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Moving Forward with SuperintendentPaul Brooksher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Bryan County schools have always been seen as a fantastic education system, but with the recent hire of Dr. Paul Brooksher and the energy, passion and dedication that he brings to his new position, things are going to get even better. Along with a wealth of fresh ideas and innovations, Dr. Brooksher brings a hands-on approach to leadership. His motivation is aimed at realizing his vision of making the Bryan County school system the best in the country.

Awaken the Body, Calm the Mind. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Lisa Ripa is vibrant, fresh and super !t. Her strength is channeled into her ability to help others through yoga. "e exercise is touted to improve not only physical strength, but also mental, spiritual and ethical strengths and through this, a new community was born to Richmond Hill, a community that gathers in her Awakening Yoga studio to practice the art that is yoga.

Then Came 2012. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77A winning team creates a sense of pride, especially in small towns like ours. Richmond Hill High School had only one football team to ever make it to State Playo#s until Fall 2012, when the Wildcats climbed their way to the top again. "e leadership of team members and coaches of both winning teams was similar. "eir fresh outlook was an inspiration to the other players. "e future of Wildcat Football looks bright!

Optimal Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Like many young men, Austin Behle wanted to li$ heavy things, rack up on the bench press and see bulging results in the shape of his biceps. Like his wife Lauren, Austin thought he was in shape until he found CrossFit. One year ago, the couple opened "e Functional Training Center, focusing on the ultimate achievement, a balanced body through this universally appealing workout.

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From the Publishers

Legacies & LoreMoving Forward with Superintendent Paul BrooksherSigni!cance Un-regarded

Around TownUrgent Matters SolvedProtecting a Pristine Playground

People & PlacesAwaken the Body, Calm the Mind"e Best Way to Live LifeMoving Beyond the Beat

Home & GardenPropagation Obsession

PursuitsOptimal Performance"en Came 2012

Food & EntertainingEat Whole. Be Whole.Out of the Box

EventsA Hard Day's NightIn the Crowd

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Volume 9, Number 1

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Founding Publisher Johnny Murphy

Publisher/Editorial Director Paige Glazer

Publisher/Advertising Director -DPL�3ÁLEVHQ

Art Director/Graphic Designer Red Bird Design, Samantha Howard

Assistant Editor Penny Gregory

Business Manager Suzanne Chumley

Contributing Writers Buddy Sullivan, Penny Gregory, Heather Grant,

Michele Henderson, Jessica Mnieckowski, Leslie Ann Berg, Sandra Elliott, Bob Izzo, Jackie Spence, Ryan Glazer,

Lesley Francis

Staff PhotographersCobblestone Photography, Beth Smithburger

Patti Todd Photography

Contributing Photographers Courtni Gibson, P.J. Richards, Nina Guierrero,

Sandra Elliott, Emily Speer, Ron Elliott, Anna Zellner, Lauren Murphy, Richmond Hill Georgia LIVE,

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Jami Pflibsen

I reason we break our resolutions year after year is because they are too routine and not out of the box. An exciting change to our school system happened this past summer. Dr. Paul Brooksher was hired as our new superintendent — and what a refreshing change it has been! We caught up with Dr. Brooksher over dinner and he shared with us his vision. Since Punxsutawney Phil has declared an early spring is on the way, we asked Master Gardener Bob Izzo to show us how to do something new in our gardens. Learn to propagate and turn old into new. Congratulations are in order to the RHBC Chamber of Commerce 2012 Business of the Year, The Urgent Care Center of Richmond Hill! Their fresh approach to medical care for our area has had much success over the last three years. We hope you find something in this issue that captures your spirit and gives you a fresh outlook on 2013. As always, please remember to thank our advertisers… without them, this magazine would not be possible. q

Paige Glazer

It’s a new year: Time to get “outside of the box” and try something new. Start fresh… experiment… approach your life from a different angle. That thought, getting out of the box, resonated deep within us as we worked on this issue and we decided to mold our theme around it. If it isn’t the norm for your life, then it’s fresh, right? Be it a new activity to implement into your daily routine or a way to better your life, if it’s something you’ve never tried before then it’s something out of the ordinary for you. We found stories about our friends and neighbors who are doing things we’ve never tried, and we hope they inspire you to have a fresh outlook for 2013 and try something new. So many of us have made and already broken our New Year's resolutions to start working out, eat healthier, etc. But maybe those goals are not lost; maybe you just need a fresh approach to achieving them. Austin and Lauren Behle of the Functional Training Center, Lisa Ripa of Awakening Yoga Studio and a group of Zumba-loving ladies showed us three different ways to get the results you are after — and trust us, there is nothing ordinary about any of them! Maybe the

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legacies&lore ✴ the right man for the job

Paul Brooksher

Truett, Kelly, Paul and Jameson Brooksher

✴By Penny Gregory

Famil y photo by Patti Todd PhotographyOther photos cour t esy o f T he Brooksher Famil y

Suppor t ing in for mat ion prov ided by Angus McLeod

M o v i n g F o r w a r d w i t h


W Before moving to Richmond Hill, Paul served as the Human Re-sources director of Staffing for the Gwinnett County Public School System, a job he held since 2008. Paul began his new job in Bryan County on July 1, 2012. He says, “My job in Gwinnett ended on Fri-day, I drove here with a trailer on Sunday and started on Monday.” And he hasn’t stopped since. Almost immediately, he faced one chal-lenge after another, including determining new bus routes, an on-going need for drivers and four principals retiring with no obvious successors. Unwilling to settle for just any replacement principal at Richmond Hill High School, Paul took on the job of interim prin-cipal at RHHS in addition to his superintendent duties. He was also faced with the opening of the new Richmond Hill Middle School fa-cility and the issues that entailed — including an emergency situation of no water at the facility at 9 p.m. the evening before the first day of school! His recollections of that all-important first day of school pro-vide insight into the type of hands-on leader that he is. [Read Paul’s recollections on page 19.] Paul has not just hit the ground running in his new position, he’s hit the ground at a full sprint! Despite one challenge after another, Paul remains focused on the long-term. He describes his role as superintendent as “making sure we’re still moving forward well, [even] with the challenges that are put in front of us.” To that end, he has already launched a number of new initiatives aimed at realizing his vision of making the Bryan County

school system the best in the country. These fresh initiatives include such things as forming a Citizens Advisory Council and a Teacher Ad-visory Council in order to get input and feedback from the commu-nity, businesses, parents and staff. Putting his human resources back-ground to good use, Paul has also begun a leadership development program for the principals and assistant principals, meeting monthly with each group to provide professional development. “Everything rises and falls on leadership,” explains Paul. “When we started [this program], some of the [participants] said ‘I think I learned more in the first four hours than I learned all of last year!’ because they haven’t had any professional development.” Paul conducts this training him-self because he believes school leaders “should be a role model for pro-fessional learning.” Paul also remarked on the lack of parent/teacher conference days and his hopes to remedy that, and he has plans for im-provement in instruction, high expectations and accountability. “We see some great things [already], but there’s always room for growth,” says Paul, noting that while Bryan County already has a great school system, he plans to make it even better. Even while answering my questions about the initiatives he has launched so far and his long-term plans, Paul was always quick to comment on everything that is right with Bryan County schools. “We have quality [schools] now — the good thing is it’s not broken. That’s wonderful, to be a new superintendent in a place where it’s not bro-

legacies&lore ✴ the right man for the job

WHEN I WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW BRYAN COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT DR. PAUL BROOKSHER AND HIS WIFE KELLY AT A CASUAL DINNER PARTY IN JANUARY, I PREPARED AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF QUESTIONS. With three children in Richmond Hill schools, this was one inter-view I couldn’t wait to do! I wanted to know not only his goals for our school system, but also to find out about the man behind the title. Why is he the right man for Bryan County schools? What makes him different? Expecting to meet a reserved, cautious intellectual (after all, he has a doctorate in Educational Leadership), I was thrilled to discover that Paul did not meet my expectations. On the contrary, he was out-going, funny and very approachable. Over the course of the evening, not only did he candidly answer all of my questions, but I was able to see the energy, passion and dedication that he brings to his new position, along with a wealth of fresh ideas and innovations.

“...we’re going to be the best school system in the country, that’s our goal. ?M¼ZM�OWQVO�\W�JM�I�ÆIO[PQX�[KPWWT�[a[\MU��ZMKWOVQbML�CVI\QWVITTaE�º


ken, because you can just come in and make tweaks to make a lot of gains,” he says. Paul praised the school board for their professionalism and the great staff that already exists in the system. “But the nicest thing, to be totally honest,” he says, almost incredulous, “is the quality of the kids. There are good kids in this school system. I mean good. They are [refreshingly innocent], and I have seen [the opposite] in some of my former experiences. The best thing is the quality of the child, because the quality of the child represents the quality of the par-ent. When you’re walking down the halls as the high school principal and you’re hearing “yes, sir” and “no, sir” and they’re opening the door for you, it’s impres-sive. When I used to see kids huddled in a group, I used to run toward the group, because grouping behavior was not a good thing! But at RHHS, they’re socializ-ing and having conversations, and it’s healthy... they’re cordial to each other.” He recalled how, as a middle-school principal he averaged seven discipline referrals a day, and was amazed to discover that here such referrals are few and far between. Paul has been impressed not only as school superintendent, but also as the father of fourth grader Truett and a sixth grader Jameson who attend Richmond Hill schools. From a parent’s perspective, Paul and Kelly are very pleased with what they’ve found here. “These are good, healthy environments,” praises Paul. “Good things are going on.” “I think it speaks volumes that their [ Jameson’s and Truett’s] transitions [from Gwinnett to Richmond Hill schools] went so well,” adds Kelly. “They are two very different kids, but they’ve both done beautifully. As a parent, I couldn’t be happier.” As a parent himself, Paul highly values parent involvement and input, even into items such as the school calendar. In order to plan the calendar for the next two years, he hopes to post three variations of school calendars and solicit feedback from staff and parents to determine what best suits community needs. With a goal of building relationships between parents, the schools and the com-

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✴ legacies&loremunity, Paul also hopes to open up additional avenues of communication and is looking into things such as creating Facebook pages for all of our schools. He also plans to create a PTSO and school council at RHHS to encourage more parent involvement. Paul encourages parents to get involved with their children’s education. “You should always be your child’s number one advocate,” he councils, “and I will work with you to the nth degree.” A forward-thinker, Paul has his eyes on the long-term and is making plans now to sup-port future growth and school needs. With the board’s support, he has hired four new assistant principals and a new director of Human Resources to serve the staffing needs of a school system with 900 employees — a change he is eagerly anticipating. “The good thing is that this board is very proactive,” says Paul, referencing their support of the changes he is making in order to accommodate future growth. “I tell them, we’re going to be the best school system in the country, that’s our goal. We’re going to be a flagship school system, recognized [nationally].” There is convic-tion, determination and excitement in Paul’s voice as he states his vision for Bryan County schools. “But to get there, we have to think five years down the road. So I need to staff where we’re going to be in five years,” Paul continues at lightning speed. “Well, in five years, we’re going to have 1,000 more students. We need to add one to two new buildings every five years. So we’re getting ready to break ground on two new elementary schools. One’s a re-placement elementary school in North Bryan, and one’s a K-5 elementary school for South Bryan.” The current plan is to open both new schools in August 2014. The new K-5 elemen-tary school in Richmond Hill will be adjacent to the DeVaul Henderson Park. This new el-ementary school will require Richmond Hill to be divided into districts, something that has never been done here. “This will be the biggest challenge of my new career, and one of the most emotional topics out there,” says

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Paul, seriously. “[But] as fast as we’re growing, we have to draw district lines.” The plan is to build a school that will house 1,000 students, and to open it with 600 students in order to leave room for future growth. Paul also envisions facilities and partner-ships that will strengthen Bryan County’s fine arts and athletic programs. “We have a huge, very talented fine arts population, but we don’t have any auditoriums at our high schools to showcase that talent,” notes Paul. “Research shows that kids who participate in athletics and fine arts are more tied to the community, more tied to the schools. I’d like to see — if we do build or renovate high schools — that they include at a minimum a 500-seat auditorium. That’s what high schools of today have. Not only that, the community can use it — rent it for dance recitals, large churches can rent it...there’s just all of those opportunities there.” Paul also wants to partner with the Richmond Hill Recreation Department to improve our athletic programs. “When you’re growing as fast as Gwinnett County, you learn some hard lessons,” recalls Paul. “They have a very successful athletic program. The reason is be-cause the pee-wee football team runs the high school plays. There should be vertical conver-sations and communication all the way up to [facilitate] this [here].” After hearing all of the initiatives that Paul has already begun and his extensive plans for the future, I change the subject and ask what he likes to do in his free time. With a laugh, Paul quips: “I forget!” His wife Kelly laugh-ingly agrees and recounts a recent evening when she was able to pull him away from work to sit with her and watch a little TV. Paul laughs, “I woke up the next morning and she said ‘You made it 11 minutes’.” It is eas-ily apparent that Paul is extremely dedicated to his job. “If you are an educator, are mar-ried to an educator or know someone that is an educator, you know that there are no nine to five days,” he states. “It’s a lifestyle and you are on 24/7. It’s tough thinking about what I

