Where we've been
and where we're headed

Written by Jackie Kennedy  •  Photographed by Sara Moore

Emergency Response

Local Government’s Response to the Pandemic

Written by Jenny Enderlin  •  Photographed by Sara Moore

Since spring, local, state and national governments have grappled with
how to best address something they’d never dealt with: a world-wide pandemic.

It is fall now. And since COVID-19 continues to ebb and flow, elected officials are still faced
with figuring out the best way to handle these uncharted waters.

Who leads the fight against the pandemic that’s killing hundreds of Georgians?
Which jurisdictions make the decisions? How are citizens impacted?

Local Government Action

When Coweta’s first confirmed coronavirus case was announced March 13, there was a flurry of activity. Major adjustments had to be made in both Coweta County and the City of Newnan's day-to-day operations. Departments rethought how to interact with one another and with the public. Face-to-face meetings were minimized in favor of going virtual, more services became available online or by mail, and allowances were made to ease the pandemic’s effects on local businesses.

Newnan City Council held an emergency meeting March 18 to adopt its Planned Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic for City Employees. The resolution outlined adjustments that might be necessary, depending on the pandemic’s level of severity, in order to support businesses, reduce spread of disease among staff, and maintain the myriad services provided by the City without interruption. The City credits the Georgia Municipal Association for helping connect Georgia city administrators and keeping them informed.

At the county government level, the Emergency Management Agency (EMA) jumped into action. Patricia Palmer, director of Community and Human Resources, says Coweta’s Director of 911 and Emergency Management Michael Terrell and Emergency Management Coordinator Nic Burgess facilitated daily group phone calls with hospitals, schools, state representatives, utilities, public health departments, government municipalities and rehabilitation centers. The calls focused on questions like: “Do you have enough PPE?” “What challenges are you facing?” “What resources do you have to offer?”

Palmer says that although the participants represent vastly different entities, they have benefited from one another. Burgess and Terrell continue to address issues in the community and are responsible for actions such as obtaining 10 additional ventilators for Piedmont Hospital, coordinating with the National Guard to deep clean a local nursing home, arranging for a coronavirus-specific EMS vehicle at Newnan Fire Station #1, and establishing coronavirus testing for first responders at Coweta County Fairgrounds, which was later expanded to the general public.

Additionally, County Commissioner Paul Poole worked closely with Dr. Olugbenga Obasanjo at the District 4 Public Health Department until the doctor’s resignation in July. As part of its wide-ranging responsibilities, the health department has been responsible for much of Coweta’s coronavirus testing.

On March 25, the Newnan City Council called its second special meeting and unanimously passed an order to close non-essential businesses and limit public gatherings. Members cited concerns about the local hospital’s capacity and the fact that employees might have difficulty obtaining unemployment if workplaces were not closed by official ordinance. 

On April 3, Governor Brian Kemp’s statewide shelter-in-place order went into effect.

"As cases were increasing across the nation, but specifically Coweta County, without any overarching stateside rule, cities were beginning to put in place different guidelines, and they were specific to each city," says Newnan Assistant City Manager Hasco Craver. "The governor was trying to create a uniform set of guidelines."

“When he put out the codifying executive order, I think it did make things simpler," says Sharpsburg Mayor Blue Cole.

Kemp’s emergency executive order prohibited area municipalities in Georgia from doing any more or any less in response to the pandemic than what he specified. On April 24, the governor allowed churches, tattoo parlors, salons, gyms, bowling alleys and restaurants to reopen. On May 1, the shelter-in-place order ended with few remaining limitations. Masks continued to be optional.

Masks or No Masks?

As COVID-19 cases soared at the summer’s beginning, Georgia mayors, city councils, and county commissions across the state began taking action to save lives and their local economies.

While several municipalities across the state mandated that masks be worn in public, the City of Newnan had not as of mid-August. Mayor Keith Brady says he cannot identify a threshold he felt would merit such an action.

On July 15, the governor released an executive order suspending any rules that mandate public face coverings. The next day, he sued Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and the Atlanta City Council. The Georgia Municipal Association in turn filed its own brief to protect the right of cities that adopted a policy regarding mask wearing. The court ordered mediation between the governor and the mayor of Atlanta.

On Aug. 15, Kemp issued a new executive order allowing municipalities to issue a Local Option Face Covering Requirement, though private businesses as well as individuals claiming religious violation are exempt.

Despite coronavirus rate spikes, the City of Newnan appears unlikely to introduce a public mask mandate. Poole previously indicated that he does not anticipate the county commission passing a public mask mandate. Should the County and City later adopt opposite directives, however, county ordinances would apply only outside city limits.

“If the County passed a mask ordinance, we would follow suit,” says Cole, noting that the relatively small size of Sharpsburg necessitates synchronization with the County.

Newly elected Senoia Mayor Dub Pearman indicated he and the city council would certainly take legalities into consideration before deliberating on a public mask resolution, but ultimately he wants leaders to think about the health of their citizens first, not the political ramifications a decision like this would have.

“We should always be focused on what will benefit or protect our community members above and beyond any personal fallout,” says Pearman.

Though Georgia politicians possess diverse opinions about public mask mandates, it appears that most local officials urge citizens to cover their face.

“I strongly encourage the members of this community to do that – to wear a mask – because it is a proven fact that wearing a mask stops the spread,” says Brady. “The virus doesn’t care whether you’re a liberal or a conservative or what you are. It’s going to seek out that host, and if you’re making yourself available to be that host, you will test positive.”

“If I’m in public and I’m indoors, I’m masked,” says Cole. “This thing ain’t no joke. I know that some people think it’s no more than the flu. I tend to disagree based on the data.”

“I’m concerned about inundating our hospitals and exceeding their capacities,” says Pearman, noting the primary factor influencing Senoia City Council’s decisions. “What I’m not concerned about is the resolve of our citizens. We have a generous and caring population that is willing to accept a duty or responsibility to help protect each other.”

Communicating with the Community

With the goal of contacting the most vulnerable citizens in rural areas and ensuring they had personal protective equipment (PPE), grocery deliveries, and information about the virus and social distancing, State Representative Phillip Singleton established the East Coweta Community Response Team. The Sharpsburg Community Center served as the hub.

“I partnered with the mayors of Sharpsburg, Moreland and Turin as well as some local volunteers,” says Singleton, naming Barbara Smith and Karen Youger as active participants. “We reached out to the 8,000-plus constituents we identified as being the most at-risk and were able to make contact with more than 2,500 of them.”

