GRAPE STOMP
HARPETH RIVER SWING
PILGRIMAGE MUSIC & CULTURAL FESTIVAL
A DISTINCTIVELY SOUTHERN PLACE NOVEMBER 2015
HONORING OUR VETERANS GIVING THANKS
Food, Decor and Everything We Are Thankful For
Special Feature
BUSINESS IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY
now open! By opening the doors to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital Vanderbilt at Williamson Medical Center in Franklin, the best names in pediatric health care have joined forces to give you and your family peace of mind in most any situation at any time of day. • open 24/7 365 days a year • Board-certified Vanderbilt pediatric physicians • Williamson Medical Center nurses and staff • Three fully equipped acute care rooms • Play area for siblings • Broad range of care from everyday ailments to emergency situations
4321 Carothers Parkway, Franklin, TN • WilliamsonMedicalCenter.org/kids
YW MONTHLY | November 2015 . VOL IV-XLVI
FEATURES 64 The Honor is Ours
Paying Tribute to Our Veterans
80 The Business of Real Estate
72 Salute to Business in Williamson County
81 The Business of Education
Interview with Williamson Inc.’s Matt Largen
WCAR’s Dave Logan
O’More College of Design’s David Rosen
74 The Year In Review
81 The Business of Media
78 YOUR Community Partner
82 The Family Business
Williamson Inc.
Mark Cleveland
Dave Ramsey
Walton’s Jewelry
COVER PROFILE
In Williamson County, we are known for our deep appreciation and preservation of history and even more for our love of the people that reside here. Combining those attributes results in the immeasurable honor and respect we have for our beloved veterans. Our cover is a special Veteran’s Day tribute with Chester Kross and Aubrey Williams at the Williamson County Archives. Photography by Andrea Davis. Photography by Andrea Davis
Something to be thankful for www.globalmotorsportsinc.com /GlobalMotorsportsBerryHill
Belle Meade Dealership 5212 Harding Road Nashville, TN 37205 615.353.9333
12 South Dealership 2222 Franklin Road Nashville, TN 37204 615.463.7474
/Global_Motor
Cool Springs Dealership 7116 Moores Lane Brentwood, TN 37027 615.661.5512
Downtown Dealership 1504 DemonBreun St Nashville, TN 37203 615.248.2215
YW MONTHLY | November 2015 . VOL IV-XLVI
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TABLE OF CONTENTS YOUR Social 16 Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival 19 Beautiful You Bash 24 Champagne & Chardonnay 25 The Fountain’s Fashion Show 27 Volkswalk - A Walk in the Park 28 Grape Stomp Festival 31 Luncheon With Karen Kane 35 Spooks & Coupes 38 Franklin Wine Festival 39 Secure Air Open House 42 Harpeth River Swing 47 Barktoberfest 50 Heroes In Heels 54 Balls to the Wall 56 Restless Heart & Friends 58 I Cared For One 68 Light the Way 69 Grand Ol’ Chili Cook-Off 83 New Member Open House 88 Girls to the Moon 93 Dog & Pony Show
96 Celebration of Nations 97 Pueblo Real Anniversary YOUR Community 40 Day’s Gone By A Battle for Tourism
52 A Southern Gentleman Is with Danny Anderson
76 YOUR Charitable Self
Ways to Give this Holiday Season
90 YOUR Education
Keeping Our Kids and Schools Healthy
92 YOUR Kids
Teaching Your Kids About Money
94 In YOUR Backyard
The Journey of Adoption
YOUR Business 46 YOUR Real Estate
with Williamson County Association of Realtors
70 It’s YOUR Business with Wheelhouse Marketing
71 Scoop
YOU in the News
YOUR Lifestyle 18 Beauty Junkie with Julie Jorgenson 20 Effortless Style with Katie Rushton 22 YOUR Best Self with Connie Haley 23 Happily Ever After Stephens - Felts Wedding 26 A Little Something Extra Healthy Thanksgiving Switch Ups 30 The Lady Entertains with Krista Ehret 32 Eat, Drink & Be Merry with Miss Daisy King 36 Styling YOUR Everyday with Katie Jacobs 48 Interior Thinking with Eric Ross 60 From Our House to YOURS It Feels Like Home 66 Come Fly With Me Weekend Recess 84 5 Sense Living with Lauryn Gilliam
BUILDING A LUXURY HOME SHOULD BE A LUXURY EXPERIENCE
2015
BRENTWOOD: Annandale from $1 million Callie Ann Reserve from $1 million VocĂŞ - from $1 million ARRINGTON & COLLEGE GROVE: The Hideaway at Arrington from the $800s The Grove from the $800s
FRANKLIN: Berry Farms from the $600s The Preserve at Echo Estates from $1 million Westhaven from the $800s WILLIAMSON COUNTY: Hillsboro Cove from $1 million Bennington (Coming Soon) from the $700s
615.376.9354 legendarylifestyles.com
YW MONTHLY | Your Staff
Shelly Robertson Birdsong
Johnny Birdsong
Anna Robertson
Emily Fordice
Carter Stough
PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CONSULTANT
FOUNDER, PUBLISHER
Andrea Davis
Tracey Starck
MANAGING EDITOR
DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE SERVICES
Krista Ehret WRITER
Ron Cheatham BUSINESS MANAGER
Caitlin Daschner
Annie Osteen
K York
CREATIVE CONTENT EDITOR
COMMUNITY EDITOR
HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
Adam Sanner
Rachel Weishaupt
J.J. Higgins
PHOTOGRAPHER
PHOTOGRAPHER
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
YOUR Williamson is a Franklin, TN 37064 publication of: Office: 615.979.1548 Robertson Media Group, LLC www.yourwilliamson.com 436 Main Street, Suite 205 Please send all content & coverage requests to: info@yourwilliamson.com
Steve Absher, Account Exec. Kingery Printing Company YOUR Printing Partner
615-828-8661 stevea@kingeryprinting.com quotes@kingeryprinting.com
join us
FOR A SPECTACULAR SEASON!
Ken Ludwig’s
The Game’s Afoot: HOLMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS SHOW RUNS DECEMBER 4-19. Purchase tickets beginning Nov. 23! Go to www.pull-tight.com any time, or call 791-5007 Tuesday-Friday, 10 am-4 pm. Discover a treasure. 112 2nd Avenue, South • Historic Downtown Franklin
www.pull-tight.com
YW MONTHLY | Publisher’s Letter
The Honor Is Mine Dear Readers:
W
hat a glorious time of year is the autumn as seen in Williamson County. Despite my sadness at the end of warmer temps, I do embrace fall as the colors and light, smells and sights of probably the most beautiful season, come into full focus. The fun of Halloween has passed and now we look forward to the start of the holiday season. The rush of activity that begins with Thanksgiving and propels us into a new year can be overwhelming if you allow it to be. I find that my to-do lists start to list things like — refer to that other to do list — as tasks, events, school activities, family dinners, and oh yes, decorating and shopping, begin to take over our lives. I am one of those that refuses to even acknowledge the Christmas decorations in the stores until after Thanksgiving Day. Probably because, for me, Thanksgiving has always been such a wonderful holiday in our family and brings back so many memories from a lifetime of precious gatherings. Those feelings evoke for me the desire to recreate each year the joy and love within my own home and for my own branch of the family. It’s an honor really; to shop for those I love, bake yummy treats for those who love to indulge this time of year, to provide help and support to those who may not have it as blessed as we do and to show, in my actions and attitude, that the reason for the season, is in fact, the honor of being able to say I am THANKFUL — truly thankful and blessed.
It is also an honor this month, to pay tribute to our Veterans and show our American pride on this issue’s cover. Our flag is ALWAYS something to be honored, as all flags of American history should be. The knowledge that mistakes in our nation’s history should never be repeated, and yet still paying homage as appropriate, and remembering things we don’t want to see repeated, is important no matter what differences shape our beliefs and our histories as individuals. Having both a Veteran of World War II and a modern day Servicewoman on the cover, exhibits our nation’s military history and national pride for our country and its honor in the world.
“Simple, genuine goodness is the best capital to found the business of this life upon. It lasts when fame and money fail, and is the only riches we can take out of this world with us.” —Louisa May Alcott
Custom Publishing & Integrated Marketing Services 436 Main Street | Suite 205 | Franklin, TN 37064 615.979.1548 | info@robertsonmediagroup.com
Our little business has seen its share of struggles in the four and a half years we have had the honor of producing YOUR Community Magazine. And yet, like so many other persevering entrepreneurs, with a strong conviction and some good old-fashioned gumption, we have managed to keep going and now do what all businesses hope for — grow into a chain. Oh, well, a second publication in our case! YOUR Sumner will launch this month and we could not be more proud to take our brand to another Distinctively Southern Place for our neighbors to the north. As our staff grows with the addition of new people from that area, we are excited to learn more and work harder to produce two – and then 20 — more publications! Here in our main office we are excited to welcome Tracey Starck as our new Director of Creative Services, Carter Stough as our new Community Engagement Consultant, and Shelby Waltz-Turner as a photographer for both magazines. We welcome back Andrea Davis, returning as our Managing Editor. Cassandra Thompson and Kimberly Allen in Sumner County round out our new faces this month. I look forward to a few more in coming weeks! Did I say thankful enough already!? Happy Thanksgiving, Williamson County. You have given me blessings beyond measure and it’s my honor to be thankful for that all year round. Enjoy your family, your home and your heart full of joy this holiday season. Shelly Robertson Birdsong Publisher shelly@robertsonmediagroup.com
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YW MONTHLY | Your Contributors
Julie Jorgensen A self proclaimed Beauty Junkie, Julie is our go-to gal for all things beauty - She scouts out the best deals and the best beauty tricks around. She treats readers to some hilarious insight into the world of what it takes to be fabulous!
Connie Haley Connie Haley Life Coach is a certified life coach that specializes in helping people love the life they have and from there, create the life they always envisioned. Every issue she will show readers ways to find peace and calm in their lives and in themselves.
Miss Daisy King Tennessee’s “First Lady of Southern Cooking,” Daisy King was the founder and chef of the renowned Miss Daisy’s Tearoom and is now the proprietor and executive chef of Miss Daisy’s Kitchen at Grassland Foodland Market in Franklin, Tennessee. Daisy will be the new YOUR Hospitality and Cooking Contributor both in our monthly print edition and online at www.yourwilliamson.com.
Katie Rushton Fashion stylist and owner of Effortless Style, a personal shopping and wardrobe consulting company in Brentwood. She provides a variety of services including Closet Audits, Styling Sessions and Personal Shopping.
12 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
Katie Jacobs Katie Jacobs is a graphic designer, photographer and stylist. She is the art director and creator of stylingmyeveryday. com, a food and lifestyle blog with a focus on styling, entertaining and DIY..
Ginger Jones Ginger Jones is a Speech-Language Pathologist and the owner of Jones Therapy Services, which provides speechlanguage, occupational, and physical therapy in 7 locations across Middle and East Tennessee.
Krista Ehret As an event designer and co-owner of Southern Soiree, a full service event and wedding planning company, Krista collaborates with discerning brides to bring their vision to fruition. With a degree in interior design and a passion for all things domestic, she also enjoys bringing beauty into everyday life.
Lauryn Gilliam Lauryn Gilliam is a seeker of fun, student of life and lover of exploring mindful ways to enlist the 5 senses in all her experiences. Join her in every issue as she takes us on a sensory tour of all things arts, culture and dining.
Margie Thessin Franklin on Foot owner and Williamson County historian. Author of Ghosts of Franklin, Tennessee’s Most Haunted Town and Lizzie’s War. Margie is seen throughout Franklin giving historical walking, biking and southern food tours.
Joe Harkins Co-founder of Wheelhouse Marketing Advisors after spending the previous six years as Vice President, Group Director at J&A. Joe has more than 25 years of experience in both consumer and business-to-business marketing. Wheelhouse will provide business and marketing insight monthly through their own expertise and that of their clientele via the It’s YOUR Business column.
Eric Ross Eric Ross Interiors specializes in full service residential interior design and interior decoration for homes and provides truly unique, luxury design solutions for any room in your home. From design concept to installation and presentation, Eric Ross Interiors manages every aspect of your project and leaves no detail unattended.
Danny Anderson Danny Anderson is a Broker with Parks Realty on Main Street in downtown Franklin. Danny will be the new contributing columnist for our monthly A Southern Gentleman Is… musings, advice, tips and tales for the Gentlemen (and ladies) of Williamson County.
YW MONTHLY | Your Social Secretary
YOUR SOCIAL SECRETARY: NOVEMBER 7
Wine Down Main Street
Downtown Franklin 7pm-10pm
The 15th Annual Wine Down Main Street event will be held on the streets of Historic Franklin. Tickets include wine, beer and food tastings. The event benefits Boys & Girls Clubs of Middle Tennessee. Get your tickets at winedownmainstreet.com.
November brings a host of fabulous events we can’t wait to attend! Here are just a few to add to the Social Calendar. Visit YourWilliamson.com for more events. NOVEMBER 14
NOVEMBER 26
American Girl Doll Fashion Show
GraceWorks Turkey Trot 5k
The Factory at Franklin 10am & 2pm
D1 Sports Training 8am
The American Girl Fashion Show is a fun-filled event for girls and their families, friends and favorite dolls! Celebrate the experience of being a girl, whether yesterday or today, through a colorful presentation of historical and contemporary fashions. For more information and tickets, go to mercycommunityhealthcare.org.
The 2015 Turkey Trot will take place Thanksgiving morning at D1 Sports Training and CoolSprings Galleria. The 5K Run/ Walk is followed by the Kids (ages 9 and under) Kilometer Fun Run at 9am. Last year, 2,800 participants and over 4,000 on-lookers gathered to partake in the day’s festivities. Register online at turkeytrotfranklin.com.
SOCIAL | Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival Story & Photography by K. York and Rachel Weishaupt The Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival took place at the Park at Harlinsdale Farm in late September. It was two days of music and fun for the thousands of music lovers who made the pilgrimage to Franklin. Four stages throughout the park featured world-renowned performers such as Steven Tyler, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Band of Horses, Wilco, Decemberists and others playing to the crowds. The pouring rains on Saturday did not run off many people as they listened to the great music of bands both regional, national and, of course, local. The sun was shining on Sunday and the park was ready for the crowds. Food trucks galore and some of the coolest clothes, jewelry and gear to be found was sold. What an awesome event it was and we can’t wait to see what next year will bring!
Chloe Ridings & Lowell Abbott
Pearl McCann
Savannah Brackman & Daryl Stephens
Diow Jeenpradit
Deep Fried 5
16 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
Scott Ferguson, Allison Wilt & Jeff Manie
Abraham & Karla Hunter
Brenda McKay & Nancy Moss
Juliene Joyner, Justin Martin & Lacey Wood
Rachel Godfrey & Tori Campbell
Parrish Wood
Lainey Fallgatter & Lindsay Adkins
Cavin Jacobson & River Bisagno
Steve Reese, Ross & Allyson Kinney, Dudley & Tyler Berry & Matt Ligon
Henderson family
Ryan McCoy, Liza Odachowski, Josh Vaught & Matt Skinner
Leighanne Underwood & Trish Stiles
Helen & Jim Boyer
Jeff Watson & Gabby Mooney
Amy Lovell, Steve Lamm & Heather Osborne
Boone Tomlin, Stacey Watson & Hudson Davis
Sam Grove & Kate Cannon
Todd & Lauryn Gilliam November 2015 | YOURWILLIAMSON.COM 17
LIFESTYLE | Beauty Junkie
IT
NAILED Y
’all: I have a confession to make, yet again. As I sit down to write all about manicure and pedicure trends and tips for fall and winter, I’m looking down at my raggedy fingernails. I may be the self-proclaimed Beauty Junkie, but I’ve been busy, okay? That said, it doesn’t mean I haven’t been paying attention to the super-fabulous trends happening right now for our tips and toes. I just may not be the best example at the moment. But isn’t that how it always goes? We devour the thick fall issues of fashion magazines with the best of intentions, and then life and work and family and errands get in the way of our most glamorous plans. Ah, well. Life happens, friends, and I’m Exhibit A in that department. But no worry. There are still plenty of cool days and blustery nights to justify some “you” time in the pedicure chair and an on-point mani. So, chipping shellac and all, let’s do an about-face from those summery pastels, and let’s nail it.
BY JULIE JORGENSON
The long-lasting mani remains all the rage, independent of what you call it (shellac, gel, et cetera). It’s awfully hard to say “no” to a flawless manicure that all but refuses to chip for at least two weeks, longer if you can find a great place whose nail techs really know their stuff when it comes to laying down a take-no-prisoners approach. The shellac mani needs to be addressed as soon as it starts to grow out and chip or “lift.” Get your hiney back to the nail salon as soon as you notice chipping, peeling, or the ability to see more than just a hint of your natural nail between the polish and your cuticle. Soak off that old polish, and start fresh; or, better yet, give your nails a couple of weeks to “breathe” before you slap on the next shellac shade du jour. Don’t let anyone talk you into a gel or shellac pedicure, unless you just like spending money. Save your pennies for your fingers, friends. They see far more daylight this time of year anyway. At-home gel mani kits are found in local drugstores if sitting in a chair getting pampered just isn’t your thing (seriously, how can that not be your thing?). Sally Hansen makes a simple two-step system that produces the same shine (if not quite the longevity) of a salon shellac. Additionally, the smart people at Essie have come up with gel.setter, a topcoat that works with any nail polish for a shiny, rock-hard finish. Layer it over the black-asnight Licorice shade for the most dramatic mani ever. Speaking of DIY nails, have y’all heard about Jamberry? Well, it may be one of the coolest, smartest ideas ever. Three
18 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
sisters started the company five years ago after getting frustrated with the time and cost associated with fancy salon manicures (stay with me here). They put their heads together to come up with a myriad of nail “wraps.” Like stickers on steroids, Jamberry nail wraps are thin polymer sheets with adhesive backing that are gently heated with your hair dryer or their proprietary miniheater and then applied to your nail bed. A cute little rubber cuticle pusher smooths out the wrap across your nail, and you’re done-no top coat, no drying, no waiting. They can even be layered over nail polish, and toenail wraps are available too. Y’all simply would not believe the number of wraps these girls churn out: sparkly, simple, fancy, holidaythemed, you name it. My Jamberry order just came in the mail, so I’m off to the nail salon to remove this old shellac and get a basic mani (I can’t trim my own cuticles to save my life). Then it’s a “wrap” on these nails! Cheers! Love, The Beauty Junkie
SOCIAL | Beautiful You Bash
Story by Andrea Davis & Photography by K. York The 2015 Beautiful You Bash was held at Jamison Hall in the Factory in mid October to connect guests with the finest women’s health professionals in Middle Tennessee, while exploring products that encompassed all things beautiful. Live entertainment, a silent auction, a haircut-a-thon for wig donations to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, a fashion showcase and more were all a part of this day-long event put on by the American Cancer Society. This is the first year for the Beautiful You Bash, and there are plans for many more to follow! For more Stacia Hamblin & Renee Hitchcock information, go to www.beautifulyoubashtn.org.