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am missing with my kids in the evening and on weekends when I am working, but I was hired to do a job and do it well. I take a lot of pride in my work and any time the work is new to me, I bury myself in the work in an effort to be the very best at what I do. I will be the first to admit, I do have a hard time finding balance. Finding balance between family and work is a personal goal of mine.” As soon as “things are settled,” Paul and Kelly have plans to enjoy all of the benefits of living in Richmond Hill. Having moved from the fast pace of Gwinnett County, they both commented on how much they are al-ready enjoying the slower pace of life here and are looking forward to all of the outdoor activities available in this area. “That’s one of the reasons we love this area,” Paul enthuses, “there’s so much outside stuff to do — boat-ing, hiking. I can’t wait to get on the water.” Paul’s excitement about both the area and the school system is almost palpable. His vision, dedication and energy are encourag-ing, especially to a parent of children in the Bryan County school system. “I feel like I can be part of this community long-term, so I want to do what’s best long-term,” says Paul. “My philosophy is this: Great schools help build better communities. If you have a weak school system, industry’s not going to move there, businesses won’t move there, people won’t want to live there. I have a fourth grad-er and a sixth grader — I have a vested inter-est in the Bryan County school system. Not only do I want the best for my own children, I want the best for every Bryan County stu-dent. There’s so much that can be done.” After listening to Paul’s plans for sev-eral hours, I was a bit overwhelmed by the enormous task of moving the Bryan County school system forward to an even brighter future. But as our dinner drew to a close, the one thing I walked away with was the cer-tainty that Paul Brooksher is the right man for the job. q

✴ legacies&lore


Hlegacies&lore ✴ recollections

Here I am… I left my former school system on Friday and began my new job on Monday, July 1, 2012. My wife Kelly was starting a new job as an instructor at Armstrong Atlantic State University and my kids [ Jameson age 11, and Truett age 9] were leaving their friends and enrolling in Bryan County Schools. It was safe to say, there were a few changes for the Brooksher household. After some “get to know you” meetings with staff on Monday, an enormous amount of reading and everyone wanting a meeting with me, I focused on what lies ahead. So here are some of the things that were going through my head: The students come back on August 3, 2012; we are opening a brand new 22-million dollar facility; we need to modify our bus routes; I need to meet with each one of my prin-cipals; each school needs to have the best open house possible; I am training all of my principals and assistant principals for eight hours on July 25th; I am facilitating new teacher orientation all day on the 26th and my first board meeting is that night; I must meet each teacher, so I attend [nine] faculty meetings and one open house that night; I have four open houses to attend Wednesday and Thursday evening and they are on both ends of the county, but I must make it to each one. It’s Thursday and the first day of school is tomorrow. I meet with my central office leadership team that morning and we discuss final preparations for tomorrow. I tell them our goal for tomorrow is that, “We will get all the students to school, we will get them all fed and will get all of them home in a safe and orderly fashion.” I have never lost a student and we weren’t going to lose one on Friday. It is about 9:00 p.m. on Thursday and I am still at Richmond Hill Middle School. Why? We don’t have water. Our water went out in an electrical storm and we must be ready for almost 1,500 students tomorrow. So I am talking with the leadership team, the director of school nutrition and the board chair, Mr. Warren. We will have school tomorrow, but we must be prepared for the worst. We begin unplug-ging brand new ice machines so the motors won’t burn up, we call our water distributor [to] have 4,000 water bottles [delivered] to the school in the morning, we call the porta-potties distributors and ask how fast they could have 50 porta-potties on campus, and we change the school’s menu for that day. I asked the principal to get in early and call me after he checks the water Friday morning. With this being the first day in a new building, I told him that I would be on site as well to help with any possible needs. This was also special to me because it was my daughter’s first day of middle school, and I was able to walk her to class. It’s Thursday night and I just got home from RHMS. I send out some last minute email reminders and try to go to sleep. I finally fall

asleep around midnight and am up at 4:00 a.m. I have so much going through my head and excitement about the day ahead it is hard to sleep. I sit down at the computer and get some work done and I get a wonderful phone call from the principal at RHMS around 6:00 a.m. “The water is on.” That is great news and it takes some pressure off for the day. A true sign of leadership is not how you lead in a time of normalcy, but how you respond to a difficult situation. Even though I think we had a great plan in place, I am very thankful that my leader-ship is not going to be tested this morning. My daughter and I head out to RHMS and get there very early. Her teachers were gracious enough to let her sit in their classrooms until school started while I walked around helping the principal. After working the bus lane, car rider lane and helping students get to class, I felt everything was going very well. Now it was time to go to every other school in the county and check on their first day. I will have to say that I was proud of every school I visited. After visiting every school, I headed back to the central office as we prepared for afternoon bus dismissal. Remember, we were not leaving until every single student got home safely. The afternoon was going very well and we were confident that it would be one of our best openings ever; then we got the call. A sister of an elementary-aged student called saying that her brother never came home. We immediately jump into action. The number one thing is that you don’t panic, you plan and strategize. I have a director talking to the sister, the assistant superintendent talking to mom, the bus driver [is] double checking her bus, the principal is [identifying] possible friends. We have the principal meet the sister [to] go door to door as they are hoping he is at a friend’s house. Mom shows up and we have the principal and mom on the line and we hear three of the most wonderful words you can hear in a situation like this: “There he is.” He was riding a scooter with friends in the neighborhood. With a sigh of relief, I thanked everyone for all of their hard work. We accomplished our one task of getting students to school, getting them fed and getting them ALL home. It might have taken us until about 6:30 p.m. to do it, but we weren’t leaving until we found him. So, as a new superintendent, was it a successful first day of school? I would have to say “yes,” it was a great day! As I left the office around 8 p.m. that Friday, all I could think about was Monday and the great work to be done one day at a time as we work to educate every stu-dent to the highest level. I am thankful to be part of such a wonder-ful school system and community. My overall experiences in Bryan County have exceeded all expectations for work and my family. q

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legacies&lore ✴ in"uential families

UN-REGARDEDBur n t Church Ceme t e r y/Br yan Neck Pre sby t e r ian Church

By Buddy Sullivan ✴ Photos by Cobblestone Photography

Significance


TThe historic Burnt Church Cemetery, about seven miles east of Richmond Hill on High-way 144, just past the junction with Belfast-Keller Road, had its origin in the agricultural economy of lower Bryan County in the de-cades prior to the Civil War. The tide-flow production of rice on Bryan Neck — utilizing fresh water from upstream and the tidal influences of the Ogeechee River — made this area one of the most important segments of the so-called “Rice Kingdom” of the south Atlantic tidewater of South Carolina and Georgia. As a direct consequence of the thriving rice industry, a planter aristocracy evolved with substantial plantations and thousands of acres under cultivation, and was managed and worked by some of the heaviest concentrations of slaves on the coast. The peak of this activity was in 1860 when 1.6 million pounds of rice were shipped from several Bryan Neck planta-

tions along the river. Rice cultivation on the Ogeechee ended by 1900, due in part to the demise of slavery after the Civil War, along with a series of destructive hurricanes in the 1880s and 1890s. Prior to the early 1800s, there was no es-tablished, formalized religious organization on Bryan Neck. Planter families in the sec-tion were usually affiliated with churches in Savannah, or with the nearby Midway Con-gregational Church (largely Presbyterian) in neighboring Liberty County. With a grow-ing need for an organized local congregation, the planter aristocracy of lower Bryan estab-lished the Bryan Neck Presbyterian Church, officially sanctioned by the Presbytery of Sa-vannah and created with the assistance of the selectmen of the Midway church. The new Bryan Neck church was constructed in the early 1830s precisely on the site of the pres-ent cemetery.

As was the custom in many churches of the antebellum period, particularly among rural congregations, a burial ground was es-tablished for church members on the prop-erty of the church edifice. In the two decades prior to the outbreak of the Civil War and for a short time thereafter, some of the most prominent families of Bryan County had burial plots in the church cemetery. The sur-names of some of those interred in the Burnt Church burial ground are among the most recognizable and influential families of ante-bellum coastal Georgia and the earliest mem-bers of the Bryan Neck Presbyterian Church, including such luminaries as the Clays, Max-wells, Rogers, Butlers and McAllisters. Members of the Clay family interred in Burnt Church cemetery are among the most prominent residents of Bryan Neck and coastal Georgia from the colonial era through the 19th century. Prominent among these are

Right: Thomas Savage Clay

legacies&lore ✴ in"uential families


Thomas Savage Clay (1801-1849) and his wife Matilda McAllister Clay (1818-1869). Clay and his sister, Eliza Caroline Clay (1805-1895), owned Richmond-on-the-Ogeechee, one of the most productive rice plantations on Bryan Neck. Their parents were Joseph Clay (1764-1811), well-known member of the Sa-vannah clergy, and Mary Savage Clay (1770-1844), whose Savage family forebears owned Silk Hope Plantation just upriver from Rich-mond. Thomas S. Clay was a devout Presby-terian who led the movement on Bryan Neck for the “Religious Instruction” of the slaves of the local plantations. He was instrumental in enabling the Bryan Neck church to become a leader in this movement in coastal Georgia. Clay and his wife, Matilda, are both interred in Burnt Church Cemetery. Also buried in the cemetery is George Washington McAllister (1781-1850), another leading planter of Bryan County. In 1817, McAllister acquired Strathy Hall Plantation on the Ogeechee, where he grew rice and was one of the largest slave owners on the Neck. McAllister built his plantation house, Strathy Hall, in 1838, restored by Henry Ford a centu-ry later. McAllister and his neighbors, Thomas S. Clay and Richard James Arnold, organized the Bryan Neck Presbyterian Church in 1830. Although he is not interred in Burnt Church Cemetery, the importance of local rice and sugar planter Richard James Arnold cannot be over-emphasized in relation to both the church and the cemetery. It was Arnold who donated the land upon which the original Bryan Neck Church and its attendant ceme-tery were established. Arnold (1796-1873) acquired nearby White Hall Plantation through his marriage in 1823 to Louisa Gindrat. A Rhode Island native, Arnold invested heavily in White Hall for the cultivation of cotton and in his Cherry Hill and Mulberry tracts further up the Ogeechee, on which he became the most prosperous rice planter in the region. By 1860, Arnold was the largest landowner in Bryan County, with over 15,000 acres and 200 slaves. He was an innovative planter, regarded as be-


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ing well advanced for his time in terms of his business concepts, his application of scientif-ic principles to his agricultural methods and techniques, and his philosophy of plantation and slave management. The graves and family plots in the burial ground repose in a peaceful, almost idyllic, setting amidst a shaded grove of live oaks and other native coastal hardwoods. The quiet, moss-draped solitude of this cemetery, steeped in local history and heritage, is in stark contrast to the steady volume of fast-moving vehicle traffic racing by on Highway 144, the occupants of which are likely com-pletely oblivious to the historic significance of the sacred ground they are passing by sev-eral times a day. Some of the headstones, memorials and statuary in Burnt Church Cemetery that are from the pre-Civil War period are most impressive. They demonstrate and evoke the common tendency among the planter class of tidewater Georgia and South Carolina to provide long-lasting, prominent monu-ments to those deceased family members that are meant to be memorialized for posterity. Other headstones, particularly those from a later era, are simpler and less ostentatious than those of their antebellum forebears. When the original Presbyterian Church was accidentally destroyed by fire after the Civil War, a new church was built several miles east at Keller, thus providing the ori-gin of the name of the present cemetery — a name that continues to be used to the pres-ent day. q


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aroundtown ✴ business of the year