The team formed in mid-March and dissolved in June as requests dwindled. 

Cole expresses gratitude to two sewing groups, Sharpsburg Piecemakers and the Newnan Quilting Guild, who stepped up when it was apparent there was going to be a shortage of PPE. They sewed more than 2,000 masks for the EMA to distribute to local, state and federal agencies so that medical-grade PPE could be reserved for first responders.

“It was a community response to a community problem,” says Cole.

Voting During the Pandemic

Director of the Board of Elections and Registration Jane Scoggins has been busy implementing new state guidelines to ensure this year’s November election runs safely and efficiently.

Due to social distancing, voters will be spaced out down the street so Scoggins warns that “lines will look longer.” All poll workers will have their temperatures checked prior to entering and are asked to wear masks. Everything from chairs to styluses will be wiped clean, and masks and hand sanitizer will be available for voters. Those who are showing COVID-19 symptoms will not be denied the right to vote, but they will be assigned a specific booth that is sanitized afterward.

Voters who are either handicapped or age 65 or older – and noted such on their application for a primary election mail-in ballot – will automatically receive a mailed ballot for the general election. Anyone else who wants an absentee ballot may request one. Ballots can be returned by emailed photo, fax, mail or in person at 22 East Broad Street. A secure outdoor drop box has been placed beside the Coweta County Administration Building handicap ramp for additional convenience and safety during the pandemic, according to Scoggins.

“If you think you’re going to vote by mail, don’t wait to the last minute to request a ballot,” she advises. While absentee ballots will be mailed out as late as Oct. 30, the last day of early voting, all ballots must arrive back by 7 p.m. on Nov. 3.

Voters who request an absentee ballot can later decide to vote in person, but they should bring their ballot with them if they want to avoid additional paperwork and lengthy wait times.

“I think it’s going to be much better to vote early,” Scoggins recommends, noting that citizens can cast their ballots as early as October 12.

Changes to City-Sponsored Activities

The Public Health State of Emergency preventing large gatherings remained in effect in late August, and the Newnan Cultural Arts Commission (NCAC) had suspended Jazz in the Park and the annual outdoor Shakespeare Shakes in the Park. The commission hopes that October’s “Dracula” and December’s “The Nutcracker” can go on as usual but says that, ultimately, everything depends on the pandemic.

“We’re not going to have anything at the Wadsworth unless it’s safe,” assures NCAC Chair Phyllis Graham.

Main Street Newnan Special Events Coordinator Abigail Strickland says her department is reviewing events on a monthly basis. As of presstime, the Fall Art Walk is still on for Sept. 18. Oktoberfest has been canceled but Forward Friday will take its place on Oct. 2. Plans for upcoming fall and holiday events will be made at September and October Downtown Development Authority meetings.

The trolley route and the Carnegie Library reopened June 15 when the city’s other programs, departments, services and municipal court resumed. Leisure Services has opened the Howard Warner Community Center and Gym and the Wesley Street Gym with strict restrictions on the number of occupants.

Partnering in a Pandemic

Medical community meets the crisis

Written by Jennifer Dziedzic  •  Photographed by Sara Moore

Since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic in mid-March, immense strain has been placed on the health care industry as spread of the illness has intensified.

Scientists around the world have been researching the novel coronavirus, trying to find treatments along with potential cures. Ultimately, the goal is to determine if immune protection will occur.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website, the spread of coronavirus via asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic infections is not known. It is unprecedented territory for all, but the impact has been especially hard-hitting for those in health care. These factors are guiding medical staff to stay up-to-date on current CDC guidelines and government orders and are affecting patients who have to cope with new practices, rules, and restrictions that threaten their everyday life.

“It’s clear that COVID-19 is part of our collective day-to-day reality and we have incorporated the treatment of these patients into our ongoing approach, while also meeting the health care needs of our much larger patient base,” says Mike Robertson, CEO of Piedmont Newnan Hospital, where Coweta County’s first COVID-19 patient and more have been treated. He urges residents to continue taking precautions to battle off the threat of catching the virus.

“Importantly, we urge everyone to continue to keep themselves and loved ones safe and wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance, but equally to seek health care when needed,” says Robertson. “It’s alarming that we continue to see people in our communities unnecessarily avoiding needed health care, even emergency care when it’s a life-threatening situation like stroke or heart attack where every minute counts.”

Appointments, essential surgeries and procedures have been occurring at Piedmont since April, while restrictions on visiting are still in place, according to Robertson.

Pediatrics and Telemedicine

Dr. Kenneth Akey runs a pediatrics practice in Newnan along with his wife and office manager, Laurie Akey. Certain that an evolution would be required in their pediatric practice, the couple started shifting to telemedicine in January after witnessing development of the COVID-19 pandemic. By the time things escalated in March, their Anytime Pediatrics telemedicine system was ready to go.

“Parents were thankful to be seeing their pediatrician without exposure to COVID,” Dr. Akey says, noting that due to his extensive number of newborn clients, infant visits were conducted virtually with examinations done online “Because we don’t know the future of the coronavirus, telemedicine is important to keep families safe.”

Telemedicine can work with well checks, newborn visits, and even in coaching new mothers on lactation issues, according to the pediatrician. He says he can do nearly everything via telemedicine except for things like heart checks, which are performed by doctors or midwives in the hospital before discharge.

An important tool for keeping the youngest patients safe and well, telemedicine also can be utilized to provide mental health assessments and potentially detect signs of abuse in children. If a child suffers with depression, Dr. Akey refers them to a specialist for online counseling.

The pandemic and resulting social distancing have been traumatic, and if it has been challenging for adults it is equally as hard for children, according to Akey.

“If we’re feeling stressed, think of the little ones,” he says. “They’re really stressed, too. So, we’re all going through it, I don’t care what the age is. They need some semblance of normal in an abnormal world. For parents: keep them safe, really be mindful of who they are and what they are going through.”

As businesses started opening up, Dr. Akey encouraged families to take precautions and wear masks in public places. “It may get to a point that it lessens up a lot, and then again it may not. We just don’t know what the new normal is going to be and for right now this is too new and still out there.”

His key advice for parents: “Have a healthy diet, take those supplements, get plenty of rest and try to ease the stress at this time the best you can.” He recommends supplements for strong immune system health including Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Zinc and probiotics.

