Community Spotlight on Health and Wellness

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SECTION C • SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 2015

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU

Fad diets commonly fail because it’s

unrealistic to sustain them. They focus on the result and not the process. In the short term, they’re great because people see results quickly and they feel motivated, but when it wanes, they start to wane and old habits start to creep back in.”

— Cris Hartley, Director of Diabetes and Nutri-tion Education at Gwinnett Medical Center

“ Exercise is not a quick fix for any problem —

it’s a long-term commitment. You have to stick with it to see improvement, and you can break it down into small goals, so it’s not as daunting a task. I would say setting goals is the key and reward-ing yourself when you reach the goal.”

— Becky Thompson, Physical Therapist and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist at Gwinnett Medical Center’s SportsRehab Facility

“You think of (eating) as a simple behavior but

it’s a lot more complex. All kinds of factors contribute to eating habits, and many start developing in child-hood. You really have to understand where your habit is coming from.”

— Rebecca Gomez, Clinical Health Psychologist and Behavioral Health Coordinator at Gwinnett Medical

Center’s Center for Weight Managementy

“

It’s a brand new year, another chance to set goals and then achieve them. A lot of people have resolved to lose those extra pounds, but what about keeping them off? There isn’t one solution or quick fix. Achieving a healthy weight and maintaining it means living a long-term healthy lifestyle. In this spotlight section we look at four areas that can make your resolutions a reality.

Lifestylelong-term

Diet Exercise Mental Health Technology Page 2C Page 3C Page 5C Page 5C

new year, new youHealthy eating as a long-term lifestyle

There are a variety of fad diets — The Atkins, the Hollywood Diet, the Baby Food Diet and the Cabbage Soup Diet just to name a few. It can be hard to keep track of them all, but they have one thing in common — a quick fix.

Cris Hartley, the Di-rector of Diabetes and Nutrition Education at Gwinnett Medical Center, said one of the biggest issues with fad diets is they’re unsustainable in the longterm.

“Fad diets commonly

fail because it’s unre-alistic to sustain them. They focus on the result and not the process. In the short term, they’re great because people see results quickly and they feel motivated, but when it wanes, they start to wane and old habits start

to creep back in,” Hartley said. “It takes a lot of fo-cus and work to change a habit. It can take about a year for a significant life-style change to occur.”

According to Hartley, the Mediterranean Diet and the DASH diet are the best options out there at the moment because

they have staying power. The Mediterranean Diet is heart-healthy eating plan based on typical foods and recipes of Mediterranean-style cooking. The DASH diet was developed to lower blood pressure without medication and includes an eating plan with fruits and vegetables, low-fat and nonfat dairy, along with nuts, beans and seeds.

There are three traps people commonly fall into that can sabotage a long-term healthy diet — snacking, using exercise in place of healthy eating and treating yourself too often.

Hartley said there are two categories of snack-ing: grazing and refuel-ing. Grazing is grabbing food out of habit or boredom, and refueling is refilling the body with good nutrition due to legitimate hunger.

“Snacks should be low

in calories but nutri-ent dense and contain a protein. It’s important to stay away from high-sug-ar and high-fat foods,” Hartley said.

Hartley recommends snacking on Greek yogurt, an apple with a tablespoon of almond butter, avacado slices on whole grain crackers, or nuts, which are very high in omega fatty acids but also high in calories, so limit the portion size to six to eight nuts.

Another common mis-conception is that adopt-ing an exercise routine gives you a pass to eat whatever you want.

“Exercise isn’t a weight lose tool and doesn’t give you a li-cense to go out and eat more. When you work out, you still have to eat the right foods,” Hartley said. “There’s a lot of science to it. If you have questions and don’t think you’re meeting your goals, a dietician can look at (your diet) and provide answers.”

It’s important to treat yourself and occasionally indulge, but the key is to keep it in moderation.

Hartley advises planning ahead of time how much and often to include your favorite foods. It’s also important to keep the portions small and take the time to be in the mo-ment and really enjoy the treat.

“There are so many reason for us to overin-dulge and treat ourselves. There are 200 days a year that can be considered special occasions, like birthdays and holidays, and that’s when we tend to overindulge” Hartley said. “You need to really think about it and define what occasionally means to you.”

Hartley said it’s a good strategy to view healthy eating as meal planning rather than dieting and to come up with a plan that works for you.

“Everyone is individu-al, you have to stop and ask yourself, ‘What will help me stay on track?’ You have to include things you enjoy,” Hart-ley said. “Working with a dietician can help you sort what is your way and lifestyle because no two people are the same. It’s not one size fits all.”

By Katie Morriskatie.morris @gwinnettdailypost.com

AT A GLANCEThree tips for eating healthy on a busy schedule• Planning is key. If you plan ahead, at the end of a busy day you’ll find you come out in a healthy way.• Keep a survival kit of healthy snacks like Greek yo-gurt, an apple with a tablespoon of almond butter or a small handful of nuts.• Plan to drink plenty of water. Most of us get dehy-drated throughout the day, which causes us to reach for that mid-day snack.

Cris Hartley, the director of diabetes and nutrition edu-cation at Gwinnett Medical Center, gives advice for how to eat healthy as a life-style. (Special Photo)

“Exercise isn’t a weight lose tool and doesn’t give you a license to go out and eat more. When you work out, you still have to eat the right foods. There’s a lot of sci-ence to it. If you have questions and don’t think you’re meeting your goals, a dietician can look at (your diet) and provide answers.”

— Cris Hartley, director of diabetes and nutrition education at Gwinnett Medical Center

“

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2C SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 2015 • gwinnettdailypost.com

“It’s been a long day.” “I’m too tired.” “My favorite TV show is about to come on.” “I’ll just work out tomorrow.’

It’s easy to come up with excuses not to work out. The hardest part of starting any exercise rou-tine is just getting started.

