Clearing The Air

Some school districts and other organizations are breathing a little easier thanks to equipment manufactured by Marietta’s Aguair.

Last year, Marietta-based Aguair, a manufacturer of engineered systems for agribusiness and other markets, was doing business as usual. Aguair’s ClensAir™, SaniCart™, Aquatronics™, and other products are used widely to extend the life of perishables from farm-to-fork, through factors such as air sanitization, humidity control, aeroponics, water treatment and biosecurity in greenhouses, storage facilities, processing centers, transportation and retail store backrooms. Aguair and its parent company, Prodew Inc., have been operating successfully in Georgia for a combined 25 years. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

But this isn’t a tale of woe that so many industries and individuals have experienced in 2020. This is a tale of ingenuity, adaptability, and triumph. Aguair leadership saw an opportunity to help, a chance to assist with re-openings, including helping schools conduct in-person learning while keeping their students safe.

With its equipment already in use across the food industry, Aguair knew that it could help shuttered businesses and schools to reopen with a broad sense of security and assurance by disinfecting indoor environments and limiting the spread of pathogens.

“What we realized is that there is a growing need for this kind of equipment in public spaces and for public safety, for public health,” said Nadya Merchant, Ph.D., Aguair scientific director. “Aguair has seen a huge increase in demand for its equipment over the last few months, as people have started to try to get back to normal. You have dentist offices, veterinarians, you’ve got schools, hotels, fitness centers, restaurants, everyone scrambling to make their facilities safe.”

All of these industries and companies were calling for information regarding two Aguair products that are effective at fighting the spread of pathogens, the company reports — the mobile SaniCart and the ClensAir. While interest has been shown from customers from across the United States, Aguair has gotten particular traction in the State of Nevada.

Word began to spread last spring following reports out of Nevada of the successful use of SaniCart to help the Boys & Girls Clubs there to reopen following closure due to the pandemic. Executives there conducted extensive research to ensure safety, removing shared equipment such as computers and game tables. They also wanted to find an effective and efficient way to sanitize the facility for staff members and the hundreds of children they serve every day. When leadership there found Aguair, they knew they had located the right solution.

Mike Wurm, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club at Truckee Meadows in Reno, Nevada said that through the pandemic, their staff has reevaluated and improved their disinfection protocols. The thorough sanitization procedures put a big demand on staff, who at the beginning of the pandemic were spending hours wiping down surfaces. “SaniCart is great because it allows for more thorough disinfection without too much manpower.” His staff is using the equipment in close to 20 Boys and Girls Clubs through Reno and elsewhere in northern Nevada.

“SaniCart has been really good in our daycares,” Wurm said. His staff would completely bleach down all surfaces in the daycare centers every two hours. “With SaniCart, you roll in the machine and completely sanitize everything in the room in just 20 minutes. You don’t have to wipe down each toy or each block, because of the science behind the fogging machine that gets the disinfectant on every surface.”

In the computer labs, Wurm said, “We are no longer worried about electronics getting wet. We can sanitize keyboards and mics.” The Boys and Girls Cub centers purchased SaniCart with CARES Act funding and are using it throughout their buildings and even on their buses.

“SaniCart makes good sense, especially in our larger buildings,” Wurm said. “It goes a long way in replacing manpower. When kids leave an area, we roll in the machine, plug it in, turn it on, close the door, and the room is completely sanitized by the time the kids return. Before, we had a whole layer of staff disinfecting, now we just have one person working the SaniCart. It is efficient and also more thorough at disinfecting.”

When local community leaders heard about the successes at the Boys & Girls Clubs, a Nevada foundation stepped in to help many schools in rural northern Nevada that couldn’t afford such equipment on their own. This particular foundation assists northern Nevada communities with healthcare, education, medical research, and community service funding; and over the past few decades has funded millions in grants to northern Nevada non-profits and schools.

The foundation has provided grants to six school districts, two charter schools, and other Nevada non-profits to purchase sanitization solutions, including Aguair systems. Additionally, the foundation worked with Aguair to obtain deep discounts on SaniCart and ClensAir for the school districts that received foundation grants. The foundation wanted to make sure that as schools reopened, they were adding additional layers of protection to keep students and teachers safe. All of the school districts opted to purchase SaniCart — one unit per school building, and about 90 percent of the school districts also purchased ClensAir for their nurses’ offices and COVID-19 isolation rooms.

Harman Bains, director of business services at Lyon County School District near Reno was looking for efficient and convenient disinfecting solutions so that his staff could get away from manually disinfecting surfaces with a rag and spray bottle at the 18 schools in his district. When he heard of SaniCart as a sanitization solution that could be rolled around and put in a classroom, he was thrilled. His district has received funding from the local foundation to purchase SaniCart and ClensAir.

Bains said, “The convenience aspect of SaniCart is huge. We initially looked at electrostatic backpack sprayers, but the idea of carrying around 20-pound backpacks all day long was a hinderance.” Bains also likes the fact that the SaniCart disinfectant tank has a larger capacity, so it doesn’t need to be refilled as frequently, and that unlike with other sprayers, his staff doesn’t need to wipe down surfaces after using SaniCart. The dry micro-fog leaves no wetness behind.

