The Love of Here | Life and Work in Northwest Georgia

What if the thing that changed your life started with a stranger posting their run on Instagram? That's exactly how Soal Running Club came to be — and now it's changing the culture of wellness in Dalton, one Saturday morning at a time. We sat down with founders Geovanni (Geo) Villa and Jorge (Jorgey) Hurtado to talk about how two childhood soccer rivals reconnected through running, why they opened the club to everyone regardless of pace, and what makes Dalton feel like home even after you leave.HIGHLIGHTSGeo and Jorgey met as kids playing for the East Ridge Express, a travel soccer team out of Chattanooga, and later became rivals at Northwest and Southeast high schools.A college ankle injury ended Geo's soccer career but ultimately pushed him toward running — and eventually, reconnecting with Jorgey.The Bill Gregory race was Jorgey's first eye-opener to competitive running — he thought his soccer fitness would carry him and learned quickly that running is its own beast.Soal started in 2023 with just a handful of friends and a group chat; by mid-2025 they were regularly drawing 25–35 runners on Saturday mornings.The club runs Wednesdays at Dalton High School (track night, 6 PM) and Saturdays at rotating local coffee shops including LoFi, Highland Bake Shop, Casa de Café, and Common Ground.Beginners are not just welcome — they're the whole point. Soal runs in "laps," with a 3-mile option designed to make showing up feel possible.Training in summer heat is actually a secret weapon: when race season hits in the fall, your body is already built for endurance.Rocky Face Ridge is Jorgey's favorite trail; the Dalton State (Raisin Woods) trails are a humbling hill workout; Hag Mill is a community staple.Local businesses have been key sponsors, and Soal literally wears that support — they call themselves "a running billboard" for Dalton.One club member is heading to San Francisco to run his first marathon. Geo and Jorgey are just getting started.CHAPTERS2:08 – Soccer Roots Reunite4:30 – High School Rivalries8:51 – From Soccer to Running13:06 – Finding the Running Hook14:25 – Beginner Friendly Mission17:34 – Weekly Runs and Coffee20:23 – Club Growth and Training23:54 – Races and Big Wins27:22 – Why Dalton Feels Home28:50 – College Drives Home29:56 – Dalton Pulls You Back30:28 – Creating Local Positivity31:39 – Dalton Food Favorites33:17 – Downtown Growth Vibes34:42 – How to Join SOAL35:11 – Support and Celebration36:51 – Upcoming Races Calendar38:22 – Beginner Running Tips41:02 – Best Local Trails45:10 – Wildlife and Trail Resources46:57 – Local Sponsors Shoutout48:41 – Final Thanks and WrapRESOURCESSOAL Running Club on Instagram: @soalrunningclubSOAL Running Club on Facebook: Soal Running ClubSOAL Running Club website:https://runsignup.com/MemberOrg/SoalRunningClubBelieve Greater Dalton – Discover Dalton Hike & Bike Pass: believegreaterdalton.orgFollow the show:Instagram: @behere.daltonFacebook: Here MagazineLinkedIn: Here Local MediaThanks for listening! Be sure to support the show by subscribing on your podcast player and leave us a review!