Becky Thompson is a Physical Therapist and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist at Gwinnett Medical Cen-ter’s SportsRehab Facil-ity. She said there are numerous benefits to your overall mental and physi-cal health gained from a regular exercise routine like stress relief, calorie burn, increased energy, strengthening of muscles and more.

Thompson said there are two key factors for starting a fitness routine — getting out the door and sticking with it once

the novelty wears off.“For someone start-

ing a running routine, I

recommend a run/walk interval program, which allows for beginners to

break up the distance into manageable pieces and also minimizes aches and pains. Jeffgalloway.com has some really good pro-grams,” Thompson said.

Important things to keep in mind when choos-ing an exercise routine are finding something you enjoy and then setting goals.

“Exercise is not a quick fix for any problem — it’s a long-term commitment. You have to stick with it to see improvement,” Thompson said. “You can break it down into small goals, so it’s not as daunt-ing a task. I would say setting goals is the key and rewarding yourself when you reach the goal.”

Thompson also advises not to forget strength training because it’s an important part of a fitness routine that can reduce

the risk of injury.“Even if you are doing

cardio, it is important to build a strong base of support in your core and pelvis. It is a key for pre-vention of injuries when you’re beginning a cardio routine,” Thompson said. “Strength training can build muscle and boast metabolism in as little as 30 minutes twice a week. A lot of people are unsure to start with strength training, and that’s where a personal trainer comes in handy.”

It can be difficult to commit to any exercise routine, especially run-ning because a lot of peo-ple convince themselves they have to become a marathon runner. Thomp-son said there are many health benefits gained from just a small amount of running, referring to

a recent study published Monday in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

“Running as little as five minutes a day sig-nificantly lowers the risk of dying prematurely and adds three years to the average runners lifespan,” Thompson said.

Thompson said to keep in mind that any amount of exercise is better than nothing at all.

“If you can only exercise for 15 minutes a day, that’s better than nothing at all. Just get-ting a 15-minute walk in during your lunch break will help,” Thompson said. “It’s still progress. Keep moving forward, even moving slowly is still moving forward. Two steps forward and one step back is still forward progress.”

new year, new you

Finding an exercise routine for the long termBy Katie Morriskatie.morris @gwinnettdailypost.com

Gwinnett Medical Physical Therapist Becky Thompson uses elastic bands while working with Brook Orlandella, 16, at Gwinnett Medical Center- Duluth in Duluth on Wednesday.

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Above, Gwinnett Medi-cal Physical Therapist Becky Thompson explains how treadmill training can help Brook Orlandella, 16, get back to her competitive state during a treatment ses-sion at Gwinnett Medi-cal Center- Duluth in Duluth on Wednesday. Orlandella, a sopho-more at Peachtree Ridge High School, is recovering from an injury in order to compete on the cross country team next year. Left, Thompson uses elastic bands while working with Orlandella at Gwinnett Medical Center-Duluth in Duluth on Wednesday. (Staff Photos: David Welker)

SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 2015 3C •gwinnettdailypost.com


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new year, new you

Getting to the psychological factors of overeatingEating may seem like

a simple task — you put food in your mouth, chew and swallow — but from a psychological standpoint it’s actually a lot more complicated than that.

“You think of it as a sim-ple behavior but it’s a lot more complex. All kinds of factors contribute to eating habits, and many start de-veloping in childhood. You really have to understand where your habit is coming from,” Rebecca Gomez, Clinical Health Psycholo-gist and Behavioral Health Coordinator at Gwinnett Medical Center’s Center for Weight Management, said.

Gomez said there are two types of hunger — physical hunger, which means your body is legiti-

mately hungry and needs fuel, and head hunger,

which is what people really struggle with. Head hunger

leads to emotional or stress eating and sensory eating, meaning you see some-thing delicious and want to eat it whether you’re hun-gry or not. Another com-

mon issue is using food as a coping mechanism, which Gomez said often develops in childhood and many times is the result of a trauma.

“There are so many societal, behavioral and environmental habits that play into it,” Gomez said. “Certain foods trigger the release of dopamine, which makes you feel bet-ter. That’s where the term comfort food comes from because foods that are high in sugar, fat or carbs give you that relief.”

A key strategy for preventing overeating is to pay attention and really be in the moment.

“Your brain works against your waistline. It will trick you. That’s why you have to ask yourself, ‘Why am I eating in this moment and do I need this?’” Gomez said. “Pay

attention and ask yourself, ‘Is there an issue I need to resolve? Eating won’t fix the problem, so what will?’”

There are a variety of ways to distract yourself if you’re having a craving — Gomez suggests exercising because studies, including a study published in the medical journal Psycho-somatic Medicine, have shown that “moderate ex-ercise three to five days a week can give you benefits similar to an antidepres-sant.”

“You can also go to friends or family for sup-port, finding a hobby or activity, playing with a pet, setting a goal and achiev-ing it, all those things can give you the burst of satisfaction but carry on much longer than the three to five minutes of eating food,” Gomez said.


Tech-savvy ways to lead a healthy lifestyle

We live in a digital world filled with a variety of ways to incorporate technology into our day-to-day lives. There are several tools available like digital devices, apps, social media and online communities that can help you lead a healthier lifestyle.

Fitness gadgets and apps can provide the means for you to suc-cessfully navigate the journey toward a long-term healthy lifestyle. The important thing is finding which one of them works best for your lifestyle and will provide the motiva-tion you need.

Wearable fitness track-ers, like the FitBit, have been rapidly gaining popularity and were big sellers this past Christmas season. Becky Thompson, Physical Therapist and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist at Gwinnett Medical Center, said fitness trackers can be a good way to keep up with progress.

“Some people are data people, who like to upload data from a GPS watch after their run. I run with a GPS watch to keep up with my progress. I also keep track of my personal records from different races,” Thompson said.