The school district is using ClensAir air purifiers in each of their nurse’s offices. “We placed ClensAir on top of the doors to keep the air clean as kids who might not be feeling well come in and out of the nurse’s offices.”

Harman thanks the local foundation for funding this disinfection equipment that will “not only help fight this pandemic in our schools today, but will continue to make a positive impact on our students’ lives for years and even decades to come.”

The foundation hopes to inspire other organizations and school districts around the country to invest in technologies that help reduce airborne and surface transmission of pathogens and reduce missed school days among students.

Other organizations and businesses in Nevada including a community college, an arts and cultural center, and a museum have also invested in Aguair technology.

SaniCart is a wheeled unit that can be used with several disinfecting agents to deliver air and surface sanitization. The SaniCart emits a dry fog of disinfectant that leaves no moisture behind. “This spray basically covers the entire room, cleaning surfaces, and disinfecting the air. You have disinfectant settling on all the surfaces, underneath, behind, and in between. Nothing is left untouched,” Dr. Merchant said.

ClensAir is an air purifying system that uses a six-stage air sanitization process, including technology that was developed for NASA. The unit consisting of particulate and antimicrobial filters, UV and photocatalytic lamps, an odor control filter, and a surface decontaminant. Independent lab tests have shown ClensAir to be over 99.9-percent effective in removing viruses and bacteria.

All of this from a small, rectangular container about 42 inches long (and weighing 15-20 pounds) that is easily wall-mounted or placed on a shelf and can be left to do its job until it requires a filter change. And the ClensAir has built-in filter monitors to remind users when those items need to be changed — based on the environment in which they are placed.

Dr. Merchant says that combining SaniCart and ClensAir creates a complete sanitization package for businesses like restaurants, hotels, airlines, and medical offices, as well as churches. Other areas where Aguair products are now being used and installed include office buildings, co-working spaces, and other commercial properties. The company has steadily increased production to meet this growing demand. “We have hired many more people; we are trying to work as fast as we can,” she said. “And remember,” she added, “this pandemic won’t last forever, but there always will be the annual flu, and other viruses — such as the common cold — to deal with on a regular basis. Looking at it that way, commercial sanitization equipment is well worth the investment.”

Locally, schools still are working out how such equipment might fit into their budgets, or where they could find funding, but there are spaces in metro-Atlanta that have installed Aguair equipment for patrons, including the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta and the City of Refuge Innovation Hub.

“We are humbled to collaborate with this foundation, who chooses to remain anonymous, and the Boys & Girls Clubs in Nevada, to help safeguard children in rural Nevadan communities. Aguair, and its parent company, Prodew, are also indebted to the City of Marietta and to Cobb County for supporting our growth over the last two decades,” Dr. Merchant said. “It is with this local backing that Aguair has been able to research and develop world-class sanitization equipment such as SaniCart and ClensAir.”

Getting Organized

Cory Sekine-Pettite

In 2020, we’ve all had much too much time at home, as we’ve telecommuted and tried to limit our time in crowds or in busy, enclosed spaces. Thus, it has been harder to ignore all of those home improvement projects and organizational needs that once were all too easy to put off. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

Well, when you’re looking out across your living space from your seemingly permanent work-from-home station, your eyes eventually start to focus on the room you had been planning to redecorate, or the flooring you no longer admire, or — for me — the many sections and collections of “things” that I have wanted to organize or reorganize. You see, I’m a bit of an aspirational super-organizer. Not quite a Marie Kondo type, but close. Spending hours on end at The Container Store is my idea of heaven. But it seems that no matter how many organization projects I complete, there are others ready to take their place in the front of my mind. And now that I’ve been at home for the better part of a year, all of those to-do list projects are screaming for attention.

There’s an endless number of online resources to help you get your home organized. A recent one I ran across from UK-based retailer Wren Kitchens offers an entire library of organizational tips, including how to get started. So below I’ve summarized their
“16 Amazing Tips for Organizing Your Home”:

Tackle decluttering first — You can’t organize your home until you’ve had a good declutter first.
Keep your surfaces clean — Make it a rule!
Identify danger zones — These clutter danger zones are often in key areas such as near the front door.
Organize your cupboards with baskets — Using the basket system makes it far easier to organize things into categories.
Sub-divide your drawers — There are lots of things that you can repurpose into dividers, including shoe boxes.
Use vertical sorting — Works well for pot lids and cutting boards.
Turn your paperwork digital — Opt for paper-free billing; get a scanner.
Store your instruction manuals together — You never know when you may need these.
Consider when you’ll actually need items — For example, cupboards near the dishwasher can house your plates.
Invest in stackable storage solutions — And stick to one system for easy stacking!
Maximize and multiply your shelf space — There’s more room in your cupboards than you think.
Regularly stock-take and rotate — Take note of what’s in your pantry before you shop.
Keep one drawer empty — Use it instead of that pile of gently worn clothes you have now.
Set up organization station — Keep track of shopping lists, meal plans, and upcoming events.
Let your space define what you allow yourself to buy — It means that if you want to make a new purchase, you’ll likely have to declutter other items to make room.
Use microwave minutes to stay organized — Microwave minutes refer to small pockets of time that can be squeezed into your day.