Stacy Landry & Valerie Laws
Vonnie Bonner & Gavriel Bonner
Delmecia Blumenberg
Daya Key, Nicole Hutchinson & Caillin Cowlings
Melissa Neal & Megan Myatt
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RENdermatology.com | 155 Covey Drive, Suite 200 Franklin, TN 37067 | (615) 835-3220
LIFESTYLE | Effortless Style
Fall Staples BY KATIE RUSHTON
FALL IS FINALLY HERE AND THERE’S NO BETTER TIME TO TALK FALL STAPLES! THERE ARE A FEW ITEMS THAT COME TO MIND IMMEDIATELY WHEN I THINK OF FALL STAPLES: BLAZERS, BOOTS, JACKETS AND SCARVES. 20 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
BLAZERS
Let’s start with blazers. A blazer is a must have for your closet, and fall is the perfect time to pull your blazer out and start wearing it again. Blazers are great layering pieces for the transitional fall weather. Don’t have a blazer in your closet already? A black blazer is always a good one to start with if you don’t already have one. If you do already have a good black blazer but would like to add another one to your closet, look for a classic navy or camel blazer. Either one of those colors would be perfect for fall!
BOOTS
Boots are one of those staples that most of my clients get excited about pulling out as fall rolls around each year. Boot styles change every year. This year, the ankle boot is a must for the fall. Ankle boots are very versatile in that they can be worn with so many different looks: dresses, skirts, jeans, etc. They can be worn casually or they can be dressed up. Depending on what colors you wear most, I would recommend either a black ankle boot or one in a cognac leather color.
JACKETS
Like blazers, jackets are another fall staple. It’s always good to have at least one or two go-to jackets in your closet that are ideal for that in-between fall weather but that isn’t necessarily warm enough for the winter months. A jacket that we are loving right now is the cape jacket. The cape is such a classic look and it’s a great layer over long sleeve tees, lightweight sweaters and even turtlenecks.
SCARVES
Last, but definitely not least, in our roundup of fall staples is a good scarf. Scarves are perfect for this time of year. They make for a great layer when you leave the house on the cool fall mornings, but they are also an easy layer to shed if the Middle Tennessee temps get too warm during the afternoon hours. The larger blanket scarves seem to be a favorite right now. They allow you a little more versatility than other scarves due to their size. Since they are bigger than most scarves, you can wear them draped over your shoulders and/ or tie them several different ways. Make sure to stop by our blog, www.effortlesstyle.com, for more on fall staples! November 2015 | YOURWILLIAMSON.COM 21
You deserve to feel special, beautiful and confident — every single day.
LIFESTYLE | YOUR Best Self
LESSONS FROM THE FIRST THANKSGIVING
When your wardrobe is at its very best, you are at your very best. That is effortlesstyle defined. I help clients navigate new trends, choose items that work for their body type and know exactly where to find the pieces they need to build their Katie Rushton Wardrobe Consultant own personal style. Is there a party or event on your calendar and you just don’t know what to wear? For any special occasion where you want to look your very best – give me a call!
“Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” ~ Charles Dickens Thanksgiving. How can we not love a holiday that is focused on food, family, friends and giving thanks? There are no gift giving decisions to be made or fussy decorations to worry about. The foundation of this celebration is based on things that matter most in life. Things money can’t buy. Over the years it seems that Thanksgiving has lost its luster. It appears to have taken a back seat to the retail frenzy of the December holidays. Have we gotten too busy to stop and savor this day? Are we bored with a holiday that we can’t commercialize and gift-wrap? Have we just lost sight of the values that our country was founded on? We may never agree on how or why Thanksgiving plummeted on the leader board of favorite holidays, but it would benefit us to revisit its conception. Current research in Positive Psychology affirms the benefits to our health and happiness of several concepts our Pilgrim ancestors instinctively knew:
Katie Rushton | Wardrobe Consultant Closet audits | Styling sessions | Personal shopping 615.734.9956 | kbc.rushton@ gmail.com www.effortlesstyle.com
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Styles of Yesterday & Today Theand American Girl Fashion Show and is a fun-filled for girls their families, friends, favorite dolls! event for and their of families, and Celebrate thegirls experience being friends, a girl, whether favorite dolls! Celebrate the experience of being a of yesterday or today, through a colorful presentation girl, whether yesterday or today, through a colorful historical and contemporary fashions. Enjoy elegant presentation of historical and contemporary fashions. refreshments, enter to win door prizes, and learn how Enjoy elegant refreshments, enter to win door prizes, and learn how clothing has changed over the years history individualstyles. styles. to reflect history,culture, culture, and and girls’ girls’ individual
Mercy Community Healthcare Sponsored By:
PANDORA
Saturday, November 14th 10:00am & 2:00pm
The Factory at Franklin 230 Franklin Road Franklin, TN 37064
Recommended for children 6 and up American Girl Fashion Show is licensed from American Girl Programs. Copyright © 2015 American Girl. All rights reserved. All American Girl marks are trademarks of American Girl.
22 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015 www.AmericanGirlFashionShowFranklin.org Recommended for children 6 and up
COMMUNITY MATTERS: The first Thanksgiving was a celebration for the 53 Pilgrims that endured the Mayflower 6:06 PM voyage and the grueling first few months of life in their new country. Without community cohesiveness and help from the local Massachusetts Indian tribes, the Pilgrim’s chance of surviving the first winter here would have been slim. In short, humans need each other. Modern research affirms the benefits of being connected. Lack of strong social ties is more detrimental to our health than smoking or obesity! GIVING THANKS MATTERS: Despite their grueling circumstances, the Pilgrim’s set aside time to give thanks and share their blessings. Instead of dwelling on their difficulties, they rechanneled their energy to the positive. Focusing on what is good about a situation will always improve our mood and enable us to find resourceful solutions to the inevitable challenges of life. DREAMS MATTER: The Pilgrims had a vision of a better life for themselves. They didn’t just sit around and complain; instead they took massive action to make their dreams a reality. We all have a dream to pursue. If you have lost sight of yours, reconnect. Going towards a vision brings purpose and meaning to our lives. It is the foundation for true joy and satisfaction. On the fourth Thursday this month, as we feast on food, family and football, I hope we can all pause and savor the day and the lessons that still matter from that first Thanksgiving. Wishing you and your family the best Thanksgiving ever! Be you. No apologies. Connie
LIFESTYLE | Happily Ever After
S tephens-Felts Wedding M
iss Emily Elizabeth Stephens and Dr. Charles Baker Felts IV were married on Saturday, June 13, 2015, in the beautiful gardens of Carnton Plantation located in Franklin, Tennessee. The ceremony was officiated by the Rev. Ralph Griggs. Following the wedding, the bride’s parents hosted a reception at the Carnton Plantation’s Fleming Center. On the eve of the wedding, the groom’s parents hosted a rehearsal dinner at the Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jon Brad Stephens of Franklin, and the groom is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Charles Baker Felts III of Chattanooga. Given in marriage by her parents and escorted by her father, the bride wore a refined lace and Parisian Silk Chiffon sheath gown from the Martina Liana couture bridal dress collection. The Bride carried a hand tied bouquet bursting with color and summer blooms, such as peonies, garden roses and ranunculus. Mrs. Katelyn Caufield, Miss Kimberly Speciale, and Miss Christine Quillin, served as Matron and Maids of Honor. Bridesmaids included Miss Rachel Weishaupt, Miss Emily Weishaupt, Mrs. Beth Randall and Mrs. Madison Felts. The flower girl was Miss Charlotte Wood, and the ring bearer was Mr. Royce Felts. The Matron/Maids
of Honor and bridesmaids wore classic boatneck sheath dresses by Adrianna Papell. Each one carried a hand tied bouquet of soft and romantic, neutral toned flowers such as hydrangeas, roses, ranunculus, and lisianthus to compliment the bold coral of the dresses they wore. Mr. Robert Felts, brother of the groom, served as Best Man. Groomsmen included Dr. Matthew Guilliland, Mr. Blake Shaver, Mr. Kyle Bianco, Mr. Joe Pendley, Mr. Mark Ross, and Dr. Ken Randall. The bride is a graduate of Franklin High School and graduated from UT Chattanooga with a Bachelor of Science in Child & Family Studies. The groom is a graduate of McCallie School in Chattanooga. He graduated summa cum laude from UT Chattanooga with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. He recently received his degree in Dentistry, and is currently completing his Oral Surgery residency at UT Memphis. Following a honeymoon in St. Lucia, Emily & Charlie are now residing in Memphis.
VENDOR LIST Wedding Planner and Florist: Simply Yours Weddings, Emily Humphries Rentals: Music City Tents & Events and Southern Events Party Rentals Photographer: Kristin VanZant Photography Hair & Makeup Services: artistry SPASALON Wedding Cake/Dessert: Nothing Bundt Cakes Stationer: Beacon Lane Caterer: Two Fat Men Catering Band: The Downtown Band Ceremony Musicians: Mockingbird Musicians Lighting: Bright Events Productions
November 2015 | YOURWILLIAMSON.COM 23
SOCIAL | Champagne and Chardonnay
Story & Photography by K. York Nashville Wine Auction’s Champagne and Chardonnay was co-chaired by Elise Crouch and Denise McMillan and took place at the beautiful home of Jami Kaplan in Brentwood. The event, described as a sparkling evening just for ladies, was that and more as wine lovers gathered to raise money to fight cancer. A moving testimonial was given by Julie Hannah Taleghani describing her son’s struggles with cancer and the impact it has had on her family. Champagne Henriot was featured along with wines from the Wine Shoppe in Green Hills.
Lori Paranjape, Ashley Nussmeyer, Lindsay Willis & Jami Kaplan
Ellen Wright & Elizabeth Pergande
Melanie Waylond, Dayna Hulme & Anne Livingston
Rita Jorgensen & Julie Hannah Taleghani
Julie McLean, Shannon Drumm, Mary Wilson & Krista Yi
Laurie Charland, Lucie Carroll & Jorene Spencer
Anne Ruark, Stacy Rothenberger & Mary Patton Chelsey Lancaster, Katie Johnson, Swathi Eyyunni & Jaime Kaye Otillio
Marsha Simoneaux, Trista Goguen & Beth Workman
Elaine Frye & Tara Allen
Michelle Roberson & Pam Tayner
24 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
Dawn Mangrumn & Michelle Johnson Greene
Kate Neely, Melissa Mondzelewski & Jennifer Janney
Holly Smith & Rene Alexander
Lizabeth Theiss, Dawn Rudolph & Cathy Taylor
SOCIAL | Fountains of Franklin Fashion Show Story & Photography Submitted On Saturday, October 3rd, Fountains of Franklin hosted a Stein-Mart Fall Fashion Show. Residents, resident family members and staff served as models for the latest in fall fashions. In addition, refreshments were offered to the many attendees, and accessory items from Stein-Mart were offered for sale.
Back row (l-r): Paul Foley, Tommy Mabrey, Jack Eger,
Back row (l-r): Paul Foley, Tommy Mabrey, Jack row Eger, Walter Evans Walter Eaves, Bill Evans Front (l-r):Eaves, BobBill Porter, Front row (l-r): Bob Porter, JoeColon, Lannom, Don Eddie Peterson, Colon, Don Peterson, Ken Killebrew Joe Lannom, Eddie Ken Killebrew
We Salute our Veterans as Well as We Salute our Veterans as Well as All Who Have Served our Country All Who Have Served our Country
Everett & Lois Tomlinson
Ricki Keckley & Sue Hall
300 Celebration Circle • 567-3717 • www.fountainsfranklin.com
300 Celebration Circle • 567-3717 www.fountainsfranklin.com
Jo Lynn High, Stein-Mart Fashion Show Coordinator
George Anna Marable & Sue Hall
Becky & Martha Killebrew
Linda Hassler
LIFESTYLE | A Little Something Extra
THANKSGIVING SWAPS For some the horror of Black Friday stems not from the crowds but from the fear of stepping onto the scale the morning after Thanksgiving Day. This dreaded step is warranted considering that the average American consumes 4,500 calories during their feast. Luckily, you can counteract the aftermath of this bloating holiday with just a few simple swaps.
AVOID HOLIDA Y WEIG GAIN W HT ITH HE A LTHY CHOICE S THAT WON’T LEAVE Y OU LON GING FO FESTIV R E FLAVO RS
BY KRISTA EHRET
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Let’s Talk Turkey. When selecting your cut of the bird, stick to the white meat. The dark meat definitely has some nutritional benefits, but it is less lean and offers twice as much fat.
Starch Awareness. We all know all starches are not created equal. When it comes to the standard options, mashed potatoes, corn bread, rolls, yams, which is the safest best? Stick to a dinner roll over the cornbread and you’ll save yourself around 50 calories per serving. Sweet potatoes by themselves are much better for you than regular potatoes. Unfortunately, once piled with brown sugar and marshmallows this candied side does a nosedive onto the dessert table. Choose the mashed potatoes and ladle on a modest amount of turkey gravy to avoid the orange pit fall of the too-sweet potatoes.
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Unstuff Yourself. Stuffing is, unfortunately, a sponge of butter and fat with some garnish. Even more so if yours actually cooks inside the bird and soaks up the drippings. I know what you’re thinking...yum! I’m not about deprivation so just keep your portion down and go with a slightly larger dose of green beans.
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Booze to Lose. When selecting a libation to accompany your dinner, go for red wine. It’s rich in antioxidants, good for digestion and aids in cutting down belly fat.
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5
Just Desserts. The normal battle of the pies is pumpkin versus pecan. Both have great bones, but unfortunately thanks to a gooey overload of corn syrup, pecan pie often morphs into frankendessert by the time it’s heaved onto your plate. Stick with a homemade pumpkin pie with a small dollup of whipped cream to save over 100 calories.
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Portion Control. Here’s the thing, it’s not always about what we eat, it’s the sheer quantity that does the damage. Since most often the Thanksgiving meal is served buffet style, you have all the control. Start with small portions of everything and you can always go back for more. More often than not, you’ll find that if you chew and savor the food your original helping will be plenty. Plus you have room for dessert! Need some extra will-power? Use a dessert plate instead of a dinner plate. Your plate looks full which is easier on the eyes, but you’re still eating less. Gobble ‘til you wobble is a catchy phrase to stick on a hand towel or apron, stick it to your gut or thighs and it’s suddenly less cute. Enjoy your Thanksgiving even more this year by keeping yourself in check calorically and starting the holiday season off right!
SOCIAL | Volkswalk - A Walk In The Park Sponsored Event
Story & Photography by K. York The Citizens for Brentwood Green Space hosted the first “Volkswalk� at Marcella Vivrette Smith Park in Brentwood. It was an open start time between 7:30am and 9am for participants to begin their non-competitive walk along any of the trails in the park, which ranges in different distances. The trails meander through the woods, up hills and through meadows. Proceeds from the walk will fund amenities and improvements at the Park. For more information Brentwood Green Space, visit www.brentwoodgreenspace.org.
Catherine, Caroline & Carter Toole
Steck Johnson with Sunny
Lynda Reeves & Jim Fordice
Marion Mitchell & Christine Garrett
Greg Blandford, James Selleh & Paul Webb
Happy Holidays from your I Love Juice Bar team! Ask us about healthy catering options.
232 Fifth Ave N. Franklin, TN 37064 www.ilovejuicebar.com
SOCIAL | Grape Stomp Festival Sponsored Event
Story & Photography by K. York A Vintage Affair’s 6th annual Grape Stomp Festival was held at O’More College of Design October. It may have rained and displayed the first truly chilly day of fall but that did not stop the fun and excitement of watching the teams of stompers and their swabbies stomp and collect the grape juice with such eagerness in hopes to claim the bragging rights as Grand Stomp Champions. Along with bragging rights, this year’s winning team, The Franklin Firefighters, won a half case of wine for their accomplishments. The weather eventually cleared and everyone enjoyed a beautiful afternoon of great food, drink and stomping!
Dot Townsel
Eric Woodard & Roula Katsantonis
Team Defla-triots
Jennifer Burnett & Chris Fox
David Rosen & Donna Vissman
Ann Frances & Michael Barker with the Donald
The Grape Enhancers
Kate Delk & Pamela Andrews
Kathy Drury, Janna Landry & Sarah Williams
Marketa Moore, Trence & Juanita Patton
28 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
Shawn Parr, Alex & Brett Johnson
Steve Smith, Barbara & Mike Leech
Delivery Dudes Team
Jerry & Lynsley Roberts
Stars of Hollywine
David Patterson & Megan Kuhlenschmidt
一伀圀 䤀匀 吀䠀䔀 吀䤀䴀䔀 吀伀 䈀伀伀䬀 夀伀唀刀 䠀伀䰀䤀䐀䄀夀 倀䄀刀吀䤀䔀匀 䘀漀爀 倀愀爀琀椀攀猀 漀昀 㠀 琀漀 㠀㔀 䌀漀漀氀 匀瀀爀椀渀最猀
㘀㔀 䘀爀愀稀椀攀爀 䐀爀椀瘀攀Ⰰ 䘀爀愀渀欀氀椀渀Ⰰ 吀一 ㌀㜀 㘀㜀 㘀㔀⸀㜀㜀㠀⸀㤀㤀㔀
䘀漀爀 倀愀爀琀椀攀猀 唀瀀 吀漀 ㈀ 䈀攀氀氀攀 䴀攀愀搀攀
㔀 㤀 䠀愀爀搀椀渀最 刀漀愀搀Ⰰ 一愀猀栀瘀椀氀氀攀Ⰰ 吀一 ㌀㜀㈀ 㔀 㘀㔀⸀㌀㔀㌀⸀ 㠀 㤀
Team Where’s Wino
吀漀 戀漀漀欀 礀漀甀爀 渀攀砀琀 攀瘀攀渀琀 挀漀渀琀愀挀琀 倀愀洀攀氀愀 䄀渀搀爀攀眀猀 㘀㔀⸀㠀㘀㘀⸀㜀㈀㘀 漀爀 瀀愀洀攀氀愀䀀猀瀀攀爀爀礀猀⸀挀漀洀 䘀漀爀 攀瘀攀渀琀猀 ☀ 倀爀漀洀漀琀椀漀渀猀 䜀漀 吀漀
眀 眀 眀⸀ 猀 瀀 攀 爀 爀 礀 猀 ⸀ 挀 漀 洀
LIFESTYLE | The Lady Entertains
Friends Giving BY KRISTA EHRET
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Thanksgiving is all about family, tradition and ,of course, food. While most of us relish the day as an excuse to put on our stretch pants and see how many family members can fit into the same room, there’s always room (pun intended) for a new tradition! This year, our group of friends has decided to try out a new idea that’s recently gained some popularity, “Friendsgiving.” Since this is our first annual celebration, we’ve done some research and are pretty excited about what we’ve found. Basically, the only guideline is that you must pick a day near Thanksgiving to hang out with friends. That’s it! The rest of the details are completely up to you! The vagueness, while wonderful, may be overwhelming so here are a few tips to get you started. START BY CREATING A MENU. The first decision you’ll want to make is whether or not you’ll serve traditional Thanksgiving fare, or want to put a unique spin on things. This completely depends on your group and how much cranberry sauce you can put down in a week’s time. If you do decide to go with the staples, then you could spice things up a bit. If you typically have a baked turkey, then consider frying one. Love pumpkin pie? Try making bite size ones and incorporating a fun dessert buffet into the mix. This is a great opportunity to try new recipes without the pressure that can come with the actual day. PICK A VIBE. The great thing about celebrating with friends is that you get to set the tone. Do you want an elegant dinner, a casual buffet, or something fun like a pie brunch? This may depend on what day of the week you are able to schedule on. Fall is the season of a full calendar and so you’ll find yourself working around things like football games (we’re in the south it’s a thing), kids’ activities, and other social engagements. Pick a time that will allow everyone to enjoy themselves and not feel pressured to hurry off to the next commitment.