Thompson said apps are also good tools for track-ing progress and provid-ing motivation because they allow you to share

progress with an online community.

“Some people like to post every single run on Facebook, and Map My Run allows you to do that. Some people just like to type in the post them-selves. I think whatever motivates you, and some people really respond well to that since of accom-plishment,” Thompson said.

Cris Hartley, Director of Diabetes and Nutrition Education at Gwinnett Medical Center, said it’s a great idea to keep track of what you are eating on a daily basis, even on the weekends.

“Apps can be good education tools, like My Fitness Pal has a good food directory that can be used to build awareness,” Hartley said. “They are

also a good way to keep food records, which is the No. 1 predictor of suc-cess.”

According to Rebecca Gomez, a Clinical Health Psychologist at Gwinnett Medical Center, support can be a key factor in suc-cessfully living a healthy lifestyle. Some people prefer to take up hob-bies or turn to family for support, but some people

have started joining online communities.

“There are so many online and digital com-munities where you can connect with people and they can cheer for you and even hold you account-able,” Gomez said. “We live in a digital world right now, and I would rather you find what works for you and what you are go-ing to stick with.”


TIPS FOR AVOIDING MINDLESS EATING• Be conscious and aware while eating

• Eat at the table without electronic devices

• Measure your portions

• Drink plenty of water

• Don’t go back for seconds, put the leftovers away

• A craving only lasts for 20 minutes, so wait 25 minutes before eating

• If you’ve waited and are still having a crav-ing, only eat three bites, savor them and move on.

• Clean out your pantry. If it’s not there, you can’t eat it.

Rebecca Gomez, a Clinical Health Psychologist and Behavioral Health Coordi-nator at Gwinnett Medical Center’s Center for Weight Management, gives advice for avoiding overeating. (Special Photo)

Root of the matter

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A Southernly, and slightly elongated, introductionBack in autumn, just as

the leaves began to hint of the enchanting oranges,

yellows and reds to come, we took a Monday off and headed to the state fair.

I was astounded to learn that it was my husband’s first fair, other than a couple of

rinky-dink fairs in shopping center parking lots, for to me, nothing announces fall’s arrival more than football season, state fairs and carnivals with hayrides and pumpkin decorating contests.

We were looking forward to seeing the livestock and horses so we were disap-pointed to learn that the animals take Mondays off. Except for four milk cows, the enormous barns were practically empty. Tink was a bit crestfallen. He had been on the fair’s website the night before, planning all the places to see, agriculturally.

Thanks to our friends, John and Cinda, we had a golf cart, so while Tink was out of the cart buying a hot dog, I called my childhood friend, Jerry Truelove, a well-respected dairy farmer who sits on several dairy-related boards.

When Jerry answered, I explained the disappointment at not seeing all the cows and horses. “But there are four milk cows here. Could you arrange for Tink to learn how to milk a cow?”

“I can make that happen. Let me make a call.”

A few minutes later, he called back. “Go over to the red barn and ask for Nicole. She works with the Georgia Commodity Commission for milk. She’s going to teach him to milk a cow.”

Now, you probably think that this story is about my citified husband from Cali-fornia learning to milk a cow. It is not — though I will say

he loved the surprise like a child would and learned quickly how to squeeze the milk from the cow’s udders and enjoyed every second of it.

This is about how a South-erner makes an introduction, especially when there’s a connection of some kind.

Rather than just offer my hand and introduce myself by name, I said, as would any typical Southerner, “I’m Ronda Rich. Jerry Truelove’s friend. We grew up together. In fact, I have known him since the day I was born. We were in the hospital nursery together. He was born the day before me. His daddy kept my daddy company in the waiting room while I was being born. We gradu-ated together. And, we’re still neighbors after all these years. Friday night, I made chili and cornbread muffins so I called him to come over and join us for supper.”

All this before poor Nicole had a chance to say a word.

You know, it’s true, though: connections and familiarity are important to the people of the South. When you meet someone,

your name isn’t nearly as interesting as who you know. Or, more importantly, who you’re kin to.

“Do you remember the gas station where you used to fill your car and get it washed? Way back when you were in college?” asked a man who approached me after a speaking engagement. “Well, that was my brother’s station. I’m the youngest. There were four of us. Three boys and a girl.”

Of course I remembered, so we talked for five minutes before I had to ask, “So, what is your name?”

Several years ago, I was at Matthews Printing, talking to folks I have known forever. “Do you know Margie?” I asked. “Oh, of course you do. Her brother, Jim, used to work at the newspaper. Then he went to the radio station. He’s married to Slim De-long’s sister, Evie. The ones who have the big cancer fundraiser at their farm every year.”

Suddenly, I stopped as it dawned on me. “Oh, no. I have become my mother. I have to give the genealogy of every person I mention.”

Actually, though, I had just bloomed into the quint-essential Southerner because we don’t really know you unless we know who you are.

Ronda Rich is the best-selling author of “There’s A Better Day A-Comin’.” Visit www.rondarich.com to sign up for her weekly newslet-ter.

Reaping rewards through reminiscingIt’s always rewarding to

curl up with a cup of tea and reread about all the interesting people about whom I wrote over the past year. I remember when I met columnist Rick Bragg at a Gwinnett Library func-tion, he said, “What I want most is for readers to like ‘my people.’” The same goes for me. I’m not going to try to top the words of a Pulitzer Prize winning writer!

It’s so gratifying to look back at how many of “my people” gave so selflessly to so many worthy causes, like Leslie Watkins of the William Day Chapter of DAR and Bruce Maney

of the Button Gwinnett Chapter of SAR who travel around the state in period costumes teaching about colonial times.

