great conversation.

28 | HARDY REALTY | HOME FEATURE

two large, gas-flame fireplaces. Moving down the hallway, the large master bedroom is a relaxing retreat and comforting way to end a busy day. It has his and hers closets and vanities. In addition to a walk-in shower, it also has a large whirlpool tub where you can relax in style and luxury. The two additional bedrooms on the main level are perfect for children (or grandchildren!) Upstairs are an additional bedroom for guests and a bonus room that Baker has given another unique touch. “In this room, I decided I wanted a retreat,” she says. “I “I love to cook. I’ve been cooking since I was knee-high and I love baking, so I wanted that kitchen area. And you’ve got the TV on the wall and the grandchildren running around when they’re here, so that’s a good room,” she smiles. It certainly is a great kitchen for cooking. With top-of-the line appliances, the workspace also boasts spacious cabinets; a large pantry; a long, granite countertop; and a breakfast bar. The kitchen merges perfectly with the cozy breakfast area, where large windows overlook the side garden. Here, you will also find the second of the

wanted it to look like a cabin, rustic, kind of a little getaway. That’s what this is all about up here, just a comfy place to come, watch TV and have a different atmosphere.” The elegance of the home’s interior extends to the 0.8 acres of landscaped gardens; another indication of Baker’s talent for design. A step out of the back door leads to a manicured lawn, which in spring and summer is bordered by colorful seasonal flowers and shrubs. The lawn extends to a sedate curve of Leyland Cypresses, fronting a row of pines. The evergreens line up with the side of the house giving privacy to a

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30 | HARDY REALTY | HOME FEATURE

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stone-flagged patio. There’s no need to worry about watering the gardens during the hot Georgia summer because the home has a full sprinkler system that will keep everything looking vibrant all year long. From the moment Baker first set foot in the house, she knew it had great potential. “When I walked in the door of this house, even though it was in awful shape, I felt something,” she recalls. “I had looked at many houses and I had toured some houses here. I said, ‘I want to finish it with quality, not just finish it.’” In just a short time, she was able to draw

out the potential she’d initially spotted and bring it to full fruition. Today, the house stands as a testament to Baker’s flair and dedication. It is a wonderful place for a family looking for a home with a wealth of comfort and style in a subdivision that offers security, shared amenities and a great sense of community. V VV To schedule a showing contact Michelle Cochran at 706-307-3570, or for information about the property email her at michellecochran@ hardyrealty.com Hardy Realty: 706-291-4321

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& COLD CONVO: A MESSAGE FROM THE

NORTH POLE INTERVIEW BY OL IVER ROB B IN S

For years, we have been enamored by the inside workings of the North Pole workshop. The elf in charge of it all, Santa Claus, is usually very guarded when discussing trade secrets. Lucky for us, he has opened up to us here at V3 Magazine in hopes of shedding some light on Christmas’s most pressing issues, popular gifts and the magic that started it all. Grab a warm drink, stoke the fire, gather the young ones and get the answers we’ve all been dying to hear – straight from the reindeer’s mouth.

V3: Mr. Claus, how hard has it been to prepare for this year’s Christmas? SC: Well, it’s been a little hot up in the North Pole this year so the elves are trying to tell me I’m running a sweat shop. We’re working hard. The kids want a lot of fancy

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things. We’ve had to get caught up on all the technology changes over the last few years. It’s been hard working with Apple on all of their patented tech that the kids are asking for but we’re working around the clock and getting it done.

V3: What’s the deal with the Wii?

V3: So tell me – since we’re talking about gifts - what’s been the most popular gift that little boys and girls have asked for this year?

V3: Ok, so you’re making a lot of those?

SC: Well….something called a “Wii?”

SC: Apparently, you take a stick and you wiggle it around a little bit. It’s like an interactive video game.

SC: Well, the Disney Infinity characters have been really hard. We have had to learn how to manufacture all of these chips to meet the specs. Those have been the most

popular gifts. Those, and a lot of baby dolls. The baby dolls are consistent every year.

to get around the globe to the boys and girls not on the naughty list.

V3: I'll bet the elves have plenty of practice making those.