U R G E N T MATTERS SOLVEDBy Heather Grant ✴ Backg round photo by Courtni Gibson

Group photo by Shawn Heifert


By Heather Grant ✴ Backg round photo by Courtni GibsonGroup photo by Shawn Heifert TThere’s nothing quite like real life experience for inspiration. Such is

the story of Lori Gaylor, Catherine Grant and Dr. Robert Mazur of The Urgent Care Center of Richmond Hill (UCCRH). All three, along with their families, are residents of Richmond Hill. Through personal experiences, each recognized a need and came together to fill that need for an entire community. It is their medical expertise and dedication that brought “professional medical care close to home” just over three short years ago, proving the adage to be true: Necessity really is the mother of invention. Lori B. Gaylor, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, owner-partner of The UCCRH, raised her family in Richmond Hill. Both her son, Worth, and daughter, Rebecca, now college students, attended Richmond Hill schools while Lori and her husband, Tim, worked full-time jobs, often commuting between Richmond Hill and their places of em-ployment. “I know what it’s like to be in Savannah and get that call that your child is sick at school in Richmond Hill. Making the drive to get them, then turning around and driving all the way back to Savan-nah for urgent medical care… It’s stressful enough having a sick child, much less having to add all that driving to the mix,” says Lori. Similarly, Robert A. Mazur, MD, FACEP, FAAEM, LTC (retired), medical director and partner with The UCCRH, also raised his fam-ily locally. As a practicing emergency room physician, he would often provide care to friends and neighbors who had no other choice but to make the drive to Savannah for an ER visit simply because there wasn’t an after-hours urgent care office available. “In most cases, ER attention wasn’t required,” states Dr. Mazur. “But when it’s 10 a.m. on a Saturday or 7 p.m. on a Monday and someone is sick or gets hurt, folks in Richmond Hill had no other choice.” Urgent Care owner-partner Catherine C. Grant, MSPAS, PA-C, had similar experiences. With two young children of her own, Grayson and Madison, and her husband, Scott, who grew up in Richmond Hill, it didn’t take long for Catherine to also see the need for an urgent care center in the community. “Like most, my children have a pediatrician, but when the unexpected pops up and it’s outside of normal office hours, the last thing I want to do is drive out of town,” says Catherine. Drawing from their collective experience, Lori and Catherine ap-

proached Dr. Mazur about opening The Urgent Care Center of Rich-mond Hill. In June of 2009, the office opened its doors and began treating patients for a variety of medical needs, from cuts and sprains to colds and flu and beyond. To say the demand from patients was high is an understatement. In those first months of operation, The UCCRH saw, on average, 10 to 20 patients a day. Currently, over 50 patients are seen at the center daily, a clear sign that the need the three owners had experienced for themselves was felt throughout the community. “Our goal was always to give local residents access to the medical care they need, when they need it,” says Catherine. “The number of patients we now see clearly shows that we are achieving that goal, and we’re honored to be able to take care of our commu-nity.” Of course, with those patient numbers, expansion was a must. So in the summer of 2012, The Urgent Care Center of Richmond Hill added an additional 1,200 square feet of space to its current location on Exchange Street. The new space includes four new exam rooms, a new nursing/administrative area and a conference room. In addi-tion to providing extra space for patient care, this new addition also allowed them to begin offering Richmond Hill residents the opportu-nity to see select specialists locally. Currently Mark Kamaleson, MD, an orthopedist, and Ryan Moody, MD, a pulmonologist, are seeing patients, by appointment, on select days at The Urgent Care Center. Don Gates, MD, who specializes in weight loss and Jeffery VanYper-en, MD, a podiatrist, have also recently opened offices in the center. With added space came added staff, including two new physician assistants, Jennifer Henson, PA-C and Cheri Johnson, PA-C. In to-tal, The Urgent Care Center of Richmond Hill has grown from eight employees at its opening to more than 20 today. “We really do credit our incredible staff for making The Urgent Care Center what it is today,” says Catherine. “They truly care about each and every patient from the minute they walk in the door through the follow-up calls we place, and it makes all the difference.” “Maybe you have a child with a sore throat but you want to have him seen before schools starts, or you have a cut from the weekend you thought would heal but just hasn’t, and you don’t want to be late for work — the earlier we open, the better for our patients,” says Lori about their new hours, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. “Being a consistent resource for medical attention is at the heart of everything the physicians and staff at The UCCRH do,” adds Dr. Mazur. Whether patients’ needs arise after 5 p.m., on weekends or around holidays, being available is what their mission is all about. So what’s next? Most importantly, The Urgent Care Center of


Join. Connect. Grow.

LeadinG the way,

2013 RhBC Chamber Board of directors

Michele henderson, Chair

Br ianne yontz , execut ive di rector

2591 Hwy 17, ste. 100 · Crossroads Center · Richmond Hill, GA 31324 · 912.756.3444 · RHBCchamber.org

top Row, (L-R): FRed CAnAdy, BRiAnne yontz, SHeilA doney, tRACe PAlmeRMiddLe Row (L-R): Jim GARdneR, CHRiS FetteS, JeRRy deloACH, JoHn ReynoldS, mike SiSCo, lindA BARkeR, dAllAS dAnielBottoM Row (L-R): Billy AlBRitton, miCHele HendeRSon, AnGuS mCleod, JAmi PFliBSen, douG mARtin, RoBBie kinG

RICHMONDHILLREFLECTIONSMAG.C OM 33L

Richmond Hill wants to remain a vital resource for urgent medical care in our city. Beyond that, the possibility of adding one or two new locations in nearby communities is not out of the question and, as Lori, Catherine and Dr. Mazur see it, will be another way to extend their quality of care to more patients. Living in Richmond Hill, they saw a need. Raising families here, they experienced a need. Now, looking toward its fourth year in op-

I N V E S T I N

OURCOMMUNITY

Last year around this time, John Reynolds asked the Chamber board to think about and share our vision for Richmond Hill. What did we want to see Richmond Hill “be” in 10, 15 and 20 years? I’ve never been too good at “vision” — I guess I have always been a little busy worrying about the present and what it was looking like! I didn’t share my “vision” because it wasn’t about infrastructure or planning or even

aesthetics. I guess it was more of a “wish” than a “vision.” But I want to share it with you now. My wish was that Richmond Hill would continue to be a place to which our children and our children’s children want to return. My wish was that Richmond Hill would still offer economic opportunity, excellent schools and a great quality of life. My wish was that our kids

This speech was given at the Chamber’s Annual Dinner Meeting in January 2013. It was so moving, we wanted everyone — not just business owners and Chamber members — to have the opportunity to be

encouraged by Michele’s words.

eration, The Urgent Care Center of Richmond Hill is continuing to fill a need for our entire community, and that’s something that’s sure to make us all feel much better. Urgent matters have been solved! Congratulations to The Urgent Care Center of Richmond Hill on being named the Richmond Hill/Bryan County Chamber of Commerce 2012 Business of the Year! q

aroundtown ✴ business of the year©

RH

GA

LIV

E


that when we don’t grow, we die, and they, like all of us, bet on that and invested in the notion that people would continue to find this [community] one of the most desirable communities in which to live and work. It’s putting “me” before “we” — that is, being so consumed about what’s good for each of us individually that we miss what might be good for us all. It’s the pettiness, the jealousy and the backbiting. It’s our own pride that keeps us sometimes from working together for the common cause. Our elected officials, our community leaders and all of us might need a little less “me” and a little more “we.” “We” need to make supporting our businesses, and particularly our own Chamber members, a mantra that we repeat so much “we” get tired of saying it, but the message is driven home to everyone who lives here. “We” need to help each other succeed: Rejoice in it when they do and be saddened when they don’t. “We” need to insure that our elected and appointed officials “get it” and encourage them, as well, to think and say “we” instead of “me.” “We” need to market this community — really market it — not just the businesses and not just the Chamber, but really promote what makes us who WE are. We’ve been through a lot the past few years, and frankly, it’s hard to be optimistic sometimes. But we have a lot to be thankful for, and we have a lot to look forward to. The “g” word, “growth,” the “b” word, “business,” are sometimes spoken with disdain. Growth is good, and not just for business. What’s good for business is good for the com-munity. Our job is to deliver that message. Let’s make this year the year we do just that... Now, if you’ll indulge “me,” I will say thank you. Thank you for who you are and what you do. And thank you for the opportunity to work together. q

would make this their home because of the same reasons we decided to make this our home. The businesses represented here tonight are invested in this com-munity. Our individual success is inextricably intertwined with the community’s success. If we help the community succeed, we’ll suc-ceed. And I think we do that by doing the same things that we do (maybe unwittingly) as business people, parents and partners — max-imize our strengths and minimize our weaknesses. Clearly our schools are a strength; Dr. Brooksher’s address was very timely this evening. We have a young population in South Bryan County. And most of those young families came here for our excellent schools. It sounds like Dr. Brooksher has plans and his own vision to help keep them that way. The business community needs to help make that happen. I’ve often said that by supporting local business, you in fact support our schools because we are the ones who write the checks for the band uniforms, the football camps, the Odyssey of the Mind trips, the batting cages... and the list goes on. But maybe we can do more. Maybe we can help by mentoring students, by shaping pub-lic support for the board’s initiatives and actually being business part-ners! Dr. Brooksher has opened the door for the first time in most of our memories and we’ve been invited in — let’s don’t let him have a party without us! And, no one disputes the strength in our quality of life — the beau-tiful surroundings, the water, great recreational facilities — all such tre-mendous assets. I never get on a boat on the Ogeechee River without thinking that this is the most beautiful place on God’s earth. We take it for granted, but believe me, people who aren’t “from” here don’t. But, there’s really something more here... a sense of community, a sense of belonging. It’s the reason we have so many churches, it’s the thing that made over 1,000 kids turn out for recreation baseball this spring, it’s the reason hundreds of us lined the roads and wept as the body of a fallen soldier, our own Matt Freeman, was returned home. It’s why we have Christmas parades, homecoming parades and fireworks. It’s what makes us have fundraisers to raise money for ev-erything from planting trees to providing scholarships to rebuilding homes and paying for critical medical care. And those of us who live here, work here and play here know that best — and we do all these things and more, day in and day out. Our strengths are what make people want to move here, and face it: People wanting to move here is what it’s about! Look at our Busi-ness of the Year winners — none of them started a magazine, opened a hardware store, a real estate company, a salon or an urgent care center because they thought Richmond Hill would not continue to grow. Our sponsor [tonight], Georgia Living at Home, didn’t decide to open an assisted living facility because they thought people wouldn’t want to come live here anymore. No, they, like the rest of us, knew

Speech by Michele Henderson, 2013 Chairman of the Richmond Hill/Bryan County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

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aroundtown ✴ ogeechee riverkeeper annual winter event

The Ogeechee River is one of Georgia’s natu-ral gems. This beautiful blackwater river flows freely through eastern Georgia, draining a 5,540-square mile basin that encompasses wetlands, forests and farms. Its tea-stained water, intimate swamps and bottomland hardwoods retain a pristine quality and pro-vide food, water and shelter for threatened plant and animal species. The Ogeechee is one of the few untamed major rivers in America. This river system, flowing through 22 counties, also includes all of the coastal streams flowing out to Os-sabaw and St. Catherine’s Sound. These coastal river systems provide beautiful areas for recreation and fishing and are vital to our seafood industry. Ogeechee Riverkeeper (ORK) is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to clean water in the Ogeechee, Canoochee and coast-al waters of Georgia. The organization serves 22 Georgia counties and has over 1,000 mem-bers throughout the watershed. In pursuit of its mission, Ogeechee Riverkeeper strives to amplify the voices of concerned citizens and strengthen their efforts to protect their riv-ers and communities. With the support and commitment of this dedicated citizens net-work, Ogeechee Riverkeeper is an advocate for the Ogeechee River basin and its people.