Stu and Vicki LaRoche, parents of two develop-mentally disabled adult children, founded The Next Stop at the Suwanee

Sports Academy to provide a place where children like their own can continue to grow and have fun as adults. Every year as a fun-draiser they sponsor a Su-per Bowl raffle, awarding two tickets and $2,500 cash to the lucky winner, who this year is Jerry Fowler, owner of J & J Landscap-ing, who bought 10 tickets after being told of the raffle by one of his customers.

Mahuli Jakubek, direc-tor of Collaboration and Environmental Strategies for GUIDE Inc. (Gwinnett United in Drug Education) keeps me well informed of all the volunteer programs she helps to set up to edu-

cate teens and their families about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

In memory of his father, a Holocaust survi-vor, Woody Morawiec, a teacher at Trickum Middle, collects shoes that he sends to needy people all over the world, including those served at our own Lilburn Coop.

Pre-teen Jackson Alex-ander Vicnair of Dacula, who lives with a congenital heart defect, joins his par-ents Devin and Kristen in the fundraising walks they organize for the Georgia Chapter of the Children’s Heart Foundation.

Carrie Tallent, who has a

son with autism, is making great strides in fundraising with her athletic ability by participating in Ironman events.

I am always touched by all the organizations that support our troops and our veterans: Quilts of Valor, Task Force Patriot, Fly Fishing for Vets, ArtReach, the Gwinnett County Vet-erans’ Resource Center and various churches and civic groups that provide both economic and emotional support.

I loved meeting the He-bron Angels, a youth base-ball team in Dacula who go to bat not only on home plate, but in their commu-

nity where they are known as the Mission Team, doing whatever they can to help the less fortunate.

I conclude with the first Gwinnett cause I ever wrote about, Tiny Stitches, a group that makes layettes for needy babies. To help raise funds, Tiny Stitches will conduct a knit fab-ric sale on Jan. 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Your Extra Attic, Bldg. D, 130 Peachtree Industrial Blvd, Sugar Hill. Fabric is $1 per pound, cash only for what I know is a worthy cause.

Susan Larson is a writer from Lilburn. Email her at [email protected].

Susan Larson

Ronda Rich

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January 25th 775 Dacula Road


I confess: I was a doubter.When the new college

football playoff system was announced, I thought the move from the two-team BCS championship to a four-team “tournament” was kind of lame — a step that, even if in the right direction, was disappointingly small.

The result, I acknowledge, was much better than antici-pated. Simply moving from two to four teams seemed to increase the drama, anticipa-tion and excitement (not to mention television revenue) ten-fold.

And the games! Watching the semifinals on New Year’s Eve was quite possibly the most fun I’ve ever had as a college football fan. And even if that was partly due to the company — shout out to Aaron, Todd and Adam — the games themselves were very good, especially Ohio State v. Alabama.

Nor did the championship game disappoint, despite the Buckeyes’ turning it into a late rout, just in time for me to fall asleep in my recliner.

So here’s my assessment of the new playoff system: It’s a great start. But why stop there? If doubling the number of teams enhanced the experience that much, what would happen if we doubled it again?

An eight-team playoff is the next logical step in this progression. Not only would that ramp up the excitement level (and television rev-enue) even more, it would also solve some of the more obvious and thorny problems with this four-team scenario.

Consider the school that was left out — TCU, which in retrospect just might have been the second-best football team in the country. The Horned Frogs annihilated Ole Miss, which pinned the only regular-season loss on an Alabama team that narrowly fell to the eventual national champ.

Let’s not lose sight, too, of the fact that TCU was the only Power 5 conference winner that was left out of the mix. In fact, having a

four-team playoff positively ensures that, each year, at least one conference champ won’t get a bid.

With eight teams, how-ever, there’s a spot for the winners of all five of the big conferences. Besides eliminating some of the debate over relative confer-ence quality, having each champ qualify automatically will make the regular-season conference races, and the conference championship games, even more meaning-ful than they are now.

An eight-team field will also allow for three at-large teams to be invited. This year, that might well have been Baylor, Wisconsin, and either Mississippi State or Georgia Tech.

Imagine the following pairings the week before Christmas: Alabama v. Tech, Oregon v. Wisconsin, Florida State v. Baylor, and Ohio State v. TCU. Would that have been awesome, or what?

More to the point, it would have been the fairest and most accurate way possible of crowning a true national champion. (Ohio State might still have won, but my money would be on TCU.)

So thanks, college football powers-that-be, for the new and improved football play-off experience. Now, please, don’t hesitate to take the next step.

Rob Jenkins is a local freelance writer and the author of “Family Man: The Art of Surviving Domes-tic Tranquility,” available at Books for Less and on Amazon. Email Rob at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @FamilyManRob.

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Don’t be the person who waits for someone elseWe all want the safe

space, the space where you won’t be rejected, where you won’t look silly, where there’s no risk, and where you know that things will work.

Whenever I talk about emotional engagement, or passion or Noble Purpose, inevitably someone will come up to me afterward and say, “I love this, but my company will never go for it.” That person then proceeds to explain why his or her money-driven boss doesn’t care about emotional stuff like this, or the person will say, “The people in my com-pany are too intellectual — or educated, or unedu-cated, or power hunger or

disengaged — to get into this.”

What they’re really say-ing is, I want to stay safe. I don’t want to be the one who starts.

It’s a common human quagmire. We want our boss to become passionate about the company before we invest our own enthusi-

asm. We want our spouse to be more loving before we risk our own heart. We want our friends to share their vulnerabilities before we share our own.

You don’t have to be a behaviorist to see where this goes. If we wait for others to emotionally en-gage, we can easily wind up leading a very barren life.

Here’s the big mistake: We know what’s in our own hearts, but we often underestimate what’s in everyone else’s. We judge ourselves by what we’re thinking, but we judge others by what they say and do.

We may be thinking, I wish this company were

more passionate, but if no one else is saying it out loud, we tell ourselves that we’re the only one who cares.