“This is all an unknown piece of territory and we’re all navigating it,” the doctor concludes. “We’ll see what COVID decides to do because it’s really not up to us.”

Close-up on Dentistry

Like dentists across the nation, local physicians have had to become strategic and knowledgeable regarding COVID-19.

“This field is definitely one of the top fields that comes in close contact with people,” says Markeshia Wilkins, office manager for Amazing Smiles Family Dentistry in Newnan. “We literally work inside the mouth where COVID-19 can be transferred due to saliva.”

Health guidelines call for more layers of personal protective equipment (PPE) to be worn now due to aerosols that flow when cleanings or dental treatments are performed.

“We have improved our strategies to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission during patient visits,” says Wilkins. “It has been a stressful but much-needed journey trying to locate these items that are needed such as N95 masks, face shields and disposable lab coats.”

Wilkins applauds the response of Cowetans who have visited the dentist in recent months.

“I love how our community has been so understanding and motivating during this time,” she says. “Patience has truly been our virtue during COVID-19. Through all of this, our goal is to ensure that everyone has a healthy smile.”

Sheltering in Place for the Elderly

The concept of “normal” has been significantly altered for those housebound due to health issues. For the elderly – and their caregivers – sheltering in place means no outings to the park or the grocery store.

Coweta County resident Lauren Russell has been her grandmother’s full-time caregiver for the past six years.

“The scariest thing about being a caregiver is having to be extra cautious about washing your hands and exposing yourself because you don’t want to transmit anything to your patient,” Russell says. “The worst thing for both of us is not being able to see loved ones and friends.”

In caring for her grandmother, Russell and her family utilize online grocery delivery, pick-up services and pharmacy drive-thrus as well as an online portal to communicate with their physicians.

Remaining Vigilant in Nursing Home Care

Brenda H. Mitchell, executive director of Insignia Assisted Living in Newnan, has recognized that her industry must explore uncharted waters in order to serve the most vulnerable group – the elderly – during the pandemic.

“Fortunately for us, we were ahead of the game,” says Mitchell. “We went on lockdown with our residents a week before the governor ordered lockdown.”

While extra cleaning is the norm, according to Mitchell, the assisted living facility benefited from deep cleaning provided by the National Guard last spring.

“We were fortunate to have them come in four weeks straight and sanitize our building,” she recalls.

As restaurants and businesses opened up slowly over the summer, Insignia began allowing families to visit outside on their porches. Social distancing is practiced and wearing masks is essential. Virtual tours are being conducted for new residents.

With no communal dining or activities permitted, the staff serves in-room meals and conducts one-on-one visits with the seniors.

“This has been a very trying time for our residents,” Mitchell says. “Some don’t even know COVID exists. They don’t realize that we’re in a lockdown.”

Mitchell expresses gratitude for support the assisted living facility has received from the community, fire department and police department. Donations for their book mobile have provided a boom of books, magazines and newspapers for the residents. Mitchell believes that giving seniors something to look forward to is important.

“We don’t focus on the virus all the time,” she says. “Our focus is daily and what kind of fun can they have. We have a wonderful group of people who work for us, and I cannot praise them enough. They love the residents, and it shows in the care they give them.”

Mitchell advises the general public to take the same precautions that have made life at Insignia safe and free from COVID-19. 

“The thing that’s most important – and I’ve seen it work here – is hand washing, wearing the mask when you’re out in public, disinfecting items that you touch, and just being aware. It’s not so much to protect yourself but to protect the elderly and those most vulnerable.”

Calm in Crisis

Written by Jennifer Dziedzic  •  Photographed by Chris Martin

As we push on through our daily lives with the coronavirus elevating our stress levels, we need to ensure that we've adapted our coping skills to maintain a healthy mental and physical wellbeing.

Relaxation techniques can be valuable tools for combating stress. Aromatherapy and hydrotherapy can offer immediate comfort for calming and also boosting the immune system.

Yoga is another powerful tool for stress relief. With an emphasis on proper breathing, it can aid in coping, calming and resetting the nervous system as it reduces tension and improves strength and flexibility. Yoga can be modified to suit nearly anyone and can be done at home with free classes available for children and adults at online sites like YouTube.

At Sea Glass Therapy in Newnan, Owner and Clinical Coordinator Jennifer Yaeger is trained in trauma-informed yoga, which she offers to her clients.

"In terms of anxiety management – even depression symptoms management and especially for people who struggle with trauma and PTSD – yoga is absolutely one of the best things you can do along with talk therapy," says Yaeger.

She notes that the most crucial element of yoga is breathing.

"When we are having thoughts or emotions that are scary or when we're feeling anxiety, the first thing we try to do is calm ourselves down by having a thought process, but it doesn’t work that way,” says Yaeger. "What you have to do first is address your body. You have to calm your body down first through breathing.”

Yoga Director Rachel Murell teaches many yoga styles to her clients, online and in person, and encourages people to get out in nature and ground themselves.

“Finding that inner peace and connecting to yourself really helps you stay calm,” she says. "Nobody is impervious to stress, fear or anger. We all go through stuff. Whatever you’re feeling is OK. One step at a time, one breath at a time.” 

Business NOT as Usual

Written by Frances Kidd  •  Photographed by Sara Moore

For most, 2020 started out like any other year with families storing Christmas decorations, getting kids back to school and resuming pre-holiday routines. However, 2020 would not be a normal year. By mid-March, businesses were closed and employees were working from home.

On March 25, the Newnan City Council held a special meeting to declare a local state of emergency due to COVID-19. The order recommended that people stay at home, restricted gatherings of more than 10 people outside of a family unit, and closed dine-in service at eating establishments; restaurants could continue take-out and begin curbside pickup service. Coweta County, Senoia and Sharpsburg governments simultaneously declared states of emergency.

In early April, Gov. Brian Kemp issued a statewide order requiring nonessential businesses like bowling alleys, gyms and hair salons to close, along with bars and restaurants.

In Coweta, businesses’ responses to the restrictions were as diverse as the businesses themselves. For everyone, adaptability was the key.

Local real estate firm Anderson & Associates posted a Small Business Bingo Card on their Facebook page to urge people to support local business. The card features Bingo squares that read “Donated to Newnan’s Little Free Pantry” and “Purchased grocery items at Ace Beer Growlers.”

