Profile: Philanthropist Kate Atwood

KATE'S CLUB IS REALLY GREAT     (6/8/15)

      For children who have lost one or more parents, life can be very hard.  In Atlanta, there's a great organization for kids in this situation.  It is called ‘Kate’s Club’.

     At age 6, Kate Atwood watched her mother fight cancer.  She lost her by the age of 12. 

     "My involvement with a bereavement camp in Virginia led me to discover my healing," said Atwood.   "...by bringing me comfort among others who had experienced this loss."

      Based on her childhood experience, Kate was inspired to help other children unite with their peers who shared a similar loss experience so they would know they were not alone in their grieving.

     "Grief is a normal reaction to loss in someone's life," said Atwood.  "Grieving children may act-out,  have trouble focusing or have low academic performance."

      Kate’s Club started in June 2003 with only six children.  They met at a local bowling alley.  Nearly twelve years later, they have touched the lives of more than 1,000 children and their families.

     "We engage our members and volunteers each year in four main programs," said Atwood.  "These events provide social, recreational and emotional support to the children of Kate’s Club."

 

     Former NBC Today Show co-host Meredith Vieira did a national story about the organization, which really helped.

    “After the show, we had people calling from all-over the country,” said Kristyn Back, Development Coordinator.  “Other places wanted to start a Kate’s Club, and we began to see a lot of donations coming in.” 

      The organization helps children in many ways, the best of which provides trained counselors who can help the children through the loss process. 

     If you know of a child who has experienced the loss of a parent, contact the organization to hear more about the programs: 404-347-7619 or email  programs@katesclub.org.

---Ray Macon

Trendsetter Les Bouska

CHESHIRE SALON GIVES BACK TO ART

     “From my point of view, beauty and style go hand-in-hand,” said Les Bouska, owner of the Atlanta Hair Studio, located at the edge of Buckhead.   “Art is the perfect complement to my salon.”

     Les was speaking of his new salon on Cheshire Bridge Road.  The company was in a smaller building up the street for years.  When he began refurbishing another building across from Faulkner Road, it was clear the project would take months. 

     “I wanted the building to speak to passers-by,” said Bouska.  “For years; the windows had been painted-over, repeatedly, creating a dark and seedy looking exterior. I wanted no trace of that.  I opened the windows, letting in light to create a space that would bring interest to the street.”

    Les Bouska is an Atlantan who grew-up on Clairmont Road.  His home was once located where Century Center now stands.  

     With a degree in computer science and technology systems, you would think he would be building machines. 

     “In college I worked at a salon and learned how to formulate dye colors,” said Bouska, “I thought the beauty industry was a lot more interesting than computers.” 

     Bouska is also a celebrated (and collected) photographer.  He has a lot of artist friends and that would eventually lead him to open a free exhibition space. 

      “We decided to bring art to that side of the street,” said Bouska.  “Each artist gets a three month period to show their work.”

     Best of all: Les Bouska does not charge the artists if a piece sells.  “I really just want the art there to create interest not only in my salon, but on the face of the street as well.”

     Les specializes in natural highlights, color and color-correction.  The Master Stylist is an expert at matching color to skin tone and the personalities of his clients.  But he’s also great in the ‘art of helping others’.

“Bringing this effort to a space that was formerly dark and uninviting has served to make it even more visible,” said Bouska.  “I’m looking forward to continuing Atlanta Hair Studio’s relationship with the community. Art, style, service, and goodwill all make for a great space for the street, and a great space to work."

      Les Bouska invites the public to drop-by the studio for a free consultation and see the popular “street gallery”.  

     Consistently a winner of Best of Atlanta, the Atlanta Hair Studio is located at 2043 B Cheshire Bridge Road.

-----Ray Macon

Les Bouska, Owner

Art by Matthew Craven

                                                               Art by Scott French

Pool Owner Instructor Melinda Slotnick

SWIM IN THE MIDDLE OF MIDTOWN (6/8/15)

     There's a pool hidden somewhere in Midtown, and children inside are squealing with joy.

    “There’s an indoor pool located here? “   J.J., a father of three, was dropping-off his children at another business.  “Inside this building?”

     Until recently, there wasn't a floatie or pair of underwater goggles for blocks near this place.  That's until the Swimmerman Swim Club opened a school on Amsterdam Walk. 

     Classes will begin in the fall, but there are already many interested parents who want someone else to teach their children the skill of swimming.

     Jennifer Kahlon dropped-by to check-out the place with her 3-year old, Zack. 

    “I know how important it is for kids to learn water safety,” said Kahlon. “…with outdoor pools you have the weather as a concern.  Here, the lessons have a consistency, in a warm pool designed for the student."

