West Georgia Woman Magazine December 2022

Denise Etienne Shackelford is fighting food insecurity in West Georgia.

Photo: Denise Shackelford with her husband, David.

Photo by Zachary Dailey

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A Season for Sharing

The best thing about Christmas – for me – is spending time with family and friends while sharing wonderful holiday traditions. Each year, on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, my family comes over and we all decorate my Christmas tree. We make a little party out of it, with snacks and drinks, as well as building a fire in the fireplace and listening to Christmas carols. After the decorating is complete, we'll play holiday-themed games for small prizes I've picked up here and there, and just enjoy our time together talking and catching up with everyone.

I'm excited to be able to share this tradition with my beautiful granddaughter this year! This will be her first Christmas on Earth. Isn't that crazy to think about? All the things we take for granted are completely new to her. She's never seen a holiday light show, or sat in Santa's lap. I get emotional just thinking about the wonder of Christmas as seen through a child's eyes.

Whatever your traditions may be, I sincerely wish you a happy holiday season filled with love, laughter and happiness.

In This Issue

Our feature this month is West Georgia Hunger Coordinator, Denise Etienne Shackelford, with Northwest Georgia Hunger Ministries. Denise works tirelessly to help provide food for those who need it most in our community.

For years, she has dreamed of building a permanent resource in Carrollton, so she's embarking on a new journey to transfer her food resource programs to her organization, Giving Hearts Inc., effective Jan. 1, 2023.

On page 10, learn more about Denise and how she's on a mission to help eradicate hunger in Carroll County.

On page 23, Corey Cusick tells us how Tanner Health System’s gift shops, spanning all four hospitals in the West Georgia/East Alabama region, are earmarking 100 percent of proceeds from sales in the month of December to Tanner’s Cancer Assistance Fund.

I think most of us enjoy decorating for the holidays in some form or fashion. But for me, the worst part is packing all the decorations up after only using them a month! On page 28, Shala Hainer shares how you can keep your home festive by using winter holiday decorations all year with some seasonal tweaking.

I'm excited to announce West Georgia Woman magazine received 13 more Georgia Press Association awards for advertising, in addition to the 13 awards we received in June for writing and photography. In all, we received 26 awards this year! Learn more about our award winning advertising on page 33.

It's hard to believe this year is almost over. It seems to have flown by! On page 34, get ready for 2023 and learn the best ways to ring in the New Year.

There's much more inside! As we enter the Christmas season, I hope you will do your best to shop with local merchants. These business owners support our community in many ways, so show them some love by purchasing as many of your Christmas gifts as you can from them this holiday season.

From all of us at West Georgia Woman magazine, we wish you a very, Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.

Peace and joy, Publisher

Photo by Keith May

Making a difference. TM

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Finding our voice. Knowing our value.

By

Amanda Thomas

Photos by Zachary Dailey

Finding Security

Denise Etienne Shackelford is Fighting Food Insecurity in West Georgia

Denise Etienne Shackelford can think of two reasons why she is the way she is.

First, Denise’s father, Michel Etienne, told her the greatest sin is knowing someone needs help and not helping them.

“He said, ‘Don't you ever do that, Denise, because the Bible says Jesus can come back in any way, shape or form, and that could be a test for you,'" recalls the 61-year-old Carrollton resident, who describes her father as someone who wouldn't hesitate to give a person the shirt off his back.

Second, when her father's sister passed away and left behind six children, Denise's mother, Beatrice Etienne, didn't hesitate to adopt them.

"I watched my mom do everything she could to try to help and support people, so I've had awesome examples of parents who showed me that you need to give back,” she says. "I know that's what molded me. And then I taught my two children the same thing."

Now Denise is a woman on a mission as the West Georgia Hunger Coordinator for Northwest Georgia Hunger Ministries, and her focus is to help eradicate hunger in Carroll County.

Preparing for the Fight

Denise was born in Dayton, Ohio. The oldest of four children, she was raised Roman Catholic.

As a student, she excelled, graduating from Colonel White High School a year early.

She graduated cum laude from Spelman College in 1983 with a bachelor's in psychology and a minor in sociology. She lived in DeKalb County for more than 20 years.

“My first job directly out of college was working for the American Cancer Society, and I helped counsel dying patients," she recalls. “I lasted 11 months because I took everything so personally."

One of her duties was fitting women with prostheses after breast cancer surgery. She recalls one day when a 26-year-old Black woman came in.

“She had a double mastectomy and horrific radiation burns all over her body,” Denise says. The woman burst out in tears when Denise was able to provide prostheses for her skin tone.

“She was so humbled and thankful because they were Black like her,” she says. “I can’t get that out of my mind. It struck home.”

She also remembers helping another patient dying from lung cancer.

“She called me every day, and we talked for long periods of time,” Denise says. “I was always

troubled with what to say when someone was dying. I tried my best to stay upbeat and positive. But when I got home, I would lose it.”