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DELEGATE. If you’re the lucky one chosen to host the party, this doesn’t mean you get to take on the burden. Unlike the traditional Thanksgiving feast where family shows up plate in hand to devour dishes you prepared days in advance, this time everyone pitches in! Once you have your menu planned out, see who wants to be responsible for which items. SET THE SCENE. No matter which vibe you end up going with, it’s still fun to decorate and make things feel festive. If you have a dinner party, create place cards and assign a seat for everyone, create a fall table-scape, and set place settings. If you have a kids’ table, set out crafts or coloring sheets to keep them busy during and around meal time. If you’re setting out a buffet, ask everyone to chip in with some pretty serving dishes. You may even want to create menu cards so no one has to awkwardly ask what’s in the casserole surprise. OFFER ENTERTAINMENT. Keeping with the laid-back tone of Friendsgiving, I definitely don’t think there needs to be an itinerary of mandatory post-meal events. However, it’s always a good idea to have some entertainment available. Come up with some optional activities such as a cornhole tournament, holiday movie marathon, or card/ board games. LASTLY, MAKE SURE SOMEONE PROVIDES TO-GO BOXES. The last thing you want a week before Thanksgiving is a fridge full of already leftover turkey and dressing. Divide and conquer! Good friends are definitely a blessing and something to be thankful for. During this busy time of the year, it’s so important to carve out time and spend it with those that mean the most to you. Starting a new annual tradition will guarantee great times coming year after year.
SOCIAL | Luncheon with Karen Kane Story & Photography by K. York The ribbon cutting for the newly renovated Belk store in Cool Springs was a very special event especially for the Friends of Monroe Carell Jr, Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Belk generously donated $10,000 to the children’s hospital. Following the check presentation Friends enjoyed a fashion show and a private meet and greet luncheon with designer Karen Kane.
Courtney Richardson, Amanda Trousdale, Sydney Holaday & Nancy Catherine Weaver
Emily Bond & Mildred Bond
Katharine Ray, Ann Was & Susan Gregory
Debbie Wilson, Amy Smith, Candace Revelette & Ashlyne Huff Revelette
Kathy Reynolds & Wanda Brock
Karen Kane & Becky Blair
LIFESTYLE | Eat, Drink & Be Merry
Festive Food Served With
Gratitude DINING WITH MISS DAISY
Sausage and Apple Cornbread Dressing
INGREDIENTS • 1 8-ounce package mild pork sausage • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter • 2 1/2 cups chopped onion • 2 cups chopped celery • 2 apples, diced • 1/2 cup chopped pecans • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper • 10 cups, day old cornbread, cubed • 2 large eggs, slightly beaten • 3 cups chicken broth
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hanksgiving is this month; the time we gather with family and friends, socialize and eat turkey until we fall into tryptophan-induced sleep. We strive for perfection, seeking to set the most beautiful table with the most delicious meal in keeping with the Norman Rockwell theme of the day. We pride ourselves at Miss Daisy’s Kitchen in helping others achieve that. It makes me smile to think my side dishes and recipes contribute to the happiness of others. Thanksgiving has a deeper meaning, though, which shouldn’t be overlooked. Most of us know the happy narrative of the first Thanksgiving: “The Pilgrims reaped a bountiful harvest thanks to their helpful Indian neighbors, and out of gratitude invited them to share in a feast.” The stories sometimes overlook the hard circumstances of the Pilgrims and their native friends. The women who cooked the first Thanksgiving dinner were only 4 of 18 in the colony to survive the prior winter. The home village of Chief Massasoit, the Pilgrims helpful native friend who joined them that first Thanksgiving, had been wiped out by smallpox. In Williamson County we are blessed with so much abundance, but for those participants in that first thanksgiving there wasn’t a Grassland Market to go for turkey and fixings. The colonists, with the help of their neighbors, had to brave the wilderness to hunt for their turkey and
INSTRUCTIONS Assemble ingredients and utensils. Brown sausage in a nonstick skillet. Remove sausage but leave the rendered fat in pan. Add butter, onion and celery to pan, stirring occasionally, until tender about 10 minutes. Add apples, pecans sage and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine cornbread, sausage, apple mixture, eggs and broth. Gently combine. Pour into an 11x8 greased baking dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until dressing is firm to touch. Yield 8-10 servings.
pray for good weather to keep them warm during their feast. Given their circumstances, we are so blessed. Their lesson of gratitude is a beautiful legacy. Many of us this year will be missing someone at our table; that is certainly true for my family. The key to happiness on this holiday and every day, though, is to count our blessings. Appreciation of what we’ve enjoyed or are enjoying is the essence of Thanksgiving. Following the example of those Pilgrims and Indians, let’s give thanks for our neighbors and coworkers, even our four legged friends. Celebrate our families, our pets, and -however we choose to worship- the God who placed nature’s bounty all around us. In honor of those Indian neighbors who taught the pilgrims how to grow squash, here’s my favorite for Party Squash Casserole. I’m also sharing a delightful Sinfully rich Sweet Potato Recipe and to wrap around the turkey a Sausage and Apple Cornbread Dressing. Last but not least, I am thankful for you, the readers, customers and friends for whom writing and cooking is my life’s work. From our family to yours, I wish you a happy, fun and gastronomical Thanksgiving! Daisy King
Party Squash Casserole
INGREDIENTS • 1 pound yellow squash, sliced • 1 teaspoon sugar • 1/2 cup mayonnaise • 1/2 cup minced onion • 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper • 1/2 cup chopped pecans • 1 egg, slightly beaten • 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese • salt and pepper to taste • bread or cracker crumbs • 1/4 cup butter, sliced INSTRUCTIONS Assemble ingredients and utensils. In a large saucepan, cook squash and drain and mash slightly. Add the sugar, mayo, onion, green pepper, pecans and egg. Put in a 2 quart casserole dish, top with crumbs and dot with butter. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Yield: 6-8 servings
Sinfully Rich Sweet Potatoes
(Sweet Potato Casserole) INGREDIENTS • 3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes • 3/4 cup sugar • 2 eggs, beaten • 1 cup evaporated milk • 1/4 cup butter • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS Assemble ingredients and utensils. Mix together all ingredients and pour into a grease 2 quart casserole. Cover with topping and bake in a 375 degree oven for 30-40 minutes. Yield: 6-8 servings
TOPPING • 1 cup light brown sugar • 1/3 cup butter, melted • 1 cup flaked coconut • 1 cup chopped pecans Combine ingredients. Mix well until crumbly. Sprinkle over sweet potatoes.
Miss Daisy’s Kitchen • 2176 Hillsboro Road • Franklin, Tennessee 37069 • 615.599.5313 MissDaisyKing.com • facebook.com/MissDaisysKitchen
SOCIAL | Spooks & Coupes Story & Photography by K. York “Spooks & Coupes” was introduced to the community as Williamson County Parks and Recreation’s new Halloween event. Kids were dressed in the costumes of their favorite characters and full of excitement for a night of collecting candy and fun. The Haunted Forest filled with Disney villains, greeted the spooks. As they wandered along the path they also got to view 30 classic cars on display! Or maybe that was for mom and dad! But the trunks did contain lots of candy! With face painting, kid crafts and inflatable, it was Halloween and then some.
Brooks Godwin, Abigail Crew, Madi Crow & Isabel Berry-Womack
Carter Bradley, Charlie Lutz, Levi Conrad & Eric Sirface
Paddon & Paili Doyle
Barry & Clara Deans
Hunter Parrott, Lissett Zavala & Virginia White
LIFESTYLE | Styling Your Everyday
How to Host a
Stress-Free Thanksgiving
THE KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL THANKSGIVING IS PLANNING … AND LOTS OF EATING! BY KATIE JACOBS
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hanksgiving inspires thoughts of large gatherings of people you love, warm candlelight and, of course, absurdly delicious food. This Thanksgiving, don’t let the fact that you are hosting stress you. Here are a few tips to making your Thanksgiving celebration delightful.
For more DIY ideas, check out StylingMyEveryday.com
GET ORGANIZED Make a Thanksgiving Day notebook. Include printouts of all the recipes that you will be making, a guest list (confirm invitations and RSVP’s the week before), a Thanksgiving outline (which includes a menu and a to-do list for the week leading up to the big day), a grocery list and a Thanksgiving day schedule. Print out tips for carving the turkey and temperature requirements just so you have everything all in one central location. Start your Thanksgiving planning by making a complete menu. Write down what your guests will be bringing, what you need to pick up and what you will be cooking. Thanksgiving Day is not the time to try some new recipe you found on Pinterest the night before…test and taste your recipes long before your guests do. Likewise, you can do several things the week before to get a head-start on your cooking. The freezer is your Thanksgiving-prep best friend! Make and freeze pie crusts, chicken stock, yeast rolls and bread for stuffing. Also, if you are getting a fresh turkey (or ordering a pre-cooked turkey) now’s the time. Finally, go ahead and buy beer and wine and make sure that you have enough dishes, glasses, silverware and serving dishes.
PREPARE YOUR HOME The week leading up the Thanksgiving, you want to deep clean your house. Go ahead and do all those things you’ve been putting off— pressure wash the walkway, change lightbulbs, press the napkins, polish the silver, dust ceiling fans, vacuum blinds. You also want to make sure your kitchen is ready by cleaning out your refrigerator, freezer and pantry. Go ahead and take inventory of what you have and once you’ve made your grocery list, you can compare what you need versus what you already have (this is especially important for spices). Clean your oven, microwave, and clean out your cabinets (this seems extreme but guests are going to be looking in there – make sure everything is organized if it’s not already). Clean things like oven mitts and dish towels. Also, make sure that all your appliances are working properly. Use a oven thermometer to check to make sure that your oven is cooking at the correct temperature, change out your water filter, dump your ice and clean out the tray. Finally, if you do have guests staying with you, you’ll want to make sure your guest quarters are like a hotel— clean sheets, fresh towels, new toiletries, etc. On top of all that? Decorate your home. Go ahead and decorate your table, mantel and coffee table in the weeks prior to the big day. MAKE A DETAILED GROCERY LIST Write down how much you need of each item so you make sure you get enough, plus, make sure to buy a little extra... If you burn the cranberry sauce, it’s nice to know that you can make it again without a frantic run to the store. Also, organize your grocery list by sections of the grocery store. Produce, bakery, meat, frozen, canned goods, diary, etc. That way you can check off quickly as you are in each section. Bring a pen to mark things off, or have it on your phone and erase items as you put them in the cart. Buy what you can in bulk to save time and money. MAKE A SCHEDULE Make a schedule for Thanksgiving week (what you will prep everyday in the days leading up to Thursday) and a minute-byminute schedule for Thanksgiving Day. You’re laughing. Nope. This is really important. 7:30 Preheat oven. 8:00 Place Turkey in oven at 450 degrees. 10:30 Turn down Green Beans to just warm. 1:45 Remove stuffing cover, put cranberry sauce on stove to warm. Etc.
Etc. Follow the schedule and it will really make for a stress-free affair. No guessing, no rushing. Everything will be warm and out of the oven on time. CREATE A STRESS-FREE THANKSGIVING DAY A couple of days ahead of time lay out butcher paper on your buffet, trace each serving dishes with a white paint pen and
put out serving utensils. This makes putting the buffet together SUPER simple. You’ll know ahead of time that you have enough serving pieces, that it will all fit on your buffet and family can help assemble the buffet as things come out of the oven. Plus, it makes for easy clean up and is a great check list to make sure you have everything out (you won’t forget those deviled eggs sitting in the fridge).
Mom’s Yeast Rolls Yield: 3 dozen
• 1 envelope dry yeast • 1/4 cup lukewarm water (110 degrees) • 2 eggs • 1/2 cup sugar • 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups all purpose flour (plus a little for rolling out dough) • 1 1/4 cups water • 1/2 cup vegetable oil • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water in a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a bread hook. Add eggs, sugar and salt and mix until just combined. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until well incorporated. Add water and oil alternately with 4 cups flour, mixing well after each addition and beginning and ending with flour.
fold in half. Place in greased 13 inch round pans. Let rise in a warm place for 2 to 3 hours or until doubled in bulk. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake for 15 minutes until golden.
Roll the dough out on a well floured surface (working more flour into the dough if needed). Cut with a 2-inch biscuit cutter. Dip each circle halfway into the melted butter, then
To prepare ahead and freeze:
Bake until just before golden and remove from the oven and let cool completely. Wrap tightly and freeze. Bake frozen at 400 degrees covered in foil for 10 minutes and then another 5 minutes uncovered.
November 2015 | YOURWILLIAMSON.COM 37
SOCIAL | Franklin Wine Festival Sponsored Event
Story by Andrea Davis & Photography by Adam Sanner Over 300 wines from around the world, paired with food from more than 30 of Middle Tennessee’s best restaurants were savored by guests attending the 2015 Franklin Wine Festival on October 16th at the Factory. Benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee, the event raises funds that are used to conduct background checks on volunteers to ensure child safety; and provide ongoing support for children, families and volunteers to build and sustain long-lasting relationships. For the most money raised, Brentwood resident David Webber and Franklin resident Susan Moody were crowned “King and Queen of the Vines.” To date, the event has raised nearly $1.4 million in its eleven-year legacy. For more information, visit www.franklinwinefestival.com.
Oksana Nelson, Karen Tallier & Bridget Martin
Sara Jo Walker & Gloria Houghland
Janette Cicale, Sally Mink & Jill Brandi
Malcolm & Desiree Hill
Scott Turnerm David Williams, Deiree Boudouin, Robin Burns & Will Turner
Sarah Beveridge, Chris Rively & Ded Kearney
Kecia Burcham & Gabe Pizzillo
Melanie McNeilage & Cami Fields
Don & Connie Ansley
Alexa Voytek & Christian Sedelmyer
Autumn Copeland & Patty Copeland
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Janice Jones & Alicia Jones
Sierra Copeland, Graham Joniec, Anna Bianco & Angelica Meggitt
SOCIAL | Secure Air Charter Open House Story & Photography by K. York Secure Air Charter hosted their Annual Open House at the Nashville International Airport. Guests arrived to the private event at the hangar. Surrounded by an exquisite fleet of cars and several light and midsize jets, guests enjoyed delicious foods prepared by Secure Air Charter’s exclusive catering service, Gourmet To-Go. All the Lights DJ entertained the crowd with a mix of sounds as they viewed the cars and toured the jets. Secure Air Charter flies clients to locales spanning across North America, the Caribbean and Central America. Partners in this event were Maserati, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin of Nashville, CANA Wine Company and Nashville K-9.
Alberton Martinez & Max Milano
Oksana Carlo, Yuliya Howard & Svetlana Hanzyy
Susan Andrews Thompson & Amy Buckley
Seth Douthett, Erin Taylor, Amy Baldwin & Jarrod Imler
Andrea Diebold, Ray Simon, Lexi Huchitson, Victor Mendoza, Alice Sherman & Larissa Chaney
COMMUNITY | Days Gone By
A Battle for Tourism THE BATTLE FIRST BROUGHT TOURISTS TO FRANKLIN, AND STILL DOES BY MARGIE THESSIN
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ourism plays a big role in Franklin’s economic vitality. These days, visitors are part of the fabric of the community: you see them toting shopping bags up and down Main Street, hear them in restaurants asking “What’s a Meat and Three?” and avoid the cars with the out-of-state license plates maneuvering around the roundabout. But while visitors have only recently been coming in hordes for shopping and restaurants, the Civil War—specifically the Battle of Franklin—has been drawing them here since shortly after the battle itself. Obviously these were not pleasure trips. But these visits were no different than visitors today touring European battlefield and cemeteries (as well as our own Civil War sites). Maybe pilgrimages is a better term for what those early visitors were doing. The earliest Civil War site to bring out-of-town visitors to Franklin was the Confederate cemetery, established in 1866 on property donated by John and Carrie McGavock of Carnton Plantation. Family members of the dead came from far and near, and sometimes required days of travel to get here. Just like today, they stayed at local lodging and ate at local restaurants. By 1877, veterans of the 20th Tennessee Infantry were planning Franklin’s first Confederate reunion. Over 6,000 people attended, in a town of fewer than 1,000 people. Speeches, concerts and a barbeque provided a memorable outing for veterans and families, as they relived that terrible time. The next gathering took place in 1887. Subsequent reunions both large and small took place in 1891, 1892, 1897, 1905, 1910, 1914, 1920 and 1927. Ten thousand people came to town on November 30, 1899 to observe the dedication of the Confederate memorial on the town square. Individuals came too. Sometimes an old veteran was passing through town, and he stopped in at the house he remembered from the battlefield owned by a family named Carter. Today a house museum, members of the family lived there until 1896. Moscow Carter, who inherited the house, was Franklin’s first tour guide, as he showed the veterans where this general fell and that regiment attacked…just as tour guides do today.