The truth is, most of us hold ourselves back from becoming emotionally engaged. We yearn for a sense of greater pur-pose; we want meaning; we want close emotional connections. Yet it’s easier — and safer — to check off our daily tasks than it is to open our hearts, and be vulnerable by talking about big things like love or passion at work.

But what are we really waiting for, the safe space when everyone else is on board? Or the awful space when things are so bad

we don’t have anything left to lose? The truth is, sharing your emotional aspirations for your job, or your relationships, doesn’t make you less powerful, it makes your more power-ful.

So don’t wait. Don’t wait until your business is failing. Don’t wait until you get comfortable enough to talk to your boss. Don’t wait until it’s convenient, safe or easy. And above all, don’t wait until you think everybody else is ready.

If you think your boss is cold-hearted, talk about how much you love your customers anyway. If you think your team will laugh at you, tell them that you

want your work to make a difference anyway.

Somebody has to start. You can be one of the people who holds back, waiting to see what everyone else is going to do. Or you can be one of the people who has the courage to bring your full emotional self into every-thing you do.

At the end of the day, all we have is each other. Your life is a short imprint in the arc of the universe. You can sit around and wait for the safe space to share your hopes and dreams. Or you can be the one who goes first.

Lisa McLeod is author of the bestseller “Selling with Noble Purpose.”

College football playoff system is awesome first step

Forget Perfect

Lisa McLeod

Rob Jenkins

PET OF THE WEEK

Each week the Gwinnett Daily Post will feature an ani-mal available for adoption at the Georgia SPCA, which is located at 1175 Buford Highway, Suite 109, Suwanee, GA 30024. The hours of operation are Mondays through Fridays 11 a.m. until 7 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., and Sundays 1 until 4 p.m. You can see the rest of the adoptable cats and dogs at www.georgiaspca.org.

Artemis is a beautiful girl with long, soft grey fur. She is very playful and likes to play a good game of soccer with her little ball. Artemis will make a terrific family pet. Come see her at the shelter. Our adoption fee for kittens is $150, and our adoption fee for cats over one year old is $125.

Sign up to get Gwinnett Daily Post breaking news alerts and daily newsletters at www.gwinnettdailypost.com/newsletter.


SnowWorld guests can give back on MLK Day

In observance of Martin

Luther King Jr. Day, Lanier Islands resort invites guests to give back to the com-munity. In exchange for bags filled with gently used

clothing, guests will receive half-priced admission to the resort’s newest attraction, SnowWorld.

All of the clothing collect-

ed throughout the day will be donated to Goodwill of North Georgia. The nonprofit has provided services in the region for nearly 90 years. In fiscal year 2014, Goodwill of North Georgia provided job training and employment services to 45,540 people and helped 14,652 people find jobs or start new businesses. The organization currently operates 51 stores and more than 60 attended donation centers.

SnowWorld patrons will be able to enjoy nine thrilling speed slides, the 13-lane tube slide Polar Plummet, four snow play zones, skating at the Polar Rink, eight family-friendly eateries, carnival rides and firepits throughout for roasting marshmallows and making s’mores. Lanier Islands SnowWorld will be open on Monday, Jan. 19, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, visit lanierislands.com.

AARP Smart Driver Course

PrimeTime Health will

host classroom refreshers and defensive driving courses for drivers over the age of 50 this Tuesday.

The course fee is $20 for non-members and $15 for active AARP members, and participants must present AARP card at the class to receive a discount. Driv-ers will get two 10-minute breaks and 30 minutes for lunch. Snacks and lunch will not be provided. A check is the only payment accepted, and participants should bring their payment to class.

The AARP Smart Driver Course will be held Tuesday, Jan. 20, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Glancy Campus Community Education Classrooms, 3215 McClure Bridge Road in Duluth. The classes will be held in the Kiwi Room. For more in-formation or to register, call HealthLine at 678-312-5000.

Atlanta Extreme Volleyball Club food drive

Atlanta Extreme Vol-

leyball Club kicked off their season with a food drive for the North Gwinnett Co-op. A big part of the AEVC vision is community outreach and service opportunities for their teams. Club director Lauren Sands wanted the first tournament day to count for more than volleyball and rallied the teams to bring in canned goods for admission. With 250 families involved in the volleyball club, it was the perfect opportunity to hold a food drive and stock the shelves of the North Gwinnett Co-op food pantry after a busy holiday season.

The North Gwinnett Co-Operative Ministries is a faith based organization that provides food, clothing, util-ity and prescription medica-tion assistance to residents of Buford, Sugar Hill and Suwanee. For more informa-tion on the Gwinnett Co-op, visit northgwinnettcoop.org.

Gwinnett Gab appears in the Thursday and Sunday editions of the Gwinnett Daily Post. To submit an item to Gwinnett Gab, email [email protected].

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ELEMENTARY SCHOOLTuesday

Big daddy’s pizza, black bean empanadas, deli fresh subs, PBJ’wich, mellow yellow corn, farm fresh produce

WednesdayMozzarella sticks, oven roasted chicken, vegetarian burger, signature salads, PBJ’wich, roasted zucchini, farm fresh produce

ThursdaySeasoned baked wings, old world lasagna, lasa-gna marinara, deli fresh subs, PBJ’wich, local green beans, farm fresh produce

FridayPancakes and sausage, poppin’ shrimp poppers, yogurt muffin basket, pinwheels, PBJ’wich, hashbrown sticks, farm fresh produce

MIDDLE SCHOOLTuesday

Spicy chicken sammie, calzone dippers, veg-etarian burger, deli fresh subs, signature salads, PBJ’wich, farm fresh produce

WednesdayOven breaded chicken, mini corn dogs, cheese quesadilla, homestyle sammies, signature salads, PBJ’wich, farm fresh produce