V3: It’s funny you should say that about the speed because that was my very next question to you Santa. What’s the average speed of a full, 9-reindeer pulled sled.

SC: Yeah, we have no problem making the baby dolls. Keep those orders coming! We’ve had to update things at the North Pole. It’s hard to keep up. We’re having to re-educate all of our elves, which is tough. They’re used to doing things their way. V3: They’re pretty nimble though, so they can get it done, I’m pretty sure. Especially working with circuit boards and things like that. SC: Absolutely. That’s been the wave of the future. We try to stay ahead of the curve. V3: Have you seen a decrease in the “naughty list” this year? And what can we do to stay off that list? SC: Ohhhhh, the naughty list has actually grown exponentially over the years. As tech has advanced, so has the naughty list. We try to be very objective when we review a child’s deeds over the course of the year. You have to remember this is Dec. 26th, all the way up to Christmas Eve, until the 24th of next year. So, when looking at an overall record it’s about the body of work. So I’m not saying its okay to go out there and wreak havoc and try to make up for it. As long as you can keep yourself balanced, you can keep yourself off the naughty list. V3: So, more of the good side than the bad is what we’re shooting for, right? SC: That’s right, as long as the effort is there and the kids are learning from the mistakes they make, they can stay off the naughty list. V3: So tell me this, how do you manage to visit every single house in the world on Christmas Eve and get it done? SC: Well that’s Christmas magic, it’s all about the reindeer. Let’s just say Santa Claus has his own personal DeLorean. Let’s just say that I’m a fan of the Back to the Future movies and maybe Spielberg stole a little something from us because-while we don’t call them “jiggawatts”- our reindeer can get up to a certain speed. We don’t call it a flux capacitor, but it kicks in and we’re able to manipulate time and that’s how we’re able

SC: Let’s see if I can answer that accurately. The average speed is the speed of light. And that is how we pull it off. V3: Wow! That’s the secret, huh? SC: Yes, that’s the secret, and that allows us to bend time. V3: So, when you come down that chimney, the old tradition that we have in the United States is to leave a little something to keep you moving throughout the night. Tell me, what’s your most memorable and the strangest snack that’s ever been left for you. SC: Seaweed chips! And let me tell you… Santa does not enjoy that part of the contract. While there are many sweet and delectable treats left for Santa, the nation is becoming more health conscience and this means more weird, vegan treats are being left on a plate at night. I try to just feed those to the reindeer so I can fulfill my obligation but even the reindeer don’t like the seaweed. V3: So that’s the one that you remember most? And you don’t want seaweed chips, ever? SC: Right, they stick to your tongue and while I’m flying around at the speed of light, I can’t shake the taste of the seaweed chips. They get stuck. The note that came with the chips was, “I thought this would help you fit down the chimney”. Wasn’t the greatest note that I’ve ever gotten. I’m glad that the children are concerned about Santa, but the belly goes along with the job. V3: What do Mrs. Claus and the elves give you for Christmas every year? SC: Well…other than seaweed chips? When I get home and all the work is done, the gift that I get from them is, silence. Just time to sit back and reflect and feel the joy from all around the world because of the work that we’ve done.

V3: What do the elves get for Christmas? SC: Well, you can imagine, from creating this tech, there’s a lot of leftover inventory and the elves…the elves get their pick of the litter. From everything we make for the boys and girls, there is always extra. And sometimes they will make modifications to those and what they have is a completely unique piece of technology, or toy, or doll and the elves get to tinker and enjoy the fruits of their labor. V3: Cool, you'd better be careful or you may lose some of these elves to Apple. SC: I have a very strict contract with my elves. It’s kind of a lifetime agreement. They get to hang out at the North Pole, drink as much hot chocolate as they want, eat as much candy as they want, and all the free tech in the world. Nobody treats their employees quite like Santa treats his elves. V3: That’s a pretty sweet deal. So how are we doing with the levels of Christmas spirit nowadays? Are we maintaining or do we need to do better? SC: The Christmas spirit – this is a tricky spot for Santa to give you an answer. I believe that no matter who or what you believe in, the Christmas spirit can be maintained through loving one another and appreciating what you have. It’s not about the presents that Santa brings. So as long as we, as a whole, maintain that position, then the Christmas spirit will be alive and well. But if you want presents from Santa, you do have to believe. V3: I have a question about one of the most famous of your reindeer. Are the other reindeers still jealous of Rudolph? And is he still leading your sleigh with his bright red nose on Christmas Eve? SC: Rudolph is an old man, just like Santa Claus. But yes, he still leads the sleigh and don’t believe there is any animosity amongst the other reindeer. Now since he has gotten a lot of fame and fortune, he can’t stay away from the paparazzi. I think the other reindeer see that as a burden. With fame comes a great cost. Rudolph can’t go anywhere in the North Pole without others wondering what he’s doing or wondering who he’s dating, and so on and so forth. I think the other reindeer feel sorry for him and appreciate him. v3 magazine