When the Nashville-Franklin Interurban electric train inaugurated service to Franklin in the early 20th Century, the timetable announced that a trip to Franklin “afforded the 40 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
opportunity of viewing some of Tennessee’s most historic scenery, particularly the battlefield of Franklin.” In 1951, the State of Tennessee purchased the Carter House to prevent it being torn down for a gas station. A local organization formed to run the site and it has welcomed visitors ever since. Carnton Plantation opened as a house museum in 1980 and Lotz House in 2008. Winstead Hill, Fort Granger, Roper’s Knob, the Eastern Flank, and now Carter Hill Park are all part of Franklin’s Civil War story and attract visitors by the tens of thousands every year. Franklin’s tourism business got a huge bump in 2005 with the publication of The Widow of the South, a historical novel authored by Robert Hicks. The New York Times bestseller centers on Carrie McGavock at Carnton during and after the war years. Visitors arrived immediately after the book’s publication and still come today for the same reason. Hicks’s interview on CBS Sunday morning about the book garnered publicity across the nation. Franklin’s first non-Civil War attraction was Carter’s Court, a European-style shopping and dining venue across the street from the Carter House. The project, completed in 1973, was the brainchild of Calvin
LeHew, the visionary preservationist. After success with Carter’s Court, he purchased and renovated seven decrepit Main Street buildings, promoted liquor by the drink, and with his wife Marilyn, opened Choices restaurant, knowing that a town could never be a tourist attraction without at least one nice restaurant (where wine and spirits could be had). Later the Lehews purchased an old stove factory and turned it into the showplace it is today—with shops, restaurants, live music, a farmer’s market and more—the Factory of Franklin. The Heritage Foundation, founded to preserve Franklin’s historic properties and landscape, has been instrumental in not only preservation, but promotion. Franklin’s Great American Street is known throughout the country, thanks to the Downtown Franklin Association. Numerous national publications trumpet Franklin’s charm and it seems we find Franklin every week heading up another list of “best ofs.” Three huge street festivals bring in hundreds of thousands of visitors a year. The restaurant scene is burgeoning and vibrant. Live music can be heard most nights, both inside and out. Shopping is unique and hits all price ranges. Franklin has several high end art galleries. Visitors can check in at over 4,000 hotel rooms. And Franklin even has a walking
tour business (yes, that’s me) where visitors come to hear Franklin’s history, as well as the ever-popular ghost stories. Thanks to Franklin’s compact downtown business district and array of fabulous restaurants, we are even able to offer a Southern food tour. There aren’t many towns Franklin’s size where you’ll find that. Today, visitors come for a variety of reasons: history, art, music, festivals, ghost tours, great restaurants and shopping, beautiful scenery, and that great ole Southern hospitality. Convention and Visitors’ Bureau figures show the deep economic impact of tourism; in 2014, $407 million, a 6% increase over 2013. Williamson County is ranked 6th of 95 Tennessee counties in economic impact, and tourism saves every household in the county $475 in state and local taxes. And now you know how we got here. The seed of Franklin’s tourism business today was planted in the fields around the Southern edge of Franklin, by the sacrifice of so many Americans, on November 30, 1864. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of visitors have heard the compelling, tragic story of that late November afternoon, as the bands played and the flags waved…and thousands fell. Never to be forgotten…
Franklin’s HHly Trrley 2015 tickets FALL IS A GREAT TIME FOR A WALKING TOUR!
Ghosts, Crime, City & Civil War Tours Southern Style Food Tours Call 615.400.3808 for info and reservations www.FranklinOnFoot.com | franklinonfoot@gmail.com
Tickets can be purchased online at www.tmagroup.org or at the Transit Center at 708 Columbia Ave. 615.628.0260
sale
SOCIAL | Harpeth River Swing Sponsored Event
Story & Photography by K. York The Harpeth River Watershed’s 2015 Harpeth River Swing was held at Fairpath Farm, the scenic countryside home of Todd and Susan Kaestner. Fairpath Farm is nestled along the banks of the Harpeth River, which provided the perfect setting for dinner and dancing. Whole Foods provided dinner and Lipman Brothers provided libations and the band Everyday People, entertained. The Harpeth River Watershed Association is dedicated to preserving and restoring the ecological health of the Harpeth River and its watershed. For additional information, go to John & Ginger Manley, Harrison & Deborah Taylor www.harpethriver.org.
Chris & Angela Lassiter
Mac & Pat Hughes
Becky & Bill Barkley, Anne Goetze
Jeff & Denee Davis
Janie & Bob Yeager
Nicole Smart, Jonathan League, Brandon Blumber & Rachael Even
Richard & Carolyn Warden
Nancy Garden & Ran Batson Melissa & Dave Mahanes
Stephen Salyer & Tori Thompson
Angela & Porter Calhoun
Tony Syler, Star Schatten, Dorene Bolze & Stephanie Cook
42 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
Chuck & Jillian Downham
John & Clara Priest, Denee & Jeff Davis
Otter, Susan & Todd Kaestner
This rare 68-acre opportunity in the exclusive Old Hillsboro Road corridor has both open pastures and woods. It provides exceptional views and privacy, yet it is convenient to area amenities. The fenced and cross-fenced property is perfect for horses.
Jeni Housley & John Mattox
This 228-acre working farm on Dean Road is already annexed in the city of Thompson Station, just south of Franklin, and is zoned Light Intensity. This property could make for a great estate home, investment, or development property.
David, Kristy & Adam Gailani, Allene & Kelly Poole, Jodie Jardon & Brian Motto
5575 Leipers Creek Road is a 144-acre farm just past the village of Leiper’s Fork. The mix of pasture and woods provides all kinds of opportunities including raising animals, hunting, or trail riding. This farm is perfect for a large estate or family compound.
For more information on these properties, please email Cooper Magli at cooper@magli.com or call Lisa & Al Geiger, Priscilla Medford
615.794.5484 November 2015 | YOURWILLIAMSON.COM 43
Judy & Dick Williams REALTOR®
Judy: Dick: Office:
615-210-1059 615-426-0020 615-373-2044
www.judyanddick.com
Judy and Dick Williams #1 Agents for
CRYE-LEIKE Middle Tennessee in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014.
Happy Thanksgiving to our clients from our family to yours
701 Sinclair Circle • Brentwood
3017 Smith Lane • Franklin
407 Wild Elm Street • Franklin
1951 Bristol Court • Brentwood
LISTED AT $1,899,000
LISTED AT $1,699,000
LISTED AT $1,699,000
LISTED AT $1,295,000
W NERICE P
Judy & Dick Williams REALTOR®
Judy: Dick: Office:
615-210-1059 615-426-0020 615-373-2044
www.judyanddick.com
Judy and Dick Williams #1 Agents for
CRYE-LEIKE Middle Tennessee in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014. 2024 Parker Hollow Road • Nolensville LISTED AT $1,149,000
D L SO
1122 Granny White Ct • Listed at $575,000
D L SO
7704 Scenic River Lane • Listed at $899,000
D L SO
238 31st Avenue N. • Listed at $418,000
D L SO
5186 Colleton Way • Brentwood LISTED AT $2,399,000
ING D PEN
105 LaSalle Ct • Listed at $489,000
D L SO
712 Rosslare Circle • Listed at $679,775
D L SO
508 Dekemont Lane • Brentwood
D L SO
BUSINESS | YOUR Real Estate with WCAR
Williamson County in a Good Place Headed into Q4
T
here were 474 single family homes sold in Williamson County in September, an increase of 11.8% over last year’s 424 mark, according to data from the Williamson County Association of REALTORS® (WCAR). The 1,607 closings in the third quarter were up 12.7% compared to 1,426 homes sold in the same period last year. The year-to-date numbers look remarkably similar. The 3,988 closings in the first nine months of 2015 were 12.6% higher than the 3,541 closings during the same time in 2014. To add some perspective, the highest recorded number of homes sold from January to September of any year was 3,821 in 2006. That is 4.4% lower than the same period this year.
In 2006, there was only one month out of that year with a median price above $400,000. This year the market has seen eight months above that mark. Median price for September 2015 was $398,553, a mark 3.3% higher than last year’s $385,750. This was the first month since December 2014 median price was below $400,000. The decrease in median price is actually good news for consumers. Another factor that will affect real estate in the fourth quarter is the implementation of new rules from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on October 3, 2015. Lenders, REALTORS® and title attorneys are working to ensure the process is as smooth as possible. However, clients looking to sell or purchase a home should prepare for closings to take 10-14 days longer based on the new regulations. To educate consumers on these changes, and to help decrease potential delays in closings, the National Association of REALTORS® and the CFPB developed an online toolkit as part of the “Know Before You Owe” campaign. The toolkit, available at www.consumerfinance.gov/ owning-a-home, helps households determine how much they can afford to borrow, compare loan packages and prepare for the closing table. With 2,100 members, the Williamson County Association of REALTORS® provides support and services for area real estate professionals and is the leading voice in the community for its members, as well as residential and commercial property owners. REALTOR® is a registered trademark which may be used only by real estate professionals who are members of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics.
SOCIAL | Barktoberfest
Story & Photography by K. York
Dianne
Barktoberfest celebrated its 7th year at its new location at the Park at Harlinsdale Farm. Barktoberfest is Nashville’s costumed fall festival for dogs which is hosted by Nashville Paw magazine. The Howl-O-Ween contests were a highlight of the day as dogs and their owners competed for prizes. Vendors sold everything a dog would want or need and of course there was a pet adoption fair. Jack and the Bear, Emily Earle and Eight O’ Five Jive played live music on stage. It was a great day with lots of fun activities for man and his “best friend.” Adam Melcher with Boracay
Matt
Mikayla Willis with Beckham Cheyenne Conrady & Nick Wheeler with Phoebe & Dexter
Kaya Kelly with Didgie
Mary Brady with Teddy
Maggie Sutton with Walk
Laurie
Ella Bracy with Colton
Carmen & Terry Thompson with Tink
Casey, Lola & Matthew Thomson with Ringo & Scarlett
615-790-6107
Daniel-Christian.com 202 5th Avenue South Franklin, TN 37064
LIFESTYLE | Interior Thinking
5
MUST-HAVES FOR YOUR HOLIDAY DINING ROOM
I
t’s the time of year when our dining room rises to the forefront of the most used room in the home. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we prepare for many houseguests, welcomed and unwelcomed, as well as family and friends. There is so much advanced preparation for the perfect menu, the perfect centerpiece, and the perfect outfit. But, how many homeowners give the proper attention to the room that will host their “perfect” event? Over the years, I have found dining rooms decreasing considerably in popularity. With the rise of the “open-plan” concept in architecture, living has become much more relaxed and people want a less formal feel. However, this has created less pageantry for presenting the most traditional Thanksgiving feast. This is a discredit to all the painstaking preparation many home chefs provide to their guests. So, I have created a short list of “must-haves” for the most beautiful and hopefully celebrated feast. 48 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
BY ERIC ROSS
DINING ROOM MUST-HAVE #1:
WALLCOVERING If you have been living under a design rock for the past five years, you may have missed the fact that wallcovering is back and at full tilt. Gone are the days of simply stripes or staid damasks. Patterns continue to get larger and more jubilant. But, why is it necessary or, as I say, imperative that it be in the dining room? Well, dining rooms can be visually hard with all the case goods one typically finds in a dining room. There is typically a large table, a china cabinet or sideboard, perhaps even
a linen chest. Most dining chairs are largely wood with a possible padded seat. So, in order to instantly create visual softness I like to place a floral or arabesque design on the walls. This helps skew the hard corners of the room, as well as the hard edges of the case goods. One other great benefit is the acoustic benefit you get from placing paper, or even more luxurious, upholstery on the walls. This helps catch sound and create a more cocooning effect to offset the clink of crystal and porcelain. Also, if it has a metallic finish, it picks up the glint of candlelight beautifully.
DINING ROOM MUST-HAVE #2:
MULTIPLE LAYERS OF LIGHTING Please, for the love of all that’s holy to the design gods, do not simply place a single chandelier in the center of your dining room and consider it complete! Most rooms I create have multiple layers of light. What this means is you have light from the ceiling, as well as mid-level, such as a sconce or lamp. Another level would be candlelight, which is a must for a night meal, especially. (Everyone looks good in candlelight.) The goal with lighting in a dining room is to create a mood, not to just light a table. If you want people to linger, put the chandelier on a dimmer so you can have more control on the main light source and then place smaller wattage bulbs in lamps and sconces to create pools of light around the room. Your guests will be put at ease, stay longer and look better. Everyone’s a winner in that scenario!
DINING ROOM MUST-HAVE #4:
A STATEMENT CHANDELIER Just as a bed is the star of the bedroom, the chandelier is the star of the dining room. I mean, it hangs from the ceiling, suspended as from the sky for heaven’s sake. So, it inherently draws attention. This is why I replace so many chandeliers. Homeowners usually select a sad standard model that fits into their lighting budget. Or, they are just afraid to take a design risk so they settle for the ordinary. Be daring! Crystal, brass or stones—we are seeing everything from shells to antlers on chandeliers, so anything goes. Just make it a showstopper.
DINING ROOM MUST-HAVE #5:
BEAUTIFUL & COMFORTABLE SEATING Let me start with this fact: dining chairs are expensive. This fact is lost on many clients. They want a beautiful dining room, but when I design and price the cost, they hyperventilate on the cost of the dining chairs. Two things are at play here. 1. A domestically made upholstered dining chair is expensive. Why? Well, a craftsman has carefully placed springs (for comfort) and many times nail-head trim (lots of time to put these on) and beautiful fabric (also expensive) on one item.
2. Now, multiply that expensive single chair by 8 or 10! Wowzers! This stops the dining room train, or derails it. Either way it takes a couple of weeks for the client to get back on the track after understanding the expense and necessity. The chairs really are the only upholstery in most dining rooms, so they must be beautiful since they are one of the only fabric covered items to look at. And, they must be comfortable in order to keep your guests at the table. Don’t skimp on great dining chairs. They are worth the investment and you’ll have them for years to enjoy.
BONUS MUST-HAVE:
DELIGHTFUL CONVERSATION, OF COURSE! No dining room is as beautiful as it is when it’s filled with the company of family and friends actually enjoying the room. By following this list of must-haves, you and your dining room will shine for all to enjoy this holiday.
Eric Ross Interiors | 220 Lewisburg Avenue, Franklin, TN 37064 615.472.8236 EricRossInteriors.com Follow Eric Ross Interiors on FaceBook, Instagram and Twitter
DINING ROOM MUST-HAVE #3:
A BEAUTIFULLY SET TABLE When so much effort goes into create a beautiful dining room, don’t forget to fit it with proper china. Now, here I use the term “china” liberally to mean dishes. It doesn’t have to be formal, but it must be visually cohesive. Look for colors that can complement the rooms color scheme, or be bold with a contrasting color to create a more dynamic effect. Coordinating china for your dining room actually enhances and draws more attention to your room’s décor. Also, you want to keep in mind that food will be on the plate, so avoid too much pattern as to not take away from the real star—you, darling! November 2015 | YOURWILLIAMSON.COM 49
SOCIAL | Heroes in Heels
Story & Photography by Rachel Weishaupt The Heroes in Heels Fashion Show was back for another successful year at the Factory at Franklin. The event showcased twenty-eight breast cancer survivors with a night of food, fun and celebration. The women modeled beautiful clothing provided by Dillard’s of Cool Springs while walking the runway with friends and family! The YMCA of Maryland Farms hosts this annual event which touches on the positive influence of the After Breast Cancer (ABC) program. For more information about the ABC program and Heroes in Heels, visit the YMCA’s website at give.ymcamidtn.org.
Jodi Schroer & Shelley Kolz
Jessica Moore, Emily Walton & Sarah Maurice
Jolly Pradhan, Lisa Swicegood & Betsy Izzo
Michelle & Brantley Fleming
Breanna & Sherry Britton
Kirstin Sharp & Leslie Fife
50 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
Mengya Li, May Ou & Anna Sandberg
Katie Richards & Brandis Blodgett
Jennifer Brakefield & Jessika Poirier
Sue Fitzgerald & Evanne Nehlig
The Art of Living Beautifully 9557 Hampton Reserve
10 Medalist Court
Hampton Reserve • $1,749,000
Governors Club • $1,499,000
209 Woodford Place
1168 Travelers Ridge Drive
Hounds Run • $1,025,000
Inns of Granny White • $949,000
1118 Adams Street
1183 Pin Oak Drive
SOLD
* This sale includes 1120 & 1222 Adams Street Historic Franklin • $949,000
Willomet • $624,000
615-263-4800 • WWW.4WARRENS.COM • 615-263-4815 FRIDRICH & CLARK REALTY, LLC
LIFESTYLE | A Southern Gentleman Is...
Business As Usual BY DANNY ANDERSON
Danny Anderson is a Broker with Parks Realty on Main Street in downtown Franklin. Danny will be the new contributing columnist for our monthly A Southern Gentleman Is… musings, advice, tips and tales for the Gentlemen (and ladies) of Williamson County.
W
ith our U Haul loaded to the brim, Teresa and I said goodbye to our many friends in Jackson, TN and headed out to our new home — Franklin, TN. As newlyweds, we were both excited and anxious about just how this journey would turn out. I will never forget the overwhelming feeling I had when I made the turn onto New Hwy 96 West heading toward our new found home. The beauty of the rolling hills, the bright blue sky, charming houses scattered throughout and to top it all, a quaint and charming downtown that would eventually claim the title of one of America’s Best Main Streets, all confirmed that we had made the right decision. Yes, Franklin was indeed a very special place. I had accepted the position of P.R. Director for Carter’s Court, a European style shopping village that is one of the many landmarks that visionaries Calvin and Marilyn LeHew have bestowed on our fair city. That job will always remain as one of my greatest life experiences. Teresa on the other hand was a teacher at Harpeth Academy ( now BGA) until she retired to run our gift shop “D-Roys” at
“
Carter’s Court. We eventually owned three shops at Carter’s Court and partnered with our friend Ed Silva to open the popular Bunganut Pig Restaurant there. Needless to say, we had a lot going on in our lives. Yes, Franklin was alive and growing. Over many years the business community, with the encouragement and support of the preservation community, slowly evolved into a nationally recognized example of what can happen when the public and private sectors work together. Community pride was everywhere. As time rolled by Teresa and I combined our shops and moved “D-Roys” to downtown 4th Avenue where the Franklin Mercantile is today. There we got to experience many Main Street firsts —The first Main Street Festival, where only a handful of merchants pulled tables to the sidewalk to show their wares. Just like several Main Street Festivals it too, was a wet and soggy day. We got to witness the prototype of Streetscape, which was installed in front of our store. As the sidewalk was dug up people literally had to walk on a board from the street to our front door for several days just to get in. We got to watch our beautiful buildings come to life once again as the metal facades that covered many came down and we had the thrill of
watching Hollywood come to Franklin to make some memorable films on Main Street. Teresa and I were truly blessed, but we made the decision to close our store and go in another direction. After an amazing few years as employee, buyer and manager for the Bennett House, a clothier for gentleman and their sons, I got my Real Estate license and Teresa started to work at Vanderbilt. Together with our son Reid, we have watched this wonderful community grow into a haven were many people want to live, raise their families and have a stake in its future. Yes, rents have certainly soared since we opened our first store almost 40 years ago, the sidewalks are packed with people shopping, dining and just enjoying hanging out and thousands turn out for our many community events. We have indeed come a long way. As I take a look back, my mind goes to the many unsung heroes that held a great vision for this city. The worked tirelessly to turn that vision into a reality… A vision that continues today with new heroes and new ideas. As a community we may not always agree on how our future will unfold, but I do think we can all agree that this is one great place to call home.
As a community we may not always agree on how our future will unfold, but I do think we can all agree that this is one great place to call home.