The stress of her job took its toll. She was experiencing hair loss, vomiting and other gastrointestinal symptoms.

"I realized I can't do that because I care too much," she says. "So, I completely changed my field to telecommunications."

In 1983, she married her college sweetheart. In 1988, she began working as a network design engineer for MCI Communications, a telecommunications company.

And in 1992, she and her husband welcomed their first child into the world, Kelli Michelle McGill. Four years later, the couple welcomed their second child, Brandon Alexander McGill.

Brandon lives in Nashville with his fiancé and three children. He teaches fifth grade at Kipp Nashville College Prep.

In 2012, she was involved with an organization called Open Arms Pantry, run by Roz Griffith.

"Roz helped residents in Monroe County supplement food," she says. “The number of folks that came to the pantry was overwhelming. It really opened my eyes to the needs of communities.”

In 2014, she and her friend, Callie Clegg, who is a

registered nurse, established an organization called Giving Hearts, Inc., serving Rockdale and DeKalb counties

"What we did and continue to do is provide emergency food sources," Denise explains.

When her 36-year marriage ended in divorce, Denise sought a change in scenery, moving from Stone Mountain to Carrollton in September 2017.

"I think as you get older, you need some peace," she says. "When I moved down here, it was a total fresh start. I didn't know anybody or anything."

In 2018, she found an open hunger coordinator position for a summer lunch program run by Action Ministries. With more than 28 years of project management experience, she decided to give it a shot.

"Sometimes you do a job to pay bills, but I always found personal joy in doing things connected to service," she recalls. "So, when I saw that opportunity, I said, 'You know, that's something I think I might want to do.'"

Fighting for Food Security in Carroll County

Feeding America's 2022 Map the Meal Gap report shows that every county and congressional district in America is home to people who experience hunger. In Carroll County, there were 14,890 food-insecure residents, or 12.5% of the population in 2020.

A part of that population includes children. And when the director of Action Ministries' hunger program hired Denise, the goal was to feed 5,148 children in Carroll County.

That program exceeded its goal, feeding 9,253 children.

"Each year, I was given a goal, and I would double or triple that goal during the summer," she recalls.

Pastor Lee Wimberly and his congregation at North Point Baptist Church in Carrollton were instrumental in helping Denise with the summer lunch program.

“They were the first church to invite me to service and fellowship,” she recalls. “Pastor Wimberly and his wife, Melissa, were extremely supportive.”

Denise found that seniors were having similar issues with food insecurity. She partnered with Atlanta Community Food Banks' Senior Supplemental Food Program in January 2019.

The program began with only 30 seniors being served at North Point Baptist Church. Now, there are 150.

Denise and volunteers prepare to give thousands of pounds of food to people in need. On average, Northwest Georgia Hunger Ministries gives out 26,420 pounds of food per month.

On the second Tuesday of the month, seniors can come to the designated pickup location and receive a 40-pound box of nonperishables, a block of cheese, meat and milk.

While the work she was doing took up much of her time, she found time to fall in love with David Shackelford, who she met when she moved to Carrollton. They were married in 2019 on her mother's 82nd birthday.

“I had not dated since the 80s, so you can imagine the shock of being out there," she recalls. "I wasn't looking for anyone, but I had a friend – as a joke – sign me up for an online dating app."

Her first few dates using the app weren't promising, but she's glad she didn't give up.

"He's great," she says. "God has favored and blessed me by bringing David into my life.”

Getting remarried did little to slow down her work fighting hunger. It wasn't long before she had another idea for increasing access to food.

"We've got areas in Carrollton where there are food deserts," she recalls thinking. "How are we getting food to them?"

According to the USDA, a food desert is an area with many low-income residents with little to no access to affordable, healthy food.

funeral service.

Denise (right) and David (left) on their wedding day, with Denise's mother, Beatrice Etienne.

In 2019, the ministry started its first mobile food pantry at North Point Baptist Church.

"That's a truck that delivers between 10,000 to 15,000 pounds of food per delivery site," she says.

The ministry soon began work on a second mobile pantry at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Clem, with Pastor Vincent Dortch and his congregation eagerly stepping up to help.

The mobile pantries were a success, with each supplying food to 350-500 families a week.

2020 brought many challenges, including Hope Atlanta’s acquisition of Action Ministries. Hope Atlanta’s focus is providing housing for people who are homeless, while Action Ministries’ was hunger.

“It appeared to be a perfect match and an opportunity to bring out the best of both organizations,” she recalls. “But it soon became apparent hunger wasn't a top priority.”

Hunger programs, like the one in Rome, Ga., were slowly being discontinued, with no new opportunities for growth.

“Our facility in Rome served a huge amount of people,” she recalls. “It is the lifeline for many of its residents.”

Concerned parties within and surrounding Rome came together and formed a separate organization now known as Northwest Georgia Hunger Ministries.