V3: So that gives them a time to enjoy themselves, do their job on Christmas Eve and live it up the rest of the year? SC: Exactly. While Rudolph shoulders all of the burden. Rudolph does a good job with this. He really does. V3: So where are you planning to go for vacation after this Christmas season? SC: Ahhh, well, I like to go to the Bermuda Triangle. You’ve always wondered why people disappear out there…there’s some magic out there and Santa can go there without being recognized. V3: Enjoy your vacation Santa. We will look forward to many, many more Christmas seasons to come. You bring us a lot of joy on Christmas day. SC: Ho Ho Ho and a Merrrryyyy Christmas!

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Rome for the Holidays TEXT COR INNA UN D ERWOOD

PH OTOS D EREK B EL L

Rome was very different a few years back, but one thing has remained the same – Christmas is and has always been a very special time of year.

hen we think of Christmas, images of dressing the tree, Santa Claus, excited children and family gatherings come to mind. As the residents of Rome’s Riverwood Senior Living community share some of their memories of Christmases past, it’s clear that the essentials of this festive season have not changed much over the years. According to resident Milton Chambers, Berry College Christmases were, as they still are today, lively and musical. “I went to Berry College in 1946. I was assigned to work in the dining hall. We only had about 80 students then,” he remembers. “I reported for work and learned how to do a lot of cooking for a lot of people. Out at Berry, we had our own bakery and a garden out there that we would tend in the summer time in preparation for days like Christmas. One of the things that really impressed me about Berry was that we started practicing Christmas music ‘round about Thanksgiving. We had choir rehearsals with about 50 or 60 people in the choir. They learned ‘The Messiah’ and all other kinds of Christmas music.” Bernice Davis recalls a very special festive season. “Christmas of 1961 was very special for me because it was my wedding day; Christmas Eve was,” she says. “We spent Christmas Eve night going around and visiting our friends who were putting out toys for the kids. I’ve got pictures of my husband on bicycles and skates and in flannel pajamas because he had to try on everything that he wrapped to put under the Christmas tree.

But it was a very special day for me. I had 30 special years. It is still my favorite time of the year.” Some Roman Christmas traditions have not changed. “The trees up and down Broad Street, they were filled with lights and they turned them on at Christmas,” says Dorothy Barker. “And the big tree at the end of Broad Street, they always decorated that, I believe, the day after Thanksgiving.”

Christmas of 1961 was very special for me because it was my wedding day; Christmas Eve was. Rosine Ayers laughs as she tells a story about one of her memorable Christmases. “My daddy always got a Christmas tree and mother would say it wasn’t big enough,” she says with a smile. “So one year he got one and it was so big we couldn’t get it in the house. He had the last word. But he had to saw off the end of it so we could get it in.” Bette Brinson’s eyes sparkle as she remembers Christmases gone by. “We had Christmas trees in every room in the house, and the house had seven rooms,” she says. “They were all decorated and the house was fully decorated. We had a family reunion and Santa Claus.” For many, Christmas memories are full of sharing. Jimmi Penson recalls sharing good tidings with her neighbors. “We’d have the music and go from door to door and sing and give out popcorn balls and candy that we had made,” she says. “Yes, that was fun.” Sometimes, it can be a little bit sad when