     Owner Melina Slotnick is very proud.  It has taken over two years to get the project completed.  “Our pool is nineteen by forty-five feet built exclusively for teaching the skill of swimming.”

    With UV System and two massive pumps that turn the water-over, the pool feels like it belongs in a tropical setting.   

    Eventually the school will teach children from two months old to adults who never learned to swim. 

     “The pool has different islands and ledges,” said Slotnick “…this allows the student to swim from Point A to Point B without having to walk.  It is a teaching pool, specifically designed for teaching.”

     The school is painted to resemble a comic book.  Slotnick created the Swimmerman character as the spirit of a non-swimmer.   

    “We wanted it to capture the heart of a child who is afraid of swimming, as they learn, their confidence increases like that of a superhero.” Slotnick said.

     To inquire about Classes, visit the school on Amsterdam Walk.

---Ray Macon

ROBOTICS CAMP ROCKS

     He spends a lot of his day talking about the past.  But then, he's a History teacher at Inman Middle School.  Away from Class, Mike Dorsey is a Futurist.

     You might have heard his name before...the teacher who took a small group of students into a major competition and got his name in the paper.  Mike has been so successful at encouraging kids that he was asked by Museum of Art and Design (MODA) Atlanta to start a Robotics Camp a couple of years ago. 

      Since then, he's created his own.   With other Educators, Mike & Team hope to produce Georgia's future scientists, inventors and engineers. 

     And there's a lot to learn. 

     "Our camps introduce students to a wide variety of projects and activities," said Dorsey.  "We integrate science, technology. engineering, mathematics, creativity & design."

     The camps will be held at two different locations, Druid Hills and Drew Charter School, from June 1st to July 17th 9 am – 4 pm.   Since the ages of invited campers range from 5-13, the educators will tailor sessions so that all kids can learn and create. 

     "We strongly believe that by helping kids explore creativity they are better positioned to find personal meaning and satisfaction from their work," said Dorsey.

     One of the most interesting programs of the summer, the educating team presents "the Scratch Code Lab" June16-19th.   Campers will learn a second language using MIT’s Scratch drag-and-drop coding system.

    "The Robotics Lab w/ Sphero®" commences in late June.  Here, kids are taught the latest craze in robotics using Sphero®, the robotic ball.  Tips and tricks on easy ways to program using mobile apps will be presented. Most exciting, campers will construct chariots and a course for the Summer Chariot Races.

     The Druid Hills location will host the popular Lego® ROBOTICS camp. Each session runs a week. The camps are reasonably priced and are of high quality curriculum. 

     "Our campers learn by playing, succeed through failure, and discover by exploring." said Dorsey.  "But most importantly, we want students to be happy and have fun!
     For more information please checkout the website at:  Robotics Camp www.edutechcamps.com

     ---Ray Macon 

GREAT JOB:GAFFER   (5/11/15)

    With Hollywood moving south, if you're prepared to be the expert when it comes to Georgia film making, you might want to know the positions of everyone on the crew. 

     Let's see...there's the Director, Producers, Script people, Hair/Make-up/Wardrobe, Special Effects and lighting.  What's that 'lighting guy' called again?

     In the business of film making, the men and women who design scene lighting for motion pictures are called Gaffers. 

     The term comes from the word 'gaff', which is a boat tool used to lift fish.  But other people are hired to lift the lights, today the term is an unofficial name for a movie's Chief Lighting Designer. 

     "The Cinematographer and I come up with the way we want the movie to look," said Rob Miller, a lighting designer from L.A. 

     Rob was working on the horror movie TELL ME YOUR NAME in Flowery Branch, Georgia.  He allowed Hometown News Atlanta to tag along as he explained the job. 

     "...there's a lot of nuances involved," said Rob.   "...such as the color temperature of the light, how hard or soft it is, direction of the lights and this plays into important story elements of the film."

    The hours of the Gaffer jobs are long.  Some staff even sleep inside huge lighting trucks parked near the set, movie lighting is that important. 

     An entire lighting scheme for a movie can take months to plan.  Then, there's what the Gaffer calls 'the Controlling Elements'. 
    
     "If the sun is too bright, we may have to put giant frames in front of it to make it look like a cloudy day,"  said Rob. 

     Other days, when it is cloudy, artificial lighting is brought in to represent the sun.  This doesn't sound very complicated, but imagine you've chosen sunny Georgia to shoot your movie and the week of major production shooting---it rains.   Call the Gaffer!

     The Gaffer's ability to assist with lighting, is almost magic.  On most films, evening scenes are usually shot at night. 