By Jessica Mnieckowski ✴ Photos by Paige Glazer

7YV[LJ[PUN�H�7YPZ[PUL�7SH`NYV\UK

The City of Richmond Hill lines the southern border of the mighty Ogeechee just 10 miles upstream of where it flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately, there are growing threats to our pristine rivers. Pol-lution from aging industrial complexes, in-creased pressure from population growth and sewage all endanger their health. Fish in our rivers and estuaries are contaminated with mercury, a toxic heavy metal. This pollution combined with droughts, lack of freshwater flow and the loss of wetlands are sending our rivers into a downward spiral. The recent fish kill devastation of the Ogeechee River is making public support more needed than ever. ORK is making it known that they want to entrust local citizens who live, work and play along this beautiful river with protecting its legacy. The Ogeechee River is one of our playgrounds and is a vital part of the water-shed where the river’s freshwater combines with the sea’s saltwater. This unique natural resource must be conserved for our children and future generations to come. Ogeechee Riverkeeper will be holding its Annual Awards Gala, “At Waters Edge!” at Ft. McAllister State Park on Saturday, Febru-ary 23, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Journey back to the 1800s for a torch-lit evening featuring historic reenactments in the beautiful park

setting. Georgia Southern University will be on-site with a wildlife demonstration rep-resenting the species in the watershed. The fundraising event will also include live blue-grass music performed by Savannah’s City Hotel, and drinks will be provided by Moon River Brewery. Ogeechee Riverkeeper has been commit-ted to protecting, preserving and improving the water quality of the Ogeechee and its coastal waters since 2005. q

✴ ✴ ✴ ✴ ✴Editor’s Note:

For more information about “At Waters Edge!” please visit

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people&places ✴ yoga

By Leslie-Ann Berg ✴ Photos by Courtni Gibson

Awaken the Body,

*HST�[OL�4PUK


LLisa Ripa, owner of Awakening Yoga Studio in Richmond Hill, enters the Hill House Cafe. She is vibrant, fresh and fit. At first glance, she seems to be one of those people to whom life and physical health has always come easy: She loves life and life loves her back. But the more Lisa opens up during our interview, the more I realize I’ve pegged her all wrong. Lisa grew up in Newport, Rhode Island, where she met her hus-band John. “We were high school sweethearts,” recalls Lisa. “We’ve been married now for 22 years. He’s supportive of me and I’m sup-portive of him. We’re a team.” One year after marrying, Lisa’s husband joined the Army and the two began their journey as soldier and Army wife, moving from place to place, meeting new friends, saying good-bye to old friends and learning to navigate the constant upheaval and challenges of military life. In 2004, Lisa, John and their three children moved to Richmond Hill. Although the Ripa family has moved many times over the last 22 years and her husband remains on active duty, the family has settled in Richmond Hill and considers it home. In ad-dition to establishing a home here, Lisa has also established her own unique and growing community in Richmond Hill — a community that wouldn’t exist if it hadn’t been for her hard work and her love of and belief in yoga. In 2011, Lisa’s husband returned home from his third deployment to his wife, his three children… and a yoga studio. Lisa tells me about her journey in becoming a yoga studio owner, “I’ve always dabbled

in yoga, wherever we happened to be. I have a ballet background, so 16 years of ballet training made me want to move and stay in shape. [But] I don’t really like being in a gym… Exercising is enjoyable in the yoga setting. The more I practiced yoga, the more I saw strength and flexibility coming back. The atmosphere is soothing and calming… I just pursued it from there.” Lisa has been practicing yoga for four years consistently, five to six times a week. She received her 200-hour teach-er training at Savannah Yoga Center. “Once I graduated, I opened the studio,” she says. Awakening Yoga Studio opened in 2011 in a 450-square foot space with a 12-person max capacity. As the Richmond Hill yoga commu-nity continued to grow, it quickly outgrew her tiny space. Lisa moved the studio in November of 2012 to a much larger space with a 35 to 40 student capacity. Lisa has not only encouraged many in Richmond Hill to establish a healthier, more balanced and centered lifestyle by practicing yoga, but she has also created a blossoming community. “My husband is deploying soon, 9 months this time. All of my chil-dren have grown up and moved on, and I am not used to being an empty nester. But it’s okay — I have Richmond Hill! I’ve met such awesome people here through the yoga community, from teachers to students to my instructors. We’ve made friendships… I’m not worried about it at all because I know I have support. “Yoga has helped my life in so many ways,” Lisa continues, with modest hesitation. “A few years ago, my father died. Following his

death, I went through a difficult time. That period was really hard for me. I was depressed and gained weight.” She lost her passion for an active lifestyle un-til she found yoga, and this time it was more than just a fleeting class here and there; it became her way out, her way up. Through her journey upward, yoga qui-eted her mind, eased her anxieties and strengthened her body: “When I started practicing yoga regularly, I lost weight and felt my strength coming back.” In addition to yoga healing her mentally and physically after the loss of her father, Lisa experienced benefits in other areas of her life. Before practicing yoga regularly, Lisa describes herself as anxious and a “constant worrier.” She also suffered from migraine headaches since childhood and took medication



“Yoga isn’t just about movement or physical exercise. It can also be very gentle and soothing… a mind-body connection.”


for her ailment. Since yoga, Lisa is no longer filled with anxiety; she no longer takes medication for her migraines and rarely suffers from impairing headaches. “I’ve seen people come off of their blood pres-sure and diabetes medication from yoga alone,” says Lisa. “I’ve seen people who could barely make it into my studio due to medical issues [who are] able to come in now, roll out their mat, do the class and leave with no problem. It’s really incredible.” “Anyone can do yoga,” Lisa encourages. “I have worked with babies and children, all the way up through elderly clients. I have worked with people who are bed or wheelchair bound… people with disabilities, medical issues and prenatal women. Yoga isn’t just about movement or physical exercise. It can also be very gentle and soothing… a mind-body connection. Anything from meditation to breathing techniques is still yoga. So even if you aren’t able to get up from your hospital bed, you can still practice yoga. That’s what a lot of people don’t understand.” Lisa describes a class she taught previously in the day, consisting of a 70 year old, a prenatal woman and a young man suffering from a traumat-ic brain injury with limited mobility, all able to participate and gain strength and clarity from the class. Lisa’s eyes light up with gratitude as she explains how rewarding it was to see the disabled man sitting up, unassisted, for the first time since his accident, and his wife being there to witness such a feat. “It was truly amazing.” Lisa describes yoga as the art of “moving the body and calming the mind.” No other form of exercise can be described in this way. Yoga is unique in that it is touted to improve not only physical strength, but also mental, spiritual and ethical strengths. “It makes you so aware of all aspects of your life: morally, ethically, what you are eating, how you are treating others. Many people think it’s religious, but that’s not what yoga is about. It’s about being aware… aware of your body… aware of everything and everyone around you,” says Lisa’s husband John, an avid push-up, pull-up, sit-up kind of guy. He discovered yoga when he returned from deployment in 2011. “I was so tight and had back issues. I feel like a different person now. I am flexible and my back pain is gone. It has made my life so much better in all aspects. Yoga is honestly the best thing that has happened to our family!” The ethical awareness in yoga is derived from the Yoga Sutras, “an ancient textbook of ethical and moral principles for living,” that is often referenced during yoga classes to encourage inner reflection on ethical and behavioral aspects of life. Lisa and her husband agree that no matter what religion you are, if you practice yoga, “It will only deepen your spirituality, whatever that spirituality may be. And if you’re not spiritual,” Lisa says, “it may spark something inside of you.” These ethical reflections are minimal at Awakening, but they are im-

portant to Lisa and are one of the reasons why she believes yoga is so successful in uniting mental, physical and spiritual awareness. Quieting the mind and focusing inward is fundamental to yoga, yet it is a deterring factor for many high-energy or anxious individuals. “It is all about the practice. You must practice yoga regularly to find this ability,” says Lisa, a naturally energetic person herself. Lisa recommends practicing yoga three times a week, with a day of rest in between. For those who are just starting out, she recommends a beginner class or better yet, a one-on-one session, which will prepare individuals more readily for a full class. “When people begin yoga, it’s usually because of something — an injury, medical issue or inner ailment,” says Lisa. “In those one-on-one sessions we can really address the issue, whether it be a back problem, migraines, etc. This way, the person feels more prepared and ready when they enter into a full class.” The new studio is spacious, warm and soothing, and I had the privilege to attend a Saturday morning class where Lisa began with a meditation, encouraging us to reflect on a habit we’d like to change in our lives and to continue this reflection throughout our morning practice. The active meditation was brief, yet it sparked an introspec-tion that wouldn’t have occurred during my regular gym workout. As the class came to a close, my entire body felt worked, stronger, more limber, while my mind felt more at ease. As I reflect on Lisa’s teaching style, three words come to mind: fun, challenging and accepting. I will be returning! Lisa Ripa is a strong woman, committed to helping and healing others through yoga. She attributes her strength, commitment and the woman she has become to her life as an Army wife and her ever-present support of her husband and three children: “My family is what drives me to reach my goals.” She also derives incredible strength and focus from yoga. Lisa’s life, like all of our lives, has been filled with mountains, valleys and rocky paths. Yet, she is able to manage life’s rough terrain through yoga. “I know that in my life, with yoga, I will only get better. It is only up from here.” q



Hidden Treasure

WWheels Autoworks is a full-service automotive repair shop and used car dealership. Opened by Pat Beswick and his wife, Ginny, in September 2009, it is establishing its mark on Longwood Drive. Wheels Autoworks can be seen from the right side of I-95 South, just before the Exit 90 ramp onto Highway 144. Many people don’t realize that Longwood Dr. is beside the Shell gas station off of that exit and hosts a string of businesses; it’s sort of a hidden treasure. Pat Beswick is a true “car guy.” He has taken his love of cars to anoth-er level. Pat and his dad owned and operated a mom and pop garage and used car dealership in Brandywine, MD. After moving to Richmond Hill, Pat thought that he might want to do something a little different, as he’d been working on cars for 26 years. He went to work for Plan-tation Lumber & Hardware and was responsible for maintaining their rental equipment and their fleet of trucks. In his spare time, he continued to work on cars at home. As news spread of his expertise, he began receiving so many requests for work

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that he decided to set up business in a single-bay shop with a small office on Longwood Drive. Since that day, Wheels Autoworks has contin-ued to grow. They’ve added two more bays and a sales office. In 2011, Wheels Autoworks also became a fully-licensed used car dealership! Now, you can buy a used car or have basic maintenance to major repairs done, all in one location. Pat and his technician have 70 years of combined ASE-Certified ex-perience in the auto repair business. With three bays available, two are reserved for repairs, while the third is devoted to complete detailing. “Customers can have confidence that when discussing their auto-motive issues with us at Wheels Autoworks, we are not only the busi-ness owners – I am a certified technician who can diagnose and explain necessary repairs,” says Pat. “I uphold the integrity to only fix it if it’s broken, and not do additional, unnecessary repairs." Pat and Ginny Beswick are residents of Richmond Hill. They have four grown children and six grandchildren.


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people&places ✴ cancer strikes but doesn’t win

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LIVE LIFEBy Paige Glazer ✴ Photos by Cobblestone Photography

Everyone has cancer cells in their bodies. These cells do not typically show up until they multiply by sev-eral billion. If the immune system is strong enough, it will keep those cells from manifesting into tumors. But for some, the possibility of can-cer will become a reality. For Audrey Allen, breast cancer came as a surprise. Like most ladies over 40, Audrey went for her annual mammogram year after year. After some time, her one good mammogram per year would turn into a call for a second look, only to find that everything was indeed okay. This process continued for over four years before that second look turned into a third and fourth, finally resulting in the dreaded news. “A week after my biopsy, I was driving home from work on a Friday evening when my doctor called to share with me that the test came back positive and that I did have breast cancer,” she recalls. They told Audrey she had Invasive Ductal Carcinoma – Estrogen Progesterone Positive – HER2 Negative Cancer. She pulled over into a gas station to collect her wits before continuing her drive home to Richmond Hill. She remembers thinking, “I’ve always eaten right, I exercise, I played a lot of tennis, I’m too young to die, is all I

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could think. I wasn’t negative, like whoa is me, but I knew I had to get my life in order… because I had cancer and that meant I was going to die.” The first order of business was to have the tumor removed. “I just wanted to get it out of me!” she exclaims. Audrey did what most of us would do and asked for advice from friends who had dealt with cancer, or were in the medical field. She went with the most often recommended breast surgeon in Savannah to remove her tumor, Dr. Ray Rudolph. “I didn’t want to do anything too radical and I remem-ber what my surgeon told me about my cancer, ‘A lumpectomy or a mastectomy will not have any different outcome.’ What he meant was it is all about the treatment afterwards. “I’ve always believed that with anything, whether it is your health, your finances or how to raise your children, you need to make respon-sible decisions,” says Audrey. “You should be able to make decisions for yourself and not have to be told what the best decision might be.” Audrey believes in research and she set out to become educated about chemotherapy and radiation, and she knew what she did and did not want. “I went for the appointment at the oncology office. It was jam-

packed, I was alone that day and it was scary — chemo packs, oxygen tanks, scarves on heads. This is what I am going to look like in the near future,” she thought to herself. Two hours later, Audrey was feeling like the plan for her care was just a standard protocol. “Cancer should be treated on the individual level and not the same protocol for each patient: cut, radiation, chemo… which seems to be the standard of care. I wasn’t worried about comfort and convenience, but what was going to be best for me. I knew I needed another avenue. I needed to do more research.” Audrey found the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) one night while she lay awake watching 3 a.m. television. “There is something about cancer and not sleeping,” she jokes. “It was as if the commercial itself reconfirmed what I was looking for in a treatment — they talked about treating the whole person and being spiritually healthy to become physically healthy.” This was where she would go for her second opinion. “It amazes me at how everything fell into place from day one. CTCA gathered all of my records, bi-opsies, mammograms — anything they needed they gathered for me. All I had to do was go to the airport.”

© M

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Audrey and her family during

the Christmas holidays.