Others found ways to serve the community. While Summit YMCA was closed, it made emergency childcare available to first responders and frontline workers. The staff also sponsored a food drive for the Salvation Army.

In late April, the owners of Finley’s Boutique and Knox Furniture, along with attorney Ryan Brown, reached out to Piedmont Newnan to ask what the hospital needed. When they answered “food,” the group ordered 100 meals from Redneck Gourmet, their purchase benefitting not only the hospital but supporting the restaurant, too.

While some restaurants suspended operations at the onset of the crisis, the majority adapted to take-out and curbside service. Some had started making changes before the shutdown orders, including Redneck Gourmet, which removed tables to open up more space inside. When inside dining was shut down, they continued take-out and added curbside pickup.

The owners of the Huddle House on Highway 29 were already planning to close in August after serving food here for almost 50 years. When they closed down for the pandemic, they decided to shut the doors for good rather than reopen for a few more weeks.

Garlic Thai in Newnan continued take-out and added curbside service, and the owners also took advantage of the downtime to do interior renovations.

Local governments helped downtown businesses by providing signs designating curbside pickup parking spots and allowing restaurants already serving unopened bottles of beer and wine as part of their on-site service to include it with take-out orders.

When the state allowed businesses and restaurants to reopen on April 27, many chose to reopen slowly or delay reopening to ensure they could comply with the 39 requirements in the government’s guidelines aimed at keeping staff and customers safe.

Businesses throughout the county reopened to different degrees. Redneck Gourmet resumed dine-in and take-out services in late spring. Sprayberry’s Barbecue reopened its dining room on May 18 but continues to offer curbside pickup.

To help local entrepreneurs return to business, the Newnan City Council approved a temporary ordinance allowing businesses to use public spaces like sidewalks, alleys and parking spaces to extend their retail business with outdoor displays or seating. In front of Redneck Gourmet, a parking space was transitioned into an attractive spot for outdoor dining, complete with AstroTurf.

The city’s ordinance also makes way for a “sip and stroll” district, which allows open containers within the central business district.

In some cases, customers responded so positively to changes brought on by the pandemic that the businesses may make those changes permanent.

Five weeks after they closed on March 20, Goldens on the Square slowly reopened with take-out and curbside pickup, opening their dining room in early May. The family-owned business plans to continue curbside pickup.

“People seem to really like it,” says Marceil Wise-Ousley, operations manager. “It’s a way we can help our older customers and those whose health is compromised. We’ll keep doing it as long as the city will allow it.”

In one of the more unique new twists on doing business, Senoia Coffee & Café added toilet paper to their repertoire. While indoor dining was closed, they opened a small market selling local products along with other grocery items.

“We’d been talking about a provisions-type concept with local goods and products we use, but the timing hadn’t been right,” says April Anderson, who owns the business with her husband Brent. “We have a heart to serve the community, and since many folks were afraid to go to the grocery, this seemed to be the time.”

Since reopening the dining room, the downtown Senoia café continues to operate the market, although mostly online. They do, however, continue curbside pickup for market orders.

The Georgia Tour Company, in Senoia, is probably best-known for its Walking Dead tours. Owner Julie Brown says they suspended tours and closed their shop on March 21, although fans continued to send online requests. Tours started back in mid-June but with smaller groups to ensure sufficient distance between guests.

Brown recently expanded her Senoia business, opening the Coweta Movie Park for Park Under the Stars Movie Nights. Different movies will screen on Saturday nights with the audience watching from inside their cars.

“We have to adjust,” says Brown. “We are operating the movie park fitting all the COVID-19 standards. It will help us and, we hope, the community.”

This period of time is sometimes called the “new normal,” suggesting our way of life may never return to what it was before the pandemic began. National Public Radio has even started publishing a new online newsletter, “The New Normal,” with information about coronavirus and what may come next.

In August, people were still shopping and going out to eat again. Coweta County may not yet be back to normal, but the community continues to turn out to support local businesses.

One popular food item that won’t be available this year, though, is a corn dog at the Coweta County Fair. The Kiwanis Club of Newnan has sponsored the fair every year but one since 1947. Citing concerns over the rise of COVID-19 cases in late summer, they chose to cancel the 2020 fair.

Let’s hope this is one part of the new normal that won’t stay normal for long.

Education in Flux

Shifting models to meet the crisis

Written by Jill Whitley

While Evan Horton, Steve Barker’s replacement as superintendent for Coweta County School System, was eager to accept the job back in February, he readily admits his first year has been quite a challenge so far: “I kind of jumped into the fire,” he says.

Shortly after being named as the incoming superintendent, Horton watched as COVID-19 forced Coweta County to pivot to a virtual learning model when rapid community spread made it unsafe for students and teachers to engage in face-to-face instruction. Working closely with Barker as assistant superintendent, Horton learned from the frustrations and successes of teaching via online instruction.

When the board of education voted at the end of July for all students to start the 2020-2021 school year virtually due to substantial spread of coronavirus, Horton rushed to assure stakeholders that the previous spring’s technological trial by fire had been worth the trouble.

“What we did in March was not full virtual instruction,” says Horton. “It was crisis teaching.”

Built from the feedback of Coweta families who chose to engage in optional online education during spring semester, Empower is Coweta County’s virtual learning platform. And it was prepared to serve the entire student population when they returned to class, albeit virtually, on Aug. 13.

To meet the needs of students, Coweta Schools has purchased Chromebooks and examined concerns of student connectivity issues in rural areas where access to affordable and/or reliable internet service is often limited.

“We’re installing outdoor wireless access points on seven elementary schools around the county,” says Horton. “This solution will provide the option for parents to drive to the school and download assignments in the parking lot.”

The system has requested 31 bus Wi-Fi hotspots through a grant with the Georgia Department of Education. The first round of hotspots will be deployed at the beginning of the school year, and additional units will continue to be deployed through the end of September.

“They would like for us to deploy the buses with Wi-Fi to various locations at various days and times in affected areas,” says Horton. “The Wi-Fi manufacturer says the antennas on the hotspots are stronger than on a phone, so they typically get a signal where a phone may not.”

Days and times the bus Wi-Fi is available will be posted on school websites, according to Horton, who says the school system also ordered 100 personal Wi-Fi hotspots that will be offered for use to families without home internet.

The new superintendent hopes for students to return to the classroom as soon and safely as possible.

“Our kids deserve to be in school,” he says. “We want them to have the most normal experience we can safely provide them.”