Even During a Pandemic, Cobb EMC and Gas South Are Still Inspiring Students

Lindsay Penticuff

cobb-county-literacy-week-header — Cobb County Schools Literacy Week 2019

Since its inception 10 years ago, the Literacy Week Program has supported more than 135,000 students in schools across Cobb, Paulding, Cherokee, Bartow, and Fulton counties. Launched by Cobb EMC in 2010 and followed by Gas South in 2015 as a co-sponsor, Literacy Week was created to encourage students’ love of reading and creative writing.

“The program supports the efforts of the schools, and the author and illustrator visits bring real-world examples to the classroom. Literacy Week inspires imagination and promotes lifelong reading habits,” explains Mark Justice, director of education and community relations at Cobb EMC. “Reading is one of the most important components of a successful education, and literacy supports successful STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] education.”

Literacy Week was started with New York Times Best Selling Author and Illustrator Brian Lies visiting just three schools. Justice says the response to Lies’ visits was so positive that Cobb EMC decided to make Literacy Week an annual event. Today, the program impacts students in 30 to 46 schools across five metro Atlanta counties. It is offered to students in kindergarten through 12th grade, and starting this year it also will be offered to college students.

The number of authors who participate changes each year, but they are expecting 12 authors to share their books and illustrations the last week in October during this year’s Literacy Week. “Literacy Week is more than inviting an author into a school to read one of their books,” Justice adds. “Instead, it is a focused time for students to be inspired to love reading and writing. Students learn about the process of writing and editing. A few of our authors are also illustrators. The students get to see live demonstrations and learn tips about how to draw.”

Justice adds that Literacy Week has become one of their most popular school programs and is one of Cobb EMC’s most important community efforts for education. “It is also probably the most demanding week of the school year for us, but we love every minute.”

Impacting the community at large

Gas South’s involvement in Literacy Week goes back to the company’s annual commitment of returning 5 percent of its profits back to the community, specifically to children in need in three areas: basic needs, education, and illness and disability.

“Cobb EMC has a strong education component to their community giving, so we thought co-sponsoring Literacy Week would be a great avenue to collaborate on,” shares Carley Stephens, community affairs program manager at Gas South, adding that this year alone, Gas South will be giving more than $1.2 million back to the community.

A large portion of Gas South employees have personally experienced the good deeds of Literacy Week, as their children are students at one of the participating schools — Norton Park Elementary School in Smyrna. “We know that we are not only impacting our communities, but we are bringing a really great program to the children of our own employees,” Stephens says. “One of the things we strive to do is to put people first, and that doesn’t just pertain to our customers. Taking care of our employees — our own family — is really important and impactful for the company to be able to touch everyone in that way and provide that support.”

A pandemic didn’t slow them down

This year’s program was held virtually to be respectful of social distancing rules and regulations instituted by many of the metro area’s school systems in light of COVID-19. “We normally have a kickoff event for schools on the first Monday of Literacy Week, giving media specialists and principals a chance to meet the authors and illustrators in advance of scheduled presentations,” Justice says. “We will not be able to host a kickoff dinner this year, though, because all of the presentations will be virtual.”

But, Cobb EMC’s mascot, Wattson the Red-Tailed Hawk, will visit close to 30 schools during this year’s Literacy Week. He also will be seen during virtual visits this year.

Stephens added that hosting this year’s event virtually will give presenters an opportunity to speak to smaller groups of students. “Kids will be able to interact in different ways with the authors and illustrators and ask more questions, which I think is really beneficial. …I think this will be a great opportunity for [them] to share their presentations and maybe be more focused on what the skills of a specific class or grade is learning at the time.”

To learn more about the community programs at Cobb EMC and Gas South, visit cobbemc.com/content/partners-education and gassouth.com/giving-back, respectively.

Highlights of Literacy Week:

Held the last week of October every year since 2010.
Two Spotlight on Excellence Awards from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
Business-to-Business Partnership Impact Award – Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta
New York Times Best Selling Author and Illustrator Brian Lies has participated since year 1.
Georgia School Superintendent Richard Woods participated in Literacy Week in 2015.
NASA author, speaker and space historian Andrew Chaikin has participated in Literacy Week for several years.

Exploring The Wild Blue Yonder

Marietta.com

Local business owner’s passion for aviation leads to partnership with Marietta’s Aviation History & Technology Center

Cesar J. Caceres, regional president of Nexterus Atlanta Northwest supply chain management company, keeps his eyes on the road ahead while also letting his mind wander up into the clouds. He plots his course and assesses his direction with deference to the greater journey we all travel. He knows he owes his own place in the world to the travelers who forged ahead before him. In building his business in Cobb County, Caceres cultivates connections and partnerships that help others also find their path.