What does it actually look like to travel the world for work — and still choose northwest Georgia as home?Ashlea Snell of Snell Photography has photographed weddings and commercial shoots across Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, and beyond — with her work featured in People, Gardening Gun, and the New York Times. But when it came time to plant roots, she and her husband Tyler chose Dalton, Georgia. In this conversation, Ashlea opens up about building a business from a tax refund and a borrowed camera, the moment Tyler almost lost a $5,000 drone over the ocean in Maui, and why she believes the community you're looking for might just be waiting for you to reach out first. She also shares her heart for kids in foster care and how anyone — not just foster parents — can make a difference in Whitfield County.HighlightsAshlea was one of the earliest supporters of the Dalton magazine, and her photography has been central to its vision from the startShe and Tyler built their photography business from a single tax refund during their senior year of college — and booked 32 weddings in their first yearThe Snells moved to the Dalton area six years ago during COVID, drawn by proximity to family, Atlanta's airport, and nonstop international flightsThey renovated a home in Dalton's historic district — essentially taking it down to the studsAshlea has volunteered as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for Whitfield County for three years, advocating for children in foster careThere are currently over 150 kids in foster care in Whitfield County — and there are many ways to help beyond becoming a foster parentAshlea's kids are already budding entrepreneurs: one is investing in stocks, another sold homemade hand sanitizer to classmates, and they're eyeing a table at the local farmer's marketThe Let Them theory by Mel Robbins reframed how Ashley thinks about building community — don't wait, just reach outAshlea's favorite local spots include Native Kitchen, El Maguey, and Table 43The Snells attend church in Chattanooga but say leaving Dalton is hard to imagine — the community they've built keeps them rootedChapters0:00 — Meet Ashlea Snell1:29 — How We Connected2:33 — Moving to Dalton4:00 — Downtown Home Life5:46 — Hawaii Drone Drama9:05 — Dalton Magazine Vision9:49 — Starting the Photography Business13:41 — Favorite Destinations15:40 — Why Dalton Feels Like Home16:59 — Dalton Food Favorites18:44 — Old Text Tease19:05 — Brand Photos Memories20:04 — Art and Community Investment20:15 — CASA Foster Care Advocacy23:24 — Wild Photo Shoot Story25:20 — Favorite Local Finds25:48 — Farmers Markets and Gardening26:39 — Kids Entrepreneurship Lessons29:03 — Staying in Dalton29:51 — Community Building Mindset32:07 — Closing Plugs and Local LoveResourcesSnell Photography — Follow on Instagram at @thesnells_Native Kitchen — Ashlea's go-to local coffee and dining spot in DaltonEl Maguey — Local Dalton restaurant recommended by AshleaTable 43 — Dalton restaurant; Ashley's recent first visit was a hitThe Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins — Book Ashlea referenced on building community; available hereDalton Farmer's Market — Mentioned as a local favoriteRinggold Farmer's Market (Rabbit Valley) — A nearby market the Snell family also visitsFollow the show:Instagram: @behere.daltonFacebook: Here MagazineLinkedIn: Here Local MediaThanks for listening! Be sure to support the show by subscribing on your podcast player and leave us a review!

What does it look like when you hike 2,000 miles, fall in love, move across the country, and somehow end up exactly where you were meant to be? Amanda Michaels-Brown and Chris Brown didn't plan to plant roots in Dalton, Georgia — but Dalton had other plans. From a chance college connection to a tragedy that revealed the power of community, their story is a reminder that the place you come home to shapes you in ways you never expect. Amanda leads the Creative Arts Guild, one of Georgia's oldest multidisciplinary arts nonprofits, and Chris founded Dalton Brewing Company with friends while working as a lawyer at Geiger Legal. Together, they've become two of the most invested voices in Dalton's revitalization.HighlightsAmanda and Chris were born in the same hospital in Syracuse, New York — but didn't meet until their first semester at the University of the South (Sewanee), connected through a mutual friend from DaltonThe two hiked the entire Appalachian Trail together after college before deciding to build a life togetherAmanda grew up immersed in the arts in Dalton, ultimately majoring in theater after a pivotal senior-year audition for The King and IAfter law school in Denver, Chris commuted between Dalton and Colorado for years — eventually choosing to fully plant roots in DaltonThe loss of Amanda's father brought her back to Dalton and showed both of them what true community looks like: neighbors who showed up, cooked meals, and didn't leave for nearly two weeksAmanda was hired at the Creative Arts Guild almost by accident — a visit to see a friend turned into a job offer and eventually the Executive Director positionThe Creative Arts Guild was founded in 1963 and is one of the first multidisciplinary arts nonprofits in the state of GeorgiaChris and partners launched Dalton Brewing Company in 2018 on his 35th birthday, inspired by Denver's neighborhood brewery cultureBoth see the brewery and the Guild as "third places" — community gathering spaces that go far beyond their primary functionsTheir best advice for newcomers: show up, get involved, and don't be fooled into thinking there's nothing to do hereChapters0:00 — Welcome Back0:28 — Meet Amanda and Chris1:33 — Amanda's Roots in Dalton3:55 — College Connection4:47 — First Impressions of Dalton5:25 — Arts Path and the Guild9:08 — Denver Move and Proposal10:00 — Life in Denver Changes11:58 — Loss and Community Support14:05 — Guild Director Opportunity16:44 — Returning to Revitalize Dalton17:49 — Dreaming Up the Brewery18:53 — Community Party Vibes19:13 — Brewery as Third Place19:50 — Family-Friendly Pushback20:37 — Guild During the Recession21:50 — Building Dalton's Live Music Scene23:38 — The Guild as Extended Family24:58 — Staying or Leaving Dalton27:06 — Advice for Newcomers29:32 — So Much to Do Here32:27 — Favorite Dalton Moments34:06 — Dalton Stories and Laughs36:13 — Wrap Up and PlugsResources MentionedCreative Arts Guild — Dalton's multidisciplinary nonprofit arts organization, founded in 1963Dalton Brewing Company — Craft brewery and community gathering space in downtown DaltonGeiger Legal — Law firm where Chris Brown practicesUniversity of the South (Sewanee) — Where Amanda and Chris met as freshmenFollow the show:Instagram: @behere.daltonFacebook: Here MagazineLinkedIn: Here Local MediaThanks for listening! Be sure to support the show by subscribing on your podcast player and leave us a review!