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When Audrey Allen walked through the doors of CTCA in Tulsa, Oklahoma eight years ago, she thought, “Wow, this place is too good to be true.” Today when she visits for her yearly check up, her reaction is admit-tedly the same. “Going there is something I look forward to. It was almost like a vacation, even the first time prior to being a survivor.” According to Audrey, the standard of care is impeccable because CTCA uses a team ap-proach, ensuring the entire person is treated through medical, emotional and nutritional physicians and specialists. “They are my team, 24/7.” Last year, Audrey was asked to join the Patient Advisory Council Committee Board. Gladly accepting the appointment, she has committed to two years of quarterly round-table meetings with three former patients of each center and a stakeholder (name given to employees of CTCA) from each center. Together they strategize improvement for pa-tient care, look for solutions to struggles they may have had and ways to make future and current patients’ experiences that much better. Audrey Allen has led a life full of differ-ent stressful situations. Her husband Colin’s three near-death experiences — two nearly fa-tal car accidents and one full-blown stroke — and her battle with breast cancer have placed plenty of financial and physical strains on her family. She recognizes their careful financial planning from a young age as the key to what helped them survive the bumps in the road. She showcases the power of her convictions. “Though all of that has happened in my life, I decided to live life to the fullest. Tomorrow is never promised. I’ve decided the best way to live life is to pay [it] forward and that is what I am doing.” Audrey decided to make one of her passions, financial planning, a career, and is a broker/agent with the independent firms Capital Choice Financial Services and CCF Investments. She is also a Dave Ramsey ELP (Endorsed Local Provider) for investing to

✴ people&places


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assist and educate people on building their own personal wealth. In addition to the Patient Advisory Coun-cil Committee Board at CTCA, she is also part of the Patient-to-Patient network. Her name and contact information are made available to those who want to know about the personal experiences of CTCA patients. Now cancer-free, Audrey is loving life, en-joying her grandchildren and delighting in the beautiful scenery surrounding her Rich-mond Hill home of 25 years. q


CTCA has five campuses throughout the United States, recently adding a center in Newnan, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta.

Audrey Allen can be reached for more information via email:

[email protected].


58 Waverly LaneBeautiful new construction home featuring five bedrooms, three and a half baths and has over 3,200 square feet of living space. This home includes grand two-story foyer, separate family, dining, media room, and a large kitchen with island and tons of upgrades. Want convenience? This home is located in beautiful Heathrow at Sterling Links Golf Course. Living with all the extras.$319,900.

Teresa Cowart

Realtor

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showcaseRichmond Hill

230 Windsong Drive – Windsong in BuckheadThis all brick 5-bedroom, 3.5-bath home has extensive upgrades. Featuring living and family rooms, front and rear staircases, custom cabinets, granite countertops and tile and wood floors. A great back deck and patio overlook the private yard and woods. Community amenities include a pool, tennis courts, a lake and ball fields.$425,000.

Alice Steyaart, ABR, CRS, CRB, GRIBroker/Co-Owner

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85 Sanctuary DriveMagnificent 750-square foot screened room with handsome fireplace is sure to be your favorite space in this one-owner, executive, brick home. Featuring 5 bedrooms, beautiful finishes, gourmet kitchen, 3 fireplaces, 3 garages, family friendly floor plan. A total of 3,412 heated square feet. Bordered by protected forests and in gated "The Sanctuary" community, just a short stroll to community pool. Do not miss this fabulous opportunity to buy quality construction in a very desirable location. Call Lynne or Kelly for a private showing. $259,900.

Lynne

Butler Bayens

"The Lynne Bayens Group"

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45 Cricket Court – OxfordThis 4-bedroom, 3-bath home sits as a private retreat on a cul-de-sac. With 2,735 square feet, there is plenty of living space. Outside enjoy the evening sunsets on the screened porch. This home is ready for you!$260,000. Linda Barker

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showcase379 Bluff DriveEnjoy spectacular views of both the coastal waterways and barrier islands. This custom 4-bedroom and 4.5-bath home features an open floor plan allowing anyone to enjoy this amazing view. Surrounded by water on three sides. Featuring a gourmet kitchen, study and a bonus room gives plenty of space. It has a private dock and a community dock with hoist, outdoor cooking area and a location near Kilkenny Marina. A breathtaking day is truly in your backyard.$850,000.

356 Riverbend Road – The CoveContemporary waterfront living with deepwater at all tide levels.This 3,256 square foot home has 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, a beautiful view out of every window. A 50’ dock extends out to the water with a covered outdoor space and sundeck to sunbathe at your leisure.$750,000.

Linda Barker

RE/MAX Savannah


[email protected]


912.756.6888


[email protected]

Maureen Bryant

Associate Broker

RE/MAX Accent

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58 Waverly LaneBeautiful new construction home featuring five bedrooms, three and a half baths and has over 3,200 square feet of living space. This home includes grand two-story foyer, separate family, dining, media room, and a large kitchen with island and tons of upgrades. Want convenience? This home is located in beautiful Heathrow at Sterling Links Golf Course. Living with all the extras.$319,900.

Teresa Cowart

Realtor

RE/MAX Accent

��teresacowartteam.com [email protected]

showcaseRichmond Hill

230 Windsong Drive – Windsong in BuckheadThis all brick 5-bedroom, 3.5-bath home has extensive upgrades. Featuring living and family rooms, front and rear staircases, custom cabinets, granite countertops and tile and wood floors. A great back deck and patio overlook the private yard and woods. Community amenities include a pool, tennis courts, a lake and ball fields.$425,000.

Alice Steyaart, ABR, CRS, CRB, GRIBroker/Co-Owner

RE/MAX Accent

��

85 Sanctuary DriveMagnificent 750-square foot screened room with handsome fireplace is sure to be your favorite space in this one-owner, executive, brick home. Featuring 5 bedrooms, beautiful finishes, gourmet kitchen, 3 fireplaces, 3 garages, family friendly floor plan. A total of 3,412 heated square feet. Bordered by protected forests and in gated "The Sanctuary" community, just a short stroll to community pool. Do not miss this fabulous opportunity to buy quality construction in a very desirable location. Call Lynne or Kelly for a private showing. $259,900.

Lynne

Butler Bayens

"The Lynne Bayens Group"

RE/MAX Accent

��www.LBGRealEstate.com

45 Cricket Court – OxfordThis 4-bedroom, 3-bath home sits as a private retreat on a cul-de-sac. With 2,735 square feet, there is plenty of living space. Outside enjoy the evening sunsets on the screened porch. This home is ready for you!$260,000. Linda Barker

RE/MAX Savannah


[email protected]


912.756.6888


showcase379 Bluff DriveEnjoy spectacular views of both the coastal waterways and barrier islands. This custom 4-bedroom and 4.5-bath home features an open floor plan allowing anyone to enjoy this amazing view. Surrounded by water on three sides. Featuring a gourmet kitchen, study and a bonus room gives plenty of space. It has a private dock and a community dock with hoist, outdoor cooking area and a location near Kilkenny Marina. A breathtaking day is truly in your backyard.$850,000.

356 Riverbend Road – The CoveContemporary waterfront living with deepwater at all tide levels.This 3,256 square foot home has 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, a beautiful view out of every window. A 50’ dock extends out to the water with a covered outdoor space and sundeck to sunbathe at your leisure.$750,000.

Linda Barker

RE/MAX Savannah


[email protected]


912.756.6888


[email protected]

Maureen Bryant

Associate Broker

RE/MAX Accent

��www.maureenbryant.com



people&places ✴ zumba "tness

By Sandra M. Elliott

Photos by Patti Todd Photography

BEYO

ND

MOVING

THE


M

By Sandra M. Elliott

Photos by Patti Todd Photography

Most people looking to set fitness goals may not, at first glance, think Zumba Fitness. However, there is something about the music that draws you in, and then before you know it, you are hooked. Not only hooked on the beat, the music and the moves, but also deeply at-tached to the people and to a workout like no other that takes you to fitness levels you could not have imagined. Meeting with a group of “Zumba ladies” at our local running store to chat with me about their passion was like bringing in rays of sun-shine on what had started out as a cold and dreary morning. It was as if time had stopped, and these special ladies with their Zumba Fitness energy and zest filled a void with their undeniable enthusiasm and inspiration that lasted beyond the meeting. According to Zumba.com, more than “14 million people of all shapes, sizes and ages, are taking weekly Zumba classes in over 140,000 locations across more than 150 countries.” This exhilarat-ing, energy-producing workout, which can become an obsession for those willing to step up, was born when Alberto “Beto” Perez, a Cali, Columbia native and aerobics instructor, forgot his traditional workout music for his class. His “accidental” use of the music he loved, salsa and merengue music that he carried in his backpack, gave rise to an electrifying workout that his class instantly loved. Thus, the Zumba Fitness Party was born in that mid-90s class. Since that fateful day, Zumba Fitness has grown into an international “storm” of fresh and energizing workouts. The workouts reach millions in gyms, fitness rooms and in people’s homes across the world. What you will discover, however, that for the special ladies I met, Zumba Fitness has provided for each of them more than your typical “workout” or gym routine. More than just a routine for many of them, Zumba Fitness has brought a deep and lasting friendship, as well as a pathway to a renewed sense of self and success in all areas of their lives. Some of the ladies admitted to having a life-saving transforma-tion due to their connection with this special group of Zumba Fitness ladies. A deeply felt and emotional response from nearly all of them was initially surprising, but then became inspiring. Meredith Towne, a Zumba enthusiast, who recently took her pas-sion to the next level by becoming a certified Zumba Fitness instruc-tor, says, “People have a lot going on in their lives. Zumba has helped me to get through one of the hardest periods of my life.” Her fellow Zumba friend, Erika Findlay adds, “When the music starts, my soul does its own thing. I get lost in the music for 45 minutes. It is truly the highlight of my day.”

There was indeed an undeniable “pulse” among this small group of five ladies, with Bobbi Garcia, the Zumba Fitness instructor, leading the way. “Once I found out how much fun Zumba was, I kept coming back. Over a three to four month period, I lost over 25 pounds. I have been able to recapture a part of my lost self through these classes,” says Sirena Smart with a glowing smile. Rebekkah Thompson, who has also lost weight doing Zumba, was looking for something that would allow her some time to herself. “I have lost 15-16 pounds since start-ing Zumba with these ladies, and I consider it more like a ‘gym party’ since it really doesn’t feel like a workout.” The “leading lady” of the group, Bobbi Garcia, has many followers. She has been teaching Zumba classes of all kinds and levels for over five years. She started in Pooler, but has since expanded her classes to other places in Bryan County. Bobbi admits to being a dancer all of her life, laughing when she says, “I love street salsa—more hips than shoulders!” She continues, “I have seen people’s lives transformed by Zumba, and I am happy I can be a part of people’s lives and a part of helping them to overcome many issues in their lives because of my classes.” Bobbi has some advice for those interested in checking out a Zum-ba classs. “Zumba is for everyone, all ages, shapes and sizes. Don’t give up after just one class; Zumba can be intimidating in the beginning.” Bobbi says she tells her classes not to worry so much about getting the steps right. “It is more allowing your body to move. After awhile, you will be able to build your confidence.” Sirena Smart, like some of the others, agrees, “Zumba allowed me to get ‘back in the game,’ and I tell others not to be embarrassed, and never, never give up.” These ladies were recently honored when they

Above L to R: Zumba Ladies! Rebekah Thompson, Sirena Smart,

Bobbi Garcia, Erika Findlay, and Meredith Towne.


“I have seen people’s lives transformed by Zumba, and I am happy I can be a part of people’s lives and a part of helping them to overcome many issues in

their lives because of my classes.”

— Bobbi Garcia



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were chosen to entertain Atlanta Hawks fans during the pre-game with their Zumba Fitness moves and music. They travelled from Savannah to Atlanta together and had a great weekend, bonding both on and off the court. The group worked for hours perfecting their routine, but in the end, they all agreed it was worth it and they look forward to performing again next season. Bobbi is devoted to making a difference in the lives of others through her Zumba classes. “I love dancing and choreography, but the best part of teaching Zumba has been the messages and voicemails that I get after class.” She adds somewhat emotionally, “You never really know what is going on in people’s lives. It is amazing how you can touch someone’s life, and even more amazing at what Zumba classes can help you overcome.” Bobbi’s influence is deeply felt among the ladies of this particular group. But one gets the feeling that her inspirational ways have reached many people in a deep and meaningful way. “Each instructor brings their own flavor to their classes,” says Erika. “Bobbi has a gift. She brings out a different, crazy side in me. I thank God for her!” As Zumba Fitness continues to grow in popularity, Bobbi and her group will continue to grow their “circle of influence” in the area. Bobbi has seen many lives changed because of this fun and heart-pounding way to get fit. She believes she is “…in the right place at the right time.” Bobbi hopes that more people will brave the doors of the local YMCA and try out one of her classes. “I wouldn’t trade [what I am doing now] for a mil-lion dollars.” Bobbi adds mischievously, “You never really know who is going to be your next Zumba addict!” Who knows? You could be the next man, woman or teen to join the Zumba Fitness “team” in Richmond Hill! It could be a game changer for you in 2013. q

Clockwise: Zumba ladies from Richmond Hill and

Pooler at the Atlanta Hawks pre-game show.