children grow older and realize that there is no Santa Claus, but Nell Howard’s story is sure to raise a laugh. “When my little boy was 8 years old, he didn’t know a whole lot,” she says. “He came running from the school bus into the house and said, ‘Oh, mother!’ I thought, ‘What in the world is wrong?’ And he said, ‘I know who Santa Claus is.’ I said, ‘Who?’ and he said, ‘Robert Milton’s daddy.’ I just thought that was so cute.” Charlotte Elliot reminds us that giving will always be an important part of the holiday season. “You haven’t really lived through Christmas until you’ve gone through a strike at a mill plant; this was Celanese,” she recalls. “I lived out there and they took all the little toys, the Union did, for the kiddies and put them all in the school. We could go through there and one parent had to carry you through. I picked a little red wheel barrow. I couldn’t have been but 3 years old, but I wanted that wheel barrow because daddy had a new one and I wanted to haul dirt, too.” In their day, decorations were mostly made from paper and strings of popcorn, and stocking fillers were often nuts and oranges. But thoughts of the holiday season certainly brought a smile to the faces of the residents of Riverwood as they traveled back in time and relived their Christmas memories. VVV

Riverwood Retirement Community is located at 511 W. 10th Street in Rome. Visit them online at www. riverwoodretirement.com or call 706-235-0807 for more info. v3 magazine

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The Night That the Lights Came on in Georgia TEXT ER IN D EMESQUITA

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he cold glass of a car window may sound like a harsh surface for curious little faces, but during the Christmas season, it’s the perfect place upon which to press your nose, hold your gaze, and let the lights lead your imagination. While celebratory traditions may reveal themselves as bounteous holiday feasts, joyous hymns and carols, or tiny rations of milk and cookies, it’s fair to say that no matter the beliefs or background, holiday traditions keep the festivities alive. ’Tis the season to relish in the cheer! Along with the territory, and to the dismay of the most spirited Santa supporters, one may encounter sporadic grumbles of “bah humbug,” but even the biggest, baddest scrooges of the Christmas season can’t deny the beauty of illumination. The tradition of scouting out the brightest bulbs of Christmas spirit reigns high on the list of family to-dos each year, and Pine Mountain, Ga., is home to one of the most magical displays. For more than 20 years, Callaway Gardens (17800 U.S. Hwy. 27) has attracted people from all walks and distances to their seasonal signature event, Fantasy In Lights, and it’s magnificence only grows brighter with time. From mid-November to early January, this holiday show engulfs the senses with Christmas cheer as it provides an audiovisual display that surpasses all the face pressing one could do in a full city scout for Yuletide glow. Clocking in at six weeks of installation, the show sets 8 million lights ablaze; this is equivalent to the number of tiny globes it would take to light up more than 26,000 standard six-foot Christmas trees. Whether bundled up aboard the Jolly Trolley to be driven through the attraction, or nestled in the warmth of the family car, Fantasy In Lights wraps adults in the bright shine of nostalgia and expands the horizons of childhood imagination. “Children love to see the familiar shapes of toys and fun-loving elves,” says Rachel Crumbley, Callaway’s director of Marketing and public relations. “And, almost all children love the Jolly Trolley ride to see the lights!” Fifteen elaborate displays guide visitors through five miles of winter wonderment that include an “Enchanted Rainbow Forest,” depicting the changing of seasons; the march of towering toy soldiers; and even an animated, twinkling classic Christmas story. The colorful cavalcade of “Christmas Tree Lane” illuminates the entry, golden swans reflect on the water and a “Magical Christmas

The entire Fantasy In Lights show at Callaway Gardens really is dedicated to Mrs. Callaway’s dream of seeing guests enjoy lights against the night sky for the holiday season. Garden” blooms before your eyes. Visitors are urged to step out of their vehicles, or off the Trolley, at Robin Lake Beach to watch the touching, animated scenes of “The Nativity” and “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” For 28-year-old Amanda Camp, Fantasy In Lights has been a family tradition for the last 21 years. “My mother loves Christmas, and it has translated to me and my sister,” Camp says. Her first memories of their family tradition involve an RV packed with parents, grandparents, cousins, and her aunt and uncle enjoying dinner together and then making their own intimate journey through displays like the swirling soft-lit “Snowflake