“My grandfather immigrated to the U.S. during World War II,” Caceres recounts. “My parents were originally from Brooklyn where they were high school sweethearts. My father served in the Army and I was born while he was stationed in Germany.” It was there that his father felt the call to Baptist ministry, headed to seminary in Calhoun, Georgia, and then served a decade as a missionary in Puerto Rico before settling permanently in North Georgia. To Caceres, faith and service are inherent values, and he sees travel as a vital part of education. Additionally, aviation has always been a fascination for Caceres, so he became a Marine air traffic controller, which he notes “is basically logistics in the air.”

“Joining the Armed Forces was always part of my dream,” he stresses. “I wanted to serve the country and see the world, to enjoy different cultures. The Marines allowed me to see about 50 countries.”

After his time in the Marines, Caceres earned a college degree in business then began a career in logistics and management, working for a variety of companies. By 2019, he became familiar with the Nexterus company and decided to go into business for himself as a franchise subsidiary in Cobb County. “Nexterus is one of the largest privately-owned logistical companies, and their principles mirrored my family values,” he explains. “I purchased rights to use their proprietary software, taking freight into the 21st century through new systems and technical advancement. As an air traffic controller looking towards the future, this projects advanced ideas into an industry that has tended to do things the same way. Cobb is one of the top counties in the U.S. for growing supply chain logistics. Due to the pandemic, many industries figured out that they needed to re-evaluate their supply chain management. People are more open to talking about changes. …They see the need to investigate new technologies.”

That curiosity about technology combined with his passion for aviation led him to Marietta’s Aviation History & Technology Center (AHTC). When Caceres attended a museum Cockpits & Coffee networking event, he felt immediately comfortable in the environment. “I’ve probably slept more hours in and around aircraft than in a bed,” he jokes. So, he met with board members and decided to get involved. “They need businesses in the area to know they exist and to understand the way the museum benefits the community as a whole,” he explains.

Divested off the Marietta Museum of History, the AHTC now stands as a unique institution honoring local aviation history through 21st century methodologies. Center director Brad Hawkins joined the staff in 2017 and says, “I feel like a kid again here, being around the aircraft, hearing the stories of guests, watching kids come in saucer-eyed as they see the machinery. Most people’s world view of aviation is through a tiny window on the plane, but this [AHTC] is a gateway to explore our world.” He goes on to summarize their mission: “It’s about “preserving a legacy through education to showcase what [aviation] history has meant to the community, to appreciate where our community has come from and where it is going, to provoke critical analysis and thought in the younger generation and encourage aviation future development. And we’re doing so with some of the most passionate volunteers in the Metro area — veterans, former aviators, former Lockheed employees, et cetera. Our internal support comes from them [volunteers] and staff and corporate groups… such as Nexterus, a veteran-led organization that believes in the power of transportation.”

Both Caceres and Hawkins view the AHTC as more than a traditional museum space. Programming builds on the resonance of a face-to-face audience with massive aircraft and explores the larger influences of aviation in the region. “The museum helps veterans and military,” says Caceres, “as well as projecting toward the future by taking an active role in education with STEM groups, homeschoolers, and scouts.”

Hawkins elaborates, “Humankind was inspired to fly by looking at birds, and we can look at how that curiosity of our relationship with the Earth develops. [We are] learning teamwork from the example of a multi-engine aircraft, learning roles of different aircraft models. Understanding all of it can make for a more wholesome experience.”

For Caceres, supporting the AHTC means helping to foster a love for aeronautics within a community long recognized for its strong presence in the aviation industry. “I could spend hours listening to their [museum] experts with so much knowledge about these aircraft. This is personal history for me, too, so I decided to be a part of development with the marketing committee to help bring the strategic plan to fruition.”

Hawkins concurs: “Aviation gave Marietta a global recognition, aviation is in Cobb County’s DNA, tracing back to the Bell Bomber Plant, to Lockheed, to Dobbins. Where the base is now was once woods and pig lots, but in the 1940s the war transformed the labor landscape and people were coming to Cobb County to work on planes, starting a culture mix. Cobb County Water System developed to serve the plant; the school system developed to serve the families of plant workers. We want people to come in voluntarily to learn about all of it, to go far beyond the capabilities of the internet.”

To both Caceres and Hawkins, the history of conquering our wild blue yonder lends real insight to keep us all grounded in promise.

Aviation History and Technology Center

DoubleTree Is All About the Upgrade

Jennifer Morrell

When COVID-19 threw a major curveball at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Atlanta – Marietta, the management team took action to create a safer, more sanitized customer experience.

One of Marietta’s most notable establishments is the DoubleTree (DT) by Hilton Hotel Atlanta – Marietta. The DT became a Hilton – DoubleTree in 2006, and today is a full-service Hilton brand hotel with 224 guestrooms. If you’ve had the pleasure of visiting the hotel, you are probably familiar with the signature chocolate-chip walnut cookie offered to guests. In addition to warm cookies and warm service, the hotel offers king, double and suite guestrooms, complete with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in-room dining. The DT is known for its Southern hospitality and Atlanta access. Located just off I-75 at Windy Hill, it is close to family-friendly restaurants and is just one block from Windy Hill Hospital. A free shuttle is offered to Truist Park for Braves games and The Battery Atlanta.

“In 2018, we completed a multi-million dollar renovation, upgrading the breakfast area, a brand-new fitness center, and an indoor/outdoor pool with hot tub,” says General Manager Gregory Brown. “The hotel has 10,000 square feet of meeting space for board meetings, weddings, and other functions.”