ThursdayTex-mex nachos, country style steak sammie, mexi bean pizza, wrap n’ roll wraps, signature salads, PBJ’wich, farm fresh produce

FridayChicken & waffles, catch of the day, yogurt muffin basket, deli fresh subs, signature salads, PBJ’wich, farm fresh produce

HIGH SCHOOLTuesday

Chicken tenders, big daddy’s pizza, Gwinnett’s best burger, empanadas, deli fresh subs, signa-ture salad, fiesta burrito

WednesdayOven roasted chicken, stuffed crust pizza, ultimate hot dog bar, vegetarian burger, wrap n’ roll wraps, signature salad, quesadilla pizza

ThursdaySpeciality flatbreads, big daddy’s pizza, Asian wings, cheesy grilled cheese, deli fresh subs, signature salad, Asian rice bowl

FridayBrunch 4 lunch, big daddy’s pizza, seafood basket, black bean burger, homestyle sammie, signature salad, Cuban sub

LUNCH MENUS

RESTAURANT SCORES

Family Promise of Gwinnett

Family Promise of Gwinnett seeks to help end homelessness in the Gwin-nett community one family as a time by helping them move into self-sufficiency. They are in need of vol-unteers to answer phones, screen clients and do secre-tarial work. There are many

shifts available Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Those interested should contact Laura at [email protected] for more informa-tion on becoming an Office Angel.

— From staff reports

OPPORTUNITYOF THE WEEK

VOLUNTEER Restaurant .......Address ............................................ScoreMcDonald’s ......3210 Buford Drive, Buford ........................84Peregrines Landing at Holcomb Bridge680 Holcomb Bridge Road, Norcross ................................84Sam’s Japanese Restaurant3525 Mall Blvd., Duluth ......................................................84Golden Buddha Restaurant4300 Ga. Highway 20, Buford ............................................65Green Tomato Country Buffet3446 Holcomb Bridge Road, Norcross ............................100Boston Market ....4215 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth ...........87Blimpie1740 Indian Trail Lilburn Road, Norcross ...........................95Hammerheads Seafood and Sports Grille415 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Suwanee ..........................86Philly Bistro .....2680 Hamilton Mill Road, Buford .............89Stevi B’s Pizza ...1500 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth ............96Discover Wings....1300 Indian Trail Road, Norcross ........99Wing Ranch Restaurant1154 Lawrenceville Highway, Lawrenceville .......................91Sonic Riverside2208 Riverside Parkway, Lawrenceville ...........................100Residence Inn ...1940 Satelitte Blvd., Duluth ....................87McDonald’s ......1963 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth ..............80Dunkin Donuts 4955 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville ............................89Stone Mountain Pizza Cafe5370 U.S. Highway 78, Stone Mountain ............................90Dippin Dots Cart A at Gwinnett Arena6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth ......................................100Joan Glancy Memorial Hospital3215 McClure Bridge Road, Duluth .................................100Pita Corner911 Duluth Highway, Lawrenceville ..................................100

After more than 15 years with the City of Suwanee, for-mer economic and community development director Denise Brinson has been promoted to assistant city manager.

In a released statement, city manager Marty Allen praised Brinson for her “many years of passionate, creative and dedi-cated service.”

“Denise’s relentless drive and energy help keep Suwanee moving ahead and continually focusing on what can be done to make Suwanee better,” Allen

said. “Throughout the years, she and her team have played vital roles in creating, cultivat-ing, and spreading Suwanee’s

culture and identity.”

In her previous role, Brinson directed all economic development efforts for the city and was responsible

for overseeing all promotional, public art, event and public relations efforts.

“Denise is a recognized regional leader in her current field of expertise — economic and community development,” Allen added. “In her new role, she will continue to directly oversee economic and commu-nity development efforts for the city while also undertaking new and additional jobs citywide. This promotion recognizes both the work she has been doing for many years while also best uti-lizing her passion, knowledge, and talents to serve all facets of Suwanee moving forward.”

Brinson, who is married and has two children, is the past

chair of the Georgia Down-town Association, the North Gwinnett Schools Foundation, and the Leadership Gwinnett Alumni Committee. She holds a master’s degree in business administration from the Florida Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in business management from the Uni-versity of South Florida. She previously served as an eco-nomic development specialist for Florida Power Corporation, which is based in St. Peters-burg, Fla.

Her promotion was approved by the City Council on Dec. 16.

Suwanee names assistant city managerFrom StaFF reportS

Denise Brinson


AUBURNAuburn OWLS to meet Jan. 21

The Auburn OWLS (Older, Wiser, Laughing Seniors) will hold their monthly luncheon on Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 11:30 a.m.

The OWLS are an active senior group that operates solely on fun-draising and donations. The group participates in quarterly trips, game nights and other social events. Any person over the age of 50 is welcome to join.

The January luncheon will be held at the J.D. Withers Building located a 7 Seventh St. For more information, contact the city of Auburn Parks and Leisure Department at 770-963-4002.

BARROW COUNTYBird walk scheduled

for Ft. YargoFort Yargo State Park

will host an Atlanta Audu-bon Society Bird Walk from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Friday, Feb. 13.

“Fort Yargo has some great habitat, includ-ing marshland, mixed hardwood forest and an expansive open lake,” an event listing said. “We will look for a variety of birds like woodpeckers, war-blers and wading birds.”

For more information, visit gastateparks.org/FortYargo. The event is free but parking is $5.

BERKELEY LAKECity looking into

marshals programMayor Lois Salter has

recommended to the city council that the city create a city marshals program to enhance security in the area. The marshals would be hired and paid directly by the city and would patrol in a marked city-owned vehicle, likely an SUV. Salter wrote in a recent newsletter that the city would begin with one full-time officer and discontinue the use of Plaza Security guards. Salter said she is open to feedback, the Council representatives are sup-portive of the idea, and she’s discussed the plan with homeowner associa-tion presidents.

