I love doing things for deserving people.  My mom used to say that I was a free hearted person and she was right, I am.  That's why  super excited to be launching The Gwinnett Morning Star program.  I was laying in bed the Sunday after new years being still and relaxed, when I got this idea for the Morning Star Award.  As I lay there a picture started to play out in my head what that would look like.  So I decided that once a month I would award two people breakfast on Good Morning Gwinnett.  One breakfast would go to the nominee and one would go to the person doing the nominating.  I want to be able to surprise that deserving person with a breakfast gift card.  So if you know someone who you may be A Morning Star, email me who that person is and why you think they deserve it.  Be sure to include your name & phone number.  If your person is chosen as the monthly winner they will win a plaque and a breakfast gift card and so will you. ​

Derrick J. Wilson is no stranger to politics.  We know Derrick from the strong campaign he ran in his fight to be the Gwinnett Commissioner for district 3.  Derrick lost his race in the runoff after leading the race.  Derrick said he is committed to making sure that all Georgia's residents are being treated equally and that they understand the departments that are a part of their everyday lives.

​Derrick J. Wilson, has joined the race for Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner.  Wilson says, "It is important to bring integrity back to the office." His statement about the office follows the announcement of the conviction of former Insurance Commissioner Jim Beck two weeks ago.

The Insurance Commissioner’s office is a very important office in the state of Georgia. The
mission of the Office of the Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner (OCI) is to protect Georgia
families by providing access to vital insurance products and safe buildings through fair
regulation that creates economic opportunities for all Georgians.

"Many of our residents think insurance is the only thing this office does, and I plan to change
that by sharing important information about everything the office handles and the resources
that are available to all residents of Georgia.", states Wilson.

Since running for Gwinnett County District 3 Commissioner in 2020, Derrick has continued to
vocalize the need for diversity and proper minority representation within elected officials. “It is
important to have the right individuals in these elected positions who understand the issues that
Georgians face daily. They need someone who will adjust and enforce regulations that will
impact the quality of our daily lives.”

As with the last election where he was a candidate, Wilson will face competition for others who feel that they would be better suited for the job as the Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner, but Wilson said he is ready to for the hard work ahead. He knows that the time has come for new
leadership that his honest, hardworking and has the best interest of every Georgia resident. "This will not be a dictatorship" states Derrick. "I am not only interested in working for the residents of Georgia, but also in working with the residents of Georgia."
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To learn more about Derrick J. Wilson and to get involved, please visit WorkingWithYouGA.com.

We are a football family.  My brother is a former high school football coach now coaching middle school football, my nephew is a college football coach and my baby nephew is a rising star, who will be playing for Grayson high school this Fall. I spent Saturday going from one 7on7 to another 7on7.  First I went to watch my nephew do his thing.  So remember the name Jaylen Bell.  The position he play is cornerback.  That's the position my brother played in college and that's the position my nephew played in college, so it's only natural that Jaylen would play the same position.  Now I must say that just like his father and brother, Jaylen is the truth and is talent is not going unnoticed.  He is only going to be a freshman at Grayson high school this year and has already gotten 3 college offers.  

Tre' who is my oldest nephew went to school on a four year scholarship to Vanderbilt.  Before he made a decision on where he would go he received 26 offers from colleges who wanted him.  I think Jaylen will have the same opportunities as his big brother.  Right now he plays on Cam Newton's team.  Cam is the quarter back for the New England Patriots.  I guess Cam is off for a minute from playing,  he is the coach for Jaylen's team.  He seems to be super passionate about coaching.  You can tell that he really has a love for the game and is helping these young fellows become the best at the game just like him.

The second part of my day I spent watching my brother coach the Grayson Rams middle school team at Jordan Rhoades Park.  Like Cam, my brother loves this sport.  He will talk football all day long.  I enjoyed watching them.  This was great time for my husband and I do bond over something that we both enjoy.

I find myself spending more and more time outside, so it was nice to watch my nephew do his thing this past Saturday where they played their 7on7 games in Norcross at Greater Atlanta Christian School, which by the way has a beautiful campus.  I swear these are some of the most amazing schools I've ever seen.  They are like college campuses, but they are only high schools.

I know this is just the beginning of the week, but I look forward to seeing what I will be doing this weekend and I will be sure to share that with you next Monday.

Until Next Time
Make It A Great Day!
Audrey

Barnes & Noble is one of my favorite places to go when I need to just destress.  Since the pandemic it has been a year since I've gone there.  Following the CDC guidelines I pretty much stayed away from many public places.  If I did go to public places 9 times out of 10 there was outdoor seating.

Anyway, I've been under some stress from everything that has happen with me family and losing my mom back in January.  I'm in the expansion phase of growing Good Morning Gwinnett into a super successful brand and that's a lot of work.  I haven't been sleeping well and I've really been working hard to get back to a place of joy, so I decided to go and visit Barnes & Noble on Sunday, which is what I used to do a lot.  The energy that would normally be inside of the cafe' was what I needed.  Whenever I go there I go through the magazine racks and find all of my favorite magazines and just sit for hours reading them.  So this was my plan for Sunday.  The weather was just beautiful, so I grabbed my wallet and camera jumped in my car and headed to Snellville, which is where B&N is located.  I was excited, because I hadn't been in such a long time and I was desperate to get back to some kind of normal routine. 