Back in 2019, the DT hosted more than 50,000 guests, but the hotel isn’t just a convenient place for people to lay their heads. The DT’s management sees the hotel as a community partner. Along with offering foods, beverages, and other contributions, Brown said the DT works with MUST Ministries, American Red Cross, and the American Cancer Society. The hotel is also a Dobbins Airforce Base partner. “We feel that the hotel’s contribution has been quite impactful,” he says.

The unforeseen event

To be sure, the DT spoils guests with endless amenities and offerings, but like nearly every business in Cobb County, the COVID-19 pandemic created new challenges that led to new ways of thinking and doing business.

Prior to the pandemic, the hotel employed about 85 people, contractors included. By the end of March 2020, hotel management found themselves unable to accurately assess the days to come, and they wanted the staff and guests to feel safe. Thus, they opted to suspend the operation of the hotel for six weeks. “The generous owners decided that we would send everyone home with pay during this time, and the managers would maintain the structure and cleanliness of the building,” Brown said. “We extended this time for two additional weeks. On June 15, we reopened the hotel with 27 associates, managers, supervisors, and additional personnel in housekeeping.”

The onset of COVID-19 affected the DT in numerous ways, but also provided opportunity for growth and reassessment of hotel operations. Brown and his team consider the hotel to be corporate, for the most part. “Our hotel is unlike an airport property, where you have business and leisure travelers who book adjacent to where they land, as they feel this is convenient,” he says. “Here, we have corporate travelers whose company and/or business is in the area throughout the week, such as General Electric (GE), Home Depot, Dobbins Air Force Base, Manhattan Associates, Lockheed Martin Corp., Graphic Packaging, NAPA, HD Supply, and Wellstar. Many of these companies are contracted through the Hilton brand.

“As we all know, corporate traveling was suspended, and many of these companies are traveling very little, even today,” Brown continues. “Of course, we lost 90 percent of our corporate guests. Although we are noticing a small, but steady, increase in corporate travels and guests presently, we have more weekend traffic. This is the case for most properties today.”

Keeping guests safe

The DT philosophy for keeping guests safe in the COVID-19 “new normal” is simple: Vigilance is key, and availability is the win!

“All of us are asking, ‘What should I be doing to remain safe?’ and ‘If I choose to go someplace, what are they doing that helps me to believe that things are clean for my safety?’” Brown says. “We are not confronted with a pandemic often. It’s a new day; nothing is the same.”

Brown shared with his staff that the business has been forced to shift gears into another realm of “drive.” During the hotel’s suspension period, he and his team wanted to assure that when the doors reopened, every single component of operations was upgraded. This meant that whatever request guests or even staff members had, the DT could genuinely convey that an upgrade had taken place.

Changes had to be made. “If we were doing everything the same as we had before, I considered it a problem,” Brown says. “Fortunately, the Hilton brand became the trendsetter in this industry, and Chris Nassetta, Hilton’s CEO, implemented a clean, strict road for us to drive with cleanliness in mind. Each shift, I have a person who maintains our public spaces, constantly cleaning. This is all they do during their shift.”

The DT set a few best practices and new habits into place for the housekeeping staff to make strides toward better safety. Executive Housekeeping Manager Omar Mendoza says new training on how to clean and disinfect the rooms and public areas, including the 10 most-used spots, was a necessity. In every room, areas that are given special attention include lights, lamps, switches and electronic controls; handles and knobs; major bathroom surfaces; the climate control panel; the remote control, telephone and clocks; beds and bedding; tables, desks and nightstands; irons and safes; and food and beverage amenities.

Partnering for safety

DoubleTree developed a partnership with Lysol when Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta gathered information from the World Health Organization, Mayo Clinic, and the Centers for Disease Control, with an attempt to tackle cleaning material that would handle COVID-19 and any other viruses. Nassetta learned what it would take to maintain the proper cleanliness for COVID-19, and then met with Lysol.

“Everyone knew that Lysol and other disinfectants were unavailable,” Brown says. “Although stores were getting shipments, studies showed that the merchandise would [sell out] less than 15 to 30 minutes after arrival. An agreement was made with Hilton that would place all Hilton hotels on automatic shipment for the upgraded Lysol products for commercial cleaning. I sincerely believe Mr. Nassetta works with great diligence in maintaining good rhythm and harmony in the flow of hospitality.”

Hilton created the CleanStay program, which went into effect June 15, 2020. The program consisted of many components. Examples include the use of the new, commercial Lysol spray and wipes, and CleanStay seals for guestrooms. Hilton quickly became a trendsetter in this regard. Brown rolled out the program with the word “upgrade” in mind, since he and his team had to upgrade everything after being confronted with COVID-19.

Mendoza is a fan of the partnership with Lysol. “I think it has been great, because it not only provides security to travelers, but also to employees, by having the necessary tools to do the job,” he says. “We can also provide personal protection, especially in moments where nobody knows how to act with new procedures that should be performed in cleaning ours rooms and public spaces. These are important advantages that this partnership brings to Hilton.”