He also feels for parents who may be panicked as they adapt to their new role as teaching assistants, reassuring them that school personnel are working toward a safe and healthy school year.

 “We don’t know yet what that might look like,’’ says Horton, “but we want to give students and parents the educational experience they have become accustomed to – even in this unprecedented time.”

Horton praises the efforts of school personnel who worked to meet the needs of students from the start of the pandemic.

“Our staff has been incredible,” he says. “From administrators to teachers to food service providers, they have gone above and beyond to meet the needs of our students from the very beginning of this crisis, and I can’t say enough about what a great job they are doing.”

As the new school year approached, many questions remained unanswered, with solutions to be determined only by the path and intensity of the novel coronavirus.

“I keep wishing that I would wake up and open my eyes one day and the virus would just be gone,” Horton says. “But the reality is that this is a year where we will have to exert maximum flexibility and maximum grace. We’re working as hard as we can to provide the best experience we can for your whole family, and we humbly ask that you allow us to provide that flexibility, and that you allow us some of that grace in return.”

From Daycare to Schoolhouse

Child care center shifts focus to teach school

Written by Jill Whitley

When Coweta County schools had to go virtual in March, Cokes Chapel Child Care Center, in Newnan, quickly adapted to the world of online learning.

“Our after-school kids quickly became all-day kids,” says Director Kristen McCoy. “We were pulling them from their rooms to come to the office to use computers and tablets our teachers brought from home for Zoom lessons. There were hiccups as our kids are in many different classes, grades and schools, but we quickly made a change from an early learning center to a full-fledged, little schoolhouse.”

Subsequently, McCoy and her assistant director, Amber Moore, noticed an uptick in reservations for fall childcare spots after local schools opted for online learning in the fall. McCoy and Moore hatched a plan. The center, which had been serving meals inside classrooms to avoid community spread of the coronavirus, would turn its unused cafeteria and gym into two supervised, socially distanced classrooms for kindergarten to fifth grade students of working parents.

“What we have going in our favor is the benefit of hindsight and experience,” says Moore. “Because daycare providers have been deemed essential workers, we’ve been in the trenches with this virus since it first hit Georgia. We’ve learned what works in real time.”

According to McCoy and Moore, what works is keeping kids in cohorts, or pods, based on age, grade and school with the same state-certified teacher throughout the day. This way, different groups of kids don’t intermingle, so germs are less likely to be spread, they say.

Each student has his or her own seat six feet away from the closest student, according to McCoy, who says distance learners will have their own entrance into school, and daily temperature checks and health questionnaires will be conducted for students and staff. Students will be asked to bring their own computer or Chromebook, and sharing supplies will not be permitted.

McCoy says the goal is to provide a ministry to working parents, to keep the service as affordable as possible, and to accommodate as many kids as they safely can.

“Not every parent can afford to just quit their job or work from home,” says McCoy. “We’re here to give them peace of mind while they put food on the table.”

THE NCM Q&A

Teaching is the New Parenting

A conversation with Ashley Thompson

Written by Jill Whitley | Photos courtesy of Ashley Thompson

For many parents, sending our children to school was one of the few choices we never agonized about. We simply took it for granted that we could load up their backpacks and send them off, hopeful and happy, on the first day.

However, in March, our outsourcing arrangements ended suddenly, leaving our children bathing in the glow of blue-lit screens as we tried to figure out how to educate them in the wake of COVID-19: Do we continue fully online? Or do we attempt to re-enter school in a hybrid, socially distanced model? Should we homeschool independently or use a pre-written curriculum?

To help us make these difficult decisions, NCM spoke with local occupational therapist Ashley Thompson, who serves as director of Foundations and Essentials for a Classical Conversations homeschool community in Newnan. The mom of five children, she and her husband Patrick have homeschooled for six years.

NCM: How do we, as parents, set realistic expectations for ourselves and our kids in this constantly changing environment? 

Thompson: I don’t know how well I can speak to this because homeschooling is different from public schooling at home. My expectations for myself and my children will be different because I set those expectations for us. If you’re public schooling at home, those expectations are set by someone else and they have to be met at home.

What I can say is give yourself and your kids a lot of grace. You will all need it. Whatever public and private schools decide to do, you will be at the mercy of the officials who are leading and making decisions to the best of their ability. Give them grace, too. This is new for everyone. I do not envy anyone in leadership right now trying to make decisions. This entire thing is polarized and there will be no way to make everyone happy. The best leadership can do is try to make decisions for everyone’s best interest with the ever-changing information that’s coming in. Teach your kids that this issue is polarized and that we should respect others.

If there is one thing we can all 100% say, it’s that SARS-CoV-2 is well-researched by everyone. You won’t meet a person who says, “COVID-what?” Everyone will have an opinion about this and they will all be different. Put aside the need to be right, and be humble. It helps you ride the waves of this ever-changing environment.

NCM: Are you getting more calls or emails from nervous parents these days? 

Thompson: I am seeing a tenfold increase in homeschooling interest from new families. I would say the overarching driver for them seems to be wanting a different environment for their child. Most of these families were already considering homeschool as an option, but the current climate of things has really pushed them over the line on which they were teetering.

NCM: How do you set reluctant learners up for successful home or virtual schooling? 

Thompson: First, create a schedule and set your expectations. I would encourage a schedule that will set you up for success. When do you want your child(ren) to wake up? What time should breakfast be done?

Next, dress for success. While doing school in pajamas is definitely an option, as adults we are historically less productive if we are lounging around and not dressed for the part. Have everyone dressed for the day and out of PJs by a certain time. Your morning routine can set the pace for the day.

Finally, make expectations clear before beginning. Make it known that you are expecting the best from your students even if the work is hard. You expect diligence in work, even if they don’t like it. School is not always fun. Likewise, adults have to do things that aren’t fun. One of the beauties of homeschooling your children, or public schooling at home, is that you are able to address any character struggles you see along the way.

NCM: How can parents combat feelings of apathy, boredom or loneliness while adhering to social distance and requests to stay at home during the virtual schooling process? 

Thompson: Start by turning off the screens. Limit movies, shows and gaming. Turn up the opportunity for creative fun. This may be difficult at first, as screen time is a go-to for these negative feelings. But screen time is mind-numbing in nature. It’s OK for children to feel things. It is good to feel these things and learn to be creative in how to fill this time. Turning off the screens allows us to sit in these feelings and then pull ourselves out of them.