Earlier this year, Denise stayed with Northwest Georgia Hunger Ministries when they and Hope Atlanta officially parted ways.

Working Through Loss

Denise has dedicated most of her life to helping others, so it was fitting that the community she served so selflessly was there for her when she needed support.

In October 2021, Denise's daughter passed away while giving birth to her grandson, Alixandir LaMarr Mikhal Crosby.

Kelli was born with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome, a rare condition that affects the development of blood cells, muscles and skin. It's also associated with the overgrowth of bones and soft tissues. This abnormal growth is usually limited to one limb, most often one leg, which is what happened with Kelli.

The growth can cause a feeling of heaviness, pain and reduced movement. Kelli was also born with congestive heart failure, and her circulatory system didn’t develop properly.

“She was the first with this combined set of issues, so finding a cure for her situation was always experimental,” Denise says.

Kelli had at least 30 different operations or procedures during her lifetime.

“Kelli was her own celebrity at Children's Egleston Hospital,” Denise says. “We would walk in, and the staff would say, ‘Kelli!' She would smile and wave or high-five them. It was almost like Cheers when Norm walked into the bar. Everyone knew her name.”

Kelli graduated from Stephenson High School in 2011 and enrolled in Albany State University, which was a big deal. Her pediatrician, Dr. Runnette Flowers, told them that she had to be close enough to be medevaced back to the hospital within 25 minutes of an episode.

“It was scary, but we wanted her to be able to experience college life at an HCBU far away but close enough should a medical crisis arrive,” Denise says. “Unfortunately, during Kelli’s second semester, we got ‘the call.’”

One of Kelli’s roommates called and said they rushed her to the hospital.

“She had gone into AFib, and it was pretty bad,” Denise recalls.

Atrial fibrillation (AFib or AF) is an irregular heartbeat that can lead to potentially dangerous consequences like blood clots, heart failure and stroke.

“By the time I got there, she had her heart restarted two times to get it back into rhythm,” Denise says. “Man, was I terrified!”

Denise recalls focusing on experiences to ensure Kelli and Brandon had full lives.

“As a family, we traveled a lot,” Denise says. “We took the kids to Mexico, allowing the children to see and understand different cultures.”

Through Girl Scouts, Kelli and her troop had the opportunity to go to England and France.

“This was unheard of at the time,” Denise recalls. “We had an African American Girl Scout troop, and it was a first where the troop got to travel abroad. It was three years in the making, but I made it happen! That was an exciting adventure for all.”

As a Girl Scout, Kelli earned bronze, silver and gold awards. The Gold Award is the equivalent to the Eagle Scout award for Boy Scouts.

Kelli earning the Gold Award was significant because there wasn’t a lot of diversity in the Girl Scouts program at the time.

“Most African American Scouts never reach this goal,” she says. “However, I was blessed to have four girls in my troop be successful in reaching this achievement. The majority of my girls did accomplish their bronze and silver. I was proud of this.”

Kelli did many more things people thought she'd never do, including having children. Despite the potential risks of carrying a child with her condition, she gave birth to her daughter, Korie LaVaughn Crosby, in July 2016.

Kelli even wrote a children's book, "The Adventures of Korie: Will You Be My Friend?" She wrote the book to inspire kids to accept people's differences. Her book is available to purchase on www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com.

"When you have a child, and you find out that

Kelli, with her daughter, Korie.

child is disabled, you have two choices," Denise says. "The first choice is to coddle and baby them. If you choose this option, they become dependent on you for life. The second choice is to force them to deal with their challenges head-on so that should something happen to you, they could keep on living. It’s a tough but necessary stance. That’s the choice I took."

One thing that Kelli always wanted to be was a mom. When she learned she was expecting another child, she had a team of specialists monitoring her condition as the pregnancy progressed.

Kelli's condition put her at a higher risk for complications during childbirth. But it's also important to note that data for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that Black women are three

times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes in the U.S. than white women.

Unfortunately, she never got to see her baby. Kelli flatlined on the table and never recovered. The doctors tried to intubate her but ran into complications.

Kelli was declared brain-dead on Oct. 13, 2021.

Denise often thinks back to what they told her when Kelli was born.

"You can be very hurt, upset and angry that your child is gone," she says. "But they told me that she wouldn't live 24 hours, and she did plus more. I am blessed and thankful that God allowed me to have her for 28 and a half years. I choose to look at it that way.”

While she took time off to grieve, the work of fighting food insecurity in the community continued.

Denise had a memory bear made from Kelli’s dress for Kelli's daughter, Korie. The bear features a special stocking and has one of Kelli's locs sewn into a heart.

"My volunteers are awesome," she says. "They never missed a beat. They knew exactly what they needed to do. They were like, 'Denise, we got you. Don’t worry.'"

Continuing the Fight

Despite having had a difficult year in 2021, Denise continues to help her community.