52 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
”
FOR ALL YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS
A NEW BRAND - SAME FACES FRANKLIN
Danny Anderson 615.790.7400
Reid Anderson 615.406.3426
Jennifer Bickerstaff 615.504.2118
Peggy Mather 615.979.1548
Michelle Glass 615.946.5179
Loy Hardcastle 615.948.3704
Sarah Beth Litzenberg 615.712.4312
Dena Payne 615.347.1547
Marnice Smith 615.403.6568
Lauren Sullivan 615.2898610
Chris Fuller 615.587.0260
Jane Hunter Hicks 615.522.7080
Peggy B. Myers 615.406.0152
Kim Day Shacklock 615.370.86698
Lisa Culp Taylor 615.300.8285
David Votta 615.330.8638
BRENTWOOD
DOWNTOWN FRANKLIN OFFICE 415 MAIN STREET, FRANKLIN, TN 37064 PHONE: 615.790.7400 FAX: 615.790.7413
BOBPARKS.COM
BRENTWOOD OFFICE 8119 ISABELLA LN #105, BRENTWOOD, TN 37027 PHONE: 615.370.8669 FAX: 615.370.8013
SOCIAL | Balls to the Wall Sponsored Event
Story & Photography by K. York Snooty Giggles Dog Rescue hosted the 2nd Annual Balls to the Wall event in Thompson’s Station. This was a true family and dog event with activities like the Great Ball Race across the pond, the human Hungry Hungry Hippo tournament, a photo booth, face painting and all kinds of ball activities. Snooty Giggles is dedicated to rescuing dogs in need from area shelters with a specific passion for special needs dogs, medical cases, seniors and hospice care. Snooty Giggles will share the proceeds with the family of Micah Ralston, a local 10-year-old boy currently fighting craniophyaryngioma. For more information on the event and Snooty Giggles, go to www.snootygiggles.com. Avery Chastain with Bea
Matthew Jensen with Buna
Michelle Banks with Lucia
Jayce Chappell, Dianna Thompson & Lesa Hamilton
Want to swim as soon as it get's warm in 2016? Plan Now! Let us design and build your pool this winter so you are ready to go! Visit our store or make an appointment today for a free estimate. Construction | Remodel | Repairs Chemical Sales | Water Analysis Leak Detection | Weekly Maintenance Vinyl Liner Replacement
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330 Franklin Road, Suite 242 Brentwood, TN 37027 615-370-9811 | clearwaterpoolsnashville.com
Annie & Anthony Barkley with Bonnie & Harper
Dana Ausbrooks with Atticus
NOW AVAILABLE IN FRANKLIN
JUST COMPLETED - 1014 BUENA VISTA DR. - $1,450,000
Hidden Valley H
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Spectacular “Lauren Manor II” - Located in Hillsboro Cove on a spacious 1 acre homesite. This home has it all! Open, inviting floor plan, gourmet kitchen, spacious rooms and luxurious finishes throughout. The incredible outdoor living areas make this home complete. Lisa Culp Taylor Lisa@LisaCulpTaylor.com www.LisaCulpTaylor.com (615) 300-8285 License # 262332
8119 Isabella Ln., #105 Brentwood, TN 37027 (615) 370-8669 Parks License #262887
SOCIAL | Restless Heart & Friends
Story & Photography by Rachel Weishaupt Restless Heart hosted a sold out benefit concert at the Franklin Theatre to raise awareness for OneGenAway! The award winning country group spent the night entertaining and speaking to guests about OneGenAway, a non-profit dedicated to eliminating hunger in America. The country group was joined by other talented artists such as Charlie McCoy and Michael Lington. Guests were able to purchase t-shirts and bid on silent auction items. All proceeds from the night directly benefit OneGenAway and the ongoing efforts to reduce hunger. For more information about the concert visit, www.onegenaway.com.
Michael Lington, Dave Innis, Steve Hayslip & Paul Gregg
Debby Miller & Kay Jones
Mandy & Matt Cole
Rose Mary Muirhead & Donna Evans
Greg Jennings, Elaine Whitney, Adrienne & Dave Innis
Kenny & Cindy Spitler, Mike & Chris Powell
Leslie, McKenzie & Mallory Gregg
Amy Algood & Valorie Mowery
Robert Bauer, Sylvia & Al Ganier
Kori Jean & Kelsi Olsen
Bob & Karen Rebholtz
No Signal Band
Connie Jarvis & Myra Peavyhouse
Kate & Brandon Hagan
000 , 5 9 8 , 1 $
gs Road in r p S d o 632 Go Farms k c o v a McG
Prime location in the heart of Brentwood. 1.1 Acre lot backing up to the prestigious Brentwood Country Club. All stone and brick with Old World charm, complete with covered front porch and screened in back porches and Viking built in outdoor grill. Two bedrooms bu on main level.
SUSAN M. JAMES
615-300-6838
SUSAN@VIVATN.COM
For More Details!
SOCIAL | I Cared For One
Story & Photography by K. York I Cared for One fundraising event for the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home was held at The Factory at Franklin. The annual fall event raises awareness for the Children’s Home, and raises monies for their IMPACT Campaign. Country music entertainer and former foster child Jimmy Wayne, shared hope through his hits like “Put Your Hand In Mine” and “I Love You This Much.” The mission of the Children’s Home and the Denise and George Shinn Foster Care Program is to minister the love of Christ to children and their families in crisis. Learn more at www.tennesseechildren.org.
Jane Andrews, Jean Hester, Dot Polly & Jean Inman
Kelly & Karen Campbell
Al & Rebecca Gonzales
Jim & McLauren Foster
Jim Smithey & Bill Graham
Leon Partain, Gerald Stow & Bryant Milsaps
Reggie & Margaret Tullis
Conniff Family
Mark & Mary Wasson, Jeff McGinnis
Kye, Abi, Trista & Thomas Walk 58 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
Mike & Pat McGinnis
Debbie Chamberlain & Bernice Burns
Lyman & Rita Black
I
NTRODUCING Joy J.R. Roper
&
Introducing Joy and J.R. Roper, a new team at The Lipman Group Sotheby’s International Realty. Their fresh approach is to fit your desires and needs into every real estate transaction. With J.R.’s 30 years of superior client satisfaction and Joy’s 13 years of real estate sales, they will exceed your every expectation. Integrity, commitment, and attention to detail.
Roper Lifestyle Real Estate, The Rhythm Of Your Life.
Joy Roper
J.R. Roper
615.668.0953
615.347.5711
roperjoy09@gmail.com
joedroper@gmail.com
2002 Richard Jones Road, Suite C-104 | Nashville, TN | 615.463.3333. Each office is independently owned and operated.
LIFESTYLE | From Our House to Yours
From Our House to Yours BY ANDREA DAVIS
A
fter most of her life has been spent moving around the country, Susan Hilgendorf has been living in Williamson County for the past 13 years and says it “feels like home.” Located at 103 Ewingville Drive in Franklin, Susan’s beautiful ranch home has her stamp all over it. Combining what she has accumulated through the years from the various locations she has resided, she has created a style all her own.
60 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
Upon entering, a gorgeous, burled walnut antique baby grand piano catches the eye in the formal living and dining room combination. The rich colors of the furniture and ornate accents are complimented by the beautiful fall décor that continues throughout the home.
Moving into the less formal but equally stunning living room, the large mantle and brick fireplace are the focal point. With a mixture of old and new, this cozy space has lots of character.
Stepping outside from the kitchen and living room is a deck perfect for entertaining. While hosting friends and family, this outdoor space includes a relaxing chair for lounging and additional seating for dining.
In this open concept space, the bright and cheery kitchen creates a pleasing contrast, as it flows from the living room. White cabinets and tile backsplash are accented with pops of bold colors, and the room is anchored by a functional, yet unique island, giving it an eclectic feel.
Right off of the kitchen is a colorful and warm den calling the avid reader to come in. With plenty of places to curl up with a good book, the den includes corner shelves that provide quite the selection of titles. November 2015 | YOURWILLIAMSON.COM 61
YW MONTHLY | YOUR Bone Vivant
THE GRATITUDE LIST
A
hhh, Fall! It is my first autumn with my Mama Dana, and we love spending time outside in the crisp air. I especially love romping and rolling around in the leaves. I am not a fan of hot, humid weather, but with the cooler days and nights, Mama and I have spent more time outside. We have some of our best talks when we are walking around our neighborhood. If you know my Mama, you know she likes to talk, and well, I like to listen. So far this arrangement works out well for both of us - Mama talks to me, and I do my best to listen to every word she says. This week Mama told me she thought we should write a gratitude list. She said it is a good idea to make a list of all the good things in our life so we do not take all of those good things for granted. Since I wasn’t sure what we should include on our gratitude list, Mama suggested we ask some people we know in Williamson County to help us with some ideas for our list, and that is exactly what we did!
We asked people in our community to tell us why they are grateful to live, work and play in Williamson County, and here is what they told us: “I am very thankful for the generous spirit of individuals who live and work in Williamson County. It’s their willingness to come together and collaborate on ways to address issues that makes our community a better place.” —Pam Bryant, President/CEO of United Way of Williamson County “Williamson County isn’t really a county, but more like one, big extended family. Gandhi said that you can judge the greatness of a nation by the way its animals are treated. That couldn’t be truer about Williamson County. This extended family is filled with big-hearted animal advocates who provide the best treatment for animals!” —Laura Chavarria, Director of Williamson County Animal Center “What a blessing it is to live in Williamson County, where the people and the quality of life are second to none! I am especially thankful for the opportunity to serve as an elected official here, and to have raised our sons in such a wonderful community.” —Karen Paris, Trustee for Williamson County Mama read through this list with tears in her eyes. Mama Dana and I started our list, and we hope each of you will write your own gratitude list. We want to remember to give thanks for the life we have been given every day. Read more thankful quotes from The Gratitude List online at yourwilliamson.com. Wet kisses until next time, Atticus
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FEATURE | In Honor of Our Veterans
VE T E R ANS WE SALUTE YOU BY ANDREA DAVIS & ANNA ROBERTSON
CHESTER KROSS
AUBREY WILLIAMS
WORLD WAR II VETERAN
US ARMY, CAPTAIN
On Christmas Day, Williamson County resident, Chester Kross, will be 93 years old. However, he remains active and full of life right along side his wife. Chester also spends time with friends who say they greatly enjoy his company, especially when he is telling stories of his past. There are certainly a lot of them to tell, and the most significant one goes back almost 75 years. Chester is a World War II veteran. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1941 and was assigned to the USS North Carolina (BB55), the first newly constructed American battleship to enter service during the war. Before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the ship had her final test run and was scheduled to steam in Pearl Harbor. Because of the attack, the ship stayed in the Atlantic Ocean for several months. In the fall of 1942, North Carolina was struck by a torpedo off Guadalcanal, and Chester says he was scared. He was just a teenager at the time. The ship ended up in dry dock at Navy Yard Pearl Harbor. “The Yard workers patched it up quick. They put metal over the damaged areas on the port side of the hull, and we were back out to sea after that,” Chester explains. North Carolina took part in every major naval offensive in the Pacific Theater of Operations. Her 15 battles stars made her the most highly decorated battleship of World War II.
64 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
Aubrey Williams is a United States Army Captain. Being a member of the military is a big part of her family. “My family has a rich history of military service. My fifth great-grandfather served in the American Revolution. My grandfather served in World War II. My other grandfather was an officer in the South Korean Army. My father was a career Army officer,” says Aubrey. Aubrey attended West Point from 2003 to 2007 and upon graduation she attended Adjutant General’s Corps Officer Basic Course at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. “I reported to Fort Stewart, Georgia, 3rd Infantry Division, in December 2007,” she says. “I was assigned to 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team. I deployed to Ar Ramadi, Iraq for three months in 2008. I deployed again to Baghdad, Iraq, for twelve months from December 2009 to December 2010. I spent most of my time as a Battalion S1 and Adjutant, managing personnel, postal and casualty operations for my unit, as well as serving my Battalion Commander. My active duty service was from 2007 to 2012.” “Being a veteran, to me, means being a part of my country’s past and future. I had the privilege of continuing the legacy of those who served before me, and I feel I was part of influencing the future too...Being a veteran also means being part of a unique minority of the population. These days, such a small percentage of people serve, so the average citizen is pretty far removed from the experience. In World War II or the Vietnam Era, a greater
In addition to World War II, Chester served in the Korean War and in Vietnam. His service and bravery to our country awarded him the Purple Heart for injuries sustained in September of 1968, when his boat was attacked in Vietnam. Chester retired from the Navy as a Master Chief in 1972. Chester enjoys living in Williamson County and has taken part in activities honoring his service, including the Veteran’s Day Parade in downtown Franklin. When asked if he would be attending this year’s parade he said, “Well, that depends on when I get up.” He’s quite a character.
㜀㘀㐀 匀愀甀渀搀攀爀猀瘀椀氀氀攀 䠀攀渀搀攀爀猀漀渀瘀椀氀氀攀
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percentage of people served, so there was a greater understanding of what it entailed, what it meant,” Aubrey explains. Aubrey feels that for those who have served all have this previous chapter of their lives. “In my head, it plays back a lot like a movie. Now, I work in a corporate office. I wear regular clothes. I come home to my husband and two cats. It is very surreal to have lived this ‘normal’ lifestyle for the past few years after spending most of my adult life thus far in uniforms.” On Memorial Day, Aubrey reflects like many, but also with a viewpoint that most of us are not familiar with. She explains, “I remember those friends I’ve lost in service. On Veterans Day, I try to honor those who’ve served and are currently serving. I always call my father, who is one of my favorite veterans. I look through old photos from West Point and my time with 3rd ID. After the parade in Franklin, our Legion post will be visiting Veterans in nursing homes. I love spending time with other veterans to remind myself that once a veteran, always a veteran.” Aubrey has served our country and continues to serve our community, as well. She is the 1st Vice Regent of Sarah Polk Chapter of the Tennessee Daughters of the American Revolution, is the 2nd Vice Commander of American Legion Post 22 in Franklin and recently started connecting with the local alumni network for West Point.
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November 2015 | YOURWILLIAMSON.COM 65
LIFESTYLE | Come Fly With Me
OUR ANTICIPATED
RECESS BY ANNIE OSTEEN
M
y husband, Dwight and I, are a blended family and between us we have five children. The kids’ ages range from four to thirteen. We both have professional careers and lead very hectic and busy lives with all that lands on our calendars each week. In order to keep our sanity intact and to remember why we got together in the first place, we make it a point to take a “Mom and Dad only” long weekend trip at least twice a year. A few months ago, YOUR Williamson did an article about the importance of couples date nights, especially those married with
66 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
children, to help maintain a healthy and strong family in the long run. The same goes for escaping every once in a while to a different city or another state for an extended weekend. The reconnecting that comes with leaving home, without the kids, is valuable and sometimes essential for not only preserving your marriage, but more importantly, your friendship. Thankfully, this is an opinion that Dwight and I have always shared together. Several months ago when trying to decide where to take our long weekend’s respite, we were contemplating some
different spots and decided to land back in California. We traveled there over three years ago and enjoyed our time so much that revisiting seemed like a good idea, especially since the time of year would be unlike our last trip. This vacation would be slightly altered, however. We would begin our journey in the Napa Valley Region but then take a day or two in Yosemite before coming back home. This would certainly be a busy itinerary for such a short, four day time-frame but having never personally been to Yosemite, I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity.
Dwight and I agreed to stay in Calistoga, a town north of Napa Valley, at the Craftsman Inn. We have previously stayed in Calistoga and at the very same Bed & Breakfast. It’s not on the main thoroughfare of where all of the tourists seem to be traveling in and out of the wineries and the atmosphere is more secluded than other areas of Napa and Sonoma. When traveling, we often like to stay in Bed & Breakfasts. Hotels are great for convenience but for us, we are all about the charm. Or maybe I’m the one who is all about the charm and Dwight’s just the great husband who doesn’t mind going along with the idea. However, Dwight loves this particular B&B mainly because of the breakfast (and if you’ve ever seen him eat, you won’t question this). The Innkeepers have become famous for their Chardonnay Baked Pears with Honey and my husband knows it. On our last visit, Dwight didn’t leave any for the other guests staying at the B&B. I was mortified and had to drag him out of there earlier than scheduled as to not face the other guests; this trip, the guests were already seated at the table so he had no choice but to share. Dwight and I toured a few wineries and we certainly sampled wines from all over the Napa Region. We heard about the fermenting (even smelled it as we were driving through the region), how wine was processed, stored and eventually sold… some for corrupt amounts of money, in my opinion. The weather on that particular Friday was about 72 degrees and for California, it means that in the sun, it’s nice and warm but in the shade, you’re grabbing your sweater. And I can’t complain because no humidity means it’s always a good hair day in California as well. As opposed to staying in the Napa Region for the entire trip as we did a few years prior,
we continued our trip towards Yosemite National Park, which covers more than 1,100 square miles of territory in eastern California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range. After a four-hour drive, and a huge transformation of California landscape, Yosemite was upon us and it was mesmerizing. Dwight had been to this National Park a few times before but it was a place that I had always imagined visiting. Seeing El Capitan and Half Dome, two natural pieces of art that Ansel Adams famously photographed, had always been on my bucket list. While in Yosemite, we stayed at The Ahwahnee Hotel. Built in 1927, it was chosen because of its exposure to the sun and stunning views of Yosemite’s icons – Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point. Walking around the property, the panoramas certainly didn’t disappoint from any direction. After getting our bags into the room, with
plenty of daylight still left to our day, we decided to hike around the property and surrounding area. Dwight, a long-time fan of Ansel Adams, was able to admire the same views and shots that have now become so historically famous and treasured. The Half Dome was my personal favorite. We sat in a field and looked in that direction for what seemed like an hour. Thousands of brave souls would prefer to climb Half Dome, which would take between 10-14 hours round-trip and is about 8800 ft in elevation, so looking at it from a distance was perfectly okay with us. The following day instead of hiking, it was suggested that we rent bikes to better see more of Yosemite rather than hike. Perfect idea as Dwight and I were able to capture more of the amazing scenery from biking than we ever would on foot because of time restraints. The redwoods that we biked beside were absolutely amazing; measuring an average of 300-350’ tall and boasting a diameter of 20’, you can get lost in wonder as you look up at them. As we made our way back to the California coast after our short stint in Yosemite, I was sad to be leaving such an awe-inspiring place but grateful to have been able to go. We began our trip unwinding with wine and Chardonnay Pears and wrapped it up with biking and hiking around the beauty of God’s natural wonders on the other side of the state. It seems surreal that Dwight and I were able to manage to fit a trip to both Napa Valley and Yosemite National Park into a long, yet short weekend. I suppose when two people both work and have five children between them nothing seems impossible. It’ll always be a priority in our marriage to get away together and it’d be tough to imagine another quick weekend getaway topping this recent, memorable one. November 2015 | YOURWILLIAMSON.COM 67
SOCIAL | Light the Way
Story by Andrea Davis & Photography by Carrie Drury Friends, family and other supporters of Elliot Grace Castro gathered at the Eastern Flank Event Facility on October 11th for the first “Light The Way” event. The event was held to raise funds for Team Elliot and Rhizo Kids, who serve the greater community for Rhizomelic Chondrodisplaysia Punctata (RCDP). Guests were entertained by the Williamson County Bluegrass Band and The Case Study among others. Families and children enjoyed the kids’ area complete with Touch-A-Truck from the Franklin Fire Department, face painting and a Musical Petting Zoo provided by Shuff’s Music. Proceeds from the event will help with expenses for treatment of Elliott Grace’s condition. To follow her journey, please like the “Team Elliot” page on Facebook.