Play a board game, color something, create a LEGO city without instructions, make paper airplanes and see how far they fly. Write letters to all your friends and ask them to be penpals, especially during times when we are asked to stay home. 

Take up new hobbies. Do read-alouds as a family or borrow audiobooks from the library. With your library card, you can borrow three audiobooks monthly for free from the public library system in Coweta.

NCM: What encouragement can you offer parents who feel they aren’t qualified to act as their child’s teacher?

Thompson: My encouragement is that you absolutely can do this. This is temporary. Even if this is hard, you can still do it. Aim to do it with messy excellence. There are going to be mistakes by everyone. This is new territory. Have grace for your leaders, teachers, your children and yourself.

Also, understand this logic: Here you are with a high school diploma and potentially higher degrees after that. Are you not equipped to teach third grade math? You have a high school diploma that clearly states you have accomplished the requirements through 12th grade. Dispel the lie that you are not able to accomplish this. Research shows us that one-to-one instruction from a dedicated caregiver produces children who succeed.

Homeschooling isn’t easy. Public schooling at home isn’t easy. Yet it is doable and there are many fruits to be had from it. Find the joy in the everyday moments that you would otherwise miss. In a split second, your children will be grown and out of the house. Count it as an opportunity from which to glean.

Show your children the art of perseverance by pulling yourselves up and dredging on. Approach this uncertainty and newness with resolve. Your children will see this, and they will learn from you. They will learn from you to turn their faces to the wind and walk uphill when they face difficulties later in life.

 Faith in the Midst of a Pandemic

Written by Marty M. Hohmann  •  Photographed by Sara Moore

COVID-19 descended upon America like a thief in the night, stealing away what many consider one of our nation’s most sacred liberties: the right to gather and worship without persecution.

That way of life was dramatically altered as Americans were bombarded with frightening messages to quarantine, distance from family and friends, stay home and stay safe.

Faith leaders throughout the state were tasked with a new reality: How could they continue to offer services provided by the church during a public health emergency?

Some opted to utilize technology and meet via Zoom, Skype or Facebook Live. Others experimented with drive-in church services. Some had to be a bit more creative.

Rev. B.J. Bowers, of Moreland, pastors two United Methodist churches in Troup County and says it’s been a balancing act between ministering and being mindful of the health of the congregants. Her last in-sanctuary meetings before the shutdown were on March 8, and her congregations didn’t meet again inside the church until late June. In the interim, drive-in services were held in May and June.

 “Before we were told we could have drive-in services, I typed out scriptures, prayers and reflections and added links to music as a living worship document, and each week I forwarded them by email or text to each member,” says Bowers, noting that she adhered to guidance provided by the North Georgia United Methodist Conference.

Since June, both of her congregations continued to meet in person with attendance close to normal, according to Bowers. 

“People are consciously maintaining distance and wearing masks,” she says. “They are very respectful of personal space. During ‘Passing the Peace,’ they wave and shout to each other instead of the normal handshake or hug.”

Unlike many of the nation’s governors, Gov. Brian Kemp avoided issuing a directive to close places of worship but strongly urged against attendance. At the beginning of the pandemic, he limited public gatherings to 10 people.

The governor’s original shelter-in-place order was issued April 2 and was subsequently extended multiple times for several months. As of late August, the governor remained steady with regard to churches, continuing to refuse to consider closing them, and he had not made statements about how congregations choose to meet.

Presenting an especially difficult scenario for churchgoers was the fact that Easter and Passover fell during the height of the pandemic, leading the governor to issue a statement that doubled as a warning plea: “To all Georgians celebrating Easter this weekend, I am pleading with you not to attend any services in person. If you attend worship services in person, you risk exposure to coronavirus – potentially endangering your life, the lives of your neighbors and your loved ones.”

Priests, pastors and rabbis were left scrambling to determine how to meet the needs of those who felt vulnerable, fearful and lonely.

Beau Brezina, director of Discipleship Counseling for Christian Families Today, a counseling service in Ashley Park, says he heard from a lot of believers in those early weeks of the crisis.

“Anxiety in times like these is what you would expect,” he says, adding that hopelessness and grief also figure into the equation. “People of faith are not immune from those same concerns.”

“It has been a learning experience,” adds Bowers. “It’s heartbreaking when I can’t visit a member when they are hospitalized and even their families can’t be with them. At times, it’s a top-of-the-mountain experience when I look into the windshield of a vehicle at a drive-in service and witness a dear saint raising her hands in praise to God.”

Face-to-face counseling and visitation haven’t been easy, according to Bowers. “Most have been over the phone,” she says, noting that twice she’s met with a person at a public park.

For Pastor Debra Harris and the Ignite the Fire Movement, COVID-19 and the fear that came with it presented the ideal opportunity to show the power of prayer. She called on her cadre of prayer warriors to meet in front of the old courthouse in Newnan in March to pray.

Armed with the shofar (a ram’s horn trumpet used by the ancient Israelites as a battle signal), a group of about 30 people called on the Lord to hear their cry for mercy and justice. The video of the prayer gathering was shared to Facebook, reaching hundreds.

Harris says her church, Kingdom Connected International Ministries in Newnan, continued to meet but was always mindful of social distancing and the guidelines issued by the governor. “We didn’t miss a beat,” she says.

Catholic churches in the area were given targeted direction to suspend Mass by the Most Reverend Joel Konzen of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. The Archdiocese held off on reopening churches for daily Mass until May 25 with strict guidelines accompanying the reopening: “Parishes may use a reservation system or first-come, first-admitted procedure. Outdoor Masses allowing for greater attendance are permitted, and social distancing measures are to be observed outdoors. If people attend outdoor Masses in their cars, they are to get out and stand to receive Holy Communion.”

Though many places of worship opened their doors for in-person fellowship over the summer, some congregants decided against attending services that restricted handshakes and hugs, singing and receiving communion. Several expressed concern that the “new normal” was not what they had hoped for when they returned to worship services and that the fellowship they had long been denied was going to be forever changed by the virus as the elderly and infirm are still unable to have visitors, last rites are not being administered, and other hallmarks so integral to their faith are missing.

In New York state, which closed places of worship indefinitely during the pandemic, Christians and Jews joined together to sue for their First Amendment right and won a decisive victory. On June 26, a federal judge said that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Attorney General Letitia James, and New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio “exceeded” their executive powers by limiting worship services while condoning mass protests following the death of George Floyd.