In addition to the work she’s doing to increase access to food, she serves the community as a member of the Carrollton Optimist Club and Carrollton Rotary Club.

While much has been done to help people struggling with food insecurity, there is still more work. According to a 2022 report by Wall Street 24/7, Carroll County ranks 12 in the U.S. on a list identifying the counties where the most people don’t have reliable access to food.

"You want to help everybody, but you can't help everybody," she says. "For me, that's the frustrating part – always wanting to help, but knowing you can't do everything." She knows the work she and her team are doing makes a difference. And she is determined to keep growing,

with the help of local organizations, volunteers and the community.

It’s this type of collaboration that led to a third mobile pantry being added in September 2022 at Primera Asamblea de Dios on Newnan Road under the guidance of Pastor Rudy Casia. The goal was to focus on serving the Hispanic community, an often underserved population.

“We are super excited about the success this is becoming,” Denise says.

She dreamed of building a permanent resource in Carrollton. Stepping out on faith, she will transfer

her programs to Giving Hearts Inc., effective Jan. 1, 2023.

Plans are to have Giving Heart’s facility open in January 2023. The pantry will be at God Is Good International Prophetic Ministries at 148 Mt. Zion Boulevard in Carrollton’s west end.

One of her goals is to set up a client-choice food pantry. The store would be set up like a grocery store. Customers could come in and pick out exactly what they need (some limitations may apply) instead of being given a random box of food.

The program is designed to supplement a person’s food, not be a permanent food source. Clients will be allowed to shop twice a month by appointment only.

Denise expects to have a fourth mobile pantry

operating at that location. She realizes Carroll County has Open Hands, The Soup Kitchen, several churches that have independent food pantries, and a few other options for food sources.

“We are not here to upset the apple cart,” she says. “We are not trying to take away from or compete against. We are simply trying to be a support and an added resource for families in need.”

Denise notes that the client choice model allows individuals to choose what they want to eat, which dignifies the process.

She believes this is important to anyone needing assistance.

They are looking for organizations willing to donate food.

“And of course, we will take monetary donations as well because that will help us maintain and bring more things into the standalone pantry,” she says.

She lives by the philosophy, "Where there's a will, there's a way."

"You need people with drive, determination and a lot of love for other people," she says.

"That's a good recipe for making something successful. You have to be willing to sacrifice your time. You can't just think about the monetary reward. Think about the big picture, and God takes care of the rest." WGW

Giving the gift of for the holidays

By Corey Cusick

Creating new and unique ways to give back to the communities she serves has been a priority for Jeanette Wheeler since joining Tanner Health System nearly a decade ago.

And in her nine years at Tanner, the director of Volunteer Services at Tanner – along with her valued corps of volunteers – are targeting a cause that impacts everyone, in one form or another, this holiday season.

Tanner’s popular gift shops, spanning all four hospitals in the West Georgia/East Alabama region, are earmarking all proceeds from the month of December to Tanner’s Cancer Assistance Fund.

On the brink of unveiling a major rejuvenation to its cancer center at Tanner Medical Center/ Carrollton, the fundraiser for the month of December will help play a pivotal part of that, along with continued efforts from the Tanner Foundation.

“I don’t think there’s anybody in the community that has not been affected by cancer in some way,” Wheeler said. “They can do their shopping, get a

gift for Christmas and know that all of the profits are going back to something good. That is, to me, exciting and what differentiates us from any other shopping experience that you could have for the holiday season.”

Tanner has four volunteer-run gift shops in its system across four locations – “Lamplighter

Tanner gift shops donating all proceeds from month of December to its Cancer Assistance Fund

Gift Shop” (Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton), “Reflections Gift Shop” (Higgins General Hospital in Bremen), “Golden Treasures Gift Shop” (Tanner Medical Center/Villa Rica) and “Classy Cabinet” (Tanner Medical Center/East Alabama in Wedowee).

Tanner Communications Manager Tony Montcalm noted how the December fundraiser is an integral piece to the puzzle toward a true game-changer when it comes to cancer care in the region.

“It’s going to be unrecognizable to previous patients. They’re making this a world-class destination for cancer care on Clinic Avenue in Carrollton,” Montcalm said. “This is what this fund is going to support – making this center evolve into the new generation of cancer care.”

The volunteer

You’re the first link in saving a life.

The chain of survival begins with you.

Most life-threatening emergencies — like strokes and heart attacks — happen in the presence of loved ones.

If someone is experiencing a medical crisis, don’t wait: Call 911 immediately.

Every minute matters.

Serving Carroll County since 1977.

program at Tanner has been in the business of fundraising for more than 50 years with money going back to the Tanner Foundation.

What is different about this particular fundraiser, however, is that it was strategically planned to where 100% of the proceeds go directly to the Cancer Assistance Fund.