© Lauren Murphy


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PropagationBy Bob Izzo

Photos by Cobblestone Photography

Obsession

home&garden ✴ old to new


II knew that I had a serious problem last summer while visiting the United States Botanical Garden in Washington, D.C. There was this beautiful, blue, double-blooming Angels Trumpet (Brugmansia ar-borea) surrounded by a low fence about a foot high. The plant had dropped seed pods all over the ground, and I felt a burning need to just lean down and pick up a few. Strategically located all around the garden were warning signs not to pick the flowers or disturb the plants. I found myself looking around for security cameras with the intention of hopping over the low fence and grabbing a few seed pods. Fortunately, my wife told me that she would not bail me out of jail, and I lost my nerve. Over the last few years, my passion for propagating plants has be-come a little out of control. I’ve been spotted on the side of Highway 144 picking up the seed heads from the native pineland hibiscus, and on Belfast Siding gathering seeds from the swamp sunflowers and beautiful blue deer tongue, oh… and under the power lines on High-way 17 gathering the seeds from the native white indigo. I would not put it past myself to be driving through a neighborhood and see an old dried out chrysanthemum that one had set out for the trash, and the next thing you know, I’ve swiped it and now you will see it in my yard along with the dozen of divisions that were created! Sometimes over the summer or early fall, I will hop in the car and drive around the back roads of Bryan and Liberty counties looking for native plants and their seed pods.

After my wife spends the day in the yard doing the annual pruning on the shrubs and plants, she will throw the cuttings in the compost pile. A short while later I’m going through the cuttings, sticking them in a sandy mixture of potting soil… Why let them go to waste? This is my philosophy. My wife constantly asks me what I am going to do with all these plants and my response is always the same: Plant some and give away the rest. My interest goes well beyond needing any more plants; part of the fun is the challenge of seeing what I can successfully grow. At this point, I have propagated hundreds of azaleas, gardenia, camellia, hydrangea, lantana, native hibiscus. You name it, and I can propagate it. Part of my interest is the historical aspect. Many of the plants that I grow come from historical sites or have some historical significance. I have a LeConte pear that was grown from a cutting from the LeCon-te-Woodmanston Plantation, a camellia from Ossabaw (grown from a seed that a friend gave me), rose champion from Monticello, salvia from the Biltmore House, coral bean from Sapelo Island and a few others that are not so historically significant, but are mementos from places we’ve visited. By chance that I come to your house for a visit, it would be most unusual for me not to leave with a cutting or seeds from one of your favorite plants. Growing plants from seeds and cuttings is easy. Come join me, and perhaps you too will develop a passion for propagation. Visit the blog section on richmondhillreflectionsmag.com for a step-by-step guide to propagation. q


Bob will be teaching classes on propagation at the Bamboo Farm:Master Gardener Class – Tuesday, February 19, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Open Classes – Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4, from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m.

I have to admit… I am obsessed!

Steps for propagating plants can

be found on our blog.

home&garden ✴ old to new


“I have propagated hundreds of azaleas, gardenia, camellia, hydrangea, lantana, native hibiscus.

You name it, and I can propagate it.”


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pursuits ✴ more than a gym


It’s Saturday morning at 11 a.m. Gym owners and coaches Aus-tin and Lauren Behle are prepping for class at The Functional Training Center (FTC). Situated in a very industrialized area of town on Edsel Drive, the open bay warehouse where the gym is located is unassuming and exactly what I expected. Class partici-pants are entering the gym and begin grabbing the equipment they will need. Today’s gear: kettle bells, jump ropes, plyometric jump boxes and weights. Saturday is an open class day at the FTC, where newcomers are allowed to try a class for free. The workout of the day, respectful-ly referred to as “WOD,” is posted on the board. Today’s WOD consists of kettle bell squats, jumping rope, box jumps and dead- lifts. Written directly above the WOD is “It’s not supposed to be easy.” Oh man, I think to myself.


no real need for me to feel intimidated — the gym members were competing against themselves it seemed, high fiving each other on accomplishments. “All exercises can be adjusted to the individual and their current level of fitness,” says Aaron Price, a member and coach at FTC. He recalls his excitement after his first workout at FTC, “I was like, where do I sign up?” His progression from participant to coach is the standard at FTC. “Our coaches all started as athletes,” says Austin about himself, his wife and their two employees/coaches, Aaron Price and Laura Bligh. After warming up, loud music starts playing and the WOD and timer begin. Everyone works at their own pace, focusing on form and proper technique. Today, Lauren is working out with the group as Austin helps newcomers with proper form and technique to prevent injury. Participants work hard to finish the WOD, some have a time they want to beat, while others, like me, are just looking for the ac-complishment of completing the workout. Austin and Lauren do not own the average gym. The Functional Training Center is far more than a gym. “It’s about you and your per-formance,” says Austin. “We give you the tools and the education, but it is up to you to do the work. Fitness is not effortless.” In addition to exercise, a healthy diet is important with regards to overall health and fitness. Lauren, ER nurse by day, is very familiar with the mantra they teach, “Food is fuel for the body. Without the proper fuel, the body cannot perform optimally or at peak perfor-mance.” The FTC educates members on the Paleolithic diet, a diet that has changed little from that of our ancient human ancestors. The Paleolithic diet suggests eating meat, chicken, fish, eggs, fruit, veg-etables, nuts and berries. It suggests avoiding grains, beans, potatoes, dairy products, sugar and salt. The FTC suggests grocery shopping along the outside perimeter aisles in the grocery store. These are usu-ally your fresh fruits, vegetables and meat aisles. Items with longer shelf lives are usually found in the inner aisles. The Functional Training Center is not a CrossFit affiliated gym. It is a gym with focused owner/coaches who love the CrossFit-style workout and aim to provide an opportunity for our community to get involved. “I’ve seen people from all walks of life find great change in their bodies. From the 17-year old student athlete who can do and recover from anything, to the overweight executive who spends most of his day at his desk — we find ways to bring everyone in to do the same workout and benefit from it,” says Austin. This workout has a universal appeal. In looking around the gym, no one looks like some-thing they shouldn’t be… they just look fit. q

Austin and Lauren begin the class with a review of all the exercises for the day. Proper form is important to prevent injury, and their experi-ence and CrossFit Level One certifications come into play during this phase of the WOD. “It is more important to use proper form and take longer to complete a workout than to hurry through it and get hurt,” says Austin, encouraging each “athlete” to take his or her time through the workout. (At FTC, you are not a “member,” but an “ath-lete.”) “Power and efficiency is what we are working for.” Like many young men, Austin Behle wanted to lift heavy things, rack up on the bench press and see bulging results in the shape of his biceps. “I was reading all the muscle and fitness magazines and taking all kinds of supplements to help me with my goals, but what I didn’t realize is [that] I was basically banging my head against a wall. My technique was wrong for achieving what I ultimately wanted — to be fit and strong. I was pushing through plateaus and getting injured, never truly educating myself,” he explains. Austin was a Ranger in the US Army until 2009 and was deployed in Iraq when he discovered CrossFit. “A bunch of my friends were really into CrossFit. I remem-ber that point in my life really well. I was in the gym for hours at a time and having no fun. I asked myself, ‘What am I doing?’. I watched them high-fiving each other and encouraging each other. I swallowed my pride and asked them to show me. I instantly fell in love.” Just like Austin, his wife Lauren Behle thought she was in shape. “I was comfortable in my workouts, at the time doing things like kick-boxing and yoga. I was fit, or so I thought, until I finally gave into a few of my girlfriends’ requests and joined them for a CrossFit work-out. It’s been over three years since that first day and I still find it hard. I have thinned out, gained muscle tone and lost body fat that I didn’t realize I had.” The weightlifting was a major hesitation for Lau-ren, but as Austin puts it, “There are no isolations of certain muscle groups in our WODs.” Their goals are to use all parts of the body to accomplish a task, using your body with itself rather than against itself. Ultimately, “A balanced body is the reward,” adds Lauren. FTC class participants are both men and women of all fitness lev-els, the hardcore elite athlete to beginners looking for a new fitness routine. Granted, the WOD is not meant to be easy, but there was

pursuits ✴ more than a gym


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Have a safe, happy and healthy new year.


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By Ryan Glazer ✴ Photos by Patti Todd Photography, Other Photos Courtesy of Anna Zellner and P.J. Richards

Many things have changed since 1996. !ink about how much time has passed -- it’s been a long 16 years for the Richmond Hill High School football team. Seasons have come and gone without a lot of excitement and the team has changed leadership several times in hopes of building another legacy and a winning season. !ere is something about high school football that brings out the energy in a town, and it’s no secret that a winning team creates a sense of pride. Winning is fun and it is remembered for years to come. Many good players and solid teams have come through the last 16 years, but just two teams have made the state playo"s: the 1996 and 2012 teams. A Little Background: Individual schools in the state of Georgia are categorized based on their student popula-tion and assigned part of a region typically based on geographic location. In 1994, Georgia High School Association (GHSA), the governing body over high school athletics, had four classi#cations: A, AA, AAA and AAAA. Richmond

Then Came

2012

pursuits ✴ wildcat football

L to R: Billy Norwood ('96),

Jeff Glazer ('96), David Katzman

('12), Dominique Allen ('12),

Mike Ward ('96), Lance Warren ('96).


Hill High School played in AA for the !rst time in 1994. Up until that year, the Wildcats held steady as a single A, very small school. Over the years, the state in general has added more schools as the population has increased, and those once small schools have o"en become big schools. Today, the larg-est classi!cation in GHSA is AAAAAA. Richmond Hill is now a whopping AAAAA school, busting at the seams. Records show enrollment 16 years ago (1996-1997) at around 900 students. Sixteen years later (2012-2013), the student population at RHHS has nearly doubled with approxi-mately 1,775 students enrolled.

pursuits ✴ wildcat football

cial teams as well. Known as the Black and Blue Region, the region games opponent list in 1996 included Bacon County, Je# Davis, Pierce County, Screven County, Southeast Bulloch, Toombs County, Tattnall County and Vidalia. Five of those nine schools were still playing AA and three playing AAA in 2012. None has grown in such a way as RHHS. $e two non-region games were just as tough against higher classi-!ed AAA Appling and Wayne counties, who !nished 7-3 and 8-4 respectively. $e !rst region win happened in week three against Southeast Bulloch, a"er com-ing o# of two losses to non-region opponents,

o# game. Parents and Booster Club members drove to Bryan County High and loaded bleachers on %atbed trucks to ful!ll the re-quirement. ($e visitor’s side today was actu-ally the home side until the 2004 season when the stadium was renovated.) Richmond Hill shut out East Laurens 17-0 and earned an-other home playo# game the following week against state powerhouse $omasville. $e Wildcats were not given much respect, ac-cording to a coach that was at East Laurens at the time. He said that $omasville called East Laurens the week of the game wanting to switch tapes because they thought there was no way Richmond Hill would beat East Laurens. $e following week, Richmond Hill was victorious against $omasville 28-14, setting up a showdown with Washington County. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, the magical season came to an end, losing 59-7 in the quarter!nals of the state playo#s. Wash-ington County ended up winning the state championship that season, as well as the fol-lowing season in 1997, creating a combined 30-game winning streak. $e 1996 Wildcats !nished the entire season 9-4 (9 wins in one season is still the school’s record). “It does seem like ages ago,” recalls Coach Billy McGrath, re%ecting on that season. “It was all about leadership that season. $is team never made excuses; they were hard workers. $ey never missed practice, because they knew that games were won on the prac-tice !eld. $ey always challenged each other on the practice !eld and they played hard for each other on the playing !eld because they cared about each other. $ey were like a close-knit family. $e biggest di#erence in the team from 1996 was the great leadership that the seniors bestowed onto the rest of the team. $ey led by example and always expected more from their younger teammates. $is passion they had for winning and working hard started right a"er their junior season ended. $ey knew they were the leaders at that time and

A Trip Down Memory Lane: As a AA team in 1996, the RHHS Wildcats had only 43 players on the roster with !ve coach-es. Not only did Head Coach Billy McGrath, current Richmond Hill Middle School prin-cipal, coach for seven seasons beginning in ’92, but he experienced the up in classi!ca-tion to AA, bringing about many changes for the Wildcat football team. Nine out of the 43 players on the team were seniors. Seven play-ers started both on o#ense as well as defense. It was iron man football at its !nest as the starters on o#ense and defense all played spe-

Appling County and Wayne County. It was the beginning of the seven-game winning streak (a school record still today). RHHS !nished the regular season with a region loss to Tattnall County. With the region title hav-ing been locked up by the ’Cats the week be-fore, several key players were resting for the playo#s. RHHS hosted East Laurens High School for the !rst playo# game in the history of Richmond Hill football. At the time, the seat-ing capacity of the stadium was not enough to meet the state requirement to host a play-

'96 Wildcat Team


'96 team celebrating Region Championship

2012 Quarterback Dominique Allen

Top L to R: Tommy Garrett, Lance Warren, Haley Slocumb Pinder,

Jeff Glazer, Cody Reid, Tex Isbell, Kristen Smith McLendon,

Mike Ward, Stephen Leonard.