Brandon Castro
Wes Alexander, Michael Barker & Jennifer Russell
Samantha & Elliot Castro
Mattie Johnson
Cornelia Holland, Pearl Bransford & Charles Sargent
The McGeary Family
Anderson, Josh, Mary-Kate, Mary Harper & Amelia Kate Brown
Susan Hilgendorf & Joey Lattimore
Lucy Jordan
Linda & Ken Moore, Brandy & Mendall Blanton
Sasha Shuff & Sarah Whittin
68 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
SOCIAL | Grand Ol’ Chili Cookoff Story & Photography by K. York The third Saturday in October featured the 14th Annual Chili Cook-off festival in Leipers Fork. It was a beautiful fall day for eating chili, sitting around on hay bales or dancing to the music of the Austin Brothers, Heavy Drunk and Bishop Gunn. The Kid Zone was a very popular place with the slides and jump blow-ups. Craft and food vendors enticed everyone with additional goodies and treats. Congratulations to Moonshine Gypsies for 1st place in the Strictly Scratch division and Custom Built Chili winning 1st place in People’s Choice division. Grindstone Saloon was the winner of the Showmanship Division.
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Savannah Glinstra, Candice Van Bibber & Charlize Glinstra
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BUSINESS | It’s Your Business
THE SMART CARDS ARE COMING! IS YOUR BUSINESS READY?
T
he credit card and debit card world is undergoing a fairly important transformation that will impact all of us. In this new age of daily data breaches, identity theft, and online fraud that transformation is a good thing.
According to Smart Card Alliance, approximately 120 million Americans have already received a new Chip Card and that number is projected to reach nearly 600 million by the end of 2015. If you have a card in your wallet it’s going to be replaced. In addition, if your business accepts credit and debit cards for payments the way customers pay you is changing too. More about that later. A Smart Card, or EMV card, is a chip-enabled card that provides an extra layer of security for you when you pay in a store, online, through your mobile device, or use an ATM. EMV stands for Europay, MasterCard and Visa, the three companies that created the new standard, as well as the merchant payment terminals, and the automated teller machines (ATMs) that will now be accepting them. Data on the new cards is stored in a chip, or integrated circuit, rather than on the traditional magnetic stripe that has been on the back of the card since the beginning of time. For the time being the new cards will have both a chip and a magnetic stripe to insure universal compatibility while the industry shifts to this new way of payment processing technology and to the new terminals. The banking industry says this win/win solution will protect consumers and merchants against fraud and identity theft. Why? The new cards add a layer of protection for the issuers through the enhanced integrated circuit approval process. The new cards will better protect consumers from fraud and theft because counterfeit cards will be virtually impossible to create – just because someone has your card number doesn’t give them access to the payment process. If you are a merchant accepting credit and debit cards you have to upgrade all of your terminals to be EMV compatible. If you don’t, in the new world of chip cards the burden and associated costs of fraud now become your responsibility. So if your business has multiple registers and multiple locations that means you are going to need new terminals everywhere. Ask your banker or merchant services provider for more information about the Smart Card revolution that is underway. The chips are coming, the chips are coming! Joe Harkins Wheelhouse Marketing Advisors www.wheelhouseworks.com
BUSINESS | Scoop If you or your company has community or business news to share please send to info@yourwilliamson.com! THE HUMANA OUTDOOR PROGRAM FOR EDUCATION AND HIGH HOPES The Humana Outdoor Program for Education (H.O.P.E.) is the result of a $100,000 grant awarded to High Hopes from Humana in 2013 to create and build a one-of-akind, customized and inclusive playground created by experienced educators and therapists specifically to provide accessibility and allow active, imaginative participation for ALL children. This unique educational play space takes all the elements of High Hopes’ inclusive classrooms to the outdoors allowing EVERY child to join in gross motor activities, in addition to learning fine motor, sensory, cognitive and social skills. Interactive playhouse structures have been custom-built by through funding from local businesses, to feature brightly-colored and whimsical portrayals of community landmarks including Moody’s Tire & Auto Service, Regions Bank, and the Franklin Theatre Presented by Morgan Stanley. Additionally, Karen’s House was constructed in memory of long-time board member, Karen Karcher. For more information about the programs of High Hopes, contact Bonnie Richardson at 615-550-1443 or brichardson@highhopesforkids.org. PUBLIX SUPER MARKETS CHARITIES DONATE $4 MILLION TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AFFILIATES Publix Super Markets Charities (PSMC) announced that it would donate $4 million to Habitat for Humanity affiliates across the Southeast to build homes for families. Habitat for Humanity WilliamsonMaury (HFHWM) was one of the few Habitat affiliates chosen to receive part of this generous gift. The $70,000 donation will fund 1 of 11 HFHWM’s home builds in 2016. For more information about our homeownership program, volunteering, or sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.hfhwm.org.
GLOBAL LEAN HEALTHCARE, QUALITY MANAGEMENT LEADER ADDED TO RYAN SEARCH & CONSULTING BOARD OF ADVISORS Franklin-based Ryan Search & Consulting has named Charles Hagood to its Board of Advisors. Hagood will guide company principal Dan Ryan in further growing the fiveyear-old firm. Ryan Search provides talent acquisition and talent development services to clients in the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, healthcare, c-store and economic development fields. For more information, visit www.ryansearch.net.
TENNESSEE’S TEN MOST ENDANGERED HISTORIC PROPERTIES OF 2015 The Tennessee Preservation Trust (TPT) announced its annual list of most threatened historic Tennessee sites which includes the Masonic Lodge in Franklin. Since 2001, the list has been released annually to raise public awareness of Tennessee’s endangered historic resources and give credibility to restoration efforts across the state. Of the 110 previously listed properties, close to half have been saved or are in the process of being protected/rehabilitated and many have received grants for restoration. 1. Franklin Masonic Hall 115 2nd Avenue South, Franklin, TN 2. Bonnie Kate Theater 115 South Sycamore Street, Elizabethton, TN
3. Hillsboro Village 21st Ave South, Nashville, TN 4. Johns-King House 845 Old Jefferson Pike, Smyrna, TN 5. Antoinette Hall 105 North First Street, Pulaski, TN 6. Niota Depot 201 East Main Street, Niota, TN 7. St. Mark’s Presbyterian Corner of Hasson & Kyle Streets, Rogersville, TN 8. Marine Hospital 360 Metal Museum Drive, Memphis, TN 9. Blair’s Ferry Storehouse 800 Main Street, Loudon, TN 10. Great Falls Mill Great Fall Road, Rock Island State Park, Rock Island, TN
FEATURE | Business in Williamson County
THE BUSINESS OF . . .
THE CHAMBER W
BY SHELLY ROBERTSON BIRDSONG
illiamson Inc. is our countywide Chamber of Commerce lead by CEO Matt Largen. Every year we like to head to the expert in business and economic development for our area, representing the interests of businesses big and small here in one our country’s best markets for housing, relocation, healthcare and small business. Here is some of what Matt had to tell us about the Business of Williamson County in 2015:
YW: What programs of the Chamber do you feel impact and benefit small, mid and large businesses on a true and profound basis as part of their investment in membership? Anything new as far as Chamber infrastructure, staff, programs etc. you want to report?
YW: What is the most significant activity of the Chamber this last year? ML: Our trip to Austin, TX called Williamson Forward: Expedition Austin, which took place Sept. 28-30, was the single most significant activity for us this year. We started planning the trip more than a year ago by identifying several peer communities to which we had similar growth patterns and industry projections. Of those identified, we found incredible similarities to Austin, Texas -specifically that they were dealing with the same transit, workforce, and education concerns that come with rapid growth. We saw this as a great learning opportunity and decided to take an outbound trip to hear from and collaborate with their local business, civic, government and education leaders. We took a group of 84 that included elected officials, business leaders, and school educators who are committed to the growth of Williamson County. This trip allowed us to take an in-depth look at how a region similar to ours responded to population growth, solved traffic and transportation issues, built top-notch school systems and continues to recruit large industries and companies. We learned that we will need to embrace technology and innovative approaches to solving traffic congestion. For example, we saw Google’s self-driving cars being tested on the roads in Austin. These types of cutting edge technologies will be the key to keeping up with growth trends in our county.
Matt Largen YW: What exciting business news can you report as far as why it’s still a great idea to open a business, relocate a business and be in business in WC? ML: The extremely low commercial office vacancy rate (2.6% in Brentwood, 1.1% in Cool Springs as of Q3 2015) is a healthy sign for businesses in Williamson County. New developments continue to come onto the market and are being leased almost to capacity before the developments are even finished. The majority of these tenants are existing businesses which speaks to the need to take care of companies who have called Williamson County home for years. We are also the fastest growing job market in the state, with people moving here every day, which makes Williamson County a dynamic and vibrant community to start or relocate a business. We continue to make top national rankings for our entrepreneurship, livability, and economic growth, which is a good sign that we are not slowing down anytime soon.
ML: Our staff does an exceptional job developing educational programs with relevant, timely and practical content that our member businesses can readily use to grow personally and grow their business. The cost savings our members receive in terms of marketing dollars, consultant’s fees, and staff development is a large part of why businesses invest in a membership with us. Our First Friday events consistently sell out because the speakers are engaging and insightful. Our larger events such as Outlook Williamson and Williamson Forward explore big picture ideas to move the county forward by way of economic development, and I would say this benefits and impacts all businesses—small, medium and large. Our chamber membership and business retention and expansion teams are out in the community regularly meeting with businesses and gathering information on what it’s like to operate a company here, what things make Williamson County a great place to do business, as well as what things could be improved. We then collaborate to see how the Chamber can potentially fill gaps that exist in the community. Transportation is a great example of this. It’s affecting the biggest and the smallest of our businesses and is a topic for conversation in nearly all of our business visits. While we’ve been working to tackle the issue regionally for some time, we also know there are ways to better engage on a smaller scale locally. We work as a team to plan an event that will outline the existing transportation resources we already have in the count in addition to new solutions and ways in which businesses can partner together to assist in our effort to get more people out
of traffic and where they need to be in a timely fashion. In terms of new programs and activities for 2016, we are slightly changing the format of our monthly membership luncheons; we hope to replace two or three luncheons with small-group mixers. This came from feedback from our members who would prefer to network in smaller, informal settings. We’re adding two new Affinity Partners: UPS Store of Cool Springs & Brentwood and Vanderbilt Health. We would like to engage our online audience more through social media so look for some Twitter chats to take place as well as using Periscope to live-stream our events. YW: What role do you feel Real Estate and Development play on the economy here in WC? ML: The real estate and development sector is one of the main factors behind the
economic growth in Williamson County. Many communities struggle to bring projects and new companies in—the typical driving force behind new development. Williamson County has been fortunate with developers who move forward with projects ahead of companies. For instance, Franklin Park, a 10-story, 272,000 squarefoot Class-A office building, was developed and constructed as a “spec” building, meaning there was no commitment from any company to move into the building. Before completion, the building was 80% leased with existing Williamson County companies. Due to the number of people moving here every day paired with the rate of job growth, Williamson County did not feel the shock of the recession as other communities did. Williamson County was one of the only communities in the country to continue positive job growth throughout the recession, and since the economy has recovered, we are still the fifth fastest growing job market in the country.
YW: What do you see are the biggest challenges facing our community as we build more homes; more retail and office space and more people want to move here? ML: Two of our biggest challenges to the rate of growth we are experiencing are transportation and affordable housing. The demand for housing here continues to push real estate prices up in an already affluent market. A spotlight has been put on the fact that there is a large gap in “workforce” or “young professional” housing. Many people who work in the community cannot afford to live here, which also adds to the transportation issue of traffic congestion as our workforce commutes into the county from all directions. We are actively working on solutions for both affordable housing options as well as a regional transportation solution.
November 2015 | YOURWILLIAMSON.COM 73
FEATURE | Business in Williamson County
- 2015 ANNUAL MEETING -
Chamber Year in Review
The Williamson, Inc. Annual Meeting will be the networking highlight of 2015, as guests mingle before sitting down to an elegant dinner to hear President and Chief Executive Officer Matt Largen spotlight this year’s business and economic accomplishments and what’s ahead. The community is invited to be part of this event, featuring keynote speaker Randy Boyd, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. Join us as we close out an amazing year. Meet new, existing and outgoing board members, rub shoulders with local dignitaries, bid on classy silent auction items and mingle with our amazing volunteers. You don’t want to miss this sophisticated, high-energy event to celebrate Williamson County’s business community!
Purchase tickets at williamsonchamber.com.
NOVEMBER 19 | 5:00 PM | THE FACTORY AT FRANKLIN PRESENTED BY:
SPONSORED BY:
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Williamson, Inc. took 87 of Williamson County’s business leaders, elected officials, educators and civic leaders to Austin, Texas Sept. 28-30, 2015, to embark on an unprecedented, three-day exploratory regional study, called Williamson Forward: Expedition Austin, to learn best practices from regional leaders regarding transportation, education, talent and economic development. The biggest takeaways from the trip included adopting Austin’s mobility week that encourages non-traditional means of alleviating traffic such as ride sharing, vanpooling, telecommuting, and flex-time scheduling. Trip goers also felt a regional approach that involved millennials and was not hindered by a lack of funding would bring about significant solutions to keeping up with growth trends in the county. Williamson, Inc. is working on tangible plans to build upon these takeaways in 2016.
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OUTLOOK WILLIAMSON – MARCH 2013
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䜀椀瘀攀 ☀ 䐀爀椀渀欀 䰀漀挀愀氀 䘀漀爀 吀栀攀 䠀漀氀椀搀愀礀猀℀ GOLF CLASSIC PRESENTED BY NISSAN AT THE HIDEAWAY AT ARRINGTON – JUNE 2013
圀椀氀氀椀愀洀猀漀渀 䌀漀甀渀琀礀ᤠ猀 昀椀爀猀琀 搀椀猀琀椀氀氀攀爀礀 椀渀 漀瘀攀爀 礀攀愀爀猀⸀ 㔀㔀㜀 吀栀漀洀瀀猀漀渀ᤠ猀 匀琀愀琀椀漀渀 刀搀⸀ 圀Ⰰ 吀栀漀洀瀀猀漀渀ᤠ猀 匀琀愀琀椀漀渀Ⰰ 吀一 ㌀㜀㜀㤀 㘀㔀⸀㐀㜀㠀⸀㈀㤀
EDUCATION COMMISSIONER CANDICE MCQUEEN WITH MATT LARGEN AT APRIL 2015 MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON. MCQUEEN SPOKE ON HER VISION FOR EDUCATION IN TENNESSEE.
栀挀氀愀爀欀搀椀猀琀椀氀氀攀爀礀⸀挀漀洀 November 2015 | YOURWILLIAMSON.COM 75
COMMUNITY | YOUR Charitable Self
Holiday Giving in Williamson County T
BY ANDREA DAVIS
he season for giving is approaching, and YOUR Williamson would like to encourage giving in our community. There are many opportunities here to be a blessing to those in need, and we have provided some suggestions and information about organizations that could use our help, especially this time of year.
GRACEWORKS MINISTRIES, INC. GraceWorks Ministries, Inc. provides help for immediate needs and long-term resources in Williamson County focusing on four areas— family support, hunger prevention, seasonal needs and educational programs. Through its many programs, GraceWorks fulfilled 40,906 needs valued at $3.5 million in 2014. You and your family can assist neighbors in need this holiday season by being a part of their impactful projects- Thanksgiving Food Baskets, Turkey Trot 5K, The Manger and Christmas Food Baskets. For detailed information on all of these projects and volunteering opportunities, go to www.graceworksministries.net.
THE SALVATION ARMY ANGEL TREE PROGRAM The Salvation Army Angel Tree Program is a program for families who need assistance providing gifts and basic needs to their children at Christmas. Families are registered in October, and children and seniors will be placed for adoption on the Angel Tree in November. From Nov. 7th – Dec. 5th, 2015, you will be able to find angels in the following locations: Online: nashville.salarmyangeltree.com Coolsprings Galleria Angel Tree Booth near Forever21 Rivergate Mall Angel Tree Booth near GNC, and The Mall at Green Hills Angel Tree Booth in front of the L’Octtaine Store Other partner programs that help the Angel Tree program are the Kroger Food Angel Program, which provides each family with a gift card to purchase Christmas Dinner, and the Daily’s Forgotten Angel Program, which provides extra toys to help fill in for any angel that does not get adopted online or from one of the malls.
A SOLDIER’S CHILD FAMILY TO FAMILY CHRISTMAS PROGRAM A Soldier’s Child Family to Family Christmas Program gives back to the families of our servicemen and women who have sacrificed so much. Lost in the busyness of the Christmas season are 76 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
the children of those who serve – who sometimes wake up Christmas morning missing mom or dad and perhaps not understanding why they can’t be there.
There are two ways to participate in ASC’s Family to Family Christmas: 1. Make a Donation: Donate now so we can reach as many children as possible this Christmas. All gifts are tax deductible. 2. Sponsor a Family: Make a personal connection by selecting a military family to sponsor. Perhaps you can use this opportunity to teach your own children about giving and the true meaning of Christmas. For instructions on how to sponsor a family and drop off locations, go to www. asoldierschild.org.
SANTA TO A SENIOR Santa To A Senior is a program through Home Instead Senior Care that provides thousands of gifts to seniors who otherwise wouldn’t receive a gift during the holidays. The success of this program has been due to the support of many local businesses and the community at large. To find out how to be Santa to a Senior, go to www.homeinstead.com.
FRANKLIN FIRE FIGHTERS ANNUAL CLOTHING AND TOY DRIVE Franklin Fire Fighters Annual Clothing and Toy Drive benefits the children at The Boys and Girls Club of Williamson County and Williamson County children in need. You can give your support by dropping off any unwrapped new toy or clothing item to any Franklin fire station. You can also pick up a tag at any of the locations with a child’s specific request. If you would like to make a monetary donation instead, at Avenue Bank, 101 International Drive, Suite 100 in Franklin. For more information, go to franklinfirefighterscharities.org.
SANTA CAUSE PROJECT Santa Cause Project is a holiday program that allows families who are experiencing difficult financial times to receive help in providing a happy Christmas to their families. This program is handled in a very careful, sensitive manner, so that families take pride. It is coordinated by the Williamson County Juvenile Services. My Friend’s House serves as fiduciary agent to manage all donations for this vitally important long-term project. To find out more, go to myfriendshousetn.org/santa-cause.
MAYOR ROGERS ANDERSON GIVES STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS AT JULY MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON. – JULY 2015
THREE NEW NOLENSVILLE SCHOOLS RECEIVE $14,000 DONATION FROM THE WILLIAMSON, INC. CHAMBER FOUNDATION AT THE NOLENSVILLE AREA BUSINESS COUNCIL LUNCHEON, OCT. 15.