Mendoza says the key Lysol products that the DT is utilizing are Lysol Commercial Use Disinfectant Spray and Lysol Disinfectant Wipes.

Brown reiterates the importance of vigilance and availability. Having a dedicated person, in addition to the staff, to maintain a superior cleaning level is important. The DT has a person on each shift who walks behind each use of areas in our public spaces. If something is brought to the staff’s attention, this dedicated person allows immediate interception of any potential issues and concerns.

Brown says that, to date, the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Atlanta – Marietta has had no issues, for which he and his staff are grateful. “It is a new day, and many things have happened around us. We have upgraded our training on unconscious bias and proper decision-making in an ongoing effort to prevent misuse of decisions made in our new world. It’s the thought of knowing we need each other, in more ways than one.”

Mendoza furthers this mentality. “As the type of travelers change during this time and are more transient than the executive, the main challenge is to keep a deep cleaning on every single room,” he says. “This is not only because of the overall condition of the rooms, but because we must disinfect them properly. It takes more time to get the rooms clean, disinfected, and ready to sell.”

Brown’s final take on the measures being taken by the DT are clear. “My background is compliance, and I like to ascertain that those around me understand the small difference between rules and guidelines,” he says. “In this, we need to understand that empathy and genuine spirit of servitude always stamps success on those who we welcome here at our hotel.

“Things happen, and seasons change,” he continues. “However, we are giving our guests the view that we understand what is around us, and that where there is a need, we are available. Our hotel won the 2019 Hilton DT CARE Award. This is an award based on compliance, service, and cleanliness rankings. I remind our team in empowerment that we can maintain this honor. We just need to upgrade.”

Cobb County schools remote on Thursday, October 29 due to Hurricane Zeta

Marietta.com

From the Cobb County School District: “Due to severe weather conditions caused by Hurricane Zeta, all face-to-face classes will meet remotely on Thursday, October 29th.

This decision was made in keeping with our commitment to student and staff safety, with particular concern for our youngest bus riders.

All students are asked to report to class remotely through the Cobb Teaching and Learning System (CTLS) with further instruction provided by your teacher unless you, your family, or your home are impacted by Hurricane Zeta.

Local school and central office staff will work remotely. Essential employees will receive specific instructions from their respective Executive Cabinet member.

Elementary after-school program is cancelled and extracurricular activities will continue as scheduled. If you have any school-specific questions, please contact your local school.”

Taste of the Fair

Marietta.com

The North Georgia State Fair is hosting Taste of the Fair, a drive through fair food event featuring all youir favorite fair foods. Participating vendors are offering corn dogs, caramel apples, pizza, cotton candy, Polish sausage, funnel cakes, turkey legs, deep fried Oreos, fresh-squeezed lemonade, and more. The event takes place on September 25-27 & October 2-4, 2020.

Participants will drive through the one-way fair food route, decide if they would like to do walk-up or in-car service, then park in the appropriate designated area.

For In-Car Service:
In-Car Service will offer a limited menu. Participants will drive through the one- way fair food route, park in the “In-Car Service” lot, remain in their vehicle, place their order with an attendant, and have it delivered to them. They can either eat in their cars or take it home.

For Walk-Up Service:
Walk-Up Service will offer a full menu. Participants can either drive through the one-way fair food route, park in the “Walk-Up Service” lot and walk to the food vendors, or, to avoid traffic lines, they can park across the street in the North Lot, and walk over to the event.

Those who choose to order and eat in their cars are not required to wear a mask. Individuals who choose walk up service are strongly encouraged to wear masks.

Dates:
September 25, 2020
September 26, 2020
September 27, 2020
October 2, 2020
October 3, 2020
October 4, 2020

Time:
Fridays from 4pm to 8pm
Saturdays from noon to 8pm
Sundays from noon to 8pm

Address:
Jim R. Miller Park (Main parking lot)
2245 Callaway Rd
Marietta, Ga. 30080
(Enter Gate #3 on Al Bishop Dr.)

Admission:
Admission and parking are free. In addition, the fair will be collecting canned goods for MUST Ministries. Each person that donates 7 or more non-perishable canned goods will receive a FREE ticket to the 2021 North Georgia State Fair.

For more information, please call (770) 423-1330 or visit northgeorgiastatefair.com.

Start Date Announced for Cobb’s Phased Model for Face-to-Face Instruction

Marietta.com

Cobb County School District posted in Cobb County School District:

Superintendent Ragsdale Announces a Start Date for Cobb’s Phased Model for Face-to-Face Instruction

The pandemic has impacted each of us differently, but it has affected us all. Never would I have thought about starting a school year in a 100% remote environment, nor would I have ever wanted to – but this had to be the decision with the health and safety of our staff, teachers, and students being the top priority. No one knows better than I the benefit of our 113,000 students actively engaged with our fantastic teachers in each of our classrooms.

Today, I am pleased to announce that the three parameters of community spread, effective contact tracing protocol, and efficient testing timeliness impacting our decision to offer face-to-face instruction have all been trending in a positive direction. This news allows us to announce the start date for our phased plan to provide both face-to-face and remote learning environments. On the Monday following Fall break, October 5th, 2020, we plan to begin Phase One of our return to face-to-face instruction. I trust that everyone will continue to do everything we can to keep the numbers moving in the right direction.

