Summer break provides plentiful time for students to rest before the upcoming school year. While this is a common occurrence for children in our country, many children and families around the globe aren’t able to relax in the same ways we are. Through the work of missionaries who take trips around the world, help is available to many different communities. Carson Wicks, an eighth-grade student at Creekside Christian Academy, participated in an extremely helpful missionary trip over his summer break. In a village near Lima, Peru, Wicks and his family, along with other missionaries, provided free medical and optical services...
Caring for the Whole Person
The American Cancer Society estimated that there were 1.9 million new cancer cases diagnosed in the United States in 2022. That is almost 5,250 people a day who hear the news and then have to navigate through diagnostic testing, various forms of treatment, and numerous other appointments. The oncology services team at Piedmont Henry Hospital, from staff members in imaging or radiation oncology, to nurses, physicians, surgeons, medical oncologists, and more, helps people every step of the way. “Everyone with Piedmont was very comforting,” said Denise Neikirk, a Stage 0 breast cancer patient from Thomaston who completed her radiation treatment...
How to be Happy
As the pastor of my church for almost 30 years and having talked with hundreds of people, the number one comment I hear people say is, “I just want to be happy.” I have seen people try to achieve happiness in so many destructive ways. I have watched many achieve the goals they thought would bring happiness, but in the end, they felt empty. I myself have fallen prey to this kind of thinking in earlier seasons of my life. What I have found is happiness is not a destination; it is a constant choice. So, the question is, how...
Staying Active
Tony Carder is well-known in Henry County. He got his start with Active Pest Control when his father launched the business in 1985, has served as the CEO of Clean Earth Sanitation, and opened several businesses on the McDonough square, including Crust & Craft. In 2019, Carder sold Active Pest Control and focused more on his businesses in McDonough. In June, he got back into the pest control business, serving as the CEO of TruNorth and working with his children, Cody, 24, and Kayleigh, 22. “They grew up in the business, like I did, and wanted to get involved,” said...
A Mystery of Love
From its conception, the Veterans Museum at Heritage Park in McDonough has been the home and showplace for veterans and their loved ones – given the opportunity to share memorabilia and personal belongings in an effort to establish a larger than life personal and meaningful connection with the museum. Veterans Museum curator Jim Joyce shared an interesting story of sealed cards and flowers being left each Memorial Day over the past 8+ years in remembrance of Sgt. Soltow. The envelopes have the handwritten words “My Precious Daddy” and remain sealed to this day. “Not knowing the words written on the...
50 Years Strong
The story of what is now known as the Bennett Family of Companies is the prototypical American success story. It is about how a half-century of hard work combined with an exceptional emphasis on faith and family led to the existence of one of the most successful private companies in Henry County. The full Bennett story could not fit in this space or even this entire publication. Here is a snapshot. Marcia Taylor moved to Georgia as a 19-year-old mother of three with the promise of a job in the transportation industry. The man who hired her soon became her...
Ready. Set. Tennis.
When one thinks about sports their family and friends could participate in, a litany of ideas come to mind. However, individuals overlook many sports due to the lack of exposure to them, either in the media or in real life. One of these underrated sports is tennis. Above the Net is a program that aims to expand youth participation in the sport and further popularize it among local communities. Brenda Gant, one of the founders of Above the Net, explains that although many other sports are promoted to children, there has been a lack of attention towards tennis. Gant states...
Learning Leadership Skills in Youth
Gavin Bradley is taking advantage of numerous local leadership opportunities while still in high school. The Community Christian School junior excels in the classroom and participates in the school’s sports program, in addition to being active at his church. A year ago, he added another activity to his resume with his selection to the Stockbridge Youth Council. An initiative spearheaded by Stockbridge officials at City Hall, the Youth Council is described on the city’s website this way: “The Youth Council is a dynamic team that amplifies the voices and experiences of young people and leverages their expertise, energy, and ideas...
A Time-Honored Craftsman
Remember the vintage Timex commercial adage “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking”? The same can be said of 90-year-old clock repairman/maker Richard Storer, who lives in Hampton with his daughter. Like the 1960s commercial, this experienced repairman/maker “keeps on ticking” by servicing hundreds of clocks and watches with meticulous care. Once owning and operating a small shop in Jonesboro, Storer now does his handiwork in his home’s upstairs attic. Storer grew up in Kansas and served in the Navy from 1952 until 1974. While stationed at the Naval Air Station in New Orleans, he became interested in clocks...
Supporting Young Athletes in Non-Traditional Sports
The demands of sports like football or basketball are well-known regarding athletic training. However, there are other, often less traditional sports where young athletes push their bodies to the limit, requiring certified athletic trainers (ATs) to adopt specialized approaches. Dance and gymnastics are prime examples of such unique sports. These activities demand extensive training hours and physical capabilities that far exceed those required by traditional sports, placing distinctive stress on young athletes’ developing bodies. Pediatric athletic trainers at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta design programs tailored to the specific activities children and teen athletes are engaged in. Parents must play an...