“Government cannot discriminate by protecting free speech and the right to assemble while threatening or limiting religious exercise — it must protect all rights guaranteed under the First Amendment,” Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband said.

As autumn began, Cowetans were left wondering if the practice of their faith will forever be altered by the ravages of COVID-19, although some denominations have already answered that question.

“This ‘new normal’ will continue for the foreseeable future until there is a breakthrough regarding a vaccine,” reads a statement from the North Georgia United Methodist Conference. “Churches should continue to offer online worship and discipleship and be prepared for resuming online-only worship should there be a resurgence of COVID-19.”

At First Baptist Church of Newnan, congregants remained in Phase Two of their reopening plan in August, according to the Rev. Jimmy Patterson, senior pastor, who says Southern Baptist churches are autonomous and therefore at liberty to do whatever they think is best for their congregation.

“We have a ‘masks required’ service at 8:15 a.m. and a ‘masks strongly encouraged’ service at 11 a.m. in four simultaneous venues,” he says. “Our current Phase Two operation limits attendees in different venues as we practice social distancing by blocking every other row. We have no handouts or books in use. Our facilities are receiving weekly deep-cleaning and sanitization. Temperatures are checked at the door. Masks are made available at the door by masked volunteers. Ushers seat attendees. The worship service is 45 minutes long. At the end of the service, our staff sequentially dismisses attendees from the rear to the front of the auditorium. People are encouraged to go directly to their cars.”

In-person services are held in the church’s main sanctuary, a live video-feed with in-person worship leaders is set up in the historic sanctuary and the warehouse, and services are live streamed from the church website and Facebook page.

 Rising to the Challenge

Outreach groups find new ways to meet great need

Written by Jeffrey Ward • Photographed by Sara Moore

In the best of times, nonprofit outreach organizations in our community fly largely under the public radar as they help the underprivileged and under-served by providing food, shelter, clothing and financial assistance. Many of these agencies are underfunded and short-staffed.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has seemingly thrown the earth off-kilter, how has this crisis affected local nonprofits that have scrambled to help others since spring? How have they adapted and coped as job losses and unemployment have soared?

Many nonprofits keenly felt the loss of volunteers in the 65-plus at-risk group. Add the challenges of social distancing, deep sanitary cleaning, and severe restrictions on group gatherings, and you’d expect the nonprofits may be foundering. Not so. Considering the circumstances, most are doing well as they continue to do the most good for those less fortunate.

It is gratifying that most local nonprofits don’t compete with each other. Instead, they network together, helping pool resources and needs in a collaborative effort. Residents throughout Coweta County make this possible by donating to and/or volunteering with these organizations.

When the least among us are served, the entire community benefits. That’s true in normal times — and in a pandemic year when everything is far from normal.

Founded in 2009, Bridging the Gap’s major thrust is providing emergency food and children’s lunches, the latter critical when Coweta County schools — and their free meals program — closed last spring.

Executive Director Kelli Yeager-Nelson says that in 2019, their client base was 65% children, the elderly and the disabled. Now it’s closer to 77% for these most vulnerable segments of the population.

Bridging the Gap, in downtown Newnan, offers showers and lockers so the community’s homeless can tidy up and store their valuables. The director says it may be surprising that homeless residents often work two and sometimes three jobs to make ends meet. Many are college students.

Since the pandemic, boxes of food are delivered from Bridging the Gap’s warehouse to cars in Saturday morning drive-thru food distributions. In March, when Governor Brian Kemp closed the state down, Bridging the Gap sent their truck out to glean surplus food from various supermarkets.

“For several days, there was no food to pick up because the stores were also out and the situation became desperate,” Yeager-Nelson recalls.

Bridging the Gap participated in a collaborative effort involving most of the local outreach nonprofits to see what could be done. She says that’s when an amazing turn of events began: Two churches, Foundation Christian Church and Community Christian Church, each raised $10,000 in a single day for emergency food purchases.

The Atlanta Food Bank offered food at a steep discount and, with the donated money, Bridging the Gap was able to purchase discounted produce, meat and perishables from B.J.’s Warehouse. Also, U.S. Foods, which provides food for restaurants, donated unused food since most eating establishments were closed.

Almost overnight, in what appeared to be an act of divine providence, Bridging the Gap’s pantry was restocked.

“The key here is collaboration with the other nonprofits,” says Yeager-Nelson. “What one lacks, the others pitch in to help. Everyone wins.”

When the pandemic hit full-force in March, the Coweta Samaritan Clinic shut its doors to all walk-in patients and was not processing new patients. Instead, it transitioned to provide telemedicine services for its established clients. Patients called in for a specific time slot, and a clinic physician saw them virtually in an online appointment. Along with providing social distancing for all, telemedicine eases the burden of many clients who have transportation difficulties.

The clinic opened back up to new patients in early July with “a safe and effective protocol in place to protect our patients and staff,” says Executive Director Kelly Hines.

Due to the success of the new telemedicine services, the clinic will continue offering them as well as in-person visits.

Most clients served by Coweta Samaritan Clinic simply lack health insurance or have underlying chronic health conditions, which makes it difficult for them to stay employed, according to Executive Director Kelly Hines, who says all of the clinic’s services are free to those who qualify.

Hines heaps praise on the local medical community, which generously supports the clinic with free medical procedures and more complex treatments that their clinic cannot perform.

Coweta Samaritan Clinic will hold its annual fundraiser, Bluegrass and Barbecue, on Oct. 4 to celebrate their 10th anniversary. The fundraiser will be modified as a drive-thru or drop-by event.

The I-58 Mission Outreach began in the garage of Anthony and Kharma Novak six years ago as a result of their witnessing what they viewed as deplorable living conditions in the Senoia area.

Kharma, an English teacher who serves as the ministry’s operations director, remembers: “I was in disbelief that such grinding poverty existed right in our community. We saw actual rat holes and squalor. My easygoing husband got riled up and we knew something had to be done.”

Before the pandemic hit, I-58 Mission Outreach kept a list of 50 volunteers, according to Kharma. When they had to lock up and self-quarantine, the list dwindled down to 17.

Before COVID-19, I-58 Mission Outreach served 50 to 70 families per week. By July, they were serving more than 150 families, a testament to the devastating effects of unemployment, which resulted from measures taken to stem the spread of the virus.