As we previously indicated, you will be able to submit your choice for face-to-face or remote beginning at 8:00 AM on September 7th through the ParentVue portal. The choice portal will close at midnight on September 20th.

One critical aspect of our plan is that as parents choose either face-to-face or remote-learning classrooms, students will continue to be taught by their current teachers. Face-to-face and remote-learning students in the same class will receive the same instruction from the same teacher. This will prevent disruptions to existing relationships students have made with teachers and will protect teachers from being asked to do two jobs at the same time.

*Phase One: All kindergarten through fifth-grade students will return for full-day instruction. ASP will also resume for students in face-to-face classrooms on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. All low incidence pre-K through 12th-grade special education students will be given a face-to-face classroom option during phase one. Phase one will begin on October 5th, 2020.

*Phase Two: All sixth through eighth-grade students for full-day instruction. Phase two will tentatively begin on October 19th, 2020.

*Phase Three: All ninth through twelfth-grade students for full-day instruction. Phase three will tentatively begin on November 5th, 2020. This is a Thursday start date because of Election Day.

The schedule for all students in both face-to-face and remote-learning classrooms will include direct instruction with the world’s best teachers on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Wednesdays will continue to be reserved for individual and small group support, remotely, which will allow us to disinfect our school buildings as needed and allow parent/teacher conferences to be scheduled remotely. Conference week, which was originally scheduled for October 19th – 23rd, will now be regular school days. Additional information will be communicated in the coming days regarding student schedules and bus transportation.

Our health and safety protocols will be present to keep students and staff as safe as possible. Some of those protocols include:

Social Distancing will be practiced whenever possible.
Masks will be required on buses and in school buildings for students and staff, and whenever possible, when teachers are teaching.
We will provide Hand Sanitizer at multiple locations throughout schools.
We will also be following rigorous daily cleaning protocols.
Our Food & Nutrition Services employees will continue making sure our students have nutritious meals.
For the health and safety of our staff and students, we are limiting volunteers and visitors to the schools.

We remain committed to making decisions based on public health guidance, with student and staff safety being our top priority.

For those families who remain concerned about the health impacts of COVID-19, we will continue to have our remote learning classrooms available.

Thank you for your continued support, patience, and understanding as we move forward through our phased plan. I know the only way we will ensure success for each of our students is to continue working as One Team with One Goal.

Additional details for students and parents will be provided on Friday, September 4th and will be found on the digital home for Cobb’s Reopening Plan at CobbLearningEverywhere.com. Further information will be provided for our staff on the intranet and communicated by your principal.

*Each of the dates noted above is subject to public health data and guidance for Cobb County.

Roundabouts

Cory Sekine-Pettite

The weekend I started writing this column, I had just taken a short drive to nearby Douglasville to buy some produce and flowers from a farmer whose goods I normally just pick up at a local farmers’ market. However, since my wife and I haven’t been venturing outside too much lately, we wanted to hit the road — even if it was just for less than two hours roundtrip.

Near the farm, we drove through what looked like a relatively new roundabout, and I started thinking about how prevalent they’ve become in Georgia and I wondered if people actually knew how to use them, were not scared or intimidated to use them, and if they actually improved traffic flow for a population more accustomed to four-way intersections.

Well, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), roundabouts do work. Studies have shown that roundabouts are safer than traditional stop sign or signal-controlled intersections. Roundabouts reduced injury crashes by 75 percent at intersections where stop signs or signals were previously used for traffic control. Additionally, roundabouts actually move traffic through an intersection more quickly, and with less congestion on approaching roads, the IIHS reports. And if drivers are paying attention to signs, roundabouts are actually easy to navigate, even in areas where you may be unsure of where you’re going.

In Cobb County, residents may not be too familiar with roundabouts. However, I was surprised to learn that we have nearly a dozen already in use and even more under construction. In fact, the Cobb Department of Transportation says it has plans to replace several four-way intersections with roundabouts. “Roundabouts have built-in safety designs that force drivers to slow down and yield to traffic within the lane before entering the roundabout,” the county reports. “Most traffic accidents occur at intersections due to conflict points and intersecting travel paths. By keeping traffic moving in the same direction, roundabouts reduce rear-end collisions — the most common type of collision.”

If you’re unsure how to navigate your way through a roundabout, the county says you should slow your speed, look to your left for approaching vehicles already in or entering the roundabout, and you should only come to a stop if you need to yield to traffic. If no traffic is approaching or in the roundabout, drivers should proceed to the right and exit at the appropriate intersection road. Simple.

If you’re still unconfident, the IIHS has a video on YouTube that will help:

MUST Meets Needs of Cobb Residents

Jennifer Morrell

MUST Ministries has been serving Cobb and surrounding counties for years. When COVID-19 hit, MUST was there to meet basic needs and more.