     To a film buff, lighting is the 'sub-conscience element that effects the emotional resonance of the scene'.  That's a mouthful, but in the end the film lighting has to be believable.

     "If it is done the right way," said Rob,"...you feel a tension, colors mesh with the script,  I love this job because I move the technical into the psychological elements of the story."

     ---Ray Macon

GOOD PARENT HELPS OTHERS      (5/9/15)

     Barenda Whitaker is one of those parents who pay attention to their kids. 

     At age 3, her father Joseph noticed that Barenda was interested in piano and dance lessons.  So---he bought both for her.  She spent a lot of time in school performing at shows.

     "There's a missing element in parenting," Barenda said, "...nationwide I don't think we pay enough attention to our kids.  This is costing us money."

     They way Barenda explains it, refining 'who children are'  reflects on 'what they will be' when they grow-up. 

     "If we can help young people understand early, we make better decisions as to college, where to send them, and how much it will cost the family," said Barenda. 

     The goal for Barenda and other progressive parents?  Eliminate the phrase “I don’t know what I want to do," before a college-bound person can say it.

     When you consider that the annual family income of more than 47 percent of undergraduates is less than $40,000, saving money and steering a child toward their interests should be a goal ten years before college.

    

     They way Barenda explains it, if the child is working toward a long-term goal, he or she won't do anything to hinder it.  "They have a Guidepost," said Barenda, "...and they will cross-reference every decision as to whether or not it help further them on their chosen career path."  

     Years ago, Barenda's commitment to the children of Atlanta evolved from collecting shoes and coats to art workshops.  It was not until she brought children together for a couple sound recordings that she connected better with the kids.

     Angelica H. was not expected to live.  A Wish Foundation recipient, the child was diagnosed with a major lung problem.  Then she found Healthy Notions Kids, Barenda Whitaker's program. 

     "While Angelica had wires and tubes attached to her body," Barenda said, "...the family brought her to the recording studio.  She she sang at the event, fulfilling a simple childhood dream of recording a song."

     Some children are more comfortable in the audience, others on the microphone.

     "With exposure to music comes a connection," said Barenda.  "“...we found that some kids have speaking or singing ability, others organize well or play an instrument.  We grow this talent.  We use that exposure to the arts to create leaders." 

     According to Whitaker and the experts, if children have a passion, they have less a risk of getting in the wrong crowd because they are not misguided or lacking focus.

     Healthy Notions Kids is a 501c3 government approved nonprofit organization addressing children's health issues through arts and entertainment.  All donations are fully tax deductible, and the organization could use the support.  See http://healthynotions.blogspot.com

---Ray Macon

STARS of ATLANTA POLITICS GO TO DINNER (5/10/15)

     If hobnobbing with the stars from Atlanta politics is your scene, then you might want to mark the date of next years HRC dinner.

     In early May, the 28th Annual HRC Atlanta Dinner & Auction was held.  The dinner, not short on Democrats, attracts a large bipartisan following as well.  That is because it's the best chance to get elbow-to-elbow with a Who's Who of power players in Atlanta and national politics.  Plus---one can usually see a star or two!

     "They've invited an American Idol," someone in the audience whispered.

     "They always invite an American Idol," the other whispered back. 

     HRC, which at its core is trying to advance legislation to further civil rights issues, envisions a world 'more equal', where "...people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community." 

     Several hundred people were in attendance, from every sector of the populace.

    "“We can change this epidemic of discrimination in this country," said HRC President Chad Griffin. 

     The event had its controversial speeches as well as heart breaking.  Jim Obergefell, who lost a partner to A.L.S., added "I’m humbled to play a small step in moving that fight forward,”. 

     Recognized as an Honorary Guest, Atlanta 5th District's Congressman John Lewis brought his own table of Atlanta professionals including the owners of Castleberry Hill's No Mas! Cantina, teachers, writers, artists and advisers. 

     Between speakers, many attendees attempted to get Selfies with Lewis, considered by many at the dinner a vibrant political futurist.

     Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, was the keynote speaker.  "...ultimately, this isn’t about changing laws—it’s about changing lives,” she said.

     Margaret Kaiser, who is stepping down as a state representative to run for Atlanta mayor, was at the dinner with her friend, Angel Luis Poventud, a busy advocate of Atlanta green projects such as the BeltLine. 

     Also in attendance, Mayoral Candidate Cathy Woolard; State Rep. Simone Bell; Atlanta City Council member Alex Wan; State Sen. Vincent Fort;  Alabama State Rep. Patricia Todd; Fulton Superior Court Judge Jane Barwick; and former Atlanta City Council President Lisa Borders.

     To get a ticket for next year's dinner, go to HRC's website.

---Ray Macon