Bottom L to R: Russell Smith, Patti Harley Todd, Chris Bowers, Billy Norwood.2012 Dominique Allen and David

Katzman running the option.


they started working very hard in the o!-sea-son, in the weight room and on the "eld. #ey acted as assistant coaches, and they demanded that all the younger players who wanted to participate in football the following year be at all workouts.” Coach McGrath summed that 1996 team up as “a hardworking bunch who believed in the coach’s philosophy, and would not accept mediocrity.” From the years 1997-2010, the Wildcats had a combined record of 25-115. #ose con-sisted of three 0-10 seasons, three 1-9 seasons, three 2-8 seasons, four 3-win seasons and one 4-win season. In 2011, under current Coach Lyman Guy, the Wildcats had their "rst win-

Johnson, Beach and Savannah High 123 to 6 points. Arguably, one of the biggest wins in school history came in the fourth game of the season against Glynn Academy. #e Wildcats scored late in the game to win 20-17 against Glynn Academy, who "nished the season 8-4. Richmond Hill "nished the regular sea-son 8-2, breaking one and matching another school record! Eight wins is the most wins in a regular season in the history of Wildcat football. #e 2012 ’Cats matched the 1996 team’s record of four shutouts as well! #e two region losses were to E$ngham County and Ware County by a combined "ve points! Ware County "nished the season 13-2 and

pursuits ✴ football fresh

ning season since 1996, "nishing with a 6-4 record, but only 1-4 in the region. #e 2012 Wildcats team was in diapers, and half of them not born yet, the last time Richmond Hill made the playo!s! #e 2012 3AAAAA Region consisted of: Bradwell In-stitute, E$ngham County, Glynn Academy, Groves, Jenkins, Ware County and Windsor Forest. With 140 players and 12 coaches on the Wildcat team roster, the season started with a "ve-game winning streak that in-cluded outscoring non-region opponents

lost in the state championship game. #e 2012 Wildcats season came to an end in the "rst round of the playo!s with a tough loss at Warner Robins 17-15. Fresh Outlook: Turning around a program is no easy task and leadership is key. Coach Guy puts God "rst and with His blessings, he believes “continuing the process of developing the student athlete takes time… We were not the most athletic, nor did we have the best coaching, but each day we tried to honor the Lord with our e!orts and all

tried to outwork our opponent.” #is year’s senior quarterback Dominique Allen, who will continue his football career at the Air Force Academy next season, credits “the leadership and team chemistry we had.” Allen says, “We all became one big family, from all the senior varsity players down to the little freshmen guys. We didn’t haze them, but built them up and encouraged them and tried to instill the values that we have into them so they can continue being successful.” Senior running back David Katzman second-ed that by saying, “We actually came together more as a family instead of just a team. We put others before ourselves, which is some-thing not all teams come across.” “Win the Day was our motto,” says Al-len. It’s the same motto that the University of Oregon uses. “We wanted to win the battle every day whether it be in a classroom, weight room, at practice or a game.” With this mentality, Coach Guy and his sta! along with key student leaders played a record set-ting season. Allen believes this season de-"nes the future of football at Richmond Hill High School and from now on, he expects nothing less than a state playo! run from fu-ture teams. Be it a quarter"nals "nish like in 1996, a losing season or a season like 2012 with eight wins and a "rst round playo! game, the memories and relationships made on a team will carry on throughout a person’s lifetime. Hard work, dedication and believing in each other and yourself are traits that are used ev-ery day in an individual’s life that make them successful in and a%er high school. #e tra-dition of Wildcat football will continue to evolve. q

✴ ✴ ✴ ✴ ✴Reference:

Georgia High School Football Historians Association www.ghs!a.org

2012 Wildcat Team


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food&entertaining ✴ shop the perimeter

Jenny pulled into the Kroger gas station on Ford Avenue. A!er scanning her card and selecting regular, she waited patiently while her car drank. When the tank was half full, Jenny replaced the nozzle on its base and grabbed "ve 2-liter Cokes #om her backseat. Jenny poured the contents of each bottle into her tank, replaced the cap and drove away, satis"ed with the full reading on her gas gauge. Would you ever !ll your gas tank with anything but wholesome, pure gasoline? "en why do we !ll our bod-ies with anything other than wholesome, pure food? Ask yourself this question as you walk the supermarket aisles, choose items from a restaurant menu and while picking ingredients for home-cooked meals. "e gas and soda combination in the above example is equiv-alent to the nutrients and additives in processed foods. While processed foods contain portions of whole-some nutrients, they are heavily accompanied by chemicals, additives and preservatives, as well as lots of sugar, fat and salt. Just like a car fueled with a combination of gas and soda, our bodies when fueled with a combination of nutrients and additives are bound to run into problems down the road. Consuming whole food is the most important step to healthy eating, preventing disease and prolonging life.

Eat Whole.

BEWhole.By Leslie-Ann Berg


Whole Food, Defined:A whole food is a food that is processed as little as possible, is eaten in its natural state and is free of additives. A processed food, on the other hand, is a food that is altered from its natural state; it is con-sumed as individual fragments of whole foods, contains additives and is most o!en packaged. Fresh or frozen strawberries, rolled oats, spinach and brown rice are examples of whole foods. Strawberry jam, boxed cereals, canned creamed spinach and white rice are examples of processed foods.

Identifying Whole FoodsIt can be incredibly challenging to identify whole foods at the super-market. To whole food shop with ease, read the ingredients on every packaged item you plan to purchase, and ask yourself the following questions:

Is the ingredient list "ve ingredients or less? Can I pronounce the ingredients and are

they familiar to me? Would my great grandmother recognize

the ingredients? Can I "nd these ingredients in my kitchen?

If you answer YES to all of these questions, you most likely have a whole food in your hands. If you answer NO to ANY of these ques-tions, the food is most likely processed.

the Benefits of Whole FoodsAs long as our recommended nutrient intakes are met, why does it matter if our nutrition needs are met with whole foods or with pro-cessed foods? A calorie is a calorie, right? Wrong! When whole foods are consumed and metabolized by the human body, the bene"ts they possess over processed foods are overwhelming.

Obesity. Since 1982, money spent on processed food has doubled and not without consequence: Adult obesity rates have also doubled, while childhood obesity rates have tripled.

Processed Food & Chronic Disease Risk. Processed food is also linked with disease risk. In a recent study, it was found that 62% of a typical North American diet is made up of processed foods. #is type of diet exceeds upper limits for calorie, fat, saturated fat, added sugars and sodium intakes, and fails to meet "ber recom-mendations. #ese are all dietary characteristics that increase the risk for chronic disease (such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheim-er’s and stroke) and premature death.


How to Become a Whole Food Consumer:Now that you can de"ne a whole food, can identify a whole food in the supermarket and know the importance of whole foods in promot-ing health, use these tips to successfully increase your whole food con-sumption: Prepare. We lead busy lives that leave little time for cooking; therefore, whole food eating doesn’t just happen… it takes prepara-tion! Carry out these three steps: 1) Create a whole food meal plan 2) Create a whole food grocery list based on your meal plan and 3) Schedule weekly shopping trips, purchasing only those items on your list. Remember, the food you put in your kitchen determines what you will eat on a daily basis; you can’t eat what you don’t buy!

Shop the Perimeter. Most whole foods are located on the pe-rimeter of the supermarket: fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, raw nuts and seeds, minimally processed dairy products and frozen fruits and vegetables. Shop the perimeter "rst for these items. Only venture into the center aisles for 100% whole grains, dried beans and lentils, dried fruits and natural nut butters.

Increase fruit and vegetable intake. Increasing fruit and vegetable intake is a great place to start in displacing processed food calories with nutrient dense, whole food calories. With each meal, "ll half of your plate with whole fruits and veggies. Still hun-gry? Grab seconds of fruits and veggies only. Try shopping the seasons ("nd what’s in season here: http://snap.nal.usda.gov/ and buying fro-zen produce as money savers.)

Shop Fresh. Not all whole foods are nutritionally equal. A sweet potato organically grown in your backyard has a much higher nutritional value than a genetically modi"ed sweet potato conventionally grown in South America with high pesticide expo-sure, traveling thousands of miles to your local grocery store. To optimize the nutritional value of your whole foods, practice these habits: Shop organic, shop farmer’s markets (check out Richmond Hill’s Farmer’s Market starting April 2) and grow your own vegetable garden. #e best time to start a garden is in March and April. Get started now with this veg-gie garden how-to guide: www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/starting-your-vegetable-garden.


Identifying Whole Foods

� Is the ingredient list !ve ingredients or less?

� Can I pronounce the ingredients and are they familiar to me?

� Would my great grandmother recognize the ingredients?

� Can I !nd these ingredients in my kitchen?


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Remember, homemade meals don’t need to be elaborate or labor inten-sive, they just need to be whole. To read more, visit www.richmondhillre!ectionsmag.com and click “Be Whole” under blogs. q

Leslie-Ann Berg, MSPH, CPT, has a Masters of Science in Public Health in the area of Human Nutrition !om Johns Hopkins Bloom-berg School of Public Health. She is currently a personal trainer, health writer and nutrition educator in Richmond Hill, GA. Contact her at: [email protected]

DISCLAIMER:"is information is not the opinion of Richmond Hill Re"ections magazine. Integrate into your diet at your own risk – not every diet is for everyone. Please consult a physi-cian before making any drastic lifestyle changes.

Push Meat to the Side. To make whole food shopping more a#ordable, reduce your meat consumption. Animal protein not only costs $ve times more than vegetable protein, it is also less healthy for our bodies when consumed with every meal. Try replacing one meat dish per day (or per week) with a vegetarian dish to save money, opti-mize health and increase whole foods in your diet.

Choose Whole Grains. Grains make up a large percentage of the American diet. "erefore, for the average American, switching from re$ned grains to whole grains can make a big di#erence in over-all health and whole food consumption. Choose grain items that make the following two claims:100% whole wheat or 100% whole grain. Avoid items that list the following re$ned ingredi-ents: enriched, bleached, re$ned, potassium bromate, white !our, wheat !our, bromated !our, degerminated, bran and wheat germ.

avoid added sugars: Approximately 75% of foods available in commercial supermarkets contain added sugars. How do we avoid such large quantities of added sugar? Choose foods that contain only natural sugars (such as raw sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup and hon-ey). As a rule of thumb, avoid foods that list sugar (any type) in the top 3 ingredients. For an extensive list of other sugar names, go to: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/weight-management-calories/calo-ries/added-sugars.html

try new foods: A wide variety of foods are important for op-timal health. Experiment with new fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes to keep your pallet interested in whole foods. Pur-chase a new whole food item each time you go to the store!

Spend time in your kitchen! "e protective e#ects of whole foods are increased when foods are subject to mild processing, like cooking or chopping. For example, Lycopene, a phytochemical found in tomatoes, reduces prostate cancer risk, yet cooking enhances these bene$ts by ten-fold. Take pride in what you put into your body and cook whole food meals. Identify the processed items you consume most o%en and replace them with homemade, whole food versions. Choose one item per month to make and perfect. "ese items may include: salad dressings, pasta sauces, breads, crackers, tortillas, cereal, granola, granola bars, soups, spice blends, dips, etc. Make your home-made versions in bulk, freeze and store for convenience.



