Good morning!

The caps have been tossed, the last bell has rung, and Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner. If that is not the universe telling you summer has arrived, I do not know what is.

This week's LO Down is bursting with energy and honestly, so is this community. We are celebrating Gatewood's Class of 2026, cheering on the kids signing up for summer camps, and welcoming a brand new business to the area that is about to change how golfers around this lake take care of their bodies. We have got fresh hair, fresh pastries, and a night of live music that deserves a spot on your summer calendar right now.

Whether you are heading to the lake this weekend, watching a kid flip on a tumbling mat, or finally booking that tee time you have been putting off, this one is for you.

Happy Memorial Day weekend, Lake Oconee.

❤️ Holly

If you have ever walked off the 18th green feeling like your back aged a decade between holes, or noticed that getting out of bed in the morning takes a little more negotiating than it used to, the team at InMotion Wellness Studio wants you to know something. It does not have to stay that way.

Located just off Lake Oconee Parkway in Eatonton, InMotion brings professional assisted stretching to one of the most active communities in Georgia. Owned by Pablo and Dana Santamaria, the studio was born out of Pablo's own experience as a surgeon who turned to assisted stretching for relief from chronic back pain. The results changed how he thought about recovery, and now he and Dana are bringing that same approach to Lake Oconee.

Their one-on-one sessions are designed to improve flexibility, ease pain, restore range of motion, and yes, help golfers add some real life back into their swings. Whether you are a weekend warrior, a daily walker, a pickleball regular, or someone simply trying to stay independent and pain-free, this is the kind of low-impact, high-return practice your body has probably been asking for.

The best part? You can try it free. InMotion is offering a complimentary 30-minute demo so you can experience assisted stretching before committing to anything. It is the easiest way to find out what your body has been missing.

📞 Call 706-927-5949 or book your free demo online.

Good news for anyone who has ever tried to book a hair appointment around a full work week. Zapien's Salon is now open on Saturdays.

For longtime clients of Norman Zapien and his team, this is the kind of small change that makes a real difference. No more squeezing color appointments into a lunch hour or trying to make a Friday cut happen before a weekend event. Saturday slots are now part of the regular schedule, and they will fill up fast.

If you have not yet experienced Zapien's, here is the short version. Norman trained with Paul Mitchell in New York and Vidal Sassoon in London, and he has built a Greensboro salon that consistently earns high praise for craftsmanship and care. The team specializes in custom color, balayage, hand-tied extensions, precision cuts, and treatments like Olaplex and keratin smoothing. Every appointment starts with a real consultation, not a rushed checklist, and the result is hair that feels like you.

Claim your Saturday time before someone else does. Call (706) 453-4213 to book.

A Note for Experienced Stylists

Norman is also growing the team. Zapien's is currently hiring experienced hair artisans with an established book of business to join an environment built around craft, collaboration, and continued education. If that sounds like the right next chapter for you, reach out to Julie Rowland at (706) 453-4213.

📍 1051 Village Park Drive, Suite 104, Greensboro

Memorial Day weekend kicks off Friday, and if you are hosting family, friends, or anyone who tends to wander barefoot from the dock straight to your fridge, you already know the drill. Hungry crew, full cooler, half-empty pantry.

This is where Sweet Kneads Bakery & Cafe earns hero status.

Stop in this week and stock up on the kind of grab-and-go favorites that disappear faster than the sunscreen. Think pepperoni rolls and bagels for the boat, muffins for slow lazy mornings, their famous chicken salad and egg salad for easy lunch spreads, whole quiches to pull out when somebody's mother-in-law shows up unannounced, pasta salads to round out the cookout, and their iconic black bottom pies for after dinner on the porch.

Sweet Kneads has been a Lake Oconee staple since 2002, tucked between downtown Greensboro and downtown Eatonton, and they know how to feed a crowd. But here is the thing. They are only open Monday through Saturday, which means Thursday is really your last clean window to stock the fridge before the holiday hits and the cases get wiped out. Friday is doable if you move early.

📍 103 Clack Circle, Suite 1000, Eatonton 📞 Call (706) 484-1588 to place your order ahead

Summer Camp Season Is Almost Here

If you are still figuring out what the kids are doing this summer, we have done some of the legwork for you. Lake Oconee Life has put together a comprehensive Summer Camp Guide featuring some great local options, and registration fills up faster than you think.

Here are three worth knowing about right now:

Bobcat Explorers Summer Camps at Georgia College offer week-long day camps running all summer long, covering everything from Soccer and Basketball to Theater, Cheer, Sports Frenzy, and even Backyard Critters. There is genuinely something for every kid, and the variety of sessions means flexible scheduling for busy families.

LO Cheer Co. brings the energy all summer with Tumbling Camps and Performance Camps running throughout June and July. Whether your child is just getting started or ready to level up, these camps are a fantastic way to build skills and confidence in a fun, supportive environment.

Wakeboarding Summer Camps are exactly what they sound like, and they are every bit as cool. With multiple sessions kicking off at the end of May and running through July, this one is a bucket list summer experience for kids who love the water.

Head to our Summer Camp Guide at lakeoconeelife.com/insider/summer-camps for the full calendar, dates, and details, and get those spots locked in before they fill up.

If you have ever walked off the course wishing your body felt as good as your swing looked, Michael and Kayla Clanahan built The Birds Nest with you in mind.

Tucked in Watkinsville at the crossroads of Athens, Madison, and Lake Oconee, The Birds Nest is a family-run golf fitness studio focused entirely on performance and injury prevention. Michael brings TPI certification, NASN credentials, and over a decade of experience training athletes, with a philosophy rooted in working with your natural swing, not against it. Kayla brings her marketing background and genuine community spirit to the business side, making this a true family effort from day one.

The Grand Opening is June 1st, with appointments from 1–4 PM and classes from 4–7 PM. Services include personal training, group classes, golf simulator sessions, and tournament packages. And here's a little something for our Lake Oconee readers - use code OCONEE for 25% off.

Have a young golfer at home? Junior Golf Classes are now enrolling for ages 5–18. Whether your child is brand new to the game or already hooked, Michael makes learning fun and encouraging at every level. Sessions start June 1st and spaces are filling fast.

📞 678-283-4447

From Gatewood's graduates to the kids just getting their camp schedules figured out, from Norman's chair at Zapien's to Michael and Kayla's grand opening at The Birds Nest, this community is moving into summer with a whole lot of heart.

A special thank you to InMotion Wellness Studio for sponsoring this week's newsletter. If your body has been asking for some attention after a long spring, there is no better time to book that assisted stretching session than right before the season kicks into high gear.

Enjoy the long weekend. Hug a graduate. Get out on the water.

Holly & Your Lake Oconee Life Family