BRASELTON‘Heart for Chocolate’

gala to benefit abused and neglected children

On. Feb. 7, the Brasel-ton-Stover House will host a “Heart for Children, Heart for Chocolate” gala to to benefit Piedmont Casa, an organization serving abused and neglected children by advocating for each to have a safe, loving and permanent home.

Tickets are $55 for the event, which will include a buffet by Cornbread and Caviar, chocolate creations from local bakers, dance music by classic rock band Line 6, silent and live auc-tions and a children’s art showcase. Sponsorships are also available.

The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. For more infor-mation, call Annette Bates at 706-387-6375. Tickets can be purchased online at piedmontcasa.org.

BUFORDPatsy Cline tribute

show coming to community center

“Today, Tomorrow and Forever: A Tribute to Patsy Cline” will be performed on Jan. 24 and 25 at the Buford Community Cen-ter’s Sylvia Beard Theatre. The one-woman show by Katie Deal “features a live band, tight harmonies and a powerhouse singer,” city officials said.

“In this tribute,” a listing for the event said, “you’ll learn a little bit about Katie, a little bit about Ms. Patsy, and a lot about why Patsy’s

music is loved by so many.”Tickets range from $12

to $25 and can be pur-chased at bufordcommuni-tycenter.com.

DACULALearn Microsoft Word

basics during free library course

Interested in learn-ing how to use Microsoft Word? The Hamilton Mill branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library is offering several classes in January geared toward helping people of all ages learn basic Word func-tions to create letters, papers, advertisements and other Word projects.

The course is part of the “Computer Classes @ Your Library” program — a series of classes on computer basics.

Classes are scheduled from January through March. Interested partici-pants are encouraged to check the library calendar more offerings.

The Microsoft Word class will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 20, from 11 a.m. until noon and on Wednesday, Jan. 21 from 4 to 5 p.m. Space is limited. Classes are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Hamilton Mill branch is located at 3690 Braselton Highway in Dacula.

DULUTHHigh school to offer college and career

readiness nightDuluth High will host

a night to discuss ideas

and options for college and career readiness from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Jan. 29. The event will feature topics such as financial aid and standardized tests from 6 p.m. to 6:40 p.m. and breakout sessions will follow and discuss dual enrollment programs, Maxwell and Grayson Tech and students who need to catch up or stay on track for graduation. For more information, call the school at 770-476-5206.

GRAYSONAmbassadors of Laughter clowns

to visit libraryChildren ages 4 and up

are invited to read with a clown on Tuesday, Jan. 20, at the Grayson branch of the Gwinnett County Public Library.

The special storytime with the Ringling Brothers Circus “Ambassadors of Laughters” will begin at 11 a.m. and feature Rob the Clown.

The Grayson branch is located at 700 Grayson Parkway in Grayson.

LAWRENCEVILLEMLK Day parade, celebration to be

held Jan. 19The United Ebony So-

ciety of Gwinnett will host the 15th annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration on Monday, Jan. 19.

The celebration kicks off with a parade at 9:30 a.m. The parade begins at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, located at 75 Langley Drive, and ends at Moore

Middle School, 1221 Lawrenceville Highway in Lawrenceville.

From 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., a health and well-ness fair will be held in the media room of the middle school. The event will include information about the Affordable Care Act, health screenings and a voter registration drive. More information is available online at www.unitedebonysociety.org.

LILBURNCity released details on

large developmentThe city of Lilburn has

released details of a siz-able mixed-use develop-ment that the city council gave a green light to Monday night.

The plans from Na-coochee Corporation call for businesses on Lawrenceville Highway and Main Street, with 250 one- and two-bedroom units in a $25-million, 292,000-square-foot, three-story building. A three-story parking deck large enough to hold 500 vehicles is also planned fronting on Church and Main streets, according to the city.

The special-use permit approved by the council would allow up to 325 units.

The residences are designed to blend in with the Main Street Realign-ment project, which includes a new City Hall/Gwinnett County library, a 49,000-square-foot facility.

For more information, visit www.cityoflilburn.com.

LOGANVILLECovenant Christian Academy to host

open housesThe Loganville private

school has scheduled open houses for 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 25, Feb. 8, March 29 and May 3 for new students. The admissions event is for students in third grade through high school. The school is located in Gwinnett near the Walton County line between Lo-ganville and Grayson.

For more informa-tion, call 770-466-7890 or email [email protected].

NORCROSSCity working on new garden park

The city of Norcross is building a community garden park at the city welcome center and museum.

The park will hold 30 garden beds, a green-house, living roof, shed and compost area, as well as public art, the city said. It will also be the site of nature-based workshops, farm to table dinners, “wine in the gar-den” evenings, children’s programs and more.

The park, located at 185 Lawrenceville St., is expected to be done by summer.

PEACHTREE CORNERSChamber hosting networking event

The Southwest Gwin-nett Chamber of Com-merce is hosting a

women’s networking event Jan. 22.

Set for from 8 to 9:15 a.m., the event at the Marriott Courtyard — Peachtree Corners will feature presenter Lori McTaggart of Isagenix Systems. Coffee and light breakfast will be provided.

The event is free and open to business women in the Norcross, Peachtree Corners and Berkeley Lake areas. Guests are asked to register by visiting www.southwestgwinnettcham-ber.com.

The hotel is located at 3209 Holcomb Bridge Road.

SNELLVILLEPublic works wins

environmental awardFor the second straight

year, the city of Snellville’s Public Works Depart-ment has brought home an award from the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foun-dation.

This time, the depart-ment won the top prize in the Waste Reduction and Recycling category for a government agency, ac-cording to a news release. The department took the third place prize last year.