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food&entertaining ✴ homemade whole food

*OLKKHY�*OLLZL�.VSKÄZO�*YHJRLYZ(KHW[LK�MYVT�^^^�MHTPS`MYLZOJVVRPUN�JVT

Ingredients:1 cup whole wheat pastry flour 2 tablespoons walnut oil (any oil will do) ! teaspoons fine grain sea salt and some extra for sprinkling " teaspoon smoked/sweet paprika 8 ounces low fat cheddar cheese (white & yellow) 3-4 tablespoons water

Method:Add flour, oil, salt and paprika to food processor. Combine into a coarse meal texture. Slowly add cheese in about 3 additions to mix. Combine well. Add 3 tablespoons of water. Continue to process until dough forms. Pinch dough to see that it sticks together well. Add another tablespoon of water if needed. Remove dough from food processor and flatten into 1 or 2 discs. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place in fridge for at least a half hour, overnight is best. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the center. Roll out dough to about 1/8" inch thick. Cut out your desired shapes, or for a quicker version, cut dough into 1-inch squares with a knife. Place on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Crackers should be golden brown when finished. If you want them crispier, you can add on a few minutes of baking time.

Recipes by Lesli-Ann BergPhotos by Cobblestone Photography

OUTBOX

of the


Homemade Pizza(KHW[LK�MYVT�4VSSPL�2H[aLU»Z�=LNL[HISL�/LH]LU�7PaaL[[HZ�9LJPWL

Ingredients:1 cup wrist-temperature water 1 tablespoon olive oil1 package (2 teaspoons) active dry yeast 3 cups whole wheat flourA pinch of sugar 1 teaspoon saltToppings of your choiceCornmeal for baking tray

Method:Place water in medium-large bowl. Sprinkle in yeast and sugar; stir to dissolve. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of flour, salt and olive oil. Beat for several minutes with wooden spoon. Add remaining flour ! cup at a time, mixing after each addition. The dough will be soft but should not be sticky. (When using a food processor, combine 3 cups flour and salt in processor with steel blade. Add yeast mixture and oil. Long-pulse several times until dough comes together… proceed). Turn out onto floured surface, and knead for a few min-utes. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let dough rise until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).

Punch down dough, and return to floured surface. Divide into six equal parts (if freezing for later use, freeze now). Knead each piece, then let the balls of dough rest for about 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Patiently stretch each ball of dough into a 6-inch circle or roll out using a marble rolling pin. Sprinkle two baking trays with cornmeal, and place two dough circles on each. Top each crust with pizza sauce (recipe below) and desired toppings. Bake one tray at a time in lower half of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are crispy and brown.

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Ingredients:" cup extra virgin olive oil 1 ! teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes! teaspoon fine grain sea salt 3 medium cloves of garlic, finely chopped1 28-ounce can crushed red tomatoes zest of one lemon (optional)

Method:Combine olive oil, red pepper flakes, sea salt and garlic in a cold saucepan. Stir while you heat the saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté just 45 seconds or so until everything is fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes, and heat to a gentle simmer. Remove from heat and taste. If the sauce needs more salt, add it now. If using, stir in lemon zest and add on a few minutes of cooking time.


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Homemade Granola Cereal/Bars^^^��KH`ZVMYLHSMVVK�JVT

Ingredients:3 ! cups rolled oats

1 cup raw sliced almonds1 cup raw cashew pieces (or walnuts or pecans)

! cup raw sunflower seeds! cup raw pumpkin seeds

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon1 ! teaspoons ground ginger

! teaspoons grated/ground nutmeg4 to 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

! cup honey2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup unsweetened coconut (optional)Parchment paper

Cereal:Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Cover rectangular baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix dry oats, almonds, cashews, seeds and spices

together in a large mixing bowl. Heat the butter and honey together in a small saucepan over low heat. Once butter melts, stir in the vanilla. Pour the hot liquids over the dry ingredients and stir together until evenly coated. Spread mixture onto prepared pan in one even layer.

Bake for 75 minutes. The granola will become crisp as it cools at which point you can break into small chunks by pounding it in a zip bag. Store in airtight container.

Bars:1 cup homemade granola (recipe above)

! cup dates, pitted1 tablespoon water

Method:Combine granola, dates and water in a food processor and puree until mixture starts to stick together. Add a little more water if necessary

to help mixture come together. Pick up date mixture and using your hands work to squeeze it together into one big clump. Mash it down on a cutting board or sheet of wax paper to form into one even rectangle shape using the sides of your hands (or a knife) to make the edges

straight. Slice into six even rectangles. For best results, store in the freezer or fridge.

food&entertaining ✴ homemade whole food


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FEELING THE SPIRIT OFSpring


IIt takes a village to make anything worthwhile happen. !is expres-sion is never more apt than when describing the annual Rotary fund-raiser, which seems to get bigger and better every year. On the evening of Saturday, February 2, 2013, at the Richmond Hill City Center, the Rotary Club of Richmond Hill outdid itself once again – entering the City Center was like stepping back in time into Liverpool’s famous Cavern Club, where the Fab Four "rst per-formed in the UK over "ve decades ago. Britishmania, who is recog-nized as one of the best and most authentic cover bands in the world, #ew in from New Jersey to not only perform a stunning range of Beatles hits, but to help recreate the look and feel of the 1960s with authentic costumes, musical instruments and ampli"ers from that era. Our community enthusiastically celebrated 50 years of the Beatles in the USA by dressing up in ’60s attire and participating in the si-lent and live auctions, which featured many authentic Beatles-themed items from Liverpool. Local businesses were very supportive, becom-

ing corporate sponsors and donating wonderful gi$s for auctioning. Extra authenticity was brought to the experience as the evening’s events were introduced by a resident of Liverpool, England, Roy Bar-ber, who #ew from the UK at his own expense – proof that Rotary really is an international organization. Roy remembers seeing the Bea-tles perform in his hometown at the Cavern Club during his youth and added his unique British style and humor to the evening by acting as emcee and running the live auction. Rotary is over 100 years old with over 1.2 million members throughout the world – over 50 of these members belong to our city’s own Rotary club, which was established in 1995. Most people are aware that Rotary is a good way to meet people and that it supports educational initiatives and people in need in our society, as well as ad-dressing important global issues such as the eradication of polio and research into Alzheimer’s disease. Most people do not stop to think how all this good work is funded. !e Rotary Club of Richmond Hill

food&entertaining ✴ annual fundraiser

A Hard Day's NightC E L E B R A T I N G 5 0 Y E A R S

O F T H E B E A T L E S I N A M E R I C A

By Lesley Francis ✴ Photos by Cobblestone PhotographyEvent Photos by Courtni Gibson


raises money through member donations and dues, but the main an-nual fundraising e!ort is an event that takes place each February and encourages everyone in town to get involved and have some fun. Several individuals have spearheaded these annual fundraisers, becoming experts at creating the stunning and unique evenings which Richmond Hill residents have come to expect year in and year out. Larry Barker is the Rotary Club of Richmond Hill’s president elect and the inspiration behind the fundraiser. A talented songwrit-er and musician himself, Larry, of Barker & Associates, has the vi-sion needed to make such musical extravaganzas a reality. He was the powerhouse behind the “Prom Night” of 2011 where the 1950s were

ive club,” says Michele. Betty Miner, who joined the Rotary Club of Richmond Hill in 1996, agrees, saying, “"e fundraisers were smaller than they are now, but we did it the best way we knew how, starting from nothing. We had big screen TVs, fur coats and vacations, but had a reserved price for each item to make sure we raised enough to support our club’s giving throughout the next year. We raised a lot of money and it meant we could do a lot of great things for the commu-nity.” “I think we all want to put something back into society,” says Les-ley Francis, the Rotary Club of Richmond Hill’s secretary and public relations and media liaison. She moved to Richmond Hill from Lon-don, England in 2009 and joined the Rotary Club of Richmond Hill later that year. Lesley works to promote the club’s work throughout the year, and raising the pro#le of the fundraisers is an important part

food&entertaining ✴ annual fundraiser

“Rotary is so much more than just going to lunch on a Thursday – and our fundraisers are a showcase for this.”

recreated, and he ensured that “Elvis Lived” in 2012 with a tribute night to "e King. He exceeded even his own high standards with the “British Invasion” of February 2013. “Rotary touches people’s lives and makes a di!erence. I remember our club being able to make a signi#cant donation to Helen’s Haven because we had such a suc-cessful fundraiser a couple of years ago,” Larry says. Helen’s Haven is a center which meets the needs of sexually and physically abused children through prevention, intervention, therapy and collabora-tion. Larry’s wife, Linda Barker, of RE/MAX Savannah and Magno-lia Coastal Properties, echoes his sentiment. She heads the live and silent auction committees, gathering items for the auctions that raise the money to support the many sponsored charities. “Rotary is so much more than just going to lunch on a "ursday – and our fun-draisers are a showcase for this,” Linda a$rms. Larry adds, “I want to make these events something people remember, like P.T. Barnum says, ‘… Make it bigger than life’.” Michele Henderson was the Richmond Hill club’s #rst president and has been heavily involved in raising sponsorship and organizing the auctions for the annual fundraisers. “It is important to build a connection with the community we live and work within – for me the educational grants and support that we give to young people are vital,” she says. A successful attorney at the helm of Henderson Law Firm, Michele remembers the early days when the club decided to have a fun event rather than just asking members to write checks to fund Rotary’s work. She recalls the Rotary Club placing a tent in the park, hosting evenings at the Mighty Eighth Museum and Fulton Love of Love’s Seafood Restaurant providing wonderful catered meals for the fundraisers. “"e people in Rotary who make it happen are not used to failing. We like to have fun – we really are a fun and support-

of the year’s work. Lesley values the club and “being part of the in-ternational family of Rotary and working on important global initia-tives, as well as helping the wonderful community that I have made my home.” "e creative %air of each event comes from the work ethic and eye for a bargain of Donna Jones, a well-known businesswoman with Su-preme Lending. “I love to have fun and connect with the community in such a positive way,” says Donna. She was asked to start decorating the Rotary’s events a&er decorating for the Chamber of Commerce’s annual dinner a few years ago. With her team of helpers – Donna says Jimmie and Donna Norris and Whit Hollowell are her ever-de-pendable “rocks” – she not only themes the venues, but spends the day of the fundraisers setting up and, exhaustingly, breaking every-thing down when most people leave at 11 p.m. “Knowing that Rotary does so much for our local community – schools, senior citizens and people in need really do bene#t from the work we do, and that means a lot.” A lot of hard work goes into the annual night of fun. Rotary is recognized as the world’s #rst volunteer service organization, and the group who made the 2013 Meet Britishmania event a success proved that volunteerism is the way to make something worthwhile happen. "is becomes a virtuous circle as the Rotary Club of Richmond Hill focuses much of their support on local charities including: "e Mat-thew Freeman Foundation, the YMCA, the Senior Citizen Center of Bryan County, the United Way of the Coastal Empire, Take a Soldier Fishing and Adopt a Family, as well as our schools through the an-nual Principal Funds - the Mary Bean and J.D. Gardner high school student scholarships. q


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In the Crowd22nd Annual Christmas on the Ogeechee Lighted Boat Parade

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11th Annual Champion Chili Cook-Off

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SouthCoast Medica l : Dr. F ischer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

RICHMOND HILL REFLECTIONS

Advertiser directory

Al l Things Chocolate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Al lure Laser Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Another Debut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ATA Mar t ia l Ar ts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Augies Pub & Gri l l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Awakening Yoga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Badcock Home Furnish ings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ba lbo & Greg g , Attorneys a t Law, PC. . . . . .

Barker & Associa tes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Barks Gymboree. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

B lankenship Spor t ing Goods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Boost By Des ign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bronze Tanning Sa lon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Capi ta l Carpet Cleaning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Carpet Store Plus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chatham Or thopaedics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Christy Carroll Balbo, Attorney at Law, PC..

Coasta l Bath & Kitchen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Coasta l Empire Per iodont ics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Coasta l Endodont ics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Coasta l Georg ia Vet Care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cobblestone Photog raphy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Copenhaver Denta l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cour tney Camp-Highsmith Dent is t r y. . . . . . . .

Der matolog y & Skin Cancer Center. . . . . .

Development Authority of Bryan County. .

F ish Tales. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

For t McAl l i s ter Mar ina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

G & L Res ident ia l Des ign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

G. Benjamin Massey, DMD, PC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Galbreath & Sons Heat ing & Air. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Geo Vis ta Credi t Union. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

GA Game Changers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Gibson/Lovel l HVAC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

H & L Tire & Auto Repair. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hair on the Hi l l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Har vey & Hendr ix , Attorneys a t Law, PC. .

Henderson Law Fir m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Hol tzman Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Homes of Integ r i ty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jacobs Bui lders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

JCH Coasta l L i fes ty le Homes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jef f ' s Beverage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Kel ler Enterpr ises. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

La Napolera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Laure l Home Furnish ings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Leahy Ar t Gal ler y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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