It doesn’t matter what type of cancer the patient has, the proceeds can help with anything from transportation costs to medication costs to utilities or dayto-day life needs for Tanner patients who are currently battling cancer and are already at a tough spot in life.

Nurse navigators at the cancer center identify patients who qualify for the program and refer them to the Foundation, which grants assistance on a case-by-case basis.

Of course, purchasing items from the gift shops will go a long way to help the cause, but there are other ways to do your part.

Tanner is replenishing its volunteer program after numbers dropped from more than 325 volunteers prior to the start of the COVID pandemic in 2020 to roughly 140 as of late October 2022 across the health system.

Wheeler noted that she is actively recruiting new candidates, adding how volunteers have recently returned to in-person activity at the hospitals.

“We have students from the University of West

Georgia and West Georgia Technical College who volunteer with us to get volunteer hours or to learn more about health care as a career option,” Wheeler said.

Tanner also receives a tremendous boost from local senior citizens who volunteer their time and talents, whether it is helping out in the gift shops or information desks at the entrance of the hospital, just to name a few.

“Our facilities are so big that people can get lost and get frustrated. When you’re here as a patient or family member who’s visiting a patient, it’s usually

Tanner’s popular gift shops have everything from men and women's clothing and bath and body products, mugs, jewelry and decorative ceramics to stuffed animals, journals, candles, delectable preserves, honey, nuts, flavorings and more. Inset, two shoppers check out the cozy Christmas PJs, and the ornaments on the Lamplighter Gift Shop's Christmas tree.

not the best occasion and you might be a little stressed out,” Wheeler said. “It’s a service we like to provide to be able to escort people throughout the hospital to help them find their way so they don’t have to worry about directions on top of everything else they’re worrying about.”

Among the obstacles the COVID pandemic unleashed on Tanner Health System over the past three years, having to close the gift shops proved to be one of the areas where Wheeler felt the most impact.

But she wasn’t going to allow it to deter customers from being able to shop.

Tanner’s Gift Store Hours

Lamplighter Gift Shop (TMC/Carrollton)

Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Golden Treasures Gift Shop (TMC/Villa Rica)

Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Reflections Gift Shop (Higgins General Hospital in Bremen)

Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Classy Cabinet (TMC/East Alabama in Wedowee)

Wheeler and Tanner’s Volunteer Resources created virtual accessibility to Tanner’s gift shops during the pandemic behind the launch of an app – “The Tanner Gift Shop '' – that can be downloaded on Google Play or Apple’s App Store.

Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“Our customers can now go online and send something to a patient or browse what we have for sale seasonally. They can browse our products online and purchase them,”

Wheeler is extremely proud of her department and all its volunteers who, like everyone else in the health system, found ways to continue to serve during the most difficult of times.

“In the last year, we’ve looked at ways that – if we were ever in a situation like this again – that we could continue to give back to the community,” Wheeler said. “We developed this online, virtual way of being able to support the Tanner Foundation and support fundraising. We’re super excited about that.”

Some other exciting events on the horizon include

West Georgia

Woman Holiday Guide

merchandise there, too. We do everything from candles to blue jeans,” Wheeler said. “You name it, we’ve got it.”

If you don’t want to purchase an item online, you can still give to the Tanner Foundation through the app with a monetary donation.

Transform Your Tree Skirt

the return of the Masquerade $5 Jewelry Sale on Dec. 6-8 in Classroom 2 at Tanner Medical Center/ Carrollton, with all proceeds going to the Cancer Assistance Fund, along with new virtual sales every Thursday evening beginning at 8:30.

Wheeler said you can download the app or follow on Facebook for weekly debuts.

“You’ll get notifications when we go live. You can browse what we already have. We do a lot of Tanner

“That could be one dollar to whatever they want to donate. So there’s opportunities there, as well,” Wheeler said, adding that all donations are taxdeductible. So now that the holidays are upon us, Wheeler believes there is no better way to show your support for the cause and get into the spirit all at once than giving the gift of hope.

“It is a way to do your shopping, get something you need, but you also know that you’re supporting someone in your community that needs assistance with their care. That’s huge to me,” Wheeler said. “You're buying a gift for someone, but you’re giving a gift that’s priceless to someone else.” WGW

Auto Gallery Chevrolet, Buick, GMC's General Manager Mark Foster Shares His Passion for Cars and Community

Cheer All Year

Getting the most out of your decorations

By Shala Hainer

As much as people love holiday decorations, it can be less than joyful to unpack them all for such a short time to enjoy them. Other holidays want to feel the love, too! Keep your home festive by using winter holiday decorations all year with some seasonal tweaking.