“Since opening in 1991, the Snellville recycling center has seen a 1,000 percent increase in the amount of material recycled with them and has grown into one of the finest facilities of its kind in the Southeast,” KGBF officials said in the release.

From July 2013 to June 2014, the city’s recycling center processed more than 8,300 cubic yards of ground yard waste, 781 tons of recyclables and the 215 tons of recycla-bles picked up per month in the city.

“I’m honored to be part of such an environmen-tally conscious city,” said Public Works Director Gaye Johnson. “Winning first place for the state of Georgia in waste reduc-tion is no small feat. I couldn’t be prouder of our Snellville citizens for being pro-recycling and making a difference.”

SUGAR HILLCity seeking

applications from those in need

The World Changers Organization will visit Sugar Hill again this year, and the city is seeking applications from needy people in need of home repairs and maintenance.

For three days this July, World Changers will furnish the volunteer labor for repairs at the homes of Sugar Hill residents “on a limited income due to disability, retirement or other hardship.” The Sugar Hill Housing Au-thority will provide funding for materials while the city itself will provide adminis-trative support.

Those in need can call 770-945-6716 or visit Sugar Hill City Hall, located at 5039 W. Broad St., for more information.

SUWANEEFarmers market looking

for vendorsThe Suwanee Farmers

Market is looking for farm-ers, herb and flower grow-ers, butchers, bakers, jams and soapmakers, among others, for its upcoming 11th season. Applications are due and the annual market meeting will be held on March 30. The season is scheduled to open on May 2. The city is not offer-ing the farmers market on Tuesdays this year.

The market does not accept arts and crafts, non-licensed products, or produce re-sold from other markets. Visit suwanee.com for additional guide-lines and an application.

your community: city by city City by City is a weekly look at the happenings in the places you call home

MORE FROM BUFORD

Matt Fritch and his daughter Logan have attended the North Gwinnett Kiwanis Club Father/Daughter Dance for five straight years, since Logan was 1. (Special Photo)

Father-daughter dance set for FebruaryOver the years, the

Father-Daughter Dance hosted by the Kiwanis Club of North Gwinnett has become extremely popular. So much so that this year the club will host three different dances over two nights at the Buford Commu-nity Center and Theater.

This is the seventh year the club has hosted the event, which will take place Feb. 6 and 7. In previous years, the dance was held on Saturday night. But this year a Friday night dance has been added. It will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., and on Saturday there will be two dances — one from 6 to 8 and the other from 9 to 11 p.m.

Another addition to

this year’s dance is there will be horse-drawn car-riage rides available for purchase during the two dances on Saturday. Car-riage rides are limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Our dance is along the lines of a high school prom, so it will give dads an oppor-tunity to teach their young ladies what they should expect from their

future dates,” said David Williams, the event’s organizer and founder. “There will be a red carpet entrance, an entry arch, and each young lady will receive a long stem red rose upon departure as they leave. And our D.J. plays a va-riety of family friendly music to accommodate all musical taste.”

Williams said the dance is open to daugh-ters of all ages, young to adult and he expects attendance to be near 1,000 this year, up from 275 in the second year of the event. All pro-ceeds from the dance and other Kiwanis Club fundraisers are reinvested back into the community in the form of scholarships for area high school seniors and

for other community charitable needs, Wil-liams said. To date, the dances have returned approximately $30,000 back to the community and have drawn atten-dance from a five-county area.

The carriage rides cost $25 per couple, and there is a limited amount of rides per evening. Dress for the event is Sunday attire and refreshments are served and professional photog-raphy offered.

Williams said he expects both the carriage ride tickets and tickets to the event to sell quickly. Those interested can purchase tickets online at www.northgwinnett-kiwanis.com. For more information, call Wil-liams at 404-386-4782.

From StaFF reportSIF YOU GO• When: 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 6, 6 to 8 p.m. and 9 to 11 p.m. Feb. 7• Where: Buford Com-munity Center and Theatre• Dress: Sunday Attire• Tickets: Purchase online at www.northg-winnettkiwanis.com

DANCING DUOS


Meadowcreek High received some exciting news recently when a student team who designed a mobile application was awarded a Best in State award in the third Verizon Innovative App Challenge.

The national competition was designed for students to

address a need or problem in their local schools or com-munities. The Meadowcreek students developed “Teen Fitness” that addresses physical inactivity among teens and promotes a fitness lifestyle. Students from South Forsyth Middle also took home an award. Ninety

teams of middle and high school students from across the country have advanced to the next phase of the judging process.

“I am overwhelmed with excitement and pride that our students’ project was chosen as the ‘Best in the State,’” Meadowcreek Principal

Tommy Welch said in a press release. “At Meadow-creek we support learning through doing. The Verizon Innovative App Chal-lenge offers Meadowcreek students an opportunity to participate in a rich, project-based learning experience that fosters teamwork and encourages them to explore new ideas and consider future careers in STEM. This experience has exposed our Meadowcreek students to new possibilities for their futures by opening doors they may never have known were there.”

The Verizon Innovative App Challenge was cre-ated by a partnership with the Technology Student Association in response to

a critical need to inspire student interest in science, technology, engineering and math.

More than 90 percent of the winners from last year’s Innovative App Challenge expressed interest in pursu-ing STEM careers after learning coding and launch-

ing their winning app in the Google Play store. About 70 percent reported increased creativity, teamwork and communication skills, and content knowledge.

“This contest has exposed students to new skillsets such as learning to collabo-rate, negotiate and best of all, problem solving,” Jonathan LeCompte, Georgia/Ala-bama region president for Verizon Wireless said in the release. “We can’t wait to see which of these creative concepts will become actual working mobile apps that can help make a difference in local communities.”

Keith Farner writes about education. Good News from Schools appears in the Sun-day edition of the Daily Post.

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Meadowcreek students celebrate Best in State awardGood News

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