MATT LARGEN MODERATES BUSINESS PANEL DISCUSSION DURING WILLIAMSON MOVES TRANSIT SUMMIT – SEPT 2015
COMMUNITY | YOUR Community Partner
The Sky is the Limit HOBBY EXPRESS OWNER MARK A. CLEVELAND DISCUSSES ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SUCCESS IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE BY KRISTA EHRET
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here can a little determination, passion and elbow grease get you? Basically anywhere you want to be. Just ask Mark Cleveland. Mark is a professional executive and entrepreneur with an impressive history of successful businesses and accolades under his belt, including being the Co-Founder of Elicit Brands, LLC, the company that produces Swiftwick brand socks. He is also the CEO of Hobby Express. Hobby Express (formerly Hobby Lobby International), was founded in 1964 and is a leading manufacturer of quality radio control multi rotor drones and large scale model airplanes. Hobby Express leverages 50 years of experience as expert aircraft modelers. They serve customers who want to fly RC airplanes in the park or buy a drone to lift a camera to capture that perfect aerial photo of a family wedding or property. They are unique not just for their stand-alone products, but also because they design, manufacture and produce their Telemaster radio control airplane kits here in Tennessee. For those of us who are not familiar with this highly acclaimed radio control line, Mark explained that “the Telemaster is 78 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
“
People who are afraid of failure always have great excuses about why they are not doing whatever it is that really moves them. Your plan will not be perfect. So just plan to constantly adjust your plan.
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the best training airplane ever made and for over 40 years, kids have been hanging out with dad or grandpa learning how to build airplanes in their basement or in high school educational programs that we supply nationwide. The Telemaster fleet comes in a variety of sizes. In December we will introduce the “Lil Tele” which has a 12 inch wing span and can be flown in your back yard. The 2’ and 4’ versions are very popular, where we jump up to 6’ then 8’ models and finish out with the 12’ Telemaster, one of the largest airplanes you can buy. She’s an impressive giant, super easy to fly and used by modelers worldwide. We are proud to have NASA and partners like the Middle Tennessee State University Aerospace Program adopt the Telemaster for its reliable flight characteristics as a steady and reliable, heavy lifting UAV instrumentation platform.”
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Although Mark is not a native of Tennessee, he sees Nashville as a great location with plenty of opportunity. When asked what benefits he believes Williamson County specifically holds for those looking to launch their own venture, he responded that “the Nashville attitude is unique, which makes the environment encouraging and the chance of success greater. That feeds on itself, leading to success. It’s obvious to me that the gene pool of the Nashville entrepreneur is so diverse that it has become a competitive advantage. Young or old, experienced or just out of school, they are so creative. We network together really well and there is a sense of community. I think southern hospitality is infectious. So many people in Middle Tennessee are from some other part of the country, but something about Tennessee brings out the best in people. People trust people here. When you have that, you can get feedback and you can give back.” Mark is involved in both Nashville and Williamson County Chambers as well as Rotary. His team is “creating internships and educational experiences for young people and is now finding more ways to support the MTSU Aerospace program.” Lastly, I asked Mark to give a piece of advice for those wishing to start their own business. “You have to give your dreams a little air supply. If you have a passion, just make the decision to start. Every day, you make that same decision until it becomes a habit. People who are afraid of failure always have great excuses about why they are not doing whatever it is that really moves them. Your plan will not be perfect. So just plan to constantly adjust your plan. Eventually, you might get it right, but that will only be temporary, because the reality is that things constantly change. The perfect business plan is simply impractical, if not impossible. Start serving people the best way you know how, and pretty soon, you will have a business.”
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FEATURE | Business in Williamson County
THE BUSINESS OF SUCCESS BY SHELLY ROBERTSON BIRDSONG
Business in Williamson County continues to boom and while successful businesses abound, so do not so successful businesses both in the private and public sectors. What is the secret to success? Perhaps it’s the location of being here – in Williamson County, as many experts would attest – but there is more to it when it comes to being in business, whatever that may be, and finding success. Big industries in our corner of the world include education, real estate, media and small mom and pop businesses thriving amidst the bog box retailers. Here are just a few examples of those success stories here in our county and the advice and philosophies of their leaders.
THE BUSINESS OF . . .
MEDIA DAVE RAMSEY
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hen it comes to money, budgeting and financial planning there is one name that just about every American knows – Dave Ramsey. He is America’s trusted voice on money and business. Dave has authored five New York Times best-selling, and has “The Dave Ramsey Show” is heard by more than 8.5 million listeners each week on more than 550 radio stations. Did you know that Dave lives and works right here in Williamson County? He didn’t always have the financial success that he is known for now. “I started from nothing, and by the time I was 26 I had more than $4 million in real estate and a net worth of over a million dollars. But I had built my business with too much debt. Our primary lender was sold to another bank, and they decided to limit their risk by calling our loans – all at once,” Dave explains. “I spent the next two and a-half years losing everything I owned. That led me to find out how money really works, how 80 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
I could get control of it and how I could have confidence handling it. In the process, I realized that I could win with money if I could learn how to manage the person in mirror. That also led me on a journey to help others, literally millions of others, get control of their money and have hope for the future.” Dave started his business on a card table in his living room, with one-on-one counseling and some speaking engagements. He began doing a small radio show, which today has over 8.5 million listeners and airs on more than 550 stations across the country. Today, Ramsey Solutions gives people hope in areas of life beyond money. There are more than 500 team members, and they have plans for even more growth. Ramsey Solutions is committed to helping people regain control of their money, build wealth, grow their leadership skills and enhance their lives through personal development.
At Ramsey Solutions, they operate under unique and overriding principles. Dave explains, “These are our core values. We actually paint them on the walls. Things like teamwork, excellence in the ordinary, never making a decision out of fear, doing work that matters and having the heart of a servant. When you stick to your core values – your principles – it makes the decision making process easier.”
THE BUSINESS OF . . .
EDUCATION DAVID ROSEN
O
’More College of Design sits in historic downtown Franklin. It is a unique school with an 81% graduation rate that places 94% of graduates in jobs in their fields within six months of graduation. O’More’s new President, David Rosen, explains, “O’More’s programs align with the fastest-growing sectors of Nashville’s creative economy, which explains the work its students find. However, if you have set foot on the campus, you know that there is a serenity and beauty that inspires and nurtures creativity. Over the years, the tradition of caring and support has permeated the culture of O’More College of Design. It accounts for so much of its students’ success.”
“Creative industries drive our economy today. The 5th largest corporation in the United States, Apple, is less than 40 years old. Creativity is at work throughout the world. Places like Stanford offer programs that use design thinking as part of their business idea, and Harvard’s i-Lab is using design methods to rival Stanford’s success in minting billionaires. O’More may not compare to those giants, but we know that design and design-thinking can help our graduates fill a place in Nashville’s growing creative economy and help lead metroNashville’s upward progress,” says David. David knows that the history of the school is important. He says, “Eloise Pitts O’More
founded the college that bears her name on principles of the well-designed, well-made and beautiful… She was a pioneer in design. And when she retired she looked for a location and a curriculum that could nurture and free the creative spirit as hers has been nurtured and freed. We abide by her vision in all we do and in all we will do. We expect to grow in size and stature, but as we grow, EP O’More’s principles will remain in our DNA and continue to guide us.”
THE BUSINESS OF . . .
FAMILY WALTON’S JEWELRY
T
here is probably no window more stared into on Franklin’s historic Main Street than the store window of Walton’s Jewelry. Walton’s opened in 1974 when Melba Walton had her storefront of Walton’s Antique and Estate Jewelry in Carter’s Court off Columbia Avenue in Franklin. Prior to having the storefront, Melba would travel to flea markets, lay out a blanket on the hood of her car and display her jewelry collection. Ten years after opening her store, Melba moved her business to Main Street. The store continues to be operated by Melba’s son and granddaughter, Mike Walton and Julie Walton. As a family owned, small business, Walton’s faces changes that larger companies may not. “Staffing is always a challenge for a small
business; finding people to represent and love your business as much as you do,” Julie says. “ We are extremely fortunate to have an incredible staff of people who genuinely care about our customers and their experience. We know that we can count on each other.” When it comes to being a downtown Franklin merchant in a business climate constantly changing and growing, Julie says, “There are very few negatives that we have faced, and rather quite a few positives. As Franklin grows, people do have more options of where to shop. However we think the reason why we do not experience the negatives is because when customers shop with Walton’s it’s not just about the quality product, but also the exceptional customer service. The experience that you have
at a family owned business is unlike anything that a larger retailer can offer.” When asked what are Walton’s methods and mottos when it comes to succeeding and what makes their business different, Julie’s answer was simple - “Honesty and dependability.” November 2015 | YOURWILLIAMSON.COM 81
FEATURE | Business in Williamson County
THE BUSINESS OF . . .
REAL ESTATE DAVID LOGAN
David Logan will assume the role of President of the Williamson County Association of Realtors (WCAR) at the Installation of Officers and Directors on November 19th, and he has several goals and objectives for the WCAR with his new role. “Overall, I want to see our members more engaged. I want to see them pursuing additional certifications and classes to equip them to serve their clients. Next year is a big year for politics. I want to see them civically involved in local elections and campaigns. I also want to see REALTORS® at the forefront of addressing our transportation and community needs,” David says. In terms of the impact to the community at large, David speaks to the purpose and mission of the WCAR as both a professional organization and also a resource for the homebuyer and seller; “If our mission is to
shape and influence our membership, our value to the community is that we hold the REALTORS® accountable to maintain ethical and professional competency. There are lots of real estate agents out there, but the only ones who can call themselves REALTORS® are the ones who join a local association, like WCAR, and who commit to living by our code of ethics. We also act as a voice for real estate in local, state and federal government. Just last week, 175 of our REALTORS® sent messages to Congress in opposition to a proposal we feel places an unnecessary and irresponsible burden on homeowners. The average homeowner isn’t even following this issue, but the REALTORS® are looking out for the rights of private property, small business and homeownership at all levels of government.” David says their board in 2015 set a goal to
invest into their local community. “Under the leadership of 2015 President Chip Kerr, we brought in some new staff, secured outside consultation and implemented a new strategic plan. I believe all of this groundwork positions us to be the voice of real estate in this community. I want to continue moving this vision along. I think it’s important for us to be involved in higher level, big picture conversations in the county. We’re making the effort to dig deep in community and government issues, like transportation and education. These issues will have a direct impact on future economic growth in Williamson County.”
SOCIAL | New Member Open House Story & Photography by K. York
CONCERTS | RESTAURANT | PRIVATE EVENTS | WINERY
Williamson Inc. hosted a prospective member information mixer and open house at their office in Cool Springs recently. The open house provided new and prospective members of the Williamson County Chamber of Commerce information regarding the unique networking opportunities and educational benefits provided. For information on the chamber, go to www.williamsonchamber.com. AN EVENING WITH
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LIFESTYLE | 5 Sense Living
5
SENSE LIVING
Bringing you the 411 on the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of what touches you in Williamson County. Carpe Diem, y’all!
DINING
THE PUFFY MUFFIN
I
t started with making a dough and they have been on a roll ever since! Lynda Stone and her daughters, Kristi Elzilnger and Ava Burns together have created a mainstay in Williamson County where we can bring our family, friends and colleagues and feel like not just a customer but a guest. Lynda admits that at the time that the Puffy Muffin became a whisper in the back of her mind, she was a stay at home mom and loving it. She and her husband Jack loved to entertain on the weekends and during the week Lynda would focus on providing the best life for her two daughters. They would eat prepared whole
foods from their own personal garden, sewed some of their clothes and did a lot of volunteering…“I was living the domestic life and I was truly happy.” As often dreams come true out of some necessity and Lynda began to pray on how to find something for herself and her family that she could pursue, “I kept asking the Lord what I should do and the answer was always bake the bread, bake the bread.” Two years later and a lot of friends requesting her famous sourdough rolls, convincing her that she should sell them, Lynda started the business out of her home selling breads to businesses. Within a year and a half she took over the bakery in Huff’s grocery with 5 employees….almost 30 years later (October 2016 will be their 30 year anniversary), she now has two locations with 150 employees. This is now a full functioning family business and Lynda truly relishes the fact that her daughters are working with her to help grow and continue the tradition of providing their guests with delicious food that is made from the best quality products. They also spend the time investing in their employees…“you can’t give out of an empty jar,” and it’s important to the that they give back to their staff which they believe sets them apart. It takes true grit to build a business and have it last this long with this amount of following and the place where it is the most obvious is of course their foods! For those of us who don’t have a ton of time to cook but like home cooked meals, you can call ahead or grab and go. Swing by and pick up a quart of their delicious chicken tortilla soup or a pan of their famous poppyseed chicken or crunch chicken casserole and a side of rolls for dinner. With the holidays coming up, it’s a great time to put a note in your calendar to call in your orders! The Puffy Muffin has some seasonal
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items that are perfect for adding to your holiday menu or to serve your out of town guests. The cornbread dressing is a long standing favorite and a family recipe made from scratch…cornbread and biscuits made and then crumbled to dry out and then moisten up with homemade stock. Get a couple pans of this and then make your own sides if you want to cook but don’t want too much time in the kitchen. Or get everything butternut squash bisque, sweet potato casserole with a streusel topping, squash casserole and cranberry salad are some of the tried and true holiday favorites that you won’t want to miss. Throw in the unbelievable Jackson Pie, rich with pecans, bourbon and chocolate or more traditional pumpkin pie both topped with homemade heavy whipped cream and serve with a cup of dark roast coffee and you will be the Martha Stewart of hostesses this season. For breakfast serve your houseguests a pan of their delicious breakfast casserole or the bacon or spinach artichoke quiche…these are things you can just pop in the oven and have ready for them to eat at their convenience when they get up filling your home with the smells of pie crust or eggs and sausage! And then if you want something sweet but lighter, try the frozen strawberry salad with crushed pineapple and cool whip….or grab some cookies or muffins on your way out in the bakery and don’t forget to peruse their endless custom cakes and watch the talented bakers at work. It’s a family affair…from their family…to yours!
ART
ALIZAH GREENBERG
and a desire to learn and made it into something to call her own. She started by making some unique pieces for herself turning designing her own jewelry into a business. “I always wore a lot of jewelry and I loved putting things together” and she was an admirer of the designer Margaret Ellis and her pieces. Margaret put her in touch with Nancie Roark who teaches classes at Cheekwood and Sarratt Art Studios at Vanderbilt. From her, Aliza learned the foundation to her work. “Nancie and I are still great friends, she was that first person who helped me learn to sauter, put things together and learn what kind of stones can and cannot take heat and I loved it.” Since then she has embarked on a mission to create natural and organic statement pieces. Whether using alligator teeth, ivory, semiprecious stones or wood she pairs with metal accents to create something that is at the same time both avant-garde and approachable. She creates each piece with an instinct from something that has touched her in her life, her family, travels, music and she takes great pride and care to make it something meaningful. Aliza’s work has gotten noticed by many and her pieces are becoming recognizable with her signature touches by some of Nashville’s elite who find her through word of mouth, online and occasional exhibits through Council Studio. You can also find her pieces on exhibit at the beautiful Copper Fox gallery in Leiper’s Fork, where some of the finest artisan’s of the country are found. And keep an eye out because Aliza is beginning to tap into the home accent market as well making candle holders and stone embossed antlers from local farms. Aliza presents as a super kind person with a beautiful spirit and a creative soul and her design style exudes her presence and makes a statement …it’s know wonder her design aesthetic does the same. w ww.alizahgreenbergjewelry.com
MUSIC
RONNIE FRUGE
S
traight from bayou country where oaks grow big, moss hangs low and mudbugs are plenty is where some of our nation’s most rich and storied music comes from. It’s from this area that we are privileged with singer, songwriter and multi-instrument musician Mr. Ronnie Fruge. I was sitting in Puckett’s Grocery in the little gold nugget of Leiper’s Fork when a musician started strumming his guitar and singing a melody that was reminiscent of the complicated ease of
S
o this is how it happens in Nashville…you move here, you think you aren’t creative and then all of a sudden you are! It rubs off on you being around all of this creative energy. Aliza Greenberg describes herself as the least creative in her family until after living here and deciding to embark on a new journey of self discovery and expression. About 10 years ago, full time mommy of four…with her youngest aged 4 at the time, Aliza decided that she wanted to find something to do for her. Something that she could have ownership of and feel really good about in addition to and separate from her love of raising her family. It’s inspiring how she too a love of jewelry November 2015 | YOURWILLIAMSON.COM 85
James Taylor and yet laced with the recognizable sounds of Acadiana music when I turned my head immediately to listen more. I was blown away by the sensitivity in his vocals and yet the intensity of his musicianship that he made look so easy. Ronnie is such a gem having played with some of the key players on the Nashville Country Music and Gospel scene such as famed singer songwriter Alex Harvy (Delta Dawn, Rueben James, Hell and High Water), Jimmy Hall (of Wet Willie), alongside Tommy Shannon (of Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble), Leon Medica (of Louisiana’s LeRoux), Doug Kershaw, Zachary Richard and more. Lucky for us Ronnie is coming out with a new CD next month and it’s a legacy for all that he loves in life, showcasing not only his songwriting skills but
CULTURE
HOLIDAY SHOWCASE
he plays the electric and acoustic guitar as well as the base on all of the tracks. If you’re someone who’s ever had a dream, or a love and had to work your butt off to reach for something extraordinary whether it be in work or relationships, well then congratulations, it’s official…you’re human. Ronnie leaves his heart on the stage every time he plays and yes some of it is melancholy and heartfelt but he’s cajun y’all so you know you are going to get some toe tapping fais do-do music to lift the mood. He’s now taken his original material into a studio and fine tuned all of it with a little help from some pretty cool friends you might know such as Pete Wasner Steve Conn, John Donahoe, Johnny Lee Carpenter, Shannon Williford and Tom Larson. From Lorraine Bridge to My Love, Ronnie reminisces bout his passions, places and people and what they all mean to him in his new CD titled Love, Love, Love.
NASHVILLE REPERTORYTHEATER PRESENTS A CHRISTMAS STORY Nov 28 – Dec 20, 2015 • Johnson Theater, TPAC Purchase Tickets by Phone: 615.782.4040 Ah, the holidays! Spending time with family, enjoying home cooked meals and singing carols. But in Ralphie Parker’s family, your mouth gets washed with soap, the neighbor’s dogs devour your oven-fresh turkey and those carols are replaced with choruses of “You’ll shoot your eye out.” Nashville Rep’s heartwarming production of this all-American holiday classic is the perfect addition to your family’s holiday traditions. Because nothing says Christmas like a leg lamp, pink bunny pajamas and sticking your tongue to the frozen flag pole!
STUDIOTENN PRESENTS IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE Designing Sponsor: Nashville Scene Based on the beloved Holiday film by Frank Capra December 3 – 20, 2015
NASHVILLE BALLET’S THE NUTCRACKER December 5-23, 2015 • TPAC’s Jackson Hall with the Nashville Ballet and Nashville Symphony Nashville’s version of the timeless holiday classic returns for the eighth consecutive year, celebrating the joy and wonder of the holidays. More than 200 dancers perform to the sounds of the Nashville Symphony to tell the tale of young Clara as she goes on a fantastic adventure through the Land of Snow and the Kingdom of Sweets taking audiences on a fantastic journey through a dreamland filled with beloved characters. Visit magical lands with the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Mouse King, the Nutcracker, the Dancing Bear and many historic characters from Nashville’s past. 86 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
Studio Tenn’s newest holiday tradition continues this season with an encore production of “It’s A Wonderful Life,” specially tailoring its silver screen glory for a unique live-on-stage experience. A foremost fixture of yuletide nostalgia, this cherished narrative of doubt, despair and ultimate awakening has transcended generations. Studio Tenn’s vintage, post-card-from-the-past retelling will both pay homage to Frank Capra’s iconic 1946 film and reach beyond the reruns of Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed performances, harnessing the emotive power of live theatre to reveal and re-focus the compelling core truths that have earned this tender, heartwarming story its eternal keep in the canon of American holiday traditions.
DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL Grand Ole Opry House • Nov 27-Dec 20 This record-setting Broadway sensation features the hit songs “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “Welcome Christmas” from the original animated television special. Max the Dog
narrates as the mean and scheming Grinch, whose heart is “two sizes too small,” decides to steal Christmas away from the Holiday loving Who’s. Magnificent sets and costumes inspired by Dr. Seuss’ original illustrations transport audiences to the whimsical world of Whoville, as this sparkling production breathes new life into this timeless story of the true meaning of Christmas. Don’t miss what The New York Times calls “AN EXTRAORDINARY PERFORMANCE! 100 times better than any bedside story.”
CHEEKWOOD HOLIDAY LIGHTS November 27 – January 3 OPEN EVERY NIGHT FROM 5-10 PM Come see the Holiday LIGHTS and start a new holiday tradition with Cheekwood in 2015! For the first time ever, our gorgeous decorations will extend from the Mansion out into the gardens, setting the grounds aglow with elegant displays, dazzling views and hundreds of thousands of festive, twinkling lights. Bundle up for the prettiest winter stroll of the season! • 750,000 LIGHTS! • LIVE Reindeer every night • S’Mores Pits • Holiday Carolers • Cash Bars • GLOW goodies in the Gift Shop • Pineapple Room Restaurant is open every night!
holiday season. Some 200 characters, dancers and entertainers will fill the street, including several from Charles Dickens’s stories interacting with the public. Expect to see the nefarious Fagin from Oliver Twist; Jacob Marley, Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim Cratchit with his parents from A Christmas Carol; and of course, a Victorian Father and Mother Christmas with treats for children. The English bobbies are actually onduty Franklin police officers! WHAT TO EXPECT • Sugar plums and roasted chestnuts being sold on the street, much like they were during the Victorian era. • Street vendors selling old English fare and other tasty treats. • A variety of musical performances, both on stage and on the street. • Horse-drawn carriage rides. • A holiday arts and crafts bazaar. • A town sing of classic Christmas carols on the Public Square and much more! Producing Dickens of a Christmas is just one of the many activities of The Heritage Foundation of Franklin & Williamson County. Since 1967 the non-profit group has been dedicated to protecting and preserving Williamson County’s historic, architectural and geographic resources; in short, saving the places that matter.
31ST ANNUAL DICKENS OF A CHRISTMAS December 12 – 13 Each year, Main Street recalls the spirit of Christmases past when the Heritage Foundation throws its annual Dickens of a Christmas celebration. This year the event marks its 31st anniversary, and will feature both time-honored activities that have become perennial favorites, as well as a few new traditions in the making. Franklin’s Main Street and its beautiful Victorian architecture will be decked out for the November 2015 | YOURWILLIAMSON.COM 87
SOCIAL | Girls to the Moon Sponsored Event
Story by Andrea Davis & Photography by K. York The first Girls to the Moon “Campference� was held on September 26th at Nossi College of Art in Nashville. Over 200 girls and their caregivers attended the day-long event where they were encouraged to explore their creativity, celebrate their curiosity and build the unbreakable bonds that will help them shoot for the moon. Speakers offered interactive sessions on topics ranging from friend drama and relationships to managing money and starting your own business and everything in between. Girls to the Moon is a social enterprise company focused on surrounding the next generation of girls, specifically ages 8-14, with truth and education on topics ranging from creative writing and coding to healthy relationships and sex. For more information, go to www.girlstothemoon.com.
Jen & Courtney Myer, Diana Bozsoki
Maliyah & Makayla Patterson, Angelia Henry
Alexandra Spadafino & Aine Donohue
Kayla Weber, Chuck Bryant & Paige Shafrath
Chloe Gray & Kaia Myers
Allison & Susan Gaw
Pamela & Kara Council, Gwen Fletcher & Jasmine Freeman
Courtenay Rogers, Mignon Francois & Tonisha Brown
Annika & Susan Drury 88 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
Anjali & Bharathi Rao
Clair Carter, Willow & Meg Reuthe
Knight Stivender
Saoirse & Kristen Gibbons
YOUR NASHVILLE SYMPHONY
LIVE AT THE SCHERMERHORN
MERRY A V E R YM A S W I T H T S I R CH
Movie in HD with the Nashville Symphony & Chorus ECIAL AND SP
GUESTS
December 4 & 13
DAVID BENOIT CHRISTMAS TRIBUTE TO
Charlie
Brown
December 6
SMOKEY ROBINSON WITH THE NASHVILLE SYMPHONY
December 5 at 1 & 7 pm
KRISTIN CHENOWETH CHRISTMAS WITH THE
NASHVILLE SYMPHONY
December 8 & 9
Ha ndel’s
MESSI A H Nashville symphoNy & Chorus
December 10 & 11
615.687.6400
December 17 to 20
NashvilleSymphony.org
November 2015 | YOURWILLIAMSON.COM 89
COMMUNITY | YOUR Education
KEEPING OUR KIDS AND SCHOOLS HEALTHY BY ANNIE OSTEEN
W
e have now entered the cold and flu season and it almost feels as if we never left this time of year. The grocery stores, pharmacies, and physician’s offices have all started advertising in one form or another that flu shots have become available and to come and get yours. Our culture has certainly started to see more widespread illness’ throughout the entire year, however, the fall and winter months still dominate in which we see some of the most nasty viruses and infections enter our homes and schools.
• Fever greater than 100.5F • Has vomiting or diarrhea • Becomes short of breath or is wheezing • Has a cough that disrupts normal activity • Lethargy or weakness Your child should also stay home from school if he/she has a contagious infection. This is something that can be spread by close contact with a person or object such as chickenpox, strep throat and “pinkeye, along with the more familiar viruses like the flu, common cold and diarrhea. When it comes down to it, parents need to trust their instincts. A parent typically knows (or should know) when their child doesn’t feel well. If your child was up the previous night vomiting with a fever, keeping them home from school the next day shouldn’t be much of a question. However, if it’s first thing in the morning and they start to complain of a sore throat and a little more tired than usual, grab the thermometer and let that be your guide.
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There are many parents that, depending upon the work s age e Im environment, have difficulty taking time off of work Fre k oc when their child is sick. If there is more than one St s& child in the family, chances increase that sickness will also increase as will a parent’s time spent at home and away from work. Employers don’t often like this and don’t often care about the personal side to someone’s story at work. As a result of a parent feeling unfairly convicted to return to work to keep their job, their child now enters the classroom opening the door to the same illness for the other students and teachers.
Here are some symptoms to look for when deciding to keep your child at home for the day:
It’s important for all parents, working or not, to remember that keeping a child at home when they show signs of sickness are very important for various reasons. First, it’s a vicious cycle. How will a virus or illness ever leave a school if kids keep walking in with it? Keeping the classrooms, cafeteria and bathrooms sanitary is next to impossible if kids come to school when they haven’t been fever-free for 24 hours, or vomited the night before. The cycle won’t end, even with infinite amounts of hand-washing and sanitizing.
To make things a little easier and smoother on unpredicted days such as these, a few ways to prepare might be to save up some personal days at work. Having a backup babysitter on hand is always practical. Grandparents, if you’re blessed to have them BEING PREPARED AND living nearby, are wonderful resources. If that’s PREEMPTIVE IS ALWAYS not an option, call a friend that might work from home and see if they can be on stand-by for THE FIRST STEP AT ENTERING THE DREADED these emergencies.
COLD AND FLU SEASON.
Children that go to school each day with healthy immune systems still get sick but what about those who have health conditions such as asthma or diabetes? “There are medically fragile children, children with chronic health conditions they make them high-risk for potential severe complications for influenza or other infectious illness,” said Poplar Grove Middle School Nurse Liz Cowan.
Parents may have a difficult time deciding whether or not to send their child to school when they wake up with a symptom or two or have the general complain that they don’t feel well. 90 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
Being prepared and preemptive is always the first step at entering the dreaded cold and flu season. Our society seems divided on whether or not to get flu vaccinations and seem to stand behind their steadfast convictions. Whatever the motivations, there are simple everyday steps to ensure we can keep ourselves healthy and those around us healthy as well. Simple handwashing, staying hydrated, exercising, and taking vitamins are just a few ways to stay ahead of what’s coming around the corner. Nevertheless, in case a virus does come knocking on your door in the upcoming winter months, be prepared at work, at school and especially with your children. There’s no reason not to be.
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COMMUNITY | YOUR Kids
TEACHING
KIDS ABOUT
MONEY BY GINGER JONES
T
eaching your children about money can seem like a daunting task at first. As they grow up, you’ll want to have instilled in them the value of a dollar and how to manage their finances. You want them to go out into the world and be successful, to never worry. That’s why it’s such a smart idea to begin teaching your children about money when they’re young, so they grow up with those skills ingrained. There’s no need to wait! Here’s a helpful guide of what ages should be learning what: AGES 2-3: You can start using toy coins to teach your children their values. Children will assume that the value isn’t based on size or color, and will have to learn what the coins actually represent. At this age, money is more of a game to them, so it’s really just time for the basics and some fun games. AGES 4-5: This is a good age to start giving children a small allowance that they’re responsible for. You can help them in finding a safe place to keep their money, and a smart way to keep track of it. You can even keep a ‘ledger’ of money they’ve gotten, and what they spend it on - maybe even what they’ve spent on themselves vs. others. I highly recommend an app called KidsBank, which helps them track their money flow! It’s good for them to look back and see how much money they’ve had and what they’ve been spending it on. You can also try fun games such as a pretend restaurant to help them see how money is used every day. AGES 6-8: A lot of banks have children’s accounts that you can open, so they can learn about things like interest and how to best keep their money safe.
AGES 9-12: Take your child shopping with you and teach them about comparison shopping. They want to find the best deals and save as much money as possible, and then you can ask them what they’d like their leftover money. It’s interesting to see whether your young one wants to save it, or spend it on something fun! AGES 13-16: This is the time when your kids should really start saving their money. They may want something big in the future, such as a car, and it’s a good idea to have them be partially responsible for it whether that be saving up to help purchase the car, helping to pay for future insurance, or just having gas money. They may start working at sixteen or earlier, in which case they’ll really need the skills you’ve been teaching them up to this point. This is also a good time to start a conversation about what bad debts can do to a person, how to avoid those habits, and how to keep from mismanaging money. All in all, the most important thing about teaching children about money is teaching them how to wisely manage it. If you start from a young age, you can be sure that you’re instilling your children with skills that will lead them to a successful future. Jones Therapy Services, LLC 615.614.8833 508 Autumn Springs Court, Suite 1A Franklin, TN 37067 www.jonestherapyservices.com
SOCIAL | Dog & Pony Show Story & Photography by K. York The Dog & Pony Show was held at the Thompson’s Station Park in September. Monroe Carrell Jr. Children’s Hospital hosted activities for kids with face painting, pumpkin painting and stage performances by magicians. There were horse demonstrations, dog agility trials, pony rides and costume contests for dogs and their owners. The big stage had live entertainment all day long to entertain festival goers. Sponsored by Mars Pet Care, The Nutro Company and Tractor Supply, it was a day of fun for the entire family.
Ethan Langerbeins with Cookie
Ellie Gillespie with Emmalynn & Bucky
Tammy, Ethan, Glenn & Alicia Langerbeing with Cookie
Hudson Hayward & Noreen Rector
Layla, Olivia Croteau, Jessica Stillman, Emily Lindsey & Nicole Mohr
Kallie Jaeger, Silas Osman, Micah & Mary Broyles with Gidget
Keller November 2015 | YOURWILLIAMSON.COM 93
The Walker Family
COMMUNITY | In YOUR Backyard
The Journey of Adoption
The Zumback Family
Adoption is a journey, and no two are the same. Each family has a different story. Most, if not all, have bumps in the road, lots of ups and downs, and twists and turns; but they are still all unique. In celebration of National Adoption Day on November 21st, we asked these families to share their unique story.
THE DAVIS FAMILY
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The Dillon Family 94 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
hile talking about the future, even before we were married, we discussed the possibility of adoption, in addition to having biological children. “We’ll have two and adopt two,” was often mentioned. Our first son, Hudson, was born in 2007. We had no trouble getting pregnant, and for the most part, it was a pretty easy pregnancy and birth. When he was two, we started planning for our second child. After two unsuccessful pregnancies, one being extremely life threatening, it seemed that our plan to adopt was going to come sooner rather than later. Initially, we were going to pursue international adoption. However, we ended up adopting domestically. Compared to a lot of adoptions, ours did not take very long. Starting with the first phone call we made to an agency, the whole process took about eight months, but those eight months were filled with ups and downs,
unimaginable heartaches and thoughts of giving up. Fortunately, we did not. We finally got the call that we had been chosen by a birth mom, and our precious Hayden was born a little over three weeks later. We knew right away that he was definitely ours and worth every disappointment, every tear and every moment of waiting and wondering if it would ever happen. He is beautiful, smart and funny and gets into everything! We cannot imagine our lives without him, and we thank God everyday that we were chosen to be his family.
beyond measure by God, their heavenly Father, to take care of them here on Earth as their Earthly mother and father.
THE WALKER FAMILY
THE DILLON FAMILY
To help support the Walker family adoption and other adoption charities and for resources available, if you are considering adoption, visit these sites: • www.youcaring.com/a-child-in-need-of-aforever-family-408992 • www.adoptuskids.org • www.adoptionservices.org • www.bethany.org • www.jfsnashville.org • www.tn.gov/dcs • http://showhope.org • www.lifesongfororphans.org
THE ZUMBACK FAMILY
I K
F
Olivia and Eli are the joy of our lives. Many people tell us how “lucky” the kids are to have us. We, on the other hand, tell them that we are the ones who have been blessed
In January 2015, we became clients of Faithful Adoption Consultants (FAC) and began a home study including physicals, financial records, references, criminal background checks, a home visit by the social worker, and much more. We said “yes” to nine babies before our birth mom selected us. We got the call she was in labor on August 18th, booked our flights and kissed our big kids goodbye. After our son was born, we had to stay in that state for 9 days for our initial court date and permission to take him home to Tennessee. We are still in contact with our birth mom. And, our son will always hear that he is loved so much.
nowing early on in our marriage that we would not be able to have children biologically, we realized that God had planned for our family to be formed through adoption. At the time, we knew nothing about how to get started in the process. A few workshops, a mountain of paperwork and months of waiting on the domestic adoption list, we began to feel God tugging at our hearts to pursue international adoption! For our daughter, Olivia, we went through the process with Guatemala. It was trying, as Guatemala temporarily closed its doors for adoption, as soon as our paperwork was to be submitted. However, three months later Guatemala opened their doors, and the next week we were matched! After six more months of waiting for paperwork to be completed and approved, we traveled to Guatemala to meet our beautiful daughter! Olivia was seven months old when we brought her home. Three years later, we felt God leading us to adopt from South Korea. Almost one year later, our son Eli was escorted home, and we flew to Detroit to be united with him. Eli was 10 months old when he joined our family.
or the past 5 years, we have had a soft spot in our hearts for orphans. We have helped with fundraisers, waited at the airport for families to arrive home with their newest additions, supported charities for orphan care, and sponsored a child through Compassion International. In 2012, we hosted a newborn, while her mom was in prison, and hosted other children in 2013. Finally, we felt called to adoption and to be a forever family for a child who would start life without one. We wanted to be an option for a birth mom struggling with adoption verses abortion, while living out our faith in a way that Christ shines through us.
woke up with my heart beating out of my chest. I was dreaming that I was holding a baby boy wrapped in a blanket and lowering it to show my husband a birthmark on the baby’s arm, but it turned into an angel wing. Fast-forward one year. We had been trying unsuccessfully to start a family. I was adopted and knew I would build my own family this way. During the process, I was looking over photos of Korean babies who had already been adopted in order to learn to read medical charts in their language. The third photo stopped me in my tracks. This was the baby from my dream, and the voice of God spoke softly, “Jonah.” Jonah? Huh? I turned to his medical chart, and there it was, the birthmark on his arm just like the dream! After our interviewer left, I jumped up and told my husband what happened. He assured me I had baby fever, but he finally agreed to call the agency. He was met with a curt “There’s nothing we can do. That child has been placed”. However, I knew he was God’s gift to us. Not long after, the agency called, said to not ask questions and that they wanted us to be the parents of that baby boy. The director asked if we’d like to know the name of the baby. And she said, “The baby’s name is Jonah.”
November 2015 | YOURWILLIAMSON.COM 95
SOCIAL | Celebration of Nations Story & Photography by K. York The Sister Cities of Franklin and Williamson County presented Celebration of Nations in historic downtown Franklin in October. Two stages featured multi-cultural performances, music, singing and dancing from Mexico, Ireland, India, Tibet, Canada, France, Persia and West Africa. International vendors offered food and beverages native to their countries and, along with the entertainment and food, the festival featured an international beer tasting from 10 countries. It was a fun and enlightening day for all. For additional information, visit www.sistercitiestn.org.
Macia Donovan & Dewayne Wilson
Alexa, Gracie, Allison, Melanie & Claudia Lee
Carolyn Ross
Cessica, Alexa & Angel Gibbe
Steve & Ann Young 96 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM | November 2015
Mariachi Olimpico de Nashville
Yelina Scrantond& Ramon Cisneros
Jackie Albers & Laura Raap
Caleb, Abby, Blake & Emery Grace McLean
SOCIAL | Pueblo Real 12th Anniversary Story & Photography by K. York Pueblo Real Restaurant on West Main Street in Franklin celebrated their 12th Anniversary in grand style. Tables were set up outside to accommodate the crowd that came to help commemorate the big day. It was a family fun evening with Mariachi and country music, the best Mexican food and Johnnie Shaprio & the tastiest margaritas in town. Chuck Wainright
Mariachis
Maga Family
Dave & Terri Rowland, Sergio, Kathie Baillie & Michael Bonagura
Emma Richards & Sabrina Segall
Stephanie Rochelle, Currier Stevens & Laurie Williams
Ana Angel & Blanca Garcie
YW MONTHLY | Williamson County Did You Know?
DID YOU KNOW? MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE An estimated 3.5 million+ people gather in the streets to watch the parade, and 50 million watch from home.
The First Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade happened in 1924 and was originally called the Macy’s Christmas Parade.
courtesy of social.macys.com
Macy’s first parade featured animals from the Central Park Zoo.
courtesy of social.macys.com
The famous giant balloons arrived in 1927, with Felix the Cat as the first ever character balloon.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade’s two and a half mile trek requires more than 8,000 volunteers.
Snoopy (from the Peanuts comic strip) is the character balloon with the most balloons in the history of the parade, and also the most appearances.
courtesy of NBCUniversal
Great food and beverages, door prizes and plenty of networking!
Tuesday, November 17th 5:30 pm - 7pm The Barn at Loveless | 8400 Highway 100 | Nashville, TN 37221
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