Well when I entered the door, the store looked great.  It looked like they had removed some of the book shelves.  It had a sort of open floor plan feel.  It felt very spacious, so I guess this was all a part of keeping everyone socially distant.  Once inside I did what I normally do, which was headed to the magazines and look for my favorite magazines.  I picked up a handful and headed towards the cafe' and as I entered that area I was shocked at what I saw.  The cafe' had be totally dismantled.  All of the chairs and tables were piled up on each other and my heart dropped.  Once again here is an example of how Covid has changed my life.  So much for trying to find a little normalcy.  There were only about 6 tables out all spread along the walls.  There was a 30 minute seating limit, which I didn't notice the sign until I had been sitting for about an hour.  Yes I did sit down, but it wasn't the same.  It felt so lonely and I felt so isolated.  What used to bring me joy was just another sad reminder of how this pandemic has changed my way of living.

There is a little light to this story.  There were great reads for Mother's Day on the shelves.  You know it is just around the corner, so if you know a mother who loves to read, drop by B&N and pick up a book.  A lot of people are still socially distancing, so a book just maybe a great gift for a mom in your life this Mother's Day.
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How Are You Living These Days?

Until Next Time
Make It A Great Day!
Audrey Bell-Kearney, The Voice Of Gwinnett

I gotta tell you that it has been so nice to be able to get outside and be around people.  I got my second vaccine this past Tuesday and I must admit that I feel even more comfortable being around people.  Last weekend I attended the Bacon Festival.  Yes I said the Bacon Festival.  Now, although it was nice to be outside in the park, I must admit that I was a little disappointed with the festival.  It was called the Bacon Festival, but there was only one bacon vendor there.  There was a lady there who had bacon on cupcakes though.  I was expecting to see all kinds of bacon dishes and that wasn't the case.  We had tickets to go to the evening event, so maybe all of the bacon vendors had left for the day.  Anyway I still enjoyed myself just hanging out with my husband and friends.  There was a great band playing live music and it was nice to see people let their hair down and just enjoy the evening.  

Today is Easter and I was out again.  This time I went back to Lawrenceville Lawn to take the baby to the Easter Egg hunt that never took place.  There was an event on the calendar saying that a local church was hosting an Easter Egg Hunt and the park was full with children ready to look for eggs.  Again what a disappointment.  No one showed up from the church and the children were just hanging out wondering when the hunt would begin and it never did.  Although we were all disappointed the weather was so beautiful that we did not stay disappointed for long.  I hung out in the park with my daughter and granddaughter, after that we left and went to a small fair in Duluth so that the baby could get on some rides and my daughter could buy a funnel cake, which she loves.  I was tempted to buy a candied apple, but I was afraid that it would be too sweet and make me feel sick to the stomach.  Anyway the last few weekends have been amazing and I'm looking forward to spending more time outside with my family and friends.  There are a lot of events on your local calendar, so check them out and get outside and just enjoy life.

Until Next Time
Make It A Great Day!
Audrey Bell-Kearney, The Voice Of Gwinnett

Running a business can consume a lot of your time.  A lot a time new entrepreneurs think that starting their own business means more free time, but I have to tell you the real hard truth, and that is you will work harder and longer for yourself as an entrepreneur than you will probably work for anyone else.  Now I must also say that even though this is true, you have a lot of flexibility as an entrepreneur.  One of the most important things to do is set some clear boundaries and put yourself on your calendar.  That's exactly what I did this past weekend.  I wanted to get out and get some fresh air this past weekend, so I decided to stop by the Lawrenceville Lawn where the Aurora Theater was hosting a Broadway show on the lawn.  I couldn't actually get close to the event, because I didn't register in time, so by the time I decided to register the tickets were all sold out.  I did however get a chance to see some of the show from the parking lot.  Although the weather was a little brisk there was a nice crowd of people attending this event.  Everyone had on coats and hats.  I even saw some people who had blankets.  

Although I didn't get a chance to see the event up close, it was still nice just to be out and about.  Covid has restricted us so much over the past year that sitting in the parking lot was an adventure.  I look forward to being able to go out and feel comfortable again.  

I also went to the circus at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds.  That was fun as it was the first time my granddaughter had attended the circus.  I look forward to more of these events shared with my daughter, granddaughter and husband.

Before Covid I worked a lot and didn't spend a lot of time just enjoying life, now I look forward to it.  There's and old saying that "you don't miss your water until your well run dry" and that saying has never been more true than it was for the whole year of 2020 until now.  A lot of our wells ran dry and we are all looking forward to a little rain to fill it up again.

You are probably like me ready to get back at living life, not just existing, but actually living.  I invite you to make the best of every minute that you can.  