Lights. While you don’t want be “that person” who leaves their holiday lights lining the roof of your porch all year, certain uses just make sense. During the fall, for example, push a string of lights inside a real or ceramic jack-o-lantern to give it that wellknown glow. These could be white lights, or pick a color you use at Christmas such as a string of red or blue for more of an eerie touch. If you use wi-fi enabled rope lights, you might be able to leave them up all year, depending on where you put them. Think lining the ceiling of your front porch or under your roof eaves. You can program the color to match the season, wherever you choose to place the lights. Maybe they are multi-colored for the holidays, but you change them to red, white and blue for the 4th of July. The lights can be orange or purple for Halloween, and pastels for Easter.

Candles. Plan ahead a bit with your candles, which are easy to use for nearly every season. Buy a variety of wide tabletop candles in a neutral color, such as white or gray, and group them together in a variety of locations, including your mantle, table centerpiece or bathroom counter. Around the candles, change the décor for each season. For Christmas, scatter ornaments around them, or wrap the bases in small garland. Think tiny pumpkins and pinecones for fall. You can even reuse those pinecones – leave them plain brown for fall, but spray the ends with white paint or flocking to keep them around your candles for the winter holidays. Make Halloween spookier by draping dark webbing over the candles – if you don’t plan to light them, of course. Spring lends itself to Easter eggs around the base of the candles, or silk flowers. Sunflowers help ring in a summer vibe, or make a beach scene with sand and shells. Remember smaller holidays, too, like Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day – wrap the candle bases with red or green ribbon, or place them on a tray that can also hold candy hearts or

gold-wrapped chocolate coins for your family to enjoy near those holidays.

Wreaths. Many of the ideas that work with candles go well with your wreaths, too. Pick a neutral wreath that can weather any holiday, and change out simple things throughout the year. This might be a burlap wreath or one made of a greenery like magnolia leaves. The bow is super easy to change often. Buy a seasonal or holiday ribbon you like, make a bow of a size that fits your wreath, then attach it with pipe cleaners. If you’d like to dress the wreath up more elaborately, try attaching pinecones in the fall with pipe cleaners or florist wire, or hang a wooden heart in the center for Valentine’s, for example.

Ornaments. It’s not necessarily appropriate to display the salt-dough gingerbread man you made in third grade all year, but some ornaments are more multi-purpose. Blown glass ornaments, for example, look beautiful when displayed near a window, possibly hung on a small shepherd’s hook. Another idea is to place shimmery, round ornaments on stands or in a bed of moss either inside for houseplants or outside in your flowerbed to simulate popular fairy gazing balls.

Trees. Tired of taking down your tree? Then don’t! It’s becoming more popular to leave your tree up all year (only fake trees, please!). Once you remove your Christmas decorations, jazz it up with decorations for each season and holiday. Change it as often as you like, even reusing some of your Christmas items. If you have blue and silver ornaments, use them for New Year’s along with tons of tinsel, and top the tree with a festive party-favor bouquet. Valentines might lend itself to handmade red and pink paper chains as garland, and cards you and your family receive – or, hide small boxes of Valentine candy in the tree and let your kids find one each night for a special treat. If you want to get more bang for your Christmas buck, grab all of your red ornaments and use them for Valentine’s. Think outside the box to keep your tree looking fresh and new throughout the year, decorating for days such as Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, 4th of July and back to school. Try decorating for days special to your family such as birthdays and anniversaries – this might be with a color that is meaningful, or Polaroid-style photos scattered on the tree like ornaments. Keeping the tree up all year gives you one more way to celebrate your family as well as holidays. WGW

Daily Fare

Chef Rose With

Chef Rose Isaacs is a native of Carroll County and lives in Carrollton with her husband Shawn and their son, Sebastian. She graduated from West Georgia Technical College in 2013 with a degree in Culinary Arts. After graduation, she began her career as a chef at the Carrollton Kroger Marketplace where she works in the bistro.

She is a personal chef who offers cooking lessons, baby food prep, date night dinners for two and more.

Learn more about Chef Rose at www.chefrosecooks.com.

Photos by Zachary Dailey

Ginger Cookies with Lemon Icing

" Santa Claus will love these ginger cookies on Christmas Eve. "

Ingredients

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling

For the icing:

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

Preparation

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Make your brown butter: add butter to a saucepan and place over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to brown and turn a nice golden amber color on the

bottom of the saucepan.

Continue to whisk and remove from heat as soon as the butter begins to brown and gives off a nutty aroma.

Set aside to cool for 10 minutes or until cool enough to touch.

With an electric mixer, beat the cooled brown butter and brown sugar until thoroughly blended.

Beat in the egg, vanilla and molasses until smooth and creamy.

Add the dry ingredients slowly, and beat on medium-low speed just until combined.

Chill dough in the refrigerator for about 20 to 30 minutes.

While your dough chills, preheat the oven to 350º F.

Grab a heaping large tablespoon of dough, and roll into a ball then, roll in sugar.

Place dough balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove and cool on wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes.

For the lemon icing: in a medium bowl, mix the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and lemon zest.

Dip the top of the cookie in the icing, or spoon a little on top.