Whereas the mission used to invite clients inside their headquarters to pick and choose the staples they needed, now clients stay in their cars and are given a box of basic items.

As the number of families needing food increased dramatically, the amount of food coming in also increased to meet the demand, according to Kharma. She attributes the abundance to God’s miraculous provision in times of desperate need.

“The boxes of food we assemble inside our facility and bring out to our clients are now of a better quality and quantity,” she says, noting that while the ministry has never asked for money, needed provisions keep coming in to meet the demand. “Our clients are like family here. We bless them and they bless us back.”

The pandemic brought challenges, and ways to meet them, to One Roof Ecumenical Alliance Outreach.

Measures were needed to provide the necessary social distancing it takes to prevent spread of the coronavirus. With help from volunteers, physical barriers were installed inside The Lodge, One Roof's home for at-risk women and children, to accommodate social distancing, according to One Roof Executive Director Ann Kerlin. (For more, see Nonprofit Spotlight on page 66.)

Local Boy Scouts stepped up to help One Roof provide masks to clients by organizing a project to make 200 masks. Another Scout raised money and helped build better shelving for the thrift store. (For more on the Scouts, see Coweta Kids Care, page 78.)

Kerlin praises the community for helping nonprofits meet needs produced by the pandemic.

“The community has really pulled together to handle this crisis well,” she says.

Kerlin extends a special shoutout to Pam Gabel, an American Red Cross recovery specialist, who hosted twice-weekly online meetings for nonprofits and community leaders to keep them up-to-date on needs in the community and resources available for the nonprofits.

Art in Adversity

Written by Susan Mayer Davis

Coweta is known for its artistic community. Even though group meetings and one-on-one lessons have been mostly canceled since March, creative people who work to encourage artists have been making strides to keep art alive.

It’s not surprising that art, in its many forms, has been a central focus for many during the pandemic. After all, sheltering in place can create uncomfortable feelings: boredom, sadness, fear, depression and loneliness. Art allows the artist to express feelings or to create something that brings joy and happiness. More than ever, it can be a helpful diversion that quashes unpleasant emotions.

“The global pandemic has turned a spotlight on the immense value of the Arts and artists,” says Kim Ramey, founder and director of Backstreet Arts in Newnan. “When the pandemic hit, artists were the first to jump up and share their art and talents to help us cope with the grief and anxiety in the universe. Musicians are performing from their living rooms, authors read books aloud, illustrators doodle online and give classes, museums hold virtual tours so we can view exquisite creations. Artists understand the importance of art in all its forms and the impact it has on our overall well-being. Art bypasses our brain and goes straight to our heart.”

With her doors closed to clients during much of the pandemic, Ramey says that being “paused” in her endeavors has been difficult.

“Backstreet Arts is not just about the art but also about the community that happens inside the studio,” she says. “Backstreet has been forced to think outside the box even more than we normally do. Although most of the artist volunteers like to stay in the background and teach in small groups, we have pushed ourselves to get in front of the camera and make videos to stay connected with our participants and the community.”

The nonprofit even created a YouTube channel.

“If nothing else, watching some of the videos will make you chortle,” says Ramey.

“Art bypasses our brain and goes straight to our heart.”

– Kim Ramey, Backstreet Arts

Thanks to donors who generously supported Backstreet Arts in recent months, the organization was able to purchase more than 125 art kits containing everything from watercolor sets and paper to ukuleles and instruction books.

“These have been freely given out to our community, and our Little Lending Library has become a community sharing spot,” Ramey said in July. “Not only are books and art kits inside for the taking, but neighbors are leaving art supplies inside to share, too.”

According to Ramey, art is at the very core of human beings.

“The shelter-in-place order has helped some of us rekindle that inner creativity,” she says. “Flour is sold out at the grocery stores because we are baking again. Organic seed packs are sold out all over the country because we are remembering the joy of gardening. Fabric and elastic are scarce because we started sewing masks – and not just utilitarian masks but masks that reflect our sense of humor and individuality.”

Ramey feels certain that the global crisis brought by COVID-19 has emphasized the importance of art – and the work that Backstreet does.

“Many people who have never been to Backstreet have picked up art supplies from us, and they are stunned that it is free,” she says. “We have received emails and messages from people who have tried new art forms because of the supplies we’ve offered. When you find a hand-written thank you note slipped under the door telling you how much a family is using the art supplies we provided and now they are learning to play the ukulele together, well, that gives you the energy to keep on for a little while longer.”

In downtown Newnan, Jenny Jones closed Corner Arts Gallery for six weeks due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The closure had a substantial financial impact on Jones and other locally owned businesses whose owners had to develop inventive ways to keep money coming in.

Jones posted on social media that sales of items and gift cards were available for purchase online, and she developed virtual art classes on the Zoom app. Although her shop doors were closed, she kept up her monthly class commitment to the Cancer Treatment Center using Zoom to instruct participants.

After the initial shutdown, Jones reopened her store four days a week for four hours a day with a limit of five people inside at one time and classes limited to four students, all wearing masks while they created works of art.

“I can’t wait to get back to some sort of normal,” Jones said in the summer. “I still have a lot of catching up to do, and I know this community needs us to offer their local handmade art for sale as well as teach art classes. We serve an important function in downtown Newnan, and we can’t wait to be able to fulfill that for our neighbors. We appreciate all the support we have received from them and want to reciprocate.”

Bette Hickman has been teaching art to children since 1979. The pandemic put a halt to her weekly lessons at the Harriet Alexander Art House, but Hickman and her fellow teacher, Teri Lewis, came up with plans to keep their students virtually engaged in both art and the environment.

“Teri and I have worked together virtually to create lessons for our students,” says Hickman. “The first lesson encouraged them to explore their own yards to discover beauty there. We then asked for sketches to be sent back to us.”

The next lesson requested that students search their closets to find a special shoe to draw and to write a story about. During the Easter season, students drew bunnies and partnered with the ChildrenConnect Museum to place the drawings in their windows. In July, children created a cartoon earthworm named Walter.

“In my years of teaching, I have learned how important fantasy is for children of all ages,” says Hickman. “If there has ever been a time when our children need to dream and be creative, it is now.”

Hickman says her soapbox has always been that each individual can create art in some form.

“It is time and passion to create that makes an artist,” she says. “I hope more people have discovered this doorway and may walk through it.”