Until Next Time
Make It A Great Day!
Audrey, "Your Business Tutor"  
Got Questions About Starting & Growing Your Business Let's Talk!  Click Here

As I take the time to start being good to myself, I love learning new things that will help me on this journey.  A few years ago I started to learn about crystals, stones & Chakras.  I was doing a lot of research online, but to be honest it was all kinda overwhelming.   So imagine my excitement when I learned that there was a new wellness center right here in Lawrenceville.  I found out about Fyre & Wata on www.meetup.com.  I decided to go pay them a visit and I must say that I really enjoyed my time there.  The owners were so welcoming and warm.  They invited us into their space and explained the products to us and I was just elated.  Finally a local place that  where I can physically go and learn how to activate my Chakras.  

For years I've had problems with my knees and back.  For awhile the pain stopped, but over the last couple of months the pain has come back.  Qadesh who is one of the owners of Fyre & Wata told me that it sounded like my root Chakra is blocked and that I should meditate on it.  She said that I should meditate on the color red, which is the color for the root Chakra.  I started doing that the same night I got home, but I noticed that I felt like my body was purging.  I felt tired and still had the pain, so I can't wait to go back and visit and learn more about how to clear all of my Chakras and have a better life.

Another thing I loved about the team at Fyre & Wata was the fact that they helped other entrepreneurs by letting them display their products in the center.  That was so cool.  I got a chance to meet other micro-business owners who had some great products that they were selling.  Qadesh, Rebel & Julio (I don't think his name is really Julio though) moved to Gwinnett from Colorado and they have the mindset of each one help one.  This is the kind of culture that I like to see here in Gwinnett and I look forward to learning more about this team and the work and community that they are building. If you get a chance go pay them a visit.  

Yesterday was Valentines and restaurants and flower shops around the world saw an increase in business.  For all of the hopeless romantics out there trying to find the perfect place to take the one they love was tough.  With the pandemic still holding us hostage, seating was limited at most places.  Reservations were required if you had a chance at all of getting your favorite dinner spot.  

My daughter Dominique who is a foodie always knows the best spots to eat, but even she had a hard time finding an open table when she was trying to reserve some of her favorite places to dine with her boo Travis.  Finally she stumbled up Noona which is located downtown historic Duluth.  At first she wasn't that excited about going there, because she had her heart set on somewhere else, but because of the fact that most places were not serving at full capacity, reservations filled up quickly.

Dominique text me from the restaurant to say that they were glad that they had gone there.  The food was delicious she said.  Travis who is a little bit picky about what he likes to eat even said the food was delicious.  She said that atmosphere was so romantic with a fireplace to light up the spot where their table was located.  Travis liked it so much that he said he has to go there again, so the food must have been good.  His favorite food is cat fish and that wasn't on the menu.  Instead he had prime rib and mashed potatoes and Dom had a lobster roll with potatoes.  

So, after all of the love that my daughter and Travis gave Noona, I decided to see if luck was on my side and make a reservation for my husband and I and it was a no go.  So maybe on one of our date nights we will check out Noona.  Hopefully we will love the food just as much as they did and something tells me that we will, because I love lobster and the hubby loves prime rib.

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine Day!
Until Next Time
Make It A Great Day!
Audrey  

I decided to take a break and meet my friend and show producer Georgette for lunch yesterday.  I didn't know what I wanted I just knew that I did not want chicken.  If I eat anymore chicken, I'm going to fly away.  So I thought about the new restaurant I had passed by in Grayson over at the Railyard.  I didn't know the name, but I knew where is was located, so I Googled it.  

When I pulled up the menu I thought to myself, this should be good.  It was the Mediterranean restaurant Sam's On Main.  I knew that Georgette loved Gyros and I liked them too and this would be good, because it wasn't chicken.  Well let me tell you.  Sam's on Main did not disappoint.  The food was delicious and the staff was so nice.  I rarely order burgers when I go out, but they offered a burger with bacon jam and pork belly that I just could not pass up.  When I tell you that it was so good it was so good.  Just thinking about it right now makes my mouth water.  Georgette and I also split a prosciutto and spinach flatbread and OMG that was delicious too.  Cindy, the manager stopped by to chat with us and told us to next time check out the California chicken pictured above and you best believe we will.  I could have just had the flatbread and that could have been my meal.  

While Georgette and I sat there at Sam's On Main and talked about the 2021 vision for Good Morning Gwinnett, we enjoyed the atmosphere of the place and are definitely planning on going again.  The food was just glorious.

If you get a chance check out Sam's On Main you may just love the food as much as we did.
Until Next Time
Make It A Great Day!
Audrey

The Greater Eastside Chamber Of Commerce of Snellville is hosting it's annual Give Back.  In a time as we are living in today, this event could not come at a better time.  There are so many families who are in such a bad situation because of the pandemic.  For some they don't know where their next meal is coming from.  This is a sad situation, but a real one.  That's why The Give Back is an event that needs your support.  GECC wants to give to those who are in dire need, but it wants to also recognize those who are doing great things in the community.  

You can not only attend this event, but you can also make donations.  GECC is accepting the following donations which can be brought to the event.

• Gift Cards
• Turkeys
• Canned Goods

This event will take place November 18, 2020 at the Summer Chase Country Club.  Admission to attend is $30.  To register for the event go to https://eastsidechamber.com/.

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