Allow icing to harden.

Serves 10

Bagel Casserole

Ingredients

8 strips bacon

1/2 red onion chopped

6 bagels with "everything" seasoning

8 large eggs

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

8-ounce cream cheese

Fresh dill for garnish

Nonstick spray for pan

Aluminum foil

Preparation

Cook bacon strips in skillet over medium heat until golden brown.

Place on paper towel-lined plate.

After cooled, crumble bacon into pieces. Add onion to the remaining bacon grease in skillet and sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes or until softened.

Remove the onion from the pan and drain

on a paper towel.

Cut bagels into 1-inch chunks

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese and parsley.

Grease a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Place half of bagel pieces into the dish.

Top with half of the crumbled bacon.

Pour over half of the egg mixture.

Place all of the cooked onions on top.

Slice cream cheese block into 12 pieces and place on top of onions.

Repeat with the rest of the bagels, bacon and egg mixture.

Cover with foil, place in refrigerator and leave overnight.

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Bake for about 50 minutes, still covered with foil.

Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until top is golden brown and egg mixture is set.

Remove from oven and top with fresh dill.

Serves 10. WGW

"

The perfect breakfast for Christmas morning. "

West Georgia Woman Magazine Receives 13 Additional Georgia Press Awards for Advertising, 26 Awards Overall

In June, at the Georgia Press Association's (GPA) 2021

Better Newspaper Contest Awards, West Georgia Woman magazine recieved 13 awards for writing and photography, including being awarded first place in the state for "Best Magazine, Original Writing" for the third year in a row, first place for "Best Magazine, Human Interest Story" and first place overall, regardless of division, for "Best Photo Portfolio," by photographer, Zachary Dailey.

Advertising awards were announced later in the year, with West Georgia Woman magazine receiving an additional 13 awards.

Established in 2015, West Georgia Woman magazine received a total of 26 GPA awards for advertising, writing and photography this year.

years!

included submissions from newspapers and magazines throughout Georgia.

Daily Division (overall winner in state from all submissions regardless of circulation numbers):

Idea of the Year, First Place, M. Dawn Harvey DMD (Bridal ad)

Division A awards:

First place, Advertising Campaign, West Georgia Urology

M. Dawn Harvey, DMD's Bridal ad was the overall winner in the state for "Idea of the Year" from all submissions regardless of circulation numbers in the GPA's 2021 Better Newspaper Contest.

Entries were judged in seven divisions based on circulation.

Because West Georgia Woman magazine has the highest print circulation among members of the Georgia Press Association in the West Georgia area, it was included in the "Division A," magazine competition, competing against considerably larger media companies such as the Marietta Daily Journal, Brunswick News, Savannah Morning News, Gwinnett Daily Post, Rome News Tribune, The Telegraph Macon and more.

West Georgia Urology's "Medieval ad" won first place "Full Color Ad" in the GPA's 2021 Better Newspaper Contest.

Judging was independently carried out by members of the Louisiana Press Association.

The contest

Second place, Advertising Campaign, Dollar Heating and Air

First place, Healthcare, M. Dawn Harvey, DMD (Bridal)

Second place, Healthcare, M. Dawn Harvey, DMD (Great Game, Tough Break)

First place, Service/ Institutional, Sewell Mill Events and Community Center (Bridal)

Second place, Service/ Institutional, Dailey Life Photography (Bridal)

First place, Full Color Ad, West Georgia Urology (Medieval ad)

First Place, Spot Color Ad, West Georgia Ambulance (Christmas ad, December 2021)

Second Place, Spot Color Ad, West Georgia Ambulance (Heart Health Awareness)

A Southern Wedding Flower

One of a Kind Floral Designs for Your Special Day

Kim Ward – Florist Ranburne, AL 256.568.5757 mkward1989@gmail.com www.asouthernweddingflower.com

A Southern Wedding Flower's Bridal ad won first place "Small Page Ad" in the GPA's 2021 Better Newspaper Contest.

First place, Small Page Ad (eighth page or less), A Southern Wedding Flower (Bridal)

Second place, Small Page Ad (eighth page or less) Clearwater Tan and Spa (Look and Feel Young Again)

Second place, Promotion Out of Print (West Georgia Woman magazine hand mirror)

Visit www.westgeorgiawoman.com to view our award winning ads, articles and photography. WGW

M. Dawn Harvey, DMD, PC

Creating Beautiful Smiles For Over 18

hether you prefer to snuggle up on the couch with loved ones or you crave the energy of being surrounded by people, there’s a New Year’s celebration for you to enjoy this year. It’s been a bit of “slim pickins” the past couple of years, and many are ready to get back to either going to celebrations in person or watching real celebrations with real crowds on TV. Local towns big and small have put their own unique spin on ringing in the New Year, creating some unforgettable experiences for you and your family.

