Meet the Fischlin Family
By Josh Hudson
This month Stroll Inside The Gates spotlights the Fischlin family.
Tina Fischlin is originally from Reidsville Georgia, while Mike Fischlin hails from Elk Grove, California. For her collegiate tenure, Tina graduated from Georgia Southern University with a degree in Accounting. Mike, on the other hand, was drafted by the New York Yankees at age 19 after completing his associates degree at Cosumnes River College in California.
After graduating from Georgia Southern, Tina went on to pursue a career in the financial sector, but she transitioned into real estate in 1991. She continues to help clients find their dream home with Coldwell Banker Lake Country Realty.
After he was drafted by the Yankees, Mike spent his entire adult life in Major League Baseball. He played professionally for 14 years, spent two years as a minor league manager, and has now been a sports agent with the Boras Corporation for over 35 years. In celebration of Mike’s incredible career on and off the field, Mike was inducted into the Cosumnes River College Hall of Fame in 2008. He was also recently inducted into the Sacramento Baseball Hall of Fame.
Mike and Tina first met through their mutual friend, Theresa Kemp, a Reynolds resident and the founder of Victory Train. “We had been friends and book club members for years,” recounts Tina. “She likes to say that setting us up was her first—and last—attempt at matchmaking! She and her husband Gary are now our neighbors on Curtright Place.” Tina and Mike celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary in March.
In addition to real estate, Tina and her late husband Hal operated a successful business venture that fell far outside of their respective careers. Until recently, she owned Barefoot Mountain Farms, a Christmas tree farm in North Carolina. They also operated retail Christmas tree lots in Atlanta for over 26 years, serving the Virginia-Highlands/Morningside and Chastain Park communities.
Tina first moved to Georgia’s Lake Country in 1995 with Hal to escape the hustle and bustle of Atlanta. She and Hal were initially drawn to this community by the peaceful atmosphere and the beauty of the neighboring lakes. Their first home was built on Lake Sinclair, but they eventually moved to Reynolds in 2004.
Mike moved to Reynolds in 2006. Even though their paths did not cross until many years later, they both new Reynolds and the Lake Country was a special place they could call home. “We love the lake and golf courses, and we really appreciate how the community has grown over the years,” They continue. “Reynolds offers activities for every interest, and the people here are warm, caring, and incredibly generous. We’ve made lifelong friends and truly couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. This place and these people are special. When you need your neighbors, they are there for you, embracing you in the good times and the not so good times.”
Mike and Tina’s home here would not be complete without their adorable fur-baby, Sophia Loren, a 16-year-old rescue from the Oconee Regional Humane Society. “I call her my Weimaraner/Shih Tzu/Doodle mix,” adds Tina. “She is the best dog I’ve ever had.”
Mike and Tina love to stay as active as they can in the lake country community. First of all, they are proud members of Lake Oconee Church. Tina is also an active member of the Rotary Club of Greene & Putnam Counties and she serves on the Board of St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital.
Tina is a passionate humanitarian whose heart for service reaches children across the globe. As a dedicated leader with Alliance for Smiles, Tina has helped bring life-changing cleft lip and palate surgeries to children in countries such as Nigeria, Bangladesh, Ghana, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Zimbabwe, Philippines, Cameroon and India (to mention a few)—ensuring that every child, regardless of where they are born, has the opportunity to smile with confidence and dignity. Along with her friends, Ronnie & Debbie Kent, they host an annual BBQ raising funds to support future missions. She believes deeply that access to safe surgery is not a privilege, but a basic human right. Through her leadership in Rotary and her commitment to global partnerships, Tina works tirelessly to build sustainable relationships, train local medical teams, and secure funding so missions create lasting impact. Her passion is rooted in a simple but powerful belief: every child in the world deserves a smile, hope, healing, and the chance to live without stigma.
Mike’s proudest contribution to the community is “Fisch Camp”. Mike founded the Fisch Camp clinic two years ago, and despite the name, the clinic has nothing to do with fishing! “In the baseball world, everyone calls him ‘Fisch’”, explains Tina. “Fisch Camp is a one-day baseball clinic for kids ages 7–14. He invites former Major League players and former Boras Corp clients to help teach skills, but most importantly to give the kids a chance to meet and learn from some well-known players.”
In their free time, Mike and Tina enjoy walking the many trails in Reynolds, working out at the club, playing golf, and spending time on the lake. Most of all, they love sharing this beautiful community with their friends and family.