Valley” and the exciting bustle of “Santa’s Workshop.” “We had so much fun that we have been back every year since,” Camp smiles. This season is to be the show’s 24th year aglow, and while Fantasy In Lights maintains the five original displays with which it began in 1992, there’s definitely no dim to the demonstration. “This year, we are continuing to transition to LED lights,” says Crumbley, “which make the show brighter and more environmentally-friendly, in support of the nonprofit mission of Callaway Gardens.” In efforts to sustain quality and shine, each one of the scenes receives a complete restoration every few years, which includes rewiring and restringing. The dream of Fantasy In Lights was conceived by the garden’s first lady, Virginia Hand Callaway. Inspired by the illuminations of the Christmas seasons of her childhood, she envisioned an experience that would create those memories for countless families to come. v3 magazine

“The entire Fantasy In Lights show at Callaway Gardens really is dedicated to Mrs. Callaway’s dream of seeing guests enjoy lights against the night sky for the holiday season,” Crumbley says. To this day, not only is the show a fantastical feast for the eyes, but it has been named one of the world’s "Top 10 Places to See Holiday Lights” by National Geographic Traveler. Ninety-nine percent of the frames used in the show were custom designed and made just for Callaway. Responsible for the five original displays were Disneyland’s own Imagineering professionals, Ken Dresser, who designed floats for the Main Street Parade, and Dennis Despie, former vice president of entertainment. This customized ode to the season contains enough strings of lights to outline the state of South Carolina, an electric connection that could stretch more than 725 miles long. Each year, Callaway anticipates more than 170,000 visitors. “While most of the guests are concentrated from the United States, specifically the Southeast, we do have guests that are visiting internationally,” Crumbley says. “Regardless of where they visit from, we love to have people enjoy Fantasy In Lights and Callaway Gardens.” Visitors can even take their Callaway Christmas experience indoors where shopping is abundant, warm drinks and sweet treats are available, and the merriment of holiday cheer permeates the air. The Christmas Village at Robin Lake Beach is the place to shop; the “Main Street” theme this year includes a Collegiate Corner, Country Store, Toy Land and Holiday Boutique among others. According to Camp, this is the place to grab a hot mug of cider before hitching a ride on the Jolly Trolley. Taking this authentic holiday experience to the next level, visitors can even roast s’mores over open 44

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flames at the Christmas Pavilion outside or stop by Jacob Marley’s Christmas Spirits to indulge in eclectic drinks like Ebenezer's Eggnog, Cratchit's Cider, or Dickens' Dreamy Chocolate Winter. Crumbley encourages children to bring their Christmas wish lists with them and come dressed and ready for their photo with Jolly Old St. Nick. While she may no longer write out a list (don’t quote us on that), this photo-op is one tradition that Camp refuses to leave to childhood. “To this day, I still get a picture with Santa!” she says. Since Fantasy In Lights is a night event, there is no need for guests to rush home,

according to Crumbley. “There are two great packages to stay overnight in one of four types of lodging options – one package with tickets and room and another with tickets, room and breakfast,” she explains. “All packages include VIP Jolly Trolley loading and a 2015 Commemorative Ornament. And, both overnight stays and Fantasy In Lights admission include admission to the Gardens by day. The Gardens will be abundantly decorated for the holidays, so guests will want to be sure to visit.” Camp says that Fantasy In Lights will be a tradition that she will definitely keep for years to come. “Christmas is a magical time,” she

says. “It is so much fun to ride around and look at Christmas lights in your hometown, but it is even more fun when enjoying it with family, Christmas music and good cheer!” Come January, Callaway’s beloved light show will use 1,020 man hours to disassemble and then in its 6,500-square-foot warehouse it will remain until the magic of the Christmas season returns. Be sure to bring the family, bundle up and grab a hot cocoa; the enchantment awaits. VVV For more information about Fantasy In Lights at Callaway Gardens find them on the web at www.callawaygardens.com.

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