WReady for

The best ways to ring in the New Year

By Shala Hainer

celebration

Possom Drop – Tallapoosa, Ga.

This event continues to gain popularity, earning statewide and even national news coverage. Filled with live music, tasty food and activities for adults and kids, the Possom Drop has an incredible lineup this year. The celebration starts Friday evening with a dance party and dress-like-the-80s contest. On Saturday, New Year’s Eve, the M-80s band kicks off the event followed by Satisfaction, the awardwinning Rolling Stones tribute band. Fireworks begin at midnight as the stuffed possum, Spencer, makes its way down. A special early drop with fireworks display happens at 9 pm in the Kid’s Zone. Organizers are planning to live stream the event so people can watch at home as well.

Dropping of the Edelweiss – Helen, Ga.

As our local alpine village, Helen drops the native mountain flower of Deutschland, the edelweiss. The festival features activities for the whole family, including live music, party hats, a variety of appetizers and a champagne toast. Local hotels fill up quickly, so book your room early.

NYE Live! – The Battery, Atlanta, Ga.

This 21-and-up celebration features a Vegas-style party with casino games and decorations, along with exclusive access to two elite bars, party favors, live music, confetti cannon and a champagne toast. The event offers VIP packages featuring private bars and food stations.

Stone Mountain Park – Atlanta, Ga.

Designed just for kids, this event hosts an early celebration in conjunction with the Stone Mountain Christmas seasonal event. At 9 pm, enjoy a snowfall and an early countdown to a fireworks show. The

Holiday Light Shows

Many holiday light shows continue through Jan. 1, 2023, and there are several close enough for a day trip where you can enjoy the venue for a while before the light display begins. Most don’t have special New Year’s Eve celebrations, but many are open for the evening of Dec. 31, 2022.

These include Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Gardens, Garden Lights/Holiday Nights at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Illuminights at Zoo Atlanta, Margaritaville’s Lakeside Lights Spectacular at Lanier Islands, Enchanted Garden of Lights at Rock City Gardens and Holiday Lights at Barnsley Resort. Most require tickets to be purchased in advance, so check their websites for availability.

Staying In

If you prefer to stay home and gently ease into the New Year, have fun with the family by planning a simple theme. Maybe it’s pajama day, and you enjoy breakfast for dinner and some s’mores by the fireplace (or over the gas stove burners, which works in a pinch if you don’t have a fireplace).

Design a fun hot chocolate bar with your favorite hot chocolate recipe in the crock pot, surrounded by add-ons such as crushed peppermint candies, butterscotch chips, tiny marshmallows, sea salt and caramel syrup. Instead of spoons, use cinnamon sticks or leftover Christmas candy canes.

For additional cuteness, add a baked potato or mashed potato bar – serve the mashed potatoes out of martini glasses to add festivity to the evening. Share the obvious sides like softened butter and sour cream, but also include salsa, black beans, chives, chili and grilled corn. Cheese is a must! Offer selections from mild mozzarella to sharp cheddar and spicy pepperjack.

Instead of confetti or fireworks, try a New Year’s pinata to keep the kids entertained as well – if they can’t stay up until midnight, this works any time of day and makes them feel like they have a special part in ringing in 2023. WGW

is including in a daily attractions pass.

K i d s Ko r n e r

Christmas Cabin

By

Instructions

Glue the popsicle sticks together to create the shape of a cabin.

Paint the popsicle sticks brown.

Take the permanent marker and draw windows and a door on the cabin.

Decorate the eaves with the pom pom "lights."

Loop a red ribbon and glue to the top of the cabin.

Hang on your Christmas tree or other desired location.

Jordan Dailey

Photos by Zachary Dailey

Materials

Hot glue gun

Black permanent marker

Red and green pom poms

Red or green bow

Red, dark and light green construction paper

Scissors School glue stick

Instructions

Take the green construction paper and cut out the shape of a christmas tree. Place this to the side for later.

Cut 26 red rectangles and 26 light green rectangles, approximately 6 inches long and 3 inches wide out of construction paper.

Set these aside for later.

Cut a Christmas tree-shape out of the dark green construction paper.

Glue a small red bow to the top of the tree and pom poms along the body of the tree.

Loop a red ribbon and glue it to the back of the tree at the top.

Take a red rectangle and glue both ends together to form a ring.

Loop a green rectangle through the red ring and glue the ends of the green rectangle together to form its own loop (in paper chain fashion).

Glue the first red and green paper chain loop to the back of the tree at the bottom. Write the words, "Days 'til Christmas" on the light green loop. Repeat these steps for the rest of the rectangles, alternating the colors each time as desired. After completing the paper chain write the numbers 1 through 25. Hang on your tree or wherever desired.

Tear off the first loop (number 25) on Dec. 1 to begin your countdown to Christmas. WGW

Celebrating

Years

PreK-3 to 12th Grade College-Preparatory Academy The Warrior Legacy

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