What originally began as a community outreach of Powder Springs United Methodist Church, Methodists United in Service and Training (now known as MUST) has become a significant provider of food, shelter, workforce development, medical clinic services, and clothing to the Cobb and Cherokee county communities. Over the years, churches throughout the area have become involved in this outreach, and the name was changed to Ministries United in Service and Training. Eventually, MUST incorporated as simply “MUST Ministries.”

“MUST addresses the basic needs of individuals, families and children by providing food, shelter, workforce development, medical clinic services, and clothing,” says Chuck Rogers, director of retail operations for the organization. “MUST has facilities in the Cobb and Cherokee counties and Neighborhood Pantries consisting of 39 food pantries embedded in Cobb, Marietta, and Cherokee schools, serving a large number of at-risk children. We have been supplying grocery boxes since March 2016, and this program has served 24,724 people.”

MUST Marketplace

A significant initiative of MUST is its MUST Marketplace second-hand clothing store. Formerly located on Cobb Parkway, the new location in Sandy Plains Village offers men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, furniture, jewelry, home goods, small appliances, toys, books, sporting goods, and seasonal items. Some items are new from other stores that had overstock.

In 2013, MUST Marketplace replaced what was a small clothing closet, providing MUST Ministries clients with a retail environment to shop and receive free clothing allotments monthly. Marketplace served 2,888 clients in 2019, plus thousands of public shoppers who enjoy finding a bargain while helping MUST to help others. The Marketplace is funded by the revenue collected from cash-paying customers.

“Our model is to give MUST Ministries customers parity, not charity,” Rogers says. “We currently have two staff members and two more to hire. We are looking for a part-time cashier and a part-time merchandising associate. Before the pandemic, we had 30 regular volunteers and numerous drop-in volunteers.”

Managing through a pandemic

As it turned out, the COVID-19 pandemic was an ideal time for a service-based nonprofit to step up efforts and serve more people than ever. In the first 14 weeks of the pandemic, MUST provided nearly 1 million meals to 53,399 people, distributing summer lunches and grocery boxes, Monday through Friday.

“MUST Ministries, has been distributing summer lunch meals to children for 25 years and delivering five-day meal kits to children all summer,” Rogers says. “When Cobb County Schools decided to delay opening until Aug. 17, suddenly there were thousands of summer lunch children who needed lunch meals. MUST has been raising money and gathering volunteer and staff support to extend the program.”

Taking care of others is an expensive endeavor. MUST partners with a packaged food company to provide nutritious meals at a cost of $66,000. In addition, the nonprofit is continuing to pay for trucks, fuel, drivers, staff, and other expenses. The organization also donated $25,000 to Marietta City Schools to extend the Seamless Summer Meal Program.

Raising funds in 2020 can be difficult, but the greatest challenge MUST has faced during the pandemic has been accessing enough food supplies. In the beginning, food and toiletries were difficult to find in bulk. MUST had to resort to retail prices when, typically, a food bank and discount sites had been used.

“Fortunately, MUST donors gave money to help meet the need, but in the past month, ‘giving fatigue’ has plagued most nonprofits that are seeing a dip in financial giving and giving of food,” Rogers says.

On a positive note, Rogers has seen a remarkable linking of arms between nonprofits that have worked together to fight the crisis. For instance, a group of 60 organizations in Cobb meet regularly, sharing food, giving tips on where to find food at a good price, and encouraging one another.

When MUST Marketplace was able to reopen, it was challenging. Rogers says that, as for most retailers, the reopening was slow and sales were down. In the first few weeks, the Marketplace was selling about 50 percent of its usual volume.

“MUST Ministries has continued to adapt all programs through COVID-19, finding innovative solutions to offer help and hope for people in desperate need,” Rogers says. “Remarkably, MUST has served almost 60,000 people since COVID-19 began, when we typically serve 33,500 over the course of a year.”

Simply a MUST

For over 50 years, MUST has been established as a servant leader, caring for those in need in eight counties by providing food, housing, workforce development, medical care, and clothing.

“MUST is grateful for very generous donors who bring items to the Donation Center to support the programs offered to those in need,” Rogers says. “MUST is currently in a capital campaign to build a new campus to meet the demand for services. We provide 72 beds in the Elizabeth Inn Shelter, but are sadly turning away 200 to 300 people a month because of full beds — 70 percent of whom are women and children.”

Rogers says MUST absolutely has to expand its capacity to serve those in need, to provide hope to a greater number of women and children, and to reach the most vulnerable in the Cobb community. “Our hope is to build a fully furnished home with twice the current capacity with a living area designed for dignity, comfort, and space,” he says. “In addition, we will provide a centralized campus with comprehensive support services, such as a medical clinic, food pantry, and outreach services.”

Rogers recounts a success story whereby MUST Marketplace helped a citizen toward her next phase in life. “One of our regular customers is named Jackie. Several years ago, she was one of our shelter clients. She is working now, remarried, and comes to the Marketplace often to buy goods for her home. Our quality and prices allow her to furnish her home. Jackie is a testament to how MUST Ministries changes lives.”

You can visit MUST Marketplace Monday through Saturday. MUST Marketplace donations can be taken to the MUST Donation Centers. To donate larger items such as furniture, please call MUST Marketplace first. Learn more about the organization at mustministries.org.

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