What does it take to fall in love with the place you live? And then actually stay? In our first episode of the Love of Here podcast, hosts Lauren Sneary and Erika Mosteller sit down together to share their own Dalton stories. One grew up here and swore she'd leave. The other moved here reluctantly and couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Together, they explore why Northwest Georgia deserves a better story — and why they're committed to telling it.HighlightsLauren and Erika introduce themselves and share why they launched a podcast to tell the untold good-news stories of Dalton and Northwest GeorgiaErika reflects on how she adopted the "nothing to do here" narrative when she moved to Dalton — and how that story simply isn't trueLauren admits she was fully committed to leaving Dalton after college and recounts the summers bartending at the Dalton Depot that kept pulling her backBoth hosts get real about Dalton's imperfections — from economic disparity to cultural divides — while making the case that the momentum is real and worth celebratingErika shares practical advice for newcomers: find your third space, plug into groups like Believe Greater Dalton, and show up where people are gatheringThe conversation gets into entrepreneurship in Dalton, including why the "shop local" mentality makes it a great place to start a businessLauren gives a behind-the-scenes look at the Here magazine dining guide — more than 100 locally owned and managed restaurants in one placeThe hosts gush over the food scene transformation, name-drop some favorites, and debate which cocktail is "basic"Erika makes her case for the mountains as Dalton's most underrated featureA preview of what's coming next: more guest stories, more community voices, and an open invitation for listeners to reach outChapters0:00 — Welcome & Introductions0:41 — Meet Erika and Lauren2:03 — Why These Stories Matter3:39 — Erika's Move to Dalton4:46 — Changing the Dalton Narrative5:40 — Lauren's Hometown Perspective8:18 — Staying and Building a Life10:06 — Dalton's Challenges and Momentum10:57 — Getting Connected as a Newcomer13:25 — Entrepreneurship in Dalton16:13 — Have You Ever Wanted to Leave?17:34 — Why We Stayed17:38 — Dalton Opportunities18:38 — Craziest Story Setup19:04 — Food Scene Glow Up20:34 — Cocktails and Nightlife21:25 — Local Dining Guide22:47 — Favorite Thing: The People24:20 — Trading Local Culture25:35 — Mountains and the Outdoors26:59 — Touch Grass Reset27:42 — Next Guests and Stories28:44 — Where to Find UsResources MentionedHere Local Media — herelocalmedia.comHere Magazine — Available in print around town and as a digital issue online; subscribe at herelocalmedia.comHere Local Dining Guide — 100+ locally owned and managed restaurants in Dalton; available online at herelocalmedia.comBelieve Greater Dalton — believegreaterdalton.com — Community organization with a resource directory of local groups and organizations to plug intoDalton Brewing Company — Local gathering spot and third spaceThe Mill — Local venue with live music and events (Syno mentioned)United Way of Northwest Georgia — https://www.ourunitedway.org/ — Volunteer opportunities in the Dalton communityHag Mill Lake Park — Local outdoor recreation spot (4-mile loop around a lake)The Gallon Goat — Local bar with outdoor seatingThe Carpentry — Rooftop bar with outdoor igloo seatingMaricó Camarón — Local restaurant featuring a unique take on Mexican cuisineHighline Bake Shop — Local bakerySmall Batch — Local bakery (sourdough)The Dalton Depot — Historic local venue (referenced nostalgically)Follow the show:Instagram: @behere.daltonFacebook: Here MagazineLinkedIn: Here Local MediaThanks for listening! Be sure to support the show by subscribing on your podcast player and leave us a review!